OUR PRISONER
Even as I gazed at little Frenchie in what was very like bewilderment, I
noted that the lad was looking here and there furtively, as if to make
certain there were no eavesdroppers near, and on the instant the haze of
perplexity was cleared from my mind, allowing me to realize that the
French lad had some plan on foot whereby the mischief wrought through
Saul might be counteracted.
Although the situation seemed to me so desperate, and the possibility of
extricating ourselves from the difficulties into which we had been
suddenly thrown was so slight that I could see no ray of light, yet had
I come to have such great faith in Pierre Laurens's quick wit and
cool-headedness, that straightway much of the trouble was taken from my
mind, and I laid my hand on his shoulder as if to say I depended upon
him to draw us out from this slough into which my cousin's ill temper
had plunged us.
Meanwhile Saul was giving no heed to anything save the desire to flog
Horry Sims for what he had done to our harm, and Pierre whispered to me
sharply and quickly:
"Is there no place near by where we can remain in hiding for a time?"
During an instant I failed to remember anything whatsoever concerning
this shop of Master Bemis's, although it was familiar to me, owing to my
having visited it a dozen times or more. Then I suddenly recalled to
mind that just around the corner, in the rear, was an old shed sometimes
used for the stabling of horses, which had frequently been half-filled
with rubbish of such sort as empty cases, lumber or straw.
This much I explained to Pierre in the fewest words possible, and a look
of relief came over little Frenchie's face as he went directly up to
Saul, laying one hand on my cousin's shoulder, and with the other
clutching the Tory sneak by the coat-collar.
Mayhap not more than thirty seconds had passed from the time my cousin
announced his intention of paying off the score we held against Horry
Sims, until Pierre said in a low, sharp tone to Saul, and conveying much
of reproof:
"You have forgotten that by giving way to anger you not only endanger
yourself, but Fitz and me, to say nothing of Uncle 'Rasmus. Now pull
yourself up with a sharp turn; check that ill temper of yours if you
would keep yourself at liberty--mayhap if you would hold the breath of
life in your body."
As he spoke it seemed to me that Horry Sims had a dim understanding of
what was about to come upon him, for he lunged quickly here and there
like some trapped animal, and I fancied he was about to raise his voice
in a cry for help, when I sprang forward and clapped my hand over his
mouth.
"What are you about now?" Saul asked angrily. "What right have you to
interfere when I count on dealing with this Tory villain even as he
deserves?"
"I have every right," and now Pierre spoke in a sharper tone than I had
ever before heard him use. "Even though there be no other reason, I
shall protect myself, and it would seem, if you keep on at this pace,
Saul Ogden, that Fitz and I must consider you equal enemy with this
Tory. We are undone from this moment, and can count surely on being
thrust into the guard-house as malcontents and rebels, unless you find
strength of will enough in that hulking body of yours to behave in a
decent fashion."
[Illustration: "I SPRANG FORWARD!"]
Nothing in the way of argument could have moved Saul so quickly as did
reproof from the little French lad, who until this moment he had most
like considered a child as compared with himself. Now, however, that the
boy was talking in manly fashion, and with sound doctrine, my cousin
gave way before him on the instant, becoming as meek and docile as any
lamb.
"What would you have me do? I had no right to give rein to my temper,
and yet I swear to both of you that I could not have held it in check."
"This is no time for making excuses," Pierre said, still speaking in a
commanding tone. "The wonder of it is that we have had so many minutes
allowed us, and now it stands us in hand to get this fellow out of
sight."
"Out of sight? Where?" and Saul was in as thick a cloud of bewilderment
as I had been, whereupon, pushing Horry Sims forward, with my hand still
pressed over his mouth, I said hurriedly:
"Pierre would have us hide him in the shed. I know not how that may
advantage us; but let me tell you, Saul Ogden, that little Frenchie has
got more sound sense in one side of that head of his than you and I in
both ours put together. Now do as he has said, and we will listen to him
afterwards."
I forced Horry Sims on from behind, still gagging his mouth with my
hand, while Pierre, retaining a firm hold on the Tory's coat-collar,
dragged him along in the direction I indicated, Saul assisting as well
as he could while in such a state of perplexity.
It was little less than a miracle that we could have stood talking there
by Master Bemis's shop and then made our way half around it, without
coming in contact with some of the red-coats. Even at this day, as I sit
here in safety writing down that which we did in the town of York, it
seems to me more than marvelous that we were not taken into custody
before little Frenchie had time to give words to his suddenly conceived
plan.
I set it down to the fact that all those soldiers of the king were
busily engaged throwing up entrenchments, for it was known that not many
miles away lay General Lafayette with his army, and my Lord Cornwallis
must have said to himself that General Washington, finding he had so
many of his majesty's troops in much the same as a trap, would push down
from the North all the men he could spare. Therefore it came about that
every officer was urging the men under his command to the greatest
activity, and, fortunately, this shop of Master Bemis's was at a
considerable distance from any part of the British works, which
explains, at least to myself, why we were not lodged as prisoners in the
British garrison.
I believe that from the first moment Pierre began to speak in a tone of
command, Horry Sims understood he was in danger, not of a mere flogging,
but of something he could not explain to himself, therefore was his
fright all the greater.
When little Frenchie, while we were circling around the building,
threatened vengeance even to the shedding of blood if he made any
outcry, the lad was so terrified that even though he had had fair
opportunity I question whether he could have raised his voice
sufficiently loud to have been heard a dozen paces away.
He was as limp as any rag in my grasp as we forced him along, and for an
instant I feared the cowardly cur would fall helpless from sheer terror
of that which he knew not the nature.
Within the time it would take a tongue-tied man to count ten, we had
hustled Horry Sims from the southerly corner of Master Bemis's shop
around to the rear, where was the shed of which I had told little
Frenchie, and again did fortune favor us, for no horses were stabled
there, and the rude structure was so nearly filled with rubbish of all
kinds that it would have been impossible to have sheltered even a mule
beneath the crazy roof.
We entered with our prisoner, Pierre leading the way grasping Horry by
the coat-collar, while I brought up the rear with my arm around the
Tory's neck so that I might keep a hand clapped over his mouth.
"Shut the door, and, if it be possible, bar it so that no one may come
without giving due warning," little Frenchie said to Saul, and my cousin
obeyed as meekly as a well whipped cur obeys his master.
There was a crazy affair made of puncheon planks which had served as
door, but it hung loosely on its hinges, and I question whether it had
been used for many a year; but Saul was by this time so intent on doing
whatsoever he might to repair the mischief wrought while his temper had
the best of him, that it was as if he had the strength of two men.
While Pierre was looking about him trying to plan something in his mind,
my cousin had the barrier closed and fastened with four or five short
lengths of logs. It was not done so securely but that one from the
outside might force an entrance, yet it would require a minute or two to
effect such purpose, and this was what I fancy little Frenchie counted
on when he gave the command.
"Over yonder," he said, pointing toward the end of the shed where were
several casks and some old boxes, "is the place to which we must take
him."
"How long do you count on keeping him there?" I could not refrain from
asking, and Pierre replied promptly, thus showing that he had a plan
thoroughly mapped out in his mind:
"Only until night, when we must get him to old Mary's cabin where he can
be held prisoner."
I was astounded, to use a mild term, by the idea that we were to hold
this Tory a prisoner for any length of time. Here we were, shut up
within the British lines, in danger at any moment of being haled before
some high mightiness of an officer to answer to the charge of being
rebels, or of being in the town with evil intent, and we took it upon
ourselves to capture a lad who stood to a certain degree in the favor of
our enemies!
It was to my mind at that instant, and is even now, as reckless a bit of
business as can well be conceived. Why we did not take to our heels at
the first moment when Saul gave way to his anger, leaving Uncle 'Rasmus
to his fate, and shake the dust of the town of York from our feet, I
cannot understand. Yet I am wrong in saying this last, for it was Pierre
Laurens who held us where we belonged, and who proved that if there were
Minute Boys in York Town, he stood above them head and shoulders as
their commander.
But for Pierre's quick wit and decision we had at that moment been
racing through the village intent only on passing the British lines. Yet
I said then, while we pulled Horry Sims across the rubbish, that perhaps
it would have been greatly to our advantage if we had fled the town even
though the hue and cry was raised on the instant, rather than remain
where it might be impossible for us to go out again save in the custody
of a squad of red-coated soldiers.
By the time Saul barricaded the door Horry Sims had been taken to the
rear of the building, and there little Frenchie turned two huge casks
down on their side, with the mouths facing each other, leaving
sufficient space between them for a lad to crawl in, saying to the
prisoner when this work was done:
"Creep in there, lad, and hold your peace! If you raise your voice above
a whisper, I swear that it shall be the last moment of your life! You
can well fancy we would not flinch at killing such as you when it might
be to save ourselves. To hold you secretly, and yet securely, is our
hope, therefore bear well in mind to what lengths we are bound to go
rather than allow you to give us the slip!"
The Tory crawled head foremost into one of the casks, which was so large
that he could readily turn around in it, and in the gloom of the shed I
could see that his face was as white as my mother's table linen. He
shook like one in an ague fit, as well he might, for the threats Pierre
made carried with them such a ring of truth that he would have been dull
indeed had he failed to understand how far we would go in order to save
our own skins.
Pierre followed him into this snug hiding place, and I stood helplessly
by, awaiting some word from little Frenchie, ready to obey whatever
commands he might give, while Saul, shamefaced because of his
indiscretion, came up to my side.
"It is like this," Pierre said as if he had asked a question. "So long
as we can hold this Tory sneak secretly, so long are we at liberty to
remain in York Town to compass the business which brought us here; but
on the instant he gives us the slip, we may count on coming before a
military court charged with being rebels, if not with being spies."
"How long do you think he can remain in this shed without being
discovered?" Saul asked stupidly, and then it was that Pierre explained
his plan, so far as he had formed it.
"One of us, and you should be that one inasmuch as it was through you
that all this trouble came about," he said, looking at Saul, "must
remain here until midnight, or thereabouts, on the alert all the while
lest he give an alarm, while Fitz and I move about the village as we
were intending when we left old Mary's cabin. When night has come, and
if we find it possible, this Tory must be carried across the town and
stowed safely in that loft above the room in which Uncle 'Rasmus is
living. There, one or the other of us must act as jailor all the while,
until--I cannot guess when our duties may be ended. If, perchance, the
American forces give Lord Cornwallis battle, and are victorious, then
may we come out of the snarl with whole skins; but if so be the British
are the conquerors, we can look to have the tables turned on us, when
Horry Sims will get all the revenge he may desire."
A pretty pickle we were in because of what Saul had done! The most we
could hope for would be to hold Horry day after day in that loft of old
Mary's cabin, with but one show of getting out of the box, which would
be such a victory by the Americans that they might take possession of
the town of York.
It was a slim chance, though I doubted not that General Lafayette's
army, if reinforced as it should be, would whip the Britishers; but
again and again the so-called rebels had been worsted by the king's
soldiers, and why might they not get a drubbing here? It was well within
the range of possibilities that the British army would be reinforced by
vessels sent down from New York, in which case we stood to suffer.
Even though the Britishers allowed us to go here or there at will, we
were held as close prisoners, because of having Horry Sims in custody,
as though they put us under a strong guard. If at that moment when we
stood by the casks in the shed speculating upon the situation, I had
known that the town of York was to be besieged and shelled by our
people, I would not have reckoned that my life was worth the turn of a
hand.
Fortunate indeed was it for us that we could not look into the future.
Fortunate we had no inkling of all that was to take place between the
rivers of York and James within the next few days, else had our courage
failed us entirely. As it was, however, I had great faith Pierre would
pull through his scheme successfully, and trusted that the future would
show us some way out of this snarl into which we had been so suddenly
plunged.
"Come in here, and stretch yourself out beside this lad, with your hand
closing on his throat so that at the lightest sign of his counting on
giving an alarm you can choke him to death," Pierre said to Saul, who
was crouching that he might look into the cask, and my cousin did meekly
as he was bidden, for by this time he had come fully to understand that
he alone was responsible for all this trouble which had come upon us.
Not until Saul was within the cask, and had taken position close by the
side of the prisoner, did little Frenchie venture to come out. Then,
halting and leaning over so his voice would carry to the prisoner and
his jailor without being heard by any who might be in the vicinity of
the shed, he said, still speaking in a tone of command which, had I been
less excited and anxious, would have sounded comical from one so small:
"Remember, Saul, that your life, mayhap, and ours, depends upon your
holding that Tory scoundrel safe. Fitz and I will learn what we may
toward aiding us in getting him to the cabin."
"How long am I to stay here?" Saul asked, and I fancied that he was
growing sulky again, whereupon I said soothingly, laying my hand on his
leg in friendly fashion:
"Do not let your temper get the best of you again, Saul, else are we all
undone past mending. We have fallen into a hobble, and each must do his
best to come out alive."
"I am ready to do what I may, and understand, without its being roughed
into me, that I am the one who is responsible for it all; but yet I ask
how long am I to stay here?"
"Until we come again," little Frenchie said decidedly. "There is no
probability we shall dare risk a visit here 'twixt now and the time
when we have made ready to carry him to old Mary's cabin, therefore you
can count that your duties as jailor will hold you inside that cask
until midnight."
I would have added somewhat to that which Pierre had said, counting
thereby to soothe my cousin; but little Frenchie dragged me back,
motioning with his finger on his lips that I hold my peace. I understood
that again was the lad right, for if we did what we might toward coaxing
Saul into a better humor, we were possibly giving him an opportunity to
fly off in a rage again, and that would have been fatal to all the faint
hopes in which we then indulged.
Pierre clambered softly down across the rubbish, motioning for me to
follow his example, and then set about pulling away from the ramshackle
door the short lengths of logs which barred it; but he was careful to
remove only sufficient of the barrier for us to creep out.
When we were in the open air, with the shed so nearly closed that no
one, unless having special business there, would be likely to enter, he
said to me in a whisper as he led the way up into the village once more:
"Now we will set about our work, and before Saul sees us again he will
have had plenty of time in which to repent having given way to his
temper."
"Our work?" I repeated dully. "Isn't it enough that we must hold Horry
Sims prisoner, without thinking of aught else?"
"We came here to find Saul's mare and your Silver Heels, and, even
though it be necessary to stand guard over the Tory, I am counting that
we shall continue the work even as was at first proposed."
"It is to my mind that we have enough on our hands, without taking
more," I said, and mayhap there was in my voice that same sulky tone
which I had heard in Saul's a few seconds before.
"Surely one of us is enough to hold that Tory quiet, unless the
Britishers get an inkling that we have him in our hands, and, besides,
Uncle 'Rasmus should be able to help us in no small degree. Do you
remember that we counted to call ourselves Minute Boys, and to do the
work of Minute Boys?"
"Ay, that is what we reckoned on when we were foot-free--when we had not
fettered ourselves with a Tory prisoner; but now it is all impossible."
"Why impossible?" and for the first time since we had come upon Horry
Sims did Pierre indulge in that indescribable shrug and wave of the
hands which was peculiar to him. "It would seem to me that now is the
time, if ever, when we can do somewhat for the Cause--when we can prove
that although our company of Minute Boys numbers but three, we are of
importance, and may make our names known to those who are staking their
lives for the liberty of this country."
I looked at the little lad in amazement. The idea that we three boys,
who were in as bad a hobble as lads ever could be--we three who stood,
one might almost say, face to face with death, should think of aught
else, was to me most astonishing, and yet this small fellow from New
Orleans was all afire with great plans.
Surely if our company of Minute Boys ever did anything in behalf of the
Cause, it would be wholly due to him, for I had come to consider, half
an hour since, that his was the only brain among us.
"My countryman, with an army of Americans, is near at hand, holding this
English lord here as if he was in a prison, and do you not believe that
it may be possible for us to carry to General Lafayette such information
concerning what is being done here in this town of York as would be of
importance?" Pierre asked, his eyes flashing and his cheeks flushing.
"Ay, if so be we were free to act we might, one or another of us, creep
out through the lines and get speech with our people; but hampered as we
are, how will it be possible? We are prisoners here, ourselves holding a
prisoner."
"Look upon it in that way if you please," and again Pierre shrugged his
shoulders. "I count on having one try for the horses, and, failing that,
of having speech with General Lafayette himself after we have been
through this town of York and set down in our minds all the work on
which the Britishers are now engaged."
"I hope most sincerely you may succeed, lad; but yet I doubt it sorely.
In the meanwhile, what about Uncle 'Rasmus?"
"We will go to his cabin now, explain what has happened, and then lounge
around the stable quarters of the Rangers, where you shall have a
glimpse of your beloved Silver Heels."
I believe the lad reminded me of the horse I loved so well, with the
purpose of holding my courage straight, and he could have used no other
bait that would have lured me so quickly from out the Slough of Despond
into which I had fallen.
There was no hope in my heart, however sanguine he appeared, that I
could regain possession of my horse. The most I dared look forward to
was that events might so shape themselves as to make it possible for us
to escape from this town into which we had voluntarily come, and yet I
was such a simple that I failed of understanding it was Pierre Laurens
who would get us out of the hobble, if indeed we ever did get out; but I
followed him meekly as he led the way toward the Pigeon Quarter.
Uncle 'Rasmus was seated by the window; we could see his wrinkled black
face through the dirty glass, and surely he had every appearance of
being near to death as he sat there huddled up in a little ball, so to
speak, wrapped in his blanket although the day was unusually warm.
"Are you really sick, Uncle?" I asked, hurrying into the hovel with the
fear that I should find there additional trouble.
"I'se mighty bad, honey, mighty bad," the old man replied with an odd
twinkle in his eyes. "I 'spects I'se 'bleeged ter stay right here, wid
neber a chance ob gettin' back to de ole plantation, kase I'se got de
misery in my back, my head, an' my legs till I'se des de same as a
wuffless ole cripple."
"That's right, Uncle 'Rasmus," Pierre said cheerily. "You are a
promising looking old invalid, and I guarantee that if any of these
red-coated gentry have a suspicion you may be playing a part, one
glimpse of that face of yours will convince them you are nigh to death."
"I'se bin reckonin' on des dat same ting, an' while de ole nigger am so
po'ly dese yere gen'men who's in de army carn' grudge my seein' you
chillun now an' den."
"You are likely to see a good deal of us, Uncle 'Rasmus," I said grimly,
now understanding that the old negro was simply playing his part as had
been agreed upon. "We had the ill luck to come across Horry Sims; Saul
lost his temper, and let the fellow know we were acquainted with what he
had been about."
"Lan' ob massy, chillun, lan' ob massy! Hab you bin rubbin' up agin dat
Tory sneak?"
"It's worse than that, Uncle 'Rasmus," Pierre said with a smile. "In
order to save our own skins we have been forced to make him a prisoner,
and can stay in York Town only so long as it is possible to keep him out
of sight. We count on bringing him here, if there's a living show for
it, 'twixt now and midnight."
"Chilluns, chilluns, I 'low to goodness you'se done gone crazy! Whar's
Saul? Wha's become ob de chile?"
I explained to Uncle 'Rasmus where my cousin was, and what he was doing,
after which Pierre gave him a brief outline of his plans, and when both
of us had come to an end of our speech, there was no need for the old
man to exert himself very strenuously in order to play the part of
invalid.
His wrinkled face went ashy pale as the facts of the situation were
borne in upon him, and he sank back in the chair with both hands
uplifted as if in supplication.
"You chilluns hab done gone crazy! Gone crazy!" he repeated again and
again, and I stood helplessly by not knowing what to do; but little
Frenchie set about soothing the old man's fears by explaining how it
might be possible for us to do this, or do that, and declaring we could
keep Horry a prisoner in the loft so long as one of us stood close by to
insure his silence, until Uncle 'Rasmus recovered a goodly measure of
his former serenity.
"I 'clar for it, chillun, it beats de snakes how much trubble you'se got
us all into; but I reckon we'se boun' to hol' our backs stiff agin it,
else dese yere Britishers am gwine ter make mighty short work ob us."
"That's just it, Uncle 'Rasmus, that's just it," Pierre cried cheerily.
"We've got into the muss, and it stands us in hand to hold our own so
long as we can. We're no worse off if Horry Sims gives us the slip after
we've brought him here, than we would have been had we allowed him to go
free after Saul was so foolish as to let the fellow understand we knew
of all his knavery. Now it's a case of keeping our backs stiff, trying
to get possession of the horses, and doing all we can toward carrying to
the Americans news of what's being done in this town."
"Sure, honey, you ain' countin' on doin' nuffin 'cept holdin' Horry Sims
quiet?" and again Uncle 'Rasmus showed signs of terror.
"Now look here, Uncle," and Pierre knelt by his side, looking up into
the wrinkled black face with a cheery smile as if there was nothing in
all this wide world to trouble him. "We are not going to waste our time
on one Tory--that is to say, all of us are not, for one must remain on
guard. After what has happened Saul should do more than his fair share
of playing the jailor. Now you wouldn't have Fitz and me loafing around
this town doing nothing, would you?"
"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."
"You believe if we could carry any word of importance to the Americans
we should do it, don't you, Uncle?"
"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."
"And if matters should turn, such as we can't really hope for, that
there was a possibility of getting hold of the horses, would you have us
do it?"
"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."
In such manner did this little French lad talk with the old negro until
he revived all his courage, and before having come to an end Uncle
'Rasmus was as eager as Pierre to be up and doing, meanwhile as
seemingly careless of what the future might bring us as was that little
lad on whom all my hopes for the future, so far as the Britishers were
concerned, depended.
Having thus restored Uncle 'Rasmus to hopefulness and courage, Pierre
announced, as if there could be no question of any protest from me, that
we would make our way to where the Rangers were quartered, and I obeyed
him, much as a child might have done, mentally clinging to the lad as if
he had been my elder.
We two walked around the village as if having no other purpose than to
view a military encampment. We gaped here, or stood there in
open-mouthed astonishment, as if mightily impressed with everything we
saw, and while doing so Pierre would whisper now and then as we passed
this redoubt or that battery:
"Have you got everything well in mind now, lad? Seven redoubts and six
batteries on the land side; a line of batteries on the river bank; the
grand battery near the church; three redoubts just at the ravine, one
near the road to Hampton, and two by the river."
Thus it was he called my attention to each point where the Britishers
were working, although in some cases it would have been impossible for
me to have said whether they were building redoubts, throwing up
earthworks for a battery, or simply digging a canal. It appeared that
little Frenchie understood all their purpose, and I said to myself that
if so be he could make his way from out this town of York into the
American lines, of a verity he would be able to give General Lafayette
such information as would be of exceeding value.
We saw Silver Heels. She was made fast to the stable line with a lot of
other horses, and, so far as I could see, was receiving even more
attention than if she had been at home on the plantation, for there were
a dozen men or more working all the time currying this horse, rubbing
that one down, bandaging a leg that showed signs of swelling, and in
many ways taking as good care of the steeds as the best jockeys in
Virginia could have done.
"You see she hasn't fallen into such bad hands," Pierre said as we
passed for the third time where I could have a good view of my pet, and
I replied sorrowfully:
"It isn't that she won't be taken care of, Pierre, for he into whose
hands she might fall would indeed be a fool if he neglected so valuable
a bit of horse-flesh; but it is the thought that she will be taken into
battle, wounded, and left on the field to die, that breaks my heart."
"And yet many a poor fellow will be wounded on the field of battle, and
left there to die. Mayhap it will be the fate of you or of me, and since
Silver Heels has been reared by a rebel, she must take the same chances
that all us rebels in this country are forced to take if the yoke of the
king's oppression is to be removed from our necks."
Little Frenchie spoke like a preacher, and I dimly wondered whether his
courage might not be failing him, now that we were fully committed to as
desperate a venture as ever lads embarked on; but I need have had no
forebodings, for after remaining silent a dozen seconds or more he
seemingly shook off somber thoughts, and said cheerily:
"The less you and I think of the future, and the closer we keep to the
present, the better. Now let us make our way along the outer works in
order to decide where we may have the best show of getting through the
lines, if so be we decide to play the part of spies."
"What about making ready to bring Horry Sims into the cabin?"
"There's plenty of time for that 'twixt now and sunset," Pierre said
carelessly. "We need spend little time in forming plans, because it must
all be done by accident, or, what is the same thing, through chance and
the negligence of the enemy. We'll get a good idea of the general
situation, and then go back to Uncle 'Rasmus for something to eat."
As Pierre had said so we did. Twice we traversed the entire length of
the outer works, meaning the entrenchments facing the north; noted where
each sentinel was posted, and otherwise gained all the information
possible that might be of advantage to one who was trying to escape from
the British.
Then we went back to old Mary's cabin where Uncle 'Rasmus, despite his
seeming feebleness, had made ready for us a most appetizing meal, by
warming the corn-bread and toasting some of the boiled ham in a
frying-pan.
Although the outlook was most dismal to me, it did not affect my
appetite on this day, and I ate as heartily, and with as great
satisfaction, as I ever ate a meal at the Hamilton plantation.