The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1893-07-25

dead horse. Nor had he reached tn,
ravine when about o'clock in tn,
afternoon the fifth attack was being
formed in hneo of battle He lay still
among the dead and watched the
Union men again swarm over the
plain and up almost to the muzzle'
! of the guns and the edge of the ter
rible stone embankment.
But the Confederate fire swept the
plateau so that truly a "chicker
could not live there" In the darl
Davy crept down into the railroad
cut, peering at every form that wore
the zouave uniform. Down in ''tht
pit of hell, as it was called, he found
Colonel Howard. A few yards away
lay his horse disemboweled and sew
eral of the officers and men of the
regiment stark and stiff.
Davy crawled close to the man he
loved so well and found him alive.
"Is de flag safe, curnelli" be whis
pered.
The wounded man turned a dull
eye ON him. is that you, Davyi
Water, water"
''Is de flag safer Davy asked, lift.
ing his canteen to the colonel'smouth.
"Yes," answered the officer before
he drank You'll find one of the
dead color bearers on it."
"Can you walk, curnell3"
mo, I'm done for this time, Davy.
Try to get away with the flag"
Davy crawled away among the
dead. It was horrible, but the child
was now hardened, and he lifted first
one, then another. 1t was 50 dark
he could hardly distinguish objects,
but his sense of touch was keen.
All, there it was at last AS he
felt the silken folds and tassels OF
the flag the boys eyes glistened II
had been torn from the staff and Sc
creted by the color bearer. Davy
pulled it away and rolled 1t into
as small a compass as he could
and crept back to the colonel He
placed the water canteen close to his
hand, then up the ravine he crawled
on hands and knees to reconnoiter
He was so small the outlying pickets
would hardly see him A footsteI
approached, and he crouched low
Blessed if it amt q sentry" he
muttered. I'm inside the Johnnies
lines"
The soldier, in a rude butternut
suit, passed near and disappeared in
the darkness Foot by foot Davy
crept back 10 the ravine. He heard
low groan a little to the left and
whispered, lis that you, curnell1"
Howard feebly answered.
I'm KEN back fer you"
The officer reused. Deuce take
you, boy. Didn't I order you to car.
ry back the flag9 Back now" g.
dis aint the place whut left you
in,7 Davy continued. care yer able
to crawl9n
mo, 1 tried and had to give up"
Yer got ON good bit, dough.
Hold on er mint. Some of de boys
had whisky dis mornin."
Davy crept silently away again,
and by and by he was back
dis is brandy, I guess" he said,
putting silver flask into the colonel's
hand.
you've saved my life again, Da-
Wy" the colonel said after a draft
"Mebbe," said the boy. Nov fer
a move. Give me der revolver"
Davy crept forward on hands and
knees, and Howard painfully set him
self to follow. His arm was broken.
He had a bullet in his shoulder. A
fragment of the shell had torn his
side. One leg was shattered by
bullet, and he felt as if his head had
been shot off. Slowly and with tor
ture he dragged along, Davy a pace
or two in advance. Suddenly the
boy stopped.
Seer" he whispered, 'deres dc
sentry bout so yards in front"
They were approaching a broken
fence which surrounded one of the
little gardens near the fork of the
Hanover road.
Davy crawled away in the dark .
ness.
The picket-one of Cobb's sharp
shooters-was staggering up and
down with a heavy tramp, half
asleep, dead tired with the days fight. |
Davy crept up noiselessly, his prac-
tice as q wharf rat standing him in
good stead.
The picket approached, dragging
his steps wearlly, then turned again,
walked unsteadily, stopping and 60
ing on again.
Davy felt secure, and he hastene1
back.
WED better git a move on US
now," he said quickly.
They crawled Safely across the
fence and across the road for about
200 yards, when they were stopped
abruptly by the sound of approach
ing steps.
Just then the faint light from the
stars came out, and Davy shouted
out for joy and rose to his feet.
HDar'S nDa Of 5ar ho1vc ~