The regiment continued to march and camp alternately for a week and a half before they reached Missouri and were able to join the Confederate forces under General Benjamin McCullough. The mass of men that greeted them was astounding, and the boys found themselves wondering if even the Union army had more men than they did. It hardly seemed possible! They gazed around them like lost puppies who didn't know where to turn or what to do. Luckily for them there was someone who knew exactly where he was going and what needed to be done.

"Are you two Jess Harper and Mark Yates?" The two awestruck young boys looked up at the person with the soft but unyielding voice. He was a young man, though several years their elder, with blonde hair and a comfortable posture. HIs gray cap was perched on the side of his head and he held the reins of his black horse loosely, but there was an energy that lay beneath his lithe movements that threatened to break loose at any moment. The boys had learned to discern ranks by this time and, seeing that he was a sergeant, they saluted.

"Yes, Sir, I'm Jess Harper." Rowdy quickly added,

"And I'm Yates, Rowdy, uhh, Mark, Yates." The sergeant stared at them inscrutably while saying,

"Colonel Greer sent me to find you and have you report to his headquarters in an hour." He didn't wait for their salute or offer any parting of his own, but turned his horse sharply and loped away. Jess and Rowdy looked at each other anxiously, wondering if they had done something wrong.

"It's probably nothing," Rowdy said in answer to Jess's unasked question.

"I hope so," Jess replied uncertainly. He thought back, trying to remember something he'd done worthy of being punished. Suddenly he remembered the incident of the day before. "Gosh, Rowdy, do you think he saw us round up that chicken yesterday as we passed by that farmhouse?" Rowdy's face fell, but he tried to make an excuse.

"But everyone else was doing it too!"

"Maybe they just didn't get caught," Jess countered. For the next hour as they pitched their tents they kept tossing ideas back and forth about what they could say concerning the chicken thievery. The more they talked the more they became convinced that they had no way of excusing themselves and would surely get expelled from the army.

When they finally approached the house that was being used as the army's headquarters, they ran into the same young sergeant who had summoned them earlier.

"Right on time, Harper and Yates. I'll take you in to the Colonel." They followed along behind him with fear and trembling. He led them down an ornate hallway and stopped at the doorway leading into a large room. "Harper and Yates to see you, Colonel," he announced languidly, then motioned for the boys to enter the room.

The Colonel was perched on the edge of his desk, and he turned to look at them as they came bashfully into the room. Another officer stood beside him with a scowl on his bearded face. "Come in, boys," said the Colonel with his usual cheerful smile. Jess and Rowdy did as they were told, flustered by his cheerfulness and curious as to who the surly man at his side was. Seeming to discern their thoughts, Colonel Greer said, "Boys, meet General McCullough, our commanding officer." Both boys saluted, but Jess felt like he was going to be sick. This could only mean one thing: They were surely going to be thrown out of the army. Therefore, what the Colonel said next threw them into a whirl.

"General McCullough has asked for a detail to scout ahead and see if any Union pickets are in place. I told him I had been impressed with your fighting spirit and thought you would be suited for the task." Jess could have sworn the Colonel threw a wink at them, but he wasn't certain. He was too flummoxed at the moment. Just then the General's deep and raspy voice was heard.

"Colonel Greer spoke highly of you, but personally I think you're a little young for the job. However, I'll give you a chance. You two will go with Sergeant Yuma here and return with word on where those Union pickets are." Both Jess and Rowdy turned to look at the young man who had escorted them to the room, but he was looking at something on the wall. The General proceeded to light a cigar, an act which conveyed that the conversation was done.

"You'll be leaving at dusk," explained Colonel Greer. "As soon as you can discover any enemy pickets within two miles, return and report to the General. Dismissed." The boys saluted one more time and turned to exit the room. Sergeant Yuma stayed behind, and they heard him asking the General a question as they came to a stop in the hallway. All Jess and Rowdy could do was look at each other for a moment, and then they both broke into fits of relieved laughter.

In a moment the blonde sergeant came upon the two boys. No smile was forthcoming as he saw them laughing. "This isn't a place for laughing, Harper. There are men dying." Immediately a strong distaste for this soft-spoken, light-haired sergeant welled up inside of Jess, and he retorted,

"I'll laugh if I feel like it." No change came to Yuma's features, but a sudden fire blazed in his eyes as he stared Jess down.

"I know you like to get in fights, Harper, but I promise you, if you start anything with me you'll learn to regret it." After a short pause, he looked aside at Rowdy and added, "That goes for you too, Yates." He turned and walked away, and his vulnerable back was a tempting target to Jess. However, he restrained himself and turned to Rowdy with a snarl.

"That sergeant just might learn to regret a thing or two while we're out on detail."

"Yeah," Rowdy agreed. "And he just might learn to keep his mouth shut."

As they headed back to their tents, Jess saw a familiar form make its way through the nearby tents. "Horace!" he called. The boy looked up in fear, but when he saw Jess and Rowdy he broke into a big grin and waved at them. They made their way over to him.

"Hey, looks like they haven't caught you yet," Rowdy said cheerfully. Horace nodded his head vigorously, then answered,

"They sure haven't! I stay out of their way, so no one pays me any attention." Jess slapped him on the back, a sudden warmth filling his insides.

"You just be careful, and don't tell anyone where you're from. They just might not like it that you're not from the South." Horace looked up at him with big trusting eyes.

"But you don't care, do you, Jess?" Something seemed to be caught in Jess's throat, but he was able to answer hoarsely,

"No, I don't care, Tiger." A sudden picture of his younger brother had popped into his head, and he couldn't hold back the pet name he had always used.

"Do you, Rowdy?" Rowdy looked down at the ground and scratched his cheek.

"No, Kid, I, uh, I don't care." The smile that spread over Horace's face was all the response both boys needed. After a moment's awkward pause, Jess prompted,

"Well, Horace, Rowdy and me have to get ready for detail duty tonight, so we'll see you around." Suddenly the boy's face was clouded with concern.

"Detail duty? Do you think you guys will get shot at?" Jess placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"No, I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Yeah, those Yanks couldn't hit what they were aiming at if…," Rowdy trailed off as he realized he was talking about the boy's family. After another awkward pause he said gruffly, "Sorry, Horace. I didn't mean to, uh…" He looked aside at Jess for help, but Jess's eyebrows were knit together in an expression that was half sadness, half anger.

"That's okay, Rowdy. I know what you meant," said Horace with straightforward simplicity and a brave smile.

"Come on, Rowdy, we gotta go," Jess said roughly. "See you later, Horace." They hurried to their tents without another word between them.