"He will prosecute me, I suppose he means by that."

"Let him prosecute and be hanged! I'll bet by to-morrow morning he will
think better of it. At any rate, he will find out what the people of
Pinchbrook think of him."

The boys resumed their walk, and soon reached the store, where they found
the group of idlers, that always frequent shops in the country, busily
engaged in discussing the affair in which Thomas had been the principal
actor. As the boys entered, the hero of the Pinchbrook Battle was saluted
with a volley of applause, and his conduct fully approved and commended,
for a copperhead in that day was an abomination to the people.




CHAPTER III.

TAMING A TRAITOR.


With the exception of Squire Pemberton, Pinchbrook was a thoroughly loyal
town; and the people felt that it was a scandal and a disgrace to have
even a single traitor within its border. The squire took no pains to
conceal his treasonable sentiments, though the whole town was in a blaze
of patriotic excitement. On the contrary, he had gone out of his way, and
taken a great deal of pains, to condemn the government and the people of
the North.