The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-15

/
peremptory, shouted;
"Halt!"
Other words which seemed to follow
were swallowed up by wide-mouthed
clap of thunder, and 80 was the SER
geant's prompt response, but in an in
slant he was among the bushes.
The first we heard of him was
"Boys, it's up to my waist and get
ting deeperl"
"Go on, sergeant" shouted one of
the paymasters. They'll be shooting
at us if they don't get an answer"
/" Hurrah for General Burnsidel"
squeaked the paymaster's clerk, in a
vague effort to let any supposed picket
know which side he was on; but Sc
we're sternness from the further end
babe him:
"Shut upl Haiti Come alongl"
{" I'm comingr shouted the SER
geant. "Friend! Paymasterl"
"Shut up Come along!" re-
sponded the threatening voice beyond
him.
For full quarter of an hour the SER
geant CROPPED and houndered among
those bushes; but not a soul came to
meet him, nor did another word reply
w hlo ICpChICu lSuutSlS llldI TIC plCkcb
should advise him as to what course he
should take.
The party on the hand-car covered
under torrents of falling water, and
hoped that there might be cessation
of the lightning flashes, so that any
hidden ritlemen would be less able to
shoot straight
6 give it up" said the voice of the
I Al
PAGES from the car, but he was invisi-
BILE.
"The boys know who we are" said
one of the soldiers, " and we can 90 on;
but it's an awful mean joke to play in
such rain as this"
"There's something more than that
in it," said one of the paymasters.
"There's trap of some kind. Wen
never get to Morehead City"
" Well go ahead, anyhow" said the
sergeant. "There's as much danger
behind as there it before"
Pm glad hurrahed for Burnside
remarked the paymaster's clerk
On went the hand-car into the water
soaked darkness, and another mile or
more was rolled over before the way
side summons was generously repeated.
Quick, now, sergeant" said the
senior paymaster.
"Don't know, major" he replied.
THAT fellows away into the swamp.
He's got under cover. / couldn't even
find him. Risk i'll Boys, risk it! Run
her ahead. They can't hit us if they
fire."
Halt" came warningly out of the
hlackness as the hand-car dashed for
ward. and with it came thunder that
sounded like rattle of musketry.
They didn't work their joke this
time, major" said the sergeant.
There's more than that in it," said
the major. elm glad we're past that
picket, but Pm afraid we're running
into trouble. They may have surprised
Morehead City and the fort"
Reckon not, major. Run her your
level best, boys. We won't halt again
for anybody"
That was brave talk, but in less than
twenty minutes he exclaimed:
Hold on, boys! That picket is
right on the track Stop her for your
livesl"
They did so, as an ominous and men
acing throat repeated:
same moment, the other voices seemed
to say:
" Got 'em! Got 'em nowl"
{" I'm afraid they have" groaned the
major, "money and all, and we're on
our way to Wilmington"
" No use to hurrah for Burnside this
time" squeaked the paymaster's clerk.
The sergeant ran ahead along the
track until he missed his footing in the
dark and went off into a grimy depth
of water and black mud just as some
body said:
"Who's there?" and he was trying
to respond:
Friend, with the countersign."
His mouth had too much in it for
success. Then we heard him say:
Come along, boys! There isn't
anybody here, and the waters six
inches deep over the track"
1t was a doleful mystery, and the
chance of being fired into grew grisy
enough as the car was obviously urged
forward.
The ferceness of the storm dimin-
ished, and thus, with great gust of
wind from Cape Hatteras, it ceased.
More wind came and swept away the
clouds. The moon came out gloriously
and at that very moment the paymaster's
clerk exclaimed:
"Quick, sergeant! They could see
to shoot now!"
Halt Come along! Got 'em!
Got 'em now Bully! Better mount!
Better mount"
That was what it sounded like, but
the sergeant exclaimed.