"Come on; let's!" was the united answer. The two listeners jumped to the ground, and Master Tevis picked up the rifle. Then the three struck off across the hill, and walked along a path through the thicket of scrub-oak. In a few minutes the boys were standing beside two heavy freight-cars on a crooked timber switch. The end of one had been broken in as if by a collision, and the trucks of both were injured. Skinny climbed into the wrecked car, and lifted the end of a tarpauling that covered some barrels. "There you are," he said, triumphantly. "All the powder you want--nuff to blow up the town." "I don't suppose they'll let 'em stay here very long," said Hosmer. "But they can't send them South on the road now," remarked Tevis. "The big bridge is down ten miles below--heard tell of it last night. They will have to go back the other way; not a train's been through for forty hours." Tevis's grandfather was the station-agent at Middleton, and he spoke with an air of certain knowledge. "Come, hand up your bottle and we will fill her up," said Skinner, extending his hand. Will Tevis paused. "I say, fellows," he said, "I don't think it would be right. Do you, Hosmer?" "A bottleful would never be missed," interposed Skinny. "There's more'n that spilled here on the floor. We _must_ celebrate the Fourth. Why not, boys? Eh!" It was evident that Master Skinner's intentions were liable to change, however, and that some scruples were arising even in his mind, for he said, testily, "You're a 'fraid-cat, Will Tevis." The latter put down the rifle. "If you say that again, Ambrose Skinner, I'll fight you," he said. "Oh, come, don't talk like that," said Hosmer, quietly. "Will is right, Skinny; we oughtn't to touch the powder. It belongs to Uncle Sam." "He would not miss a handful," said Skinny, shame-facedly. Then he added, "I guess you _are_ right, though, come to think. Let's go back to the village; it's most four o'clock." The boys walked down the grade. A mile away was a wooden box-bridge with a carriageway on one side and the single track on the other. It spanned a deep and swiftly running stream that opened into the Ohio River a few leagues below. It was here the accident had taken place. As they came into the village street they saw that a crowd had collected around the post-office. "News from the front!" shouted Tevis, in the familiar words they had so often heard; and the trio started forward on a run. On the outside of the post-office shutters was a big placard drawn hastily up in red ink: THE REBELS ARE IN OHIO! GENERAL MORGAN CROSSES THE RIVER! GREAT ALARM! TWO BATTLES FOUGHT! These words stared them in the face. The news had come by telegram from Turkeyville; but soon after the line had ceased to work, and no particulars could be obtained. It was late that night when the boys went to bed. The morrow was to be an eventful one for Middleton, and there was a feeling of uneasiness in the air. The next day was the 3d of July.