Jack. "They'll let you come back. They are not
obliged to force men into the service against their will. They've got
more than they want."

"But there's another thing," continued Marcy. "There are two forts at
the Inlet; and suppose some of the rebels in those forts should see a
little schooner communicating with one of the blockading fleet. Wouldn't
they take pains to find out where the schooner belonged, and who her
owner was? And then what would they do to me?"

"They would put you in jail, of course," replied Jack, with refreshing
candor. "But I take it for granted that you are sharp enough to go and
come without being seen by anybody. If you magnify the dangers of the
undertaking by holding back or raising objections to the programme I
have laid out, I am afraid you will frighten mother into saying that I
can't go."

"I'll neither hold back nor object," said Marcy resolutely. "When you
are ready to go say the word, and I will do the best I can for you."

"I knew you would. Now let's lie down for a while. I have tramped it all
the way from Boydtown since daylight, and am pretty well tuckered out."

"If you had telegraphed to Nashville, I would have met you with a
carriage," said Marcy.

"Of course. But I thought I would rather have a talk with you and mother
before I let any one know I was in the country. And now that I have got
here and had the talk--what would you do if you were in my place? Keep
out of sight?"

"No, I wouldn't. What good would it do as long as the servants know you
are here? Make it a point to say 'hallo' to all the neighbors, talk
politics with them, and tell them how you ran that schooner into Newbern
through Oregon Inlet. By the way, what was done with the cargo that was
intended for that house in Havana?"

"It wasn't intended for Havana. It was sold in Newbern, as the owners
meant it should be, and when I left, the _West Wind_ was loading up with
cotton for Nassau. Well, suppose I play that I am as good a Confederate
as any of the people hereabouts; what then? When I leave for the
blockading fleet they will want to know where I have gone, won't they?
And what will you say to them? We must think about that and cook up some
sort of a story on purpose for them."

The boys tumbled into bed while they were talking, but it was a long
time before Marcy could go to sleep. He shuddered every time he thought
of what the consequences would be if by any misfortune it became known
in the settl