The provost-marshal shook his head. ‘Not the slightest,’ he said.
‘Then hang away and welcome. Ye’ll git no more out er me.’
The provost-marshal considered for a moment. It was important to ascertain if possible whether the despatch had reached the enemy or not. Finally he said: ‘Understand me, my man: I am empowered to deal summarily with cases like yours. I might condemn you out of hand; but if you will tell me truly what you have done with the despatch, I will give you this further chance, that I will refer your case to the general in the morning. Speak out now.’
Ephraim considered in his turn. He did not give much for the grace of being brought face to face with General Shields, who he did not doubt would instantly recognise him as the purloiner of his breakfast and the soi-disant ‘Trailing Terror,’ and so the matter would become more hopelessly complicated than ever. But life was sweet, and if he could gain a respite of only a few hours, there was no saying what might happen in the interval. He had risked his life, and would have done so again, to carry the despatch to the Confederate General; but seeing that it was lost and he could by no possibility discover it, why should he not simply say so and take the proffered advantage?
‘Well,’ said the provost-marshal at last, ‘have you made up your mind?’
‘I hev, sir,’ answered Ephraim. ‘But if I tell ye the truth ye’ll maybe not b’leeve me.’
‘Say your say, and we shall see,’ returned the other; ‘but I seriously advise you not to attempt to put me off with any cock-and-bull story.’
‘Waal,’ began Ephraim, ‘I ’low I might bluff ye by tellin’ ye thet I’d got thet despatch across the lines, fer I reckon thet’s the idee thet’s makin’ ye oncomfortable; but if I’d got thet fur with it, I wouldn’t hev been sech a born fool ez to come back jest fer the pleasure er bein’ hung. The plain truth is, I don’t know whar it is any more than ye do yerself.’
‘Do you mean that you have lost it?’
‘Nuthin’ less. I had it hyar in this pouch jest before thet rumpus with the sergeant at the end of the ditch, and I reckon it must hev fell out somewhar thar.’ Ephraim did honestly believe this to be the case.