"After hearing what transpired at the cross-cut, I doubt whether Captain t.i.tus will march his army up here," suggested Major Lyon.
"I think he will," added Colonel Cosgrove. "He is the maddest man I ever met in my life, and he is determined to recover the arms."
"But the--I mean Captain t.i.tus will try to gain his point by some infamous trickery such as his lieutenant attempted at the cross road,"
said Major Gadbury, who was on the verge of calling him by some harsh epithet.
"Your mansion is safe for the present, Colonel Belthorpe," said Major Lyon, rising from the seat he had taken. "We might as well fight the battle, if there is to be one, on the road near your house. I suggest that we send our whole force down the new road, and drive the ruffians across the river."
Before the others could express an opinion on this policy, the mulatto in a white jacket announced that the hors.e.m.e.n were at the door, and wanted to see "de ossifer."
CHAPTER XXVI
THE SKIRMISH ON THE NEW ROAD
The officer whom the riders wished to see was evidently Colonel Belthorpe, as he had been in command from the beginning. He hastened to the hall, and found General there, who was rather more excited than usual, simply because he had something to communicate. In about every a.s.semblage of men, white or black, there is generally one who naturally becomes the leader, though there may be a number of others who think they could do better. General was this single man, and had thus won his name.
"What is the matter, General?" asked the Colonel, as he confronted the bulky form of the black leader.
"Not"in" de matter, Mars"r Cunnel, but de rebels is on de road, comin"
dis way," replied the self-appointed captain of cavalry.
"How far off are they?" asked the commander.
"About a mile, mars"r; but I reckon some ob "em done went home, for dar isn"t more"n half as many as we done see near de creek bridge."
"I should think they might have got enough of it by this time," replied the colonel. "What do you want now, Sam?" he said, turning to the mulatto in a white jacket, who appeared to be the man-servant of the house.
"Another man here wants to see you, mars"r," replied Sam, as he presented Mose, who had just come to the front door, where a servant does not usually come in the South. "He"s a footman, an" not a hossman, mars"r."
"What is your name, my boy?" asked the colonel, turning to the new-comer.
"Mose is w"at dey all calls me, sar, but my truly name is "Zekel. De ruffins is stopped half a mile from whar we com"d out on de ole road, mars"r," replied Mose, clinging to his old hat, which he pressed to his chest, as he bowed low, trying to be as respectful and deferential as possible.
"Did you go near them, Mose?" asked the commander.
"Not berry near, mars"r: but dey done make a fire, so we see "em plain nuff."
"The main body of the ruffians cannot very well be on both roads," said the colonel.
"No, sar; but I reck"n Cap"n t.i.tus done dewide his army, and he"s gwine to take de place on de front and on de back," suggested Mose.
"Quite right, my boy; you have a head on your shoulders, and we shall not soon forget the hit you gave the fellow that was carrying off my daughter," added the colonel, surveying the leader of the foot party, as he proved to be. "How far off is this party at the fire?"
"About half a mile, mars"r. I reckon de fire is a signal to dem as is on de new road," replied Mose, bowing low and hugging his old hat again.
"All right, my boys; now return to your men, and we will be with you soon," said the commander as he returned to the party in the sitting-room.
All the party in the apartment fixed their gaze earnestly on Colonel Belthorpe as he entered, and there was an expression of fear and anxiety on the fair faces of the two daughters. By this time they all understood the situation perfectly. A gang of ruffians were approaching the mansion to revenge their defeat at Riverlawn upon the owner of this plantation, for he had been the chief man of the defence. It was evident that the commander had been put in possession of additional information in regard to the enemy.
He lost no time, but proceeded to state the facts which had just been reported to him by the scouts he had sent out. It was plain to all the defenders that another battle, if such a name could be properly applied to the skirmish near the creek bridge, was imminent.
"I think we are ready for the enemy," said Major Lyon; "and it will not be a difficult matter to drive the ruffians off. But I am not a military man, and we leave the defence entirely in your hands, Colonel Belthorpe."
"As I have said before, my place is not as favorable for a defence as yours is, Major Lyon," replied the commander. "We have no stream or swamp to cover our position, and we must act on open ground. Now, what force can we take into the field?"
"We have all that we had at the bridge," replied Squire Truman.
"Including Dexter, we have five white men here," added Major Lyon.
"Eight of my boys are mounted, and seven came over in the wagon, and all of these are armed with breech-loaders, so that they can fire seven shots apiece. That makes twenty."
"And here we add to our number," said Colonel Cosgrove, glancing at Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe.
"Certainly; we expect to take part in any fight that is to come off,"
added the major.
"We have three repeating rifles in the house, two double-barrelled bucking guns, and four revolvers. We laid in a stock of arms when the horse-stealers were at work in this county," said the commander. "But I have never put arms in the hands of my negroes."
"I never did till to-night, and I found that all mine were as willing to fight as to work for me," the major explained. "You have an overseer, of course."
"I have; but I have my doubts about him. Tilford is rather a brutal fellow, and I believe he is a Secessionist at heart, though he has never said anything to commit himself. The worst thing I know about him is that he a.s.sociates with Buck Lagger."
"Make him face the music, governor," added Tom. "If he is not willing to stand by you at such a time as this, he ought to be fired off the place."
Sam was sent for the overseer. Everybody about the mansion had been roused from his slumbers, and Tilford had been sulking about the s.p.a.ce in front of the house, evidently disgusted to see the negroes from Riverlawn mounted on fine horses with breech-loaders slung at their backs. He obeyed the order of his employer, and stalked into the sitting-room with a defiant expression on his face.
"Tilford, something like a hundred ruffians are coming up the two roads for the purpose of burning my mansion and hanging me to the nearest tree," Colonel Belthorpe began in a mild tone. "With the aid of my friends here, I intend to defend myself, my family, and my property."
"Are them n.i.g.g.e.rs with guns strapped on their backs your friends?"
demanded the overseer, with a cynical smile on his ill-favored face.
"They are brave men, who have this night defended their master from an attack of the reprobates who are marching upon my place; and I honor them for their bravery and fidelity, for not one of them has flinched!"
returned the colonel vigorously. "I want to know now upon whom I can depend to defend me from the violence of these villains who are coming down upon me."
"I reckon you can depend upon your n.i.g.g.e.rs, but you can"t depend on me!"
replied the overseer, edging towards the door. "You have fotched all this on yourself by turning abolitionist!"
"If a.s.sisting my neighbor and friend to defend himself and his family from the attacks of a pack of ruffians is being an abolitionist, then I am one with all my mind, heart, and soul!" replied the planter with a vehemence that brought down the applause of his a.s.sociates, even including the ladies.
"Them gentlemen you call ruffi"ns is my friends, Colonel Belthorpe, and I don"t never go back on my friends, not unless they turn abolitionists, and I ain"t go"n" to fight ag"in "em," added Tilford, working nearer to the door. "I reckon my time"s about done on this place."
"Quite done!" said the colonel, taking a revolver from his pocket.
"Go and join your friends! I will order every man with a gun to shoot you if you are seen about the place in five minutes!"