"Next," said Ralph, "I suppose General Winfield Scott would always inquire into the condition of his own troops. Now let us see. Captain Pearson has Bud, who is the right wing, badly crippled by having his arm broken in the first battle." (Miss Hawkins looked pale.) "_To_ be sure," said the old man. "And I am the left wing, pretty good at giving advice, but very slender in a fight." "_To_ be sure," said the old man. "And Shocky and Miss Martha and Hannah good aids, but nothing in a battle." "_To_ be sure," said the basket-maker, a little doubtfully. "Now let's look at the arms and accouterments, I think you call them. Well, this old musket has been loaded--" "This ten year," said the old lady. "And the lock is so rusty that you could not cock it when you wanted to take aim at Hannah." The old man looked foolish, and muttered "_To_ be sure." "And there isn't another round of ammunition in the house." The old man was silent. "Now let us look at the incumbrances. Here's the old lady and Shocky. If you fight, the enemy will be pleased. It will give them a chance to kill you. And then the old lady will die and they will do with Shocky as they please." "_To_ be sure," said the old man reflectively. "Now," said Ralph, "General Winfield Scott, under such circumstances, would retreat in good order. Then, when he could muster his forces rightly, he would drive the enemy from his ground." "To be sure," said the old man. "What ort I to do?" "Have you any friends?" "Well, yes; ther's my brother over in Jackson Kyounty. I mout go there." "Well," said Bud, "do you just go down to Spring-in-rock and stay there. Them folks won't be here tell midnight. I'll come fer you at nine with my roan colt, and I'll set you down over on the big road on Buckeye Run. Then you can git on the mail-wagon that passes there about five o'clock in the mornin', and go over to Jackson County and keep shady till we want you to face the enemy and to swear agin some folks. And then well send fer you." "To be sure," said the old man in a broken voice. "I reckon General Winfield Scott wouldn't disapprove of such a maneuver as that thar." Miss Martha beamed on Bud to his evident delight, for he carried his painful arm part of the way home with her. Ralph noticed that Hannah looked at _him_ with a look full of contending emotions. He read admiration, gratitude, and doubt in the expression of her face, as she turned toward home. "Well, good-by, ole woman," said Pearson, as he took up his little handkerchief full of things and started for his hiding-place; "good-by. I didn't never think I'd desart you, and ef the old flintlock hadn't a been rusty, I'd a staid and died right here by the ole cabin. But I reckon 'ta'n't best to be brash[22]." And Shocky looked after him, as he hobbled away over the stones, more than ever convinced that God had forgotten all about things on Flat Creek. He gravely expressed his opinion to the master the next day. FOOTNOTES: