The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-15

dragged and flung him to the place.
Don't cheep. if you think your life'5
Norrh as much as Il bind hItten >. Pete
and Sandy, put on your bayOnets, and
stay and guard EN-, and hold horses. Sock
the bayonets through EN- if they SO much
rs whisper. The rest of YOU jump off
and foller me- Go ahead, boy.
Silently as panthers they threaded the
path toward the fire, which they pres
entity began to see. 81 and Shorty put
on their bayonets rs they walked. for they
had no desire Tor any more noise than
was absolutely necessary, and it looked
rs II there was going to be chance for
close, quick work.
The Captain was standing with his left
side toward them, gazing with intense
rage and perplexity upon Uncle Ephraim,
sitting by the ire, moaning from the pain
of the cruel cords.
Dunn the thIck-headed, mulish mig
GER the Captain muttered half to him
self; Il never seed one 50 stubborn afore.
II L kin only make him tell, hit II save
me world of trouble, an I'll have some
thIns: to report to the fort. He's got to-
tell. Blobbs, 20 out thar an cut me some
stout withes. Two more of you trice him
up to thai dead tree thar Look hyah.
boy; I'm gwine to lick you till you tell
whar them Yankees Is, il | have to take
every mite o your black hide Off from
your head to your heels. Better tell now,
an save yourself, fer you've done got to
tell"
Il reckon I've done talked enough"
monned Uncle Ephraim, through his set
lips.
You low-down heIl-hound, defend your
self, Missed Shorty, springing pass 81
with leveled bayonet- The Captain
whirled and snatched his revolver from its
holster. Shorty waited till he started TO
raise il. and then sunk his bayonet in
his branSt ii haVnnatn1 in, no
of the men who had started TO trice up
Uncle Ephraim, and Tom RadbOne, Abe
Grimstedd, Harry and Monty quickly
feled the rest with their gun-barrels. IL
was all over in an instant, and only the
man who went to cut withes escaped 81
cut Uncle Ephraim's cords and helped
him on his horse.
Jce-whiz.'' exclaimed the delighted
Patsy the kinch. chin bout yer light
min transformations, that wuz one. Beat
anything | ever see i'll lie Bo>rery reater,
a full mile an n half. ice, Didn't ole
Bill Ward ketch it good an hardi He's
Jest bin itchin for something like that all
his life, blast him. Jee. dat was de sud-
denest ting dat ever was. Zip zip, zipi
An 1t WIZ all over. Holy Jee, COrprIl,
If de Bowery boys only knOwed you dey'd
love you to death, so they've would. Kirby
he amt nowhere to you've. He useter
wrap hisself up n Merikin flag, fire off
a hOss-pistol, an die like son-of-a-gun,
an, set de boys wild, but he jest amt in
1t longsIde o you've, so he amt"
They hurried back to the road and
mounted their horses.
Let them fellers go, Sandy and Pete"
ordered 81. They can't get back to the
fort il time to give any news. just let
'em CO."
'.Jee-whizz. why don't you stick 'em.
too?" exclaimed Patsy the Kinch, in as
constituent. They've jest as bad as the
rest
No; don't do anything to 'em. Let 'em
go" reiterated ST. How about the road
ahead boy?'
Roads all clear way up to de pick
els, an | knows way to git round dem.
Me an Docsy useter go dat way, when
we Sneilked up to Sayanny to see me
mudder"
They galloped ahead until the first
streaks of dawn were coming up out
of the sea, and then, warned by Patsy,
turned to the left, to avoid the rebel pick
cts.
1t was scarcely daylight when they
reached the Union pickets, and Sis ears
We're delighted by deep-toned, unmis-
taxable Union challenge.
HALT Who goes there?'
Great Jehosephat," murmured Shorty,
how good it sounds to hear a man pro-
nounce there properly"
oSoulo-ootA FOiuu-
teers, without the countersign," replied
81, promptly dismounting, and advancing
alone, with his hands above his head.
They only stopped on the picket-line
long enough to get directions as to their
corps, division and brigade from the Of
fcer of the Piekets, and then pressed Gag
erly forward
Reveille was now sounding everywhere,
and they recognized their own sweet-toned
bugle and rode straight for it.
The Adjutant had come out of his tent
to wash up for breakfast, when 81, lead
ing a string of unutterably weary men
and horses, rode up, dismounted and form
ally reported:
Sir, | have the honor to report that
we have reached the ships. informed them
as to the army's presence, and brought
this letter, from the Captain of the
United States steamer Flag"
Entirely regardless of the strict mill
tary etiquet which was supposed to reign
always IL the camp of the 200th Ind,
the Adjutant gave triumphant yell,
which interrupted the Orderlies' roIl-call
of the companies and brought everybody
toward his tent.
Bless you, my sons" he said to 81 and
Shorty, as he took the envelope; you
bring teaIs Of joy and pride to your happy
fathers eyes Che Adjutant was probably
year or two older than Si). Let me get
this to the Old Man. He's liable to spoil
your shirt-bosoms by weeping his over
flowing happiness on your manly breasts"
CfO be cOntinued.)