They rode the scrubby mountain horses, more like ponies, and every man carried a rifle.
Harry divined instantly that they had come down from the hills to make a raid upon the Confederate stronghold, Pendleton.

War was on, and here was their chance to take revenge upon the more civilized people of the lowlands.

Skelly was giving his final orders and Harry could hear him.
"We'll leave the main road, pull down the fences an' ride across the fields," he said.

"We'll first take the house of that rebel and traitor, Colonel Kenton.

It'll be helpin' the cause if we burn it clean down to the ground.