Part 43 (1/2)

At that moment the sound of angry voices and a hoa.r.s.e laugh from the troopers made Fred urge his horse forward.

”What is this?” he said. ”I will not have the prisoners insulted.”

”It's the prisoners insulting us, Master Fred--I mean captain. It's this ne'er-do-well of a brother o' mine bragging and bouncing because his hair's grown a bit longer than mine. He keeps calling me crop-ears, sir, and showing off as if he was a Cavalier.”

”So you are a crop-ear and a rebel,” said Nat, for his fall had hurt him, and made him disagreeable.

”Silence, sir!” cried Fred, as he made a gesture as if to strike the ex-gardener a blow with the flat of his sword.

”Shan't silence,” said Nat. ”You're not my master. Rebels can't be masters, and you daren't hit me now I'm tied up, much as you'd like to.

Cowards, all of you!”

”Beg pardon, captain,” said Samson, ”but may I untie his arms, sir, and have him down under the trees with our buffs off? I could give him such a leathering in five minutes.”

”Silence! Forward! Samson, rein back;” and they rode slowly on till the outskirts of the camping place were reached, sentries challenging and men cheering the little party as they came in with their captives right to where the regiment lounged about the camp-fires.

Here Colonel Forrester strode out from his tent, followed by half a dozen officers, all ready to cheer the boy who had so successfully carried out the reconnaissance.

”Any one hurt?” asked the colonel, looking very cold and stern, and hardly glancing at his son.

”Only a few scratches and bruises, sir. We took the whole party.”

”That's well. Which is the leader? Here, you!”

Scarlett paid no heed to the command, but a couple of the troopers seized his arms, and hurried him before the colonel.

”Which way has the main body of your forces gone, sir?”

”You had better follow and find out for yourself, Colonel Forrester,”

said the prisoner, coldly. ”You will get no information from me.”

”Scar Markham!” exclaimed the colonel, in astonishment. ”My poor boy, I am sorry that we should meet like this.”

”And I am glad, sir,” cried Scarlett, excitedly, ”for it gives me an opportunity to say that I, too, am sorry to see you like this, a rebel and traitor to your king.”

”Silence, sir! How dare you! Take the prisoners away, and see that they are well used.”

”Yes, father,” replied Fred; and he saw the five men disposed of, and then led Scarlett to his own little tent which he had placed at his disposal, and saw that he had an ample supply of food.

He then took his own, of which he was in sore need, and began to eat in silence, furtively watching the prisoner, who remained silent, and refused the food, though he was famis.h.i.+ng.

Fred's anger had subsided now, and remembering the old days before these times of civil war and dissension, he said quietly--

”I am sorry I have nothing better to offer you.”

Scarlett turned upon him sharply, with a flash of the eye, as if about to speak; but he turned away again, and sat looking straight before him.

There was a long silence then, during which Fred thought how hard it was for his old friend to be dragged there a prisoner, and he said softly--