He shuddered violently. He was not exaggerating. The impression made upon him by his adventures in the air had been supreme. It had taken fast hold of some corner of his brain in a manner which perhaps the doctors could explain, and whenever imagination or memory called it forth, it threatened to unman him.
Ephraim considered him curiously. He could not understand the almost simultaneous exhibition of such opposite states of mind. However, he had wit enough to let the subject drop, and only answered: ‘Waal, we won’t talk about thet any more; I guess it’s over now. See hyar, Luce, I think our best plan will be to make fer thet little cabin agen and lie low thar till evenin’, when we kin make a break fer our lines.’
‘I don’t think that we ought to venture into that loft a second time,’ said Lucius. ‘If the general caught us there again and recognised you, there would be trouble.’
‘Thar would, shore enuff,’ agreed Ephraim; ‘but ye misonderstand me, Luce. I didn’t mean to hide in the loft, but ter walk right inter the cabin, lie down and take a snooze till it gits dark enuff ter be orf. Ef any one comes in we kin jest walk out agin. We kin always say we’re makin’ fer our lines.’
‘I see,’ said Lucius. ‘Very well. Besides, it doesn’t follow that the general will return. But are you sure that you can find your way there?’
‘Why wouldn’t we?’ returned Ephraim. ‘It’s on this side er the wood, and not so far away et thet. Come on.’
They hugged the edge of the wood, and after walking for twenty minutes or so, again reached the clearing in which the log cabin stood. No one was in sight; but still, instead of approaching it from the open side, they preferred to skirt the wood a little further and reconnoitre through the window in case of accidents.
At last they stood opposite to the window, and here Ephraim pulled Lucius back.
‘You stay hyar, Luce,’ he said. ‘I’ll go forward and see ef the coast is cl’ar.’
‘Not at all,’ answered Lucius; ‘you’re always doing that sort of thing. I’ll go for a change.’
‘No, lemme go,’ protested Ephraim. ‘What’s the use er runnin’ yerself inter danger ’thout any reason?’
‘The danger is the same for you as for me,’ retorted Lucius. ‘I tell you I am going.’
‘Then we’ll both go,’ said Ephraim decidedly, and accordingly they went.