they talked about enlistment, and home, and camp, and a score of
things that interested officer and man alike. In the midst of the confab
a dust was seen up the road, coming nearer, and presently out of it
appeared a family carriage somewhat dilapidated and worse for wear, but
still quite magnificent; enthroned on the back seat a fullblown F.F.V.
with rather more than the ordinary measure of superciliousness belonging
to his race; driven, of course, by his colored servant. Jim made for the
middle of the road, and, holding his bayonet in such wise as to threaten
at one charge horse, negro, and chivalry, roared out, "Tickets!"

At such an extraordinary and unceremonious demand the knight flushed
angrily, frowned, made an expressive gesture with his lips and his nose
which suggestively indicated that there was something offensive in the
air between the wind and his gentility, ending the pantomime by finding
a pass and handing it over to his "nigger," then--not deigning to
speak--motioned him and it to the threatening figure. As this black man
came forward, Brooks, looking at him a moment, cried excitedly, "By
Jove! it's Sam."

"No? Hunt's Sam?"

"Yes, the very same; and I suppose that's his cantankerous old master."

Surrey ran forward to Jim, for the three had fallen back when the
carriage came near, and said a few sentences to him quickly and
earnestly.

"All right, Colonel! just as you please," he replied. "You leave it to
me; I'll fix him." Then, turning to Sam, who stood waiting, demanded,
"Well, have you got it?"

"Yes, massa."

"Fork over,"--and looking at it a moment pronounced "All right! Move
on!" elucidating the remark by a jerk at the coat-collar of the
unsuspecting Sam, which sent him whirling up the road at a fine but
uncomfortable rate of speed.

"Now, sir, what do you want?" addressing the astounded chevalier, who
sat speechlessly observant of this unlooked-for proceeding.

"Want?" cried the irate Virginian, his anger loosening his tongue,
"want? I want to go on, of course; that was my pass."

"Was it now? I want to know! that's singular! Why didn't you offer it
yourself then?"

"Because I thought my nigger a fitter person to parley with a Lincoln
vandal," loftily responded his eminence.

"That's kind of you, I'm sure. Sorry I can't oblige you in
return,--very; but you'll just have to turn tail and drive back again.
That bit of paper says 'Pass the bearer,' and the bearer's already
passed. Y