The National tribune., 1901-07-25
Presently another Boom rolled ont.

Presently another boom rolled out.
That's certainly a bigger gun than any
o them around Savanny," commented 81
hopefully. And it's got different beller
to il. IL it is a signal gun we can tell
by it's being fired regularly l wish | had
counted between them. Didn't think OF it,
though. Forward, trot"
They struck 4 road which had evidently
been considerably Travelled.
We're coming TO somewhere" 81
warned the rest. Probably this is the
road that leads to the fort"
Yes. dat goes to de fort" said Uncle
Ephraim. See dose ole cartridge papers
dat dey've frowed away, layin' darE'
That's So Boys, close up, get your
guns ready, and keep your eyes peeled
No talking now. We may bump into a
crowd from the fort any minute"
They entered the dense woods bordering
the Caaechee, and rode through them fer
some minutes, when another gun doomed
out.
Signal guns, sure as you're a foot
high. jubilantly exclaimed ST. We've
gone just about as far between each one.
They wouldn't fire that slowly and regu-
iarly IN any sort of fight, and the gun
gets bigger and sounds more different the
closer we get to it."
They caught n glimpse of the broad
river occasionally through intervals in the
trees, and knew that it was really the
river, because IT had a well-defined course,
and occasionally the banks rose into low
bluffs
Suddenly, from one of these bluffs n
clear space opened out before them for
more than mile. They quickly pulled
back into the cover Of the trees and be-
gan careful reconnaissance. The space
in front had been cleared to give range
for the guns of the fort The great live
oaks had been cut down and converted
INTO a mass of impenetrable abatis,
cheyaux-de-friSe, and other cunning entan-
Clements. Beyond, where the river wild
ened out into the sea, rose the high mud
walls of large and powerful fort, with
the rebel flag floating from a tall staff in
the center. Not even around Nashville
Chattanooga or Atlanta had they seen
quite so Misunderstanding a fortifcatien.
Swamps and bitches helped out the fearful
abatis, its high banks were held in place
by log revetments, and a stockade of
Sharp-pointed stakes surrounded the whole
like porcupine quills.
A crowd Of men were busy adding TO
the ENHANCEMENT
Glad we haint lost any fort today"
Shorty remarked, with a shudder. But
there's big job for somebody"
Their eyes Travelled on over the fort
10 the expanse Of water beyond that
stretched to the horizon.
that's the sea, all right" remarked
81 with satisfaction. Yet it was the first
time his eyes had ever rested on salt
water.
Yes, and sure's there's God in
heaven, there's one Of our vessels" said
Shorty excitedly, as a sullen, dark mass.
with smoke pouring from her chimneys
and the Star Spangled Banner 6oatinr
from her masthead, swept into view. She
was too far away to distinguish anything
on ner decks, or more than that her flag
had stripes running up to a blue field
cheese that, boys" said 81, sternly,
FOR ne instictiyely felt their wild impulse
TO cneer: Keep awful quiet We
mustn't let 'em know we're here"
The vessel circled around toward the
fort, and then there shot out from her side
an angry torrent of fire, and a great cloud
OF white smoke, while earth and water
shook with the thunder. The eager boys
distinctly saw the huge shell curve I'D in
TO the air, and sail with slow maiesty
over toward the fort, making a fierce
dronlng IN its passage through the air.
Splendid line-shot for the flagstaff"
CALCULATED Shorty.
And good guess as to distance
added 81, as the shell fell behind the ram
parts OF the fort and threw up a volcano
OF DIRT and timbers when it exploded.
Shorty sprang at Pete, and clapped his
hand over that excitable youngsters
mouth.
IF she does that again, I'll Just bust.
II can't holler," complained Pete, when
Shorty took his hand away.
She aint wasting no time, while she's
signaling u.s." remarked ST. She's kill
ing two birds, and several rebels with
every signal. Good for her. Now the
thing to do is to get aboard of her I
want to shake hands with the man that's
running her. Wen strike off that way
for the coast down there, and try to hail
her as she comes around again MountI
Head of column to the right Forward
March,!
(To be continued.)