"
The negro hurried the officer and Mike into one of the cabins, and
shoved them into a sort of closet, while he went to the door himself. He
passed out into the lane, as the man came into it from the middle of the
field, for he had not been near enough to the shore to discover the
boat.
"Who dar?" called Job.
"Soldier from the fort," replied the man. "What are you doing out here
at this time of night?"
"I done get sick, massa, and I's gwine up to de big house to see de
doctor," replied the negro, who probably used the first excuse that came
into his head.
"The doctor!" exclaimed the soldier. "Is there a doctor there?"
"I reckon dar's one dar if he done habn't leabe yisterday."
"Then you can do my errand for me," added the soldier.
"Yes, sar; what's dat, massa?"
"One of our men is very sick, and we have no doctor. We are afraid he
will die before morning, and we want a doctor. Ours was ordered off a
week ago."
"I go for de doctor if he's dar," said Job.
"Very well; I will go back and tell the sick man the doctor's coming,"
added the soldier. "That will give him a hope, if nothing more."
"Dis nigger's 'feered de doctor done gone away."
"If he isn't there, we can't have him; but hurry up, Uncle Job, and come
over and tell us if he isn't there," said the soldier, as he hurried
away as rapidly as he came, evidently believing that hope was a panacea
to a sick man.
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