"_Oh! that's it, is it?_ I didn't know that!" Then, patting me on the shoulder, he said, "Go on! that's right! I hope you will have good luck and get through." Before daylight next morning I was once more in camp at Bolivar. * * * * * The next January, as the army was on its way back from its campaign in Mississippi, while riding on ahead of the division to which I belonged, I came across my favorite mule. It was in company K, of the 7th Kansas Cavalry. I went to Captain Bostwick, who was in command of the company, and told him that he had my mule, and how I came by it and how I lost it, and also described the men that took it away from me. The Captain returned me the mule, and told me that, while making a raid near Tupelo, Mississippi, during the fall, he had captured three men of the description I had given, and with them eighteen mules, including mine, and that the men had been sent to Alton, Illinois, as guerrillas; so I never had an opportunity of retaliating on them for their outrage to me. I am fully convinced that they were professional robbers, and belonged to neither army. CHAPTER XII. Starts to find General Bragg's forces--"Wools" the secesh farmer--Receives a bottle of rum--Guerrillas washing stockings--Finds Bragg's advance--Recognized as a Yankee spy--Ordered off his mule to be shot--The clamor of the crowd--Recognized as a Confederate spy--Rebel Surgeon vouches for him--Is released--Gray-headed rebel brought to justice--The Sutler of the 2d Arkansas Cavalry a prisoner--What became of the guerrillas that were washing stockings. The next trip that I made was under the following instructions from General Ross: "I understand," said he, "by report from citizens, that General Bragg is coming this way with his forces, and I want to know whether he _really is_ coming or not, and on what road and with how much force he is coming. I want you to go to Somerville, and if you find nothing there, go to Lagrange, and thence to Grand Junction, Saulsbury, Middleton, and Pocahontas, and then back. If you find a force at any place in your route, you will come immediately back and report. You will make the trip with as little delay as possible." I received my instructions in the evening, and early the next morning, in the disguise of a well-dressed citizen, mounted on a mule, I was on my way. During the cool of the morning I traveled along at a smart trot, and by sunrise I had made about eight miles. When about twelve miles out, I was about passing a plantation house, when an old planter, who was feeding some hogs near the road, motioned me to stop. "Good morning, stranger," said he, as I reined up. "Good morning, sir." "Where have you been?" "Oh, ho, ho, ho; I have been to Bolivar," said I, laughing. "I have been there a week, and I know all about the Yankee forces in there, and now, if I can only find General Bragg, then I am all right!"