"But, colonel, these boys, who have stood by us as though they belonged to us, want a pass and a permit to trade," said the corporal. "And if you will allow me to use your name, perhaps the provost will be more willing to grant the favor."
The permission was readily given, and the colonel's name must have had some weight with the marshal, for he did not detain Rodney and Dick at his office on business for more than ten minutes; but he kept them there talking in a friendly way for more than an hour. When he handed them the papers they wanted he took pains to say that there were some things that could not be taken through the lines under any circumstances whatever, and then he asked where they intended to make their headquarters when they were in the city, and whether or not they had any cotton to sell. As Rodney did not know what his object might be in asking this question, he answered it evasively.
"I wish I owned 1000 bales, and that it was in the Northern market at this minute," said he. "It is worth sixty cents a pound up there."
"Because if you've got any you may as well understand that it won't do you much good," said the marshal. "That is, unless you're sharp. The Richmond government is going to buy or steal all the cotton in the Confederacy and make it the basis of a foreign loan."
"And of course you Yanks are going to stop that sort of work by destroying every bale you can find," said Rodney. "I understand that, but I don't know what you mean by being sharp."
"You don't get the papers very often, do you?" said the captain. "Well, take those when you go. They're old, but perhaps their contents will be news to you. You will find that they say something about a 'partial trade' that is to be established between Northern men who are to have permits to trade inside our lines, and _Union_ Southern people. Does that hit you? Anything to cripple the rebs, you know. And you will see something about the _Arkansas_ ram in there, too. It was a brave act, if it was performed by the enemies of my country."
"What about her? What did she do?" inquired Rodney, who had heard vague reports that there was such a vessel as the _Arkansas_, and that great things were expected of her by her Confederate builders.