“He turns ’roun’ an’ say, ‘De Son of Ben Ali.’
“I say, ‘Thanky. I know mos’ ez much now ez I did befo’.’
“Den he say, ‘Le’ me show you.’ Wid dat he holler, an’ de black hoss answer him. He holler agin, an’ de gray mar’ whicker. He holler once mo’, an’ de pony come a runnin’ an’ a whinnyin’.
“I say, ‘Man, le’ me go ’way fum here. I done hear talk er Ben Ali long ’fo’ I seed you.’”
XII.
THE ARMY MARCHES BY.
It was not long before the children saw another sight on that plantation. They forgot all about Mr. Thimblefinger and Mrs. Meadows and Mr. Rabbit. They forgot to talk to the animals. The war had been under way for some time, and one rainy day in November word came that two soldiers in blue had been seen riding along the road at a gallop. That was early in the morning. By noon the plantation fairly swarmed with the foragers in blue. The Union army was on its way from Atlanta to the sea.
Standing at the window and looking through the mist and rain, Buster John and Sweetest Susan could see the foraging parties running about collecting the cows and calves, the horses and the mules, and presently they saw the same men in blue driving the stock out through the avenue and into the public road. Sweetest Susan cried when she saw the old Gray Pony ambling along with the rest, but Buster John never thought about the Pony at all. He was watching to see the Black Stallion pass by, and wondering how the men would manage him.
The children also saw many of the negroes following the soldiers off. They saw Aaron dressed in his Sunday best, and they wondered whether he was going with the rest. But after awhile they heard Aaron talking to their grandfather in the next room. They heard him say that he had tried to hide the horses and mules in the swamp, but some of the negroes had carried the foragers in blue to the hiding-place. They heard Aaron say that he had carried Timoleon to another part of the plantation, and that the old horse was not likely to be found. They heard their grandfather tell Aaron that he was now free to go where he might—that he was no longer a slave. To which Aaron replied that if he was free to go or stay, he would stay.