n us."

"We aren't afraid of all the Yankees this side of the north pole," added
the sergeant, as he pushed the door open and entered the room, followed
by his squad of soldiers. "Where is he? There aren't no Yankee here."

"Well, he was here an hour ago," said the farmer.

"See here, old man, if you've been makin' a fool of us this hot day, I'll
spit you on my bayonet. We heard that a deserter and a Yankee had been
taken, and that the cavalry lost one of them."

"That was the Yankee. They lost him, and I found him ag'in."

"Where is he, then?"

"He aren't far from here," said the farmer, walking up to the fire-place,
and pointing up the chimney, where he had no doubt the victim had retired
when he heard the soldiers approaching.

"Up there?"

"That's where the feller hid when the troopers was lookin' fur him; and
yer kin be sure he's up there now. But yer must be keerful; fur he's got
a pistol, and is a mighty savage fellow."

"We'll soon bring him down," added the sergeant as he stepped into the
fire-place, and looked up the chimney. "I see him; but he's half way up
to the top. I reckon we can smoke him out best. Come, old man, take some
of this pitch-wood, that will make a big smoke, and kindle a fire."

"We'll soon have him," said the farmer as he obeyed the order.

"I say, Yank!" shouted the sergeant up the chimney; "if you don't want to
be smoked out, come down."

No answer came to this polite suggestion; and then one of the soldiers
proposed to fire his musket up the chimney; which so terrified the
occupant thereof, that he begged for mercy.

"Don't shoot, and I'll come down!" groaned the wretch.

"The cowardly Yank! He's like all the rest of them. Come down quick,
then!"

The farmer, who had stepped out for more wood, returned; and at the same
moment, Tom the deserter, begrimed with soot, dropped down on the hearth,
and stepped out into the room.

CHAPTER XXV

SOMERS IS COMPELLED TO BACK OUT

Very likely the Virginia farmer had some idea of retributive justice when
he saw his hopeful son step out of the fire-place into the very jaws of
ruin. To say that he was astonished would be expressing his state of mind
too tamely; for he was overwhelmed with confusion, fear and mortification.
He had expected to find the Yankee asleep on the floor; but, as he was not
there, it was sufficiently evident to him that he had again resorted to
the chimney for concealment. It had been distinctly arran