"Nay, nay; now don't do that, lad. I teclare to coot--"
"Morgan!" I shouted.
"Well, look you, dear boy--"
"Morgan!"
"Oh, dear me, how is a man to speak! I was going to say, I did ask some
of them who went scouting, and they'd got it all pat enough about how
the house was a heap of ashes, but I don't believe one of 'em so much as
looked at the garden, and I know there's things ready in those beds as
would be a blessing to us now."
"A heap of ashes!" I said, sadly.
"Yes, Master George; but think of the barrow-loads there'll be, and
they'll be worth anything for the garden nicely spread about."
"I should like to go and see the old place," I said, thoughtfully.
"Then ask the captain, lad. Do. He's just over yonder talking to the
colonel. Hist! Here he comes. Ask him--do."
"Well, George," said my father, coming up. "Ah, Morgan. Want to speak
to me?"
"Well, sir, I--er--that is, I think Master George does."
"No, father; it's Morgan, only he's afraid."
"Nay, nay, not afraid, Master George. Don't say that. On'y a bit
okkard over it. But I will speak if you're afraid to."
"What is it?" said my father.
"Well, father, it's this; Morgan--"
"Oh, Master George!"
"--And I think we should like to go over to the old place and see what
it looks like."
"And take a tool or two, sir; and go early and tidy up the garden a
bit."
"Well," said my father, thoughtfully, "I don't see why you should not.
I was thinking of something of the kind, now that the Indians seem to be
gone for good."
"Then when may we go, father?"
"I'll speak to the General, and if he sees no objection you shall go
to-morrow morning, first thing, if you feel well enough."
"Oh, father!" I exclaimed, with a thrill of delight running through me,
for it was as if I was to be freed from prison.
"You will not be able to do much, Morgan," said my father, thoughtfully;
"but you might take a billhook and cut back a little of the overgrowth,
for we must not be beaten. George, my boy, we must go back and make the
place more beautiful than it was before; for it is a beautiful land, if
man would not blot it with his cruelties and evil deeds."
I saw that his eyes were fixed upon the corner of the enclosure, where
the blacks were gathered.
"Then we may go, father?" I said.
"If the General approves. No one can stir outside the gates without his
orders now."
He turned and walked to the central part where the General's furniture
was piled up, and he had been living as humbly as the rest; and in less
than half an hour he was back, just in fact as Morgan was saying,
grumblingly--
"It's all over, my lad; the governor won't let us go."
"The General gives his consent," said my father, "provided that you are
very careful; so the next thing is, how do you propose to go?"
"Walk across," I said.
"No; decidedly not. You will take the boat. There she lies safe enough
with the others. You can have Hannibal and Pompey to row, and Morgan
and the black can be both well-armed, for that man is very trustworthy.
But of course you will all be very cautious. You can send out that boy
in different directions to scout; not that there is any danger, but we
must treat this as an enemy's country, and be prepared."
"Yes, father, we'll be very careful; and we may go soon in the morning?"
"As soon as you like. Get your bag of provisions ready to-night.
Morgan, you can be passed through the gates now. Have the boy with you,
and see that the boat is baled out and cleaned."
"Yes, sir," said Morgan; and as soon as my father had gone we two shook
hands in our delight, for Morgan was as excited as I.
"Hurrah, Master George!" he cried. "What a day we will have! I'm off
to find Pomp. You go and tell old Han. Won't they be just pleased
too!"
We parted on the instant, and five minutes later I found father and son
together, and told them my news, with the result that Hannibal smiled
with pleasure, and Pomp threw himself down on the ground to writhe and
twist and worm about till he heard Morgan's voice summoning him to go
and help to bale out the boat.