"By the Lord, we'll try it, Abner. Poor little girl. It's a desperate
game, anyway, and we might as well play for high stakes."

Abner went down the lane to the green, and Perez went into the house,
and sat down in the dark to ponder the new difficulties with which the
idea of also liberating Fennell complicated their first plan. Bold
soldier as he was, practiced in the school of Marion and Sumter, in
the surprises and strategems of partisan warfare, he was forced to
admit that if their project had been hazardous before, this new
feature made it almost foolhardy. In great perplexity he had finally
determined to go to bed, hoping that the refreshment of morning would
bring a clearer head and more sanguine mood, when there was a knock on
the door. It was Abner looking very much excited.

"Come out! Come out! Crypus! Come out, I've got news."

"What is it?" said Perez eagerly, stepping forth into the darkness.

"That wuz a pootty leetle plan o' yourn, Perez."

"Yes, yes."

Abner, he knew had not come to tell him that, for his voice trembled
with suppressed excitement, and the grip of his hand on his shoulder
was convulsive.

"P'raps we could a kerried it aout, an p'raps we should a
kerflummuxed. Ye've got grit an I've got size," pursued Abner. "Twuz
wuth tryin on. I'm kinder sorry we ain't a gonter try it."