The National tribune., 1901-12-12

the walk heated me. Here and there
were dense clumps of small trees; at the
| little watercourses there was larger
growth. The roar of the sea was heard
no longer. 1t must have been about mid
night.
We came upon swampy ground; just
| beyond it n road crossed ours.
stop a little. Nick" said |.
Nick came 10 q halt, and we talked IN
low tones: we could see hundred yards
| in every direction.
| Where does that road go?' | asked.
Dat road said Nick, pointing to the
left; hit goes to ole Young's Mil"
How far is old Young's NiillT'
81 dunno eZackly; l reckon bout TO
mile"
Where does the right-hand lead?"
Hit goes to Mis- Cheeseman's" said
| Nick; ZEN at Mis- Cheeseman's dey is
calvry. en- at ole Young's Mill dey is
calvTy, but dey is OH de yudda side o de
creek"
How far is if to Mrs Chceseman' -
''I dunno ezacl,ly; l reckon bout fo'
mile"
We went on. The ground was again
Swampy We came to n road running al
most west; church stood on the other
side of the road.
Oats Dandy Chu'ch," said Nick, zen
dat road hit goes to Worrick."
And where does the right-hand lead!'
Hit goes to Mis- Cheeseman's, said
Nick.
and where is Young's Mill?" I asked.
Hits right on dis same road w's on,
en- not fur off, nudda."
We had now almost reached my first
objective. l knew that Nick was telling
me the truth, in the main, for the plan of
the map was still before my minds eye.
Can we get around Youngs Mill with
out being seen?'' l asked.
"Dey's a picket-line dis side,' said
Nick.
How far this side?"
Bout Quauta' en- haf Il quata.' 5"
How near can we get TO the picket
line?''
We kin git mos up to 'em, Gaze dey's
got de trees cut down.
THE trees cut down in their frOnt?'
"Yassa; dey's got mos all de trees cut
down. 50 dey is"
And We can get to the edge of the
feled timber?"
"Yassa; we kin git to de failed timba',
but ives got to go 'roun' de pom"
And if we 20 around the pond first,
we shall then find the picket-line?'
DE picket-line at Young's Mill:'
Yes
EFF we gifts roun' de pom. we'll be done
got roun de picket-line, en- de trees wat
dey cut down, en- Young's Mill, en- ALL
the pond, and keep your eyes wide Open"
Nick went forward again, but more
slowly for while; then he turned to the
right, through the woods. We went a
long distance and crossed a creek on a
fallen log. l found that this negro could
see i'll the darkness a great deal better
than l could; where | should have groped
my way, had l been alone, he went
boldly enough, putting his foot down fiat
as though he could see where he was
stepping. Nick said that there were no
soldiers in these woods and swamps; they
were all on the road and at Young's Mill,
now mile at our left.
At length we reached the road again.
By this time | was very tired, but not
wanting to confess it, said to Nick that
we should wait by the side of the road
for a while, to see if any soldiers should
pass. We sat in the bushes; soon Nick
was on his back, asleep, and l was not
sorry to see him go to sleep so quickly,
for l felt sure that he would not have
done so if he had meant to betray me-
| kept awake. Only once did see any
thing alarming. A single hOrseman came
down the road at a leisurely trot, and
passed on, his saber rafting by his side.
When the sound of the horses hoofs had
died away, / aroused Nick, and we con-
tinued west up the road. At last Nick
stopped.
whats the matter now, Nick?" I
whispered.
Yves mos up on dem pickets ag'in,"
he said.
again? Have we gone wrong?'
"We amt gone wron-but we's mos
up on dem pickets ag'in," he repeated.
where are weF"
yves gittin' mos to Worrick; eff we
gifts up to de place, den wat you gwine
to dof'
Il want to stay there till daylight. so
that l can see them and know how many
there are"
Den wat you gwine to do?'
"Then 1 want to follow their line as
near as ] can, going toward Yorktown"
Den all | got to say is dat hits mighty
cole TO be a-layin' out in de woods widout
no fab en- widout no kiyer en- widout
noth'n 20 eat"
That's true, Nick; do you know of any
place where we could get an hour or two
of sleep without freezingf"
Oats jes' wat | was a-gwine to say;
fo' God it was; eff dat wat you gwine to
do, come on"
He led the way again, going to the left.
We passed through woods, then a field,
and came to a farmhouse.
Hold on, Nick" said 1; sit won't do to
GO up to that house"
'Dey amt nobody dah," said Nick: "all
done ruined off to Richmon' or summers"
The fences We're gone, and general air
of desolation marked the place.
Nick went into an Outhouse-a stable
with loft-and climbed up into the loft.
| climbed up after him. There was a
little loose hay in the loft; we speedily
stretched ourselves. ! made Nick prom
ise TO be awake before sunrise, for I
feared the place would be visited by the
rebels.