CHAPTER VIII.
THE HOME GUARDS OF OLDVILLE.
The week to follow the events recorded in the last chapter was a tryingone for the inhabitants of Oldville, as the district around theRuthvens' plantation was called.
The army of the North had pressed the army of the South back steadilyday after day, until the Confederates were encamped less than four milesaway from Jack's home. For two days the cannon-firing could bedistinctly heard, and the women folks were filled with dread, thinkingthe invaders from the North were about to swoop down upon their homesand pillage them.
"Oh, Jack! do you think they will come here?" was the question Marionasked at least a dozen times.
"They had better not," was the sturdy reply. "If they do, they will findthat even a boy can fight."
"But you could do nothing against an army, Jack."
"Perhaps not. But I'll do what I can to protect you and mother."
"Old Ben told me that you and Darcy Gilbert were organizing a HomeGuard."
"Yes; we have organized a company of boys. We have twenty-three members,and I am the captain," answered Jack, with just a bit of pride in histones.
"Then you are Captain Jack!" exclaimed Marion. "Let me congratulate you,captain. But have you any weapons?"
"Yes. I have an old sword and also a pistol, and all of the others havepistols or guns. I think, if we were put to it, we might do our enemysome damage."
"No doubt, since I know you and Darcy can shoot pretty straight. Youought to ask St. John to join the command."
"Not much, Marion! Don't you know that St. John is a coward at heart,even if he is a man?"
"Yes, I know it. One of the colored help on his plantation told Old Benthat the cannon-firing so close at hand made him so uneasy he couldn'teat or sleep."
"Is it possible! Now the cannon-firing simply makes me crazy to be atthe front, to see what is going on, and to take part."
"Then you must be a born soldier, Jack." Marion heaved a sigh. "Oh, Iwish this war was over! Why must the men of the South and the North killeach other?"
"The world has always had wars and always will, I reckon. Do you want tocome to town and see us drill?"
"Will it be safe?"
"I think so, Marion. I don't believe the enemy are coming here verysoon."
Soon after this Jack and Marion were on their way to Oldville, a sleepytown containing two general stores, a tavern, and a blacksmith shop.
In front of the tavern was a large green, and here a number of boys wereplaying various games.
"Hurrah, here comes Captain Jack!" was the cry, when our hero appeared.
"Are we to drill to-day?" questioned Darcy Gilbert, as he ran up andnodded to Marion.
"If you will," said Jack. His new honors had not made him in the leastdictatorial.
"All right," returned Darcy.
He was first lieutenant of the company, which had styled itself theOldville Home Guard, and he quickly summoned the young soldierstogether.
All had uniforms, made of regular home suits with stripes of white seweddown the trouser-legs and around the coat-sleeves. The boys with pistolswere placed in the front rank, those with guns in the second rank. Onelad had a drum and another a fife.
"Company, attention!" ordered Jack, coming to the front with drawnsword, and the boys drew up in straight rows across the green. The drumrattled, and presently quite a crowd of old men, women, and childrencollected to see the drill.
"Carry--arms!" went on Jack, and the guns came to a carry, and likewisethe pistols. "Present--arms! Shoulder--arms! Forward--march!"
"Dum! dum! dum, dum, dum!" went the drummer, and off marched the companyto the end of the green.
"Right--wheel!" came the next command, and the boys wheeled with theorder of a veteran body, for each was enthusiastic to do his best."Forward!" and they marched on again, and so the marching kept up untilthe square had been covered several times.
"Halt!" Thus the commanding went on. "Load! Take aim! Fire!"
And twenty-odd gun and pistol hammers came down with a sharp clicking,for none of the weapons were loaded, the boys saving their powder andball until such time as they might actually be needed. A short paradearound the main streets followed, and then Jack dismissed the company.
"It was splendid!" cried Marion enthusiastically. "I declare, Jack, howdid you ever get them drilled so nicely?"
"Oh! the fellows take to it naturally. Besides, Darcy did as much as Idid."
"No, Jack is our chief drillmaster," put in Darcy. "He takes tosoldiering as a duck takes to a pond."
"It's wonderful. Still, I hope you never have to go to war," concludedMarion.
"If we do, we'll try to give a good account of ourselves," said Darcy,as Marion walked away.
"Indeed we will!" cried our hero.
Now she was in town Marion concluded to do some shopping, andaccordingly made her way to one of the general stores, a place kept byLemuel Blackwood, one of the oldest merchants in that part of the State.
Blackwood's store was usually crowded with goods of every description,but the war had all but wrecked his trade, and his stock was scanty andshop-worn.
"How do you do, Marion?" said he, when the girl entered. He had knownher from childhood.
"How do you do, Mr. Blackwood?" she returned.
"Pretty fairly, for an old man, Marion. That is, so far as my healthgoes. Business is very poor, though."
"The war has taken the people's money."
"Yes, yes! It is awful! Sometimes I think it will never end."
"Do you think we will win, Mr. Blackwood?"
At this the old man shook his head slowly.
"I used to hope so, Marion. But now--the most of our best soldiers havebeen shot down. The North can get new recruits, but we don't seem tohave many more men to go to the front."
"Have you any more calico like that which I got a few weeks ago?"
"No, I can't get a single piece, no matter how hard I try."
"What have you in plain dress goods?"
"Nothing but what I showed you before. I tried to get something new lastweek, but the wholesale houses had nothing, and couldn't say whenanything new would come in. Their business has been wrecked, just asmine has been. Two of the best houses I used to do business with arebankrupt."
"Then show me what you have again, please. Mamma and I must havesomething, even if it is out of date. We'll wear it for the honor of theSouth."
At this old Mr. Blackwood smiled. "You are a loyal girl, Marion. I liketo see it in a person, especially in one who is young. It shows theright training."
"But supposing I was a Northerner," said Marion, with a sly twinkle inher eye.
"It would make no difference in my opinion."
"You believe people should be true to their convictions?"
"Yes, no matter what side they stand upon. We think we are right, andare willing to fight for our opinions. They think they are right, andthey are willing to fight, too."
"But who is right?"
Mr. Blackwood shrugged his shoulders. "Let us trust that God will bringthis difficulty to a satisfactory conclusion. If we lose in this war, myone hope is that the South will not lose everything--that the North willbe generous."
"But they say Grant is a stubborn general. That he will demandeverything of General Lee."
"I cannot believe it. I have a cousin who knew Grant, and he said Grantwas not so hard-hearted as painted."
"Some say the South, if defeated, will be held in virtual slavery by theNorth."
"Yes, some hot-heads say everything. I had such a fellow in hereyesterday; a surgeon in our army, who gave his name as Dr. Mackey. Hewas ranting around, declaring that, if we lost, the Northern soldierswould march clear through to New Orleans and loot and burn everyvillage, town, and city, and that neither life nor property would besafe. His talk was enough to scare a timid person most to death."
"A surgeon in our army," said Marion. She had been told by Jack of themeeting on the bridge.
"What kind of a looking man was he?"
As well as he could Mr. Blackwood described the individual.
"Did he seem to have a finger on one hand doubled up and stiff?"
"Yes. Do you know him, Marion?"
"I know of him. He met Jack on a bridge some days ago and ordered himoff as if Jack were a slave."
"He appeared to be as headstrong as he was unreasonable. I have seen himaround here several times, but I cannot make out what he is doing here.He asked me about the wreck on Hemlock Bluff rocks."
"What!" and Marion showed her surprise.
"Yes. He said he had heard of the wreck and was curious to visit it."
"That was strange."
"I asked him why he wished to visit the wreck, but he did not answer thequestion."
At this point some other customers came in and the conversation waschanged. Marion bought what she wanted and went out, and presentlyjoined Jack on the way home.
"It was odd that surgeon should want to visit the wreck," was our hero'scomment, after he had heard what the girl had to say. "I wonder if heknows anything of the ship and her passengers? If he does, I would liketo interview him, uncivil as he is."
Young Captain Jack; Or, The Son of a Soldier Page 9