The National tribune., 1900-05-17

EALING SCALAwAGS," SHOUTED THE
HIS OLD PEPPER-BOX.
dose Of it. You're out of order and un-
parliamentary, and won't hold no more
debate with you. I must git some rest,
AS Shorty turned to go back to the raft,
Pete called down from the limbs OF the
live-oak:
SAY, Corporal, there's lot O. people
coming down the road over there. ''They re
not soldiers, but just common civilians,
riding horses and carrying gums citizen
fashion: They're the people that niger
went after"
LET 'em come" said Shorty. They're
on that side O. the crick, and wen soon be
| Come down, Pete, and git aboard"
| AS they had seen no houses on the side
Of the creek to which they were going.
they pushed off boldly, and a heavy shower
helped conceal their movements. 81 and
| Shorty used their poles skilfully, and the
| which 1t was easy to wade ashore. Gabe
| BoneSet and Hez Grubwood, of course,
went with them.
'Thank the Lord, we're away from them
| snakes" fervently calculated Monty
Scruggs, as they reached dry ground.
sI'D never dare drink drop O. liquor in
my life. for fear III see all of those horrible
yarmints. ! believe I'd almost rather go
back TO- Andersonville again than to that
| awful island"
They entered the woods and shaped
their course northward, but Shorty circled
| around SO as to come to the creek, and get
a sight as to what Cunnell VIM. Messack
and his assembling friends were doing.
| He saw the irascible planter, full Of the
importance Of his find, parading up and
down explaining it to his arriving neigh
bors, and pointing with the pepper-box
| raUol ctjll in, hia hand tn ha iclonl
and the places where he had seen the men.
One little group was apparently discussing
methods of crossing to the island, and
making the capture, while two impatient
spirits were firing their guns at the island,
with the object of making those there show
| themselves and offer to surrender.
Watching this for few minutes, with
| much amusement, Shorty turned to follow
| up his companions, but saw coming over
a knoll at some distance on the farther
side, OF the creek, horseman apparently
on his way to join Col. Messack. The
horseman suddenly stopped, as if arrested
by the sight of something on Shorty's side
of the creek, and the latter turned his eyes
| to see what the man was looking at. The
rain had temporarily ceased, and there,
the rise, through thin bit of woodland.
which allowed their figures to be outlined
against the sky, was 81 leading his squad.
The sudden cessation of the rain had caught
ST off his guard.
The horseman gave a ringing view
halloo," which reached the ears OF the
watchers of the island. They all looked
toward him, and he pointed in the direction
in which 81 and the rest had quickly dis
appeared.
The men at the island mounte, and
rode up the creek, scanning the opposite
side.
Externally blast It." said Shorty, max
ing his way back to join the squad; they We
found us, but they can't git over to u.s.
at least for awhile. They'll probably go
up the crick huntin' ford or bridge to
cross on. doubt if they find ford any
where that they dare cross, and don't
/ believe there's a bridge in this part o.
Georgy. We're safe for awhile, unless
somebody shows up on this side o the
crick."
This was what he communicated to 81
when he came up with him. They de
cided that the only thing to do was to push
on northward, keeping as well under cover
| as possible, and trust to fortune to turn up
something favorable.
They went ahead for an hour or two,
making good progress, in spite Of the rain,
| for the crest was better travelling than the
| road in such weather.
Occasionally they would get glimpse
Of the road on the opposite side, and see
| their pursuers still on it, and in increasing
numbers.
"They must be maxim for bridge some
where to git acrost," said ST, looking at them
with troubled eyes. Il wisht We knowed
! where it was. If we keep on goin' this way
we may run square into them Jest as they
come over the bridge"
"Mebbe it would be better to double on
our tracks," said Shorty, though l hate
like piSon to take step backward"
The sound of a locomotive whistle came
DULY through the rain-laden air. They
both pricked up their ears, and their eyes
met with keen glances.
Bout two miles away?" said 81.
"a little over that, II anything" re-
"The only bridge that kin cross this
floods the railroad bridge. They're pint
in for that"
"The thing to do S to let 'em go on =
"Yes, hadn't no idee O. stoppin' 'em,"
remarked Shorty, irrelevant, in spite Of his
anxiety.
'1s'hen git back acrost the crick agin, and
let them spend the rest O. the afternoon and
evenin' huntin' us on this side"
Stonishing how great men think alike"
said Shorty; though I'd probably have
put it in better language. Let's begin
maxim our way toward the crick at once.
It's nearly a mile away. By the time we
git there, and fix up another raft to cross,
them fellers IL We reached the railroad
bridge"
They worked their way very carefully
down to the creek, under the cover of the
timber and the bushes. When they got
there they were appalled, at the breadth of
the stream, and the apparent impossibility
likely materials for a raft. The proximity
to the railroad was indicated by a number
OF ties floating down, and Shorty began
trying to catch these and tie them together
with bittersweet vines for raft. Study
ing the water, ST saw that the greater part