ely reprimanded by the drill-officer for his
heedlessness that morning. He did everything awkwardly, if not
altogether wrong. His mind was on the child and the errand on which he
had sent her, and he kept wondering within himself whether she would do
it correctly (children are so apt to do errands amiss!), and whether
Mrs. Stackridge would be wise enough, or humble enough, to go quietly
and give Mrs. P. a call.

After company drill the brothers were summoned, and Lysander gave them
secret orders. They were to visit Stackridge's house, seize Mrs.
Stackridge and compel her, by blows if necessary, to tell where her
husband was concealed.

"You understand?" said the captain.

"Ve unterstan," said they, dryly.

Scarcely had the brothers departed, when a prisoner was brought in. It
was Toby, who had been caught endeavoring to make his way up into the
mountains.

"Now we've got the nigger, mabby we'd better send and call the Dutchmen
back," said Silas Ropes.

"No, no!" said Lysander, through his teeth. "'Twon't do any harm to give
the jade a good dressing down. I wish every man, woman, and child, that
shrieks for the old rotten Union, could be served in the same way."

Having set his heart on this little indulgence, Sprowl could not easily
be persuaded to give it up. It was absolutely necessary to his peace of
mind that somebody should be flogged. The interesting affair with Toby,
which had been so abruptly broken off,--left, like a novelette in the
newspapers, to be continued,--must be concluded in some shape: it
mattered little upon whose flesh the final chapters were struck off.

In the mean time the recaptured negro was taken to the guard-house.
There he found a sympathizing companion. It was Carl. To him he told his
story, and showed his wounds, the sight of which filled the heart of the
lad with rage, and pity, and grief.

"Vot sort of Tutchmen vos they?" Toby described them. Carl's eyes
kindled. "I shouldn't be wery much susprised," said he, "if they vos--no
matter!"

Lieutenant Ropes arrived, bringing into the guard-house a formidable
cat-o'-nine-tails.

"String that nigger up," said Silas.

Ropes was not the man to await patiently the issue of the
woman-whipping, while here was a chance for a little private sport. He
remembered how Toby had got away from him once--that he too owed him a
flogging. Debts of this kind, if no others, Silas delighted to pay; and
accordingly the negro was strung up. It was w