“I was very much in hopes the whole of our plan for to-night would succeed, though I heard that in the evening which caused me to have misgivings on the subject.  I learned that Hadley received intelligence that his mother and uncle were both sick and not expected to recover.—­They live in Philadelphia:  the uncle, his mother’s brother, a bachelor, by the way, with whom she is living, is reputed wealthy, and, it is said, has willed his property to young Hadley.  The news of these events was brought to him yesterday, and he made immediate preparations to go east, but did not expect to get off until this morning.  I presume, however, he must have started yesterday in the after part of the day; but be this as it may, I wish you and Dick to follow after him, and don’t fail to finish him somehow and somewhere.  If you could only manage to get ahead of him and waylay him at some point in the mountains, it would be the best place for you to do the deed and conceal the commission of the act.”

“Yes, if he should be alone.”

“Which will most likely be the case, at least a portion of the time.  But should no such opportunity occur, or should you fail to get beyond him on the way, you must watch for him in the city; follow him as closely as his shadow, and in some dark alley, or at some unseasonable hour, put him out of the way.”

“Exactly.”

“You understand that this must be done, do you?”

“If Lieutenant Duffel says so.”

“Well, I do say so, most emphatically.  I am more anxious than ever to have him settled, since this new phase of affairs has come up.”

“I understand; but when are we to start?”

“Early in the morning.  We will find out as soon as possible whether he started yesterday; then you must show yourselves for a little while, as was before determined; and as soon afterward as possible be off.  Be sure to get on the right track, and don’t lose it.”

“Never fear on that head.  We will follow him as the lion does his prey.”

“Well, I leave the matter with you; see that you acquit yourself as a good soldier.  Give Dick such instruction as may be needed.—­Here he comes.”

Dick rode up on the horse he had stolen, and they all immediately repaired to the swamp, where the scheme of villainy had been planned, in the middle of which the horse was concealed for the present, as they were unable to take him further then without incurring great risk of detection.

The next morning after mingling awhile with the indignant crowd of citizens, who were collected together on hearing of the theft, and pouring out invectives on the “villain of a thief” in no measured quantity, the two ruffians, Bill and Dick, set out on their errand of death?  Learning that Hadley had started the previous afternoon, they followed after him on two of the fleetest horses in the possession of the clan.

It might be well enough to remark, that in those early days most of the traveling was done on foot or on horseback.