The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam Part 13

"What are you doing down here, and what are you leaving at this time in the night for?"

"Is yo' all a Union sojer?" asked the negro abruptly.

"Do I look like it?"

"Yas, suh; though yo' clothes is so covered with mud I dess can't tell 'xactly what you are."

"What would you say if I was?"

"I want to know whether yo' is or yo' isn't befo' I answers dat ar question."

"All right," laughed Noel, who was convinced now that in no event should he have to fear his colored companion.

The house had been safely pa.s.sed and the negro apparently was inoffensive and harmless. Noel was still watchful for the appearance of any of Stuart's men, for whom he entertained a feeling of most wholesome respect.

"What's your name?" he asked again as he turned to his companion.

"Yas, suh! Yas, suh!" replied the negro. "My name's Nick."

"Are you related to 'Nicodemus, a slave, of African birth,' and did you call your friends to 'meet you down by the swamp and wake you up for the great jubilee'?" The young soldier was speaking in apparent seriousness and his companion stopped abruptly and stared at the man who had asked him these strange questions.

"No, suh," he said. "I never kno' nuthin' 'bout no swamp. Wha's dat yo'

all is tellin' 'bout anyway?"

In a low voice Noel began to sing the song which was familiar even in his far-away home on the St. Lawrence,--

"Nicodemus, the slave, was of African birth, And he died years ago very old.

Wake me up was his plea--"

"Yas, suh," said the negro, "but it's not dis yere Nick. Dat's some oder Nick. I know milliums of darkies named Nick."

"Nick," demanded Noel abruptly, "do you know any men around here who are friends of the Union?"

"Yas, suh. I sho'ly does," replied the negro, so promptly that the young soldier at once decided that he might rely upon his friendship.

"Are any of the men at home now?"

"Yas, suh. Yas, suh. Ma.s.sa Hilton, back yonder; I reckon he mought be er Union man."

"Is your master?"

"Yas, suh. Ma.s.sa Hilton's brother Sam, he's fo' de South. I reckon it almost comes to blows when dey talks about de war."

"Isn't either of them in the army?"

"Yas, suh; Ma.s.sa Sam Hilton, he's in de 'fed'ate a'my."

"But this Mr. Hilton who lives back in the house we pa.s.sed, he's not a soldier, you say?"

"No, suh. No, suh."

"You're sure he's a good friend of the Union men?"

"He sho'ly am."

"Then I'm going back there," said Noel, stopping as he spoke and turning abruptly about.

Nick in surprise also stopped and looked at his companion. "Is yo' all a Union sojer?"

"I am, and I want to go where I can find somebody who will be good to me for a day or two. You say you're sure Mr. Hilton will be glad to see me?"

"I can't jes' say as how he will be glad to see yo'," replied the negro, shaking his head slowly.

"But you said he would," interrupted Noel.

"No, suh; 'scuse me. What I done say was dat he would be good to yo'. I don' know as Ma.s.sa Hilton will be _glad_ to see a Union sojer des'

now."

"Why not?"

"Dar's some special reasons what I don't recomember," replied Nick, speaking in such a manner that Noel's suspicions again were aroused.

"But you say he's a Union man?"

"Yas, suh. Yas, suh, he sure am."

"Why won't he be glad to see me?"

"I done tell yo', suh, des' now dat dere's all dis yere trouble what am goin' on. I reckon dey isn't n.o.body what's glad to have a sojer come to his house des' now."

"Oh, I see," said Noel slowly; "but if I do come he will take care of me for a day or two? Then I'm going back there. What have you got in your bundle, Nick?"

"Nothin' much. Des' some stuff what Ma.s.sa Frost done tol' me fo' toe git at Ma.s.sa Hilton's."

"Why do you call for it in the night? Why don't you go out in the daytime?"

"I'se feared some of the sojers mought see me if I start after sunup--"

"You're more afraid they will take away from you what you have in those bundles."

"Dere ain't nuthin' in dis yere bundle. I mus' be goin' on," Nick added excitedly. "I mus' git toe Ma.s.sa Frost's befo' sunup."

"Well, good luck to you," laughed Noel. "I hope you won't fall in with any of Stuart's cavalry, and I hope a good deal more that I shan't, but I'm going back to that house."

The young soldier was aware that he was incurring great risk in his venture, but he was wet and weary, and it had been long since he had tasted food. He might be hidden about the place somewhere and fed for a day or two, when matters might so shape themselves that he would be able to join the main army of McClellan, which he knew could not be very far away.

Acting at once upon his decision, Noel rapidly retraced his steps and soon arrived at a place from which he was able to see the house and the few low outbuildings that were in the rear. He stopped a moment and listened intently. The rain had almost stopped, though the air was heavy with mist. Not a sound broke the silence.

Cautiously approaching the house, Noel turned from the roadside and started toward the building. He was watchful, for not only was there peril from men who might be within, but also from the huge dogs which he knew were common in the region.