Occasionally words came to him, but for the most part they were meaningless. The impression, however, which he received was that the newcomers had brought information which was considered of importance, for the men soon were hastily preparing to leave the place, although they had not yet finished their breakfast. By this time the fog largely had been burned away by the rays of the rising sun. When a few minutes later the bugle sounded, the men mounted their horses and in a body departed swiftly, leaving behind them both Levi and his strange companion, whom Noel had first seen in the house of the elongated Jim, the husband of Sairy Ann. The two men sat on the ground near one of the fires which was still burning, and over it was some of the food still cooking which the soldiers had abandoned in their sudden departure. The conversation between the two could be overheard more plainly, and as Noel listened his interest became more intense. "Here, don't yo' all want some of this yere bacon?" inquired Levi's companion. "I do not eat bacon." "Why don't you eat it?" "Because it vas unclean." "It's as clean as anything you're likely to get in the next week or two," laughed the man. "Now, then, Levi, what did you find out?" "Just vat I tells you." "Yo' 're perfectly sure about that, be yo'?" "Yes," snapped Levi. "Now you tells me vat you haf found." "Not very much. I was back here on the major's plantation, and he said there were some Yanks at the nigger hut last night, but that they couldn't find any trace of them this mo'nin'. One of the cabins burned up last night, and the major thinks the men got away while all hands were busy puttin' out the fire." "How many did you say der vas?" inquired Levi. "How many of what?" "How many Yankees vere dere. How many got avay?" "I don't know anything about that. I heard the major say he was sure two, anyway." "Yah, I knows dose men, I vas sure. Dey are de two men what robbed me of mine goots. Dey push over mine tent. Dey say I charge too mooch. Dey steals mine goots. Dot is vy I am no more some Yankee." "A Yankee!" exclaimed his companion as he threw back his head and laughed loudly. "A Yankee! Yo' 're about as much Yankee as yo' are nigger." "Not too far, mine friend. Not too far. You forget dot the brains of the Confederacy is Jew brains--" "That's a good one! That's a good one!" broke in Levi's companion. "Now, then," he added more soberly, "are yo' all comin' on with me, or am I goin' with yo' all? The captain said yo' all were to come with me. Do yo' know where we're goin'?" "I know vere ve vas going to try to go," said Levi. "Ever since dose men push over mine tent and steals mine goots, I--" "Well, if we're going, why don't we start? I have had all I want to eat," broke in the other man.