The scout waved his hand carelessly.

“Of course,” he cried.

“Then,” said the baker, “my horse will run away!”

“What of it?” demanded the scout.  “Are Middleboro, South Middleboro, Rock, Brockton, and Boston to fall?  Are they to be captured because you’re afraid of your own horse?  They won’t shoot real bullets!  This is not a real war.  Don’t you know that?”

The baker’s boy flushed with indignation.

“Sure, I know that,” he protested; “but my horse—­he don’t know that!”

Lathrop slung his rifle over his shoulder and his leg over his bicycle.

“If the Reds catch you,” he warned, in parting, “they’ll take everything you’ve got.”

“The Blues have took most of it already,” wailed the boy.  “And just as they were paying me the battle begun, and this horse run away, and I couldn’t get him to come back for my money.”

“War,” exclaimed Lathrop morosely, “is always cruel to the innocent.”  He sped toward Carver Centre.  In his motor car, he had travelled the road many times, and as always his goal had been the home of Miss Beatrice Farrar, he had covered it at a speed unrecognized by law.  But now he advanced with stealth and caution.  In every clump of bushes he saw an ambush.  Behind each rock he beheld the enemy.

In a clearing was a group of Portuguese cranberry pickers, dressed as though for a holiday.  When they saw the man in uniform, one of the women hailed him anxiously.

“Is the parade coming?” she called.

“Have you seen any of the Reds?” Lathrop returned.

“No,” complained the woman.  “And we been waiting all morning.  When will the parade come?”

“It’s not a parade,” said Lathrop, severely.  “It’s a war!”

The summer home of Miss Farrar stood close to the road.  It had been so placed by the farmer who built it, in order that the women folk might sit at the window and watch the passing of the stage-coach and the peddler.  Great elms hung over it, and a white fence separated the road from the narrow lawn.  At a distance of a hundred yards a turn brought the house into view, and at this turn, as had been his manoeuvre at every other possible ambush, Lathrop dismounted and advanced on foot.  Up to this moment the road had been empty, but now, in front of the Farrar cottage, it was blocked by a touring-car and a station wagon.  In the occupants of the car he recognized all the members of the Farrar family, except Miss Farrar.  In the station wagon were all of the Farrar servants.  Miss Farrar herself was leaning upon the gate and waving them a farewell.  The touring-car moved off down the road; the station wagon followed; Miss Farrar was alone.  Lathrop scorched toward her, and when he was opposite the gate, dug his toes in the dust and halted.  When he lifted his broad-brimmed campaign hat, Miss Farrar exclaimed both with surprise and displeasure.  Drawing back from the gate she held herself erect.  Her attitude was that of one prepared for instant retreat.  When she spoke it was in tones of extreme disapproval.