"There's no danger of that. If the Governor thinks that my chief reason for resigning is because I want to go to the front, well and good. I am not to blame for what he thinks. I have other ideas, and that's a fact; and one of them is to see the men who winked and nudged one another to-day when I was trying to put a little courage into them, sent where they will be held with their noses close to the grindstone. Now I'll ride down and mail this, and when the acceptance comes I'll tell Roach what I have done."
"That reminds me that the mail carrier had a race with a squad of Yankee cavalry yesterday," said Mrs. Randolph.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Tom. "Have they come as close as that to Mooreville? They are bound to get here sooner or later, but I hope they'll stay away a week longer, for then I shall be a free man."
And Captain Tom might have added that he would be glad to see the Federals at the end of a week, provided he received a favorable answer from the Governor in that time. When the Home Guards were ordered away to do duty at Camp Pinckney he would consider his account with them settled; and the other old scores—there were four of them now—could be attended to at some future time.
CHAPTER XIV.
RODNEY KEEPS HIS PROMISE.
When Captain Randolph was done with his leave-taking he hastened away as if he feared that the escaped prisoners might change their minds and call him back. He was out of sight in an instant, and when he was out of hearing Rodney Gray said:
"Now we must git ourselves. I don't know what sort of a story Tom will tell when he gets home, but it is safe to say that he will make himself out a very brave fellow, and urge his men to take up our trail at once."
"You needn't trouble yourself about the Home Guards," said Ned.