or you." He glanced at Drew's set
face. "But, Sergeant, the news wasn't all bad--"

"No, suh. Only Anse never would have parted with those while he was
alive and could prevent it--never in this world!"

"Where was your friend when he was reported missin'?"

"We were on scout in Tennessee, and both of us were wounded. I was found
by our men, but he wasn't. There was just a chance he might have been
taken prisoner."

"Men'll be comin' back from their prisons now. What's his name and
company, Sergeant? I'll ask around."

"Anson Kirby. He was with Gano's Texans under Morgan, and then he
transferred with me into General Buford's Scouts. He's about nineteen or
twenty, has reddish hair and a scar here--" With a forefinger Drew
traced a line from the left corner of his mouth to his left temple. "He
was shot in the left shoulder pretty bad when we were separated."

The captain nodded. "I'll keep a lookout. A lot of Texans pass through
here on their way home."

"Thank you, suh. Should you have any news, I'd be obliged to hear it. My
name's Drew Rennie, suh, and you can address a message care of the
Barrett's, Oak Hill. That's in Fayette County, Kentucky."

But the chance of ever receiving any such news was, Drew thought, very
improbable. That afternoon when he tried to find Boyd, he, too, was
missing and none of the headquarters company knew where the boy had
gone.

"Ain't pulled out though," Webb assured. "Said as how you two were
plannin' to head north with the Kaintuck boys right after the old man
says good-bye. Guess I'll trail 'long with you for a spell. You gotta
cross Tennessee to git to Kaintuck."

"Goin' home, Will?"

"Guess so. Heard tell as how they burned out m' old man. Dunno, that
theah's sure hard-scrabble ground; we never did make us a good crop on
it. Maybe so, we'll try somewheah's else now. Sorta got me an itchin'
foot. Maybe won't tie down anywheah for a spell."

"What about you, Injun?" Drew turned to Croff.

"Goin' back to the Nations. Guess they had it hard there too, General
Watie and the Union 'Pins' raidin' back and forth. They'll need schools
though, and someone to teach 'em--"

"You a teacher, Injun?" Webb was plainly startled.

"Startin' to be one, before the bands started playin' Dixie so loud,"
Croff said, smiling. "Maybe I've forgotten too much, though. I have to
see if I can fit me in behind a desk again."

"Heah's th' kid--"

Drew looked up at Webb's hail. Boyd walked toward