r me. And another thing: if you hear any noise
cover up your head and make Jane Ryder cover hers."

"I'm sure I don't know what to make of you," she said, puckering her
forehead as she stood in the door.

"But I think I know what to make of you and your daughter," I replied,
with a laugh.

"Above all things, don't misjudge us," and with that she was gone,
closing the door behind her.

How long I sat there I know not; it may have been one hour or it may
have been many; but some time during the night there came a rap at the
door and the pictures of Jane Ryder were blotted out of the fire and
went flitting up the chimney. The knocking was on the outer door, which
was unlocked, as the woman had said, and I cried out, "Come in!"
Responsive to the invitation, Whistling Jim made his appearance, and I
was more than glad to see him. I discovered for the first time that I
had been oppressed by my loneliness, for my spirits rose to a great
height.

He seemed very glad to see me, for he laughed aloud. "I bet a dollar
you ain't had no supper," he said, "an' I tuck an' brung you some.
'Tain't much, but it's better'n none." But I had no appetite. "I'm
mighty glad I brung yo' pistols, too, kaze dey's sump'n wrong gwine on
'roun' here. I seed two er th'ee men prowlin' roun' in de bushes ez I
come 'long. Marse Cally, how come you ter leave yo' pistols in yo'
saddle? You ain't been a-doin' dataway. I speck dat ar little man you
had up in front er you had sump'n ter do wid it." He laughed, but I
found nothing humorous in the allusion. "Did I say 'oman, Marse Cally?"
I shook my head. "Kaze ef I did, it slipped out des dry so. I wuz
comin' atter you anyhow, but Marse Harry holla'd at me an' tol' me fer
ter fin' you an' say dat de troops gwineter move in de mornin' an' our
comp'ny starts fust."

I nibbled the food he had brought me, with some particularly heavy
thoughts in regard to the course we were to take. Yesterday I was a
boy, and a very foolish one, but to-day I felt myself to be a man. The
feeling was the growth of a night, but it gave me new confidence in
myself, and, coupled with it, an assurance that I had never had before,
and that has remained with me all through the long years that have
intervened. I think it must have caught the eye of Whistling Jim--the
change, I mean--for he regarded me curiously and closely.

"Marse Cally," he said after a while, "I b'lieve you done got mo'
settled, sence--dog ef I don't b'lieve dat