Her maid looked up and around. "Gwine to rain ag'in," she murmured, and the mistress assented with her gaze in the southeast. In this humid air and level country a waterside row of live-oaks hardly four miles off seemed at the world's edge and hid all the river beyond it. "There's where the tips of masts always show first," she ventured to the sergeant. "We can't expect any but the one kind now, can we?" "'Fraid not, moving up-stream." "Then yonder they come. See? two or three tiny, needle-like--h-m-m!--just over that farth'--?" He lowered the glass and saw better without it. The maid burst out: "Oh, Lawd, _I_ does! Oh, good Gawd A'mighty!" She sprang to descend, but with a show of wonder Anna spoke and she halted. "If you want to leave me," continued the mistress, "you need only ask." "Law, Miss Nannie! Me leave you? I--" "If you do--now--to-day--for one minute, I'll never take you back. I'll have Hettie or Dilsie." "Missie,"--tears shone--"d' ain't nothin' in Gawd's worl' kin eveh make me a runaway niggeh f'om you! But ef you tell me now fo' to go fetch ev'y dahky we owns up to you--" "Yes! on the upper front veranda! Go, do it!" "Yass, 'm! 'caze ef us kin keep 'em anywahs it'll be in de bes' place fo' to see de mos' sights!" She vanished and Anna turned to the soldiers. Their flagging had paused while they watched the far-away top-gallants grow in height and numbers. Down in the works the long-roll was sounding and from every direction men were answering it at a run. Across the river came bugle notes. Sighingly the sergeant lowered his glass: "Lordy, it's the whole kit and b'ilin'! Wag, John. When they swing up round this end of the trees I'll count 'em. Here they come! One, ... two, ... why, what small--oh, see this big fellow! Look at the width of those yards! And look at all their hulls, painted the color of the river! And see that pink flutter--look!" he said to Anna, "do you get it? high up among the black ropes? that pink--" "Yes," said Anna solemnly, "I see it--" "That's the old--" "Yes. Must we fire on that? and fire first?" "We'd better!" laughed the soldier, "if we fire at all. Those chaps have got their answer ready and there won't be much to say after it." The three hurried down, the men to camp, Anna to the upper front veranda. There, save two or three with Constance and Miranda, came all the servants, shepherded by Isaac and Ben with vigilant eyes and smothered vows to "kill de fuss he aw she niggeh dat try to skedaddle"; came and stood to gaze with her over and between the grove trees. Down in the fortification every man seemed to have sprung to his post. On its outer crest, with his adjutant, stood the gilded commander peering through his glass. "Missie," sighed Anna's maid, "see Mahs' Chahlie dah? stan'in' on de woodworks o' dat big gun?"