meaning of the word; but if you will go home with me I will teach it to
you in less than a week."

If Rodney had given utterance to his honest sentiments he would have
told Mr. Westall, in pretty plain language, that he would face about and
go to his own home again before he would be that kind of a partisan.
Shaking his fist under a Union boy's nose and fighting him on the parade
ground was one thing, and shooting him down in cold blood was another.
But he did not have time to make any reply, for just as Mr. Westall
ceased speaking they reached the corn-crib.

"All right in there?" said the Emergency man, laying hold of the door
and giving it a shake; and as he did so, Rodney took note of the fact
that it opened as much as an inch and a half, so that if the prisoner on
the inside had anything with which he could reach through the crack and
throw the bar out of its place, he need not stay there a moment longer
than he wanted to. "Will one blanket be enough to keep you warm?"

"I don't call this fish-net a blanket," replied Tom's voice. "I suppose
it will have to do, if you are so poor you can't give me anything
better. But this is a cold, cheerless place to shove a fellow into
without any fire or light."

"It's plenty good enough for a traitor," answered Mr. Westall, with a
coarse laugh; and then he turned about and led the way back to the
cabin.

Two of the Emergency men and all the wood-cutters had come out to "take
a look at the weather," and make up their minds whether or not the
steamer they heard coming up the river below the bend was going to stop
at the landing for fuel, and while Rodney listened to their conversation
he walked about with his hands in his pockets, and kicked listlessly at
the chips and sticks that were scattered around the log on which Jeff
and his men cut their fire-wood. Finally he picked up one of the sticks
and began cutting it with his knife; and a little later, when he thought
no one was observing his movements, he shoved the stick into the sleeve
of his coat. This much being done he was ready to make a demonstration
in Tom Percival's favor.

"By the way, Jeff," said he, suddenly. "While you are waiting for that
steamer to make up her mind if she wants any wood or not, will you tell
me where I can find my horse? I always make it a point to say goodnight
to him before I go to bed."

Resting one hand on the boy's shoulder Jeff pointed with the other, and
showed him the building in whi