em in their present
condition. They must be carried carefully on shutters. But the wagon
will be just the thing to convey the dead bodies to Blackville, where an
inquest must be held upon them," answered the captain.

And he requested some of the men present to go in search of the horses,
and to harness them to the wagon for the required services to the dead,
while others he detained to help in care of the wounded.

When the shutters upon which Lyon Berners and Robert Munson lay were
each carefully lifted by the hands of four men, and the little
procession was about to start, Captain Pendleton called to Joe, saying:

"You must go with me to have your limb looked to, and also to be with
your master, who will need familiar faces near him when he comes to
himself."

"Yes, sir; Marse Capping Pendulum, I will go. But oh, my Hebbenly Lord,
what will I have to tell my poor marster, when he opens his eyes and
looks at me?" cried Joe, bursting into tears.

"Come, come, be a man! Stop howling, and do your duty--which is now to
follow your master," expostulated the captain.

"Yes, sir, I'll do it; but I must get Nelly fust. I couldn't leave her,
poor little dog, here to pine away and die in the vault," sighed Joe,
who then lifting his voice, cried, "Nelly! Nelly!"

But no dog answered. So Joe hobbled his way back to the opening of the
vault, and looking down into it, exclaimed:

"Bless my two eyes! ef there she an't a-whinin and a-pawin' and
a-sarchin' as persemoniously as ever!--Nelly! Nelly!"

At the sound of his voice the little terrier ran up from the vault, and
leaped upon him.

Joe stooped and picked her up in his arms, and hugged her affectionately
to his bosom, as he said:

"You see it's no use stayin' here, my poor little dog. Our mistess an't
nowheres about here."

Nelly was however of a different opinion, and she whined and struggled
to be released; and when Joe held her faster, she growled and threatened
him with her teeth.

"Can't help it, my little darling. Our mistess an't nowhere round, and
it an't no use your staying here to grieve yourself to death among the
ruins. You've got to go along with me--OWTCH! you little devil, you!"
exclaimed Joe, suddenly breaking off in his discourse, and dropping the
dog; who, having found that all her efforts to release herself had been
in vain, had made her little teeth meet in the fleshy part of the
negro's hand.

"Was there ever sich a vicious little beast?" cr