he throat latch.
It stared at the light in fright and then dashed away in the darkness.

All the boys, Tell and Jim, the Meads, John, Clayton, and Bud
Anderson,--all but O'mie, met in the deep shadow of the oak before the
tavern door. Our plans fell into form with Cam's wiser head to shape
them here and there. The town was districted and each of us took his
portion. In the time that followed, I worked noiselessly, heroically,
taking the most dangerous places for my part. The boys rallied under my
leadership, for they would have it so. Everywhere they depended on my
word to direct them, and they followed my direction to the letter. It
was not I, in myself, but John Baronet's son on whom they relied. My
father's strength and courage and counsel they sought for in me. But all
the time I felt myself to be like a spirit on the edge of doom. I worked
as one who feels that when his task is ended, the blank must begin. Yet
I left nothing undone because of the dead weight on my soul.

What happened in that hour, can never all be told. And only God himself
could have directed us among our enemies. Since then I have always felt
that the purpose crowns the effort. In Springvale that night was a band
of resolute lawless men, organized and armed, with every foot of their
way mapped out, every name checked, the lintel of every Union doorway
marked, men ready and sworn to do a work of fire and slaughter. Against
them was a group of undisciplined boys, unorganized, surprised, and
unequipped, groping in the darkness full of unseen enemies. But we were
the home-guard, and our own lives were nothing to us, if only we could
save the defenceless.

CHAPTER VIII

THE COST OF SAFETY

In the dark and trying hour,
In the breaking forth of power,
In the rush of steeds and men,
His right hand will shield thee then.

--LONGFELLOW.

It was just half past one o'clock when the sweet-toned bell in the
Presbyterian Church steeple began to ring. Dr. Hemingway was at the rope
in the belfry. His part was to give us our signal. At the first peal the
windows of every Union home blazed with light. The doors were flung wide
open, and a song--one song--rose on the cool still night.

O say, can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?--
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
O say, does th