The National tribune., 1901-05-30


he almost 10 miles up the road" he re-
/ marked to Shorty. It'll take them the
/ best part of an hour to reach here. By
/ that time. if we attend strictly to our
/ knitting. we ought to clean up these fell
! lers. and burn their train"
! The signs are favorable for somebody
being licked inside the next II minutes
said Shorty, catching sight of the sta. I'd
/ locomotive through a rift in the trees,
/ and raising his hand to halt the boys be-
/ hind. If those fellers are not all asleep
/ the curtain'll raise right off"
Yankees, Yankees! Fall in. menu
shouted a commanding voice in the woods
/ in front of them, and a sputter of firing
/ followed. as the train guards gathered
/ about their officer, and he indicated the
/ direction of the enemy.
The curtain has raised" remarked ST,
/ Jump down, boys, tie your horses, and
! form a SkirmiSh line along there. Be
( spry, now"
/ The injunction to celebrity was needless
/ Every boy in that squad had long since
passed the point where any suggestion or
| urging was necessary when fight opened.
| Every body knew precisely what should
| be done, and proceeded to do it with the
swiftnesS gained by long practice.
Led by ri and Shorty, they pushed
| briskly into the woods, firing at every
| glimpse of the enemy, who made a noisy
return, but continued to fall back before
| them. 81 was anxious, and pressed for
! ward as fast as he could prudently, for
he hardly knew as yet what he had to
| encounter. But the audacity of his attack
| told. and presently he came to the edge
| of the woods, and saw the rebels flying
across the open space in front, and taking
refuge behind the motionless train.
The place where the engine had be-
come disabled was the top of high grade,
just before beginning the descent to the
| creek beyond. For 100 yards or more on
| either side of the track the ground had
been dug away to make the fills in the hoI-
low behind and the approach to the creek
| in front.
The woods through which 81 had driven
the rebels came up to this clear space.
| The rebels soon found that they did not
| get sufficient shelter behind the cars from
the Yankees in the woods, and ran across
the open space to the high bank covered
with woods on the opposite side.
This worried 81. He watched them as
| they ran across, and saw that, if any
thing, they had more men than he, and
that dash across at them behind their
shelter would be doubtless of success.
| 1t was very necessary to do something
at once, for he had heard the locomotive
whistle again, and this time it was unmis-
| taxable. The rebels heard it, too and
sent up a cheer from their covert in the
woods.
The rebels were sharpshoOting to pre-
vent any approach to the train, and as
they could see under the cars, they made
it very risky for any one to try to cross
the open space from Sis position.
Shorty, we must get to the train at
once and set it afire, though I'm dubious
about it's burning, it's so wet. But I'm
going to make a break for that cabOOSe
and start the fire there. You cover me-
I'll try to keep in line with the wheels,
SOS they can't shoot me under the cars"
III go with you" said Shorty. Let
Harry, Monty Grimshaw, and Radbone
work up there to the left, as far as pos
sible, and begin banging away from there,
as if We had some designs on the locomo-
tive. Then me and you will rush for the
cabOOSe."
This was done, and as soon as rapid
firing broke out on the extreme left 81 and
Shorty made rush for the caboose.
When they got inside they were aston
ished to see Foster Walsh climb up after
them.
THE Lord moved me to go with you,
and L think can help" he said.
81 and Shorty Immediately began jerk
ing down the hunks, and piling them with
the furniture in the center, where ST
started fire with some splinters. Foster
Walsh noticed large demiiohn in one
corner, and his temperance instincts made
him at once spring at it, to break it. He
caught an odor from it as he dragged it
q voice of eXultatiOn,
ITS full of camphene."
Throw it on here" said 81.
No; l can do better with it." answered
Foster, jumping out of the car. Hand
it to me-"
Divining something of his daring in
tention, Shorty handed him the demijohn
and jumped to the ground where he was.
They ran along the train until they came
to the center, where the carefully-locked
ammunition cars were. Foster caught
hold of the iron ladder at one end to
climb up.
Here, Foster" called Shorty, 81 in.
me-"
The Lord calls on me to go up" said
Foster calmly, ascending to the top.
Hand me that demijohn."
Shorty passed it up to him, and though
he had attracted the attention of the
around him. he walked to the middle OF
the car, and dashed the demijohn to
pieces on the roof.
''You sons of Belial," he said turning
toward the rebels, and shaking his fist.
as he pulled out a matchbox, prepare
to meet your DOOM
He scratched the match on the boy
and threw it and the box into tn.
camphene, from which shot up a sheet of
flame. He sprang to the ground and he
and Shorty ran for the cover of the bank.
As they We're clambering up they saw
Grimshaw and Radbone doing the same
little further to their right. They had
made a rush for the engine. and while
RadbOne was gathering up the rags and
pouring oil upon them, Grimshaw had
seized the Sledge and knocked hole
through the side of the car next to he
tender. Radbone threw the blazing rags
through this, and then they ran for their
lives.
The steep bank was slippery from the
showers, and they had scarcely gotten
over behind it, when the explosion of the
car upon which Foster had poured this
camphene came with such terrific force as
to knock them down. Iron and splinters
rained all around, and they sprang up TO
see the fire spreading to the other cars.
Everybody ran to his horse, united him,
and rode back farther The locomotive
whistle was heard sharp and near, and
riding around to the left they came out
upon knoll where they could see the
relief train stopped on the other side of
the creek. with the soldiers pouring out
of the cars.
They rode down to where they would
be in plain sight of the foied rebels, took
off their hats. and gave three cheers for
the Union, three for Uncle Billy Sher-
man, three for Abe Lincoln, and tiger
on general principles. They then rode off
in triumph.
Halfway back to the stockade they met
l..