True To His Colors

mily were industrious enough to cultivate it properly, they had vegetables to sell at the "great house" and received cash in hand for them. Being a minister, he did not think it right to spend m

eadin' of it?" Bud demanded, looking sharply at Uncle Toby. "It's my duty to do it, kase I b'long to the same committe

in for fear of exciting his visitor's wrath), "I didn't go for to do wrong

fiercely. "Who gin it to you, an' how

by, who was greatly alarmed. "I don't know what 'is name was

old it over ye like an overseer's whip, ready to fall when you don't hoe your row like you had oughter. Do you want me to take this here Trybune to your Moster? Well,

do it. He knew that he would never see a cent for the tobacco, for Bud was much too hightoned to use "twist" when he had money to invest in "store plug." He left the r

come home tonight, after a meetin' of that there Committee of Safety I was tellin' you about, I found that I had plumb disremembered to fetch along the bacon

ter of it. The latter was trying to look good-natured, but there was an expression on his face that brought all the negro's fears back to hi

ly. "But I tell you for a fac' dat de bacon we done drawed from de oberseer

' they will do jest as well. It's a mighty far ways back to town, an' I do despise walkin' there in the dark," he continu

at cheer an' I'll have de things you want directly. An' s

visitor. And to show that he meant what he s

that tell-tale paper into the fire as soon as the visitor took his leave. "If I see dat man ag

ud Goble's chair. The latter thrust his arm into them, one after the other, and found that the first contained corn meal enough to keep him and his hungry

you a kind goodnight, you an' your fambly; an' if I hear anybody talk

" and drew a long sigh of relief when he saw

got to be buried in de groun' somewhar de first thing in de mawnin'. Ise dat skeared of having it

to learn, by actual test, that his relations with the Committee of Safety put such power into his hands. There was one thing about it, he told himself: From that time forward he and his family would hav

y the side of his wife's chair. "Two heads are better'n one, if one is a woman's head. There's m

e and rising from her seat. The knowledge that there was food in the house put

come to get the grub an' tobacker. To-morrer I'll go an' call on the storekeeper. He told me t'other day that he wouldn't trust me no more, but I kinder think he'll change his mind when I tell him that I'm onto that committee. An' then t

ble, who was dressing two of the chickens preparatory to consigning them to the kettle, whi

l of anguish that arose to his lips. "There I was talkin' to him for as much as ten or fifteen minutes an' never on

word to nobody about it. Keep your business to yourself, kase if y

himself. "I'll bear them idees in mind. Now, punch up the fire a little an' let me see if I can read what's into this letter

from the fire had attained sufficient brightness,

them boys some of them is spiling for a licking sich as you and your frinds had oughter give them long ago but aint done it and had oughter have a little sense knocked into their heads why dont you send them warning to shet up or clear themselves outen the federasy like the govment says they must do inside of ten days

know this, and besides he was not that sort of a fellow. He was not strictly honorable himself, and was glad to receive hints, even if they came from a correspondent who was too m

ed the letter and prepared to return it to the envelope. As he did so, he found that there w

aham boy are the verry ones who fooled

ic leg another heavy blow, and jumped to his

an' find the ladder or the stairs that led down to that railroad, have you, Susie? If it hadn't been for Riley I might have been lookin' for it yet. I said at the time that I would get even with them for that, but I couldn't seem to f

devoured it while sitting by the fire and trying to conjure up some plan for making himself square with those fun-loving academy boys. He inferred that they had been preaching Union doctrines at the school, but Bud did not care a straw for that. He wanted to punish them for making

houldered his long squirrel rifle, which he carried with him wherever he went, and set out for Barrington, not forgetting to assure his wife that she might con

perings with one another, or sauntered around with their hands in their pockets, as if in search of something they were in no particular hurry to find; and while some seemed scarcely able to refrain from laughing outright and dancing hornpipes, the faces of others wore a resolute loo

and his gang haven't something on their minds, they certainly

and key, and in the keeping of one who kn

you got hold of it," continued Rodney. "Then I should k

on that flag as long as you remain at this academy," sa

ess of his own. "I wish now that some true Southern boy had had pluck enough to steal the flag, for then we should know where it is at this mo

the flag again, and I believe him," said Cole.

in a fight, and then you will see a big change of opinion among these weak-kneed chaps. They expect a skirmish this

ades when stormy weather prevailed), and when the roll had been called, the sergeants of the several companies reported all present or accounted for. But still there were some boys missing, and no report was made as to their whereabouts. A familiar voice answered to Marcy Gray's name, but it

ring roll-call

idn't he answ

by him on their way out of the court. "Somebody answered 'here,' but it wasn't Marcy. Th

answered to his name, as well as the sergeant himself

tower," declared Rodney. "

ey could not carry out his design? If that was the case there was bound to be a struggle more or less desperate, and Rodney's adherents would be expected to be on hand; so they followed him to the top of the tower, but halted when they got there, astonished and appalled at the scene that was presented to their gaze. The cousins were clinched and swaying about in alarming proximity to the low parapet, over which they were in imminent dan

s boys. "Haven't you any sense left? A misstep on the part of one would be the death of both of you. Don't you know that the

give up the halliards. If I had two hands I would very soon end the fr

THE STRUGGLE

roof. It was Dixon, the tall student who had compelled the orderly to fold the flag properly, and who afterward told Dick Graham right where to find it. Being a Kentuckian, he was just now "on the fence," and ready to jump either way, according as his State decided to go out of the Union or remain in it. He was opposed to secession, and that being t

rfere with us. But look here, boys," he added, stepping to the parapet and looking over. "It's a mighty far ways to the ground

taken at disadvantage and greatly outnumbered, he thought it best to handle his cousin with a little less rudeness; but he would not cease his efforts t

e not his cousin he would be tempted to thrash him within an inch of his lif

respectfully submit that the top of a high tower is no place to settle a dispute that may end in a scrimmage. We don't want to begin killing one another until we have to, and there are two ways

interest and anxiety, pulled off their caps and joined in with cheers and yells, although they had not the faintest idea what they were cheering and yelling for. Marcy smiled good-naturedly as he looked into his cousin's face, but Rodney scowled as fiercely as ever. When anything made him angry it took him a long time to get over it. He was almost ready to boil over with rage when he caught his cousin in the act

romise not to haul the colors down?" asked Ma

s. "You and your gang have the advantage of me this tim

" cried some

o talk, but I would like to see you do something. As for you,

this flag ever since it has been a flag, and if I can help

exclaimed Rodney, and as he spoke he drew the Stars and Bars from under his coat and shook out its folds. "It's a much handsome

lustily, and Rodney began to hope that they would make energetic and determined effort to run it up; but they lacked the c

flag," said Marcy, as he made the halliards fast

ng a good deal upon yourself when you presume to tell me what my dut

ut waiting to be called," observed Dixon, as an imperious knock, followed by the command to "open up here

Rodney. "I'll settle the matter with you on the parade tonight, if you fee

th makes war on us; and you will get plenty of that, I bet you. Now let's have a look at our friend below, who seems to be in so

nd excited faces of the commandant and officer of the day, wh