The Irish standard., 1889-05-18
CHAPTER XII.

IJEHwHAGXEU--A PRISONER"
TIE cava'cade was already sonae distance
aewn the road, aud their horses feet
aplashing IL the mud and water could be
sat family heard.
"Car'a, don't We think we're gwine ter
have trouble y make it back T. camps"
asked CID Jsrkansaw Tom.
III don't knew, Tom but think we had
better get baek rs sooD as possible, for the
CARING has without doubt been heard all
sver this neighborhood.'
t'TheS's Jest what was o. thinkin',
gsap'u,' 6 aid Tom. ''The country's full o.
sohnnies."
Stats ride faster" They put their
sorses to ii gallop, splashlng both steeds and
riders with muddy water.
IL still lacked several hours Of morning,
snd the night waa intensely dark. the wind
ssghing through the tree tops like moan.
2s anguish, 1T times driving the fine. mist
pks rain i'll Gtful gusts again 81 the horse
DAI1.
sAxrs hard Ter keep tie powder dry,''
srcwled Max.
nYer mast,'' said 1'oua. ssYe'd be n .
uzirty pickle ct bushwheclers w2s tex let
uEay us IN powder we5.'
'Ib's blsmeG fool trip" continued The
:kronic grumblsr, s'sendin' fellers out here
when they can't see hands afore their faces
taasSaight FIVE III sir thousand Tebs, blamed
r faint fools work"
NO amount Of army discipline would keep
Max from Rrumbling He seemed to have
special license to gramhle, aud TO heed
was paid TO his incessan n1u ttsrlng.
'sT'ozn, DO you heac the cavslry?" Lake
asked.
"No, can't hear nuthin' 'nlsss Mas holds
his Jaw"
Max TOOK this gentle hint, and fo- mo-
gaent ceased to berste this managers OF the
exuedition, and gave the Arkansas scout an
opportunity to listen.
aWe have gone for enough to have over
tHaen tlsem,n said Captain Mason, when all
had bent their ears for = few moments to
catch some sound Of the rstrcating cavalry.
SCANS be we're on ths wrong roadY'' said
Bill Snow.
"Liko . not" grow1ea Max. "'Twou,d
inst be our luck"
'sHold yer jaw, Max; dcd burn ye fur Q
ernl0hler," growled Arkansaw Tom.
Max was neither sfirk nor a cowsrd
when it came to duty either in the field,
SEQ camp or on the march, out his propensi.
~ 70 grumblp had become growing evil.
s'I hear 'eu.," said Tom.
"Then we are on the right roads,
ayes, but we've got good ways behind,
somehow
"Spur up: wen ride faster"
Their horses we're put to s awitter g@lop,
and in few minutes moro they had
caught I'D witt, the cavalry. Hearing
horses' feet in their rear the cavalry sup
posed it m,ast be pursners, aud became
1isrmed.
! "Halt, halt, haiti" cried voice, and il
was accompanied by half dozen carbine
shots, one or two OF which whizzed most un.
comfortably neay the head 81 Captain Me-
Ecu.
q, "Hold, hold, 4oolsr' he shouted. "What
Hre you shooting at us for. Don't you
know we Gre frlends!"
The firing at once ceased, and Captain
Las7rence, who had been riding pretty near.
u At the head of the column, wheeled about
md galloped hack to the rear.
ssWhst means this; at whom are you
pringg'' he cried.
! "At we'urs, ye blamed fooll' roared
Akansasv Tom, whose indignation scorned
! military etiquette. ssEf ye don't stop it, dod
blast ef don't turn loose on ye VII my ole
gun an make some o. ye sick at the
stomach"
"Haye your men stop firing, Captain Law.
romeo" said Luke.
/ "4An right, Captain Mason, not another
shot shall be fred. / hope no one has beer
hit''
ssNo, thanks to their poor Workmanship
I no harm has yet been done" When he had
Joined the cavalry officer he asked: tWhere
: IS the guidea'
"Was he not with yon2"
! ttNo."
ri haven't seen him since we made the at
I tack on the house."
stWithout guide! Then how do yor
know whether you are on the right course
or rot?"
"Oh,. of course we are; we are ON the
] same main road which we came. There's
been no road to Lead US of.