‘Well, here I am now,’ said Lucius; ‘and you are safe, I am thankful to say. Tell me what has happened to you since last I saw you. I tell you, while that fight was going on at the end of the ditch, I didn’t know what to do, I was so frightened. I thought at first that the miserable Yank had got you down.’
‘Don’t ye talk so airy er the miserable Yanks,’ said Ephraim emphatically. ‘I’ve had more kindness ter-night from one or two of ’em than I kin well begin ter say. Ef it warn’t fer a miserable Yank, I wouldn’t be hyar jest now.’ And taking up his story, he poured into Luce’s astonished ear a graphic account of his adventures since his arrest.
‘Well,’ commented Lucius when the tale was finished, ‘you have had a time of it, and no mistake. I hope Jake Summers got back before it was found out that you were missed. He must be a good man. You see now what it is to be a kind old Grizzly, and go around making little folks feel happy. I remember little Toots. And so he’s dead?’
‘Yes,’ answered Ephraim, ‘and pore Jake took on orful when he war tellin’ me about him. Yes, I do hope it will go well with Jake.’
‘I believe they won’t be likely to pry into that tent before dawn,’ said Lucius. ‘There’s no reason why they should. They want light to hang a man, I should say.’
‘It don’t foller,’ replied Ephraim drily. ‘But thar’ll be light enuff soon,’ he added, moving to the door and looking out; ’fer the sky is beginnin’ ter brighten. It’s time fer us ter quit this establishment.’
‘Why shouldn’t we stay here?’ demurred Lucius. ‘I should think it would be as safe a place as any.’
‘Not when the day dawns,’ answered Ephraim. ‘Ye don’t s’pose that when they begin ter hunt fer me that they’re not likely ter give a look in hyar ez they pass by.’
‘I imagine that they will have enough to think about without losing time on your trail,’ said Lucius. ‘I saw certain signs as I came through our camp with the General that something was about to happen.’
‘Maybe,’ returned Ephraim quaintly; ‘but ef they lay hold er me before thet suthin’ happens, I wouldn’t be able ter take so much interest in it ez otherwise. No; we musn’t stop hyar.’