The food was coarse, but it was good, and the hungry soldier boy did ample justice to the viands.

The boy and girl who had followed him into the house, stood, one on each side of him, watching him in speechless astonishment.
"Where did yer come from ?" asked the woman, when Tom had about half finished his dinner.
"From down below," replied Tom, rather indefinitely.
"Don't b'long in these yere parts, I reckon ?" "No, marm." "Where are ye gwine ?" "Going to join my regiment." "Where is yer rigiment ?" "That's more than I know, marm." "How long yer been travelling ?" persisted the woman, who was perhaps afraid that the guest would eat up the whole of the family's dinner, if she did not make some kind of a feint to attract his attention.
"Only a few days, marm." "Kin yer till me what all thet noise was about day 'fore yesterday ?" "Yes, marm; it was a big battle." "Gracious me! Yer don't say so! Whar was it ?" "Down below Centreville." "Which beat ?" "The Confederates drove the Yankees off the field," answered Tom, suspending business long enough to glance at the woman, and see how the intelligence was received.
"Yer don't! Then they won't want my old man." Tom was unable to determine whether his hostess was Union or "Secesh" from her words or her looks.

He could not inform her whether they would want her old man or not.

When he had eaten all he could, he proposed like an honest youth to pay for what he had eaten; but Betsey had the true idea of southern hospitality, and refused to receive money for the food eaten beneath her roof.

She had a loaf of coarse bread, however, in which she permitted Tom to invest the sum of six cents.
"I am very much obliged to you, marm; and I shall be glad to do as much for you, any time," said Tom, as he went towards the front door.
As he was about to open it, his ears were startled by an imperative knock on the outside.