He trailed them up the lofty slope and discovered, as he had surmised, that they had left their horses there while they attempted the ambush.

He was sure now that they were far away, and he returned with his story, just as Shepard arrived with the vanguard of the column, led by Colonel Winchester.
"And so it was Slade!" said the Colonel.
"Undoubtedly, sir," said Dick.

"I saw him plainly, and so did Sergeant Whitley." "I'm not sorry he's here," said Colonel Winchester thoughtfully, "and I hope the story that he and Skelly have joined bands is true, because if they are in this region they're so far away from Pendleton that your people are safe from mischief at their hands." "I hadn't thought of it in that way, sir, but it's just as you say.
I'd rather have to fight them here than have them attacking our innocent people at home.

In the early part of the war Skelly called himself a Unionist, did he not ?" "Yes, and he may do so yet, but names are nothing to him.

He'd rob, and murder, too, with equal zest under either flag." "It's so," said Dick, and he felt the full truth as he thought of Pendleton, and his beautiful young mother, alone in her house, save for the gigantic and faithful Juliana.