extreme rule-or-ruin party of the South,
and declared that Missouri ought to stay in the Union; but at the same
time they didn't deny that she had a perfect right to go out if she
wanted to. If she decided to go with South Carolina and the other cotton
States, the government at Washington had no business to send soldiers
here to stop her; neither had those troops from Illinois any business to
come across the Mississippi and steal our guns out of the St. Louis
arsenal. That was an act of invasion, and we had a right to get mad
about it. We decided to remain neutral, and our General Price made an
agreement with the Federal General Harney to that effect; but that did
not suit the abolitionists who want war and nothing else. They took
Harney's command away from him and gave it to Lyon, who at once
proceeded to do everything he could to drive us to desperation. He drove
us out of Jefferson City and Booneville, and now he has sent that
Dutchman Siegel to Springfield to see what damage he can do there."

"But what was the reason Siegel was sent to Springfield?" inquired Tom,
who, riding close behind the captain, heard every word he said. "Wasn't
it to repel the _invasion_ of McCulloch, who was coming from Arkansas
with eight hundred bandits he called Texan Rangers? Has he any right to
ride rough-shod through our State, when some of our own citizens are not
permitted to stick their heads out of doors?"

"Hallo!" exclaimed the captain, turning about in his saddle to face Tom,
while Rodney began to fear that his friend's tongue would get them both
into trouble. "You are about the same kind of a Confederate I am, only I
don't blurt out my opinions in that style, and you hadn't better do it,
either. To be consistent I am obliged to say that those Texans had no
business to come over the Missouri line, but circumstances alter cases.
We are in trouble, we can't stand against the power of the abolition
government, and I shall be glad to see that man McCulloch."

"I understand that there had been no fighting to speak of, and yet you
say we have been driven out of two places," said Rodney.

"Oh, we were not ready and the Yankees were," answered the captain. "We
had just lighting enough to give us a chance to learn how gunpowder
smells. We are waiting for McCulloch now, and when he comes, we'll
assume the offensive and drive Lyon out of the State."

"That's the very thing I came here for, and I am glad to know that I
shall be in time