ay for all we get.
Ain't that reason enough to satisfy a sensible woman, Mrs. Adair?"

"If you come to make disturbance," said a man of a short and sturdy
figure, who at this moment stepped out from the house and took a
position in front of it, with a rifle in his hand--"if you come here to
insult a quiet family you had best turn your horses' heads up the road
and jog further."

"We might do that, sir, and fare worse," said Butler, in a conciliatory
tone. "You have no need of your gun; we are harmless travellers who have
come a long way to get under your roof."

"Where from?" asked the other.

"From below," said Horse Shoe promptly.

"What side do you take?"

"Your side for to-night," returned Robinson again. "Don't be
obstropolous, friend," he continued, at the same time dismounting, "we
have come on purpose to pay Wat a visit, and if you ha'n't got no
brawlers in the house, you needn't be afraid of us."

By this time the sergeant had crossed the stile and approached the
questioner, to whom he offered his hand. The man gazed for a moment upon
his visitor, and then asked--

"Isn't this Galbraith Robinson?"

"They call me so," replied Horse Shoe; "and if I ain't mistaken, this is
Michael Lynch. You wan't going to shoot at us, Michael?"

"A man must have sharp eyes when he looks in the face of a neighbor
now-a-days," said the other. "Come in; Wat's wife will be glad to see
you. Wat himself will be home presently. Who have you here, Galbraith?"

"This is Mr. Butler," answered Horse Shoe, as the Major joined them. "He
and me are taking a ride across into Georgia, and we thought we would
give Wat a call just to hear the news."

"You are apt to fetch more news than you will take away," replied the
other; "but there is a good deal doing now in all quarters. Howsever, go
into the house, we must give you something to eat and a bed besides."

After putting their horses in charge of a negro who now approached in
the character of an ostler, our adventurers followed Michael Lynch into
the house.

CHAPTER XIII.

A WOODMAN'S FAMILY.

The apartment into which the travellers were introduced was one of large
dimensions, conspicuous for its huge kitchen-like fire-place and ample
chimney. The floor, consisting of broad planks, was so much warped as,
in several places, to show the ground through the chinks. The furniture
was of the rudest form and most homely materials. Three or four rifles
were suspended agains