The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-02-23

| up IN the SKY. But I'LL f0tch him down
TO, bein a nat'ral, thar amt no hahn
into him."
| The guide placed two fingers In hi
mouth and emitted long, low whistle
ending with the musical cry of the quail
bob white"
bob white! bob whitel bob whitey
was echoed quickly from the rocks
Then came the crash Of loosened ston,
that went hurting dangerously close, ant
q minute after an athletic figure, will
something like knapsack on its bacl
and long rifle in its right hand, stood
before us. But it was too dark to dis
tinguish the dress or features.
Hello, Hem was Lin Moore's salu
tation, as he extended both hands, 'whaI
20 bin and whar yo' gwinei"
"Bin hellenback; nawthin teat. Who's
you unsY'
This is what Hugh McNeil's Hen rat.
tied off in far away ventriloquial voice,
and as he asked the question he laid his
hand on my shoulder.
This is blue sojer, Hen, and my
FRIEND" said Lin. Then in q whisper,
"Any grays nigh har?"
ooh, lots, lots, lots" replied Hugh
McNeil's Hen.
"Whar is they, Hem
"Ovah yon," and he pointed in the di-
rection of Chattanooga.
"Oh, yaas," said Lin, evidently much
relieved, then adding, "Wa'al, Hen, eff
You unsll lie down and not open yer lips
till daylight I'll gin yo' breakfast, ehg"
For answer, Hugh McNeil's Hen laid
his pack on the ground and his head on
the pack, and began snoring so soon
that was sure he was either playing
one Of the tricks Of which we had so re-
Gently had sample, or that he was
eager to get into our good graces by pre-
tending to comply instantly with Lin's
request.
After this ! lay down, and l must
have slept for at least three hours, for
when awoke it was broad daylight and
the men were rubbing down the horses
backs with punches of dry grass, pre-
paratory to saddling up.
Whether Hugh McNeil's Hen went to
sleep instantly after lying down think
very doubtful, but when got up and
went over TO look at him there could be
no installing the fact of his being as
dead asleep as one of the tabled Seven
Of Ephesus.
As We We're about to partake of the
cooked rations we had brought with us,
Lin Moore woke up the ''nat'ral," who at
once sprang to his feet, and to the great
amazement of those who had not heard
him the night before, he clapped both
arms to his sides and began to crow so
much like q cock that it only required
turning the back on him 10 be entirely
deceived. One of the scouts described
the deception perfectly when he said:
'If was to hear that Growing in the
dark I'd never stop sarchin till l found
henroost, and my stomach would be
sot for fried chicken next day."
We shared with him our cooked ra-
tons, but did not give him all he wanted
to eat. doubt if we should have had
any left had we done so. He seemed to
realize that I was the leader of the little
party, for as soon as he saw that there
was no more food that morning he
opened his ragged knapsack-it was full
Of bits Of cloth and bright pieces of quartz
crystal-and from a recess he drew out
newspaper and handed it to me. 1t
was copy of the Chattanooga Rebel of
the previous day, and this told me that
Hugh McNeils Hen had either been in
the Confederate camp across the river
the day before or had met some one
who had come from there.
/ could not conceal my delight at get
ting this paper, for it not only gave in
its local news clew to the forces then
in and about Chattanooga, but it also
contained an account of the movement
of Braggs army, which was being trans
ferred by rail to Mobile, from which
point it was to be forwarded to Chatta-
nooga. Commenting on this roundabout
movement of the main army of the Con-
federates in the west, the editor said,
"This means that Bragg will transfer
the fighting from northern Mississippi,
Alabama and Tennessee to the banks OF
the Ohio before the summer is over"
And the editor was so entirely correct
that Bragg would have been quite justi-
fed in hanging him without further evil
| dence.
l folded the paper and was putting 1t
| carefully away in an inside pocket,
when Hugh McNeil's Hen began making
signs of disapproval. His face became
livid, and he muttered and made dive
to recover the paper. AS he did he
threw back the matted hair from his
forehead and saw for an instant pur.
pie, crescent shaped scar running from
temple to temple about q half inch be.
low the hair, and I concluded that this
was the reason for the poor fellows de.
mentia.
Hold up, Henri cried Lin Moore, and
he laid his hand restrainingly on the
idiots arm, "the cap'n1l pay you fol
that"
Acting on the hint / offered Hen 9
dollar, but he refused it; then recalled
that had in my saddlebags barlow
knife, which had used for cleaning GU,
my horses hoofs; this / gave him, and
he received it with o whole covey Of
bob white calls.
In direct line we were not q mile
from the enemy's camps across the Ten
nessee; indeed, while I was CHANGING
over the paper, ! could see rising abov'
the trees to the southeast the smoke o.
the little steamer which the Confederate
used as ferryboat. The position wa,
delicate, and 1t was necessary to &C
quickly. The men were distributed II
examine the river below the bend ant
above the town, with orders to meet fol
the return at noon in the same place.