ill be out in full
force to hie them on. If the Federals win, as I hope they may, and
occupy the Island and Plymouth and other points about here, our
stay-at-home rebels will crawl into their holes, and you will not hear a
cheep from them."

"But all that is in the future," said Mrs. Gray.

"And what we want to know is how to conduct ourselves to-day," added
Marcy. "I know that, and, as I said before. I am going to trust to luck.
I can tell better what to say after I have mingled for a few minutes
with the crowd I shall meet at the post-office."

"Do any of the Union men ever go there?" inquired Mrs. Gray.

"I have seen Webster there once or twice, but as to the rest, I cannot
say; for I do not know them."

"I shouldn't think they would go there for fear of being arrested."

"Who is there to arrest them?"

"I don't know; but I suppose the postmaster could bring a squad of
soldiers from Plymouth, could he not?"

"Yes, but he would have to bring another squad to watch his house and
store after the one that made the arrest went away," answered Marcy. "If
the Nashville people attempt to manage this thing themselves, I am
afraid their town will go up in smoke."

Going to the post-office, on this particular morning, was one of the
hardest tasks the boy had ever set for himself. He wished he could hit
upon some good excuse for sending Morris in his place, and indeed the
old fellow offered to go when he brought up Marcy's horse, adding:

"I'm jubus that they will ask you a heap of questions that you won't
want to answer. They won't say nothing to Morris, kase a pore niggah
never knows nothing."

"I've got to face them some time, and it might as well be to-day as next
week," replied Marcy, slipping into the coachman's hand one of the gold
pieces that Julius had given him the night before. "Let Julius entirely
alone, and the next time you hear of any plans being laid against us,
don't keep us in ignorance. Come to us at once, so that we may know what
we have to expect."

"Thank you kindly, sar," said Morris, taking off his hat. "I'll bear
that in mind; but you see, Marse Marcy, I didn't want for to pester you
and your maw. I was on the watch."

"But you were frightened to death, and that little imp Julius was the
one who helped us," thought Marcy, as he swung himself into the saddle,
with the coachman's assistance, and rode away. "Well, I was frightened
myself, but I couldn't run and hide."

When Marcy came to B