The Andre Norton Megapack - 15 Classic Novels and Short Stories

announced to those in his immediate vicinity as they neared a big brick house. “I may be playin’ prisoner to you boys, but I ain’t settlin’ for no prisoner’s rations. We all eat full plates in heah, let that be understood from the start.”
    Campbell laughed. “Noted, Kirby. We’ll see that you desperate Rebs get all that’s comin’ to you.”
    “Now that, Cap’n, is jus’ what I’m afraid of. We git all that’s comin’ —that sounds a right smart better!”
    “Company ahead, Cap’n!” The trooper who had suggested this action, indicated a man walking down the drive to meet their cavalcade.
    “That’s Mr. McKeever.” Drew identified their host for Campbell.
    But the captain was already moving ahead to meet the older man. He touched fingers to kepi—a neat blue kepi—in a smart salute.
    “Chivers, Captain, Eleventh Ohio, sir. We’d like to make our noon halt here if you’ll grant permission.”
    Thomas McKeever beamed. “No reason not, suh. Take your men over in the orchard, Captain. We can add a little something to your rations. Glad, always glad to entertain our boys.” His attention wandered to the score of “prisoners” in the center of the troop.
    “Prisoners, Captain?”
    “Some of Morgan’s horse thieves.” Campbell glanced back at the shabby exhibit. “You’ve heard the news, of course, sir? We smashed ’em proper over at Cynthiana—”
    “You did? Now that’s good hearin’, Captain. It deserves a regular celebration; it surely does. Morgan smashed! Was he taken too? Next time I trust they’ll put him in something stronger than that jail you Ohio boys had him in last time; he’s a slippery one.”
    “Haven’t heard about that, sir. But his men are pretty well scattered. These aren’t going to trouble any one for a while.”
    McKeever nodded. “I’ve a stout barn you’re welcome to use for a temporary lockup, Captain. Though I must say they don’t display much spirit, do they? Look pretty well beat.”
    Drew rubbed his hand across his face, hoping the grime there—a mixture of road dust, sweat, and powder blacking—was an effective disguise. No use recalling the old days for Mr. McKeever. Allowing his shoulders to slump dispiritedly as he was herded by his file guard, he rode sullenly on to the orchard.
    They stripped their saddles and allowed the horses freedom for the first time in hours, an act which was against prudence but which McKeever would expect of Union troops. Drew lay full length under the curving limbs of an apple tree, his head pillowed on saddlebags.
    “Now I wonder”—Kirby dropped down, to sit with his back against the tree trunk—“why they always say a fella is dog-tired. A dog, he ain’t got him much to do ’cept chase around on his own business. Soldier-tired—now that’s another matter. How ’bout it, kid? You ready to ride right outta heah an’ chase General Grant clean back to Lake Erie?”
    Boyd had stretched out only a hand’s length from Drew. There were dark smudges under his closed eyes, hardly to be told from the smears of dirt on his round cheeks, but there. He rolled his head on a hammock of grass and scowled at Kirby.
    “General Grant can—” he added a remark which surprised Drew into opening his eyes. Kirby shook his head reprovingly.
    “Now that ain’t no way for a growin’ boy to talk. An’ it sits on your tongue as easy as a fly on a mule’s ear, too. What kinda company you bin keepin’, kid? Rennie, this heah colt ain’t got no reason to cram grammar into a remark that way.”
    Drew stretched, folded his arms under his head, and answered, in a voice he tried to make as blighting as possible: “Thinks it makes him sound like a man, probably. He’s findin’ out the army ain’t quite what he expected.”
    “You shut up—!” Boyd might have added something to that, but Drew had moved. He leaned over the youngster, his hand hard and heavy on Boyd’s shoulder. And it was plain that, much as he wanted to, the other did not quite dare to move or shake off that grip.
    “I’ve had about enough,” Drew said quietly. “The next town we hit you’re goin’ to stay there, until someone comes from back home to collect you. Nobody knows you’re with us, and you can go back to Oak Hill without any trouble from Union troops.”
    Boyd’s eyes blazed. His mouth wasn’t shaping a small boy’s pout this time; it was an ugly line tight against his teeth.
    “I ain’t goin’ home! I said you