am, who belongs to the state
troops under General Price."

"They have both lived up to their principles, but how have I lived up to
mine?" said Marcy, taking the letter from his mother's hand. "I told
them I should be true to my colors, no matter what happened, and how
have I held to my resolution? I can't tell them just how I am situated,
for suppose the letter should miscarry and fall into the hands of some
fellow like Captain Beardsley? This is a nice way to live."

Rodney wrote as if he were full of enthusiasm, and gave a complete
history of his movements since the day on which he bade his cousin
good-by in Barrington. There was one short paragraph in his letter which
will serve as a very good introduction to the second volume of this
series of books, and we produce it entire. It ran as follows:

"It wouldn't be safe for you to come to this country, old fellow, and
talk as you did while we were at school. You would be mobbed in spite of
all I could do to prevent it. I hope you haven't got into any trouble by
trying to be true to your colors since you have been in North Carolina.
I can talk as I please here, and you know I please to denounce
everything except secession and independence. I belong to an independent
company of cavalry. The colonel commanding the regiment we wanted to
join didn't think he had any authority to accept us unless we would give
up our independent organization, and as we were resolved we wouldn't do
that, we began to think we would be obliged to fight on our own hook;
but just in the nick of time we learned that the troops serving in
Missouri, under Price and McCulloch, were mostly partisans, and that
either of those commanders would be glad to accept us. So there is where
we are going as soon as we can get transportation, and who knows but I
may see our old friend Dick Graham? Shall I tell him 'Hello!' for you?
We furnish our own horses, the government allowing us sixty cents a day
for the use of them. If they die or are killed in action, we are to get
another mount from the enemy. Come and join us, Marcy. Throw your Union
sentiments to the winds--you'll have to sooner or later--take sides with
the friends of your state, swear allegiance to the flag of the
Confederacy and battle for the right. Come and join my company and we'll
have some high old times running the Yankees out of Missouri."

But the sequel proved that the despised Yankees could not be so easily
driven; on the contrary they