I checked the names over, satisfying myself I had made no
mistake. Leaving Miles to notify these fellows, and prepare them for
service, I crossed to the colonel's tent in search of the ex-slave. He
was easily found.
"Le Gaire," I began, choking a bit at the name, "do you remember a big
white house, on the right of the pike, the first beyond a log church,
south from the Three Corners?"
He looked up from his work with sparkling eyes.
"I suah does; I reckon I could find dat place in de dark."
"Well, that is exactly what I want you to do, my man. I have some work
to do there to-night."
"How yo' goin' to git dar?"
I explained about the ravine, the positions of the Confederate lines,
and where I understood the special guards were stationed. The boy
listened in silence, his fingers, clinching and unclinching, alone
evidencing excitement.
"Will that plan work?" I asked, "or can you suggest any better way?"
"I reckon it'll work," he admitted, "if yo' don't git cotched afore yo'
git dar. I knows a heap 'bout dat ravine; I'se hunted rabbits dar many a
time, an' it ain't goin' to be no easy job gittin' through dar in
de dark."
"Will you show us the way?"
"Well, I don't just know," scratching his head thoughtfully. "Maybe de
col'nel wouldn't let me.
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