dog-tired. A dog, he ain't
got him much to do 'cept chase around on his own business.
Soldier-tired--now that's another matter. How 'bout it, kid? You ready
to ride right outta heah an' chase General Grant clean back to Lake
Erie?"

Boyd had stretched out only a hand's length from Drew. There were dark
smudges under his closed eyes, hardly to be told from the smears of dirt
on his round cheeks, but there. He rolled his head on a hammock of grass
and scowled at Kirby.

"General Grant can--" he added a remark which surprised Drew into
opening his eyes. Kirby shook his head reprovingly.

"Now that ain't no way for a growin' boy to talk. An' it sits on your
tongue as easy as a fly on a mule's ear, too. What kinda company you bin
keepin', kid? Rennie, this heah colt ain't got no reason to cram grammar
into a remark that way."

Drew stretched, folded his arms under his head, and answered, in a voice
he tried to make as blighting as possible: "Thinks it makes him sound
like a man, probably. He's findin' out the army ain't quite what he
expected."

"You shut up--!" Boyd might have added something to that, but Drew had
moved. He leaned over the youngster, his hand hard and heavy on Boyd's
shoulder. And it was plain that, much as he wanted to, the other did not
quite dare to move or shake off that grip.

"I've had about enough," Drew said quietly. "The next town we hit you're
goin' to stay there, until someone comes from back home to collect you.
Nobody knows you're with us, and you can go back to Oak Hill without any
trouble from Union troops."

Boyd's eyes blazed. His mouth wasn't shaping a small boy's pout this
time; it was an ugly line tight against his teeth.

"I ain't goin' home! I said you can't make me, 'less you tie me on a
horse and keep me tied all the way. And I don't think you can do that,
Drew Rennie. I'd like to see you try it; I sure would!"

"He's got you on a stand-off, I'd say," Kirby remarked. "My, ain't he
the tough one though, horns sticking up an' haired all over!
Gentlemen--" he had glanced over their shoulder and was watching
whatever was there--"company comin'. Mind your manners!"

Drew looked around. His hand clamped tighter on Boyd, keeping him pinned
on his back. If he only had time ... but there was no way of disguising
the younger boy. And Thomas McKeever, strolling with Captain Campbell,
had already sighted them, stopped short, and now was moving swiftly in
their direction.

"Boyd B