.

When they were cooked and eaten the next morning the Deacon became
oppressed with anxious thought. Where were the next to come from? The
boys had improved so remarkably that he was doubly anxious to continue
the nourishing diet, which he felt was necessary to secure their speedy
recovery. Without it they would probably relapse.

He could think of nothing but to go back again to the valley where
he got the chickens, and this seemed a most desperate chance, for the
moment that either of the old couple set eyes on him he or she would
give the alarm. He went to sleep thinking about the matter, and when he
rose up in the morning, and had nothing to offer his boys but the coarse
and uninviting hardtack, pork and coffee, he made up his mind to take
the chances, whatever they might be. He set out again immediately after
breakfast, and by cutting across the mountain came to the entrance to
the valley a little after noon. Keeping close under cover of the woods,
he approached within sight of the house, and carefully scanned it. What
to do he had scarcely planned. He was only determined to have some fresh
meat to take back to camp. He was going to get it as honestly and fairly
as he could, but fresh meat he must have.

He could see no other house anywhere in the distance, and probably if
he went farther he would run into rebel bushwhackers and guerrillas, who
were watching from the high ridges. So long as he kept under cover of
the woods he would feel all right, for he was as skilled in woodcraft as
any of them, and could take care of himself. But if he should come out
into the open fields and road to cross the valley they would have him
at an advantage. He was confirmed in this fear by seeing several little
clouds of smoke rise up above the tops of the trees on the ridge.

"There's a gang of rebels in camp over there," said he to himself, with
a woodman's quick reading of every sign. "That smoke's from their fires.
'Tain't enough of it to be clearin' ground; people ain't clearin' up at
this time o' year; that ground over there ain't the kind they'd clear
up for anything. 'Twouldn't raise white beans if it was cleared; and you
don't hear nobody choppin'."

He looked again at the house. Everything was very quiet and peaceful
around it. There was no stock in the barnyard or fields, and the
only signs of life were the smoke rising from one of the great stone
chimneys, the chickens picking and scratching in the garden, a couple