The National tribune., 1902-04-10

| come heah ebbery Summer wen 1 wu2
younger an spry enough to keep out oh
de way OBJ de gators. But as de ole mans
jints began t stiffen, de gators seemed
L be gittin' de start OBJ him, an | 'cluded
| t let younger niggers do de fishin; but
I've done cotch in dar"-
Hold on, Uncle. No time for fish sto-
ries. How are we going TO get across
| There goes another gun
I'VE might cut that tree down." sug-
gested Shorty, looking at tall cypress
that stood convenient.
It'd take us q full half-hour.' respond
ed 81, with an estimating glance, ''and
we need the half-hour for something else,
from the way them guns are going. But
there don't seem no other way
Shorty, Abe, Tom and Harry sprang
at the tree, and Shorty sank his axe into
it with ringing blow. The others fol-
lowed with an attack on both sides.
Pete climbed a sapling, as usual, for OBJ
there's rebels over there about n quarter
of mile. They're coming this way, l
see the bushes shaking"
Hits only 4 short hOiler ober dar t
de big road to Barnwell Coaht-House," !"
said Uncle Julius. in response to Sis look
of inquiry. Il 'spect de Confedrit soljers
is ober dar somewhar nigh"
Stop chopping, Shorty" said Si.
They're probably pointing for that. Have
you any idea how many there are, Petef"
Cant see none, but from the way the
bushes is shaking, there appears to be
about 4 company
"Dey's got to cross two cricks afo' dey
gifts ober dar,' said Uncle julius, after a
moments reflection. wide cricks, too
You kin skeet back long afo' dey gifts
heah."
But we don't want to skeet back, I'm
cle," said 81; I'VE want to get over at
'em quick as possible"
We'll, you Yankees is de queerest folks
| ebber seed in all my born days. l was
t'inkin' oh an ole dug-Out l useter had
round here an KEEP hid in de bushes. 1
done made hit myself wen l was ceahtin'
Dalrymple's Sal. Done hewed hit out
OBJ poplar log, an pulled hit up in de-
bush wen l come back from crossin' de
ribber. Lord, l amt seed dat dug-out dis
10 year."
the brush with his cane while 81 and the
rest, gun in hand, waited Pete's further
report of the progress of their enemies.
They've found a log across the farther
crick," Pete called down. They're
stringing across it, coming this way. They
seem to know we're here, and are coming
to stop us
''Bress my soulw exclaimed Uncle Jul
ius, IF heah amt dat eye-dentical dug
out, jes' whar | done lef' hit de year
OBJ de las big flood. 81 gave a quick
glance, and then he and Monty Scruggs
sprang at the canoe and pulled il out of
the eutanglinS brush and briars. In spite
of its 10 years, it had rotted but little, for
Uncle Julius had covered it with a thatch
of cypress needles. 1t would bear up two,
three, yes, even four men in n pinch. The
pitch-pine paddle Uncle Julius had made
to guide it was still strong and sound.
81 and Monty hurriedly scraped the
dead leaves off and sounded the canoe all
over with the paddle.
Its all right" said 81, exultantly.
Il 'clar to goodness" babbled the old ne
gro. Find dat ole dug-out agin. jes as
good as new. Dat wonderful. De las
time | rid in hit, wuz wild Dalrymple's Sal.
Po' gal, she dead an gone. secdin' time
Il year ago. Nebber had { go 'crost de
ribber agin 70 a gal, but didn't know but
l mout, TO dar wuz udder likely gals on de
Dalrymple place, so | done hid hit away
keerful. and
"Uncle," 81 interrupted (which way
did you take to go to the Dalrymple
place."
Right down dar. dat-a-way,", answered
the negro. pointing to the right. Dat take
you right past de cricks, cfar to de big
road. Keep close to dem breshes. an no.
body kin see you till you come to de big
road"
"As thought said Si ioyfully. well
get in the rear of those fellers. Go ahead
chopping, Shorty. That'u toll 'em on"
Shorty and Tom resumed their work,
while 81, taking Monty, Harry, and Gid
in with him, padded rapidly but noiseless-
ly under cover of the brushwood, until
they reached the main road, quarter of
a mile away. The rebels had crossed on