WARLIKE BEES
Slowly, and striving to appear indifferent, although he was keenly
observant of every action of his guard, Noel began to pace back and
forth behind the row of horses. He was well aware that, in spite of the
apparent carelessness of his guard, he was watching his every action.
Any attempt on the part of the young prisoner to escape would at once
bring a shot from the soldier.
However, the guard did not interfere with the actions of his prisoner,
and a half-dozen or more times Noel slowly paced back and forth as if he
was simply striving to relax his muscles and was ignoring his
surroundings.
Not more than twenty feet away from the rail was the row of beehives to
which reference has been made. Several times the young prisoner stopped
and watched the busy little insects that were buzzing about the hives.
Glancing each time at the guard, he was convinced that any suspicions of
any plan his charge might have in mind as yet had not been aroused.
Apparently the soldier was so confident in his ability to meet any
sudden act that some of the time he was not even looking at the young
prisoner.
Noel's excitement became keener. He glanced toward the house to see
whether or not any of the Confederates who had entered were now to be
seen. Slowly he turned his head and looked once more at his guard. The
man was seated on the grass, and still to all appearances was
indifferent to the actions of his charge.
Suddenly Noel stumbled over the projecting root of a huge magnolia tree
and fell directly against the nearest hive in the row. With both hands
he struck and with such force that it was thrown against the hive next
to it.
"Better look out there!" called the guard, when Noel arose. "Some of
those bugs 'll bite you, if you don't watch out!"
Whether or not the "bugs would bite," the anger of the bees instantly
became manifest. In clouds they poured forth from the hives and the
sounds of their buzzing became louder.
Darting in every direction they soon discovered the disturber of their
dwelling-places, and, aware of their intentions, Noel hastily ran
toward the guard and the rail to which the horses were hitched. To all
appearances he had done this simply to avoid the pursuit of the little
tormentors. That he was acting on design, the guard did not even
suspect. The cloud of bees, however, did not all abandon the pursuit,
and as Noel halted near the horses, the furious little insects, without
rhyme or reason, began an attack upon the innocent animals.
Pandemonium instantly followed. The horses were rearing, plunging,
squealing, and kicking in every direction. The actions seemed to incite
the attacking insects to still greater anger. Nor was the guard himself
free from the onslaught. With muttered exclamations of anger and pain,
he was striving to ward off the little pests from his face or prevent
them from stinging him on his hands and wrists.
Noel was doing his utmost to bear up under the suffering he himself was
compelled to undergo. One bee had stung him on the very tip of his nose.
Another had attacked him under his right eye, while still another had
inserted his sting near a corner of the young soldier's mouth.
Noel could feel his face swelling, but he heroically strove to bear his
suffering, and, although he did his utmost to drive away his
tormentors, he nevertheless was relying upon the very attack that had
been made to assist him in the plan which he had formed.
In the midst of the confusion one of the horses broke loose, and with
many snorts of fear and rage started swiftly toward the lane.
The example was contagious and a moment later two more horses freed
themselves by breaking the straps by which they were tied and followed
in the direction in which the leader had disappeared.
"Catch them! Catch them! Help me! Catch them!" called the guard
excitedly. "Why don't somebody come out of the big house? I can't do
everything myself! Help me! Never mind the stings! Don't let those
horses get away! Rouse yourself, Yank!"
"I'll do my best," called Noel loudly, as he seized the bridle of one of
the remaining horses and apparently strove to quiet the terrified
animal.
The horse with which Noel was struggling was the one in the line which
he had noted as being undoubtedly the swiftest and best of them all.
"Whoa, there! Keep quiet! Be still, can't you?" he called as he slapped
the plunging horse on its neck and then on its flank as if he was
protecting it from the angry bees. Meanwhile, however, Noel had untied
the horse and was holding the animal by its bridle.
At that moment some of the Confederate soldiers, who had entered the
house, appeared at the door. Noel glanced anxiously at the men and then
looked at the guard, who was doing his utmost to prevent one of the
remaining horses from escaping.
The moment for which he had been waiting had arrived, the young soldier
decided, and whatever he did he must do instantly. There was no time to
be lost.
Looking once more toward the house, he saw the men call to those who
still were inside, and then turn as if they were about to run swiftly to
the place where the commotion was occurring. A single glance at the
guard showed him that the man's rifle had been laid upon the grass and
that he was still struggling with one of the frantic animals. Pulling
upon the bridle of his horse Noel quietly had worked the animal away
from its companions. His horse had been squealing and kicking more
frantically than any of the others. To all appearances Noel was having a
severe struggle to prevent him from breaking away and running in the
direction in which the other horses had disappeared.
The shouts of the men, who now were advancing from the house, increased
the confusion. Doubtless they were unaware of the source of the trouble
and might visit their anger upon him, thought Noel.
The time, however, did not permit of delay. He had now worked his horse
nearer the corner of the house. Suddenly the young soldier, placing one
foot in the stirrup, leaped lightly into the saddle, and shouting into
the ears of his horse, turned around the corner of the house before the
startled band were fully aware of what had taken place.
The bees were no longer in pursuit. The terrified animal, however, was
still making many frantic leaps, and Noel was compelled to exert the
utmost of his strength to retain his seat. His disappearance was
followed by a shout from the man, and only a brief time elapsed before,
glancing behind him, he saw that two of the men were mounted and now
were in swift pursuit.
His hopes now were dependent upon the speed of his horse and the
possible inability of his pursuers to shoot.
"Stop, you Yank!" called one of them. "Stop where you are! Stop, or
we'll shoot!"
Bending low upon the neck of his horse, Noel gave no heed to the demands
and continually urged the beast into greater efforts. With long and
powerful leaps the horse was bounding forward. The entrance from the
lane into the highway was now only a few yards distant. Out in the road,
Noel saw the horses which had already broken their halters and had fled
when the bees first had attacked them. He would have been glad to secure
either of them, but now his main purpose was to escape, and success
depended much upon the endurance of the horse he was riding.
As yet the men behind him had not shot at the escaping young soldier.
Grimly Noel thought they were more fearful of injuring the horse than
they were of harming him. However, there was inspiration in the thought
that thus far he had succeeded, and almost with a feeling of rejoicing
he turned into the road and urged his terrified steed into still more
frantic efforts. The pursuit was not abandoned, and he was aware that
the mounted Confederates evidently were as determined as was the fleeing
young soldier.
The speed of the running horse increased under the continued demands of
his rider. It was a powerful animal on which he was mounted, as Noel
was now aware, and if his endurance was equal to his strength there was
a possibility of escaping from the region.
A glance behind him showed that he was gaining upon his two pursuers, a
fact which was as manifest to them as it was to him. Suddenly one of
them fired. Noel heard the bullet as it whistled above his head.
[Illustration: NOEL HEARD THE BULLET AS IT WHISTLED PAST]
The pursuit, however, was not abandoned, and, leaning forward, Noel drew
himself closer to the neck of his panting steed, and then as he looked
hastily behind him he saw that both men were again about to fire.