“Well, boy, you’ve done us a favor,” said Ben, when the darky ceased speaking, “and if I had a quarter in good money I would give it to you. But there’s a bill of some sort in rebel money. It’s too dark to see the size of it, but mebbe it will get you half a plug of tobacco. How many rebs are there in the party?”
“Sarvant, sah. Thank you kindly, sah,” said the black boy, as he took the bill. “Da’s more’n twenty of ’em in de congregation, an’ all ole soldiers. A mighty rough-lookin’ set dey is too.”
“That’s the way all rebs look,” said Ben. “I know, for I have been one of ’em. What do you s’pose brought the soldiers there?”
The darky replied that he couldn’t make out why they came to the house; but he knew that the officer in command had said something to Tom, in the presence of his father and mother, that threw them all into a state of great agitation. Tom especially was terribly frightened, and wanted to ride over and pass the night with Mark Goodwin; but his father wouldn’t let him go for fear something would happen to him on the road.
“Well, Timothy——” began Ben.
“Jake, if you please, sah,” corrected the negro.
“Well, Jake, if you keep still about meetin’ us nobody will ever hear of it. Off you go, now. The jig’s up, boys, an’ we might as well strike for camp.”
CHAPTER XII.
SURPRISED AND CAPTURED.
“I haven’t the least doubt but what the nigger told the truth,” continued Ben Hawkins, as Mr. Allison’s black boy disappeared in the darkness and his men gathered about him to hear what else he had to say. “Everything goes to prove that we uns talked our plans over in the presence of somebody who went straight to Beardsley an’ Shelby with it; an’ them two went to work an’ brung soldiers enough up to Allison’s house to scoop us all in the minute we got there. But we uns aint goin’ to be scooped this night, thanks to that nigger. Twenty, or even six veterans is too many fur we uns to tackle, ’specially sence some of us aint never smelled much powder, an’ so we’re goin’ home. Now, who’s the traitor, do you reckon?”
There was no answer to this question. If the refugees suspected anybody, they did not speak his name. It was a serious matter to accuse one of their number, none of them were willing to take the responsibility, and so they wisely held their peace.