The National tribune., 1902-01-16
CHAPTER II.
JACKS ADVENTURE.

barrel of applcjack was secreted. He
argued within himself that, by hard rid
ing, he could so TO the plantation, secure
a cInteenful OF the liquor, and, returning
overtake the wagon train before 1t would
arrive in Newbcrue. He had checked his
horse and WAS turning back with this IN
teation, when the full realization of what
he WAS about to do came over him
A moments hesitation, and he turned
his horse and followed the wagons. As he
rode along, he berated himself vigorously,
saying, nov, Jim Wright. you know very
well that if you once got a taste of that
apnIeiack YOU would be drunken than Il
billed owl before you left the plantation;
you would want to lick the whole rebel
army yourself, and would get killed or
captured-and it would serve you right;
or. if you did get back to camp AGAIN, you
would wake up in the guard-houSe with
your chevrons taken off and a court-mar-
tial ready to sit on you. Any of these
things would be bad enough, but how
much worse it would be for that good wife
of yours at home God bless her); you
promised her, honor bright, that you
would keep straight; and there's your boy;
he's Oh the road to win the shOulder-straps
that the pretty girl jOked him about; you
want to spoil all his prospects and disgrace
him, do you, Jim Wrightl You had better
go and get killed on the skirmish line, like
man, if you can't behave yourself, and
he struck his head with his hard fist, as
if he would knock some sense into 1T.
When he returned to the regiment the
next morning. he found bad news await
ing him. The negro Sam had returned to
camp in a state of great excitement. lie
reported that Jack had been captured.
The negro's story was that he had piloted
Jack to within sight of the SmOke-hOuse,
and then remained behind, waiting, while
Jack had gone ahead with an auger, in
tending to bore hole in the whisky bar
rel; a dog had given the alarm, some men
had grabbed Jack knocked him down and
captured him. The negro had waited in
the bushes until he had seen Jack marched
off under the guard of two cavalrymen in
the direction of a cavalry camp, known to
be in the vicinity of Trent. Serg't Addi-
son very plainly informed Jim of the rea-
son of Jacks absence from camp, and the
very serious consequences that might re-
suit from it.
Jim snapped his square jaws together
tightly and said: I'm going to that camp
after jack In vain the Sergeant at
tempted to reason with him. His answer
was: "Old Jim Wright can take care of
himself; he haiH't been years on the plains
for nothing
After making inquiries of the negro re-
garding the country around Trent, and the
probable location of the cavalry camp, he
rode off into the pine forest His pass as
WagoEmaster allowed him to pass the
In his saddle holsters We're a brace of
cavalry rev0lyers, and he had small bag
of oats and Il nosebag for the horse. y
the intuition Of the experienced s.
man, he rode straight through the <fne
woods, avoiding the openings. T. place
was formerly a tar-and-turpentip fianta-
tion. and the trees were all covered with
scars, the hack of the tuFpentine gather
er. All through the woods were narrow,
crooked roads, formerly used in collecting
the turpentine.
The sandy ground was covered with
pine needles, and the hoofs of his horse
made no noise. He estimated that the
cavalry camp was about 10 miles from the
Union picket line.
When he had covered about that dis
tance, he proceeded with great caution.
The pungent smell of burning pitch-pine
warned him that he was nearing the
locality that he was seeking. He made
wide detour with the object of passing en-
tirely around the camp, and approaching
it from the Trent side. Leading his horse
into a thicket, he blindfolded him. fastened
on the nOsebag filled with oats, and Sc
cured him with a nose halter. Then he
took the pistols and started in the direc-
tiou of the camp. a mile away from his
horse he found it.
The camp was located in an open clear
ing of about 40 acres. Small log huts,
rooted with pine shakes, had been built
IDI iIlt men, LiLc iDTSto were LCu 10 lDn5
poles. No particular order or military
uniformity seemed 10 be observed, and the
lack of discipline, shiftless. careless move
ments Of the men. who were l0unging
around, indicated that the troops were one
of those Inde endeut commands so com
mon in the South at that time.
Forty horses were tied TO the poles,
with only one guard over them. In the
doorway Of one log hut, over 800 yards
away. man was sitting with a carbine in
his hand, and Jim surniSed that he was
guarding Jack. He watched the doorway
intentiy for half an hour, and was re-
warded by seeing a figure in blue walk
past il; on the sleeves were the chevrons
of a Corporal.
Jim waited no longer but rs quickly as
possible made his way back to his horse,
and after a cautious cir, ut of the camp
was soon riding rapidly toward the Union .
lines. He reached the pickets at
Bachelors Greek. and, without stopping
TO answer any questions, went gallopin2
on to Ncwberne. lie rode directly to the
headquarters of Gen. Foster, on Broad
street.
Tell the General that Brigade
Wagonmaster wishes to see him on bust
ness Of importance" he said to the Or.
derly who was in waiting.
he Orderly took the message inside
and soon returned. Come in." he said.
Jim entered the front room that served
busily. The General, a gray-haired
fatherly-looking man, looked up inquiring-
ly. What DO you wish, SergeantE' he
asked pleasantly.
Jim salutcd in his best manner.
General" he said, my boy. my son
lack, went outside of the picket line at
Bachelors Greek last night, and was cap
tured by the enemy; the Tarboro Rangers
have got him in their camp near Trent"
''Ah, indeed said the General; "and
what was he doing outside Of the picket
line?"
Jim explained the situation, never
sparing himself in the least
Il see" said the General; "thc boy, in
his anxiety TO save his father from possi-
BILE disgrace, has, boy like. got himself into
scrape. How do You know that your
son is in the Rangers camp near TrentY'
I've been there; just came from there"
answered Jim.
'Nou haye" said the General in aston
ishment; 'and, sir, severely, ''who au-
thorized you to 90 outside OF the picket
linef"
Nobody, General; you can punish me;
III take my medicine like a man: only just
help me 10 get my boy Jack out of the
clutches of those Rangers"
DO yon want me to send n cavalry
force TO rescue your boy?' asked the Gen
eraI.
That's the idea. General" said Jim.
And have n dozen. perhaps 80 men,
killed or wouuded-all for one man, and