The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-12-04
CHAPTER xi.--contlnued.

II was about the middle Of the fol-
towing afternoon when the Adventurer
poked her blunt nose around a point OF
tand. and came into full view OF the
Equniid hamlet of Yell0s Banks. A
half-hour later we lay Struggled up
against the shore. holding position
amid several other boats made fast
40 stout trees. busily unloading. and
their broad gangplanks stretching from
forward deck to bank. The roust-
sbouts began unloading cargo at once,
"a steady stream OF men, black and
white, burdened with whatever load
they could snatch up, moving on an
endless run across the stiff plank. and
UP the low bank 10 The drier summit.
ut Glanced to be my good fortune to
escnpe this labor. having been detailed
by Mapes to drag boxes, bales and bar
rels forward to where the hurrying
bearers could grasp them more read
lily. This brought me close TO the for
ward stairs, down which the departing
passengers trooped. threading their in
secure way among the trotting labor
ers. In an effort to get ashore.
Reynolds troops, all militia. and the
greater part OF them mounted. were an
extremely sorry-looking lot-sturdy
enough physically, of the pioneer type
hut bearing little soldlerly appearance.
and utterly ignorant OF discipline. The
meE had chosen officers from out their
own ranks by popular election, and
these exercised their authority very
largely through physical prowess.
We had an excellent Illustration OF
this soon after tying up at the landing
A tall lank, ungainly officer. with a
face 80 distinctly homely as to instant.
w attract my attention, led his com
pany Of men up the river bank, aud
ordered them 10 transport the pile OF
commlrsary stores from where they
had been p~romlscuously thrown to q
drier SPOT farther back. The officer
wa a captain, TO judge from certain
stripes of red cloth sewed on the
shoulders of his brown jean blouse.
hut his men were far from prompt In
sJbeyina his command. evidently hav-
tng 20 taste for the Job. One among
them, apparently their rlngleader In
tncipiert mutiny, an outstanding bully
with the Jaw OF a prize fighter, took 1t
slpon himself openly to defy the officer,
exclalming p~rofanely that he'd be id
ff he I'VE enlisted TO do niger work.
The others laughed, and Joined in the
revolt. until the captain unceremonl-
ousiy hung Off his blouse. thus divest.
tng himself OF every vestige of rank.
and proceeded to enforce bis authority.
1t was u hnttie royal, tire soldiers
crowdirg eagerly about. and yelling
encouragement impartially first to one
combatent, and then another.
kick him In the ribs, Sam!"
Now. Abe, you've got him--crack
the d-n cuss' neck"
"By golly! that's the way we do 1t In
d' Salem"
He's got yer now. Jenkins. he's gos
yer now-good boy. Abe"
Exactly what occurred ! could not
ace. hut when the circle of wildly ex.
cited men finally broke apart. the big
rehel was lying &c. g his back III the
yellow mud. and the irate officer was
indicating every inclination to press
him down out of sight.
"Hav yer he'd 'nough. Sam Jen-
kns?" ~ questioned breathlessly.
'TheR. same We. say so."
IAN r-gAt. Abe-yer've bested me
thts tire."
"Wij .pr tote them passels?"
The d.Acomfited jenkins. one of