"She blowed the horn at my orders, to inform my neighbors, and she wuz gwine on an arrant for me. Whatever she done I ordered her to do. Yo'uns kin visit hit all on my head. But hit wa'n't nothin' agin yo'uns or the Southern Confederacy."
"I tell you we're Union soldiers," repeated Si. "Can't you tell that by our clothes?"
The old man's face brightened a little, but then a reminder of sorrowful experience clouded it again.
"I've never seed no Union soldiers," said he. "The rebels come around here dressed all sorts o' ways, and sometimes they pretend to be Union, jest to lay a snare for we'uns. They'uns all know I'm Union, but I'm too old t' do 'em harm. Hit's my neighbors they'uns is arter. But, thank God, they'uns 's never kotched any o' them through me."
"I tell you we're genuine, true-blue Union soldiers from Injianny, belong to Rosecrans's army, and are down here to drive the rebels out o' the country. There, you kin see our flag comin' up the mountain."
The old man shaded his eyes with his hand, and looked earnestly at the long line of men winding up the mountain-side.
"I kin see nothin' but a blue flag," said he, "much the same as some o' Bragg's rijimints tote."
Si looked again, and noticed that only the blue regimental flag was displayed.
"Wait a minnit, I'll convince him," said Shorty, and running down the mountain he took the marker from the right guide of the regiment, and presently came back waving it proudly in the sunshine.
The old man's face brightened like a May day, and then his faded eyes filled with joyful tears as he exclaimed: