The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 66: what you’re looking at

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60 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. ne than once the mail coach was in great danger of being smashed upon the spot. One shell went whizzing and screeching very close to Fatty’s head, closer than “he desired; and he whipped up his horses with the energy of despera- tion. But which road had he to go? This puzzled him. , There were several roads, but he knew not which to take, : They had accomplished wonders that night, but now all depended on finding the right road to their camps. : “Do you think the Austrian beggars will dare to follow us, Captain Frank?” asked Fatty, red, out of wind, and perspiring. | “Think, Tony ?” Frank answered, laughing, - ‘‘I am swre they will !” eo, ‘¢ Oh, Je-rusalem !’’ groaned Tony. ‘f What blood- thirsty scoundrels the white-coats are! Get - along!” said he, whipping up his horses into a gallop. They had not gone far, and knew not which way they were travelling, when some one shouted out loudly in front, vt eet “Halt! halt! for your lives !” Frank dashed forward to see who it was, de- termined to sell his life as dearly as possible, when he was again challenged, “Halt! halt! for your lives !” The band were now approaching a dense thicket, and all was dark, “Who shouts halt?’ demanded Frank, in a resolute tone. “‘ I do!” was the stern reply. In an instant a grey-headed old friar stepped into view before him, “ Why detain us, old man? ye!” “A friar, as ye see by my garb; my object is to Save your lives.” ‘* Ah! Know you, then, who we are?” “TI do, brave youth, But, listen to me ; you and your band are strangers in this part of the world, and know not the roads,” ‘°Tis true ; and we are pursued |" “No you are not.” “Not, say you?” “No; but the AuStrians have cut off your retreat, nevertheless. They have crossed the river lower down, and now occupy all the roads,”’ “How know you this?” “From yonder hill I saw what took place between you and your enemies, and right bravely you fought; but they know more about the ins and outs of this country than you do. They crossed lower down ifs you had not returned to the river and fought them, you would have had time to escape. But they full well knew the stubborn courage of you English boys; and that half hour gave them time to per- fect their plans to cross the river at three points and cut off your retreat,” “And have they done so ?” “They have, From yonder hill-top I saw all their manceuvres. To save your life and those of all your band I[ have come here,” “There is hope for us, then 2” “There is, if you follow my advice; if you do not, not one of you will escape, Have you any prisoners with you?” ‘One, an officer of hussars, in the carriace behind.” ‘ 4 “ Then bind him, bandage his eyes, firmly stuff cotton in his ears that he may not hear anything ; do this quickly, mark ye, and follow me !” Who and what art ‘‘T will, old friar,” said Frank, who immediately returned to his comrades and told them all. ‘ie. Fatty, for one, grumbled, and gave it as his opinion that the old friar was perhaps an Austrian spy, who wished to lead them into an ambuscade. But one voice among the many did not prevail. The Austrian officer was bandaged, and his ears even were stuffed with cotton as directed, and in Jess time than it takes to tell it, the whole party, led by the old, grey friar, were quietly and stealthily creeping along an obscure path in the forest. —— Frank, revolver in hand, walked beside his guide, determined to slay him if treachery was meant. Every one of jche party were prepared for the worst in like manner. e Slowly and cat-like the little band made their way through the woods, and for more than an hour they travelled thus without speaking above their breath. , m They had gone a considerable distance in the darkness, like shadows, when one of the horses neighed ! yen: . “Who goes there?” said a gruff voice in the dis- tance, *= The ominous ‘‘click” of a rifle was heard, “Who goes there?” was repeated in sterner tones. ‘‘ Basil,” was the friar’s answer. “Who else ?” “ Basil’s friends.” ‘‘Approach, Basil, countersign,.” Frank and the friar advanced. . But, to the surprise of the young Garibaldians, they now discovered that they were surrounded by more than one hundred shadowy forms, who rose to their feet in the forest, each clothed from head to foot in black garments, and with rifles levelled at them ! - with friends, and give the CHAPTER XXX, MYSTERY ON MYSTERY—DETECTIVES ON THE TRACK—CASPAR IS ARRESTED—JONATHAN AS- SISTS SERGEANT GALE. Poor Caspar, the young, intelligent, handsome, and pure-minded tutor, hastened from Bromley Hall with all possible haste. ~ The behaviour of his mistress had been so criminal in all its meaning, that it shocked him, and he determined to leave the mansion instantly. Not thinking that Mr. Shanks could be the vile- hearted fellow he really was, Caspar shook him by the hand in a friendly w.y before parting, and hastened to the railway station in order to reach London as soon as possible, that he might inform his poor aged mother of all that had happened, and get employment of some kind to support her in her old age, He made several resolves in his own mind what to do to get an honest living ; but he was low, and in very depressed spirits, When about twenty miles from London, a very respectable-looking old gentleman got into the same ran, and soon entered into conversation with 1m, When they arrived at the London terminus, how- eves os same old gentleman tapped him on the oulder, * Your name is Caspar, I believe ?” said he, “Tt is.” “You are, or rather were Hall Academy ?” » a tutor at Bromley Gomicbooks CON