yet, and if they can only keep the
colonel 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 rather
surprised 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 heap
of it once, and I don't know but I think as much of it as I ever did. I
say, dog-gone State Rights anyhow."

This showed how much of a rebel Dick Graham was; and there were plenty
of others just like him in the South--boys and men, too, who had been
taught to believe that the founders of the Republic never meant that the
sovereignty of the States should be surrendered to the general
government, because they said so in the Declaration of Independence.
"These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and
independent _States_," wrote Thomas Jefferson, and all the Northern and
Southern delegates agreed with him. If they had intended to form one
State or one government, they would have said so in language too plain
to be misunderstood. That was Dick's way of looking at it, and he was
honest in his belief that the authorities at Washington had no right to
order him from his own State to keep another State in the Union when she
wanted to leave it. Dick went into the Southern army after a while, as
we have said, and so did many others who thought as he did; but their
hearts were not in the work, and they were glad when the war ended and
the 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 anybody
coming, make tracks for cover and leave me to take care of myself. There
is no need that more than one of us should get into trouble over this
nonsensical business."

So saying, Dick ran up the ladder, pushed aside the curtains, and,
finding the room deserted, clambered in and seized the flag, which he
found on the bureau just where the tall student told him he would find
it. He made his escape with it, the ladder was taken back to the
tool-house, and no one was the wiser for what had been done. If the
students who presently followed the colonel back from the parade-ground
had looked closely at Dick, they might have seen that his coat stuck out
a little more about the breast than it usually did, but perhaps