“You remember the captain we helped to capture near Rolla when we went on our scouting expedition on foot?”
“Certainly,” replied Harry; “I remember him well.”
“He was the man that befriended me,” said Jack, “and he did it just at the right time, too. He was one of the officers that was debating whether to do as the colonel wanted, and let me go with him, and while they were talking a little way off from us he kept eying me all over. After a while he came up to me and said:
“'Are you one of the boys that was out one day on the road from Rolla to Pilot Knob, and found out where a captain had a recruiting camp?'
“I turned all sorts of colors, I know, and while I was trying to stammer out something to convince him I was n't the boy he was looking for he nodded his head in a satisfied sort of way.
“I thought my case was done for and he'd have me shot sure, but he only laughed and said I was made of good stuff and had 'got the sand,' whatever that was. Then he went back and talked with the others, and after a few minutes he came to me and said he would be responsible for me.
“My heart went down in my boots at this, but he did n't let it stay there long. 'You're all right,' said he, 'and you may go with your colonel. But, first, you must give me your solemn word of honor that you won't try to escape as long as you are allowed to be with him.'
“I gave my word of honor and signed a parole which he wrote out, and then he said he thought he could trust me. 'You caught me once,' said he, 'but you weren't under any parole, and I had no business to talk with you as I did. You boys did a smart thing, and just the kind of thing I believe in, and as long as you're in my hands I 'll look out for you. And I 'll look out for you, too,' he added, dropping his voice, 'if you try any Yankee tricks on me now that you're under parole.'
“I repeated my promise, and felt relieved at the way he acted toward me. Then he hurried a man off and got something for us to eat. It was n't much, only a slice of corn-bread and a piece of bacon for me, and a tin cupful of tea and some more bacon and bread for the colonel. He told me to stay by the ambulance, where the colonel was, and said I could ride with the driver, except 'when they were going up-hill, where I must get off and walk'.”