The Littlest Rebel Page #2

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- We practice it every day.

- Oh, God love you!

Miss Virgie,

I brought you some water and a towel.

- I thought maybe Massa Cary

would like to wash his face.

- Thank you,James Henry.

Didn't nobody tell me to do it either.

I thought of it all by myself.

Well, you must be thinking better

than you used to,James Henry.

Yes, sir, Massa Cary.

I even think more often now.

-James Henry!

- Yes, Miss Virgie?

Didn't I tell you

to bring this water?

That's right. It was you.

I thought it was Uncle Billy.

What was that I thunk up

all by myself?

Oh, yes. I was gonna polish

Massa Cary's boots.

Didn't nobody tell me to do that,

did they?

Never mind my boots,James Henry.

Go water my horse.

Yes, sir, Massa Cary.

Daddy?

Are we winning the war?

Well, things are going along.

- Will it last much longer?

- Mm, I hope not.

- Do you have to work hard in the war?

- We all have to do our share.

Every time I see you

you're always so tired.

Well, I'm not tired now.

You're giving me new strength.

I miss you, Daddy.

Do you miss me?

Indeed I do.

You know when I miss you the most?

At twilight when you used to sing to me.

Let's pretend it's twilight now, Daddy.

Now, you just close your eyes and make out

you're tired, and I'll sing to you now.

Why, I was humming in my sleep.

Aw, you were not!

Tom's bringing up another horse.

- That's fine. Oh, Tom?

- Yes, sir, Massa Cary?

- Give him some water and fill

those saddlebags with oats.

- Yes, sir, Massa Cary.

I'll go to the stables for you, Daddy.

I can run faster.

I'd better get going while the coast is clear.

I've got to find out...

where Sheridan's army's camping

and report to General Lee before nightfall.

I'm so worried about you

on these scouting expeditions.

If they catch you,

you'll be shot as a spy.

As long as they don't find any dispatches on me,

and I'm not wearing a Yankee uniform...

- I'd only be arrested as a prisoner of war.

- As if that weren't bad enough.

- Please be careful.

- You know I will.

- I'll push. It'll make you go faster.

- Oh, go on now.

- Go on, hurry!

- Oh!

- How is she, Uncle Billy?

- Oh, fine, Massa Cary. Fine, sir.

We's only got two left,

but they both good, sir.

Two left?

Well, I've had to sell or trade

nearly all the stock for food-

that is, all that weren't stolen.

I've saved the horses till the last,

knowing you might need them.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- This is the part of the war

we women must fight, darling.

Push me!

I pushed the oats all the way

from the stables, Daddy.

It's a wonder this lazy jackass

didn't eat 'em up on the way.

Go on back to that stable, boy.

Yankees, Massa Cary!

Yankees! They's comin'!

Go ahead, son. I got him.

Good-bye, darling.

Don't be afraid.

Please be careful.

- Good-bye, honey.

- Oh, Daddy.

Come on, darling.

Daddy has to hurry.

Let's see you smile.

Oh, that's only a half o' one.

Come on now.

Give Daddy a grand, big fat smile.

Oh, that's fine.

Come on, Massa Cary.

Hurry, please, sir.

I'll try to cross the river the other side

of the old mill. I can hide in the woods.

I'll fire three quick shots

to let you know I'm safe.

Keep them here long as you can.

I'll need the time. Good-bye.

- God ride with you, darling.

- Oh, Daddy?

- Yes, dear?

- Give all my love to General Lee.

I will, honey.

Seth! Seth!

Where's them Yankees at?

They're just turning off

the main road.

- Get that corn from the barn into the house.

- Yes, sir.

Quick!

I can carry two, Rosabelle.

There you is, child.

Come on, children.

Come on. Hurry.

- Are they in sight yet?

- No, ma'am, Missa Cary.

- Here, you put this away. I'll watch.

- Yes, ma'am.

Come on. Come on, hurry.

Uncle Billy!

Here they come!

Here they come!

Rosabelle, get in the drawing room and start

sewing just like you surprised to see 'em.

- Yes, Uncle Billy.

- The rest of you, out in the stable, quick.

Uncle Billy, do you think the Yankees

will find us in the secret room?

Don't you be a-scared, child.

There ain't nothing to worry about.

- There is somethin' to worry about if you's white.

- What you mean?

They won't hurt us, 'cause we's slaves.

They's fightin' for us.

But if you's white and Southern,

then you's the enemy.

Oh, don't pay him no mind.

Go on, children. Get in there and hide.

All right, Uncle Billy.

Get in now. You too young to see

anything that may happen.

- What's the matter, Miss Virgie?

- My dress is caught.

For a man they ain't gonna hurt...

you do a powerful lot of shivering

every time the Yankees comes around.

My mind says they ain't gonna hurt me,

but my body don't believe it.

Aahh!

- Where's Missa Cary?

- I don't know. I ain't seen her.

- Stand up, you!

- Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

We're looking for a spy.

Is there a rebel hiding in this house?

No, sir. No, sir, Massa General.

Nobody at all, sir.

- Who lives here?

- Missa Cary, sir.

- Is she married?

- Yes, sir.

- Where's her husband?

- I-

- Is he a rebel?

- I-

- Is he a rebel?

- He's away in the war, sir.

In the Confederate Army?

- Yes, sir.

- Where is she?

She's around,

but I don't know where, sir.

Search the house, men.

She's hiding someone.

- If she wasn't, she'd be here.

- Yes, sir. Come on, men.

Barnes, Lorny, Robinson, upstairs.

The rest of you men take the lower floor.

- Start in back. Mason, deploy all your men.

- Yes, sir.

- Bring me a drink.

- We ain't got nothin', sir, 'cepting apple cider.

- Well, bring me that.

- Yes, sir, Massa General.

- You, get me something to eat.

- We ain't got-

- Get me something to eat!

- I'll try, sir.

Here's something, men.

Keep it covered.

Yes, sir, I was just on my way out.

What were you doing in that closet?

I-I went in there to get me some air.

Oh, you go into a dark closet to get air,

do you?

Yes, sir. You see, I'm a man

who likes to change his air.

I gets tired of regular old air.

So every little once in a while,

I go in someplace...

and get me some good closet air.

Come on, come on. Get out of here.

Search it, men.

- Nobody back there, sir.

- Any trapdoors in the floor?

- Couldn't find any, sir.

- Well, keep your eyes open.

- Yes, sir.

- Watch for secret panels.

These houses all have 'em.

- Why did you drop that pitcher?

- It just slipped off the tray, sir.

Slipped, eh? It slipped when I said

something about secret panels.

- That's when it slipped, didn't it?

- I didn't hear you say it, sir.

- Now listen, you-

- Sergeant!

- Sergeant!

- Find anything?

These oats out in front,

and the ground nearby was wet...

as though a horse had been watered

and the saddlebags filled.

These oats ain't been there 1 0 minutes.

The sun hasn't turned 'em yet.

Search the stables and rush some

men down to the river near that old mill.

- That's where he'll cross ifhe gets away.

- Yes, sir.

Come on, boys.

Here, take this to the kitchen

and get the general some more cider.

- Sergeant.

- Find anything?

- Nothing up there.

- There's a trapdoor in the kitchen.

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