The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-08-07
cHAprER xlIr

down tne rOau, ana their horses feob
splashing In the mud and water could be
but family heard. W %
"Cap'n, don't ye think we're gwine ter
have trouble y make it back q campi"
asked old Arkansaw Tom.
"I don't know, Tom; but / think we had
better get back as soon as possible, for the
firing has without doubt been heard all
over the neighborhood.'
"Thet's jest what was thinkin',
Cap'n," said Tom. 1.-THE country's full o.
Johnnies"
"Let's ride faster" They put their
horses to a gallop, splashing both steedsan
riders with muddy water.
It still lacked several hours of morning,
and the night YVES intensely dark, the wind
signing through the tree tops like moans
of anguish, at times driving the fine, mist
like rain in ftful gusts against the horse
men.
ats hard ter keep the powder dry"
growled Max.
"Yer must" said Tom. eyed be N
purity pickle ef bushwhackers was ter let
inter US N powder wet"
ats blamed fool trip" continued the
chronic grumbler, ''sendin' fellers out here
when they can't see hands afore their faces
ter fight five ur six thousand rebs, blamed
4 taint fools work"
No amount Of army discipline would keep
Max from grumbling He seemed to have
a special license to grumble, and no heed
was paid TO his incessant muttering.
"Tom, do you hear the cavalryi" Luke
asked.
"No, can't hear nuthin' 'nless Max holds
his jaw"
Max took this gentle hint, and for mo-
ment ceased to berate the managers Of the
expedition, and gave the Arkansas scout an
opportunity TO listen.
"We have gone far enough to have over
taken them" said Captain Mason, when all
had bent their ears for q few moments TO
catch some sound of the retreating cavalry.
"Can't be we're on tn wrong roadp said
Bill Snow.
"Like IS not" growled Max. "'Twould
Just be our luck"
"Hold yer jaw, Max; dod burn ye fur O
grumbler," growled Arkansaw Tom.
Max was neither shirk nor coward
when 1t came to duty either in the field,
the camp or on tho march, but his propensi-
ty to grumble had become growing evil.
81 hear 'em," said Tom.
"Then we are on the right road"
"Yes, but we've got good ways behind,
some'ow"
"Spur up; Wen ride faster"
Their horses were put TO o swifter gallop,
and In o few minutes more they had
caught up with the cavalry. Hearing
horses feet in their rear the cavalry sup
posed h must be pursuers, and became
alarmed
"Halt, halt, haltr' cried voice, and 1t
was accompanied by half dozen carbine
shots, one or two OF which whizzed most un-
comfortably near the head Of Captain Ma
son.
Hold, hold, foolsl' he shouted. "What
are you shooting at US for. Don't you
know we are frlendsw
The firing at once ceased, and Captain
Lawrence, who had been riding pretty near
ly at the head Of the column, wheeled about
and galloped back TO the rear.
"What means this: at whom are you
fringf" he cried
"At we'uns, ye blamed foolp roared
Arkansaw Tom, whose indignation scorned
military etiquette. "Ef ye 'tstopit, dod
blast Of don't turn loose on ye wi my ole
gun an make some o. ye sick at the
stomach"
"Have your men stop firing, Captain Law
renee" sad Luke.
"All right, Captain Mason, not another
shot shall be fred. hope no one has been
hit"
''No, thanks TO their poor craftsmanship,
no harm has yet been done" When he had
Joined the cavalry officer he asked: ''Where
Is the gude"
"was he not with youp .as
'No.n
~ haven't seen him since we made the at
tack on the house."
"Without q guidel Then how do you
know whether you are on the right course
or notin
"Oh, OF course we are; we are on the
same main road which we came. There's
been no road 10 lead US Of"
"But there's no knowing how soon we
may strike road that will lead us or"
81 supposed the guide was with you"
"He Is not"
SAN nouns seen 'im," said Arlansaw
Tom.
saint we N a purity pickler muttered
the chronic grumbler.
1--WE can't stay here long," said Captain
Mason. "The country is filed with rebels,
and they will soon collect force ten times
our number and be after usn
"We'll be gobbled up sure" sighed Max.
stake command, Captain Mason, and
will follow wherever you lead" said Cap
tain Lawrence.
Luke Mason rode TO the front, and after q
very brief delay they again started in the