She recalled
Estralla's effort to rescue her at Fort Sumter on the day Sylvia had run
away from Miss Patten's school; and she remembered that it was Estralla
who had told Miss Patten the real reason, and so saved her from further
trouble.
"Estralla, you have been my true friend," she declared, "and I am going
to remember it always. I am going to ask my mother to put a nice little
bed for you in your mammy's cabin."
"Don' yo' do that, Missy. I likes sleepin' on de rug," pleaded Estralla.
"Hush, we must creep in without making any noise," responded Sylvia, in
a whisper, for they were now directly in front of Sylvia's home.
Noiselessly Estralla led the way.
"Oh, Missy! de door is shut fas'," she whispered, as she endeavored to
push it open,
"But it can't be shut," Sylvia answered.
Both the little girls pushed against it, but the door stood fast.
"Oh! What will we do?" half sobbed Sylvia, who was now very tired, and
almost too sleepy to think of anything.
"We cyan't get in de back door. My mammy she'd wake up if a rabbit run
twixt her cabin an' de kitchen," Estralla whispered back. "I 'spec's
I'll hev' to climb up to de winder ober de porch, and comes down and let
you in."
"Oh! Can you, Estralla?"
Sylvia's voice was very near to tears. She had forgotten all about the
importance of the message she had safely delivered. All she wanted now
was to be inside this dear safe house where her mother and father were
sleeping, not knowing that their little girl, cold and sleepy, was shut
out.
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