She then told them not to tell the officer where he was.
"What shell I do ?" said she, placing herself before the fireplace.
"Don't be alarmed.

He will keep out of their way," replied Tom.
"But the officer man said he was gwine to stay 'bout yere till he gits hum," moaned the poor woman.
"He will not do any such thing.

Your husband has the woods before him, and he won't let them catch him." "Deary me! I'm 'feared they will." "Where are they now ?" "They're gone out to look for him." The officer and his men returned in a few moments, having satisfied themselves that the proprietor of the place was not on the premises.
"Now we'll search the house," said the officer; and Tom heard them walking about in the room.
Of course the militia man could not be found, and the officer used some very unbecoming language to express his disapprobation of the skulker, as he called him.
"Woman, if you don't tell me where your husband is, I'll have you arrested," said he, angrily.
"I don't know myself.

He's gone off over the mountains to git some things.
Thet's all I know about it, and if yer want to arrest me, yer kin." But the officer concluded that she would be a poor substitute for an able bodied man, and he compromised the matter by leaving one of the privates, instructing him not to let the woman or the children leave the house, and to remain till the skulker returned.
This was not very pleasant information for Tom who perceived that he was likely to be shut up in the chimney for the rest of the day, and perhaps be smoked or roasted out at supper time.

Climbing up to the top of his prison house, he looked over, and saw the officer and one private disappear in the woods which lay between the house and the railroad.
Looking over the other way, he saw the coveted recruit approaching the house from beyond the garden..