A man inside answered, in a tone of voice indicating fright, "I guess there's somebody about."
"Why don't you get up, then?" asked Sutherland. "Nobody's going to hurt you."
"What do you want?" inquired the man.
"We want something to eat, and want you to get up and set about getting it forthwith," said Sutherland. He refused to even get out of bed, whereupon Sutherland demanded, "Shall we burst your door down?" and Wood added, "and come in and burst your noggin?"
The man said, "That rests with you," and inquired, "Who are you, and where are you going?"
"We are soldiers going to Rocky Mount Court-House," Sutherland answered.
"Go on over the mountain, and you will be fed in the morning," returned the man.
Preferring to risk our chances at the next house to doing any very rash or violent acts, we left this one, telling the man he showed a very poor quality of patriotism.
"If it was any other time, if it twas daylight, I might do something for you."
"We don't have to stand picket in the night-time; we don't have to march, skirmish, and frequently fight in the night-time, I suppose?" retorted Sutherland, in a very unamiable voice.