"Never fear on that head. We will follow him as the lion does his prey."

"Well, I leave the matter with you; see that you acquit yourself as a good
soldier. Give Dick such instruction as may be needed.--Here he comes."

Dick rode up on the horse he had stolen, and they all immediately repaired
to the swamp, where the scheme of villainy had been planned, in the middle
of which the horse was concealed for the present, as they were unable to
take him further then without incurring great risk of detection.

The next morning after mingling awhile with the indignant crowd of
citizens, who were collected together on hearing of the theft, and pouring
out invectives on the "villain of a thief" in no measured quantity, the two
ruffians, Bill and Dick, set out on their errand of death? Learning that
Hadley had started the previous afternoon, they followed after him on two
of the fleetest horses in the possession of the clan.

It might be well enough to remark, that in those early days most of the
traveling was done on foot or on horseback.




CHAPTER IX.


On the evening of the second day of their pursuit, Dick and Bill found
themselves in the immediate presence of their victim, they having reached
the same inn at which he had already put up for the night. The meeting was
unexpected to them, and at first they feared it might frustrate their