s true that on this day I saw idlers from plantations on both
the York and the James rivers lounging around the British outer works,
or passing the sentinels here and there along the line of entrenchments
facing landward, without being challenged, or without hindrance in any
form, and I, as a matter of course, followed these curious ones who
would with their own eyes measure the strength of the king as it was
displayed in Virginia.

Like them I entered the village with no one to say me nay. Because it
did not seem prudent to go directly to old Mary's cabin, I wandered
around through the village, gaping at this or that, and once feasting my
eyes with a view of Silver Heels as she stood at the stable line
knee-deep in sweet straw, munching her hay as contentedly as if she had
been in her own box on the Hamilton plantation.

Then I went my way to old Mary's cabin, seeing the black, wrinkled face
of Uncle 'Rasmus at the window while I was yet some distance away.

Hearing my footsteps he looked up with a smile of pleasure and of
welcome, and I understood there was naught to hinder my entering,
therefore flung the door boldly open and walked in to find myself in the
embrace of the old man, who petted and fondled me as if I had been down
into the very jaws of death, and was come back only through my own brave
exertions.

It had ever been Uncle 'Rasmus's way to treat me as if I was a child,
and heretofore it had given me great annoyance that he should stroke my
cheeks lovingly, and croon about his "bressed baby," or "brabe little
man"; but now that I was in the enemy's country where I might come to
grief at any moment, these evidences of affection were welcome, nay, I
craved them so ardently as to remain really nestling in his arms until
the old man tired of treating as a baby the lad who counted to call
himself a Minute Boy of York Town.

Then it was I asked concerning my comrades, and Uncle 'Rasmus replied
that Pierre was in the loft above, doing his share of guard duty, and
Saul had gone away shortly after breakfast, bent on seeking out his mare
that he might feast his eyes upon her even as I had upon my own Silver
Heels.

Just for an instant there came into my mind the fear that my cousin was
forgetting himself by leaving little Frenchie so long on duty; but it
was only a passing thought, and I gave no further heed to his absence as
I went up the ladder into the bare room festooned with cobwebs and
lighted by a singl