I'll fight you," he said.

"Oh, come, don't talk like that," said Hosmer, quietly. "Will is right,
Skinny; we oughtn't to touch the powder. It belongs to Uncle Sam."

"He would not miss a handful," said Skinny, shame-facedly. Then he
added, "I guess you _are_ right, though, come to think. Let's go back to
the village; it's most four o'clock."

The boys walked down the grade. A mile away was a wooden box-bridge with
a carriageway on one side and the single track on the other. It spanned
a deep and swiftly running stream that opened into the Ohio River a few
leagues below. It was here the accident had taken place.

As they came into the village street they saw that a crowd had collected
around the post-office.

"News from the front!" shouted Tevis, in the familiar words they had so
often heard; and the trio started forward on a run.

On the outside of the post-office shutters was a big placard drawn
hastily up in red ink:

THE REBELS ARE IN OHIO!

GENERAL MORGAN CROSSES THE RIVER!

GREAT ALARM! TWO BATTLES FOUGHT!

These words stared them in the face. The news had come by telegram from
Turkeyville; but soon after the line had ceased to work, and no
particulars could be obtained. It was late that night when the boys went
to bed. The morrow was to be an eventful one for Middleton, and there
was a feeling of uneasiness in the air.

The next day was the 3d of July.

Will Tevis was awakened by a tremendous clangor of bells.

"Fire!" shouted Will, making one dive from the bed to the window.

He opened the shutters with a crash; but not a sign of smoke was there
to be seen. What could it mean?

"Sounds like the Fourth," he said, leaning over the sill and craning his
neck to right and left.

The Tevis house was far up the slope, on which the village stood, and
Will could look down one of the long streets. He saw people running from
the houses and heading for the Court-house square.

He hurried on his clothes, jumped down the back stairs, and rushed to
the street, joining his grandfather on the way. At the gate as they
turned into the dusty road they met Ambrose Skinner.

"Heard the news?" he yelled, as he approached.

"What is it? Has any one surrendered?" asked old Mr. Tevis,
breathlessly.

"No!" shouted Skinny, at the top of his lungs, although he was quite
near. "The Rebels are coming! I'm off to summon Judge Black. They're
going to hold a meeting at the Court-house." On he ran.

Grandfather Tevis su