The National tribune., 1902-09-11
emcmber how our fellows got footsors

remember how our fellows got footsors
and straggled?'
Don't L! Came mighty near getting
gobbled myself. You know I'm NOT
squeamish about shooting men when there
is good reason for it, but this looks like
4 breach of hospitality"
| It'll be Internal murder, and mustn't
be-" said 81 hotly.
BE careful, Sergeant Don't get in
subordinate said the Adjutant. Il don't
like this business, and am trying to think
| of some way to avoid it, ont of considera-
tion for you and the regiment"
Lets just go TO sleep, and give them
the tip to skin out suggested Shorty, who
had Joined in the conference.
Wouldn't do" said the Adjutant.
That would be sure to come back on the
Colonel and me. / don't care so much
about myself. I'd take my chances with
you boys. But wouldn't DO anything for
the world to get old JEFF. e. down on the
Colonel. He Is a very vindctiye man, 10
Jef. u, and never lets up. L want awful
ly to have the Colonel get his star"
Seems to me would do any thing
rather than have those boys shot," mur-
INJURED 81 miserably, taking a glance back
ward to where the prisoners sat chatting
merrily with their captors. Cant all the
blame for letting them go be put on mel
They couldn't much more than take off my
stripes"
/ The Sergeant-Major came up with a
strange young Lieutenant. "Adjutant,
we've been hunting for you. This is an
Aid on Gen. Davis's staff come to inquire
about some prisoners"
Yes, the General has heard that some
OF your men captured a Lieutenant md
seven men today, and he desires iuforma-
ton in regard to it." said the Aid i'm
portantly.
II have heard that that was So, re-
piled the Adjutant, unblushingly, hut
nothing Of the kind has yet been regularly
reported to headquarters"
Have all Of your foragers come in
yetT
Il was just inquiring around to see.
Very often the men are so xorn out that
they stop to get a cup Of coffee before re-
porting at headquarters"
Entirely wrong and should not be per
mitted," remarked the Aid, with the awful
decisiveness that characterized youthful
staff officers. You'll see that this is not
repeated.
| swered the Adjutant meekly. to get rid Of
think.
And" continued the Aid, in the same
authoritative way, you will ascertain az
once whether there has been such a cap
turs made, and report to the General, with
the names and rank Of the prisoners"
Very good. 1t shall be done"
Great snakes-alligators, boa constr1c-
ters," famed the Adjutanr, rs the A.d
walked away. Wont scorch That young
saIdine the next time bump mp against
him. I'll make him pay for my humility
now. Nothing grayels me like having to
take slack from wasp-waisted, feather.
headed Aid. Say, I've been thinking that
the Oshkosh fellows picked up some meas
ly suerrillas today, and / might 20 over
and borrow them to be shot, instead OF
these men. We could return .he favor to
the Oshkoshers some day"
Say, that's a great idee. ALI" ex-
Gained Shorty, enthusiastically. You
can tell the Oshkoshers that il they'll lend
us eight prisoners suitable for shooting
purposes, that me and 81 will give our
note of hand for 30 days to pay 'em back
with interest"
But you've got to report the names
and rank, and who they were captured
by" mterp0sed 81.
20, 81, that Sunday-school conscience
Of yours gets to be nuisance at times"
said Shorty impatiently. why didn't
you leave it on storage in Savanny with
} the rest of our things, as most of the boys
did? It's clear out Of place i'll South
Carolina"
Most any old name and rank are good
enough for man who's to be shot," re-
piled the Adjutant hopefully. ''Nobody's
going to kick on names and rank. Leave
that to me. III fix things. The Oshkosh
ers are nice. accommodating fellows, and
we've helped them ont of scrapes. They
won't mind little thing like lending us
eight rebs to be shot. There's plenty moro
to be picked up out through the coun-
try
/ AS the Adjutant hurried away 81 and
| 70 fho Will Loot
en- their faces that they could not Danish,
much as they tried to resume their former
mien and tone, suitable to a cheerful eve
ming campfire. The rebels noticed, and
supposed that they had been hauled over
the Goals by their superior officers for some
previous misdemeanor. Their own COM
rades wondered what in the world tbs
Adjutant had found to skin 81 about"
Presently the Headquarters Orderly
handed ST hasty note from the Adjutant.
Have just seen Adj't Bricker, of the
Oshkosh. Nice fellow. Willing to do any
thing to oblige. But he has only six rebs
suitable. Am going over to the Maumees,
to see il l can't get the other two"
/ 81 and Shorty read, and became more
cheerful.
In a half-hour the Orderly came up
again with another note:
"Say, boys, believe it's all right, any
way. Everybody around headquarters u
sure that it must be mistake about its
being Fourteenth Corps foragers who were
murdered on the Camp Creek road. That's
in the Twentieth Corps territory. Stand
pat. think we are all right"
| "Of course we are" said 81 and Shorty
together, in a tone Of great relief. ''ws
were the farthest to the right of anybody.
and were ordered to keep off the Camp
Greek road, as that was in the Twentieth
Corps line. If any foragers have been
murdered there it's their business, not
ours"
They resumed their share of the camp
fire talk with their former cheerfulness,
and when tattoo sounded 81 took the rebel
Lieutenant under the blanket with him,
| while Shorty made room for the Sergeant.
| CTo be continued9
OF all the Governors of States who
played such conspicuous parts during tho
war Of the rebellion but three survive,
| Cnroopo of Rhode Island. Ramsey NJ