The National tribune., 1899-05-25

there" replied Jim, pointing with his ram
mer in the direction of the opposite bank.
"There, you kin see 'em for Yourself"
81 don't see no men," said Shorty, after
q moments scrutiny"
| There they are. Don't you see that
| white there?" said Jim, Gaping his musket
| for another shot.
THAT white" said Shorty contemporary,
sis some water-birches. They was there
when you came on guard, for l noticed 'em,
and they hain't moved since You seen 'em
then, lookin' just as they do now. You're a
fool to think you kin see anything white in a
rebel. 'Taint their color"
II don't care" half whimpered Jim.
Gid Mackall, and Harry Joslyn, and Alf
Russell, and Pete Skidmore, and even Sandy
Baker, have all shot rebels, and l haint hit
none. l don't have half-a-show."
''Be patient" Shorty consoled him.
''Your three years's only begun. You'll
have lots o. chances yit. But if l ketch you
shOotin' at any more white birches I'll tie
you up by the thumbs" :"
Shorty returned to the fire. 81 bade the
boys lie down again, and took to his owD
blanket. Shorty relighted his pipe, took out
his never-failing deck of cards, and began
running them over.
Jim Humphreys shot had given new rest
lessness to the boys. They did not at all be-
lieve in Shorty's diagnosis of the situation.
There must be more men lurking over there
whence all that murderous shooting had
come only little while ago. Jim Humphreys
WAS more than probably right. One after
another of them quietly slipped away from
the fire with his gun, and made his wsy
down to Jim Humphreys's post which COM
manded what seemed to be n crossing of the
creek. They stood there and scanned the oppo-
site bank of darkness with tense expectancy.
They had their ears tuned up to respond to
even the rustic of the brown, dry leaves on
the trees, and the murmur of the creek over
the stones. They even saw the white birches
move around from place to place, and ap-
proach the water, but Shorty's dire threat
prevented their firing until they got some
thing more substantial.
" There's rebels over there, sure as you're
born" murmured Jim to them, without
turning his head, to relax his fixed gaze, nor
taking his finger from the trigger of his
cooked gun. wish they'd fire gun first,
to convince that old terror of Corpril, who
thinks he kin tell where rebels is just by the
smell. I'd -
Ssh Jim," l hear n hosses' hoofs," said
Harry Joslyn.
"Sh! so do l." echoed Gid Mackall.
They all listened with painful eagerness.
'Hoss's boots and breakin' limbs, sure's
you're a foot high, " whispered Harry. ''And
they comm down the hill this way"
That's right. They're almost to the
crick now," assented Gid. "Fm going to
shoot"
'No; I've got the right to q first shot, " said
Jim. "You fellers hold off,
Bang went Jim's gun, followed almost in
stantly by the others.
Hi, dere, boys; rs done found you at las !!
Whoopee!" called out a CHEEKY voice from
across the creek, and man rode boldly down
to the waters edge, where the boys were
nervOusly reloading.
Now, Jim Humphreys, what in blazes
are you bangin' away at now?" angrily
demanded ST, striding up. "Ata cotton-tailed
rabbit, or sycamore stump"
THE woods is full O. rebel cavalry comm
acrost the crick," gasped Jim, as he rammed
down his cartridge. There, you kin see 'em
for yourself"
"What foh you come dis-a-way, boys?
continued the voice of the man on horseback
81 done los you. | fought we done agreed
to go ober by Simpsons hill, an jine you
dar. went dat-a-way, an den l hear you
shootin' Ober dis-a-way, an seed yoh fiah,
and l cut acrOst to git to you. Whah'd you
git so many guns, am sch big ones? Sound
like sojer guns. l done heared dem way
Ober dah, an -
-" Hold on, boys" sternly shouted Shorty,
springing in front of them, and throwing up
their guns Don't one o. you dare shoot
Hold up, l say Hello, you there! Who
are you?"
"Who's me?" said the negro, astonished
by the strange voice. "Fs Maah Wilkin-
CONS Sam, Massa Patrol. I's got pass all
right. De ole Majah done tole NE could 90 |
out cOon-huntin' wild Kunnel Oberly's boys |
tonight, but done missed DEM"
Come ashore here, boy" commanded |
Shorty, and he thankful that you're alive. |