Leon remained beside his father until the wagons were turned around, and when he ordered the cavalry ahead to take its place at the advance of the column, he went with them. Forty wagons, and some of them were loaded so heavily that four mules could scarcely draw them. Everybody was pleased with the performance. If all the wagon-trains they captured were to be taken as easily as that, they had no fear but that they should have grub enough. Every driver’s seat was filled with men who thought that they preferred riding to walking, and they all joined in and sang, at the top of their voices:
“John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave.”
How the song got down there they didn’t know. Probably some of those who had been prisoners in the hands of the Federals, and there were a good many old soldiers in the lot, had heard it sung by their captors, and now that they were fighting for the Union they resolved to imitate them as far as possible. Finally, when Mr. Sprague appeared riding along beside them, somebody thought he ought to be praised for what he had done, so he called out, in tones that were heard to the farthest end of the line:
“Three cheers for Colonel Sprague. Hip, hip, hurrah!”
All the men immediately around there joined in in cheering Colonel Sprague—they had given him a new title, now—and Mr. Sprague took off his hat. As far as he went along the line everybody cheered him, and there was something in their way of talking to his father that made Leon feel very happy. He was bringing up the rear, leading his captured horse as he went, until he found himself opposite a wagon managed by his friend Tom Howe. Leon was glad to see him, for he had not spoken with him since they left Ellisville. There were three men on the driver’s seat, and Tom was sitting on the knees of one and handling the reins over his four-mule team as if he had been used to it all his life.
“G’lang here!” he shouted when he saw Leon riding by. “We don’t take no slack from anybody. But say, Leon, you will stand by me, won’t you?”
“Of course I will stand by you,” said Leon. “But I don’t know what you mean.”
“Do you see that leading muel there, that white one?” said Tom, pointing out the animal in question. “Well, that’s mine. There ain’t been anybody to lay a claim to him and I want him.”
“I guess you can have him,” said Leon. “But why don’t you take a horse?”
“I would rather have the muel than that horse you are leading by the bits. Where did you get him?”