The National tribune., 1900-04-12


as the probable objcct OF the charge.
Gabe and HeZ understood very clearly
that their lives depended upon their good
conduct, and that they might possibly
altogether. Gabe began some denucia-
tons OF rebels in general, and how much
better nc liked Yankees, but was sternly
cut off by Shorty:
Shut up. there. We want nothin' but
silence, and very little Of that You'll
have enough to do to mind what we saw,
and lead us right. Hump out, now, for
the Flint River"
The mems familiarity with the country
Mt once manifested itself very clearly. ST
and Shorty, skillful woodsmen themselves,
saw that they were Leading them right,
and ny the most direct routes. They were
constantly nearing the river, but turned
aside from two or three very obvious paths
that led to foris.
Why don't We go down there?" ST had
asked at the first one.
"Conscripters likely watchin' HIT
answered Gabe
In few hours they crossed the river by
a very blind ford" and made their way
past several better farms and houses than
they had seen on the farther side OF the
stream. The dogs on these raised quite a
hullabaloo as they passed.
Dogs seem to know you, Gabe." remark
ed Shorty, with the first relaxation Of his
grimness.
Us, duHlltue1 TaDe. seem ter smell
me jlst as soon's / strike this side Of the
river. Awful onhandy. at times. Inter
feres with my gittin' a livin'."
Hist Hist! Thar's some one comm
up the road" whispered Hez Grubwood.
fhars quite passel o 'em. Scatter an
hide"
He glided through bank Of alders to the
| night, with the swift noiselessness of a
snake ST followed more lunberinply.
and the rest initiated his example. Even
yet 81 had not heard the fall of horses
iloois IN the sand, nor the murmur of low
voices, such as reached the fox-like ears
OF the two goober-gTabbers But now
| The, sounds were becoming quite plain,
ana soon lump of blackneSs appeared to
be moving through the dark gray of the
night, and the sound of voices became more
distinct. The squad of horSemen halted
Immediately in front of where the bows
lay concealed.
Mustye bin some one-likely quite a
squad comm up the road, from the way
the dogs wuz actin" said a voice from the
darkness. Dogs wouldn't've cut up that
way erbout a single man, or even two or
three men,, An, hit was fust Jim Traddles's
logs, an then Wills Vance's, shown that
tney unS wuz a-comin' this way. Tod,
thar haint no road that they could turn off
on this side o, Fance's, is thar"
Nary one, answered Tod "The road
comes straight on this way But they'uns
thar"
That's so. Les ride on Ieetle furder,
SOS ter kivver that. But git in the middle
20 the road, sos ter make no noise, an
body. Iheared that Gabe Bonesst's in this
neighborhood with quite gang. I'd give
my pile ter kotch him. He's sent word
around that couldn't ketch him, if 1 tried
till the Day o. Judgment. He's slier than
red fox, an the meanest, orneriest hog
tllIef that Htfaral hai
own cousin on my mothers side. Come
word"
That ,thar's Pole Ware. He knows me
well, whispered Gabe Boneset, as the
black mass moved on. "We'uns we got
ter skeet out"
The best way is to get out into the road
again, and go the way they've come" said
81, after watching the blackness merge into
the general night. That roads now
clear. Come on. quick"
They walked rapidly along the road for
few hundred yards, emitting in their haste
TO take any precautions against making a
noise, and Shorty even calling out to Pete
to come up alongside of him, for fear that
he might get lost, when they were startled
comes thar? Halt"
Great Jehosephat," said Shorty, "they
We left guard behind to watch the forks O.
the road: What fools we wuz not to think
o tnat.
Halt! Who comes thar? Answer, or
III shoot" called out the voice again.
'Skeet out, an run fer hit" said Gabe
Boneset, making dive for the bushes in
the fence corner to the right. Skip acrost
that field thar. an make fer the swamp on
the ;o1. tothsr as side q the hill. Git, now,
aFoller me, boys said Is 81, initiating
Gabe's example. The rebel fired both
barrels Of his shotgun in the direction of
the voices, and began reloading.
They spran9 over fence into pasture
field in which Were number of cattle, and
ran toward the other side, which rose sfight-
ly to belt Of timber. Shorty fell bis full
length over cow, that was lying there in
peaceful rumination. He dragged Pets
with him. The COW sprang up, and ran
believing over the field. 81 ran into the
horns OF bull, who. indignant at the in
trusion upon his domestic privacy, rose
and began noisy demonstrations. The
rest OF the cattle were aroused and began
careering about the field. The boys lodged
through the animals as best they could,
and finally reached the other side, where
anxiously for one after another to come
up. AS they did so, he directed them to
climb the fence and make their way into
the woods, while he and Shorty brought
up the rear. At the sound of the shots
Polk Ware and his squad had galloped
guard as to the number of the men who had
come up. and whittier they had run. They
began shooting at the moving objects in the
field, but were stopped by some one dis
covering that most of these We're cattle.
They let down the bars and rode into the
field, but the frantic cattle made this danger
GUS, and they found themselves constantly
mistaking some fleet-footed heifer for a
running man. They therefore returned
to the bars, and sent man back to Wills
Vance'S for his hounds.
In the meanwhile ST and Shorty. after
pausing moment to get clearer idea of
what was going on, had crossed the fence
after the boys, and halting them in the
woods had called the roll, to make sure
that every one was with them. Only
Gabe Boneset and HeZ Grubwood wers
absent, but this was expected.
at really don't make much difference"
said ST. Were goin' to be hunted, any
way, as rrInaways from the conScription.
If they've ketched them two galoots. and
they've told on US, We'll be hunted as Yam
kee prisoners. They'll try just as hard to
ketch us, either way, so needn't worry over
that. The main things TO put rs much
country between us and them before morn
ing as possible"
He hunted around the sky to find the
north star and get his bearings, and then
started northeast through the woods.
Presently they came to the edge of the rise
and fpupd cleared fiaIdc boy-opJ ,,,b;oI,