they did
not notice it. At all events they said nothing about it.

"What was the row about this time?" inquired Dick, as Rodney came to the
head of the stairs where he was standing.

"Politics; nothing but politics," replied Rodney. "But we didn't have
time to find out which side was in the right, for the kurn came down and
put a stop to the fun. Did you get it?" he asked in a lower tone, first
making sure that no one except those who were "in the plot" were near
enough to overhear his words. "Bully for you. Now we will see what Marcy
and the rest of the traitors will say when they find another and
handsomer flag floating at the masthead in the morning. Where is it?"

Dick tapped the breast of his coat.

"All right, hand it over. There's nobody around except those we can
trust."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"I mean to put it where no one will ever see it again, and that is in
the kitchen stove," answered Rodney.

"That's what I was afraid of. Well, I don't want it to go in the kitchen
stove, and therefore I must decline to give it to you."

"Why, what in the name of sense do you want to keep it for?"

"To show as a proof of my loyalty and devotion to the Confederate States
of America," replied Dick gravely. "I need some sort of an heirloom to
hand down to my grandchildren, don't I?"

Of course Rodney was angry, and he had half a mind to "mix up" with Dick
then and there and take the flag away from him. But the latter was a
strong, active fellow, and plucky as well, and Rodney wasn't quite sure
that it would be safe to attempt it. While he was thinking about it Bob
Cole spoke up.

"Let me have the flag," said he, "and I will promise you, on the honor
of a soldier, that you shall have it again as soon as it has served my
purpose."

"What do you want to do with it?"

"Well, if you must know, I want it to set me right with my best girl.
She as good as told me this afternoon that I need not call at her house
again until I could tell her that the flag had been hauled down. I want
to show it to her to prove that it has been done."

"But it hasn't," objected Dick. "It has been hooked out of the
commandant's room, and that's not hauling it down by force. You can tell
her that she will never see it hoisted again, and that assurance will
have to satisfy her. If she should get her hands on it you would never
see it again, and neither would I. When it can float over an undivided
country, as it has in the