It was time for Maud to return to her mother and sister.  The box was carefully concealed, leaving the hair in its old envelope, and she hurried to the nursery.  On entering the room, she found that her father had just preceded her.  The captain was grave, more thoughtful than usual, and his wife, accustomed to study his countenance for so much of her happiness, saw at once that something lay heavy on his mind.

“Has anything out of the way happened, Hugh?” she asked, “to give you uneasiness?”

Captain Willoughby drew a chair to the side of that of his wife, seated himself, and took her hand before he answered.  Little Evert, who sat on her knee, was played with, for a moment, as if to defer a disagreeable duty; not till then did he even speak.

“You know, dearest Wilhelmina,” the captain finally commenced, “that there have never been any concealments between us, on the score of danger, even when I was a professed soldier, and might be said to carry my life in my hand.”

“You have ever found me reasonable, I trust, while feeling like a woman, mindful of my duty as a wife?”

“I have, love; this is the reason I have always dealt with you so frankly.”

“We understand each other, Hugh.  Now tell me the worst at once.”

“I am not certain you will think there is any worst about it, Wilhelmina, as Bob’s liberty is the object.  I intend to go out myself, at the head of all the white men that remain, in order to deliver him from the hands of his enemies.  This will leave you, for a time—­six or seven hours perhaps—­in the Hut, with only the three blacks as a guard, and with the females.  You need have no apprehension of an assault, however, everything indicating a different intention on the part of our enemies; on that score you may set your hearts at rest.”

“All my apprehensions and prayers will be for you, my husband—­for ourselves, we care not.”

“This I expected; it is to lessen these very apprehensions that I have come to tell you my whole plan.”

Captain Willoughby now related, with some minuteness, the substance of Mike’s report, and his own plan, of the last of which we have already given an outline.  Everything had been well matured in his mind, and all promised success.  The men were apprised of the service on which they were to be employed, and every one of them had manifested the best spirit.  They were then busy in equipping themselves; in half an hour they would be ready to march.

To all this Mrs. Willoughby listened like a soldier’s wife, accustomed to the risks of a frontier warfare, though she felt like a woman.  Beulah pressed little Evert to her heart, while her pallid countenance was turned to her father with a look that seemed to devour every syllable.  As for Maud, a strange mixture of dread and wild delight were blended in her bosom.  To have Bob liberated, and restored to them, was approaching perfect happiness, though it surpassed her powers not to dread misfortunes.  Nevertheless, the captain was so clear in his explanations, so calm in his manner, and of a judgment so approved, that his auditors felt far less concern than might naturally have been expected.