A TRIP ON A RAFT
The talk of the three Confederates had filled the young major with
interest. Evidently they had belonged to the troops just defeated, and
they were now on their way to escape to the south of Rutherford Creek,
as the main body on the retreat had gone.
But this was not all. A raft had been mentioned, also some cases of
ammunition, and something had been spoken of that sounded as if it might
have been meant for a field-piece. This looked as if the three
Confederates intended to transfer some army property as well as
themselves to a safer locality for men and goods.
It was too dark for either Deck or Life to make out the uniforms of the
enemies, but they were inclined to believe that they belonged to some
Southern battery which Wheeler had brought along, but which the
Confederate commander had been unable to bring into use. It instantly
crossed Deck's mind that it would be a big thing to bag the men, and
even a bigger thing to seize the ammunition and the field-piece.
But now a difficulty arose--a difficulty which must be met and settled
on the spot. One of the Confederates was coming toward them. What was to
be done with the man?
Deck did not doubt but that Life and himself were more than a match for
the half-starved upholder of a mistaken cause. They could easily compel
him to surrender at the point of the pistol, or they might throw him
down and gag him before he had any chance to make an outcry.
But would this be doing just the right thing, all circumstances
considered? Might not the loss of one of their number frighten off the
two others, and if the cases of ammunition and the field-piece were
hidden away, could Life and himself find the things in that woods,
filled as it was with rocks and brush? More than likely the articles had
been hidden away with care, especially the boxes of ammunition.
To Deck's way of thinking, the only thing to do was to escape the
observation of the fellow called Bolder, and then follow him up to where
the army stores and the gun were hidden. After this it would be time
enough to close in on the enemy, bring them to terms, and confiscate all
they were in charge of that was of value.
Doubtless Captain Knox's thoughts were similar to those of Deck's, for
as the Confederate artillerist advanced, he looked inquiringly at his
companion, and uttered the monosyllable, "Well?"
"We must not be discovered," whispered the major. "Turn to the left.
Easy, Ceph, easy!"
The horse understood the words of caution and moved off as silently as a
shadow of the night, to another clump of bushes. Life followed, and his
steed, also well trained, made no more noise than did Ceph. The course
of the pair took them out of the semicircle Bolder had started to make
around the patch of woods, and the Confederate passed fifty or sixty
feet to their left.
"Now we will follow him," whispered Deck, when Bolder's back was partly
turned upon them. "Be on your guard against a surprise, Life; there may
be more Confederates in this vicinity."
"I'm always on my guard," was the laconic reply, as both horses moved
off with care.
The course around the woods was a rugged one, and the journey took the
best part of twenty minutes. At times they lost sight of Bolder, but
never more than for half a minute at a time. Once they caught the
Confederate looking behind him and promptly disappeared from view into a
ditch, where flowed several inches of water.
The detour on the part of the enemy having come to an end, Bolder struck
out for the centre of the thicket. Here it was impossible to ride
without making considerable noise, and the major and Life dismounted and
fastened the animals to a tree.
"Is that you, Bolder?" came in the voice of Lieutenant Blackrook, as the
scout came into a clearing near the centre of the woods and at a point
where there was a fair-sized inlet from the creek.
"Yes."
"All clear?"
"Not a soul in sight, Leftenant. I guess our boys are further up the
stream, and the Yankees are below."
"I don't care where the Yanks are--so long as they don't come here,"
muttered the Confederate officer. "Hurry up, or we'll be all night at
this job."
"Is the raft here?"
"Yes, under yonder bushes. Help Peters carry down the three boxes of
ammunition, and then the three of us can see what we can do with the
field-piece. I'm afraid it is pretty well stuck in the mud, and we may
have to use a log or two to budge her."
"How about hosses on the other side?" asked Bolder. "We can't drag the
gun by hand, even if she is light."
"We'll find horses, never fear. Come, get to work, and I'll take a hand
myself."
Deck was in hopes that the Confederates would bring forth their
ammunition and the field-piece without delay; but such was not the case.
They first went to work on the raft, a clumsy affair built of two logs
and a dozen rough two-inch hemlock planks. The raft had become wedged
in under the brush overgrowing the bank of the inlet, and the trio
tugged and strained at a rope to bring her away. Evidently, like many
other Southerners, they were not used to work, and the task proceeded
with many growls from all hands.
The raft brought over to the inner end of the inlet, the three
Confederates took a breathing spell and passed around a bottle which the
lieutenant carried. A plug of tobacco also went the round, each
whittling off a piece to suit himself, with his jack-knife. Then the
three started along a dry gully just above the inlet. A thrashing around
in some brush followed.
"Here we are!" cried the lieutenant. "What a pity we didn't have a
chance to use that gun and the canister against the Yanks!"
"Never mind, we'll use 'em another time," answered Peters. "Catch hold,
Bolder," and he began to handle one of the ammunition cases.
Deck had seen enough, and now he touched Life on the arm, and the two
retreated to a distance where it would be safe to talk. "We've spotted
the things," he said. "What do you advise as the next move to make?"
"That is for you to say, Major."
"See here, Life, don't major me so much. You used to call me Deck.
Perhaps I had better address you as captain in the future."
"Don't you do it, Deck," pleaded the Kentuckian. "I won't say major
again, excepting when we are in the ranks."
"All right. Now, what do you think? I want your advice."
"Well, I reckon we want to capture the gun and the ammunition."
"That goes without saying."
"And we likewise want to take the fellows prisoners."
"Certainly, if it can be done--and I think it can."
"Then what more is there to say, Majo--, I mean Deck?"
"Something quite important. Shall we move against them at once, or wait
until the gun and the ammunition are loaded on the raft?"
Life Knox stared at the speaker for a moment in perplexity. Then a grin
overspread his good-natured face. "Reckon we'll let them do the work,
seeing that the stuff will be better on the raft than off it. We can't
do anything in the woods with such heavy luggage; but we might pole that
raft to some safe place in the Union territory."
"Now you've struck it, Life--just what was passing in my own mind. Come,
we'll watch the work, and I'll give the signal to open the ball with
them."
When they reached their first point of observation, they discovered that
two cases of ammunition had already been transferred to the raft. The
third followed, and then a rope was attached to the field-piece, a small
affair, but one capable of doing good execution in the hands of a
skilful gunner.
The men strained and swore at the hard work, and Deck and Life were glad
they had concluded to let the enemy undertake it instead of themselves.
To the rope two logs were added as implements by which to start the
piece, and at last it rolled over a rock in front of it, and they hauled
it to the water's edge. Here arose another difficulty, and the piece was
not placed on board until it had run the risk of dropping to the bottom
of the inlet. The weight of the gun sent the top of the raft under
water, and the lower box of ammunition received a wetting. The others,
having been placed on top of the first, remained uninjured.
"Take the lieutenant and cover him well, Life!" whispered Deck; and it
must be confessed that he was growing excited. "I will cover the man we
followed around the woods. All ready?"
"Wait till I take to the other side of the inlet," answered the captain
of the seventh company of the Riverlawns. He moved off immediately.
A low whistle told Deck when he was ready, and the major aimed his
pistol at the Confederate lieutenant, who was assisting in casting off
the rope which held the raft to the shore. The man Life was covering
stood on the raft, with his comrade, ready to pole the craft out into
the creek.
"Surrender!" The word rang out loudly, and its force covered up any
nervousness Deck may have felt.
The command took the three Confederates completely by surprise. One of
them dropped his pole, and the lieutenant let go the rope and
straightened up.
"What's that?" he queried, as if he had not heard aright.
"Surrender!" repeated Life Knox, from the opposite side of the inlet.
"If you don't, every one of you is a dead man!"
"Throw down your pistols," went on Deck, and the men turned again toward
the spot from which the first voice had come. Of course the major and
the captain kept themselves well concealed from view, and the
Confederates saw nothing in the gloom.
"Who are you?" questioned Lieutenant Blackrook, grating his teeth in
chagrin.
"We're a detachment of Union troops--true blue Kentucky cavalry--and
each man a crack shot. Do you surrender, or do you prefer to be bored
full of holes?"
"For Heaven's sake, don't shoot me down like a dog!" burst out Bolder,
whose name belied his nature.
"Shut up, Bolder!" yelled the lieutenant. "How many of you out there?"
he went on, and at the same moment leaped on the raft with the evident
intention of hiding behind the boxes of ammunition.
"Halt! I'll give you five seconds in which to throw down your arms,"
went on Deck, and began to count off the seconds. More frightened than
ever, Bolder flung his pistol in the brush at Deck's feet, and, seeing
this, Peters did the same, and followed the pistol up with a sword he
carried.
The Confederate lieutenant, however, was game, and dodging behind the
boxes of ammunition made a leap from the inlet into the creek proper.
Deck immediately fired at him, but owing to the darkness, the major's
aim was poor and the bullet passed harmlessly by. Life Knox also took a
shot, with no better result. Listening, they heard the lieutenant come
up and strike out for the opposite shore. But he kept as far under the
surface as his necessary breathing allowed, and the darkness speedily
hid him entirely from view.
Satisfied that Bolder and Peters had no other weapons than those thrown
down, Deck and Life came out into the open. As they did this, however,
Deck turned back, as if speaking to others in the brush. "You fellows
keep back until I tell you to come out," he said, and the two
Confederates immediately felt certain that a detachment of at least
eight or ten Yankees had surrounded them.
"Are you willing to submit quietly?" demanded the major, approaching
Peters, for he felt sure Bolder would do nothing of his own account.
"Can't help myself, Cap'n," answered Peters, who had not yet discovered
the young officer's rank.
"Are there any more of your kind about here?"
"I don't reckon there are, Cap'n."
"Where have the others gone?"
"Don't know as I kin answer that question, Major. Say, this is a right
handsome bit of work for an officer as young as you, Major."
"I want to know how close your nearest troops are to us?"
Before Peters could answer, a pistol cracked out from the opposite shore
of the creek. The ball whistled through the trees over Deck's head.
Crack! It was Life Knox's weapon in reply, but whether or not any damage
was done could not be determined.
"We must leave this spot, Deck!" cried the tall Kentuckian. "Whoever
fired that shot has our range here."
"It must be that lieutenant," answered Deck, and he was right.
Lieutenant Blackrook had swum directly across the creek and was now
firing as rapidly as possible.
"Tell the rascal to stop, or he may hit you," said Life to the two
Confederates.
"Stop that firing!" roared Bolder. "Don't hit your friends!"
"Take to the water, you cowards!" came in the lieutenant's voice, and he
fired again, a shot that both Deck and Life returned.
Nobody was touched, and now Deck ordered the Confederates to pole the
raft into the creek and down that watercourse, as he remembered what had
been said about the Southern forces being further up. All he desired at
present was to get out of reach of the enemy, and remain so until he
could get reenforcements.
Inside of two minutes the raft was out of the inlet, and the trip down
the stream began. The flow of the current was in their favor, and soon
the woods was left behind, and they came out between meadow banks on
both sides. The Confederates remained passive enough, and Deck gave his
whole attention to discovering a suitable landing place--one which might
put him within easy call of assistance.
As has been said, it had grown dark, and now a fog began to creep over
the meadows and the creek, gradually shutting every object but those
close at hand, from view. The fog was very penetrating, and all on board
began to shiver with the cold.
"Where are you goin' to take us?" asked Bolder, presently.
"To a safe place, my man," answered Life. "Better not ask any more
questions."
"We are booked for a Northern prison, I reckon," said Peters, gloomily.
"If those prisons are as bad as I've been told they are, I'd rather be
shot than taken to one."
"All right; we'll shoot you if you say so," rejoined the Kentuckian; and
then the Confederates relapsed once more into silence.
"There seems to be a bend here--" began Deck, a moment later. "The fog
is so thick I can't see if we are turning to the left or the right. If
we--"
He got no further, for a shock told him that the raft had grounded. A
cry of consternation escaped his lips. They were on the Confederate side
of the swollen stream.