"They's all 'roun' the house ev'y which a-way."
The General looked at his sweetheart. She came to his side with a cry.
"Go up stairs to the top of the house," called the boys' mother.
"We can hide you; come with us," said the boys.
"Go up the back way, Frank 'n' Willy, to you-all's den," whispered Lucy Ann.
"That's where we are going," said the boys as she went out.
"You all come on!" This to the General and Hugh.
"The rest of you take your seats," said the boys' mother.
All this had occupied only a few seconds. The soldiers followed the boys out by a side-door and dashed up the narrow stairs to the second-story just as a thundering knocking came at the front door. It was as dark as pitch, for candles were too scarce to burn more than one at a time.
"You run back," said Hugh to the boys, as they groped along. "There are too many of us. I know the way."