Then he arose, extinguished his light, and crawled into his
dirty cot.
Before sun-up he arose, and was soon about his duties of carrying food to
others imprisoned in the castle. Upon the order of General Steinberg he
went to the vacant cell with the firing squad that was to put an end to
the lives of the four companions whom he had aided to escape.
He opened the door, and then threw up his hands in well-feigned surprise.
"Dere gone!" he exclaimed.
"What!" exclaimed the officer in charge of the firing squad.
"Impossible!"
He brushed the old negro aside and peered into the cell. Then he turned
to Uncle Billy and laid his hand on his shoulder. "You are under
arrest!" he said.
"What fo', sah?"
"For aiding the prisoners to escape."
"But, but--"
"Silence! To the general's quarters!" he commanded his men.
Uncle Billy was led before General Steinberg.
"So!" thundered the latter, after the situation had been explained to
him. "A traitor, eh!"
Uncle Billy drew himself up proudly, and the years seemed to fall from
his shoulders.
"I is no traitor, sah!" he said quietly, "Is I a traitor, sah, because I
is willin' ter die fer two li'l chillun, who is so like mah young massa?"
"What!" shouted the general. "You admit it?"
"Yassah!"
General Steinberg's face grew purple and he waved his arms about angrily.
"Then you shall die in their stead!" he shouted. "Sergeant! Take that
black hound out and shoot him! See that my order is carried out at once!"
The sergeant saluted and turned to Uncle Billy.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68