THE SHARPSHOOTERS
"I shall see dem hanged," screamed the little sutler; "I shall see dem
hanged. Dey steals mine goots. Dey tip ofer mine tent. I shall see dem
hanged."
Levi's voice, usually shrill, in his rage now became almost a childish
treble. Even his wounded fingers were forgotten for the moment, and he
was gesticulating with both hands.
"Shure," exclaimed Dennis, pretending to have difficulty in recognizing
the little Jew, "shure, 'tis Levi! My friend, it's lucky for you it's
not cold here. You talk so much wid your hands they might be frozen
stiff."
Unmindful of the declaration, Levi became still more excited and his
hands were moving still more rapidly.
"Yah, I shall see you hanged!" he shouted. "You shall no more steal mine
goots! It shall cost you more nor you vould haf paid for mine goots, vot
vas so cheap. You shall no more tip ofer mine tent!"
"Levi," said Dennis solemnly, "how many pinsions are you drawin'?"
"I draw no pensions yet," shrieked Levi.
"I understand," said Dennis, "that you are trying to draw two pinsions,
one for the scratch you got on each finger."
"I did not scratch mine finger. I haf been shot mit der fingers. I shall
draw more pensions, but I shall have mooch joy in seeing you hanged."
The soldiers, under whose charge the boys were being conducted to the
place where they were to display their skill with the rifles, were
laughing heartily at the impotent rage of the little sutler.
Dennis, in spite of his bantering, did not betray a trace of a smile on
his face. As solemnly as if the errand upon which he was going was the
sole purpose in his mind, he looked reprovingly at Levi as if his heart
was moved by sorrow more than by anger.
"Are you coming with us, Levi?" he inquired.
"Yah, I vill surely come. I shall mit great pleasure see you hanged. You
shall no more tip ofer--"
"I say, sergeant," said Dennis, "what are we to have for a target?"
"I don't know," replied the soldier good-naturedly. "We'll find
something."
"If you haven't any target ready, I would like to suggest one."
"What is it?"
"I think it would be a great scheme to have this little sutler come
along with us and stand him up at a distance of seventy-five yards.
Noel, here, can clip one ear an' thin I'll take the other. Thin we'll
cut off a part of his nose, though he will have enough left even thin to
satisfy any two or three living men--"
A cry of rage, not unmingled with fear, from Levi, interrupted the young
Irishman.
"I shall not be von target! you shall be von target!"
"Yes; but, Levi," suggested Dennis, "think what it will mean for you! If
Noel cuts off one ear, there's another pinsion. That will be pinsion
number three. If I trim your other ear, that will be pinsion number
four, and if both of us cut down your nose a little that will be worth
more yet. Why, Levi, you'd be a rich man before you would be able to get
home. Of course, there may not be very much of you left, but what there
is will have a good time to the end of your days."
Perhaps it was the expression which Levi discovered on the faces of the
soldiers that caused him to halt abruptly. At all events, he stared for
a moment at the young sharpshooters, and then, as the soldiers laughed
loudly, he turned quickly and without once glancing behind him ran from
the place.
Even the chaplain had not been unmoved by the bantering of Dennis. He
was proving himself a friend, indeed, to the two boys, and it had been
largely through his solicitation that the opportunity had been gained
for them to show whether or not their claims to have been sharpshooters
in the Peninsula campaign were trustworthy.
"There comes that little spalpeen ag'in!" cried Dennis suddenly, as he
looked back and saw that Levi was following discreetly in the distance.
"'Tis well for him he stays behind us, though I think I could put me gun
over me shoulder and shut both eyes and not miss the little rascal."
Noel had not taken any part in the badgering of Levi. He was far too
anxious concerning his own safety. It is true he was not without hope
that before he should be tried by the court-martial his statements
concerning his enlistment and service would be obtained and verified and
he would be free. But there was so much confusion in the army, and the
presence of the enemy was so well known, that he understood an advance
was to be speedily ordered, and at such a time it was inevitable that
some mistakes should be made and certain duties should be neglected. The
greatest danger was that in the midst of such confusion it would be
impossible for him to free himself from the charge of desertion which
had been brought against him.
At last a position outside the camp was gained, where the little company
halted. An improvised target was made of an old and battered white hat
which was found in a corner of the fence, whither it had been driven at
some time by the wind. This hat was securely fastened to a stake which
was driven into the ground at a distance of seventy-five yards from the
place where the two young soldiers were stationed.
"Who shall shoot first?" inquired Dennis, who was carefully examining
the rifle which had been placed in his hands.
"If you don't care, I should like to," said Noel.
"Go ahead, me lad," assented Dennis. "They won't have the execution
until I'm ready to go along with ye."
Noel found the rifle which had been given him a trifle heavier than the
one to which he had been accustomed. It was a little more difficult for
him to raise it to his shoulder and gain the sight which he desired.
However, after testing his gun several times and looking carefully to
its loading, he abruptly raised the rifle to his shoulder and apparently
without taking careful aim fired at the target in the distance.
"Hold on!" called Dennis, when some of the young soldiers started toward
the hat. "Wait until I have my shot."
"If one of you hits the hat, we shall not be able to tell which one did
it unless we examine it after each shot," suggested one of the soldiers.
"Just wait a minute," called Dennis, "and you'll see two holes. That
will mean that both of us hit it."
Good-naturedly the men consented, and Dennis, whose methods were far
different from those of his comrade, brought his gun to his shoulder and
took long and careful aim before he fired.
In a moment a part of the little band started swiftly toward the hat,
and their exclamations of surprise were loud and many when they
discovered that Dennis's promise had been fulfilled. Two balls had
pierced the crown of the hat within an inch of each other.
"Just put up that hat again," said Dennis. "And if you like, Noel and me
will put some eyes and ears on the old hat until it will look as if some
old man's face was peering out of it. This is just to show you that
there wasn't any luck in it," he added, as he turned quickly to Noel,
who was about to fire the second time.
Again the report of the rifle rang out, and then Dennis speedily
followed the example of Noel. When the hat was examined two more holes
were found in the crown each about an inch from the place which had
marked the spot where the preceding bullets had hit the mark.
"I guess the boys are all right," said the orderly.
"Wait a minute," said Dennis. "We have made a square there now, haven't
we?"
"Yes," replied the soldier.
"Well, with three more shots Noel and I will turn the square into a
circle and cut out a round piece of the old hat itself."
The suggestion of the young Irishman was followed, and true to his word
when three more shots had been fired by each it was discovered that a
circle in the crown had been completed by the bullets.
"If the rest of your story is as true as the part which has to do with
your shooting, then I guess both you boys are all right," said the
orderly cordially. "We haven't a better shot in our regiment."
"Shure, you haven't," said Dennis heartily. "Didn't I tell you that Noel
was the best shot in Little Mac's army? Now, if you'll just say the
word, sergeant, I would like to have him turn around and fire at the
ground under the foot of that little Jew. He paid the piper and he ought
to have his dance."
Every man in the group at once turned to look at Levi Kadoff, who in
spite of his fears had been creeping nearer, and as the voice of Dennis
had not been either low or soft, the effect was magical. Levi prepared
to depart without further delay.
Turning to the orderly Dennis said, "Take my gun, sergeant, and just let
me catch the little spalpeen, will ye?"
As the chaplain nodded assent in response to the implied question of the
sergeant, Dennis laughingly started in swift pursuit of the sutler.
For one moment Levi stared blankly at the approaching young Irishman.
Manifestly what he saw was not pleasing, for with a shriek he turned and
at his utmost speed tried to escape from the place.
His efforts, however, availed little, for with his longer strides Dennis
swiftly gained upon his victim, and in a brief time laid his heavy hand
upon the shoulder of the screaming, shrieking Levi. Kicking and striking
like an angry child, the sutler did his utmost to break the firm hold
which his captor secured upon him. Apparently unmoved and unmindful,
Dennis dragged his helpless prisoner back to the place where the
soldiers were awaiting him.
"Now, then," said Dennis when he had rejoined his comrades, "we'll make
the little spalpeen speak up. What for did you say that Noel and me was
disarters?"
"Because you vas deserters!" shouted Levi. "You steals mine goots, you
tips ofer mine tent, you--"
"There! there! That will do," said Dennis soothingly. "I'm thinkin' what
you need is what Paddy gave the drum."
Helpless in the powerful grasp of Dennis, Levi still shrieked and
protested. But in spite of all his efforts, Dennis, seating himself
upon a stump, stretched Levi across his lap and soundly spanked him.
When this task had been completed, the howlings of Levi were redoubled.
Apparently irritated by the failure of the little sutler to profit by
his experience, Dennis lifted his victim from the ground and shook him.
As he did so a paper fell to the ground from Levi's pockets, at the
sight of which the excitement of the little sutler instantly increased.
"And what's that?" said Dennis as he roughly pushed Levi from him and
picked up the paper, which he discovered was an envelope containing a
letter.
"It was not for you," screamed Levi. "It vas mine! It vas mine! You
steals mine goots. You tips ofer mine tent, but you shall not haf mine
letter. It vas from mine moder."
"Wait a minute and I'll see whether it's from your mither or from
General Lee," said Dennis tauntingly, as he drew forth the paper from
the envelope.