with lee in virginia-第69节

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〃I　suppose　so。　　She　didn't　say　nothing　about　it；　but　I　has　not　seen

aught　but　greenbacks　for　a　long　time　since。〃



〃Come　along；　then；〃　the　officer　said；　〃we　will　take　them。〃



They　rode　up　to　the　large　tent；　and　the　officers　alighted；　and　gave

their　horses　to　two　of　the　soldiers。



〃Give　your　basket　to　this　soldier。〃



〃I　want　the　basket　back　again。　　Mother　would　whop　me　if　I　came

back　without　the　basket　again。〃



〃All　right；〃　the　officer　said；　〃you　shall　have　it　back　in　a　minute。〃



Vincent　stood　looking　anxiously　after　the　orderly。



〃Do　you　think　that　boy　is　as　foolish　as　he　seems？〃　General

Sheridan　asked　his　companion。　　〃He　admits　that　he。　comes　of　a

rebel　family。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　would　have　admitted　that　if　he　hadn't　been　a　fool。　

I　fancy　he　is　a　half…witted　chap。　　They　never　would　have　left　a

fellow　of　his　age　behind。〃



〃No；　I　think　it's　safe；〃　Sheridan　said；　〃but　one　can't　be　too

particular　just　at　present。　　See；　the　trees　in　front　hide　our　work

altogether　from　the　rebels；　and　it　would　be　a　serious　thing　if　they

were　to　find　out　what　we　are　doing。〃



〃That　boy　could　not　tell　them　much　even　if　he　got　there；〃　the　other

said；　〃and　from　this　distance　it　would　need　a　sharp　eye　and　some

military　knowledge　to　make　out　anything　of　what　is　going　on。　

Where　does　your　mother　live；　boy？〃



〃I　ain't　going　to　tell　you；〃　Vincent　said　doggedly　〃Mother　said　I

wasn't　to　tell　no　one　where　I　lived；　else　the　Yankee　thieves　would

be　a…coming　down　and　stealing　the　rest　of　our　chickens。〃



The　officers　laughed。



〃Well；　go　along；　boy；　and　I　should　advise　you　not　to　say　anything

about　Yankee　thieves　another　time；　for　likely　enough　you　will　get

a　broken　head　for　your　pains。〃



Vincent　went　off　grumbling；　and　with　a　slow　and　stumbling　step

made　his　way　over　the　brow　of　the　hill　and　down　through　the

camps　behind。　　Here　he　sold　his　last　two　　fowls　and　his　eggs；　and

then　walked　briskly　on　until　he　reached　the　cottage　from　which　he

had　started。



〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　back；〃　the　woman　said　as　he　entered。　　〃How

have　you　got　on？〃



〃Capitally；〃　he　said。　〃I　pretended　to　be　half　an　idiot；　and　so　got

safely　out；　though　I　fell　into　Sheridan's　hands。　　He　suspected　me　at

first；　but　at　last　he　thought　I　was　what　I　looked…a　fool。　　He　wanted

to　know　where　you　lived；　but　I　wouldn't　tell　him。　　I　told　him　you

told　me　not　to　tell　any　one；　'cause　if　I　did　the　Yankee　thieves

would　be　clearing　out　the　rest　of　the　chickens。〃



〃Did　you　tell　him　that；　now？〃　the　woman　said　in　delight；　〃he　must

have　thought　you　was　a　fool。　　Well；　it's　a　good　thing　the　Yanks

should　hear　the　truth　sometimes。　　Well；　have　you　done　now？〃



〃No；　I　have　only　seen　one　side　of　their　works　yet；　I　must　try　round

the　other　flank　to…morrow。　　I　wish　I　could　get　something　to　sell　that

wouldn't　get　bought　up　by　the　first　people　I　came　to；　something　I

could　peddle　among　the　soldiers。〃



〃What　sort　of　thing？〃



〃Something　in　the　way　of　drinks；　I　should　say；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃I

saw　a　woman　going　among　the　camps。　　She　had　two　tin　cans　and　a

little　mug。　　I　think　she　had　lemonade　or　something　of　that　sort。〃



〃It　wouldn't　be　lemonade；〃　the　woman　said　　　〃I　haven't　seen　a

lemon　for　the　last　two　years；　but　they　do　get　some　oranges　from

Florida。　　Maybe　it　was　that；　or　perhaps　it　was　spirits　and　water。〃



〃Perhaps　it　was；〃　Vincent　agreed；　〃though　I　don't　think　they　would

let　any　one　sell　spirits　in　the　camp。〃



〃I　can't　get　you　any　lemons　or　oranges　neither；〃　the　woman　said；

〃but　I　might　make　you　a　drink　out　of　molasses　and　herbs；　with

some　spirits　in　it。　　I　have　got　a　keg　of　old　rye　buried　away　ever

since　my　man　went　off；　six　months　ago；　I　am　out　of　molasses；　but　I

dare　say　I　can　borrow　some　from　a　neighbor；　and　as　for　herbs　they

are　about　the　only　thing　the　Yankees　haven't　stole。　　I　think　I　could

fix　you　up　something　that　would　do。　　As　long　as　it　has　got　spirits　in

it；　it　don't　much　matter　what　you　put　in　besides；　only　it　wouldn't　do

to　take　spirits　up　alone。　You　can　call　it　plantation　drink；　and　I　don't

suppose　any　one　would　ask　too　closely　what　it's　made　of。〃



〃Thank　you；　that　will　do　capitally。〃



The　next　morning　Vincent　again　set　out；　turning　big　steps　this　time

toward　the　right　flank　of　the　Federal　position。　　He　had　in　the

course　of　the　evening　made　a　sketch　of　the　ground　he　had　soon；

marking　in　all　the　principal　batteries；　with　notes　as　to　the　number

of　guns　for　which　they　seemed　to　be　intended。



〃Look　here；〃　he　said　to　the　woman　before　leaving。　　〃I　may　not　be

as　lucky　to…day　as　I　was　yesterday。　　If　I　do　not　come　back　to…night；

can　you　find　any　one　you　can　trust　to　take　this　piece　of　paper　round

to　Richmond？　　Of　course　he　would　have　to　make　his　way　first　up

to　Burksville　junction；　and　then　take　train　to　Richmond。　　When　he

gets　there　he　must　go　down　to　Petersburg；　and　ask　for　General　Lee。　

I　have　written　a　line　to　go　with　it；　saying　what　I　have　done　this　for；

and　asking　the　general　to　give　the　bearer　a　hundred　dollars。〃



〃I　will　take　it　myself；〃　the　woman　said；　〃not　for　the　sake　of　the

hundred　dollars；　though　I　ain't　saying　as　it　wouldn't　please　the　old

man　when　he　conies　back　to　find　I　had　a　hundred　dollars　stored

away；　but　for　the　cause。　My　men　are　all　doing　their　duty；　and　I　will

do　mine。　　So　trust　me；　and　if　you　don't　come　back　by　daybreak

to…morrow　morning；　I　will　start　right　away　with　these　letters。　　I　will

go　out　at　once　and　hide　them　somewhere　in　case　the　Yanks　should

come　and　make　a　search。　　If　you　are　caught　they　might；　like

enough；　trace　you　here；　and　then　they　would　search　the　place　all

over　and　maybe　set　it　alight。　　If　you　ain't　here　by　nightfall　I　shall

sleep　out　in　the　wood；　so　if　they　come　they　won't　find　me　here。　　If

anything　detains　you；　and　you　ain't　back　till　after　dark；　you　will

find　me　somewhere　near　the　tree　where　your　horse　is　tied　up。〃



Provided　with　a　large　can　full　of　a　liquor　that　the　woman

compounded；　and　which　Vincent；　on　tasting；　found　to　be　by　no

means　bad；　he　started　from　the　cottage。　　Again　he　made　his　way

safely　through　the　camps；　and　without　hindrance　lounged　up　to　a

spot　where　a　large　number　of　men　belonging　to　one　of　the　negro

regiments　were　at　work。



〃Plantation　liquor？〃　he　said；　again　assuming　a　stupid　air；　to　a　black

sergeant　who　was　with　them。　　〃First…rate　stuff；　and　only　fifteen

cents　a　glass。〃



〃What　plantation　liquor　like？〃　the　negro　asked。　　〃Me　not　know

him。〃



〃First…rate　stuff；〃　Vincent　repeated。　　〃Mother　makes　it　of　spirit　and

molasses　and　all　sorts。　　Fifteen　cents　a　glass。〃



〃Well；　I　will　take　a　glass；〃　the　sergeant　said。　　〃Mighty　hot　work　dis

in　de　sun；　but　don't　you　say　nuffin　about　the　spirit。　　Ef　dey　ask　you；

just　you　say　molasses　and　all　sorts；　dat's　quite　enough。　　De　white

officer　won't　let　spirits　be　sold　in　de　camp。



〃Dat　bery　good　stuff；〃　be　said；　smacking　his　lips　as　he　handed　back

the　little　tin　measure。　　〃You　sell　him　all　in　no　time。〃　　Several　of　the

negroes　now　came　round；　and　Vincent　disposed　of　a　considerable

quantity　of　his　plantation　liquor。　　Then　he　turned　to　go　away；　for

he　did　not　want　to　empty　his　can　at　one　place。　　He　had　not　gone

many　paces　when　a　party　of　three　or　four　officers　came　along。



〃Hallo；　you　sir；　what　the　deuce　are　you　doing　here？〃　one　asked

angrily。　　〃Don't　you　know　nobody　is　allowed　to　pass　through　the

lines？〃



〃I　didn't　see　no　lines。　　What　sort　of　lines　are　they？　No　one　told　me

nothing　about　lines。　　My　mother　sent　me　out　to　sell　plantation

liquor；　fifteen　cents　a　glass。〃



〃What's　it　like？〃　one　of　the　officers　said　laughing。　〃Spirits；　I　will

bet　a　dollar；　in　some　shape　or　other。　　Pour　me　out　a　glass。　　I　will　try

it；　anyhow。〃



Vincent　filled　the　little　tin　mug；　and　handed　it　to　the　officer。　　As　he

lifted　his　face　to　do　so　there　was　a　sudden　exclamation。



〃Vincent　Wingfield！〃　and　another　officer　drawing　his　sword

attacked　him　furiously；　shouting；　〃A　spy！　Seize　him！　　A

Confederate　spy！〃



Vincent　recognized　with　astonishment　in　the　Federal　officer

rushing　at　him　with　uplifted　sword　his　old　antagonist；　Jackson。　

Almost　instinctively　he　whirled　the　can；　which　was　still　half　full　of

liquor；　round　his　head　and　dashed　it　full　in　the　face　of　his

antagonist；　who　was　knocked　off　his　feet　by　the　blow。　　With　a　yell

of　rage　he　started　up　again　and　rushed　at　Vincent。　　The　latter

snatched　up　a　shovel　that　was　lying　close　by　and　stood　his　ground。　

The　officers　were　so　surprised　at　the　suddenness　of　the　incident

and　the　overthrow　of　their　companion；　and　for　the　moment　so

amused　at　the　latter's　appearance；　covered　as　he　was　from　head　to

foot　with　the　sticky　liquor　and　bleeding　from　a　cut　inflicted　by　the

edge　of　the　can；　that　they　were　incapable　of　interference。



Blinded　with　rage；　and　with　the　liquid　streaming　into　his　eyes；

Jackson　rushed　at　Vincent。　　The　latter　caught　the　blow　aimed　at

him　on　the　edge　of　the　sho