The next morning Mrs. Temple looked out of her window and saw the militiamen on the lawn.

“Pooh!” she said, “are those butternuts the soldiers that Nick went to fetch?”

CHAPTER V

CRAM’S HELL

After that my admiration for Nick Temple increased greatly, whether excited by his courage and presence of mind, or his ability to imitate men and women and creatures, I know not.  One of our amusements, I recall, was to go to the Congo’s cabin to see him fall on his face, until Mr. Mason put a stop to it.  The clergyman let us know that we were encouraging idolatry, and he himself took the chief in hand.

Another incident comes to me from those bygone days.  The fear of negro insurrections at the neighboring plantations being temporarily lulled, the gentry began to pluck up courage for their usual amusements.  There were to be races at some place a distance away, and Nick was determined to go.  Had he not determined that I should go, all would have been well.  The evening before he came upon his mother in the garden.  Strange to say, she was in a gracious mood and alone.

“Come and kiss me, Nick,” she said.  “Now, what do you want?”

“I want to go to the races,” he said.

“You have your pony.  You can follow the coach.”

“David is to ride the pony,” said Nick, generously.  “May I go in the coach?”

“No,” she said, “there is no room for you.”

Nicholas flared up.  “Harry Riddle is going in the coach.  I don’t see why you can’t take me sometimes.  You like him better than me.”

The lady flushed very red.

“How dare you, Nick!” she cried angrily.  “What has Mr. Mason been putting into your head?”

“Nothing,” said Nick, quite as angrily.  “Any one can see that you like Harry.  And I will ride in the coach.”

“You’ll not,” said his mother.

I had heard nothing of this.  The next morning he led out his pony from the stables for me to ride, and insisted.  And, supposing he was to go in the coach, I put foot in the stirrup.  The little beast would scarce stand still for me to mount.

“You’ll not need the whip with her,” said Nick, and led her around by the side of the house, in view of the portico, and stood there at her bridle.  Presently, with a great noise and clatter of hoofs, the coach rounded the drive, the powdered negro coachman pulling up the four horses with much ceremony at the door.  It was a wondrous great vehicle, the bright colors of its body flashing in the morning light.  I had examined it more than once, and with awe, in the coach-house.  It had glass windows and a lion on a blue shield on the door, and within it was all salmon silk, save the painted design on the ceiling.  Great leather straps held up this house on wheels, to take the jolts of the road.  And behind it was a platform.  That morning two young negroes with flowing blue coats stood on it.  They leaped to the ground when the coach stopped, and stood each side of the door, waiting for my lady to enter.