The National tribune., 1888-12-20

if you sc lied and arc the secesh you first made
yourselves out TO be you'll have taste Of the
guard house thatll cure you Of habit OF wan
dering from the truth
Then the Captain gave orders that the youths
should be carefully looked after and not have
chance of escaping, bur at the same time they
should be permitted to ride their own horses
and have every privilege consistent with being
carefully guarded "They are probably all
right, but they may be all wrong, and so we
won't take any chances on them" the Captain
remarked to his Lieutenant rs the youths DIS
appeared in charge of their guard.
Bright and early the next morning the whole
party was on the road toward Fort Scott, where
they arrived safely, but not without slight
brush with a small band of guerrillas whom
they encountered about a mile from their
camping place a few shots were exchanged,
but at such long range that it is doubtful if
anybody was hurt Certainly nobody was in
iured on the Union side, though several bull
lets whistled very near.
The party which captured our young friends
had been sent from Fort Scott for the double
purpose Of looking for messengers from Gen.
Curtis, and also 10 ascertain the whereabouts OF
any guerrilla bands that might be infesting
the country. Having no proof OF their charac-
ter, the Captain was naturally disinclined to be-
licve their second story. He had supposed
they were living when they were first brought
before him, and, therefore, was not inclined to
accept without great deal Of reserve the sub
sequent explanation.
But all doubt was cleared up when the scout
ing party reached Fort Scott and handed its
captives over to the commandant Of the post.
Col. Hinton the officer who then held that
position, questioned the youths briefly and
learned when and how they were sent away.
When satisfied on this point he asked for their
dispatches.
5Aya l,.,o,,'t s,,v- - Horny q 1rcvrnrad Then
he told the circumstances attending their de-
parture.
But I'm sure YOU have brought them, as
Gen. Curtis was 20 send messenger about this
time and that was one of the objects for which
/ sent out the scouting party"
Harry repeated his assurance that they had
brought no dispatches then the Colonel laugh
ed and called his Adiutant and the latter, at
the Colonels suggestion, proceeded to rip of
some of the patches on the butternut garments
OF the bows. The first and second Of the patches
revealed nothing, but the third yielded a letter
written on thin paper, and inclosed IN oiled
/ silk. Another patch brought forth another
! letter. and by the time the garments had been
restored to their original unpatched condition,
no less than three dispatches had been brought
1 10 light.
Harry and Jack stood speechlcss with aston
/ ishment. Here they had been carrying dis
patches without knowing it; the mystery of
! their having nothing further to do than report
! 10 the commander of the post was explained.
This Is nothing new" said the Colonel, as
! he silently regarded the youths. " 1t isn't the
/ first time a man has served as messenger with
out being aware of il; but your case isn't equal
/ 10 that of a man in Kentucky that / heard of
not long ago He was a rebel spy, who passed
Z frequently Inside our lines. One of our spies
/ who was with the rebel army used to conceal
/ dispatches i'm the lining OF this mans Overcoat
. ..ls Al, l.. I,
/ to 90 away, and when he got into our lines an
! officer who knew his real character used to get
/ possession of the papers, the efficient carrier
! being entirely ignorant Of the fact that he was
I thus being used. He was allowed TO come and
1 60, as his services to the Union were much
] greater than to the ConledeTacy, though he was
no friend Of ours
The Colonel then gave orders that the boys
should be we'll fed aud cared for, and told them
they could rest q day before setting Out on their
return. And when You 90 back" said the
I Colonel, you viii net run as much risk as you
1 have Just been through"
They had their days rest as proposed, and
| on the second morning after their arrival at
( Fort Scott they started on the return journey.
Col. Hinton assigned q company of cavalry to
/ accompany them, and kept good his promise
that they should not run the same risk as in
. their trip upward from the army.
Harry an Jack were not forgetful of the
family who fed and cared for them or the occa-
sion when the latter played crazy" A we'll
wrapped package containing a pound OF tea,
and another Of coffee, was fastened behind
HarTy's saddle. and while on the way Harry
told the Captain Of the escort all about their
adventure. At Harry's suggestion the boys did
( not show themselves at the house, as he did not
wish the people TO know that they had been
deceived as 10 their character. The escort di-
vided a little while before reaching the house
and while one squad went there and delivered
the parcel, which was supposed to have been
sent by the boys, the other went by at trot
the youths riding so that they were screened
by some Of the men.
The boys were of service TO the escort in
showing the way to the haystack which they
discovered in the forest, as already mentioned
When they reached it they had a skirmish
with 2 party Of guerrillas wEO had already
found it, and were camping there comfortably
with their saddles stripped from their horses
and evidently under the belief that nobody
but themselves knew where it was. Our mer
had the guerTillas at disadvantage, and the
fight resulted badly for the rebels; two of then
were killed and three wounded, while on oul
side only one man was hurt, and he but slightly
Ten horses were captured and taken away il
1 triumph; some of the guerrillas escaped will
their steeds, while the rest fed on foot. 4
sharp watch was kept through the night les
they should return and renew the fight bu
they did not put in an appearance.
Just as they We're starting the next morning
Harry called attention to cloud of dust in tn
road they intended following and it was i'm
medately surmised that an enemy was in th
neighborhood. Very quickly the order L
mount was given and the column moved in til
direction Of the suspicious dust. Hardly hat
they reached the road before d crowd of horse
men was seen approaching, and then both side
made ready for fight.
There was good deal Of manuvering for th
advantage and both parties advanced wit
J great caution. A few shots were exchanged a
long distances, where they could not possibl
do any harm, but simply on the Chinese prin
+ ciple of letting the other side know that war;
: work could be expected. As the columns drer
, I closer together the strangers were found TO b
: dressed in blue and as they made a simia
I discovery concerning our own party the shoot
= ing ceased. A flag of truce was then sent f0l
: ward. accompanied by Harry, to meet sim
p lar flag from the other side. The flags mC
, halfway between the lines and it was quickl
q ascertained that the supposed enemy was
: scouting party sent out by Gen. Curtis. Harr
n recognized the bearers Of the flag, and thel
= was a vigorous hand-shaking followed by
= signal for both sides to put off the idea
4 fighting for the present unless they could fin
I, somebody else to fight with.
4 And it turned out that there was an enem
not Ear of, and the new party was then on j
n way 20 have brush with it. The Kansas Ca
\ tain readily offered to take hand in the affai