The National tribune., 1900-02-01

was rs good to them as a woman could've
bin, and was patientwith them when wewuz
impatient, and now he's goin'. We could
git nothin' tocover the others nor for them to
lay on, but last night we wuz desperate.
We found where some of them new fellers
had brung in lot o stuff. They didn't
need it half so bad as we did, for they Wuz
fresh and strong, and had good place to
lay. So we waited till they went to sleep
and stole it, not for ourselves, but for the
Orderly. And we're goin' to keep it Cor
him as long as he lives, or die tryin'"
A gleam of the old fierceness returned
to his tear-stained eyes.
Boys, that stuff was ours" said Shorty,
and I'm glad You took it. You keep it.
II any low-down snoozer attempts to git
il away from you, come right 1Ip into the
Fourteenth Detachment and let me know.
III welt his thievin' head often him in a holy
minute. Here's $40 Confcd. Go over
there onto the North Side, where them
fellers arc scllin' things, and see if you
can't buy some bean soup, or something
else that your pardner would like I'm
goin' up to our tent and bring you down
our pine bouShs to lift him of this damp
ground. Then me and my pardner here
will ditch your tent, and keep the wash
often you. Mebbe We kin save your pard-
ner's life"
Its time for us to git back to roll-caIl."
=
out after more stuff
After roll-cail, which meant simply
standing In the ranks of their squad of 90
to be counted, for the rebels did not venture
upon such accomplished bookkeeping as
having a list of the names of the prisoners,
Shorty gathered up all their pine boughs
and carried them down to the men to put
under their comrade.
well go down there this evenin'," he
said, "and put a ditch around their tent, and
help them in any other way that we kin.
Them boys is good soldiers, and they
ought to live. / believe that Providence
helps them that helps themselves and
others. I'm goin' to make great big
bluff at Him and see if He won't stand by
us to the limit. Wen every one of us try
to GIT out on them papers, and if we do
wen bring back enough stuff TO set us up
leave Alf Russell in here to hold the ground
for US, for they may steal that from us if
we don watch it. He can't carry much,
anyhow, and he kin keep the wallet, which
we may need in the future, and it won't do
to risk it on any of u.s."
A reconnaissance of the sentry at the
gate showed him to be of about the same
intellectual callber as his predecessor of the
day before. Shorty worked his ak off the
handle, and suspended it under his shirt
by a string around his neck. After di-
rectlng the boys where to find him, giving
each OF them a writ to use as a pass. and
directing them to come out one after another
with about half-hour interval between
| them, he took the axhandle in his hand,
and presented his writ to the sentry stand
| ing at the wicket. The guard made a
pretense of reading it, and motioned him to
pass through the wicket. He made his
way to the place he had been the day before
restored his ak to its handle, and was soon
busily engaged in cutting material for their
shack. Soon ST joined him, and then
Monty Scruggs came. A little later Sandy
Baker and Pete Skidmore put in an ap-
peaIance. Gid Mackall did not get out
until they had cut and collected all they
could caiIy, and were making it up into
bundles.
Didn't 1 tell you Providence would
smile on u.s." said the elated Shorty, as
Gid showed up. "He always sides with
fellers O the right sort, and / knoEed He
wouldn't go back on us to-day; Hello,
here comes that scoundrel of Pitcher, with
his hounds. Lord, how I'd like to feed
that scalawag to thrashing- machine. I
will some day, you mark me. Now all YOU
work him."
The dog-boss came up with scowl on
his face and words of abuse on his lips.
He gave little Pete a cut with his long
whip, which made the boy howl with pain,
and Shorty grind his teeth with rage.
But he constrained himself with a mighty
effort, and said pleasantly to the rascal:
Hello, Captain; you see we're out here at
work again, as / told you yesterday. The
doctors sent us out"
Pitcher growled curses, to which Shorty
paid no attention, but remarked:
Gap, friend of yours inside said he
owed you $40, and asked me to bring it to
you when ] come out Here it is"
notes, at the sight of which Pitchers face
softened. He took the notes, and growled,
but more amiably:
yo'uns."
had just struck him; well, We'll be out
agin tomorrow, and then wen make it
up"
See that you do" growled Pitcher, re-
mounting his mule. EFF you don't bit'n
be the wuss for yo'uns. You know don't
stand no. foolishness from yo' Yanks.
Don't yo'uns &c, out a. step furder'n
"All right, Cap" said Shorty cheerfully.
Were through, and goin' right in now.
See you tomorrow"
And III see you sometime soon when
I'll feed your onery carkiss to the buzz
yards, you spawn of the evil one" he con-
tinued, shaking his fist at the back of the
receding dog-leader. "I'll make you shed
a drop Of blood for every tear you've brought
into this poor boys eyes. Pick up your
loads, boys, and let's git back into the
stockade as quick as we kin. The next
things to git our house up"
1t cost Shorty SO ''Confed'" to get the
loads past the Sergeant at the gate, but
when they all safely reached their ground
in the Fourteenth Detachment, and were
laid together, he surveyed the accumula-
ton with an air of deep satisfaction.
"Well, we've got enough for gallus
house-good as anybody's in the camp. 1
toll t'c, n hIr fn cfa
Providence. 1t pays to do the right thing.
only wisht I'd got chance to steal a
couple O. blankets while l was out We
need 'em, and I'd like to have one to give
that poor preacher down there. But I'll
git out agin tomorrow. I'll work that old
'Squire's papers as long as they hold out
to burn. Who was it grumbling about
they're not havin' more education in the
South? l think it's all right. l don't
want 'em to know a single thing more'n
they do, the blasted vermin."
(To be continued)