Tim Murphy and Tom Dare both felt that they had only just dropped off to sleep when the bugle called them back to the cold world of men and war. The British troops were making an early start, and before the sun was over the tree-tops, the men were in the saddle and once more on the trail of their prey. The day promised to be a hot one before the sun was very high, and the troops were thankful when the road led them through brief snatches of woodland, for the shade was very grateful.

They rode onward until about ten that morning, when suddenly the leaders, who were keeping a sharp lookout for signs of the fugitives, came to an abrupt halt. The road led close to the water's edge here, and something that they had seen was evidently of great interest.

"Must have found a trail or some sign of the men you are after," Tom said to one of the soldiers. "I suppose if you catch those fellows Tim and I can leave you."

"I don't know, but I guess the major won't hold you any longer if we have the other parties in our hands. What do you want to hurry away from us for anyhow?"

"We're bound north and you fellows don't seem to be going that way," Tom replied, being careful to say nothing that would make the British soldiers suspicious.

"Sure and Oi wouldn't moind travelling a bit with you, if it wasn't for the awful hours you're keepin'," said Tim, yawning. "You keep us all up all night with good stories aginst which Oi have nothing, but to rout a man from his bed of roses at such an hour as we were this very morning is positively indacent."

"There go the officers," said the trooper on their right, as the little group rode past. They had been following in the company's rear, but the halt told them that something had happened up front and they were galloping up to investigate. The bright uniforms and well-fed forms impressed Tom with the great difference between these well-paid soldiers of a foreign monarch and his own struggling friends.

"They make a pretty sight," he said, half to himself.

"Why don't you join the regiment then?" asked one of the soldiers, who was paid a commission for securing recruits. "We all have a chance to rise, you know, and a couple of likely young fellows like yourselves ought to get along rapidly.

"But if we joined," said Tim, "and ever fell into the other side's clutches, then where would we be?"

"And with such capable men above us as yourself our promotion would, I'm afraid, be slow," Tom added, diplomatically.

The ambitious Britisher was too much flattered by this last remark to have any good reply ready, and before he could think up any new reasons, word ran down the column to move forward.

"They may have found a trail," said a Redcoat as the news sifted back through the ranks.

"Just the two of them?" queried a comrade. "I'm surprised that they found it."

"No, seems that there are a lot of Indians in this party, but the scouts seem to make out the foot-prints of two men who had shoes on."

"That's the pair, I'll wager," said a third. "That is how they got away from us yesterday, found some friendly Indians to take them away in canoes. No wonder we couldn't find their track."

Tom made no comment, but he gave Tim a knowing wink which so distracted that worthy's attention that an accident was only barely avoided.

"This is foine ridin'," said Tim, as a branch of a tree nearly took him out of his saddle. "Why the divil don't those two people you're devotin' your young lives to chasin' keep on good roads and not go trappin' it off into these woods?"

"If we have to chase them far we'll show you some fine places," said the soldier who had told the story the night before.

"Those two led us some pretty chases back on the old roads, and from the looks of this log track we're following, we'll be getting into worse ones before long."

"And a foine time we'll be havin' getting back to New York, or even Philadelphia for that matter, after we have been keepin' you company in these wild wanderings ages upon ages," Tim complained.

"Don't blame us for it," answered his soldier friend, "it's the officer's doings you know, not ours."

"Look out, Tim!" yelled Tom Dare suddenly, as the trooper's horse ahead of the Irish boy shied violently and rose so high on its hind legs that it almost seemed that both horse and rider would topple over backwards.

"Faith, and what's the trouble with ye?" queried Tim, indignantly, of the man ahead.

"Don't know," replied he, trying to appear calm, but really very much alarmed. "This nag must have seen a ghost."

"There it goes," shouted Tom, leaping quickly from his saddle and darting into the underbrush. "Come here, quick, some of you. I haven't any gun or sword, or even a stick."

Two or three of the men followed him and hastily stepped aside as a huge rattler turned with waving head and darting fangs in their direction.

"Let's have your gun," said Tom, quickly reaching out his hand for the weapon nearest him. The soldier handed it over and retreated to a safer spot, out of reach of the threatening reptile.

Tom took careful aim and pulled the trigger. At the same instant he jumped back out of reach, but he was safe where he had stood. The shot, fired so close to the mark, had fairly blown off the head of the dangerous snake, and the soldiers gave a hearty round of applause at this excellent exhibition of marksmanship, for with a swaying, venomous snake before one, it is most difficult to fire true the first time.

"Good shot, young fellow," said the recruiting sergeant, heartily. "I'll ask the major if he doesn't think you could be trusted with a rifle, for a man like yourself would be a valuable addition to our ranks."

"Thanks," said Tom, hopefully, for he certainly would like to succeed in getting a rifle. He could see that the recruiter was still hopeful of enlisting the boys.

"And sure, if you trust thot boy with a gun, Oi'm to be gettin' wan at the same instant," said Tim. "You should see the rattles off the hundreds of snakes Oi mesilf have kilt intirely yet."

Tim said this with a broad grin on his face and the soldiers could not help laughing at his remarks. The sergeant, however, saw that Tim really wanted a gun if Tom got one, so he promised to do his best for both of them.

The log road that they had been following now was reduced to the roughest kind of a mountain trail, and their progress was greatly impeded. It was soon evident to the officers and men that the wagon with their supplies could never be brought along this trail, and in fact the horses seemed to be more trouble than they were worth.

"We'll have to dismount and finish this pursuit on foot," said the major, finally. "The trail is very recent and our men cannot be very far away."

"If we hurry at this stage of the game," said one of the junior officers, "we ought to be close to them soon, and it may save us endless days of pursuit."

"Then let's be quick about things," said the major, sharply. "You, Captain Schafer, return to Richmond and await us there. Take ten men, all the horses, and our utility wagon. We may catch these men in a day or two, so wait for four days at the foot of this hill, where the brook crosses the roadway. Then if we get our men and strike the back trail quickly, we'll have our mounts and won't have to foot it all the way home. Don't delay after four days, however, for the country is full of roving bands of traitors and rebels and we can't afford to risk all these horses any longer. Your responsibility is a heavy one, captain, but I am sure you will fulfill it with all care and diligence."

The captain saluted and said: "I'd like to go on with you, major, and round up those young rascals in a hurry, but I expect to see you back at the end, or before the end of four days, and the best of luck to all in your pursuit."

The men, at orders from their various superiors, dismounted and hurriedly gathered their blankets, canteens and weapons together, fastened their accoutrements in a roll and slung them on their backs. If there is anything a cavalry man dislikes, it is to be transformed into a foot soldier, and consequently there was some little grumbling amongst the men.

Tom, uncertain as to what party he was to go with, and rather undecided in his own mind as to which he wanted to stay with, walked forward to where the major was standing, superintending the actions of some of the troopers. Tim followed him, and suddenly grasped him by the shoulder.

"Try to stay with this bunch, Tom," he whispered. "We'll be able to do heaps and heaps of good for Dick, and we'll be after getting all the nearer to our journey's end."

"Good idea," said Tom, being decided by this argument to do his best to continue with the larger body of men.

"What's a good idea?" suddenly asked the young fellow whom Tom had noticed talking with the major when Tim and he were captured.

"We keep our good ideas for those who are able to appreciate them," replied Tom, for his first encounter with this youth had left him with no very pleasant feelings toward him.

"We'll see about that," said the other, advancing on Tom. "I'll teach you how to answer a gentleman when he speaks to you."

"When a gentleman speaks to me I'll know how to answer him," replied Tom, while Tim burst out laughing.

The added insult of Tim Murphy's laughter was too much for the hot blooded southerner, and he sprang at Tom with an arm upraised, intending to show the Dare boy who was master in this case. But Tom had had too many of such little frays to be caught napping, and quickly stepping aside, he stuck out his foot and pushed the furious boy as he plunged past him. Tim was standing directly behind where Tom Dare had been, and he grabbed the falling figure as he lost his balance with Tom's push.

"Saved your loife, me little man," said Tim, carelessly letting the young fellow slide prone upon the ground. He then turned and walked away with Tom toward the major.

"Ha, ha!" laughed the soldiers, greatly tickled to see the southerner get a tumble.

"You uns got a fall that time for sure," said one.

The indignant object of these remarks, however, was hastily brushing off clinging pine needles and dirt, and meanwhile hurrying up after his two intended victims.

The boys had reached the major and that officer was having difficulty in restraining his laughter, for although some distance away, he had seen the incident clearly.

Tom saluted and said, quickly: "My companion and I have gotten interested in this chase, and as it promises to last but a few days at the most, would like to go on with you rather than go back and await your return. We can't be set free, you say, until you capture whoever you are after, so we may as well try to help you out and hurry our freedom at the same time."

"Two burds at one stone," volunteered Tim, smilingly.

"These two fellows are up to something," interrupted the southerner, running up at that minute. "I heard one of them say that he had a good idea, so they must be planning to escape."

The major looked from the speaker to the two boys. They were smiling innocently.

"We had two good ideas, begging your pardon," explained Tom. "One we explained to this young man and the other one to you."

"They were both all right, I think," said the major. "And I think, as these boys are in my charge at the present time, Mr. Wilson, you had better leave them undisturbed in the future. It looks as if it would be better for both of you."

"But," sputtered the excited fellow, "they insulted me, they——"

"We'll discuss that at another time," said the officer, coldly. "You may go now," he added, turning to the boys.

They withdrew and returned to the busy camp of soldiers who inquired how the "old man" had taken the affair. All expressed their pleasure at the way the boys had handled the arrogant young civilian.

"Evidently," Tom said to Tim, "that fellow hasn't made himself popular with the men."

"Nor would I, mesilf, already yet," replied Tim, "if it wasn't to our very bist interists."

"Well, we'll have to make the best of it for awhile," returned Tom. "We'll do more good right here than anywhere else I can think of."

The men had by this time finished their arrangements, and with some parting jokes and laughing remarks the ten selected men who were to take the back trail strung out the horses in line and leading and driving them at the same time were soon out of sight winding along the twisting log road. Only the sound of their shouts to the horses and the crashing in the underbrush could be heard and finally even that grew fainter and died away in the distance.

The remainder of the company, some fifty-odd men and the officers, gathered up their burdens and arms, fell into place two by two and were soon strung out over a hundred yards of rough mountain trail.

"We are after them in earnest, now," said Tom Dare, softly, "and no matter what happens, Tim, old man, don't let them find us out and don't let them ever get near enough to Dick and Fritz to capture them."

"Thot's a foine little job for us two in this crowd," said Tim, "but we'll do our very best and it won't be our own fault at all, at all, if anything goes wrong."

"Things are going to go right," concluded Tom, "I feel it in my bones."