"What's the matter here? What does this mean?"
Jack gazed up into the face of the Federal colonel and saw that it was an unusually kindly one. "We are defending this home, sir; that's all. I reckon those fellows who just ran off wanted to ransack it."
"The scoundrels! I've been after them twice before. Was anybody hurt?"
"No, sir."
"You are a young Confederate, I presume?"
"I am the captain of these boys. We call ourselves the Home Guard. We wish to protect our homes, that's all."
At this the face of the colonel broke out into a warm smile.
"You do yourself credit, my lad. You could not do better than protect your homes and your mothers and sisters. Whose place is this?"
"Mrs. Alice Ruthven's."
"Did the Confederate battery just retreat past here?"