The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1900-12-06

"SHE BEGAN FLOATING JUST AS 300
| 400 REBELS CAME AROUND THE JSLA
to something inside the next quarter of an
hour" answered Shad, after another sur
vey of the wood pile. shes eating up
wood like pie in this swift current"
A dugout suddenly shot out from the
mouth of little creek on the right or south
shore. There was a man in it, who was
padding hard and skilfully, though he
crouched low to avoid the shots sent after
| him from men lurking IN the bushes.
THAT'S one of our scouts" the pilot
called down. He's trying to make the
boat"
Everyone ran to that side of the boat
to see what was happening. The Lorena
careened, her rudder lost control, and she
ran her nose into a sand-bar, at which the
pilot and many others swore savagely.
Come, boys" called out Shad Graham,
starting to unShackle the spar, pay for
your uncomfortable curiosity by taking a
cakewalk around the capstan."
at comes high, but you would have If, J"
added Shorty, picking up a capstan bar,
and putting in the socket. Everybody
with q will now. Let us see what kind o
beef they grow out in Injianny."
Then began toilsome strain to pry and
pull the LOrena over the bar. In the
meanwhile the man in the canoe, though
the number of men shooting at him in
cTtHStu, TtIcntN l1t DDdI
aboard. 81 pulled his canoe up on the
deck.
LET it 60" said the scout. II don't
want it any more. You can set me on the
other side, and that's all want"
Don't know about setting you on the
other side," answered 81 grimly, It'll we
get out of here. Moreover, it's made of
wood, and woods what we want more'n
anything else, just now, even if it hain't
more'n water-soaked poplar dugOut."
I'm Jim Preston, one of Sherman's Sc
cret service men," the scout explained to
Shad. SHERMAN sent me out from Kings
ton to keep track of Hoods main army,
but | got tangled up with them, and
haven't been able to get away before. Il
went with Lees Corps, because l had too
many acquaintance in Stewards and
Cheatham'S Corps, and you know acqualnt-
ances are the most dangerous thing spy
can have. So | got throwed clear over
here, and have been waiting chance to
get across the river. I've been watching
your boat all the way from Florence. L
could see your flag above the trees, and We
been waiting for you to come near. Say,
you ought to pull that flag down. 1t gives
your movements away to the rebels, and
they're swarming thicker'n pig tracks in
barnyard all round here"
1.-The flag stays up as long as we do
said Shad, decisively, though l don't know
as we need to hang it so high as to signal
the rebels all over northern Alabama"
Let her fly just where she is, Shad,
said 81. "Mebbe if we'd thought about 1t
when we started out we wouldn't We
swung it so high, but now that she's up
there let her stay Don't lower her an
inch Wen take whatever comes, and if
we can't stand it We'll lump it,
After some further conversation the
scout said: I'm awful glad to know
you've got the pontoon supplies aboard.
happen to know that Sherman's awfrlly
anxious to get them, and is in fact waiting
for them. l know that there's been n
good deal of telegraphing along the rail
road for them. Sherman's Chief Engineer
was awfully afraid they'd be cut off some
where or burned up in some wreck. He
sent my partner, Bill Ruckle, up over the
road to hunt them up"
well. Wen get them through if it is in
the cards"
IAN right" returned the scout. 81 hope
you will. but it looks now as if the cards
was stacked against you. Too bad, for
Sherman needs that pontoOn stuff awful
ly."
ST broke off the conversation to help the
men straining at the capstan bars to get
the Lorena off the bars.
Dumb her, she sticks to that sandbank
like mortgage to an Indiana farm,
grumbled 81, in the intervals of yelling to
the boys to push their best.
II believe she mas rOOIS Unit grow uoWH
into the mud" commented Shorty, paus-
ing after q strenuous effort to take in
about hogshead full of air, to replace
what he had violently expended.
Il believe she's an old hen that wants
to set" remarked Monty, land thinks that
a sandbank's her nest
There was need of their utmost efforts,
for not only was her wood rapidly disap-
pearing. but while they were Juggling at
the spars, they could see the rebels pass
ing to the islands ahead, and announcing
their progress to their friends, by shots
from time to time, at the boat.
Say. Zeke," called ont voice from a
little wooded island that lay directly ahead. |
'Thar's no use o yo'uns working so mout-
ily thar Yo'uns's done kotched, like n
hy in molasses. Y're a pilot, and orter |
know hit. Y're on the Blue Water bar
not sand, but blue clay, that'll hold yo' like
"uello. that thar's Smoot Jinkins a-hol- |
Ierin'," said Jim cambridge, with sudden |
interest. 1.-The whole Shoals crowd seems |
to'ye come home ter roost, jest like the |
crows an wild geese. Shoots the next
orneriest man ter Hoss Bullock on the |
Shoals. But he's right about the blue
clay"
.Of course he's right" answered the pi-
lot. gloomily. Didn't l know it all the
timei"
.Jest let yer men rest" continued Mr.
Smoot Jinkins. I'm gittiu ready ter
take 'em an yer boat in. I'm loadin' men
enough on fatboats back hyah ter eat
yo'uns up. Eff yo' show fight. we'unsll be !
along presently. Just let yer men rest.