Si looked, and saw Mrs. Bolster striding toward them. Shorty hung back instinctively for an instant, and then braced up and bade her good morning. She grunted an acknowledgment, and said rather imperiously: "Y're a-gwine, air yo'?" "Certainly," answered Shorty. "And yo'?" she inquired, looking at Si. "He's a-goin', too," answered Shorty. "Mustn't expect him to talk. He's short on tongue this mornin'. Ketched a bad cold night before last. Settled on his word-mill. Unjinted his clapper. Can't speak a word. Doctor says it will last several days. Not a great affliction. Couldn't 've lost anything o' less account." "Must've bin an orful cold," said she, taking her pipe from her mouth and eyeing Si suspiciously.{198} "Never knowed a cold to shut off any one's gab afore. Seems t' me that hit makes people talk more. But these Yankees air different. Whar air yer things? Did yo' bring plenty o' coffee?' "We've got 'em hid down here in the brush," said Shorty. "We'll git 'em when we're ready to start." "We're ready now," she answered. "Come along." "But we hain't no passes," objected Shorty. "We must go to the Captain and git passes." "Yo' won't need no passes," she said impatiently. "Foller me." Shorty had expected to make the pretext about the passes serve for informing Capt. McGillicuddy of the presence of the woman in the camp. He looked quickly around and saw the Captain sauntering carelessly at a little distance, so that any notification was unnecessary. He turned and followed Mrs. Bolster's long strides, with Si bringing up the rear. They went to the clump of brush where they had hidden their haversacks and guns. Mrs. Bolster eagerly examined the precious package of coffee. "I'll take keer o' this myself," she said, stowing it away about her lanky person. "I can't afford to take no resks as to hit." Si and Shorty had thought themselves very familiar with the campground, but they were astonished to find themselves led outside the line without passing under the eye of a single guard. Si looked at Shorty in amazement, and Shorty remarked: "Well, I'll be durned." The woman noticed and understood. "Yo' Yanks,"{199} she said scornfully, "think yourselves moughty smart with all your book-larnin', and yo'uns put on heaps o' airs over po' folks what hain't no eddication; but what you don't know about Tennessee woods would make a bigger book than ever was printed." "I believe you," said Shorty fervently. His superstition in regard to her was rapidly augmenting to that point where he believed her capable of anything. He was alarmed a'bout Capt. McGillicuddy's being able to follow their mysterious movements. But they soon came to the road, and looking back from the top of a hill, Shorty's heart lightened as he saw a squad moving out which he was confident was led by Capt. McGillicuddy.