An Undivided Union Part 12

Ere now the dead had been left where they had fallen, but both Deck and Life felt they could not leave this boyish captain lying in the meadow gra.s.s. Looking around, they found a trench dug through the meadow to the brook, and in a dry portion of this they deposited the body, first relieving it of a watch, a pocket-knife, and a photograph of a pleasant-looking Southern girl, presumedly Rosebel. The sods from the trench still lay upon the banks, and with these and some loose dirt they covered up the corpse. Then taking a long stick, Deck cut one end flat, and marked upon it with a heavy pencil,--

ROSEBEL'S PAUL LIES BURIED HERE.

The stick was stuck at the top of the grave, and silently they mounted their horses once more and proceeded on their way. It was fully ten minutes before either of them spoke again, and then the subject was something of an entirely different nature.

"Halt, Major!" It was Life who uttered the word, speaking in a whisper.

The tall Kentuckian had discerned three forms moving before them in the darkness.

Deck also saw them, and brought Ceph to a stop. The three forms were on foot, but whether friends or foes they could not tell.

They had reached the edge of the creek, and above the spot was a patch of woods, while below was a long meadow, cut up into numerous brooks. On the opposite side of the creek was another patch of woods much denser than the first mentioned.

"This is the spot, Leftenant," they heard one of the party of three remark.

"Are you sure, Bolder?" came in a second voice. "Remember, you were mistaken before."

"Well, I'm not mistaken now," answered Bolder. "Here is the very tree I notched."

"Yes, this is the trail," came in a third voice. "And I don't believe there has been a single Yankee around."

"I trust not, Peters. But we are not out of the woods yet--in more ways than one. The raft may be gone, and fording this stream in such a flood as this is entirely out of the question."

"Oh, we could get over alone, Leftenant," answered the man named Bolder.

"But that wouldn't be getting over those cases of ammunition and that field-pi--"

"Hush," came in a warning from the lieutenant. "You don't know but what some of those hanged Yankees may be around here."

"That's true, though I didn't see any of 'em as we came along."

"Perhaps, Bolder, you had better make a circuit of the woods before we get to work," said the lieutenant, a moment later. "We don't want to be surprised at our task."

"As you say, Leftenant; Tom Bolder is here to obey Leftenant Blackrook every time."

"Then go at once, and if you see anything alarming, give the whistle before agreed upon," rejoined Lieutenant Blackrook, as he and Peters moved into the grove of trees.

In a moment more Bolder had started off, gun on his shoulder. His course was almost directly toward a clump of bushes behind which Deck and Life had sought shelter, and from which spot they had overheard all that had been said.

CHAPTER X

A TRIP ON A RAFT

The talk of the three Confederates had filled the young major with interest. Evidently they had belonged to the troops just defeated, and they were now on their way to escape to the south of Rutherford Creek, as the main body on the retreat had gone.

But this was not all. A raft had been mentioned, also some cases of ammunition, and something had been spoken of that sounded as if it might have been meant for a field-piece. This looked as if the three Confederates intended to transfer some army property as well as themselves to a safer locality for men and goods.

It was too dark for either Deck or Life to make out the uniforms of the enemies, but they were inclined to believe that they belonged to some Southern battery which Wheeler had brought along, but which the Confederate commander had been unable to bring into use. It instantly crossed Deck's mind that it would be a big thing to bag the men, and even a bigger thing to seize the ammunition and the field-piece.

But now a difficulty arose--a difficulty which must be met and settled on the spot. One of the Confederates was coming toward them. What was to be done with the man?

Deck did not doubt but that Life and himself were more than a match for the half-starved upholder of a mistaken cause. They could easily compel him to surrender at the point of the pistol, or they might throw him down and gag him before he had any chance to make an outcry.

But would this be doing just the right thing, all circ.u.mstances considered? Might not the loss of one of their number frighten off the two others, and if the cases of ammunition and the field-piece were hidden away, could Life and himself find the things in that woods, filled as it was with rocks and brush? More than likely the articles had been hidden away with care, especially the boxes of ammunition.

To Deck's way of thinking, the only thing to do was to escape the observation of the fellow called Bolder, and then follow him up to where the army stores and the gun were hidden. After this it would be time enough to close in on the enemy, bring them to terms, and confiscate all they were in charge of that was of value.

Doubtless Captain Knox's thoughts were similar to those of Deck's, for as the Confederate artillerist advanced, he looked inquiringly at his companion, and uttered the monosyllable, "Well?"

"We must not be discovered," whispered the major. "Turn to the left.

Easy, Ceph, easy!"

The horse understood the words of caution and moved off as silently as a shadow of the night, to another clump of bushes. Life followed, and his steed, also well trained, made no more noise than did Ceph. The course of the pair took them out of the semicircle Bolder had started to make around the patch of woods, and the Confederate pa.s.sed fifty or sixty feet to their left.

"Now we will follow him," whispered Deck, when Bolder's back was partly turned upon them. "Be on your guard against a surprise, Life; there may be more Confederates in this vicinity."

"I'm always on my guard," was the laconic reply, as both horses moved off with care.

The course around the woods was a rugged one, and the journey took the best part of twenty minutes. At times they lost sight of Bolder, but never more than for half a minute at a time. Once they caught the Confederate looking behind him and promptly disappeared from view into a ditch, where flowed several inches of water.

The detour on the part of the enemy having come to an end, Bolder struck out for the centre of the thicket. Here it was impossible to ride without making considerable noise, and the major and Life dismounted and fastened the animals to a tree.

"Is that you, Bolder?" came in the voice of Lieutenant Blackrook, as the scout came into a clearing near the centre of the woods and at a point where there was a fair-sized inlet from the creek.

"Yes."

"All clear?"

"Not a soul in sight, Leftenant. I guess our boys are further up the stream, and the Yankees are below."

"I don't care where the Yanks are--so long as they don't come here,"

muttered the Confederate officer. "Hurry up, or we'll be all night at this job."

"Is the raft here?"

"Yes, under yonder bushes. Help Peters carry down the three boxes of ammunition, and then the three of us can see what we can do with the field-piece. I'm afraid it is pretty well stuck in the mud, and we may have to use a log or two to budge her."

"How about hosses on the other side?" asked Bolder. "We can't drag the gun by hand, even if she is light."

"We'll find horses, never fear. Come, get to work, and I'll take a hand myself."

Deck was in hopes that the Confederates would bring forth their ammunition and the field-piece without delay; but such was not the case.

They first went to work on the raft, a clumsy affair built of two logs and a dozen rough two-inch hemlock planks. The raft had become wedged in under the brush overgrowing the bank of the inlet, and the trio tugged and strained at a rope to bring her away. Evidently, like many other Southerners, they were not used to work, and the task proceeded with many growls from all hands.

The raft brought over to the inner end of the inlet, the three Confederates took a breathing spell and pa.s.sed around a bottle which the lieutenant carried. A plug of tobacco also went the round, each whittling off a piece to suit himself, with his jack-knife. Then the three started along a dry gully just above the inlet. A thrashing around in some brush followed.