The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-02-27
CHAPTER Ix.-contlnued.

CHAPTER IX.-Contlnued.
who are those fellows back
there?" / questioned at last, made
nervous by the silence.
THE boys in the gulch? jersey
militiamen." he explained shortly.
you see there's some OF US that
can't get away all the time, because
OF the women and children, and the
farm work. Besides, regular soldier
ing don't just appeal 10 our sort. So
we do our fighting round home In our
own way. However, the most of us
manage to have a hand in the real
thing once In a while even at that.
We were over at Germantown, and
down at Brandywine. Farrell's got a
commission, but the rest Of us are
taking our chances. It's neighbor
against neighbor. Whatever we've
got left has been held at the point of
the rifle. We're doing our share in
this war, an Washington knows 1t.
Over there to the east Red Fagin,
Old Man Kelly, an their gangs of Pine
Robbery. are making the fields led;
sometimes they get down this far
IdluluA NHG ldIIllS, Uui ulOcliy, W. IC
fighting ~foragers out of Philadelphia.
and they're not much better. Half the
houses In this country have teen
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
rell wishes"
well, yes: those come who can.
They're not always the same bunch.
You see Farrell covers quite a bit of
country, with a lieutenant in each sec
tion who is In touch with the neigh
bors there. | belong in Camden, and
don't go outside very often, but there
is a sort OF organization all the way
between here and New York. When
ever there is a big fight on. the most
of us get into 1t somehow. Washing
ton counts On US in a pinch, but most
'fy we're raiding or cutting off 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 a hundred yards. I looked ger
~, 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
far-off crack OF a whip. We drew
farther back against the bank, paus-
ing TO make lure there was no decep-
zion. One by one we could perceive
those vague shadows topping the rise
and disappearing. / counted ten, con
gineed they covered wagons,
and then the night wind brought to
MS the creaking OF wheels, and the
sound of a mans voice. Duval's hand
gripped my arm. and to the signal we
crept back beyond the crest, and then
hurried down to where Farrell had
concealed his men. He was awaiting
us in the middle of the road. his short
broad figure almost laughable in the
moon shadow.
We'll, are they coming?"
Just over the crest" replied DuvalI
b%rusquely. Il counted fifteen wagons"
Quite a convoy. an worth lighting
for. Take the left, Duvai; Major.
come with me-"
we drew aside under the protection
OF a boulder, from where we could see
clearly to the top OF the ridge. Only
for a moment was there silence. the
men all about us lying low In their
coyerts. breathless ind intent. Then
W. heard horses hoofs and the muir
muir Of approaching voices.
We could see them quite clearly. as
they topped the crest. the moonlight
revealing men and horses so distinct
tyI could eve guess at their uniform.
Those In advance rode slowly, four
abreast, dowE into the black shadows,
lolling In their saddles. voices muir
muring. seemingly unconscious OF any
Aanger. It was easy to comprehend
their state Of mind. Delavan had been
left alone for a week. permitted to
Ewesp the countryside unmolested.
He and his command had naturally
crown c~areless. never s~uspecting their
cvery move had been watched by
keen-eyed scouts. Now. guarded by
Grants troop, they believed them
selves suficicntly strong for any
emergency; that no force the scat
tered enemy could gather would ven
xure upon attack. BY daylight they
would Be within sight OF the phiIa-
tksphaa Dstpcsts. and sersnely coun-
x1snt II their numbers. the night
uASch had therefore become ! more
1HufaA4. AAns4 yse~aQ nanekie grin,