The moment was critical in the flight of the young soldier. It seemed to him as if his heart for a moment almost ceased to beat. Resolutely he leaned still farther forward on the neck of the running horse, and shouting into the ear of the animal caused the frightened beast to bound to the opposite side of the road just as both of his pursuers fired.

Grateful as soon as he was aware that neither he nor his horse had been hit, the young soldier gave his undivided attention for a moment to controlling the terrified steed.

Noel's long experience on his father's farm on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, where he and his brother Frank many a time as little lads had ridden the colts bareback, now came in good stead. The saddle was uncomfortable, but he had no difficulty in retaining his seat.

In a brief time the nervous animal once more was under control and was speeding forward at a pace which the rider was confident would soon leave his pursuers far behind him.

In his flight Noel hastily glanced over his shoulder to discover whether or not the Confederate soldiers had abandoned the chase, or were still determined to overtake him.

He plainly saw that they were not gaining upon him, although they still held doggedly to the pursuit. Just why they should do this, now that several miles had been covered, the young soldier was unable to understand, nor was it until afterward that he came to know the reason why the men, in spite of their failure to gain upon him, were unwilling to turn back.

Noel was unarmed. His rifle had been taken from him when he had first been made prisoner. Although he had a place, as we know, among the sharpshooters of McClellan's army, it had not been until after his return from his furlough that he had found himself fully able to do the required work.

Now with all his heart he longed for a rifle. If it were only in his hands he was convinced that the two men who were so doggedly hanging to the pursuit would abandon their efforts.

The mud in places in the road was thrown up in lumps by the hoofs of his horse as he thundered on his way. As yet the animal was not displaying any marked signs of distress, and in the hope of wearing out his pursuers, Noel still kept him at his full speed.

The splotches of mud and the heat of the warm September day soon made the appearance of the young rider as distressing as that of the animal upon which he was mounted. The great black flanks of the latter were now reeking with sweat and discolored by the red-brown mud of the road. As far as Noel himself was concerned, his most intimate friend might have had difficulty in recognizing, in the perspiring, dirt-covered young soldier the Noel Curtis whom they had known. Streams of perspiration had poured down his face and left furrows in the coating of Maryland mud and dirt. The exertion was telling upon the rider as well as upon the horse, and he was well aware that such violent efforts could not long be continued.

Glancing once more anxiously behind him, Noel was unable to see his pursuers. He was aware, however, that it was only the bend in the road that hid them from his sight and that not yet was he freed from his peril.

Slackening the pace at which he was riding, the young soldier removed his coat and folding it placed it in front of him on the pommel. The relief was instant and again speaking encouragingly to his horse, which now was breathing loudly, he continued his flight.

It became manifest in a brief time that the pursuit was still maintained, although the distance between the young soldier and the two Confederates comparatively was unchanged. Why they should continue to follow him became increasingly a perplexing problem. There were no prospects of his being overtaken, and now that five or six miles must have been covered in his flight Noel was unable to understand why the men did not turn back and join their comrades. He himself was not of sufficient value to warrant their severe labors. Of that fact he was well assured. Why, then, did they still follow him?

The mystery was unsolved, but there was no delay on the part of the young soldier to meditate long upon possible explanations. The fact remained that he was in a country with which he was unfamiliar, mounted upon the back of a horse with whose ways he was unacquainted, although he was aware of his many excellent points, and was being pursued relentlessly by two men who doggedly held to their task.

Suddenly Noel, as he emerged from a small body of woods, beheld a group of men directly in the road before him and not distant more than fifty yards. Glancing keenly at the bank he saw that the men were repairing a bridge over a little stream. A second look convinced him that the men were all clad in the uniform of the Confederate soldiers.

For a brief moment Noel's courage seemed to depart. He could not turn back without running directly into his enemies, while if he advanced it was equally plain that there were many more still to be passed.

Unaware of the perplexing thoughts of his rider, his horse did not relax his speed and with long and steady lopes was still advancing. Whatever the young soldier was to do must be done quickly.

Almost before he was aware of what occurred Noel found himself close upon the band. His coat, as has been said, was discolored and his trousers were so covered with mud that their original color, in a measure, at least, was concealed.

Suddenly the young soldier decided to try to make his way through the band. He recalled an incident which he had read in the life of Mad Anthony Wayne, who, with his men, in the swamp near Yorktown, found himself face to face with a division of red coats that far outnumbered his followers. The consternation produced by the discovery was banished as Mad Anthony resolutely called to his men and dashed forward. The daring man was relying upon the fact of his bold advance to convince the enemy that there must be more men behind him. No man in his senses would ever think of attacking such a superior force. After the British lines had broken and fled, Mad Anthony turned and said to one of his comrades, "The best way to overcome any difficulty is to drive straight through it." This incident came back to Noel's mind as the trees and fields seemed to be racing past him.

His confident approach, too, for he was waving his hand as he drew nearer, seemed to confuse the band of Confederates. Instead of forming across the road and stopping his flight, they divided and did not even question him, although his appearance must have been such as to arouse their curiosity at least.

Only partly checking the speed of his horse, Noel leaned low on his neck and as he drew near the men, he shouted, "Don't stop me, boys! How far ahead is the captain?"

Even as he asked the question Noel was aware that his own apparent confidence had had its effect, for the men drew back from the roadside, and one of them in reply to his query, shouted, "I reckon he's about three miles up the road, sir."

"Good! That's fine!" shouted Noel in response. "There's some men coming behind me and they'll stop to give you their message. They have a word for you."

The ruse had succeeded, and the young soldier had accomplished more than in his excitement he had dared to hope. He knew that his pursuers in a very short time would be informed of his bold trick and perhaps would be more determined than ever to secure him. But for a time, at least, he had not been checked in his flight and he was not without hope also that the two mounted men might be delayed long enough by the band, through which he had successfully made his way, to enable him to gain still more.

Noel had not advanced far beyond the sight of the bridge before his sudden feeling of exhilaration vanished. He had been astonished at the very success of the trick he had played. It was his first lesson that if a man is to succeed he must be bold.

His rejoicing now abruptly departed, when, running and breathing heavily, his horse suddenly stumbled and fell in the road. The young soldier had been riding with too loose a rein and his moment of elation had made him somewhat careless of the need of constant attention to his steed.

Fortunately Noel was able to free his feet from the stirrups and was not caught by the body of the horse as he fell. He was thrown to one side of the road, but although he was bruised and for a moment almost stunned by the sudden fall, he quickly rose.

Quick as his action was, however, that of his horse had been quicker. After two efforts the fallen animal at last succeeded in leaping to his feet, and, disregarding the frantic calls of its recent rider, started forward, running even more swiftly than when he had been carrying the young soldier.

In the midst of the fresh trouble which had arisen, Noel was aware that his pursuers in a brief time would be upon him. Instantly turning to one side of the road where some large trees were growing he darted into their midst and soon discovered one tree sufficiently large to enable him to hide behind it.

Scarcely had Noel succeeded in gaining his hiding-place before he heard the sound of the approaching horsemen. Instead of two horses now, however, there were five. The ruse which he had used upon the men at the bridge had been discovered, and doubtless chagrin was added to the natural desire to retake the daring man who had escaped through their midst.

Would they pass the place or would they discover the mark in the road left by his horse when it fell? Upon the decision of this question much of his success depended. Breathlessly Noel watched the pursuing soldiers, and a great sigh of relief escaped his lips when he saw that they had not even glanced at the spot where the accident had befallen him.

He deemed it unwise now to resume his flight in the road. He decided that he would make his way from tree to tree, and as he peered out at the road, which he could see extended far in the distance, he was rejoiced to discover that the woods also spread out far on either side. His plan was not to reenter the road until he had gone a distance which would be sufficient to insure his safety from discovery by the men who had recently passed him in their wild chase.

By this time the afternoon sun was low in the western sky. Not a mouthful of food had passed the lips of the young soldier since his early breakfast at the house of Jim and Sairy Ann. His strenuous efforts also had wearied him, and thirst, as well as hunger, was now making its demands felt.

An hour had elapsed when Noel, from another hiding-place far up the road, saw the band of five returning. He was positive that he recognized them as his recent pursuers from the fact that one of the horses was strangely marked, a fact which he had noticed when he had first discovered the animals tied to the rail in the rear of the house to which the treacherous Levi had conducted him.

When at last the band had passed beyond his sight, and Noel, with fresh courage, was about to reenter the road, he was startled when he saw a young colored man approaching from the direction in which the riders had disappeared.

Loud and long sang the negro and repeated the same stanza of the song until Noel, who was interested as the black man came nearer, almost felt that in spite of his difficulties he would join in the tune,—

When the young black man came opposite the place where Noel was hiding, the latter suddenly decided to hail him.

"Hello!" called the young soldier.

The negro stopped abruptly and peered about him in a manner which betrayed to Noel that in intelligence he seemed to be far above the most of his race.

"Who dat callin' me?" inquired the negro.

"I am," said Noel, as he stepped forth from his hiding-place.

The young soldier now was in his shirtsleeves, his coat having been lost when he had been thrown from his horse. His uniform was so discolored by mud that it was impossible for an observer to determine to which side he belonged. However, convinced that his plight was so distressing that he must trust some one, Noel had decided that he would cast in his lot with the negro, and trust him to provide some way of escape.

"Have you seen any Union soldiers around here?" he called as he came nearer.

Before he replied, the negro looked quickly into the face of Noel, and then with a smile said, "No, suh. I wish I had. I would like toe be inside the Union lines at dis bery minute. I reckon, too, yo' all would like toe be in there, too."

"That's what I would!" said Noel enthusiastically. "And you'll have to show me how to get there."

The black man hesitated a moment, and then said cordially, "The bes' thing fo' yo' will be fo' me toe take yo' all toe Aunt Katie."

"'Aunt Katie'?" inquired Noel, as he glanced once more apprehensively up and down the road. "Aunt Katie? Who is she?"

"Yo' come er long wif me and I'll done show yo'," replied the negro.