h enough to stand up for the old flag. But
he thought it would be wise to make sure of that point before he went
any further.

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

Caleb might have had some doubts on that point if he could have seen the
flashing eyes and clenched fists there were on the other side of the
fence. But Dixon spoke so calmly, in spite of the towering rage he was
in, that the man's suspicions were not aroused.

"You calculated to whip Rodney and drive him out of the country; but
when you learned that he was a good rebel, you thought you wouldn't do
it," said Dixon. "Is that the way of it? Then what are you holding him
for? Why don't you let him come home?"

"All the company was in for lettin' both of 'em go, 'ceptin' Bud. He
wouldn't hear to it."

"What sort of a company have you?"

"One we-uns got up yesterday and last night while them houses was
burnin'. 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 in
another feller, an' mebbe that makes him madder t'wards the boys than he
would be if he was capting."

"Very likely; and it is a good idea to pound them for it. What was the
reason he wouldn't listen when you proposed to let Rodney go?"

"Kase Rodney an' that Graham boy was the fellers that offered to give
him a hunderd dollars if he would show them where that underground
railroad was that used to tote the niggers off to Canady," replied
Caleb. "Bud says they needn't think they're ever goin' to come back to
the 'cademy less'n he gets them hunderd dollars. He looked for the
railroad in good faith, an' allows that he'd oughter be paid for his
time an' trouble."

"And this is the way he takes to get his pay, is it? Well, he must have
it, and if I have any influence with the boys he will get more than he
asks 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 have
nothing 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 it
will