'n'
across de farm."

"Have you heard of the great battle that was fought over by Logan's
Cross Roads?" asked the sergeant.

"I don't hear ob no battle," replied the negro, opening his eyes wide
enough to let them drop out of their sockets. "Gollywhimpers!" suddenly
exclaimed Cuffy, turning his gaze towards the mansion on the hill, "dar
comes de cun'l on a hoss!"

The lieutenant and the sergeant looked in the direction indicated by
the ferryman, and saw a man riding down the hill at a breakneck speed.
As he came nearer they saw that he was a person over sixty years of
age, with long, flowing white hair, like one of the patriarchs of old.
He wore a soft black hat, well back on his head. He looked behind him
frequently, as though he expected something to transpire in that
direction. As Cuffy said, his mansion had been raided several times,
and he might have got used to such events.

"W'a--w'a--w'at's de matter, Cun'l Hickman?" shouted the ferryman,
before the gentleman came within ten rods of him.

The rider did not check his speed till he reined in his horse in front
of the negro and his guests. He looked at the two officers without
giving any attention to Cuffy, and seemed to be astonished to find them
there.

"I see that you wear the blue," said the colonel, addressing Deck,
whose shoulder-straps apparently excited his attention.

"We belong to the army of the United States, sir," replied Deck.

"Then how do you happen to be here?" demanded the colonel in a tone and
with a look of great severity.

"It would take some time, Colonel Hickman, to answer your question in
full," returned Deck; "but I will say that we marched and fought
yesterday from four o'clock in the morning till dark, and were
practically prisoners in the camp of the enemy at the end of the day,
but escaped in the night in a boat we took from a steamer alongside the
fortifications at Beech Grove."

"Excuse me for speaking somewhat abruptly, Lieutenant, and give me your
hand; for I honor every man that fights or works for his country,"
continued the colonel. "I am somewhat too old to do either, or I should
not be at home."

Deck took the proffered hand, and it was warmly pressed by the planter,
and he extended the same courtesy to the sergeant.

"My mansion is beset by a band of ruffians, and I have been obliged to
flee for my life," pursued the planter, glancing back at his house as
though he expected to see the flames rising from it.