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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/35206-8.txt b/35206-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..70f4b81 --- /dev/null +++ b/35206-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10459 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Brother Against Brother, by Oliver Optic + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Brother Against Brother + The War on the Border + + +Author: Oliver Optic + + + +Release Date: February 7, 2011 [eBook #35206] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER*** + + +E-text prepared by David Garcia, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made +available by Kentuckiana Digital Library (http://kdl.kyvl.org/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 35206-h.htm or 35206-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35206/35206-h/35206-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35206/35206-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Kentuckiana Digital Library. See + http://kdl.kyvl.org/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=kyetexts;cc=kyetexts;view=toc;idno=b92-168-30116834 + + + + + +BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + +Or, The War on the Border + +_The Blue and the Gray Army Series_ + +by + +OLIVER OPTIC + +Author of "The Army and Navy Series" "Young America Abroad, First and +Second Series" "Boat-Club Stories" "The Great Western Series" "The +Onward and Upward Series" "The Woodville Stories" "The Starry Flag +Series" "The Yacht-Club Series" "The Lake Shore Series" "The Riverdale +Stories" "The All-Over-the-World Library" "The Blue and the Gray Navy +Series" "The Boat-Builder Series" etc. + + + + + + + +Boston +Lee and Shepard Publishers +10 Milk Street +1894 + +Copyright, 1894, by Lee and Shepard + +All Rights Reserved + +BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + +Electrotyping by C. J. Peters & Son, Boston, U.S.A. + +Presswork by S. J. Parkhill & Co. + + + + + TO + My Son-in-Law + GEORGE W. WHITE, ESQUIRE + ONE OF TWO WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME TO + ME AS REAL SONS + This Book + IS AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY + DEDICATED + + + + +[Illustration: "THE OVERSEER ELEVATED HIS RIFLE."] + + + + +PREFACE + + +"Brother Against Brother" is the first of "The Blue and the Gray Army +Series," which will include six volumes, though the number is contingent +upon the longevity of one, still hale and hearty, who has passed by a +couple of years the Scriptural limit of "threescore years and ten" +allotted to human life. In completing the first six books of "The Blue +and the Gray Series," the author realized that the scenes and events of +all these stories related to life in the navy, which gallantly performed +its full share in maintaining the integrity of the Union. The six books +of "The Army and Navy Series," begun in the heat of the struggle thirty +years ago, were equally divided between the two arms of the service; and +it has been suggested that the equilibrium should be continued in the +later volumes. + +In the preface of "A Victorious Union," the consummation of the terrible +strife which the navy had reached in that volume, the author announced +his intention to make a beginning of the books which are to form the +army division of the series. Soon after he had returned from his +sixteenth voyage across the Atlantic, he found himself in excellent +condition to resume the pleasurable occupation in which he has been +engaged for forty years in this particular field. It seems to him very +much like embarking in a new enterprise, though his work consists of an +attempt to enliven and diversify the scenes and incidents of an old +story which has passed into history, and is forever embalmed as the +record of a heroic people, faithfully and bravely represented on +hundreds of gory battle-fields, and on the decks of the national navy. + +The story opens in one of the Border States, where two Northern families +had settled only a few years before the exciting questions which +immediately preceded organized hostilities were under discussion. +Considerable portions of the State in which they were located were in a +condition of violent agitation, and outrages involving wounds and death +were perpetrated. The head of one of these two families was a man of +stern integrity, earnestly loyal to the Union and the government which +was forced into a deadly strife for its very existence. That of the +other, influenced quite as much by property considerations as by fixed +principles, becomes a Secessionist, fully as earnest as, and far more +demonstrative than, his brother on the other side. + +In each of these families are two sons, just coming to the military age, +who are not quite so prominent in the present volume as they will be in +those which follow it. "Riverlawn," the plantation which came into the +possession of the loyal one by the will of his eldest brother, became +the scene of very exciting events, in which his two sons took an active +part. The writer has industriously examined the authorities covering +this section of the country, including State reports, and believes he +has not exaggerated the truths of history. As in preceding volumes +relating to the war, he does not intend to give a connected narrative of +the events that transpired in the locality he has chosen, though some of +them are introduced and illustrated in the story. + +The State itself, as evidenced by the votes of its Legislature and by +the enlistments in the Union army, was loyal, if not from the beginning, +from the time when it obtained its bearings. As in other Southern +States, the secession element was more noisy and demonstrative than the +loyal portion of the community, and thus obtained at first an apparent +advantage. The present volume is largely taken up with the conflict for +supremacy between these hostile elements. The loyal father and his two +sons are active in these scenes; and the taking possession of a quantity +of military supplies by them precipitates actual warfare, and the +question as to whether or not a company of cavalry could be recruited at +Riverlawn had to be settled by what amounted to a real battle. + +To the multitude of his young friends now in their teens, and to the +greater multitude now grown gray, who have encouraged his efforts during +the last forty years, the author renewedly acknowledges his manifold +obligations for their kindness, and wishes them all health, happiness, +and all the prosperity they can bear. + + WILLIAM T. ADAMS. + + DORCHESTER, July 4, 1894. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I. TROUBLESOME TIMES IN KENTUCKY + + CHAPTER II. SOMETHING ABOUT THE LYON FAMILY + + CHAPTER III. A NORTHERN FAMILY IN KENTUCKY + + CHAPTER IV. THE ARRIVAL AND WELCOME AT RIVERLAWN + + CHAPTER V. THE DISTRESS OF MRS. TITUS LYON + + CHAPTER VI. THE NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CREEK + + CHAPTER VII. A STORMY INTERVIEW ON THE BRIDGE + + CHAPTER VIII. AN OVERWHELMING ARGUMENT + + CHAPTER IX. A MOST UNREASONABLE BROTHER + + CHAPTER X. THE SINK-CAVERN NEAR BAR CREEK + + CHAPTER XI. AROUSED TO THE SOLEMN DUTY OF THE HOUR + + CHAPTER XII. THE NIGHT EXPEDITION IN THE MAGNOLIA + + CHAPTER XIII. AT THE HEAD WATERS OF BAR CREEK + + CHAPTER XIV. THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE ARMS + + CHAPTER XV. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD + + CHAPTER XVI. THE UNION MEETING AT BIG BEND + + CHAPTER XVII. THE EJECTION OF THE NOISY RUFFIANS + + CHAPTER XVIII. THE DEMAND OF CAPTAIN TITUS LYON + + CHAPTER XIX. THE CONFERENCE IN FORT BEDFORD + + CHAPTER XX. THE APPROACH OF THE RUFFIAN FORCES + + CHAPTER XXI. THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES + + CHAPTER XXII. THE FIRST SHOT FROM FORT BEDFORD + + CHAPTER XXIII. THE PARTY ATTACKED IN THE CROSS-CUT + + CHAPTER XXIV. THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE RUFFIANS + + CHAPTER XXV. THE GRATITUDE OF TWO FAIR MAIDENS + + CHAPTER XXVI. THE SKIRMISH ON THE NEW ROAD + + CHAPTER XXVII. AN UNEXPLAINED GATHERING ON THE ROAD + + CHAPTER XXVIII. THE RESULT OF THE FLANK MOVEMENT + + CHAPTER XXIX. THE HUMILIATING RETREAT OF THE RUFFIANS + + CHAPTER XXX. LEVI BEDFORD AND HIS PRISONER + + CHAPTER XXXI. DR. FALKIRK VISITS RIVERLAWN + + CHAPTER XXXII. THE ARRIVAL OF THE RECRUITING OFFICER + + CHAPTER XXXIII. ONE AGAINST THREE ON THE ROAD + + CHAPTER XXXIV. THE FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT RIVERLAWN + + CHAPTER XXXV. A BATTLE IN PROSPECT ON THE CREEK + + CHAPTER XXXVI. THE SECOND BATTLE OF RIVERLAWN + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + "THE OVERSEER ELEVATED HIS RIFLE" + + "THEN YOU MEAN I AM DRUNK" + + "HE GRAPPLED WITH THE FELLOW" + + "I HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO HIT THE LADY" + + "IT WON'T GO OFF AGAIN UNTIL YOU LOAD IT" + + "STOP, BOY! SHOUTED THE MAN" + + "THE BOYS CLIMBED A BIG TREE TO OBTAIN A BETTER VIEW" + + + + +BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + + + + +CHAPTER I + +TROUBLESOME TIMES IN KENTUCKY + + +"Neutrality! There is no such thing as neutrality in the present +situation, my son!" protested Noah Lyon to the stout boy of sixteen who +stood in front of him on the bridge over Bar Creek, in the State of +Kentucky. "He that is not for the Union is against it. No man can serve +two masters, Dexter." + +"That is just what I was saying to Sandy," replied the boy, whom +everybody but his father and mother called "Deck." + +"Your Cousin Alexander takes after his father, who is my own brother; +but I must say I am ashamed of him, for he is a rank Secessionist," +continued Noah Lyon, fixing his gaze on the planks of the bridge, and +looking as grieved as though one of his own blood had turned against +him. "He was born and brought up in New Hampshire, where about all the +people believe in the Union as they do in their own mothers, and a +traitor would be ridden on a rail out of almost any town within its +borders." + +"Well, it isn't so down here in the State of Kentucky, father," answered +Deck. + +"Kentucky was the second new State to be admitted to the Union of the +original thirteen, and there are plenty of people now within her borders +who protest that it will be the last to leave it," replied the father, +as he took a crumpled newspaper from his pocket. "Here's a little piece +from a Clarke County paper which is just the opinion of a majority of +the people of Kentucky. Read it out loud, Dexter," added Mr. Lyon, as he +handed the paper to his son, and pointed out the article. + +The young man took the paper, and read in a loud voice, as though he +wished even the fishes in the creek to hear it, and to desire them to +refuse to be food for Secessionists: "Any attempt on the part of the +government of this State, or any one else, to put Kentucky out of the +Union by force, or using force to compel Union men in any manner to +submit to an ordinance of secession, or any pretended resolution or +decree arising from such secession, is an act of treason against the +State of Kentucky. It is therefore lawful to resist any such ordinance." + +"That's the doctrine!" exclaimed Mr. Lyons, clapping his hands with a +ringing sound to emphasize his opinion. "Those are my sentiments +exactly, and they are political gospel to me; and I should be ashamed of +any son of mine who did not stand by the Union, whether he lived in New +Hampshire or Kentucky." + +"You can count me in for the Union every time, father," said Deck, who +had read all the newspapers, those from the North and of the State in +which he resided, as well as the history of Kentucky and the current +exciting documents that were floating about the country, including the +long and illogical letter of the State's senator who immediately became +a Confederate brigadier. + +"I haven't heard your Cousin Artie, who is just your age, and old enough +to do something on his own account, say much about the troubles of the +times," added Mr. Lyon, bestowing an inquiring look upon his son. "I +have seen Sandy Lyon talking to him a good deal lately, and I hope he is +not leading him astray." + +"No danger of that; for Artie is as stiff as a cart-stake for the Union, +and Sandy can't pour any Secession molasses down his back," replied +Deck. + +"I am glad to hear it. I heard some one say that Sandy had joined, or +was going to join, the Home Guards." + +"He asked me to join them, and wanted me to go down to Bowling Green +with him in the boat. He had already put his name down as a member of a +company; but of course I wouldn't go." + +"The Home Guards thrive very well in Bar Creek; and I noticed that all +who joined them are Secessionists, or have a leaning that way," added +the father. "The avowed purpose of these organizations is to preserve +the neutrality of the State; but that is only another name for treason; +and when affairs have progressed a little farther, the Home Guards will +wheel into the ranks of the Confederate army. President Lincoln made a +very guarded and non-committal reply to the Governor's letter on +neutrality; but it is as plain as the nose on a toper's face that he +don't believe in it." + +"I think it is best to be on one side or the other." + +"Isn't Sandy trying to rope Artie into the Home Guards, Dexter?" asked +Mr. Lyon with an anxious look on his face. + +"Of course he is, as he has tried to get me to join." + +"Artie is a quiet sort of a boy, and don't say much; but it is plain +that he keeps up a tremendous thinking all the time, though I have not +been able to make out what it is all about." + +"He is considering just what all the rest of us are thinking about; but +I am satisfied that he has come out just where all the rest of us at +Riverlawn have arrived, father. He and I have talked a great deal about +the war; and Artie is all right now, though he may have had some doubts +about where he belonged a few months ago." + +"But Sandy was over here no longer ago than yesterday, and he was +talking for over an hour with Artie on this bridge where we are now," +said Mr. Lyon. + +"They were talking about the Union meeting to be held to-morrow night at +the schoolhouse by the Big Bend," added Deck. + +"What interest has Sandy in that meeting? He does not train in that +company." + +"He advised Artie not to go to the meeting, for it was gotten up by +traitors to their State." + +"That's a Secessionist phrase which he borrowed from some Confederate +orator, or at Bowling Green, where he spends too much of his time; and +his father had better be teaching him how to lay bricks and mix mortar." + +"But Uncle Titus is over there half his time," suggested Deck. + +"He had better be attending to his business; for the people over at the +village say they will have to get another mason to settle there, for +your Uncle Titus don't work half his time, and the people can't get +their jobs done. There is a new house over there waiting for him to +build the chimney." + +"Why don't you talk to him, father?" asked Deck very seriously. + +"Talk to him, Dexter!" exclaimed Mr. Lyon. "You might as well set your +dog to barking at the rapids in the river. For some reason Titus seems +to be rather set against me since we settled in Barcreek. We used to be +on the best of terms in New Hampshire, for I always lent him money when +he was hard pressed. I don't know what has come over him since we came +to Kentucky." + +"I do," added Deck, looking earnestly into his father's face. + +"Well, what is it, I should like to know? I have always done everything +I could since I came here for him." + +"Sandy told me something about it one day, and seemed to have a good +deal of feeling about it. He says you wronged Uncle Titus out of five +thousand dollars," said Deck, wondering if his father had ever heard the +charge before. + +"I know what Sandy meant. Of course Titus must have been in the habit of +talking about this matter in his family, or Sandy would not have known +anything about it," replied Mr. Lyon, evidently very much annoyed at the +revelation of his son. + +"I did not know what Sandy meant, and I thought I had better not ask +him; for of course I knew there was not a particle of truth in the +charge," added Deck, surprised to find that his father knew something +about the accusation. + +"I don't talk with my children about troublesome family matters, Dexter, +and your Uncle Titus ought not to do so. I shall only say that there is +not the slightest grain of reason or justice in the charge against me; +and Titus knows it as well as I do. If anybody has wronged him, it was +your deceased Uncle Duncan. Let the matter drop there, at least for the +present. Why does Sandy wish to prevent Artie from attending the Union +meeting to-morrow night?" + +"He said it was likely to be broken up by the Home Guards." + +"Then he probably knows something about a plot to interfere with the +gathering. I rode up to the village this morning, and I was quite +surprised to find that several whom I knew to be loyal men did not +intend to be present. When I urged them to be there, they hinted that +there would be trouble at the schoolhouse." + +At this moment a bell was rung at the side-door of the mansion, about +ten rods from the bridge where the father and son had been discussing +the situation. It crossed the creek a quarter of a mile from the river, +which has a course of three hundred miles through the State, and is +navigable from the Ohio two-thirds of its length during the season of +high water. The mansion was the residence of Noah Lyon; and after the +green field, ornamented with stately trees, which extended from the +house to the river, it had taken the name of "Riverlawn" in the time of +the former proprietor. The plantation extended along the creek more than +half a mile, including over five hundred acres of the richest land in +the State. + +Above the bridge was a little village of negro houses, so neat and +substantial that they deserved a better name than "huts," generally +given to the dwellings of the slaves of a plantation. Each had its +little garden, fenced off and well cared for. It was evident that the +occupants of these cottages were subjected to few if any of the +hardships of their condition. Many of them were just returning from the +hemp fields and the horse pastures of the estate; and they seemed to be +happy and contented, with no care for the troubles that were then +agitating the State. + +The bell had been rung at the side-door of the mansion by a black woman, +very neatly dressed. Back of the dwelling was the kitchen in a separate +building, according to the custom at the South. Mr. Lyon, though he was +the present proprietor of this extensive estate, was dressed in very +plain clothes, and had none of the air of a Kentucky gentleman. Deck was +clothed in the same manner; but both of them looked very neat and very +respectable in spite of their plain clothes. + +They came from the bridge at the sound of the bell. On the left of the +entrance was the dining-room, a large apartment, with the table set for +dinner in the middle of it. Two young octoroon girls were standing by +the chairs to wait upon the family, which consisted of six persons. + +"You have been shopping this forenoon, haven't you, Ruth?" asked Mr. +Lyon, addressing his wife, who was seated at one end of the table while +he was at the other. + +"I did not do much shopping; but I called upon Amelia, and found her +very much troubled," replied Mrs. Lyon, alluding to the wife of Titus +Lyon. + +"I should think she might be troubled," replied Mr. Lyon. "She does not +take any part in politics; but one of her brothers is a captain in a New +Hampshire regiment, and another is a major, and all her family are loyal +to the backbone. She has not said much of anything, but I know she does +not approve the attitude of her husband and her two sons. The last time +I saw her, she was afraid they would enlist in the Confederate army. +Titus won't hear a word of objection from her." + +"She told me an astonishing piece of news this forenoon," continued Mrs. +Lyon. + +"I shall not be much astonished at anything Titus does," added the +husband. "But what has he done now? Has he enlisted in the Confederate +army?" + +"Not yet; but Amelia says he has been offered the command of a company +of Home Guards if he will pay for the arms and uniform of it. He agreed +to do so, and has already paid over the money, five thousand dollars." + +"Is it possible!" exclaimed Mr. Lyon; and the two boys dropped their +knives and forks in their astonishment. "I did not think he would go as +far as that. He could not be a ranker Secessionist if he had lived all +his life in South Carolina, instead of nine or ten years in Kentucky." + +"This happened a month ago, and Amelia says the arms are hidden +somewhere on the river." + +"Does she know where?" + +"She did not tell me where if she knew. More than this, she says he is +drinking too much whiskey, and that the Secessionists have made a fool +of him. She is afraid he will throw away all his property." + +"I have noticed several times that he has been drinking too much, though +he was not exactly intoxicated." + +"Oh! Amelia said he meant to make you pay for the arms and uniforms," +said Mrs. Lyon, with some excitement in her manner. "He insists that you +owe him five thousand dollars." + +"If I did, he gives me a good excuse for not paying it; but I do not owe +him a nickel. Home Guards and Confederates here are all the same; and no +money of mine shall go for arming either of them." + +"Titus's wife says you are denounced as an abolitionist, Noah, and they +will drive you out of the county soon," added Mrs. Lyon. + +"When they are ready to begin, I shall be there," replied Mr. Lyon with +a smile. + +The dinner was finished, and the family separated, Deck and his father +returning to the bridge, followed by Artie. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SOMETHING ABOUT THE LYON FAMILY + + +The grand mansion and the extensive domain of Riverlawn had been +occupied by the Lyon family hardly more than a year when the political +excitement in Kentucky began to manifest itself, though not so violently +as in some of the more southern States. Abraham Lincoln had been elected +President of the United States, and south of Mason and Dixon's line he +was regarded as a sectional president whose term of office would be a +menace and an absolute peril to the institution of slavery. Senator +Crittenden of Kentucky proposed certain amendments to the Constitution +to restore the Missouri Compromise, by which slavery should be confined +to specified limits, and Congress prevented from interfering with the +labor-system of the South. + +Before Christmas in 1860, South Carolina had unanimously passed its +Ordinance of Secession, the intelligence of which was received with +enthusiasm by the Gulf States, all of which soon followed her example. +The more conservative States held back, and all but the four on the +border seceded in one form or another after some delay. + +In Kentucky the wealthy planters and slaveholders, with many prominent +exceptions, were inclined to share the lot of the seceding States; but +the majority of the people still clung to the Union. Both sides of the +exciting question were largely represented, and the contest between them +was violent and bitter. For a time the specious compromise of neutrality +was regarded as the panacea for the troubles of the State by the less +violent of the people on both sides. Home Guards were enlisted and +organized to protect the territory from invasion by either the Federal +or the Confederate forces. + +The occupation of Columbus and Hickman on the Mississippi River by +Southern troops, immediately followed by the taking of Paducah by +General Grant with two regiments of Union soldiers from Cairo, +practically dissolved the illusion of neutrality. The government at +Washington never recognized this makeshift of those who loved the Union, +but desired to protect slavery. It was honestly and sincerely cherished +by good men of both parties, who desired to preserve the Union and save +the State from the horrors of civil war. + +The government did not regard the seceded States as so many independent +sovereignties, as the Secessionists claimed that they were, but as part +and parcel of a union of States forming one consolidated nation, with no +provision in its Constitution for a separation of any kind, or for the +withdrawal of one or more of the individual members of the Union. The +States which had pretended to dissolve their connection with the other +members of the compact were considered as refractory members of the +Union, in a state of insurrection against the sovereign authority of the +nation, who were to be reduced to obedience and subjection by force of +arms; for they had appealed to the logic of bayonets and cannon-balls in +carrying out their disruption. + +With the duty of putting down the insurrection and subduing the +refractory elements in the South on its hands, the government could not +respect or even tolerate a neutrality which placed the State of +Kentucky, four hundred miles in extent from east to west, between the +loyal and the disloyal sections of its domain. If for no other purpose, +armies of Federal troops must cross the country south of the Ohio in +order to reach the seat of the Rebellion. + +The Home Guards were powerless to prevent the passage of the loyal +armies through the State; and any attempt to do so would have been to +fight the battle of the Confederate armies, and would have at once +robbed neutrality of its transparent mask. A portion of these military +bodies were doubtless honest in their intentions. Those who were not for +the Union in this connection were practically against it. Later in the +course of events, the Home Guards were incorporated in the armies of the +Rebellion; and no doubt these organizations were used to a considerable +extent to recruit the forces of the enemy. + +For a period of several months the State was not in actual possession of +either party in the conflict. One was struggling within its territory to +keep it in the Union, and the other to force it into the Southern +Confederacy. Irresponsible persons formed what they called a +"Provisional Council," elected a governor, and sent delegates to the +Confederate Congress, who were admitted to seats in that body. + +During this chaotic state of affairs, Kentuckians were joining both +armies, though the great body of them enlisted in the forces of the +Union. At the close of 1861 it was estimated that Kentucky had +twenty-six thousand men, cavalry and infantry, enrolled to fight the +battles of the loyal nation, including those who had joined the +regiments of other States. + +Deeds of violence were not uncommon in many parts of the State, growing +out of the excited state of feeling. Confederate emissaries were busy in +the territory, and armed bodies of them foraged for provisions and +fodder in the southern portions. Unpopular men were hunted down and shot +or hanged, and the reign of disorder prevailed. Such was the condition +of Kentucky soon after the Lyon family took possession of Riverlawn; and +some account of its several members becomes necessary. + +The first of the name in America had been one of the earliest English +settlers in Massachusetts; but one of his descendants, more than a +hundred years later, had moved to the colony of New Hampshire. Early in +the present century, one of his grandchildren was a farmer in Derry, in +that State. This particular Lyon had four sons, two of whom have already +been mentioned in this story. + +Duncan Lyon was the eldest of them, and seems to have been the most +enterprising of the four; for he emigrated to Kentucky, and purchased +the extensive tract of land which now formed the estate of Riverlawn. He +became a planter in due time from his small beginnings, raising hemp, +tobacco, and horses, without neglecting the productions necessary for +the support of his household. He was very prosperous in his +undertakings; and being a man of good sense and excellent judgment, he +became a person of some distinction in his county. He was known as +"Colonel Duncan Lyon," though he never held any military position; but +his title clung to him, and even his brothers in New Hampshire always +spoke of him as the "colonel." + +He never married; but he made a modest fortune of one hundred thousand +dollars, including the value of his estate, though not including the +value of about fifty negroes, men, women, and children, which for some +reason he never disclosed, he did not put into the inventory that +accompanied his will. + +The colonel's estate was on Bar Creek, at its junction with Green River. +One mile from Riverlawn was the village of Barcreek, a place with three +churches, several stores, a blacksmith's and a wheelwright's shop, with +a carpenter and a mason. It supplied the needs of the country in a +circuit of eight or ten miles. In fact, it was a sort of market town. + +There was not a great deal of building done in this region; but the +mason residing there had made a comfortable living, jobbing and erecting +an occasional chimney, till he died in 1852. The colonel notified his +brother, Titus Lyon, who was a mason in Derry, that there was an opening +for one of his trade in Barcreek, but he could not advise him to move +there. + +Titus was not a prosperous man; for he was rather lazy, and greatly +lacking in enterprise. The colonel did not believe he would do any +better in a new home than in the old one, and he bluntly wrote to him to +this effect. The planter had a suspicion that his brother drank too much +whiskey, for he could not account for his poverty in any other way; but +he had no evidence on the point. Titus decided to move to Kentucky; and +he did so, though he had to borrow the money of his brother Noah to +enable him to reach his new home. + +Business in his trade happened to be usually good after his arrival, and +for several years he did tolerably well. Then he desired to buy a house +and some land which were for sale in Barcreek. The colonel loaned him +five thousand dollars for this purpose, and to pay off his note to Noah, +mortgaging the estate he had purchased as security. + +From this time Titus did not do as well as before. He seemed to regard +himself as a landed proprietor, and the equal of the planters of +Kentucky. He neglected his work, feeling rather above it, negroes doing +most of the jobs in his line. He employed a couple of them, but they did +not earn their wages. The colonel had to help him out several times. + +As a planter in good standing among his neighbors in the county, Colonel +Lyon, who was not a profound thinker, fell in with the views and +opinions of those in his grade of society. He was not a strong +pro-slavery man, but he owned half a hundred negroes, who had been +necessary to enable him to carry on his planting operations; but he +treated them as well as though he had paid them wages. + +He was not inclined to make any issue with his neighbors on the labor +question, though some of them thought he was not entirely reliable on +this subject. He attended to his business, and did not vex his spirit +over extraneous matters. When the protection of the South against the +aggressions of the North in connection with slavery was agitated, he +followed his Kentucky leaders. + +On the question of any interference on the part of Congress or the +people of the free States he had very decided opinions. If he had ever +intended to manumit his negroes, as had been hinted in the county, no +one could object to his position after the subject began to be agitated +in the State. After eight years' residence in Barcreek, his brother +Titus was a more thorough-going pro-slavery man than the planter; in +fact, he had had a strong tendency in that direction when he lived in +Derry. + +Titus's wife was not a happy woman in her domestic relations. She was +better educated than her husband, and emphatically more sensible; and +she could not help seeing that Titus was frittering away his +opportunities, drinking too much whiskey, and associating with reckless +and unprincipled characters. Their two sons, Alexander and Orlando, were +following in the footsteps of their father. Even the three daughters had +imbibed strange notions from their associates, and belonged on the +Secession side of the house. + +Colonel Lyon was not permitted to witness the wild disorder which +pervaded the State after the election of the Republican President; for +he died suddenly in a fit of apoplexy, after he had eaten his Christmas +dinner, in 1858. He was only fifty years old, and perhaps if he had +taken more exercise and been more prudent in his eating and drinking, he +might have taken part in the stormy events of the later period. + +Colonel Cosgrove, a prominent lawyer residing at the county seat, and an +intimate friend of the deceased, was present at the funeral. Titus took +charge of the affairs of the mansion, and the lawyer intimated to him +that he should be present at Riverlawn the next morning to carry out the +wishes and intentions of his departed friend. + +Titus did not understand this notice, and supposed that the duty of +settling the estate of his brother rested entirely upon him. Colonel +Cosgrove came as he had promised, with a will in his hands, of which he +had been the custodian. He proceeded to read it without any ceremony, +Titus being the only other person present. + +The deceased valued his property at one hundred thousand dollars, +Riverlawn being placed at twenty-five thousand, the rest being in cash, +stocks, and other securities. The estate, including the negroes, +everything in the house or connected with the place, and ten thousand +dollars, half cash and half stocks, were given to Noah Lyon. The +document explained that he gave the money and stocks to Noah, because he +had supported and brought up the two children of his deceased brother +Cyrus. + +To his brother Titus he gave twenty-five thousand dollars, including the +mortgage note he held against him, half the balance in cash, and half in +stocks and bonds. To his brother Noah, in trust for the two children of +his brother Cyrus, deceased, twenty-five thousand dollars, to be paid +over to them when they were of age. Colonel Cosgrove said the deceased +had apportioned the stocks as they were to be given to the legatees, and +the money was in the county bank. He would come to Barcreek in about a +week to pay over the cash, and deliver the stocks to Titus. + +The lawyer was appointed executor of the estate, and he would hold the +property given to Noah Lyon until he came to receive it, or made other +arrangements in regard to it. Then he showed a letter, with a great seal +upon it, which he had been directed to deliver to Noah in person. Titus +wanted to know what the letter was about; but if the lawyer knew its +contents, he avoided making any revelation. + +It was evident to Colonel Cosgrove that Titus was dissatisfied with the +will, for a heavy frown had rested on his brow since the reading of the +first item of the instrument; but he said nothing, and very abruptly +left the legal gentleman. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A NORTHERN FAMILY IN KENTUCKY + + +Titus's eldest daughter, Mildred, had written to her Uncle Noah in New +Hampshire the particulars of the death of his brother after the fact had +been telegraphed to him by Colonel Cosgrove. The letter was hardly more +than an announcement of the decease of her Kentucky uncle, and the date +of the funeral. It was not possible for Noah to reach Barcreek in season +to be present at the last rites; but he wrote to Titus without delay. + +A few days after the telegram a letter from Colonel Cosgrove, the +executor, came to Noah Lyon, containing a copy of the will of his +brother. The lawyer, who had been the intimate friend and confidant of +Colonel Lyon, wrote with entire freedom to the distant brother. He +stated that his deceased friend had little confidence in Titus, and in +Barcreek he was not considered as an entirely reliable man. + +The most important item in the letter was that Colonel Lyon had passed a +whole day with him only a week before his death, talking most of the +time about his estate. He had lived at Riverlawn twenty-five years, had +developed the place from a wilderness, and was very much attached to it. +In his will he had left it to Noah, and he desired that he should move +to Kentucky and take possession of the estate. + +It required a week of consideration in the comfortable home of the Derry +farmer, in which the children, their own and the adopted ones, took +part, before a conclusion could be reached; but it was a compliance with +the request of Colonel Lyon. Within a year before his death the planter +had spent a month with the New Hampshire farmer, during which he had +told him all about his estate and his surroundings at Barcreek. They had +not met before since the elder brother first went to Kentucky; and the +Kentuckian formed a very high opinion of his New England brother, which +was quite in contrast with his estimate of Titus, who had been his +neighbor for six years. + +The colonel's will was dated within two months of this visit, and +doubtless he was thinking of his last testament when he went to New +Hampshire. As soon as it was settled that the family should make their +home in Kentucky, Noah wrote a long letter to his only surviving +brother, announcing his intention to leave Barcreek as soon as he could +settle up his business in Derry. He expressed himself with all brotherly +kindness, and was glad that they were again to live near each other. + +Titus did not even reply to this letter, though his wife wrote to Mrs. +Noah, expressing the pleasure she felt that they were again to be +neighbors. It was about two months after the death of Colonel Lyon that +Noah and his family arrived at Bowling Green, the county town, which was +the nearest railroad station to Barcreek, fifteen miles distant. Noah +Lyon had kept up his correspondence with the executor of his brother, +and Colonel Cosgrove was at the station when the family arrived. Titus +was not there, and he did not manifest much interest in the coming of +his only remaining brother. + +The distinguished lawyer extended a hearty welcome to the family, and +invited them all to dinner at his mansion. He wondered that Titus or +some member of his family was not there to greet the new-comers; but he +said little about him, though enough to show that he had not a very +exalted opinion of him. + +"You will find the mansion of your late brother in perfect order, Mr. +Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, as they rose from the dinner-table. "I was +over there yesterday, and satisfied myself that every thing was in +condition for your reception. The furniture remains just as it was in +the time of Colonel Lyon." + +"You have been very kind, Colonel Cosgrove, and I am very grateful to +you for all the attention you have given to my brother's affairs and to +me," replied Noah, taking the hand of the hospitable executor. "Does my +brother Titus live near Riverlawn?" + +"About a mile from it, in the village of Barcreek," answered the lawyer. +"Your brother, the colonel, had several boats; and when he went to the +village in the open season he usually made the trip by the river, rowed +by half a dozen of his boys." + +"I was not aware that he had any boys," added Noah. + +"His hands, his negroes; and he always called them boys. He was the best +friend they ever had," the colonel explained. "That reminds me that I +have a letter which your late brother required me to deliver personally +into your hands;" and the lawyer went to his office for it. + +He returned in a few minutes, and gave the letter, which was heavily +sealed with wax, to the new owner of Riverlawn. He had mentioned this +epistle in one of his letters to the new proprietor, and Noah wondered +as he looked upon its elaborate seals what could be the subject of the +communication. The colonel was speaking of the boys, which reminded him +of the letter; and he suspected that it had some connection with the +negroes. He put it in his pocket very carefully, and then looked at his +watch. + +"How far is it from this town to Barcreek?" he asked, still holding the +watch in his hand. + +"Fifteen miles; and as the roads are not in the best condition at this +season of the year, it will take about two hours and a half to make the +trip," replied the lawyer. "But it is only two o'clock, and you have +plenty of time." + +"But I must look up a conveyance," suggested the new proprietor of +Riverlawn. + +"A conveyance is all ready for you, Mr. Lyon," added the colonel. "I +directed Mr. Bedford to come over for you and your family, and he has +been here since nine o'clock this morning. He came with the road-wagon, +which will comfortably accommodate your whole family; and one of the +boys came over with another wagon to tote your baggage over." + +"You have been very thoughtful and considerate, Colonel Cosgrove, and I +am under very great obligations to you," said Noah. + +"Don't mention it, Mr. Lyon. I should be happy to have you spend the +night with me, for we have still a great deal to talk about," answered +the executor. + +"My family, as well as myself, are naturally quite impatient to see our +new home," suggested the New Hampshire farmer. "Fifteen miles is not a +very long distance even in New England, and I hope we shall meet often." + +"I shall visit Riverlawn often until you are well settled in your new +home. I have a plantation myself on the road to Barcreek, and about half +way there, which I visit two or three times a week; and I shall be glad +to give you all the information you need in regard to your surroundings, +or in relation to the management of your estate. You will see me +occasionally at Riverlawn, and I shall hope to meet you and your family +here, or at my estate, which is called Belgrade." + +"Thank you, Colonel; I am sure we shall be good friends in spite of my +antecedents as a Northern farmer, for I am not a bigot or a fanatic." + +"I have no doubt we shall be good friends and good neighbors," said the +Kentuckian, as he took the hand of his new client, and struck the bell +on the table. "Now I will send for Mr. Bedford, who has been the +overseer or manager of your brother for the last ten years. As the +colonel was, he is a bachelor of fifty, and has been one of the family +at Riverlawn. He is a thoroughly reliable man, and one of the late +colonel's best friends." + +A servant was sent for the overseer, and presently he appeared. He was a +rather stout man, and his round face seemed to be overflowing with +pleasantry and good-nature. He was duly presented to all the six members +of the family, and heartily shook the hand of each of them. He did not +at all answer to the description of plantation overseers which Noah Lyon +had obtained from the books he had read, depicting the horrors of +slavery. In spite of his occupation he took a fancy to him at first +sight; and all the family were pleased with him. + +The manager, as Noah preferred to call him, was Levi Bedford. He had +never been very successful in the management of his own affairs; but he +was a man after Colonel Lyon's own heart, and in his will he had given +him five thousand dollars, which was one of the grievances Titus had +against the testament. One of the virtues of Levi, as his late employer +always called him, was his extreme fondness for horses, with his skill +in raising and managing them; for this had been an important branch of +the planter's business. + +"I have started Pink over to the place with all your baggage, Major +Lyon, and I am ready to leave with the family when you say the word," +said Mr. Bedford, after they had conversed a few minutes. + +"I am not a major, Mr. Bedford," replied Noah; and all the family +laughed when they heard the military title applied to him. + +"Your brother was not exactly a colonel; but that is a fashion we have +down here of expressing our respect for a man by giving him rank in the +military," laughed the manager. "But I want you to call me 'Levi,' as +your brother did, and as Colonel Cosgrove does when there is no company +present." + +"Very well, Levi; I intend to conform to the customs of the country. We +are all ready to leave at once," added Noah. + +"My team will be at the door in four minutes and three-quarters, Major +Lyon," answered the manager as he left the room. + +"Call it five, Levi," added the colonel. + +"Less than that, Colonel," replied Levi as he closed the door. + +"I would give that man double the wages I pay my present overseer if I +could have him at Belgrade; and I should make money by the change," said +the host, as he went to the window of the drawing-room, to which the +party had retired from the dining-room. "The only fault he has is that +he is too gentle and indulgent to the negroes. The neighbors say he is +spoiling the niggers all over two counties. But I reckon the colonel was +more to blame for that, if anybody was to blame, for he had a soft +heart. I never saw two men less alike than your two Kentucky brothers," +continued Colonel Cosgrove, as Noah joined him at the window. "There is +your team, and Levi hasn't been gone quite five minutes." + +"Four horses!" exclaimed Noah. + +"Levi likes a good team and enough of it," added the lawyer. + +"And I never saw four handsomer horses in all my life," added the new +owner of Riverlawn, as he gazed with admiration on the magnificent +animals; and all the family hastened to the windows to see the turnout. + +"You will find at least thirty more of them when you get to Riverlawn." + +The road-wagon was a covered vehicle with four seats, large enough for a +dozen passengers. It was neatly painted and upholstered, and the +harnesses on the horses were elegant enough for a city turnout. The +whole family promptly realized that they were entering upon a style to +which they had never been accustomed. But Noah Lyon had suddenly become +a rich man. + +The colonel gallantly assisted the ladies to their seats. The horses +danced and pranced; but they were so well trained that they did not +offer to start till Levi drew up his four reins and gave them the word +to go. Hasty adieux were spoken, and the horses went off, gently at +first, but soon put in a lively pace. + +Noah and his wife took the back seat, Dorcas and Hope took the next one, +for all of them had been handed to these places by the colonel; Dexter +installed himself at the side of Levi, and Artemas had a seat all to +himself behind them. All was new and strange to them, and they observed +the buildings in the town till they passed out of the village. Then the +scenery was quite different from that of their former home. + +Only two of the four children were those of Noah and his wife. Dexter +was his son, and was sixteen years old at this time, while his sister +Hope was thirteen. Both of them had received a high-school education in +part, and they were both very bright scholars. People in Derry called +Deck an "old head," which meant that his judgment and knowledge had +ripened beyond his years. Without being a "goody," he was a good boy, +with high aims and noble impulses. + +Ten years before, Cyrus Lyon, one of the four brothers of whom Colonel +Duncan was the eldest, was a resident of Hillsburg in the State of +Vermont, where he had settled on a valley farm, which he had hired with +the intention of buying it when he was able to do so. He was married in +Derry, and had two children, with whom he moved to his new home. He +lived in an old house, between which and the public road flowed a small +river, nearly dry most of the year, but exceedingly turbulent in the +spring when the snow melted on the mountains. + +A freshet came, and the house was surrounded by water. The bridge over +the stream was raised, and Cyrus went out to secure it. His wife +followed to assist him, and while both of them were on it, a rush of +waters came which tore the structure into fragments, and both of them +were swept away by the mad torrent. They were drowned in spite of the +efforts of the neighbors to rescue them. But they saved the two children +who remained in the house. + +Noah had taken these two children and brought them up as his own, for +the father did not leave property enough to pay his debts. Artemas was +fifteen and Dorcas was seventeen. The colonel paid for their support for +ten years, and left each a handsome legacy, in trust with Noah. + +In two hours from the county town, Levi Bedford reined in his four +horses at the front door of the Riverlawn mansion. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE ARRIVAL AND WELCOME AT RIVERLAWN + + +It was about five o'clock in the afternoon when the road-wagon drew up +in front of the mansion at Riverlawn. Less than a week before the +Northern family had left the deep snows and the icy cold of New +Hampshire, and the air of the Southern clime was comparatively mild and +soft. The magnolias were as green as in summer; certain flowers had +pushed their way out of the ground, and blossomed in the garden. + +The young people in the wagon had been delighted with the ride, the air +was so mild, and everything was so new and strange. They had struck the +river road leading from the estate to the village, and the rest of the +way was along Bar Creek to the bridge which crossed it to the mansion. +They had passed Pink, the old negro who came with the baggage, at +Belgrade, where he had stopped to water his two horses. Levi Bedford had +talked all the way, pointing out every object of interest to the +new-comers, telling stories, repeating all the old jokes of the +locality, which were quite new to his audience. + +As the manager wheeled his horses from the creek road upon the bridge, +he cracked his whip, which seemed to be the signal for the four spirited +horses to dance and prance, in order to make a proper display as they +reached the end of their journey. Gathered in the walks in front of the +house were all the servants of the mansion, and all the field-hands +belonging to the place, to welcome the family. + +There were just fifty-one of them, Levi said, and they all broke out in +a yell, which was intended for a cheer, as the magnificent animals +danced up to the front door. It was a cordial welcome, and the "people" +put their whole souls into it. Noah Lyon took off his Derby hat and +waved it to the crowd; Deck and Artie followed his example, all of them +bowing; while Mrs. Lyon and the girls flaunted their handkerchiefs +vigorously to the assembled population of the plantation. + +Most of them were somewhat shy at first, though they intended to give a +proper welcome to the family of the new proprietor, and they were rather +restrained in their demonstration; but as soon as the party waved their +hats and handkerchiefs, with pleasant smiles on their faces, all of them +shouted, "Glad to see you!" their enthusiasm being limited only by the +vigor of their voices and the strength of their lungs. + +The Lyons were intensely amused at the earnestness of the demonstration, +and they laughed heartily. They retained their seats in the wagon after +it stopped, more interested in the gathering around them than in +anything else for the time. The crowd closed up around the vehicle in +order to obtain a nearer view of their new masters and mistresses. They +had known and loved as a patriarch the colonel, for he had always been +kind and indulgent to them. Unfortunately they also knew Titus Lyon, by +reputation if not personally, and for a month they had been wondering +whether the new proprietor was like the colonel or his Kentucky brother. + +The "people" were of all ages, from the bald-headed old negro with a +flaxen fringe around his rear head on a level with his ears, down to the +infant in arms, whose toothless grin contrasted with the ivory display +of its mother. They were of all the hues of the colored race, from the +ebony face whereon charcoal could make no mark to the light saffron tint +of the octoroon. + +There was a plentiful sprinkling of "mammies" and "uncles" among them, +for all the older ones are called by these names. But the great body of +them were young or middle-aged men and women, able-bodied and fit for +regular work. Noah Lyon and his wife were particularly struck with the +appearance of two girls sixteen to eighteen years old, who were nearly +as white as their own children. They were neatly and modestly dressed, +and both of them had very pretty faces. They were employed in the house +as waiters at the table, and in other general work. + +"Glad to see you, mars'r!" shouted a score of the tribe in unison. "Glad +to see you, missus!" "Gib you welcome to Barcreek, mars'r and missus!" +"Glad to see de young mars'rs and missusses!" + +Levi, with a very broad and cheerful smile upon his round face, +descended from the wagon with the reins in his hand, which he handed to +a mulatto whom he called Frank, who had been the colonel's coachman. He +proceeded to assist Mrs. Lyon to alight, and her husband followed her +without any of the assistance tendered to him, for he was only forty +years old, and almost as nimble as he had ever been. The manager handed +the girls to the ground as politely as though he had served his time as +a dancing-master, and the young ladies smiled upon him as sweetly as +though he had been a younger beau. + +"This is Diana, Mrs. Lyon, the cook and housekeeper," said Levi, taking +a yellow woman of fifty by the arm, and presenting her to the new lady +of the house. + +"Diana, missus, and not Dinah," added the housekeeper, as the lady took +her hand. + +"I will always call you Diana, and never Dinah," replied Mrs. Lyon. "I +have no doubt we shall be good friends, though I am not used to your +ways in Kentucky." + +"This girl is Sylvie," said Diana, drawing the elder of the two +octoroons into the presence of the lady; and her color was light enough +to make her blushes transparent. "This is Julie," she added, bringing +the other of the pretty pair to the front. "Both of them wait on the +table, and 'tend on missus. Both of them come from New Orleans when they +were little girls, and both of them speak French like a pair of +mocking-birds." + +"I am very happy to see you, girls, and I think we shall get along very +well together, for I have never been used to having any one to wait on +me," said the lady, as she took each of them by the hand; and they were +so pretty that she was disposed to kiss them. + +The rest of the family were presented in like manner to the house +servants, and Levi introduced them to the rest of the people in a mass. +The Lyons all felt that they had suddenly become lions, at least so far +as Riverlawn was concerned. Noah had been a prosperous farmer in New +Hampshire, engaged in some outside operation in which he had been +successful; but even in haying-time he had never had more than three +hired men. This avalanche of half a hundred servants suddenly attached +to him was a new and novel experience; and the situation was just as +strange to his wife and the young people. + +Aunty Diana conducted the family into the house with many bows and +flourishes, followed by the pretty octoroons, and ushered them into the +drawing-room, which had seldom been used when the colonel was alive; for +he was as simple in his manners as Noah, though he felt obliged to keep +up the style of the mansion. + +"Help you take your things off, missus?" said Diana to Mrs. Lyon, while +Sylvie and Julie tendered their services to Dorcas and Hope. + +"We should like to go to our rooms, Diana," replied the lady. "I suppose +they are all ready for us." + +"All ready, missus." + +"Of course you can take your choice of the rooms, Mrs. Lyon," interposed +Levi, who had come into the house as soon as he had sent the people to +their cottages. "There are eight rooms on the second floor, besides two +company chambers; and I suppose Diana has already picked out one for the +owner and his wife." + +"You can take just what room you like, missus, but I picked out the +colonel's chamber for mars'r and missus, 'cause it is the biggest, has a +dressing-room and four great closets. I think that one suit missus +best," added Diana. + +"We will all go up-stairs and look at the rooms," replied Mrs. Lyon. + +She concluded to take the colonel's room, to which Noah assented; and it +was a palatial apartment to both of them. The girls were next provided +with rooms, and the two octoroons were unremitting in their attentions +to them. Though they knew that these girls were slaves, they treated +them like sisters, and before the day was over they were fast friends; +for both of them were utterly devoid of any Southern prejudices against +those who were so nearly of their own color. They were disposed to treat +all the servants kindly, but they had not the same feeling towards those +of ebony hue. + +The same sentiment prevailed through the family; and as a rule it +pervaded most of the enlightened families of the South. The girls as +well as the mother--and Dorcas and Artie looked upon and called Mrs. +Lyon by this endearing name--had been accustomed to wait upon +themselves, and they found it rather difficult to economize the willing +hands of Sylvie and Julie. But when Pink arrived with the trunks and +other baggage, the field-hands "toted" them to the proper chambers, and +the aid of the servants was very welcome, for both of them were tired +after the long journey they had made. + +As the great clock in the spacious hall below struck six, the family +were summoned to supper. Levi acted as master of ceremonies, for Diana +was busy in the kitchen, with her two assistants; but he seemed to have +some doubts about seating himself at his employer's table, though he had +always had a place there in the colonel's time. + +"Sit here, if you please, Levi, and always consider yourself as one of +the family," said Noah, after he had asked Deck to take the second seat +on the right, giving the manager the first, which is the seat of honor; +and the question of Levi's position at Riverlawn was settled once for +all. + +"Thank you, Major Lyon," replied he, as he took the place assigned to +him. "I always sat at the table with Colonel Lyon, even when he had +guests; but it isn't always the rule with planters to have the overseer +at his table, and I am much obliged to you for your consideration." + +"When I had two or three hired men on my farm, they always came to the +table with me, and would have thought they were abused if they had been +placed at a separate board," laughed the embryo planter. "But they were +the 'mud-sills' of the North, you know." + +"I was raised in Tennessee, Major, and was tolerably well educated. I +was in business for myself in Shelbyville, the capital of our county, +which was named for one of my ancestors. But I did not succeed, for the +place was not big enough. I bought some nice horses of Colonel Lyon, and +for some reason he took a fancy to me." + +"I don't think that was very strange," added Noah. + +"When I failed, he wanted me to come and manage this place for him; and +I have been here ever since. He paid me well, and I have always done the +best I could for him. He was a good man; and it looks to me just as +though his successor was as good a man as he was." + +"Thank you, Levi; I believe we shall be friends." + +"Betwixt you and me, Major," continued the manager in a low tone, "when +the colonel's health began to be rather shaky, though I had no idea he +was so near his end, I had a mortal dread that a certain other man would +come into possession of this place. Excuse me for saying that, but I +couldn't help it. Since I met you this noon, Major, I have been lifted +up to the seventh heaven." + +Noah did not deem it wise to make any reply to this remark then; but he +intended to inquire more particularly in regard to his Kentucky brother +when he had an opportunity; and it appeared that the manager had some +very pronounced opinions in regard to Titus. He changed the subject, and +continued to eat his supper. + +The meal was elaborate enough for a family feast. After the fried ham +and bacon, the fried chicken, with baked potatoes and the nicest white +cornbread the family had ever eaten, came hot biscuits, waffles, and +griddle-cakes, and cake of several kinds, which were fully approved by +Mrs. Lyon. Diana came in before the party rose from the table, and the +praises bestowed upon her handiwork in the kitchen would have made her +blush if she had been as light-colored as the two girls that waited upon +the table. + +When Noah Lyon went to his room after supper, and was alone there, he +took from his pocket the letter from his deceased brother which Colonel +Cosgrove had given him. It was with no little emotion that he broke the +cumbrous seals. It looked very much like a mystery to him, for the +estate had been duly divided in the will. + +It was a very kindly and brotherly letter for the first page. Then the +colonel stated that Noah had by the time he received the letter +discovered that the value of the fifty-one negroes on the estate had not +been included in his valuation of the property. They were worth at least +twenty-five thousand dollars. They had been given to him with the +plantation, but he enjoined it upon him on no account to sell one of +them. + +In the letter he found another as carefully sealed as the one that +enclosed it, directed to his successor, with the direction: "Not to be +opened till five years from the date of my death. Duncan Lyon." + +The letter evidently related to the slaves on the plantation; but the +mystery in regard to them was still unsolved. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE DISTRESS OF MRS. TITUS LYON + + +In the rear of the drawing-room was the library. It contained about five +hundred bound volumes, and more than this number of pamphlets and +documents, which had accumulated in a quarter of a century. It contained +a large desk and a safe, and the apartment was an office rather than a +library, though the owner of Riverlawn had largely improved his +education by reading in his abundant leisure. The shelves were piled +high with newspapers and magazines, which appeared to have been the +staple of his intellectual food. + +Levi had given the key of the safe to the new proprietor; and after Noah +had read and reread the open letter, and pondered its contents, he +carried the one which was not to be opened for five years to the +library, and deposited it in the safe with the explanatory epistle which +left the whole subject a mystery. What was eventually to become of the +negroes was not indicated, but he was enjoined not to sell one of them +on any account. + +Though opposed to the extension of slavery, Noah Lyon did not believe +that Congress had any constitutional right to meddle with the system as +it existed in the States. He had never been brought into contact with +slavery, and did not howl when his brother became a slaveholder. Like +the majority of the people of the North, he was instinctively, as it +were, opposed to human bondage; but he had never been considered a +fanatic or an abolitionist by his friends and neighbors. He simply +refrained from meddling with the subject. + +The fifty-one negroes on the estate had been willed to him, and he was +as much a slaveholder as his brother had been. The injunction not to +sell one of them was needless in its application to him, for he would as +readily have thought of selling one of his own children as any human +being. + +It would require a bulky volume to detail the experience of Noah Lyon +and his family during the years that followed his arrival at Barcreek. +He was an intelligent man, richly endowed with saving common-sense, and +soon made himself familiar with all the affairs of the plantation. He +made the acquaintance of the servants, which was no small matter in +itself, for he ascertained the history, disposition, and character of +all of them. + +He found that his brother had not over-estimated the worth of Levi +Bedford, who soon became a great favorite with all the family. The new +proprietor found no occasion to change the conduct of affairs in the +management of the place, even if he had felt that he was competent to +improve the methods and system of his late brother. Everything went on +as before. Levi made the crops of hemp, tobacco, corn, and vegetables, +and raised horses, marketing everything to be sold. He consulted his +employer, but he had little to say. + +The family became acquainted with their neighbors within a circuit of +ten miles, and in spite of their origin they were kindly and hospitably +received by the best families. + +At the end of a year the Lyons had practically become Kentuckians. In +the following year came the great political campaign which resulted in +the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. Ominous growls had +been heard from the South, and even in the border State of Kentucky. +Noah regarded the situation with no little anxiety; but he continued to +attend to his own affairs, and it was not till the bombardment of Fort +Sumter that he began to take an active part in the agitation which was +shaking the entire nation. + +Titus Lyon was one of the most stormy and aggressive of the Southern +sympathizers. Even neutrality was a compromise with him. When Noah's +family took possession of Riverlawn, he did not call at the mansion for +several days, though his wife and Mabel, his eldest daughter, had spent +the day after their arrival with them. Though Titus said nothing at +first, or for months to come, it was very evident to Noah that he was +intensely dissatisfied with the distribution the colonel had made of his +property. + +The state of affairs in Barcreek has been shown in the conversation +between the planter and his son on the bridge. This seemed to be a +favorite resort for conferences, and they returned to it after dinner. +On one side of it was a seat which had been put up there years before; +for it was shaded by a magnificent tree which grew by the side of the +creek road, and the bridge was the coolest place on the estate in a hot +day. + +"Of course you heard what your mother said about her visit to Titus's +house to-day, Dexter," said the father, as he seated himself on the +bench. + +"I could not well help hearing it," replied Deck. + +"If there is anything in this world I abominate, it is a family +quarrel," continued Noah, fixing his gaze upon the dark waters of the +creek. "Your uncle seems to be disposed to be at variance with me, +though I am sure I have done nothing of which he can reasonably +complain. He is down upon every Union man in the county. I should say +that Barcreek was about equally divided between the two parties. But he +does not talk politics to me, as he does to every other man in the +place." + +"I don't know what he means when he says you owe him five thousand +dollars, for I thought the boot was on the other leg," said Deck, +looking into the troubled face of his father. + +"He owes me several hundred dollars I lent him before he sold his +railroad stock. He is able to pay me now, for he has turned his +securities into money, and he seems to be flinging it away as fast as he +can. He must be worth twenty-five thousand dollars, including his house +and land; but I don't know how much of it he has thrown away." + +"If he has spent five thousand dollars for arms, ammunition, and +uniforms, he must have made a big hole in it," suggested Deck. "He keeps +three horses when he has no use for more than one." + +"He never had a tenth part as much money before in his life, and he does +not know how to use it. He will be the captain of a Home Guard as soon +as he can enlist the men, and the people on his side of the question at +the village have begun to call him 'Captain Lyon,' or 'Captain Titus.'" + +"Sandy told me that he, his father, and Orly had been drilling for three +months with an old soldier who was in the Mexican War," added Deck. +"There comes Artie in one of the boats." + +"Where is he going?" asked Noah. + +"I'm sure I don't know; Artie don't always tell where he is going," +answered Deck. + +His cousin, whom he regarded and treated as his brother, was pulling a +very handsome keel boat leisurely up the creek. The colonel appeared to +have had some aquatic tastes, for at a kind of pier half-way between the +bridge and the river were a sailboat and two row-boats, all of which +were kept in excellent condition. In places the river was wide enough to +allow the use of a boat with a sail, and the colonel had had some skill +in managing one; but neither Noah nor his boys could handle such a +craft, and it was never used. + +The creek extended back some ten miles through a flat, swampy region, +and Deck and Artie had explored it almost to its source in some low +hills not a dozen miles from the Mammoth Cave. Like most boys, they were +fond of boats, and nothing but the forbidding command of the planter +prevented them from experimenting with the Magnolia, as the sailboat was +called by the colonel. + +If the boys had explored Bar Creek to its source, they would have +discovered that it came out of the numerous "sinks" to be found in this +portion of the country, and streams flowed in subterranean channels +which honeycombed the earth at a greater or less depth below the +surface. + +"What are you up to, Deck?" shouted Artie, as he approached the bridge. + +"Nothing particular," replied the one on the bridge. "Where are you +going?" + +"Up the creek," answered Artie very indefinitely. "Can't you go with me? +It is easier for two to row this boat than for one." + +"I don't want to go now," returned Deck, who was too much interested in +the conversation with his father to leave him. + +"You may go with him if you want to, Dexter," interposed Mr. Lyon. + +"I don't care about going now, father. Do you suppose Uncle Titus has +really bought the arms and things as mother says?" asked Deck. + +"Your aunt is very much worried about the actions of your uncle. I +suppose he told her what he had done, for she would not make up such a +story out of whole cloth. Besides, it seems to be in keeping with a +dozen other things he has done; and he is certainly doing all he can to +raise a company in Barcreek," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"Isn't it strange that he never says anything to you about politics, +especially such as we are having now?" asked the son. + +"I don't see him very often; he is at Bowling Green half the time. +Besides, he and I never agreed on politics. By the great George +Washington, there he is now!" exclaimed Noah Lyon, springing up from his +seat on the bench. + +Titus Lyon was seated with his wife in a stylish buggy. He stopped his +horse on the bridge when he came opposite to his brother, and passing +the reins to Mrs. Lyon he descended to the planks. His wife drove on, +and stopped at the front door of the mansion. Frank the coachman ran +with all his might from the stable to take charge of the team, and the +lady went into the house. + +"How do you do, Titus?" said Noah, extending his hand to his brother. + +"I think it is about time for me to have some talk with you, Noah," +replied Titus, ignoring the offered hand, and bestowing a frowning look +upon Deck. "Send that boy away." + +"Dexter knows all about my affairs, and I don't have many secrets from +him," replied Noah very mildly, and somewhat nettled to have his son +treated in that rude manner. + +"I came over here on purpose to talk with you; and what I have to say is +between you and me--for the present. If you don't wish to talk with me +on these terms, that's the end on't," added Titus, rising from the seat +he had taken. + +"I will go with Artie, father," interposed Deck, who did not wish to +prevent an interview between the brothers, though he thought his uncle +behaved like a Hottentot. + +"Very well, Dexter; but you needn't go if you don't want to," said his +father, who evidently did not believe that the proposed interview with +Titus would be conducted on a peace basis. + +"I think I will go," added Deck, who hailed Artie from the bridge, and +then hastened to a plank where he could get into the boat. + +For a reason which he would not have explained if he had been +interrogated by his father, or by any other person except Deck, Artie +was very desirous to have his cousin go with him; in fact, he was +thinking of postponing his excursion, whatever its object, till his +cousin could accompany him, when the hail came to him from the bridge. +He pulled up to the plank, the outer end of which was supported by +stakes driven into the bottom of the stream, with a cross-piece above +the water. It had been built for the convenience of those taking one of +the boats near the mansion. Deck took an oar, and they pulled together +up the creek. + +Mrs. Titus Lyon was cordially welcomed at the door of the house by Mrs. +Noah, who had seen her coming from the window. The lady from the village +was in a high state of perturbation, and her eyes looked as though she +had been weeping. + +"I have had an awful time since you called upon me this morning," said +she, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. "I don't know what we are +coming to at our house. For the first time in my life my husband struck +me after we got up from dinner, and then hurried me down here with +hardly time to change my clothes!" + +"Struck you, Amelia!" exclaimed Mrs. Noah with an expression of horror. + +"Perhaps it was all my own fault," groaned the poor woman. + +"No fault could justify your husband in striking you. But what was it +for?" inquired Mrs. Noah, overflowing with sympathy for her +sister-in-law. + +"You remember that story about the arms and equipments I told you this +morning? Well, it seems that my son Orly was listening at the half-open +door when I supposed that no one but myself was in the house, for the +girls had all gone off to the store. He heard the whole of it, and told +his father when he came in to dinner," gasped the abused lady in short +sentences. + +"He struck you for telling me, did he?" demanded Mrs. Noah indignantly. +"I should like to give him a piece of my mind!" + +"Don't you say a word to him about it, for that would only make it all +the worse for me. Titus says there is no truth at all in the story. He +has bought no arms. I misunderstood him; he was telling about a +committee in Logan County that had bought the arms and ammunition for a +company. It is all a mistake; and if you have told any of your family, +do take it all back, and say there is not a word of truth in the story." + +Mrs. Titus could see from the window that the two brothers were having a +stormy interview on the bridge; but she stayed till long after dark, and +had recovered her self-possession before she left. Noah had no supper +till she had gone, and the boys had not yet returned. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CREEK + + +If Deck Lyon had particularly noted the actions of his cousin in the +boat he would have noticed that he was less decided in his movements +than usual. He stopped rowing several times in the ten minutes or more +that elapsed after he had invited Deck to go with him; and one who had +been near enough to study his expression would have understood that he +had a purpose before him which he was not prepared to execute under +present circumstances. + +He had listened with the closest attention to Mrs. Lyon's report of her +visit at the house of Titus, and he was in a revery after dinner as he +observed Noah and his son walking to the bridge. He waited till he had +seen them seated on the bench, and then he walked slowly to the boat +pier. He was disappointed when his cousin refused to go with him; but he +was not inclined to persuade him to leave his father, for he concluded +that something of importance was under discussion between them. + +He was relieved, and all his vigor and animation came back to him as he +pulled to the house landing. Artie was more inclined than Deck to keep +within his own shell; but it was not for the want of native energy, and +both of the boys were disposed to do whatever they had in hand with all +their might. He brought the boat up abreast of the pier, and Deck +stepped into the bow without any further invitation. He took one of the +light pine oars from his cousin. + +"If you don't object, Deck, I would like to pull the forward oar," said +Artie, as his companion was seating himself. + +"It is all the same to me which oar I take," replied Deck, as he changed +his place. + +"I want to talk with you, and I can do it better when you are in front +of me," added Artie, as he shoved the boat out into the stream. + +"Where are you going? You seem to have something in your head besides +bones," said Deck curiously. + +"Besides the bones I've got a big notion in my head." + +"Is it a Yankee or a Kentucky notion, Artie?" + +"I picked it up here, and it is Kentuckish. But I don't want to say +anything now; for I'm afraid some one might hear me, more particularly +Uncle Titus," replied the bow oarsman as he took the stroke from his +cousin. "I wonder what brought him over here, for he don't come to +Riverlawn much oftener than he goes to church." + +"He acts like a regular Hottentot just out of the woods; and if there +are any bears in Kentucky they would behave like gentlemen compared with +Uncle Titus," added Deck, who proceeded to describe the manner of the +visitor on the bridge when the two brothers met. + +"Uncle Titus has got something besides bones in his head this afternoon, +and when he started to come over here he meant business," suggested +Artie. "Something is in the wind." + +"I wanted to stay and hear what was said, but Uncle Titus drove me off +as he would have kicked a snake into the creek. He was as grouty and as +savage as a she-lion that had lost all her cubs." + +"Did he say anything about that story your mother told at dinner?" asked +Arty. + +"Not a word; he drove me off as though I had been a cur dog before he +said a word about anything else," replied Deck, who could not easily +forget the brutal manner of his uncle. "But you have not told me yet +where you are going, Artie. You haven't any fishlines or bait, and I +suppose you are not going a-fishing." + +"Not up the creek, for the river suits me better for that business; but +I'm going a-fishing for something that won't swim in the water," replied +the undemonstrative boy. + +"What do you mean by that?" demanded Deck; and his interest in the +subject caused him to cease rowing, and Artie pulled the boat round so +that it was headed to the shore. + +"Pull away, Deck! What are you about? We don't want to stop here," said +Artie with more than his usual vigor. + +"I am about nothing; but when I talk with you I like to look you in the +face, for that sometimes tells the story better than your words," +replied Deck, as he gave way again with his oar. "As I said before, you +have got something besides bones in your head, and I am in a hurry to +know what it is all about. You can't talk it into me through the back of +my head." + +"But we don't want to stop here, Richard Coeur de Lyon!" protested +Artie, rather vehemently for him. "Don't you see that we are still in +sight of the bridge, and I would not have Uncle Titus see what we are +about for all the world, with Venus and Mars thrown in. Besides, we have +a long pull before us, and we have no time to spare." + +"But I want to know what it is all about," Deck objected. "I am not +going into any conspiracy with my eyes blinded." + +"Pull away, Deck! I don't want that Secesher to see us stopping here. We +shall come to the bend in five minutes; and then if you want to stop and +talk I will agree to it, though we haven't any time to waste," suggested +Artie as a compromise. + +"One would think you were going to set the river on fire by your talk," +replied Deck, profoundly mystified by the words, and more by the manner +of his companion. + +"We may set the creek on fire before we get through with this job," +continued Artie, deepening the mystery every minute. "There's Levi +Bedford," he added, as the manager, riding on a rather wild colt, in the +road leading to the fields, came abreast of the boat. + +He was too far off to talk to the boys; but he waved his hat to them, +and the boatmen returned the salute, as he continued on his way. + +"I wonder where Levi stands in the row that is brewing all over the +country," said Deck. "I don't hear him say anything of any consequence, +though he may have talked to father. He did not come from New England, +and I don't know whether he is a Secesher or not; and it looks as though +he did not mean anybody should know." + +"He don't belong to the Home Guards any way," added Artie. "He is a +Tennesseean, and it would not be strange if he had some Secesh notions." + +"I don't believe he is going back on father," replied Deck, when the +manager had disappeared and the boat had reached the bend. "Here we are; +we can't see the bridge now, and the bridge can't see us." + +"We will stop if you say so; but we may not get back to the house before +to-morrow morning if we spend much time here," said Artie, as he rested +on his oar, and seemed to be very unwilling to use any of the time in +mere talk. + +"If the time is so short, why didn't you start out this morning? and why +didn't you let me know sooner that you were going to set the creek on +fire? We might have brought our dinners with us, as we did when we went +to school in Derry, and made a day of it," argued Deck. + +"Things were not ready this morning, and I started just as soon as I saw +the star in the east," replied Artie. + +"You don't generally wait for the grass to grow under your feet when the +lightning strikes near you." + +"The lightning struck while we were at dinner," added Artie quietly. + +"But I think we can fix things so that we can talk and keep moving at +the same time," suggested Deck, as he rose from his seat with his oar in +his hand, and stepped over his thwart to the aftermost one. + +He seated himself on this thwart, facing the bow. The boys were not +skilled boatmen, though they had practised rowing a good deal on the +river and creek, and they had not trimmed the light craft to the best +advantage for ease and speed, for it was down too much by the head. Deck +asked his cousin to move one seat farther aft, and he complied readily, +in spite of the fact that he was the more skilled of the two in rowing. +In the smallest of the three boats at the lower pier he had often made +long trips alone up the creek, besides those when his cousin was his +companion. + +"That lifts the bow higher out of the water," said Artie as he took his +place. + +"So much the better," replied Deck, proceeding to give philosophical and +scientific reasons to explain what experienced boatmen know by instinct, +as it were. "Now take the stroke from me, and don't pull any faster than +I do." + +Placing himself in an angular position on the thwart, with his right +hand hold of the seat, he began to row with his left. While pulling +alone in the canoe, as the negro rowers called the smallest craft, he +had been inclined to protest against the accepted custom of going +backwards in rowing; and he would gladly have adopted the mechanical +contrivance in use on some of the Northern waters which enabled the +boatmen to pull while facing the bow. He wanted to see where he was +going without turning around, and he had practised rowing in this +position. + +Deck was heavier and stronger than his cousin, though hardly as agile. +Artie took the stroke from him, and it was quite as quick as he cared to +row on a long pull. They kept good time, and the boat went along as +rapidly as before. + +"Now light your match, and start the fire, Artie. We shall lose no time +by this arrangement, and we shall get back to the house before morning." + +"Perhaps, after you understand the nature of the enterprise, you will +not be willing to go with me," added Artie, looking earnestly into the +face of his cousin. + +"I can tell better about that after I know what it is," returned Deck, +reciprocating the earnest gaze of the other. "But it is you who are +wasting the time now. Why don't you come to the point without going +around all the buildings on the plantation?" + +"You heard the story mother told about the arms and ammunition Uncle +Titus had bought for the Home Guards in order to make himself the +captain of the company?" + +"Of course I heard it," and Deck was unwilling to say another word to +increase the preliminaries to the revelation. + +"Did you believe it?" + +"I did." + +"Then you are satisfied that Uncle Titus has a lot of arms hid away +somewhere in this region?" persisted Artie. + +"I had my doubts, and I spoke to father about it on the bridge just +before you came along in the boat. He thought that his brother was just +crazy enough to do such a thing; but he thought whiskey had a good deal +to do with the matter, especially in permitting him to tell his wife +about it. Of course Sandy and Orly are mixed up in this business. But +this is an old story by this time, Artie, and you have not told me yet +what you are driving at," said Deck impatiently. + +"We are going to look for the arms and ammunition, Deck!" exclaimed the +originator of the enterprise. "Is that talking plainly enough?" + +"To look for the arms and ammunition!" almost shouted the after oarsman, +ceasing to use his oar in the astonishment of the moment. + +"You insisted on my telling you all at once, and I have done so; you +have stopped rowing." + +"What you said was enough to throw a fellow off his base. Do you mean +that you are going on a wild-goose chase all over the State of Kentucky +to look for what may be a mere notion, conjured up by an overdose of +whiskey?" demanded Deck, still resting on his oar. + +"Don't get excited, Coeur de Lyon; cold steel cuts best," said Artie. + +"And that's the reason father puts his razor into hot water when he is +shaving." + +"I don't think anybody is right down sure of anything in this world," +continued the leader of the enterprise. "I think I am as sure as any +fellow can be in this State of Kentucky, where no man or boy can tell +which end he stands on, that I know where Uncle Titus's arms and +ammunition are hidden." + +"You know!" ejaculated Deck. + +"I think I know." + +"What are you doing up the creek, then? Didn't Aunt Amelia say that the +arms were concealed near the river?" asked Deck, hardly able to breathe +in his excitement. + +"I think I know where they are hidden better than she did. If Uncle +Titus told his wife that they were hidden on the river,--and that is +just what aunt said,--her husband intended to cheat her," said Artie +very confidently. "I should say that a dozen glasses of whiskey would +not have made Uncle Titus fool enough to tell anybody where the arms +were concealed, not even his wife; and they don't seem to be a very +loving couple since they came to Kentucky." + +"That's so," added Deck. + +"Do you remember that time about a fortnight ago when father spoke to me +about being out so late one night, Deck?" + +"I remember it; it was on the bridge." + +"That night I found out something I could not explain, but I can now, +after what I heard at dinner to-day. But we have eight or ten miles to +pull if we are going to find the arms to-day, and we must be moving," +added Artie. + +Deck rowed again, and they proceeded up the creek, Artie telling his +night adventure by the way. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A STORMY INTERVIEW ON THE BRIDGE + + +Probably Noah Lyon had never felt anything like the emotion of anger in +his being against his brother until they met that day on the bridge. As +one and another had said several times, no two men of the same blood and +lineage could have been more differently constituted. Noah had been a +diligent student as a boy, and a constant reader in his maturity; while +Titus had been the black sheep of the family, had neglected his studies +in his youth, and did not even read a newspaper in his manhood, unless +for a special purpose. + +Titus could read and write, and knew enough of arithmetic to enable him +to keep the accounts of his business. Whatever he learned after he left +school he gathered from the speech of people; and as his associates were +not of the intelligent class in his native town any more than they were +in his new home, his education was very limited and his moral aims, if +he could be said to have any, were not elevated enough to keep him very +far within the limits of the law, which were his principal tests between +right and wrong. + +Before he was twenty-one he obtained a position to drive a stage on a +twenty-mile route, so that he spent every other night at a tavern; and +this did not improve his manners or his morals. As a boy he had become +disgusted with farming, and had learned the trade of a mason, working at +it three years. Like his elder brother, he was a horse fancier, and was +a skilful driver. An accident to the old stage-driver placed him on the +box, and when the place became permanent he was only twenty years old. + +With so little intellectual and moral foundation as he had laid for his +future character, it was a misfortune for him that he was then a +"good-looking fellow." He boarded at the tavern, and paid only two +dollars a week in consideration of his position, for it was believed +that he had some influence with his passengers. He was well supplied +with money for one of his age in the country, and he spent all he had. + +He was an agile dancer, which, with his good looks, made him popular in +the town, especially with the girls. Amelia Lenox was a pretty girl. She +had a fancy for the handsome stage-driver; and, in spite of the earnest +objections of her father and mother, she accepted him as her husband, +and they were married. Titus took a cottage near the tavern, and for a +year, with the help of his and her father, they got along very well. + +All of a sudden a railroad shot through the town, and the business of +the place was gone in the twinkling of an eye. The wages of Titus +stopped, and he had a wife and child to support. He went to his father +for advice. The mason, who had done a good business in the town and its +vicinity, had grown old. Hopestill Lyon, the grandfather of the boys, +was his best friend, and bought out his business for Titus. + +For several years he worked well, made some money, and paid his +grandfather for the investment made on his behalf. But he did not like +the business. Unlike his brothers, he seemed to believe that fate, +destiny, circumstances, or some other indefinable power that regulates +the worldly condition of mortals, had misused and abused him; for he +ought to have been "born with a silver spoon in his mouth," with wealth +at his command, so that he could live in luxury without work. + +When he built chimneys, plastered rooms, or jobbed in filthy drains and +smutty fireplaces, he labored with an active protest against his +occupation in his soul, which extended down to his hands and feet, +shutting out ambition, and making him lazy. He was always on the lookout +for some other occupation, or for some change which would put more money +in his pocket. He did a vast deal of grumbling and growling at his lot, +occasionally taking home with him a gallon jug of New England rum, which +did not improve his condition. He was not a drunkard, but he was +unconsciously falling into a bad habit. + +His wife was an intelligent woman, and was a good helpmate; but it did +not require a prophetic vision to read the future, near or distant, of +Titus Lyon. It was said by some of the old people in the town that he +"took after" his grandmother, who had been a stylish woman in her +younger days, though the solid character of Hopestill Lyon had +controlled her inclinations so that she made him a good wife. + +Mrs. Lyon reasoned kindly with Titus; but before she left her Northern +home she had lost whatever influence she had ever exercised over him. He +was eager to settle in Kentucky when the colonel's letter announcing an +opening for him came, and she was utterly opposed to the plan. It was at +least a change, and he was determined to make it, in spite of the fact +that his brother could not advise him to do so; and the result proved +the solidity of the colonel's judgment. + +For seven years Titus fawned upon his wealthy brother. He was as +obsequious in his presence as one of the field-hands of Riverlawn; but +the colonel did not believe in him as he did in Noah, especially after +his long visit to the latter. When the health of the planter began to be +slightly impaired a couple of years before his death, Titus was sordid +enough to think of what would become of his plantation, which seemed +like a mine of wealth to him, at the decease of the owner. + +He had talked planting, hemp, and horses to the colonel, and did all he +could to impress him with the belief that he was competent to manage the +plantation. It was his nature to believe in what he desired, and he was +satisfied that Riverlawn would be bequeathed to him, as it ought to be. +The reading of the will was a shock to him. The giving of ten thousand +dollars more than his fair share to Noah, who lived far away, and had +never even seen the plantation, in consideration for bringing up the two +orphans of his brother, excited his wrath. + +He regarded this gift as an absolute wrong to him, while he was +compelled in pay the note out of his own share. He went home from +Riverlawn that day choking down his anger; but he was furious in the +presence of his wife, though she did all she could to console him. She +pointed out the fact that he now owned his place clear of any debt, and +had twenty thousand dollars in cash, stocks, and bonds; but he was not +satisfied. He wanted Riverlawn, where he could live in style, with an +abundant income without work. + +As he brooded over his fancied wrong, it came to his mind that the +colonel's _ante-mortem_ inventory had not included the value of the +negroes on the plantation. He hastened over to see Colonel Cosgrove, the +executor. He exhibited a copy of the will, and Titus studied over it for +half a day. Nothing was said about the slaves. Then he went to another +lawyer with whom he had had some political dealings; but this gentleman +assured him that he had no remedy; the colonel had an undoubted right to +dispose of his property as he pleased, even if he had given the whole of +it to Noah. He had bequeathed the plantation, the mansion, with all that +was in or on them, or appertaining to them; and this included the +negroes. + +For nearly two years Titus had nursed his wrath, and was earnest in his +belief that Noah ought to right the wrong the colonel had done him. Yet +he had never had the courage to make this claim upon his brother, or +even to mention to him the five thousand dollars which he insisted +belonged to him. The law could do nothing for him, his own lawyer told +him. Noah was his brother, now his only brother; and it was his duty, +according to every principle of right and justice, to pay over to him +half of the legacy of ten thousand dollars, and of the twenty-five +thousand dollars which was a low valuation of the negro property. + +The quantity of Kentucky whiskey which Titus consumed magnified his +wrongs and made him more unreasonable than his natural discontent would +have made him. When he learned from his younger son what his wife had +told Mrs. Noah, he was more furious than he had ever been known to be +before, and he descended to the brutality of striking her. He had taken +more than his habitual potion of whiskey, and it made him ugly. His wife +wept bitterly over the abuse she had been subjected to, both the words +and the blow, and she had fled to her bedroom. + +She was a high-spirited woman, and it seemed to her that the end of all +things had come, at least so far as her domestic happiness was +concerned. Her father was a well-to-do farmer; and neither he nor her +brothers would permit her to be abused by any one, not even by her +husband. A sudden and violent resolution came to her to return to her +father's house. While she was thinking of this remedy and of the parting +with her children, Titus rushed into the room. She must undo the +mischief she had done, and he would drive her to Riverlawn for that +purpose. He told her what to say, and she promised to say it; for she +felt that she had been indiscreet in what she had said. + +During the drive her husband had continued to abuse her with his unruly +tongue, and she had wept all the way. They found Noah and Deck on the +bridge, and Titus decided to pour out his grievances to his brother; for +his drams had brought his courage up to the point where he felt like +doing it. He was not intoxicated, but he had drunk enough to make him +ugly. He descended from the vehicle, and Mrs. Titus drove over to the +mansion. + +Dexter was sent away as before related, and the father was somewhat +moved by the rudeness with which the boy had been treated. He was a +mild-spoken man; and though he was quiet in his manner, he had more real +grit in his composition than Titus. + +"You seem to be excited, Titus," said Noah, as he seated himself on the +bench from which he had just risen. + +"I have good reason to be excited," growled the angry man. "My wife has +acted like a fool and a traitor to me!" + +"I am sorry for that, Brother Titus; but I hope you don't hold me +responsible for her conduct," said Noah in gentle and conciliatory +tones. + +"Not exactly; but you are responsible for enough without that, and I +have made up my mind that it is time for you and me to have a reckoning, +for you don't do by me as a brother should; and if father was living +to-day he would be ashamed of you," returned the mason, with all the +emphasis of a bad cause. + +"I was not aware that I had been wanting in anything one brother ought +to do for another. But we had better consider a subject of such +importance when you are cooler than you seem to be just now, Titus. Your +present complaint appears to be against Amelia, and not against me. What +has she done? I have always looked upon her as a very good woman and +good wife." + +"You don't know her as well as I do. I don't know what bad advice Ruth +has given her, or what influence she has over Meely, but she made her +tell a ridiculous story about some arms and ammunition," said Titus in a +milder manner; for he seemed to be intent upon counteracting the effect +of her action. "I s'pose Ruth repeated to you the story Meely told." + +"She said you had given five thousand dollars for the purchase of arms, +ammunition, and uniforms for a company of Home Guards, of which you were +to be the captain." + +"I'll bet that wa'n't all she told you," added Titus. + +"That was the substance of it." + +"I suppose most folks in Barcreek know all that." + +"I never knew it till to-day." + +"You don't go about among folks in this county as I do." + +"I don't associate much with Secessionists and Home Guards." + +"I do! But that is my business, and I have a good right to give my money +where it will do the most good; and I shall do so whether you like it or +not," fumed Titus. + +"I don't dispute your right; though I am surprised that a man brought up +in the State of New Hampshire should become a Secessionist when more +than half the people of Kentucky are in favor of the Union," added Noah. + +"'Tain't so! I never was a Black Republican, as you were, and I don't +begin on't now. If you want to steal the niggers, I don't help you do +it! But Meely told your wife something more;" and Titus looked anxiously +into the face of his brother, as if to read the extent of the mischief +which had been done. + +"I believe Ruth did tell me that the arms and munitions had already been +purchased, and were hidden somewhere on the river," added Noah. "But I +did not pay much attention to this part of the story. The material part +of it was that you had given so much money to assist in making war in +the State." + +"I give the money to keep the war out of Kentucky, and maintain the +neutrality of the State," argued Titus. + +"We had better not talk politics, brother, and I will not give my views +of neutrality." + +"The story my wife told about the arms was all a lie!" exclaimed the +visitor with an oath which shocked the owner of the plantation. "No arms +are hid on the river, or anywhere else. Meely understood what I said +with her elbows; and she has come down now to take it all back." + +"Very well; I don't care anything about the arms, though I should be +sorry to have them go into the hands of the Secessionists or the Home +Guards, for they are all in the same boat." + +At this moment Levi Bedford rode over the bridge on the colt, and Titus +was silent. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +AN OVERWHELMING ARGUMENT + + +Levi Bedford had not come to the bridge to interfere with the +conversation or to listen to what was said; but as he was returning from +the distant fields of the plantation by the creek road, he could not +help seeing that a stormy interview was in progress on the bridge. He +believed that he understood Titus Lyon better than Noah did. He +considered him capable of violence to his brother when under the +influence of liquor, and he deemed it prudent for him to be within call +if he was needed. + +Noah would have scouted the idea of Titus raising his hand against him, +even when he had been drinking; for in former years they had always +lived together on the best of terms. Levi had seen more of the mason +within a few years than Noah. While the colonel lay unburied in the +mansion, he had spent most of the time at Riverlawn, and to some extent +had assumed the control of the plantation. + +The manager had not required the negroes to do anything but necessary +work during the sad interval; but Titus had interfered, and sent the +field-hands to their usual occupation. He had "bossed" Levi himself as +though he were only a servant, and even meddled with the affairs of +Diana in the house. The manager could not resent this interference at +such a time, and he could not help seeing that Titus was taking more +whiskey than usual; for he had even ordered Diana to bring out the +choice stores of this article which the colonel had kept for his friends +rather than for his own use. + +He talked to Levi just as though the plantation would soon come into his +hands, and had made himself as unnecessarily offensive to the overseer +and all the petted servants as possible. It would not be overstating the +truth to say that he was thoroughly hated at Riverlawn. Levi had packed +his trunk in readiness to leave as soon as the tyrant took possession of +the place; and even some of the people were thinking of making their way +to the free State of Ohio. + +Levi bowed and smiled as he passed the planter, but he only reined in +his fiery steed, and did not stop. He did not even look at Titus, much +less salute him, for he despised him; and pleasant as he was to all on +the place, including the people, he was an honest man, and appeared to +be just what he was. He rode over in the direction of the river, and +when he reached a thicket of trees and bushes he stopped the colt and +tied him to a tree. He remained there where he could see the bridge +without being seen by those upon it. + +"I wonder that you keep that fellow on the place," said Titus, as Levi +rode off. "In my opinion, and I have seen more of him than you have, +Noah, he is a rascal;" and the last remark was seasoned with an oath. + +"I think he is a very useful man, and my family are already very much +attached to him; for he is always good-natured, and kind and obliging to +everybody," replied the planter. + +"There ain't no accounting for tastes, as my wife says; but if I had +this place that cuss would get kicked out before he had a chance to +breathe twice more," said Titus with a look of disgust which caused him +to twist his mouth and nose into such a snarl that Mrs. Titus would +hardly have known him. + +Levi had not told his employer in what manner the would-be owner of the +plantation had conducted himself on the place after the death of the +colonel; and Noah could not understand why his brother had such an +antipathy to so genial a man as the manager, viewed from his own and his +family's standpoint. + +"I take Levi as I find him, and I have been very much pleased with him," +added Noah. + +"But I did not come over here to talk about that dirty shote," continued +Titus, suddenly bracing himself up to attack the subject of the +grievances which had gnawed like a live snake at his vitals for nearly +two years. "In the fust place, I want you to understand, Noah Lyon, that +there ain't a word of truth in the story Meely told this noon in your +house." + +"All right, Brother Titus," replied Noah. "I haven't looked for the arms +and ammunition, and I know nothing about them." + +"Do you believe what I say, Noah?" demanded Titus with a savage frown. + +"I have no reason to doubt your statement." + +"If you and your family want to make trouble over that statement, I +s'pose you can do so. You 'n' I don't agree on politics." + +"We are not disposed to make trouble. If there should be any difficulty +it will come from your side of the house, Titus." + +"You are an abolitionist, and folks on the right side in this county +have found it out. They don't believe in no Lincoln shriekers, and the +Union's already busted," said the Secessionist brother with a good deal +of vim; and in this, as in other matters, he believed the popular +sentiment was on the side he wished it to be. + +"I voted for Lincoln, and I believe in the Union," added Noah quietly. + +"Yes; and there is five hundred men in this county that would like to +drive you out of the State, and burn your house over your head!" +exclaimed Titus, becoming not a little excited. "I believe they'd done +it before this time if I hadn't stood in their way." + +"Then I am very much obliged to you for your friendly influence. I was +not aware that I had been in any peril before," returned Noah with a +smile, which was suggestive of a doubt in his mind. "Do you think I am +in any danger from such an outrage as you suggest?" + +"I know you are!" Titus belched out with something like fury in his +manner. "If it hadn't been for me they'd done it before now. You haven't +been a bit keerful in your doings. You've got up a Union meeting at the +Big Bend schoolhouse for to-morrow night; and if you go on with it, I'm +almost sure you will get cleaned out; and the folks on the right side +may come over here, after they have shut your mouths at the Bend, and +see whether your house will burn or not. I have done all I could to keep +our folks quiet, and advised them not to meddle with the meeting at the +schoolhouse; but if you keep on the way you're going, I won't be +responsible for what happens." + +"Though I came from the North since you did, all the people I meet seem +to be very friendly to me," answered Noah, the smile still playing upon +his lips; a satirical smile which indicated that he did not believe more +than a very small fraction of what his brother had been saying. + +He had no doubt that the gang with whom Titus and his sons associated +would do all and even more than he prophesied; but they did not form the +public sentiment of the county. + +"You don't meet all nor a tenth part of the people, and you don't know +what is running in their heads," protested the Secessionist. "You and +your two boys keep on howling for the Union when the people round here +are all dead set agin it. What can you expect? Seven States is out of +the Union, and that busts the whole thing." + +"I don't think a majority of the people about here are of your way of +thinking, Brother Titus; but if I am in danger of mob violence, as you +say I am, my house is my castle; I shall defend it as long as there is +anything left of me," added Noah, the same smile resting on his lips as +he uttered his strong words. + +"Defend your house!" said Titus with a bitter sneer. "You hadn't better +do anything of the sort. If you show fight, the crowd will hang you to +one of them big trees. You ain't reasonable, Noah. Do you cal'late on +fighting the whole county?" + +"We differ considerably in regard to the state of feeling in this +county. We are between two fires, and I think we had better not say +anything more on that subject." + +"That's so; but one fire is an alfired sight hotter than t'other; and +that's the one that will burn up that big house of yourn." + +"I shall defend my house, and I think I shall be able to hold my own. +But I am not an abolitionist any more than you are, Brother Titus," +mildly suggested Noah. + +"You shriek for the Union, and it's all the same thing among honest +folks down here," retorted the Secessionist. + +"I hold about fifty slaves, and I had an idea that this made me a +slaveholder," said Noah lightly. + +"Don't you own 'em?" demanded Titus violently; for this subject touched +upon one of his grievances. "I have done everything I could to save you +from any hard usage on the part of our folks in spite of the way you've +used me." + +"I am not aware that I have used you badly, Brother Titus." + +"You call me brother; but judging from your actions you ain't no brother +of mine." + +"I should like to have you tell me in what manner I have wronged you, +Titus. I hear from others that I owe you five thousand dollars; but I am +not aware that I owe you a nickel," replied the planter, who had by this +time come to the conclusion that the quarrel his brother insisted upon +fomenting might as well be brought to a head then as at any other time. + +Titus was silent for a moment, and resumed his seat on the bench, from +which he had risen a dozen times in his excitement as the interview +proceeded. He looked as though he was gathering up his thoughts in order +to present his argument, as he evidently intended it should be, in the +most forcible manner. + +"If a man has two brothers, and one of them goes back on him, is that +any reason why the other should go back on him?" asked the dissatisfied +one with more coolness and dignity than he had before exhibited. + +Mrs. Amelia, years before, had tried to reform his language, picked up +in the taverns and among coarse associates, and she had succeeded to +some extent. He could talk with a fair degree of correctness; but he had +two methods of expression, one of which he called his "Sunday lingo," +used on state occasions, and his ordinary speech at home and among his +chosen associates, enlarged by the addition of some Southern words and +phrases. He began his argument in his best style, though he had never +been able to banish his use of the milder slang. + +"Decidedly not," replied Noah very promptly. "On the contrary, he ought +to stand by the brother if he has been wronged." + +"That is just exactly what you have not done, Noah Lyon!" exclaimed +Titus, springing from his seat again. "And Nathan said unto David, 'Thou +art the man!'" + +"Which means that I am the man," answered Noah, his smile becoming +almost a laugh. "I didn't know, Brother Titus, that I was the David, and +I must ask you to explain." + +"Dunk went back on me," continued the malcontent, recalling the name by +which the colonel was known on the farm in his boyhood. + +"I was not aware that Dunk did any such a thing. I suppose you mean in +his will." + +"That is just what I mean!" stormed Titus. "He gave you ten thousand +dollars more than he gave me; and that was not fair or right." + +"But the will explains why he did so." + +"On account of fetching up them two children! I wouldn't have brought in +any bill for taking care of my dead brother's children. I ain't one of +them sort!" protested Titus. + +"But you refused to take one of them into your family when I proposed it +to you," suggested Noah very gently. + +"Because my wife was sick at the time," said Titus, wincing at the +remark. + +"You did not offer to take one of them afterwards. But I did not bring +in any bill; I never even mentioned the matter to the colonel when I +wrote to him. I boarded, clothed, and schooled them for ten years, and +paid all their doctor's bills." + +"But Dunk gave you ten thousand dollars for it; and it wasn't right. He +spent a month with you in Derry not long before he died, and you +smoothed his fur in the right way," snarled Titus. + +"But the children were not mentioned. I am sure it cost me a thousand +dollars a year to take care of the children; but I did not complain, and +never asked you or Dunk to pay a cent of the cost. The colonel made his +will to suit himself; and he never spoke or wrote of the matter to me." + +"You got on the right side of him, and he cheated me out of what +rightfully belonged to me. I ain't talking about law, but about right. +Half of that ten thousand belongs to me, and you are keeping me out of +it." + +"It was right for you and Dunk to pay as much for supporting the orphans +as I did. Then you and he owed me two-thirds of the sum bequeathed to +me. At compound interest that would amount to more than I receive under +the will. I will figure it up when I have time, and of course if you owe +me anything on this account, you will pay me." + +This argument completely overwhelmed Titus; but Levi had concluded there +would be no violence, and dashed over the bridge on his fiery colt. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A MOST UNREASONABLE BROTHER + + +Titus Lyon dropped into his seat once more when Levi approached. He +scowled at the manager as he swept by with a bow to his employer. He had +been talking very loud about what was fair and right, and he could not +deny that the expense of supporting the orphans ought to be divided +among the three brothers. According to Noah's calculation, the boot had +been transferred to the other leg, and he owed his brother something on +this account if the matter was to be equitably adjusted. + +Titus could not gainsay the position of the planter, and he tried to +choke down his wrath; and just then he would have vented it upon the +innocent overseer if he had not flown like the wind across the bridge, +making the planks dance a hornpipe under the feet of his steed. As the +malcontent was silent for the want of an argument with which to combat +that of his brother, Noah went over the subject, and clinched the nail +he had driven in before. + +"I'll look the thing over again when I go home, for I want to be fair +and right in everything I do," said Titus, after he had sought in vain +for an argument with which he could upset the theory of Noah. "I only +claimed that you owed me half of the ten thousand; I didn't ask for the +whole on't." + +"You never asked for even half of it before; you only told others that I +owed you that sum," replied Noah. + +"Well, I believed it." + +"In that case neither you nor the colonel would pay anything towards the +support of the children for ten years, for the law would divide the +property equally between us," replied Noah. "I can't tell exactly how +the matter stands till I figure it up; but I think you will owe me +something if we settle it on the basis you suggest." + +"I guess we'd better drop the subject till we have both looked it over +agin," added Titus, utterly disgusted with the result of the argument. +"I don't say that Dunk hadn't a right to dispose of his property as he +pleased; but jest s'pose'n he had left it all to me and gi'n you +nothin'--would that been right?" + +"If he had had any reason for doing so, it would have been his right to +do so; but I should say I should not be in condition to be an impartial +judge in the matter," said Noah with a smile. + +"Did he have any reason for treating me any wus than he did you?" asked +Titus sharply, as he sprang to his feet again. "Dunk wa'n't no +abolitionist, and went with the folks round here on politics. He 'n' I +agreed, and never had no dispute on these things." + +"I don't think the colonel did treat you any worse than he did me. He +chose to pay for supporting the orphans, though I never asked him to do +so, or hinted at any such thing. We have talked that over, and nothing +more need be said about it now. I have indicated how that thing might be +fairly settled, and we will let it rest there." + +"But I still say Dunk used me wus 'n he did you; and as a brother you +are in duty bound to set me right, as you said one of the same blood +should do." + +"I don't understand you, Brother Titus; for I am not aware that the +colonel treated me any better in his will than he did you," replied +Noah, wondering what further complaint his brother could make. + +"Didn't he give five thousand dollars to that cuss that just rid over +the bridge?" demanded Titus with a sort of triumphant tone and manner, +as though he had the planter where no argument could avail him. "That +was just the same as taking twenty-five hundred dollars out of my +pocket, as well as out of yours." + +"But you don't bear in mind, my dear brother, that the colonel was +disposing of his own property, and not yours or mine," said Noah with a +pronounced laugh at the absurdity of the other's position. + +"Don't go to dearin' me, Noah; it will be time enough for that sort of +thing when you've done me justice," snarled Titus. + +"When I've done you justice!" exclaimed the planter, rising from his +seat again to vent his mirth. "I must do you justice because your +brother and mine gave Levi Bedford five thousand dollars! Must I pay you +twenty-five hundred dollars on this account?" + +"I didn't say so." + +"But you implied it; for you were trying to prove that the colonel used +me better than he did you. It seems to me that you ought to make your +claim on Levi, if anybody." + +"You git ahead faster'n I do. I only meant to say that Dunk didn't use +me right when he gave his money to this mean whelp; but he treated you +as bad as he did me, Noah." + +"I have no complaint whatever to make, and I am glad the colonel +remembered Levi handsomely; he deserved it, for he had always been a +useful and faithful overseer," added Noah very decidedly. + +"Let that rest," said Titus when he found that he made no headway in the +direction he had chosen. "I s'pose you won't agree with me, but I say +Dunk ought to have left this place to me instid of you. I was his oldest +brother, and I have lived here eight years, and know all about the +plantation, while you never saw it till after Dunk was dead." + +"I am inclined to think the colonel knew what he was about, and he made +his will to suit himself," answered Noah. + +"I should think he made it to suit you. Of course I know it's law, but +it wa'n't right," growled Titus. + +"If you think it was not right, why don't you contest the will, and have +it set aside?" + +"Don't I say it was law; and I suppose it can't be helped now," and the +injured man tried to put on an air of resignation. "But I ain't done." + +"I should say you had said enough; for there seems to be no foundation +for any of your complaints. I think the colonel meant to be fair and +just, and make an equal distribution of his property between you and me. +Taking out fifteen thousand dollars he gave to charity and his +friends"-- + +"That was giving away what belonged to you and me," interposed the +objector. + +"You are as unreasonable as a pig in a cornfield, Brother Titus!" +exclaimed Noah, whose abundant patience was on the verge of exhaustion. +"Duncan was giving away his own property, and not yours or mine, as you +appear to think he was, especially yours; for I believe he did just +right. Taking out the fifteen thousand and the ten he paid for the +support of the orphans,--which I suppose you mean to have settled up in +another way,--there was seventy-five thousand dollars left, which he +divided equally among his brothers and the representatives of the one +who died over ten years ago. That is according to the valuation annexed +to the will." + +"It's mighty strange, Noah, that you can't see nothin' when it's p'inted +out to you," stormed Titus, his wrath rising to the boiling point at his +repeated defeats; for, "though vanquished, he could argue still." + +"I don't believe at all in your pointing, Brother Titus." + +"You talk about that valuation; but it was a fraud, and it was meant to +cheat me out of eight or ten thousand dollars!" roared the malcontent, +gesticulating violently. "It ought to been thirty thousand dollars +more'n 'twas! I say it out loud; and I know what I'm talkin' about!" + +"I don't think you do, Brother Titus. I think you had better stop +drinking whiskey for a week, and then we can talk this subject over more +satisfactorily." + +"Do you mean to accuse me of bein' drunk, Noah Lyon?" demanded Titus, +shaking his fist in the face of his brother; and at this moment that +colt was dashing over the bridge at a dead run, with Levi on his back. + +"I don't think you are drunk, Brother Titus, as tipplers understand the +word, but you are under the influence of liquor, and it affects your +judgment," replied Noah as gently as though he had been speaking in a +prayer-meeting. + +"Then you mean that I _am_ drunk!" + +[Illustration: "THEN YOU MEAN I AM DRUNK."] + +Both of his fists were clinched, and he was shaking one in the face of +the planter, when the bay colt dashed in between them, Noah falling back +before the menacing demonstration of Titus. Levi had dismounted at the +end of the bridge, and seated himself in the arbor where he could still +see the two men. When Titus shook his fist in the face of the planter, +he leaped upon the colt as though he had been fifty pounds lighter, and +galloped to the scene of the wordy contest. + +"What do you want here?" demanded the visitor, with a very unnecessary +expletive. + +"What is it, Levi?" asked Noah. + +"I didn't know but you might want me," replied the manager; but the +demonstrative person was his employer's brother, and he refrained from +using the strong language that came to his tongue's end. + +"I don't want you for anything just now, Levi," replied the planter, +sorry that there should have been a witness to the stormy interview with +his brother; and he wondered if he had not been too plain-spoken, mild +and dignified as he had been. + +"What do you mean, you scoundrel, by stickin' your nose in where you're +not wanted?" demanded Titus savagely, as he shook his fist, relieved +from duty before the planter, in the direction of the overseer. + +Levi wheeled his horse so that he crowded the angry man out of his +place, and made him spring to keep out of the way of the fiery animal; +but he made no reply to the abuse cast upon him. Noah nodded his head in +the direction of the mansion, and the manager rode off, though it was +evident to his employer that he was itching to lay hands on the +turbulent visitor. + +"I hate that villain!" gasped Titus. + +"And he despises you as thoroughly as you hate him; so there is no love +lost. But I think you had better conduct yourself a little more +peaceably, Titus; for I do not like to have the people on the plantation +see that there is any difficulty between us, for we are brothers, I wish +you to remember. Perhaps we had better drop the subject where it is, for +it is almost suppertime," said Noah with the most conciliatory tone and +manner. + +"Not jest yet," returned Titus warmly. "I said that valuation was a +fraud, meant to cheat me out of my rightful due; and you told me I was +drunk, which ain't no kind of an argument." + +"I did not say that exactly; but if it was an argument for anything, it +was that we should talk this matter over some time when you had not +drunk anything." + +"I drink something everyday; and I have a perfect right to do so." + +"I don't dispute it." + +"Dunk gave you all the niggers, and did not put them in the valuation. +Wasn't that cheating me out of my share of the thirty thousand they +would bring even in these shaky times?" + +"I don't think it was. I repeat that the colonel had a perfect right, +just as good a right as you have to drink whiskey, though I don't do so, +to dispose of his property as he pleased," added Noah, looking down at +the planks of the bridge, and remaining for a minute in deep thought. + +"That ain't no argument!" blustered Titus. "The law gives a man's +property to his brothers and sisters when he leaves no parents or +children; and every honest and just man does the same thing." + +"I did not mean to say anything to anybody about the servants on the +place; but I feel obliged to speak to you about them so far as to tell +the facts relating to them," said Noah when he had come to this +conclusion. + +"I cal'late you better speak out if you've got anything to say, or else +pay me over fifteen thousand dollars for my share in the value of them +niggers," replied Titus with a triumphant air, for he believed he had +gained a point. + +"When I was at Colonel Cosgrove's house on the day of our arrival, he +handed me a letter, heavily sealed with red wax, from our deceased +brother. This letter contained another. I have both of these letters in +the safe in the library. Now, if you will go to the house with me, I +will show you both of these letters," continued the planter, +disregarding the tone and manner of his irate brother. + +Titus was curious to know what the colonel had to say in defence of his +conduct, and he assented to the visit to the library. Noah produced the +two letters, handing the opened one to his brother, and showing the +heavily sealed one to him but not permitting it to pass out of his +hands. The malcontent read the opened one. + +"Not to sell one of the niggers for five years!" he exclaimed when he +had finished it. "That is another outrage! And you are not to open that +other letter for the same time. Give it to me, Noah, and I will open it +now!" + +"It shall not be opened till the five years have expired," answered the +planter firmly, as he returned both of the epistles to the safe and +locked the door of it. + +Titus was more violent than ever, for he had been defeated in his last +and most promising stronghold, as he regarded it. He stormed like a +madman, and kept it up for nearly an hour. He made so much noise that +Mrs. Noah knocked at the door to learn what was the matter. At the same +time she called them to supper; but Titus was so angry that he rushed +out of the house, called for his team, and left with his wife at once. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE SINK-CAVERN NEAR BAR CREEK + + +The supper at the mansion had waited till it was quite dark; and it was +evident to Mrs. Noah that the brothers were engaged in important +business, for they had been talking on the bridge all the afternoon, and +Titus spoke so loud in the library that he could be heard all over the +house, though he could not be understood. Something very exciting was +passing between them; Mrs. Noah thought it was politics, but Mrs. Titus +thought it was about "that story" she had repeated. + +As the angry brother passed the door of the sitting-room he called his +wife out, and bolted from the house. Noah followed, and rang the stable +bell. Frank brought the team to the door; Titus pushed his suffering +wife into it, and drove off without the formality of saying good-night. +The planter ate his supper, and was as pleasant as usual, saying nothing +of the business which had brought Titus to Riverlawn. + +"It seems that story about the arms and ammunition has no truth at all +in it," said Mrs. Noah. + +"So Titus says," replied the husband. + +"Meely was terribly excited about it, and said she ought not to have +said a word about it. She begged me not to let any one in the house say +anything about it to any one. Her husband abused her, and even struck +her, for what she had done." + +"I did not know but he would strike me this afternoon. I suppose the +boys have had their supper," added Noah, looking over the table to their +vacant places. + +"No, they have not; I haven't seen anything of them since they went from +dinner," answered Mrs. Lyon. "I wonder where they are?" + +"They went up the creek together in one of the boats just after Titus +came, and I haven't seen or heard anything of them since," said Noah. "I +don't think they were going a-fishing. They have been gone about seven +hours now, and it is time they were at home. Did you see anything of +them, Levi?" + +"I saw them rowing up the creek when I was riding up to the hill +pasture; but I haven't seen them since," replied the overseer. + +"I hope nothing has happened to them," continued Mrs. Lyon, looking +quite anxious. "Perhaps the boat has been upset." + +"I don't believe it did; but if it went over, both of the boys can swim +like ducks," replied the planter. + +The conversation in regard to the absentees was continued till the meal +was finished, and all the party were very much troubled. Levi +volunteered to ride up the creek road and look for them; and just as he +was going to the stable, the absentees came into the house. + +"Where in the world have you been, boys?" demanded Mrs. Lyon, delighted +to find they were safe. + +"We have been exploring the creek, and we have been a good ways up, as +far as the rocky hills," replied Deck, as he seated himself at the +table; and Diana went for the waffles she had kept hot for them. + +"Did you catch any fish?" asked Levi. + +"Not a fish; we did not put a line into the water." + +They had no narrative to relate, or if they had they did not relate it, +though they were questioned for some time, and they told what they had +seen, or a portion of it. + +"While you are here, boys, I want to tell you that your Aunt Amelia has +been at the house all the afternoon," said Mrs. Lyon. "She came to take +back that story she told me this morning in her own house about the arms +and ammunition. She misunderstood your uncle, and there is not a word of +truth in it. So you will understand, all of you, that not a word is to +be said about it out of the house." + +"Not a word of truth in it!" exclaimed Deck; and Artie dropped his hot +waffle in astonishment, or under the influence of some other emotion. + +"Your aunt says there are no arms hidden on the river, or anywhere else. +You mustn't say a word about the matter, and I have cautioned all in the +house not to whisper a sound of it," added Mrs. Lyon. + +Deck looked at Artie, and Artie looked at Deck. A significant smile +passed between them, but they said nothing. As soon as they had finished +their supper they followed the planter into his library, which had been +lighted before. It was an important conference which followed there, and +it must be left in progress in order to return to the boat in which the +boys were pursuing their adventure on the creek. + +Artie had the floor on the boat, and he had just recalled the time when +Noah had spoken to him about being out so late the night before. Deck +remembered it very well, and also that his cousin had evaded an adequate +explanation of his absence from the house when he ought to have been in +bed. + +"You never explained why you were out so late that night," said he. + +"I wanted to look into the matter a little more before I said anything, +for I didn't care to make a fool of myself," replied Artie. + +"You have a habit of keeping your mouth shut pretty tight," said Deck +with a smile. + +"I don't believe in talking too much about things you don't understand, +and I meant to have looked into the matter before this time, but somehow +I haven't had the chance to do so," replied Artie, still pulling his +oar. "I'm going to tell you about my night adventure now, and you can +judge for yourself whether we are going on a wild-goose chase up the +creek." + +"All right; and I will keep my oar moving all the time, so that we shall +be getting ahead while I listen," replied Deck. + +"I was in the canoe, and I had gone farther up the creek than I had ever +been before," Artie began. "You have been up the road that leads to +Dripping Spring and the Mammouth Cave. It crosses the railroad about +five miles before you get to the spring, and the creek flows within a +quarter of a mile of this place." + +"I remember the place very well; for Levi stopped his team there to let +the girls get out and pick some flowers. I could see the creek from this +spot," added Deck. + +"Then you know the place. I had been up the creek three or four miles +farther, and I was on my way home. I had been ashore just abreast of +Dripping Spring, and I got interested in looking over a sink,--I believe +that is what they call these holes in the ground down here,--and the sun +went down before I thought how late it was getting. But I found the hole +led into a cave; but it was too dark for me to explore it. I made a note +of it, to bring a lantern up and survey the cavern when I had plenty of +time to do so." + +"That will be a good job for both of us some time," suggested Deck. + +"I couldn't tell how far I was from home, but I knew it was a long +distance, and I made tracks for the canoe as soon as I saw that it was +getting dark. I hurried up till my arms ached so that I had to stop and +rest. I made up my mind that I must take it moderately or I never should +get home. + +"While I was resting I saw three lights off to the south of me, and then +I knew I was near that road. I could make out about half a dozen men or +boys there, and I watched them for some time. I concluded that they were +up to some mischief, and in my interest I forgot how late it was +getting. I was possessed to know what iniquity was going on there, and I +hauled the canoe up to the shore and made the painter fast to a bush. I +landed, and made my way as near to the road as I dared to go. The ground +was low, and covered with clumps of bushes, so I had no difficulty in +hiding myself till I was within twenty feet of the party. + +"I could hear every word they said; and the man who was bossing the job, +whatever it was, satisfied me that he was Uncle Titus." + +"Uncle Titus!" exclaimed Deck, ceasing to row in his astonishment. + +"Not the least doubt of it; and more than this, I soon recognized the +tones of Sandy and Orly; but I don't know who the other three were." + +"But what were they doing?" asked Deck, absorbed in the narrative. + +"You have stopped rowing, Deck, and we shall never get there at this +rate." + +The stroke oarsman turned his body so that he could change hands at the +handle of the oar, and then resumed pulling. + +"Well, this was an adventure; but you didn't tell me what they were +doing," added Deck. + +"I will tell you all about it, but don't stop rowing, or we shall not +get home before midnight, and father will give us a lecture for being +out late at night. The men were handling a lot of boxes. Some of them +were long enough to hold coffins, and I wondered if they hadn't been +killing Union men, and were getting rid of the bodies. Then they brought +out a lot of haypoles or hand-barrows from the two big wagons in the +road. I saw them put one of the boxes on the poles or barrow, and move +towards the creek. I thought it was about time for me to be leaving, for +I believed they would kill me if they caught me." + +"They wouldn't have let you off with a whole skin, anyhow," said Deck. +"Do you suppose the boxes contained bodies, Artie?" + +"Hold on till I come to it, and I will tell you all about it," replied +the narrator rather impatiently. "I wasn't safe where I was, and I crept +back to the creek between the clumps of bushes without making a bit of +noise on the soft ground. The box the first couple carried was heavy and +the bushes were in their way, so that they could not get along very +fast. As soon as I was out of hearing of the party, I ran with all my +might." + +"I don't blame you for being in a hurry, for if Uncle Titus had got hold +of you he would have made you see more stars then were in the sky just +then. I wonder if they had been killing Union men. The Seceshers have +done that thing in this State. A Union man was murdered in his own house +not far from here." + +"Dry up, Deck, or I shall never get through with my story!" exclaimed +Artie, who did not relish these repeated interruptions. + +"Go on, Artie; I won't say another word," Deck promptly promised. + +"I reached the creek, and cast off the canoe. I crossed over to the +other side, and pulled down stream; for I knew that the two with the box +could not be near the shore. I kept on towards home, but I was careful +not to make any noise with my oars. Just below I saw a big flatboat, +like the gundalow they used to have on the river to carry hay from the +meadows. I drove the canoe into some bushes, and waited. The two men +brought that long box to the shore, and loaded it into the flatboat, +which was big enough to carry six cords of wood. + +"The next load was brought by four men; and I could see by the way they +handled it that it was very heavy. I stopped till they had brought down +two more boxes, and then I thought it was time for me to be going. When +the party had all left the shore I rowed along by the bushes that +overhang the creek till I got round the bend. I didn't wait to see any +more, but rowed as fast as I could; and when I got to the pier I was so +tired I could hardly stand up. That is the end of the story, Deck, and +you know as much about the affair as I do; and I will answer all of your +questions as well as I can." + +"You did not find out anything for certain?" added the listener, +disappointed because his cousin had not ascertained what was in the +boxes. + +"I did not; but I have been able to guess at some things; and that is +the privilege of a New England Yankee." + +"Well, what do you guess was in those boxes?" + +"I didn't guess on that question at the time of it; but I was satisfied +that they concealed some sort of iniquity." + +"What do you suppose they were putting them in the boat for?" + +"Not to take them down the river, for they would have carried them to +some place on its banks if they had wanted to do that. They wanted to +take them up the creek, and this was the nearest point to it." + +"What did they want to do with the boxes? Oh, I know! They were going to +sink the bodies in the creek!" exclaimed Deck. + +"That would have been a good enough guess a fortnight ago; but it isn't +worth shucks now. I told you before that I could explain things better +this afternoon than I could when I saw what the men were doing." + +"How is that?" asked Deck with his mouth half open. + +"The moment mother told that story from Aunt Amelia, I knew what was in +the boxes; and they did not contain bodies, either." + +"Oh, I see! They contained the arms and ammunition." + +"A blind man could see that." + +"Well, that was an adventure. You mean that they were going to put them +in the cavern by the sink?" + +"Precisely that, and nothing less; and now we are going up to the sink +to see for ourselves what is in the boxes," replied Artie. + +They had a long pull before them; but they reached the place by five +o'clock, and explored the cavern. They found the boxes and two cannons +with their carriages. They could not open the boxes for the want of any +tools; but the labels assured them they contained muskets and revolvers. +They hastened down the creek; but it was eight o'clock when they reached +the mansion. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AROUSED TO THE SOLEMN DUTY OF THE HOUR + + +It was more than two hours after suppertime when Deck and Artie arrived. +They were very tired and very hungry after their long pull up the creek; +but they felt better after they had taken a hearty supper. Deck sought +the first opportunity to detail the operations of the afternoon to his +father. + +"Your Uncle Titus has been here this afternoon, and I have had a long +talk with him on the bridge; but his first business here was to disclaim +any knowledge of the arms and ammunition concealed on the river," said +Mr. Lyon, before the boys had an opportunity to open with the story of +their adventure. "He says your Aunt Amelia understood him with her +elbows, and it was a ridiculous story she told your mother without a +word of truth in it." + +"Without a word of truth in it," repeated Deck, who was more inclined +than Artie to do the talking, though the latter was fluent enough of +speech when the occasion required it. + +The boys looked at each other; and they did something more than smile +this time, for they laughed out loud. In view of the revelation they had +to make, the affair became more exciting; but after the discovery they +had made, they did not wonder that Titus had been so earnest in his +purpose to contradict the statement their aunt had made. + +"What are you laughing at, boys?" interposed their father. "This is a +serious matter as your uncle looks upon it; and I suppose such a rumor +circulated about the county might get him and his sons into trouble. The +Unionists regard the Home Guards as precisely the same as Secessionists, +and believe that they are armed, so far as they are armed, to help along +the cause of the South." + +"I should say that Uncle Titus might be a little shaken up about the +story Aunt Amelia related," added Artie with a significant look at his +cousin. + +"I don't know but the Union people would mob him if they believed he had +obtained arms for any Home Guards, especially for such ruffians as they +say he has been gathering together for his company," said Mr. Lyon. "I +have cautioned all who heard the story not to mention or hint at it in +the strongest manner; for of course I don't want to get your uncle into +trouble by repeating a false rumor." + +"Suppose he gets himself into trouble?" suggested Deck. "He is an +out-and-out Secesher, and he don't make any bones of saying so out loud. +Sandy thinks they will break up the Union meeting at the schoolhouse +to-morrow night." + +"Titus says he has done his best to prevent anything of the kind being +done," replied Mr. Lynn. "He thinks I should be mobbed and this house +burned over our heads if he did not use his influence to prevent it. But +your uncle believes what he wants to believe, and is certain a vast +majority of the people of the county are Secessionists. I am very well +satisfied that they are at least about equally divided. At any rate, the +Secessionists are doing their best to overawe the Union people, and they +might succeed to some extent if they could arm the villains they have +enrolled." + +"Then it is better not to let them be armed," suggested Deck, with a +glance at his cousin. + +"The story your mother told at dinner made it look as though they were +to be provided with weapons and ammunition at once; but the statement is +not true, and we appear to be safe for the present," said Mr. Lyon. "But +where have you been all the afternoon, boys?" + +"Deck will tell the story, father," replied Artie. + +"You led off in this business, Artie, and I think you had better tell +it," said Deck, though he was ready enough to relate the adventure. + +"We will both tell it, then," added Artie. "I will begin and go as far +as where you joined me this afternoon at the bridge, and you shall tell +the rest of it." + +"All right; fire away, Artie." + +In accordance with this arrangement, the boys minutely narrated the +events of the afternoon, to the great astonishment and indignation of +Mr. Lyon. He occasionally interrupted his son to ask questions in regard +to the boxes they had examined in the cavern. The boys described the +cases, with the marks upon them, and the listener had no doubt they +contained arms and ammunition. The two carriages for the field-pieces +were the only portion of the warlike material not contained in boxes; +and these were almost evidence enough to determine the character of the +rest of the goods. + +"Were the boxes all of the same kind?" asked the father, deeply +interested, and not a little disturbed by the revelation of the evening. + +"They were not the same," replied Deck, taking a paper from his pocket, +on which he had written down a list of the cases. "The lid of one of the +two in which the cannon were boxed up had been split off in part, so +that we could see what was in it. Twelve cases were labelled +'Breech-loading Rifles,' and the rest of the lot were marked with the +kind of ammunition they contained. The smallest of them had cannon-balls +and grape in them." + +"There isn't any doubt about the matter now," replied Mr. Lyon. "This +means war; and I have no doubt they are to be used in this county by +your uncle's cut-throats; for that is what they are according to what +Colonel Cosgrove said to me the other day. This is bad business," and +the planter gazed at the floor, his wrinkled brow indicating the deep +thought in which he was engaged. + +"Sandy says the company of Home Guards is about full, and I suppose they +will not leave the arms and ammunition in the cavern for any great +length of time," suggested Deck. + +"Something must be done," said Mr. Lyon. "If that company get these +weapons they will terrorize the whole county. There are some very strong +Unionists in this vicinity. Colonel Cosgrove told me they had threatened +to burn his house, though he is a very conservative man. He was in favor +of neutrality; but he admits that the Home Guards in this county are +about all Secessionists. Your Uncle Titus says I am looked upon as an +abolitionist, and if it had not been for him they would have 'cleaned me +out,' as he called it, before this time. It is time something was done," +and the planter relapsed into a revery again. + +The boys were silent. Fort Sumter had been bombarded, and its heroic +garrison had marched out with the honors of war. The country was in a +state of war. The call of the President for seventy-five thousand men +had been made. Northern soldiers were marching South for the protection +of Washington. Flags were flying, drums were beating, trumpets were +blaring, and troops were organizing all over the loyal nation. + +In Kentucky men were enlisting in both armies, though the majority of +them clung to the flag of the Union, inspired by the traditions of the +State. But large portions of it were subjected to a reign of terror. One +party was struggling to carry the State out of the Union, and the other +to keep it in the Union. The county in which Noah Lyon and his family +were located was even more shaken by these discordant elements than most +of the others; for it was not more than thirty miles from the southern +boundary of the State. + +"It almost breaks my heart to have my only living brother associated +with, and even leading, these conspirators against the Union," Mr. Lyon +resumed, as he wiped some tears from his eyes. "But when it comes to the +defence of the old flag under which we have become the most enlightened +and prosperous nation in the world, no true man can favor even his +brother when he plots to ruin it. Something must be done!" he repeated +with energy as he rose to his feet, and emphasized his remark with a +vigorous stamp of his foot. + +"What shall be done, father?" asked Deck, awed by the manner and the +tears of his father; and he had never been so moved before in his life. + +"We must defend the old flag, my boys! We must rally with those who are +marching to the defence of the Union! The time for talking has gone by, +and the time for action has come. I have not passed the military age, +and I shall not shirk the plain duty of the citizen, which is to become +a soldier," replied Mr. Lyon impressively. + +"Do you mean to say that you shall join the army, father?" asked Deck. + +"Certainly; what else can I do at a time like this?" replied the father. +"And that is not all, my son; you and Artemas are now sixteen years old, +nearly seventeen. You are both stout boys; and not only the sire, but +the sons, must shoulder the musket and march to the battle-field." + +"I am ready for one!" exclaimed Deck with enthusiasm. + +"I am ready for the other!" added Artie quite as earnestly. + +"For some time I have seen that this was what we must come to; but I +have put off saying anything about it, for it is a solemn and even an +awful thing to engage in the strife of civil war, brother against +brother, the son against his father, and the father against his son." + +"In our own family, we shall all be on the same side," added Deck. + +"But your uncle and his two sons will be with the enemies of the Union. +It is not of our choosing, and God will be with us while we do our duty +to our country," said the patriot father, as he solemnly lifted his eyes +upward. "Now, my sons, for you both call me father, and I have always +tried to be the same to both of you"-- + +"And you always have been! And Aunt Ruth has been a mother to me and my +sister Dorcas!" interposed Artie, as he wiped the tears from his eyes. +"I shall never again call either of you anything but father or mother. I +am ready to enlist whenever you say the word, father." + +"You are honest and true, and that is the kind of man you will make, my +son; and I can say the same of Dexter. You will both make good +soldiers." + +Both the father and the sons shed tears as they realized, as they never +had before, the solemn duty which the peril of the Union imposed upon +them; and they were inspired to do that duty to the last drop of their +life-blood. + +"There, boys! I did not intend to make a scene like this; but the +finding of the arms and ammunition convinces me that your Uncle Titus +and his villanous associates mean to make war upon loyal men in this +county. When you join the ranks of the Union army, you will find them +all in the columns of the enemy. You have done good service to our cause +in the discovery and ferreting out of this conspiracy against the true +men of this locality." + +"It was all by accident that I found out about it," added Artie +modestly. + +"I hope you will forgive me for scolding at you for being out so late +that night," said Mr. Lyon. + +"You didn't scold me; you only gave me some good advice, and I hope I +shall always remember it. But I did not know then what I had discovered, +or where they were storing the arms." + +"You did exceedingly well, whether you knew what you were doing or not. +Now it is driven into my very soul that I ought not to let the enemy +profit by obtaining those arms. I have made up my mind that it would be +treason, or next door to it, for me to let Titus and his gang have all +these weapons; and with the blessing of God they never shall have them!" + +"That is the talk, father!" exclaimed Deck. + +"So say we all of us!" Artie chimed in. "But what can we do?" + +"Before the light of to-morrow morning breaks upon Riverlawn, we must +move all those boxes to the plantation," replied Mr. Lyon; and he +proceeded to discuss the means by which this purpose could be +accomplished. + +"We have teams enough to haul the whole of them over here at one load," +said Deck, boiling over with enthusiasm. + +"Keep cool, my son, for we must be very prudent in our movements. Do you +know what became of the flatboat with which the conspirators moved the +cases up to the cavern?" + +"Artie thought of that; and we found the gundalow in a little inlet at +the mouth of a brook, covered up with bushes." + +"Then we may use that," replied the planter. "But I am in doubt about +one thing which may bother us." + +"What's that, father?" asked Deck, who could not think of any impediment +to the carrying out of the plan announced by his father. + +"I don't know that we can depend upon every person about the plantation. +A single one opposed to our scheme could ruin it. He might go to the +village and tell Titus, or some of his fellow-conspirators, what we were +about, and interfere with us before we got back." + +"No one here would do such a thing," protested Deck. "All the servants +believe in you." + +"I was thinking of Levi Bedford." + +"Levi!" exclaimed both of the loyal boys together. + +"I have never spoken a word to him about politics, or he to me. +Absolutely all I know about him is that he is a Tennesseean. But we must +settle this point on the instant; you may go and find him, Dexter, and +ask him to come into the library." + +Deck left the room. He found the overseer in the sitting-room with the +family, and he returned with him a minute later. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE NIGHT EXPEDITION IN THE MAGNOLIA + + +Levi Bedford walked into the library not a little excited with +curiosity; for Titus Lyon had spent the whole afternoon on the bridge +with the planter, who had been closeted with the two boys for some time. +It was evident to him that something unusual had occurred. Noah was +seated in a great arm-chair which usually faced his desk, but he had +turned it around. The overseer walked up to this chair, and planted +himself in front of it with a respectful look of inquiry on his round +face. + +"I am in doubt, Levi, and I have sent for you," Mr. Lyon began. "As you +are aware, I have never talked politics with you, and have not known to +which party you belong." + +"I don't belong to any party," replied Levi with a very broad smile on +his face. "My party is the plantation and the family. I look out for +them, and I don't bother my head much about anything else." + +"I suppose you have relatives in Tennessee?" suggested the planter. + +"Second or third cousins very likely; but I don't know anything about +them, and I don't lie awake nights thinking of them. My father died +before I was twenty-one; I had no sisters, and my only brother went to +California twenty years ago, and I haven't heard from him in ten years." + +"I don't mean to meddle with your affairs, Levi, but the time has come +when every man, must declare himself." + +"I should think it had, Mr. Lyon; and this afternoon I thought I was +going to have a chance to strike for your side of the house. I was ready +to do it, for two or three times I thought you were in peril. I don't +know what you were talking about, only it was something very stirring," +replied Levi with his usual smile. + +"I don't think I was in any danger, but I am very much obliged to you +for looking out for me. Now things have come to such a pass that I must +put a direct question to you: Are you a Union man or a Secessionist?" + +"I am a Union man now from the crown of my foot to the sole of my head," +laughed Levi. "But it wouldn't be anything more than honest and square, +Major Lyon, for me to say that I haven't been so many months. Colonel +Lyon was a Union man; but he didn't have it half as bad as you have it. +Some of his neighbors thought he was too tender with his people; but he +and Colonel Cosgrove were pretty well matched on politics." + +"He is a strong Union man, though he is in favor of neutrality if it can +be carried out, which is utterly impossible," added the planter. + +"About the only thing in the row that set me to thinking and made me mad +was that such a set of reckless scallawags have run the machine on the +other side. There is hardly a man of any standing among them. I know +that your brother, who is nothing but a Northern doughface, is one of +the principal leaders among them, and--" + +"We haven't any time to talk about this matter now, Levi," interposed +Noah Lyon, looking at his watch. "I see that you are all right, for you +are a Union man, and you do not approve the course of the violent party +in this county, and the time has come for the boys and me to do +something." + +The planter proceeded in rather hurried speech to state the situation, +and to describe the discovery the boys had made that afternoon. The +overseer evidently had a very strong desire to express his mind in +regard to Titus Lyon; but with great effort he restrained himself, and +listened almost in silence to the narrative of the speaker. + +"I am with you in this matter, Major Lyon, on its merits, though I like +to be on your side; but these ruffians who are trying to make civil war +in the State of Kentucky must be checked," he replied, when the planter +had hurried through his statement. "I am sorry that brother of yours +used any of the money the colonel left him to buy arms and ammunition to +help drag the State out of the Union. I will work day and night to +euchre him and the rest of them." + +"You are just the right man in the right place, Levi Bedford!" exclaimed +Mr. Lyon. "We have no time now to decide what we will do with these +warlike implements, only to get possession of them. It is quarter-past +nine now, and I have my plan for the beginning. While we are carrying it +out we can settle what is to be done with the arms." + +"I know just where that sink-hole and cavern are, and all we have to do +to get there is to follow the creek," added the manager. + +"The flatboat is near the place, and we can move the boxes in that, as +the conspirators conveyed them from the road," replied Mr. Lyon. "But +there are only four of us, two men and two boys. The cannons must weigh +six or seven hundred pounds apiece, and we shall want more help." + +"Well, we have help enough, and we can take a dozen of the people with +us, if we want as many as that," added Levi. "I know something about +these things, for when I kept stable in my State I used to belong to an +artillery company." + +"Can the negroes be trusted? We must keep our operations a profound +secret." + +"In this business you can trust them a great deal farther than you can a +white man," said the overseer, as he took a piece of paper from the desk +and wrote down the names of some of the hands. "How many do you want, +Major Lyon?" + +"Half a dozen; we can't accommodate more than that. Put in the boatmen, +for there is a deal of boating to be done." + +Levi revised his list and then handed it to the planter. + +"General, Dummy, Rosebud, Woolly, Mose, Faraway," Mr. Lyon read from the +list. "I should say you had picked out just the men we need. They are +all used to the boats, and they are among the toughest and strongest +hands on the place. Yon must put them under oath, if need be, to be as +secret as death itself. I will leave all that to you. Now, have them at +the lower boat pier just as soon as possible, and we will be there." + +"I will have them there in fifteen minutes," replied Levi, as he +hastened to execute his mission. + +"Now, boys, go to the pier, and get the Magnolia in condition to go up +the creek," continued Mr. Lyon. + +"The Magnolia!" exclaimed Deck. "Why, she--" + +"We have no time to argue any question, Dexter," interposed the father. +"Take your overcoats; and you are to be as secret as the rest of us. Ask +your mother to come into the library, but don't stop to talk, my son." + +The boys left the room, and Mrs. Lyon immediately presented herself in +the library. + +"What in the world is going on here to-night, Noah?" asked the good +woman. "Ever since the boys came in you have been closeted in here as if +you were planning something." + +"So we are, Ruth, for the boys made a great discovery on their trip up +the creek," answered the planter hurriedly. "That story about the arms +and ammunition which Titus and Amelia came down here to disclaim and +deny was all as true as gospel, for the boys have found them." + +In five minutes more Mr. Lyon told his wife all that it was necessary +for her to know, and charged her to be secret and silent. She seemed to +be alarmed; but he assured her that there was no danger in the +enterprise in which they were to engage. It was absolutely necessary +that the arms and munitions should be removed beyond the reach of the +conspirators. He asked her to bring him three lanterns without letting +any one see them, which she did at once. With these in his hands, the +planter left the house without going into the sitting-room. + +Deck and Artie reached the boat-pier without speaking a word, and they +ran half the way. The Magnolia was moored out in the creek; and taking +the canoe, which was used as her tender when the sailboat was in +service, as it had not been since the death of the colonel, she was +towed alongside the pier. They went to work baling her out, of which she +was in great need, though she had been well cared for in her idleness by +the boatmen of the place. + +The Magnolia had not been built for a sailboat. Site was long and narrow +for her length, about thirty feet, and was provided with rowlocks for +six oars. Before they had finished baling her out the General and Dummy +reached the wharf. They were great strapping negroes, fully six feet +tall, and the weight of each could not have been much below two hundred +pounds, though they were not of aldermanic build. + +When they saw what the boys were doing,--for Levi had not given them +even a hint as to the nature of the service in which they were to be +employed,--they seized the buckets, and soon cleared the well of water. +Levi was the next to put in an appearance, just as Deck was telling the +two men to take the mast out of her, an order which the manager +countermanded. + +"We may want the mast and sail," interposed Levi; "for the wind is fresh +from the south-west to-night, and I don't believe in doing any more work +with the oars than is necessary." + +"But we have no boatman, and none of us know how to manage the sail," +argued Deck. "It would be a bad time to get upset, and we have no time +to indulge in fooling, Levi." + +"The mast and sail are not in the way in the boat. I am no boatman, and +I never tried to handle the Magnolia, for the colonel was the only +person on the place who ever learned the trick of doing that; but I +often sailed in her up and down the river, and I used to think I could +do it if I tried," replied the manager, as the other four negroes came +upon the pier. + +"Oh, well, if you can handle her with a sail, that's another thing," +answered Deck, yielding the point. + +"Here, Rosebud, unlock the boathouse, and bring out six oars, the +biggest ones, and all the boathooks you can find," said Levi, as he +looked the boat over. + +No one said a word about the mission upon which they were to embark, +leaving the planter to do all the talking when he came. General and +Dummy were the biggest of the six men who had been selected; but the +other four were stalwart fellows. Their names were rather odd, the +family thought when they first heard them; but not one of them bore the +one his mother had given him in his babyhood, for the colonel had +rechristened the whole of them on the plantation to suit his own fancy. + +Some circumstance, or something in their appearance, had doubtless +suggested the names; but after they were given they clung to their +owners as though they had been recorded in a church. The General was a +quick-witted fellow, which inclined him to take the lead when anything +was to be done. Woolly had a tremendous mop of hair on his head. Dummy +was a preacher in the shanty which served as a church at the Big Bend; +and perhaps because he was always studying his sermons, he never spoke a +word unless the occasion required it; but Levi, who had heard him +preach, said he could talk fast enough in his pulpit, and delivered a +more sensible sermon than some white clergymen to whom he had listened. + +Rosebud, like the overseer, always had a smile on his face, and could +hardly do or say anything without laughing. Mose did not swear +profanely, but "by Moses;" and everything was as true, as high, as big, +as handsome, as "Moses in de bulrushes." "Faraway" had been a pet word +with the one to whom the planter had given this name. They were all +reliable servants, and were devoted to their past and present masters. +No king, prince, or potentate had ever been as big a man in their +estimation as the colonel; and they had transferred this homage to the +"major," as they were inclined to call Mr. Lyon after they heard the +overseer use this title. + +Levi placed the men in the boat, each with his oar, and then headed it +up the creek. The boys took their places in the stern-sheets, and the +overseer handled the tiller lines. These arrangements were no sooner +completed than the planter appeared, and took his place with the boys. +The rowers were sitting with the oars upright; for the General, who was +the stroke oarsman, had learned either from pictures in the illustrated +papers their former master used to give the hands when he had done with +them, or from some person more experienced than himself, some of the +forms used in boating. + +"Drop your oars!" said Levi, and they all fell into the water together. + +"Ought to say 'let fall,' Mars'r Levi," added General. + +"No talk, General. Now gather up, and pull away!" continued Levi. + +General would have given him the proper form, "Give way!" but Levi was +not in the humor to be instructed, and the rower said no more. The men +pulled their oars with a will, and the implements bent under their +vigorous stroke. The planter had run all the way from the mansion, and +was out of breath, so he was silent for a time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +AT THE HEAD WATERS OF BAR CREEK + + +It was quite dark when the Magnolia went out from the pier, though it +was a starlight night. The crew pulled very well, for the colonel had +taken no little pride in the appearance of his boat on the river. Before +his health was impaired he occasionally went to the county town by +water; for it was on a branch of the river, and was full thirty miles +distant by the winding streams. + +The crew were powerful men, and had had plenty of practice in former +years. But the present planter preferred the vehicles, drawn by fine +horses, and the boys used the smaller boats, so the Magnolia had not +been manned under the new order of things. Under the vigorous stroke of +the negroes she soon passed under the bridge, and headed up the creek. + +"We are fairly started, and this boat seems to be making at least five +miles an hour," said the planter, when he had fully recovered his +breath. + +"More than that, I should say, Major Lyon. I don't believe the hands can +keep up this gait all the way; but we shall get to the sink about +midnight," replied Levi. + +"I don't know that there is anything to apprehend in the way of danger," +added Mr. Lyon. + +"I don't know whether there is or not; but I put my revolver and a box +of cartridges into my pocket." + +"I never owned a pistol of any kind, and have hardly fired a gun since I +was a boy; but in the storeroom out of the library I found some very +nice weapons,--a double-barrelled rifle and a fowling-piece." + +"The colonel had two revolvers; and they must be somewhere about the +library. A few years ago some horse-thieves were in this vicinity, and +we kept a watch on the place every night for a couple of weeks," said +Levi. + +"If Uncle Titus put five thousand dollars into these guns and pistols, I +should think he would be apt to keep a watch over them," suggested Deck. + +"A watch would not amount to anything unless he put as many as half a +dozen men on it," answered Levi. "But I think he depends upon the +secrecy of his movements and the safety of the cavern for the security +of the arms. He put the things away in the night, and I don't believe +anybody ever goes over the spring road in the darkness. If he put a +watch anywhere he would station it on that road at the place where they +shifted the boxes from the wagon to the flatboat. But I reckon we can +take care of the watch if there is any there." + +"But the road is about a quarter of a mile from the creek," said Deck. + +"All of that; and we may pass the place without much of any noise, and +no one on the road would be likely to hear us," replied Levi. + +"I don't think the watch, if there is one, will give us any trouble, for +if they hear us, we can keep out of their way; and I don't think they +would have any boat in the creek," added the planter. "Your revolver +will keep them at a proper distance when we reach the cavern." + +"I found a shingling hatchet in the boathouse, and I brought that along +with me," said Artie. + +"Are you going to fight with that?" asked Deck. + +"Not exactly that; but we couldn't open one of the boxes this afternoon +for the want of a tool, and we can do so with this hatchet; then we +shall have all the muskets, revolvers, and cartridges we can use," +replied Artie. + +"That is a good scheme, my boy," added Levi approvingly. "But I don't +believe we shall have to do any fighting. If the conspirators have set a +watch, it must be in the road; and I reckon we shall clean out the +cavern before they can get there." + +"We won't fight any battles before we get there," interposed the +planter. "We have always been peaceable people, but I suppose we must +get used to fighting, for we are going to have a terrible war; and I +don't believe in Mr. Seward's prediction that it will all be over in a +hundred days. I am ready to become a soldier, Levi, and so are the boys, +in defence of the Union." + +"I suppose I ought to do the same," added the overseer; "but I had not +thought of it." + +"You are fifty years old, and you will not be called upon to go into the +army, Levi," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"But I am ready to do my share of the fighting; and if I am over fifty, +I reckon I am as tough and hearty as any of them that will shoulder a +musket," said the overseer; and those near him could hear his chuckle, +though they could not see his smile. + +"I hope you will not go to the war, my friend," continued Mr. Lyon in a +very serious tone. "I am only forty-two, and I believe it is not only my +duty to send my boys into the army, but to go myself. I have thought a +great deal of this subject within the last month, though I haven't said +much. I believe a man's first duty is to his family, and I should hate +to go off into the army, and leave my wife and the girls here; for I +believe whoever stays in Barcreek will see some fighting here." + +"And see some before a great while," added Levi. "Everything is boiling +round here, and it will boil over before long. These Secession ruffians +are not going to keep the peace much longer. They are itching to begin +the work of driving the Union men into their cub pasture." + +"That is my own opinion; and that is my only dread in joining the army. +But I have comforted myself with the belief that Levi Bedford was over +fifty, and he would remain on the plantation and take care of my +family." + +"I am very much obliged to you, Major Lyon, for the confidence you put +in me, and I can assure you it shall not be abused," returned the +manager, with more gravity in his tone and manner than usual. "If by +staying here I can keep three good Union soldiers in the field, perhaps +that will be doing my fair share of the work." + +"We will talk this matter at another time, Levi; and I will only say I +could not have found a man more to my mind to take charge of the +plantation and the women-folks if I had hunted for him all over the +nation." + +"That's handsome, Major; and you may wager your life and all you have in +the world that I will never go back on you or your family," protested +the overseer warmly. + +"We understand each other perfectly, Levi. But there is a more pressing +question than that before the house just now," said Mr. Lyon, as he took +Levi's offered hand, and gave it an earnest grasp. "What are we to do +with all these arms and ammunition when we get them down to Riverlawn?" + +"I haven't had much time to think of that; but I had an idea come across +my head as I was running from the house down to the boat-pier. I passed +by the ice-house, and it jumped into my noddle that it would make a good +arsenal; but I haven't worked up the idea yet," replied the manager. + +"That is a happy thought!" exclaimed the planter. "It never occurred to +me. It is in just the right place; for my brother has given me warning +that I was in danger of being mobbed as an abolitionist, and that +nothing but his influence has prevented it from being done before." + +"It is hard work for me to believe that doughface is a brother of yours +and the late colonel; but if he dared to show his face in it, he would +be the first man to get up such a demonstration. Excuse me, Major, if I +am talking too plainly," said Levi, who had little patience with, or +toleration for, Titus Lyon. "He may send his company of Home Guards over +to clean out the mansion, but he won't come himself, for he is a poison +snake." + +"Perhaps you know my brother as he has developed himself in this +locality better than I do, though he has even shown his fangs, under a +mask, to me; but I shall keep the peace with him," replied Mr. Lyon very +sadly. + +"If he attempts anything of that sort, or any other border-ruffians do, +I believe we can make them wish they had stayed at home," said Levi +stoutly. + +"We can make the ice-house into a fortress for the protection of the +mansion," continued the planter. "It is near the creek, and commands the +bridge and the road leading to it, which is the only practicable +approach to the mansion. The swamp half a mile back of the house lies +between the spring road and the creek, and extends all the way to the +hills, not less than ten miles by water; and no body of men can get +through that way." + +Though he had had no military experience, Noah Lyon talked like an army +engineer. He was a man of very decided general ability, and he readily +comprehended the situation so far as his plantation was concerned. The +ice-house was about twenty-five feet square. It was built of stone under +the direction of Colonel Lyon, who had his own views, though they were +not always scientific. To preserve the ice, which did not consist of +great solid blocks as in New Hampshire, he believed that thick walls +were necessary, and he had put two feet of solid masonry into them. The +ice was generally not more than two inches thick in this latitude, +though an exceptionally hard winter sometimes made it four. It was +packed in solid, and then permitted to freeze by leaving the door and +two windows open during the freezing weather. + +"Stop rowing," said Levi, when they came to a bend five miles above the +bridge. "Now rest yourselves for five minutes, boys." + +"Don't need no rest, mars'r," said General, as he drew his arm over his +forehead, from which the perspiration was dropping on the handle of his +oar. "We done pulled dis boat twenty mile widout stoppin' once." + +"A little rest will do you no harm, for you will be kept at work till +morning," replied Levi. + +"Whar we gwine, mars'r?" asked General. + +"About five miles farther," replied the overseer evasively. "Have you +brought your jackets or coats with you, boys?" + +They had brought them. Levi had read of muffled oars, and he ordered +each of the rowers to wind the garment not in use around the loom of his +oar where it rested in the rowlock. They obeyed in silence, and no one +asked any question; for this reason they would have made good sailors, +for they must obey without asking the reason for the command. They had +been well trained by the overseer. + +"Now, not one of you must speak a loud word, or make any noise," +continued Levi, when he had seen that the oars were all properly +muffled. "You must excuse me, Major, if I request all in this part of +the boat to keep still also; for we are coming to the nearest point to +the spring road. If there is any one on watch there, we will fool him if +we can." + +"All right, Levi; we will keep as still as mice in a pantry." + +"Pull away again, boys," he added, to the disgust of General, who wanted +him to give his orders in "ship-shop" fashion. + +The negroes obeyed the command just as well as though it had been +"ship-shop;" and the Magnolia went ahead with renewed speed after the +rest. A little later the overseer ordered them to pull more slowly and +with less noise, for the oars could be heard in spite of the muffling. +But they could not be heard at half the distance to the spring road, and +no challenge came to them from that or any other direction. + +"Now you may put your muscle into your oars, boys," said the overseer +when the boat came to a bend which had carried it away farther from the +road. + +The men bent to their oars again, and the Magnolia flew over the dark +water. Dark as it was, the pilot had no difficulty in keeping the boat +in the middle of the creek. At the end of about an hour from the +resting-place, Levi ordered the men to pull slowly again, for the boat +was approaching its destination. The planter lighted a match and looked +at his watch. + +"Hold on, here, boys!" called the overseer. "We have gone too far, for +here is the mouth of the brook, and I reckon the flatboat is under that +heap of stuff;" and he pointed to a mound of branches by the shore of +the inlet. "I reckon we want the lanterns now, Major Lyon. Did you light +one of them?" + +"No; I only looked at my watch. We are in good time, for it wants a +quarter of twelve," replied the planter. "Get out the lanterns, boys, +and we will light them." + +Levi worked the boat into the little inlet, and alongside of the mound. +The flatboat was found under it, precisely as Artie had described it in +the library. Four of the hands were sent to the top of it, and ordered +to clear away the branches, which they did by throwing them on shore and +into the water. The gundalow was baled out, and then its painter was +made fast to the stern of the Magnolia. Deck and Artie were sent ashore +with one of the lanterns, and directed to find the sink. + +The Magnolia towed the flatboat down the creek till Deck hailed her from +the landing-place where they had gone ashore in the afternoon. By a +little after midnight the gundalow was moored at a convenient point for +loading it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE ARMS + + +The three lanterns were lighted, and Levi Bedford lost not a moment in +making the preparations for loading the boxes into the flatboat. The +sink-hole was a tunnel in the ground, at the bottom of which could be +heard the gurgling of waters. The overseer said the brook which flowed +into the creek where they had found the gundalow had its source in this +place, though it made a considerable circuit before it reached its +outlet. + +On the side of the inverted cone nearest to the creek there was an +opening which led into the cavern, the bottom of which was at least +twenty feet above the water, whose ripple they could hear. The descent +was gradual, both in the tunnel and in the cavern; and with lanterns in +their hands Deck and Artie led the way down, for they had made +themselves familiar with the subterranean chamber in the afternoon, and +it was years since Levi had been there. + +Mr. Lyon followed his son, while the overseer, with a coil of small line +on his arm, which he had taken from the boathouse, brought up the rear. +The party were taking a survey of the entrance in order to determine the +best way to move the cases. It looked as though the water had flowed +through the cavern at some remote period of time, probably rising from +the sink-hole below, for the limestone at the floor was worn tolerably +smooth. Doubtless the extinct stream had found a new outlet, lowering +the level of the water so that it had ceased to flow through the cave. + +The boxes were piled up just as they had been found in the afternoon. +The roof of the cavern was very irregular, and in some places it was not +more than five feet above the floor, while in others it was from eight +to ten. The arms were deposited in a recess about twenty feet from the +entrance. When the boys visited the sink-hole they had found the opening +of the cave partly filled up with branches of trees and other rubbish; +but they had removed these obstructions, which formed only a very weak +attempt to conceal the depository of the arms. + +Levi studied the interior of the cavern and the situation of the cases, +attended by the planter. The lanterns were sufficient to light it so +that they had no difficulty in seeing to work. The apartment began to +wind about just below them, and all was gloom and darkness in that +direction. + +"It is about twenty feet to the opening," said Levi, as he measured the +distance with his eye. "The roof is not more than five feet high half +the way; and, if their skulls are not harder than the limestone, General +and Dummy will be likely to stave a hole in them." + +"The rest of the hands are not so tall," suggested Mr. Lyon. + +"I brought this rope with me without knowing that it would be of any use +to us; but I find that it is just the thing we want," continued the +overseer as he uncoiled the line. "Now, boys, all we will ask you to do +is to hold the lanterns; but you must not go to sleep and let them fall +on the stone floor." + +"No danger of that," laughed Deck. "But we can work in the low place +without smashing our heads." + +"I am glad there is no hard work for you, boys, for you must be tired +after pulling a boat twenty miles this afternoon," added Mr. Lyon. + +"I am not very tired, and I can do my share of the work," replied Artie. + +"So can I," added Deck. + +"But you can do the most good by holding the lights," replied Levi. "One +of you stand down here; and the other, with two of the lanterns, near +the opening." + +The boys followed this direction, Deck placing himself at the entrance, +where he could light a part of the cavern and the tunnel. The overseer +uncoiled his rope, and with the help of the planter lifted one of the +boxes down to the floor. He then made fast the rope to it with a +slip-noose, the knot on the under side, so as to carry the case over any +obstructions. + +Walking up to the entrance, uncoiling the line as he proceeded, he +passed out of the cavern into the tunnel. Calling General and Dummy from +the place where they had been told to wait, he stationed them near the +door, and then carried the line, which was not less than seventy-five +feet in length, to the shore of the creek. + +"Now, Rosebud, and the rest of you, take hold of this rope, and when the +word comes up to you from General, haul up the box which is made fast to +the other end of it," continued Levi. "As soon as you get it up here, +unhitch the line, and throw the end down to General. As soon as you have +done that, load the case into the boat, then haul up another, and do the +same thing over again." + +"Gunnymunks!" exclaimed the laughing negro. "Whar all de boxes come +from?" + +"None of your business, Rosebud; mind your work, and don't ask +questions," returned the manager, as he descended to the entrance to the +cavern. + +"W'at we gwine to do, Mars'r Bedford?" asked General. + +"You are going to pull and haul; and you can begin now," replied Levi. +"Take hold of that line, and draw that box up here. Pull steady, so as +not to break it." + +The two powerful negroes manned the rope, and dragged the case up to the +opening without any difficulty, and without doing it any great injury. +It was placed so that it could be readily hauled out of the sink. + +"Above there!" called the overseer. "Now haul steady on the rope! Ease +it out of the opening, General." + +The two big men crowded it around the corner, and then it went up to the +ground above without any obstruction or delay. The line was detached +from the box, and thrown down to the entrance, General passing it down +to the pile of boxes. Another had been prepared for the rope, and the +planter made fast to it. Levi had gone up to superintend the loading of +the box, and arranged a couple of planks he found in the boat, so that +this part of the work could be conveniently done. He made Rosebud the +"boss" for the time being, and then went down into the cavern to assist +his employer. + +"It won't take long to do the job at this rate," said Mr. Lyon when the +overseer joined him. "Your plan of doing the work makes an easy thing of +it." + +"I could not tell how it was to be done till I saw the situation of +things here; but we shall be back to Riverlawn before daylight," replied +Levi, as they lifted down the third of the boxes. + +When the method of moving the cases to the boat had been adopted, and +had been found to work so well, the task was practically accomplished. +The ease and celerity with which they mounted to the upper regions +astonished and delighted the planter and the boys, and they were filled +with admiration at the skill displayed by Levi Bedford in the management +of the business. He was accustomed to working the hands, and knew what +each of them was good for; and no other person could have done so well. + +The work proceeded with increased rapidity as the men became used to the +operations. In less than an hour all but the two cases containing the +cannon, which Levi said were twelve-pounders, had been removed. The +"Seceshers" had evidently had a great deal of difficulty in handling +them; for they had stove one of the cases in pieces, and the other was +hardly in condition to hold the heavy piece. Levi made his rope fast to +the cascabel, or but-end of the gun, and the word was passed for the men +above to come down to the entrance. + +The six negroes made easy work of hauling it up to the opening, while +the overseer and the planter directed it with levers, split from the +broken case, so as to prevent it from receiving any injury. The six men +were then sent above the tunnel, and the gun was drawn up. Loading it +into the boat was a more difficult matter; and the planter and the +overseer were considering how it was to be done, when General +interrupted them. + +"Go 'way dar, niggers!" exclaimed General, waving his hand for the +others to get out of the way. "Cotch hold ob de end ob de shooter, +Dummy, and we uns will tote it in de boat!" + +The big preacher seized the end of the piece at the vent end, and +General did the same with the muzzle. They lifted the gun from the +ground, though with a strain which brought out some grunts from them, +and slowly marched to the boat with their burden. Levi ordered two more +of the men to take hold with them, at the trunnions, and sent the other +two into the boat, who assisted as they could obtain a hold on the load. +It was safely deposited in the bottom of the craft. + +The overseer opened the other case with the hatchet Artie had brought, +and broke up the boards of which it was constructed. It was put into the +boat in the same manner as the other. The water was deep enough in the +creek for the boat, and Levi gave his attention next to the trimming of +the craft, while he sent some of the hands to bring up the pieces of +board left in the cavern; but the cargo needed but little adjusting, and +the party were ready to return to Riverlawn. + +"When your precious brother visits that cavern next time, he will be +likely to wonder what has become of his arms and ammunition," said Levi, +wiping the perspiration from his brow. "Now, boys, go down into that +hole again, and see that we have left nothing there, for I don't want +Captain Titus to find anything to let him know who has done this job for +him." + +While they were gone upon this mission, the overseer placed the Magnolia +ahead of the flatboat, in readiness to tow it down the creek. The boys +returned, and the hatchet was the only thing which had been left. To +their astonishment they found that Levi had shaken out the sail of the +Magnolia, and they had their doubts about his ability to manage it. + +"I hope you won't tip the sailboat over, Levi," said Deck, as he stepped +on board of her, followed by Artie. + +"If I do I shall not spill you out, either of you; for I want you to +take charge of the flatboat, with two of the hands," replied the +overseer. "I shall keep four men in the Magnolia to row, and I think the +sail will help us along a good deal." + +"I should like to change that plan a little, Levi," interposed Mr. Lyon. +"The boys and myself can take care of the flatboat, and you can have all +the men at the oars." + +"Just as you say, Major Lyon, and perhaps that will be the best scheme. +I was thinking that you and the boys might sleep part of the way down," +answered the overseer. "The wind is blowing pretty hard from the +south-west, and I reckon we shall get some rain before a great many +hours. The sail ought to help us a big piece." + +The planter and the boys armed themselves with the long oars of the +flatboat, which had been driven into the muddy bottom of the creek to +hold her in place at the landing, and they were ready to keep her off +the shore in going around a sharp bend. Mr. Lyon placed his between the +pins in the stem to steer with. + +With their oars in hand the six rowers were in their places, and Levi +gave the word to shove off. When the men had pulled a short distance, +the skipper, a position which the overseer had assumed, hauled in the +sheet, and made it fast at the cleat for the purpose. The sail filled +with a vengeance as a sharp flaw struck it, and the Magnolia forged +ahead with a dart, dragging her tow after her. As the creek widened the +sail strained, and the Magnolia seemed to be struggling to get away from +the gundalow astern of her. + +As she proceeded on her course down the stream, she increased her speed, +and appeared to make nothing of hauling the tow after her. The motion +produced by the sail bothered the rowers, who were not used to this +situation. Some of them "caught crabs," and the oars of all of them were +lifted and thrown back by the water that rushed past them. They made +such bad work of it that Levi ordered them to unship their oars. + +The Magnolia was making something like six miles an hour, and would have +made ten without the tow. He steered her so that she carried the +gundalow safely around the bends of the stream; and the planter had +little to do, the boys nothing. Deck and Artie stretched themselves on +the boxes, and were soon fast asleep; for they were worn out with the +exertion and excitement of the day and night. + +The bends in the stream near the spring road perplexed the skipper at +first; but his excellent common-sense helped him out, and he hauled in +his sheet so as to bring the boat up closer to the wind. Above the most +troublesome bend at this point, the general course of the creek was west +north-west. He let off the sheet, and the Magnolia flew faster than +ever. + +When he came to the bridge by the mansion, he waked the negroes, who had +all fallen asleep, to take down the mast, so that he could pass under +it, for he had already lowered the sail. He ran the boat close to the +bank off the ice-house, and the negroes secured it and the gundalow. + +"Dexter, Artemas!" shouted the planter. "Wake up! The cruise is ended." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD + + +The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of +cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them. It +was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused +from their slumber. + +"What are we stopping here for, father? Has anything broken?" asked +Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him. + +"Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter. "Haven't you +got your eyes open yet? Can't you see that you have got home?" + +"I believe I have been asleep," added Artie, rubbing his eyes. + +"I know you have, my boy; for I spread your overcoats over you both +before we reached the big bend, and I know you were sleeping as soundly +as a pair of babies then. You must have slept an hour and a half," the +father explained. "I am glad you had some sleep, for we have more work +to do before we can go to bed." + +"I can see the bridge now," added Deck. + +"And there is the house," said Artie. + +The negroes were all wide awake by this time, and Levi had gone to the +mansion for the key to the ice-house. Mr. Lyon lighted all of the +lanterns, and sent the boys to the stone building with them, following +himself soon after. The overseer came with the key, and it was opened +with some difficulty. The ice with which it had been filled in the +winter had been exhausted, and it contained nothing but rubbish. The +hands were called, and the interior was soon cleaned out. + +Though Levi had not closed his eyes during the night, and had been busy +all the time, he was wide awake, and proceeded to drive things as he had +done at the cavern. It was decided to move the cannons first, after a +broad gang plank had been made of the material in the boat. A heavy +cart-stake was procured, which was thrust into the first of the pieces, +with room enough for three of the hands to get hold of it. Another was +placed under the cascabel, which was supported by General and Dummy, +with Rosebud at the jaws. + +The gun was easily handled with this force, and the men walked briskly +to the new arsenal. Three wheelbarrows were brought from the tool-house +by the planter and the boys while Levi was superintending the removal of +the cannons. Three wheelers were selected by the overseer, two placed in +the gundalow to load the barrows, and one at the ice-house. In less than +an hour, and when the daylight was appearing in the east, the job was +finished. + +"Now, boys, you can sleep all the rest of the day," said Mr. Lyons, and +Levi sent the hands to their quarters. + +"We haven't seen any men on the watch," said Levi, while he was placing +some boards over the windows of the building, "but there may have been +some on the lookout for all that." + +"If they were in the road near the big bend, where you thought they +would be, if anywhere, they could not have walked to the cavern in time +to find us there, for we made quick work of loading the boat," added the +planter. + +"If there were any men there, they may have observed us; but they could +not get round here to see what was done with the cases if they did," +replied Levi. "They may possibly have recognized the Magnolia: and that +is the only clew they could have obtained of the operations in this +affair." + +"It is time to go to bed, and I am inclined to think we shall do some +sleeping to-day," added the planter, as he led the way to the mansion. + +Levi was not willing to leave anything to chance; and before he went to +his room in the house he had called up two of the servants and +established a patrol along the bank of the creek from the bridge to the +boathouse, with orders to call him if any persons were seen prowling +about the vicinity. + +All the operations of the night had been conducted with the most prudent +regard to secrecy. Doubtless Levi Bedford knew more about the residents +of the county than Noah Lyon, and probably more about Titus as he was +and had been during the last few years. The disappearance of the arms +and ammunition would make a tremendous sensation among the Southern +sympathizers, though most of them were not yet aware of the existence of +such a store of munitions in the vicinity; for the knowledge of them had +probably been confined to the members of Titus's company of Home Guards. +Even if the wrath and excitement occasioned by the loss of the war +material was limited to these ruffians, there were enough of them to do +a vast amount of mischief in the county. + +The interview on the bridge with his brother had opened wide the eyes of +Noah; but he had always lived in a peaceful community, and his overseer +understood the situation better than he did. Levi had taken every +precaution against the possible assaults of the "bushwackers," as he +called the gang with whom the Northern "doughface" had cast his lot at +the breaking out of the troubles in the State. The boys slept soundly +till nearly noon, and the planter till the middle of the forenoon; but +Levi appeared as usual at breakfast, having slept but about three hours. + +Mr. Lyon had told his wife something about the events of the night, and +assured her that the arms were safe in the ice-house, and nothing was +said at the table about the proceedings of the party, though Levi was as +good-natured as usual, and talked about other things. As soon as he had +finished his morning meal with a most excellent appetite, he hastened to +the ice-house with the key in his hand. The field-hands had gone to +their work, and all was quiet about the place. + +The ice-house was near the creek, about half-way between the bridge and +the boathouse, close to the stream. The door of it faced the water, and +there was a small square window in either end. Levi walked around the +building two or three times, closely examining the structure. Then he +stopped at the door and cast his eyes all around him, especially at the +lay of the land on the other side of the creek. He was not a military +engineer any more than his employer; but he was a man of ideas, and he +was evidently preparing for events in the future which he foresaw, and +which the disturbed condition of the State rendered more than possible. + +When he had completed his survey he unlocked the door of the building. +The cases were all just as they had been piled up in the early morning. +He bestowed only a glance at them, and then began a study of the two +windows, from which he removed the boards that prevented any one from +seeing what the building contained. Then he gave his attention to the +doors, which were double, the thickness of the wall apart. He was +evidently making a plan in his mind for some alterations to the +structure; but he was alone, and of course he said nothing. + +He appeared to have reached his conclusion. Closing and locking the +outer door, he walked over to the boathouse, at the pier of which the +Magnolia had been secured by the boatmen as soon as the work of the +night was completed. Here again he stopped and made a survey of the +neighboring swamp, which separated the lawn from the bank of the Green. +Then he went over to the bank of the river, and followed it down stream. + +At this point a bend of the river above forced the water of the stream +over near the opposite shore, while half-way across from the bank on +which he stood, the waters from the river and the creek had washed in +the mud so that it formed a bar on a bed of rocks, and the descent here +produced the rapids. The water for half a mile was considerably troubled +when the streams were full, while it was deep enough on the other side +to permit the passage of the steamboats that plied on the river. + +Levi continued his walk in the road, with Green River on one side and on +the other the swamp which bordered the creek to a point near its source. +The swamp was impassable on foot or by boat. It was better than a wall +in the rear of the mansion, and the marauders of Titus Lyon could not +approach from that direction. Farther along was a broad lagoon or pond, +connected by a wide and sluggish inlet with Bar Creek. This could be +crossed with a boat; but the approach to it from the spring road over +the low ground was difficult and dangerous. + +The overseer knew the whole region very well; but when he had viewed it +again in the light of impending contingencies, he seemed to be entirely +satisfied with the situation, for his chronic smile was on his round +face, though no one was there to see it. He went to the shop, which +formed part of the carriage-house, and began a survey of the lumber on +hand there. A couple of three-inch oak planks were pulled out from the +pile. He measured and marked them with a piece of chalk, and then left +the shop. + +Among the plantation hands were carpenters, masons, painters, and other +mechanics, more or less skilful, though none of them had regularly +learned a trade. Some of them had become quite expert in the use of +tools, and could do a very respectable job, especially the carpenters. +Levi was himself a "jack-of-all-trades," and he had trained some of them +to the best of his ability. + +When he came out of the shop he sent Frank the coachman to call the +three carpenters, who worked in the field most of the time. The colonel +had given these men names to suit himself, and they were proud of their +cognomens. "Shavings" was the most skilful of them, and was the "boss" +at any job to be done. "Gouge" and "Bitts" were only fair workmen, but +they did very well under the direction of their foreman. + +When they came, Levi ordered Shavings to make two doors of the +three-inch planks, and described what he wanted very minutely. At the +same time the two door-frames were ordered, and the mechanics went to +work with a will, and without asking to what use the doors were to be +applied. + +By this time the planter came out from his late breakfast, and the +overseer reported to him what he had been doing the last three hours. +They visited the shop where the negro mechanics were sawing out the +planks for the doors, and then went to the stables, where Frank remained +on duty all the time when not out with one of the teams; and then one of +the grooms took his place. + +"How many horses are there on the place now, Frank?" asked the planter. + +"Thirty-five in all, Major," answered the coachman. + +"Are they all fit for service?" inquired the owner. + +"No, sir; six of them are breeding mares, and nine are colts, two and +three years old. We have fifteen horses and mares four years old and +more, for sale, and I reckoned you would sell them about this time." + +"That's all, Frank," added the planter as he left the stable. + +"I don't know what you are driving at, Major Lyon, but we have +twenty-seven horses over three years old, and fit for service, though +the three year olds are rather young yet for hard work," said Levi, as +they walked towards the ice-house. + +"I have held my tongue about as long as necessary; but now all these +sores in the State seem to be coming to a head, and I will tell you, +between ourselves, that I have an idea of raising a company of Union +cavalry to offset the Home Guards of this county," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"That's a glorious idea!" exclaimed Levi with tremendous enthusiasm. "I +wish I was ten years younger, and weighed thirty pounds less, for I +should like to swing a sabre in that company." + +"But you are to look out for the plantation and take care of my family +while I am away, Levi. You can ride a colt better than any of us; but +your work is here, and you may be called upon to do as much fighting as +any of us," said Mr. Lyon. + +"I will do my duty wherever you put me, Major; but I should rather enjoy +a whack at those border ruffians who are making the whole county hot +with outrages. Last night they burned out a Union man two miles above +the village." + +"The time for action is close at hand," added Mr. Lyon, as they came to +the ice-house. "There have been talk and threats enough. My brother has +told me that I am liable to be hung on one of the big trees after a mob +has burned the house; but I think we are ready for such a gathering as +he suggests. We may hear something about it to-night in the meeting at +the Big Bend schoolhouse." + +"I have looked the ice-house over this morning, and I have made up my +mind what ought to be done," said Levi; and he proceeded to state his +plan for turning the stone structure into a sort of fort. "I have +ordered the doors already, and if you say the word, Major, I will make +three or four embrasures in the walls for the two field-pieces; and we +must have a magazine for the ammunition." + +"I approve your plan; go ahead and do the work as you think best. You +can use all the hands you need; and from this moment the ice-house will +be known as Fort Bedford," replied Mr. Lyons. + +"Thank you, Major, and I will endeavor to make the fortress worthy of a +better name," returned Levi, as he hastened to the stable to send for +the men he wanted. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE UNION MEETING AT BIG BEND + + +In the afternoon Levi Bedford had half the hands on the plantation at +work in and about the ice-house. Embrasures, or port-holes, were opened +in the thick walls, one at each end and one on each side of the door, at +the proper height for the twelve-pounders, which were mounted on the +carriages, in order that everything should be correctly adjusted. Then +the door which opened on the side next to the creek was filled up with +stones taken from the quarry in the only hill on the plantation, so that +it was as thick and as solid as the rest of the walls. Then a new door +was made on the opposite side. + +By sundown the carpenter had completed and hung the double doors; and +they were secured with the heavy locks the colonel had purchased in the +days of the horse-thieves. All this work was not completed when night +came, and four trusty men were selected to patrol the creek from the +bridge down to the boat-pier, two serving till midnight, and the other +two till morning. + +"I think we shall be in condition to stand a siege by to-morrow night," +said the overseer, as he accompanied the planter and the boys to Fort +Bedford, on the way to the schoolhouse at Big Bend. + +"It looks so now," replied Mr. Lyon as he went into the building. "You +have made remarkable progress for one day. But I want to open one of +these boxes." + +"Which one, Major?" asked Levi. + +"The one which contains revolvers and cartridges, for some of the +smaller ones are labelled with the names of these articles. I hardly +expect any trouble at the meeting to-night; but I think it its best to +be prepared for the worst. I have brought one of the colonel's pistols +with me; but I want to put the boys in condition to defend themselves," +added the planter. + +"I think we can make good use of them, for we have had some experience +with such tools," said Deck, who did not appear to be at all affected by +the serious nature of the preparations they were making. + +"Where have you had any such experience, Dexter?" inquired his father. + +"Tom Bartlett and Ben Mason had revolvers at the time of the +housebreaking scare in Derry, and Artie and I used to fire at a mark +with them in the hill pasture," replied the enthusiastic boy. "Artie +used to beat us all, and often put the ball through the centre of the +target." + +"Sometimes," suggested the other. + +"Then you are both ahead of me, for I never fired a revolver or a pistol +of any kind, though I used to go hunting with a fowling-piece when I was +a boy," added Mr. Lyon. + +"Then I think you had better practise a little, Major," said Levi, as he +pulled out one of the smaller boxes from the top of the pile of cases. +"This contains what you want, I reckon." + +Deck brought the hatchet, and the case was opened. Most of the weapons +were navy revolvers, wrapped in oiled paper to save them from rust. They +were closely packed in the case, the spare space being filled in with +packages of cartridges. They opened another box, and found half a dozen +of smaller size, with the proper ammunition. The overseer selected two +of them, handing one to each of the boys, with a box of cartridges. + +"I should like to try this little persuader," said Deck, as he opened +the box of ammunition, and proceeded to load the pistol. + +Artie followed his example; and, setting up the cover of the case by the +creek, they blazed away at it till the chambers of the revolvers were +empty. They fired in turn, and the position of each bullet-hole was +noted. Artie kept up his old reputation, for he hit near the centre of +the board three times out of six. Deck fired the best shot, but his +others were more scattering. They hit the board every time, and Levi +said they "would do." + +Then Mr. Lyon tried his hand with the revolver he had brought from the +mansion; but his aim was less accurate than that of the boys. He put +four of his six balls into the board, three of them outside of the +punctures made by Deck and Artie. + +"You will improve with more experience, Major; but I reckon you could +hit a bushwhacker if he wasn't more than ten feet from you; and these +tools generally come into use at short range. How were you going up to +Big Bend, Major?" + +"I thought we should walk," replied the planter; and he reloaded his +revolver, as both of the boys had done by this time. "It is not more +than three-quarters of a mile." + +"I think you had better go in the Magnolia, with the crew that pulled us +last night," suggested Levi. "If there should be any row at the +schoolhouse, those boys will stand by you as long as there is anything +left of you." + +"I don't look for any row, Levi, but I suppose it is always best to be +prepared for the worst," replied the planter. "You may send for the +crew." + +One of the watchmen happened to be near at the time, and he was +despatched for the boatmen who had formed the regular crew of the +Magnolia in the time of the deceased planter. + +"I suppose, if there should be any trouble at the schoolhouse, and I +should be protected by my negroes, it would tend to aggravate the charge +against me of being an abolitionist; and that seems to be about the +worst thing that can be said against a man in this county." + +"But only among the border ruffians," the overseer amended the +statement. "The man that owns fifty niggers cannot decently be accused +of being an abolitionist. I advise you to go in the boat because the +schoolhouse is right on the very bank of the river. The back windows +over the platform look out upon the water. If the bushwhackers come down +upon you, and things go against you, it will be easy to get out by one +of these windows. A good general always keeps the line of retreat open +behind him when he goes into battle; and you had better have the +Magnolia under one of these windows." + +"Why, Levi, you talk as though you were about sure an attempt would be +made to break up the meeting," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"To tell you the truth, I do feel almost sure of it," returned the +overseer. "Captain Titus, as they call him up in the village so as not +to mix him up with Major Noah Lyon, was about mad enough yesterday to do +something desperate. You say he has threatened you, and"-- + +"I did not say that, Levi," interposed the planter. "Don't make my +brother out any worse than he is, for conscience' sake." + +"What did he say, then?" + +"He told me the people on his side of the question would have mobbed me +before this time if he had not prevented them from doing so." + +"That's about the same thing. I don't like to say anything against your +brother, Major, but I don't look on Captain Titus as a square man. He +wants to keep his own head covered up because you are his brother; but I +believe on my conscience that he would like to see your place burned to +the ground, and it wouldn't break his heart to see you hanging by the +neck to one of the big trees." + +Mr. Lyon realized that the overseer understood the character of Titus +better than he had supposed. His brother was terribly disappointed +because the colonel had not left Riverlawn to him; and he had charged +the deceased with unfairness and injustice in making his will. He was +compelled to believe the claim of Titus that he had prevented the +ruffians from destroying his property was a pretence, and nothing more. +His brother was not only disappointed but revengeful. + +"It is generally understood about here that you called this Union +meeting," continued Levi. + +"I suggested it, for we ought to know who's who; and it remains to be +seen how many will have the pluck to attend the meeting. Titus believes +that a large majority of the people in these parts are of his way of +thinking, while I believe that they are about two to one the other way, +though most of them are afraid to do or say much, and I want to bring +them out if possible." + +"You are right as to numbers, Major; and when a man is afraid that his +house will be burned down over his head, or that he will get a bullet +through his brains while he sits at his window, I don't much wonder that +he is not inclined to speak out loud, and these bushwhackers have had it +all their own way. I hope you will be able to bring out the prudent and +timid ones." + +"I talked the meeting over with others, and Colonel Cosgrove promised to +come up and help us out with a speech. We all agreed that it was time to +make a demonstration in favor of the Union," replied the planter as the +boat's crew appeared on the ground. + +"I should like to go with you. Major, but I don't think it is safe to +leave the place alone," said the overseer. "Whether the ruffians had a +watch on the spring road last night or not, I don't know. We haven't +heard anything of them during the day; but I should be willing to wager +a pair of my old shoes they have found out by this time that the arms +and ammunition placed in the cavern have taken to themselves wings, like +other riches, and flown away. If I am not much mistaken, Captain Titus +finds himself some thousands poorer to-day than he was a week ago." + +"Do you believe they have discovered the loss so soon?" + +"I haven't much doubt of it. Captain Titus keeps three horses, and it +was easy enough for him to send one of his boys over to the cavern to +see that the arms were all right. He has missed them by this time; and +if we do our duty they won't shoot any bullets into the heads and hearts +of the Union army. Of course Captain Titus and his gang are boiling over +with wrath. You won't see him at the meeting, perhaps; but there will be +enough there to make a noise, if nothing more. I have been thinking of +these things to-day, and that is the reason why I thought it best to +take proper precautions." + +"I am glad you have spoken out, Levi, for you have generally been very +reticent," replied Mr. Lyon, as he led the way to the boat-pier, where +the crew had manned the boat. + +"I couldn't say much while I believed your brother was at the bottom of +most of the mischief," pleaded Levi. + +The planter and the boys seated themselves in the stern sheets of the +Magnolia. Deck took the tiller lines with the consent of his father, and +General was permitted to get under way as he pleased, giving all the +orders in detail. None of the crew asked any questions, and in a short +time Deck brought the boat up under one of the windows of the +schoolhouse. Mr. Lyon charged General to keep the Magnolia just where +they had placed her, and not to make any noise at all. + +The building was already partly filled, and more were constantly +arriving. Before the appointed time Colonel Cosgrove descended from his +wagon at the door, and the planter welcomed him. At the hour named, +Squire Truman, a young legal gentleman from a Northern county, who had +settled in the village, called the meeting to order. It was said that he +had not a very flourishing practice, but he was regarded as a young man +of more than average ability. He had the credit of being a ready and +able speaker; and Mr. Lyon had invited him to open the assemblage with a +statement of the situation in the county, especially in the vicinity of +Barcreek. + +He was a decided and outspoken Union man. He began very moderately; but +in a few minutes he became more earnest, and soon rose to the height of +eloquence. He was warmly applauded by the audience, though there were +some tokens of disapprobation, evidently proceeding from some of the +individuals whom Levi called "bushwhackers." Titus Lyon was not there, +but some of his representatives had already manifested themselves. The +discordant elements soon became more demonstrative as the speaker waxed +eloquent. They made noise enough to disturb the equanimity of Squire +Truman; and he switched off from his line of remark, and proceeded to +dress down the malcontents in the most vigorous language. + +"I beg leave to inform those who are struggling to create a disturbance, +that this is a Union meeting, called as such, and as such only," said +the orator, shaking with indignation. "It was called for Union men only! +It is a gathering of those who are loyal to the government at +Washington, and not to decide between secession and fidelity to the old +flag. Those who are not Union men are respectfully requested to retire +from the meeting." + +This request brought forth a torrent of yells from the ruffians, though +there were apparently not more than a dozen of them. Squire Truman was +defiant, and his handsome face looked as noble as that of a Roman +senator. + +"Has the time come when free speech in behalf of this glorious Union is +to be put down?" And then the ruffians howled again. "Has it come to +this in the State of Kentucky, the second to be admitted into the Union? +and, with the help of God and all honest men, she shall be the last to +leave it! Are we men to be badgered and silenced by half a score of +blackguards and ruffians? I am one of half a dozen to put them out of +the hall." + +About a dozen rose from their seats, headed by Noah Lyon, and moved down +the aisles of the schoolroom. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE EJECTION OF THE NOISY RUFFIANS + + +The planter of Riverlawn was not a fighting character; he had always +been one of the most peaceful of men. He had never raised a hand against +one of his fellow-beings, and it required the stimulus of an occasion +like the present to rouse a belligerent feeling in him, if the +groundwork of any such emotion existed in his nature. It was hardly +that, but rather a sense of his solemn duty, which he was called upon to +perform, as a surgeon is required to amputate a limb to save life; and +he was impelled to save the life of the Union. + +Noah Lyon was not physically a large man, but one who weighed a hundred +and a half; yet his frame was well knit, firmly compacted, and inured by +hard labor from his boyhood. As he rose to his feet and marched down the +middle aisle of the schoolroom, his face exhibited more strength than +his form; for all the determination of his nature was concentrated in +his eyes and the muscles of his countenance. + +The fervid speech of the young orator had brought him to his bearings. +Deck and Artie had been similarly affected; and with their fists +clinched they followed the planter. Squire Truman leaped from the +platform into the midst of them, as the dozen others sprang to their +feet, some with their eyes flashing with indignation, and all of them +with a fixed purpose not to submit to the outrage in which the ruffians +were engaged. + +When Mr. Lyon had proceeded as far as the middle of the room, one of the +disturbers of the peace, whom the planter had spotted, rose to his feet +and confronted him in the aisle. It was Buck Lagger, a pedler, who was +one of the most virulent of the Secessionists, and who aspired to be a +leader among the turbulent spirits of the county. + +"What are you go'n' to do about it?" demanded he savagely. + +"Are you a Union man?" asked Mr. Lyon with quiet determination. + +"No, I'm not!" yelled the ruffian, who had the reputation in Barcreek of +being a brute of the lowest order, with a whole volley of oaths. + +"Then you were not invited here, and you will leave!" said the planter. + +"This buildin' is public, and I have as much right here as you have!" +answered Buck Lagger, with a coarse guffaw. + +Noah Lyon did not wait for anything more, but grappled with the fellow +as an eagle swoops down on his prey. Buck tried to get his right hand +into his breast pocket, evidently to obtain a weapon of some kind; but +his assailant understood his purpose, and crowded him over backwards +upon one of the desks, choking him so hard that he soon lost all his +pluck. + +[Illustration: "HE GRAPPLED WITH THE FELLOW." ] + +Colonel Cosgrove was close behind Mr. Lyon, and seized upon the boon +companion of the pedler. He was an excellent specimen of a Kentucky +gentleman, stalwart in form and determined in purpose. He bore his man +down as the leader had done. The other ruffians rushed to the assistance +of their leaders, and the _mêlée_ became general. + +There did not appear to be more than half a dozen active ruffians in the +room; at least not more who were resolute enough to take part in these +stormy proceedings. Mr. Lyon had choked so much of the energy out of +Buck Laggar that he had ceased to feel for his weapon, and the planter +took him by the collar of the coat with both hands, and dragged him to +the door, where he pitched him on the ground all in a heap. + +Colonel Cosgrove followed him with his man; and then came the orator +with a fellow nearly twice his size, with whom he was having a hard +tussle, when Deck leaped upon the back of this victim, and drawing his +arms tightly under his throat, brought him to the floor, and then rolled +him out at the door. The other Union men in the audience had tackled the +remaining ruffians when they went to the assistance of those of their +number who had been attacked, and hustled them out of the apartment. + +"That will do for the present," said Squire Truman, as the resolute +Unionists completed their active work, and stopped to catch their +breath. + +"I think we had better station a guard at the door, and challenge every +man who wants to come in," suggested Mr. Lyon. + +"That's a good idea, for it is the evident intention of the blackguards +to break up the meeting; and I should be ashamed to have such a thing +done,--a Union meeting dispersed by force in the State of Kentucky!" +added the young lawyer. + +"Precisely so!" exclaimed Colonel Cosgrove. "I will offer my services as +one of the guard." + +"Good!" shouted Colonel Belthorpe, a big Kentuckian whose plantation was +near that of Major Lyon, "I will be another." + +"Here are two more!" cried Deck Lyon, as he and Artie presented +themselves. + +"Lively boys," laughed Colonel Cosgrove. "Both of them took a hand in +the skirmish we have had, and they will do very well for this duty." + +The Union men in the assembly applauded warmly, and the young orator led +the way back to the seats, mounting the platform himself. He resumed his +speech with an allusion to the event which had just transpired, and +roused his audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm by his fiery +eloquence. He spoke half an hour, and concluded by nominating Major Noah +Lyon as the presiding officer of the evening; and the selection was +heartily indorsed by the meeting. + +Before he could reach the platform, a dozen men appeared at the door. +The volunteer committee on admissions retired to the lobby so that they +need not disturb the proceedings. Colonel Cosgrove took Artie by the +arm, while Colonel Belthorpe did the same with Deck, each at one side of +the door. + +"Are you a Union man?" demanded Deck in a loud voice, for he felt that +he must do or say something, boiling over with enthusiasm for the cause +as he was; and perhaps the fact that he had a loaded revolver in his +pocket was an inciting influence with him. + +"I am!" exclaimed the person addressed, with emphasis. + +"Pass in," replied Deck. + +"Put the same question, Artie," added Colonel Cosgrove, amused at the +earnestness of Deck. + +Artie put the question with less pomposity than his cousin, and the +answer was the same. The brace of colonels then took part in the +challenging, and the dozen applicants were promptly admitted. One of the +colonels then suggested to the other that the boys could remain in the +lobby while they stood inside the door. + +Noah Lyon had presided on several occasions in town meetings, and his +modesty had been so far overcome that he could face an audience, +especially in such a cause as the present. He was received with applause +and cheers, and proceeded to make a speech in his usual quiet way. He +said he could not make such a speech as the eloquent gentleman from +Barcreek village had done; but he was a Union man in every fibre of his +being, whether he was in New Hampshire or Kentucky. + +This statement was received with tremendous applause. He proceeded to +say that he was a peaceable man, and was in favor of peaceable measures; +but he did not intend to be overridden and trodden down by the Secession +element, which he believed was in a large minority in the State. He was +ready to talk as long as talking did any good; but when he had talked +enough he was ready to fight. + +This was the popular sentiment in the meeting, and a tumult of applause +followed, ending in nine rousing cheers. He was ready to shoulder a +musket in any Kentucky regiment, and he was glad that some had already +been organized. He had twenty-seven horses he would give "without money +and without price," to the cause of the Union, with which to start a +cavalry company; and "I think I can _find_ arms for the men," he added. + +This offer was greeted with yells of approval, and it was some time +before he could say anything more. + +"I will also contribute twenty horses," shouted Colonel Cosgrove. + +"I will give the next twenty," Colonel Belthorpe cried out. + +The clapping of hands and the cheering were renewed with more vigor than +ever, if possible; and others offered to contribute from one to five +each, till over a hundred horses were pledged for the company. In the +midst of this enthusiasm the voice of Deck was heard in the lobby. + +"Are you a Union man, sir?" he demanded in a voice loud enough to be +heard in a momentary lull of the enthusiasm. + +"No, I am not!" replied the applicant, with a volley of expletives. + +"Then you can't go in," answered Deck. + +"Who says I can't?" asked the intruder in fierce tones. + +"This is a Union meeting, and none but Union men are admitted," replied +Deck, loud enough to be heard on the platform; for the meeting had +become silent, and all were turning around to see the door. + +"Do you see that?" demanded the ruffian, as he drew a bowie-knife from +his pocket, and threw it open with a jerk. + +Deck had put his right hand on his hip pocket, which contained his +revolver; and, the moment he saw the knife, he drew it, and pointed it +at the part where the intruder carried what brains he had. + +"And do you see that?" called the plucky boy. + +"And that?" added Artie on the other side of the door. + +"Take yourself off!" shouted Deck furiously, as he retreated a pace, to +keep out of the reach of the wicked-looking blade of the knife. + +"Isn't this a free building?" asked the ruffian, as he looked from one +revolver to the other. + +"Free to Union men to-night," answered Deck. + +By this time half a dozen men from the interior were approaching the +door, and the ruffian suddenly decamped. Deck followed him to the door, +and saw the man disappear in the grove on the other side of the road. +Then he heard a voice among the trees; and it was evident to him that +there were more ruffians, perhaps biding their time to make an attack +upon the Unionists when they went to their homes. + +"Three cheers for the boys!" shouted one of the men who had come to the +door, and observed the retreat of the ruffian. + +They were lustily given, and then Deck announced to the meeting that +there were more men in the grove, for some one had hailed the ruffian +that had just left the door. + +"No matter for them," said the chairman. "Let us go on with this +meeting, and when they come in, if they do so, we will take care of +them. The boys will keep watch, and let us know if they approach the +schoolhouse." + +A committee of three were appointed to attend to the enrolment of the +company of cavalry. The two colonels and the major by courtesy were +appointed on this committee. Then Colonel Cosgrove was called upon to +make the speech he had promised. He was not so eloquent as his +professional brother from the village; but he was more solid, and was as +vigorously applauded as the other speakers had been. + +He said there had been a sort of reign of terror in the county, and it +was because the Unionists had been less demonstrative than the +Secessionists, and for that reason he believed in the present meeting. +He was disposed to be peaceable, but he was ready to fight for the +Union. He proceeded at considerable length. He was in favor of having it +understood in the county that there were plenty of Unionists within its +borders, and that they were not to be frowned or bullied down by the +ruffians of the other side. + +This remark seemed to be the sense of the assembly, which had now +increased in numbers to over a hundred, and the applause was decided. + +While the colonel from the county town was speaking, Deck and Artie had +been over to the other side of the road, and penetrated the grove for a +short distance. Probably those who had been ejected from the meeting +were there; but the boys crept near enough to make out that there were +not less than fifty men there, and possibly double that number. + +As they retired from the grove they found that a single man was +following them. They retreated to the lobby of the schoolhouse, with +their revolvers in their hands. They had hardly resumed their stations +at the door when the man presented himself before them. To the +astonishment of his two nephews this person proved to be Titus Lyon. + +"Are you a Union man?" demanded Deck. + +"I am not," replied Titus. + +"Then you can't go into this meeting," added Deck, as firmly as he had +spoken at any time before. + +The applicant could not fail to see that both of the boys had weapons in +their hands. He looked earnest and determined, but he did not appear to +be even angry. He halted and fixed his gaze upon the floor, apparently +in deep thought. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE DEMAND OF CAPTAIN TITUS LYON + + +Revolvers are dangerous weapons; and Deck and Artie had used them enough +in sport to realize this truth. They had not yet become accustomed to +seeing bullets fired into the bodies of human beings; to the sight of +strong men falling with a death-wound in the head or heart, which was +afterwards almost an everyday spectacle in the battles of the Great +Rebellion. + +They had been brought up where human life was held to be more sacred +than in the locality to which they had been transplanted; and if they +had thought of discharging their weapons into the vital parts of even +the ruffians who menaced the Union meeting with violence, they were +certainly not ready to begin with one of their own flesh and blood, +though Titus Lyon had proved himself to be one of the most virulent +enemies of the public peace. + +"I have no weapons, as you have, boys, and I have something to say to +this meeting," said Titus, after he had meditated for two or three +minutes. "I want to go in; but I shall not stop there many minutes." + +"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus," replied Deck decidedly; "that's the +order of the meeting." + +"But I'm going in if I'm shot for it," continued the applicant for +admission very quietly, but with none of the bluster which had become +almost a second nature to him. + +Perhaps the interest he felt in the mission which brought him to the +schoolhouse had induced him to refrain from his usual potations, for he +appeared to be perfectly sober. He used none of the intemperate language +which was generally on his tongue, so that the boys were not roused to +indignation, even if they were tempted to use their weapons; but both of +them placed themselves in the doorway as though they intended to dispute +his passage into the room. + +The meeting was proceeding with its business, though the orators had +finished their speeches. A Union farmer was telling about one of his +neighbors who had been threatened by the ruffians, as the Secessionists +had come to be generally called by this time. He was quite earnest in +his plea that something should be done to protect men who stood by the +government. + +The two colonels were interested, and they had moved forward where they +could hear the farmer, who spoke in a low tone; and no one inside was +aware of what was transpiring in the lobby, so that the boys were +practically alone. + +"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus, and we don't want to shoot you," +interposed Artie. "I will call Colonel Cosgrove, and you can make your +request to him;" and he went to the place where the colonel was +standing. + +"But I am going in," persisted Titus Lyon, attempting to push Deck +aside. + +"You can't go in!" said Deck, as he crowded his uncle back from the +entrance. "Wait a moment, and you can tell Colonel Cosgrove what you +want!" + +"I don't want anything of Colonel Cosgrove; he is worse than your +father," replied the applicant. + +"Good-evening, Mr. Lyon," said the Kentuckian, presenting himself at the +door at this moment. + +"I have something to say to this meeting, Colonel, which it is important +for the meeting to hear," added Titus. + +"Come right in and say it, Mr. Lyon," replied the colonel, to the +astonishment of the young guardians of the portal. + +He was as polite as a Kentucky gentleman generally is; and he took the +arm of the applicant, and marched with him to the space behind the +desks, where he halted till the former had finished his remarks. Noah +Lyon was taken "all back" by the appearance of his brother escorted by +the most influential Kentuckian in the county. The entire audience +turned and stared at the unexpected guest. + +"Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to present Captain Titus Lyon of +Barcreek to the meeting," said the colonel. "He claims to have something +of importance to communicate. He is not a Union man, as is well known, +but I trust no objection will be made to hearing him." + +"I am not a Union man, as Colonel Cosgrove says," Titus began. "When I +came to this State, I became a Kentuckian, and I go with the people of +this section of the country. But I did not come here to talk politics. +There is two sides to the question before the country, and each on 'em +has its rights. I belong to the party that is tryin' to keep the peace +in the State if we have to fight for it. As we had a perfect right to +do, we bought about three thousand dollars worth of arms and ammernition +to protect ourselves agin them that is tryin' to force the State into a +war of subjergation agin our own flesh and blood. + +"Them arms and ammernition has been stole," continued Titus, waxing +indignant in spite of his effort to keep cool, and relapsing into his +everyday speech. "I believe it was done by what you call Union men, and +I cal'late I know jest who done it; and I cal'late, Mr. Chairman, you +know jest as well or better'n I do who done it." + +"Who was it?" demanded a person in the audience. + +"I h'ain't got nothin' to say here about that," answered Captain Titus. +"But if them arms and ammernition ain't given up right off, here and +now, on the spot, or some plan agreed on for doin' so afore to-morrer +noon, the blood will run in the low places round here, and the clouds in +the sky will give back the light from the fires that is burnin' down +some of the nicest houses in these parts. I hain't got nothin' more to +say; but if any one wants to see me about settlin' up this matter, I can +be found near the road in front of the schoolhouse." + +"But this is war, Captain Lyon," suggested Colonel Belthorpe. + +"I know 'tis; and that's jest what I mean. We want the Union thieves to +give up the property they stole; and that's all we ask now," replied +Titus, whose wrath was beginning to be stirred to the boiling point. + +"We are ready to meet you on that ground!" shouted Squire Truman, +springing to his feet; for he knew that Captain Titus was the ringleader +of the ruffians in the vicinity, and his threat roused him to a fiery +indignation. "I know nothing about the arms and ammunition; but whoever +took possession of them has done a noble and patriotic deed, and, Mr. +Chairman, I move you that a vote of thanks be tendered to them for it." + +This motion was hailed with thunders of applause; and when the presiding +officer put it to the meeting, it was carried unanimously, and no one +wished to delay it by making a speech. + +Squire Truman then made another speech, in which he pictured the result +of permitting the arms to get into the hands of the ruffians for whose +use they were evidently intended; and he magnified the prudence and +forethought of the unknown persons who had taken the responsibility of +such a forward step. This speech was received with cheers, in which the +throats of the audience seemed to be strained to their utmost tension. + +"Captain Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, when the tumult had subsided in a +measure, "no formal answer seems to be necessary to your demand. The +action of this meeting and the spirit with which it has been received +are a sufficient reply. Personally, I can only say I heartily rejoice +that the arms and ammunition have been turned aside from the purpose for +which they were intended, and we will take care that they are not used +against the government of the United States. We are loyal citizens, and +we shall do our duty to the glorious flag under which we live. Have you +any further communication to make to this meeting, Captain Lyon?" + +"No, I haven't; I've said my say, and fire and blood is the next thing," +replied Titus, as he rushed out of the schoolroom, furious with passion. + +The business of the meeting was completed; but the boys informed the two +colonels that the road was full of men. Then several of the Unionists +drew revolvers from their pockets; for they had fully expected that the +meeting would be disturbed, and that it would end in a fight. They had +come prepared to defend themselves. The situation was discussed, but no +one was inclined to avoid the issue. If there was to be a fight, it +would be no new thing in the State. + +Colonel Belthorpe, whose title was not one of mere courtesy, for he had +served in the regular army in his younger days, and won his later spurs +in the militia, advised that a procession be formed, with the armed men +on the right, while the others were told to obtain clubs, or anything +they could lay their hands upon. But before the column was formed Buck +Lagger appeared at the door. + +"We want Major Lyon and his two cubs!" shouted the ruffian, who appeared +to be the right-hand man of Captain Titus. + +The ruffians had held a meeting in the grove, privately notified by this +Buck,--for Titus had not been inclined to show his hand,--and a +delegation had been sent to try the temper of the assemblage in the +schoolhouse. They had been defeated and ejected. It was plain by this +time that the cavern had been visited and the loss of the munitions +discovered. + +The speech of Captain Titus indicated that he knew who had taken +possession of the property, though Noah Lyon could not conjecture who +had given the information. He was inclined to believe that his brother +had jumped to his conclusion, though spies about the plantation might +have obtained some clew to the night visit to the sink-hole of the +Magnolia. The flatboat had been loaded with rocks and sunk in the +deepest water of the river, so that it need not betray the planter and +his people. + +"We want Major Lyon and his cubs!" repeated Buck Lagger, in a voice loud +enough to be heard all over the building. "We don't mean to meddle with +nobody else, and all the rest o' you uns can go home without no trouble. +Hand over Major Lyon and his cubs so we can get the property he stole, +and we won't make no fuss." + +"We shall not hand him over, but we will protect him to the last drop of +our blood!" yelled Squire Truman, hoarse with the strain upon his voice. +"Turn the ruffian out!" + +But it was not necessary to turn him out, for he fled as soon as he had +executed his mission. There was no great commotion outside, though the +mob could be seen through the open door. The demand of Buck indicated +the principal object of the ruffians, and the purpose for which they had +assembled in the grove. + +"My friends, I am grateful for your support and promise of protection to +me and my boys," said Noah Lyon, who had descended from the platform to +the floor, where the boys had joined him. "It appears from what the +messenger of the ruffians has said that I am the sole object of their +vengeance. I have the means here of taking good care of myself and my +boys, and I need not involve you all in a fight to protect me." + +To a few of the prominent men near him he stated in a low tone, so that +he need not be heard by any ruffian lingering near the door, that his +boat was under the south window, and he could escape without confronting +the mob in the road. This course would save a fight, and the planter's +friends decided to adopt it. The door was closed, and the boys passed +out of the window first. They ordered the crew to be silent, and after +Noah Lyon had shaken hands with the principal men, he followed them. The +Magnolia was shoved out into the river. Deck headed it across the +stream, so as to keep the schoolhouse between it and the ruffians. + +Under the lead of Colonel Belthorpe, with his revolver ready for use, +the Union men marched out of the building, forming four deep when they +reached the foot of the steps. The ruffians had placed themselves so +that the column passed through them, and they all scrutinized the faces +by the light of a fire they had kindled at the side of the road. They +did not see the victims for whom they were looking, and when the last of +the procession had passed them they set up a furious howl. + +"We have been fooled!" shouted Buck Lagger, as he started after the +column. "Where is Major Lyon?" he demanded. + +"He is not here," replied some one in the ranks. + +"Where is he?" + +"I don't know;" and he told the truth, for he had not heard the +planter's statement about the boat, and had not been near the window. + +"Where is Major Lyon?" demanded Buck Lagger when he reached the head of +the procession. + +"He came in his boat, and he has returned by it," replied Colonel +Belthorpe, with something like a chuckle at the discomfiture of the +ruffian. + +"This is treachery!" howled Buck. "You were to give him up to us." + +"No, we were not," returned the doughty colonel. "Didn't you hear us say +we would protect him to the last drop of our blood?" + +"We will soon find him and his cubs!" growled the present leader, as he +fell back into the grove, followed by the rest of the mob. + +The Magnolia reached the boat-pier, and Levi Bedford was there to +welcome the party. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE CONFERENCE IN FORT BEDFORD + + +The two windows in the rear of the schoolhouse had been wide open all +the evening, and the negroes of the boat's crew could not help hearing +the excited speeches, and the thunders of applause in the meeting of the +Unionists; but not one of them spoke a word about them to the planter +and the boys. They pulled with all their might, and made a quick run to +the boat-pier. + +The first thing that attracted the attention of Major Lyon--we may as +well call him so, as most of the people of Barcreek did--was the lights +in Fort Bedford. Through the embrasures which had been made in the front +and ends of the building it could be seen that the interior of the +building was brilliantly illuminated. + +"You have come back safe and sound, Major," said Levi, as he took the +painter of the Magnolia. + +"By the skin of our teeth we have," replied the planter. + +"Then you have had trouble over there?" asked the overseer. + +"Yes; some of the ruffians tried to break up the meeting, and we put +them out without any ceremony." + +"Good!" exclaimed Levi heartily. "I feel as though I were an inch +taller. I was afraid our friends would let the ruffians bully you." + +"Buck Lagger and about half a dozen others took places in the +schoolhouse, and began to yell while Squire Truman was making his +speech. He is a very smart young man, an eloquent orator, and full of +vim. When he proposed to put the disturbers out, we went in with him and +did it. The boys faced the music, and stood up to it like veteran +policemen," said Major Lyon. + +"Good, boys! I knew you would do it," added Levi. + +"But why is the fort lighted up so late in the evening, Levi?" asked the +planter. + +"I have had a dozen hands at work there, all the carpenters and masons +included, and we have the building about ready for business," replied +the overseer. "The fact of it is, I am taking a more serious view of the +state of things than you appear to be doing, and I thought I would have +things ready for whatever comes, and as soon as it comes." + +"I am glad you have done so; and I should have worked with you if I had +not had to attend the meeting," added the major. "The situation looks +decidedly serious to-night, and my eyes have been opened wide enough to +see it." + +The boatmen had been ordered by the planter to take all the boats out of +the water; and while they were doing so the major informed the overseer +more fully in regard to the meeting, especially of the demand for the +restoration of the military supplies, and that he and the boys should be +given up to the mob. + +"I didn't think Captain Titus would show himself in the meeting," said +Levi, as they walked up to the fort. "That Buck Lagger is one of the +biggest villains that goes unhung; and hanging would do him good. I +should say that the ball had opened." + +The hands in the old ice-house were all hard at work, and it at once +appeared to the planter that a great deal of labor had been done in the +building during his absence. The cases had all been opened, the arms had +been removed from them, and arranged conveniently about the interior. +The two twelve-pounders had been mounted on their carriages, and the +pieces were pointed out at the two front embrasures, from which they +could be readily removed to those at the ends of the structure. + +Two large chandeliers of three burners each had been removed from the +drawing-room of the mansion, and were suspended from the roof; but these +were for temporary use while the work was in progress. The ammunition +had been arranged for the present in the boxes outside of the building. + +Major Lyon and the boys had hardly taken a hasty survey of the premises +in their changed aspect before the noise of carriage wheels was heard on +the road leading from the bridge to the fort by the side of the creek. +The vehicle was drawn by two horses, and was approaching at a rapid +rate. + +"Who can that be?" asked Levi with a troubled expression on his round +face. + +"It may be my brother coming to demand the arms," replied Noah Lyon, as +he took one of the muskets from the wall. "Probably he has a load of his +supporters with him if it is he." + +"I think we are all ready for them," added the overseer; and he took a +gun, and handed one to each of the boys. "I think we had better go out +and meet them, for we don't care to have them see what we have been +doing here;" and he led the way hastily up the road. + +His employer and the boys followed him, and soon confronted the +occupants of the wagon. + +"Halt!" called Levi in a very decided tone, as he placed himself in +front of the team; and the driver reined in his horses. "What is your +business here?" + +"Good-evening, Levi," came from the party in the wagon; and the +challenger promptly recognized the voice of Colonel Cosgrove. "I wish to +see Major Lyon at once." + +"Here I am, Colonel; but I did not expect to see you again so soon," +replied the planter, hastening to the carriage. "But drive on, and we +will see you at Fort Bedford." + +"Fort Bedford!" exclaimed the Kentuckian; and he told his coachman to +drive on. + +"This is Fort Bedford you see ahead of you; it is named after Levi, for +he originated the idea. To what am I indebted for this unexpected visit +to Riverlawn?" answered the planter. + +"To the fact that we consider you in great danger, Major, and we thought +you would be in pressing need of assistance from your friends even this +very night." + +"We are here to stand by you, Major," said one on the back seat of the +wagon, who proved to be Colonel Belthorpe. + +"And to show that we can fight as well as talk," added Squire Truman, +who was seated at his side. + +"I am very grateful to you for coming to my assistance, for you have all +proved this evening that talking is not your only strength," said the +planter, as he walked along at the side of the wagon. + +"I see you are all armed and ready for business," continued Colonel +Cosgrove. + +"When I heard the sound of your vehicle on the bridge, I suspected that +it might be my deluded brother and his supporters coming over here to +execute the threat he made at the meeting." + +"No; after we got away from the ruffians, we talked the matter over," +replied Colonel Cosgrove. "Buck Lagger demanded that the major and his +cubs should be given up to them when they did not find you and the boys +in the column. Then they swore that they would have you. I talked over +the situation with our friends here, and we concluded that the ruffians +would be over here before morning to capture their victims, and burn +your mansion. We decided to come here for this reason,--to warn you of +your danger, and help you beat them off if they came." + +"I am very much obliged to you; but you will find everything in +readiness for their reception," replied Major Lyon, as they reached the +fort. + +"You are lighted up here as though you were going to have a ball instead +of a fight," suggested Colonel Belthorpe. + +"There are plenty of balls in the fort, but they are all +twelve-pounders," returned the major as the party alighted. "Levi has +been at work here while we were at the meeting, and he will explain +everything to you better than I can." + +The trio of visitors entered the building, and were astonished at the +nature and extent of the preparations to defend the mansion and its +occupants from a hostile demonstration. Levi stated what he had done, +and pointed out everything in detail. + +"You think the ruffians are coming over here to-night, do you, Colonel +Cosgrove?" asked the planter. + +"I think they are on their way here now," replied the Kentuckian. + +"Is there any other way they can get to your house than over that +bridge?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, who was the only military man in the +party who had seen real service, though Levi had been in the militia. + +"There is no other way," replied Levi, when his employer nodded to him. +"No mob could get through the swamp back of the mansion in the daytime, +to say nothing of doing it in the night. The bridge is the only +approach; and, if worse comes to worst, we can cut that away." + +"You are in a very strong position, and I don't believe it will be +necessary to cut away the bridge," added the military gentleman. "They +can only cross the creek in boats." + +"Our boats are all taken out of the water." + +"With those twelve-pounders you can beat off a regiment. You have +everything for the defence except soldiers," added the authority of the +party. + +"Perhaps we can find them when they are needed," said Major Lyon. + +The lawyer understood, but the planter did not. It was a delicate +subject, and it could not be considered in that presence. The former +realized this fact, and suggested that something ought to be done to +give them notice of the coming of the hostile ruffians. + +"That's so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "I think you had better station +the two boys, who have proved that they have pluck enough for any duty, +where they can give us early notice of the approach of the enemy." + +"We shall want the boys here, and a couple of negroes will do for that +duty just as well," replied Levi. + +"All right," answered the military gentleman, who made no objection to +the employment of the servants for this duty. "Give each of them a +revolver, and tell them to fire three shots if any force approaches." + +Rosebud and Mose were detailed for service at the bridge; and perhaps +this was the first time that negroes had ever been armed on the +plantation. They were proud of the position assigned to them, and +departed on the run, promising to be as faithful as white men could be. + +"Where are you going to find your soldiers when you want them, Major +Lyon?" inquired Colonel Belthorpe. "You hinted that you knew where to +look for them." + +"I think we had better not discuss that subject just now," interposed +the lawyer, as he looked around him at the negroes, who had finished all +the work given them to do, and were listening with their ears wide open +to all that was said. + +Levi solved the difficulty by sending all the negroes out of the +building, and directing them to patrol the bank of the creek as far as +the swamp. + +"On the question of enlisting negroes in the army, either as regulars or +volunteers, I have not yet come to a decision," said Major Lyon. "But in +defence of my property, and the protection of my family I should have no +objection to using all my hands who were willing to be so employed." + +"Arm your negroes!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe. + +"Not to fight the battles of the nation, but to protect my wife and +children and my property," answered the Riverlawn planter. "We can +muster but four white men, and two of them are boys. If a mob of fifty +or a hundred or five hundred ruffians come over here to hang me and burn +my house, shall I let them do so rather than employ the willing hands of +men with black faces to defend myself?" demanded Noah Lyon, earnestly +enough to mount almost to the height of eloquence. + +"By the great Jehoshaphat, I believe you are right!" exclaimed Colonel +Belthorpe, with a stamp of his foot. "I did not look at it in that way. +But making soldiers of the niggers is another thing, and I'm not ready +for that." + +"We are all agreed so far as the situation on this place is concerned. +If there were any State or national force at hand to call upon for +protection against these reckless ruffians, I should invoke its aid; but +there is none, and we must protect ourselves," added Colonel Cosgrove. +"I heartily approve of Major Lyon's purpose to use his negroes to defend +himself and his property." + +"Then it is high time to get them in training for this service," said +the major with energy. "Levi, call in the hands you just sent away." + +Two of them came back without any calling, for they burst into the fort +in a state of high excitement. + +"Well, Bitts, what's the matter now?" asked Levi very calmly. + +"Gouge and me done went down to de rapids, whar we kin see de bridge +ober de riber, and dar's more'n two tousand men comin' ober it!" gasped +Bitts. + +"Call it fifty or a hundred, Bitts. But no matter, boy; call in all the +hands except the two on the creek bridge." + +Both of the negroes rushed off on their mission. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE APPROACH OF THE RUFFIAN FORCES + + +If the negroes asked no questions, most of them were intelligent enough +to interpret the preparations which had been made at Fort Bedford. The +six boatmen who had remained half the night in the rear of the +schoolhouse had had time enough to do some talking among the hands, +though they had come in contact only with those who had been at work on +the fort. + +These men had listened to the tumult in the building and in the road, +and through the open window near the boat had come to their ears the +demand of Titus Lyon when admitted, and the reply of the meeting. They +knew that Colonel Cosgrove, Colonel Belthorpe, and Squire Truman had +taken an active part in the meeting, and they could understand for what +purpose they had come to Riverlawn so late in the night. + +The people on this plantation were doubtless better informed and more +intelligent than upon most of the estates in this portion of the South, +for they had always been treated with what other planters regarded as +imprudent indulgence. In the time of Colonel Lyon, slavery had been a +patriarchal institution, and the negroes regarded him as a father, +guide, and friend rather than as a taskmaster. + +Many of them had learned to read, and even carried their education +several points farther. The planter had given them his illustrated +papers, and others fell into their hands. Their usefulness increased +with their intelligence; and to oblige his neighbors the colonel had +occasionally sent his carpenters and masons to do jobs for them. + +The more intelligent of them had kept their eyes and ears open to learn +the "signs of the times" during the troubles which agitated the State; +and there were those among them who were well informed in matters which +were generally believed to be above their comprehension. They went about +among the people of other plantations, and when they obtained any news +in regard to the movements of either party, it was circulated among the +whole of them. + +Neither Noah Lyon nor Levi Bedford ever said anything about politics or +the struggle between the contending parties for the mastery of the +State; but the silence of the people indicated that they understood the +situation. Though they were treated with what was considered extreme +indulgence, and were entirely devoted to the planter and his family, the +instinct of freedom doubtless existed in all of them. + +In a short time about a dozen of the negroes had come to the fort in +obedience to the order of the overseer. Half of them were mechanics who +had been at work during the evening. They were collected in the +building, and the white men present proceeded to interrogate them in +regard to their qualifications. + +"What is your name?" asked Colonel Belthorpe of the leader of the +boat-crew. + +"General, sar," replied he. + +"You are a big fellow; did you ever fire a gun?" asked the planter. + +"Yes, sar; Cunnel Lyon done send me often to shoot some ducks for de +dinner." + +"Are you a good shot?" + +"De boys say I am," answered General modestly. "I done bring down tree +quails out'n five on de wing, mars'r." + +"Did you ever fire a rifle?" + +"Yes, sar; Christmas time mars'r cunnel lend us his two rifles to shoot +at a mark for a prize ob half a dollar; dis nigger won de prize," +replied General, with a magnificent exhibition of ivory. + +"Are you willing to fight for your master?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe +sharply, as though he expected a negative response to the question. + +"Yes, sar!" answered General with more energy than he had spoken before. +"Ready to be killed for Mars'r Lyon; an' so's all de boys on de place." + +"You will do," added the planter, as he handed him a breech-loader and a +small package of ammunition. "Do you know how to use this piece?" + +"Yes, sar; seen 'em before," replied the boatman, as he took the weapon +and retired. + +With the boys there were seven white men present, and each one of them +had examined a servant in regard to his qualifications. The questions +were similar, though not the same as those put by Colonel Belthorpe; and +it appeared that all of them were more or less familiar with the use of +firearms, for they were the best informed and most reliable hands on the +estate. They were all provided with breech-loaders and cartridges. +General and Dummy were sent with weapons to Rosebud and Mose at the +bridge, and ordered to remain there; but they were not to fire upon the +ruffians. + +"Now we have a force of twenty-two men," said Colonel Belthorpe. "I +don't know about these recruits with black faces, and I have my doubts +about making soldiers of them. Fall in, and we will march up to the +bridge." + +All the white men were armed with revolvers as well as rifles. The men +did not "fall in" in the military sense of the term, but simply followed +their leader, as the experienced soldier, who had rendered most of his +active service in fighting the Indians, was tacitly recognized to be. + +"Don't you think we had better put out the lights in the fort, Colonel +Belthorpe?" asked Levi. + +"By no means. I have had fighting enough with cut-throat Indians to +satisfy my tastes in that direction, and I am not anxious for any more +of it," replied the planter. "Let the building remain lighted, and it +will assure the ruffians that you are awake over here. If they will +about wheel and go off, that will suit me better than a fight with +them." + +"Just my sentiments, Colonel," added Major Lyon. + +"The creek is about fifty feet wide by the bridge," said Colonel +Cosgrove. "It widens at its mouth to about a hundred. Is there any way +by which the ruffians can get over at your boat-pier?" + +"Without a boat there is no way to get across," replied Levi. "They must +come across the bridge if they come at all." + +"There they come!" exclaimed Major Lyon, as he pointed to the +cross-roads where the creek road branched off from the others. + +"They have provided themselves with lanterns and torches," said Levi. +"We can see just what they are about." + +As they came opposite the boat-pier the ruffians halted. They were not +marching in any kind of order, but all of them were straggling along as +though the Home Guard to which they belonged had not yet done any +drilling. + +"What have they stopped there for, Colonel Belthorpe?" asked Major Lyon. + +"They can see your fort by this time, and the lights have attracted +their attention," replied the military gentleman. "They can see that you +are ready for them, and perhaps they will not deem it advisable to come +any farther." + +"I hope they will not," added the owner of Riverlawn. + +The aggressive force remained a long time at this spot. In the stillness +of the night the sounds which came up the creek indicated that a dispute +was in progress in the ranks of the enemy. It looked as though the +ruffians were divided among themselves in regard to the prudence of +advancing any farther. If Titus Lyon was there, he could readily see +that the stone ice-house had undergone some change. The brilliant light +within it flashed out through the open door in the rear, and through the +three embrasures in sight. + +"Major Lyon, do those rascals know that you took possession of the +military stores, or do they only guess at it?" asked Colonel Cosgrove. + +"They know the arms they stored in a sink-hole cavern are gone, and they +appeared at the meeting to know that I had caused their removal; but I +have no idea how or where they obtained their information," replied the +planter; and while they were waiting the approach of the ruffians, he +gave a full account of the discovery and removal of the ammunition. + +"They don't know that three extra white men are with you, and I don't +think they would believe you would arm your servants, or that they would +be good for anything if you did so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "Perhaps +it would be a good idea to return to the fort and send a twelve-pound +shot over the heads of that crowd." + +"It would let them know that we have the cannon, if nothing more," said +Colonel Cosgrove. + +"You are a lawyer, Colonel; can't Captain Titus recover these arms by +process of law?" inquired the other colonel. + +"There is no law in this part of the State at the present time. Men have +been murdered within a few miles of this spot, and no notice has been +taken of the fact. Those arms were brought here for the use of the Home +Guards, which is the same as saying that they are for the use of the +Secessionists. The law won't touch the arms," replied the legal +gentleman very deliberately. + +"They have settled their dispute, whatever it was, and the ruffians are +moving again," said Levi. "It is too late to send a twelve-pound shot +over their heads, and if there is to be any fight, it will be at the +bridge." + +"You are right," replied Colonel Belthorpe, after a long look at the +enemy; for as the road where they were was parallel to his line of +vision, it was difficult to determine whether they were moving or not. +"Let them come; and while they are doing so we will have a little drill +of the forces." + +He formed the six white men in one line, and the fifteen negroes in +another, though some of the latter were only a shade or two darker than +the former. Levi Bedford soon proved that he was familiar with the +manual, and he was sent to drill the dark section of the army. But the +exercise was confined to loading and firing. The men were drawn up in +line across the bridge, and instructed as far as "shoulder arms," and +then the drill officer explained how they were to conduct themselves. + +"The ruffians are getting pretty near, Colonel," suggested Major Lyon. + +"We are all ready for them," replied he. + +The men were then placed at "Order arms," and permitted to watch the +approach of the enemy. Their torches, which had probably been made in a +birch grove on the other side of the river, and must have been +occasionally renewed with material brought for the purpose, blazed +brightly, and lighted up the road, so that they could be plainly seen. + +"There are at least a hundred of them," said the officer in command. + +"And some of them have muskets," added Colonel Cosgrove. + +"It looks as though some one or more of us might be shot," continued +Major Lyon. "If there is any man here, black or white, who wants to +leave and find a safer place than this may be in a few minutes, he is at +liberty to do so. I don't want any man to render unwilling service on my +account; and you can make peace with that gang by giving me and my boys +up to them." + +"Never! Never! Never!" yelled every one of the servants. + +"Mars'r Lyon foreber!" shouted General. + +"Glory to God! We all die for Mars'r Lyon!" cried Dummy the preacher. + +"Now all hands give three cheers!" interposed Colonel Belthorpe; and +they were given as vigorously as on the deck of a man-of-war. "That will +convince the enemy that we are wide awake, and don't mean to run away." + +"I reckon that squad is just a little astonished about this time," said +Levi. + +For this reason, or some other, the enemy suddenly made a halt, and the +tumult of many voices came up the road. If Captain Titus was in command +of the enemy, his force was not reduced to anything like discipline. +From the sounds there appeared to be many commanders, each of whom +wanted to have his own way. The defenders of the mansion waited full a +quarter of an hour before the tumult subsided, indicating that some +point had been carried, though enough of the shouts of the stormy +ruffians indicated that they were in favor of going ahead and making the +attack. It was plain to the listeners that some of the gang had cooler +heads, and knew what prudence meant. + +Presently four men were seen marching up the road towards the bridge, +the two at the flanks carrying flaming torches, as if to illuminate a +white flag borne on a pole, which had possibly cost some member of the +troop his white shirt. The two in the middle were evidently the +officers, or ambassadors, of the ruffians. They came up to their end of +the bridge, and halted there. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES + + +The representatives of the ruffians had halted about fifty feet from the +line of the defenders of Riverlawn, and they could be distinctly seen. +It was Buck Lagger who flaunted the flag of truce, and by his side stood +Titus Lyon. The other two were simply torch-bearers. There the party +stood, and there they seemed to be inclined to stand for an indefinite +period of time. They could see the line of the defenders extended across +the bridge, and the torches lent enough of their light to the scene to +enable Captain Titus to discover that the men were all provided with +muskets, though they probably could not make out the character of the +weapons. + +"This is all nonsense!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe, apparently +disgusted with this peaceable display on the part of the enemy. + +"Captain Titus wishes only to repeat the demand for the return of the +arms," added Colonel Cosgrove. "But we can't spare them just yet." + +"That is their ostensible purpose, but the real one is to see whether or +not we are in condition to receive them," suggested Major Lyon. + +"But I am not inclined to wait all night merely to be looked at," +continued the commander of the forces impatiently. + +"I think you had better speak to them, for they can hear you well enough +at this distance," said Major Lyon. + +"I am more inclined to march over the bridge and drive them away than to +parley all night with them about nothing," replied Colonel Belthorpe. +"In military matters I believe in vigorous action." + +"According to the customs of civilized warfare we should respect a flag +of truce, though we believe it is only an expedient to gain time," added +Colonel Cosgrove. + +"What do you want?" demanded the commander, adopting the suggestion of +the planter of Riverlawn. + +"We want to settle this business, and I want to see Major Lyon," replied +Captain Titus. + +"Come to the middle of the bridge, and he will meet you," shouted the +officer in command. + +Titus advanced with his three supporters, marching very slowly. + +"I suppose I must see him," said Major Lyon, who would evidently have +been glad to be spared the interview. + +"Three of us will go with you, and make an even thing of it," added +Colonel Belthorpe, as Noah Lyon stopped forward to discharge his +disagreeable duty. + +The commander placed Colonel Cosgrove on one side of him and Squire +Truman on the other, taking position in front of them himself. He saw +the planter of the estate did not like to meet his brother. + +"Major Lyon, I think you had better let me do the talking, for the +situation must be very annoying to you," suggested the leader. + +"I shall be very glad to have you do so, Colonel," answered the planter. +"I am extremely sorry that my own brother is the leader of the ruffians, +and I did not expect to see him engaged in such a work. He warned me +yesterday that my place might be burned, and that I might be hung to one +of the big trees, though he had prevented such an outrage so far." + +"I suppose the loss of the military stores has roused him to the highest +pitch of wrath, which he manifested in his visit to the meeting. But if +he can proceed so far as to bring a horde of ruffians to burn your house +and hang you to a tree, you can't do less than defend yourself, even if +he is your own brother," said the lawyer. + +"I do not shrink from my duty," added Noah Lyon. + +"March!" exclaimed the leader, as he advanced to the middle of the +bridge, where the party from the other side had halted by this time. + +Captain Titus was evidently surprised to find his brother supported by +two of the most distinguished men of the county, to say nothing of the +eloquent village lawyer. He could not help seeing that there was law +enough on the other side, and that they knew what they were doing. + +"What is your business here?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe in a very stern +tone. + +"I stated my position in the meet'n' you held to-night, and you heard +what I had to say," Captain Titus began. + +"We all heard you; and it is not necessary to repeat it," replied the +commander. "What is your business here at this time of night?" + +"We came here for the arms and ammunition that was stole from us last +night. They were my property till they were given out to the company," +Captain Titus explained. + +"What company? Do you mean the ruffians you have led over here? They are +a horde of lawless men. You have no authority to raise a company, and it +does not appear in what service they are to be employed. They have made +war upon the peaceable people of this county, as they did this evening +at the schoolhouse." + +"We hain't made war on nobody!" protested Titus, warming up to the +occasion. + +"You sent some of your force into the schoolroom to break up a Union +meeting; and that was making war upon the people there assembled. The +man at your side with the white flag was one that I assisted in putting +out. We knew the arms were for the use of these ruffians in terrorizing +the whole country," said Colonel Belthorpe in the most emphatic speech; +and he used the "we" to shift the responsibility from the shoulders of +Major Lyon to those of himself and associates. "Captain Titus Lyon, you +and your gang have been bullying and persecuting the Union citizens of +this vicinity long enough; and from this time they intend to defend +themselves in earnest. You have made war on them, and the arms and +ammunition were simply the spoils of war." + +"I come over here to talk with my brother, and not with you," Titus +objected, upset by the logic and by the announcement of the intentions +of the Unionists. + +"Colonel Belthorpe represents me, as he does all the rest of us," +interposed Major Lyon. "You threatened me yesterday to your heart's +content, Brother Titus, to burn my house and hang me to a big tree; and +I don't care to hear anything more of it." + +"I have said all it is necessary to say," resumed the commander; "and we +decline to hear anything more from you. We shall defend Major Lyon and +his plantation from all enemies who may appear. The conference is +ended." + +"Defend him with niggers!" shouted Buck Lagger. "Are we white men to +stand up and fight niggers in this war, as you call it? It is an +outrage, and we won't stand it! We will hang every nigger we catch with +arms in his possession!" + +"Then a white ruffian will hang to the next tree! It will take two to +play at that game," responded the commander vigorously. "When about a +hundred ruffians, composed mostly of white trash, come over here to burn +Major Lyon's mansion and hang him to a big tree, he is quite justified +in calling in his servants to defend his property and himself." + +The colonel had his doubts about the propriety of arming the negroes, +and he wished to be understood even by the enemy; and he certainly made +a plain case of it. + +"We have had enough of your gabble!" continued the leader. "We decline +any further communication with you under a flag of truce or otherwise. +If you and your ruffians don't retire from this vicinity within five +minutes, we shall open fire upon you! About face, march!" + +The three men behind the colonel turned about, and deliberately marched +back to the end of the bridge nearest to the mansion. The party of the +flag hesitated a few moments, and then returned to the main body of the +ruffians. At the end of the bridge the Riverlawn planter found his wife +and the two girls. From the windows of the mansion they had seen the +blazing torches of the ruffians, and the party who had marched from the +fort to oppose them. + +They found Deck and Artie in the ranks drawn up on the bridge; and they +had explained the situation, including a brief account of the tumult at +the meeting. Mrs. Lyon and her daughters were much alarmed for the +safety of the male members of the family; but Levi succeeded in quieting +them, so that they were quite calm when the major returned. + +"We have been terribly frightened, Noah," said Mrs. Lyon. "When you and +the boys did not come home from the meeting, I was afraid something had +happened to you." + +The two colonels and the village lawyer saluted the ladies, and assured +them that there was no danger, and that they were amply able to defend +the place from the assault of a thousand men. + +"Now go home, Ruth, and go to bed," added Noah. "We will join you as +soon as we have driven off these ruffians, and it won't take long to do +it." + +She accepted this advice, though she still appeared to have her doubts, +and went back to the mansion. What she had seen looked like war to her; +and though she had freely consented that her husband and the two boys +should join the army of the Union, she and the girls had some of a +woman's timidity in the face of the awful calamities of actual war. + +"What are they about now?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, as his friends took +their places in the ranks. + +"They have sent a dozen men or more down the bank of the creek, and they +are out of sight now," replied Levi. + +"They are looking for a chance to get across the stream," added the +commander. "They had better stay where they are if they don't intend to +go home. Is there any boat on that side of the river?" + +"No boat of any kind; but there is a lot of logs on the shore, about +half-way to the river, and they might build a raft of them. I did not +think of those logs before, or I should have rolled them into the +creek," replied the overseer. + +"It will be the worse for them if they attempt to cross. Some one said +you had served in an artillery company in Tennessee, Mr. Bedford; is +that so?" inquired the commander. + +"That is so, Colonel; and I know how to handle a twelve-pounder," +replied Levi. + +"How many men will it take to manage one of the guns in the fort?" + +"If you will give me the two boys, I can send a shot across the creek +every five minutes, and in less time when we get a little used to the +piece." + +"Then take the boys, if Major Lyon does not object, and go to the fort." + +"Of course I don't object, Colonel," added the father. + +"We don't want to kill any of the ruffians if we can help it; but I am +decidedly in favor of driving them away. I saw plenty of broken lumber +about the fort; and I think you had better kindle a big fire on the +shore of the creek, so that you can see over on the other side. If they +attempt to build a raft, give them a shot; but not otherwise," said +Colonel Belthorpe, still straining his eyes to ascertain in the darkness +what the squad were doing on the bank of the creek. + +"Shall you remain here, Colonel?" asked Levi. + +"Not at all; we shall march over the bridge. This is a neighborhood war, +and I believe in carrying it on upon peace principles as far as +possible, and the first shot must come from the other side," replied the +planter from outside. + +Levi departed for Fort Bedford, attended by Deck and Artie. The +commander then arranged his men in ranks by fours, and taught them how +to come in line again, using some technical terms which the negroes did +not understand; but he succeeded in getting them to perform the +manoeuvre quite clumsily. They marched over the bridge by fours. The +enemy still occupied the position where they had first halted, and the +colonel continued the march till the force was within hail of the enemy. + +Some of the ruffians had muskets; and whether in obedience to the orders +of their leaders or not, three random shots were fired. This was enough +to satisfy the conscience of Colonel Belthorpe, and he gave the command +to halt, and the men came into line again across the road. + +"Ready!" he shouted; and the men all brought themselves into position as +they had before been instructed. "Aim!" + +These orders and the movements of the men appeared to produce a decided +sensation in the rabble in front of them; for they were simply a crowd, +not formed in any order. Some of them took to their heels, and were seen +running down the road at a breakneck speed. + +"Fire!" added the commander. + +A terrible yell came back as the men fired their rifles. That volley was +enough for them, and they bolted before the smoke of the powder had +blown aside. Two men were seen lying on the ground, killed or wounded, +and the ruffians were too much shaken to give them any attention. +Half-way to the river they halted again, as did the pursuing force. The +enemy scattered at this point; but in a few moments the whizzing of +bullets was heard over their heads by the defenders of the plantation. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE FIRST SHOT FROM FORT BEDFORD + + +Levi Bedford had made all possible haste to reach the fort, and the boys +had not lingered far behind him, though they could not help giving some +of their attention to the enemy on the other side of the creek. The +ruffians remained at the position they had taken; and certainly they had +made no progress in the accomplishment of the purpose which had brought +them to the vicinity of Riverlawn. Probably if the darkness had not +concealed the artillery party, those with guns would have fired at them. + +"Now, boys, the first order of Colonel Belthorpe was to build a fire, +and we will attend to that," said the overseer, as he led the way to the +rear of the stone building. + +"Of course I obey orders," added Artie, "but I don't believe much in the +fire. As soon as it blazes up it will give the ruffians light enough to +see us. Some of them have guns, and they will fire at us then." + +"What do you suppose these stone walls are for, Artie?" asked Levi with +his usual smile. + +"They were put up to keep the ice cool originally," replied Artie. + +"Then they ought to keep us cool," said the overseer. "When the man with +a big mouth opened it, the dentist told him he had opened it wide +enough, for he proposed to stand outside. But we don't propose to stand +outside, but inside, as soon as we have lighted the fire." + +"But we have to see what the ruffians are about on the other side of the +creek; for you are not to fire a shot unless they attempt to build a +raft," suggested Artie. + +"We can look through the port-holes, can't we?" asked Deck. "If they +build a raft they will make a fire the first thing they do, and we can +see what they are doing." + +"We shall find a way to ascertain what they are doing," added Levi, as +he led the way to obtain more armfuls of the broken boards; and they +were the remains of the cases in which the arms and ammunition had been +packed. + +The wood was piled up a couple of rods from the fort, though a little at +one side, so as not to obstruct the view of the party. Only a portion of +the fuel was used, and the rest saved to replenish the fire. The match +was applied, and in a short time the blaze mounted above the pile, and +lighted the surrounding region. + +"Now, boys, if you feel as though you might get a bullet through your +heads, you can go into the fort, and you will be safe there," said Levi. + +"Are you not going in, Levi?" + +"I am when the occasion requires; but I want to see what they are about +over there," replied the overseer. + +As he was in no haste to put the stone walls between himself and a +possible shot, the pride of the boys would not permit them to do so, and +it became a sort of contention to see who would be the first to seek +shelter. + +"The Seceshers are firing at our people!" exclaimed Deck, quite excited +as he realized that hostilities had actually begun. + +"The ruffians are firing, each on his own hook, for there is no order +among them," added Levi, as he heard several shots. + +The plantation force could now be just seen, marching down the road, by +the light of the enemy's torches. The random shots from the ruffians +were continued, and it was evident that each man was his own commander. + +"Colonel Belthorpe will not stand that sort of thing for any great +length of time," Levi remarked, as his eyes and ears gave him further +information in regard to the situation on the other side. + +"They say chance shots sometimes do the most mischief, or I have read it +in some story," said Deck. "I hope one of them will not hit father." + +"Of course any one of us is liable to be hit while this game is going +on. Perhaps you had better go into the fort, for this fire will soon +attract the enemy's attention," suggested the overseer. + +"When you get ready to go in we will go in with you," replied Artie. + +"There is no need of exposing all three of us to the changes of a shot." + +"Then one of us boys will stay out, for you are nearly twice as big as +either one of us, and therefore twice as likely to get hit," laughed +Deck. + +"There!" exclaimed Levi, without noticing the remark, "now there will be +music in the air!" + +"What is it? I don't hear anything," added Deck. + +"Don't you see that the colonel has halted his force? Now they have +formed a line across the road," continued the overseer, as he closely +watched the movements on the other side of the creek. + +The fort party were silent with expectation and anxiety, and then they +heard the orders of the commander, which ended in a volley from the +fifteen breech-loaders. The birch torches still lighted up the ground, +and the observers saw two men fall. This discharge produced a panic in +the rabble, and they fled from the road to the shelter of a grove that +lay beyond. From the fort it could be seen that a few of the ruffians, +with guns in their hands, had taken refuge behind the trunks of the +large trees, where they were reloading their pieces. + +"That's Indian fighting," said Levi. "Our men, from their position, +can't see these skulkers, who will have a good chance to pick off some +of them at their leisure. We must attend to this matter." + +The overseer elevated his rifle, and took deliberate aim at one of the +ruffians behind a big tree, and fired. He saw his man fall. Deck and +Artie followed his example, though they could not see any single +individuals at whom they might direct their aim. They all continued to +fire till the chambers of their weapons were empty. + +"I don't believe we hit anybody with those last shots; for as soon as my +man dropped and the others could see where the shot came from, they ran +away or moved to the other side of the tree," said Levi, as he carefully +observed the situation. + +The retreat of the main body of the ruffians, taking the torches with +them, left the scene in darkness. The number and direction of the last +discharges assured those who had sought the shelter of the trees that +they were flanked. Nothing could be seen in the gloom of the grove; and, +as no more shots came from that quarter, it was supposed that the +skulkers had retreated to the main body. + +"There's a light down the creek, Levi!" exclaimed Deck, as a blaze +flashed up at a point nearly opposite the boat-pier. + +"That's where the logs lay," added the overseer. "The squad that was +sent down the bank of the stream has got to work at last." + +"Perhaps they have been at work for the last half hour," suggested +Artie. "They didn't need any light to enable them to roll the logs into +the creek and build a raft." + +"Quite right, my boy; you have hit the nail on the head. By the light of +the fire I can now see the raft, though they haven't finished it," +replied Levi. + +"Hadn't we better fire at them?" asked Deck. + +"You might as well fire at the moon, my boys," returned the overseer. +"You haven't had much practice with these breech-loaders, and you +couldn't hit anything at the distance they are from us." + +"But where is our army?" asked Artie rather facetiously. + +"Colonel Belthorpe don't seem to be following up the enemy," replied +Levi. "Perhaps, as the ruffians are retreating, he is satisfied to let +them go home and dream over their work of this evening. The torches of +the main body of the enemy seem to be going out, and very likely their +stock of birch bark is all gone. They are about half-way between our +force and the raft." + +"They are within rifle-shot of us, anyhow," suggested Deck. "We might +give them a little more waking up." + +"Don't be too enthusiastic, Mr. Lyon. We don't win it to kill any more +of them than is absolutely necessary," said the overseer rather more +seriously than usual. "They have the raft in the water, and we will go +in the fort and see what can be done for them." + +Neither of the boys knew anything about artillery tactics, or of the +process of loading a field-piece, and Levi proceeded to instruct them. + +The creek bent a little to the south as it approached the river, and the +chief gunner directed one of the pieces at the western embrasure, so +that it covered the fire built near the logs. The inside of the opening +was bevelled, so that he could bring the cannon to bear upon the +objective point. It was then drawn in, and the charge, with a solid +shot, was rammed home by the boys. + +The cannon was run out again at the embrasure, and Levi pointed it, +mindful of the instructions of the colonel commanding, so that the +missile would go over the men at work on the raft. + +"Now you may go outside, and see what you can see," continued Levi. "I +don't mean to hit the men there, or even the raft; but I want you to +notice what effect the shot produces upon the ruffians at the work." + +"All right, Levi; sing out when you are going to pull the lock-string," +replied Deck as he followed Artie out of the fort. + +"Ready! Fire!" shouted the overseer when time enough for them to take a +position had elapsed. + +The discharge of the cannon gave forth a tremendous report, and the boys +heard the whizzing of the shot as it flew like a flash through the air. +The retreating army of the ruffians suddenly halted without any orders +from Captain Titus or any one else as the echo of the report struck upon +their ears. Doubtless they were astonished; but they were in darkness, +for the last of the torches had gone out, and it could only be seen that +they had halted as abruptly as though the shot from the piece had mowed +its way through the mob. + +The shot, as intended, passed over the heads of the men at work on the +raft, and struck into a tree on the other side of the road, causing a +heavy branch to fall to the ground. The raft-builders suddenly took to +their heels, and disappeared in the grove. + +"Did it hit anything, boys?" asked Levi, coming out of the fort. + +"Nothing but a big tree beyond the road, and a large branch fell to the +ground," replied Deck. + +"I had an idea that you had been fooling us at first, Levi," added +Artie, "and had fired at the main body, for they stopped as short as +though the cannon ball had gone through the crowd. All the men at work +on the raft knocked off instantly, and ran away as though the shot were +chasing them." + +"I reckon we needn't fire another shot, for the ruffians won't go near +that raft again," added Levi. "I fired over their heads, as I told you I +should, and nobody was hurt by that shot. I dropped one man behind that +tree, and that is all the mischief I have done." + +"Are you sorry for that one?" asked Deck. + +"I am sorry for him, but not that I hit him, for he might have killed +two or three of our people from his hiding-place behind the tree. I +don't believe in killing anybody as long as it can possibly be avoided; +but the ruffians began the shooting, and they are responsible for the +consequences. At least half a dozen Union men have been killed in this +county by those ruffians, or those like them; and your father might have +been swinging from a big tree by this time if we hadn't taken the bull +by the horns. No, I am not sorry for anything I have done!" + +"And the house would have been burnt down, and mother and the girls +subjected to the insults of these miscreants," added Artie; and all +three of them were much moved as they contemplated the possibilities +before them. + +"Can you see anything of our people over there, Deck?" asked Levi. + +"Not a thing; it is too dark." + +"I don't believe there will be anything more to do at the fort to-night, +though the affair may not be over yet," continued Levi, after he had +anxiously peered through the gloom to discover the rest of the defenders +of Riverlawn. "I want you, Deck, to go up to the bridge, and down the +creek road, and ascertain what our people are doing. You may report to +Colonel Belthorpe that we have driven off the builders of the raft, and +that the main body of the ruffians have fallen back from the road into +the grove." + +"All right, Levi," replied Deck, who was very glad to be appointed to +such a mission; and, with his breech-loader on his shoulder, he marched +in the direction indicated at a lively pace, though he was so tired and +sleepy that it required a determined effort to enable him to keep on his +feet, for it was now two o'clock in the morning. + +When he reached the bridge he found there, to his intense astonishment, +a dozen horses, some of them with saddles and bridles on, and others +with bridles, and blankets in place of saddles. They were in charge of +Frank the coachman, with Woolly and Mose to assist him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE PARTY ATTACKED IN THE CROSS-CUT + + +Deck Lyon could not imagine any possible use that could be made of the +horses in charge of the boys, and it was not probable that those in care +of them could afford him any information on the subject. It was evident +that some new movement was contemplated, and it looked as though the +commander of the forces intended to chase the ruffians with mounted men. + +"Where is my father, Frank?" asked Deck. + +"He's down the road with the rest of them; but I reckon they are all +marching back to the bridge," replied the coachman. + +"What are you going to do with all these horses?" asked Deck, as he +began to move on. + +"Dunno, Mars'r Deck, what they are for; but Mars'r Lyon sent us for +them." + +Frank knew nothing about the use to which the horses were to be put, and +Deck continued on his way over the bridge. The fire from the blazing +boards in front of Fort Bedford sent some of the light across the creek; +but it did not reveal the presence of the defenders of the plantation, +and the messenger could not see anything of the force. It could not be +far away, and he continued to advance. + +Just beyond the bridge he met a wagon coming towards him. When it came +near enough for him to see it in the gloom, he found that it belonged to +the plantation. Three men sat on the front seat, and were chattering at +a lively rate as they drew near. + +"Who is driving that team?" demanded Deck. + +"Me, Mars'r Deck," replied the man who held the reins. + +"Who's me?" + +"Clinker, sar, wid Bitts and Filly," replied the driver, who was the +blacksmith of the estate. + +"What are you doing with the wagon over here?" + +"Cart'n' off de wounded, mars'r." + +"How many have you?" + +"On'y two, sar." + +These were the ruffians, doubtless, who had fallen when the volley was +fired at the beginning of the affair. + +"You haven't got them all, then," added Deck. "There is another opposite +the fort, near a big tree, who was hit by Levi, firing from the other +side of the creek." + +"We go for him when we done unload dese we got," said Clinker. + +"Can you tell me where my father and the rest of them are?" inquired +Deck, who could see nothing of the main body. + +"In de grove, Mars'r Deck. Wen de ruff'ns done runned off dat way Mars'r +Belt'orpe lead de sodjers arter 'em." + +Deck was afraid he might not find his father before morning if they +pursued the retreating ruffians in that direction; for they would have +to follow the river, when they reached it, about ten miles before they +could come to a bridge by which they could cross. But he had a mission, +and he bravely fought against the fatigue and sleepiness that beset him, +and struck into the grove by a road some distance below the bridge over +the creek. + +He had not gone twenty rods in the gloom of the wood before he heard the +sound of voices and the tramp of footsteps ahead of him, and he was +confident the force was returning to the plantation. He soon confronted +the little column, and placed himself by the side of the commander, who +was leading the way. + +"Levi sent me over to report what we have been doing," said he. + +"I heard the report of one of your guns, and I concluded that you had +work on your hands," replied Colonel Belthorpe, without slacking his +speed or halting to listen to the report. + +"Not much work, Colonel. The ruffians were building a raft at the pile +of logs, and we fired over their heads, as ordered. The big branch of a +tree came down, and all the men on the raft and near them ran into the +woods. The road is all clear of them, and they are not going home by the +Rapids Bridge." + +"No, the villains!" exclaimed the commander. "They have other business +on their hands. I am afraid we have been too tender with them." + +"One thing more, Colonel, and I have done," continued Deck. "When the +ruffians retreated before your fire, those who had guns stationed +themselves behind the trees and began to fire at you. Then we three +opened upon them with the rifles, and when Levi fired a man dropped. +After that we saw nothing more of them." + +"All right, my boy," added the colonel, hurrying his march. "I thought +the villains were only making a detour, intending to reach the Rapids +Bridge; but I find they are marching in the direction of my plantation." + +Colonel Cosgrove and Major Lyon had been called forward to listen to the +report of Deck, and it was decided that, so far as Riverlawn was +concerned, the battle had been fought and won, inasmuch as the enemy had +been driven away. By the time the report was finished and the result +announced, the force had reached the bridge. + +"Where are you going now, Clinker?" asked Major Lyon, when the wagon +returned from the hospital, as the small building set apart for the sick +of the plantation hands was called, and appeared on the bridge. + +"Mars'r Deck done tell me a man dropped behind a tree down de creek, and +I'm gwine for him," replied the blacksmith. + +"Go over and get the small wagon for that; we want this one," added the +planter. + +"Where are you going, father?" asked Deck, who saw that some expedition +was in preparation. + +"We are satisfied that the ruffians are going over to Colonel +Belthorpe's plantation, to do there what they intended to do here, and +we mean to get there before they do," replied Major Lyon. "We believe +that everything here is safe for the present." + +The party crossed the bridge and came to the saddle horses. By this time +all the men on the plantation who had not before been called for duty +had assembled by the horses, and the four white men mounted at once. The +breech-loaders were provided with straps, and had been suspended at the +backs of those who used them. Eight of the men who had already seen +service were mounted and seven more were put into the wagon, provided +with weapons which had been sent for. + +"Filly!" called Major Lyon, addressing a mulatto who had the reputation +of being a very intelligent fellow, "you will go to the fort and tell +Levi we are going over to Lyndhall, for we are sure the ruffians mean to +burn the house. Take the rest of the hands here with you, and tell him +to keep a close watch over the place. I shall take Dexter with me." + +The rest of the party had already ridden off at full gallop, fearful +that they might be too late to protect the colonel's property. + +"But I have no horse, father," said Deck, who had heard the planter tell +Filly that he should take him with him. + +"You will go in the wagon," replied his father. "I see that you are +gaping, and you must be very tired. Get in; the body is filled with hay, +and it will give you a chance to get rested." + +Deck did not like the arrangement very well, tired as he was, but he +obeyed the order. The negroes made way for him, and fixed him a nice +place to lie down in the wagon. He dropped asleep almost instantly, for +he had been up all the night before, and had worked hard and been +intensely excited since he left his bed just before noon. + +Major Lyon had his late brother's favorite animal, a blood horse that +had won a small fortune for his master in the races, and he soon +overtook the advance of the party. The wagon could not keep up with him, +and was soon left far behind. + +Near the east end of the Rapids Bridge over the river was a locality +called the "Cross Roads," where four highways came together. At this +point the one from the county town passing through Barcreek village +crossed the stream. Another road branched off here, leading up the +creek, from which the private way over the bridge led to Major Lyon's +mansion. It continued half a mile farther up the creek, and then turned +to the north-east. This was called the "New Road," and upon it, three +miles from the creek bridge, was the plantation of Colonel Belthorpe. + +From the Cross Roads also extended what was called the "Old Road," which +was laid out nearer to the great river; and six miles distant by the +later-built highway the two came together, though it was over eight by +the older one. About half a mile of the new road was on the bank of Bar +Creek, and upon it had transpired most of the events related. + +The ruffians had been driven down this road towards Rapids Bridge. They +had taken to the woods between the two highways; and by sending out the +village lawyer to reconnoitre, Colonel Belthorpe had discovered that the +enemy were marching, not to the bridge, but up the old road, which would +take them, after a three miles' walk, to a point near his plantation, +where they could easily cross to the new road. The distance by the new +road was a mile less than by the other, and the fleet horses would carry +the party to Lyndhall in abundant season to confront the marauders. + +"I don't believe the villains can get there before we do," said Colonel +Belthorpe, as Major Lyon galloped his horse to his side. "If I had +anticipated the events of to-night, I should have been prepared for +them. My overseer is not a Union man, and I am afraid he will not do his +duty. My place is not so well situated for a defence as yours, Major." + +"I believe we have force enough to drive the ruffians again, for they +don't like the smell of gun-powder any better than other bullies," +replied the Riverlawn planter. + +"My son Tom is at home, and my nephew, Major Gadbury, is visiting at +Lyndhall. But all of them, including my two daughters, have gone to a +party at Rock Lodge. I suppose you know the place, Major?" + +"Not by that name." + +"It is over on the old road, close by Rock Hill, from which it takes its +name. You must have met Captain Carms." + +"I have met him, and we have called upon him, but I never heard the name +of his place before." + +"Just at the foot of Rock Hill there is a cart-path connecting the two +roads, and the ruffians may come through by that passage, though it is +very rough. Most of our stone comes from the quarry there, and the teams +make bad work with the roads." + +"The enemy can't be a great way behind us by this time," suggested Major +Lyon. + +"We haven't wasted any time, and it is some distance they had to travel +round by the Cross Roads," replied the colonel, as he urged his steed to +greater speed. + +Though the road was anything but a smooth one, Deck Lyon slept like a +log on the hay. His dusky companions did not speak a loud word for fear +of waking him. Nearly half an hour after the horsemen had passed it, the +wagon was approaching the cross-cut between the two roads at Rock Hill. +Clinker the blacksmith, who had been excused from ambulance duty and +another put in his place, was driving the horses. + +"Cristofus! Wat's dat?" he exclaimed, as two very distinct female +screams struck his ears, and he set his team into a dead run. + +"'Pears like it's women screeching," replied Mose, who was by his side +on the front seat. "Dar's trouble dar!" + +"I reckon do screeches comed out'n de cross-cut," added Clinker. + +The screams were repeated several times, and as the wagon passed the +hill the sounds of an encounter were heard. It was evident that a fight +of some kind was in progress, and the men in the wagon unslung their +breech-loaders ready for action; for they came to the conclusion at once +that the ruffians were at the bottom of it. No shots were heard, and it +did not appear that the marauders were armed. + +"I reckon we mus' woke Mars'r Deck," said Clinker, as he reined in his +horses at the cross-cut. + +One of the men at his side shook the tired boy, and he sprang to his +feet; for doubtless he was dreaming of the events of the night. Clinker +explained the situation in as few words as his vocabulary would permit. +Deck seized his musket and leaped from the wagon, followed by all but +the driver, who drove the horses to a tree and fastened them there. + +Deck ran with all his might into the passage, and presently came to a +road wagon which had been "held up" by a gang of the ruffians. He +ordered his six followers to have their arms ready, but not to fire till +he gave them the word. With his revolver in his hand, which was a more +convenient weapon than the gun, he rushed into the midst of the fight. +The party attacked were the nephew and son of Colonel Belthorpe, with +his two daughters, who had been to the party at Rock Lodge. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE RUFFIANS + + +Deck Lyon rushed furiously down the lane which connected the two roads +at this point. It was dark, and it was in vain that he tried to +understand the situation from anything he could see. He was sure that +the main body of the ruffians were not in the cross-cut, for there was +not room enough for them. He had to depend chiefly upon his ears for +information, for the trees on one side of the passage obscured his way. + +The first sound that attracted his attention as he advanced, above the +general din, was a half-suppressed scream quite near him. The lane was +so rough that he was obliged to move more slowly than when he had left +the wagon, and he halted when he heard the cry. A moment later he +discovered a man bearing a form in his arms, whose cries he was +evidently trying to suppress with one of his hands placed over her +mouth. + +An opening in the grove enabled him to see so much, and to note the +position of the ruffian. With his revolver in his hand he rushed +forward; and, finding himself behind the assailant of the female, he +threw himself upon him, and grasped him by the throat with both hands. +He had done some of this kind of work at the schoolhouse in the evening, +and the experience was useful to him. + +He compelled the villain to release his hold upon his prisoner in order +to defend himself. Deck wrenched and twisted him in an effort to throw +him down, but his arms were not strong enough to accomplish his purpose, +and he called upon Mose to assist him. The faithful servant was close by +him; and perhaps he was desirous of striking a literal blow in defence +of his young master, for he delivered one squarely on the head of the +ruffian which knocked him six feet from the spot. + +At this moment, and just as the captor of the lady went over backwards +into a hole by the side of the cart-path, a bright light was flashed +upon the scene, and Deck could see where he was and where the ruffian he +had encountered was. When Clinker had secured the horses at the end of +the lane, he realized the necessity of more light on the subject before +the party; for though he heard much he saw little. + +Taking a quantity of the hay from the wagon, he hastened to the scene of +the conflict just as Deck had closed with the ruffian who was bearing +the lady away. Putting it on the ground, he lighted it with a match, and +then heaped on sticks and hits of board and plank scattered about by +those who had loaded stone in the passage. The blaze revealed the entire +situation to Deck and his companions, and it made a weird picture. + +"Good, Clinker!" shouted Deck, as he saw the blacksmith standing with +his musket in his hand, busy doing what he had undertaken. "Keep the +fire up!" + +The ruffian whom Mose, who was not much inferior to General and Dummy in +bulk and strength, had knocked both literally and slangily "in a hole," +lay perfectly still. Some five rods ahead of him Deck discovered a road +wagon in the lane. Two horses were harnessed to it, and at the head of +each of them was a ruffian, doing his best to restrain the spirited +animals, frightened by the cries and the movements of the assailants. +Behind the wagon were two white men engaged in a terrible struggle with +half a dozen of the soldiers of the ruffian army. They were getting the +worst of it, though they fought with desperate energy. + +From their appearance and the fact that they were defending themselves, +it was plain enough to Deck that they were in charge of the two females. +They were unarmed, though one of them had procured a piece of board, and +was doing good service with it. Just beyond the scene of the fight stood +Buck Lagger, holding a female by the arm. She evidently realized that +resistance was useless, and she had ceased to struggle or scream. + +"Now follow me, boys!" shouted Deck. "You had better walk over to the +fire, miss," he added to the young lady redeemed from the hands of the +ruffian. "Clinker will see that no harm comes to you." + +The six men who had followed the young man in advance of them, marched +close to him, with their muskets in readiness for use. Deck could not +order them to fire, for they were as likely to hit friends as enemies; +but he rushed to the scene of the conflict, where the two white men had +just been forced back by the marauders. + +"Both fall back this way, gentlemen!" called the young leader. + +Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe, as the colonel had given the names of +those who attended his two daughters to the party, could not help +realizing that assistance was at hand, though they saw only a stout boy +and half a dozen negroes, and they promptly detached themselves from +their assailants, and retreated behind the wagon. + +"Now fire at them, one at a time!" shouted Deck, when it was safe to do +so. + +Mose was nearest to him, and instantly discharged his musket at the +foremost assailants of the gentlemen. One of them dropped to the ground. +The ruffians had not bargained for this sort of discipline, and they +fled on the instant; for they had heard Deck's order, and saw that there +were more bullets where the first one came from. They ran into the +woods, and disappeared behind the trunks of the great trees. + +"Don't fire again, but follow me!" said Deck, as he started at his best +speed towards the spot where Buck Lagger stood with his prisoner. + +This ruffian perceived the defeat of his party, and he attempted to +force the lady in the direction taken by his infamous comrades. He led +the way, dragging his prisoner after him; but she resisted now, hanging +back so that he could not move at anything more than a snail's pace. She +screamed again, and Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe started to assist +her. + +Deck had accomplished half the distance to the ruffian when he saw that +the strength of the lady was failing her, and Buck was advancing more +rapidly. He raised his revolver, and, aiming the weapon with all +possible care, he fired. Clinker had kept the fire blazing freely, and +he had plenty of light. The ruffian released his hold upon his prisoner, +and swung his right hand over to his left shoulder. Deck believed his +bullet had struck him there, though he continued his retreat to the +wood. + +"I am sorry you didn't kill him!" exclaimed one of the two gentlemen, as +they halted at Deck's side. + +"I had to be careful not to hit the lady," replied Deck. "But we have +driven them off. Now, boys, in line!" shouted the young leader to his +men. "Face the woods!" + +[Illustration: "I HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO HIT THE LADY."] + +The six men came into line very promptly, though the movement would +hardly have been satisfactory to a drill officer. + +"Ready!" he continued. "Aim! Fire!" + +That was about the extent of the recruits' knowledge of the drill; but +they fired their weapons, and each of them sent two more shots after the +first as the command was given. One of the gentlemen suggested that none +of the ruffians were hit by the volley, and Deck explained that the last +discharges were for their moral effect, though not in these words. + +"I don't know you, sir, but we are under ten thousand obligations to you +for this timely assistance," said the gentleman who remained with Deck, +for the other had hastened to the lady Buck had abandoned. + +"My name is Dexter Lyon," replied the young defender. "What is yours?" + +"Tom Belthorpe," returned the other, who appeared to be something over +twenty years of age. "We have been to a party with the girls at Rock +Lodge, and were on our way home." + +"Then you are the son of Colonel Belthorpe. Who is the other gentleman?" + +"That is Major Gadbury, who is spending a week at my father's +plantation," replied Tom, rubbing his head and some of his limbs, for he +was rather the worse for the wear in his conflict with the ruffians, as +the other gentleman conducted the terrified lady to the spot. + +"I never was so frightened in all my life," gasped the lady, as they +stopped in front of Deck. + +"It is all over now, and I would not mind any more about it," added the +Major cheerfully, though he was considerably battered after the fight +through which he had passed. + +"This is Mr. Dexter Lyon, Major, the son of our neighbor," said Tom, +presenting the leader of the colored battalion, though Deck was somewhat +abashed at the formality, and to hear himself "mistered" was a new +experience to him. + +"I am glad to know you, Captain Lyon," replied the Major, grasping his +hand and wringing it till the boy winced. "You have rendered us noble +and brave service, and we shall all be grateful to you as long as we +live. This is Miss Margie Belthorpe." + +"I am delighted to see you, Mr. Lyon!" exclaimed the young lady, who was +only nineteen years old, as she sprang to the hero of the night, grasped +his hand, and then kissed him as though he had been a baby. + +Deck was seventeen years old, and rather large of his age, as well as +somewhat forward for his years; and he felt as though he had tumbled +into a sugar-bowl at that moment. The blaze of Clinker's fire lighted up +his blushing face, and possibly he was sorry there were no more ruffians +at hand for him to shoot if such was to be his reward. He forgot that he +was tired and sleepy in the pleasurable excitement which followed the +encounter. + +"If you please, we will go over to the fire where the other lady is +waiting for you," said he, as he started for the point indicated. "Fall +in behind and follow us, boys," he added to the recruits. + +"I have never happened to meet any negroes in arms before," said Tom +Belthorpe, as he walked along with Deck. "But they seem to be ready for +business." + +"They are indeed; and these boys are as brave as any white men could +be," added Deck, loud enough for the subject of his remark to hear it. + +The two ruffians who had been left at the heads of the horses had fled +into the woods as soon as they saw that the assault was repulsed, and +the animals had become restive. Clinker had rushed over to secure them, +and he had quieted them down so they were quite reasonable by this time. +The young lady committed to his charge had followed him. + +"This is my sister, Miss Kate Belthorpe," said Margie, when the party +reached the spot. + +"Oh, I am so glad you came when you did, Mr.----" + +"Dexter Lyon," added Tom. + +"Mr. Lyon; and you were as brave as a lion!" exclaimed Kate, as she took +the hand of Deck; and either because she had witnessed the reception her +sister had given the hero, or as an inspiration of her own, she promptly +kissed him on both cheeks, and Deck felt as though he had fallen into a +barrel of sugar. "You grappled with that villain, just as though you had +been as big as he was, and held on to him till one of your boys knocked +him into the hole with his fist. You are a brave fellow, and I shall +remember you as long as I live." + +"And 'none but the brave deserve the fair,'" added Major Gadbury. + +"How did you happen to get into this scrape, Mr. Belthorpe?" asked Deck. + +"We were all invited to a party at Rock Lodge, and we went. The governor +couldn't go, for he insisted upon attending a Union meeting at the Big +Bend schoolhouse," replied Tom. "But he promised to call for us on his +way home, for he drove us to the Lodge himself. Most of the guests left +by midnight, but father did not come, and we could not walk home. But at +three o'clock Captain Carms volunteered to send us home when we became +impatient." + +"My father and I went to that meeting, and so did some of these ruffians +that committed this outrage," added Deck. + +"But these scoundrels are not Union men," objected Tom. + +"But some of them were there, all the same, and some of them got put +out. But it is a long story, and we had better be moving before we tell +it." + +The ladies agreed to this last proposition, for they were in evening +dresses, and the chill air of the night made them shiver. The driver of +Captain Carms's wagon had come out of the quarry, whither he had +retreated, as soon as the danger was passed, and his team was ready to +proceed. Deck sent Clinker for his wagon, and he drew it up at the end +of the cross-cut. + +The ladies were assisted to their seats again, while the two gentlemen +took the seat in front of them. Miss Kate insisted that Deck should ride +with them, for she wanted to hear the story about the meeting. More than +this, she insisted that he should sit on the back seat between her +sister and herself. Margie did not object, and the major and Tom only +laughed. Deck had his doubts about his ability to tell his story in the +midst of such delightful surroundings. + +The team started, and at the corner Deck directed Clinker to follow +closely after him. But his story was interesting and exciting, and he +did not suffer from cold or embarrassment during his recital. When he +had disposed of the Union meeting, he described the battle fought at +Riverlawn, and the preparations which had been made for the onslaught, +including the discovery and removal of the arms and ammunition. He had +hardly finished before the wagon stopped at the plantation of Colonel +Belthorpe. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE GRATITUDE OF TWO FAIR MAIDENS + + +The mansion house of Colonel Belthorpe was quite near the road. The +force under his command must have arrived some time before, for several +of the windows were lighted. The four white men were not to be seen, but +the eight boys who had been mounted stood near the house, apparently +waiting for orders. + +Though the encounter of the wagon party with the ruffians has required a +considerable time for its recital, they had not been detained over half +an hour, if as long as that; but no one took account of time in the +exciting event of the night. The ladies were handed out of the wagon, +and Deck perceived that Major Gadbury was very attentive to Miss Margie, +while he waited upon Miss Kate, the younger, and, in his judgment, the +prettier of the two daughters of the colonel. + +When the hero of the occasion had attended the young lady to the door of +the house, he excused himself, and hastened to the mounted men who stood +in front of the mansion. They were astonished at the arrival of two +wagons instead of one, and were discussing the matter among themselves. + +"Where is Colonel Belthorpe, General?" inquired Deck, after he had +saluted the boys in his usual familiar manner; for he had none of the +haughtiness of those who were "to the manner born." + +"Don't know, Mars'r Deck; he and the oder gen'lemen done went ober dat +way," replied General. "De ole road's ober dat way, and I 'spect dey +went to look out for de ruffi'ns." + +"They won't be here for half an hour or more," added Deck, as Captain +Carms's man drove up to the party with the wagon. + +"You done see 'em on de road, mars'r Deck?" + +"I have seen some of them, General." + +"Dey was ober on de ole road, mars'r, I t'ought." + +But Deck did not stop to give them any information, for both wagons had +stopped near the party. The driver from Rock Lodge had run away as soon +as his vehicle was beset by the ruffians; yet he could tell his portion +of the story, while those from Riverlawn could relate the rest of it. +The hero went into the mansion, and a mulatto in a white jacket, who was +gaping with all his might, showed him to the sitting-room, where he +found the wagon party. There was no Mrs. Belthorpe, for she had passed +away years before. + +"I was afraid you had run away and left us, Mr. Lyon," said Miss Kate, +rushing up to him as he entered. + +"Please don't 'mister' me," replied Deck, laughing. "It makes me feel +just as though I was a dude." + +"Well, you are not a dude," added the fair daughter of the planter, as +indignantly as though some person besides herself had called him by the +opprobrious name. + +"And I don't run away, either." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Major Gadbury with decided emphasis. "But I +really wonder that you did not run away instead of pitching into that +scoundrel who was carrying off Miss Kate." + +"I couldn't have done that if I had tried while the lady seemed to be in +such a dangerous situation," answered Deck, as he seated himself as near +Miss Kate as he could find a place. "But I have been talking myself all +the time since we started from the cross-cut, and I don't know yet how +you happened to get into this scrape." + +"We don't know much more about it than you do, Mr.----" + +"Deck," interposed the hero. + +"Deck, if you insist upon it, Mr. Lyon," laughed the major. "We left +Rock Lodge, and Tom told the driver to go by that cross road. It was a +terribly rough passage we had of it, and I think we went over rocks a +foot high." + +"As I told you in my account of the troubles of the night, the ruffians, +after they had been driven off from Riverlawn, took the old road, and +Squire Truman found that they were going to this mansion," said Deck. +"Didn't you see anything of them before you turned into the cut-off?" + +"We neither saw nor heard anything." + +"The main body of the ruffians could not have been very far down the +road. I don't see how Buck Lagger happened to be where he was with the +rest of his gang," added Deck. + +"He appears to have had six men with him as nearly as I can make it +out," said Tom Belthorpe. + +"I don't know what he was doing there, but I can guess," continued Deck. + +"But which was the fellow you call Buck Lagger?" asked the major. + +"He was the one who captured Miss Margie, and whom I wounded with the +shot from my revolver," replied Deck. "I am sorry to say that my Uncle +Titus is a Northern doughface, and is the leader of these ruffians. He +bought the arms and ammunition of which we took possession at the +sink-hole. I believe he hates my father on account of his Unionism and +his taking of the arms worse than any man who is not his brother." + +"I have heard something about him since I have been at Lyndhall," said +Major Gadbury. + +"Buck Lagger is his lieutenant and supporter, and I have no doubt +Captain Titus sent him to the schoolhouse to disturb the meeting. He +carried the flag of truce to-night at the bridge over the creek when his +leader demanded the return of the arms," Deck explained. "Though I don't +know any more about it than you do, I have no doubt Captain Titus sent +this scalliwag ahead of the main body to see that all was clear." + +"As scouts," suggested the major. + +"Yes, sir; as scouts. As the ruffians had been severely punished in the +fight from the bridge, and by the shots from Fort Bedford, they were +likely to be more cautious than they had been before. They were whipped +out at every approach to Riverlawn. Captain Titus may have found out +that Colonel Belthorpe was on the way to his plantation to protect it +with force enough to do his ruffians a good deal of mischief. I think +Buck Lagger was sent out to obtain information." + +"That is a reasonable supposition," the major acquiesced. + +"Of course he could not expect to find the colonel and his force on the +old road, and he was going by the cross-cut to the new road, which +passes by the bridge over Bar Creek," Deck proceeded, perhaps feeling +that he had an inspiration of wisdom as well as of heroism. "When he +came to the cross-cut he must have seen that the Lodge was lighted." + +"What you say reminds me that our party stood for some time on the +portico talking with Captain Carms and his family about an excursion up +the river which Tom suggested as we came out of the house. The wagon was +standing before the door waiting for us." + +"I haven't any doubt Buck was near enough to hear what you said," +interposed Deck. "Probably he had sent his scouts up the cross-cut, and +wanted to see why the mansion was lighted up at three o'clock in the +morning. He understood that those who were to go in the wagon belonged +to Colonel Belthorpe's family." + +"The house is close by the road, and he could easily have seen who we +were," said Tom. + +"He had been on the creek bridge when the colonel talked with Captain +Titus, and he saw that he was in command of the forces there. Very +likely he knew it was he who gave the order to fire upon his party below +the bridge. He must have been as hard down on your father as he was on +mine, Mr. Belthorpe. When he saw your two sisters ready to get into the +wagon, he had some trick in his head to obtain a hold upon your father. +The two ladies were to be hostages in the hands of the ruffians for the +conduct of your father." + +"I think you have solved the problem, Deck, and only your bravery and +skill saved the girls," said Major Gadbury. + +"My father would have burned his buildings himself to recover my +sisters, for no man was ever more devoted to his children than he is," +added Tom. "If Buck had carried off the girls he would have had a +tremendous hold on him." + +"I suppose the villain would have confined us in some hovel, under guard +of these miscreants, while he negotiated with my father with all the +odds in his favor," Miss Margie commented. "Perhaps that was his way to +have the arms returned to Captain Titus." + +"You have saved us!" cried the younger and more impulsive Miss Kate, as +she rushed forward to grasp the hand of Deck; and perhaps she would have +kissed him again if Colonel Belthorpe had not entered the apartment at +this moment, and she retreated to the chair she had before occupied. + +"I see you have arrived," said the devoted father. "I have been worrying +about you the last hour; but I concluded Captain Carms would send you +home. I left my wagon at the stable of a friend near the schoolhouse, +and I have been so busy all night that I have hardly thought of you, for +I knew that you would be safe at Captain Carms's." + +"But we haven't been safe, papa," said Miss Kate, rushing into her +father's arms. + +"Why, what has been the trouble, Kate?" asked the colonel, with his arms +around the beautiful girl. + +Before she could answer, Colonel Cosgrove, followed by Major Lyon and +Squire Truman, entered the room. + +"It seems that a fight has already come off in the cross-cut," said +Colonel Cosgrove, with some excitement in his manner. "Major Lyon's man +tells us you had a stormy time in the road, Deck. We did not wait to +bear the particulars." + +Colonel Belthorpe presented his guest and the members of his family to +the party. Major Gadbury stated what had happened to them in the +cross-cut, and then asked Deck to describe the fight. But Deck, who was +not a bully or a blusterer, and was well ballasted with innate modesty +in spite of the great amount of talking he had done, declined to do so, +and the guest of the mansion described the fight with the marauders, +giving the young hero at least all the credit that was due to him. + +Deck blushed up to the eyes at the praise bestowed upon him, and was +rather sorry he had not told the story, for he could have spared himself +the crimson on his cheeks. + +"It is all true, every word of it, papa!" exclaimed Miss Kate. + +"Deck, I am your debtor for life!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe, +detaching himself from the twining arms of his daughter, and rushing to +the hero of the night with both hands extended. "You are a noble and +brave fellow, Deck, and you will make your mark in the world!" And he +pressed both the hands of the boy. + +"Upon my word, I think he has made his mark already!" added Major +Gadbury. "At any rate, he made it on the shoulder of Buck Lagger." + +"My son, you have done well," said Major Lyon very quietly, as he took +the boy's hand. "I am glad I brought you with me." + +"But, father, I was beaten by the ruffian who was holding Miss Kate; he +was too much for me, and he would have shaken me off if Mose had not +come up and given the fellow a sledge-hammer blow with his fist which +knocked him into a hole," Deck explained. + +"Where is Mose?" demanded the father of the girl, as he took a gold +piece of money from his pocket. "Send for him, and let--" + +"Excuse me, Colonel," interposed Major Lyon, placing his hand on his +arm. "I see what you mean, and I must beg you not to reward him, for +Mose did no more than every one of the faithful boys would have done if +he had had the opportunity, though all of them have not so hard a fist +as he." + +"Just as you say, Major; but I feel grateful to Mose, as I do to Deck, +for the hard hit he made for the safety of my daughter," replied the +planter of Lyndhall. "We shall talk of this affair for the next week; +but just now perhaps we ought to attend to the duty of the present +moment. I sent the mounted men from Riverlawn down the old road for a +mile to reconnoitre, and those who came in the wagon over to the new +road to notify us of the approach of the enemy. We went over there on +our arrival to arrange a plan for the defence of the place." + +"After hearing what transpired at the cross-cut, I doubt whether Captain +Titus will march his army up here," suggested Major Lyon. + +"I think he will," added Colonel Cosgrove. "He is the maddest man I ever +met in my life, and he is determined to recover the arms." + +"But the--I mean Captain Titus will try to gain his point by some +infamous trickery such as his lieutenant attempted at the cross road," +said Major Gadbury, who was on the verge of calling him by some harsh +epithet. + +"Your mansion is safe for the present, Colonel Belthorpe," said Major +Lyon, rising from the seat he had taken. "We might as well fight the +battle, if there is to be one, on the road near your house. I suggest +that we send our whole force down the new road, and drive the ruffians +across the river." + +Before the others could express an opinion on this policy, the mulatto +in a white jacket announced that the horsemen were at the door, and +wanted to see "de ossifer." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE SKIRMISH ON THE NEW ROAD + + +The officer whom the riders wished to see was evidently Colonel +Belthorpe, as he had been in command from the beginning. He hastened to +the hall, and found General there, who was rather more excited than +usual, simply because he had something to communicate. In about every +assemblage of men, white or black, there is generally one who naturally +becomes the leader, though there may be a number of others who think +they could do better. General was this single man, and had thus won his +name. + +"What is the matter, General?" asked the Colonel, as he confronted the +bulky form of the black leader. + +"Not'in' de matter, Mars'r Cunnel, but de rebels is on de road, comin' +dis way," replied the self-appointed captain of cavalry. + +"How far off are they?" asked the commander. + +"About a mile, mars'r; but I reckon some ob 'em done went home, for dar +isn't more'n half as many as we done see near de creek bridge." + +"I should think they might have got enough of it by this time," replied +the colonel. "What do you want now, Sam?" he said, turning to the +mulatto in a white jacket, who appeared to be the man-servant of the +house. + +"Another man here wants to see you, mars'r," replied Sam, as he +presented Mose, who had just come to the front door, where a servant +does not usually come in the South. "He's a footman, an' not a hossman, +mars'r." + +"What is your name, my boy?" asked the colonel, turning to the +new-comer. + +"Mose is w'at dey all calls me, sar, but my truly name is 'Zekel. De +ruffins is stopped half a mile from whar we com'd out on de ole road, +mars'r," replied Mose, clinging to his old hat, which he pressed to his +chest, as he bowed low, trying to be as respectful and deferential as +possible. + +"Did you go near them, Mose?" asked the commander. + +"Not berry near, mars'r: but dey done make a fire, so we see 'em plain +nuff." + +"The main body of the ruffians cannot very well be on both roads," said +the colonel. + +"No, sar; but I reck'n Cap'n Titus done dewide his army, and he's gwine +to take de place on de front and on de back," suggested Mose. + +"Quite right, my boy; you have a head on your shoulders, and we shall +not soon forget the hit you gave the fellow that was carrying off my +daughter," added the colonel, surveying the leader of the foot party, as +he proved to be. "How far off is this party at the fire?" + +"About half a mile, mars'r. I reckon de fire is a signal to dem as is on +de new road," replied Mose, bowing low and hugging his old hat again. + +"All right, my boys; now return to your men, and we will be with you +soon," said the commander as he returned to the party in the +sitting-room. + +All the party in the apartment fixed their gaze earnestly on Colonel +Belthorpe as he entered, and there was an expression of fear and anxiety +on the fair faces of the two daughters. By this time they all understood +the situation perfectly. A gang of ruffians were approaching the mansion +to revenge their defeat at Riverlawn upon the owner of this plantation, +for he had been the chief man of the defence. It was evident that the +commander had been put in possession of additional information in regard +to the enemy. + +He lost no time, but proceeded to state the facts which had just been +reported to him by the scouts he had sent out. It was plain to all the +defenders that another battle, if such a name could be properly applied +to the skirmish near the creek bridge, was imminent. + +"I think we are ready for the enemy," said Major Lyon; "and it will not +be a difficult matter to drive the ruffians off. But I am not a military +man, and we leave the defence entirely in your hands, Colonel +Belthorpe." + +"As I have said before, my place is not as favorable for a defence as +yours is, Major Lyon," replied the commander. "We have no stream or +swamp to cover our position, and we must act on open ground. Now, what +force can we take into the field?" + +"We have all that we had at the bridge," replied Squire Truman. + +"Including Dexter, we have five white men here," added Major Lyon. +"Eight of my boys are mounted, and seven came over in the wagon, and all +of these are armed with breech-loaders, so that they can fire seven +shots apiece. That makes twenty." + +"And here we add to our number," said Colonel Cosgrove, glancing at +Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe. + +"Certainly; we expect to take part in any fight that is to come off," +added the major. + +"We have three repeating rifles in the house, two double-barrelled +bucking guns, and four revolvers. We laid in a stock of arms when the +horse-stealers were at work in this county," said the commander. "But I +have never put arms in the hands of my negroes." + +"I never did till to-night, and I found that all mine were as willing to +fight as to work for me," the major explained. "You have an overseer, of +course." + +"I have; but I have my doubts about him. Tilford is rather a brutal +fellow, and I believe he is a Secessionist at heart, though he has never +said anything to commit himself. The worst thing I know about him is +that he associates with Buck Lagger." + +"Make him face the music, governor," added Tom. "If he is not willing to +stand by you at such a time as this, he ought to be fired off the +place." + +Sam was sent for the overseer. Everybody about the mansion had been +roused from his slumbers, and Tilford had been sulking about the space +in front of the house, evidently disgusted to see the negroes from +Riverlawn mounted on fine horses with breech-loaders slung at their +backs. He obeyed the order of his employer, and stalked into the +sitting-room with a defiant expression on his face. + +"Tilford, something like a hundred ruffians are coming up the two roads +for the purpose of burning my mansion and hanging me to the nearest +tree," Colonel Belthorpe began in a mild tone. "With the aid of my +friends here, I intend to defend myself, my family, and my property." + +"Are them niggers with guns strapped on their backs your friends?" +demanded the overseer, with a cynical smile on his ill-favored face. + +"They are brave men, who have this night defended their master from an +attack of the reprobates who are marching upon my place; and I honor +them for their bravery and fidelity, for not one of them has flinched!" +returned the colonel vigorously. "I want to know now upon whom I can +depend to defend me from the violence of these villains who are coming +down upon me." + +"I reckon you can depend upon your niggers, but you can't depend on me!" +replied the overseer, edging towards the door. "You have fotched all +this on yourself by turning abolitionist!" + +"If assisting my neighbor and friend to defend himself and his family +from the attacks of a pack of ruffians is being an abolitionist, then I +am one with all my mind, heart, and soul!" replied the planter with a +vehemence that brought down the applause of his associates, even +including the ladies. + +"Them gentlemen you call ruffi'ns is my friends, Colonel Belthorpe, and +I don't never go back on my friends, not unless they turn abolitionists, +and I ain't go'n' to fight ag'in 'em," added Tilford, working nearer to +the door. "I reckon my time's about done on this place." + +"Quite done!" said the colonel, taking a revolver from his pocket. + +"Go and join your friends! I will order every man with a gun to shoot +you if you are seen about the place in five minutes!" + +The overseer did not like the looks of the revolver in the hands of his +employer, and he fled from the house. The commander had sent all the +Riverlawn force back to the two roads to observe the movements of the +ruffians, or he would have given the faithless fellow an escort from the +vicinity of the mansion. + +"The boys will all stand by you, mars'r," said Sam in the white jacket +as the colonel followed the renegade to the front door. + +"Then call two of them"-- + +"They're all right here, mars'r," interposed the servant. + +The commander sent two of them to follow Tilford. He found, somewhat to +his astonishment, that all the servants on the place, even to the old +men, had armed themselves with clubs, pitchforks, shovels, or whatever +they could lay their hands upon, ready to defend their master, who had +always been kinder to them than the overseer. Besides, the armed negroes +from Riverlawn had remained some little time on the premises, and had +very fully informed them in regard to the events of the night, including +the capture of the two daughters of their master, which had roused them +to the highest pitch of indignation, for they looked upon Margie and +Kate as a pair of angels, and wondered they had no wings. + +When Colonel Belthorpe returned to the sitting-room, he found that Tom +had collected all the arms and ammunition in the mansion, taking a +repeating rifle for himself, and giving another to the guest of the +house. Each of them took a revolver, and they were loading these weapons +for immediate use. The rest of the arms were given to a few of the most +trusty of the servants. + +The commander led the way to the large courtyard in front of the +mansion, where he divided the force into two parties, one to meet the +enemy on each of the two roads. Before this could be done, the scouts on +the new road returned, with the two Lyndhall boys who had followed +Tilford. They had passed him through the ranks of the mounted men when +they were in sight of the ruffians, and some of them had stoned him as a +farewell salute. + +The commander made Major Lyon the officer of the old road force. He +objected, and suggested Major Gadbury for the position; but it was found +that the visitor held his title only by courtesy, and was not a military +man, and then the Riverlawn planter accepted the position. Tom +Belthorpe, Squire Truman, Deck, and four of the eight mounted men, with +about twenty of the Lyndhall boys, were placed under his command. + +The commander had endeavored to make a fair division of the force, and +Colonel Cosgrove, Major Gadbury, four Riverlawn horsemen, and a score of +his own people composed his own force. The ruffians were within fifty +rods of the mansion on the new road, and the division for this service +marched at once. The cavalry were sent out ahead, with orders not to +fire unless the ruffians opened upon them. + +General was at the head of the horsemen, and he galloped his horse up to +the front of the ruffians. He and his men had loosened the slings of +their weapons, and brought them in front of them, so that they were +ready for immediate use. The ruffians had halted as soon as they +discovered the riders in front of them. Then they built a fire, and as +soon as its light shone upon them, General discovered a flag of truce. + +The leader ventured to approach a little nearer to the enemy, when he +was saluted with a volley of oaths, and some one of them, not Captain +Titus, demanded where his master was. + +"Ober on de ole road," replied General, almost as savagely as he had +been addressed. + +"Do you know what this flag means, you nigger?" interrogated the speaker +with an oath. + +"Yes, sar! Mars'r Belthorpe won't hab no more ob dat nonsense," answered +General. + +"Tell him I want to see him under a flag of truce!" shouted the one who +appeared to be in command. + +The horseman was afraid of making some mistake, and he sent one of his +boys back to the commander with this message. Colonel Belthorpe had sent +Sam back for his saddle horse, and presently he galloped to the front. + +"Take in your flag of truce, or I will fire upon it!" shouted the +colonel. "No more fooling! I don't parley with ruffians!" + +The flag immediately disappeared. By the light of the fire it could be +seen that about half a dozen men at the front of the column were armed +with muskets, which, with or without a command from the officer, they +brought to their shoulders and fired. Colonel Belthorpe put his hand on +his left arm, as though a ball had struck him there. + +"Now, my boys, fire at them at will, just as you please," continued the +commander, as he began to blaze away with his heavy revolver. + +The four mounted men began to use their repeaters; but their horses were +restive, and they could not fire at the best advantage, though several +of the ruffians were seen to fall, while the main body of them fled into +the adjoining fields. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +AN UNEXPLAINED GATHERING ON THE ROAD + + +The ruffians were a mere mob, entirely devoid of any semblance of +discipline; and it was again made manifest that they could not stand up +against a continuous fire such as the mounted boys and those on foot +were beginning to pour into them, scattered though it was at first by +the restiveness of the untrained horses. Titus Lyon was not a military +man, and he did not appear to appreciate the advantage of order in the +handling of his force. + +It is true that the negroes that confronted him were not organized to +any adequate extent for military purposes, though the little training +Colonel Belthorpe had given them on the bridge had been of very great +service to them. It was absolutely astonishing to the commander that the +boys did not drop their weapons and run when the random shots from the +enemy were discharged at them; for this idea was in accordance with his +estimate of negro character. + +It was a new revelation to him, the manner in which the men conducted +themselves under fire, hurried as they had been, without any training, +into the ranks; and the same number of white men of average ability +could hardly have done better under similar circumstances. But the negro +was strong in his affections, and the feeling that they were fighting +for the family who had used them kindly, and treated them with more +consideration than they had been in the habit of receiving, even under +the mild sway of Colonel Lyon, was the stimulus that strengthened their +souls and nerved their arms. + +The "people" of Lyndhall were inspired by the example of those from +Riverlawn, and they were filled with admiration when they saw those of +their own kind bearing arms, some of them well mounted, and learned that +they had actually done duty during the night as soldiers. General, +Dummy, and Mose had talked to them, and roused their spirit of +emulation. Besides, they had been moved by the same devotion to the +members of the planter's family; and their indignation at the conduct of +the overseer, who had been their tyrant, had done not a little to +develop their belligerent feelings. + +The ruffians had taken to their heels, and fled into the open country +between the old and the new road. There were some trees upon the tract, +and the fugitives proceeded to utilize them as far as they were +available to shelter them from the balls of the horsemen. At this point +the negroes of Lyndhall, unexpectedly to their owner, manifested their +presence in a very decided manner. The sight of the four stout boys on +the horses, undismayed by the random shots which had been fired at them, +had a tremendous influence upon them, and they became exceedingly +excited, not to say crazed; and, without any orders from the commander, +they rushed into the fields after the ruffians. + +Doubtless they would have obeyed from instinct the order to return if +the colonel had given it; but he allowed them to have their own way. +With the various weapons with which they had armed themselves, they fell +upon the helpless fugitives, pounded, punched, and hammered them till +they begged for mercy. They, in turn, were confronted by an infuriated +mob. Those who were able to do so fled with all the speed they could +command towards the old road, which was nearly a mile distant at this +point. Not a few of them had been so beaten that they could not run, and +they dropped upon the ground. The victors were not cruel, and they did +not meddle with those who no longer made any resistance. + +The Lyndhall boys had gone into the fight with no leader of their own +number; but as soon as they left the road one developed himself in the +person of the preacher of the plantation, a white-haired negro of over +seventy years of age, whom the family called "Uncle Dave." He had always +been a mild, gentle, and very religious man, and he was always treated +with respect. + +Uncle Dave seemed to become a giant in strength, his voice that of a +stentor, and his manner fierce, as soon as his flock went into action. +He called upon his people not to kill the ruffians, for their souls were +black with unrepented sins; and when one of the marauders sunk to the +earth, he commanded them not to touch him again. The fleeing ruffians +were indebted to him for their lives, while he ordered his flock to +punish them severely as they deserved. + +Colonel Belthorpe regarded this man with wonder; for he had always been +as gentle as a lamb, obedient in all things, and anxious to minister to +the people in sickness and death. Now he seemed to be the most terrible +fighting character he had ever met. He saw his volunteers, as he called +them, chase the ruffians till they disappeared in the distance and the +darkness. The mounted men had ceased firing, for there was no enemy +near, and they were fearful of hitting those who were fighting on their +own side. + +"We have made a clean sweep here," said the commander, as Colonel +Cosgrove and Major Gadbury joined him in the road; for they had been in +the fields south of the road, engaged in a flank movement. + +"It has been an easy victory," replied the gentleman from the county +town. "But they were nothing but a mob; and your boys seem to be +lunatics. They are likely to kill the whole of them before they get +through." + +"They will not kill one of them unless it is by accident, for I heard +Uncle Dave order them as they took to the fields not to do so; and I +notice that when a man drops on the ground they let him alone," added +the Lyndhall planter. + +"We have nothing more to do here, unless we go down the road and pick up +the wounded, for I see half a dozen of them in front of us, though they +are all sitting up and looking about them, so that none of them have +been killed," said Major Gadbury. + +"Our occupation here appears to be gone," continued Colonel Belthorpe, +as he looked over the fields from which the combatants had disappeared, +with the exception of those who were unable to run away. "Major Lyon +over on the old road may not have been as fortunate as we have been, and +we must go over and re-enforce him. General!" + +"Here, sar!" replied that worthy. + +"We are going over to the old road to help out Major Lyon. You will +leave two of your men here, one mounted, and the other on foot, to watch +the enemy; the others will go with me," added the planter. + +"Yes, sar," answered General, as he detailed the two scouts. "I reckon +we done finished 'em ober here, Mars'r Cunnel." + +"No doubt of it, General; and I hope Major Lyon has done as well over on +the old road." + +The commander started off at a gallop, and the mounted men closely +followed him. They passed through the deserted courtyard of the mansion, +where the planter was accosted by his two daughters, who had been +observing the movements of the combatants from the elevated veranda of +the house. + +"Where are you going now, papa?" asked Miss Kate. + +"We have driven off the ruffians from this side, and we are going over +to assist Major Lyon," replied the colonel. "Sam, you will remain here, +and look out for the house," he added to the man with the white jacket, +to whom this duty had been before assigned, and then rode on towards the +old road. + +"Don't shoot, Colonel Belthorpe!" called a voice from behind the stable, +as the horsemen advanced, and a man came out into the roadway. + +It was Tilford, the overseer, who had retreated from the mansion, and +joined the ruffians, whom he called his friends. At the first discharge +of the mounted men which followed the revolver practice of the +commander, he had been hit in the thigh with a bullet; and at the +general stampede of the enemy he had made his way into the field. +Realizing that there was no safety for him among "his friends," he had +limped all the way back to the mansion. + +His wound was not a bad one, though it was painful, and partially +disabled him. As he had detached himself from the ruffians there was no +one to dispute his passage, and he had reached the stable, behind which +he had concealed himself when he heard the approach of the horsemen. +But, dark as it was, the colonel perceived and recognized him. + +"What are you doing here, Tilford?" demanded the commander. + +"I am wounded and in great pain," replied the overseer in weak and +submissive tones. + +"Then why don't you join your friends?" asked the colonel. + +"I made a mistake to-night, and I did not know who my friends were," +pleaded the wounded man. + +"Sam!" shouted the planter to the house servant, who had followed the +party nearly to the stable; and the boy immediately presented himself +before his master. "Take the overseer to his room, and do what you can +for him." + +"Thank you, Colonel!" exclaimed Tilford; and his wound seemed to have +made another man of him. + +Sam took the sufferer by the arm, wondering at the magnanimity of his +master, who had ordered all the people to shoot him if he was seen again +on the premises, and conducted him towards the mansion, where he had a +chamber back of the dining-room. As he led him up the steps, Margie and +Kate came to him; and they proved to be as forgiving as their father, +for they did everything they could to make him comfortable. One of the +old "aunties," skilled in nursing, was sent to him, and his wound was +dressed. + +The mounted men, led by the commander, galloped over to the old road, +which was deserted at the place where they came out. On a slight +elevation in the highway a great fire was blazing brilliantly, and near +it was an assemblage of people, the nature of which the commander could +not make out. + +"I don't understand that gathering," said he, as Major Gadbury rode up +to his side. + +"It looks as though the enemy were using the flag of truce ruse over +here," replied the major. + +"I don't believe Major Lyon would fool with them. They are marauders and +disturbers of the peace, and I think he is as disposed to deal summarily +with them as I am," added the commander. "But we will ride up to the +place, and we shall soon know what is going on." + +"Who are these men coming into the road just ahead of us?" asked Major +Gadbury, pointing to three men who were making their way through the +field to the road. "The fire on the hill don't give quite light enough to +enable me to make them out; but I suppose they are ruffians who have +made their way from the new road." + +"I don't know what they are, but we will go and see;" and they rode +forward about a dozen rods to the point where the men were emerging from +the field. "Who goes there?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe. + +"Is that you, Mars'r Cunnel?" asked one of them. + +"Uncle Dave!" exclaimed the planter. + +"That's the parson," added Colonel Cosgrove. + +"What are you doing over here, Uncle?" asked the commander. + +"We done have nothin' more to do over yonder," replied the preacher. +"The boys are all movin' over this way." + +"But where are the ruffians that retreated from the new road?" + +"The boys fell upon 'em and drove 'em over to the west, sar," the parson +explained. "We don't kill any of 'em; but we bang 'em so they hold still +on the ground. We think they was comin' over here to help the ruffians +on this side, and we come over to 'tend to 'em." + +"All right, venerable Uncle," laughed the colonel. "But can you tell me +what is going on upon the hill yonder?" + +"I don't know, Mars'r Cunnel. I don't see 'em till now." + +Uncle Dave had a pitchfork in his hand, and it was plain enough just now +that he was of the church militant, for he was in fighting condition. It +was said that he could read and write; but from motives of policy he +never allowed a white man to see him do either. He was a sensible old +man in spite of his condition, and was employed about the stable and +carriage-house, and was favored by his master and all the family. He had +learned to speak without using the negro dialect, though his sentences +were not rhetorical models, and from the force of habit he retained some +of the old forms to avoid the imputation of "putting on airs." + +"There seems to be no fighting going on up there," said the commander +after he had studied the situation some time, though he could not +understand it. "If the ruffians are moving over here, as Uncle Dave +says, we shall be needed in that quarter." + +"I don't think so, Mars'r Cunnel, for we maul the ruffians so that they +won't want to fight no more for two weeks and a half," added the +preacher, who heard the remark. + +"You may stay here, and if your flock come to this road, send them up to +the hill where we are going," ordered the commander, as he dashed off, +followed by the other horsemen. + +The gathering on the hill was not a parley under a flag of truce, as +Colonel Belthorpe feared it might be; but to explain its nature it will +be necessary to go back to the time when Major Lyon, followed by his +command, had marched over to the old road. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE RESULT OF THE FLANK MOVEMENT + + +Even the title of major which had been thrust upon him could not make +the planter of Riverlawn feel like a military commander as he led his +battalion of foot and mounted volunteers to the old road, which might +prove to be a battle-field. His force consisted of only four white +men,--himself, his son, Tom Belthorpe, and Squire Truman. Deck had been +provided with a saddle horse from the stable of the Lyndhall planter, so +that all of them were well mounted. + +Four of the mounted boys from Riverlawn, four of them on foot, and about +twenty of the colonel's ablest hands formed the rest of his force. The +latter were as emulous to fight the battle of their master as those who +had been sent to the new road. Major Lyon's boys had already been under +fire, and they were exceedingly proud of the experience. They talked +rather large, perhaps, to the Lyndhall volunteers, and told them they +must stand up to it when the enemy fired, and must not run away though +they were sure they would be shot. They were earnestly counselled not +"to disgrace the race." + +At that time a negro soldier was unknown, and most white men, especially +at the South, would as soon have thought of arming and drilling a lot of +baboons and monkeys; and even those in Barcreek who were willing to +accept their services in defence of their families and their property +had never dreamed of such a thing as making soldiers of the negroes. +Their steadiness under fire, though they had been subjected to only a +discharge of random shots, filled the slaveholders present with +astonishment, if not with admiration. + +When the force reached the old road, there was nothing to be seen of the +ruffians, for it was quite dark, and they were beyond the hill, which +obstructed their view. But the scouts had reported them as approaching, +and the major in command was not inclined to await their coming. He gave +the order to march; but they had gone only a few rods before the column +was seen at the top of the hill. A halt was called in order to enable +the prudent commander to prepare a plan for the assault. + +The advance of the force was evidently perceived by the ruffians, for +they also halted, and in a few moments more a great fire was blazing up +at the side of the road. On the march so far, Tom and Deck had done a +good deal of talking together. Since his brave and determined defence of +Miss Kate in the cross-cut, and his strategy in disposing of Buck +Lagger, Tom had a very high respect and regard for Deck. + +"My father isn't much of a soldier, any more than the rest of us," said +Deck, as the major gave the order to halt. "If we fire at those +scalliwags, they will scatter and run away, as they did at the creek +bridge, and be all ready to burn a house or run off with a girl as soon +as they get the chance. I believe we ought to punish them so that they +will remember it till to-morrow or next day." + +"Just my idea," replied Tom. "These niggers stand up to the fight like +white men. I believed they would all run away at the first shot from an +enemy." + +"Not one of them flinched on the bridge or in the road when the ruffians +fired into them, my father says, for I was not there then; I was in the +artillery service just at that time." + +"In the artillery service!" exclaimed Tom, laughing at the magnificent +speech of his companion in arms. + +"Exactly so; you have heard the story of the capture of the arms at the +sink-hole; the cannon are mounted in the ice-house. If you see one of +our darkeys flinch when the firing begins, I wish you would let me know, +and we will cut down his hominy ration," rattled Deck, as enthusiastic +as though he had slept all night instead of half an hour. "But I have +got an idea." + +"You seem to have one in tow all the time." + +"I want you to mention it to my father if you believe in it, and he will +think more of it than if I put it forward." + +"Your father seems to think a good deal of what you say and do." + +"He will think I am too old for my years; but he is the best father I +ever had, and I want him to come out of this scrape with flying colors." + +"But what is your idea, Deck?" asked Tom curiously. + +"I think my father is waked up to the bottom of his boots; he won't fool +with any flags of truce, and he will order us all to fire as soon as the +time comes, though his own brother is in the gang ahead of us, or in the +one over on the other road." + +"I am sure he won't wince." + +"And the moment we fire, the ruffians will all run away, which the +darkeys won't do. That is just what I have seen them do twice to-night. +I wonder what they came over here for if they didn't mean to fight." + +"They came over here to burn your father's house and that of mine; but I +reckon they didn't expect to get the reception Major Lyon had prepared +for them." + +"They will run away, Tom," repeated Deck; "and that is just what I don't +want them to be allowed to do." + +"Not if we can prevent it; for I believe that hanging would do good to +some of them." + +"We can prevent it if my father will adopt your suggestion," added Deck. + +"My suggestion! I haven't got any suggestion, and I don't know what you +are talking about, Deck," replied Tom, puzzled with the remark. "All the +way I can see to manage this affair is to rush at the ruffians and drive +them off." + +"We don't want to drive them off till we have given them a little +wholesome discipline. I suppose you know what a flank movement is, +fellow-soldier?" + +"I have an idea what it is." + +"We used to practise it when we were snowballing on sides away up in the +glorious State of New Hampshire, if we got a chance to do it." + +"We don't practise snowballing much down here, and I never was engaged +in a flank movement at a snowball match. But I have an idea that it is +getting around the enemy, whether in a battle or a game, and taking them +on the side or in the rear." + +"You could not have stated it any better if you had been studying the +art of war or the science of snowballing all your lifetime," added Deck. + +"Be a little more serious, Mr. Lyon, and I shall understand you better," +said Tom, looking very grave himself. + +"I will be as serious as the parson at a funeral, Mr. Belthorpe. We have +plenty of men to flank them handsomely; for it don't take a great crowd +with seven-shooters in their hands to hold that gang where they are." + +"I see what you mean now." + +"What kind of ground is it over on the left of this road, Tom?" + +"It is one of our best fields." + +"Can horses travel on it?" + +"Just as well as on this road." + +"Then your suggestion to the commander-in-chief of the forces is that he +send a detachment of six men, mounted and armed with repeating rifles, +through the field on the left, with orders to fire on the ruffians when +the fight opens," continued Deck earnestly. + +"It is a brilliant idea, and I will do it at once," replied Tom. + +"Hold on a minute, and suggest that the detachment be under the command +of Captain Tom Belthorpe," added Deck. + +"I shall amend that by substituting the name of Captain Deck Lyon," +replied Tom, as he started ahead to overtake the commander. + +"Don't do that!" shouted Deck. + +Everything seemed to be at a standstill; but the blazing fire revealed a +flag of truce flying in front of the enemy. Tom delivered his suggestion +to Major Lyon without mentioning the fact that it came from his son; and +the commander promptly approved it. He believed that there must surely +be fighting this time, and that if the defenders, as he called them, +were defeated, Colonel Belthorpe's mansion would soon be in flames, and +perhaps his lovely daughters would fall into the hands of the vicious +wretches composing the mob. + +"How many men do you need?" + +"The four mounted men from your place, Deck, and myself," replied the +bearer of the suggestion. + +"Very well, I give you the order to that effect; but don't you think +some older person than Dexter had better be in command?" + +"Decidedly not, Major!" answered Tom with emphasis. "I believe Deck is +the smartest fellow in the crowd, except yourself." + +"All right; have your own way, then," replied the commander. "But can +you tell me the nature of the land on the right hand side of the road?" + +"The creek runs from above the mansion in that direction to the river, +and it is swampy on both sides of it," replied Tom, as he hurried away +to rejoin Deck. + +During the absence of Tom Belthorpe, the young hero had been carefully +studying the position of the enemy and the surroundings. He could see +the brook, or creek as such streams are called in that region, by the +light of the fire on the hill, hardly deserving that appellation, for it +was only a very slight elevation. The bushes were like those he had seen +near the spring road, and several pools or ponds reflected the light of +the fire. He was satisfied that the ruffians could not retreat in that +direction. + +Before Tom joined him the flag of truce with four men began to advance +towards Major Lynn's force. The commander's "infantry," consisting of +four Riverlawn negroes, were drawn up in front. The twenty Lyndhall +hands, miscellaneously armed with clubs and such implements as they had +been able to obtain, had also been formed across the road; and they were +as eager to "pitch into" the marauders as their fellows on the new road +had been; but the commander restrained them. + +"Here you are, Captain Lyon, and my mission has been a success," said +Tom, as he rode up to the "cavalry" posted in the rear, where that arm +is not usually placed. "You are to command the flanking party, and +Squire Truman is requested to join the commander at the front." + +The lawyer, who had not been informed of the intended movement, +immediately hastened to the front. Tom reported what had passed between +the major and himself, and a few minutes later the squire was seen +riding towards the hill. He had been directed by the major to inform the +ruffians that no flag of truce would be respected, and that he would +open fire very soon. + +Deck objected to taking command of the cavalry; but Tom insisted, for he +really believed his companion was better qualified for the position than +himself, and the young man finally yielded the point. Captain Lyon, as +he had been called more than once during the night, proceeded to address +the four cavalrymen, informing them what was to be done, and what was +expected of them. + +He did not put on any airs, though he could hardly help "feeling his +oats;" but he was too much absorbed in the success of his enterprise to +think much of his personal self. There were no fences at the side of the +road; and, giving the command to march, he started his spirited horse, +and dashed at full gallop into the field, with Tom at his side, and the +four riders from Riverlawn in rank behind them. + +Deck passed beyond the range of the firelight, so that the enemy could +not see his force, and in less than ten minutes they were abreast of +them. By this time the message of the major had been delivered by the +squire; and the result was a manifestation on the part of the ruffians. +Those who were armed with muskets or other firearms appeared to have +been placed in front, and they delivered what was intended for a volley, +though it was a very shaky one. + +As the cavalry were passing over a knoll, Deck saw that his father was +marching his fore up the road; for the combatants were too far apart to +do each other much mischief by their fire. The enemy kept up a desultory +discharge of their guns, but they were evidently not repeating-rifles. +When he had reduced the distance by one-half between them, he ordered a +halt. At this point he unslung his breech-loader, as the squire had done +before, and ordered the front rank to fire. + +But Deck did not halt; on the contrary, he urged his horse forward at a +more rapid rate, and was closely followed by his command. The infantry +in the road continued to fire at will after the first volley, and it was +evident to Captain Lyon that the enemy were breaking under this hot +work. Those in the rear had already taken to their heels; but the +cavalry dashed in ahead of them, and the young commander drew up his +little force in front of them. As soon as he had given the order to +halt, and the six men in line faced the enemy, he gave the command to +fire in detail. In the case of Major Lyon and his son, both officers did +duty as privates as well as commanders. The retreat was instantly +checked; and this was the situation when Colonel Belthorpe appeared upon +the field. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE HUMILIATING RETREAT OF THE RUFFIANS + + +The situation on the rising ground was a puzzle to Colonel Belthorpe and +his companions. They could plainly see the little force of Captain Deck +in the rear of the enemy, and realized that it prevented the ruffians +from running away, as they had done on the new road. The commander was +inclined to laugh; for taking into account the fury with which the mob +had followed up their purpose, it was rather ludicrous to see them +penned in, as it were, on the hill. + +As it was the policy of Major Lyon and his son to kill or wound as few +as possible of the ruffians, the firing had entirely ceased on the part +of the defenders, though an occasional shot came from the unorganized +mob. The negroes from the new road were coming in all the time; but +Uncle Dave had been studying the situation as well as his master, and +his flock obeyed him as implicitly as they did the colonel himself. + +The preacher saw that the enemy were surrounded so far as the old road +was concerned, and could not retreat in the direction of the creek. The +field by which Captain Deck had reached his present position was still +open to them, and without orders or suggestions from any one he +proceeded to occupy it with the few of his people who had come with him. +He intercepted the others as they approached, and led them to a point +where they could fall upon the ruffians if they attempted to escape in +that direction. + +The firing had ceased, and Captain Titus Lyon could not help seeing the +movement of the negroes under the lead of Uncle Dave. Probably a few of +the refugees from the skirmish on the new road succeeded in reaching the +hill where his advance had been checked, and had informed him of the +disaster to his other division. Even the desultory firing of his men was +discontinued very soon when they saw that they were hemmed in on all +sides, and that they were at the mercy of the victors. + +"Well, Major Lyon, you seem to have brought everything to a standstill +on this portion of the field," said Colonel Belthorpe as he rode up to +the planter from Riverlawn after he had taken a full view of the +situation. "I see that you have made a flank movement, and placed a +portion of your force in the rear of the enemy." + +"My son is in command of that detachment, and the movement was made at +his suggestion," replied the major, who could not help laughing in +sympathy with the colonel. "The movement was made at his suggestion, and +I think there is a great deal more military in Dexter's composition than +in mine." + +"Captain Deck has skill as well as pluck, and he has put the enemy in a +tight place," added the commander-in-chief. "There they are like a flock +of sheep in a pen, and they cannot get out. What are you going to do +next, Major Lyon?" + +"That is for you to say, for you command all the forces," answered the +major. + +"You have brought this sore to a head, my friend, and probably you can +suggest in what manner the wound may be healed," returned the colonel, +still laughing; for to a military man like him the whole affair appeared +to be rather in the nature of a farce. "You have proved to be an able +commander, and I need your advice." + +"You seem to look very lightly upon the whole matter, Colonel +Belthorpe," said the major, who could not understand why his superior +officer indulged in his continued laugh. + +"Not at all, my dear sir; I have looked upon it, up to the present stage +of affairs, as a very serious matter; and I am confident that both your +mansion and mine would have been in ashes before this time if we had not +taken the bull by the horns as we did." + +"You appear to be amused." + +"I am amused at the present situation; and perhaps the victory we have +achieved puts me in condition to be amused. My property and my daughters +have been saved, and we have the ruffians pinched up in a tight place. I +think you have as much reason to rejoice as I have, Major Lyon." + +"Certainly I have; but, not being a military man, it looks more serious +to me than to you. I thought you were inclined to make fun of the whole +affair." + +"Not at all. For a civilian you have done wonders. As we have won we can +afford to laugh. But it is about daylight now, and this operation must +be finished. What is your counsel, Major?" + +"I think we had better get a little nearer to the enemy," replied the +major. "I see a good many of your people in the field on our left." + +"From mild, peaceable, and even timid people, they suddenly became as +brave as lions, and as ferocious as fiends, and they have severely +punished the ruffians who fled in this direction. I never supposed there +was anything like fight in them before." + +"If you are ready we will advance, Colonel," added Major Lyon, as he +gave the order to march. + +The commander took his place by the side of the planter of Riverlawn, +and the column moved up the declivity. The fire was still burning +brightly, and lighted up the whole of the surrounding region. It was +evidently replenished with fuel frequently, in order to enable the +entrapped foe to observe the movements of the visitors. The approach of +the forces appeared to cause a decided sensation in the ranks of the +ruffians, and presently a white flag was displayed in front of them. + +"Captain Titus seems to have a passion for white flags," said the +colonel. "He tried that dodge for the second time over on the new road." + +"And for the third time on this road," added the major. "But there +appears to be some reason for showing it this time." + +The major did not give an order to halt this time; but the force marched +to a point within twenty-five feet of the front rank of the ruffians, if +there could be said to be anything like a rank in the mob. Then the +command to halt was given. + +"I shall leave you to do all the talking, Colonel Belthorpe," said the +major, as he backed his horse so as to leave the commander alone at the +front. + +"I am quite willing to do the talking, but I may need your advice," +replied the colonel. + +The planter of Riverlawn could distinctly make out his brother at this +distance, and he was glad that he had not been shot dead, or apparently +wounded. Two men came from the direction of the fire, bearing lighted +torches, and placed themselves one on each side of Captain Titus and +another person at his side, who carried the white flag. + +"Do you know that man with the flag, Squire Truman?" asked Major Lyon, +as he observed the proceedings on the other side. + +"I ought to know him, for I prosecuted him for an assault not long ago," +replied the lawyer. "That is Swin Pickford, a bully and a ruffian of the +vilest sort." + +"My brother is not very particular in the selection of his associates," +added Noah Lyon very sadly. + +Captain Titus advanced with the flag and the torches at a stately pace, +as though he were the victor instead of the vanquished in the several +conflicts of the night, and halted in the middle of the space between +the contestants. + +"I desire to meet Noah Lyon," said he. + +"I decline to meet him," called the owner of the name. + +"He declines to meet you on the present occasion," replied the commander +sternly. "This is not exactly a fraternal meeting, and there is only one +question which is in order: Do you surrender?" + +"Surrender? No! not as long as there is a breath left in my body!" +replied the leader of the ruffians, as fiercely as though he expected to +have all his own way in spite of his disastrous defeat. + +"What do you want, then?" demanded the colonel. + +"I want justice!" stormed Captain Titus. + +"If you got it you would be swinging to one of these trees; and that is +where you would be if you were not the brother of Major Lyon." + +"Major Lyon, as you call him, is a thief and a robber!" yelled Titus. +"The very guns and cannon you have turned against us to-night were +stolen from me by him!" + +"At a meeting of the Union men of this vicinity last night, a vote of +thanks was passed to Major Lyon for taking possession of the arms and +ammunition found in a cavern; and we all stand by that vote," replied +the colonel with dignity. + +"What do we care for the vote of a set of traitors to the State!" + +"This is not the time or the place to discuss the subject. I desire only +to know what you and your mob are going to do about it." + +"We are going to have justice if there is any such thing left in the +State." + +"It is your next move, Captain Titus." + +"I wish to be fair and reasonable," continued Titus, moderating his +speech and manner. "I have done my best to keep the gentlemen with me +from doing violence to them that stole our property, and"-- + +"And for that reason you became their leader and captain-general in an +attempt to burn your brother's house and mine!" interjected the colonel. + +"No matter what we came out for; I have a plan to state that will settle +the difficulty," Titus proceeded, struggling to keep cool. + +"State your plan, and be quick about it!" + +"If the stolen arms and things are returned to us at once, we will go to +our several homes and let the matter end here," said Titus. + +"That's enough!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe indignantly. "Have you come +over here under a flag of truce to say that?" + +"That is what I come here for; and I insist on't that the things be +given up!" replied Titus, waxing wrathful. + +"Now you can retire with your flag of truce." + +"I won't do no such thing!" + +"If you won't I shall be obliged to open fire upon you and your mob; and +you will be the first to fall," added the commander quietly. + +"Do you mean to murder us?" demanded Titus, aghast at the determined +policy of the commander. "You have hemmed us in so that we can't get +out, and now you mean to fire on us! I cal'late you've got a bone to +pick with your feller-citizens for armin' niggers." + +"I can pick it without any help from you. Now, do you surrender, or +shall I order my men to fire?" demanded the colonel so sternly that +Titus was silenced. "I give you five minutes to consider my offer." + +"I don't want to be shot like a mule with a broken leg," said Swin +Pickford, loud enough to be heard in the front rank. + +"Can't we make terms?" asked Titus, who was terribly alarmed. + +"No terms with a mob," replied the colonel. + +Half a dozen of the ruffians came forward to their leader, and it was +evident that they were quite as much frightened as he was himself. +Enough was heard from those in the front rank of the defenders to assure +them they pleaded for surrender. Some of them farther back even shouted, +"We surrender!" + +"I s'pose we can't do nothin' but surrender or be shot," resumed Titus. + +"That's all; and you may thank your stars that some of you are not +swinging by the neck from the trees at the side of the road." + +"Then we surrender, for we can't do nothin' else," said Captain Titus. +"But I want to tell you, Colonel Belthorpe and Noah Lyon, that you +haven't seen the end of this thing yet. If the whole country don't howl +ag'in you within twenty-four hours, I lose my guess." + +"You had better fall back on your ruffians and guess again," added the +colonel, as he placed himself at the side of Major Lyon. + +"What does the surrender amount to, Colonel?" asked the planter of +Riverlawn. + +"It really amounts to nothing but a way to get rid of these fellows. We +have had enough of them for to-night," replied the commander. "Captain +Gadbury, will you ride around through the fields to Captain Deck, and +ask him to let the mob move down the road toward the bridge? If any of +them have guns, take them from them." + +Captain Gadbury started on his mission. Four mounted negroes were sent +after him to assist in disarming those who had weapons if needed. In a +short time the captain and his followers arrived at their destination, +as could be seen from the position of the main body. It was light enough +by this time to see the force there place themselves on each side of the +road. + +Then the commander ordered his men to march, shouting to the mob to do +the same. The ruffians began their humiliating retreat, and the +defenders followed them as far as the bridge. The planters and their +attendants then returned to their homes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +LEVI BEDFORD AND HIS PRISONER + + +Colonel Cosgrove and Squire Truman returned to Riverlawn with Major Lyon +and his son. Colonel Belthorpe and Tom renewed their expressions of +gratitude to Deck for the important service he had rendered to the +family in the protection of Margie and Kate, and insisted that he should +visit Lyndhall as soon as possible. They parted at the cross roads, and +both parties received a warm welcome at their homes. + +Levi Bedford and Artie Lyon had remained on watch in the fort, while a +sufficient number of the hands patrolled the bridge and the creek; but +the ruffians had found enough to do in the direction they had gone, and +there was no alarm during the rest of the night. The major took his +guests to the mansion, while Deck related to Levi and Artie the events +of the visit to Lyndhall. + +"Captain Titus and the mob have really been thoroughly whipped out of +their boots," said the overseer, when Deck had finished his narrative. +"But, as the leader of the ruffians said, we haven't seen the end of +this thing yet." + +"Do you think they will make another attack upon Riverlawn, Levi?" asked +Deck with along gape. + +"I don't reckon they will try it in the same way they did before; at +least not till they are fully provided with arms and ammunition," +replied Levi. "That attempt to capture the two daughters of Colonel +Belthorpe looks like one of Buck Lagger's schemes. If he had obtained +possession of the two girls, very likely he would have confined them in +one of the caverns like the one where they put the arms, with a guard +over them." + +"That would have been awful," added Artie. + +"I reckon they didn't mean to hurt the girls, and wouldn't if they had +got possession of them," continued Levi. "But you can see for +yourselves, boys, that they would have had the key to the fortress in +their own hands if they had obtained the girls." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Deck, who had seen the point before without any +help from the overseer. + +"I don't see what good the girls could have done them," said Artie, who +had been asleep most of the time during the absence of the planter and +his son. + +"It is as plain as the nose on a monkey's face," added Deck. "With the +two girls as prisoners, Captain Titus would have demanded the return of +the arms and ammunition of Colonel Belthorpe." + +"I see!" exclaimed Artie, as the object of the capture dawned upon him. +"But the colonel did not have the arms, and he could not have given them +up." + +"But father would have made common cause with him, and he could not well +have helped giving up the arms to get back his neighbor's daughter," +Deck explained. + +"But I wonder they didn't try to take our girls," suggested Artie. + +"That is what they may try to do next; and I shall advise your mother +not to permit Miss Dorcas or Miss Hope to go outside of the plantation +unless they are well guarded," added Levi. "If Captain Titus could get +away with your two sisters, and hide them, he could have things all his +own way with your father." + +"We must keep a sharp lookout for the girls," said Artie. + +"Buck Lagger, with his gang, must have gone ahead of the main body of +the ruffians," continued the overseer thoughtfully, "or he could not +have been in the cross-cut. He must have known about the party, and that +the colonel's daughters were there." + +"Where does this Buck live?" asked Deck. + +"He has a shanty on the road to the village, just above the schoolhouse. +He is a pedler when he does anything like work, and I suppose he knows +about every family in the county," replied Levi. "He could easily have +found out all about the party, and who were to be there." + +"There is the breakfast-bell," said Deck, who was quite prepared by his +night's work for the summons. + +At the table the story of the night's adventures was repeated for the +information of Mrs. Lyons and her daughters, and they wanted to hug +Deck; first, because he had been so brave and vigorous in the rescue of +Margie and Kate Belthorpe, and second, because he had not been killed or +severely wounded in the encounter of which he had been the hero. + +After the meal Major Lyon and his two guests retired to the library, +while the boys went to bed. Before the former separated, they had +arranged a plan for the enlistment of a company of cavalry which had +been discussed at the meeting the evening before. But all concerned were +tired out after the labors of the night. Colonel Cosgrove was sent to +the place where he had left his team, and Squire Truman was driven to +the village by Levi, who had chosen this duty himself, in order to "see +what was going on," as he expressed it. + +The ruffians who had formed the mob had been gathered from the region +around Barcreek, and not a few of them lived in the village. There +appeared to be no excitement there, and the overseer started for home. +On his way he had to pass the shanty of Buck Lagger, where he lived +alone when he was at home, which was not much of the time. His worldly +wealth, consisting of his stock of miscellaneous goods, was contained in +a couple of tin trunks, with which he tramped all over the county. + +As Levi drove by the hovel a bullet whistled past his head; and, +removing his soft hat, he found that the missile had passed through it, +and within a couple of inches of the top of his head. It required no +reasoning to convince him that Buck Lagger had fired the shot which had +narrowly failed to send him to his long home. This particular kind of +outrage was not an uncommon occurrence in Kentucky during the exciting +period which followed the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Not a few who had +enlisted in the armies of the Union were killed in this cowardly manner. + +Levi Bedford reined in his horses, and then secured them to a tree. He +was not a man to permit such a dastardly deed to remain unpunished a +moment longer than was necessary. The ruffian, who had appeared to be +the lieutenant of Captain Titus the night before, could not be far off. +Passing to the rear of the shanty, Levi discovered him running for the +woods a short distance from the road. In his hand he carried an old +flint-lock musket, from which he had doubtless fired the shot intended +to deprive Major Lyon of the services of his valuable overseer. + +Buck turned to look at his pursuer, though he hardly abated his speed in +doing so. His left arm was hung in a sling, the material of which looked +as though it might have been a part of the flag of truce displayed on +the creek bridge the night before. Levi had the heavy revolver with +which he had armed himself still in his pocket; and it had even occurred +to him that he might have occasion to use it before he returned from his +present visit to the village. + +Though he was a heavy man, Levi was agile in his movements, and the +ruffian could not help seeing that his pursuer was gaining upon him. +Before he reached the woods, he realized that he had no chance to +escape, and he halted. Elevating his gun, he took aim at the overseer. +But Levi knew that the weapon could not be loaded, for he had fired its +only charge at him, and had not had time to reload it. + +"It won't go off again till you load it," said the overseer, as he +rushed up to him, and wrenched the musket from his hand, thinking he +might try to use it as a club. "It's no fault of yours, except in your +aim, that you are not a murderer, Buck Lagger!" + +[Illustration: "IT WON'T GO OFF AGAIN UNTIL YOU LOAD IT."] + +"I'm only sorry I missed my aim," replied Buck. "You have a revolver in +your hand, and you can shoot me as soon as you please." + +"Shooting is too good for a ruffian like you. If I had a rope I would +hang you to one of the beams of your own shanty," replied Levi, as he +grasped the ruffian by the collar of his coat. + +"Oh, I'll lend you a rope if you will come to the house," replied the +obliging ruffian. "But hold your hand! You hurt me! You can see for +yourself that I am wounded. One of Lyon's cubs put a ball through my +shoulder last night." + +"It's a pity he did not put it through your brains, if you've got +anything of that sort in the top of your head," added Levi, as he +proceeded to lead his prisoner to his wagon. + +"You hurt me, Bedford!" pleaded Buck. "If you want to hang me, I'll help +you do the job in proper fashion; but you needn't torture me before you +do it. When we lynch a fellow we don't do that." + +Levi released his hold upon the prisoner. + +"My aim is better than yours; walk to my wagon, and if you attempt to +run away, I won't kill you, but I will put two or three balls through +your legs, so that it won't be convenient for you to run," said he, as +he drove the villain before him towards the road. + +"What are you go'n' to do with me, Bedford?" asked Buck. + +"That's my business," replied Levi. + +"Well, I think it rayther consarns me too." + +"If you live long enough you will find out in time. Now get into the +wagon." + +"Are you go'n' to take me down to Lyon's place?" asked Buck, looking his +captor in the face as they stopped at the side of the vehicle. + +"Get in quick, or I may hurt you again!" said Levi impatiently. "You +won't get killed by a ball from my shooter, but you may have another +wound." + +Probably the ruffian preferred shooting to hanging, and the remark of +the overseer did not please him. If he had told his whole story, he +would have said that he had been unable to sleep on account of the wound +in his shoulder, and for that reason he had been up early enough to see +Levi drive past his shanty with Squire Truman. The suffering made him +angry, stimulated his desire for revenge; and he had tried to put the +overseer out of the way. + +He pretended to be more afraid of wounds than of death; and with the +assistance of Levi he climbed into the wagon, taking his place on the +front seat as directed. His captor put the gun he had brought with him +into the wagon, and then seated himself beside his prisoner. The +spirited horses went off at a lively pace, and Buck immediately +complained that the motion increased his pain. + +"That wasn't a bad scheme of yours to get possession of Colonel +Belthorpe's girls, Buck. You meant to trade them off for the arms, I +suppose," said Levi, as he reduced the pace of his horses to a walk; for +he desired, if he could, to obtain some information from his prisoner. + +"That was just it, Bedford; and if that cub of Lyon's hadn't interfered, +we should have had the arms before this time," replied Buck, with both a +chuckle and a groan. + +"Why didn't you try it on Major Lyon's girls first, for that would have +brought the matter nearer home?" + +"That's just what we meant to do," replied Buck, with refreshing +confidence in his custodian. "That was my plan; but Cap'n Titus was +obstinate, and wouldn't hear to me. He ain't much of a cap'n; and I'd +had the arms and the rest o' the things if he had left it to me." + +"What was your plan, Buck?" asked Levi quietly. + +"That's tellin'; we may try it on some other time, if I live long +enough. Our folks are fightin' this thing on principle, and we ain't +go'n' to see the good old State of Kaintuck turned over to the +Abolitionists." + +"What do you mean by Abolitionists, Buck?" + +"Such fellers as Lyon, Cosgrove, Belthorpe." + +"They are all slaveholders." + +"They're all Lincolnites, and gave arms to their niggers to shoot down +white Kaintuckians last night," replied Buck bitterly. + +"Only when a mob of ruffians came down upon them to burn their property +and carry off their daughters!" added Levi. "They are Union men, and +they will stand by the old flag as long as there is anything left of +them." + +"The Union's busted!" + +"Not much! Why don't you enlist in the Confederate army, and carry out +your principles? You are a cowardly ruffian, Buck!" + +"We can do more good to the cause by stoppin' here, Bedford; and when I +git command of that Home Guard, as I shall afore long, I'll clean out +the Abolitionists in less'n a week," said Buck boastfully. + +"If you live long enough," suggested Levi. + +"If I don't I'm willin' to be a martyr to the good cause!" protested the +reprobate. + +As before suspected by Levi and his employer, "that Home Guard" was +composed of the ruffians who had been the assailants the night before. +Levi drove to the fort, where a guard of a dozen negroes, under the +command of General, had been placed over the arms and ammunition. The +prisoner was taken from the wagon, and permitted to lie on one of the +beds which had been brought from the mansion the night before for the +use of the defenders of the plantation. General and his men were charged +to shoot the captive if he attempted to escape. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +DR. FALKIRK VISITS RIVERLAWN + + +Levi Bedford, in spite of his threats to hang his prisoner, was a +kind-hearted man, and he did what he could for the comfort of Buck +Lagger. He had often been called upon to prescribe for the sick or +injured among the hands on the plantation. He examined the wound of the +ruffian; but it was beyond his skill, and he did not attempt to treat +the patient. + +During the absence of the expedition for the defence of Lyndhall he had +done what he could for those who had been wounded on the creek road; but +he was not an expert in the treatment of gunshot wounds. There was +little he could do for them; and early in the morning he had sent Frank +to procure the attendance of Dr. Falkirk, who resided near the village. +He had been called to a case on a plantation several miles from +Barcreek. He had not returned when Levi went to his bed. + +Major Lyon and the boys had taken to their beds as soon as the guests +departed, and the overseer was in condition to follow their example. The +premises were well guarded along the creek, and two men with +breech-loaders in their hands were in charge of the wounded prisoner. In +the mansion Mrs. Lyon and her daughters, who had been up most of the +night, for they could not sleep while the major and his sons were in +danger, had gone to bed to obtain needed rest. + +Even the hands who had been on service the whole or a part of the +eventful night were asleep, and the guard at Fort Bedford had been +relieved. Levi slept soundly on the bed he had taken within the works, +in spite of the groans mingled with curses of the wounded ruffian. There +was no white person awake on the plantation to wonder what was to be the +outcome of the events of the night. Doubtless Colonel Cosgrove and +Squire Truman were also sleeping off the fatigues of the night. The +aggressive ruffians had fled to their several homes, defeated, +exhausted, and disgusted with the result of their labors in the cause of +Secession. There was a calm after the storm. + +Dr. Falkirk appeared about the middle of the forenoon. He was of Scotch +descent; but his father had settled in New Orleans, and the son became +as violent a "fire-eater" as though he had been the possessor of half a +thousand slaves. He had made a fortune in the practice of his +profession, and had purchased a plantation in Kentucky, on the outskirts +of Barcreek, where he intended to end his days in peace and quiet. But +some of his investments had been unfortunate, and he had been compelled +to resume practice. + +His skill as a physician and surgeon had brought to him an abundant +practice, though his patients were widely scattered, and he was obliged +to pass much of his time in his gig. When the troubles of the nation +began, he developed into a Secessionist of the most ultra stripe. He was +a highly educated man and a fluent speaker in public and private. In the +Lyceum of the village he and Squire Truman were often pitted against +each other, and one was quite as outspoken as the other. + +But Dr. Falkirk was faithful to his patients, poor or rich, and without +regard to their creed or politics. Though his fortune had been impaired, +he was still in comfortable circumstances, and never refused to visit +any sick person to whom he was called, with no regard to color or the +expectation of payment for his services. In fact, he was the beau-ideal +of a good physician, and held the honor of his profession above every +other consideration. + +The men on patrol at the bridge conducted the doctor to the fort as soon +as he appeared, in obedience to the orders of the overseer. When he +reached Fort Bedford he manifested no little astonishment at the +appearance of the old ice-house, with its four embrasures, through which +the twelve-pounders could be seen. The negroes with breech-loaders in +their hands were a disgusting exhibition to him, and he turned up his +nose, though he made no remark. + +The sentinel at the door politely ushered him into the presence of his +patient. Without asking any questions in regard to the manner in which +the sufferer had received his wound, Dr. Falkirk proceeded to examine +him. Buck Lagger was still in great pain, and had kept up a continual +groaning all the forenoon. The doctor immediately gave him a couple of +little pills, intended to ease the pain. The skilful surgeon discovered +that a bullet was embedded in the shoulder, and he took from the handbag +the instruments for its extraction. + +Then he called upon a couple of the guards to assist him. There were but +two sentinels in charge of the fort, who were faithfully marching up and +down outside the door. But they paid no attention to the call of the +doctor. Each of them seemed to be impressed with the idea that the +protection of the plantation and the lives of all the family depended +upon him, and that it would be treason for them to leave their posts. + +"Can't you hear me, you black rascals?" demanded the surgeon in a loud +tone. "Come here, one of you!" + +"Can't leabe de post, Mars'r Doctor," replied one of the men. + +Probably there was no enemy within a mile of the fort; but they had been +told that they were not to leave their places for anything, and they +were disposed literally to obey their orders. But the angry tones of the +surgeon had awakened Levi Bedford, who was sleeping at one end of the +fort. He sprang to his feet, and discovered the doctor at the couch of +his patient. + +"Good-morning, Doctor Falkirk," said he. "I did not know you were here." + +"I knew I was here, and I ordered those black scoundrels to assist me, +and they refused to do so," replied the doctor angrily. + +"They only obey their orders, but they rather overdo it. I will assist +you, Doctor," added Levi. + +"Orders!" exclaimed the professional gentleman contemptuously. "One +would think this was a regular garrison." + +"That is about what it is," replied the overseer. + +"Humbug!" said the surgeon, as he turned to his patient. + +Levi called in one of the sentinels, and the bed of the wounded man was +drawn out before the door where the light was best, and the doctor +proceeded with his work. The morphine pills he had given the patient +appeared to have relieved his pain. The operator probed for the ball, +and soon found it. Then he dressed the wound with as much care as though +the sufferer had been a Kentucky colonel. He had hardly completed his +office before Buck dropped asleep under the influence of the powerful +medicine he had taken. The bed was moved back without waking him, and +Dr. Falkirk passed out of the fort, followed by the overseer. + +"Keep the man quiet for a week, and give him anything he wants to eat," +said he, as he looked about him at the warlike preparations which had +been finished the day before. + +"We have three more wounded men in the hospital who need a surgeon," +added Levi. + +"What are those niggers doing over on the other side of the creek?" +asked the surgeon, whose gaze had wandered to the grove at the side of +the road. Some of the hands had been directed to bury the man who had +fallen behind the tree where he had taken refuge from the shots of the +defenders of the plantation. + +He had been seen in the act of levelling his gun at the advancing +column, and Levi had brought him down before he could discharge his +weapon. + +"They are burying a man that fell in the skirmish last night," Levi +replied to the question of the doctor. + +"What skirmish?" inquired Dr. Falkirk, with evident astonishment. + +"You don't appear to have heard the news, Doctor," replied the overseer. + +"What news? I was called to General Longman's plantation last evening; I +spent the night there, and did not get home till half-past eight this +morning." + +As briefly as possible Levi gave the details of the events of the +preceding night, beginning with the meeting at Big Bend, and ending with +the final defeat and surrender of the ruffians. + +"An Abolition row!" said the doctor contemptuously. + +"Not exactly, Dr. Falkirk; it was a Secession row!" added Levi with +energy. + +"Brought about by the insane wrangling of the traitors to the State of +Kentucky!" snapped the surgeon. + +"The traitors to the State of Kentucky are loyal to the government of +the United States and the Union," protested the overseer. + +"There is no longer any United States, and the Union has ceased to +exist! The men who are making all this trouble in Kentucky are those who +are trying to make war upon the Southern Confederacy, to subdue and +enslave a dozen sovereign States!" argued the doctor, almost furiously. + +"I reckon it's no use for you and me to argue this question, for we +don't live in the same world on that subject," said the overseer, with a +smile on his round face. "But Kentucky is for the Union by a large +majority, and what you call sovereign States are in rebellion against +the lawful authorities of the nation, and the insurrection will be put +down just as sure as fate." + +"This used to be a free country, though it isn't so now; but every man +can have his own opinion as long as he is willing to be responsible for +it." + +"It isn't exactly a free country as long as the loyal citizens of this +county cannot hold a meeting without being attacked by the ruffians of +Secession, as was the case at Big Bend last night. Then the same +villains came over here in a mob of a hundred to burn Major Lyon's +house, and capture his daughters, as they tried to do with Colonel +Belthorpe's girls. They did not succeed, and some of them were shot down +in the attempt. The right to commit such outrages as these is what you +call free; but we at Riverlawn don't understand it in just that way." + +"But, according to your own statement, Mr. Bedford, your people had +stolen the arms intended for the company of the Home Guards whom Captain +Titus Lyon has enlisted," returned the doctor. + +"We took possession of the arms and ammunition, including the two guns +at those embrasures, to prevent these ruffians from using them against +the loyal citizens of the county in carrying out their ideas of +freedom," said Levi stoutly. "Do you believe these ruffians, the +offscourings of the county, ought to be permitted to burn, ravage, and +destroy the homes of some of the most respectable people in this +vicinity, Dr. Falkirk?" + +"But your people were the aggressors, and I think they were justified in +trying to recover the property that had been stolen from them." + +"The ruffians issued their threats to burn the mansion of Major Lyon +before the arms entered into the question." + +The discussion might have continued all day, if Sam, Colonel Belthorpe's +house servant, had not ridden up at this moment. + +"I come for the doctor, sar," said the man. + +"Who is sick at Lyndhall, Sam?" asked Levi with much interest. + +"Nobody sick, Mars'r Bedford; but Mars'r Tilford's very bad with his +wound, and Mars'r Cunnel send me for the doctor," replied the servant. + +"Is this another of your victims, Mr. Bedford?" asked the doctor with a +heavy sneer. + +"It is Colonel Belthorpe's overseer. He refused to assist in protecting +the family from the ruffians, and left the mansion. It seems that he was +shot in attempting to join your army, doctor." + +"He's a brave fellow! I will go and see him." + +"But he deserted your army of ruffians, and crawled back to the house, +where the girls nursed him and cared for him. Now the colonel sends for +you to patch him up, the ingrate!" + +"True to his principles against his employer!" + +The doctor was conducted to the hospital, where he did his duty +faithfully to those who had been wounded, though Levi reminded him that +they belonged to "his army." None of them were in a bad way, and the +surgeon said they would be all right in a few days. + +All was quiet again at Riverlawn, and the sleepers used most of the day +in their beds. On the following morning, after the whole evening had +been used in discussing the events of the preceding night, everything +went along as usual on the plantation. No more ruffians appeared on the +other side of the creek, though Major Lyon and the boys remained on duty +at the fort. + +"What is to be the end of all these disturbances, Noah?" asked Mrs. +Lyon, as the family seated themselves at the breakfast-table the second +morning after the battle, as they had come to call the events of that +stormy night. + +"I think we all understand what is before us. We are to have war, and I +don't believe it will end in a hundred days, as the statesman at +Washington says," replied Major Lyon; and even some of his family had +learned to apply this title to him. "Within a few days we shall begin to +form a company of cavalry. I am still of military age, and the boys are +old enough to take part in the struggle before us. But Levi will remain +on the plantation; and as the hands have proved that they can stand up +under fire, he will have the means of protecting you, Ruth." + +"Of course we shall be sorry to have you go, but I agree with you, Noah, +that your country has a claim upon you which you cannot shirk," replied +Mrs. Lyon, struggling to repress a tear. + +"Buck Lagger asked me this morning if I thought he was well enough to be +hung," said Levi, perhaps to break off the conversation in that line. + +"Do you think of hanging him, Levi?" inquired the planter. + +"That is what I promised him; but I leave that matter to you, Major +Lyon. He is a murderer at heart, and the bullet from his gun passed +within two inches of the top of my head." + +"I should not like to have him hung at Riverlawn," added the planter. "I +will talk with him, and see what can be done; but there is no law in +this part of the country just now." + +The family were to dine that day at Lyndhall at one o'clock, so that +none of them need be absent after dark. Major Lyon left the house, and +was directing his steps towards Fort Bedford for an interview, when he +saw Captain Titus Lyon driving over the bridge. He did not care to meet +him, but he could hardly avoid doing so, and he stopped in front of the +flower-garden. Titus fastened his horse to a post, and approached his +brother. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +THE ARRIVAL OF THE RECRUITING OFFICER + + +Noah Lyon was not glad to see his brother; but this was a new experience +to him, for he had always had a fraternal feeling for him, and had done +everything in his power for him when he needed assistance. He was +willing to believe that Titus was sincere in his political convictions, +though it was impossible for him to understand how he could be a traitor +to the Union. + +At the North both of the great parties were united in support of the +government, and at his former home Titus would have been almost alone if +he had clung to the opinions which now actuated him; for "copperheads" +were rare serpents there. Noah's brother would hardly have been one amid +the surroundings of his former home. It was evident that Kentucky +whiskey and a feeling of revenge, born of his disappointment over the +provisions of Duncan's will, had done more to make him a Secessionist +than the workings of his own reason. + +"I have come to see you once more, Noah," Titus began quite mildly for +him, though it was plain to his brother that he was primed with his +favorite beverage as usual. + +He was not intoxicated in any reasonable sense of the word; and he had +plainly resolved to make the interview a peaceable one. Doubtless he had +a point to carry, but within a few days he had probably learned more +about the character of his brother than he had ever known before. Noah +could not say that he was glad to see him, for even a "society lie" was +repulsive to him. + +"I hope we shall be peaceable and pleasant this time, even if we cannot +agree in everything," he replied very gently and with a smile upon his +honest face. + +"That's just what I want, Noah; and I have always tried to make things +peaceable between us," added Titus. + +Noah wondered if he believed what he uttered, after coming with a mob to +his plantation to burn and ravage his property; but whatever doubts he +had, he kept them to himself, for he knew that the thought which was +uppermost in his mind, if expressed, would only irritate his brother, +and provoke him to wrath. + +"I trust you will continue to do so," was his next remark, though he +thought that even this was admitting too much. + +"There is a question between us, Noah," continued Titus, struggling to +retain his quiet demeanor as he approached the point of difference +between them. "I won't say a word about the way I have been used up to +three days ago, for I want to be on kind of brotherly terms with you, if +we don't agree on politics." + +"I assuredly desire to be on brotherly terms with you, and it shall not +be any fault of mine that we are not brothers in spirit as well as in +fact," replied Noah, who became slightly hopeful of Titus, for he had +not recently heard him speak so many friendly words. + +"There is only one question between us now, and we might just as well +come right down to business at once," said Titus, very nervous in his +manner, as though his hope of accomplishing anything with the stern +patriot his brother had proved to be was only slight. "Of course you +know that I mean about the arms." + +"I understand you, Brother Titus," replied Noah, exceedingly unwilling +to fan the fire that was smouldering in the breast of the leader of the +ruffians. + +"It seems to me that there ought to be no trouble between two brothers +like you and me about settling a question of this kind," continued +Titus, still toying with the subject. "Of course you must admit that the +arms did not belong to you." + +"No more than Fort Sumter and a dozen other places built and maintained +by the Union belonged to the insurgents who have taken possession of +them," answered Noah very quietly. + +"That's another matter," returned the captain, evidently thrown off his +base by this home argument. + +"It is precisely the same thing to my mind." + +"Do you call stealing my property the same thing as a nation taking +possession of forts and such things within its own territory, Noah +Lyon?" + +"Precisely the same thing, though on a smaller scale." + +"I used to think you had lots of logic in your head, Noah; but I believe +you hain't got none on't left," retorted Titus, relapsing into what he +called his "week-day speech." "I was in hopes you had come to sunthin' +like reason, and would be ready to give up the property you stole." + +"I shall be quite ready to give it up when the insurrectionists give up +the property they stole." + +"The two things ain't no more like than a nigger is like a white man," +protested Titus, the bad blood, mingled with whiskey, in his veins +beginning to boil. + +"I think we had better not discuss this question any more, Brother +Titus. It only stirs up bad blood, and does not accomplish anything," +suggested Noah. + +"I s'pose I'm to understand from what you say that you don't mean to +give up the arms you stole from me," said Titus, doubling his fist, and +holding it near the face of his brother. + +"I do not consider that I have any right to deliver the arms to you; for +I understand that they were to be used to arm what you call the Home +Guards, or, in other words, the ruffians who came over here to burn my +house and lay waste my property. I shall not give up the arms to you, or +to any other person representing the enemies of the Union. The +insurrectionists have set the example of stealing arms, as you call it, +and forts, and public buildings by wholesale; and the Secessionists of +Kentucky are robbing the Union men of their arms. I hold that the +precedent has been well established by those on your side of the +question." + +"I don't care for your precedents, and I wish my brother would deal with +the one question between us." + +"I am entirely willing to do so, Brother Titus. You wish me to furnish +the brands with which you can burn my house and those of my neighbors." + +"What sort of bosh is that?" demanded Titus, who did not see the point. + +"If I should return to you the military supplies in my possession, they +would be used to arm the horde of ruffians you marched over here to burn +my property the other night." + +"They would be used to arm my company of the Home Guards; and they are +regular under the call of the Governor of Kentucky." + +"The Legislature of the State repudiate him, and the people are +enlisting the troops he refused to furnish." + +"The Legislature is a fraud, and don't rightly represent the will of the +people. I came over here with the Home Guard and other friends of the +cause to get the arms. You turned our own weapons against us, and +without arms we could do nothing against armed niggers." + +"I have put my place in a condition to be defended, and I have called +upon the United States government to send a body of troops here to +protect the Union people from the outrages of your people." + +"They will have a hot time of it when they get here," replied Titus with +a sneer. + +"In the meantime we shall defend ourselves. We have been attacked"-- + +"You have not been attacked!" protested the captain. "We came over here +to demand the arms. We put up a flag of truce, and wanted to talk with +you; but you drove us off, and fired upon us," answered Titus. + +"Your people began the attack at the schoolhouse." + +"'Tain't so! Some of our men went to the meeting, and you fell upon 'em +there." + +"They had no business there, for the call was addressed to the Union men +of the county. They disturbed the meeting, and we put them out. Then +your company gathered in the woods, demanding 'Lyon and his cubs.' My +friends stood by me, and the meeting shouldered all the responsibility +in regard to the arms. We agreed to get up a company of cavalry for the +United States." + +"And you mean to arm 'em with the things you stole from me!" almost +gasped Captain Titus. + +"When a proper officer comes here he will give you a receipt for the +property." + +"Which would not be worth the paper it is written on to me!" + +"Not unless you could show that you were a Union man." + +"My men are bent on gettin' them arms, and they will have them!" + +"They will have to fight for them," added Noah quietly. + +Perhaps the interview would have become still more stormy if Levi +Bedford had not approached with a gentleman wearing the uniform of a +cavalry officer. Captain Titus did not like the looks of him, and, +judging that Noah had proceeded farther than he had suspected in +providing for the protection of the loyal people of the county, he beat +a hasty retreat; and he drove across the bridge at a rate so furious as +to indicate his state of mind. + +"Major Lyon, this is Lieutenant Gordon, of the United States Volunteer +Service," said Levi, as he approached with the visitor. + +"I am very glad to see you, Lieutenant Gordon," added the planter, +extending his hand to the officer. + +"I am rejoiced to meet you, Major Lyon; and I am glad to find that you +are a military man," replied Lieutenant Gordon. + +"But I am not a military man, and was never even a private in a military +company," replied the major, laughing at the natural mistake of his +guest. "I protested against answering to my title till I found it was +useless to do so." + +"If you are not a major now, perhaps you will be one very soon. I am +sent here by Major-General Buell, in reply to your letter to him," added +the officer, producing a document which authorized him to enlist, +enroll, and muster in a company of cavalry. + +"You are the very man I wished most to see," said the planter, after he +had glanced at the paper. "Come to the house, if you please, and we will +consider the object of your visit." + +"I had some trouble in getting here; for our information is that General +Buckner, with a considerable force of the enemy, is moving towards +Bowling Green, probably with the intention of occupying it, and I did +not deem it wise to go there, as I had been directed to do." + +"What you say is news to us," replied the major, as he conducted the +officer into the house. "Have you been to breakfast, Lieutenant?" + +"I have not, sir. I left the train last night at Dripping Spring, which +they told me was the last station before coming to Bowling Green. I +found a place to sleep, and a stable for my horse, which I brought down +in a baggage car, I started out early this morning to find Riverlawn, +and here I am." + +The lieutenant was shown to one of the guest chambers of the mansion, +and the planter ordered breakfast for him, instructing Aunty Diana to +provide the best the house afforded. The officer wanted his saddle-bags, +which had gone to the stable with his horse, and they were carried up +for him. Before the morning meal was ready he came down, and was +presented to Mrs. Lyon and her daughters. + +After he had washed and dressed himself, he proved to be what the girls +declared was a handsome man. He was not more than twenty-five years old, +and had a decidedly military air and manner. He made himself very +agreeable to the ladies; and Dorcas, who was a full-grown woman in +stature, wondered if he was to remain long at Riverlawn. + +"You are on the very ragged edge of the Rebellion, Major Lyon," said the +visitor, as he seated himself at the table. "I should say you were not +more than fifteen miles from Bowling Green." + +"I suppose you are acquainted with the country about here, Lieutenant?" +added the planter. + +"Not at all, Major; I was born and always lived in the State of Ohio; +and I have never been in this direction farther than Lexington. But I +know that Bowling Green is near the junction of two railroads into +Tennessee and the South; and the Confederates can't help seeing that it +is an important point for them to possess and hold. There will be some +fighting in this quarter before long." + +"There has been a skirmish or two. The Home Guards are making some +trouble in this vicinity, and I have put my place in a condition to be +defended from their assaults," added Major Lyon. + +He proceeded to describe the affair at the bridge and on the two roads, +in which the officer was much interested. He was particularly delighted +with the capture of the arms and ammunition. The planter then conducted +him to Fort Bedford. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +ONE AGAINST THREE ON THE ROAD + + +Lieutenant Gordon looked about him with something like amazement as he +entered the fort. Levi Bedford and the boys had arranged the arms in +racks made by the carpenters. The two Napoleons, as the twelve-pounders +are sometimes called, were pointed out at the embrasures, and the aspect +of the place was decidedly warlike. Buck Lagger had been removed to the +hospital, where he found three of his comrades of the Home Guards, two +others having been sent to their homes. + +"These are my sons, Lieutenant," said Major Lyon, introducing each of +them by name. "They are stout boys, very nearly eighteen years old, and +are good riders. They will be the first recruits to put their names on +your paper after mine when you enter upon the work of your mission." + +"They are the kind of recruits I like to add to our forces, for they are +not only stout, but intelligent," replied the officer, as he took from +his breast pocket the printed form of document for the enlistment of +soldiers. "Where did you get the name of this fort, Major Lyon?" + +"From my overseer, the first man you met on my premises. He was formerly +connected with an artillery company in Tennessee; but he is a Union man +to the core," replied the planter, who proceeded to give Levi the +excellent character he deserved. + +"Then he will be our fourth recruit?" suggested the lieutenant. + +"No, sir; he is about fifty years old, and he is to take charge of my +plantation in my absence. But I think there are over a hundred men in +this vicinity who are ready to put their names down on your paper. The +horses are all ready for them, for they were pledged in the Union +meeting of which I told you." + +"We shall not need the horses at first," added the lieutenant. + +"Not need the horses, sir!" exclaimed Deck, who was listening with all +his ears to the conversation. "How are we going to get up a company of +cavalry without horses?" + +"The company will be first drilled like infantry, and the exercises with +horses come in later," replied the officer with a smile at the eagerness +of the boy; and Artie was just as enthusiastic, though he said very +little. + +"Both of them will make good soldiers, sir, for they have been under +fire in a small way," added the father. + +"I should say that you have little need of soldiers for the protection +of your place, Major Lyon," added the officer, as he looked at the +cannon and the breech-loaders arranged around the interior of the fort. +"Are these the arms you captured in the cavern?" + +"The same, sir; and they have already enabled us to defend ourselves +from the mob that came over here to burn my house." + +"These muskets must have cost a round sum of money, for they are of the +best quality, and have the latest improvements. Unfortunately they are +not adapted to the use of cavalry, and we shall need carbines." + +"Well, it is something to keep them out of the hands of the enemy," +replied Major Lyon. "I suppose we are ready to make a beginning in the +business before us, Lieutenant Gordon. What is the first thing to be +done?" + +"The first thing is to enlist the men," replied the officer, as he took +from his pocket a handbill, printed for use in some other locality. "We +must post bills like this one all about this vicinity." + +"We can't get them printed short of Bowling Green," said Major Lyon, +after he had read the placard. "And the Home Guards will pull them down +as fast as we can put them up." + +"But some of them will be seen, and the news that a recruiting office +has been established here will soon circulate. You are between two fires +here, and your foes will talk about it even more than your friends. We +must have the handbills at any rate." + +"Very well. Artie, this will be a mission for you." + +"I am ready and willing to do anything I can," replied the quiet boy; +and in half an hour he was mounted on a fleet horse on his way to a +printing-office. + +"I suppose the village of which you speak would be the best place to +establish the recruiting office," suggested Lieutenant Gordon, as soon +as Artie had gone to the stable for a horse. + +"I am afraid not," replied the planter. "I fear the ruffians who abound +in that vicinity would mob you. Why not establish the office here, where +we shall be able to protect you?" + +"It seems to be too far from any centre of population," said the +officer. + +"All the better for that; for in the village they would not only mob +you, but the ruffians would intimidate those who were willing to enlist. +People in this vicinity don't mind going two or three miles when +business calls them," continued the planter. + +"I shall adopt your suggestion, Major Lyon," returned the recruiting +officer, as he proceeded to alter the handbill to suit the locality. "I +suppose everybody in this neighborhood will know where to find +Riverlawn." + +"Everybody in the county," replied the major, as Artie dashed up to the +door of the fort, where the officer gave him his instructions, and the +planter supplied him with money to pay the bill. + +"I think I had better take one of those revolvers in my pocket," +suggested Artie. "If I get into any trouble it may be of use to me." + +"Do you expect to get into any trouble, my boy?" asked the major, +anxiously gazing into the messenger's face. + +"I don't expect any trouble, but something may happen." + +"Perhaps I had better send half a dozen of the boys with you," suggested +his father. + +"The boys?" queried the lieutenant, wondering where they were to come +from, as he had seen only two of them. + +"I mean the negroes who defended the place the other night," added the +planter. "They have learned to handle the breech-loaders, and they would +fight for my boys as long as there was anything left of them." + +"I dare say they would," replied the officer with a significant smile. +"But if you send six negroes armed with breech-loaders to Bowling Green, +you may be sure there will be a row." + +"Just my sentiments," added Levi Bedford. "I don't think Artie will have +any trouble if he goes alone." + +"Very well, let him go alone; but I am confident half a dozen of the +boys would make it hot for any band that attempted to molest him," said +the major; and the messenger departed on his mission. + +"Have you an American flag, Major Lyon?" asked the lieutenant when he +had gone. + +"Two of them, for my brother always celebrated the Fourth of July." + +"We always hoist one on a recruiting office." + +Under the direction of Levi a flagstaff was erected in front of the +fort, and before dinner-time the Star Spangled Banner was spread to the +breeze. Major Lyon took off his hat and bowed to it as soon as it was +shaken out to the breeze; and cheers were heard from the negroes in the +field beyond the stables. + +"If you had set that flag over your office in the village, it would have +been hauled down and trampled under foot inside of an hour," said the +planter. + +"Are the people of this vicinity so disloyal as that?" asked Lieutenant +Gordon, astonished at the remark. "I supposed the Unionists were in the +majority here." + +"So they are; but they are not half so demonstrative as the other side." + +The bell rang at the door of the mansion for dinner; and while the +family were attending to this midday duty, Artie was entering the county +town. He had taken his dinner with him, and had eaten it as he +approached his destination. There were two printing-offices in the +place, and he called at the first one he saw. + +"What's this? 'Union Cavalry!'" demanded the printer, as he read the +head-line in displayed type. + +"What will you charge for printing two hundred copies of that bill, and +doing it while I wait?" asked Artie. + +"'Riverlawn!'" added the man, as he continued to read the placard. "Who +are you, boy?" + +"My name is Artemas Lyon, and my father lives at Riverlawn," replied +Artie. + +"Well, Artemas Lyon, I would not print that bill if your father would +give me a hundred dollars a letter for doing it!" stormed the printer, +as he tossed the copy back to the messenger with as much indignation in +his manner as in his speech. + +"All right, sir; if you don't want to do the job you needn't!" replied +Artie, as he returned the bill to his pocket and moved to the door. + +"Stop a minute, boy! So you are recruiting at Riverlawn for the +Abolition army?" called the printer, who was perhaps a member of the +Home Guards. "I want to know something about that business." + +"If you want to enlist in the Union army, you can do so at Riverlawn. I +am in a hurry, and I can't stop to answer any questions," replied Artie, +as he bolted out at the door. + +"What are you doing here, Artie Lyon?" called a voice from the other +side of the street as he was unhitching his horse. + +It was Colonel Cosgrove, though his house was some distance farther up +the street. The lawyer came over to him, and he explained the object of +his visit to the county town. + +"You ought to have come to me at once, Artie," said the colonel, as the +messenger showed him the handbill. "That printer runs a Secession paper, +and he would lose all his subscribers if it was known that he printed a +placard like this. Come with me, and I will get the work done for you." + +Artie followed him to the office of a Union paper, and it looked as +though it was in a more prosperous condition than the other. The printer +readily undertook the work, and promised to have it done by three +o'clock in the afternoon. The messenger was invited to the mansion of +Colonel Cosgrove, where he dined with the family. + +"I signed the letter to General Buell with your father, asking him to +send a recruiting officer to this locality," said the colonel, as he +conducted his guest to the library. "I am very glad he has come. I +should have been in favor of establishing his office in this place if it +were not a current report that the town is to be occupied by the +Confederates within a short time." + +"Father thought Riverlawn would be a better place than Barcreek village +for it," added Artie. + +"I think he is right." + +The messenger was called upon to tell the news of his vicinity, and he +mentioned all that had occurred since the fight, including the attempt +to murder Levi Bedford, and the capture of Buck Lagger. At three o'clock +Artie went to the printing-office, and found the handbills all ready for +him. He paid the bill, and went back to the colonel's house for his +horse, which had been as well cared for as his rider. He was advised to +hurry out of the town, and he galloped his horse for the first mile till +he reached the open country. Half a mile ahead of him was a wood. + +The young horseman had reduced his speed to a moderate gait before he +reached this grove; but he had not gone far before three men stepped out +of the bushes and stood in front of him in the road. They had flint-lock +guns in their hands, and it looked as though they were there for a +purpose. + +"Stop, boy!" shouted the man who stood in the middle of the road, with +one on each side of him. + +[Illustration: "'STOP, BOY!' SHOUTED THE MAN."] + +"What do you want of me?" demanded Artie, with his right hand on the +handle of his revolver. + +"I want them handbills you just got printed," replied the spokesman. "We +ain't go'n' to have no Abolition troops enlisted round here. And that +ain't all nuther; we're gwine to clean out that Major Lyon that sent you +over here." + +"Hand over the papers and we won't hurt you," added another of the trio. + +"I shall not give them up!" replied Artie as decidedly as though he had +the new company of cavalry behind him. "Get out of the road, or I will +ride over you!" + +"You won't give em' up, won't yer?" returned the man in the middle, as +he brought his old gun to his shoulder. + +"No!" yelled the messenger, as he fired his revolver at the spokesman. + +At the same moment he drove his heels into the flanks of his spirited +steed, giving him the rein as he did so. The horse darted ahead like a +shot from a gun, and choosing his way between the men, he knocked two of +them over, and galloped on his way. The sudden movement of the animal +had prevented the men from bringing their guns to bear upon him. The man +on his feet fired, and the rider heard a ball whistle near him. In a +minute he was out of the range of such weapons, and reached Riverlawn in +season for supper. + +He delivered the bills to the lieutenant, and told his story. The next +morning the early risers saw these placards posted all over Barcreek +village, and along the roads for five miles in all directions. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +THE FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT RIVERLAWN + + +Levi and Deck were the bill-stickers, and the night was chosen as the +time to post them, in order that the paste might be well dried and +hardened before they were seen. They had taken a wagon, and with the +coachman for driver they had gone their round after people generally +were asleep. Wherever a flat surface could be found by the light of a +lantern, on barns, fences, rocks, and shops, a placard was posted. + +It would take the ruffian brigade a long time to pull them all down, +after the paste was dry; and the very wrath of these men would assist in +advertising the recruiting office at Riverlawn. The fact that the papers +were ready for signature could hardly fail to be known all over the +vicinity early in the morning, and all over the county in a day or two. +The information was already circulating in Bowling Green; for the editor +of _The Planter_, at whose office Artie had applied to have the bills +printed, had made it known soon enough to enable the three ruffians to +make an attempt to suppress the placards. + +_The Kentuckian_ was the loyal paper, and would doubtless make at least +an item of the fact that the recruiting office had been established. +Possibly the other journal would make a "dastardly outrage" of the shot +which Artie had fired at the three ruffians who beset him on the road. +There was no doubt in the minds of the active men at Riverlawn that the +recruiting office would be known to the fullest extent even the day +after the bills were posted; for even the women would gossip about it as +they went from house to house, and the loafers in the "corner grocery" +would have an exciting theme for discussion. + +The people had been terrorized by the ruffians, who had banded together +as Home Guards in this locality; and they had made noise enough to +create the belief among the less demonstrative citizens that the +Secessionists were in a majority. But Squire Truman had punctured this +bubble by an actual canvass of the inhabitants, and proved, as did the +vote of the Legislature, that loyalty was the predominant sentiment. + +When Artie Lyon returned from his mission to the county town with the +bundle of placards in his possession, there was so much excitement at +Fort Bedford that he said nothing about his adventure on the road. +Lieutenant Gordon had counselled the sending away of the four wounded +ruffians, who had been carefully nursed and fed at the hospital. They +were all recovering from their injuries, and all of them walked about +the premises during a portion of the day. + +"We don't want a lot of spies and enemies in our midst, for they will +report everything that is done to their friends who have been permitted +to visit them," he reasoned with the planter, and the major agreed with +him; and this was the work which was in progress when Artie arrived. + +Deck had made a hero of himself at the cross-cut, and his brother was +not inclined to wear a wreath of laurel for the little exploit on the +road. He slept upon it, and the next morning he felt that it was his +duty to inform his father of the occurrence, as one of the indications +of public sentiment in the county. The ruffians evidently intended that +the Union army should not be recruited in the county. + +Major Lyon praised him for his spirited conduct, and the lieutenant made +him blush with his commendation. But the incident was discussed more as +an exponent of the temper of the ruffians than as an exhibition of pluck +and courage on the part of the boy. + +"You were right in calling these fellows the ruffians, Major Lyon," said +the recruiting officer. "I have no doubt there are many respectable +Secessionists in this part of the State, but I am confident they do not +associate with such fellows as you have had to deal with." + +"Such men are simply in favor of neutrality, which I look upon as a +fraud and a humbug," replied the planter. "They are gentlemen in the +truest sense of the word, and I am only sorry they are on the wrong side +of the question." + +The American flag was flying on the newly erected staff, and during the +forenoon the carpenters were busy preparing the fort for the new use to +which it was to be devoted. A skylight was put in the roof to afford +better light, a desk was brought from the library, and enclosed in rails +for the officer. Dr. Farnwright, who lived at Brownsville, was appointed +medical examiner, and the office was all ready for business by noon. + +Before that time a dozen men had presented themselves for enlistment, +and had signed the roll. A camp for the volunteers was to be established +in the vicinity as soon as practicable. The lieutenant had sent off a +requisition for uniforms, arms, provisions, and such other supplies as +would be needed. At dinner all were in excellent spirits, and the +location of the camp was discussed, and was decided after considerable +disagreement. When the party returned to the fort they found half a +dozen men waiting for the officer. While he was questioning them, a +tremendous outcry came from the direction of the mansion. + +"Fire! fire!" screamed the two girls, assisted by all the females in the +house. + +The planter, Levi, and the boys ran with all their might to the point +from which the alarm came. Before they reached it a considerable cloud +of smoke rose from the rear of the building, indicating the locality of +the fire. + +"The house is on fire!" screamed Dorcas. + +Major Lyon ran into the house; but Levi, as soon as he saw the smoke, +rushed around the mansion, followed by the two boys. In the rear of the +building was an ell, to which a one-story structure had been added as a +storeroom. The flames rose from this part of the house. Against it was +heaped up a pile of dry wood and other combustibles, and it was +instantly apparent to the overseer that the fire was the work of an +incendiary. No time was to be lost, for the flames were rapidly +gathering headway, and in a few minutes the whole mansion would be on +fire. + +The hands began to appear on the spot, and Levi sent the first one to +the stable for pitchforks; but he did not wait for them, and began to +draw away the combustibles with such sticks as he could obtain. The boys +followed his example, and the dry wood, blazing against the side of the +storeroom, was soon removed from its dangerous proximity to the +building. The work was effectively completed with the pitchforks as soon +as they came. + +"There are three men running away towards the swamp!" shouted Deck. + +"I see them!" added Artie. + +"Put the fire out first, and we will attend to them afterwards!" said +Levi. "Keep an eye on them while you work, and see where they go." + +The burning brands were removed from the house, but the flames were +already communicated to the building. Mrs. Lyon had not gone out at the +front door with the girls, but had rushed to the storeroom, where she +was soon joined by her husband. All the buckets in the house were +brought into use, including half a dozen leather ones that hung in the +main hall, and all the women were carrying water to the exposed point. +The fire had not yet come through the side of the building, and the +buckets were passed out the window to the overseer. + +In a few moments the fire was thoroughly drowned out, and everybody +breathed more freely. The lieutenant and the recruits had followed the +others, and assisted in putting out the fire. Deck and Artie turned +their attention to the three men they had seen, and had started in +pursuit of them; but Levi called them back. Then he sent to the fort for +several revolvers, not doubting that the men who were engaged in this +desperate venture were armed. + +But he did not wait for them, and told Artie to bring them to him as +soon as the messenger returned. Gordon and Deck went with him. The great +river was directly in the rear of the mansion, with the road to the +county town on its shore. The swamp between the lawn and the road was a +quagmire of mud, which was impassable for man or beast. The green from +which the estate had been named was high ground, and bordered on the +river, with the swamp between them. + +"I suppose this fire is the work of the ruffians," said the lieutenant +when the party had reached the highest ground in the rear of the house. + +"No doubt of that; but it is a mystery to me how any of them got this +side of the house without being seen," replied Levi. + +"But there is the road I came over yesterday morning," suggested the +officer. + +"And you can see that low place this side of it, where the ruffians +could neither walk nor swim. There is a pond farther along, with a +stream from it that flows into Bar Creek," the overseer explained. + +While they were on this high land, surveying the surrounding region, +Artie brought them the weapons which had been sent for, and informed +Levi that his father and the recruits were following the creek, looking +for the incendiaries. + +"I should say they came across the river above the bridge," said the +lieutenant, pointing in that direction. + +"But the rapids run close to the shore, and they would not find very +good boating right there," replied the overseer with a smile. "However, +we will go over to the river, and beat the edge of the swamp to the +pond." + +They went to the river; but nothing like a boat could be seen on the +shore. Then they followed the swamp till they heard a shot ahead of +them. + +"That makes it look as though Major Lyon had fallen upon them," said +Levi, as he quickened his pace. "There is another and another;" and two +shots followed the first one. + +The party broke into a run, and soon came in sight of the pond. On its +waters was a flatboat, or bateau, in which three men were paddling with +all their might towards the shore near the road to Bowling Green. The +planter had fired three shots at them; but they were too far off for the +range of the revolver. + +"Out of the reach of the revolver; and he had better have brought one of +the breech-loaders," said the lieutenant. "It looks to me just as though +they had a first-rate chance to escape." + +"We are not euchred yet," replied Levi, as he ran with all his might in +the direction of the pond, but to a point much nearer the road. "I have +often thought of this place since the troubles here began. The high +ground extends very nearly to the road, over which a bridge goes over a +small creek, flowing into the pond. I have crossed this place on a plank +to the road." + +"Then we are all right." + +"We are if I can find the plank. One of the cows got mired here, and it +was brought over to use in getting her out. There it is!" exclaimed the +overseer, rushing to the spot where it lay. + +It was carried to the swamp; and though it was too short to bridge the +dangerous place, it assisted, with the help of two long leaps, in +carrying them over. It was now seen that the ruffians had a wagon, with +which they had probably brought the boat to the pond. The party reached +the road just as the incendiaries leaped from the bateau. Levi fired the +six shots of his weapon at them, and the others followed his example; +but the enemy were too far off, and not one of them appeared to be hit. + +The moment they reached the shore they ran for the road, and struck it +at a considerable distance from the pursuers. The ruffians did not wait +to recover the team, but bolted with all their might towards Bowling +Green. It seemed useless to pursue them; for they had an advantage of a +hundred rods, and the overseer was too fat to compete in speed with +them. + +The wagon was only a haycart, drawn by two mules; and the incendiaries +could easily outrun them if they were used for the pursuit. The purpose +of the villains had been defeated, and Levi was disposed to be satisfied +with this result. The bateau was taken from the water, and loaded upon +the wagon. Major Lyon and the recruits started back to the mansion as +soon as the ruffians had effected their escape. + +The party seated themselves in the boat, and the mules were started for +a new home. When they reached the bridge over the upper part of the +rapids, they were not a little surprised, not to say startled, to see a +crowd of men marching over in the direction of Riverlawn. They were not +exactly a mob, for the head of the column was in regular ranks, and the +men were armed with muskets. + +"What does that mean, Mr. Bedford?" asked the lieutenant. + +"The placards we posted last night have waked up the ruffians, and they +are coming over here on the same mission as the three we have driven off +to Bowling Green," replied Levi, as he whipped up the mules. "They are +the ruffians without a doubt, and we are going to have music of some +sort before the sun goes down to-night." + +The information was carried to Major Lyon, who had reached the fort in +advance of them. The ruffians had doubtless made up their minds that a +company of cavalry should not be enlisted at Riverlawn, as advertised, +and it was evident enough to all that there was to be a fight before +this question could be settled. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +A BATTLE IN PROSPECT ON THE CREEK + + +So far as the overseer and the boys had been able to observe the crowd +on Rapids Bridge, they were in much better condition for an assault than +when they came before. The right of the line was formed in ranks, all +they could see of the assailants, for they had just begun to cross the +river. They were armed with muskets, or something that looked like such +weapons. + +Levi drove directly to the fort, where Major Lyon was telling those who +had not gone with him the result of the visit to the pond. There were +only six recruits present, though a dozen had before been enlisted. +These were all young men, generally the sons of the farmers of the +vicinity, and doubtless adopted the political sentiments of their +fathers. They were of a better class than the ruffians morally. + +"I did not expect to be besieged so soon, Major Lyon," said Lieutenant +Gordon with a pleasant laugh, though he had never been in anything but a +skirmish so far. + +"We shall hardly be besieged, Lieutenant, for I think it will be a fight +as soon as they get near enough to begin it," replied the planter, who +was seated on a log, resting himself after the hard tramp he had had +after the incendiaries. "But the enemy seem to be better prepared for +business than they were when they came before, for you say that all you +could see were armed with muskets." + +"I could not see at the distance they were from us how well they were +armed," added the officer. + +"About every family in these parts has one or more persons who do +something at hunting in the woods and swamps, and I reckon it would be +hard to find a house without a fowling-piece or an old king's arm in +it," said Levi. + +"They have all got guns of some sort," interposed Simeon Enbank, one of +the recruits. "They have been drilling all the time for the last two +days in one of Dr. Falkirk's fields." + +"I went over to look at them this morning, and the sight of them made me +so mad that I came right over here and enlisted," added Robert Yowell. + +"Good for you, Yowell!" exclaimed the officer. "Could you see what sort +of guns they had?" + +"I went in and looked at them; for they were not using them when I was +there. They were in line, sort of taking steps, as they do in a +dancing-school," answered the recruit. + +"But the arms?" + +"They were all sorts and kinds, mostly fowling-pieces and old +flint-locks that might have been used in the Revolutionary War." + +"But we are losing time," said Major Lyon impatiently. "If they had +reached the bridge when you saw them, they will be here very soon." + +"We don't lose time while we are looking up the condition of the enemy. +I believe you are all ready for an attack, and we can do nothing till +they reach the other side of the creek. But we can talk while we work," +replied the officer. "I suppose these recruits will assist us in the +defence of the place?" + +The six men all volunteered to perform the service required. + +"There are a dozen more men over in the grove," said Ben Decker; "for I +had a talk with them as I came along from the old road. They said they +expected to stay here all day, and they brought their dinners with +them." + +This was good news, and Deck was sent over after them. Major Lyon went +to the desk, and wrote a brief note to Colonel Belthorpe. He had already +ordered all the horses that could be saddled, and Frank was sent to +deliver the message the planter had written to Lyndhall. Decker was +provided with a steed for his mission, and a wagon was sent for the men +a little later. + +The negroes who had been slightly drilled in the use of the arms were +ordered to report at the fort, and all the hands on the place were +summoned from the fields, and held in readiness for anything required of +them. The six recruits were drilled for a little while in the use of the +breech-loaders. At the same time Levi did what he could to instruct the +negroes, though nothing like a military organization could be attempted +in the brief space of time available for the purpose. + +The twelve-pounders were loaded with canister this time; and Levi, with +four of the hands, was placed in charge of the fort. Deck and Artie Lyon +were sent down the creek to report the approach of the enemy, and found +they had halted at the cross roads, evidently to prepare for the attack. +The boys climbed a big tree to obtain a better view of the proceedings +of the ruffians, as they still called them, though they had reduced +themselves to something like an organization. + +[Illustration: "THE BOYS CLIMBED A BIG TREE TO OBTAIN A BETTER VIEW."] + +"There are a lot of wagons on the bridge," said Deck, who was the first +to discover them. "What do you suppose that means?" + +"There are three mule teams," added Artie, who had taken a higher place +in the tree than his brother. "I see now; the wagons are loaded with +boats." + +"That means that they intend to cross the creek," replied Deck. "They +ought to know this at the fort at once; and if you will study up the +thing while I am gone, Artie, I will run up and carry the information." + +"That is a good scheme; go ahead with it as quick as you can." + +Deck descended the tree with a haste which threatened the safety of the +bones of his body, and ran with all the speed he could command to Fort +Bedford. + +Lieutenant Gordon was drilling the eighteen recruits, the number from +the grove on the other side of the creek having arrived, and Levi was +training the negroes in the rear of the fort. All the men had been +supplied with muskets and rounds of ammunition. No attention was given +to facing, wheeling, or marching; for the use of the weapon was more +important than any other detail in the brief space of time available. + +Deck reported to his father, who was observing the drill of the +Africans, and in the hearing of Levi. It was not a mere accident that +Squire Truman was seen approaching the fort from the bridge; for he had +observed the movement among the ruffians in the village, and had seen +that the column was moving by a roundabout road in the direction of the +Rapids Bridge. He had no horse, but he had started at once on foot for +Riverlawn, to apprise the planter of the danger that menaced him. + +"It is time to do something," said the major, after he had welcomed the +young lawyer. "The ruffians have a wagon-train loaded with boats in +their rear, as my son has just informed me. We will adjourn to the fort +and call in the lieutenant." + +The information was imparted to the officer, and he joined the others in +the fort. + +"They intend to make it easy work for us to repel them," said the +lieutenant with a smile. + +"You are the only military man among us just now, Lieutenant, and I +place you in command of all the forces," added Major Lyon. "Levi had +some experience in the artillery many years ago." + +"I don't aspire to any command," added the overseer. "I will obey orders +as a private; and that is all I ever was in the artillery." + +"But I shall do something better for you," replied Captain Gordon, as +they began to call him from this time. "You are a good soldier, Mr. +Bedford, and I shall make an officer of you at once. You will limber up +your two guns, and haul them down to the boathouse. Have you any +gunners?" + +"Plenty of them, Captain; for I have trained enough of the hands to +handle a full battery," answered Levi. + +The planter had ordered both horses and wagons to be assembled in the +rear of Fort Bedford, in readiness for any emergency. A pair of horses +were promptly harnessed to each gun by the enthusiastic negroes whom the +overseer had trained for battery service, and the artillery was soon on +its way to the anticipated field of action. A supply of ammunition was +sent down by a wagon. + +The major and the squire mounted a couple of steeds, and rode to the +front of the fort, a horse having been sent for the use of the new +commander. The recruits were standing in line, leaning on their weapons; +but they seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation. As the +lieutenant approached, Jim Keene, one of the recruits, stepped forward +with an awkward attempt to be polite, and addressed the officer:-- + +"Captain Gordon, we are not going into the army with niggers," said he +in a very decided tone. "We ain't going to drop down to the level of +niggers, and we want to take our names off that paper." + +"Not a single negro has been enlisted, and will not be," replied Captain +Gordon. + +"But there is a squad of niggers marching down to the creek with muskets +in their hands," added Keene, pointing to the detachment that followed +the guns, with Levi at their head, mounted on his favorite colt. + +"If we had a sufficient force of white men here, we should not call in +the negroes as fighting men," interposed Major Lyon. "That Home Guard +that has just crossed the bridge over the river consists of over a +hundred men, and this time they are armed with guns. We can muster only +twenty-four white men at present to beat them off. The other night we +called upon the hands to help defend the place because no others were to +be had; and to some extent the same is true to-day. My house has been +set on fire, and that mob are coming to burn my buildings and capture my +wife and daughters. If the white man won't fight for me, the negro +will!" + +"That alters the case," replied Keene. "We didn't understand it before, +and we will fight for you, one and all;" and all the other recruits +shouted their acquiescence with one voice. + +"No negroes will be enlisted for the army, for there are no orders to +that effect," added Captain Gordon. + +"That's enough!" exclaimed Enbank. "We will stand by Major Lyon as long +as there is a Secesher in sight." + +"And you will find the negroes as stiff under fire as any white man +ought to be," said Major Lyon, as he galloped down to the boathouse, +followed by Squire Truman. + +Artie, up in the tree, had kept his eyes wide open, but there was +nothing more to be seen. Deck returned to him, and took his place near +him. The enemy was still halted at the cross roads. The wagon-train had +come up with the main body, and stopped in the road at the side of the +creek. Whoever directed the movements of the column had evidently +blundered, for the assailants did not appear to know what to do next. + +"There is only one boat on each wagon, which is drawn by two mules," +said Artie in the tree. + +"They must have expected to get the boats into the water before they +were discovered," added Deck. "Perhaps they would have done so if we had +not happened to see them crossing the bridge when we were coming up +after the hunt for the firebugs." + +"There comes our artillery," continued Artie, as Levi's section of a +battery galloped down the descent from the fort. + +At this moment a bullet from the enemy struck a branch of the tree just +above Artie's head. The boys had been discovered; and some one, with a +better weapon than most of those with which the guards were armed, had +fired upon them. + +"Get behind the trunk, Artie!" shouted Deck, a position he had secured +before. "Now use your musket, my boy!" + +They were near enough at their lofty position to make out individuals at +the cross roads, which were distant hardly more than double the width of +the creek. Deck had seen one man, who wore a semi-uniform, that took a +very active part in the movement. Having assured himself that this +person was not his uncle, the enterprising young soldier took careful +aim at him, and fired. Artie discharged his piece a moment later. + +"I hit the man in uniform!" exclaimed Deck, with no little exultation. +"A man is tying up one of his arms." + +Major Lyon heard the shot, and shouted to the boys to come to the +boathouse; and they obeyed the order, keeping the trunks of the trees +between themselves and the enemy as far as possible. They were no longer +needed in the tree, for the ruffian band could be plainly seen from the +boathouse, which was at a safe distance from the enemy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +THE SECOND BATTLE OF RIVERLAWN + + +The enemy did nothing, and seemed to be still in a state of confusion +and uncertainty as to what they should do. The new commander of their +forces was certainly even more stupid than Captain Titus had been. As +Deck had suggested, he had expected to surprise the defenders at +Riverlawn, so far, at least, as to get their boats into the water before +they discovered that they were attacked. + +"If they had any plan of attack it is a failure," said Captain Gordon, +as he and the planter were seated on their horses watching the enemy +from the front of the boathouse. "One of the recruits informs me that +they have a leader in the person of a captain from the Confederate army +in Tennessee, who was either sent for by Captain Titus, or was +despatched by General Buckner to organize recruits for the Southern +army." + +"I should say that his first business would be to prevent recruiting for +the Union forces," replied Major Lyon. + +"Whatever he is, he has made a mess of it," added Captain Gordon. + +"But what did he expect to do?" asked the planter. + +"Of course he expected to put his pontoons into the water, and send over +a force of from thirty to fifty men before they were discovered. If he +had done that, they could have acted as sharpshooters from behind the +trees on this side. They are just out of range of our muskets now, +though the twelve-pounders would catch them with a single shot of +canister." + +"But I don't wish to have any more of them killed and wounded than is +absolutely necessary," said the planter. + +"You desire to carry on the war on peace principles," answered the +captain with a smile. "You don't seem to understand that the war has +actually begun, and the more damage we can do the enemy, the better it +will be for us." + +"You are in command, and I shall not interfere with your operations," +said Major Lyon, as he rode off to the point where Levi was training his +gunners. + +The recruits in front of the boathouse were impatient for something to +be done. They were from the country around the village of Barcreek. The +frequent outrages against Union men and families had kindled a feeling +of hatred in them, and they were anxious to retaliate. The influence of +certain men like Colonel Cosgrove and Colonel Belthorpe had created more +Union sentiment than prevailed in many of the Southern counties of the +State, and the loyal men had been terrorized from the first indications +of trouble. + +"Why don't we fire at them, Captain?" demanded Enbank. + +"Why don't you fire at the moon? Because you are too far off, and +nothing is to be gained by it," replied the commander. "I am waiting for +the enemy to make a movement of some kind; and as soon as they do so, +you shall have enough of it, I will warrant you." + +"They are doing something now!" exclaimed Sam Drye. + +"The mule-teams are in motion!" exclaimed Major Lyon, returning to the +front of the building. + +"I see they are," replied Captain Gordon; "and there is a movement up +the new road, as you call it." + +"What does that mean?" + +"Probably it is intended to cover the launching of the boats. I think +the reprobates are in earnest this time," added the commander. + +About fifty men started up the new road, and immediately broke into a +run. The territory between the new and the old road was covered with +trees of large growth, though rather too sparsely to be a wood, but was +rather a grove. For about twenty rods above the cross roads the trees +had been cut off, and it was a stump field. As soon as the detachment +reached the grove they scattered and took refuge behind the trunks of +the big trees. + +"That is the idea, is it?" said Captain Gordon. "They intend to pick us +off from their covert. We must do the same thing. Scatter, my men; and +fire at will as you see a head." + +The recruits obeyed the order, and were sheltered behind the big trees +by the time the enemy reached the positions they had chosen. A desultory +firing was begun on both sides of the creek. The commander and the major +were on horseback, and they could not protect themselves as the recruits +did, and they rode to the rear of the boathouse. They found that Levi +had organized a shovel brigade there. The Magnolia had been taken out of +the water to prevent it from being captured by the marauders, and had +been placed behind the boathouse. + +Levi had moved the craft about twenty feet from the building, and had +propped it up, with the keel nearest to the creek. This was as far as he +had proceeded when the officer presented himself on the ground. Twenty +negroes, armed with shovels, which had before been brought down in the +wagon, were standing ready for orders. + +"What in the world are you doing now, Levi?" asked the planter, when he +saw what had been done. + +"I am throwing up a breastwork, so that my men can work the guns without +being shot down by the enemy on the other side of the creek," replied +the overseer. + +"A capital idea!" exclaimed Captain Gordon. + +"But you are putting it behind the boathouse, man!" shouted the major, +who thought he had detected Levi in an egregious blunder. + +"These negroes are worth from five hundred to a thousand dollars apiece +if you want to sell them, and not many of them would be left if I should +set them to digging in the open," replied Levi, laughing at his own +argument. "Those ruffians could pick them off at their leisure, and we +might as well not have any artillery if the cannoneers are to be shot +down as fast as they show themselves. I will warrant that fellow in +command on the other side has picked out his best riflemen for duty in +the grove." + +"The negroes are not for sale," replied the planter. "I should as soon +think of selling one of my sons as one of them. But the boathouse is +between you and the enemy, Levi." + +"How long do you think it will take me with the force at hand to move +the boathouse out of the way, Major Lyon?" demanded the overseer with a +very broad smile. + +"I indorse Mr. Bedford's work," added Captain Gordon, who had turned to +observe the operation of the enemy at the cross roads. "They are not +making a good job of their work." + +As soon as the recruits had been ordered to the trees, and before the +detachment sent to the grove had obtained their positions, Deck and +Artie had obeyed the commander's order in hot haste. They had chosen a +couple of trees on the very verge of the quagmire which lay between the +lawn and the road to the south; and when the ruffians attempted to move +the mules, both of them opened fire upon the animals. + +Both of the boys were good shots, and they hit the mark every time. The +mule, though one of the most useful beasts in the world, is very +uncertain at times. The testimony of soldiers is to the effect that +mules object to being under fire. The two boys were near enough to each +other to talk together, and they had agreed to fire into different +teams, and they had wounded one in each of them. The two that had been +hit not only made a disturbance, braying furiously, but they +communicated the scare to the others. The mule drivers could do nothing +with them, and in a minute or two the whole of them were all snarled up, +and the men were obliged to unhitch them from the wagons and lead them +away. + +The animals were so terrified that they bolted up the new road in spite +of the drivers, and turned in at the bridge, which seemed to promise +them a place of security, just as Colonel Belthorpe and his party +galloped up to it. The mules were permitted to take the lead. Major +Gadbury and Tom were with the planter of Lyndhall. Major Lyon saw them, +and, by a roundabout course, joined them in season to prevent them from +coming within range of the sharpshooters in the grove. + +It did not take the planter of Riverlawn long to explain the situation; +and he was informed that twenty Lyndhall negroes, under the lead of +Uncle David, in wagons, were on their way to the seat of danger. The +horses were left in charge of the servants, and the party made their way +to the fort, where they armed themselves with breech-loaders, and took +places behind the trees with the recruits. + +At the cross roads the enemy were attempting to get the boats to the +creek by hauling the wagons by man-power. It was a long pull for them, +but they succeeded at the end of a couple of hours. The party in the +grove and the one on the lawn were careful about showing themselves, and +the firing was continued on both sides without producing any decided +result. But by this time Levi had completed his breastwork. Rather to +make a smoke than for any other purpose, both of the twelve-pounders +were discharged, aimed into the grove. + +While the smoke hung about the boathouse, for one of the pieces had been +fired on each side of it, all hands seized hold of the building, lifted +it from its foundations, and bore it some distance towards the mansion. +The cannon were then drawn into the hastily constructed fort, loaded +with round shot this time, and were ready for use. The cracking of the +rifles in the grove had been quite lively during this operation, and two +of the negroes were wounded. + +By this time the first of the boats had been filled with men, who were +paddling it with all their might to a clump of bushes near the trees +where Deck and Artie were sheltered. Both of them fired into the crowd +in the boat. But it was hardly under way before Levi had brought one of +his guns to bear upon it. He was very careful in pointing the piece, and +the solid shot struck the craft squarely on its bow, knocking the thing +all to pieces. The black gunners cheered, and were almost mad with +enthusiasm. + +Another of the boats which had just been launched had to be used to pick +up the men from the first. They were taken to the shore. Then some sort +of a contention seemed to be stirred up among the party, the nature of +which could be easily understood, for it was almost sure death to embark +in the boats. In the mean time the shots from the recruits and others +behind the trees were picking them off, and the dispute ended in the +whole of them taking to their heels and fleeing towards the bridge. + +The fire from the grove seemed to be suspended at the same time; for the +sharpshooters could not help seeing that the plan of attack, whatever it +was, had failed. Colonel Belthorpe and Major Lyon came out from behind +their trees. Captain Gordon, who was a cavalry officer, thought it was +time for his arm of the service to come into action to harass the +retreat of the enemy, if nothing more, and he called in all the recruits +from their covert, and ordered as many men as could be mounted to rally +at the bridge. + +Twenty-four mounted men, including those from Lyndhall, were mustered, +each with a breech-loader, in the absence of sabres and carbines. +Captain Gordon led them down the new road to the grove. The force +occupying it had fled to the old road, and were hurrying to the Rapids +Bridge. Among the trees they found two men killed and three badly +wounded. Each of them had a rifle on the ground near him, and they were +weapons of excellent quality. + +The cavalry party followed the fugitives to the bridge, and at the +intercession of Major Lyon they were permitted to escape; for he was +confident they would not make another attack upon Riverlawn, at least +not till they had an organized regiment for the purpose. + +While they were upon the ground, Tom Belthorpe and Major Gadbury signed +the enlistment papers, as Deck and Artie had done before, and the +Lyndhall party went home. The recruits were dismissed for a week, and +ordered to report at Riverlawn at the end of that time. + +The second battle had been fought and won, and there was no present +danger of another attack, though patrols were kept along the creek till +the camp was formed the following week. The two attacks upon Riverlawn +was the current topic of conversation all over the county for the next +week; and so far from damaging the Union cause, it stimulated the +recruiting, and at the end of the week Lieutenant Gordon had the names +of a full company on his roll. He had reported his success, and had +received orders to enlist another company. + +The government supplied everything that was required, including sabres, +carbines, uniforms, ammunition, and lumber for barracks. Steamboats from +Evansville came up the river loaded with supplies; and as the water was +high from unusual rains, they landed their cargoes at the boathouse +pier, enlarged for the purpose. Each boat was provided with a guard, for +they were occasionally fired upon from the shore. Another officer and +several non-commissioned officers were sent to the camp. + +Barracks and stables were built, and the drill was kept up very +diligently. Riverlawn was no longer between two fires, for they were now +all on one side. Before, the fight had been a sort of neighborhood +quarrel; but now it had become a national affair. The outrages upon +Union men ceased in that locality, though they still occurred in other +parts of the State. At the end of a month two companies of cavalry had +been enlisted, forming a squadron, if another could be raised. + +About this time the Home Guard, under command of Captain Titus Lyon, +marched to Bowling Green for the purpose of joining the Confederate army +that was expected there. They went with such arms as they had used in +the second battle of Riverlawn, and without uniforms. They had a hard +time of it; for they had no supplies, and suffered from hunger and cold +in the cool nights. Titus's two sons, Sandy and Orly, were enrolled in +the company; but both of them deserted, though they had not been +mustered in, and went back to their mother, where they could at least +get enough to eat. The captain could not go home, for it required his +presence and all his skill and energy to keep his recruits from +abandoning the company. + +Noah Lyon saw nothing more of his brother after his visit to Riverlawn +when the lieutenant arrived. After he had gone to the South, his wife +and daughters called at the mansion, and declared that they were left +without money or means of support, except so far as they could obtain it +from the little farm. + +Deck and Artie Lyon, whose career as soldiers is to appear in these +volumes, now appeared wearing the uniform of cavalrymen, with sabres +clinking at their sides. They have been under fire, though not in a +pitched battle. They are frequent visitors on Sundays at Lyndhall, and +Kate Belthorpe has what her father called "a violent admiration for +Captain Deck," as he still insists upon styling him, assured that, if he +is not of that rank now, he will be in due time. The next volume will +present the two boys and others engaged in actual warfare; and what they +did will be found in "IN THE SADDLE." + + + + +THE BLUE AND THE GRAY + +NAVY SERIES + + TAKEN BY THE ENEMY + WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES ON THE BLOCKADE + STAND BY THE UNION + FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT + A VICTORIOUS UNION + + +ARMY SERIES + + BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + IN THE SADDLE (In Press) + A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN (In Press) + + (Other volumes in preparation) + + + + +LEE AND SHEPARD'S DOLLAR BOOKS + + +Around the World in Eighty Days. By JULES VERNE. Illustrated. + +One of the famous modern books. The author is both learned and +imaginative, and he brings the researches of the scientist in aid of the +story-teller with a skill attained by no other modern writer. + + +The Wreck of the Chancellor, and Martin Paz. Two stories in one volume. +By JULES VERNE. + +The first is an account of the shipwreck of a vessel which sailed from +Charleston, S.C., and was driven upon the west coast of Scotland. The +second is a story of life among Spanish-Americans and Indians in Lima, +South America. Both are masterly specimens of the author's style in +fiction. + + +Winter in the Ice; Dr. Ox's Experiment; A Drama in the Air. Three +stories in one volume. By JULES VERNE. + +The FIRST is a thrilling story of Arctic adventure. The SECOND is a +whimsical but most ingenious experiment with oxygen as a stimulant, upon +the people of a whole city. It is a most subtle and effective story. The +THIRD is the experience of an aeronaut with a madman while making an +ascent. + +The tales in the foregoing three volumes were translated from the French +by Hon. George M. Towle, author of "Heroes of History." + + +The Prairie Crusoe: ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. Translated from the +French. + +A Prussian officer after the battle of Jena found a child that had been +abandoned, and, moved by pity, took charge of it. Years afterward, the +child, having become a tall and brave youth, sailed for the New World, +and having landed upon the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, went into the +interior of the country. At that time the country was overrun by bisons, +bears, and other wild animals, and by Indians, who lived by hunting and +war. The youth had a plenty of thrilling experiences, both with brute +and human foes. He came near death many times; but his courage, presence +of mind, or good luck, or all together, saved him. Finally he returned +to Germany, where his adventures were far more agreeable than among the +Sioux. + + +Willis the Pilot: A SEQUEL TO THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. + +This is a fortunate continuation of the "Swiss Family Robinson," a book +which has had great and deserved popularity. The careers of the four +sons of that family are faithfully detailed, as well as the fortunes of +others who come upon the scene, including Willis the Pilot, a +weather-beaten sailor, whose saying and doings make him a person of such +prominence as to give his name to the book. The scenes are in the South +Seas; and the narrative treats of the geography, inhabitants, and +productions of little-known regions. The difficulties and dangers of +founding a new colony are faithfully related; and it is shown how by +intelligent labor and perseverance they may be overcome. + + +The Young Crusoe: THE ADVENTURES OF A SHIPWRECKED BOY. By DR. HARLEY. + +The variations upon the original theme of a shipwrecked mariner have +been many. In this case the hero is a young French boy, who was +abandoned by his comrades on a sinking ship not far from an island, and +who by swimming, in company with a large dog, got to shore, and lived +there many years. His dog was a faithful friend. He caught and reared +goats, and provided himself with food and other necessaries. Potatoes +were plenty, as were rice and other grain. It is a very pleasing story. +Of the visitors who afterward came to the island it is best not to +speak, for fear of revealing too much of the secret of the story in +advance. + + +Cast Away in the Cold: AN OLD MAN'S STORY OF A YOUNG MAN'S ADVENTURES. +By DR. ISAAC I. HAYES, the famous Arctic explorer, author of "An Arctic +Boat Journey," etc. + +The narrative is supposed to be told by an ancient mariner, Captain John +Hardy, of his early experiences in an Arctic voyage. + +It opens with a vivid description of the ice-floes, first seen as the +vessel sailed northward; and of the seal-catching by the sailors upon +the floating ice. Then came thrilling and fatal adventures with +icebergs, a shipwreck, and the prospect of death by cold or starvation. +The various expedients to get food,--seals, ducks, and other birds,--and +the long and finally successful efforts to procure fire for warmth and +for cooking, make some most interesting chapters. The meeting with the +Esquimaux gave a ray of hope, and at last deliverance came. The author, +as every one knows, was a famous explorer, and his book is a most +trustworthy account of the Frozen North. + + +ADRIFT IN THE ICE-FIELDS. BY CAPTAIN CHARLES W. HALL. + +This book chronicles the adventures and mishaps of a party of English +gentlemen in the early spring while shooting sea-fowl on the sea-ice by +day, together with the stories with which they while away the long +evenings. + +Later in the season the breaking up of the ice carries four hunters into +involuntary wandering amid the vast ice-pack which in winter fills the +great Gulf of St. Lawrence. Their perils, the shifts to which they are +driven to procure shelter, food, fire, medicine, and other necessaries, +together with their devious drift, and final rescue by a sealer, are +used to give interest to a reliable description of the ice-fields of the +Gulf, the habits of the seal, and life on board of a sealing steamer. + + +The Arctic Crusoe: A TALE OF THE POLAR SEA. By PERCY B. ST. JOHN. + +In this book of stirring adventure, the characteristics of the Arctic +regions have been described according to latest authorities. The regions +are those visited by Parry and Franklin. + + +The Year's Best Days. By ROSE HARTWICK THORPE, author of the well-known +poem, "Curfew must not ring to-night." + + "That day is best wherein we give + A thought to others' sorrows; + Forgetting self, we learn to live, + And blessings born of kindly deeds + Make golden our to-morrows."--INTRODUCTION. + +To beautiful stories are appended several poems by the author. + + +Dora Darling, THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT. By Mrs. JANE G. AUSTIN. + +The heroine of this story is a Virginia girl, who escapes to the North +by joining a Union regiment as a _vivandiere_. This is one of the best +of the distinguished author's works. Few American novelists have shown +such signal ability to compel the interest of readers. + + +Dora Darling and Little Sunshine. (Originally published under the title +of "Outpost.") By Mrs. JANE G. AUSTIN. + +In this story a child, whose pet name was Sunshine, strayed from her +friends, and during many years had many strange adventures. Dora Darling +came as her good genius, and did all that a true heroine of romance +should be expected to do. This is not, however, a child's book, but +appears to be written for youths in their teens. It is full of incident, +and, like all Mrs. Austin's books, is beautifully written. + + +The Border Boy, AND HOW HE BECAME THE GREAT PIONEER OF THE WEST. A life +of Daniel Boone. By W. H. BOGART. + +This is an authentic account of the career of the founder of the State +of Kentucky, and is full of thrilling incidents of the conflicts of the +early settlers with the Indian tribes. + + +The Printer Boy; OR, HOW BEN FRANKLIN MADE HIS MARK. + +An account of the early life and training of the illustrious man, who, +from a printer's case and press, went into the councils of the nation, +and afterward was received with honor in foreign courts. + + +The Bobbin Boy; OR, HOW NAT GOT HIS LEARNING. An example for youth. + +This book is the story of the early life of Nathaniel P. Banks, Member +of Congress and Speaker, Governor of Massachusetts, and Major-General of +Volunteers in the Civil War. Well written, and of absorbing interest. + + +The Patriot Boy, AND HOW HE BECAME THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY. A life of +George Washington for young folks. + +In this volume the main facts of the life and services of this great man +are set forth in a clear and fascinating narrative. + + +The General; OR, TWELVE NIGHTS IN A HUNTER'S CAMP. By Rev. WILLIAM +BARROWS, D.D. + +This is not in the least a romance, but a narrative of facts. "The +General" was the author's brother, born in Massachusetts in 1806, and +afterward one of the pioneer settlers of the West. It is a graphic +picture of frontier life now gone by forever. + + +Yarns of an Old Mariner. By MARY COWDEN CLARKE. + +This work was once published with the title of "The Strange Adventures +of Kit Bam, Mariner," and had great success among youthful readers. The +spice of the marvellous, which was once the necessary flavor of sea +stories, is not wanting here. + + +Planting the Wilderness; OR, THE PIONEER BOYS. A story of frontier life. +By JAMES D. MCCABE, Jr. + +Although the characters in this book are fictitious, the exciting +incidents, as related, are based upon actual occurrences. The leading +person is a Virginian, who in 1773 moved westward with his family, and +settled in the Ohio valley. + + +The Young Pioneers of the North West. By Dr. C. H. PEARSON, author of +"The Cabin on the Prairie." + +As the title suggests, this book is a story of frontier life, full of +movement, and absorbing in interest. The works of this author have been +extremely popular. + + +The Cabin on the Prairie. By Dr. C. H. PEARSON. A picture of an +emigrant's life in early days in Minnesota. + +The author says, "In writing this work I have lived over the scenes and +incidents of my frontier experience, have travelled once more amid the +waving grasses and beckoning flowers, heard again the bark of the wolf +and the voices of birds, worshipped anew in the log-cabin sanctuary." + + +Great Men and Gallant Deeds. By JOHN G. EDGAR. + +This is a history of the CRUSADES and CRUSADERS by an able and +accomplished writer, who (in his preface) says, "I have endeavored to +narrate the events of the Holy War, from the time Peter the Hermit rode +over Europe on his mule, rousing the religious zeal of the nations, to +that dismal day when Acre, the last stronghold of the Christians in the +East, fell before the arms of the successor of Saladin." + + +Golden Hair: A TALE OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS. By Sir LASCELLES WRAXHALL, +Bart. + +The scenes of this story are laid in the eastern part of Massachusetts, +in Rhode Island, and along Long Island Sound. The names of the fathers +give to the narrative an air of truth, although there is no pretence of +historical verity. + + +Battles at Home. By MARY G. DARLING. + +The motto of this charming domestic story is, "He that ruleth his spirit +is greater than he that taketh a city." + + +In the World. By MARY G. DARLING, author of "Battles at Home." + +The story opens with Class Day at Cambridge, and after some small delays +the chief personage is launched "in the world." Others come on the +scene: some as college students, and are full of their sufferings in +being hazed by the cruel "sophs"; some as society people, to whom the +waltz or german is the chief event of life; one as a sailor, who has a +terrible adventure; one as a poet, who aspires much, but writes like +other beginners. They are a natural and agreeable set of people, and the +reader becomes interested in them, especially in the young women. The +dialogue is uniformly bright, and the moral of the story good. + + +The Young Invincibles; OR, PATRIOTISM AT HOME. + +This is a story of the time of the Civil War, and its purpose is to +kindle and keep alive in the hearts of the young the sentiment of love +of country. + + +Schoolboy Days; OR, ERNEST BRACEBRIDGE. By WILLIAM H. G. KINGSTON. + +The popularity of this book in England has been remarkable, but not +without just reason. It is a well-composed picture of an English +school,--its buildings, grounds, teachers, classes, studies, and +amusements. The portrait, however, represents the great machine in +motion, and shows the boys at work and at play, and gives sketches of +the prominent pupils, with their quarrels and their friendly games and +competitions. It is a story as well as a picture, and one of absorbing +interest. The author is one of the most successful of writers for youth, +and his work shows a skilled and practised hand. + + +Antony Waymouth; OR, THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS. By WILLIAM H. G. +KINGSTON. + +A naval "adventurer" in the time of this story--which was the time of +Queen Elizabeth and of Philip II. of Spain--might be an honest merchant, +a pirate, or a commissioned officer, or a mixture of all three. In the +hands of this able and experienced writer, even the history of this +period becomes as fascinating as romance. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Brother Against Brother</p> +<p> The War on the Border</p> +<p>Author: Oliver Optic</p> +<p>Release Date: February 7, 2011 [eBook #35206]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by David Garcia, Mary Meehan,<br /> + and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Kentuckiana Digital Library<br /> + (<a href="http://kdl.kyvl.org/">http://kdl.kyvl.org/</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Kentuckiana Digital Library. See + <a href="http://kdl.kyvl.org/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=kyetexts;cc=kyetexts;view=toc;idno=b92-168-30116834"> + http://kdl.kyvl.org/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=kyetexts;cc=kyetexts;view=toc;idno=b92-168-30116834</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/tp.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1><span class="smcap">Brother against Brother</span></h1> + +<h2>OR, THE WAR ON THE BORDER</h2> + +<h3><i>The Blue and the Gray Army Series</i></h3> + +<h2>BY OLIVER OPTIC</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF "THE ARMY AND NAVY SERIES" "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD, FIRST AND +SECOND SERIES" "BOAT-CLUB STORIES" "THE GREAT WESTERN SERIES" "THE +ONWARD AND UPWARD SERIES" "THE WOODVILLE STORIES" "THE STARRY FLAG +SERIES" "THE YACHT-CLUB SERIES" "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES" "THE RIVERDALE +STORIES" "THE ALL-OVER-THE-WORLD LIBRARY" "THE BLUE AND THE GRAY NAVY +SERIES" "THE BOAT-BUILDER SERIES" ETC.</h3> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + +<h3>BOSTON<br /> +LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS<br /> +10 MILK STREET<br /> +1894</h3> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1894, by Lee and Shepard</span></h3> + +<h3><i>All Rights Reserved</i></h3> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Brother against Brother</span></h3> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Electrotyping by C. J. Peters & Son, Boston, U.S.A.</span></h3> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Presswork by S. J. Parkhill & Co.</span></h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3>TO<br /> +My Son-in-Law<br /> +GEORGE W. WHITE, <span class="smcap">Esquire</span><br /> +ONE OF TWO WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME TO<br /> +ME AS REAL SONS<br /> +This Book<br /> +IS AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY<br /> +DEDICATED</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus1" id="illus1"></a> +<img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">The Overseer elevated his rifle.</span>"</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE</h2> + + +<p>"Brother Against Brother" is the first of "The Blue and the Gray Army +Series," which will include six volumes, though the number is contingent +upon the longevity of one, still hale and hearty, who has passed by a +couple of years the Scriptural limit of "threescore years and ten" +allotted to human life. In completing the first six books of "The Blue +and the Gray Series," the author realized that the scenes and events of +all these stories related to life in the navy, which gallantly performed +its full share in maintaining the integrity of the Union. The six books +of "The Army and Navy Series," begun in the heat of the struggle thirty +years ago, were equally divided between the two arms of the service; and +it has been suggested that the equilibrium should be continued in the +later volumes.</p> + +<p>In the preface of "A Victorious Union," the consummation of the terrible +strife which the navy had reached in that volume, the author announced +his intention to make a beginning of the books which are to form the +army division of the series. Soon after he had returned from his +sixteenth voyage across the Atlantic, he found himself in excellent +condition to resume the pleasurable occupation in which he has been +engaged for forty years in this particular field. It seems to him very +much like embarking in a new enterprise, though his work consists of an +attempt to enliven and diversify the scenes and incidents of an old +story which has passed into history, and is forever embalmed as the +record of a heroic people, faithfully and bravely represented on +hundreds of gory battle-fields, and on the decks of the national navy.</p> + +<p>The story opens in one of the Border States, where two Northern families +had settled only a few years before the exciting questions which +immediately preceded organized hostilities were under discussion. +Considerable portions of the State in which they were located were in a +condition of violent agitation, and outrages involving wounds and death +were perpetrated. The head of one of these two families was a man of +stern integrity, earnestly loyal to the Union and the government which +was forced into a deadly strife for its very existence. That of the +other, influenced quite as much by property considerations as by fixed +principles, becomes a Secessionist, fully as earnest as, and far more +demonstrative than, his brother on the other side.</p> + +<p>In each of these families are two sons, just coming to the military age, +who are not quite so prominent in the present volume as they will be in +those which follow it. "Riverlawn," the plantation which came into the +possession of the loyal one by the will of his eldest brother, became +the scene of very exciting events, in which his two sons took an active +part. The writer has industriously examined the authorities covering +this section of the country, including State reports, and believes he +has not exaggerated the truths of history. As in preceding volumes +relating to the war, he does not intend to give a connected narrative of +the events that transpired in the locality he has chosen, though some of +them are introduced and illustrated in the story.</p> + +<p>The State itself, as evidenced by the votes of its Legislature and by +the enlistments in the Union army, was loyal, if not from the beginning, +from the time when it obtained its bearings. As in other Southern +States, the secession element was more noisy and demonstrative than the +loyal portion of the community, and thus obtained at first an apparent +advantage. The present volume is largely taken up with the conflict for +supremacy between these hostile elements. The loyal father and his two +sons are active in these scenes; and the taking possession of a quantity +of military supplies by them precipitates actual warfare, and the +question as to whether or not a company of cavalry could be recruited at +Riverlawn had to be settled by what amounted to a real battle.</p> + +<p>To the multitude of his young friends now in their teens, and to the +greater multitude now grown gray, who have encouraged his efforts during +the last forty years, the author renewedly acknowledges his manifold +obligations for their kindness, and wishes them all health, happiness, +and all the prosperity they can bear.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">William T. Adams.</span><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Dorchester, July 4, 1894.</span><br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#PREFACE">PREFACE</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. <span class="smcap">Troublesome Times in Kentucky</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. <span class="smcap">Something About the Lyon Family</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. <span class="smcap">A Northern Family in Kentucky</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. <span class="smcap">The Arrival and Welcome at Riverlawn</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. <span class="smcap">The Distress of Mrs. Titus Lyon</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. <span class="smcap">The Night Adventure on the Creek</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VI. <span class="smcap">The Night Adventure on the Creek</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. <span class="smcap">An Overwhelming Argument</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. <span class="smcap">A Most Unreasonable Brother</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. <span class="smcap">The Sink-Cavern near Bar Creek</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. <span class="smcap">Aroused to the Solemn Duty of the Hour</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. <span class="smcap">The Night Expedition in the Magnolia</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. <span class="smcap">At the Head Waters of Bar Creek</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV. <span class="smcap">The Transportation of the Arms</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV. <span class="smcap">The Establishment of Fort Bedford</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI. <span class="smcap">The Union Meeting at Big Bend</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII. <span class="smcap">The Ejection of the Noisy Ruffians</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII. <span class="smcap">The Demand of Captain Titus Lyon</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX. <span class="smcap">The Conference in Fort Bedford</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX. <span class="smcap">The Approach of the Ruffian Forces</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI. <span class="smcap">The Beginning of Hostilities</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII. <span class="smcap">The First Shot from Fort Bedford</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII. <span class="smcap">The Party attacked in the Cross-Cut</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV. <span class="smcap">The Encounter with the Ruffians</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV. <span class="smcap">The Gratitude of Two Fair Maidens</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI. <span class="smcap">The Skirmish on the New Road</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII. <span class="smcap">An Unexplained Gathering on the Road</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII. <span class="smcap">The Result of the Flank Movement</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX. <span class="smcap">The Humiliating Retreat of the Ruffians</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX. <span class="smcap">Levi Bedford and his Prisoner</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXI">CHAPTER XXXI. <span class="smcap">Dr. Falkirk visits Riverlawn</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXII">CHAPTER XXXII. <span class="smcap">The Arrival of the Recruiting Officer</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIII">CHAPTER XXXIII. <span class="smcap">One Against Three on the Road</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIV">CHAPTER XXXIV. <span class="smcap">The Fire that was started at Riverlawn</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXV">CHAPTER XXXV. <span class="smcap">A Battle in Prospect on the Creek</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVI">CHAPTER XXXVI. <span class="smcap">The Second Battle of Riverlawn</span></a><br /><br /> +<a href="#THE_BLUE_AND_THE_GRAY">THE BLUE AND THE GRAY</a><br /> +<a href="#Lee_and_Shepards_DOLLAR_BOOKS">Lee and Shepard's DOLLAR BOOKS</a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<p><a href="#illus1">"<span class="smcap">The overseer elevated his rifle</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus2">"<span class="smcap">Then you mean I am drunk</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus3">"<span class="smcap">He grappled with the fellow</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus4">"<span class="smcap">I had to be careful not to hit the lady</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus5">"<span class="smcap">It won't go off again until you load it</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus6">"<span class="smcap">Stop, Boy! shouted the man</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus7">"<span class="smcap">The boys climbed a big tree to obtain a better view</span>"</a></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h3>TROUBLESOME TIMES IN KENTUCKY</h3> + + +<p>"Neutrality! There is no such thing as neutrality in the present +situation, my son!" protested Noah Lyon to the stout boy of sixteen who +stood in front of him on the bridge over Bar Creek, in the State of +Kentucky. "He that is not for the Union is against it. No man can serve +two masters, Dexter."</p> + +<p>"That is just what I was saying to Sandy," replied the boy, whom +everybody but his father and mother called "Deck."</p> + +<p>"Your Cousin Alexander takes after his father, who is my own brother; +but I must say I am ashamed of him, for he is a rank Secessionist," +continued Noah Lyon, fixing his gaze on the planks of the bridge, and +looking as grieved as though one of his own blood had turned against +him. "He was born and brought up in New Hampshire, where about all the +people believe in the Union as they do in their own mothers, and a +traitor would be ridden on a rail out of almost any town within its +borders."</p> + +<p>"Well, it isn't so down here in the State of Kentucky, father," answered +Deck.</p> + +<p>"Kentucky was the second new State to be admitted to the Union of the +original thirteen, and there are plenty of people now within her borders +who protest that it will be the last to leave it," replied the father, +as he took a crumpled newspaper from his pocket. "Here's a little piece +from a Clarke County paper which is just the opinion of a majority of +the people of Kentucky. Read it out loud, Dexter," added Mr. Lyon, as he +handed the paper to his son, and pointed out the article.</p> + +<p>The young man took the paper, and read in a loud voice, as though he +wished even the fishes in the creek to hear it, and to desire them to +refuse to be food for Secessionists: "Any attempt on the part of the +government of this State, or any one else, to put Kentucky out of the +Union by force, or using force to compel Union men in any manner to +submit to an ordinance of secession, or any pretended resolution or +decree arising from such secession, is an act of treason against the +State of Kentucky. It is therefore lawful to resist any such ordinance."</p> + +<p>"That's the doctrine!" exclaimed Mr. Lyons, clapping his hands with a +ringing sound to emphasize his opinion. "Those are my sentiments +exactly, and they are political gospel to me; and I should be ashamed of +any son of mine who did not stand by the Union, whether he lived in New +Hampshire or Kentucky."</p> + +<p>"You can count me in for the Union every time, father," said Deck, who +had read all the newspapers, those from the North and of the State in +which he resided, as well as the history of Kentucky and the current +exciting documents that were floating about the country, including the +long and illogical letter of the State's senator who immediately became +a Confederate brigadier.</p> + +<p>"I haven't heard your Cousin Artie, who is just your age, and old enough +to do something on his own account, say much about the troubles of the +times," added Mr. Lyon, bestowing an inquiring look upon his son. "I +have seen Sandy Lyon talking to him a good deal lately, and I hope he is +not leading him astray."</p> + +<p>"No danger of that; for Artie is as stiff as a cart-stake for the Union, +and Sandy can't pour any Secession molasses down his back," replied +Deck.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to hear it. I heard some one say that Sandy had joined, or +was going to join, the Home Guards."</p> + +<p>"He asked me to join them, and wanted me to go down to Bowling Green +with him in the boat. He had already put his name down as a member of a +company; but of course I wouldn't go."</p> + +<p>"The Home Guards thrive very well in Bar Creek; and I noticed that all +who joined them are Secessionists, or have a leaning that way," added +the father. "The avowed purpose of these organizations is to preserve +the neutrality of the State; but that is only another name for treason; +and when affairs have progressed a little farther, the Home Guards will +wheel into the ranks of the Confederate army. President Lincoln made a +very guarded and non-committal reply to the Governor's letter on +neutrality; but it is as plain as the nose on a toper's face that he +don't believe in it."</p> + +<p>"I think it is best to be on one side or the other."</p> + +<p>"Isn't Sandy trying to rope Artie into the Home Guards, Dexter?" asked +Mr. Lyon with an anxious look on his face.</p> + +<p>"Of course he is, as he has tried to get me to join."</p> + +<p>"Artie is a quiet sort of a boy, and don't say much; but it is plain +that he keeps up a tremendous thinking all the time, though I have not +been able to make out what it is all about."</p> + +<p>"He is considering just what all the rest of us are thinking about; but +I am satisfied that he has come out just where all the rest of us at +Riverlawn have arrived, father. He and I have talked a great deal about +the war; and Artie is all right now, though he may have had some doubts +about where he belonged a few months ago."</p> + +<p>"But Sandy was over here no longer ago than yesterday, and he was +talking for over an hour with Artie on this bridge where we are now," +said Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"They were talking about the Union meeting to be held to-morrow night at +the schoolhouse by the Big Bend," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"What interest has Sandy in that meeting? He does not train in that +company."</p> + +<p>"He advised Artie not to go to the meeting, for it was gotten up by +traitors to their State."</p> + +<p>"That's a Secessionist phrase which he borrowed from some Confederate +orator, or at Bowling Green, where he spends too much of his time; and +his father had better be teaching him how to lay bricks and mix mortar."</p> + +<p>"But Uncle Titus is over there half his time," suggested Deck.</p> + +<p>"He had better be attending to his business; for the people over at the +village say they will have to get another mason to settle there, for +your Uncle Titus don't work half his time, and the people can't get +their jobs done. There is a new house over there waiting for him to +build the chimney."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you talk to him, father?" asked Deck very seriously.</p> + +<p>"Talk to him, Dexter!" exclaimed Mr. Lyon. "You might as well set your +dog to barking at the rapids in the river. For some reason Titus seems +to be rather set against me since we settled in Barcreek. We used to be +on the best of terms in New Hampshire, for I always lent him money when +he was hard pressed. I don't know what has come over him since we came +to Kentucky."</p> + +<p>"I do," added Deck, looking earnestly into his father's face.</p> + +<p>"Well, what is it, I should like to know? I have always done everything +I could since I came here for him."</p> + +<p>"Sandy told me something about it one day, and seemed to have a good +deal of feeling about it. He says you wronged Uncle Titus out of five +thousand dollars," said Deck, wondering if his father had ever heard the +charge before.</p> + +<p>"I know what Sandy meant. Of course Titus must have been in the habit of +talking about this matter in his family, or Sandy would not have known +anything about it," replied Mr. Lyon, evidently very much annoyed at the +revelation of his son.</p> + +<p>"I did not know what Sandy meant, and I thought I had better not ask +him; for of course I knew there was not a particle of truth in the +charge," added Deck, surprised to find that his father knew something +about the accusation.</p> + +<p>"I don't talk with my children about troublesome family matters, Dexter, +and your Uncle Titus ought not to do so. I shall only say that there is +not the slightest grain of reason or justice in the charge against me; +and Titus knows it as well as I do. If anybody has wronged him, it was +your deceased Uncle Duncan. Let the matter drop there, at least for the +present. Why does Sandy wish to prevent Artie from attending the Union +meeting to-morrow night?"</p> + +<p>"He said it was likely to be broken up by the Home Guards."</p> + +<p>"Then he probably knows something about a plot to interfere with the +gathering. I rode up to the village this morning, and I was quite +surprised to find that several whom I knew to be loyal men did not +intend to be present. When I urged them to be there, they hinted that +there would be trouble at the schoolhouse."</p> + +<p>At this moment a bell was rung at the side-door of the mansion, about +ten rods from the bridge where the father and son had been discussing +the situation. It crossed the creek a quarter of a mile from the river, +which has a course of three hundred miles through the State, and is +navigable from the Ohio two-thirds of its length during the season of +high water. The mansion was the residence of Noah Lyon; and after the +green field, ornamented with stately trees, which extended from the +house to the river, it had taken the name of "Riverlawn" in the time of +the former proprietor. The plantation extended along the creek more than +half a mile, including over five hundred acres of the richest land in +the State.</p> + +<p>Above the bridge was a little village of negro houses, so neat and +substantial that they deserved a better name than "huts," generally +given to the dwellings of the slaves of a plantation. Each had its +little garden, fenced off and well cared for. It was evident that the +occupants of these cottages were subjected to few if any of the +hardships of their condition. Many of them were just returning from the +hemp fields and the horse pastures of the estate; and they seemed to be +happy and contented, with no care for the troubles that were then +agitating the State.</p> + +<p>The bell had been rung at the side-door of the mansion by a black woman, +very neatly dressed. Back of the dwelling was the kitchen in a separate +building, according to the custom at the South. Mr. Lyon, though he was +the present proprietor of this extensive estate, was dressed in very +plain clothes, and had none of the air of a Kentucky gentleman. Deck was +clothed in the same manner; but both of them looked very neat and very +respectable in spite of their plain clothes.</p> + +<p>They came from the bridge at the sound of the bell. On the left of the +entrance was the dining-room, a large apartment, with the table set for +dinner in the middle of it. Two young octoroon girls were standing by +the chairs to wait upon the family, which consisted of six persons.</p> + +<p>"You have been shopping this forenoon, haven't you, Ruth?" asked Mr. +Lyon, addressing his wife, who was seated at one end of the table while +he was at the other.</p> + +<p>"I did not do much shopping; but I called upon Amelia, and found her +very much troubled," replied Mrs. Lyon, alluding to the wife of Titus +Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I should think she might be troubled," replied Mr. Lyon. "She does not +take any part in politics; but one of her brothers is a captain in a New +Hampshire regiment, and another is a major, and all her family are loyal +to the backbone. She has not said much of anything, but I know she does +not approve the attitude of her husband and her two sons. The last time +I saw her, she was afraid they would enlist in the Confederate army. +Titus won't hear a word of objection from her."</p> + +<p>"She told me an astonishing piece of news this forenoon," continued Mrs. +Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I shall not be much astonished at anything Titus does," added the +husband. "But what has he done now? Has he enlisted in the Confederate +army?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet; but Amelia says he has been offered the command of a company +of Home Guards if he will pay for the arms and uniform of it. He agreed +to do so, and has already paid over the money, five thousand dollars."</p> + +<p>"Is it possible!" exclaimed Mr. Lyon; and the two boys dropped their +knives and forks in their astonishment. "I did not think he would go as +far as that. He could not be a ranker Secessionist if he had lived all +his life in South Carolina, instead of nine or ten years in Kentucky."</p> + +<p>"This happened a month ago, and Amelia says the arms are hidden +somewhere on the river."</p> + +<p>"Does she know where?"</p> + +<p>"She did not tell me where if she knew. More than this, she says he is +drinking too much whiskey, and that the Secessionists have made a fool +of him. She is afraid he will throw away all his property."</p> + +<p>"I have noticed several times that he has been drinking too much, though +he was not exactly intoxicated."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Amelia said he meant to make you pay for the arms and uniforms," +said Mrs. Lyon, with some excitement in her manner. "He insists that you +owe him five thousand dollars."</p> + +<p>"If I did, he gives me a good excuse for not paying it; but I do not owe +him a nickel. Home Guards and Confederates here are all the same; and no +money of mine shall go for arming either of them."</p> + +<p>"Titus's wife says you are denounced as an abolitionist, Noah, and they +will drive you out of the county soon," added Mrs. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"When they are ready to begin, I shall be there," replied Mr. Lyon with +a smile.</p> + +<p>The dinner was finished, and the family separated, Deck and his father +returning to the bridge, followed by Artie.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h3>SOMETHING ABOUT THE LYON FAMILY</h3> + + +<p>The grand mansion and the extensive domain of Riverlawn had been +occupied by the Lyon family hardly more than a year when the political +excitement in Kentucky began to manifest itself, though not so violently +as in some of the more southern States. Abraham Lincoln had been elected +President of the United States, and south of Mason and Dixon's line he +was regarded as a sectional president whose term of office would be a +menace and an absolute peril to the institution of slavery. Senator +Crittenden of Kentucky proposed certain amendments to the Constitution +to restore the Missouri Compromise, by which slavery should be confined +to specified limits, and Congress prevented from interfering with the +labor-system of the South.</p> + +<p>Before Christmas in 1860, South Carolina had unanimously passed its +Ordinance of Secession, the intelligence of which was received with +enthusiasm by the Gulf States, all of which soon followed her example. +The more conservative States held back, and all but the four on the +border seceded in one form or another after some delay.</p> + +<p>In Kentucky the wealthy planters and slaveholders, with many prominent +exceptions, were inclined to share the lot of the seceding States; but +the majority of the people still clung to the Union. Both sides of the +exciting question were largely represented, and the contest between them +was violent and bitter. For a time the specious compromise of neutrality +was regarded as the panacea for the troubles of the State by the less +violent of the people on both sides. Home Guards were enlisted and +organized to protect the territory from invasion by either the Federal +or the Confederate forces.</p> + +<p>The occupation of Columbus and Hickman on the Mississippi River by +Southern troops, immediately followed by the taking of Paducah by +General Grant with two regiments of Union soldiers from Cairo, +practically dissolved the illusion of neutrality. The government at +Washington never recognized this makeshift of those who loved the Union, +but desired to protect slavery. It was honestly and sincerely cherished +by good men of both parties, who desired to preserve the Union and save +the State from the horrors of civil war.</p> + +<p>The government did not regard the seceded States as so many independent +sovereignties, as the Secessionists claimed that they were, but as part +and parcel of a union of States forming one consolidated nation, with no +provision in its Constitution for a separation of any kind, or for the +withdrawal of one or more of the individual members of the Union. The +States which had pretended to dissolve their connection with the other +members of the compact were considered as refractory members of the +Union, in a state of insurrection against the sovereign authority of the +nation, who were to be reduced to obedience and subjection by force of +arms; for they had appealed to the logic of bayonets and cannon-balls in +carrying out their disruption.</p> + +<p>With the duty of putting down the insurrection and subduing the +refractory elements in the South on its hands, the government could not +respect or even tolerate a neutrality which placed the State of +Kentucky, four hundred miles in extent from east to west, between the +loyal and the disloyal sections of its domain. If for no other purpose, +armies of Federal troops must cross the country south of the Ohio in +order to reach the seat of the Rebellion.</p> + +<p>The Home Guards were powerless to prevent the passage of the loyal +armies through the State; and any attempt to do so would have been to +fight the battle of the Confederate armies, and would have at once +robbed neutrality of its transparent mask. A portion of these military +bodies were doubtless honest in their intentions. Those who were not for +the Union in this connection were practically against it. Later in the +course of events, the Home Guards were incorporated in the armies of the +Rebellion; and no doubt these organizations were used to a considerable +extent to recruit the forces of the enemy.</p> + +<p>For a period of several months the State was not in actual possession of +either party in the conflict. One was struggling within its territory to +keep it in the Union, and the other to force it into the Southern +Confederacy. Irresponsible persons formed what they called a +"Provisional Council," elected a governor, and sent delegates to the +Confederate Congress, who were admitted to seats in that body.</p> + +<p>During this chaotic state of affairs, Kentuckians were joining both +armies, though the great body of them enlisted in the forces of the +Union. At the close of 1861 it was estimated that Kentucky had +twenty-six thousand men, cavalry and infantry, enrolled to fight the +battles of the loyal nation, including those who had joined the +regiments of other States.</p> + +<p>Deeds of violence were not uncommon in many parts of the State, growing +out of the excited state of feeling. Confederate emissaries were busy in +the territory, and armed bodies of them foraged for provisions and +fodder in the southern portions. Unpopular men were hunted down and shot +or hanged, and the reign of disorder prevailed. Such was the condition +of Kentucky soon after the Lyon family took possession of Riverlawn; and +some account of its several members becomes necessary.</p> + +<p>The first of the name in America had been one of the earliest English +settlers in Massachusetts; but one of his descendants, more than a +hundred years later, had moved to the colony of New Hampshire. Early in +the present century, one of his grandchildren was a farmer in Derry, in +that State. This particular Lyon had four sons, two of whom have already +been mentioned in this story.</p> + +<p>Duncan Lyon was the eldest of them, and seems to have been the most +enterprising of the four; for he emigrated to Kentucky, and purchased +the extensive tract of land which now formed the estate of Riverlawn. He +became a planter in due time from his small beginnings, raising hemp, +tobacco, and horses, without neglecting the productions necessary for +the support of his household. He was very prosperous in his +undertakings; and being a man of good sense and excellent judgment, he +became a person of some distinction in his county. He was known as +"Colonel Duncan Lyon," though he never held any military position; but +his title clung to him, and even his brothers in New Hampshire always +spoke of him as the "colonel."</p> + +<p>He never married; but he made a modest fortune of one hundred thousand +dollars, including the value of his estate, though not including the +value of about fifty negroes, men, women, and children, which for some +reason he never disclosed, he did not put into the inventory that +accompanied his will.</p> + +<p>The colonel's estate was on Bar Creek, at its junction with Green River. +One mile from Riverlawn was the village of Barcreek, a place with three +churches, several stores, a blacksmith's and a wheelwright's shop, with +a carpenter and a mason. It supplied the needs of the country in a +circuit of eight or ten miles. In fact, it was a sort of market town.</p> + +<p>There was not a great deal of building done in this region; but the +mason residing there had made a comfortable living, jobbing and erecting +an occasional chimney, till he died in 1852. The colonel notified his +brother, Titus Lyon, who was a mason in Derry, that there was an opening +for one of his trade in Barcreek, but he could not advise him to move +there.</p> + +<p>Titus was not a prosperous man; for he was rather lazy, and greatly +lacking in enterprise. The colonel did not believe he would do any +better in a new home than in the old one, and he bluntly wrote to him to +this effect. The planter had a suspicion that his brother drank too much +whiskey, for he could not account for his poverty in any other way; but +he had no evidence on the point. Titus decided to move to Kentucky; and +he did so, though he had to borrow the money of his brother Noah to +enable him to reach his new home.</p> + +<p>Business in his trade happened to be usually good after his arrival, and +for several years he did tolerably well. Then he desired to buy a house +and some land which were for sale in Barcreek. The colonel loaned him +five thousand dollars for this purpose, and to pay off his note to Noah, +mortgaging the estate he had purchased as security.</p> + +<p>From this time Titus did not do as well as before. He seemed to regard +himself as a landed proprietor, and the equal of the planters of +Kentucky. He neglected his work, feeling rather above it, negroes doing +most of the jobs in his line. He employed a couple of them, but they did +not earn their wages. The colonel had to help him out several times.</p> + +<p>As a planter in good standing among his neighbors in the county, Colonel +Lyon, who was not a profound thinker, fell in with the views and +opinions of those in his grade of society. He was not a strong +pro-slavery man, but he owned half a hundred negroes, who had been +necessary to enable him to carry on his planting operations; but he +treated them as well as though he had paid them wages.</p> + +<p>He was not inclined to make any issue with his neighbors on the labor +question, though some of them thought he was not entirely reliable on +this subject. He attended to his business, and did not vex his spirit +over extraneous matters. When the protection of the South against the +aggressions of the North in connection with slavery was agitated, he +followed his Kentucky leaders.</p> + +<p>On the question of any interference on the part of Congress or the +people of the free States he had very decided opinions. If he had ever +intended to manumit his negroes, as had been hinted in the county, no +one could object to his position after the subject began to be agitated +in the State. After eight years' residence in Barcreek, his brother +Titus was a more thorough-going pro-slavery man than the planter; in +fact, he had had a strong tendency in that direction when he lived in +Derry.</p> + +<p>Titus's wife was not a happy woman in her domestic relations. She was +better educated than her husband, and emphatically more sensible; and +she could not help seeing that Titus was frittering away his +opportunities, drinking too much whiskey, and associating with reckless +and unprincipled characters. Their two sons, Alexander and Orlando, were +following in the footsteps of their father. Even the three daughters had +imbibed strange notions from their associates, and belonged on the +Secession side of the house.</p> + +<p>Colonel Lyon was not permitted to witness the wild disorder which +pervaded the State after the election of the Republican President; for +he died suddenly in a fit of apoplexy, after he had eaten his Christmas +dinner, in 1858. He was only fifty years old, and perhaps if he had +taken more exercise and been more prudent in his eating and drinking, he +might have taken part in the stormy events of the later period.</p> + +<p>Colonel Cosgrove, a prominent lawyer residing at the county seat, and an +intimate friend of the deceased, was present at the funeral. Titus took +charge of the affairs of the mansion, and the lawyer intimated to him +that he should be present at Riverlawn the next morning to carry out the +wishes and intentions of his departed friend.</p> + +<p>Titus did not understand this notice, and supposed that the duty of +settling the estate of his brother rested entirely upon him. Colonel +Cosgrove came as he had promised, with a will in his hands, of which he +had been the custodian. He proceeded to read it without any ceremony, +Titus being the only other person present.</p> + +<p>The deceased valued his property at one hundred thousand dollars, +Riverlawn being placed at twenty-five thousand, the rest being in cash, +stocks, and other securities. The estate, including the negroes, +everything in the house or connected with the place, and ten thousand +dollars, half cash and half stocks, were given to Noah Lyon. The +document explained that he gave the money and stocks to Noah, because he +had supported and brought up the two children of his deceased brother +Cyrus.</p> + +<p>To his brother Titus he gave twenty-five thousand dollars, including the +mortgage note he held against him, half the balance in cash, and half in +stocks and bonds. To his brother Noah, in trust for the two children of +his brother Cyrus, deceased, twenty-five thousand dollars, to be paid +over to them when they were of age. Colonel Cosgrove said the deceased +had apportioned the stocks as they were to be given to the legatees, and +the money was in the county bank. He would come to Barcreek in about a +week to pay over the cash, and deliver the stocks to Titus.</p> + +<p>The lawyer was appointed executor of the estate, and he would hold the +property given to Noah Lyon until he came to receive it, or made other +arrangements in regard to it. Then he showed a letter, with a great seal +upon it, which he had been directed to deliver to Noah in person. Titus +wanted to know what the letter was about; but if the lawyer knew its +contents, he avoided making any revelation.</p> + +<p>It was evident to Colonel Cosgrove that Titus was dissatisfied with the +will, for a heavy frown had rested on his brow since the reading of the +first item of the instrument; but he said nothing, and very abruptly +left the legal gentleman.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h3>A NORTHERN FAMILY IN KENTUCKY</h3> + + +<p>Titus's eldest daughter, Mildred, had written to her Uncle Noah in New +Hampshire the particulars of the death of his brother after the fact had +been telegraphed to him by Colonel Cosgrove. The letter was hardly more +than an announcement of the decease of her Kentucky uncle, and the date +of the funeral. It was not possible for Noah to reach Barcreek in season +to be present at the last rites; but he wrote to Titus without delay.</p> + +<p>A few days after the telegram a letter from Colonel Cosgrove, the +executor, came to Noah Lyon, containing a copy of the will of his +brother. The lawyer, who had been the intimate friend and confidant of +Colonel Lyon, wrote with entire freedom to the distant brother. He +stated that his deceased friend had little confidence in Titus, and in +Barcreek he was not considered as an entirely reliable man.</p> + +<p>The most important item in the letter was that Colonel Lyon had passed a +whole day with him only a week before his death, talking most of the +time about his estate. He had lived at Riverlawn twenty-five years, had +developed the place from a wilderness, and was very much attached to it. +In his will he had left it to Noah, and he desired that he should move +to Kentucky and take possession of the estate.</p> + +<p>It required a week of consideration in the comfortable home of the Derry +farmer, in which the children, their own and the adopted ones, took +part, before a conclusion could be reached; but it was a compliance with +the request of Colonel Lyon. Within a year before his death the planter +had spent a month with the New Hampshire farmer, during which he had +told him all about his estate and his surroundings at Barcreek. They had +not met before since the elder brother first went to Kentucky; and the +Kentuckian formed a very high opinion of his New England brother, which +was quite in contrast with his estimate of Titus, who had been his +neighbor for six years.</p> + +<p>The colonel's will was dated within two months of this visit, and +doubtless he was thinking of his last testament when he went to New +Hampshire. As soon as it was settled that the family should make their +home in Kentucky, Noah wrote a long letter to his only surviving +brother, announcing his intention to leave Barcreek as soon as he could +settle up his business in Derry. He expressed himself with all brotherly +kindness, and was glad that they were again to live near each other.</p> + +<p>Titus did not even reply to this letter, though his wife wrote to Mrs. +Noah, expressing the pleasure she felt that they were again to be +neighbors. It was about two months after the death of Colonel Lyon that +Noah and his family arrived at Bowling Green, the county town, which was +the nearest railroad station to Barcreek, fifteen miles distant. Noah +Lyon had kept up his correspondence with the executor of his brother, +and Colonel Cosgrove was at the station when the family arrived. Titus +was not there, and he did not manifest much interest in the coming of +his only remaining brother.</p> + +<p>The distinguished lawyer extended a hearty welcome to the family, and +invited them all to dinner at his mansion. He wondered that Titus or +some member of his family was not there to greet the new-comers; but he +said little about him, though enough to show that he had not a very +exalted opinion of him.</p> + +<p>"You will find the mansion of your late brother in perfect order, Mr. +Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, as they rose from the dinner-table. "I was +over there yesterday, and satisfied myself that every thing was in +condition for your reception. The furniture remains just as it was in +the time of Colonel Lyon."</p> + +<p>"You have been very kind, Colonel Cosgrove, and I am very grateful to +you for all the attention you have given to my brother's affairs and to +me," replied Noah, taking the hand of the hospitable executor. "Does my +brother Titus live near Riverlawn?"</p> + +<p>"About a mile from it, in the village of Barcreek," answered the lawyer. +"Your brother, the colonel, had several boats; and when he went to the +village in the open season he usually made the trip by the river, rowed +by half a dozen of his boys."</p> + +<p>"I was not aware that he had any boys," added Noah.</p> + +<p>"His hands, his negroes; and he always called them boys. He was the best +friend they ever had," the colonel explained. "That reminds me that I +have a letter which your late brother required me to deliver personally +into your hands;" and the lawyer went to his office for it.</p> + +<p>He returned in a few minutes, and gave the letter, which was heavily +sealed with wax, to the new owner of Riverlawn. He had mentioned this +epistle in one of his letters to the new proprietor, and Noah wondered +as he looked upon its elaborate seals what could be the subject of the +communication. The colonel was speaking of the boys, which reminded him +of the letter; and he suspected that it had some connection with the +negroes. He put it in his pocket very carefully, and then looked at his +watch.</p> + +<p>"How far is it from this town to Barcreek?" he asked, still holding the +watch in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Fifteen miles; and as the roads are not in the best condition at this +season of the year, it will take about two hours and a half to make the +trip," replied the lawyer. "But it is only two o'clock, and you have +plenty of time."</p> + +<p>"But I must look up a conveyance," suggested the new proprietor of +Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>"A conveyance is all ready for you, Mr. Lyon," added the colonel. "I +directed Mr. Bedford to come over for you and your family, and he has +been here since nine o'clock this morning. He came with the road-wagon, +which will comfortably accommodate your whole family; and one of the +boys came over with another wagon to tote your baggage over."</p> + +<p>"You have been very thoughtful and considerate, Colonel Cosgrove, and I +am under very great obligations to you," said Noah.</p> + +<p>"Don't mention it, Mr. Lyon. I should be happy to have you spend the +night with me, for we have still a great deal to talk about," answered +the executor.</p> + +<p>"My family, as well as myself, are naturally quite impatient to see our +new home," suggested the New Hampshire farmer. "Fifteen miles is not a +very long distance even in New England, and I hope we shall meet often."</p> + +<p>"I shall visit Riverlawn often until you are well settled in your new +home. I have a plantation myself on the road to Barcreek, and about half +way there, which I visit two or three times a week; and I shall be glad +to give you all the information you need in regard to your surroundings, +or in relation to the management of your estate. You will see me +occasionally at Riverlawn, and I shall hope to meet you and your family +here, or at my estate, which is called Belgrade."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Colonel; I am sure we shall be good friends in spite of my +antecedents as a Northern farmer, for I am not a bigot or a fanatic."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt we shall be good friends and good neighbors," said the +Kentuckian, as he took the hand of his new client, and struck the bell +on the table. "Now I will send for Mr. Bedford, who has been the +overseer or manager of your brother for the last ten years. As the +colonel was, he is a bachelor of fifty, and has been one of the family +at Riverlawn. He is a thoroughly reliable man, and one of the late +colonel's best friends."</p> + +<p>A servant was sent for the overseer, and presently he appeared. He was a +rather stout man, and his round face seemed to be overflowing with +pleasantry and good-nature. He was duly presented to all the six members +of the family, and heartily shook the hand of each of them. He did not +at all answer to the description of plantation overseers which Noah Lyon +had obtained from the books he had read, depicting the horrors of +slavery. In spite of his occupation he took a fancy to him at first +sight; and all the family were pleased with him.</p> + +<p>The manager, as Noah preferred to call him, was Levi Bedford. He had +never been very successful in the management of his own affairs; but he +was a man after Colonel Lyon's own heart, and in his will he had given +him five thousand dollars, which was one of the grievances Titus had +against the testament. One of the virtues of Levi, as his late employer +always called him, was his extreme fondness for horses, with his skill +in raising and managing them; for this had been an important branch of +the planter's business.</p> + +<p>"I have started Pink over to the place with all your baggage, Major +Lyon, and I am ready to leave with the family when you say the word," +said Mr. Bedford, after they had conversed a few minutes.</p> + +<p>"I am not a major, Mr. Bedford," replied Noah; and all the family +laughed when they heard the military title applied to him.</p> + +<p>"Your brother was not exactly a colonel; but that is a fashion we have +down here of expressing our respect for a man by giving him rank in the +military," laughed the manager. "But I want you to call me 'Levi,' as +your brother did, and as Colonel Cosgrove does when there is no company +present."</p> + +<p>"Very well, Levi; I intend to conform to the customs of the country. We +are all ready to leave at once," added Noah.</p> + +<p>"My team will be at the door in four minutes and three-quarters, Major +Lyon," answered the manager as he left the room.</p> + +<p>"Call it five, Levi," added the colonel.</p> + +<p>"Less than that, Colonel," replied Levi as he closed the door.</p> + +<p>"I would give that man double the wages I pay my present overseer if I +could have him at Belgrade; and I should make money by the change," said +the host, as he went to the window of the drawing-room, to which the +party had retired from the dining-room. "The only fault he has is that +he is too gentle and indulgent to the negroes. The neighbors say he is +spoiling the niggers all over two counties. But I reckon the colonel was +more to blame for that, if anybody was to blame, for he had a soft +heart. I never saw two men less alike than your two Kentucky brothers," +continued Colonel Cosgrove, as Noah joined him at the window. "There is +your team, and Levi hasn't been gone quite five minutes."</p> + +<p>"Four horses!" exclaimed Noah.</p> + +<p>"Levi likes a good team and enough of it," added the lawyer.</p> + +<p>"And I never saw four handsomer horses in all my life," added the new +owner of Riverlawn, as he gazed with admiration on the magnificent +animals; and all the family hastened to the windows to see the turnout.</p> + +<p>"You will find at least thirty more of them when you get to Riverlawn."</p> + +<p>The road-wagon was a covered vehicle with four seats, large enough for a +dozen passengers. It was neatly painted and upholstered, and the +harnesses on the horses were elegant enough for a city turnout. The +whole family promptly realized that they were entering upon a style to +which they had never been accustomed. But Noah Lyon had suddenly become +a rich man.</p> + +<p>The colonel gallantly assisted the ladies to their seats. The horses +danced and pranced; but they were so well trained that they did not +offer to start till Levi drew up his four reins and gave them the word +to go. Hasty adieux were spoken, and the horses went off, gently at +first, but soon put in a lively pace.</p> + +<p>Noah and his wife took the back seat, Dorcas and Hope took the next one, +for all of them had been handed to these places by the colonel; Dexter +installed himself at the side of Levi, and Artemas had a seat all to +himself behind them. All was new and strange to them, and they observed +the buildings in the town till they passed out of the village. Then the +scenery was quite different from that of their former home.</p> + +<p>Only two of the four children were those of Noah and his wife. Dexter +was his son, and was sixteen years old at this time, while his sister +Hope was thirteen. Both of them had received a high-school education in +part, and they were both very bright scholars. People in Derry called +Deck an "old head," which meant that his judgment and knowledge had +ripened beyond his years. Without being a "goody," he was a good boy, +with high aims and noble impulses.</p> + +<p>Ten years before, Cyrus Lyon, one of the four brothers of whom Colonel +Duncan was the eldest, was a resident of Hillsburg in the State of +Vermont, where he had settled on a valley farm, which he had hired with +the intention of buying it when he was able to do so. He was married in +Derry, and had two children, with whom he moved to his new home. He +lived in an old house, between which and the public road flowed a small +river, nearly dry most of the year, but exceedingly turbulent in the +spring when the snow melted on the mountains.</p> + +<p>A freshet came, and the house was surrounded by water. The bridge over +the stream was raised, and Cyrus went out to secure it. His wife +followed to assist him, and while both of them were on it, a rush of +waters came which tore the structure into fragments, and both of them +were swept away by the mad torrent. They were drowned in spite of the +efforts of the neighbors to rescue them. But they saved the two children +who remained in the house.</p> + +<p>Noah had taken these two children and brought them up as his own, for +the father did not leave property enough to pay his debts. Artemas was +fifteen and Dorcas was seventeen. The colonel paid for their support for +ten years, and left each a handsome legacy, in trust with Noah.</p> + +<p>In two hours from the county town, Levi Bedford reined in his four +horses at the front door of the Riverlawn mansion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3>THE ARRIVAL AND WELCOME AT RIVERLAWN</h3> + + +<p>It was about five o'clock in the afternoon when the road-wagon drew up +in front of the mansion at Riverlawn. Less than a week before the +Northern family had left the deep snows and the icy cold of New +Hampshire, and the air of the Southern clime was comparatively mild and +soft. The magnolias were as green as in summer; certain flowers had +pushed their way out of the ground, and blossomed in the garden.</p> + +<p>The young people in the wagon had been delighted with the ride, the air +was so mild, and everything was so new and strange. They had struck the +river road leading from the estate to the village, and the rest of the +way was along Bar Creek to the bridge which crossed it to the mansion. +They had passed Pink, the old negro who came with the baggage, at +Belgrade, where he had stopped to water his two horses. Levi Bedford had +talked all the way, pointing out every object of interest to the +new-comers, telling stories, repeating all the old jokes of the +locality, which were quite new to his audience.</p> + +<p>As the manager wheeled his horses from the creek road upon the bridge, +he cracked his whip, which seemed to be the signal for the four spirited +horses to dance and prance, in order to make a proper display as they +reached the end of their journey. Gathered in the walks in front of the +house were all the servants of the mansion, and all the field-hands +belonging to the place, to welcome the family.</p> + +<p>There were just fifty-one of them, Levi said, and they all broke out in +a yell, which was intended for a cheer, as the magnificent animals +danced up to the front door. It was a cordial welcome, and the "people" +put their whole souls into it. Noah Lyon took off his Derby hat and +waved it to the crowd; Deck and Artie followed his example, all of them +bowing; while Mrs. Lyon and the girls flaunted their handkerchiefs +vigorously to the assembled population of the plantation.</p> + +<p>Most of them were somewhat shy at first, though they intended to give a +proper welcome to the family of the new proprietor, and they were rather +restrained in their demonstration; but as soon as the party waved their +hats and handkerchiefs, with pleasant smiles on their faces, all of them +shouted, "Glad to see you!" their enthusiasm being limited only by the +vigor of their voices and the strength of their lungs.</p> + +<p>The Lyons were intensely amused at the earnestness of the demonstration, +and they laughed heartily. They retained their seats in the wagon after +it stopped, more interested in the gathering around them than in +anything else for the time. The crowd closed up around the vehicle in +order to obtain a nearer view of their new masters and mistresses. They +had known and loved as a patriarch the colonel, for he had always been +kind and indulgent to them. Unfortunately they also knew Titus Lyon, by +reputation if not personally, and for a month they had been wondering +whether the new proprietor was like the colonel or his Kentucky brother.</p> + +<p>The "people" were of all ages, from the bald-headed old negro with a +flaxen fringe around his rear head on a level with his ears, down to the +infant in arms, whose toothless grin contrasted with the ivory display +of its mother. They were of all the hues of the colored race, from the +ebony face whereon charcoal could make no mark to the light saffron tint +of the octoroon.</p> + +<p>There was a plentiful sprinkling of "mammies" and "uncles" among them, +for all the older ones are called by these names. But the great body of +them were young or middle-aged men and women, able-bodied and fit for +regular work. Noah Lyon and his wife were particularly struck with the +appearance of two girls sixteen to eighteen years old, who were nearly +as white as their own children. They were neatly and modestly dressed, +and both of them had very pretty faces. They were employed in the house +as waiters at the table, and in other general work.</p> + +<p>"Glad to see you, mars'r!" shouted a score of the tribe in unison. "Glad +to see you, missus!" "Gib you welcome to Barcreek, mars'r and missus!" +"Glad to see de young mars'rs and missusses!"</p> + +<p>Levi, with a very broad and cheerful smile upon his round face, +descended from the wagon with the reins in his hand, which he handed to +a mulatto whom he called Frank, who had been the colonel's coachman. He +proceeded to assist Mrs. Lyon to alight, and her husband followed her +without any of the assistance tendered to him, for he was only forty +years old, and almost as nimble as he had ever been. The manager handed +the girls to the ground as politely as though he had served his time as +a dancing-master, and the young ladies smiled upon him as sweetly as +though he had been a younger beau.</p> + +<p>"This is Diana, Mrs. Lyon, the cook and housekeeper," said Levi, taking +a yellow woman of fifty by the arm, and presenting her to the new lady +of the house.</p> + +<p>"Diana, missus, and not Dinah," added the housekeeper, as the lady took +her hand.</p> + +<p>"I will always call you Diana, and never Dinah," replied Mrs. Lyon. "I +have no doubt we shall be good friends, though I am not used to your +ways in Kentucky."</p> + +<p>"This girl is Sylvie," said Diana, drawing the elder of the two +octoroons into the presence of the lady; and her color was light enough +to make her blushes transparent. "This is Julie," she added, bringing +the other of the pretty pair to the front. "Both of them wait on the +table, and 'tend on missus. Both of them come from New Orleans when they +were little girls, and both of them speak French like a pair of +mocking-birds."</p> + +<p>"I am very happy to see you, girls, and I think we shall get along very +well together, for I have never been used to having any one to wait on +me," said the lady, as she took each of them by the hand; and they were +so pretty that she was disposed to kiss them.</p> + +<p>The rest of the family were presented in like manner to the house +servants, and Levi introduced them to the rest of the people in a mass. +The Lyons all felt that they had suddenly become lions, at least so far +as Riverlawn was concerned. Noah had been a prosperous farmer in New +Hampshire, engaged in some outside operation in which he had been +successful; but even in haying-time he had never had more than three +hired men. This avalanche of half a hundred servants suddenly attached +to him was a new and novel experience; and the situation was just as +strange to his wife and the young people.</p> + +<p>Aunty Diana conducted the family into the house with many bows and +flourishes, followed by the pretty octoroons, and ushered them into the +drawing-room, which had seldom been used when the colonel was alive; for +he was as simple in his manners as Noah, though he felt obliged to keep +up the style of the mansion.</p> + +<p>"Help you take your things off, missus?" said Diana to Mrs. Lyon, while +Sylvie and Julie tendered their services to Dorcas and Hope.</p> + +<p>"We should like to go to our rooms, Diana," replied the lady. "I suppose +they are all ready for us."</p> + +<p>"All ready, missus."</p> + +<p>"Of course you can take your choice of the rooms, Mrs. Lyon," interposed +Levi, who had come into the house as soon as he had sent the people to +their cottages. "There are eight rooms on the second floor, besides two +company chambers; and I suppose Diana has already picked out one for the +owner and his wife."</p> + +<p>"You can take just what room you like, missus, but I picked out the +colonel's chamber for mars'r and missus, 'cause it is the biggest, has a +dressing-room and four great closets. I think that one suit missus +best," added Diana.</p> + +<p>"We will all go up-stairs and look at the rooms," replied Mrs. Lyon.</p> + +<p>She concluded to take the colonel's room, to which Noah assented; and it +was a palatial apartment to both of them. The girls were next provided +with rooms, and the two octoroons were unremitting in their attentions +to them. Though they knew that these girls were slaves, they treated +them like sisters, and before the day was over they were fast friends; +for both of them were utterly devoid of any Southern prejudices against +those who were so nearly of their own color. They were disposed to treat +all the servants kindly, but they had not the same feeling towards those +of ebony hue.</p> + +<p>The same sentiment prevailed through the family; and as a rule it +pervaded most of the enlightened families of the South. The girls as +well as the mother—and Dorcas and Artie looked upon and called Mrs. +Lyon by this endearing name—had been accustomed to wait upon +themselves, and they found it rather difficult to economize the willing +hands of Sylvie and Julie. But when Pink arrived with the trunks and +other baggage, the field-hands "toted" them to the proper chambers, and +the aid of the servants was very welcome, for both of them were tired +after the long journey they had made.</p> + +<p>As the great clock in the spacious hall below struck six, the family +were summoned to supper. Levi acted as master of ceremonies, for Diana +was busy in the kitchen, with her two assistants; but he seemed to have +some doubts about seating himself at his employer's table, though he had +always had a place there in the colonel's time.</p> + +<p>"Sit here, if you please, Levi, and always consider yourself as one of +the family," said Noah, after he had asked Deck to take the second seat +on the right, giving the manager the first, which is the seat of honor; +and the question of Levi's position at Riverlawn was settled once for +all.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Major Lyon," replied he, as he took the place assigned to +him. "I always sat at the table with Colonel Lyon, even when he had +guests; but it isn't always the rule with planters to have the overseer +at his table, and I am much obliged to you for your consideration."</p> + +<p>"When I had two or three hired men on my farm, they always came to the +table with me, and would have thought they were abused if they had been +placed at a separate board," laughed the embryo planter. "But they were +the 'mud-sills' of the North, you know."</p> + +<p>"I was raised in Tennessee, Major, and was tolerably well educated. I +was in business for myself in Shelbyville, the capital of our county, +which was named for one of my ancestors. But I did not succeed, for the +place was not big enough. I bought some nice horses of Colonel Lyon, and +for some reason he took a fancy to me."</p> + +<p>"I don't think that was very strange," added Noah.</p> + +<p>"When I failed, he wanted me to come and manage this place for him; and +I have been here ever since. He paid me well, and I have always done the +best I could for him. He was a good man; and it looks to me just as +though his successor was as good a man as he was."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Levi; I believe we shall be friends."</p> + +<p>"Betwixt you and me, Major," continued the manager in a low tone, "when +the colonel's health began to be rather shaky, though I had no idea he +was so near his end, I had a mortal dread that a certain other man would +come into possession of this place. Excuse me for saying that, but I +couldn't help it. Since I met you this noon, Major, I have been lifted +up to the seventh heaven."</p> + +<p>Noah did not deem it wise to make any reply to this remark then; but he +intended to inquire more particularly in regard to his Kentucky brother +when he had an opportunity; and it appeared that the manager had some +very pronounced opinions in regard to Titus. He changed the subject, and +continued to eat his supper.</p> + +<p>The meal was elaborate enough for a family feast. After the fried ham +and bacon, the fried chicken, with baked potatoes and the nicest white +cornbread the family had ever eaten, came hot biscuits, waffles, and +griddle-cakes, and cake of several kinds, which were fully approved by +Mrs. Lyon. Diana came in before the party rose from the table, and the +praises bestowed upon her handiwork in the kitchen would have made her +blush if she had been as light-colored as the two girls that waited upon +the table.</p> + +<p>When Noah Lyon went to his room after supper, and was alone there, he +took from his pocket the letter from his deceased brother which Colonel +Cosgrove had given him. It was with no little emotion that he broke the +cumbrous seals. It looked very much like a mystery to him, for the +estate had been duly divided in the will.</p> + +<p>It was a very kindly and brotherly letter for the first page. Then the +colonel stated that Noah had by the time he received the letter +discovered that the value of the fifty-one negroes on the estate had not +been included in his valuation of the property. They were worth at least +twenty-five thousand dollars. They had been given to him with the +plantation, but he enjoined it upon him on no account to sell one of +them.</p> + +<p>In the letter he found another as carefully sealed as the one that +enclosed it, directed to his successor, with the direction: "Not to be +opened till five years from the date of my death. Duncan Lyon."</p> + +<p>The letter evidently related to the slaves on the plantation; but the +mystery in regard to them was still unsolved.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h3>THE DISTRESS OF MRS. TITUS LYON</h3> + + +<p>In the rear of the drawing-room was the library. It contained about five +hundred bound volumes, and more than this number of pamphlets and +documents, which had accumulated in a quarter of a century. It contained +a large desk and a safe, and the apartment was an office rather than a +library, though the owner of Riverlawn had largely improved his +education by reading in his abundant leisure. The shelves were piled +high with newspapers and magazines, which appeared to have been the +staple of his intellectual food.</p> + +<p>Levi had given the key of the safe to the new proprietor; and after Noah +had read and reread the open letter, and pondered its contents, he +carried the one which was not to be opened for five years to the +library, and deposited it in the safe with the explanatory epistle which +left the whole subject a mystery. What was eventually to become of the +negroes was not indicated, but he was enjoined not to sell one of them +on any account.</p> + +<p>Though opposed to the extension of slavery, Noah Lyon did not believe +that Congress had any constitutional right to meddle with the system as +it existed in the States. He had never been brought into contact with +slavery, and did not howl when his brother became a slaveholder. Like +the majority of the people of the North, he was instinctively, as it +were, opposed to human bondage; but he had never been considered a +fanatic or an abolitionist by his friends and neighbors. He simply +refrained from meddling with the subject.</p> + +<p>The fifty-one negroes on the estate had been willed to him, and he was +as much a slaveholder as his brother had been. The injunction not to +sell one of them was needless in its application to him, for he would as +readily have thought of selling one of his own children as any human +being.</p> + +<p>It would require a bulky volume to detail the experience of Noah Lyon +and his family during the years that followed his arrival at Barcreek. +He was an intelligent man, richly endowed with saving common-sense, and +soon made himself familiar with all the affairs of the plantation. He +made the acquaintance of the servants, which was no small matter in +itself, for he ascertained the history, disposition, and character of +all of them.</p> + +<p>He found that his brother had not over-estimated the worth of Levi +Bedford, who soon became a great favorite with all the family. The new +proprietor found no occasion to change the conduct of affairs in the +management of the place, even if he had felt that he was competent to +improve the methods and system of his late brother. Everything went on +as before. Levi made the crops of hemp, tobacco, corn, and vegetables, +and raised horses, marketing everything to be sold. He consulted his +employer, but he had little to say.</p> + +<p>The family became acquainted with their neighbors within a circuit of +ten miles, and in spite of their origin they were kindly and hospitably +received by the best families.</p> + +<p>At the end of a year the Lyons had practically become Kentuckians. In +the following year came the great political campaign which resulted in +the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. Ominous growls had +been heard from the South, and even in the border State of Kentucky. +Noah regarded the situation with no little anxiety; but he continued to +attend to his own affairs, and it was not till the bombardment of Fort +Sumter that he began to take an active part in the agitation which was +shaking the entire nation.</p> + +<p>Titus Lyon was one of the most stormy and aggressive of the Southern +sympathizers. Even neutrality was a compromise with him. When Noah's +family took possession of Riverlawn, he did not call at the mansion for +several days, though his wife and Mabel, his eldest daughter, had spent +the day after their arrival with them. Though Titus said nothing at +first, or for months to come, it was very evident to Noah that he was +intensely dissatisfied with the distribution the colonel had made of his +property.</p> + +<p>The state of affairs in Barcreek has been shown in the conversation +between the planter and his son on the bridge. This seemed to be a +favorite resort for conferences, and they returned to it after dinner. +On one side of it was a seat which had been put up there years before; +for it was shaded by a magnificent tree which grew by the side of the +creek road, and the bridge was the coolest place on the estate in a hot +day.</p> + +<p>"Of course you heard what your mother said about her visit to Titus's +house to-day, Dexter," said the father, as he seated himself on the +bench.</p> + +<p>"I could not well help hearing it," replied Deck.</p> + +<p>"If there is anything in this world I abominate, it is a family +quarrel," continued Noah, fixing his gaze upon the dark waters of the +creek. "Your uncle seems to be disposed to be at variance with me, +though I am sure I have done nothing of which he can reasonably +complain. He is down upon every Union man in the county. I should say +that Barcreek was about equally divided between the two parties. But he +does not talk politics to me, as he does to every other man in the +place."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what he means when he says you owe him five thousand +dollars, for I thought the boot was on the other leg," said Deck, +looking into the troubled face of his father.</p> + +<p>"He owes me several hundred dollars I lent him before he sold his +railroad stock. He is able to pay me now, for he has turned his +securities into money, and he seems to be flinging it away as fast as he +can. He must be worth twenty-five thousand dollars, including his house +and land; but I don't know how much of it he has thrown away."</p> + +<p>"If he has spent five thousand dollars for arms, ammunition, and +uniforms, he must have made a big hole in it," suggested Deck. "He keeps +three horses when he has no use for more than one."</p> + +<p>"He never had a tenth part as much money before in his life, and he does +not know how to use it. He will be the captain of a Home Guard as soon +as he can enlist the men, and the people on his side of the question at +the village have begun to call him 'Captain Lyon,' or 'Captain Titus.'"</p> + +<p>"Sandy told me that he, his father, and Orly had been drilling for three +months with an old soldier who was in the Mexican War," added Deck. +"There comes Artie in one of the boats."</p> + +<p>"Where is he going?" asked Noah.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't know; Artie don't always tell where he is going," +answered Deck.</p> + +<p>His cousin, whom he regarded and treated as his brother, was pulling a +very handsome keel boat leisurely up the creek. The colonel appeared to +have had some aquatic tastes, for at a kind of pier half-way between the +bridge and the river were a sailboat and two row-boats, all of which +were kept in excellent condition. In places the river was wide enough to +allow the use of a boat with a sail, and the colonel had had some skill +in managing one; but neither Noah nor his boys could handle such a +craft, and it was never used.</p> + +<p>The creek extended back some ten miles through a flat, swampy region, +and Deck and Artie had explored it almost to its source in some low +hills not a dozen miles from the Mammoth Cave. Like most boys, they were +fond of boats, and nothing but the forbidding command of the planter +prevented them from experimenting with the Magnolia, as the sailboat was +called by the colonel.</p> + +<p>If the boys had explored Bar Creek to its source, they would have +discovered that it came out of the numerous "sinks" to be found in this +portion of the country, and streams flowed in subterranean channels +which honeycombed the earth at a greater or less depth below the +surface.</p> + +<p>"What are you up to, Deck?" shouted Artie, as he approached the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Nothing particular," replied the one on the bridge. "Where are you +going?"</p> + +<p>"Up the creek," answered Artie very indefinitely. "Can't you go with me? +It is easier for two to row this boat than for one."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to go now," returned Deck, who was too much interested in +the conversation with his father to leave him.</p> + +<p>"You may go with him if you want to, Dexter," interposed Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I don't care about going now, father. Do you suppose Uncle Titus has +really bought the arms and things as mother says?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"Your aunt is very much worried about the actions of your uncle. I +suppose he told her what he had done, for she would not make up such a +story out of whole cloth. Besides, it seems to be in keeping with a +dozen other things he has done; and he is certainly doing all he can to +raise a company in Barcreek," replied Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it strange that he never says anything to you about politics, +especially such as we are having now?" asked the son.</p> + +<p>"I don't see him very often; he is at Bowling Green half the time. +Besides, he and I never agreed on politics. By the great George +Washington, there he is now!" exclaimed Noah Lyon, springing up from his +seat on the bench.</p> + +<p>Titus Lyon was seated with his wife in a stylish buggy. He stopped his +horse on the bridge when he came opposite to his brother, and passing +the reins to Mrs. Lyon he descended to the planks. His wife drove on, +and stopped at the front door of the mansion. Frank the coachman ran +with all his might from the stable to take charge of the team, and the +lady went into the house.</p> + +<p>"How do you do, Titus?" said Noah, extending his hand to his brother.</p> + +<p>"I think it is about time for me to have some talk with you, Noah," +replied Titus, ignoring the offered hand, and bestowing a frowning look +upon Deck. "Send that boy away."</p> + +<p>"Dexter knows all about my affairs, and I don't have many secrets from +him," replied Noah very mildly, and somewhat nettled to have his son +treated in that rude manner.</p> + +<p>"I came over here on purpose to talk with you; and what I have to say is +between you and me—for the present. If you don't wish to talk with me +on these terms, that's the end on't," added Titus, rising from the seat +he had taken.</p> + +<p>"I will go with Artie, father," interposed Deck, who did not wish to +prevent an interview between the brothers, though he thought his uncle +behaved like a Hottentot.</p> + +<p>"Very well, Dexter; but you needn't go if you don't want to," said his +father, who evidently did not believe that the proposed interview with +Titus would be conducted on a peace basis.</p> + +<p>"I think I will go," added Deck, who hailed Artie from the bridge, and +then hastened to a plank where he could get into the boat.</p> + +<p>For a reason which he would not have explained if he had been +interrogated by his father, or by any other person except Deck, Artie +was very desirous to have his cousin go with him; in fact, he was +thinking of postponing his excursion, whatever its object, till his +cousin could accompany him, when the hail came to him from the bridge. +He pulled up to the plank, the outer end of which was supported by +stakes driven into the bottom of the stream, with a cross-piece above +the water. It had been built for the convenience of those taking one of +the boats near the mansion. Deck took an oar, and they pulled together +up the creek.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Titus Lyon was cordially welcomed at the door of the house by Mrs. +Noah, who had seen her coming from the window. The lady from the village +was in a high state of perturbation, and her eyes looked as though she +had been weeping.</p> + +<p>"I have had an awful time since you called upon me this morning," said +she, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. "I don't know what we are +coming to at our house. For the first time in my life my husband struck +me after we got up from dinner, and then hurried me down here with +hardly time to change my clothes!"</p> + +<p>"Struck you, Amelia!" exclaimed Mrs. Noah with an expression of horror.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it was all my own fault," groaned the poor woman.</p> + +<p>"No fault could justify your husband in striking you. But what was it +for?" inquired Mrs. Noah, overflowing with sympathy for her +sister-in-law.</p> + +<p>"You remember that story about the arms and equipments I told you this +morning? Well, it seems that my son Orly was listening at the half-open +door when I supposed that no one but myself was in the house, for the +girls had all gone off to the store. He heard the whole of it, and told +his father when he came in to dinner," gasped the abused lady in short +sentences.</p> + +<p>"He struck you for telling me, did he?" demanded Mrs. Noah indignantly. +"I should like to give him a piece of my mind!"</p> + +<p>"Don't you say a word to him about it, for that would only make it all +the worse for me. Titus says there is no truth at all in the story. He +has bought no arms. I misunderstood him; he was telling about a +committee in Logan County that had bought the arms and ammunition for a +company. It is all a mistake; and if you have told any of your family, +do take it all back, and say there is not a word of truth in the story."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Titus could see from the window that the two brothers were having a +stormy interview on the bridge; but she stayed till long after dark, and +had recovered her self-possession before she left. Noah had no supper +till she had gone, and the boys had not yet returned.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h3>THE NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CREEK</h3> + + +<p>If Deck Lyon had particularly noted the actions of his cousin in the +boat he would have noticed that he was less decided in his movements +than usual. He stopped rowing several times in the ten minutes or more +that elapsed after he had invited Deck to go with him; and one who had +been near enough to study his expression would have understood that he +had a purpose before him which he was not prepared to execute under +present circumstances.</p> + +<p>He had listened with the closest attention to Mrs. Lyon's report of her +visit at the house of Titus, and he was in a revery after dinner as he +observed Noah and his son walking to the bridge. He waited till he had +seen them seated on the bench, and then he walked slowly to the boat +pier. He was disappointed when his cousin refused to go with him; but he +was not inclined to persuade him to leave his father, for he concluded +that something of importance was under discussion between them.</p> + +<p>He was relieved, and all his vigor and animation came back to him as he +pulled to the house landing. Artie was more inclined than Deck to keep +within his own shell; but it was not for the want of native energy, and +both of the boys were disposed to do whatever they had in hand with all +their might. He brought the boat up abreast of the pier, and Deck +stepped into the bow without any further invitation. He took one of the +light pine oars from his cousin.</p> + +<p>"If you don't object, Deck, I would like to pull the forward oar," said +Artie, as his companion was seating himself.</p> + +<p>"It is all the same to me which oar I take," replied Deck, as he changed +his place.</p> + +<p>"I want to talk with you, and I can do it better when you are in front +of me," added Artie, as he shoved the boat out into the stream.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going? You seem to have something in your head besides +bones," said Deck curiously.</p> + +<p>"Besides the bones I've got a big notion in my head."</p> + +<p>"Is it a Yankee or a Kentucky notion, Artie?"</p> + +<p>"I picked it up here, and it is Kentuckish. But I don't want to say +anything now; for I'm afraid some one might hear me, more particularly +Uncle Titus," replied the bow oarsman as he took the stroke from his +cousin. "I wonder what brought him over here, for he don't come to +Riverlawn much oftener than he goes to church."</p> + +<p>"He acts like a regular Hottentot just out of the woods; and if there +are any bears in Kentucky they would behave like gentlemen compared with +Uncle Titus," added Deck, who proceeded to describe the manner of the +visitor on the bridge when the two brothers met.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Titus has got something besides bones in his head this afternoon, +and when he started to come over here he meant business," suggested +Artie. "Something is in the wind."</p> + +<p>"I wanted to stay and hear what was said, but Uncle Titus drove me off +as he would have kicked a snake into the creek. He was as grouty and as +savage as a she-lion that had lost all her cubs."</p> + +<p>"Did he say anything about that story your mother told at dinner?" asked +Arty.</p> + +<p>"Not a word; he drove me off as though I had been a cur dog before he +said a word about anything else," replied Deck, who could not easily +forget the brutal manner of his uncle. "But you have not told me yet +where you are going, Artie. You haven't any fishlines or bait, and I +suppose you are not going a-fishing."</p> + +<p>"Not up the creek, for the river suits me better for that business; but +I'm going a-fishing for something that won't swim in the water," replied +the undemonstrative boy.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that?" demanded Deck; and his interest in the +subject caused him to cease rowing, and Artie pulled the boat round so +that it was headed to the shore.</p> + +<p>"Pull away, Deck! What are you about? We don't want to stop here," said +Artie with more than his usual vigor.</p> + +<p>"I am about nothing; but when I talk with you I like to look you in the +face, for that sometimes tells the story better than your words," +replied Deck, as he gave way again with his oar. "As I said before, you +have got something besides bones in your head, and I am in a hurry to +know what it is all about. You can't talk it into me through the back of +my head."</p> + +<p>"But we don't want to stop here, Richard Cœur de Lyon!" protested +Artie, rather vehemently for him. "Don't you see that we are still in +sight of the bridge, and I would not have Uncle Titus see what we are +about for all the world, with Venus and Mars thrown in. Besides, we have +a long pull before us, and we have no time to spare."</p> + +<p>"But I want to know what it is all about," Deck objected. "I am not +going into any conspiracy with my eyes blinded."</p> + +<p>"Pull away, Deck! I don't want that Secesher to see us stopping here. We +shall come to the bend in five minutes; and then if you want to stop and +talk I will agree to it, though we haven't any time to waste," suggested +Artie as a compromise.</p> + +<p>"One would think you were going to set the river on fire by your talk," +replied Deck, profoundly mystified by the words, and more by the manner +of his companion.</p> + +<p>"We may set the creek on fire before we get through with this job," +continued Artie, deepening the mystery every minute. "There's Levi +Bedford," he added, as the manager, riding on a rather wild colt, in the +road leading to the fields, came abreast of the boat.</p> + +<p>He was too far off to talk to the boys; but he waved his hat to them, +and the boatmen returned the salute, as he continued on his way.</p> + +<p>"I wonder where Levi stands in the row that is brewing all over the +country," said Deck. "I don't hear him say anything of any consequence, +though he may have talked to father. He did not come from New England, +and I don't know whether he is a Secesher or not; and it looks as though +he did not mean anybody should know."</p> + +<p>"He don't belong to the Home Guards any way," added Artie. "He is a +Tennesseean, and it would not be strange if he had some Secesh notions."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he is going back on father," replied Deck, when the +manager had disappeared and the boat had reached the bend. "Here we are; +we can't see the bridge now, and the bridge can't see us."</p> + +<p>"We will stop if you say so; but we may not get back to the house before +to-morrow morning if we spend much time here," said Artie, as he rested +on his oar, and seemed to be very unwilling to use any of the time in +mere talk.</p> + +<p>"If the time is so short, why didn't you start out this morning? and why +didn't you let me know sooner that you were going to set the creek on +fire? We might have brought our dinners with us, as we did when we went +to school in Derry, and made a day of it," argued Deck.</p> + +<p>"Things were not ready this morning, and I started just as soon as I saw +the star in the east," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"You don't generally wait for the grass to grow under your feet when the +lightning strikes near you."</p> + +<p>"The lightning struck while we were at dinner," added Artie quietly.</p> + +<p>"But I think we can fix things so that we can talk and keep moving at +the same time," suggested Deck, as he rose from his seat with his oar in +his hand, and stepped over his thwart to the aftermost one.</p> + +<p>He seated himself on this thwart, facing the bow. The boys were not +skilled boatmen, though they had practised rowing a good deal on the +river and creek, and they had not trimmed the light craft to the best +advantage for ease and speed, for it was down too much by the head. Deck +asked his cousin to move one seat farther aft, and he complied readily, +in spite of the fact that he was the more skilled of the two in rowing. +In the smallest of the three boats at the lower pier he had often made +long trips alone up the creek, besides those when his cousin was his +companion.</p> + +<p>"That lifts the bow higher out of the water," said Artie as he took his +place.</p> + +<p>"So much the better," replied Deck, proceeding to give philosophical and +scientific reasons to explain what experienced boatmen know by instinct, +as it were. "Now take the stroke from me, and don't pull any faster than +I do."</p> + +<p>Placing himself in an angular position on the thwart, with his right +hand hold of the seat, he began to row with his left. While pulling +alone in the canoe, as the negro rowers called the smallest craft, he +had been inclined to protest against the accepted custom of going +backwards in rowing; and he would gladly have adopted the mechanical +contrivance in use on some of the Northern waters which enabled the +boatmen to pull while facing the bow. He wanted to see where he was +going without turning around, and he had practised rowing in this +position.</p> + +<p>Deck was heavier and stronger than his cousin, though hardly as agile. +Artie took the stroke from him, and it was quite as quick as he cared to +row on a long pull. They kept good time, and the boat went along as +rapidly as before.</p> + +<p>"Now light your match, and start the fire, Artie. We shall lose no time +by this arrangement, and we shall get back to the house before morning."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps, after you understand the nature of the enterprise, you will +not be willing to go with me," added Artie, looking earnestly into the +face of his cousin.</p> + +<p>"I can tell better about that after I know what it is," returned Deck, +reciprocating the earnest gaze of the other. "But it is you who are +wasting the time now. Why don't you come to the point without going +around all the buildings on the plantation?"</p> + +<p>"You heard the story mother told about the arms and ammunition Uncle +Titus had bought for the Home Guards in order to make himself the +captain of the company?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I heard it," and Deck was unwilling to say another word to +increase the preliminaries to the revelation.</p> + +<p>"Did you believe it?"</p> + +<p>"I did."</p> + +<p>"Then you are satisfied that Uncle Titus has a lot of arms hid away +somewhere in this region?" persisted Artie.</p> + +<p>"I had my doubts, and I spoke to father about it on the bridge just +before you came along in the boat. He thought that his brother was just +crazy enough to do such a thing; but he thought whiskey had a good deal +to do with the matter, especially in permitting him to tell his wife +about it. Of course Sandy and Orly are mixed up in this business. But +this is an old story by this time, Artie, and you have not told me yet +what you are driving at," said Deck impatiently.</p> + +<p>"We are going to look for the arms and ammunition, Deck!" exclaimed the +originator of the enterprise. "Is that talking plainly enough?"</p> + +<p>"To look for the arms and ammunition!" almost shouted the after oarsman, +ceasing to use his oar in the astonishment of the moment.</p> + +<p>"You insisted on my telling you all at once, and I have done so; you +have stopped rowing."</p> + +<p>"What you said was enough to throw a fellow off his base. Do you mean +that you are going on a wild-goose chase all over the State of Kentucky +to look for what may be a mere notion, conjured up by an overdose of +whiskey?" demanded Deck, still resting on his oar.</p> + +<p>"Don't get excited, Cœur de Lyon; cold steel cuts best," said Artie.</p> + +<p>"And that's the reason father puts his razor into hot water when he is +shaving."</p> + +<p>"I don't think anybody is right down sure of anything in this world," +continued the leader of the enterprise. "I think I am as sure as any +fellow can be in this State of Kentucky, where no man or boy can tell +which end he stands on, that I know where Uncle Titus's arms and +ammunition are hidden."</p> + +<p>"You know!" ejaculated Deck.</p> + +<p>"I think I know."</p> + +<p>"What are you doing up the creek, then? Didn't Aunt Amelia say that the +arms were concealed near the river?" asked Deck, hardly able to breathe +in his excitement.</p> + +<p>"I think I know where they are hidden better than she did. If Uncle +Titus told his wife that they were hidden on the river,—and that is +just what aunt said,—her husband intended to cheat her," said Artie +very confidently. "I should say that a dozen glasses of whiskey would +not have made Uncle Titus fool enough to tell anybody where the arms +were concealed, not even his wife; and they don't seem to be a very +loving couple since they came to Kentucky."</p> + +<p>"That's so," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"Do you remember that time about a fortnight ago when father spoke to me +about being out so late one night, Deck?"</p> + +<p>"I remember it; it was on the bridge."</p> + +<p>"That night I found out something I could not explain, but I can now, +after what I heard at dinner to-day. But we have eight or ten miles to +pull if we are going to find the arms to-day, and we must be moving," +added Artie.</p> + +<p>Deck rowed again, and they proceeded up the creek, Artie telling his +night adventure by the way.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h3>A STORMY INTERVIEW ON THE BRIDGE</h3> + + +<p>Probably Noah Lyon had never felt anything like the emotion of anger in +his being against his brother until they met that day on the bridge. As +one and another had said several times, no two men of the same blood and +lineage could have been more differently constituted. Noah had been a +diligent student as a boy, and a constant reader in his maturity; while +Titus had been the black sheep of the family, had neglected his studies +in his youth, and did not even read a newspaper in his manhood, unless +for a special purpose.</p> + +<p>Titus could read and write, and knew enough of arithmetic to enable him +to keep the accounts of his business. Whatever he learned after he left +school he gathered from the speech of people; and as his associates were +not of the intelligent class in his native town any more than they were +in his new home, his education was very limited and his moral aims, if +he could be said to have any, were not elevated enough to keep him very +far within the limits of the law, which were his principal tests between +right and wrong.</p> + +<p>Before he was twenty-one he obtained a position to drive a stage on a +twenty-mile route, so that he spent every other night at a tavern; and +this did not improve his manners or his morals. As a boy he had become +disgusted with farming, and had learned the trade of a mason, working at +it three years. Like his elder brother, he was a horse fancier, and was +a skilful driver. An accident to the old stage-driver placed him on the +box, and when the place became permanent he was only twenty years old.</p> + +<p>With so little intellectual and moral foundation as he had laid for his +future character, it was a misfortune for him that he was then a +"good-looking fellow." He boarded at the tavern, and paid only two +dollars a week in consideration of his position, for it was believed +that he had some influence with his passengers. He was well supplied +with money for one of his age in the country, and he spent all he had.</p> + +<p>He was an agile dancer, which, with his good looks, made him popular in +the town, especially with the girls. Amelia Lenox was a pretty girl. She +had a fancy for the handsome stage-driver; and, in spite of the earnest +objections of her father and mother, she accepted him as her husband, +and they were married. Titus took a cottage near the tavern, and for a +year, with the help of his and her father, they got along very well.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden a railroad shot through the town, and the business of +the place was gone in the twinkling of an eye. The wages of Titus +stopped, and he had a wife and child to support. He went to his father +for advice. The mason, who had done a good business in the town and its +vicinity, had grown old. Hopestill Lyon, the grandfather of the boys, +was his best friend, and bought out his business for Titus.</p> + +<p>For several years he worked well, made some money, and paid his +grandfather for the investment made on his behalf. But he did not like +the business. Unlike his brothers, he seemed to believe that fate, +destiny, circumstances, or some other indefinable power that regulates +the worldly condition of mortals, had misused and abused him; for he +ought to have been "born with a silver spoon in his mouth," with wealth +at his command, so that he could live in luxury without work.</p> + +<p>When he built chimneys, plastered rooms, or jobbed in filthy drains and +smutty fireplaces, he labored with an active protest against his +occupation in his soul, which extended down to his hands and feet, +shutting out ambition, and making him lazy. He was always on the lookout +for some other occupation, or for some change which would put more money +in his pocket. He did a vast deal of grumbling and growling at his lot, +occasionally taking home with him a gallon jug of New England rum, which +did not improve his condition. He was not a drunkard, but he was +unconsciously falling into a bad habit.</p> + +<p>His wife was an intelligent woman, and was a good helpmate; but it did +not require a prophetic vision to read the future, near or distant, of +Titus Lyon. It was said by some of the old people in the town that he +"took after" his grandmother, who had been a stylish woman in her +younger days, though the solid character of Hopestill Lyon had +controlled her inclinations so that she made him a good wife.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lyon reasoned kindly with Titus; but before she left her Northern +home she had lost whatever influence she had ever exercised over him. He +was eager to settle in Kentucky when the colonel's letter announcing an +opening for him came, and she was utterly opposed to the plan. It was at +least a change, and he was determined to make it, in spite of the fact +that his brother could not advise him to do so; and the result proved +the solidity of the colonel's judgment.</p> + +<p>For seven years Titus fawned upon his wealthy brother. He was as +obsequious in his presence as one of the field-hands of Riverlawn; but +the colonel did not believe in him as he did in Noah, especially after +his long visit to the latter. When the health of the planter began to be +slightly impaired a couple of years before his death, Titus was sordid +enough to think of what would become of his plantation, which seemed +like a mine of wealth to him, at the decease of the owner.</p> + +<p>He had talked planting, hemp, and horses to the colonel, and did all he +could to impress him with the belief that he was competent to manage the +plantation. It was his nature to believe in what he desired, and he was +satisfied that Riverlawn would be bequeathed to him, as it ought to be. +The reading of the will was a shock to him. The giving of ten thousand +dollars more than his fair share to Noah, who lived far away, and had +never even seen the plantation, in consideration for bringing up the two +orphans of his brother, excited his wrath.</p> + +<p>He regarded this gift as an absolute wrong to him, while he was +compelled in pay the note out of his own share. He went home from +Riverlawn that day choking down his anger; but he was furious in the +presence of his wife, though she did all she could to console him. She +pointed out the fact that he now owned his place clear of any debt, and +had twenty thousand dollars in cash, stocks, and bonds; but he was not +satisfied. He wanted Riverlawn, where he could live in style, with an +abundant income without work.</p> + +<p>As he brooded over his fancied wrong, it came to his mind that the +colonel's <i>ante-mortem</i> inventory had not included the value of the +negroes on the plantation. He hastened over to see Colonel Cosgrove, the +executor. He exhibited a copy of the will, and Titus studied over it for +half a day. Nothing was said about the slaves. Then he went to another +lawyer with whom he had had some political dealings; but this gentleman +assured him that he had no remedy; the colonel had an undoubted right to +dispose of his property as he pleased, even if he had given the whole of +it to Noah. He had bequeathed the plantation, the mansion, with all that +was in or on them, or appertaining to them; and this included the +negroes.</p> + +<p>For nearly two years Titus had nursed his wrath, and was earnest in his +belief that Noah ought to right the wrong the colonel had done him. Yet +he had never had the courage to make this claim upon his brother, or +even to mention to him the five thousand dollars which he insisted +belonged to him. The law could do nothing for him, his own lawyer told +him. Noah was his brother, now his only brother; and it was his duty, +according to every principle of right and justice, to pay over to him +half of the legacy of ten thousand dollars, and of the twenty-five +thousand dollars which was a low valuation of the negro property.</p> + +<p>The quantity of Kentucky whiskey which Titus consumed magnified his +wrongs and made him more unreasonable than his natural discontent would +have made him. When he learned from his younger son what his wife had +told Mrs. Noah, he was more furious than he had ever been known to be +before, and he descended to the brutality of striking her. He had taken +more than his habitual potion of whiskey, and it made him ugly. His wife +wept bitterly over the abuse she had been subjected to, both the words +and the blow, and she had fled to her bedroom.</p> + +<p>She was a high-spirited woman, and it seemed to her that the end of all +things had come, at least so far as her domestic happiness was +concerned. Her father was a well-to-do farmer; and neither he nor her +brothers would permit her to be abused by any one, not even by her +husband. A sudden and violent resolution came to her to return to her +father's house. While she was thinking of this remedy and of the parting +with her children, Titus rushed into the room. She must undo the +mischief she had done, and he would drive her to Riverlawn for that +purpose. He told her what to say, and she promised to say it; for she +felt that she had been indiscreet in what she had said.</p> + +<p>During the drive her husband had continued to abuse her with his unruly +tongue, and she had wept all the way. They found Noah and Deck on the +bridge, and Titus decided to pour out his grievances to his brother; for +his drams had brought his courage up to the point where he felt like +doing it. He was not intoxicated, but he had drunk enough to make him +ugly. He descended from the vehicle, and Mrs. Titus drove over to the +mansion.</p> + +<p>Dexter was sent away as before related, and the father was somewhat +moved by the rudeness with which the boy had been treated. He was a +mild-spoken man; and though he was quiet in his manner, he had more real +grit in his composition than Titus.</p> + +<p>"You seem to be excited, Titus," said Noah, as he seated himself on the +bench from which he had just risen.</p> + +<p>"I have good reason to be excited," growled the angry man. "My wife has +acted like a fool and a traitor to me!"</p> + +<p>"I am sorry for that, Brother Titus; but I hope you don't hold me +responsible for her conduct," said Noah in gentle and conciliatory +tones.</p> + +<p>"Not exactly; but you are responsible for enough without that, and I +have made up my mind that it is time for you and me to have a reckoning, +for you don't do by me as a brother should; and if father was living +to-day he would be ashamed of you," returned the mason, with all the +emphasis of a bad cause.</p> + +<p>"I was not aware that I had been wanting in anything one brother ought +to do for another. But we had better consider a subject of such +importance when you are cooler than you seem to be just now, Titus. Your +present complaint appears to be against Amelia, and not against me. What +has she done? I have always looked upon her as a very good woman and +good wife."</p> + +<p>"You don't know her as well as I do. I don't know what bad advice Ruth +has given her, or what influence she has over Meely, but she made her +tell a ridiculous story about some arms and ammunition," said Titus in a +milder manner; for he seemed to be intent upon counteracting the effect +of her action. "I s'pose Ruth repeated to you the story Meely told."</p> + +<p>"She said you had given five thousand dollars for the purchase of arms, +ammunition, and uniforms for a company of Home Guards, of which you were +to be the captain."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet that wa'n't all she told you," added Titus.</p> + +<p>"That was the substance of it."</p> + +<p>"I suppose most folks in Barcreek know all that."</p> + +<p>"I never knew it till to-day."</p> + +<p>"You don't go about among folks in this county as I do."</p> + +<p>"I don't associate much with Secessionists and Home Guards."</p> + +<p>"I do! But that is my business, and I have a good right to give my money +where it will do the most good; and I shall do so whether you like it or +not," fumed Titus.</p> + +<p>"I don't dispute your right; though I am surprised that a man brought up +in the State of New Hampshire should become a Secessionist when more +than half the people of Kentucky are in favor of the Union," added Noah.</p> + +<p>"'Tain't so! I never was a Black Republican, as you were, and I don't +begin on't now. If you want to steal the niggers, I don't help you do +it! But Meely told your wife something more;" and Titus looked anxiously +into the face of his brother, as if to read the extent of the mischief +which had been done.</p> + +<p>"I believe Ruth did tell me that the arms and munitions had already been +purchased, and were hidden somewhere on the river," added Noah. "But I +did not pay much attention to this part of the story. The material part +of it was that you had given so much money to assist in making war in +the State."</p> + +<p>"I give the money to keep the war out of Kentucky, and maintain the +neutrality of the State," argued Titus.</p> + +<p>"We had better not talk politics, brother, and I will not give my views +of neutrality."</p> + +<p>"The story my wife told about the arms was all a lie!" exclaimed the +visitor with an oath which shocked the owner of the plantation. "No arms +are hid on the river, or anywhere else. Meely understood what I said +with her elbows; and she has come down now to take it all back."</p> + +<p>"Very well; I don't care anything about the arms, though I should be +sorry to have them go into the hands of the Secessionists or the Home +Guards, for they are all in the same boat."</p> + +<p>At this moment Levi Bedford rode over the bridge on the colt, and Titus +was silent.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h3>AN OVERWHELMING ARGUMENT</h3> + + +<p>Levi Bedford had not come to the bridge to interfere with the +conversation or to listen to what was said; but as he was returning from +the distant fields of the plantation by the creek road, he could not +help seeing that a stormy interview was in progress on the bridge. He +believed that he understood Titus Lyon better than Noah did. He +considered him capable of violence to his brother when under the +influence of liquor, and he deemed it prudent for him to be within call +if he was needed.</p> + +<p>Noah would have scouted the idea of Titus raising his hand against him, +even when he had been drinking; for in former years they had always +lived together on the best of terms. Levi had seen more of the mason +within a few years than Noah. While the colonel lay unburied in the +mansion, he had spent most of the time at Riverlawn, and to some extent +had assumed the control of the plantation.</p> + +<p>The manager had not required the negroes to do anything but necessary +work during the sad interval; but Titus had interfered, and sent the +field-hands to their usual occupation. He had "bossed" Levi himself as +though he were only a servant, and even meddled with the affairs of +Diana in the house. The manager could not resent this interference at +such a time, and he could not help seeing that Titus was taking more +whiskey than usual; for he had even ordered Diana to bring out the +choice stores of this article which the colonel had kept for his friends +rather than for his own use.</p> + +<p>He talked to Levi just as though the plantation would soon come into his +hands, and had made himself as unnecessarily offensive to the overseer +and all the petted servants as possible. It would not be overstating the +truth to say that he was thoroughly hated at Riverlawn. Levi had packed +his trunk in readiness to leave as soon as the tyrant took possession of +the place; and even some of the people were thinking of making their way +to the free State of Ohio.</p> + +<p>Levi bowed and smiled as he passed the planter, but he only reined in +his fiery steed, and did not stop. He did not even look at Titus, much +less salute him, for he despised him; and pleasant as he was to all on +the place, including the people, he was an honest man, and appeared to +be just what he was. He rode over in the direction of the river, and +when he reached a thicket of trees and bushes he stopped the colt and +tied him to a tree. He remained there where he could see the bridge +without being seen by those upon it.</p> + +<p>"I wonder that you keep that fellow on the place," said Titus, as Levi +rode off. "In my opinion, and I have seen more of him than you have, +Noah, he is a rascal;" and the last remark was seasoned with an oath.</p> + +<p>"I think he is a very useful man, and my family are already very much +attached to him; for he is always good-natured, and kind and obliging to +everybody," replied the planter.</p> + +<p>"There ain't no accounting for tastes, as my wife says; but if I had +this place that cuss would get kicked out before he had a chance to +breathe twice more," said Titus with a look of disgust which caused him +to twist his mouth and nose into such a snarl that Mrs. Titus would +hardly have known him.</p> + +<p>Levi had not told his employer in what manner the would-be owner of the +plantation had conducted himself on the place after the death of the +colonel; and Noah could not understand why his brother had such an +antipathy to so genial a man as the manager, viewed from his own and his +family's standpoint.</p> + +<p>"I take Levi as I find him, and I have been very much pleased with him," +added Noah.</p> + +<p>"But I did not come over here to talk about that dirty shote," continued +Titus, suddenly bracing himself up to attack the subject of the +grievances which had gnawed like a live snake at his vitals for nearly +two years. "In the fust place, I want you to understand, Noah Lyon, that +there ain't a word of truth in the story Meely told this noon in your +house."</p> + +<p>"All right, Brother Titus," replied Noah. "I haven't looked for the arms +and ammunition, and I know nothing about them."</p> + +<p>"Do you believe what I say, Noah?" demanded Titus with a savage frown.</p> + +<p>"I have no reason to doubt your statement."</p> + +<p>"If you and your family want to make trouble over that statement, I +s'pose you can do so. You 'n' I don't agree on politics."</p> + +<p>"We are not disposed to make trouble. If there should be any difficulty +it will come from your side of the house, Titus."</p> + +<p>"You are an abolitionist, and folks on the right side in this county +have found it out. They don't believe in no Lincoln shriekers, and the +Union's already busted," said the Secessionist brother with a good deal +of vim; and in this, as in other matters, he believed the popular +sentiment was on the side he wished it to be.</p> + +<p>"I voted for Lincoln, and I believe in the Union," added Noah quietly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and there is five hundred men in this county that would like to +drive you out of the State, and burn your house over your head!" +exclaimed Titus, becoming not a little excited. "I believe they'd done +it before this time if I hadn't stood in their way."</p> + +<p>"Then I am very much obliged to you for your friendly influence. I was +not aware that I had been in any peril before," returned Noah with a +smile, which was suggestive of a doubt in his mind. "Do you think I am +in any danger from such an outrage as you suggest?"</p> + +<p>"I know you are!" Titus belched out with something like fury in his +manner. "If it hadn't been for me they'd done it before now. You haven't +been a bit keerful in your doings. You've got up a Union meeting at the +Big Bend schoolhouse for to-morrow night; and if you go on with it, I'm +almost sure you will get cleaned out; and the folks on the right side +may come over here, after they have shut your mouths at the Bend, and +see whether your house will burn or not. I have done all I could to keep +our folks quiet, and advised them not to meddle with the meeting at the +schoolhouse; but if you keep on the way you're going, I won't be +responsible for what happens."</p> + +<p>"Though I came from the North since you did, all the people I meet seem +to be very friendly to me," answered Noah, the smile still playing upon +his lips; a satirical smile which indicated that he did not believe more +than a very small fraction of what his brother had been saying.</p> + +<p>He had no doubt that the gang with whom Titus and his sons associated +would do all and even more than he prophesied; but they did not form the +public sentiment of the county.</p> + +<p>"You don't meet all nor a tenth part of the people, and you don't know +what is running in their heads," protested the Secessionist. "You and +your two boys keep on howling for the Union when the people round here +are all dead set agin it. What can you expect? Seven States is out of +the Union, and that busts the whole thing."</p> + +<p>"I don't think a majority of the people about here are of your way of +thinking, Brother Titus; but if I am in danger of mob violence, as you +say I am, my house is my castle; I shall defend it as long as there is +anything left of me," added Noah, the same smile resting on his lips as +he uttered his strong words.</p> + +<p>"Defend your house!" said Titus with a bitter sneer. "You hadn't better +do anything of the sort. If you show fight, the crowd will hang you to +one of them big trees. You ain't reasonable, Noah. Do you cal'late on +fighting the whole county?"</p> + +<p>"We differ considerably in regard to the state of feeling in this +county. We are between two fires, and I think we had better not say +anything more on that subject."</p> + +<p>"That's so; but one fire is an alfired sight hotter than t'other; and +that's the one that will burn up that big house of yourn."</p> + +<p>"I shall defend my house, and I think I shall be able to hold my own. +But I am not an abolitionist any more than you are, Brother Titus," +mildly suggested Noah.</p> + +<p>"You shriek for the Union, and it's all the same thing among honest +folks down here," retorted the Secessionist.</p> + +<p>"I hold about fifty slaves, and I had an idea that this made me a +slaveholder," said Noah lightly.</p> + +<p>"Don't you own 'em?" demanded Titus violently; for this subject touched +upon one of his grievances. "I have done everything I could to save you +from any hard usage on the part of our folks in spite of the way you've +used me."</p> + +<p>"I am not aware that I have used you badly, Brother Titus."</p> + +<p>"You call me brother; but judging from your actions you ain't no brother +of mine."</p> + +<p>"I should like to have you tell me in what manner I have wronged you, +Titus. I hear from others that I owe you five thousand dollars; but I am +not aware that I owe you a nickel," replied the planter, who had by this +time come to the conclusion that the quarrel his brother insisted upon +fomenting might as well be brought to a head then as at any other time.</p> + +<p>Titus was silent for a moment, and resumed his seat on the bench, from +which he had risen a dozen times in his excitement as the interview +proceeded. He looked as though he was gathering up his thoughts in order +to present his argument, as he evidently intended it should be, in the +most forcible manner.</p> + +<p>"If a man has two brothers, and one of them goes back on him, is that +any reason why the other should go back on him?" asked the dissatisfied +one with more coolness and dignity than he had before exhibited.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Amelia, years before, had tried to reform his language, picked up +in the taverns and among coarse associates, and she had succeeded to +some extent. He could talk with a fair degree of correctness; but he had +two methods of expression, one of which he called his "Sunday lingo," +used on state occasions, and his ordinary speech at home and among his +chosen associates, enlarged by the addition of some Southern words and +phrases. He began his argument in his best style, though he had never +been able to banish his use of the milder slang.</p> + +<p>"Decidedly not," replied Noah very promptly. "On the contrary, he ought +to stand by the brother if he has been wronged."</p> + +<p>"That is just exactly what you have not done, Noah Lyon!" exclaimed +Titus, springing from his seat again. "And Nathan said unto David, 'Thou +art the man!'"</p> + +<p>"Which means that I am the man," answered Noah, his smile becoming +almost a laugh. "I didn't know, Brother Titus, that I was the David, and +I must ask you to explain."</p> + +<p>"Dunk went back on me," continued the malcontent, recalling the name by +which the colonel was known on the farm in his boyhood.</p> + +<p>"I was not aware that Dunk did any such a thing. I suppose you mean in +his will."</p> + +<p>"That is just what I mean!" stormed Titus. "He gave you ten thousand +dollars more than he gave me; and that was not fair or right."</p> + +<p>"But the will explains why he did so."</p> + +<p>"On account of fetching up them two children! I wouldn't have brought in +any bill for taking care of my dead brother's children. I ain't one of +them sort!" protested Titus.</p> + +<p>"But you refused to take one of them into your family when I proposed it +to you," suggested Noah very gently.</p> + +<p>"Because my wife was sick at the time," said Titus, wincing at the +remark.</p> + +<p>"You did not offer to take one of them afterwards. But I did not bring +in any bill; I never even mentioned the matter to the colonel when I +wrote to him. I boarded, clothed, and schooled them for ten years, and +paid all their doctor's bills."</p> + +<p>"But Dunk gave you ten thousand dollars for it; and it wasn't right. He +spent a month with you in Derry not long before he died, and you +smoothed his fur in the right way," snarled Titus.</p> + +<p>"But the children were not mentioned. I am sure it cost me a thousand +dollars a year to take care of the children; but I did not complain, and +never asked you or Dunk to pay a cent of the cost. The colonel made his +will to suit himself; and he never spoke or wrote of the matter to me."</p> + +<p>"You got on the right side of him, and he cheated me out of what +rightfully belonged to me. I ain't talking about law, but about right. +Half of that ten thousand belongs to me, and you are keeping me out of +it."</p> + +<p>"It was right for you and Dunk to pay as much for supporting the orphans +as I did. Then you and he owed me two-thirds of the sum bequeathed to +me. At compound interest that would amount to more than I receive under +the will. I will figure it up when I have time, and of course if you owe +me anything on this account, you will pay me."</p> + +<p>This argument completely overwhelmed Titus; but Levi had concluded there +would be no violence, and dashed over the bridge on his fiery colt.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h3>A MOST UNREASONABLE BROTHER</h3> + + +<p>Titus Lyon dropped into his seat once more when Levi approached. He +scowled at the manager as he swept by with a bow to his employer. He had +been talking very loud about what was fair and right, and he could not +deny that the expense of supporting the orphans ought to be divided +among the three brothers. According to Noah's calculation, the boot had +been transferred to the other leg, and he owed his brother something on +this account if the matter was to be equitably adjusted.</p> + +<p>Titus could not gainsay the position of the planter, and he tried to +choke down his wrath; and just then he would have vented it upon the +innocent overseer if he had not flown like the wind across the bridge, +making the planks dance a hornpipe under the feet of his steed. As the +malcontent was silent for the want of an argument with which to combat +that of his brother, Noah went over the subject, and clinched the nail +he had driven in before.</p> + +<p>"I'll look the thing over again when I go home, for I want to be fair +and right in everything I do," said Titus, after he had sought in vain +for an argument with which he could upset the theory of Noah. "I only +claimed that you owed me half of the ten thousand; I didn't ask for the +whole on't."</p> + +<p>"You never asked for even half of it before; you only told others that I +owed you that sum," replied Noah.</p> + +<p>"Well, I believed it."</p> + +<p>"In that case neither you nor the colonel would pay anything towards the +support of the children for ten years, for the law would divide the +property equally between us," replied Noah. "I can't tell exactly how +the matter stands till I figure it up; but I think you will owe me +something if we settle it on the basis you suggest."</p> + +<p>"I guess we'd better drop the subject till we have both looked it over +agin," added Titus, utterly disgusted with the result of the argument. +"I don't say that Dunk hadn't a right to dispose of his property as he +pleased; but jest s'pose'n he had left it all to me and gi'n you +nothin'—would that been right?"</p> + +<p>"If he had had any reason for doing so, it would have been his right to +do so; but I should say I should not be in condition to be an impartial +judge in the matter," said Noah with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Did he have any reason for treating me any wus than he did you?" asked +Titus sharply, as he sprang to his feet again. "Dunk wa'n't no +abolitionist, and went with the folks round here on politics. He 'n' I +agreed, and never had no dispute on these things."</p> + +<p>"I don't think the colonel did treat you any worse than he did me. He +chose to pay for supporting the orphans, though I never asked him to do +so, or hinted at any such thing. We have talked that over, and nothing +more need be said about it now. I have indicated how that thing might be +fairly settled, and we will let it rest there."</p> + +<p>"But I still say Dunk used me wus 'n he did you; and as a brother you +are in duty bound to set me right, as you said one of the same blood +should do."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand you, Brother Titus; for I am not aware that the +colonel treated me any better in his will than he did you," replied +Noah, wondering what further complaint his brother could make.</p> + +<p>"Didn't he give five thousand dollars to that cuss that just rid over +the bridge?" demanded Titus with a sort of triumphant tone and manner, +as though he had the planter where no argument could avail him. "That +was just the same as taking twenty-five hundred dollars out of my +pocket, as well as out of yours."</p> + +<p>"But you don't bear in mind, my dear brother, that the colonel was +disposing of his own property, and not yours or mine," said Noah with a +pronounced laugh at the absurdity of the other's position.</p> + +<p>"Don't go to dearin' me, Noah; it will be time enough for that sort of +thing when you've done me justice," snarled Titus.</p> + +<p>"When I've done you justice!" exclaimed the planter, rising from his +seat again to vent his mirth. "I must do you justice because your +brother and mine gave Levi Bedford five thousand dollars! Must I pay you +twenty-five hundred dollars on this account?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't say so."</p> + +<p>"But you implied it; for you were trying to prove that the colonel used +me better than he did you. It seems to me that you ought to make your +claim on Levi, if anybody."</p> + +<p>"You git ahead faster'n I do. I only meant to say that Dunk didn't use +me right when he gave his money to this mean whelp; but he treated you +as bad as he did me, Noah."</p> + +<p>"I have no complaint whatever to make, and I am glad the colonel +remembered Levi handsomely; he deserved it, for he had always been a +useful and faithful overseer," added Noah very decidedly.</p> + +<p>"Let that rest," said Titus when he found that he made no headway in the +direction he had chosen. "I s'pose you won't agree with me, but I say +Dunk ought to have left this place to me instid of you. I was his oldest +brother, and I have lived here eight years, and know all about the +plantation, while you never saw it till after Dunk was dead."</p> + +<p>"I am inclined to think the colonel knew what he was about, and he made +his will to suit himself," answered Noah.</p> + +<p>"I should think he made it to suit you. Of course I know it's law, but +it wa'n't right," growled Titus.</p> + +<p>"If you think it was not right, why don't you contest the will, and have +it set aside?"</p> + +<p>"Don't I say it was law; and I suppose it can't be helped now," and the +injured man tried to put on an air of resignation. "But I ain't done."</p> + +<p>"I should say you had said enough; for there seems to be no foundation +for any of your complaints. I think the colonel meant to be fair and +just, and make an equal distribution of his property between you and me. +Taking out fifteen thousand dollars he gave to charity and his +friends"—</p> + +<p>"That was giving away what belonged to you and me," interposed the +objector.</p> + +<p>"You are as unreasonable as a pig in a cornfield, Brother Titus!" +exclaimed Noah, whose abundant patience was on the verge of exhaustion. +"Duncan was giving away his own property, and not yours or mine, as you +appear to think he was, especially yours; for I believe he did just +right. Taking out the fifteen thousand and the ten he paid for the +support of the orphans,—which I suppose you mean to have settled up in +another way,—there was seventy-five thousand dollars left, which he +divided equally among his brothers and the representatives of the one +who died over ten years ago. That is according to the valuation annexed +to the will."</p> + +<p>"It's mighty strange, Noah, that you can't see nothin' when it's p'inted +out to you," stormed Titus, his wrath rising to the boiling point at his +repeated defeats; for, "though vanquished, he could argue still."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe at all in your pointing, Brother Titus."</p> + +<p>"You talk about that valuation; but it was a fraud, and it was meant to +cheat me out of eight or ten thousand dollars!" roared the malcontent, +gesticulating violently. "It ought to been thirty thousand dollars +more'n 'twas! I say it out loud; and I know what I'm talkin' about!"</p> + +<p>"I don't think you do, Brother Titus. I think you had better stop +drinking whiskey for a week, and then we can talk this subject over more +satisfactorily."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to accuse me of bein' drunk, Noah Lyon?" demanded Titus, +shaking his fist in the face of his brother; and at this moment that +colt was dashing over the bridge at a dead run, with Levi on his back.</p> + +<p>"I don't think you are drunk, Brother Titus, as tipplers understand the +word, but you are under the influence of liquor, and it affects your +judgment," replied Noah as gently as though he had been speaking in a +prayer-meeting.</p> + +<p>"Then you mean that I <i>am</i> drunk!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus2" id="illus2"></a> +<img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">Then you mean I am drunk.</span>"</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>Both of his fists were clinched, and he was shaking one in the face of +the planter, when the bay colt dashed in between them, Noah falling back +before the menacing demonstration of Titus. Levi had dismounted at the +end of the bridge, and seated himself in the arbor where he could still +see the two men. When Titus shook his fist in the face of the planter, +he leaped upon the colt as though he had been fifty pounds lighter, and +galloped to the scene of the wordy contest.</p> + +<p>"What do you want here?" demanded the visitor, with a very unnecessary +expletive.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Levi?" asked Noah.</p> + +<p>"I didn't know but you might want me," replied the manager; but the +demonstrative person was his employer's brother, and he refrained from +using the strong language that came to his tongue's end.</p> + +<p>"I don't want you for anything just now, Levi," replied the planter, +sorry that there should have been a witness to the stormy interview with +his brother; and he wondered if he had not been too plain-spoken, mild +and dignified as he had been.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, you scoundrel, by stickin' your nose in where you're +not wanted?" demanded Titus savagely, as he shook his fist, relieved +from duty before the planter, in the direction of the overseer.</p> + +<p>Levi wheeled his horse so that he crowded the angry man out of his +place, and made him spring to keep out of the way of the fiery animal; +but he made no reply to the abuse cast upon him. Noah nodded his head in +the direction of the mansion, and the manager rode off, though it was +evident to his employer that he was itching to lay hands on the +turbulent visitor.</p> + +<p>"I hate that villain!" gasped Titus.</p> + +<p>"And he despises you as thoroughly as you hate him; so there is no love +lost. But I think you had better conduct yourself a little more +peaceably, Titus; for I do not like to have the people on the plantation +see that there is any difficulty between us, for we are brothers, I wish +you to remember. Perhaps we had better drop the subject where it is, for +it is almost suppertime," said Noah with the most conciliatory tone and +manner.</p> + +<p>"Not jest yet," returned Titus warmly. "I said that valuation was a +fraud, meant to cheat me out of my rightful due; and you told me I was +drunk, which ain't no kind of an argument."</p> + +<p>"I did not say that exactly; but if it was an argument for anything, it +was that we should talk this matter over some time when you had not +drunk anything."</p> + +<p>"I drink something everyday; and I have a perfect right to do so."</p> + +<p>"I don't dispute it."</p> + +<p>"Dunk gave you all the niggers, and did not put them in the valuation. +Wasn't that cheating me out of my share of the thirty thousand they +would bring even in these shaky times?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think it was. I repeat that the colonel had a perfect right, +just as good a right as you have to drink whiskey, though I don't do so, +to dispose of his property as he pleased," added Noah, looking down at +the planks of the bridge, and remaining for a minute in deep thought.</p> + +<p>"That ain't no argument!" blustered Titus. "The law gives a man's +property to his brothers and sisters when he leaves no parents or +children; and every honest and just man does the same thing."</p> + +<p>"I did not mean to say anything to anybody about the servants on the +place; but I feel obliged to speak to you about them so far as to tell +the facts relating to them," said Noah when he had come to this +conclusion.</p> + +<p>"I cal'late you better speak out if you've got anything to say, or else +pay me over fifteen thousand dollars for my share in the value of them +niggers," replied Titus with a triumphant air, for he believed he had +gained a point.</p> + +<p>"When I was at Colonel Cosgrove's house on the day of our arrival, he +handed me a letter, heavily sealed with red wax, from our deceased +brother. This letter contained another. I have both of these letters in +the safe in the library. Now, if you will go to the house with me, I +will show you both of these letters," continued the planter, +disregarding the tone and manner of his irate brother.</p> + +<p>Titus was curious to know what the colonel had to say in defence of his +conduct, and he assented to the visit to the library. Noah produced the +two letters, handing the opened one to his brother, and showing the +heavily sealed one to him but not permitting it to pass out of his +hands. The malcontent read the opened one.</p> + +<p>"Not to sell one of the niggers for five years!" he exclaimed when he +had finished it. "That is another outrage! And you are not to open that +other letter for the same time. Give it to me, Noah, and I will open it +now!"</p> + +<p>"It shall not be opened till the five years have expired," answered the +planter firmly, as he returned both of the epistles to the safe and +locked the door of it.</p> + +<p>Titus was more violent than ever, for he had been defeated in his last +and most promising stronghold, as he regarded it. He stormed like a +madman, and kept it up for nearly an hour. He made so much noise that +Mrs. Noah knocked at the door to learn what was the matter. At the same +time she called them to supper; but Titus was so angry that he rushed +out of the house, called for his team, and left with his wife at once.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h3>THE SINK-CAVERN NEAR BAR CREEK</h3> + + +<p>The supper at the mansion had waited till it was quite dark; and it was +evident to Mrs. Noah that the brothers were engaged in important +business, for they had been talking on the bridge all the afternoon, and +Titus spoke so loud in the library that he could be heard all over the +house, though he could not be understood. Something very exciting was +passing between them; Mrs. Noah thought it was politics, but Mrs. Titus +thought it was about "that story" she had repeated.</p> + +<p>As the angry brother passed the door of the sitting-room he called his +wife out, and bolted from the house. Noah followed, and rang the stable +bell. Frank brought the team to the door; Titus pushed his suffering +wife into it, and drove off without the formality of saying good-night. +The planter ate his supper, and was as pleasant as usual, saying nothing +of the business which had brought Titus to Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>"It seems that story about the arms and ammunition has no truth at all +in it," said Mrs. Noah.</p> + +<p>"So Titus says," replied the husband.</p> + +<p>"Meely was terribly excited about it, and said she ought not to have +said a word about it. She begged me not to let any one in the house say +anything about it to any one. Her husband abused her, and even struck +her, for what she had done."</p> + +<p>"I did not know but he would strike me this afternoon. I suppose the +boys have had their supper," added Noah, looking over the table to their +vacant places.</p> + +<p>"No, they have not; I haven't seen anything of them since they went from +dinner," answered Mrs. Lyon. "I wonder where they are?"</p> + +<p>"They went up the creek together in one of the boats just after Titus +came, and I haven't seen or heard anything of them since," said Noah. "I +don't think they were going a-fishing. They have been gone about seven +hours now, and it is time they were at home. Did you see anything of +them, Levi?"</p> + +<p>"I saw them rowing up the creek when I was riding up to the hill +pasture; but I haven't seen them since," replied the overseer.</p> + +<p>"I hope nothing has happened to them," continued Mrs. Lyon, looking +quite anxious. "Perhaps the boat has been upset."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it did; but if it went over, both of the boys can swim +like ducks," replied the planter.</p> + +<p>The conversation in regard to the absentees was continued till the meal +was finished, and all the party were very much troubled. Levi +volunteered to ride up the creek road and look for them; and just as he +was going to the stable, the absentees came into the house.</p> + +<p>"Where in the world have you been, boys?" demanded Mrs. Lyon, delighted +to find they were safe.</p> + +<p>"We have been exploring the creek, and we have been a good ways up, as +far as the rocky hills," replied Deck, as he seated himself at the +table; and Diana went for the waffles she had kept hot for them.</p> + +<p>"Did you catch any fish?" asked Levi.</p> + +<p>"Not a fish; we did not put a line into the water."</p> + +<p>They had no narrative to relate, or if they had they did not relate it, +though they were questioned for some time, and they told what they had +seen, or a portion of it.</p> + +<p>"While you are here, boys, I want to tell you that your Aunt Amelia has +been at the house all the afternoon," said Mrs. Lyon. "She came to take +back that story she told me this morning in her own house about the arms +and ammunition. She misunderstood your uncle, and there is not a word of +truth in it. So you will understand, all of you, that not a word is to +be said about it out of the house."</p> + +<p>"Not a word of truth in it!" exclaimed Deck; and Artie dropped his hot +waffle in astonishment, or under the influence of some other emotion.</p> + +<p>"Your aunt says there are no arms hidden on the river, or anywhere else. +You mustn't say a word about the matter, and I have cautioned all in the +house not to whisper a sound of it," added Mrs. Lyon.</p> + +<p>Deck looked at Artie, and Artie looked at Deck. A significant smile +passed between them, but they said nothing. As soon as they had finished +their supper they followed the planter into his library, which had been +lighted before. It was an important conference which followed there, and +it must be left in progress in order to return to the boat in which the +boys were pursuing their adventure on the creek.</p> + +<p>Artie had the floor on the boat, and he had just recalled the time when +Noah had spoken to him about being out so late the night before. Deck +remembered it very well, and also that his cousin had evaded an adequate +explanation of his absence from the house when he ought to have been in +bed.</p> + +<p>"You never explained why you were out so late that night," said he.</p> + +<p>"I wanted to look into the matter a little more before I said anything, +for I didn't care to make a fool of myself," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"You have a habit of keeping your mouth shut pretty tight," said Deck +with a smile.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe in talking too much about things you don't understand, +and I meant to have looked into the matter before this time, but somehow +I haven't had the chance to do so," replied Artie, still pulling his +oar. "I'm going to tell you about my night adventure now, and you can +judge for yourself whether we are going on a wild-goose chase up the +creek."</p> + +<p>"All right; and I will keep my oar moving all the time, so that we shall +be getting ahead while I listen," replied Deck.</p> + +<p>"I was in the canoe, and I had gone farther up the creek than I had ever +been before," Artie began. "You have been up the road that leads to +Dripping Spring and the Mammouth Cave. It crosses the railroad about +five miles before you get to the spring, and the creek flows within a +quarter of a mile of this place."</p> + +<p>"I remember the place very well; for Levi stopped his team there to let +the girls get out and pick some flowers. I could see the creek from this +spot," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"Then you know the place. I had been up the creek three or four miles +farther, and I was on my way home. I had been ashore just abreast of +Dripping Spring, and I got interested in looking over a sink,—I believe +that is what they call these holes in the ground down here,—and the sun +went down before I thought how late it was getting. But I found the hole +led into a cave; but it was too dark for me to explore it. I made a note +of it, to bring a lantern up and survey the cavern when I had plenty of +time to do so."</p> + +<p>"That will be a good job for both of us some time," suggested Deck.</p> + +<p>"I couldn't tell how far I was from home, but I knew it was a long +distance, and I made tracks for the canoe as soon as I saw that it was +getting dark. I hurried up till my arms ached so that I had to stop and +rest. I made up my mind that I must take it moderately or I never should +get home.</p> + +<p>"While I was resting I saw three lights off to the south of me, and then +I knew I was near that road. I could make out about half a dozen men or +boys there, and I watched them for some time. I concluded that they were +up to some mischief, and in my interest I forgot how late it was +getting. I was possessed to know what iniquity was going on there, and I +hauled the canoe up to the shore and made the painter fast to a bush. I +landed, and made my way as near to the road as I dared to go. The ground +was low, and covered with clumps of bushes, so I had no difficulty in +hiding myself till I was within twenty feet of the party.</p> + +<p>"I could hear every word they said; and the man who was bossing the job, +whatever it was, satisfied me that he was Uncle Titus."</p> + +<p>"Uncle Titus!" exclaimed Deck, ceasing to row in his astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Not the least doubt of it; and more than this, I soon recognized the +tones of Sandy and Orly; but I don't know who the other three were."</p> + +<p>"But what were they doing?" asked Deck, absorbed in the narrative.</p> + +<p>"You have stopped rowing, Deck, and we shall never get there at this +rate."</p> + +<p>The stroke oarsman turned his body so that he could change hands at the +handle of the oar, and then resumed pulling.</p> + +<p>"Well, this was an adventure; but you didn't tell me what they were +doing," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you all about it, but don't stop rowing, or we shall not +get home before midnight, and father will give us a lecture for being +out late at night. The men were handling a lot of boxes. Some of them +were long enough to hold coffins, and I wondered if they hadn't been +killing Union men, and were getting rid of the bodies. Then they brought +out a lot of haypoles or hand-barrows from the two big wagons in the +road. I saw them put one of the boxes on the poles or barrow, and move +towards the creek. I thought it was about time for me to be leaving, for +I believed they would kill me if they caught me."</p> + +<p>"They wouldn't have let you off with a whole skin, anyhow," said Deck. +"Do you suppose the boxes contained bodies, Artie?"</p> + +<p>"Hold on till I come to it, and I will tell you all about it," replied +the narrator rather impatiently. "I wasn't safe where I was, and I crept +back to the creek between the clumps of bushes without making a bit of +noise on the soft ground. The box the first couple carried was heavy and +the bushes were in their way, so that they could not get along very +fast. As soon as I was out of hearing of the party, I ran with all my +might."</p> + +<p>"I don't blame you for being in a hurry, for if Uncle Titus had got hold +of you he would have made you see more stars then were in the sky just +then. I wonder if they had been killing Union men. The Seceshers have +done that thing in this State. A Union man was murdered in his own house +not far from here."</p> + +<p>"Dry up, Deck, or I shall never get through with my story!" exclaimed +Artie, who did not relish these repeated interruptions.</p> + +<p>"Go on, Artie; I won't say another word," Deck promptly promised.</p> + +<p>"I reached the creek, and cast off the canoe. I crossed over to the +other side, and pulled down stream; for I knew that the two with the box +could not be near the shore. I kept on towards home, but I was careful +not to make any noise with my oars. Just below I saw a big flatboat, +like the gundalow they used to have on the river to carry hay from the +meadows. I drove the canoe into some bushes, and waited. The two men +brought that long box to the shore, and loaded it into the flatboat, +which was big enough to carry six cords of wood.</p> + +<p>"The next load was brought by four men; and I could see by the way they +handled it that it was very heavy. I stopped till they had brought down +two more boxes, and then I thought it was time for me to be going. When +the party had all left the shore I rowed along by the bushes that +overhang the creek till I got round the bend. I didn't wait to see any +more, but rowed as fast as I could; and when I got to the pier I was so +tired I could hardly stand up. That is the end of the story, Deck, and +you know as much about the affair as I do; and I will answer all of your +questions as well as I can."</p> + +<p>"You did not find out anything for certain?" added the listener, +disappointed because his cousin had not ascertained what was in the +boxes.</p> + +<p>"I did not; but I have been able to guess at some things; and that is +the privilege of a New England Yankee."</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you guess was in those boxes?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't guess on that question at the time of it; but I was satisfied +that they concealed some sort of iniquity."</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose they were putting them in the boat for?"</p> + +<p>"Not to take them down the river, for they would have carried them to +some place on its banks if they had wanted to do that. They wanted to +take them up the creek, and this was the nearest point to it."</p> + +<p>"What did they want to do with the boxes? Oh, I know! They were going to +sink the bodies in the creek!" exclaimed Deck.</p> + +<p>"That would have been a good enough guess a fortnight ago; but it isn't +worth shucks now. I told you before that I could explain things better +this afternoon than I could when I saw what the men were doing."</p> + +<p>"How is that?" asked Deck with his mouth half open.</p> + +<p>"The moment mother told that story from Aunt Amelia, I knew what was in +the boxes; and they did not contain bodies, either."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see! They contained the arms and ammunition."</p> + +<p>"A blind man could see that."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was an adventure. You mean that they were going to put them +in the cavern by the sink?"</p> + +<p>"Precisely that, and nothing less; and now we are going up to the sink +to see for ourselves what is in the boxes," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>They had a long pull before them; but they reached the place by five +o'clock, and explored the cavern. They found the boxes and two cannons +with their carriages. They could not open the boxes for the want of any +tools; but the labels assured them they contained muskets and revolvers. +They hastened down the creek; but it was eight o'clock when they reached +the mansion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h3>AROUSED TO THE SOLEMN DUTY OF THE HOUR</h3> + + +<p>It was more than two hours after suppertime when Deck and Artie arrived. +They were very tired and very hungry after their long pull up the creek; +but they felt better after they had taken a hearty supper. Deck sought +the first opportunity to detail the operations of the afternoon to his +father.</p> + +<p>"Your Uncle Titus has been here this afternoon, and I have had a long +talk with him on the bridge; but his first business here was to disclaim +any knowledge of the arms and ammunition concealed on the river," said +Mr. Lyon, before the boys had an opportunity to open with the story of +their adventure. "He says your Aunt Amelia understood him with her +elbows, and it was a ridiculous story she told your mother without a +word of truth in it."</p> + +<p>"Without a word of truth in it," repeated Deck, who was more inclined +than Artie to do the talking, though the latter was fluent enough of +speech when the occasion required it.</p> + +<p>The boys looked at each other; and they did something more than smile +this time, for they laughed out loud. In view of the revelation they had +to make, the affair became more exciting; but after the discovery they +had made, they did not wonder that Titus had been so earnest in his +purpose to contradict the statement their aunt had made.</p> + +<p>"What are you laughing at, boys?" interposed their father. "This is a +serious matter as your uncle looks upon it; and I suppose such a rumor +circulated about the county might get him and his sons into trouble. The +Unionists regard the Home Guards as precisely the same as Secessionists, +and believe that they are armed, so far as they are armed, to help along +the cause of the South."</p> + +<p>"I should say that Uncle Titus might be a little shaken up about the +story Aunt Amelia related," added Artie with a significant look at his +cousin.</p> + +<p>"I don't know but the Union people would mob him if they believed he had +obtained arms for any Home Guards, especially for such ruffians as they +say he has been gathering together for his company," said Mr. Lyon. "I +have cautioned all who heard the story not to mention or hint at it in +the strongest manner; for of course I don't want to get your uncle into +trouble by repeating a false rumor."</p> + +<p>"Suppose he gets himself into trouble?" suggested Deck. "He is an +out-and-out Secesher, and he don't make any bones of saying so out loud. +Sandy thinks they will break up the Union meeting at the schoolhouse +to-morrow night."</p> + +<p>"Titus says he has done his best to prevent anything of the kind being +done," replied Mr. Lynn. "He thinks I should be mobbed and this house +burned over our heads if he did not use his influence to prevent it. But +your uncle believes what he wants to believe, and is certain a vast +majority of the people of the county are Secessionists. I am very well +satisfied that they are at least about equally divided. At any rate, the +Secessionists are doing their best to overawe the Union people, and they +might succeed to some extent if they could arm the villains they have +enrolled."</p> + +<p>"Then it is better not to let them be armed," suggested Deck, with a +glance at his cousin.</p> + +<p>"The story your mother told at dinner made it look as though they were +to be provided with weapons and ammunition at once; but the statement is +not true, and we appear to be safe for the present," said Mr. Lyon. "But +where have you been all the afternoon, boys?"</p> + +<p>"Deck will tell the story, father," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"You led off in this business, Artie, and I think you had better tell +it," said Deck, though he was ready enough to relate the adventure.</p> + +<p>"We will both tell it, then," added Artie. "I will begin and go as far +as where you joined me this afternoon at the bridge, and you shall tell +the rest of it."</p> + +<p>"All right; fire away, Artie."</p> + +<p>In accordance with this arrangement, the boys minutely narrated the +events of the afternoon, to the great astonishment and indignation of +Mr. Lyon. He occasionally interrupted his son to ask questions in regard +to the boxes they had examined in the cavern. The boys described the +cases, with the marks upon them, and the listener had no doubt they +contained arms and ammunition. The two carriages for the field-pieces +were the only portion of the warlike material not contained in boxes; +and these were almost evidence enough to determine the character of the +rest of the goods.</p> + +<p>"Were the boxes all of the same kind?" asked the father, deeply +interested, and not a little disturbed by the revelation of the evening.</p> + +<p>"They were not the same," replied Deck, taking a paper from his pocket, +on which he had written down a list of the cases. "The lid of one of the +two in which the cannon were boxed up had been split off in part, so +that we could see what was in it. Twelve cases were labelled +'Breech-loading Rifles,' and the rest of the lot were marked with the +kind of ammunition they contained. The smallest of them had cannon-balls +and grape in them."</p> + +<p>"There isn't any doubt about the matter now," replied Mr. Lyon. "This +means war; and I have no doubt they are to be used in this county by +your uncle's cut-throats; for that is what they are according to what +Colonel Cosgrove said to me the other day. This is bad business," and +the planter gazed at the floor, his wrinkled brow indicating the deep +thought in which he was engaged.</p> + +<p>"Sandy says the company of Home Guards is about full, and I suppose they +will not leave the arms and ammunition in the cavern for any great +length of time," suggested Deck.</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," said Mr. Lyon. "If that company get these +weapons they will terrorize the whole county. There are some very strong +Unionists in this vicinity. Colonel Cosgrove told me they had threatened +to burn his house, though he is a very conservative man. He was in favor +of neutrality; but he admits that the Home Guards in this county are +about all Secessionists. Your Uncle Titus says I am looked upon as an +abolitionist, and if it had not been for him they would have 'cleaned me +out,' as he called it, before this time. It is time something was done," +and the planter relapsed into a revery again.</p> + +<p>The boys were silent. Fort Sumter had been bombarded, and its heroic +garrison had marched out with the honors of war. The country was in a +state of war. The call of the President for seventy-five thousand men +had been made. Northern soldiers were marching South for the protection +of Washington. Flags were flying, drums were beating, trumpets were +blaring, and troops were organizing all over the loyal nation.</p> + +<p>In Kentucky men were enlisting in both armies, though the majority of +them clung to the flag of the Union, inspired by the traditions of the +State. But large portions of it were subjected to a reign of terror. One +party was struggling to carry the State out of the Union, and the other +to keep it in the Union. The county in which Noah Lyon and his family +were located was even more shaken by these discordant elements than most +of the others; for it was not more than thirty miles from the southern +boundary of the State.</p> + +<p>"It almost breaks my heart to have my only living brother associated +with, and even leading, these conspirators against the Union," Mr. Lyon +resumed, as he wiped some tears from his eyes. "But when it comes to the +defence of the old flag under which we have become the most enlightened +and prosperous nation in the world, no true man can favor even his +brother when he plots to ruin it. Something must be done!" he repeated +with energy as he rose to his feet, and emphasized his remark with a +vigorous stamp of his foot.</p> + +<p>"What shall be done, father?" asked Deck, awed by the manner and the +tears of his father; and he had never been so moved before in his life.</p> + +<p>"We must defend the old flag, my boys! We must rally with those who are +marching to the defence of the Union! The time for talking has gone by, +and the time for action has come. I have not passed the military age, +and I shall not shirk the plain duty of the citizen, which is to become +a soldier," replied Mr. Lyon impressively.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say that you shall join the army, father?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"Certainly; what else can I do at a time like this?" replied the father. +"And that is not all, my son; you and Artemas are now sixteen years old, +nearly seventeen. You are both stout boys; and not only the sire, but +the sons, must shoulder the musket and march to the battle-field."</p> + +<p>"I am ready for one!" exclaimed Deck with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"I am ready for the other!" added Artie quite as earnestly.</p> + +<p>"For some time I have seen that this was what we must come to; but I +have put off saying anything about it, for it is a solemn and even an +awful thing to engage in the strife of civil war, brother against +brother, the son against his father, and the father against his son."</p> + +<p>"In our own family, we shall all be on the same side," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"But your uncle and his two sons will be with the enemies of the Union. +It is not of our choosing, and God will be with us while we do our duty +to our country," said the patriot father, as he solemnly lifted his eyes +upward. "Now, my sons, for you both call me father, and I have always +tried to be the same to both of you"—</p> + +<p>"And you always have been! And Aunt Ruth has been a mother to me and my +sister Dorcas!" interposed Artie, as he wiped the tears from his eyes. +"I shall never again call either of you anything but father or mother. I +am ready to enlist whenever you say the word, father."</p> + +<p>"You are honest and true, and that is the kind of man you will make, my +son; and I can say the same of Dexter. You will both make good +soldiers."</p> + +<p>Both the father and the sons shed tears as they realized, as they never +had before, the solemn duty which the peril of the Union imposed upon +them; and they were inspired to do that duty to the last drop of their +life-blood.</p> + +<p>"There, boys! I did not intend to make a scene like this; but the +finding of the arms and ammunition convinces me that your Uncle Titus +and his villanous associates mean to make war upon loyal men in this +county. When you join the ranks of the Union army, you will find them +all in the columns of the enemy. You have done good service to our cause +in the discovery and ferreting out of this conspiracy against the true +men of this locality."</p> + +<p>"It was all by accident that I found out about it," added Artie +modestly.</p> + +<p>"I hope you will forgive me for scolding at you for being out so late +that night," said Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"You didn't scold me; you only gave me some good advice, and I hope I +shall always remember it. But I did not know then what I had discovered, +or where they were storing the arms."</p> + +<p>"You did exceedingly well, whether you knew what you were doing or not. +Now it is driven into my very soul that I ought not to let the enemy +profit by obtaining those arms. I have made up my mind that it would be +treason, or next door to it, for me to let Titus and his gang have all +these weapons; and with the blessing of God they never shall have them!"</p> + +<p>"That is the talk, father!" exclaimed Deck.</p> + +<p>"So say we all of us!" Artie chimed in. "But what can we do?"</p> + +<p>"Before the light of to-morrow morning breaks upon Riverlawn, we must +move all those boxes to the plantation," replied Mr. Lyon; and he +proceeded to discuss the means by which this purpose could be +accomplished.</p> + +<p>"We have teams enough to haul the whole of them over here at one load," +said Deck, boiling over with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"Keep cool, my son, for we must be very prudent in our movements. Do you +know what became of the flatboat with which the conspirators moved the +cases up to the cavern?"</p> + +<p>"Artie thought of that; and we found the gundalow in a little inlet at +the mouth of a brook, covered up with bushes."</p> + +<p>"Then we may use that," replied the planter. "But I am in doubt about +one thing which may bother us."</p> + +<p>"What's that, father?" asked Deck, who could not think of any impediment +to the carrying out of the plan announced by his father.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that we can depend upon every person about the plantation. +A single one opposed to our scheme could ruin it. He might go to the +village and tell Titus, or some of his fellow-conspirators, what we were +about, and interfere with us before we got back."</p> + +<p>"No one here would do such a thing," protested Deck. "All the servants +believe in you."</p> + +<p>"I was thinking of Levi Bedford."</p> + +<p>"Levi!" exclaimed both of the loyal boys together.</p> + +<p>"I have never spoken a word to him about politics, or he to me. +Absolutely all I know about him is that he is a Tennesseean. But we must +settle this point on the instant; you may go and find him, Dexter, and +ask him to come into the library."</p> + +<p>Deck left the room. He found the overseer in the sitting-room with the +family, and he returned with him a minute later.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<h3>THE NIGHT EXPEDITION IN THE MAGNOLIA</h3> + + +<p>Levi Bedford walked into the library not a little excited with +curiosity; for Titus Lyon had spent the whole afternoon on the bridge +with the planter, who had been closeted with the two boys for some time. +It was evident to him that something unusual had occurred. Noah was +seated in a great arm-chair which usually faced his desk, but he had +turned it around. The overseer walked up to this chair, and planted +himself in front of it with a respectful look of inquiry on his round +face.</p> + +<p>"I am in doubt, Levi, and I have sent for you," Mr. Lyon began. "As you +are aware, I have never talked politics with you, and have not known to +which party you belong."</p> + +<p>"I don't belong to any party," replied Levi with a very broad smile on +his face. "My party is the plantation and the family. I look out for +them, and I don't bother my head much about anything else."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you have relatives in Tennessee?" suggested the planter.</p> + +<p>"Second or third cousins very likely; but I don't know anything about +them, and I don't lie awake nights thinking of them. My father died +before I was twenty-one; I had no sisters, and my only brother went to +California twenty years ago, and I haven't heard from him in ten years."</p> + +<p>"I don't mean to meddle with your affairs, Levi, but the time has come +when every man, must declare himself."</p> + +<p>"I should think it had, Mr. Lyon; and this afternoon I thought I was +going to have a chance to strike for your side of the house. I was ready +to do it, for two or three times I thought you were in peril. I don't +know what you were talking about, only it was something very stirring," +replied Levi with his usual smile.</p> + +<p>"I don't think I was in any danger, but I am very much obliged to you +for looking out for me. Now things have come to such a pass that I must +put a direct question to you: Are you a Union man or a Secessionist?"</p> + +<p>"I am a Union man now from the crown of my foot to the sole of my head," +laughed Levi. "But it wouldn't be anything more than honest and square, +Major Lyon, for me to say that I haven't been so many months. Colonel +Lyon was a Union man; but he didn't have it half as bad as you have it. +Some of his neighbors thought he was too tender with his people; but he +and Colonel Cosgrove were pretty well matched on politics."</p> + +<p>"He is a strong Union man, though he is in favor of neutrality if it can +be carried out, which is utterly impossible," added the planter.</p> + +<p>"About the only thing in the row that set me to thinking and made me mad +was that such a set of reckless scallawags have run the machine on the +other side. There is hardly a man of any standing among them. I know +that your brother, who is nothing but a Northern doughface, is one of +the principal leaders among them, and—"</p> + +<p>"We haven't any time to talk about this matter now, Levi," interposed +Noah Lyon, looking at his watch. "I see that you are all right, for you +are a Union man, and you do not approve the course of the violent party +in this county, and the time has come for the boys and me to do +something."</p> + +<p>The planter proceeded in rather hurried speech to state the situation, +and to describe the discovery the boys had made that afternoon. The +overseer evidently had a very strong desire to express his mind in +regard to Titus Lyon; but with great effort he restrained himself, and +listened almost in silence to the narrative of the speaker.</p> + +<p>"I am with you in this matter, Major Lyon, on its merits, though I like +to be on your side; but these ruffians who are trying to make civil war +in the State of Kentucky must be checked," he replied, when the planter +had hurried through his statement. "I am sorry that brother of yours +used any of the money the colonel left him to buy arms and ammunition to +help drag the State out of the Union. I will work day and night to +euchre him and the rest of them."</p> + +<p>"You are just the right man in the right place, Levi Bedford!" exclaimed +Mr. Lyon. "We have no time now to decide what we will do with these +warlike implements, only to get possession of them. It is quarter-past +nine now, and I have my plan for the beginning. While we are carrying it +out we can settle what is to be done with the arms."</p> + +<p>"I know just where that sink-hole and cavern are, and all we have to do +to get there is to follow the creek," added the manager.</p> + +<p>"The flatboat is near the place, and we can move the boxes in that, as +the conspirators conveyed them from the road," replied Mr. Lyon. "But +there are only four of us, two men and two boys. The cannons must weigh +six or seven hundred pounds apiece, and we shall want more help."</p> + +<p>"Well, we have help enough, and we can take a dozen of the people with +us, if we want as many as that," added Levi. "I know something about +these things, for when I kept stable in my State I used to belong to an +artillery company."</p> + +<p>"Can the negroes be trusted? We must keep our operations a profound +secret."</p> + +<p>"In this business you can trust them a great deal farther than you can a +white man," said the overseer, as he took a piece of paper from the desk +and wrote down the names of some of the hands. "How many do you want, +Major Lyon?"</p> + +<p>"Half a dozen; we can't accommodate more than that. Put in the boatmen, +for there is a deal of boating to be done."</p> + +<p>Levi revised his list and then handed it to the planter.</p> + +<p>"General, Dummy, Rosebud, Woolly, Mose, Faraway," Mr. Lyon read from the +list. "I should say you had picked out just the men we need. They are +all used to the boats, and they are among the toughest and strongest +hands on the place. Yon must put them under oath, if need be, to be as +secret as death itself. I will leave all that to you. Now, have them at +the lower boat pier just as soon as possible, and we will be there."</p> + +<p>"I will have them there in fifteen minutes," replied Levi, as he +hastened to execute his mission.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys, go to the pier, and get the Magnolia in condition to go up +the creek," continued Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"The Magnolia!" exclaimed Deck. "Why, she—"</p> + +<p>"We have no time to argue any question, Dexter," interposed the father. +"Take your overcoats; and you are to be as secret as the rest of us. Ask +your mother to come into the library, but don't stop to talk, my son."</p> + +<p>The boys left the room, and Mrs. Lyon immediately presented herself in +the library.</p> + +<p>"What in the world is going on here to-night, Noah?" asked the good +woman. "Ever since the boys came in you have been closeted in here as if +you were planning something."</p> + +<p>"So we are, Ruth, for the boys made a great discovery on their trip up +the creek," answered the planter hurriedly. "That story about the arms +and ammunition which Titus and Amelia came down here to disclaim and +deny was all as true as gospel, for the boys have found them."</p> + +<p>In five minutes more Mr. Lyon told his wife all that it was necessary +for her to know, and charged her to be secret and silent. She seemed to +be alarmed; but he assured her that there was no danger in the +enterprise in which they were to engage. It was absolutely necessary +that the arms and munitions should be removed beyond the reach of the +conspirators. He asked her to bring him three lanterns without letting +any one see them, which she did at once. With these in his hands, the +planter left the house without going into the sitting-room.</p> + +<p>Deck and Artie reached the boat-pier without speaking a word, and they +ran half the way. The Magnolia was moored out in the creek; and taking +the canoe, which was used as her tender when the sailboat was in +service, as it had not been since the death of the colonel, she was +towed alongside the pier. They went to work baling her out, of which she +was in great need, though she had been well cared for in her idleness by +the boatmen of the place.</p> + +<p>The Magnolia had not been built for a sailboat. Site was long and narrow +for her length, about thirty feet, and was provided with rowlocks for +six oars. Before they had finished baling her out the General and Dummy +reached the wharf. They were great strapping negroes, fully six feet +tall, and the weight of each could not have been much below two hundred +pounds, though they were not of aldermanic build.</p> + +<p>When they saw what the boys were doing,—for Levi had not given them +even a hint as to the nature of the service in which they were to be +employed,—they seized the buckets, and soon cleared the well of water. +Levi was the next to put in an appearance, just as Deck was telling the +two men to take the mast out of her, an order which the manager +countermanded.</p> + +<p>"We may want the mast and sail," interposed Levi; "for the wind is fresh +from the south-west to-night, and I don't believe in doing any more work +with the oars than is necessary."</p> + +<p>"But we have no boatman, and none of us know how to manage the sail," +argued Deck. "It would be a bad time to get upset, and we have no time +to indulge in fooling, Levi."</p> + +<p>"The mast and sail are not in the way in the boat. I am no boatman, and +I never tried to handle the Magnolia, for the colonel was the only +person on the place who ever learned the trick of doing that; but I +often sailed in her up and down the river, and I used to think I could +do it if I tried," replied the manager, as the other four negroes came +upon the pier.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, if you can handle her with a sail, that's another thing," +answered Deck, yielding the point.</p> + +<p>"Here, Rosebud, unlock the boathouse, and bring out six oars, the +biggest ones, and all the boathooks you can find," said Levi, as he +looked the boat over.</p> + +<p>No one said a word about the mission upon which they were to embark, +leaving the planter to do all the talking when he came. General and +Dummy were the biggest of the six men who had been selected; but the +other four were stalwart fellows. Their names were rather odd, the +family thought when they first heard them; but not one of them bore the +one his mother had given him in his babyhood, for the colonel had +rechristened the whole of them on the plantation to suit his own fancy.</p> + +<p>Some circumstance, or something in their appearance, had doubtless +suggested the names; but after they were given they clung to their +owners as though they had been recorded in a church. The General was a +quick-witted fellow, which inclined him to take the lead when anything +was to be done. Woolly had a tremendous mop of hair on his head. Dummy +was a preacher in the shanty which served as a church at the Big Bend; +and perhaps because he was always studying his sermons, he never spoke a +word unless the occasion required it; but Levi, who had heard him +preach, said he could talk fast enough in his pulpit, and delivered a +more sensible sermon than some white clergymen to whom he had listened.</p> + +<p>Rosebud, like the overseer, always had a smile on his face, and could +hardly do or say anything without laughing. Mose did not swear +profanely, but "by Moses;" and everything was as true, as high, as big, +as handsome, as "Moses in de bulrushes." "Faraway" had been a pet word +with the one to whom the planter had given this name. They were all +reliable servants, and were devoted to their past and present masters. +No king, prince, or potentate had ever been as big a man in their +estimation as the colonel; and they had transferred this homage to the +"major," as they were inclined to call Mr. Lyon after they heard the +overseer use this title.</p> + +<p>Levi placed the men in the boat, each with his oar, and then headed it +up the creek. The boys took their places in the stern-sheets, and the +overseer handled the tiller lines. These arrangements were no sooner +completed than the planter appeared, and took his place with the boys. +The rowers were sitting with the oars upright; for the General, who was +the stroke oarsman, had learned either from pictures in the illustrated +papers their former master used to give the hands when he had done with +them, or from some person more experienced than himself, some of the +forms used in boating.</p> + +<p>"Drop your oars!" said Levi, and they all fell into the water together.</p> + +<p>"Ought to say 'let fall,' Mars'r Levi," added General.</p> + +<p>"No talk, General. Now gather up, and pull away!" continued Levi.</p> + +<p>General would have given him the proper form, "Give way!" but Levi was +not in the humor to be instructed, and the rower said no more. The men +pulled their oars with a will, and the implements bent under their +vigorous stroke. The planter had run all the way from the mansion, and +was out of breath, so he was silent for a time.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<h3>AT THE HEAD WATERS OF BAR CREEK</h3> + + +<p>It was quite dark when the Magnolia went out from the pier, though it +was a starlight night. The crew pulled very well, for the colonel had +taken no little pride in the appearance of his boat on the river. Before +his health was impaired he occasionally went to the county town by +water; for it was on a branch of the river, and was full thirty miles +distant by the winding streams.</p> + +<p>The crew were powerful men, and had had plenty of practice in former +years. But the present planter preferred the vehicles, drawn by fine +horses, and the boys used the smaller boats, so the Magnolia had not +been manned under the new order of things. Under the vigorous stroke of +the negroes she soon passed under the bridge, and headed up the creek.</p> + +<p>"We are fairly started, and this boat seems to be making at least five +miles an hour," said the planter, when he had fully recovered his +breath.</p> + +<p>"More than that, I should say, Major Lyon. I don't believe the hands can +keep up this gait all the way; but we shall get to the sink about +midnight," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that there is anything to apprehend in the way of danger," +added Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether there is or not; but I put my revolver and a box +of cartridges into my pocket."</p> + +<p>"I never owned a pistol of any kind, and have hardly fired a gun since I +was a boy; but in the storeroom out of the library I found some very +nice weapons,—a double-barrelled rifle and a fowling-piece."</p> + +<p>"The colonel had two revolvers; and they must be somewhere about the +library. A few years ago some horse-thieves were in this vicinity, and +we kept a watch on the place every night for a couple of weeks," said +Levi.</p> + +<p>"If Uncle Titus put five thousand dollars into these guns and pistols, I +should think he would be apt to keep a watch over them," suggested Deck.</p> + +<p>"A watch would not amount to anything unless he put as many as half a +dozen men on it," answered Levi. "But I think he depends upon the +secrecy of his movements and the safety of the cavern for the security +of the arms. He put the things away in the night, and I don't believe +anybody ever goes over the spring road in the darkness. If he put a +watch anywhere he would station it on that road at the place where they +shifted the boxes from the wagon to the flatboat. But I reckon we can +take care of the watch if there is any there."</p> + +<p>"But the road is about a quarter of a mile from the creek," said Deck.</p> + +<p>"All of that; and we may pass the place without much of any noise, and +no one on the road would be likely to hear us," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"I don't think the watch, if there is one, will give us any trouble, for +if they hear us, we can keep out of their way; and I don't think they +would have any boat in the creek," added the planter. "Your revolver +will keep them at a proper distance when we reach the cavern."</p> + +<p>"I found a shingling hatchet in the boathouse, and I brought that along +with me," said Artie.</p> + +<p>"Are you going to fight with that?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"Not exactly that; but we couldn't open one of the boxes this afternoon +for the want of a tool, and we can do so with this hatchet; then we +shall have all the muskets, revolvers, and cartridges we can use," +replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"That is a good scheme, my boy," added Levi approvingly. "But I don't +believe we shall have to do any fighting. If the conspirators have set a +watch, it must be in the road; and I reckon we shall clean out the +cavern before they can get there."</p> + +<p>"We won't fight any battles before we get there," interposed the +planter. "We have always been peaceable people, but I suppose we must +get used to fighting, for we are going to have a terrible war; and I +don't believe in Mr. Seward's prediction that it will all be over in a +hundred days. I am ready to become a soldier, Levi, and so are the boys, +in defence of the Union."</p> + +<p>"I suppose I ought to do the same," added the overseer; "but I had not +thought of it."</p> + +<p>"You are fifty years old, and you will not be called upon to go into the +army, Levi," replied Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"But I am ready to do my share of the fighting; and if I am over fifty, +I reckon I am as tough and hearty as any of them that will shoulder a +musket," said the overseer; and those near him could hear his chuckle, +though they could not see his smile.</p> + +<p>"I hope you will not go to the war, my friend," continued Mr. Lyon in a +very serious tone. "I am only forty-two, and I believe it is not only my +duty to send my boys into the army, but to go myself. I have thought a +great deal of this subject within the last month, though I haven't said +much. I believe a man's first duty is to his family, and I should hate +to go off into the army, and leave my wife and the girls here; for I +believe whoever stays in Barcreek will see some fighting here."</p> + +<p>"And see some before a great while," added Levi. "Everything is boiling +round here, and it will boil over before long. These Secession ruffians +are not going to keep the peace much longer. They are itching to begin +the work of driving the Union men into their cub pasture."</p> + +<p>"That is my own opinion; and that is my only dread in joining the army. +But I have comforted myself with the belief that Levi Bedford was over +fifty, and he would remain on the plantation and take care of my +family."</p> + +<p>"I am very much obliged to you, Major Lyon, for the confidence you put +in me, and I can assure you it shall not be abused," returned the +manager, with more gravity in his tone and manner than usual. "If by +staying here I can keep three good Union soldiers in the field, perhaps +that will be doing my fair share of the work."</p> + +<p>"We will talk this matter at another time, Levi; and I will only say I +could not have found a man more to my mind to take charge of the +plantation and the women-folks if I had hunted for him all over the +nation."</p> + +<p>"That's handsome, Major; and you may wager your life and all you have in +the world that I will never go back on you or your family," protested +the overseer warmly.</p> + +<p>"We understand each other perfectly, Levi. But there is a more pressing +question than that before the house just now," said Mr. Lyon, as he took +Levi's offered hand, and gave it an earnest grasp. "What are we to do +with all these arms and ammunition when we get them down to Riverlawn?"</p> + +<p>"I haven't had much time to think of that; but I had an idea come across +my head as I was running from the house down to the boat-pier. I passed +by the ice-house, and it jumped into my noddle that it would make a good +arsenal; but I haven't worked up the idea yet," replied the manager.</p> + +<p>"That is a happy thought!" exclaimed the planter. "It never occurred to +me. It is in just the right place; for my brother has given me warning +that I was in danger of being mobbed as an abolitionist, and that +nothing but his influence has prevented it from being done before."</p> + +<p>"It is hard work for me to believe that doughface is a brother of yours +and the late colonel; but if he dared to show his face in it, he would +be the first man to get up such a demonstration. Excuse me, Major, if I +am talking too plainly," said Levi, who had little patience with, or +toleration for, Titus Lyon. "He may send his company of Home Guards over +to clean out the mansion, but he won't come himself, for he is a poison +snake."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you know my brother as he has developed himself in this +locality better than I do, though he has even shown his fangs, under a +mask, to me; but I shall keep the peace with him," replied Mr. Lyon very +sadly.</p> + +<p>"If he attempts anything of that sort, or any other border-ruffians do, +I believe we can make them wish they had stayed at home," said Levi +stoutly.</p> + +<p>"We can make the ice-house into a fortress for the protection of the +mansion," continued the planter. "It is near the creek, and commands the +bridge and the road leading to it, which is the only practicable +approach to the mansion. The swamp half a mile back of the house lies +between the spring road and the creek, and extends all the way to the +hills, not less than ten miles by water; and no body of men can get +through that way."</p> + +<p>Though he had had no military experience, Noah Lyon talked like an army +engineer. He was a man of very decided general ability, and he readily +comprehended the situation so far as his plantation was concerned. The +ice-house was about twenty-five feet square. It was built of stone under +the direction of Colonel Lyon, who had his own views, though they were +not always scientific. To preserve the ice, which did not consist of +great solid blocks as in New Hampshire, he believed that thick walls +were necessary, and he had put two feet of solid masonry into them. The +ice was generally not more than two inches thick in this latitude, +though an exceptionally hard winter sometimes made it four. It was +packed in solid, and then permitted to freeze by leaving the door and +two windows open during the freezing weather.</p> + +<p>"Stop rowing," said Levi, when they came to a bend five miles above the +bridge. "Now rest yourselves for five minutes, boys."</p> + +<p>"Don't need no rest, mars'r," said General, as he drew his arm over his +forehead, from which the perspiration was dropping on the handle of his +oar. "We done pulled dis boat twenty mile widout stoppin' once."</p> + +<p>"A little rest will do you no harm, for you will be kept at work till +morning," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"Whar we gwine, mars'r?" asked General.</p> + +<p>"About five miles farther," replied the overseer evasively. "Have you +brought your jackets or coats with you, boys?"</p> + +<p>They had brought them. Levi had read of muffled oars, and he ordered +each of the rowers to wind the garment not in use around the loom of his +oar where it rested in the rowlock. They obeyed in silence, and no one +asked any question; for this reason they would have made good sailors, +for they must obey without asking the reason for the command. They had +been well trained by the overseer.</p> + +<p>"Now, not one of you must speak a loud word, or make any noise," +continued Levi, when he had seen that the oars were all properly +muffled. "You must excuse me, Major, if I request all in this part of +the boat to keep still also; for we are coming to the nearest point to +the spring road. If there is any one on watch there, we will fool him if +we can."</p> + +<p>"All right, Levi; we will keep as still as mice in a pantry."</p> + +<p>"Pull away again, boys," he added, to the disgust of General, who wanted +him to give his orders in "ship-shop" fashion.</p> + +<p>The negroes obeyed the command just as well as though it had been +"ship-shop;" and the Magnolia went ahead with renewed speed after the +rest. A little later the overseer ordered them to pull more slowly and +with less noise, for the oars could be heard in spite of the muffling. +But they could not be heard at half the distance to the spring road, and +no challenge came to them from that or any other direction.</p> + +<p>"Now you may put your muscle into your oars, boys," said the overseer +when the boat came to a bend which had carried it away farther from the +road.</p> + +<p>The men bent to their oars again, and the Magnolia flew over the dark +water. Dark as it was, the pilot had no difficulty in keeping the boat +in the middle of the creek. At the end of about an hour from the +resting-place, Levi ordered the men to pull slowly again, for the boat +was approaching its destination. The planter lighted a match and looked +at his watch.</p> + +<p>"Hold on, here, boys!" called the overseer. "We have gone too far, for +here is the mouth of the brook, and I reckon the flatboat is under that +heap of stuff;" and he pointed to a mound of branches by the shore of +the inlet. "I reckon we want the lanterns now, Major Lyon. Did you light +one of them?"</p> + +<p>"No; I only looked at my watch. We are in good time, for it wants a +quarter of twelve," replied the planter. "Get out the lanterns, boys, +and we will light them."</p> + +<p>Levi worked the boat into the little inlet, and alongside of the mound. +The flatboat was found under it, precisely as Artie had described it in +the library. Four of the hands were sent to the top of it, and ordered +to clear away the branches, which they did by throwing them on shore and +into the water. The gundalow was baled out, and then its painter was +made fast to the stern of the Magnolia. Deck and Artie were sent ashore +with one of the lanterns, and directed to find the sink.</p> + +<p>The Magnolia towed the flatboat down the creek till Deck hailed her from +the landing-place where they had gone ashore in the afternoon. By a +little after midnight the gundalow was moored at a convenient point for +loading it.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<h3>THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE ARMS</h3> + + +<p>The three lanterns were lighted, and Levi Bedford lost not a moment in +making the preparations for loading the boxes into the flatboat. The +sink-hole was a tunnel in the ground, at the bottom of which could be +heard the gurgling of waters. The overseer said the brook which flowed +into the creek where they had found the gundalow had its source in this +place, though it made a considerable circuit before it reached its +outlet.</p> + +<p>On the side of the inverted cone nearest to the creek there was an +opening which led into the cavern, the bottom of which was at least +twenty feet above the water, whose ripple they could hear. The descent +was gradual, both in the tunnel and in the cavern; and with lanterns in +their hands Deck and Artie led the way down, for they had made +themselves familiar with the subterranean chamber in the afternoon, and +it was years since Levi had been there.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lyon followed his son, while the overseer, with a coil of small line +on his arm, which he had taken from the boathouse, brought up the rear. +The party were taking a survey of the entrance in order to determine the +best way to move the cases. It looked as though the water had flowed +through the cavern at some remote period of time, probably rising from +the sink-hole below, for the limestone at the floor was worn tolerably +smooth. Doubtless the extinct stream had found a new outlet, lowering +the level of the water so that it had ceased to flow through the cave.</p> + +<p>The boxes were piled up just as they had been found in the afternoon. +The roof of the cavern was very irregular, and in some places it was not +more than five feet above the floor, while in others it was from eight +to ten. The arms were deposited in a recess about twenty feet from the +entrance. When the boys visited the sink-hole they had found the opening +of the cave partly filled up with branches of trees and other rubbish; +but they had removed these obstructions, which formed only a very weak +attempt to conceal the depository of the arms.</p> + +<p>Levi studied the interior of the cavern and the situation of the cases, +attended by the planter. The lanterns were sufficient to light it so +that they had no difficulty in seeing to work. The apartment began to +wind about just below them, and all was gloom and darkness in that +direction.</p> + +<p>"It is about twenty feet to the opening," said Levi, as he measured the +distance with his eye. "The roof is not more than five feet high half +the way; and, if their skulls are not harder than the limestone, General +and Dummy will be likely to stave a hole in them."</p> + +<p>"The rest of the hands are not so tall," suggested Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I brought this rope with me without knowing that it would be of any use +to us; but I find that it is just the thing we want," continued the +overseer as he uncoiled the line. "Now, boys, all we will ask you to do +is to hold the lanterns; but you must not go to sleep and let them fall +on the stone floor."</p> + +<p>"No danger of that," laughed Deck. "But we can work in the low place +without smashing our heads."</p> + +<p>"I am glad there is no hard work for you, boys, for you must be tired +after pulling a boat twenty miles this afternoon," added Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I am not very tired, and I can do my share of the work," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"So can I," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"But you can do the most good by holding the lights," replied Levi. "One +of you stand down here; and the other, with two of the lanterns, near +the opening."</p> + +<p>The boys followed this direction, Deck placing himself at the entrance, +where he could light a part of the cavern and the tunnel. The overseer +uncoiled his rope, and with the help of the planter lifted one of the +boxes down to the floor. He then made fast the rope to it with a +slip-noose, the knot on the under side, so as to carry the case over any +obstructions.</p> + +<p>Walking up to the entrance, uncoiling the line as he proceeded, he +passed out of the cavern into the tunnel. Calling General and Dummy from +the place where they had been told to wait, he stationed them near the +door, and then carried the line, which was not less than seventy-five +feet in length, to the shore of the creek.</p> + +<p>"Now, Rosebud, and the rest of you, take hold of this rope, and when the +word comes up to you from General, haul up the box which is made fast to +the other end of it," continued Levi. "As soon as you get it up here, +unhitch the line, and throw the end down to General. As soon as you have +done that, load the case into the boat, then haul up another, and do the +same thing over again."</p> + +<p>"Gunnymunks!" exclaimed the laughing negro. "Whar all de boxes come +from?"</p> + +<p>"None of your business, Rosebud; mind your work, and don't ask +questions," returned the manager, as he descended to the entrance to the +cavern.</p> + +<p>"W'at we gwine to do, Mars'r Bedford?" asked General.</p> + +<p>"You are going to pull and haul; and you can begin now," replied Levi. +"Take hold of that line, and draw that box up here. Pull steady, so as +not to break it."</p> + +<p>The two powerful negroes manned the rope, and dragged the case up to the +opening without any difficulty, and without doing it any great injury. +It was placed so that it could be readily hauled out of the sink.</p> + +<p>"Above there!" called the overseer. "Now haul steady on the rope! Ease +it out of the opening, General."</p> + +<p>The two big men crowded it around the corner, and then it went up to the +ground above without any obstruction or delay. The line was detached +from the box, and thrown down to the entrance, General passing it down +to the pile of boxes. Another had been prepared for the rope, and the +planter made fast to it. Levi had gone up to superintend the loading of +the box, and arranged a couple of planks he found in the boat, so that +this part of the work could be conveniently done. He made Rosebud the +"boss" for the time being, and then went down into the cavern to assist +his employer.</p> + +<p>"It won't take long to do the job at this rate," said Mr. Lyon when the +overseer joined him. "Your plan of doing the work makes an easy thing of +it."</p> + +<p>"I could not tell how it was to be done till I saw the situation of +things here; but we shall be back to Riverlawn before daylight," replied +Levi, as they lifted down the third of the boxes.</p> + +<p>When the method of moving the cases to the boat had been adopted, and +had been found to work so well, the task was practically accomplished. +The ease and celerity with which they mounted to the upper regions +astonished and delighted the planter and the boys, and they were filled +with admiration at the skill displayed by Levi Bedford in the management +of the business. He was accustomed to working the hands, and knew what +each of them was good for; and no other person could have done so well.</p> + +<p>The work proceeded with increased rapidity as the men became used to the +operations. In less than an hour all but the two cases containing the +cannon, which Levi said were twelve-pounders, had been removed. The +"Seceshers" had evidently had a great deal of difficulty in handling +them; for they had stove one of the cases in pieces, and the other was +hardly in condition to hold the heavy piece. Levi made his rope fast to +the cascabel, or but-end of the gun, and the word was passed for the men +above to come down to the entrance.</p> + +<p>The six negroes made easy work of hauling it up to the opening, while +the overseer and the planter directed it with levers, split from the +broken case, so as to prevent it from receiving any injury. The six men +were then sent above the tunnel, and the gun was drawn up. Loading it +into the boat was a more difficult matter; and the planter and the +overseer were considering how it was to be done, when General +interrupted them.</p> + +<p>"Go 'way dar, niggers!" exclaimed General, waving his hand for the +others to get out of the way. "Cotch hold ob de end ob de shooter, +Dummy, and we uns will tote it in de boat!"</p> + +<p>The big preacher seized the end of the piece at the vent end, and +General did the same with the muzzle. They lifted the gun from the +ground, though with a strain which brought out some grunts from them, +and slowly marched to the boat with their burden. Levi ordered two more +of the men to take hold with them, at the trunnions, and sent the other +two into the boat, who assisted as they could obtain a hold on the load. +It was safely deposited in the bottom of the craft.</p> + +<p>The overseer opened the other case with the hatchet Artie had brought, +and broke up the boards of which it was constructed. It was put into the +boat in the same manner as the other. The water was deep enough in the +creek for the boat, and Levi gave his attention next to the trimming of +the craft, while he sent some of the hands to bring up the pieces of +board left in the cavern; but the cargo needed but little adjusting, and +the party were ready to return to Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>"When your precious brother visits that cavern next time, he will be +likely to wonder what has become of his arms and ammunition," said Levi, +wiping the perspiration from his brow. "Now, boys, go down into that +hole again, and see that we have left nothing there, for I don't want +Captain Titus to find anything to let him know who has done this job for +him."</p> + +<p>While they were gone upon this mission, the overseer placed the Magnolia +ahead of the flatboat, in readiness to tow it down the creek. The boys +returned, and the hatchet was the only thing which had been left. To +their astonishment they found that Levi had shaken out the sail of the +Magnolia, and they had their doubts about his ability to manage it.</p> + +<p>"I hope you won't tip the sailboat over, Levi," said Deck, as he stepped +on board of her, followed by Artie.</p> + +<p>"If I do I shall not spill you out, either of you; for I want you to +take charge of the flatboat, with two of the hands," replied the +overseer. "I shall keep four men in the Magnolia to row, and I think the +sail will help us along a good deal."</p> + +<p>"I should like to change that plan a little, Levi," interposed Mr. Lyon. +"The boys and myself can take care of the flatboat, and you can have all +the men at the oars."</p> + +<p>"Just as you say, Major Lyon, and perhaps that will be the best scheme. +I was thinking that you and the boys might sleep part of the way down," +answered the overseer. "The wind is blowing pretty hard from the +south-west, and I reckon we shall get some rain before a great many +hours. The sail ought to help us a big piece."</p> + +<p>The planter and the boys armed themselves with the long oars of the +flatboat, which had been driven into the muddy bottom of the creek to +hold her in place at the landing, and they were ready to keep her off +the shore in going around a sharp bend. Mr. Lyon placed his between the +pins in the stem to steer with.</p> + +<p>With their oars in hand the six rowers were in their places, and Levi +gave the word to shove off. When the men had pulled a short distance, +the skipper, a position which the overseer had assumed, hauled in the +sheet, and made it fast at the cleat for the purpose. The sail filled +with a vengeance as a sharp flaw struck it, and the Magnolia forged +ahead with a dart, dragging her tow after her. As the creek widened the +sail strained, and the Magnolia seemed to be struggling to get away from +the gundalow astern of her.</p> + +<p>As she proceeded on her course down the stream, she increased her speed, +and appeared to make nothing of hauling the tow after her. The motion +produced by the sail bothered the rowers, who were not used to this +situation. Some of them "caught crabs," and the oars of all of them were +lifted and thrown back by the water that rushed past them. They made +such bad work of it that Levi ordered them to unship their oars.</p> + +<p>The Magnolia was making something like six miles an hour, and would have +made ten without the tow. He steered her so that she carried the +gundalow safely around the bends of the stream; and the planter had +little to do, the boys nothing. Deck and Artie stretched themselves on +the boxes, and were soon fast asleep; for they were worn out with the +exertion and excitement of the day and night.</p> + +<p>The bends in the stream near the spring road perplexed the skipper at +first; but his excellent common-sense helped him out, and he hauled in +his sheet so as to bring the boat up closer to the wind. Above the most +troublesome bend at this point, the general course of the creek was west +north-west. He let off the sheet, and the Magnolia flew faster than +ever.</p> + +<p>When he came to the bridge by the mansion, he waked the negroes, who had +all fallen asleep, to take down the mast, so that he could pass under +it, for he had already lowered the sail. He ran the boat close to the +bank off the ice-house, and the negroes secured it and the gundalow.</p> + +<p>"Dexter, Artemas!" shouted the planter. "Wake up! The cruise is ended."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<h3>THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD</h3> + + +<p>The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of +cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them. It +was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused +from their slumber.</p> + +<p>"What are we stopping here for, father? Has anything broken?" asked +Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.</p> + +<p>"Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter. "Haven't you +got your eyes open yet? Can't you see that you have got home?"</p> + +<p>"I believe I have been asleep," added Artie, rubbing his eyes.</p> + +<p>"I know you have, my boy; for I spread your overcoats over you both +before we reached the big bend, and I know you were sleeping as soundly +as a pair of babies then. You must have slept an hour and a half," the +father explained. "I am glad you had some sleep, for we have more work +to do before we can go to bed."</p> + +<p>"I can see the bridge now," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"And there is the house," said Artie.</p> + +<p>The negroes were all wide awake by this time, and Levi had gone to the +mansion for the key to the ice-house. Mr. Lyon lighted all of the +lanterns, and sent the boys to the stone building with them, following +himself soon after. The overseer came with the key, and it was opened +with some difficulty. The ice with which it had been filled in the +winter had been exhausted, and it contained nothing but rubbish. The +hands were called, and the interior was soon cleaned out.</p> + +<p>Though Levi had not closed his eyes during the night, and had been busy +all the time, he was wide awake, and proceeded to drive things as he had +done at the cavern. It was decided to move the cannons first, after a +broad gang plank had been made of the material in the boat. A heavy +cart-stake was procured, which was thrust into the first of the pieces, +with room enough for three of the hands to get hold of it. Another was +placed under the cascabel, which was supported by General and Dummy, +with Rosebud at the jaws.</p> + +<p>The gun was easily handled with this force, and the men walked briskly +to the new arsenal. Three wheelbarrows were brought from the tool-house +by the planter and the boys while Levi was superintending the removal of +the cannons. Three wheelers were selected by the overseer, two placed in +the gundalow to load the barrows, and one at the ice-house. In less than +an hour, and when the daylight was appearing in the east, the job was +finished.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys, you can sleep all the rest of the day," said Mr. Lyons, and +Levi sent the hands to their quarters.</p> + +<p>"We haven't seen any men on the watch," said Levi, while he was placing +some boards over the windows of the building, "but there may have been +some on the lookout for all that."</p> + +<p>"If they were in the road near the big bend, where you thought they +would be, if anywhere, they could not have walked to the cavern in time +to find us there, for we made quick work of loading the boat," added the +planter.</p> + +<p>"If there were any men there, they may have observed us; but they could +not get round here to see what was done with the cases if they did," +replied Levi. "They may possibly have recognized the Magnolia: and that +is the only clew they could have obtained of the operations in this +affair."</p> + +<p>"It is time to go to bed, and I am inclined to think we shall do some +sleeping to-day," added the planter, as he led the way to the mansion.</p> + +<p>Levi was not willing to leave anything to chance; and before he went to +his room in the house he had called up two of the servants and +established a patrol along the bank of the creek from the bridge to the +boathouse, with orders to call him if any persons were seen prowling +about the vicinity.</p> + +<p>All the operations of the night had been conducted with the most prudent +regard to secrecy. Doubtless Levi Bedford knew more about the residents +of the county than Noah Lyon, and probably more about Titus as he was +and had been during the last few years. The disappearance of the arms +and ammunition would make a tremendous sensation among the Southern +sympathizers, though most of them were not yet aware of the existence of +such a store of munitions in the vicinity; for the knowledge of them had +probably been confined to the members of Titus's company of Home Guards. +Even if the wrath and excitement occasioned by the loss of the war +material was limited to these ruffians, there were enough of them to do +a vast amount of mischief in the county.</p> + +<p>The interview on the bridge with his brother had opened wide the eyes of +Noah; but he had always lived in a peaceful community, and his overseer +understood the situation better than he did. Levi had taken every +precaution against the possible assaults of the "bushwackers," as he +called the gang with whom the Northern "doughface" had cast his lot at +the breaking out of the troubles in the State. The boys slept soundly +till nearly noon, and the planter till the middle of the forenoon; but +Levi appeared as usual at breakfast, having slept but about three hours.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lyon had told his wife something about the events of the night, and +assured her that the arms were safe in the ice-house, and nothing was +said at the table about the proceedings of the party, though Levi was as +good-natured as usual, and talked about other things. As soon as he had +finished his morning meal with a most excellent appetite, he hastened to +the ice-house with the key in his hand. The field-hands had gone to +their work, and all was quiet about the place.</p> + +<p>The ice-house was near the creek, about half-way between the bridge and +the boathouse, close to the stream. The door of it faced the water, and +there was a small square window in either end. Levi walked around the +building two or three times, closely examining the structure. Then he +stopped at the door and cast his eyes all around him, especially at the +lay of the land on the other side of the creek. He was not a military +engineer any more than his employer; but he was a man of ideas, and he +was evidently preparing for events in the future which he foresaw, and +which the disturbed condition of the State rendered more than possible.</p> + +<p>When he had completed his survey he unlocked the door of the building. +The cases were all just as they had been piled up in the early morning. +He bestowed only a glance at them, and then began a study of the two +windows, from which he removed the boards that prevented any one from +seeing what the building contained. Then he gave his attention to the +doors, which were double, the thickness of the wall apart. He was +evidently making a plan in his mind for some alterations to the +structure; but he was alone, and of course he said nothing.</p> + +<p>He appeared to have reached his conclusion. Closing and locking the +outer door, he walked over to the boathouse, at the pier of which the +Magnolia had been secured by the boatmen as soon as the work of the +night was completed. Here again he stopped and made a survey of the +neighboring swamp, which separated the lawn from the bank of the Green. +Then he went over to the bank of the river, and followed it down stream.</p> + +<p>At this point a bend of the river above forced the water of the stream +over near the opposite shore, while half-way across from the bank on +which he stood, the waters from the river and the creek had washed in +the mud so that it formed a bar on a bed of rocks, and the descent here +produced the rapids. The water for half a mile was considerably troubled +when the streams were full, while it was deep enough on the other side +to permit the passage of the steamboats that plied on the river.</p> + +<p>Levi continued his walk in the road, with Green River on one side and on +the other the swamp which bordered the creek to a point near its source. +The swamp was impassable on foot or by boat. It was better than a wall +in the rear of the mansion, and the marauders of Titus Lyon could not +approach from that direction. Farther along was a broad lagoon or pond, +connected by a wide and sluggish inlet with Bar Creek. This could be +crossed with a boat; but the approach to it from the spring road over +the low ground was difficult and dangerous.</p> + +<p>The overseer knew the whole region very well; but when he had viewed it +again in the light of impending contingencies, he seemed to be entirely +satisfied with the situation, for his chronic smile was on his round +face, though no one was there to see it. He went to the shop, which +formed part of the carriage-house, and began a survey of the lumber on +hand there. A couple of three-inch oak planks were pulled out from the +pile. He measured and marked them with a piece of chalk, and then left +the shop.</p> + +<p>Among the plantation hands were carpenters, masons, painters, and other +mechanics, more or less skilful, though none of them had regularly +learned a trade. Some of them had become quite expert in the use of +tools, and could do a very respectable job, especially the carpenters. +Levi was himself a "jack-of-all-trades," and he had trained some of them +to the best of his ability.</p> + +<p>When he came out of the shop he sent Frank the coachman to call the +three carpenters, who worked in the field most of the time. The colonel +had given these men names to suit himself, and they were proud of their +cognomens. "Shavings" was the most skilful of them, and was the "boss" +at any job to be done. "Gouge" and "Bitts" were only fair workmen, but +they did very well under the direction of their foreman.</p> + +<p>When they came, Levi ordered Shavings to make two doors of the +three-inch planks, and described what he wanted very minutely. At the +same time the two door-frames were ordered, and the mechanics went to +work with a will, and without asking to what use the doors were to be +applied.</p> + +<p>By this time the planter came out from his late breakfast, and the +overseer reported to him what he had been doing the last three hours. +They visited the shop where the negro mechanics were sawing out the +planks for the doors, and then went to the stables, where Frank remained +on duty all the time when not out with one of the teams; and then one of +the grooms took his place.</p> + +<p>"How many horses are there on the place now, Frank?" asked the planter.</p> + +<p>"Thirty-five in all, Major," answered the coachman.</p> + +<p>"Are they all fit for service?" inquired the owner.</p> + +<p>"No, sir; six of them are breeding mares, and nine are colts, two and +three years old. We have fifteen horses and mares four years old and +more, for sale, and I reckoned you would sell them about this time."</p> + +<p>"That's all, Frank," added the planter as he left the stable.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you are driving at, Major Lyon, but we have +twenty-seven horses over three years old, and fit for service, though +the three year olds are rather young yet for hard work," said Levi, as +they walked towards the ice-house.</p> + +<p>"I have held my tongue about as long as necessary; but now all these +sores in the State seem to be coming to a head, and I will tell you, +between ourselves, that I have an idea of raising a company of Union +cavalry to offset the Home Guards of this county," replied Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"That's a glorious idea!" exclaimed Levi with tremendous enthusiasm. "I +wish I was ten years younger, and weighed thirty pounds less, for I +should like to swing a sabre in that company."</p> + +<p>"But you are to look out for the plantation and take care of my family +while I am away, Levi. You can ride a colt better than any of us; but +your work is here, and you may be called upon to do as much fighting as +any of us," said Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I will do my duty wherever you put me, Major; but I should rather enjoy +a whack at those border ruffians who are making the whole county hot +with outrages. Last night they burned out a Union man two miles above +the village."</p> + +<p>"The time for action is close at hand," added Mr. Lyon, as they came to +the ice-house. "There have been talk and threats enough. My brother has +told me that I am liable to be hung on one of the big trees after a mob +has burned the house; but I think we are ready for such a gathering as +he suggests. We may hear something about it to-night in the meeting at +the Big Bend schoolhouse."</p> + +<p>"I have looked the ice-house over this morning, and I have made up my +mind what ought to be done," said Levi; and he proceeded to state his +plan for turning the stone structure into a sort of fort. "I have +ordered the doors already, and if you say the word, Major, I will make +three or four embrasures in the walls for the two field-pieces; and we +must have a magazine for the ammunition."</p> + +<p>"I approve your plan; go ahead and do the work as you think best. You +can use all the hands you need; and from this moment the ice-house will +be known as Fort Bedford," replied Mr. Lyons.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Major, and I will endeavor to make the fortress worthy of a +better name," returned Levi, as he hastened to the stable to send for +the men he wanted.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<h3>THE UNION MEETING AT BIG BEND</h3> + + +<p>In the afternoon Levi Bedford had half the hands on the plantation at +work in and about the ice-house. Embrasures, or port-holes, were opened +in the thick walls, one at each end and one on each side of the door, at +the proper height for the twelve-pounders, which were mounted on the +carriages, in order that everything should be correctly adjusted. Then +the door which opened on the side next to the creek was filled up with +stones taken from the quarry in the only hill on the plantation, so that +it was as thick and as solid as the rest of the walls. Then a new door +was made on the opposite side.</p> + +<p>By sundown the carpenter had completed and hung the double doors; and +they were secured with the heavy locks the colonel had purchased in the +days of the horse-thieves. All this work was not completed when night +came, and four trusty men were selected to patrol the creek from the +bridge down to the boat-pier, two serving till midnight, and the other +two till morning.</p> + +<p>"I think we shall be in condition to stand a siege by to-morrow night," +said the overseer, as he accompanied the planter and the boys to Fort +Bedford, on the way to the schoolhouse at Big Bend.</p> + +<p>"It looks so now," replied Mr. Lyon as he went into the building. "You +have made remarkable progress for one day. But I want to open one of +these boxes."</p> + +<p>"Which one, Major?" asked Levi.</p> + +<p>"The one which contains revolvers and cartridges, for some of the +smaller ones are labelled with the names of these articles. I hardly +expect any trouble at the meeting to-night; but I think it its best to +be prepared for the worst. I have brought one of the colonel's pistols +with me; but I want to put the boys in condition to defend themselves," +added the planter.</p> + +<p>"I think we can make good use of them, for we have had some experience +with such tools," said Deck, who did not appear to be at all affected by +the serious nature of the preparations they were making.</p> + +<p>"Where have you had any such experience, Dexter?" inquired his father.</p> + +<p>"Tom Bartlett and Ben Mason had revolvers at the time of the +housebreaking scare in Derry, and Artie and I used to fire at a mark +with them in the hill pasture," replied the enthusiastic boy. "Artie +used to beat us all, and often put the ball through the centre of the +target."</p> + +<p>"Sometimes," suggested the other.</p> + +<p>"Then you are both ahead of me, for I never fired a revolver or a pistol +of any kind, though I used to go hunting with a fowling-piece when I was +a boy," added Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"Then I think you had better practise a little, Major," said Levi, as he +pulled out one of the smaller boxes from the top of the pile of cases. +"This contains what you want, I reckon."</p> + +<p>Deck brought the hatchet, and the case was opened. Most of the weapons +were navy revolvers, wrapped in oiled paper to save them from rust. They +were closely packed in the case, the spare space being filled in with +packages of cartridges. They opened another box, and found half a dozen +of smaller size, with the proper ammunition. The overseer selected two +of them, handing one to each of the boys, with a box of cartridges.</p> + +<p>"I should like to try this little persuader," said Deck, as he opened +the box of ammunition, and proceeded to load the pistol.</p> + +<p>Artie followed his example; and, setting up the cover of the case by the +creek, they blazed away at it till the chambers of the revolvers were +empty. They fired in turn, and the position of each bullet-hole was +noted. Artie kept up his old reputation, for he hit near the centre of +the board three times out of six. Deck fired the best shot, but his +others were more scattering. They hit the board every time, and Levi +said they "would do."</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Lyon tried his hand with the revolver he had brought from the +mansion; but his aim was less accurate than that of the boys. He put +four of his six balls into the board, three of them outside of the +punctures made by Deck and Artie.</p> + +<p>"You will improve with more experience, Major; but I reckon you could +hit a bushwhacker if he wasn't more than ten feet from you; and these +tools generally come into use at short range. How were you going up to +Big Bend, Major?"</p> + +<p>"I thought we should walk," replied the planter; and he reloaded his +revolver, as both of the boys had done by this time. "It is not more +than three-quarters of a mile."</p> + +<p>"I think you had better go in the Magnolia, with the crew that pulled us +last night," suggested Levi. "If there should be any row at the +schoolhouse, those boys will stand by you as long as there is anything +left of you."</p> + +<p>"I don't look for any row, Levi, but I suppose it is always best to be +prepared for the worst," replied the planter. "You may send for the +crew."</p> + +<p>One of the watchmen happened to be near at the time, and he was +despatched for the boatmen who had formed the regular crew of the +Magnolia in the time of the deceased planter.</p> + +<p>"I suppose, if there should be any trouble at the schoolhouse, and I +should be protected by my negroes, it would tend to aggravate the charge +against me of being an abolitionist; and that seems to be about the +worst thing that can be said against a man in this county."</p> + +<p>"But only among the border ruffians," the overseer amended the +statement. "The man that owns fifty niggers cannot decently be accused +of being an abolitionist. I advise you to go in the boat because the +schoolhouse is right on the very bank of the river. The back windows +over the platform look out upon the water. If the bushwhackers come down +upon you, and things go against you, it will be easy to get out by one +of these windows. A good general always keeps the line of retreat open +behind him when he goes into battle; and you had better have the +Magnolia under one of these windows."</p> + +<p>"Why, Levi, you talk as though you were about sure an attempt would be +made to break up the meeting," replied Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"To tell you the truth, I do feel almost sure of it," returned the +overseer. "Captain Titus, as they call him up in the village so as not +to mix him up with Major Noah Lyon, was about mad enough yesterday to do +something desperate. You say he has threatened you, and"—</p> + +<p>"I did not say that, Levi," interposed the planter. "Don't make my +brother out any worse than he is, for conscience' sake."</p> + +<p>"What did he say, then?"</p> + +<p>"He told me the people on his side of the question would have mobbed me +before this time if he had not prevented them from doing so."</p> + +<p>"That's about the same thing. I don't like to say anything against your +brother, Major, but I don't look on Captain Titus as a square man. He +wants to keep his own head covered up because you are his brother; but I +believe on my conscience that he would like to see your place burned to +the ground, and it wouldn't break his heart to see you hanging by the +neck to one of the big trees."</p> + +<p>Mr. Lyon realized that the overseer understood the character of Titus +better than he had supposed. His brother was terribly disappointed +because the colonel had not left Riverlawn to him; and he had charged +the deceased with unfairness and injustice in making his will. He was +compelled to believe the claim of Titus that he had prevented the +ruffians from destroying his property was a pretence, and nothing more. +His brother was not only disappointed but revengeful.</p> + +<p>"It is generally understood about here that you called this Union +meeting," continued Levi.</p> + +<p>"I suggested it, for we ought to know who's who; and it remains to be +seen how many will have the pluck to attend the meeting. Titus believes +that a large majority of the people in these parts are of his way of +thinking, while I believe that they are about two to one the other way, +though most of them are afraid to do or say much, and I want to bring +them out if possible."</p> + +<p>"You are right as to numbers, Major; and when a man is afraid that his +house will be burned down over his head, or that he will get a bullet +through his brains while he sits at his window, I don't much wonder that +he is not inclined to speak out loud, and these bushwhackers have had it +all their own way. I hope you will be able to bring out the prudent and +timid ones."</p> + +<p>"I talked the meeting over with others, and Colonel Cosgrove promised to +come up and help us out with a speech. We all agreed that it was time to +make a demonstration in favor of the Union," replied the planter as the +boat's crew appeared on the ground.</p> + +<p>"I should like to go with you. Major, but I don't think it is safe to +leave the place alone," said the overseer. "Whether the ruffians had a +watch on the spring road last night or not, I don't know. We haven't +heard anything of them during the day; but I should be willing to wager +a pair of my old shoes they have found out by this time that the arms +and ammunition placed in the cavern have taken to themselves wings, like +other riches, and flown away. If I am not much mistaken, Captain Titus +finds himself some thousands poorer to-day than he was a week ago."</p> + +<p>"Do you believe they have discovered the loss so soon?"</p> + +<p>"I haven't much doubt of it. Captain Titus keeps three horses, and it +was easy enough for him to send one of his boys over to the cavern to +see that the arms were all right. He has missed them by this time; and +if we do our duty they won't shoot any bullets into the heads and hearts +of the Union army. Of course Captain Titus and his gang are boiling over +with wrath. You won't see him at the meeting, perhaps; but there will be +enough there to make a noise, if nothing more. I have been thinking of +these things to-day, and that is the reason why I thought it best to +take proper precautions."</p> + +<p>"I am glad you have spoken out, Levi, for you have generally been very +reticent," replied Mr. Lyon, as he led the way to the boat-pier, where +the crew had manned the boat.</p> + +<p>"I couldn't say much while I believed your brother was at the bottom of +most of the mischief," pleaded Levi.</p> + +<p>The planter and the boys seated themselves in the stern sheets of the +Magnolia. Deck took the tiller lines with the consent of his father, and +General was permitted to get under way as he pleased, giving all the +orders in detail. None of the crew asked any questions, and in a short +time Deck brought the boat up under one of the windows of the +schoolhouse. Mr. Lyon charged General to keep the Magnolia just where +they had placed her, and not to make any noise at all.</p> + +<p>The building was already partly filled, and more were constantly +arriving. Before the appointed time Colonel Cosgrove descended from his +wagon at the door, and the planter welcomed him. At the hour named, +Squire Truman, a young legal gentleman from a Northern county, who had +settled in the village, called the meeting to order. It was said that he +had not a very flourishing practice, but he was regarded as a young man +of more than average ability. He had the credit of being a ready and +able speaker; and Mr. Lyon had invited him to open the assemblage with a +statement of the situation in the county, especially in the vicinity of +Barcreek.</p> + +<p>He was a decided and outspoken Union man. He began very moderately; but +in a few minutes he became more earnest, and soon rose to the height of +eloquence. He was warmly applauded by the audience, though there were +some tokens of disapprobation, evidently proceeding from some of the +individuals whom Levi called "bushwhackers." Titus Lyon was not there, +but some of his representatives had already manifested themselves. The +discordant elements soon became more demonstrative as the speaker waxed +eloquent. They made noise enough to disturb the equanimity of Squire +Truman; and he switched off from his line of remark, and proceeded to +dress down the malcontents in the most vigorous language.</p> + +<p>"I beg leave to inform those who are struggling to create a disturbance, +that this is a Union meeting, called as such, and as such only," said +the orator, shaking with indignation. "It was called for Union men only! +It is a gathering of those who are loyal to the government at +Washington, and not to decide between secession and fidelity to the old +flag. Those who are not Union men are respectfully requested to retire +from the meeting."</p> + +<p>This request brought forth a torrent of yells from the ruffians, though +there were apparently not more than a dozen of them. Squire Truman was +defiant, and his handsome face looked as noble as that of a Roman +senator.</p> + +<p>"Has the time come when free speech in behalf of this glorious Union is +to be put down?" And then the ruffians howled again. "Has it come to +this in the State of Kentucky, the second to be admitted into the Union? +and, with the help of God and all honest men, she shall be the last to +leave it! Are we men to be badgered and silenced by half a score of +blackguards and ruffians? I am one of half a dozen to put them out of +the hall."</p> + +<p>About a dozen rose from their seats, headed by Noah Lyon, and moved down +the aisles of the schoolroom.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<h3>THE EJECTION OF THE NOISY RUFFIANS</h3> + + +<p>The planter of Riverlawn was not a fighting character; he had always +been one of the most peaceful of men. He had never raised a hand against +one of his fellow-beings, and it required the stimulus of an occasion +like the present to rouse a belligerent feeling in him, if the +groundwork of any such emotion existed in his nature. It was hardly +that, but rather a sense of his solemn duty, which he was called upon to +perform, as a surgeon is required to amputate a limb to save life; and +he was impelled to save the life of the Union.</p> + +<p>Noah Lyon was not physically a large man, but one who weighed a hundred +and a half; yet his frame was well knit, firmly compacted, and inured by +hard labor from his boyhood. As he rose to his feet and marched down the +middle aisle of the schoolroom, his face exhibited more strength than +his form; for all the determination of his nature was concentrated in +his eyes and the muscles of his countenance.</p> + +<p>The fervid speech of the young orator had brought him to his bearings. +Deck and Artie had been similarly affected; and with their fists +clinched they followed the planter. Squire Truman leaped from the +platform into the midst of them, as the dozen others sprang to their +feet, some with their eyes flashing with indignation, and all of them +with a fixed purpose not to submit to the outrage in which the ruffians +were engaged.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Lyon had proceeded as far as the middle of the room, one of the +disturbers of the peace, whom the planter had spotted, rose to his feet +and confronted him in the aisle. It was Buck Lagger, a pedler, who was +one of the most virulent of the Secessionists, and who aspired to be a +leader among the turbulent spirits of the county.</p> + +<p>"What are you go'n' to do about it?" demanded he savagely.</p> + +<p>"Are you a Union man?" asked Mr. Lyon with quiet determination.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not!" yelled the ruffian, who had the reputation in Barcreek of +being a brute of the lowest order, with a whole volley of oaths.</p> + +<p>"Then you were not invited here, and you will leave!" said the planter.</p> + +<p>"This buildin' is public, and I have as much right here as you have!" +answered Buck Lagger, with a coarse guffaw.</p> + +<p>Noah Lyon did not wait for anything more, but grappled with the fellow +as an eagle swoops down on his prey. Buck tried to get his right hand +into his breast pocket, evidently to obtain a weapon of some kind; but +his assailant understood his purpose, and crowded him over backwards +upon one of the desks, choking him so hard that he soon lost all his +pluck.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus3" id="illus3"></a> +<img src="images/illus3.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">He grappled with the fellow.</span>"</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>Colonel Cosgrove was close behind Mr. Lyon, and seized upon the boon +companion of the pedler. He was an excellent specimen of a Kentucky +gentleman, stalwart in form and determined in purpose. He bore his man +down as the leader had done. The other ruffians rushed to the assistance +of their leaders, and the <i>mêlée</i> became general.</p> + +<p>There did not appear to be more than half a dozen active ruffians in the +room; at least not more who were resolute enough to take part in these +stormy proceedings. Mr. Lyon had choked so much of the energy out of +Buck Laggar that he had ceased to feel for his weapon, and the planter +took him by the collar of the coat with both hands, and dragged him to +the door, where he pitched him on the ground all in a heap.</p> + +<p>Colonel Cosgrove followed him with his man; and then came the orator +with a fellow nearly twice his size, with whom he was having a hard +tussle, when Deck leaped upon the back of this victim, and drawing his +arms tightly under his throat, brought him to the floor, and then rolled +him out at the door. The other Union men in the audience had tackled the +remaining ruffians when they went to the assistance of those of their +number who had been attacked, and hustled them out of the apartment.</p> + +<p>"That will do for the present," said Squire Truman, as the resolute +Unionists completed their active work, and stopped to catch their +breath.</p> + +<p>"I think we had better station a guard at the door, and challenge every +man who wants to come in," suggested Mr. Lyon.</p> + +<p>"That's a good idea, for it is the evident intention of the blackguards +to break up the meeting; and I should be ashamed to have such a thing +done,—a Union meeting dispersed by force in the State of Kentucky!" +added the young lawyer.</p> + +<p>"Precisely so!" exclaimed Colonel Cosgrove. "I will offer my services as +one of the guard."</p> + +<p>"Good!" shouted Colonel Belthorpe, a big Kentuckian whose plantation was +near that of Major Lyon, "I will be another."</p> + +<p>"Here are two more!" cried Deck Lyon, as he and Artie presented +themselves.</p> + +<p>"Lively boys," laughed Colonel Cosgrove. "Both of them took a hand in +the skirmish we have had, and they will do very well for this duty."</p> + +<p>The Union men in the assembly applauded warmly, and the young orator led +the way back to the seats, mounting the platform himself. He resumed his +speech with an allusion to the event which had just transpired, and +roused his audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm by his fiery +eloquence. He spoke half an hour, and concluded by nominating Major Noah +Lyon as the presiding officer of the evening; and the selection was +heartily indorsed by the meeting.</p> + +<p>Before he could reach the platform, a dozen men appeared at the door. +The volunteer committee on admissions retired to the lobby so that they +need not disturb the proceedings. Colonel Cosgrove took Artie by the +arm, while Colonel Belthorpe did the same with Deck, each at one side of +the door.</p> + +<p>"Are you a Union man?" demanded Deck in a loud voice, for he felt that +he must do or say something, boiling over with enthusiasm for the cause +as he was; and perhaps the fact that he had a loaded revolver in his +pocket was an inciting influence with him.</p> + +<p>"I am!" exclaimed the person addressed, with emphasis.</p> + +<p>"Pass in," replied Deck.</p> + +<p>"Put the same question, Artie," added Colonel Cosgrove, amused at the +earnestness of Deck.</p> + +<p>Artie put the question with less pomposity than his cousin, and the +answer was the same. The brace of colonels then took part in the +challenging, and the dozen applicants were promptly admitted. One of the +colonels then suggested to the other that the boys could remain in the +lobby while they stood inside the door.</p> + +<p>Noah Lyon had presided on several occasions in town meetings, and his +modesty had been so far overcome that he could face an audience, +especially in such a cause as the present. He was received with applause +and cheers, and proceeded to make a speech in his usual quiet way. He +said he could not make such a speech as the eloquent gentleman from +Barcreek village had done; but he was a Union man in every fibre of his +being, whether he was in New Hampshire or Kentucky.</p> + +<p>This statement was received with tremendous applause. He proceeded to +say that he was a peaceable man, and was in favor of peaceable measures; +but he did not intend to be overridden and trodden down by the Secession +element, which he believed was in a large minority in the State. He was +ready to talk as long as talking did any good; but when he had talked +enough he was ready to fight.</p> + +<p>This was the popular sentiment in the meeting, and a tumult of applause +followed, ending in nine rousing cheers. He was ready to shoulder a +musket in any Kentucky regiment, and he was glad that some had already +been organized. He had twenty-seven horses he would give "without money +and without price," to the cause of the Union, with which to start a +cavalry company; and "I think I can <i>find</i> arms for the men," he added.</p> + +<p>This offer was greeted with yells of approval, and it was some time +before he could say anything more.</p> + +<p>"I will also contribute twenty horses," shouted Colonel Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"I will give the next twenty," Colonel Belthorpe cried out.</p> + +<p>The clapping of hands and the cheering were renewed with more vigor than +ever, if possible; and others offered to contribute from one to five +each, till over a hundred horses were pledged for the company. In the +midst of this enthusiasm the voice of Deck was heard in the lobby.</p> + +<p>"Are you a Union man, sir?" he demanded in a voice loud enough to be +heard in a momentary lull of the enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"No, I am not!" replied the applicant, with a volley of expletives.</p> + +<p>"Then you can't go in," answered Deck.</p> + +<p>"Who says I can't?" asked the intruder in fierce tones.</p> + +<p>"This is a Union meeting, and none but Union men are admitted," replied +Deck, loud enough to be heard on the platform; for the meeting had +become silent, and all were turning around to see the door.</p> + +<p>"Do you see that?" demanded the ruffian, as he drew a bowie-knife from +his pocket, and threw it open with a jerk.</p> + +<p>Deck had put his right hand on his hip pocket, which contained his +revolver; and, the moment he saw the knife, he drew it, and pointed it +at the part where the intruder carried what brains he had.</p> + +<p>"And do you see that?" called the plucky boy.</p> + +<p>"And that?" added Artie on the other side of the door.</p> + +<p>"Take yourself off!" shouted Deck furiously, as he retreated a pace, to +keep out of the reach of the wicked-looking blade of the knife.</p> + +<p>"Isn't this a free building?" asked the ruffian, as he looked from one +revolver to the other.</p> + +<p>"Free to Union men to-night," answered Deck.</p> + +<p>By this time half a dozen men from the interior were approaching the +door, and the ruffian suddenly decamped. Deck followed him to the door, +and saw the man disappear in the grove on the other side of the road. +Then he heard a voice among the trees; and it was evident to him that +there were more ruffians, perhaps biding their time to make an attack +upon the Unionists when they went to their homes.</p> + +<p>"Three cheers for the boys!" shouted one of the men who had come to the +door, and observed the retreat of the ruffian.</p> + +<p>They were lustily given, and then Deck announced to the meeting that +there were more men in the grove, for some one had hailed the ruffian +that had just left the door.</p> + +<p>"No matter for them," said the chairman. "Let us go on with this +meeting, and when they come in, if they do so, we will take care of +them. The boys will keep watch, and let us know if they approach the +schoolhouse."</p> + +<p>A committee of three were appointed to attend to the enrolment of the +company of cavalry. The two colonels and the major by courtesy were +appointed on this committee. Then Colonel Cosgrove was called upon to +make the speech he had promised. He was not so eloquent as his +professional brother from the village; but he was more solid, and was as +vigorously applauded as the other speakers had been.</p> + +<p>He said there had been a sort of reign of terror in the county, and it +was because the Unionists had been less demonstrative than the +Secessionists, and for that reason he believed in the present meeting. +He was disposed to be peaceable, but he was ready to fight for the +Union. He proceeded at considerable length. He was in favor of having it +understood in the county that there were plenty of Unionists within its +borders, and that they were not to be frowned or bullied down by the +ruffians of the other side.</p> + +<p>This remark seemed to be the sense of the assembly, which had now +increased in numbers to over a hundred, and the applause was decided.</p> + +<p>While the colonel from the county town was speaking, Deck and Artie had +been over to the other side of the road, and penetrated the grove for a +short distance. Probably those who had been ejected from the meeting +were there; but the boys crept near enough to make out that there were +not less than fifty men there, and possibly double that number.</p> + +<p>As they retired from the grove they found that a single man was +following them. They retreated to the lobby of the schoolhouse, with +their revolvers in their hands. They had hardly resumed their stations +at the door when the man presented himself before them. To the +astonishment of his two nephews this person proved to be Titus Lyon.</p> + +<p>"Are you a Union man?" demanded Deck.</p> + +<p>"I am not," replied Titus.</p> + +<p>"Then you can't go into this meeting," added Deck, as firmly as he had +spoken at any time before.</p> + +<p>The applicant could not fail to see that both of the boys had weapons in +their hands. He looked earnest and determined, but he did not appear to +be even angry. He halted and fixed his gaze upon the floor, apparently +in deep thought.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<h3>THE DEMAND OF CAPTAIN TITUS LYON</h3> + + +<p>Revolvers are dangerous weapons; and Deck and Artie had used them enough +in sport to realize this truth. They had not yet become accustomed to +seeing bullets fired into the bodies of human beings; to the sight of +strong men falling with a death-wound in the head or heart, which was +afterwards almost an everyday spectacle in the battles of the Great +Rebellion.</p> + +<p>They had been brought up where human life was held to be more sacred +than in the locality to which they had been transplanted; and if they +had thought of discharging their weapons into the vital parts of even +the ruffians who menaced the Union meeting with violence, they were +certainly not ready to begin with one of their own flesh and blood, +though Titus Lyon had proved himself to be one of the most virulent +enemies of the public peace.</p> + +<p>"I have no weapons, as you have, boys, and I have something to say to +this meeting," said Titus, after he had meditated for two or three +minutes. "I want to go in; but I shall not stop there many minutes."</p> + +<p>"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus," replied Deck decidedly; "that's the +order of the meeting."</p> + +<p>"But I'm going in if I'm shot for it," continued the applicant for +admission very quietly, but with none of the bluster which had become +almost a second nature to him.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the interest he felt in the mission which brought him to the +schoolhouse had induced him to refrain from his usual potations, for he +appeared to be perfectly sober. He used none of the intemperate language +which was generally on his tongue, so that the boys were not roused to +indignation, even if they were tempted to use their weapons; but both of +them placed themselves in the doorway as though they intended to dispute +his passage into the room.</p> + +<p>The meeting was proceeding with its business, though the orators had +finished their speeches. A Union farmer was telling about one of his +neighbors who had been threatened by the ruffians, as the Secessionists +had come to be generally called by this time. He was quite earnest in +his plea that something should be done to protect men who stood by the +government.</p> + +<p>The two colonels were interested, and they had moved forward where they +could hear the farmer, who spoke in a low tone; and no one inside was +aware of what was transpiring in the lobby, so that the boys were +practically alone.</p> + +<p>"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus, and we don't want to shoot you," +interposed Artie. "I will call Colonel Cosgrove, and you can make your +request to him;" and he went to the place where the colonel was +standing.</p> + +<p>"But I am going in," persisted Titus Lyon, attempting to push Deck +aside.</p> + +<p>"You can't go in!" said Deck, as he crowded his uncle back from the +entrance. "Wait a moment, and you can tell Colonel Cosgrove what you +want!"</p> + +<p>"I don't want anything of Colonel Cosgrove; he is worse than your +father," replied the applicant.</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, Mr. Lyon," said the Kentuckian, presenting himself at the +door at this moment.</p> + +<p>"I have something to say to this meeting, Colonel, which it is important +for the meeting to hear," added Titus.</p> + +<p>"Come right in and say it, Mr. Lyon," replied the colonel, to the +astonishment of the young guardians of the portal.</p> + +<p>He was as polite as a Kentucky gentleman generally is; and he took the +arm of the applicant, and marched with him to the space behind the +desks, where he halted till the former had finished his remarks. Noah +Lyon was taken "all back" by the appearance of his brother escorted by +the most influential Kentuckian in the county. The entire audience +turned and stared at the unexpected guest.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to present Captain Titus Lyon of +Barcreek to the meeting," said the colonel. "He claims to have something +of importance to communicate. He is not a Union man, as is well known, +but I trust no objection will be made to hearing him."</p> + +<p>"I am not a Union man, as Colonel Cosgrove says," Titus began. "When I +came to this State, I became a Kentuckian, and I go with the people of +this section of the country. But I did not come here to talk politics. +There is two sides to the question before the country, and each on 'em +has its rights. I belong to the party that is tryin' to keep the peace +in the State if we have to fight for it. As we had a perfect right to +do, we bought about three thousand dollars worth of arms and ammernition +to protect ourselves agin them that is tryin' to force the State into a +war of subjergation agin our own flesh and blood.</p> + +<p>"Them arms and ammernition has been stole," continued Titus, waxing +indignant in spite of his effort to keep cool, and relapsing into his +everyday speech. "I believe it was done by what you call Union men, and +I cal'late I know jest who done it; and I cal'late, Mr. Chairman, you +know jest as well or better'n I do who done it."</p> + +<p>"Who was it?" demanded a person in the audience.</p> + +<p>"I h'ain't got nothin' to say here about that," answered Captain Titus. +"But if them arms and ammernition ain't given up right off, here and +now, on the spot, or some plan agreed on for doin' so afore to-morrer +noon, the blood will run in the low places round here, and the clouds in +the sky will give back the light from the fires that is burnin' down +some of the nicest houses in these parts. I hain't got nothin' more to +say; but if any one wants to see me about settlin' up this matter, I can +be found near the road in front of the schoolhouse."</p> + +<p>"But this is war, Captain Lyon," suggested Colonel Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"I know 'tis; and that's jest what I mean. We want the Union thieves to +give up the property they stole; and that's all we ask now," replied +Titus, whose wrath was beginning to be stirred to the boiling point.</p> + +<p>"We are ready to meet you on that ground!" shouted Squire Truman, +springing to his feet; for he knew that Captain Titus was the ringleader +of the ruffians in the vicinity, and his threat roused him to a fiery +indignation. "I know nothing about the arms and ammunition; but whoever +took possession of them has done a noble and patriotic deed, and, Mr. +Chairman, I move you that a vote of thanks be tendered to them for it."</p> + +<p>This motion was hailed with thunders of applause; and when the presiding +officer put it to the meeting, it was carried unanimously, and no one +wished to delay it by making a speech.</p> + +<p>Squire Truman then made another speech, in which he pictured the result +of permitting the arms to get into the hands of the ruffians for whose +use they were evidently intended; and he magnified the prudence and +forethought of the unknown persons who had taken the responsibility of +such a forward step. This speech was received with cheers, in which the +throats of the audience seemed to be strained to their utmost tension.</p> + +<p>"Captain Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, when the tumult had subsided in a +measure, "no formal answer seems to be necessary to your demand. The +action of this meeting and the spirit with which it has been received +are a sufficient reply. Personally, I can only say I heartily rejoice +that the arms and ammunition have been turned aside from the purpose for +which they were intended, and we will take care that they are not used +against the government of the United States. We are loyal citizens, and +we shall do our duty to the glorious flag under which we live. Have you +any further communication to make to this meeting, Captain Lyon?"</p> + +<p>"No, I haven't; I've said my say, and fire and blood is the next thing," +replied Titus, as he rushed out of the schoolroom, furious with passion.</p> + +<p>The business of the meeting was completed; but the boys informed the two +colonels that the road was full of men. Then several of the Unionists +drew revolvers from their pockets; for they had fully expected that the +meeting would be disturbed, and that it would end in a fight. They had +come prepared to defend themselves. The situation was discussed, but no +one was inclined to avoid the issue. If there was to be a fight, it +would be no new thing in the State.</p> + +<p>Colonel Belthorpe, whose title was not one of mere courtesy, for he had +served in the regular army in his younger days, and won his later spurs +in the militia, advised that a procession be formed, with the armed men +on the right, while the others were told to obtain clubs, or anything +they could lay their hands upon. But before the column was formed Buck +Lagger appeared at the door.</p> + +<p>"We want Major Lyon and his two cubs!" shouted the ruffian, who appeared +to be the right-hand man of Captain Titus.</p> + +<p>The ruffians had held a meeting in the grove, privately notified by this +Buck,—for Titus had not been inclined to show his hand,—and a +delegation had been sent to try the temper of the assemblage in the +schoolhouse. They had been defeated and ejected. It was plain by this +time that the cavern had been visited and the loss of the munitions +discovered.</p> + +<p>The speech of Captain Titus indicated that he knew who had taken +possession of the property, though Noah Lyon could not conjecture who +had given the information. He was inclined to believe that his brother +had jumped to his conclusion, though spies about the plantation might +have obtained some clew to the night visit to the sink-hole of the +Magnolia. The flatboat had been loaded with rocks and sunk in the +deepest water of the river, so that it need not betray the planter and +his people.</p> + +<p>"We want Major Lyon and his cubs!" repeated Buck Lagger, in a voice loud +enough to be heard all over the building. "We don't mean to meddle with +nobody else, and all the rest o' you uns can go home without no trouble. +Hand over Major Lyon and his cubs so we can get the property he stole, +and we won't make no fuss."</p> + +<p>"We shall not hand him over, but we will protect him to the last drop of +our blood!" yelled Squire Truman, hoarse with the strain upon his voice. +"Turn the ruffian out!"</p> + +<p>But it was not necessary to turn him out, for he fled as soon as he had +executed his mission. There was no great commotion outside, though the +mob could be seen through the open door. The demand of Buck indicated +the principal object of the ruffians, and the purpose for which they had +assembled in the grove.</p> + +<p>"My friends, I am grateful for your support and promise of protection to +me and my boys," said Noah Lyon, who had descended from the platform to +the floor, where the boys had joined him. "It appears from what the +messenger of the ruffians has said that I am the sole object of their +vengeance. I have the means here of taking good care of myself and my +boys, and I need not involve you all in a fight to protect me."</p> + +<p>To a few of the prominent men near him he stated in a low tone, so that +he need not be heard by any ruffian lingering near the door, that his +boat was under the south window, and he could escape without confronting +the mob in the road. This course would save a fight, and the planter's +friends decided to adopt it. The door was closed, and the boys passed +out of the window first. They ordered the crew to be silent, and after +Noah Lyon had shaken hands with the principal men, he followed them. The +Magnolia was shoved out into the river. Deck headed it across the +stream, so as to keep the schoolhouse between it and the ruffians.</p> + +<p>Under the lead of Colonel Belthorpe, with his revolver ready for use, +the Union men marched out of the building, forming four deep when they +reached the foot of the steps. The ruffians had placed themselves so +that the column passed through them, and they all scrutinized the faces +by the light of a fire they had kindled at the side of the road. They +did not see the victims for whom they were looking, and when the last of +the procession had passed them they set up a furious howl.</p> + +<p>"We have been fooled!" shouted Buck Lagger, as he started after the +column. "Where is Major Lyon?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"He is not here," replied some one in the ranks.</p> + +<p>"Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know;" and he told the truth, for he had not heard the +planter's statement about the boat, and had not been near the window.</p> + +<p>"Where is Major Lyon?" demanded Buck Lagger when he reached the head of +the procession.</p> + +<p>"He came in his boat, and he has returned by it," replied Colonel +Belthorpe, with something like a chuckle at the discomfiture of the +ruffian.</p> + +<p>"This is treachery!" howled Buck. "You were to give him up to us."</p> + +<p>"No, we were not," returned the doughty colonel. "Didn't you hear us say +we would protect him to the last drop of our blood?"</p> + +<p>"We will soon find him and his cubs!" growled the present leader, as he +fell back into the grove, followed by the rest of the mob.</p> + +<p>The Magnolia reached the boat-pier, and Levi Bedford was there to +welcome the party.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<h3>THE CONFERENCE IN FORT BEDFORD</h3> + + +<p>The two windows in the rear of the schoolhouse had been wide open all +the evening, and the negroes of the boat's crew could not help hearing +the excited speeches, and the thunders of applause in the meeting of the +Unionists; but not one of them spoke a word about them to the planter +and the boys. They pulled with all their might, and made a quick run to +the boat-pier.</p> + +<p>The first thing that attracted the attention of Major Lyon—we may as +well call him so, as most of the people of Barcreek did—was the lights +in Fort Bedford. Through the embrasures which had been made in the front +and ends of the building it could be seen that the interior of the +building was brilliantly illuminated.</p> + +<p>"You have come back safe and sound, Major," said Levi, as he took the +painter of the Magnolia.</p> + +<p>"By the skin of our teeth we have," replied the planter.</p> + +<p>"Then you have had trouble over there?" asked the overseer.</p> + +<p>"Yes; some of the ruffians tried to break up the meeting, and we put +them out without any ceremony."</p> + +<p>"Good!" exclaimed Levi heartily. "I feel as though I were an inch +taller. I was afraid our friends would let the ruffians bully you."</p> + +<p>"Buck Lagger and about half a dozen others took places in the +schoolhouse, and began to yell while Squire Truman was making his +speech. He is a very smart young man, an eloquent orator, and full of +vim. When he proposed to put the disturbers out, we went in with him and +did it. The boys faced the music, and stood up to it like veteran +policemen," said Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"Good, boys! I knew you would do it," added Levi.</p> + +<p>"But why is the fort lighted up so late in the evening, Levi?" asked the +planter.</p> + +<p>"I have had a dozen hands at work there, all the carpenters and masons +included, and we have the building about ready for business," replied +the overseer. "The fact of it is, I am taking a more serious view of the +state of things than you appear to be doing, and I thought I would have +things ready for whatever comes, and as soon as it comes."</p> + +<p>"I am glad you have done so; and I should have worked with you if I had +not had to attend the meeting," added the major. "The situation looks +decidedly serious to-night, and my eyes have been opened wide enough to +see it."</p> + +<p>The boatmen had been ordered by the planter to take all the boats out of +the water; and while they were doing so the major informed the overseer +more fully in regard to the meeting, especially of the demand for the +restoration of the military supplies, and that he and the boys should be +given up to the mob.</p> + +<p>"I didn't think Captain Titus would show himself in the meeting," said +Levi, as they walked up to the fort. "That Buck Lagger is one of the +biggest villains that goes unhung; and hanging would do him good. I +should say that the ball had opened."</p> + +<p>The hands in the old ice-house were all hard at work, and it at once +appeared to the planter that a great deal of labor had been done in the +building during his absence. The cases had all been opened, the arms had +been removed from them, and arranged conveniently about the interior. +The two twelve-pounders had been mounted on their carriages, and the +pieces were pointed out at the two front embrasures, from which they +could be readily removed to those at the ends of the structure.</p> + +<p>Two large chandeliers of three burners each had been removed from the +drawing-room of the mansion, and were suspended from the roof; but these +were for temporary use while the work was in progress. The ammunition +had been arranged for the present in the boxes outside of the building.</p> + +<p>Major Lyon and the boys had hardly taken a hasty survey of the premises +in their changed aspect before the noise of carriage wheels was heard on +the road leading from the bridge to the fort by the side of the creek. +The vehicle was drawn by two horses, and was approaching at a rapid +rate.</p> + +<p>"Who can that be?" asked Levi with a troubled expression on his round +face.</p> + +<p>"It may be my brother coming to demand the arms," replied Noah Lyon, as +he took one of the muskets from the wall. "Probably he has a load of his +supporters with him if it is he."</p> + +<p>"I think we are all ready for them," added the overseer; and he took a +gun, and handed one to each of the boys. "I think we had better go out +and meet them, for we don't care to have them see what we have been +doing here;" and he led the way hastily up the road.</p> + +<p>His employer and the boys followed him, and soon confronted the +occupants of the wagon.</p> + +<p>"Halt!" called Levi in a very decided tone, as he placed himself in +front of the team; and the driver reined in his horses. "What is your +business here?"</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, Levi," came from the party in the wagon; and the +challenger promptly recognized the voice of Colonel Cosgrove. "I wish to +see Major Lyon at once."</p> + +<p>"Here I am, Colonel; but I did not expect to see you again so soon," +replied the planter, hastening to the carriage. "But drive on, and we +will see you at Fort Bedford."</p> + +<p>"Fort Bedford!" exclaimed the Kentuckian; and he told his coachman to +drive on.</p> + +<p>"This is Fort Bedford you see ahead of you; it is named after Levi, for +he originated the idea. To what am I indebted for this unexpected visit +to Riverlawn?" answered the planter.</p> + +<p>"To the fact that we consider you in great danger, Major, and we thought +you would be in pressing need of assistance from your friends even this +very night."</p> + +<p>"We are here to stand by you, Major," said one on the back seat of the +wagon, who proved to be Colonel Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"And to show that we can fight as well as talk," added Squire Truman, +who was seated at his side.</p> + +<p>"I am very grateful to you for coming to my assistance, for you have all +proved this evening that talking is not your only strength," said the +planter, as he walked along at the side of the wagon.</p> + +<p>"I see you are all armed and ready for business," continued Colonel +Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"When I heard the sound of your vehicle on the bridge, I suspected that +it might be my deluded brother and his supporters coming over here to +execute the threat he made at the meeting."</p> + +<p>"No; after we got away from the ruffians, we talked the matter over," +replied Colonel Cosgrove. "Buck Lagger demanded that the major and his +cubs should be given up to them when they did not find you and the boys +in the column. Then they swore that they would have you. I talked over +the situation with our friends here, and we concluded that the ruffians +would be over here before morning to capture their victims, and burn +your mansion. We decided to come here for this reason,—to warn you of +your danger, and help you beat them off if they came."</p> + +<p>"I am very much obliged to you; but you will find everything in +readiness for their reception," replied Major Lyon, as they reached the +fort.</p> + +<p>"You are lighted up here as though you were going to have a ball instead +of a fight," suggested Colonel Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"There are plenty of balls in the fort, but they are all +twelve-pounders," returned the major as the party alighted. "Levi has +been at work here while we were at the meeting, and he will explain +everything to you better than I can."</p> + +<p>The trio of visitors entered the building, and were astonished at the +nature and extent of the preparations to defend the mansion and its +occupants from a hostile demonstration. Levi stated what he had done, +and pointed out everything in detail.</p> + +<p>"You think the ruffians are coming over here to-night, do you, Colonel +Cosgrove?" asked the planter.</p> + +<p>"I think they are on their way here now," replied the Kentuckian.</p> + +<p>"Is there any other way they can get to your house than over that +bridge?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, who was the only military man in the +party who had seen real service, though Levi had been in the militia.</p> + +<p>"There is no other way," replied Levi, when his employer nodded to him. +"No mob could get through the swamp back of the mansion in the daytime, +to say nothing of doing it in the night. The bridge is the only +approach; and, if worse comes to worst, we can cut that away."</p> + +<p>"You are in a very strong position, and I don't believe it will be +necessary to cut away the bridge," added the military gentleman. "They +can only cross the creek in boats."</p> + +<p>"Our boats are all taken out of the water."</p> + +<p>"With those twelve-pounders you can beat off a regiment. You have +everything for the defence except soldiers," added the authority of the +party.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps we can find them when they are needed," said Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>The lawyer understood, but the planter did not. It was a delicate +subject, and it could not be considered in that presence. The former +realized this fact, and suggested that something ought to be done to +give them notice of the coming of the hostile ruffians.</p> + +<p>"That's so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "I think you had better station +the two boys, who have proved that they have pluck enough for any duty, +where they can give us early notice of the approach of the enemy."</p> + +<p>"We shall want the boys here, and a couple of negroes will do for that +duty just as well," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"All right," answered the military gentleman, who made no objection to +the employment of the servants for this duty. "Give each of them a +revolver, and tell them to fire three shots if any force approaches."</p> + +<p>Rosebud and Mose were detailed for service at the bridge; and perhaps +this was the first time that negroes had ever been armed on the +plantation. They were proud of the position assigned to them, and +departed on the run, promising to be as faithful as white men could be.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going to find your soldiers when you want them, Major +Lyon?" inquired Colonel Belthorpe. "You hinted that you knew where to +look for them."</p> + +<p>"I think we had better not discuss that subject just now," interposed +the lawyer, as he looked around him at the negroes, who had finished all +the work given them to do, and were listening with their ears wide open +to all that was said.</p> + +<p>Levi solved the difficulty by sending all the negroes out of the +building, and directing them to patrol the bank of the creek as far as +the swamp.</p> + +<p>"On the question of enlisting negroes in the army, either as regulars or +volunteers, I have not yet come to a decision," said Major Lyon. "But in +defence of my property, and the protection of my family I should have no +objection to using all my hands who were willing to be so employed."</p> + +<p>"Arm your negroes!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"Not to fight the battles of the nation, but to protect my wife and +children and my property," answered the Riverlawn planter. "We can +muster but four white men, and two of them are boys. If a mob of fifty +or a hundred or five hundred ruffians come over here to hang me and burn +my house, shall I let them do so rather than employ the willing hands of +men with black faces to defend myself?" demanded Noah Lyon, earnestly +enough to mount almost to the height of eloquence.</p> + +<p>"By the great Jehoshaphat, I believe you are right!" exclaimed Colonel +Belthorpe, with a stamp of his foot. "I did not look at it in that way. +But making soldiers of the niggers is another thing, and I'm not ready +for that."</p> + +<p>"We are all agreed so far as the situation on this place is concerned. +If there were any State or national force at hand to call upon for +protection against these reckless ruffians, I should invoke its aid; but +there is none, and we must protect ourselves," added Colonel Cosgrove. +"I heartily approve of Major Lyon's purpose to use his negroes to defend +himself and his property."</p> + +<p>"Then it is high time to get them in training for this service," said +the major with energy. "Levi, call in the hands you just sent away."</p> + +<p>Two of them came back without any calling, for they burst into the fort +in a state of high excitement.</p> + +<p>"Well, Bitts, what's the matter now?" asked Levi very calmly.</p> + +<p>"Gouge and me done went down to de rapids, whar we kin see de bridge +ober de riber, and dar's more'n two tousand men comin' ober it!" gasped +Bitts.</p> + +<p>"Call it fifty or a hundred, Bitts. But no matter, boy; call in all the +hands except the two on the creek bridge."</p> + +<p>Both of the negroes rushed off on their mission.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<h3>THE APPROACH OF THE RUFFIAN FORCES</h3> + + +<p>If the negroes asked no questions, most of them were intelligent enough +to interpret the preparations which had been made at Fort Bedford. The +six boatmen who had remained half the night in the rear of the +schoolhouse had had time enough to do some talking among the hands, +though they had come in contact only with those who had been at work on +the fort.</p> + +<p>These men had listened to the tumult in the building and in the road, +and through the open window near the boat had come to their ears the +demand of Titus Lyon when admitted, and the reply of the meeting. They +knew that Colonel Cosgrove, Colonel Belthorpe, and Squire Truman had +taken an active part in the meeting, and they could understand for what +purpose they had come to Riverlawn so late in the night.</p> + +<p>The people on this plantation were doubtless better informed and more +intelligent than upon most of the estates in this portion of the South, +for they had always been treated with what other planters regarded as +imprudent indulgence. In the time of Colonel Lyon, slavery had been a +patriarchal institution, and the negroes regarded him as a father, +guide, and friend rather than as a taskmaster.</p> + +<p>Many of them had learned to read, and even carried their education +several points farther. The planter had given them his illustrated +papers, and others fell into their hands. Their usefulness increased +with their intelligence; and to oblige his neighbors the colonel had +occasionally sent his carpenters and masons to do jobs for them.</p> + +<p>The more intelligent of them had kept their eyes and ears open to learn +the "signs of the times" during the troubles which agitated the State; +and there were those among them who were well informed in matters which +were generally believed to be above their comprehension. They went about +among the people of other plantations, and when they obtained any news +in regard to the movements of either party, it was circulated among the +whole of them.</p> + +<p>Neither Noah Lyon nor Levi Bedford ever said anything about politics or +the struggle between the contending parties for the mastery of the +State; but the silence of the people indicated that they understood the +situation. Though they were treated with what was considered extreme +indulgence, and were entirely devoted to the planter and his family, the +instinct of freedom doubtless existed in all of them.</p> + +<p>In a short time about a dozen of the negroes had come to the fort in +obedience to the order of the overseer. Half of them were mechanics who +had been at work during the evening. They were collected in the +building, and the white men present proceeded to interrogate them in +regard to their qualifications.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?" asked Colonel Belthorpe of the leader of the +boat-crew.</p> + +<p>"General, sar," replied he.</p> + +<p>"You are a big fellow; did you ever fire a gun?" asked the planter.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sar; Cunnel Lyon done send me often to shoot some ducks for de +dinner."</p> + +<p>"Are you a good shot?"</p> + +<p>"De boys say I am," answered General modestly. "I done bring down tree +quails out'n five on de wing, mars'r."</p> + +<p>"Did you ever fire a rifle?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sar; Christmas time mars'r cunnel lend us his two rifles to shoot +at a mark for a prize ob half a dollar; dis nigger won de prize," +replied General, with a magnificent exhibition of ivory.</p> + +<p>"Are you willing to fight for your master?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe +sharply, as though he expected a negative response to the question.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sar!" answered General with more energy than he had spoken before. +"Ready to be killed for Mars'r Lyon; an' so's all de boys on de place."</p> + +<p>"You will do," added the planter, as he handed him a breech-loader and a +small package of ammunition. "Do you know how to use this piece?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sar; seen 'em before," replied the boatman, as he took the weapon +and retired.</p> + +<p>With the boys there were seven white men present, and each one of them +had examined a servant in regard to his qualifications. The questions +were similar, though not the same as those put by Colonel Belthorpe; and +it appeared that all of them were more or less familiar with the use of +firearms, for they were the best informed and most reliable hands on the +estate. They were all provided with breech-loaders and cartridges. +General and Dummy were sent with weapons to Rosebud and Mose at the +bridge, and ordered to remain there; but they were not to fire upon the +ruffians.</p> + +<p>"Now we have a force of twenty-two men," said Colonel Belthorpe. "I +don't know about these recruits with black faces, and I have my doubts +about making soldiers of them. Fall in, and we will march up to the +bridge."</p> + +<p>All the white men were armed with revolvers as well as rifles. The men +did not "fall in" in the military sense of the term, but simply followed +their leader, as the experienced soldier, who had rendered most of his +active service in fighting the Indians, was tacitly recognized to be.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think we had better put out the lights in the fort, Colonel +Belthorpe?" asked Levi.</p> + +<p>"By no means. I have had fighting enough with cut-throat Indians to +satisfy my tastes in that direction, and I am not anxious for any more +of it," replied the planter. "Let the building remain lighted, and it +will assure the ruffians that you are awake over here. If they will +about wheel and go off, that will suit me better than a fight with +them."</p> + +<p>"Just my sentiments, Colonel," added Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"The creek is about fifty feet wide by the bridge," said Colonel +Cosgrove. "It widens at its mouth to about a hundred. Is there any way +by which the ruffians can get over at your boat-pier?"</p> + +<p>"Without a boat there is no way to get across," replied Levi. "They must +come across the bridge if they come at all."</p> + +<p>"There they come!" exclaimed Major Lyon, as he pointed to the +cross-roads where the creek road branched off from the others.</p> + +<p>"They have provided themselves with lanterns and torches," said Levi. +"We can see just what they are about."</p> + +<p>As they came opposite the boat-pier the ruffians halted. They were not +marching in any kind of order, but all of them were straggling along as +though the Home Guard to which they belonged had not yet done any +drilling.</p> + +<p>"What have they stopped there for, Colonel Belthorpe?" asked Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"They can see your fort by this time, and the lights have attracted +their attention," replied the military gentleman. "They can see that you +are ready for them, and perhaps they will not deem it advisable to come +any farther."</p> + +<p>"I hope they will not," added the owner of Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>The aggressive force remained a long time at this spot. In the stillness +of the night the sounds which came up the creek indicated that a dispute +was in progress in the ranks of the enemy. It looked as though the +ruffians were divided among themselves in regard to the prudence of +advancing any farther. If Titus Lyon was there, he could readily see +that the stone ice-house had undergone some change. The brilliant light +within it flashed out through the open door in the rear, and through the +three embrasures in sight.</p> + +<p>"Major Lyon, do those rascals know that you took possession of the +military stores, or do they only guess at it?" asked Colonel Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"They know the arms they stored in a sink-hole cavern are gone, and they +appeared at the meeting to know that I had caused their removal; but I +have no idea how or where they obtained their information," replied the +planter; and while they were waiting the approach of the ruffians, he +gave a full account of the discovery and removal of the ammunition.</p> + +<p>"They don't know that three extra white men are with you, and I don't +think they would believe you would arm your servants, or that they would +be good for anything if you did so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "Perhaps +it would be a good idea to return to the fort and send a twelve-pound +shot over the heads of that crowd."</p> + +<p>"It would let them know that we have the cannon, if nothing more," said +Colonel Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"You are a lawyer, Colonel; can't Captain Titus recover these arms by +process of law?" inquired the other colonel.</p> + +<p>"There is no law in this part of the State at the present time. Men have +been murdered within a few miles of this spot, and no notice has been +taken of the fact. Those arms were brought here for the use of the Home +Guards, which is the same as saying that they are for the use of the +Secessionists. The law won't touch the arms," replied the legal +gentleman very deliberately.</p> + +<p>"They have settled their dispute, whatever it was, and the ruffians are +moving again," said Levi. "It is too late to send a twelve-pound shot +over their heads, and if there is to be any fight, it will be at the +bridge."</p> + +<p>"You are right," replied Colonel Belthorpe, after a long look at the +enemy; for as the road where they were was parallel to his line of +vision, it was difficult to determine whether they were moving or not. +"Let them come; and while they are doing so we will have a little drill +of the forces."</p> + +<p>He formed the six white men in one line, and the fifteen negroes in +another, though some of the latter were only a shade or two darker than +the former. Levi Bedford soon proved that he was familiar with the +manual, and he was sent to drill the dark section of the army. But the +exercise was confined to loading and firing. The men were drawn up in +line across the bridge, and instructed as far as "shoulder arms," and +then the drill officer explained how they were to conduct themselves.</p> + +<p>"The ruffians are getting pretty near, Colonel," suggested Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"We are all ready for them," replied he.</p> + +<p>The men were then placed at "Order arms," and permitted to watch the +approach of the enemy. Their torches, which had probably been made in a +birch grove on the other side of the river, and must have been +occasionally renewed with material brought for the purpose, blazed +brightly, and lighted up the road, so that they could be plainly seen.</p> + +<p>"There are at least a hundred of them," said the officer in command.</p> + +<p>"And some of them have muskets," added Colonel Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"It looks as though some one or more of us might be shot," continued +Major Lyon. "If there is any man here, black or white, who wants to +leave and find a safer place than this may be in a few minutes, he is at +liberty to do so. I don't want any man to render unwilling service on my +account; and you can make peace with that gang by giving me and my boys +up to them."</p> + +<p>"Never! Never! Never!" yelled every one of the servants.</p> + +<p>"Mars'r Lyon foreber!" shouted General.</p> + +<p>"Glory to God! We all die for Mars'r Lyon!" cried Dummy the preacher.</p> + +<p>"Now all hands give three cheers!" interposed Colonel Belthorpe; and +they were given as vigorously as on the deck of a man-of-war. "That will +convince the enemy that we are wide awake, and don't mean to run away."</p> + +<p>"I reckon that squad is just a little astonished about this time," said +Levi.</p> + +<p>For this reason, or some other, the enemy suddenly made a halt, and the +tumult of many voices came up the road. If Captain Titus was in command +of the enemy, his force was not reduced to anything like discipline. +From the sounds there appeared to be many commanders, each of whom +wanted to have his own way. The defenders of the mansion waited full a +quarter of an hour before the tumult subsided, indicating that some +point had been carried, though enough of the shouts of the stormy +ruffians indicated that they were in favor of going ahead and making the +attack. It was plain to the listeners that some of the gang had cooler +heads, and knew what prudence meant.</p> + +<p>Presently four men were seen marching up the road towards the bridge, +the two at the flanks carrying flaming torches, as if to illuminate a +white flag borne on a pole, which had possibly cost some member of the +troop his white shirt. The two in the middle were evidently the +officers, or ambassadors, of the ruffians. They came up to their end of +the bridge, and halted there.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<h3>THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES</h3> + + +<p>The representatives of the ruffians had halted about fifty feet from the +line of the defenders of Riverlawn, and they could be distinctly seen. +It was Buck Lagger who flaunted the flag of truce, and by his side stood +Titus Lyon. The other two were simply torch-bearers. There the party +stood, and there they seemed to be inclined to stand for an indefinite +period of time. They could see the line of the defenders extended across +the bridge, and the torches lent enough of their light to the scene to +enable Captain Titus to discover that the men were all provided with +muskets, though they probably could not make out the character of the +weapons.</p> + +<p>"This is all nonsense!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe, apparently +disgusted with this peaceable display on the part of the enemy.</p> + +<p>"Captain Titus wishes only to repeat the demand for the return of the +arms," added Colonel Cosgrove. "But we can't spare them just yet."</p> + +<p>"That is their ostensible purpose, but the real one is to see whether or +not we are in condition to receive them," suggested Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"But I am not inclined to wait all night merely to be looked at," +continued the commander of the forces impatiently.</p> + +<p>"I think you had better speak to them, for they can hear you well enough +at this distance," said Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I am more inclined to march over the bridge and drive them away than to +parley all night with them about nothing," replied Colonel Belthorpe. +"In military matters I believe in vigorous action."</p> + +<p>"According to the customs of civilized warfare we should respect a flag +of truce, though we believe it is only an expedient to gain time," added +Colonel Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" demanded the commander, adopting the suggestion of +the planter of Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>"We want to settle this business, and I want to see Major Lyon," replied +Captain Titus.</p> + +<p>"Come to the middle of the bridge, and he will meet you," shouted the +officer in command.</p> + +<p>Titus advanced with his three supporters, marching very slowly.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I must see him," said Major Lyon, who would evidently have +been glad to be spared the interview.</p> + +<p>"Three of us will go with you, and make an even thing of it," added +Colonel Belthorpe, as Noah Lyon stopped forward to discharge his +disagreeable duty.</p> + +<p>The commander placed Colonel Cosgrove on one side of him and Squire +Truman on the other, taking position in front of them himself. He saw +the planter of the estate did not like to meet his brother.</p> + +<p>"Major Lyon, I think you had better let me do the talking, for the +situation must be very annoying to you," suggested the leader.</p> + +<p>"I shall be very glad to have you do so, Colonel," answered the planter. +"I am extremely sorry that my own brother is the leader of the ruffians, +and I did not expect to see him engaged in such a work. He warned me +yesterday that my place might be burned, and that I might be hung to one +of the big trees, though he had prevented such an outrage so far."</p> + +<p>"I suppose the loss of the military stores has roused him to the highest +pitch of wrath, which he manifested in his visit to the meeting. But if +he can proceed so far as to bring a horde of ruffians to burn your house +and hang you to a tree, you can't do less than defend yourself, even if +he is your own brother," said the lawyer.</p> + +<p>"I do not shrink from my duty," added Noah Lyon.</p> + +<p>"March!" exclaimed the leader, as he advanced to the middle of the +bridge, where the party from the other side had halted by this time.</p> + +<p>Captain Titus was evidently surprised to find his brother supported by +two of the most distinguished men of the county, to say nothing of the +eloquent village lawyer. He could not help seeing that there was law +enough on the other side, and that they knew what they were doing.</p> + +<p>"What is your business here?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe in a very stern +tone.</p> + +<p>"I stated my position in the meet'n' you held to-night, and you heard +what I had to say," Captain Titus began.</p> + +<p>"We all heard you; and it is not necessary to repeat it," replied the +commander. "What is your business here at this time of night?"</p> + +<p>"We came here for the arms and ammunition that was stole from us last +night. They were my property till they were given out to the company," +Captain Titus explained.</p> + +<p>"What company? Do you mean the ruffians you have led over here? They are +a horde of lawless men. You have no authority to raise a company, and it +does not appear in what service they are to be employed. They have made +war upon the peaceable people of this county, as they did this evening +at the schoolhouse."</p> + +<p>"We hain't made war on nobody!" protested Titus, warming up to the +occasion.</p> + +<p>"You sent some of your force into the schoolroom to break up a Union +meeting; and that was making war upon the people there assembled. The +man at your side with the white flag was one that I assisted in putting +out. We knew the arms were for the use of these ruffians in terrorizing +the whole country," said Colonel Belthorpe in the most emphatic speech; +and he used the "we" to shift the responsibility from the shoulders of +Major Lyon to those of himself and associates. "Captain Titus Lyon, you +and your gang have been bullying and persecuting the Union citizens of +this vicinity long enough; and from this time they intend to defend +themselves in earnest. You have made war on them, and the arms and +ammunition were simply the spoils of war."</p> + +<p>"I come over here to talk with my brother, and not with you," Titus +objected, upset by the logic and by the announcement of the intentions +of the Unionists.</p> + +<p>"Colonel Belthorpe represents me, as he does all the rest of us," +interposed Major Lyon. "You threatened me yesterday to your heart's +content, Brother Titus, to burn my house and hang me to a big tree; and +I don't care to hear anything more of it."</p> + +<p>"I have said all it is necessary to say," resumed the commander; "and we +decline to hear anything more from you. We shall defend Major Lyon and +his plantation from all enemies who may appear. The conference is +ended."</p> + +<p>"Defend him with niggers!" shouted Buck Lagger. "Are we white men to +stand up and fight niggers in this war, as you call it? It is an +outrage, and we won't stand it! We will hang every nigger we catch with +arms in his possession!"</p> + +<p>"Then a white ruffian will hang to the next tree! It will take two to +play at that game," responded the commander vigorously. "When about a +hundred ruffians, composed mostly of white trash, come over here to burn +Major Lyon's mansion and hang him to a big tree, he is quite justified +in calling in his servants to defend his property and himself."</p> + +<p>The colonel had his doubts about the propriety of arming the negroes, +and he wished to be understood even by the enemy; and he certainly made +a plain case of it.</p> + +<p>"We have had enough of your gabble!" continued the leader. "We decline +any further communication with you under a flag of truce or otherwise. +If you and your ruffians don't retire from this vicinity within five +minutes, we shall open fire upon you! About face, march!"</p> + +<p>The three men behind the colonel turned about, and deliberately marched +back to the end of the bridge nearest to the mansion. The party of the +flag hesitated a few moments, and then returned to the main body of the +ruffians. At the end of the bridge the Riverlawn planter found his wife +and the two girls. From the windows of the mansion they had seen the +blazing torches of the ruffians, and the party who had marched from the +fort to oppose them.</p> + +<p>They found Deck and Artie in the ranks drawn up on the bridge; and they +had explained the situation, including a brief account of the tumult at +the meeting. Mrs. Lyon and her daughters were much alarmed for the +safety of the male members of the family; but Levi succeeded in quieting +them, so that they were quite calm when the major returned.</p> + +<p>"We have been terribly frightened, Noah," said Mrs. Lyon. "When you and +the boys did not come home from the meeting, I was afraid something had +happened to you."</p> + +<p>The two colonels and the village lawyer saluted the ladies, and assured +them that there was no danger, and that they were amply able to defend +the place from the assault of a thousand men.</p> + +<p>"Now go home, Ruth, and go to bed," added Noah. "We will join you as +soon as we have driven off these ruffians, and it won't take long to do +it."</p> + +<p>She accepted this advice, though she still appeared to have her doubts, +and went back to the mansion. What she had seen looked like war to her; +and though she had freely consented that her husband and the two boys +should join the army of the Union, she and the girls had some of a +woman's timidity in the face of the awful calamities of actual war.</p> + +<p>"What are they about now?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, as his friends took +their places in the ranks.</p> + +<p>"They have sent a dozen men or more down the bank of the creek, and they +are out of sight now," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"They are looking for a chance to get across the stream," added the +commander. "They had better stay where they are if they don't intend to +go home. Is there any boat on that side of the river?"</p> + +<p>"No boat of any kind; but there is a lot of logs on the shore, about +half-way to the river, and they might build a raft of them. I did not +think of those logs before, or I should have rolled them into the +creek," replied the overseer.</p> + +<p>"It will be the worse for them if they attempt to cross. Some one said +you had served in an artillery company in Tennessee, Mr. Bedford; is +that so?" inquired the commander.</p> + +<p>"That is so, Colonel; and I know how to handle a twelve-pounder," +replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"How many men will it take to manage one of the guns in the fort?"</p> + +<p>"If you will give me the two boys, I can send a shot across the creek +every five minutes, and in less time when we get a little used to the +piece."</p> + +<p>"Then take the boys, if Major Lyon does not object, and go to the fort."</p> + +<p>"Of course I don't object, Colonel," added the father.</p> + +<p>"We don't want to kill any of the ruffians if we can help it; but I am +decidedly in favor of driving them away. I saw plenty of broken lumber +about the fort; and I think you had better kindle a big fire on the +shore of the creek, so that you can see over on the other side. If they +attempt to build a raft, give them a shot; but not otherwise," said +Colonel Belthorpe, still straining his eyes to ascertain in the darkness +what the squad were doing on the bank of the creek.</p> + +<p>"Shall you remain here, Colonel?" asked Levi.</p> + +<p>"Not at all; we shall march over the bridge. This is a neighborhood war, +and I believe in carrying it on upon peace principles as far as +possible, and the first shot must come from the other side," replied the +planter from outside.</p> + +<p>Levi departed for Fort Bedford, attended by Deck and Artie. The +commander then arranged his men in ranks by fours, and taught them how +to come in line again, using some technical terms which the negroes did +not understand; but he succeeded in getting them to perform the +manœuvre quite clumsily. They marched over the bridge by fours. The +enemy still occupied the position where they had first halted, and the +colonel continued the march till the force was within hail of the enemy.</p> + +<p>Some of the ruffians had muskets; and whether in obedience to the orders +of their leaders or not, three random shots were fired. This was enough +to satisfy the conscience of Colonel Belthorpe, and he gave the command +to halt, and the men came into line again across the road.</p> + +<p>"Ready!" he shouted; and the men all brought themselves into position as +they had before been instructed. "Aim!"</p> + +<p>These orders and the movements of the men appeared to produce a decided +sensation in the rabble in front of them; for they were simply a crowd, +not formed in any order. Some of them took to their heels, and were seen +running down the road at a breakneck speed.</p> + +<p>"Fire!" added the commander.</p> + +<p>A terrible yell came back as the men fired their rifles. That volley was +enough for them, and they bolted before the smoke of the powder had +blown aside. Two men were seen lying on the ground, killed or wounded, +and the ruffians were too much shaken to give them any attention. +Half-way to the river they halted again, as did the pursuing force. The +enemy scattered at this point; but in a few moments the whizzing of +bullets was heard over their heads by the defenders of the plantation.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<h3>THE FIRST SHOT FROM FORT BEDFORD</h3> + + +<p>Levi Bedford had made all possible haste to reach the fort, and the boys +had not lingered far behind him, though they could not help giving some +of their attention to the enemy on the other side of the creek. The +ruffians remained at the position they had taken; and certainly they had +made no progress in the accomplishment of the purpose which had brought +them to the vicinity of Riverlawn. Probably if the darkness had not +concealed the artillery party, those with guns would have fired at them.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys, the first order of Colonel Belthorpe was to build a fire, +and we will attend to that," said the overseer, as he led the way to the +rear of the stone building.</p> + +<p>"Of course I obey orders," added Artie, "but I don't believe much in the +fire. As soon as it blazes up it will give the ruffians light enough to +see us. Some of them have guns, and they will fire at us then."</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose these stone walls are for, Artie?" asked Levi with +his usual smile.</p> + +<p>"They were put up to keep the ice cool originally," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"Then they ought to keep us cool," said the overseer. "When the man with +a big mouth opened it, the dentist told him he had opened it wide +enough, for he proposed to stand outside. But we don't propose to stand +outside, but inside, as soon as we have lighted the fire."</p> + +<p>"But we have to see what the ruffians are about on the other side of the +creek; for you are not to fire a shot unless they attempt to build a +raft," suggested Artie.</p> + +<p>"We can look through the port-holes, can't we?" asked Deck. "If they +build a raft they will make a fire the first thing they do, and we can +see what they are doing."</p> + +<p>"We shall find a way to ascertain what they are doing," added Levi, as +he led the way to obtain more armfuls of the broken boards; and they +were the remains of the cases in which the arms and ammunition had been +packed.</p> + +<p>The wood was piled up a couple of rods from the fort, though a little at +one side, so as not to obstruct the view of the party. Only a portion of +the fuel was used, and the rest saved to replenish the fire. The match +was applied, and in a short time the blaze mounted above the pile, and +lighted the surrounding region.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys, if you feel as though you might get a bullet through your +heads, you can go into the fort, and you will be safe there," said Levi.</p> + +<p>"Are you not going in, Levi?"</p> + +<p>"I am when the occasion requires; but I want to see what they are about +over there," replied the overseer.</p> + +<p>As he was in no haste to put the stone walls between himself and a +possible shot, the pride of the boys would not permit them to do so, and +it became a sort of contention to see who would be the first to seek +shelter.</p> + +<p>"The Seceshers are firing at our people!" exclaimed Deck, quite excited +as he realized that hostilities had actually begun.</p> + +<p>"The ruffians are firing, each on his own hook, for there is no order +among them," added Levi, as he heard several shots.</p> + +<p>The plantation force could now be just seen, marching down the road, by +the light of the enemy's torches. The random shots from the ruffians +were continued, and it was evident that each man was his own commander.</p> + +<p>"Colonel Belthorpe will not stand that sort of thing for any great +length of time," Levi remarked, as his eyes and ears gave him further +information in regard to the situation on the other side.</p> + +<p>"They say chance shots sometimes do the most mischief, or I have read it +in some story," said Deck. "I hope one of them will not hit father."</p> + +<p>"Of course any one of us is liable to be hit while this game is going +on. Perhaps you had better go into the fort, for this fire will soon +attract the enemy's attention," suggested the overseer.</p> + +<p>"When you get ready to go in we will go in with you," replied Artie.</p> + +<p>"There is no need of exposing all three of us to the changes of a shot."</p> + +<p>"Then one of us boys will stay out, for you are nearly twice as big as +either one of us, and therefore twice as likely to get hit," laughed +Deck.</p> + +<p>"There!" exclaimed Levi, without noticing the remark, "now there will be +music in the air!"</p> + +<p>"What is it? I don't hear anything," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"Don't you see that the colonel has halted his force? Now they have +formed a line across the road," continued the overseer, as he closely +watched the movements on the other side of the creek.</p> + +<p>The fort party were silent with expectation and anxiety, and then they +heard the orders of the commander, which ended in a volley from the +fifteen breech-loaders. The birch torches still lighted up the ground, +and the observers saw two men fall. This discharge produced a panic in +the rabble, and they fled from the road to the shelter of a grove that +lay beyond. From the fort it could be seen that a few of the ruffians, +with guns in their hands, had taken refuge behind the trunks of the +large trees, where they were reloading their pieces.</p> + +<p>"That's Indian fighting," said Levi. "Our men, from their position, +can't see these skulkers, who will have a good chance to pick off some +of them at their leisure. We must attend to this matter."</p> + +<p>The overseer elevated his rifle, and took deliberate aim at one of the +ruffians behind a big tree, and fired. He saw his man fall. Deck and +Artie followed his example, though they could not see any single +individuals at whom they might direct their aim. They all continued to +fire till the chambers of their weapons were empty.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe we hit anybody with those last shots; for as soon as my +man dropped and the others could see where the shot came from, they ran +away or moved to the other side of the tree," said Levi, as he carefully +observed the situation.</p> + +<p>The retreat of the main body of the ruffians, taking the torches with +them, left the scene in darkness. The number and direction of the last +discharges assured those who had sought the shelter of the trees that +they were flanked. Nothing could be seen in the gloom of the grove; and, +as no more shots came from that quarter, it was supposed that the +skulkers had retreated to the main body.</p> + +<p>"There's a light down the creek, Levi!" exclaimed Deck, as a blaze +flashed up at a point nearly opposite the boat-pier.</p> + +<p>"That's where the logs lay," added the overseer. "The squad that was +sent down the bank of the stream has got to work at last."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps they have been at work for the last half hour," suggested +Artie. "They didn't need any light to enable them to roll the logs into +the creek and build a raft."</p> + +<p>"Quite right, my boy; you have hit the nail on the head. By the light of +the fire I can now see the raft, though they haven't finished it," +replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"Hadn't we better fire at them?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"You might as well fire at the moon, my boys," returned the overseer. +"You haven't had much practice with these breech-loaders, and you +couldn't hit anything at the distance they are from us."</p> + +<p>"But where is our army?" asked Artie rather facetiously.</p> + +<p>"Colonel Belthorpe don't seem to be following up the enemy," replied +Levi. "Perhaps, as the ruffians are retreating, he is satisfied to let +them go home and dream over their work of this evening. The torches of +the main body of the enemy seem to be going out, and very likely their +stock of birch bark is all gone. They are about half-way between our +force and the raft."</p> + +<p>"They are within rifle-shot of us, anyhow," suggested Deck. "We might +give them a little more waking up."</p> + +<p>"Don't be too enthusiastic, Mr. Lyon. We don't win it to kill any more +of them than is absolutely necessary," said the overseer rather more +seriously than usual. "They have the raft in the water, and we will go +in the fort and see what can be done for them."</p> + +<p>Neither of the boys knew anything about artillery tactics, or of the +process of loading a field-piece, and Levi proceeded to instruct them.</p> + +<p>The creek bent a little to the south as it approached the river, and the +chief gunner directed one of the pieces at the western embrasure, so +that it covered the fire built near the logs. The inside of the opening +was bevelled, so that he could bring the cannon to bear upon the +objective point. It was then drawn in, and the charge, with a solid +shot, was rammed home by the boys.</p> + +<p>The cannon was run out again at the embrasure, and Levi pointed it, +mindful of the instructions of the colonel commanding, so that the +missile would go over the men at work on the raft.</p> + +<p>"Now you may go outside, and see what you can see," continued Levi. "I +don't mean to hit the men there, or even the raft; but I want you to +notice what effect the shot produces upon the ruffians at the work."</p> + +<p>"All right, Levi; sing out when you are going to pull the lock-string," +replied Deck as he followed Artie out of the fort.</p> + +<p>"Ready! Fire!" shouted the overseer when time enough for them to take a +position had elapsed.</p> + +<p>The discharge of the cannon gave forth a tremendous report, and the boys +heard the whizzing of the shot as it flew like a flash through the air. +The retreating army of the ruffians suddenly halted without any orders +from Captain Titus or any one else as the echo of the report struck upon +their ears. Doubtless they were astonished; but they were in darkness, +for the last of the torches had gone out, and it could only be seen that +they had halted as abruptly as though the shot from the piece had mowed +its way through the mob.</p> + +<p>The shot, as intended, passed over the heads of the men at work on the +raft, and struck into a tree on the other side of the road, causing a +heavy branch to fall to the ground. The raft-builders suddenly took to +their heels, and disappeared in the grove.</p> + +<p>"Did it hit anything, boys?" asked Levi, coming out of the fort.</p> + +<p>"Nothing but a big tree beyond the road, and a large branch fell to the +ground," replied Deck.</p> + +<p>"I had an idea that you had been fooling us at first, Levi," added +Artie, "and had fired at the main body, for they stopped as short as +though the cannon ball had gone through the crowd. All the men at work +on the raft knocked off instantly, and ran away as though the shot were +chasing them."</p> + +<p>"I reckon we needn't fire another shot, for the ruffians won't go near +that raft again," added Levi. "I fired over their heads, as I told you I +should, and nobody was hurt by that shot. I dropped one man behind that +tree, and that is all the mischief I have done."</p> + +<p>"Are you sorry for that one?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry for him, but not that I hit him, for he might have killed +two or three of our people from his hiding-place behind the tree. I +don't believe in killing anybody as long as it can possibly be avoided; +but the ruffians began the shooting, and they are responsible for the +consequences. At least half a dozen Union men have been killed in this +county by those ruffians, or those like them; and your father might have +been swinging from a big tree by this time if we hadn't taken the bull +by the horns. No, I am not sorry for anything I have done!"</p> + +<p>"And the house would have been burnt down, and mother and the girls +subjected to the insults of these miscreants," added Artie; and all +three of them were much moved as they contemplated the possibilities +before them.</p> + +<p>"Can you see anything of our people over there, Deck?" asked Levi.</p> + +<p>"Not a thing; it is too dark."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe there will be anything more to do at the fort to-night, +though the affair may not be over yet," continued Levi, after he had +anxiously peered through the gloom to discover the rest of the defenders +of Riverlawn. "I want you, Deck, to go up to the bridge, and down the +creek road, and ascertain what our people are doing. You may report to +Colonel Belthorpe that we have driven off the builders of the raft, and +that the main body of the ruffians have fallen back from the road into +the grove."</p> + +<p>"All right, Levi," replied Deck, who was very glad to be appointed to +such a mission; and, with his breech-loader on his shoulder, he marched +in the direction indicated at a lively pace, though he was so tired and +sleepy that it required a determined effort to enable him to keep on his +feet, for it was now two o'clock in the morning.</p> + +<p>When he reached the bridge he found there, to his intense astonishment, +a dozen horses, some of them with saddles and bridles on, and others +with bridles, and blankets in place of saddles. They were in charge of +Frank the coachman, with Woolly and Mose to assist him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> + +<h3>THE PARTY ATTACKED IN THE CROSS-CUT</h3> + + +<p>Deck Lyon could not imagine any possible use that could be made of the +horses in charge of the boys, and it was not probable that those in care +of them could afford him any information on the subject. It was evident +that some new movement was contemplated, and it looked as though the +commander of the forces intended to chase the ruffians with mounted men.</p> + +<p>"Where is my father, Frank?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"He's down the road with the rest of them; but I reckon they are all +marching back to the bridge," replied the coachman.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do with all these horses?" asked Deck, as he +began to move on.</p> + +<p>"Dunno, Mars'r Deck, what they are for; but Mars'r Lyon sent us for +them."</p> + +<p>Frank knew nothing about the use to which the horses were to be put, and +Deck continued on his way over the bridge. The fire from the blazing +boards in front of Fort Bedford sent some of the light across the creek; +but it did not reveal the presence of the defenders of the plantation, +and the messenger could not see anything of the force. It could not be +far away, and he continued to advance.</p> + +<p>Just beyond the bridge he met a wagon coming towards him. When it came +near enough for him to see it in the gloom, he found that it belonged to +the plantation. Three men sat on the front seat, and were chattering at +a lively rate as they drew near.</p> + +<p>"Who is driving that team?" demanded Deck.</p> + +<p>"Me, Mars'r Deck," replied the man who held the reins.</p> + +<p>"Who's me?"</p> + +<p>"Clinker, sar, wid Bitts and Filly," replied the driver, who was the +blacksmith of the estate.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing with the wagon over here?"</p> + +<p>"Cart'n' off de wounded, mars'r."</p> + +<p>"How many have you?"</p> + +<p>"On'y two, sar."</p> + +<p>These were the ruffians, doubtless, who had fallen when the volley was +fired at the beginning of the affair.</p> + +<p>"You haven't got them all, then," added Deck. "There is another opposite +the fort, near a big tree, who was hit by Levi, firing from the other +side of the creek."</p> + +<p>"We go for him when we done unload dese we got," said Clinker.</p> + +<p>"Can you tell me where my father and the rest of them are?" inquired +Deck, who could see nothing of the main body.</p> + +<p>"In de grove, Mars'r Deck. Wen de ruff'ns done runned off dat way Mars'r +Belt'orpe lead de sodjers arter 'em."</p> + +<p>Deck was afraid he might not find his father before morning if they +pursued the retreating ruffians in that direction; for they would have +to follow the river, when they reached it, about ten miles before they +could come to a bridge by which they could cross. But he had a mission, +and he bravely fought against the fatigue and sleepiness that beset him, +and struck into the grove by a road some distance below the bridge over +the creek.</p> + +<p>He had not gone twenty rods in the gloom of the wood before he heard the +sound of voices and the tramp of footsteps ahead of him, and he was +confident the force was returning to the plantation. He soon confronted +the little column, and placed himself by the side of the commander, who +was leading the way.</p> + +<p>"Levi sent me over to report what we have been doing," said he.</p> + +<p>"I heard the report of one of your guns, and I concluded that you had +work on your hands," replied Colonel Belthorpe, without slacking his +speed or halting to listen to the report.</p> + +<p>"Not much work, Colonel. The ruffians were building a raft at the pile +of logs, and we fired over their heads, as ordered. The big branch of a +tree came down, and all the men on the raft and near them ran into the +woods. The road is all clear of them, and they are not going home by the +Rapids Bridge."</p> + +<p>"No, the villains!" exclaimed the commander. "They have other business +on their hands. I am afraid we have been too tender with them."</p> + +<p>"One thing more, Colonel, and I have done," continued Deck. "When the +ruffians retreated before your fire, those who had guns stationed +themselves behind the trees and began to fire at you. Then we three +opened upon them with the rifles, and when Levi fired a man dropped. +After that we saw nothing more of them."</p> + +<p>"All right, my boy," added the colonel, hurrying his march. "I thought +the villains were only making a detour, intending to reach the Rapids +Bridge; but I find they are marching in the direction of my plantation."</p> + +<p>Colonel Cosgrove and Major Lyon had been called forward to listen to the +report of Deck, and it was decided that, so far as Riverlawn was +concerned, the battle had been fought and won, inasmuch as the enemy had +been driven away. By the time the report was finished and the result +announced, the force had reached the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going now, Clinker?" asked Major Lyon, when the wagon +returned from the hospital, as the small building set apart for the sick +of the plantation hands was called, and appeared on the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Mars'r Deck done tell me a man dropped behind a tree down de creek, and +I'm gwine for him," replied the blacksmith.</p> + +<p>"Go over and get the small wagon for that; we want this one," added the +planter.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going, father?" asked Deck, who saw that some expedition +was in preparation.</p> + +<p>"We are satisfied that the ruffians are going over to Colonel +Belthorpe's plantation, to do there what they intended to do here, and +we mean to get there before they do," replied Major Lyon. "We believe +that everything here is safe for the present."</p> + +<p>The party crossed the bridge and came to the saddle horses. By this time +all the men on the plantation who had not before been called for duty +had assembled by the horses, and the four white men mounted at once. The +breech-loaders were provided with straps, and had been suspended at the +backs of those who used them. Eight of the men who had already seen +service were mounted and seven more were put into the wagon, provided +with weapons which had been sent for.</p> + +<p>"Filly!" called Major Lyon, addressing a mulatto who had the reputation +of being a very intelligent fellow, "you will go to the fort and tell +Levi we are going over to Lyndhall, for we are sure the ruffians mean to +burn the house. Take the rest of the hands here with you, and tell him +to keep a close watch over the place. I shall take Dexter with me."</p> + +<p>The rest of the party had already ridden off at full gallop, fearful +that they might be too late to protect the colonel's property.</p> + +<p>"But I have no horse, father," said Deck, who had heard the planter tell +Filly that he should take him with him.</p> + +<p>"You will go in the wagon," replied his father. "I see that you are +gaping, and you must be very tired. Get in; the body is filled with hay, +and it will give you a chance to get rested."</p> + +<p>Deck did not like the arrangement very well, tired as he was, but he +obeyed the order. The negroes made way for him, and fixed him a nice +place to lie down in the wagon. He dropped asleep almost instantly, for +he had been up all the night before, and had worked hard and been +intensely excited since he left his bed just before noon.</p> + +<p>Major Lyon had his late brother's favorite animal, a blood horse that +had won a small fortune for his master in the races, and he soon +overtook the advance of the party. The wagon could not keep up with him, +and was soon left far behind.</p> + +<p>Near the east end of the Rapids Bridge over the river was a locality +called the "Cross Roads," where four highways came together. At this +point the one from the county town passing through Barcreek village +crossed the stream. Another road branched off here, leading up the +creek, from which the private way over the bridge led to Major Lyon's +mansion. It continued half a mile farther up the creek, and then turned +to the north-east. This was called the "New Road," and upon it, three +miles from the creek bridge, was the plantation of Colonel Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>From the Cross Roads also extended what was called the "Old Road," which +was laid out nearer to the great river; and six miles distant by the +later-built highway the two came together, though it was over eight by +the older one. About half a mile of the new road was on the bank of Bar +Creek, and upon it had transpired most of the events related.</p> + +<p>The ruffians had been driven down this road towards Rapids Bridge. They +had taken to the woods between the two highways; and by sending out the +village lawyer to reconnoitre, Colonel Belthorpe had discovered that the +enemy were marching, not to the bridge, but up the old road, which would +take them, after a three miles' walk, to a point near his plantation, +where they could easily cross to the new road. The distance by the new +road was a mile less than by the other, and the fleet horses would carry +the party to Lyndhall in abundant season to confront the marauders.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe the villains can get there before we do," said Colonel +Belthorpe, as Major Lyon galloped his horse to his side. "If I had +anticipated the events of to-night, I should have been prepared for +them. My overseer is not a Union man, and I am afraid he will not do his +duty. My place is not so well situated for a defence as yours, Major."</p> + +<p>"I believe we have force enough to drive the ruffians again, for they +don't like the smell of gun-powder any better than other bullies," +replied the Riverlawn planter.</p> + +<p>"My son Tom is at home, and my nephew, Major Gadbury, is visiting at +Lyndhall. But all of them, including my two daughters, have gone to a +party at Rock Lodge. I suppose you know the place, Major?"</p> + +<p>"Not by that name."</p> + +<p>"It is over on the old road, close by Rock Hill, from which it takes its +name. You must have met Captain Carms."</p> + +<p>"I have met him, and we have called upon him, but I never heard the name +of his place before."</p> + +<p>"Just at the foot of Rock Hill there is a cart-path connecting the two +roads, and the ruffians may come through by that passage, though it is +very rough. Most of our stone comes from the quarry there, and the teams +make bad work with the roads."</p> + +<p>"The enemy can't be a great way behind us by this time," suggested Major +Lyon.</p> + +<p>"We haven't wasted any time, and it is some distance they had to travel +round by the Cross Roads," replied the colonel, as he urged his steed to +greater speed.</p> + +<p>Though the road was anything but a smooth one, Deck Lyon slept like a +log on the hay. His dusky companions did not speak a loud word for fear +of waking him. Nearly half an hour after the horsemen had passed it, the +wagon was approaching the cross-cut between the two roads at Rock Hill. +Clinker the blacksmith, who had been excused from ambulance duty and +another put in his place, was driving the horses.</p> + +<p>"Cristofus! Wat's dat?" he exclaimed, as two very distinct female +screams struck his ears, and he set his team into a dead run.</p> + +<p>"'Pears like it's women screeching," replied Mose, who was by his side +on the front seat. "Dar's trouble dar!"</p> + +<p>"I reckon do screeches comed out'n de cross-cut," added Clinker.</p> + +<p>The screams were repeated several times, and as the wagon passed the +hill the sounds of an encounter were heard. It was evident that a fight +of some kind was in progress, and the men in the wagon unslung their +breech-loaders ready for action; for they came to the conclusion at once +that the ruffians were at the bottom of it. No shots were heard, and it +did not appear that the marauders were armed.</p> + +<p>"I reckon we mus' woke Mars'r Deck," said Clinker, as he reined in his +horses at the cross-cut.</p> + +<p>One of the men at his side shook the tired boy, and he sprang to his +feet; for doubtless he was dreaming of the events of the night. Clinker +explained the situation in as few words as his vocabulary would permit. +Deck seized his musket and leaped from the wagon, followed by all but +the driver, who drove the horses to a tree and fastened them there.</p> + +<p>Deck ran with all his might into the passage, and presently came to a +road wagon which had been "held up" by a gang of the ruffians. He +ordered his six followers to have their arms ready, but not to fire till +he gave them the word. With his revolver in his hand, which was a more +convenient weapon than the gun, he rushed into the midst of the fight. +The party attacked were the nephew and son of Colonel Belthorpe, with +his two daughters, who had been to the party at Rock Lodge.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> + +<h3>THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE RUFFIANS</h3> + + +<p>Deck Lyon rushed furiously down the lane which connected the two roads +at this point. It was dark, and it was in vain that he tried to +understand the situation from anything he could see. He was sure that +the main body of the ruffians were not in the cross-cut, for there was +not room enough for them. He had to depend chiefly upon his ears for +information, for the trees on one side of the passage obscured his way.</p> + +<p>The first sound that attracted his attention as he advanced, above the +general din, was a half-suppressed scream quite near him. The lane was +so rough that he was obliged to move more slowly than when he had left +the wagon, and he halted when he heard the cry. A moment later he +discovered a man bearing a form in his arms, whose cries he was +evidently trying to suppress with one of his hands placed over her +mouth.</p> + +<p>An opening in the grove enabled him to see so much, and to note the +position of the ruffian. With his revolver in his hand he rushed +forward; and, finding himself behind the assailant of the female, he +threw himself upon him, and grasped him by the throat with both hands. +He had done some of this kind of work at the schoolhouse in the evening, +and the experience was useful to him.</p> + +<p>He compelled the villain to release his hold upon his prisoner in order +to defend himself. Deck wrenched and twisted him in an effort to throw +him down, but his arms were not strong enough to accomplish his purpose, +and he called upon Mose to assist him. The faithful servant was close by +him; and perhaps he was desirous of striking a literal blow in defence +of his young master, for he delivered one squarely on the head of the +ruffian which knocked him six feet from the spot.</p> + +<p>At this moment, and just as the captor of the lady went over backwards +into a hole by the side of the cart-path, a bright light was flashed +upon the scene, and Deck could see where he was and where the ruffian he +had encountered was. When Clinker had secured the horses at the end of +the lane, he realized the necessity of more light on the subject before +the party; for though he heard much he saw little.</p> + +<p>Taking a quantity of the hay from the wagon, he hastened to the scene of +the conflict just as Deck had closed with the ruffian who was bearing +the lady away. Putting it on the ground, he lighted it with a match, and +then heaped on sticks and hits of board and plank scattered about by +those who had loaded stone in the passage. The blaze revealed the entire +situation to Deck and his companions, and it made a weird picture.</p> + +<p>"Good, Clinker!" shouted Deck, as he saw the blacksmith standing with +his musket in his hand, busy doing what he had undertaken. "Keep the +fire up!"</p> + +<p>The ruffian whom Mose, who was not much inferior to General and Dummy in +bulk and strength, had knocked both literally and slangily "in a hole," +lay perfectly still. Some five rods ahead of him Deck discovered a road +wagon in the lane. Two horses were harnessed to it, and at the head of +each of them was a ruffian, doing his best to restrain the spirited +animals, frightened by the cries and the movements of the assailants. +Behind the wagon were two white men engaged in a terrible struggle with +half a dozen of the soldiers of the ruffian army. They were getting the +worst of it, though they fought with desperate energy.</p> + +<p>From their appearance and the fact that they were defending themselves, +it was plain enough to Deck that they were in charge of the two females. +They were unarmed, though one of them had procured a piece of board, and +was doing good service with it. Just beyond the scene of the fight stood +Buck Lagger, holding a female by the arm. She evidently realized that +resistance was useless, and she had ceased to struggle or scream.</p> + +<p>"Now follow me, boys!" shouted Deck. "You had better walk over to the +fire, miss," he added to the young lady redeemed from the hands of the +ruffian. "Clinker will see that no harm comes to you."</p> + +<p>The six men who had followed the young man in advance of them, marched +close to him, with their muskets in readiness for use. Deck could not +order them to fire, for they were as likely to hit friends as enemies; +but he rushed to the scene of the conflict, where the two white men had +just been forced back by the marauders.</p> + +<p>"Both fall back this way, gentlemen!" called the young leader.</p> + +<p>Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe, as the colonel had given the names of +those who attended his two daughters to the party, could not help +realizing that assistance was at hand, though they saw only a stout boy +and half a dozen negroes, and they promptly detached themselves from +their assailants, and retreated behind the wagon.</p> + +<p>"Now fire at them, one at a time!" shouted Deck, when it was safe to do +so.</p> + +<p>Mose was nearest to him, and instantly discharged his musket at the +foremost assailants of the gentlemen. One of them dropped to the ground. +The ruffians had not bargained for this sort of discipline, and they +fled on the instant; for they had heard Deck's order, and saw that there +were more bullets where the first one came from. They ran into the +woods, and disappeared behind the trunks of the great trees.</p> + +<p>"Don't fire again, but follow me!" said Deck, as he started at his best +speed towards the spot where Buck Lagger stood with his prisoner.</p> + +<p>This ruffian perceived the defeat of his party, and he attempted to +force the lady in the direction taken by his infamous comrades. He led +the way, dragging his prisoner after him; but she resisted now, hanging +back so that he could not move at anything more than a snail's pace. She +screamed again, and Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe started to assist +her.</p> + +<p>Deck had accomplished half the distance to the ruffian when he saw that +the strength of the lady was failing her, and Buck was advancing more +rapidly. He raised his revolver, and, aiming the weapon with all +possible care, he fired. Clinker had kept the fire blazing freely, and +he had plenty of light. The ruffian released his hold upon his prisoner, +and swung his right hand over to his left shoulder. Deck believed his +bullet had struck him there, though he continued his retreat to the +wood.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry you didn't kill him!" exclaimed one of the two gentlemen, as +they halted at Deck's side.</p> + +<p>"I had to be careful not to hit the lady," replied Deck. "But we have +driven them off. Now, boys, in line!" shouted the young leader to his +men. "Face the woods!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus4" id="illus4"></a> +<img src="images/illus4.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">I had to be careful not to hit the lady.</span>"</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>The six men came into line very promptly, though the movement would +hardly have been satisfactory to a drill officer.</p> + +<p>"Ready!" he continued. "Aim! Fire!"</p> + +<p>That was about the extent of the recruits' knowledge of the drill; but +they fired their weapons, and each of them sent two more shots after the +first as the command was given. One of the gentlemen suggested that none +of the ruffians were hit by the volley, and Deck explained that the last +discharges were for their moral effect, though not in these words.</p> + +<p>"I don't know you, sir, but we are under ten thousand obligations to you +for this timely assistance," said the gentleman who remained with Deck, +for the other had hastened to the lady Buck had abandoned.</p> + +<p>"My name is Dexter Lyon," replied the young defender. "What is yours?"</p> + +<p>"Tom Belthorpe," returned the other, who appeared to be something over +twenty years of age. "We have been to a party with the girls at Rock +Lodge, and were on our way home."</p> + +<p>"Then you are the son of Colonel Belthorpe. Who is the other gentleman?"</p> + +<p>"That is Major Gadbury, who is spending a week at my father's +plantation," replied Tom, rubbing his head and some of his limbs, for he +was rather the worse for the wear in his conflict with the ruffians, as +the other gentleman conducted the terrified lady to the spot.</p> + +<p>"I never was so frightened in all my life," gasped the lady, as they +stopped in front of Deck.</p> + +<p>"It is all over now, and I would not mind any more about it," added the +Major cheerfully, though he was considerably battered after the fight +through which he had passed.</p> + +<p>"This is Mr. Dexter Lyon, Major, the son of our neighbor," said Tom, +presenting the leader of the colored battalion, though Deck was somewhat +abashed at the formality, and to hear himself "mistered" was a new +experience to him.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to know you, Captain Lyon," replied the Major, grasping his +hand and wringing it till the boy winced. "You have rendered us noble +and brave service, and we shall all be grateful to you as long as we +live. This is Miss Margie Belthorpe."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted to see you, Mr. Lyon!" exclaimed the young lady, who was +only nineteen years old, as she sprang to the hero of the night, grasped +his hand, and then kissed him as though he had been a baby.</p> + +<p>Deck was seventeen years old, and rather large of his age, as well as +somewhat forward for his years; and he felt as though he had tumbled +into a sugar-bowl at that moment. The blaze of Clinker's fire lighted up +his blushing face, and possibly he was sorry there were no more ruffians +at hand for him to shoot if such was to be his reward. He forgot that he +was tired and sleepy in the pleasurable excitement which followed the +encounter.</p> + +<p>"If you please, we will go over to the fire where the other lady is +waiting for you," said he, as he started for the point indicated. "Fall +in behind and follow us, boys," he added to the recruits.</p> + +<p>"I have never happened to meet any negroes in arms before," said Tom +Belthorpe, as he walked along with Deck. "But they seem to be ready for +business."</p> + +<p>"They are indeed; and these boys are as brave as any white men could +be," added Deck, loud enough for the subject of his remark to hear it.</p> + +<p>The two ruffians who had been left at the heads of the horses had fled +into the woods as soon as they saw that the assault was repulsed, and +the animals had become restive. Clinker had rushed over to secure them, +and he had quieted them down so they were quite reasonable by this time. +The young lady committed to his charge had followed him.</p> + +<p>"This is my sister, Miss Kate Belthorpe," said Margie, when the party +reached the spot.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am so glad you came when you did, Mr.——"</p> + +<p>"Dexter Lyon," added Tom.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Lyon; and you were as brave as a lion!" exclaimed Kate, as she took +the hand of Deck; and either because she had witnessed the reception her +sister had given the hero, or as an inspiration of her own, she promptly +kissed him on both cheeks, and Deck felt as though he had fallen into a +barrel of sugar. "You grappled with that villain, just as though you had +been as big as he was, and held on to him till one of your boys knocked +him into the hole with his fist. You are a brave fellow, and I shall +remember you as long as I live."</p> + +<p>"And 'none but the brave deserve the fair,'" added Major Gadbury.</p> + +<p>"How did you happen to get into this scrape, Mr. Belthorpe?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"We were all invited to a party at Rock Lodge, and we went. The governor +couldn't go, for he insisted upon attending a Union meeting at the Big +Bend schoolhouse," replied Tom. "But he promised to call for us on his +way home, for he drove us to the Lodge himself. Most of the guests left +by midnight, but father did not come, and we could not walk home. But at +three o'clock Captain Carms volunteered to send us home when we became +impatient."</p> + +<p>"My father and I went to that meeting, and so did some of these ruffians +that committed this outrage," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"But these scoundrels are not Union men," objected Tom.</p> + +<p>"But some of them were there, all the same, and some of them got put +out. But it is a long story, and we had better be moving before we tell +it."</p> + +<p>The ladies agreed to this last proposition, for they were in evening +dresses, and the chill air of the night made them shiver. The driver of +Captain Carms's wagon had come out of the quarry, whither he had +retreated, as soon as the danger was passed, and his team was ready to +proceed. Deck sent Clinker for his wagon, and he drew it up at the end +of the cross-cut.</p> + +<p>The ladies were assisted to their seats again, while the two gentlemen +took the seat in front of them. Miss Kate insisted that Deck should ride +with them, for she wanted to hear the story about the meeting. More than +this, she insisted that he should sit on the back seat between her +sister and herself. Margie did not object, and the major and Tom only +laughed. Deck had his doubts about his ability to tell his story in the +midst of such delightful surroundings.</p> + +<p>The team started, and at the corner Deck directed Clinker to follow +closely after him. But his story was interesting and exciting, and he +did not suffer from cold or embarrassment during his recital. When he +had disposed of the Union meeting, he described the battle fought at +Riverlawn, and the preparations which had been made for the onslaught, +including the discovery and removal of the arms and ammunition. He had +hardly finished before the wagon stopped at the plantation of Colonel +Belthorpe.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV</h2> + +<h3>THE GRATITUDE OF TWO FAIR MAIDENS</h3> + + +<p>The mansion house of Colonel Belthorpe was quite near the road. The +force under his command must have arrived some time before, for several +of the windows were lighted. The four white men were not to be seen, but +the eight boys who had been mounted stood near the house, apparently +waiting for orders.</p> + +<p>Though the encounter of the wagon party with the ruffians has required a +considerable time for its recital, they had not been detained over half +an hour, if as long as that; but no one took account of time in the +exciting event of the night. The ladies were handed out of the wagon, +and Deck perceived that Major Gadbury was very attentive to Miss Margie, +while he waited upon Miss Kate, the younger, and, in his judgment, the +prettier of the two daughters of the colonel.</p> + +<p>When the hero of the occasion had attended the young lady to the door of +the house, he excused himself, and hastened to the mounted men who stood +in front of the mansion. They were astonished at the arrival of two +wagons instead of one, and were discussing the matter among themselves.</p> + +<p>"Where is Colonel Belthorpe, General?" inquired Deck, after he had +saluted the boys in his usual familiar manner; for he had none of the +haughtiness of those who were "to the manner born."</p> + +<p>"Don't know, Mars'r Deck; he and the oder gen'lemen done went ober dat +way," replied General. "De ole road's ober dat way, and I 'spect dey +went to look out for de ruffi'ns."</p> + +<p>"They won't be here for half an hour or more," added Deck, as Captain +Carms's man drove up to the party with the wagon.</p> + +<p>"You done see 'em on de road, mars'r Deck?"</p> + +<p>"I have seen some of them, General."</p> + +<p>"Dey was ober on de ole road, mars'r, I t'ought."</p> + +<p>But Deck did not stop to give them any information, for both wagons had +stopped near the party. The driver from Rock Lodge had run away as soon +as his vehicle was beset by the ruffians; yet he could tell his portion +of the story, while those from Riverlawn could relate the rest of it. +The hero went into the mansion, and a mulatto in a white jacket, who was +gaping with all his might, showed him to the sitting-room, where he +found the wagon party. There was no Mrs. Belthorpe, for she had passed +away years before.</p> + +<p>"I was afraid you had run away and left us, Mr. Lyon," said Miss Kate, +rushing up to him as he entered.</p> + +<p>"Please don't 'mister' me," replied Deck, laughing. "It makes me feel +just as though I was a dude."</p> + +<p>"Well, you are not a dude," added the fair daughter of the planter, as +indignantly as though some person besides herself had called him by the +opprobrious name.</p> + +<p>"And I don't run away, either."</p> + +<p>"That's so!" exclaimed Major Gadbury with decided emphasis. "But I +really wonder that you did not run away instead of pitching into that +scoundrel who was carrying off Miss Kate."</p> + +<p>"I couldn't have done that if I had tried while the lady seemed to be in +such a dangerous situation," answered Deck, as he seated himself as near +Miss Kate as he could find a place. "But I have been talking myself all +the time since we started from the cross-cut, and I don't know yet how +you happened to get into this scrape."</p> + +<p>"We don't know much more about it than you do, Mr.——"</p> + +<p>"Deck," interposed the hero.</p> + +<p>"Deck, if you insist upon it, Mr. Lyon," laughed the major. "We left +Rock Lodge, and Tom told the driver to go by that cross road. It was a +terribly rough passage we had of it, and I think we went over rocks a +foot high."</p> + +<p>"As I told you in my account of the troubles of the night, the ruffians, +after they had been driven off from Riverlawn, took the old road, and +Squire Truman found that they were going to this mansion," said Deck. +"Didn't you see anything of them before you turned into the cut-off?"</p> + +<p>"We neither saw nor heard anything."</p> + +<p>"The main body of the ruffians could not have been very far down the +road. I don't see how Buck Lagger happened to be where he was with the +rest of his gang," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"He appears to have had six men with him as nearly as I can make it +out," said Tom Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what he was doing there, but I can guess," continued Deck.</p> + +<p>"But which was the fellow you call Buck Lagger?" asked the major.</p> + +<p>"He was the one who captured Miss Margie, and whom I wounded with the +shot from my revolver," replied Deck. "I am sorry to say that my Uncle +Titus is a Northern doughface, and is the leader of these ruffians. He +bought the arms and ammunition of which we took possession at the +sink-hole. I believe he hates my father on account of his Unionism and +his taking of the arms worse than any man who is not his brother."</p> + +<p>"I have heard something about him since I have been at Lyndhall," said +Major Gadbury.</p> + +<p>"Buck Lagger is his lieutenant and supporter, and I have no doubt +Captain Titus sent him to the schoolhouse to disturb the meeting. He +carried the flag of truce to-night at the bridge over the creek when his +leader demanded the return of the arms," Deck explained. "Though I don't +know any more about it than you do, I have no doubt Captain Titus sent +this scalliwag ahead of the main body to see that all was clear."</p> + +<p>"As scouts," suggested the major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; as scouts. As the ruffians had been severely punished in the +fight from the bridge, and by the shots from Fort Bedford, they were +likely to be more cautious than they had been before. They were whipped +out at every approach to Riverlawn. Captain Titus may have found out +that Colonel Belthorpe was on the way to his plantation to protect it +with force enough to do his ruffians a good deal of mischief. I think +Buck Lagger was sent out to obtain information."</p> + +<p>"That is a reasonable supposition," the major acquiesced.</p> + +<p>"Of course he could not expect to find the colonel and his force on the +old road, and he was going by the cross-cut to the new road, which +passes by the bridge over Bar Creek," Deck proceeded, perhaps feeling +that he had an inspiration of wisdom as well as of heroism. "When he +came to the cross-cut he must have seen that the Lodge was lighted."</p> + +<p>"What you say reminds me that our party stood for some time on the +portico talking with Captain Carms and his family about an excursion up +the river which Tom suggested as we came out of the house. The wagon was +standing before the door waiting for us."</p> + +<p>"I haven't any doubt Buck was near enough to hear what you said," +interposed Deck. "Probably he had sent his scouts up the cross-cut, and +wanted to see why the mansion was lighted up at three o'clock in the +morning. He understood that those who were to go in the wagon belonged +to Colonel Belthorpe's family."</p> + +<p>"The house is close by the road, and he could easily have seen who we +were," said Tom.</p> + +<p>"He had been on the creek bridge when the colonel talked with Captain +Titus, and he saw that he was in command of the forces there. Very +likely he knew it was he who gave the order to fire upon his party below +the bridge. He must have been as hard down on your father as he was on +mine, Mr. Belthorpe. When he saw your two sisters ready to get into the +wagon, he had some trick in his head to obtain a hold upon your father. +The two ladies were to be hostages in the hands of the ruffians for the +conduct of your father."</p> + +<p>"I think you have solved the problem, Deck, and only your bravery and +skill saved the girls," said Major Gadbury.</p> + +<p>"My father would have burned his buildings himself to recover my +sisters, for no man was ever more devoted to his children than he is," +added Tom. "If Buck had carried off the girls he would have had a +tremendous hold on him."</p> + +<p>"I suppose the villain would have confined us in some hovel, under guard +of these miscreants, while he negotiated with my father with all the +odds in his favor," Miss Margie commented. "Perhaps that was his way to +have the arms returned to Captain Titus."</p> + +<p>"You have saved us!" cried the younger and more impulsive Miss Kate, as +she rushed forward to grasp the hand of Deck; and perhaps she would have +kissed him again if Colonel Belthorpe had not entered the apartment at +this moment, and she retreated to the chair she had before occupied.</p> + +<p>"I see you have arrived," said the devoted father. "I have been worrying +about you the last hour; but I concluded Captain Carms would send you +home. I left my wagon at the stable of a friend near the schoolhouse, +and I have been so busy all night that I have hardly thought of you, for +I knew that you would be safe at Captain Carms's."</p> + +<p>"But we haven't been safe, papa," said Miss Kate, rushing into her +father's arms.</p> + +<p>"Why, what has been the trouble, Kate?" asked the colonel, with his arms +around the beautiful girl.</p> + +<p>Before she could answer, Colonel Cosgrove, followed by Major Lyon and +Squire Truman, entered the room.</p> + +<p>"It seems that a fight has already come off in the cross-cut," said +Colonel Cosgrove, with some excitement in his manner. "Major Lyon's man +tells us you had a stormy time in the road, Deck. We did not wait to +bear the particulars."</p> + +<p>Colonel Belthorpe presented his guest and the members of his family to +the party. Major Gadbury stated what had happened to them in the +cross-cut, and then asked Deck to describe the fight. But Deck, who was +not a bully or a blusterer, and was well ballasted with innate modesty +in spite of the great amount of talking he had done, declined to do so, +and the guest of the mansion described the fight with the marauders, +giving the young hero at least all the credit that was due to him.</p> + +<p>Deck blushed up to the eyes at the praise bestowed upon him, and was +rather sorry he had not told the story, for he could have spared himself +the crimson on his cheeks.</p> + +<p>"It is all true, every word of it, papa!" exclaimed Miss Kate.</p> + +<p>"Deck, I am your debtor for life!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe, +detaching himself from the twining arms of his daughter, and rushing to +the hero of the night with both hands extended. "You are a noble and +brave fellow, Deck, and you will make your mark in the world!" And he +pressed both the hands of the boy.</p> + +<p>"Upon my word, I think he has made his mark already!" added Major +Gadbury. "At any rate, he made it on the shoulder of Buck Lagger."</p> + +<p>"My son, you have done well," said Major Lyon very quietly, as he took +the boy's hand. "I am glad I brought you with me."</p> + +<p>"But, father, I was beaten by the ruffian who was holding Miss Kate; he +was too much for me, and he would have shaken me off if Mose had not +come up and given the fellow a sledge-hammer blow with his fist which +knocked him into a hole," Deck explained.</p> + +<p>"Where is Mose?" demanded the father of the girl, as he took a gold +piece of money from his pocket. "Send for him, and let—"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, Colonel," interposed Major Lyon, placing his hand on his +arm. "I see what you mean, and I must beg you not to reward him, for +Mose did no more than every one of the faithful boys would have done if +he had had the opportunity, though all of them have not so hard a fist +as he."</p> + +<p>"Just as you say, Major; but I feel grateful to Mose, as I do to Deck, +for the hard hit he made for the safety of my daughter," replied the +planter of Lyndhall. "We shall talk of this affair for the next week; +but just now perhaps we ought to attend to the duty of the present +moment. I sent the mounted men from Riverlawn down the old road for a +mile to reconnoitre, and those who came in the wagon over to the new +road to notify us of the approach of the enemy. We went over there on +our arrival to arrange a plan for the defence of the place."</p> + +<p>"After hearing what transpired at the cross-cut, I doubt whether Captain +Titus will march his army up here," suggested Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"I think he will," added Colonel Cosgrove. "He is the maddest man I ever +met in my life, and he is determined to recover the arms."</p> + +<p>"But the—I mean Captain Titus will try to gain his point by some +infamous trickery such as his lieutenant attempted at the cross road," +said Major Gadbury, who was on the verge of calling him by some harsh +epithet.</p> + +<p>"Your mansion is safe for the present, Colonel Belthorpe," said Major +Lyon, rising from the seat he had taken. "We might as well fight the +battle, if there is to be one, on the road near your house. I suggest +that we send our whole force down the new road, and drive the ruffians +across the river."</p> + +<p>Before the others could express an opinion on this policy, the mulatto +in a white jacket announced that the horsemen were at the door, and +wanted to see "de ossifer."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> + +<h3>THE SKIRMISH ON THE NEW ROAD</h3> + + +<p>The officer whom the riders wished to see was evidently Colonel +Belthorpe, as he had been in command from the beginning. He hastened to +the hall, and found General there, who was rather more excited than +usual, simply because he had something to communicate. In about every +assemblage of men, white or black, there is generally one who naturally +becomes the leader, though there may be a number of others who think +they could do better. General was this single man, and had thus won his +name.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, General?" asked the Colonel, as he confronted the +bulky form of the black leader.</p> + +<p>"Not'in' de matter, Mars'r Cunnel, but de rebels is on de road, comin' +dis way," replied the self-appointed captain of cavalry.</p> + +<p>"How far off are they?" asked the commander.</p> + +<p>"About a mile, mars'r; but I reckon some ob 'em done went home, for dar +isn't more'n half as many as we done see near de creek bridge."</p> + +<p>"I should think they might have got enough of it by this time," replied +the colonel. "What do you want now, Sam?" he said, turning to the +mulatto in a white jacket, who appeared to be the man-servant of the +house.</p> + +<p>"Another man here wants to see you, mars'r," replied Sam, as he +presented Mose, who had just come to the front door, where a servant +does not usually come in the South. "He's a footman, an' not a hossman, +mars'r."</p> + +<p>"What is your name, my boy?" asked the colonel, turning to the +new-comer.</p> + +<p>"Mose is w'at dey all calls me, sar, but my truly name is 'Zekel. De +ruffins is stopped half a mile from whar we com'd out on de ole road, +mars'r," replied Mose, clinging to his old hat, which he pressed to his +chest, as he bowed low, trying to be as respectful and deferential as +possible.</p> + +<p>"Did you go near them, Mose?" asked the commander.</p> + +<p>"Not berry near, mars'r: but dey done make a fire, so we see 'em plain +nuff."</p> + +<p>"The main body of the ruffians cannot very well be on both roads," said +the colonel.</p> + +<p>"No, sar; but I reck'n Cap'n Titus done dewide his army, and he's gwine +to take de place on de front and on de back," suggested Mose.</p> + +<p>"Quite right, my boy; you have a head on your shoulders, and we shall +not soon forget the hit you gave the fellow that was carrying off my +daughter," added the colonel, surveying the leader of the foot party, as +he proved to be. "How far off is this party at the fire?"</p> + +<p>"About half a mile, mars'r. I reckon de fire is a signal to dem as is on +de new road," replied Mose, bowing low and hugging his old hat again.</p> + +<p>"All right, my boys; now return to your men, and we will be with you +soon," said the commander as he returned to the party in the +sitting-room.</p> + +<p>All the party in the apartment fixed their gaze earnestly on Colonel +Belthorpe as he entered, and there was an expression of fear and anxiety +on the fair faces of the two daughters. By this time they all understood +the situation perfectly. A gang of ruffians were approaching the mansion +to revenge their defeat at Riverlawn upon the owner of this plantation, +for he had been the chief man of the defence. It was evident that the +commander had been put in possession of additional information in regard +to the enemy.</p> + +<p>He lost no time, but proceeded to state the facts which had just been +reported to him by the scouts he had sent out. It was plain to all the +defenders that another battle, if such a name could be properly applied +to the skirmish near the creek bridge, was imminent.</p> + +<p>"I think we are ready for the enemy," said Major Lyon; "and it will not +be a difficult matter to drive the ruffians off. But I am not a military +man, and we leave the defence entirely in your hands, Colonel +Belthorpe."</p> + +<p>"As I have said before, my place is not as favorable for a defence as +yours is, Major Lyon," replied the commander. "We have no stream or +swamp to cover our position, and we must act on open ground. Now, what +force can we take into the field?"</p> + +<p>"We have all that we had at the bridge," replied Squire Truman.</p> + +<p>"Including Dexter, we have five white men here," added Major Lyon. +"Eight of my boys are mounted, and seven came over in the wagon, and all +of these are armed with breech-loaders, so that they can fire seven +shots apiece. That makes twenty."</p> + +<p>"And here we add to our number," said Colonel Cosgrove, glancing at +Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"Certainly; we expect to take part in any fight that is to come off," +added the major.</p> + +<p>"We have three repeating rifles in the house, two double-barrelled +bucking guns, and four revolvers. We laid in a stock of arms when the +horse-stealers were at work in this county," said the commander. "But I +have never put arms in the hands of my negroes."</p> + +<p>"I never did till to-night, and I found that all mine were as willing to +fight as to work for me," the major explained. "You have an overseer, of +course."</p> + +<p>"I have; but I have my doubts about him. Tilford is rather a brutal +fellow, and I believe he is a Secessionist at heart, though he has never +said anything to commit himself. The worst thing I know about him is +that he associates with Buck Lagger."</p> + +<p>"Make him face the music, governor," added Tom. "If he is not willing to +stand by you at such a time as this, he ought to be fired off the +place."</p> + +<p>Sam was sent for the overseer. Everybody about the mansion had been +roused from his slumbers, and Tilford had been sulking about the space +in front of the house, evidently disgusted to see the negroes from +Riverlawn mounted on fine horses with breech-loaders slung at their +backs. He obeyed the order of his employer, and stalked into the +sitting-room with a defiant expression on his face.</p> + +<p>"Tilford, something like a hundred ruffians are coming up the two roads +for the purpose of burning my mansion and hanging me to the nearest +tree," Colonel Belthorpe began in a mild tone. "With the aid of my +friends here, I intend to defend myself, my family, and my property."</p> + +<p>"Are them niggers with guns strapped on their backs your friends?" +demanded the overseer, with a cynical smile on his ill-favored face.</p> + +<p>"They are brave men, who have this night defended their master from an +attack of the reprobates who are marching upon my place; and I honor +them for their bravery and fidelity, for not one of them has flinched!" +returned the colonel vigorously. "I want to know now upon whom I can +depend to defend me from the violence of these villains who are coming +down upon me."</p> + +<p>"I reckon you can depend upon your niggers, but you can't depend on me!" +replied the overseer, edging towards the door. "You have fotched all +this on yourself by turning abolitionist!"</p> + +<p>"If assisting my neighbor and friend to defend himself and his family +from the attacks of a pack of ruffians is being an abolitionist, then I +am one with all my mind, heart, and soul!" replied the planter with a +vehemence that brought down the applause of his associates, even +including the ladies.</p> + +<p>"Them gentlemen you call ruffi'ns is my friends, Colonel Belthorpe, and +I don't never go back on my friends, not unless they turn abolitionists, +and I ain't go'n' to fight ag'in 'em," added Tilford, working nearer to +the door. "I reckon my time's about done on this place."</p> + +<p>"Quite done!" said the colonel, taking a revolver from his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Go and join your friends! I will order every man with a gun to shoot +you if you are seen about the place in five minutes!"</p> + +<p>The overseer did not like the looks of the revolver in the hands of his +employer, and he fled from the house. The commander had sent all the +Riverlawn force back to the two roads to observe the movements of the +ruffians, or he would have given the faithless fellow an escort from the +vicinity of the mansion.</p> + +<p>"The boys will all stand by you, mars'r," said Sam in the white jacket +as the colonel followed the renegade to the front door.</p> + +<p>"Then call two of them"—</p> + +<p>"They're all right here, mars'r," interposed the servant.</p> + +<p>The commander sent two of them to follow Tilford. He found, somewhat to +his astonishment, that all the servants on the place, even to the old +men, had armed themselves with clubs, pitchforks, shovels, or whatever +they could lay their hands upon, ready to defend their master, who had +always been kinder to them than the overseer. Besides, the armed negroes +from Riverlawn had remained some little time on the premises, and had +very fully informed them in regard to the events of the night, including +the capture of the two daughters of their master, which had roused them +to the highest pitch of indignation, for they looked upon Margie and +Kate as a pair of angels, and wondered they had no wings.</p> + +<p>When Colonel Belthorpe returned to the sitting-room, he found that Tom +had collected all the arms and ammunition in the mansion, taking a +repeating rifle for himself, and giving another to the guest of the +house. Each of them took a revolver, and they were loading these weapons +for immediate use. The rest of the arms were given to a few of the most +trusty of the servants.</p> + +<p>The commander led the way to the large courtyard in front of the +mansion, where he divided the force into two parties, one to meet the +enemy on each of the two roads. Before this could be done, the scouts on +the new road returned, with the two Lyndhall boys who had followed +Tilford. They had passed him through the ranks of the mounted men when +they were in sight of the ruffians, and some of them had stoned him as a +farewell salute.</p> + +<p>The commander made Major Lyon the officer of the old road force. He +objected, and suggested Major Gadbury for the position; but it was found +that the visitor held his title only by courtesy, and was not a military +man, and then the Riverlawn planter accepted the position. Tom +Belthorpe, Squire Truman, Deck, and four of the eight mounted men, with +about twenty of the Lyndhall boys, were placed under his command.</p> + +<p>The commander had endeavored to make a fair division of the force, and +Colonel Cosgrove, Major Gadbury, four Riverlawn horsemen, and a score of +his own people composed his own force. The ruffians were within fifty +rods of the mansion on the new road, and the division for this service +marched at once. The cavalry were sent out ahead, with orders not to +fire unless the ruffians opened upon them.</p> + +<p>General was at the head of the horsemen, and he galloped his horse up to +the front of the ruffians. He and his men had loosened the slings of +their weapons, and brought them in front of them, so that they were +ready for immediate use. The ruffians had halted as soon as they +discovered the riders in front of them. Then they built a fire, and as +soon as its light shone upon them, General discovered a flag of truce.</p> + +<p>The leader ventured to approach a little nearer to the enemy, when he +was saluted with a volley of oaths, and some one of them, not Captain +Titus, demanded where his master was.</p> + +<p>"Ober on de ole road," replied General, almost as savagely as he had +been addressed.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what this flag means, you nigger?" interrogated the speaker +with an oath.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sar! Mars'r Belthorpe won't hab no more ob dat nonsense," answered +General.</p> + +<p>"Tell him I want to see him under a flag of truce!" shouted the one who +appeared to be in command.</p> + +<p>The horseman was afraid of making some mistake, and he sent one of his +boys back to the commander with this message. Colonel Belthorpe had sent +Sam back for his saddle horse, and presently he galloped to the front.</p> + +<p>"Take in your flag of truce, or I will fire upon it!" shouted the +colonel. "No more fooling! I don't parley with ruffians!"</p> + +<p>The flag immediately disappeared. By the light of the fire it could be +seen that about half a dozen men at the front of the column were armed +with muskets, which, with or without a command from the officer, they +brought to their shoulders and fired. Colonel Belthorpe put his hand on +his left arm, as though a ball had struck him there.</p> + +<p>"Now, my boys, fire at them at will, just as you please," continued the +commander, as he began to blaze away with his heavy revolver.</p> + +<p>The four mounted men began to use their repeaters; but their horses were +restive, and they could not fire at the best advantage, though several +of the ruffians were seen to fall, while the main body of them fled into +the adjoining fields.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> + +<h3>AN UNEXPLAINED GATHERING ON THE ROAD</h3> + + +<p>The ruffians were a mere mob, entirely devoid of any semblance of +discipline; and it was again made manifest that they could not stand up +against a continuous fire such as the mounted boys and those on foot +were beginning to pour into them, scattered though it was at first by +the restiveness of the untrained horses. Titus Lyon was not a military +man, and he did not appear to appreciate the advantage of order in the +handling of his force.</p> + +<p>It is true that the negroes that confronted him were not organized to +any adequate extent for military purposes, though the little training +Colonel Belthorpe had given them on the bridge had been of very great +service to them. It was absolutely astonishing to the commander that the +boys did not drop their weapons and run when the random shots from the +enemy were discharged at them; for this idea was in accordance with his +estimate of negro character.</p> + +<p>It was a new revelation to him, the manner in which the men conducted +themselves under fire, hurried as they had been, without any training, +into the ranks; and the same number of white men of average ability +could hardly have done better under similar circumstances. But the negro +was strong in his affections, and the feeling that they were fighting +for the family who had used them kindly, and treated them with more +consideration than they had been in the habit of receiving, even under +the mild sway of Colonel Lyon, was the stimulus that strengthened their +souls and nerved their arms.</p> + +<p>The "people" of Lyndhall were inspired by the example of those from +Riverlawn, and they were filled with admiration when they saw those of +their own kind bearing arms, some of them well mounted, and learned that +they had actually done duty during the night as soldiers. General, +Dummy, and Mose had talked to them, and roused their spirit of +emulation. Besides, they had been moved by the same devotion to the +members of the planter's family; and their indignation at the conduct of +the overseer, who had been their tyrant, had done not a little to +develop their belligerent feelings.</p> + +<p>The ruffians had taken to their heels, and fled into the open country +between the old and the new road. There were some trees upon the tract, +and the fugitives proceeded to utilize them as far as they were +available to shelter them from the balls of the horsemen. At this point +the negroes of Lyndhall, unexpectedly to their owner, manifested their +presence in a very decided manner. The sight of the four stout boys on +the horses, undismayed by the random shots which had been fired at them, +had a tremendous influence upon them, and they became exceedingly +excited, not to say crazed; and, without any orders from the commander, +they rushed into the fields after the ruffians.</p> + +<p>Doubtless they would have obeyed from instinct the order to return if +the colonel had given it; but he allowed them to have their own way. +With the various weapons with which they had armed themselves, they fell +upon the helpless fugitives, pounded, punched, and hammered them till +they begged for mercy. They, in turn, were confronted by an infuriated +mob. Those who were able to do so fled with all the speed they could +command towards the old road, which was nearly a mile distant at this +point. Not a few of them had been so beaten that they could not run, and +they dropped upon the ground. The victors were not cruel, and they did +not meddle with those who no longer made any resistance.</p> + +<p>The Lyndhall boys had gone into the fight with no leader of their own +number; but as soon as they left the road one developed himself in the +person of the preacher of the plantation, a white-haired negro of over +seventy years of age, whom the family called "Uncle Dave." He had always +been a mild, gentle, and very religious man, and he was always treated +with respect.</p> + +<p>Uncle Dave seemed to become a giant in strength, his voice that of a +stentor, and his manner fierce, as soon as his flock went into action. +He called upon his people not to kill the ruffians, for their souls were +black with unrepented sins; and when one of the marauders sunk to the +earth, he commanded them not to touch him again. The fleeing ruffians +were indebted to him for their lives, while he ordered his flock to +punish them severely as they deserved.</p> + +<p>Colonel Belthorpe regarded this man with wonder; for he had always been +as gentle as a lamb, obedient in all things, and anxious to minister to +the people in sickness and death. Now he seemed to be the most terrible +fighting character he had ever met. He saw his volunteers, as he called +them, chase the ruffians till they disappeared in the distance and the +darkness. The mounted men had ceased firing, for there was no enemy +near, and they were fearful of hitting those who were fighting on their +own side.</p> + +<p>"We have made a clean sweep here," said the commander, as Colonel +Cosgrove and Major Gadbury joined him in the road; for they had been in +the fields south of the road, engaged in a flank movement.</p> + +<p>"It has been an easy victory," replied the gentleman from the county +town. "But they were nothing but a mob; and your boys seem to be +lunatics. They are likely to kill the whole of them before they get +through."</p> + +<p>"They will not kill one of them unless it is by accident, for I heard +Uncle Dave order them as they took to the fields not to do so; and I +notice that when a man drops on the ground they let him alone," added +the Lyndhall planter.</p> + +<p>"We have nothing more to do here, unless we go down the road and pick up +the wounded, for I see half a dozen of them in front of us, though they +are all sitting up and looking about them, so that none of them have +been killed," said Major Gadbury.</p> + +<p>"Our occupation here appears to be gone," continued Colonel Belthorpe, +as he looked over the fields from which the combatants had disappeared, +with the exception of those who were unable to run away. "Major Lyon +over on the old road may not have been as fortunate as we have been, and +we must go over and re-enforce him. General!"</p> + +<p>"Here, sar!" replied that worthy.</p> + +<p>"We are going over to the old road to help out Major Lyon. You will +leave two of your men here, one mounted, and the other on foot, to watch +the enemy; the others will go with me," added the planter.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sar," answered General, as he detailed the two scouts. "I reckon +we done finished 'em ober here, Mars'r Cunnel."</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it, General; and I hope Major Lyon has done as well over on +the old road."</p> + +<p>The commander started off at a gallop, and the mounted men closely +followed him. They passed through the deserted courtyard of the mansion, +where the planter was accosted by his two daughters, who had been +observing the movements of the combatants from the elevated veranda of +the house.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going now, papa?" asked Miss Kate.</p> + +<p>"We have driven off the ruffians from this side, and we are going over +to assist Major Lyon," replied the colonel. "Sam, you will remain here, +and look out for the house," he added to the man with the white jacket, +to whom this duty had been before assigned, and then rode on towards the +old road.</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot, Colonel Belthorpe!" called a voice from behind the stable, +as the horsemen advanced, and a man came out into the roadway.</p> + +<p>It was Tilford, the overseer, who had retreated from the mansion, and +joined the ruffians, whom he called his friends. At the first discharge +of the mounted men which followed the revolver practice of the +commander, he had been hit in the thigh with a bullet; and at the +general stampede of the enemy he had made his way into the field. +Realizing that there was no safety for him among "his friends," he had +limped all the way back to the mansion.</p> + +<p>His wound was not a bad one, though it was painful, and partially +disabled him. As he had detached himself from the ruffians there was no +one to dispute his passage, and he had reached the stable, behind which +he had concealed himself when he heard the approach of the horsemen. +But, dark as it was, the colonel perceived and recognized him.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing here, Tilford?" demanded the commander.</p> + +<p>"I am wounded and in great pain," replied the overseer in weak and +submissive tones.</p> + +<p>"Then why don't you join your friends?" asked the colonel.</p> + +<p>"I made a mistake to-night, and I did not know who my friends were," +pleaded the wounded man.</p> + +<p>"Sam!" shouted the planter to the house servant, who had followed the +party nearly to the stable; and the boy immediately presented himself +before his master. "Take the overseer to his room, and do what you can +for him."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Colonel!" exclaimed Tilford; and his wound seemed to have +made another man of him.</p> + +<p>Sam took the sufferer by the arm, wondering at the magnanimity of his +master, who had ordered all the people to shoot him if he was seen again +on the premises, and conducted him towards the mansion, where he had a +chamber back of the dining-room. As he led him up the steps, Margie and +Kate came to him; and they proved to be as forgiving as their father, +for they did everything they could to make him comfortable. One of the +old "aunties," skilled in nursing, was sent to him, and his wound was +dressed.</p> + +<p>The mounted men, led by the commander, galloped over to the old road, +which was deserted at the place where they came out. On a slight +elevation in the highway a great fire was blazing brilliantly, and near +it was an assemblage of people, the nature of which the commander could +not make out.</p> + +<p>"I don't understand that gathering," said he, as Major Gadbury rode up +to his side.</p> + +<p>"It looks as though the enemy were using the flag of truce ruse over +here," replied the major.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe Major Lyon would fool with them. They are marauders and +disturbers of the peace, and I think he is as disposed to deal summarily +with them as I am," added the commander. "But we will ride up to the +place, and we shall soon know what is going on."</p> + +<p>"Who are these men coming into the road just ahead of us?" asked Major +Gadbury, pointing to three men who were making their way through the +field to the road. "The fire on the hill don't give quite light enough to +enable me to make them out; but I suppose they are ruffians who have +made their way from the new road."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what they are, but we will go and see;" and they rode +forward about a dozen rods to the point where the men were emerging from +the field. "Who goes there?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe.</p> + +<p>"Is that you, Mars'r Cunnel?" asked one of them.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Dave!" exclaimed the planter.</p> + +<p>"That's the parson," added Colonel Cosgrove.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing over here, Uncle?" asked the commander.</p> + +<p>"We done have nothin' more to do over yonder," replied the preacher. +"The boys are all movin' over this way."</p> + +<p>"But where are the ruffians that retreated from the new road?"</p> + +<p>"The boys fell upon 'em and drove 'em over to the west, sar," the parson +explained. "We don't kill any of 'em; but we bang 'em so they hold still +on the ground. We think they was comin' over here to help the ruffians +on this side, and we come over to 'tend to 'em."</p> + +<p>"All right, venerable Uncle," laughed the colonel. "But can you tell me +what is going on upon the hill yonder?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, Mars'r Cunnel. I don't see 'em till now."</p> + +<p>Uncle Dave had a pitchfork in his hand, and it was plain enough just now +that he was of the church militant, for he was in fighting condition. It +was said that he could read and write; but from motives of policy he +never allowed a white man to see him do either. He was a sensible old +man in spite of his condition, and was employed about the stable and +carriage-house, and was favored by his master and all the family. He had +learned to speak without using the negro dialect, though his sentences +were not rhetorical models, and from the force of habit he retained some +of the old forms to avoid the imputation of "putting on airs."</p> + +<p>"There seems to be no fighting going on up there," said the commander +after he had studied the situation some time, though he could not +understand it. "If the ruffians are moving over here, as Uncle Dave +says, we shall be needed in that quarter."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so, Mars'r Cunnel, for we maul the ruffians so that they +won't want to fight no more for two weeks and a half," added the +preacher, who heard the remark.</p> + +<p>"You may stay here, and if your flock come to this road, send them up to +the hill where we are going," ordered the commander, as he dashed off, +followed by the other horsemen.</p> + +<p>The gathering on the hill was not a parley under a flag of truce, as +Colonel Belthorpe feared it might be; but to explain its nature it will +be necessary to go back to the time when Major Lyon, followed by his +command, had marched over to the old road.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2> + +<h3>THE RESULT OF THE FLANK MOVEMENT</h3> + + +<p>Even the title of major which had been thrust upon him could not make +the planter of Riverlawn feel like a military commander as he led his +battalion of foot and mounted volunteers to the old road, which might +prove to be a battle-field. His force consisted of only four white +men,—himself, his son, Tom Belthorpe, and Squire Truman. Deck had been +provided with a saddle horse from the stable of the Lyndhall planter, so +that all of them were well mounted.</p> + +<p>Four of the mounted boys from Riverlawn, four of them on foot, and about +twenty of the colonel's ablest hands formed the rest of his force. The +latter were as emulous to fight the battle of their master as those who +had been sent to the new road. Major Lyon's boys had already been under +fire, and they were exceedingly proud of the experience. They talked +rather large, perhaps, to the Lyndhall volunteers, and told them they +must stand up to it when the enemy fired, and must not run away though +they were sure they would be shot. They were earnestly counselled not +"to disgrace the race."</p> + +<p>At that time a negro soldier was unknown, and most white men, especially +at the South, would as soon have thought of arming and drilling a lot of +baboons and monkeys; and even those in Barcreek who were willing to +accept their services in defence of their families and their property +had never dreamed of such a thing as making soldiers of the negroes. +Their steadiness under fire, though they had been subjected to only a +discharge of random shots, filled the slaveholders present with +astonishment, if not with admiration.</p> + +<p>When the force reached the old road, there was nothing to be seen of the +ruffians, for it was quite dark, and they were beyond the hill, which +obstructed their view. But the scouts had reported them as approaching, +and the major in command was not inclined to await their coming. He gave +the order to march; but they had gone only a few rods before the column +was seen at the top of the hill. A halt was called in order to enable +the prudent commander to prepare a plan for the assault.</p> + +<p>The advance of the force was evidently perceived by the ruffians, for +they also halted, and in a few moments more a great fire was blazing up +at the side of the road. On the march so far, Tom and Deck had done a +good deal of talking together. Since his brave and determined defence of +Miss Kate in the cross-cut, and his strategy in disposing of Buck +Lagger, Tom had a very high respect and regard for Deck.</p> + +<p>"My father isn't much of a soldier, any more than the rest of us," said +Deck, as the major gave the order to halt. "If we fire at those +scalliwags, they will scatter and run away, as they did at the creek +bridge, and be all ready to burn a house or run off with a girl as soon +as they get the chance. I believe we ought to punish them so that they +will remember it till to-morrow or next day."</p> + +<p>"Just my idea," replied Tom. "These niggers stand up to the fight like +white men. I believed they would all run away at the first shot from an +enemy."</p> + +<p>"Not one of them flinched on the bridge or in the road when the ruffians +fired into them, my father says, for I was not there then; I was in the +artillery service just at that time."</p> + +<p>"In the artillery service!" exclaimed Tom, laughing at the magnificent +speech of his companion in arms.</p> + +<p>"Exactly so; you have heard the story of the capture of the arms at the +sink-hole; the cannon are mounted in the ice-house. If you see one of +our darkeys flinch when the firing begins, I wish you would let me know, +and we will cut down his hominy ration," rattled Deck, as enthusiastic +as though he had slept all night instead of half an hour. "But I have +got an idea."</p> + +<p>"You seem to have one in tow all the time."</p> + +<p>"I want you to mention it to my father if you believe in it, and he will +think more of it than if I put it forward."</p> + +<p>"Your father seems to think a good deal of what you say and do."</p> + +<p>"He will think I am too old for my years; but he is the best father I +ever had, and I want him to come out of this scrape with flying colors."</p> + +<p>"But what is your idea, Deck?" asked Tom curiously.</p> + +<p>"I think my father is waked up to the bottom of his boots; he won't fool +with any flags of truce, and he will order us all to fire as soon as the +time comes, though his own brother is in the gang ahead of us, or in the +one over on the other road."</p> + +<p>"I am sure he won't wince."</p> + +<p>"And the moment we fire, the ruffians will all run away, which the +darkeys won't do. That is just what I have seen them do twice to-night. +I wonder what they came over here for if they didn't mean to fight."</p> + +<p>"They came over here to burn your father's house and that of mine; but I +reckon they didn't expect to get the reception Major Lyon had prepared +for them."</p> + +<p>"They will run away, Tom," repeated Deck; "and that is just what I don't +want them to be allowed to do."</p> + +<p>"Not if we can prevent it; for I believe that hanging would do good to +some of them."</p> + +<p>"We can prevent it if my father will adopt your suggestion," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"My suggestion! I haven't got any suggestion, and I don't know what you +are talking about, Deck," replied Tom, puzzled with the remark. "All the +way I can see to manage this affair is to rush at the ruffians and drive +them off."</p> + +<p>"We don't want to drive them off till we have given them a little +wholesome discipline. I suppose you know what a flank movement is, +fellow-soldier?"</p> + +<p>"I have an idea what it is."</p> + +<p>"We used to practise it when we were snowballing on sides away up in the +glorious State of New Hampshire, if we got a chance to do it."</p> + +<p>"We don't practise snowballing much down here, and I never was engaged +in a flank movement at a snowball match. But I have an idea that it is +getting around the enemy, whether in a battle or a game, and taking them +on the side or in the rear."</p> + +<p>"You could not have stated it any better if you had been studying the +art of war or the science of snowballing all your lifetime," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"Be a little more serious, Mr. Lyon, and I shall understand you better," +said Tom, looking very grave himself.</p> + +<p>"I will be as serious as the parson at a funeral, Mr. Belthorpe. We have +plenty of men to flank them handsomely; for it don't take a great crowd +with seven-shooters in their hands to hold that gang where they are."</p> + +<p>"I see what you mean now."</p> + +<p>"What kind of ground is it over on the left of this road, Tom?"</p> + +<p>"It is one of our best fields."</p> + +<p>"Can horses travel on it?"</p> + +<p>"Just as well as on this road."</p> + +<p>"Then your suggestion to the commander-in-chief of the forces is that he +send a detachment of six men, mounted and armed with repeating rifles, +through the field on the left, with orders to fire on the ruffians when +the fight opens," continued Deck earnestly.</p> + +<p>"It is a brilliant idea, and I will do it at once," replied Tom.</p> + +<p>"Hold on a minute, and suggest that the detachment be under the command +of Captain Tom Belthorpe," added Deck.</p> + +<p>"I shall amend that by substituting the name of Captain Deck Lyon," +replied Tom, as he started ahead to overtake the commander.</p> + +<p>"Don't do that!" shouted Deck.</p> + +<p>Everything seemed to be at a standstill; but the blazing fire revealed a +flag of truce flying in front of the enemy. Tom delivered his suggestion +to Major Lyon without mentioning the fact that it came from his son; and +the commander promptly approved it. He believed that there must surely +be fighting this time, and that if the defenders, as he called them, +were defeated, Colonel Belthorpe's mansion would soon be in flames, and +perhaps his lovely daughters would fall into the hands of the vicious +wretches composing the mob.</p> + +<p>"How many men do you need?"</p> + +<p>"The four mounted men from your place, Deck, and myself," replied the +bearer of the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"Very well, I give you the order to that effect; but don't you think +some older person than Dexter had better be in command?"</p> + +<p>"Decidedly not, Major!" answered Tom with emphasis. "I believe Deck is +the smartest fellow in the crowd, except yourself."</p> + +<p>"All right; have your own way, then," replied the commander. "But can +you tell me the nature of the land on the right hand side of the road?"</p> + +<p>"The creek runs from above the mansion in that direction to the river, +and it is swampy on both sides of it," replied Tom, as he hurried away +to rejoin Deck.</p> + +<p>During the absence of Tom Belthorpe, the young hero had been carefully +studying the position of the enemy and the surroundings. He could see +the brook, or creek as such streams are called in that region, by the +light of the fire on the hill, hardly deserving that appellation, for it +was only a very slight elevation. The bushes were like those he had seen +near the spring road, and several pools or ponds reflected the light of +the fire. He was satisfied that the ruffians could not retreat in that +direction.</p> + +<p>Before Tom joined him the flag of truce with four men began to advance +towards Major Lynn's force. The commander's "infantry," consisting of +four Riverlawn negroes, were drawn up in front. The twenty Lyndhall +hands, miscellaneously armed with clubs and such implements as they had +been able to obtain, had also been formed across the road; and they were +as eager to "pitch into" the marauders as their fellows on the new road +had been; but the commander restrained them.</p> + +<p>"Here you are, Captain Lyon, and my mission has been a success," said +Tom, as he rode up to the "cavalry" posted in the rear, where that arm +is not usually placed. "You are to command the flanking party, and +Squire Truman is requested to join the commander at the front."</p> + +<p>The lawyer, who had not been informed of the intended movement, +immediately hastened to the front. Tom reported what had passed between +the major and himself, and a few minutes later the squire was seen +riding towards the hill. He had been directed by the major to inform the +ruffians that no flag of truce would be respected, and that he would +open fire very soon.</p> + +<p>Deck objected to taking command of the cavalry; but Tom insisted, for he +really believed his companion was better qualified for the position than +himself, and the young man finally yielded the point. Captain Lyon, as +he had been called more than once during the night, proceeded to address +the four cavalrymen, informing them what was to be done, and what was +expected of them.</p> + +<p>He did not put on any airs, though he could hardly help "feeling his +oats;" but he was too much absorbed in the success of his enterprise to +think much of his personal self. There were no fences at the side of the +road; and, giving the command to march, he started his spirited horse, +and dashed at full gallop into the field, with Tom at his side, and the +four riders from Riverlawn in rank behind them.</p> + +<p>Deck passed beyond the range of the firelight, so that the enemy could +not see his force, and in less than ten minutes they were abreast of +them. By this time the message of the major had been delivered by the +squire; and the result was a manifestation on the part of the ruffians. +Those who were armed with muskets or other firearms appeared to have +been placed in front, and they delivered what was intended for a volley, +though it was a very shaky one.</p> + +<p>As the cavalry were passing over a knoll, Deck saw that his father was +marching his fore up the road; for the combatants were too far apart to +do each other much mischief by their fire. The enemy kept up a desultory +discharge of their guns, but they were evidently not repeating-rifles. +When he had reduced the distance by one-half between them, he ordered a +halt. At this point he unslung his breech-loader, as the squire had done +before, and ordered the front rank to fire.</p> + +<p>But Deck did not halt; on the contrary, he urged his horse forward at a +more rapid rate, and was closely followed by his command. The infantry +in the road continued to fire at will after the first volley, and it was +evident to Captain Lyon that the enemy were breaking under this hot +work. Those in the rear had already taken to their heels; but the +cavalry dashed in ahead of them, and the young commander drew up his +little force in front of them. As soon as he had given the order to +halt, and the six men in line faced the enemy, he gave the command to +fire in detail. In the case of Major Lyon and his son, both officers did +duty as privates as well as commanders. The retreat was instantly +checked; and this was the situation when Colonel Belthorpe appeared upon +the field.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXIX</h2> + +<h3>THE HUMILIATING RETREAT OF THE RUFFIANS</h3> + + +<p>The situation on the rising ground was a puzzle to Colonel Belthorpe and +his companions. They could plainly see the little force of Captain Deck +in the rear of the enemy, and realized that it prevented the ruffians +from running away, as they had done on the new road. The commander was +inclined to laugh; for taking into account the fury with which the mob +had followed up their purpose, it was rather ludicrous to see them +penned in, as it were, on the hill.</p> + +<p>As it was the policy of Major Lyon and his son to kill or wound as few +as possible of the ruffians, the firing had entirely ceased on the part +of the defenders, though an occasional shot came from the unorganized +mob. The negroes from the new road were coming in all the time; but +Uncle Dave had been studying the situation as well as his master, and +his flock obeyed him as implicitly as they did the colonel himself.</p> + +<p>The preacher saw that the enemy were surrounded so far as the old road +was concerned, and could not retreat in the direction of the creek. The +field by which Captain Deck had reached his present position was still +open to them, and without orders or suggestions from any one he +proceeded to occupy it with the few of his people who had come with him. +He intercepted the others as they approached, and led them to a point +where they could fall upon the ruffians if they attempted to escape in +that direction.</p> + +<p>The firing had ceased, and Captain Titus Lyon could not help seeing the +movement of the negroes under the lead of Uncle Dave. Probably a few of +the refugees from the skirmish on the new road succeeded in reaching the +hill where his advance had been checked, and had informed him of the +disaster to his other division. Even the desultory firing of his men was +discontinued very soon when they saw that they were hemmed in on all +sides, and that they were at the mercy of the victors.</p> + +<p>"Well, Major Lyon, you seem to have brought everything to a standstill +on this portion of the field," said Colonel Belthorpe as he rode up to +the planter from Riverlawn after he had taken a full view of the +situation. "I see that you have made a flank movement, and placed a +portion of your force in the rear of the enemy."</p> + +<p>"My son is in command of that detachment, and the movement was made at +his suggestion," replied the major, who could not help laughing in +sympathy with the colonel. "The movement was made at his suggestion, and +I think there is a great deal more military in Dexter's composition than +in mine."</p> + +<p>"Captain Deck has skill as well as pluck, and he has put the enemy in a +tight place," added the commander-in-chief. "There they are like a flock +of sheep in a pen, and they cannot get out. What are you going to do +next, Major Lyon?"</p> + +<p>"That is for you to say, for you command all the forces," answered the +major.</p> + +<p>"You have brought this sore to a head, my friend, and probably you can +suggest in what manner the wound may be healed," returned the colonel, +still laughing; for to a military man like him the whole affair appeared +to be rather in the nature of a farce. "You have proved to be an able +commander, and I need your advice."</p> + +<p>"You seem to look very lightly upon the whole matter, Colonel +Belthorpe," said the major, who could not understand why his superior +officer indulged in his continued laugh.</p> + +<p>"Not at all, my dear sir; I have looked upon it, up to the present stage +of affairs, as a very serious matter; and I am confident that both your +mansion and mine would have been in ashes before this time if we had not +taken the bull by the horns as we did."</p> + +<p>"You appear to be amused."</p> + +<p>"I am amused at the present situation; and perhaps the victory we have +achieved puts me in condition to be amused. My property and my daughters +have been saved, and we have the ruffians pinched up in a tight place. I +think you have as much reason to rejoice as I have, Major Lyon."</p> + +<p>"Certainly I have; but, not being a military man, it looks more serious +to me than to you. I thought you were inclined to make fun of the whole +affair."</p> + +<p>"Not at all. For a civilian you have done wonders. As we have won we can +afford to laugh. But it is about daylight now, and this operation must +be finished. What is your counsel, Major?"</p> + +<p>"I think we had better get a little nearer to the enemy," replied the +major. "I see a good many of your people in the field on our left."</p> + +<p>"From mild, peaceable, and even timid people, they suddenly became as +brave as lions, and as ferocious as fiends, and they have severely +punished the ruffians who fled in this direction. I never supposed there +was anything like fight in them before."</p> + +<p>"If you are ready we will advance, Colonel," added Major Lyon, as he +gave the order to march.</p> + +<p>The commander took his place by the side of the planter of Riverlawn, +and the column moved up the declivity. The fire was still burning +brightly, and lighted up the whole of the surrounding region. It was +evidently replenished with fuel frequently, in order to enable the +entrapped foe to observe the movements of the visitors. The approach of +the forces appeared to cause a decided sensation in the ranks of the +ruffians, and presently a white flag was displayed in front of them.</p> + +<p>"Captain Titus seems to have a passion for white flags," said the +colonel. "He tried that dodge for the second time over on the new road."</p> + +<p>"And for the third time on this road," added the major. "But there +appears to be some reason for showing it this time."</p> + +<p>The major did not give an order to halt this time; but the force marched +to a point within twenty-five feet of the front rank of the ruffians, if +there could be said to be anything like a rank in the mob. Then the +command to halt was given.</p> + +<p>"I shall leave you to do all the talking, Colonel Belthorpe," said the +major, as he backed his horse so as to leave the commander alone at the +front.</p> + +<p>"I am quite willing to do the talking, but I may need your advice," +replied the colonel.</p> + +<p>The planter of Riverlawn could distinctly make out his brother at this +distance, and he was glad that he had not been shot dead, or apparently +wounded. Two men came from the direction of the fire, bearing lighted +torches, and placed themselves one on each side of Captain Titus and +another person at his side, who carried the white flag.</p> + +<p>"Do you know that man with the flag, Squire Truman?" asked Major Lyon, +as he observed the proceedings on the other side.</p> + +<p>"I ought to know him, for I prosecuted him for an assault not long ago," +replied the lawyer. "That is Swin Pickford, a bully and a ruffian of the +vilest sort."</p> + +<p>"My brother is not very particular in the selection of his associates," +added Noah Lyon very sadly.</p> + +<p>Captain Titus advanced with the flag and the torches at a stately pace, +as though he were the victor instead of the vanquished in the several +conflicts of the night, and halted in the middle of the space between +the contestants.</p> + +<p>"I desire to meet Noah Lyon," said he.</p> + +<p>"I decline to meet him," called the owner of the name.</p> + +<p>"He declines to meet you on the present occasion," replied the commander +sternly. "This is not exactly a fraternal meeting, and there is only one +question which is in order: Do you surrender?"</p> + +<p>"Surrender? No! not as long as there is a breath left in my body!" +replied the leader of the ruffians, as fiercely as though he expected to +have all his own way in spite of his disastrous defeat.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, then?" demanded the colonel.</p> + +<p>"I want justice!" stormed Captain Titus.</p> + +<p>"If you got it you would be swinging to one of these trees; and that is +where you would be if you were not the brother of Major Lyon."</p> + +<p>"Major Lyon, as you call him, is a thief and a robber!" yelled Titus. +"The very guns and cannon you have turned against us to-night were +stolen from me by him!"</p> + +<p>"At a meeting of the Union men of this vicinity last night, a vote of +thanks was passed to Major Lyon for taking possession of the arms and +ammunition found in a cavern; and we all stand by that vote," replied +the colonel with dignity.</p> + +<p>"What do we care for the vote of a set of traitors to the State!"</p> + +<p>"This is not the time or the place to discuss the subject. I desire only +to know what you and your mob are going to do about it."</p> + +<p>"We are going to have justice if there is any such thing left in the +State."</p> + +<p>"It is your next move, Captain Titus."</p> + +<p>"I wish to be fair and reasonable," continued Titus, moderating his +speech and manner. "I have done my best to keep the gentlemen with me +from doing violence to them that stole our property, and"—</p> + +<p>"And for that reason you became their leader and captain-general in an +attempt to burn your brother's house and mine!" interjected the colonel.</p> + +<p>"No matter what we came out for; I have a plan to state that will settle +the difficulty," Titus proceeded, struggling to keep cool.</p> + +<p>"State your plan, and be quick about it!"</p> + +<p>"If the stolen arms and things are returned to us at once, we will go to +our several homes and let the matter end here," said Titus.</p> + +<p>"That's enough!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe indignantly. "Have you come +over here under a flag of truce to say that?"</p> + +<p>"That is what I come here for; and I insist on't that the things be +given up!" replied Titus, waxing wrathful.</p> + +<p>"Now you can retire with your flag of truce."</p> + +<p>"I won't do no such thing!"</p> + +<p>"If you won't I shall be obliged to open fire upon you and your mob; and +you will be the first to fall," added the commander quietly.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to murder us?" demanded Titus, aghast at the determined +policy of the commander. "You have hemmed us in so that we can't get +out, and now you mean to fire on us! I cal'late you've got a bone to +pick with your feller-citizens for armin' niggers."</p> + +<p>"I can pick it without any help from you. Now, do you surrender, or +shall I order my men to fire?" demanded the colonel so sternly that +Titus was silenced. "I give you five minutes to consider my offer."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to be shot like a mule with a broken leg," said Swin +Pickford, loud enough to be heard in the front rank.</p> + +<p>"Can't we make terms?" asked Titus, who was terribly alarmed.</p> + +<p>"No terms with a mob," replied the colonel.</p> + +<p>Half a dozen of the ruffians came forward to their leader, and it was +evident that they were quite as much frightened as he was himself. +Enough was heard from those in the front rank of the defenders to assure +them they pleaded for surrender. Some of them farther back even shouted, +"We surrender!"</p> + +<p>"I s'pose we can't do nothin' but surrender or be shot," resumed Titus.</p> + +<p>"That's all; and you may thank your stars that some of you are not +swinging by the neck from the trees at the side of the road."</p> + +<p>"Then we surrender, for we can't do nothin' else," said Captain Titus. +"But I want to tell you, Colonel Belthorpe and Noah Lyon, that you +haven't seen the end of this thing yet. If the whole country don't howl +ag'in you within twenty-four hours, I lose my guess."</p> + +<p>"You had better fall back on your ruffians and guess again," added the +colonel, as he placed himself at the side of Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"What does the surrender amount to, Colonel?" asked the planter of +Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>"It really amounts to nothing but a way to get rid of these fellows. We +have had enough of them for to-night," replied the commander. "Captain +Gadbury, will you ride around through the fields to Captain Deck, and +ask him to let the mob move down the road toward the bridge? If any of +them have guns, take them from them."</p> + +<p>Captain Gadbury started on his mission. Four mounted negroes were sent +after him to assist in disarming those who had weapons if needed. In a +short time the captain and his followers arrived at their destination, +as could be seen from the position of the main body. It was light enough +by this time to see the force there place themselves on each side of the +road.</p> + +<p>Then the commander ordered his men to march, shouting to the mob to do +the same. The ruffians began their humiliating retreat, and the +defenders followed them as far as the bridge. The planters and their +attendants then returned to their homes.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX"></a>CHAPTER XXX</h2> + +<h3>LEVI BEDFORD AND HIS PRISONER</h3> + + +<p>Colonel Cosgrove and Squire Truman returned to Riverlawn with Major Lyon +and his son. Colonel Belthorpe and Tom renewed their expressions of +gratitude to Deck for the important service he had rendered to the +family in the protection of Margie and Kate, and insisted that he should +visit Lyndhall as soon as possible. They parted at the cross roads, and +both parties received a warm welcome at their homes.</p> + +<p>Levi Bedford and Artie Lyon had remained on watch in the fort, while a +sufficient number of the hands patrolled the bridge and the creek; but +the ruffians had found enough to do in the direction they had gone, and +there was no alarm during the rest of the night. The major took his +guests to the mansion, while Deck related to Levi and Artie the events +of the visit to Lyndhall.</p> + +<p>"Captain Titus and the mob have really been thoroughly whipped out of +their boots," said the overseer, when Deck had finished his narrative. +"But, as the leader of the ruffians said, we haven't seen the end of +this thing yet."</p> + +<p>"Do you think they will make another attack upon Riverlawn, Levi?" asked +Deck with along gape.</p> + +<p>"I don't reckon they will try it in the same way they did before; at +least not till they are fully provided with arms and ammunition," +replied Levi. "That attempt to capture the two daughters of Colonel +Belthorpe looks like one of Buck Lagger's schemes. If he had obtained +possession of the two girls, very likely he would have confined them in +one of the caverns like the one where they put the arms, with a guard +over them."</p> + +<p>"That would have been awful," added Artie.</p> + +<p>"I reckon they didn't mean to hurt the girls, and wouldn't if they had +got possession of them," continued Levi. "But you can see for +yourselves, boys, that they would have had the key to the fortress in +their own hands if they had obtained the girls."</p> + +<p>"That's so!" exclaimed Deck, who had seen the point before without any +help from the overseer.</p> + +<p>"I don't see what good the girls could have done them," said Artie, who +had been asleep most of the time during the absence of the planter and +his son.</p> + +<p>"It is as plain as the nose on a monkey's face," added Deck. "With the +two girls as prisoners, Captain Titus would have demanded the return of +the arms and ammunition of Colonel Belthorpe."</p> + +<p>"I see!" exclaimed Artie, as the object of the capture dawned upon him. +"But the colonel did not have the arms, and he could not have given them +up."</p> + +<p>"But father would have made common cause with him, and he could not well +have helped giving up the arms to get back his neighbor's daughter," +Deck explained.</p> + +<p>"But I wonder they didn't try to take our girls," suggested Artie.</p> + +<p>"That is what they may try to do next; and I shall advise your mother +not to permit Miss Dorcas or Miss Hope to go outside of the plantation +unless they are well guarded," added Levi. "If Captain Titus could get +away with your two sisters, and hide them, he could have things all his +own way with your father."</p> + +<p>"We must keep a sharp lookout for the girls," said Artie.</p> + +<p>"Buck Lagger, with his gang, must have gone ahead of the main body of +the ruffians," continued the overseer thoughtfully, "or he could not +have been in the cross-cut. He must have known about the party, and that +the colonel's daughters were there."</p> + +<p>"Where does this Buck live?" asked Deck.</p> + +<p>"He has a shanty on the road to the village, just above the schoolhouse. +He is a pedler when he does anything like work, and I suppose he knows +about every family in the county," replied Levi. "He could easily have +found out all about the party, and who were to be there."</p> + +<p>"There is the breakfast-bell," said Deck, who was quite prepared by his +night's work for the summons.</p> + +<p>At the table the story of the night's adventures was repeated for the +information of Mrs. Lyons and her daughters, and they wanted to hug +Deck; first, because he had been so brave and vigorous in the rescue of +Margie and Kate Belthorpe, and second, because he had not been killed or +severely wounded in the encounter of which he had been the hero.</p> + +<p>After the meal Major Lyon and his two guests retired to the library, +while the boys went to bed. Before the former separated, they had +arranged a plan for the enlistment of a company of cavalry which had +been discussed at the meeting the evening before. But all concerned were +tired out after the labors of the night. Colonel Cosgrove was sent to +the place where he had left his team, and Squire Truman was driven to +the village by Levi, who had chosen this duty himself, in order to "see +what was going on," as he expressed it.</p> + +<p>The ruffians who had formed the mob had been gathered from the region +around Barcreek, and not a few of them lived in the village. There +appeared to be no excitement there, and the overseer started for home. +On his way he had to pass the shanty of Buck Lagger, where he lived +alone when he was at home, which was not much of the time. His worldly +wealth, consisting of his stock of miscellaneous goods, was contained in +a couple of tin trunks, with which he tramped all over the county.</p> + +<p>As Levi drove by the hovel a bullet whistled past his head; and, +removing his soft hat, he found that the missile had passed through it, +and within a couple of inches of the top of his head. It required no +reasoning to convince him that Buck Lagger had fired the shot which had +narrowly failed to send him to his long home. This particular kind of +outrage was not an uncommon occurrence in Kentucky during the exciting +period which followed the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Not a few who had +enlisted in the armies of the Union were killed in this cowardly manner.</p> + +<p>Levi Bedford reined in his horses, and then secured them to a tree. He +was not a man to permit such a dastardly deed to remain unpunished a +moment longer than was necessary. The ruffian, who had appeared to be +the lieutenant of Captain Titus the night before, could not be far off. +Passing to the rear of the shanty, Levi discovered him running for the +woods a short distance from the road. In his hand he carried an old +flint-lock musket, from which he had doubtless fired the shot intended +to deprive Major Lyon of the services of his valuable overseer.</p> + +<p>Buck turned to look at his pursuer, though he hardly abated his speed in +doing so. His left arm was hung in a sling, the material of which looked +as though it might have been a part of the flag of truce displayed on +the creek bridge the night before. Levi had the heavy revolver with +which he had armed himself still in his pocket; and it had even occurred +to him that he might have occasion to use it before he returned from his +present visit to the village.</p> + +<p>Though he was a heavy man, Levi was agile in his movements, and the +ruffian could not help seeing that his pursuer was gaining upon him. +Before he reached the woods, he realized that he had no chance to +escape, and he halted. Elevating his gun, he took aim at the overseer. +But Levi knew that the weapon could not be loaded, for he had fired its +only charge at him, and had not had time to reload it.</p> + +<p>"It won't go off again till you load it," said the overseer, as he +rushed up to him, and wrenched the musket from his hand, thinking he +might try to use it as a club. "It's no fault of yours, except in your +aim, that you are not a murderer, Buck Lagger!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus5" id="illus5"></a> +<img src="images/illus5.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">It won't go off again until you load it.</span>"</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"I'm only sorry I missed my aim," replied Buck. "You have a revolver in +your hand, and you can shoot me as soon as you please."</p> + +<p>"Shooting is too good for a ruffian like you. If I had a rope I would +hang you to one of the beams of your own shanty," replied Levi, as he +grasped the ruffian by the collar of his coat.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll lend you a rope if you will come to the house," replied the +obliging ruffian. "But hold your hand! You hurt me! You can see for +yourself that I am wounded. One of Lyon's cubs put a ball through my +shoulder last night."</p> + +<p>"It's a pity he did not put it through your brains, if you've got +anything of that sort in the top of your head," added Levi, as he +proceeded to lead his prisoner to his wagon.</p> + +<p>"You hurt me, Bedford!" pleaded Buck. "If you want to hang me, I'll help +you do the job in proper fashion; but you needn't torture me before you +do it. When we lynch a fellow we don't do that."</p> + +<p>Levi released his hold upon the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"My aim is better than yours; walk to my wagon, and if you attempt to +run away, I won't kill you, but I will put two or three balls through +your legs, so that it won't be convenient for you to run," said he, as +he drove the villain before him towards the road.</p> + +<p>"What are you go'n' to do with me, Bedford?" asked Buck.</p> + +<p>"That's my business," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"Well, I think it rayther consarns me too."</p> + +<p>"If you live long enough you will find out in time. Now get into the +wagon."</p> + +<p>"Are you go'n' to take me down to Lyon's place?" asked Buck, looking his +captor in the face as they stopped at the side of the vehicle.</p> + +<p>"Get in quick, or I may hurt you again!" said Levi impatiently. "You +won't get killed by a ball from my shooter, but you may have another +wound."</p> + +<p>Probably the ruffian preferred shooting to hanging, and the remark of +the overseer did not please him. If he had told his whole story, he +would have said that he had been unable to sleep on account of the wound +in his shoulder, and for that reason he had been up early enough to see +Levi drive past his shanty with Squire Truman. The suffering made him +angry, stimulated his desire for revenge; and he had tried to put the +overseer out of the way.</p> + +<p>He pretended to be more afraid of wounds than of death; and with the +assistance of Levi he climbed into the wagon, taking his place on the +front seat as directed. His captor put the gun he had brought with him +into the wagon, and then seated himself beside his prisoner. The +spirited horses went off at a lively pace, and Buck immediately +complained that the motion increased his pain.</p> + +<p>"That wasn't a bad scheme of yours to get possession of Colonel +Belthorpe's girls, Buck. You meant to trade them off for the arms, I +suppose," said Levi, as he reduced the pace of his horses to a walk; for +he desired, if he could, to obtain some information from his prisoner.</p> + +<p>"That was just it, Bedford; and if that cub of Lyon's hadn't interfered, +we should have had the arms before this time," replied Buck, with both a +chuckle and a groan.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you try it on Major Lyon's girls first, for that would have +brought the matter nearer home?"</p> + +<p>"That's just what we meant to do," replied Buck, with refreshing +confidence in his custodian. "That was my plan; but Cap'n Titus was +obstinate, and wouldn't hear to me. He ain't much of a cap'n; and I'd +had the arms and the rest o' the things if he had left it to me."</p> + +<p>"What was your plan, Buck?" asked Levi quietly.</p> + +<p>"That's tellin'; we may try it on some other time, if I live long +enough. Our folks are fightin' this thing on principle, and we ain't +go'n' to see the good old State of Kaintuck turned over to the +Abolitionists."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by Abolitionists, Buck?"</p> + +<p>"Such fellers as Lyon, Cosgrove, Belthorpe."</p> + +<p>"They are all slaveholders."</p> + +<p>"They're all Lincolnites, and gave arms to their niggers to shoot down +white Kaintuckians last night," replied Buck bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Only when a mob of ruffians came down upon them to burn their property +and carry off their daughters!" added Levi. "They are Union men, and +they will stand by the old flag as long as there is anything left of +them."</p> + +<p>"The Union's busted!"</p> + +<p>"Not much! Why don't you enlist in the Confederate army, and carry out +your principles? You are a cowardly ruffian, Buck!"</p> + +<p>"We can do more good to the cause by stoppin' here, Bedford; and when I +git command of that Home Guard, as I shall afore long, I'll clean out +the Abolitionists in less'n a week," said Buck boastfully.</p> + +<p>"If you live long enough," suggested Levi.</p> + +<p>"If I don't I'm willin' to be a martyr to the good cause!" protested the +reprobate.</p> + +<p>As before suspected by Levi and his employer, "that Home Guard" was +composed of the ruffians who had been the assailants the night before. +Levi drove to the fort, where a guard of a dozen negroes, under the +command of General, had been placed over the arms and ammunition. The +prisoner was taken from the wagon, and permitted to lie on one of the +beds which had been brought from the mansion the night before for the +use of the defenders of the plantation. General and his men were charged +to shoot the captive if he attempted to escape.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI"></a>CHAPTER XXXI</h2> + +<h3>DR. FALKIRK VISITS RIVERLAWN</h3> + + +<p>Levi Bedford, in spite of his threats to hang his prisoner, was a +kind-hearted man, and he did what he could for the comfort of Buck +Lagger. He had often been called upon to prescribe for the sick or +injured among the hands on the plantation. He examined the wound of the +ruffian; but it was beyond his skill, and he did not attempt to treat +the patient.</p> + +<p>During the absence of the expedition for the defence of Lyndhall he had +done what he could for those who had been wounded on the creek road; but +he was not an expert in the treatment of gunshot wounds. There was +little he could do for them; and early in the morning he had sent Frank +to procure the attendance of Dr. Falkirk, who resided near the village. +He had been called to a case on a plantation several miles from +Barcreek. He had not returned when Levi went to his bed.</p> + +<p>Major Lyon and the boys had taken to their beds as soon as the guests +departed, and the overseer was in condition to follow their example. The +premises were well guarded along the creek, and two men with +breech-loaders in their hands were in charge of the wounded prisoner. In +the mansion Mrs. Lyon and her daughters, who had been up most of the +night, for they could not sleep while the major and his sons were in +danger, had gone to bed to obtain needed rest.</p> + +<p>Even the hands who had been on service the whole or a part of the +eventful night were asleep, and the guard at Fort Bedford had been +relieved. Levi slept soundly on the bed he had taken within the works, +in spite of the groans mingled with curses of the wounded ruffian. There +was no white person awake on the plantation to wonder what was to be the +outcome of the events of the night. Doubtless Colonel Cosgrove and +Squire Truman were also sleeping off the fatigues of the night. The +aggressive ruffians had fled to their several homes, defeated, +exhausted, and disgusted with the result of their labors in the cause of +Secession. There was a calm after the storm.</p> + +<p>Dr. Falkirk appeared about the middle of the forenoon. He was of Scotch +descent; but his father had settled in New Orleans, and the son became +as violent a "fire-eater" as though he had been the possessor of half a +thousand slaves. He had made a fortune in the practice of his +profession, and had purchased a plantation in Kentucky, on the outskirts +of Barcreek, where he intended to end his days in peace and quiet. But +some of his investments had been unfortunate, and he had been compelled +to resume practice.</p> + +<p>His skill as a physician and surgeon had brought to him an abundant +practice, though his patients were widely scattered, and he was obliged +to pass much of his time in his gig. When the troubles of the nation +began, he developed into a Secessionist of the most ultra stripe. He was +a highly educated man and a fluent speaker in public and private. In the +Lyceum of the village he and Squire Truman were often pitted against +each other, and one was quite as outspoken as the other.</p> + +<p>But Dr. Falkirk was faithful to his patients, poor or rich, and without +regard to their creed or politics. Though his fortune had been impaired, +he was still in comfortable circumstances, and never refused to visit +any sick person to whom he was called, with no regard to color or the +expectation of payment for his services. In fact, he was the beau-ideal +of a good physician, and held the honor of his profession above every +other consideration.</p> + +<p>The men on patrol at the bridge conducted the doctor to the fort as soon +as he appeared, in obedience to the orders of the overseer. When he +reached Fort Bedford he manifested no little astonishment at the +appearance of the old ice-house, with its four embrasures, through which +the twelve-pounders could be seen. The negroes with breech-loaders in +their hands were a disgusting exhibition to him, and he turned up his +nose, though he made no remark.</p> + +<p>The sentinel at the door politely ushered him into the presence of his +patient. Without asking any questions in regard to the manner in which +the sufferer had received his wound, Dr. Falkirk proceeded to examine +him. Buck Lagger was still in great pain, and had kept up a continual +groaning all the forenoon. The doctor immediately gave him a couple of +little pills, intended to ease the pain. The skilful surgeon discovered +that a bullet was embedded in the shoulder, and he took from the handbag +the instruments for its extraction.</p> + +<p>Then he called upon a couple of the guards to assist him. There were but +two sentinels in charge of the fort, who were faithfully marching up and +down outside the door. But they paid no attention to the call of the +doctor. Each of them seemed to be impressed with the idea that the +protection of the plantation and the lives of all the family depended +upon him, and that it would be treason for them to leave their posts.</p> + +<p>"Can't you hear me, you black rascals?" demanded the surgeon in a loud +tone. "Come here, one of you!"</p> + +<p>"Can't leabe de post, Mars'r Doctor," replied one of the men.</p> + +<p>Probably there was no enemy within a mile of the fort; but they had been +told that they were not to leave their places for anything, and they +were disposed literally to obey their orders. But the angry tones of the +surgeon had awakened Levi Bedford, who was sleeping at one end of the +fort. He sprang to his feet, and discovered the doctor at the couch of +his patient.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, Doctor Falkirk," said he. "I did not know you were here."</p> + +<p>"I knew I was here, and I ordered those black scoundrels to assist me, +and they refused to do so," replied the doctor angrily.</p> + +<p>"They only obey their orders, but they rather overdo it. I will assist +you, Doctor," added Levi.</p> + +<p>"Orders!" exclaimed the professional gentleman contemptuously. "One +would think this was a regular garrison."</p> + +<p>"That is about what it is," replied the overseer.</p> + +<p>"Humbug!" said the surgeon, as he turned to his patient.</p> + +<p>Levi called in one of the sentinels, and the bed of the wounded man was +drawn out before the door where the light was best, and the doctor +proceeded with his work. The morphine pills he had given the patient +appeared to have relieved his pain. The operator probed for the ball, +and soon found it. Then he dressed the wound with as much care as though +the sufferer had been a Kentucky colonel. He had hardly completed his +office before Buck dropped asleep under the influence of the powerful +medicine he had taken. The bed was moved back without waking him, and +Dr. Falkirk passed out of the fort, followed by the overseer.</p> + +<p>"Keep the man quiet for a week, and give him anything he wants to eat," +said he, as he looked about him at the warlike preparations which had +been finished the day before.</p> + +<p>"We have three more wounded men in the hospital who need a surgeon," +added Levi.</p> + +<p>"What are those niggers doing over on the other side of the creek?" +asked the surgeon, whose gaze had wandered to the grove at the side of +the road. Some of the hands had been directed to bury the man who had +fallen behind the tree where he had taken refuge from the shots of the +defenders of the plantation.</p> + +<p>He had been seen in the act of levelling his gun at the advancing +column, and Levi had brought him down before he could discharge his +weapon.</p> + +<p>"They are burying a man that fell in the skirmish last night," Levi +replied to the question of the doctor.</p> + +<p>"What skirmish?" inquired Dr. Falkirk, with evident astonishment.</p> + +<p>"You don't appear to have heard the news, Doctor," replied the overseer.</p> + +<p>"What news? I was called to General Longman's plantation last evening; I +spent the night there, and did not get home till half-past eight this +morning."</p> + +<p>As briefly as possible Levi gave the details of the events of the +preceding night, beginning with the meeting at Big Bend, and ending with +the final defeat and surrender of the ruffians.</p> + +<p>"An Abolition row!" said the doctor contemptuously.</p> + +<p>"Not exactly, Dr. Falkirk; it was a Secession row!" added Levi with +energy.</p> + +<p>"Brought about by the insane wrangling of the traitors to the State of +Kentucky!" snapped the surgeon.</p> + +<p>"The traitors to the State of Kentucky are loyal to the government of +the United States and the Union," protested the overseer.</p> + +<p>"There is no longer any United States, and the Union has ceased to +exist! The men who are making all this trouble in Kentucky are those who +are trying to make war upon the Southern Confederacy, to subdue and +enslave a dozen sovereign States!" argued the doctor, almost furiously.</p> + +<p>"I reckon it's no use for you and me to argue this question, for we +don't live in the same world on that subject," said the overseer, with a +smile on his round face. "But Kentucky is for the Union by a large +majority, and what you call sovereign States are in rebellion against +the lawful authorities of the nation, and the insurrection will be put +down just as sure as fate."</p> + +<p>"This used to be a free country, though it isn't so now; but every man +can have his own opinion as long as he is willing to be responsible for +it."</p> + +<p>"It isn't exactly a free country as long as the loyal citizens of this +county cannot hold a meeting without being attacked by the ruffians of +Secession, as was the case at Big Bend last night. Then the same +villains came over here in a mob of a hundred to burn Major Lyon's +house, and capture his daughters, as they tried to do with Colonel +Belthorpe's girls. They did not succeed, and some of them were shot down +in the attempt. The right to commit such outrages as these is what you +call free; but we at Riverlawn don't understand it in just that way."</p> + +<p>"But, according to your own statement, Mr. Bedford, your people had +stolen the arms intended for the company of the Home Guards whom Captain +Titus Lyon has enlisted," returned the doctor.</p> + +<p>"We took possession of the arms and ammunition, including the two guns +at those embrasures, to prevent these ruffians from using them against +the loyal citizens of the county in carrying out their ideas of +freedom," said Levi stoutly. "Do you believe these ruffians, the +offscourings of the county, ought to be permitted to burn, ravage, and +destroy the homes of some of the most respectable people in this +vicinity, Dr. Falkirk?"</p> + +<p>"But your people were the aggressors, and I think they were justified in +trying to recover the property that had been stolen from them."</p> + +<p>"The ruffians issued their threats to burn the mansion of Major Lyon +before the arms entered into the question."</p> + +<p>The discussion might have continued all day, if Sam, Colonel Belthorpe's +house servant, had not ridden up at this moment.</p> + +<p>"I come for the doctor, sar," said the man.</p> + +<p>"Who is sick at Lyndhall, Sam?" asked Levi with much interest.</p> + +<p>"Nobody sick, Mars'r Bedford; but Mars'r Tilford's very bad with his +wound, and Mars'r Cunnel send me for the doctor," replied the servant.</p> + +<p>"Is this another of your victims, Mr. Bedford?" asked the doctor with a +heavy sneer.</p> + +<p>"It is Colonel Belthorpe's overseer. He refused to assist in protecting +the family from the ruffians, and left the mansion. It seems that he was +shot in attempting to join your army, doctor."</p> + +<p>"He's a brave fellow! I will go and see him."</p> + +<p>"But he deserted your army of ruffians, and crawled back to the house, +where the girls nursed him and cared for him. Now the colonel sends for +you to patch him up, the ingrate!"</p> + +<p>"True to his principles against his employer!"</p> + +<p>The doctor was conducted to the hospital, where he did his duty +faithfully to those who had been wounded, though Levi reminded him that +they belonged to "his army." None of them were in a bad way, and the +surgeon said they would be all right in a few days.</p> + +<p>All was quiet again at Riverlawn, and the sleepers used most of the day +in their beds. On the following morning, after the whole evening had +been used in discussing the events of the preceding night, everything +went along as usual on the plantation. No more ruffians appeared on the +other side of the creek, though Major Lyon and the boys remained on duty +at the fort.</p> + +<p>"What is to be the end of all these disturbances, Noah?" asked Mrs. +Lyon, as the family seated themselves at the breakfast-table the second +morning after the battle, as they had come to call the events of that +stormy night.</p> + +<p>"I think we all understand what is before us. We are to have war, and I +don't believe it will end in a hundred days, as the statesman at +Washington says," replied Major Lyon; and even some of his family had +learned to apply this title to him. "Within a few days we shall begin to +form a company of cavalry. I am still of military age, and the boys are +old enough to take part in the struggle before us. But Levi will remain +on the plantation; and as the hands have proved that they can stand up +under fire, he will have the means of protecting you, Ruth."</p> + +<p>"Of course we shall be sorry to have you go, but I agree with you, Noah, +that your country has a claim upon you which you cannot shirk," replied +Mrs. Lyon, struggling to repress a tear.</p> + +<p>"Buck Lagger asked me this morning if I thought he was well enough to be +hung," said Levi, perhaps to break off the conversation in that line.</p> + +<p>"Do you think of hanging him, Levi?" inquired the planter.</p> + +<p>"That is what I promised him; but I leave that matter to you, Major +Lyon. He is a murderer at heart, and the bullet from his gun passed +within two inches of the top of my head."</p> + +<p>"I should not like to have him hung at Riverlawn," added the planter. "I +will talk with him, and see what can be done; but there is no law in +this part of the country just now."</p> + +<p>The family were to dine that day at Lyndhall at one o'clock, so that +none of them need be absent after dark. Major Lyon left the house, and +was directing his steps towards Fort Bedford for an interview, when he +saw Captain Titus Lyon driving over the bridge. He did not care to meet +him, but he could hardly avoid doing so, and he stopped in front of the +flower-garden. Titus fastened his horse to a post, and approached his +brother.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII"></a>CHAPTER XXXII</h2> + +<h3>THE ARRIVAL OF THE RECRUITING OFFICER</h3> + + +<p>Noah Lyon was not glad to see his brother; but this was a new experience +to him, for he had always had a fraternal feeling for him, and had done +everything in his power for him when he needed assistance. He was +willing to believe that Titus was sincere in his political convictions, +though it was impossible for him to understand how he could be a traitor +to the Union.</p> + +<p>At the North both of the great parties were united in support of the +government, and at his former home Titus would have been almost alone if +he had clung to the opinions which now actuated him; for "copperheads" +were rare serpents there. Noah's brother would hardly have been one amid +the surroundings of his former home. It was evident that Kentucky +whiskey and a feeling of revenge, born of his disappointment over the +provisions of Duncan's will, had done more to make him a Secessionist +than the workings of his own reason.</p> + +<p>"I have come to see you once more, Noah," Titus began quite mildly for +him, though it was plain to his brother that he was primed with his +favorite beverage as usual.</p> + +<p>He was not intoxicated in any reasonable sense of the word; and he had +plainly resolved to make the interview a peaceable one. Doubtless he had +a point to carry, but within a few days he had probably learned more +about the character of his brother than he had ever known before. Noah +could not say that he was glad to see him, for even a "society lie" was +repulsive to him.</p> + +<p>"I hope we shall be peaceable and pleasant this time, even if we cannot +agree in everything," he replied very gently and with a smile upon his +honest face.</p> + +<p>"That's just what I want, Noah; and I have always tried to make things +peaceable between us," added Titus.</p> + +<p>Noah wondered if he believed what he uttered, after coming with a mob to +his plantation to burn and ravage his property; but whatever doubts he +had, he kept them to himself, for he knew that the thought which was +uppermost in his mind, if expressed, would only irritate his brother, +and provoke him to wrath.</p> + +<p>"I trust you will continue to do so," was his next remark, though he +thought that even this was admitting too much.</p> + +<p>"There is a question between us, Noah," continued Titus, struggling to +retain his quiet demeanor as he approached the point of difference +between them. "I won't say a word about the way I have been used up to +three days ago, for I want to be on kind of brotherly terms with you, if +we don't agree on politics."</p> + +<p>"I assuredly desire to be on brotherly terms with you, and it shall not +be any fault of mine that we are not brothers in spirit as well as in +fact," replied Noah, who became slightly hopeful of Titus, for he had +not recently heard him speak so many friendly words.</p> + +<p>"There is only one question between us now, and we might just as well +come right down to business at once," said Titus, very nervous in his +manner, as though his hope of accomplishing anything with the stern +patriot his brother had proved to be was only slight. "Of course you +know that I mean about the arms."</p> + +<p>"I understand you, Brother Titus," replied Noah, exceedingly unwilling +to fan the fire that was smouldering in the breast of the leader of the +ruffians.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me that there ought to be no trouble between two brothers +like you and me about settling a question of this kind," continued +Titus, still toying with the subject. "Of course you must admit that the +arms did not belong to you."</p> + +<p>"No more than Fort Sumter and a dozen other places built and maintained +by the Union belonged to the insurgents who have taken possession of +them," answered Noah very quietly.</p> + +<p>"That's another matter," returned the captain, evidently thrown off his +base by this home argument.</p> + +<p>"It is precisely the same thing to my mind."</p> + +<p>"Do you call stealing my property the same thing as a nation taking +possession of forts and such things within its own territory, Noah +Lyon?"</p> + +<p>"Precisely the same thing, though on a smaller scale."</p> + +<p>"I used to think you had lots of logic in your head, Noah; but I believe +you hain't got none on't left," retorted Titus, relapsing into what he +called his "week-day speech." "I was in hopes you had come to sunthin' +like reason, and would be ready to give up the property you stole."</p> + +<p>"I shall be quite ready to give it up when the insurrectionists give up +the property they stole."</p> + +<p>"The two things ain't no more like than a nigger is like a white man," +protested Titus, the bad blood, mingled with whiskey, in his veins +beginning to boil.</p> + +<p>"I think we had better not discuss this question any more, Brother +Titus. It only stirs up bad blood, and does not accomplish anything," +suggested Noah.</p> + +<p>"I s'pose I'm to understand from what you say that you don't mean to +give up the arms you stole from me," said Titus, doubling his fist, and +holding it near the face of his brother.</p> + +<p>"I do not consider that I have any right to deliver the arms to you; for +I understand that they were to be used to arm what you call the Home +Guards, or, in other words, the ruffians who came over here to burn my +house and lay waste my property. I shall not give up the arms to you, or +to any other person representing the enemies of the Union. The +insurrectionists have set the example of stealing arms, as you call it, +and forts, and public buildings by wholesale; and the Secessionists of +Kentucky are robbing the Union men of their arms. I hold that the +precedent has been well established by those on your side of the +question."</p> + +<p>"I don't care for your precedents, and I wish my brother would deal with +the one question between us."</p> + +<p>"I am entirely willing to do so, Brother Titus. You wish me to furnish +the brands with which you can burn my house and those of my neighbors."</p> + +<p>"What sort of bosh is that?" demanded Titus, who did not see the point.</p> + +<p>"If I should return to you the military supplies in my possession, they +would be used to arm the horde of ruffians you marched over here to burn +my property the other night."</p> + +<p>"They would be used to arm my company of the Home Guards; and they are +regular under the call of the Governor of Kentucky."</p> + +<p>"The Legislature of the State repudiate him, and the people are +enlisting the troops he refused to furnish."</p> + +<p>"The Legislature is a fraud, and don't rightly represent the will of the +people. I came over here with the Home Guard and other friends of the +cause to get the arms. You turned our own weapons against us, and +without arms we could do nothing against armed niggers."</p> + +<p>"I have put my place in a condition to be defended, and I have called +upon the United States government to send a body of troops here to +protect the Union people from the outrages of your people."</p> + +<p>"They will have a hot time of it when they get here," replied Titus with +a sneer.</p> + +<p>"In the meantime we shall defend ourselves. We have been attacked"—</p> + +<p>"You have not been attacked!" protested the captain. "We came over here +to demand the arms. We put up a flag of truce, and wanted to talk with +you; but you drove us off, and fired upon us," answered Titus.</p> + +<p>"Your people began the attack at the schoolhouse."</p> + +<p>"'Tain't so! Some of our men went to the meeting, and you fell upon 'em +there."</p> + +<p>"They had no business there, for the call was addressed to the Union men +of the county. They disturbed the meeting, and we put them out. Then +your company gathered in the woods, demanding 'Lyon and his cubs.' My +friends stood by me, and the meeting shouldered all the responsibility +in regard to the arms. We agreed to get up a company of cavalry for the +United States."</p> + +<p>"And you mean to arm 'em with the things you stole from me!" almost +gasped Captain Titus.</p> + +<p>"When a proper officer comes here he will give you a receipt for the +property."</p> + +<p>"Which would not be worth the paper it is written on to me!"</p> + +<p>"Not unless you could show that you were a Union man."</p> + +<p>"My men are bent on gettin' them arms, and they will have them!"</p> + +<p>"They will have to fight for them," added Noah quietly.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the interview would have become still more stormy if Levi +Bedford had not approached with a gentleman wearing the uniform of a +cavalry officer. Captain Titus did not like the looks of him, and, +judging that Noah had proceeded farther than he had suspected in +providing for the protection of the loyal people of the county, he beat +a hasty retreat; and he drove across the bridge at a rate so furious as +to indicate his state of mind.</p> + +<p>"Major Lyon, this is Lieutenant Gordon, of the United States Volunteer +Service," said Levi, as he approached with the visitor.</p> + +<p>"I am very glad to see you, Lieutenant Gordon," added the planter, +extending his hand to the officer.</p> + +<p>"I am rejoiced to meet you, Major Lyon; and I am glad to find that you +are a military man," replied Lieutenant Gordon.</p> + +<p>"But I am not a military man, and was never even a private in a military +company," replied the major, laughing at the natural mistake of his +guest. "I protested against answering to my title till I found it was +useless to do so."</p> + +<p>"If you are not a major now, perhaps you will be one very soon. I am +sent here by Major-General Buell, in reply to your letter to him," added +the officer, producing a document which authorized him to enlist, +enroll, and muster in a company of cavalry.</p> + +<p>"You are the very man I wished most to see," said the planter, after he +had glanced at the paper. "Come to the house, if you please, and we will +consider the object of your visit."</p> + +<p>"I had some trouble in getting here; for our information is that General +Buckner, with a considerable force of the enemy, is moving towards +Bowling Green, probably with the intention of occupying it, and I did +not deem it wise to go there, as I had been directed to do."</p> + +<p>"What you say is news to us," replied the major, as he conducted the +officer into the house. "Have you been to breakfast, Lieutenant?"</p> + +<p>"I have not, sir. I left the train last night at Dripping Spring, which +they told me was the last station before coming to Bowling Green. I +found a place to sleep, and a stable for my horse, which I brought down +in a baggage car, I started out early this morning to find Riverlawn, +and here I am."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant was shown to one of the guest chambers of the mansion, +and the planter ordered breakfast for him, instructing Aunty Diana to +provide the best the house afforded. The officer wanted his saddle-bags, +which had gone to the stable with his horse, and they were carried up +for him. Before the morning meal was ready he came down, and was +presented to Mrs. Lyon and her daughters.</p> + +<p>After he had washed and dressed himself, he proved to be what the girls +declared was a handsome man. He was not more than twenty-five years old, +and had a decidedly military air and manner. He made himself very +agreeable to the ladies; and Dorcas, who was a full-grown woman in +stature, wondered if he was to remain long at Riverlawn.</p> + +<p>"You are on the very ragged edge of the Rebellion, Major Lyon," said the +visitor, as he seated himself at the table. "I should say you were not +more than fifteen miles from Bowling Green."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you are acquainted with the country about here, Lieutenant?" +added the planter.</p> + +<p>"Not at all, Major; I was born and always lived in the State of Ohio; +and I have never been in this direction farther than Lexington. But I +know that Bowling Green is near the junction of two railroads into +Tennessee and the South; and the Confederates can't help seeing that it +is an important point for them to possess and hold. There will be some +fighting in this quarter before long."</p> + +<p>"There has been a skirmish or two. The Home Guards are making some +trouble in this vicinity, and I have put my place in a condition to be +defended from their assaults," added Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>He proceeded to describe the affair at the bridge and on the two roads, +in which the officer was much interested. He was particularly delighted +with the capture of the arms and ammunition. The planter then conducted +him to Fort Bedford.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXIII</h2> + +<h3>ONE AGAINST THREE ON THE ROAD</h3> + + +<p>Lieutenant Gordon looked about him with something like amazement as he +entered the fort. Levi Bedford and the boys had arranged the arms in +racks made by the carpenters. The two Napoleons, as the twelve-pounders +are sometimes called, were pointed out at the embrasures, and the aspect +of the place was decidedly warlike. Buck Lagger had been removed to the +hospital, where he found three of his comrades of the Home Guards, two +others having been sent to their homes.</p> + +<p>"These are my sons, Lieutenant," said Major Lyon, introducing each of +them by name. "They are stout boys, very nearly eighteen years old, and +are good riders. They will be the first recruits to put their names on +your paper after mine when you enter upon the work of your mission."</p> + +<p>"They are the kind of recruits I like to add to our forces, for they are +not only stout, but intelligent," replied the officer, as he took from +his breast pocket the printed form of document for the enlistment of +soldiers. "Where did you get the name of this fort, Major Lyon?"</p> + +<p>"From my overseer, the first man you met on my premises. He was formerly +connected with an artillery company in Tennessee; but he is a Union man +to the core," replied the planter, who proceeded to give Levi the +excellent character he deserved.</p> + +<p>"Then he will be our fourth recruit?" suggested the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"No, sir; he is about fifty years old, and he is to take charge of my +plantation in my absence. But I think there are over a hundred men in +this vicinity who are ready to put their names down on your paper. The +horses are all ready for them, for they were pledged in the Union +meeting of which I told you."</p> + +<p>"We shall not need the horses at first," added the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"Not need the horses, sir!" exclaimed Deck, who was listening with all +his ears to the conversation. "How are we going to get up a company of +cavalry without horses?"</p> + +<p>"The company will be first drilled like infantry, and the exercises with +horses come in later," replied the officer with a smile at the eagerness +of the boy; and Artie was just as enthusiastic, though he said very +little.</p> + +<p>"Both of them will make good soldiers, sir, for they have been under +fire in a small way," added the father.</p> + +<p>"I should say that you have little need of soldiers for the protection +of your place, Major Lyon," added the officer, as he looked at the +cannon and the breech-loaders arranged around the interior of the fort. +"Are these the arms you captured in the cavern?"</p> + +<p>"The same, sir; and they have already enabled us to defend ourselves +from the mob that came over here to burn my house."</p> + +<p>"These muskets must have cost a round sum of money, for they are of the +best quality, and have the latest improvements. Unfortunately they are +not adapted to the use of cavalry, and we shall need carbines."</p> + +<p>"Well, it is something to keep them out of the hands of the enemy," +replied Major Lyon. "I suppose we are ready to make a beginning in the +business before us, Lieutenant Gordon. What is the first thing to be +done?"</p> + +<p>"The first thing is to enlist the men," replied the officer, as he took +from his pocket a handbill, printed for use in some other locality. "We +must post bills like this one all about this vicinity."</p> + +<p>"We can't get them printed short of Bowling Green," said Major Lyon, +after he had read the placard. "And the Home Guards will pull them down +as fast as we can put them up."</p> + +<p>"But some of them will be seen, and the news that a recruiting office +has been established here will soon circulate. You are between two fires +here, and your foes will talk about it even more than your friends. We +must have the handbills at any rate."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Artie, this will be a mission for you."</p> + +<p>"I am ready and willing to do anything I can," replied the quiet boy; +and in half an hour he was mounted on a fleet horse on his way to a +printing-office.</p> + +<p>"I suppose the village of which you speak would be the best place to +establish the recruiting office," suggested Lieutenant Gordon, as soon +as Artie had gone to the stable for a horse.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid not," replied the planter. "I fear the ruffians who abound +in that vicinity would mob you. Why not establish the office here, where +we shall be able to protect you?"</p> + +<p>"It seems to be too far from any centre of population," said the +officer.</p> + +<p>"All the better for that; for in the village they would not only mob +you, but the ruffians would intimidate those who were willing to enlist. +People in this vicinity don't mind going two or three miles when +business calls them," continued the planter.</p> + +<p>"I shall adopt your suggestion, Major Lyon," returned the recruiting +officer, as he proceeded to alter the handbill to suit the locality. "I +suppose everybody in this neighborhood will know where to find +Riverlawn."</p> + +<p>"Everybody in the county," replied the major, as Artie dashed up to the +door of the fort, where the officer gave him his instructions, and the +planter supplied him with money to pay the bill.</p> + +<p>"I think I had better take one of those revolvers in my pocket," +suggested Artie. "If I get into any trouble it may be of use to me."</p> + +<p>"Do you expect to get into any trouble, my boy?" asked the major, +anxiously gazing into the messenger's face.</p> + +<p>"I don't expect any trouble, but something may happen."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I had better send half a dozen of the boys with you," suggested +his father.</p> + +<p>"The boys?" queried the lieutenant, wondering where they were to come +from, as he had seen only two of them.</p> + +<p>"I mean the negroes who defended the place the other night," added the +planter. "They have learned to handle the breech-loaders, and they would +fight for my boys as long as there was anything left of them."</p> + +<p>"I dare say they would," replied the officer with a significant smile. +"But if you send six negroes armed with breech-loaders to Bowling Green, +you may be sure there will be a row."</p> + +<p>"Just my sentiments," added Levi Bedford. "I don't think Artie will have +any trouble if he goes alone."</p> + +<p>"Very well, let him go alone; but I am confident half a dozen of the +boys would make it hot for any band that attempted to molest him," said +the major; and the messenger departed on his mission.</p> + +<p>"Have you an American flag, Major Lyon?" asked the lieutenant when he +had gone.</p> + +<p>"Two of them, for my brother always celebrated the Fourth of July."</p> + +<p>"We always hoist one on a recruiting office."</p> + +<p>Under the direction of Levi a flagstaff was erected in front of the +fort, and before dinner-time the Star Spangled Banner was spread to the +breeze. Major Lyon took off his hat and bowed to it as soon as it was +shaken out to the breeze; and cheers were heard from the negroes in the +field beyond the stables.</p> + +<p>"If you had set that flag over your office in the village, it would have +been hauled down and trampled under foot inside of an hour," said the +planter.</p> + +<p>"Are the people of this vicinity so disloyal as that?" asked Lieutenant +Gordon, astonished at the remark. "I supposed the Unionists were in the +majority here."</p> + +<p>"So they are; but they are not half so demonstrative as the other side."</p> + +<p>The bell rang at the door of the mansion for dinner; and while the +family were attending to this midday duty, Artie was entering the county +town. He had taken his dinner with him, and had eaten it as he +approached his destination. There were two printing-offices in the +place, and he called at the first one he saw.</p> + +<p>"What's this? 'Union Cavalry!'" demanded the printer, as he read the +head-line in displayed type.</p> + +<p>"What will you charge for printing two hundred copies of that bill, and +doing it while I wait?" asked Artie.</p> + +<p>"'Riverlawn!'" added the man, as he continued to read the placard. "Who +are you, boy?"</p> + +<p>"My name is Artemas Lyon, and my father lives at Riverlawn," replied +Artie.</p> + +<p>"Well, Artemas Lyon, I would not print that bill if your father would +give me a hundred dollars a letter for doing it!" stormed the printer, +as he tossed the copy back to the messenger with as much indignation in +his manner as in his speech.</p> + +<p>"All right, sir; if you don't want to do the job you needn't!" replied +Artie, as he returned the bill to his pocket and moved to the door.</p> + +<p>"Stop a minute, boy! So you are recruiting at Riverlawn for the +Abolition army?" called the printer, who was perhaps a member of the +Home Guards. "I want to know something about that business."</p> + +<p>"If you want to enlist in the Union army, you can do so at Riverlawn. I +am in a hurry, and I can't stop to answer any questions," replied Artie, +as he bolted out at the door.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing here, Artie Lyon?" called a voice from the other +side of the street as he was unhitching his horse.</p> + +<p>It was Colonel Cosgrove, though his house was some distance farther up +the street. The lawyer came over to him, and he explained the object of +his visit to the county town.</p> + +<p>"You ought to have come to me at once, Artie," said the colonel, as the +messenger showed him the handbill. "That printer runs a Secession paper, +and he would lose all his subscribers if it was known that he printed a +placard like this. Come with me, and I will get the work done for you."</p> + +<p>Artie followed him to the office of a Union paper, and it looked as +though it was in a more prosperous condition than the other. The printer +readily undertook the work, and promised to have it done by three +o'clock in the afternoon. The messenger was invited to the mansion of +Colonel Cosgrove, where he dined with the family.</p> + +<p>"I signed the letter to General Buell with your father, asking him to +send a recruiting officer to this locality," said the colonel, as he +conducted his guest to the library. "I am very glad he has come. I +should have been in favor of establishing his office in this place if it +were not a current report that the town is to be occupied by the +Confederates within a short time."</p> + +<p>"Father thought Riverlawn would be a better place than Barcreek village +for it," added Artie.</p> + +<p>"I think he is right."</p> + +<p>The messenger was called upon to tell the news of his vicinity, and he +mentioned all that had occurred since the fight, including the attempt +to murder Levi Bedford, and the capture of Buck Lagger. At three o'clock +Artie went to the printing-office, and found the handbills all ready for +him. He paid the bill, and went back to the colonel's house for his +horse, which had been as well cared for as his rider. He was advised to +hurry out of the town, and he galloped his horse for the first mile till +he reached the open country. Half a mile ahead of him was a wood.</p> + +<p>The young horseman had reduced his speed to a moderate gait before he +reached this grove; but he had not gone far before three men stepped out +of the bushes and stood in front of him in the road. They had flint-lock +guns in their hands, and it looked as though they were there for a +purpose.</p> + +<p>"Stop, boy!" shouted the man who stood in the middle of the road, with +one on each side of him.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus6" id="illus6"></a> +<img src="images/illus6.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">'Stop, boy!' shouted the man.</span>"</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"What do you want of me?" demanded Artie, with his right hand on the +handle of his revolver.</p> + +<p>"I want them handbills you just got printed," replied the spokesman. "We +ain't go'n' to have no Abolition troops enlisted round here. And that +ain't all nuther; we're gwine to clean out that Major Lyon that sent you +over here."</p> + +<p>"Hand over the papers and we won't hurt you," added another of the trio.</p> + +<p>"I shall not give them up!" replied Artie as decidedly as though he had +the new company of cavalry behind him. "Get out of the road, or I will +ride over you!"</p> + +<p>"You won't give em' up, won't yer?" returned the man in the middle, as +he brought his old gun to his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"No!" yelled the messenger, as he fired his revolver at the spokesman.</p> + +<p>At the same moment he drove his heels into the flanks of his spirited +steed, giving him the rein as he did so. The horse darted ahead like a +shot from a gun, and choosing his way between the men, he knocked two of +them over, and galloped on his way. The sudden movement of the animal +had prevented the men from bringing their guns to bear upon him. The man +on his feet fired, and the rider heard a ball whistle near him. In a +minute he was out of the range of such weapons, and reached Riverlawn in +season for supper.</p> + +<p>He delivered the bills to the lieutenant, and told his story. The next +morning the early risers saw these placards posted all over Barcreek +village, and along the roads for five miles in all directions.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXXIV</h2> + +<h3>THE FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT RIVERLAWN</h3> + + +<p>Levi and Deck were the bill-stickers, and the night was chosen as the +time to post them, in order that the paste might be well dried and +hardened before they were seen. They had taken a wagon, and with the +coachman for driver they had gone their round after people generally +were asleep. Wherever a flat surface could be found by the light of a +lantern, on barns, fences, rocks, and shops, a placard was posted.</p> + +<p>It would take the ruffian brigade a long time to pull them all down, +after the paste was dry; and the very wrath of these men would assist in +advertising the recruiting office at Riverlawn. The fact that the papers +were ready for signature could hardly fail to be known all over the +vicinity early in the morning, and all over the county in a day or two. +The information was already circulating in Bowling Green; for the editor +of <i>The Planter</i>, at whose office Artie had applied to have the bills +printed, had made it known soon enough to enable the three ruffians to +make an attempt to suppress the placards.</p> + +<p><i>The Kentuckian</i> was the loyal paper, and would doubtless make at least +an item of the fact that the recruiting office had been established. +Possibly the other journal would make a "dastardly outrage" of the shot +which Artie had fired at the three ruffians who beset him on the road. +There was no doubt in the minds of the active men at Riverlawn that the +recruiting office would be known to the fullest extent even the day +after the bills were posted; for even the women would gossip about it as +they went from house to house, and the loafers in the "corner grocery" +would have an exciting theme for discussion.</p> + +<p>The people had been terrorized by the ruffians, who had banded together +as Home Guards in this locality; and they had made noise enough to +create the belief among the less demonstrative citizens that the +Secessionists were in a majority. But Squire Truman had punctured this +bubble by an actual canvass of the inhabitants, and proved, as did the +vote of the Legislature, that loyalty was the predominant sentiment.</p> + +<p>When Artie Lyon returned from his mission to the county town with the +bundle of placards in his possession, there was so much excitement at +Fort Bedford that he said nothing about his adventure on the road. +Lieutenant Gordon had counselled the sending away of the four wounded +ruffians, who had been carefully nursed and fed at the hospital. They +were all recovering from their injuries, and all of them walked about +the premises during a portion of the day.</p> + +<p>"We don't want a lot of spies and enemies in our midst, for they will +report everything that is done to their friends who have been permitted +to visit them," he reasoned with the planter, and the major agreed with +him; and this was the work which was in progress when Artie arrived.</p> + +<p>Deck had made a hero of himself at the cross-cut, and his brother was +not inclined to wear a wreath of laurel for the little exploit on the +road. He slept upon it, and the next morning he felt that it was his +duty to inform his father of the occurrence, as one of the indications +of public sentiment in the county. The ruffians evidently intended that +the Union army should not be recruited in the county.</p> + +<p>Major Lyon praised him for his spirited conduct, and the lieutenant made +him blush with his commendation. But the incident was discussed more as +an exponent of the temper of the ruffians than as an exhibition of pluck +and courage on the part of the boy.</p> + +<p>"You were right in calling these fellows the ruffians, Major Lyon," said +the recruiting officer. "I have no doubt there are many respectable +Secessionists in this part of the State, but I am confident they do not +associate with such fellows as you have had to deal with."</p> + +<p>"Such men are simply in favor of neutrality, which I look upon as a +fraud and a humbug," replied the planter. "They are gentlemen in the +truest sense of the word, and I am only sorry they are on the wrong side +of the question."</p> + +<p>The American flag was flying on the newly erected staff, and during the +forenoon the carpenters were busy preparing the fort for the new use to +which it was to be devoted. A skylight was put in the roof to afford +better light, a desk was brought from the library, and enclosed in rails +for the officer. Dr. Farnwright, who lived at Brownsville, was appointed +medical examiner, and the office was all ready for business by noon.</p> + +<p>Before that time a dozen men had presented themselves for enlistment, +and had signed the roll. A camp for the volunteers was to be established +in the vicinity as soon as practicable. The lieutenant had sent off a +requisition for uniforms, arms, provisions, and such other supplies as +would be needed. At dinner all were in excellent spirits, and the +location of the camp was discussed, and was decided after considerable +disagreement. When the party returned to the fort they found half a +dozen men waiting for the officer. While he was questioning them, a +tremendous outcry came from the direction of the mansion.</p> + +<p>"Fire! fire!" screamed the two girls, assisted by all the females in the +house.</p> + +<p>The planter, Levi, and the boys ran with all their might to the point +from which the alarm came. Before they reached it a considerable cloud +of smoke rose from the rear of the building, indicating the locality of +the fire.</p> + +<p>"The house is on fire!" screamed Dorcas.</p> + +<p>Major Lyon ran into the house; but Levi, as soon as he saw the smoke, +rushed around the mansion, followed by the two boys. In the rear of the +building was an ell, to which a one-story structure had been added as a +storeroom. The flames rose from this part of the house. Against it was +heaped up a pile of dry wood and other combustibles, and it was +instantly apparent to the overseer that the fire was the work of an +incendiary. No time was to be lost, for the flames were rapidly +gathering headway, and in a few minutes the whole mansion would be on +fire.</p> + +<p>The hands began to appear on the spot, and Levi sent the first one to +the stable for pitchforks; but he did not wait for them, and began to +draw away the combustibles with such sticks as he could obtain. The boys +followed his example, and the dry wood, blazing against the side of the +storeroom, was soon removed from its dangerous proximity to the +building. The work was effectively completed with the pitchforks as soon +as they came.</p> + +<p>"There are three men running away towards the swamp!" shouted Deck.</p> + +<p>"I see them!" added Artie.</p> + +<p>"Put the fire out first, and we will attend to them afterwards!" said +Levi. "Keep an eye on them while you work, and see where they go."</p> + +<p>The burning brands were removed from the house, but the flames were +already communicated to the building. Mrs. Lyon had not gone out at the +front door with the girls, but had rushed to the storeroom, where she +was soon joined by her husband. All the buckets in the house were +brought into use, including half a dozen leather ones that hung in the +main hall, and all the women were carrying water to the exposed point. +The fire had not yet come through the side of the building, and the +buckets were passed out the window to the overseer.</p> + +<p>In a few moments the fire was thoroughly drowned out, and everybody +breathed more freely. The lieutenant and the recruits had followed the +others, and assisted in putting out the fire. Deck and Artie turned +their attention to the three men they had seen, and had started in +pursuit of them; but Levi called them back. Then he sent to the fort for +several revolvers, not doubting that the men who were engaged in this +desperate venture were armed.</p> + +<p>But he did not wait for them, and told Artie to bring them to him as +soon as the messenger returned. Gordon and Deck went with him. The great +river was directly in the rear of the mansion, with the road to the +county town on its shore. The swamp between the lawn and the road was a +quagmire of mud, which was impassable for man or beast. The green from +which the estate had been named was high ground, and bordered on the +river, with the swamp between them.</p> + +<p>"I suppose this fire is the work of the ruffians," said the lieutenant +when the party had reached the highest ground in the rear of the house.</p> + +<p>"No doubt of that; but it is a mystery to me how any of them got this +side of the house without being seen," replied Levi.</p> + +<p>"But there is the road I came over yesterday morning," suggested the +officer.</p> + +<p>"And you can see that low place this side of it, where the ruffians +could neither walk nor swim. There is a pond farther along, with a +stream from it that flows into Bar Creek," the overseer explained.</p> + +<p>While they were on this high land, surveying the surrounding region, +Artie brought them the weapons which had been sent for, and informed +Levi that his father and the recruits were following the creek, looking +for the incendiaries.</p> + +<p>"I should say they came across the river above the bridge," said the +lieutenant, pointing in that direction.</p> + +<p>"But the rapids run close to the shore, and they would not find very +good boating right there," replied the overseer with a smile. "However, +we will go over to the river, and beat the edge of the swamp to the +pond."</p> + +<p>They went to the river; but nothing like a boat could be seen on the +shore. Then they followed the swamp till they heard a shot ahead of +them.</p> + +<p>"That makes it look as though Major Lyon had fallen upon them," said +Levi, as he quickened his pace. "There is another and another;" and two +shots followed the first one.</p> + +<p>The party broke into a run, and soon came in sight of the pond. On its +waters was a flatboat, or bateau, in which three men were paddling with +all their might towards the shore near the road to Bowling Green. The +planter had fired three shots at them; but they were too far off for the +range of the revolver.</p> + +<p>"Out of the reach of the revolver; and he had better have brought one of +the breech-loaders," said the lieutenant. "It looks to me just as though +they had a first-rate chance to escape."</p> + +<p>"We are not euchred yet," replied Levi, as he ran with all his might in +the direction of the pond, but to a point much nearer the road. "I have +often thought of this place since the troubles here began. The high +ground extends very nearly to the road, over which a bridge goes over a +small creek, flowing into the pond. I have crossed this place on a plank +to the road."</p> + +<p>"Then we are all right."</p> + +<p>"We are if I can find the plank. One of the cows got mired here, and it +was brought over to use in getting her out. There it is!" exclaimed the +overseer, rushing to the spot where it lay.</p> + +<p>It was carried to the swamp; and though it was too short to bridge the +dangerous place, it assisted, with the help of two long leaps, in +carrying them over. It was now seen that the ruffians had a wagon, with +which they had probably brought the boat to the pond. The party reached +the road just as the incendiaries leaped from the bateau. Levi fired the +six shots of his weapon at them, and the others followed his example; +but the enemy were too far off, and not one of them appeared to be hit.</p> + +<p>The moment they reached the shore they ran for the road, and struck it +at a considerable distance from the pursuers. The ruffians did not wait +to recover the team, but bolted with all their might towards Bowling +Green. It seemed useless to pursue them; for they had an advantage of a +hundred rods, and the overseer was too fat to compete in speed with +them.</p> + +<p>The wagon was only a haycart, drawn by two mules; and the incendiaries +could easily outrun them if they were used for the pursuit. The purpose +of the villains had been defeated, and Levi was disposed to be satisfied +with this result. The bateau was taken from the water, and loaded upon +the wagon. Major Lyon and the recruits started back to the mansion as +soon as the ruffians had effected their escape.</p> + +<p>The party seated themselves in the boat, and the mules were started for +a new home. When they reached the bridge over the upper part of the +rapids, they were not a little surprised, not to say startled, to see a +crowd of men marching over in the direction of Riverlawn. They were not +exactly a mob, for the head of the column was in regular ranks, and the +men were armed with muskets.</p> + +<p>"What does that mean, Mr. Bedford?" asked the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"The placards we posted last night have waked up the ruffians, and they +are coming over here on the same mission as the three we have driven off +to Bowling Green," replied Levi, as he whipped up the mules. "They are +the ruffians without a doubt, and we are going to have music of some +sort before the sun goes down to-night."</p> + +<p>The information was carried to Major Lyon, who had reached the fort in +advance of them. The ruffians had doubtless made up their minds that a +company of cavalry should not be enlisted at Riverlawn, as advertised, +and it was evident enough to all that there was to be a fight before +this question could be settled.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXV" id="CHAPTER_XXXV"></a>CHAPTER XXXV</h2> + +<h3>A BATTLE IN PROSPECT ON THE CREEK</h3> + + +<p>So far as the overseer and the boys had been able to observe the crowd +on Rapids Bridge, they were in much better condition for an assault than +when they came before. The right of the line was formed in ranks, all +they could see of the assailants, for they had just begun to cross the +river. They were armed with muskets, or something that looked like such +weapons.</p> + +<p>Levi drove directly to the fort, where Major Lyon was telling those who +had not gone with him the result of the visit to the pond. There were +only six recruits present, though a dozen had before been enlisted. +These were all young men, generally the sons of the farmers of the +vicinity, and doubtless adopted the political sentiments of their +fathers. They were of a better class than the ruffians morally.</p> + +<p>"I did not expect to be besieged so soon, Major Lyon," said Lieutenant +Gordon with a pleasant laugh, though he had never been in anything but a +skirmish so far.</p> + +<p>"We shall hardly be besieged, Lieutenant, for I think it will be a fight +as soon as they get near enough to begin it," replied the planter, who +was seated on a log, resting himself after the hard tramp he had had +after the incendiaries. "But the enemy seem to be better prepared for +business than they were when they came before, for you say that all you +could see were armed with muskets."</p> + +<p>"I could not see at the distance they were from us how well they were +armed," added the officer.</p> + +<p>"About every family in these parts has one or more persons who do +something at hunting in the woods and swamps, and I reckon it would be +hard to find a house without a fowling-piece or an old king's arm in +it," said Levi.</p> + +<p>"They have all got guns of some sort," interposed Simeon Enbank, one of +the recruits. "They have been drilling all the time for the last two +days in one of Dr. Falkirk's fields."</p> + +<p>"I went over to look at them this morning, and the sight of them made me +so mad that I came right over here and enlisted," added Robert Yowell.</p> + +<p>"Good for you, Yowell!" exclaimed the officer. "Could you see what sort +of guns they had?"</p> + +<p>"I went in and looked at them; for they were not using them when I was +there. They were in line, sort of taking steps, as they do in a +dancing-school," answered the recruit.</p> + +<p>"But the arms?"</p> + +<p>"They were all sorts and kinds, mostly fowling-pieces and old +flint-locks that might have been used in the Revolutionary War."</p> + +<p>"But we are losing time," said Major Lyon impatiently. "If they had +reached the bridge when you saw them, they will be here very soon."</p> + +<p>"We don't lose time while we are looking up the condition of the enemy. +I believe you are all ready for an attack, and we can do nothing till +they reach the other side of the creek. But we can talk while we work," +replied the officer. "I suppose these recruits will assist us in the +defence of the place?"</p> + +<p>The six men all volunteered to perform the service required.</p> + +<p>"There are a dozen more men over in the grove," said Ben Decker; "for I +had a talk with them as I came along from the old road. They said they +expected to stay here all day, and they brought their dinners with +them."</p> + +<p>This was good news, and Deck was sent over after them. Major Lyon went +to the desk, and wrote a brief note to Colonel Belthorpe. He had already +ordered all the horses that could be saddled, and Frank was sent to +deliver the message the planter had written to Lyndhall. Decker was +provided with a steed for his mission, and a wagon was sent for the men +a little later.</p> + +<p>The negroes who had been slightly drilled in the use of the arms were +ordered to report at the fort, and all the hands on the place were +summoned from the fields, and held in readiness for anything required of +them. The six recruits were drilled for a little while in the use of the +breech-loaders. At the same time Levi did what he could to instruct the +negroes, though nothing like a military organization could be attempted +in the brief space of time available for the purpose.</p> + +<p>The twelve-pounders were loaded with canister this time; and Levi, with +four of the hands, was placed in charge of the fort. Deck and Artie Lyon +were sent down the creek to report the approach of the enemy, and found +they had halted at the cross roads, evidently to prepare for the attack. +The boys climbed a big tree to obtain a better view of the proceedings +of the ruffians, as they still called them, though they had reduced +themselves to something like an organization.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus7" id="illus7"></a> +<img src="images/illus7.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">The boys climbed a big tree to obtain a better view.</span>"</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"There are a lot of wagons on the bridge," said Deck, who was the first +to discover them. "What do you suppose that means?"</p> + +<p>"There are three mule teams," added Artie, who had taken a higher place +in the tree than his brother. "I see now; the wagons are loaded with +boats."</p> + +<p>"That means that they intend to cross the creek," replied Deck. "They +ought to know this at the fort at once; and if you will study up the +thing while I am gone, Artie, I will run up and carry the information."</p> + +<p>"That is a good scheme; go ahead with it as quick as you can."</p> + +<p>Deck descended the tree with a haste which threatened the safety of the +bones of his body, and ran with all the speed he could command to Fort +Bedford.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Gordon was drilling the eighteen recruits, the number from +the grove on the other side of the creek having arrived, and Levi was +training the negroes in the rear of the fort. All the men had been +supplied with muskets and rounds of ammunition. No attention was given +to facing, wheeling, or marching; for the use of the weapon was more +important than any other detail in the brief space of time available.</p> + +<p>Deck reported to his father, who was observing the drill of the +Africans, and in the hearing of Levi. It was not a mere accident that +Squire Truman was seen approaching the fort from the bridge; for he had +observed the movement among the ruffians in the village, and had seen +that the column was moving by a roundabout road in the direction of the +Rapids Bridge. He had no horse, but he had started at once on foot for +Riverlawn, to apprise the planter of the danger that menaced him.</p> + +<p>"It is time to do something," said the major, after he had welcomed the +young lawyer. "The ruffians have a wagon-train loaded with boats in +their rear, as my son has just informed me. We will adjourn to the fort +and call in the lieutenant."</p> + +<p>The information was imparted to the officer, and he joined the others in +the fort.</p> + +<p>"They intend to make it easy work for us to repel them," said the +lieutenant with a smile.</p> + +<p>"You are the only military man among us just now, Lieutenant, and I +place you in command of all the forces," added Major Lyon. "Levi had +some experience in the artillery many years ago."</p> + +<p>"I don't aspire to any command," added the overseer. "I will obey orders +as a private; and that is all I ever was in the artillery."</p> + +<p>"But I shall do something better for you," replied Captain Gordon, as +they began to call him from this time. "You are a good soldier, Mr. +Bedford, and I shall make an officer of you at once. You will limber up +your two guns, and haul them down to the boathouse. Have you any +gunners?"</p> + +<p>"Plenty of them, Captain; for I have trained enough of the hands to +handle a full battery," answered Levi.</p> + +<p>The planter had ordered both horses and wagons to be assembled in the +rear of Fort Bedford, in readiness for any emergency. A pair of horses +were promptly harnessed to each gun by the enthusiastic negroes whom the +overseer had trained for battery service, and the artillery was soon on +its way to the anticipated field of action. A supply of ammunition was +sent down by a wagon.</p> + +<p>The major and the squire mounted a couple of steeds, and rode to the +front of the fort, a horse having been sent for the use of the new +commander. The recruits were standing in line, leaning on their weapons; +but they seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation. As the +lieutenant approached, Jim Keene, one of the recruits, stepped forward +with an awkward attempt to be polite, and addressed the officer:—</p> + +<p>"Captain Gordon, we are not going into the army with niggers," said he +in a very decided tone. "We ain't going to drop down to the level of +niggers, and we want to take our names off that paper."</p> + +<p>"Not a single negro has been enlisted, and will not be," replied Captain +Gordon.</p> + +<p>"But there is a squad of niggers marching down to the creek with muskets +in their hands," added Keene, pointing to the detachment that followed +the guns, with Levi at their head, mounted on his favorite colt.</p> + +<p>"If we had a sufficient force of white men here, we should not call in +the negroes as fighting men," interposed Major Lyon. "That Home Guard +that has just crossed the bridge over the river consists of over a +hundred men, and this time they are armed with guns. We can muster only +twenty-four white men at present to beat them off. The other night we +called upon the hands to help defend the place because no others were to +be had; and to some extent the same is true to-day. My house has been +set on fire, and that mob are coming to burn my buildings and capture my +wife and daughters. If the white man won't fight for me, the negro +will!"</p> + +<p>"That alters the case," replied Keene. "We didn't understand it before, +and we will fight for you, one and all;" and all the other recruits +shouted their acquiescence with one voice.</p> + +<p>"No negroes will be enlisted for the army, for there are no orders to +that effect," added Captain Gordon.</p> + +<p>"That's enough!" exclaimed Enbank. "We will stand by Major Lyon as long +as there is a Secesher in sight."</p> + +<p>"And you will find the negroes as stiff under fire as any white man +ought to be," said Major Lyon, as he galloped down to the boathouse, +followed by Squire Truman.</p> + +<p>Artie, up in the tree, had kept his eyes wide open, but there was +nothing more to be seen. Deck returned to him, and took his place near +him. The enemy was still halted at the cross roads. The wagon-train had +come up with the main body, and stopped in the road at the side of the +creek. Whoever directed the movements of the column had evidently +blundered, for the assailants did not appear to know what to do next.</p> + +<p>"There is only one boat on each wagon, which is drawn by two mules," +said Artie in the tree.</p> + +<p>"They must have expected to get the boats into the water before they +were discovered," added Deck. "Perhaps they would have done so if we had +not happened to see them crossing the bridge when we were coming up +after the hunt for the firebugs."</p> + +<p>"There comes our artillery," continued Artie, as Levi's section of a +battery galloped down the descent from the fort.</p> + +<p>At this moment a bullet from the enemy struck a branch of the tree just +above Artie's head. The boys had been discovered; and some one, with a +better weapon than most of those with which the guards were armed, had +fired upon them.</p> + +<p>"Get behind the trunk, Artie!" shouted Deck, a position he had secured +before. "Now use your musket, my boy!"</p> + +<p>They were near enough at their lofty position to make out individuals at +the cross roads, which were distant hardly more than double the width of +the creek. Deck had seen one man, who wore a semi-uniform, that took a +very active part in the movement. Having assured himself that this +person was not his uncle, the enterprising young soldier took careful +aim at him, and fired. Artie discharged his piece a moment later.</p> + +<p>"I hit the man in uniform!" exclaimed Deck, with no little exultation. +"A man is tying up one of his arms."</p> + +<p>Major Lyon heard the shot, and shouted to the boys to come to the +boathouse; and they obeyed the order, keeping the trunks of the trees +between themselves and the enemy as far as possible. They were no longer +needed in the tree, for the ruffian band could be plainly seen from the +boathouse, which was at a safe distance from the enemy.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXXVI</h2> + +<h3>THE SECOND BATTLE OF RIVERLAWN</h3> + + +<p>The enemy did nothing, and seemed to be still in a state of confusion +and uncertainty as to what they should do. The new commander of their +forces was certainly even more stupid than Captain Titus had been. As +Deck had suggested, he had expected to surprise the defenders at +Riverlawn, so far, at least, as to get their boats into the water before +they discovered that they were attacked.</p> + +<p>"If they had any plan of attack it is a failure," said Captain Gordon, +as he and the planter were seated on their horses watching the enemy +from the front of the boathouse. "One of the recruits informs me that +they have a leader in the person of a captain from the Confederate army +in Tennessee, who was either sent for by Captain Titus, or was +despatched by General Buckner to organize recruits for the Southern +army."</p> + +<p>"I should say that his first business would be to prevent recruiting for +the Union forces," replied Major Lyon.</p> + +<p>"Whatever he is, he has made a mess of it," added Captain Gordon.</p> + +<p>"But what did he expect to do?" asked the planter.</p> + +<p>"Of course he expected to put his pontoons into the water, and send over +a force of from thirty to fifty men before they were discovered. If he +had done that, they could have acted as sharpshooters from behind the +trees on this side. They are just out of range of our muskets now, +though the twelve-pounders would catch them with a single shot of +canister."</p> + +<p>"But I don't wish to have any more of them killed and wounded than is +absolutely necessary," said the planter.</p> + +<p>"You desire to carry on the war on peace principles," answered the +captain with a smile. "You don't seem to understand that the war has +actually begun, and the more damage we can do the enemy, the better it +will be for us."</p> + +<p>"You are in command, and I shall not interfere with your operations," +said Major Lyon, as he rode off to the point where Levi was training his +gunners.</p> + +<p>The recruits in front of the boathouse were impatient for something to +be done. They were from the country around the village of Barcreek. The +frequent outrages against Union men and families had kindled a feeling +of hatred in them, and they were anxious to retaliate. The influence of +certain men like Colonel Cosgrove and Colonel Belthorpe had created more +Union sentiment than prevailed in many of the Southern counties of the +State, and the loyal men had been terrorized from the first indications +of trouble.</p> + +<p>"Why don't we fire at them, Captain?" demanded Enbank.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you fire at the moon? Because you are too far off, and +nothing is to be gained by it," replied the commander. "I am waiting for +the enemy to make a movement of some kind; and as soon as they do so, +you shall have enough of it, I will warrant you."</p> + +<p>"They are doing something now!" exclaimed Sam Drye.</p> + +<p>"The mule-teams are in motion!" exclaimed Major Lyon, returning to the +front of the building.</p> + +<p>"I see they are," replied Captain Gordon; "and there is a movement up +the new road, as you call it."</p> + +<p>"What does that mean?"</p> + +<p>"Probably it is intended to cover the launching of the boats. I think +the reprobates are in earnest this time," added the commander.</p> + +<p>About fifty men started up the new road, and immediately broke into a +run. The territory between the new and the old road was covered with +trees of large growth, though rather too sparsely to be a wood, but was +rather a grove. For about twenty rods above the cross roads the trees +had been cut off, and it was a stump field. As soon as the detachment +reached the grove they scattered and took refuge behind the trunks of +the big trees.</p> + +<p>"That is the idea, is it?" said Captain Gordon. "They intend to pick us +off from their covert. We must do the same thing. Scatter, my men; and +fire at will as you see a head."</p> + +<p>The recruits obeyed the order, and were sheltered behind the big trees +by the time the enemy reached the positions they had chosen. A desultory +firing was begun on both sides of the creek. The commander and the major +were on horseback, and they could not protect themselves as the recruits +did, and they rode to the rear of the boathouse. They found that Levi +had organized a shovel brigade there. The Magnolia had been taken out of +the water to prevent it from being captured by the marauders, and had +been placed behind the boathouse.</p> + +<p>Levi had moved the craft about twenty feet from the building, and had +propped it up, with the keel nearest to the creek. This was as far as he +had proceeded when the officer presented himself on the ground. Twenty +negroes, armed with shovels, which had before been brought down in the +wagon, were standing ready for orders.</p> + +<p>"What in the world are you doing now, Levi?" asked the planter, when he +saw what had been done.</p> + +<p>"I am throwing up a breastwork, so that my men can work the guns without +being shot down by the enemy on the other side of the creek," replied +the overseer.</p> + +<p>"A capital idea!" exclaimed Captain Gordon.</p> + +<p>"But you are putting it behind the boathouse, man!" shouted the major, +who thought he had detected Levi in an egregious blunder.</p> + +<p>"These negroes are worth from five hundred to a thousand dollars apiece +if you want to sell them, and not many of them would be left if I should +set them to digging in the open," replied Levi, laughing at his own +argument. "Those ruffians could pick them off at their leisure, and we +might as well not have any artillery if the cannoneers are to be shot +down as fast as they show themselves. I will warrant that fellow in +command on the other side has picked out his best riflemen for duty in +the grove."</p> + +<p>"The negroes are not for sale," replied the planter. "I should as soon +think of selling one of my sons as one of them. But the boathouse is +between you and the enemy, Levi."</p> + +<p>"How long do you think it will take me with the force at hand to move +the boathouse out of the way, Major Lyon?" demanded the overseer with a +very broad smile.</p> + +<p>"I indorse Mr. Bedford's work," added Captain Gordon, who had turned to +observe the operation of the enemy at the cross roads. "They are not +making a good job of their work."</p> + +<p>As soon as the recruits had been ordered to the trees, and before the +detachment sent to the grove had obtained their positions, Deck and +Artie had obeyed the commander's order in hot haste. They had chosen a +couple of trees on the very verge of the quagmire which lay between the +lawn and the road to the south; and when the ruffians attempted to move +the mules, both of them opened fire upon the animals.</p> + +<p>Both of the boys were good shots, and they hit the mark every time. The +mule, though one of the most useful beasts in the world, is very +uncertain at times. The testimony of soldiers is to the effect that +mules object to being under fire. The two boys were near enough to each +other to talk together, and they had agreed to fire into different +teams, and they had wounded one in each of them. The two that had been +hit not only made a disturbance, braying furiously, but they +communicated the scare to the others. The mule drivers could do nothing +with them, and in a minute or two the whole of them were all snarled up, +and the men were obliged to unhitch them from the wagons and lead them +away.</p> + +<p>The animals were so terrified that they bolted up the new road in spite +of the drivers, and turned in at the bridge, which seemed to promise +them a place of security, just as Colonel Belthorpe and his party +galloped up to it. The mules were permitted to take the lead. Major +Gadbury and Tom were with the planter of Lyndhall. Major Lyon saw them, +and, by a roundabout course, joined them in season to prevent them from +coming within range of the sharpshooters in the grove.</p> + +<p>It did not take the planter of Riverlawn long to explain the situation; +and he was informed that twenty Lyndhall negroes, under the lead of +Uncle David, in wagons, were on their way to the seat of danger. The +horses were left in charge of the servants, and the party made their way +to the fort, where they armed themselves with breech-loaders, and took +places behind the trees with the recruits.</p> + +<p>At the cross roads the enemy were attempting to get the boats to the +creek by hauling the wagons by man-power. It was a long pull for them, +but they succeeded at the end of a couple of hours. The party in the +grove and the one on the lawn were careful about showing themselves, and +the firing was continued on both sides without producing any decided +result. But by this time Levi had completed his breastwork. Rather to +make a smoke than for any other purpose, both of the twelve-pounders +were discharged, aimed into the grove.</p> + +<p>While the smoke hung about the boathouse, for one of the pieces had been +fired on each side of it, all hands seized hold of the building, lifted +it from its foundations, and bore it some distance towards the mansion. +The cannon were then drawn into the hastily constructed fort, loaded +with round shot this time, and were ready for use. The cracking of the +rifles in the grove had been quite lively during this operation, and two +of the negroes were wounded.</p> + +<p>By this time the first of the boats had been filled with men, who were +paddling it with all their might to a clump of bushes near the trees +where Deck and Artie were sheltered. Both of them fired into the crowd +in the boat. But it was hardly under way before Levi had brought one of +his guns to bear upon it. He was very careful in pointing the piece, and +the solid shot struck the craft squarely on its bow, knocking the thing +all to pieces. The black gunners cheered, and were almost mad with +enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>Another of the boats which had just been launched had to be used to pick +up the men from the first. They were taken to the shore. Then some sort +of a contention seemed to be stirred up among the party, the nature of +which could be easily understood, for it was almost sure death to embark +in the boats. In the mean time the shots from the recruits and others +behind the trees were picking them off, and the dispute ended in the +whole of them taking to their heels and fleeing towards the bridge.</p> + +<p>The fire from the grove seemed to be suspended at the same time; for the +sharpshooters could not help seeing that the plan of attack, whatever it +was, had failed. Colonel Belthorpe and Major Lyon came out from behind +their trees. Captain Gordon, who was a cavalry officer, thought it was +time for his arm of the service to come into action to harass the +retreat of the enemy, if nothing more, and he called in all the recruits +from their covert, and ordered as many men as could be mounted to rally +at the bridge.</p> + +<p>Twenty-four mounted men, including those from Lyndhall, were mustered, +each with a breech-loader, in the absence of sabres and carbines. +Captain Gordon led them down the new road to the grove. The force +occupying it had fled to the old road, and were hurrying to the Rapids +Bridge. Among the trees they found two men killed and three badly +wounded. Each of them had a rifle on the ground near him, and they were +weapons of excellent quality.</p> + +<p>The cavalry party followed the fugitives to the bridge, and at the +intercession of Major Lyon they were permitted to escape; for he was +confident they would not make another attack upon Riverlawn, at least +not till they had an organized regiment for the purpose.</p> + +<p>While they were upon the ground, Tom Belthorpe and Major Gadbury signed +the enlistment papers, as Deck and Artie had done before, and the +Lyndhall party went home. The recruits were dismissed for a week, and +ordered to report at Riverlawn at the end of that time.</p> + +<p>The second battle had been fought and won, and there was no present +danger of another attack, though patrols were kept along the creek till +the camp was formed the following week. The two attacks upon Riverlawn +was the current topic of conversation all over the county for the next +week; and so far from damaging the Union cause, it stimulated the +recruiting, and at the end of the week Lieutenant Gordon had the names +of a full company on his roll. He had reported his success, and had +received orders to enlist another company.</p> + +<p>The government supplied everything that was required, including sabres, +carbines, uniforms, ammunition, and lumber for barracks. Steamboats from +Evansville came up the river loaded with supplies; and as the water was +high from unusual rains, they landed their cargoes at the boathouse +pier, enlarged for the purpose. Each boat was provided with a guard, for +they were occasionally fired upon from the shore. Another officer and +several non-commissioned officers were sent to the camp.</p> + +<p>Barracks and stables were built, and the drill was kept up very +diligently. Riverlawn was no longer between two fires, for they were now +all on one side. Before, the fight had been a sort of neighborhood +quarrel; but now it had become a national affair. The outrages upon +Union men ceased in that locality, though they still occurred in other +parts of the State. At the end of a month two companies of cavalry had +been enlisted, forming a squadron, if another could be raised.</p> + +<p>About this time the Home Guard, under command of Captain Titus Lyon, +marched to Bowling Green for the purpose of joining the Confederate army +that was expected there. They went with such arms as they had used in +the second battle of Riverlawn, and without uniforms. They had a hard +time of it; for they had no supplies, and suffered from hunger and cold +in the cool nights. Titus's two sons, Sandy and Orly, were enrolled in +the company; but both of them deserted, though they had not been +mustered in, and went back to their mother, where they could at least +get enough to eat. The captain could not go home, for it required his +presence and all his skill and energy to keep his recruits from +abandoning the company.</p> + +<p>Noah Lyon saw nothing more of his brother after his visit to Riverlawn +when the lieutenant arrived. After he had gone to the South, his wife +and daughters called at the mansion, and declared that they were left +without money or means of support, except so far as they could obtain it +from the little farm.</p> + +<p>Deck and Artie Lyon, whose career as soldiers is to appear in these +volumes, now appeared wearing the uniform of cavalrymen, with sabres +clinking at their sides. They have been under fire, though not in a +pitched battle. They are frequent visitors on Sundays at Lyndhall, and +Kate Belthorpe has what her father called "a violent admiration for +Captain Deck," as he still insists upon styling him, assured that, if he +is not of that rank now, he will be in due time. The next volume will +present the two boys and others engaged in actual warfare; and what they +did will be found in "<span class="smcap">In the Saddle.</span>"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BLUE_AND_THE_GRAY" id="THE_BLUE_AND_THE_GRAY"></a>THE BLUE AND THE GRAY</h2> + +<h3>NAVY SERIES</h3> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i10">TAKEN BY THE ENEMY<br /></span> +<span class="i10">WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES ON THE BLOCKADE<br /></span> +<span class="i10">STAND BY THE UNION<br /></span> +<span class="i10">FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT<br /></span> +<span class="i10">A VICTORIOUS UNION<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<h3>ARMY SERIES</h3> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i10">BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER<br /></span> +<span class="i10">IN THE SADDLE (<span class="smcap">In Press</span>)<br /></span> +<span class="i10">A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN (<span class="smcap">In Press</span>)<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i10">(Other volumes in preparation)<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="Lee_and_Shepards_DOLLAR_BOOKS" id="Lee_and_Shepards_DOLLAR_BOOKS"></a><span class="smcap">Lee and Shepard's</span> DOLLAR BOOKS</h2> + + +<h3>Around the World in Eighty Days.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Jules Verne</span>. Illustrated.</h3> + +<p>One of the famous modern books. The author is both learned and +imaginative, and he brings the researches of the scientist in aid of the +story-teller with a skill attained by no other modern writer.</p> + + +<h3>The Wreck of the Chancellor, and Martin Paz.<br /> Two stories in one volume. +By <span class="smcap">Jules Verne</span>.</h3> + +<p>The <span class="smcap">first</span> is an account of the shipwreck of a vessel which sailed from +Charleston, S.C., and was driven upon the west coast of Scotland. The +<span class="smcap">second</span> is a story of life among Spanish-Americans and Indians in Lima, +South America. Both are masterly specimens of the author's style in +fiction.</p> + + +<h3>Winter in the Ice; Dr. Ox's Experiment; A Drama in the Air.<br /> Three +stories in one volume. By <span class="smcap">Jules Verne</span>.</h3> + +<p>The <span class="smcap">first</span> is a thrilling story of Arctic adventure. The <span class="smcap">second</span> is a +whimsical but most ingenious experiment with oxygen as a stimulant, upon +the people of a whole city. It is a most subtle and effective story. The +<span class="smcap">third</span> is the experience of an aeronaut with a madman while making an +ascent.</p> + +<h3>The tales in the foregoing three volumes were translated from the French +by Hon. <span class="smcap">George M. Towle</span>, author of "Heroes of History."</h3> + + +<h3>The Prairie Crusoe: <span class="smcap">Adventures in the Far West</span>.<br /> Translated from the +French.</h3> + +<p>A Prussian officer after the battle of Jena found a child that had been +abandoned, and, moved by pity, took charge of it. Years afterward, the +child, having become a tall and brave youth, sailed for the New World, +and having landed upon the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, went into the +interior of the country. At that time the country was overrun by bisons, +bears, and other wild animals, and by Indians, who lived by hunting and +war. The youth had a plenty of thrilling experiences, both with brute +and human foes. He came near death many times; but his courage, presence +of mind, or good luck, or all together, saved him. Finally he returned +to Germany, where his adventures were far more agreeable than among the +Sioux.</p> + + +<h3>Willis the Pilot: <span class="smcap">A Sequel to the Swiss family Robinson</span>.</h3> + +<p>This is a fortunate continuation of the "Swiss Family Robinson," a book +which has had great and deserved popularity. The careers of the four +sons of that family are faithfully detailed, as well as the fortunes of +others who come upon the scene, including Willis the Pilot, a +weather-beaten sailor, whose saying and doings make him a person of such +prominence as to give his name to the book. The scenes are in the South +Seas; and the narrative treats of the geography, inhabitants, and +productions of little-known regions. The difficulties and dangers of +founding a new colony are faithfully related; and it is shown how by +intelligent labor and perseverance they may be overcome.</p> + + +<h3>The Young Crusoe: <span class="smcap">The Adventures of a Shipwrecked Boy</span>.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Dr. Harley</span>.</h3> + +<p>The variations upon the original theme of a shipwrecked mariner have +been many. In this case the hero is a young French boy, who was +abandoned by his comrades on a sinking ship not far from an island, and +who by swimming, in company with a large dog, got to shore, and lived +there many years. His dog was a faithful friend. He caught and reared +goats, and provided himself with food and other necessaries. Potatoes +were plenty, as were rice and other grain. It is a very pleasing story. +Of the visitors who afterward came to the island it is best not to +speak, for fear of revealing too much of the secret of the story in +advance.</p> + + +<h3>Cast Away in the Cold: <span class="smcap">An Old Man's Story of a Young Man's Adventures</span>.<br /> +By <span class="smcap">Dr. Isaac I. Hayes</span>, the famous Arctic explorer, author of "An Arctic +Boat Journey," etc.</h3> + +<p>The narrative is supposed to be told by an ancient mariner, Captain John +Hardy, of his early experiences in an Arctic voyage.</p> + +<p>It opens with a vivid description of the ice-floes, first seen as the +vessel sailed northward; and of the seal-catching by the sailors upon +the floating ice. Then came thrilling and fatal adventures with +icebergs, a shipwreck, and the prospect of death by cold or starvation. +The various expedients to get food,—seals, ducks, and other birds,—and +the long and finally successful efforts to procure fire for warmth and +for cooking, make some most interesting chapters. The meeting with the +Esquimaux gave a ray of hope, and at last deliverance came. The author, +as every one knows, was a famous explorer, and his book is a most +trustworthy account of the Frozen North.</p> + + +<h3>Adrift in the Ice-Fields.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Captain Charles W. Hall</span>.</h3> + +<p>This book chronicles the adventures and mishaps of a party of English +gentlemen in the early spring while shooting sea-fowl on the sea-ice by +day, together with the stories with which they while away the long +evenings.</p> + +<p>Later in the season the breaking up of the ice carries four hunters into +involuntary wandering amid the vast ice-pack which in winter fills the +great Gulf of St. Lawrence. Their perils, the shifts to which they are +driven to procure shelter, food, fire, medicine, and other necessaries, +together with their devious drift, and final rescue by a sealer, are +used to give interest to a reliable description of the ice-fields of the +Gulf, the habits of the seal, and life on board of a sealing steamer.</p> + + +<h3>The Arctic Crusoe: <span class="smcap">A Tale of the Polar Sea</span>.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Percy B. St. John</span>.</h3> + +<p>In this book of stirring adventure, the characteristics of the Arctic +regions have been described according to latest authorities. The regions +are those visited by Parry and Franklin.</p> + + +<h3>The Year's Best Days.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Rose Hartwick Thorpe</span>, author of the well-known +poem, "Curfew must not ring to-night."</h3> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"That day is best wherein we give<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A thought to others' sorrows;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Forgetting self, we learn to live,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And blessings born of kindly deeds<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Make golden our to-morrows."—<span class="smcap">Introduction.</span><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>To beautiful stories are appended several poems by the author.</p> + + +<h3>Dora Darling, <span class="smcap">the Daughter of the Regiment</span>.<br /> By Mrs. <span class="smcap">Jane G. Austin</span>.</h3> + +<p>The heroine of this story is a Virginia girl, who escapes to the North +by joining a Union regiment as a <i>vivandiere</i>. This is one of the best +of the distinguished author's works. Few American novelists have shown +such signal ability to compel the interest of readers.</p> + + +<h3>Dora Darling and Little Sunshine. (Originally published under the title +of "Outpost.")<br /> By Mrs. <span class="smcap">Jane G. Austin</span>.</h3> + +<p>In this story a child, whose pet name was Sunshine, strayed from her +friends, and during many years had many strange adventures. Dora Darling +came as her good genius, and did all that a true heroine of romance +should be expected to do. This is not, however, a child's book, but +appears to be written for youths in their teens. It is full of incident, +and, like all Mrs. Austin's books, is beautifully written.</p> + + +<h3>The Border Boy, <span class="smcap">and how he became the Great Pioneer of the West</span>.<br /> A life +of Daniel Boone. By <span class="smcap">W. H. Bogart</span>.</h3> + +<p>This is an authentic account of the career of the founder of the State +of Kentucky, and is full of thrilling incidents of the conflicts of the +early settlers with the Indian tribes.</p> + + +<h3>The Printer Boy; <span class="smcap">or, How Ben Franklin made his Mark</span>.</h3> + +<p>An account of the early life and training of the illustrious man, who, +from a printer's case and press, went into the councils of the nation, +and afterward was received with honor in foreign courts.</p> + + +<h3>The Bobbin Boy; <span class="smcap">or, How Nat got his Learning</span>.<br /> An example for youth.</h3> + +<p>This book is the story of the early life of Nathaniel P. Banks, Member +of Congress and Speaker, Governor of Massachusetts, and Major-General of +Volunteers in the Civil War. Well written, and of absorbing interest.</p> + + +<h3>The Patriot Boy, <span class="smcap">and how he became the Father of his Country</span>.<br /> A life of +George Washington for young folks.</h3> + +<p>In this volume the main facts of the life and services of this great man +are set forth in a clear and fascinating narrative.</p> + + +<h3>The General; <span class="smcap">or, Twelve Nights in a Hunter's Camp</span>.<br /> By Rev. <span class="smcap">William +Barrows</span>, D.D.</h3> + +<p>This is not in the least a romance, but a narrative of facts. "The +General" was the author's brother, born in Massachusetts in 1806, and +afterward one of the pioneer settlers of the West. It is a graphic +picture of frontier life now gone by forever.</p> + + +<h3>Yarns of an Old Mariner.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Mary Cowden Clarke</span>.</h3> + +<p>This work was once published with the title of "The Strange Adventures +of Kit Bam, Mariner," and had great success among youthful readers. The +spice of the marvellous, which was once the necessary flavor of sea +stories, is not wanting here.</p> + + +<h3>Planting the Wilderness; <span class="smcap">or, The Pioneer Boys</span>. A story of frontier life.<br /> +By <span class="smcap">James D. McCabe</span>, Jr.</h3> + +<p>Although the characters in this book are fictitious, the exciting +incidents, as related, are based upon actual occurrences. The leading +person is a Virginian, who in 1773 moved westward with his family, and +settled in the Ohio valley.</p> + + +<h3>The Young Pioneers of the North West.<br /> By Dr. <span class="smcap">C. H. Pearson</span>, author of +"The Cabin on the Prairie."</h3> + +<p>As the title suggests, this book is a story of frontier life, full of +movement, and absorbing in interest. The works of this author have been +extremely popular.</p> + + +<h3>The Cabin on the Prairie.<br /> By Dr. <span class="smcap">C. H. Pearson</span>. A picture of an +emigrant's life in early days in Minnesota.</h3> + +<p>The author says, "In writing this work I have lived over the scenes and +incidents of my frontier experience, have travelled once more amid the +waving grasses and beckoning flowers, heard again the bark of the wolf +and the voices of birds, worshipped anew in the log-cabin sanctuary."</p> + + +<h3>Great Men and Gallant Deeds.<br /> By <span class="smcap">John G. Edgar</span>.</h3> + +<p>This is a history of the <span class="smcap">Crusades</span> and <span class="smcap">Crusaders</span> by an able and +accomplished writer, who (in his preface) says, "I have endeavored to +narrate the events of the Holy War, from the time Peter the Hermit rode +over Europe on his mule, rousing the religious zeal of the nations, to +that dismal day when Acre, the last stronghold of the Christians in the +East, fell before the arms of the successor of Saladin."</p> + + +<h3>Golden Hair: <span class="smcap">A Tale of the Pilgrim Fathers</span>.<br /> By Sir <span class="smcap">Lascelles Wraxhall</span>, +Bart.</h3> + +<p>The scenes of this story are laid in the eastern part of Massachusetts, +in Rhode Island, and along Long Island Sound. The names of the fathers +give to the narrative an air of truth, although there is no pretence of +historical verity.</p> + + +<h3>Battles at Home.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Mary G. Darling</span>.</h3> + +<p>The motto of this charming domestic story is, "He that ruleth his spirit +is greater than he that taketh a city."</p> + + +<h3>In the World.<br /> By <span class="smcap">Mary G. Darling</span>, author of "Battles at Home."</h3> + +<p>The story opens with Class Day at Cambridge, and after some small delays +the chief personage is launched "in the world." Others come on the +scene: some as college students, and are full of their sufferings in +being hazed by the cruel "sophs"; some as society people, to whom the +waltz or german is the chief event of life; one as a sailor, who has a +terrible adventure; one as a poet, who aspires much, but writes like +other beginners. They are a natural and agreeable set of people, and the +reader becomes interested in them, especially in the young women. The +dialogue is uniformly bright, and the moral of the story good.</p> + + +<h3>The Young Invincibles; <span class="smcap">or, Patriotism at Home</span>.</h3> + +<p>This is a story of the time of the Civil War, and its purpose is to +kindle and keep alive in the hearts of the young the sentiment of love +of country.</p> + + +<h3>Schoolboy Days; <span class="smcap">or, Ernest Bracebridge</span>.<br /> By <span class="smcap">William H. G. Kingston</span>.</h3> + +<p>The popularity of this book in England has been remarkable, but not +without just reason. It is a well-composed picture of an English +school,—its buildings, grounds, teachers, classes, studies, and +amusements. The portrait, however, represents the great machine in +motion, and shows the boys at work and at play, and gives sketches of +the prominent pupils, with their quarrels and their friendly games and +competitions. It is a story as well as a picture, and one of absorbing +interest. The author is one of the most successful of writers for youth, +and his work shows a skilled and practised hand.</p> + + +<h3>Antony Waymouth; <span class="smcap">or, The Gentlemen Adventurers</span>.<br /> By <span class="smcap">William H. G. +Kingston</span>.</h3> + +<p>A naval "adventurer" in the time of this story—which was the time of +Queen Elizabeth and of Philip II. of Spain—might be an honest merchant, +a pirate, or a commissioned officer, or a mixture of all three. In the +hands of this able and experienced writer, even the history of this +period becomes as fascinating as romance. This is purely a romance, but +it is true to history in the usual sense.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 35206-h.txt or 35206-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/2/0/35206">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/2/0/35206</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Brother Against Brother + The War on the Border + + +Author: Oliver Optic + + + +Release Date: February 7, 2011 [eBook #35206] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER*** + + +E-text prepared by David Garcia, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made +available by Kentuckiana Digital Library (http://kdl.kyvl.org/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 35206-h.htm or 35206-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35206/35206-h/35206-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35206/35206-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Kentuckiana Digital Library. See + http://kdl.kyvl.org/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=kyetexts;cc=kyetexts;view=toc;idno=b92-168-30116834 + + + + + +BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + +Or, The War on the Border + +_The Blue and the Gray Army Series_ + +by + +OLIVER OPTIC + +Author of "The Army and Navy Series" "Young America Abroad, First and +Second Series" "Boat-Club Stories" "The Great Western Series" "The +Onward and Upward Series" "The Woodville Stories" "The Starry Flag +Series" "The Yacht-Club Series" "The Lake Shore Series" "The Riverdale +Stories" "The All-Over-the-World Library" "The Blue and the Gray Navy +Series" "The Boat-Builder Series" etc. + + + + + + + +Boston +Lee and Shepard Publishers +10 Milk Street +1894 + +Copyright, 1894, by Lee and Shepard + +All Rights Reserved + +BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + +Electrotyping by C. J. Peters & Son, Boston, U.S.A. + +Presswork by S. J. Parkhill & Co. + + + + + TO + My Son-in-Law + GEORGE W. WHITE, ESQUIRE + ONE OF TWO WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME TO + ME AS REAL SONS + This Book + IS AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY + DEDICATED + + + + +[Illustration: "THE OVERSEER ELEVATED HIS RIFLE."] + + + + +PREFACE + + +"Brother Against Brother" is the first of "The Blue and the Gray Army +Series," which will include six volumes, though the number is contingent +upon the longevity of one, still hale and hearty, who has passed by a +couple of years the Scriptural limit of "threescore years and ten" +allotted to human life. In completing the first six books of "The Blue +and the Gray Series," the author realized that the scenes and events of +all these stories related to life in the navy, which gallantly performed +its full share in maintaining the integrity of the Union. The six books +of "The Army and Navy Series," begun in the heat of the struggle thirty +years ago, were equally divided between the two arms of the service; and +it has been suggested that the equilibrium should be continued in the +later volumes. + +In the preface of "A Victorious Union," the consummation of the terrible +strife which the navy had reached in that volume, the author announced +his intention to make a beginning of the books which are to form the +army division of the series. Soon after he had returned from his +sixteenth voyage across the Atlantic, he found himself in excellent +condition to resume the pleasurable occupation in which he has been +engaged for forty years in this particular field. It seems to him very +much like embarking in a new enterprise, though his work consists of an +attempt to enliven and diversify the scenes and incidents of an old +story which has passed into history, and is forever embalmed as the +record of a heroic people, faithfully and bravely represented on +hundreds of gory battle-fields, and on the decks of the national navy. + +The story opens in one of the Border States, where two Northern families +had settled only a few years before the exciting questions which +immediately preceded organized hostilities were under discussion. +Considerable portions of the State in which they were located were in a +condition of violent agitation, and outrages involving wounds and death +were perpetrated. The head of one of these two families was a man of +stern integrity, earnestly loyal to the Union and the government which +was forced into a deadly strife for its very existence. That of the +other, influenced quite as much by property considerations as by fixed +principles, becomes a Secessionist, fully as earnest as, and far more +demonstrative than, his brother on the other side. + +In each of these families are two sons, just coming to the military age, +who are not quite so prominent in the present volume as they will be in +those which follow it. "Riverlawn," the plantation which came into the +possession of the loyal one by the will of his eldest brother, became +the scene of very exciting events, in which his two sons took an active +part. The writer has industriously examined the authorities covering +this section of the country, including State reports, and believes he +has not exaggerated the truths of history. As in preceding volumes +relating to the war, he does not intend to give a connected narrative of +the events that transpired in the locality he has chosen, though some of +them are introduced and illustrated in the story. + +The State itself, as evidenced by the votes of its Legislature and by +the enlistments in the Union army, was loyal, if not from the beginning, +from the time when it obtained its bearings. As in other Southern +States, the secession element was more noisy and demonstrative than the +loyal portion of the community, and thus obtained at first an apparent +advantage. The present volume is largely taken up with the conflict for +supremacy between these hostile elements. The loyal father and his two +sons are active in these scenes; and the taking possession of a quantity +of military supplies by them precipitates actual warfare, and the +question as to whether or not a company of cavalry could be recruited at +Riverlawn had to be settled by what amounted to a real battle. + +To the multitude of his young friends now in their teens, and to the +greater multitude now grown gray, who have encouraged his efforts during +the last forty years, the author renewedly acknowledges his manifold +obligations for their kindness, and wishes them all health, happiness, +and all the prosperity they can bear. + + WILLIAM T. ADAMS. + + DORCHESTER, July 4, 1894. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I. TROUBLESOME TIMES IN KENTUCKY + + CHAPTER II. SOMETHING ABOUT THE LYON FAMILY + + CHAPTER III. A NORTHERN FAMILY IN KENTUCKY + + CHAPTER IV. THE ARRIVAL AND WELCOME AT RIVERLAWN + + CHAPTER V. THE DISTRESS OF MRS. TITUS LYON + + CHAPTER VI. THE NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CREEK + + CHAPTER VII. A STORMY INTERVIEW ON THE BRIDGE + + CHAPTER VIII. AN OVERWHELMING ARGUMENT + + CHAPTER IX. A MOST UNREASONABLE BROTHER + + CHAPTER X. THE SINK-CAVERN NEAR BAR CREEK + + CHAPTER XI. AROUSED TO THE SOLEMN DUTY OF THE HOUR + + CHAPTER XII. THE NIGHT EXPEDITION IN THE MAGNOLIA + + CHAPTER XIII. AT THE HEAD WATERS OF BAR CREEK + + CHAPTER XIV. THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE ARMS + + CHAPTER XV. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD + + CHAPTER XVI. THE UNION MEETING AT BIG BEND + + CHAPTER XVII. THE EJECTION OF THE NOISY RUFFIANS + + CHAPTER XVIII. THE DEMAND OF CAPTAIN TITUS LYON + + CHAPTER XIX. THE CONFERENCE IN FORT BEDFORD + + CHAPTER XX. THE APPROACH OF THE RUFFIAN FORCES + + CHAPTER XXI. THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES + + CHAPTER XXII. THE FIRST SHOT FROM FORT BEDFORD + + CHAPTER XXIII. THE PARTY ATTACKED IN THE CROSS-CUT + + CHAPTER XXIV. THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE RUFFIANS + + CHAPTER XXV. THE GRATITUDE OF TWO FAIR MAIDENS + + CHAPTER XXVI. THE SKIRMISH ON THE NEW ROAD + + CHAPTER XXVII. AN UNEXPLAINED GATHERING ON THE ROAD + + CHAPTER XXVIII. THE RESULT OF THE FLANK MOVEMENT + + CHAPTER XXIX. THE HUMILIATING RETREAT OF THE RUFFIANS + + CHAPTER XXX. LEVI BEDFORD AND HIS PRISONER + + CHAPTER XXXI. DR. FALKIRK VISITS RIVERLAWN + + CHAPTER XXXII. THE ARRIVAL OF THE RECRUITING OFFICER + + CHAPTER XXXIII. ONE AGAINST THREE ON THE ROAD + + CHAPTER XXXIV. THE FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT RIVERLAWN + + CHAPTER XXXV. A BATTLE IN PROSPECT ON THE CREEK + + CHAPTER XXXVI. THE SECOND BATTLE OF RIVERLAWN + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + "THE OVERSEER ELEVATED HIS RIFLE" + + "THEN YOU MEAN I AM DRUNK" + + "HE GRAPPLED WITH THE FELLOW" + + "I HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO HIT THE LADY" + + "IT WON'T GO OFF AGAIN UNTIL YOU LOAD IT" + + "STOP, BOY! SHOUTED THE MAN" + + "THE BOYS CLIMBED A BIG TREE TO OBTAIN A BETTER VIEW" + + + + +BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + + + + +CHAPTER I + +TROUBLESOME TIMES IN KENTUCKY + + +"Neutrality! There is no such thing as neutrality in the present +situation, my son!" protested Noah Lyon to the stout boy of sixteen who +stood in front of him on the bridge over Bar Creek, in the State of +Kentucky. "He that is not for the Union is against it. No man can serve +two masters, Dexter." + +"That is just what I was saying to Sandy," replied the boy, whom +everybody but his father and mother called "Deck." + +"Your Cousin Alexander takes after his father, who is my own brother; +but I must say I am ashamed of him, for he is a rank Secessionist," +continued Noah Lyon, fixing his gaze on the planks of the bridge, and +looking as grieved as though one of his own blood had turned against +him. "He was born and brought up in New Hampshire, where about all the +people believe in the Union as they do in their own mothers, and a +traitor would be ridden on a rail out of almost any town within its +borders." + +"Well, it isn't so down here in the State of Kentucky, father," answered +Deck. + +"Kentucky was the second new State to be admitted to the Union of the +original thirteen, and there are plenty of people now within her borders +who protest that it will be the last to leave it," replied the father, +as he took a crumpled newspaper from his pocket. "Here's a little piece +from a Clarke County paper which is just the opinion of a majority of +the people of Kentucky. Read it out loud, Dexter," added Mr. Lyon, as he +handed the paper to his son, and pointed out the article. + +The young man took the paper, and read in a loud voice, as though he +wished even the fishes in the creek to hear it, and to desire them to +refuse to be food for Secessionists: "Any attempt on the part of the +government of this State, or any one else, to put Kentucky out of the +Union by force, or using force to compel Union men in any manner to +submit to an ordinance of secession, or any pretended resolution or +decree arising from such secession, is an act of treason against the +State of Kentucky. It is therefore lawful to resist any such ordinance." + +"That's the doctrine!" exclaimed Mr. Lyons, clapping his hands with a +ringing sound to emphasize his opinion. "Those are my sentiments +exactly, and they are political gospel to me; and I should be ashamed of +any son of mine who did not stand by the Union, whether he lived in New +Hampshire or Kentucky." + +"You can count me in for the Union every time, father," said Deck, who +had read all the newspapers, those from the North and of the State in +which he resided, as well as the history of Kentucky and the current +exciting documents that were floating about the country, including the +long and illogical letter of the State's senator who immediately became +a Confederate brigadier. + +"I haven't heard your Cousin Artie, who is just your age, and old enough +to do something on his own account, say much about the troubles of the +times," added Mr. Lyon, bestowing an inquiring look upon his son. "I +have seen Sandy Lyon talking to him a good deal lately, and I hope he is +not leading him astray." + +"No danger of that; for Artie is as stiff as a cart-stake for the Union, +and Sandy can't pour any Secession molasses down his back," replied +Deck. + +"I am glad to hear it. I heard some one say that Sandy had joined, or +was going to join, the Home Guards." + +"He asked me to join them, and wanted me to go down to Bowling Green +with him in the boat. He had already put his name down as a member of a +company; but of course I wouldn't go." + +"The Home Guards thrive very well in Bar Creek; and I noticed that all +who joined them are Secessionists, or have a leaning that way," added +the father. "The avowed purpose of these organizations is to preserve +the neutrality of the State; but that is only another name for treason; +and when affairs have progressed a little farther, the Home Guards will +wheel into the ranks of the Confederate army. President Lincoln made a +very guarded and non-committal reply to the Governor's letter on +neutrality; but it is as plain as the nose on a toper's face that he +don't believe in it." + +"I think it is best to be on one side or the other." + +"Isn't Sandy trying to rope Artie into the Home Guards, Dexter?" asked +Mr. Lyon with an anxious look on his face. + +"Of course he is, as he has tried to get me to join." + +"Artie is a quiet sort of a boy, and don't say much; but it is plain +that he keeps up a tremendous thinking all the time, though I have not +been able to make out what it is all about." + +"He is considering just what all the rest of us are thinking about; but +I am satisfied that he has come out just where all the rest of us at +Riverlawn have arrived, father. He and I have talked a great deal about +the war; and Artie is all right now, though he may have had some doubts +about where he belonged a few months ago." + +"But Sandy was over here no longer ago than yesterday, and he was +talking for over an hour with Artie on this bridge where we are now," +said Mr. Lyon. + +"They were talking about the Union meeting to be held to-morrow night at +the schoolhouse by the Big Bend," added Deck. + +"What interest has Sandy in that meeting? He does not train in that +company." + +"He advised Artie not to go to the meeting, for it was gotten up by +traitors to their State." + +"That's a Secessionist phrase which he borrowed from some Confederate +orator, or at Bowling Green, where he spends too much of his time; and +his father had better be teaching him how to lay bricks and mix mortar." + +"But Uncle Titus is over there half his time," suggested Deck. + +"He had better be attending to his business; for the people over at the +village say they will have to get another mason to settle there, for +your Uncle Titus don't work half his time, and the people can't get +their jobs done. There is a new house over there waiting for him to +build the chimney." + +"Why don't you talk to him, father?" asked Deck very seriously. + +"Talk to him, Dexter!" exclaimed Mr. Lyon. "You might as well set your +dog to barking at the rapids in the river. For some reason Titus seems +to be rather set against me since we settled in Barcreek. We used to be +on the best of terms in New Hampshire, for I always lent him money when +he was hard pressed. I don't know what has come over him since we came +to Kentucky." + +"I do," added Deck, looking earnestly into his father's face. + +"Well, what is it, I should like to know? I have always done everything +I could since I came here for him." + +"Sandy told me something about it one day, and seemed to have a good +deal of feeling about it. He says you wronged Uncle Titus out of five +thousand dollars," said Deck, wondering if his father had ever heard the +charge before. + +"I know what Sandy meant. Of course Titus must have been in the habit of +talking about this matter in his family, or Sandy would not have known +anything about it," replied Mr. Lyon, evidently very much annoyed at the +revelation of his son. + +"I did not know what Sandy meant, and I thought I had better not ask +him; for of course I knew there was not a particle of truth in the +charge," added Deck, surprised to find that his father knew something +about the accusation. + +"I don't talk with my children about troublesome family matters, Dexter, +and your Uncle Titus ought not to do so. I shall only say that there is +not the slightest grain of reason or justice in the charge against me; +and Titus knows it as well as I do. If anybody has wronged him, it was +your deceased Uncle Duncan. Let the matter drop there, at least for the +present. Why does Sandy wish to prevent Artie from attending the Union +meeting to-morrow night?" + +"He said it was likely to be broken up by the Home Guards." + +"Then he probably knows something about a plot to interfere with the +gathering. I rode up to the village this morning, and I was quite +surprised to find that several whom I knew to be loyal men did not +intend to be present. When I urged them to be there, they hinted that +there would be trouble at the schoolhouse." + +At this moment a bell was rung at the side-door of the mansion, about +ten rods from the bridge where the father and son had been discussing +the situation. It crossed the creek a quarter of a mile from the river, +which has a course of three hundred miles through the State, and is +navigable from the Ohio two-thirds of its length during the season of +high water. The mansion was the residence of Noah Lyon; and after the +green field, ornamented with stately trees, which extended from the +house to the river, it had taken the name of "Riverlawn" in the time of +the former proprietor. The plantation extended along the creek more than +half a mile, including over five hundred acres of the richest land in +the State. + +Above the bridge was a little village of negro houses, so neat and +substantial that they deserved a better name than "huts," generally +given to the dwellings of the slaves of a plantation. Each had its +little garden, fenced off and well cared for. It was evident that the +occupants of these cottages were subjected to few if any of the +hardships of their condition. Many of them were just returning from the +hemp fields and the horse pastures of the estate; and they seemed to be +happy and contented, with no care for the troubles that were then +agitating the State. + +The bell had been rung at the side-door of the mansion by a black woman, +very neatly dressed. Back of the dwelling was the kitchen in a separate +building, according to the custom at the South. Mr. Lyon, though he was +the present proprietor of this extensive estate, was dressed in very +plain clothes, and had none of the air of a Kentucky gentleman. Deck was +clothed in the same manner; but both of them looked very neat and very +respectable in spite of their plain clothes. + +They came from the bridge at the sound of the bell. On the left of the +entrance was the dining-room, a large apartment, with the table set for +dinner in the middle of it. Two young octoroon girls were standing by +the chairs to wait upon the family, which consisted of six persons. + +"You have been shopping this forenoon, haven't you, Ruth?" asked Mr. +Lyon, addressing his wife, who was seated at one end of the table while +he was at the other. + +"I did not do much shopping; but I called upon Amelia, and found her +very much troubled," replied Mrs. Lyon, alluding to the wife of Titus +Lyon. + +"I should think she might be troubled," replied Mr. Lyon. "She does not +take any part in politics; but one of her brothers is a captain in a New +Hampshire regiment, and another is a major, and all her family are loyal +to the backbone. She has not said much of anything, but I know she does +not approve the attitude of her husband and her two sons. The last time +I saw her, she was afraid they would enlist in the Confederate army. +Titus won't hear a word of objection from her." + +"She told me an astonishing piece of news this forenoon," continued Mrs. +Lyon. + +"I shall not be much astonished at anything Titus does," added the +husband. "But what has he done now? Has he enlisted in the Confederate +army?" + +"Not yet; but Amelia says he has been offered the command of a company +of Home Guards if he will pay for the arms and uniform of it. He agreed +to do so, and has already paid over the money, five thousand dollars." + +"Is it possible!" exclaimed Mr. Lyon; and the two boys dropped their +knives and forks in their astonishment. "I did not think he would go as +far as that. He could not be a ranker Secessionist if he had lived all +his life in South Carolina, instead of nine or ten years in Kentucky." + +"This happened a month ago, and Amelia says the arms are hidden +somewhere on the river." + +"Does she know where?" + +"She did not tell me where if she knew. More than this, she says he is +drinking too much whiskey, and that the Secessionists have made a fool +of him. She is afraid he will throw away all his property." + +"I have noticed several times that he has been drinking too much, though +he was not exactly intoxicated." + +"Oh! Amelia said he meant to make you pay for the arms and uniforms," +said Mrs. Lyon, with some excitement in her manner. "He insists that you +owe him five thousand dollars." + +"If I did, he gives me a good excuse for not paying it; but I do not owe +him a nickel. Home Guards and Confederates here are all the same; and no +money of mine shall go for arming either of them." + +"Titus's wife says you are denounced as an abolitionist, Noah, and they +will drive you out of the county soon," added Mrs. Lyon. + +"When they are ready to begin, I shall be there," replied Mr. Lyon with +a smile. + +The dinner was finished, and the family separated, Deck and his father +returning to the bridge, followed by Artie. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SOMETHING ABOUT THE LYON FAMILY + + +The grand mansion and the extensive domain of Riverlawn had been +occupied by the Lyon family hardly more than a year when the political +excitement in Kentucky began to manifest itself, though not so violently +as in some of the more southern States. Abraham Lincoln had been elected +President of the United States, and south of Mason and Dixon's line he +was regarded as a sectional president whose term of office would be a +menace and an absolute peril to the institution of slavery. Senator +Crittenden of Kentucky proposed certain amendments to the Constitution +to restore the Missouri Compromise, by which slavery should be confined +to specified limits, and Congress prevented from interfering with the +labor-system of the South. + +Before Christmas in 1860, South Carolina had unanimously passed its +Ordinance of Secession, the intelligence of which was received with +enthusiasm by the Gulf States, all of which soon followed her example. +The more conservative States held back, and all but the four on the +border seceded in one form or another after some delay. + +In Kentucky the wealthy planters and slaveholders, with many prominent +exceptions, were inclined to share the lot of the seceding States; but +the majority of the people still clung to the Union. Both sides of the +exciting question were largely represented, and the contest between them +was violent and bitter. For a time the specious compromise of neutrality +was regarded as the panacea for the troubles of the State by the less +violent of the people on both sides. Home Guards were enlisted and +organized to protect the territory from invasion by either the Federal +or the Confederate forces. + +The occupation of Columbus and Hickman on the Mississippi River by +Southern troops, immediately followed by the taking of Paducah by +General Grant with two regiments of Union soldiers from Cairo, +practically dissolved the illusion of neutrality. The government at +Washington never recognized this makeshift of those who loved the Union, +but desired to protect slavery. It was honestly and sincerely cherished +by good men of both parties, who desired to preserve the Union and save +the State from the horrors of civil war. + +The government did not regard the seceded States as so many independent +sovereignties, as the Secessionists claimed that they were, but as part +and parcel of a union of States forming one consolidated nation, with no +provision in its Constitution for a separation of any kind, or for the +withdrawal of one or more of the individual members of the Union. The +States which had pretended to dissolve their connection with the other +members of the compact were considered as refractory members of the +Union, in a state of insurrection against the sovereign authority of the +nation, who were to be reduced to obedience and subjection by force of +arms; for they had appealed to the logic of bayonets and cannon-balls in +carrying out their disruption. + +With the duty of putting down the insurrection and subduing the +refractory elements in the South on its hands, the government could not +respect or even tolerate a neutrality which placed the State of +Kentucky, four hundred miles in extent from east to west, between the +loyal and the disloyal sections of its domain. If for no other purpose, +armies of Federal troops must cross the country south of the Ohio in +order to reach the seat of the Rebellion. + +The Home Guards were powerless to prevent the passage of the loyal +armies through the State; and any attempt to do so would have been to +fight the battle of the Confederate armies, and would have at once +robbed neutrality of its transparent mask. A portion of these military +bodies were doubtless honest in their intentions. Those who were not for +the Union in this connection were practically against it. Later in the +course of events, the Home Guards were incorporated in the armies of the +Rebellion; and no doubt these organizations were used to a considerable +extent to recruit the forces of the enemy. + +For a period of several months the State was not in actual possession of +either party in the conflict. One was struggling within its territory to +keep it in the Union, and the other to force it into the Southern +Confederacy. Irresponsible persons formed what they called a +"Provisional Council," elected a governor, and sent delegates to the +Confederate Congress, who were admitted to seats in that body. + +During this chaotic state of affairs, Kentuckians were joining both +armies, though the great body of them enlisted in the forces of the +Union. At the close of 1861 it was estimated that Kentucky had +twenty-six thousand men, cavalry and infantry, enrolled to fight the +battles of the loyal nation, including those who had joined the +regiments of other States. + +Deeds of violence were not uncommon in many parts of the State, growing +out of the excited state of feeling. Confederate emissaries were busy in +the territory, and armed bodies of them foraged for provisions and +fodder in the southern portions. Unpopular men were hunted down and shot +or hanged, and the reign of disorder prevailed. Such was the condition +of Kentucky soon after the Lyon family took possession of Riverlawn; and +some account of its several members becomes necessary. + +The first of the name in America had been one of the earliest English +settlers in Massachusetts; but one of his descendants, more than a +hundred years later, had moved to the colony of New Hampshire. Early in +the present century, one of his grandchildren was a farmer in Derry, in +that State. This particular Lyon had four sons, two of whom have already +been mentioned in this story. + +Duncan Lyon was the eldest of them, and seems to have been the most +enterprising of the four; for he emigrated to Kentucky, and purchased +the extensive tract of land which now formed the estate of Riverlawn. He +became a planter in due time from his small beginnings, raising hemp, +tobacco, and horses, without neglecting the productions necessary for +the support of his household. He was very prosperous in his +undertakings; and being a man of good sense and excellent judgment, he +became a person of some distinction in his county. He was known as +"Colonel Duncan Lyon," though he never held any military position; but +his title clung to him, and even his brothers in New Hampshire always +spoke of him as the "colonel." + +He never married; but he made a modest fortune of one hundred thousand +dollars, including the value of his estate, though not including the +value of about fifty negroes, men, women, and children, which for some +reason he never disclosed, he did not put into the inventory that +accompanied his will. + +The colonel's estate was on Bar Creek, at its junction with Green River. +One mile from Riverlawn was the village of Barcreek, a place with three +churches, several stores, a blacksmith's and a wheelwright's shop, with +a carpenter and a mason. It supplied the needs of the country in a +circuit of eight or ten miles. In fact, it was a sort of market town. + +There was not a great deal of building done in this region; but the +mason residing there had made a comfortable living, jobbing and erecting +an occasional chimney, till he died in 1852. The colonel notified his +brother, Titus Lyon, who was a mason in Derry, that there was an opening +for one of his trade in Barcreek, but he could not advise him to move +there. + +Titus was not a prosperous man; for he was rather lazy, and greatly +lacking in enterprise. The colonel did not believe he would do any +better in a new home than in the old one, and he bluntly wrote to him to +this effect. The planter had a suspicion that his brother drank too much +whiskey, for he could not account for his poverty in any other way; but +he had no evidence on the point. Titus decided to move to Kentucky; and +he did so, though he had to borrow the money of his brother Noah to +enable him to reach his new home. + +Business in his trade happened to be usually good after his arrival, and +for several years he did tolerably well. Then he desired to buy a house +and some land which were for sale in Barcreek. The colonel loaned him +five thousand dollars for this purpose, and to pay off his note to Noah, +mortgaging the estate he had purchased as security. + +From this time Titus did not do as well as before. He seemed to regard +himself as a landed proprietor, and the equal of the planters of +Kentucky. He neglected his work, feeling rather above it, negroes doing +most of the jobs in his line. He employed a couple of them, but they did +not earn their wages. The colonel had to help him out several times. + +As a planter in good standing among his neighbors in the county, Colonel +Lyon, who was not a profound thinker, fell in with the views and +opinions of those in his grade of society. He was not a strong +pro-slavery man, but he owned half a hundred negroes, who had been +necessary to enable him to carry on his planting operations; but he +treated them as well as though he had paid them wages. + +He was not inclined to make any issue with his neighbors on the labor +question, though some of them thought he was not entirely reliable on +this subject. He attended to his business, and did not vex his spirit +over extraneous matters. When the protection of the South against the +aggressions of the North in connection with slavery was agitated, he +followed his Kentucky leaders. + +On the question of any interference on the part of Congress or the +people of the free States he had very decided opinions. If he had ever +intended to manumit his negroes, as had been hinted in the county, no +one could object to his position after the subject began to be agitated +in the State. After eight years' residence in Barcreek, his brother +Titus was a more thorough-going pro-slavery man than the planter; in +fact, he had had a strong tendency in that direction when he lived in +Derry. + +Titus's wife was not a happy woman in her domestic relations. She was +better educated than her husband, and emphatically more sensible; and +she could not help seeing that Titus was frittering away his +opportunities, drinking too much whiskey, and associating with reckless +and unprincipled characters. Their two sons, Alexander and Orlando, were +following in the footsteps of their father. Even the three daughters had +imbibed strange notions from their associates, and belonged on the +Secession side of the house. + +Colonel Lyon was not permitted to witness the wild disorder which +pervaded the State after the election of the Republican President; for +he died suddenly in a fit of apoplexy, after he had eaten his Christmas +dinner, in 1858. He was only fifty years old, and perhaps if he had +taken more exercise and been more prudent in his eating and drinking, he +might have taken part in the stormy events of the later period. + +Colonel Cosgrove, a prominent lawyer residing at the county seat, and an +intimate friend of the deceased, was present at the funeral. Titus took +charge of the affairs of the mansion, and the lawyer intimated to him +that he should be present at Riverlawn the next morning to carry out the +wishes and intentions of his departed friend. + +Titus did not understand this notice, and supposed that the duty of +settling the estate of his brother rested entirely upon him. Colonel +Cosgrove came as he had promised, with a will in his hands, of which he +had been the custodian. He proceeded to read it without any ceremony, +Titus being the only other person present. + +The deceased valued his property at one hundred thousand dollars, +Riverlawn being placed at twenty-five thousand, the rest being in cash, +stocks, and other securities. The estate, including the negroes, +everything in the house or connected with the place, and ten thousand +dollars, half cash and half stocks, were given to Noah Lyon. The +document explained that he gave the money and stocks to Noah, because he +had supported and brought up the two children of his deceased brother +Cyrus. + +To his brother Titus he gave twenty-five thousand dollars, including the +mortgage note he held against him, half the balance in cash, and half in +stocks and bonds. To his brother Noah, in trust for the two children of +his brother Cyrus, deceased, twenty-five thousand dollars, to be paid +over to them when they were of age. Colonel Cosgrove said the deceased +had apportioned the stocks as they were to be given to the legatees, and +the money was in the county bank. He would come to Barcreek in about a +week to pay over the cash, and deliver the stocks to Titus. + +The lawyer was appointed executor of the estate, and he would hold the +property given to Noah Lyon until he came to receive it, or made other +arrangements in regard to it. Then he showed a letter, with a great seal +upon it, which he had been directed to deliver to Noah in person. Titus +wanted to know what the letter was about; but if the lawyer knew its +contents, he avoided making any revelation. + +It was evident to Colonel Cosgrove that Titus was dissatisfied with the +will, for a heavy frown had rested on his brow since the reading of the +first item of the instrument; but he said nothing, and very abruptly +left the legal gentleman. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A NORTHERN FAMILY IN KENTUCKY + + +Titus's eldest daughter, Mildred, had written to her Uncle Noah in New +Hampshire the particulars of the death of his brother after the fact had +been telegraphed to him by Colonel Cosgrove. The letter was hardly more +than an announcement of the decease of her Kentucky uncle, and the date +of the funeral. It was not possible for Noah to reach Barcreek in season +to be present at the last rites; but he wrote to Titus without delay. + +A few days after the telegram a letter from Colonel Cosgrove, the +executor, came to Noah Lyon, containing a copy of the will of his +brother. The lawyer, who had been the intimate friend and confidant of +Colonel Lyon, wrote with entire freedom to the distant brother. He +stated that his deceased friend had little confidence in Titus, and in +Barcreek he was not considered as an entirely reliable man. + +The most important item in the letter was that Colonel Lyon had passed a +whole day with him only a week before his death, talking most of the +time about his estate. He had lived at Riverlawn twenty-five years, had +developed the place from a wilderness, and was very much attached to it. +In his will he had left it to Noah, and he desired that he should move +to Kentucky and take possession of the estate. + +It required a week of consideration in the comfortable home of the Derry +farmer, in which the children, their own and the adopted ones, took +part, before a conclusion could be reached; but it was a compliance with +the request of Colonel Lyon. Within a year before his death the planter +had spent a month with the New Hampshire farmer, during which he had +told him all about his estate and his surroundings at Barcreek. They had +not met before since the elder brother first went to Kentucky; and the +Kentuckian formed a very high opinion of his New England brother, which +was quite in contrast with his estimate of Titus, who had been his +neighbor for six years. + +The colonel's will was dated within two months of this visit, and +doubtless he was thinking of his last testament when he went to New +Hampshire. As soon as it was settled that the family should make their +home in Kentucky, Noah wrote a long letter to his only surviving +brother, announcing his intention to leave Barcreek as soon as he could +settle up his business in Derry. He expressed himself with all brotherly +kindness, and was glad that they were again to live near each other. + +Titus did not even reply to this letter, though his wife wrote to Mrs. +Noah, expressing the pleasure she felt that they were again to be +neighbors. It was about two months after the death of Colonel Lyon that +Noah and his family arrived at Bowling Green, the county town, which was +the nearest railroad station to Barcreek, fifteen miles distant. Noah +Lyon had kept up his correspondence with the executor of his brother, +and Colonel Cosgrove was at the station when the family arrived. Titus +was not there, and he did not manifest much interest in the coming of +his only remaining brother. + +The distinguished lawyer extended a hearty welcome to the family, and +invited them all to dinner at his mansion. He wondered that Titus or +some member of his family was not there to greet the new-comers; but he +said little about him, though enough to show that he had not a very +exalted opinion of him. + +"You will find the mansion of your late brother in perfect order, Mr. +Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, as they rose from the dinner-table. "I was +over there yesterday, and satisfied myself that every thing was in +condition for your reception. The furniture remains just as it was in +the time of Colonel Lyon." + +"You have been very kind, Colonel Cosgrove, and I am very grateful to +you for all the attention you have given to my brother's affairs and to +me," replied Noah, taking the hand of the hospitable executor. "Does my +brother Titus live near Riverlawn?" + +"About a mile from it, in the village of Barcreek," answered the lawyer. +"Your brother, the colonel, had several boats; and when he went to the +village in the open season he usually made the trip by the river, rowed +by half a dozen of his boys." + +"I was not aware that he had any boys," added Noah. + +"His hands, his negroes; and he always called them boys. He was the best +friend they ever had," the colonel explained. "That reminds me that I +have a letter which your late brother required me to deliver personally +into your hands;" and the lawyer went to his office for it. + +He returned in a few minutes, and gave the letter, which was heavily +sealed with wax, to the new owner of Riverlawn. He had mentioned this +epistle in one of his letters to the new proprietor, and Noah wondered +as he looked upon its elaborate seals what could be the subject of the +communication. The colonel was speaking of the boys, which reminded him +of the letter; and he suspected that it had some connection with the +negroes. He put it in his pocket very carefully, and then looked at his +watch. + +"How far is it from this town to Barcreek?" he asked, still holding the +watch in his hand. + +"Fifteen miles; and as the roads are not in the best condition at this +season of the year, it will take about two hours and a half to make the +trip," replied the lawyer. "But it is only two o'clock, and you have +plenty of time." + +"But I must look up a conveyance," suggested the new proprietor of +Riverlawn. + +"A conveyance is all ready for you, Mr. Lyon," added the colonel. "I +directed Mr. Bedford to come over for you and your family, and he has +been here since nine o'clock this morning. He came with the road-wagon, +which will comfortably accommodate your whole family; and one of the +boys came over with another wagon to tote your baggage over." + +"You have been very thoughtful and considerate, Colonel Cosgrove, and I +am under very great obligations to you," said Noah. + +"Don't mention it, Mr. Lyon. I should be happy to have you spend the +night with me, for we have still a great deal to talk about," answered +the executor. + +"My family, as well as myself, are naturally quite impatient to see our +new home," suggested the New Hampshire farmer. "Fifteen miles is not a +very long distance even in New England, and I hope we shall meet often." + +"I shall visit Riverlawn often until you are well settled in your new +home. I have a plantation myself on the road to Barcreek, and about half +way there, which I visit two or three times a week; and I shall be glad +to give you all the information you need in regard to your surroundings, +or in relation to the management of your estate. You will see me +occasionally at Riverlawn, and I shall hope to meet you and your family +here, or at my estate, which is called Belgrade." + +"Thank you, Colonel; I am sure we shall be good friends in spite of my +antecedents as a Northern farmer, for I am not a bigot or a fanatic." + +"I have no doubt we shall be good friends and good neighbors," said the +Kentuckian, as he took the hand of his new client, and struck the bell +on the table. "Now I will send for Mr. Bedford, who has been the +overseer or manager of your brother for the last ten years. As the +colonel was, he is a bachelor of fifty, and has been one of the family +at Riverlawn. He is a thoroughly reliable man, and one of the late +colonel's best friends." + +A servant was sent for the overseer, and presently he appeared. He was a +rather stout man, and his round face seemed to be overflowing with +pleasantry and good-nature. He was duly presented to all the six members +of the family, and heartily shook the hand of each of them. He did not +at all answer to the description of plantation overseers which Noah Lyon +had obtained from the books he had read, depicting the horrors of +slavery. In spite of his occupation he took a fancy to him at first +sight; and all the family were pleased with him. + +The manager, as Noah preferred to call him, was Levi Bedford. He had +never been very successful in the management of his own affairs; but he +was a man after Colonel Lyon's own heart, and in his will he had given +him five thousand dollars, which was one of the grievances Titus had +against the testament. One of the virtues of Levi, as his late employer +always called him, was his extreme fondness for horses, with his skill +in raising and managing them; for this had been an important branch of +the planter's business. + +"I have started Pink over to the place with all your baggage, Major +Lyon, and I am ready to leave with the family when you say the word," +said Mr. Bedford, after they had conversed a few minutes. + +"I am not a major, Mr. Bedford," replied Noah; and all the family +laughed when they heard the military title applied to him. + +"Your brother was not exactly a colonel; but that is a fashion we have +down here of expressing our respect for a man by giving him rank in the +military," laughed the manager. "But I want you to call me 'Levi,' as +your brother did, and as Colonel Cosgrove does when there is no company +present." + +"Very well, Levi; I intend to conform to the customs of the country. We +are all ready to leave at once," added Noah. + +"My team will be at the door in four minutes and three-quarters, Major +Lyon," answered the manager as he left the room. + +"Call it five, Levi," added the colonel. + +"Less than that, Colonel," replied Levi as he closed the door. + +"I would give that man double the wages I pay my present overseer if I +could have him at Belgrade; and I should make money by the change," said +the host, as he went to the window of the drawing-room, to which the +party had retired from the dining-room. "The only fault he has is that +he is too gentle and indulgent to the negroes. The neighbors say he is +spoiling the niggers all over two counties. But I reckon the colonel was +more to blame for that, if anybody was to blame, for he had a soft +heart. I never saw two men less alike than your two Kentucky brothers," +continued Colonel Cosgrove, as Noah joined him at the window. "There is +your team, and Levi hasn't been gone quite five minutes." + +"Four horses!" exclaimed Noah. + +"Levi likes a good team and enough of it," added the lawyer. + +"And I never saw four handsomer horses in all my life," added the new +owner of Riverlawn, as he gazed with admiration on the magnificent +animals; and all the family hastened to the windows to see the turnout. + +"You will find at least thirty more of them when you get to Riverlawn." + +The road-wagon was a covered vehicle with four seats, large enough for a +dozen passengers. It was neatly painted and upholstered, and the +harnesses on the horses were elegant enough for a city turnout. The +whole family promptly realized that they were entering upon a style to +which they had never been accustomed. But Noah Lyon had suddenly become +a rich man. + +The colonel gallantly assisted the ladies to their seats. The horses +danced and pranced; but they were so well trained that they did not +offer to start till Levi drew up his four reins and gave them the word +to go. Hasty adieux were spoken, and the horses went off, gently at +first, but soon put in a lively pace. + +Noah and his wife took the back seat, Dorcas and Hope took the next one, +for all of them had been handed to these places by the colonel; Dexter +installed himself at the side of Levi, and Artemas had a seat all to +himself behind them. All was new and strange to them, and they observed +the buildings in the town till they passed out of the village. Then the +scenery was quite different from that of their former home. + +Only two of the four children were those of Noah and his wife. Dexter +was his son, and was sixteen years old at this time, while his sister +Hope was thirteen. Both of them had received a high-school education in +part, and they were both very bright scholars. People in Derry called +Deck an "old head," which meant that his judgment and knowledge had +ripened beyond his years. Without being a "goody," he was a good boy, +with high aims and noble impulses. + +Ten years before, Cyrus Lyon, one of the four brothers of whom Colonel +Duncan was the eldest, was a resident of Hillsburg in the State of +Vermont, where he had settled on a valley farm, which he had hired with +the intention of buying it when he was able to do so. He was married in +Derry, and had two children, with whom he moved to his new home. He +lived in an old house, between which and the public road flowed a small +river, nearly dry most of the year, but exceedingly turbulent in the +spring when the snow melted on the mountains. + +A freshet came, and the house was surrounded by water. The bridge over +the stream was raised, and Cyrus went out to secure it. His wife +followed to assist him, and while both of them were on it, a rush of +waters came which tore the structure into fragments, and both of them +were swept away by the mad torrent. They were drowned in spite of the +efforts of the neighbors to rescue them. But they saved the two children +who remained in the house. + +Noah had taken these two children and brought them up as his own, for +the father did not leave property enough to pay his debts. Artemas was +fifteen and Dorcas was seventeen. The colonel paid for their support for +ten years, and left each a handsome legacy, in trust with Noah. + +In two hours from the county town, Levi Bedford reined in his four +horses at the front door of the Riverlawn mansion. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE ARRIVAL AND WELCOME AT RIVERLAWN + + +It was about five o'clock in the afternoon when the road-wagon drew up +in front of the mansion at Riverlawn. Less than a week before the +Northern family had left the deep snows and the icy cold of New +Hampshire, and the air of the Southern clime was comparatively mild and +soft. The magnolias were as green as in summer; certain flowers had +pushed their way out of the ground, and blossomed in the garden. + +The young people in the wagon had been delighted with the ride, the air +was so mild, and everything was so new and strange. They had struck the +river road leading from the estate to the village, and the rest of the +way was along Bar Creek to the bridge which crossed it to the mansion. +They had passed Pink, the old negro who came with the baggage, at +Belgrade, where he had stopped to water his two horses. Levi Bedford had +talked all the way, pointing out every object of interest to the +new-comers, telling stories, repeating all the old jokes of the +locality, which were quite new to his audience. + +As the manager wheeled his horses from the creek road upon the bridge, +he cracked his whip, which seemed to be the signal for the four spirited +horses to dance and prance, in order to make a proper display as they +reached the end of their journey. Gathered in the walks in front of the +house were all the servants of the mansion, and all the field-hands +belonging to the place, to welcome the family. + +There were just fifty-one of them, Levi said, and they all broke out in +a yell, which was intended for a cheer, as the magnificent animals +danced up to the front door. It was a cordial welcome, and the "people" +put their whole souls into it. Noah Lyon took off his Derby hat and +waved it to the crowd; Deck and Artie followed his example, all of them +bowing; while Mrs. Lyon and the girls flaunted their handkerchiefs +vigorously to the assembled population of the plantation. + +Most of them were somewhat shy at first, though they intended to give a +proper welcome to the family of the new proprietor, and they were rather +restrained in their demonstration; but as soon as the party waved their +hats and handkerchiefs, with pleasant smiles on their faces, all of them +shouted, "Glad to see you!" their enthusiasm being limited only by the +vigor of their voices and the strength of their lungs. + +The Lyons were intensely amused at the earnestness of the demonstration, +and they laughed heartily. They retained their seats in the wagon after +it stopped, more interested in the gathering around them than in +anything else for the time. The crowd closed up around the vehicle in +order to obtain a nearer view of their new masters and mistresses. They +had known and loved as a patriarch the colonel, for he had always been +kind and indulgent to them. Unfortunately they also knew Titus Lyon, by +reputation if not personally, and for a month they had been wondering +whether the new proprietor was like the colonel or his Kentucky brother. + +The "people" were of all ages, from the bald-headed old negro with a +flaxen fringe around his rear head on a level with his ears, down to the +infant in arms, whose toothless grin contrasted with the ivory display +of its mother. They were of all the hues of the colored race, from the +ebony face whereon charcoal could make no mark to the light saffron tint +of the octoroon. + +There was a plentiful sprinkling of "mammies" and "uncles" among them, +for all the older ones are called by these names. But the great body of +them were young or middle-aged men and women, able-bodied and fit for +regular work. Noah Lyon and his wife were particularly struck with the +appearance of two girls sixteen to eighteen years old, who were nearly +as white as their own children. They were neatly and modestly dressed, +and both of them had very pretty faces. They were employed in the house +as waiters at the table, and in other general work. + +"Glad to see you, mars'r!" shouted a score of the tribe in unison. "Glad +to see you, missus!" "Gib you welcome to Barcreek, mars'r and missus!" +"Glad to see de young mars'rs and missusses!" + +Levi, with a very broad and cheerful smile upon his round face, +descended from the wagon with the reins in his hand, which he handed to +a mulatto whom he called Frank, who had been the colonel's coachman. He +proceeded to assist Mrs. Lyon to alight, and her husband followed her +without any of the assistance tendered to him, for he was only forty +years old, and almost as nimble as he had ever been. The manager handed +the girls to the ground as politely as though he had served his time as +a dancing-master, and the young ladies smiled upon him as sweetly as +though he had been a younger beau. + +"This is Diana, Mrs. Lyon, the cook and housekeeper," said Levi, taking +a yellow woman of fifty by the arm, and presenting her to the new lady +of the house. + +"Diana, missus, and not Dinah," added the housekeeper, as the lady took +her hand. + +"I will always call you Diana, and never Dinah," replied Mrs. Lyon. "I +have no doubt we shall be good friends, though I am not used to your +ways in Kentucky." + +"This girl is Sylvie," said Diana, drawing the elder of the two +octoroons into the presence of the lady; and her color was light enough +to make her blushes transparent. "This is Julie," she added, bringing +the other of the pretty pair to the front. "Both of them wait on the +table, and 'tend on missus. Both of them come from New Orleans when they +were little girls, and both of them speak French like a pair of +mocking-birds." + +"I am very happy to see you, girls, and I think we shall get along very +well together, for I have never been used to having any one to wait on +me," said the lady, as she took each of them by the hand; and they were +so pretty that she was disposed to kiss them. + +The rest of the family were presented in like manner to the house +servants, and Levi introduced them to the rest of the people in a mass. +The Lyons all felt that they had suddenly become lions, at least so far +as Riverlawn was concerned. Noah had been a prosperous farmer in New +Hampshire, engaged in some outside operation in which he had been +successful; but even in haying-time he had never had more than three +hired men. This avalanche of half a hundred servants suddenly attached +to him was a new and novel experience; and the situation was just as +strange to his wife and the young people. + +Aunty Diana conducted the family into the house with many bows and +flourishes, followed by the pretty octoroons, and ushered them into the +drawing-room, which had seldom been used when the colonel was alive; for +he was as simple in his manners as Noah, though he felt obliged to keep +up the style of the mansion. + +"Help you take your things off, missus?" said Diana to Mrs. Lyon, while +Sylvie and Julie tendered their services to Dorcas and Hope. + +"We should like to go to our rooms, Diana," replied the lady. "I suppose +they are all ready for us." + +"All ready, missus." + +"Of course you can take your choice of the rooms, Mrs. Lyon," interposed +Levi, who had come into the house as soon as he had sent the people to +their cottages. "There are eight rooms on the second floor, besides two +company chambers; and I suppose Diana has already picked out one for the +owner and his wife." + +"You can take just what room you like, missus, but I picked out the +colonel's chamber for mars'r and missus, 'cause it is the biggest, has a +dressing-room and four great closets. I think that one suit missus +best," added Diana. + +"We will all go up-stairs and look at the rooms," replied Mrs. Lyon. + +She concluded to take the colonel's room, to which Noah assented; and it +was a palatial apartment to both of them. The girls were next provided +with rooms, and the two octoroons were unremitting in their attentions +to them. Though they knew that these girls were slaves, they treated +them like sisters, and before the day was over they were fast friends; +for both of them were utterly devoid of any Southern prejudices against +those who were so nearly of their own color. They were disposed to treat +all the servants kindly, but they had not the same feeling towards those +of ebony hue. + +The same sentiment prevailed through the family; and as a rule it +pervaded most of the enlightened families of the South. The girls as +well as the mother--and Dorcas and Artie looked upon and called Mrs. +Lyon by this endearing name--had been accustomed to wait upon +themselves, and they found it rather difficult to economize the willing +hands of Sylvie and Julie. But when Pink arrived with the trunks and +other baggage, the field-hands "toted" them to the proper chambers, and +the aid of the servants was very welcome, for both of them were tired +after the long journey they had made. + +As the great clock in the spacious hall below struck six, the family +were summoned to supper. Levi acted as master of ceremonies, for Diana +was busy in the kitchen, with her two assistants; but he seemed to have +some doubts about seating himself at his employer's table, though he had +always had a place there in the colonel's time. + +"Sit here, if you please, Levi, and always consider yourself as one of +the family," said Noah, after he had asked Deck to take the second seat +on the right, giving the manager the first, which is the seat of honor; +and the question of Levi's position at Riverlawn was settled once for +all. + +"Thank you, Major Lyon," replied he, as he took the place assigned to +him. "I always sat at the table with Colonel Lyon, even when he had +guests; but it isn't always the rule with planters to have the overseer +at his table, and I am much obliged to you for your consideration." + +"When I had two or three hired men on my farm, they always came to the +table with me, and would have thought they were abused if they had been +placed at a separate board," laughed the embryo planter. "But they were +the 'mud-sills' of the North, you know." + +"I was raised in Tennessee, Major, and was tolerably well educated. I +was in business for myself in Shelbyville, the capital of our county, +which was named for one of my ancestors. But I did not succeed, for the +place was not big enough. I bought some nice horses of Colonel Lyon, and +for some reason he took a fancy to me." + +"I don't think that was very strange," added Noah. + +"When I failed, he wanted me to come and manage this place for him; and +I have been here ever since. He paid me well, and I have always done the +best I could for him. He was a good man; and it looks to me just as +though his successor was as good a man as he was." + +"Thank you, Levi; I believe we shall be friends." + +"Betwixt you and me, Major," continued the manager in a low tone, "when +the colonel's health began to be rather shaky, though I had no idea he +was so near his end, I had a mortal dread that a certain other man would +come into possession of this place. Excuse me for saying that, but I +couldn't help it. Since I met you this noon, Major, I have been lifted +up to the seventh heaven." + +Noah did not deem it wise to make any reply to this remark then; but he +intended to inquire more particularly in regard to his Kentucky brother +when he had an opportunity; and it appeared that the manager had some +very pronounced opinions in regard to Titus. He changed the subject, and +continued to eat his supper. + +The meal was elaborate enough for a family feast. After the fried ham +and bacon, the fried chicken, with baked potatoes and the nicest white +cornbread the family had ever eaten, came hot biscuits, waffles, and +griddle-cakes, and cake of several kinds, which were fully approved by +Mrs. Lyon. Diana came in before the party rose from the table, and the +praises bestowed upon her handiwork in the kitchen would have made her +blush if she had been as light-colored as the two girls that waited upon +the table. + +When Noah Lyon went to his room after supper, and was alone there, he +took from his pocket the letter from his deceased brother which Colonel +Cosgrove had given him. It was with no little emotion that he broke the +cumbrous seals. It looked very much like a mystery to him, for the +estate had been duly divided in the will. + +It was a very kindly and brotherly letter for the first page. Then the +colonel stated that Noah had by the time he received the letter +discovered that the value of the fifty-one negroes on the estate had not +been included in his valuation of the property. They were worth at least +twenty-five thousand dollars. They had been given to him with the +plantation, but he enjoined it upon him on no account to sell one of +them. + +In the letter he found another as carefully sealed as the one that +enclosed it, directed to his successor, with the direction: "Not to be +opened till five years from the date of my death. Duncan Lyon." + +The letter evidently related to the slaves on the plantation; but the +mystery in regard to them was still unsolved. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE DISTRESS OF MRS. TITUS LYON + + +In the rear of the drawing-room was the library. It contained about five +hundred bound volumes, and more than this number of pamphlets and +documents, which had accumulated in a quarter of a century. It contained +a large desk and a safe, and the apartment was an office rather than a +library, though the owner of Riverlawn had largely improved his +education by reading in his abundant leisure. The shelves were piled +high with newspapers and magazines, which appeared to have been the +staple of his intellectual food. + +Levi had given the key of the safe to the new proprietor; and after Noah +had read and reread the open letter, and pondered its contents, he +carried the one which was not to be opened for five years to the +library, and deposited it in the safe with the explanatory epistle which +left the whole subject a mystery. What was eventually to become of the +negroes was not indicated, but he was enjoined not to sell one of them +on any account. + +Though opposed to the extension of slavery, Noah Lyon did not believe +that Congress had any constitutional right to meddle with the system as +it existed in the States. He had never been brought into contact with +slavery, and did not howl when his brother became a slaveholder. Like +the majority of the people of the North, he was instinctively, as it +were, opposed to human bondage; but he had never been considered a +fanatic or an abolitionist by his friends and neighbors. He simply +refrained from meddling with the subject. + +The fifty-one negroes on the estate had been willed to him, and he was +as much a slaveholder as his brother had been. The injunction not to +sell one of them was needless in its application to him, for he would as +readily have thought of selling one of his own children as any human +being. + +It would require a bulky volume to detail the experience of Noah Lyon +and his family during the years that followed his arrival at Barcreek. +He was an intelligent man, richly endowed with saving common-sense, and +soon made himself familiar with all the affairs of the plantation. He +made the acquaintance of the servants, which was no small matter in +itself, for he ascertained the history, disposition, and character of +all of them. + +He found that his brother had not over-estimated the worth of Levi +Bedford, who soon became a great favorite with all the family. The new +proprietor found no occasion to change the conduct of affairs in the +management of the place, even if he had felt that he was competent to +improve the methods and system of his late brother. Everything went on +as before. Levi made the crops of hemp, tobacco, corn, and vegetables, +and raised horses, marketing everything to be sold. He consulted his +employer, but he had little to say. + +The family became acquainted with their neighbors within a circuit of +ten miles, and in spite of their origin they were kindly and hospitably +received by the best families. + +At the end of a year the Lyons had practically become Kentuckians. In +the following year came the great political campaign which resulted in +the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. Ominous growls had +been heard from the South, and even in the border State of Kentucky. +Noah regarded the situation with no little anxiety; but he continued to +attend to his own affairs, and it was not till the bombardment of Fort +Sumter that he began to take an active part in the agitation which was +shaking the entire nation. + +Titus Lyon was one of the most stormy and aggressive of the Southern +sympathizers. Even neutrality was a compromise with him. When Noah's +family took possession of Riverlawn, he did not call at the mansion for +several days, though his wife and Mabel, his eldest daughter, had spent +the day after their arrival with them. Though Titus said nothing at +first, or for months to come, it was very evident to Noah that he was +intensely dissatisfied with the distribution the colonel had made of his +property. + +The state of affairs in Barcreek has been shown in the conversation +between the planter and his son on the bridge. This seemed to be a +favorite resort for conferences, and they returned to it after dinner. +On one side of it was a seat which had been put up there years before; +for it was shaded by a magnificent tree which grew by the side of the +creek road, and the bridge was the coolest place on the estate in a hot +day. + +"Of course you heard what your mother said about her visit to Titus's +house to-day, Dexter," said the father, as he seated himself on the +bench. + +"I could not well help hearing it," replied Deck. + +"If there is anything in this world I abominate, it is a family +quarrel," continued Noah, fixing his gaze upon the dark waters of the +creek. "Your uncle seems to be disposed to be at variance with me, +though I am sure I have done nothing of which he can reasonably +complain. He is down upon every Union man in the county. I should say +that Barcreek was about equally divided between the two parties. But he +does not talk politics to me, as he does to every other man in the +place." + +"I don't know what he means when he says you owe him five thousand +dollars, for I thought the boot was on the other leg," said Deck, +looking into the troubled face of his father. + +"He owes me several hundred dollars I lent him before he sold his +railroad stock. He is able to pay me now, for he has turned his +securities into money, and he seems to be flinging it away as fast as he +can. He must be worth twenty-five thousand dollars, including his house +and land; but I don't know how much of it he has thrown away." + +"If he has spent five thousand dollars for arms, ammunition, and +uniforms, he must have made a big hole in it," suggested Deck. "He keeps +three horses when he has no use for more than one." + +"He never had a tenth part as much money before in his life, and he does +not know how to use it. He will be the captain of a Home Guard as soon +as he can enlist the men, and the people on his side of the question at +the village have begun to call him 'Captain Lyon,' or 'Captain Titus.'" + +"Sandy told me that he, his father, and Orly had been drilling for three +months with an old soldier who was in the Mexican War," added Deck. +"There comes Artie in one of the boats." + +"Where is he going?" asked Noah. + +"I'm sure I don't know; Artie don't always tell where he is going," +answered Deck. + +His cousin, whom he regarded and treated as his brother, was pulling a +very handsome keel boat leisurely up the creek. The colonel appeared to +have had some aquatic tastes, for at a kind of pier half-way between the +bridge and the river were a sailboat and two row-boats, all of which +were kept in excellent condition. In places the river was wide enough to +allow the use of a boat with a sail, and the colonel had had some skill +in managing one; but neither Noah nor his boys could handle such a +craft, and it was never used. + +The creek extended back some ten miles through a flat, swampy region, +and Deck and Artie had explored it almost to its source in some low +hills not a dozen miles from the Mammoth Cave. Like most boys, they were +fond of boats, and nothing but the forbidding command of the planter +prevented them from experimenting with the Magnolia, as the sailboat was +called by the colonel. + +If the boys had explored Bar Creek to its source, they would have +discovered that it came out of the numerous "sinks" to be found in this +portion of the country, and streams flowed in subterranean channels +which honeycombed the earth at a greater or less depth below the +surface. + +"What are you up to, Deck?" shouted Artie, as he approached the bridge. + +"Nothing particular," replied the one on the bridge. "Where are you +going?" + +"Up the creek," answered Artie very indefinitely. "Can't you go with me? +It is easier for two to row this boat than for one." + +"I don't want to go now," returned Deck, who was too much interested in +the conversation with his father to leave him. + +"You may go with him if you want to, Dexter," interposed Mr. Lyon. + +"I don't care about going now, father. Do you suppose Uncle Titus has +really bought the arms and things as mother says?" asked Deck. + +"Your aunt is very much worried about the actions of your uncle. I +suppose he told her what he had done, for she would not make up such a +story out of whole cloth. Besides, it seems to be in keeping with a +dozen other things he has done; and he is certainly doing all he can to +raise a company in Barcreek," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"Isn't it strange that he never says anything to you about politics, +especially such as we are having now?" asked the son. + +"I don't see him very often; he is at Bowling Green half the time. +Besides, he and I never agreed on politics. By the great George +Washington, there he is now!" exclaimed Noah Lyon, springing up from his +seat on the bench. + +Titus Lyon was seated with his wife in a stylish buggy. He stopped his +horse on the bridge when he came opposite to his brother, and passing +the reins to Mrs. Lyon he descended to the planks. His wife drove on, +and stopped at the front door of the mansion. Frank the coachman ran +with all his might from the stable to take charge of the team, and the +lady went into the house. + +"How do you do, Titus?" said Noah, extending his hand to his brother. + +"I think it is about time for me to have some talk with you, Noah," +replied Titus, ignoring the offered hand, and bestowing a frowning look +upon Deck. "Send that boy away." + +"Dexter knows all about my affairs, and I don't have many secrets from +him," replied Noah very mildly, and somewhat nettled to have his son +treated in that rude manner. + +"I came over here on purpose to talk with you; and what I have to say is +between you and me--for the present. If you don't wish to talk with me +on these terms, that's the end on't," added Titus, rising from the seat +he had taken. + +"I will go with Artie, father," interposed Deck, who did not wish to +prevent an interview between the brothers, though he thought his uncle +behaved like a Hottentot. + +"Very well, Dexter; but you needn't go if you don't want to," said his +father, who evidently did not believe that the proposed interview with +Titus would be conducted on a peace basis. + +"I think I will go," added Deck, who hailed Artie from the bridge, and +then hastened to a plank where he could get into the boat. + +For a reason which he would not have explained if he had been +interrogated by his father, or by any other person except Deck, Artie +was very desirous to have his cousin go with him; in fact, he was +thinking of postponing his excursion, whatever its object, till his +cousin could accompany him, when the hail came to him from the bridge. +He pulled up to the plank, the outer end of which was supported by +stakes driven into the bottom of the stream, with a cross-piece above +the water. It had been built for the convenience of those taking one of +the boats near the mansion. Deck took an oar, and they pulled together +up the creek. + +Mrs. Titus Lyon was cordially welcomed at the door of the house by Mrs. +Noah, who had seen her coming from the window. The lady from the village +was in a high state of perturbation, and her eyes looked as though she +had been weeping. + +"I have had an awful time since you called upon me this morning," said +she, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. "I don't know what we are +coming to at our house. For the first time in my life my husband struck +me after we got up from dinner, and then hurried me down here with +hardly time to change my clothes!" + +"Struck you, Amelia!" exclaimed Mrs. Noah with an expression of horror. + +"Perhaps it was all my own fault," groaned the poor woman. + +"No fault could justify your husband in striking you. But what was it +for?" inquired Mrs. Noah, overflowing with sympathy for her +sister-in-law. + +"You remember that story about the arms and equipments I told you this +morning? Well, it seems that my son Orly was listening at the half-open +door when I supposed that no one but myself was in the house, for the +girls had all gone off to the store. He heard the whole of it, and told +his father when he came in to dinner," gasped the abused lady in short +sentences. + +"He struck you for telling me, did he?" demanded Mrs. Noah indignantly. +"I should like to give him a piece of my mind!" + +"Don't you say a word to him about it, for that would only make it all +the worse for me. Titus says there is no truth at all in the story. He +has bought no arms. I misunderstood him; he was telling about a +committee in Logan County that had bought the arms and ammunition for a +company. It is all a mistake; and if you have told any of your family, +do take it all back, and say there is not a word of truth in the story." + +Mrs. Titus could see from the window that the two brothers were having a +stormy interview on the bridge; but she stayed till long after dark, and +had recovered her self-possession before she left. Noah had no supper +till she had gone, and the boys had not yet returned. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CREEK + + +If Deck Lyon had particularly noted the actions of his cousin in the +boat he would have noticed that he was less decided in his movements +than usual. He stopped rowing several times in the ten minutes or more +that elapsed after he had invited Deck to go with him; and one who had +been near enough to study his expression would have understood that he +had a purpose before him which he was not prepared to execute under +present circumstances. + +He had listened with the closest attention to Mrs. Lyon's report of her +visit at the house of Titus, and he was in a revery after dinner as he +observed Noah and his son walking to the bridge. He waited till he had +seen them seated on the bench, and then he walked slowly to the boat +pier. He was disappointed when his cousin refused to go with him; but he +was not inclined to persuade him to leave his father, for he concluded +that something of importance was under discussion between them. + +He was relieved, and all his vigor and animation came back to him as he +pulled to the house landing. Artie was more inclined than Deck to keep +within his own shell; but it was not for the want of native energy, and +both of the boys were disposed to do whatever they had in hand with all +their might. He brought the boat up abreast of the pier, and Deck +stepped into the bow without any further invitation. He took one of the +light pine oars from his cousin. + +"If you don't object, Deck, I would like to pull the forward oar," said +Artie, as his companion was seating himself. + +"It is all the same to me which oar I take," replied Deck, as he changed +his place. + +"I want to talk with you, and I can do it better when you are in front +of me," added Artie, as he shoved the boat out into the stream. + +"Where are you going? You seem to have something in your head besides +bones," said Deck curiously. + +"Besides the bones I've got a big notion in my head." + +"Is it a Yankee or a Kentucky notion, Artie?" + +"I picked it up here, and it is Kentuckish. But I don't want to say +anything now; for I'm afraid some one might hear me, more particularly +Uncle Titus," replied the bow oarsman as he took the stroke from his +cousin. "I wonder what brought him over here, for he don't come to +Riverlawn much oftener than he goes to church." + +"He acts like a regular Hottentot just out of the woods; and if there +are any bears in Kentucky they would behave like gentlemen compared with +Uncle Titus," added Deck, who proceeded to describe the manner of the +visitor on the bridge when the two brothers met. + +"Uncle Titus has got something besides bones in his head this afternoon, +and when he started to come over here he meant business," suggested +Artie. "Something is in the wind." + +"I wanted to stay and hear what was said, but Uncle Titus drove me off +as he would have kicked a snake into the creek. He was as grouty and as +savage as a she-lion that had lost all her cubs." + +"Did he say anything about that story your mother told at dinner?" asked +Arty. + +"Not a word; he drove me off as though I had been a cur dog before he +said a word about anything else," replied Deck, who could not easily +forget the brutal manner of his uncle. "But you have not told me yet +where you are going, Artie. You haven't any fishlines or bait, and I +suppose you are not going a-fishing." + +"Not up the creek, for the river suits me better for that business; but +I'm going a-fishing for something that won't swim in the water," replied +the undemonstrative boy. + +"What do you mean by that?" demanded Deck; and his interest in the +subject caused him to cease rowing, and Artie pulled the boat round so +that it was headed to the shore. + +"Pull away, Deck! What are you about? We don't want to stop here," said +Artie with more than his usual vigor. + +"I am about nothing; but when I talk with you I like to look you in the +face, for that sometimes tells the story better than your words," +replied Deck, as he gave way again with his oar. "As I said before, you +have got something besides bones in your head, and I am in a hurry to +know what it is all about. You can't talk it into me through the back of +my head." + +"But we don't want to stop here, Richard Coeur de Lyon!" protested +Artie, rather vehemently for him. "Don't you see that we are still in +sight of the bridge, and I would not have Uncle Titus see what we are +about for all the world, with Venus and Mars thrown in. Besides, we have +a long pull before us, and we have no time to spare." + +"But I want to know what it is all about," Deck objected. "I am not +going into any conspiracy with my eyes blinded." + +"Pull away, Deck! I don't want that Secesher to see us stopping here. We +shall come to the bend in five minutes; and then if you want to stop and +talk I will agree to it, though we haven't any time to waste," suggested +Artie as a compromise. + +"One would think you were going to set the river on fire by your talk," +replied Deck, profoundly mystified by the words, and more by the manner +of his companion. + +"We may set the creek on fire before we get through with this job," +continued Artie, deepening the mystery every minute. "There's Levi +Bedford," he added, as the manager, riding on a rather wild colt, in the +road leading to the fields, came abreast of the boat. + +He was too far off to talk to the boys; but he waved his hat to them, +and the boatmen returned the salute, as he continued on his way. + +"I wonder where Levi stands in the row that is brewing all over the +country," said Deck. "I don't hear him say anything of any consequence, +though he may have talked to father. He did not come from New England, +and I don't know whether he is a Secesher or not; and it looks as though +he did not mean anybody should know." + +"He don't belong to the Home Guards any way," added Artie. "He is a +Tennesseean, and it would not be strange if he had some Secesh notions." + +"I don't believe he is going back on father," replied Deck, when the +manager had disappeared and the boat had reached the bend. "Here we are; +we can't see the bridge now, and the bridge can't see us." + +"We will stop if you say so; but we may not get back to the house before +to-morrow morning if we spend much time here," said Artie, as he rested +on his oar, and seemed to be very unwilling to use any of the time in +mere talk. + +"If the time is so short, why didn't you start out this morning? and why +didn't you let me know sooner that you were going to set the creek on +fire? We might have brought our dinners with us, as we did when we went +to school in Derry, and made a day of it," argued Deck. + +"Things were not ready this morning, and I started just as soon as I saw +the star in the east," replied Artie. + +"You don't generally wait for the grass to grow under your feet when the +lightning strikes near you." + +"The lightning struck while we were at dinner," added Artie quietly. + +"But I think we can fix things so that we can talk and keep moving at +the same time," suggested Deck, as he rose from his seat with his oar in +his hand, and stepped over his thwart to the aftermost one. + +He seated himself on this thwart, facing the bow. The boys were not +skilled boatmen, though they had practised rowing a good deal on the +river and creek, and they had not trimmed the light craft to the best +advantage for ease and speed, for it was down too much by the head. Deck +asked his cousin to move one seat farther aft, and he complied readily, +in spite of the fact that he was the more skilled of the two in rowing. +In the smallest of the three boats at the lower pier he had often made +long trips alone up the creek, besides those when his cousin was his +companion. + +"That lifts the bow higher out of the water," said Artie as he took his +place. + +"So much the better," replied Deck, proceeding to give philosophical and +scientific reasons to explain what experienced boatmen know by instinct, +as it were. "Now take the stroke from me, and don't pull any faster than +I do." + +Placing himself in an angular position on the thwart, with his right +hand hold of the seat, he began to row with his left. While pulling +alone in the canoe, as the negro rowers called the smallest craft, he +had been inclined to protest against the accepted custom of going +backwards in rowing; and he would gladly have adopted the mechanical +contrivance in use on some of the Northern waters which enabled the +boatmen to pull while facing the bow. He wanted to see where he was +going without turning around, and he had practised rowing in this +position. + +Deck was heavier and stronger than his cousin, though hardly as agile. +Artie took the stroke from him, and it was quite as quick as he cared to +row on a long pull. They kept good time, and the boat went along as +rapidly as before. + +"Now light your match, and start the fire, Artie. We shall lose no time +by this arrangement, and we shall get back to the house before morning." + +"Perhaps, after you understand the nature of the enterprise, you will +not be willing to go with me," added Artie, looking earnestly into the +face of his cousin. + +"I can tell better about that after I know what it is," returned Deck, +reciprocating the earnest gaze of the other. "But it is you who are +wasting the time now. Why don't you come to the point without going +around all the buildings on the plantation?" + +"You heard the story mother told about the arms and ammunition Uncle +Titus had bought for the Home Guards in order to make himself the +captain of the company?" + +"Of course I heard it," and Deck was unwilling to say another word to +increase the preliminaries to the revelation. + +"Did you believe it?" + +"I did." + +"Then you are satisfied that Uncle Titus has a lot of arms hid away +somewhere in this region?" persisted Artie. + +"I had my doubts, and I spoke to father about it on the bridge just +before you came along in the boat. He thought that his brother was just +crazy enough to do such a thing; but he thought whiskey had a good deal +to do with the matter, especially in permitting him to tell his wife +about it. Of course Sandy and Orly are mixed up in this business. But +this is an old story by this time, Artie, and you have not told me yet +what you are driving at," said Deck impatiently. + +"We are going to look for the arms and ammunition, Deck!" exclaimed the +originator of the enterprise. "Is that talking plainly enough?" + +"To look for the arms and ammunition!" almost shouted the after oarsman, +ceasing to use his oar in the astonishment of the moment. + +"You insisted on my telling you all at once, and I have done so; you +have stopped rowing." + +"What you said was enough to throw a fellow off his base. Do you mean +that you are going on a wild-goose chase all over the State of Kentucky +to look for what may be a mere notion, conjured up by an overdose of +whiskey?" demanded Deck, still resting on his oar. + +"Don't get excited, Coeur de Lyon; cold steel cuts best," said Artie. + +"And that's the reason father puts his razor into hot water when he is +shaving." + +"I don't think anybody is right down sure of anything in this world," +continued the leader of the enterprise. "I think I am as sure as any +fellow can be in this State of Kentucky, where no man or boy can tell +which end he stands on, that I know where Uncle Titus's arms and +ammunition are hidden." + +"You know!" ejaculated Deck. + +"I think I know." + +"What are you doing up the creek, then? Didn't Aunt Amelia say that the +arms were concealed near the river?" asked Deck, hardly able to breathe +in his excitement. + +"I think I know where they are hidden better than she did. If Uncle +Titus told his wife that they were hidden on the river,--and that is +just what aunt said,--her husband intended to cheat her," said Artie +very confidently. "I should say that a dozen glasses of whiskey would +not have made Uncle Titus fool enough to tell anybody where the arms +were concealed, not even his wife; and they don't seem to be a very +loving couple since they came to Kentucky." + +"That's so," added Deck. + +"Do you remember that time about a fortnight ago when father spoke to me +about being out so late one night, Deck?" + +"I remember it; it was on the bridge." + +"That night I found out something I could not explain, but I can now, +after what I heard at dinner to-day. But we have eight or ten miles to +pull if we are going to find the arms to-day, and we must be moving," +added Artie. + +Deck rowed again, and they proceeded up the creek, Artie telling his +night adventure by the way. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A STORMY INTERVIEW ON THE BRIDGE + + +Probably Noah Lyon had never felt anything like the emotion of anger in +his being against his brother until they met that day on the bridge. As +one and another had said several times, no two men of the same blood and +lineage could have been more differently constituted. Noah had been a +diligent student as a boy, and a constant reader in his maturity; while +Titus had been the black sheep of the family, had neglected his studies +in his youth, and did not even read a newspaper in his manhood, unless +for a special purpose. + +Titus could read and write, and knew enough of arithmetic to enable him +to keep the accounts of his business. Whatever he learned after he left +school he gathered from the speech of people; and as his associates were +not of the intelligent class in his native town any more than they were +in his new home, his education was very limited and his moral aims, if +he could be said to have any, were not elevated enough to keep him very +far within the limits of the law, which were his principal tests between +right and wrong. + +Before he was twenty-one he obtained a position to drive a stage on a +twenty-mile route, so that he spent every other night at a tavern; and +this did not improve his manners or his morals. As a boy he had become +disgusted with farming, and had learned the trade of a mason, working at +it three years. Like his elder brother, he was a horse fancier, and was +a skilful driver. An accident to the old stage-driver placed him on the +box, and when the place became permanent he was only twenty years old. + +With so little intellectual and moral foundation as he had laid for his +future character, it was a misfortune for him that he was then a +"good-looking fellow." He boarded at the tavern, and paid only two +dollars a week in consideration of his position, for it was believed +that he had some influence with his passengers. He was well supplied +with money for one of his age in the country, and he spent all he had. + +He was an agile dancer, which, with his good looks, made him popular in +the town, especially with the girls. Amelia Lenox was a pretty girl. She +had a fancy for the handsome stage-driver; and, in spite of the earnest +objections of her father and mother, she accepted him as her husband, +and they were married. Titus took a cottage near the tavern, and for a +year, with the help of his and her father, they got along very well. + +All of a sudden a railroad shot through the town, and the business of +the place was gone in the twinkling of an eye. The wages of Titus +stopped, and he had a wife and child to support. He went to his father +for advice. The mason, who had done a good business in the town and its +vicinity, had grown old. Hopestill Lyon, the grandfather of the boys, +was his best friend, and bought out his business for Titus. + +For several years he worked well, made some money, and paid his +grandfather for the investment made on his behalf. But he did not like +the business. Unlike his brothers, he seemed to believe that fate, +destiny, circumstances, or some other indefinable power that regulates +the worldly condition of mortals, had misused and abused him; for he +ought to have been "born with a silver spoon in his mouth," with wealth +at his command, so that he could live in luxury without work. + +When he built chimneys, plastered rooms, or jobbed in filthy drains and +smutty fireplaces, he labored with an active protest against his +occupation in his soul, which extended down to his hands and feet, +shutting out ambition, and making him lazy. He was always on the lookout +for some other occupation, or for some change which would put more money +in his pocket. He did a vast deal of grumbling and growling at his lot, +occasionally taking home with him a gallon jug of New England rum, which +did not improve his condition. He was not a drunkard, but he was +unconsciously falling into a bad habit. + +His wife was an intelligent woman, and was a good helpmate; but it did +not require a prophetic vision to read the future, near or distant, of +Titus Lyon. It was said by some of the old people in the town that he +"took after" his grandmother, who had been a stylish woman in her +younger days, though the solid character of Hopestill Lyon had +controlled her inclinations so that she made him a good wife. + +Mrs. Lyon reasoned kindly with Titus; but before she left her Northern +home she had lost whatever influence she had ever exercised over him. He +was eager to settle in Kentucky when the colonel's letter announcing an +opening for him came, and she was utterly opposed to the plan. It was at +least a change, and he was determined to make it, in spite of the fact +that his brother could not advise him to do so; and the result proved +the solidity of the colonel's judgment. + +For seven years Titus fawned upon his wealthy brother. He was as +obsequious in his presence as one of the field-hands of Riverlawn; but +the colonel did not believe in him as he did in Noah, especially after +his long visit to the latter. When the health of the planter began to be +slightly impaired a couple of years before his death, Titus was sordid +enough to think of what would become of his plantation, which seemed +like a mine of wealth to him, at the decease of the owner. + +He had talked planting, hemp, and horses to the colonel, and did all he +could to impress him with the belief that he was competent to manage the +plantation. It was his nature to believe in what he desired, and he was +satisfied that Riverlawn would be bequeathed to him, as it ought to be. +The reading of the will was a shock to him. The giving of ten thousand +dollars more than his fair share to Noah, who lived far away, and had +never even seen the plantation, in consideration for bringing up the two +orphans of his brother, excited his wrath. + +He regarded this gift as an absolute wrong to him, while he was +compelled in pay the note out of his own share. He went home from +Riverlawn that day choking down his anger; but he was furious in the +presence of his wife, though she did all she could to console him. She +pointed out the fact that he now owned his place clear of any debt, and +had twenty thousand dollars in cash, stocks, and bonds; but he was not +satisfied. He wanted Riverlawn, where he could live in style, with an +abundant income without work. + +As he brooded over his fancied wrong, it came to his mind that the +colonel's _ante-mortem_ inventory had not included the value of the +negroes on the plantation. He hastened over to see Colonel Cosgrove, the +executor. He exhibited a copy of the will, and Titus studied over it for +half a day. Nothing was said about the slaves. Then he went to another +lawyer with whom he had had some political dealings; but this gentleman +assured him that he had no remedy; the colonel had an undoubted right to +dispose of his property as he pleased, even if he had given the whole of +it to Noah. He had bequeathed the plantation, the mansion, with all that +was in or on them, or appertaining to them; and this included the +negroes. + +For nearly two years Titus had nursed his wrath, and was earnest in his +belief that Noah ought to right the wrong the colonel had done him. Yet +he had never had the courage to make this claim upon his brother, or +even to mention to him the five thousand dollars which he insisted +belonged to him. The law could do nothing for him, his own lawyer told +him. Noah was his brother, now his only brother; and it was his duty, +according to every principle of right and justice, to pay over to him +half of the legacy of ten thousand dollars, and of the twenty-five +thousand dollars which was a low valuation of the negro property. + +The quantity of Kentucky whiskey which Titus consumed magnified his +wrongs and made him more unreasonable than his natural discontent would +have made him. When he learned from his younger son what his wife had +told Mrs. Noah, he was more furious than he had ever been known to be +before, and he descended to the brutality of striking her. He had taken +more than his habitual potion of whiskey, and it made him ugly. His wife +wept bitterly over the abuse she had been subjected to, both the words +and the blow, and she had fled to her bedroom. + +She was a high-spirited woman, and it seemed to her that the end of all +things had come, at least so far as her domestic happiness was +concerned. Her father was a well-to-do farmer; and neither he nor her +brothers would permit her to be abused by any one, not even by her +husband. A sudden and violent resolution came to her to return to her +father's house. While she was thinking of this remedy and of the parting +with her children, Titus rushed into the room. She must undo the +mischief she had done, and he would drive her to Riverlawn for that +purpose. He told her what to say, and she promised to say it; for she +felt that she had been indiscreet in what she had said. + +During the drive her husband had continued to abuse her with his unruly +tongue, and she had wept all the way. They found Noah and Deck on the +bridge, and Titus decided to pour out his grievances to his brother; for +his drams had brought his courage up to the point where he felt like +doing it. He was not intoxicated, but he had drunk enough to make him +ugly. He descended from the vehicle, and Mrs. Titus drove over to the +mansion. + +Dexter was sent away as before related, and the father was somewhat +moved by the rudeness with which the boy had been treated. He was a +mild-spoken man; and though he was quiet in his manner, he had more real +grit in his composition than Titus. + +"You seem to be excited, Titus," said Noah, as he seated himself on the +bench from which he had just risen. + +"I have good reason to be excited," growled the angry man. "My wife has +acted like a fool and a traitor to me!" + +"I am sorry for that, Brother Titus; but I hope you don't hold me +responsible for her conduct," said Noah in gentle and conciliatory +tones. + +"Not exactly; but you are responsible for enough without that, and I +have made up my mind that it is time for you and me to have a reckoning, +for you don't do by me as a brother should; and if father was living +to-day he would be ashamed of you," returned the mason, with all the +emphasis of a bad cause. + +"I was not aware that I had been wanting in anything one brother ought +to do for another. But we had better consider a subject of such +importance when you are cooler than you seem to be just now, Titus. Your +present complaint appears to be against Amelia, and not against me. What +has she done? I have always looked upon her as a very good woman and +good wife." + +"You don't know her as well as I do. I don't know what bad advice Ruth +has given her, or what influence she has over Meely, but she made her +tell a ridiculous story about some arms and ammunition," said Titus in a +milder manner; for he seemed to be intent upon counteracting the effect +of her action. "I s'pose Ruth repeated to you the story Meely told." + +"She said you had given five thousand dollars for the purchase of arms, +ammunition, and uniforms for a company of Home Guards, of which you were +to be the captain." + +"I'll bet that wa'n't all she told you," added Titus. + +"That was the substance of it." + +"I suppose most folks in Barcreek know all that." + +"I never knew it till to-day." + +"You don't go about among folks in this county as I do." + +"I don't associate much with Secessionists and Home Guards." + +"I do! But that is my business, and I have a good right to give my money +where it will do the most good; and I shall do so whether you like it or +not," fumed Titus. + +"I don't dispute your right; though I am surprised that a man brought up +in the State of New Hampshire should become a Secessionist when more +than half the people of Kentucky are in favor of the Union," added Noah. + +"'Tain't so! I never was a Black Republican, as you were, and I don't +begin on't now. If you want to steal the niggers, I don't help you do +it! But Meely told your wife something more;" and Titus looked anxiously +into the face of his brother, as if to read the extent of the mischief +which had been done. + +"I believe Ruth did tell me that the arms and munitions had already been +purchased, and were hidden somewhere on the river," added Noah. "But I +did not pay much attention to this part of the story. The material part +of it was that you had given so much money to assist in making war in +the State." + +"I give the money to keep the war out of Kentucky, and maintain the +neutrality of the State," argued Titus. + +"We had better not talk politics, brother, and I will not give my views +of neutrality." + +"The story my wife told about the arms was all a lie!" exclaimed the +visitor with an oath which shocked the owner of the plantation. "No arms +are hid on the river, or anywhere else. Meely understood what I said +with her elbows; and she has come down now to take it all back." + +"Very well; I don't care anything about the arms, though I should be +sorry to have them go into the hands of the Secessionists or the Home +Guards, for they are all in the same boat." + +At this moment Levi Bedford rode over the bridge on the colt, and Titus +was silent. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +AN OVERWHELMING ARGUMENT + + +Levi Bedford had not come to the bridge to interfere with the +conversation or to listen to what was said; but as he was returning from +the distant fields of the plantation by the creek road, he could not +help seeing that a stormy interview was in progress on the bridge. He +believed that he understood Titus Lyon better than Noah did. He +considered him capable of violence to his brother when under the +influence of liquor, and he deemed it prudent for him to be within call +if he was needed. + +Noah would have scouted the idea of Titus raising his hand against him, +even when he had been drinking; for in former years they had always +lived together on the best of terms. Levi had seen more of the mason +within a few years than Noah. While the colonel lay unburied in the +mansion, he had spent most of the time at Riverlawn, and to some extent +had assumed the control of the plantation. + +The manager had not required the negroes to do anything but necessary +work during the sad interval; but Titus had interfered, and sent the +field-hands to their usual occupation. He had "bossed" Levi himself as +though he were only a servant, and even meddled with the affairs of +Diana in the house. The manager could not resent this interference at +such a time, and he could not help seeing that Titus was taking more +whiskey than usual; for he had even ordered Diana to bring out the +choice stores of this article which the colonel had kept for his friends +rather than for his own use. + +He talked to Levi just as though the plantation would soon come into his +hands, and had made himself as unnecessarily offensive to the overseer +and all the petted servants as possible. It would not be overstating the +truth to say that he was thoroughly hated at Riverlawn. Levi had packed +his trunk in readiness to leave as soon as the tyrant took possession of +the place; and even some of the people were thinking of making their way +to the free State of Ohio. + +Levi bowed and smiled as he passed the planter, but he only reined in +his fiery steed, and did not stop. He did not even look at Titus, much +less salute him, for he despised him; and pleasant as he was to all on +the place, including the people, he was an honest man, and appeared to +be just what he was. He rode over in the direction of the river, and +when he reached a thicket of trees and bushes he stopped the colt and +tied him to a tree. He remained there where he could see the bridge +without being seen by those upon it. + +"I wonder that you keep that fellow on the place," said Titus, as Levi +rode off. "In my opinion, and I have seen more of him than you have, +Noah, he is a rascal;" and the last remark was seasoned with an oath. + +"I think he is a very useful man, and my family are already very much +attached to him; for he is always good-natured, and kind and obliging to +everybody," replied the planter. + +"There ain't no accounting for tastes, as my wife says; but if I had +this place that cuss would get kicked out before he had a chance to +breathe twice more," said Titus with a look of disgust which caused him +to twist his mouth and nose into such a snarl that Mrs. Titus would +hardly have known him. + +Levi had not told his employer in what manner the would-be owner of the +plantation had conducted himself on the place after the death of the +colonel; and Noah could not understand why his brother had such an +antipathy to so genial a man as the manager, viewed from his own and his +family's standpoint. + +"I take Levi as I find him, and I have been very much pleased with him," +added Noah. + +"But I did not come over here to talk about that dirty shote," continued +Titus, suddenly bracing himself up to attack the subject of the +grievances which had gnawed like a live snake at his vitals for nearly +two years. "In the fust place, I want you to understand, Noah Lyon, that +there ain't a word of truth in the story Meely told this noon in your +house." + +"All right, Brother Titus," replied Noah. "I haven't looked for the arms +and ammunition, and I know nothing about them." + +"Do you believe what I say, Noah?" demanded Titus with a savage frown. + +"I have no reason to doubt your statement." + +"If you and your family want to make trouble over that statement, I +s'pose you can do so. You 'n' I don't agree on politics." + +"We are not disposed to make trouble. If there should be any difficulty +it will come from your side of the house, Titus." + +"You are an abolitionist, and folks on the right side in this county +have found it out. They don't believe in no Lincoln shriekers, and the +Union's already busted," said the Secessionist brother with a good deal +of vim; and in this, as in other matters, he believed the popular +sentiment was on the side he wished it to be. + +"I voted for Lincoln, and I believe in the Union," added Noah quietly. + +"Yes; and there is five hundred men in this county that would like to +drive you out of the State, and burn your house over your head!" +exclaimed Titus, becoming not a little excited. "I believe they'd done +it before this time if I hadn't stood in their way." + +"Then I am very much obliged to you for your friendly influence. I was +not aware that I had been in any peril before," returned Noah with a +smile, which was suggestive of a doubt in his mind. "Do you think I am +in any danger from such an outrage as you suggest?" + +"I know you are!" Titus belched out with something like fury in his +manner. "If it hadn't been for me they'd done it before now. You haven't +been a bit keerful in your doings. You've got up a Union meeting at the +Big Bend schoolhouse for to-morrow night; and if you go on with it, I'm +almost sure you will get cleaned out; and the folks on the right side +may come over here, after they have shut your mouths at the Bend, and +see whether your house will burn or not. I have done all I could to keep +our folks quiet, and advised them not to meddle with the meeting at the +schoolhouse; but if you keep on the way you're going, I won't be +responsible for what happens." + +"Though I came from the North since you did, all the people I meet seem +to be very friendly to me," answered Noah, the smile still playing upon +his lips; a satirical smile which indicated that he did not believe more +than a very small fraction of what his brother had been saying. + +He had no doubt that the gang with whom Titus and his sons associated +would do all and even more than he prophesied; but they did not form the +public sentiment of the county. + +"You don't meet all nor a tenth part of the people, and you don't know +what is running in their heads," protested the Secessionist. "You and +your two boys keep on howling for the Union when the people round here +are all dead set agin it. What can you expect? Seven States is out of +the Union, and that busts the whole thing." + +"I don't think a majority of the people about here are of your way of +thinking, Brother Titus; but if I am in danger of mob violence, as you +say I am, my house is my castle; I shall defend it as long as there is +anything left of me," added Noah, the same smile resting on his lips as +he uttered his strong words. + +"Defend your house!" said Titus with a bitter sneer. "You hadn't better +do anything of the sort. If you show fight, the crowd will hang you to +one of them big trees. You ain't reasonable, Noah. Do you cal'late on +fighting the whole county?" + +"We differ considerably in regard to the state of feeling in this +county. We are between two fires, and I think we had better not say +anything more on that subject." + +"That's so; but one fire is an alfired sight hotter than t'other; and +that's the one that will burn up that big house of yourn." + +"I shall defend my house, and I think I shall be able to hold my own. +But I am not an abolitionist any more than you are, Brother Titus," +mildly suggested Noah. + +"You shriek for the Union, and it's all the same thing among honest +folks down here," retorted the Secessionist. + +"I hold about fifty slaves, and I had an idea that this made me a +slaveholder," said Noah lightly. + +"Don't you own 'em?" demanded Titus violently; for this subject touched +upon one of his grievances. "I have done everything I could to save you +from any hard usage on the part of our folks in spite of the way you've +used me." + +"I am not aware that I have used you badly, Brother Titus." + +"You call me brother; but judging from your actions you ain't no brother +of mine." + +"I should like to have you tell me in what manner I have wronged you, +Titus. I hear from others that I owe you five thousand dollars; but I am +not aware that I owe you a nickel," replied the planter, who had by this +time come to the conclusion that the quarrel his brother insisted upon +fomenting might as well be brought to a head then as at any other time. + +Titus was silent for a moment, and resumed his seat on the bench, from +which he had risen a dozen times in his excitement as the interview +proceeded. He looked as though he was gathering up his thoughts in order +to present his argument, as he evidently intended it should be, in the +most forcible manner. + +"If a man has two brothers, and one of them goes back on him, is that +any reason why the other should go back on him?" asked the dissatisfied +one with more coolness and dignity than he had before exhibited. + +Mrs. Amelia, years before, had tried to reform his language, picked up +in the taverns and among coarse associates, and she had succeeded to +some extent. He could talk with a fair degree of correctness; but he had +two methods of expression, one of which he called his "Sunday lingo," +used on state occasions, and his ordinary speech at home and among his +chosen associates, enlarged by the addition of some Southern words and +phrases. He began his argument in his best style, though he had never +been able to banish his use of the milder slang. + +"Decidedly not," replied Noah very promptly. "On the contrary, he ought +to stand by the brother if he has been wronged." + +"That is just exactly what you have not done, Noah Lyon!" exclaimed +Titus, springing from his seat again. "And Nathan said unto David, 'Thou +art the man!'" + +"Which means that I am the man," answered Noah, his smile becoming +almost a laugh. "I didn't know, Brother Titus, that I was the David, and +I must ask you to explain." + +"Dunk went back on me," continued the malcontent, recalling the name by +which the colonel was known on the farm in his boyhood. + +"I was not aware that Dunk did any such a thing. I suppose you mean in +his will." + +"That is just what I mean!" stormed Titus. "He gave you ten thousand +dollars more than he gave me; and that was not fair or right." + +"But the will explains why he did so." + +"On account of fetching up them two children! I wouldn't have brought in +any bill for taking care of my dead brother's children. I ain't one of +them sort!" protested Titus. + +"But you refused to take one of them into your family when I proposed it +to you," suggested Noah very gently. + +"Because my wife was sick at the time," said Titus, wincing at the +remark. + +"You did not offer to take one of them afterwards. But I did not bring +in any bill; I never even mentioned the matter to the colonel when I +wrote to him. I boarded, clothed, and schooled them for ten years, and +paid all their doctor's bills." + +"But Dunk gave you ten thousand dollars for it; and it wasn't right. He +spent a month with you in Derry not long before he died, and you +smoothed his fur in the right way," snarled Titus. + +"But the children were not mentioned. I am sure it cost me a thousand +dollars a year to take care of the children; but I did not complain, and +never asked you or Dunk to pay a cent of the cost. The colonel made his +will to suit himself; and he never spoke or wrote of the matter to me." + +"You got on the right side of him, and he cheated me out of what +rightfully belonged to me. I ain't talking about law, but about right. +Half of that ten thousand belongs to me, and you are keeping me out of +it." + +"It was right for you and Dunk to pay as much for supporting the orphans +as I did. Then you and he owed me two-thirds of the sum bequeathed to +me. At compound interest that would amount to more than I receive under +the will. I will figure it up when I have time, and of course if you owe +me anything on this account, you will pay me." + +This argument completely overwhelmed Titus; but Levi had concluded there +would be no violence, and dashed over the bridge on his fiery colt. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A MOST UNREASONABLE BROTHER + + +Titus Lyon dropped into his seat once more when Levi approached. He +scowled at the manager as he swept by with a bow to his employer. He had +been talking very loud about what was fair and right, and he could not +deny that the expense of supporting the orphans ought to be divided +among the three brothers. According to Noah's calculation, the boot had +been transferred to the other leg, and he owed his brother something on +this account if the matter was to be equitably adjusted. + +Titus could not gainsay the position of the planter, and he tried to +choke down his wrath; and just then he would have vented it upon the +innocent overseer if he had not flown like the wind across the bridge, +making the planks dance a hornpipe under the feet of his steed. As the +malcontent was silent for the want of an argument with which to combat +that of his brother, Noah went over the subject, and clinched the nail +he had driven in before. + +"I'll look the thing over again when I go home, for I want to be fair +and right in everything I do," said Titus, after he had sought in vain +for an argument with which he could upset the theory of Noah. "I only +claimed that you owed me half of the ten thousand; I didn't ask for the +whole on't." + +"You never asked for even half of it before; you only told others that I +owed you that sum," replied Noah. + +"Well, I believed it." + +"In that case neither you nor the colonel would pay anything towards the +support of the children for ten years, for the law would divide the +property equally between us," replied Noah. "I can't tell exactly how +the matter stands till I figure it up; but I think you will owe me +something if we settle it on the basis you suggest." + +"I guess we'd better drop the subject till we have both looked it over +agin," added Titus, utterly disgusted with the result of the argument. +"I don't say that Dunk hadn't a right to dispose of his property as he +pleased; but jest s'pose'n he had left it all to me and gi'n you +nothin'--would that been right?" + +"If he had had any reason for doing so, it would have been his right to +do so; but I should say I should not be in condition to be an impartial +judge in the matter," said Noah with a smile. + +"Did he have any reason for treating me any wus than he did you?" asked +Titus sharply, as he sprang to his feet again. "Dunk wa'n't no +abolitionist, and went with the folks round here on politics. He 'n' I +agreed, and never had no dispute on these things." + +"I don't think the colonel did treat you any worse than he did me. He +chose to pay for supporting the orphans, though I never asked him to do +so, or hinted at any such thing. We have talked that over, and nothing +more need be said about it now. I have indicated how that thing might be +fairly settled, and we will let it rest there." + +"But I still say Dunk used me wus 'n he did you; and as a brother you +are in duty bound to set me right, as you said one of the same blood +should do." + +"I don't understand you, Brother Titus; for I am not aware that the +colonel treated me any better in his will than he did you," replied +Noah, wondering what further complaint his brother could make. + +"Didn't he give five thousand dollars to that cuss that just rid over +the bridge?" demanded Titus with a sort of triumphant tone and manner, +as though he had the planter where no argument could avail him. "That +was just the same as taking twenty-five hundred dollars out of my +pocket, as well as out of yours." + +"But you don't bear in mind, my dear brother, that the colonel was +disposing of his own property, and not yours or mine," said Noah with a +pronounced laugh at the absurdity of the other's position. + +"Don't go to dearin' me, Noah; it will be time enough for that sort of +thing when you've done me justice," snarled Titus. + +"When I've done you justice!" exclaimed the planter, rising from his +seat again to vent his mirth. "I must do you justice because your +brother and mine gave Levi Bedford five thousand dollars! Must I pay you +twenty-five hundred dollars on this account?" + +"I didn't say so." + +"But you implied it; for you were trying to prove that the colonel used +me better than he did you. It seems to me that you ought to make your +claim on Levi, if anybody." + +"You git ahead faster'n I do. I only meant to say that Dunk didn't use +me right when he gave his money to this mean whelp; but he treated you +as bad as he did me, Noah." + +"I have no complaint whatever to make, and I am glad the colonel +remembered Levi handsomely; he deserved it, for he had always been a +useful and faithful overseer," added Noah very decidedly. + +"Let that rest," said Titus when he found that he made no headway in the +direction he had chosen. "I s'pose you won't agree with me, but I say +Dunk ought to have left this place to me instid of you. I was his oldest +brother, and I have lived here eight years, and know all about the +plantation, while you never saw it till after Dunk was dead." + +"I am inclined to think the colonel knew what he was about, and he made +his will to suit himself," answered Noah. + +"I should think he made it to suit you. Of course I know it's law, but +it wa'n't right," growled Titus. + +"If you think it was not right, why don't you contest the will, and have +it set aside?" + +"Don't I say it was law; and I suppose it can't be helped now," and the +injured man tried to put on an air of resignation. "But I ain't done." + +"I should say you had said enough; for there seems to be no foundation +for any of your complaints. I think the colonel meant to be fair and +just, and make an equal distribution of his property between you and me. +Taking out fifteen thousand dollars he gave to charity and his +friends"-- + +"That was giving away what belonged to you and me," interposed the +objector. + +"You are as unreasonable as a pig in a cornfield, Brother Titus!" +exclaimed Noah, whose abundant patience was on the verge of exhaustion. +"Duncan was giving away his own property, and not yours or mine, as you +appear to think he was, especially yours; for I believe he did just +right. Taking out the fifteen thousand and the ten he paid for the +support of the orphans,--which I suppose you mean to have settled up in +another way,--there was seventy-five thousand dollars left, which he +divided equally among his brothers and the representatives of the one +who died over ten years ago. That is according to the valuation annexed +to the will." + +"It's mighty strange, Noah, that you can't see nothin' when it's p'inted +out to you," stormed Titus, his wrath rising to the boiling point at his +repeated defeats; for, "though vanquished, he could argue still." + +"I don't believe at all in your pointing, Brother Titus." + +"You talk about that valuation; but it was a fraud, and it was meant to +cheat me out of eight or ten thousand dollars!" roared the malcontent, +gesticulating violently. "It ought to been thirty thousand dollars +more'n 'twas! I say it out loud; and I know what I'm talkin' about!" + +"I don't think you do, Brother Titus. I think you had better stop +drinking whiskey for a week, and then we can talk this subject over more +satisfactorily." + +"Do you mean to accuse me of bein' drunk, Noah Lyon?" demanded Titus, +shaking his fist in the face of his brother; and at this moment that +colt was dashing over the bridge at a dead run, with Levi on his back. + +"I don't think you are drunk, Brother Titus, as tipplers understand the +word, but you are under the influence of liquor, and it affects your +judgment," replied Noah as gently as though he had been speaking in a +prayer-meeting. + +"Then you mean that I _am_ drunk!" + +[Illustration: "THEN YOU MEAN I AM DRUNK."] + +Both of his fists were clinched, and he was shaking one in the face of +the planter, when the bay colt dashed in between them, Noah falling back +before the menacing demonstration of Titus. Levi had dismounted at the +end of the bridge, and seated himself in the arbor where he could still +see the two men. When Titus shook his fist in the face of the planter, +he leaped upon the colt as though he had been fifty pounds lighter, and +galloped to the scene of the wordy contest. + +"What do you want here?" demanded the visitor, with a very unnecessary +expletive. + +"What is it, Levi?" asked Noah. + +"I didn't know but you might want me," replied the manager; but the +demonstrative person was his employer's brother, and he refrained from +using the strong language that came to his tongue's end. + +"I don't want you for anything just now, Levi," replied the planter, +sorry that there should have been a witness to the stormy interview with +his brother; and he wondered if he had not been too plain-spoken, mild +and dignified as he had been. + +"What do you mean, you scoundrel, by stickin' your nose in where you're +not wanted?" demanded Titus savagely, as he shook his fist, relieved +from duty before the planter, in the direction of the overseer. + +Levi wheeled his horse so that he crowded the angry man out of his +place, and made him spring to keep out of the way of the fiery animal; +but he made no reply to the abuse cast upon him. Noah nodded his head in +the direction of the mansion, and the manager rode off, though it was +evident to his employer that he was itching to lay hands on the +turbulent visitor. + +"I hate that villain!" gasped Titus. + +"And he despises you as thoroughly as you hate him; so there is no love +lost. But I think you had better conduct yourself a little more +peaceably, Titus; for I do not like to have the people on the plantation +see that there is any difficulty between us, for we are brothers, I wish +you to remember. Perhaps we had better drop the subject where it is, for +it is almost suppertime," said Noah with the most conciliatory tone and +manner. + +"Not jest yet," returned Titus warmly. "I said that valuation was a +fraud, meant to cheat me out of my rightful due; and you told me I was +drunk, which ain't no kind of an argument." + +"I did not say that exactly; but if it was an argument for anything, it +was that we should talk this matter over some time when you had not +drunk anything." + +"I drink something everyday; and I have a perfect right to do so." + +"I don't dispute it." + +"Dunk gave you all the niggers, and did not put them in the valuation. +Wasn't that cheating me out of my share of the thirty thousand they +would bring even in these shaky times?" + +"I don't think it was. I repeat that the colonel had a perfect right, +just as good a right as you have to drink whiskey, though I don't do so, +to dispose of his property as he pleased," added Noah, looking down at +the planks of the bridge, and remaining for a minute in deep thought. + +"That ain't no argument!" blustered Titus. "The law gives a man's +property to his brothers and sisters when he leaves no parents or +children; and every honest and just man does the same thing." + +"I did not mean to say anything to anybody about the servants on the +place; but I feel obliged to speak to you about them so far as to tell +the facts relating to them," said Noah when he had come to this +conclusion. + +"I cal'late you better speak out if you've got anything to say, or else +pay me over fifteen thousand dollars for my share in the value of them +niggers," replied Titus with a triumphant air, for he believed he had +gained a point. + +"When I was at Colonel Cosgrove's house on the day of our arrival, he +handed me a letter, heavily sealed with red wax, from our deceased +brother. This letter contained another. I have both of these letters in +the safe in the library. Now, if you will go to the house with me, I +will show you both of these letters," continued the planter, +disregarding the tone and manner of his irate brother. + +Titus was curious to know what the colonel had to say in defence of his +conduct, and he assented to the visit to the library. Noah produced the +two letters, handing the opened one to his brother, and showing the +heavily sealed one to him but not permitting it to pass out of his +hands. The malcontent read the opened one. + +"Not to sell one of the niggers for five years!" he exclaimed when he +had finished it. "That is another outrage! And you are not to open that +other letter for the same time. Give it to me, Noah, and I will open it +now!" + +"It shall not be opened till the five years have expired," answered the +planter firmly, as he returned both of the epistles to the safe and +locked the door of it. + +Titus was more violent than ever, for he had been defeated in his last +and most promising stronghold, as he regarded it. He stormed like a +madman, and kept it up for nearly an hour. He made so much noise that +Mrs. Noah knocked at the door to learn what was the matter. At the same +time she called them to supper; but Titus was so angry that he rushed +out of the house, called for his team, and left with his wife at once. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE SINK-CAVERN NEAR BAR CREEK + + +The supper at the mansion had waited till it was quite dark; and it was +evident to Mrs. Noah that the brothers were engaged in important +business, for they had been talking on the bridge all the afternoon, and +Titus spoke so loud in the library that he could be heard all over the +house, though he could not be understood. Something very exciting was +passing between them; Mrs. Noah thought it was politics, but Mrs. Titus +thought it was about "that story" she had repeated. + +As the angry brother passed the door of the sitting-room he called his +wife out, and bolted from the house. Noah followed, and rang the stable +bell. Frank brought the team to the door; Titus pushed his suffering +wife into it, and drove off without the formality of saying good-night. +The planter ate his supper, and was as pleasant as usual, saying nothing +of the business which had brought Titus to Riverlawn. + +"It seems that story about the arms and ammunition has no truth at all +in it," said Mrs. Noah. + +"So Titus says," replied the husband. + +"Meely was terribly excited about it, and said she ought not to have +said a word about it. She begged me not to let any one in the house say +anything about it to any one. Her husband abused her, and even struck +her, for what she had done." + +"I did not know but he would strike me this afternoon. I suppose the +boys have had their supper," added Noah, looking over the table to their +vacant places. + +"No, they have not; I haven't seen anything of them since they went from +dinner," answered Mrs. Lyon. "I wonder where they are?" + +"They went up the creek together in one of the boats just after Titus +came, and I haven't seen or heard anything of them since," said Noah. "I +don't think they were going a-fishing. They have been gone about seven +hours now, and it is time they were at home. Did you see anything of +them, Levi?" + +"I saw them rowing up the creek when I was riding up to the hill +pasture; but I haven't seen them since," replied the overseer. + +"I hope nothing has happened to them," continued Mrs. Lyon, looking +quite anxious. "Perhaps the boat has been upset." + +"I don't believe it did; but if it went over, both of the boys can swim +like ducks," replied the planter. + +The conversation in regard to the absentees was continued till the meal +was finished, and all the party were very much troubled. Levi +volunteered to ride up the creek road and look for them; and just as he +was going to the stable, the absentees came into the house. + +"Where in the world have you been, boys?" demanded Mrs. Lyon, delighted +to find they were safe. + +"We have been exploring the creek, and we have been a good ways up, as +far as the rocky hills," replied Deck, as he seated himself at the +table; and Diana went for the waffles she had kept hot for them. + +"Did you catch any fish?" asked Levi. + +"Not a fish; we did not put a line into the water." + +They had no narrative to relate, or if they had they did not relate it, +though they were questioned for some time, and they told what they had +seen, or a portion of it. + +"While you are here, boys, I want to tell you that your Aunt Amelia has +been at the house all the afternoon," said Mrs. Lyon. "She came to take +back that story she told me this morning in her own house about the arms +and ammunition. She misunderstood your uncle, and there is not a word of +truth in it. So you will understand, all of you, that not a word is to +be said about it out of the house." + +"Not a word of truth in it!" exclaimed Deck; and Artie dropped his hot +waffle in astonishment, or under the influence of some other emotion. + +"Your aunt says there are no arms hidden on the river, or anywhere else. +You mustn't say a word about the matter, and I have cautioned all in the +house not to whisper a sound of it," added Mrs. Lyon. + +Deck looked at Artie, and Artie looked at Deck. A significant smile +passed between them, but they said nothing. As soon as they had finished +their supper they followed the planter into his library, which had been +lighted before. It was an important conference which followed there, and +it must be left in progress in order to return to the boat in which the +boys were pursuing their adventure on the creek. + +Artie had the floor on the boat, and he had just recalled the time when +Noah had spoken to him about being out so late the night before. Deck +remembered it very well, and also that his cousin had evaded an adequate +explanation of his absence from the house when he ought to have been in +bed. + +"You never explained why you were out so late that night," said he. + +"I wanted to look into the matter a little more before I said anything, +for I didn't care to make a fool of myself," replied Artie. + +"You have a habit of keeping your mouth shut pretty tight," said Deck +with a smile. + +"I don't believe in talking too much about things you don't understand, +and I meant to have looked into the matter before this time, but somehow +I haven't had the chance to do so," replied Artie, still pulling his +oar. "I'm going to tell you about my night adventure now, and you can +judge for yourself whether we are going on a wild-goose chase up the +creek." + +"All right; and I will keep my oar moving all the time, so that we shall +be getting ahead while I listen," replied Deck. + +"I was in the canoe, and I had gone farther up the creek than I had ever +been before," Artie began. "You have been up the road that leads to +Dripping Spring and the Mammouth Cave. It crosses the railroad about +five miles before you get to the spring, and the creek flows within a +quarter of a mile of this place." + +"I remember the place very well; for Levi stopped his team there to let +the girls get out and pick some flowers. I could see the creek from this +spot," added Deck. + +"Then you know the place. I had been up the creek three or four miles +farther, and I was on my way home. I had been ashore just abreast of +Dripping Spring, and I got interested in looking over a sink,--I believe +that is what they call these holes in the ground down here,--and the sun +went down before I thought how late it was getting. But I found the hole +led into a cave; but it was too dark for me to explore it. I made a note +of it, to bring a lantern up and survey the cavern when I had plenty of +time to do so." + +"That will be a good job for both of us some time," suggested Deck. + +"I couldn't tell how far I was from home, but I knew it was a long +distance, and I made tracks for the canoe as soon as I saw that it was +getting dark. I hurried up till my arms ached so that I had to stop and +rest. I made up my mind that I must take it moderately or I never should +get home. + +"While I was resting I saw three lights off to the south of me, and then +I knew I was near that road. I could make out about half a dozen men or +boys there, and I watched them for some time. I concluded that they were +up to some mischief, and in my interest I forgot how late it was +getting. I was possessed to know what iniquity was going on there, and I +hauled the canoe up to the shore and made the painter fast to a bush. I +landed, and made my way as near to the road as I dared to go. The ground +was low, and covered with clumps of bushes, so I had no difficulty in +hiding myself till I was within twenty feet of the party. + +"I could hear every word they said; and the man who was bossing the job, +whatever it was, satisfied me that he was Uncle Titus." + +"Uncle Titus!" exclaimed Deck, ceasing to row in his astonishment. + +"Not the least doubt of it; and more than this, I soon recognized the +tones of Sandy and Orly; but I don't know who the other three were." + +"But what were they doing?" asked Deck, absorbed in the narrative. + +"You have stopped rowing, Deck, and we shall never get there at this +rate." + +The stroke oarsman turned his body so that he could change hands at the +handle of the oar, and then resumed pulling. + +"Well, this was an adventure; but you didn't tell me what they were +doing," added Deck. + +"I will tell you all about it, but don't stop rowing, or we shall not +get home before midnight, and father will give us a lecture for being +out late at night. The men were handling a lot of boxes. Some of them +were long enough to hold coffins, and I wondered if they hadn't been +killing Union men, and were getting rid of the bodies. Then they brought +out a lot of haypoles or hand-barrows from the two big wagons in the +road. I saw them put one of the boxes on the poles or barrow, and move +towards the creek. I thought it was about time for me to be leaving, for +I believed they would kill me if they caught me." + +"They wouldn't have let you off with a whole skin, anyhow," said Deck. +"Do you suppose the boxes contained bodies, Artie?" + +"Hold on till I come to it, and I will tell you all about it," replied +the narrator rather impatiently. "I wasn't safe where I was, and I crept +back to the creek between the clumps of bushes without making a bit of +noise on the soft ground. The box the first couple carried was heavy and +the bushes were in their way, so that they could not get along very +fast. As soon as I was out of hearing of the party, I ran with all my +might." + +"I don't blame you for being in a hurry, for if Uncle Titus had got hold +of you he would have made you see more stars then were in the sky just +then. I wonder if they had been killing Union men. The Seceshers have +done that thing in this State. A Union man was murdered in his own house +not far from here." + +"Dry up, Deck, or I shall never get through with my story!" exclaimed +Artie, who did not relish these repeated interruptions. + +"Go on, Artie; I won't say another word," Deck promptly promised. + +"I reached the creek, and cast off the canoe. I crossed over to the +other side, and pulled down stream; for I knew that the two with the box +could not be near the shore. I kept on towards home, but I was careful +not to make any noise with my oars. Just below I saw a big flatboat, +like the gundalow they used to have on the river to carry hay from the +meadows. I drove the canoe into some bushes, and waited. The two men +brought that long box to the shore, and loaded it into the flatboat, +which was big enough to carry six cords of wood. + +"The next load was brought by four men; and I could see by the way they +handled it that it was very heavy. I stopped till they had brought down +two more boxes, and then I thought it was time for me to be going. When +the party had all left the shore I rowed along by the bushes that +overhang the creek till I got round the bend. I didn't wait to see any +more, but rowed as fast as I could; and when I got to the pier I was so +tired I could hardly stand up. That is the end of the story, Deck, and +you know as much about the affair as I do; and I will answer all of your +questions as well as I can." + +"You did not find out anything for certain?" added the listener, +disappointed because his cousin had not ascertained what was in the +boxes. + +"I did not; but I have been able to guess at some things; and that is +the privilege of a New England Yankee." + +"Well, what do you guess was in those boxes?" + +"I didn't guess on that question at the time of it; but I was satisfied +that they concealed some sort of iniquity." + +"What do you suppose they were putting them in the boat for?" + +"Not to take them down the river, for they would have carried them to +some place on its banks if they had wanted to do that. They wanted to +take them up the creek, and this was the nearest point to it." + +"What did they want to do with the boxes? Oh, I know! They were going to +sink the bodies in the creek!" exclaimed Deck. + +"That would have been a good enough guess a fortnight ago; but it isn't +worth shucks now. I told you before that I could explain things better +this afternoon than I could when I saw what the men were doing." + +"How is that?" asked Deck with his mouth half open. + +"The moment mother told that story from Aunt Amelia, I knew what was in +the boxes; and they did not contain bodies, either." + +"Oh, I see! They contained the arms and ammunition." + +"A blind man could see that." + +"Well, that was an adventure. You mean that they were going to put them +in the cavern by the sink?" + +"Precisely that, and nothing less; and now we are going up to the sink +to see for ourselves what is in the boxes," replied Artie. + +They had a long pull before them; but they reached the place by five +o'clock, and explored the cavern. They found the boxes and two cannons +with their carriages. They could not open the boxes for the want of any +tools; but the labels assured them they contained muskets and revolvers. +They hastened down the creek; but it was eight o'clock when they reached +the mansion. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AROUSED TO THE SOLEMN DUTY OF THE HOUR + + +It was more than two hours after suppertime when Deck and Artie arrived. +They were very tired and very hungry after their long pull up the creek; +but they felt better after they had taken a hearty supper. Deck sought +the first opportunity to detail the operations of the afternoon to his +father. + +"Your Uncle Titus has been here this afternoon, and I have had a long +talk with him on the bridge; but his first business here was to disclaim +any knowledge of the arms and ammunition concealed on the river," said +Mr. Lyon, before the boys had an opportunity to open with the story of +their adventure. "He says your Aunt Amelia understood him with her +elbows, and it was a ridiculous story she told your mother without a +word of truth in it." + +"Without a word of truth in it," repeated Deck, who was more inclined +than Artie to do the talking, though the latter was fluent enough of +speech when the occasion required it. + +The boys looked at each other; and they did something more than smile +this time, for they laughed out loud. In view of the revelation they had +to make, the affair became more exciting; but after the discovery they +had made, they did not wonder that Titus had been so earnest in his +purpose to contradict the statement their aunt had made. + +"What are you laughing at, boys?" interposed their father. "This is a +serious matter as your uncle looks upon it; and I suppose such a rumor +circulated about the county might get him and his sons into trouble. The +Unionists regard the Home Guards as precisely the same as Secessionists, +and believe that they are armed, so far as they are armed, to help along +the cause of the South." + +"I should say that Uncle Titus might be a little shaken up about the +story Aunt Amelia related," added Artie with a significant look at his +cousin. + +"I don't know but the Union people would mob him if they believed he had +obtained arms for any Home Guards, especially for such ruffians as they +say he has been gathering together for his company," said Mr. Lyon. "I +have cautioned all who heard the story not to mention or hint at it in +the strongest manner; for of course I don't want to get your uncle into +trouble by repeating a false rumor." + +"Suppose he gets himself into trouble?" suggested Deck. "He is an +out-and-out Secesher, and he don't make any bones of saying so out loud. +Sandy thinks they will break up the Union meeting at the schoolhouse +to-morrow night." + +"Titus says he has done his best to prevent anything of the kind being +done," replied Mr. Lynn. "He thinks I should be mobbed and this house +burned over our heads if he did not use his influence to prevent it. But +your uncle believes what he wants to believe, and is certain a vast +majority of the people of the county are Secessionists. I am very well +satisfied that they are at least about equally divided. At any rate, the +Secessionists are doing their best to overawe the Union people, and they +might succeed to some extent if they could arm the villains they have +enrolled." + +"Then it is better not to let them be armed," suggested Deck, with a +glance at his cousin. + +"The story your mother told at dinner made it look as though they were +to be provided with weapons and ammunition at once; but the statement is +not true, and we appear to be safe for the present," said Mr. Lyon. "But +where have you been all the afternoon, boys?" + +"Deck will tell the story, father," replied Artie. + +"You led off in this business, Artie, and I think you had better tell +it," said Deck, though he was ready enough to relate the adventure. + +"We will both tell it, then," added Artie. "I will begin and go as far +as where you joined me this afternoon at the bridge, and you shall tell +the rest of it." + +"All right; fire away, Artie." + +In accordance with this arrangement, the boys minutely narrated the +events of the afternoon, to the great astonishment and indignation of +Mr. Lyon. He occasionally interrupted his son to ask questions in regard +to the boxes they had examined in the cavern. The boys described the +cases, with the marks upon them, and the listener had no doubt they +contained arms and ammunition. The two carriages for the field-pieces +were the only portion of the warlike material not contained in boxes; +and these were almost evidence enough to determine the character of the +rest of the goods. + +"Were the boxes all of the same kind?" asked the father, deeply +interested, and not a little disturbed by the revelation of the evening. + +"They were not the same," replied Deck, taking a paper from his pocket, +on which he had written down a list of the cases. "The lid of one of the +two in which the cannon were boxed up had been split off in part, so +that we could see what was in it. Twelve cases were labelled +'Breech-loading Rifles,' and the rest of the lot were marked with the +kind of ammunition they contained. The smallest of them had cannon-balls +and grape in them." + +"There isn't any doubt about the matter now," replied Mr. Lyon. "This +means war; and I have no doubt they are to be used in this county by +your uncle's cut-throats; for that is what they are according to what +Colonel Cosgrove said to me the other day. This is bad business," and +the planter gazed at the floor, his wrinkled brow indicating the deep +thought in which he was engaged. + +"Sandy says the company of Home Guards is about full, and I suppose they +will not leave the arms and ammunition in the cavern for any great +length of time," suggested Deck. + +"Something must be done," said Mr. Lyon. "If that company get these +weapons they will terrorize the whole county. There are some very strong +Unionists in this vicinity. Colonel Cosgrove told me they had threatened +to burn his house, though he is a very conservative man. He was in favor +of neutrality; but he admits that the Home Guards in this county are +about all Secessionists. Your Uncle Titus says I am looked upon as an +abolitionist, and if it had not been for him they would have 'cleaned me +out,' as he called it, before this time. It is time something was done," +and the planter relapsed into a revery again. + +The boys were silent. Fort Sumter had been bombarded, and its heroic +garrison had marched out with the honors of war. The country was in a +state of war. The call of the President for seventy-five thousand men +had been made. Northern soldiers were marching South for the protection +of Washington. Flags were flying, drums were beating, trumpets were +blaring, and troops were organizing all over the loyal nation. + +In Kentucky men were enlisting in both armies, though the majority of +them clung to the flag of the Union, inspired by the traditions of the +State. But large portions of it were subjected to a reign of terror. One +party was struggling to carry the State out of the Union, and the other +to keep it in the Union. The county in which Noah Lyon and his family +were located was even more shaken by these discordant elements than most +of the others; for it was not more than thirty miles from the southern +boundary of the State. + +"It almost breaks my heart to have my only living brother associated +with, and even leading, these conspirators against the Union," Mr. Lyon +resumed, as he wiped some tears from his eyes. "But when it comes to the +defence of the old flag under which we have become the most enlightened +and prosperous nation in the world, no true man can favor even his +brother when he plots to ruin it. Something must be done!" he repeated +with energy as he rose to his feet, and emphasized his remark with a +vigorous stamp of his foot. + +"What shall be done, father?" asked Deck, awed by the manner and the +tears of his father; and he had never been so moved before in his life. + +"We must defend the old flag, my boys! We must rally with those who are +marching to the defence of the Union! The time for talking has gone by, +and the time for action has come. I have not passed the military age, +and I shall not shirk the plain duty of the citizen, which is to become +a soldier," replied Mr. Lyon impressively. + +"Do you mean to say that you shall join the army, father?" asked Deck. + +"Certainly; what else can I do at a time like this?" replied the father. +"And that is not all, my son; you and Artemas are now sixteen years old, +nearly seventeen. You are both stout boys; and not only the sire, but +the sons, must shoulder the musket and march to the battle-field." + +"I am ready for one!" exclaimed Deck with enthusiasm. + +"I am ready for the other!" added Artie quite as earnestly. + +"For some time I have seen that this was what we must come to; but I +have put off saying anything about it, for it is a solemn and even an +awful thing to engage in the strife of civil war, brother against +brother, the son against his father, and the father against his son." + +"In our own family, we shall all be on the same side," added Deck. + +"But your uncle and his two sons will be with the enemies of the Union. +It is not of our choosing, and God will be with us while we do our duty +to our country," said the patriot father, as he solemnly lifted his eyes +upward. "Now, my sons, for you both call me father, and I have always +tried to be the same to both of you"-- + +"And you always have been! And Aunt Ruth has been a mother to me and my +sister Dorcas!" interposed Artie, as he wiped the tears from his eyes. +"I shall never again call either of you anything but father or mother. I +am ready to enlist whenever you say the word, father." + +"You are honest and true, and that is the kind of man you will make, my +son; and I can say the same of Dexter. You will both make good +soldiers." + +Both the father and the sons shed tears as they realized, as they never +had before, the solemn duty which the peril of the Union imposed upon +them; and they were inspired to do that duty to the last drop of their +life-blood. + +"There, boys! I did not intend to make a scene like this; but the +finding of the arms and ammunition convinces me that your Uncle Titus +and his villanous associates mean to make war upon loyal men in this +county. When you join the ranks of the Union army, you will find them +all in the columns of the enemy. You have done good service to our cause +in the discovery and ferreting out of this conspiracy against the true +men of this locality." + +"It was all by accident that I found out about it," added Artie +modestly. + +"I hope you will forgive me for scolding at you for being out so late +that night," said Mr. Lyon. + +"You didn't scold me; you only gave me some good advice, and I hope I +shall always remember it. But I did not know then what I had discovered, +or where they were storing the arms." + +"You did exceedingly well, whether you knew what you were doing or not. +Now it is driven into my very soul that I ought not to let the enemy +profit by obtaining those arms. I have made up my mind that it would be +treason, or next door to it, for me to let Titus and his gang have all +these weapons; and with the blessing of God they never shall have them!" + +"That is the talk, father!" exclaimed Deck. + +"So say we all of us!" Artie chimed in. "But what can we do?" + +"Before the light of to-morrow morning breaks upon Riverlawn, we must +move all those boxes to the plantation," replied Mr. Lyon; and he +proceeded to discuss the means by which this purpose could be +accomplished. + +"We have teams enough to haul the whole of them over here at one load," +said Deck, boiling over with enthusiasm. + +"Keep cool, my son, for we must be very prudent in our movements. Do you +know what became of the flatboat with which the conspirators moved the +cases up to the cavern?" + +"Artie thought of that; and we found the gundalow in a little inlet at +the mouth of a brook, covered up with bushes." + +"Then we may use that," replied the planter. "But I am in doubt about +one thing which may bother us." + +"What's that, father?" asked Deck, who could not think of any impediment +to the carrying out of the plan announced by his father. + +"I don't know that we can depend upon every person about the plantation. +A single one opposed to our scheme could ruin it. He might go to the +village and tell Titus, or some of his fellow-conspirators, what we were +about, and interfere with us before we got back." + +"No one here would do such a thing," protested Deck. "All the servants +believe in you." + +"I was thinking of Levi Bedford." + +"Levi!" exclaimed both of the loyal boys together. + +"I have never spoken a word to him about politics, or he to me. +Absolutely all I know about him is that he is a Tennesseean. But we must +settle this point on the instant; you may go and find him, Dexter, and +ask him to come into the library." + +Deck left the room. He found the overseer in the sitting-room with the +family, and he returned with him a minute later. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE NIGHT EXPEDITION IN THE MAGNOLIA + + +Levi Bedford walked into the library not a little excited with +curiosity; for Titus Lyon had spent the whole afternoon on the bridge +with the planter, who had been closeted with the two boys for some time. +It was evident to him that something unusual had occurred. Noah was +seated in a great arm-chair which usually faced his desk, but he had +turned it around. The overseer walked up to this chair, and planted +himself in front of it with a respectful look of inquiry on his round +face. + +"I am in doubt, Levi, and I have sent for you," Mr. Lyon began. "As you +are aware, I have never talked politics with you, and have not known to +which party you belong." + +"I don't belong to any party," replied Levi with a very broad smile on +his face. "My party is the plantation and the family. I look out for +them, and I don't bother my head much about anything else." + +"I suppose you have relatives in Tennessee?" suggested the planter. + +"Second or third cousins very likely; but I don't know anything about +them, and I don't lie awake nights thinking of them. My father died +before I was twenty-one; I had no sisters, and my only brother went to +California twenty years ago, and I haven't heard from him in ten years." + +"I don't mean to meddle with your affairs, Levi, but the time has come +when every man, must declare himself." + +"I should think it had, Mr. Lyon; and this afternoon I thought I was +going to have a chance to strike for your side of the house. I was ready +to do it, for two or three times I thought you were in peril. I don't +know what you were talking about, only it was something very stirring," +replied Levi with his usual smile. + +"I don't think I was in any danger, but I am very much obliged to you +for looking out for me. Now things have come to such a pass that I must +put a direct question to you: Are you a Union man or a Secessionist?" + +"I am a Union man now from the crown of my foot to the sole of my head," +laughed Levi. "But it wouldn't be anything more than honest and square, +Major Lyon, for me to say that I haven't been so many months. Colonel +Lyon was a Union man; but he didn't have it half as bad as you have it. +Some of his neighbors thought he was too tender with his people; but he +and Colonel Cosgrove were pretty well matched on politics." + +"He is a strong Union man, though he is in favor of neutrality if it can +be carried out, which is utterly impossible," added the planter. + +"About the only thing in the row that set me to thinking and made me mad +was that such a set of reckless scallawags have run the machine on the +other side. There is hardly a man of any standing among them. I know +that your brother, who is nothing but a Northern doughface, is one of +the principal leaders among them, and--" + +"We haven't any time to talk about this matter now, Levi," interposed +Noah Lyon, looking at his watch. "I see that you are all right, for you +are a Union man, and you do not approve the course of the violent party +in this county, and the time has come for the boys and me to do +something." + +The planter proceeded in rather hurried speech to state the situation, +and to describe the discovery the boys had made that afternoon. The +overseer evidently had a very strong desire to express his mind in +regard to Titus Lyon; but with great effort he restrained himself, and +listened almost in silence to the narrative of the speaker. + +"I am with you in this matter, Major Lyon, on its merits, though I like +to be on your side; but these ruffians who are trying to make civil war +in the State of Kentucky must be checked," he replied, when the planter +had hurried through his statement. "I am sorry that brother of yours +used any of the money the colonel left him to buy arms and ammunition to +help drag the State out of the Union. I will work day and night to +euchre him and the rest of them." + +"You are just the right man in the right place, Levi Bedford!" exclaimed +Mr. Lyon. "We have no time now to decide what we will do with these +warlike implements, only to get possession of them. It is quarter-past +nine now, and I have my plan for the beginning. While we are carrying it +out we can settle what is to be done with the arms." + +"I know just where that sink-hole and cavern are, and all we have to do +to get there is to follow the creek," added the manager. + +"The flatboat is near the place, and we can move the boxes in that, as +the conspirators conveyed them from the road," replied Mr. Lyon. "But +there are only four of us, two men and two boys. The cannons must weigh +six or seven hundred pounds apiece, and we shall want more help." + +"Well, we have help enough, and we can take a dozen of the people with +us, if we want as many as that," added Levi. "I know something about +these things, for when I kept stable in my State I used to belong to an +artillery company." + +"Can the negroes be trusted? We must keep our operations a profound +secret." + +"In this business you can trust them a great deal farther than you can a +white man," said the overseer, as he took a piece of paper from the desk +and wrote down the names of some of the hands. "How many do you want, +Major Lyon?" + +"Half a dozen; we can't accommodate more than that. Put in the boatmen, +for there is a deal of boating to be done." + +Levi revised his list and then handed it to the planter. + +"General, Dummy, Rosebud, Woolly, Mose, Faraway," Mr. Lyon read from the +list. "I should say you had picked out just the men we need. They are +all used to the boats, and they are among the toughest and strongest +hands on the place. Yon must put them under oath, if need be, to be as +secret as death itself. I will leave all that to you. Now, have them at +the lower boat pier just as soon as possible, and we will be there." + +"I will have them there in fifteen minutes," replied Levi, as he +hastened to execute his mission. + +"Now, boys, go to the pier, and get the Magnolia in condition to go up +the creek," continued Mr. Lyon. + +"The Magnolia!" exclaimed Deck. "Why, she--" + +"We have no time to argue any question, Dexter," interposed the father. +"Take your overcoats; and you are to be as secret as the rest of us. Ask +your mother to come into the library, but don't stop to talk, my son." + +The boys left the room, and Mrs. Lyon immediately presented herself in +the library. + +"What in the world is going on here to-night, Noah?" asked the good +woman. "Ever since the boys came in you have been closeted in here as if +you were planning something." + +"So we are, Ruth, for the boys made a great discovery on their trip up +the creek," answered the planter hurriedly. "That story about the arms +and ammunition which Titus and Amelia came down here to disclaim and +deny was all as true as gospel, for the boys have found them." + +In five minutes more Mr. Lyon told his wife all that it was necessary +for her to know, and charged her to be secret and silent. She seemed to +be alarmed; but he assured her that there was no danger in the +enterprise in which they were to engage. It was absolutely necessary +that the arms and munitions should be removed beyond the reach of the +conspirators. He asked her to bring him three lanterns without letting +any one see them, which she did at once. With these in his hands, the +planter left the house without going into the sitting-room. + +Deck and Artie reached the boat-pier without speaking a word, and they +ran half the way. The Magnolia was moored out in the creek; and taking +the canoe, which was used as her tender when the sailboat was in +service, as it had not been since the death of the colonel, she was +towed alongside the pier. They went to work baling her out, of which she +was in great need, though she had been well cared for in her idleness by +the boatmen of the place. + +The Magnolia had not been built for a sailboat. Site was long and narrow +for her length, about thirty feet, and was provided with rowlocks for +six oars. Before they had finished baling her out the General and Dummy +reached the wharf. They were great strapping negroes, fully six feet +tall, and the weight of each could not have been much below two hundred +pounds, though they were not of aldermanic build. + +When they saw what the boys were doing,--for Levi had not given them +even a hint as to the nature of the service in which they were to be +employed,--they seized the buckets, and soon cleared the well of water. +Levi was the next to put in an appearance, just as Deck was telling the +two men to take the mast out of her, an order which the manager +countermanded. + +"We may want the mast and sail," interposed Levi; "for the wind is fresh +from the south-west to-night, and I don't believe in doing any more work +with the oars than is necessary." + +"But we have no boatman, and none of us know how to manage the sail," +argued Deck. "It would be a bad time to get upset, and we have no time +to indulge in fooling, Levi." + +"The mast and sail are not in the way in the boat. I am no boatman, and +I never tried to handle the Magnolia, for the colonel was the only +person on the place who ever learned the trick of doing that; but I +often sailed in her up and down the river, and I used to think I could +do it if I tried," replied the manager, as the other four negroes came +upon the pier. + +"Oh, well, if you can handle her with a sail, that's another thing," +answered Deck, yielding the point. + +"Here, Rosebud, unlock the boathouse, and bring out six oars, the +biggest ones, and all the boathooks you can find," said Levi, as he +looked the boat over. + +No one said a word about the mission upon which they were to embark, +leaving the planter to do all the talking when he came. General and +Dummy were the biggest of the six men who had been selected; but the +other four were stalwart fellows. Their names were rather odd, the +family thought when they first heard them; but not one of them bore the +one his mother had given him in his babyhood, for the colonel had +rechristened the whole of them on the plantation to suit his own fancy. + +Some circumstance, or something in their appearance, had doubtless +suggested the names; but after they were given they clung to their +owners as though they had been recorded in a church. The General was a +quick-witted fellow, which inclined him to take the lead when anything +was to be done. Woolly had a tremendous mop of hair on his head. Dummy +was a preacher in the shanty which served as a church at the Big Bend; +and perhaps because he was always studying his sermons, he never spoke a +word unless the occasion required it; but Levi, who had heard him +preach, said he could talk fast enough in his pulpit, and delivered a +more sensible sermon than some white clergymen to whom he had listened. + +Rosebud, like the overseer, always had a smile on his face, and could +hardly do or say anything without laughing. Mose did not swear +profanely, but "by Moses;" and everything was as true, as high, as big, +as handsome, as "Moses in de bulrushes." "Faraway" had been a pet word +with the one to whom the planter had given this name. They were all +reliable servants, and were devoted to their past and present masters. +No king, prince, or potentate had ever been as big a man in their +estimation as the colonel; and they had transferred this homage to the +"major," as they were inclined to call Mr. Lyon after they heard the +overseer use this title. + +Levi placed the men in the boat, each with his oar, and then headed it +up the creek. The boys took their places in the stern-sheets, and the +overseer handled the tiller lines. These arrangements were no sooner +completed than the planter appeared, and took his place with the boys. +The rowers were sitting with the oars upright; for the General, who was +the stroke oarsman, had learned either from pictures in the illustrated +papers their former master used to give the hands when he had done with +them, or from some person more experienced than himself, some of the +forms used in boating. + +"Drop your oars!" said Levi, and they all fell into the water together. + +"Ought to say 'let fall,' Mars'r Levi," added General. + +"No talk, General. Now gather up, and pull away!" continued Levi. + +General would have given him the proper form, "Give way!" but Levi was +not in the humor to be instructed, and the rower said no more. The men +pulled their oars with a will, and the implements bent under their +vigorous stroke. The planter had run all the way from the mansion, and +was out of breath, so he was silent for a time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +AT THE HEAD WATERS OF BAR CREEK + + +It was quite dark when the Magnolia went out from the pier, though it +was a starlight night. The crew pulled very well, for the colonel had +taken no little pride in the appearance of his boat on the river. Before +his health was impaired he occasionally went to the county town by +water; for it was on a branch of the river, and was full thirty miles +distant by the winding streams. + +The crew were powerful men, and had had plenty of practice in former +years. But the present planter preferred the vehicles, drawn by fine +horses, and the boys used the smaller boats, so the Magnolia had not +been manned under the new order of things. Under the vigorous stroke of +the negroes she soon passed under the bridge, and headed up the creek. + +"We are fairly started, and this boat seems to be making at least five +miles an hour," said the planter, when he had fully recovered his +breath. + +"More than that, I should say, Major Lyon. I don't believe the hands can +keep up this gait all the way; but we shall get to the sink about +midnight," replied Levi. + +"I don't know that there is anything to apprehend in the way of danger," +added Mr. Lyon. + +"I don't know whether there is or not; but I put my revolver and a box +of cartridges into my pocket." + +"I never owned a pistol of any kind, and have hardly fired a gun since I +was a boy; but in the storeroom out of the library I found some very +nice weapons,--a double-barrelled rifle and a fowling-piece." + +"The colonel had two revolvers; and they must be somewhere about the +library. A few years ago some horse-thieves were in this vicinity, and +we kept a watch on the place every night for a couple of weeks," said +Levi. + +"If Uncle Titus put five thousand dollars into these guns and pistols, I +should think he would be apt to keep a watch over them," suggested Deck. + +"A watch would not amount to anything unless he put as many as half a +dozen men on it," answered Levi. "But I think he depends upon the +secrecy of his movements and the safety of the cavern for the security +of the arms. He put the things away in the night, and I don't believe +anybody ever goes over the spring road in the darkness. If he put a +watch anywhere he would station it on that road at the place where they +shifted the boxes from the wagon to the flatboat. But I reckon we can +take care of the watch if there is any there." + +"But the road is about a quarter of a mile from the creek," said Deck. + +"All of that; and we may pass the place without much of any noise, and +no one on the road would be likely to hear us," replied Levi. + +"I don't think the watch, if there is one, will give us any trouble, for +if they hear us, we can keep out of their way; and I don't think they +would have any boat in the creek," added the planter. "Your revolver +will keep them at a proper distance when we reach the cavern." + +"I found a shingling hatchet in the boathouse, and I brought that along +with me," said Artie. + +"Are you going to fight with that?" asked Deck. + +"Not exactly that; but we couldn't open one of the boxes this afternoon +for the want of a tool, and we can do so with this hatchet; then we +shall have all the muskets, revolvers, and cartridges we can use," +replied Artie. + +"That is a good scheme, my boy," added Levi approvingly. "But I don't +believe we shall have to do any fighting. If the conspirators have set a +watch, it must be in the road; and I reckon we shall clean out the +cavern before they can get there." + +"We won't fight any battles before we get there," interposed the +planter. "We have always been peaceable people, but I suppose we must +get used to fighting, for we are going to have a terrible war; and I +don't believe in Mr. Seward's prediction that it will all be over in a +hundred days. I am ready to become a soldier, Levi, and so are the boys, +in defence of the Union." + +"I suppose I ought to do the same," added the overseer; "but I had not +thought of it." + +"You are fifty years old, and you will not be called upon to go into the +army, Levi," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"But I am ready to do my share of the fighting; and if I am over fifty, +I reckon I am as tough and hearty as any of them that will shoulder a +musket," said the overseer; and those near him could hear his chuckle, +though they could not see his smile. + +"I hope you will not go to the war, my friend," continued Mr. Lyon in a +very serious tone. "I am only forty-two, and I believe it is not only my +duty to send my boys into the army, but to go myself. I have thought a +great deal of this subject within the last month, though I haven't said +much. I believe a man's first duty is to his family, and I should hate +to go off into the army, and leave my wife and the girls here; for I +believe whoever stays in Barcreek will see some fighting here." + +"And see some before a great while," added Levi. "Everything is boiling +round here, and it will boil over before long. These Secession ruffians +are not going to keep the peace much longer. They are itching to begin +the work of driving the Union men into their cub pasture." + +"That is my own opinion; and that is my only dread in joining the army. +But I have comforted myself with the belief that Levi Bedford was over +fifty, and he would remain on the plantation and take care of my +family." + +"I am very much obliged to you, Major Lyon, for the confidence you put +in me, and I can assure you it shall not be abused," returned the +manager, with more gravity in his tone and manner than usual. "If by +staying here I can keep three good Union soldiers in the field, perhaps +that will be doing my fair share of the work." + +"We will talk this matter at another time, Levi; and I will only say I +could not have found a man more to my mind to take charge of the +plantation and the women-folks if I had hunted for him all over the +nation." + +"That's handsome, Major; and you may wager your life and all you have in +the world that I will never go back on you or your family," protested +the overseer warmly. + +"We understand each other perfectly, Levi. But there is a more pressing +question than that before the house just now," said Mr. Lyon, as he took +Levi's offered hand, and gave it an earnest grasp. "What are we to do +with all these arms and ammunition when we get them down to Riverlawn?" + +"I haven't had much time to think of that; but I had an idea come across +my head as I was running from the house down to the boat-pier. I passed +by the ice-house, and it jumped into my noddle that it would make a good +arsenal; but I haven't worked up the idea yet," replied the manager. + +"That is a happy thought!" exclaimed the planter. "It never occurred to +me. It is in just the right place; for my brother has given me warning +that I was in danger of being mobbed as an abolitionist, and that +nothing but his influence has prevented it from being done before." + +"It is hard work for me to believe that doughface is a brother of yours +and the late colonel; but if he dared to show his face in it, he would +be the first man to get up such a demonstration. Excuse me, Major, if I +am talking too plainly," said Levi, who had little patience with, or +toleration for, Titus Lyon. "He may send his company of Home Guards over +to clean out the mansion, but he won't come himself, for he is a poison +snake." + +"Perhaps you know my brother as he has developed himself in this +locality better than I do, though he has even shown his fangs, under a +mask, to me; but I shall keep the peace with him," replied Mr. Lyon very +sadly. + +"If he attempts anything of that sort, or any other border-ruffians do, +I believe we can make them wish they had stayed at home," said Levi +stoutly. + +"We can make the ice-house into a fortress for the protection of the +mansion," continued the planter. "It is near the creek, and commands the +bridge and the road leading to it, which is the only practicable +approach to the mansion. The swamp half a mile back of the house lies +between the spring road and the creek, and extends all the way to the +hills, not less than ten miles by water; and no body of men can get +through that way." + +Though he had had no military experience, Noah Lyon talked like an army +engineer. He was a man of very decided general ability, and he readily +comprehended the situation so far as his plantation was concerned. The +ice-house was about twenty-five feet square. It was built of stone under +the direction of Colonel Lyon, who had his own views, though they were +not always scientific. To preserve the ice, which did not consist of +great solid blocks as in New Hampshire, he believed that thick walls +were necessary, and he had put two feet of solid masonry into them. The +ice was generally not more than two inches thick in this latitude, +though an exceptionally hard winter sometimes made it four. It was +packed in solid, and then permitted to freeze by leaving the door and +two windows open during the freezing weather. + +"Stop rowing," said Levi, when they came to a bend five miles above the +bridge. "Now rest yourselves for five minutes, boys." + +"Don't need no rest, mars'r," said General, as he drew his arm over his +forehead, from which the perspiration was dropping on the handle of his +oar. "We done pulled dis boat twenty mile widout stoppin' once." + +"A little rest will do you no harm, for you will be kept at work till +morning," replied Levi. + +"Whar we gwine, mars'r?" asked General. + +"About five miles farther," replied the overseer evasively. "Have you +brought your jackets or coats with you, boys?" + +They had brought them. Levi had read of muffled oars, and he ordered +each of the rowers to wind the garment not in use around the loom of his +oar where it rested in the rowlock. They obeyed in silence, and no one +asked any question; for this reason they would have made good sailors, +for they must obey without asking the reason for the command. They had +been well trained by the overseer. + +"Now, not one of you must speak a loud word, or make any noise," +continued Levi, when he had seen that the oars were all properly +muffled. "You must excuse me, Major, if I request all in this part of +the boat to keep still also; for we are coming to the nearest point to +the spring road. If there is any one on watch there, we will fool him if +we can." + +"All right, Levi; we will keep as still as mice in a pantry." + +"Pull away again, boys," he added, to the disgust of General, who wanted +him to give his orders in "ship-shop" fashion. + +The negroes obeyed the command just as well as though it had been +"ship-shop;" and the Magnolia went ahead with renewed speed after the +rest. A little later the overseer ordered them to pull more slowly and +with less noise, for the oars could be heard in spite of the muffling. +But they could not be heard at half the distance to the spring road, and +no challenge came to them from that or any other direction. + +"Now you may put your muscle into your oars, boys," said the overseer +when the boat came to a bend which had carried it away farther from the +road. + +The men bent to their oars again, and the Magnolia flew over the dark +water. Dark as it was, the pilot had no difficulty in keeping the boat +in the middle of the creek. At the end of about an hour from the +resting-place, Levi ordered the men to pull slowly again, for the boat +was approaching its destination. The planter lighted a match and looked +at his watch. + +"Hold on, here, boys!" called the overseer. "We have gone too far, for +here is the mouth of the brook, and I reckon the flatboat is under that +heap of stuff;" and he pointed to a mound of branches by the shore of +the inlet. "I reckon we want the lanterns now, Major Lyon. Did you light +one of them?" + +"No; I only looked at my watch. We are in good time, for it wants a +quarter of twelve," replied the planter. "Get out the lanterns, boys, +and we will light them." + +Levi worked the boat into the little inlet, and alongside of the mound. +The flatboat was found under it, precisely as Artie had described it in +the library. Four of the hands were sent to the top of it, and ordered +to clear away the branches, which they did by throwing them on shore and +into the water. The gundalow was baled out, and then its painter was +made fast to the stern of the Magnolia. Deck and Artie were sent ashore +with one of the lanterns, and directed to find the sink. + +The Magnolia towed the flatboat down the creek till Deck hailed her from +the landing-place where they had gone ashore in the afternoon. By a +little after midnight the gundalow was moored at a convenient point for +loading it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE ARMS + + +The three lanterns were lighted, and Levi Bedford lost not a moment in +making the preparations for loading the boxes into the flatboat. The +sink-hole was a tunnel in the ground, at the bottom of which could be +heard the gurgling of waters. The overseer said the brook which flowed +into the creek where they had found the gundalow had its source in this +place, though it made a considerable circuit before it reached its +outlet. + +On the side of the inverted cone nearest to the creek there was an +opening which led into the cavern, the bottom of which was at least +twenty feet above the water, whose ripple they could hear. The descent +was gradual, both in the tunnel and in the cavern; and with lanterns in +their hands Deck and Artie led the way down, for they had made +themselves familiar with the subterranean chamber in the afternoon, and +it was years since Levi had been there. + +Mr. Lyon followed his son, while the overseer, with a coil of small line +on his arm, which he had taken from the boathouse, brought up the rear. +The party were taking a survey of the entrance in order to determine the +best way to move the cases. It looked as though the water had flowed +through the cavern at some remote period of time, probably rising from +the sink-hole below, for the limestone at the floor was worn tolerably +smooth. Doubtless the extinct stream had found a new outlet, lowering +the level of the water so that it had ceased to flow through the cave. + +The boxes were piled up just as they had been found in the afternoon. +The roof of the cavern was very irregular, and in some places it was not +more than five feet above the floor, while in others it was from eight +to ten. The arms were deposited in a recess about twenty feet from the +entrance. When the boys visited the sink-hole they had found the opening +of the cave partly filled up with branches of trees and other rubbish; +but they had removed these obstructions, which formed only a very weak +attempt to conceal the depository of the arms. + +Levi studied the interior of the cavern and the situation of the cases, +attended by the planter. The lanterns were sufficient to light it so +that they had no difficulty in seeing to work. The apartment began to +wind about just below them, and all was gloom and darkness in that +direction. + +"It is about twenty feet to the opening," said Levi, as he measured the +distance with his eye. "The roof is not more than five feet high half +the way; and, if their skulls are not harder than the limestone, General +and Dummy will be likely to stave a hole in them." + +"The rest of the hands are not so tall," suggested Mr. Lyon. + +"I brought this rope with me without knowing that it would be of any use +to us; but I find that it is just the thing we want," continued the +overseer as he uncoiled the line. "Now, boys, all we will ask you to do +is to hold the lanterns; but you must not go to sleep and let them fall +on the stone floor." + +"No danger of that," laughed Deck. "But we can work in the low place +without smashing our heads." + +"I am glad there is no hard work for you, boys, for you must be tired +after pulling a boat twenty miles this afternoon," added Mr. Lyon. + +"I am not very tired, and I can do my share of the work," replied Artie. + +"So can I," added Deck. + +"But you can do the most good by holding the lights," replied Levi. "One +of you stand down here; and the other, with two of the lanterns, near +the opening." + +The boys followed this direction, Deck placing himself at the entrance, +where he could light a part of the cavern and the tunnel. The overseer +uncoiled his rope, and with the help of the planter lifted one of the +boxes down to the floor. He then made fast the rope to it with a +slip-noose, the knot on the under side, so as to carry the case over any +obstructions. + +Walking up to the entrance, uncoiling the line as he proceeded, he +passed out of the cavern into the tunnel. Calling General and Dummy from +the place where they had been told to wait, he stationed them near the +door, and then carried the line, which was not less than seventy-five +feet in length, to the shore of the creek. + +"Now, Rosebud, and the rest of you, take hold of this rope, and when the +word comes up to you from General, haul up the box which is made fast to +the other end of it," continued Levi. "As soon as you get it up here, +unhitch the line, and throw the end down to General. As soon as you have +done that, load the case into the boat, then haul up another, and do the +same thing over again." + +"Gunnymunks!" exclaimed the laughing negro. "Whar all de boxes come +from?" + +"None of your business, Rosebud; mind your work, and don't ask +questions," returned the manager, as he descended to the entrance to the +cavern. + +"W'at we gwine to do, Mars'r Bedford?" asked General. + +"You are going to pull and haul; and you can begin now," replied Levi. +"Take hold of that line, and draw that box up here. Pull steady, so as +not to break it." + +The two powerful negroes manned the rope, and dragged the case up to the +opening without any difficulty, and without doing it any great injury. +It was placed so that it could be readily hauled out of the sink. + +"Above there!" called the overseer. "Now haul steady on the rope! Ease +it out of the opening, General." + +The two big men crowded it around the corner, and then it went up to the +ground above without any obstruction or delay. The line was detached +from the box, and thrown down to the entrance, General passing it down +to the pile of boxes. Another had been prepared for the rope, and the +planter made fast to it. Levi had gone up to superintend the loading of +the box, and arranged a couple of planks he found in the boat, so that +this part of the work could be conveniently done. He made Rosebud the +"boss" for the time being, and then went down into the cavern to assist +his employer. + +"It won't take long to do the job at this rate," said Mr. Lyon when the +overseer joined him. "Your plan of doing the work makes an easy thing of +it." + +"I could not tell how it was to be done till I saw the situation of +things here; but we shall be back to Riverlawn before daylight," replied +Levi, as they lifted down the third of the boxes. + +When the method of moving the cases to the boat had been adopted, and +had been found to work so well, the task was practically accomplished. +The ease and celerity with which they mounted to the upper regions +astonished and delighted the planter and the boys, and they were filled +with admiration at the skill displayed by Levi Bedford in the management +of the business. He was accustomed to working the hands, and knew what +each of them was good for; and no other person could have done so well. + +The work proceeded with increased rapidity as the men became used to the +operations. In less than an hour all but the two cases containing the +cannon, which Levi said were twelve-pounders, had been removed. The +"Seceshers" had evidently had a great deal of difficulty in handling +them; for they had stove one of the cases in pieces, and the other was +hardly in condition to hold the heavy piece. Levi made his rope fast to +the cascabel, or but-end of the gun, and the word was passed for the men +above to come down to the entrance. + +The six negroes made easy work of hauling it up to the opening, while +the overseer and the planter directed it with levers, split from the +broken case, so as to prevent it from receiving any injury. The six men +were then sent above the tunnel, and the gun was drawn up. Loading it +into the boat was a more difficult matter; and the planter and the +overseer were considering how it was to be done, when General +interrupted them. + +"Go 'way dar, niggers!" exclaimed General, waving his hand for the +others to get out of the way. "Cotch hold ob de end ob de shooter, +Dummy, and we uns will tote it in de boat!" + +The big preacher seized the end of the piece at the vent end, and +General did the same with the muzzle. They lifted the gun from the +ground, though with a strain which brought out some grunts from them, +and slowly marched to the boat with their burden. Levi ordered two more +of the men to take hold with them, at the trunnions, and sent the other +two into the boat, who assisted as they could obtain a hold on the load. +It was safely deposited in the bottom of the craft. + +The overseer opened the other case with the hatchet Artie had brought, +and broke up the boards of which it was constructed. It was put into the +boat in the same manner as the other. The water was deep enough in the +creek for the boat, and Levi gave his attention next to the trimming of +the craft, while he sent some of the hands to bring up the pieces of +board left in the cavern; but the cargo needed but little adjusting, and +the party were ready to return to Riverlawn. + +"When your precious brother visits that cavern next time, he will be +likely to wonder what has become of his arms and ammunition," said Levi, +wiping the perspiration from his brow. "Now, boys, go down into that +hole again, and see that we have left nothing there, for I don't want +Captain Titus to find anything to let him know who has done this job for +him." + +While they were gone upon this mission, the overseer placed the Magnolia +ahead of the flatboat, in readiness to tow it down the creek. The boys +returned, and the hatchet was the only thing which had been left. To +their astonishment they found that Levi had shaken out the sail of the +Magnolia, and they had their doubts about his ability to manage it. + +"I hope you won't tip the sailboat over, Levi," said Deck, as he stepped +on board of her, followed by Artie. + +"If I do I shall not spill you out, either of you; for I want you to +take charge of the flatboat, with two of the hands," replied the +overseer. "I shall keep four men in the Magnolia to row, and I think the +sail will help us along a good deal." + +"I should like to change that plan a little, Levi," interposed Mr. Lyon. +"The boys and myself can take care of the flatboat, and you can have all +the men at the oars." + +"Just as you say, Major Lyon, and perhaps that will be the best scheme. +I was thinking that you and the boys might sleep part of the way down," +answered the overseer. "The wind is blowing pretty hard from the +south-west, and I reckon we shall get some rain before a great many +hours. The sail ought to help us a big piece." + +The planter and the boys armed themselves with the long oars of the +flatboat, which had been driven into the muddy bottom of the creek to +hold her in place at the landing, and they were ready to keep her off +the shore in going around a sharp bend. Mr. Lyon placed his between the +pins in the stem to steer with. + +With their oars in hand the six rowers were in their places, and Levi +gave the word to shove off. When the men had pulled a short distance, +the skipper, a position which the overseer had assumed, hauled in the +sheet, and made it fast at the cleat for the purpose. The sail filled +with a vengeance as a sharp flaw struck it, and the Magnolia forged +ahead with a dart, dragging her tow after her. As the creek widened the +sail strained, and the Magnolia seemed to be struggling to get away from +the gundalow astern of her. + +As she proceeded on her course down the stream, she increased her speed, +and appeared to make nothing of hauling the tow after her. The motion +produced by the sail bothered the rowers, who were not used to this +situation. Some of them "caught crabs," and the oars of all of them were +lifted and thrown back by the water that rushed past them. They made +such bad work of it that Levi ordered them to unship their oars. + +The Magnolia was making something like six miles an hour, and would have +made ten without the tow. He steered her so that she carried the +gundalow safely around the bends of the stream; and the planter had +little to do, the boys nothing. Deck and Artie stretched themselves on +the boxes, and were soon fast asleep; for they were worn out with the +exertion and excitement of the day and night. + +The bends in the stream near the spring road perplexed the skipper at +first; but his excellent common-sense helped him out, and he hauled in +his sheet so as to bring the boat up closer to the wind. Above the most +troublesome bend at this point, the general course of the creek was west +north-west. He let off the sheet, and the Magnolia flew faster than +ever. + +When he came to the bridge by the mansion, he waked the negroes, who had +all fallen asleep, to take down the mast, so that he could pass under +it, for he had already lowered the sail. He ran the boat close to the +bank off the ice-house, and the negroes secured it and the gundalow. + +"Dexter, Artemas!" shouted the planter. "Wake up! The cruise is ended." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD + + +The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of +cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them. It +was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused +from their slumber. + +"What are we stopping here for, father? Has anything broken?" asked +Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him. + +"Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter. "Haven't you +got your eyes open yet? Can't you see that you have got home?" + +"I believe I have been asleep," added Artie, rubbing his eyes. + +"I know you have, my boy; for I spread your overcoats over you both +before we reached the big bend, and I know you were sleeping as soundly +as a pair of babies then. You must have slept an hour and a half," the +father explained. "I am glad you had some sleep, for we have more work +to do before we can go to bed." + +"I can see the bridge now," added Deck. + +"And there is the house," said Artie. + +The negroes were all wide awake by this time, and Levi had gone to the +mansion for the key to the ice-house. Mr. Lyon lighted all of the +lanterns, and sent the boys to the stone building with them, following +himself soon after. The overseer came with the key, and it was opened +with some difficulty. The ice with which it had been filled in the +winter had been exhausted, and it contained nothing but rubbish. The +hands were called, and the interior was soon cleaned out. + +Though Levi had not closed his eyes during the night, and had been busy +all the time, he was wide awake, and proceeded to drive things as he had +done at the cavern. It was decided to move the cannons first, after a +broad gang plank had been made of the material in the boat. A heavy +cart-stake was procured, which was thrust into the first of the pieces, +with room enough for three of the hands to get hold of it. Another was +placed under the cascabel, which was supported by General and Dummy, +with Rosebud at the jaws. + +The gun was easily handled with this force, and the men walked briskly +to the new arsenal. Three wheelbarrows were brought from the tool-house +by the planter and the boys while Levi was superintending the removal of +the cannons. Three wheelers were selected by the overseer, two placed in +the gundalow to load the barrows, and one at the ice-house. In less than +an hour, and when the daylight was appearing in the east, the job was +finished. + +"Now, boys, you can sleep all the rest of the day," said Mr. Lyons, and +Levi sent the hands to their quarters. + +"We haven't seen any men on the watch," said Levi, while he was placing +some boards over the windows of the building, "but there may have been +some on the lookout for all that." + +"If they were in the road near the big bend, where you thought they +would be, if anywhere, they could not have walked to the cavern in time +to find us there, for we made quick work of loading the boat," added the +planter. + +"If there were any men there, they may have observed us; but they could +not get round here to see what was done with the cases if they did," +replied Levi. "They may possibly have recognized the Magnolia: and that +is the only clew they could have obtained of the operations in this +affair." + +"It is time to go to bed, and I am inclined to think we shall do some +sleeping to-day," added the planter, as he led the way to the mansion. + +Levi was not willing to leave anything to chance; and before he went to +his room in the house he had called up two of the servants and +established a patrol along the bank of the creek from the bridge to the +boathouse, with orders to call him if any persons were seen prowling +about the vicinity. + +All the operations of the night had been conducted with the most prudent +regard to secrecy. Doubtless Levi Bedford knew more about the residents +of the county than Noah Lyon, and probably more about Titus as he was +and had been during the last few years. The disappearance of the arms +and ammunition would make a tremendous sensation among the Southern +sympathizers, though most of them were not yet aware of the existence of +such a store of munitions in the vicinity; for the knowledge of them had +probably been confined to the members of Titus's company of Home Guards. +Even if the wrath and excitement occasioned by the loss of the war +material was limited to these ruffians, there were enough of them to do +a vast amount of mischief in the county. + +The interview on the bridge with his brother had opened wide the eyes of +Noah; but he had always lived in a peaceful community, and his overseer +understood the situation better than he did. Levi had taken every +precaution against the possible assaults of the "bushwackers," as he +called the gang with whom the Northern "doughface" had cast his lot at +the breaking out of the troubles in the State. The boys slept soundly +till nearly noon, and the planter till the middle of the forenoon; but +Levi appeared as usual at breakfast, having slept but about three hours. + +Mr. Lyon had told his wife something about the events of the night, and +assured her that the arms were safe in the ice-house, and nothing was +said at the table about the proceedings of the party, though Levi was as +good-natured as usual, and talked about other things. As soon as he had +finished his morning meal with a most excellent appetite, he hastened to +the ice-house with the key in his hand. The field-hands had gone to +their work, and all was quiet about the place. + +The ice-house was near the creek, about half-way between the bridge and +the boathouse, close to the stream. The door of it faced the water, and +there was a small square window in either end. Levi walked around the +building two or three times, closely examining the structure. Then he +stopped at the door and cast his eyes all around him, especially at the +lay of the land on the other side of the creek. He was not a military +engineer any more than his employer; but he was a man of ideas, and he +was evidently preparing for events in the future which he foresaw, and +which the disturbed condition of the State rendered more than possible. + +When he had completed his survey he unlocked the door of the building. +The cases were all just as they had been piled up in the early morning. +He bestowed only a glance at them, and then began a study of the two +windows, from which he removed the boards that prevented any one from +seeing what the building contained. Then he gave his attention to the +doors, which were double, the thickness of the wall apart. He was +evidently making a plan in his mind for some alterations to the +structure; but he was alone, and of course he said nothing. + +He appeared to have reached his conclusion. Closing and locking the +outer door, he walked over to the boathouse, at the pier of which the +Magnolia had been secured by the boatmen as soon as the work of the +night was completed. Here again he stopped and made a survey of the +neighboring swamp, which separated the lawn from the bank of the Green. +Then he went over to the bank of the river, and followed it down stream. + +At this point a bend of the river above forced the water of the stream +over near the opposite shore, while half-way across from the bank on +which he stood, the waters from the river and the creek had washed in +the mud so that it formed a bar on a bed of rocks, and the descent here +produced the rapids. The water for half a mile was considerably troubled +when the streams were full, while it was deep enough on the other side +to permit the passage of the steamboats that plied on the river. + +Levi continued his walk in the road, with Green River on one side and on +the other the swamp which bordered the creek to a point near its source. +The swamp was impassable on foot or by boat. It was better than a wall +in the rear of the mansion, and the marauders of Titus Lyon could not +approach from that direction. Farther along was a broad lagoon or pond, +connected by a wide and sluggish inlet with Bar Creek. This could be +crossed with a boat; but the approach to it from the spring road over +the low ground was difficult and dangerous. + +The overseer knew the whole region very well; but when he had viewed it +again in the light of impending contingencies, he seemed to be entirely +satisfied with the situation, for his chronic smile was on his round +face, though no one was there to see it. He went to the shop, which +formed part of the carriage-house, and began a survey of the lumber on +hand there. A couple of three-inch oak planks were pulled out from the +pile. He measured and marked them with a piece of chalk, and then left +the shop. + +Among the plantation hands were carpenters, masons, painters, and other +mechanics, more or less skilful, though none of them had regularly +learned a trade. Some of them had become quite expert in the use of +tools, and could do a very respectable job, especially the carpenters. +Levi was himself a "jack-of-all-trades," and he had trained some of them +to the best of his ability. + +When he came out of the shop he sent Frank the coachman to call the +three carpenters, who worked in the field most of the time. The colonel +had given these men names to suit himself, and they were proud of their +cognomens. "Shavings" was the most skilful of them, and was the "boss" +at any job to be done. "Gouge" and "Bitts" were only fair workmen, but +they did very well under the direction of their foreman. + +When they came, Levi ordered Shavings to make two doors of the +three-inch planks, and described what he wanted very minutely. At the +same time the two door-frames were ordered, and the mechanics went to +work with a will, and without asking to what use the doors were to be +applied. + +By this time the planter came out from his late breakfast, and the +overseer reported to him what he had been doing the last three hours. +They visited the shop where the negro mechanics were sawing out the +planks for the doors, and then went to the stables, where Frank remained +on duty all the time when not out with one of the teams; and then one of +the grooms took his place. + +"How many horses are there on the place now, Frank?" asked the planter. + +"Thirty-five in all, Major," answered the coachman. + +"Are they all fit for service?" inquired the owner. + +"No, sir; six of them are breeding mares, and nine are colts, two and +three years old. We have fifteen horses and mares four years old and +more, for sale, and I reckoned you would sell them about this time." + +"That's all, Frank," added the planter as he left the stable. + +"I don't know what you are driving at, Major Lyon, but we have +twenty-seven horses over three years old, and fit for service, though +the three year olds are rather young yet for hard work," said Levi, as +they walked towards the ice-house. + +"I have held my tongue about as long as necessary; but now all these +sores in the State seem to be coming to a head, and I will tell you, +between ourselves, that I have an idea of raising a company of Union +cavalry to offset the Home Guards of this county," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"That's a glorious idea!" exclaimed Levi with tremendous enthusiasm. "I +wish I was ten years younger, and weighed thirty pounds less, for I +should like to swing a sabre in that company." + +"But you are to look out for the plantation and take care of my family +while I am away, Levi. You can ride a colt better than any of us; but +your work is here, and you may be called upon to do as much fighting as +any of us," said Mr. Lyon. + +"I will do my duty wherever you put me, Major; but I should rather enjoy +a whack at those border ruffians who are making the whole county hot +with outrages. Last night they burned out a Union man two miles above +the village." + +"The time for action is close at hand," added Mr. Lyon, as they came to +the ice-house. "There have been talk and threats enough. My brother has +told me that I am liable to be hung on one of the big trees after a mob +has burned the house; but I think we are ready for such a gathering as +he suggests. We may hear something about it to-night in the meeting at +the Big Bend schoolhouse." + +"I have looked the ice-house over this morning, and I have made up my +mind what ought to be done," said Levi; and he proceeded to state his +plan for turning the stone structure into a sort of fort. "I have +ordered the doors already, and if you say the word, Major, I will make +three or four embrasures in the walls for the two field-pieces; and we +must have a magazine for the ammunition." + +"I approve your plan; go ahead and do the work as you think best. You +can use all the hands you need; and from this moment the ice-house will +be known as Fort Bedford," replied Mr. Lyons. + +"Thank you, Major, and I will endeavor to make the fortress worthy of a +better name," returned Levi, as he hastened to the stable to send for +the men he wanted. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE UNION MEETING AT BIG BEND + + +In the afternoon Levi Bedford had half the hands on the plantation at +work in and about the ice-house. Embrasures, or port-holes, were opened +in the thick walls, one at each end and one on each side of the door, at +the proper height for the twelve-pounders, which were mounted on the +carriages, in order that everything should be correctly adjusted. Then +the door which opened on the side next to the creek was filled up with +stones taken from the quarry in the only hill on the plantation, so that +it was as thick and as solid as the rest of the walls. Then a new door +was made on the opposite side. + +By sundown the carpenter had completed and hung the double doors; and +they were secured with the heavy locks the colonel had purchased in the +days of the horse-thieves. All this work was not completed when night +came, and four trusty men were selected to patrol the creek from the +bridge down to the boat-pier, two serving till midnight, and the other +two till morning. + +"I think we shall be in condition to stand a siege by to-morrow night," +said the overseer, as he accompanied the planter and the boys to Fort +Bedford, on the way to the schoolhouse at Big Bend. + +"It looks so now," replied Mr. Lyon as he went into the building. "You +have made remarkable progress for one day. But I want to open one of +these boxes." + +"Which one, Major?" asked Levi. + +"The one which contains revolvers and cartridges, for some of the +smaller ones are labelled with the names of these articles. I hardly +expect any trouble at the meeting to-night; but I think it its best to +be prepared for the worst. I have brought one of the colonel's pistols +with me; but I want to put the boys in condition to defend themselves," +added the planter. + +"I think we can make good use of them, for we have had some experience +with such tools," said Deck, who did not appear to be at all affected by +the serious nature of the preparations they were making. + +"Where have you had any such experience, Dexter?" inquired his father. + +"Tom Bartlett and Ben Mason had revolvers at the time of the +housebreaking scare in Derry, and Artie and I used to fire at a mark +with them in the hill pasture," replied the enthusiastic boy. "Artie +used to beat us all, and often put the ball through the centre of the +target." + +"Sometimes," suggested the other. + +"Then you are both ahead of me, for I never fired a revolver or a pistol +of any kind, though I used to go hunting with a fowling-piece when I was +a boy," added Mr. Lyon. + +"Then I think you had better practise a little, Major," said Levi, as he +pulled out one of the smaller boxes from the top of the pile of cases. +"This contains what you want, I reckon." + +Deck brought the hatchet, and the case was opened. Most of the weapons +were navy revolvers, wrapped in oiled paper to save them from rust. They +were closely packed in the case, the spare space being filled in with +packages of cartridges. They opened another box, and found half a dozen +of smaller size, with the proper ammunition. The overseer selected two +of them, handing one to each of the boys, with a box of cartridges. + +"I should like to try this little persuader," said Deck, as he opened +the box of ammunition, and proceeded to load the pistol. + +Artie followed his example; and, setting up the cover of the case by the +creek, they blazed away at it till the chambers of the revolvers were +empty. They fired in turn, and the position of each bullet-hole was +noted. Artie kept up his old reputation, for he hit near the centre of +the board three times out of six. Deck fired the best shot, but his +others were more scattering. They hit the board every time, and Levi +said they "would do." + +Then Mr. Lyon tried his hand with the revolver he had brought from the +mansion; but his aim was less accurate than that of the boys. He put +four of his six balls into the board, three of them outside of the +punctures made by Deck and Artie. + +"You will improve with more experience, Major; but I reckon you could +hit a bushwhacker if he wasn't more than ten feet from you; and these +tools generally come into use at short range. How were you going up to +Big Bend, Major?" + +"I thought we should walk," replied the planter; and he reloaded his +revolver, as both of the boys had done by this time. "It is not more +than three-quarters of a mile." + +"I think you had better go in the Magnolia, with the crew that pulled us +last night," suggested Levi. "If there should be any row at the +schoolhouse, those boys will stand by you as long as there is anything +left of you." + +"I don't look for any row, Levi, but I suppose it is always best to be +prepared for the worst," replied the planter. "You may send for the +crew." + +One of the watchmen happened to be near at the time, and he was +despatched for the boatmen who had formed the regular crew of the +Magnolia in the time of the deceased planter. + +"I suppose, if there should be any trouble at the schoolhouse, and I +should be protected by my negroes, it would tend to aggravate the charge +against me of being an abolitionist; and that seems to be about the +worst thing that can be said against a man in this county." + +"But only among the border ruffians," the overseer amended the +statement. "The man that owns fifty niggers cannot decently be accused +of being an abolitionist. I advise you to go in the boat because the +schoolhouse is right on the very bank of the river. The back windows +over the platform look out upon the water. If the bushwhackers come down +upon you, and things go against you, it will be easy to get out by one +of these windows. A good general always keeps the line of retreat open +behind him when he goes into battle; and you had better have the +Magnolia under one of these windows." + +"Why, Levi, you talk as though you were about sure an attempt would be +made to break up the meeting," replied Mr. Lyon. + +"To tell you the truth, I do feel almost sure of it," returned the +overseer. "Captain Titus, as they call him up in the village so as not +to mix him up with Major Noah Lyon, was about mad enough yesterday to do +something desperate. You say he has threatened you, and"-- + +"I did not say that, Levi," interposed the planter. "Don't make my +brother out any worse than he is, for conscience' sake." + +"What did he say, then?" + +"He told me the people on his side of the question would have mobbed me +before this time if he had not prevented them from doing so." + +"That's about the same thing. I don't like to say anything against your +brother, Major, but I don't look on Captain Titus as a square man. He +wants to keep his own head covered up because you are his brother; but I +believe on my conscience that he would like to see your place burned to +the ground, and it wouldn't break his heart to see you hanging by the +neck to one of the big trees." + +Mr. Lyon realized that the overseer understood the character of Titus +better than he had supposed. His brother was terribly disappointed +because the colonel had not left Riverlawn to him; and he had charged +the deceased with unfairness and injustice in making his will. He was +compelled to believe the claim of Titus that he had prevented the +ruffians from destroying his property was a pretence, and nothing more. +His brother was not only disappointed but revengeful. + +"It is generally understood about here that you called this Union +meeting," continued Levi. + +"I suggested it, for we ought to know who's who; and it remains to be +seen how many will have the pluck to attend the meeting. Titus believes +that a large majority of the people in these parts are of his way of +thinking, while I believe that they are about two to one the other way, +though most of them are afraid to do or say much, and I want to bring +them out if possible." + +"You are right as to numbers, Major; and when a man is afraid that his +house will be burned down over his head, or that he will get a bullet +through his brains while he sits at his window, I don't much wonder that +he is not inclined to speak out loud, and these bushwhackers have had it +all their own way. I hope you will be able to bring out the prudent and +timid ones." + +"I talked the meeting over with others, and Colonel Cosgrove promised to +come up and help us out with a speech. We all agreed that it was time to +make a demonstration in favor of the Union," replied the planter as the +boat's crew appeared on the ground. + +"I should like to go with you. Major, but I don't think it is safe to +leave the place alone," said the overseer. "Whether the ruffians had a +watch on the spring road last night or not, I don't know. We haven't +heard anything of them during the day; but I should be willing to wager +a pair of my old shoes they have found out by this time that the arms +and ammunition placed in the cavern have taken to themselves wings, like +other riches, and flown away. If I am not much mistaken, Captain Titus +finds himself some thousands poorer to-day than he was a week ago." + +"Do you believe they have discovered the loss so soon?" + +"I haven't much doubt of it. Captain Titus keeps three horses, and it +was easy enough for him to send one of his boys over to the cavern to +see that the arms were all right. He has missed them by this time; and +if we do our duty they won't shoot any bullets into the heads and hearts +of the Union army. Of course Captain Titus and his gang are boiling over +with wrath. You won't see him at the meeting, perhaps; but there will be +enough there to make a noise, if nothing more. I have been thinking of +these things to-day, and that is the reason why I thought it best to +take proper precautions." + +"I am glad you have spoken out, Levi, for you have generally been very +reticent," replied Mr. Lyon, as he led the way to the boat-pier, where +the crew had manned the boat. + +"I couldn't say much while I believed your brother was at the bottom of +most of the mischief," pleaded Levi. + +The planter and the boys seated themselves in the stern sheets of the +Magnolia. Deck took the tiller lines with the consent of his father, and +General was permitted to get under way as he pleased, giving all the +orders in detail. None of the crew asked any questions, and in a short +time Deck brought the boat up under one of the windows of the +schoolhouse. Mr. Lyon charged General to keep the Magnolia just where +they had placed her, and not to make any noise at all. + +The building was already partly filled, and more were constantly +arriving. Before the appointed time Colonel Cosgrove descended from his +wagon at the door, and the planter welcomed him. At the hour named, +Squire Truman, a young legal gentleman from a Northern county, who had +settled in the village, called the meeting to order. It was said that he +had not a very flourishing practice, but he was regarded as a young man +of more than average ability. He had the credit of being a ready and +able speaker; and Mr. Lyon had invited him to open the assemblage with a +statement of the situation in the county, especially in the vicinity of +Barcreek. + +He was a decided and outspoken Union man. He began very moderately; but +in a few minutes he became more earnest, and soon rose to the height of +eloquence. He was warmly applauded by the audience, though there were +some tokens of disapprobation, evidently proceeding from some of the +individuals whom Levi called "bushwhackers." Titus Lyon was not there, +but some of his representatives had already manifested themselves. The +discordant elements soon became more demonstrative as the speaker waxed +eloquent. They made noise enough to disturb the equanimity of Squire +Truman; and he switched off from his line of remark, and proceeded to +dress down the malcontents in the most vigorous language. + +"I beg leave to inform those who are struggling to create a disturbance, +that this is a Union meeting, called as such, and as such only," said +the orator, shaking with indignation. "It was called for Union men only! +It is a gathering of those who are loyal to the government at +Washington, and not to decide between secession and fidelity to the old +flag. Those who are not Union men are respectfully requested to retire +from the meeting." + +This request brought forth a torrent of yells from the ruffians, though +there were apparently not more than a dozen of them. Squire Truman was +defiant, and his handsome face looked as noble as that of a Roman +senator. + +"Has the time come when free speech in behalf of this glorious Union is +to be put down?" And then the ruffians howled again. "Has it come to +this in the State of Kentucky, the second to be admitted into the Union? +and, with the help of God and all honest men, she shall be the last to +leave it! Are we men to be badgered and silenced by half a score of +blackguards and ruffians? I am one of half a dozen to put them out of +the hall." + +About a dozen rose from their seats, headed by Noah Lyon, and moved down +the aisles of the schoolroom. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE EJECTION OF THE NOISY RUFFIANS + + +The planter of Riverlawn was not a fighting character; he had always +been one of the most peaceful of men. He had never raised a hand against +one of his fellow-beings, and it required the stimulus of an occasion +like the present to rouse a belligerent feeling in him, if the +groundwork of any such emotion existed in his nature. It was hardly +that, but rather a sense of his solemn duty, which he was called upon to +perform, as a surgeon is required to amputate a limb to save life; and +he was impelled to save the life of the Union. + +Noah Lyon was not physically a large man, but one who weighed a hundred +and a half; yet his frame was well knit, firmly compacted, and inured by +hard labor from his boyhood. As he rose to his feet and marched down the +middle aisle of the schoolroom, his face exhibited more strength than +his form; for all the determination of his nature was concentrated in +his eyes and the muscles of his countenance. + +The fervid speech of the young orator had brought him to his bearings. +Deck and Artie had been similarly affected; and with their fists +clinched they followed the planter. Squire Truman leaped from the +platform into the midst of them, as the dozen others sprang to their +feet, some with their eyes flashing with indignation, and all of them +with a fixed purpose not to submit to the outrage in which the ruffians +were engaged. + +When Mr. Lyon had proceeded as far as the middle of the room, one of the +disturbers of the peace, whom the planter had spotted, rose to his feet +and confronted him in the aisle. It was Buck Lagger, a pedler, who was +one of the most virulent of the Secessionists, and who aspired to be a +leader among the turbulent spirits of the county. + +"What are you go'n' to do about it?" demanded he savagely. + +"Are you a Union man?" asked Mr. Lyon with quiet determination. + +"No, I'm not!" yelled the ruffian, who had the reputation in Barcreek of +being a brute of the lowest order, with a whole volley of oaths. + +"Then you were not invited here, and you will leave!" said the planter. + +"This buildin' is public, and I have as much right here as you have!" +answered Buck Lagger, with a coarse guffaw. + +Noah Lyon did not wait for anything more, but grappled with the fellow +as an eagle swoops down on his prey. Buck tried to get his right hand +into his breast pocket, evidently to obtain a weapon of some kind; but +his assailant understood his purpose, and crowded him over backwards +upon one of the desks, choking him so hard that he soon lost all his +pluck. + +[Illustration: "HE GRAPPLED WITH THE FELLOW." ] + +Colonel Cosgrove was close behind Mr. Lyon, and seized upon the boon +companion of the pedler. He was an excellent specimen of a Kentucky +gentleman, stalwart in form and determined in purpose. He bore his man +down as the leader had done. The other ruffians rushed to the assistance +of their leaders, and the _melee_ became general. + +There did not appear to be more than half a dozen active ruffians in the +room; at least not more who were resolute enough to take part in these +stormy proceedings. Mr. Lyon had choked so much of the energy out of +Buck Laggar that he had ceased to feel for his weapon, and the planter +took him by the collar of the coat with both hands, and dragged him to +the door, where he pitched him on the ground all in a heap. + +Colonel Cosgrove followed him with his man; and then came the orator +with a fellow nearly twice his size, with whom he was having a hard +tussle, when Deck leaped upon the back of this victim, and drawing his +arms tightly under his throat, brought him to the floor, and then rolled +him out at the door. The other Union men in the audience had tackled the +remaining ruffians when they went to the assistance of those of their +number who had been attacked, and hustled them out of the apartment. + +"That will do for the present," said Squire Truman, as the resolute +Unionists completed their active work, and stopped to catch their +breath. + +"I think we had better station a guard at the door, and challenge every +man who wants to come in," suggested Mr. Lyon. + +"That's a good idea, for it is the evident intention of the blackguards +to break up the meeting; and I should be ashamed to have such a thing +done,--a Union meeting dispersed by force in the State of Kentucky!" +added the young lawyer. + +"Precisely so!" exclaimed Colonel Cosgrove. "I will offer my services as +one of the guard." + +"Good!" shouted Colonel Belthorpe, a big Kentuckian whose plantation was +near that of Major Lyon, "I will be another." + +"Here are two more!" cried Deck Lyon, as he and Artie presented +themselves. + +"Lively boys," laughed Colonel Cosgrove. "Both of them took a hand in +the skirmish we have had, and they will do very well for this duty." + +The Union men in the assembly applauded warmly, and the young orator led +the way back to the seats, mounting the platform himself. He resumed his +speech with an allusion to the event which had just transpired, and +roused his audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm by his fiery +eloquence. He spoke half an hour, and concluded by nominating Major Noah +Lyon as the presiding officer of the evening; and the selection was +heartily indorsed by the meeting. + +Before he could reach the platform, a dozen men appeared at the door. +The volunteer committee on admissions retired to the lobby so that they +need not disturb the proceedings. Colonel Cosgrove took Artie by the +arm, while Colonel Belthorpe did the same with Deck, each at one side of +the door. + +"Are you a Union man?" demanded Deck in a loud voice, for he felt that +he must do or say something, boiling over with enthusiasm for the cause +as he was; and perhaps the fact that he had a loaded revolver in his +pocket was an inciting influence with him. + +"I am!" exclaimed the person addressed, with emphasis. + +"Pass in," replied Deck. + +"Put the same question, Artie," added Colonel Cosgrove, amused at the +earnestness of Deck. + +Artie put the question with less pomposity than his cousin, and the +answer was the same. The brace of colonels then took part in the +challenging, and the dozen applicants were promptly admitted. One of the +colonels then suggested to the other that the boys could remain in the +lobby while they stood inside the door. + +Noah Lyon had presided on several occasions in town meetings, and his +modesty had been so far overcome that he could face an audience, +especially in such a cause as the present. He was received with applause +and cheers, and proceeded to make a speech in his usual quiet way. He +said he could not make such a speech as the eloquent gentleman from +Barcreek village had done; but he was a Union man in every fibre of his +being, whether he was in New Hampshire or Kentucky. + +This statement was received with tremendous applause. He proceeded to +say that he was a peaceable man, and was in favor of peaceable measures; +but he did not intend to be overridden and trodden down by the Secession +element, which he believed was in a large minority in the State. He was +ready to talk as long as talking did any good; but when he had talked +enough he was ready to fight. + +This was the popular sentiment in the meeting, and a tumult of applause +followed, ending in nine rousing cheers. He was ready to shoulder a +musket in any Kentucky regiment, and he was glad that some had already +been organized. He had twenty-seven horses he would give "without money +and without price," to the cause of the Union, with which to start a +cavalry company; and "I think I can _find_ arms for the men," he added. + +This offer was greeted with yells of approval, and it was some time +before he could say anything more. + +"I will also contribute twenty horses," shouted Colonel Cosgrove. + +"I will give the next twenty," Colonel Belthorpe cried out. + +The clapping of hands and the cheering were renewed with more vigor than +ever, if possible; and others offered to contribute from one to five +each, till over a hundred horses were pledged for the company. In the +midst of this enthusiasm the voice of Deck was heard in the lobby. + +"Are you a Union man, sir?" he demanded in a voice loud enough to be +heard in a momentary lull of the enthusiasm. + +"No, I am not!" replied the applicant, with a volley of expletives. + +"Then you can't go in," answered Deck. + +"Who says I can't?" asked the intruder in fierce tones. + +"This is a Union meeting, and none but Union men are admitted," replied +Deck, loud enough to be heard on the platform; for the meeting had +become silent, and all were turning around to see the door. + +"Do you see that?" demanded the ruffian, as he drew a bowie-knife from +his pocket, and threw it open with a jerk. + +Deck had put his right hand on his hip pocket, which contained his +revolver; and, the moment he saw the knife, he drew it, and pointed it +at the part where the intruder carried what brains he had. + +"And do you see that?" called the plucky boy. + +"And that?" added Artie on the other side of the door. + +"Take yourself off!" shouted Deck furiously, as he retreated a pace, to +keep out of the reach of the wicked-looking blade of the knife. + +"Isn't this a free building?" asked the ruffian, as he looked from one +revolver to the other. + +"Free to Union men to-night," answered Deck. + +By this time half a dozen men from the interior were approaching the +door, and the ruffian suddenly decamped. Deck followed him to the door, +and saw the man disappear in the grove on the other side of the road. +Then he heard a voice among the trees; and it was evident to him that +there were more ruffians, perhaps biding their time to make an attack +upon the Unionists when they went to their homes. + +"Three cheers for the boys!" shouted one of the men who had come to the +door, and observed the retreat of the ruffian. + +They were lustily given, and then Deck announced to the meeting that +there were more men in the grove, for some one had hailed the ruffian +that had just left the door. + +"No matter for them," said the chairman. "Let us go on with this +meeting, and when they come in, if they do so, we will take care of +them. The boys will keep watch, and let us know if they approach the +schoolhouse." + +A committee of three were appointed to attend to the enrolment of the +company of cavalry. The two colonels and the major by courtesy were +appointed on this committee. Then Colonel Cosgrove was called upon to +make the speech he had promised. He was not so eloquent as his +professional brother from the village; but he was more solid, and was as +vigorously applauded as the other speakers had been. + +He said there had been a sort of reign of terror in the county, and it +was because the Unionists had been less demonstrative than the +Secessionists, and for that reason he believed in the present meeting. +He was disposed to be peaceable, but he was ready to fight for the +Union. He proceeded at considerable length. He was in favor of having it +understood in the county that there were plenty of Unionists within its +borders, and that they were not to be frowned or bullied down by the +ruffians of the other side. + +This remark seemed to be the sense of the assembly, which had now +increased in numbers to over a hundred, and the applause was decided. + +While the colonel from the county town was speaking, Deck and Artie had +been over to the other side of the road, and penetrated the grove for a +short distance. Probably those who had been ejected from the meeting +were there; but the boys crept near enough to make out that there were +not less than fifty men there, and possibly double that number. + +As they retired from the grove they found that a single man was +following them. They retreated to the lobby of the schoolhouse, with +their revolvers in their hands. They had hardly resumed their stations +at the door when the man presented himself before them. To the +astonishment of his two nephews this person proved to be Titus Lyon. + +"Are you a Union man?" demanded Deck. + +"I am not," replied Titus. + +"Then you can't go into this meeting," added Deck, as firmly as he had +spoken at any time before. + +The applicant could not fail to see that both of the boys had weapons in +their hands. He looked earnest and determined, but he did not appear to +be even angry. He halted and fixed his gaze upon the floor, apparently +in deep thought. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE DEMAND OF CAPTAIN TITUS LYON + + +Revolvers are dangerous weapons; and Deck and Artie had used them enough +in sport to realize this truth. They had not yet become accustomed to +seeing bullets fired into the bodies of human beings; to the sight of +strong men falling with a death-wound in the head or heart, which was +afterwards almost an everyday spectacle in the battles of the Great +Rebellion. + +They had been brought up where human life was held to be more sacred +than in the locality to which they had been transplanted; and if they +had thought of discharging their weapons into the vital parts of even +the ruffians who menaced the Union meeting with violence, they were +certainly not ready to begin with one of their own flesh and blood, +though Titus Lyon had proved himself to be one of the most virulent +enemies of the public peace. + +"I have no weapons, as you have, boys, and I have something to say to +this meeting," said Titus, after he had meditated for two or three +minutes. "I want to go in; but I shall not stop there many minutes." + +"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus," replied Deck decidedly; "that's the +order of the meeting." + +"But I'm going in if I'm shot for it," continued the applicant for +admission very quietly, but with none of the bluster which had become +almost a second nature to him. + +Perhaps the interest he felt in the mission which brought him to the +schoolhouse had induced him to refrain from his usual potations, for he +appeared to be perfectly sober. He used none of the intemperate language +which was generally on his tongue, so that the boys were not roused to +indignation, even if they were tempted to use their weapons; but both of +them placed themselves in the doorway as though they intended to dispute +his passage into the room. + +The meeting was proceeding with its business, though the orators had +finished their speeches. A Union farmer was telling about one of his +neighbors who had been threatened by the ruffians, as the Secessionists +had come to be generally called by this time. He was quite earnest in +his plea that something should be done to protect men who stood by the +government. + +The two colonels were interested, and they had moved forward where they +could hear the farmer, who spoke in a low tone; and no one inside was +aware of what was transpiring in the lobby, so that the boys were +practically alone. + +"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus, and we don't want to shoot you," +interposed Artie. "I will call Colonel Cosgrove, and you can make your +request to him;" and he went to the place where the colonel was +standing. + +"But I am going in," persisted Titus Lyon, attempting to push Deck +aside. + +"You can't go in!" said Deck, as he crowded his uncle back from the +entrance. "Wait a moment, and you can tell Colonel Cosgrove what you +want!" + +"I don't want anything of Colonel Cosgrove; he is worse than your +father," replied the applicant. + +"Good-evening, Mr. Lyon," said the Kentuckian, presenting himself at the +door at this moment. + +"I have something to say to this meeting, Colonel, which it is important +for the meeting to hear," added Titus. + +"Come right in and say it, Mr. Lyon," replied the colonel, to the +astonishment of the young guardians of the portal. + +He was as polite as a Kentucky gentleman generally is; and he took the +arm of the applicant, and marched with him to the space behind the +desks, where he halted till the former had finished his remarks. Noah +Lyon was taken "all back" by the appearance of his brother escorted by +the most influential Kentuckian in the county. The entire audience +turned and stared at the unexpected guest. + +"Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to present Captain Titus Lyon of +Barcreek to the meeting," said the colonel. "He claims to have something +of importance to communicate. He is not a Union man, as is well known, +but I trust no objection will be made to hearing him." + +"I am not a Union man, as Colonel Cosgrove says," Titus began. "When I +came to this State, I became a Kentuckian, and I go with the people of +this section of the country. But I did not come here to talk politics. +There is two sides to the question before the country, and each on 'em +has its rights. I belong to the party that is tryin' to keep the peace +in the State if we have to fight for it. As we had a perfect right to +do, we bought about three thousand dollars worth of arms and ammernition +to protect ourselves agin them that is tryin' to force the State into a +war of subjergation agin our own flesh and blood. + +"Them arms and ammernition has been stole," continued Titus, waxing +indignant in spite of his effort to keep cool, and relapsing into his +everyday speech. "I believe it was done by what you call Union men, and +I cal'late I know jest who done it; and I cal'late, Mr. Chairman, you +know jest as well or better'n I do who done it." + +"Who was it?" demanded a person in the audience. + +"I h'ain't got nothin' to say here about that," answered Captain Titus. +"But if them arms and ammernition ain't given up right off, here and +now, on the spot, or some plan agreed on for doin' so afore to-morrer +noon, the blood will run in the low places round here, and the clouds in +the sky will give back the light from the fires that is burnin' down +some of the nicest houses in these parts. I hain't got nothin' more to +say; but if any one wants to see me about settlin' up this matter, I can +be found near the road in front of the schoolhouse." + +"But this is war, Captain Lyon," suggested Colonel Belthorpe. + +"I know 'tis; and that's jest what I mean. We want the Union thieves to +give up the property they stole; and that's all we ask now," replied +Titus, whose wrath was beginning to be stirred to the boiling point. + +"We are ready to meet you on that ground!" shouted Squire Truman, +springing to his feet; for he knew that Captain Titus was the ringleader +of the ruffians in the vicinity, and his threat roused him to a fiery +indignation. "I know nothing about the arms and ammunition; but whoever +took possession of them has done a noble and patriotic deed, and, Mr. +Chairman, I move you that a vote of thanks be tendered to them for it." + +This motion was hailed with thunders of applause; and when the presiding +officer put it to the meeting, it was carried unanimously, and no one +wished to delay it by making a speech. + +Squire Truman then made another speech, in which he pictured the result +of permitting the arms to get into the hands of the ruffians for whose +use they were evidently intended; and he magnified the prudence and +forethought of the unknown persons who had taken the responsibility of +such a forward step. This speech was received with cheers, in which the +throats of the audience seemed to be strained to their utmost tension. + +"Captain Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, when the tumult had subsided in a +measure, "no formal answer seems to be necessary to your demand. The +action of this meeting and the spirit with which it has been received +are a sufficient reply. Personally, I can only say I heartily rejoice +that the arms and ammunition have been turned aside from the purpose for +which they were intended, and we will take care that they are not used +against the government of the United States. We are loyal citizens, and +we shall do our duty to the glorious flag under which we live. Have you +any further communication to make to this meeting, Captain Lyon?" + +"No, I haven't; I've said my say, and fire and blood is the next thing," +replied Titus, as he rushed out of the schoolroom, furious with passion. + +The business of the meeting was completed; but the boys informed the two +colonels that the road was full of men. Then several of the Unionists +drew revolvers from their pockets; for they had fully expected that the +meeting would be disturbed, and that it would end in a fight. They had +come prepared to defend themselves. The situation was discussed, but no +one was inclined to avoid the issue. If there was to be a fight, it +would be no new thing in the State. + +Colonel Belthorpe, whose title was not one of mere courtesy, for he had +served in the regular army in his younger days, and won his later spurs +in the militia, advised that a procession be formed, with the armed men +on the right, while the others were told to obtain clubs, or anything +they could lay their hands upon. But before the column was formed Buck +Lagger appeared at the door. + +"We want Major Lyon and his two cubs!" shouted the ruffian, who appeared +to be the right-hand man of Captain Titus. + +The ruffians had held a meeting in the grove, privately notified by this +Buck,--for Titus had not been inclined to show his hand,--and a +delegation had been sent to try the temper of the assemblage in the +schoolhouse. They had been defeated and ejected. It was plain by this +time that the cavern had been visited and the loss of the munitions +discovered. + +The speech of Captain Titus indicated that he knew who had taken +possession of the property, though Noah Lyon could not conjecture who +had given the information. He was inclined to believe that his brother +had jumped to his conclusion, though spies about the plantation might +have obtained some clew to the night visit to the sink-hole of the +Magnolia. The flatboat had been loaded with rocks and sunk in the +deepest water of the river, so that it need not betray the planter and +his people. + +"We want Major Lyon and his cubs!" repeated Buck Lagger, in a voice loud +enough to be heard all over the building. "We don't mean to meddle with +nobody else, and all the rest o' you uns can go home without no trouble. +Hand over Major Lyon and his cubs so we can get the property he stole, +and we won't make no fuss." + +"We shall not hand him over, but we will protect him to the last drop of +our blood!" yelled Squire Truman, hoarse with the strain upon his voice. +"Turn the ruffian out!" + +But it was not necessary to turn him out, for he fled as soon as he had +executed his mission. There was no great commotion outside, though the +mob could be seen through the open door. The demand of Buck indicated +the principal object of the ruffians, and the purpose for which they had +assembled in the grove. + +"My friends, I am grateful for your support and promise of protection to +me and my boys," said Noah Lyon, who had descended from the platform to +the floor, where the boys had joined him. "It appears from what the +messenger of the ruffians has said that I am the sole object of their +vengeance. I have the means here of taking good care of myself and my +boys, and I need not involve you all in a fight to protect me." + +To a few of the prominent men near him he stated in a low tone, so that +he need not be heard by any ruffian lingering near the door, that his +boat was under the south window, and he could escape without confronting +the mob in the road. This course would save a fight, and the planter's +friends decided to adopt it. The door was closed, and the boys passed +out of the window first. They ordered the crew to be silent, and after +Noah Lyon had shaken hands with the principal men, he followed them. The +Magnolia was shoved out into the river. Deck headed it across the +stream, so as to keep the schoolhouse between it and the ruffians. + +Under the lead of Colonel Belthorpe, with his revolver ready for use, +the Union men marched out of the building, forming four deep when they +reached the foot of the steps. The ruffians had placed themselves so +that the column passed through them, and they all scrutinized the faces +by the light of a fire they had kindled at the side of the road. They +did not see the victims for whom they were looking, and when the last of +the procession had passed them they set up a furious howl. + +"We have been fooled!" shouted Buck Lagger, as he started after the +column. "Where is Major Lyon?" he demanded. + +"He is not here," replied some one in the ranks. + +"Where is he?" + +"I don't know;" and he told the truth, for he had not heard the +planter's statement about the boat, and had not been near the window. + +"Where is Major Lyon?" demanded Buck Lagger when he reached the head of +the procession. + +"He came in his boat, and he has returned by it," replied Colonel +Belthorpe, with something like a chuckle at the discomfiture of the +ruffian. + +"This is treachery!" howled Buck. "You were to give him up to us." + +"No, we were not," returned the doughty colonel. "Didn't you hear us say +we would protect him to the last drop of our blood?" + +"We will soon find him and his cubs!" growled the present leader, as he +fell back into the grove, followed by the rest of the mob. + +The Magnolia reached the boat-pier, and Levi Bedford was there to +welcome the party. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE CONFERENCE IN FORT BEDFORD + + +The two windows in the rear of the schoolhouse had been wide open all +the evening, and the negroes of the boat's crew could not help hearing +the excited speeches, and the thunders of applause in the meeting of the +Unionists; but not one of them spoke a word about them to the planter +and the boys. They pulled with all their might, and made a quick run to +the boat-pier. + +The first thing that attracted the attention of Major Lyon--we may as +well call him so, as most of the people of Barcreek did--was the lights +in Fort Bedford. Through the embrasures which had been made in the front +and ends of the building it could be seen that the interior of the +building was brilliantly illuminated. + +"You have come back safe and sound, Major," said Levi, as he took the +painter of the Magnolia. + +"By the skin of our teeth we have," replied the planter. + +"Then you have had trouble over there?" asked the overseer. + +"Yes; some of the ruffians tried to break up the meeting, and we put +them out without any ceremony." + +"Good!" exclaimed Levi heartily. "I feel as though I were an inch +taller. I was afraid our friends would let the ruffians bully you." + +"Buck Lagger and about half a dozen others took places in the +schoolhouse, and began to yell while Squire Truman was making his +speech. He is a very smart young man, an eloquent orator, and full of +vim. When he proposed to put the disturbers out, we went in with him and +did it. The boys faced the music, and stood up to it like veteran +policemen," said Major Lyon. + +"Good, boys! I knew you would do it," added Levi. + +"But why is the fort lighted up so late in the evening, Levi?" asked the +planter. + +"I have had a dozen hands at work there, all the carpenters and masons +included, and we have the building about ready for business," replied +the overseer. "The fact of it is, I am taking a more serious view of the +state of things than you appear to be doing, and I thought I would have +things ready for whatever comes, and as soon as it comes." + +"I am glad you have done so; and I should have worked with you if I had +not had to attend the meeting," added the major. "The situation looks +decidedly serious to-night, and my eyes have been opened wide enough to +see it." + +The boatmen had been ordered by the planter to take all the boats out of +the water; and while they were doing so the major informed the overseer +more fully in regard to the meeting, especially of the demand for the +restoration of the military supplies, and that he and the boys should be +given up to the mob. + +"I didn't think Captain Titus would show himself in the meeting," said +Levi, as they walked up to the fort. "That Buck Lagger is one of the +biggest villains that goes unhung; and hanging would do him good. I +should say that the ball had opened." + +The hands in the old ice-house were all hard at work, and it at once +appeared to the planter that a great deal of labor had been done in the +building during his absence. The cases had all been opened, the arms had +been removed from them, and arranged conveniently about the interior. +The two twelve-pounders had been mounted on their carriages, and the +pieces were pointed out at the two front embrasures, from which they +could be readily removed to those at the ends of the structure. + +Two large chandeliers of three burners each had been removed from the +drawing-room of the mansion, and were suspended from the roof; but these +were for temporary use while the work was in progress. The ammunition +had been arranged for the present in the boxes outside of the building. + +Major Lyon and the boys had hardly taken a hasty survey of the premises +in their changed aspect before the noise of carriage wheels was heard on +the road leading from the bridge to the fort by the side of the creek. +The vehicle was drawn by two horses, and was approaching at a rapid +rate. + +"Who can that be?" asked Levi with a troubled expression on his round +face. + +"It may be my brother coming to demand the arms," replied Noah Lyon, as +he took one of the muskets from the wall. "Probably he has a load of his +supporters with him if it is he." + +"I think we are all ready for them," added the overseer; and he took a +gun, and handed one to each of the boys. "I think we had better go out +and meet them, for we don't care to have them see what we have been +doing here;" and he led the way hastily up the road. + +His employer and the boys followed him, and soon confronted the +occupants of the wagon. + +"Halt!" called Levi in a very decided tone, as he placed himself in +front of the team; and the driver reined in his horses. "What is your +business here?" + +"Good-evening, Levi," came from the party in the wagon; and the +challenger promptly recognized the voice of Colonel Cosgrove. "I wish to +see Major Lyon at once." + +"Here I am, Colonel; but I did not expect to see you again so soon," +replied the planter, hastening to the carriage. "But drive on, and we +will see you at Fort Bedford." + +"Fort Bedford!" exclaimed the Kentuckian; and he told his coachman to +drive on. + +"This is Fort Bedford you see ahead of you; it is named after Levi, for +he originated the idea. To what am I indebted for this unexpected visit +to Riverlawn?" answered the planter. + +"To the fact that we consider you in great danger, Major, and we thought +you would be in pressing need of assistance from your friends even this +very night." + +"We are here to stand by you, Major," said one on the back seat of the +wagon, who proved to be Colonel Belthorpe. + +"And to show that we can fight as well as talk," added Squire Truman, +who was seated at his side. + +"I am very grateful to you for coming to my assistance, for you have all +proved this evening that talking is not your only strength," said the +planter, as he walked along at the side of the wagon. + +"I see you are all armed and ready for business," continued Colonel +Cosgrove. + +"When I heard the sound of your vehicle on the bridge, I suspected that +it might be my deluded brother and his supporters coming over here to +execute the threat he made at the meeting." + +"No; after we got away from the ruffians, we talked the matter over," +replied Colonel Cosgrove. "Buck Lagger demanded that the major and his +cubs should be given up to them when they did not find you and the boys +in the column. Then they swore that they would have you. I talked over +the situation with our friends here, and we concluded that the ruffians +would be over here before morning to capture their victims, and burn +your mansion. We decided to come here for this reason,--to warn you of +your danger, and help you beat them off if they came." + +"I am very much obliged to you; but you will find everything in +readiness for their reception," replied Major Lyon, as they reached the +fort. + +"You are lighted up here as though you were going to have a ball instead +of a fight," suggested Colonel Belthorpe. + +"There are plenty of balls in the fort, but they are all +twelve-pounders," returned the major as the party alighted. "Levi has +been at work here while we were at the meeting, and he will explain +everything to you better than I can." + +The trio of visitors entered the building, and were astonished at the +nature and extent of the preparations to defend the mansion and its +occupants from a hostile demonstration. Levi stated what he had done, +and pointed out everything in detail. + +"You think the ruffians are coming over here to-night, do you, Colonel +Cosgrove?" asked the planter. + +"I think they are on their way here now," replied the Kentuckian. + +"Is there any other way they can get to your house than over that +bridge?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, who was the only military man in the +party who had seen real service, though Levi had been in the militia. + +"There is no other way," replied Levi, when his employer nodded to him. +"No mob could get through the swamp back of the mansion in the daytime, +to say nothing of doing it in the night. The bridge is the only +approach; and, if worse comes to worst, we can cut that away." + +"You are in a very strong position, and I don't believe it will be +necessary to cut away the bridge," added the military gentleman. "They +can only cross the creek in boats." + +"Our boats are all taken out of the water." + +"With those twelve-pounders you can beat off a regiment. You have +everything for the defence except soldiers," added the authority of the +party. + +"Perhaps we can find them when they are needed," said Major Lyon. + +The lawyer understood, but the planter did not. It was a delicate +subject, and it could not be considered in that presence. The former +realized this fact, and suggested that something ought to be done to +give them notice of the coming of the hostile ruffians. + +"That's so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "I think you had better station +the two boys, who have proved that they have pluck enough for any duty, +where they can give us early notice of the approach of the enemy." + +"We shall want the boys here, and a couple of negroes will do for that +duty just as well," replied Levi. + +"All right," answered the military gentleman, who made no objection to +the employment of the servants for this duty. "Give each of them a +revolver, and tell them to fire three shots if any force approaches." + +Rosebud and Mose were detailed for service at the bridge; and perhaps +this was the first time that negroes had ever been armed on the +plantation. They were proud of the position assigned to them, and +departed on the run, promising to be as faithful as white men could be. + +"Where are you going to find your soldiers when you want them, Major +Lyon?" inquired Colonel Belthorpe. "You hinted that you knew where to +look for them." + +"I think we had better not discuss that subject just now," interposed +the lawyer, as he looked around him at the negroes, who had finished all +the work given them to do, and were listening with their ears wide open +to all that was said. + +Levi solved the difficulty by sending all the negroes out of the +building, and directing them to patrol the bank of the creek as far as +the swamp. + +"On the question of enlisting negroes in the army, either as regulars or +volunteers, I have not yet come to a decision," said Major Lyon. "But in +defence of my property, and the protection of my family I should have no +objection to using all my hands who were willing to be so employed." + +"Arm your negroes!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe. + +"Not to fight the battles of the nation, but to protect my wife and +children and my property," answered the Riverlawn planter. "We can +muster but four white men, and two of them are boys. If a mob of fifty +or a hundred or five hundred ruffians come over here to hang me and burn +my house, shall I let them do so rather than employ the willing hands of +men with black faces to defend myself?" demanded Noah Lyon, earnestly +enough to mount almost to the height of eloquence. + +"By the great Jehoshaphat, I believe you are right!" exclaimed Colonel +Belthorpe, with a stamp of his foot. "I did not look at it in that way. +But making soldiers of the niggers is another thing, and I'm not ready +for that." + +"We are all agreed so far as the situation on this place is concerned. +If there were any State or national force at hand to call upon for +protection against these reckless ruffians, I should invoke its aid; but +there is none, and we must protect ourselves," added Colonel Cosgrove. +"I heartily approve of Major Lyon's purpose to use his negroes to defend +himself and his property." + +"Then it is high time to get them in training for this service," said +the major with energy. "Levi, call in the hands you just sent away." + +Two of them came back without any calling, for they burst into the fort +in a state of high excitement. + +"Well, Bitts, what's the matter now?" asked Levi very calmly. + +"Gouge and me done went down to de rapids, whar we kin see de bridge +ober de riber, and dar's more'n two tousand men comin' ober it!" gasped +Bitts. + +"Call it fifty or a hundred, Bitts. But no matter, boy; call in all the +hands except the two on the creek bridge." + +Both of the negroes rushed off on their mission. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE APPROACH OF THE RUFFIAN FORCES + + +If the negroes asked no questions, most of them were intelligent enough +to interpret the preparations which had been made at Fort Bedford. The +six boatmen who had remained half the night in the rear of the +schoolhouse had had time enough to do some talking among the hands, +though they had come in contact only with those who had been at work on +the fort. + +These men had listened to the tumult in the building and in the road, +and through the open window near the boat had come to their ears the +demand of Titus Lyon when admitted, and the reply of the meeting. They +knew that Colonel Cosgrove, Colonel Belthorpe, and Squire Truman had +taken an active part in the meeting, and they could understand for what +purpose they had come to Riverlawn so late in the night. + +The people on this plantation were doubtless better informed and more +intelligent than upon most of the estates in this portion of the South, +for they had always been treated with what other planters regarded as +imprudent indulgence. In the time of Colonel Lyon, slavery had been a +patriarchal institution, and the negroes regarded him as a father, +guide, and friend rather than as a taskmaster. + +Many of them had learned to read, and even carried their education +several points farther. The planter had given them his illustrated +papers, and others fell into their hands. Their usefulness increased +with their intelligence; and to oblige his neighbors the colonel had +occasionally sent his carpenters and masons to do jobs for them. + +The more intelligent of them had kept their eyes and ears open to learn +the "signs of the times" during the troubles which agitated the State; +and there were those among them who were well informed in matters which +were generally believed to be above their comprehension. They went about +among the people of other plantations, and when they obtained any news +in regard to the movements of either party, it was circulated among the +whole of them. + +Neither Noah Lyon nor Levi Bedford ever said anything about politics or +the struggle between the contending parties for the mastery of the +State; but the silence of the people indicated that they understood the +situation. Though they were treated with what was considered extreme +indulgence, and were entirely devoted to the planter and his family, the +instinct of freedom doubtless existed in all of them. + +In a short time about a dozen of the negroes had come to the fort in +obedience to the order of the overseer. Half of them were mechanics who +had been at work during the evening. They were collected in the +building, and the white men present proceeded to interrogate them in +regard to their qualifications. + +"What is your name?" asked Colonel Belthorpe of the leader of the +boat-crew. + +"General, sar," replied he. + +"You are a big fellow; did you ever fire a gun?" asked the planter. + +"Yes, sar; Cunnel Lyon done send me often to shoot some ducks for de +dinner." + +"Are you a good shot?" + +"De boys say I am," answered General modestly. "I done bring down tree +quails out'n five on de wing, mars'r." + +"Did you ever fire a rifle?" + +"Yes, sar; Christmas time mars'r cunnel lend us his two rifles to shoot +at a mark for a prize ob half a dollar; dis nigger won de prize," +replied General, with a magnificent exhibition of ivory. + +"Are you willing to fight for your master?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe +sharply, as though he expected a negative response to the question. + +"Yes, sar!" answered General with more energy than he had spoken before. +"Ready to be killed for Mars'r Lyon; an' so's all de boys on de place." + +"You will do," added the planter, as he handed him a breech-loader and a +small package of ammunition. "Do you know how to use this piece?" + +"Yes, sar; seen 'em before," replied the boatman, as he took the weapon +and retired. + +With the boys there were seven white men present, and each one of them +had examined a servant in regard to his qualifications. The questions +were similar, though not the same as those put by Colonel Belthorpe; and +it appeared that all of them were more or less familiar with the use of +firearms, for they were the best informed and most reliable hands on the +estate. They were all provided with breech-loaders and cartridges. +General and Dummy were sent with weapons to Rosebud and Mose at the +bridge, and ordered to remain there; but they were not to fire upon the +ruffians. + +"Now we have a force of twenty-two men," said Colonel Belthorpe. "I +don't know about these recruits with black faces, and I have my doubts +about making soldiers of them. Fall in, and we will march up to the +bridge." + +All the white men were armed with revolvers as well as rifles. The men +did not "fall in" in the military sense of the term, but simply followed +their leader, as the experienced soldier, who had rendered most of his +active service in fighting the Indians, was tacitly recognized to be. + +"Don't you think we had better put out the lights in the fort, Colonel +Belthorpe?" asked Levi. + +"By no means. I have had fighting enough with cut-throat Indians to +satisfy my tastes in that direction, and I am not anxious for any more +of it," replied the planter. "Let the building remain lighted, and it +will assure the ruffians that you are awake over here. If they will +about wheel and go off, that will suit me better than a fight with +them." + +"Just my sentiments, Colonel," added Major Lyon. + +"The creek is about fifty feet wide by the bridge," said Colonel +Cosgrove. "It widens at its mouth to about a hundred. Is there any way +by which the ruffians can get over at your boat-pier?" + +"Without a boat there is no way to get across," replied Levi. "They must +come across the bridge if they come at all." + +"There they come!" exclaimed Major Lyon, as he pointed to the +cross-roads where the creek road branched off from the others. + +"They have provided themselves with lanterns and torches," said Levi. +"We can see just what they are about." + +As they came opposite the boat-pier the ruffians halted. They were not +marching in any kind of order, but all of them were straggling along as +though the Home Guard to which they belonged had not yet done any +drilling. + +"What have they stopped there for, Colonel Belthorpe?" asked Major Lyon. + +"They can see your fort by this time, and the lights have attracted +their attention," replied the military gentleman. "They can see that you +are ready for them, and perhaps they will not deem it advisable to come +any farther." + +"I hope they will not," added the owner of Riverlawn. + +The aggressive force remained a long time at this spot. In the stillness +of the night the sounds which came up the creek indicated that a dispute +was in progress in the ranks of the enemy. It looked as though the +ruffians were divided among themselves in regard to the prudence of +advancing any farther. If Titus Lyon was there, he could readily see +that the stone ice-house had undergone some change. The brilliant light +within it flashed out through the open door in the rear, and through the +three embrasures in sight. + +"Major Lyon, do those rascals know that you took possession of the +military stores, or do they only guess at it?" asked Colonel Cosgrove. + +"They know the arms they stored in a sink-hole cavern are gone, and they +appeared at the meeting to know that I had caused their removal; but I +have no idea how or where they obtained their information," replied the +planter; and while they were waiting the approach of the ruffians, he +gave a full account of the discovery and removal of the ammunition. + +"They don't know that three extra white men are with you, and I don't +think they would believe you would arm your servants, or that they would +be good for anything if you did so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "Perhaps +it would be a good idea to return to the fort and send a twelve-pound +shot over the heads of that crowd." + +"It would let them know that we have the cannon, if nothing more," said +Colonel Cosgrove. + +"You are a lawyer, Colonel; can't Captain Titus recover these arms by +process of law?" inquired the other colonel. + +"There is no law in this part of the State at the present time. Men have +been murdered within a few miles of this spot, and no notice has been +taken of the fact. Those arms were brought here for the use of the Home +Guards, which is the same as saying that they are for the use of the +Secessionists. The law won't touch the arms," replied the legal +gentleman very deliberately. + +"They have settled their dispute, whatever it was, and the ruffians are +moving again," said Levi. "It is too late to send a twelve-pound shot +over their heads, and if there is to be any fight, it will be at the +bridge." + +"You are right," replied Colonel Belthorpe, after a long look at the +enemy; for as the road where they were was parallel to his line of +vision, it was difficult to determine whether they were moving or not. +"Let them come; and while they are doing so we will have a little drill +of the forces." + +He formed the six white men in one line, and the fifteen negroes in +another, though some of the latter were only a shade or two darker than +the former. Levi Bedford soon proved that he was familiar with the +manual, and he was sent to drill the dark section of the army. But the +exercise was confined to loading and firing. The men were drawn up in +line across the bridge, and instructed as far as "shoulder arms," and +then the drill officer explained how they were to conduct themselves. + +"The ruffians are getting pretty near, Colonel," suggested Major Lyon. + +"We are all ready for them," replied he. + +The men were then placed at "Order arms," and permitted to watch the +approach of the enemy. Their torches, which had probably been made in a +birch grove on the other side of the river, and must have been +occasionally renewed with material brought for the purpose, blazed +brightly, and lighted up the road, so that they could be plainly seen. + +"There are at least a hundred of them," said the officer in command. + +"And some of them have muskets," added Colonel Cosgrove. + +"It looks as though some one or more of us might be shot," continued +Major Lyon. "If there is any man here, black or white, who wants to +leave and find a safer place than this may be in a few minutes, he is at +liberty to do so. I don't want any man to render unwilling service on my +account; and you can make peace with that gang by giving me and my boys +up to them." + +"Never! Never! Never!" yelled every one of the servants. + +"Mars'r Lyon foreber!" shouted General. + +"Glory to God! We all die for Mars'r Lyon!" cried Dummy the preacher. + +"Now all hands give three cheers!" interposed Colonel Belthorpe; and +they were given as vigorously as on the deck of a man-of-war. "That will +convince the enemy that we are wide awake, and don't mean to run away." + +"I reckon that squad is just a little astonished about this time," said +Levi. + +For this reason, or some other, the enemy suddenly made a halt, and the +tumult of many voices came up the road. If Captain Titus was in command +of the enemy, his force was not reduced to anything like discipline. +From the sounds there appeared to be many commanders, each of whom +wanted to have his own way. The defenders of the mansion waited full a +quarter of an hour before the tumult subsided, indicating that some +point had been carried, though enough of the shouts of the stormy +ruffians indicated that they were in favor of going ahead and making the +attack. It was plain to the listeners that some of the gang had cooler +heads, and knew what prudence meant. + +Presently four men were seen marching up the road towards the bridge, +the two at the flanks carrying flaming torches, as if to illuminate a +white flag borne on a pole, which had possibly cost some member of the +troop his white shirt. The two in the middle were evidently the +officers, or ambassadors, of the ruffians. They came up to their end of +the bridge, and halted there. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES + + +The representatives of the ruffians had halted about fifty feet from the +line of the defenders of Riverlawn, and they could be distinctly seen. +It was Buck Lagger who flaunted the flag of truce, and by his side stood +Titus Lyon. The other two were simply torch-bearers. There the party +stood, and there they seemed to be inclined to stand for an indefinite +period of time. They could see the line of the defenders extended across +the bridge, and the torches lent enough of their light to the scene to +enable Captain Titus to discover that the men were all provided with +muskets, though they probably could not make out the character of the +weapons. + +"This is all nonsense!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe, apparently +disgusted with this peaceable display on the part of the enemy. + +"Captain Titus wishes only to repeat the demand for the return of the +arms," added Colonel Cosgrove. "But we can't spare them just yet." + +"That is their ostensible purpose, but the real one is to see whether or +not we are in condition to receive them," suggested Major Lyon. + +"But I am not inclined to wait all night merely to be looked at," +continued the commander of the forces impatiently. + +"I think you had better speak to them, for they can hear you well enough +at this distance," said Major Lyon. + +"I am more inclined to march over the bridge and drive them away than to +parley all night with them about nothing," replied Colonel Belthorpe. +"In military matters I believe in vigorous action." + +"According to the customs of civilized warfare we should respect a flag +of truce, though we believe it is only an expedient to gain time," added +Colonel Cosgrove. + +"What do you want?" demanded the commander, adopting the suggestion of +the planter of Riverlawn. + +"We want to settle this business, and I want to see Major Lyon," replied +Captain Titus. + +"Come to the middle of the bridge, and he will meet you," shouted the +officer in command. + +Titus advanced with his three supporters, marching very slowly. + +"I suppose I must see him," said Major Lyon, who would evidently have +been glad to be spared the interview. + +"Three of us will go with you, and make an even thing of it," added +Colonel Belthorpe, as Noah Lyon stopped forward to discharge his +disagreeable duty. + +The commander placed Colonel Cosgrove on one side of him and Squire +Truman on the other, taking position in front of them himself. He saw +the planter of the estate did not like to meet his brother. + +"Major Lyon, I think you had better let me do the talking, for the +situation must be very annoying to you," suggested the leader. + +"I shall be very glad to have you do so, Colonel," answered the planter. +"I am extremely sorry that my own brother is the leader of the ruffians, +and I did not expect to see him engaged in such a work. He warned me +yesterday that my place might be burned, and that I might be hung to one +of the big trees, though he had prevented such an outrage so far." + +"I suppose the loss of the military stores has roused him to the highest +pitch of wrath, which he manifested in his visit to the meeting. But if +he can proceed so far as to bring a horde of ruffians to burn your house +and hang you to a tree, you can't do less than defend yourself, even if +he is your own brother," said the lawyer. + +"I do not shrink from my duty," added Noah Lyon. + +"March!" exclaimed the leader, as he advanced to the middle of the +bridge, where the party from the other side had halted by this time. + +Captain Titus was evidently surprised to find his brother supported by +two of the most distinguished men of the county, to say nothing of the +eloquent village lawyer. He could not help seeing that there was law +enough on the other side, and that they knew what they were doing. + +"What is your business here?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe in a very stern +tone. + +"I stated my position in the meet'n' you held to-night, and you heard +what I had to say," Captain Titus began. + +"We all heard you; and it is not necessary to repeat it," replied the +commander. "What is your business here at this time of night?" + +"We came here for the arms and ammunition that was stole from us last +night. They were my property till they were given out to the company," +Captain Titus explained. + +"What company? Do you mean the ruffians you have led over here? They are +a horde of lawless men. You have no authority to raise a company, and it +does not appear in what service they are to be employed. They have made +war upon the peaceable people of this county, as they did this evening +at the schoolhouse." + +"We hain't made war on nobody!" protested Titus, warming up to the +occasion. + +"You sent some of your force into the schoolroom to break up a Union +meeting; and that was making war upon the people there assembled. The +man at your side with the white flag was one that I assisted in putting +out. We knew the arms were for the use of these ruffians in terrorizing +the whole country," said Colonel Belthorpe in the most emphatic speech; +and he used the "we" to shift the responsibility from the shoulders of +Major Lyon to those of himself and associates. "Captain Titus Lyon, you +and your gang have been bullying and persecuting the Union citizens of +this vicinity long enough; and from this time they intend to defend +themselves in earnest. You have made war on them, and the arms and +ammunition were simply the spoils of war." + +"I come over here to talk with my brother, and not with you," Titus +objected, upset by the logic and by the announcement of the intentions +of the Unionists. + +"Colonel Belthorpe represents me, as he does all the rest of us," +interposed Major Lyon. "You threatened me yesterday to your heart's +content, Brother Titus, to burn my house and hang me to a big tree; and +I don't care to hear anything more of it." + +"I have said all it is necessary to say," resumed the commander; "and we +decline to hear anything more from you. We shall defend Major Lyon and +his plantation from all enemies who may appear. The conference is +ended." + +"Defend him with niggers!" shouted Buck Lagger. "Are we white men to +stand up and fight niggers in this war, as you call it? It is an +outrage, and we won't stand it! We will hang every nigger we catch with +arms in his possession!" + +"Then a white ruffian will hang to the next tree! It will take two to +play at that game," responded the commander vigorously. "When about a +hundred ruffians, composed mostly of white trash, come over here to burn +Major Lyon's mansion and hang him to a big tree, he is quite justified +in calling in his servants to defend his property and himself." + +The colonel had his doubts about the propriety of arming the negroes, +and he wished to be understood even by the enemy; and he certainly made +a plain case of it. + +"We have had enough of your gabble!" continued the leader. "We decline +any further communication with you under a flag of truce or otherwise. +If you and your ruffians don't retire from this vicinity within five +minutes, we shall open fire upon you! About face, march!" + +The three men behind the colonel turned about, and deliberately marched +back to the end of the bridge nearest to the mansion. The party of the +flag hesitated a few moments, and then returned to the main body of the +ruffians. At the end of the bridge the Riverlawn planter found his wife +and the two girls. From the windows of the mansion they had seen the +blazing torches of the ruffians, and the party who had marched from the +fort to oppose them. + +They found Deck and Artie in the ranks drawn up on the bridge; and they +had explained the situation, including a brief account of the tumult at +the meeting. Mrs. Lyon and her daughters were much alarmed for the +safety of the male members of the family; but Levi succeeded in quieting +them, so that they were quite calm when the major returned. + +"We have been terribly frightened, Noah," said Mrs. Lyon. "When you and +the boys did not come home from the meeting, I was afraid something had +happened to you." + +The two colonels and the village lawyer saluted the ladies, and assured +them that there was no danger, and that they were amply able to defend +the place from the assault of a thousand men. + +"Now go home, Ruth, and go to bed," added Noah. "We will join you as +soon as we have driven off these ruffians, and it won't take long to do +it." + +She accepted this advice, though she still appeared to have her doubts, +and went back to the mansion. What she had seen looked like war to her; +and though she had freely consented that her husband and the two boys +should join the army of the Union, she and the girls had some of a +woman's timidity in the face of the awful calamities of actual war. + +"What are they about now?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, as his friends took +their places in the ranks. + +"They have sent a dozen men or more down the bank of the creek, and they +are out of sight now," replied Levi. + +"They are looking for a chance to get across the stream," added the +commander. "They had better stay where they are if they don't intend to +go home. Is there any boat on that side of the river?" + +"No boat of any kind; but there is a lot of logs on the shore, about +half-way to the river, and they might build a raft of them. I did not +think of those logs before, or I should have rolled them into the +creek," replied the overseer. + +"It will be the worse for them if they attempt to cross. Some one said +you had served in an artillery company in Tennessee, Mr. Bedford; is +that so?" inquired the commander. + +"That is so, Colonel; and I know how to handle a twelve-pounder," +replied Levi. + +"How many men will it take to manage one of the guns in the fort?" + +"If you will give me the two boys, I can send a shot across the creek +every five minutes, and in less time when we get a little used to the +piece." + +"Then take the boys, if Major Lyon does not object, and go to the fort." + +"Of course I don't object, Colonel," added the father. + +"We don't want to kill any of the ruffians if we can help it; but I am +decidedly in favor of driving them away. I saw plenty of broken lumber +about the fort; and I think you had better kindle a big fire on the +shore of the creek, so that you can see over on the other side. If they +attempt to build a raft, give them a shot; but not otherwise," said +Colonel Belthorpe, still straining his eyes to ascertain in the darkness +what the squad were doing on the bank of the creek. + +"Shall you remain here, Colonel?" asked Levi. + +"Not at all; we shall march over the bridge. This is a neighborhood war, +and I believe in carrying it on upon peace principles as far as +possible, and the first shot must come from the other side," replied the +planter from outside. + +Levi departed for Fort Bedford, attended by Deck and Artie. The +commander then arranged his men in ranks by fours, and taught them how +to come in line again, using some technical terms which the negroes did +not understand; but he succeeded in getting them to perform the +manoeuvre quite clumsily. They marched over the bridge by fours. The +enemy still occupied the position where they had first halted, and the +colonel continued the march till the force was within hail of the enemy. + +Some of the ruffians had muskets; and whether in obedience to the orders +of their leaders or not, three random shots were fired. This was enough +to satisfy the conscience of Colonel Belthorpe, and he gave the command +to halt, and the men came into line again across the road. + +"Ready!" he shouted; and the men all brought themselves into position as +they had before been instructed. "Aim!" + +These orders and the movements of the men appeared to produce a decided +sensation in the rabble in front of them; for they were simply a crowd, +not formed in any order. Some of them took to their heels, and were seen +running down the road at a breakneck speed. + +"Fire!" added the commander. + +A terrible yell came back as the men fired their rifles. That volley was +enough for them, and they bolted before the smoke of the powder had +blown aside. Two men were seen lying on the ground, killed or wounded, +and the ruffians were too much shaken to give them any attention. +Half-way to the river they halted again, as did the pursuing force. The +enemy scattered at this point; but in a few moments the whizzing of +bullets was heard over their heads by the defenders of the plantation. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE FIRST SHOT FROM FORT BEDFORD + + +Levi Bedford had made all possible haste to reach the fort, and the boys +had not lingered far behind him, though they could not help giving some +of their attention to the enemy on the other side of the creek. The +ruffians remained at the position they had taken; and certainly they had +made no progress in the accomplishment of the purpose which had brought +them to the vicinity of Riverlawn. Probably if the darkness had not +concealed the artillery party, those with guns would have fired at them. + +"Now, boys, the first order of Colonel Belthorpe was to build a fire, +and we will attend to that," said the overseer, as he led the way to the +rear of the stone building. + +"Of course I obey orders," added Artie, "but I don't believe much in the +fire. As soon as it blazes up it will give the ruffians light enough to +see us. Some of them have guns, and they will fire at us then." + +"What do you suppose these stone walls are for, Artie?" asked Levi with +his usual smile. + +"They were put up to keep the ice cool originally," replied Artie. + +"Then they ought to keep us cool," said the overseer. "When the man with +a big mouth opened it, the dentist told him he had opened it wide +enough, for he proposed to stand outside. But we don't propose to stand +outside, but inside, as soon as we have lighted the fire." + +"But we have to see what the ruffians are about on the other side of the +creek; for you are not to fire a shot unless they attempt to build a +raft," suggested Artie. + +"We can look through the port-holes, can't we?" asked Deck. "If they +build a raft they will make a fire the first thing they do, and we can +see what they are doing." + +"We shall find a way to ascertain what they are doing," added Levi, as +he led the way to obtain more armfuls of the broken boards; and they +were the remains of the cases in which the arms and ammunition had been +packed. + +The wood was piled up a couple of rods from the fort, though a little at +one side, so as not to obstruct the view of the party. Only a portion of +the fuel was used, and the rest saved to replenish the fire. The match +was applied, and in a short time the blaze mounted above the pile, and +lighted the surrounding region. + +"Now, boys, if you feel as though you might get a bullet through your +heads, you can go into the fort, and you will be safe there," said Levi. + +"Are you not going in, Levi?" + +"I am when the occasion requires; but I want to see what they are about +over there," replied the overseer. + +As he was in no haste to put the stone walls between himself and a +possible shot, the pride of the boys would not permit them to do so, and +it became a sort of contention to see who would be the first to seek +shelter. + +"The Seceshers are firing at our people!" exclaimed Deck, quite excited +as he realized that hostilities had actually begun. + +"The ruffians are firing, each on his own hook, for there is no order +among them," added Levi, as he heard several shots. + +The plantation force could now be just seen, marching down the road, by +the light of the enemy's torches. The random shots from the ruffians +were continued, and it was evident that each man was his own commander. + +"Colonel Belthorpe will not stand that sort of thing for any great +length of time," Levi remarked, as his eyes and ears gave him further +information in regard to the situation on the other side. + +"They say chance shots sometimes do the most mischief, or I have read it +in some story," said Deck. "I hope one of them will not hit father." + +"Of course any one of us is liable to be hit while this game is going +on. Perhaps you had better go into the fort, for this fire will soon +attract the enemy's attention," suggested the overseer. + +"When you get ready to go in we will go in with you," replied Artie. + +"There is no need of exposing all three of us to the changes of a shot." + +"Then one of us boys will stay out, for you are nearly twice as big as +either one of us, and therefore twice as likely to get hit," laughed +Deck. + +"There!" exclaimed Levi, without noticing the remark, "now there will be +music in the air!" + +"What is it? I don't hear anything," added Deck. + +"Don't you see that the colonel has halted his force? Now they have +formed a line across the road," continued the overseer, as he closely +watched the movements on the other side of the creek. + +The fort party were silent with expectation and anxiety, and then they +heard the orders of the commander, which ended in a volley from the +fifteen breech-loaders. The birch torches still lighted up the ground, +and the observers saw two men fall. This discharge produced a panic in +the rabble, and they fled from the road to the shelter of a grove that +lay beyond. From the fort it could be seen that a few of the ruffians, +with guns in their hands, had taken refuge behind the trunks of the +large trees, where they were reloading their pieces. + +"That's Indian fighting," said Levi. "Our men, from their position, +can't see these skulkers, who will have a good chance to pick off some +of them at their leisure. We must attend to this matter." + +The overseer elevated his rifle, and took deliberate aim at one of the +ruffians behind a big tree, and fired. He saw his man fall. Deck and +Artie followed his example, though they could not see any single +individuals at whom they might direct their aim. They all continued to +fire till the chambers of their weapons were empty. + +"I don't believe we hit anybody with those last shots; for as soon as my +man dropped and the others could see where the shot came from, they ran +away or moved to the other side of the tree," said Levi, as he carefully +observed the situation. + +The retreat of the main body of the ruffians, taking the torches with +them, left the scene in darkness. The number and direction of the last +discharges assured those who had sought the shelter of the trees that +they were flanked. Nothing could be seen in the gloom of the grove; and, +as no more shots came from that quarter, it was supposed that the +skulkers had retreated to the main body. + +"There's a light down the creek, Levi!" exclaimed Deck, as a blaze +flashed up at a point nearly opposite the boat-pier. + +"That's where the logs lay," added the overseer. "The squad that was +sent down the bank of the stream has got to work at last." + +"Perhaps they have been at work for the last half hour," suggested +Artie. "They didn't need any light to enable them to roll the logs into +the creek and build a raft." + +"Quite right, my boy; you have hit the nail on the head. By the light of +the fire I can now see the raft, though they haven't finished it," +replied Levi. + +"Hadn't we better fire at them?" asked Deck. + +"You might as well fire at the moon, my boys," returned the overseer. +"You haven't had much practice with these breech-loaders, and you +couldn't hit anything at the distance they are from us." + +"But where is our army?" asked Artie rather facetiously. + +"Colonel Belthorpe don't seem to be following up the enemy," replied +Levi. "Perhaps, as the ruffians are retreating, he is satisfied to let +them go home and dream over their work of this evening. The torches of +the main body of the enemy seem to be going out, and very likely their +stock of birch bark is all gone. They are about half-way between our +force and the raft." + +"They are within rifle-shot of us, anyhow," suggested Deck. "We might +give them a little more waking up." + +"Don't be too enthusiastic, Mr. Lyon. We don't win it to kill any more +of them than is absolutely necessary," said the overseer rather more +seriously than usual. "They have the raft in the water, and we will go +in the fort and see what can be done for them." + +Neither of the boys knew anything about artillery tactics, or of the +process of loading a field-piece, and Levi proceeded to instruct them. + +The creek bent a little to the south as it approached the river, and the +chief gunner directed one of the pieces at the western embrasure, so +that it covered the fire built near the logs. The inside of the opening +was bevelled, so that he could bring the cannon to bear upon the +objective point. It was then drawn in, and the charge, with a solid +shot, was rammed home by the boys. + +The cannon was run out again at the embrasure, and Levi pointed it, +mindful of the instructions of the colonel commanding, so that the +missile would go over the men at work on the raft. + +"Now you may go outside, and see what you can see," continued Levi. "I +don't mean to hit the men there, or even the raft; but I want you to +notice what effect the shot produces upon the ruffians at the work." + +"All right, Levi; sing out when you are going to pull the lock-string," +replied Deck as he followed Artie out of the fort. + +"Ready! Fire!" shouted the overseer when time enough for them to take a +position had elapsed. + +The discharge of the cannon gave forth a tremendous report, and the boys +heard the whizzing of the shot as it flew like a flash through the air. +The retreating army of the ruffians suddenly halted without any orders +from Captain Titus or any one else as the echo of the report struck upon +their ears. Doubtless they were astonished; but they were in darkness, +for the last of the torches had gone out, and it could only be seen that +they had halted as abruptly as though the shot from the piece had mowed +its way through the mob. + +The shot, as intended, passed over the heads of the men at work on the +raft, and struck into a tree on the other side of the road, causing a +heavy branch to fall to the ground. The raft-builders suddenly took to +their heels, and disappeared in the grove. + +"Did it hit anything, boys?" asked Levi, coming out of the fort. + +"Nothing but a big tree beyond the road, and a large branch fell to the +ground," replied Deck. + +"I had an idea that you had been fooling us at first, Levi," added +Artie, "and had fired at the main body, for they stopped as short as +though the cannon ball had gone through the crowd. All the men at work +on the raft knocked off instantly, and ran away as though the shot were +chasing them." + +"I reckon we needn't fire another shot, for the ruffians won't go near +that raft again," added Levi. "I fired over their heads, as I told you I +should, and nobody was hurt by that shot. I dropped one man behind that +tree, and that is all the mischief I have done." + +"Are you sorry for that one?" asked Deck. + +"I am sorry for him, but not that I hit him, for he might have killed +two or three of our people from his hiding-place behind the tree. I +don't believe in killing anybody as long as it can possibly be avoided; +but the ruffians began the shooting, and they are responsible for the +consequences. At least half a dozen Union men have been killed in this +county by those ruffians, or those like them; and your father might have +been swinging from a big tree by this time if we hadn't taken the bull +by the horns. No, I am not sorry for anything I have done!" + +"And the house would have been burnt down, and mother and the girls +subjected to the insults of these miscreants," added Artie; and all +three of them were much moved as they contemplated the possibilities +before them. + +"Can you see anything of our people over there, Deck?" asked Levi. + +"Not a thing; it is too dark." + +"I don't believe there will be anything more to do at the fort to-night, +though the affair may not be over yet," continued Levi, after he had +anxiously peered through the gloom to discover the rest of the defenders +of Riverlawn. "I want you, Deck, to go up to the bridge, and down the +creek road, and ascertain what our people are doing. You may report to +Colonel Belthorpe that we have driven off the builders of the raft, and +that the main body of the ruffians have fallen back from the road into +the grove." + +"All right, Levi," replied Deck, who was very glad to be appointed to +such a mission; and, with his breech-loader on his shoulder, he marched +in the direction indicated at a lively pace, though he was so tired and +sleepy that it required a determined effort to enable him to keep on his +feet, for it was now two o'clock in the morning. + +When he reached the bridge he found there, to his intense astonishment, +a dozen horses, some of them with saddles and bridles on, and others +with bridles, and blankets in place of saddles. They were in charge of +Frank the coachman, with Woolly and Mose to assist him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE PARTY ATTACKED IN THE CROSS-CUT + + +Deck Lyon could not imagine any possible use that could be made of the +horses in charge of the boys, and it was not probable that those in care +of them could afford him any information on the subject. It was evident +that some new movement was contemplated, and it looked as though the +commander of the forces intended to chase the ruffians with mounted men. + +"Where is my father, Frank?" asked Deck. + +"He's down the road with the rest of them; but I reckon they are all +marching back to the bridge," replied the coachman. + +"What are you going to do with all these horses?" asked Deck, as he +began to move on. + +"Dunno, Mars'r Deck, what they are for; but Mars'r Lyon sent us for +them." + +Frank knew nothing about the use to which the horses were to be put, and +Deck continued on his way over the bridge. The fire from the blazing +boards in front of Fort Bedford sent some of the light across the creek; +but it did not reveal the presence of the defenders of the plantation, +and the messenger could not see anything of the force. It could not be +far away, and he continued to advance. + +Just beyond the bridge he met a wagon coming towards him. When it came +near enough for him to see it in the gloom, he found that it belonged to +the plantation. Three men sat on the front seat, and were chattering at +a lively rate as they drew near. + +"Who is driving that team?" demanded Deck. + +"Me, Mars'r Deck," replied the man who held the reins. + +"Who's me?" + +"Clinker, sar, wid Bitts and Filly," replied the driver, who was the +blacksmith of the estate. + +"What are you doing with the wagon over here?" + +"Cart'n' off de wounded, mars'r." + +"How many have you?" + +"On'y two, sar." + +These were the ruffians, doubtless, who had fallen when the volley was +fired at the beginning of the affair. + +"You haven't got them all, then," added Deck. "There is another opposite +the fort, near a big tree, who was hit by Levi, firing from the other +side of the creek." + +"We go for him when we done unload dese we got," said Clinker. + +"Can you tell me where my father and the rest of them are?" inquired +Deck, who could see nothing of the main body. + +"In de grove, Mars'r Deck. Wen de ruff'ns done runned off dat way Mars'r +Belt'orpe lead de sodjers arter 'em." + +Deck was afraid he might not find his father before morning if they +pursued the retreating ruffians in that direction; for they would have +to follow the river, when they reached it, about ten miles before they +could come to a bridge by which they could cross. But he had a mission, +and he bravely fought against the fatigue and sleepiness that beset him, +and struck into the grove by a road some distance below the bridge over +the creek. + +He had not gone twenty rods in the gloom of the wood before he heard the +sound of voices and the tramp of footsteps ahead of him, and he was +confident the force was returning to the plantation. He soon confronted +the little column, and placed himself by the side of the commander, who +was leading the way. + +"Levi sent me over to report what we have been doing," said he. + +"I heard the report of one of your guns, and I concluded that you had +work on your hands," replied Colonel Belthorpe, without slacking his +speed or halting to listen to the report. + +"Not much work, Colonel. The ruffians were building a raft at the pile +of logs, and we fired over their heads, as ordered. The big branch of a +tree came down, and all the men on the raft and near them ran into the +woods. The road is all clear of them, and they are not going home by the +Rapids Bridge." + +"No, the villains!" exclaimed the commander. "They have other business +on their hands. I am afraid we have been too tender with them." + +"One thing more, Colonel, and I have done," continued Deck. "When the +ruffians retreated before your fire, those who had guns stationed +themselves behind the trees and began to fire at you. Then we three +opened upon them with the rifles, and when Levi fired a man dropped. +After that we saw nothing more of them." + +"All right, my boy," added the colonel, hurrying his march. "I thought +the villains were only making a detour, intending to reach the Rapids +Bridge; but I find they are marching in the direction of my plantation." + +Colonel Cosgrove and Major Lyon had been called forward to listen to the +report of Deck, and it was decided that, so far as Riverlawn was +concerned, the battle had been fought and won, inasmuch as the enemy had +been driven away. By the time the report was finished and the result +announced, the force had reached the bridge. + +"Where are you going now, Clinker?" asked Major Lyon, when the wagon +returned from the hospital, as the small building set apart for the sick +of the plantation hands was called, and appeared on the bridge. + +"Mars'r Deck done tell me a man dropped behind a tree down de creek, and +I'm gwine for him," replied the blacksmith. + +"Go over and get the small wagon for that; we want this one," added the +planter. + +"Where are you going, father?" asked Deck, who saw that some expedition +was in preparation. + +"We are satisfied that the ruffians are going over to Colonel +Belthorpe's plantation, to do there what they intended to do here, and +we mean to get there before they do," replied Major Lyon. "We believe +that everything here is safe for the present." + +The party crossed the bridge and came to the saddle horses. By this time +all the men on the plantation who had not before been called for duty +had assembled by the horses, and the four white men mounted at once. The +breech-loaders were provided with straps, and had been suspended at the +backs of those who used them. Eight of the men who had already seen +service were mounted and seven more were put into the wagon, provided +with weapons which had been sent for. + +"Filly!" called Major Lyon, addressing a mulatto who had the reputation +of being a very intelligent fellow, "you will go to the fort and tell +Levi we are going over to Lyndhall, for we are sure the ruffians mean to +burn the house. Take the rest of the hands here with you, and tell him +to keep a close watch over the place. I shall take Dexter with me." + +The rest of the party had already ridden off at full gallop, fearful +that they might be too late to protect the colonel's property. + +"But I have no horse, father," said Deck, who had heard the planter tell +Filly that he should take him with him. + +"You will go in the wagon," replied his father. "I see that you are +gaping, and you must be very tired. Get in; the body is filled with hay, +and it will give you a chance to get rested." + +Deck did not like the arrangement very well, tired as he was, but he +obeyed the order. The negroes made way for him, and fixed him a nice +place to lie down in the wagon. He dropped asleep almost instantly, for +he had been up all the night before, and had worked hard and been +intensely excited since he left his bed just before noon. + +Major Lyon had his late brother's favorite animal, a blood horse that +had won a small fortune for his master in the races, and he soon +overtook the advance of the party. The wagon could not keep up with him, +and was soon left far behind. + +Near the east end of the Rapids Bridge over the river was a locality +called the "Cross Roads," where four highways came together. At this +point the one from the county town passing through Barcreek village +crossed the stream. Another road branched off here, leading up the +creek, from which the private way over the bridge led to Major Lyon's +mansion. It continued half a mile farther up the creek, and then turned +to the north-east. This was called the "New Road," and upon it, three +miles from the creek bridge, was the plantation of Colonel Belthorpe. + +From the Cross Roads also extended what was called the "Old Road," which +was laid out nearer to the great river; and six miles distant by the +later-built highway the two came together, though it was over eight by +the older one. About half a mile of the new road was on the bank of Bar +Creek, and upon it had transpired most of the events related. + +The ruffians had been driven down this road towards Rapids Bridge. They +had taken to the woods between the two highways; and by sending out the +village lawyer to reconnoitre, Colonel Belthorpe had discovered that the +enemy were marching, not to the bridge, but up the old road, which would +take them, after a three miles' walk, to a point near his plantation, +where they could easily cross to the new road. The distance by the new +road was a mile less than by the other, and the fleet horses would carry +the party to Lyndhall in abundant season to confront the marauders. + +"I don't believe the villains can get there before we do," said Colonel +Belthorpe, as Major Lyon galloped his horse to his side. "If I had +anticipated the events of to-night, I should have been prepared for +them. My overseer is not a Union man, and I am afraid he will not do his +duty. My place is not so well situated for a defence as yours, Major." + +"I believe we have force enough to drive the ruffians again, for they +don't like the smell of gun-powder any better than other bullies," +replied the Riverlawn planter. + +"My son Tom is at home, and my nephew, Major Gadbury, is visiting at +Lyndhall. But all of them, including my two daughters, have gone to a +party at Rock Lodge. I suppose you know the place, Major?" + +"Not by that name." + +"It is over on the old road, close by Rock Hill, from which it takes its +name. You must have met Captain Carms." + +"I have met him, and we have called upon him, but I never heard the name +of his place before." + +"Just at the foot of Rock Hill there is a cart-path connecting the two +roads, and the ruffians may come through by that passage, though it is +very rough. Most of our stone comes from the quarry there, and the teams +make bad work with the roads." + +"The enemy can't be a great way behind us by this time," suggested Major +Lyon. + +"We haven't wasted any time, and it is some distance they had to travel +round by the Cross Roads," replied the colonel, as he urged his steed to +greater speed. + +Though the road was anything but a smooth one, Deck Lyon slept like a +log on the hay. His dusky companions did not speak a loud word for fear +of waking him. Nearly half an hour after the horsemen had passed it, the +wagon was approaching the cross-cut between the two roads at Rock Hill. +Clinker the blacksmith, who had been excused from ambulance duty and +another put in his place, was driving the horses. + +"Cristofus! Wat's dat?" he exclaimed, as two very distinct female +screams struck his ears, and he set his team into a dead run. + +"'Pears like it's women screeching," replied Mose, who was by his side +on the front seat. "Dar's trouble dar!" + +"I reckon do screeches comed out'n de cross-cut," added Clinker. + +The screams were repeated several times, and as the wagon passed the +hill the sounds of an encounter were heard. It was evident that a fight +of some kind was in progress, and the men in the wagon unslung their +breech-loaders ready for action; for they came to the conclusion at once +that the ruffians were at the bottom of it. No shots were heard, and it +did not appear that the marauders were armed. + +"I reckon we mus' woke Mars'r Deck," said Clinker, as he reined in his +horses at the cross-cut. + +One of the men at his side shook the tired boy, and he sprang to his +feet; for doubtless he was dreaming of the events of the night. Clinker +explained the situation in as few words as his vocabulary would permit. +Deck seized his musket and leaped from the wagon, followed by all but +the driver, who drove the horses to a tree and fastened them there. + +Deck ran with all his might into the passage, and presently came to a +road wagon which had been "held up" by a gang of the ruffians. He +ordered his six followers to have their arms ready, but not to fire till +he gave them the word. With his revolver in his hand, which was a more +convenient weapon than the gun, he rushed into the midst of the fight. +The party attacked were the nephew and son of Colonel Belthorpe, with +his two daughters, who had been to the party at Rock Lodge. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE RUFFIANS + + +Deck Lyon rushed furiously down the lane which connected the two roads +at this point. It was dark, and it was in vain that he tried to +understand the situation from anything he could see. He was sure that +the main body of the ruffians were not in the cross-cut, for there was +not room enough for them. He had to depend chiefly upon his ears for +information, for the trees on one side of the passage obscured his way. + +The first sound that attracted his attention as he advanced, above the +general din, was a half-suppressed scream quite near him. The lane was +so rough that he was obliged to move more slowly than when he had left +the wagon, and he halted when he heard the cry. A moment later he +discovered a man bearing a form in his arms, whose cries he was +evidently trying to suppress with one of his hands placed over her +mouth. + +An opening in the grove enabled him to see so much, and to note the +position of the ruffian. With his revolver in his hand he rushed +forward; and, finding himself behind the assailant of the female, he +threw himself upon him, and grasped him by the throat with both hands. +He had done some of this kind of work at the schoolhouse in the evening, +and the experience was useful to him. + +He compelled the villain to release his hold upon his prisoner in order +to defend himself. Deck wrenched and twisted him in an effort to throw +him down, but his arms were not strong enough to accomplish his purpose, +and he called upon Mose to assist him. The faithful servant was close by +him; and perhaps he was desirous of striking a literal blow in defence +of his young master, for he delivered one squarely on the head of the +ruffian which knocked him six feet from the spot. + +At this moment, and just as the captor of the lady went over backwards +into a hole by the side of the cart-path, a bright light was flashed +upon the scene, and Deck could see where he was and where the ruffian he +had encountered was. When Clinker had secured the horses at the end of +the lane, he realized the necessity of more light on the subject before +the party; for though he heard much he saw little. + +Taking a quantity of the hay from the wagon, he hastened to the scene of +the conflict just as Deck had closed with the ruffian who was bearing +the lady away. Putting it on the ground, he lighted it with a match, and +then heaped on sticks and hits of board and plank scattered about by +those who had loaded stone in the passage. The blaze revealed the entire +situation to Deck and his companions, and it made a weird picture. + +"Good, Clinker!" shouted Deck, as he saw the blacksmith standing with +his musket in his hand, busy doing what he had undertaken. "Keep the +fire up!" + +The ruffian whom Mose, who was not much inferior to General and Dummy in +bulk and strength, had knocked both literally and slangily "in a hole," +lay perfectly still. Some five rods ahead of him Deck discovered a road +wagon in the lane. Two horses were harnessed to it, and at the head of +each of them was a ruffian, doing his best to restrain the spirited +animals, frightened by the cries and the movements of the assailants. +Behind the wagon were two white men engaged in a terrible struggle with +half a dozen of the soldiers of the ruffian army. They were getting the +worst of it, though they fought with desperate energy. + +From their appearance and the fact that they were defending themselves, +it was plain enough to Deck that they were in charge of the two females. +They were unarmed, though one of them had procured a piece of board, and +was doing good service with it. Just beyond the scene of the fight stood +Buck Lagger, holding a female by the arm. She evidently realized that +resistance was useless, and she had ceased to struggle or scream. + +"Now follow me, boys!" shouted Deck. "You had better walk over to the +fire, miss," he added to the young lady redeemed from the hands of the +ruffian. "Clinker will see that no harm comes to you." + +The six men who had followed the young man in advance of them, marched +close to him, with their muskets in readiness for use. Deck could not +order them to fire, for they were as likely to hit friends as enemies; +but he rushed to the scene of the conflict, where the two white men had +just been forced back by the marauders. + +"Both fall back this way, gentlemen!" called the young leader. + +Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe, as the colonel had given the names of +those who attended his two daughters to the party, could not help +realizing that assistance was at hand, though they saw only a stout boy +and half a dozen negroes, and they promptly detached themselves from +their assailants, and retreated behind the wagon. + +"Now fire at them, one at a time!" shouted Deck, when it was safe to do +so. + +Mose was nearest to him, and instantly discharged his musket at the +foremost assailants of the gentlemen. One of them dropped to the ground. +The ruffians had not bargained for this sort of discipline, and they +fled on the instant; for they had heard Deck's order, and saw that there +were more bullets where the first one came from. They ran into the +woods, and disappeared behind the trunks of the great trees. + +"Don't fire again, but follow me!" said Deck, as he started at his best +speed towards the spot where Buck Lagger stood with his prisoner. + +This ruffian perceived the defeat of his party, and he attempted to +force the lady in the direction taken by his infamous comrades. He led +the way, dragging his prisoner after him; but she resisted now, hanging +back so that he could not move at anything more than a snail's pace. She +screamed again, and Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe started to assist +her. + +Deck had accomplished half the distance to the ruffian when he saw that +the strength of the lady was failing her, and Buck was advancing more +rapidly. He raised his revolver, and, aiming the weapon with all +possible care, he fired. Clinker had kept the fire blazing freely, and +he had plenty of light. The ruffian released his hold upon his prisoner, +and swung his right hand over to his left shoulder. Deck believed his +bullet had struck him there, though he continued his retreat to the +wood. + +"I am sorry you didn't kill him!" exclaimed one of the two gentlemen, as +they halted at Deck's side. + +"I had to be careful not to hit the lady," replied Deck. "But we have +driven them off. Now, boys, in line!" shouted the young leader to his +men. "Face the woods!" + +[Illustration: "I HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO HIT THE LADY."] + +The six men came into line very promptly, though the movement would +hardly have been satisfactory to a drill officer. + +"Ready!" he continued. "Aim! Fire!" + +That was about the extent of the recruits' knowledge of the drill; but +they fired their weapons, and each of them sent two more shots after the +first as the command was given. One of the gentlemen suggested that none +of the ruffians were hit by the volley, and Deck explained that the last +discharges were for their moral effect, though not in these words. + +"I don't know you, sir, but we are under ten thousand obligations to you +for this timely assistance," said the gentleman who remained with Deck, +for the other had hastened to the lady Buck had abandoned. + +"My name is Dexter Lyon," replied the young defender. "What is yours?" + +"Tom Belthorpe," returned the other, who appeared to be something over +twenty years of age. "We have been to a party with the girls at Rock +Lodge, and were on our way home." + +"Then you are the son of Colonel Belthorpe. Who is the other gentleman?" + +"That is Major Gadbury, who is spending a week at my father's +plantation," replied Tom, rubbing his head and some of his limbs, for he +was rather the worse for the wear in his conflict with the ruffians, as +the other gentleman conducted the terrified lady to the spot. + +"I never was so frightened in all my life," gasped the lady, as they +stopped in front of Deck. + +"It is all over now, and I would not mind any more about it," added the +Major cheerfully, though he was considerably battered after the fight +through which he had passed. + +"This is Mr. Dexter Lyon, Major, the son of our neighbor," said Tom, +presenting the leader of the colored battalion, though Deck was somewhat +abashed at the formality, and to hear himself "mistered" was a new +experience to him. + +"I am glad to know you, Captain Lyon," replied the Major, grasping his +hand and wringing it till the boy winced. "You have rendered us noble +and brave service, and we shall all be grateful to you as long as we +live. This is Miss Margie Belthorpe." + +"I am delighted to see you, Mr. Lyon!" exclaimed the young lady, who was +only nineteen years old, as she sprang to the hero of the night, grasped +his hand, and then kissed him as though he had been a baby. + +Deck was seventeen years old, and rather large of his age, as well as +somewhat forward for his years; and he felt as though he had tumbled +into a sugar-bowl at that moment. The blaze of Clinker's fire lighted up +his blushing face, and possibly he was sorry there were no more ruffians +at hand for him to shoot if such was to be his reward. He forgot that he +was tired and sleepy in the pleasurable excitement which followed the +encounter. + +"If you please, we will go over to the fire where the other lady is +waiting for you," said he, as he started for the point indicated. "Fall +in behind and follow us, boys," he added to the recruits. + +"I have never happened to meet any negroes in arms before," said Tom +Belthorpe, as he walked along with Deck. "But they seem to be ready for +business." + +"They are indeed; and these boys are as brave as any white men could +be," added Deck, loud enough for the subject of his remark to hear it. + +The two ruffians who had been left at the heads of the horses had fled +into the woods as soon as they saw that the assault was repulsed, and +the animals had become restive. Clinker had rushed over to secure them, +and he had quieted them down so they were quite reasonable by this time. +The young lady committed to his charge had followed him. + +"This is my sister, Miss Kate Belthorpe," said Margie, when the party +reached the spot. + +"Oh, I am so glad you came when you did, Mr.----" + +"Dexter Lyon," added Tom. + +"Mr. Lyon; and you were as brave as a lion!" exclaimed Kate, as she took +the hand of Deck; and either because she had witnessed the reception her +sister had given the hero, or as an inspiration of her own, she promptly +kissed him on both cheeks, and Deck felt as though he had fallen into a +barrel of sugar. "You grappled with that villain, just as though you had +been as big as he was, and held on to him till one of your boys knocked +him into the hole with his fist. You are a brave fellow, and I shall +remember you as long as I live." + +"And 'none but the brave deserve the fair,'" added Major Gadbury. + +"How did you happen to get into this scrape, Mr. Belthorpe?" asked Deck. + +"We were all invited to a party at Rock Lodge, and we went. The governor +couldn't go, for he insisted upon attending a Union meeting at the Big +Bend schoolhouse," replied Tom. "But he promised to call for us on his +way home, for he drove us to the Lodge himself. Most of the guests left +by midnight, but father did not come, and we could not walk home. But at +three o'clock Captain Carms volunteered to send us home when we became +impatient." + +"My father and I went to that meeting, and so did some of these ruffians +that committed this outrage," added Deck. + +"But these scoundrels are not Union men," objected Tom. + +"But some of them were there, all the same, and some of them got put +out. But it is a long story, and we had better be moving before we tell +it." + +The ladies agreed to this last proposition, for they were in evening +dresses, and the chill air of the night made them shiver. The driver of +Captain Carms's wagon had come out of the quarry, whither he had +retreated, as soon as the danger was passed, and his team was ready to +proceed. Deck sent Clinker for his wagon, and he drew it up at the end +of the cross-cut. + +The ladies were assisted to their seats again, while the two gentlemen +took the seat in front of them. Miss Kate insisted that Deck should ride +with them, for she wanted to hear the story about the meeting. More than +this, she insisted that he should sit on the back seat between her +sister and herself. Margie did not object, and the major and Tom only +laughed. Deck had his doubts about his ability to tell his story in the +midst of such delightful surroundings. + +The team started, and at the corner Deck directed Clinker to follow +closely after him. But his story was interesting and exciting, and he +did not suffer from cold or embarrassment during his recital. When he +had disposed of the Union meeting, he described the battle fought at +Riverlawn, and the preparations which had been made for the onslaught, +including the discovery and removal of the arms and ammunition. He had +hardly finished before the wagon stopped at the plantation of Colonel +Belthorpe. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE GRATITUDE OF TWO FAIR MAIDENS + + +The mansion house of Colonel Belthorpe was quite near the road. The +force under his command must have arrived some time before, for several +of the windows were lighted. The four white men were not to be seen, but +the eight boys who had been mounted stood near the house, apparently +waiting for orders. + +Though the encounter of the wagon party with the ruffians has required a +considerable time for its recital, they had not been detained over half +an hour, if as long as that; but no one took account of time in the +exciting event of the night. The ladies were handed out of the wagon, +and Deck perceived that Major Gadbury was very attentive to Miss Margie, +while he waited upon Miss Kate, the younger, and, in his judgment, the +prettier of the two daughters of the colonel. + +When the hero of the occasion had attended the young lady to the door of +the house, he excused himself, and hastened to the mounted men who stood +in front of the mansion. They were astonished at the arrival of two +wagons instead of one, and were discussing the matter among themselves. + +"Where is Colonel Belthorpe, General?" inquired Deck, after he had +saluted the boys in his usual familiar manner; for he had none of the +haughtiness of those who were "to the manner born." + +"Don't know, Mars'r Deck; he and the oder gen'lemen done went ober dat +way," replied General. "De ole road's ober dat way, and I 'spect dey +went to look out for de ruffi'ns." + +"They won't be here for half an hour or more," added Deck, as Captain +Carms's man drove up to the party with the wagon. + +"You done see 'em on de road, mars'r Deck?" + +"I have seen some of them, General." + +"Dey was ober on de ole road, mars'r, I t'ought." + +But Deck did not stop to give them any information, for both wagons had +stopped near the party. The driver from Rock Lodge had run away as soon +as his vehicle was beset by the ruffians; yet he could tell his portion +of the story, while those from Riverlawn could relate the rest of it. +The hero went into the mansion, and a mulatto in a white jacket, who was +gaping with all his might, showed him to the sitting-room, where he +found the wagon party. There was no Mrs. Belthorpe, for she had passed +away years before. + +"I was afraid you had run away and left us, Mr. Lyon," said Miss Kate, +rushing up to him as he entered. + +"Please don't 'mister' me," replied Deck, laughing. "It makes me feel +just as though I was a dude." + +"Well, you are not a dude," added the fair daughter of the planter, as +indignantly as though some person besides herself had called him by the +opprobrious name. + +"And I don't run away, either." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Major Gadbury with decided emphasis. "But I +really wonder that you did not run away instead of pitching into that +scoundrel who was carrying off Miss Kate." + +"I couldn't have done that if I had tried while the lady seemed to be in +such a dangerous situation," answered Deck, as he seated himself as near +Miss Kate as he could find a place. "But I have been talking myself all +the time since we started from the cross-cut, and I don't know yet how +you happened to get into this scrape." + +"We don't know much more about it than you do, Mr.----" + +"Deck," interposed the hero. + +"Deck, if you insist upon it, Mr. Lyon," laughed the major. "We left +Rock Lodge, and Tom told the driver to go by that cross road. It was a +terribly rough passage we had of it, and I think we went over rocks a +foot high." + +"As I told you in my account of the troubles of the night, the ruffians, +after they had been driven off from Riverlawn, took the old road, and +Squire Truman found that they were going to this mansion," said Deck. +"Didn't you see anything of them before you turned into the cut-off?" + +"We neither saw nor heard anything." + +"The main body of the ruffians could not have been very far down the +road. I don't see how Buck Lagger happened to be where he was with the +rest of his gang," added Deck. + +"He appears to have had six men with him as nearly as I can make it +out," said Tom Belthorpe. + +"I don't know what he was doing there, but I can guess," continued Deck. + +"But which was the fellow you call Buck Lagger?" asked the major. + +"He was the one who captured Miss Margie, and whom I wounded with the +shot from my revolver," replied Deck. "I am sorry to say that my Uncle +Titus is a Northern doughface, and is the leader of these ruffians. He +bought the arms and ammunition of which we took possession at the +sink-hole. I believe he hates my father on account of his Unionism and +his taking of the arms worse than any man who is not his brother." + +"I have heard something about him since I have been at Lyndhall," said +Major Gadbury. + +"Buck Lagger is his lieutenant and supporter, and I have no doubt +Captain Titus sent him to the schoolhouse to disturb the meeting. He +carried the flag of truce to-night at the bridge over the creek when his +leader demanded the return of the arms," Deck explained. "Though I don't +know any more about it than you do, I have no doubt Captain Titus sent +this scalliwag ahead of the main body to see that all was clear." + +"As scouts," suggested the major. + +"Yes, sir; as scouts. As the ruffians had been severely punished in the +fight from the bridge, and by the shots from Fort Bedford, they were +likely to be more cautious than they had been before. They were whipped +out at every approach to Riverlawn. Captain Titus may have found out +that Colonel Belthorpe was on the way to his plantation to protect it +with force enough to do his ruffians a good deal of mischief. I think +Buck Lagger was sent out to obtain information." + +"That is a reasonable supposition," the major acquiesced. + +"Of course he could not expect to find the colonel and his force on the +old road, and he was going by the cross-cut to the new road, which +passes by the bridge over Bar Creek," Deck proceeded, perhaps feeling +that he had an inspiration of wisdom as well as of heroism. "When he +came to the cross-cut he must have seen that the Lodge was lighted." + +"What you say reminds me that our party stood for some time on the +portico talking with Captain Carms and his family about an excursion up +the river which Tom suggested as we came out of the house. The wagon was +standing before the door waiting for us." + +"I haven't any doubt Buck was near enough to hear what you said," +interposed Deck. "Probably he had sent his scouts up the cross-cut, and +wanted to see why the mansion was lighted up at three o'clock in the +morning. He understood that those who were to go in the wagon belonged +to Colonel Belthorpe's family." + +"The house is close by the road, and he could easily have seen who we +were," said Tom. + +"He had been on the creek bridge when the colonel talked with Captain +Titus, and he saw that he was in command of the forces there. Very +likely he knew it was he who gave the order to fire upon his party below +the bridge. He must have been as hard down on your father as he was on +mine, Mr. Belthorpe. When he saw your two sisters ready to get into the +wagon, he had some trick in his head to obtain a hold upon your father. +The two ladies were to be hostages in the hands of the ruffians for the +conduct of your father." + +"I think you have solved the problem, Deck, and only your bravery and +skill saved the girls," said Major Gadbury. + +"My father would have burned his buildings himself to recover my +sisters, for no man was ever more devoted to his children than he is," +added Tom. "If Buck had carried off the girls he would have had a +tremendous hold on him." + +"I suppose the villain would have confined us in some hovel, under guard +of these miscreants, while he negotiated with my father with all the +odds in his favor," Miss Margie commented. "Perhaps that was his way to +have the arms returned to Captain Titus." + +"You have saved us!" cried the younger and more impulsive Miss Kate, as +she rushed forward to grasp the hand of Deck; and perhaps she would have +kissed him again if Colonel Belthorpe had not entered the apartment at +this moment, and she retreated to the chair she had before occupied. + +"I see you have arrived," said the devoted father. "I have been worrying +about you the last hour; but I concluded Captain Carms would send you +home. I left my wagon at the stable of a friend near the schoolhouse, +and I have been so busy all night that I have hardly thought of you, for +I knew that you would be safe at Captain Carms's." + +"But we haven't been safe, papa," said Miss Kate, rushing into her +father's arms. + +"Why, what has been the trouble, Kate?" asked the colonel, with his arms +around the beautiful girl. + +Before she could answer, Colonel Cosgrove, followed by Major Lyon and +Squire Truman, entered the room. + +"It seems that a fight has already come off in the cross-cut," said +Colonel Cosgrove, with some excitement in his manner. "Major Lyon's man +tells us you had a stormy time in the road, Deck. We did not wait to +bear the particulars." + +Colonel Belthorpe presented his guest and the members of his family to +the party. Major Gadbury stated what had happened to them in the +cross-cut, and then asked Deck to describe the fight. But Deck, who was +not a bully or a blusterer, and was well ballasted with innate modesty +in spite of the great amount of talking he had done, declined to do so, +and the guest of the mansion described the fight with the marauders, +giving the young hero at least all the credit that was due to him. + +Deck blushed up to the eyes at the praise bestowed upon him, and was +rather sorry he had not told the story, for he could have spared himself +the crimson on his cheeks. + +"It is all true, every word of it, papa!" exclaimed Miss Kate. + +"Deck, I am your debtor for life!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe, +detaching himself from the twining arms of his daughter, and rushing to +the hero of the night with both hands extended. "You are a noble and +brave fellow, Deck, and you will make your mark in the world!" And he +pressed both the hands of the boy. + +"Upon my word, I think he has made his mark already!" added Major +Gadbury. "At any rate, he made it on the shoulder of Buck Lagger." + +"My son, you have done well," said Major Lyon very quietly, as he took +the boy's hand. "I am glad I brought you with me." + +"But, father, I was beaten by the ruffian who was holding Miss Kate; he +was too much for me, and he would have shaken me off if Mose had not +come up and given the fellow a sledge-hammer blow with his fist which +knocked him into a hole," Deck explained. + +"Where is Mose?" demanded the father of the girl, as he took a gold +piece of money from his pocket. "Send for him, and let--" + +"Excuse me, Colonel," interposed Major Lyon, placing his hand on his +arm. "I see what you mean, and I must beg you not to reward him, for +Mose did no more than every one of the faithful boys would have done if +he had had the opportunity, though all of them have not so hard a fist +as he." + +"Just as you say, Major; but I feel grateful to Mose, as I do to Deck, +for the hard hit he made for the safety of my daughter," replied the +planter of Lyndhall. "We shall talk of this affair for the next week; +but just now perhaps we ought to attend to the duty of the present +moment. I sent the mounted men from Riverlawn down the old road for a +mile to reconnoitre, and those who came in the wagon over to the new +road to notify us of the approach of the enemy. We went over there on +our arrival to arrange a plan for the defence of the place." + +"After hearing what transpired at the cross-cut, I doubt whether Captain +Titus will march his army up here," suggested Major Lyon. + +"I think he will," added Colonel Cosgrove. "He is the maddest man I ever +met in my life, and he is determined to recover the arms." + +"But the--I mean Captain Titus will try to gain his point by some +infamous trickery such as his lieutenant attempted at the cross road," +said Major Gadbury, who was on the verge of calling him by some harsh +epithet. + +"Your mansion is safe for the present, Colonel Belthorpe," said Major +Lyon, rising from the seat he had taken. "We might as well fight the +battle, if there is to be one, on the road near your house. I suggest +that we send our whole force down the new road, and drive the ruffians +across the river." + +Before the others could express an opinion on this policy, the mulatto +in a white jacket announced that the horsemen were at the door, and +wanted to see "de ossifer." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE SKIRMISH ON THE NEW ROAD + + +The officer whom the riders wished to see was evidently Colonel +Belthorpe, as he had been in command from the beginning. He hastened to +the hall, and found General there, who was rather more excited than +usual, simply because he had something to communicate. In about every +assemblage of men, white or black, there is generally one who naturally +becomes the leader, though there may be a number of others who think +they could do better. General was this single man, and had thus won his +name. + +"What is the matter, General?" asked the Colonel, as he confronted the +bulky form of the black leader. + +"Not'in' de matter, Mars'r Cunnel, but de rebels is on de road, comin' +dis way," replied the self-appointed captain of cavalry. + +"How far off are they?" asked the commander. + +"About a mile, mars'r; but I reckon some ob 'em done went home, for dar +isn't more'n half as many as we done see near de creek bridge." + +"I should think they might have got enough of it by this time," replied +the colonel. "What do you want now, Sam?" he said, turning to the +mulatto in a white jacket, who appeared to be the man-servant of the +house. + +"Another man here wants to see you, mars'r," replied Sam, as he +presented Mose, who had just come to the front door, where a servant +does not usually come in the South. "He's a footman, an' not a hossman, +mars'r." + +"What is your name, my boy?" asked the colonel, turning to the +new-comer. + +"Mose is w'at dey all calls me, sar, but my truly name is 'Zekel. De +ruffins is stopped half a mile from whar we com'd out on de ole road, +mars'r," replied Mose, clinging to his old hat, which he pressed to his +chest, as he bowed low, trying to be as respectful and deferential as +possible. + +"Did you go near them, Mose?" asked the commander. + +"Not berry near, mars'r: but dey done make a fire, so we see 'em plain +nuff." + +"The main body of the ruffians cannot very well be on both roads," said +the colonel. + +"No, sar; but I reck'n Cap'n Titus done dewide his army, and he's gwine +to take de place on de front and on de back," suggested Mose. + +"Quite right, my boy; you have a head on your shoulders, and we shall +not soon forget the hit you gave the fellow that was carrying off my +daughter," added the colonel, surveying the leader of the foot party, as +he proved to be. "How far off is this party at the fire?" + +"About half a mile, mars'r. I reckon de fire is a signal to dem as is on +de new road," replied Mose, bowing low and hugging his old hat again. + +"All right, my boys; now return to your men, and we will be with you +soon," said the commander as he returned to the party in the +sitting-room. + +All the party in the apartment fixed their gaze earnestly on Colonel +Belthorpe as he entered, and there was an expression of fear and anxiety +on the fair faces of the two daughters. By this time they all understood +the situation perfectly. A gang of ruffians were approaching the mansion +to revenge their defeat at Riverlawn upon the owner of this plantation, +for he had been the chief man of the defence. It was evident that the +commander had been put in possession of additional information in regard +to the enemy. + +He lost no time, but proceeded to state the facts which had just been +reported to him by the scouts he had sent out. It was plain to all the +defenders that another battle, if such a name could be properly applied +to the skirmish near the creek bridge, was imminent. + +"I think we are ready for the enemy," said Major Lyon; "and it will not +be a difficult matter to drive the ruffians off. But I am not a military +man, and we leave the defence entirely in your hands, Colonel +Belthorpe." + +"As I have said before, my place is not as favorable for a defence as +yours is, Major Lyon," replied the commander. "We have no stream or +swamp to cover our position, and we must act on open ground. Now, what +force can we take into the field?" + +"We have all that we had at the bridge," replied Squire Truman. + +"Including Dexter, we have five white men here," added Major Lyon. +"Eight of my boys are mounted, and seven came over in the wagon, and all +of these are armed with breech-loaders, so that they can fire seven +shots apiece. That makes twenty." + +"And here we add to our number," said Colonel Cosgrove, glancing at +Major Gadbury and Tom Belthorpe. + +"Certainly; we expect to take part in any fight that is to come off," +added the major. + +"We have three repeating rifles in the house, two double-barrelled +bucking guns, and four revolvers. We laid in a stock of arms when the +horse-stealers were at work in this county," said the commander. "But I +have never put arms in the hands of my negroes." + +"I never did till to-night, and I found that all mine were as willing to +fight as to work for me," the major explained. "You have an overseer, of +course." + +"I have; but I have my doubts about him. Tilford is rather a brutal +fellow, and I believe he is a Secessionist at heart, though he has never +said anything to commit himself. The worst thing I know about him is +that he associates with Buck Lagger." + +"Make him face the music, governor," added Tom. "If he is not willing to +stand by you at such a time as this, he ought to be fired off the +place." + +Sam was sent for the overseer. Everybody about the mansion had been +roused from his slumbers, and Tilford had been sulking about the space +in front of the house, evidently disgusted to see the negroes from +Riverlawn mounted on fine horses with breech-loaders slung at their +backs. He obeyed the order of his employer, and stalked into the +sitting-room with a defiant expression on his face. + +"Tilford, something like a hundred ruffians are coming up the two roads +for the purpose of burning my mansion and hanging me to the nearest +tree," Colonel Belthorpe began in a mild tone. "With the aid of my +friends here, I intend to defend myself, my family, and my property." + +"Are them niggers with guns strapped on their backs your friends?" +demanded the overseer, with a cynical smile on his ill-favored face. + +"They are brave men, who have this night defended their master from an +attack of the reprobates who are marching upon my place; and I honor +them for their bravery and fidelity, for not one of them has flinched!" +returned the colonel vigorously. "I want to know now upon whom I can +depend to defend me from the violence of these villains who are coming +down upon me." + +"I reckon you can depend upon your niggers, but you can't depend on me!" +replied the overseer, edging towards the door. "You have fotched all +this on yourself by turning abolitionist!" + +"If assisting my neighbor and friend to defend himself and his family +from the attacks of a pack of ruffians is being an abolitionist, then I +am one with all my mind, heart, and soul!" replied the planter with a +vehemence that brought down the applause of his associates, even +including the ladies. + +"Them gentlemen you call ruffi'ns is my friends, Colonel Belthorpe, and +I don't never go back on my friends, not unless they turn abolitionists, +and I ain't go'n' to fight ag'in 'em," added Tilford, working nearer to +the door. "I reckon my time's about done on this place." + +"Quite done!" said the colonel, taking a revolver from his pocket. + +"Go and join your friends! I will order every man with a gun to shoot +you if you are seen about the place in five minutes!" + +The overseer did not like the looks of the revolver in the hands of his +employer, and he fled from the house. The commander had sent all the +Riverlawn force back to the two roads to observe the movements of the +ruffians, or he would have given the faithless fellow an escort from the +vicinity of the mansion. + +"The boys will all stand by you, mars'r," said Sam in the white jacket +as the colonel followed the renegade to the front door. + +"Then call two of them"-- + +"They're all right here, mars'r," interposed the servant. + +The commander sent two of them to follow Tilford. He found, somewhat to +his astonishment, that all the servants on the place, even to the old +men, had armed themselves with clubs, pitchforks, shovels, or whatever +they could lay their hands upon, ready to defend their master, who had +always been kinder to them than the overseer. Besides, the armed negroes +from Riverlawn had remained some little time on the premises, and had +very fully informed them in regard to the events of the night, including +the capture of the two daughters of their master, which had roused them +to the highest pitch of indignation, for they looked upon Margie and +Kate as a pair of angels, and wondered they had no wings. + +When Colonel Belthorpe returned to the sitting-room, he found that Tom +had collected all the arms and ammunition in the mansion, taking a +repeating rifle for himself, and giving another to the guest of the +house. Each of them took a revolver, and they were loading these weapons +for immediate use. The rest of the arms were given to a few of the most +trusty of the servants. + +The commander led the way to the large courtyard in front of the +mansion, where he divided the force into two parties, one to meet the +enemy on each of the two roads. Before this could be done, the scouts on +the new road returned, with the two Lyndhall boys who had followed +Tilford. They had passed him through the ranks of the mounted men when +they were in sight of the ruffians, and some of them had stoned him as a +farewell salute. + +The commander made Major Lyon the officer of the old road force. He +objected, and suggested Major Gadbury for the position; but it was found +that the visitor held his title only by courtesy, and was not a military +man, and then the Riverlawn planter accepted the position. Tom +Belthorpe, Squire Truman, Deck, and four of the eight mounted men, with +about twenty of the Lyndhall boys, were placed under his command. + +The commander had endeavored to make a fair division of the force, and +Colonel Cosgrove, Major Gadbury, four Riverlawn horsemen, and a score of +his own people composed his own force. The ruffians were within fifty +rods of the mansion on the new road, and the division for this service +marched at once. The cavalry were sent out ahead, with orders not to +fire unless the ruffians opened upon them. + +General was at the head of the horsemen, and he galloped his horse up to +the front of the ruffians. He and his men had loosened the slings of +their weapons, and brought them in front of them, so that they were +ready for immediate use. The ruffians had halted as soon as they +discovered the riders in front of them. Then they built a fire, and as +soon as its light shone upon them, General discovered a flag of truce. + +The leader ventured to approach a little nearer to the enemy, when he +was saluted with a volley of oaths, and some one of them, not Captain +Titus, demanded where his master was. + +"Ober on de ole road," replied General, almost as savagely as he had +been addressed. + +"Do you know what this flag means, you nigger?" interrogated the speaker +with an oath. + +"Yes, sar! Mars'r Belthorpe won't hab no more ob dat nonsense," answered +General. + +"Tell him I want to see him under a flag of truce!" shouted the one who +appeared to be in command. + +The horseman was afraid of making some mistake, and he sent one of his +boys back to the commander with this message. Colonel Belthorpe had sent +Sam back for his saddle horse, and presently he galloped to the front. + +"Take in your flag of truce, or I will fire upon it!" shouted the +colonel. "No more fooling! I don't parley with ruffians!" + +The flag immediately disappeared. By the light of the fire it could be +seen that about half a dozen men at the front of the column were armed +with muskets, which, with or without a command from the officer, they +brought to their shoulders and fired. Colonel Belthorpe put his hand on +his left arm, as though a ball had struck him there. + +"Now, my boys, fire at them at will, just as you please," continued the +commander, as he began to blaze away with his heavy revolver. + +The four mounted men began to use their repeaters; but their horses were +restive, and they could not fire at the best advantage, though several +of the ruffians were seen to fall, while the main body of them fled into +the adjoining fields. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +AN UNEXPLAINED GATHERING ON THE ROAD + + +The ruffians were a mere mob, entirely devoid of any semblance of +discipline; and it was again made manifest that they could not stand up +against a continuous fire such as the mounted boys and those on foot +were beginning to pour into them, scattered though it was at first by +the restiveness of the untrained horses. Titus Lyon was not a military +man, and he did not appear to appreciate the advantage of order in the +handling of his force. + +It is true that the negroes that confronted him were not organized to +any adequate extent for military purposes, though the little training +Colonel Belthorpe had given them on the bridge had been of very great +service to them. It was absolutely astonishing to the commander that the +boys did not drop their weapons and run when the random shots from the +enemy were discharged at them; for this idea was in accordance with his +estimate of negro character. + +It was a new revelation to him, the manner in which the men conducted +themselves under fire, hurried as they had been, without any training, +into the ranks; and the same number of white men of average ability +could hardly have done better under similar circumstances. But the negro +was strong in his affections, and the feeling that they were fighting +for the family who had used them kindly, and treated them with more +consideration than they had been in the habit of receiving, even under +the mild sway of Colonel Lyon, was the stimulus that strengthened their +souls and nerved their arms. + +The "people" of Lyndhall were inspired by the example of those from +Riverlawn, and they were filled with admiration when they saw those of +their own kind bearing arms, some of them well mounted, and learned that +they had actually done duty during the night as soldiers. General, +Dummy, and Mose had talked to them, and roused their spirit of +emulation. Besides, they had been moved by the same devotion to the +members of the planter's family; and their indignation at the conduct of +the overseer, who had been their tyrant, had done not a little to +develop their belligerent feelings. + +The ruffians had taken to their heels, and fled into the open country +between the old and the new road. There were some trees upon the tract, +and the fugitives proceeded to utilize them as far as they were +available to shelter them from the balls of the horsemen. At this point +the negroes of Lyndhall, unexpectedly to their owner, manifested their +presence in a very decided manner. The sight of the four stout boys on +the horses, undismayed by the random shots which had been fired at them, +had a tremendous influence upon them, and they became exceedingly +excited, not to say crazed; and, without any orders from the commander, +they rushed into the fields after the ruffians. + +Doubtless they would have obeyed from instinct the order to return if +the colonel had given it; but he allowed them to have their own way. +With the various weapons with which they had armed themselves, they fell +upon the helpless fugitives, pounded, punched, and hammered them till +they begged for mercy. They, in turn, were confronted by an infuriated +mob. Those who were able to do so fled with all the speed they could +command towards the old road, which was nearly a mile distant at this +point. Not a few of them had been so beaten that they could not run, and +they dropped upon the ground. The victors were not cruel, and they did +not meddle with those who no longer made any resistance. + +The Lyndhall boys had gone into the fight with no leader of their own +number; but as soon as they left the road one developed himself in the +person of the preacher of the plantation, a white-haired negro of over +seventy years of age, whom the family called "Uncle Dave." He had always +been a mild, gentle, and very religious man, and he was always treated +with respect. + +Uncle Dave seemed to become a giant in strength, his voice that of a +stentor, and his manner fierce, as soon as his flock went into action. +He called upon his people not to kill the ruffians, for their souls were +black with unrepented sins; and when one of the marauders sunk to the +earth, he commanded them not to touch him again. The fleeing ruffians +were indebted to him for their lives, while he ordered his flock to +punish them severely as they deserved. + +Colonel Belthorpe regarded this man with wonder; for he had always been +as gentle as a lamb, obedient in all things, and anxious to minister to +the people in sickness and death. Now he seemed to be the most terrible +fighting character he had ever met. He saw his volunteers, as he called +them, chase the ruffians till they disappeared in the distance and the +darkness. The mounted men had ceased firing, for there was no enemy +near, and they were fearful of hitting those who were fighting on their +own side. + +"We have made a clean sweep here," said the commander, as Colonel +Cosgrove and Major Gadbury joined him in the road; for they had been in +the fields south of the road, engaged in a flank movement. + +"It has been an easy victory," replied the gentleman from the county +town. "But they were nothing but a mob; and your boys seem to be +lunatics. They are likely to kill the whole of them before they get +through." + +"They will not kill one of them unless it is by accident, for I heard +Uncle Dave order them as they took to the fields not to do so; and I +notice that when a man drops on the ground they let him alone," added +the Lyndhall planter. + +"We have nothing more to do here, unless we go down the road and pick up +the wounded, for I see half a dozen of them in front of us, though they +are all sitting up and looking about them, so that none of them have +been killed," said Major Gadbury. + +"Our occupation here appears to be gone," continued Colonel Belthorpe, +as he looked over the fields from which the combatants had disappeared, +with the exception of those who were unable to run away. "Major Lyon +over on the old road may not have been as fortunate as we have been, and +we must go over and re-enforce him. General!" + +"Here, sar!" replied that worthy. + +"We are going over to the old road to help out Major Lyon. You will +leave two of your men here, one mounted, and the other on foot, to watch +the enemy; the others will go with me," added the planter. + +"Yes, sar," answered General, as he detailed the two scouts. "I reckon +we done finished 'em ober here, Mars'r Cunnel." + +"No doubt of it, General; and I hope Major Lyon has done as well over on +the old road." + +The commander started off at a gallop, and the mounted men closely +followed him. They passed through the deserted courtyard of the mansion, +where the planter was accosted by his two daughters, who had been +observing the movements of the combatants from the elevated veranda of +the house. + +"Where are you going now, papa?" asked Miss Kate. + +"We have driven off the ruffians from this side, and we are going over +to assist Major Lyon," replied the colonel. "Sam, you will remain here, +and look out for the house," he added to the man with the white jacket, +to whom this duty had been before assigned, and then rode on towards the +old road. + +"Don't shoot, Colonel Belthorpe!" called a voice from behind the stable, +as the horsemen advanced, and a man came out into the roadway. + +It was Tilford, the overseer, who had retreated from the mansion, and +joined the ruffians, whom he called his friends. At the first discharge +of the mounted men which followed the revolver practice of the +commander, he had been hit in the thigh with a bullet; and at the +general stampede of the enemy he had made his way into the field. +Realizing that there was no safety for him among "his friends," he had +limped all the way back to the mansion. + +His wound was not a bad one, though it was painful, and partially +disabled him. As he had detached himself from the ruffians there was no +one to dispute his passage, and he had reached the stable, behind which +he had concealed himself when he heard the approach of the horsemen. +But, dark as it was, the colonel perceived and recognized him. + +"What are you doing here, Tilford?" demanded the commander. + +"I am wounded and in great pain," replied the overseer in weak and +submissive tones. + +"Then why don't you join your friends?" asked the colonel. + +"I made a mistake to-night, and I did not know who my friends were," +pleaded the wounded man. + +"Sam!" shouted the planter to the house servant, who had followed the +party nearly to the stable; and the boy immediately presented himself +before his master. "Take the overseer to his room, and do what you can +for him." + +"Thank you, Colonel!" exclaimed Tilford; and his wound seemed to have +made another man of him. + +Sam took the sufferer by the arm, wondering at the magnanimity of his +master, who had ordered all the people to shoot him if he was seen again +on the premises, and conducted him towards the mansion, where he had a +chamber back of the dining-room. As he led him up the steps, Margie and +Kate came to him; and they proved to be as forgiving as their father, +for they did everything they could to make him comfortable. One of the +old "aunties," skilled in nursing, was sent to him, and his wound was +dressed. + +The mounted men, led by the commander, galloped over to the old road, +which was deserted at the place where they came out. On a slight +elevation in the highway a great fire was blazing brilliantly, and near +it was an assemblage of people, the nature of which the commander could +not make out. + +"I don't understand that gathering," said he, as Major Gadbury rode up +to his side. + +"It looks as though the enemy were using the flag of truce ruse over +here," replied the major. + +"I don't believe Major Lyon would fool with them. They are marauders and +disturbers of the peace, and I think he is as disposed to deal summarily +with them as I am," added the commander. "But we will ride up to the +place, and we shall soon know what is going on." + +"Who are these men coming into the road just ahead of us?" asked Major +Gadbury, pointing to three men who were making their way through the +field to the road. "The fire on the hill don't give quite light enough to +enable me to make them out; but I suppose they are ruffians who have +made their way from the new road." + +"I don't know what they are, but we will go and see;" and they rode +forward about a dozen rods to the point where the men were emerging from +the field. "Who goes there?" demanded Colonel Belthorpe. + +"Is that you, Mars'r Cunnel?" asked one of them. + +"Uncle Dave!" exclaimed the planter. + +"That's the parson," added Colonel Cosgrove. + +"What are you doing over here, Uncle?" asked the commander. + +"We done have nothin' more to do over yonder," replied the preacher. +"The boys are all movin' over this way." + +"But where are the ruffians that retreated from the new road?" + +"The boys fell upon 'em and drove 'em over to the west, sar," the parson +explained. "We don't kill any of 'em; but we bang 'em so they hold still +on the ground. We think they was comin' over here to help the ruffians +on this side, and we come over to 'tend to 'em." + +"All right, venerable Uncle," laughed the colonel. "But can you tell me +what is going on upon the hill yonder?" + +"I don't know, Mars'r Cunnel. I don't see 'em till now." + +Uncle Dave had a pitchfork in his hand, and it was plain enough just now +that he was of the church militant, for he was in fighting condition. It +was said that he could read and write; but from motives of policy he +never allowed a white man to see him do either. He was a sensible old +man in spite of his condition, and was employed about the stable and +carriage-house, and was favored by his master and all the family. He had +learned to speak without using the negro dialect, though his sentences +were not rhetorical models, and from the force of habit he retained some +of the old forms to avoid the imputation of "putting on airs." + +"There seems to be no fighting going on up there," said the commander +after he had studied the situation some time, though he could not +understand it. "If the ruffians are moving over here, as Uncle Dave +says, we shall be needed in that quarter." + +"I don't think so, Mars'r Cunnel, for we maul the ruffians so that they +won't want to fight no more for two weeks and a half," added the +preacher, who heard the remark. + +"You may stay here, and if your flock come to this road, send them up to +the hill where we are going," ordered the commander, as he dashed off, +followed by the other horsemen. + +The gathering on the hill was not a parley under a flag of truce, as +Colonel Belthorpe feared it might be; but to explain its nature it will +be necessary to go back to the time when Major Lyon, followed by his +command, had marched over to the old road. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE RESULT OF THE FLANK MOVEMENT + + +Even the title of major which had been thrust upon him could not make +the planter of Riverlawn feel like a military commander as he led his +battalion of foot and mounted volunteers to the old road, which might +prove to be a battle-field. His force consisted of only four white +men,--himself, his son, Tom Belthorpe, and Squire Truman. Deck had been +provided with a saddle horse from the stable of the Lyndhall planter, so +that all of them were well mounted. + +Four of the mounted boys from Riverlawn, four of them on foot, and about +twenty of the colonel's ablest hands formed the rest of his force. The +latter were as emulous to fight the battle of their master as those who +had been sent to the new road. Major Lyon's boys had already been under +fire, and they were exceedingly proud of the experience. They talked +rather large, perhaps, to the Lyndhall volunteers, and told them they +must stand up to it when the enemy fired, and must not run away though +they were sure they would be shot. They were earnestly counselled not +"to disgrace the race." + +At that time a negro soldier was unknown, and most white men, especially +at the South, would as soon have thought of arming and drilling a lot of +baboons and monkeys; and even those in Barcreek who were willing to +accept their services in defence of their families and their property +had never dreamed of such a thing as making soldiers of the negroes. +Their steadiness under fire, though they had been subjected to only a +discharge of random shots, filled the slaveholders present with +astonishment, if not with admiration. + +When the force reached the old road, there was nothing to be seen of the +ruffians, for it was quite dark, and they were beyond the hill, which +obstructed their view. But the scouts had reported them as approaching, +and the major in command was not inclined to await their coming. He gave +the order to march; but they had gone only a few rods before the column +was seen at the top of the hill. A halt was called in order to enable +the prudent commander to prepare a plan for the assault. + +The advance of the force was evidently perceived by the ruffians, for +they also halted, and in a few moments more a great fire was blazing up +at the side of the road. On the march so far, Tom and Deck had done a +good deal of talking together. Since his brave and determined defence of +Miss Kate in the cross-cut, and his strategy in disposing of Buck +Lagger, Tom had a very high respect and regard for Deck. + +"My father isn't much of a soldier, any more than the rest of us," said +Deck, as the major gave the order to halt. "If we fire at those +scalliwags, they will scatter and run away, as they did at the creek +bridge, and be all ready to burn a house or run off with a girl as soon +as they get the chance. I believe we ought to punish them so that they +will remember it till to-morrow or next day." + +"Just my idea," replied Tom. "These niggers stand up to the fight like +white men. I believed they would all run away at the first shot from an +enemy." + +"Not one of them flinched on the bridge or in the road when the ruffians +fired into them, my father says, for I was not there then; I was in the +artillery service just at that time." + +"In the artillery service!" exclaimed Tom, laughing at the magnificent +speech of his companion in arms. + +"Exactly so; you have heard the story of the capture of the arms at the +sink-hole; the cannon are mounted in the ice-house. If you see one of +our darkeys flinch when the firing begins, I wish you would let me know, +and we will cut down his hominy ration," rattled Deck, as enthusiastic +as though he had slept all night instead of half an hour. "But I have +got an idea." + +"You seem to have one in tow all the time." + +"I want you to mention it to my father if you believe in it, and he will +think more of it than if I put it forward." + +"Your father seems to think a good deal of what you say and do." + +"He will think I am too old for my years; but he is the best father I +ever had, and I want him to come out of this scrape with flying colors." + +"But what is your idea, Deck?" asked Tom curiously. + +"I think my father is waked up to the bottom of his boots; he won't fool +with any flags of truce, and he will order us all to fire as soon as the +time comes, though his own brother is in the gang ahead of us, or in the +one over on the other road." + +"I am sure he won't wince." + +"And the moment we fire, the ruffians will all run away, which the +darkeys won't do. That is just what I have seen them do twice to-night. +I wonder what they came over here for if they didn't mean to fight." + +"They came over here to burn your father's house and that of mine; but I +reckon they didn't expect to get the reception Major Lyon had prepared +for them." + +"They will run away, Tom," repeated Deck; "and that is just what I don't +want them to be allowed to do." + +"Not if we can prevent it; for I believe that hanging would do good to +some of them." + +"We can prevent it if my father will adopt your suggestion," added Deck. + +"My suggestion! I haven't got any suggestion, and I don't know what you +are talking about, Deck," replied Tom, puzzled with the remark. "All the +way I can see to manage this affair is to rush at the ruffians and drive +them off." + +"We don't want to drive them off till we have given them a little +wholesome discipline. I suppose you know what a flank movement is, +fellow-soldier?" + +"I have an idea what it is." + +"We used to practise it when we were snowballing on sides away up in the +glorious State of New Hampshire, if we got a chance to do it." + +"We don't practise snowballing much down here, and I never was engaged +in a flank movement at a snowball match. But I have an idea that it is +getting around the enemy, whether in a battle or a game, and taking them +on the side or in the rear." + +"You could not have stated it any better if you had been studying the +art of war or the science of snowballing all your lifetime," added Deck. + +"Be a little more serious, Mr. Lyon, and I shall understand you better," +said Tom, looking very grave himself. + +"I will be as serious as the parson at a funeral, Mr. Belthorpe. We have +plenty of men to flank them handsomely; for it don't take a great crowd +with seven-shooters in their hands to hold that gang where they are." + +"I see what you mean now." + +"What kind of ground is it over on the left of this road, Tom?" + +"It is one of our best fields." + +"Can horses travel on it?" + +"Just as well as on this road." + +"Then your suggestion to the commander-in-chief of the forces is that he +send a detachment of six men, mounted and armed with repeating rifles, +through the field on the left, with orders to fire on the ruffians when +the fight opens," continued Deck earnestly. + +"It is a brilliant idea, and I will do it at once," replied Tom. + +"Hold on a minute, and suggest that the detachment be under the command +of Captain Tom Belthorpe," added Deck. + +"I shall amend that by substituting the name of Captain Deck Lyon," +replied Tom, as he started ahead to overtake the commander. + +"Don't do that!" shouted Deck. + +Everything seemed to be at a standstill; but the blazing fire revealed a +flag of truce flying in front of the enemy. Tom delivered his suggestion +to Major Lyon without mentioning the fact that it came from his son; and +the commander promptly approved it. He believed that there must surely +be fighting this time, and that if the defenders, as he called them, +were defeated, Colonel Belthorpe's mansion would soon be in flames, and +perhaps his lovely daughters would fall into the hands of the vicious +wretches composing the mob. + +"How many men do you need?" + +"The four mounted men from your place, Deck, and myself," replied the +bearer of the suggestion. + +"Very well, I give you the order to that effect; but don't you think +some older person than Dexter had better be in command?" + +"Decidedly not, Major!" answered Tom with emphasis. "I believe Deck is +the smartest fellow in the crowd, except yourself." + +"All right; have your own way, then," replied the commander. "But can +you tell me the nature of the land on the right hand side of the road?" + +"The creek runs from above the mansion in that direction to the river, +and it is swampy on both sides of it," replied Tom, as he hurried away +to rejoin Deck. + +During the absence of Tom Belthorpe, the young hero had been carefully +studying the position of the enemy and the surroundings. He could see +the brook, or creek as such streams are called in that region, by the +light of the fire on the hill, hardly deserving that appellation, for it +was only a very slight elevation. The bushes were like those he had seen +near the spring road, and several pools or ponds reflected the light of +the fire. He was satisfied that the ruffians could not retreat in that +direction. + +Before Tom joined him the flag of truce with four men began to advance +towards Major Lynn's force. The commander's "infantry," consisting of +four Riverlawn negroes, were drawn up in front. The twenty Lyndhall +hands, miscellaneously armed with clubs and such implements as they had +been able to obtain, had also been formed across the road; and they were +as eager to "pitch into" the marauders as their fellows on the new road +had been; but the commander restrained them. + +"Here you are, Captain Lyon, and my mission has been a success," said +Tom, as he rode up to the "cavalry" posted in the rear, where that arm +is not usually placed. "You are to command the flanking party, and +Squire Truman is requested to join the commander at the front." + +The lawyer, who had not been informed of the intended movement, +immediately hastened to the front. Tom reported what had passed between +the major and himself, and a few minutes later the squire was seen +riding towards the hill. He had been directed by the major to inform the +ruffians that no flag of truce would be respected, and that he would +open fire very soon. + +Deck objected to taking command of the cavalry; but Tom insisted, for he +really believed his companion was better qualified for the position than +himself, and the young man finally yielded the point. Captain Lyon, as +he had been called more than once during the night, proceeded to address +the four cavalrymen, informing them what was to be done, and what was +expected of them. + +He did not put on any airs, though he could hardly help "feeling his +oats;" but he was too much absorbed in the success of his enterprise to +think much of his personal self. There were no fences at the side of the +road; and, giving the command to march, he started his spirited horse, +and dashed at full gallop into the field, with Tom at his side, and the +four riders from Riverlawn in rank behind them. + +Deck passed beyond the range of the firelight, so that the enemy could +not see his force, and in less than ten minutes they were abreast of +them. By this time the message of the major had been delivered by the +squire; and the result was a manifestation on the part of the ruffians. +Those who were armed with muskets or other firearms appeared to have +been placed in front, and they delivered what was intended for a volley, +though it was a very shaky one. + +As the cavalry were passing over a knoll, Deck saw that his father was +marching his fore up the road; for the combatants were too far apart to +do each other much mischief by their fire. The enemy kept up a desultory +discharge of their guns, but they were evidently not repeating-rifles. +When he had reduced the distance by one-half between them, he ordered a +halt. At this point he unslung his breech-loader, as the squire had done +before, and ordered the front rank to fire. + +But Deck did not halt; on the contrary, he urged his horse forward at a +more rapid rate, and was closely followed by his command. The infantry +in the road continued to fire at will after the first volley, and it was +evident to Captain Lyon that the enemy were breaking under this hot +work. Those in the rear had already taken to their heels; but the +cavalry dashed in ahead of them, and the young commander drew up his +little force in front of them. As soon as he had given the order to +halt, and the six men in line faced the enemy, he gave the command to +fire in detail. In the case of Major Lyon and his son, both officers did +duty as privates as well as commanders. The retreat was instantly +checked; and this was the situation when Colonel Belthorpe appeared upon +the field. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE HUMILIATING RETREAT OF THE RUFFIANS + + +The situation on the rising ground was a puzzle to Colonel Belthorpe and +his companions. They could plainly see the little force of Captain Deck +in the rear of the enemy, and realized that it prevented the ruffians +from running away, as they had done on the new road. The commander was +inclined to laugh; for taking into account the fury with which the mob +had followed up their purpose, it was rather ludicrous to see them +penned in, as it were, on the hill. + +As it was the policy of Major Lyon and his son to kill or wound as few +as possible of the ruffians, the firing had entirely ceased on the part +of the defenders, though an occasional shot came from the unorganized +mob. The negroes from the new road were coming in all the time; but +Uncle Dave had been studying the situation as well as his master, and +his flock obeyed him as implicitly as they did the colonel himself. + +The preacher saw that the enemy were surrounded so far as the old road +was concerned, and could not retreat in the direction of the creek. The +field by which Captain Deck had reached his present position was still +open to them, and without orders or suggestions from any one he +proceeded to occupy it with the few of his people who had come with him. +He intercepted the others as they approached, and led them to a point +where they could fall upon the ruffians if they attempted to escape in +that direction. + +The firing had ceased, and Captain Titus Lyon could not help seeing the +movement of the negroes under the lead of Uncle Dave. Probably a few of +the refugees from the skirmish on the new road succeeded in reaching the +hill where his advance had been checked, and had informed him of the +disaster to his other division. Even the desultory firing of his men was +discontinued very soon when they saw that they were hemmed in on all +sides, and that they were at the mercy of the victors. + +"Well, Major Lyon, you seem to have brought everything to a standstill +on this portion of the field," said Colonel Belthorpe as he rode up to +the planter from Riverlawn after he had taken a full view of the +situation. "I see that you have made a flank movement, and placed a +portion of your force in the rear of the enemy." + +"My son is in command of that detachment, and the movement was made at +his suggestion," replied the major, who could not help laughing in +sympathy with the colonel. "The movement was made at his suggestion, and +I think there is a great deal more military in Dexter's composition than +in mine." + +"Captain Deck has skill as well as pluck, and he has put the enemy in a +tight place," added the commander-in-chief. "There they are like a flock +of sheep in a pen, and they cannot get out. What are you going to do +next, Major Lyon?" + +"That is for you to say, for you command all the forces," answered the +major. + +"You have brought this sore to a head, my friend, and probably you can +suggest in what manner the wound may be healed," returned the colonel, +still laughing; for to a military man like him the whole affair appeared +to be rather in the nature of a farce. "You have proved to be an able +commander, and I need your advice." + +"You seem to look very lightly upon the whole matter, Colonel +Belthorpe," said the major, who could not understand why his superior +officer indulged in his continued laugh. + +"Not at all, my dear sir; I have looked upon it, up to the present stage +of affairs, as a very serious matter; and I am confident that both your +mansion and mine would have been in ashes before this time if we had not +taken the bull by the horns as we did." + +"You appear to be amused." + +"I am amused at the present situation; and perhaps the victory we have +achieved puts me in condition to be amused. My property and my daughters +have been saved, and we have the ruffians pinched up in a tight place. I +think you have as much reason to rejoice as I have, Major Lyon." + +"Certainly I have; but, not being a military man, it looks more serious +to me than to you. I thought you were inclined to make fun of the whole +affair." + +"Not at all. For a civilian you have done wonders. As we have won we can +afford to laugh. But it is about daylight now, and this operation must +be finished. What is your counsel, Major?" + +"I think we had better get a little nearer to the enemy," replied the +major. "I see a good many of your people in the field on our left." + +"From mild, peaceable, and even timid people, they suddenly became as +brave as lions, and as ferocious as fiends, and they have severely +punished the ruffians who fled in this direction. I never supposed there +was anything like fight in them before." + +"If you are ready we will advance, Colonel," added Major Lyon, as he +gave the order to march. + +The commander took his place by the side of the planter of Riverlawn, +and the column moved up the declivity. The fire was still burning +brightly, and lighted up the whole of the surrounding region. It was +evidently replenished with fuel frequently, in order to enable the +entrapped foe to observe the movements of the visitors. The approach of +the forces appeared to cause a decided sensation in the ranks of the +ruffians, and presently a white flag was displayed in front of them. + +"Captain Titus seems to have a passion for white flags," said the +colonel. "He tried that dodge for the second time over on the new road." + +"And for the third time on this road," added the major. "But there +appears to be some reason for showing it this time." + +The major did not give an order to halt this time; but the force marched +to a point within twenty-five feet of the front rank of the ruffians, if +there could be said to be anything like a rank in the mob. Then the +command to halt was given. + +"I shall leave you to do all the talking, Colonel Belthorpe," said the +major, as he backed his horse so as to leave the commander alone at the +front. + +"I am quite willing to do the talking, but I may need your advice," +replied the colonel. + +The planter of Riverlawn could distinctly make out his brother at this +distance, and he was glad that he had not been shot dead, or apparently +wounded. Two men came from the direction of the fire, bearing lighted +torches, and placed themselves one on each side of Captain Titus and +another person at his side, who carried the white flag. + +"Do you know that man with the flag, Squire Truman?" asked Major Lyon, +as he observed the proceedings on the other side. + +"I ought to know him, for I prosecuted him for an assault not long ago," +replied the lawyer. "That is Swin Pickford, a bully and a ruffian of the +vilest sort." + +"My brother is not very particular in the selection of his associates," +added Noah Lyon very sadly. + +Captain Titus advanced with the flag and the torches at a stately pace, +as though he were the victor instead of the vanquished in the several +conflicts of the night, and halted in the middle of the space between +the contestants. + +"I desire to meet Noah Lyon," said he. + +"I decline to meet him," called the owner of the name. + +"He declines to meet you on the present occasion," replied the commander +sternly. "This is not exactly a fraternal meeting, and there is only one +question which is in order: Do you surrender?" + +"Surrender? No! not as long as there is a breath left in my body!" +replied the leader of the ruffians, as fiercely as though he expected to +have all his own way in spite of his disastrous defeat. + +"What do you want, then?" demanded the colonel. + +"I want justice!" stormed Captain Titus. + +"If you got it you would be swinging to one of these trees; and that is +where you would be if you were not the brother of Major Lyon." + +"Major Lyon, as you call him, is a thief and a robber!" yelled Titus. +"The very guns and cannon you have turned against us to-night were +stolen from me by him!" + +"At a meeting of the Union men of this vicinity last night, a vote of +thanks was passed to Major Lyon for taking possession of the arms and +ammunition found in a cavern; and we all stand by that vote," replied +the colonel with dignity. + +"What do we care for the vote of a set of traitors to the State!" + +"This is not the time or the place to discuss the subject. I desire only +to know what you and your mob are going to do about it." + +"We are going to have justice if there is any such thing left in the +State." + +"It is your next move, Captain Titus." + +"I wish to be fair and reasonable," continued Titus, moderating his +speech and manner. "I have done my best to keep the gentlemen with me +from doing violence to them that stole our property, and"-- + +"And for that reason you became their leader and captain-general in an +attempt to burn your brother's house and mine!" interjected the colonel. + +"No matter what we came out for; I have a plan to state that will settle +the difficulty," Titus proceeded, struggling to keep cool. + +"State your plan, and be quick about it!" + +"If the stolen arms and things are returned to us at once, we will go to +our several homes and let the matter end here," said Titus. + +"That's enough!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe indignantly. "Have you come +over here under a flag of truce to say that?" + +"That is what I come here for; and I insist on't that the things be +given up!" replied Titus, waxing wrathful. + +"Now you can retire with your flag of truce." + +"I won't do no such thing!" + +"If you won't I shall be obliged to open fire upon you and your mob; and +you will be the first to fall," added the commander quietly. + +"Do you mean to murder us?" demanded Titus, aghast at the determined +policy of the commander. "You have hemmed us in so that we can't get +out, and now you mean to fire on us! I cal'late you've got a bone to +pick with your feller-citizens for armin' niggers." + +"I can pick it without any help from you. Now, do you surrender, or +shall I order my men to fire?" demanded the colonel so sternly that +Titus was silenced. "I give you five minutes to consider my offer." + +"I don't want to be shot like a mule with a broken leg," said Swin +Pickford, loud enough to be heard in the front rank. + +"Can't we make terms?" asked Titus, who was terribly alarmed. + +"No terms with a mob," replied the colonel. + +Half a dozen of the ruffians came forward to their leader, and it was +evident that they were quite as much frightened as he was himself. +Enough was heard from those in the front rank of the defenders to assure +them they pleaded for surrender. Some of them farther back even shouted, +"We surrender!" + +"I s'pose we can't do nothin' but surrender or be shot," resumed Titus. + +"That's all; and you may thank your stars that some of you are not +swinging by the neck from the trees at the side of the road." + +"Then we surrender, for we can't do nothin' else," said Captain Titus. +"But I want to tell you, Colonel Belthorpe and Noah Lyon, that you +haven't seen the end of this thing yet. If the whole country don't howl +ag'in you within twenty-four hours, I lose my guess." + +"You had better fall back on your ruffians and guess again," added the +colonel, as he placed himself at the side of Major Lyon. + +"What does the surrender amount to, Colonel?" asked the planter of +Riverlawn. + +"It really amounts to nothing but a way to get rid of these fellows. We +have had enough of them for to-night," replied the commander. "Captain +Gadbury, will you ride around through the fields to Captain Deck, and +ask him to let the mob move down the road toward the bridge? If any of +them have guns, take them from them." + +Captain Gadbury started on his mission. Four mounted negroes were sent +after him to assist in disarming those who had weapons if needed. In a +short time the captain and his followers arrived at their destination, +as could be seen from the position of the main body. It was light enough +by this time to see the force there place themselves on each side of the +road. + +Then the commander ordered his men to march, shouting to the mob to do +the same. The ruffians began their humiliating retreat, and the +defenders followed them as far as the bridge. The planters and their +attendants then returned to their homes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +LEVI BEDFORD AND HIS PRISONER + + +Colonel Cosgrove and Squire Truman returned to Riverlawn with Major Lyon +and his son. Colonel Belthorpe and Tom renewed their expressions of +gratitude to Deck for the important service he had rendered to the +family in the protection of Margie and Kate, and insisted that he should +visit Lyndhall as soon as possible. They parted at the cross roads, and +both parties received a warm welcome at their homes. + +Levi Bedford and Artie Lyon had remained on watch in the fort, while a +sufficient number of the hands patrolled the bridge and the creek; but +the ruffians had found enough to do in the direction they had gone, and +there was no alarm during the rest of the night. The major took his +guests to the mansion, while Deck related to Levi and Artie the events +of the visit to Lyndhall. + +"Captain Titus and the mob have really been thoroughly whipped out of +their boots," said the overseer, when Deck had finished his narrative. +"But, as the leader of the ruffians said, we haven't seen the end of +this thing yet." + +"Do you think they will make another attack upon Riverlawn, Levi?" asked +Deck with along gape. + +"I don't reckon they will try it in the same way they did before; at +least not till they are fully provided with arms and ammunition," +replied Levi. "That attempt to capture the two daughters of Colonel +Belthorpe looks like one of Buck Lagger's schemes. If he had obtained +possession of the two girls, very likely he would have confined them in +one of the caverns like the one where they put the arms, with a guard +over them." + +"That would have been awful," added Artie. + +"I reckon they didn't mean to hurt the girls, and wouldn't if they had +got possession of them," continued Levi. "But you can see for +yourselves, boys, that they would have had the key to the fortress in +their own hands if they had obtained the girls." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Deck, who had seen the point before without any +help from the overseer. + +"I don't see what good the girls could have done them," said Artie, who +had been asleep most of the time during the absence of the planter and +his son. + +"It is as plain as the nose on a monkey's face," added Deck. "With the +two girls as prisoners, Captain Titus would have demanded the return of +the arms and ammunition of Colonel Belthorpe." + +"I see!" exclaimed Artie, as the object of the capture dawned upon him. +"But the colonel did not have the arms, and he could not have given them +up." + +"But father would have made common cause with him, and he could not well +have helped giving up the arms to get back his neighbor's daughter," +Deck explained. + +"But I wonder they didn't try to take our girls," suggested Artie. + +"That is what they may try to do next; and I shall advise your mother +not to permit Miss Dorcas or Miss Hope to go outside of the plantation +unless they are well guarded," added Levi. "If Captain Titus could get +away with your two sisters, and hide them, he could have things all his +own way with your father." + +"We must keep a sharp lookout for the girls," said Artie. + +"Buck Lagger, with his gang, must have gone ahead of the main body of +the ruffians," continued the overseer thoughtfully, "or he could not +have been in the cross-cut. He must have known about the party, and that +the colonel's daughters were there." + +"Where does this Buck live?" asked Deck. + +"He has a shanty on the road to the village, just above the schoolhouse. +He is a pedler when he does anything like work, and I suppose he knows +about every family in the county," replied Levi. "He could easily have +found out all about the party, and who were to be there." + +"There is the breakfast-bell," said Deck, who was quite prepared by his +night's work for the summons. + +At the table the story of the night's adventures was repeated for the +information of Mrs. Lyons and her daughters, and they wanted to hug +Deck; first, because he had been so brave and vigorous in the rescue of +Margie and Kate Belthorpe, and second, because he had not been killed or +severely wounded in the encounter of which he had been the hero. + +After the meal Major Lyon and his two guests retired to the library, +while the boys went to bed. Before the former separated, they had +arranged a plan for the enlistment of a company of cavalry which had +been discussed at the meeting the evening before. But all concerned were +tired out after the labors of the night. Colonel Cosgrove was sent to +the place where he had left his team, and Squire Truman was driven to +the village by Levi, who had chosen this duty himself, in order to "see +what was going on," as he expressed it. + +The ruffians who had formed the mob had been gathered from the region +around Barcreek, and not a few of them lived in the village. There +appeared to be no excitement there, and the overseer started for home. +On his way he had to pass the shanty of Buck Lagger, where he lived +alone when he was at home, which was not much of the time. His worldly +wealth, consisting of his stock of miscellaneous goods, was contained in +a couple of tin trunks, with which he tramped all over the county. + +As Levi drove by the hovel a bullet whistled past his head; and, +removing his soft hat, he found that the missile had passed through it, +and within a couple of inches of the top of his head. It required no +reasoning to convince him that Buck Lagger had fired the shot which had +narrowly failed to send him to his long home. This particular kind of +outrage was not an uncommon occurrence in Kentucky during the exciting +period which followed the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Not a few who had +enlisted in the armies of the Union were killed in this cowardly manner. + +Levi Bedford reined in his horses, and then secured them to a tree. He +was not a man to permit such a dastardly deed to remain unpunished a +moment longer than was necessary. The ruffian, who had appeared to be +the lieutenant of Captain Titus the night before, could not be far off. +Passing to the rear of the shanty, Levi discovered him running for the +woods a short distance from the road. In his hand he carried an old +flint-lock musket, from which he had doubtless fired the shot intended +to deprive Major Lyon of the services of his valuable overseer. + +Buck turned to look at his pursuer, though he hardly abated his speed in +doing so. His left arm was hung in a sling, the material of which looked +as though it might have been a part of the flag of truce displayed on +the creek bridge the night before. Levi had the heavy revolver with +which he had armed himself still in his pocket; and it had even occurred +to him that he might have occasion to use it before he returned from his +present visit to the village. + +Though he was a heavy man, Levi was agile in his movements, and the +ruffian could not help seeing that his pursuer was gaining upon him. +Before he reached the woods, he realized that he had no chance to +escape, and he halted. Elevating his gun, he took aim at the overseer. +But Levi knew that the weapon could not be loaded, for he had fired its +only charge at him, and had not had time to reload it. + +"It won't go off again till you load it," said the overseer, as he +rushed up to him, and wrenched the musket from his hand, thinking he +might try to use it as a club. "It's no fault of yours, except in your +aim, that you are not a murderer, Buck Lagger!" + +[Illustration: "IT WON'T GO OFF AGAIN UNTIL YOU LOAD IT."] + +"I'm only sorry I missed my aim," replied Buck. "You have a revolver in +your hand, and you can shoot me as soon as you please." + +"Shooting is too good for a ruffian like you. If I had a rope I would +hang you to one of the beams of your own shanty," replied Levi, as he +grasped the ruffian by the collar of his coat. + +"Oh, I'll lend you a rope if you will come to the house," replied the +obliging ruffian. "But hold your hand! You hurt me! You can see for +yourself that I am wounded. One of Lyon's cubs put a ball through my +shoulder last night." + +"It's a pity he did not put it through your brains, if you've got +anything of that sort in the top of your head," added Levi, as he +proceeded to lead his prisoner to his wagon. + +"You hurt me, Bedford!" pleaded Buck. "If you want to hang me, I'll help +you do the job in proper fashion; but you needn't torture me before you +do it. When we lynch a fellow we don't do that." + +Levi released his hold upon the prisoner. + +"My aim is better than yours; walk to my wagon, and if you attempt to +run away, I won't kill you, but I will put two or three balls through +your legs, so that it won't be convenient for you to run," said he, as +he drove the villain before him towards the road. + +"What are you go'n' to do with me, Bedford?" asked Buck. + +"That's my business," replied Levi. + +"Well, I think it rayther consarns me too." + +"If you live long enough you will find out in time. Now get into the +wagon." + +"Are you go'n' to take me down to Lyon's place?" asked Buck, looking his +captor in the face as they stopped at the side of the vehicle. + +"Get in quick, or I may hurt you again!" said Levi impatiently. "You +won't get killed by a ball from my shooter, but you may have another +wound." + +Probably the ruffian preferred shooting to hanging, and the remark of +the overseer did not please him. If he had told his whole story, he +would have said that he had been unable to sleep on account of the wound +in his shoulder, and for that reason he had been up early enough to see +Levi drive past his shanty with Squire Truman. The suffering made him +angry, stimulated his desire for revenge; and he had tried to put the +overseer out of the way. + +He pretended to be more afraid of wounds than of death; and with the +assistance of Levi he climbed into the wagon, taking his place on the +front seat as directed. His captor put the gun he had brought with him +into the wagon, and then seated himself beside his prisoner. The +spirited horses went off at a lively pace, and Buck immediately +complained that the motion increased his pain. + +"That wasn't a bad scheme of yours to get possession of Colonel +Belthorpe's girls, Buck. You meant to trade them off for the arms, I +suppose," said Levi, as he reduced the pace of his horses to a walk; for +he desired, if he could, to obtain some information from his prisoner. + +"That was just it, Bedford; and if that cub of Lyon's hadn't interfered, +we should have had the arms before this time," replied Buck, with both a +chuckle and a groan. + +"Why didn't you try it on Major Lyon's girls first, for that would have +brought the matter nearer home?" + +"That's just what we meant to do," replied Buck, with refreshing +confidence in his custodian. "That was my plan; but Cap'n Titus was +obstinate, and wouldn't hear to me. He ain't much of a cap'n; and I'd +had the arms and the rest o' the things if he had left it to me." + +"What was your plan, Buck?" asked Levi quietly. + +"That's tellin'; we may try it on some other time, if I live long +enough. Our folks are fightin' this thing on principle, and we ain't +go'n' to see the good old State of Kaintuck turned over to the +Abolitionists." + +"What do you mean by Abolitionists, Buck?" + +"Such fellers as Lyon, Cosgrove, Belthorpe." + +"They are all slaveholders." + +"They're all Lincolnites, and gave arms to their niggers to shoot down +white Kaintuckians last night," replied Buck bitterly. + +"Only when a mob of ruffians came down upon them to burn their property +and carry off their daughters!" added Levi. "They are Union men, and +they will stand by the old flag as long as there is anything left of +them." + +"The Union's busted!" + +"Not much! Why don't you enlist in the Confederate army, and carry out +your principles? You are a cowardly ruffian, Buck!" + +"We can do more good to the cause by stoppin' here, Bedford; and when I +git command of that Home Guard, as I shall afore long, I'll clean out +the Abolitionists in less'n a week," said Buck boastfully. + +"If you live long enough," suggested Levi. + +"If I don't I'm willin' to be a martyr to the good cause!" protested the +reprobate. + +As before suspected by Levi and his employer, "that Home Guard" was +composed of the ruffians who had been the assailants the night before. +Levi drove to the fort, where a guard of a dozen negroes, under the +command of General, had been placed over the arms and ammunition. The +prisoner was taken from the wagon, and permitted to lie on one of the +beds which had been brought from the mansion the night before for the +use of the defenders of the plantation. General and his men were charged +to shoot the captive if he attempted to escape. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +DR. FALKIRK VISITS RIVERLAWN + + +Levi Bedford, in spite of his threats to hang his prisoner, was a +kind-hearted man, and he did what he could for the comfort of Buck +Lagger. He had often been called upon to prescribe for the sick or +injured among the hands on the plantation. He examined the wound of the +ruffian; but it was beyond his skill, and he did not attempt to treat +the patient. + +During the absence of the expedition for the defence of Lyndhall he had +done what he could for those who had been wounded on the creek road; but +he was not an expert in the treatment of gunshot wounds. There was +little he could do for them; and early in the morning he had sent Frank +to procure the attendance of Dr. Falkirk, who resided near the village. +He had been called to a case on a plantation several miles from +Barcreek. He had not returned when Levi went to his bed. + +Major Lyon and the boys had taken to their beds as soon as the guests +departed, and the overseer was in condition to follow their example. The +premises were well guarded along the creek, and two men with +breech-loaders in their hands were in charge of the wounded prisoner. In +the mansion Mrs. Lyon and her daughters, who had been up most of the +night, for they could not sleep while the major and his sons were in +danger, had gone to bed to obtain needed rest. + +Even the hands who had been on service the whole or a part of the +eventful night were asleep, and the guard at Fort Bedford had been +relieved. Levi slept soundly on the bed he had taken within the works, +in spite of the groans mingled with curses of the wounded ruffian. There +was no white person awake on the plantation to wonder what was to be the +outcome of the events of the night. Doubtless Colonel Cosgrove and +Squire Truman were also sleeping off the fatigues of the night. The +aggressive ruffians had fled to their several homes, defeated, +exhausted, and disgusted with the result of their labors in the cause of +Secession. There was a calm after the storm. + +Dr. Falkirk appeared about the middle of the forenoon. He was of Scotch +descent; but his father had settled in New Orleans, and the son became +as violent a "fire-eater" as though he had been the possessor of half a +thousand slaves. He had made a fortune in the practice of his +profession, and had purchased a plantation in Kentucky, on the outskirts +of Barcreek, where he intended to end his days in peace and quiet. But +some of his investments had been unfortunate, and he had been compelled +to resume practice. + +His skill as a physician and surgeon had brought to him an abundant +practice, though his patients were widely scattered, and he was obliged +to pass much of his time in his gig. When the troubles of the nation +began, he developed into a Secessionist of the most ultra stripe. He was +a highly educated man and a fluent speaker in public and private. In the +Lyceum of the village he and Squire Truman were often pitted against +each other, and one was quite as outspoken as the other. + +But Dr. Falkirk was faithful to his patients, poor or rich, and without +regard to their creed or politics. Though his fortune had been impaired, +he was still in comfortable circumstances, and never refused to visit +any sick person to whom he was called, with no regard to color or the +expectation of payment for his services. In fact, he was the beau-ideal +of a good physician, and held the honor of his profession above every +other consideration. + +The men on patrol at the bridge conducted the doctor to the fort as soon +as he appeared, in obedience to the orders of the overseer. When he +reached Fort Bedford he manifested no little astonishment at the +appearance of the old ice-house, with its four embrasures, through which +the twelve-pounders could be seen. The negroes with breech-loaders in +their hands were a disgusting exhibition to him, and he turned up his +nose, though he made no remark. + +The sentinel at the door politely ushered him into the presence of his +patient. Without asking any questions in regard to the manner in which +the sufferer had received his wound, Dr. Falkirk proceeded to examine +him. Buck Lagger was still in great pain, and had kept up a continual +groaning all the forenoon. The doctor immediately gave him a couple of +little pills, intended to ease the pain. The skilful surgeon discovered +that a bullet was embedded in the shoulder, and he took from the handbag +the instruments for its extraction. + +Then he called upon a couple of the guards to assist him. There were but +two sentinels in charge of the fort, who were faithfully marching up and +down outside the door. But they paid no attention to the call of the +doctor. Each of them seemed to be impressed with the idea that the +protection of the plantation and the lives of all the family depended +upon him, and that it would be treason for them to leave their posts. + +"Can't you hear me, you black rascals?" demanded the surgeon in a loud +tone. "Come here, one of you!" + +"Can't leabe de post, Mars'r Doctor," replied one of the men. + +Probably there was no enemy within a mile of the fort; but they had been +told that they were not to leave their places for anything, and they +were disposed literally to obey their orders. But the angry tones of the +surgeon had awakened Levi Bedford, who was sleeping at one end of the +fort. He sprang to his feet, and discovered the doctor at the couch of +his patient. + +"Good-morning, Doctor Falkirk," said he. "I did not know you were here." + +"I knew I was here, and I ordered those black scoundrels to assist me, +and they refused to do so," replied the doctor angrily. + +"They only obey their orders, but they rather overdo it. I will assist +you, Doctor," added Levi. + +"Orders!" exclaimed the professional gentleman contemptuously. "One +would think this was a regular garrison." + +"That is about what it is," replied the overseer. + +"Humbug!" said the surgeon, as he turned to his patient. + +Levi called in one of the sentinels, and the bed of the wounded man was +drawn out before the door where the light was best, and the doctor +proceeded with his work. The morphine pills he had given the patient +appeared to have relieved his pain. The operator probed for the ball, +and soon found it. Then he dressed the wound with as much care as though +the sufferer had been a Kentucky colonel. He had hardly completed his +office before Buck dropped asleep under the influence of the powerful +medicine he had taken. The bed was moved back without waking him, and +Dr. Falkirk passed out of the fort, followed by the overseer. + +"Keep the man quiet for a week, and give him anything he wants to eat," +said he, as he looked about him at the warlike preparations which had +been finished the day before. + +"We have three more wounded men in the hospital who need a surgeon," +added Levi. + +"What are those niggers doing over on the other side of the creek?" +asked the surgeon, whose gaze had wandered to the grove at the side of +the road. Some of the hands had been directed to bury the man who had +fallen behind the tree where he had taken refuge from the shots of the +defenders of the plantation. + +He had been seen in the act of levelling his gun at the advancing +column, and Levi had brought him down before he could discharge his +weapon. + +"They are burying a man that fell in the skirmish last night," Levi +replied to the question of the doctor. + +"What skirmish?" inquired Dr. Falkirk, with evident astonishment. + +"You don't appear to have heard the news, Doctor," replied the overseer. + +"What news? I was called to General Longman's plantation last evening; I +spent the night there, and did not get home till half-past eight this +morning." + +As briefly as possible Levi gave the details of the events of the +preceding night, beginning with the meeting at Big Bend, and ending with +the final defeat and surrender of the ruffians. + +"An Abolition row!" said the doctor contemptuously. + +"Not exactly, Dr. Falkirk; it was a Secession row!" added Levi with +energy. + +"Brought about by the insane wrangling of the traitors to the State of +Kentucky!" snapped the surgeon. + +"The traitors to the State of Kentucky are loyal to the government of +the United States and the Union," protested the overseer. + +"There is no longer any United States, and the Union has ceased to +exist! The men who are making all this trouble in Kentucky are those who +are trying to make war upon the Southern Confederacy, to subdue and +enslave a dozen sovereign States!" argued the doctor, almost furiously. + +"I reckon it's no use for you and me to argue this question, for we +don't live in the same world on that subject," said the overseer, with a +smile on his round face. "But Kentucky is for the Union by a large +majority, and what you call sovereign States are in rebellion against +the lawful authorities of the nation, and the insurrection will be put +down just as sure as fate." + +"This used to be a free country, though it isn't so now; but every man +can have his own opinion as long as he is willing to be responsible for +it." + +"It isn't exactly a free country as long as the loyal citizens of this +county cannot hold a meeting without being attacked by the ruffians of +Secession, as was the case at Big Bend last night. Then the same +villains came over here in a mob of a hundred to burn Major Lyon's +house, and capture his daughters, as they tried to do with Colonel +Belthorpe's girls. They did not succeed, and some of them were shot down +in the attempt. The right to commit such outrages as these is what you +call free; but we at Riverlawn don't understand it in just that way." + +"But, according to your own statement, Mr. Bedford, your people had +stolen the arms intended for the company of the Home Guards whom Captain +Titus Lyon has enlisted," returned the doctor. + +"We took possession of the arms and ammunition, including the two guns +at those embrasures, to prevent these ruffians from using them against +the loyal citizens of the county in carrying out their ideas of +freedom," said Levi stoutly. "Do you believe these ruffians, the +offscourings of the county, ought to be permitted to burn, ravage, and +destroy the homes of some of the most respectable people in this +vicinity, Dr. Falkirk?" + +"But your people were the aggressors, and I think they were justified in +trying to recover the property that had been stolen from them." + +"The ruffians issued their threats to burn the mansion of Major Lyon +before the arms entered into the question." + +The discussion might have continued all day, if Sam, Colonel Belthorpe's +house servant, had not ridden up at this moment. + +"I come for the doctor, sar," said the man. + +"Who is sick at Lyndhall, Sam?" asked Levi with much interest. + +"Nobody sick, Mars'r Bedford; but Mars'r Tilford's very bad with his +wound, and Mars'r Cunnel send me for the doctor," replied the servant. + +"Is this another of your victims, Mr. Bedford?" asked the doctor with a +heavy sneer. + +"It is Colonel Belthorpe's overseer. He refused to assist in protecting +the family from the ruffians, and left the mansion. It seems that he was +shot in attempting to join your army, doctor." + +"He's a brave fellow! I will go and see him." + +"But he deserted your army of ruffians, and crawled back to the house, +where the girls nursed him and cared for him. Now the colonel sends for +you to patch him up, the ingrate!" + +"True to his principles against his employer!" + +The doctor was conducted to the hospital, where he did his duty +faithfully to those who had been wounded, though Levi reminded him that +they belonged to "his army." None of them were in a bad way, and the +surgeon said they would be all right in a few days. + +All was quiet again at Riverlawn, and the sleepers used most of the day +in their beds. On the following morning, after the whole evening had +been used in discussing the events of the preceding night, everything +went along as usual on the plantation. No more ruffians appeared on the +other side of the creek, though Major Lyon and the boys remained on duty +at the fort. + +"What is to be the end of all these disturbances, Noah?" asked Mrs. +Lyon, as the family seated themselves at the breakfast-table the second +morning after the battle, as they had come to call the events of that +stormy night. + +"I think we all understand what is before us. We are to have war, and I +don't believe it will end in a hundred days, as the statesman at +Washington says," replied Major Lyon; and even some of his family had +learned to apply this title to him. "Within a few days we shall begin to +form a company of cavalry. I am still of military age, and the boys are +old enough to take part in the struggle before us. But Levi will remain +on the plantation; and as the hands have proved that they can stand up +under fire, he will have the means of protecting you, Ruth." + +"Of course we shall be sorry to have you go, but I agree with you, Noah, +that your country has a claim upon you which you cannot shirk," replied +Mrs. Lyon, struggling to repress a tear. + +"Buck Lagger asked me this morning if I thought he was well enough to be +hung," said Levi, perhaps to break off the conversation in that line. + +"Do you think of hanging him, Levi?" inquired the planter. + +"That is what I promised him; but I leave that matter to you, Major +Lyon. He is a murderer at heart, and the bullet from his gun passed +within two inches of the top of my head." + +"I should not like to have him hung at Riverlawn," added the planter. "I +will talk with him, and see what can be done; but there is no law in +this part of the country just now." + +The family were to dine that day at Lyndhall at one o'clock, so that +none of them need be absent after dark. Major Lyon left the house, and +was directing his steps towards Fort Bedford for an interview, when he +saw Captain Titus Lyon driving over the bridge. He did not care to meet +him, but he could hardly avoid doing so, and he stopped in front of the +flower-garden. Titus fastened his horse to a post, and approached his +brother. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +THE ARRIVAL OF THE RECRUITING OFFICER + + +Noah Lyon was not glad to see his brother; but this was a new experience +to him, for he had always had a fraternal feeling for him, and had done +everything in his power for him when he needed assistance. He was +willing to believe that Titus was sincere in his political convictions, +though it was impossible for him to understand how he could be a traitor +to the Union. + +At the North both of the great parties were united in support of the +government, and at his former home Titus would have been almost alone if +he had clung to the opinions which now actuated him; for "copperheads" +were rare serpents there. Noah's brother would hardly have been one amid +the surroundings of his former home. It was evident that Kentucky +whiskey and a feeling of revenge, born of his disappointment over the +provisions of Duncan's will, had done more to make him a Secessionist +than the workings of his own reason. + +"I have come to see you once more, Noah," Titus began quite mildly for +him, though it was plain to his brother that he was primed with his +favorite beverage as usual. + +He was not intoxicated in any reasonable sense of the word; and he had +plainly resolved to make the interview a peaceable one. Doubtless he had +a point to carry, but within a few days he had probably learned more +about the character of his brother than he had ever known before. Noah +could not say that he was glad to see him, for even a "society lie" was +repulsive to him. + +"I hope we shall be peaceable and pleasant this time, even if we cannot +agree in everything," he replied very gently and with a smile upon his +honest face. + +"That's just what I want, Noah; and I have always tried to make things +peaceable between us," added Titus. + +Noah wondered if he believed what he uttered, after coming with a mob to +his plantation to burn and ravage his property; but whatever doubts he +had, he kept them to himself, for he knew that the thought which was +uppermost in his mind, if expressed, would only irritate his brother, +and provoke him to wrath. + +"I trust you will continue to do so," was his next remark, though he +thought that even this was admitting too much. + +"There is a question between us, Noah," continued Titus, struggling to +retain his quiet demeanor as he approached the point of difference +between them. "I won't say a word about the way I have been used up to +three days ago, for I want to be on kind of brotherly terms with you, if +we don't agree on politics." + +"I assuredly desire to be on brotherly terms with you, and it shall not +be any fault of mine that we are not brothers in spirit as well as in +fact," replied Noah, who became slightly hopeful of Titus, for he had +not recently heard him speak so many friendly words. + +"There is only one question between us now, and we might just as well +come right down to business at once," said Titus, very nervous in his +manner, as though his hope of accomplishing anything with the stern +patriot his brother had proved to be was only slight. "Of course you +know that I mean about the arms." + +"I understand you, Brother Titus," replied Noah, exceedingly unwilling +to fan the fire that was smouldering in the breast of the leader of the +ruffians. + +"It seems to me that there ought to be no trouble between two brothers +like you and me about settling a question of this kind," continued +Titus, still toying with the subject. "Of course you must admit that the +arms did not belong to you." + +"No more than Fort Sumter and a dozen other places built and maintained +by the Union belonged to the insurgents who have taken possession of +them," answered Noah very quietly. + +"That's another matter," returned the captain, evidently thrown off his +base by this home argument. + +"It is precisely the same thing to my mind." + +"Do you call stealing my property the same thing as a nation taking +possession of forts and such things within its own territory, Noah +Lyon?" + +"Precisely the same thing, though on a smaller scale." + +"I used to think you had lots of logic in your head, Noah; but I believe +you hain't got none on't left," retorted Titus, relapsing into what he +called his "week-day speech." "I was in hopes you had come to sunthin' +like reason, and would be ready to give up the property you stole." + +"I shall be quite ready to give it up when the insurrectionists give up +the property they stole." + +"The two things ain't no more like than a nigger is like a white man," +protested Titus, the bad blood, mingled with whiskey, in his veins +beginning to boil. + +"I think we had better not discuss this question any more, Brother +Titus. It only stirs up bad blood, and does not accomplish anything," +suggested Noah. + +"I s'pose I'm to understand from what you say that you don't mean to +give up the arms you stole from me," said Titus, doubling his fist, and +holding it near the face of his brother. + +"I do not consider that I have any right to deliver the arms to you; for +I understand that they were to be used to arm what you call the Home +Guards, or, in other words, the ruffians who came over here to burn my +house and lay waste my property. I shall not give up the arms to you, or +to any other person representing the enemies of the Union. The +insurrectionists have set the example of stealing arms, as you call it, +and forts, and public buildings by wholesale; and the Secessionists of +Kentucky are robbing the Union men of their arms. I hold that the +precedent has been well established by those on your side of the +question." + +"I don't care for your precedents, and I wish my brother would deal with +the one question between us." + +"I am entirely willing to do so, Brother Titus. You wish me to furnish +the brands with which you can burn my house and those of my neighbors." + +"What sort of bosh is that?" demanded Titus, who did not see the point. + +"If I should return to you the military supplies in my possession, they +would be used to arm the horde of ruffians you marched over here to burn +my property the other night." + +"They would be used to arm my company of the Home Guards; and they are +regular under the call of the Governor of Kentucky." + +"The Legislature of the State repudiate him, and the people are +enlisting the troops he refused to furnish." + +"The Legislature is a fraud, and don't rightly represent the will of the +people. I came over here with the Home Guard and other friends of the +cause to get the arms. You turned our own weapons against us, and +without arms we could do nothing against armed niggers." + +"I have put my place in a condition to be defended, and I have called +upon the United States government to send a body of troops here to +protect the Union people from the outrages of your people." + +"They will have a hot time of it when they get here," replied Titus with +a sneer. + +"In the meantime we shall defend ourselves. We have been attacked"-- + +"You have not been attacked!" protested the captain. "We came over here +to demand the arms. We put up a flag of truce, and wanted to talk with +you; but you drove us off, and fired upon us," answered Titus. + +"Your people began the attack at the schoolhouse." + +"'Tain't so! Some of our men went to the meeting, and you fell upon 'em +there." + +"They had no business there, for the call was addressed to the Union men +of the county. They disturbed the meeting, and we put them out. Then +your company gathered in the woods, demanding 'Lyon and his cubs.' My +friends stood by me, and the meeting shouldered all the responsibility +in regard to the arms. We agreed to get up a company of cavalry for the +United States." + +"And you mean to arm 'em with the things you stole from me!" almost +gasped Captain Titus. + +"When a proper officer comes here he will give you a receipt for the +property." + +"Which would not be worth the paper it is written on to me!" + +"Not unless you could show that you were a Union man." + +"My men are bent on gettin' them arms, and they will have them!" + +"They will have to fight for them," added Noah quietly. + +Perhaps the interview would have become still more stormy if Levi +Bedford had not approached with a gentleman wearing the uniform of a +cavalry officer. Captain Titus did not like the looks of him, and, +judging that Noah had proceeded farther than he had suspected in +providing for the protection of the loyal people of the county, he beat +a hasty retreat; and he drove across the bridge at a rate so furious as +to indicate his state of mind. + +"Major Lyon, this is Lieutenant Gordon, of the United States Volunteer +Service," said Levi, as he approached with the visitor. + +"I am very glad to see you, Lieutenant Gordon," added the planter, +extending his hand to the officer. + +"I am rejoiced to meet you, Major Lyon; and I am glad to find that you +are a military man," replied Lieutenant Gordon. + +"But I am not a military man, and was never even a private in a military +company," replied the major, laughing at the natural mistake of his +guest. "I protested against answering to my title till I found it was +useless to do so." + +"If you are not a major now, perhaps you will be one very soon. I am +sent here by Major-General Buell, in reply to your letter to him," added +the officer, producing a document which authorized him to enlist, +enroll, and muster in a company of cavalry. + +"You are the very man I wished most to see," said the planter, after he +had glanced at the paper. "Come to the house, if you please, and we will +consider the object of your visit." + +"I had some trouble in getting here; for our information is that General +Buckner, with a considerable force of the enemy, is moving towards +Bowling Green, probably with the intention of occupying it, and I did +not deem it wise to go there, as I had been directed to do." + +"What you say is news to us," replied the major, as he conducted the +officer into the house. "Have you been to breakfast, Lieutenant?" + +"I have not, sir. I left the train last night at Dripping Spring, which +they told me was the last station before coming to Bowling Green. I +found a place to sleep, and a stable for my horse, which I brought down +in a baggage car, I started out early this morning to find Riverlawn, +and here I am." + +The lieutenant was shown to one of the guest chambers of the mansion, +and the planter ordered breakfast for him, instructing Aunty Diana to +provide the best the house afforded. The officer wanted his saddle-bags, +which had gone to the stable with his horse, and they were carried up +for him. Before the morning meal was ready he came down, and was +presented to Mrs. Lyon and her daughters. + +After he had washed and dressed himself, he proved to be what the girls +declared was a handsome man. He was not more than twenty-five years old, +and had a decidedly military air and manner. He made himself very +agreeable to the ladies; and Dorcas, who was a full-grown woman in +stature, wondered if he was to remain long at Riverlawn. + +"You are on the very ragged edge of the Rebellion, Major Lyon," said the +visitor, as he seated himself at the table. "I should say you were not +more than fifteen miles from Bowling Green." + +"I suppose you are acquainted with the country about here, Lieutenant?" +added the planter. + +"Not at all, Major; I was born and always lived in the State of Ohio; +and I have never been in this direction farther than Lexington. But I +know that Bowling Green is near the junction of two railroads into +Tennessee and the South; and the Confederates can't help seeing that it +is an important point for them to possess and hold. There will be some +fighting in this quarter before long." + +"There has been a skirmish or two. The Home Guards are making some +trouble in this vicinity, and I have put my place in a condition to be +defended from their assaults," added Major Lyon. + +He proceeded to describe the affair at the bridge and on the two roads, +in which the officer was much interested. He was particularly delighted +with the capture of the arms and ammunition. The planter then conducted +him to Fort Bedford. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +ONE AGAINST THREE ON THE ROAD + + +Lieutenant Gordon looked about him with something like amazement as he +entered the fort. Levi Bedford and the boys had arranged the arms in +racks made by the carpenters. The two Napoleons, as the twelve-pounders +are sometimes called, were pointed out at the embrasures, and the aspect +of the place was decidedly warlike. Buck Lagger had been removed to the +hospital, where he found three of his comrades of the Home Guards, two +others having been sent to their homes. + +"These are my sons, Lieutenant," said Major Lyon, introducing each of +them by name. "They are stout boys, very nearly eighteen years old, and +are good riders. They will be the first recruits to put their names on +your paper after mine when you enter upon the work of your mission." + +"They are the kind of recruits I like to add to our forces, for they are +not only stout, but intelligent," replied the officer, as he took from +his breast pocket the printed form of document for the enlistment of +soldiers. "Where did you get the name of this fort, Major Lyon?" + +"From my overseer, the first man you met on my premises. He was formerly +connected with an artillery company in Tennessee; but he is a Union man +to the core," replied the planter, who proceeded to give Levi the +excellent character he deserved. + +"Then he will be our fourth recruit?" suggested the lieutenant. + +"No, sir; he is about fifty years old, and he is to take charge of my +plantation in my absence. But I think there are over a hundred men in +this vicinity who are ready to put their names down on your paper. The +horses are all ready for them, for they were pledged in the Union +meeting of which I told you." + +"We shall not need the horses at first," added the lieutenant. + +"Not need the horses, sir!" exclaimed Deck, who was listening with all +his ears to the conversation. "How are we going to get up a company of +cavalry without horses?" + +"The company will be first drilled like infantry, and the exercises with +horses come in later," replied the officer with a smile at the eagerness +of the boy; and Artie was just as enthusiastic, though he said very +little. + +"Both of them will make good soldiers, sir, for they have been under +fire in a small way," added the father. + +"I should say that you have little need of soldiers for the protection +of your place, Major Lyon," added the officer, as he looked at the +cannon and the breech-loaders arranged around the interior of the fort. +"Are these the arms you captured in the cavern?" + +"The same, sir; and they have already enabled us to defend ourselves +from the mob that came over here to burn my house." + +"These muskets must have cost a round sum of money, for they are of the +best quality, and have the latest improvements. Unfortunately they are +not adapted to the use of cavalry, and we shall need carbines." + +"Well, it is something to keep them out of the hands of the enemy," +replied Major Lyon. "I suppose we are ready to make a beginning in the +business before us, Lieutenant Gordon. What is the first thing to be +done?" + +"The first thing is to enlist the men," replied the officer, as he took +from his pocket a handbill, printed for use in some other locality. "We +must post bills like this one all about this vicinity." + +"We can't get them printed short of Bowling Green," said Major Lyon, +after he had read the placard. "And the Home Guards will pull them down +as fast as we can put them up." + +"But some of them will be seen, and the news that a recruiting office +has been established here will soon circulate. You are between two fires +here, and your foes will talk about it even more than your friends. We +must have the handbills at any rate." + +"Very well. Artie, this will be a mission for you." + +"I am ready and willing to do anything I can," replied the quiet boy; +and in half an hour he was mounted on a fleet horse on his way to a +printing-office. + +"I suppose the village of which you speak would be the best place to +establish the recruiting office," suggested Lieutenant Gordon, as soon +as Artie had gone to the stable for a horse. + +"I am afraid not," replied the planter. "I fear the ruffians who abound +in that vicinity would mob you. Why not establish the office here, where +we shall be able to protect you?" + +"It seems to be too far from any centre of population," said the +officer. + +"All the better for that; for in the village they would not only mob +you, but the ruffians would intimidate those who were willing to enlist. +People in this vicinity don't mind going two or three miles when +business calls them," continued the planter. + +"I shall adopt your suggestion, Major Lyon," returned the recruiting +officer, as he proceeded to alter the handbill to suit the locality. "I +suppose everybody in this neighborhood will know where to find +Riverlawn." + +"Everybody in the county," replied the major, as Artie dashed up to the +door of the fort, where the officer gave him his instructions, and the +planter supplied him with money to pay the bill. + +"I think I had better take one of those revolvers in my pocket," +suggested Artie. "If I get into any trouble it may be of use to me." + +"Do you expect to get into any trouble, my boy?" asked the major, +anxiously gazing into the messenger's face. + +"I don't expect any trouble, but something may happen." + +"Perhaps I had better send half a dozen of the boys with you," suggested +his father. + +"The boys?" queried the lieutenant, wondering where they were to come +from, as he had seen only two of them. + +"I mean the negroes who defended the place the other night," added the +planter. "They have learned to handle the breech-loaders, and they would +fight for my boys as long as there was anything left of them." + +"I dare say they would," replied the officer with a significant smile. +"But if you send six negroes armed with breech-loaders to Bowling Green, +you may be sure there will be a row." + +"Just my sentiments," added Levi Bedford. "I don't think Artie will have +any trouble if he goes alone." + +"Very well, let him go alone; but I am confident half a dozen of the +boys would make it hot for any band that attempted to molest him," said +the major; and the messenger departed on his mission. + +"Have you an American flag, Major Lyon?" asked the lieutenant when he +had gone. + +"Two of them, for my brother always celebrated the Fourth of July." + +"We always hoist one on a recruiting office." + +Under the direction of Levi a flagstaff was erected in front of the +fort, and before dinner-time the Star Spangled Banner was spread to the +breeze. Major Lyon took off his hat and bowed to it as soon as it was +shaken out to the breeze; and cheers were heard from the negroes in the +field beyond the stables. + +"If you had set that flag over your office in the village, it would have +been hauled down and trampled under foot inside of an hour," said the +planter. + +"Are the people of this vicinity so disloyal as that?" asked Lieutenant +Gordon, astonished at the remark. "I supposed the Unionists were in the +majority here." + +"So they are; but they are not half so demonstrative as the other side." + +The bell rang at the door of the mansion for dinner; and while the +family were attending to this midday duty, Artie was entering the county +town. He had taken his dinner with him, and had eaten it as he +approached his destination. There were two printing-offices in the +place, and he called at the first one he saw. + +"What's this? 'Union Cavalry!'" demanded the printer, as he read the +head-line in displayed type. + +"What will you charge for printing two hundred copies of that bill, and +doing it while I wait?" asked Artie. + +"'Riverlawn!'" added the man, as he continued to read the placard. "Who +are you, boy?" + +"My name is Artemas Lyon, and my father lives at Riverlawn," replied +Artie. + +"Well, Artemas Lyon, I would not print that bill if your father would +give me a hundred dollars a letter for doing it!" stormed the printer, +as he tossed the copy back to the messenger with as much indignation in +his manner as in his speech. + +"All right, sir; if you don't want to do the job you needn't!" replied +Artie, as he returned the bill to his pocket and moved to the door. + +"Stop a minute, boy! So you are recruiting at Riverlawn for the +Abolition army?" called the printer, who was perhaps a member of the +Home Guards. "I want to know something about that business." + +"If you want to enlist in the Union army, you can do so at Riverlawn. I +am in a hurry, and I can't stop to answer any questions," replied Artie, +as he bolted out at the door. + +"What are you doing here, Artie Lyon?" called a voice from the other +side of the street as he was unhitching his horse. + +It was Colonel Cosgrove, though his house was some distance farther up +the street. The lawyer came over to him, and he explained the object of +his visit to the county town. + +"You ought to have come to me at once, Artie," said the colonel, as the +messenger showed him the handbill. "That printer runs a Secession paper, +and he would lose all his subscribers if it was known that he printed a +placard like this. Come with me, and I will get the work done for you." + +Artie followed him to the office of a Union paper, and it looked as +though it was in a more prosperous condition than the other. The printer +readily undertook the work, and promised to have it done by three +o'clock in the afternoon. The messenger was invited to the mansion of +Colonel Cosgrove, where he dined with the family. + +"I signed the letter to General Buell with your father, asking him to +send a recruiting officer to this locality," said the colonel, as he +conducted his guest to the library. "I am very glad he has come. I +should have been in favor of establishing his office in this place if it +were not a current report that the town is to be occupied by the +Confederates within a short time." + +"Father thought Riverlawn would be a better place than Barcreek village +for it," added Artie. + +"I think he is right." + +The messenger was called upon to tell the news of his vicinity, and he +mentioned all that had occurred since the fight, including the attempt +to murder Levi Bedford, and the capture of Buck Lagger. At three o'clock +Artie went to the printing-office, and found the handbills all ready for +him. He paid the bill, and went back to the colonel's house for his +horse, which had been as well cared for as his rider. He was advised to +hurry out of the town, and he galloped his horse for the first mile till +he reached the open country. Half a mile ahead of him was a wood. + +The young horseman had reduced his speed to a moderate gait before he +reached this grove; but he had not gone far before three men stepped out +of the bushes and stood in front of him in the road. They had flint-lock +guns in their hands, and it looked as though they were there for a +purpose. + +"Stop, boy!" shouted the man who stood in the middle of the road, with +one on each side of him. + +[Illustration: "'STOP, BOY!' SHOUTED THE MAN."] + +"What do you want of me?" demanded Artie, with his right hand on the +handle of his revolver. + +"I want them handbills you just got printed," replied the spokesman. "We +ain't go'n' to have no Abolition troops enlisted round here. And that +ain't all nuther; we're gwine to clean out that Major Lyon that sent you +over here." + +"Hand over the papers and we won't hurt you," added another of the trio. + +"I shall not give them up!" replied Artie as decidedly as though he had +the new company of cavalry behind him. "Get out of the road, or I will +ride over you!" + +"You won't give em' up, won't yer?" returned the man in the middle, as +he brought his old gun to his shoulder. + +"No!" yelled the messenger, as he fired his revolver at the spokesman. + +At the same moment he drove his heels into the flanks of his spirited +steed, giving him the rein as he did so. The horse darted ahead like a +shot from a gun, and choosing his way between the men, he knocked two of +them over, and galloped on his way. The sudden movement of the animal +had prevented the men from bringing their guns to bear upon him. The man +on his feet fired, and the rider heard a ball whistle near him. In a +minute he was out of the range of such weapons, and reached Riverlawn in +season for supper. + +He delivered the bills to the lieutenant, and told his story. The next +morning the early risers saw these placards posted all over Barcreek +village, and along the roads for five miles in all directions. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +THE FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT RIVERLAWN + + +Levi and Deck were the bill-stickers, and the night was chosen as the +time to post them, in order that the paste might be well dried and +hardened before they were seen. They had taken a wagon, and with the +coachman for driver they had gone their round after people generally +were asleep. Wherever a flat surface could be found by the light of a +lantern, on barns, fences, rocks, and shops, a placard was posted. + +It would take the ruffian brigade a long time to pull them all down, +after the paste was dry; and the very wrath of these men would assist in +advertising the recruiting office at Riverlawn. The fact that the papers +were ready for signature could hardly fail to be known all over the +vicinity early in the morning, and all over the county in a day or two. +The information was already circulating in Bowling Green; for the editor +of _The Planter_, at whose office Artie had applied to have the bills +printed, had made it known soon enough to enable the three ruffians to +make an attempt to suppress the placards. + +_The Kentuckian_ was the loyal paper, and would doubtless make at least +an item of the fact that the recruiting office had been established. +Possibly the other journal would make a "dastardly outrage" of the shot +which Artie had fired at the three ruffians who beset him on the road. +There was no doubt in the minds of the active men at Riverlawn that the +recruiting office would be known to the fullest extent even the day +after the bills were posted; for even the women would gossip about it as +they went from house to house, and the loafers in the "corner grocery" +would have an exciting theme for discussion. + +The people had been terrorized by the ruffians, who had banded together +as Home Guards in this locality; and they had made noise enough to +create the belief among the less demonstrative citizens that the +Secessionists were in a majority. But Squire Truman had punctured this +bubble by an actual canvass of the inhabitants, and proved, as did the +vote of the Legislature, that loyalty was the predominant sentiment. + +When Artie Lyon returned from his mission to the county town with the +bundle of placards in his possession, there was so much excitement at +Fort Bedford that he said nothing about his adventure on the road. +Lieutenant Gordon had counselled the sending away of the four wounded +ruffians, who had been carefully nursed and fed at the hospital. They +were all recovering from their injuries, and all of them walked about +the premises during a portion of the day. + +"We don't want a lot of spies and enemies in our midst, for they will +report everything that is done to their friends who have been permitted +to visit them," he reasoned with the planter, and the major agreed with +him; and this was the work which was in progress when Artie arrived. + +Deck had made a hero of himself at the cross-cut, and his brother was +not inclined to wear a wreath of laurel for the little exploit on the +road. He slept upon it, and the next morning he felt that it was his +duty to inform his father of the occurrence, as one of the indications +of public sentiment in the county. The ruffians evidently intended that +the Union army should not be recruited in the county. + +Major Lyon praised him for his spirited conduct, and the lieutenant made +him blush with his commendation. But the incident was discussed more as +an exponent of the temper of the ruffians than as an exhibition of pluck +and courage on the part of the boy. + +"You were right in calling these fellows the ruffians, Major Lyon," said +the recruiting officer. "I have no doubt there are many respectable +Secessionists in this part of the State, but I am confident they do not +associate with such fellows as you have had to deal with." + +"Such men are simply in favor of neutrality, which I look upon as a +fraud and a humbug," replied the planter. "They are gentlemen in the +truest sense of the word, and I am only sorry they are on the wrong side +of the question." + +The American flag was flying on the newly erected staff, and during the +forenoon the carpenters were busy preparing the fort for the new use to +which it was to be devoted. A skylight was put in the roof to afford +better light, a desk was brought from the library, and enclosed in rails +for the officer. Dr. Farnwright, who lived at Brownsville, was appointed +medical examiner, and the office was all ready for business by noon. + +Before that time a dozen men had presented themselves for enlistment, +and had signed the roll. A camp for the volunteers was to be established +in the vicinity as soon as practicable. The lieutenant had sent off a +requisition for uniforms, arms, provisions, and such other supplies as +would be needed. At dinner all were in excellent spirits, and the +location of the camp was discussed, and was decided after considerable +disagreement. When the party returned to the fort they found half a +dozen men waiting for the officer. While he was questioning them, a +tremendous outcry came from the direction of the mansion. + +"Fire! fire!" screamed the two girls, assisted by all the females in the +house. + +The planter, Levi, and the boys ran with all their might to the point +from which the alarm came. Before they reached it a considerable cloud +of smoke rose from the rear of the building, indicating the locality of +the fire. + +"The house is on fire!" screamed Dorcas. + +Major Lyon ran into the house; but Levi, as soon as he saw the smoke, +rushed around the mansion, followed by the two boys. In the rear of the +building was an ell, to which a one-story structure had been added as a +storeroom. The flames rose from this part of the house. Against it was +heaped up a pile of dry wood and other combustibles, and it was +instantly apparent to the overseer that the fire was the work of an +incendiary. No time was to be lost, for the flames were rapidly +gathering headway, and in a few minutes the whole mansion would be on +fire. + +The hands began to appear on the spot, and Levi sent the first one to +the stable for pitchforks; but he did not wait for them, and began to +draw away the combustibles with such sticks as he could obtain. The boys +followed his example, and the dry wood, blazing against the side of the +storeroom, was soon removed from its dangerous proximity to the +building. The work was effectively completed with the pitchforks as soon +as they came. + +"There are three men running away towards the swamp!" shouted Deck. + +"I see them!" added Artie. + +"Put the fire out first, and we will attend to them afterwards!" said +Levi. "Keep an eye on them while you work, and see where they go." + +The burning brands were removed from the house, but the flames were +already communicated to the building. Mrs. Lyon had not gone out at the +front door with the girls, but had rushed to the storeroom, where she +was soon joined by her husband. All the buckets in the house were +brought into use, including half a dozen leather ones that hung in the +main hall, and all the women were carrying water to the exposed point. +The fire had not yet come through the side of the building, and the +buckets were passed out the window to the overseer. + +In a few moments the fire was thoroughly drowned out, and everybody +breathed more freely. The lieutenant and the recruits had followed the +others, and assisted in putting out the fire. Deck and Artie turned +their attention to the three men they had seen, and had started in +pursuit of them; but Levi called them back. Then he sent to the fort for +several revolvers, not doubting that the men who were engaged in this +desperate venture were armed. + +But he did not wait for them, and told Artie to bring them to him as +soon as the messenger returned. Gordon and Deck went with him. The great +river was directly in the rear of the mansion, with the road to the +county town on its shore. The swamp between the lawn and the road was a +quagmire of mud, which was impassable for man or beast. The green from +which the estate had been named was high ground, and bordered on the +river, with the swamp between them. + +"I suppose this fire is the work of the ruffians," said the lieutenant +when the party had reached the highest ground in the rear of the house. + +"No doubt of that; but it is a mystery to me how any of them got this +side of the house without being seen," replied Levi. + +"But there is the road I came over yesterday morning," suggested the +officer. + +"And you can see that low place this side of it, where the ruffians +could neither walk nor swim. There is a pond farther along, with a +stream from it that flows into Bar Creek," the overseer explained. + +While they were on this high land, surveying the surrounding region, +Artie brought them the weapons which had been sent for, and informed +Levi that his father and the recruits were following the creek, looking +for the incendiaries. + +"I should say they came across the river above the bridge," said the +lieutenant, pointing in that direction. + +"But the rapids run close to the shore, and they would not find very +good boating right there," replied the overseer with a smile. "However, +we will go over to the river, and beat the edge of the swamp to the +pond." + +They went to the river; but nothing like a boat could be seen on the +shore. Then they followed the swamp till they heard a shot ahead of +them. + +"That makes it look as though Major Lyon had fallen upon them," said +Levi, as he quickened his pace. "There is another and another;" and two +shots followed the first one. + +The party broke into a run, and soon came in sight of the pond. On its +waters was a flatboat, or bateau, in which three men were paddling with +all their might towards the shore near the road to Bowling Green. The +planter had fired three shots at them; but they were too far off for the +range of the revolver. + +"Out of the reach of the revolver; and he had better have brought one of +the breech-loaders," said the lieutenant. "It looks to me just as though +they had a first-rate chance to escape." + +"We are not euchred yet," replied Levi, as he ran with all his might in +the direction of the pond, but to a point much nearer the road. "I have +often thought of this place since the troubles here began. The high +ground extends very nearly to the road, over which a bridge goes over a +small creek, flowing into the pond. I have crossed this place on a plank +to the road." + +"Then we are all right." + +"We are if I can find the plank. One of the cows got mired here, and it +was brought over to use in getting her out. There it is!" exclaimed the +overseer, rushing to the spot where it lay. + +It was carried to the swamp; and though it was too short to bridge the +dangerous place, it assisted, with the help of two long leaps, in +carrying them over. It was now seen that the ruffians had a wagon, with +which they had probably brought the boat to the pond. The party reached +the road just as the incendiaries leaped from the bateau. Levi fired the +six shots of his weapon at them, and the others followed his example; +but the enemy were too far off, and not one of them appeared to be hit. + +The moment they reached the shore they ran for the road, and struck it +at a considerable distance from the pursuers. The ruffians did not wait +to recover the team, but bolted with all their might towards Bowling +Green. It seemed useless to pursue them; for they had an advantage of a +hundred rods, and the overseer was too fat to compete in speed with +them. + +The wagon was only a haycart, drawn by two mules; and the incendiaries +could easily outrun them if they were used for the pursuit. The purpose +of the villains had been defeated, and Levi was disposed to be satisfied +with this result. The bateau was taken from the water, and loaded upon +the wagon. Major Lyon and the recruits started back to the mansion as +soon as the ruffians had effected their escape. + +The party seated themselves in the boat, and the mules were started for +a new home. When they reached the bridge over the upper part of the +rapids, they were not a little surprised, not to say startled, to see a +crowd of men marching over in the direction of Riverlawn. They were not +exactly a mob, for the head of the column was in regular ranks, and the +men were armed with muskets. + +"What does that mean, Mr. Bedford?" asked the lieutenant. + +"The placards we posted last night have waked up the ruffians, and they +are coming over here on the same mission as the three we have driven off +to Bowling Green," replied Levi, as he whipped up the mules. "They are +the ruffians without a doubt, and we are going to have music of some +sort before the sun goes down to-night." + +The information was carried to Major Lyon, who had reached the fort in +advance of them. The ruffians had doubtless made up their minds that a +company of cavalry should not be enlisted at Riverlawn, as advertised, +and it was evident enough to all that there was to be a fight before +this question could be settled. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +A BATTLE IN PROSPECT ON THE CREEK + + +So far as the overseer and the boys had been able to observe the crowd +on Rapids Bridge, they were in much better condition for an assault than +when they came before. The right of the line was formed in ranks, all +they could see of the assailants, for they had just begun to cross the +river. They were armed with muskets, or something that looked like such +weapons. + +Levi drove directly to the fort, where Major Lyon was telling those who +had not gone with him the result of the visit to the pond. There were +only six recruits present, though a dozen had before been enlisted. +These were all young men, generally the sons of the farmers of the +vicinity, and doubtless adopted the political sentiments of their +fathers. They were of a better class than the ruffians morally. + +"I did not expect to be besieged so soon, Major Lyon," said Lieutenant +Gordon with a pleasant laugh, though he had never been in anything but a +skirmish so far. + +"We shall hardly be besieged, Lieutenant, for I think it will be a fight +as soon as they get near enough to begin it," replied the planter, who +was seated on a log, resting himself after the hard tramp he had had +after the incendiaries. "But the enemy seem to be better prepared for +business than they were when they came before, for you say that all you +could see were armed with muskets." + +"I could not see at the distance they were from us how well they were +armed," added the officer. + +"About every family in these parts has one or more persons who do +something at hunting in the woods and swamps, and I reckon it would be +hard to find a house without a fowling-piece or an old king's arm in +it," said Levi. + +"They have all got guns of some sort," interposed Simeon Enbank, one of +the recruits. "They have been drilling all the time for the last two +days in one of Dr. Falkirk's fields." + +"I went over to look at them this morning, and the sight of them made me +so mad that I came right over here and enlisted," added Robert Yowell. + +"Good for you, Yowell!" exclaimed the officer. "Could you see what sort +of guns they had?" + +"I went in and looked at them; for they were not using them when I was +there. They were in line, sort of taking steps, as they do in a +dancing-school," answered the recruit. + +"But the arms?" + +"They were all sorts and kinds, mostly fowling-pieces and old +flint-locks that might have been used in the Revolutionary War." + +"But we are losing time," said Major Lyon impatiently. "If they had +reached the bridge when you saw them, they will be here very soon." + +"We don't lose time while we are looking up the condition of the enemy. +I believe you are all ready for an attack, and we can do nothing till +they reach the other side of the creek. But we can talk while we work," +replied the officer. "I suppose these recruits will assist us in the +defence of the place?" + +The six men all volunteered to perform the service required. + +"There are a dozen more men over in the grove," said Ben Decker; "for I +had a talk with them as I came along from the old road. They said they +expected to stay here all day, and they brought their dinners with +them." + +This was good news, and Deck was sent over after them. Major Lyon went +to the desk, and wrote a brief note to Colonel Belthorpe. He had already +ordered all the horses that could be saddled, and Frank was sent to +deliver the message the planter had written to Lyndhall. Decker was +provided with a steed for his mission, and a wagon was sent for the men +a little later. + +The negroes who had been slightly drilled in the use of the arms were +ordered to report at the fort, and all the hands on the place were +summoned from the fields, and held in readiness for anything required of +them. The six recruits were drilled for a little while in the use of the +breech-loaders. At the same time Levi did what he could to instruct the +negroes, though nothing like a military organization could be attempted +in the brief space of time available for the purpose. + +The twelve-pounders were loaded with canister this time; and Levi, with +four of the hands, was placed in charge of the fort. Deck and Artie Lyon +were sent down the creek to report the approach of the enemy, and found +they had halted at the cross roads, evidently to prepare for the attack. +The boys climbed a big tree to obtain a better view of the proceedings +of the ruffians, as they still called them, though they had reduced +themselves to something like an organization. + +[Illustration: "THE BOYS CLIMBED A BIG TREE TO OBTAIN A BETTER VIEW."] + +"There are a lot of wagons on the bridge," said Deck, who was the first +to discover them. "What do you suppose that means?" + +"There are three mule teams," added Artie, who had taken a higher place +in the tree than his brother. "I see now; the wagons are loaded with +boats." + +"That means that they intend to cross the creek," replied Deck. "They +ought to know this at the fort at once; and if you will study up the +thing while I am gone, Artie, I will run up and carry the information." + +"That is a good scheme; go ahead with it as quick as you can." + +Deck descended the tree with a haste which threatened the safety of the +bones of his body, and ran with all the speed he could command to Fort +Bedford. + +Lieutenant Gordon was drilling the eighteen recruits, the number from +the grove on the other side of the creek having arrived, and Levi was +training the negroes in the rear of the fort. All the men had been +supplied with muskets and rounds of ammunition. No attention was given +to facing, wheeling, or marching; for the use of the weapon was more +important than any other detail in the brief space of time available. + +Deck reported to his father, who was observing the drill of the +Africans, and in the hearing of Levi. It was not a mere accident that +Squire Truman was seen approaching the fort from the bridge; for he had +observed the movement among the ruffians in the village, and had seen +that the column was moving by a roundabout road in the direction of the +Rapids Bridge. He had no horse, but he had started at once on foot for +Riverlawn, to apprise the planter of the danger that menaced him. + +"It is time to do something," said the major, after he had welcomed the +young lawyer. "The ruffians have a wagon-train loaded with boats in +their rear, as my son has just informed me. We will adjourn to the fort +and call in the lieutenant." + +The information was imparted to the officer, and he joined the others in +the fort. + +"They intend to make it easy work for us to repel them," said the +lieutenant with a smile. + +"You are the only military man among us just now, Lieutenant, and I +place you in command of all the forces," added Major Lyon. "Levi had +some experience in the artillery many years ago." + +"I don't aspire to any command," added the overseer. "I will obey orders +as a private; and that is all I ever was in the artillery." + +"But I shall do something better for you," replied Captain Gordon, as +they began to call him from this time. "You are a good soldier, Mr. +Bedford, and I shall make an officer of you at once. You will limber up +your two guns, and haul them down to the boathouse. Have you any +gunners?" + +"Plenty of them, Captain; for I have trained enough of the hands to +handle a full battery," answered Levi. + +The planter had ordered both horses and wagons to be assembled in the +rear of Fort Bedford, in readiness for any emergency. A pair of horses +were promptly harnessed to each gun by the enthusiastic negroes whom the +overseer had trained for battery service, and the artillery was soon on +its way to the anticipated field of action. A supply of ammunition was +sent down by a wagon. + +The major and the squire mounted a couple of steeds, and rode to the +front of the fort, a horse having been sent for the use of the new +commander. The recruits were standing in line, leaning on their weapons; +but they seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation. As the +lieutenant approached, Jim Keene, one of the recruits, stepped forward +with an awkward attempt to be polite, and addressed the officer:-- + +"Captain Gordon, we are not going into the army with niggers," said he +in a very decided tone. "We ain't going to drop down to the level of +niggers, and we want to take our names off that paper." + +"Not a single negro has been enlisted, and will not be," replied Captain +Gordon. + +"But there is a squad of niggers marching down to the creek with muskets +in their hands," added Keene, pointing to the detachment that followed +the guns, with Levi at their head, mounted on his favorite colt. + +"If we had a sufficient force of white men here, we should not call in +the negroes as fighting men," interposed Major Lyon. "That Home Guard +that has just crossed the bridge over the river consists of over a +hundred men, and this time they are armed with guns. We can muster only +twenty-four white men at present to beat them off. The other night we +called upon the hands to help defend the place because no others were to +be had; and to some extent the same is true to-day. My house has been +set on fire, and that mob are coming to burn my buildings and capture my +wife and daughters. If the white man won't fight for me, the negro +will!" + +"That alters the case," replied Keene. "We didn't understand it before, +and we will fight for you, one and all;" and all the other recruits +shouted their acquiescence with one voice. + +"No negroes will be enlisted for the army, for there are no orders to +that effect," added Captain Gordon. + +"That's enough!" exclaimed Enbank. "We will stand by Major Lyon as long +as there is a Secesher in sight." + +"And you will find the negroes as stiff under fire as any white man +ought to be," said Major Lyon, as he galloped down to the boathouse, +followed by Squire Truman. + +Artie, up in the tree, had kept his eyes wide open, but there was +nothing more to be seen. Deck returned to him, and took his place near +him. The enemy was still halted at the cross roads. The wagon-train had +come up with the main body, and stopped in the road at the side of the +creek. Whoever directed the movements of the column had evidently +blundered, for the assailants did not appear to know what to do next. + +"There is only one boat on each wagon, which is drawn by two mules," +said Artie in the tree. + +"They must have expected to get the boats into the water before they +were discovered," added Deck. "Perhaps they would have done so if we had +not happened to see them crossing the bridge when we were coming up +after the hunt for the firebugs." + +"There comes our artillery," continued Artie, as Levi's section of a +battery galloped down the descent from the fort. + +At this moment a bullet from the enemy struck a branch of the tree just +above Artie's head. The boys had been discovered; and some one, with a +better weapon than most of those with which the guards were armed, had +fired upon them. + +"Get behind the trunk, Artie!" shouted Deck, a position he had secured +before. "Now use your musket, my boy!" + +They were near enough at their lofty position to make out individuals at +the cross roads, which were distant hardly more than double the width of +the creek. Deck had seen one man, who wore a semi-uniform, that took a +very active part in the movement. Having assured himself that this +person was not his uncle, the enterprising young soldier took careful +aim at him, and fired. Artie discharged his piece a moment later. + +"I hit the man in uniform!" exclaimed Deck, with no little exultation. +"A man is tying up one of his arms." + +Major Lyon heard the shot, and shouted to the boys to come to the +boathouse; and they obeyed the order, keeping the trunks of the trees +between themselves and the enemy as far as possible. They were no longer +needed in the tree, for the ruffian band could be plainly seen from the +boathouse, which was at a safe distance from the enemy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +THE SECOND BATTLE OF RIVERLAWN + + +The enemy did nothing, and seemed to be still in a state of confusion +and uncertainty as to what they should do. The new commander of their +forces was certainly even more stupid than Captain Titus had been. As +Deck had suggested, he had expected to surprise the defenders at +Riverlawn, so far, at least, as to get their boats into the water before +they discovered that they were attacked. + +"If they had any plan of attack it is a failure," said Captain Gordon, +as he and the planter were seated on their horses watching the enemy +from the front of the boathouse. "One of the recruits informs me that +they have a leader in the person of a captain from the Confederate army +in Tennessee, who was either sent for by Captain Titus, or was +despatched by General Buckner to organize recruits for the Southern +army." + +"I should say that his first business would be to prevent recruiting for +the Union forces," replied Major Lyon. + +"Whatever he is, he has made a mess of it," added Captain Gordon. + +"But what did he expect to do?" asked the planter. + +"Of course he expected to put his pontoons into the water, and send over +a force of from thirty to fifty men before they were discovered. If he +had done that, they could have acted as sharpshooters from behind the +trees on this side. They are just out of range of our muskets now, +though the twelve-pounders would catch them with a single shot of +canister." + +"But I don't wish to have any more of them killed and wounded than is +absolutely necessary," said the planter. + +"You desire to carry on the war on peace principles," answered the +captain with a smile. "You don't seem to understand that the war has +actually begun, and the more damage we can do the enemy, the better it +will be for us." + +"You are in command, and I shall not interfere with your operations," +said Major Lyon, as he rode off to the point where Levi was training his +gunners. + +The recruits in front of the boathouse were impatient for something to +be done. They were from the country around the village of Barcreek. The +frequent outrages against Union men and families had kindled a feeling +of hatred in them, and they were anxious to retaliate. The influence of +certain men like Colonel Cosgrove and Colonel Belthorpe had created more +Union sentiment than prevailed in many of the Southern counties of the +State, and the loyal men had been terrorized from the first indications +of trouble. + +"Why don't we fire at them, Captain?" demanded Enbank. + +"Why don't you fire at the moon? Because you are too far off, and +nothing is to be gained by it," replied the commander. "I am waiting for +the enemy to make a movement of some kind; and as soon as they do so, +you shall have enough of it, I will warrant you." + +"They are doing something now!" exclaimed Sam Drye. + +"The mule-teams are in motion!" exclaimed Major Lyon, returning to the +front of the building. + +"I see they are," replied Captain Gordon; "and there is a movement up +the new road, as you call it." + +"What does that mean?" + +"Probably it is intended to cover the launching of the boats. I think +the reprobates are in earnest this time," added the commander. + +About fifty men started up the new road, and immediately broke into a +run. The territory between the new and the old road was covered with +trees of large growth, though rather too sparsely to be a wood, but was +rather a grove. For about twenty rods above the cross roads the trees +had been cut off, and it was a stump field. As soon as the detachment +reached the grove they scattered and took refuge behind the trunks of +the big trees. + +"That is the idea, is it?" said Captain Gordon. "They intend to pick us +off from their covert. We must do the same thing. Scatter, my men; and +fire at will as you see a head." + +The recruits obeyed the order, and were sheltered behind the big trees +by the time the enemy reached the positions they had chosen. A desultory +firing was begun on both sides of the creek. The commander and the major +were on horseback, and they could not protect themselves as the recruits +did, and they rode to the rear of the boathouse. They found that Levi +had organized a shovel brigade there. The Magnolia had been taken out of +the water to prevent it from being captured by the marauders, and had +been placed behind the boathouse. + +Levi had moved the craft about twenty feet from the building, and had +propped it up, with the keel nearest to the creek. This was as far as he +had proceeded when the officer presented himself on the ground. Twenty +negroes, armed with shovels, which had before been brought down in the +wagon, were standing ready for orders. + +"What in the world are you doing now, Levi?" asked the planter, when he +saw what had been done. + +"I am throwing up a breastwork, so that my men can work the guns without +being shot down by the enemy on the other side of the creek," replied +the overseer. + +"A capital idea!" exclaimed Captain Gordon. + +"But you are putting it behind the boathouse, man!" shouted the major, +who thought he had detected Levi in an egregious blunder. + +"These negroes are worth from five hundred to a thousand dollars apiece +if you want to sell them, and not many of them would be left if I should +set them to digging in the open," replied Levi, laughing at his own +argument. "Those ruffians could pick them off at their leisure, and we +might as well not have any artillery if the cannoneers are to be shot +down as fast as they show themselves. I will warrant that fellow in +command on the other side has picked out his best riflemen for duty in +the grove." + +"The negroes are not for sale," replied the planter. "I should as soon +think of selling one of my sons as one of them. But the boathouse is +between you and the enemy, Levi." + +"How long do you think it will take me with the force at hand to move +the boathouse out of the way, Major Lyon?" demanded the overseer with a +very broad smile. + +"I indorse Mr. Bedford's work," added Captain Gordon, who had turned to +observe the operation of the enemy at the cross roads. "They are not +making a good job of their work." + +As soon as the recruits had been ordered to the trees, and before the +detachment sent to the grove had obtained their positions, Deck and +Artie had obeyed the commander's order in hot haste. They had chosen a +couple of trees on the very verge of the quagmire which lay between the +lawn and the road to the south; and when the ruffians attempted to move +the mules, both of them opened fire upon the animals. + +Both of the boys were good shots, and they hit the mark every time. The +mule, though one of the most useful beasts in the world, is very +uncertain at times. The testimony of soldiers is to the effect that +mules object to being under fire. The two boys were near enough to each +other to talk together, and they had agreed to fire into different +teams, and they had wounded one in each of them. The two that had been +hit not only made a disturbance, braying furiously, but they +communicated the scare to the others. The mule drivers could do nothing +with them, and in a minute or two the whole of them were all snarled up, +and the men were obliged to unhitch them from the wagons and lead them +away. + +The animals were so terrified that they bolted up the new road in spite +of the drivers, and turned in at the bridge, which seemed to promise +them a place of security, just as Colonel Belthorpe and his party +galloped up to it. The mules were permitted to take the lead. Major +Gadbury and Tom were with the planter of Lyndhall. Major Lyon saw them, +and, by a roundabout course, joined them in season to prevent them from +coming within range of the sharpshooters in the grove. + +It did not take the planter of Riverlawn long to explain the situation; +and he was informed that twenty Lyndhall negroes, under the lead of +Uncle David, in wagons, were on their way to the seat of danger. The +horses were left in charge of the servants, and the party made their way +to the fort, where they armed themselves with breech-loaders, and took +places behind the trees with the recruits. + +At the cross roads the enemy were attempting to get the boats to the +creek by hauling the wagons by man-power. It was a long pull for them, +but they succeeded at the end of a couple of hours. The party in the +grove and the one on the lawn were careful about showing themselves, and +the firing was continued on both sides without producing any decided +result. But by this time Levi had completed his breastwork. Rather to +make a smoke than for any other purpose, both of the twelve-pounders +were discharged, aimed into the grove. + +While the smoke hung about the boathouse, for one of the pieces had been +fired on each side of it, all hands seized hold of the building, lifted +it from its foundations, and bore it some distance towards the mansion. +The cannon were then drawn into the hastily constructed fort, loaded +with round shot this time, and were ready for use. The cracking of the +rifles in the grove had been quite lively during this operation, and two +of the negroes were wounded. + +By this time the first of the boats had been filled with men, who were +paddling it with all their might to a clump of bushes near the trees +where Deck and Artie were sheltered. Both of them fired into the crowd +in the boat. But it was hardly under way before Levi had brought one of +his guns to bear upon it. He was very careful in pointing the piece, and +the solid shot struck the craft squarely on its bow, knocking the thing +all to pieces. The black gunners cheered, and were almost mad with +enthusiasm. + +Another of the boats which had just been launched had to be used to pick +up the men from the first. They were taken to the shore. Then some sort +of a contention seemed to be stirred up among the party, the nature of +which could be easily understood, for it was almost sure death to embark +in the boats. In the mean time the shots from the recruits and others +behind the trees were picking them off, and the dispute ended in the +whole of them taking to their heels and fleeing towards the bridge. + +The fire from the grove seemed to be suspended at the same time; for the +sharpshooters could not help seeing that the plan of attack, whatever it +was, had failed. Colonel Belthorpe and Major Lyon came out from behind +their trees. Captain Gordon, who was a cavalry officer, thought it was +time for his arm of the service to come into action to harass the +retreat of the enemy, if nothing more, and he called in all the recruits +from their covert, and ordered as many men as could be mounted to rally +at the bridge. + +Twenty-four mounted men, including those from Lyndhall, were mustered, +each with a breech-loader, in the absence of sabres and carbines. +Captain Gordon led them down the new road to the grove. The force +occupying it had fled to the old road, and were hurrying to the Rapids +Bridge. Among the trees they found two men killed and three badly +wounded. Each of them had a rifle on the ground near him, and they were +weapons of excellent quality. + +The cavalry party followed the fugitives to the bridge, and at the +intercession of Major Lyon they were permitted to escape; for he was +confident they would not make another attack upon Riverlawn, at least +not till they had an organized regiment for the purpose. + +While they were upon the ground, Tom Belthorpe and Major Gadbury signed +the enlistment papers, as Deck and Artie had done before, and the +Lyndhall party went home. The recruits were dismissed for a week, and +ordered to report at Riverlawn at the end of that time. + +The second battle had been fought and won, and there was no present +danger of another attack, though patrols were kept along the creek till +the camp was formed the following week. The two attacks upon Riverlawn +was the current topic of conversation all over the county for the next +week; and so far from damaging the Union cause, it stimulated the +recruiting, and at the end of the week Lieutenant Gordon had the names +of a full company on his roll. He had reported his success, and had +received orders to enlist another company. + +The government supplied everything that was required, including sabres, +carbines, uniforms, ammunition, and lumber for barracks. Steamboats from +Evansville came up the river loaded with supplies; and as the water was +high from unusual rains, they landed their cargoes at the boathouse +pier, enlarged for the purpose. Each boat was provided with a guard, for +they were occasionally fired upon from the shore. Another officer and +several non-commissioned officers were sent to the camp. + +Barracks and stables were built, and the drill was kept up very +diligently. Riverlawn was no longer between two fires, for they were now +all on one side. Before, the fight had been a sort of neighborhood +quarrel; but now it had become a national affair. The outrages upon +Union men ceased in that locality, though they still occurred in other +parts of the State. At the end of a month two companies of cavalry had +been enlisted, forming a squadron, if another could be raised. + +About this time the Home Guard, under command of Captain Titus Lyon, +marched to Bowling Green for the purpose of joining the Confederate army +that was expected there. They went with such arms as they had used in +the second battle of Riverlawn, and without uniforms. They had a hard +time of it; for they had no supplies, and suffered from hunger and cold +in the cool nights. Titus's two sons, Sandy and Orly, were enrolled in +the company; but both of them deserted, though they had not been +mustered in, and went back to their mother, where they could at least +get enough to eat. The captain could not go home, for it required his +presence and all his skill and energy to keep his recruits from +abandoning the company. + +Noah Lyon saw nothing more of his brother after his visit to Riverlawn +when the lieutenant arrived. After he had gone to the South, his wife +and daughters called at the mansion, and declared that they were left +without money or means of support, except so far as they could obtain it +from the little farm. + +Deck and Artie Lyon, whose career as soldiers is to appear in these +volumes, now appeared wearing the uniform of cavalrymen, with sabres +clinking at their sides. They have been under fire, though not in a +pitched battle. They are frequent visitors on Sundays at Lyndhall, and +Kate Belthorpe has what her father called "a violent admiration for +Captain Deck," as he still insists upon styling him, assured that, if he +is not of that rank now, he will be in due time. The next volume will +present the two boys and others engaged in actual warfare; and what they +did will be found in "IN THE SADDLE." + + + + +THE BLUE AND THE GRAY + +NAVY SERIES + + TAKEN BY THE ENEMY + WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES ON THE BLOCKADE + STAND BY THE UNION + FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT + A VICTORIOUS UNION + + +ARMY SERIES + + BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + IN THE SADDLE (In Press) + A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN (In Press) + + (Other volumes in preparation) + + + + +LEE AND SHEPARD'S DOLLAR BOOKS + + +Around the World in Eighty Days. By JULES VERNE. Illustrated. + +One of the famous modern books. The author is both learned and +imaginative, and he brings the researches of the scientist in aid of the +story-teller with a skill attained by no other modern writer. + + +The Wreck of the Chancellor, and Martin Paz. Two stories in one volume. +By JULES VERNE. + +The first is an account of the shipwreck of a vessel which sailed from +Charleston, S.C., and was driven upon the west coast of Scotland. The +second is a story of life among Spanish-Americans and Indians in Lima, +South America. Both are masterly specimens of the author's style in +fiction. + + +Winter in the Ice; Dr. Ox's Experiment; A Drama in the Air. Three +stories in one volume. By JULES VERNE. + +The FIRST is a thrilling story of Arctic adventure. The SECOND is a +whimsical but most ingenious experiment with oxygen as a stimulant, upon +the people of a whole city. It is a most subtle and effective story. The +THIRD is the experience of an aeronaut with a madman while making an +ascent. + +The tales in the foregoing three volumes were translated from the French +by Hon. George M. Towle, author of "Heroes of History." + + +The Prairie Crusoe: ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. Translated from the +French. + +A Prussian officer after the battle of Jena found a child that had been +abandoned, and, moved by pity, took charge of it. Years afterward, the +child, having become a tall and brave youth, sailed for the New World, +and having landed upon the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, went into the +interior of the country. At that time the country was overrun by bisons, +bears, and other wild animals, and by Indians, who lived by hunting and +war. The youth had a plenty of thrilling experiences, both with brute +and human foes. He came near death many times; but his courage, presence +of mind, or good luck, or all together, saved him. Finally he returned +to Germany, where his adventures were far more agreeable than among the +Sioux. + + +Willis the Pilot: A SEQUEL TO THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. + +This is a fortunate continuation of the "Swiss Family Robinson," a book +which has had great and deserved popularity. The careers of the four +sons of that family are faithfully detailed, as well as the fortunes of +others who come upon the scene, including Willis the Pilot, a +weather-beaten sailor, whose saying and doings make him a person of such +prominence as to give his name to the book. The scenes are in the South +Seas; and the narrative treats of the geography, inhabitants, and +productions of little-known regions. The difficulties and dangers of +founding a new colony are faithfully related; and it is shown how by +intelligent labor and perseverance they may be overcome. + + +The Young Crusoe: THE ADVENTURES OF A SHIPWRECKED BOY. By DR. HARLEY. + +The variations upon the original theme of a shipwrecked mariner have +been many. In this case the hero is a young French boy, who was +abandoned by his comrades on a sinking ship not far from an island, and +who by swimming, in company with a large dog, got to shore, and lived +there many years. His dog was a faithful friend. He caught and reared +goats, and provided himself with food and other necessaries. Potatoes +were plenty, as were rice and other grain. It is a very pleasing story. +Of the visitors who afterward came to the island it is best not to +speak, for fear of revealing too much of the secret of the story in +advance. + + +Cast Away in the Cold: AN OLD MAN'S STORY OF A YOUNG MAN'S ADVENTURES. +By DR. ISAAC I. HAYES, the famous Arctic explorer, author of "An Arctic +Boat Journey," etc. + +The narrative is supposed to be told by an ancient mariner, Captain John +Hardy, of his early experiences in an Arctic voyage. + +It opens with a vivid description of the ice-floes, first seen as the +vessel sailed northward; and of the seal-catching by the sailors upon +the floating ice. Then came thrilling and fatal adventures with +icebergs, a shipwreck, and the prospect of death by cold or starvation. +The various expedients to get food,--seals, ducks, and other birds,--and +the long and finally successful efforts to procure fire for warmth and +for cooking, make some most interesting chapters. The meeting with the +Esquimaux gave a ray of hope, and at last deliverance came. The author, +as every one knows, was a famous explorer, and his book is a most +trustworthy account of the Frozen North. + + +ADRIFT IN THE ICE-FIELDS. BY CAPTAIN CHARLES W. HALL. + +This book chronicles the adventures and mishaps of a party of English +gentlemen in the early spring while shooting sea-fowl on the sea-ice by +day, together with the stories with which they while away the long +evenings. + +Later in the season the breaking up of the ice carries four hunters into +involuntary wandering amid the vast ice-pack which in winter fills the +great Gulf of St. Lawrence. Their perils, the shifts to which they are +driven to procure shelter, food, fire, medicine, and other necessaries, +together with their devious drift, and final rescue by a sealer, are +used to give interest to a reliable description of the ice-fields of the +Gulf, the habits of the seal, and life on board of a sealing steamer. + + +The Arctic Crusoe: A TALE OF THE POLAR SEA. By PERCY B. ST. JOHN. + +In this book of stirring adventure, the characteristics of the Arctic +regions have been described according to latest authorities. The regions +are those visited by Parry and Franklin. + + +The Year's Best Days. By ROSE HARTWICK THORPE, author of the well-known +poem, "Curfew must not ring to-night." + + "That day is best wherein we give + A thought to others' sorrows; + Forgetting self, we learn to live, + And blessings born of kindly deeds + Make golden our to-morrows."--INTRODUCTION. + +To beautiful stories are appended several poems by the author. + + +Dora Darling, THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT. By Mrs. JANE G. AUSTIN. + +The heroine of this story is a Virginia girl, who escapes to the North +by joining a Union regiment as a _vivandiere_. This is one of the best +of the distinguished author's works. Few American novelists have shown +such signal ability to compel the interest of readers. + + +Dora Darling and Little Sunshine. (Originally published under the title +of "Outpost.") By Mrs. JANE G. AUSTIN. + +In this story a child, whose pet name was Sunshine, strayed from her +friends, and during many years had many strange adventures. Dora Darling +came as her good genius, and did all that a true heroine of romance +should be expected to do. This is not, however, a child's book, but +appears to be written for youths in their teens. It is full of incident, +and, like all Mrs. Austin's books, is beautifully written. + + +The Border Boy, AND HOW HE BECAME THE GREAT PIONEER OF THE WEST. A life +of Daniel Boone. By W. H. BOGART. + +This is an authentic account of the career of the founder of the State +of Kentucky, and is full of thrilling incidents of the conflicts of the +early settlers with the Indian tribes. + + +The Printer Boy; OR, HOW BEN FRANKLIN MADE HIS MARK. + +An account of the early life and training of the illustrious man, who, +from a printer's case and press, went into the councils of the nation, +and afterward was received with honor in foreign courts. + + +The Bobbin Boy; OR, HOW NAT GOT HIS LEARNING. An example for youth. + +This book is the story of the early life of Nathaniel P. Banks, Member +of Congress and Speaker, Governor of Massachusetts, and Major-General of +Volunteers in the Civil War. Well written, and of absorbing interest. + + +The Patriot Boy, AND HOW HE BECAME THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY. A life of +George Washington for young folks. + +In this volume the main facts of the life and services of this great man +are set forth in a clear and fascinating narrative. + + +The General; OR, TWELVE NIGHTS IN A HUNTER'S CAMP. By Rev. WILLIAM +BARROWS, D.D. + +This is not in the least a romance, but a narrative of facts. "The +General" was the author's brother, born in Massachusetts in 1806, and +afterward one of the pioneer settlers of the West. It is a graphic +picture of frontier life now gone by forever. + + +Yarns of an Old Mariner. By MARY COWDEN CLARKE. + +This work was once published with the title of "The Strange Adventures +of Kit Bam, Mariner," and had great success among youthful readers. The +spice of the marvellous, which was once the necessary flavor of sea +stories, is not wanting here. + + +Planting the Wilderness; OR, THE PIONEER BOYS. A story of frontier life. +By JAMES D. MCCABE, Jr. + +Although the characters in this book are fictitious, the exciting +incidents, as related, are based upon actual occurrences. The leading +person is a Virginian, who in 1773 moved westward with his family, and +settled in the Ohio valley. + + +The Young Pioneers of the North West. By Dr. C. H. PEARSON, author of +"The Cabin on the Prairie." + +As the title suggests, this book is a story of frontier life, full of +movement, and absorbing in interest. The works of this author have been +extremely popular. + + +The Cabin on the Prairie. By Dr. C. H. PEARSON. A picture of an +emigrant's life in early days in Minnesota. + +The author says, "In writing this work I have lived over the scenes and +incidents of my frontier experience, have travelled once more amid the +waving grasses and beckoning flowers, heard again the bark of the wolf +and the voices of birds, worshipped anew in the log-cabin sanctuary." + + +Great Men and Gallant Deeds. By JOHN G. EDGAR. + +This is a history of the CRUSADES and CRUSADERS by an able and +accomplished writer, who (in his preface) says, "I have endeavored to +narrate the events of the Holy War, from the time Peter the Hermit rode +over Europe on his mule, rousing the religious zeal of the nations, to +that dismal day when Acre, the last stronghold of the Christians in the +East, fell before the arms of the successor of Saladin." + + +Golden Hair: A TALE OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS. By Sir LASCELLES WRAXHALL, +Bart. + +The scenes of this story are laid in the eastern part of Massachusetts, +in Rhode Island, and along Long Island Sound. The names of the fathers +give to the narrative an air of truth, although there is no pretence of +historical verity. + + +Battles at Home. By MARY G. DARLING. + +The motto of this charming domestic story is, "He that ruleth his spirit +is greater than he that taketh a city." + + +In the World. By MARY G. DARLING, author of "Battles at Home." + +The story opens with Class Day at Cambridge, and after some small delays +the chief personage is launched "in the world." Others come on the +scene: some as college students, and are full of their sufferings in +being hazed by the cruel "sophs"; some as society people, to whom the +waltz or german is the chief event of life; one as a sailor, who has a +terrible adventure; one as a poet, who aspires much, but writes like +other beginners. They are a natural and agreeable set of people, and the +reader becomes interested in them, especially in the young women. The +dialogue is uniformly bright, and the moral of the story good. + + +The Young Invincibles; OR, PATRIOTISM AT HOME. + +This is a story of the time of the Civil War, and its purpose is to +kindle and keep alive in the hearts of the young the sentiment of love +of country. + + +Schoolboy Days; OR, ERNEST BRACEBRIDGE. By WILLIAM H. G. KINGSTON. + +The popularity of this book in England has been remarkable, but not +without just reason. It is a well-composed picture of an English +school,--its buildings, grounds, teachers, classes, studies, and +amusements. The portrait, however, represents the great machine in +motion, and shows the boys at work and at play, and gives sketches of +the prominent pupils, with their quarrels and their friendly games and +competitions. It is a story as well as a picture, and one of absorbing +interest. The author is one of the most successful of writers for youth, +and his work shows a skilled and practised hand. + + +Antony Waymouth; OR, THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS. By WILLIAM H. G. +KINGSTON. + +A naval "adventurer" in the time of this story--which was the time of +Queen Elizabeth and of Philip II. of Spain--might be an honest merchant, +a pirate, or a commissioned officer, or a mixture of all three. In the +hands of this able and experienced writer, even the history of this +period becomes as fascinating as romance. This is purely a romance, but +it is true to history in the usual sense. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER*** + + +******* This file should be named 35206.txt or 35206.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/2/0/35206 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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