A mile further on a small grove of myrtle oaks and pecans grew on its left bank, and there they made their camp.
Feeling that they must rely upon their valor and watchfulness, and not upon secrecy, they built a fire, and ate a good supper.

Then they put out the fire and half of them remained on guard, the other half going to sleep, except Roylston, who sat with his back to a tree, his injured legs resting upon a bed of leaves which the boys had raked up for him.
He had been riding Old Jack and the horse had seemed to take to him, but after the stop Ned himself had looked after his mount.
The boy allowed Old Jack to graze a while, and then he tethered him in the thickest of the woods just behind the sleeping man.

He wished the horse to be as safe as possible in case bullets should be flying, and he could find no better place for him.

But before going he stroked his nose and whispered in his ear.
"Good Old Jack! Brave fellow!" he said.

"We are going to have troublous times, you and I, along with the others, but I think we are going to ride through them safely." The horse whinnied ever so softly, and nuzzled Ned's arm.