‘Shucks!’ exclaimed Lucius. ‘It’s nothing to talk about, and here I am now. It doesn’t come up by a long measure to what you’ve done for me from the time you broke into the pile till now. Besides, what’s the use of being a friend if you don’t act friendly?’ ‘Hear him!’ muttered Ephraim feebly. ‘It’s all very well, Luce. But I can’t fergit it, and I’m not goin’ ter hev ye makin’ light er it.’ ‘Well, here I am now,’ said Lucius; ‘and you are safe, I am thankful to say. Tell me what has happened to you since last I saw you. I tell you, while that fight was going on at the end of the ditch, I didn’t know what to do, I was so frightened. I thought at first that the miserable Yank had got you down.’ ‘Don’t ye talk so airy er the miserable Yanks,’ said Ephraim emphatically. ‘I’ve had more kindness ter-night from one or two of ’em than I kin well begin ter say. Ef it warn’t fer a miserable Yank, I wouldn’t be hyar jest now.’ And taking up his story, he poured into Luce’s astonished ear a graphic account of his adventures since his arrest. ‘Well,’ commented Lucius when the tale was finished, ‘you have had a time of it, and no mistake. I hope Jake Summers got back before it was found out that you were missed. He must be a good man. You see now what it is to be a kind old Grizzly, and go around making little folks feel happy. I remember little Toots. And so he’s dead?’ ‘Yes,’ answered Ephraim, ‘and pore Jake took on orful when he war tellin’ me about him. Yes, I do hope it will go well with Jake.’ ‘I believe they won’t be likely to pry into that tent before dawn,’ said Lucius. ‘There’s no reason why they should. They want light to hang a man, I should say.’ ‘It don’t foller,’ replied Ephraim drily. ‘But thar’ll be light enuff soon,’ he added, moving to the door and looking out; ’fer the sky is beginnin’ ter brighten. It’s time fer us ter quit this establishment.’ ‘Why shouldn’t we stay here?’ demurred Lucius. ‘I should think it would be as safe a place as any.’ ‘Not when the day dawns,’ answered Ephraim. ‘Ye don’t s’pose that when they begin ter hunt fer me that they’re not likely ter give a look in hyar ez they pass by.’ ‘I imagine that they will have enough to think about without losing time on your trail,’ said Lucius. ‘I saw certain signs as I came through our camp with the General that something was about to happen.’ ‘Maybe,’ returned Ephraim quaintly; ‘but ef they lay hold er me before thet suthin’ happens, I wouldn’t be able ter take so much interest in it ez otherwise. No; we musn’t stop hyar.’ ‘Where shall we hide, then?’ asked Lucius. ‘I tell you I’ve had enough of trying to break through lines.’ ‘I agree with ye thar,’ assented Ephraim. ‘Thar must be no more er that sort er fun. We must make a push across the woods and try and reach the mountain. We kin hide thar well enuff, or make our way along it, whichever seems most reasonable.’ ‘We shall only lose ourselves in the wood again,’ protested Lucius. ‘What is the good of that?’