CASTLEMON'S WAR SERIES. 

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 TRUE TO HIS COLORS

 HARRY CASTLEMON, AUTHOR OF "GUNBOAT SERIES, " "ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES, " "SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES, " ETC. , ETC. 

 Eight Illustrations by Geo. G. White. 

 PHILADELPHIA:

 PORTER & COATES. 

 FAMOUS CASTLEMON BOOKS. 

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GUNBOAT SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 6 vols. 12mo. 

FRANK THE YOUNG NATURALIST. FRANK ON A GUNBOAT. FRANK IN THE WOODS. FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG. FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. FRANK ON THE PRAIRIE. 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. FRANK AMONG THE RANCHEROS. FRANK AT DON CARLOS' RANCH. FRANK IN THE MOUNTAINS. 

SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. 

THE SPORTSMAN'S CLUB IN THE SADDLE. THE SPORTSMAN'S CLUB AFLOAT. THE SPORTSMAN'S CLUB AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 

FRANK NELSON SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. SNOWED UP. FRANK IN THE FORECASTLE. THE BOY TRADERS. 

BOY TRAPPER SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. THE BURIED TREASURE. THE BOY TRAPPER. THE MAIL-CARRIER. 

ROUGHING IT SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. GEORGE IN CAMP. GEORGE AT THE WHEEL. GEORGE AT THE FORT. 

ROD AND GUN SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. DON GORDON'S SHOOTING BOX. ROD AND GUN CLUB. THE YOUNG WILD FOWLERS. 

GO-AHEAD SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. TOM NEWCOMBE. GO-AHEAD. NO MOSS. 

FOREST AND STREAM SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. JOE WAYRING. SNAGGED AND SUNK. STEEL HORSE. 

WAR SERIES. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 5 vols. 12mo. Cloth. TRUE TO HIS COLORS. RODNEY THE PARTISAN. RODNEY THE OVERSEER. MARCY THE BLOCKADE-RUNNER. MARCY THE REFUGEE. 

Other Volumes in Preparation. 

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 COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY PORTER & COATES. 

 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER PAGE

 I. ALL ABOUT THE FLAG, 5

 II. THE STRANGE BANNER, 24

 III. CHEERS FOR "THE STARS AND BARS, " 44

 IV. RODNEY'S THREAT, 65

 V. THE PAID SPY, 88

 VI. THE STRUGGLE ON THE TOWER, 113

 VII. OLD TOBY'S MONEY, 138

 VIII. BUD GOBLE'S WATERLOO, 163

 IX. THE COMMITTEE AT WORK, 185

 X. THE CALL TO ARMS, 206

 XI. BUD'S MESSENGER IN TROUBLE, 231

 XII. THE FIRST COMPANY IN ACTION, 252

 XIII. HAULING DOWN THE COLORS, 277

 XIV. MARCY CHANGES HIS CLOTHES, 302

 XV. FORCED INTO THE SERVICE, 328

 XVI. SECRET ENEMIES, 349

 XVII. MARCY GRAY PRIVATEERSMAN, 372

XVIII. CONCLUSION, 397

 TRUE TO HIS COLORS. 

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 CHAPTER I. 

 ALL ABOUT THE FLAG. 

"Rodney Gray, I am ashamed of you; and if you were not my cousin, Ishould be tempted to thrash you within an inch of your life. "

"Never mind the relationship. After listening to the sentiments you havebeen preaching in this academy for the last three months, I am moreashamed of it than you can possibly be. You're a Yankee at heart, and atraitor to your State. Let go those halliards!"

"I'll not do it. Look here, Rodney. Your ancestors and mine have foughtunder this flag ever since it has been a flag, and, if I can help it, you shall not be the first of our name to haul it down. Let go yourself, and stand back, or I will throw you over the parapet. "

"But that flag doesn't belong up there any longer, and I say, and we allsay, that it shall not stay. Here's our banner; and if there's a warcoming, as some of you seem to think, it will lead us to victory onevery battle-field. "

An exciting scene was being enacted in and around the belfry of theBarrington Military Institute on the morning of the 9th of March, 1861;and it was but one of many similar scenes which, for some time past, hadbeen of almost daily occurrence in many parts of the South. It had beenbrought about by the efforts of a band of young secessionists, headed byRodney Gray, to haul down the academy flag, and to hoist in its place astrange banner--one that nobody had ever seen or heard of previous tothe 4th of March, the day on which Mr. Lincoln was inaugurated Presidentof the United States. The students who were gathered on the top of thetower at the time our story begins were Southern boys without exception, but they did not all believe in secession and disunion. Many of themwere loyal to the old flag, and were not ready to see it hauled down, and a strange piece of bunting run up in its place. 

Those were exciting times in our country's history, you may be sure. Rumors of war filled the air on every side. Seven States had rebelledand defied the authority of the government, and for no other reason thanbecause a man they did not like had been elected President. A newgovernment had been established at Montgomery, and formally inauguratedon the 18th of February. Jefferson Davis, President of the secededStates, had been authorized to accept the services of one hundredthousand volunteers to serve for one year, unless sooner discharged, andthey were to be mustered to "repel invasion, maintain the rightfulpossession of the Confederate States of America, and secure the publictranquillity against threatened assault. " Every schoolboy who has paidany attention to his history knows that there was not the slightestexcuse for calling this immense army into existence. The disunionleaders repeatedly declared that Northern men would not fight, and theyseemed to have good grounds for thinking so; for, although Fort Sumterwas surrounded by hostile batteries, no attempt had been made to sendsupplies to Major Anderson and the gallant fellows who were shut up inthe fort with him, and more than five weeks passed after the formationof the Confederate government before President Lincoln called forseventy-five thousand militia to "suppress unlawful combinations, and tocause the laws to be duly executed. " But this unnecessary act of theConfederate Provisional Congress had just the effect it was intended tohave. It "fired the Southern heart, " and immediately every man, woman, and boy "took sides. " The papers had just brought the glorious news toBarrington, and the students at the military academy were in a state ofintense excitement over it. 

Even at this late day there are boys--bright fellows, too--who believethat when the war broke out every one who lived in the South was arebel; but this was by no means the case. The South was divided againstitself, and so was the North. Horace Greeley, in his "Recollections of aBusy Life, " tells us that in the beginning there were not more than halfa million "Simon-pure" secessionists to be found among the five millionsand more of whites who lived south of Mason and Dixon's line. Of coursesubsequent events, like the War and Emancipation proclamations, added tothis number; but even at the end there were Union-loving peoplescattered all through the seceded States, and they clung to theirprinciples in spite of everything, fighting the conscript officers, andresisting all the efforts that were made to force them into the rebelarmy. The Confederates called these plucky men and boys traitors, although they denied that they were traitors themselves. They hated themwith an undying hatred, and when they captured them with arms in theirhands, as Forrest captured the garrison at Fort Pillow, they made shortwork with them. 

If it is true that a majority of the Southern people believed that aState had the right to withdraw from the Union when things were notmanaged in a satisfactory way, it is equally true that there was a partyin the North who held the same opinion. They said, "Let the erringsisters go" if they want to, and declared that "Whenever anyconsiderable section of our Union shall deliberately resolve to go out, we shall resist all coercive measures designed to keep it in. " Thesewere the rabid Abolitionists, who were perfectly willing that the nationshould be destroyed rather than that it should continue to existhalf-slave and half-free. One of their leaders, who afterward became aUnion general, declared, "If slavery is the condition of the perpetuityof the Union, let the Union _slide, _" for slavery must in no case beallowed to continue. The Southern planters wanted that their "peculiarinstitution" should be taken into the territories, while theAbolitionists demanded that it should be blotted out altogether; and tothese two parties we are indebted for our four years' war. 

There was still another secession party on both sides of the line, whothought the government had no power to keep the Southern States in theUnion if they did not want to stay, and that if allowed to go in peacethey would soon get tired of trying to manage their own affairs, anddrift back into the Union of their own free will. It was better that theUnion should be peacefully sundered than that there should be a warabout it. But another party said that such talk was treason; that theConstitution was ordained to establish a "more perfect Union, " which wasto be "perpetuated"; that no State, or combination of States, had anyright to try to break up the government because they could no longer runthings to suit themselves; and that there was not room enough foranother flag on this Continent. This was the good old Union party, andfortunately it was resolute enough and strong enough to run the starrybanner up to the masthead and keep it there. This was what Marcy Gray, aNorth Carolina boy, had done on this particular morning on the roof ofthe Barrington Military Institute, and he had done it, too, in spite ofall the efforts his cousin, Rodney Gray, backed by nearly all the youngrebels in the school, had made to prevent it. Ever since the day onwhich the news came that South Carolina had passed the ordinance ofsecession, that flag, which up to this time had been raised and loweredonly at certain hours, had been a bone of contention. For long years ithad floated over the academy, and no one had ever had a word to sayagainst it; but the moment it became known that one of the SouthernStates had decided that she would not stay in the Union if Mr. Lincolnwas to rule over it, there was a great change in the feelings of thestudents regarding that piece of bunting. What an excitement there wason the morning of the 21st of December, when Rodney Gray rushed into thehall with his Charleston _Mercury_ in his hand!

"Hurrah for plucky little South Carolina!" he shouted, striking up awar-dance and flourishing the paper over his head. "Listen to this, fellows: 'The Union is dissolved. Passed at 1:15 P. M. , December 20, 1860, an ordinance to dissolve the Union existing between the State ofSouth Carolina and other States united with her under the compactentitled "The Constitution of the United States of America. "' There itis in black and white. She's out, and of course all the other CottonStates will go with her. The Stars and Stripes have been pulled down inthe city of Charleston, and the State flag is flying over all the publicbuildings. Let's follow their example, and haul that flag down from thetower. Come on, Marcy. "

These two boys, Rodney and Marcy Gray, were very popular among theirfellows, and had been looked up to as leaders ever since they arrived atthe dignity of memberships in the first class and company. They werecousins, and both were Southern born. Marcy was a "Tarheel, " because hecame from North Carolina, and Rodney was called a "Pelican, " Louisianabeing his native State. 

Rodney's father was a rich sugar-planter who did not want to haveanything to do with Northern men, some of whom would have taken hisslaves from him if they had possessed the power, and thus deprived himof the means of working his fine plantation; and it was natural that hisonly son should follow in his lead. Rodney believed in State Rights, andpreached his doctrines as often as he could find any one willing tolisten to him. His Cousin Marcy had no father (he was lost at sea whenthe boy and his older brother, Jack, were quite young), and he believedas his mother did--that slavery was wrong, that the Union was right, andthat those who wanted to destroy it were fanatics who did not know whatthey were about. But Marcy was not a passive Unionist. On the day SouthCarolina began threatening secession, he declared that she ought to bewhipped into submission; and he had never ceased to proclaim hisprinciples in spite of the lowering looks he saw and the threats heheard on every side. The boys declared that they would send him toCoventry; that is, withdraw from all fellowship with him; but when theycame to try it, they found to their surprise and disgust, that theywould have to go back on more than half the school, for some of the bestboys in it promptly sided with Marcy. The latter had many friends, andthe Union sentiment was strong in the academy; but on the morning thatRodney Gray read the extract from the Charleston _Mercury, _ showing thatSouth Carolina had made no idle threat when she threatened to secede ifshe could not have her own way, then the real test came. Many of theboys were astonished and shocked, for they had never believed thatthings would come to such a pass. The mail having just been distributed, they all had papers, but they did not stop to read them after listeningto those ominous headlines. They shoved them into their pockets and wentslowly out of the building, while Rodney and his fellows, who werealmost beside themselves with exultation and excitement, made a rush forthe stairs that led to the tower. On the way Rodney stopped to exchangea few words with his cousin. 

"You didn't think it would come, did you?" he exclaimed, walking up toMarcy and snatching away the paper on which the latter's eyes werefastened. "But you see it has, don't you? It seems that those furiousthreats about secession were not all talk, don't it? But seriously, Marcy, I know you stand where every other Southern boy stands, and thatyou are with us heart and soul. All I ask of you is to say so. Why don'tyou speak? Which side are you on, any way?"

But Marcy did not utter a word. Although he looked straight at hiscousin he did not appear to know that Rodney was talking to him, for hismind was busy with other matters. 

"Tell him you're neutral, " suggested Dick Graham, whose home was inMissouri, and whom we may meet again under different circumstances. "That's what I am going to be, for I don't think my State will follow inSouth Carolina's lead. "

"But I am not neutral. " replied Marcy, arousing himself at last. "I amfor the Union all over, and I'm sorry we haven't a Jackson in Washingtonat this moment to say that it must and shall be preserved. I hopeBuchanan will send ships enough into Charleston harbor to blow thatmiserable State out of water. "

"Let him try it, and see how quickly the other Cotton States will arm tohelp her, " exclaimed Bob Cole, who was one of Rodney's friends andfollowers. "Coerce a sovereign State? The President can't do it. TheConstitution does not give him the power. "

Bob Cole did not know it, and neither did any of the other boys who werestanding around listening to his fiery words, but that was the veryargument the frightened chief magistrate was going to put forth in hisnext message to Congress. 

"The President will only make a bad matter worse if he tries any foolthing like that, " continued Bob, who, like most of the boys of thatsection of the country, had heard these matters discussed so often thathe had them at his tongue's end. "I tell you that the events ofyesterday are an entering wedge. We are tired of the company of thoseYankees up North, and now we are going to get rid of them and have agovernment of our own; see if we don't. Why should we not? The people upthere do not belong to the same race we do. They are regicides andRoundheads--plodding, stingy folks, in whose eyes a dollar looks as bigas a cart-wheel. The race who settled Virginia and scattered all overthese Southern States, were cavaliers and money spenders, and theirdescendants are the same. We've wanted to get rid of them ever since1830, and now we are going to do it. Patrick Henry warned us againstforming a partnership with them in the first place. "

"Whom do you mean by us and we?" demanded Marcy, who had listened insilence to this speech, which was addressed to the boys gathered in thehall rather than to himself. "You don't live in South Carolina. "

"No, but I do, " said Ed Billings, elbowing his way to the foot of thestairs on which Bob had perched himself when he began his address. "I gowith my State, and you will have to go with yours or show yourself atraitor. "

"A traitor to what?" inquired Marcy. 

"To your State, " Billings almost shouted. 

"My State hasn't seceded yet; but if she does, and I go with her, howwill I stand in regard to the old flag--the one that waves over thisacademy?"

Billings tried to answer, but his voice was drowned in the wild shoutsthat arose from the assembled students. 

"Haul the flag down!" they yelled, almost as one boy. 

"No, no, " cried some of the more reasonable ones, after they had takentime to think twice. "Let's wait upon the colonel and request him tohave it taken down. "

"There's one thing I want you all to bear in mind, " added a tall fellow, who hearing the tumult in the hall had come back to see what it was allabout. "Those colors shall not come down without the colonel's orders, and I'll mix up promiscuous with any chap who lays an ugly hand uponthem. "

So it seemed that the old flag had defenders even here; and although itmay not have had a very sincere friend in the person of the head of theschool, he positively refused to order it down, or to permit thestudents to pull it down. It would be time enough to attend to that whenthey learned what the State was going to do. The boys went awaydisappointed; but the most of them believed that the day would come whenthey could work their sweet will with that "emblem of tyranny, " as theyhad already begun to call it. 

From that time forward there were none in all the length and breadth ofthe land who kept a closer watch upon passing events than did the threehundred students of the Barrington military academy; but it is aquestion whether they did not imbibe a great many false ideas along withthe news they read. The Southern press never did deal fairly with itsreaders. All dispatches favorable to the secessionists and their causewere published, as a matter of course; but those that were not favorablewere either suppressed entirely, or distorted out of all semblance tothe truth. They began this course in the early days of the Confederacyand kept it up to the end, one of their generals forging a telegraphdispatch, in which he announced that he had won a great battle, duringwhich he killed and captured twenty thousand Federals, and destroyedfour of Porter's gunboats. 

For three months the flag that floated over the academy held its place. Persevering and daring attempts were made to steal it at night, but theywere every one frustrated by the vigilance and courage of the boys whohad not yet lost all love for it, and for the memory of those whosedeeds it commemorated. When the colonel announced that he would takecharge of the bunting at night the Union boys thought it would be insafe hands; but it turned out afterward that they were mistaken. 

The tension of brain and nerve to which the students were subjectedduring the next few weeks was something to wonder at, and every dayadded to their suspense and anxiety. South Carolina sent commissionersto other States, urging them to join her in the secession movement, andone of them shouted to the citizens of Georgia: "Buy arms, and throw thebloody spear into the den of the assassins and incendiaries, and Goddefend the right!" But Stephens said in reply: "I tell you frankly thatthe election of a man constitutionally chosen president is notsufficient cause for any State to separate from the Union. " And yet in avery few weeks this same Alexander H. Stephens was vice-president of theConfederacy. Mississippi went out of the Union first, and othersfollowed, until there were seven of them to organize a new governmentunder a new flag. Then it was that the first open attempt was made tohaul the old banner down from the academy flag-staff; but it waspromptly met, and although Rodney Gray and his followers had beenreinforced by nearly all the students belonging to the seceded States, the Union boys were strong enough to drive them down stairs, through thehall, and out of the building. They tried to be as good-natured as theycould about it, but there were a few fights that took place before thepeaceable ones could interfere, and the result was that Rodney Gray andsome others found themselves in the guard-house. But they were neverbrought to trial, for, after that, events came thick and fast, and therigid discipline to which the students had hitherto been subjected wasso greatly relaxed, that it was a wonder the school held together aslong as it did. Before the Confederate Congress adjourned it passed theact of which we have spoken, authorizing President Davis to accept theservices of one hundred thousand one year's men, and then the excitementwas at fever heat. 

This act was passed on the 7th of March, and on the evening of the nextday the papers brought the news of it to Barrington. There was also oneother act of the Confederate Congress which excited some comment, but, with the exception of Rodney Gray, no one at the academy gave it asecond thought. When you hear what that act was, and what Rodney didabout it, you will perhaps realize how very much in earnest thedisunionists were, and how their unreasonable hostility toward those whodid not believe as they did led them to forget their manhood, and dothings they would not have dreamed of in their sane and sober moments. 

The same mail that brought these papers brought also several mysteriouspackages, each of which contained an article that none of the Barringtonpeople had ever seen before. One of them was addressed to Rodney Gray. He ran the guard and went to the post-office after it; or, rather, heclimbed the fence in full view of the sentry, who turned his back andwalked off without making any effort to stop him. The thing he found inthat package was what brought on the fight between him and Marcy, towhich reference was made at the beginning of this chapter. 

 CHAPTER II. 

 THE STRANGE BANNER. 

The military academy was located a little over two miles fromBarrington, which was a wealthy and aristocratic place of about threethousand inhabitants. It was a square stone building, flanked withtowers at each corner, and looked something like a little fortress whenviewed from a distance. In the days when military discipline had beenenforced, the mail was brought to the academy regularly every morningand evening; but after the presidential election the students became sovery restless and impatient that they could not wait for old darkey Samand his slow-going mule to bring them their letters and papers. Theythrew the regulations to the winds, and openly defying courts-martialand every other form of punishment, climbed the fence in plain sight ofthe sentries and went to town in a body. At least that was what some ofthem did; but a few of the more obedient and easy-going ones, like MarcyGray and his particular friends, asked for a pass when they desired it, and if they didn't get it they had self-control enough to remain withinbounds. 

Rodney Gray and the boys who went to Barrington with him on the day wehave mentioned saw that there was "something up" the minute they reachedtown. Blue "nullification" badges, and red, white, and blue rosetteswere seen on every side, and strange banners were waving in the air;those who had no flag-staffs in their yards or on their houses hangingthe colors out of their upper windows. Heretofore the students hadsometimes seen men and women walking the streets with small Union flagspinned to their breasts; but there was not one in sight now. 

"What's in the wind?" exclaimed Rodney, after he had taken a glancearound and noted these little things. "And what sort of a flag is thatup there on Mr. Riley's office?"

"It must be the new Confederate banner, that made its appearance for thefirst time on the 4th, " replied Dick Graham, who was one of the party. 

"Hurry up, fellows, " cried Ed Billings, catching the two by the arm andquickening his pace. "We're going to hear great news this evening, and Iam impatient to know what it will be. Hold on; now we shall hear allabout it. "

Just then a couple of young ladies with whom they were well acquaintedcame up; the boys lifted their caps to them, and Ed continued, pointingfirst to the red, white, and blue rosettes with which they weredecorated, and then at the new colors that were fluttering over theirheads:

"Anything exciting been going on lately? And what has become of all thelittle Union flags we saw yesterday?"

"No doubt they have been concealed to await the time when the Yankeesshall come marching through here with fire and sword, " replied one ofthe girls. 

Such talk was common enough in the South in those days, and the peoplelearned it not only from their own leaders, but from secessionsympathizers who lived in the North. Fire and sword were just whatJefferson Davis intended to give the States that did not belong to theConfederacy. This is what he said in his speech at Montgomery on theevening of February 15:

"If war must come, it must be on Northern, not on Southern, soil. Aglorious future is before us. The grass will grow in Northern citieswhere the pavements have been worn off by the tread of commerce. We willcarry war where it is easy to advance, where food for the sword andtorch await our armies in the densely populated cities. "

Ex-President Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire made use of nearly thesame language when he wrote to Davis, assuring him that, "If there isany fighting it will be within our own borders and in our own streets. "Turn to your history if you want to see how these confident predictionswere fulfilled. 

"Well, if those Yankee flags are not brought to light until the Yankeesthemselves come marching through this State, you will never see themagain, " said Rodney, with emphasis. "If the Northern people fool with uswe will keep them so busy on their own ground that they will never thinkof coming down here. But what's the use of talking about war! They'llnot fight. I only wish they would, so that we might show them how easyit would be for us to whip them. But is that our flag up there? And whatis the meaning of those ribbons?"

"Oh, haven't you heard? Well, you'll know all about it when you get yourpaper. The president has been empowered to call for an immense army ofour gallant--"

"Bosh!" sneered Rodney; and then he apologized for the interruption andfor the expression he had used. 

"But we need an army to hold possession of our coast defences, do wenot? All the government property in the Confederacy has been seized, andnow that we have got it, we must hold fast to it. "

"Certainly; but we don't need an army to do that. Our school battalion, if the boys were only united, could do it and not half try. "

"If they were united?" repeated one of the girls. "You do not mean tosay that there are traitors in that school?"

Rodney replied that was just what he did mean to say. He declared thatthe academy was a hotbed of treason, and Cole and Billings confirmed hiswords. The girls were surprised to hear it. 

"And even the colonel hasn't the pluck of a cat or a mind of his own, "continued Billings. "He doesn't seem to know where he stands. "

"Every one in town wonders why that flag has been permitted to float solong, and now I know, " said one of the girls. "The colonel is friendlyto it; but still, if you young gentlemen had half the courage we havegiven you credit for, you would have pulled it down long ago. "

Rodney winced. He did not like to confess that he and his friends hadtried their best to haul the flag down, but the Union boys had preventedthem from doing it; for he knew the girls would laugh at him. They mightdo even worse than that. They might tell him that he need not troublehimself to call upon them any more (for things had come to that passalready), so he brought forward the best excuse he could think of on thespur of the moment. 

"But the colonel will not allow it, " he protested. "He says it will betime enough to bother with the flag when we find out what the State isgoing to do. "

"But I don't see how you can march under those colors when your owngallant Louisiana has followed South Carolina out of the Union. "

"I confess we don't like it, " said Cole, "but a good soldier alwaysobeys orders, you know. Wait until the State acts, and then you shallhear from us. "

"I hope to hear from you before that time, although this State is boundto go with the others. I should be ashamed to acknowledge that I livewithin her borders if she shows such a want of spirit as to be willingto remain in the Union after all that has happened. The next time youcome to see me, Mr. Cole, " said the young lady sweetly, "I shall expectyou to tell me that that flag has been hauled down in spite of allopposition, and that our own Confederate flag has been hoisted in itsplace. "

"So that's our flag, is it?" said Rodney, casting a glance of pridetoward the Stars and Bars that waved from several buildings within therange of his vision. "I thought as much. When did it get here?"

"We received a score or more of them by this day's mail, and ourpatriotic citizens lost no time in giving them to the breeze, " was thereply. 

"But the trouble is, we haven't any flag of that sort at the academy, "said Cole. "So how are we to run it up in place of the Stars andStripes?"

"My sister and I will see that you have the flag, if you will promise tohoist it, " answered one of the girls. "We are at work upon one now, andwill have it ready for you to-morrow at this hour, provided you can tellus that the old flag has been hauled down. Tomorrow, mind. Shall weexpect you?"

"I'll be around, " replied Cole, but he did not talk as glibly as heusually did, for he was thinking about something else. To-morrow at thathour. By gracious! that was bringing the thing straight home to afellow, wasn't it? That meant a fight, sure; and the Union boys were notonly as brave as boys ever get to be, but their fists were as hard as somany bricks. Cole knew that by experience. And if he could not tell herthat the old flag had been hauled down, he need not take the trouble tocall at her house. The young lady did not say so, but Cole knew wellenough that that was what she meant. 

"The commandant is one traitor, but who are the others?" she asked, after a moment's pause. "You said in effect that the school is full ofthem. The colonel does not often honor us girls with his visits, but theyoung gentlemen do sometimes, and we should like to know who thetraitors are, so that we can be at home or not, as circumstances seem torequire. Give us their names, please. "

Rodney's companions would have thought twice before complying with thisrequest, but Rodney himself did not see anything surprising in it. Thegirls were ardent secessionists, and of course they did not care toassociate with those who stood up for the Yankees and for the flag theyworshiped. The cousin whom he had always loved as a brother was beneathcontempt now, for he was a traitor to the South, and undeserving of theslightest show of respect from any one who had the least respect forhimself. 

"Well, there's that lovely relative of mine for one, " said Rodneypromptly. 

The girls could hardly believe that they had heard aright. They lookedat each other in silence for a moment, and then they looked at Rodney. 

"I didn't think that Marcy Gray was such a coward, " said one, atlength. 

"Oh, you are 'way off the track!" exclaimed Dick Graham, who, althoughhe afterward went into the Confederate Army and became a partisanranger, never forgot the warm friendship he cherished for Marcy Gray. "That fellow is nobody's coward, and you wouldn't think so if you couldhave seen him when--"

"Look here, Dick, " interrupted Rodney, who was afraid that Marcy'sfriend was about to say something compromising. "It is very easy for afellow to say that he is for the Union when he is so far away from theNorth that he can not, by any possible chance, be called upon to fightfor the opinions he pretends to hold, but has Marcy the courage to showby his acts that he is sincere in what he says?"

"Well, yes; I think he has, " answered Dick. "When you fellows had thatfight over the flag--"

"That isn't what I mean, " exclaimed Rodney, impatiently. 

"What was it, Mr. Graham?" asked one of the girls, who rather wanted tosee Marcy Gray's courage vindicated, if there were any way in which itcould be done. "What did he do? Did you really have a fight at theacademy over the flag? Go on, please, and tell us all about it. "

Rodney tried to speak, but Dick was not to be put down. He knew thatRodney was determined to say something to his cousin's injury if hecould, and Dick Graham was not the boy to stand by and see it donewithout raising his voice in protest. 

"Yes; some of the boys tried their level best to get the flag, " saidDick, "but its defenders were much too numerous and strong for them. During the struggle there were some middling heavy blows passed, and, ifI mistake not, Rodney came in for a few that he'll not soon forget. "

Rodney tried to laugh it off as a joke, but it was easy to see that hewas about as mad as he could hold. 

"Now go on and describe the part you took in that fracas, " said he, assoon as he could speak. 

"Who? Me? I didn't take any part in it. I don't fight. I'm neutral. Yousee Missouri hasn't gone out of the Union yet, and I don't intend tomake a move until she does. See? I was not saying a word for myself, butfor Marcy, who isn't here to take his own part. "

"What I want to get at is this, " continued Rodney. "If Marcy is sodevoted to the Union, why does he stay here, flinging his obnoxiousdoctrines in our faces every chance he gets? Why doesn't he go North andjoin the Yankees?"

"He doesn't fling his doctrines in our faces, " Dick interposed. "Hestands up for them when he thinks it necessary, and so would I if Ibelieved as he does. "

"I admire him for that, " said one of the girls. 

"Oh, do you?" exclaimed Rodney, who was sure of his ground now. "Willyou continue to admire him when I tell you that he hoped the Yankeeswould send a fleet into Charleston harbor that would blow South Carolinaout of water?"

No, the girls could not admire Marcy Gray or anybody else who talkedthat way. If that was his doctrine, he had better quit the South and goamong those who believed as he did. 

"I was sure you would say so; and that was the point I was trying toreach, " continued Rodney. "That was what I meant when I asked if he hadthe courage to back up his opinions. "

"I am sorry to hear that of Marcy, " said one of the girls, and her faceshowed that she meant every word of it. "He is such a splendid horsemanand looks so handsome riding with his battery! And to think that hesympathizes with our oppressors! I can't realize it. I must have aserious talk with him, for unless he comes over to our side, he will beliable to arrest if he stays here much longer. "

"It's a wonder to me that he hasn't seen trouble of some sort beforethis time, " observed Billings. "He doesn't haul in his shingle one inch, but blurts out his views wherever he happens to be, and the first thinghe knows somebody will pop him over. "

"I shouldn't like to be the one to try it, " Dick Graham remarked. "Marcywill not take a whipping quietly. "

"I didn't mean that he would get into trouble here in Barrington, although I am afraid he will, but with the government, " said the girl. "One other thing our Congress did was to pass a law requiring all thosewho sympathize with the North to leave the limits of the Confederacywithin ten days. "

"But don't you know that this State hasn't joined the Confederacy yet?"asked the practical Dick. 

"If I should forget it, you would be very likely to remind me of thefact, " was the reply; "but she will join it before many days havepassed, and then where will Marcy be?"

"That's the best news I have heard in a month, " declared Rodney, speaking before he thought. Then, seeing that his companions lookedsurprised, he hastened to add: "I say it is good news, for when Marcyhears of it he will understand that he must quit his nonsense and comeout boldly for one side or the other. If he is with us, all he has to dois to say so; and if he isn't, he'll have to pack up and clear out. "

"Oh, we hope he'll not do that, " said both the girls in a breath. "Tellhim to come and see us, and we will turn him from the error of his ways. Here we are at our gate. Thanks for your escort. "

"Why don't you ask us to come in?" inquired Cole. 

"Because we have given you something to do first. Pull down that flagand run the banner of the Confederacy up in its place, and then you maycome as often as you please. "

"Well, shall I tell Marcy to keep his distance until he has made up hismind to hoist the right sort of colors?" said Rodney. 

"By no means. We must have a talk with him, and if we fail to win himover, we shall know how to punish him. "

"That was rather a snub for you, old fellow, " said Billings, as the boysraised their caps to the girls and once more turned toward thepost-office. "They are sweet on Marcy, and don't mean to throw him overjust because you have taken a sudden dislike to him. "

"It was a snub for Cole as well, " replied Rodney, hotly. "He will neversee the inside of Mr. Taylor's house again, for those girls have imposedupon him a task that is quite beyond his powers. Couldn't you get alongwithout wagging your jaw so freely?" he demanded, turning fiercely uponDick Graham. "For two cents you and I would mix up right here in thestreet. "

"Why, what in the world did I say?" asked Dick, in reply. 

"You disgraced the school by telling those girls, almost as plainly asyou could speak it, that we Southerners are in the minority there. "

"If she got that impression, she got a wrong one, " said Dick quietly. "Isaid that the defenders of the flag were too many and too strong for youfellows who tried to haul it down, and that's the truth. I stood up forMarcy because I am his friend, and you ought to be. "

"I am a friend to no boy, cousin or no cousin, who talks as he does, "said Rodney spitefully. "I despise a traitor, and the fellow who sticksup for him--"

Dick stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, rested his clenched handsupon his hips, and waited for Rodney to finish the sentence. For asecond or so it looked as though the two boys were going to "mix up"directly; but Cole and Billings interposed. 

"This will never do, " said the latter. "If you are determined to have afight, hurry and get your mail, and then we'll go back to the academyand fight the Yankees and their sympathizers. That's what we've got todo tomorrow, if we run that new flag up on the tower, and we might aswell get our hands in first as last. Cole, you go on with Dick, andRodney and I will follow. "

Dick laughingly declared that as he was not spoiling for a fight hecould get on very well without an escort, but still he did not raise anyobjection when Cole took him by the arm and led him away. Rodney slowlyfollowed, with Billings for a companion, the latter using his bestarguments to make the stubborn Rodney see that he could not hope to gainanything by showing so much hostility toward his cousin, who was popularboth at the academy and in the town, and that the Taylor girls, fromwhom they had just parted, didn't think any the more of him for what hehad said. Rodney saw that plainly, and it was another thing that madehim angry; but he was careful not to let Billings know it. He took nolittle pride in his horsemanship, and was confident that he made a veryfine looking sergeant of artillery; but none of the girls had ever toldhim so, and he couldn't bear to hear Marcy praised either. He wasenvious, as well as jealous, and when Rodney got that way, he was in theright humor to do something desperate. 

"That new law will fix him and Graham, too, " he said to himself. "I'lltake pains to call their attention to it the minute I get back to theacademy, and if they don't take the hint and make themselves scarceabout here, I will set somebody on their track. There are a good manytraitors in and around Barrington, and I wonder that they haven't beendriven out before this time. I'll rid the school of those two, I betyou; but before they go I'll pick a quarrel with them and whip them outof their boots. "

This confident assertion recalls to mind something that was said by theConfederate General Rosser on the morning of the 9th of October, 1864, just previous to the beginning of the fight known in history as"Woodstock Races. " Having formed his line of battle, Rosser sat on hishorse watching the movements of his old schoolmate, General Custer, whowas busy getting his own forces in shape to attack him. Finally Rosserturned to his staff and said:

"You see that officer down there? That is General Custer, of whom theYanks are so proud, and I intend to give him the best whipping to-day heever got; see if I don't. "

When Custer was ready to fight he made his charge; the valiant Rosserfled before it, and never but once stopped running until he reachedMount Jackson, twenty-six miles away. It was a trial of speed, ratherthan a battle, and that is the reason the engagement is called"Woodstock Races. " The Confederates lost everything they had that wascarried on wheels, and the Union loss was but sixty killed and wounded. Rodney Gray was not as much of a braggart as Rosser was, but if he hadtried to carry his threat into execution he might have been as badlywhipped. 

 CHAPTER III. 

 CHEERS FOR "THE STARS AND BARS. "

If any boy who reads this series of books believes that secession wasthe result of a sudden impulse on the part of the Southern people, hehas but to look into his history to find that he is mistaken. They hadnot only been thinking about it for a long time, but, aided by some ofBuchanan's treacherous cabinet officers, they had been preparing for it. The Secretary of the Navy ordered the best vessels in our little fleetto distant stations, so that they could not be called upon to help thegovernment when the insurgents seized the forts that were scatteredalong the coast; and the Secretary of War took nearly a hundred andfifty thousand stand of arms out of Northern arsenals and sent them tothe South. He did it openly and without any attempt at concealment, andthe Southern papers publicly thanked him for so doing. The Mobile_Register_ said, in so many words, that they were much obliged to Mr. Floyd for "disarming the North and equipping the South. "

After such acts as these on the part of government officials, it is notsurprising that private citizens began to take their local affairs intotheir own hands. A regular system of espionage and ostracism wasestablished all over the South. Everybody who was known or suspected ofbeing opposed to slavery and disunion was not only closely watched, butwas denied admission to homes in which he had always been a welcomevisitor. Free negroes were given to understand that they could eitherclear out, or remain and be sold into bondage. Northern men--even thosewho had long been engaged in business in the South, and whose interestswere centered there--were looked upon and treated with contempt, andtheir lives were made miserable in every way that the exasperated andunreasonable people around them could think of. 

But, of course, things did not stop here. These suspected persons verysoon became the victims of open violence. Some were taken out of theirhouses at night and whipped; others were tarred and feathered; and morewere hanged by self-appointed vigilance committees, or killed inpersonal encounters. Up to the time of which we write there had beennone of this violence in and around Barrington, but it was coming now. Almost the first thing that attracted the attention of Rodney Gray andhis companions when they went into the post-office was a notice that hadbeen fastened upon the bulletin board. It took them a minute or two toelbow their way through the crowd of men and boys who were gathered infront of it, reading and commenting upon the startling intelligence itcontained, and when they succeeded they read as follows:

IMPORTANT NOTICE. 

At a meeting of the citizens and voters of Barrington, held this day, March 9, 1861, it was unanimously

_Resolved:_ That the excitement at present existing among the peoplerenders it prudent for us to appoint a committee of the citizens ofBarrington to recommend what measures (if any) should be adopted for thepurpose of suppressing any unlawful or riotous outbreak in the town; andthat the following named are hereby appointed a "_Committee of Safety_"who are respectfully requested to adopt such measures, or to recommendany measures for adoption by the citizens generally, as may seem to themproper and necessary for the preservation of good order. 

Then followed a long list, containing the names of nearly all theprominent and wealthy men of the place. 

"Humph!" exclaimed Dick Graham, contemptuously. "The fellows who gotthis up wasted time and ink to no purpose. There has been no outbreak inBarrington, and none threatened. "

"How does it come that you are so well posted, Dick?" said a friendlyvoice at his elbow; and when he faced about Dick's eyes met those of Mr. Riley, one of the men whose names appeared on the list. "The gentlemenwho framed that resolution did not mean to convey the impression thatthere had been any riotous proceedings in and around Barrington, " hecontinued. "But if they had desired to create an uproar and excite thefears of the women and children, they might have said that there hasbeen an outbreak threatened; and it would have been nothing but thetruth. You boys, who are all the while shut up in the academy, can notbe expected to know all that is going on in the country. "

"Who has threatened any outbreak?" inquired Dick incredulously. "Andwhen is it coming off?"

"Look here, " said Mr. Riley, lowering his voice. "You remember the JohnBrown raid, don't you?"

"Seems to me I have heard something about it. But you are not afraid ofhim, are you?"

"I am not joking, " replied Mr. Riley earnestly. "Brown laid out aregular campaign before he started in at Harper's Ferry. He had a map, and on it had marked several localities in which the negroes weregreatly in excess of the whites. Those towns and villages were to bedestroyed, after the blacks had been coaxed or forced into his army, andBarrington was one of them. "

"Well, what of it?" exclaimed Dick. "He didn't get here, did he?"

"Of course he didn't; but he spread such a spirit of discontent amongthe niggers that we have been shaky ever since. And the events of thelast few weeks do not tend to quiet our fears, I assure you. "

"When is this insurrection, or whatever you call it, coming off?"

"We don't know when to expect it, but we mean to be ready for it at anyhour of the day or night. We have positive evidence that there are abouthalf a dozen too many Abolitionists, and altogether too many freeniggers, in and around Barrington. "

"When did you find it out?"

"We've always known it; but we never felt so very much afraid of thembefore. I don't mind telling you, although I should not want to post iton the town pump, that we have had spies out for the last three or fourdays. "

"That's what I thought you were getting at. But who are they?"

"There's Bud Goble, for one. "

"Aw, Great Scott!" exclaimed Dick, and even Rodney looked disgusted. "Ihope you haven't put the least faith in anything that lazy, worthlessfellow has said to you. "

"He may be too lazy to earn an honest living, but he is far fromworthless in an emergency like the present, " replied the committeeman. "He is with us all over, and has been very active since these troublesbegan. "

"I don't see why he should be so very active. He never owned the priceof a pickaninny in his life. But I'll tell you what's a fact, Mr. Riley:Bud Goble has got something against every Northern man in Barrington andfor miles outside of it, and he will do anything or swear to any numberof lies--"

"Don't you give the Committee of Safety any credit for common-sense orprudence?" demanded Rodney, who, although he appeared to be listening tothe conversation, was busy thinking over a project that had suddenlysuggested itself to him. "You don't suppose that anything will be doneto these suspected men until they have had a fair trial, do you?"

"That's the idea, " said Mr. Riley, with a smile. "Rodney, you have yourshare of common-sense, whether the committee have or not. "

"A fair trial?" repeated Dick, who was like Marcy Gray in that he never"pulled in his shingle one inch"; in other words, never backed down fromhis principles, no matter who might hear what he had to say about them. "Who'll try these suspected men? Judge Lynch; who will order them to bestrung up before they can say a word in their own defense. I tell yousuch work is all wrong. "

"Don't let your excitement run away with your reason, Dick, " said Mr. Riley soothingly. "There's been no innocent person harmed yet, and, moreover, such a thing never happened in this county. "

"No, but it is going on all over the South; and I tell you that thereare plenty of people of the Bud Goble stamp who would do the same thingright here if they were not afraid, " said Dick earnestly. 

"Put him out! He's a traitor!" cried one of the academy boys; and "puthim out, " was echoed from all parts of the post-office. But the boys whouttered the words were all Dick Graham's friends, and an attempt to puthim out would certainly have resulted disastrously to somebody. 

"Of course I understand that this is all sport, " said Mr. Riley. "Butseriously, Dick, the time may come when it will be anything but safe foryou to express your sentiments with so much freedom. "

"I assure you I appreciate your kindness in giving me a friendly word ofcaution, and thank you for it, " replied the boy, "but this is a freecountry, and I shall say what I think, regardless of consequences. Waittill the time for fighting comes and see--"

"See what?" interrupted Billings. "There isn't going to be anyfighting. "

"Don't fool yourself. There'll be fighting before this thing is over, and more than you redhot secessionists will want to see--mark that! Andwhen it comes we'll see who will do the most of it, I or men like BudGoble, who have taken advantage of this time of excitement to getinnocent folks into trouble. "

Having had his talk out Dick turned to work his way to the window to gethis mail; but before he got there a wild shout arose from the crowd ofstudents who blocked his path, and a moment afterward a brand newConfederate flag fluttered over their heads. Rodney Gray had received apackage from home and this was what he found in it. 

"I say, Graham, " he exclaimed, as soon as he could make himself heard, "doesn't the sight of this make you ashamed of the sentiments you havejust uttered?"

"Not a bit of it, " was the prompt response. "Missouri hasn't recognizedthat flag yet. When she does, I will fight for it as long and as hard asyou will. "

"Will you join us in a hurrah for it?" continued Rodney. 

"No, I won't. "

"Three cheers for the Stars and Bars!" shouted Ed Billings. "Long maythat flag wave, and may it never be polluted by the touch of a hatedYankee. "

The cheers that followed were not cheers; they were whoops andyells--very much like those with which the charging Confederates sooften saluted our blue-coats on the field of battle. Dick had half anotion to see if he could not get up a little counter-enthusiasm inbehalf of the Stars and Stripes, but was afraid the attempt might resultin failure; so after he had secured his mail, he went out on the porchand sat down to read those acts of the Confederate Congress calling forone hundred thousand volunteers, and ordering all who sympathized withthe North to leave the limits of the Confederacy within ten days. Hissecession paper told him all about them, the editor enlarged upon andapplauded them, and Dick was forced to the conclusion that things weregetting serious; how serious, he little dreamed until four weeks morehad passed away. 

Dick spent half an hour over his paper and letters, and then Rodney Grayappeared. He had found a stick somewhere and fastened his flag to it. Although these two boys had had some sharp verbal contests during thelast three months, they kept up an appearance of friendship, which wasreal so far as Dick Graham was concerned. The latter could not "swallowRodney's disunion doctrines, " as he often declared, but for all that hehad a sincere regard for him, and always spoke of him as one of thefinest fellows in school. Perhaps we shall see whether or not Rodneypaid him back in kind. 

"Give it a cheer, why don't you?" said Rodney, waving his flag overDick's head. "Where in the world have you been?"

"Right here, waiting for you. "

"Well, come up the road a piece. There's a squad there, and we have beencounting noses. "

"How many noses do you want, and what do you want them for?" inquiredDick, putting his paper into his pocket and getting upon his feet. "Whatnew nonsense are you up to?"

"There's no nonsense about this, I tell you. It's business. We want asmany noses as we can get, and the boys behind them must be true blue. The fellows said I would be wasting time if I came after you, but I wantto hear you say so with your own lips before I shall believe it. Youhave said more than once that if Missouri goes out and joins theConfederacy, you will go with her, haven't you?"

"You bet, and I say so yet. My State, or any State, has the right to goout of the Union as she came into it--of her own free will; and if thosefellows up North are going to fight to keep her in, I shall fight tohelp her out. That's me; but you see Missouri hasn't yet--"

"I have heard that until I am tired of it, " interrupted Rodney. "Missouri hasn't gone out yet, but she's going; and in the meantime, what about that flag at the academy? Are you in favor of letting it staythere?"

"That depends entirely upon the colonel, " answered Dick. "If he sayshaul her down, down she comes. If he says let her stay up, up she stays. That's me. "

"And will you continue to march and drill under it, now that we have aflag of our own?" demanded Rodney. 

"That also depends. If the other boys drill under it and march after it, I will. In fact, I don't know but I shall do it any way, whether theothers do or not. I don't know what you mean when you speak of a flag ofour own. I don't recognize that thing you are carrying over yourshoulder. The old flag is my flag, and will be as long as Missouri staysin the Union. I don't see the least use in rushing things. You and yourfriends are taking a good deal upon yourselves when you presume to actin advance of the State. "

"Well, you see what the business men of Barrington think of thesituation, don't you? That notice in the post-office looks and soundsmighty innocent, but reading between the lines--"

"So you read between the lines!" exclaimed Dick. "I did the same, and Itell you that that Committee of Safety is a fraud. Bud Goble has beencarrying tales about some innocent men whom, for personal reasons, hedoes not like, and Mr. Riley and a few other hotheads are trying to findsome excuse for driving them out of town. There'll be outrages here thefirst thing you know and they will be committed under cover of thatbusiness men's meeting, and with the connivance of those whose names aresigned to that list. "

"Do you mean to say that all those prominent men are such ruffians?"cried Rodney, in great excitement. "Why didn't you say as much when youwere talking to Mr. Riley? You dared not do it. "

"I didn't think of it; but I will wait here while you run back and tellhim. "

Dick looked sharply at his companion as he said this, and was surprisedto see the usually self-possessed Rodney turn as red as a beet. It wasplain that he had been touched in some tender spot by these chancewords. 

"What's he been up to?" was the question Dick Graham propounded tohimself. "If I had known that I was going to hit him as hard as that, Iwouldn't have said a word. He has been doing something sneaking, and Idid not think that of Rodney Gray. " Then aloud he said: "I didn't meanto hint that you would do such a thing, but you have been abouthalf-wild during the last few weeks, and I don't believe you know allthe time what you are doing. "

"Well, if I'm crazy, I have the satisfaction of knowing that there are agood many like me in the South, " replied Rodney, with a light laugh; andhe uttered nothing but the truth. Taken as a body the Southern peoplecertainly acted as if they had lost their senses. Among all those whorejoiced over South Carolina's reckless act there were few who saw that"it was but the prelude to the most terrible tragedy of the age--theunchaining of a storm that was destined to shake the continent withterror and devastation, leaving the Southern States a wreck, andsweeping from the earth the institution in whose behalf the fatal workwas done. " You may be sure that Rodney Gray did not see this sadpicture, for just at that moment there were few things he could seeexcept the elegant silk banner that waved above his head, and which hewas determined to hoist at the academy flag-staff the very nextmorning. 

"Here are the fellows, " he added, as he and Dick came up with the squadwho were gathered on a street corner waiting for them. 

"And a fine-looking lot of lads they are, " was Dick's comment. "Rebelsthe last one of them. "

"Washington was a rebel, young fellow, " replied one of the students, "and that is what he would be if he were with us to-day. "

"Well, seeing that he isn't here to decide the matter, don't let's wastetime in talking about it, " said Cole. "The question is, Is that flag atthe academy going to stay up or come down--which?"

"It's going to come down, " replied Billings, very decidedly. "We've gota handsomer flag to take its place. Let's cheer it, and see how many ofthat crowd on the other side of the street will take off their hats toit. "

The cheers were given with a will; and this time Dick Graham joinedin--not because he cared a cent for the Stars and Bars, but just to helpmake a noise. The result was all the boys could have desired. The cheerswere answered and hats were lifted in all directions, and handkerchiefsand red, white, and blue rosettes were waved from the windows ofneighboring houses. 

"Every one in sight made some demonstration, " said Rodney gleefully. "Dick, you are out in the cold. "

"I don't feel very forlorn over it, " was the reply. "How do you know butthat some of those who cheered your old rag are Union at heart? But whatare you fellows going to do, and what do you want of me?"

"We intend to hoist Rodney's flag on that tower to-morrow morningimmediately after roll-call, and we want to know if you are in. "

"No; I'm not in. I'm out. That's me. "

"There, Rodney, " exclaimed one of the students. "I hope you aresatisfied now that you wasted time when you went after Dick Graham. He'sa Yankee. "

"You're another, " retorted Dick. 

"Do you still claim to be neutral?"

"I do, for a fact. You see, Missouri--"

"Oh, Dick, have a little mercy on a fellow, and don't say that again, "cried half a dozen voices at once. 

"Well, then, what do you want me to say? I'll not help you pull down theflag, if that is what you are after. I say, let her alone and she willcome down of herself when the sunset gun is fired. "

"We don't want her to come down of herself, " answered Rodney. "We wantthe satisfaction of hauling her down. "

"Very well, go and do it; but don't come to me whining over the brokenheads you will be sure to get before you are through with the business. If you will let the orderly run her down, I will help steal her, so thatshe can't be run up in the morning; but being neutral, Missouri nothaving gone out of--"

"That scheme won't work at all, " Rodney declared, with some disgust inhis tones. "Don't you know that the colonel takes charge of the buntingevery night?"

"I believe I have heard something to that effect. "

"And don't you know that he keeps it locked in his bureau?" chimed inBillings. 

"Having been on duty at headquarters a time or two I am not ignorant ofthe fact, " answered Dick. "All I ask of you is to do as I say, and I'llget the flag. "

Of course the boys were impatient to know what they could do to help, and Dick at once proceeded to unfold his plans; but as they will berevealed presently we do not stop to tell what they were. Some of thecombative ones among the students did not like the scheme at all, forthere was not enough danger and excitement in it; and if it succeeded, they would be deprived of the pleasure of listening to the praises whichthey were sure the Barrington people would lavish upon them, when itshould become known that they had hauled the flag down after a desperatebattle with the Northern sympathizers who had tried to protect it. Butthese were in the minority. The others had no desire to provoke a fightwith Marcy Gray and his friends, and it was finally decided that Dick'splan was the safest and best. 

"That rather interferes with your arrangements, Cole, " said Ed Billings, as the boys paired off and bent their steps toward the academy, RodneyGray leading, with the flag in his hand. "Those girls were particular tosay that the next time you came to see them you must bring word that theflag had been hauled down. I don't know whether or not they will bequite satisfied when you tell them that it was taken from the colonel'sroom, after it had been pulled down in the proper way. "

Cole wasn't certain on that point, either; but he had said all he couldagainst the adoption of Dick Graham's plan, and that was all anybodycould do. 

 CHAPTER IV. 

 RODNEY'S THREAT. 

"Now, fellows, " said Rodney, as soon as the line had been formed, "whoknows a song appropriate to the occasion? We want to let the folks inadvance of us know that we are coming, so as to see what they will doand say when they behold the banner of our young Republic. "

"Hear, hear!" shouted the boys. "Strike up something, somebody. " Everyone looked at Dick Graham, who was the finest singer in the squad, andthe latter, after a moment's reflection, cleared his throat and sang asfollows:

 "We are many in one while there glitters a star In the blue of the heavens above, And tyrants shall quail 'mid their dungeons afar, When they gaze on the motto of love. By the bayonet traced at the midnight of war, On the fields where our glory was won-- Oh, perish the hand or the heart that would mar Our motto of 'Many in One. '"

A more disgusted lot of boys had never been seen in Barrington thanRodney and his friends were when Dick finished singing the above, whichwas a part of two verses of "_E Pluribus Unum. _" Of course the membersof the squad all knew the song, but they did not suppose that Dick wouldhave the audacity to mix it up in this way. If they had suspected howthe song was going to end, they would have drowned him out in shortorder. 

"That's about the biggest sell that was ever perpetrated on a party ofconfiding students, " said Ed Billings, as soon as the whoops and yellsof derision with which the patriotic words were greeted had died away. "Can't some good Southerner sing something that will hit the spot?"

Nobody could; for if any of the Confederate songs, which afterwardbecame so popular on both sides the line, were in existence, they hadnot yet reached Barrington; so the only thing left for the boys to dowas to keep step to "hay-foot, straw-foot, boom, boom, boom!" which theychanted with all the power of their lungs. Dick Graham congratulatedhimself on having said a word for the Union, and paid no sort ofattention to the good-natured prods in the ribs which he received fromthe boys who were marching beside him. He stoutly affirmed that he haduttered nothing but his honest sentiments, and hoped that every one whotook a hand in marring "our motto of many in one" would get whipped forhis pains. 

The students were well acquainted with the people living along theirline of march, and were more than satisfied with the enthusiasticgreetings given to them and their flag. When they filed through the gateinto the academy grounds the sentry presented arms, and the commandant, who was standing at his window, turned away. The boys saw it, and toldone another that the colonel was coming to his senses, and that he wouldnot interpose his authority when they were ready to run up the Stars andBars on the following morning. 

"You fellows are making a heap of fuss about nothing, " said Marcy Gray, as his cousin halted beside the camp-chair in which he was sitting andwaved the flag over his head, while the rest of the squad trooped up thewide steps that led into the hall. "Take that thing away. The time maycome when you will be sorry you ever saw it. "

 "It shall gleam o'er the sea 'mid the bolts of the storm, O'er the battle and tempest and wreck, And flame where our guns with their thunder grow warm--"

sang Rodney. "Look here, old fellow: Couldn't you get up spirit enoughto give us a cheer?"

"I don't think I could, " replied Marcy. "Did you fellows all havepasses? I thought not. If things were as they used to be you would findyourselves in the guard-house in less than ten minutes. "

"We are aware of it, " answered Rodney; "but if things were as they usedto be, we should not have climbed the fence and gone to town withoutpermission. But these are times when rules don't count. There is yourmail, and if you will take a friend's advice, you will read that papercarefully. I think there is something in it that concerns you. "

"What is it, and where is it? Tell me all about it, and then I shall bespared the trouble of looking it up. "

"Well, " said Rodney, as if he hardly knew how to give his cousin thedesired information, "Congress has passed a law commanding all Northernsympathizers to leave the limits of the Confederacy within ten days. "

"Has this State gone out?"

"Not that I know of. "

"Then I don't see how that law concerns me. I am not in the Confederacy, am I? As long as the State does not tell me to go, I shall stay where Iam until mother writes me to start for home. Has your father written foryou yet?"

"No; but I am looking for a letter every day, and I don't see why Idon't get it. But it will come fast enough if the Yankees beginpreparations for war, as some lunatics seem to think they will. "

"Those same lunatics are about the only sensible people there are in theSouth to-day. The Northern States will not stand by with their hands intheir pockets and see this government broken up, and you may depend uponit, " said Marcy earnestly. "If they don't hang a few on both sides theline, there will be a war here the like of which the world has neverseen. "

"Bosh!" exclaimed Rodney, snapping his fingers in the air. 

"And some of it will be in your State and mine, " continued Marcy. 

"Haven't you read our president's speech?" demanded Rodney, almostfiercely. "He says that if war must come, it will be fought on Northernsoil. "

"It takes two to make a bargain. The Northern States are stronger thanwe are, and they would be fools to consent to any such arrangement. "

"You'll see that it will be done, whether they consent or not, " answeredRodney. "Of course they don't want us to separate from them, for theyhave made a lot of money out of us with their high protective tariff andall that; but how are they to help themselves when there are no laws orties of blood to hold us together? Although we speak the same language, we do not belong to the same race that they do; we are better every waythan they are, and we're not going to be bound to them any longer. Theslave-holders of the South ruled the old Union for sixty out of seventyyears of her existence, and now that the reins of power have beensnatched from their hands, they're not going to stand it. We'll have anation of our own that will lead the world in everything that goes tomake a nation. If North Carolina goes out, what will you do?"

"I shall go home, of course, for mother will need me. Our blacks willall leave us the first chance they get--"

"Bosh!" said Rodney, again. "The niggers know who their friends are, andI'll bet you there are not a hundred in the South today who would goover to the Yankees if they had the opportunity. "

"Whether they run away or not, mother will need somebody on theplantation, and I am the only one she can call on, for Jack is at sea, "replied Marcy. 

"And, what's more, he may never get back, " added Rodney. "We shall havea navy of our own pretty soon, and then, if the Yankees declare waragainst us, every ship that floats the old flag will have to watch out. We'll light bonfires on every part of the ocean. If your State secedes, you will go with her, of course?"

"Of course I'll not do any such thing. "

"Marcy Gray, are you really a traitor? Be honest, now. "

"Not much. I am true to my colors--the same colors that your grandfatherand mine died under. "

"But grandfather never dreamed, when he fought under that flag, that itwas going to be turned into an emblem of tyranny, " answered Rodneyimpatiently. "I'll bet you he would not fight under it now; and neitherwould Washington. But how will you fare when you get home? There areplenty of secessionists in your county, and they will have not the firstthing to do with you. "

"I don't care whether they do or not, " replied Marcy, hardly realizinghow much meaning there was in his cousin's last words. "Mother will havesomething to do with me, I reckon; and so will Jack when he returns; andif the neighbors choose to cut me because I am true to my colors, why Idon't see that I can help it. "

"Will you fight for the Union?"

"I hope I shall not be called upon to choose sides; but you may be sureI shall not fight against it. "

"Well, go your road, and I will go mine; but you will yet see the daywhen you will wish you had done differently. By the way, " added Rodneycarelessly; "those Taylor girls hinted that they would be pleased to seeyou at their house; but you don't want to air any of your disloyalsentiments in their presence, for if you do, they will be likely to tellyou that you needn't come again. My paper says that is what the Richmondgirls are doing, and our Barrington girls are following suit. And, Marcy, you had better haul in a little, for if you do not, you will getinto trouble. The citizens are waking up, and there has been a Committeeof Safety appointed to look out for all disturbers of the peace. "

"I think such a committee is needed, " was Marcy's quiet rejoinder. "Thedisturbers of the peace are secessionists without exception, and if thecommittee will shut up every one of that sort they can get their handson, they will do the public a service. But as I don't care to besnubbed, I don't think I shall go out of my way to call upon thoseTaylor girls. "

"Of course you will do as you please about that. I have simply deliveredtheir message, " said Rodney, as he passed up the steps and through thewide archway, waving his flag and making the hall ring with his shoutsas he went. "Rally on the center, boys, and yell defiance to theRegicides and Roundheads. Keep your eye on the stairs, Billings, and ifthe kurn does not come down when he hears the racket, we are all rightfor to-morrow morning. "

For a few minutes the greatest confusion reigned in the corridor. Thesecessionists yelled themselves hoarse over the Stars and Bars, and, carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment, pledged themselves toenlist with the defenders of their respective States within twenty-fourhours after they reached home. Then followed a counter-demonstration forthe Stars and Stripes, led by the tall student, Dixon, of Kentucky, whowas backed up by nearly all the boys from the States that had not yetjoined the Confederacy. The noise was deafening, but the colonel did notcome out of his room to put a stop to it, and that confirmed Rodney inthe belief that he was "all right for tomorrow morning. " His friendswere greatly encouraged, and one of them, when the evening gun wasfired, jerked, rather than pulled, the old flag down from the masthead;and he would have been glad to show his contempt for it by trampling itunder his feet, had it not been for the presence of the guard, who pacedthe top of the tower in plain view of the open door of the belfry. 

It was necessary to keep a sentry there now, for when the students foundthat they could not do as they pleased with the flag, they watched foran opportunity to pull the halliards out of the block at the head of theflagstaff. Of course the rope could and would have been restored to itsplace, but not without considerable trouble. The staff was so veryslender that the lightest boy in school would have thought twice beforeattempting to climb it, and therefore the staff would have had to comedown. Marcy Gray and his friends, who seemed to have a way of findingout all about the plans that were laid against the flag, thought itwould be best to ask the colonel commanding to have a guard placed overthe halliards, and this was accordingly done. 

Although the sentry who was on duty at this particular time had thereputation of being a good soldier, he was not as friendly to the flagas he might have been; consequently he offered no remonstrance when theorderly gathered the colors up in a bunch and started downstairs todeliver them to the head of the school. But there were parties on thewatch, as the orderly found when he reached the upper hall, for there heencountered the tall Kentuckian, Dixon, who at once took him to task. 

"What made you wuzzle the flag up in that shape?" he demanded, in nofriendly tones. "Put it down here on the floor and fold it as it shouldbe, or off comes your head. "

The orderly looked at Dixon, and then at the boys who stood behind him, but he could not see a single one of Rodney Gray's followers among them. Having no one to back him up he dared not refuse to obey the order, forhe was well aware that he would get into trouble if he did. He foldedthe flag, and the tall student went with him to make sure that hedelivered it to the commandant in good order. He saw it placed on thebureau in the colonel's room, and then posted off to tell Dick Grahamall about it. 

Supper was over at last; darkness came on apace, and as usual thestudents gathered in the corridors to discuss the situation. They didnot seem to remember that there was a law forbidding this very thing, and the guards did not remind them of it, or try to send them to theirrooms, for, besides being interested parties themselves, they knew bypast experience that the boys would not pay the least attention to theircommands. 

These discussions were always conducted with more or less noise andhubbub, according to the humor the debaters happened to be in, but nowone and all seemed bent on raising a row. They all talked at once, fistswere flourished in the air and pretty close to the noses of some of thedisputants, and finally the lie was passed, and Rodney Gray and severalother students in the lower hall proceeded to "mix up" promiscuously. Dick Graham was not among them. He stood at the head of the stairs, where he could see all that was going on without being seen himself. When the leaders of the opposing sides ceased their arguments and cameto blows, and on being separated by their respective friends surgedthrough the door toward the parade, where the matter in dispute could besettled by a fair fight, Dick sprang into life and action and hurried tothe commandant's room. 

"Sounds something like a row below, " said the orderly in a careless, indifferent tone. "Who's in for a black eye this time?"

"Run in and tell the colonel to come out, or there'll be a riot herebefore he knows it, " replied Dick hastily. "Don't your ears tell youthat the fellows are all fighting mad, and that the thing is going to beserious?"

Well--yes; there was something of a racket below, but the orderly saidhe didn't care for that, provided the Southerners would use up all thetraitors in the gang. However, he thought it best to go in with thereport, in order to save himself from being hauled over the coals forneglect of duty. When the colonel came out of his quarters, buttoninghis uniform coat with one hand and settling his cap on his head with theother, he found Dick standing at the top of the stairs with his hands inhis pockets, and a face as innocent as a child's. 

"Graham, I am glad to see that you have nothing to do with thisdisgraceful performance, " said he. 

"Who? Me, sir?" exclaimed Dick. "I don't fight, sir. I'm neutral, sir. You see Missouri--"

But the colonel could not wait to hear Dick say that his State had notyet gone out of the Union. He went down the stairs, along the hall, andthrough the archway with all haste, and then Dick went, too; but he wentdown the back-stairs, around the corner of the building, and brought twoboys to his side by giving a peculiar whistle. 

"Everything is all right so far, " whispered Dick. "But there's notelling how long the fellows will be able to keep up the farce, now thatthe colonel has gone down there, so we must be in a hurry. "

"Did they do it well and without exciting suspicion?"

"First rate. Couldn't have done it better. If I hadn't been in the plotI should have thought they were in dead earnest. "

While Dick talked he led the way at top speed to the tool-house, and heand his companions vanished through the door. When they came out againthey brought with them a light ladder that had been stored there forsafe keeping. Moving at a run, they carried it around the building andplaced it against the wall under the commandant's window. The sash wasraised, and the evening breeze was gently rustling the curtains. 

"Do you know whether or not the colonel was alone in his room when yousent the orderly in to fetch him out?" whispered one of the boys. "Suppose he left somebody in there?"

"Or suppose he left his door open and the orderly should chance to lookin?" said the other. 

"It's too late to think of those things now, " replied Dick, placing hisfoot on the lowest round of the ladder and turning his head to listen amoment to the tumult of voices that came from the direction of theparade-ground. "The fellows are at it yet, and if they can only keep thecolonel with them two minutes longer we'll have the flag easy enough. But, mind you, I'll not see it abused. "

"It's an enemy's flag, " observed one of his companions, who was rathersurprised to hear Dick say this. If he was still friendly to the colors, why had he offered to steal them for Rodney Gray?

"No odds if it is an enemy's flag, " replied Dick. "We all thought a heapof it once, and I don't know but I think as much of it as I ever did. Isay, dog-gone State Rights anyhow. "

This showed how much of a rebel Dick Graham was; and there were plentyof others just like him in the South--boys and men, too, who had beentaught to believe that the founders of the Republic never meant that thesovereignty of the States should be surrendered to the generalgovernment, because they said so in the Declaration of Independence. "These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free andindependent _States_, " wrote Thomas Jefferson, and all the Northern andSouthern delegates agreed with him. If they had intended to form oneState or one government, they would have said so in language too plainto be misunderstood. That was Dick's way of looking at it, and he washonest in his belief that the authorities at Washington had no right toorder him from his own State to keep another State in the Union when shewanted to leave it. Dick went into the Southern army after a while, aswe have said, and so did many others who thought as he did; but theirhearts were not in the work, and they were glad when the war ended andthe old flag once more waved over our entire country. 

[Illustration: DICK GRAHAM STEALS THE FLAG. ]

"Now, " continued Dick, "look out for yourselves. If you see anybodycoming, make tracks for cover and leave me to take care of myself. Thereis no need that more than one of us should get into trouble over thisnonsensical business. "

So saying, Dick ran up the ladder, pushed aside the curtains, and, finding the room deserted, clambered in and seized the flag, which hefound on the bureau just where the tall student told him he would findit. He made his escape with it, the ladder was taken back to thetool-house, and no one was the wiser for what had been done. If thestudents who presently followed the colonel back from the parade-groundhad looked closely at Dick, they might have seen that his coat stuck outa little more about the breast than it usually did, but perhaps they didnot notice it. At all events they said nothing about it. 

"What was the row about this time?" inquired Dick, as Rodney came to thehead of the stairs where he was standing. 

"Politics; nothing but politics, " replied Rodney. "But we didn't havetime to find out which side was in the right, for the kurn came down andput a stop to the fun. Did you get it?" he asked in a lower tone, firstmaking sure that no one except those who were "in the plot" were nearenough to overhear his words. "Bully for you. Now we will see what Marcyand the rest of the traitors will say when they find another andhandsomer flag floating at the masthead in the morning. Where is it?"

Dick tapped the breast of his coat. 

"All right, hand it over. There's nobody around except those we cantrust. "

"What are you going to do with it?"

"I mean to put it where no one will ever see it again, and that is inthe kitchen stove, " answered Rodney. 

"That's what I was afraid of. Well, I don't want it to go in the kitchenstove, and therefore I must decline to give it to you. "

"Why, what in the name of sense do you want to keep it for?"

"To show as a proof of my loyalty and devotion to the Confederate Statesof America, " replied Dick gravely. "I need some sort of an heirloom tohand down to my grandchildren, don't I?"

Of course Rodney was angry, and he had half a mind to "mix up" with Dickthen and there and take the flag away from him. But the latter was astrong, active fellow, and plucky as well, and Rodney wasn't quite surethat it would be safe to attempt it. While he was thinking about it BobCole spoke up. 

"Let me have the flag, " said he, "and I will promise you, on the honorof a soldier, that you shall have it again as soon as it has served mypurpose. "

"What do you want to do with it?"

"Well, if you must know, I want it to set me right with my best girl. She as good as told me this afternoon that I need not call at her houseagain until I could tell her that the flag had been hauled down. I wantto show it to her to prove that it has been done. "

"But it hasn't, " objected Dick. "It has been hooked out of thecommandant's room, and that's not hauling it down by force. You can tellher that she will never see it hoisted again, and that assurance willhave to satisfy her. If she should get her hands on it you would neversee it again, and neither would I. When it can float over an undividedcountry, as it has in the past, and you rebels have been whipped intosubjection, then--"

"I say--whipped!" exclaimed Billings. 

"Subjection!" Rodney almost howled. "That will never be. Southernersdie, but they don't submit. Dick Graham, you are a traitor, sure enough. You think more of that rag to-day than you do of the rights of the Stateyou claim as your home. "

"There's where you are wrong, " replied Dick. "I don't quite believe inState Rights, but my father does, and that's enough for me; and wheneverMissouri gets ready to--"

"When she gets ready to join the Confederacy you won't have the pluck togo with her, " exclaimed Rodney hotly. "But there's one thing about it. Our own flag goes up on that tower after roll-call in the morning, andI'll pitch the first fellow over the parapet who tries to pull itdown. "

"Well, good-by, if you call that going, " said Dick, good-naturedly. 

The boys all followed Rodney down the stairs and Dick was left alone. Hefelt of the flag to make sure it was safe, and after looking up and downthe hall to see that no one was observing his movements, he went intoMarcy Gray's room, where Marcy himself found him a few minutes later. 

 CHAPTER V. 

 THE PAID SPY. 

It must not be supposed that the students who did not side with RodneyGray were entirely deceived by the demonstration that had taken place inthe corridor. Noisy political discussions were of too common occurrenceto attract the attention of Marcy and his friends, the most of whom weresitting quietly in their rooms, and they gave no heed to what was goingon below until the shuffling of feet announced that there was a fight inprogress. Then they rushed out in a body, but a single glance at theboys who were struggling in the hall was enough to show them that theirservices were not needed. The combatants were all secessionists. Therewere a few "neutrals" among them--Dixon for one--who were trying torestore order, and who finally succeeded in getting them out of thebuilding, but there was no Union boy there who was in want ofassistance. 

"What's in the wind now, do you reckon?" said Tom Percival, whose fatherhad cast his ballot against secession with one hand, while holding acocked revolver in the other. "That's a put-up job, and there'ssomething behind it. "

"I believe you're right, Tom, " said Marcy. "Let's follow them and seewhat they are going to do. "

There was right where he and his friends made a mistake. They went tothe parade ground and looked on while the colonel read Rodney and a fewothers a severe lecture, and Dick Graham was left free to carry out hispart of the programme. Then they went back to their dormitories fullysatisfied that if Rodney had hoped to gain anything by getting up thatfight, he had failed to accomplish his object. When Marcy opened hisdoor he was surprised to find Dick sitting at the table with a paper inhis hand. 

"What are you doing here, you rebel?" he demanded. 

"Rebel yourself, " replied Dick. "You stand ready to go back on yourState and I don't. But what is the use of this nonsense? You and Iunderstand each other. Look at that. "

"Dick, where did you get it?" exclaimed Marcy, when his visitor drew theflag from under his coat. 

"I found it on the colonel's bureau and took it and welcome, " answeredDick. 

"When did you do it?"

"Just now. "

"Where was the orderly?"

"He was at his post; but he didn't have anything to do with it, and willbe as surprised as anybody when he finds that the flag is gone. We got aladder and went in at the window. "

"_We?_ Who?"

"I did. You don't expect me to tell you who held the ladder while I wentup, do you?"

"We knew that that fight was a put-up job, but of course we couldn'timagine what it was got up for. If we had seen or heard anything to setus on the right track, you never would have got your hands on thatflag. "

"Don't you suppose we knew that?" demanded Dick. "Having no taste for aknockdown and drag-out, we were rather sly about it. But what's thedifference? You know as well as I do that it was bound to come downsooner or later, and perhaps it would have been lowered by some one whowould not have been as careful of it as I have been. Imagine, if youcan, what would have been done to it if the news had come that thisState had joined the Confederacy! There hasn't been an ugly finger laidon it since I got it. "

Marcy took a turn about the room and then faced his visitor and lookedat him in silence. 

"I am sure I don't know what to make of you, " he said, at length. "Whichside are you on? I don't believe you know yourself. "

"Haven't I told you time and again that I'm neutral?" demanded Dick. "You see Missouri--"

"You never saw two dogs fight in the street without wanting one or theother of them to whip, " interrupted Marcy. "There can't be such a thingas a neutral in times like these. You are opposed to the flag, and yetyou don't want to see it in possession of those who would insult ordestroy it. You handle it as though you loved it. "

"I did once, and I don't hate it now, or anybody who stands up for it, "answered Dick, thoughtfully. "I am going to give it to you on one--"

"I wondered why you brought it in here, " said Marcy. "I shall be glad tohave the flag, and to-morrow morning we'll--"

"Good-night, " said Dick, getting upon his feet. 

"Hold on. What have I said or done to send you away in such a hurry?"

"What will you do to-morrow morning?" asked Dick, in reply. 

"We'll run the colors up where they belong, and stand by to see thatthey stay there. What else should we do?"

"That's what I thought you were going to say; but you must promise thatyou'll not think of it, or you can't have the flag. You see, " continuedDick confidentially, "I am not exactly hand and glove with Rodney andhis crowd, but I come pretty near to believing as they do, and that wasone reason I offered to steal the flag. If I hadn't done it, they wouldhave hauled it down by force, or tried to, and that might have raised asure-enough row; no sham about it. "

"I am quite sure it would, " assented Marcy. 

"That's what I was afraid of, and I think it a good plan to put thefighting off as long as we can. I haven't anything against the flag andnever shall have, not even when Missouri--"

"Never mind Missouri, " Marcy interposed. "Tell me why you are going togive me the flag. "

"Simply because I know you think a good deal of it, and will take careof it, " answered Dick. "It will be something to be proud of one of thesedays, I tell you. After we rebels get the licking we are bound to get inthe end--"

"If you are so sure of it, why do you favor secession?" inquired Marcy. 

"Who? Me? I don't favor it. I never so much as hinted at such a foolishthing, because a blind man ought to see what is going to come of it. Before the thing is over our niggers will all be gone, our homes will bein ruins, our fields grown up to briers, and we'll be as poor as churchmice. You'll see. I say that the Southern States ought to stay in theUnion; but if they are resolved that they won't do it, the government atWashington has no shadow of a right to compel them. That's me, andthat's why I tell you that when Missouri--"

"Why don't you give me the flag, if you are going to?" said Marcy. "Someof the teachers might come in, and how should I account for yourpresence here?"

"In any way you please. I am not particular. Hold on a bit, " said Dick, as Marcy tried to take the colors from his hand. "I must have yourpromise first. You must say, in so many words, that you will not attemptto hoist it in the morning, and further, that you will not let anyoneknow I gave it to you. A certain fellow wants to shove it in thestove--"

"That's my cousin, " interrupted Marcy. 

"And another wants to show it to his girl, who told him to-day, in mypresence, that if he had the pluck she had given him credit for, thecolors would have come down long ago. "

"That's Bob Cole, " said Marcy. 

"I was taught never to tell names, and tales, too. I knew that if I gavethe flag to either of those fellows I would never see it again. I havemarched and drilled under it for almost four years, and shouldn't liketo hear that it been abused in any way; but if you and I live to see theend of the terrible times that I believe are coming upon us, I _should_like to hear that it had been run up again. That's why I am going togive it to you; but I must have your promise first. "

"It's a bargain, and there's my hand on it, " answered Marcy, withouthesitation. "That flag shall never go up to the top of the academy staffagain if I can help it, and while I remain in this school I'll never sayyou gave it to me. Now hand it over, so that I can hide it beforeanybody comes in. "

Dick was rather surprised at the promptness with which the requiredpromise was given. Almost without knowing it he handed Marcy the flag, and saw him place it in his trunk and turn the key upon it. 

"Say, " he exclaimed, when he found his tongue, "what are you up to?"

"I am going to leave the flag there until I can think of some goodhiding-place for it, " replied Marcy. 

"That isn't what I mean, and you know it. I didn't think you would be sovery willing to make the promise, and I am afraid there is somethingback of it. "

"I have said all you asked me to say, have I not? Well, I assure you Ishall remember it, for I am not in the habit of breaking my word. Thenext time these colors float it will be in a breeze that is untainted byany secession rag, I bet you. Then, whether you are living or dead, Ishall think of you, Dick. You and I have always been friends and I knowwe shall continue to be so, no matter where we are or what flag wavesover us. "

"You don't owe me any thanks, " said Dick hastily, and in, rather a huskyvoice. "I don't want the old thing, for I may have to fight against itsomeday; but I didn't want to see Rodney and his crowd trample it undertheir feet before they destroyed it. You're right, we shall always befriends, no matter--dog-gone State Rights anyhow. That's me. Good-night. "

"Just one word more before you go, " said Marcy. "Where did Rodney getthe secession flag he has been prancing around with ever since he camefrom town?"

"It came through the post-office, but who sent it I don't know. Youought to have heard the fellows whoop and yell when he took it out ofthe package. "

"Does he labor under the delusion that he is going to run it up on thetower in the morning?" continued Marcy. 

"You can't prove that by me, " was Dick's response. "Good-night. "

"Yes, I can prove it by you, " thought Marcy, as his visitor went out, closing the door behind him. "Your face and your actions said plainlyenough that that is what Rodney means to do; but I'll bet you he will beastonished when to-morrow comes. He and his crowd must take us for a lotof dunderheads. "

Marcy waited until he thought Dick had had time to reach his own room, and then he opened the door and went out into the hall. He was goneabout half an hour, and when he came back he was smiling all over, andrubbing his hands together, as if he felt very well satisfied with whathe had done during his absence. Then he drew a chair to the table, turned up the lamp, and devoted himself to another reading of theletters and papers he had that day received from home. While he was thusengaged some things were happening a few miles away that eventually camevery near raising a "sure-enough fight" at the academy, and opened theeyes of the "citizens and voters of Barrington" to the fact that theyhad not done a wise thing when they employed some of the most worthlessmembers of the community to keep watch of those who did not wear red, white, and blue rosettes and hurrah for President Davis. 

About the time the Missouri boy and his comrades made their successfulraid on the commandant's room, one of the paid spies of whom Mr. Rileyhad spoken during his conversation with Dick Graham went to thepost-office in Barrington and was handed a letter addressed to himself. An ordinary observer would have seen at a glance that the writing on theenvelope was disguised, but Bud Goble, who seldom saw writing of anysort, did not notice it. He straightened up as if he had grown an inchor more when he found that he had a correspondent who was respectfulenough to address him as "Mister, " and rose immensely in his ownestimation when he opened the letter and with _much_ difficulty spelledout the following:

"This is verry privat and perticlar bisness and i wouldnt think ofspeaking to nobody but you about it who are one of the most promnent andrespeckted sitizens of barington. "

This was nothing but the truth, according to Mr. Goble's way ofthinking; but up to this time he had never met any one whose opinionsagreed with his own. If the business to which his correspondent referredwas so very "private and particular, " it would never do, he thought, toread the letter there in the post-office, while there were so many menstanding around; so he straightway sought the privacy of his owndwelling--a little tumble-down log cabin with a dirt floor and stickchimney, which was situated in the outskirts of the town. 

"One of the most respected and prominent citizens of Barrington; that'swhat I be, " muttered Bud Goble, as he stumbled along the dark roadtoward his domicile. "I always knowed it, but there's a heap of folksabout here who have always been down on me, kase I haven't got anyniggers of my own and have to work for a livin'; but I'm to the top ofthe heap now, an' what's more, I'll let some of 'em know it before I ammany hours older. I wisht I knew what's into this letter, kase it'smighty hard work for me to read it. If it's anything about thembabolitionists an' the doctering they're preachin' up among ourniggers--Well, they'll not do it much longer, kase I am about ready totake some on 'em outen their beds at night an' lay the hickory overtheir backs. There's money into it, kase Mr. Riley an' the rest of themen that's onto the committee said so; an' I'm onto every job wherethere's an honest dollar to be made. "

Bud Goble was a fair type of that class of people who were known tothose among whom they lived as "white trash. " Even the negroes, particularly those who belonged to wealthy planters, looked upon themwith contempt. Too lazy to work, they lived from hand to mouth; and notone out of ten of the many thousands of them who went into theConfederate Army knew what they were fighting for. To save his life BudGoble could not have told what all this excitement was about. He had adim notion that somebody wanted to free the slaves, and the idea of sucha thing made him furious; although it is hard to explain why it should, for, as Dick Graham said, he had never owned the price of a pickaninny. He had got it into his head that if the negroes were made free he wouldbe brought down to their level and compelled to go to work, and that wassomething he could not bear to think of. 

Bud Goble did not know what secession meant, but he was strongly infavor of it, because the majority of the wealthy and influentialcitizens in and around Barrington favored it; and taking his cue fromthem, he not only turned the cold shoulder upon those who were suspectedof being on the side of the Union, but went further and became theirdeadly enemy. Mr. Riley and the other members of the Committee of Safetyknew all this, and yet they employed him, the most vindictive andunreliable man in the neighborhood, to keep them posted in regard towhat the Union men and free negroes were doing and saying. It is not tobe supposed that men of their intelligence would put much faith in hisreports, but they furnished an excuse for resorting to high-handedmeasures, and that was really what the committee wanted. 

Meanwhile Bud Goble was making the best of his way homeward, guided bythe blaze from a light-wood fire on the hearth which shone through theopen door. It was not such a home as the most of us would care to go toat night, for it was the most cheerless place in the country for milesaround. Even the humblest cabin in Mr. Riley's negro quarter, half amile away, was a more inviting spot. And as for the family who occupiedit--well, a benighted traveler, no matter how tired and hungry he mightbe, would have gone farther and camped in the woods rather than asksupper and lodging of them. 

"Now, Susie, " exclaimed Mr. Goble cheerfully, addressing a slouchy, unkempt woman who sat in front of the fire with her elbows resting onher knees and a dingy cob pipe between her teeth, "punch up the blazean' dish up a supper while I read my letter an' see what's into it. "

"Who's been a-writin' a letter to you?" queried the woman, withoutchanging her position. 

"That's what I don't know till I read it. It's something about thembabolitionists that our gover'ment has ordered to get outen here, Ireckon. But I'm powerful hungry. I aint had a bite to eat sense I leftin the mornin'. "

"Well, then, where's the meal an' bacon I told you to fetch along whenyou come home?" inquired Mrs. Goble. "I told you plain as I could speakit that there wasn't a drop of anything to eat in the house; an' here'sthe young ones been a-howlin' for grub the whole day long. "

"Land sakes, if I didn't forget all about it, " said Goble regretfully. "But how on earth am I goin' to get grub when I aint got no money to payfor it? Our committee didn't give me no money to-day kase I didn't havenothing to tell 'em. 'Pears like all the traitors keep mighty glum whenI'm around. See two or three of 'em talkin' together, an' they shet upthe minute I begin to sidle up to 'em. "

"You aint wuth shucks to work for that committee, " replied his wifeimpatiently. "If I was a man an' had the job, I'd tell 'em somethingevery hour in the day. "

"How could you when there wasn't nothing to tell, I'd like to know?"

"I'd find plenty, I bet you. You haven't disremembered how thembabolitionists an' the free niggers used to talk, about the time JohnBrown was makin' that raid of his'n, have you?"

"'Course I aint; but them's old stories now. They've kept mighty stilltongues in their heads sense that time. "

"No odds if they have. They was Union then, an' they're that same way ofthinkin' now; an' the talk that would have hung 'em then, if our folkshadn't been jest the peaceablest people in the world, would get 'em intotrouble now if it was brung up agin 'em. "

"An' would you tell them stories all over agin if you was me?" exclaimedBud Goble. 

"I wouldn't do nothing else. "

"Jest as if they happened yisterday?"

"Toby sure. You want money, don't you? an' that there committee of yournwon't give you none 'ceptin' you can tell 'em sunthin', will they?"

"Now, that's an idee, " exclaimed Mr. Goble, gazing admiringly at hiswife. "I never onct thought of that way of doin'. "

"You never think of nothing till I tell you what to do, " said Mrs. Goblesharply. "You've had no end of good jobs that you could have made moneyon if you'd only worked 'em right, but you won't listen to what I tellyou. I don't reckon you see how you could make money two ways outen thejob you've got now, do you? You might go to all the Union folks, niggers_an_' whites, an' tell 'em that if they don't give you some clothes foryour fambly to wear, an' grub for 'em to eat, you will have that therecommittee of yourn after 'em, mightn't you?"

"So I could, " exclaimed Bud gleefully. "But I'll tell 'em I want moneyfor keepin' still about what I've heard 'em say. "

"You won't do nothing of the sort, " said his wife almost fiercely. "Ifyou get money, you'll set in to loafin' around Larkinses', an' I won'tsee none of it, nor any grub or clothes nuther. Look around the housean' into the cubboard an' see if you oughtn't to be ashamed of yourselffor swillin' so much apple-jack. Get the grub, I tell you, an' give someon 'em a hint that you want an order on the store keeper to get me a newdress I've been needin' for the last six months. That's one way to makeit pay. Then go to that committee an' tell 'em what you've heard thembabolitionists an' free niggers say about John Brown bein' right in whathe did, an' they'll give you sunthin' for bringin' 'em the news. "

"But them old stories won't be news. "

"No odds. They're what the committee wants, an' you're plumb blind thatyou can't see it. "

Bud Goble placed his elbows upon his knees, fastened his eyes upon theglowing coals on the hearth, and took a minute or two to consider thematter. Then he got upon his feet and went out into the darkness withouttelling his wife where he was going or what he intended to do. But thatdid not trouble Mrs. Goble. She administered a hearty shake to one ofthe ragged children who querulously demanded to know why pap hadn'tbrung home sunthin to eat, and then filled a fresh pipe and lighted itwith a brand from the fire. 

Bud climbed the fence that ran between the road and the little barrenpasture in which he permitted his pigs to roam (when he had any), workedhis way through a narrow strip of woodland, and finally struck the laneleading from Mr. Riley's tobacco patch to the negro quarter a double rowof whitewashed cabins in which the field-hands lived. A few minuteslater, after making free use of a club with which he had taken theprecaution to arm himself, and fighting his way through a battalion ofcoon dogs that assembled to dispute his progress, he opened the door ofone of the cabins and entered without ceremony. If the occupants hadbeen white folks, Bud wouldn't have done that; but who ever heard of aSouthern gentleman knocking at a negro's door?

"What made you-uns set there like so many bumps on a log when you heardme comin'?" was the way in which he greeted Uncle Toby and his family, who were sitting in front of the fire resting after the labors of theday. "Why didn't you come out and shoo off them dogs of your'n? You'dbest be mighty careful how you treat me, kase I'm a bigger man in thissettle_ment_ nor you think I be. What's that you're shovin' out of sightbehind your cheer? Let me have a look at it. "

Uncle Toby was one of the most popular negro preachers in the county, and had been known to boast of the fact that he addressed a largerSunday morning congregation than any white minister in Barrington. BudGoble thought he was a dangerous nigger to have around, and often askedMr. Riley why he did not "shut him up. " But the planter only laughed andsaid that if old Toby could preach so much better than the Barringtonministers, he didn't think he ought to be deposed. So long as thedarkeys who came into his grove of a Sunday had passes from theirmasters, it was all right; but there was something that was not allright, and it was the occasion of no little uneasiness and perplexity toMr. Riley. By some hocus-pocus Toby had learned to read his Bible. Therewas nothing wrong in that, of course, but a darkey who could read hisBible would be likely to read papers as well; and from them, especiallyif they chanced to be Northern papers, he might imbibe some ideas thatno slave had any business to entertain. It was said, and Bud Goblebelieved it, that Toby had a great deal to do with the "undergroundrailroad" that had carried so many runaway negroes to freedom. You willbe surprised when you hear that Bud was ignorant enough to take thisexpression literally. He really thought that some one had built arailroad under Barrington for the purpose of assisting discontentedslaves to escape to Canada, and some of the wags at the military academyoffered him a large sum of money if he would find it and conduct them toit, so that they might tear it up. Bud concluded that somewhere in thewoods there must be a ladder or flight of stairs that led down to therailroad, and he spent days in looking for it. When Mr. Riley, takingpity on his ignorance, explained the matter to him, Bud was fightingmad; and ever since that time he had been watching for an opportunity tobe revenged upon the boys who had played upon his credulity. 

"Let me have a look at that there thing you was a-shovin' out of sightbehine your cheer when I come in, " repeated Bud, striding up to thefire-place and catching up the article that had caught his eye. "Lookedto me like one of them 'sendiary papers, an' it is too. What businessyou got to be readin' like a white gentleman?" he added, slapping Tobyon the head with the paper which he picked up from the floor. 

"Oh, Marse Gobble, " began Toby. 

"'Tain't my name, " howled Bud, who always got angry whenever anybodytook liberties with his cognomen. "G-o don't spell Gob, does it? Youcan't read or spell alongside of me, but you know too much to be of anymore use around here. Me and Mr. Riley b'long to the Committee ofSafety, an' it's our bounden duty to take chaps like you out in thewoods an' lick ye. What do you say to that?"

Old Toby was so very badly frightened that he could not say anything. Hehad been caught almost in the act of reading a copy of the New York_Tribune_, and what would Mr. Riley say and do when he heard of it? Thelatter was known far and wide as a kind master. He gave his slavesplenty to eat and wear and never overworked them; but he believed asmost of his class did, and it wasn't likely that he would deal lenientlywith one of his chattels who would bring a paper like the _Tribune_ onthe plantation, and afterward spread discontent among his fellows bypreaching in secret the doctrines he found in it. Bud easily read thethoughts that were passing in the old negro's mind, and told himselfthat Susie deserved a new dress in return for the suggestions she hadgiven him. He saw his advantage and determined to push it. 

 CHAPTER VI. 

 THE STRUGGLE ON THE TOWER. 

Toby was said to be the most thrifty and "forehanded" darkey in thesettlement. Like all the rest of the black people on Mr. Riley'splantation he had a little garden-patch, and as he and his family wereindustrious enough to cultivate it properly, they had vegetables to sellat the "great house" and received cash in hand for them. Being aminister, he did not think it right to spend much for clothing orfinery, and there were those who believed that he had a goodly sum ofmoney laid by. Bud Goble knew that his larder was generally wellsupplied, and he had designs upon it now. 

"What do you reckon your Moster would do to ye if I should take thishere docyment to him an' tell him I found you a-readin' of it?" Buddemanded, looking sharply at Uncle Toby. "It's my duty to do it, kase Ib'long to the same committee that he does, bein' one of the mostrespected an' prominent citizens of Barrington. That's the way myletters come. "

"Marse Bud, " replied the negro (he did not dare venture on the surnameagain for fear of exciting his visitor's wrath), "I didn't go for to dowrong--I didn't for a fac'. Dat paper was gin to me--oh, laws, what am Isayin'?"

"Speak it out, nigger, " exclaimed Bud fiercely. "Who gin it to you, an'how did he come by it in the first place?"

"Suah I don't know how he come by it, Marse Bud, " replied Toby, who wasgreatly alarmed. "I don't know what 'is name was, nudder, kase I nevahseed him afo'. Dat's de Lawd's truth. "

"No, I don't reckon it is, " answered Bud, with a grim smile. "But as Iam here on other business, I won't say nothing more on that p'int atthis meetin'. I'll sorter hold it over ye like an overseer's whip, readyto fall when you don't hoe your row like you had oughter. Do you want meto take this here _Trybune_ to your Moster? Well, then, I want you tosell me some of that fine tobacker of your'n. You told me t'other daythat you didn't have none; but I reckon you can find some if you lookaround. "

"Mebbe so, sah, " replied Toby, with alacrity. His store was growingsmall, but if by breaking into it he could purchase Bud Goble's silence, he was perfectly willing to do it. He knew that he would never see acent for the tobacco, for Bud was much too hightoned to use "twist" whenhe had money to invest in "store plug. " He left the room, and in a fewminutes returned with three or four big "hanks, " which he handed to hisvisitor with the request that the latter would accept them with hiscompliments. 

"Didn't mean to rob ye, Toby, " said Bud, as he wrenched a huge mouthfulfrom one of the "hanks" to test the quality. "But I'll tell ye what's afact. When I come home tonight, after a meetin' of that there Committeeof Safety I was tellin' you about, I found that I had plumbdisremembered to fetch along the bacon, meal, an' taters that my wifedone told me to bring, an' so I thought I would jest run over an' see ifI couldn't borry some of you to last me a few days. "

Old Toby was astonished at the proposition. It was on the end of histongue to refuse point-blank; but when he glanced at Bud he thoughtbetter of it. The latter was trying to look good-natured, but there wasan expression on his face that brought all the negro's fears back to himwith redoubled intensity. He saw very plainly that it would take morethan a few twists of tobacco to make Bud Goble keep his lips closed. 

"Ise got a little meal an' some few taters, Marse Bud, " said Tobyreluctantly. "But I tell you for a fac' dat de bacon we done drawed fromde oberseer won't las' de week out for my own folks, let alone givingyou some of it. "

"Oh, well, I aint so sot on havin' bacon, " replied Bud. "Give me two orthree of them yaller-legged chickens of yourn, an' they will do jest aswell. It's a mighty far ways back to town, an' I do despise walkin'there in the dark, " he continued, seeing that Toby hesitated. "It'snigher to the great house, an' so I reckon I'll go up an' smoke a pipewith Riley. "

"Set down, Marse Bud, " cried Toby hastily. "Set down in dat cheer an'I'll have de things you want directly. An' say, Marse Bud, when I get'em, will you give me dat paper?"

"Oh, yes; you can have the paper, " said the visitor. And to show that hemeant what he said, he tossed it upon the nearest shakedown. 

"Thank you, sah; thank you kindly, " said Toby, with the mentalresolution that he would throw that tell-tale paper into the fire assoon as the visitor took his leave. "If I see dat man agin I'll tell himI don't want no mo' dat sort of trash to read. I'll be back in jes' aminute. "

Toby was gone a good deal longer than that, but when he returned hebrought with him two meal bags, partly filled, which he placed upon thefloor beside Bud Goble's chair. The latter thrust his arm into them, oneafter the other, and found that the first contained corn meal enough tokeep him and his hungry family in hoe-cake until he could earn moneyfrom the committee to buy more, and that there were three chickens andabout a peck of potatoes in the other. 

"That's what I'm a-needin', " said he, with a satisfied chuckle. "I bidyou a kind goodnight, you an' your fambly; an' if I hear anybody talkabout takin' you out in the bresh an' lickin' on ye, I won't let 'em. "

Toby stood in the door to "shoo off the dogs, " and drew a long sigh ofrelief when he saw his unwelcome guest disappear in the darkness. 

"Dinah, " said he, when he returned to the cabin, "de money you've got indat stockin' of yourn has got to be buried in de groun' somewhar defirst thing in de mawnin'. Ise dat skeared of having it in de house datI can't sleep. I thought sure dat Gobble white trash man gwine ask fordat money. "

Bud was not long in reaching home. He was so highly elated that heseemed to be treading on air, and the distance was passed over almostbefore he knew it. It was the source of great gratification to him tolearn, by actual test, that his relations with the Committee of Safetyput such power into his hands. There was one thing about it, he toldhimself: From that time forward he and his family would have more andbetter food to eat than they had ever had before, and be better clothed. If the scheme he had just put into operation would work once, he waspositive it would succeed every time it was tried. 

"There, now!" exclaimed Bud triumphantly, as he walked into his ownhouse and dropped the bags by the side of his wife's chair. "Two headsare better'n one, if one is a woman's head. There's meal an' taters an'chickens; now go on an' dish up a good supper. I'll get your dressto-morrer. "

"Where you goin' to get it?" inquired his wife, knocking the ashes fromher pipe and rising from her seat. The knowledge that there was food inthe house put a little energy into her, and at the same time quieted thecomplaining children. 

"I'm workin' this job for all there is into it, let me tell you, "replied Bud, taking his wife's pipe from her hand and filling it for hisown benefit. "I ketched old preacher Toby with a babolition paper in hishand, an' that's the way I come to get the grub an' tobacker. To-morrerI'll go an' call on the storekeeper. He told me t'other day that hewouldn't trust me no more, but I kinder think he'll change his mind whenI tell him that I'm onto that committee. An' then there's that Meth'distpreacher, Elder Bowen, who I suspicion gin Toby that babolition_Trybune. _ There's a heap of hams an' side-meat in that smokehouse ofhis'n, an' it sorter runs in my mind that I can talk him into givin' mesome of it. "

"An' did you speak to Toby about the money they say he's got hidsomewheres?" asked Mrs. Goble, who was dressing two of the chickenspreparatory to consigning them to the kettle, which she had placed uponthe coals. "What business has he got to have money when white folks--"

"Set me down for a fuel!" exclaimed Bud, hitting his rheumatic leg sucha slap that he could hardly repress the howl of anguish that arose tohis lips. "There I was talkin' to him for as much as ten or fifteenminutes an' never onct thought of that money. Well, there's another daycomin', an' Toby'll have to hand that money over or get whopped. "

"An' if I was you, " continued his wife, "I wouldn't say a blessed wordto nobody about it. Keep your business to yourself, kase if you don't, them that helps you will want to share in what you get. "

"Susie, you've got a long head an' that's a fac', " said Bud, whowondered why he had not thought of all these little things himself. "I'll bear them idees in mind. Now, punch up the fire a little an' letme see if I can read what's into this letter. One of the most prominentan' respected citizens of Barrington; that's what I be, an' the fellerwho writ to me knows it. "

Having lighted his pipe and waited until the blaze from the fire hadattained sufficient brightness, Bud drew the letter from his pocket andread aloud:

"Dear sir and frind i take my pen in hand to let you know that you aintdoing as you had oughter do you are paid by the committee of safety tokeep an eye on all the abolitionists in the kentry and you dont do ittheres plenty of them in barington and a hul pile of them up to thecademy wich is a disgrace to the town them boys some of them is spilingfor a licking sich as you and your frinds had oughter give them long agobut aint done it and had oughter have a little sense knocked into theirheads why dont you send them warning to shet up or clear themselvesouten the federasy like the govment says they must do inside of ten daystheres that gray boy for one and that graham boy for an other but theyaint no kin though theyre awful sassy and need looking to if you donttend to business bettern this i shall have to see that the committeegets some body else in your place hurra for jeff davis and the south andlong may she wave that is my moto. "

Men of sense do not usually give a second thought to anonymouscommunications, but put them into the fire as soon as they ascertaintheir character; but Goble, of course, did not know this, and besides hewas not that sort of a fellow. He was not strictly honorable himself, and was glad to receive hints, even if they came from a correspondentwho was too much of a coward to sign his name to what he had written. Hesaw at once that he had been remiss in his duty, and the threatcontained in the closing lines made him a little uneasy. 

"Land sakes, I plumb forgot to keep an eye on them boys at the 'cademy, "he said, as he folded the letter and prepared to return it to theenvelope. As he did so, he found that there were a few lines written onthe outside which he had not before noticed. They ran as follows:

"Them boys I spoke of that gray and graham boy are the verry ones whofooled you about that under ground rail road--"

When Bud read these words he hit his rheumatic leg another heavy blow, and jumped to his feet with a fierce exclamation on his lips. 

"So them's the fellers that fooled me, are they?" he shouted, as soon asthe pain in his leg would permit him to speak. "You haven'tdisremembered how they offered me a cool hundred dollars in gold if Iwould look around in the woods an' find the ladder or the stairs thatled down to that railroad, have you, Susie? If it hadn't been for RileyI might have been lookin' for it yet. I said at the time that I wouldget even with them for that, but I couldn't seem to find no way to doit, kase I don't never have no dealin's with 'em; but I've got an ideenow. I wisht I could think up some way to get them two out in the woodsby theirselves. I'll have to have somebody to help me if I try that, Susie. "

As that was very evident to Mrs. Goble she made no reply, but went onwith her preparations for supper, while Bud smoked and meditated. Whenthe chickens, potatoes, and hoe-cake were declared to be ready, he didnot change his position, but grabbed what he wanted from the table, anddevoured it while sitting by the fire and trying to conjure up some planfor making himself square with those fun-loving academy boys. Heinferred that they had been preaching Union doctrines at the school, butBud did not care a straw for that. He wanted to punish them for makinghim search for that underground railroad. When the dishes were clearedof everything eatable that had been placed upon them, and the tablemoved back to its place, Bud stretched his heavy frame on the ground infront of the fire and went to sleep, using his hat and boots for apillow. 

At an early hour the next morning another serious inroad was made uponthe slender stock of provisions Bud had frightened out of old UncleToby, and then Bud shouldered his long squirrel rifle, which he carriedwith him wherever he went, and set out for Barrington, not forgetting toassure his wife that she might confidently expect him to bring that newdress when he returned at night. While he is on the way let us go backto the academy and see what is taking place there. 

The sentries who were on duty at daylight took note of the fact thatmore than half the boys in school arose without waiting for _reveille. _Even a stranger would have known that there was something afoot. Thestudents gathered in little groups in the corridors and held mysteriouswhisperings with one another, or sauntered around with their hands intheir pockets, as if in search of something they were in no particularhurry to find; and while some seemed scarcely able to refrain fromlaughing outright and dancing hornpipes, the faces of others wore aresolute look that had a volume of meaning in it. Rodney Gray, with theflag of the Confederacy tucked safely under the breast of his coat, tooka stroll about the building and grounds, looking sharply at every one hemet, and finally drew off on one side to compare notes with some of hisfriends. 

"I don't at all like the way the land lies, " said he. "If Marcy and hisgang haven't something on their minds, they certainly act like it. Graham, you know where the old flag is, do you not?"

"I do, for a fact. It is safe under lock and key, and in the keeping ofone who knows how to take care of it, " answered Dick. 

"I wish I had insisted on seeing it destroyed the minute you got hold ofit, " continued Rodney. "Then I should know that there is no danger ofits being hoisted again. "

"I pledge you my word that you will never again set eyes on that flag aslong as you remain at this academy, " said Dick earnestly. "Thatassurance ought to satisfy you. "

"Perhaps it ought, but it doesn't, " Rodney took occasion to say toBillings and Cole a few seconds later, when Dick had gone off on somebusiness of his own. "I wish now that some true Southern boy had hadpluck enough to steal the flag, for then we should know where it is atthis moment. Marcy and his friends certainly suspect something; and ifthey know that the colors are gone, they take it in an easy way I don'tlike. "

"Dick has given his word that we shall never see the flag again, and Ibelieve him, " said Cole. "He is a good fellow and ought to be one ofus. "

"Oh, he will come out all right, and so will Marcy, " said Billingsconfidently. "Wait till this excitement culminates in a fight, and thenyou will see a big change of opinion among these weak-kneed chaps. Theyexpect a skirmish this morning and are prepared for it. We'll see funbefore that new flag of ours goes up on the tower, and I'll bet on it. "

"Boom!" said the gun, whereupon the drums began their racket, and thefifes piped forth the first strains of the morning call. The boys allstarted on the run for the court (a large glass-covered room in thecenter of the building which was used for morning inspection, and fordrills and parades when stormy weather prevailed), and when the roll hadbeen called, the sergeants of the several companies reported all presentor accounted for. But still there were some boys missing, and no reportwas made as to their whereabouts. A familiar voice answered to MarcyGray's name, but it was not Marcy's voice. Rodney's quick ear detectedthe cheat, and when ranks were broken he looked everywhere for hiscousin, but he was not to be seen. With frantic gestures Rodney summoneda few of his right-hand men to his side and communicated his fears tothem in hasty, whispered words. 

"Seen Marcy during roll-call?" he inquired. 

No one had. Didn't he answer to his name?

"No, he did not, " replied Rodney, hastily scanning the faces of thestudents that filed by him on their way out of the court. "Somebodyanswered 'here, ' but it wasn't Marcy. The sergeant must know where heis, for he reported the company present or accounted for. "

"Doesn't that go to show that Marcy and the chap who answered to hisname, as well as the sergeant himself, must be in some sort of a plot?"inquired Billings. 

"I'll bet they are on the tower, " declared Rodney. "Let's go up there, quick. "

Rodney's friends did not at first see what Marcy could be doing on thetower, for had not Dick Graham assured them that the flag was all right, and that they would never see it hoisted again? But if Marcy suspectedthat his Cousin Rodney would make an effort to run up his newConfederate flag in place of the Stars and Stripes, might it not be thathe and a chosen squad had taken possession of the tower, intending tohold it so that Rodney could not carry out his design? If that was thecase there was bound to be a struggle more or less desperate, andRodney's adherents would be expected to be on hand; so they followed himto the top of the tower, but halted when they got there, astonished andappalled at the scene that was presented to their gaze. The cousins wereclinched and swaying about in alarming proximity to the low parapet, over which they were in imminent danger of falling to the ground; thesentry on duty was vainly endeavoring to part them by placing his musketbetween the struggling boys and crowding them toward the middle of thetower; and Marcy Gray was clinging to the halliards leading up to themasthead, from which the starry flag was floating in all its glory. Itwas not the old flag, however, but a newer and better one, whose glossyfolds had never before been kissed by the breeze. 

"Stop this!" shouted Cole, recovering himself by an effort and dartingforward to assist in separating the angry and reckless boys. "Haven'tyou any sense left? A misstep on the part of one would be the death ofboth of you. Don't you know that the academy is four stories high, andthat the tower runs up one story higher? Let go, Rodney. Give me thosehalliards, Marcy. "

"Stand back, both of you!" cried the latter. "I'd rather go over thangive up the halliards. If I had two hands I would very soon end thefracas, but I haven't a friend to hold the ropes while I defendmyself. "

[Illustration: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE FLAG. ]

Perhaps he hadn't when he began speaking, but a second or two later hehad plenty of them. Hasty steps sounded in the hall below and came upthe ladder, and in less time than it takes to write it the top of thetower was covered with boys. The last one who came up turned about andslammed down the trap-door through which he had gained access to theroof. It was Dixon, the tall student who had compelled the orderly tofold the flag properly, and who afterward told Dick Graham right whereto find it. Being a Kentuckian, he was just now "on the fence, " andready to jump either way, according as his State decided to go out ofthe Union or remain in it. He was opposed to secession, and that beingthe case, it was strange that he should afterward find himself enrolledamong John Morgan's raiders, but that was right where he brought up. Although he was a close student, a good soldier, and one of the bestfellows that ever lived withal, he was at any time ready for a fight ora frolic, and it didn't make any great difference to him which it was. 

"Now, " said he cheerfully, as he closed the trap-door behind him, "wecan have a quiet squabble and no one can come up to interfere with us. But look here, boys, " he added, stepping to the parapet and lookingover. "It's a mighty far ways to the ground--five stories or so--and ifyou go down, you will be sure to get hurt. On the whole, I think we hadbetter adjourn for a while. "

Rodney knew just how to take these words. Like that notice in thepost-office, "there was reading between the lines. " Seeing that he andhis friends were taken at disadvantage and greatly outnumbered, hethought it best to handle his cousin with a little less rudeness; but hewould not cease his efforts to pull down that hated flag and hoist hisown Stars and Bars until he was compelled to do so. He let go his holdupon his cousin and seized the halliards. 

"Never mind the relationship, " he yelled, when Marcy said that if Rodneywere not his cousin he would be tempted to thrash him within an inch ofhis life. "I am more ashamed of it than you can possibly be. Let gothose halliards. "

"Looks as though there might be a slight difference of opinion betweenthe parties most interested, and there's no telling who is Governoruntil after the election, " said Dixon quietly. "But I respectfullysubmit that the top of a high tower is no place to settle a dispute thatmay end in a scrimmage. We don't want to begin killing one another untilwe have to, and there are two ways in which the matter can be arranged:Wait until after dark, and then go silently to the parade and have itover before anybody knows a thing about it, or else kiss and makefriends right here. "

Dick Graham, who had thus far kept himself on the other side of thebelfry out of sight, broke into a loud laugh when Dixon, speaking withthe utmost gravity, made the last proposition. Dick had a cheery, wholehearted laugh, and the effect was contagious. The laugh becamegeneral and finally such an uproar arose that the students at the footof the tower, who had been watching proceedings on the top with nolittle interest and anxiety, pulled off their caps and joined in withcheers and yells, although they had not the faintest idea what they werecheering and yelling for. Marcy smiled good-naturedly as he looked intohis cousin's face, but Rodney scowled as fiercely as ever. When anythingmade him angry it took him a long time to get over it. He was almostready to boil over with rage when he caught his cousin in the act ofhoisting a brand new flag in place of the one that had been stolen, andif his friends had only been prompt to hasten to his support, he wouldhave torn that flag into fragments in short order. But they had heldback and given Marcy's friends time to come to his assistance, and nowthere was no hope of victory. This made him believe that the boys whopretended to side with him were cowards, the last one of them. 

"If I will give you the halliards, will you promise not to haul thecolors down?" asked Marcy, who had no heart for trouble of this sort. 

"I'll promise nothing, " answered Rodney, in savage tones. "You and yourgang have the advantage of me this time, but it will not be so when nextwe meet. Mark that. "

"Hear, hear!" cried some of the boys. 

"You shut up!" shouted Rodney. "You fellows are mighty ready to talk, but I would like to see you do something. As for you, Marcy, you are atraitor to your State. Let go those halliards. "

"I'll not do it. Your ancestors and mine have fought under this flagever since it has been a flag, and if I can help it, you shall not bethe first of our name to haul it down. "

"But that flag does not belong up there any longer, and I say, and weall say, that it shall not stay there. Here's our banner, " exclaimedRodney, and as he spoke he drew the Stars and Bars from under his coatand shook out its folds. "It's a much handsomer flag than yours, and ifthere's a war coming, as some of you seem to think, it will lead us tovictory on every battle-field. "

The sight of the Confederate emblem seemed to arouse a little martialspirit among Rodney Gray's friends. They cheered it lustily, and Rodneybegan to hope that they would make energetic and determined effort torun it up; but they lacked the courage. The disgusted Rodney told themin language more forcible than elegant that they were nothing but a lotof wind-bags. 

"Sentry, you were stationed here to protect that flag, " said Marcy, ashe made the halliards fast to a cleat beside the door leading into thebelfry. 

"Are you officer of the day?" demanded the guard. "Then you are taking agood deal upon yourself when you presume to tell me what my duties are. Go below, the last one of you, or I will call the corporal. "

"That is what you would have done long ago if you had been a goodsoldier, but I reckon he's coming without waiting to be called, "observed Dixon, as an imperious knock, followed by the command to "openup here, immediately, " was heard at the trapdoor. "Now, Rodney, don'tlet's have any more nonsense over the flag. "

"I shall do as I please about that, and you can't help yourself, "replied Rodney. "I'll settle the matter with you on the parade tonight, if you feel in the humor. That flag shall not float over this schoolwith my consent. "

"Then I am sorry to say that it will have to float without your consent. It will be time enough to make war upon it when the North makes war onus; and you will get plenty of that, I bet you. Now let's have a look atour friend below, who seems to be in something of a hurry to come up, and then we'll go down and attend to the business of the hour, which, Ibelieve, means breakfast. "

So saying Dixon raised the trap-door, revealing the flushed and excitedfaces of the commandant and officer of the day, who were mostrespectfully saluted when they entered the belfry. 

 CHAPTER VII. 

 OLD TOBY'S MONEY. 

"Young gentlemen, what is the meaning of this new outrage?" demanded thecolonel angrily. 

"A tussle over the flag, sir, " replied Dixon, standing very stiffly andraising his hand to his cap. "The old one having mysteriouslydisappeared, it became necessary to hoist a new one, sir. "

Of course the commandant knew long before this time that the colors hadbeen taken from his bureau, and he knew, also, that the theft had beencommitted under cover of that sham fight in the hall; but he did not saya word about it. To be candid, he did not think it would be good policyto try to sift the matter to the bottom, for fear of implicating someprofitable student whom he could not afford to expel. Being proprietorof the school, he desired to keep it intact as long as he could. 

"And during the tussle two of your number came very near beingprecipitated to the ground, " exclaimed the colonel. "I shall put a stopto this insubordination if I have to order the whole school into theguard-house. "

"Very good, sir, " answered the boys. 

"Go downstairs, all of you, " commanded the officer of the day. "SergeantRodney and Private Marcy Gray, report to me at once. "

The students hastened down the ladder, wondering what was to be theresult of this "new outrage. " When they reached the hall one of themsaid, in tones loud enough to be heard by all his companions:

"Graham is a traitor. He stole the old flag, but he furnished a new oneto be hoisted in its place. "

"There's where you are wrong, " exclaimed Marcy promptly. "Dick hadnothing whatever to do with it, and when he saw this new flag, he was asmuch surprised as the rest of you were. I have had it concealed in myroom for more than six weeks. I meant to be ready for you, you see. "

"Where did you get it? if that is a fair question. "

"It was made by a young lady who lives in Barrington, but of course youdo not expect me to mention her name. She is true to her colors, andthat's more than can be said in favor of you fellows who would havehauled it down if you had possessed the pluck. "

"That was well put in, Marcy, " said Rodney. "There isn't pluck enoughamong the whole lot of them to fit out a good-sized cat. If the Yankeesshould come down here, they could drive an army of such fellows withnothing but cornstalks for weapons. "

The tone in which these words were uttered set Dick Graham going again, and he started all the rest that is, all except a few who were so angrythey couldn't laugh. If that dread functionary, the officer of the day, heard the uproar, he must have thought that the culprits who had beencommanded to report to him did not take their prospective punishmentvery much to heart. 

Of course the boys who remained below were impatient to hear all aboutthe things that had happened in and around the belfry, and to know whatwas going to be done with Rodney and his cousin. But the last was apoint upon which no one could enlighten them, not even the cousinsthemselves when they came from the presence of the officer of the day, who had given them a stern reprimand and a warning. Being from Louisianahimself, and having offered his services to her in case they should berequired, he bore down upon Marcy harder than he did upon Rodney, andeven went so far as to try and convince the North Carolina boy that theword "traitor, " which had so often been applied to him by hisschoolmates, was deserved and appropriate. But Marcy could not look atit that way, and even in the presence of the man who could have shut himup in the guard-house, with nothing but bread to eat and water to drink, he did not "haul in his shingle one inch. " He never had made any troublein the school, and, what was more to the point, he did not intend to;but neither was he going to stand still and permit a lot of rebels torun over him. The colonel had said, in so many words, that the flag wasto be hoisted every morning until further orders; and in hoisting a newone in the place of the one that had disappeared, he had not broken anyrule. The officer knew that to be true, and as he could not punish onewithout punishing the other also, he was obliged to let them both goscot-free; but he detained Rodney a moment to whisper a word of cautionto him. 

"Don't let this thing be repeated, " said he earnestly. "I think just asyou do, and if I could have my own way, your flag would now be waving onthe tower; but it is my duty to obey orders, and it is your duty aswell. Don't make another move until this State joins the Confederacy, and then there will be no one to oppose you. The hoisting of anotherflag will break up the school, but that is to be expected. You may go. "

"He said, in effect, that he would keep this thing hanging over ourheads to see how we behave in future, " said Rodney to Billings and Cole, who were in the hall waiting for him. "He is on our side, but not beingthe head of the school, he can't back us up as he would like to. Butthen this will keep, " he added, once more shaking out his flag, which hehad all the while carried under his arm. "I was afraid the teacherswould take it away from me, but as they didn't, we'll hold ourselves inreadiness to run it up when the other is ordered down. "

But the incidents of the morning, exciting as they were, did not longmonopolize the attention of the students, or remain the principalsubjects of discussion. They were forgotten the minute the mail wasdistributed, for of course their papers contained news from all parts, and the boys made it their business to keep posted. There was one thingthe papers had already begun to do that excited derisive laughter amongall the sensible boys in school. They called dispatches from the North"Foreign Intelligence. " But there were some, like Rodney Gray, who couldnot see that that was anything to laugh at, and following the lead oftheir favorite journals in politics, they soon learned to follow theirvocabulary also, and always spoke of the North as "the United States, "and of the South as "the Confederate States. "

When the adjutant's call was sounded Marcy Gray fell in with the othermembers of his company who had been warned for duty, and marched to theparade-ground to go through the ceremony of guard-mounting. Immediatelyafter that he went on post in a remote part of the grounds, a favoriteplace with the sentries on hot summer days, for the woods on the otherside came close up to the fence, and the trees threw a grateful shadeover the beat. The only order the boy he relieved had to pass, was asimple as well as a useless one. It was to "keep his eye peeled for thatfence and not permit anybody to climb over it"; but Marcy listened asthough he meant to obey it. Then the relief passed on, and he was leftalone with his thoughts, which, considering the incidents connected withthat skirmish on the tower, were not the most agreeable company. 

He had been there perhaps a couple of hours, out of sight of everybody, when he was brought to a stand-still by a rustling among the bushes onthe other side of the fence, and presently discovered old Toby lookingat him over a fallen log. A smile of genuine joy and relief overspreadthe black man's features when he saw who the vigilant sentry was, and heimmediately got upon his feet and came to the fence. 

"The top of the morning to you, parson, " said Marcy pleasantly. "You actas though you might be looking for some one. "

"Sarvent, sah, " replied Toby. "I is for a fac' lookin' for you, an'nobody else. I was up to de gate, an' Marse Dick Graham done tol' me youdown heah. You-uns gwine get in de biggest sort of trouble, you an'Marse Dick, an' I come heah to tol' you. "

"I assure you we are grateful to you for it, " answered the boy, with asmile. "But how are we going to get into trouble? Talk fast, for I haveno business to hold any communication whatever with you. "

"Dat white trash, Bud Gobble; he's de man, " began Toby. "You an' MarseDick done sont him into de woods to look for de way to dat undergroundrailroad--"

Marcy leaned upon his musket, threw back his head, and laughed heartilybut silently, for he did not want to bring the corporal of the guarddown to his post until he had heard what the old negro had to tell him. 

"Dat's jes' what you-uns done, Marse Marcy, " continued Toby. "An' nowdat man gwine tote you bofe out in de woods an' lick you like he was deoberseer an' you two de niggahs. "

When Marcy heard this he did not know whether to laugh again or getangry over it. As time was precious he did neither, but beganquestioning Toby, who told a story that made the boy open his eyes. Whenit was concluded the fact was plain to Marcy that somebody had beentrying to get him and Dick Graham into trouble; but who could it be? Heknew that he had been airing his Union sentiments rather freely, but hewasn't aware that he had made any enemies by it. He wished the hour forhis relief would hasten its coming, so that he might compare notes withDick. 

"You think it was the letter Bud received that put all these things intohis head, do you?" said he, after a moment's reflection. 

"You haven't any idea who wrote the letter or what else there was init?"

"No sah, I aint. I wish't I had, so't I could tell you. "

"Bud Goble mentioned Dick's name and mine while he was threatening us, did he?" continued Marcy. 

"He did for a fac'. I didn't hear him, kase I wasn't dar; but ElderBowen's niggah Sam was in de store when he 'buse de storekeeper, an' hewas at de house when he come dar an' 'buse de elder for a babolitionist. You-uns want look out, Marse Marcy. Dat man mean mischief, suah's youborn. "

"Don't be uneasy, " replied Marcy. "If Mr. Goble thinks he is going tocatch us napping, he will find himself mistaken. I should like to seehim and his friends come to this school and try to carry out theirthreats. There are plenty of Union boys among the students, parson. "

"I'se suspicioned dat all along, sah, an' I'se mighty proud to hear yousay so; I is for a fac'. Dere's a few of 'em in de settle_ment_, butI'se mighty jubus what will happen to 'em when Marse Gobble gets on dewar-paf, like he say he gwine do. He say he gwine lick de las' one. "

"Then it is high time he was put under lock and key, " said Marcyindignantly. "I hope if he goes to Mr. Bowen's house the elder will turnloose on him with that double-barreled shotgun of his. "

"He say dat's what he allow to do; but I dunno, " replied the old negro, shaking his head and looking at the ground as if he felt that troubloustimes were coming upon the earth. "It's gwine be mighty hot about yer, an' I dunno what we niggahs gwine do. I wish dem babolitionists up Norfshet dere moufs an' luf we-uns be. Dey gwine get us in a peck oftrouble. "

"And such fellows as Bud Goble seem perfectly willing to help it on, "said Marcy, whose indignation increased, the longer he dwelt upon thedetails of the story Toby had told him. "For two cents I would muster asquad and go down to his shanty and turn him out of doors. We'll dosomething of the kind if the authorities do not put a curb on him. "

[Illustration: MARCY REFUSES TO TAKE CHARGE OF OLD TOBY'S MONEY. ]

"But dey _hire_ him to do all dis meanness, Marse Marcy, " exclaimed thenegro. "He 'longs to dat committee. "

"Don't you believe any such stuff. It is likely that he is in the pay ofthat committee, and more shame to them, but he doesn't belong to it. Nowyou run away, parson, because--"

"Hol' on, please, sah, " interrupted the old man. "I want ax your device. I got a little money--not much, but jes' a little" (here he pulled fromone of his capacious pockets a stocking filled half-way up the leg withsomething that must have been heavy, judging by the care he took inhandling it), --"an' I'm that skeared of havin' it in de house dat Ican't sleep. Marse Gobble 'lows to steal bacon an' taters of me now asoften as he gets hungry, an' de fust ting I know he ax me for dis money;den what I gwine do? Take keer on it for me, please, sah. "

"Why, parson, you're rich, " said Marcy, reaching through the fence and"hefting" the stocking in his hand. "Is this all silver? Where did youget so much?"

"I earn it ebery cent, an' sabe it, too, " answered Toby, with some pridein his tones. "It's all mine, but I 'fraid I aint gwine be 'lowed tokeep it, now dat de wah comin'. "

"I think myself that it will bring you trouble sooner or later. Youought never to have told anybody that you had it. "

"Who? Me, sah? I never tol' de fust livin' soul in dis world. It gotround de quarter some way, I dunno how, an' some of dem fool niggahs hadto go an' blab it. Will you take keer on it for ole Toby, sah?"

"If I were going to stay in this part of the country I would do it in aminute, " answered Marcy. "But I am liable to leave here at an hour'snotice, and what should I do with it if I did not have time to take itto your cabin? Give it to your master, and ask him to take care of itfor you. "

"Oh, laws! Marse Riley secession de bigges' kind, " exclaimed Toby, witha gesture which seemed that such a proposition was not to be entertainedfor a moment. 

"No matter for that, " replied Marcy. "He's honest, and what more do youwant? He is a kind master, the best friend you have in the world, andyou don't want to keep anything from him. Come to think of it, Iwouldn't take the money, even if I were going to stay here. Go to Mr. Riley with it. "

"You won't take keer on it for de ole niggah?" said Toby, who was verymuch disappointed. "Den I reckon I'd best bury it somewhars in deground. "

"You will surely lose it if you do that, " protested Marcy. "Does BudGoble know you've got it? Well, if he gets after you, he'll thrash youtill you will be glad to tell where you have concealed it; but if youcan tell him that it is in Mr. Riley's hands, he'll not bother you orthe money, either. Now run along, parson. I see a uniform over thereamong the trees, and I shouldn't be surprised if the corporal was insideof it. "

The old negro hastened into the woods, hiding the stocking somewhereabout his patched clothes as he went, and Marcy brought his piece to"support arms, " and paced his beat while waiting for the corporal tocome up. It wasn't the corporal, after all, but a private like himself, who had come out to study his lesson and roll about on the grass. He didnot speak to the sentry, but he was so close to him that Marcy could nothave held any more private conversation with old Toby. 

"It is nothing more than I expected, " thought Marcy, recalling some ofthe incidents the negro had described to him. "Union men all over theSouth have been the victims of hotheaded secessionists, like those whocompose that Committee of Safety, and now we're going to have the samesort of work right here in our midst. I don't believe that Bud Goble hasorganized a company for the purpose of running Northern sympathizers outof the State; he said that just to frighten Toby and a few others. Butif he has, I hope he will bring them up here some night and try to takeDick Graham and me out of the building. I am glad those men had thecourage to defy him to his face, and wish I could have seen Bud aboutthe time the elder was walking him out of the yard. "

It would seem from this that old Toby had told Marcy some things we donot know, and that Bud Goble's plans were not working as smoothly as hecould have wished. Let us return to Bud and see where he was and what hehad been doing since he took leave of his wife in the morning. 

He left home with a light heart and a pocketful of bullets, and took ashort cut through the woods toward Barrington. A few of the bullets wereto be expended upon such unwary small game as might chance to come inhis way, and with the rest, if circumstances seemed to require it, intended to make a show of being ready for business. He struck astraight course for the little grocery and dry-goods store, at which hehad for years been an occasional customer, and thought himself fortunateto find the proprietor in. He was busy dusting the counter, but he wasnot alone. There were three or four others present, and when we tell youthat they were Bud Goble's intimate friends, you will know just whatsort of men they were. 

"Mornin', " said Bud cheerfully. "Famblies all well? Mine's only jesttol'able, thank ye. What's the news?"

"There aint none, " was the reply from one, to which the others allassented. "Are there any with you?"

"Well, " said Bud slowly, at the same time edging around so that he couldkeep an eye on the storekeeper and note the effect his words producedupon him. "I don't rightly know what you-uns call news. I reckon you-unsheared that I was workin' for that Committee of Safety, didn't you?"

They had heard something of it in a roundabout way. Was there any moneyin the job, and what was he expected to do?

"There's a little money into it, " answered Bud. "Jest about enough topay me for my time an' trouble, but no more. I've gin some of themloud-talkin' folks, who think a nigger is as good as a white man, noticethat they had best cl'ar outen the 'Federacy before they are drove out, an' go up to the United States among them that believe as they do. "

"An' it sarves 'em jest right, " observed one of Bud's friends, helpinghimself to a handful of crackers. "I'd like to see the last one of 'emchucked out bag an' baggage. But s'pose they wont go?"

"I'm hopin' they wont, for that's where the fun'll come in. That'll givewe-uns--"

Just at this moment Bud was interrupted by the entrance of "ElderBowen's nigger Sam, " who removed his hat respectfully and kept on to thecounter where the storekeeper was at work. Bud and his friends listenedand heard him say:

"I aint got no change dis mawnin', Mr. Bailey, but--"

"That's all right, Sam, " Mr. Bailey hastened to reply. "You are anhonest workingman, and your credit is good. What did you say you wanted?A dress and a pair of shoes for your old woman? Well, how will thesesuit you?"

"Dog-gone the nigger, why didn't he keep away a little longer?"whispered Bud. "Them's the very things I wanted, an' mebbe ole manBailey won't want to trust two fellers at once. "

"Then lick him, " suggested one of his friends. "He's nobody but ababolitionist, anyway. "

"That's what I allow to do, " answered Bud. 

When the negro had received the goods he asked for, he leaned againstthe counter as if he were in no particular hurry to go away. This suitedBud, who drawled, in lazy tones:

"Yes; I've warned some of them nigger-lovers that they aint wanted hereno longer'n it'll take 'em to get out, but I am hopin' they won't leave, kase that's where the fun'll come in. I'm gettin' up a company ofminute-men to sorter patrol the kentry hereabouts, an' them that don'tdo to please us we are goin' to lick, niggers _an_' whites. We jest aintgoin' to have no more talkin' agin the 'Federacy, an' them that's forthe North kin go up there. That's what the committee says. Will you-unsjine?"

Of course they would, to a man, and they would like nothing better. Theywere ready at any time to prove their devotion to the Confederacy bythrashing or hanging everybody, white _and_ black, who did not believethat secession and disunion were the best things that could happen forthe South. Then Bud, seeing that he had plenty of backing, waxedeloquent and made a short but stirring speech. He dwelt upon the wrongsand insults that had been heaped upon the Southern States ever sincethey had shown themselves foolish enough to join the Union; denied thata black man was as good as a white gentleman; loudly proclaimed that allNortherners, as well as those who thought as they did, were cowards;denounced as traitors all Southern men who did not shout for PresidentDavis, and said they ought and must be whipped out of the country; andthrough it all he kept watch of the two at the counter to see whatimpression his patriotic words made upon them. 

Mr. Bailey was a little man who carried the weight of sixty-five yearsupon his shoulders, and Bud talked for his especial benefit, hoping tofrighten him into compliance with the demands he was about to make uponhim. Mr. Bailey was opposed to secession, and never hesitated to say sowhen politics came up for discussion, as they often did among hiscustomers; but Bud was sure the old fellow was frightened now. He didnot say a word in reply, but used his brush with more energy, and nowand then rapped the counter with the back of it; and these, Bud thought, were unmistakable signs of timidity or, at least, nervousness. 

As for darkey Sam, there was no doubting the impression Bud's eloquencemade upon him. He was greatly terrified, for he remembered that hismaster had once denounced secession from the pulpit, and told themembers of his congregation just what they might make up their minds toendure if it were consummated. Possibly Bud Goble recalled thecircumstance, for he looked very hard at Sam while he was talking. Assoon as the speech was brought to a close Sam sidled along toward thedoor, looking into the show-cases as he went, and presently foundhimself safe on the porch. Then he clapped his hat on his head andstarted for home post-haste. 

"I reckon he's gwine tell the parson what you said, " exclaimed one ofBud's friends. "Well, I do think Elder Bowen is one of the dangerousestmen in the whole kentry, an' that he'd oughter be snatched outen thatchurch of his'n before he has time to preach up any more of them pizendocterings. Warned him yet?"

"No; but I allow to do it soon's I get through with my business yer, "replied Bud, throwing his rifle into the hollow of his arm, andsauntering up to the counter where Mr. Bailey stood. He affected acareless, confident swagger, which was by no means indicative of hisfeelings. Now that he could look closely at him he found that thestorekeeper wasn't frightened enough, and that his speech had notaccomplished half as much as he meant to have it. "You don't seem to beright peart this mornin', " he continued. "What's the matter of ye?"

"Nothing whatever, " answered Mr. Bailey. "I'm as gay as a lark. Something wanted?"

"I reckon, " replied Bud. "I want the same things you gin that therenigger a minute ago--a dress an' a pair of shoes for my ole woman. "

"Got any money to pay for 'em?"

"Not jest this minute, but I shall have plenty this evening, an' thenmebbe I'll--"

"Can't help it, " said Mr. Bailey, shaking his head. 

"Wont you trust me?"

"No, I won't. I told you so the other day, and when I say a thing ofthat sort I mean it. "

"Do you give credit to a nigger before my face an' eyes, an' then refuseit to a white gentleman?" shouted Bud. "What do you do that-a-way for?"

"I run my business to suit myself, " answered Mr. Bailey, without theleast show of irritation. "If you don't like it, go somewhere else withyour trade. I don't want it, any way. "

"You think a nigger better'n a white man, do ye?" yelled Bud, growingred in the face. "What do you say to that, boys? Look a here, " he added. "Mebbe you don't know who I am. I've got the power an' the will, too, toturn you houseless an' homeless into the street before you see the sunrise agin. "

"I'll make moonlight shine through you while you are doing it, " said theold man boldly. 

"You will?" Bud brought his fist down upon the counter with tremendousforce, and then he dived down into his pocket and brought out a handfulof bullets, which he placed before the storekeeper. "Do you see them? Iwant to warn ye that they was molded a-purpose to be shot into traitorslike yerself; an' I brung 'em along to show ye--"

"Take 'em off the counter. I've just dusted it, " interrupted Mr. Bailey;and with the words he hit the bullets a blow with his brush that sentthem in every direction. 

Bud Goble was astounded, and so were his friends, who had never dreamedthat there was so much spirit in that little, dried-up man. The formerlooked at him a moment, and then he looked at the bullets that wererolling about on the floor. 

"Come around yer an' pick 'em up, the very last one of 'em, an' say yersorry ye done it, an' that you'll never do the like agin, or I'll takeye up by the heels an' mop the floor with ye, " said Bud, in savagetones. "Come a-lumberin'. "

"Pick 'em up yourself, and next time keep 'em off my counter, " was Mr. Bailey's answer. "What did you put them there for, any way?"

A glance at his friends showed Bud that they expected him to dosomething, and he dared not hesitate. He handed the nearest man hisrifle to hold for him, peeled off his coat, gave a yell that was heard ablock away, and was about to jump up and knock his heels together, whenhe happened to look toward Mr. Bailey, and stopped as if he had beenfrozen in his tracks. The old man was waiting for him. He leaned againsta shelf behind the counter, but he held a cocked revolver in his hand. 

[Illustration: MR. BAILEY ASTONISHES BUD GOBLE. ]

 CHAPTER VIII. 

 BUD GOBLE'S WATERLOO. 

Did Bud Goble leap over the counter and wrench the threatening weaponfrom Mr. Bailey's grasp with one hand, while he throttled him with theother? We are obliged to say that he did not. He stood quite still, forsomething told him it would be dangerous to do anything else. This wasthe first time his courage had ever been tested, and he was foundwanting; but, strange as it may appear, his friends did not think anythe less of him for it. Under like circumstances they would have showedthe same reluctance to pass the intervening counter. It was not Bud'slack of courage, but Mr. Bailey's pluck, that excited their ire. Thelatter had insulted their friend by refusing him the credit he hadgranted a field-hand, and now he had gone so far as to threaten Bud witha weapon. It opened their eyes to the fact that Union men were dangerousthings to have in the community, and that they ought to have been drivenout long ago. 

"Sile, you've got the rifle, " said Bud, who gained courage when hisfriends closed about him. "Why don't you draw a bead on him an' make himput that thing down?"

"Can't ye see for yourself that he's got the drop?" replied Silas, whothought discretion the better part of valor. 

"Laws-a-massy, what's the matter of ye?" exclaimed Bud. "He dassentshoot. "

"I don't b'lieve in fightin' no man when he's got the drop, " repeatedSilas. "Put on yer coat an' take yer rifle, Bud. This aint the onliestday there is in the world, an' the next time you ax him for the credithe's willin' to give a nigger, mebbe he'll hearken to ye. "

"Pervided he's able to hearken to anything, " observed another. "Looka-here, ole man, we-uns don't want sich chaps as you be in the kentry. "

"I can easily believe that, but I don't see what you are going to doabout it, " answered the storekeeper, still holding the revolver so thathe could cover Bud or any of his friends in a second of time. "I paidfor this property with my own money, and I intend to stay here and enjoyit; and if any of you dispute my right to do so, I'll make it warm foryou. Now clear out, the whole of you, and don't ever darken my doorsagain. I'll not sell you any goods if you come with your pockets full ofcash. "

"We-uns will go this time, kase we aint ready to begin business jestyet, " said Bud, reaching out his hand for his rifle, but taking goodcare not to point it in Mr. Bailey's direction. "But we'll come aginwhen you aint lookin' for us, an' then you will want to watch out. We'regoin' to drive all you babolitionists outen the kentry, as well as themfellers up to the 'cademy; an' as for that Gray an' Graham boy, who aintno kin if their names is alike, we're goin'--"

Here Bud was interrupted by a poke in the ribs given by one of hiscompanions, who did not think it prudent for him to say anything abouthis plans, if he had any in mind. But he had already revealed enough tointerest Mr. Bailey, who was a firm friend to both the boys whose nameshad been mentioned. 

"Those fellows never did you any harm, " said he. 

"Didn't, hey?" vociferated Bud. 

"No, they didn't. They bought quinine right here in this store to cureyour wife and children of the ague when you did not have a cent orcredit, either; and they paid the doctor to go and see them when youwere loafing around, too lazy to do anything but eat. If you fool withthose students you'll get something you won't like. You'll have them allon you. "

"I aint speakin' about them things, " shouted Bud, as soon as he couldframe a suitable reply. "They're for the Union, dog-gone 'em. An' didn'tthey go an' offer me money to look for that there underground--"

"Haw, haw!" roared the storekeeper, at the same time raising the muzzleof his revolver to a level with Bud's head, when the latter, almostovercome with rage, made a motion as if he were about to draw his rifleto his shoulder. "That underground railroad business was a joke on you, wasn't it? But you don't want to fool with Rodney and Dick, for if youdo you will get the worst of it. The students will all help them. Besides, Rodney is as wild a secessionist as you ever dare be. "

"'Taint so, " exclaimed Bud. "I know better. "

"And Dick Graham stands ready to go with his State the minute she pullsdown the old flag and runs up the new one, " continued Mr. Bailey. "Hesaid so the other day when he came in here for a pint of goobers[peanuts]. "

"I tell ye it aint so, " repeated Bud confidently. "Bein' one of the mostprominent and respected citizens of Barrington, I got a letter tellin'me all about them chaps an' the docterings they're preachin' up. I wastold that the committee wants me to 'tend to their cases, an' I'm goin'to do it; an' to your case too. Hear me, don't you?"

"Who wrote that letter?" inquired the storekeeper, who did not think itnecessary to answer the question. 

"I don't know. There wasn't no name hitched to it. "

"Then the writer was a coward, " said Mr. Bailey, in a tone of contempt, "and you ought not to pay the least attention to it. Somebody wants tobring those boys into trouble, and hopes to use you as a tool. If youwill take advice you will mind your own business and let those studentsalone. Look here, Goble, " he added suddenly, "if this State goes out ofthe Union, will you go with her?"

"You jest bet I will. I'll go whether she does or not. "

"Will you join the army and fight for her?"

"Sartingly. "

"Well, we'll see who will go first--you or I. "

"You? Why, dog-gone it, you're for the Union. "

"Of course I am; always was and always shall be; but as I can't controlmy State, I shall have to do as she does. So you see, when you tried togouge me out of a pair of shoes and a dress awhile ago, you tried to robas good a friend of the South as you are yourself. I'll make it mybusiness to see some of that committee and find out whether or not theyuphold you in such doings. Now, clear out and don't bother me again. "

Almost involuntarily Bud Goble and his friends turned toward the door, and Mr. Bailey followed them, revolver in hand, to make sure that theywent without trying to "get the drop" on him. As they faced about, "Elder Bowen's nigger Sam" glided across the porch, but they did not seehim. 

We said the negro, who was alarmed by Bud Goble's fiery speech, startedfor home, and so he did; but he had not made many steps before he heardGoble's voice pitched in a high key, and prompted by curiosity, and adesire to learn something of the nature and purposes of that company ofminute-men of whom Bud had spoken, he came back and took his standbeside the open door out of sight. The slaves were all eavesdroppers inthose days, and if anything escaped their notice and hearing, it was nottheir fault. They were better posted and took a deeper interest in theaffairs of the day than many people supposed. The Northern papers, whichnow and then in some mysterious way came into their hands, just as the_Tribune_ came into Uncle Toby's hands, told them the truth; while thewhite people around them pinned their faith to the falsehoodsdisseminated by the secession press. Sam stood on the porch and heardall that was said and saw all that was done in the store; and when Mr. Bailey brought the interview to a close by ordering Bud and hiscompanions to "clear out, " Sam made haste to get away before they caughtsight of him. This time he went home and hunted up his master, who wasat work in the garden. 

Bud Goble had encountered an obstacle where he had least expected tofind it; but although he was surprised, and a little disheartened, hewould not admit that he was beaten. All Union men could not be as pluckyas Mr. Bailey was, and Bud determined to try his plan again as soon ashe could rid himself of the company of his four friends. He had no usefor them just now, and if he succeeded in frightening Mr. Bowen intogiving him a ham or a side of bacon, he did not want to be obliged toshare it with any one. 

"That's a trifle the beatenest thing I ever heared of, " declared Silas, who was the first to speak. "I do think in my soul that that ole manoughter be dealt with. When does that company of your'n meet, Bud, an'how are we-uns goin' to get into it?"

"We aint met nowheres yet, an' to tell you the truth, I aint got the'rangements fairly goin', " was the answer. "What I meant to say was, that I have been thinkin' of sich a thing; an' you can see from whathappened in the store that a company of that sort is needed, can't you?S'pose you-uns talk it up. 'Pears like we'd oughter get twenty fellersof our way of thinkin' together, an' if we can, jest see how much helpwe-uns could be to that committee of our'n. Tell 'em what you've seenan' heared this mornin', that the kentry is full of sich men as Baileyis, an' that we aint goin' to have 'em here no longer. Now, where'll Ifind you-uns agin in about an hour so't we can talk it over? I'll beback directly I 'tend to a little private business I've got on hand. "

The place of meeting having been agreed upon, Bud hastened away, confidently expecting to be successful in the attempt he was about tomake to frighten a supply of provisions out of the Methodist minister. Elder Bowen did not believe in fighting, and of course it would be easyto make him open his smoke-house as often as he chose to demand it. Besides, Bud was made happy by a brilliant idea that suddenly poppedinto his mind; and in order that there might be no hitch in it at thecritical time, he turned toward the post-office, hoping that he mightfind Mr. Riley there. He was not disappointed. Mr. Riley and a good manyother planters about Barrington had taken to loitering around thetelegraph and post offices during the last few months, and weregenerally to be met there or in the immediate neighborhood. 

"Well, Goble, what is the news to-day?" he inquired, as Bud drew nearand intimated by a wink that he would like to see him privately. Therehad been a time when Mr. Riley would have resented anything likefamiliarity on the part of such a man as Goble, but now that he wantedto use him, he was forced to treat him with a faint show of friendship. 

"I don't get a bit of news of no kind, " answered Bud, in a whining tone. "'Pears like the babolitionists all shet up their mouths soon's I comearound. I've warned a few of 'em, but I aint seen no money for mytrouble yet. My time is wuth a dollar and a quarter a day, an' when Igive it all, it looks to me as though I oughter be paid for it; don't itto you?"

"Certainly, " replied the planter, putting his hand into his pocket. "Ourcommittee hasn't been organized long enough to get into working orderyet, and so I shall have to give you something out of my own funds. Howwill that do to begin on?" he added, slipping a few pieces of silverinto Bud's ready palm. "Go ahead with your work and come to me when youwant anything. Whom have you warned?"

"Sarvent, sah, " said Bud, pocketing the money. "Thank you very kindly, sah. Well, I've warned that there ole man Bailey, for one. He's pizen. "

"Let him alone, " said Mr. Riley, rather shortly. 

"Why, he's Union the wust kind, " exclaimed Bud, who was astonished aswell as disappointed. He had hoped that the planter would tell him todrive the storekeeper out of town, and so furnish him and his friendswith an excuse for any act of ruffianism they might be disposed toindulge in. "He'd oughter be whopped, ole man Bailey had, an' drove outbefore he has any more time to preach his docterings up amongst theniggers. "

"You let him alone, " repeated Mr. Riley. "He will come out all right. When the first gun is fired he will be as warm a secessionist as I am. Who else have you warned?"

Bud mentioned the names of three or four suspected men whom he hadneither seen nor heard of for a week or more, and finally said that hewas on his way to Elder Bowen's to tell him that he could not get out ofthe country any too quick. 

"I don't care what you say or do to that man, " exclaimed Mr. Riley, whogrew angry at the sound of the minister's name. "He is dangerous, andalways has been. He takes abolition papers. I don't know how they comeinto his hands, the mail being so closely watched, but he gets them, andI suspect gives them to Toby to read. If I could prove it on him, Iwould have him whipped this very night. "

Bud Goble opened his lips to tell Mr. Riley that he could furnish himwith all the evidence he needed, but suddenly remembered that that wassomething he intended to use for his own benefit. That was what he washolding over Toby like an overseer's whip, ready to fall whenever hedidn't hoe his row right, and it was no part of his plan to expose theold negro unless the latter declined to keep him in provisions, orrefused to surrender his money on demand. So he said nothing aboutfinding that copy of the _Tribune_ in Toby's cabin the night before, butcame at once to the point he desired to reach. 

"Then there's them boys up to the 'cademy, " said he. "They need lookin'after, some of 'em, the very wust kind. "

"I've heard that the school of which we have been so proud is a hotbedof treason, but I can hardly believe it, " answered Mr. Riley. "No doubtthere is strong love for the old Union there, as there is here inBarrington; but when the time for action comes, I think the majority ofthose boys will go with their States. "

"But there's that Gray an' Graham boy, " continued Goble; and it made himangry to notice that Mr. Riley could scarcely refrain from laughingoutright. "If they was poor boys do you reckon they'd be allowed to holdout agin the 'Federacy like they do, an' talk agin it? I'll bet theywouldn't. But they are all rich. I reckon them boys' paps is wuth apower of money an' niggers. "

"I don't know anything about Graham's family, but Rodney's is wealthy. His father has six hundred blacks on one plantation. You want revenge, don't you? Well, I don't see how you are going to get it, for if youfool with any of the students the others will jump on you, sure. "

"Not if we whop the traitors, " exclaimed Bud. 

"Yes, they will. They are as clannish as a drove of wild hogs, and ifone squeals the others will rush to his assistance. You had better takemy advice and pocket the insult Rodney and Dick put upon you when theysent you to look for that underground railroad. Now I think I will go tothe telegraph office and see if there is anything new from Montgomery. Keep us posted, for we like to know who our enemies are. "

"You bet I will, " soliloquized Bud as he turned away, jingling thesilver pieces in his pocket as he went. "But I won't let them two boysget off easy, nuther. Six hundred niggers on one plantation. They'rewuth eight hundred dollars, I reckon, take 'em big _an_' little, an'that would make 'em all wuth--"

When Bud reached this point he stopped and shook his head. Finding thevalue of six hundred slaves at an average price of eight hundred dollarswas too much arithmetic for him. He was obliged to content himself withthe knowledge that Rodney's father was worth a good deal of money, andthat Rodney would give five hundred and perhaps a thousand dollars, rather than be whipped as if he were a black boy. A Southern youngster, no matter how disobedient and unruly he might be, considered it adisgrace to be whipped, and the school-teacher who ventured uponcorporal punishment was likely to get himself into serious difficulty. While Bud was turning these things over in his mind, he came withinsight of Elder Bowen's house. 

"Riley don't care what I do to this chap, " said he to himself. "Thatmeans that I can be as sassy as I please, an' mebbe I'll make up my mindthat I'd better lick him before I leave. I'll wait an' see how he actswhen I ax him for some of the things he's got into his smokehouse. Tellyour moster I want to see him directly, " he added, addressing a littleblack boy who was playing at the foot of the steps that led to theporch. 

The pickaninny disappeared, but in a few minutes returned with theannouncement--

"Marse Joe workin' in de ga'den, an' he say if you want see him you bestcome wha' he is. "

"That's an insult that I won't put up with from no babolitionist, "declared Bud, who was about as angry as he could hold; and one wouldhave thought, from the vicious way he settled his rifle on his shoulderand crunched the gravel under his feet as he strode around the house, that he would surely do something when he found himself face to facewith the object of his wrath. 

The first thing that attracted the visitor's attention was a very broadback covered by a clean white shirt (Bud detested "boiled" shirts, forhe had never had one of his own), and when the owner of that backstraightened up and turned toward him, Bud was confronted by a man whostood six feet four without his boots, and was built in proportion. Hehad tucked up his sleeves to keep them from being soiled, and the whiteforearms thus exposed were as muscular as a blacksmith's. He had beenwaiting for this visit, for his boy Sam, who came from town a quarter ofan hour before, had told him just what happened in the store, and warnedhis master that Bud had said in his speech that he was on the war-path, and meant to drive every abolitionist out of the country before he quit. But for all that the minister greeted Bud pleasantly. 

"Well, neighbor Goble, what do you find to shoot this time of year?"said he. "It is rather early for young squirrels, and turkey and deerwill not be on the game list before September. "

"I aint a-lookin' for little game, " answered Bud gruffly. "I'm huntin'for babolitionists, an' you're one of 'em. "

"Well, now that you have found me what do you purpose doing about it?"inquired the stalwart minister, smiling at Bud in a way the latter didnot like. Perhaps it wasn't going to be so easy, after all, to frightenhim into handing over a ham or a side of meat. 

"I came here pur_pose_ly to tell you that you an' your kind aint wantedround yer no longer, " said Bud. "You take babolition papers an' give 'emto old Toby to read. "

"Can you prove that assertion?"

"Yes, I can. I seen one of 'em in his shanty last night, an' had it intomy hand. "

"But can you prove that I gave it to him?"

"Yes, I can, " repeated End, growing bolder by degrees. "Everybody intown says it's you who spreads them papers around, kase there's no oneelse who is low enough down to 'sociate with niggers. "

"That will do. I have heard enough of such talk. "

"But I aint got half through, " protested Bud. "One man told me, notmore'n half an hour ago, that if he could prove it was you who give Tobythem papers, he would have you licked before sun-up. "

"Ah! And what would _I_ do?"

"What would you do?" echoed Bud, who did not quite catch the minister'smeaning. "You'd have to cl'ar yourself or take another an' wuss lickin'. Go up to the United States where you b'long. You aint wanted here. "

"You don't understand me. If the gentleman of whom you spoke shouldattempt any violence, would I submit to it without trying to defendmyself? I don't think I should. I have a double gun with fifteenbuckshot in each barrel, and you may say you have been assured by methat I will shoot the first man who puts a hostile foot on my gallery[porch]. Now go. "

"Then you'll shoot--"

"Go!" interrupted the minister; and Bud ought to have been warned by theflash in his eye that he was thoroughly in earnest. 

"The best men in town say--"

"Will you go peaceably, " said the minister, pointing toward the gate, "or shall I be obliged to pick you up and throw you off my grounds?"

He took a single step forward as he spoke, and in an instant Bud Goblejumped back and swung his rifle from his shoulder; but before he couldthink twice his antagonist, whose agility equaled his strength, was uponhim, the weapon was twisted from his grasp, and Bud buried his face inthe soft earth of a flower-bed. But the minister was not yet done withhim. Holding the rifle in one hand he seized Bud by the neck with theother, jerked him to his feet, and walked him out of the gate and intothe road at double time. Then he fired the rifle into the air and leanedthe weapon against the fence. 

"I think this ends our interview, neighbor Goble, " said he, without theleast sign of anger or excitement, "and I will bid you good-day. Thenext time you visit me come in a proper frame of mind, and I willreceive you accordingly; but please do not bring me any more threateningmessages. "

"This beats me, " soliloquized Goble, who, after seeing the ministerdisappear around the corner of the house, felt of the back of his neckto make sure that the strong fingers which grasped it a moment beforehad not left any holes there. "Who'd a thought that a preacher could ahad sich an amazin' grip? I wasn't no more'n a babby in his hands. Nowwhat's to be done? Be I goin' to put up with sich an insult? I guess I'dbest set down yer an' think about it. "

Bud Goble was a thoroughly subdued man now. The events of the morninghad satisfied him that open warfare was not his best hold, and that ifhe hoped to accomplish anything and retain the confidence of thecommittee, he must make a decided change in his tactics. He must work insecret and under cover of the darkness, and now when it was too late, hewished he had adopted that method at the outset. If he had he wouldn'thave lost his reputation. There were two men in the neighborhood he wasquite sure he would not trouble again unless he had a strong force athis back, for they had threatened to shoot, and Bud believed they werejust reckless enough to do it. When he reached this point in hismeditations he chanced to look up and saw old Uncle Toby emerge from thethicket on one side of the road, take a few long, rapid steps, anddisappear among the bushes on the other side. He held something tightlyclasped under his coat, and seemed so anxious to avoid observation thatBud's suspicions were aroused at once. 

 CHAPTER IX. 

 THE COMMITTEE AT WORK. 

Elder Bowen's negro boy Sam, who was working among the flower-beds withhis master, sought safety in flight when Bud Goble's coming wasannounced, and, standing concealed behind an evergreen in the garden, saw and heard all that passed between the minister and the man who hadcome there to browbeat him. When Bud was ejected from the grounds Samcame out from his hiding-place grinning broadly. 

"Marse Joe, " said he, as soon as he could make himself understood, "datbeats all de sermons you ever preached all holler. It does so. But, Marse Joe, I 'fraid Marse Gobble gwine make ole Toby trouble all alongof dat babolition paper. De nex' time he go dar he ax Uncle Toby whar hegot dat money of his'n stowed away. Dat's what I 'fraid of, sah. '

"I didn't think of that, and perhaps it would be well for you to runover and put Toby on his guard, " replied Mr. Bowen. "Neighbor Goble ison the war-path sure enough, and he would just as soon rob that oldnegro as to rob a white man. Tell Toby to give the money into hismaster's keeping. "

Sam obeyed instructions, but we have seen that the suspicious old Tobywas not willing to listen to advice. He was terribly alarmed when Samtold him what Bud had been about that morning, and taking advantage ofhis master's absence, and of his own position as helper about thestables, he dug up his money which he had buried before daylight, andposted off to the academy to have a talk with one of the Gray boys. Hekept to the fields and gave the roads a wide berth; but he was obligedto cross one highway during his journey, and that was the time Bud Goblesaw him. The old negro's actions excited Bud's interest as well as hissuspicions, and having nothing else to do, he rose from his log andfollowed him. 

And right here it is necessary to make a short explanation in order thatyou may understand what happened afterward. Rodney and Marcy Gray hadbeen studying at the academy for almost four years, and although theywere popular among all classes in and around Barrington, there weresome, whites as well as blacks, who invariably got them mixed up, andnever could tell one from the other unless they chanced to meet them incompany. It was Rodney, the rebel, who helped Bud Goble when his familywere all prostrated with the ague, and offered him a reward for findingthat underground railroad, but it was Marcy, the Union boy, who pickedthe banjo with superior skill, danced and sung his way into theaffections of the plantation darkies, and saved old Toby's melon-patchfrom being devastated by the students. These two had eaten a good manyof old Toby's melons, and more than one Thanksgiving turkey which gracedhis table had been bought with their money. Believing from what Sam toldhim that his hard-earned wealth was not safe as long as he knew where itwas, Toby decided that one of these two boys, the one he happened tofind first, should be its custodian. Dick Graham, who was on duty at thefront gate, told him where Marcy was, and the old man lost no time inmaking his way through the woods to his friend's beat. But Marcydeclined to accept the responsibility, as we have seen, and so Toby tookthe money back and hid it in the ground whence he had taken it. He wouldhave been better off--almost two hundred dollars better off--if he haddone as Mr. Bowen and Marcy advised him to do; for Bud Goble dogged hisfootsteps every rod of the way, and Toby never once suspected it. Buddid not hear what passed between Toby and the sentry--he dared not goclose enough for that; but he saw the stocking that went back and forthbetween the iron pickets of the fence, and he was in plain sight of thenegro when he returned it to its hiding-place. 

Here again Toby made a great mistake. If he had concealed the moneyunder his cabin, within hearing and scenting distance of the coon dogsthat were so numerous in the quarter, it would have been comparativelysafe; but he was so very much averse to having it around him that hetook it behind his garden-patch, rolled a decayed log from its bed andburied it there, covering it with his hands, and rolling the log back toits place. 

[Illustration: TOBY HIDES THE MONEY. ]

"Dar now, " said Toby, loud enough to be overheard by the man who wascrouching in the bushes not more than twenty yards away. "Nuffin can'tfind it dar 'ceptin' de hogs, an' dey can't eat it. "

"That's a fact, " soliloquized Goble, chuckling to himself. "But atwo-legged hog like me can eat an' wear the things it will buy. Whokeers for preachers an' storekeepers now? 'Pears like this mornin's workis goin' to turn out all right after all; don't it to you?"

Through the rails of the fence Bud Goble watched Toby until hedisappeared in the quarter, and then he crept up to the log. In tenminutes more old Toby's money was tightly buttoned under the breast ofhis coat, and Bud, highly elated with the result of his morning's laborwas taking long strides toward his cabin. 

"I aint got the dress an' shoes I promised to have for ye when I comehome, " said Bud, when he burst in upon his wife, whom he found engagedin her usual occupation--sitting in front of the fire with her elbowsupon her knees and a cob pipe between her teeth. "Old man Baileywouldn't trust me, but Toby wasn't so perticular. He hid this herestockin' under a log, an' bein' afeared that the hogs might come alongan' root it up an' carry it away, I jest thought I'd take keer on it forhim, " added Bud, laughing loudly at his own wit. 

The woman's eyes glistened as she thrust her bony arm into the stockingand brought out a handful of shining silver coin. She would have herdress now in spite of old man Bailey; and as for Toby--she gave scarcelya thought to the consternation and alarm that would almost overwhelm himwhen he discovered his loss, for a field hand had no business to have astocking half-full of money, when white folks did not know where theirnext meal was coming from. Her only fear was that Mr. Riley mightsomehow learn that Bud had taken the money, and then there would betrouble. 

"You must look out for that yourself, " Bud declared. "I've done my part, an' if you can't hide the stockin' where nobody can't find it, an' keepa still tongue in your head about our havin' it, you aint the woman Itake you for. Now give me what you think your dress'll cost, an' atrifle more to put in bacon an' meal, an' I'll go an' get 'em. "

His wife complying with the request, Bud hung his rifle upon its hooksover the fireplace and posted off to Barrington, where a surprise, thatwas not altogether an agreeable one, awaited him. He could not find anyof his friends, but every one on the street, with whom he exchanged aword of greeting, seemed to know all about the adventures he had hadthat day. Bud didn't mind being told that he had permitted a little oldman, who could not stand against a twelve-year-old boy, to scare himwith a revolver, for he was not the only one in that scrape. Four othermen had stood on the outside of the counter while Mr. Bailey talked tothem as he pleased; but when folks came to joke him for being walked outof the yard by a preacher, it was more than he could endure. 

"Jest let him get the grip on you that he got on me, an' he'll make thebest among ye walk turkey, " Bud retorted sharply. "There aint a man intown that's got any business with him, if he is a preacher. But let metell ye: He aint by no means heared the last of me yet. "

Bud saw signs of suppressed excitement on all sides and in the face ofevery man he met; but, conceited as he was, he could not believe thatthe excitement was occasioned by the incidents of which he had been thehero. They might have had something to do with the grave look he saw onMr. Riley's face as the latter hurried by him without speaking, but Budbelieved that there was something else in the wind of which he had notheard. It had such a depressing effect upon him that he transacted hisbusiness with as little delay as possible and went home. 

"There's goin' to be doin's of some sort or another about yer, an'before long, too, " said he, as he handed his wife the articles he hadbought for her, and deposited the bag containing the meal and bacon onthe floor. "I don't know what's up, but Riley an' among 'em look sorteruneasy. Mebbe that outbreak old woman, that's what's the matter, sure'syou're born. That outbreak's comin', an' who knows but it'll be herethis very night?"

"Good lands save us!" exclaimed Mrs. Goble, in alarm; and even herhusband looked as though he would have liked to go to a little saferplace than Barrington was, if he had only known where to find it. 

"Yes, sir, that's jest what's the matter, " repeated Bud. "Riley'ssomehow got wind of it, an' that's what made him look so glum. Whydidn't he stop an' tell me all about it, I'd like to know. I'll jesttell him he mustn't do that a-way no more, kase it aint right long's Iam workin' for that committee. Say, " he continued, lowering his voicealmost to a whisper. "When John Brown made that raid of his'n, Barrington was one of the places that was marked on his map to beburned, kase there was more niggers here than white folks. 'Member it, don't you?"

"Good lands!" cried Mrs. Goble, who, if she had ever before heard of thecircumstance, had quite forgotten all about it. 

"That's what Riley says, " continued Bud, "an' who knows but the thingwe've been a-dreadin' is comin' now? They do say that there's guns an'things hid somewheres in the woods--"

"You don't tell me!"

"It's jest what I do tell ye, kase I've heard it often. Of course theniggers knows where them guns is, an' when they an' the babolitionistslike Elder Bowen get ready, they'll fetch 'em out an' go for us. "

In a very short time Bud succeeded in talking himself into a mostuncomfortable frame of mind. He did not feel quite safe at home, for hiscabin was exposed, being fully a quarter of a mile from the nearesthouse, and he was afraid to go into town. His utter ignorance of thenature of the danger that threatened him made the situation hard tobear. As for fighting in case he were attacked--that was something Budhad not yet thought of. He would have preferred to run. His wife was sobadly frightened that she could scarcely cook the dinner, and Bud couldeat but little of it after it was cooked; but he smoked more than hisshare of tobacco, managed to run a few extra bullets for his rifle, andto bring in a supply of light-wood sufficient to keep a bright fireburning during the night. 

As the sun sank out of sight behind the trees, and daylight faded anddarkness came on, Bud's fears grew upon him. He dared not stay in thecabin for fear that some evil-minded Union man might slip up behind it, and shoot him through some of the cracks where the chinking had fallenout, so he drew one of the rickety chairs in front of the door and satupon it, with his rifle for company. That was a little better than beingcooped up within doors, but the unwonted silence that brooded over thesurrounding woods distressed him. 

"Durin' all the years we've lived yer I never seen the road so desertedas it is to-night, " he said, in a whisper to his wife. "There's alwayssomebody goin' one way or t'other, but now they seem to have holed up. "

"Mebbe they're feared the outbreak'll ketch 'em, " Mrs. Goble suggested. "What does it look like, any way?"

"Now, listen at her!" exclaimed Bud, in accents of disgust. "'Tain't ahant that'll run after you, all dressed up in white, an' retch out itshands to grab--"

"Don't, don't!" cried his wife, shuddering perceptibly and covering hereyes with her hands to shut out the picture that Bud's words hadconjured up. "Don't talk that a-way. "

"Well, then, an outbreak is a-a-thing where the niggers an'babolitionists run around, whoopin' an' yellin' like they was wildInjuns, shootin' the men an' scalpin' the women folks an' burnin' an'stealin', " said Bud. "That's what an outbreak is, an' you can see foryourself what will happen to us if one of 'em gets loose in Barrington. I wish't somebody would come along from over town so't I could ax himhow things is goin' there. "

But no one came, and for long hours Bud Goble sat there, listening andpeering into the darkness, and in momentary expectation of hearing orseeing something alarming. About midnight, however, the excitementbegan. At that hour Bud mustered up courage enough to start on a triparound the cabin, and when he got to the back of it, where he could lookthrough the tops of the trees toward Mr. Riley's house, he stopped as ifhe had suddenly been deprived of the power to go a step farther. The skyin that direction was glowing with a brighter red than he had ever seenat sunset, and the longer he looked at it, the brighter it grew. Beyonda doubt Mr. Riley's house was on fire. When this thought flashed throughBud's mind, the cold chills crept all over him, and instead of hasteningto render what assistance he could in saving the planter's property, heturned and ran into the cabin, banging the door behind him, and droppedthe heavy bar to its place. 

"Good lands!" exclaimed Mrs. Goble, whom her husband, in his excitementand terror had upset, chair and all, in front of the fireplace. 

"Don't stop to talk, old woman, " said Bud, in a hoarse whisper, "but getup an' fly around an' do something. The outbreak has come like I toldyou it would. Riley's house is a mask of fire. If you don't b'lieve itpeep through this yer crack. "

For a minute or two the deep silence that reigned in the cabin wasbroken only by the hurried breathing of its frightened inmates, and thenthere came a sound from the outside--a quick, heavy step on the hardground, followed by the fumbling of a hand for the latchstring. Bud'sface grew as white as a sheet, his knees trembled under him, and themuzzle of his rifle, which he tried to point toward the door, coveredevery square foot of surface on that side of the cabin in two seconds'time. 

"Who's there?" he demanded, in quavering tones. "Speak up, for there'sa bullet comin' right through the door where you stand. "

"What's the matter of the fule?" inquired the man on the outside; andBud recognized the voice of one of his friends. "Lemme in. "

Bud was only too glad to comply. He threw up the bar, opened the door, and Silas Walker same in the man who held his rifle in the store whilehe was making ready to punish Mr. Bailey for refusing him credit. Budwas glad to see that he was not the only one who had been alarmed andexcited by that blaze in the sky. Silas's face had no color in it tospeak of, and he trembled as he moved across the floor. 

"How did you get home so quick?" were the first words he spoke. 

"Who? Me?" cried Bud. "I've been home sense noon; aint I, old woman?"

"Then who done it?" questioned Silas. 

"Done what?"

"Set the elder's house on fire. "

Bud was astounded, and so was his wife. The former looked sharply at hisvisitor for a moment, and then backed toward the nearest chair. 

"Isn't it Riley's house?" he gasped. 

"Course not. I can see it plain from my door, an' there's Riley's housestandin' up safe an' sound as it ever was. It's Elder Bowen's, fastenough. I kinder thought you done it to pay him for shovin' you outenhis lot by the neck, and I said to my old woman that you had sarved himjest right; but if you didn't do it, then some of that Committee ofSafety must be to work. "

Bud hadn't once thought of that, and it put an entirely different lookon the matter. If it was true that the "outbreak had come, " it must bethat--

"There's a light off this a-way, too, " observed Mrs. Goble, who toconceal her agitation from the visitor, had moved around the room untilshe found an opening between the logs through which she could look outtoward Barrington. "'Pears like there might be an other house a-fire. "

"Hey-youp!" yelled Bud, whose terror had given away to almost fiendishexultation. "The outbreak has come, like I said it was goin' to do, butit aint the babolitionists an' niggers that's doin' of it. It's our ownfriends. Come on, Sile. Me an' you mustn't hang back when there's workto be done for the 'Federacy an' danger to be met. "

"Now's a good time to settle with old man Bailey, " Silas remarked. 

"Couldn't find a better if we tried for a whole month, " replied Budgleefully. "I knowed I would get even with him some day, but I didn'tthink it would come before I'd had time to sleep. Hush yer noise, oldwoman. Course I'm goin' up there. Riley said the 'Federacy would lookfor every man to do his dooty when the time come, an' if it aint comenow, I'd like to know what's the reason. Nobody won't harm you here. "

In spite of the querulous protests of Mrs. Goble, who strongly objectedto being left alone now that "the outbreak had come, " Bud and hiscompanion rushed out of the house and started for Barrington, runningfull tilt all the way for fear that the fun would all be over, and thehome of every Union man in town be destroyed before they could get thereto lend a hand. There was no suspicion in their minds that these twofires, located so far apart, could be the result of accident. If therewas any faith to be placed in that notice in the post-office there hadbeen an outbreak of some sort threatened, and beyond a doubt the membersof the Committee of Safety had thought it wise to anticipate it bydriving from Barrington every man who was suspected of being implicatedin it. That was the way Bud and Silas reasoned it out, and although theywere not altogether correct, they had hit pretty close to the mark. 

When they reached the cross-roads, so that they could look two ways andsee both the fires at once, they told each other that the houses musthave been burning for some time before they knew it, for the roofs hadfallen in and the blaze was beginning to die away. But where were theengines? They could not hear any bells or brakes at work, and if therewere any commands given the breeze must have carried them the otherway. 

"That committee of our'n has got everything cut an' dried, " was Bud'sgleeful comment. "Let Riley an' them fellers alone for doin' things upin shape when they get at it. But it won't do for us to say that wesuspicion them, for I've kinder thought, from the way they acted, thatthey wanted to stay behine an' pay sich chaps as me an' you for doin'the work. Now le's scoot off this a-way an' set old man Bailey agoin'. "

Bud Goble, who had taken the precaution to put some matches in hispocket before leaving home, led the way along the short cut, congratulating himself on the fact that he and Silas would have a clearfield for their operations, for of course the little storekeeper, andall of the rest of the men in town, were congregated at the fire. Sointent were they on taking vengeance on Mr. Bailey that they did not goa step out of their way to locate the fire that was raging in town, butwent straight towards the store, and without taking the least care toconceal their movements. 

"It's all dark, " whispered Silas. "But I don't reckon we'd best go anyfurder on the road. Le's go through the field an' come up behine it. "

Before Bud could say a word in reply or make a motion towards actingupon the suggestion, a clear strong voice directly in front of them, andbut a short distance away, called out:

"Halt! Who comes there?"

"Well, I do think in my soul!" exclaimed Silas. "Who do you reckon thatis?"

Bud was frightened again, and couldn't speak. He could not see anybody, either; but if it should chance to be old man Bailey who was on thewatch, wouldn't he know in a minute what it was that brought Bud thereat that hour, and would he not be likely to use that revolver if he hadit about him? While Bud was trying to make up his mind what he hadbetter do, take to his heels, or stand where he was until someone cameup and identified him, the challenge came again, and in more peremptorytones. 

"Who comes there?" cried the voice; and the question was followed by asound that was suspiciously like the clicking of a gun-lock. 

"It's us, " replied Bud, who began to think he ought to say something. 

"Halt, us!" commanded the voice. "Corporal of the guard number one!"

All of this was quite unintelligible to the two men, who could scarcelyhave been more bewildered and alarmed if they had found themselvesconfronted by one of those "white things" that Bud had described to hiswife; and when they heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps on theroad, without being able to see who or what it was that made the noise, they could stand it no longer, but faced about and ran for their lives. 

"Halt!" shouted the voice, three times in quick succession; but thefrightened men did not stop. A second later there was a flash and a roarbehind them, and a musket ball whistled through the air and threw up alittle cloud of dust a few yards further along the road. One of thosewould-be incendiaries came very near getting his exemption papers thatnight. 

 CHAPTER X. 

 THE CALL TO ARMS. 

The suppressed excitement which was so apparent to Bud Goble when hemade his second trip to Barrington, was not confined to the citizens. Itextended even to the military academy, but everybody there knew whatcaused it, although they could not look far enough into the future tosee what the result of it was going to be. It was brought about by thestory Marcy Gray told his friend Graham when they met in the guard-tentafter dinner. Dick's cheery laugh ran out loudly when Marcy spoke aboutthat "underground railroad business, " but he looked thoughtful and angrywhen he learned that Bud had made up his mind to whip him for it. 

"Didn't I say that he and his kind would take advantage of thisexcitement to get somebody into trouble?" exclaimed Dick. "The membersof that Committee of Safety are going to be sorry they ever thought ofgetting up such an organization when there wasn't the slightest excusefor it. I say bully for Elder Bowen; and I hope every one Bud interfereswith will serve him the same way. "

"Well, Marcy, " said Ed Billings slowly. "I can't go your Unionsentiments, and I do think you ought to be slapped for preaching them upthe way you do; but I'll not stand by and see Bud Goble do it. Mindthat. If he opens his head to you, knock him down and I'll help. "

"All the boys in school will help, " said Cole. "Mr. Riley and the restought to be ashamed of themselves for employing such a man. We'll standby Mr. Bailey, too. "

"Of course we will, " observed Dick. "Where would we get our goobers ifBud and Silas should burn him out?"

News of all kinds travels fast among a lot of boys, and in less than anhour after Marcy had been relieved every student in school knew what BudGoble had threatened to do to him and Dick Graham. To say that they wereangry wouldn't half express it. Dixon was strongly in favor of callingfor volunteers that very afternoon, paying a visit of ceremony to Budand Silas, and telling them in plain language that if they did not stoptheir nonsense at once and go to work to support their families, theywould have something further to say to them at some future time. 

"That underground railroad business, " he began. 

"I didn't have the first thing to do with that, " Marcy interposed. "Ididn't know about it until it was all over. If Bud wants revenge, lethim thrash Rodney and Dick; but he'll have to thrash me too, while he isabout it. "

"What's the matter with Rodney?" said Billings, in a low tone. 

Rodney stood around listening but taking no part in the conversation, and every one noticed that he seemed ill at ease. When his name wasmentioned, he turned about and left the tent very abruptly. 

"He is so mad he dare not trust himself to speak, " said Billings. "Hisface is as white as a sheet. "

"That underground railroad business isn't at the bottom of the matter atall, " continued Dixon. "That proclamation in the post-office suggestedan idea to some loon, who told Goble that this school needs lookingafter. I don't pretend to deny it. I say that every disunionist in itought to be chucked out of the gate neck and heels; but it will takemore men than that Committee of Safety and their paid spies can musterto do it. "

These sentiments were received with a howl of derision from some andenthusiastic cheers from the rest; but there was one point on which theywere united: The man, or body of men, who attempted violence toward anyof their number would surely suffer for it. There was one among them whohad not looked for this condition of affairs, who was utterly confoundedby it, and who would have given everything he possessed if he could haveundone a certain piece of mischief he had perpetrated in Barrington theday before. 

During the afternoon many of the students acted and felt as if they wereto be called upon to perform some duty outside of the usual routine ofschool work. Dick Graham was not the only one among them who scouted theidea of an outbreak, while others honestly believed that such a thingwas more than possible. It was even probable. There were a good manyUnion men round about, who were quite as fearless as the secessionistswere, and who held to their opinions with as great tenacity, the negroesoutnumbered the whites more than five to one, and what was there tohinder them from striking a blow for the freedom that would be sure tocome to them if the people of the North made up their minds thatsecession ought to be resisted by force of arms? Might it not bepossible that the townspeople were justified, after all, in calling thatmeeting; that they had some information that the boys knew nothingabout, and that the lives and property of some of Barrington's"prominent and respected citizens" might really be in jeopardy? If thatwas the case, and the students were ordered out to preserve order, whichside would they support? Would they hang together, or would they splitup into factions? Somehow the students did not like to dwell upon thesequestions, but dismissed them as soon they came into their minds. 

When four o'clock was struck by the bell on the tower, the usual numberof boys climbed the fence and set out for Barrington, and although theycame back fully satisfied that there was something afoot, there was notone among them who had a word of news. 

"The town looks as though it had been struck by a panic, " said Dixon. "There was hardly anybody in the post-office, and the few people I sawon the streets looked as if they might be on their way to a funeral. Icouldn't get a thing out of any man I saw, so I called on the Taylorgirls, who told me the committee has positive evidence that there is tobe an uprising among the negroes, led by such men as Elder Bowen. Ofcourse that is all humbug. I don't believe in running, but I reallythink it would be pleasanter for the elder if he would sell out and goup to the United States. He's got Bud Goble down on him--"

"Did he and Bud have a squabble sure enough?"

"Naw. Bud got impudent and the elder took him by the neck and showed himthe way to the gate. That's all there was of it. Of course there are afew who are mad about it, but the majority of the folks I talked withthink Bud was served just right. I wish the colonel would call forvolunteers to guard the elder's house of nights. I'd go for one. "

As usual there was nothing said to the guard runners, and neither wasthere another sham fight in the hall, the trouble over the flag havingbeen settled for a few days at least. The students were very quiet thatevening, and when Dick and Marcy went on post at eight o'clock, therewere no indications of the hubbub and confusion that one of them wasdestined to create before he was relieved at midnight. Dick thought it apart of his duty to keep watch of the town as well as over a portion ofthe school grounds, and when he stopped to rest, he always turned hisface toward Barrington. Once he thought he heard faint shouts, and a fewminutes later he was sure he saw the first rays of the rising moon; butthat could hardly be, for, if he remembered rightly, the almanac saidthere wasn't to be any moon that night. 

"By gracious!" thought Dick. "Can it be a fire?"

He glanced toward the archway to make sure that the corporal was notwatching him, and then did a thing he had never done before in his lifeand was never guilty of afterward. He deserted his post. He opened thegate without causing the iron latch to click, and ran across the roaduntil he came to the fence on the opposite side. This brought him out ofrange of a clump of trees that obstructed his vision at the gate, andalso enabled him to look around the edge of the piece of woods behindwhich Marcy Gray was pacing his lonely beat. There was not only onefire, but there were two; and they were a mile or more apart. 

"By gracious!" repeated Dick. 

He pulled off his cap and felt of his hair to see if it was standing onend, and then hastened back to his post, closed the gate, and summonedthe corporal of the guard. 

"I was ordered to report anything that looked like a blaze, " said Dick, when the non-commissioned officer came up. "Just cast your eye in thatdirection and tell me--"

"Great Scott!" exclaimed the corporal. 

"See it, don't you?" said Dick. "Well, now, look over that way, and tellme if there isn't another just breaking out. "

Dick pointed toward the woods, which were so thick that not the firstglimmer of light could come through them, and although the corporal bentalmost to the ground and twisted himself into all sorts of uncomfortableshapes, he was obliged to confess that he could not see anything thatlooked like a fire. 

"I'm sure I saw it not more than a minute ago, " said Dick, who, ofcourse, did not tell the corporal that he had been several yards fromhis post when he saw it. "Perhaps if you go across the road you can geta view of it. "

The corporal went, and one look was enough to satisfy him. When hereturned he was highly excited. 

"The niggers are at it, sure as you live, " said he. "That's right inrange of Mr. Riley's house. "

"Too far to the right for that, " replied the sentry. "Looks to be morelike Elder Bowen's. "

"It can't be, " exclaimed the corporal incredulously. "The negroeswouldn't hurt him. "

"No; but the secessionists might. "

"Well, I--eh?"

"I tell you the boot's on the other foot, " said Dick confidently. "It'sUnion property that's being destroyed this moment, and you'll find itout to-morrow. Why don't you go in and report?"

The non-commissioned officer thought it best to act upon the suggestion. He ran into the building, and when he returned he was accompanied by theofficer of the guard, who took a long look at the two fires before hewent in to call the colonel. Then the latter hurried out and took alook, and the two talked in low, earnest tones; and although Dick andthe corporal listened with all their ears, they could not catch a wordthat gave them a hint of the course they had decided to pursue. But theyfound out when the long roll echoed through the building, being followedalmost immediately by a shuffling of feet which announced that thestudents were hastening to the armory. After five minutes or so ofsilence so deep that Dick could hear the beating of his own heart, twocompanies of boys, fully armed and equipped, marching four abreast andmoving with a free, swinging stride that took them rapidly over theground, emerged from the archway, passed through the gate and turneddown the road leading to Barrington. At the same time aquartermaster-sergeant put ten rounds of ammunition into Dick'scartridge-box and ordered him to load his piece. 

"Ball cartridges?" inquired Dick. 

"Correct, " replied the sergeant. "If you halt a fellow and he don'thalt, these are the things that will make him halt. "

"Say, " whispered Dick. "Hang around a minute; I want to ask you aquestion or two. "

The sergeant "hung around" until the officer of the guard started withthe corporal to make his round of the posts, and then began withoutwaiting for the sentry to question him. 

"There isn't any thing to tell, " said he. "The colonel made a littlespeech to the boys in which he said that some fanatics, who ought to behanged without judge or jury, were destroying property in town, and itwas our business to put a stop to it if we could. He sent two companies, and the others have been furnished with ball cartridges which they areto use on anybody who comes fooling around here. "

"Did the colonel say who those fanatics were?" asked Dick. 

"Eh? Course he didn't. We all know who they are. "

"Who are they?"

"Aw! Go up to the United States, you Yankee. "

"Hold on a bit, " said Dick, as the sergeant was about to turn away. "Iask for information; I do indeed. Does he think the negroes have brokenout?"

"_And_ abolitionists? Of course he does. That's what we all think. It'swhat we know. "

"Say, " continued Dick. "The night is quiet, and the little breeze thereis stirring blows toward us from town, doesn't it? Now listen. Do youhear any fire-bells ringing?"

"That's so, " replied the sergeant; and Dick thought he was reluctant tosay it. "I don't hear a tinkle. "

"That's all I've got to say, " added Dick, as he settled his musket onhis shoulder and began pacing his beat. "On a still night like this youcan hear those big church bells four or five miles, and there hasn't oneof them said a word since those fires began. I noticed that from thestart. "

Dixon, the tall Kentuckian, who was marching with his company towardBarrington, also took note of the fact that the bells, which usuallymade noise enough to arouse the planters for miles around when there wasa fire, were silent now, and he called attention to it. He also noticedthat the house that was burning in town belonged to a prominent andoutspoken Union man; that both the engines were disabled (at least theforemen said they were); that the crowd around the house stood withtheir hands in their pockets, making no effort to keep the flames fromspreading to the house of another Union man close by; and that Mr. Rileyand a few other members of the Committee of Safety, who appeared to befull of business, but who, in reality, were doing just nothing at all, looked surprised and perplexed when the students marched up and came toa halt at the corner of the street. There was still another thing thatthe observant Dixon noticed and commented upon, and that was, that thecolonel was not in command as he ought to have been. The colonel did notthink it would be policy to take too firm a stand until he had learnedwhether his State was going to stay in the Union or go out of it; and sohe sent in command of the students a teacher who had not yet made up hismind which side he favored. Dixon had always believed that he leanedtoward the Union; and when he marched back to the academy the nextmorning about daylight, he was sure of it. 

"I am surprised to see you here, Captain Wilson, " said Mr. Riley, whowas the first man to meet him when he brought the students to a halt. 

"And I am surprised to see a man of your calibre get as nervous andexcited over a little fire as you seem to be, " replied the captain, insignificant tones. "If I may presume to ask the question, how does itcome that yon are on the ground so early when there are no alarm-bellsringing? What is the reason those engines are not at work? There's waterenough. "

"I happened to be awake when the fire broke out, and that's the way Icome to be here, " answered Mr. Riley sharply. "And the reason thoseengines are not playing on the flames is because they can't do it withtheir valves out of order. Really, captain, this looks to me like anuprising. "

"It's the way it looks to me, too. Attention. "

"What are you going to do?"

"I am going to get my men in position to carry out my orders, which areto protect property, " answered the captain. "I shall put a guard aroundthe house of every Union man in town. "

"Why, Captain, " exclaimed Mr. Riley. "You don't pretend to say that--"

"I don't pretend to say anything but this, " interrupted the captain. "When the houses of two Union men, situated more than a mile apart, geton fire at the same time, and no bells are rung, and the engines can'twork because they are out of order, and a big crowd like this standsabout without lifting a finger to save anything when all these thingshappen, it makes me suspect that there are firebugs around, and thatthey are after Union men and nobody else. At any rate I shall act onthat suspicion. These muskets are loaded with ball, and if any oneattempts to apply a match to a building in the presence of my guards, he'll get hurt. "

"Three cheers for Captain Wilson, " shouted some Union boys in theranks. 

"Silence!" commanded the captain. He was angry enough to put that boyunder arrest, but not foolish enough to try to find out who he was. Heknew by past experience that the students would not tell tales on oneanother. 

The captain was as good as his word. Paying no attention to the protestsof the different members of the committee who gathered about him, thedetails were quickly made, and so it came about that Dixon and fiveothers, including a non-commissioned officer, found themselves guardingMr. Bailey's store. Another and much larger squad was sent down the roadat double time to see what they could do to assist Elder Bowen. 

"Go up that by-path a piece, Dixon, " said the corporal, as he steppedupon the porch that ran in front of old man Bailey's door. "Keep youreye peeled for fire-bugs, and if you see--"

"Hey, there!" shouted a voice from the inside of the store. "Get offthat porch. "

"On the watch, are you?" replied the corporal. "Well, we'll watch too, if you will give us some candy to eat while we are doing it. Come outand see the Union men burn up. It will be your turn next. "

Mr. Bailey was astonished--at least the corporal thought he was, for heheard him talking to himself as he stumbled around in the dark searchingfor a jar of candy. The old man had not looked for anything like this. Being on the watch he knew when the fire in town broke out, andbelieving that Bud Goble was at work, he began patroling his store withhis revolver in his hand, ready to give the incendiaries a warmreception if they came near him. This was what the old man told thecorporal when he opened the door and passed out the candy and a bag ofpeanuts. 

"The nuts are for Graham, if he is with you, " said he. "I never saw suchan appetite as that boy's got for goobers. "

"But he isn't here, " replied the corporal. "He is on guard at theacademy. Now tell me all you know about this business. I'm here to guardyour property, although I can't see the sense of it. Mr. Riley wouldn'tlet Bud touch you. "

"I don't think he would if he knew it, for he knows just where I stand, "answered Mr. Bailey. "But Bud might take it into his crazy head tooperate on his own hook, and that is what I am afraid of. "

"Halt!" shouted Dixon, who had scarcely taken the position assigned himbefore he discovered Bud and Silas coming. 

"There!" exclaimed Mr. Bailey. "I'll bet that's Bud. If it isn't, whatis he sneaking around toward the back of the store for?"

"All right, " replied the corporal. "I'll give him such a scare thathe'll never trouble you again. If he doesn't tell a pretty straightstory I'll march him before Captain Wilson. "

As he spoke he stepped off the porch and started toward Dixon's post, and it was the sound of his footsteps that frightened Bud and hiscompanion into a run. He was really alarmed when he heard the report ofDixon's piece. 

"You've played smash on your watch, old fellow, " said he, as he hastenedto the sentry's side. 

"Can't help it, " was Dixon's answer. "Orders are orders. "

"Who was it?"

"Bud Goble for one. I recognized his voice; but I don't know who hiscompanion was. "

"Did you hit either of them?"

"Guess not. I shot to hit if they were firebugs, and to miss if theywere not. They both ran away, so I reckon they were innocent of anywrong intent; but they ought to have stopped when I told them. "

The corporal walked up the road a few hundred yards, but could not seeanything of Bud and his friend. They had taken themselves safely off. Just as he got back to Dixon's post a sentry on the other side of thestore shouted out a challenge. 

"I told you you had played smash, " said the corporal. "The captain hascome up to inquire into the matter. "

That was just who the new-comer was, as the corporal found when heresponded to the sentry's call; but he did not have a word of fault tofind with the way Dixon had obeyed orders. His men had been commanded tohalt everybody who came near their beat, and to fire upon all who didnot come in and give an account of themselves. He was excited, andpossibly expressed his sentiments with more freedom in the presence ofhis non-commissioned officer than he ought to have done. 

"Dixon did right, " said he. "The colonel told me to protect property, and if he doesn't approve of the measures I have taken to do it, he cansend somebody else in command the next time he finds it necessary toorder out a company of students. These are terrible times, corporal, andthey are getting worse every day. Terrible times when neighbors areturned against one another as they seem to be in this town. "

"It's some consolation to know that they can't be much worse, sir, "observed the corporal. 

"My dear boy, you haven't seen the beginning of it, " replied the captainsadly. "I don't think you will be troubled again to-night, but carry outyour orders to the letter. That's all you have to do. "

Whether or not the colonel's prompt action in sending two hundred armedstudents into town operated as a check upon the firebugs (if there wereany), the boys did not know; but when daylight came and the sentrieswere called in, and the column formed preparatory to marching back tothe academy, they were all satisfied of one thing: They had made anynumber of enemies among the townspeople by their night's work. 

"We've made a blunder, sure's you're born, " said Billings angrily. 

"Tell us something we don't know, " said the boy who marched at hiselbow. "I saw _that_ the minute Mr. Riley came up and spoke to thecaptain. But what got it through your head at this late hour?"

"I wouldn't have had it happen for anything, " continued Billings. "We'vegot every member of that Committee of Safety down on us, and they arethe best men in town. They wouldn't even look at me when they passed mybeat, but always turned their heads as if they did not want to see me. "

"Who cares for that?" demanded Dixon. "If they want to get down on usbecause we carried out our orders, let 'em get. If their arrangementshave been interfered with, let them go up to the academy and look crossat the colonel. He's the man. "

"Well, I know one thing, " observed Cole. "If the colonel wants to sendany more boys into town on an errand like this, he'll send somebodybesides me. I'll refuse duty. "

"Hear, hear!" exclaimed every one of the students who were close enoughto Cole to catch his words. 

The boys who had been left at the academy were not turned out to receivetheir returning comrades, who marched to the armory looking more likeculprits than like boys who had tried to do their duty, ordered armsspitefully, and broke ranks sullenly. 

"What's the meaning of this, I'd be pleased to know?" Dixon demanded ofMarcy Gray and Dick, who were the first to greet him. "Where's ourspeech of welcome? Why doesn't the colonel pat us on the back and say:'Well done, little boys?'"

"This is the reason, " answered Dick. "Shortly after I was relieved, adelegation from that Committee of Safety rode up and interviewed thecolonel for half an hour. "

"Aha!" exclaimed Dixon. "We stepped on their toes, didn't we? Well, wesuspected it from the first. Some of the fellows declare they'll not goanother time, but I will. As long as I stay here I'm going to obeyorders, I don't care what they are. "

"I don't think you will ever be called upon for like service again, "said Marcy. "The colonel has had a lesson of some kind. He looks asthough he had lost his best friend. Heigh-o!" he added, stretching hisarms and yawning. "What's the next thing on the programme? Will FortSumter be reinforced?"

Dixon couldn't say as to that, but there was one thing of which he wassure: This backing and filling on both sides couldn't last much longer, and the first thing they knew there would be an explosion of some sort, and it would come from Charleston harbor. 

The students were not disturbed again that night, and on the followingday things passed off much as they usually did, only the colonel, toquote from Dixon, was cross and snappish, not having had time to getover pouting about the lesson he had received the night before. Duringthe day it leaked out that Mr. Riley and his friends had talked to himvery plainly, told him that it was absolutely necessary for the peaceand safety of the town that the Union men should be driven out of it, and that the colonel's interference with the committee's plans was, tosay the least, unfriendly to the cause of the South. It was alsoreported that the colonel had promised he would never do the likeagain. 

"That means destruction to the Union men, " said Marcy, in a tone ofcontempt. "I believe I'll go home. I don't care to serve under a man whohas no more pluck than the colonel seems to have. "

If he had started at once he might have saved himself some anxiety, andwould certainly have carried away with him a better opinion of hiscousin Rodney than he had two days later. 

 CHAPTER XI. 

 BUD'S MESSENGER IN TROUBLE. 

Although the hours from four until six in the afternoon were devoted torecreation, it was expected that those of the students who wished tovisit friends in town would ask for a pass before attempting to leavethe grounds; but we have seen that they didn't. There were someprofessional guard-runners among them, and on this particular afternoonthey appeared in full force. 

"Come on, old fellow, " Billings shouted to Marcy Gray, who was carryinga camp-chair toward a spreading maple that stood near the guard tent. 

"No; I think I will stay here and try to read, " replied Marcy. "I knowthis book will not quarrel with me, but some of the Barrington peoplemight. There must be a good deal of excitement down there, and Ishouldn't think you would care to go. "

"It's the very reason we do care to go, " replied Rodney, who, with DickGraham at his side, was taking long steps toward the fence thatseparated the academy grounds from the woods. "We want to see what thefolks think of last night's work. They'll not say a word to Dick and me, for we were not there. "

"You'll find that that will not make any difference, " said Marcy. "Theyare down on the school, and you two will have to stand snubbing with therest. "

Dick laughed and said he did not believe it, and he and his companionkept on to the fence, which they climbed without a word of remonstrancefrom the sentry, who was obliging enough to turn his back when he sawthem coming. Marcy watched them until they disappeared in the bushes, and then fastened his eyes on his book; but he could not read. The airwas too full of excitement for that, and he could do nothing but think. How he passed the time until the guard-runners and those who hadreceived passes began to return from town, he could not have told. Therewas a good deal of feeling among the best of the Barrington people, theysaid, but the members of the committee did not blame the academy boysfor marching into town. On the contrary, they were rather gratified atthe promptness with which they "showed up"; for it was an indicationthat they would not be found wanting when the critical time came; butthey did not like the way the commandant had of meddling with theirmunicipal affairs, and had sent Mr. Riley and some others to extort fromhim a promise that he would never be guilty of it again. 

"So that report was true, " said Dixon, who brought this news to MarcyGray, "and that was the lesson the colonel has been pouting over allday. He gave Mr. Riley the assurance that no matter what happened inBarrington, not a single boy of us should be allowed outside the groundswith a musket in his hand. "

"Rodney didn't come home with you, did he?" said Marcy. "I wish he wouldmake haste, for I should like to get my mail. Do you know where he is?"

"That reminds me of something I made up my mind to ask you the minute Igot here, " answered Dixon; and Marcy judged, by the furtive manner inwhich he looked around to make sure there was no one within earshot, that he did not want anybody else to know what he had to say. "HasRodney anything in common with that villain, Bud Goble?"

"Not by a long shot, " exclaimed Marcy indignantly. "Why do you ask?Don't you know him any better than that?"

"I thought I did; but the last time I saw him and Dick Graham, they weresearching everywhere for Bud. Graham is, or _was_, all right; there's nodiscount on him, but--"

"But what?" demanded Marcy, when Dixon paused. "Don't say a word behindRodney's back that you would not say to his face. "

"I won't, " replied Dixon, who was neither angry nor frightened. "I hopeyou have been acquainted with me long enough to know that I am not thatsort of fellow. I say Dick is all right, because he will not make a moveeither way until his State moves; and in the mean time, he will not wantto do harm to those whose opinions differ from his own. But, Marcy Gray, that cousin of yours is about half crazy. "

"That's a fact, " said Marcy, after thinking a moment. 

"Consequently Rodney is _not_ all right, and there's a heavy discount onhim, " continued Dixon. "He is down on everybody who does not think as hedoes, and I am afraid--Look here: Why is Rodney so anxious to see BudGoble if it isn't to put him up to some mischief?"

"That's so, " replied Marcy thoughtfully. "Why is he?"

"There was a time when Rodney's blood would have boiled at the idea ofstanding by and seeing helpless people served as those two Union menwere served by the members of Mr. Riley's committee last night, but itisn't so now, " continued Dixon. "He believes that Northern sympathizersought to be punished, and he don't care how it is done or who does it!"

"But Dick Graham is with Rodney, and you think Dick is all right, " Marcyreminded him. "Dick wouldn't be likely to stay with him if he thoughtRodney was going to put any more mischief into Bud Goble's head. "

"Dick was all right the last time I talked with him, but how do I knowbut that Rodney has succeeded in bringing him over to his side. "

"Oh, I hope not, " said Marcy earnestly. "I'll speak to Rodney when hecomes, and tell him to let all such fellows as Goble alone. Don't repeatwhat you have said to me, will you?"

"Of course not. I think too much of Rodney for that, and if he getshimself into trouble through his foolishness, I'll be one of the firstto jump in and help him out. "

Marcy was on nettles after Dixon went away, and it is a question whetherhe would have felt much easier in his mind if he had known why it wasthat his cousin was so anxious to find Bud Goble. Rodney did not want toput any more mischief into the man's head; he wanted to take out some hehad put there two days before. He did not feel as bitter toward Marcyand Dick Graham as he did when he slipped away from his friends on theevening that Confederate flag came to him through the post-office, andwrote that letter calling Bud's attention to the fact that there weresome Union boys in the academy who ought to be told that their room wasbetter than their company. The threats that Bud had made against Marcy, and the destruction of the property of those two Union men, frightenedRodney, who would have given up all his worldly prospects to know justhow much his letter to the paid spy had to do with bringing about thepresent state of affairs. His desire now was to stop Bud before he couldgo any further. 

Marcy, depressed in spirits and fearing, he knew not what, waited andwatched in vain. Dress parade was over, supper had been eaten, and thegate closed for the night, and still Rodney and Dick had failed toreport. 

"I feel a little worried myself, " said Dixon, to whom Marcy went forsympathy and comfort. "And I don't believe Captain Wilson is altogetherright in his mind, for I have heard him making inquiries among the boys. In fact he has been to me to find out where I last saw the missingchaps, and what they were doing. But don't be uneasy. I didn't tell himthat they were looking for Bud Goble. I almost wish I had, " he added, tohimself. "I may have to do it yet if they don't turn up all right. "

"Captain Wilson doesn't think they could have got into any trouble, doeshe?" said Marcy anxiously. 

"He didn't say a word on that score. "

"But it looks as though he was afraid of it, " replied Marcy. "If hewasn't afraid something had happened to them he would not ask aboutthem. "

This interview with Dixon would have added to Marcy's fears, even if hehad not learned, as he did a few minutes later, that all the boys in thehall were talking about it, and wondering what had become of Rodney andDick. Like many others these two had openly defied all the rules forweeks past, but they had never before stayed out after dark, and some ofthe students declared that they wouldn't do it now if they were notprevented from coming back to the academy. When Marcy heard this, hedecided that something ought to be done. He went upstairs and told theorderly to ask if he might speak to the colonel. 

"I think I know what you want, " whispered the orderly, "and I tell youplainly that he won't let you do it. But I'll go in with your message. "

There were others among the students who thought they knew what Marcywanted, and who followed him to the head of the stairs to "see how hewould come out with the old man. " The orderly disappeared through thecolonel's door, but came out a few minutes afterward to report--

"What did I tell you?"

"What did he say?" inquired Marcy. 

"He says he doesn't want to be bothered. I put in a good word for you, suggesting that perhaps you wanted permission to go to Barrington andsee what has become of Rodney, and he said in reply that you need nottrouble yourself. You could not go. He will not allow a boy outside thegate after dark, no matter what his business is, and he'll chuck Rodneyand Dick into the guard-house the minute they return, and keep themthere. "

For the first time since he had been a student at that school Marcy Grayfelt rebellious. He stood high in his class, was always on hand whenduty called him, never ran the guard, hadn't asked for a pass for morethan a week, and for the colonel to send him off in this way, withouteven listening to the request he had to make, was rather more than Marcycould stand. 

"I was going to ask him to let me go to town and see if I could learnwhat has become of Rodney and Dick, " said he to the boys who werewaiting for him at the top of the stairs. "But he sent word by theorderly that he wouldn't see me. I'm going to Barrington all the same. "

"Do you want company?" asked Dixon. 

"I should like to have three or four good fellows, " replied Marcy, "butmind you, I shall not ask anybody to go with me. I am bound to get intotrouble. "

"Well, you can't find any better guard-house companion than I am, "answered Dixon. 

"I'm another good fellow for that cheerful hole, " observed Billings. "Iought to be, for I've been there often enough. "

Bob Cole said he was a third candidate for a court-martial, announcedhis determination to go if Billings went, whether Marcy said so or not, and the latter decided that three boys were as many as he cared to bringinto trouble on account of their friendship for him and the missingstudents. 

"Now, fellows, " whispered Dixon to the other boys who were gatheredabout. "You stay in the hall, and if anybody asks you where we havegone, you can tell him you don't know. Be quiet now, all of us, anddon't act or look as though there was anything in the wind. "

This was easier said than done, for now that these four students haddecided to run counter to the colonel's express orders, and find outwhat had become of Rodney Gray and his companion, they were impatient tobe off. But three of their number managed to leave the hall withoutattracting very much attention, and halted in the shade of the trees towait for Dixon, who, being an experienced guard-runner, had loiteredbehind to ascertain who were on posts three and four, between which theywould have to pass in order to reach the fence. 

"They're solid boys, " said he, when he joined Marcy and the rest underthe trees. "If we can get close enough to give them a hint of what wewant to do before they challenge us, they'll let us through. After weget a little farther along, perhaps it would be best for me to go onahead. "

Of course the suggestion was adopted, for among all the boys in schoolthere was not one who knew how to manage affairs of this sort betterthan Dixon. He succeeded in getting within sight of one of the sentrieswithout being stopped, made him understand, in some mysterious way, thatsecrecy was not only desirable but necessary, and in a few minuteswhistled for his companions. Such a proceeding as this would not havebeen successful, nor would it have been attempted, at any other time inthe history of the academy. 

"I've been thinking about those two boys ever since I came on post, "said the sentry, in a low tone. "And I am glad you have made up yourminds to go in search of them, in spite of the colonel. Crawl overwhenever you get ready, but I mustn't see you do it. "

The sentry faced about, and the four guard-runners placed their handsupon the fence and were about to "crawl over, " when their movements werearrested by a sound coming from the thicket close in front of them. Remembering how old Uncle Toby had approached Marcy Gray's post, theystopped and listened. 

"St--St--!" was the sound they heard, and something told them that theperson who made it desired to communicate with them secretly. 

"Who is it?" whispered Dixon. 

"It's me, " answered a voice. 

"Who's me? If you are a friend come out and show yourself. If you are anenemy, get away from there or we will be down on you like ashower-bath. "

"It's me; Caleb Judson. Don't you know me?"

"Whew!" whistled Dixon softly, while the rest of the boys nodded andwinked at one another. "It's one of Bud Goble's friends. Are we not inluck? I know of you, " he said aloud. "But what are you doing there inthe bushes? Come close to the fence and tell us what you want. Be quiet, for there are guards on both sides, and we mustn't let them hear us. "

Thus encouraged, Caleb Judson arose from his hiding-place and cameforward; but, as if he were afraid of treachery, he halted just out ofreach of the fence. 

"That won't do, " said Dixon. "Come up close so that we can talk betweenthe pickets. It's too late for you to run now, even if you wanted to. You see this fellow?" he added, calling Caleb's attention to the sentry, who came up holding his musket at "arms port. " "That gun of his has gota bullet in it, and his orders are--"

"Don't shoot, " said Caleb; and in his excitement and alarm he spoke soloud that the boys trembled. 

"Don't you know enough to keep still?" exclaimed Marcy angrily. "No oneis going to hurt you. Come up to the fence. Now, what brought you here?Talk fast. "

"Well, " said Caleb, speaking slowly, as if he did not know how toexplain his errand; "you mind them Gray an' Graham boys, don't ye?"

"We have a slight acquaintance with them, " answered Dixon. "What aboutthem? Do you want to see them?"

"See 'em?" repeated Caleb. "I jest did see 'em, not more'n an hourago. "

"Um, " said Dixon. "Where did you leave them?"

"Down in the woods on Riley's place, a little piece back of niggerToby's cabin. Bud Goble's got 'em. "

"Hold on, or you will spoil everything, " whispered Dixon, looking overhis shoulder at Marcy Gray, who began breathing very hard and trying towork his way closer to the fence. "What does Bud intend to do withthem?"

"Well, it's jest this a-way, " replied Caleb. "A day or two ago Bud got aletter from somebody tellin' him that them two boys oughter be droveouten the kentry, kase they was Union all over an' preachin' up theirdocterings as often as they got a chance. Bud, he thought so too, an'this afternoon he grabbed 'em. "

"Who wrote that letter?" inquired Dixon. 

"There don't none of us know; Bud himself don't know, kase there wasn'tno name to it. "

"It was written by some coward who was afraid to let himself be known, was it? And Bud acted upon the advice that letter contained and grabbedthe boys, did he? How did he go about it?" inquired Dixon; and his threecompanions, who knew how quick he was to get angry, wondered that hecould speak so quietly and without the slightest show of excitement. 

"When they was in town to-day Bud sont 'em word that there was a sickman up the road a piece, an' asked them would they get some quinine an'take it to him, " replied Caleb. 

"And of course they went, " said Dixon, through his clenched teeth. "Budworked upon their feelings and caught them as easy as falling off a log. When they got to that cabin there wasn't any sick man there, but a partyof ruffians who jumped on Rodney and Dick and made prisoners of them, "added Dixon, who was so impatient that he could not wait for Caleb totell the story. "Was that the way of it?"

"It were; but you see he got the wrong one. Both of 'em are the wrongones. "

"How so?"

"Well, you see they're the wrong ones; not the ones he thought he wasgoin' to get. Rodney is secession the very wust kind. "

"Of course he is; and Graham is State rights, which is the next thing toa rebel. Well, what of it?"

"Rodney is the wrong one, I tell ye. We-uns wanted the other Grayboy--the Union feller. "

"What would you have done to him if you had got hold of him?"

"We-uns kalkerlated to lick him good an' send him outen the kentry witha striped jacket. "

Caleb did not hesitate to acknowledge this. He had heard it said thatthere were some wild secessionists in the school, and taking his cuefrom the Barrington people, who thought it right to destroy the propertyof Union men, he believed that the students who were in favor of theConfederacy would be willing to take summary vengeance upon those oftheir number who were foolish enough to stand up for the old flag. Buthe thought it would be wise to make sure of that point before he wentany further. 

"You're Jeff Davis men, I reckon, aint ye?" said he "We are for theSouth every day in the week, " replied Dixon. "When the Stars and Stripesare pulled down and the Stars and Bars run up in their place, I'llholler as loud as the next fellow. You may speak freely. "

Caleb might have had some doubts on that point if he could have seen theflashing eyes and clenched fists there were on the other side of thefence. But Dixon spoke so calmly, in spite of the towering rage he wasin, that the man's suspicions were not aroused. 

"You calculated to whip Rodney and drive him out of the country; butwhen you learned that he was a good rebel, you thought you wouldn't doit, " said Dixon. "Is that the way of it? Then what are you holding himfor? Why don't you let him come home?"

"All the company was in for lettin' both of 'em go, 'ceptin' Bud. Hewouldn't hear to it. "

"What sort of a company have you?"

"One we-uns got up yesterday and last night while them houses wasburnin'. Minute men, you know, who are ready to grab their guns an'fight in a minute. Bud wanted to capting the company, but we-uns put inanother feller, an' mebbe that makes him madder t'wards the boys than hewould be if he was capting. "

"Very likely; and it is a good idea to pound them for it. What was thereason he wouldn't listen when you proposed to let Rodney go?"

"Kase Rodney an' that Graham boy was the fellers that offered to givehim a hunderd dollars if he would show them where that undergroundrailroad was that used to tote the niggers off to Canady, " repliedCaleb. "Bud says they needn't think they're ever goin' to come back tothe 'cademy less'n he gets them hunderd dollars. He looked for therailroad in good faith, an' allows that he'd oughter be paid for histime an' trouble. "

"And this is the way he takes to get his pay, is it? Well, he must haveit, and if I have any influence with the boys he will get more than heasks for. But why did you come here to tell us this?"

"Kase Bud sont me up here to get the money. "

"You know right where he is, I suppose?"

"I do, for a fac'. "

"Are there many men with him?"

"Nobody but jest Silas Walker. The rest of the company wouldn't havenothing to do with it, an' so they went home. "

"And you expect us to send the money back by you, do you? How much of itwill you get?"

"Not a dog-gone cent. I don't want none of it. I come kase I want to seethem two boys let go. Hold on, there. What you doin'?" exclaimed Caleb, when he felt himself suddenly seized by the elbow and his whole armpulled through the fence. "Turn me loose. "

"Take hold of the other arm, Billings, " said Dixon quietly. "Now, oldman, keep perfectly still and do just as you are told, and no harm shallcome to you. You are friendly to Rodney and Dick, and that makes usfriendly toward you. Come over the fence. Up you go. "

"What for?"

"We want you to tell the officer of the guard, and perhaps the colonel, just what you have told us, word for word. "

"By gracious, boys, you're going to get me into a pretty mess, " said thesentry nervously. "You can't get him over without alarming the wholeschool, and how shall I explain matters to the corporal? He's a chap whowill not stand any nonsense. Come over that fence, " he added, an ideastriking him; and as he spoke he drew up his loaded musket and pointedit at Caleb's head. "Quick and still, or I'll cut loose. "

The sight of the black muzzle that looked him squarely in the eye wastoo much for Caleb's nerves. Beseeching the sentry, in whining tones, toturn that weapon t'other way, he shinned up the pickets, Dixon andBillings shifting their hold from his arms to his legs and feet as heascended, and in two minutes more he stood within the academy grounds. 

 CHAPTER XII. 

 THE FIRST COMPANY IN ACTION. 

"There, " said Dixon soothingly. "I told you you shouldn't be hurt if youobey orders without making any fuss. Now come with us, and don't speakabove a whisper. "

"What do you reckon the kurn'll do to me?" inquired Caleb, who couldscarcely have been more frightened if the students had threatened him asBud Goble had threatened Rodney and Dick. 

"He'll not do the first thing to you, " Billings assured him. "Why shouldhe when you come here as a friend to those two prisoners? We'll see yousafe outside the gate as soon as the officers are through questioningyou. "

"An' will you-uns give me the money?" asked Caleb. "If you don't, themboys is bound to get whopped. "

"Did Bud say so?"

"He made that same remark. An' he said, furder, that if I wasn't back bysun-up with the hunderd dollars, he would know you-uns had held fast tome, an' then he would lick 'em, sure hope to die. "

"I promise you that you shall be back there before sunrise, " said Dixonsignificantly. "We can't permit those fellows to be whipped on accountof a joke, and we won't, either. You are quite sure you can go straightto him?"

Yes, Caleb was sure he could do that; and then his conductors, who hadall the while held fast to his arms, halted in front of Captain Wilson, the officer of the guard, who chanced to be pacing back and forth infront of the tent. The captain listened in amazement while the boys toldtheir story, and the light from the tent showed that there was a shadeof anxiety on his face when he inquired:

"Where did you find this man?"

"Outside the grounds, sir, " Dixon promptly responded. 

"And what were you doing outside the grounds at this hour, when you knowthat such a thing is positively forbidden?" continued the officerseverely. 

"I had started for Barrington, sir, " answered Marcy. "The commandantwouldn't give me a chance to ask permission to go. "

"And so you went without it?"

"Yes, sir, I did. I was resolved to learn something about Rodney andDick before I slept. "

"I shall be obliged to shut you up, " said the captain. 

"Very good, sir, " replied Marcy. "But how about Rodney and Dick? Is thatvillain Goble to be permitted to abuse them as he pleases?"

"I am surprised at your insolence, Private Gray, " said the officersternly. "Go inside the tent under arrest. "

Marcy went, and all the boys, as well as Caleb Judson, went in with him, and Captain Wilson hastened away to lay the matter before the colonel. 

"Now, I'll tell you what's a fact, " said Marcy. "Captain Wilson would dosomething for those boys if he were in command, but the colonel will notdo the first thing. "

"So be it, " answered Billings. "Then we'll see whether or not thefellows will do something. They are not the lads I take them for if theydo not rally on center the minute they find out how the land lies. "

"What's up?" whispered a student, thrusting his head into the tent andthen looking back to see if there was any one coming. "Who's thatgentleman" (nodding at Caleb), "and what are you doing in there?"

"In arrest for being sassy, " replied Cole. "Say--"

Here all the boys got upon their feet, stepped to the door and held ashort but earnest conversation with the student outside, who muttered, ejaculated, and scratched his head in a way that indicated theprofoundest surprise and bewilderment. Then he said: "You bet I'll doit, " disappeared around the corner of the tent, and the boys ran back tothe table, beside which they stood, with their caps off and their handsto their foreheads, when the officer of the guard came in accompanied bythe colonel. The latter looked and acted as if the burden of hisresponsibility was too heavy for him to carry; and the worst of it was, it was growing heavier every day. He was out of patience, too, and ascross as a bear. 

"What sort of a cock-and-bull story is this I hear about Sergeant Grayand Private Graham?" said he snappishly. "I am in no humor for wastingwords. "

"Neither are we, sir, " Marcy replied boldly. "My cousin is in trouble, and I should like to have him helped out of it. "

"If he hadn't run the guard and gone to town without permission, hewouldn't be in trouble, " answered the colonel. "Now let me hear thestory from beginning to end, and in as short a space of time aspossible. "

Marcy Gray and Dixon could talk to the point when they made up theirminds to it, and the colonel was not kept in his chair a second longerthan was necessary to make him understand just how Rodney and Dick weresituated. That the recital made him nervous was plain from the way herubbed his hands together and tumbled his hair about his forehead. 

"Well, what do you expect me to do about it?" he asked, when the storywas concluded. 

"We should like to have you send an officer down there, under guidanceof this man Judson, and rescue those boys, " said Marcy. 

"That is the duty of the civil authorities, and I cannot interfere withthem, " replied the colonel, in a tone which seemed to say that thematter was settled so far as he was concerned. "Last night I tried to doa friendly turn for the citizens of Barrington, but I will never do itagain. They can be burned up or whipped for all I care. "

"But, sir, these boys are not citizens of Barrington, " said Dixon. "Theyare pupils of this school, and as such they are entitled to all the aidand comfort it is in your power to give them. "

"When I think I need to be instructed in my duty toward those who areplaced under my care, I will send for you, Private Dixon, " replied thecolonel loftily; but the boys all saw, and so did the officer of theguard, that he could not make up his mind how to act under thecircumstances. The colonel knew well enough that there was littledependence to be placed upon the Barrington authorities, and that thesurest way to help Rodney and Dick was to do as Marcy suggested; but hecould not make a move without running the risk of offending theinfluential members of the Committee of Safety. As he spoke he pointedtoward the door, and Dixon saluted and went out. 

"In order to relieve your suspense, Private Gray, I will tell you what Ipurpose doing, " continued the colonel. "I will send this man with a noteto the police justice in town, and request him to take some stepslooking to your cousin's release. That is all I can do. "

"An' will you give me the hunderd dollars to hand to Bud?" inquiredCaleb. 

"I shall not give you a cent. "

"Then I sha'n't go nigh Bud, an' that's flat, " declared Caleb, with morespirit than he had previously exhibited. "Them chaps will get licked ifI don't have that money to hand to Bud when I see him, an' I aintwantin' to get into trouble. "

Dixon, who was loitering about on the outside of the tent, did not waitto hear any more, but posted off to the hall, where he found an excited, almost frantic, crowd of students impatiently looking for some one tocome from the guard tent and tell them what the commandant had decidedto do. 

"Colonel, " said Marcy, whose white face showed how desperate was theconflict that was raging within him, and how hard it was to berespectful to the man who had it in his power to help Rodney, and whorefused to use that power because he was afraid of the Barringtonsecessionists. "Your plan will not work, sir. "

"I can't help it, " was the colonel's answer. "It is the only thing I cando. If Rodney had stayed within bounds he would not be in need of help. Now go, all of you. "

As soon as they were safe out of the tent Marcy caught Caleb by the armand whispered--

"If the colonel hands you a note to carry to town, don't go away with ituntil I see you again. If you do you may get into difficulty. I'll raisesome money for you. "

"That's talking sense, " said Caleb, in the same cautious whisper. "It'sthe only way to get 'em off without a lickin'. "

"Look here, " exclaimed Billings, as the three moved away leaving Calebstanding near the guard tent. "Are you going to raise a hundred dollarsfor Goble?"

"Not much. I don't think I could; but I'm going to raise something topay Caleb for guiding me to Bud's hiding-place. "

"Bully for you. Count us in. "

"I'll not ask any one to go with me, " answered Marcy. "If you want tohelp, you can do it by telling me how I can smuggle my musket andcartridge-box out of the armory. "

"Now, that's an idea. Of course we'll help. Great Scott! What a crazycrowd, and what do you reckon they're going to do?"

It was no wonder that Bob Cole asked this question. While he and hiscompanions were talking they walked through the archway into the hall, which was filled with pale, determined-looking students, who werequietly making their way up the wide stairs toward the armory. 

"What's up?" repeated Cole. 

"We're going after our muskets, " replied one. "Fall in. "

"Not the whole school?" Billings managed to gasp, while Marcy Gray stoodspeechless, wondering at the magnitude of the rebellion which had beenbrought about by the colonel's refusal to send a squad to Rodney'sassistance and Dick's, and by the stirring appeals to which they hadlistened from Dixon, as well as from the lips of the boy who hadreceived those hasty instructions at the guard-tent. 

"Talk about rebels! Why, this is a riot, " said Cole. 

"It looks very like it, " replied Dixon, who stood at the foot of thestairs urging every boy to fall in. "They're all going except thecompany officers, who have taken themselves off out of sight, so thatthey cannot be called upon to oppose us. Where's Caleb?"

"I made sure of him by saying that I would raise some money for him, "replied Marcy. 

"If we were only outside the gate we should be all right. "

"We'll get out easy as falling off a log, " said Dixon. "If you hadglanced toward the gate when you came in, you would have seen four goodfellows there talking with the sentry. It will be their business todisarm him, if he shows fight when we attempt to march out, as it is hisduty to do; and if the officer of the guard tries to turn the key uponus, those four fellows will quietly take the gate from its hinges andtumble it over into the road. It's all cut and dried, and if the boyskeep as still as they are now, we'll be out before the colonel knowswhat we are up to. Oh, I haven't been idle since the commandant orderedme from the guard-tent. "

There was no need that Dixon should say this, for the actions of thestudents proved that he had done a good deal of talking since he wasordered out of the tent. Although they were pushing and crowding oneanother in their haste to get into the armory and out of it again beforesome busybody (there are boys of that sort in every school) could run tothe colonel and apprise him of what was going on, there was not theleast noise or confusion, not a word spoken above a whisper, and ifthere had been any studious scholars in the dormitories, they would nothave been in the least disturbed. In five minutes more the armory wasthronged with students, who having taken their muskets from the racks, were buckling on their cartridge-boxes. The weight of the boxesdispelled the fear that the colonel might have had the ball cartridgesthat were put in them the night before removed. Why he hadn't done it, seeing that he had promised to remain neutral in future, was a mystery. 

"This is a high-handed proceeding, boys, " observed one, "and if ashoulder-strap should come in and order us to put these guns back, thenwhat?"

"Then would be the time for you, to prove that you were in earnest whenyou promised that you would stand by Rodney and Dick if the colonelrefused to help them, " said another. "Who cares? We're rebels anyhow, and we certainly would not go back on our principles at the command ofanybody up North. "

"Don't stop to discuss politics, " said Dixon, who, by common consent, was the commander of the expedition, there being no commissionedofficers present. "Some of you take muskets number twenty-two, thirty-four, forty-four, and fifty-six from the racks in addition toyour own for those four fellows at the gate. Now fall in, in your placesas near as you can. We'll not stop to count fours or to divide thecompanies into platoons. So long as we get there, we don't care whetherwe go in military form or not. Fours right: Forward, column left, march!"

"Charge bayonets!" shouted some half-wild fellow in the ranks, when thecolonel and officer of the guard, both with drawn swords in their hands, suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Run over everything that gets in theroad. "

"Young gentlemen! Boys! Private Dixon, what are you about?" cried thecolonel, who was so amazed that he hardly knew what he said. "I'll putthe last one of you in the guard-house. Just one moment, boys. Listen toreason. I'll do everything I can to get Rodney and Dick out of thatscrape. I will, I assure you. "

"Forward, double quick!" somebody shouted; and although the command camefrom one who had no business to give it, Dixon being the acknowledgedleader, the most of the students would have obeyed it with the greatestpromptness, had not the Kentucky boy jumped in front of the first fourand barred their way with his musket, which he held at the height of hisshoulders. 

"Halt!" he shouted. "Colonel, this is too plain a case, as you see. Ifyou will not help our friends who are in difficulty, we will. If we willbreak ranks, will you send the first company, under Judson's lead, tobring Rodney and Dick to the academy?"

"I will, " replied the colonel, who saw that if he didn't agree to theproposition, the boys would go without being sent. 

"Very good, sir, " said Dixon; while the most of the rebels lookeddisappointed. "That is all we ask. Forward, column right, march. Fours, left, halt, right dress, front, order arms!"

This brought the boys back into the armory, in line, and in readiness tohear what the colonel had to say to them; but the latter was in no humorfor making a speech. He could not praise the students for what they haddone, and he was afraid to find fault with them, because there was anexpression on their faces which said as plainly as words that therebellion was not yet subdued, and that they were ready to go on with itif the colonel did not do as he promised without any unnecessary delay. This was something new in the history of the Barrington MilitaryInstitute. It was the first time the students had ever taken the lawinto their own hands, and they had showed the colonel that he could notcarry water on both shoulders without running the risk of spilling someof it. 

"I shall close the school and send you to your homes the first thing inthe morning, " sputtered the commandant, jamming his sword into itsscabbard, as if to say that he had no further use for it. "This is astate of affairs to which I will not submit. "

"And in the meantime, sir, permit me to remind you that my cousin is inthe hands of a ruffian who has threatened to beat him, if certaindemands he has made are not complied with, " said Marcy, who wasimpatient to be off. 

The colonel bit his lip, glared savagely at Marcy for an instant, said afew hurried words to Captain Wilson, and left the armory. The firstthing the officer of the guard did was to remove his red sash and handit to another teacher--an action which all the boys in line greeted withhearty cheers; and his second move was to march the first company out ofline, and order the others to break ranks. This looked like business. Captain Wilson was going in command, and that meant that Rodney and hiscompanion in trouble would be found and released before the companyreturned. But would the captain permit them to give Bud a whack or twowith the butts of their muskets just to teach him to mind his ownbusiness in future? Probably not; and if Captain Wilson forbade it Budwould be safe, for the boys thought too much of him to rebel against hisorders. 

"We will wait a few minutes for the officers, " said the Captain, "and inthe meantime--count fours. "

But the boy officers did not "show up. " They had concealed themselves soeffectually that the orderlies sent out by the colonel could not findthem, and so the captain was obliged to go without them. They would bedisappointed when they came out of their hiding-places and found thattheir company had gone off with the colonel's permission, but that couldnot be helped. Caleb Judson was much surprised when he found himself atthe head of the column, surrounded by a corporal's guard who wereinstructed, in his hearing, to see that he did not give them the slip, but he did not refuse to act as guide. 

"All I ask of you, capting, " said he, "is to let me stay back out ofsight when you grab Bud, so't he won't suspicion that I had anything todo with bringin' you-uns onto him. He's a bad man when he's mad--"

"So I have heard, " said the captain dryly. "He must be a terrible fellowto let Elder Bowen walk him out of the yard by the back of the neck. Butyour wishes shall be respected, and my boys will never mention your namein connection with this business. "

This satisfied Caleb, who strode ahead as if he were in a great hurry toreach his destination. 

"It's queer doings, this taking nearly a hundred boys to capture twovagabonds, " whispered Dixon, who had taken pains to secure a place inthe ranks next to Marcy Gray. "But it's the best thing that could bedone. If any of us had been ordered to stay behind, there might havebeen another rebellion. Besides, Bud and Silas are Injuns, and Ishouldn't be surprised if they slipped through our fingers. "

"I hope they will, " said Marcy honestly. "Bad as they are, I shouldn'twant to see them hurt. "

The students marched through the principal street of Barrington, but ifany one saw then! they never heard of it. There was but one manstirring, and that was old Mr. Bailey, who devoted a wakeful half-hourto patroling his premises with his revolver in his hand. If he wassurprised to see the boys he did not say anything about it, for therapidity of their movements and the strict silence they maintained wereindications that they did not care to have the citizens know they wereout. Mr. Bailey would have given all the candy and peanuts in his storeto know what their errand was, but was forced to content himself withthe reflection that he would learn all about it the next time DickGraham came to town. 

"Now, capting, " said Caleb, after they had gone a long distance down theroad that led to Mr. Riley's house, "Bud's camp is off that a-way abouta mile. The woods is tol'able thick, an' I don't reckon you can gothrough 'em in a bunch, like you be now, without scarin' him. He's gotears, Bud has. You-uns had best scatter out an' go one at a time. "

"Form skirmish line, I suppose you mean. "

"I don't know what you call it. Couldn't make 'em into something like ahorse-shoe, could ye?"

"Certainly. Hold back the center and push the flanks forward. That'seasy enough. "

"Eh?" said Caleb. 

"I'll make a horse-shoe, if that's what you want. "

"All right. An' when you get to where his fire is, you can kinder bringthe heels of the shoe in t'wards each other, an' there Bud an' Silas'llbe on the inside of 'em. See?"

The captain understood, and thought it a good plan to act upon theguide's suggestion, although he could not make up his mind that he wouldpermit his men to make prisoners of Bud and Silas. Perhaps, on thewhole, it would not be safe. Good-natured, obedient Dick Graham could beeasily controlled, but how about fiery Rodney Gray, angry as heundoubtedly was? The latter, quick-tempered and impatient of disciplineas he was known to be, when he found himself backed by nearly all theboys in his class and company might avow a determination to take amplevengeance upon his captors; and if he so much as suggested the thing, the students were in the right mood to help him through with it. 

"We don't want to make captives of those two men, " said the captain, ashe passed along the ranks getting the skirmish line in shape. "We'llscare them out of a year's growth and show them that they cannot foolwith our boys with impunity, but that is as far as we will go. If theycan get away, let them. "

It took ten minutes to form the "horse-shoe" and make each boyacquainted with the signals that were to be used for his guidance, andthen the order was given to advance. The woods were pitch dark, and itwas a task of no little difficulty for the boys to find their waythrough the thick underbrush, and over the fallen logs that obstructedevery foot of the mile that lay between the road and Bud Goble's camp, but they did it without making noise enough to alarm him. What they weremost afraid of was that he would hear them coming and drag his prisonersaway from the fire and deeper into the woods, where they could not befound until Bud had had time to wreak vengeance upon them. But they neednot have borrowed any trouble on that score. If Bud Goble had had thefaintest idea of the commotion his senseless act had caused among theacademy boys, money would not have hired him to lay a finger upon Rodneyand Dick. 

[Illustration: TOO MUCH FOR THE MINUTE-MEN. ]

At the end of an hour Captain Wilson, who was in the center of the line, came within sight of Bud's camp-fire, and the order was passed for theflanks to close upon each other. In fifteen minutes more a shrillwhistle coming from the opposite side of the fire announced that thecommand had been obeyed, and with a charging yell, that was neversurpassed by any they afterward uttered in battle, the boys sprang upand rushed for the fire. Not a bayonet had been fixed or a piece loadedthat is, by orders; but some of the young soldiers had quietly drivenhome a cartridge while working their way through the woods, and when thesignal to advance was given, they fired their muskets into the air withsuch effect that Bud and Silas gave themselves up for lost, and theprisoners jumped from their beds of leaves by the fire, and shouted andwaved their caps to show their comrades where they were. 

"Death to all Minute-men!" somebody yelled; and the cry was taken up andcarried along the line with such volume that Bud's frantic appeals for"quarter" could not be heard. 

In less time than it takes to write it the students crowded into thecamp, and Rodney and Dick were being shaken by both hands. Their captorswere so completely surprised, and so very frightened that they had notthought of their rifles, which were leaning against convenient trees. And now came the very demonstration that Captain Wilson had been afraidof. Jerking himself loose from the detaining hands of his comrades, Rodney picked up a heavy switch lying on the ground near the log thatBud had been using for a seat. 

"Turn about is fair play, old fellow, " said he. "You promised to usethis on our backs if you did not receive the hundred dollars you said weowed you, and now we'll see--"

"Give it to him!" shouted the students, almost as one boy. "We'll standby you. Put it on good and strong. Stand back, Captain Wilson. We don'twant to go against you, but these men must have a lesson they will notforget. "

Thus encouraged Rodney raised the switch, and in a second more it wouldhave fallen with full force upon Bud's head and shoulders, had not MarcyGray, dashing aside three or four friends who stood in his way, jumpedforward and seized his cousin's arm. 

"Rodney, " said he, "is this your manhood?"

The angry boy glared at his cousin for an instant, and then, to thesurprise of all, he lowered his arm and gave up the switch. 

"You here, Marcy?" he exclaimed. "There isn't as much manhood in mywhole body as there is in your little finger. Don't look at me in thatway. Don't speak to me; I am beneath contempt. Goble, you're free to go, but don't come near me again. "

"Yes, Goble, clear yourself, " shouted Dixon, who, although he did notunderstand the matter at all, thought Bud had better get out of dangerwhile the students were in the mood to let him go. "I'm about to stickthe butt of my gun through the air right where you are standing, and ifyou're there, you'll get hurt. One--two--"

Goble turned and ran for his life, the boys dividing right and left, andjeering him loudly as he passed through their ranks. 

"He's a minute-man, " said one. 

"Yes; and he'll get there in a good deal less than a minute, " criedanother. "Go faster than that, for he's close after you. Ah, He camepretty near hitting you that time! Next time you'll be a goner. "

Dixon had not moved an inch from his tracks, but he had accomplished hisobject and sent Bud off without injury. Silas Walker must have goneabout the same time, for when the boys looked around for him they couldnot find him. 

 CHAPTER XIII. 

 HAULING DOWN THE COLORS. 

Having accomplished the work he was sent out to do, Captain Wilson shookhands with the rescued boys, who did not seem any the worse for theirshort experience among the members of Bud Goble's company of minute-men, and commanded the students to "fall in. " Some of the boys were in favorof smashing the rifles which the two vagabonds had left behind in theirhurried flight; but better counsels prevailed, and the weapons wereleaned against a tree where Bud could easily find them, in case heshould muster courage enough to come after them. The return marchthrough the woods was rendered less dismal by the numerous light-woodtorches that were carried along the line; but there was not muchopportunity for talking until the timber had been left behind, and theranks were closed up on the road leading to Barrington. 

"Now tell us all about it, " said Marcy Gray to his cousin, who marchedby his side. "We know that you were enticed into a cabin to see a sickman who needed quinine, and that when you went in Bud and some othersjumped out and made you prisoners. The man Bud sent to the academy afterthe money you and Dick promised to give him for finding that undergroundrailroad told us about that; but what happened afterward? How did theyuse you?"

"We haven't a thing to complain of, " replied Rodney, "except thesuspense we were kept in while Judson was absent. I knew he would bringhelp, as well as I knew that Bud had threatened to whip us if he did nothave that hundred dollars in his hands before sunrise. But I didn'tthink the colonel would send it. While I was in Barrington I learnedfrom a dozen different sources that he had agreed to keep us inside, andnever again interfere with anything that might happen in town. "

This gave Marcy a chance to tell about the riot at the academy, but, contrary to his expectation Rodney did not seem to be very jubilant overit. 

"I didn't know I had so many friends, " said he, sinking his voice almostto a whisper, "and, to tell you the honest truth, I don't deserve them. You fellows ought to have stayed away until Bud gave me the licking hepromised, and then come up in time to save Dick. He was in no way toblame for what I did. "

"And I reckon you didn't do anything very bad, " replied Marcy, with alaugh. "It was no part of our plan to let either of you be whipped. But, look here, Rodney. Why were you so anxious to see Bud Goble the lasttime you were in town?"

"I had put it into his head to do something to you and Dick Graham, andI wanted to stop it if I could, " answered Rodney. "I tell you I wasfrightened when I saw those fires. I began to see what we were comingto, and I wanted to warn Goble that he was watched, and that he wouldsurely bring trouble upon himself if he paid any attention to thatletter. "

"What letter?"

"Why, the one old nigger Toby told you about. I wrote it. Mean as youmay think me, and as I am, I wrote it. I said to myself that I woulddrive you and Dick from the school, and that was the way I took to doit. " Having got fairly started on the confession he had longed to make, and paying no sort of attention to his cousin's efforts to stop him, Rodney made a clean breast of the matter, and told just how far hisloyalty to the Stars and Bars and his hatred for everybody who had alingering spark of affection for the Stars and Stripes had led him. Onthe evening his new flag came he slipped away from his companions, raninto a store, wrote the letter that Bud afterward read to his wife, andgot it into the office without any one being the wiser for what he haddone. That letter sent Bud on the war-path, and encouraged him to imposeupon Mr. Bailey and Elder Bowen, both of whom met his attempts in amanner so vigorous that Mr. Riley and his Committee of Safety becamealarmed. They held a secret meeting, and determined upon a plan ofoperations which they hoped would drive Union men and abolitionists fromthe country, and bring the State-rights men, like Mr. Bailey, over tothe Confederacy. The committee was responsible for those twofires--Rodney had heard enough from his rebel friends to make him sureof that; and they had but just begun operations, when Captain Wilson andhis boys put in an appearance. That was what made Mr. Riley so angrythat he would not speak to the students that night, or even look atthem, and it was possible that he and the others who rode up to theacademy had talked to the colonel in very plain language. 

"I supposed, of course, that I would find Goble somewhere in town, andkept Dick with me because I wanted him to help with a word now andthen, " said Rodney, in conclusion. "He played a very slick trick on uswhen he sent word that that sick man was in need of medicine, and wefell into the trap as easy as you please. He was awful mad when he foundthat he had caught the wrong boy, that it was Marcy he wanted and notRodney, but he hadn't forgotten the underground railroad joke, and wasresolved that we shouldn't forget it, either. I didn't think Bud wouldbe fool enough to threaten anybody with a whipping. If I had, I neverwould have written that letter, I assure you. If lie had whipped me forit, it would have served me right. "

Marcy listened in silence to this astounding revelation, and although hewas intensely grieved and shocked, he said everything he could to makeRodney understand that he was freely and fully forgiven, and that itwould never be remembered against him; but Rodney refused to becomforted. 

"Dick knows it, and you know it, " said he. "And if the other fellows donot suspect it, they must be both blind and deaf. I don't care to staylonger about the academy where everything I see will remind me of eventsI should be glad to forget, and I shall start for home by the firsttrain that leaves Barrington to-morrow. If the colonel will not let mego--"

"I don't think he will object to any of us going, " replied Marcy. "Duringthe riot, when Dixon marched us back into the armory, he said heintended to disband the whole thing at once. Matters were coming to sucha pass that he couldn't and wouldn't stand it any longer. "

"I hope he will stick to it, " said Rodney. "We might as well have beenhome three months ago for all the good we've done in school. If he won'tpermit me to go I'll skip, if you will send my trunk after me. "

Marcy said he would, provided he was there to attend to it, and thengradually led the conversation into other channels; for that letter wasa sore subject to Rodney, and Marcy never wanted to hear it again. Nomatter what happened, it would never get to his mother's ears or SailorJack's either. 

When the company reached the academy, after four hours' absence, theylearned that the teachers had made repeated efforts to get the boys togo to bed, but without doing much toward accomplishing the desired end. They went to their dormitories as often as they were told, but leading ahorse to water and making him drink are two different things. As soon asthe teachers' backs were turned, they would slip out into the hall, rundownstairs, and join some of the excited groups strolling about thegrounds. They were all up and awake when the rescuers returned, andaccompanied them into the armory; but they did not cheer them as theywould like to have done. The coolheaded ones among them thought thatwould be carrying their triumph a little too far. When ranks were brokenMarcy reported to Captain Wilson, and asked if he should go into theguard-house. 

"What for?" inquired the captain. 

"Have you forgotten, sir, that you put me under arrest?"

"Why did you not stay in the guard-tent when I put you there?" said theofficer, with a smile. 

"Because the colonel ordered me out, sir. I am glad he did so, for itgave me a chance to go with my company and see Rodney and Dick helpedout of their scrape. "

"Well, behave yourself in future, and we'll not say any more about yourbeing under arrest. "

Marcy knew that would be the upshot of the matter. If the captain meantto put him in arrest, he had no business to permit him to go on thatexpedition. 

The next morning things went on in their usual haphazard way, and thecolonel did not say a word about disbanding the school. He thoughtbetter of it after he had taken time to cool off; but it was not so withRodney Gray. By allowing himself to be led away by the excitement of thehour he had done something he never could forget if he lived to be ahundred years old, and he longed to leave the academy and everybody init behind him, and mingle with people who believed as he did, and whodid not know of the meanness of which he had been guilty. And, what wasvery comforting as well as surprising, the colonel permitted him to gowithout asking any disagreeable questions. 

"I don't know that I blame you, " said he, in a discouraged tone. "Ithink I should be glad to go somewhere myself. I have been hoping almostagainst hope that these troubles might be settled without a war, but Idon't believe they ever will be. The folks about here seem to think thatthe people of the North are cowardly, but they are not. They are simplypatient; but there will come a time when their patience will beexhausted, and then they will sweep over us like an army of locusts. "

"You don't really think they will fight, do you, sir?" said Rodney, whowas surprised to hear the colonel talk in this strain. 

"I am sure of it. When Beauregard opens his batteries upon Sumter, youwill see an uprising that will astonish the world. I am sorry to partwith you, but you may go. You would no doubt get a letter from yourfather in a few days any way, so I don't suppose it makes muchdifference. "

Rodney went, but he did not go alone. Instead of one carriage, therewere four that drove away from the academy an hour later, and they werefilled as full of students as they could hold. But the departing crowddid not whoop and yell as they were in the habit of doing when they setout for home at vacation time. They were sober and thoughtful, and sowere those they left behind. The events of the last few hours had madethem so. Rodney Gray voiced the sentiments of all of them when he saidto Marcy and Dick, as he extended a hand to each:

"I realize now as I never did before that we're not going to have theeasy times we looked for. I don't back down one inch from my position. Isay the South is right, and that if the North will not give her thefreedom she demands, she ought to fight for it, and I'll do all I can tohelp her; but I don't believe, as I did once, in abusing everybody whodiffers from me in opinion. So let's part friends. "

"We've always been friends to you, " said Dick, in rather a husky voice. "But your abominable ideas--dog-gone State rights anyhow! Good-by. "

"Why, Dick, you are on our side, " said Rodney. 

"If Missouri is, I am; if she isn't, I aint. That's me. "

The parting was a good deal harder than the boys thought it was going tobe; but it was over at last; the carriages rolled out of the gate, thesentry presenting arms as they passed, and the boys who remained turnedsorrowfully away to take up the drudgery of school routine. After thatthere were no more loud, angry discussions, no shaking of fists in oneanother's faces, and the orderlies who raised the flag at morning andhauled it down at night, handled it tenderly out of respect to thefeelings of their Union schoolmates. They could not bear to think thatthere might come a time when they would be called upon to face some oftheir comrades with deadly weapons in their hands. Every one, from thecolonel commanding down to the youngest boy in the academy, seemedresolved to do what he could to make their few remaining school days aspleasant as possible. 

That afternoon the guard-runners were out in greater numbers than usual. Nearly all the students were anxious to go to Barrington, for there wereseveral things they wanted to have cleared up. What had become of theUnion men who had been burned out of house and home, and what did thatCommittee of Safety intend to do next? Marcy Gray did not go. He was toodispirited to do anything but lounge about and read, and long for aletter from his mother telling him to come home. He missed his cousinRodney, and wondered if fate would ever bring them together again andunder different flags. He sat under the trees and tried to read whileawaiting the return of Graham and Dixon, who, for a wonder, had askedfor passes. The first item of information they gave him, when they cameback with his mail, was one that did not much surprise him, although hedid not expect to hear it so soon. 

"That old darkey parson has lost his money, " said Dick. 

"There now, " exclaimed Marcy, "I told him he would if he did not put itwhere it would be safe. Who's got it?"

"I didn't hear, and don't know that any one is suspected. He hid itunder a log back of the garden, and when he went there to see if it wasall right, the place looked as though it had been rooted over by a droveof hogs. But of course the hogs had nothing to do with it. "

"Some one like Bud Goble must have been on the watch when Toby put itunder the log, " said Marcy, who thought he knew just how the old negrofelt when he discovered his loss. "He'll not see that money again. Itold him to give it to Mr. Riley. "

"And that reminds me that we saw and talked with Mr. Riley, who was assmiling and agreeable as you please, " said Dixon. "If I had been guiltyof burning out two innocent men because they differed from me inopinion, I don't think I could have had the cheek to show myself on thestreet. But Mr. Riley did not seem to mind it. "

"Do you really think he had a hand in that affair?" inquired Marcy. "Idon't like to think that he is that sort. "

"When a fellow allows himself to be carried away, as he and the rest ofthat committee have, by prejudice and rage, he will do some things hewould not think of doing if he were in his right mind. Look at Rodney, "said Dixon; and Marcy wondered if he knew or suspected that Rodney hadwritten that mischievous letter. "It's in the mouth of every rebel intown whom we talk with that the committee burned those houses, and whateverybody says must have some truth in it. "

"Listen to me a minute, and I will condemn Mr. Riley out of his ownmouth, " said Dick, in an earnest whisper. "When Captain Wilson asked himhow it came that he could reach the fire so quickly, seeing that it wasmore than a mile from his own house and there were no alarm bellsringing, Mr. Riley replied that it was because he happened to be awakewhen the fire commenced. Now, if that was the case, why did he run rightby Elder Bowen's burning house to come up town? I was on post that verynight, and know that the two fires were started almost at the samemoment. Mr. Riley wasn't at home, I tell you. He was in Barrington; andthat was the way he got to the fire before we did. Put that in yourpipes. "

"You have made out a pretty strong case against him so far ascircumstantial evidence will go, " Dixon remarked. 

"Plenty strong enough to make him prove an alibi if he were prosecuted, "said Marcy. "Where are those Union men now?"

"Living quietly and comfortably in two of the Elder's negro cabins, "replied Dick. "Some of the rebels we talked to think they need anotherand larger dose, for they are as independent and saucy as ever. "

"I glory in their spunk, " said Marcy. "See anything of Bud or CalebJudson? I don't care what becomes of Bud, but if you happen to runacross Caleb, I wish you would send him to me. I promised to raise somemoney for him that night, when I thought I should have to go afterRodney and Dick alone, and I want to give it to him. We couldn't havefound them without his help. "

As we are almost, if not quite, through with these two gentlemen, Budand Caleb, we may remark that, a few days after this conversation tookplace, Marcy went to Barrington and found opportunity to square accountswith Caleb by handing him double the amount of money the man thought heought to have for acting as Captain Wilson's guide. But Caleb couldn'tor wouldn't give him any news of Bud Goble. In after-years some of theacademy boys heard of him once or twice in a roundabout way--not as abrave soldier of the Confederacy, doing and daring for the sake of theprinciples he had so loudly promulgated when he thought old Mr. Baileywas afraid of him, but as a sneaking conscript, hiding in the woods andliving, no one knew how, but probably keeping body and soul together bythe aid of the bacon and meal that his wife bought with old Toby'smoney. 

Not another thing happened at the academy that is worth recording untilit became known that President Lincoln, instead of surrendering FortSumter on demand of the Confederate commissioners who had been sent toWashington, decided that provisions should at once be forwarded to thegarrison. It was high time, for Major Anderson and his men had nothingbut a small supply of bacon and flour left, and the commissary was notpermitted to purchase provisions in Charleston. The Southern peoplewere, or pretended to be, very angry at this decision, and gave noticethat they would resist it as an act of war. "My batteries are ready. Iawait instructions, " was what Beauregard telegraphed to President Davis;and on the 11th of April the answer came back: "Demand the immediatesurrender of Fort Sumter. " How the brave major's reply, helpless as heknew himself to be, thrilled every heart in the loyal North! "I cannotsurrender the fort, " said he. "I shall await the first shot, and if youdo not batter me to pieces, I shall be starved out in three days. "

Now was the time for the Confederates to show to the world that theywere sincere when they declared that all they desired was to bepermitted to leave the Union in peace. But they did not do it. Theycould not wait three days. They wanted the honor of reducing FortSumter, and of humbling the flag which had never been lowered to anynation on earth. They wanted to "fire the Southern heart, " and make sureof the secession of Virginia by "sprinkling blood in the people'sfaces, " and so they opened their batteries upon the fort. After a longwaiting, which was "symbolic of the patience, endurance, and longsuffering of the Northern people, " the fort replied, and the war betweenUnion and Disunion, freedom and slavery, was fairly begun. MajorAnderson knew from the first that this battle could end but in one way, and when his provisions were all gone, and his ammunition so nearlyexhausted that he could not respond to the enemy's fire oftener thanonce in ten minutes, he hauled down his flag and marched his handful ofmen out with the honors of war. It wasn't a victory to be proud of, butthe Governor of South Carolina must have thought it was, for that nighthe said to the excited people of Charleston:

"I pronounce here before the civilized world that your independence isbaptized in blood; your independence is won upon a gloriousbattle-field, and you are free now and forever, in defiance of the worldin arms. "

So thought the aged Edmund Ruffin of Virginia, who claimed the privilegeof firing the first gun upon Sumter; but he did not think so a littlewhile afterward, when he was preparing to hang himself because he sawthat his dreams of Southern independence could not be realized. 

Of course this thrilling news, and the fiery editorials commenting uponit, had an effect upon the students at Barrington academy. The Unionboys were sadly depressed; Dixon and Graham shook their heads every timetheir eyes met; while Billings, Cole, and the rest of the rebels werefierce for another fight, and immediately became as noisy and aggressiveas they had ever been in Rodney Gray's time. 

"'The proud flag of the Stars and Stripes has been lowered in humilitybefore the Palmetto and Confederate flags, '" shouted Billings, readingan extract from the speech of Governor Pickens. "Cole, where is the flagthose Taylor girls gave you? Now is the time to unfurl it to the breeze, and let the good people of Barrington see that they are not the onlyones who can rejoice over this glorious news. When it is once hoisted onthe tower, we will keep it there in defiance of the world in arms. "

This was another quotation from the Governor's speech, and when Billingsroared it out so that it could be heard by all the boys in the corridor, he looked at Marcy as much as to say: "Help yourself if you can. "

It did not take Cole many minutes to produce the flag, which he had kepthidden in his trunk for just such an emergency as this; but when he andhis backers got to the top of the tower with it, they were rathersurprised to find Marcy, Graham, Dixon, and a good many other sturdyfellows there before them. They were walking around with their hands intheir pockets, and Marcy's flag was still floating from the masthead. 

"Do you mean--are you going to fight about it?" faltered Cole, who beganto fear that his chances for receiving a standing invitation to visitthose Taylor girls were as slim as they ever had been. "You have heardthe news from Charleston, and ought to see for yourself that this flagcan't stay up any longer. "

"We may be of a different opinion, so far as this academy is concerned, but still we have given up the contest, " replied Marcy. "Hold on, there;don't touch those halliards, please. This flag belongs to me, and whenit comes down for good, I must be the one to pull it down. MajorAnderson was allowed to salute his flag when he lowered it, and I claimthe same privilege. "

"I don't know that we have anything to say against that, " repliedBillings, looking around upon his friends to see what they thought aboutit. "Holler as much as you please. That's the only way you can saluteit, for the colonel would go crazy if you asked him to lend you thebattery. "

"That's the only way, " said Marcy as he unfastened the color-halliardsfrom the cleat. "I shall not ask for the guns, for I shall have mytrouble for my pains. Attention! Three cheers for the Star SpangledBanner; and may the traitors who caused it to be lowered in Charlestonharbor for the time being be glad to turn to it for protection. "

"That flag will wave over Sumter again, and don't you forget what I tellyou, " shouted Dixon. 

It was not a very noisy salute that greeted the flag as it fluttereddown from aloft, but it was a heart-felt one, and there was not a rebelon the tower who dared utter a derisive word, however much he might havefelt inclined to do so. But when the Stars and Bars were bent on to thehalliards and run up to the masthead, the yells of its supporters werealmost deafening and their antics quite indescribable. There was anabundance of enthusiasm about that time. There wasn't quite so much oneshort year later, when some of those same boys learned, to their greatdisgust and rage, that the Confederate Congress had passed a sweepingconscription law, and that their one year's enlistment had beenarbitrarily lengthened to three. Then they began to see what despotismmeant. 

All hope of conciliation or peace at any price was gone now. There wasnothing to hold them together any longer, and the following morning sawanother and larger exodus of students from the academy who were homewardbound. Among them were Cole, Graham, Billings, Dixon, and Marcy Gray. Itwas not quite so solemn a parting as the first one was, for the droopingspirits of the rebels had been raised to blood-heat by that gloriousnews from Charleston. 

"Shoot high, Marcy, when you meet the Stars and Bars on thebattlefield, " said Billings. "There may be a Barrington boy thereabouts. But you can't deny that we've whipped you once in a fair fight, canyou?"

"I don't know what you call a fair fight, " replied Marcy. "Of coursefive thousand men, well supplied with grub and ammunition, ought to whipfifty-one soldiers and a few hired mechanics. But they held out againstyou as long as they had anything to eat or powder to shoot with. Iwouldn't crow over it, if I were in your place. "

"Well, we have given you a taste of what is in store for you, at allevents. "

"And you have learned something that I have tried to get through yourthick heads ever since these troubles began, " chimed in Dixon. "I toldyou the North would fight. But let's jump in if we are going home. Youknow the trains meet here, and we haven't much more than time to get tothe depot. "

The boys once more shook hands with their teachers, cheered lustily forthe Barrington Military Academy and everybody connected with it, shoutedthemselves hoarse for their respective flags, and then sprang into thecarriages and were driven away. 

"We're done playing soldier, " said Dick Graham. "The next time weshoulder muskets or draw sabers, there will be more reality in it thansome of us will care to face. Let's keep track of one another as long aswe can, and bear always in mind that we are not enemies, if we do marchunder different flags. "

Marcy Gray was glad when his train came along and bore him away fromBarrington. He wanted to settle back in his seat and think; but that wassomething he was not permitted to do. The passengers, with now and thena notable exception, acted as though they were fit candidates for alunatic asylum. They were walking about the car, flourishing their hatsor fists in the air, talking loudly and shaking hands as often as theymet in the aisle. "Glorious news, " "Southern rights, " "Yankee mudsills, ""Fort Sumter, " were the words that fell upon Marcy's ear when he openedthe door and walked into the car. In an instant his uniform attractedgeneral attention. 

 CHAPTER XIV. 

 MARCY CHANGES HIS CLOTHES. 

Marcy Gray was blessed with as much courage as most boys, but he wouldhave been glad if he could have backed out of that car without beingseen, and gone into another. Perhaps the conviction that he was "an oddsheep in the flock, " and that he held, and had often published, opinionsthat differed widely from those that animated the excited, gesticulatingmen before him, had something to do with his nervousness and timidity;and it may be that the revolvers he saw brandished by two or three ofthe half-tipsy passengers had more effect upon him. But he could notretreat. They saw his uniform as soon as he opened the door, and some ofthe noisiest among them stumbled to greet him. 

"Here's one of our brave fellows now, " shouted one, firing his revolverout of the window with one hand while he extended the other to Marcy. "Got his soldier clothes on and going to the front before our guns inCharleston harbor have got through smoking. Young man, you're my style. I'm a member of the Baltimore Grays, and I'm on my way home to join 'emin defense of our young republic. What regiment?"

"Company A, Barrington Cadets, " replied Marcy, rightly supposing thatthe Baltimore man was too far gone to remember, if indeed he had everheard, that there was a military school in the town they had just left. "I'm going home on a leave of absence. "

"Course you are, " replied the man. "Services not needed at present andmebbe never will be. The Yankees are all mechanics and smalltrades-people, and there's no fight in such. We're gentlemen, andthere's fight in us, I bet you. But you show your good will in puttingon those soldier clothes, and that's what every man's got to do, or goup to the United States. Those who are not for us are against us, andwe'll make short work with 'em. Say, we licked 'em, didn't we?"

"Of course, " answered Marcy. "Fifty-one soldiers without food or powderdon't stand much chance against five thousand well-equipped men. "

"It would have been all the same if there had been fifty-one thousand of'em, " declared the Baltimore man. "Aint got any business there. Fortbelongs to So' Car'lina. Why didn't they get out when Beau'gard told 'emto, if they didn't want to get licked? Three cheers for SouthernConfed'sy!"

Much disgusted, Marcy Gray finally succeeded in releasing his hand fromthe man's detaining grasp and forced his way 'to a seat; but he wasoften stopped to hear his patriotism applauded, and President Lincolndenounced for bringing on a useless war by trying to throw provisionsinto Fort Sumter. 

"I don't see what else he could have done, " soliloquized the NorthCarolina boy, as he squeezed himself into as small a compass as possiblein a seat next to a window. "The fort belonged to the United States, andit was the President's business to hold fast to it if he could. SouthCarolina wanted a pretext for firing on the flag, and she got it. She'llbe sorry for it when she sees grass growing in the streets of herprincipal city. So I am taken for a rebel, am I? What would thatBaltimore fellow do to me if he knew that I have two Union flags in mytrunk, and that I mean to hoist them some day? My life wouldn't be wortha minute's purchase if these passengers knew how I feel toward them andtheir miserable Confederacy. "

All the way to Raleigh, which was nearly three hundred and sixty milesfrom Barrington, Marcy Gray lived in a fever of suspense. Although hedid not know a soul on board the train, he might have had companionsenough if he had been a little more sociable; but he did not care tomake any new acquaintances, especially among people who were so nearlybeside themselves. They all took him for just what he wasn't--a rebelsoldier; and being ignorant of the fact that he was going toward home asfast as steam could take him, they supposed that the reason he was sosilent and thoughtful was because he was lonely, and felt sorrowful overparting from his friends; and so it came about that now and then someone would sit down beside him and try to give him a comforting andcheering word. All the ladies who spoke to him were eager for war anddisunion. They were worse than the men; Marcy found that out before hehad gone fifty miles on his journey. 

Marcy mentally denounced these sympathetic and well-meaning rebels as somany nuisances, for they drew upon him attentions that he would havebeen glad to escape. They asked him all sorts of questions, and the boyadroitly managed to truthfully answer every one of them, and withoutexciting suspicion. Matters were even worse when the train stopped. Theflags that were fluttering from the locomotive and the car windowsattracted the notice of the station loafers, who whooped and yelled andcrowded up to shake hands with the passengers. At such times Marcyalways took off his cap; but that did no good, for some one was sure tosee his gray overcoat, and propose cheers for him. Marcy trembled whenhe thought of what they would do to him if they learned that he was thestrongest Union boy in the school he had left. But there was littledanger of that. His secret was safe. 

Raleigh was reached at last, and Marcy Gray, feeling like a stranger ina strange land, changed cars for Boydtown, which was a hundred andtwenty miles further on. But before doing that he stepped into atelegraph office and sent the following dispatch to his mother:

"Will take a late breakfast with you to-morrow if you will send Morristo meet me at the depot. Three cheers for the right. "

"How much?" he asked the operator, after the latter had read it over. 

"Not a cent to a soldier, " he replied, reaching out his hand, and takingit for granted that the boy was fresh from the seat of war. "Warm timesin Charleston the other day, I suppose?"

"I shouldn't wonder if it was hot in the fort, " answered Marcy, with asmile. 

"But you happened to be on the outside. "

"You're right, I did. It was no place for me in there. "

"No; nor for any other man who believes in the right. Tell us all aboutit. Were you frightened when you heard the shells bursting over yourhead, and did the Yankees--"

"I must ask you to excuse me, " said Marcy, hastily, "my train is readyto go, and I have barely time to catch it. "

"Well, good luck to you. "

Marcy hastened from the telegraph office before any one else could speakto him, and thanked his lucky stars that before another night came hewould be at home where he could appear in his true character; but he wassatisfied, from what his mother had said in her letters, that he wouldfind few friends among the neighbors. They were nearly allsecessionists, Mrs. Gray wrote, and those who were not were compelled topretend that they were, in order to avoid being driven from the country. It was a bad state of affairs altogether, but Marcy knew he would haveto get used to it. He slept but little that night, and it was a greatrelief to him when the train stopped at Boydtown, which was located on anavigable arm of Pamlico Sound, and was as far as the railroad went. AsMarcy lived near Albemarle Sound, there was still a ride of thirty-fivemiles before him, but that would be taken in his mother's carriage, provided any of the negroes had been over to Nashville and got thedispatch he sent from Raleigh the day before. All doubts on this pointwere removed when the train drew up at the station, for the first personhe saw on the platform was Morris, the coachman, who greeted himheartily as he stepped from the car. This faithful old slave was Marcy'sfriend and mentor, and Sailor Jack's as well; and the boy Julius, whohad come with the spring wagon to bring home the trunk, was theirplaymate. Julius was just about Marcy's age. They had hunted and fishedtogether, sailed their boats in the same mudhole, and had many a fightover their marbles, in which, we are sorry to say, Marcy did not alwayscome out first best. 

"There's my check, Julius, " said Marcy, handing it over, and slipping apiece of money into the black boy's palm at the same time. "Shut thecarriage door, Morris. I am going to ride on the box so that I can talkto you. I want you to tell me everything that's happened since I havebeen away. You are a good rebel, of course. "

"Now, Marse Marcy, you know a heap better'n that, " replied Morris, whoplumed himself on being the "properest talking colored gentleman on theplantation. " "Git up, heah, " he shouted to his horses. "Don't you knowthat the long-lost prodigal son has come back? You don't want to say toomuch around heah. Everything in town got ears. Wait till we git in thecountry and then you can talk. Yes, sar, your mother is well; quitewell. But she's powerful sorry. "

"I know she is. Do you hear anything from Jack?"

"Not the first word. He's on the ship _Sabine_, which done sailed forsome place, but I dunno where. "

"I wish he was safe at home, " said Marcy. "Somehow I feel uneasy abouthim. "

He would have felt more than simply uneasy if he could have looked farenough into the future to see that Jack's ship was destined to be one ofthe first of a large number of defenseless vessels to fall into thehands of Captain Semmes, who, as commander of the _Sumter_, unfurled theConfederate flag on the high seas, June 30, 1861. But, as we shallpresently see, the _Sabine_ did not "stay captured. " She escaped, andbrought the prize crew that Semmes had thrown aboard of her into aNorthern port as prisoners. 

"There aint no secesh out on the watah, is there, Marse Marcy?"exclaimed Morris. 

"I'm afraid there will be some there before long. We're going to havewar, Morris. I saw by a paper I bought on the train to-day thatPresident Lincoln has called out seventy-five thousand men. "

"Shucks!" cried the negro. "That aint half enough men. The secesh donegot a hundred thousand already. "

"I think myself that he might as well have mustered in half a millionwhile he was about it. But the thing that rather surprises me is that heshould call upon the border States for troops, " said Marcy, pulling fromhis pocket the paper of which he had spoken. "Of course he'll not getthem. Hear what the Governor of this State says: 'Your dispatch isreceived; and if genuine, which its extraordinary character leads me todoubt, I have to say in reply that I regard the levy of troops made bythe administration for the purpose of subjugating the States of theSouth, as in violation of the Constitution, and a usurpation of power. Ican be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country, andin this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troopsfrom North Carolina. '"

"Marse Linkum oughter hang that man, " exclaimed Morris wrathfully. 

"That's what I say. He's a pretty fellow to talk about violating theConstitution when South Carolina has already violated it by levying waragainst the United States. The Southern folks seem to have little senseand less consistency. But don't let's waste any more time on politics. How are everything and everybody at home? Is my schooner all right, andhas Bose got over the drubbing that big coon gave him last fall? Howmany of the boys have run away?"

"Now, just listen at _you_, " exclaimed Morris. "Who going to run awayfrom the Missus, and where he going to run to?"

"To the Yankees, of course. This war will make you black ones allfree. "

"Aw! Go on now, Marse Marcy. "

"I really believe it. You darkies are the cause of all this fuss, andyou will have to be killed off or made free before we can be a unitedpeople again. "

The coachman's inimitable laugh rang out cheerily. The Northern folksneed not trouble their heads about him, he said. He was better off thanthousands of the poor whites in the free States, and wouldn't accept hisfreedom if it was offered to him. His subsequent actions proved that hemeant every word he said; for when Marcy read the EmancipationProclamation to him and his fellow-servants two years later, and toldthem that they were free to make their way into the Union lines if theycould, Morris refused to budge an inch. A few of the slaves had alreadygone; a few more took Marcy at his word and slipped away by night withtheir bundles on their shoulders, but those who could get back to theplantation were very glad to come. Freedom wasn't such a beautiful thingafter all, because it did not bring the freedom from work that they hadlooked for, and the Yankee soldiers were really harder task-masters thanthe ones from whom they had been so anxious to escape. 

During the ride homeward Marcy did not see a single thing to remind himthat there was a war impending--not a tent or Confederate flag orsoldier in uniform was in sight. Negroes sang as they went to their workin the wide fields that stretched out on either side of the road, thebirds chirped, the air was soft and balmy, the wheels hummed a melodioustune as they spun rapidly along the hard road, and all his surroundingsspoke of peace and plenty. 

At last an abrupt turn brought him within sight of his home, --in everyrespect a typical Southern home, with wide, cool halls, large and airyrooms, broad piazzas, and spacious, well-kept grounds, in which fruits, flowers, and grand old trees abounded. A few miles away, but in plainview, were the sparkling waters of the sound, peaceful enough now, butdestined ere long to be plowed by the keels of hostile ships, and tossedinto wavelets by shrieking shot and shell. On the left, and about threehundred yards in front of the house, was Seven Mile Creek; and the firstthing in it that caught Marcy's eye was his handsome schooner, the FairyBelle, riding safely at her moorings. Marcy would have found it hard tofind words with which to express his admiration for that little craft, and the way she behaved in rough weather. With her aid, and with Juliusfor a companion, he had explored every nook, corner, and inlet along thedangerous and intricate coast of the sound for miles in both directions;and they were as familiar to him as the road that led from Barrington tothe academy. He and Sailor Jack were good pilots for that coast as fardown as Hatteras Inlet, and on one or two occasions had been fortunateenough to assist distressed vessels in finding a safe anchorage. 

Old Bose, the dog that had been so roughly handled by the last coonMarcy helped dispatch, was the first to welcome him when the carriageturned into the yard, and said, as plainly as a dog could say anything, that he was both surprised and hurt because his usually attentive masterhad scarcely more than a word and a pat for him. The boy did not evenhear the greetings of the numerous house-servants who clustered aboutthe carriage when it was brought to a stand-still, for his eyes andthoughts were concentrated upon the pale woman in black who stood at thetop of the wide steps leading to the porch. It was his mother, and in asecond more she was clasped in his arms. 

"Are you so sorry I've come that you are going to cry over it?"exclaimed Marcy, when he saw that there were tears in her eyes. "I knowyou'll not expect me to shake hands with you until I have had a chanceto say a word to my mother, " he added, addressing the blacks who hadfollowed close at his heels. "I will see you all after a while. Come in, mother. I told you I would be late to breakfast, but I know you havesaved a bite for me. "

After a few earnest questions had been asked and answered by both ofthem, Marcy went up to his room, whither his trunk had already beencarried. His first task was to remove some of the North Carolina dustthat had settled on his hands and face, and his next to divest himselfof his uniform and put on a suit of citizen's clothes. During his longride that gray coat had brought him in pretty close contact with somepeople he hoped he would never meet again. 

"Stay there, " said he, as he hung the garment upon a hook in his closet. "I shall never wear you again, but I'll keep you to remind me of oldBarrington. "

The boy afterward had reason to wish he had hidden that uniform ordestroyed it. A detachment of Sherman's cavalry scouted through thecountry, after completing their famous march to the sea, went all overthe house in search of valuables and contraband goods, and one of thefirst things they pitched upon was that gray suit. It might have been aserious thing for Marcy, had it not been for the flag Dick Graham gavehim. What became of the other, the one that was hauled down on the daythe news of the surrender of Fort Sumter was received, shall be told inits proper place. 

"I feel like a free man once more, " he said, when he rejoined his motherin the parlor and walked into the dining-room with his arm thrownprotectingly around her waist. "Where's Dinah?" he added, seeing thatthere was no one to wait at table. 

"I preferred to have our first breakfast in private, " replied Mrs. Gray. "In times like these one doesn't know whom to trust. There's beennothing like open enmity yet, " she continued, noticing a shade ofanxiety on her son's face. "I have thought it wise to keep my owncounsel, and have taken no part in the discussions that have been heldin my presence; but I have not escaped suspicion. "

"I understand you perfectly, " answered Marcy. "Are there no Union peopleat all in this country?"

"There may be, but I do not know who they are. There are some who havetold me, privately, that they are opposed to secession, but having thebest of reasons for believing that they said so on purpose to induce meto express my opinion, I have kept silent. You must do the same, and beconstantly on your guard. If your friends, or those who were yourfriends once, assure you that their sympathies are all for the Union, you may listen, but you must not say one word. If you do, you may regretit when it is too late to recall it. "

"Why, this is worse than Barrington, " Marcy declared. "There you knowwho your enemies are; but here you've got to look out for everybody, orthe first thing you know some sneak may get on the blind side of you. Now, mother, let's talk business. How are the darkies?"

"They seem to be as happy and contented as they ever were, and aswilling to work. The overseer hasn't a word of fault to find withthem. "

"So far so good. How's the overseer; Union or secesh?"

"You must decide that for yourself after you have talked with him, "replied Mrs. Gray. "I think he will bear watching. At any rate, I do nottrust him. "

"Then if I have anything to say, he shall not stay around here a minuteafter his contract runs out. We don't want anybody about that we areafraid of. You're going to run the plantation right along. I suppose?"

"I thought I would, unless you have something better to propose. "

"Well, I haven't. This is my boyhood's home and Jack's. By the way, where is Jack?"

"On the high seas somewhere, and that is all I can tell you. "

"And Rodney once said he might never get back again, " replied Marcy. "Hethinks the South is going to have a navy that will beat anything theworld ever saw. Yes, Rodney is a rebel to the backbone, " he added inresponse to an inquiry from his mother. "Says the Northern folks will bewhipped before they can take their coats off; but for all that he showedconsiderable feeling when he came to say good-by. He is under a promiseto enlist under the Stars and Bars within twenty-four hours after hereaches home, and I know he will do it, if he can get to a recruitingoffice. But to return to business. I am sure we had better keep rightalong as we have been going, instead of pulling up stakes and moving tosome new place to meet dangers and difficulties of which we knownothing. We've got to eat, and we must have something to wear; and howare we to get things if we have no crops? Have you any money?"

Mrs. Gray started perceptibly at this abrupt question, and beforereplying arose to her feet and opened, in quick succession, all thedoors leading out of the dining-room. 

"Aha!" said Marcy, who thought he knew the meaning of this pantomime. "You remind me of old Uncle Toby. _He_ had money which he lost becausehe hid it in the ground instead of putting it where it would have beensafe. "

"That is what I have done with ours, " said his mother, in a scarcelyaudible whisper. "That is to say, I have concealed it. "

"How much?"

"Nearly thirty thousand dollars, and it is all in gold. "

"W-h-e-w!" whistled Marcy. "What put it into your head?"

"I took warning; that is all. The Southern people have often threatenedto secede if a Republican President was elected, and I was sure theymeant it; so when the election returns came in and this excitementbegan, I made several quiet business trips to Newbern, Wilmington, Norfolk, and Richmond. "

"Why, you never said a word about it in your letters. "

"I know it. I did not think it necessary to trouble you with it. I drewa little money each time, brought it home in safety, and I trust withoutexciting suspicion, though on that point, of course, I cannot be sure, and hid it in the cellar at dead of night, after I had taken thegreatest pains to assure myself that every one in the house was soundlyasleep. "

"How did you cover up the place where you had been digging?"

"I didn't do any digging, " his mother answered, with a smile. "I took astone out of the wall as heavy as I could lift, and cemented it in placeagain, after keeping out a sum sufficient to meet our immediate wants. It took me three nights to do it. "

"It's a shame that there wasn't someone here whom you could trust to dothe work for you, " said Marcy. "I am here to bear the hard knocks now. "

The Southerners were careful of their women. If they had had thefaintest conception of the trials and privations their mothers, wives, and sisters would be called upon to bear, they never would have firedupon Sumter. The patience and heroic endurance exhibited by thesecarefully nurtured women, during the dark days of the war, were littleshort of sublime. 

Marcy and his mother sat a long time at the table, and when they arosefrom it Mrs. Gray knew pretty nearly what had been going on atBarrington during the last few months (not a word was said, however, concerning the letter Rodney wrote to Bud Goble), and Marcy had a verycorrect idea of the way matters were being managed on the plantation. Hehad nothing to suggest. The only thing they could do was to keep alongin the even tenor of their way, and await developments. There was onething for which he was sorry, and that was that he could not dischargeHanson, the overseer, that very day. He believed his mother was afraidof him; but the man was under contract for a year, and could haveclaimed damages if he had been turned adrift without good and sufficientreason. It was not the damages that Marcy cared for, but he wasrestrained from urging Hanson's dismissal through fear of setting theneighbors' tongues in motion. 

"Hanson is secesh, easy enough, " he said to himself. "If he were not, some of those officious planters would have demanded his discharge longago. If we turn him away without a cause, they will say that we arepersecuting him on account of his principles, and that would be bad forus. The man will have to stay for the present, and I'll make it mybusiness to know every move he makes. "

Marcy devoted the first few days to renewing old acquaintances among theblack people on the plantation, who were overjoyed to see him safe athome, and in calling upon some of the neighboring planters; but the lastproved to be rather a disagreeable duty, and one which he did notprosecute for any length of time. It seemed to him that somethingintangible had come between him and those who used to be on the best ofterms with him something that could not be seen or felt, but which wasnone the less a barrier to their social intercourse. He was not of them, and they knew it; that was all there was of it. Before he had been athome ten days he began to see the force of his cousin Rodney's warning, that if he did not turn his back upon the Union and proclaim himself asecessionist, his neighbors would not have the first thing to do withhim, and during those ten days two things happened that made thesituation harder to bear than it was at first. 

The little town of Nashville, to which Marcy sent his dispatch fromRaleigh, was situated about three miles distant from the plantation. Besides the telegraph, express, and post offices it contained a courthouse, two hotels, and the homes of about five hundred inhabitants. Themail was received twice each day, and as often as it came in, rain orshine, there was some one from Mrs. Gray's house there to meet it. Thisduty was at once assumed by Marcy, who, besides having a fast horse ofhis own which he was fond of riding, was so impatient to see the latestpapers that he could not wait for anybody to bring them to him. Healways read them on his way home, allowing his filly to choose her owngait. On the day he reached home the papers told him that PresidentLincoln had placed an embargo upon the seaports of all the secededStates; but Marcy did not pay much attention to that. It was nothingmore than those States might have expected, but it was a questionwhether or not the navy was strong enough to enforce the blockade. Thesame paper informed him that President Davis was ready to issue lettersof marque and reprisal to anybody who would equip a privateer, and givebonds that the laws of the Confederate States regulating the capture ofprizes should be obeyed. The boy didn't give a second thought to thateither. His schooner wasn't heavy enough to engage in the business ofprivateering, and she would not have gone into it if she had been. Shehad always floated the flag of the Union, and as long as she remained inhis keeping, she never would carry any other. But when on the 29th ofApril Marcy read that President Lincoln, two days before, had includedthe ports of Virginia and North Carolina in the limits of hisproclamation, it made him open his eyes. 

"My State hasn't seceded yet, and here he has gone and shut up herports, " exclaimed Marcy indignantly. "That's a pretty thing to do, isn'tit now? Hurry up, Fanny. Let's get home and see what mother thinks aboutit. "

 CHAPTER XV. 

 FORCED INTO THE SERVICE. 

Marcy Gray thought he had watched the movements of his native Statepretty closely since the result of the presidential election becameknown, and perhaps he had; but there were some things connected with herrecent history that must have slipped his mind, or he would have seen atonce that the government at Washington was justified in closing herports to the world. The State had been in armed rebellion ever since themonth of January, when her local authorities committed treason byseizing the forts along her coast. It is true that her Governordisavowed the action, offered to restore the forts on condition thatthey should not be garrisoned by United States troops, and that theproposition was accepted; and it is also true that the State forces verysoon took possession of the forts again, this time acting under theGovernor's authority. The latter's refusal to send troops to the aid ofthe national government proved him to be as much of a rebel as theGovernor of South Carolina was. 

"So North Carolina is no whit better than the States that have joinedthe Confederacy, is she?" said Marcy, when his mother had reminded himof all these things. "But there's a great difference between talking anddoing, " he added, wisely. "Three thousand miles make a pretty longcoast, the first thing you know, and I don't believe Uncle Sam has shipsenough to guard it. I'll bet you that when the blockade is established, I can take the Fairy Belle and slip out and in as often as I feel likeit. It will be nothing but a paper blockade; but if it could be madeeffectual, it would send the price of things up so that you couldn'treach them with a ten-foot pole, would it not?"

Blockading more than three thousand miles of sea-coast, some portions ofwhich were noted for sudden and violent storms, was a giganticundertaking, and Marcy Gray was not the only one who did not think theattempt would prove successful. To begin with, there were only ninetyvessels of all classes in the United States navy, and of the forty-twoin commission all except twelve had been sent to foreign stations onpurpose to have them out of the way when they were wanted. Of thevessels comprising the home squadron, all except four were in the Gulfof Mexico, where they stood a fine chance of falling into the hands ofthe secessionists. The officers, who had been educated at the expense ofthe government, and who had taken a solemn oath to support thatgovernment, were so badly tinctured with disloyalty that the authoritiesdid not know whom to trust, some of the best men in the service, thegallant Porter among the rest, being suspected of disunion sentiments. During the time that elapsed between March 4 and July 5, two hundred andfifty-nine officers resigned their commissions and went over to theConfederacy. Some of them, who had been entrusted with commands, had thegrace to give their vessels up to the government instead of surrenderingthem into the hands of the secessionists, and one Southern writerdeclared, with some disgust, that they carried their notions of honoraltogether too far when they did it. His exact language was:

"If a sense of justice had prevailed at the separation of the States, alarge portion of the ships of the navy would have been turned over tothe South; and this failing to be done, it may be questionable whetherthe Southern naval officers in command would not have been justified inbringing their ships with them, which it would have been easy for themto do. "

But the trouble was, the government never acknowledged that there hadbeen any "separation of the States. " The war-ships belonged to thenation, and not to a discontented portion of it, and were needed to aidin enforcing the laws that had been trampled under-foot. 

In spite of all these disadvantages the loyal people of the North wentresolutely to work, and before the fourth day of July the blockade wasrendered so effectual that "foreign nations could not evade it and wereobliged to acknowledge its legality. " And this was done, too, afterNorfolk navy yard, with its immense stores of munitions of war, twenty-five hundred pieces of heavy ordnance, and all its ships, saveone, had been doomed to destruction by the perfidious officers whosurrounded and advised its loyal but too credulous commander. It wassomething to be proud of. 

But we have anticipated events a little. On the day Marcy Gray went toNashville after the mail the blockade was not established, except onpaper; there was not a ship of war on the coast so far as he knew;Hatteras Inlet was still open to the world, and privateers and coastingvessels were free to go and come as often as they pleased. Up to thistime such a thing as a privateer had scarcely been heard of, but theyappeared as if by magic when it became known that President Davis hadinvited applications for letters of marque and reprisal from goodSoutherners who were able and willing to fit out armed vessels to preyupon our commerce. The first one that attracted any attention was the_Savannah_, which ran out of Charleston on the 2d of June, and wasshortly afterward captured by a ship of war that she mistook for amerchantman; but she was not the first privateer to operate in Southernwaters. As early as May 7, several light-draught steamers, mounting twoor three guns each, were hastily fitted out at New Orleans, and broughtin prizes that were taken off the mouths of the Mississippi. There werealso some along the coast, principally sailing-vessels, and althoughthey did not succeed in making a name for themselves or in spreadingmuch alarm among our merchant marine, they made a few good hauls. One ofthem was fitted out in Seven Mile Creek, not more than a mile from Mrs. Gray's plantation, and, wide-awake as Marcy thought himself to be, henever knew a thing about it until she was almost ready to sail. Then hefound it out through her owner who came up to see him. He was sitting onthe porch when the man came up the walk, and something told him that hehad come there for no good purpose. 

"What in the world does Lon Beardsley want here?" said Marcy to hismother, who was sitting near by. "He hasn't been to see me since I camefrom Barrington, and I don't think he would come now if he wasn't up tosome meanness. "

"Don't allow him to throw you off your guard with any of his specioustalk, " replied his mother, in a cautious tone. "To quote from Morris, heis a mighty palavering sort of fellow. "

"I'll watch him. Good-afternoon, Mr. Beardsley. Will you come up andtake a chair?" The man was a visitor, and as such was entitled to civiltreatment even if his company wasn't desired. 

"Yes, I reckon I'll set while I talk, " answered Beardsley, takingpossession of the seat that was placed for him. "Rough times these. "

"Yes; and they'll be rougher before we see the end of them, " was Marcy'sreply. 

"Don't reckon there'll be any fighting, do you?"

The boy said he was sure of it. 

"Well, what's one man's pizen is another man's meat, " said Mr. Beardsley, with a wink that no doubt meant a great deal. "By the way, Marcy, you've been to school and oughter be posted in such things, --whatis a letter of mark-we and reprisal? I've been down to Wilmington a timeor two on business, but I did not like to ask the folks there what itmeant. They're strangers mostly, and I sorter scringed against letting'em see how ignorant I was. "

"It's a commission granted by a sovereign of a State to his subjects, authorizing them to prey upon the property of the subjects of anotherState, if they happen to find any at sea, " answered Marcy. "That's asnear as I can tell it without looking the matter up. "

"It is about what I thought it meant. Now, does that letter orcommission give protection to the crew of the privateer if they happento be caught? They won't hang 'em, will they?"

"I don't think they will. A few years ago some European powers tried toinduce Uncle Sam to enter into an agreement to abolish privateering, buthe wouldn't do it. Our private armed vessels gave England a good deal oftrouble while she was trying to whip us, and might do the same thingagain under like circumstances. "

"So the United States wouldn't agree to no such bargain, " exclaimed Mr. Beardsley, with something like a sigh of relief. "Then Uncle Sam can'tfind fault with us for going into the business, can he?"

"He'll make prisoners of you and destroy or confiscate your vessel, ifhe can catch you, " replied Marcy. 

"_Of_ course. That's to be expected; but he'll have to catch us first, and even then he won't treat us like we was pirates. That's what I wantto know. "

"Why do you ask? Are you interested in the matter?"

"Somewhat, " answered the man, with a laugh. "My schooner is fixed overand fitted with bunks for twenty men and three officers, and I'vebargained for two howitzers in Newborn. That's what I meant when I saidthat one man's pizen is another man's meat. Now is the time to slip outto sea and make a prize or two before that blockade comes and stops thebusiness. "

Marcy was astonished and so was his mother; and neither of them couldimagine why Mr. Beardsley had taken the pains to come to the house andtell them all this. 

"Make hay while the sun shines, eh?" said he, with a chuckle. "I aintgot my commission yet, and can't get it till my bond for five thousanddollars, which I give to the collector at Wilmington to send to theSecretary of State, has been approved. I've got to promise to obey thelaws, you know, and that's easy. "

"What do you intend to do with your prizes, if you make any?" inquiredMrs. Gray. 

"Take 'em into Newbern and have 'em appraised and sold by a competenttribunal, whatever that means. I heard while I was in Newbern that thereaint no admiralty court in this country like there is in England, andthat the district court would most likely 'tend to the matter. As ownerof the schooner I will, of course, get the lion's share of the money, and the rest will be divided up among the officers and crew. But I'll dothe fair thing by you, Marcy. "

"By me!" exclaimed the boy. 

"Yes. You know this coast like a book--"

"There are plenty of others who know it better, " interrupted Marcy, whonow saw what the man's object was in coming there. It was two-fold: IfMarcy would help him, he would give him good wages and a big share ofprize-money to act as pilot; but if he wouldn't help him, then Mr. Beardsley would denounce him among the planters as unfriendly to thecause of the South, and that would be a bad thing for him to do. Marcyread the whole scheme as easily as he could have read a printed page, and if it had not been for his mother, he would have refused, point-blank, any offer that the owner of the privateer could have madehim. But he would do anything rather than add to his mother's troubles. 

"You must remember that I am not a professional pilot, and that a goodmany months have passed since I sailed my schooner along this coast, "continued Marcy. "I might run you aground at the wrong time. You can getplenty of better men in Newbern or Wilmington. "

"If I am willing to trust you it's all right, aint it? I don't want aprofessional pilot. I want somebody who knows Crooked Inlet. You've beenthrough there often. "

As Marcy could not deny it he said nothing. 

"I aint going to follow the reg'lar routes of travel, " continued Mr. Beardsley. "If I was, I could sail my own vessel without hiring anybodyto act as pilot. My plan is to slip down to Newbern some dark night, after I get notice that my application has been granted, take my gunsaboard, ship a good crew, and then run up to, and out of, Crooked Inlet. That will bring me a good piece above Hatteras, and out of the way ofany war-ship that may be prowling along the coast. If one see me andgives chase, I'll put back through the Inlet where she can't follow onaccount of shoal water. What do you think of the scheme?"

Much against his will Marcy was obliged to say that he thought it wouldwork, provided the pursuing vessel did not happen to be a steamer fastenough to cut the schooner off from the Inlet. 

"And if she is, I won't go nigh her, " replied Mr. Beardsley, with a grinwhich was intended to mean that he was altogether too sharp to be caughtin that way. "We won't chase steamers, kase we know we can't catch 'em;and 'taint no ways likely that we'll go to sleep and let one of 'em getbetween us and the coast. "

"Did you have to buy the guns you intend to put on the schooner?" askedMarcy, when the visitor paused and looked at him as if waiting for himto say something. 

"No. They came from one of the forts taken by the State troops awhileago. I borrowed 'em on condition that I give 'em back when they arewanted. They're too light for coast defense, but just the thing for ourbusiness. Well, what do you say?"

"You have not yet asked my consent, " Mrs. Gray reminded him. 

"I didn't think I'd have to, " answered Mr. Beardsley. "I reckoned youwere like all the other women folks--ready and willing to do anythingfor the cause. "

"But if Marcy should be killed--"

"Aw! He aint going to be killed, " exclaimed the visitor rudely. "Don't Itell you that we'll run the minute we sight a war-vessel. "

"But you might run aground and they might capture you, " answered Mrs. Gray, who knew as well as anybody how dangerous the coast was, even tothose who were acquainted with it. "And if Marcy should be sent toprison, as he would if he were taken on board an armed schooner, whatwould become of me? My oldest boy is at sea, and it is my desire to keepMarcy with me as much as I can. "

"He can run up and see you when we come into port, which will be asoften as we take a prize, or see signs of a blow in the clouds outside, "said Mr. Beardsley, putting on his hat, and getting upon his feet. "Comedown and see the schooner, Marcy. Stop at my house, and I'll show youright where she is. "

"How soon do you start?"

"Some time this week, I hope. The sooner we get outside the better ourchances will be. That's why I say, make hay while the sun shines. Two orthree hauls will make us so rich that we needn't do no more work thelongest day we live. "

"And will you feel no sorrow for those who lose their property, andperhaps their all, through your efforts to enrich yourself?" asked Mrs. Gray. 

"That's why I say that one man's pizen is another man's meat, " repliedBeardsley. "Not a mite of sorrow will I feel for them Yankees. Let themcome under our flag if they want protection. When will you be along, Marcy?"

"To-morrow about this time, " answered the boy. 

"All right. Think over what I've said to you, and be ready with ananswer. When you learn a little more about a vessel I will give you achance as mate. Good-by. "

Beardsley walked down the steps and out of the gate, and Marcy kept hiseyes fastened upon him as long as he remained in sight. Then he facedabout and looked at his mother, who had dropped her sewing into her lapand sat motionless in her chair, the picture of misery and dejection. 

"They're going for us, mother, " said he, with a smile. "That interviewwith Beardsley has satisfied me that I can't live up to my principles inthis country as I should like to. "

"I never dreamed of anything like this, " said Mrs. Gray, at length. "What are you going to do, Marcy?"

"There's only one thing I can do and keep a roof over your head, "answered Marcy, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets and stridingup and down the porch. "I must accept his proposition; that's all thereis about it. "

"Oh, Marcy!" exclaimed his mother. 

"It looks fair enough on the surface, but I tell you there is somethingback of it, " said the boy, confidently. "He pretends to take it forgranted that I am a rebel, but he doesn't really believe it, and thisproposition of his is intended to try me and find out where I stand. Almost the last question our class debated in school was: "Is a man everjustified in acting from policy rather than principle. " I took thenegative, and contended that he ought to act from principle, let theconsequences be what they might; but I don't think so now. I shall jointhat rebel privateer, and I shall do it because I am sure something willhappen to your house if I don't. Now please don't say a word about it. Ifeel bad enough as it is. "

If Mr. Beardsley really was testing the boy hoping to find him wanting, he was doomed to be disappointed, for promptly at half-past two the nextafternoon Marcy rode into his yard and went with him to see theschooner, which was hidden in a bayou half a mile away. Marcy knew thelittle craft as well as he knew his own, but her appearance had been sogreatly changed that he would not have recognized her if he had seen heron the sound. Her black hull had been painted white, so that she wouldnot offer so fair a mark for the cannon of any cruiser she might beunlucky enough to fall in with; her midship section had been changedinto a berth-deck, and she had gun-decks fore and aft. The two white menwho had charge of her had hoisted her canvas to give it an airing, andMarcy saw a large figure "9" painted on her fore and main sails. 

"That's to make folks believe that she is a pilot-boat, " chuckled Mr. Beardsley. "We'll be almost certain to find some fellow creeping alonginside of Diamond shoals, thinking of no danger, and he'll never try tosheer off when he sees us coming, kase he'll think we're friendly. He'llthink different when he sees a puff of smoke go up from our bows, butthen it will be too late for him to square away. Good scheme; don't youthink so?"

Although Marcy had never felt greater contempt for a man in his life, hemanaged to get through the interview to his satisfaction; but whether ornot Mr. Beardsley was satisfied, the boy could not tell. Sometimes heacted as if he was, and then again he looked and talked as if hesuspected that Marcy was not half as enthusiastic as he pretended to be, and that his heart was set on something besides privateering. 

"I'd like to capture this vessel, hoist Dick Graham's flag over it, andgive her up to some man-of-war, " he said to himself. "But if I shouldtry it, I'd never dare show myself around home again. The game isn'tworth the candle. Some of Uncle Sam's boys will knock her intokindling-wood if she stays outside long enough, and possibly they maysend me to Davy's locker along with her. It's rather a desperate chance, but it's the only thing that will save mother from persecution. Perhapsthe neighbors will be a little more civil to her when they find that Iam in the service of the Confederacy. " Then aloud he said: "When shegets her guns and stores aboard she will draw a good deal of water forCrooked Inlet, and I'd feel safer if I could have Julius at my elbowwhen--"

"Oh, that wouldn't do at all, " interrupted Mr. Beardsley, stamping aboutthe deck and shaking his head most emphatically. "Julius is a nigger andan abolitionist, and we don't want no such around. I've had carpentersat work on the schooner for almost two weeks, and there aint been one ofmy black people aboard of her. "

"But they must all know that you have been doing something to her, "replied Marcy. 

"Of course. I told 'em that I was getting ready to go a-trading betweenPlymouth, Edenton, and Newbern, and that I was fixing on her up so't Icould carry big cargoes. "

"Mebbe they believed it and mebbe they didn't, " was the boy's mentalcomment. "If the darkies hereabouts are as sharp as they are downBarrington way, they understand what this vessel is intended for as wellas you do yourself. "

"I won't have no niggers aboard my privateer, " continued Mr. Beardsley, who talked and acted as if he had grown in importance since thosegun-decks were put into the schooner. "I wouldn't trust the best of 'emin times like these, and so I shall man my ship with whites. These menbelong to my crew, and the rest will be just as good. "

Marcy thought they might be better without hurting anything, for he didnot at all like the appearance of the two fellows he had found in chargeof the privateer. They had probably been picked up among the sailorboardinghouses in Newbern; and if the test of the crew were going to belike them, Marcy thought he would not care to be in their company for agreat while at a time. He afterward learned that one of the men was deepin Mr. Beardsley's confidence. 

Before the boy took leave of the owner of the privateer they came to aplain understanding on all points, agreed upon terms, and Marcy was tohold himself in readiness to sail for Newbern at any hour of the day ornight. He felt almost like a criminal when he rode home to meet hismother, but, although he was among the first, he was by no means thelast, to serve the cause of the Confederacy because he could not helphimself. 

 CHAPTER XVI. 

 SECRET ENEMIES. 

"It's done and it can't be undone, " said Marcy, after he had told hismother just what passed between him and the captain of the privateer. "Iassured Mr. Beardsley that I didn't think the government would hang hismen as pirates if they were taken on the high seas, but since I haveseen a couple of them I have my doubts. If the ship-keepers are fairspecimens of the crew, they are a hard lot, and I don't want to becaptured in such company. This is being true to my colors with avengeance. "

That was what his mother thought, but she did not say a word to add tothe bitterness of his feelings. Knowing the temper of the people aroundher as well as she did, she could not see that Marcy could have doneanything else. Marcy Gray ate little supper that night, and as soon asit began to grow dark, he left the house and went out on the road totake a stroll. He wanted to be alone, even though the thoughts thatcrowded thick and fast upon him were anything but pleasant company. Almost without knowing it he kept on until he arrived within sight ofthe gate leading to Mr. Beardsley's yard, and saw three men standingclose inside of it. The night was so dark he could not see who theywere, and without giving the circumstance a second thought, he was aboutto retrace his steps, when the men moved into the road, and two of themmade a few steps in his direction, but turned suddenly about as iflistening to some parting instructions from the one they had leftbehind. Marcy waited to see no more, but walked rapidly homeward, unconscious of the fact that the men followed a little distance in hisrear, although they did not see him. When he reached the carriage-wayMarcy did not immediately go to the house, but paced up and down theroad in a brown study, from which he was presently aroused by the soundof footsteps. A few seconds later a figure loomed up in the darkness, and Marcy thought he recognized in it one of the men he had seen onboard the schooner that afternoon. The figure discovered him at the samemoment, halted abruptly, and said in cautious tones, as if fearful ofbeing overheard:

"Who's there?"

"It's no one who will hurt you, " was the boy's reply. "Toddle rightalong about your business. "

"Any dogs laying around?"

"Nary dog. I'm alone. "

These answers must have satisfied the man, for he advanced withoutfurther hesitation, and peered sharply into Marcy's face. 

"What you doing out here?" he asked, as though he had a right to know;and then Marcy saw that he had not been mistaken. The man was one of theship-keepers. 

"What's that to you, and who are you?" he replied, with spirit. 

"I don't mean any offense--I don't really, " said the man hastily. "Butit is rather strange that I should find you so easy when you are thevery one I was looking for. I didn't know whether it would be safe tocome or not, for you have dogs in plenty, like all the rest of theplanters about here. I am Sam Tierney, and I belong to Beardsley'sprivateer. You are Marcy Gray, and have been engaged to take theschooner through out-of-the-way inlets that the old man is notacquainted with. Let's go down the road a piece. I'd like to talk to youa minute, if you don't care. "

"Why can't you say what you have to say right where you stand?" inquiredMarcy. "There's no one to overhear you if your communication isprivate. "

"Private? Well, you'll think so when you hear what it is. Come down theroad. "

It was right on the end of the boy's tongue to ask the man why he hadcome to see him so soon after holding that conversation at Mr. Beardsley's gate, and what he had done with his companion; but, onreflection, he decided that he would not say a word on these points. This might be an opportunity to learn something, he told himself, butthere was one thing of which he was sure: he would not trust himselfwithin reach of that missing ship-keeper, who might be hidden somewheredown the road, ready to pounce upon him the moment this man Tierneybrought him to the ambush. He would remain right where he was, withinearshot of the faithful Bose, who would be likely to make things livelyfor the privateersman if he attempted any violence. There was somethingin the wind, the boy was sure of that; but he could not, for the life ofhim, think what it could be. 

"I don't care to go down the road, " said he. "What objection can youhave to this place? We can see in every direction, and there are nobushes behind which an eavesdropper could hide himself. "

It was plain that Tierney was not satisfied with this arrangement. Hewalked about with his hands in his pockets, kicked a pebble or two outof his way, and finally wanted to know if Marcy would promise, honorbright, that he would not repeat a word of what might be said to him. 

"No; I'll not make any such promise, " Marcy answered promptly. "And youwould be foolish to put any faith in it if I did. I don't want you totell me anything confidentially, for I must be left free to do as Ithink best about repeating it. "

The ship-keeper was plainly surprised at this answer, for he gaveutterance to a heavy oath under his breath and kicked some more pebblesout of the road. Marcy waited patiently for him to speak, for he waspositive that the man had come there with something on his mind, andthat he would not go away until he had told what it was. 

"You're mighty suspicious, " said he, at length, "and I don't know butyou have reason to be. You are a Union man. "

"Who told you that?" exclaimed Marcy, somewhat startled. 

"A little bird whispered it to me. "

"Well, the next time you see that little bird tell him to mind his ownbusiness. My political views are nothing to him or you either. "

"I wouldn't get huffy. The old man says--" began Tierney, and then hestopped and caught his breath. 

"Aha! The old man says so, does he?" thought Marcy. "And he tells hisforemast hands what he thinks about his neighbors, does he? I must becautious. Well, go on; what does the old man say?"

"He says he has engaged you to act as pilot, " replied the man, with someconfusion. 

"So he has; and if he chooses to trust his vessel in my hands inchannels and inlets that he knows nothing about, what have you to say?He wouldn't do it if he did not think I would serve him to the best ofmy ability, would he? But what has my politics to do with the position Ihold aboard that privateer?"

"Nothing much, " answered Tierney, turning away. "But they have a gooddeal to do with the proposition I was going to make to you if I hadfound you to be the good Union I heard you were. "

Now Marcy thought he began to see daylight, but he said not a word. Tierney acted as though he was about to go away, but the boy knew hewouldn't. 

"I'm a Union man, " said he. 

"That's nothing to me, but if you are, I don't see why you stay abouthere. You've no friends in this State to speak of. Go up to the UnitedStates. "

The ship-keeper was evidently waiting for Marcy to ask him about theproposition to which he had referred a moment before, but he waited invain. It was no part of Marcy's plan to draw the conversation back intothat channel. Tierney saw that he must take the initiative himself, andhe did it very abruptly. 

"Look here, pilot, " said he. "There's no use in your mincing matterswith me in this way. Just a moment, " he added, seeing that the boyraised his hand as if he were about to speak. "I am a Union man allover, my pardner is another, and you are another. I know it as well as Iknow anything, and the old man knows it--I mean, he as good as said hehad heard of it, too. "

"Well, what of it?" inquired Marcy. "What did he hire me for, when heknows that it is in my power to run his schooner hard and fast agroundif a ship of war gets after us?"

"But he doesn't quite believe all he has heard, and he's willing to giveyou a chance to prove that you are true blue, " said Tierney, with anawkward attempt to undo the mischief he had done by talking toorapidly. 

"I am true blue, " replied Marcy, "although I confess that my actionsjust about this time do not show it, " he added, to himself. "As long asI remain aboard that schooner I shall do my duty the best I know how. "

"And will you take her out of harm's way if a ship of war heaves insight?"

"I will if I can. "

"Then it isn't of any use for me to say more, I suppose?"

"Not the slightest; that is, if you mean to propose that I shall joinyou in seizing the vessel for the purpose of giving her up to one ofUncle Sam's ships. "

"I never said so, " exclaimed Tierney. "I never said one single, solitaryword that could lead you to think I meant any such thing. "

"I haven't hinted that you did; but all the same that is the propositionyou came here to make me. I can see through a ladder as well as youcan. "

"Well, I don't see that it's any good to beat about the bush, " said theship-keeper frankly. "That's just what I came here for. We could get areward for turning the schooner over, and you could run her up as far asFortress Monroe, couldn't you?"

"I might do it on a pinch, but I won't. "

"We'll have men enough to take her without the least trouble, " urgedTierney. 

"I hope you'll not try it, but if you do, you will find me close byCaptain Beardsley's side. "

"Will you fight?"

"I'll fight till I drop before I will go near the Yankees with the crewof that privateer. They would take one look at us, and then go to workand hang the whole lot. "

"Why, didn't you tell the old man that they wouldn't?" exclaimedTierney; and if Marcy could have had a view of his face, he would haveseen that the ship-keeper was both astonished and frightened. "You musthave changed your mind. "

He certainly had, but did not feel called upon to explain why he haddone so. His idea was that the faces of the schooner's crew, if Tierneyand his companion ship-keeper were to be taken as specimens, would bequite enough to condemn them, and that the United States authoritieswould be justified in putting it out of their power to do mischief. 

"I'll not have any hand in the mutiny, but will do my best to quell itif it breaks out, " Marcy declared, with emphasis. "You've had your walkfor nothing. "

"So that's the end of _that_ hope, " said Tierney, looking down at theground and trying to act as though he was very much disheartened. "Youwon't repeat what has passed between us, of course?"

"Of course I will. I'll go to Mr. Beardsley with it the first thing inthe morning. "

"What's that you say?" Tierney almost shouted. "Take back those words orI'll--"

He made a step forward and raised his hands as if he were about tospring at Marcy. His actions were certainly threatening, and the boybelieving that he might commit an assault just to keep up appearances, thought it best to summon a friend upon whose loyalty he could alwaysrely. A single shrill whistle arose upon the air, an answering bark camefrom the direction of the house, and Bose came bounding up to see whatwas the matter. Tierney recoiled. 

"He'll not say a spiteful word to you if you let me alone, " Marcyassured him. "You see now why I did not care to go down the road. Youhave nothing to fear from me, but I shall tell Captain Beardsley allabout this interview as soon as I can find him. And that is just what Iam expected to do, " he added, to himself, as the ship-keeper turnedaround and hurried away. "That fellow isn't half as good a Union man asBose is. Beardsley sent him here to test me, and I saw it almost fromthe beginning. If I don't report the matter, Beardsley will have hissuspicions confirmed, and then he will set something else on footagainst me. Oh, I'm a sharp one, " laughed Marcy, taking off his cap andpatting his own head, "but I'd give a good deal to know when and how Iam going to get rid of that man. Whatever I do I must look out formother's comfort and peace of mind, and so I will not lisp a word ofthis to her. "

That night Marcy's sleep was disturbed by all sorts of bad dreams, during which he was constantly detecting Captain Beardsley in some plotto injure him, and when morning came he was not much refreshed. Inaccordance with his usual custom he had his horse brought to the doorimmediately after breakfast, kissed his mother good-by, and set out forNashville to bring the mail; but he stopped on the way to have a talkwith the owner of the privateer. Under almost any other circumstancesMarcy would have thought he was playing a contemptible part; but beingas certain as he wanted to be that Beardsley was trying to get a holdupon him for some purpose of his own, the boy thought himself justifiedin adopting heroic measures for self-defense. The ship-keeper was notthe Union man he pretended to be, and Marcy would tell Beardsley nothingnew when he revealed the plot at which Tierney had hinted the nightbefore. This was what Marcy believed, and the manner in which he wasgreeted by the privateer captain confirmed him in his belief. 

"Have you been over to the schooner this morning?" inquired the boy, when he had hitched his horse and taken possession of the chair that wasbrought out for him. "If you will not think me too inquisitive, I shouldlike to know where you picked up the two men you left in charge ofher. "

"I found them in Newbern, and they were recommended to me, by a party inwhom I have all confidence, as men who could be trusted, " replied thecaptain. "What makes you ask the question? Don't you like the looks of'em?"

"No, I don't, and neither do I like their actions, " said the boytruthfully. "Tierney came to see me last night, and tried to induce meto take a walk down the road toward the place where I think hiscompanion was concealed. "

"What did he do that for?" exclaimed the captain, who was so anxious tobe surprised that he could not wait until his visitor reached thesurprising part of his story. 

"He probably wanted a witness to the manner in which I received the plothe intended to propose to me if I had given the chance, " answered Marcy, narrowly watching the effect of his words. "But he didn't propose it; Iwill say that much in favor of Tierney. He simply hinted at it, and Itold him I wouldn't have a thing to do with it. "

"Why, the--the--brat!" cried the captain. 

"You wouldn't have thought it of him, would you?"

"Indeed I wouldn't. I thought he was trustworthy. "

"But you see he isn't. I told him I would tell you all about it and Ihave, " continued Marcy, who had told nothing at all; but he had ledCaptain Beardsley on to acknowledge, almost as explicitly as words couldhave done it, that he knew all about Tierney's plan for seizing theschooner. "I think you had better discharge him. I don't want to sailwith a man who is all the while watching for a chance to get me intodifficulty. And then see how he is going square back on the principleshe professes!"

"I should say he was. I'll discharge him as soon as I can get where theschooner is, and tell him the next time he--But what did he do? What didhe propose to you?"

"He didn't propose anything, because I didn't give him time. He onlyhinted at it, and I thought it an outrageous piece of villainy. "

"So it was; so it was. But what did he hint at?"

"Why, seizing the schooner and turning her over to the Yankees. I toldyou all about it. "

"So you did, and I say that hanging is too good for that traitor. Whatwould you do with him if you was me?"

"Send him up to the United States or put him in jail, " replied Marcy. Heknew very well that the captain would do neither one nor the other, butMarcy wanted to get rid of that man. If he would go deliberately to workto get him into trouble, as he had done the night before by hisemployer's advice and consent, he might try it again when Marcy was notso well prepared for him. 

"It scares me to think of it, " said the owner of the privateer, who didnot look as though he were very badly alarmed. "Such a thing as takingthe schooner could be done easy enough, and where would you be if it wasattempted?"

"I should be on the side of the authorities. There's where you willalways find me. I wouldn't fall into the power of the Yankees for tentimes the value of all the prizes that will be captured on this coastduring the war. I should never expect to see home again. I told TierneyI would fight first. "

"I guess you will do to tie to, Marcy, " said the captain; and thevisitor told himself that those were the only truthful words he haduttered during the interview. "If all my crew is as loyal as you are, and if all the men in the army stick up for the Stars and Bars as youdo, we'll gain our independence in less'n six months. "

Marcy was not aware he had "stuck up" for the Stars and Bars, but itwould not be safe to set the captain right, as he would have been gladto do, and besides this was the time to learn something. 

"I don't know where Tierney got his information, but he has heard fromseveral sources that I am for the Union, " said he. 

"That's what folks say, " replied Beardsley. 

"What have I said or done since I came home to lead them to think so?"

"Not a word; not a thing. It's what you haven't said and done that makes'em suspicion you. You don't whoop and holler and yell and slosh aroundwith your revolver, like the most of the young chaps do. "

"I am not given to such antics, and these are no times formonkey-shines. We need sober, thoughtful men who will do their best tosteer us safely through the difficulties by which we are surrounded, rather than whooping and yelling young ones who seemed determined towreck us. "

"That's good, sound argument, " assented Captain Beardsley, as thevisitor pushed back his chair and went down the steps to unhitch hishorse. 

"But there's one thing I want to tell you, " continued Marcy. "I haven'tsigned any papers and consequently I am still a free man; and if youwant me in that schooner worse than you want Tierney, well and good. Ifyou don't, you can keep him and I will stay ashore. "

Marcy had pinned a very slight hope of release right here. He wassatisfied that the owner of the privateer must think a good deal of theman Tierney or he would not have placed so much confidence in him; andhe hoped the captain would decide to keep him and let his pilot go. Fora time it looked as though the hope might be realized, for the captainhesitated and stammered in such a way that there was no doubt left inMarcy's mind that he was loth to give Tierney up; but seeing the boy'seyes fastened upon him with a most searching glance Beardsley arousedhimself to say:

"Of course; _of_ course. "

"Would you feel safe at sea knowing that you had a traitor among thecrew--one who was waiting and watching for an opportunity to turn youand your vessel over to the Yankees?" continued Marcy. 

"No, I wouldn't, " and the words came out quickly and honestly. "Iwouldn't live on a vessel under them conditions. "

"Well, whom are you going to keep--him or me?"

"You, of course. I couldn't get along without somebody who knows CrookedInlet better than I do. Going to Nashville after your mail? Well, whenyou come back ride round to the schooner and you'll find that Tierneyisn't there. "

"What good will it do to ride around to the schooner?" thought the boy, as he gave his horse the rein and galloped out of the yard. "Of courseTierney wouldn't be there. He would hear me coming through the bushesand have plenty of time to jump ashore and hide himself. A blind manought to see that I did right when I went to Beardsley with my story. Henever asked what the plot was until he committed himself, nor did heinquire how many there were in it, nor did he get half as mad over itas he would if Tierney were a sure-enough Union man. It was a put-upjob, I tell you, and who knows but there may be others of much the samesort hanging over me at this very minute? I do despise secret enemies. "

News travels rapidly when all the people in a place are thinking andtalking about the same things, and Marcy saw the fact illustrated whenhe reached Nashville. The mail and express packages were delayed by anaccident to the wagon in which they were conveyed to and from thenearest stage station; it took two or three hours to repair it, so thatit was mid-day before Marcy was ready to start for home. He alwaysdreaded an enforced delay in town, and tried to time himself so that hewould reach the post-office after everybody else had left it. In thedays gone by he had been on friendly terms with all the Nashville peoplewho were worth knowing, but it was not so now. He was treated civillyenough, but rather coolly, by those he met on the street and in theoffice, and he noticed that few of them took the trouble to speak tohim. This being the case, he wondered what influence had been at work tobring about the change he noticed before he was fairly inside the townlimits. It was "Hello, Marcy!" here, and "How are you, old fellow?"there, and when he hitched his horse and went into the post-office, where there was a crowd assembled, his greeting was as cordial as anythat had ever been extended to him. Marcy opened his eyes, but saidlittle, knowing that if he had the patience to wait somebody wouldexplain the matter to him. He got a clue to the situation when youngAllison, after telling him that the mail wagon had broken down and mightnot be along for an hour or two, inquired:

"How's your ship, Marcy? I suppose you calculate to sweep the sea ofeverything that carries the Yankee flag, don't you? I shall look forastonishing reports when you get among the war-ships that are coming toblockade the coast. "

Allison was a loud-mouthed young rebel who had made himself particularlyobnoxious to quiet, peace-loving Marcy Gray. He did not say anything toMarcy's face that the latter could resent (he was afraid to do that, notwithstanding the fact that he always carried a loaded revolver in hispocket), but he had said a good many insulting words to others that wereintended for Marcy's benefit. The latter turned upon him like a flash, and said, so that every one in the office heard it:

"We don't expect to whip the whole Yankee navy, but we shall do the bestwe can, and that's more than you seem inclined to do. You have had agood deal to say concerning the cowards who are stopping at home whenthe South is calling for their services. Why did you not go to the frontyourself long ago, you noisy braggart? Put a uniform on before you speakto me again. "

"Good for you, Marcy, " cried a score of voices. "Actions and not frothysentiment are what we want now. "

"Hit him again and I'll help, " shouted another; and Marcy's old-timefriend, Wat Gifford, elbowed his way through the crowd. He was in fulluniform, and was the only citizen of Nashville who had snuffed powder atthe bombardment of Fort Sumter. "Talk is cheap, but it takes patriotismto face Yankees. "

If Marcy had had a week in which to consider the matter, he could nothave done a better thing than he did right there on the spur of themoment. Young Allison slunk away abashed, and the privateer's pilotregained at one bound all he had ever lost in the estimation of theNashville people. 

 CHAPTER XVII. 

 MARCY GRAY PRIVATEERSMAN. 

"Wat, you're just the fellow I want to see, " exclaimed Marcy, taking hisfriend by the arm and leading him from the post-office. "When did youget home?"

"Came last night to recruit after my arduous campaign, and to spread alittle enthusiasm and patriotism among you stay-at-home chaps, " answeredWat. "But, say, " he added, in a lower tone. "I didn't expect to find youin the service. You're Union. "

"Who told you that?"

"I'll be switched if I know. It's all over the country and ineverybody's mouth. I reckon you're Union about as I am. I say thatsecession is all wrong, that we would be better without it, and that thepeople who are urging it on don't know what they are about. There'sAllison for one; and I'm heartily glad you gave him such a set-back. He'll talk himself hoarse, but when it comes to shouldering a musket, he'll not be there. He'll be a bully chap to stand back and holler'St-boy'; but he won't take a hand himself. "

By this time the two friends had perched themselves upon a low fencewhere they could be alone and talk without fear of being overheard, andGifford showed his Yankee descent by pulling out his knife and lookingaround for a stick to whittle. 

"And is that the reason all our old friends have gone back on us, motherand me--because they think we are for the Union?" asked Marcy. 

"I believe that is the reason a good many have turned the cold shoulderupon you, " replied Gifford. "You asked me a fair question, and I havegiven you a plain answer; but I am sorry to have to do it. "

"It's all right, " Marcy assured him. "I want to know where I stand--"

"And then you will know how to carry yourself, " added his friend. "Butevery one hasn't gone back on you; I haven't. "

"You are the solitary exception. "

"Well, you have taken the right course to show people that they weremistaken in you, " said Gifford. "I don't see but that you were wellenough treated to-day. "

"And joining the privateer was what worked the change?"

"I think so. Where do you stand, any way? You need not be afraid to behonest with me. "

"I think as you do, only I go a little farther. The Constitution says:'Treason against the United States shall consist in levying war againstthem. ' Did you fellows levy war against them when you fired upon Sumter?If you did, you are traitors the last one of you. "

"W-h-e-w!" whistled Gifford. "And you think we ought to be hanged?"

"I certainly hope you won't be, you especially, but you know as well asI do that the penalty of treason is death. "

"And you don't call yourself a traitor to your State, I suppose?"

"I don't, because I have made no effort to overthrow the legalgovernment of my State. Between you and me, I joined that privateerbecause I did not think it would be safe to do anything else. "

"There's where you showed your good sense, " said Gifford earnestly. "Judging by what I have heard, you took the only course that was open toyou. The people here are not half as crazy as they are in Charleston, Wilmington, and Newbern, but they are none the less dead in earnest, andyou will find that after the State goes out, a Union man will not besafe in this country. I think you have completely allayed suspicion herein Nashville, but you want to look out for secret enemies near home. Whatever you do, don't run Beardsley's schooner aground. "

"What have I got to do with running the schooner?" asked Marcy, who wassurprised at the extent of his friend's information. He began to seethat he and his movements had been pretty thoroughly discussed. 

"You're going to pilot her, " answered Gifford. "That's what you've gotto do with running her, and I say again, don't run her aground. "

"If I do accidentally, Beardsley will shoot me, I suppose. "

"No, he won't. He hasn't the pluck to shoot a squirrel; but you nevercould make him believe that it was an accident, and when he got ashorehe would do all he could to inflame the secessionists against you. Heseems to have something against you. I can't imagine what it is--"

"I can, " replied Marcy, coloring to the roots of his hair. "He wants tomarry our plantation. "

"Whew!" whispered Gifford. "That is a piece of news, I confess, but it'ssafe, old boy. He'll not make it, of course. Then you have a mostimplacable foe in Lon Beardsley. He is one of your secret enemies, andthat overseer of yours--what's his name, Hanson?--is another. They aresworn friends, I have heard, and if your mother has any money stowedaway--Mind, I don't ask whether she has or not, because it is none of mybusiness. But I understand that before you came home she made severaltrips about the country that could not have been made for nothing. Ifshe has any money, take all the precautions you can think of to keep itfrom Hanson's knowledge. He's far more dangerous than Beardsley, becausehe's right there on the place. I'll ride up and see you to-morrow ornext day, and then I will tell you more. "

Just then the conversation was interrupted by the approach of a party ofyoung fellows who wanted to shake hands with the soldier who had facedthe Yankees in battle, and tell Marcy Gray that they were glad to hearhe had joined the privateer, and that they had been mistaken in him, having supposed that he was for the Union and dead against secession. Having discharged this duty, and promised the young pilot that theywould surely ride out and make him a visit before he sailed, they turnedto Gifford and demanded a complete history of the battle in Charlestonharbor. 

"If it was a battle I hope I may never be in a worse one, " replied thesoldier, who was not as proud of that affair as were some of those whohad no hand in it. "The South Carolina boys had everything their ownway. There were few outsiders in it, except some who, like myself, weredoing business in the city. Five thousand against fifty-one! Shucks!"

"But you heard the bullets whistle, and that's a thing to be proud of, "said one. 

"I didn't hear a single bullet, but I heard a shell or two, and saw theold flag come down. That was something I was sorry for. "

Gifford could talk in this strain as much as he pleased because he had"been there"; but If Marcy Gray had ventured upon it, being undersuspicion as he was, beyond a doubt he or his mother would have sufferedfor it. During the time he spent in waiting for the mail, he was neveralone for a single minute. All his old friends seemed desirous of"making themselves square" with him, and not one left his side withoutfirst telling him that somehow the mistaken idea had got abroad that hewas strong for the Union. 

"And so I am, " said Marcy to himself, as he mounted his horse and setout for home, glad to get away from the people who so misunderstood him. "I utterly despise this double life, but don't see any release from itjust now. I should like to show myself true to my colors, but what can Ido among a lot of ruffians who would burn the roof over my mother's headif I gave them the slightest excuse for it?"

When Marcy rode into his own yard he was surprised to see two strangecarriages under the shed (a sight that had been common enough once upona time, but which he had not seen before since his return fromBarrington), and when he entered the room where his mother was sitting, he found that those carriages had brought to the house a party of ladieswho had kept aloof from Mrs. Gray ever since she failed to celebrateSouth Carolina's secession by displaying a "nullification" badge. Theseladies were as friendly and sociable as they had ever been, and astranger would not for a moment have suspected that they had thought itadvisable to drop Marcy's mother from their list of acquaintances. Theyfairly "gushed" over the boy when they told him how delighted they wereto learn that he had enlisted under the banner of the Confederacy. 

"But I haven't enlisted, and what's more I don't intend to, " answeredMarcy, who was resolved that there should be no misunderstanding on thatpoint. "I've got to stay at home and look out for mother. "

"But you and your brave comrades can run out once in a while and annoythe enemy's commerce, and that will be the same as though you werefighting in the army. Now is the time for every true son of the South toshow his colors. "

"Then it's high time some of _their_ sons were showing their colors, "said Marcy, after supper had been served, and the ladies had gone awayand he was alone with his mother. "There were four women in that partywho have sons older than I am. I saw them in town to-day; and althoughthey showed themselves to be blatant rebels, and talked loudly about thegood times we are going to have whipping the Yankees, they never said aword about going into the army. Why don't those women preach theirdoctrines at home instead of coming here to bother us with them?"

Then he told his mother what had passed between himself and Wat Gifford, and said he hoped Wat would visit him as he promised, for he was anxiousto know what else his friend had to tell him. He had warned him againsttwo secret enemies, and Marcy was sure he would feel safer if he knewwho the others were. But it was a long time before he saw Wat Giffordagain. The latter rode up the very next day, but the boy he wanted tosee was on his way to Newbern in the privateer, to take on board the twohowitzers which Beardsley fondly hoped would be the means of bringinghim so much prize-money that he would not be obliged to do anotherstroke of work the longest day he lived. Even while Marcy was talking tohis mother Captain Beardsley galloped into the yard with a smile on hisface and an official envelope in his hand, which he flourished in theair when he drew his horse up at the foot of the steps. Marcy's heartsank within him, and his mother turned away to conceal her agitation. Beardsley had received his commission, and there was no backing out. 

[Illustration: CAPTAIN BEARDSLEY BRINGS THE OFFICIAL LETTER. ]

"Tain't nothing to turn white over, Mrs. Gray, " exclaimed the captainexultingly. "Seems to me that you ought to feel proud to know that yourboy has got the chance to strike a telling blow at the enemies of hisnative State. That's the way it makes me feel, and, Marcy, we want toget the schooner out as soon as we can, so as to catch the ebb tide totake us down to Newbern. "

"That means that you need him this very night, I suppose?" faltered Mrs. Gray. 

"Yes-um. That's what it means. The sooner he gets there to lend a hand, the better I'll like it. "

"Has that man Tierney been discharged?" asked Marcy. 

"He discharged himself, " answered. Beardsley. "He must have seen youcome into my yard and suspicioned what was up, for when I got to theschooner, he wasn't there. And his partner couldn't tell me nothingabout him neither. "

"I'll be along as soon as I can put a few clothes in a valise, " saidMarcy; whereupon Beardsley said good-by to Mrs. Gray and rode out of theyard. 

"What was that man, whose name you mentioned, discharged for?" inquiredMrs. Gray, who knew too well that Marcy was going away under command ofa man who would bring harm to him if he could. 

"He was discharged because I didn't like his looks, " replied the boy. "He told me he was for the Union, but I did not believe a word of it. Now, mother, I need everything I took when I went with Julius lastvacation to explore the coast. I wish now that I had stayed at home, forthen Beardsley wouldn't have thought of hiring me. Let us be as livelyas we can, for it will look suspicious if I hang back. "

Although the mother's heart was almost ready to break, she exhibited nosign of emotion. Like thousands of other women all over the land shegave up her son, hoping almost against hope that the fates would be kindenough to bring him back to her; but it is not to be supposed that shecalled Heaven's choicest blessings down upon the heads of the secessionleaders who had made the sacrifice necessary. Marcy bustled about, doingno good whatever, but just to keep from thinking, and in ten minutesmore there had been a tender farewell at the gate, a single kiss ofparting, and the pilot of the privateer was well on his way towardCaptain Beardsley's house. That gentleman saw him coming and waited forhim. Perhaps he had hoped that the boy would show the white feather atthe last moment. If so, he did not know Marcy Gray. 

"We'll be short-handed going down, " said he, as he led the way acrossthe road and into the bushes; "but we shall be all right the minute westrike Newbern. When I got my commission out of the office thisafternoon I telegraphed to my agent telling him we would start to-night, and for him to be sure and have a crew ready for us. "

"Why, I thought your crew was already shipped, " said Marcy. "Youcertainly gave me to understand as much. "

"So they were, but I don't much expect to find 'em when I get there. They'll get tired of waiting and go out on the first ship that sails. But we'll have a crew. Don't worry about that. "

"Worse and worse, " thought Marcy. "We'll get a crew undoubtedly; butwhat sort of men will they be? Dock-rats and 'longshoremen, most likely, such as a decent captain wouldn't have on board his vessel. If we getinto trouble and I run the schooner aground while trying to bring herout, they will be just the sort to pitch me overboard. "

As this thought passed through Marcy's mind he slipped his hand into hispocket. Captain Beardsley saw the motion and inquired:

"Got a pop with you?"

"You wouldn't go on an expedition like this without one, would you?"asked Marcy, in reply. "Have you bargained for any small arms for theschooner?"

"I have, and know right where to get 'em. But I shall keep them lockedup in the cabin and give 'em out to the crew only when I think itnecessary. "

"That's a good plan, " observed Marcy. "Do you know anything aboutgunnery?"

"No, but one of the men I expect to get does. He has served his time onboard an English man-of-war and knows all about howitzers, and suchthings. We couldn't get along without a gunner, you know. If we didn'thave one, how would we bring the prizes to?"

Marcy wondered why the captain had so much to say on this point. Heasked the question merely out of curiosity, and the man answered it asthough Marcy had objected to having a gunner aboard. He learned moreabout it after a while. 

When they reached the bank of the bayou in which the schooner wasmoored, Marcy found that Beardsley had acted promptly, and that thevessel was ready to be towed into the river. He had stopped there on hisway home from the post-office to warn the ship-keeper, and immediatelyon his arrival at his own house, he had sent a dozen or more stoutnegroes to man the yawl with which she was to be hauled out. 

"Come here, you mokes, and set us aboard, " said Captain Beardsley to thenegroes who were waiting in the yawl. "Now, let go the fasts and standby to take a tow-line out for'ard. " Then he said to the ship-keeper, ina low tone, "Is Tierney aboard?" and the man replied by pointing towardthe deck, indicating, no doubt, that the man who had "dischargedhimself" could be found on the berth-deck whenever his services wereneeded. 

By the aid of the negroes, who were handy with a boat, the schooner wastowed from the bayou into Seven Mile Creek and thence into the RoanokeRiver a short distance above Plymouth. The jib and foresail were hoistedbefore she got there, and when they began to draw and the schooner tofeel their influence, the darkies were commanded to cast off thetow-line and make the best of their way to the plantation. Marcy went tothe wheel, not because there was any piloting to be done in that openriver, but for the reason that he happened to be nearest to it, andCaptain Beardsley came aft and spoke to him. 

"When she gets clear of Plymouth we'll run up the mainsail and thenshe'll go a-humming, " said he, rubbing his hands gleefully together. "This is the first time I was ever in command of a vessel sailing bygovernment authority, and I feel an inch or two taller'n I ever feltbefore on my own quarter-deck. But this is a gun-deck now, aint it?" headded, stamping his foot upon it to see how solid it was. "If we onlyhad aboard the howitzer that belongs here so that we could salutePlymouth as we skim by--You aint listening to me at all. What youlooking at so steady?"

The captain faced about, and, following the direction of Marcy's gaze, saw the man Tierney slowly climbing the stairs that led to the deck. When he got to the top he turned around and came aft in the mostunconcerned manner possible. 

"Well, there, " exclaimed the captain, dropping both his hands by hisside and acting as if he were too astonished to say more just then. "Ifhe aint got back I wouldn't say so. "

Marcy's first thought was to give the wheel a fling, spill the sails, and demand to be put ashore at once; but he did not do it. As Dixon oncetold the colonel of the Barrington academy, it was too plain a case. Tierney had been aboard the schooner all the time, and Marcy might havefound it out if he had been sharp enough to look between decks. 

"I'm glad he's come back, for he's the gunner I was telling you about, "whispered the captain. "We couldn't get along without him, don't youknow we couldn't? Say, " he added, as Tierney came up, "didn't you leaveword with your partner that you had discharged yourself and wasn't nevercoming back any more? Aint you a pretty chap to show your face aboard myvessel, and you talking of giving her up to the--"

"Oh, what's the use of keeping that farce up any longer?" cried Marcy, in disgust. "You can't fool me. I don't know what Tierney's object wasin trying to bamboozle me the way he did--"

"Well, I'll tell you, " the man interposed, "and I'll be honest with you, too. I heard you were a Union man, and I did not want to sail with youif you were. "

"That's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, " chimedin the captain, nodding and winking at Marcy. 

"Well, are you quite satisfied with the test you applied to me?"inquired the pilot. 

"I am. I know that you are as good a Southern man as any body in thecountry. "

"And you are willing to acknowledge that you and the captain talked thematter over beforehand, and that when you came to me, to urge me toseize the vessel and turn her over to the Yankees, you did it with hisknowledge and consent?" continued Marcy, controlling himself with aneffort. 

"Course he is, " exclaimed Beardsley. "I told him he would find you trueas steel, but he--"

"But I wouldn't believe it until I had proved it to my ownsatisfaction, " chimed in Tierney. 

The man acted as though he had half a mind to extend his hand to Marcyin token of amity, but if he had, he thought better of it, and inobedience to the captain's order called the other ship-keeper aft toassist in hoisting the mainsail. 

"He didn't offer to shake hands, and that proves that he isn't asfriendly as he lets on to be, " thought Marcy. "He and the captain areplaying into each other's hands. That story was all made up, and if Idon't keep my eyes open, they will spring another plot on me. This is alovely way to live; but I've got to keep suspicion down in someway, andI don't know how else I can do it. "

Nothing exciting or interesting occurred during the run to Newbern, forthere were no war-vessels inside the sandy bars which inclose the coastof North Carolina and protect it from the fury of the Atlantic storms. Aided by the strong ebb tide and the favorable breeze that was blowing, the privateer made a quick passage along the low, swampy shores ofAlbemarle, and finally entered Croatan Sound, which runs between theeastern coast and Roanoke Island, and connects Pamlico with AlbemarleSound. The forts, water-batteries, and Commodore Lynch's fleet, whichwere afterward destroyed by Burnside and Goldsborough, were not inexistence now. Forts Hatteras and Clark were being built at HatterasInlet, but the Confederates wasted time in their construction, for onthe 28th day of August Butler and Stringham captured them without theloss of a man, and in defiance of a storm which twice compelled theassaulting fleet to put to sea for safety. How Marcy Gray's heart wouldhave throbbed with exultation if he had known that the flag hisBarrington girl gave him was destined to float in triumph over the verywaters through which he was now sailing, and at the masthead of aFederal vessel of war! That glorious day was only seven months in thefuture, but the young pilot had some tight places to sail through beforeit came around to him. 

Marcy Gray had so little heart for the business in which he was perforceengaged, that he hoped something might happen at Newbern to prevent theschooner from sailing on her piratical mission--that the collector ofthe port might find some fault with her papers; that the howitzers andsmall arms might not be forthcoming; that it might be impossible toraise a crew; or that anything, no matter what, would come at the lastmoment to knock Beardsley's scheme in the head. But he was disappointed. The collector could not find any fault with the vessel's commission, forhe himself had received it direct from the Confederate capital andforwarded it to the captain; the agent had scarcely slept since hereceived that dispatch from Nashville, and the result was that when theschooner sailed up to her wharf, she found the howitzers, four cases ofmuskets and sabers, and a crew of eighteen men, including two mates, waiting for her. The patriotic agent unfurled a brand-new Confederatebanner as the schooner threw out a line by which her head could be drawninto the pier, and jumped aboard with it the moment she touched. 

"May it be the means of bringing you many an honest dollar, " said he, ashe spread the flag upon the deck so that the captain could see it. "Areyour halliards rove? Then why not go into commission at once, whilethere is a crowd on the wharf to holler for you? Come aboard, youfellows, " he added, waving his hand to the crew, who were alreadytumbling over the rail, "and stand by to cheer ship when the banner ofthe Confederacy is run up. Did your vessel take a new name with her coatof new paint, captain?"

"Yes, I kinder thought I would call her the _Fish-Hawk. _"

"Isn't that a queer name for a privateer?" asked the agent. 

"Why is it?" inquired the captain, who was busy folding the flag andgetting it ready to be run up to the masthead. "Don't the fish-hawk gether living from the water, and aint I going to get mine the same way?"

"That's true. Well, then, call her _Osprey. _ That sounds a littlebetter, _I_ think, and it means the same thing. "

"All right. _Osprey_ she is, " answered the captain, as he hauled up theflag which had been made into a little bundle. "You stand by to set 'emgoing. "

The crew, as well as the rapidly increasing crowd on the wharf, whowatched the little bundle as it traveled toward the head of the mast, did not wait for the agent to "set them going"! When it reached the top, and a slight jerk from one of the halliards loosened the flag to thebreeze, they yelled vociferously, and patted one another on the back andshook hands as though they considered it a very auspicious occasion. 

"Now, give three cheers for Captain Beardsley and his privateer_Osprey_, who have so promptly responded to our President's call. Maythey strike such terror to the hearts of the Yankee nation that theywon't have a ship on the sea in six months from this day. "

Of course such talk as this just suited the crowd on the wharf, whoyelled longer and louder than before. Of course, too, Marcy had to jointhem in order to keep up appearances, but he almost despised himself forit, and made the mental prediction that in a good deal less than sixmonths' time the people of Newbern would cease to remember that such aschooner as the _Osprey_ ever existed, although her arrival was loudlyheralded in all the city papers. Her "saucy air" and the "duck-likemanner in which she rode the waters, " were especially spoken of, and onereporter, whose penetration was both surprising and remarkable, discovered in Captain Beardsley a man who would "do and dare anythingfor the success of the glorious cause he had been so prompt toespouse. "

The rest of that day and all the succeeding one were consumed in gettingthe provisions, ammunition, and arms aboard, mounting the howitzers, andstationing the crew. When the work was ended late at night, Marcytumbled into his bunk between decks, heartily disgusted with the life hewas leading. The schooner was to run out with the last of the ebb tidein the morning, so as to catch the flood tide, which would help her upto Crooked Inlet. 

 CHAPTER XVIII. 

 CONCLUSION. 

It took them the best part of the next day to run to their destination, and the whole of the following one to find and buoy the channel, whichchanged more or less with every storm that swept the coast. Marcythought it a foolhardy piece of business to depend upon that treacherousinlet for a way of escape in case the schooner was discovered andpursued by a ship of war, and told Captain Beardsley so; but the lattersimply smiled, referred Marcy to the work he had done that day, andreminded him that there were eight feet of water in the deepest part ofthe channel, and that the privateer, fully loaded, drew but little morethan six. 

"There aint a sea-going vessel in the Yankee navy that can run on sixfoot of water, and I know it, " chuckled Beardsley. "If one of 'em getsafter us we'll skim through easy as falling off a log, but she'll stick, 'specially if she runs 'cording to them buoys you set out. " This was the"work" to which the captain referred. At that time the rule was for allship-masters to leave black buoys to starboard and the red ones to port;or, to put it in English, they were to pass to the left of the blackbuoys, and to the right of red ones, or run the risk of getting agroundand losing their insurance, in case their ships went to pieces. ButMarcy, acting under the orders of Captain Beardsley (who, now that hewas fairly afloat, began to show that he was much more of a sailor thanthe folks around home thought he was), had changed this order of thingsby anchoring the red buoys on the right of the channel going out, andthe black ones on the left. Of course it was necessary for the pilot tobear this in mind if he were called upon to take the privateer throughthere in a hurry, or on a dark night when the wind was blowing strongly. To a landsman this may seem like a very small thing, but it was enoughto insure the destruction of any vessel whose commander was so daring asto try to follow in Captain Beardsley's lead. More than that, CrookedInlet was not marked upon any government chart. The Atlantic Ocean hadopened it since the last survey was made. 

All things being in readiness for the cruise, the _Osprey_ ran throughthe inlet on the morning of the third day out from Newbern, and spreadher wings to swoop down upon the first unsuspecting merchantman whichhappened to be holding along the coast inside of Diamond Shoals. Now thecrosstrees were manned for the first time, a small pull taken at thesheets fore and aft, and with a fine breeze over her quarter theschooner ran off to the southeast toward the fair-weather highwayleading from the West Indies to Northern ports. Then the young pilot, who had given up his place at the wheel, had leisure to look about himand make a mental estimate of the crew. If there was a native Americanamong them he could not find him. He guessed right when he told himselfthat they must have belonged to foreign vessels in port when PresidentLincoln's proclamation was issued, and that Beardsley's agent hadinduced them to join the Confederacy by offering higher wages than theywere receiving, and making extravagant promises of a wild, free, easylife aboard the privateer, and unlimited dollars to spend in the way ofprize money. But as far as Marcy could see they were good sailors, andCaptain Beardsley and his mates enforced discipline from the first. 

The young pilot was surprised at the ease with which the master of theschooner threw off his 'longshore manners and assumed the habit andlanguage of a seafaring man. He had been a trader in a small way eversince Marcy could remember, and he said himself that the longest voyagehe ever made was from some port in Cuba to New York. He had a way ofgoing and coming at very irregular intervals. Sometimes his schoonerwould lie idle for months, and Beardsley would work among his negroeswith so much industry and perseverance, that the planters around himwould come to think he had given up the sea for good; but all on asudden he would disappear as if by magic, and it would be a long timebefore any one could find out where he was or what he had been doing;and they were obliged to take his word for that. Marcy Gray was not theonly one who thought that the term "smuggler" would come nearer todescribing his vocation than the word "trader. " But in spite of hiserratic movements and long intervals of rest on shore, Captain Beardsleywas a fair navigator and knew how to handle his schooner. He knew also, and quickly assumed, the dignity befitting his station, kept hisquarter-deck sacred to himself, and, except when they were on duty, never permitted his crew to come aft the foremast This made a gulfbetween him and Marcy, but the latter did not mind that. He was contentto be considered one of the crew. 

Seventy hours passed, and the only thing the lookouts saw during thattime to indicate that they were not alone on the ocean, was a thin cloudof smoke in the horizon, which might come from the chimneys of apeaceful passenger vessel, or from those of a cruiser on the watch forjust such crafts as the _Osprey_ was; and so Captain Beardsley prudentlycame about and sailed leisurely back toward the point from whence hestarted. This move was just what brought her first prize into theclutches of the _Osprey_. 

Land had been out of sight for almost two days. In her eagerness tocatch something the schooner had gone far beyond the highway towardwhich she had first shaped her course, but this retrograde movementbrought her back to it. On the morning of the third day the thrillingcry "Sail ho!" came from aloft, and in an instant the deck was incommotion, the man at the wheel so far forgetting himself as to allowthe privateer to swing into the wind with all her canvas flapping. 

"Keep her steady, there, " shouted the captain angrily. "Where away?" hecontinued, hailing the crosstrees. 

"Broad on the weather beam. Topsail schooner, and standing straightacross our course. "

The captain seized a glass and hastened aloft to take a look at thestranger, while those on deck crowded to the rail and strained theireyes for a glimpse of the sail, which had not yet showed her top-hamperabove the horizon. No change was made in the course of the privateer, and neither was anything done toward casting loose the guns. There wouldbe time enough for that when the captain had made up his mind what hewas going to do. He sat on the crosstrees beside the lookout for an hourwithout saying a word. By that time the sail was visible from the deck. To quote from one of the crew she was coming up at a hand gallop. ThenCaptain Beardsley was satisfied to come down and take charge of thedeck. 

"She's ours, " Marcy heard him say to the two mates. "I would not sell mychances of making a rich haul for any reasonable sum of money. If I knowanything about vessels, she is a Cuban trader bound to New York. Easethe _Osprey_ up a bit. Don't crowd her so heavy, and the chase will passby within half a mile of us. But we mustn't let her get by, for she is atrotter, and every inch of her muslin is drawing beautifully. "

While the second mate set about obeying the last order, the captainaddressed some others to the first officer, and in a remarkably brieftime, considering their short experience on board the privateer, hercrew had cast loose the bow gun and trained it over the port side, themagazine and shell-rooms had been opened and lighted, and Tierney, whoacted in the double capacity of captain of the bow gun and drill-masterto the crews of both, had driven home a five-second shrapnel. 

"All ready forward, sir, " said he. 

"Throw that piece of canvas back over the gun to hide it, " commandedCaptain Beardsley. "Send all the men below that are not needed on deck. Gray, go aft and stand by to run up the Yankee flag when I tell you. "

The topsail schooner could be plainly seen now, and Marcy was sailorenough to note that if her captain did not suspect there was somethingwrong, he acted like it. This could hardly be wondered at, for takinginto consideration the "natty" appearance of the privateer, the lubberlyway in which she was sailed, standing so far off wind when she ought tohave been close to it if she were sailing her course, was enough toexcite anybody's suspicions. Two of her officers were in the rigging, and Captain Beardsley, who was mentally calculating her chances forrunning by his own vessel in case she made the attempt, took his glassfrom his eye long enough to remark:

"They don't quite like our looks, do they? That proves that they arefrom some near port, and heard something about privateers before theysailed. I heard that parties in New Orleans had steamers afloat a weekago. Marcy, show them the Yankee flag and see if that won't quiet theirfeelings. "

"If that isn't stealing the livery of Heaven to serve the Evil One in Idon't want a cent, " said Marcy, to himself, as with an "Aye, aye, sir, "he obeyed the order that was intended to lure the stranger to herdestruction. At the same moment her own colors, the Stars and Stripes, were run up to the peak. 

But the sight of the friendly flag did not seem to allay the suspicionsof those on board the topsail schooner. To the great surprise of thosewho were watching her, her bow began to swing slowly around, her sailstrembled in the air for a minute or two and then moved over to the otherside, her yard was braced forward, the sheets hauled taut, and she wasoff on the other tack with a big bone in her teeth. By this move shehoped to pass so far astern of the suspicious-looking craft in front ofher, as to be beyond range of the light guns her captain had reason tobelieve were concealed under those piles of canvas which looked soinnocent at a distance. It was beautifully and quickly done; but whoever saw a Yankee skipper who did not know how to handle his ship, orwho would give her up to an enemy if he saw the slightest chance toescape with her? The Confederate Admiral Semmes had more than one chaseafter a plucky Yankee captain, who was resolved that he would not cometo if he could help it, and he often goes out of his way to pay deservedtribute to the skill and courage of Northern sailors. 

"That's his best sailing-point, and he's got a breeze that don't reachus, " Captain Beardsley almost howled, stamping about the deck andshaking his fist at the flying schooner. "Where are you, Tierney? Firethat gun at him. Pitch the ball into him the first time without stoppingto send it across his bows. Do something, or he'll get away from us. "

Tierney and his crew, who had scattered themselves over the deck inobedience to an order from the mate, were on hand almost before theangry skipper had ceased talking. The captain of the gun knew that theschooner was far beyond the reach of the short-time projectile he had inhis piece, but that did not prevent him from obeying orders. The canvascovering was torn off and cast aside, the gun trained, and thelock-string pulled. The privateer trembled all over with the force ofthe concussion; the howitzer bounded from its place and recoiled as faras its breeching would permit it to go, and the shrapnel went shriekingon its way. But it did not go more than a quarter of the distance thatintervened between the two vessels before it exploded. However, itshowed the crew of the fleeing schooner that her enemy was fully armed, and it enabled Tierney to load his gun with a shell provided with alonger fuse. 

"Send home another one that will go farther before it busts, " shoutedCaptain Beardsley. "And while you're doing it, we'll see if we can'tcome around on the other tack about as quick as she did. "

Remember that the two vessels, pursuer and pursued, had not yet passed. They were sailing diagonally toward each other at the first, and thatwas the relative position they held when the privateer came about andstood off on the other tack. If Captain Beardsley had understood hisbusiness he might have had the after-gun cast loose and loaded with afifteen-second shell, and fired it at the chase as the stern of the_Osprey_ swung around. Marcy thought this could have been done, but ofcourse he said nothing. His sympathies were entirely with the captainwho had determined to make a race of it. 

"I do hope he'll get away, " thought the boy, looking first at the canvasof his own vessel to see how it was drawing, and then at the topsailschooner which was making such gallant efforts to escape. "Suppose thecaptain owns that craft, and that it is everything he has in the worldto depend on for a living for his family? It will be just awful to takeit away from him. Why don't Uncle Sam send some cruisers down here?"

While Marcy stood on the quarter-deck meditating, Tierney was working onthe forecastle, and now he called out:

"All ready for'ard, sir. "

"Let her have it!" cried the captain; and then, seeing that Marcy Graywas still holding fast to the halliards that kept the starry flag at thepeak, he shouted: "Why don't you haul that thing down and run aloft theStars and Bars? Are you asleep?"

"No, sir, " replied the boy. "Waiting for orders, sir. "

"Down with it then, and put our own flag up there, " commanded thecaptain. "Fire, Tierney!"

The howitzer once more belched forth a cloud of flame and smoke, andMarcy stood on tiptoe and held his breath in suspense while he waitedfor the result. He felt the cold chills creep along his spine when, after an interval that seemed very short for the distance the shot hadto travel, he saw it strike the water in line with the schooner andexplode a second later almost at her side. There was no mistake about itthis time. A fifteen-second fuse was long enough, and the next shot, with a single half-degree more of elevation, would surely strike her. Her skipper saw it, and rather than allow his vessel to be shot topieces and his men killed before his eyes, he spilled his sails and gaveup the contest. 

"Come on deck, you lubbers below, and cheer our first prize, " shoutedthe mate, who was almost beside himself with joy and excitement. "Thereshe is, laying to and waiting for you to go and take possession, " hewent on, as the crew tumbled up the ladder. "Count your prize-money upon your fingers and then give a cheer. "

This was an insulting way to treat men who had done all that brave mencould do to elude their enemy, and surrendered at last because they hadno means of defending themselves, and Marcy was glad to notice thatTierney saw it, and did not join in the cheers that followed. Perhapsthe man had a better heart than Marcy had given him credit for. 

"Where's that boat's crew?" inquired the captain, meaning the men whohad been drilled in lowering the yawl and pulling off to imaginaryprizes. "Here's the keys to the cabin, Marcy. Unlock the door and giveevery man who comes to you a saber, revolver, and a box of cartridges. And you, " he added, turning to the first mate as Marcy took the keys andhastened below, "tumble ten men besides the boat's crew into the yawl, go off to the prize, and send the master and his papers on board of us. Put all the schooner's company, except the mates, in double irons, andstow them away somewhere under guard. Then keep your weather eye on meand follow in my wake when I fill away for Newbern. That's the way we'llmanage things as often as we take a prize. "

While these orders were being obeyed the _Osprey_ was sailing steadilytoward her prize; and by the time the men had been selected and thesmall arms distributed, she had come as close to her as CaptainBeardsley thought it safe to venture. Having performed his duty, Marcyreturned to the deck just in time to see the prize crew climbing uponher deck. A quarter of an hour later the boat came back, bringing astrange man who certainly took matters very coolly, seeing that he hadlost his vessel and a valuable cargo. 

"Captain, " said he, as he clambered over the _Osprey's_ rail, "I don'tunderstand the situation at all, for all your mate would say to me wasthat my ship was a prize to the Confederate privateer _Osprey. _"

"What else did you want him to say?" asked Captain Beardsley, with asmile that must have made the merchant skipper angry. "That's the wholething in a nutshell. Where are your papers? See that flag up there?That's the one I sail under. You must have heard that there were suchfellows as me afloat, or you wouldn't have shied off as you did. "

"Your appearance was all right, but I didn't like the way you acted, "replied the skipper. "Yes, I have heard that there are some gentlemen ofyour sort roaming around the Gulf. "

"Your schooner is the _Mary Hollins_, bound from Havana to Boston withan assorted cargo, " said Captain Beardsley. "There is no attempt made to'cover' either?"

"No, sir; it is an American vessel and her cargo is consigned to anAmerican house, " answered the skipper, who knew it would be useless todeny it with the plain facts staring Captain Beardsley in the face. "But, captain, I protest against your putting my men in irons. They arenot felons, to be treated that way. "

"Can't help it, " said Beardsley shortly. "Can't you see for yourselfthat I have a small crew, and that I must take measures to prevent yourmen from recapturing the prize? I'll let 'em out as soon as we getthrough Hatteras. "

The master of the privateer exchanged a few words with his second mate, and in a minute or two more the _Osprey_ came about and pointed her nosetoward Newbern, the _Mary Hollins_ following in her wake. The crewstepped around with unwonted alacrity, and tugged at the sheets asenergetically as though the prize dollars the agent had promised themwere fastened to the other end. Everybody was happy except Marcy Grayand the unfortunate skipper of the _Mary Hollins_. He took his capturevery philosophically, but Marcy was sure he did some deep and earnestthinking while he stood on the privateer's quarterdeck, pulling hiswhiskers, and looking back at the vessel he had lost. Marcy almostwished that he could change places with him so that he could enter thenavy as soon as he was released, and assist in sweeping the sea of suchcrafts as the _Osprey. _ He dared not speak to him, for that would excitesuspicion, and the prisoner, who looked at Marcy now and then, probablythought the boy as good a rebel as there was on board. 

The low sand dunes about Hatteras Inlet, as well as the unfinished wallsof the forts that were to defend it, came up out of the sea shortlyafter daylight the next morning, and at one o'clock the _Osprey_ and herprize sailed through, loudly cheered by the working parties ashore. Theprisoner now reminded Captain Beardsley of the promise he had maderegarding the crew of the _Mary Hollins_, but Beardsley got out of itby saying that he had no way of signaling to the prize, and could notthink of waiting for her to come alongside so that he could hail her. The truth was Captain Beardsley believed that the Yankees would fight ifthey were given half a chance. The sound upon which the vessels were nowsailing was a pretty large body of water, Newborn was still many milesaway, and if the _Hollins's_ men were freed from their irons, they mightrecapture their vessel and elude the _Osprey_ during the night that wascoming. Beardsley kept them in durance until he reached port, and thenreleased them to be jeered and hooted by the crowd that followed themfrom the wharf to the jail in which they were confined. 

The reception that was extended to himself and his men was of differentcharacter. They were cheered to the echo, and as many as could get uponthe decks of the _Osprey_ and her prize, insisted on shaking them by thehand and telling them what brave fellows they were, and how much theyhad done for the glorious cause of Southern independence. Beardsley'sagent was on hand, of course, and when he had seen the _Mary Hollins_turned over to the collector of the port, he insisted that the _Osprey_should run out again at once and make another haul, before the seizureof the _Hollins_ became known at the North; but, to Marcy Gray's intensedelight, Beardsley refused to budge. 

"Not much I won't go outside again and leave you land-sharks to handlemy prize and the money she'll sell for, " he declared, with so muchemphasis that the agent did not think it best to urge him further. "Meand my men have got the biggest interest in the _Mary Hollins_, andright here we stay till the legality of the capture has been settled, the vessel and cargo sold, and the dollars that belong to us are plankeddown in our two hands. "

"Then I may go home?" said Marcy, as soon as he saw a good chance to askthe question. 

"Course. Go by first train if you want to. "

That was enough for the boy, who was disgusted with life on board aprivateer. He hastened below, and in less than twenty minutes presentedhimself in Beardsley's cabin with his "grip" in one hand and a paper inthe other. 

"That's a leave of absence, " said Marcy, placing the paper before thecaptain. "I don't suppose it is drawn up in proper form, but it willserve to show the people at home that I am there with your permission. I'd be glad if you would sign it. "

The captain did so without a word of objection, gave Marcy a fewmessages to be delivered to his friends in and around Nashville, andpromised to look out for his share of the prize money. 

"You can keep it, if you can bring yourself to touch it, " thought theboy, as he walked ashore, after shouting good-by to the crew, and benthis steps toward the nearest telegraph office. "It would burn myhands. "

He sent a dispatch to his mother requesting that Morris might be sent tomeet him at the depot at a certain time, and to allay any fears thatmight be awakened in her mind by his sudden return to Newbern, heannounced that the privateer had just brought a valuable prize intoport. Those few words sent the dispatch through without a cent's worthof expense to himself. 

"So you are one of those gallant fellows, are you?" said the operator. "Well, I'll send it off and call it square. You deserve a world ofcredit. "

"I can't for the life of me see where an armed vessel wins credit incapturing one that is entirely without means of defense, " replied Marcy, who had heard so much of this sort of talk since he reached Newbern thathe was tired of it. 

"But that isn't the point, " said the operator. "See what a blow you havestruck at the enemy's commerce. Keep it up long enough and you willdrive his hated old rag from the sea. "

Marcy had another ride with Morris, who was at the depot waiting for himwhen his train came in, and reached home at last to receive a tearfulwelcome from his mother. 

"You don't gush over me at all, " said he, as she threw her arms abouthis neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "Don't you know that I haveroamed the high sea, smelled powder, and helped capture a Yankee vessel?It's the most despicable business in the world, " he added, as he led hismother into the house out of earshot of all the servants. And then hetold her how the capture had been effected, and explained why Beardsleywould not immediately put to sea to try his luck again. He said, with along-drawn sigh, that he was glad to get home, and hoped from the bottomof his heart that the _Osprey_ might sink at her wharf before he wasordered to report aboard of her again. As for the prize-money, hesupposed he would have to take it or set Beardsley's tongue in motion;but he would put it carefully away, and send it to the master of the_Hollins_ if he ever had the chance. 

"You don't feel at all as your Cousin Rodney does, " said his mother, when he ceased speaking. "A long letter from him addressed to you cameduring your absence, and I took the liberty to read it. Yes, he enlistedalmost as soon as he reached home, and is going with his company toMissouri, where he hopes to join Dick Graham, who belongs to the statetroops under General Price. "

"They have both lived up to their principles, but how have I lived up tomine?" said Marcy, taking the letter from his mother's hand. "I toldthem I should be true to my colors, no matter what happened, and howhave I held to my resolution? I can't tell them just how I am situated, for suppose the letter should miscarry and fall into the hands of somefellow like Captain Beardsley? This is a nice way to live. "

Rodney wrote as if he were full of enthusiasm, and gave a completehistory of his movements since the day on which he bade his cousingood-by in Barrington. There was one short paragraph in his letter whichwill serve as a very good introduction to the second volume of thisseries of books, and we produce it entire. It ran as follows:

"It wouldn't be safe for you to come to this country, old fellow, andtalk as you did while we were at school. You would be mobbed in spite ofall I could do to prevent it. I hope you haven't got into any trouble bytrying to be true to your colors since you have been in North Carolina. I can talk as I please here, and you know I please to denounceeverything except secession and independence. I belong to an independentcompany of cavalry. The colonel commanding the regiment we wanted tojoin didn't think he had any authority to accept us unless we would giveup our independent organization, and as we were resolved we wouldn't dothat, we began to think we would be obliged to fight on our own hook;but just in the nick of time we learned that the troops serving inMissouri, under Price and McCulloch, were mostly partisans, and thateither of those commanders would be glad to accept us. So there is wherewe are going as soon as we can get transportation, and who knows but Imay see our old friend Dick Graham? Shall I tell him 'Hello!' for you?We furnish our own horses, the government allowing us sixty cents a dayfor the use of them. If they die or are killed in action, we are to getanother mount from the enemy. Come and join us, Marcy. Throw your Unionsentiments to the winds--you'll have to sooner or later--take sides withthe friends of your state, swear allegiance to the flag of theConfederacy and battle for the right. Come and join my company and we'llhave some high old times running the Yankees out of Missouri. "

But the sequel proved that the despised Yankees could not be so easilydriven; on the contrary they drove the rebels. Marcy's cousin manfullybore a soldier's part in some of the hardest battles that were fought inMissouri; and just what he did, and whether or not he enjoyed the "highold times" that came rather sooner than he expected, shall be told inthe succeeding volume of this series which will be entitled, "RODNEY, THE PARTISAN. "

 THE END. 

THE

FAMOUS

CASTLEMON

BOOKS. 

BY

HARRY CASTLEMON. 

[Illustration: Specimen Cover of the Gunboat Series. ]

No author of the present day has become a greater favorite with boysthan "Harry Castlemon;" every book by him is sure to meet with heartyreception by young readers generally. His naturalness and vivacity leadhis readers from page to page with breathless interest, and when onevolume is finished the fascinated reader, like Oliver Twist, asks "formore. "

**Any volume sold separately. 

GUNBOAT SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 6 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $7 50Frank, the Young Naturalist 1 25Frank in the Woods 1 25Frank on the Prairie 1 25Frank on a Gunboat 1 25Frank before Vicksburg 1 25Frank on the Lower Mississippi 1 25

GO AHEAD SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , l2mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Go Ahead; or, The Fisher Boy's Motto 1 25No Moss; or, The Career of a Rolling Stone 1 25Tom Newcombe; or, The Boy of Bad Habits 1 25

ROCKY MOUNTAIN" SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Frank at Don Carlos' Rancho 1 25Frank among the Rancheros 1 25Frank in the Mountains 1 25

SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75The Sportsman's Club in the Saddle 1 25The Sportsman's Club Afloat 1 25The Sportsman's Club among the Trappers 1 25

FRANK NELSON SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Snowed Up; or, The Sportsman's Club in the Mts. 1 25Frank Nelson in the Forecastle; or, The Sportsman's Club among theWhalers 1 25The Boy Traders; or, The Sportsman's Club among the Boers 1 25

BOY TRAPPER SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75The Buried Treasure; or, Old Jordan's "Haunt" 1 25The Boy Trapper; or, How Dave Filled the Order 1 25The Mail Garnet 1 25

ROUGHING IT SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75George in Camp; or, Life on the Plains 1 25George at the Wheel; or, Life in a Pilot House 1 25George at the Fort; or, Life Among the Soldiers 1 25

ROD AND GUN SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Don Gordon's Shooting Box 1 25Rod and Gun 1 25The Young Wild Fowlers 1 25

FOREST AND STREAM SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Joe Wayring at Home; or, Story of a Fly Rod 1 25Snagged and Sunk; or, The Adventures of a Canvas Canoe 1 25Steel Horse; or, The Rambles of a Bicycle 1 25

WAR SERIES. By Harry Castlemon. 4 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box 5 00True to his Colors 1 25Rodney, the Partisan 1 25Marcy, the Blockade Runner 1 25Marcy, the Refugee 1 25

OUR FELLOWS; or, Skirmishes with the Swamp Dragoons. By Harry Castlemon. 16mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra 1 25

ALGER'S

RENOWNED

BOOKS. 

BY

HORATIO ALGER, JR. 

[Illustration: Specimen Cover of the Ragged Dick Series. ]

Horatio Alger, Jr. , has attained distinction as one of the most popularwriters of books for boys, and the following list comprises all of hisbest books. 

**Any volume sold separately. 

RAGGED DICK SERIES. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 6 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $7 50Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York 1 25Fame and Fortune; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter 1 25Mark, the Match Boy; or, Richard Hunter's Ward 1 25Rough and Ready; or, Life among the New York Newsboys 1 25Ben, the Luggage Boy; or, Among the Wharves 1 25Rufus and Rose; or, the Fortunes of Rough and Ready 1 25

TATTERED TOM SERIES. (FIRST SERIES. ) By Horatio Alger, Jr. 4 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box, 5 00Tattered Tom; or, The Story of a Street Arab 1 25Paul, the Peddler; or, The Adventures of a Young Street Merchant 1 25Phil, the Fiddler; or, The Young Street Musician 1 25Slow and Sure; or, From the Sidewalk to the Shop 1 25

TATTERED TOM SERIES. (SECOND SERIES. ) 4 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $5 00Julius; or the Street Boy Out West 1 25The Young Outlaw; or, Adrift in the World 1 25Sam's Chance and How He Improved it 1 25The Telegraph Boy 1 25

LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES. (FIRST SERIES. ) By Horatio Alger, Jr. 4 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $5 00Luck and Pluck; or John Oakley's Inheritance 1 25Sink or Swim; or, Harry Raymond's Resolve 1 25Strong and Steady; or, Paddle Your Own Canoe 1 25Strive and Succeed; or, The Progress of Walter Conrad 1 25

LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES. (SECOND SERIES. ) By Horatio Alger, Jr. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $5 00Try and Trust; or, The Story of a Bound Boy 1 25Bound to Rise; or Harry Walton's Motto 1 25Risen from the Ranks; or, Harry Walton's Success 1 25Herbert Carter's Legacy; or, The Inventor's Son 1 25

CAMPAIGN SERIES. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 7, vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Frank's Campaign; or, The Farm and the Camp 1 25Paul Prescott's Charge 1 25Charlie Codman's Cruise 1 25

BRAVE AND BOLD SERIES. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 4 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box 5 00Brave and Bold; or, The Story of a Factory Boy 1 25Jack's Ward; or, The Boy Guardian 1 25Shifting for Himself; or, Gilbert Greyson's Fortunes 1 25Wait and Hope; or, Ben Bradford's Motto 1 25

PACIFIC SERIES. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 4 vols. 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $5 00The Young Adventurer; or, Tom's Trip Across the Plains 1 25The Young Miner; or, Tom Nelson in California 1 25The Young Explorer; or, Among the Sierras 1 25Ben's Nugget; or, A Boy's Search for Fortune. A Story of the PacificCoast 1 25

ATLANTIC SERIES. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 4 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box 5 00The Young Circus Rider; or, The Mystery of Robert Rudd 1 25Do and Dare; or, A Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune 1 25Hector's Inheritance; or, Boys of Smith Institute 1 25Helping Himself; or, Grant Thornton's Ambition l 25

WAY TO SUCCESS SERIES. By Horatio Alger, Jr 4 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $5 00Bob Burton 1 25The Store Boy 1 25Luke Walton 1 25Struggling Upward 1 25

NEW BOOK BY ALGER. DIGGING FOR GOLD. By Horatio Alger, Jr. Illustrated 12mo. Cloth, black, red and gold 1 25

A

New Series of Books. 

Indian Life

and

Character

Founded on

Historical

Facts. 

[Illustration: Specimen Cover of the Wyoming Series. ]

 By Edward S. Ellis. 

** Any volume sold separately. 

BOY PIONEER SERIES. By Edward S. Ellis. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fullyillustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Ned in the Block House; or, Life on the Frontier 1 25Ned in the Woods. A Tale of the Early Days in the West 1 25Ned on the River 1 25

DEERFOOT SERIES. By Edward S. Ellis. In box containing the following. 3vols. , 12mo. Illustrated $3 75Hunters of the Ozark 1 25Camp in the Mountains 1 25The Last War Trail 1 25

LOG CABIN SERIES. By Edward S. Ellis. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Lost Trail 1 25Camp-Fire and Wigwam 1 25Footprints in the Forest 1 25

WYOMING SERIES. By Edward S. Ellis. 3 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $3 75Wyoming 1 25Storm Mountain 1 25Cabin in the Clearing 1 25

NEW BOOKS BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. 

Through Forest and Fire. 12mo. Cloth 1 25On the Trail of the Moose. 12mo. Cloth 1 25

 By C. A. Stephens. 

Rare books for boys bright, breezy, wholesome and instructive; full ofadventure and incident, and information upon natural history. They blendinstruction with amusement contain much useful and valuable informationupon the habits of animals, and plenty of adventure, fun and jollity. 

CAMPING OUT SERIES. By C. A. Stephens. 6 vols. , 12mo. Fully illustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $7 50Camping Out. As recorded by "Kit" 1 25Left on Labrador; or The Cruise of the Schooner Yacht "Curfew. " Asrecorded by "Wash" 1 25Off to the Geysers; or, The Young Yachters in Iceland. As recorded by"Wade" 1 25Lynx Hunting. From Notes by the author of "Camping Out" 1 25Fox Hunting. As recorded by "Raed" 1 25On the Amazon; or, The Cruise of the "Rambler. " As recorded by"Wash" 1 25

 By J. T. Trowbridge. 

These stories will rank among the best of Mr. Trowbridge's books for theyoung--and he has written some of the best of our juvenile literature. 

JACK HAZARD SERIES. By J. T. Trowbridge. 6 vols. , 12mo. FullyIllustrated. Cloth, extra, printed in colors. In box $7 50Jack Hazard and His Fortunes 1 25A Chance for Himself; or, Jack Hazard and his Treasure 1 25Doing His Best 1 25Fast Friends 1 25The Young Surveyor; or, Jack on the Prairies 1 25Lawrence's Adventures Among the Ice Cutters, Glass Makers, Coal Miners, Iron Men and Ship Builders 1 25

--GOOD BOOKS--Suitable for Girls between the Ages of 12 and 15. 

Ways and Means. A Story for girls. By Margaret Vandegrift. With fourillustrations. 12mo. Cloth, extra 1 25

The Queen's Body-Guard. A Story for Girls. By Margaret Vandegrift. Withfour illustrations. 12mo. Cloth, extra 1 25

Rose Raymond's Wards. A Story for Girls. By Margaret Vandegrift. Illustrated with four engravings on wood. 12mo. Cloth, extra 1 25

Doris and Theodora. A Story for Girls. By Margaret Vandegrift. Illustrated with four engravings on wood. 12mo. Cloth, extra 1 25

Dr. Gilbert's Daughters. A Story for Girls. By Margaret Harriet Mathews. Illustrated with four engravings on wood. 12mo. Cloth, extra 1 25

Esther's Fortune. A Romance for Girls. By Lucy C. Lillie. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, extra, brown and gold 1 25

Helen Glenn; or, My Mother's Enemy. A Story for Girls. By Lucy C. Lillie. Illustrated with eight illustrations. 12mo. Cloth, extra 1 25

The Squire's Daughter. By Lucy C. Lillie. 12mo. Illustrated. Cloth, extra 1 25

For Honor's Sake. By Lucy C. Lillie. 12mo. Illustrated. Cloth, extra 1 25

Marion Berkley. A Story for Girls. By Lizzie B. Comins (Laura Caxton). 12mo. Illustrated. Cloth, extra, brown and gold 1 25

Hartwell Farm. A Story for Girls. By Lizzie B. Comins (Laura Caxton). 12mo. Illustrated. Cloth, extra, brown and gold 1 25

THE HANDSOMEST AND CHEAPEST GIFT BOOKS

The "Bells" Series. 

The "BELLS" Series has been undertaken by the publishers with a view toissue original illustrated poems of a high character, at a price withinthe reach of all classes. 

Small 4to . . . . . . . . . . $1 50

Ivory surface . . . . . . . . 1 50

Embossed calf, gilt edges . . 1 50

GEMS FROM TENNYSON. By ALFRED TENNYSON. Elegantly illustrated by Hammatt Billings. 

BEAUTIES OF TENNYSON. By ALFRED TENNYSON. Elegantly illustrated with twenty engravings, fromoriginal drawings by Frederic B. Schell. Beautifully printed on thefinest plate paper. 

FROM GREENLAND'S ICY MOUNTAINS. By BISHOP HEBER. Elegantly illustrated with twenty-two engravings, fromoriginal drawings by Frederic B. Schell. Beautifully printed on thefinest plate paper. 

LADY CLARE. By ALFRED TENNYSON. Elegantly illustrated with twenty-two engravings, from original drawings by Alfred Fredericks, F. S. Church, Harry Fenn, F. B. Schell, E. P. Garret and Granville Perkins. Beautifully printed onthe finest plate paper. 

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. By CLEMENT C. MOORE. Never before has this popular poem--a favorite withboth the old and the young--been presented in such a beautiful dress. Itis elegantly illustrated with twenty-two engravings, from originaldrawings by F. B. Schell, W. T. Smedley, A. Fredericks and H. R. Poore. 

BINGEN ON THE RHINE. By CAROLINE E. NORTON. Elegantly illustrated with twenty-two engravings, from original drawings by W. T. Smedley, F. B. Schell, A. Fredericks, Granville Perkins and E. P. Garrett. 

THE BELLS. By EDGAR ALLAN POE. Elegantly illustrated with twenty-two engravings, from original drawings by F. O. C. Darley, A. Fredericks, GranvillePerkins and others. 

THE DESERTED VILLAGE. By OLIVER GOLDSMITH. Elegantly illustrated with thirty-five engravings, from drawings by Hammatt Billings. 

THE COTTER'S SATURDAY NIGHT. By ROBERT BURNS. Elegantly illustrated with fifty engravings, from drawingsby Chapman.