The National tribune., 1900-03-01

tonight than any so far. I'll have the hole
ready 10 break in a day or two. Talk
quick. and let me get back to work"
These are friends from the Army o. the
Cumberland" said Hank. the first boy.
They want 10 see what we're doing. Neb-
be they can help"
We'll, hurry UP and look at If. and Lot
me get back 10 work. | may get through
tonight yet. Hank. Let them help YOU and
Nat-carry off dirt. | can dig faster than
YOU can get the sand away. Hurry up"
He waved his half-canteen impatientIv.
and there was the accent Of delirium in his
quick. excited words. Shorty feared that
| the guard would overhcar him.
81 carefully examined the tunnel. Ii
was only small hole, but foot or two
| under ground, and would squarely en-
counter the lower par; OF the stockade. IL
pushed that far. which il was improbabia
| that the workers would b. able 10 do. "a
all the labor they had devoted TO it had not
| pushed it out the full length Of a man h.,
yond the dcad-iine. II was a hopeless
| task from the outset, for weakness. posi-
! bly, death. must overpower them all before
| they had carried the tunnel more than
halfway TO the stockade. ST thought IL
his duty 10 impress upon them how little
| hope they had for success
Boys said he earnestly. you'll have
10 stop, and right now. There's absolutely
no chance for you. II YOU pushed Your
/
the bottom o the stockade. But II You
got out none o You could go mile Then,
you'd CON- out right in the midst o. the
| rebels anyhow. and they'd shoot YOU down
| as soon's you'd come out. Worst o. ALL
| the rebels are already on 20 your tunnel
They're liable to Jump You any minute,
and bust it, and put you in the stocks.
Hist, there they come now"
The moon had come up brightly in the
meanwhile. and was flooding everything
with light. Shorty's keen eyes had de-
tected Mbbetts's evil face approaching in
the little distance through the crowd, and
had given ST one OF the secret signals the
boys had used in camp.
Tibbetts made a rush on them. at the
head Of five or six armed guards.
Il might IS well die ct once. and be done
with it," si1rieked Scott Wyman. making A
frenzied leap through the frail shack
and over the dead-line The guard had
apparently been warned to b. on the sharp
lookout. He fired instantly. and tore q
gaping hole through the boys breast
Blast yo' Yauks. | done cotched yo'
at hit" shouted Tfbbetts. as he grabbed
the two other boys. hurled them backward
10 his guards, and began stamping down in
the tunnel, and destroying the shack
Take them out and put 'em in the stocks"
he ordered the guards. "I'll be out thar
d'reckly: and tend ter they 'uns. That
other feller got lst what he dcsarved. but
a leetle ahead o time"
Turning TO Shorty. he said.
"Yo' vas a-doin' what ! done tole yO',
That's all right. I'll see yo' in the morn
in"
Anything particular about the shooting
on the North Side?' Ike Decide inquired
of the partners. as they came back to their
tent. Shorty told him the story of what
had happened.
Poor devils" said Decide at the con-
clusion. But the dead ones the best off.
| 1t would've been mercy to shoot the other
two They're crazy. Every man who has
scurvy becomes more or less crazy. ANY
mans crazy that attempts TO dig tunnel
on this side of the camp. That brings
me 10 something that I've been intending
| to talk to you about as soon's You got
| into the right frame Of mind for it."
He lowered his voice TO Il whisper.
Its about tunnel. There's no Use
talking to men when they first come in
about tunnels, but think you've got down
to 'em now
We're ready for anything that you
propose" said ST.
We'll" answered Ike Decide. I've got
big interest in the best tunnel that's been
planned yet. and one that's certain to go
through. It's the only one in the whole
lot that is"
That was another popularity of the
prisoners. Every one believed in his own
tunnel, and had small faith in anybody
else's.
There's a heap of hard work about it,"
continued Ike. "and We need help from
fresh. strong men. I've been talking to
the rest of the boys about it, and we've all
agreed to take YOU iH."
rs it a big enough job for our whole
squad?' asked ST.
plenty. It's big enough for hundred
men. if we dared let so many in. Fifteen
OF lis have been working it so far, all boys
that We know and are sure of. You can
trust every one of Your squad. can't you?"
earnestly.
Very well, then. I'll take you to-
morrow"
Agreed" said ST and Shorty. shaking
hands over the compact