approached his home; "if indeed, as I suspect, it be them
who are hiding in yonder thicket. Silvertail could not
have been more than ten minutes finishing his (hiccup)
his corn, and the sands had but little time to warm
beneath his hoofs when he did start. These Yankees are
swift footed fellows, as I have had good (hiccup) good
experience, in the old war, when I could run a little
myself after the best of them. But here we are at last.
Whoa, Silvertail, whoa! and now to turn out Bill from
his little wife. Bill, I say, hilloa! hilloa! Bill,
hilloa!"

Long habit, which had taught the old man's truly excellent
and exemplary son the utter hopelessness of his disease,
had also familiarized him with these nightly interruptions
to his slumbers. A light was speedily seen to flash across
the chamber in which he slept, and presently the principal
door of the lower building was unbarred, and unmurmuring,
and uncomplaining, the half dressed young man stood in
the presence of his father. Placing the light on the
threshold, he prepared to assist him as usual to dismount,
but Sampson, contrary to custom, rejected for a time
every offer of the kind. His rapid gallop through the
night air, added to the more than ordinary quantity of
whiskey he had that day swallowed, was now producing its
effect, and, while every feature of his countenance
manifested the extreme of animal stupidity, his apprehension
wandered and his voice became almost inarticulate. Without
the power to acquaint his son with the purpose he had in
view, and of which he himself now entertained but a very