The Southern herald., 1912-10-11
CHAPTER Ix.-eontlnusa.

s-ocs joins the minute men.
CHAPTER N.-contlnued.
who are those fellows back
thsref" ! questioned at last. made
nervous by the silence.
The boys In the gulch. Jersey
nfitiamen,~ be explained shortly.
you see there's some of US that
can't get away all the time. because
q the women and children, and the
farm work. Besides. regular soldier
lng don't Just appeal to our sort. So
We do our fighting round home in our
ewn way. However. the most Of US
manage to have a hand in the real
thing once in a while even at that
We we're over at Germantown. and
down at Brsndywine. Farrells got a
commission, but the rest Of us are
taking our chances. It's neighbor
against neighbor Whatever we've
not left has been held at the point Of
he rife. We're doing our share in
hls war, an Washington knows It..
Over there to the east Red Fagin,
Old Man Kelly, an their gangs Of Pine
Robbers are making the fields red /;
sometimes they get down this far
TAiding the farms, but mostly. we're
fighting foragers out Of Philadelphia,
and they're not much better. Half the
houses in this country have been
burned, and mercy isn't very common
on either side, Those lads yonder are
not pretty soldiers to look at. but
they're wolves to fight, and hungry
for it."
"They are called on whenever Far
rel wishes?"
well, yes; those come who can.
They're not always the same bunch.
You see Farrell covers quite a bit Of
country, with lieutenant In each sec
tlon who Is In touch with the neigh
bon there. | belong in Camden, and
don't go outside very often, but there
b sort Of organization all the way
between here and New York. When
ever there is big fight on. the most
Of us get into 1t somehow. Washing
ton counts on us in a pinch, but most
y we're raiding or cutting of British
supplies. Say, Major, isn't that those
fellows coming?"
He pointed into the east, in which
direction the road ran, barely revealed
BY the faint light OF the moon for per-
haps hundred yards. l looked eager
y, and could dimly distinguish a
vague shadow on the summit Of a dis
tant rise Of land. The shadow moved,
however, and as we both stared in un-
certainty, there came to our ears the
laroh crack Of a whip. We drew
iafther back against the bank, paus-
ing to make sure there was no decep-
uon' One by one we could perceive
tnose vague shadows topping the rise
And disappearing. / counted ten, con-
'nced they were covered wagons,
ana then the night wind brought to
us the creaking Of wheels, and the
sound OF a mans voice. Duval's hand
kfpped my arm, and to the signal we
efept back beyond the crest, and then
nurried down to where Farrell had
concealed his men. He was awaiting
us IN the middle of the road, his short
Oload figure almost laughable In the
moon shadow.
Well, are they coming?"
Just over the crest" replied Duval
slusquely Il counted fifteen wagons ("
Quite a convoy, an worth fighting
iOr Take the left, Duval; Major,
come with me-"
We drew aside under the protection
boulder. from where we could see
slearly to the top of the ridge. Only
y moment was there silence, the
nen all about us lying low in their
s0'er1s, breathless and intent. Then
= neard horses hoofs and the muir
U OF approaching voices.
we could see them quite clearly, as
Wy topped the crest, the moonlight
.earng men and horses so distinct
could even guess at their uniform.
nose In advance rode slowly, four
,ss,,east, down into the black shadows,
~'lins In their saddles, voices muir
4urlng, seemingly unconscious of any
anser 1t was easy to comprehend
Lsif state Of mind. Delavan had been
u alone for a week, permitted to
Feep the countryside sunmolested.
= and his command had naturally
.lOwn careless, never suspecting their
sssly move had been watched by
nsn-eyed scouts. Now, guarded by
slants troop, they believed them
ives sufficiently strong for any
urgency; that no force the scat
eo enemy could gather would ven
e upon attack. BY daylight they
svulc be within sight Of the Phila-
slpnia outposts, and serenely conf
snt In their numbers, the night
~arch had therefore become a mere
suuns. heard Farrell chuckIe grim