Hezekiah. Wal, I guess yer head is level on that.
Hood. (About to leave—R.) Good day, sir.
Hezekiah. Say, I don’t s’pose you’ve got any tobacker in yer trowsis, have ye?
Hood. (Producing it.) Certainly, sir.
Hezekiah. Jest give us a chaw. (Hood complies.) My stomach is as holler as a collapsed balloon. (Bites off a chew, and returns plug.) ’Bliged at ye.
Hood. (Turning to go.) Good day, sir.
Hezekiah. Say? You jest keep your eye peeled, or them Johnnies will get your hair. (Exit Hood—R.) That’s a darn nice old critter. But I don’t think he’s so bright as some folks, or else he wouldn’t be caterwaulin’ round here on the picket line alone. He don’t know nothin’ about war! I’ll be darned if I don’t think I’ve got stuck some myself. Down east, you can foller the tellegraff poles. They hain’t got scarcely any on ’em in this heathen country. This is about the meanest place I ever travelled in. If I hain’t eat my peck of dirt 250 times since I hit this land er snakes, you can chaw my ear. I hain’t had a good square wash for over two years. My hide would raise pertaters stouter than a down-east cut-down. (Shot from R., and his hat flies into L. wings.) Gosh all Jewpiter, if that critter hasn’t spil’t my best hat. (Chasing it out L. Other shots, and two rebel soldiers creep on R. A shot from L.; one falls, and the other retreats. Hez. comes on L.) There ain’t no two Johnnies can drive me. (Feels of the dead rebel.) Bet ye tew dollars and a half that critter won’t get well. (Exit L. slowly, looking back often. Brightly creeps on from R.)
Brightly. Those Yankee pickets will shoot the rear guard through the camp yet. (Looking out, R.) Come here. (Enter Zina, hatless and ragged.) I have spotted you. If you attempt to escape again, I will shoot you at sight! What are you skulking around here for?
Zina. I was lost; I did not know where I was going.
Brightly. You lie! Why do you follow my lieutenant’s footsteps so much like a cur? You are my property. Not a dog. What do you hope for? That he will buy you? He can never do that. Not if his house was solid gold, and he offered me all he had. White niggers are hard to manage, but I am the man that never failed on one yet. Look at me! (Zina looks at him in terror.) If you speak to him again, I will flog your hide off.