Two Little Confederates

the chickens were crowing in the morning. The negroes all had hen-houses and raised their own chickens, and when a camp was near them they used t

iers. Every soldier was to the boys a hero, and eac

rom the plantations, and the constant passing of strangers made stealing easy; hen-roosts were robbed time after time, and even pigs and sheep were taken without any

Hugh was away, so the boys were the only "men" on the place, and felt that they were the protectors of the plantation. The frequent th

that the deserter

ld Bruno gave a low growl, and then began walking and sniff

barking whenever they wished to go out-of-doors. Now, however, they kept

ut Bruno would not lie down, and Nick would not keep quiet, though at the sound of Fra

to sleep again, when he heard a sound out in the yard, which

; there's some one mo

turning over and settling

chirping out in frigh

pinching him hard. "There's

had been dreaming, or that it was only Uncle Balla, or "some one" moving about the yard. But a second cackle of w

oposed Willy, getting himself all t

, let's catch him ourse

lock him up; suppose he's got a pistol? your gun m

and you can hold him, while I snap

't find my jacke

ever mind, it must be in the house. Let's go out th

with the dogs? L

keep them quiet and hold 'em in, and

ank clutching his double-barrelled gun, and Willy hugging a heavy musket which

that if they had to shoot, they would almost certainly shoot one another!) but before they had se

ound of footsteps like those of a man running with all hi

taking a few steps, they stopped to list

d the hen-house. It was too dark to see much, but he heard the hen-house door cr

. The hammer fell with a sharp "click" just as the door was snatched to with a bang. The cap had failed t

within to attempt to burst out; but the click of the hammer and their hurried conference without, in whi

to the proper disposition of their captive. Accordingly, Frank went off to obtai

at him, and if he pokes hi

solemnly pr

to hear the prisoner call him by name in the most friendl

you?" called t

es

e's F

get Unc

ee that ot

es

a house I could sleep in, and shut me up in here,-and blest if I don't b'lieve it's noth

d Willy firmly, ge

rom the depths of the hen-hou

mmm!! U

as frig

m!" was

ou?" asked Willy, feeling

sick," groaned the m

at's the

ve me something to drink, and it's

horribl

it to look in when a light flashed across the yard from Uncle Balla's