"Are you hurt?" asked Marcel, apprehensively.
"No," I replied, "not much. I think his bullet took a piece of my skin, but no more."
For all that, a fine trickle of blood that came down my left sleeve and stained my hand made me feel uneasy.
We urged our horses to greater efforts, and the spirited animals responded. We had curved about considerably in the course of our flight, but I had a good idea of the country, and I knew that we were now galloping directly towards Philadelphia. I trusted that if our pursuers were aware of this fact they would abandon the chase, which threatened soon to take them inside the British lines. But many minutes passed, and they showed no signs of stopping.
"We have our pistols," said Marcel. "We might use them."
"We cannot fire on our own countrymen," I replied.
"No," he replied, "but we can fire over their heads, and it may reduce the infernal eagerness they show in their pursuit. A bullet properly directed discourages overmuch enthusiasm."
We twisted about in our saddles and discharged our weapons as Marcel had suggested. But, unfortunately for us, our countrymen were brave and not at all afraid of our pistols. They came on as fast as ever, while our movement had checked our flight somewhat and caused us to lose ground perceptibly. We began to grow discouraged.
But in this moment of depression we saw a smudge of red across a valley, and Marcel uttered a little shout of joy.
"A rescue! A rescue, most noble duke!" he cried. "See, the British troops are coming!"
Through the valley a body of British cavalry were galloping. There were at least fifty men in the party, and evidently they had seen us before we saw them, for many of them held their sabres in their hands, and presently they raised a great shout.
Our American pursuers, seeing that they were out-numbered, turned about and took to their heels with considerable precipitation. The next moment we galloped into the middle of the British troop, and then, a curious faintness overcoming me, I slid to the ground.
Marcel, having thrown himself from his horse, was beside me in a moment, and lifted me to my feet.
"A little water, please, as soon as you can," he said to a fine stalwart officer who had also dismounted and come to my aid. "The lieutenant was wounded in a brush we had with those confounded rebels, and I fear his strength is exhausted."