"Never," shouted the 'Squire, who had begun to recover his self-confidence. "Never, as long as I live. I've sworn allegiance to the Southern Confederacy, and won't take no other oath."
"Grave for one!" called out Shorty to the boys with the pick and shovel, as if he were giving an order in a restaurant. "Full size, and hurry up with it."
He picked up his measuring rod and started to take the 'Squire's dimensions.
The 'Squire wilted at once. "I s'pose I've got to yield to force," he muttered. "I'll take the oath."
"Who knows the oath?" inquired Si. "Do you, Tom?"
"Not exactly," replied Tom, non-plused for once. "But I know the oath we took when mustered in. That ought to do. What's good enough for us is good enough for him."
"Go ahead," ordered Si.
"We ought to have a Bible by rights," said Tom.
"Where kin we find your Bible, Mrs. Bolster, asked Si.
"We'uns air done clean out o' Bibles," she said, rather shamefacedly. "Thar hain't nary one in the house. I allers said we orter have a Bible. Hit looked 'spectable to have one in the house. But Andy allers wanted every cent to guzzle on."