Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-08-21

men | UHucTSlOOu WOdt N.ndfley WIS
up to. and. although was SO frighten-
ed that was afraid would drop the
gun, | covered the sergeant and my
rebel friend with It, wasn't going to
be outdone in appearance of bravery
by any five foot ex-student of theology
alive, even If he happened TO be my
particular friend. Nevertheless as
stood there with that gun I devoutly
prayed that the sumbers Of the re-
cumbent Johfinies might continue to be
very sweet
Meanwhile Branard carefully I'm.
bound the two other men of our own
party. | wondered why he didn't wake
them and tell them to loosen them
selves, but | offered no suggestions. |
don't believe | could have spoken had
| tried. With the belts taken from our
boys Brainard softly bound, or hob.
pied, the feet of the sleeping graycoats.
Then he cut the sling strap from our
captains canteen and bound their
hands also. They became somewha
FESTIVE under this operation, and the
sergeant suddenly opened his eyes.
The fire that shot from those eyes
when the sergeant saw me with his
gun at point made me tremble and
when he strained ut his bonds recall.
ed the story Of Samson.
Were awfully sorry. sergeant" said
Brainard, that it had to be done, but
duty Is duty. you know"
The sergeant was speechless. Per.
haps twas just as we'll for | learned
afterward that he was a member Of the
church. He did, however arouse mT
old acquaintance by nudging him with
his tied feet, but when that matter of
fact fellow grasped the situation he
CALCULATED, well. I'll be -"
Charley took one Of our boys and
went out of the hut. They came back
in about half an hour and said they
had the boat ready. In the interval my
old acquaintance had exclaimed about
parently after profound thought, We'll,
III be ="
finally told him hoped not and 1t
wasn't his fault we had turned the
tables on him.
Jest tell me how you done 1t all"
said he AN | won't ask no more"
1--WE didn't do it, said |. thinking to
get off n practical temperance lecture
that might be repeated after the war.
1--WE didn't do it; whisky did it," Then
| nodded suggestively toward the
guard who had wanted medicine
"Whisky" exclaimed the questoner,
with Il wide eyed look. An you didn't
offer me a toothful" Then he look.
ed reproachfully and remarked, II
wouldn't hey thought it of you"
This made me feel so bad that I
FASTENED to say:
81 didn't do it. never thought of
the whisky. Twas given to me to use
In case we got a soaking. | wouldn t
have thought of it again. | haven't
tasted whisky three times in my life"
The poor fellow looked Al me search
inSly and finally said: i've got to
b'lieve you. do blieve you. But. say.
whar was you brung up?'
Score one for the north" said I to
myself, as | shortly answered. York
state"
"Now, gentlemen" said Bralnard,
wed better move before any of your
friends drop along and upset our plans.
Two of us will first take the sergeant
and the firearms across the liver"
AS the sergeant didn't demur Brain,
ard loosened his feet and took him
down to the skitt. the other boys stag
gering under all the weapons except
the gun. which | held. IN about Is
minutes one came back with the boat.
and the remainder of us crossed, the
Decentralization being covered in the
starlight by Branard and Confeder-
ate double barrelcI gun.
Then we SAT. or stood, on that river
bank until dawn began to break, Brain.
ard having whispered 10 me that it
would not be safe to approach camp in
the dark We did not dare to make a
fire, and as we had not worn our over
coats when we started the morning be-
fore we We're chilled TO the bone sug-
gested we should try to warm our
selves with single sips of the whisky, If
any was left, but Brainard objected,
saying it was no time for experiments.
AS for the Johnnies, they dropped upon
the ground and slept as peacefully as il
nothing unusual had occurred.
At the first streak OK dawn Brainard
ordered the prisoners into the boat,
two of them in the stern and one In the
/ bow, while he sat amidships and row.
| ed, first cautioning our two boys TO
/ keep along the bank abreast of him and
fire on any prisoner who CHANGED 10
change his position. He suggested that
|, being the commander of the eXpedi-
| ton, should hurry on in advance and
/ report so that the prisoners should not
! he fired at on suspicion that they were
coming on business errand.
| acted upon his suggestion, and as l
| hurried along it occurred to me that al
though | officially was in command
Brainard had been doing all the plan
ming and work. Why hadn't instead
of he thought to get that stupid fellow
drunk and thus prepare the way for
our escape, instead of accepting our
fate and dropping unquestioningly to
sleep? Brainard's head had been alert,
mine In a daze. That was the only diff.
| ference, but it was enough TO make me
| feel uncomfortable. Still, "honor to
whom honor is due" ] would see to il
that Charley got full credit. / could be
| glad too that the man who had bppu