The National tribune., 1901-12-19

Noon had come; after eating l became
exceedingly sleepy; l must make some
effort to keep awake. ,
Sergeant" / said, ''if you say so, I'll
go down the gully little, and see what's
there"
"All right Jones; but don't go far"
l soon reached turn in the rayine-
turn to the right. toward our line. 1
went on; this stretch was short; the ra-
vine turned toward tho left, getting
deeper as it went; again it turned to the
| left, running for the Warwick, l sup
posed-certainly running straight toward
the rebels. | came back and reported.
WELL" says Willis, If they come on
us, Wen have to run. We must keep
two sentinels on post now.'
Thompson was posted at the bend.
1t was difficult to believe that the rcb-
els would venture up the gully; they
could not know how small was our force;
| if they should march a company up the
ravine, the company would be exposed
to capture by sudden rush of our skir-
mishers. 1t was probable, however, that
few men would try to sneak up in or
| der TO see how many we were; yet even
| this supposition was not necessary, for
the rebels were having everything their
own way, and need risk nothing. So |
decided in my own mind to be as patient
as possible until dark.
cept that an occasional WhitwOrth bullet
would come at us, fired ut such long
range that we could not hear the report; /;
| the heads of the rebels were no longer
seen. What were they planning? [ was
uneasy; | wished that we could find a
means for communicating with Our friends
! in the rear; if they would open fire again
we must rush ont. Yet after all it was
| best to be quiet until dark.
relieved Freeman at the port-hOlc;
| Holt relieved Thompson mt the bend.
Since IL o'clock Fort Willis had not fired
shot; our game had been blocked. The
notion now came to ne that if the Tcb-
els wanted us, the way 10 get us would
| be to send men up the ravinc just before
dark, and at the same time for squad
of them to steal through the woods to
our left, where they would be ready for
us when we should steal out.
Sergeant
| "WhatY"
Think we'd better get back?"
| whats the matter nowi'
Just at dark is the time for the reb-
els TO catch u.s."
Fact, by-r' says Willis.
IF you want to get out" said Free
man, the inventor, I'm here to tell you
how to do it."
Lets have it," says, Willis.
Make a big smoker
why Htu not tUOuGnt OF tHat eNbc-
dienti Between us and Holt, down at
the bend, there was brush growing on the
sides of the ravine. Our knives and the
spade were put to use: soon we had IL
big heap of green boughs and sprigs. II
| would take work to touch her off for
there was no dry wood; but we managed
by finding the remains of cartridge pa
pers and using free supply of gunpow-
| der When all was ready, Holt was re-
| called and tho match Ctrunl-
Now, men, to your port-holes!' says
| Willis. I'VE must give 'em u partin' sa-
Lutte"
The flame was long in catching Every
eye was alternately peeping to the front
and looking anXiously at the brush heap.
At last she caught, and Il thin column
| of black smoke began to ascend.
BE sharp, now! Them rebs will want
| to know what we're up to-"
y few curious heads could be seen, but
no shot was fired at us, or by us at them.
The smoke increased, but, alas. the
wind was wrong and blew it away from
the woods.
H and Tom Walker says Willis.
But Heaven-which he had not APP
pealcd t0-had decreed that Fort
Willis should be evacuated under her
own auspices. Our attention had been
so fixed upon two important specks that
the rest of the universe had become Il
trivial matter. A sudden clap of thun-
der almost overhead startled the defend
ers of the redOubt. Without our knowl-
edge a storm had rolled up from the At
lantic; the rain was beginning to fall in
big, icy-cold drops, already obscuring our
vision.
Willis was triumphant. Eve got 'em,
| Fire" shouted Willis.
! The tempest burst in fury, and the
gang marched bravely back to the skir-
mish-line, amidst a hail, not of bullets,
but of natures making.
ITO be continued)