第118章

I should hab done for him bery soon, sah.I had my eye upon him, and the fust time we go into battle he get a ball in his back.Lucky he didn't see me.He not officer ob my company, and me look quite different in do uniform to what me was when I work on de plantation; but I know him, and wheneber I see him pass I hung down my head and I say to myself, 'My time come soon, Massa Jackson; my time come bery soon, and den we get quits.'""It is wrong to nourish revenge, Tony; but I really can't blame you very much as to that fellow.Still, I should have blamed you if you had killed him-blamed you very much.Ho was a bad man, and he treated you brutally, but you see he has been already punished a good deal.""Yes, you knock him down, sak.Dat bery good, but not enough for Tony.""But that wasn't all, Tony.You see, the affair set all my friends against him, arid his position became a very unpleasant one.Then, you see, if it hadn't been for you lie would probably have got through to our lines again after lie had escaped with me.Then, you see, his father, out of revenge, stole Dinah away.""Stole Dinah!" Tony exclaimed, stopping in his work."Why, sah, you hab been tolling me dat she is safe and well wid Mrs.

Wingfield."

"So she is, Tony.But he stole her for all that, and had her carried down into Carolina; but I managed to bring her back.It's a long story, but I will tell you about it presently.Then the knowledge that I had found Dinah, and the fear of punishment for his share of taking her away, caused old Jackson to fly from the country, getting less than a quarter of the sum his estate would have fetched two or three years ago.That was what made him and his son turn Unionists.So, you see, Jackson was heavily punished for his conduct to you, and it did not need for you to revenge yourself."So he was, sah, so he was," Tony said thoughtfully."Yes, it does seem as if all des tings came on kinder one after de oder just out ob dat flogging ho gabo me; and now he has got killed for just de same cause, for if he hadn't been obliged to turn Unionist he wouldn't have been in dat dar battery at de time you came dere.

Yes, I sees dat is so, sab; and I'se glad now I didn't hab a chance ob shooting him down, for I should have done so for suah of I had."They had now reached the river.The sun was just showing above the horizon, and the broad sheet of water was already astir.

Steamers were making their way up from the mouth of the river laden with stores for the army.Little tugs were hurrying to and fro.

Vessels that had discharged their cargo wore dropping down with the tide, while many sailing-vessels lay at anchor waiting for the turn of tide to make their way higher up.Norfolk was, however, the base from which the Federal army drew the larger portion of its stores; as there were great conveniences for landing here, and a railway thence ran up to the rear of their lines.But temporary wharfs and stages had been erected at the point of the river nearest to their camps in front of Petersburg, and here the cattle and much of the stores required for the army were landed.At the point at which Vincent and Tony had struck the river the banks wore somewhat low.Here and there were snug farms, with the ground cultivated down to the river.The whole country was open and free from trees, except where small patches had been loft.It was in front of one of these that Vincent and Tony wore now standing.

"I do not think there is any risk of pursuit now, Tony.

This is not the fine on which they will be hunting us.The question is-how are we to get across?""It's too far to swim, sah.""I should think it was," Vincent said with a laugh."It's three or four miles, I should say, if it's a foot.The first question is-where are we to get a boat? I should think that some of these farmhouses are sure to have boats, but the chances are they have been seized by the Yankees long ago.Still they may have some laid up.The Yanks would not have made much search for those, though they would no doubt take all the larger boats for the use of the troops or for getting stores ashore.Anyhow, I will go to the next farmhouse and ask.""Shall I go, sah?""No, Tony, they would probably take you for a runaway.No, I will go.There can be no danger.The men are all away, and the women are sure to be loyal.I fancy the few who were the other way before will have changed their minds since the Yanks landed."They followed the bank of the river for a quarter of a mile, and thou Vincent walked on to a sma]l farmhouse standing on the slope fifty yards from the water.Two or three children who were playing about outside at once ran in upon seeing a stranger, and a moment later two women came out.They were somewhat reassured when they saw Vincent approaching alone.

"What is it, stranger?" one of them asked."Do you want a meal?

We have got little enough to offer you, but what there is you are welcome to; the Yanks have driven off our cows and pigs and the two horses, and have emptied the barns, and pulled up all the garden stuff, and stole the fowls, and carried off the bacon from the beams, so we have got but an empty larder.But as far as bread and molasses go, you are welcome.""Thank you," Vincent said; " I am not in want of food.What I am in want of is a boat.""Boat!" the women repeated in surprise.