CHAPTER XIII.
WITH PRICE'S MEN.
In obedience to the order of his superior the lieutenant stepped uponthe porch and beckoned to some of his men, who at once came in and beganthe work of disarming the citizens. Although the latter gave up theirweapons without a show of resistance, they scowled when they did it in away that impelled Tom to whisper to his friend:
"Their looks prove how desperate and savage they are, and we are luckyin getting out of their hands; but I don't know but I have jumped out ofthe frying-pan into the fire. Bear in mind that from this minute I go bymy middle name--Barton. As you value my safety, don't say Percival once.I am not sure that these Confederates ever heard the name, but I mustn'trun the slightest risk."
"Of course not," replied Rodney. "But how in the world do you supposethey found out that we were here?"
"It will be your place to ask them about that. You must do the talkingnow. Do you want our guns, lieutenant?"
The latter stood by his men while they were disarming the citizens, andin moving about the room came within reach of the two boys, who producedtheir revolvers and held them so that he could see them; but when hesmiled and waved his hand as if to say "I don't want them," they put theweapons back in their places.
If it hadn't been for two things, Rodney Gray would have been as happyas a boy ever gets to be. He was among friends, the very ones, too, hewanted to find, and from that time on he could appear in his truecharacter; but he trembled for his friend and for the safety of Mr.Truman's property. The latter, remembering the lights he had seen on theclouds the night before, and knowing how deadly was the enmity thatexisted between Union men and Confederates in his State, could hope fornothing but the worst, and Rodney thought from the expression on hisface and his wife's, that they were endeavoring to nerve themselves fora most trying ordeal. Would he have to stand by and see their buildingsgo up in smoke? He hoped not, and when the officer commanding the squadcame up and shook hands with him and Tom, Rodney was ready to saysomething in Mr. Truman's favor.
"You have been insulted, boys," said the officer, in a tone whichimplied that now was the time for them to take any revenge they wanted."When I was surrounding the house I heard one of these Yankeesympathizers using rather strong language, and denouncing you asSecessionists trying to impose upon Union men."
"I don't hold that against him, for to tell you the truth, that's justthe way the thing stands," answered Rodney. "I have been playing Unionman ever since I left Mr. Westall and his squad of Emergency men nearCedar Bluff landing. I had to, for somehow I didn't fall in with any butpeople of that stamp."
"That was all right," answered the officer. "You couldn't have gotthrough any other way."
"So you see that Merrick's darkey told you nothing more than the plaintruth," he added, addressing the citizen who had shaken a fist under hisnose.
"I was sure of it, and I am not sorry for what I did or said," repliedthe Union man, boldly. "I am sorry that the thing happened in Truman'shouse, and I wish to assure you that he is in no way to blame for ourbeing here. You've got the power on your side now, and I suppose youwill use it; but whatever you do to us, I hope you will not harmTruman."
"I say that a man who can talk like that when he is in danger himself,has pluck," Rodney remarked, turning his back to the citizen andspeaking so that no one but the officer and Tom could catch his words.
"Oh, they've all got pluck," replied the officer. "And they hangtogether like a lot of brothers."
"And I say further, that brave men ought not to be harmed when they areperfectly helpless, as these men are now," continued Rodney. "Youhaven't anything against them, have you, colonel?"
"Captain," corrected the latter, pointing to the insignia on his collar."You'll soon learn how to tell one rank from another. N-o; I don't knowthat I have anything against them, except their principles; but some oftheir neighbors I saw to-night while I was coming here, declare thatthey are villains of the very worst sort."
"What else could you expect in a community like this where every man hasturned against his best friend?" exclaimed Tom. "You are a Missourianand understand the situation as well as I do."
"I have been urged to burn their houses; and as I was sent out to harassthe enemy as well as to pick up recruits, I don't know but I had betterdo it," replied the captain; and the boys saw plainly enough that havingmade up his mind to carry out his orders, he did not want to permithimself to be turned from his purpose.
"But Rodney and I have been well enough drilled in military law to knowthat an officer on detached service is allowed considerable latitude,"chimed in Tom. "If you see any reason why you should not obey orders tothe very letter, you are not expected to do it."
"And in this case I hope you won't do it," pleaded Rodney. "If thosecowardly neighbors, who tried to set out against these Union men, wanttheir property destroyed, let them do the dirty work themselves. I don'tbelieve in making war on people who don't think as I do."
"I don't reckon there are any half-wild Unionists in your settlement,"said the captain, with a smile.
"I know it. I am from Louisiana where Union men have to keep theirtongues to themselves," replied Rodney; and then seeing that the captainlooked surprised he hastened to add: "I came to Missouri to enlist underPrice because I couldn't join a partisan company where I lived; and Iwas encouraged to come by a telegram I received from Dick Graham'sfather. Dick is one of Price's men and perhaps you know him."
"Do you?" inquired the lieutenant, who stood by listening.
"I ought to, and so had Tom, for we went to school with him, andbelonged to his class and company."
"Where was that?"
"At the Barrington Military Academy. I am Rodney Gray and my friend isTom Barton."
Rodney said all this at a venture and was overjoyed to hear thelieutenant say, as he thrust out his hand:
"Shake. I ought to know Rodney Gray, for I have often heard the sergeantspeak of him as the hottest rebel in school; but I don't remember that Iever heard him mention Barton's name."
"He wasn't as intimate with Tom as he was with me," Rodney explained."There was a difference in their politics."
"That accounts for it. Graham was neutral until his State moved, andBarton here was an ardent Secessionist from the start. That's just theway my captain and I stand now. I began shouting for Southern rights assoon as Carolina went out, and he didn't."
"No, Dick held back," said Tom, "but Rodney did not. He was the firstacademy boy to hoist the Stars and Bars. But now, captain, say that youwill not harm these folks. They haven't done anything, and as for thestrong language they used toward us a while ago--we don't mind that."
"Who's your authority for saying that they haven't done anything?"demanded the captain. "You seem to think that they are the mostinnocent, inoffensive people in the world; but I know that is notcharacteristic of Unionists in this part of the country. How do you knowbut that they have ambushed scores of Confederates?"
"We don't know it; and seeing that you don't know it either, why notgive them the benefit of the doubt and let their neighbors see that theyget their deserts? Why not be satisfied with what you have already done?You burned two houses last night."
"I am aware of it. The men to whom they belonged are noted bushwhackers,and I went miles out of my way to teach them that they had better letour people alone--that burning and shooting are games that two can playat. But I have no heart for more work of that sort, and so I'll nottrouble these men since you seem to be so tender-hearted toward them."
"Thank you, sir; thank you," replied Rodney, heartily. "Now will youpass us out, and send some men to the stable with us to get ourhorses?"
"I'll go with you myself," said the lieutenant; but as he was about tolead the way out of the house he stopped to hear what his captain had tosay to Mr. and Mrs. Truman.
"We shall not touch your property, and you may thank these two'traitors' for it," said the officer; and when
he said "traitor," hewaved his hand toward Rodney and Tom and paused to note the effect ofhis words.
The men, after the first shock of surprise had passed, seemed ready todrop, Mr. Truman leaned heavily against the nearest wall, and his wife,who had borne up as bravely as the best of them, behaved as womenusually do under such circumstances. She buried her face in herhandkerchief and sobbed violently.
"I hope you gentlemen will remember my forbearance and be equallylenient toward any Confederate who may chance to fall into your power,"continued the captain, whose calm, steady voice had grown husky all on asudden. "We are not a bad lot, but we are going to govern this State aswe please, and you will save yourselves trouble if you will stopfighting against us. You'll have to do it sooner or later. Of course Ishall be obliged to deprive you of your guns, for you might be temptedto shoot them at some loyal Jackson man when we are not here to protecthim. I have saved these young gentlemen from your clutches, and as thatwas what I came for, I will bid you good-evening."
Rodney Gray did not hear much of this polite address for a new fear hadtaken possession of him, and he took the opportunity to say to hisfriend Tom:
"You go with the lieutenant after the horses, and I will stay with thecaptain to say a word in your defense in case any of these Union peoplehappen to speak your name, or let out anything else you would ratherkeep hidden."
Tom thought this a good suggestion. It would certainly be disagreeable,and perhaps dangerous, to have the captain tell him when he returnedwith the horses that he wasn't Tom Barton at all--that his real name wasPercival, that he was the commander of a company of Union men who hadoffered to help Lyon at St. Louis, and all that. While Tom did not thinkthe captain would believe such a story if it were told him, it mightsuggest to him some leading questions that the boys would find it hardto answer. So he left Rodney to act as a sort of rear guard, and wentoff to the stable with the lieutenant.
"Did you really know that we were in the house?" Tom asked, when he wasalone with the officer. "If you did, it can't be that Merrick's boy toldyou."
"Of course he didn't. He would have kept it from us if he could, but allthe same the information came from him in the first place. The blacks inthese parts are all Union--no one need waste his breath telling medifferent--and that scamp of a boy lost no time in spreading it amongthe Union men in the neighborhood that there were a couple of 'disguisedrebels,' as he called you and Gray, putting up at Truman's house. Thatwas the way those five fellows came to get on your trail; but, as goodluck would have it, the darkey told the story to too many. Not being aswell acquainted in this settlement as he probably is in his own, he toldit to a Jackson man, who rode to our camp and told us of it. If ithadn't been for that we should be miles away now; but of course wecouldn't think of going off and leaving some of our own people in thehands of the enemy."
"You rendered us a most important service," replied Tom; and he toldnothing but the truth when he said it. "It is necessary that I should gohome on business, but Rodney Gray wants to enlist in an independentcommand as soon as he can get the chance. Didn't you speak of DickGraham as a sergeant?"
"May be so. That's what he is."
"Does he belong to your company?"
"No; but he belongs to our regiment, and that's how I came to getacquainted with him. He's got more friends than any other fellow I knowof, and he will be glad to see an old schoolmate once more. I have heardhim tell of Rodney Gray and the scrapes he got into by speaking his mindso freely, and I am not the only one in the regiment who thinks that theBarrington Military Academy is a disgrace to the town and State in whichit is located. The citizens ought to have turned out some night and tornit up root and branch."
"They would have had a good time trying it," said Tom. "The boys punchedone another's head on the parade ground now and then, but it wasn't safefor an outsider to interfere with our private affairs."
"Why, the Confederates wouldn't fight for the Union boys, would they?"exclaimed the lieutenant. "That's a little the strangest thing I everheard of. We don't do business that way in Missouri, and I could seethat our boys didn't like it when you and Gray stuck up for those Yankeesympathizers back there in the house."
Perhaps they wouldn't have liked it either, if they had known how Tomand Rodney had "stuck up" for each other ever since they met at CedarBluff landing. But that was a piece of news that Tom did not touch upon.He intended to reserve it for Dick Graham's private ear.
"And in the meantime I mustn't neglect to ascertain just when and wherethe lieutenant expects to rejoin his regiment, so that I can take thefirst chance that offers to get away and strike out for home," thoughtTom. "Dick wouldn't expect to see me in Rodney Gray's company, and mightbetray me before he knew what he was doing."
Having saddled and bridled the horses Tom and the lieutenant returned tothe house, the former somewhat anxious to know if anything had been saidduring his absence that could be brought up against him. But a glanceand a reassuring smile from Rodney were enough to show him that he hadnothing to fear on that score. The guards stood at the windows watchingthe party inside, the horses had been brought into the yard in readinessfor the squad to mount, and Rodney and the captain were sitting on thefront steps. The prisoners, if such they could be called, were toosullen to exchange a word with the Confederates, and the captain thoughtit beneath his dignity to talk to Union men; and Rodney was glad to haveit so.
"Bring in the guards and get a-going," was the order the captain gavewhen his lieutenant came up; and this made it evident to thewell-drilled Barrington boys that Captain Hubbard's company of Rangerswere not the only Confederates who had a good deal to learn before theycould call themselves soldiers. But his men understood the order, and itwas the work of but a few minutes for them to get into their saddles andset off down the road, and they did it without paying any more attentionto the men in the house. Rodney rode beside the captain at the head ofthe column, Tom and the lieutenant coming next in line. The formerthought it was a good evening's work all around, and that Merrick'sred-eyed darkey could not have done him a greater service if he had beena friend to him instead of an enemy. He had had a narrow escape frombeing taken into the presence of men he hoped he might never see again,but he was all right now. So was Tom, for if he wasn't already beyondthe danger of betrayal, he certainly would be by the time daylightcame.
"No; we shall not march all night," said the captain, in response to aninquiry from Rodney. "We have been in the saddle pretty steadily for thelast week, and both men and horses are in need of rest. But I shall takegood care to get out of this settlement before going into camp. I don'twant to be ambushed."
"I don't think those men back there would do such a thing," repliedRodney. "They seemed very grateful to you for letting them off soeasily."
"Ha!" exclaimed the captain. "They would do it in a minute if theythought they could escape the consequences. You don't know how bittereverybody is against everybody else who doesn't train with his crowd,and you'll have to live among us a while before you can understand it."
"When shall I have the pleasure of shaking Dick Graham by the hand?"inquired Rodney. "Does he stand up for State Rights as strongly as heused?"
"Yes; and I am with him. You see, when the election was held in '60, ourpeople, by a vote of one hundred and thirty-five thousand to thirtythousand, decided against the extreme rule-or-ruin party of the South,and declared that Missouri ought to stay in the Union; but at the sametime they didn't deny that she had a perfect right to go out if shewanted to. If she decided to go with South Carolina and the other cottonStates, the government at Washington had no business to send soldiershere to stop her; neither had those troops from Illinois any business tocome across the Mississippi and steal our guns out of the St. Louisarsenal. That was an act of invasion, and we had a right to get madabout it. We decided to remain neutral, and our General Price made anagreement with the Federal General Harney to that effect; but that didnot suit the abolitionists who want war and nothing else. They tookHarney's
command away from him and gave it to Lyon, who at onceproceeded to do everything he could to drive us to desperation. He droveus out of Jefferson City and Booneville, and now he has sent thatDutchman Siegel to Springfield to see what damage he can do there."
"But what was the reason Siegel was sent to Springfield?" inquired Tom,who, riding close behind the captain, heard every word he said. "Wasn'tit to repel the _invasion_ of McCulloch, who was coming from Arkansaswith eight hundred bandits he called Texan Rangers? Has he any right toride rough-shod through our State, when some of our own citizens are notpermitted to stick their heads out of doors?"
"Hallo!" exclaimed the captain, turning about in his saddle to face Tom,while Rodney began to fear that his friend's tongue would get them bothinto trouble. "You are about the same kind of a Confederate I am, only Idon't blurt out my opinions in that style, and you hadn't better do it,either. To be consistent I am obliged to say that those Texans had nobusiness to come over the Missouri line, but circumstances alter cases.We are in trouble, we can't stand against the power of the abolitiongovernment, and I shall be glad to see that man McCulloch."
"I understand that there had been no fighting to speak of, and yet yousay we have been driven out of two places," said Rodney.
"Oh, we were not ready and the Yankees were," answered the captain. "Wehad just lighting enough to give us a chance to learn how gunpowdersmells. We are waiting for McCulloch now, and when he comes, we'llassume the offensive and drive Lyon out of the State."
"That's the very thing I came here for, and I am glad to know that Ishall be in time to help," said Rodney gleefully. "But are you apartisan and is Dick Graham one, also?"
"Yes, to both your questions; but of course we are sworn into theservice of the State."
"You couldn't be ordered out of the State, could you?"
"Not by a long shot, and we wouldn't go if we were ordered out. If otherStates desire independence, let them win it without calling upon theirneighbors for help. That's what we intend to do."
"And that was another thing I wanted to know," said Rodney, with a sighof relief. "I am satisfied now, and wish my company was here with me.Some of the members seemed willing and even anxious to come, but whenthe thing was brought before them in the form of a resolution, theyvoted against it."
And then he went on to tell the captain how it happened that he came toMissouri alone, not forgetting to mention how he had fooled thetelegraph operators at Baton Rouge and Mooreville.
"Those operators told that St. Louis cotton-factor I was a Confederatebearer of dispatches," said he, in winding up his story. "But I haven'ta scrap of writing about me."
"You are a great deal safer without any," replied the officer. "Supposethose Union men at Truman's house had searched you and found a letter ofintroduction to some well-known Confederate living in these parts! Theymight have strung you up before we had time to go to your relief. Buthow did you fall in with your old schoolmate, Barton? You couldn't haveexpected to meet him at the landing?"
This was a question that Rodney Gray had been dreading, for you willremember that he had had no opportunity to hold a private consultationwith Tom and ask him what sort of a reply he should make when thisinquiry was propounded, as it was sure to be sooner or later. He turnedabout in his saddle and rode sideway so that Tom could hear every wordhe said.
"He was the last person in the world I expected to see when I left thesteamer at Cedar Bluff landing to get ahead of the Yankee cotton-factorin St. Louis," said Rodney. "Tom had been over Cape Girardeau way onbusiness, and got a trifle out of his reckoning when Mr. Westall and hisparty of Emergency men picked him up and brought him to thewood-cutters' camp. We slept there that night and came out together inthe morning."
This was a desperate story to tell, seeing that they were not yet out ofreach of men who could easily prove that there was quite as muchfalsehood as truth in it, but Rodney did not know what else to say. Herested his hopes of safety upon the supposition that the Confederatecaptain had done all his scouting on interior lines, and that he had notbeen into the river counties until he came to Truman's house to rescuehim and Tom from the power of the Union men; and there was where hisgood luck stood him in hand. More than that, Dick Graham was one of thebest known members of his regiment, and it would have taken a prettygood talker to make the captain believe that there could be anythingwrong with one of Dick's friends.
While this conversation was going on Rodney noticed that the captain wasconstantly on his guard, and that as often as they reached a place wherethe woods came down close to the road on each side, his men closed upthe ranks without waiting for orders. Every house they passed was asdark as a dungeon, and no sounds of music and dancing came from thenegro quarters. The people, white and black, had gone into their housesand barred their doors to wait until these unwelcome visitors in grayhad taken themselves out of the neighborhood.
Before the captain went into camp, which he did about midnight, TomPercival, as we shall continue to call him, had ample time to questionthe lieutenant and find out where his regiment was stationed and when heexpected to join it. The last question, however, was one that the youngofficer could not answer with any degree of accuracy.
"You see we have some men with us who are not in uniform, do you not?"said he. "Well, they are the recruits we have picked up since we havebeen out on this scout. They have been terribly persecuted by the Unionmen in their settlement, and want us to stop on our way back long enoughto burn those Union men out. If we do, it will delay us a day or two; ifwe don't, and keep lumbering right along, we shall be with the rest ofthe boys in less than forty-eight hours."
This was what Tom wanted to know; and he decided that when the squadreached the old post-rode and turned up toward the place at which theregiment was stationed, he would go south toward Springfield, and soavoid the risk of meeting Dick Graham.
"I suppose you know your own business best," said the lieutenant, whenTom announced his decision. "But I'll never go piking off through thecountry alone so long as I know what I am doing. There's too much dangerin it. When you get ready to go into the service, remember that ourregiment is one of the very best, and that we are ready to welcome allvolunteers with open arms."
The two boys slept under the same blankets that night, but the talkingthey did was intended for the benefit for those who were lying nearthem, rather than for each other. Tom sent numberless messages to DickGraham, and wanted Rodney to be sure and tell him that he (Tom) would bea member of his company before its next battle with the Yankees; all ofwhich Rodney promised to bear in mind. The squad broke their fast nextmorning on provisions which they had "foraged" from the Union men whosebuildings they had destroyed two nights before, and at eight o'clockarrived at the old post-road where the Barrington boys were to takeleave of each other, to meet again perhaps under hostile flags and withdeadly weapons in their hands. But there was one thing about it: Theymight be enemies in name, but they never would in spirit.
"There goes one of the bravest and best fellows that ever lived," saidRodney, facing about in his saddle to take a last look at his friend whorode away with a heavy heart.
"Don't be so solemn over it," said the captain. "Didn't he say he wouldcome back as soon as he could?"
Yes, that was what Tom said; but the trouble was, that when he cameagain he might come in such a way that Rodney could not shake hands withhim.