with lee in virginia-第13章

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was　on　the　water；　and　I　seem　to　have　a　fancy　for　a　change　at

present。　　One　is　sick　of　riding　into　Richmond　and　hearing　nothing

but　politics　talked　of　all　day。　　Don't　be　alarmed　if　you　hear　at　any

time　that　the　boat　has　not　come　hack　at　night；　for　if　tide　and　wind

are　unfavorable　at　any　time　I　might　stop　at　Cumberland　for　the

night。〃



〃I　have　often　had　to　do　that；〃　Furniss　said。　　〃Besides；　if　you　took　it

away　for　a　week；　I　don't　suppose　any　one　would　notice　it；　for　no

one　goes　down　to　the　boathouse　unless　to　get　the　boat　ready　for　a

trip。〃



The　next　day　Vincent　rode　over　to　his　friend's　plantation；　sending

Dan　off　an　hour　beforehand　to　bale　out　the　boat　and　get　the　masts

and　sails　into　her　from　the　boathouse。　　The　greater　part　of　the　next

two　days　was　spent　on　the　water；　sometimes　sailing；　sometimes

fishing。　　The　evening　of　the　second　of　these　days　was　that　upon

which　Vincent　had　arranged　to　meet　Tony　again；　and　an　hour　after

dark　he　went　down　through　the　garden　to　the　stable；　for　that　was

the　time　the　fugitive　was　to　meet　him；　for　he　could　not　leave　his

place　of　concealment　until　night　fell。　After　looking　at　the　horses；

and　giving　some　instructions　to　the　negroes　in　charge；　he　returned

to　the　shrubbery；　and；　sending　Dan　up　to　summon　Dinah；　he　went

to　the　bushes　where　he　had　before　met　Tony。　　The　negro　came　out

as　he　approached。



〃How　are　you；　Tony？〃



〃Much　better　dan　I　was；　massa。　　I　hab　not　been　disturbed　since　I

saw　you；　and；　thanks　to　dat　and　to　de　good　food　and　to　massa's

kind　words；　I'm　stronger　and　better　now；　and　ready　to　do　whatever

massa　think　best。〃



〃Well；　Tony；　I　am　glad　to　say　that　I　think　I　have　arranged　a　plan　by

which　you　will　be　got　safely　out　of　the　country。　　Of　course；　it　may

fail；　but　there　is　every　hope　of　success。　　I　have　arranged　for　a　boat；

and　shall　take　you　down　the　river；　and　put　you　on　board　a　ship

bound　for　England。〃



The　black　clapped　his　hands　in　delight　at　the　news。



〃When　you　get　there　you　will　take　another　ship　out　to　Canada；　and

as　soon　as　I　learn　from　you　that　you　are　there；　and　what　is　your

address；　I　will　give　Dinah　her　papers　of　freedom　and　send　her　on　to

you。〃



〃Oh；！　massa；　it　is　too　much；〃　Tony　said；　with　the　tears　running

down　his　cheeks；　〃too　much　joy　altogeder。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　it　will　all　come　right；　Tony。　　Dinah　will　be　here　in　a

minute　or　two。　　Do　not　keep　her　long；　for　I　do　not　wish　her　absence

from　the　house　to　be　observed　just　now。　　Now；　listen　to　my

instructions。　　Do　you　know　the　plantation　of　Mr。　Furniss；　on　the

Pamunky；　near　Coal　harbor？〃



〃No；　sir；　but　me　can　find　out。〃



〃No；　you　can't；　because　you　can't　see　any　one　or　ask　questions。　

Very　well；　then；　you　must　be　here　again　to…morrow　night　at　the

same　hour。　　Dan　will　meet　you　here；　and　act　as　your　guide。　　lie　will

presently　bring　you　provisions　for　to…morrow。　　Be　sure　you　be

careful；　Tony；　and　get　back　to　your　hiding…place　as　soon　as　you

can；　and　lie　very　quiet　to…morrow　until　it　is　time　to　start。　　It　would

be　terrible　if　you　were　to　be　caught　now；　just　as　we　have　arranged

for　you　to　get　away。〃



On　the　following　afternoon　Vincent　told　his　mother　that　he　was

going　over　that　evening　to　his　friend　Furniss；　as　an　early　start　was

to　be　made　next　morning；　they　intended　to　go　down　the　river　as　far

as　Yorktown；　if　not　further；　that　be　certainly　should　not　be　back

for　two　days；　and　probably　might　be　even　longer。



〃This　new　beating　freak　of　yours；　Vincent；　seems　to　occupy　all

your　thoughts。　　I　wonder　how　long　it　will　last。〃



〃I　don't　suppose　it　will　last　much　longer；　mother；〃　Vincent　said

with　a　laugh。　　〃Anyhow；　it　will　make　a　jolly　change　for　a　week。　

One　had　got　so　sick　of　hearing　nothing　talked　about　but　secession

that　a　week　without　hearing　the　word　mentioned　will　do　one　lots

of　good；　and　I　am　sure　I　felt　that　if　one　had　much　more　of　it；　one

would　be　almost　driven　to　take　up　the　Northern　side　just　for　the

sake　of　a　change。〃



〃We　should　all　disown　you；　Vin；〃　Annie　said；　laughing；　〃we　should

have　nothing　to　say　to　you；　and　you　would　be　cut　by　all　your

friends。〃



〃Well；　you　see；　a　week's　sailing　and　fishing　will　save　me　from　all

that；　Annie；　and　I　be　all　be　able　to　begin　again　with　a　fresh　stock　of

patience。〃



〃I　believe　you　are　only　half　in　earnest　in　the　cause；　Vincent；〃　his

mother　said　gravely。



〃I　am　not　indeed；　mother。　　I　quite　agree　with　what　you　and　every

one　say　as　to　the　rights　of　the　State　of　Virginia；　and　if　the　North

should　really　try　to　force　us　and　the　other　Southern　States　to

remain　with　them；　I　shall　be　just'　as　ready　to　do　everything　I　can　as

any　one　else；　but　I　can't　see　the　good　of　always　talking　about　it；

and　I　think　it's　very　wrong　to　ill…treat　and　abuse　those　who　think

the　other　way。　　In　England　in　the　Civil　War　the　people　of　the　towns

almost　all　thought　one　way；　and　almost　all　those　of　the　counties

the　other；　and　even　now　opinions　differ　almost　as　widely　as　to

which　was　right。　　I　hate　to　hear　people　always　laying　down　the　law

as　if　there　could　not　possibly　be　two　sides　of　the　case；　and　as　if

every　one　who　differed　from　them　must　be　a　rascal　and　a　traitor。　

Almost　all　the　fellows　I　know　say　that　if　it　comes　to　fighting　they

shall　go　into　the　State　army；　and　I　should　be　quite　willing；　if　they

would　really　take　fellows　of　my　age　for　soldiers；　to　enlist　too；　but

that　is　no　reason　why　one　should　not　get　sick　of　hearing　nothing

but　one　subject　talked　of　for　weeks。〃



It　was　nearly　dark　when　Vincent　started　for　his　walk　of　ten　miles；

for　he　had　decided　not　to　take　his　horse　with　him；　as　he　had　no

means　of　sending　it　back；　and　its　stay　for　three　days　in　his　friend's

stables　would　attract　attention　to　the　fact　of　his　long　absence。



After　about　three　hours'　walking　he　reached　the　boat。　house；

having　seen　no　one　as　he　passed　through　the　plantation。　　He　took

the　oars　and　sails　from　the　boathouse　and　placed　them　in　the　boat；

and　then　sat　down　in　the　stern　to　await　the　coming　of　the　negroes。　

In　'an　hour　they　arrived；　Tony　carrying　a　bundle　of　clothes　that

Dan　had　by　Vincent's　orders　bought　for　him　in　Richmond；　while

Dan　carried　a　large　basket　of　provisions。　　Vincent　gave　an

exclamation　of　thankfullness　as　he　saw　the　two　figures　appear；　for

the　day　having　been　Sunday　he　knew　that　a　good　many　men　would

be　likely　to　join　the　search　parties　in　hopes　of　having　a　share　in　the

reward　offered　for　Tony's　capture；　and　he　had　felt　very　anxious　all

day。



〃You　sit　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　Tony；　and　do　you　steer；　Dan。　

You　make　such　a　splashing　with　your　oar　that　we　should　be　heard

a　mile　away。　　Keep　us　close　in　shore　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　the

less　we　are　noticed　the　better　at　this　time　of　night。〃



Taking　the　sculls；　Vincent　rowed　quietly　away。　　He　had　often　been

out　on　boating　excursions　with　his　friends；　and　had　learned　to　row

fairly。　　During　the　last　two　days　he　had　diligently　instructed　Dan；

and　after　two　long　days'　work　the　young　negro　had　got　over　the

first　difficulties；　but　he　was　still　clumsy　and　awkward。　　Vincent

did　not　exert　himself。　He　knew　he　had　a　long　night's　row　before

him；　and　he　paddled　quietly　along　with　the　stream。　　The　boat　was　a

good…sized　one；　and　when　not　under　sail　was　generally　rowed　by

two　strong　negroes　accustomed　to　the　work。



Sometimes　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time　Vincent　ceased　rowing；　and

let　the　boat　drift　along　quietly。　　There　was　no　hurry；　for　he　had　a

day　and　two　nights　to　get　down　to　the　month　of　the　river；　a

distance　of　some　seventy　miles；　and　out　to　sea　far　enough　to

intercept　the　vessel。　　At　four　o'clock　they　arrived　at　Cumberland；

where　the　Pamunky　and　Mattapony　Rivers　unite　and　form　the

York　River。　Here　they　were　in　tidal　waters；　and　as　the　tide；　though

not　strong；　was　flowing　up；　Vincent　tied　the　boat　to　the　branch　of　a

tree；　and　lay　down　in　the　bottom　for　an　hour's　sleep；　telling　Dan　to

wake　him　when　the　tide　turned；　or　if　he　heard　any　noise。