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diff --git a/6958-0.txt b/6958-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6fd16d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/6958-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4996 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Frank on the Lower Mississippi, by Harry Castlemon + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: Frank on the Lower Mississippi + +Author: Harry Castlemon + +Posting Date: January 11, 2015 [EBook #6958] +Release Date: November, 2004 +First Posted: February 17, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI *** + + + + +Produced by David Garcia, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + + +FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. + +BY + +HARRY CASTLEMON + + + + + CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I.--THE NEW PAYMASTER + + CHAPTER II.--A NIGHT EXPEDITION + + CHAPTER III.--ARCHIE IN A PREDICAMENT + + CHAPTER IV.--A MARK FOR THE UNION + + CHAPTER V.--A RUN FOR LIFE + + CHAPTER VI.--FRANK TURNS DETECTIVE + + CHAPTER VII.--FRANK'S FIRST COMMAND + + CHAPTER VIII.--AN UNLUCKY FLIGHT + + CHAPTER IX.--UP THE WASHITA + + CHAPTER X.--THE PROMOTION + + CHAPTER XI.--THE RIVAL SPIES + + CHAPTER XII.--A SCOUTING PARTY + + CHAPTER XIII.--TOM THE COXSWAIN + + CHAPTER XIV.--A REBEL TRICK + + CHAPTER XV.--HONORABLY DISCHARGED + + + + +FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +The New Paymaster. + + +Vicksburg had fallen, and the army had marched in and taken possession +of the city. How Frank longed to accompany it, that he might see the +inside of the rebel stronghold, which had so long withstood the advance +of our fleet and army! He stood leaning against one of the monster guns, +which, at his bidding, had spoken so often and so effectively in favor +of the Union, and for two hours watched the long lines of war-worn +soldiers as they moved into the works. At length a tremendous cheer +arose from the city, and Frank discovered a party of soldiers on the +cupola of the court-house, from which, a few moments afterward, floated +the Stars and Stripes. Then came faintly to his ears the words of a +familiar song, which were caught up by the soldiers in the city, then by +those who were still marching in, and "We'll rally round the flag, +boys," was sung by an immense choir. The rebels in the streets gazed +wonderingly at the men on the spire, and listened to the song, and the +triumphant shouts of the conquering army, which proclaimed the beginning +of the downfall of their confederacy. + +To Frank, it was one of the proudest moments of his life--a sight he +would not have missed to be able to float at the mast-head of his vessel +the broad pennant of the admiral. All he had endured was forgotten; and +when the Old Flag was unfurled in the air which had but a short time +before floated the "stars and bars," he pulled off his cap and shouted +at the top of his lungs. + +Having thus given vent to his feelings of exultation, in obedience to +orders, he commenced the removal of his battery on board the Trenton. It +was two days' work to accomplish this, but Frank, who was impatient to +see the inside of the fortifications worked with a will, and finally the +battery was mounted in its old position. On the following day, the +Trenton moved down the river, and came to anchor in front of Vicksburg. +Shore liberty was granted, and Frank, in company with several of his +brother officers, strolled about the city. On every side the houses bore +the marks of Union shot and shell, and the streets were blocked with +fortifications, showing that had the city been taken by storm, it was +the intention of the rebels to dispute every inch of the ground. Every +thing bore evidence to the fact that the fight had been a most desperate +one; that the rebels had surrendered only when they found that it was +impossible to hold out longer. + +In some places the streets ran through deep cuts in the bank, and in +these banks were the famous "gopher holes." They were [ca]ves dug in +the ground, into which a person, if he happened to hear a shell coming, +might run for safety. Outside the city, the fortifications were most +extensive; rifle-pits ran in every direction, flanked by strong forts, +whose battered walls attested the fury of the iron hail that had been +poured upon them. It was night before Frank was aware of it, so +interested was he in every thing about him, and he returned on board his +vessel, weary with his long walk, but amply repaid by seeing the inside +of what its rebel occupants had called "the Gibraltar of America." + +During the next two days, several vessels of the squadron passed the +city, on their way to new fields of action further down the river. One +of them--the Boxer, a tin-clad, mounting eight guns--had Frank on board. +He had been detached from the Trenton, and ordered to join this vessel, +which had been assigned a station a short distance below Grand Gulf. As +usual, he had no difficulty in becoming acquainted with his new +messmates, and he soon felt perfectly at home among them. He found, as +he had done in every other mess of which he had been a member, that +there was the usual amount of wrangling and disputing, and it amused him +exceedingly. All the mess seemed to be indignant at the caterer, who did +not appear to stand very high in their estimation. The latter, he +learned, had just made an "assessment" upon the mess to the amount of +ten dollars for each member; and as there was no paymaster on board, the +officers had but very little ready money, and were anxious to know where +all the funds paid into the treasury went to. He also found that the +caterer's authority was not as much respected as he had a right to +claim, for during the very first meal Frank ate in the mess, a dispute +arose which threatened for a time to end in the whole matter being +carried before the captain. + +One of the members of the mess, who was temporarily attached to the +vessel, was a pilot who had been pressed into the service. He was a +genuine rebel, and frequently said that he was called a traitor because +he was in favor of allowing the South to "peaceably withdraw from the +Union." The doctor, a little, fat, jolly man, and a thorough Unionist, +who believed in handling all rebels without gloves, took up the sword, +and the debate that followed was long and stormy. The pilot, as it +proved, hardly knew the reasons why the South had attempted to secede, +and was constantly clinching his arguments by saying, "Men who know +more, and who have done more fighting during this war than you, Doctor +Brown, say that they have a right to do so." The debate waxed hotter and +hotter, until some of the other members of the mess joined in with the +doctor against the pilot, and the caterer, thinking that the noise the +disputants made was unbecoming the members of a well-regulated mess, at +length shouted: + +"Silence! Gentlemen, hereafter talking politics in this wardroom is +strictly prohibited." + +"Eh?" ejaculated the doctor, who was thoroughly aroused, "Do you expect +us to sit here and listen to a conscript running down the Government--a +man who never would have entered the service if he had not been +compelled to do so? No, sir! I wouldn't hold my tongue under such +circumstances if all the six-foot-four caterers in the squadron should +say so. You are not a little admiral, to come down here and hoist your +broad pennant in this mess-room." + +The caterer was astounded when he found his authority thus set at +defiance, and without further parley he retired to his room; and in a +few moments returned with the books, papers, and the small amount of +money that belonged to the mess; laying them on the table, he said: + +"Gentlemen, you will please elect another caterer." + +The debate was instantly hushed, for not one member of the mess, besides +the caterer just resigned, could have been hired to take the +responsibility of managing affairs. When the officers had finished their +dinner, they walked carelessly out on deck, as if the question of where +the next meal was to come from did not trouble them in the least. +Nothing was done toward an election; no one took charge of the books or +papers, and when the table was cleared away they were thrown +unceremoniously under the water-cooler. The money, however, was taken +care of by the doctor. Dinner-time came, and when Frank, tired and +hungry, was relieved from the deck, he inquired what was to be had to +eat. + +"There's nothing been done about it yet," answered the officer who +relieved him. "The steward went to several of the members of the mess, +and asked what they wished served up; but they told him that they had +nothing to do with the caterer's business, and the consequence is, if +you want any thing to eat, you will have to go into the pantry and help +yourself." + +Frank was a good deal amused at the obstinacy displayed by the different +members of the mess, and wondered how the affair would end. The mess +could not long exist without some one to take charge of it; but for +himself he was not at all concerned. He had paid no initiation fee, +because no one had asked him for it, and he knew that as long as there +were provisions in the paymaster's store-rooms, there was no danger but +that he would get plenty to eat. He found three or four officers in the +pantry making their dinner on hard-tack, pickles, and raw bacon. They +were all grumbling over the hard fare, but not one of them appeared +willing to assume the office of caterer. + +Things went on in this way for nearly a week, (during which time they +had arrived at their station,) and the doctor, who was fond of good +living, could stand it no longer. He went to the caterer who had +resigned, and, after considerable urging, and a solemn promise that +politics should not again be discussed in the mess, the latter was +persuaded to resume the management of affairs. The change from hard +crackers and pickles to nice warm meals was a most agreeable one, and +the jolly doctor, according to promise, was very careful what questions +were brought up before the mess for discussion. + +By this time, as we have before remarked, the Boxer had arrived at her +station. Her crew thought they were now about to lead a life of idleness +and inactivity, for not a rebel had they seen since leaving Vicksburg. +But one morning, while the men were engaged in washing off the +forecastle, they were startled by a roar of musketry, and three of the +sailors fell dead upon the deck. + +The fight that followed continued for two hours, the rebels finally +retiring, not because they had been worsted, but for the reason that +they had grown weary of the engagement. This was the commencement of a +series of attacks which proved to be the source of great annoyance to +the crew of the Boxer. The guerrillas would appear when least expected, +and the levee afforded them a secure hiding-place from which they could +not be driven, either with big guns or small arms. They were fatal +marksmen, too; and during the week following, the Boxer's crew lost ten +men. One rebel in particular attracted their attention, and his reckless +courage excited their admiration. He rode a large white horse, and +although rendered a prominent mark for the rifles of the sailors, he +always escaped unhurt. He would ride boldly out in full view of the +vessel, patiently wait for someone to expose himself, when the sharp +crack of his rifle would be followed by the report made to the captain, +"A man shot, sir." + +Frank had selected this man as a worthy foe-man; and every time he +appeared the young officer was on the watch for him. He was very expert +with the rifle, and after a few shots, he succeeded in convincing the +rebel that the safest place for him was behind the levee. One morning +the foe appeared in stronger force than usual, and conspicuous among +them was the white horse and his daring rider. The fight that ensued had +continued for perhaps half an hour, when the quartermaster reported the +dispatch-boat approaching. As soon as she came within range, the +guerrillas directed their fire against her, to which the latter replied +briskly from two guns mounted on her forecastle. The leader of the +rebels was constantly in view, cheering on his men, and discharging his +rifle as fast as he could reload. Frank fired several shots at him, and +finding that, as usual, they were without effect, he asked the captain's +permission to try a howitzer on him, which was granted. He ran below, +trained the gun to his satisfaction, and waited for an opportunity to +fire, during which the dispatch-boat came alongside and commenced +putting off a supply of stores. + +At length the rebel mounted the levee, and reigning in his horse, sat in +his saddle gazing at the vessels, as if not at all concerned. He +presented a fair mark, and Frank fired, but the shell went wild and +burst in the woods, far beyond the rebel, who, however, beat a hasty +retreat behind the levee. + +"Oh, what a shot!" shouted a voice through the trumpet that led from the +pilot-house to the main deck. "What a shot--altogether too much +elevation." + +"Who's that, I wonder?" soliloquized Frank. "It _was_ a poor shot, +but I'd like to see that fellow, whoever he is, do any better." + +After giving orders to have the gun reloaded and secured, he ran into +the wardroom to look after his mail, at the same time inquiring of every +one he met, "Who was that making fun of my shooting?" But no one knew, +nor cared to trouble himself about the matter, for the subject of +conversation was, "We've got a new paymaster." + +Frank was pleased to hear this, but was still determined to find the +person who had laughed at his marksmanship, when he saw a pair of feet +descending the ladder that led from the cabin to the pilot-house, and a +moment afterward, a smart looking young officer, dressed in the uniform +of a paymaster, stood in the wardroom, and upon discovering Frank, +thrust out his hand and greeted him with-- + +"What a shot! Been in the service more than two years, and"-- + +"Why, Archie Winters, is this you?" exclaimed Frank, joyfully. + +"_Paymaster_ Winters, if you please" replied Archie, with mock +dignity. + +"How came you here? What are you doing? Got any money?" hurriedly +inquired Frank. + +"Got plenty of funds," replied his cousin. "But I say, Frank, how long +has this fighting been going on?" + +"Every day for the last week." + +Archie shrugged his shoulders, and looked blank. + +"I guess I had better go back to Cairo," said he; "these rebels, I hear, +shoot very carelessly. Just before we came alongside here, I was +standing on the deck of the dispatch-boat, and some fellow cracked away +at me, sending the bullet altogether too close to my head for comfort." + +"Oh, that's nothing, so long as he didn't hit you. You'll get used to +that before you have been here a week. But, Archie, are you really +ordered to this vessel?" + +Archie at once produced his orders, and, sure enough, he was an acting +assistant paymaster, and ordered to "report to the commanding officer of +the U. S. S. Boxer for duty on board that vessel." + +During the two years that Archie had been in the fleet-paymaster's +office he had, by strict attention to his duties, worked his way up from +"writer" to corresponding clerk. He had had ample opportunity to learn +the duties of paymaster, and one day he suddenly took it into his head +to make application for the position. He immediately wrote to his +father, informing him of his intention, procured his letters of +recommendation, and a month afterward received the appointment. + +Hearing, through Frank, that the Boxer was without a paymaster, he +succeeded in getting ordered to her, and, as he had not written to his +cousin of his good fortune, the latter, as may be supposed, was taken +completely by surprise. + +Archie was speedily introduced to the officers of the vessel, who were +pleased with his off-hand, easy manners, and delighted with the looks of +a small safe which he had brought with him, for they knew, by the very +particular orders he gave concerning it, that there was money in it. + +At the end of an hour the rebels seemed to grow weary of the fight, for +they drew off their forces; then, as soon as it was safe on deck, the +cousins seated themselves on the guard, to "talk over old times." Frank +gave descriptions of the fights in which he had engaged since they last +met, and also related stories of mess-room life, with which Archie was +entirely unacquainted; and to show him how things were conducted, told +him of the jokes the officers frequently played upon each other. + +"Speaking of jokes," said Archie, "reminds me of a little affair I had a +hand in at Cairo. + +"While the commandant of the station was absent on a leave, his place +was supplied by a gentleman whom, for short, I will call Captain Smith. +He was a regular officer, had grown gray in the service, and was one of +the most eccentric men I ever saw. He was extremely nervous, too, and if +a steamer happened to whistle while passing the wharf-boat, it would +make him almost wild. + +"One day, a man who lived off somewhere in the woods, came down to Cairo +to get an appointment for his son as master's mate. Our office, you +know, was just to the right of the door, and, if there was any thing +that bothered me, it was for some body to stick his head over the +railing when I was busy, and ask, 'Is the commandant of the station in?' +There was an orderly on watch day and night, always ready to answer such +questions, and besides, there was an abundance of notices on the walls +pointing out the different offices; but in spite of this, every stranger +that came in must stop and make inquiries of me. + +"Well, this man came into the office, and as he had evidently never been +there before, judging by the way he gaped at every thing, I told him +that it was after office hours, and that he must call again the next +morning about nine o'clock. He took a turn or two across the floor +(by-the-way, he wore squeaking boots, that made a noise like a +steam-whistle), and finally went out. + +"The next evening, just as I was locking up my desk, he came in again, +and I repeated what I had told him the night before, that he must come +at nine o'clock in the _morning_--not at night--if he wished to see +the captain, and he went out, after making noise enough with his +squeaking boots to set a nervous man's teeth on edge. Now, would you +believe it, that evening, after I had finished my work, and was starting +out for supper, I saw this man coming up the stairs. He met me with the +usual question, 'Is the captain in?' and I suddenly hit upon a plan to +get rid of him, for I had made up my mind that the man didn't know what +he was about; so I replied: + +"'What do you want? Why don't you come here during our office hours, if +you want to see me?' + +"I spoke in a gruff voice, and I was so bundled up--for the night was +very cold--that I knew he wouldn't recognize me. + +"'I've been busy all day, cap'in,' said he; 'but the fact is'-- + +"I was afraid that I would be obliged to stand there in the cold and +listen to a long, uninteresting yarn, so I interrupted him. + +"'Speak quick, and don't keep me waiting.' + +"'Wal, cap'in,' said he, 'I heerd you are in want of officers, an' I +come to get a place for my son; I hear the wages are purty good.' + +"'Yes,' I replied, 'we do want officers; but does your son know anything +about a ship?' + +"'Oh, yes? He's run the river as deck-hand for goin' nigh on to three +year.' + +"'Then he ought to know something, certainly. Come around tomorrow +morning, at nine o'clock exactly, and I'll see what can be done for you. +Now, mind, I say nine o'clock in the morning.' + +"Well, the next morning, at the appointed time, to my utter +astonishment, the man was on hand, and, as usual, commenced walking up +and down the floor with his squeaking boots. The noise disturbed +everyone within hearing, and presently the captain, who was in his +office, and so busy that he hardly knew what he was about, spoke in a +sharp tone: + +"'Orderly, pull off those squeaking boots!' + +"'It isn't me, sir.' said the orderly; 'it's a gentleman out here +waiting to see you, sir.' + +"'Then send him in--send him in at once, so that I can get rid of that +noise.' + +"The man was accordingly shown into the presence of the captain, while I +listened with both ears to hear what was said. + +"'Mornin', cap'in,' he began; 'I reckon I'm here on time.' + +"'Time! what time? What do you want?' inquired the captain, who always +spoke very fast, as though he were in a hurry to get through with what +he had to say. 'What do you want, my good man. Be lively now.' + +"'Why, cap'in, I come here to get that appointment for my son in this +ere navy.' + +"'Appointment! For your son!' repeated the captain. 'Who is he? I never +heard of him.' + +"'Wal, really now, cap'in, I'll be shot if you didn't tell me last night +that you would make my son an officer. The wages are good, I hear, an' +as I've a debt to pay off on the farm'-- + +"'Don't bother me!' interrupted the captain, beginning to get impatient. + +"'But, cap'in,' urged the man, 'you can't bluff me off this 'ere way. +You told me last night that you wanted officers; you know I met you on +the stairs, and you promised, honor bright.' + +"'Eh!' ejaculated the captain, in surprise,'my good man, allow me to +know what I'm about, will you? _Will_ you allow me to know myself? +Orderly,' he continued, turning to that individual, who had stood by, +convulsed with laughter, which he was vainly endeavoring to conceal, +'orderly, do you think this man is in his right mind?' + +"The orderly said he didn't know; but, taking the man by the arm, showed +him out of the office, telling him to come again, when the captain was +not quite so busy. + +"The conversation had been carried on in a loud tone, and all the +occupants of the different offices had heard it, and were highly amused, +for they knew that somebody had been playing a joke on the countryman; +but it was a long time before I told anyone of the share I had had in +the affair." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A Night Expedition. + + +"The captain wishes to see you, gentlemen!" said the orderly, stepping +up and saluting. + +The cousins repaired to the cabin, and after Archie had been introduced +to the captain (for being utterly ignorant of the manner in which things +were conducted on shipboard, he had not yet reported his arrival), his +orders were indorsed, and the captain, turning to his desk, ran his eye +hastily over an official document, and said: + +"Mr. Nelson, I have received instructions from the admiral to make you +the executive officer of this vessel. Mr. Kearney's resignation has been +accepted, and you will take his place. I am certain, from what I know +and have heard of your past history, that I shall have no cause to +regret the change." + +After a few moments' conversation with the captain upon unimportant +matters, the cousins returned to the wardroom. + +Frank's constant attention to his duties had again been rewarded, and he +was now the second in authority on board the vessel. All orders from the +captain must pass through him, and in the absence of that gentleman he +became commander. To say that Frank was delighted would but feebly +express his feelings; he was proud of the honor, and determined that he +would prove himself worthy of it. In fact, he had now reached the height +of his ambition, although he had little dreamed that it would come so +soon. He asked nothing more. He had worked hard and faithfully ever +since he had entered the service, but in receiving the appointment of +executive officer he felt amply rewarded. + +He was young in years for so responsible a position, but he had no fears +of his ability to perform all the duties required of him, for the +routine of ship life had become as familiar to him as was the road from +Lawrence to his quiet little home on the banks of Glen's Creek. But his +promotion did not affect him as it does a great many who suddenly find +themselves possessed of power. He did not "stand upon his rank," nor in +his intercourse with his messmates endeavor to keep constantly before +their minds the fact that he was the second in command. Those who have +been in the service--especially in the navy--will recall to mind +incidents of this character; but our hero never forgot the respect he +owed to his superiors, and his conduct toward those under him was marked +by the same kindness he had always shown them. + +Frank knew that he had something of a task before him. Although he could +now turn into his bunk at night without being called upon to stand his +regular watch, he had more difficult duties to perform. He was +responsible for the manner in which affairs were conducted about decks, +for the neat appearance of the vessel and of the men; and as the former +executive officer had been rather careless in this respect, Frank knew +that his first move must be made in that direction. + +For the next two days, as the rebels did not trouble them, Frank worked +early and late, and the results of his labor were soon made apparent. +Every one remarked the improved appearance of the men, who, at the +Sunday morning muster, appeared on deck in spotless uniforms and +well-blacked shoes. After the roll had been called, and the captain, in +company with Frank, proceeded to inspect the vessel, the young officer +knew that his improvements had been appreciated when the former, who was +an old sailor, said, with a smile of satisfaction: + +"Mr. Nelson, this begins to look something like a ship, sir. This really +looks like business. The admiral may come here now and inspect the +vessel as soon as he pleases." + +The next morning, as Frank sat at the table in the wardroom, engaged in +answering the letters he had received by the dispatch-boat, and Archie +was in his office straightening out his books and papers, a bullet came +suddenly crashing through the cabin--a signal that the rebels had again +made their appearance. Frank, who had become accustomed to such +interruptions, deliberately wiped his pen, corked his ink-stand, and was +carefully putting away his letters, when there was a hurrying of feet in +the office; the door flew open, and Archie, divested of his coat, +bounded into the cabin, exclaiming: + +"A fellow can't tell when he's safe in this country. I wish I was back +in the fleet-paymaster's office. I wouldn't mind a good fair fight, but +this thing of being shot at when you least expect it isn't pleasant." + +As Archie spoke, he hurriedly seized a gun from the rack, which had been +put up in the cabin in order to have weapons close at hand, and sprang +up the ladder that led into the pilothouse. Frank, although he laughed +heartily at his cousin's rapid movements, was a good deal surprised, for +he had always believed him to be possessed of a good share of courage. +It would, however, have tried stronger nerves than Archie's; but men who +had become familiar with such scenes, who had learned to regard them +merely as something disagreeable which could not be avoided, could not +sympathize with one in his situation, and many a wink was exchanged, and +many a laugh indulged in, at the expense of the "green paymaster." + +When Frank had put away his writing materials, he ran below to see that +the ports were all closed; after which he returned to the wardroom, and, +securing a rifle, went into the pilot-house, where he found Archie +engaged in reloading his gun, while the officers were complimenting him +on a fine shot he had just made. + +"Mr. Nelson," exclaimed the doctor, as Frank made his appearance, "I +guess your white horseman is done for now. The paymaster lifted him out +of his saddle as clean as a whistle." + +Frank looked out at one of the ports, and, sure enough, there was the +white horse running riderless about, and his wounded master was being +carried behind the levee. The officers continued to fire as often as a +rebel showed himself, but the latter seemed to have lost all desire for +fighting, for they retreated to the plantation-house which stood back +from the river, out of range of the rifles, where they gathered in a +body as if in consultation, now and then setting up defiant yells, which +came faintly to the ears of those in the pilot-house. + +"They are saucy enough now that they are out of harm's way," said +Archie, turning to his cousin. But the latter made no reply. He stood +leaning on his rifle, gazing at the guerrillas, as if busily engaged +with his own thoughts, and finally left the pilot-house and sought an +interview with the captain. + +"I have been thinking, sir," said he, as he entered the cabin and took +the chair offered him, "that if that house out there had been burned +long ago, we should not have had ten men killed by those guerrillas. +They seem to use that building as their head-quarters, and if it could +be destroyed they would cease to trouble us." + +"That's my opinion," replied the captain. "But who is to undertake the +job? Who's to go out there, in the face of three or four hundred rebels, +and do it? _I_ can't, with a crew of only fifty men." + +"I didn't suppose it could be done openly, sir; but couldn't it be +accomplished by stratagem in the night, for instance?" + +The captain shook his head; but Frank, who was not yet discouraged, +continued: + +"I have not made this proposition, captain, without thinking it all +over--without taking into consideration all the chances for and against +it--and I still think it could be accomplished." + +"Well, how would you go to work?" asked the captain, settling back in +his chair with the air of a man who had made his decision, from which he +was not to be turned. + +Frank then proceeded to recount the plans he had laid for the +accomplishment of his object, to which the captain listened attentively, +and when Frank had ceased, he rose to his feet and paced the cabin. He +knew that the young officer had before engaged in expeditions similar to +the one he now proposed, when, in carrying out his designs, he had +exhibited the skill and judgment of a veteran. In the present instance, +his plans were so well laid, that there appeared to be but little chance +for failure. After a few moments' consideration, the captain again +seated himself, and said: + +"Well, Mr. Nelson, it shall be as you propose. If you succeed, I am +certain that this guerrilla station will be broken up; if you fail, it +will only be what many a good officer has done before you." + +"I assure you, sir, I shall leave no plan untried to insure my success," +replied Frank, as he left the cabin. + +"What's the matter now?" inquired Archie, as his cousin entered the +wardroom. "Been getting a blowing up already?" + +"Oh, no!" replied Frank. "Come in here, and I'll tell you all about it;" +and he drew Archie into the office, where he proceeded to tell him all +that had been determined upon. When he had finished, the latter +exclaimed: + +"I want to go with you. Will you take me?" + +Frank thought of Archie's behavior but a few moments before, and +wondered what use he could possibly be in an expedition like the one +proposed. + +"If you do go," he answered, at length, "you'll be sorry for it. It +requires those who are accustomed to such business; and you have never +been in an action in your life. The undertaking is dangerous." + +"I don't care if it is," answered Archie. "That's just the reason why I +want to go--to be with you; and I warrant you I'll stick to you as long +as any body." + +"Besides," began Frank, "if any thing should happen to you"-- + +"I'm just as likely to get back as you are," replied Archie, excitedly, +"and I want to go." + +After considerable urging, Frank finally asked and obtained permission +for Archie to accompany the expedition, at which the latter was +overjoyed. He was very far from realizing the danger there was in the +undertaking, and had as little idea of what would be required of him as +he had of the moon. + +The cousins passed the afternoon in the pilothouse, watching the +movements of the guerrillas through spy-glasses, studying the "lay of +the land," the directions in which the different roads ran--in short, +nothing was omitted which they thought might be useful for them to know. +Just before night a storm set in; the wind blew, and the rain fell in +torrents; and, although Frank regarded it as something in their favor, +under any other circumstances he would have preferred tumbling into bed +to venturing out in it. The hammocks were not piped as usual, but all +hands were to remain on deck during the night, to be ready to lend +assistance in case it was required. At ten o'clock the cutter lay +alongside the vessel, the crew were in their places, and Frank and his +cousin, surrounded by the officers who had assembled to see them off, +stood on the guards ready to start. + +"Paymaster," said Frank, turning to his cousin, "hadn't you better +remain on board?" (He addressed him as paymaster, for, of course, it +would have been contrary to naval rules to call him by his given name in +the presence of the captain.) + +"No, sir," answered Archie, quickly buttoning up his pea-jacket with a +resolute air. "Do you suppose I'm going to back out now? If you do, you +are mistaken. I'm not afraid of a little rain." + +Frank made no reply, but, after shaking hands with the captain and +officers, followed his cousin into the cutter, which floated off into +the darkness amid the whispered wishes for "good luck" from all the +ship's company who had witnessed its departure. Frank took the helm, and +turned the boat down the river. Not an oar was used, for the young +officer did not know but the rebels had posted sentries along the bank, +whom the least splashing in the water would alarm. Archie sat beside his +cousin, with his collar pulled up over his ears, and his hands thrust +into the pockets of his pea-jacket, heartily wishing that Frank had +chosen a pleasanter night for their expedition. For half an hour they +floated along with the current in silence, until Frank, satisfied that +he had gone far enough down the river to get below the sentries, if any +were posted on the bank, gave the order to use the oars, and turned the +cutter's head toward the shore, which they reached in a few moments. + +The crew quietly disembarked, and as the sailors gathered about him, +Frank said, + +"Now, men, I'm going to leave you here until the paymaster and myself +can go up to the house, and accomplish what we have come for. Tom," he +added, turning to the coxswain of the cutter, "you will have charge of +the boat, and remember you are in no case to leave her. We may be +discovered, and get into a fight. If we do, and are cut off from the +river and unable to get back, I'll whistle, and you will at once answer +me, so that I may know that you hear me, and pull off to the vessel. +We'll take care of ourselves. Do you understand?" + +The crew of the cutter were old sailors--men who had followed the sea +through storm and sunshine all their lives. They had been in more than +one action, too, during the rebellion, and had gladly volunteered for +the expedition, supposing that they were to accompany Frank wherever he +went. During the short time the latter had been on board the Boxer, they +had become very much attached to him. Although he was a very strict +officer, and always expected every man to do his duty promptly, he +always treated them with the greatest kindness, and never spoke harshly +to them. This was so different from the treatment they had usually +received at the hands of their officers, that it won their hearts; and, +although they admired his courage, they would have felt much better +pleased had they received orders to accompany him. + +"Don't you understand, Tom?" again asked Frank, seeing that the coxswain +hesitated. + +"Oh, yes, sir," replied the sailor, touching his hat; "I understand, +sir. But, Mr. Nelson, may I be so bold as to ask one question--one +favor, I may say?" + +"Certainly; speak it out," answered Frank, who little imagined what +thoughts were passing through the minds of his men. "What is it? Do you +wish to go back to the ship, and leave us here alone?" + +"No, sir," answered all the men in a breath. + +"Mr. Nelson," said the coxswain, "I never yet refused duty because there +was danger in it, and I'm too old a man to begin now. You have here, +sir, twelve as good men as ever trod a ship's deck, and you know, sir, +that when you passed the word for volunteers for this expedition, you +didn't have to call twice. But we all thought that we should go with you +to the end; and, to tell the truth, sir, we don't like the idea of you +and the paymaster going off alone among them rebels. You are sure to get +into trouble, and we want to go with you." + +On more than one occasion had Frank been made aware of the affection his +men cherished for him, and he felt as proud of it as he did of the +uniform he wore; but he had never been more affected than he was on the +present occasion. + +"Men," he answered, in a voice that was none of the steadiest, "I assure +you I appreciate the interest you take in my welfare, and were I going +to fight, I should certainly take you with me; but sometimes two can +accomplish more than a dozen. Besides, I promised the captain that I +would leave you here, and I must do so. Now, remember and pull off to +the vessel if you hear me whistle." + +"Yes, sir," replied the coxswain; "but it'll be the first time I ever +deserted an officer in trouble." + +The sailors were evidently far from being pleased with this arrangement, +but they were allowed no opportunity to oppose it, even had they felt +inclined to do so, for Frank and his cousin speedily disappeared in the +darkness. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Archie in a Predicament. + + +As soon as the young officers had reached the top of the bank, they +paused to take their bearings, and to select some landmark that would +enable them to easily find the boat again. Away off in the darkness they +saw the twinkling of a light, which they knew was in the house which the +guerrillas were using as their head-quarters. + +"Now, Archie," said Frank, "take a good look at this big tree here" +(pointing to the object in question) "so that you will know it again. +The boat lies in the river exactly in a line with that tree. Now, if you +should be separated from me and discovered, make straight for the +cutter. But if you are cut off from it, run up the river until you get a +little above where the vessel lies, and then jump in and swim out to +her. Do you understand?" + +"Yes," replied Archie. + +"Be careful of your weapons," continued his cousin, "and keep them dry +and ready for instant use. Don't be captured--whatever you do, don't be +captured!" + +"I'll look out for that," answered Archie "But, Frank," he continued, +"why did you tell the men to pull back to the vessel if we should be cut +off from the river? I should think that would be just the time you would +want them to remain." + +"Why," replied Frank, "the very first thing the rebels would think of, +if we were discovered, would be to capture our boat, and while part of +them were after us, the others would run to the river and gobble up +boat, crew, and all. Then they would know that we were still on shore, +and would scour the country to find us. But if the boat goes off to the +vessel, the rebels will be more than half inclined to believe that we +have gone off too, and, consequently, will not take the pains to hunt us +which they would do if they _knew_ we were still on shore. But let +us be moving; we've no time to waste." + +Frank started toward the house, carefully picking his way over the wet, +slippery ground, now and then pausing to listen, and to reconnoiter as +well as the darkness would permit, and finally stopped scarcely a +stone's throw from the building. Not a guerrilla had they seen. Not +dreaming that the "yankee gun-boatmen" would have the audacity to attack +them when they knew the rebels were so far superior in numbers, the +latter had neglected to post sentries, and Frank was satisfied that +their approach had not been discovered. + +"Now, Archie," said he, as they drew up behind a tree for concealment, +"you stay here, and I'll see if I can set fire to that house." + +"There are people in it," said his cousin; "I just saw a man pass by +that window where the light is." + +"Then they must look out for themselves," answered Frank. "That's what +we have to do when they shoot into our cabin. Now, you stay here, and if +you hear any shooting, run for the boat." + +"What will _you_ do?" asked Archie. + +"Oh, I'll take care of myself. Good-bye." + +As Frank spoke he moved silently toward the house, and was soon out of +sight. + +"Now," soliloquized Archie, "I am to stay here, am I? That's what I was +ordered to do, but I don't know whether I'll obey or not. It is evident +Frank left me here to keep me out of harm's way. Perhaps he thinks that +because I have never smelt powder, I am a coward; but I'll show him that +I am not." + +So saying, Archie stepped out from behind his tree, and walked slowly +toward the house. When he arrived opposite the window from which the +light shone, he stopped and looked in. He did not, however, go up close +to the window, or he certainly would have been seen; but he remained +standing at a respectful distance, so that he would have some chance for +escape, in case he should be discovered. + +The sight that met his gaze would have been sufficient to deter most men +from attempting to burn the house. The room was filled with men, some of +whom were lying on the floor on their blankets, others sitting around +the table, and one or two were walking about the apartment. In the +corner stood their arms, ready to be seized at a moment's warning. And +this was but one of the rooms; perhaps the whole house was filled with +guerrillas. + +"My eye!" said Archie to himself, "what a hornet's nest would be raised +about our ears, if we should be discovered." + +His heart beat faster than usual, as he moved back from the window, and +walked silently around to the other side of the house. Here also was a +window, from which a light shone, and as, like the other, it was +destitute of a curtain, every thing that went on within could be plainly +seen by Archie, who took his station behind some bushes that stood at a +little distance from the house. The room had three occupants, whom +Archie at once set down as officers. One of them carried his arm in a +sling. He was a tall, powerful-looking man, and Archie recognized in him +the daring rider of the white horse--the chief of the guerrillas. + +"I wonder what the old chap would say if he knew I was about," thought +Archie--"I, who gave him that wound. I'd be booked for Shreveport, +certain." + +He was interrupted in his meditations by the movements of the officers, +who arose and approached the door, bringing their chairs with them. The +storm had ceased, and as there was no longer any necessity of remaining +in the house, the rebels were, no doubt, moving to cooler quarters. +Archie at once thought of retreating; but the thought had scarcely +passed through his mind, when the door opened, the rebels walked out on +the portico, and seating themselves in their chairs, deposited their +feet on the railing; while the young officer stretched himself out +behind the bush, heartily wishing that he could sink into the ground out +of sight. + +"A very warm evening, colonel," said one of the rebels, fanning himself +with his hat. + +"Very," answered the guerrilla chief, gently moving his wounded arm, +little dreaming that the one who gave him that wound was at that very +moment lying behind the bushes into which he had just thrown the stump +of his cigar. "It's very warm. I wish I had that rascally Yank that shot +me," he added, "this wound is very painful." + +Archie upon hearing this was almost afraid that the beating of his +heart, which thumped against his ribs with a noise that frightened him, +would certainly reveal to the rebels the fact that the "rascally Yank" +was then in their immediate vicinity. + +"But, if our plans work," continued the colonel, "in less than a week +from this time they will all be on the way to Shreveport." + +"May I ask, colonel," said the one who had not yet spoken, "how soon +those boats will be ready?" + +"Major Jackson reports that they will be finished by to-morrow night, +and it will take all of one day to run them down the creek to the +river." + +"Then by Thursday evening," said the one who had first spoken, "we may +be ready to make the attempt." + +"Yes, if the night is favorable." + +"But, colonel, all these gun-boats are supplied with hot water, and +that, you know, is the worst kind of an enemy to fight. Men will run +from that who wouldn't flinch before cold steel." + +"Oh, we must take the Yanks by surprise, of course. The boats will hold +fifty men each, and we must drop down the river so that we will land one +on each side of the vessel. If the night is dark--and we shall not make +the attempt unless it is--we can get within pistol-shot of her before we +are discovered, and by the time their men get fairly out of bed she's +ours. Hark! what noise was that?" + +The rebels listened for a moment, and one of them replied: + +"I didn't hear any thing." + +"Well, _I_ did," returned the colonel, "and it sounded very much +like some one shouting for help. I'm certain I heard it." + +Archie, who lay in his concealment, trembling like a leaf, was also +confident that _he_ had heard something that sounded like a call +for assistance. What if it was Frank in danger, and shouting to the +cutter's crew for help? The thought to Archie was a terrible one, and he +forgot the dangers of his own situation, and thought only of his cousin. +But if Frank was in trouble, why did he not give the signal to the +cutter's crew? Archie waited and listened for it, but did not hear it +given. + +While these thoughts were passing through his mind, the rebels sat on +the portico listening, and at length the colonel said: + +"I know I hear something now, but it is the tramping of a horse. I +suppose it is Tibbs, coming with the mail." + +The colonel's surmise proved to be correct, for in a few moments a man +rode up, and dismounting so close to Archie that the latter could have +touched him, tied his horse to the very bush which formed his +concealment; then, throwing a pair of well-filled saddle-bags across his +shoulder, he ran up the steps, saying: + +"Good evening, gentlemen. What! colonel, are you wounded?" he added, on +seeing the rebel's bandaged arm. + +"Yes; this makes four times I have been shot while in the service. But +how is the mail?" + +"Rather heavy," answered the man. "If you have any letters to go, you +will have to furnish another bag--these are full." + +"All right," said the colonel; then raising his voice, he called out, +"Bob! Bob! Where is that black rascal?" + +"Heyar, sar," answered a voice, and presently a negro came around the +corner of the house, and removing his tattered hat, stood waiting for +orders. + +"Bob," said the colonel, "tell Stiles that the mail is all ready to go +across the river." + +_Stiles!_ How Frank would have started could he have heard that +name! He would have known then, had he not before been aware of the +fact, that he was again among _Colonel Harrison's Louisiana +Wild-cats_. + +The negro, in obedience to his orders, disappeared, but soon returned, +with the intelligence that Stiles was not to be found. + +"Not to be found," echoed the colonel; "that's twice he has failed me. +But this mail must not be delayed. Tell Damon I want to see him." + +The negro again disappeared, and in a few moments came back with a +soldier, to whom the colonel said: + +"Damon, here's a mail that must go across the river to-night. Can you +pull an oar?" + +"Yas," replied the man. + +"Then get some one to go with you, and start at once. The skiff, you +know, is in the creek, just above where that Yankee gun-boat lies." + +"Yas," answered the man again, as he took the mail-bags which the +colonel handed him. + +"This one," continued the rebel, pointing to a small canvas bag which +one of his officers had just brought out of the house--"this one +contains my mail--all official documents, to go to Richmond. Be careful +of it. Don't let the Yankees get hold of you." + +"No," replied the soldier, as he shouldered the mail and disappeared. + +The conversation that followed, of which Archie heard every word, served +to convince him that, although the rebels kept up a bold front, and +appeared sanguine of success in their attempts to destroy the +Government, yet among themselves they acknowledged their cause to be +utterly hopeless unless some bold stroke could be made to "dishearten +the Yankees." + +In spite of Archie's dangerous situation, which had tried his nerves +severely, he listened to every word that was uttered, and even became +interested in what the rebels were saying. Now and then he was called to +a sense of his situation by the movements of the horse, which, being +restive, came very near stepping on him as he pranced about. + +Damon had been gone about half an hour, and the colonel had just +commenced explaining to the man who had brought the mail the manner in +which the capture of the Boxer was to be effected, when suddenly the +report of a pistol startled every one on the portico. A moment afterward +came another, which was followed by a yell of agony. + +"What's that?" exclaimed the colonel, springing from his chair in alarm. +"Are we attacked? Get out there, every mother's son of you!" he +continued, as the men, having been aroused by the noise, came pouring +out of the rooms in which they were quartered. "Every man able to draw a +saber get out there! Run for the river! That's where the reports +sounded, and if there are any boats there capture them. That will keep +the Yankees on shore, and we can hunt them up at our leisure!" + +The men ran out of the house and started for the river at the top of +their speed, at the same time yelling with all the strength of their +lungs, while the colonel and his officers ran into their room, and +hastily seizing such weapons as came first to their hands, followed +after. To describe Archie's feelings, as he lay there behind that bush +and listened to the sounds of pursuit, were impossible. The noise the +rebels made seemed to bewilder him completely, for he lay on the ground +several moments, it seemed to him, without the power to move hand or +foot. + +Suddenly the thought struck him that now was the time to accomplish the +object of the expedition. The house was deserted, and the yells, which +grew fainter and fainter, told him that the rebels were getting further +away. Yes, it was now or never. In an instant, Archie's courage and +power of action returned. Springing to his feet, he ran to the end of +the portico, on which were piled several bales of hay and bundles of +fodder, which the rebels no doubt intended for their horses. But Archie +determined that they should be put to a different use, for he quickly +drew from his pocket two large bottles filled with coal oil, which he +threw over the hay. He then applied a match, and in an instant it was in +a blaze. He waited a moment to see it fairly started, and then sprang +off the portico. As he passed the door, he heard an ejaculation of +surprise, followed by the report of a pistol, and the noise of a bullet +as it whizzed past his head. It frightened him, and at the same time +acted upon him as the crack of a whip does upon a spirited horse; for +when the rebel who fired the shot had reached the portico, Archie had +disappeared in the darkness. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A Mark for the Union. + + +Let us now return to Frank, whom we left setting out for the house, +after having given Archie emphatic instructions to remain behind the +tree until his return. He did not feel at all at his ease after he had +left his cousin, for he might have stationed him in the most dangerous +place that could have been found; and what if Archie should be +discovered and captured? He was well enough acquainted with his cousin's +disposition to know that he would not surrender without a fight; but +what could he do when opposed by a regiment of veteran rebels? Frank +thought not of his own peril, for that was something he had fully +expected to encounter before he started. This was not the first time he +had voluntarily placed himself in danger; but with Archie the case was +different; and Frank was several times on the point of returning to his +cousin and making use of his authority, as commander of the expedition, +to send him back to the boat. By the time these thoughts had passed +through his mind, he had reached a log-cabin which stood at a little +distance from the house; and as he halted behind it, to shelter himself +from the storm, still debating upon the course he ought to pursue in +regard to Archie, some one inside the cabin commenced singing-- + + "I'll lay ten dollars down + And chuck 'em up one by one!" + + + +If there was any more of the song, the rebel evidently did not know it, +for he kept singing these two lines over and over, now and then varying +the monotony of the performance by whistling. Frank stood for some +moments listening to him, and finally began moving cautiously around the +cabin, to find some opening through which he could look and see what was +going on inside. He presently discovered a hole between the logs, and, +upon looking in, saw a man seated on the floor before a fire-place, in +which burned some pine knots, engaged in whittling out an oar with his +bowie-knife. On the floor near him lay one evidently just finished. At +the opposite side of the room stood a bag, from the mouth of which +peeped several letters. + +A thought struck Frank--which would be of the most benefit, to burn the +house or to capture the mail, which might contain information of the +greatest importance? Undoubtedly the latter would be of the most +consequence. Then he debated long and earnestly upon the chances of +escaping with the mail, should he attempt its capture. The man who had +charge of it was a most powerful-looking fellow, who knowing the +importance of his trust, and the certainty of receiving prompt and +effective assistance from his comrades, would, no doubt, fight most +desperately, unless he could be taken at disadvantage and secured before +he had time to think of resistance. Besides, the cabin was scarcely +fifty feet distant from the house, which Frank knew was filled with men, +for he could hear them walking about the rooms and talking to each +other. The least unusual noise would certainly alarm them, in which case +escape would be entirely out of the question Frank, we say, thought over +all these things, and finally coming to the conclusion that it would be +worse than useless to attempt the capture of the mail, turned his +attention to the house. How was he to set fire to it? + +Frank, we know, was not wanting in courage, but he had learned, by +experience, that there are times when "discretion is the better part of +valor." When he proposed the expedition, he had not expected to find the +entire regiment quartered in the house. He had supposed that the men +would find sleeping-rooms in the negro quarters, which were nearly a +half mile back, while the house would be reserved for the officers. But +the rebels surely would not remain up all night, and when they had all +gone to bed would be the time to execute his purpose. He would not +abandon his project until he had given it a trial, or fully satisfied +himself that the undertaking was utterly impracticable. For the present, +he would remain where he was; something might "turn up" which would be +to his advantage. + +At this moment a man entered the cabin, the door of which stood open, +and inquired: + +"Going over to-night, Stiles?" + +Frank was thunderstruck, and he now saw the necessity of attempting +nothing unless it promised complete success. As the reader has already +learned, he was among his old enemies, the Wildcats. Upon making this +discovery he was both astonished and alarmed--astonished, for it seemed +to him that he could scarcely make a move in any direction without being +confronted by the redoubtable Wild-cats. This was the second time he had +found himself among them before he was aware of it. He was alarmed, +because he knew, by experience, the treatment he would receive if he +should fall into their hands without the prospect of an immediate +exchange. + +But his attention was again drawn to the men in the cabin. + +"Yes," replied Stiles, in answer to his companion's question, "I'm going +over to-night--allers makin' due 'lowance for bein' ketched by the +Yanks." + +"Here's some mail, then," continued the man, thrusting several letters +into the bag. "How soon do you start?" + +"Jest as soon as Tibbs comes with the up-country mail, an' I get the +kernel's letters. Was you takin' a chaw of tobaker, Bob?" + +"No, I wasn't," replied the other, quickly thrusting his hand into his +pocket, as if to protect the precious article. "Tobacco is scarce." + +"Now, Bob," said Stiles, "I know you've got some. Me an' you's allers +been good friends." + +The rebel could not withstand this appeal, although he produced his +"plug" very reluctantly, and as he handed it to his companion, said: + +"Stiles, you're a dead beat. Go easy on that, now, if you please, +because it's all there is in the regiment." + +The rebel cut off a huge piece of the weed, and, thrusting it into his +cheek, went on with his work, while Bob returned to his quarters. He had +scarcely quitted the cabin before Frank had all his plans laid. He would +go back after Archie, and together they would lie in wait on the bank of +the river, and, if possible, capture that mail. With this determination, +he was moving slowly away from the cabin, when a door, which he had not +before noticed, suddenly opened, and Stiles came out, and turning the +corner, stood face to face with Frank, and scarcely an arm's length from +him. With the latter, retreat without discovery was, of course, +impossible. There was but one course he could pursue, and that presented +but a small chance for success. He was, however, allowed no time for +deliberation, for the rebel, quickly recovering from his surprise, +turned to run; but with one bound Frank overtook him, and throwing him +to the ground, caught him by the throat, stifling a cry for help that +arose to his lips. This it was that had alarmed the colonel and Archie; +and had the former investigated the matter, Frank would again have been +a prisoner in the hands of the Wild-cats. + +Stiles struggled desperately to free himself from the strong grasp that +held him, until Frank pulled one of his revolvers from the pocket of his +pea-jacket and presented it at his head. + +"Do you surrender?" he asked, releasing his hold of the rebel's throat. + +"Yes," replied Stiles, faintly. "Don't shoot, Yank!" + +"You shall not be harmed if you behave yourself. Have you any weapons?" + +"No! They are all in the shanty!" + +Frank, after searching the rebel's pockets and satisfying himself of the +truth of this statement, continued: + +"Get up! Now, I know you have friends all around you, but if you have +the least desire to live, you'll not make any noise; although you may +alarm the camp, it will not save you. Do you understand?" + +"Have I got a pair of ears?" asked the rebel. + +"Well, if you have, you hear what I say," returned Frank. "Now go this +way," he added, pointing toward the river. + +The rebel, who had a wholesome fear of the revolver which Frank held in +his hand, ready cocked, obeyed, without the slightest hesitation, and +they reached the bank of the river, where the cutter lay, without being +discovered. + +"Now," said Frank, "I want to ask you a few questions. Where do you keep +the boat in which you were going to carry that mail?" + +"In the creek, jest above where that ar' gunboat lies, replied Stiles." + +"How many of you were to go?" + +"Two--me an' another feller." + +"Well, now, the colonel won't find you when he wants you. What will he +do?" + +"Oh, he'll send some body else. The mail must go, an' it makes no odds +who takes it, so long as he don't get ketched." + +"That's all I want to know," said Frank. Then, going to the top of the +bank, he called out: + +"Tom, come up here!" + +The coxswain soon made his appearance, and Frank said: + +"Now, Stiles, you're a prisoner." + +"Dog gone ef I keer," he replied, "so long as I get plenty of grub an' +tobaker." + +The rebel was marched down the bank, and Frank again bent his steps +toward the house, intending to find his cousin, and, with his +assistance, to capture the mail. When he arrived at the tree where he +had left Archie, the latter was not to be seen. This, however, did not +give him any uneasiness, for Archie, he thought, had doubtless gone back +to the cutter. Frank had already made up his mind to go back after him, +when he saw a man walk up to the cabin in which he had first discovered +the man who was now his prisoner, and heard him call out: + +"Massa Stiles! de mail all ready, sar!" + +Receiving no answer, the negro walked into the cabin, but finding it +vacant, went out to make the report to the colonel that Stiles was not +to be found. From this Frank knew that he had no time to lose. Stiles +had told him that some one else would be sent with the mail, and as it +was all ready, a man would soon be found to take his place. If he went +back after Archie, he might be too late. He must attempt it alone, and +unaided. Walking out from behind the tree, he started toward the creek, +where lay the boat in which the mail was to be carried. + +The creek he found without difficulty; but the boat was evidently hidden +away, for he searched up and down the bank for it without success. If he +found it, it was his intention to cut it loose, and allow it to drift +out into the river, thus depriving the rebels of the means of carrying +their mail. But failing in this, he ran up the bank, and awaited the +coming of the rebels. It was a hazardous undertaking to attempt the +capture of two men, both of whom were, no doubt, well armed; but Frank +had great confidence in the _looks_ of his revolvers, and hoped to +accomplish his object without alarming the rebels in the house. + +He had waited perhaps a quarter of an hour, when he heard footsteps +approaching, and presently he discovered the two men for whom he had +been watching. One carried the mail-bags, and the other a pair of oars, +the same, no doubt, which Stiles had but a short time before completed. +Frank waited until they were almost upon him, and then sprang up with a +revolver in each hand, which he pointed straight at the heads of the +men, exclaiming: + +"You're my prisoners. Don't make any resistance." + +The rebels were astonished, and the man who carried the mail-bags threw +them down and held his arms above his head, in token of surrender. But +the other, after regarding the officer for a moment, as if to make sure +that it was a human being with whom he had to deal, dropped his oars, +and before his captor was aware of his intention, drew a pistol and +fired. Frank felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder, and the revolver +which he held in that hand fell from his grasp. He had received his +first wound, but although thoroughly frightened, he did not lose his +presence of mind. If he had, he would soon have been recalled to a sense +of his dangerous situation, for the rebel again cocked his revolver; but +this time Frank fired first, and the rebel sank to the ground with a +loud yell. In an instant Frank turned upon the other; but he appeared to +be too much under the influence of fear to lend his comrade any +assistance. + +All thought of concealment was now out of the question. The rebels in +the house had, of course, been alarmed, and Frank's only chance for +escape with his prisoner and the mail was to reach the cutter as soon as +possible, and pull off to the vessel. Hastily relieving the prisoner of +his weapons, he directed him to pick up the mail and follow the course +he pointed out. + +The prisoner did as he was ordered; but they had not gone far when a +loud yelling announced that the rebels in the house had been alarmed, +and were in pursuit. Frank kept close behind his prisoner, who, through +fear of the revolver, ran at a rapid rate, but they had further to run +to reach the cutter than the guerrillas, and the latter gained rapidly. +The prisoner, who was not long in discovering this, slackened his pace +considerably, although he appeared to be doing his utmost. Frank, +however, was not deceived. Thrusting his revolver into his pocket, he +seized the rebel by the nape of the neck, and helped him over the ground +in a manner more rapid than agreeable. Had the man been aware of the +fact that his captor had but one arm that he could use, he might not +have submitted so quietly as he did. Frank, whose whole mind was wrapped +up in the idea of saving his prisoner and the mail, did not stop to +think of this, but pushed his man ahead to such good advantage that they +succeeded in reaching the cutter before their pursuers. He marched the +rebel down the bank in the most lively manner, and tumbled him into the +boat, where he was instantly seized and secured. + +The sailors, who had heard the noise of the pursuit, and waited +impatiently for the appearance of their officer, were all in their +places, and as Frank sprang in, he shouted: + +"Shove off--lively now, lads!" + +The cutter was speedily pushed from the shore, and the oars got out and +handled by twelve strong fellows, all good oarsmen. + +"Let fall--give away together," again commanded Frank, who, in spite of +the pain of his wound, began to chuckle over his good luck in securing +the mail. "The rebs will give us a volley," he continued, "unless we get +out of sight in the darkness before they reach the bank. So, pick her +up, lads, and walk right away with her." + +The sailors, understanding the order, and rejoicing in the escape of +their young officer, whose safety and well-being they regarded as +infinitely of more importance than their own, gave way manfully on the +muffled oars, which made no sound as they bent beneath the sturdy +strokes, and the cutter flew noiselessly through the water, The rebels +reached the bank but a few moments after the cutter had left, but +neither seeing nor hearing any thing of her, they contented themselves +with uttering their yells, and firing a volley into the darkness in the +direction they supposed the boat had gone. + +But their attention was soon called to another quarter, for a bright +flame shot up from the house. The boat's crew saw it, and could scarcely +refrain hurrahing; but knowing that they were not yet out of range of +the guerrillas' rifles, they gave vent to their jubilant feelings by +redoubling their efforts at the oars. + +"Mr. Nelson," whispered the coxswain, "may I be allowed to say that was +well done, sir!" + +"I didn't do that, Tom," answered Frank, in a faint voice, as he gazed +in surprise at the burning house, and thought of his cousin. "Is +Paymaster Winters in the cutter?" + +Frank hardly dared to ask the question, for if his cousin had been in +the boat he would have known it before that time. + +"The paymaster!" repeated the coxswain; "no, sir. He went away with you, +sir, and I haven't seen him since. He's missing, that's a fact." + +Frank felt ready to faint on hearing this, and very bitterly did he +censure himself for allowing his cousin to accompany him! But regrets +were useless; the mischief had been done, and could not be undone. He +had one hope, however, to which he still clung--that Archie might be on +board the vessel. Perhaps, not daring to attempt to find his way back to +the cutter, through fear of capture, he had swam on board and was now +safe. He would soon know. + +In a few moments they had reached the Boxer, and as the cutter came +along side, Frank seized the mail-bags and sprang out. After giving the +officer of the deck, who met him at the gangway, instructions in regard +to the prisoners, he ran up the stairs that led to the wardroom. Here he +met the captain, who, taking him familiarly by the arm, led him into the +cabin, exclaiming: + +"Mr. Nelson, I congratulate you, sir; it was well done, sir! The house +is all in a blaze." + +"Captain," said Frank, "I didn't do that, sir. Is the paymaster on +board? + +"Why, no, sir; not unless he came with you." + +"I haven't seen him, captain, since I left him within a short distance +of that house. If he is not on board, sir, he's out there yet, and he +has fired the building." + +"Why, Mr. Nelson," exclaimed the captain, for the first time noticing +Frank's pale face and useless hand, from which the blood was dripping, +"you are wounded, sir. Orderly, orderly, send the doctor here at once." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A Run for Life. + + +Archie was as light of foot as an antelope, and fear lent him wings. In +obedience to his cousin's instructions, he ran up the river, directing +his course through a thick woods, jumping over logs and making his way +through the bushes with a rapidity that surprised himself. The rebel who +had discovered him followed for a short distance, but finding that he +was losing ground, he stopped and fired his revolver in the direction he +supposed Archie had gone; but the bullets went wide of the mark, and the +latter, who now regarded his escape as a thing beyond a doubt, laughed +when he thought how cleverly he had accomplished the object of the +expedition. + +Having reached a safe distance from the house, he stopped and listened. +He distinctly heard the crackling of flames, and presently a bright +light shone over the trees. The building was fairly in a blaze. He was, +however, allowed scarcely a moment to congratulate himself, for the +yells of the guerrillas plainly told him that they had discovered the +fire, and were commencing pursuit. Archie again set out, intent on +reaching clear ground as soon as possible, for he knew that no plan +would be left untried to capture him. His situation was still any thing +but a pleasant one, but he was sanguine of reaching the vessel in +safety, until a long-drawn-out bay came echoing through the woods, and +drove the blood back upon his heart. The rebels were following him with +a blood-hound! + +For a moment Archie staggered as though he had been struck a severe blow +by some unseen hand, but quickly realizing the fact that his safety +depended upon his own exertions and the use he made of the next few +moments, he speedily recovered his presence of mind, and hastily +securing his revolvers, which, up to this time, he had carried in the +pockets of his pea-jacket, he pulled off that garment, and throwing it +on the ground, started off at the top of his speed. + +Being thus relieved of a great incumbrance, he made headway rapidly, +but, fast as he ran, he heard that dreadful sound coming nearer, mingled +with loud yells of triumph from the pursuing rebels He had, with +surprise and indignation, listened to Frank's description of his run +from Shreveport, when he and his companions had been pursued with +blood-hounds, little imagining that he would ever be placed in a similar +situation. + +And how did it happen that he had not aroused the hound while he was +about the house? Had he moved so silently that the animal had not heard +him, or had he been in the building with the men? This question Archie +could not answer. But one thing was certain, and that was that the hound +was, at that very moment, on his trail, and unless he soon reached the +river his capture was beyond a doubt. He, however, had no fears of being +overpowered by the hound. He fully realized the fact that he would soon +be overtaken, and had resolved to shoot the animal the moment he made +his appearance. + +The yells of the rebels grew fainter, and Archie knew he was gaining on +them. This gave him encouragement. In fact, since the hound had opened +on his trail, after the first momentary feeling of terror had vanished, +he had retained his coolness in a remarkable degree, and had counted +over his chances for capture and escape with surprising deliberation for +one who had never before been placed in so exciting and dangerous a +situation. We have seen that he felt fear. Had it been otherwise he must +have possessed nerves of steel, or have been utterly destitute of the +power of reasoning; but that fear did not so completely overpower him as +it had but a short time before, when he lay behind the bush, and +listened to the guerrilla's plan for the capture of the Boxer and her +crew. On the contrary, it nerved him to make the greatest exertions to +effect his escape. + +In a few moments, to his great joy, he emerged from the woods and +entered an open field, across which he ran with redoubled speed. +Directly in front of him was another belt of timber, and beyond that lay +the river, which, if he could reach, he would be safe. The baying of the +hound had continued to grow louder and louder, and, when Archie had +accomplished perhaps half the distance across the field, a crashing in +the bushes and an impatient bark announced, in language too plain to be +misunderstood, that the hound had discovered him. + +In an instant he stopped, faced about, and drew one of his revolvers. +Stooping down close to the ground, he finally discovered the hound, +which approached with loud yelps, that were answered by triumphant +cheers from the pursuing rebels. Waiting until the animal was so close +to him that he presented a fair mark, Archie raised his revolver and +fired. The hound bounded into the air, and, after a few struggles, lay +motionless on the ground. Scarcely waiting to witness the effect of the +shot, the young officer sprang to his feet, and again started for the +river. The yells of the rebels--who had heard the shot, and knew, from +the silence that followed, that the hound was dead--again arose fierce +and loud; but Archie, knowing that his pursuers had now lost the power +of following him with certainty, considered the worst part of the danger +as past. + +But he had to deal with those who could not be easily deceived. Colonel +Harrison, knowing that the only chance for escape was by the river, had +lined the banks with men, and, as Archie neared the woods, a voice +directly in front of him called out: + +"It's all up now, Yank! Drop that shootin'-iron, or you're a gone +sucker!" + +Archie's heart fairly came up into his mouth. He had little expected to +find an enemy in that quarter, but, without waiting an instant, he +turned and ran up the river again, hoping that he might soon be able to +get above the sentinels. The rebel, hearing the sound of his footsteps, +and knowing that he was retreating, shouted: + +"Halt, Yank! halt! or I'll shoot--blamed if I don't!" + +And he _did_ shoot, and Archie heard the bullet as it sung through +the air behind him. + +The rebel, without stopping to load his gun, started in pursuit; but +Archie, who was running for his life, soon left him behind. As the +latter ran he heard shots fired on all sides of him, showing that he was +completely surrounded. + +Escape seemed utterly impossible; and fearing that he might run into the +very midst of the guerrillas when he least expected it, he threw himself +behind a log in the edge of the woods, and awaited the issue of events +with feelings that can not be described. He now had little hope of being +able to elude his pursuers, who, he was certain, would keep the river +closely guarded until daylight, when they would soon discover his +hiding-place. He could not go on without fear of running against some of +his enemies, in the dark, and to remain where he was, appeared equally +dangerous. But of one thing he was certain--and as the thought passed +through his mind, he clutched his revolvers desperately--and that was, +if he was captured, it would require more than one man to do it. + +Presently he heard footsteps approaching, and two rebels came up. One of +them he knew, by his voice, was the very man who had just fired at him. + +"I know he went this yere way," said he. + +"Wal, hold on a minit," said the other, panting loudly; "let's rest a +leetle--I'm nigh gin out;" and he seated himself so close to Archie +that, had it been daylight, he would certainly have been discovered. + +"I'll be dog-gone," said the one who had first spoken, "ef this 'ere +night's work don't beat all natur'. Them ar Yanks ain't no fools, dog ef +they ar!" + +"Who'd a thought it?" returned his companion. "Them ar two fellers come +out here an' burn a house with more'n three hundred men in it? Dog-gone! +But how did that other feller get away?" + +"Oh, he had a boat," answered the other, "an he got thar afore we could +ketch him. He's on board his gun-boat afore this time. I jest ketched a +glimpse of him as he was goin' down the bank. He had Damon by the neck, +an' he was makin' him walk turkey, now I tell yer." + +"Damon ketched!" ejaculated his companion. "An' what's come on the +kernel's mail?" + +"Gone up--the hul on it! Damon's got the bracelets on by this time. But +come, let's go on." + +All this while the rebels had been coming up, and Archie could hear them +in the woods, on all sides of him, yelling and swearing, like demons. He +had one source of consolation, however--his cousin was safe; and, +judging by the rebels' conversation, he had not gone back to the vessel +empty-handed. + +Archie lay for some time listening to the movements of the rebels, +almost afraid to breathe lest it should be overheard, when he was +suddenly startled by a stunning report, which was followed by a hissing +and shrieking in the air; a bright light shone in his eyes for an +instant, and the next, the woods echoed with the bursting of a shell. +The guerrillas had scarcely time to recover from their astonishment when +there came another, and another, each one followed by groans and cries +of anguish that made the young officer shudder. + +Frank Nelson had gained the Boxer in safety, and although surprised and +alarmed at the absence of Archie--who, he thought, would make the best +of his way back to the vessel when left to himself--he knew by the +yelling of the rebels, and the pistol-shots that were occasionally +heard, that they had not yet captured him. The noise of the chase +plainly told the Boxer's crew that the fugitive was making the best of +his way up the river, and Frank had opened fire on the rebels to create, +if possible, a diversion in his cousin's favor. His shells were thrown +with fatal accuracy, and the guerrillas, taken completely by surprise, +and having no levee to protect them, beat a hasty retreat. + +Although threatened by a new danger, Archie was so overjoyed that he +could scarcely refrain from shouting, and as soon as he was satisfied +that his pursuers were out of hearing, he crawled from his concealment +and ran toward the river. The shells still kept dropping into the woods +at regular intervals, making music most pleasant to Archie's ears, for +he knew that as long as the fire was continued, his chances for escape +were increased. But in his eagerness he never thought of the men who had +been posted on the bank, and as he dashed through the woods, several +shots were fired at him by the rebels concealed in the bushes. But he +reached the water in safety, and struck out for the vessel. A few random +shots were fired at him, which Archie heard as they whistled past him; +but his good fortune had not deserted him, and he again escaped unhurt. +The reports of the guns on board the Boxer pointed out the direction in +which he was to go, and in a quarter of an hour he was within +hailing-distance of the vessel. The splashing he made in the water soon +attracted the attention of the sentry on the forecastle, who, having +been instructed by Frank, had kept a good look-out. A rope was thrown to +Archie, who was pulled on board the vessel in a state of complete +exhaustion. + +Frank was soon informed of the safe return of his cousin, and Archie, +almost too weak to speak plainly, was carried to his room, where, after +being divested of his wet clothes, he was put to bed, and left in a +sound sleep. The next morning, however, he appeared in the mess-room, as +lively as ever, and none the worse for his long run; while Frank, who +began to suffer from his wound, was confined to his bed. + +The latter listened to his cousin's narration of the part he had borne +in the expedition, and in admiration of Archie's bravery, forgot the +lecture he had intended to administer. The officers, who had not +expected such an exhibition of courage in one whose cheek had blanched +at the whistle of a rebel bullet, were astonished, and it is needless to +say that no more jokes were indulged in at the expense of the "green +paymaster." + +For two months Frank held his position as executive officer of the +Boxer, during which time the vessel was twice inspected by the admiral. +He now had little to do beyond the regular routine of ship duties, for +the guerrilla-station had been broken up by the burning of the +plantation-house, and vessels were seldom fired into on the Boxer's +beat. But this was not to continue long, for, one day, the dispatch-boat +brought orders for him to report on board the Michigan--which lay at the +mouth of Red River--as executive officer of that vessel. + +This was still another advancement, for the Michigan was an iron-clad, +mounted fourteen guns, and had a crew of one hundred and seventy men. +But Frank would have preferred to remain in his present position. After +considerable hard work, he had brought the Boxer's crew into an +admirable state of discipline; every thing about decks went off as +smoothly as could be desired, and besides, Archie was on board, and he +did not wish to leave him. But he never hesitated to obey his orders, +and as soon as he had packed his trunk, and taken leave of his +messmates, he went on board the dispatch-boat, and in a few days arrived +at his new vessel. + +The captain of the Michigan had written to the admiral, requesting that +a "first-class, experienced officer" might be sent him for an executive, +but when Frank presented himself and produced his orders, that gentleman +was astonished. After regarding the young officer sharply for a moment, +he said: + +"The admiral, no doubt, knows his own business, but let me tell you, +young man, that you have no easy task before you." + +He no doubt thought that a person of Frank's years was utterly incapable +of filling so responsible a position. The latter, with his usual +modesty, replied that he would endeavor to do his duty, and after he had +seen his baggage taken care of, he went into the wardroom, where he +found a young officer seated at the table reading. He arose as Frank +entered, and thrusting out his hand, greeted him with-- + +"I'm glad to meet you again, Mr. Nelson, and among friends, too." + +It was George Le Dell, the escaped prisoner, whom he had met during his +memorable flight from Shreveport. Frank had not seen him, nor even heard +of him, since he had left him on board the Ticonderoga; but here he was, +"among the defenders of the Old Flag" again, in fulfillment of the +promise he had made his rebel father, in the letter which Frank had read +to his fellow fugitives in the woods, where they had halted for the day. +He was not changed--his face still wore that sorrowful expression--and +Frank found that he rarely took part in the conversation around the +mess-table. He was an excellent officer, the especial favorite of the +captain, and beloved by all his messmates, who, very far from suspecting +the cause of his quiet demeanor, called him "Silence." + +Frank heartily returned his cordial greeting, and the two friends talked +for a long time of scenes through which they had passed +together--subjects still fresh in their memories--until the entrance of +an officer put a stop to the conversation. Frank understood, by this, +that he was the only one of the ship's company who knew any thing of +George's past history. + +The change from the cool, comfortable quarters of the Boxer to the hot +wardroom of the ironclad was not an agreeable one; but Frank was not the +one to complain, and he entered upon his duties with his accustomed +cheerfulness and alacrity. He was allowed very little rest. The captain +of the Michigan--which was the flag-ship of the third division of the +squadron--was a regular officer, who believed in always keeping the men +busy at something, and Frank was obliged to be on his feet from morning +until night. The decks were scrubbed every day, the bright work about +the guns and engines cleaned, the small boats washed out, and then came +quarters, and drilling with muskets or broad-swords. After this, if +there was nothing else to be done, the outside of the vessel was +scrubbed, or the chimneys repainted. In short, the Michigan was the +pattern of neatness, and her crew, being constantly drilled, knew +exactly what was required of them, and were ready for any emergency. + +For several months little occurred to relieve the monotony of ship-life +beyond making regular trips from one end of their beat to the other; but +when spring opened, gun-boats and transports, loaded with soldiers, +began to assemble, and preparations were made for the Red River +expedition. At length every thing was ready, and one pleasant morning +the gun-boats weighed their anchors and led the way up the river. + +Frank stood on deck as the vessels steamed along, and could not help +drawing a contrast between his present position and the one in which he +was placed when he first saw Red River. Then, he and his companions were +fugitives from a rebel prison; they had been tracked by bloodhounds, and +followed by men at whose hands, if retaken, they could expect nothing +but death. He remembered how his heart bounded with joy on the morning +when he and his associates, in their leaky dug-out, had arrived in sight +of the Mississippi. Then, he was ragged, hatless, and almost shoeless, +weary with watching, and living in constant fear of recapture. Now, he +was among friends, the Old Flag waved above him, and he was the second +in command of one of the finest vessels in the squadron. + +The passage up the river was without incident worthy of note, and in a +short time they arrived at the obstructions which the rebels had placed +in the river nine miles below Fort De Russy. A vast amount of time and +labor had been expended upon these obstructions, but they were speedily +cleared away, and the fleet passed on. They had expected a stubborn +resistance at the fort, but it had been captured by the army after a +short engagement, and the gun-boats kept on to Alexandria. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Frank turns Detective. + + +A day or two after the arrival of the fleet at Alexandria, it became +known that several persons belonging to the rebel secret service were +hovering about in the vicinity of the village, with the intention of +destroying some of the vessels by torpedoes--contrivances made to +resemble pieces of coal--which were to be placed in those barges out of +which the boats were supplied with fuel. By some means the names of +these persons became known to the admiral, who issued a general order, +calling on all the officers of the squadron to kill or capture them +wherever found. + +The same day the order was issued Frank obtained shore liberty, and +while roaming about the town, espied a name on a sign that immediately +attracted his attention. It was one of the names borne in the general +order. + +"There's one of the rascals, now," soliloquized Frank, "or, rather, +where he has been. I wonder where he is. I'll see if I can't find out +something about him. If he could be caught, he would be put in a place +where he wouldn't lay any more plans to blow up Union gun-boats." + +The sign which had attracted his attention bore the name and occupation +of the individual in question--"S. W. ABBOTT, Chemist." + +The store had been closed on the approach of the Union forces, and was +now in the possession of several army surgeons and their assistants, who +were overhauling its contents, and appropriating whatever they thought +might be of service to them. A negro was leaning against the counter, +and of him Frank inquired-- + +"Boy, do you belong here?" + +"No, sar," he answered, indignantly; "I 'longs nowhar. I'se a free man, +I is. I'se a soger." + +"Never been in this town before?" + +"No, sar." + +Frank left the store, and walked slowly up the street toward the hotel, +wondering where he could go to make inquiries concerning the man whom he +wished to find. It was evident that this was the hardest task he had yet +undertaken. He knew the rebel's name, and that was all. He had no idea +how he looked, and, although the admiral's order stated that he was +loitering about the village, he might, at that moment, be fifty miles +away, or Frank might have already passed him on the street. + +There were several men dressed in butternut clothes hanging about the +hotel, and Frank determined to enter into conversation with one of them, +and, if possible, learn something about Abbott. An opportunity was soon +offered, for one of the butternuts approached him, and inquired-- + +"Got any Northern money--greenbacks?" + +"Some," replied Frank. + +"Wal," continued the man, "I'll give you five dollars in Confederate +money fur one dollar in greenbacks. Is it a bargain?" + +"Confederate money!" repeated Frank. "Of what use would it be to me? And +I am greatly mistaken if it will be of use to you much longer." + +"Wal, I want your money fur a keepsake," replied the man. "I know you-uns +don't like our money, but we-uns hev got to use it or go without any," + +"Well, I'll trade," said Frank. "Your paper will no doubt be a curiosity +to the folks at home." As he spoke, he produced the dollar, and the +butternut drew out of his capacious pocket a huge roll of bills--tens, +twenties, and fifties, enough to have made him independent if it had +been good money--and selecting a five-dollar bill, handed it to Frank, +who thrust it carelessly into his pocket. + +"I'll allow that you-uns don't seem to be a bad lot of fellers," said +the butternut; "but I don't see what you-uns want to come down hyar to +fight we-uns for. We-uns never done nothing to you-uns." + +"Every rebel I meet says the same thing," said Frank. "But who were the +richest men in this place before the war broke out?" + +The man mentioned several names, among which was that of Abbott, the +chemist. + +"Abbott, Abbott," repeated Frank, as if trying to recall the man to +mind; "I've heard that name before. Is he a Northern man?" + +"No; he's allers lived at the South. His house is right back of the +hotel, third door from the corner, on the right-hand side as you go up +the street." + +Frank had learned something, but he did not think it safe to question +the man further, for fear of exciting his suspicions; so, after a few +unimportant remarks, he turned on his heel and walked into the hotel, +which was used as the army head-quarters. Here he remained for nearly +half an hour, to give the man of whom he had received his information +time to leave the place, and then directed his steps toward Mr. Abbott's +dwelling. He had no difficulty in finding it, for he followed the +butternut's directions, and the rebel's name was borne on the +door-plate. The house, however, was deserted; the blinds were closed, as +were those of all the neighboring houses. Mr. Abbott, with his family, +if he had any, had doubtless removed out of reach of the Union forces. +Did he ever visit his home when in town? or did he make his +head-quarters somewhere else? were questions that suggested themselves +to Frank, but which, of course, he could not answer; neither did he dare +to question any of the citizens, for they might be Mr. Abbott's friends, +who would not fail to inform him that particular inquiries were being +made, which would lead him to act more cautiously. Frank did not know +what plan to adopt, but walked listlessly about the streets until he +heard the Michigan's bell strike half-past three o'clock. He must be on +board by four, as the admiral was to be there to inspect the vessel. He +was reluctant to leave without having accomplished any thing more than +the discovery of the rebel's dwelling; but there was no help for it, and +he walked slowly toward the landing, where he found a boat waiting for +him. + +That night, although he retired early, he slept but little, but tossed +restlessly about in his bunk, endeavoring to conjure up some plan by +which he might capture the rebel; and when he fell asleep, he dreamed +about the subject uppermost in his mind. He thought that, after several +days' patient watching, he finally discovered his man; but all attempts +to capture him were unavailing. When he pursued, the rebel would +disappear in a magical way, that was perfectly bewildering. Finally, he +dreamed that the rebel assumed the offensive, and one day he met him in +the street, carrying in his hand something that looked like a lump of +coal, which he threw at Frank. It proved, however, to be a torpedo, for +it exploded with a loud report, and as Frank sprang over a fence that +ran close by the sidewalk, to escape, he came violently in contact with +the walls of a house. At this stage of his dream he was suddenly +awakened. To his no small amazement, he found himself stretched on the +floor of his room, his head jammed against the door, through which one +of the wardroom boys, a very small specimen of a contraband, was +endeavoring to escape, while the look of terror depicted on his face, +and the energy with which he strove to open the door, showed that he had +sustained something of a fright. On the opposite side of the room stood +the doctor, who gazed at Frank for a moment with open mouth and eyes, +and then threw himself on the bed, convulsed with laughter. + +Frank rose slowly to his feet, and commenced drawing on his clothes, +while the little negro disappeared through the door like a flash. + +"Mr. Nelson," said the doctor, as soon as he could speak, "you can't +make that jump again, sir. I came in to awaken you," he continued, "and +was just going to put my hand on you, when you sprang out of your bunk +upon your trunk, and then back again; and just as the darkey was coming +in, you made another jump, and landed against the door, frightening him +so that I actually believe he turned pale. Were you dreaming?" + +"Yes," answered Frank, with a laugh; "I was getting out of the way of a +torpedo." + +"Well, you certainly jumped far enough to get out of the way of almost +any thing," replied the doctor, after he had indulged in another hearty +fit of laughter. "Hurry up; breakfast is nearly ready." + +Frank felt the effects of his agility in the shape of a severe pain over +his left eye, which had been occasioned by his head coming in contact +with the door-knob, and his "big jump" was the source of a good deal of +merriment at the breakfast-table. + +Frank went ashore in the ten-o'clock boat, and, after strolling about +with his companions for a short time, invented a satisfactory excuse for +his absence, and started toward Mr. Abbott's house, which, to his joy, +he found open, with a negro engaged in sweeping the steps. + +"Boy, who lives here?" he inquired. + +The negro gave the desired information, adding: "He ain't hyar though, +but missus will be home dis arternoon." + +"Where's your master?" + +"Oh, he done gone off somewhar. I 'spects he don't like for to see you +Yankee sogers hyar." + +As the negro ceased speaking, having finished his work, he turned and +went into the house, while Frank was about to move away, wondering what +was the next thing to be done, when a boy approached and opened the +gate. + +"What do you want?" asked Frank. + +The boy held up a letter which he carried in his hand, and Frank, seeing +that it was addressed to Mrs. Abbott, at once concluded that it +contained information which might be of the greatest value to him. + +"It is all right," said he; "I'll attend to it;" at the same time taking +the note and handing some money to the boy, who departed well satisfied. +Frank then walked down the street, and, as soon as he was out of sight +of the house, opened the letter and read as follows: + +HEYWARD'S PLANTATION, _March_ 20, 1864. + +"Will be at home at eight o'clock this evening. Have my baggage ready to +start for Shreveport early in the morning." + +No name was signed to the note, but Frank was certain that he now had +the matter in his own hands, and that any preparations Mrs. Abbott might +make for her husband's journey to Shreveport would only be thrown away. +He at once directed his steps toward the landing, hailed his vessel for +a boat, and when he had arrived on board and reported to the captain, +showed that gentleman the note, at the same time requesting permission +to remain on shore after dark, in order to capture the rebel. + +"I should be only too happy to allow you to do so, Mr. Nelson," said the +captain, "for you seem to be particularly fortunate in every thing of +this description you undertake. But, as it is the admiral's order that +all officers repair on board their vessels at sundown, he must be +consulted in regard to the matter. Orderly, tell the officer of the deck +to have the gig called away. We will go up to the flag-ship," he +continued, "and talk to the admiral." + +The gig was soon manned, and after Frank had buckled on his sword (for +all officers visiting the flag-ship were required to wear their +side-arms), he stepped into the boat with the captain, and in a short +time they were in the presence of the admiral. The captain, in a few +words, explained the nature of the visit, showed him the note Frank had +intercepted, and ended by repeating the young officer's request that he +might be allowed to remain on shore after dark. + +"Certainly," replied the admiral, "certainly. If you succeed, young man, +we shall have one less of these secret-service fellows to fear." Then, +turning to one of his clerks, he gave him an order which Frank did not +hear, after which he asked: + +"How did you discover the whereabouts of this man Abbott, Mr. Nelson?" + +Frank then proceeded to give the admiral an account of all he had done, +how he had seen the rebel's name on the sign, learned his residence, and +secured the note. To all of which the latter listened with attention. + +"I hope you will succeed in capturing him," said he. "If you do, bring +him here; I want a look at him. Here," he continued, as his clerk handed +him a letter, "is a request that the provost-marshal will furnish you +with a pass. Good luck to you, young man." + +Their business being finished, Frank followed the captain out of the +cabin, and returned on board the Michigan. + +All that afternoon Frank was in a fever of excitement. He was impatient +for the night to come, that he might know whether or not his attempt was +to be crowned with success. A hundred things might happen to prevent it. +The rebel might not come home, or the note might have been written with +the intention of having it intercepted, in order to throw the one into +whose hands it might fall on the wrong scent; or it might be written in +cipher, and mean directly opposite to what Frank had supposed. But he +consoled himself with the thought that he had done, and would still +continue to do, all in his power to obey the admiral's general order, +and if he failed, the blame would not rest with him. + +When the sundown boat was called away, Frank, after exchanging his +uniform for a citizen's dress, and his cap for a tattered slouch-hat, +thrust a revolver into his pocket, stepped into the cutter, and was soon +set on shore. He walked directly to the office of the provost-marshal, +which was in the hotel, and finding that officer at his desk, handed him +the admiral's note, which ran as follows: + + "U. S. FLAG-SHIP BLACKHAWK, + "OFF ALEXANDRIA, LA., March 20, 1864. + + +"SIR:--Please furnish the bearer, Acting Ensign Frank Nelson, with a +pass. He has important business to perform, which may detain him on +shore most of the night, and it is absolutely necessary, for the +successful accomplishment of his mission, that he should not be +interfered with. Very respectfully, your obd't serv't., + + DAVID D. PORTER, _Rear Admiral_, + Com'd'g Miss. Squadron. + U. S. Provost Marshal, + Alexandria, La. + + +"Your business must be important indeed, judging by the language of this +note," said the marshal. "You shall not be troubled." + +While he was speaking he had been writing an order commanding "all +guards and patrols to allow the bearer the freedom of the city, as he +was under special orders from the admiral, and must not be detained." + +"There," said he, after he had finished the pass and handed it to Frank. +"That will take you through all right. You have my best wishes for your +success." + +Frank thanked him, and putting the pass carefully away in his pocket, +walked out of the hotel fully satisfied on one point, and that was, if +his success depended upon the good wishes of his friends, failure was +impossible. He walked slowly down the street toward the place where the +soldiers were encamped; for as it lacked fully an hour and a half of the +appointed time, he did not wish to be seen loitering about the house, as +it might excite the suspicions of its inmates, who would not fail to +send word to Mr. Abbott that the house was being watched. Time moved +altogether too slowly for the impatient young officer, but at length he +heard the flag-ship's bell strike half-past seven, and as it had begun +to grow dark, he walked toward the house, and took his station in the +shadow of some trees on the opposite side of the street. At the end of +an hour his patience was rewarded, for he heard the sound of approaching +footsteps, and a man passed by the house. Frank knew, from the +suspicious manner in which he gazed about, that if it was not the man +for whom he was waiting, it was some other guilty fellow who ought to be +secured. Presently he returned, and after again looking cautiously about +him, ascended the steps and knocked lightly at the door, which was +almost instantly opened, and a voice exclaimed: + +"Massa Abbott, I'se glad to"-- + +The rest of the sentence Frank did not hear, for the moment the man +entered the hall, the door was closed again. Now was the time for Frank, +who hastily crossed the street, and noiselessly ascended the steps. Here +he paused for a moment to draw his revolver, and then suddenly opened +the door and sprang into the hall. He was met by the negro, the same, no +doubt, whom he had heard welcoming his master, who, not liking the looks +of the huge six-shooter which the officer flourished before his eyes, +beat a hasty retreat. Frank kept on and entered the parlor, where he +found his man standing in the middle of the floor, pale and breathless. +No one else was in the room. + +"Mr. Abbott," said Frank, "you're my prisoner!" + +The man, who was so terrified that he seemed to have lost even the power +of speech, surrendered his weapons and submitted to his captor, who led +him out of the house and toward the flag-ship, which they reached in +safety. The admiral received Frank with great cordiality, and after +listening to his account of the manner in which the capture of the +prisoner had been effected, he ordered the cutter called away, and the +young officer, rejoicing over his success, was sent on board his vessel. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Frank's First Command. + + +The next morning, just after quarters, while the officers were getting +ready to go on shore, a boat from the flag-ship came alongside, and the +officer in charge of it was shown into the cabin, as he said he had +business with the captain. Frank, who thought he had accomplished +sufficient to satisfy him to remain on board, sat in the wardroom +reading, when the orderly entered and informed him that the captain +desired his presence in the cabin. + +"Mr. Nelson," said he, "here's an order from the admiral, directing me +to furnish you with a cutter and an armed crew, and to send you to the +flag-ship for orders. I am also instructed to appoint an executive to +fill your place during your absence. I expect you will be sent off on +some expedition; so you had better prepare for a long trip." + +The officer who brought the order having returned to his vessel, the +captain accompanied Frank on deck, and ordered the second cutter to be +called away and furnished with a crew well armed. In a short time the +boat was ready, and Frank, buckling on his side-arms, took leave of the +captain and started toward the flag-ship, wondering what duty he was now +called upon to perform, and fully determined that whatever orders he +might receive, however dangerous or difficult, should be executed, if +within the bounds of possibility. + +When he arrived on board the Blackhawk, an officer, who appeared to be +waiting for him, conducted him into the cabin, where the admiral sat +writing at his desk. + +"Good morning, Mr. Nelson," said he; "take a chair, sir." + +Frank took the seat pointed out to him, and the admiral, taking from his +desk a bundle of papers, carefully tied up, continued: + +"It has always been my habit, Mr. Nelson, not to let a brave or skillful +action pass unrewarded, any more than I would allow a bad one to pass +unpunished. I am now about to give you a much more important, and +perhaps dangerous, commission than has yet been intrusted to you. This +package contains official documents of the greatest importance, and I +want you to go down the river, and deliver it to the commanding naval +officer, whom you will find at Acklen's plantation, opposite the mouth +of Red River. I know there are rebels all along the banks, but whatever +you do, don't allow these letters to fall into their hands. There are +iron weights in the package, and if you should be in danger of capture, +throw it overboard. You will take passage on the army transport that now +lies at the stern of this vessel, all ready to start. I send the cutter +and armed crew with you, for the reason that the rebels may sink the +transport, in which case you can escape in your boat; for those letters +must go through, if possible; perhaps the success of this expedition +depends upon them. The transport, you will find, is in command of a +second-lieutenant. I should feel much safer if I could put one of my own +officers in charge, but, as the boat belongs to the army, I have no +authority in the matter. After you have executed your orders, return, by +first opportunity, to your vessel, and report to me by letter. Now, sir, +you may go, for they are waiting for you. Remember, I say the success or +failure of this entire expedition may depend upon you; and don't forget +that you are the young man that saved the Milwaukee." + +Frank bowed himself out of the cabin, sprang into the cutter, and +started toward the transport that lay alongside of the bank, a short +distance below the flag-ship. As he stepped on board, he was met by a +flashy-looking young lieutenant, dressed in a brand-new uniform, who +greeted him with the inquiry: + +"Are you ready at last? I have been waiting an hour for you. Business is +business, you know, and when I command a ship, I don't like to be +detained." + +The lieutenant said this, probably, to impress upon Frank's mind the +important fact that he was the captain of the steamer, and must be +respected and obeyed accordingly. Frank, who knew that he was not +subject to the orders of the lieutenant only so far as the safety of the +vessel was concerned, replied that he had come as soon as he could after +he had received his orders, and turning to his men, directed part of +them to make the cutter fast to the stern of the steamer, and the others +to carry their arms to the boiler-deck, where they could be readily +seized in case of emergency. The transport was a small side-wheel boat +belonging to the quarter-master's department. The deck-hands were all +soldiers--perhaps half a dozen of them in all--the only steamboatmen on +board being one pilot, four engineers, and as many firemen. The steamer +was armed with two howitzers, mounted on the boiler-deck, and the +muskets of the soldiers were stacked in the cabin. The boilers were +protected by bales of cotton, which were piled on the guards, and the +pilot-house was defended in the same manner. A few bales were also +placed on the boiler-deck to serve as a breastwork. The whole was under +the command of the lieutenant, who, judging by the orders he issued, +knew nothing whatever of the management of a boat. + +Frank had been on board but a few moments, when the engineer's bell +rang, to inform the pilot that all was ready for the start. The boat was +made fast by a single line, which ran from the forecastle to a tree on +the bank, and the gang-plank was out. The lieutenant's first order was, +"Haul in that plank." The soldiers obeyed, and then came the command for +"somebody to run out there and untie that line." + +One of the soldiers sprang ashore and began trying to cast off the line, +which was drawn as taut as a four-mile current could make it. He worked +for several moments, but, of course without success (for the line should +first have been slackened up on board), and then called out: + +"Loosen up that other end, there!" + +"No, no!" replied the lieutenant, "that would allow the boat to swing +away from the bank, and then how would you get on board? It must be +untied from that tree first." + +What difference it could possibly make in regard to the boat's swinging +away from the bank, whether the line was first slackened up on shore or +on board, Frank could not determine. + +He was astonished at the lieutenant's ignorance, and amused at his novel +mode of casting off a line, while the sailors, who had gathered in a +group on the forecastle, watched the operation with a smile, wondering +how the affair would end, as they knew that the line could not be +"untied" from the tree unless first slackened up on board. But the +lieutenant seemed to have his own idea of the manner in which it ought +to be accomplished, and was constantly ordering the man to "Hurry up, +there!" The soldiers worked and pulled, but all to no purpose, and the +lieutenant, becoming impatient, ordered two more of the men to his +assistance. But the knot, which had been awkwardly made, was jammed, and +resisted their utmost efforts. + +"I never did see such a clumsy set of fellows," said the lieutenant, at +length, turning to Frank, who stood beside him, making use of his +handkerchief to conceal his laughter. "We ought to have been two miles +down the river by this time." + +It was evident that he was fast becoming disgusted with his first +attempt at "steamboating," but was too proud to ask advice. At length he +turned and walked into the cabin, muttering, "I guess they will get it +untied before night." But Frank was unwilling to wait so long. The delay +was entirely unnecessary, and he had begun to get impatient. + +"Men," said he, addressing himself to the cutter's crew, who were +convulsed with laughter, "some of you run out that gang-plank, and +another slack up that line." + +These orders were promptly obeyed, and the difficulty was easily +overcome. + +"All gone, sir," shouted Frank to the pilot, meaning that the line was +cast off, and in a few moments the transport swung off from the bank, +and was plowing her way down the river. Frank leaned over the railing, +and wondered how a man so utterly ignorant of the management of a +steamer, as was the lieutenant, came to be put in command, and at a +time, too, when they might be placed in situations that would call into +requisition all the skill and judgment of experienced men. He did not at +all like the appearance of the young commander, for he was of the type +of officers known as "upstarts," who like to show their authority, but +are without the ability to successfully fill even the post of corporal. +What if the transport should be fired upon and disabled? It was evident +that in such an emergency nothing could be expected of a man who could +not cast off a line. Frank's commission was too important to be +intrusted to the care of such a man, and the young officer felt that he +would much rather step into the cutter, and trust to the skill and +courage of his twelve sailors, than to remain on board the transport. +Calling the coxswain on deck, he directed that if they were attacked, +the cutter should be kept ready for instant use, and in case the vessel +was disabled, they would attempt to finish their journey in her. After +giving these orders, Frank went up into the pilot-house, where he found +the man at the wheel in no enviable state of mind. + +"I'm glad to see you," said he, as Frank entered, "for I want to talk to +you. I'm not at all pleased with the looks of our skipper," he went on +to say, "and how he came to be placed in command is a mystery to me. +Perhaps the quarter-master thinks, like a good many men who see the +Mississippi River for the first time, that any body can take charge of a +steamboat; but suppose we should run aground--what does that lieutenant +know about sparring off? or what if something about the engine should +let down? why, we might go forty miles down the river before he could +get us tied up to the bank. Besides, if we are fired upon, he'll +surrender. Now, mark my words, he'll surrender before he will fight, and +I'm opposed to that, for I was a prisoner once." + +"So was I," said Frank, "and I don't mean to fall into the rebels' hands +again, if I can help it. I'll never be surrendered. That lieutenant may +not fight, but I think his men will, and I have twelve good fellows, all +well armed, on whom I know I can depend." + +"Then I feel better," said the pilot. "That's talk I like to hear; for +if we are not disabled, we'll go through all right. There goes the bell! +Go down and get your dinner." + +Frank deposited his weapons on a bench in the pilot-house and ran down +into the cabin, where he found the lieutenant and two engineers seated +at the table. The former seemed to have forgotten his failure of the +morning, for he talked a good deal in a condescending manner, as if +addressing his inferiors; and to Frank's inquiry if he expected trouble +from the rebels, replied that he had not given the matter a moment's +thought; that if they did attack the vessel, it would not be the first +time he had smelt powder, and if the engineers and pilot could be +depended upon, he had no fears but that he should be able to take the +boat safely through. Frank replied that he trusted the officers would +not be found wanting in courage; and when he had finished his meal, he +went on deck again, and surprised the pilot, by offering to relieve him +while he went down to his dinner. In his spare moments Frank, who wisely +regarded it as the duty of every officer to acquaint himself with every +part of the management of a vessel, had learned to handle the wheel, and +he was an excellent steersman. He could make a landing or get a boat +under way, as well as the most experienced pilot; and in the present +instance he was fully capable of steering the boat, for as the water in +the river was high, there was no danger of getting out of the channel. + +The pilot gave him his place, and after watching the movements of the +young officer, who handled the wheel with all the confidence of an old +river man, he went below to his dinner, satisfied that he had left the +boat in safe hands. Frank remained at the wheel most of the afternoon, +for the pilot, who would be on watch all night, had gone to bed to +obtain a few hours' rest. About four o'clock, however, he made his +appearance, and Frank went down into the cabin, and was engaged in +reading a newspaper, when he heard the pilot shout through the trumpet +to the engineers: + +"Here they are! Now, push her ahead strong. There's a battery just +below." + +At the same moment there was a rush of feet on deck, and the lieutenant +entered the cabin pale and breathless. + +"We're captured," said he, in a faint voice. "We're surrounded. The bank +is black with rebels--ten thousand of them at least! It's no use to +think of fighting." + +As he ceased speaking, he ran on deck again, followed by Frank, who +found his men drawn up behind the cotton-bales, with their weapons in +their hands, waiting for orders. The soldiers had cast loose the +howitzers, and stood at their posts. The lieutenant stopped a moment, +just long enough to say, "Boys, we're all captured!" and then ran into +the pilot-house. As Frank stood talking to his men, and encouraging them +with the famous words that never fail to nerve an American +seaman--"Don't give up the ship!"--a rebel rode out on the bank, in full +view of the steamer, and shouted: + +"Come ashore here, or we'll sink you." + +Frank looked toward the pilot-house, where the lieutenant had taken +refuge, and waited to hear his answer. To his surprise and horror, he +saw a hand extended waving a white handkerchief, and the coxswain +exclaimed: + +"Mr. Nelson, he's surrendering us, sir!" + +With one bound Frank sprang up the steps that led to the pilot-house, +caught the handkerchief and threw it overboard; and at the same moment +the lieutenant was seized from behind and thrown to the deck. He +instantly recovered his feet, and turning fiercely upon Frank and the +pilot, exclaimed: + +"What are you about? Do you know that you have rendered yourselves +liable to a court-martial? I'm commander of this vessel, and I'll shoot +the first man that resists my authority!" + +"You shall never surrender us," said Frank, firmly, not the least +intimidated by the other's threat. "If you will give orders for your men +to prepare for action, no one will oppose you. We'll stick to you as +long as a plank of this vessel remains above water." + +"I know my own business," replied the lieutenant. "Resistance is +useless. We never could get by that battery, and I'm going to surrender +to save our lives. Turn her toward the shore, pilot!" + +As he spoke, he walked out on deck, and calling out to the rebel, who +had continued to follow the vessel: + +"I'll surrender! Pilot, I tell you to turn her in toward the shore." + +The pilot gave a glance at Frank, and reading in his face a firm +determination to go through if possible, held the boat's head down the +stream, while a murmur of indignation arose from the men on the lower +deck, and the coxswain said, turning to his companions: + +"Sink my tarry wig, if that ar' chap ain't going to give us up without +our having the least bit of a fight." + +Frank stood for a moment irresolute. Ought he to oppose the lieutenant, +the lawful commander of the vessel? Was it his duty to stand by and +allow himself and his men to be surrendered without even a show of +resistance? And his dispatches, the importance of which the admiral had +stated in such emphatic language, should he throw them overboard, +instead of delivering them, as he had hoped to do, to the officer to +whom they were addressed? No! Sooner than do that, he would put the +cowardly lieutenant under arrest, and give the command to the pilot, a +man whom he knew understood his business, and would not think of +surrender until it had been clearly proved that successful resistance +was entirely out of the question. + +While these thoughts were passing through Frank's mind, the boat, under +an increased head of steam, had been rapidly nearing the battery, which +could be distinctly seen about half a mile below, planted on the bank of +the river. + +"Come ashore, if you surrender," shouted the rebel. + +"Pilot," said the lieutenant, in a weak voice, "I order you"-- + +He never finished that order, for Frank seized him, and pulling him into +the pilot-house, closed the door. He made an attempt to draw a revolver, +but the pilot threw him to the deck, when Frank wrested the weapon from +him and retained it in his possession. + +"All ready forward there?" he shouted to the men on the boiler-deck. + +"Ay, ay, sir," answered the coxswain. "Mr. Nelson's in command," he +added, turning to his companions. "Douse my to'-gallant top-lights but +we'll have a skirmish now sure." + +"Do you surrender?" shouted the man on the bank. + +The reply he received was a shot from the pilot's revolver, which made +him beat a hasty retreat. He had scarcely disappeared when a cloud of +men arose from behind the levee, and a volley of bullets rattled into +the boat. It was answered by a shout of defiance from the men behind the +cotton-bales; but the pilot, who stood just in front of Frank, staggered +for a moment, and sank heavily to the deck. Frank was horrified. With +that man at the wheel, he had entertained no fears of their ability to +run by the battery; but now that he was left alone, with the duties of +both commander and pilot devolving upon him, his hopes fell again. But +he could not remain long inactive, for the boat, being without a guide, +began to swing toward the shore. Hastily seizing the wheel, he turned +her head down the river again, when the battery opened upon them, and a +storm of shells plunged into the water and whistled through the air +about the boat. Only one struck her, and that passed through one of the +smoke-stacks, and bursting, demolished part of the roof of the +pilothouse. Then, as fast as the guns could be loaded, the battery +played upon the transport, and Frank heard the shells crashing through +the cabin and exploding in the air above him. But he stood bravely at +his post, his only fears being of his inability to turn the point on +which the battery was planted, or that one of the shells might penetrate +the cotton-bales and strike the boilers or some part of the machinery. +But as he neared the battery, he discovered that the boat was struck +less frequently; that the rebels, in their excitement, were firing +wildly. His own men, cool and collected, encouraged by the example of +their officer, had not yet fired a shot; but when the boat arrived +opposite the battery, they opened upon it with the howitzers and small +arms with terrible effect. The point, which extended into the bend where +the battery stood, was long and sharp, a bad place for one unaccustomed +to handling a boat; but Frank passed it in safety, under a full head of +steam, and cheers of triumph arose from his men, which the rebels +answered with yells of rage, and continued to follow the transport, +sending bullets and shells after her as fast as they could reload. But +they were speedily left behind, and their yells died away in the +distance. + +Frank's dispatches were safe. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +An unlucky fight. + + +As soon as Frank was certain that the rebels had given up the pursuit, +he called two of his men on deck, and directed them to carry the pilot, +who now began to show signs of returning consciousness, into the cabin. + +During the fight the lieutenant had remained behind one of the +cotton-bales, where the pilot had thrown him, so completely overcome +with fear that he did not think of renewing his attempts to enforce his +authority. But now that the danger was over, he arose to his feet and +walked out of the pilot-house. As the sailors came up, in obedience to +Frank's order, they passed the lieutenant without giving the customary +salute, and acted as though they considered him beneath their notice. +They lifted the pilot tenderly in their arms, carried him down stairs, +and laid him on his bed. + +There was no surgeon on board, and Frank was anxious to reach a gun-boat +as soon as possible, in order to place the pilot, who was the only one +injured, under the care of a medical man. He kept his place at the +wheel, his supper being brought up to him by one of his men, and shortly +after dark came within sight of the lights of a vessel which was lying +at anchor in the stream. He blew the whistle, to let her know that he +was approaching, to which the steamer, which proved to be a gun-boat, +replied by hoisting her signal-lights. Frank having no signals, whistled +again, and rang the bells for the engineer to run slowly. As soon as he +came within hailing distance, a voice called out: + +"Steamer ahoy!" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" shouted Frank, in reply. + +"What steamer is that?" + +"Army transport Key-West, bound for the mouth of the river, with +dispatches from the admiral." + +"Come alongside, here," shouted the voice. + +"Ay, ay, sir," replied Frank, and he commenced turning the boat's head +toward the vessel, while a hurrying of feet and a noise of dropping +handspikes on the gun-deck, told him in plain language that the captain +of the gun-boat was not at all satisfied with the report he had made, +and had called his crew to quarters, to be in readiness to sink the +transport if she should attempt to run by. It was an uncommon thing +during the expedition for boats to run in Red River after night, unless +supplied with the necessary signals, and the young officer was not at +all surprised at the precautions taken by the gun-boat. + +Frank by this time had turned the transport around, and was coming up at +the stern of the gun-boat, when the lieutenant came on deck, and +entering the pilot-house, inquired: + +"Are you the captain of this ship?" + +"I have had no orders to act as such," replied Frank. + +"Then why do you answer hails, and land here without my permission? I'll +have you court-martialed." + +"I answered the hails because you were not on deck; and I land here +because I have been ordered to do so by the captain of that gun-boat." + +"Well, I am not under his orders; he has no authority over me, and I +order you to turn around at once, and start down the river again." + +"If I should undertake that," replied Frank, with a laugh, "this vessel +wouldn't last long. Every cannon on this aide of that gun-boat points +straight at us, and if we should turn around, they would blow us out of +water." + +"They would, eh?" said the lieutenant, angrily. "I'll have the whole lot +of them up before a court-martial. I'm a second-lieutenant, sir, and +must not be detained, as I am on important business. Turn around at +once." + +Frank made no reply, and at that moment the bow of the transport touched +the gun-boat, and one of the sailors sprang out with a line. As soon as +the boat was made fast, he put on his side-arms, and taking his +dispatches, walked out of the pilot-house, leaving the lieutenant almost +beside himself with rage. As soon as he stepped on board the gun-boat, +he was shown into the presence of Captain Wilson, the same who had +commanded the Ticonderoga when Frank was attached to her. + +"Oh, is it you, Mr. Nelson?" he exclaimed, seizing the young officer's +hand and shaking it heartily. "Then it's all right. I did not know but +you were a rebel, and were going to run by; so I got my guns all ready +to sink you. Sit down. Are you in command?" + +Frank replied that he was not, and then proceeded to repeat the orders +he had received from the admiral, telling the captain of the fight with +the battery, but carefully omitting any thing that related to the +conduct of the lieutenant, he ended by saying that the pilot was +wounded, and requesting that the doctor might be sent on board to attend +to him, which was done at once, the captain offering to send another +pilot to take his place. + +The transport lay alongside nearly two hours, during which time the +pilot's wound, which was not dangerous, was dressed. The doctor then +declared that he was able to go on to the mouth of the river, where he +could be placed under the care of an army surgeon. Frank then took his +leave of the captain, and stepped on board the transport, accompanied by +one of the gun-boat pilots, who was well-known to the young officer, and +he was confident that the lieutenant, if he should again take it into +his head to give any unnecessary orders, would hear the truth plainly +told. He was an old acquaintance of the wounded pilot, from whom he had +heard the whole history of the trip from Alexandria; but as he had said +nothing about the matter to Frank, the latter was not aware that he knew +it. + +The pilot took his station at the wheel, while Frank seated himself on +the boiler-deck railing. The lieutenant stood close by, and, without +waiting to hear whether or not the engineers were ready to start, +shouted: + +"Untie that line." + +"Hold on!" shouted the pilot. "Do you want to send us adrift without any +steam? Wait till I tell you we're all ready." + +The engineers of the transport, taking advantage of the landing, had +allowed the steam to go down, in order to repair some part of the +machinery that was out of order, and had the line been cast off just +then, the boat would have been at the mercy of the current, and in +danger of sinking, for a short distance below lay an iron-clad ram, +anchored in the river. The lieutenant had given his command in a loud +tone, in order to be heard by the crew of the gun-boat, and the rebuff +he had met from the pilot did not tend to quiet his feelings, which were +considerably agitated by the thought that he was not in reality the +commander of the vessel. He was astonished at the pertinacity with which +his subordinates (as he considered them) countermanded his orders, and +wondered what was the use of being captain of a vessel if he was not to +be obeyed. But perhaps the new pilot did not know who he was. He would +inform him. With this determination, he walked up to the pilot-house, +and inquired: + +"Do you know, sir, that I command this boat?" + +"Yes," replied the pilot, "I know all about that. But you had better go +and turn in; you are only in the way here. All ready, Mr. Nelson," he +continued, as the engineer's bell rang at this moment. + +Frank gave the necessary orders, and in a few moments they were again on +their way down the river, while the lieutenant walked into the cabin and +threw himself on a lounge, heartily wishing there were no gun-boat men +in existence. As soon as they were fairly under way, Frank, seeing that +the lieutenant took no further notice of what was going on, ran below to +set the watch; then, after satisfying himself that every thing was right +about decks, and that their weapons were ready for instant use, he +stretched himself on a blanket in the cabin, and with his precious +dispatches (which he had carried with him wherever he went) for a +pillow, was soon fast asleep. + +About midnight he was suddenly awakened by a terrific crash, and sprang +to his feet to find the cabin shrouded in darkness and filled with +smoke. Hastily thrusting his dispatches into his pocket, he commenced +groping for his side-arms, which, on retiring, he had placed by his +side, while a commotion on deck told him that the crew were hurrying to +their stations. When he had found his sword, he ran out of the cabin, +and saw his men drawn up behind the cotton-bales, under charge of the +coxswain, who ran up to his officer and hurriedly asked for orders. The +latter did not long remain ignorant of the nature of the attack, for a +shell plunged into the cabin which he had just left, and, exploding with +a deafening report, filled the air with fragments of furniture, and tore +a large hole in the deck above the boilers. The night was very dark, but +still there was light enough for Frank to see that the boat, no longer +obeying her helm, was drifting broadside toward the battery, the +position of which could be easily determined by the flash of its guns; +and it was evident that unless those guns could be speedily silenced, +the transport would be altogether demolished, or disabled so that she +would fall into the hands of the rebels. Turning to the coxswain, Frank +inquired: + +"Is that cutter ready for immediate use?" + +"All ready, sir," was the answer. + +"Let loose those guns, then. Fire!" + +The two howitzers belched forth their contents, but while they were +being reloaded, another broadside from the battery plunged into the +boat, followed by the hissing and shrieking of steam. A shot had struck +the boilers! The thought had scarcely passed through Frank's mind, when +the pilot sprang down the steps, exclaiming: + +"Mr. Nelson, the tiller-rope is shot away, sir, and the boat is on +fire!" + +In short, much sooner than Frank had expected, the transport was a +complete wreck. + +The cotton-bales on the guards had been set on fire by a bursting shell; +the tiller-rope shot away, rendering it impossible to steer the boat; +the boilers penetrated, and the engine-room filled with hot steam, which +now began to rise and envelop the men on the boiler-deck. Soldiers and +sailors at once deserted their quarters and ran about in confusion, +while Frank, with his handkerchief in his mouth, to prevent his inhaling +the steam, stood wondering, where so many things were to be done, which +ought to be done first. He was quickly called to action by the pilot, +who, as he ran down the steps that led to the forecastle, exclaimed: + +"Let every man take care of himself!" + +When that man, who had been in nearly all the battles fought on the +Mississippi River--who had run the batteries at Vicksburg, and had +twice, in the heat of action, swam from a sinking vessel--when _he_ +deserted his post, it was useless for any one to remain. The transport +could be of no further use to them, and to stay on board was to court +either death from the hot, blinding steam, or the shells that all the +while came crashing into the boat, or capture and hard treatment at the +hands of the rebels. So thought Frank, as he followed his men to the +forecastle, intending to enter the cutter, and, if possible, run by the +battery and reach the Mississippi. + +The steam rolled over the lower deck in thick clouds, rendering it +impossible for him to go aft. There was now but one way to reach the +cutter, and that was to jump overboard and swim to her. This order was +promptly given, and as promptly obeyed by the men, who sprang into the +water, one after another, followed by Frank, who, however, had lingered +a moment to pull off his side-arms and coat, which would only impede his +progress, and to secure his dispatches, which he tied to his waist with +a strong cord he happened to have in his pocket. + +But when he reached the stern of the boat, he found that this means of +escape had been destroyed. A shell from the battery had struck the +cutter, and her wreck, still hold by the rope with which she had been +made fast, floated along with the steamer, which was slowly drifting +toward the bank. Only one of his men was to be seen, and that was the +coxswain, who was holding on to the wreck, awaiting the appearance of +his officer. The others, giving up all hopes of escape, had doubtless +turned toward the shore. + +"Now, here's a job, sir," said the coxswain, apparently as unconcerned +as if there had not been a rebel within a hundred miles. "Here _is_ +a job. What's to be done now, sir?" + +Frank had just asked himself the same question. He could easily reach +the shore, which was but a few yards distant, but there he would +certainly be captured by the rebels, who were running along the bank, +yelling like demons. + +There was but one course he could pursue and save himself and +dispatches, and that was to swim down the river and endeavor to pass the +battery. In the darkness he might escape undiscovered. + +"Bob, are you a good swimmer?" he asked, turning to the coxswain. + +"Yes sir! can swim all day," was the reply. + +"Then follow me as silently as possible, and we may yet escape." + +As Frank spoke, he swam down the river with swift, noiseless strokes, +anxious to get as far as possible from the boat before the fire, which +now began to make rapid headway, should light up the river and discover +them to the rebels. The latter had ceased firing, and were scattered +along the bank, making prisoners of the transport's crew as fast as they +touched the shore. When Frank had reached the place where the battery +was stationed, he turned upon his back, and allowed himself to float +along with the current, and, aided by the darkness and the smoke of the +burning transport, which blew down the river, he and his companion +passed the dangerous point undiscovered. Here Frank again struck out, +his every movement followed by the coxswain, who was close behind him, +and who floated through the water like a cork. + +For nearly an hour they remained in the river, and it was not until the +shouts of the rebels could be no longer heard, that Frank, feeling for +the present safe from pursuit, swam to the shore and sat down to rest, +and to determine upon their future movements. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Up the Washita. + + +All noise of pursuit, if any had been made, had died away, and not a +sound disturbed the stillness of the woods. But Frank had learned, by +experience, that silence was not indicative of safety, for it might, at +any moment, be broken by the report of muskets, or a sudden demand for +surrender from enemies who had followed them so silently that their +approach had not been discovered. He bent suspicious glances upon the +woods on all sides of him, and was ready to plunge into the water again +upon hearing the least sounds of pursuit. + +What had become of the wounded pilot, the lieutenant, and the rest of +the cutter's crew? All who had succeeded in reaching the shore, were, +beyond a doubt, prisoners. + +Frank shuddered when he thought of the hard fare and harder treatment +that awaited the poor fellows, recalling to mind incidents of his own +capture and escape, which made him doubly anxious to reach the +Mississippi as soon as possible, where he would be safe among friends. + +After resting nearly an hour, for their long swim had wearied them, they +continued their flight down the river, being careful to keep close to +the bank, so that in case of emergency they could again take to the +water. The shore was covered with logs and bushes, and their progress +was slow and laborious. But daylight came at length, and shortly +afterward they discovered a transport coming up the river. When she +arrived opposite to them, Frank hailed her, and the boat landed and took +them on board. Frank gave the information that there was a battery +above, and the captain, not liking the idea of trusting his unarmed +vessel within range of its guns, ordered the pilot to round-to and start +down the river again. The order was obeyed at once, and Frank and the +coxswain, who now began to breathe more freely, went below and stood +before the fire-doors to dry their clothing. About noon they arrived at +the Mississippi River, the transport landing alongside the vessel of the +commanding naval officer, to whom Frank delivered his dispatches in +triumph, at the same time apologizing for his appearance, for he was +without coat, hat, or side-arms. + +Among these dispatches of the admiral were orders for two tin-clads to +report at Alexandria. These vessels were to be used to keep the banks +clear of rebels, to carry dispatches, and to convoy unarmed steamers up +and down the river. The necessary orders were promptly issued, and in a +short time the tin-clads came alongside; their commanders received their +instructions, after which the vessels steamed up Red River, one of them +having Frank and the coxswain on board. The former had in his possession +several official documents addressed to the admiral. If he could have +seen the inside of one of them, he would have found (greatly to his +surprise) that it contained a complete history of the run from +Alexandria, that it spoke in the highest terms of his skill and bravery, +and ended with a recommendation for a master's appointment. This letter +had been written by the captain to whom Frank had delivered his +dispatches, he having learned the full particulars from the coxswain, +whom he had summoned into his presence while Frank was in the wardroom +eating his dinner. The sailor described all that had happened in glowing +language, dwelling with a good deal of emphasis upon the "pluck" +displayed by his young officer, and the ignorance and cowardice of the +lieutenant, and ended with saying, "He didn't think of nothing, sir, but +them dispatches; and it an't every man that could have saved 'em, sir." +The captain fully agreed with the coxswain, and when the latter was +dismissed, he gave his pants a vigorous hitch, and said to himself, "If +Mr. Nelson don't get another stripe around his arm now, may I be +keelhauled." And one, to have seen him, would have thought that he was +as much pleased at the prospect as though he was about to receive the +appointment himself. Frank, of course, knew nothing of this, and little +imagining that he was carrying a recommendation for his promotion, he +put the letters carefully away in his pocket, thinking, no doubt, they +were all-important official documents. + +A short time before dark they arrived at the junction of the Black and +Washita Rivers, where Frank found the Michigan anchored, in company with +four or five other gun-boats. He reported his safe return to his +captain, and then went into the wardroom and sat down to report to the +admiral by letter, according to his instructions. After all he had +passed through, one would suppose that his report would have been a long +one; but he wisely thought that all the admiral cared to know was that +his dispatches had been safely delivered. He therefore wrote, in the +briefest manner-- + +"I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your orders of the +20th inst., I took passage on board the United States army transport +"Key-West," for the mouth of Red River, with dispatches, which were +delivered into the hands of the commanding naval officer there. I have +to-day returned on board my vessel." + +This was all. No glowing description of the gallant manner in which he +had taken the transport by the battery, no mention of the ever-watchful +eye he had kept upon his dispatches, or of his long swim from the +burning wreck, but a few simple lines, that told the admiral all he +wished to know; namely, that his letters had reached their destination. +This report Frank placed before the captain, who wrote upon it "approved +and respectfully forwarded," (for all letters from subordinate officers +to the admiral had to pass through the captain's hands,) and the letter +was put into the general mail. Frank then, in obedience to the captain's +order, proceeded to give that gentleman a minute account of the manner +in which he had executed his orders, together with the names of the men +belonging to the cutter's crew who were missing, and wound up with the +request that "something might be done for the coxswain," for he was a +brave man, and a good sailor. As the Michigan had but one boatswain's +mate, (she was entitled to two,) the captain determined to promote the +man, who was at once summoned into the cabin and presented with the +boatswain's whistle. He retired, proud of his promotion, and firm in his +belief that "the captain and Mr. Nelson were the best men afloat." + +Frank, so weary that he could scarcely walk, was glad to get to bed; but +the captain sat for a long time at his desk, writing a letter to the +admiral, which contained the statement that, in his opinion, "Acting +Ensign Frank Nelson, by the gallant manner in which he had executed the +important business intrusted to him, had nobly earned his promotion, +and, by the skill and judgment he had exhibited in handling the +transport, had shown that he was fully capable of taking charge of a +_vessel of his own_, and that his past history, taken in connection +with his recent exploit, was sufficient guarantee that the honor of the +flag would never suffer in his hands." + +Frank, all unconscious of the admiration his gallant behavior had +excited in the mind of the captain, slept soundly until daylight, when +he was called up to get the vessel under way. The expedition was +composed of five gun-boats, and its destination was Monroe, a small town +about two hundred miles up Washita River. Its object was to capture +cotton, and to destroy any fortifications that might be found along the +banks. The remainder of the fleet, which was at Alexandria when Frank +left, had gone up Red River, toward Shreveport. Had he been allowed his +choice in the matter, Frank would have preferred to accompany the latter +expedition, as he then would have been able, after Shreveport had been +captured, to visit the prison in which he had been confined, and from +which he had escaped in so remarkable a manner. He thought over all the +scenes through which he had passed--his capture, the march to +Shreveport, his flight from the prison, the bayonet-fight in the woods, +the chase by blood-hounds--and they seemed to him like a dream. + +George Le Dell, who was the officer of the deck, stood close beside +Frank, gazing about as if every object that met his eye was a familiar +one. Every turn of the paddle-wheels was bringing him nearer to the home +of his childhood, from which he was now excluded by the stern mandate of +his rebel father. Ever since he had been attached to the Michigan, he +and Frank had been bosom friends. The dangers through which they had +passed while fugitives from a rebel prison--their hair-breadth escapes +from recapture--could never be forgotten. No one on board besides Frank +knew any thing of George's past history. In accordance with the latter's +desire, the secret was closely kept, and no one imagined that the pale, +quiet young officer was any relation to the rebel general whose house it +had been ordered should be burned. Ever since the receipt of that order, +every one remarked that George Le Dell had been unusually thoughtful, +but no one knew the cause. + +"Mr. Nelson," said he, at length, "I wish I could have gone up Red +River. I want to see home once more, but I don't want to stand by and +see the old house burned over the heads of my mother and sisters. I +don't deny that the order is a just one, but I don't want to see it +executed. I begin to believe that I am a good prophet," he continued, +after a moment's pause. "I told father, in the last letter I ever wrote +to him, that this war would bring him nothing but suffering and +disgrace, and I think he will find that I told the truth." + +As George ceased speaking, he turned and walked to another part of the +deck, to meet the captain, who at that moment came out of his cabin. + +Among all the ship's company, there was but one that could sympathize +with George, and that one was Frank. The young officer cherished an +honest enmity toward the traitors whose bloody hands were stretched out +to pull down the Old Flag under which his ancestors had fought and died, +but when Frank looked upon the pale face of his messmate, and listened +to his oft-repeated sentiments of loyalty, and heard him, in his quiet +way, expressing his firm belief in the final triumph of the Government +and the total overthrow of the rebellion, and when he witnessed his +quiet submission to his cruel fate, knowing that he was cut off from all +further intercourse with his relatives, he could not help pitying both +him and his rebel parents. But he knew, from those letters he had read, +and which George still preserved, and from what he had witnessed on that +memorable night when he and his companions had stopped at the plantation +and asked for food, that the general and his family had taken part with +the rebellion, not to secure any rights which they imagined had been +denied them, but to assist in "establishing a confederacy of their own, +whose corner-stone should be slavery," and to destroy "every vestige of +the old Union." Like George, he knew that the order to burn the house +was a just one; but he would have been much better pleased had some +other boat been selected to execute it. He did not pity the rebels so +much, but he did not want to witness the sorrow his messmate would +experience when he saw the home of his boyhood enveloped in flames. + +The next day, as the two friends stood together on deck, George suddenly +said-- + +"We're almost there. I know these woods well. I've caught many a string +of fish off that log that lies in the water just ahead." + +About half a mile further on, the Michigan came round a sharp bend in +the river, and they saw the plantation before them. Every thing looked +just as it did on that long-to-be-remembered night when George had +suddenly presented himself before his relatives, who thought him safe in +the prison at Tyler. There were the broad stone steps that led up to the +portico on which the major had stood while making known his wants, and +just in front of them were the posts to which the general and his sons +had fastened their horses before entering the house. + +The fleet did not stop, as they had expected, but kept on up the river, +and in a few moments more the plantation was out of sight. No doubt the +burning of the house was to be put off until their return. + +The expedition reached Monroe without mishap, and without seeing a +single armed rebel, only stopping now and then to pick up cotton, which +was scattered all along the bank. The vessels remained at anchor in +front of the town for two days, and after burning the public buildings, +and picking up some escaped Union prisoners, started down the river +again. The Michigan led the way, and on the afternoon of the second day +came to anchor in front of General Le Dell's plantation. + +"Mr. Nelson," said the captain, as he stepped down out of the +pilot-house, "order two companies of small-armed men to be called away, +and you and Mr. Le Dell get ready to go on shore with me. By the way," +he added, turning to George, "I have orders to burn out this rebel +namesake of yours." + +"So I have heard, sir," replied George, while not a muscle of his face +quivered to show the surprise and sorrow he felt at being obliged to +accompany the expedition ashore. He had hoped that some other officer +would be chosen to accompany the captain, but he could not ask to be +excused from duty without exciting suspicions. The reason why he did not +wish to go could be easily guessed, and if the truth became known, it +would be followed by what he particularly desired to avoid--the sympathy +of all his messmates. He would accompany the expedition, but he would +neither enter the house or go into the presence of his mother and +sisters, and he might return without being recognized. By the time he +had buckled on his sword and returned to the deck the men were ready, +when, in obedience to Frank's order, he marched them on board the tug, +which lay at the stern of the Michigan. When they reached the shore, +Frank instructed George to post sentries all around the house, both to +guard against surprise, and also to prevent the escape of any rebel +soldiers who might chance to be in the building, after which he +accompanied the captain to the door, where they were met by Mrs. Le Dell +and her daughters, who coldly received their salutations, and waited for +them to make known the object of their visit. + +"Madam," said the captain, addressing himself to Mrs. Le Dell, "I am +ordered to burn your house." + +"I have been expecting it for a long time," was the reply. + +"I will give you a reasonable time," continued the captain, "to remove +your valuables." + +The lady then requested that an hour might be allowed her to send for a +neighbor, who lived several miles distant, to come with his team to +remove the furniture to a place of safety, as all the wagons about the +plantation had been given up to the rebel army. This was granted, and a +note, which was first presented for the inspection of the captain, was +at once dispatched to summon the neighbor. + +In the meantime, Frank and George were strolling about the plantation, +the latter feasting his eyes on every familiar object, and recalling to +mind incidents of the "good old times," as he expressed it. Frank also +recognized two objects; one was the barn where he and his +fellow-fugitives had halted to hold a consultation before going up to +the house; and the other was the fence behind which the captain had left +their prisoner, bound hand and foot. While thus engaged, a little boy, +who had approached them without being discovered, suddenly called out, + +"George!" + +The latter turned, as the familiar voice reached his ear, and held out +his hands to his brother, who sprang toward him, threw his arms around +his neck, and burst into tears. There was one among George's relatives +who still remembered and loved him. + +"George," sobbed the little fellow, "are you a Yankee 'bolitionist?" + +Tears choked George's utterance, and the boy, suddenly breaking from his +arms, ran toward the house, and scrambling up the steps, burst into the +room where the captain and ladies were seated, and astonished them all +with: + +"Mother, mother! George is here! He's come back!" + +Both mother and daughter appeared to be considerably agitated upon +receiving this news, and the captain noticing it, the suspicion flashed +across his mind that it was one of their rebel friends. He glanced out +at the door, and saw his two officers standing quietly together, the +sentinels walking their beats, and felt satisfied that the rebel, +whoever he was, might consider himself a prisoner. + +"Who do you mean, my little man?" he asked, putting his hand on the +boy's head. "What is his other name?" + +"George Le Dell," replied the boy, promptly. "He's my brother. He's out +there," and he pointed toward the place where George and Frank were +standing. + +"Is that your brother?" asked the captain in surprise, as he turned +toward Mrs. Le Dell for an explanation. + +"I have a son in the Federal navy," replied the lady. + +"Then, madam," said the captain, "if that young man out there is your +son, allow me to say that you have every reason to be proud of him." + +At this moment the neighbor for whom they had sent arrived, and he and +the captain held a long conversation; after which, to his surprise, +Frank was ordered to collect the men and march them on board the tug. +The Michigan remained at her anchorage until the flag-ship of the +expedition came down, when the two captains had a short consultation, +and both vessels got under way and steamed down the river. The reason +given why the order to burn the house was not executed was this: Unlike +the majority of rebel commanders, General Le Dell had always treated +Union prisoners who had fallen into his hands with the greatest +humanity. Although he seemed to be particularly spiteful toward George, +whom he called a "young traitor," he always endeavored to make the +condition of other prisoners as tolerable as possible. The truth of this +was attested by the soldiers they had picked up at Monroe, all of whom +were officers, and they had done much toward saving the property. The +captain of the Michigan had delayed to fulfill his orders until the +arrival of his superior, in order to communicate some news he had +received from the man who had been sent to remove the furniture, and +when the flag-ship arrived, the order had been countermanded. + +"Perhaps every thing will come out right after the war," said George, as +the two friends stood watching the plantation as long as it remained in +eight. "If it does, we'll have the old house to live in." + +On the way down the river, large quantities of cotton were captured, +which made both officers and men look forward to a good share of +prize-money, and one afternoon--about a week after leaving Monroe--they +reached Black River in safety. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +The Promotion. + + +The next day, in obedience to orders from the admiral, the Michigan +steamed up Red River, and came to an anchor in front of Fort De Russy. A +few rebel soldiers had taken possession of the fortifications, and the +vessel had scarcely dropped her anchor when they opened upon her with +muskets. All hands were ordered under cover, and for two days were kept +closely confined below. The bullets, which constantly whistled over the +deck, did no damage beyond cutting down the flag--which, however was +promptly hoisted again--and battering up the officers' rooms on the +quarter-deck, which were not iron-clad. Several attempts were made to +dislodge the rebels, but, as usual, without success. On the third day, +however, a heavy firing up the river, in the direction of Alexandria, +announced that the expedition was returning, and the rebels, fearing +capture, hastily withdrew. Toward evening the fleet came in sight, some +of the transports having gun-boats alongside of them for protection. The +entire fleet bore marks of the handiwork of the rebels, in the shape of +battered casemates, broken chimneys, and shattered upper works. Little +had been accomplished beyond the capture of cotton, and both officers +and men teemed delighted to find themselves once more on the way to the +Mississippi River. + +In about an hour after the first boats of the fleet had made their +appearance, a tin-clad came down, bearing the admiral's flag, and +rounded-to and landed a short distance below the Michigan. Close behind +her came another of the mosquito fleet, towed by a transport. Both +vessels were badly cut up, especially the gun-boat, which was almost a +wreck. Both chimneys had either been broken off by branches of trees or +shattered by a shell, and her casemates were pierced in a hundred +places. Her engines had also been disabled, and her wheel hung +motionless in the water. Still she retained enough of her former +appearance for Frank to recognize in her his old vessel, the Boxer; +besides, he saw his cousin on the guards waving his handkerchief to him. +While Frank stood watching the vessel, wondering how any of her crew +could have escaped, and how Archie had conducted himself during the +fights through which he had passed, the captain came up out of his cabin +and exclaimed: + +"Mr. Nelson, you're wanted on board the flagship! Don't wait to get your +side-arms, but go at once. The admiral is in a great hurry to see you!" + +Frank, wondering what new orders he was about to receive, ran down the +ladder that led to the afterguard, reached the shore on a plank that +extended from the stern of the vessel to the bank, and in a short time +was in the presence of the admiral. + +That gentleman was so busy that he did not notice Frank, until one of +his clerks exclaimed: + +"Admiral! here's Captain Nelson, sir." + +"Ah, yes," said the admiral, scarcely looking up from his work. "Sit +down, captain; I'm very busy just at present." + +_Captain!_ Frank knew that neither the admiral nor his clerks were +in the habit of making mistakes, but he thought they were certainly +mistaken this time. Perhaps they were so busy they had not taken time to +see who he was. But he was not kept long in suspense, for the admiral, +after signing his name to several documents, turned in his chair, and +picking up some letters that lay on his desk, handed them to Frank, +saying: + +"Captain, there are your orders. I only wanted to see you to say that I +wish them obeyed with the least possible delay. Have the Boxer back here +as soon as you can, for I want to use her. Get your baggage on board and +start at once." + +Frank, so bewildered that he scarcely knew what the admiral was saying, +took the letters and hurried back to the Michigan. The captain met him +at the gangway, and extending his hand, said, with a smile: + +"I'm sorry to have you leave us, Mr. Nelson. I suppose you have got it?" + +"I have something, sir," replied Frank, "but I don't know what it is." + +As he spoke, he tore open one of the envelopes, and hastily running his +eye over the letter it contained, found, to his astonishment, that he +was an acting master. The next one he opened was an order for him to +report "to the commanding officer of the U. S. S. Boxer for duty and +_command of that vessel_." The other contained instructions for him +to "proceed to Cairo without delay, and place his vessel under repairs, +and as soon as she was put in condition for service, to return and +report to the admiral." + +"Just as I expected," said the captain, who seemed to be as highly +elated as Frank himself. "Just as I expected, sir. You deserve it, and I +congratulate you." + +Frank made some reply, in his excitement he hardly knew what, and +hurried off to pack his trunk and bed-clothes. This being accomplished, +his baggage was carried to the cutter, which lay alongside, and after +taking leave of the captain and his messmates, he stepped into the boat +and started for his vessel, which still lay at the bank, below the +flagship, with the transport which was to tow her to Cairo. As he +stepped on board the Boxer, he was met by Archie, and several of his old +messmates, who greeted him cordially. The executive officer was in +command, and to him Frank showed his orders, and requested that his +baggage might be conveyed into the cabin. He then went on deck, and +after ascertaining that the transport was ready to start, ordered the +line cast off, and both vessels were soon on their course down the +river. + +After finding they were fairly under way, Frank, accompanied by Archie, +went into the cabin, and sat down to collect his thoughts, for, in the +excitement of his unexpected promotion, he moved like one in a dream. +The cabin steward had already taken his trunk into his state-room, and +was engaged in making his bed. Captain Nelson! How strangely it sounded; +and Frank repeated it several times, and gazed about the cabin as if he +could scarcely believe that he was awake. He read his appointment and +orders over and over again, both to fully understand what was required +of him, and to convince himself that he was in reality the commander of +a vessel. When he was made the executive officer of the very boat he now +commanded, he had reached the height of his ambition, and his present +position was a step higher than he had dared to look. + +The captain of a gun-boat generally lives in a little world of his own. +He has a cabin all to himself, messes alone, and rarely has intercourse +with his officers, except upon business. If he has a messmate, it is +either a clerk, or the paymaster or doctor of the vessel. Frank was not +entitled to a clerk, but he had a paymaster, and, at his request, Archie +at once commenced the removal of his baggage into one of the vacant +state-rooms in the cabin. While thus engaged, the orderly announced the +executive officer, who entered to inquire if Frank had any orders to +give. The latter replied that he had not, and for nearly an hour he +remained in conversation with the executive, during which he learned the +exact state of affairs about decks. Every thing appeared to be going on +smoothly, and Frank had no desire to show his authority by issuing +unnecessary orders. One by one the wardroom and steerage officers came +in to congratulate the young commander, and when bed-time came they +returned to their quarters, saying among themselves that "Captain Nelson +didn't feel any bigger in his new position than he would if he were +nothing but a Johnny master's mate." + +One afternoon, after they had reached the Mississippi River, as Frank +sat at his desk, writing a letter to his mother, and Archie lay on the +sofa close by, engaged in reading, there was a commotion on deck, and +the orderly burst into the cabin, exclaiming-- + +"Rebels, cap'n! A battery just ahead, sir!" And he had scarcely spoken, +when there was a roar of cannon, and the shells burst over and about the +vessels. + +"Call to quarters," said Frank, as he sprang to his feet and ran into +his room after his side-arms and the keys to the magazine. + +The orderly disappeared, followed by Archie, who, throwing his book into +the furthest corner of the cabin, ran on deck, without even waiting to +get his hat. + +After ordering the executive, who met him at the door, to have the lamps +in the magazine lighted, and to prepare for action, Frank ran into the +pilothouse, and looking up the river, discovered a smoke arising from a +point half a mile in advance of them. + +"Captain," shouted the commander of the transport, who stood in his +pilot-house, "what do you want me to do?" + +"Take us up the river as fast as you can," shouted Frank, in reply. + +The captain had evidently seen some stirring times while up Red River. +He was not accustomed to the noise and confusion of battle, and his +actions indicated that he did not like the idea of attempting to run by +the battery. But his orders from the admiral were to take the Boxer to +Cairo as soon as possible, and he dared not disobey them. + +"All ready below, sir," was the word at this moment passed up through +the trumpet. + +All the guns on board the Boxer were pointed at the battery, and the +crew impatiently waited for the order to fire. Frank stood at his post, +watching the battery through a spy-glass, and waiting until they should +come to close quarters, so that he could make every shot count. All this +while the shells had been dropping into the water, and shrieking through +the air about the vessels, and one or two had found a lodgement in the +wheel-house of the transport. They kept on in silence until they arrived +almost opposite the battery, which stood out in plain view, unprotected +by levee or other breastwork, and Frank then gave the order to open upon +them. The crash that followed the order, as every gun that could be +brought to bear upon the battery belched forth its contents, was +terrific. Shells and canister rattled over the bank, cutting down the +rebel gunners, and disabling one of their cannon. As quickly as +possible, the guns were reloaded, and almost before the rebels had +recovered from their panic, another broadside was poured into them, and +when the smoke cleared away, the battery was standing deserted. Here was +an opportunity that, to Frank, had he possessed men enough to back him +up, would not have been lost; he would have landed, and captured the +battery. But he was ignorant of the force of the rebels. There might be +a regiment of them hidden away in the woods--enough to have captured the +vessels the moment they touched the bank--and to have lost the Boxer +scarcely a week after he had been placed in command of her would have +been a misfortune indeed. He kept on up the river, shelling the woods as +long as he could bring a gun to bear upon them. + +In a few days they arrived at Cairo, where Frank reported to the +commandant of the station, and his vessel was at once placed in the +hands of the workmen at the navy-yard. The work was rapidly pushed +forward, and at the end of a month she was declared ready for service, +and after she had been furnished with a full crew from the receiving +ship, and Archie had laid in a stock of paymaster's stores, the Boxer, +in obedience to orders, started down the river to report to the admiral. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +The Rival Spies. + + +They found the admiral at Natchez, and when Frank had reported his +arrival, he was ordered to take his station at Gaines' Landing--a place +noted for guerrillas--which they reached in safety. For two or three +days, nothing worthy of note transpired, the rebels, if there were any +about, being careful not to show themselves. + +One night, while Frank was walking the deck, arm-in-arm with his cousin, +the officer on watch approached, and said, in a low voice: + +"Look there, sir! What kind of a craft is that?" + +Frank looked in the direction indicated, and an object about the size of +a man's head could be dimly seen in the water, silently but rapidly +approaching the vessel. It came from toward the nearest shore, and the +thought that it was a torpedo instantly flushed through his mind. Taking +the spy-glass from the quarter-master, he leveled it at the object, and +could distinctly see that it was a human head, and that it belonged to +some one who was an excellent swimmer, for he was making rapid progress +through the water. + +"I don't see any torpedo there," said he, at length, handing the glass +to his cousin, "for the fellow, whoever he is, is using both hands." +Then raising his it voice, he called out, "Who comes there?" + +"A friend," was the scarcely audible reply. + +"Come on board here." + +"That's just what I want to do," answered the man, who, with a few more +strokes, was near enough to be seized by the quarter-master--who had ran +below with a lantern--and lifted upon the guards. + +"Who are you, and what are you doing here at this time of night?" asked +Frank, as soon as the man had come on deck. + +"My name is William Striker," was the answer, "and I am an escaped Union +scout." + +Frank took the lantern from the quarter-master's hand and held it up, so +that he could obtain a good view of the man's face. He was certain he +had seen it before, but could not remember where. + +"I have a better memory than you, sir," said the man at length. "I have +seen you before. I met you in the trenches at Vicksburg." + +As the man spoke, he produced a bundle of wet papers, from which he +selected one that he handed to Frank. It was the appointment of major, +and addressed to William Striker, United States Scout. But this was no +proof that the man was in reality what he professed to be, for Frank +remembered that he had once passed himself off as Lieutenant Somers, of +the rebel army, and had shown his appointment and orders to prove it. It +was true that he wore the dress of a Union major, but that might have +been obtained in the same manner that Frank once got his rebel uniform. +There was something suspicious in a man's presenting himself on board +the vessel at that time of night, and in so uncommon a manner. + +"Well," said Frank, "if you were in the trenches at Vicksburg, tell me +something that happened there." + +The soldier then told Frank of the experiment of which the latter had +made use to see "how far off the rebels were," during which he lost his +cap, the rebel who captured it offering to "trade" for it a tattered +slouch-hat with a bullet-hole in it, and informed him that he was the +scout who had told him the story of his "partner" Sam, and their raid +into the rebel camp, which resulted in the capture of Colonel Peckham. +He also related other little incidents which Frank had not forgotten, +and which proved that he was in reality the scout whom he had met in the +trenches, and not a rebel spy, as he had at first feared. Being fully +satisfied on this point, the major was conducted into the cabin, and +while he was exchanging his wet clothes for some that Frank and Archie +had provided for him, the former ordered his steward to prepare supper +for their guest, for he knew, by experience, that a man who had been a +prisoner among the rebels was hungry. The major sat down to the table +with a most ravenous appetite, and the good things the steward had +prepared rapidly disappeared. When he had finished his meal, in answer +to Frank's inquiry how he came to be a prisoner, he gave the following +account of his adventures, which he remarked were a "little ahead of any +thing he had ever gone through." + +"In the first place," said he, "I must tell you what became of my +comrade, Sam, as it was in endeavoring to assist him that I was +captured. His career as a scout, although an exciting one, full of +stirring adventures and hair-breadth escapes, was brought to a close +soon after the capture of Vicksburg. + +"When the army again took up its line of march, we made several +excursions into the rebel lines, and one night we stopped at a +plantation-house to shelter ourselves from the rain, for it was storming +violently, and also to see if we could not pick up some information that +might be of use to us. The only inmate of the house was an old woman, +who, believing us to be rebels, talked freely with us on all subjects; +and during the conversation, which finally turned upon scouting, +informed us that there was a scout in the rebel army who was far ahead +of any "Yank" that ever lived. He was described as a daring, +quick-witted fellow, and many a disaster that had befallen us was owing +to him. As I listened to the stories told of him, I came to the +conclusion that there was a good deal of truth in them, and that some +spy must indeed have been in our camp, for the woman was acquainted with +several moves we had made, and which had been defeated, the particulars +of which, I thought, were known only to the general and his staff. This +led me to believe that the scout, whoever he was, staid about +head-quarters, else how could he obtain so much information. + +"The woman seemed to be well acquainted with him and his movements, and +told us of several of his exploits, which, if true, showed the spy to be +a man admirably fitted for his position. I listened attentively to all +she said, in hopes I should learn something of his personal appearance, +for I had made up my mind that as soon as I could find out his +movements, he and I would have a meeting, But all I could learn was that +his name was Bob Cole. + +"'Well,' said I,'do you know that as long as I have been in the army, I +have never seen this man?'" + +"'Haven't yer!' exclaimed the woman, in surprise. 'Wal, come to think, I +don't know as that is so funny, arter all, 'cause he's in the Yankee +camp most of the time, an', as they think he is one of them, he goes an' +comes when he pleases, He's a smart one, I tell yer. Some of the boys +told me that he is a goin' to bring in a prisoner this week, in the +shape of a Yankee scout an' spy. Bill Striker is his name, I believe. Do +yer know him?' + +"I couldn't help starting when I found that I was known to this noted +rebel; but the woman didn't notice it, and I replied: + +"Oh, yes! I've heard of him.' + +"'Cordin' to all accounts,' continued the woman, 'this Yankee an't much +behind Bob, for he has often been in our camp, an' he don't allers go +back empty-handed. If he ketches a feller in an out-of-the-way place, he +is sartin to gobble him up. But his time is most up now, 'kase Bob never +fails in any thing when he onct gets his mind sot on it, an' when I +heerd that he was a goin' to ketch this Yank, I believed he would do it. + +"It was very encouraging to sit there and listen to a person talk so +confidently of my speedy capture; but, as it happened, I had been put on +my guard, and another thing, I didn't have quite as much faith in Bob +Cole as his rebel friends had, and was in no way concerned about his +being able to fulfill his promise. It set me to thinking, however, and I +determined I would not sleep sound until I had found him, and then there +would be a prisoner taken, sure; but it wouldn't be Bill Striker. + +"'What kind of a looking man is he?' I asked, at length. + +"'Oh, he's a'-- + +"Just at this moment we heard several horsemen going by the house, and +Sam exclaimed: + +"'There are some of our boys now. Perhaps we are wanted.' + +"I knew well enough what he meant. Although we had frequently met rebels +while scouting about through their lines, we were not at all fond of +them, and did not want to be in their company if we could help it. + +"Those who had just gone by might at any moment return and enter the +house; and besides, it occurred to me that if I was so well known to the +rebel spy, I was not safe except in our own camp. I might, at any time, +run into a trap he had laid for me. At any rate, we thought it best to +get within our lines as soon as possible; so, without waiting to hear +the woman's description of Bob Cole, we bid her good night. + +"We reached our camp in safety, reported our return, and the next +morning I walked up to headquarters, where I remained until dark, +talking with the general's hostler, and keeping an ear open for news, +but was obliged to go away without hearing any. The next day I was kept +busy carrying dispatches, and when I returned at night, I learned that +Sam had gone into the rebel camp, as they were making some movement, the +particulars of which the general was anxious to learn. I thought nothing +of it at the time, but when night came and he did not return, I began to +fear that he had been captured or killed. It then occurred to me that if +I could get back to the house where lived the woman who had told us of +Bob Cole, I might learn something that would be to my advantage; so I +put on my rebel uniform, and in a few moments was out of the lines. I +reached the house in safety, and was delighted to find there were no +rebels about. The woman seemed glad to see me, brought me a cup of water +to drink, and after a few minutes' conversation exclaimed: + +"'Wal, they've gobbled up one of them fellers!' + +"'Which one?' I asked. + +"'I don't know his name. Bob done it. He seed him leave the Yankee camp, +an' follered him, an' while they were ridin' along together, he tuk out +his pistol an' told the Yank to give up his we'pons; but the feller +wouldn't do it, an' Bob had to shoot him. But he didn't kill him; he +only shot him through the shoulder. He's sartin to be hung.' + +"You can easily imagine my feelings as I sat there and listened to this. +It required a strong effort to subdue my feelings. + +"'How does Bob Cole disguise himself?' I asked, in as firm a voice as I +could command. 'What does he do in the Yankee camp?' + +"'That's what nobody, 'sides Bob an' the general, knows,' answered the +woman. 'Didn't you never see him? He's a little man, has black hair and +eyes, wears no whiskers, and allers rides a little gray horse. He's +smart, I tell yer.' + +"After talking awhile longer with the woman without learning any thing +further, I mounted my horse and returned to camp. While I was eating my +supper, I called to mind all the scouts with whom I was acquainted, but +not one of them answered to the description of Bob Cole. There was one +man in camp, however, who _did_ answer the description, and that +was the general's hostler. Could it be possible that he was the spy? + +"At this moment an orderly entered to tell me that I was wanted at +head-quarters. I followed him to the general's tent, received my orders, +and began to get ready for the journey. As I came out of the tent I met +the hostler, who inquired: + +"'Are you off again to-night, Bill?' + +"I replied in the affirmative, and he continued: + +"'Well, good luck to you. Don't let the rebs get hold of you.' + +"I mounted my horse and rode out of the camp, fully satisfied that if he +was the spy I would soon know it. + +"The night was very dark, but I had traveled the road often enough to be +well acquainted with it, and in an hour after I left our camp, I had +passed the rebel sentries, and was fairly within their lines. As I was +riding quietly along, keeping a good look-out on all sides, and pausing +now and then to listen, I suddenly heard the clatter of horses' hoofs +behind me, and some one called out, in a low voice: + +"Bill! Bill Striker!' + +"I instantly stopped, and a moment afterward up galloped the hostler. + +"'Don't make so much noise, Jim,' said I, nastily. 'But what on earth +brings you here? Where are you going?' + +"'I'm after you,' he replied. 'The general told me to overtake you, and +say that he had neglected to give you some very important orders.' + +"All this while he had been coming nearer and nearer to me, and having +now got within reach, he suddenly seized my bridle, and presenting a +revolver, exclaimed: + +"'Bill Striker, your scouting is up now! You're my prisoner!' + +"If he imagined that he had taken me by surprise he was very much +mistaken. In an instant I had knocked aside the revolver, which +exploded, sending the ball harmlessly past my head, and in a moment more +I had wrested the weapon from him. Then, almost before he had time to +think twice, I lifted him off his horse and laid him across my saddle, +in front of me, as if he had been a bag of corn. He was very strong, as +wiry as an eel, and struggled most desperately; but I had him at +disadvantage, and when I thought of Sam, who was now a prisoner through +the treachery of this fellow, I felt as if I had the strength of ten +men. By the time I had fairly got hold of him, I was tearing down the +road toward our lines, while his own horse had gone on toward the rebel +camp. My only danger was in being cut off by the pickets. These passed, +I would be safe, for I had no fears of being overtaken. There was no +time to avoid them in jumping over fences and running through fields, +for I knew that the report of the revolver had been heard, and that, +unless I could reach our lines in a very few moments, Bob Cole would +again be a free man and I would be the prisoner. I used my spurs freely, +and my horse, which seemed to understand that he was called upon to make +use of his best speed, carried us over the ground at a tremendous rate. +In a short time I came within sight of a fire burning by the side of the +road. I heard a loud command to halt, followed by the noise of a bullet +as it whistled by my head, and the pickets were passed in safety. Half +an hour afterward I dismounted in front of the general's tent, and +delivered up my prisoner. You can't imagine how surprised our boys were +to learn that we had had a rebel spy in our camp so long without knowing +it. Bob Cole had played his cards remarkably well, and if Sam and I had +not stopped at that house to get out of the rain, there's no knowing how +much longer he would have been at liberty. But he was safe in the +guard-house at last, and I must confess that I breathed more freely. If +he was the only rebel who knew me, there was now no danger of running +into a trap laid for my capture. My first hard work must be to attempt +Sam's release. I knew it would be worse than useless to return to the +rebel camp that night, for it had been aroused, and my own chances of +escape would be none of the surest; so I let two days pass before +setting out, and then I did not follow my usual course, but took a +roundabout way to get behind their camp, where I would not run so much +risk of meeting the pickets. + +"I reached the lines in safety, and as I was riding along by the side of +the road, keeping my horse on the grass, to make as little noise as +possible, I heard horsemen approaching, and presently up galloped a +party of rebels. I thought they would pass without discovering me, but +was mistaken, for one of them drew in his horse and exclaimed-- + +"'Wal, ef here an't another,' and I was speedily surrounded, and +commanded to 'hand over my we'pons.' + +"'Look here, boys,' said I, 'I've got a pass,' and I made a motion to +produce it. + +"'Oh, we don't want to see your pass,' said the corporal who had charge +of the squad; 'we've seed a dozen to-night that wasn't no 'count. You +must go to the guard-house, 'cause you know it's the general's orders +that nobody goes out o' camp.' + +"This showed me that I was not suspected of being a Federal, but was +arrested as one of their own men who was endeavoring to get out of the +lines. + +"'I know it's mighty hard,' continued the corporal, 'not to let a feller +go home, when p'rhaps it an't five miles off; but orders is orders, you +know. Howsomever, you wont hev no trouble to get out o' the guard-house, +'cause--by gum! ef here an't some more,' and, as he spoke, he left me, +and rode up to three men who were crouching in the fence-corner by the +roadside. These were speedily secured, and we went on our way toward the +guard-house. The rebel army, it appeared, was encamped in a part of the +country where a number of regiments had been raised, and the men, +anxious to see home and friends once more, were deserting by +hundreds--'taking French,' as we call it. As we rode along, I learned +something, from the conversation of my captors, that made me wish I had +never taken Bob Cole prisoner, and that was, that Sam had died from the +effects of the wound he had received while resisting the rebel. This +was, perhaps, better than being hung, but how I wished I had known it +before taking the spy to camp. I had put myself in danger without being +able to be of any assistance to Sam, and I now set my wits to work to +conjure up some plan for escape. + +"Finally, after capturing one more rebel who was about to 'take French,' +we reached the guard house, which was a rickety old barn. As we entered +the door, the rebels, with whom the house was filled, greeted us with +loud yells, and slapped us on our backs, as though they looked upon our +capture as a most excellent joke. The majority of our fellow-prisoners +were confined for attempting to leave the camp to visit their friends; +but putting them in the guard-house was only a farce, for I had not been +in the room fifteen minutes before I saw three men make their escape +through a window. I determined to try the same thing; so, after waiting +a few moments, to see that they were not brought back, I walked up to +the window and looked out. A sentinel was standing at the corner of the +building, but as soon as he saw me he shouldered his gun and walked off, +whistling. It was plain that he had no objections to my making my escape +if I wished to do so, and, as soon as he was out of sight, I crawled out +of the window, dropped to the ground, and walked off with an appearance +of unconcern I was very far from feeling. + +"I had lost my horse, but that did not trouble me, for the camp was not +far off, and I had no fears of pursuit. I had scarcely got safely out of +their lines, however, before I became aware that I was followed. I +turned and saw a party of men, who, keeping their horses on the grass at +the side of the road, had succeeded in getting within pistol-shot before +I heard them. As I sprang over a fence I heard my name pronounced, +followed by the report of several revolvers and carbines, that sent the +bullets about me altogether too close for comfort. + +"Well, to make a long story short, I laid about in the woods for a +month, making a raid now and then on a chicken-roost, to supply my +commissary department; but all this while the rebels followed me like +blood-hounds. I had gone miles out of my way--in fact, I did not know +where I was, until one day I was in with a party of guerrillas. I told +them I was a reb on French leave, and on my way to visit my friends, who +lived on the opposite side of the river. From them I learned that the +Mississippi was sixty miles distant, and was also informed that there +was a gun-boat at Gaines's Landing, and was advised to keep out of her +way. This was the best news I had heard in a long time, and I determined +to make the best of my way here. I came off to the vessel in the night, +because I did not know but there might be rebels on the watch, and as I +was entirely unarmed, I did not want to run any risks. Since leaving our +camp, I have traveled nearly two hundred miles without a weapon of any +kind, not even a pocket-knife; and if either of you has ever been a +prisoner, you can easily imagine that I am overjoyed to find myself safe +among friends once more. And now, captain," continued the scout, "I have +a proposition to make you. The leader of these guerrillas whom I met +back in the country makes his head-quarters in a deserted +plantation-house about forty miles from the river. He never has more +than two or three men with him, the others being scattered over the +country, stealing horses from both rebels and Union people. Now, I would +like to help capture him and break up his band of guerrillas, for he's a +perfect demon, and never takes any prisoners. There is a house about ten +miles from here where we can get all the horses we need, and three or +four men could do the job nicely. This guerrilla's brother was formerly +the captain of the band, but he was killed by a party of rebels, just as +he was about to hang a couple of Union prisoners he had taken--gun-boat +men, I believe. His name is Thorne, and--what's the matter, captain?" + +Frank had started upon hearing the name of the guerrilla chief at whose +hands he and the mate had so nearly suffered death, and from which they +were rescued by the Wild-cats, and just as he finished relating the +story of the "Close Shave," the orderly entered the cabin and announced +the dispatch-boat "General Lyon" approaching. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A Scouting Party. + + +Frank, of course, could not agree to the scout's proposition without +first obtaining permission of either the admiral or Captain Wilson--the +commander of the division to which the Boxer belonged. He did not know +where to go to find the former, and besides, the latter had given him +strict orders not to leave his station until relieved by some other +vessel, and to allow no one to go ashore. The very nature of these +orders put it out of his power to obtain liberty to carry out the +proposed expedition. He went to bed pondering upon what the major had +told him, and fell asleep without being able to conjure up any plan by +which the capture of the rebel might be effected. + +The next morning, while at breakfast, the orderly entered the cabin and +reported a gun-boat approaching. Frank at once went on deck, and when he +had made out her signals, he found, to his delight, that it was the +Manhattan, the flagship of the division to which the Boxer belonged. +After ordering the officer of the deck to have the gig called away, +Frank ran into the cabin, put on his side-arms, and, in company with the +major, put off to the iron-clad. + +Captain Wilson received them cordially, listened with a good deal of +interest to the scout's plan for the capture of the guerrilla, and +finally gave Frank permission to "do as he pleased in the matter," +adding, "You have never yet failed in an undertaking of this kind, and I +shall fully expect you to succeed in the present instance. I will be +here again in about a week, and you can turn the prisoner over to me." +The confident manner in which the captain spoke of his success, made +Frank more determined than ever to capture the guerrilla, if within the +bounds of possibility. After giving a short report of the state of +affairs on his station, he returned to the Boxer, highly delighted with +the result of the interview. Archie was no less pleased, for, although +he had not said a word about accompanying his cousin, he looked upon it +as a settled thing that he was to be one of the expedition. Frank, who +knew the danger of the undertaking, and was anxious to keep Archie out +of harm's way, would have preferred to leave him behind; but, as the +latter had shown, in a remarkable manner, that he was equal to any +emergency, the young commander could not deny him on the ground that he +had never "smelt powder." + +The major advised Frank to take at least one more man; and this one was +soon forthcoming in the shape of Tom, the coxswain of the first cutter, +the same who had been left in charge of the boat on the night that Frank +and Archie had broken up the head-quarters of the "Louisiana Wildcats." +He was at once summoned into the cabin, and after the object of the +proposed expedition had been explained to him, Frank inquired: "Now, +Tom, do you want to go with us?" "Douse my to'-gallant top-lights! yes +sir," he replied, eagerly. "But, Cap'n Nelson, I wouldn't like to be +left behind, sir, when it comes to the dangerous part of the business, +like I was on the night when the paymaster burned that house. I want to +go with you to the end, sir, an' if I ever show the white feather, then +may I be keelhauled!" + +Frank assured him that he would be allowed to accompany them wherever +they went, and the coxswain departed satisfied. + +When night came, the gig was called away, and Frank, accompanied by the +major, Archie, and the coxswain, was set on shore. When the boat had +returned to the vessel, which was now in command of the executive +officer, the major led his companions through the woods toward the place +where the horses were to be obtained. They traveled in silence, +following the motions of their guide, who walked along as if he well +understood what he was about. The expedition certainly promised better +than any in which Frank had before engaged. It was led by a man +accustomed to scenes of danger, and was altogether composed of those +whose courage and determination had, more than once, been thoroughly +tested. They were all well armed, and, in addition to a brace of +revolvers, the coxswain carried a heavy saber; for, as he remarked, he +might be called upon to "repel boarders," and he wanted some weapon that +he knew how to use. + +After three or four hours' walk through the woods they came to a fence, +where the major paused. Before them was a wide field, in which stood a +plantation-house. Bright lights gleamed in the windows, and the major +turned to his companions and said: + +"There are more people in the house than there were last night." + +They all listened intently, and could hear an indistinct murmur of +voices, and now and then the tramping of horses in the road that ran in +front of the house. + +"There are some rebel soldiers in there," continued the major, "and we +can now get our horses without any difficulty, already saddled and +bridled." + +As he spoke, he led the way along the fence toward the road, and they +presently came in sight of half a dozen horses which were tied in front +of the house. No orders were necessary, for each one knew what was +required of him. In a few moments they had quietly secured their horses, +and were riding noiselessly down the road. As soon as they were out of +sight of the house, they began to make an examination of their prizes, +and found that the rebels, who, no doubt, had little dreamed that any +one would disturb them there, had left their sabers attached to their +saddles, and their pistols in their holsters. Frank and Archie also +found themselves possessed, the former of a fine double-barrel shot-gun, +loaded with buck-shot, and the latter of a heavy carbine; and the +ammunition for each of these weapons had been left on the saddles. The +horses were splendid animals, evidently the fruits of a raid upon some +well-stocked barn-yard, for they appeared fresh and vigorous, and had +undoubtedly been accustomed to the best of care. As soon as they were +out of hearing of the people in the house, they put their horses into a +gallop, and as the road was excellent, they made rapid headway. For hour +after hour they kept on, stopping only now and then to water their +horses. Just before daylight the major, who had scarcely spoken during +the whole ride, suddenly came to a halt. As his companions gathered +about him, he said, almost in a whisper: "Now, boys, we are at our +journey's end. There's the house!" and as he spoke, he pointed to a +large building just ahead of them. "My advice, captain," he continued, +turning to Frank, "would be to ride carefully up in front of the house, +hitch our horses--for of course, we must not lose them--and then burst +open the door and gobble up the guerrilla before he has time to get out +of bed." + +This plan was adopted. Riding noiselessly up to the gate, they +dismounted, and after tying their horses, they drew their sabers (as it +was their intention to rely entirely upon the _sight_ of these +weapons to bring the guerrilla to terms). Then they entered the yard, +and ascended the steps that led on to a wide portico. Here the major, +who was in advance, paused a moment, to see that his companions were +close behind him, and then, placing his shoulder against the door, with +one strong push, forced it open. They all sprang into the house, Frank +and Archie being close beside the major, and found themselves, to their +utter astonishment, in the presence of a dozen guerrillas, who started +from their blankets in alarm. So great was their surprise, that both +parties for an instant stood gazing at each other, as if suddenly +deprived of the power of action. + +"Sink my tarry wig, Cap'n Nelson, but here's a scrape for honest men to +be in!" exclaimed the coxswain, who had kept as close to his officer as +possible. "Here _is_ a scrape!" + +Their position was not an enviable one. There they were, forty miles +from their vessel, almost in the heart of an enemy's country, and +confronted by three times their number of armed rebels, who, no doubt, +could be speedily reinforced. It was too late to retreat, even had they +felt disposed to do so. But the idea never once entered their heads. So +intent were they upon the capture of the guerrilla chief, that they +thought of nothing else, and they were perfectly well aware that the +only way to get out of the house was to fight their way through their +enemies. + +The period of inaction lasted only for an instant; then a few of the +rebels, springing to their feet, retreated precipitately through the +back door; but the others, recovering from their surprise, and +comprehending the nature of the attack, bravely stood their ground, and +one tall fellow sprang forward and struck savagely at the major with his +sword. But the scout was on the alert, receiving the blow upon his own +saber, and before the rebel had time to renew his attack, a shot from a +revolver stretched him lifeless on the floor. + +This opened the fight. The example of the rebel was quickly followed by +his comrades, who, depending wholly upon their sabers, rushed upon the +officers with the utmost fury. But they were bravely met. The latter +stubbornly held their ground, and parrying the blows directed at them, +used their revolvers with deadly effect. At this moment a door at the +further end of the hall suddenly opened, and a man sprang out, carrying +a short, heavy sword. + +"Give it to 'em, lads!" he shouted, hurrying forward to join in the +fight. "Give it to 'em. No quarter to the Yankees!" + +This was the guerrilla chief, and the order he had just given told Frank +and his companions, in plain language, that if overpowered, no mercy +would be shown them. + +The rebels, encouraged by the voice of their leader, redoubled the fury +of their attacks, and the officers were driven to the wall. The +coxswain, on entering, had closed the door to prevent the escape of the +guerrilla, and thus their retreat was cut off; but they had the +advantage of position, for the rebels, unable to get behind them, must +make their attacks in front. Already had their ranks been thinned by the +fire of the revolvers, but those who had at first retreated now began to +return and take the places of those who had been shot down. At last +Frank's revolver was empty. He had another in his pocket, but could not +get an opportunity to draw it. He must now depend upon his saber. +Grasping it with both hands, he bravely met the attack of the leader of +the guerrillas, who had succeeded in working his way in front of him. +The latter's heavy sword descended with terrible force. Frank's guard +was broken down, and he was sent reeling to the floor. The rebel again +raised his sword, and, as Frank was entirely unarmed, he gave himself up +for lost. One thought of home, of his mother and sister, flashed through +his mind, and then he saw the bright blade swiftly descending. It was +met, however, by the coxswain, who seeing the danger of his officer, +interposed his own sword, and turned the rebel's weapon aside. Frank was +on his feet again in an instant, and seeing a musket, with a bayonet +attached, standing in the corner, he seized it with a shout of joy. If +there was any thing he thoroughly understood, it was the +bayonet-exercise. He remembered that the knowledge of it had once saved +his life, and he had never let an opportunity to perfect himself in it +pass unimproved. He now felt safe; and seeing the coxswain gradually +retreating before the furious attacks of the guerrilla chief, he sprang +forward, and with one blow sent the sword flying from his hand and bore +him to the floor. This move was seconded by Archie, who sprang to his +cousin's side with a revolver in each hand, firing right and left among +the rebels, who, dismayed at the fall of their leader, began to retreat. +But so closely were they followed, that escape was impossible. The +chief, after trying in vain to regain his feet, and seeing the bayonet +pointed straight at his breast, shouted most lustily for quarter. + +"Surrender!" shouted the major. "Throw down your arms!" + +The rebels having lost more than half of their number, and knowing the +deadly effects of the revolvers which were aimed at their heads, gladly +complied, and the fight was at an end. + +Although Frank and his companions had heard the order, "No quarter to +the Yankees!" the thought of taking vengeance upon those who, had they +been the victors, would have shown no mercy, never once entered their +heads--they were more humane. + +With the surrender of the rebels the object of the expedition had been +accomplished--the guerrilla chief was their prisoner! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Tom the Coxswain. + + +Now that the excitement was over, and Frank began to think more calmly, +he found that he was wounded. The blow which had broken down his guard +had spent its force on his head, which was bleeding profusely from a +long, ragged cut. His face and clothing were covered with blood, but the +wound had caused him no inconvenience. After Archie had bandaged it with +his handkerchief, Frank began to look about him. The force of the rebels +had originally consisted of fifteen men, of whom eight were lying, +either dead or wounded, upon the floor. He could scarcely believe his +eyes, and wondered how he and his companions had ever secured a victory +against such heavy odds. Had the rebels, instead of relying upon their +sabers and the superiority of their numbers, made use of the firearms +that during the fight had become scattered about the hall, the result +would have been far different. The fight, although a most severe one +while it lasted, was not of more than five minutes' duration, and during +that time eight rebels had been disabled, and six captured by four +determined men; one only had escaped. As Archie afterward said, in a +letter to his father, "It was the biggest _little_ fight" he was +ever engaged in. + +"Now, boys," said the major, as soon as he had satisfied himself that +the remaining rebels were disarmed, "we've no time to lose. Paymaster, +you and the coxswain station yourselves in those doors, and keep a good +look-out, to prevent surprise. Captain, we will secure these prisoners." + +One of the blankets that lay on the floor was speedily cut into strips, +and with these the rebels, one after the other, were bound hand and +foot. While this was going on, the leader of the guerrillas stood +leaning against the wall, no doubt looking into the future, and +pondering upon the punishment which, according to his own barbarous mode +of warfare, he was certain would be meted out to him. He well knew what +course _he_ would have pursued, had he been the victor instead of +the prisoner, and, judging his captors by himself, he fully expected a +speedy and terrible vengeance to be taken upon him. As these thoughts +passed through his mind, he determined to make one bold effort at +escape. Hastily glancing toward the door, where Archie stood looking up +and down the road, he suddenly sprang forward, and giving him a violent +push, that sent him headlong upon the portico, he jumped down the steps, +and started for the gate at the top of his speed; but before he had gone +half the distance, he was overtaken by the coxswain and thrown to the +ground. The sailor, instead of standing in the door, in his eagerness, +as he expressed it, to "ketch the first glimpse of any guerrilla craft +that might be sailin' about," had come round to the front of the house +just as the rebel had made his attempt to escape. Archie sprang to his +feet and ran to the assistance of the coxswain, and by the time Frank +and the major arrived, the rebel, who struggled most desperately, had +been overpowered, and his hands bound behind his back. In a few moments +more the prisoners were all secured, and, after a horse had been caught +and saddled, the guerrilla placed upon it, his hands still bound, and +the coxswain was ordered to take charge of him. The dead and wounded, +together with the other prisoners, were left in the house, the doors of +which were closed and fastened. They would, no doubt, soon be relieved +by their friends, for the rebel who had escaped would, of course, +procure assistance as soon as possible. + +As soon as the major had satisfied himself that every thing was ready +for the start, he mounted his horse and led the way down the road. It +was now broad daylight, and their first thought was to place a safe +distance between themselves and the scene of the fight, and then halt in +the woods until night, when they would return to the vessel. But if this +plan was adopted, it would give the guerrillas, who, of course, would +hasten to the rescue of their leader, time to get between them and the +river, in which case their capture was certain. Frank, who believed that +every instant of time was valuable, and who delighted in dashing +exploits, was in favor of returning at once to the vessel. Their horses +were comparatively fresh, and, if they rode rapidly, they could make +good their retreat before a sufficient force could be collected to +pursue them. The major and Frank talked over these different plans as +they rode along side by side, and the latter course was finally adopted. +It was at once communicated to the others, and they pushed forward with +all possible speed. Frank and the major rode in front, followed by the +coxswain, who held fast to the horse which their prisoner rode, and +Archie brought up the rear. In this manner they dashed along, passing +several plantation-houses, whose inmates ran to the doors and gazed at +them in astonishment. Half a dozen miles were passed over in this way +without stopping, except to water their horses, and without seeing a +single armed rebel, and Frank began to hope that the dangerous part of +the undertaking was passed. If attacked by a superior force, the chances +were that they would not only lose their prisoner, whose capture had +been effected in so gallant a manner, but also their own liberty, and +the thought of the treatment they would receive, judging by the order +the guerrilla chief had given his men at the commencement of the fight, +was enough to nerve them to make the greatest exertions to effect their +escape. They had reloaded their pistols, the effective use of which had +gained them a victory over almost four times their number, and Frank and +Archie carried the shot-gun and carbine which they had found attached to +the saddles of their horses, ready for instant use. + +The rapid pace at which they were traveling had, at the end of an hour, +put half a dozen miles more between them and the house where the fight +had taken place, and they began to hope that, if they were followed at +all, they were leaving the enemy behind. At length they came to a place +where the road ran through a deep ravine, the sides of which were +thickly covered with trees and bushes. They dashed along, their horses +hoofs ringing loud and clear on the hard road, but as they came suddenly +around a bend, almost before they were aware of it, they had run into +the very midst of a small band of rebels, who were traveling as rapidly +as themselves. They were not entirely unprepared for this encounter. +Although they had hoped that they might be able to avoid it, they had +held themselves in readiness for it, while the rebels, being taken by +surprise, scattered in every direction, as if fully expecting to see a +whole army of Federals close at their heels. As they dashed by, Frank +fired both barrels of his gun, which emptied more than one saddle, and +the others had just time to follow with a volley from their revolvers, +when another bend in the road hid them from sight. It was quickly done. +Before the rebels had time to think twice, the danger was over. The +enemy had met them, sent three of their number to the ground, and +disappeared as rapidly as they had come. But the rebels did not remain +long inactive. They quickly satisfied themselves that those who had just +passed were not the advance-guard of an army, as they had at first +supposed, and presently the officers heard the clatter of hoofs behind +them, accompanied with loud yells, and knew that the guerrillas had +commenced the pursuit. Although, as we have said, the rebels had but a +small force, they still greatly outnumbered Frank's party, and nothing +but the most rapid flight could save them. Frank's only fear was that +their pursuers would come in sight of them, and begin to pick them off +at long range with their carbines, a proceeding which nothing but the +numerous windings in the road prevented. + +"If we do not get into a scrimmage, boys," said the major, speaking as +calmly as though he was at that very moment safe in the cabin of the +Boxer, "we must stick together, if possible; but if they come on us in a +heavy force, we must separate and every man take care of himself." + +"Oh, you needn't look so mighty pleased, Johnny!" exclaimed the +coxswain, addressing himself to his prisoner, who now looking upon his +rescue as beyond a doubt, could not repress a smile of triumph. "Shiver +my timbers! you're not loose yet. You're just as safe here as though you +were in the brig [Footnote: The brig is a small dark apartment in the +hold of a vessel, in which culprits are confined.] and in double irons. +Look as mad as you please, Johnny," he continued, as the guerrilla +scowled savagely upon him, "a man who has smelt powder in a'most every +battle fought on the Mississippi River an't often skeered by looks." + +The major had, several times during the retreat, cautioned the coxswain +to keep a fast hold of his prisoner, and not to allow him to escape +under any circumstances. But Frank, who knew his man, had never thought +the caution necessary. He had often seen the sailor in action on board +ship, and the gallant manner in which he had saved his officer's life +during the fight at the house, had fully satisfied the young commander +that the coxswain was not the man to shrink from his duty because it was +dangerous. His reply to the major had been: + +"If this Johnny rebel an't safe in the brig tonight, sir, then Captain +Nelson will have to make a new cox'son for the first cutter, an' another +cap'n for that number two gun. I'll either take him safe through, or +I'll never hear the bo'son pipe to dinner ag'in." + +All this while they had been tearing along the road as fast as their +horses could carry them, but rapidly as they went, the sounds of pursuit +grew louder, and the yells fiercer and more distinct, showing that the +guerrillas were gaining on them. Suddenly they emerged from the woods, +and found before them a long, straight road, with broad fields on each +side. Before they could pass this, the rebels would certainly come in +sight, and, if they did not overtake them, they would at least open fire +on them with their carbines. + +Frank gradually drew in his horse and fell back beside his cousin. +Archie was deadly pale, but he sat firmly on his horse and handled his +carbine with a steady hand. + +"Archie," said he, "you and I must cover the retreat of the others. +Don't waste your ammunition now." + +They had accomplished perhaps a quarter of the distance across the road +when the foremost of their pursuers came in sight. In an instant Archie +turned in his saddle, and leaving his horse to pick out his own road, he +raised his gun to his shoulder and fired. A moment afterward a riderless +horse was rearing and plunging about among the rebels, throwing them +into confusion. This was the time for Frank, and he discharged both +barrels of his gun in quick succession. The buckshot must have done +terrible execution, for when the smoke cleared away, they saw the rebels +retreating to the cover of the bushes. One, more daring than the rest, +lingered a moment, to fire his carbine, and the fugitives heard the +bullet sing through the air above their heads. + +Although they were not more than five minutes crossing the road and +entering the woods on the opposite side, it seemed an age to them, and +they had scarcely reached the cover of the trees, when the rebels again +coming in sight, fired a scattering volley after them, which rattled +through the trees and sent a shower of leaves and twigs about them. The +guerrillas then continued the pursuit as fiercely as ever, every time +they came in sight firing their carbines, which Archie answered with +effect; but they wisely kept out of range of the buck-shot in Frank's +double-barrel. + +Hour after hour the chase continued, the guerrillas every time they +appeared having their ranks thinned by Archie's unerring rifle, until +finally the fugitives heard a sound that told them in plain language +that their danger was yet by no means passed. A whole chorus of hoarse +yells arose from the depths of the woods, showing that their pursuers +had received heavy reinforcements, and were urging forward their horses +to overtake them, But the river was not more than two miles distant, and +as the rebels were fully a quarter of a mile behind, they were confident +they would yet escape, if their horses could hold out fifteen minutes +longer. For some time past this had been their only fear. The rapid pace +was telling on the animals severely, and Frank's horse especially began +to show signs of distress, the young commander having several times been +obliged to use the point of his saber to compel him to keep pace with +the others. The rebels gained rapidly, and presently, just as the +fugitives emerged from the woods, in full view of the river, they could +hear the tramping of their horses behind them. Before them was a clear +space of fully a mile in extent, that must be crossed before they +reached the river, and their pursuers might overtake and capture them +within sight of their vessel. Presently several men were seen running +about on the deck of the Boxer, and then a puff of smoke arose from one +of the ports, and a shell went shrieking over their heads and burst in +the woods. + +The crew of the vessel, in obedience to Frank's orders, had kept a good +look-out for them, and hearing the yells of the pursuing rebels, had at +once opened fire. When the smoke cleared away, Frank saw the crew of the +gig hurrying to their places. The boat was lowered into the water, and +pulled rapidly toward the shore. If they could but reach the bank of the +river they would be safe. At this moment the rebels appeared in sight, +and a volley from their carbines sent the bullets about the fugitives +like hail-stones. Frank turned in his saddle and fired one barrel of his +gun among them, and was about to give them the contents of the other, +when his horse stumbled and fell, throwing him at full length on the +ground. Frank had been expecting this, and for the last half hour had +ridden with his feet out of the stirrups, so that in case the accident +did happen, he would not be entangled in the saddle. As it was, he was +thrown some distance in advance of the horse, which, too exhausted to +rise, lay panting on the ground. Frank, however, instantly recovered his +feet, and was about to start after his companions, when he saw the +coxswain, with a knife in his hand, working desperately to free himself +from the saddle of his own fallen horse. Frank at once sprang to his +assistance, and catching the knife from his hand, severed the strap that +confined him, and set him at liberty. The coxswain, as soon as he had +regained his feet, ran up to the horse which the prisoner rode, and +which had stopped the moment the sailor fell, and pulling the guerrilla +from the saddle, lifted him in his arms as though he had been an infant, +and ran toward the boat. The rebels by this time were within easy +rifle-range, and in spite of the shells that burst about them, seemed +determined to effect the release of their leader, until one more +accurately aimed than the others, exploded in their very midst, cutting +down horses and riders with terrible slaughter; another and another +followed, and when Frank and his companions stepped into the gig, the +rebels were in full retreat. When they arrived on board the vessel, the +coxswain delivered his prisoner to the master-at-arms, who ironed him, +and lodged him safely in the brig. + +Their long ride had taxed their endurance to the utmost; but, by the +next day, they had fully recovered from their fatigue, and shortly after +dinner Frank ordered the officer of the deck to have all hands mustered. +The crew speedily assembled on the quarter-deck, and among them stood +the coxswain, who, at a motion from Frank, stepped out from among his +companions, holding his cap in his hand, and looking altogether like a +man who expected "a good blowing up" for some grievous offense. But he +soon found that he was not to be reprimanded, for, to his utter +astonishment, Frank proceeded to give the officers and crew a full +account of the fight at the house, speaking in the highest terms of the +old sailor's bravery. He then addressed the coxswain, saying: + +"Now, Tom, what can I do for you? What do you want? Would you like a +leave of absence, to go home and visit your friends?" + +"Avast heavin' there, Cap'n Nelson, if you please!" answered the +coxswain, hastily. "I was brought up on board a man-o'-war, sir," he +continued, whirling his cap in his hand, "an' have follered the sea for +goin' nigh on to thirty-five year, but this is the first time I ever had +my cap'n say, 'Thank ye, Tom,' to me for doin' my duty. I an't the only +chap, sir, that wouldn't see harm come to you. There's many a man in +this crew that would have done the same thing, at the risk of his own +life. As for home an' friends, sir, I have none. But, cap'n, there's one +favor I have thought of askin' you for. There's no gunner's-mate on +board this vessel, an' I think I can take charge of the magazine--don't +you, sir?" + +This was a small reward for a man to ask of the captain, who would +gladly have granted him any favor in his power; but promotion on board +ship, among the men, is given only to the most deserving, and the old +sailor made this request with a timidity he had never shown before an +enemy; and even after he had made it, he regarded his officer as though +he fully expected a refusal. But Frank, who could scarcely refrain from +smiling at the man's earnest manner, turned to Archie and said: + +"Paymaster, please rate Thomas Willis on your books as gunner's-mate +from the time the other mate was discharged." + +This was something more than the coxswain had expected. The former +gunner's-mate had been discharged from the service nearly two months +before, and this gave the old sailor a considerable amount of back pay. +Frank had delayed the appointment of a gunner's-mate, not because he did +not need one, but because there were many good men among his crew, and +he wished to give the appointment to the most deserving, and thus make +promotion something worth working for. Frank then dismissed the men, who +returned to the lower deck, fully satisfied in their own minds that +"Cap'n Nelson was the best man any crew ever sailed under." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A Rebel Trick. + + +The next day Frank and the major made out their reports of the +expedition. The former's, as usual, was short and to the point, +conveying, in a few lines, the information that their object had been +accomplished. He described the fight in the house as a "short skirmish," +and made it appear that their success was owing to the gallant behavior +of the major, Archie, and the coxswain. In fact, one, to have read the +report, would have supposed that Frank had been merely a looker-on, +instead of one of the principal actors. But the major went more into +details, and the part Frank had taken in the fight was described in +glowing language, and his bravery highly complimented. While thus +engaged, the orderly entered the cabin and reported a small party of +rebels approaching with a flag of truce. Frank went on deck, and saw +several men galloping toward the vessel, waving a white flag, to attract +their attention. When they reached the top of the bank, they dismounted +from their horses, and appeared to be waiting for some one to come +ashore. + +For some moments, Frank was undecided how to act. He remembered that he +had once been sent on shore with a flag of truce which had not been +respected, he having been detained a prisoner, and he did not like the +idea of receiving a white flag from men whom he knew would not respect +it themselves; besides, he had received no orders in regard to +communicating with the rebels, and he did not know whether he had a +right to do so or not. + +"Well, major, what do you think of this, sir?" he asked, turning toward +the scout, who stood close at his side. + +"It's a trick of some kind, captain," replied the latter. "Depend upon +it, it's a trick." + +"If that is so," said Frank, "I will try and find out what it is." Then, +raising his voice, he called out, "What do you want out there?" + +"I want to come on board," shouted one of the rebels, in reply. "I want +to see the captain." + +"Well, speak out; you can't come on board. What do you want?" + +The rebels consulted together for a few moments, and then one of them +replied: + +"We have a Yankee prisoner, and want to exchange him for Captain Thorne. +If you will let one of us come on board, perhaps we can make some +arrangements with you." + +"You can't come on board," shouted Frank, "that's settled. But where's +your prisoner?" + +"Out in the woods, under guard." + +"They've got no prisoner, captain," said the major. "All they want is to +see the inside of your vessel, and find out how many men and guns you +have." + +"Well, they'll have to go away without accomplishing their object," said +Frank. "I can't make any arrangements for an exchange," he shouted, +"until I see your prisoner." + +The rebels lingered a moment, as if in consultation, and then mounted +their horses and rode away. Every one who had heard the conversation +laughed at the idea of attempting to deceive Captain Nelson with so +shallow a trick, and the circumstance was soon forgotten by all except +Frank, who knew that the guerrillas would not abandon their project +simply because their first attempt had failed. Although he made no +remark, he resolved to be doubly vigilant, and to be ready for any +emergency. + +Two days afterward the dispatch-boat came alongside, on her way up the +river, and the major took passage on her for Cairo. + +"I'm sorry to be obliged to leave you, captain," said he, as he stood +ready to start, "for, if I am not very much mistaken, you'll have lively +times here before long. The rebels are up to something, depend upon it. +Don't let them catch you off your guard. Good luck to you!" + +It was lonesome in the cabin after the major left, for he was a good +companion, and both Frank and Archie had become very much attached to +him. + +The dispatch-boat had scarcely left the Boxer, when the officer of the +deck reported a canoe approaching. It came from up the river, and, by +the aid of the spy-glass, they discovered that it contained two men and +was loaded with vegetables. It was customary for gun-boats to purchase +such provisions as they needed from the people who lived along the +banks, and in some places market-boats were received regularly every +day. The men were paid, either in money, or, as they generally +preferred, in coffee, flour, or sugar, from the paymaster's store-rooms; +but this was the first time the Boxer had ever been visited, and this +circumstance, taken in connection with the flag of truce, made Frank +suspicious. + +"Shall we allow them to come alongside, sir?" asked the officer of the +deck. + +"Yes," replied Frank, who had already determined upon his plans, "allow +them to come on board, if they wish to do so;" and here he gave the +officer a few rapid orders, which the latter hurried below to execute. +The Boxer had a full crew of sixty-five men, who were in an admirable +state of discipline; but Frank had sent the officer below to order the +most of the men into the hold, out of sight, and to remove the small +arms about the deck. The major's warning was still ringing in his ears, +and the young commander could not rid himself of the impression that the +market men who were now approaching were in some way connected with +guerrillas. If it was a trick, he resolved to help it along. As the boat +approached, it was hailed by the sentinel on the fore-castle, who asked +the men their business, and was informed that they had "garden truck" +which they wanted to "swap for sugar, flour, an' sich like." + +The men were then permitted to come alongside, and one of them was at +once conducted into the cabin, where a bargain was soon concluded, Frank +agreeing to take the whole boatload of vegetables, and to give the man +two pounds of flour, three pounds of sugar, and six pounds of coffee. +The young commander was now fully satisfied that the only object of the +men in visiting the vessel was not to dispose of their vegetables, for +the man rather overdid his part. He gazed with open mouth at every thing +he saw, in regular country style, but it was not natural, most of his +wonder, as Archie expressed it, being "put on." The latter went below to +order his steward to procure the provisions, and the man inquired-- + +"Will yer let a feller look about a leetle? This is the fust time I was +ever on a gun-boat." + +"Certainly," replied Archie, who had received his instructions from +Frank; "look about all you please;" and while the steward was weighing +the coffee and sugar, he accompanied the man about the vessel. There +were not more than a dozen sailors on deck, and most of these appeared +to be asleep. + +"Be these all the fellers you-uns hev got?" asked the man. + +"What's the use of having any more?" replied Archie. "There's no danger +here." + +"That's so," was the answer; "I haint seed a rebel round for more 'n six +months, dog-gone if I hev." + +The man walked slowly about the deck, carefully examining every thing he +saw, and acting altogether like a backwoodsman who had never seen a +gun-boat before. Finally, he said: + +"I've heered as how all these 'ere boats hev got hot water; has yourn?" + +"Oh, yes, we've got plenty of hot water, but it takes an hour to screw +the hose on, so that we can use it." + +By this time the provisions were ready, and the market men took their +departure, expressing themselves fully satisfied that it wouldn't be a +"healthy job" for any rebels to attempt the capture of the Boxer, and +promising to be on hand the next day but one with more "garden truck." + +As soon as their boat was out of sight, the hatches were raised, the +crew poured up out of the hold, and in a short time the Boxer's deck +presented its usual appearance of neatness and order. Frank's object had +been accomplished, for the market men had gone away satisfied that +twenty determined men could easily effect the capture of the gun-boat, +and they seemed determined to make the most of what they had seen. +Gaines's Landing had been a regular mail station, and the rebels had +only been deterred from sending it across the river by the presence of +the Boxer. The market men, however, had discovered, as they supposed, +that the vessel was but poorly manned, and this being communicated to +their leader, (for, as Frank had suspected, they belonged to a +regularly-organized band of guerrillas,) the latter determined to +dispatch his mail at once. + +That night, about ten o'clock, as Frank and Archie sat in the cabin +reading, the orderly reported that lights were seen moving about on +shore. This was something unusual, and when Frank had watched the light +for a moment, he came to the conclusion that the rebels were making some +movements, the nature of which he was, of course, unable to determine; +but he resolved, if possible, to find out what was going on, and turning +to the officer of the deck, ordered the cutter to be called away and +furnished with an armed crew. This order was speedily and quietly +executed, and when the boat was ready, Frank and his cousin stepped into +it, and were pulled noiselessly up the river. The place where the light +shone was about half a mile from the vessel, and when they came opposite +to it, the crew rested on their oars, giving only an occasional stroke +to keep the cutter from floating down the stream, and waited impatiently +for the rebels to show themselves. + +The light, which gleamed from the shore opposite to the town, seemed to +come from a dark lantern, for it would blaze up brightly for a moment, +and then disappear. Presently an answering light was shown from the +shore nearest to them, when Archie whispered-- + +"There's a boat coming!" + +Frank listened, and could hear the slow, measured strokes of oars, which +grew louder and louder as the boat approached. It seemed to be heading +directly toward them, and in a few moments more it could be dimly seen, +moving through the darkness. + +"Give way together!" commanded Frank, and the cutter, propelled by +twelve oars, shot alongside the approaching boat, and the sailors seized +the gunwale and held her fast. Resistance was useless. Three rebels +quietly delivered up their weapons, and one large, well-filled mail-bag +was stowed away under the stern sheets of the cutter. The prisoners were +taken on board the Boxer, and delivered into the charge of the +master-at-arms, while their boat, a leaky affair, requiring constant +bailing to keep it afloat, was unceremoniously allowed to sink. The +light on the opposite shore was still shown, now at shorter intervals, +as if the persons who were managing it had begun to grow impatient. This +was the source of much merriment among the sailors, who hoped the +"rebels would not grow tired of waiting for their mail." + +The next day the Manhattan again came up the river, and, as she +approached, made signals for Frank to go on board of her. The gig was +called away, and taking the reports of the expedition the young officer +and his prisoners shortly stood in the presence of Captain Wilson, who, +as soon as he had secured the prisoners, conducted Frank into the cabin. +The latter, after presenting his reports, proceeded to give the captain +a history of the expedition which had resulted in the capture of the +guerrilla chief, of the interview with the flag of truce, and of the +manner in which he had deceived the market men and captured the mail, +upon hearing which the captain sprang from his chair, and giving Frank a +hearty slap on the back, exclaimed: + +"Well done, sir! well done! Then you are not entirely unprepared to hear +what I have to tell you. I picked up a runaway darkey yesterday, who +informs me that the rebels are making preparations to capture the +Boxer!" + +"I knew something was going on, sir," replied Frank, "and if that is +what they are up to, they will not find me unprepared." + +"Well, that is what they intend to do. They have been building two large +boats, into which they are going to put a sufficient force to overpower +you. The attempt is to be made on Wednesday night. Of course, they hope +to be able to take you by surprise. This contraband I picked up says he +worked on the boats, and that they will hold about forty men each. I +shall not be far off when the fight takes place, although I do not +suppose you will need any assistance." + +The two officers then began an examination of the mail, in hopes it +would throw some further light upon the movements of the guerrillas; but +most of the letters were unofficial, and not a word was said about the +proposed attempt to capture the Boxer. + +At the end of an hour, Frank returned on board his vessel, and the +Manhattan steamed down the river toward her station. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Honorably Discharged. + + +When Frank reached the Boxer, he sent for the executive officer, told +him of what he had heard, and also laid before him the plans he had +adopted to defeat the rebels, which met the hearty approval of that +gentleman. Frank did not think it best to delay putting the vessel in a +state of defense, for the rebels might make the attempt at any time; so +he instructed the executive officer to see that the men were kept under +cover, so that the rebels, if any were on the watch, might not be able +to judge of their numbers. When hammocks were piped that night, not more +than a dozen men answered the call, and when bedtime came, the sailors +stretched themselves out on deck, ready to take their posts at a +moment's warning. The guns were all carefully loaded, the hot-water hose +got ready for use, and the anchor fixed so that it could be slipped in +an instant. Outside, the appearance of the vessel was not changed, the +only thing noticeable being the quantity of smoke that came out of her +chimneys. At eight o'clock Frank inspected the boat, and after seeing +that every man was in his place, he lay down on the sofa in the cabin, +without removing his clothes, and fell asleep. When he awoke, he arose +and went on deck, just as the ship's bell was striking midnight. It was +very dark, and the only sound that broke the stillness was the splashing +of the wheels of a steamer as she went on her way up the river. For an +hour he remained on deck, listening, but without hearing any thing +suspicious until just as he was about to return to the cabin. He had +started down the stairs, when he heard a slight splashing ahead of the +vessel, like a heavy oar dipped carefully into the water. He listened a +moment, and the sound was repeated. + +"There they are! They're coming, sure!" said Archie, who stood at his +cousin's side. + +"Yes, sir," said Tom, the gunner's-mate, who, in his eagerness to be the +first to announce the approach of the rebels, had remained on deck +during the whole night. "That's them, sir!" + +"Tell the officer of the deck to call all hands to quarters as quietly +as possible," said Frank. + +The officer ran below, and the young commander heard the sound again, +still faint, but nearer and more distinct than the others. It was well +that he had not put off his preparations to receive the rebels, for they +were certainly approaching. Presently the pilots came up and took their +stations at the wheel, and a moment afterward the executive officer came +up and reported the crew ready for action. So quietly had the men been +aroused, that Frank had not heard them as they moved to their stations. +Nearer and nearer came the sound of oars, and suddenly a large flatboat, +crowded with men, loomed up through the darkness. + +"On deck, there!" whispered Frank, leaning over the rail and speaking to +a sailor on the forecastle. "Slip that anchor." + +There was the rattling of a chain as this order was executed, and as the +man sprang through one of the ports, a sheet of flame covered the +forecastle, and two twenty-four pound shells went crashing and shrieking +among the rebels. + +The pilots rang the bell for the engineers to "come ahead," and as the +Boxer turned out into the river, thus bringing her broadside guns to +bear on the boat, two more shells completed the ruin. The rebels were +caught in their own trap. Their boat was sinking, half their number +either dead or wounded, and all who were able to swim were springing +into the water and making for the nearest shore. + +It was so dark Frank could not see the havoc that had been made among +the guerrillas, and he was about to give them another broadside, when he +heard loud cries for quarter. That boat was disposed of, and he turned +to look for the other, (for Captain Wilson had said there were two of +them,) but it was not to be seen. As he afterward learned, the +guerrillas, having been completely deceived as to the force of the +Boxer, had crowded sixty men into one boat, thinking that force +sufficient to insure an easy victory. After running up the river nearly +a mile without seeing any signs of the boat, the Boxer returned to her +station, and found the rebel craft hard and fast aground. Her deck was +covered with dead and wounded, and Frank at once turned his attention to +taking care of the latter. Twenty-three wounded guerrillas were conveyed +on board the vessel, and delivered into the charge of the doctor and his +steward, together with nearly a dozen prisoners, who, being unable to +swim, had not dared to leave the boat. The dead were left where they had +fallen. The Boxer then returned to her anchorage, and Frank, feeling +safe for the remainder of the night, ordered hammocks to be piped, a +command which the sailors gladly obeyed, for their soft mattresses were +much more comfortable than the hard deck. By the time every thing had +been restored to order, the quarter-master reported the Manhattan +approaching. Frank answered her signals, and as she came alongside, +Captain Wilson sprang on board. + +"How is it, captain?" he inquired, as Frank met him at the gangway. +"Mercy!" he exclaimed, as he entered the door and saw the wounded rebels +lying in rows on the deck. "Lively while it lasted, wasn't it? How many +men have you lost?" + +"None, sir," replied Frank. "If the rebels fired a shot at us, I don't +know it." + +"When I heard the firing," continued the captain, "I was afraid you had +neglected to make preparations to receive them, and had got yourself +into a bad scrape. But I see you are able to take care of yourself." + +The captain then returned on board his vessel, which moved out into the +river and came to anchor at a short distance from the Boxer, while Frank +retired to his room and fell asleep, well satisfied with his night's +work. + +Early the next morning, a single rebel appeared on the bank, with a flag +of truce, and a boat being sent out from the Manhattan, he was conveyed +on board that vessel. In a short time, however, it returned and set the +rebel on board the Boxer. + +"I want permission to bury our dead," said the guerrilla, on being shown +into the cabin. + +"You must see Captain Wilson about that," replied Frank. "I have no +authority while he is here." + +"I have just been to see him," replied the rebel, "and he sent me to +you. He says you command this station." + +This was a compliment seldom paid a young officer; but the fact was, +Captain Wilson was so elated at Frank's success, that he determined to +take every opportunity to make his approval known. The young commander, +of course, granted the request, and soon after the Manhattan steamed +down the river. + +About a week afterward, a tin-clad came up, and her captain came on +board the Boxer and presented Frank with written orders to report to +Captain Wilson without delay. + +"I expect," said he, "that you will take my old station. If you do, you +will have your hands full, for boats are fired into every day; but, +somehow, I was always at the wrong end of my beat to meet the rebels." + +When the captain had returned on board his vessel, the Boxer got up +steam, and, in obedience to her orders, started down the river. They +found Captain Wilson the next day, and Frank was assigned a new station. +His beat was about five miles in length, and was a noted place for +guerrillas. Steamboat captains dreaded to pass it, for their boats were +fired into, and often badly cut up. The rebels had a battery of three +guns, with which they were constantly dodging from one point to another, +always taking good care, however, to keep out of reach of the gun-boats. +On the second day Frank arrived at his station, and while running idly +about--for his orders from Captain Wilson were to "keep moving"--a +steamer passed them on her way up the river, and Frank ordered the pilot +to round-to and follow her. The order was obeyed, but they had not gone +more than half a mile, when a battery, mounted on a point which ran for +some distance out into the river, opened on the steamer. The Boxer was +at that moment behind the point and out of sight of the rebels, who, +however, were soon made aware of her presence; for they had scarcely +fired two rounds before a shell dismounted one of their guns. Their +surprise was complete, and abandoning their battery, they ran into the +woods for protection. The Boxer rounded the point, all the while +shelling the woods, and Frank, seeing the guns deserted, landed with his +vessel and secured them. That guerrilla station was, for the present, +broken up. So thought Frank, who ordered the pilot to proceed up the +river until he found the Manhattan. The next day the battery was +delivered up to Captain Wilson, who sent it by the dispatch-boat to +Mound City, which was then the naval station. + +From that time hostilities along the river gradually ceased. The Boxer +for nearly a year ran from one end of her beat to the other without +encountering a single armed rebel. Then came the news of the glorious +success of the Army of the Potomac, followed by the intelligence of a +general surrender of the rebel forces. The Boxer was dressed with flags, +salutes fired, and officers and crew looked forward with impatience to +the time when they would be permitted to return home. At length came the +long expected order to report to the admiral at Mound City, where the +reduction of the squadron was rapidly going on. + +Although Frank was impatient to see his quiet little home once more, he +was reluctant to part from his crew, whom, upon his arrival at the +navy-yard, he had received orders to discharge. One by one the sailors +came into the cabin, and the hearty grasp of their hands, and the +earnest manner in which they wished their commander "plain sailing +through life," showed that their feelings were not unlike his own. + +One morning, upon inquiry at the navy-yard post-office, Frank was +presented with two official documents, which proved to be leaves of +absence for himself and Archie for three months, "At the expiration of +that time," so read the document, "if your services, are no longer +required, you will be honorably discharged from the navy of the United +States. Acknowledge the receipt of this leave, and send your address to +the department." + +As soon as this order had been complied with, the cousins began to make +preparations to start for home. Their trunks had been packed several +days before, in readiness for an immediate departure, and in three hours +after the receipt of their leaves they had taken their seats in the +train bound for Portland. The ride had never seemed so long, nor had the +cars ever moved so slowly: but, in due time, they reached the city in +safety. Frank remained but one day in Portland, for he was anxious to +reach home. The "Julia Burton" still made her regular trips from Augusta +to Lawrence, and on the third day he reached the village. Brave was the +first to welcome him as he stepped out of the hack that had conveyed him +from the wharf to the cottage, and not recognizing his master, muffled +up as he was in his heavy overcoat, he stood at the gate, growling +savagely, as if to warn him that he had ventured close enough. But one +word was sufficient. The faithful animal had not forgotten the sound of +the familiar voice, and bounding over the fence, he nearly overpowered +his master with caresses. + +The meeting with his mother and sister we shall not attempt to describe. +Those who have passed through similar scenes can easily imagine that joy +reigned supreme in that house. + +About a week after his arrival at home, Archie Winters and his parents +reached the village, the latter having "taken a holiday" in honor of the +young paymaster's safe return. The cousins spent their furlough in +visiting their old hunting and fishing-grounds, and in calling upon +their friends. George and Harry Butler had returned, the former with an +empty sleeve, having lost his arm in the Battle of the Wilderness. But +all their companions had not been as fortunate as themselves. More than +one had been offered upon the altar of their country, and many a +familiar face was missing. + +At the expiration of their three months' leave, Frank and Archie +received their honorable discharges from the service, the sight of which +recalled vividly to their minds many a thrilling scene through which +they had passed. How changed the scene now from that when they had first +bid adieu to their homes, to join the ranks of their country's +defenders! "Then a gigantic rebellion was in progress; armed men +sentineled each other from Virginia to the Rio Grande; and the land was +filled with the crash of contending armies. Now, the rebel forces are +vanquished, their banner in the dust; the slave empire that was to rise +upon the ruins of the Republic is itself in ruins; and the soldiers and +sailors of the Union, returning their weapons to the arsenals, have +exchanged their honored blue for the citizen's garb, and resumed their +peaceful avocations, as modest and unassuming as though they had never +performed the deeds of valor that have filled the whole civilized world +with wonder." + +Frank and Archie are proud of the part they have borne in the war of the +Rebellion, and will never forget their varied and eventful experience in +the MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON. + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Frank on the Lower Mississippi, by Harry Castlemon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI *** + +***** This file should be named 6958-0.txt or 6958-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/9/5/6958/ + +Produced by David Garcia, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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