The morning after the patriot force reached the vicinity of Fort Ninety-Six and went into camp, who should appear but Dick Dare! He went at once to the headquarters tent, and was given a cordial greeting by General Greene.

“We were in hopes that you would turn up here,” said the general. “Where have you been, my boy?”

“Is Ben Foster here?” asked Dick.

“Yes,” was the reply.

“Then he told you, doubtless, that we got separated while running from some Indians.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I supposed that he would go on toward Ninety-Six, and so I did that.”

“Ah. And have you learned anything of importance?”

“Nothing regarding the fort, as yet. But I have learned where my brother Tom is.”

“That is good. Where is he?”

“A prisoner in the fort.”

“Indeed?”

“Yes, sir. He was captured by some British soldiers and brought to the fort, and pretended to join the force. He was sent with a foraging force, to attack a patriot village up in the mountains, and he managed to get away and reach the settlement ahead of the redcoats and warn the settlers, and they managed to get to a hiding-place up in the mountains, with their household goods, but the British burned the houses. I was there, and saw the settlers, and they told me about the affair. They said that Tom was recaptured, while reconnoitering, and that the British took him to Ninety-Six. When we capture the fort, we can free him.”

“I think we shall be able to capture the fort. Ben Foster made a reconnoitering trip last night, and learned considerable about the strength of the walls. I believe we can batter them down with the field-pieces.”

“I hope so. Is there anything you wish me to do?”

“You may reconnoiter and gain all the information possible. There is no hurry, and by taking our time, we may be able to make the capture of the fort more certain.”

“I will do my best to secure information that will be of value to you, sir.”

Then Dick saluted and withdrew, and was soon with Ben Foster, at the quarters occupied by Captain Morgan’s company.

They shook hands, and then Ben asked: “What became of you after we got separated, Dick? I hunted around quite a good deal for you, and signalled, but you did not answer.”

“Likely if you were near me when you uttered any of the signals, it was while I was insensible, and I did not hear you, of course.” Then Dick explained that he had fallen into a pit that had been dug as a trap to capture wild animals, and that he had fallen so hard as to knock him senseless. And then he told of there being a panther in the pit, and Ben uttered an exclamation.

“Phew!” he murmured, “that wasn’t very pleasant, was it?”

“No, indeed,” said Dick. “But I managed to climb up a limb that I found there, and make my escape, and then I headed toward Ninety-Six.”

Then he told Ben the same story that he had told General Greene, and Ben was glad to know that Tom was alive and probably well, though a prisoner in Fort Ninety-Six. Full particulars he gave too, of the kindly hunter to whom they owed their life and opportunity to escape from the savages.

“We’ll have Tom out of there before very long,” said Ben, reverting to the problem at hand.

“General Greene said for me to reconnoiter,” said Dick, “and I guess that I will take a look at the fort to-day, and then visit it to-night.”

“There isn’t much that you can learn,” said Ben. “I found out the strength of the stockade-walls, and that is about all there is to learn, from the outside. If you could get within the walls, you could secure definite information regarding its strength, but you can’t do that.”

“I suppose not,” said Dick.

A little while after luncheon, Dick left the encampment and made his way in the direction of Fort Ninety-Six. He reached the edge of the timber, presently, and stopped and gazed across at the fort. He could not venture out into the open ground without being seen by the sentinels, of course, and so he did not advance farther.

He made his way along the edge of the forest quite a distance, however, and sized up the fort from different directions. Then he turned and walked slowly along through the woods.

He was heading for the encampment, and when about halfway there, he crossed a rude wagon-road, which wound this way and that among the trees, and Dick suddenly caught sight of a man approaching, driving a team and wagon.

Dick had crossed the road at the edge of the timber, and knew it led to the fort, and now he stopped and waited till the wagon approached, when he stepped out and stopped the man, who looked like a typical settler of the vicinity.

“Where are you going?” queried Dick.

“To the fort,” was the reply.

“What for?”

“I’m takin’ some meat an’ vegertables thar to sell to ther sojers,” was the reply.

“Ah!” exclaimed Dick. He had been struck by an idea. “Say,” he remarked, eyeing the man searchingly, “are you a king’s man, or are you a patriot? Or are you neutral?”

“Wal,” was the reply, “I kain’t say thet I’m a king’s man, but ther redcoats pay me well fur my garden truck. Why d’ye ask?”

“I’ll tell you why,” said Dick, eagerly. “I wish to enter the fort, and why can’t I go with you? They’ll not be suspicious if I’m with you, and that will give me a chance to get a look at the inside of the fort.”

“Ye’re a patriot, then, hey?”

“Yes.”

“All right Ye can go inter ther fort with me, an’ can help me sell ther truck to ther sojers, an’ ye can look aroun’ while ye’re doin’ thet.”

“Thank you. That will be very kind of you.”

Then Dick climbed up on the seat beside the man, who drove onward and half an hour later they were at the entrance to the stockade, the big gate swung open, and the man drove into the enclosure.

Dick, seated on the seat beside the man, looked around him with eager interest, but with all evidence of eagerness carefully kept from showing. He seemed careless and indifferent.

Then the farmer began selling the meat and vegetables, and Dick helped him, and all the time he was sizing up the interior of the fort as best he could.