The National tribune., 1899-05-18

"Pll go and git onto the engine witt
him, I" said Shorty.
"Wait little" said 81. "We'll get tn,
| boys together, issue 'em cartridges, and Civ,
'em little preparation for fight, if we'r,
| to have one"
The sun had gone down, and the night wa:
at hand. The train had stopped to take OF
a supply of wood from 4 pile by the road
side. Some of the boys We're helping pitch
the heavy sticks onto the engine, the rest
were-skylarking along the tops o. the cars
| in the irrepressible exuberance of animal
spirits of boys who had had plenty to eat,
and were without a care in the world.
| Harry JOslyn had been giving exhibitions
of standing on his head on the running
board. Gid Mackall had converted a piece
Of rope lie had picked up into lasso, and
was trying to initiate the feats he had seer,
| performed at the last circus Monty Scruggs,
the incipient lawyer, who was proud of his
elOcutionary talents, had vociferated at the
woods they were passing 'Rienzi's Address
! to the Romans" The Last Sigh of the
! Moor, -" Absalom, :" THE Battle of Water
loo, - and similar staples of Friday afternoon
recitatons. ALI Russell, the embryonic
doctor, who sang fine tenor, was rendering
Lily Dale :" with much impressment, and
little Pete Skidmore was skipping" the
fat hill-stones over an adjacent pond.
"'Tention :" shouted ST.
There was something 50 different in the
tone from that in which 81 had orespoken,
| that it arrested the attention Of every one OF
| them instantly.
"Git your guns and fall in two ranks on
that sod, there, at once" commanded ST, in
quick, curt accents.
An impaipable something in the tones and
words stlled everybody into seriousness.
This was deepened by the look they saw on
Sis face.
They snatched up their guns and hurried
into line on the spot indicated, looking into
each others countenances and into that of
Sis for an explanation of what was up.
"Mackall and Joslyn," called Shorty from
the ear, ''cOme here aud take this box OF
cartridges"
Now" said 81, as they did this, "Joslyn,
you and Mackall issue those to the boys.
One of you walk down in front, and the
other behind, and give each man two pack
ages of cartridges You boys open the pack
ages, and put the cartridges in your cartridge
boxes, bullet-end up, and the caps in your
cap-boxes."
The boys followed his directions with
UtINOuS cdStIutSN, lIIS 'tcu ny MS NOIuS anu
manner, and then fixed their anxious gaze
upon him for further impairment
81 walked down in front, in the rear of the
line, experimenting the operation.
Now, boys" said 81, taking his place in
front and facing them, you've bin talkin'
about guerrilas ever since we crossed the
Ohio, but now there's a prospect o. meetin'
some. | hadn't expected to see any till after
,ra'd roarbai ruottnppnsrv hut ,,rIarri Hos
never where you expect EN-"
KNOWN you was so anxious to see em,
they've come up the road to meet YOU" in
teriected Shorty.
ut looks" continued 81, Gas if they'd
got news of the train, and slipped out here
to take it away from us. They may attack
it at any minute after we start agin. Now,
we mustn't let 'em git it. It's too valuable
to the Government to lose, and too valuable
to them to git. We mustn't let 'em have il,
| tell YOU. Now, want you to load your
guns carefully, handle 'em very carefully
after they are loaded, git back in the cars,
stop skylarkin', keep very quiet, listen for
orders, and when you git 'em, obey 'em to
the letter-no more, no less
Cant we 20 back ON top O. the cars,
where we kin watch for 'em, and git the
first pop at emp" said Harry Joslyn, in a
pleading tone.
"No; that's too dangerous, and you'll
lose time il gittin' together" answered ST.
g You must all come into the cars with NE. :"
Sergeant" said Shorty, :" let me have
couple to 80 on the engine with me.'
"Le' me go. Le' me co. they all seemed
to shout at once, holding up their hands, in
eager schoOl-bOy fashion.
- | can't take but two o you, +" said Shorty;
"more'd be in the way"
They all pressed forward Count out.
That's the only fair way" shouted the boys
in the center.
"That's so," said Harry Joslyn. "Stand
still, till l count. Imry, Dry, Ickery, Ann,
Quevy, Quayy, Irish Navy, Filleson, Folle-
son, Nicholas - Buckl That's me. Pm
it !"
He rapidly repeated the magic formula,
and pronounced Gid Mackall at"
He didn't count fair lie didn't count
fair! He never counts fair" protested the