CHAPTER XVII
THE GUEST ROOM
The young negro at once led the way from the road, evidently fearingmore for the safety of his companion than for his own.
Noel followed obediently and did not speak until his guide had led himfar within the sheltering woods that were growing on each side of theroad.
The young soldier was not yet altogether convinced that his companionwas to be relied upon. His experience with Long John had made himsuspicious of the blacks. Throughout his boyhood he had never seen acolored man, and it had not been long before the time of his enlistmentwhen he had beheld one for the first time.
The action of the powerful young negro with whom he was journeying,however, in a measure relieved his fears, and his plight was sodesperate that he was aware that he must trust somebody for help. Nightwould soon be at hand and in the darkness his perils might be greatlyincreased.
At last, when a quarter of a mile or more had been covered by Noel andhis companion, the young soldier stopped, and said, "What's your name?"
"Nigger Sam."
"Did you ever hear of Long John?"
"Yas, suh!" replied Sam, glancing suspiciously at his companion as hespoke. "What fo' yo' ask 'bout Long John?"
"I saw him back yonder."
"What fo' yo' see him?"
"Why, he led me into a trap. I thought I could trust him, but he took mealong a corduroy road to the very place where a lot of the rebelsoldiers were stationed."
"Yas, suh! Yas, suh!" said Sam, manifestly relieved. "Dat's des' whatLong John is er doin'. He's playing tricks on the Yankee soldiers all detime. Little Ben Fowler des' used him lak I use de decoy when I shootsducks."
"How do I know you are not another one like Long John?"
"Because I'se a Yankee."
"You're a what?" demanded Noel.
"I'se workin' wif de Yankees. I des' made up my mind dey was de bes'friends what I got. When a lot ob men leave home and come 'way off downyere jes' toe set de niggers free, I done make up my min' dat I'd des'do all I could fo' 'em."
"Where are you going now?"
"I reckon I'm goin' toe tote you toe Aunt Katie's."
"You know I'm a Union soldier, don't you?"
"I reckon I does. Leastwise I suspected so when I first heerd yo' talk.If yo' all will tell me how yo' says de word ob dat animal what gibesmilk, den I'll sho'ly know."
"What do you mean?" inquired Noel sharply.
"I mean dat animal what we spell c-o-w. How yo' all done say dat name?"
Noel laughingly pronounced the word, and instantly his dusky companionwas satisfied with the claim which the young soldier had made.
"Yas, suh. Yo' all sho'ly is er Yankee. What I cain't understan', suh,is what yo' all is doin' yere. The nearest place war dey is any Unionsojers is Frederick."
"How far is that from here?"
"Not so very far, but I reckon hit's too far away fo' yo' all toe tryfo' toe git dere to-night. De sojers is scourin' de country an'--"
"Do you mean Stuart's cavalry?"
"Yas, suh, and some mo' men besides dem. Hit's gittin' dreadfully hardtoe find yo' way in times like dese."
"Where are you going now?" suddenly Noel inquired.
"I'se goin' toe take yo' all toe Aunt Katie's an'--"
The young negro hesitated and again searchingly looked at his companion.
"What's the trouble?" inquired Noel quickly. "Are you afraid of me?"
"No, suh, I isn't 'fraid," grinned the negro. "Sho'ly not as long as Ihab a frind lak dis wif me," he added as he drew from a pocket insidehis coat a long narrow knife which was at least ten inches in length."Dis yere," grinned Sam, "is one ob de bes' friends what I got."
"What is it?" inquired Noel, extending his hand as he spoke.
"No, suh. I don' let dis friend of mine eber go out ob my hands. Noteben fo' Gene'al Bu'nside."
"Where is General Burnside?" asked Noel.
"I reckon he isn't far 'way from Frederick City."
"Are you going to see him?" demanded the young soldier, suddenlyinspired by a new thought.
"Well, suh, I cain't jes' say 'bout dat," replied Sam as he thrust hisknife back into its receptacle. "I mought and then again I moughtn't."
"I believe you're going there," said Noel sharply.
"Dat's des' as may be," again responded Sam. "I mought and den Imoughtn't. Now, we hab been talkin' here long er 'nuff. If we all isgoin' toe get yo' toe Aunt Katie's we mus' be movin' along. I haven'tmuch time to stay yere any longer."
"How far is Aunt Katie's from here?"
"Not so very far," again responded the negro. "But I des' cain't lose detime."
"Where did you come from?" abruptly inquired Noel.
"I des' came from down de road a spell."
"And you say you're going to Frederick City to report to GeneralBurnside?"
"No, suh. No, suh. I didn't say any such thing," replied Sam with agrin. "I des' said that I mought see him."
"I believe you're taking word to him from some one down in this part ofMaryland."
Sam grinned, but made no reply.
The practice of using the blacks as spies or as means of obtaininginformation was more prevalent than the young soldier was aware. Some ofthe black men were keenly intelligent, and their stealthiness enabledthem to avoid many dangers to which the white soldiers were oftenexposed. It was plain, too, that Nigger Sam, as he called himself, wasthoroughly familiar with the region; and he had said and done enough tocause his companion to suspect that the purpose of his journey was morethan had appeared upon the surface.
Conversation ceased when the journey was resumed. Weary as Noel was bythe experiences of the day, it was with difficulty that he was able tokeep up with his companion, who swiftly led the way through the fieldand across the occasional swamps.
The sun had disappeared from sight and darkness was creeping over theland when at last Noel and his black guide arrived on the border of along stretch of woods.
"Yo' all stay right yere, suh," said Sam, "while I done go toe see ifAunt Katie will take yo' in fo' de night."
"I don't want to stop at Aunt Katie's," declared Noel. "I want to gowith you. I'm sure you're on your way to Frederick City--"
"Hush!" said Sam sternly. "Yo' all don't know who may be hidin' in deseyere trees."
The negro spoke in a whisper, but it was manifest to his companion thathis fears had been aroused and perhaps not without reason.
"Yo' all do des' what I says toe yo'," continued Sam. "Set right yerebehin' dis yere tree while I go toe see if Aunt Katie kin take yo' info' de night."
There was nothing else to be done except to obey the directions of Sam.Reluctantly Noel seated himself on the ground behind one of the largetrees, and the negro at once started across the field that intervenedbetween the woods and the little cabins, a faint outline of which couldbe seen in the distance. Doubtless the little whitewashed structureswere the quarters of the negroes of the large plantation, Noelconcluded.
The weary young soldier leaned forward and watched the departing Sam aslong as he could be seen. In a brief time the young negro passed beyondthe nearest of the cabins.
A half-hour or more elapsed before Sam returned. Noel's anxietymeanwhile had been increasing, and he was on the point of departing fromthe vicinity, as he had become fearful that his guide might play himfalse and report him to his enemies instead of to the colored woman towhom he had referred as the friend of escaping whites and blacks alike.
The dim outlines of the approaching guide soon became more clearlydefined, and it was with a feeling of relief that Noel heard Sam say,"Hit's all right, suh. Aunt Katie done say as how she will take yo' in.Dere's one white man dere now, but she done say she can always find roomfo' one mo'."
When the two men approached the humble cabin, which Sam explained wasAunt Katie's abode, there were no lights to be seen, and consequently,when the black woman whispered to the guide, Noel was unable todistinguish her face.
The whisperi
ng between the two continued several minutes, and then Samonce more turned to Noel, who had been bidden to enter the cabin andseat himself on a rude bench near the rear door, and said, "Is yo' allhongry."
"Yes, I'm hungry," whispered Noel. "But never mind that. What I want isto find some place where I shall be safe; that is, if you 're not goingto take me with you to--"
Noel abruptly ceased when he felt the grip of his companion on his armand was aware that he must not speak aloud concerning any of the men orplaces he was seeking.
"Aunt Katie will feed yo' all an' then show yo' whar yo' kin stay 'tilmo'nin'. Yo' do des' what she done tells yo' toe do."
"I shall," whispered Noel; for his confidence in his dusky friends hadnow been fully restored. He could not explain the change in hisfeelings, but it had been manifest by the very tones of Aunt Katie'svoice that she was one upon whom he might depend.
"Yas, suh," continued Sam. "Maybe I'll done see yo' all some time soon."
Unaware of the direction in which Sam had departed, Noel's attention andefforts were soon devoted to the corn-bread and molasses which his sablehostess speedily provided.
Watchful as Noel was, his hunger nevertheless was so keen and he was sobusily engaged in the task of disposing of Aunt Katie's viands, that theoccasional chuckle of the black woman was wonderfully comforting. Sheseldom spoke, but the young soldier was aware that his hostess was awoman of ample proportions and capable of exerting herself physically ifoccasion should require in a manner that would portend no good for herenemies.
"Yo' all come 'long wid me and I'll take yo' toe de gues' room," saidAunt Katie calmly, when her visitor's hunger had been appeased.
Puzzled by her words, Noel nevertheless followed the woman as she ledthe way outside the little cabin. He was mystified by her actions andwas wondering where the "gues' room" might be. However, he wisely heldhis peace, and cautiously following Aunt Katie soon was conducted to alarge stack of cornstalks standing near a corner of the barn.
Here the black woman stopped and, keenly peering about her to make surethat their actions were not observed, turned to Noel and whispered,"Inside dat er stack is whar yo' all is toe go. Dere am plenty ob roomin dere. Yo' all will find another sojer in dere, too, I reckon. I'llshow yo' all how yo' git in. Come er 'long."
Near the ground on the farther side of the stack Noel crawled into theopening which Aunt Katie disclosed. In spite of the darkness he wasaware that the ground within was covered with cornstalks and that it waspossible for him to stand erect. Instantly he concluded that the stackwas more or less of a deception and was designed merely to cover andconceal a small room.
His thoughts, however, were speedily interrupted by the voice of theother occupant. In amazement Noel listened, scarcely daring to creditthe evidence of his own ears, and then convinced that he was notmistaken, he instantly crawled toward the place from which the voice hadcome.