A protracted halt to men whose hearts are heavy is not a desirable boon, and so we from Williamsburg soon discovered.

The first idea in our minds, when we were come into camp and began to build shelters for ourselves, each after his own liking, was that we could enjoy this respite from a roving life, where it was necessary to be constantly on the alert against danger.

Once we had really settled down, however, and there was nothing of especial moment with which to occupy our attention, the hours moved so slowly as to seem like unto days.

At first we three comrades spent a goodly portion of the time speculating among ourselves [168] as to how long we might be able to hold the field against the numberless men which the king was sending in pursuit; but after a time we were wearied with such occupation, and began to long for active duty.

This isolation and sense of perfect security grew irksome, and there was not a man among the small detachment who would not gladly have faced a foe of five times our number, in order to shake off the lethargy which began to creep over him after eight and forty hours had passed.

On the fourth day after our having settled down in this encampment, Major James and Captain Mouzon were sent back into the lower Carolinas to make certain those who were enlisted in the Williamsburg brigade held steadfast to their pledges, and the absence of our uncle was to Percy and I like a great calamity. We looked upon him not only as the head of the family; but as a true friend and companion-in-arms upon whom we could rely under every circumstance, [169] and although not thrown much in his company because of the position we occupied in the force, the knowledge of his being near at hand, did we need his advice, was in itself a pleasurable satisfaction which we failed fully to realize until he was absent.

When a week passed and we were "rusting out," as Gavin Witherspoon said, it seemed absolutely necessary we have some employment, and the old man said to me one morning while Percy was making ready the breakfast:

"Three men have already been sent out as scouts since we came into this camp, and such duty is necessary because it stands to reason that the Tories will make every effort to discover the general's hiding-place."

"Ay, all you have said is true, Gavin Witherspoon," I replied; "but of what avail is it to us since the general calls upon others to act as scouts, forgetting that we readily performed such duty when it was [170] an hundred times more dangerous than at present?"

"This is how it may avail," the old man said in the tone of one who defies contradiction. "You shall go this morning to General Marion and offer the services of us three, promising that we will act as scouts so long as the detachment remains here."

"But if he refuses to detail us for such work?"

"Then pluck up sufficient courage to remind him that we went gladly, when, perchance, every man in the command would have hesitated. By so doing you may make him understand he owes something to us three."

At first thought I was not willing to browbeat our commander, for it appeared to me that what Gavin Witherspoon had proposed was little less than an attempt to bully the general into acceding to our desires; but the longer I considered the matter the more reasonable did it seem [171] that we should be sent out, rather than forced to remain in camp where our presence was of no possible benefit.

By going we should take away nothing of value from the encampment, and it might be possible fortune would so favor us that we could render some signal assistance, even though it did not seem probable there was any force of the enemy in that vicinity.

Therefore it was that I did as Gavin Witherspoon requested, and to our great surprise the general not only willingly gave his consent, but said it pleasured him much that we should so desire to serve the Cause.

"While we remain here waiting such turn in the tide of affairs as will give us an opportunity to serve the colonists, it is well to know thoroughly all the country and its inhabitants," he said in conclusion. "Therefore, so that you return to camp and report once in every four and twenty hours, you not only have my permission; [172] but will lay me under obligation by acting the part of scouts, spies or whatsoever you choose to call the officer."

It can well be understood that we did not linger long after this interview.

In less than an hour we three, provided with such store of provisions as would be our portion until the following day, and carrying an ample amount of ammunition, set out with no idea whatsoever as to where chance might lead us, save that it seemed wisest to travel toward the south, for in that direction lay home and friends.

Gavin Witherspoon at once took command of the party by proceeding in advance, and we, having good cause to trust him implicitly, were more than willing to follow as he should propose.

There was no thought in our minds that a single enemy might be near at hand.

The only possibility counted upon was that we should run across one or more Tories seeking to find the encampment, and thus, perchance, prevent discovery. [173]

Thus it was we proceeded with a certain amount of caution, although not deeming it necessary.

Until late in the afternoon we traveled along the banks of the Waccamaw River, our faces turned toward Williamsburg, and then Percy said, as he threw himself at full length by the side of the stream:

"We are come on a mission which cannot bear fruit, and it makes little difference whether we halt here, or five miles further on. Having remained so long in camp without exercise, my legs tire quickly, and I propose to rest for the night."

We were ready to gratify him in this respect, the more so because all of us were in much the same condition, and therefore it was that our scout came to an end, for the time being, hardly more than fifteen miles from the starting-point.

Surely we had no reason to grumble against fortune on this our first visit in the Upper Carolinas.

Such food as we had was ready cooked, [174] and in order to make camp it was only necessary to lie down among the bushes, where for a time all slept as we had not done during the time of idleness.

The sun was within an hour of setting when I awakened and found my companions lying in restful attitudes, but with open eyes.

They also had satisfied the desire for slumber.

How it chanced that we three remained there without speaking one to another, I know not; but so we did, strangely enough, and because of our unwitting silence were we enabled to accomplish that which had seemed improbable.

Human voices in the distance, but sounding nearer and nearer, attracted our attention, causing all three to rise and seek better concealment, when we saw through the foliage a party of seven armed men coming up the bank of the stream from the south, and proceeding with a certain degree of caution which told that [175] they were in search of something or some one.

Although not absolutely certain, we felt reasonably sure these travelers were enemies, and well we might, considering the fact that nowhere between here and the Carolinas was it known that any friends of the Cause had habitation.

When the party passed where we were in hiding, they had ceased conversation; therefore we had no means of determining who they were, save that all wore portions of a Britisher's accouterments, while our friends still held to the powder-horn and shot-pouch.

Not until they were lost to view in the distance did either of us speak, and then it was Percy who said, much as if he had made an important discovery:

"They are Tories, and searching for General Marion's encampment."

"I allow all that to be true, lad, and now what may be our duty?" Gavin Witherspoon asked. [176]

"To learn where they halt for the night, and then carry the information back to camp," my brother said heedlessly, for indeed that seemed to be the only course left for us.

"There is in my mind a better plan, lad, and, if it so be you two are willing to take the chances, I venture to predict we will carry yonder gentlemen before General Marion, instead of hastening ahead to tell him they are coming."

"Do you mean that we three are to attack seven?" Percy asked, and the old man said with a smile:

"I have seen both you lads ride gallantly forward when it was a case of twenty against one, and yet you hesitate with the odds not much more than double against us?"

"Percy does not hesitate," I replied, jealous lest there should be a question as to the courage of one of our family. "So that it is in your mind, Gavin Witherspoon, [177] we will agree to anything that has the faintest hope of success."

"This is my plan: Yonder strangers are doubtless enemies; but if they prove to be friends, then have we done them no harm by carrying out that which is in my mind. We will follow so far in the rear that there is no danger of being discovered until they camp for the night, and then it will go hard indeed if we fail to find an opportunity for making them prisoners."

I did not agree with Gavin Witherspoon in his belief that we might readily make prisoners of seven men; yet was I well pleased to venture the attempt, believing something of good might come, even though we failed in the purpose. It was seldom we who held true to the colonies had an opportunity of striking even so slight a blow as this when the odds were no more than two against one, and it would have been folly for us to have refused such a chance.

Percy, once the plan was made plain, did [178] not consider it necessary to say whether he agreed to it or not.

To his mind, all who were acquainted with him should know he would favor any plan, and there was little need for Gavin Witherspoon to go further into details than he had already done.

"It is such work as this for which we left the camp," Percy said quietly, "and if the strangers are friends, we can atone for any rough handling by showing them the way to General Marion's camp."

This, so nearly as I can repeat it after these many years, was all that passed between us regarding the venture, and we set off on the trail without further delay.

There is less difficulty in successfully stalking a man than a deer, and this last had both Percy and I performed time and time again until it seemed to us like a simple task. Therefore it was that Gavin Witherspoon had no green hands to aid him in the work he had cut out.

Keeping so far in the rear as to hear the [179] noise as they forced their way through the underbrush, and yet not so near that we might by any possibility be seen, the three of us followed this little company who ............