Year: 1879

Although still a hundred and


fifty miles from home and with
: out money or friends and sur
: rounded by enemies who, had
they known their designs, would
: have arrested them and sent
them back to prison to suffer the
penalty awaiting those who at
tempted an escape, yet they
seemed to view only the bright
side of the future. The many
obstacles they had surmounted
did not in. the least diminish the
remaining ones, but prepared


them to meet them to better


advantage. As they stood on


the bank of the Cumberland a.


waiting an opportunity to cross,


their reflections naturally re-


hearsed their eyentful career


since they had seen this river.
They were fearful of being de-


tected if they should ask any


enc to set them over; so with
daybook and pencil they were
making calculations as they ex-
! amined goods boxes, &C., that
lay promiscuous about the land
ing, as if they had been the prin-
Icipal business men of Clarks-
vile. Finally they slipped III


behind some barrels and boxes
that were piled near the water.


In short time a boy came row.


ing leisureIy down the current


i'll a small boat, and the young


men motioned for him to come


ashore. "What viii you have


for taking us over the i'iver?" It
was jim that asked the question


as the boy drew near. "Ten


CENTS" he replied. "Then here


is the money!" and jim began


to feel in his pockets for their


last dime with as much dignity
as if he had ten thousand dol
lars in them. "Will it upset?"
asked Jesse eagerly as the boat


began to rock, at the same time
stumbling and falling on his all
fours and looking as if he ex-
pected to be drowned the next
moment. "Oh, my head is swim
mingP' exclaimed Jim in a half
suppressed tone; and the youth


ful bOatman was not little di-
verted to see them both lie flat |
down in the bottom of the boat,
as they said ''to keep the thing
from turning over" The idea
that they were only hiding from
the blue groups of Federal sol
-diers on the shore never once en-
tered the juvenile mind. When


he landed his boat on the oppo-
site bank they thanked him
many times for delivering them
from a watery grave, to which
the boy replied by a roar of


laughter. "Well, those fellows
are back-woods green-horns and


never saw a river BEFORE" he So
liloquized as the boat glided |
swiftly back. The country south


of the river was found to be in
tested with Yankees. Flattered |
by their success in public trav-
cling, they concluded to attempt
their journey by day and risk
their chances for lodging at
night. Having again consulted


their compass for the direction,
they struck bee-line for home
through the Montgomery county
farms. "Look!' said Jesse as
they were crossing a pasture


fence; a blue line Of soldiers was


appearing on the summit of a
hill before them. In an instant
Jim was repairing the pasture


fence and Jesse was whoopiny
and running back and forth in |
vain attempt to start a large herd |
of cattle toward the opposite
side of the pasture. 'Drive your
cattle this way" shouted Yam


kee as he rode up and began to
throw down the fence, but Jesse


continued driving as if he did


not hear. They rode in and Sc


lected the choice ones, as they


expressed it., 'for the special use


of Uncle Sam" The young
men protested that they were all |
they had and that they would be |
ruined by the loss. 1t was of no


use, for the more they plead the
more cattle they took. 'It was
luck that they didn't take us in


stead of that lot Of CATTLE" said


jim after they were gone. In


the afternoon of the same day, I
as they were passing through a
field Of corn, another squad was
seen; the result was that some
Montgomery county farmer got
two rows of corn thinmed out
gratuitously. In fact the young
men were so very busy they
seemed to be unconscious of any
one being near. The soldiers
passed on without. suspicion.


Night found them again seeking
shelter. IN the dusk of the eve
ming they ventured up to an an