"Whose orders?" demanded Levi. "Who dares give orders that over-ride
mine? You go at once and have an engine--the best one you have--hitched
on. Couple on my car, and be ready to start in 15 minutes. Fifteen
minutes I give you," continued he, looking at his watch. "Tell the
Train Dispatcher to clear everything into switches until we get to
Murfreesboro, and have the operator at Murfreesboro lay by everything
till we get to Nashville."

The Yard-Boss rushed off to execute the order.

"Great Jehosephat, what's come over Levi?" muttered Shorty. "Has he
become the High-muk-a-muk of the whole army? Have they put him in Gen.
Rosecrans's place?"

"Will I dare to speak to such a high-flyer?" said the Deacon,
doubtfully.

Levi's eyes, flashed from one point to another, rested on the Deacon for
a moment, and the latter wreathed his face with a grin of recognition.
Then Levi's stern countenance relaxed with a still broader grin.

"Hello, 'Squire," he shouted joyously. "Is that you? Where are the
boys?" And he rushed forward with outstretched hand.

"I've got 'em in here, badly hurt," answered the Deacon, jumping to the
ground and grasping the outstretched hand in his own horny palm. "I'm
very glad to see you, Mr. Rosenbaum."

"Glad ain't no name for it," said Levi. "Did you say you'd got the boys
in there? Here, you men, bring me two or three of those cracker-boxes."

By the aid of the cracker-boxes Levi climbed into the car, and shook the
boys' hands, and cried and talked mingled gladness and sympathy in his
broken English.

"What place have you got, and what are you doin' down here, Mr.
Rosenbaum," the Deacon asked in the first lull.

"O, I'm Special Agent of the Treasury in charge of the cotton business.
You see, these rascals have been stealing the Treasury blind, in cotton,
and they had to have an honest man down here, who was up to all their
tricks, and wouldn't stand no nonsense. They sent me, and gave me orders
which make me boss of the whole outfit. None of them outrank me about
these trains."

"So I see," said the Deacon. "Wisht I'd had a handful of your authority
yesterday."

"Here, we're wasting time," said Levi suddenly. "You're tryin' to get
these boys back home. I'll see that they get as far as the Ohio River
as fast as the train'll go. Here, six or eight of you men pick up these
boys and carry them over to my car there. Handle them as if they were
eggs, for they're my friends."

There was no la