“I think it was, at first; but not in my last years there; of course, some of the boys knew it.”

“Besides,” said the Doctor, “there is more than one Northern man in the Confederate army—­men who moved South before the war.”

“Yes, I suppose so; but I cannot understand them.”

“They have acquired homes, and think they must defend their homes; that is all, at least so far as concerns those of them who reason, and the others don’t count.”

“They might at least be neutral,” I said.

“How could they think that being neutral would defend their homes?”

“And you think that the Southern people really believe their homes in danger?”

“No doubt of it—­and they are right.  Have you not already seen more than one Southern home destroyed?”

“Yes, here where the war is; but the average home in the South, far away from the armies.”

“There will have been very few homes in the South far away from armies; to conquer the South you must overrun her territory.”

“Doctor, you are gloomy to-night, and I confess that I am also.  I wonder what’s the matter with us.”

“I don’t admit being unusually gloomy,” said the Doctor; “true, I have been seeing pain and wretchedness recently, and so have you.  Our trades, however, ought to have accustomed us to such by this time, if ever.”

“I don’t think I should ever become accustomed to blood; I don’t wish to,” said I.

“You need never fight another battle,” said he.

“How can I avoid battle?” I asked.

“Your services as a scout are worth more than forty cents a day; you ought not to fight at all.”

“You think fighting more dangerous than scouting?”

“Fighting and scouting are more dangerous than scouting.”

“But what can I do?  If I am recalled by General Grover, I shall likely be required to do both.”

“I think not.  They want you to remain alive.  Unless you join the Confederates again, as you did in the battle the other day, it is not very likely that you will serve any more in the ranks; of course, you can do so if you insist upon it.”

“Insist on what?  Joining the Confederates?”

“No; insist on fighting in the ranks.”

“I should feel it my duty to go into battle with the Eleventh unless I had other work at the time.”

“Do you think it your duty to give your best powers to your cause, or your poorest?”

“Can I not do both?”

“No—­not at all; you should study your important calling, and make an art of it.”

“I dread it; to believe that I must become a regular spy is a terrible thought to me.”

“Why so?”

“Well, Doctor, you know that I am peculiar.”

“You allude to your memory?”

“Yes.”

“What effect does spying have upon you?”

“It seems to weaken me, body and mind.  I was never so exhausted in my life as when I came back on the 24th.”