To do otherwise was waste.
Presently he looked up and saw that while Forbes had given the two prisoners chairs directly in front of his desk one of the important factors in the business in hand had not been produced.
"Well, Forbes, well?
Where is the negro ?" He asked crisply.

"Bring him in! Bring him in!" "In a moment, General," responded the Adjutant, hastening to the doorway as the tread of feet sounded again in the hallway.

Dismissing the two privates who had arrived with Uncle Billy between them he led the old man down to the desk and left him there, bowing and scraping a little and holding his hat in front of him in both hands.
"Wan' see _me_, suh ?" ventured Uncle Billy, intruding delicately on the General's calculations.

"Here I is!" General Grant looked up quickly and ran his eye over the old man.
"Your name!" "Er--William Lewis, seh.

Yas, seh." "To whom do you belong ?" Although Uncle Billy's back was not particularly straight this sudden question introduced a stiffening into it which made it more upright than it had been in years.
"I b'longs to Cap'n Hubbert Cary, seh--of de Confed'it Army.