The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-22

! fixed on that center limb, an yo'll hear it
chunk when / PUNK hit an show hits
nothin' but q stick o wood
ST thought he saw the Lieutenant crouch q
little, but was not sure.
The stone came whistlng through the air.
struck the top of the Lieutenant's cap AMI
knocked it off into the water.
Thar" said the second voice trium-
phantly; yo' see hit Amt no men. jest as
| done tole yo'. l knocked the bark often
the end O. one o. the sticks"
The log moved slowly on, and presently
catching III a stronger current swept out
into the stream again. 1t seemed 50 like dc
liverance, that 81 made quick blow aid
knocked the snake off into the water, and
Shorty could not help shouting trium-
phantly:
''Good-by, Johnnies Sorry we can't
stay with you longer. Got other engage
ments down the crick. Ta-ta! See you
later"
The chagrined sentry fred an angry shot,
but they were already behind clump Of
willows.
Lootenant," said Shorty, "you put on
a whole lot OF unnecessary frlls, but you've
got good stuff in you after ALL You went
through that little affair like man. I'll
back you after this"
"When / desire your opinion, sir, as to
my conduct" replied the Lieutenant, Il
shall ask you for it, Until then keep it to
yourself 1t is for me to speak OF your con-
duet, not you of minc.'
But again they % had hollered before they
were out o. the woods" as Shorty af;erward
expressed it. The gun-fire and the sound of
their voices SO near shore had stirred up the
rebels. A canoe with three men in it had
pushed out, and, struggling with the current,
had made its way toward them, Guided by
their own voices. The top of a floating tree
had hidden it from their sight until it sud-
denly came around the mass OF LEAKAGE and
man standing up in the bow leveling a re-
volver at them ordered instant surrender
The other two men were sitting in the mid
die and stern with paddles, and having all
they could do to maintain the course of the
canoe.
ST and Shorty were so startled that for an
instant they made no response to the de-
mand The Lieutenant was the first to
speak:
Are you commissioned officer?" he
inquired
mo" was the answer
"Then / refuse to surrender I'll surren-
der to no one inferior to me in rank"
Sorry weuns can't obleege yo', uohow, !"
said the man with the revolver in sneer:
g but We uns'll have t. be good enough com
missioned ossifers for yo jist now, an VOL
have T. done hold up yo'uns hands. We'uns
haint no time t. send ashore for q Looten-
ant ;"
The other two chuckled as they struggled
with the current, and forced the canoe up
closer to the log. Shorty made motion as
hi dc
a submissive way:
Here, le'me git hold o. the bow, and |
kin help you. It's awful hard paddlin' in
this CURRENT
Without thinking the men threw the bow
in so close that Shorty could clutch it with
his long hand. The grab shook the ticklish
craft, so that the man with the revolver could
scarcely keep his feet.
Ieah," he yelled at the other two.
Keep the dugout stiddy. What air yo'ns
dom? Hold her OFF, | tell yo'ns"
Then to the Lieutenant:
fIeah, yo'ns surrender to wonst, or I'll
blow yo' heads often yo'ns."
The Lieutenant started further remon-
STRANGE, but Shorty had in the meantime
got the other hand on the canoe, and he gave
it such q wrench that the man with the
pistol lost his footing and fell across the log,
where he was grabbed by Shorty and his
pistol-hand secured. The stern of the canoe
had swung around until ST had been able to
catch 1t with one hand, while with the other
he grabbed the man in the stern, who. seeing
the sudden assumption of hostilities, had
raised his paddle to strike.
ST and Shorty had somewhat the advantage
in position. By holding on to the log with
their legs they had CONF aratively firm base,
while the canoe was very ticklsh iounda-
ton for "a fight.
The middle man also raised his paddle TO
strike, hut the Lieutenant caught it and
tried to wrest 1T away This held the canoe
and the log close together while ST and Shorty
were struggling. ST saw this, and letting 20
devoted both hands to his man, whom he