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"Where shall you keep them to-night?" asked Zeke.
"I shall take them to---- Well, never mind where; it will make nodifference to you."
"No, I suppose not."
Zeb overheard this conversation and determined to profit by it.
He felt sore, both physically and mentally.
He felt that his father had not kept to the meaning of his oath, andhad evaded it by kicking instead of striking, which to Zeb was just asbad.
"I might just as well have let him hit me," he soliloquized; "he laughsnow; perhaps he will not when I am through."
He ran, and none could go faster when he liked to exert himself, anddid not rest until he was in sight of the Mountain Boys' camp.
Then he halted.
He needed to be cool.
"Zebedee, my boy, now you can make or mar your life. Which are yougoing to do?"
He thought for a moment and chuckled to himself as he defined,mentally, his plan of action.
Peleg Sunderland was in command in the absence of the colonel and Capt.Baker, and to him Zeb asked to be conducted.
But the sentinel refused.
"You haven't got the word, and I will not let anyone pass; no, not eventhe colonel himself without it."
"But I have important news."
"Of course you have."
"You do not believe me?"
"Yes, I do. I know all you can tell me, so there!"
"Have you anyone here called Eben Pike?"
"Perhaps we have, perhaps we haven't."
"Do not be sassy or----"
"You'll march away from this or I'll shoot; them's my orders."
Zeb saw that the man would not allow him to pass, and he was at hiswits' end to know what to do.
As good fortune would have it, who should pass but Eben.
"Eben, I want you."
"Is that you, Zeb?"
"It is."
"What do you want?"
"You."
