I touched Le Gaire on the shoulder, and whispered in his ear: "How much farther is it ?" "'Bout half a mile, sah," staring about into what to me was impenetrable darkness.

"Yo' see de forked tree dar on de lef' ?" I was not sure, yet there was something in that direction which might be what he described.
"I guess so--why ?" "I 'members dat tree, for dar's a spring just at de foot ob it." "Is the rest of the way hard ?" "No, sah, not wid me goin' ahead of yo', for dar's a medium good path from de spring up to de top o' de hill.

I'se pow'ful feared though we might run across some ob dem Confed sojers 'round yere." I tried to look at him, but could see only the whites of his eyes, but his voice somehow belied his words--to my mind there was no fear in the fellow.

I passed back word along the line, and found all the men present.

Not a sound came out of the night, and I ordered the ex-slave to lead on..