The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-01

saw one almost capsize. throwing everybody
In 1t into the water, while another whirled
madly away toward the center of the current,
with but one man in, who was frauticalIy
trying to stop it and save himself
Yes, he'll stop it, much" said Shorty,
looking after him. II he gifts ashore before
he reaches the Mississippi I'll be surprised
Say, 81, it'll be easier lookin' for Goober
Greek In boat than wadiug through the
mud. Let's Git in one o. them boats"
This terrified the old man till he was
ready to yield
Il begin & know the place" he admitted
. If we take this path through the woods t
the left hit'll bring us out whar 20 kin see
Goober Crick for sartin, an no mistake
Hits alters above high-water thar"
The boys followed. very short walk
through curtain of deep woods brought
them on to much higher ground, where
Goober Greek roared through a narrow chan
mel it had cut in the rocks. As they stood
on the banks, 81 and Shorty's eyes met in a
quick comprehension Of the advantages of
the place. They looked backward through
the woods to see a depression in the hills.
which promised short and comparatively
easy cutoff to the road in the rear, where
the 200th Ind lay.
Yes, this is Goober Crick," said the old
man, with an air of recalling an old acquaint-
ance. "I'm sure of hit. Now yo'n let
me 90 home won't yer? / hain't got dry
thread left on me, an / know I'll jest fairly
die o rheumatic
Yes, you can 60" said Shorty, who was
| filling his eyes with the lay of the ground,
and the chances it offered of getting the 2OOth
Ind. across ahead of the Others and gaining
| the coveted head of the column. 1--WE no
doubt you're awful wet, but mebbe you know
more'n YOU did couple Of hours ago. Skip"
| The old man moved off with alacrity
scarcely to be expected of him, and the boys
saw that it was wisest to follow him, for he
was taking Decline through the woods and
| brush for his home, and that they knew was
near where they had left their regiment.
| Soon Co. Q, crouching under the csdars
and ponchos spread over fence corners hover
ing around struggling fires, and sullenly
making the best of very poor prospect, was
electrified by 81 and Shorty appearing on as
near run as they could put up with their
weight-soaked garments.
| Capt. McGillicuddy," gasped 81, "we've
| found bully place to cross. Tell the Colo
mel quick. Let the boys git all the axes and
shOvels they kin, and come with us Well
have crossin' ready by the time the Col
onel comes up with the regiment. and we
kin git the advance again"
ST had gained that enviable position in the
regiment when he could always have plenty
of followers to anything that he proposed.
The sullen dependency passed into active
alertnes5 as sood as he began speaking, and
before he was done some of them were rum
maging around the wagons for axes and
shoyels. Two or three of these implements
were found in the old mans yard.
go ahead" said the Captain. "Pn
speak to the Colonel, and we'll follow you
with the regiment. You can get the teams
across, too?"
Certain, said ST, as he handed his gun,
cartridge-box, haversack, blanket-roll, and
overcoat to another boy to carry for him,
shouldered his ak and started off at a run,
the others following.
They came back to the spot whittier the
old man had led them. Sis experienced eye
quickly selected two tall hickOries. which
could be feled directly across the stream and
form the stringers for his bridge. The next
instant the damp air was ringing with the
strokes of eight as skillful axmen as there were
in the army, ST leading on one tree and
Shorty on the other They could not keep
up the feverish pace they set for many min
utes, but the instant their blows relaxed
eight other men snatched the axes, and in
few minutes the trees toppled and fell Just 10
the right position. Co Q was now coming
up, followed by the rest of the regiment and
they gave a cheer to echo the crash of the
falling trees. Instantly hundreds of men
and officers were at work clearing a road and
completing the bridge. Some cut down
other trees to furnish filling for the ap-
proaches or to split into flooring for the
bridge. Some dug down the bank and
carried the clay TO cover the brush and
chunks. In an incredibly short time a
bridge was completed, over which the regi-
ment was marched, and the wagons pulled
by the men, after the mules had been de-
tached and walked over.
Every fresh success was announced by
tremendous cheering, which carried inforr a
ton to the rest of the brigade that the Goth
Ind. was doing something unusual News as
to what this was at last reached the ears OF
the Lieutenant of Engineers who was con-
tinuing his struggle with the pontoons with
a persistence worthy of better luck.
He rode up just in time to see Capt Nc.
Gillicuddy looking with citation at the passage
of the last wagon.
''Why was / not informed as to what you
were doing here, sir?" he asked angrily.
8 Probably because we were too busy doing
it to be talking about it. If you had known
of it you would probably have tried to apply
the 47th problem of Euclid tG the case, and
we wouldn't we cotton over for a week
Eventually, sir, expect you will find out that
there are several things in the world that are
not learned at West Point. Having accom-
plished all that we want with the bridge,
now have the pleasure of turning it over to
the Engineer Department and / wish that
you may find it very useful, " continued the
Captain as with a hooking smile and salute
he followed the last of the regiment across
the creek.
"Adjutant." said ST, saluting that official,
with great respect, we've now got the adj.
vance agin, haint we?"
You're right we have, you bully boy
with glass eye, " said the Adiutant, slapping
him on the shoulder with a familiarity that
would have given the young Engineer Lieu.
tenant a spasm and caused a strong report on
the discipline of the 20Oth Ind And you
can just bet we'll keep it, too. You ought
to see the Colonel's eye Well lead the pro-
cession into Shelbyville, which is only 10
miles away"
Ito be eontinuedl
Work of the Pension Office.
The report of certificates issued for the
week ending Aug. u shows
Army invalid: Original, 20; increase and
additional, 1fS; reissue, IS; restoration and
renewal, q; duplicate, is; accrued, IS;
total 352