The National tribune., 1902-03-27

oners lie down behind log at the side
/ of n ford. while he joined with Shorty,
| Tom, Abe, Pete and Sandy in fire which
| drove the rebels back again.
In the midst of this. Otterbein Kramer
darted out from behind clay knob. where
| he had taken shelter. and picked up ono
| after another, Harry, Monty, ALI and Gid
and carried them back to his refuge, where
I he worked over the first two, to restore
/ them TO consciousness.
| Away across the creek, a mile to the
I right, 81 saw approaching a full company
| of rebels, who were fastening to respond
to the alarm given by their pickets and
/ resist the crossing.
| The ground just across the ford. where
| the pickets stood, rose in a natural bank
/ which, with the logs lying on il, would
( make an excellent position to hold against
numbers.
! IL the coming rebels should gain it first
they would drive him far back, and would
/ be exceedingly difficult TO diSOdge. He
became very eager to get over at once
Are there any more tOrpedoes in there?
Speak quick" he said to the prisoners
| bringing down his gun over them.
! Ihars one more-nigh t'Other side"
answered Green Wamus, shying from tho
/ pointed muzzle.
| Wade across there at once. and pull it
out commanded 81, cooking his gun.
There is never any debate allowable
when the previous question is ordered with
a cooked gun within a few feet of ones
| head, and Green Wamus and FlybIow,
I shivering with fear. arose and waded into
I the water. II they had not had all the
scare their minds could hold their fright
would have been increased by the shots
| that the pickets sent at them from long
range This did not, however, rob them
of all their cunning. They circled around
| to the right little, as if to avoid coming
/ directly upon the torpedoes, and came to
log where the water was up to their
/ waists.
/ Then, like flash, they suddenly dropped
! to a sitting position, and ducked their
! heads below the water, to avoid the shot
/ they expected from Sis gun.
81 did not fire, and up popped their
heads again, streaming with water.
| Get up at once, and pull that torpedo
out, or I'll blow your dumbed heads OF
| both of you" shouted 81.
Down went their heads again.
For moment 81 was nOn-pluSSed, and
the rest stood in amazement. The mo-
ment was very critical, because the rebel
company was now coming at a dead run.
Otterbein Kramer saw the crisis
God calls me- he exclaimed, spring
ing to his feet. Il may never serve Him
better than, at this moment"
He rushed into the water, straight at
the sapling which remained to bar the
crossing, fnd without moments heSita-
tiOn for selection, seized that portion Of
the top nearest with a strong grasp.
Another fearful explosion followed, the
tree was torn 20 pieces, and Kramer hid
den by the cascade of mud, water and
limbs.
81 dashed through, gained the opposite
bank, rushed up to the logs, and lay down
behind them, and fired a shot with good
aim into the midst of the on-rushing reb-
els.
Shorty, Tom, Abe, Sandy, Pete, AIf and
Gid were with him the next minute, and
fired with cOolness and precision.
The rebels halted and began to fall back.
After they had disappeared, 81 and
Shorty looked around for their men.
Green Wamus and Flyblow Jones were
gone. Otterbein Kramer, wet and bleed
ing, had crawled out on the bank, and
was lying there exhausted with his ef-
forts, hurts and excitement.
You're all right now, Kramer" said
81, kindly. You're one Of us now. Are
you hurt badly?"
Praise the Lord; He has girded me
with strength unto the battle. He has
subdued under me those that rose up
against me-" murmured Kramer Have
they fed away?"
ITO be continued)