The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1904-11-17

1
Don't speak that way again, sir, or III
put you under arrest for disrespect Il
your commanding officer"
Then the major lay down and wen
to sleep, while Dick Brace and | talked
IL over.
Ii is Just such men as the major thai
have the luck in this world.
Next morning at dawn we were up
and looking about for something 10
shoot for breakfast, 1t was the major
who stumbled over the bird and shot
1t and at the same time he stumbled
over q trail that bore with it divers
signs which would seem TO indicate it's
use by the enemy.
There, sir" said the major, when we
were forced to halt for rest after an
hours march, there, sir, you see the
triumph Of British instinct If not intel
ligence, over cody craft You may call
it luck, sir, my stumbling on this trail,
but |, sir, call 1t superior instinct, born
Of keener intelligence"
The major had risen, as he delivered
this specimen Of his logic and his phil
osophy, and he had hardly got the
words out Of his mouth when there
was n fash and a deafenlng report
from some underground a few yards
away.
The major drew his left arm up as IL
in pain and uttered an exclamation.
The next moment he had turned and
dashed right into tie midst of the
clump where the fire came from.
might as well say at this point that
we all thought Major Barker more or
less Of born idiot in action, he was
so confoundely foolhardy' but for that
very reason there was not a man in
his command who did not feel himself
morally bound to take care Of such an
person, as he would have
Of n child
So Dick and l bounded after the
major inwardly wondering IL he was
leading MS into the arms Of the whole
forty.
But the forty, more or less, were
gone when we got to the spot; we could
hear the cracking of bushes as they
scampered off and we fired several
shots at them.
The reason that the major did not
keep on was that we heard the sounds
Of retreat going Off in so many direc-
tons that he for moment was puz-
zled MS TO which one to follow.
This gave Dick and me the desired
and We seized it.
That is, we seized the major and
him to sit down, for his left
sleeve was dyed red and his left hand |
was dripping.
"Confound you, what are you doing?"
he cried. "Eh-my wound? Hang it.
is nothing don't even feel it. Eth? |
Hands of there Forwardw
But We would not let go opr hold of |
lin.
What, sirs; you will not obey? Con-
slider yourselves under arrest, both Of |
rou, II"
He began to grow tsihe pale, prob
lbly from loss of blood, and he con-
GUIDED TO give in to Our physical per-
'uasion by sitting down.
We ripped up his sleeve and found n
gunshot wound through the muscles
lust above the elbow, and bleeding pro.
'usely.
The bleeding was the only really seri-
lus thing about the wound, and Dick
md l set to work like good fellows TO
make ligatures for the arm and bind IL
up, using the fragments Of the majors
shirt sleeves.
We Kept very silent, we were so
'usy, We were just tying our last
mot, when the major said:
"Harkw OFF,.
We listened, In moment we heard
he distant rustic Of bushes. Later
he cracking Of twig. Other similar
ounds followed at intervals, growing
little nearer each time.
They all indicated the stealthy ap-
roach Of one or more skulkers.
They're coming back" whispered
DICK "They think we've retreated,"
"ltetreated, sir" roared the major,
prlng to his feet and snatchlng the
evolver from his belt Reiterated!
II show 'emw
He was off again. The last words
we're delivered as he ran. I'+a"
We sprang after him. Luckily we
we're In single file, for two tongues of
Ire shot out from an ambush Just
head, and we heard two balls cut the
caves on either side Of our line of
Irogress.