The National tribune., 1899-08-03

| AiCACcL anu stronger LIlan IUOSe Lney DaQ
already encountered.
The elation of their recent victory sub
sided. Again the woods became ominously
dark and gloomy, the soaking dampness
very depressing. They huddled together
| TO brace each other up.
| Si," said Shorty, didn't Won saw that N
was squad o the Maumee Muskrats In the
mill. and that We wuz gon' to relieve EN-
Yes, and the Orderly said that railroad
Nick -Hennessey-was the Sarjint In
20, that bog -trottin old section boss. that
hairy y-handed artist with the long shovel, is
there's he with his crIcifix and his prayers
| to the Saints. That's all right He's bin
Stormln' and swearin' ever since the fight
begun, because he's bin obliged to stay in
side and shoot. instid of making a grand
rush and settling things. according 10
| Donnybrook Fair rules. l tell you what
you do. You work the boys carefully
down through the brush toward the race,
and git 'em into position in easy range of
| the rebels. covering 'em behind logs. III
take a circuit around 10 the left, and git over
to the hill, behind the rebels, and near
enough the mill for Hennessey to hear me.
Then III fire a shot and yell for Hennessey.
| RE knows my voice. and he'll bring his
men out like pack o hornets. Then you
let into the rebels from your side They
| can't git across the race at You. and well
have 'eIl where we kin whip-saw EN-"
shorty" said ST admiringly, Gen.
Grant ii hear o you some day, and then
Co Q will lose its brightest star, but the
army, gain a great General"
Il know it; / know it." said Shorty,
modestly; but don't stop to talk about it
now, think I've got the lay o the mill in
mind. III just cut around that way.
Don't shoot till you hear me-"
ST quietly deployed his boys to the left OF
the road, and worked them through the
brush until they came to the crest over
LOOKING the mill-race. They took readily
to tins sort of work. They had all hunted
rabbits over the hills of southern Indiana,
and they came into position so softly that
the rebels beyond did not suspect their
presence.
Then came a long wait for the signal from
Shorty. The rebels seemed to get tired
first. Presently they could be seen NOV
| lg around, and Si had hard work restrain
Ing his squad from shooting at the tempting
marks. Then the rebels began talking, at
first in murmurs, and then Louder. There
seemed to be division Of opinion among
t1em. Those who had been run back were
sure that the Yankees were coming on to the
relief of their comrades in the mill. The
others thought that their comrades had
ruE3 away too soon, and that the Yankees
lad run the other way IIst as fast.
4 tell you, hits no use to wait for they'uns
no lolger," said one strong voice. Them
Yankees is runnin' back to their camps as
fast as they 'uns's legs III carry they'uns.
y
ground, you'd a seed 'em But yo'
yaller hammers alters git the ager whenever
caps busted, and run yer rabbit-gizzards
out"
"Y're liar" hotly responded another
voice. Thar was more'n so O. them
Yankees. if thar was man. We fit 'em
awful, before we give away, and they'd
killed Burt DolSon and Bob Whittyker, and
don't know how many more. They come
bulgin' right on toward the mill, arter they'd
La Ill. IT.~lz.
staid and watched 'em, and shot at 'em, till
We thought hit best to run back and warn
ye"
aye wuz in powerful hurry 10 warn u.s."
sneered the other. well, thar's no Yam
KEGS over thar, and none haint a-comin till
daylight. I've ketched all the ager and
rhematiz here that I'm agwine ter. Les go
back and salivate them fellers in the mill,
and set fire to it,
This seemed to be the prevailing senti-
ment, and ST began to fear that they would
all go, and might intercept Shorty. He
was on the point of ordering the boys to
fire, and attract their attention, when
Shorty's rife rang out, and the next instant
came roar from Shorty's powerful lungs,
with each word clear and distinct:
"Hennessy-you- -mouthed-Mick
come out. The 2OOth-Iniianny is
here. Come-out-with a rush-you-
imported spalpeen-and jump-'em-in-
Now, boys" commanded ST, keep cool,
pick your man, and fire low. I'm goin' TO
take the feller that's bin doin' the big
talkin'."
Each of the boys had already picked his
man, and was eagerly waiting the word.
Their fire threw their enemies into con-
fusion, and as their guns ratified, the barri-
caded doors of the mill were thrown open,
and HennesSey rushed out with a wild
Irish "hurroo."
The rebels incontinently fed, without an
attempt at resistance.
After it was ascertained that every un-
hurt rebel was running for dear life to get
away, after HeuneSsey and his squad had
gathered up the wounded and carried them
INTO the mill, and after the boys had yelled
themselves hOarse over their victory gained
with such unexpected ease, they suddenly
that they were so tired that
they could scarcely drag one foot after
another, and hungrier than young wolves
at the end of hard Winter.
"Gewhillikins,' murmured Jim Hum
Dhreys, Il wonder when we're going tohave
supper I'm as holler as stoyepipe.'
You've got your suppers in your haver,
sacks" said ST. We'll go into the mill and
Duild fire and make some coffee and fry
some meat"
I'm my haversack," said Jim ruefully,
after they had entered the mill, and he had
run his hand into his forgotten haversack,
and withdrawn it covered with a viscid,
water, that's soaked everything else in it to
! gruel.'
"s5o'smine; SOS mine" echoed the rest, as
hey examined.
"Confound it." said 81 wrathfully. as he
ooked into one after another. Didn't
none o. you have sense enough to fasten
lown the covers carefully, SOS to keep the
water out? Here it is-salt and sugar and
,offee, bread and greasy pork all in one
nasty mess. l declare, you don't seem to
lave the sense you wua born with. You've
lin breakin yourselves down luggin'
Iround 10 or Is pounds o. water, besides
pilin' your rationS."
Probably Sarjint Hennessey has some
ations that he kin give u.s." suggested
shorty, who was genuinely sorry for the
'oor boys.
"Dade | haint-not q smidgeon," an
wered Hennessey. I'VE iXpicted yes TO
it here this forenoon and relave US, and we
up livery spoonful of our grub for break
asst, SOS to Tighten us for quick march
ack 10 camp. They've not bin runnin' in
he mill for several DAYS. and've carted off
very bit of the male they ground. We're
Ugh starved OURSELVES, but we've had
,vely little foight, and we forgive yes for
ot coming airlieT. OF wouldn't We missed
nat last rush on thin divil's for months
ouble rations."
We'll" said ST, encouragingly, well
ave to make mine and Shorty's rations go
round as well as they kin, among all of
OH. Fish the meat out o your hayer-
lcks, boys, and wash the dope off it. 1t
int spilled, anyway. We kin each OF us
ave little TO eat tonight, and we'll trustts
royidauce for ter-mOrrer"