Read "Two Little Confederates" by Thomas Nelson Page online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The gibes of Lucy Ann, and the occasional little thrusts of Hugh about / the "deserter business," continued and kept the boys stirred up. At / length they could stand it no longer. It was decided between them that / they must retrieve their reputations by capturing a real deserter and / turning him over to the conscript-officer whose office was at the / depot.
Accordingly, one Saturday they started out on an expedition, the / object of which was to capture a deserter though they should die in / the attempt.