had a blue shirt on," were the words that trembled
on the point of Tom Allison's tongue. But he did not speak them aloud.
He had received one severe rebuke that morning, and did not think he
could stand another; but Ben Hawkins and his friends, who just then left
the post-office and came across the road to the place where the boys
were standing, did not hesitate to commend Marcy for the course he
pursued while on the gunboat. They came up in time to hear Mark Goodwin
say:

"Why didn't you run that ship aground? That's what I would have done if
I had been in your place, and it is what Captain Beardsley would have
done if he had been allowed the opportunity."

"And been hung up by the neck for his trouble," said Hawkins; and to
Mark's surprise and Tom's, he took Marcy's hand in both his own and
shook it cordially. It would have pleased them better if Hawkins had
knocked Marcy down. That was the way they expected to see Confederate
soldiers treat all Union men and boys, and they would have enjoyed the
spectacle. "You stay-at-homers don't know nothing about war," continued
Hawkins, giving way to his comrades, all of whom shook Marcy's hand one
after the other, "and we uns, who have been there, say Marcy acted just
right in doing as he did. I'd 'a' done the same thing myself, and so
would any other man unless he was plum crazy. Go and get some soldier
clothes and shoulder muskets, you two. We've done our share, and now we
will stand back and give you uns a chance to see how you like it."

"Don't you intend to return to the army, Mr. Hawkins?" inquired Marcy.

"Well, 'cording to the oath I've took I can't," answered the soldier. "I
did promise that I would never fight against the old flag agin, but
that's neither here nor there. My year is pretty nigh up, and I'm going
to stay around home and eat good grub for a while. I don't mean to say
that I won't never 'list again, but it won't be till I've seen some
others whopped like I have been."

He looked fixedly at Tom as he said this, and the boy, believing that he
would feel more at his ease if he were farther out of the soldier's
reach, turned about and went toward the post-office, followed by his
friend Mark.

"Say!" whispered Hawkins, as soon as the two were out of hearing. "I
aint a-going to ask you where you stand, kase that aint none of my
business; but what's this I hear about your maw having a pile of money
in the house, and Beardsley and among 'em be so anxious to