"You're right," replied Dan idly, filling his pipe and lighting it with a
small red ember, "and all things considered, I don't think I'll raise any
racket about that middling, Big Abel."

"Hit ain' all nigger food, no how," added Big Abel reflectively, "caze de
'ooman she done steal it f'om w'ite folks sho's you bo'n."

"I only wish she had been tempted to steal some bread along with it,"
rejoined Dan.

Big Abel's answer was to draw a hoecake wrapped in an old newspaper from
his pocket and place it on a short pine stump. Then he reached for his
jack-knife and carefully slit the hoecake down the centre, after which he
laid the bacon in slices between the crusts.

"Did she steal that, too?" inquired Dan laughing.

"Naw, suh, I stole dis."

"Well, I never! You'll be ashamed to look the Major in the face when the
war is over."

Big Abel nodded gloomily as he passed the sandwich to Dan, who divided it
into two equal portions. "Dar's somebody got ter do de stealin' in dis yer
worl'," he returned with rustic philosophy, "des es dar's somebody got ter
be w'ite folks en somebody got ter be nigger, caze de same pusson cyarn be
ner en ter dat's sho'. Dar ain' 'oom fer all de yerth ter strut roun' wid
dey han's in dey pockets en dey nose tu'nt up des caze dey's hones'. Lawd,
Lawd, ef I'd a-helt my han's back f'om pickin' en stealin' thoo dis yer
wah, whar 'ould you be now--I ax you dat?"

Catching a dried branch the flame shot up suddenly, and he sat relieved
against the glow, like a gigantic statue in black basalt.

"Well, all's fair in love and war," replied Dan, adjusting himself to
changed conditions. "If that wasn't as true as gospel, I should be dead
to-morrow from this fat bacon."

Big Abel started up.

"Lis'en ter dat ole hoot owl," he exclaimed excitedly, "he's a-settin'
right over dar on dat dead limb a-hootin' us plum in de mouf. Ain' dat like
'em, now? Is you ever seed sech airs as dey put on?"

He strode off into the darkness, and Dan, seized with a sudden homesickness
for the army, lay down beside his musket and fell asleep.

III

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

At daybreak they took up the march again, Dan walking slowly, with his
musket striking the ground and his arm on Big Abel's shoulder. Where the
lane curved in the hollow, they came upon a white cottage, with a woman
milking a spotted cow in the barnyard. As she caught sight of them, she
waved wildly with her linsey apron, holding the milk pai