Ardmore promptly wrote on the back of Griswold’s letter this reply:—
Henry Maine Griswold, Esq.,
Assistant Professor of Admiralty,
Camp Buzzard, S. C.:
Sir—Appleweight is under strong guard in the jail at Turner Court House, Mingo County, South Carolina. I shall take pleasure in meeting you at Ardsley at five o’clock this afternoon for the proposed exchange of prisoners. To satisfy your curiosity the man Appleweight will be produced there for your observation and identification.
I have the honour, sir, to remain, with high regard and admiration, your obliged and obedient servant,
Thomas Ardmore,
Acting Governor of North Carolina.
“Putting ‘professor’ on that will make him crazy,” remarked Ardmore to Jerry.
The messenger departed, but recrossed the Raccoon shortly with a formal note agreeing to an armistice until after the meeting proposed at Ardsley.
“Colonel Daubenspeck, you may withdraw your men and go into camp until further orders,” said Jerry, and the notes of the bugle singing the recall rose sweetly upon the air.
“By George,” said Ardmore, as he and Jerry rode away, “we’ll throw it into old Grissy in a way that will jar the professor. But when it comes to the exchange of prisoners, I must tell the boys to bring up that chap I locked in the corn-crib. I had clean forgotten him.”
“I don’t think you mentioned him, Mr. Ardmore, but I suppose he’s one of the Appleweight ruffians.”