her, Tim!' and came
out with several huge market baskets.

"Tim tied the mule to a tree by the roadside and removed the canvas
covering. There was everything one would need for light housekeeping for
several weeks. Besides the food and clothing, there were bandages,
medicine, bedding, lanterns, an oil-stove, dishes, and numerous other
necessities. These were piled in the baskets and carried to the cave
where they were placed in crannies for some future emergency.

"'Imp, I want you to be introduced to my best friend,' said Rebecca,
after we had brought in our first basket.

"I heard a whinny and looked about in the gloom.

"Rebecca went over to a corner near the spot whence fresh air entered
the cavern, and held the lantern up for me to see her pet.

"I stood making friendly advances to the beauty and, to Becky's
amazement, he never moved an inch, but wrinkled his nose for sugar.

"'Witch! that is what you are!' laughed Becky, as Imp poked his nose
under my arm. 'I have never known him to do such a thing.'

"Imp stood listening to his mistress as if he thoroughly understood the
situation.

"I turned to tell Rebecca what a beauty he was, and he deliberately
poked his nose out against my face.

"After all the supplies were stacked away, Rebecca slipped the halter
over Imp's head and led him to a ring cemented in the solid rock.

"'Now, Imp, you will have to be good and not whinny or make a sound. I
know what is good for you, and you must do just as I tell you, or a bad
Yankee soldier will catch you and then you will see!' warned Rebecca,
shaking her finger at him.

"The horse stood looking at her as if striving to understand what that
strange word 'Yankee' meant; then he threw up his head and shook it
defiantly.

"We said good-by to Imp and returned to the cart where Tim waited. We
sent Tim to the barns with the mule and we went back to the house.

"That was such a busy day that everyone felt weary and glad when the sun
showed its slanting rays over the trees. It must have been about four
o'clock when sounds of approaching cavalry reached the house. It was the
company Newell and his brother had formed a few months before. They had
been driven over the mountainside and decided to spend the night in
hiding at home.

"The sewing room was filled with neighbors whose boys were members of
the company, so you can imagine the joy of seeing them again.

"The boys were covered with mire halfway to the waist, and t