Harry and Jack were prepared for just such an emergency, and continued to munch their corn-bread with the greatest unconcern. The leader of the scouting party asked who they were and where they were going.
“We's from Forsyth way, and want to find some Home-Guard Yankees that stole two of our horses,” Harry explained.
“Forsyth way? Then you know Pony Matteson, down on Dobbin's Branch.”
“Don't know him,” answered Harry, “but I've heard tell of him. We ain't lived there long enough to know many folks; used to live up close to Rolla, till the Yanks drove us out six months ago.”
This suggestion appeared satisfactory to the questioner, as it implied the soundness of the youths on the war-question. But he was not altogether convinced, and asked if they'd been in the army.
Harry answered that they tried to get down to join Price's army before the battle of Pea Ridge, but were captured by the Yankee soldiers, and only got away by promising to go home and stay there. Since the battle the country had been in the hands of the Yankees and Home Guards, and they had to hide in the bushes most of the time to keep out of the way.
Then he went into a general denunciation of the Yankees, and gave details, somewhat garrulous, about their appearance and conduct. To this he added stories of what the people around the battlefield said about them, and altogether gave them anything but a good character.
The leader cut short the talk by ordering the boys to stand up. Needless to say they obeyed, but with a wondering expression on their faces.
“We'll go through you,” said he, with more emphasis than civility in his tone, “and if we find out you're lying it 'll be bad for you.”
At his orders four of the men searched the youths, turning their pockets inside out, and looking in the inside of their hats and shoes. If any dispatches had been concealed there they would surely have been discovered. By advice of General Vandever, rather than their own inclination, they had taken no weapons of any kind, and now they thanked their stars that they were unarmed. Had they carried their pistols they would have been of no use at this juncture, and would certainly have got them into trouble.