“Now, what do you s’pose that old imitation soldier is up to? He mustn’t try to get the best of me.”
“You needn’t be afraid Corporal ’Lige will do anything that’s wrong, ’cause he’s an honest man, an’ no imitation of a soldier; but a true one.”
“I ain’t so certain about all that; but you seem to have a pretty good idea of him, so perhaps he is half-way decent after all.”
At his point the old soldier and the colonel returned, the latter saying when he was inside the hut once more:
“In order that you may have no lack of company I propose that Master Phelps, Corporal Watkins, and the lad all go with you.”
“Who’s Watkins?” Nathan whispered to Isaac.
“Why, that’s Corporal ’Lige, of course.”
“I knew he was stickin’ his nose into it some way.”
“You’ll be glad to have him, ’cause he’s jest as good as he can be after you get acquainted.”
Nathan remained silent a few seconds, and then asked abruptly: