The National tribune., 1902-04-10

Before the day began to break over
the drowned wastes beyond the Sake
hatchie, 81 had routed his squad from the
soft beds and clean. white sheets of the
comfortable rooms. He had much diff
Guilty in doing so particularly with Sandy
and Pete who were dreaming that they
were at home and that their mothers
wanted them to get up and start the hre.
They were rudely awakened TO the reali-
zation that they We're not ut home, by 81
catching them by the feet and yanking
them out upon the floor.
Poke out O. here at once, yOu snoring
little scuts, and tend to your huSses.'
he adjured them. Don't you hear Abed-
nego squealing for grub? l never did see
such a hungry brute as that is.
Poor Abetlnego." sighed Pete, rubbing
his eyes, and drawing on his clothes. Hes
as holler as a stove pipe, in spite of all
that / can stuff into him. After I'd give
him all that he could stand to- he chawed
up the blanket that ! throwed over him to
| keep him warm. lie must have tape
worm. poor fellcr."
| Everybody went out, in as ill-temper as
men can not help being at O'Clock OF
February morning and sulkily groomed
| their horses, while Kramer prepared
meager breakfast
Forever blast these campfire sHnrises,
grumbed Shorty. They make me desplSe
the army mOre'n any other one thing. III
bet a farm that when I'm mustered out
that I'll never try to be more previous
than the sun. Good manners is after him.
I'll never insult him by getting up before
he does
Its nothing when you get used to it,"
answered 81 cheerfully. He that by the
plow would thrive, must get up by five.
Same in the army"
Kramer knew too much to waste for
mality over this meal. Better than for
mality. there was plenty of good, hot
coffee, cOrnbread and fried meat, and after
filling themselves up with these, the morn
ing did not seem so chill, or the outlook
50 cheerlesS.
The first streaks of the gray dawn
showed the SaIkehatchie as wide, as tur-
bid, as impracticable as it had seemed the
night before.
THE old mud-wash don't seem to've
fallen any during the night remarked
Shorty. They've got an ocean of water
up there in the mountains, to puddle EN-
up and run 'em down into the sea"
We're going over, all the same, if it's
on the backs of alligators," returned 81
determinedy.
The morning was bitterly cold, entirely
sunless and dreary.
This is a plaguey sight worse than the
Sayanny River" 81 was forced to admit,
after careful survey of the sodden land
scape. There you could see 'tother side
of the river, and there was some really
and truly banks in sight. Now, there's no
telling where tOther side Of the river may
be-"
L. al, Il ln
of next week. remarked Shorty, vainly
trying to trace some timber-Iine indication
where the swamps ended and the solid
ground began. The ground must be
little dry, | suppose, up around Richmond,
where Grant and Lee are, but L amt bet
ting on nothing this side o there
We'll" concluded 81, with his usual
optimism, IF We don't see any way to
get through that swamp, they won't have
any idea as to where were going to come
out It's just as bothersome to them as
to us. We're not likely to meet many of
them at any place on the other side. Let's
90 up there and see how it looks"
He led his squad in a gallOp through the
fields and more open woods to II point
where the solid ground projected farthest
rs the north.
There he and Shorty climbed tall cy
presses for another and more tcomPTe-
mile to the right, TO make similar recon-
noissances, and to search for canoes and
boats.
"Confound the plaguey old muddy
freshet" he exclaimed, when they all
came together again at the foot of his
tree for consultation. There's no telling
which is river and which is swamp. There
are 50 many currents swirling around
through the woods that there's no making
l,ttt ,X-bi.h iS tho main channel how
well know when we're really across the
river"
How much difference does it make
which side of the river were on so long
as we're tangled mp in swamps up to the
necky7 inquired Shorty, GROSSLY.
We'll. at least. we'll know whether
we're getting in deeper, or going to come
out, if we keep on snapped ST. Any
how. we've got to begin somewhere. We've
lost too much time now. Barnwell lays
pretty near due north. That's that way.
We can keep our direction by noticing that
the bark Oh the north side of the trees is
much greener than on the other sides. Tie
yOur horses well. boys; leave most every
thing on your saddles; bring your axes,
and we'll start right here. 1t looks as
likely place as any"
Kramer stayed back with the horses.
Singing their guns over their shoulders
by the straps, and taking their axes in
their left hands, they began working their
way into the swamp, along the fallen tree
trunks. and Springing from hummOck to
hummock Sometimes 81 and Shorty
would cut paths through the thickets on
the hummockS Where deep, wide cur
rents ran between. they would cut down Il
young tree, over which they would coon"
Thus they worked their way perhaps a
mile into the swamp, and though they
were wet, muddy, tired, and their hands
and faces fearfuly scratched by the brush
and briarS their hopes began to rise that
they had actually gotten across the main
channel, for they had "cOOned' across
several rushing torrents which seemed as
wide as the Salkehatchie River had any
reason TO be.
They finally reached a high bank of con-
siderable extent, which was covered with
a dense jungle of brushwOod and sap
lings. from which rose many tall trees.
Il declare, Shorty" said 81, stopping to
rest and looking around. Il believe that
we've actually got across the river. and
with nothing like the trouble that I
feared"
Don't crow till you're out of the
woods" returned Shorty, though | must
admit | think so myself. or at least |
would if | hadn't been so sure it was much
farther"
Lets look around little" said 81.
That was impossible, however. The
water ran in deep current even through
the bushes at the edge of the ground.
We'll" decided 81, we've no time to
lose. Well cut path straight ahead
Thatll bring us out somewhere pretty
soon"
The brush was so thick that every step