The Young Lieutenant Part 32

Taking to the fields for greater safety, the scouts went up the river several miles farther, without making any discoveries worthy of notice.

The object of the excursion had been fully accomplished; and they began to retrace their steps towards the creek, where the boat was waiting their return. When we are well employed, time pa.s.ses away very rapidly; and our adventurers had taken no note of its pa.s.sage. Before they had made a single mile, the bright streaks of day in the east warned them that they had remained too long for their own safety.

The prospect of being examined by rebel officers in broad daylight was not pleasant; and, increasing their speed, they walked by the shortest way towards the creek. When they had pa.s.sed the battery of artillery, they abandoned the fields, through which they could make but slow progress, for the road. They had three miles farther to go, and it was now nearly sunrise.

"I think we must have lost two or three hours," said Somers as they hastened on their way. "I had no idea that it was more than two o'clock in the morning when we turned about."

"Nor I," replied De Banyan. "We must have spent two or three hours in crawling on the ground about that battery."

"I don't see where the time is all gone."

"It goes fast when we are busy. When I was in the Crimea----"

"Never mind the Crimea now," protested Somers, who was in no mood for his companion's fibs.

"Don't be crusty, Somers."

"I did not mean to be crusty; but you know my opinion about those stories of the Crimea and the Italian war, and I don't think it is a good plan to talk so much over here."

"As you please; it is your turn to speak next."

"I meant no offense."

"I know you didn't, Somers; but you reproved me, and I can only hold my peace; for you are the commander of this expedition."

"You know I like you as a brother; but I don't like those silly yarns about your impossible achievements. Hark! What's that?"

This last remark was caused by the sound of horses' feet behind them; and our travelers looked back with eager interest to ascertain what was approaching. It was a body of cavalry, which had just swept round a bend of the road, and was now in plain sight of them.

"That won't do," said De Banyan with energy. "We must conceal ourselves."

"I think they have seen us, and we may as well make the best of it. If we hide, they will certainly suspect us."

"They have not seen us yet. They are half a mile off," replied the captain, as he retired to the field by the side of the road.

Somers followed him, though he did not fully approve the policy of his friend. They walked a short distance till they came to a covert of bushes, in which they concealed themselves.

"I think we have made a mistake. The dog always bites when you attempt to run away from him," said Somers.

"I don't think they saw us," persisted De Banyan. "If they did, we can tell as good a story here as we could in the road."

"I always believe in facing the music. I have found that impudence will carry a man a great deal farther and a great deal faster than his legs can."

"Perhaps you are right, Somers. When I was in Italy----"

"Bah! Don't say Italy or Crimea again till we reach the other side of the river," interposed Somers, who was too seriously affected by the perils of their situation to be willing to listen to any of his companion's hallucinations.

"Just as you please, Somers," answered the captain, unmoved by the rebuff; "but, when I was doing scout duty before the battle of Magenta, I saw the advance of the Austrians coming up behind me. I crawled into a haystack, and remained there while the whole army of the Austrians, about four hundred thousand men, pa.s.sed by me."

Somers could not but smile at the infatuation of his friend, who at such a perilous moment could indulge in such a vicious practice as that of inventing great stories. He did not even ask him how long it took the Austrian army to pa.s.s the haystack, whether they had haystacks in Italy, nor if it was probable that such an army would pa.s.s over a single road.

He waited patiently, or impatiently, for the approach of the rebel cavalry, which soon reached the road near the bushes where they were hidden.

To his consternation, they came to a dead halt; and he could see the men gazing earnestly in the direction they had retired. Then half a dozen of the troopers entered the field, and rode directly towards the covert of bushes.

"We are caught!" whispered Somers.

"That's so. Just after the battle of Palestro, when I----"

"Hush!"

"Hush it is," replied De Banyan, as coolly as though he had been under his shelter tent on the other side of the James.

Taking a knife from his pocket, he began to cut away at a straight bush which grew near him, and was thus busily employed when the soldiers reached the spot. Somers stretched himself on the ground, and waited the issue of the event; deciding to let his companion, who had got him into the sc.r.a.pe, extricate him from it. The coolness of the captain, and the peculiar manner he a.s.sumed, convinced him that he had some resources upon which to draw in this trying emergency.

"Hallo, there!" shouted one of the troopers savagely, as though he intended to carry consternation in the tones of his voice.

"How are you, old hoss?" inquired De Banyan, as impudently as though he had been the lord of the manor.

"What ye doin' in here?" demanded the horseman, as he forced his animal into the bushes far enough to obtain a full view of both of the fugitives.

"Well, old hoss, if Heaven gin you two eyes, what were they gin to ye fur?" replied the captain, still hacking away at the sapling.

"What d'ye run for when you saw us coming?"

"Didn't run."

"Yes, yer did."

"You know best, then."

"What d'ye come in here fur?"

"Don't ye see what I came in here for?" replied De Banyan, as he finished cutting off the bush, and proceeded to trim off the branches.

"Who are you?"

"Well, old hoss, I'm the brother of my father's oldest son."

"What's yer name?"

"Hain't got any; had a difficulty with the district attorney in our county, and lost it."

"Come out here, and show yerself. The cap'n wants to see yer down to the road."

"Just goin' down there. Say, you hain't got a spare hoss in your caravan, have you? I'm gettin' amazin' tired."

"Come out, both of you. I can't stay here all day."

"Needn't wait for me; I'm in no hurry," answered the captain, as he slowly emerged from the bushes, followed by Somers.