"Halt!" shouted Captain Barnes. And then he added; "What are you boys doing here?"
"We are the guard of this house," answered Jack, quietly but firmly.
"Guard nothin'! Out of our way!" growled the guerrilla.
"We will not get out of your way, and you will advance at your peril."
"What, will you boys show fight?" queried the guerrilla curiously.
"We will!" came from the boys. "Keep back!"
"This is private property and must be respected," went on Jack. "Besides, the house is now a hospital, for there are six wounded Confederates inside, in charge of a surgeon."
The guerrilla muttered something under his breath.
"Come on, anyhow!" shouted somebody in a rear rank. "It looks like a house worth visitin'!"
"Try to enter the house and we will shoot!" went on Jack, his face growing white.