course.

"Who mought you be?" demanded the grayback, exhibiting more curiosity
than of fear in his dirty face.

"One of the people," replied Somers, disposed to avoid a direct issue.
"Who are you?"

"I'm one of the people too," grinned the rebel.

"I see you are; and I suppose you belong to the army, don't you?"

"Bet your life I do."

"Of course you won't object to telling me which army you belong to, as
there may be some difference of opinion between us."

"'Tain't no use to ask a officer dressed in blue, and lookin' as spruce
as you be, whar he kim from. I say, Yank, what are you uns doin' in
hyar?"

"Only taking a look."

"You're as civil as a Mobile dancin'-master; and I axes yer, very
perlite, to surrender."

"How many men have you got, reb?" demanded the lieutenant, as he put his
hand on his revolver.

"See hyar, Yank; play fair. You uns allers cheat playin' poker. Don't
tech yer shooter yet," replied the grayback coolly, as he thrust the
muzzle of his gun in the lieutenant's face. "Two kin play at that game,
and your wife or mine will be a lone widder quicker'n a coon kin wink at
the moon. I've got seven men," he added.

"I have twenty-three," said Somers.

"Then yer kin whip us if yer be Yanks; for three of you uns can just lick
one of we uns."

"That's good logic. Will you surrender, or fight?" demanded Somers.

"Let me count your men. I surrender," he continued, after he had stood
up, and counted the Union soldiers. "Here's my shooter; fair play, even
with Yanks."

Leaving a guard of eight men with his prisoners when they were disarmed,
Somers hastened forward to complete his mission.

CHAPTER VII

AN EXPEDITION IN FRONT

The affair in the wheat-field had been conducted very quietly, and
apparently had not attracted the attention of any of the rebels in the
vicinity. During the brief parley, the thunder of the battle had sounded
on the right and left of the parties. The enemy were in force in their
works, and it was believed that there were squads of pickets in every
place of concealment which the ground afforded.

Somers was very much surprised to find that he was not molested, and made
all possible haste to carry out the programme with which he had been
intrusted by Captain de Banyan. Followed by the balance of his men, he
crept carefully towards the house till he had reached the end of the
grain-field. He could see about a dozen rebels skulking behind the
building, all