It angered me that that little French lad should be hopeful at a time when clouds of danger pressed so thickly and so closely about us, and I turned away from him impatiently, looking out of the window where could be seen the laborers in the trenches, squads of men marching here and there, and officers visiting this scene of activity and that; but all working with one common aim, which was the oppression of our people.
Whether Pierre was as unconcerned as he would have it appear, I cannot say; but if he had put on a mask then was he playing his part well, for he went here and there with a smiling face as he made ready our small store of food for the morning meal, and actually spoke in a cheery tone when he announced that our provisions were well nigh exhausted.
"I allow that we can satisfy our hunger this noon, if indeed we have any desire to eat at that time; but we will go supperless to bed, unless some means for provisioning the cabin can be devised."
I could not believe we had eaten all that store of provisions which we brought from the Hamilton plantation until I went to the cupboard and there saw that Pierre had spoken truly, even within bounds, for if we ate our fill on this morning the noonday meal would be slight indeed.
When I turned from this dismal inspection Pierre was carrying up the ladder to the loft a plentiful supply of cold boiled ham and fried hominy, seemingly a larger portion than he had set aside for our own breakfast, and I asked angrily if he counted on giving that Tory sneak more than we ourselves could indulge in, whereupon he said gravely:
"If any go hungry it must not be the prisoner. We are holding him here, and it is for our honor that he be not allowed to suffer."
"It is for our own safety that he be kept on short allowance," I cried. "How do you allow we can add to our store now that it is no longer possible, according to Morgan's story, for us to make our way through the lines?"
"It makes no difference how we can add to the store, or whether we spend this day without breaking our fast, the Tory prisoner is to be fed, and I shall see to it that so long as we have a morsel in the cupboard so long shall the greater portion of it be his."
I had never heard Pierre Laurens speak so decidedly, and with such an assumption of authority, as at this time, and surprise silenced me that the little lad should have taken it upon himself to say this thing, should, or that thing should not be, when, without having actually done so in words, I claimed to be the leader of the company.
Pierre took care to feed Horry Sims before he served out any food for Uncle 'Rasmus and me, and when we sat on the floor near the window breaking our fast, my heart smote me as I took note that he had given both to the old negro and me a portion twice as large as that which he reserved for himself.