"Before you go I want to know what you're doing here. Were you spying on me?" "Not von leedle bit. I deed not know you vas here. Father Abraham! Vot a pinch you gif mine arm!" "You want to be thankful it was only your arm, Levi. Now you tell me what you were doing here!" "I vas chust stopping for to see vich vay the men vas going." "What men?" "Der men vot vas soldiers for the Johnnie Rebs." "Did you find any of them?" "Yes, I see some going up mit der road. Dey vas all gone, and den I starts for der house over yonder for to sell somedings vot I carry in mine bag." "I believe you knew I was here all the time." "Nefer did I know you vas here. Father Abraham! I vish you vere not here now. If you vill be gone I too vill go so fast you shall not see me in two minutes." Aware of the perils which recently had threatened him, Noel was not inclined either to prolong the interview or to compel his prisoner to remain longer on the ground. Grasping the little sutler by his shoulder Noel quickly yanked him to his feet, but without relaxing his grasp. "Levi, what have you got in that bag?" he demanded. "Somedings vot I sells to the vimmins ven der men vas gone off to the var. Dot vos all. You shall belief mine vord. I chust carry somedings vat cannot be had ven the armies vas so near by." "Let me see what you have," suggested Noel, as, compelling his prisoner to advance with him he moved toward the bag which Levi had left on the ground near the base of the straw-stack. "No, I shall not do so!" screamed the little sutler. "You shall not open mine bag. It vas mine." Noel's suspicions, greatly increased by the manifest alarm of the sutler, were almost strong enough to induce him to send his prisoner away and appropriate the bag. From the expressions he already had heard, he was aware that Levi was playing a dual part, or at least he believed him now to be in the employ of the Confederates. Before he acted, however, he turned once more to his prisoner and said sharply, "How long since you have been inside our lines?" "I do not go in der lines of der Yankees," protested Levi. "Dey vas steal mine goots. Dey vas take vat vas not theirs. I lose more nor two hundred dollars ven you and dot Dennis tear mine tent and tip ofer mine goots." The expression of hatred which appeared upon the sutler's face when he referred to Dennis strengthened the conviction in the heart of Noel that his prisoner certainly did not entertain any cordial feelings for the boys in blue. Noel, boylike, unmindful of the justice of the little sutler's complaints, was greatly angered at the treachery of his comrade. "How long since you have been in the Confederate lines?" he demanded sharply. "I do not go dere either. I have tolt you vat mine peesness vas. I sells mine goots to the peoples vat may be at home." "All right, then," said Noel. "You let me see what is in your bag, and I'll believe you."