True To His Colors

quite still, for something told him it would be dangerous to do anything else. This was the first time his courage had ever been tested, and he was found wanting; but, strange as it may appear,

nted a field-hand, and now he had gone so far as to threaten Bud with a weapon. It opened their eyes to the fact t

rage when his friends closed about him. "Why don't you

ot the drop?" replied Silas, who thoug

matter of ye?" exclaimed

oat an' take yer rifle, Bud. This aint the onliest day there is in the world, an' the next

bserved another. "Look a-here, ole man, we-uns

of his friends in a second of time. "I paid for this property with my own money, and I intend to stay here and enjoy it; and if any of you dispute my right to do so, I

it in Mr. Bailey's direction. "But we'll come agin when you aint lookin' for us, an' then you will want to watch out. We're goin' to drive all you babolitio

prudent for him to say anything about his plans, if he had any in mind. But he had already revealed

ever did you any

ey?" vocif

not have a cent or credit, either; and they paid the doctor to go and see them when you were loafing around, too lazy t

d frame a suitable reply. "They're for the Union, dog-gone 'em. An'

ade a motion as if he were about to draw his rifle to his shoulder. "That underground railroad business was a joke on you, wasn't it? But you don't want to fool

xclaimed Bud.

down the old flag and runs up the new one," continued Mr. Bailey. "He sa

ington, I got a letter tellin' me all about them chaps an' the docterings they're preachin' up. I was told that t

he storekeeper, who did not think i

ere wasn't no nam

ody wants to bring those boys into trouble, and hopes to use you as a tool. If you will take advice you will mind your own busines

ll. I'll go whethe

the army and

ting

e who will go f

gone it, you're

to gouge me out of a pair of shoes and a dress awhile ago, you tried to rob as good a friend of the South as you are yourself. I'll make it m

them, revolver in hand, to make sure that they went without trying to "get the drop" on him. As

ll eavesdroppers in those days, and if anything escaped their notice and hearing, it was not their fault. They were better posted and took a deeper interest in the affairs of the day than many people supposed. The Northern papers, which now and then in some mysterious way came into their hands, just as the Tribune came into Uncle Toby's hands, told them the truth; while the white people around them pin

en. All Union men could not be as plucky as Mr. Bailey was, and Bud determined to try his plan again as soon as he could rid himself of the company of his four friends. He

first to speak. "I do think in my soul that that ole man oughter be dealt with. Wh

is needed, can't you? S'pose you-uns talk it up. 'Pears like we'd oughter get twenty fellers of our way of thinkin' together, an' if we can, jest see how much help we-uns could be to that committee of our'n. Tell 'em what you've seen an' heared this mornin'

easy to make him open his smoke-house as often as he chose to demand it. Besides, Bud was made happy by a brilliant idea that suddenly popped into his mind; and in order that there might be no hitch in it at the critical time, he turned toward the post-office, hoping tha

see him privately. There had been a time when Mr. Riley would have resented anything like familiarity on the part of

ir mouths soon's I come around. I've warned a few of 'em, but I aint seen no money for my trouble yet. My time is wuth a

rking order yet, and so I shall have to give you something out of my own funds. How will that do to begin on?" he added, slipping a

"Thank you very kindly, sah. Well, I've warned

said Mr. Riley,

ive the storekeeper out of town, and so furnish him and his friends with an excuse for any act of ruffianism they might be disposed to indulge

peated Mr. Riley. "He w

ired he will be as warm

have yo

nor heard of for a week or more, and finally said that he was on his way to El

erous, and always has been. He takes abolition papers. I don't know how they come into his hands, the mail being so closely watched

hat he was holding over Toby like an overseer's whip, ready to fall whenever he didn't hoe his row right, and it was no part of his plan to expose the old negro unless the latter declined to keep him i

demy," said he. "They need lookin' af

e it," answered Mr. Riley. "No doubt there is strong love for the old Union there, as there is here in Bar

from laughing outright. "If they was poor boys do you reckon they'd be allowed to hold out agin the 'Federacy like they do, a

ndred blacks on one plantation. You want revenge, don't you? Well, I don't see how you are g

the traitors,"

ake my advice and pocket the insult Rodney and Dick put upon you when they sent you to look for that underground railroad. Now I think I w

went. "But I won't let them two boys get off easy, nuther. Six hundred niggers on one plantation. The

s father was worth a good deal of money, and that Rodney would give five hundred and perhaps a thousand dollars, rather than be whipped as if he were a black boy. A Southern youngster, no matter how disobedient and unruly he might be, conside

hat I'd better lick him before I leave. I'll wait an' see how he acts when I ax him for some of the things he's got into his smokehouse. Tell y

, but in a few minutes ret

n, an' he say if you want see

one would have thought, from the vicious way he settled his rifle on his shoulder and crunched the gravel under his feet as

stood six feet four without his boots, and was built in proportion. He had tucked up his sleeves to keep them from being soiled, and the white forearms thus exposed were as muscular as a blacksmith's. He had been waiting for this visit, for his boy Sam, who came from town a qua

year?" said he. "It is rather early for young squirrels, and t

swered Bud gruffly. "I'm huntin' for b

alwart minister, smiling at Bud in a way the latter did not like. Perhaps it wasn't go

kind aint wanted round yer no longer," said Bud. "You t

rove that

'em in his shanty last nigh

rove that I ga

y in town says it's you who spreads them papers around, kase the

have heard enou

not more'n half an hour ago, that if he could prove it was you w

what wo

s meaning. "You'd have to cl'ar yourself or take another an' wuss lick

trying to defend myself? I don't think I should. I have a double gun with fifteen buckshot in each barrel, and you may

you'll

ught to have been warned by the flash in

men in t

inting toward the gate, "or shall I be obliged

ngth, was upon him, the weapon was twisted from his grasp, and Bud buried his face in the soft earth of a flower-bed. But the minister was not yet done with him. Holding the rifle in one hand he seize

xcitement, "and I will bid you good-day. The next time you visit me come in a proper frame of mi

at the strong fingers which grasped it a moment before had not left any holes there. "Who'd a thought that a preacher could a had sich an amazin' grip? I

o late, he wished he had adopted that method at the outset. If he had he wouldn't have lost his reputation. There were two men in the neighborhood he was quite sure he would not trouble again unless he had a strong force at his back, for they had threatened to shoot, and Bud believed they were just reckless enough to do it. When he reached