attention before the Captain. After more orders from him, they started
off down the hill just back of the shed.

Lucia guessed that they were going to the river, with a cold feeling
around her heart, she realized that they could go straight to the wall
of Cellino. She did not stop to consider the many sentries who walked
up and down the walls day and night, or the fact that two enemy
soldiers would hardly walk up and attempt to enter a town in broad
daylight. She only knew that the river led to Cellino, and that all
she loved most in the world was there.

She was sick with fear. She looked back at the Captain; he was again
consulting his watch. The soldiers looked at him and fell to grumbling
again. After a moment of indecision he called to them.

They stood up and saluted. He gave a very peremptory order, and in a
few minutes almost all of them had their guns on their shoulders, and
waited his next word. The Captain himself buckled on his revolver, and
the party started off at a brisk pace through the tunnel.

Lucia watched them go. In a hazy way she realized that they were going
out in search of the men who had left earlier in the morning. This was
correct in part, but they were also going to look for another party of
men, the ones who had been responsible for the rat, tat, tat, Lucia had
heard.

The diggers, led by her captor, had been sent out that morning to
relieve their comrades already at work. When none of them returned the
Captain grew anxious, and was himself leading the searching party.