"Open it and read it, Maria," said Si, to whom reading of letters meant labor, and he was yet too weak for work.
ONE:"Shorty," said Si admiringly, "Gen. Grant 'll hear o' you some day, and then Co. Q will lose its brightest star, but the army'll gain a great General.""No. We only moved in here this afternoon, and did not know how long we were going to stay. I was ordered to stay here till further orders, to protect the road beyond."
"Yes, sir," answered Billings, beginning to look very uncomfortable."Go ahead, there, and divide them rations, as I ordered you, and be quick about it, for we must hurry off.""I'm so glad to hear it," murmured the woman."And has anybody seen Pete Skidmore?" chimed in Shorty, his voice suddenly changing from a tone of exultation to one of deepest concern. "Why don't some o' you speak? Are you all dumb?"