This inoffensive affair he struck hard with his fist, exclaiming under his breath, "Lord, Lord! What makes some people have such big gizzards?"
The next day little Billy was missing.
IV
Captain Mosely had the camp searched, but without result, and in a little while everybody knew that the lad was a deserter. During the morning Private Chadwick had a long talk with Captain Mosely, and the result of it was that no immediate arrangements were made to send a guard after little Billy.
Meanwhile, Aunt Sally was growing weaker and weaker. Sometimes, in her troubled dreams, she imagined that little Billy had come, and at such moments she would cry out a glad welcome, and laugh as heartily as ever. But, for the most part, she knew that he was still absent, and that all her dreams were futile and fleeting.
Nevertheless, one bright morning in the latter part of December, little Billy walked into his mother's humble home, weary and footsore. Aunt Sally heard his footstep on the door-sill, and, weak as she was, sat up in
