He proceeded to the “swamp,” where his associates were to meet him.  They were already in waiting when he arrived, and without ceremony or circumlocution, he accosted them as follows: 

“So, then, you have turned traitors, have you?”

“Traitors!”

“Yes, and been developing my secrets.”

“If any tongue but yours should dare make the accusation, it would be silenced forever,” replied Bill, in much excitement.  “Who dares to make such a charge against us?  We demand to know, and his lying lips shall be sealed with his own blood!”

“There, that will do.  It was only a woman that intimated to me that you were unfaithful; and I thought then, as I think now, that it was all guess-work with her.”

Here he narrated so much of the interview with Eveline as related to themselves, and concluded by asking if they had held any private conversation that she could by any possibility have overheard.

“Not a word, your honor; we did not so much as make a sign by which she might suspect us or you.”

“Very well, I am satisfied; but it seems she either knows or suspects something, and we must be more than ever on our guard.  What I wish to say to you now, is, that this lady, either for willfulness or out of disbelief, affects to discredit my statement concerning Hadley’s death, and I wish you to accompany me to the cave to-morrow, and confirm my statements.  You need not implicate yourselves, but give the facts as you saw them transpire.”

“All right we’ll be there; and I guess we can fix up the right kind of a story for the occasion.”

“And to-morrow night you must make a descent upon ‘Squire Williams’ pasture-field, and save a little of his grass by removing a part of his stock.  You understand?”

“Perfectly.  We will try, but it’s getting to be rather a dangerous business of late.  Since Mandeville’s horse was stolen, the men have taken it into their heads to defend their property.  Only a few nights ago, two of our men went over with the intention of taking Thompson’s fine bay; but he was on hand, and shot one of them through the arm; and they were glad to get off without the horse.”

“Indeed! that’s bad news, for we must make a raise somehow.  I don’t want the captain to come back and find we have done nothing in his absence.”

“Well, we will do the best we can; but it is about time we were leaving this part of the country, at least for awhile.  I don’t think we can effect much, and we run great risks of being detected.”

“Do you think suspicion rests on any of our members?”

“Well I can’t say as to that.  People are beginning to suspect everybody they don’t know, and some that they do.  If a man hasn’t any particular occupation, he is pretty certain to be suspected of getting his living by dishonest means.”

“We must get away from here.  I will be ready to look out some other location within the next fortnight.  In the meantime, do the best you can, and all that you can; but be very cautious.  Remember to-morrow.”