"Dey's right down in Gundover's woods. An' de Gineral's got his
headquarters almos' next door to our house."

"That near? Oh, you don't say so!"

"Yes, I do. An', oh, golly, ain't I so glad! I jis' stole yere to told
you all 'bout it. Yesterday mornin' I war splittin' some wood to git my
breakfas', an' I met one ob dem Yankee sogers. Well, I war so skeered,
my heart flew right up in my mouf, but I made my manners to him and
said, 'Good mornin', Massa.' He said, 'Good mornin'; but don't call me
"massa."' Dat war de fust white man I eber seed dat didn't want ter be
called 'massa,' eben ef he war as pore as Job's turkey. Den I begin to
feel right sheepish, an' he axed me ef my marster war at home, an' ef he
war a Reb. I tole him he hadn't gone to de war, but he war Secesh all
froo, inside and outside. He war too ole to go to de war, but dat he war
all de time gruntin' an' groanin', an' I 'spected he'd grunt hisself to
death."

"What did he say?"

"He said he specs he'll grunt worser dan dat fore dey get froo wid him.
Den he axed me ef I would hab some breakfas,' an' I said, 'No, t'ank
you, sir.' 'An' I war jis' as hungry as a dorg, but I war 'feared to
eat. I war 'feared he war gwine to pizen me."

"Poison you! don't you know the Yankees are our best friends?"

"Well, ef dat's so, I'se mighty glad, cause de woods is full ob dem."

"Now, Tom, I thought you had cut your eye-teeth long enough not to let