“Lor’ bless you, Marster William,” exclaimed Judy, at the same time covering his hand with tears and kisses, “It’s Judy, I is, I know’d you hadn’t done forgot me.”

“Oh, no, Judy,” said he, “I have not forgotten one of you, but I did not know whether you were living or not, so I did not bring you presents, but I’ll get you something, in a few days.  Meantime take this,” said he, slipping a silver dollar into the hands of Aunt Katy and Aunt Judy, each of whom showered upon him so many blessings and “thankes” that he was glad to leave the kitchen and return to his companions, who were talking to Uncle Joshua without getting any definite answer.

His brother’s sudden return had operated strangely upon him, and for a time he seemed to be in a kind of trance.  He would draw his chair up closely to William, and, after gazing intently at him for a time, would pass his large rough hand over his hair, muttering to himself, “Yes, it is Bill, and no mistake, but who’d a thought it?”

At last rousing himself he turned to his other guests, and said, “You mustn’t think hard on me, if I ain’t as peart and talkin’ like for a spell; Bill’s comin’ home has kinder oversot the old man, and I’m thinkin’ of the past when we’s little boys and lived at home on pap’s old plantation afore any of us was dead.”

The young gentlemen readily excused the old man’s silence, and when the slanting beams of the setting sun betokened the approach of night, they all, with the exception of Ashton, began to speak of returning home.  Mr. Middleton urged them to stay, saying, “What’s the use of goin’?  Nancy’s got beds enough, I reckon, and will be right glad of a chance to show her new calico kiverlids, and besides we are goin’ to have some briled hen in the morning, so stay.”

But as the next day was the Sabbath, the gentlemen declined the invitation, and bidding the host “good-bye,” they were soon on their way homeward, each declaring that he had seldom spent a pleasanter day.  As they can undoubtedly find their way to Frankfort without our assistance, we will remain at Uncle Joshua’s together with Mr. William Middleton and Ashton.  The latter felt as if he had suddenly found an old friend, and as nothing of importance required his presence at home, he decided to remain where he was until Monday.

That evening, after everything was “put to rights” and Mr. Middleton had yelled out his usual amount of orders, he returned to the porch, where his brother and Ashton were still seated.  Lighting his old cob pipe he said, “Come, Bill, Nancy’ll fetch out her rockin’ cheer and knittin’ work, and we’ll hear the story of your doin’s in that heathenish land, but be kinder short, for pears like I’d lived a year today, and I feel mighty like goin’ to sleep.”