The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-02-01
CHAPTER XxVlII.-contlnued.

| soy zap, ue Sdlu, JeThiuS IHe
words out to the mules hard trot. and
grasping his saddle pommel desper-
ately, Il sorter reckon as how ther'll
be some fun back thar afore long less
all signs fail"
"Why?" | stared at him, now thor.
oughly aroused to the thought that
he had important news to communi-
cate.
WAL" he explained slowly, "whin
ye Wint off, | sorter TUX a notion ter
look bout bit. Used ter be an OIL
stompin ground O mine SO Dutchy
an me clumb tibet big hill back O.
whar We halted. and by gum. down
thar in Their gully on t. other side
thar's burned big camp O. fellers."
! refined up short. and with uplifted
hand signalled the men behind to
halt
Why didn't you tell me this be.
fore?" ! questioned sternly. How
many were there? and what did they
look like?"
He scratched the back OF his head
thoughtfully. and answered with care.
ful elaboration. "Durn 1t. didn't
1ine ye till after y'd started an
reckon as how 1t took me all O. tew
mile ter git this yere blame muel I'D
ter whar ! cud talk. Thar's quite a
smart bunch, but they had some pick.
cts out. an cudnt git close 'nough
ter tell zackly. Dutchy thought thar
wus nigh ontsr two hundred O. EN-,
but jist don't know. They wusn't
dressed like sojers O either army. an
| reckon they're out O. Their hills"
glanced at my little handful of
men, scarcely knowing what decision
1t might be wise to make. Undoubt.
eddy they would fight If occasion
arose, but the odds were terribly
heavy; besides, If Brennan came, and
his party got away that same even.
Ing, as was planned for them to do.
then 1t might not be necessary for us
to strike blow | was certainly In
no mood to expose my small command
merely to save the empty house from
destruction
"Ebers." | said, turning toward the
Sergeant. who sat his horse with ex.
pressionless face, you we're with the
guide when he discovered this camp.
How many do you think 1t contained?
and who were they"
vel. dere vos more as two gom.
panies. Captain. und dere vos some
horses. but dey vos dressed-vot you
calls it?-all ober not ner same"
Not In uniform"
dot vos It."
Have any OF the rest OF you seen
anything that looked suspicious" |
asked. glancing around into the DIFF
ferent faces.
Maybe | did" answered one OF the
troopers named Earl. AS we rode up
the first hill after leaving the house
my horse picked up a stone, and had
to stop and get It out. reckon tell
behind quarter OF mile or more
and Just as | started | looked back,
and party OF ten or twelve fellows
was just riding In through them big
! gates onto the front lawn. But them
fellows was soldiers for sure: they
rode regular like, and all OF them
wore caps. 1t was so far Off couldn' I
| tell the color OF their clothes, but
them caps made me think they was
| Feds"
chose my course at once This un
/ Aa,,h Ia .taf In,
party.
THANK you, my man: II would have
been better II you had reported that
to me at once" said However. 1
understand the situation much better
| now. Sergeant, We will 60 into camp
here. Post pickets in both directions.
! but put your most careful men on
| that hill yonder Let them report
promptly any signs OF fire TO the
southeast. or any sound Of guns"
We completed all our cooking be
! fore dark. and when the night finally
closed down about US II proved to be
an exceedingly black one. although
| the skies were clear. Sleep was an
impossibility for me. as my mind was
In constant turmoil.
Ebers was lying next me upon the
grass, solemnly putting at his huge
pipe. and | held my watch 10 the glow
In Its bowl in order to see the time
It was nearly midnight.
Those fellows ought to be at II
before this" ] said to him, III they
4 a
| night"
y dink SO tco" he answered slowly
viii see dot der guard is all right