"I seed 'em fo' true, but dey didn't see me." "How did you keep them from seeing you?" "I tuck to do bushes; ef dey see me, dey string me up." "How long ago was it since you saw them?" "Sence sundown," said Nick, "When did you leave the breastworks?" "Las' night." "And you have been a whole day and night getting here?" "In de daytime I laid up," said Nick; "caze I dunno w'en I might strak up wid 'em." "How far have you come in all?" "'Bout 'leben or ten mile, I reckon. I laid up in de Jim Riber swamp all day." "Did you have anything to eat?" "Yassa; but I ain't got nothin' now no mo'." "Do you know where we can get anything to eat to-morrow?" "Dat I don't; how is we a-gwine to hole out widout sum'hm to eat?" "We must risk it. I hope we shall not suffer." "Dis country ain't got nothin' in it," said Nick; "de folks is almos' all done gone to Richmon' er summers[1] en' I don't know w'at we's a-gwine to do; I don't. I don't know w'at we's a-gwine to do fer sum'hm to eat. And I don't know w'at I's a-gwine to do fer 'bacco nudda." [1] Somewhere [Ed.]. "Well, Nick, I can give you a little more tobacco; but I expect you to find something to eat; if you can find it, I will pay for it." We were wasting time; I wanted to make a start. "Now, Nick" said I; "I want to go to Young's Mill, or as near it as I can get without being seen." "Dat all you want to do?" asked Nick. "No; I want to do that first; then I want to see the breastworks. First, I want to go to Young's Mill." "W'ich Young's Mill?" asked Nick; "dey is two of 'em." "Two?" "Yassa; one Young's Mill is by de chu'ch on de Worrick road; de yudda one is de ole Young's Mill fudda down on de creek." "I want the one on the Warwick road," said I. "Den dat's all right," said Nick; "all you got to do is to keep dis straight road." "But we must not show ourselves," said I. "Don't you fret about dat; I don't want nobody to see me nudda; des' you follow me." Nick left the road, I following. We went northeast for half a mile, then northwest for a mile or more, and found ourselves in the road again. "Now we's done got aroun' 'em," said Nick; "we's done got aroun' de fust ones; we's done got aroun' 'em; dis is twicet I's done got aroun' 'em, 'en w'en I come back I's got to git aroun' 'em agin." "How far is it to Young's Mill, Nick?" "I 'spec' hit's 'bout fo' mile," said Nick. We were now within the rebel lines, and my capture might mean death. We went on, always keeping out of the road. Nick led the way at a rapid and long stride, and I had difficulty in keeping him in sight. The night was getting cold, but the walk heated me. Here and there were dense clumps of small trees; at the little watercourses there was larger growth. The roar of the sea was heard no longer. It must have been about midnight. We came upon swampy ground; just beyond it a road crossed ours. "Stop a little, Nick," said I.