Still keeping a hand on his throat, they led him off some distance, and tied him to a sapling with strings made by tearing up one of their blouses.

He was also securely gagged, and the boys, bidding him a hasty, but not specially tender, farewell, struck out, as they fondly hoped, for freedom.

It was not long until they were missed, and the parties sent in search found and released the guard, who gave all the information he possessed as to what had become of his charges.

All the packs of hounds, the squads of cavalry, and the foot patrols were sent out to scour the adjacent country.
The Yankees kept in the swamps and creeks, and no trace of them was found that afternoon or evening.

By this time they were ten or fifteen miles away, and thought that they could safely leave the creeks for better walking on the solid ground.