as a hornet, and
I forgot my waound, and jest pitched in, rampagin' raound like fury till
there come a shell into the midst of us, and in bustin' knocked a lot
of us flat. I didn't know nothin' for a spell, and when I come-to, the
fight was over just there, and I found myself layin' by a wall of poor
Major long-side wuss wounded than I was. My leg was broke, and I had a
ball in my shoulder, but he, poor old feller! was all tore in the side
with a piece of that blasted shell."

"O Silas! what did you do?" cried Nan, pressing close to him with a face
full of eager sympathy and interest.

"I dragged myself nigher, and tried to stop the bleedin' with sech rags
as I could tear off of me with one hand. But it warn't no use, and he
lay moanin' with horrid pain, and lookin' at me with them lovin' eyes of
his, till I thought I couldn't bear it. I give him all the help I could,
and when the sun got hotter and hotter, and he began to lap out his
tongue, I tried to get to a brook that was a good piece away, but I
couldn't do it, being stiff and faint, so I give it up and fanned him
with my hat. Now you listen to this, and when you hear folks comin' down
on the rebs, you jest remember what one on 'em did, and give him credit
of it. I poor feller in gray laid not fur off, shot through the lungs
and dyin' fast. I'd offered him my handkerchief to keep the sun off his
face, and he'd thanked me kindly, for in sech times as that men don't
stop to think on which side they belong, but jest buckle-to and help one
another. When he see me mournin' over Major and tryin' to ease his pain,
he looked up with his face all damp and white with sufferin', and sez
he, 'There's water in my canteen; take it, for it can't help me,' and he
flung it to me. I couldn't have took it ef I hadn't had a little brandy
in a pocket flask, and I made him drink it. It done him good, and I felt
as much set up as if I'd drunk it myself. It's surprisin' the good sech
little things do folks sometime;" and Silas paused as if he felt again
the comfort of that moment when he and his enemy forgot their feud, and
helped one another like brothers.

"Tell about Major," cried the boys, impatient for the catastrophe.

"I poured the water over his poor pantin' tongue, and ef ever a dumb
critter looked grateful, he did then. But it warn't of much use, for
the dreadful waound kep on tormentin' him, till I couldn't bear it any
longer. It was hard, but I done it in mercy, and I kno