The National tribune., 1900-04-05

captured. and whom they drove before
them with curses and blows. The dis
covery of the tunnel seemed to be pro-
ducing increasing excitement throughout
the rebel camps, and fresh detachments
came up on the double-quick. Presently
Capt. WirZ himself could be distinguished,
riding upon his white horse. Behind him
came the second pack of dogs kept at the
prison, and they We're set to work at the
outlet. They ran around an instant, and
barked and yelped, and took the trail made
ySi and his squad, following in it to the
creek. The man III charge dashed across
the creek on his mule, the dogs following.
They took up the trail again, on the cir
cult the boys had made, and followed it
back to the creek, which they crossed, and
soon ran it into the trail made by Shad
Graham's crowd. which they followed off
down toward the other creek.
"Whatd L tell you?" whispered Shorty.
exultantly. Il tell you, when it comes to
lonng-heads you've got to take fence
rail TO measure mine. But it's time to git
out o here. We've fingered around here long
enough. Good-by, Andersonyille. Wen
see you later. Ne and Billy Sherman III
be along presently, with the day of Judg
ment in one hand and a revised plan of
Sodom and Gomorrah in the other. Tata."
ST struck out vigorously due east as
that was the way he thought that the rebels
would be least likely to expect escaping
prisoners to go. He had calculated to
travel straight eastward all that night
and possibly the next one, and then begin
yeering around toward the north, and
follow the general direction of the railroad
back TO Atlanta. 1t was easy travelling
through the open pine lands, and though
they had already had enough fatigue and
excitement to wear them out in ordinary
times, the intoxicatiOn of freedom and
hope buoyed them up so that they made
good progress.
BY the time the early dawn warned them
to seek cover, they were fully 10 miles to the
east of Andersonville. AS far as they could
Judge, the country was Of the same barren,
deSoate character as that Immediately
around the prison.
1t was the same cheerless stretch of sandy
barren. with far-apart trees, as limblesS as
telegraph poles, standing like rude, slender,
lofty columns OF some ruined building
With the first rays of light Pete, Sandy
and the rest, boy-like, had begun looking
around for nuts or berries. such as they
would find in Northern woods. They were
very hungry. But nature denied these to
that hungry, sterile land.
ST and Shorty were more anxious for Il
place of concealment for the day. They
had passed several creeks, with the marshy
borders covered with dense growth of briers.
brush and canes, and had congratulated
themselves that each of these that they
waded put them farther out of reach of be-
ing trailed by the hounds at the prison.
They decided that they would lie in con-
cealment during the day on Il little island
i'll one OF these mOraSSeS.
AS day was breaking they saw one little
ways up creek they had reached which
seemed suitable. Tired though Shorty
was, he was not going to neg glect any pre-
caution. They crossed the creek by a
road which seemed to have been travelled.
and while the hers waited and rested.
| ST, Shorty and Harry JoSlyn walked along
the road for several hundred yards, turned
off to the right as if going to the south,
and then about-faced, and walked care
| fully back in their tracks to the creek, up
which they waded to tine island.
| As 81 parted the brush and walked ashore
he saw a man awake. start up in alarm.
| and grasp shotgun he had lying by his
side. in a little cleared spot in the center
of the island. ST halted, and checked the
others with Il gesture. The two regarded
one another auXiously for an instant. long
enough for ST to see that the weapon in the
mans hand was not n musket, and that he
| had no other signs of n soldier about him,
and for him to see that 81 bore no weapons.
| ''Who air yo'? No'uns s not conscripters.
| Air yo'ms lay-ouis? If so, whar air yo'
| from" asked the man.
No. were not conScripterS." answered
| ST, beginning to understand who the man
| was, and what he was doing there. I'VE
| don't belong TO the rebel army in any shape
or form, and don't want to. Who are YOu?"
| Zen Iilc Nilp NO uilS diI IlISl, S4ll lIe
man, raising his gun. "Yo'uns s seem
strange to me. | never heered men talk
like yo'uns afore."
| 81 looked at the man carefully, and also
at his surroundings. He was clearly
alone. ST resolved to trust him. Were
Yankee prisoners, escaped from the bull
pen over by AndersonVile." >" lie said. You
re layin' out to avoid conscription. We're
all right We're your friends"
The man backed to the other side of the
opening 10 have Il way of retreat, and
| lowered his gun.
Come on, then. How many air thar o
yO'uns?"
The tired boys followed Si into the OPEN
| ing, and threw themselves down on to the
ground, while 81 and Shorty talked with
| the man.
What mout yer names be, strangers?"
| ST and Shorty told him.
"Yo' kin call me Gabe Boneset.
strangers" said the man. That 'ere's
what I'm jinerally knowed by.
used ter live over on Hogcrawl Crick,
about 20 miles from hyah. acrost the Flint
in Dooly County, but they 'uns kept pesterin'
me so ter jine their army, that done broke
up, an moved acrost the river, back inter
the woods ter git shet o. they'uns. But
xI,.N,,f Fr, ell .i,,' -