."

"The cap'n know about this?" asked Kirby.

Driscoll shrugged. "He ain't deaf. But the cap'n also knows as how you
can't be too big a gold-lace officer when you're behind the enemy lines
with men on the run. We're gonna take Calhoun and take her good!" He
grinned at the two veterans. "Jus' like we took Mount Sterlin'."

Kirby was sober. "There was a take theah which warn't no good. Somebody
cleaned out the bank, or else I wasn't hearin' too well afterward. I can
see some impressin'--stuff an hombre can put in his belly as paddin',
an' maybe what he can put on his back. That's fair an' square. The
Yankees do it too. But takin' a gold watch or money outta a man's
pants--now that's somethin' different again."

Driscoll stood up. "Ain't nobody said anything about gold watches or
money or banks," he replied stiffly. "There's stores in Calhoun, and
there's men in this heah outfit what needs new shirts or new breeches.
And since when have you seen any paymaster ridin' down the pike with his
bags full of bills, not that you can use that paper stuff for anythin'
like shoppin', anyway!"

"Thanks for the tip," Drew cut in. "We take it kindly."

Driscoll's ruffled feelings appeared soothed. "Jus' thought you boys
oughta know. Me, I have in mind gittin' maybe two or three cans of them
peaches like we got from the sutler's wagon. Them were prime eatin'.
General store might jus' have some. Yankee crackers are right good, too.
Say, that theah stud you got, Rennie, how's he workin' out?"

"So far no trouble," Drew remarked. "Only I'm lookin' for a trade--maybe
in town."

"Trade? Why ever a trade?"

"We got a couple of river crossin's comin' up ahead," the scout
explained. "And one of them is a good big stretch of deep water--you
don't go wadin' across the Tennessee. I don't want to beg for trouble,
headin' a stud into somethin' as dangerous as that."

Driscoll seemed struck by the wisdom of that precaution. "Now I heard
tell," he chimed in eagerly, "as how a mule is a right sure-footed
critter for a river crossin'. An' a good ridin' mule could suit a man
fine----"

"A mule!" Boyd exploded, outraged. But Drew considered the suggestion
calmly.

"I'll keep a lookout in town. May be swappin' for that mule yet,
Driscoll. You'll have to pick up my share of peaches if that's the way
it's goin' to be."

There were more plans laid for the taking of Calhoun as the hours passed
and the harried company plodded or spurred--depend