stay in our own State."

The captain shook his head, and his men knew by the expression on his
face that he had something yet to tell them.

"There's where you are wrong," said he. "We are going to Memphis as
quick as we can get there, and from Memphis we shall go to Corinth to
join the army under Beauregard. I am sorry you boys feel so about it,
but I really don't see how you are going to help yourselves. Now brace
up and do your duty like men, as you always have done it. I don't want
to see any of you get into trouble, but you certainly will if you kick
over the traces."

This last announcement was altogether too much for the men, who turned
away in a body, muttering the heaviest kind of adjectives, "not loud but
deep." When the two boys were left alone with the captain the latter
inquired:

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen," growled Rodney.

"Well, you will have to stay in ninety days after your term expires.
Will that make you eighteen?"

"No, it wouldn't; and if it did they would be careful not to say so."

"Then I don't see what reason you have to get huffy over a thing that
can't be helped," continued the officer. "We must have men, and if they
will not come in willingly, they must be dragged in. We can't be
subdued; we never will consent to be slaves. But you two will get out
all right."

"We knew it all the while; at least I thought of it," replied Dick, "but
I didn't want to mention it while the rest of the boys were around. They
are mad already, and it might make them worse to know that we two are
better off than they are."

"But I want to tell you that you will make a big mistake if you accept
your discharges," the captain went on to say. "You ought by all means to
stay in until this thing is settled and the invaders driven from our
soil. You'll wish you had when you see the boys come home covered with
glory. And then think of the possibilities before you! You are bound to
be promoted, and that rapidly. If I had your military education I would
not be satisfied with anything short of a colonelcy."

"Well, you may have it, and since you want it, I hope you will get it;
but I wouldn't accept it if it were offered to me," answered Dick,
turning on his heel. "I'll not serve under such a fraud of a government
as this has turned out to be a day longer than I can help. I'll take my
discharge as soon as they will condescend to give it to me, and then
they can hunt somebody to fill my place. I'll never vol