The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-15

Snakes. too," yelled Pete, running out
into the rain. as a dozen long reptiles.
| which the warmth had walked up. came
wrigling out from among the old roots.
SANDY, you burned little fool, hain't you
no more sense than go build fire right
in snake-nest?"
SLOW did / know there was snakes in
there? What're you all jumping on me.
for?" grumbled Sandy. 81 was doing the
to build fire. None of the rest of You
wasn't doing nothing. ! wasn't collect
ing varmints to put in your dining room"
"Of course you wasn't. Sandy" 81 con-
soled him. "You did very well. 1t was
great luck in you finding this tree We've
got to take this side show along with the
| rest. It's heap better, after all, than
sitting out in the rain"
Lucky ! hain't been drinking" laugh
ed Shorty. looking after the snakes. I'D
be sure l had 'em again."
u guess we've got all the critters
smoked out by this time" said ST. "Well
have peace, now. Let's finish our sup
per. and shake down. We must be STIR
ring early"
THE fires running up the inside of the
tree. remarked Shorty. with a glance up
ward. mo telling what'll come next
The whole Of the rest of the menagerie
may be up there"
They had scarcely lighted their pipes
and composed themselves for brief dis
cussion of the events of the day, when
with crash came big clump Of wild
honey. The silver around which it had
been built had burned away, and let it
drop. Most Of the bees had been stifed
by the smoke. but there remained few
alive, and they were very lively.
THAT must be the end of the pro-
gram" said 81. when the excitement: over
this had subsidized, and the boys were con-
soling themselves with as much of the
honey as they could rescue from the ashes
1.-THE next time we build fire in an old
sycamore Wen send Pete up the tree first
to clear out the other tenants"
"Ain't going to do nothing of the kind"
all Sandy's fanlt."
They broke off a lot Of pine branches to
lay before the fire, and keep them out of
the mud and water, went and took final
look at the horses for the night, rubbed
off their hoofs. piled all the dead wood
they could find on the fire. spread their
blankets Oh the branches. and lay down
with their feet to the IRE, and so much
der shelter. with the rest taking the pour
ing shower.
They were so very tired that they slept
through it all, and felt that Niagara pour
ing on them would have scarcely Weakened
them. 81 could rely on himself 10 wake
Mt the first peep of day-life on an In
diana farm had bred that habit in him
but the next morning the day broke with
crash that brought him instantly to his
feet, rubbing his eyes to get them open
in the shortest time, and see what had
happened. His first thought was that
Hardee had opened all his artillery and
musketry upon the Union lines, directing
most of it toward where he was sleeping.
When he got his eyes open he saw that the
fire they had built had been to much for
the old sycamore. Fortunately the wind
had changed during the night. and sent the
tree over from them. 1t had torn down q
number of others in its fall. and as 81
glanced along its PROSTATE length he could
see clear over to the rebel line of works.
and they were empty.
Not man was standing or stirring
anywhere in sight. This was more start
ling than the fall of the tree. and he in
stantly called Shorty's attention to it.
Hardee had taken advantage of the |
dense darkness and the rain to march off |
with his whole army. That night march |
must have been as bad on his army as the |
battle of the day. but ne had once more |
eluded Sherman, and was pressing on
ward, Sherman thought, to cover Raj |
eigh-really to join Joe Johnston. For
once, SHERMAN was deceived. A much /
more astute leader than Beauregard was
now in command. Sherman could not /
hoodwink Joe Johnston as he had been
doing his predecessors.
The retreat of the enemy, after the !
stubborn. fighting exhibited the day be- /
fore. was an intense surprise to the army
..irding itself up for renewal of the bat
tie. ST and his companions at once threw
their wet saddles on their horSes and
without waiting for breo kfa ST mountad
and rode across the creek to the rebe,
works. They found nobody there hut
the sick and wounded in forlorn log