"Damon ketched!" ejaculated his companion. "An' what's come on the
kernel's mail?"

"Gone up--the hul on it! Damon's got the bracelets on by this time. But
come, let's go on."

All this while the rebels had been coming up, and Archie could hear them
in the woods, on all sides of him, yelling and swearing, like demons. He
had one source of consolation, however--his cousin was safe; and,
judging by the rebels' conversation, he had not gone back to the vessel
empty-handed.

Archie lay for some time listening to the movements of the rebels,
almost afraid to breathe lest it should be overheard, when he was
suddenly startled by a stunning report, which was followed by a hissing
and shrieking in the air; a bright light shone in his eyes for an
instant, and the next, the woods echoed with the bursting of a shell.
The guerrillas had scarcely time to recover from their astonishment when
there came another, and another, each one followed by groans and cries
of anguish that made the young officer shudder.

Frank Nelson had gained the Boxer in safety, and although surprised and
alarmed at the absence of Archie--who, he thought, would make the best
of his way back to the vessel when left to himself--he knew by the
yelling of the rebels, and the pistol-shots that were occasionally
heard, that they had not yet captured him. The noise of the chase
plainly told the Boxer's crew that the fugitive was making the best of
his way up the river, and Frank had opened fire on the rebels to create,
if possible, a diversion in his cousin's favor. His shells were thrown