384 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



suspicious-looking strangers perceived the approach, of 

 the militia officer, it was turned into the creek and 

 shot rapidly up it. Suddenly it was brought to land ; 

 one of the better dressed of the men stepped out and 

 approached the captain of regulars, who just then 

 came out of the guard -house. With a military 

 salute he handed him a paper, saluted again, and 

 returned to his companions in the boat. After a 

 short time the whole party ascended the bank of 

 the bayou, and walked off in the direction of the 

 town. The captain looked alternately at the men 

 and at the paper, and then approached the group of 

 officers. 



" What do those people want ? " inquired General 

 Billow. 



The officer handed him the paper. 



" Read it yourself, general. I can hardly believe 

 my eyes. A passport for Armand, Marceau, Bernar- 

 din, Cordon, &c., planters from Nacogdoches, delivered 

 by the Mexican authorities, and countersigned by the 

 general-in-chief . " 



" Have you inquired their destination 1 " 



Captain Percy shrugged his shoulders. " New 

 Orleans. Anything further, the man tells me, is 

 known to the general-in-chief. A most sxispicious 

 rabble, and who seem quite at home here." 



" Ah, Mister Billow and Barrow, how goes it ? 

 Glad to see you. You look magnificent in your scarfs 

 and plumes." 



