You ought to be with your own army at Corinth." Dick noticed that the men looked at one another, and there was silence for a moment or two.
"Young fellow," resumed the spokesman, "you was comin' from the direction of Columbia, an' your hoss, which I am sorry we had to kill, looked as if he was cleaned tuckered out.

I judge that you was bearin' a message from Buell's army to Grant's." "You mustn't hold me responsible for your judgment, good or bad." "No, I reckon not, but say, young fellow, do you happen to have a chaw of terbacker in your clothes ?" "If I had any I'd offer it to you, but I never chew." The man sighed.
"Well, mebbe it's a bad habit," he said, "but it's powerful grippin'.
I'd give a heap for a good twist of old Kentucky.

Now we're goin' to search you an' it ain't wuth while to resist, 'cause we've got you where we want you, as the dog said to the 'coon when he took him by the throat.

We're lookin' for letters an' dispatches, 'cause we're shore you come from Buell, but if we should run across any terbacker we'll have to he'p ourselves to it.

We ain't no robbers, 'cause in times like these it ain't no robbery to take terbacker." Dick noticed that while they talked one of the men never ceased to cover him with a rifle.