THE STACK OF STRAW
The little sutler was unarmed, but his companion carried a rifle, which
Noel had no difficulty in concluding was of unusual excellence. Grasping
the weapon in his hand, the man instantly stood leaning forward prepared
for the appearance of an enemy from the place from which the unexpected
sound had come.
The action caused Noel at once to draw farther back from the window,
although he still was watching the movements of his enemies outside. The
expression of consternation that appeared on their faces, as well as the
manifest fear of Levi, at another time would have caused the young
soldier to laugh heartily. As it was, however, unarmed, and wearied by
the labors of the preceding night, and facing one, at least, who would
not hesitate to use his rifle, there was no expression of mirth on the
young soldier's face.
"Vat's dat?" Noel heard Levi demand of his companion. The expression of
alarm on the face of the little sutler became more marked and he
glanced fearfully about him as if the sound might be repeated from some
other direction.
"Why don't yo' all go into the shanty and find out what it is?" drawled
Levi's companion.
"I haven't any gun."
"Well, I shan't let yo' have mine. I should not dare to trust myself a
minute here with my gun in your hands. Bad enough to be shot by the
Yanks, but if I should be hit by one who is neither fish, fowl, nor good
red herring, I think I would feel worse about it."
"You go and see who vas in dere."
"I'm a-goin' to," said the man in a low voice. "That's just what I'm
thinkin' of. I reckon yo'll find it's some nigger who's crawled in there
and gone to sleep."
As if in answer to the implied question there came at that moment from
the hut a sound not unlike the sneeze which had preceded it. This time,
however, the report was suddenly broken as if the guilty party had
stifled the rising sounds.
Terrified as Noel was by the action over which he had no control, the
young soldier nevertheless peered quickly from the corner of the window
at his enemies, whose consternation, he saw, was much more marked at
the repetition.
Both men were keenly observant of the little building, and it was
manifest now that Levi's companion was no longer hesitating.
Advancing boldly several yards nearer the little building he stopped and
in a loud voice said, "Who's in there? Come out and show yourself!"
[Illustration: "WHO'S IN THERE?"]
As no response was given his hail, the man waited a brief time and then
repeated his summons.
"Come along out o' that! It will be easier for yo' now than it will be
if I come in there toe get yo'. It's either fo' yo' toe come out
yo'self, or be dragged out by some one else."
Noel was preparing to obey the command when to his surprise he was
suddenly aware that both men outside were no longer looking toward the
building, but were eagerly watching somebody or something down the road.
Almost instinctively the young soldier followed their action, and his
fears were increased when he saw approaching from the distance a body of
troops. It was impossible, from the place where he was watching, to
determine whether the men belonged to the Confederate army or to his
own. There were several horses in the band, but whether or not it was
a cavalry troop that he saw he was unable to determine.
The men were approaching steadily, and Noel, aware that the attention of
Levi and his comrade had been diverted, at least for the moment,
suddenly darted through the little door, and without once glancing
behind him, at full speed started to cross the open field in the rear of
the hut.
He knew he would not long be hidden from the view of the men, but every
yard he gained not merely provided an additional incentive for effort,
but increased his possibility of escaping.
Without once glancing behind him Noel ran at his utmost speed, leaping
over the low rail fence as he came to the border of the field and then
heading directly for a stack of straw which stood in the middle of the
neighboring field.
As he drew near the weather-beaten pile of straw and glanced behind him,
it seemed to him that some of the men had started in pursuit.
He was, however, not positive, but his fears were sufficient to cause
him to run quickly to the opposite side of the stack and when he was
once more beyond the vision of his enemies he hastily climbed the heap
which was not more than fifteen feet in height.
The task was difficult because it was well-nigh impossible for him to
gain any firm foothold, but at last he succeeded and did not cease his
endeavors until he had gained the summit of the pile. Once there he
hastily tore the straw apart, which to his surprise was somewhat loose,
and burrowing into the depths soon made a hiding-place large enough to
receive him.
Noel's next effort was to tear away the straw which prevented him from
obtaining a view of the field over which he had fled, and when he had
succeeded in obtaining a peep-hole he saw that his fears were confirmed
and that some of the men were approaching from the road.
It was impossible for the troubled boy to know whether the approaching
men were searching for him or were planning to pass his hiding-place
without giving him any heed. The men were coming in an orderly manner,
holding well together, and there were many things to make the excited
young soldier hope that he was not the object of their search.
Tremblingly he watched the men as they came nearer and nearer, and when
at last a part of the body halted and began an inspection of the
straw-stack in which he was hiding, his alarm became great.
In the midst of these men he saw the little sutler, Levi, who was
pointing excitedly, first, back toward the road from which they had
come, and then toward the intervening distance between the place where
he was standing and a house far away.
In response to his appeals a hasty search of the straw-stack was made,
the soldiers moving in opposite directions until they had encircled the
place. An investigation then was made around the bottom of the pile,
apparently no one thinking of looking to the top where the young soldier
was concealed. It was evident that the men were in haste and in spite of
Noel's fear he was hopeful that they would not remain long.
His expectation was fulfilled, for, after the soldiers had circled the
stack and some of their number had tried to discover any possible
hiding-places around the base of the pile, the leader shouted, "Come on,
boys! We must not waste any more time here. We shan't get to the Gap
befo' every Yank has surrendered."
Noel was afraid to lift his head far above the place where he was
concealed. Nevertheless, when he heard the sounds of the hoofs of the
departing horses, he did venture to look out on the scene before him.
In a body the soldiers were speeding swiftly across the intervening
field without once glancing behind them. So interested was Noel in the
sight that the presence of the little sutler, for the moment, was
forgotten. Levi was not with the soldiers, and when Noel once more drew
down into his place of concealment his thoughts were chiefly concerned
with the departing enemy.
For a time the young soldier remained quietly in his hiding-place,
peering out through the peep-hole he had formed between the straws. He
was watching the road near the place where the little hut in which he
had hidden was standing. All the time he was fearful of the coming of
more men.
His fears were not without foundation, for within a few minutes another
band was seen approaching.
Tremblingly the boy watched them as they rode swiftly down the road, but
as they did not halt at the fork a feeling of intense relief swept over
his heart. It was manifest now that the men who had investigated the
straw-stack had turned aside from the regular course which the main
body was following.
The thought caused Noel once more to look in the direction in which the
men had disappeared. He was unable to discover their presence, however,
even the distant house toward which they had been speeding now being to
all appearances as harmless as the little cabin in which he had sought
refuge.
As we know, Noel's coat was gone and the remaining parts of his uniform
had been so discolored by his flight along the muddy roads that he was
not without hope that even if he were discovered his clothing would not
betray him. The boy was hungry and intensely thirsty. His mouth was
parched, and at the time it almost seemed to him that he could endure
his torment no longer.
The nearest place where he was likely to obtain relief was the farmhouse
in the distance toward which the investigating party had fled. Noel
convinced himself that he would incur no risk if he should follow in the
same direction, for doubtless the soldiers would not remain about the
place; at least, their conversation implied that they were in haste to
arrive at some "Gap." The location of any such place was entirely
unknown to him.
After he had waited several minutes more, Noel finally decided that he
could endure his sufferings no longer. His eyes, ears, and nose seemed
to be filled with the dust that had accumulated for months in the
neglected stack. His muscles were cramped and sore from remaining so
long in one position, as he had not dared to move, for fear of causing
some of the straw to slide from its place.
At last he decided that he would attempt to find relief at the far-away
house. Slowly and cautiously he climbed from the hole in the stack,
frequently pausing to look up and then down the road and make sure that
his actions were not observed. As soon as he was convinced that the road
was free from his enemies he quickly slipped over the side. As he struck
the ground an exclamation escaped him when his fall was broken by the
body of a man directly beneath him.