“All nonsense, woman! He is about here, somewhere, and we will find him.”
“You may, if you kin.”
The officer then went out at the back door, as Tom judged by his footsteps, and the woman asked one of the children what had become of the other soldier man. The boy said he was up chimney. She then told them not to tell the officer where he was.
“What shell I do?” said she, placing herself before the fireplace.
“Don’t be alarmed. He will keep out of their way,” replied Tom.
“But the officer man said he was gwine to stay ’bout yere till he gits hum,” moaned the poor woman.
“He will not do any such thing. Your husband has the woods before him, and he won’t let them catch him.”
“Deary me! I’m ’feared they will.”
“Where are they now?”
“They’re gone out to look for him.”