If you hear anybody saying
things behind my back that they don't want to say to my face, tell them
to ride up to our house and look at the Confederate flag in our
sitting-room, and then go somewhere and get shot before they take it
upon themselves to talk about one who has risked his life while they
were stopping safe at home."

"I'll do it," said Allison, and Marcy was almost ready to believe that
he meant what he said. "But are you really flying the Confederate
colors? Every one says that your mother----"

"Yes, I know they do," said Marcy, when Allison paused and looked
frightened. "They think she is for the Union, and have set some mean
sneaks at work to get evidence against her; but you ride out to-morrow
or the next day and take a look at that flag. How do you do?" he added,
turning about to shake hands with Colonel Shelby and Mr. Dillon, who
came up at that moment and greeted him with the greatest cordiality.

"We were very sorry to hear of your misfortune," said the latter, "but
you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have suffered in a
righteous cause. Did Captain Beardsley send any word to either of us?"

"No, sir; but he sent a letter to each of you," answered the boy,
thrusting his hand into his pocket. "And there they are. This other one
is for the postmaster, and perhaps I had better go in and give it to
him."

The Colonel and his friend were so very anxious to learn what Captain
Beardsley had to say to them that they did not ask the wounded
blockade-runner any questions, but drew off on one side to read their
letters; and this action on their part went far toward confirming
Marcy's suspicions that these two men were the ones Beardsley had left
ashore "to do his dirty work" while he was at sea. He was as certain as
he could be, without positive proof, that those letters told of the
unsuccessful attempts the captain had made at different times to find
out whether or not there was any money hidden in Mrs. Gray's house. That
money had been a constant source of trouble to the boy, but now he felt
like yelling every time he thought of it. If their "secret enemies" took
the course that sailor Jack was afraid they might take--if they told the
Confederate authorities that Mrs. Gray, after repudiating her debts to
Northern merchants (debts that she never owed), had concealed the money
instead of turning it into the Confederate treasury as the law provided,
then there would be trouble indeed.

When Marc