think that he
sympathizes with our oppressors! I can't realize it. I must have a
serious talk with him, for unless he comes over to our side, he will be
liable to arrest if he stays here much longer."

"It's a wonder to me that he hasn't seen trouble of some sort before
this 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 thing
he knows somebody will pop him over."

"I shouldn't like to be the one to try it," Dick Graham remarked. "Marcy
will 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 those
who sympathize with the North to leave the limits of the Confederacy
within 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 the
fact," was the reply; "but she will join it before many days have
passed, 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 looked
surprised, he hastened to add: "I say it is good news, for when Marcy
hears of it he will understand that he must quit his nonsense and come
out boldly for one side or the other. If he is with us, all he has to do
is 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. "Tell
him 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 flag
and run the banner of the Confederacy up in its place, and then you may
come as often as you please."

"Well, shall I tell Marcy to keep his distance until he has made up his
mind 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 him
over, we shall know how to punish him."

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