"Your excellency, dar am a lame girl, an a fool Dutchman outside. De girl done say, she's got to delibber de eggs to yourself, sah!"
"Eggs!" The tall, anxious man at the table turned sharply. He was writing to Congress, and the interruption annoyed him.
"Yas, sah." The colored man bowed humbly. "I'se been tellin' dem we has eggs nouf, but the Dutchman he deaf as a stun wall, an' de girl am dat sot, dat your own self couldn't be sotter, sah. She done say her folks 'prived demselfs of food an' drink, sah, to save dese eggs fur your excellency, an' she goes on tu say, sah, dat she done been habbin' de debbil's own time gettin' past de lines wid de eggs. She's been 'sulted by de British and odder hard things. She won't go, sah, till I done tell you all dis rubbish."
"Bring her in," quietly said the listener.
Washington never slighted the humble, and, besides, messages were sent in odd ways. It was always better to be willing to listen. The black man departed, muttering, and presently returned, showing the lame girl in with no very good grace.
"Dat am de General!" he explained, shutting the heavy door after the limping figure.
There was no need of explanation. The eyes under the drooping frill grew joyous at the sight of the honored face. The heart under the coarse cotton frock beat high with pride, and—yes, shame, for how was the boy to make himself known?
"Pray be seated," the deep voice was saying. "You are weary and you have taken chances of danger to reach me with your gift."
Andy sank into the nearest chair.
"I appreciate your devotion and unselfishness, but I would advise no future attempts to pass the British lines for such a thing."