mother had not really set her face against what we would do,
and I contented myself so far as was possible, by saying that we would
let nothing stand in the way of carrying out the scheme that was afoot
unless having become convinced that we were venturing on too dangerous
ground.

When breakfast had been eaten and we had divided Saul's burden into two
parcels for the more convenient carrying, came the question as to when
we should make the attempt to gain speech with Uncle 'Rasmus in the old
cabin.

Saul was for setting off at once, although the sun was no more than two
hours' high, while Frenchie argued strongly that we should wait until
the forenoon was half spent, when there would likely be many visitors in
the village, and we would attract less attention than if we were the
first comers.

This last seemed to me the wisest course, and despite Saul's grumbling,
for he claimed that we were wilfully wasting time, even going so far as
to hint that we were afraid to really make the trial, we remained within
shelter of the foliage near by the dead cottonwood until, I should say
ten o'clock in the forenoon.

"Are you ready now?" Saul cried impatiently, after having tried half a
dozen times in vain to force us forward. "Will you make the venture now,
or shall we turn back to the plantation, and say that our hearts failed
us at the last moment?"

I looked at Pierre, who rose to his feet as if in answer to the question
he saw in my eyes, and straightway we set off toward the town of York,
little Frenchie insisting that we walk leisurely, as if having nothing
of moment on our minds, and arguing that if we pressed forward at a
rapid pace we might come upon those who would suspect we had some other
aim than that of feeding an old slave.

I am free to confess that my heart beat much more rapidly than it should
have done when we approached the guard stationed here and there at
intervals along the entire line of entrenchments on which soldiers were
working with pick and shovel.

Until that moment I had not questioned whether we might be allowed to
enter the town; but now it seemed certain that whoever accosted us could
read our purpose on our faces and mentally nerved myself either for
disappointment or for disaster.

"Who shall do the talking?" Saul asked when we were come near to a
battery in which the guns were already mounted although the
entrenchments on either side were far from being completed, and I
fancied the