Where does your mother live, boy ?" "I aint going to tell you," Vincent said doggedly.

"Mother said I wasn't to tell no one where I lived, else the Yankee thieves would be a-coming down and stealing the rest of our chickens." The officers laughed.
"Well, go along, boy; and I should advise you not to say anything about Yankee thieves another time, for likely enough, you will get a broken head for your pains." Vincent went off grumbling, and with a slow and stumbling step made his way over the brow of the hill and down through the camps behind.

Here he sold his last two fowls and his eggs, and then walked briskly on until he reached the cottage from which he had started.
"I am glad to see you back," the woman said as he entered.

"How have you got on ?" "Capitally," he said.

"I pretended to be half an idiot, and so got safely out, though I fell into Sheridan's hands.