Under the lead of Colonel Belthorpe, with his revolver ready for use, the Union men marched out of the building, forming four deep when they reached the foot of the steps. The ruffians had placed themselves so that the column passed through them, and they all scrutinized the faces by the light of a fire they had kindled at the side of the road. They did not see the victims for whom they were looking, and when the last of the procession had passed them they set up a furious howl.
"We have been fooled!" shouted Buck Lagger, as he started after the column. "Where is Major Lyon?" he demanded.
"He is not here," replied some one in the ranks.
"I don't know;" and he told the truth, for he had not heard the planter's statement about the boat, and had not been near the window.
"Where is Major Lyon?" demanded Buck Lagger when he reached the head of the procession.
"He came in his boat, and he has returned by it," replied Colonel Belthorpe, with something like a chuckle at the discomfiture of the ruffian.
"This is treachery!" howled Buck. "You were to give him up to us."
"No, we were not," returned the doughty colonel. "Didn't you hear us say we would protect him to the last drop of our blood?"
"We will soon find him and his cubs!" growled the present leader, as he fell back into the grove, followed by the rest of the mob.
The Magnolia reached the boat-pier, and Levi Bedford was there to welcome the party.
The two windows in the rear of the schoolhouse had been wide open all the evening, and the negroes of the boat's crew could not help hearing the excited speeches, and the thunders of applause in the meeting of the Unionists; but not one of them spoke a word about them to the planter and the boys. They pulled with all their might, and made a quick run to the boat-pier.
The first thing that attracted the attention of Major Lyon--we may as well call him so, as most of the people of Barcreek did--was the lights in Fort Bedford. Through the embrasures which had been made in the front and ends of the building it could be seen that the interior of the building was brilliantly illuminated.
"You have come back safe and sound, Major," said Levi, as he took the painter of the Magnolia.
"By the skin of our teeth we have," replied the planter.