Page 169 - Among the camps, or, Young people's stories of the war

came tumbling down from the chimney into the weeds. He
had the breath all knouked out of him, and lay quite still,

jack heard someone say, ■ What on earth was that ?■’ and he
had Only time to throw the blanket over lake and drop down
intti the weeds himself, when lie heard the man come striding
around the house. He had his gun in his hand. He passed
right by him, between him and the dark blanket lying in the

corner. He stopped and looked all around. He was not ten
feet from him, and was right over the blanket under which Jake
lay. He actually stooped over as if he was going to pul! the
blanket off of Jake, and jack gave himself up for lost. But

the man passed on, and Jack heard him talking to his coetj-
rades about the curious noise. They decided that it must
have been a gun which burst somewhere. Jack’s heart
was in his mouth about Jake. He wondered if he was
killed. He was about to crawl up to him, when the blan­

ket stirred and Jake’s head peeped out, then went back.
'Jake, oh, Jake, are you dead?" asked jack, in a whis­
per.
" I dun know ; b'lieve 1 is,1' answered Jake, 11 Mos' dead.

anyway.1'
11 No, you ain't. Is your leg broke ? ”
■■ Yes.”
" No, ’tain't," encouraged Jack. ‘‘ Waggle your toe; can
you waggle your toe ?
“ Y e s; some, little bit,” whispered Jake, kicking under

the blanket,