While the conversation was going on between the Tory and Gray Panther, Gravity Gimp was rubbing and nursing his "game leg," with many sighs and , which he took care should be heard by those around him, while at the same time it did not annoy them.  
" it, I s'pose," remarked Golcher, deeming it best to keep back his intentions toward the negro until after he should have extracted all the information he could.
 
"Wuss dan a strain," said Gravity, looking ruefully down at the limb and rubbing it with one hand.
 
"How can it be worse than a strain?"
 
"It's ."
 
"You talk like a fool—what do you mean by bustin' a leg?"
 
"I mean dat it ain't no use any more—ain't wuth nuffin to dance de double wid."
 
"How did you hurt it?"
 
"Got struck by a cannon-ball dis arternoon—but I recovered from dat slight inconwenience, and I strained and broke it in two or three places a little while ago."
 
"How?"
 
"In flingin' Injins ober de rocks, I it."
 
The explanation was not very clear to Golcher, but he was satisfied the limb was badly sprained, and he cared nothing further. It rendered what might have been a dangerous prisoner comparatively harmless, which was a good thing while the main party of Indians were away, engaged in the , whose possession was so much more valuable.
 
"All you folks got into the , down among the rocks over there, thinkin' you was safe, didn't you?"
 
"We crept in dar not 'cause we thought it war safe, but 'cause it war the bestest thing we could do."
 
"Do you know anything about Fred Godfrey?"
 
"Yes; he hab de honor ob my 'quaintance."
 
"That isn't what I mean: do you know where he is?"
 
"I tink he am ober on de oder side ob de riber Injins and Tories."
 
It will be that Gravity left the cavern before the put in his appearance, and the African therefore knew nothing of his presence with his friends.
 
"Wal," Golcher, finding it hard to repress the anger that was at his heart; "the trouble to-day has been that too many of the rebels got themselves; if it hadn't been for that, things would have gone different; but that Godfrey will be with the party up in the rocks afore long."
 
"Guess you're ' right, Massa Golcher."
 
"Do you know," suddenly asked Golcher turning on the negro, "that we're going to have every one of that party afore daylight?"
 
"No, I didn't know it; did you?"
 
"They'll be here inside of two hours, and then there'll b............