"Been there and came home to take a little rest," answered Rodney, feeling in his pocket for his discharge. "But everybody else isn't in the army by a long shot, as you would know if you belonged in this country. Read that, and tell me if you are out conscripting."
"We're out for more serious business than that," replied the soldier, reading the discharges one after the other, and handing them back to their owners. "Any Yanks about here?"
"None nearer than Baton Rouge that we know of."
"How large an army have they got there?"
The boys were obliged to say they couldn't tell; but they knew that General Williams had come down from Vicksburg with his whole force.
"We know that, too, and are following him up to lick him."
We don't know how to give an idea, in words, of the exclamation that broke from Dick Graham's lips when he heard this. It was the famous "rebel yell," long, loud, and piercing; and when the soldiers at the bars heard it they turned in their saddles and lifted their hats, and needed no other evidence to prove that Dick was or had been one of themselves. Then Dick demanded if there was going to be a fight right there in his friend's door-yard.
"It'll happen somewhere about here," replied the soldier. "Better find guns, you two, and join in. It's bound to be a victory for our side and you want to share in the honor. We're going to have the Arkansas to help us, and she is a match for all the vessels the Yanks have in the river. She proved it by what she did up at Yazoo."
After a little more conversation the boys learned that their visitor belonged to Breckenridge's division, which had been detached from the force at Vicksburg as soon as General Williams withdrew and Farragut started down the river, and they were simply scouting in advance of the main body, which was to be reinforced by all the conscripts and regular troops at Camp Pinckney.