A HELPER
The moment was critical in the flight of the young soldier. It seemed to
him as if his heart for a moment almost ceased to beat. Resolutely he
leaned still farther forward on the neck of the running horse, and
shouting into the ear of the animal caused the frightened beast to bound
to the opposite side of the road just as both of his pursuers fired.
Grateful as soon as he was aware that neither he nor his horse had been
hit, the young soldier gave his undivided attention for a moment to
controlling the terrified steed.
Noel's long experience on his father's farm on the banks of the St.
Lawrence River, where he and his brother Frank many a time as little
lads had ridden the colts bareback, now came in good stead. The saddle
was uncomfortable, but he had no difficulty in retaining his seat.
In a brief time the nervous animal once more was under control and was
speeding forward at a pace which the rider was confident would soon
leave his pursuers far behind him.
In his flight Noel hastily glanced over his shoulder to discover whether
or not the Confederate soldiers had abandoned the chase, or were still
determined to overtake him.
He plainly saw that they were not gaining upon him, although they still
held doggedly to the pursuit. Just why they should do this, now that
several miles had been covered, the young soldier was unable to
understand, nor was it until afterward that he came to know the reason
why the men, in spite of their failure to gain upon him, were unwilling
to turn back.
Noel was unarmed. His rifle had been taken from him when he had first
been made prisoner. Although he had a place, as we know, among the
sharpshooters of McClellan's army, it had not been until after his
return from his furlough that he had found himself fully able to do the
required work.
Now with all his heart he longed for a rifle. If it were only in his
hands he was convinced that the two men who were so doggedly hanging to
the pursuit would abandon their efforts.
The mud in places in the road was thrown up in lumps by the hoofs of his
horse as he thundered on his way. As yet the animal was not displaying
any marked signs of distress, and in the hope of wearing out his
pursuers, Noel still kept him at his full speed.
The splotches of mud and the heat of the warm September day soon made
the appearance of the young rider as distressing as that of the animal
upon which he was mounted. The great black flanks of the latter were now
reeking with sweat and discolored by the red-brown mud of the road. As
far as Noel himself was concerned, his most intimate friend might have
had difficulty in recognizing, in the perspiring, dirt-covered young
soldier the Noel Curtis whom they had known. Streams of perspiration had
poured down his face and left furrows in the coating of Maryland mud and
dirt. The exertion was telling upon the rider as well as upon the horse,
and he was well aware that such violent efforts could not long be
continued.
Glancing once more anxiously behind him, Noel was unable to see his
pursuers. He was aware, however, that it was only the bend in the road
that hid them from his sight and that not yet was he freed from his
peril.
Slackening the pace at which he was riding, the young soldier removed
his coat and folding it placed it in front of him on the pommel. The
relief was instant and again speaking encouragingly to his horse, which
now was breathing loudly, he continued his flight.
It became manifest in a brief time that the pursuit was still
maintained, although the distance between the young soldier and the two
Confederates comparatively was unchanged. Why they should continue to
follow him became increasingly a perplexing problem. There were no
prospects of his being overtaken, and now that five or six miles must
have been covered in his flight Noel was unable to understand why the
men did not turn back and join their comrades. He himself was not of
sufficient value to warrant their severe labors. Of that fact he was
well assured. Why, then, did they still follow him?
The mystery was unsolved, but there was no delay on the part of the
young soldier to meditate long upon possible explanations. The fact
remained that he was in a country with which he was unfamiliar, mounted
upon the back of a horse with whose ways he was unacquainted, although
he was aware of his many excellent points, and was being pursued
relentlessly by two men who doggedly held to their task.
Suddenly Noel, as he emerged from a small body of woods, beheld a group
of men directly in the road before him and not distant more than fifty
yards. Glancing keenly at the bank he saw that the men were repairing a
bridge over a little stream. A second look convinced him that the men
were all clad in the uniform of the Confederate soldiers.
For a brief moment Noel's courage seemed to depart. He could not turn
back without running directly into his enemies, while if he advanced it
was equally plain that there were many more still to be passed.
Unaware of the perplexing thoughts of his rider, his horse did not relax
his speed and with long and steady lopes was still advancing. Whatever
the young soldier was to do must be done quickly.
Almost before he was aware of what occurred Noel found himself close
upon the band. His coat, as has been said, was discolored and his
trousers were so covered with mud that their original color, in a
measure, at least, was concealed.
Suddenly the young soldier decided to try to make his way through the
band. He recalled an incident which he had read in the life of Mad
Anthony Wayne, who, with his men, in the swamp near Yorktown, found
himself face to face with a division of red coats that far outnumbered
his followers. The consternation produced by the discovery was banished
as Mad Anthony resolutely called to his men and dashed forward. The
daring man was relying upon the fact of his bold advance to convince the
enemy that there must be more men behind him. No man in his senses would
ever think of attacking such a superior force. After the British lines
had broken and fled, Mad Anthony turned and said to one of his comrades,
"The best way to overcome any difficulty is to drive straight through
it." This incident came back to Noel's mind as the trees and fields
seemed to be racing past him.
His confident approach, too, for he was waving his hand as he drew
nearer, seemed to confuse the band of Confederates. Instead of forming
across the road and stopping his flight, they divided and did not even
question him, although his appearance must have been such as to arouse
their curiosity at least.
Only partly checking the speed of his horse, Noel leaned low on his neck
and as he drew near the men, he shouted, "Don't stop me, boys! How far
ahead is the captain?"
Even as he asked the question Noel was aware that his own apparent
confidence had had its effect, for the men drew back from the roadside,
and one of them in reply to his query, shouted, "I reckon he's about
three miles up the road, sir."
"Good! That's fine!" shouted Noel in response. "There's some men coming
behind me and they'll stop to give you their message. They have a word
for you."
The ruse had succeeded, and the young soldier had accomplished more than
in his excitement he had dared to hope. He knew that his pursuers in a
very short time would be informed of his bold trick and perhaps would be
more determined than ever to secure him. But for a time, at least, he
had not been checked in his flight and he was not without hope also that
the two mounted men might be delayed long enough by the band, through
which he had successfully made his way, to enable him to gain still
more.
Noel had not advanced far beyond the sight of the bridge before his
sudden feeling of exhilaration vanished. He had been astonished at the
very success of the trick he had played. It was his first lesson that if
a man is to succeed he must be bold.
His rejoicing now abruptly departed, when, running and breathing
heavily, his horse suddenly stumbled and fell in the road. The young
soldier had been riding with too loose a rein and his moment of elation
had made him somewhat careless of the need of constant attention to his
steed.
Fortunately Noel was able to free his feet from the stirrups and was not
caught by the body of the horse as he fell. He was thrown to one side of
the road, but although he was bruised and for a moment almost stunned by
the sudden fall, he quickly rose.
Quick as his action was, however, that of his horse had been quicker.
After two efforts the fallen animal at last succeeded in leaping to his
feet, and, disregarding the frantic calls of its recent rider, started
forward, running even more swiftly than when he had been carrying the
young soldier.
In the midst of the fresh trouble which had arisen, Noel was aware that
his pursuers in a brief time would be upon him. Instantly turning to one
side of the road where some large trees were growing he darted into
their midst and soon discovered one tree sufficiently large to enable
him to hide behind it.
Scarcely had Noel succeeded in gaining his hiding-place before he heard
the sound of the approaching horsemen. Instead of two horses now,
however, there were five. The ruse which he had used upon the men at
the bridge had been discovered, and doubtless chagrin was added to the
natural desire to retake the daring man who had escaped through their
midst.
Would they pass the place or would they discover the mark in the road
left by his horse when it fell? Upon the decision of this question much
of his success depended. Breathlessly Noel watched the pursuing
soldiers, and a great sigh of relief escaped his lips when he saw that
they had not even glanced at the spot where the accident had befallen
him.
He deemed it unwise now to resume his flight in the road. He decided
that he would make his way from tree to tree, and as he peered out at
the road, which he could see extended far in the distance, he was
rejoiced to discover that the woods also spread out far on either side.
His plan was not to reenter the road until he had gone a distance which
would be sufficient to insure his safety from discovery by the men who
had recently passed him in their wild chase.
By this time the afternoon sun was low in the western sky. Not a
mouthful of food had passed the lips of the young soldier since his
early breakfast at the house of Jim and Sairy Ann. His strenuous efforts
also had wearied him, and thirst, as well as hunger, was now making its
demands felt.
An hour had elapsed when Noel, from another hiding-place far up the
road, saw the band of five returning. He was positive that he recognized
them as his recent pursuers from the fact that one of the horses was
strangely marked, a fact which he had noticed when he had first
discovered the animals tied to the rail in the rear of the house to
which the treacherous Levi had conducted him.
When at last the band had passed beyond his sight, and Noel, with fresh
courage, was about to reenter the road, he was startled when he saw a
young colored man approaching from the direction in which the riders had
disappeared.
Loud and long sang the negro and repeated the same stanza of the song
until Noel, who was interested as the black man came nearer, almost felt
that in spite of his difficulties he would join in the tune,--
"Then I sot right down and felt very blue--
Glory hallelujah, bress de Lord!
Says I, O Lord, what shall I do?
Glory hallelujah, bress de Lord!"
When the young black man came opposite the place where Noel was hiding,
the latter suddenly decided to hail him.
"Hello!" called the young soldier.
The negro stopped abruptly and peered about him in a manner which
betrayed to Noel that in intelligence he seemed to be far above the most
of his race.
"Who dat callin' me?" inquired the negro.
"I am," said Noel, as he stepped forth from his hiding-place.
The young soldier now was in his shirtsleeves, his coat having been lost
when he had been thrown from his horse. His uniform was so discolored by
mud that it was impossible for an observer to determine to which side he
belonged. However, convinced that his plight was so distressing that he
must trust some one, Noel had decided that he would cast in his lot with
the negro, and trust him to provide some way of escape.
"Have you seen any Union soldiers around here?" he called as he came
nearer.
Before he replied, the negro looked quickly into the face of Noel, and
then with a smile said, "No, suh. I wish I had. I would like toe be
inside the Union lines at dis bery minute. I reckon, too, yo' all would
like toe be in there, too."
"That's what I would!" said Noel enthusiastically. "And you'll have to
show me how to get there."
The black man hesitated a moment, and then said cordially, "The bes'
thing fo' yo' will be fo' me toe take yo' all toe Aunt Katie."
"'Aunt Katie'?" inquired Noel, as he glanced once more apprehensively up
and down the road. "Aunt Katie? Who is she?"
"Yo' come er long wif me and I'll done show yo'," replied the negro.