"Well, Marse Lyon, I reckon as how you can relish a cup of coffee as
well as she; so please to let me wait on you, sir."
Mr. Berners thanked Joe, and threw himself down upon the ground, and
made such a breakfast as a hungry man can make, even under the most
deplorable circumstances.
"Now you know, sir, when the Missus wakes up, be it longer or shorter, I
can make fresh coffee for her in ten minutes," said Joe, cheerfully.
"But you cannot stay here very long. You'll be missed from the house,"
objected Mr. Berners.
"Please, sir, I have so well provided for all that, that I can stay till
night. Bless you, sir, I told my fellow-servants as I was going to take
some corn to the mill to be ground, and was agoin' to wait all day to
fetch it home; and so I really did take the corn, and told the miller I
should come arter it this evening, and so I shall, and take it home all
right, accordin' to my word."
"That was a very politic proceeding, Joe; but how could you account to
them for the hamper you brought away, and which must have excited
suspicion, if not inquiry?"
"Bless you, sir, I wasn't fool enough to let them see the hamper. All
they saw was the two bags of corn as I rode out of the gate with. I had
filled the hamper on the sly, and hid it in the bushes by the road,
until I went by and picked it up."
"Still better, Joe! But your horse? what horse did you ride, and what
have you done with him?"
"I rode Dick, which I have tied him fast in the deep woods on the other
side of the river. I crossed over the rapids with the help of a pole,"
explained Joe.
While they were speaking, a step was heard crushing through the dried
brushwood, and in another moment Captain Pendleton, pale, sad, and
weary, stood before them.