Mississippi River -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Juvenile fiction
"What!" exclaimed Frank, "you don't pretend to say that a Federal
soldier was mean enough to inform against me?"
"Yes, I do; and there he stands now." And, as Cabot spoke, he pointed
to a tall, hard-featured man standing by the window, looking out
into the street. "I slept at the head of the stairs last night, and
distinctly heard him tell the guards that you were intending to leave.
His name is Bishop, and he belongs to the Thirtieth Maine Regiment. He
has for some time past been trying to be allowed to take the oath of
allegiance to the South." [Footnote: A fact.]
"What will he do then?" inquired Frank; "go into the rebel army?"
"No, but he could be employed here in the arsenal, making bullets to
kill our own men with."
"The scoundrel!" exclaimed Frank, indignantly; "I didn't suppose there
was a man from my own State who could be guilty of such meanness."
"He is mean enough for any thing. Haven't you noticed that every night
he comes around through our quarters with a candle?"
"Yes; but I don't know what he does it for."
"Well, he counts us every night before he goes to sleep, and, in fact,
comes through our room two or three times in the night, to see that
none of us have escaped. He hopes in that manner to gain favor with
the rebels. I have told you this, in order that you may look out for
him the next time you try to escape."
Frank was astounded at this intelligence, and, at first, he did not
believe it. But that evening, about nine o'clock, Bishop came in, as
usual, with his candle, and Frank inquired:
"What made you tell the guard that I was going to escape last night?"
The question was asked so suddenly--and in a manner which showed
Bishop that Frank was well acquainted with his treachery--that he
dared not deny the charge, and he answered:
"Because, when any of our boys escape, the guards are awful hard on
those of us that are left."
"That's no excuse at all," answered Frank. "If you were a man, you
would have endeavored to escape long ago, instead of staying here
and trying to make friends with the enemies of your country. You're
a black-hearted scoundrel and traitor! and I tell you, once for all,
that if you ever come into my quarters again after dark, you'll never
go out alive. We all know about your operations here."
Bishop made no reply, but turned to walk on, when Frank rose to his
feet, and exclaimed:
"Hold on, here! you are not going through this room with that candle.
Go back instantly where you belong, and don't show your face in here
again."
Bishop saw that Frank was in earnest, and, without saying a word, he
turned and walked into his quarters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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