The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-06-24

curling up. We at once decided to 90 there
and warm ourselves, even if we had to fight
for the privilege, for we might as well perish
fighting as with the cold.
We at once launched our boat and crossed
from the island to the shore. AS we landed
on the bank TO go up to the house. Wood,
whose teeth were chattering. and who looked
both drowned and frozen, said to me: "Alf,
you will have to make up some lie to tell
them they will ask us a thousand ques-
tions."
said: az don't know what I can tell
them / am too cold to speak the truth,
though" But told Mark to say but little,
so that we need not "cross - one another In
our story.
We were admitted to the cabin, and, as
stood before the great fireplace, / noticed
the family viewing our bedraggled, drowned,
forlorn appearance with some curiosity.
especially the man of the house. After l got
so that could talk freely, / inquired If there
were any boats about there. He said he
knew of none except his own, which the
Confederates allowed him to have to cross
over to the island to his work. He then
asked me if we were looking for boats.
told him we were, and that we had orders
to destroy all we found, with the exception
Vi d lew OWuSu anu III charge vi tie IiSuC
kind of men. / told him the object, of
course, was 10 prevent Union men from run
ming away from the CONSUMPTION.
|" / thought that was your business" said
he. "There was lot of soldiers along here
a few days ago and destroyed every boat
they could find"
He asked if we stayed at Chattanooga.
| told him that our company was there. l
further said
Then you don't know of any boats along
here, except your own?"
He said he did not. After some further
talk asked him if we could get some break
fast with them. He said we could. / then
told him we were in the condition Of most
soldiers-that we had no money, but that /
did not think it any dishonor for man in
the service of his country to ak for food.
He said 1t was perfectly right.
We then took off our coats and hung them
up to dry little while we were at break
fast. After we had become thoroughly
warmed and partly dried our clothing we
took our leave, telling the man to keep an
eye out for any boats that might possibly be
lying about loose in his vicinity.
We now resumed our boat voyage and did
not spend much time in hunting for strange
boats, but awaited ourselves OF the first good
opportunity 10 land and secreie ourselves
Our hiding place was thicket IN field
near enough where our boat was tied. SD
that we could watch it. The storm had
su 5sided, and during the afternoon the sun
shone out bright and warm and high wind
prevailed.
WATCHING OUR BOAT.
Sometime before night man and bow
passed across the field not far from us, and
the boy soon got his eyes on our canoe and
cried out There's canoe, pap!"
They went down to 1t, and, from their
actions, we saw that they were going to take
it away. / spoke to Wood and told him that
it would not do to allow them to do so, and
we walked out of the thicket on the further
side from them, and leisurely came down 10
where they were, when said:
Hello, there! what are you doing with
thst boat?"
Il thought it had drifted here, and was
going to take care of it," was the reply.
THAT is a Government boat,o said /.
We tied it up here awhile ago on account
of the high wind"
I repeated the boat story which we had
before told at our last stopping place. This
seemed to be an entirely satisfactory expla-
nation to him. / then said TO Mark: "Do
you think the wind will admit of our pro-
ceeding on our way to Chattanooga"
The man spoke up before Mark could an
swer, and said:
aMen, would not advise you to venture
on the river now. 1t is not safe. You had
better go down to the house and wait till the
wind falls"
This proposition suited us well enough,
under the circumstances SO we accepted his
invitation and accompanied him to his cabin.
We found his wife very talkative old lady.
She sympathized heart and soul, she said,
with soldiers, for she had son in the army,