Page 155 - Among the camps, or, Young people's stories of the war
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worth at least three hundred dollars, and they would have a
nice sum from him when they sold him. It was suggested
that they should play cards for him, and whichever one
should win should have the whole of him* This was agreed
lo, and they soon arranged themselves and began to play
cards in the moonlight.
lack could now make out his horse standing tied near the
cabin on the outside of the others, He could see in the
moonlight that he was tied with a rope. He crept back to
Jake, and together they went further down into the woods to
consult. Jack had apian which he unfolded to Jake, but jake
was obdurate. “ Nor. sah, he warn’ gwirte fmong dem Yan
kees; Yankees ketch him and shoot him. He was gwine
home, Mammy3 d whup him if hedidn'; she [nought whup
him anyway," jack pleaded and promised, but it was vise-
less, He explained to Jake that theycouJd ride home quicker
than they could walk, it was of no avail, Jake recalled that
there was a Yankee picket near the bridge, and that was the
only place a horse could cross since the ford was stopped up.
Finally Jack had to let Jake go.
He told him not to say anything at home as to where he
was, which jake promised, and jack helped him across the
poles at the tree, and then went back alone to the clearing.
He crept up as before. The men were still playing cards,
and he could hear them swearing and laughing over their ill
or good luck. One of them looked at his watch, The relief
would be along in twenty minutes, Jack's heart beat. He
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