with lee in virginia-第51章

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〃Dan　can　take　one　oar；　anyhow；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃but　I　will　let

you　row　instead　of　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　should　make　a　poor　hand　of　it

with　only　one　arm。〃



The　boat　pushed　quietly　out。　　The　river　was　about　a　hundred　yards

wide　at　this　point。　　They　had　taken　but　a　few　strokes　when　Vincent

said：



〃You　must　row　hard；　Miss　Kingston；　or　we　shall　have　to　swim　for

it。　　The　water　is　coming　through　the　seams　fast。〃



The　girl　and　Dan　exerted　themselves　to　the　utmost；　but；　short　as

was　the　passage；　the　boat　was　full　almost　to　the　gunwale　before

they　reached　the　opposite　bank；　the　heat　of　the　sun　having　caused

the　planks　to　open　during　the　months　it　had　been　lying　ashore。





〃This　is　a　wet　beginning；〃　Lucy　Kingston　said　laugh　as　she　tried　to

wring　the　water　out　of　the　lower　part　of　her　dress。　　〃Here；　Chloe；

you　wring　me　and　I　will　wring　you。〃



〃Now；　Dan；　get　hold　of　that　head…rope；〃　Vincent　said；　〃haul　her　up

little　by　little　as　the　water　runs　out　over　the　stern。〃



〃I　should　not　trouble　about　the　boat；　Mr。　Wingfield；　it　is　not　likely

we　shall　ever　want　it　again。〃



〃I　was　not　thinking　of　the　boat；　I　was　thinking　of　ourselves。　　If　it

should　happen　to　be　noticed　at　the　next　bridge　as　it　drifted　down；　it

would　at　once　suggest　to　any　one　on　the　lookout　for　us　that　we　had

crossed　the　river；　whereas；　if　we　get　it　among　the　bushes　here；　they

will　believe　that　we　are　hidden　in　the　woods　or　have　headed　back

to　the　north；　and　we　shall　be　a　long　way　across　the　line；　I　hope；

before　they　give　up　searching　for　us　in　the　woods　on　the　other

side。〃



〃Yes；　I　didn't　think　of　that。　　We　will　help　you　with　the　rope。〃　



The　boat　was　very　heavy；　now　that　it　was　full　of　water。　Inch　by

inch　it　was　pulled　up；　until　the　water　was　all　out　except　near　the

stern。　　Dan　and　Vincent　then　turned　it　bottom　upward；　and　it　was

soon　hauled　up　among　the　bushes。



〃Now；　Miss　Kingston；　which　do　you　think　is　our　best　course？　I

know　nothing　whatever　of　the　geography　here。〃



〃The　next　town　is　Mount　Pleasant；　that　is　where　the　Williamsport

road　passes　the　railway。　　If　we　keep　south　we　shall　strike　the

railway；　and　that　will　take　us　to　Mount　Pleasant。　　After　that　the

road　goes　on　to　Florence；　on　the　Tennessee　River。　　The　only　place

that　I　know　of　on　the　road　is　Lawrenceburg。　　That　is　about　forty

miles　from　here；　and　I　have　heard　that　the　Yankees　are　on　the　line

from　there　right　and　left。　　I　believe　our　troops　are　at　Florence；　but　I

am　not　sure　about　that；　because　both　parties　are　constantly　shifting

their　position；　and　I　hear　very　little；　as　you　may　suppose；　of　what　is

being　done。　Anyhow；　I　think　we　cannot　do　better　than　go　on　until

we　strike　the　railway；　keep　along　by　that　till　we　get　within　a　short

distance　of　Mount　Pleasant；　and　then　cross　it。　　After　that　we　can

decide　whether　we　will　travel　by　the　road　or　keep　on　through　the

woods。　　But　we　cannot　find　our　way　through　the　woods　at　night；

we　should　lose　ourselves　before　we　had　gone　twenty　yards。〃



〃I　am　afraid　we　should；　Miss　Kingston。〃



〃Please　call　me　Lucy；〃　the　girl　interrupted。　　〃I　am　never　called

anything　else；　and　I　am　sure　this　is　not　a　time　for　ceremony。〃



〃I　think　that　it　will　be　better；　and　will　you　please　call　me　Vin。　　It　is

much　shorter　and　pleasanter　using　our　first　names；　and　as　we　must

pass　for　brother　and　sister　if　we　get　among　the　Yankees；　it　is　better

to　get　accustomed　to　it。　　I　quite　agree　with　you　that　it　will　be　too

dark　to　find　our　way　through　the　woods　unless　we　can　discover　a

path。



Dan　and　I　will　see　if　we　can　find　one。　　If　we　can；　I　think　it　will　be

better　to　go　on　a　little　way　at　any　rate；　so　as　to　get　our　feet　warm

and　let　our　clothes　dry　a　little。〃



〃They　will　not　dry　to…night；〃　Lucy　said。　　〃It　is　so　damp　in　the

woods　that　even　if　our　clothes　were　dry　now　they　would　be　wet

before　morning。〃



〃I　did　not　thihk　of　that。　　Yes；　in　that　case　I　do　not　see　that　we

should　gain　anything　by　going　farther；　we　will　push　on　for　two　or

three　hundred　yards；　if　we　can；　and　then　we　can　light　a　fire　without

there　being　any　chance　of　it　being　seen　from　the　other　side。〃



〃That　would　be　comfortable；　Mr。…I　mean　Vin；〃　the　girl　agreed。　

〃That　is；　if　you　are　quite　sure　that　it　would　be　safe。　　I　would　rather

be　wet　all　night　than　that　we　should　run　any　risks。〃



〃I　am　sure　if　we　can　get　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　into　this　thick

wood　the　fire　would　not　be　seen　through　it；〃　Vincent　said；　〃of

course　I　do　not　mean　to　make　a　great　bonfire　which　would　light　up

the　forest。〃



For　half　an　hour　they　forced　their　way　through　the　bushes；　and　then

Vincent　said　he　was　sure　that　they　had　come　far　enough。　　Finding　a

small　open　space；　Dan；　and　Lucy；　and　the　negress　set　to　work

collecting　leaves　and　dry　sticks。　　Vincent　had　still　in　his　pocket　the

newspaper　he　had　bought　in　the　streets　of　Nashville；　and　he　always

carried　lights。　　A　piece　of　the　paper　was　crumpled　up　and　lighted；　a

few　of　the　driest　leaves　they　could　find　dropped　upon　it；　then　a　few

twigs；　until　at　last　a　good　fire　was　burning。





〃I　think　that　is　enough　for　the　present；〃　Vincent　said。　we　will　keep

on　adding　wood　as　fast　as　it　burns　down；　so　as　to　get　a　great　pile　of

embers；　and　keep　two　or　three　good　big　logs　burning　all　night。〃



He　then　gave　directions　to　Dan；　who　out　a　long　stick　and　fastened

it　to　two　saplings；　one　of　which　grew　just　in　front　of　the　fire。　　Then

he　set　to　work　and　cut　off　branches；　and　laid　them　sloping　against

it；　and　soon　had　an　arbor　constructed　of　sufficient　thickness　to

keep　off　the　night　dews。



〃I　think　you　will　be　snug　in　there；〃　Vincent　said　when　he　bad

finished。　　〃The　heat　of　the　fire　will　keep　you　dry　and　warm；　and　if

you　lie　with　your　heads　the　other　way　I　think　your　things　will　he

dry　by　the　morning。　　Dan　and　I　will　lie　down　by　the　other　side　of

the　fire。　　We　are　both　accustomed　to　sleep　in　the　open　air；　and

have　done　so　for　months。〃



〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。　　〃Our　things　are　drying　already；

and　I　am　as　warm　as　a　toast；　but；　indeed；　you　need　not　trouble

about　us。　　We　brought　these　warm　shawls　with　us　on　purpose　for

night…work　in　the　forest。　Now；　I　think　we　will　try　the　contents　of

the　basket　Dan　has　been　carrying。〃



The　basket；　which　was　a　good…sized　one；　was　opened。　Chloe　had

before　starting　put　all　the　provisions　in　the　house　into　it；　and　it

contained　three　loaves；　five　or　six　pounds　of　bacon；　a　canister　of

tea　and　loaf…sugar；　a　small　kettle；　and　two　pint　mugs；　besides　a

number　of　odds　and　ends。　　The　kettle　Dan　had；　by　Chloe's

direction；　filled　with　water　before　leaving　the　river；　and　this　was

soon　placed　among　the　glowing　embers。



〃But　you　have　brought　no　teapot；　Chloe。〃



〃Dar　was　not　no　room　for　it；　Miss　Lucy。　　We　can　make　tea　berry

well　in　do　kettle。〃



〃So　we　can。　　I　forgot　that。　　We　shall　do　capitally。〃



The　kettle　was　not　long　in　boiling。　　Chloe　produced　some　spoons

and　knives　and　forks　from　the　basket。



〃Spoons　and　forks　are　luxuries；　Chloe；〃　Vincent　said　laughing。　

〃We　could　have　managed　without　them。〃



〃Yes；　sah；　but　me　not　going　to　leave　massa'　s　silver　for　dose

villains　to　find。〃



Lucy　laughed。　　〃At　any　rate；　Chloe；　we　can　turn　the　silver　into

money　if　we　run　short。　　Now　the　kettle　is　boiling。〃



It　was　taken　off　the　fire；　and　Lucy　poured　some　tea　into　it　from　the

canister；　and　then　proceeded　to　cut　up　the　bread。　　A　number　of

slices　of　bacon　had　already　been　cut　off；　and　a　stick　thrust　through

them；　and　Dan；　who　was　squatted　at　the　other　side　of　the　fire

holding　it　over　the　flames；　now　pronounced　them　to　be　ready。　　The

bread　served　as　plates；　and　the　party　were　soon　engaged　upon　their

meal；　laughing　and　talking　over　it　as　if　it　had　been　an　ordinary

picnic　in　the　woods；　though　at　times　Vincent's　face　contracted

from　the　sharp　twitching　of　pain　in　his　shoulder。　　Vincent　and　Lucy

first　drank　their　tea；　and　the　mugs　were　then　handed　to　Dan　and

Chlce。



〃This