26 LUCY AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.

“Ts that the General?” said Lucy, whispering
to her mother.

“ Hush!” said her mother.

The General had a plain, farmer-like look ; his
countenance, however, was intelligent and ex-
pressive. He seemed very glad to see the trav-
ellers. He invited them to come in immediately,
— even before he heard their story, — and when
Lucy’s father had told him what their circum-
stances were, he said, —

* Yes, yes, —I can accommodate you just as
well as not. Yam very glad to see you.”

Then he told the boy to hold the horse’s head,
while he took Lucy out, and put her down upon
a great flat stone before the door. Then her
father and mother got out, and the General took
off the trunk, which was strapped on behind, and
set it down also upon the stone. He also took
out the other baggage, and then told the boy to
lead the horse off to the barn, and said that he
would send out Joseph to help him take care of
him. Then they all went into the house.

Just as they were going in at the door, Lucy
said, in a very low voice, to her mother, who was
leading her by the hand, —

‘Mother, I thought that a general was a kind
of a soldier ”