"I dare say they would," replied the officer with a significant smile. "But if you send six negroes armed with breech-loaders to Bowling Green, you may be sure there will be a row." "Just my sentiments," added Levi Bedford. "I don't think Artie will have any trouble if he goes alone." "Very well, let him go alone; but I am confident half a dozen of the boys would make it hot for any band that attempted to molest him," said the major; and the messenger departed on his mission. "Have you an American flag, Major Lyon?" asked the lieutenant when he had gone. "Two of them, for my brother always celebrated the Fourth of July." "We always hoist one on a recruiting office." Under the direction of Levi a flagstaff was erected in front of the fort, and before dinner-time the Star Spangled Banner was spread to the breeze. Major Lyon took off his hat and bowed to it as soon as it was shaken out to the breeze; and cheers were heard from the negroes in the field beyond the stables. "If you had set that flag over your office in the village, it would have been hauled down and trampled under foot inside of an hour," said the planter. "Are the people of this vicinity so disloyal as that?" asked Lieutenant Gordon, astonished at the remark. "I supposed the Unionists were in the majority here." "So they are; but they are not half so demonstrative as the other side." The bell rang at the door of the mansion for dinner; and while the family were attending to this midday duty, Artie was entering the county town. He had taken his dinner with him, and had eaten it as he approached his destination. There were two printing-offices in the place, and he called at the first one he saw. "What's this? 'Union Cavalry!'" demanded the printer, as he read the head-line in displayed type. "What will you charge for printing two hundred copies of that bill, and doing it while I wait?" asked Artie. "'Riverlawn!'" added the man, as he continued to read the placard. "Who are you, boy?" "My name is Artemas Lyon, and my father lives at Riverlawn," replied Artie. "Well, Artemas Lyon, I would not print that bill if your father would give me a hundred dollars a letter for doing it!" stormed the printer, as he tossed the copy back to the messenger with as much indignation in his manner as in his speech. "All right, sir; if you don't want to do the job you needn't!" replied Artie, as he returned the bill to his pocket and moved to the door. "Stop a minute, boy! So you are recruiting at Riverlawn for the Abolition army?" called the printer, who was perhaps a member of the Home Guards. "I want to know something about that business." "If you want to enlist in the Union army, you can do so at Riverlawn. I am in a hurry, and I can't stop to answer any questions," replied Artie, as he bolted out at the door. "What are you doing here, Artie Lyon?" called a voice from the other side of the street as he was unhitching his horse.