TWO SCOUTS. 165 



this point, and partly to give Dixon a good char- 

 acter should he go out from our camp in his 

 professional capacity, he was sent for a few days 

 to the guard-house, until Frank Moore should 

 return from an expedition. I believe Frank 

 knew most of the vagabonds of Obion County, 

 and he at once certified that this was no other 

 than Pat Dixon ; that his story was true ; and 

 that, while his controlling motives were not per- 

 haps such as one would most admire, his uncon- 

 querable hatred of Merry weather's men and all 

 their confederates might be relied on with im- 

 plicit confidence; so Pat was engaged as an em- 

 ploy^ of our Secret Service Department, and sent 

 outside the lines with a conspicuous assurance, as 

 he left his fellow-prisoners, that if found again 

 within our reach he would be hanged forthwith 

 for a spy. I was riding on the road he took, and 

 he gave me a leering wink as he departed, — with 

 instructions to watch the movements of all gue- 

 rilla bands in our front, and to bring speedily any 

 information he might obtain. 



During the remaining months of our stay he 



