Page:The Partisan (revised).djvu/98

 with a sneer; "Saint Jupiter! said I not you should learn swamp-sucking? You'll drink before you come out. But the water's fresh."

"Fresh, here in the swamp?"

"Ay, fresh enough&mdash;fresh from the sea, unless the tide's gone clean down. But on; do not fear; it looks worse than it tastes. On, and follow me close!"

They dashed after their leader as he gave the word, but their progress was much slower than before.

In the mean while, let us turn our eyes upon the party in waiting for them. Following the suggestions of his lieutenant, Humphries, Major Singleton had disposed of his men at convenient distances for mutual support along the more accessible ridge which the party of Travis had originally pursued. The design had been a good one; for it was not to be supposed that one who had shown himself so careful in selecting the least obstructed route, would willingly leave it, in preference for another, so indirect and difficult of passage as that upon which Travis had now turned his horse. The ambuscade had been well laid, and must have been successful, but for this circumstance. Major Singleton himself, being in advance, was the first to perceive this change of movement, which, taking place just when his anxieties were most aroused, was productive of an exaggerated degree of disappointment. He cried out to Humphries, who lurked in a low bush on the opposite bank, and saw not so readily,&mdash;

"They leave the track, Humphries! they have turned off to the right&mdash;we are foiled!"

The lieutenant rose from his recumbent position, and saw the truth of his commander's suggestion. To effect a change of ambuscade at this moment was hopeless; and there remained but on mode, and that was, to persuade them to return to the path from which they departed. At first, the lieutenant thought to throw himself immediately in their way; and, being well known, and looked upon as loyal by all the dragoons, he believed that he might lure them back by misrepresentations of one kind or another. This thought he abandoned, however, as he still desired to keep himself from present detection, which he could not hope, should any of them escape to tell the story.