y, and a-laying 'em on the new. All hands got to
work with their guns, and anybody'd a-thought sure they'd finish him, so
many ag'in' one; but by good luck all of 'em put together haint got his
aim, and atter a few was wounded, they took to their heels and abandoned
the field. That 'ere Blant is a pure wonder; but such good luck haint
apt to hit twice, and they're bound to git him sooner or later. I hope I
may die if he haint the worst handicapped for warfare ever I seed, with
a family to feed, and a whole passel of young uns to be paw and maw to,
and the babe pindling all the time, and Rich on yan side the mountain,
and his uncle Billy's boys a mile up the branch."

When I turned around to speak to Nucky, who had been just behind me, he
was gone. Great as is my anxiety about him, I realize the uselessness of
trying to send after him, or to hold him back.

_Thursday, first week December._

Nucky returned last night, after nearly a week of absence,--it seems
that Blant was glad of his help this time. He says that on Monday they
gathered together Rich and his uncle Billy's boys and one or two more,
and in broad daylight laid the fence again on the old line, every man
working armed, those who drove the mules that dragged the rails walking
with guns in position, those who laid the rails doing so with guns
tucked under their arms. "I carried my rifle Cap'n Enoch Marrs fit the
British with," said Nucky. But though the Marrs side worked all day at
the fence, and the Cheevers must have known what was going on, not one
of them appeared. "They have had their fill of fighting Blant in the
open," said Nucky; "what they will do now will be to kill him from
cover. Todd he won't stop at nothing. And Blant he haint able to look
out for hisself with so much to tend to, and needs me there to be eyes
for him, especially now, with Christmas coming on, and all the drinking
and devilment that is allus done then. But he won't listen to no reason,
or let me stay."

"I am sure that Richard Tarrant will be with him day and night," I said,
to comfort him.

"Yes; but tha'in't nobody got the eye for a Cheever I got, or can keep
watch like me."

I share Nucky's feeling that he ought to be there to be eyes for Blant;
at the same time I am inexpressibly thankful that Blant refuses to keep
him, and that he is here with me in safety.

XVIII

CHRISTMAS ANTICIPATIONS

_Monday._

Already the air is full of Christmas talk an