Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-11-17

purpose was the capture of the thlei'
The children went on very stealth1ly.
Billy's eagerness gave a zest to the
play, so that Notwithstanding her
fatigue Polly followed him, holding
back King Cole by the collar.
"See, see, here are his tracks, sud
denly whispered Billy pointing to the
trampled grass.
Polly remained calm, for she had
seen so many Of Big Browns tracks
that day, but King Cole pricked up his
ears and Billy's eyes glistened.
"You stay here and King Cole will
you cause you run ii anything II
there, he'll bark, and I'll go and take
look" said Billy.
They were approaching the house
from the rear. The building had nc
windows, but one could easily lool
into it through the spaces between the
logs of which it had been constructed.
Then, after n seconds inspection,
Billy turned his face around it was
several degrees paler than usual, anc
he covered the distance between the
hut and the spot where he had left
Polly with unusual speed.
81 knew he was there" he said, but
his eyes were popping out of his head
with astonishment "Heis there sound
asleep on the ground by the chimney
I guess he climbed up when he heard
the soldiers coming, and so they
missed him. Anyhow he's there, ant
we've found him.
why didn't you go in and catcl
him like you said?" asked Polly wick
edly.
"Well, thought twould be kinder
mean when pepper SO set on catching
him himself, and now | must go bach
to the post for him, so he'll have the
chance. You must stay here, Polly
and watch and see that Big Brow
don't slip out.
"Me?" cried Polly. Stay yoursel
and I'll go for pepper; I'm afraid.
Billy despised his sisters sex, but a
that moment he thought after all i
might be rather comfortable sometime.
to be a girl and own to ones real feel
ing
"You ought to stay, for you're
boy" Polly went on, "Im only girl
little girl.
That's the very reason, don't YOU
see?" said Billy eagerly. "There's nc
knowing what he might do to me, but
he wouldn't hurt n girl; little girl.
Polly was doubtful OF such gal
lantrv. She looked down at a bis
black and blue bruise on her bare
brown leg, and reflected that being &
little girl had not saved her from
Billy's rage, and she would much
rather not risk it with Big Brown.
Still she always obeyed Billy, and he
insisted that she should stay.
He tucked her behind some bushes
with the assurance that if Big Brown
came out he would never see her, and
calling the dog set out as fast as he
could; with his steady trot King Cole
kept a good way in advance. He made
straight for the fort with an air of pur
pose, and looking back at Billy now
and then as if to say there was no time
to lose.
When they reached the garrison
although Billy searched in all his
usual haunts, his father was nowhere
to be found. There were plenty o.
other men about whom if he pleased
Billy could have started of in pursuit
but he wished his father to have the
glory Of capturing Big Brown.
He was in great excitement, for o.
course the longer the delay the greater
the chance that Bill Brown might es
cape.
At length, leaving the barracks,
Billy walked down by the guardhouse.
There was no one about but the sentry
pacing up and down on the porch. Al
one side of the guardhouse was n slight
elevation on which the cannon wa.
perched. Billy went up there and
looked in every direction for hi;
father. King Cole also looked, cock
ing his ears at every moving figure il
the distance, and then dropping then
disconsolately when it proved to be
some other than his master.
At military post the cannon is fired
each morning and evening, and at nc
other time except on some rare special
occasion. After gun fire each morn.
ing the Ordnance Sergeant at Fort st.
Martin reloaded the gun for evening
use. King Cole, after funny fashion
of his own, went up aid with his head
on one side inspected it.
Suddenly the garrison was electrified
by the iringot the gun. Much startled,
officers and men hurried TO discover
the cause of so unusual an event, and
with the others came Private Peck.
He was instantly seized upon by
Billy and put in possession of the
facts Taking one other man with him
and Billy as scout, he was soon scurry-
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