The National tribune., 1900-03-22

,vERED THEM FROM HEAD TO FOOT"
crumbling. Each rain washed some of il
down, and there was no hand to repair the
damage. With its ruins could be mingled
the damp clay from the tunnel, and no one
would notice the addition.
Graham went to the tunnel, and taking a
portion Of the clay in the tin-can, mixed
| with water, returned to the place, and
emptied it at the base Of the crumbling
| walls. Those who lay around We're toe
| sick and Indifferent to notice what he was
doing. He went back to the tunnel, and
| presently No. 6 went up with another can
| full, which he disposed Of the same way,
putting some of it inside the tent. By the
| time that Nos. and had done the same
thing all the dirt was gone.
On his way to the tunnel, Shorty had
noticed blanket put up against the dead
| line in such a way that it occurred to him
work of closing the hole, and also the guard
| in the perch above, without appearing to be
| doing so, and this might be very useful in
| signaling how the work was being done, as
| well as in giving timely notice Of the ap-
| proach of any rebels.
Under the blanket sat boy with swollen
ankles, vainly trying 70 tie a broken string
on banjo, which he had succeeded in
bringing in with him, and was apparently,
| beside his blanket, nearly his sole property.
"Say, pardner," said he looking up with
appealing eyes to Shorty, as the latter
halted in front of him, won't you please
take my cup and bring me drink O fresh
water? Pm nearly dead for a drink, and
you see Pm so bunged up with the scuryy
that | kin hardly walk. You look so good
and honest that kin trust you with my
cup. FL do as much for you some day,
when you're down with the scurvy."
"All right, my boy; you shall have the
water" said Shorty, taking the cup. He
| went up to a well, and secured cup full of
cool water, which he gave to the boy,
] who was profuse in his thankfulness.
Shorty had formed a plan with his usual
quick and comprehensive view of the situ-
alton. He saw Graham at little distance,
| lying on the sand, apparently idly digging
with the knife, but he realized that he had
| found a bit Of ground of about the same
color as that around the hole, and was
shaping out pieces with which to fill it from
| the inside. He said to the boy:
"Pll be back in little while, my boy, and
| fix that string for you, and help you in
other ways"
"You don't mean to crowd in and take
my tent and my place away" said the boy,
! in alarm. Il won't let YOU"
mo, no. Make your mind easy, my boy
| I've got better tent and a better place than
you have"
He went over and lay down by Graham,
and said:
81 see your scheme, and it's good, and I've
found a place up there in that tent from
which kin watch the hole from the outside,
without drawing the attention o the guard,
and kin signal you. I'm goin' to help that
boy with his banjo, and III set back little
| ways, where | kin see the guard and the
hole, without his seeing me, and FL sing
When I'm singin' Roll on, Silver Moon
you'll know that you're goin' ahead all
right. When l sing, Stay, Sinner, Stay
you stop and wait. If sing the Bonnie
coming When l sing, 'Ye Living Men.
Come View the Ground you'll know that
the rebels are after you, and will scatter
accordingly"
Good. All right" said Graham, con-
cisely.
Shorty returned to the boy, tied I'D his
banjo string all right, and did little other
fixing which put it again in shape for play
ing. TO the delight of the boy. The banjo
was his sole friend and companion, and all
the solace of the weary hours that he waited
for exchange" was gotten from its strings
His fingers were so distorted with disease
that he could only pick clumsily, but this
was occupation and consolation.
While he tinkered with the string and the
banjo Shorty shifted around TO where he
could get a good sight of the hole. and of
the guard in the perch above, and yet be
out of the direct sight of the latter.
Graham gathered up the hard clods of
, mixed sand and clay which he had been
cutting out. and went into the tent 1t was
going to be very skillful as well as risky
work. placing the pieces in the hole, and
Graham wanted to do it himself. but ST
insisted that it was his right. Deeble claim
ed it on the ground of being his turn. and
the matter had to be settled by drawing
cuts, in which ST Won. He stripped him
self again, and placing the pieces on a
board, showed it ahead of him as he crawled
in. A string was tied to his foot, by which
he could signal Graham at the mouth of
the tunnel.
The sides of the tunnel had dried out
somewhat, and 81 had less trouble with the
mud. He reached the end, turned over on
his back, looked up, saw that the guard was
looking another way, took up one of the
pieces, mOistened it in the water of the pool
to make it stick, and slipped it into place
with a motion so slow that it could scarcely
have been noticed by any eyes less sharp
than Shorty's.
Shorty, who had been talking with the
boy about his regiment, where he was cap
tured, and what had become of his COM
rades, while he tinkered with the banjo,
now handed the instrument to him as he
saw the clod slip into place, saying:
There, you pick it. and I'll sing you that
new song that just come out before we was
captured"
He roared out in his rough, strident
tones: