“Did he settle with you, father?”

“After a while he did.  He had some fifteen thousand dollars in New York, which had just been sent over from England, and as he was secesh, he was terribly afeard the Lincoln government would confiscate it; so he settled with me, and gave me a power of attorney to draw his money, pay myself, and take care of what was over.  I’ve got the papers safe in my waistbands now.”

“Good!  Glory, hallelujah!” shouted Tom.  “We can pay off old Pemberton now, for it goes against my grain to owe a dollar to a traitor.  But if uncle Wyman is a rebel, and I suppose he is, I hope the government will confiscate what’s over after you have paid yourself.”

“Well, I don’t know.  We will see about that bimeby.  He used me fair, and I don’t wish him any harm; but I hate his principles.  Well, just then, Tom, when I had got my accounts squared, the rascals took my vessel, and sunk it in the channel to keep the Union fleet out.  My pipe was out then, and I couldn’t do any thing more.  I hung round the city of Norfolk till I saw there was no chance to get out in that direction; and then I left.  I was up near Bull Run—­the rebels call it Manassas—­when the battle was fought; but our folks got licked so badly, that it was no use to try to get through there.

“I tried half a dozen times to crawl through, and had nearly starved to death in the woods; but some rebel cavalry pickets spied me out, called me a traitor, and sent me back.  My money was all gone by this time, and I went over to Norfolk again.  Your uncle Wyman told me I had better keep quiet where I was, for just as sure as his name was Somers, the North would all fall to pieces in less than six months.  He expected the rebel army would be in New York afore long, and I should be a great deal better off where I was.  He tried to get a pass to send me through the rebel lines, but he couldn’t do it.

“Things went on in this way till your uncle Wyman went to Charleston on business, and I haven’t seen him from that day to this.  The rebels tried to make me go into their navy, but I wouldn’t do it, of course; but when I couldn’t do any other way, I went into the army, hoping I should be sent to the front, and find a chance to get away.  I’ve been watching ever since, but I never happened to get within twenty miles of the Union pickets before.  But here I am, and I’m perfectly satisfied with the past, though I’ve suffered a good deal in one way and another.”

By the time Captain Somers had finished his narrative, the party arrived at the camp.  Tom was reprimanded very gently for detaching himself from the main body of the regiment; but when he reported the events of his excursion, as he had safely returned with his command, nothing more was said about his adventure.

At the camp the Union refugee was provided with comfortable clothing; his hair and beard were trimmed down to decent proportions, and he was otherwise purged of the barbarisms of the rebel camp.  But even then he did not look like the stout, hearty, healthy Captain Somers who sailed from Boston in the Gazelle nearly a year before.  He was haggard and emaciated from anxiety and semi-starvation.