"I can attend to the business myself without any aid from the Governor," said General Ruggles, who looked more like a hard-working farmer than he did like a brave and skilful soldier. "The slip-shod manner in which recruiting has been done in this district is enough to make one forget the third commandment. There hasn't been a single man sent to this camp from your neighborhood."
"I am aware of it, sir. But as these men belong to the State and not to the Confederacy, I thought perhaps——"
"There's no need of it, sir," interrupted the general. "I have all the authority I want, and can do the business without saying a word to the Governor. Sent in his resignation, has he? Captain—Thomas—Randolph," he continued, writing the name on a slip of paper. "And it has not yet been accepted? And how many men do you think he has in his company? All right. You go home and say nothing to anybody, and I will put him where he will meet something besides unarmed men and women and children."
His business having been transacted to his entire satisfaction, Rodney was in no particular haste to go home. He made friends with one of the veterans who composed the camp guard, ate supper with him, and slept under half his blanket that night; but the morning's sun saw him well on his return journey. He made a wide circuit to avoid passing through Mooreville, and did not go near his father's house for fear it might be remembered against him at some future time. He went home as rapidly as he could go, unsaddled his horse and turned him into the stable-yard, and went into the house; and there, seated in Rodney's favorite rocking chair, with his feet upon the back of another and a book in his hand, was—Dick Graham.
"You've got cheek! Why didn't you come out when you heard me at the bars?" exclaimed Rodney, as soon as he found his tongue.
"Because I thought you would prefer to come in and find me," replied Dick; and then he dropped his book and jumped to his feet, and the two embraced each other schoolboy fashion.
"O Dick, you don't know how I have worried about you," said Rodney. "And Tom Randolph was at the bottom of it all. You would have been watched if he hadn't said a word; but what I mean is that he made matters worse. I have paid him for it, however. Now tell me all about it."