Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-09-12

the air like a bee, and struck the tree
trunk near by.
B-z-z-z-t! Another singing through
the air, and two white streaks arose
from the ~enveloping blankets and
sought cover hurriedly. From a patch
of bushes on the edge of the cornfield
a little puff of blue smoke loated laz-
lily upward.
"Now, who on earth can that be?
Any n mean enough to fire at two
peaceful children. Are you hurt?"
asked Sergt. Bob from behind the tree,
"No, I'm not, but I'm very uncom-
Portable"
whats the matter?"
"Why, look at mel" said the other
sergeant. "Here 1 am, lying in a pud-
die of ice-water."
why don't you get out of it them"
Get out of it? These old we'll
boards won't stop a ball, and 1 have
to stay fat on the ground behind this
curb. | don't van to get shot. This
is where you tipped over that bucket
of water. / wish I had that villian!"
A shot from the thicket answered
him as he shook his fist beyond the
"olner of the well. Sergt. Bob
leaned against the tree and laughed;
then he stopped laughing and won
dered how long the unseen marksman
would keep them there, and if their
absence from camp would be noticed
at noon mess.
Every movement, it seemed. brought
a shot from the bushes. Once in a
dill A. --a- = a. 4Ls1oA -,--@l
his attention to the clothes on the
fence M shot holes in them, while
the owners howled at him from their
cover.
well, l guess / can stand it as long
as he cam" commented Bob.
Yes; you're not exposed to the
wintry blasts as l ann complained
the other sergeant.
"Wintry blasts! Why, man, the
suns burning patches on me till l
look like a tiled floor
We'll, you aren't lyinginasmalllake
of well water that is way below zero.
Part of me is frozen; when I turn
over the other part freezes, and a
crash towel is small clothing, and I'm
dirtier than when l came up here.
'Alth l 4 IN u Stb d CIdCh db iIldt
fellow
Say" began Sergeant Bob after an
other half-hour, cant you get one
of the rifles? The little snap of his
gun can't be heard at camp, but if
YOU could fire one of ours, the bang
would bring the guard up in a hurry
L can't each them from here.
Every time 1 stick my hand put that
reprohate shoots at me. Wait a min
u+e! Is your rife loaded?"
No; but the box is hanging on it
with the belt and there's twenty
rounds in it,"
The other sergeant looked around
and found a stick. Then he reached
over and poked the stick through a
crack in the boards, saving it back
and forth until he got it against one
of the rifles. The gun came rafting
to the ground, and he pulled it behind
the curb. This brought out more
shots from the man in the bushes.
as that my rifle" asked Bob.
mine, and the best one in the com.
pany. too"
"Well, you'll get your shoulder
kicked off. You've got no clothes for
padding"
This rifle don't kick. No rifle does
if you hold it right, and III make a
pad of this towel. OF course you fell
lows who shut both eyes when you
fire and hold the butt two inches from
your shoulder get kicked, and no
wonder"
"Shut sboth eyes? Who got the
sharpshooter's bar, I'd like to know?
But go ahead! Blaze away into the
hill! Noise is all we want
Bang! went the rife, and a crack
from the bushes answered it. Half a
dozen times the sergeant shot, as fast
as he could load and fire.
"That will do, I reckon" he said.
rubbing his shoulder. They'll think
there is a battle,' and the two
chuckled as they waited for re-en-
forcements and relief.
Hi, there, you men. What are
you doing here?' It was the fat lieu
tenant, coming from behind the old
log house.
"Get back. li%eutenant,' both boys
cried. you'll be shot"
There's a villain six feet tall up in
the bushes there, with a Winchester!
He's kept us here an hour" explained
Sergeant Bob.
"Hey!" and the lieutenant lodged
the log hut. From back of him
the grinning faces of half a dozen of
the guard looked out.
Wen get your man for you. We
reconnoitered. saw from where the
shots came. and I sent a squad up over
the hill. They'll come down on his
rear. But what | want to know is
what you +wo are doing outside of
Taking a bath, sir"
Taking a bath, eh?" Well, I might
overlook you coming out for such a
purpose, especially since
you've been penned up already, but
made me run up this hill in the
sun, and you ought to. be court-mar-
tailed. Hello, The other squad has
your man."
There was a commotion in the
bushes: then the corporal and the
rest of the squad appeared. The cor
.oral held in his hand a diney little
Flobert rifle. Two of the men led a
small. shock-headed, dirty-faced boy.
The lieutenant shouted with laugh
ter. There's your ~siX-footer and his
Kept you here an hour!
Oh, MY" and the rest of the guard
audihly. Sergt. Bob and the