“Why, bless my heart, if it isn’t my little friend,” cried the Captain in surprise. “What are you doing here? Yes; Tenny’s right there on deck.”
“I’ll tell you all about it just as soon as I see Tenny,” said Jeanne smiling at him brightly. “Come, Snowball.”
She ran quickly to where old Tenny stood. “Tenny,” she cried, “look here!”
The old woman turned and catching sight of Snowball gave a shriek of joy.
“It’s my babby,” she screamed. “Kum hyar ter yer mammy, yer bressed chile! Kum dis bery minnit!”
Laughing and crying she caught the girl to her capacious bosom.
“It’s the lill’ missy dat bringed me,” cried Snowball. “Oh, mammy, dey says we’s free!”
“’Course we is, honey chile. Whar you been dat you didn’t know dat? Massa Linkum done say dat long ago. Whar you been?”
“Hyar in Vicksburg. Whar you bin, mammy?”
“Eberywhar, chile. Ef I hadn’t er cooked fer de sojers dey couldn’t a tuk de city. Cap’n Leathers say so. But hyar we is. Not mindin’ our manners an’ a thankin’ de lill’ missy fer brungin’ yer ter me.”