The National tribune., 1902-08-21

| scare 'em. They're going at one another
now"
The two Iordly strutters changed their
| attitudes like flash, and darted at each
other with a swiftness utterly irrecOncil-
able with their former stateliness. The
eye could not follow the whirling maze of
| wings, claws and beaks that followed, bnt
presently Pap Thomas emerged from
the feathery kaleidoscope with some large
| feathers gone, his waffle tattered, and
| blood trickling from various places. In
stantly he resumed his swelling port, and
gObbled in the arrogance of victory, while
'Braxton Bragg" limped off behind the
Implying hens.
| The boys cooked their carbines again.
Hold on" demonstrated Shorty. Let
| Pap Thomas go, and take at least half
of the hens. He deserves that for his
bully fight. 1 wish we had him back
home, where we could keep him. Save
| the youngest of the hens for him."
81 shot '.Braxton Bragg's" head off. the
other boys brought down four or FIVE of
the hens, and the rest sailed off into the
air under the lead of the redoubtable
Pap Thomas"
"I'Il bet said 81, looking around on
| the ground, as the others gathered up
| their birds, that we're near those cattle.
Those turkeys have been coming here to
get the corn carried out to the cattle, and
the two flOcks have met
"BraXtOn Bragg made the mistake of
his life in taking his family to the same
market that Pap Thomas attended" re-
marked Shorty, looking at the slain COB
bier.
"Yes, here's quite a dribble Of corn."
shouted Sandy, pointing to trail of cObs,
more or less picked by the turkeys, and of
blades of fodder "There's cattle not far
from here, and they won't be hard to
find"
Pete and Sandy rushed off at once on
the trail, and had gone but a few hundred
yards into the swamp, when victorious
view-hallOo announced that they had dis
covered their quest. The rest hurried
over, and found pen with 10 fair-con-
ditioned cattle in it.
SHOULD guess they'll dress fully 700
pounds apiece estimated 81. cudgeling
up his stock-raising lore as he studied the
pen. Each one will run the regiment for
more'n day, or there'll be enough for
the whole brigade for several days. Drive
'em out, boys. It's getting late. they'll
travel slow, and the boys are hungry for
fresh beef"
I'm going to find out how that old fel
low made such good hide before l leave
this place. l want to get on to his scheme
for the benefit of the future" said Shorty.
He did not get his clew until he came
TO stout bed-tick lying across y log,
where it had been thrown. 1t had some
remnants of forage in it. and it became
clear that the cunning planter had avoid
ed the usual tell-tale dribbling by carry
ing all his forage out in bed-ticks. He
had been careful not to follow any of the
paths leading from his house, but had
gone down the road to point nearest
his place Of concealment and then worked
inwards over a plowed field, and through
cedar opening, never going twice over
the same route, and thus keeping from
making a trail.
Lucky there amt many as smart as
he," commented Shorty, cor Sherman's |
army would be short Of meat most of the
time
1t began raining again by the time they
struck the main road which was to take |
them back to camp. They came in rear
of the leading brigade, but couple of |
miles in front of where the 200th Ind
was eneamped, in advance of the main
body.
tall. thin man. whose form seemed
stood out in the rain, overseeing
and directing the labor of several hun
dred men who yere corduroying long
strip of road over n marsh.
Isl. l believe that's Shad Graham"
said Shorty.
1T is shad. Hello, shad Graham; how
are you?"
Hello. boys. Awfully glad to see you.
Where in the world did you come from?
Shad in hollow voice. "Gone
INTO the stock business?' he inquired. with
IN effort at his old-time jollity, motioning
.oward the cattle, which were stringing
ilong the road.
"We've been out collecting tax-in-kind.-
Shorty. "The rebel agents
haven't been attending to their business
n this locality lately. and we've taken
heir job. think we've done fairly wen
or beginners"
"Indeed, you have" answered shad.