dclothes, and
had been a little hurt in falling, now that the strain was somewhat
over, began to cry.

In a minute a shadow darkened the doorway and their mother stood in
the room.

"Leave the room instantly!" she cried. "Aren't you ashamed to frighten
children!"

"We haven't hurt the brats," said the man with the sword
good-naturedly.

"Well, you terrify them to death. It's just as bad. Give me those
clothes!" and she sprang forward and snatched the boys' clothes from
the hands of a man who had taken them up. She flung the suits to the
boys, who lost no time in slipping into them.

They had at once recovered their courage in the presence of their
mother. She seemed to them, as she braved the intruders, the grandest
person they had ever seen. Her face was white, but her eyes were like
coals of fire. They were very glad she had never looked or talked so
to them.

When they got outdoors the yard was full of soldiers. They were upon
the porches, in the entry, and in the house. The smoke-house was open
and so were the doors of all the other outhouses, and now and then a
man passed, carrying some article which the boys recognized.

In a little while the soldiers had taken everything they could carry
conveniently, and even things which must have caused them some
inconvenience. They had secured all the bacon that had been left in
the smoke-house, as well as all other eatables they could find. It was
a queer sight, to see the fellows sitting on their horses with a ham
or a pair of fowls tied to one side of the saddle and an engraving or
a package of books, or some ornament, to the other.

A new party of men had by this time come up from the direction of the
stables.

"Old man, come here!" called some of them to Balla, who was standing
near expostulating with the men who were about the fire.

"Who?--me?" asked Balla.

"B'ain't you the carriage driver?"

"Ain't I the keridge driver?"

"Yes, _you_; we know you are, so you need not be lying about it."

"Hi! yes; I the keridge driver. Who say I ain't?"

"Well, where have you hid those horses? Come, we want to know, quick,"
said the fellow roughly, taking out his pistol in a threatening way.

The old man's eyes grew wide. "Hi! befo' de Lord! Marster, how I know
anything of the horses ef they ain't in the stable,--there's where we
keep horses!"

"Here, you come with us. We won't have no foolin' 'bout this," said
his questioner, seizing him by the shoulder and j