The boy's face flushed with wounded pride, as he answered scornfully:
“We call our old servants uncle and aunt. He is an old colored man, and lives on this side of the river—one of our old slaves, whom my father freed.”
“We'll send you to the guard-house until more is known about you,” was the stern retort.
The boy was removed to the guard-house. To Ralph he was an object of much interest. His sympathies went out to him and he longed to say something comforting.
And so when his turn to act as corporal of the guard, with the abrupt frankness of youth, he blurted out:
“What were you doing over here the other night?”
[Original]
“I have given an account of myself to your superiors.”