"I hope so," replied Shadrack. "I wonder how far the others got?"

Tom had been wondering the same thing. "Probably not much farther than we
did," he answered.

More than an hour later they saw a light buggy drawn by two horses
approaching them; then they distinguished Wilson and the Sergeant. As the
horses were reined in, Wilson jumped from the buggy.

"All right," he said, laughing. Then to the guards, "Thanks for your
company, boys. Let's have our guns."

The guards looked at the Sergeant, puzzled. "Yep," said the Sergeant, "give
the revolvers. These men are all right. The Captain says that we're to
forget that we've ever seen 'em." He winked at Wilson, then reached out and
slapped him on the back.

As the soldiers walked away, Wilson said: "Andrews arrived at Wartrace
early this morning, just after these men left, and told the Captain to be
watching for any of his men who might get caught by the sentries. When I
went into the Captain's room, he looked at me and said, 'Andrews?' I said,
'Yes, sir.' In about two minutes I was on my way back. We have to cut down
along a road about a hundred yards from here. I have a pass to get us by
the Sentry. We have to make Manchester tonight."

Without wasting any time in talking, the three men hurried to the road that
would take them past the Union lines and into the enemy country. A few
minutes later a Sentry challenged them. Wilson produced his pass, the
Sentry nodded and they went forward.