THE Deacon reached the corn-crib again be fore1 daylight, and found Si and Shorty fast asleep. This relieved him much, for he had been disturbed with apprehensions2 of what might happen them while he was gone. Though he was more tired, it seemed to him, than he had ever been before in all his life, yet he nerved himself up to clean and cook one of the chickens, so as to give Si a delightful3 surprise when he awoke.
The Deacon had grown so wise in the army ways that his first problem was how to hide the remaining four fowls4 until he should need them.
"I'd simply be mobbed," he communed with him self, "if daylight should come, and show me with four chickens in my possession. The whole Army o' the Cumberland 'd jump me as one man, and I'd be lucky if I got away with my life. Mebbe even the General himself 'd send a regiment5 down to take the things away from me. But what kin6 I do with 'em? If I hang 'em up inside the corn-crib they'll spile. The weather is cold enough to keep 'em outside, but I'd need a burglar-proof safe to hold on to 'em. It's just awful that morals are so bad in the army, and that men will take things that don't belong to 'em."
He stopped short, for there arose the disturbing thought as to just how he himself had come into possession of the birds, and he murmured:
"'Tain't in me to blame 'em. What is 't the Bible says about 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone?' Certainly I'm not the man to be heavin' dornicks just now."
Mindful of past experiences, he took the fowls in one hand, when he went down to the branch with a camp-kettle to get water. He washed his face and hands in the cold water, which revived him, and returning, built a fire and hung the kettle over it, while he carefully picked and cleaned one of the chickens for cooking. Then he plucked and cleaned the others, and burned the feathers and entrails in the fire.
"Chicken feathers 's mighty8 tell-tale things," he said to himself. "I once knowed a man that was finally landed in the penitentiary9 because he didn't look out for chicken feathers. He'd bin7 stealin' hosses, and was hidin' with them in the big swamp, where nobody would 've suspicioned he was, if he hadn't stole chickens from the neighborhood to live on, and left their feathers layin' around careless like, and some boys, who thought the foxes was killin' the chickens, followed up the trail and run onto him."
Then a bright idea occurred to him. He had a piece of board, which he laid on the stones that formed the foundation of one end of the crib, immediately under the flooring, and on this shelf he laid the other chickens.
"I remember that Wash Jenkins that we arrested for counterfeitin' had hid his pile o' pewter dollars in the underpinnin' of his cabin, and we'd never found any stuff to convict him, except by the merest accident. We hunted all through his cabin, below and in the loft11, pulled the clapboards off, and dug up every likely place in the yard, and just about as we wuz givin' the whole thing up, somebody pulled a board out o' the underpinnin' to lay in the bed o' his wagon12, and the bogus dollars run out. Wash made shoes for the State down at Jeffersonville for some years on account of that man wantin' a piece o' board for his wagon-bed."
But the astute14 Deacon had overlooked one thing in his calculations. The crisp morning air was filled with the pungent15 smell of burning feathers and flesh, and the fragrance16 of stewing17 chicken. It reached hungry men in every direction, made their mouths water and their minds wonder where it could come from.
First came a famished18 dog, sniffing19 and nosing around. His appearance filled the Deacon with alarm. Here was danger to his hidden stock that he had not thought of. He took his resolution at once. Decoying the cur near him he fastened a sinewy20 hand upon his neck, cut his throat with his jack-knife, and dragged the carcass some distance away from the corn-crib.
"I'll git a mattock and shovel21 and bury it after awhile," he murmured to himself, as he returned and washed his hands. "He's settled for good, any way. He won't be snoopin' around steal in' my chickens. I hope there hain't no more measly hounds around. Should've thought they wuz all starved out long ago. My! but that chicken does smell so nice. How Si and Shorty will enjoy it. It'll build 'em right up. I'd like awfully22 to take some of it myself, but they'll need every drop, poor fellows."
He got a spoon, and tested some of the broth23 appreciatively.
"Mother'd done much better, at home in her own kitchen, or anywhere you could've put her, than me with my clumsy ways," he continued, "but she never cooked anything that'll taste better to them boys."
A negro cook appeared, with a tin cup in his hand.
"Afo' de Lawd, Boss, is hit you dat's cookin' dat chicking? I done smelled hit more'n a miled away, and hab been huntin' foh hit all ober camp. Say, Boss, foh de Lawd's sake, jist gib me a little teenty, weenty sup in dis heah tin cup for my boss. He's an ossifer, an' is layin' in de ossifer's horsepitol ober dar. Hit'll do him a powerful sight ob good."
"Awful Sorry, my friend," said the Deacon, hardening his heart, "but I haven't a bit to spare. Hain't got as much as I need for my own son and his partner. I couldn't spare a mouthful for the General o' the army even. Let your Colonel or Major sendout men to git chickens for himself."
"My boss'll be powehful disappunted," said the negro, with his big, white eyes full of tears. "He's powehful weak, foh sartin. A leetle sup ob broth'd do him an everlastin' world ob good. He ain't no Kunnel or Majah. He's only a Cappen Cappen McGillicuddy, ob the 200th Injianny."
"Capt. McGillicuddy, o' the 200th Injianny," said the Deacon, much moved. "You Bay you're Capt. McGillicuddy's man?"
"Yes, boss."
"And he's layin' very low over in a tent there?"
"Yes, boss. Got shot in de thigh24 in de battle, an' den10 had de feber. He's de very best man in de world, and I'd do ennyt'ing to help him. He's jest starvin' to def. I can't git nuffin' dat'll lay on his stummick, and stick to his ribs25. I've done ransacked26 de hull27 camp and de country clean up to Jineral Bragg's Headquartehs. De tings dat I couldn't git wuz eider chained down, or had a man wid a gun ober dem. Foh Gawd's sake, boss, jist gib me a half a cupful for him."
"There's no man in the world I'd rather help than Capt. McGillicuddy," said the Deacon. "He's bin a mighty good friend to my son. I know that Si and Shorty'd divide their last crumb28 with him. Look here, Sambo, if I give you a cupful o' this broth and a piece o' the meat, will you git down on your knees and swear you'll take every bit straight to him, and not take even a smidjin of it for your self?"
"De Lawd be praised and magnified foreber, but I will," said the negro, dropping on his knees and holding up his hand. "Swar me on a pile o' Bibles big as a haystack. I'd radder go to hell on my knees backward dan tech de fust drap ob dat. I's too anxious to hab Cappen McGillicuddy git well, so I is. What'd become ob dis pore niggeh if he should die? No, indeedy. Hope I'll drap dead in my tracks if I taste de least wee morssel."
"I'm goin' to trust you," said the Deacon, stirring up the savory29 mess, ladling out a generous cupful, adding a drumstick, and covering the cup with a piece of paper. "Now, carry it carefully. Every drop's worth its weight in gold."
The Deacon looked a little regretful at the shrinking of the contents of the kettle, made by taking out the cupful, and said:
"Mebbe I oughtn't 've done it. The boys need every spoonful. But if it'd bin themselves, I know they'd have given their Captain more'n I did. He is twice blessed that giveth, and probably they'll git more somehow on account o' what I've given away. But I mustn't give any more."
"Say, Mister," said a very feeble voice at his elbow, "can't you give me a cupful o' that? It smells so good. It smells like home. I smelled it away over there in the tent, and it seemed to me that if I could get some of it I'd certainly get well, though they all say they think there's no hope for me. I crawled out of the tent and come while the nurse was asleep and wasn't watching. They won't let me get upon my feet when they're watching me, but I fooled them this time."
As he spoke30, he sank down from sheer exhaustion31, but still held out his cup imploringly32, while an in tense longing33 filled his great, blue eyes.
The Deacon looked pityingly at him. His wan13 face was fair and delicate as a girl's, and even be fore disease had wasted him he had been very tall and slender. Now his uniform flapped around his shrunken body and limbs.
The Deacon could not stand the appeal of those great, plaintive34 eyes and that wasted form.
"The Lord blesses the giver," he said, taking the cup from the thin hand, and proceeding35 to fill it from the kettle. "It may be that my own son will have the more from what I give this poor sick boy. It may be bread cast upon the waters. At any rate, I'm goin' to take the chances. There's still enough left for one meal for Si and Shorty, and I've four chickens left. After that the Lord'll provide. I'll do this in His name, and I'll trust Him. There, my boy, let the cup set on the ground till it cools, and then drink it, and here's a piece o' bread to go with it."
The boy could scarcely wait for the cooling, and his swimming eyes expressed a gratitude36 that no words could convey.
"Here, pardner, I'll take a cupful o' that 'ere, too," said a frazzled and frowsy teamster, shambling up through the half-light of the dawn. "I smelled it, and follered my nose till it brung me here. My, but it smells good! Jest fill my cup, and I'll do as much for you some time when you're hungry."
"Go away, Groundhog," said the Deacon, recognizing him. "I've only got a little here for Si and Shorty. I hain't a spoonful left for myself, and none to give away. Go and get your own chickens, and bile 'em yourself."
"Can't have any, eh?" said Groundhog, swagger ing up. "We'll see about that, old man. I watched you givin' away to that nigger, and this little dead-beat here, but you hain't none to give me, who is doin' hard work for the army, and helpin' keep 'em from starvin'. If you've got enough for that nigger and that whinin' boy you've got enough for me, and I'm goin' to have it, for I need it."
"You're not goin' to have a dumbed spoonful, Groundhog. Go away. I hain't enough for Si and Shorty, I tell you. Go away."
"And I tell you I need it more'n they do, for I'm workin' for the whole army, while they're layin' around, makin' out they're sick. You give me a cupful o' that and I'll go away and make no trouble.
"If you don't I'll kick the whole kettle over. An old fool citizen like you 's got no business in camp, any way, and no right to be havin' things that ought to go to the laborin' men."
And he raised his foot threateningly.
The Deacon laid down the spoon with which he had been stirring the broth, and doubling up his mighty fist, placed himself between Groundhog and the kettle, and said:
'if You Don't Skip out O' Here This Minute I'll Bust37 Your Head As I Would a Punkin.' 264
"Groundhog, I'm an old man, and always have bin a man o' peace. I don't believe in no kind o' fightin', nor molestin' no one. I belong to church, and 've always tried to lead a Christian38 life. But if you don't skip out o' here this minute, I'll bust your head as I would a punkin."
Groundhog retreated a few steps, but still kept up a show of determination.
"What are you foolin' with the ole hayseed for?" said another teamster, coming up behind Groundhog. "Slap the old hawbuck over, snatch up the kittle and run with it. I'll do it if you don't."
"Go for 'em, Deacon; I'm with you. We kin lick both of 'em," shouted Shorty, who had been awakened39 by the noise of the dispute, and came tottering40 out, trying to raise a stick of wood for a club.
At that moment a rebel cannon41 roared on Lookout42 Mountain, just over them, and the wicked screech43 of a shell cleft44 the air. Both of the team sters dropped on the ground in a paralysis45 of fear.
"The rebels 've got a new battery planted on the mountain," said Shorty, turning to study the smoke that drifted away, in order to get its location.
"The shell struck right over there, and hain't bursted yet," said the sick boy, looking up from sipping46 his broth, and pointing to a spot a short distance away. "I can hear the hissing47 of the fuse."
The teamsters sprang up like jacks-in-the-box, and ran with all the power of their legs. By the time the explosion came they were hundreds of yards away.
A column of dirt and stones was thrown up, of which a little sprinkle reached the fire. Thousands of voices yelled derisively48 at the rebel gunner.
"They're shootin' wuss and wuss every day," remarked Shorty, after judicially49 considering the shot and making comparison with its predecessors50. "They'll git so after awhile that they can't hit the Tennessee Valley."
"Shorty," said the Deacon, "take this revolver and watch that kittle while I wash Si's face, and git him ready for his breakfast. If you let anybody git away with it you lose your breakfast. If I ever go into restaurantin' for a bizniss, I'm goin' to find a quieter neighborhood than Chattanoogy. I ain't exactly grumblin', so to speak, but there's enough excitement before breakfast every mornin' to last me a full year."
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1
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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3
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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4
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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8
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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penitentiary
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| n.感化院；监狱 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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13
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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15
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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16
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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17
stewing
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| 炖 | |
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famished
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| adj.饥饿的 | |
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sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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ransacked
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| v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺 | |
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hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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28
crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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29
savory
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| adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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31
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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36
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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39
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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42
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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43
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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44
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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45
paralysis
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| n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症) | |
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46
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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47
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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48
derisively
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| adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地 | |
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49
judicially
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| 依法判决地，公平地 | |
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50
predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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