quiet when Somers retreated from
him, evidently believing that actions spoke louder than words. From his
lower position in the flue, he could look up into the light, and observe
the movements of him whom he regarded as an enemy. He seemed to have
discretion enough to keep still, so long as no direct attack was made
upon him; and to be content to wait for a direct assault before he
attempted to repel it; which was certainly more than Somers expected of
him, after what had transpired.

Carefully and noiselessly our fugitive made his way to the top of the
chimney for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the pursuers, as
well as to remove all ground of controversy with the intractable
deserter. On reaching the top, he heard the voice of the sergeant at the
window, who had probably just reached this point in his investigations.

"How came this board knocked off?" demanded the sergeant, who had perhaps
observed some other indications of the advance of the fugitive in this
direction.

"The wind blowed it off t'other day," promptly replied the farmer. "Yer
don't s'pose the feller went out that winder, do yer?"

"No; but I think he has been up here somewhere."

"Well, I hope yer'll find him; but I've showed yer into every hole and
corner in the house; and I tell yer he's five mile from this yere 'fore
now."

The sergeant looked out of the window, looked up to the top of the
chimney, and looked up to the ridge-pole of the house. He was no sailor
himself; and, if the thought had occurred to him that the Yankee had
passed from this window to the roof of the house, he would have been
willing to take his Bible oath that not a man in the Southern Confederacy
could have accomplished such an impossible feat. He could not do it
himself, and consequently he believed that no other man could. After
examining the situation to his entire satisfaction, he retired from the
window, and with a great many impolite and wicked oaths, aimed at Yankees
in general, and deserters in particular, he descended from the loft, and
abandoned the search.

Somers was happy, and even forgave the deserter in the lower part of the
chimney for his stupidity. He waited patiently for the troopers to
depart--very patiently, now that the burden of the peril seemed to be
over; for he had heard the conclusions of the sergeant at the window.
From his present perch near the top of the chimney, he could hear some of
the conversation in front of the house; and