with lee in virginia-第37章

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sore　trouble　to　her。〃



〃No　wonder；　sah；〃　Chloo　said；　〃why　dey　say　dat　thar　am　no　pretty

dresses　in　de　'Federacy；　and　dat　blue　gown　wid　red　spots　is　just　as

good　as　new；　and　it　am　downright　awful　to　tink　dat　dose　fellows

will　come　back　and　take　it。〃



〃Never　mind；　CliIe；〃　Vincent　said；　smiling。　　〃No　doubt　we　are

short　of　pretty　dresses　in　the　South；　but　I　dare　say　we　shall　be　able

to　find　you　something　that　will　be　almost　as　good。　　But　we　must

not　stand　talking。　　You　are　sure　you　have　got　everything　of　value；

Miss　Kingston？〃



〃I　have　got　my　purse；〃　she　said；　〃and　Chloe　has　got　some　food。　　I

don't　think　there　is　anything　else　worth　taking　in　the　house。〃



〃Very　well；　we　will　be　off；〃　Vincent　said；　leading　the　way　to　the

door。



A　minute　later　Dan　rode　past；　and　Vincent　called　him　and　told　him

they　were　going　to　start。



〃Shall　we　take　do　horses；　sah？〃



〃No；　Dan。　　We　are　going　to　carry　out　our　original　plan　of　crossing

the　river　in　a　boat；　and　I　think　the　horses　would　be　rather　in　our

way　than　not。　But　you　had　better　not　leave　them　here。　　Take　them

to　the　farther　side　of　the　clearing　and　get　them　through　the　fence

into　the　forest；　then　strike　across　as　quickly　as　you　can　and　join　us

where　we　were　stopping　to…day。　　Miss　Kingston　and　her　servant　are

going　with　us。　　They　cannot　stay　here　after　what　has　taken　place。〃



Dan　at　once　rode　off　with　the　two　horses；　and　the　others　walked

across　to　the　edge　of　the　clearing　and　waited　until　he　rejoined

them。



〃Now；　Miss　Kingston；　you　must　be　our　guide　at　present。〃



〃We　must　cross　the　road　first；〃　the　girl　said。　　〃Nearly　opposite　to

where　we　are　there　is　a　little　path　through　the　wood　leading

straight　down　to　the　river。　　The　boat　lies　only　a　short　distance　from

it。〃



The　path　was　a　narrow　one；　and　it　was　very　dark　under　the　trees。



〃Mind　how　you　go；〃　Vincent　said　as　the　girl　stepped　lightly　on

ahead。　　〃You　might　get　a　heavy　fall　if　you　caught　your　foot　on　a

root。〃



She　instantly　moderated　her　pace。　　〃I　know　the　path　well；　but　it

was　thoughtless　of　me　to　walk　so　fast。　　I　forgot　you　did　not　know

it；　and　if　you　were　to　stumble　you　might　hurt　your　arm　terribly。　

How　does　it　feel　now？〃



〃It　certainly　hurts　a　bit；〃　Vincent　replied　in　a　cheerful　tone；　〃but

now　it　is　strapped　tightly　to　me　it　cannot　move　much。　　Please　do

not　worry　about　me。〃



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃I　cannot　forget　how　you　got　it…how　you　attacked

twelve　men　to　save　me！〃



〃Still　less　can　I　forget；　Miss　Kingston；　how　you；　a　young　girl；

confronted　death　rather　than　say　a　word　that　would　place　me　in

their　power。〃



〃That　was　quite　different；　Mr。　Wingfield。　　My　own　honor　was

pledged　not　to　betray　you；　who　had　trusted　me。〃



〃Well；　we　will　cry　quits　for　the　present；　Miss　Kingston；　or；　rather；

we　will　be　content　to　remain　for　the　present　in　each　other's　debt。〃



A　quarter　of　an　hour's　walking　brought　them　to　the　river。



〃Now；〃　Lucy　said；　〃we　must　make　our　way　about　ten　yards　through

these　bushes　to　the　right。〃



With　some　difficulty　they　passed　through　the　thick　screen　of

bushes；　the　girl　still　leading　the　way。



〃Here　it　is；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　my　hand　upon　it。〃　　Vincent　was　soon

beside　her；　and　the　negroes　quickly　joined　them。



〃There　are　no　oars　in　the　boat；〃　Vincent　said；　feeling　along　the

seat。



〃Oh！　I　forgot！　　They　are　stowed　away　behind　the　bushes　on　the

right；　they　were　taken　out；　so　that　if　the　Yankees　found　the　boat　it

would　be　of　no　use　to　them。〃



Dan　made　his　way　through　the　bushes；　and　soon　found　the　oars。　

Then　uniting　their　strength　they　pushed　the　boat　through　the　high

rushes　that　screened　it　from　the　river。



〃It　is　afloat；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Now；　Dan；　take　your　place　in　the

bow。〃



I　will　row；　Mr。　Wingfleld。　　I　am　a　very　good　hand　at　it。　　So　please

take　your　seat　with　Chloe　in　the　stern。〃



〃Dan　can　take　one　oar；　anyhow；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃but　I　will　let

you　row　instead　of　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　should　make　a　poor　hand　of　it

with　only　one　arm。〃



The　boat　pushed　quietly　out。　　The　river　was　about　a　hundred　yards

wide　at　this　point。　　They　had　taken　but　a　few　strokes　when　Vincent

said：



〃You　must　row　hard；　Miss　Kingston；　or　we　shall　have　to　swim　for

it。　　The　water　is　coming　through　the　seams　fast。〃



The　girl　and　Dan　exerted　themselves　to　the　utmost；　but；　short　as

was　the　passage；　the　boat　was　full　almost　to　the　gunwale　before

they　reached　the　opposite　bank；　the　heat　of　the　sun　having　caused

the　planks　to　open　during　the　months　it　had　been　lying　ashore。





〃This　is　a　wet　beginning；〃　Lucy　Kingston　said　laugh　as　she　tried　to

wring　the　water　out　of　the　lower　part　of　her　dress。　　〃Here；　Chloe；

you　wring　me　and　I　will　wring　you。〃



〃Now；　Dan；　get　hold　of　that　head…rope；〃　Vincent　said；　〃haul　her　up

little　by　little　as　the　water　runs　out　over　the　stern。〃



〃I　should　not　trouble　about　the　boat；　Mr。　Wingfield；　it　is　not　likely

we　shall　ever　want　it　again。〃



〃I　was　not　thinking　of　the　boat；　I　was　thinking　of　ourselves。　　If　it

should　happen　to　be　noticed　at　the　next　bridge　as　it　drifted　down；　it

would　at　once　suggest　to　any　one　on　the　lookout　for　us　that　we　had

crossed　the　river；　whereas；　if　we　get　it　among　the　bushes　here；　they

will　believe　that　we　are　hidden　in　the　woods　or　have　headed　back

to　the　north；　and　we　shall　be　a　long　way　across　the　line；　I　hope；

before　they　give　up　searching　for　us　in　the　woods　on　the　other

side。〃



〃Yes；　I　didn't　think　of　that。　　We　will　help　you　with　the　rope。〃　



The　boat　was　very　heavy；　now　that　it　was　full　of　water。　Inch　by

inch　it　was　pulled　up；　until　the　water　was　all　out　except　near　the

stern。　　Dan　and　Vincent　then　turned　it　bottom　upward；　and　it　was

soon　hauled　up　among　the　bushes。



〃Now；　Miss　Kingston；　which　do　you　think　is　our　best　course？　I

know　nothing　whatever　of　the　geography　here。〃



〃The　next　town　is　Mount　Pleasant；　that　is　where　the　Williamsport

road　passes　the　railway。　　If　we　keep　south　we　shall　strike　the

railway；　and　that　will　take　us　to　Mount　Pleasant。　　After　that　the

road　goes　on　to　Florence；　on　the　Tennessee　River。　　The　only　place

that　I　know　of　on　the　road　is　Lawrenceburg。　　That　is　about　forty

miles　from　here；　and　I　have　heard　that　the　Yankees　are　on　the　line

from　there　right　and　left。　　I　believe　our　troops　are　at　Florence；　but　I

am　not　sure　about　that；　because　both　parties　are　constantly　shifting

their　position；　and　I　hear　very　little；　as　you　may　suppose；　of　what　is

being　done。　Anyhow；　I　think　we　cannot　do　better　than　go　on　until

we　strike　the　railway；　keep　along　by　that　till　we　get　within　a　short

distance　of　Mount　Pleasant；　and　then　cross　it。　　After　that　we　can

decide　whether　we　will　travel　by　the　road　or　keep　on　through　the

woods。　　But　we　cannot　find　our　way　through　the　woods　at　night；

we　should　lose　ourselves　before　we　had　gone　twenty　yards。〃



〃I　am　afraid　we　should；　Miss　Kingston。〃



〃Please　call　me　Lucy；〃　the　girl　interrupted。　　〃I　am　never　called

anything　else；　and　I　am　sure　this　is　not　a　time　for　ceremony。〃



〃I　think　that　it　will　be　better；　and　will　you　please　call　me　Vin。　　It　is

much　shorter　and　pleasanter　using　our　first　names；　and　as　we　must

pass　for　brother　and　sister　if　we　get　among　the　Yankees；　it　is　better

to　get　accustomed　to　it。　　I　quite　agree　with　you　that　it　will　be　too

dark　to　find　our　way　through　the　woods　unless　we　can　discover　a

path。



Dan　and　I　will　see　if　we　can　find　one。　　If　we　can；　I　think　it　will　be

better　to　go　on　a　little　way　at　any　rate；　so　as　to　get　our　feet　warm

and　let　our　clothes　dry　a　little。〃



〃They　will　not　dry　to…night；〃　Lucy　said。　　〃It　is　so　damp　in　the

woods　that　even　if　our　clothes　were　dry　now　they　would　be　wet

before　morning。〃



〃I　did　not　thihk　of　that。　　Yes；　in　that　case　I　do　not　see　that　we

should　gain　anything　by　going　farther；　we　will　push　on　for　two　or

three　hundred　yards；　if　we　can；　and　then　we　can　light　a　fire　without

there　being　any　chance　of　it　being　seen　from　the　other　side。〃



〃That　would　be　comfortable；　Mr。…I　mean　Vin；〃　the　girl　agreed。　

〃That　is；　if　you　are　quite　sure　that　it　would　be　safe。　　I　would　rather

be　wet　all　night　than　that　we　should　run　any　risks。〃



〃I　am　sure　if　we　can　get　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　into　this　thick

wood　the　fire　would　not　be　seen　through　it；〃　Vincent　said；　〃of

course　I　do　not　mean　to　make　a　great　bonfire　which　would　light　up

the　forest。〃



For　half　an　hour　they　forced　their　way　through　the　bushes；　and　then

Vincent　said　he　was　sure　that　they　had　come　far　enough。　　Finding　a

small　open　space；　Dan；　and　Lucy；　and　the　negress　set　to　work

collecting　leaves　and　dry　sticks。　　Vincent　had　still　in　his　pocket　the

newspaper　he　had　bought　in　the　streets　of　Nashville；　and　he　always

carried　lights。　　A　piece　of　the　paper　was　crumpled　up　and　lighted；　a

few　of　the　driest　leaves　they　could　find　dropped　upon　it；　then　a　few

twigs；　until　at　last　a　good　fire　was　burning。





〃I　think　that　is　enough　for　the　present；〃　Vincent　said。　we　will　keep

on　adding　wood　as　fast　as　it　burns　down；　so　as　to　get　a　great　pile　of

embers；　and　keep　two　or　three　good　big　logs　burning　all　night。〃



He　then　gave　directions　to　Dan；　who　out　a　long　stick　and　fastened

it　to　two　saplings；　one　of　which　grew　just　in　front　of　the　fire。　　Then

he　set　to　work　and　cut　off　branches；　and　laid　them　sloping　against

it；　and　soon　had　an　arbor　constructed　of　sufficient　thickness　to

keep　off　the　night　dews。



〃I　think　you　will　be　snug　in　there；〃　Vincent　said　when　he　bad

finished。　　〃The　heat　of　the　fire　will　keep　you　dry　and　warm；　and　if

you　lie　with　your　heads　the　other　way　I　think　your　things　will　he

dry　by　the　morning。　　Dan　and　I　will　lie　down　by　the　other　side　of

the　fire。　　We　are　both　accustomed　to　sleep　in　the　open　air；　and

have　done　so　for　months。〃



〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。　　〃Our　things　are　drying　already；

and　I　am　as　warm　as　a　toast；　but；　indeed；　you　need　not　trouble

about　us。　　We　brought　these　warm　shawls　with　us　on　purpose　for

night…work　in　the　forest。　Now；　I　think　we　will　try　the　contents　of

the　basket　Dan　has　been　carrying。〃



The　basket；　which　was　a　good…sized　one；　was　opened。　Chloe　had

before　starting　put　all　the　provisions　in　the　house　into　it；　and　it

contained　three　loaves；　five　or　six　pounds　of　bacon；　a　canister　of

tea　and　loaf…sugar；　a　small　kettle；　and　two　pint　mugs；　besides　a

number　of　odds　and　ends。　　The　kettle　Dan　had；　by　Chloe's

direction；　filled　with　water　before　leaving　the　river；　and　this　was

soon　placed　among　the　glowing　embers。



〃But　you　have　brought　no　teapot；　Chloe。〃



〃Dar　was　not　no　room　for　it；　Miss　Lucy。　　We　can　make　tea　berry

well　in　do　kettle。〃



〃So　we　can。　　I　forgot　that。　　We　shall　do　capitally。〃



The　kettle　was　not　long　in　boiling。　　Chloe　produced　some　spoons

and　knives　and　forks　from　the　basket。



〃Spoons　and　forks　are　luxuries；　Chloe；〃　Vincent　said　laughing。