The National tribune., 1902-03-27

| aside if they haint got them stakeG
down." said Shorty, dismounting, and go
| ing forward to a point where he thought
| he could get good shot at the men or
the other side. "Tain't anywhere near SC
| bad as that cypress tree was, even if the
| brush is under water. Wen just run then
fellers back, and then Wen roll the trees
out without any trouble except that of get
ting wet
1T looks little too easy" remarked
| 81; I'm a little jubous about it. They
hain't bin preparing picnics for us, any
| where "
20, them fellers last night was in toe
much Of hurry to get away to do much
real Obstructing. They had other things
in their minds, and wanting something to
eat was one of them. A man run off from
| his dinner amt in much humor for any
thing but another issue of grub"
Il heard axes going, when | walked
up during the night" persisted 81.
NO need to worry" assured Shorty;
that stuff is only what those fellers whc
ran away last evening chucked in in a
hurry, and We can pull it out as easy as
they throwed it in
A minute later he fired, and as he re-
loaded remarked:
There, l think I laid that in so close
to the Johnny that he'll take it as an in
yitation to the other side of the next creek.
yards, they'll think it tempting Providence
to wait till we get within half that dis
tance"
The rebels returned the fire, but with
out much animation or accuracy, and Har-
ry, Monty, Gid, Alf, Pete and Sandy,
jumping to the ground, began skirmish-
ing forward, while 81 remained with the
rest on the bluff studying the country be-
yond. There was something that dis
turbed him, but he could not tell what.
He thought probably that it was appre-
hension that large number of men might
be concealed somewhere.
Shorty got interested in the skirmish-
ing, and slipped forward to join the boys.
He was followed by Tom Radbone and
Abe Grimstead, leaving 81 with the pris-
Oners. ST turned and looked at them.
They were staring down at the ford, with
their dull eyes opened to their widest, and
look of intense expectancy on their sal
low faces.
Say, you fellers, what's down there, or
over there?' 81 asked sharply.
What's down thar, or over tharT
drawled Green Wamus, indifferently
How should we'uns know? Amt nothin
that we'uns knows on
You're a-lying, you scOundrel,' said 81,
lingering his gunlock ominOusly. ''Tell me
the truth at once"
Thar amt nothin', that knows on
began Green Wamus, but the terrified
Flyblow broke in:
Yes thar is. Thar's -
'Thar's q hull passel o torpedoes in
that thar brush," interjected Green Wa
mus, anxious, since the truth must come
out, that he should have the credit of re-
vealiIg it, even at that late moment
"Thar's whar we'uns was At work last
eyenin'."
..Torpedoes in the brush?'' echoed 81.
Nh1.~ L..
Thar whar they is, all the same
Thrilled with anxiety, 81 put the pris-
oners in front of him, and rushed down
the hill, toward where the boys were gath
ering under Shorty's lead for a dash at
the distractions in the ford. The firing
on the opposite side had almost ceased.
Harry and Monty had cut across and
gotten ahead of Shorty. They dashed into
the ford, seized one OF the saplngs, and
gave it violent jerk out OF the way. A
loud explosion followed, pieces of the tor
pedo shrieked back over Sis head, cas-
cade of water mingled with limbs OF trees
and mud rose in the air, and the boys dis
appeared. For an instant Alf and Gid,
who were next, recoilsd from the pertur-
baton, but the next they jumped into the
water to rescue their comrades. Tbss
groped around and pulled at another tree
when second explosion followed, in
which they also disappeared in a geyser
of water, mud and branches.
Shorty leaped in and dragged out Harry
and Monty, who were stunned, bleeding
and insensible, and ALI and Gid regained
the shore in almost as bad condition.
The rebels reappeared on the bank be-
yond, and opened fire. 81 made his pris-