"Oh!" responded Mark, thoughtfully, "I see. Take my gun away and roll me head over heels into the mud. Well, well!"
There was a silence for a few moments after that during which Mark tapped the chair reflectively.
"Are you going to let them do it?" inquired Grace at last.
"From what you know of me," inquired he, "do you suppose I will?"
"Hardly."
"And I won't, either. I think the yearlings that try it will have some fun. I only hope there are enough of them."
"There will be," said the girl. "There'll be three."
"I'm very glad you told me," said Mark, "very. I'm beginning to perceive that our ally will be a very serviceable ally indeed."
"She will be faithful anyway," said the girl. "The Daughters of the Revolution always are. She has a debt of gratitude to pay to the chief rebel which she will not very soon forget; and she hopes he will not, either."
Whereupon Mark bowed and arose to take his leave.