Chapter 5 - Page 2

myself--but how was it with you?" turning to his younger and evidently
favorite sister, and tapping her cheek. "Did you see banners in the
clouds, and mistake Miss Peyton's Aeolian harp for rebellious music?"

"Nay, Henry," rejoined the maid, looking at him affectionately, "much as
I love my own country, the approach of her troops just now would give me
great pain."

The brother made no reply; but returning the fondness expressed in her
eye by a look of fraternal tenderness, he gently pressed her hand in
silence; when Caesar, who had participated largely in the anxiety of the
family, and who had risen with the dawn, and kept a vigilant watch on
the surrounding objects, as he stood gazing from one of the windows,
exclaimed with a face that approached to something like the hues of a
white man,--

"Run--Massa Harry--run--if he love old Caesar, run--here come a rebel
horse."

"Run!" repeated the British officer, gathering himself up in military
pride. "No, Mr. Caesar, running is not my trade." While speaking, he
walked deliberately to the window, where the family were already
collected in the greatest consternation.

At the distance of more than a mile, about fifty dragoons were to be
seen, winding down one of the lateral entrances of the valley. In
advance, with an officer, was a man attired in the dress of a
countryman, who pointed in the direction of the cottage. A small party
now left the main body, and moved rapidly towards the object of their
destination.

On reaching the road which led through the bottom of the valley, they
turned their horses' heads to the north.

The Whartons continued chained in breathless silence to the spot,
watching their movements, when the party, having reached the dwelling of
Birch, made a rapid circle around his grounds, and in an instant his
house was surrounded by a dozen sentinels.

Two or three of the dragoons now dismounted and disappeared; in a few
minutes, however, they returned to the yard, followed by Katy, from
whose violent gesticulations, it was evident that matters of no trifling
concern were on the carpet. A short communication with the loquacious
housekeeper followed the arrival of the main body of the troop, and the
advance party remounting, the whole moved towards the Locusts with
great speed.

As yet none of the family had sufficient presence of mind to devise any
means of security for Captain Wharton; but the danger now became too
pressing to admit of longer delay, and various means of secreting him
were hastily proposed; but they were all haughtily rejected by the young
man, as unworthy of his character. It was too late to retreat to the
woods in the