"Now look here," argued Julius, beginning to draw with the spoon upon the broad, dusty top of a cedar chest close by. "Here is the Dripping Spring road, and here runs the turnpike. Now here is the rise of the hill, and—"
"Dar is Gen'al Belden's cavalry brigade camped at de foot," put in Uncle Ephraim, rising on his knees, taking a casual interest in cartography.
"And here is the bend of the river,"—the bowl of the spoon made a great swirl to imply the broad sweep of the noble Tennessee.
"Dat's whar dey got some infantry, four reg'ments."
"I see," with several dabs to mark the spot, "convenient for embarkation."
"An' dar," said the old man, unaware of any significance in the disclosure, "is one o' dem big siege batteries hid ahint de bresh—"
"Masked, hey? to protect launching and prevent approach by water; they are fixed up mighty nice! And here goes the slope of the hill to the fort."
"No, dat's de ravelin, de covered way, an' de par'pet."
"As far down as this, Uncle Ephraim? surely not!"
"Now, ye ain't so much ez chipped de shell ob dis soldierin' business, ye nuffin' but a onhatched deedie! An' yere I been takin' ye fur a perfessed soldier-man! You lissen! yere is de covered way ob de ravelin, outside ob a redoubt, whar dey got a big traverse wid a powder-magazine built into it. I been up dar when dis artillery captain sent his wagons arter his ammunition."