We have not come here to rob you or disturb you in any manner.
We merely wished to inquire of you if you had seen any other Southern armed forces in this vicinity." "And do you think, sir," she replied in the same uncompromising tones, "if I had seen them that I would tell you anything about it ?" "No, Madame," replied the Colonel bowing, "whatever I may have thought before I entered your portico I do not think so now." "Then it gives me pleasure to bid you good evening, sir," she said, and shut the door in his face.
Colonel Winchester laughed rather sorely.
"She had rather the better of me," he said, "but we can't make war on women.

Come on, lads, we'll ride ahead, and camp under the trees.

It's easy to obtain plenty of fuel for fires." "The darkness is coming fast," said Dick, "and it is going to be very cold, as usual." In a half hour the day was fully gone, and, as he had foretold, the night was sharp with chill, setting every man to shivering.

They turned aside into an oak grove and pitched their camp.

It was never hard to obtain fuel, as the whole area of the great civil war was largely in forest, and the soldiers dragged up fallen brushwood in abundance.