any body else to do. I'm satisfied now that the British
are at Pensacola and are arming Indians there, and that the
treacherous Spanish governor is harboring them on his _neutral_
territory. I have proof of that now. Look at that rifle there. That's
one of the guns they have given out to Indians, and a friendly Indian
brought it to me this morning. But you know the Indians, Walker; I
can't get anything definite out of them. I _must_ find out all about
this affair, and you're the only man I could trust with the task."

"I b'lieve that's jist about the way the land lays, giner'l," replied
Tandy, "but I'll tell you what it is; if ther' aint a _man_ here you
kin tie to fur that sort o' work, ther's a purty well grown boy
that'll do it up for you equal to me or anybody else, or my name aint
Tandy Walker, and that's what the old woman at home calls me."

A little further conversation revealed the fact that the boy alluded
to was none other than our friend Sam Hardwicke. General Jackson
hesitated, expressing some doubts of Sam's qualifications for so
delicate a task. He feared that so young a person might lack the
coolness and discretion necessary, and said so. To all of this Tandy
replied:--

"You'd trust the job to me, if I could walk, wouldn't you, giner'l?"

"Certainly; no other man would be half so good."

"Well then, giner'l, lem me tell you, that Sam Hardwicke is Tandy
Walker, spun harder an' finer, made out'n better wool, doubled an'
twisted, and _mighty keerfully waxed_ into the bargain. He's a smart
one, if there ever was one. He's edicated too, an' knows books like a
school teacher. He's the sharpest feller in the woods I ever seed, an'
he's got jist a little the keenest scent for the right thing to do in
a tight place that you ever seed in man or boy. Better'n all, he never
loses that cool head o' his'n no matter what happens."

"That is a hearty recommendation, certainly," said the general.
"Suppose you send young Hardwicke to me; of course nothing must be
said of all this."

"Certainly giner'l. Nobody ever gits any news out'n my talk." And with
that Tandy made his awkward bow, his awkwarder salute, and limped
away.

CHAPTER V.

SAM LAYS HIS PLANS.

Half an hour later Sam Hardwicke entered General Jackson's private
office, and was received with some little surprise upon the
commander's part.

"Why, you're the young man who reported in command of some young
recruits, are you not?" he asked.