o see to it that the boy does not
do you mischief."

"As I said before, I will listen to nothing against dear Jack, so
there!" cried Marion, and stamping her foot, she hurried toward the
house.

St. John Ruthven watched her out of sight, then turned and stalked off
toward the roadway leading to his home.

"She evidently does not love me as I thought," he muttered to himself.
"And I made a mess of it by speaking ill of Jack. Confound the luck!
What had I best do now? I wish I could get that boy out of the way
altogether, I really do."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE HOME GUARDS OF OLDVILLE.

The week to follow the events recorded in the last chapter was a trying
one for the inhabitants of Oldville, as the district around the
Ruthvens' plantation was called.

The army of the North had pressed the army of the South back steadily
day after day, until the Confederates were encamped less than four miles
away from Jack's home. For two days the cannon-firing could be
distinctly heard, and the women folks were filled with dread, thinking
the invaders from the North were about to swoop down upon their homes
and pillage them.

"Oh, Jack! do you think they will come here?" was the question Marion
asked at least a dozen times.

"They had better not," was the sturdy reply. "If they do, they will find
that even a boy can fight."

"But you could do nothing against an army, Jack."

"Perhaps not. But I'll do what I can to protect you and mother."

"Old Ben told me that you and Darcy Gilbert were organizing a Home
Guard."

"Yes; we have organized a company of boys. We have twenty-three members,
and I am the captain," answered Jack, with just a bit of pride in his
tones.

"Then you are Captain Jack!" exclaimed Marion. "Let me congratulate you,
captain. But have you any weapons?"

"Yes. I have an old sword and also a pistol, and all of the others have
pistols or guns. I think, if we were put to it, we might do our enemy
some damage."

"No doubt, since I know you and Darcy can shoot pretty straight. You
ought to ask St. John to join the command."

"Not much, Marion! Don't you know that St. John is a coward at heart,
even if he is a man?"

"Yes, I know it. One of the colored help on his plantation told Old Ben
that the cannon-firing so close at hand made him so uneasy he couldn't
eat or sleep."

"Is it possible! Now the cannon-firing simply makes me crazy to be at
the front, to see what is going on, and to take part."