“P’raps w’en de min’ster see dat he woan mar’y you.”

“That’s just my hope,” said the girl, “I—­”

A quick step was heard and a moment later Mrs. Baron entered the cabin.  Ostensibly she came for some of the articles which Aun’ Jinkey had ironed, but Miss Lou knew she was under surveillance and she departed without a word.  On entering her room she found that her little trunk had been packed and locked in her absence and that the key was gone.  She felt that it was but another indignity, another phase of the strong quiet pressure urging her toward the event she so dreaded.  A hunted, half-desperate look came into her eyes, but she did not waver in her purpose.

Mrs. Whately knocked, but the girl would not admit her.

Meanwhile Mrs. Baron said to Aun’ Jinkey in parting, “See to it that you don’t put foolish notions in my niece’s head.  We are none of us in a mood for trifling to-day.”

Then the old woman’s wrath burst out.  “You ’speck I’se feared ter speak fer dat chile w’at stan’ by me so?  Bettah be keerful yosef, mistis; you alls gittin’ on ve’y scarey groun’ wid Miss Lou.  You tink you kin do wid her w’at you pleases des ez ef she a lil gyurl baby.  I reck’n her moder come out’n her grabe ter look arter you ef you ain’ keerful.”

“What do you mean by such language?”

“I mean des dis, mistis.  Ef you tinks Miss Lou ole anuff ter mar’y you know she ain’ a chile.  Ef she ain’ a chile she a woman.  Does you tink you kin tromple on a woman?  You kin tromple on me en I am’ sayin’ not’n, but you kyant tromple on a wi’te woman like yosef.  I tells you you gittin’ on scarey groun’ wid Miss Lou.”

“If you both had sense you would know we are getting her off scarey ground, as you call it.  All you have to do is to obey my orders and not meddle.”

“Ve’y well, mistis, I’se warn you,” said Aun’ Jinkey, sullenly returning to her work.

“Warn me of what?” But the old woman would not vouchsafe another word.

Mrs. Baron returned to the house, her lips compressed with a firmer purpose to maintain discipline on deck till the ship went down, if that was to be the end.  Combined with her cold, unimaginative temperament was a stronger and more resolute spirit than that of her husband, who now was chiefly governed by his lifelong habit of persistence.  He adhered to his purposes as a man at sea clings to the ship which he feels is going to pieces beneath him.

Chunk and Scoville reached the Union camp in the gray dawn of the morning, and the latter soon had an audience with the commanding officer, with whom he was a favorite scout.  The small party which had been compelled to leave Scoville behind had brought important information, gained chiefly by the young man’s daring and address, and the general was very glad to see him again and to be assured of his escape.

“We are ready to move,” said the commander, “and the information brought in by your party has decided me to bear off to the southeast in order to meet the enemy approaching from the southwest.  As soon as you are rested, Lieutenant Scoville—­”