e so
that I will have a chance to go with you if you are sent out on a scout.
But bear one thing in mind," he added, in a lower tone, "you needn't
order me to burn any houses, for I'll not do it."

"I am down on all such lighting myself," replied Dick, with emphasis.
"If we ever go out together I will show you as many as half-a-dozen
houses that would be ashes now if it hadn't been for me, and one of them
covers the head of one Thomas Percival--when he is at home."

Dick thought Rodney would be much surprised at this, but he wasn't. All
he said was:

"Does Tom know it?"

"I don't suppose he does, or his father, either; but I have the
satisfaction of knowing that I have done something to strengthen the
friendship that existed between Tom and myself while we were at
Barrington. You will know how hard a time I had in doing any thing for
the Percivals when I tell you that Tom is suspected of belonging to a
company of Home Guards."

"Suspected, is he?" said Rodney, with a knowing wink. "Is that all you
know about him? He's captain of a company he raised himself, and rode
all the way alone to St. Louis to ask Lyon if he could join him. He was
afraid to trust the mails. He told me that the Vigilance Committees had
a way of opening letters from suspected persons, and he didn't want to
run any risks."

"Well now, I am beat," said Dick, who had listened to this revelation
with a look of the profoundest astonishment on his face. "But how does
it come that you know so much more about him than I do? Have you been
corresponding with him?"

"I never heard a word from him from the time I left Barrington until I
met him at Cedar Bluff landing in a nest of Confederates. Tom was a
prisoner, was known to be Union, accused of being a horse-thief and in a
fair way of being hung; but he got out of the scrape somehow, and I hope
is safe at home by this time."

"Well, well," repeated Dick, growing more and more amazed. "So do I hope
he is safe at home, and if he got within a hundred miles of Springfield
I reckon he is. The country is full of Federal cavalry, and how your
squad came through without being molested is more than I can understand.
You will find the colonel in this tent, captain," said he, dismounting
and drawing some papers from his pocket. "I must report too, for I have
been on an errand for him. I'll be out in a minute, Rodney."

Dick followed, the captain into the colonel's tent, and Rodney sat on
his horse and looked