with lee in virginia-第82章

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〃Yes；　I　am　awake；　Tony。　　Thank　God　you　have　come！　How　did　you

manage　it？〃



〃I　hab　managed　it；　sah；　and　dey　are　all　fast　asleep；〃　Tony　said；　as

he　cut　the　ropes　which　bound　Vincent。



〃Now；　sab；　let's　be　going　quick。　　Dar　am　no　saying　when　dey　may

come　round　to　look　after　do　guards。　　Dat's　what　I　hab　been

worrying　about　do　last　quarter　ob　an　hour。〃



Vincent　sprang　to　his　feet　as　the　ropes　fell　from　him；　and　grasped

Tony's　hand。



〃Here　am　a　bayonet；　sah。　　I　hope　we　sha'n't　want　to　use　dem；　but

dar　am　no　saying。〃



They　made　their　way　cautiously　across　the　fields　till　they

approached　another　camp。　　A　few　sentries　were　walking　up　and

down　in　front　of　it；　but　they　crawled　round　these　and　passed

through　the　space　between　the　regiment　and　that　next　to　it。　

Several　other　camps　were　passed；　and　then；　when　Vincent　knew

that　they　were　well　in　rear　of　the　whole　of　them；　they　rose　to　their

feet　and　started　forward　at　a　run。　　Suddenly　Tony　touched　Vincent；

and　they　both　stood　still。　　A　distant　shout　came　through　the　air；

followed　by　another　and　another。



〃I　'spect　dey　hab　found　out　we　have　gone；　sah。　　Dey　go　round　two

or　tree　times　in　do　night　to　sec　dat　de　sentries　are　awake。　　Now；

sab；　come　along。〃



They　were　on　the　road　now；　and　ran　at　full　speed　until　they

approached　Union。　　They　left　the　track　as　they　neared　the　village；

and　as　they　did　so　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　horse　at　full　gallop

behind　them。



〃That's　an　orderly　taking　the　news　of　our　escape。　Sheridan's

cavalry　are　scattered　all　over　the　country；　and　there　are　two

squadrons　at　Union　Grove。　　The　whole　country　will　be　alive　at

daybreak。〃



Making　their　way　through　the　fields　they　soon　struck　the　track

leading　to　Worley　Farm；　and　in　a　few　minutes　were　at　the　door。　

The　woman　opened　it　at　once。



〃I　have　been　watching　for　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am　real　glad　you

have　got　safe　away。　　Wait　a　minute　and　I　will　strike　a　light。〃



〃You　had　better　not　do　that；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃They　have　got　the

alarm　at　Union　Grove　already；　and　if　any　one　caught　sight　of　a

light　appearing　in　your　window；　it　would　bring　them　down　here　at

once。〃



〃They　can't　see　the　house　from　Union；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Still；

perhaps　it　will　be　best。　　Now；　sir；　I　can't　do　anything　for　you；

because　my　men's　clothes　are　the　same　sor'　of　cut　as　yours；　but

here's　a　suit　for　this　man。〃



Thanking　her　warmly　Vincent　handed　the　things　to　Tony。



〃Make　haste　and　slip　them　on。　Tony；　and　make　your



352

WITH　LEE　IN　VIRGINIA。



other　things　up　into　a　bundle　and　bring　them　with　you　for　a　bit。　

We　must　leave　nothing　hero；　for　they　will　search　the　whole

country　to…morrow。　　We　will　take　the　horse　away　too；　not　that　we

want　it；　but　it　would　never　do　for　it　to　be　found　here。〃



〃Will　you　take　your　letter　again？〃　the　woman　asked。



〃No；　I　will　leave　it　with　you。　　It　will　be　no　use　now　if　I　get　through；

but　if　you　hear　to…morrow　or　next　day　that　I　am　caught；　please

carry　it　as　we　arranged。　　What　is　this？〃　he　asked　as　the　woman

handed　him　a　bundle。



〃Here　are　eight　or　ten　pounds　of　pork；〃　she　said；　〃and　some

corn…cakes。　　If　you　are　hiding　away　you　will　want　something；　and　I

reckon　anyhow　you　won't　be　able　to　make　your　way　to　our　people

for　a　bit。　　Now；　if　you　are　ready　I　will　start　with　you。〃



〃You　will　start　with　us！〃　Vincent　repeated　in　surprise。



〃Certainly　I　will　start　with　you；〃　the　woman　said。　〃How　do　you

think　you　would　be　able　to　find　your　way　a　dark　night　like　this？　

No；　sir；　I　will　put　you　on　your　way　till　morning。　　But；　in　the　first

place；　which　line　do　you　mean　to　take？〃



〃I　do　not　think　there　is　much　chance　of　getting　back　the　way　we

came；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃By　morning　Sheridan's　cavalry　will　have　got

a　description　of　me；　and　they　will　be　scouring　the　whole　country。　

The　only　chance　will　be　to　go　north　and　cross　the　river　somewhere

near　Norfolk。〃



〃I　think；　sat；　you　better　go　on　wid　your　horse　at　once。　No　use　wait

for　me。　　I　come　along　on　foot；　find　my　own　way。〃



〃No；　Tony；　I　shall　certainly　not　do　that。　　We　will　either　get　off　or

be　taken　together。　　Well；　I　think　the　best　plan　will　be　to　go　straight

down　to　the　river。　　How　far　is　it　away？〃



〃About　fifteen　miles；〃　the　woman　said。



If　we　got　there　we　can　get　hold　of　a　boat　somehow；　and　either

cross　and　then　make　straight　for　Richmond　on　feet；　or　go　up　the

river　in　the　boat　and　land　in　the　rear　of　our　lines。　　That　we　can

settle　about　afterward。　　The　first　thing　is　to　get　to　the　river　bank。　

We　are　not　likely　to　meet　with　any　interruption　in　that　direction。　

Of　course　the　cavalry　are　all　on　the　other　flank；　and　it　will　be

supposed　that　I　shall　try　either　to　work　round　that　way　or　to　make

straight　through　the　lines。　　They　would　hardly　suspect　that　I　shall

take　to　the　river；　which　is　covered　with　their　transports　and

store…ships。〃



〃I　think　that　is　the　best　plan；〃　the　woman　said。　　〃There　are　scarce

any　villages　between　this　and　the　river。　　It's　only　just　when　you

cross　the　road　between　Petersburg　and　Williamsburg　that　you

would　be　likely　to　moot　a　soul；　even　in　the　daytime。　　There　is

scarce　even　a　farmhouse　across　this　section。　　I　　know　the　country

pretty　well。　　Just　stop　a　minute　and　I　will　run　up　to　the　wood　and

fetch　down　the　horse。　　There's　a　big　wood　about　a　mile　away；　and

you　can　turn　him　in　there。〃



A　few　minutes　later　they　started；　Vincent　leading　the　horse　and

Tony　carrying　the　bundle　of　food　and　his　castoff　uniform。　　The

woman　led　them　by　farm　roads；　sometimes　turning　off　to　the　right

or　left；　but　keeping　her　way　with　a　certainty　which　showed　how

well　she　was　acquainted　with　the　country。　　Several　times　they

could　hear　the　dull　sound　of　bodies　of　cavalry　galloping　along　the

roads；　but　this　died　away　as　they　got　further　into　the　country。　　The

horse　had　been　turned　loose　a　mile　from　their　starting　place。

Vincent　removed　the　bridle　and　saddle；　saying：　〃He　will　pick　up

enough　to　feed　on　hero　for　some　time。　When　he　gets　tired　of　the

wood　he　can　work　his　way　out　into　a　clearing。〃



Here　Tony　hid　away　his　uniform　among　some　thick　bushes；　and

the　three　walked　steadily　along　until　the　first　tinge　of　daylight

appeared　on　the　sky。　　Then　the　woman　stopped。



〃The　river　is　not　more　than　half　a　mile　in　front　of　you；〃　she　said；

〃so　I　will　say　good…by。〃



〃What　will　you　do？〃　Vincent　asked。　　〃You　might　be　questioned　as

you　get　near　home。〃



〃I　am　going　to　put　up　at　the　last　house　we　passed；〃　she　said；　〃about

three　miles　back。　　I　know　the　people　there；　and　they　will　take　me

in。　　I　will　stop　there　for　a　day　or　two；　maybe；　then　walk　back；　so　I

shall　have　a　true　story　to　tell。　　That's　all　right。〃



Vincent　said　good…by　to　her；　with　many　hearty　thanks　for　the

services　she　had　rendered　him；　and　had　almost　to　force　her　to　take

notes　for　two　hundred　dollars　from　the　bundle　ho　had　sewn　up　in

the　lining　of　his　coat。



〃You　have　saved　my　life；〃　he　said；　〃and　some　day　I　hope　to　be　able

to　do　more　to　show　my　gratitude；　but　you　must　take　this　anyhow　to

tide　you　over　the　hard　times；　and　find　food　for　your　husband　and

sons　when　they　come　back　from　the　war。〃



As　soon　as　the　woman　had　turned　back　Vincent　and　Tony

continued　on　their　way。　　The　former　had；　as　soon　as　they　were

fairly　out　from　the　Federal　camp；　told　Tony　in　a　few　words　that　his

wife　was　safe　at　home　and　their　boy　flourishing；　and　he　now　gave

him　further　details　of　them。



〃And　how　came　you　to　enter　the　army；　Tony？〃



〃Well；　sab；　dere　wasn't　much　choice　about　it。　　Do　Northern　people；

dey　talk　mighty　high　about　der　love　for　de　negro；　but　I　don't　see

much　of　it　in　der　ways。　　Why；　sab；　dey　is　twice　as　scornful　oh　a

black　man　as　de　gentleman　is　in　de　Souf。　　I　list　in　de　army；　sah；

because　dey　say　dey　go　to　Richmond；　and　den　I　find　Dinah　and　de

boy。〃



〃Well；　Tony；　I　little　thought　when　I　did　you　a　service　that　it　would

be　the　means　of　you　being　able　to　save　my　l