everything away, I reckon, but his horse, his nigger servant, and his broadsword."
"And he's one of our lieutenants, you say."
"Yes, he joined us, saying he had been a lieutenant from the beginning, with Harden and Moultrie, and he wasn't going to be less with anybody else. You'll like him, Sir, he's a man; though he's a mountain of flesh."
"Very good. I suppose you know him well, and now to other matters."
Counselling thus, the two continued to confer apart upon other matters connected with their enterprise. To visit "The Oaks" during the day, where his uncle and sister resided, was the object of Singleton; but his desire was also to intercept the supply of arms and ammunition of which Huck had spoken as on their way to Dorchester. They were looked for hourly, and could not be very remote. It was determined, therefore, to intercept them, if practicable, as an acquisition of the last importance. To arrange their route, plan tho place of their next meeting, provide the means of intelligence, and concert what local measures might seem necessary in future, was the work of but little time between the two; and this done, Humphries, withdrawing silently from the cover in which the conference had been carried on, unperceived by the rest, made his way by a different route out of the swamp, and keeping the forest all the way, was, after no long time, safely in Dorchester—looking for all the world as pacific and quiet as ever—without weapon of any kind, as, with a wonted precaution, he had left his sword in the woods, safely hidden, and his hands now grasped only the common wagon-whip, which he handled with a dexterity which seemed to indicate but little acquaintance with any more dangerous or deadly instruments.
Major Singleton, in the mean while, had returned to his troop. They had been busied during his absence in collecting the scattered horses and arms, and repairing their own little losses. The captives were loud in the profession of their new faith, as patriots; and as rebellion loves company, the whigs were not unwilling to receive an accession, even from their late enemies. Major Singleton declared his acceptance of their services, taking care to address him-
