The National tribune., 1900-11-08

".
direct them to fall their men in and march
them to the place in an orderly manner,
But sit down here. Lieutenant and assist
me in preparing regular orders for gov.
ernment of the vessel during our expedt
| tiOn."
After dinner 81 improved the time h,
getting his men together and beginning tn,
arduous work of licking them into shap,
for the regiment. 1t was his first oppor
tunfty. With his own squad acting al
non-commissiOned officers he began teach
| ing them how to stand, to face and I,
move. Then he found out through Jak,
Dye that there were 100 stands of musk
cts on the boat, which had been turned il
on some previous trip, and remained un
called-for. He got these out and issue,
them, dividing the men up into squads
under Monty, Gid, Harry, Sandy, All
Russell, Pete, and some veterans return
| ing from furlough, who industriousl,
taught them the manual of arms: to all o.
which the recruits took readily. feelinl
that they were going directly into tn,
presence of the enemy, where this would
be of the highest Importance.
The Colonel found such world of i'm,
i portant detail that he wanted to incorpor.
ate into his perfect system that he kept
Shad with him all afternoon and far into
the night celebrating his orders. Shad on.
| ly got occasional opportunities to get out
and mlngle with the boys when he was ar.
ranging the momentous matters of the
messes. The Colonel dined by himself in
solemn state, in full uniform, in the ladies'
cabin, at 6 p. M, with Shorty standing
stitfiy at attention in absolute neatness OF
| uniform, clean-shaved, white collar and
gloves, and shoes carefully shined.
Maj. Crewet, who remained most of the
| time sulking in his room, dined with Shad
Graham in the middle cabin, at 3 p. m,
while 81, Jake Dye and Shorty had their
dinner at / o'clock in the forward cabin.
I'm glad | aint no higher in rank"
remarked Shorty, for l oclock's Just the
very last minute l can wait for my din
ner. / suppose that when the Coloners Il
Major General he won't dine until next
day"
The Colonel was still working on his
| orders when they reached Paducah the
next afternoon, and taking on another pi-
lot. turned up into the winding Tennessee.
Boys" said Shad to 81 and Jake Dye,
after he had carried out the Colonel's or
| ders TO constitute two companies, NOW
that we are in the Tennessee we're liable
| to have a little hullabaloo any minute.
Better issue about 10 rounds to each man.
and have them ready to use. Keep your
men out of sight as much as possible, for
| want to work a little twist on these
guerrillas. They're signaling this boat al
ready, and sending messengers across
these big bends ahead Of US. Don't show
any more men than you can help, and none
of them with muskets. Let's make them
believe that this is just common trans
port without a guard"
By the next morning they were some
distance up the Tennessee, and Shad Gra-
ham took his position on the front Of the
hurricane deck, and was scanning the
south bank of the river attentively. He
had caught occasional glimpses of gallop-
ing horsemen who seemed to be carrying
messages. The Colonel was seeking re-
Taxation from his arduous intellectual la
Dor on his orders, by a vigorous constitu-
tional up and down the starboard side Of
the deck. The Major was doing the same
on the larboard side. 81 and Jake Dye
had their men crouching behind the tim
bers and frames piled up amidships, and
Harry Joslyn was lounging around the
capstan on the forecastle, ready to COM
munlcate any orders to them from Shad.
Shorty" said Shad loud enough for
the pilot to hear, get your gun, and
stand there, where you can keep your eye
on that pilot. Shoot him at once IL you
catch him making anything like a signal
to anybody ashore. Shoot him il he don't
obey my orders"
'All right, SIR said Shorty with alac-
rity, picking up his gun, which he had
slowed handy.
What order is that you are giving,
LieutenantP said the Colonel, stopping
his walk, pricking up his ears, and COM
ing over toward Shad.
Merely some precautionary directions"
Shad started to say, but he was inter-
rupted by a shot from the bank, and Q
bullet whistled so close to the Colonels
head that it seemed to brush his hair.
Some FOOLS fired too soon," muttered
Shad.
Il declare, believe that fellow actual
ly fired at me-" calculated the Colonel,
with an air as if distinction had been
done him.
He certainly did, Colonel" answered
Shad, "and came mighty near hitting you,
too"
The Coloners face flushed with pleas
ure. Here was an adventure. He was
actually under fire, and had narrowly es-
capped. He inflated his chest and assumed
Napoleonic attitude on the farthest point
of the hurricane deck, as if challenging
another shot. Not to be outdone, the
Major came up on the other side of the
deck, folded his arms and stood sternly
gazing out upon the bank.
Harry" said Shad quietly, "tell 81
and Jake to load and be ready"
Lieutenant" admonished the Colonel,
"be more military. That is not the prop
er way to give orders. Never call any
body by his first name"
The boat had turned high, sharp
point, and was running into the deep wa
ter, close to shore, by curving bluff,
with a little shelf of level ground at its
foot.
'Come to, thereI Come to, or we'll
blow you out of the water" came in a
loud voice from the woods, and they saw
just ahead of them shining brass can
non, with the cannOneers standing about,
and near them a company of dismounted
horsemen with guns leveled.
pilot, put her nose square into the
bank there, just below that cannon" COM
manded Shad. Harry, tell 81 and Jake
to make the rush the second the boats
nose strikes. Pilot, keep the engines go
ing, and let the current swing her side
against the bank"
And be damned sure you d." added
Shorty, cooking his gun and covering the
pilot.
The instant the boats PROV Jared
against the bank there was a mighty rush,
81 leading, which went over the boats
quarter and up the bank so tumultuously
that the astounded rebels could only fire a
nervous volley, and rush for their horses.
The cannon did not go off at all. 1t was
an abandoned one, which the guerrillaS
had picked up and used for ''demonstra-
tion."
Gaining the top of the bluff the boys
poured a volley after the flying rebels
which killed three, wounded a numbef
more, and brought down several horses.
"Very well done, Lieutenant" exclaim-
IL Il h. -wNNI