"Rodney Gray!"

This time there was no mistaking the answer. The sergeant moved from his
place on the left of the line, rode to the center of the company, came
to a front and saluted. The general opened his lips to tell him that he
needn't come to the front and center in order to answer to his name, but
the Barrington boy was too quick for him.

"General," said he, while all the Rangers strained their ears to catch
his words. "I am ready at any time to be sworn into the service of my
State, but I do not wish to join the Confederate army. I am a Partisan
Ranger."

"A--a--_what?_" vociferated the general, now thoroughly aroused. He was
a Mexican veteran, a thorough soldier as well as a martinet, and he had
never learned to recognize any organizations outside of the regular
service.

"A Partisan Ranger," repeated Rodney, who was neither embarrassed nor
angered by the covert sneer contained in the general's words.

"A Ranger!" exclaimed the general, raising his hands in the air and
turning his eyes toward the clouds. "Shade of the great and good
Washington! what are we coming to? A partisan! And are you all
partisans?"

"Yes sir, we are; and until very recently we have been encouraged to
believe that we could preserve our independent organization."

"You were, eh? Then you had better organize yourselves into Home Guards
at once and I will go back to New Orleans. Partisan Rangers!" said the
general, who seemed unable to get the obnoxious words out of his mind.
"There's your roll-book. Drive on, coachman."

The general flung the book on the ground at the feet of Rodney's horse,
threw himself back in his seat and the carriage moved rapidly away. The
Rangers sat motionless in their saddles until it passed through the gate
and disappeared behind the trees in the grove, and then they turned and
looked at one another.

"We know where we stand now at all events," said Captain Hubbard, riding
up in front of the line, and throwing his right leg over the horn of his
saddle in a position most unbecoming a commanding officer. "My
commission will be taken from me, and you fellows will be reduced to
plain, every-day citizens once more. We might as well quit this nonsense
now, and I say, let's pack up and go home."

"I'll go, but I'll not promise to stay there," said Rodney.

"Where will you go?"

"Up to Missouri. I have set my heart on being a partisan, and if my own
State won't take me, I have a perfect right to offer my v