The National tribune., 1903-11-26

coon-skin cap, lade off. Moind, Olive got
me oye on yez, and Oi'll shoot the first
man that attimpts to run. Go wan, now
LARRY was shrewd enough to keep
| them ahead of us and our own squad be-
hind us, so that no accidental word be-
| tween the two should betray us.
/ ''The Confed Provo-Guard had by this
| time got some distance ahead.
I'VE made our way down the path to
| the main road. The men turned and be-
gan to beg off.
81 say, Paddy began one coaxingly.
"'Who are We calling Paddy, ye vomit
of Ould NickT said Larry savagely. Close
that cash of yours, before Oh break it
| with me gun-barrel.'
'Serg't Patrick said the man, chang
ing his tone.
That's more loike,' growled Larry.
"Say, Sergeant, if yo' turn we-all over
to our Cunnel he'll tie we-all up by the
| thumbs Sho' he will
"'Go wan,' said Larry. 'Ye desarve it.
He may shoot some o we-uns,' plead
ed the speaker.
"'Go wan. Small loss if he does'
Say, Sergeant Patrick, yo' can't be
so hard-hearted. We-all never done yo'
| no harm
eco wan. Ye would If ye had the
| chance
odys lScdut, ~ We uohc SOl IL ntup
Of our money. Wen let yo' keep hit, an
| say nothin' about hit, il you'll jest turn
veal loose
$50 wan. Oh intind to kape it any
how, for ividince against ye.
Sergeant, I've 500 in my pocket, new
| issue, blue back, that I'll give yo, if you'll
turn we-all loose
"'Go wan. Fwhat's 500 payable six
months after tratey Of peace with the
fnI Sfnfa tOs N nnp,r, rad fhs,
performance Of me juty?'
Sergeant wealth. make up $500
amongst us, If you'll turn we-all loose
"'Go wan. Dim not foive hundred
dollar man, Old have ye know. Oi paid
more'n that for the boots Dim ridin in
There was little consultation among
the men as We marched along, and the
passing Of something from one hand to
another. We were nearing group of
camp-fres.
Sergeant said the speaker desper-
ately, 'we-all can't be showed up under
Colonel Stringfeller's nose at this hour
o night. He's drunker'n billed owl by
this time, an savager'n a wildcat, spec
tally if he's walked up. He's got grudges
agin every one O. we-all, anil be only
too glad to take 'em out Heah, we-all
We made up $1,000 in backs, new is
sue, which we-llll gin yo, if you'll let
we-all co.
I'VE had now gotten all out Of them we
could, for they had showed US the way
to their camp, and we were only too glad
to get rid OF them. for it was coming on
toward morning, and we must hurry on.
Larry, with an entire change Of tone
said, as he accepted the wad of Confed:
'Rayly, boys, OH didn't think it was
such an awful thing to be out of camp,
an playing little hand of poker, with a
n NJ thu VII cfuf
loiked to have been there mesilf, but juty
forbid. Oi had to give yez a scare, though.
TO wan into your camp, now, an sneak
into quarters, and say nothing, and Oil
kape me mouth shut. Yez is not half so
bad as Oi had to make out
I'VE hurried on, for We were still deep
In the maze of camps. Some we passed
through boldly, with the countersign. for
the sleepy guards had little interest be-
yond the formality Of challenging and re-
ceiving the word Of the night. Under
Swackhammer's guidance We slipped
around two guard posts, where there might
have been officers who We're inconyeniently
curious, and we were making rapid prog
ress, Of which we had need, for the day
was breaking, and we momentarily ex-
pected the unwelcome sound of a head
quarters bugle, starting the reveille in the
surrounding camps.
1.-The camp-tires had burned down to
smouldering heaps, but the country had
grown more open as we advanced, and
there was enough Of the fires showing to
indicate that We should have to go fully |
mile further before we got out of the d. |
vision. Still, we felt hopeful, and that in |
another half-hour we should pass the line |
Of pickets on the farther side Then we |
began to see the earlier risers-probabIy |
those who found their beds chill and un- |
comfOrtable-come out to the fires, and |
stir them up. We were ourselves dead |
tired, and stiff with the chill night air. |
but the excitement kept us up, and we
spurred ourselves to hasten forward, and |
reach the rear before daybreak.
Then We heard an Orderly y-Sergeant in |
a camp ahead of us begin to rouse his
company. 1t had probably been. ordered
for some specially early duty.
"We pushed on to get past him before
his company could form down in the road.
Then. sudden as an apparition, COM
pany came down from a side road to the
right, and tho Officer riding in front, chal-
lenged US.
81 answered Friend, with the counter
sign.' but l had lost the advantage Of