ll each one that I was a Yankee,
and a Union man, but always adding, as if to conciliate all parties,
that I also was a guest and a friend of _his_ very particular friend,
"thet d----d seceshener, Cunnel J----."

Before we left the table, the secession orator happening near where we
were seated, Andy rose from his seat, and, extending his hand to him,
said: "Tom, you think I 'sulted you; p'r'aps I did, but you 'sulted my
Yankee friend har, and your own relation, and I hed to take it up, jest
for the looks o' the thing. Come, there's my hand; I'll fight you ef you
want ter, or we'll say no more 'bout it--jest as you like."

"Say no more about it, Andy," said the gentleman, very cordially; "let's
drink and be friends."

They drank a glass of whiskey together, and then leaving the table,
proceeded to where the ox had been barbacued, to show me how cooking on
a large scale is done at the South.

In a pit about eight feet deep, twenty feet long, and ten feet wide,
laid up on the sides with stones, a fire of hickory had been made, over
which, after the wood had burned down to coals, a whole ox, divested of
its hide and entrails, had been suspended on an enormous spit. Being
turned often in the process of cooking, the beef had finally been "done
brown." It was then cut up and served on the table, and I must say, for
the credit of Southern cookery, that it made as delicious eating as any
meat I ever tasted.

I had then been away from my charge--the Colonel's horses--as long as
seemed to be prudent. I said as much to Andy, when he proposed to return
with me, and, turning good-humoredly to his reconciled friend, he said:
"Now, Tom, no secession talk while I'm off."

"Nary a word," said "Tom," and we left.

The horses had been well fed by the negro whom I had left in charge of
them, but had not been groomed. Seeing that, Andy stripped off his coat,
and setting the black at work on one, with a handful of straw and pine
leaves, commenced operations on the other, whose hair was soon as smooth
and glossy as if it had been rubbed by an English groom.

The remainder of the day passed without incident till eleven at night,
when the Colonel returned from Wilmington.

CHAPTER XV.

THE RETURN.

Moye had not been seen or heard of, and the Colonel's trip was
fruitless. While at Wilmington he sent telegrams, directing the
overseer's arrest, to the various large cities of the South, and then
decided to return home, make ar