"That's what I mean; and if you have any valuables you don't want to lose, you had better be taking care of them."
"That is what I think. How did Rodney manage to escape?"
"He didn't escape. The Yankees read his discharge and let him go free. And that chum of his, Dick Graham, says they were gentlemen, and if he ever sees one of them in a scrape he will help him out if he can. And they are both tired of the war and don't mean to go back to the army. The way they talked was shameful, and I will speak to Roach about it the very next time I go to the office."
Tom then went on to repeat the conversation that had taken place between himself and the returned veterans, and by the time he got through his mother was as deeply perplexed and as badly frightened as he was. Two things were plain to her: Rodney and Dick were traitors at heart, and ought to be arrested and imprisoned before they had time to talk to any of the conscripts as they had talked to Tom, and the other was that her son could not take a squad of men to the camp of instruction and run the risk of being captured by the Federal troopers.
"Now that I have had time to think of it, I don't care whether they are shut up or not," answered Captain Tom. "If they are permitted to run loose in the settlement and to talk to the conscripts as they did to me, they may frighten them into deserting to Baton Rouge; and in that case, don't you see, there wouldn't be any men for anybody to guard to the camp of instruction. But if a squad is sent there I am bound to go in command of the escort; I don't see how I can get out of it, for I told Rodney that I was going."
"What of that? Why can't you send Lambert, or let Captain Roach go in your place?"
"If you can think of any excuse I can offer for not going I shall be delighted to hear it," replied Tom. "But if I back out after what I have said about Ned Griffin's cowardice and all that, Rodney Gray will never let me hear the last of it. I haven't said much to you about it, but all the returned soldiers laugh every time my name is mentioned in their hearing, and make sport of the Home Guards because they are willing to acknowledge me as their commander; and I believe that is one thing that makes them so ready to rebel whenever I issue an order they don't like. Of course Rodney will be the worst of all, for he never liked me."
"Why, my dear boy, you are in a predicament, that's a fact," exclaimed Mrs. Randolph, who had never dreamed that the situation was as bad as this. She knew that Tom would not see a minute's peace if he gave the common people of Mooreville, especially such low fellows as the returned veterans and those who composed the rank and file of the Home Guards, any reason for believing that he was lacking in courage. "What can you do? Have you decided upon anything?"
"I have not. That is something you will have to do for me. As far as I can see there are but two courses of action open to me: I must either take the conscripts to camp and take my chances on being shot or captured——"