ephraim followed the officers to the door of the hut and looked out. for five minutes he maintained this position without moving or speaking; then he turned inwards again, and with his usual quiet grin on his face, hailed: ‘ye kin git down now, luce. i reckon the coast is cl’ar.’
lucius swung down to the floor and burst out laughing. ‘how well you managed that, grizzly!’ he said. ‘do you know, at one time i thought that you were going to make a clean breast of it, and tell the general that we had been in the balloon.’
‘i ’low i had some thorts er it,’ answered ephraim; ’fer he seemed dead sot agin the cunnel himself; but ye never know what’ll happen. after all, they war all yanks in hyar, and though the ginrul seemed inclined ter be perfeckly fair and squar ’bout them two escaped balloonists, ye carn’t tell how his complexshun might hev changed ef wanst he knew he’d got his claws onter ’em.’
‘that’s so,’ agreed lucius. ‘it was best to be on the safe side. and you told him the simple truth.’
‘’ceptin’ ’bout the “trailin’ terrors,”’ chuckled ephraim. ‘ye see thet came inter my hed and sorter slipped out before i could stop it. i ’low i war rather sot back when he purposed ter put me up agin the cunnel; and ef it hed come ter thet, i’d hev owned up at once. but it’s jest ez well,’ he went on, ’fer ef the ginrul hed known who we war, he’d hev been bound ter rope us in fer a while, till he’d got the rights er the story, and thar’s no tellin’ when we’d hev got home.’
‘we’re not there yet,’ said lucius dubiously.
‘i know thet, sonny; but we’re on the way; fer now we know whar we air, and we won’t be long in gettin’ out er this, i tell ye.’
‘where are we?’ asked lucius. ‘somewhere about port republic, i gathered from what was said.’
‘right, bub. we’re on’y ’bout three miles from thar, and that’s whar old stonewall is, holdin’ the bridge. but the road and the woods between this and thar is choke-full er yanks; so, ez ye rightly remark, we ain’t thar yit. on our right is the shenandoah, ez full er water ez an egg is er meat, and on our left is the blue ridge, so we carn’t do nuthin’ but go straight on.’
‘we can’t go by the turnpike either,’ said lucius, ‘for i fancy there would be a pretty to do if two federal soldiers were caught walking in the direction of the enemy.’
‘thet’s so,’ returned ephraim. ‘we must keep ter the woods and make the best of it. it won’t do ter git lost in ’em agen, though, and come wanderin’ back upon lewiston. we must hold close by this edge.’
‘where is lewiston?’ inquired lucius. ‘it’s a name i don’t know.’
‘i reckon it’s thet fine big house way back thar, what we saw when we fust came out er the woods, or nearly—whar the yankee cannon wuz planted. and i tell ye what it is. ef old stonewall whips frémont to-day—and i reckon he will—thar’s goin’ ter be the biggest kick-up thar ter-morrer you ever heard on. shields expects it, that’s cl’ar; fer didn’t ye hear him say he’d wait the attack thar?’
‘i did,’ answered lucius; ‘but if the bridge is carried, it may make a difference.’
‘shucks!’ exclaimed ephraim with contempt. ‘i reckon ef the yanks hes actually got across, they’ll be glad enough to git back agin. why, old stonewall, he’s thar himself.’
such was the confidence that this general inspired that it never occurred to ephraim or to any one else in the valley to doubt that where jackson was, there also would the victory be.
‘well, then, what do you propose to do?’ asked lucius.
‘waal,’ replied ephraim, ‘ez they war so onmannerly ez to plump in upon us before we could git well started with our breakfast, and ez we hev the whole day ter git thar, i p’intedly advise thet we fortify our stummicks fust thing we do.’
‘right!’ cried lucius. ‘i’m with you there.’ and with much laughter the two boys fell to work upon the provisions, and made a hearty meal.
‘i feel better now,’ said the grizzly, wiping his mouth a few minutes later. ‘come along and let us take a squint at what’s goin’ on outside.’
they peeped, the one through the window, and the other through the door, and no one being in sight, issued from the latter into the open.
‘this hyar is mighty pleasant,’ remarked ephraim, like the epicure, serenely full, and enjoying the warm june sunshine; ‘but i s’pose we’d better make fer the woods in case any wan comes along.’
‘i think so,’ agreed lucius. ‘there’s no use running unnecessary risks.—quick, grizzly, quick! here come some soldiers.’
‘run, luce, fer all ye’re wuth!’ cried ephraim, setting the example. ‘maybe we’ve not been seen.’
it was a foolish proceeding, for they had been seen before they took flight, and had they remained perfectly still, they would have had a better chance of escaping unfavourable observation. as it was, their hasty action condemned them. around the short arm of the wood, described above, swept a column of infantry, and as soon as the officer in command saw, as he supposed, two federal soldiers in full flight, he very naturally roared out ‘halt!’ at the top of his voice. ephraim and lucius, however, paid no attention to this courteous invitation, but continued their race towards the friendly shelter at top speed.
but they were soon brought up standing. ‘if you don’t stop,’ shouted the officer, ‘i’ll fire on you. halt!’ and thus adjured, the fugitives unwillingly checked their flight and stood still.
‘never mind, luce,’ muttered ephraim; ‘we kin bluff ’em, i reckon.’
‘why didn’t you stop when i ordered you?’ demanded the officer roughly as he came up.
the boys were silent. to give the true reason 122was not at all to their taste, and no other seemed just then to fit the circumstances. however, the officer went on without waiting for a reply to his first question:
‘where were you running to?’
‘makin’ fer our lines, major,’ replied ephraim, recognising the officer’s rank.
‘so. what is your regiment?’
‘the “trailing terrors.”’
the major laughed. ‘as usual,’ he said, ‘with their backs the wrong way. fall in here, both of you.’
‘oh, i say, major,’ whined ephraim, ‘our regiment’s three miles back of lewiston.’
‘is it?’ answered the major. ‘i know. well, i’ll start you three miles in front of lewiston, and show you a little fighting for a change.’
‘general shields told us the “terrors” warn’t ter be in action ter-day,’ protested ephraim, still hanging back.
‘rubbish! none of your cock-and-bull stories for me. fall in!’
‘but my comrade’s wounded,’ declared ephraim desperately. ‘how kin he fight?’
the major was a good-humoured man, but he began to lose patience. ‘what do you mean, sir, by arguing with me?’ he cried, striking ephraim with the flat of his sword. ‘do you suppose i don’t know a couple of confounded skulkers when i see them? there’s nothing wrong with your comrade’s legs, i should say. i’m not going to stand here all day. fall in!’
‘but we han’t got no guns,’ whimpered ephraim as a last resource.
‘fall in!’ roared the major.—‘sergeant pierce, draft these two cowardly skulkers into the middle of the column, so that they can’t run away; and keep your eye on them during the action. if they try to bolt, cut them down.—column, forward!’
the sergeant thrust ephraim and lucius into the ranks, and the column moved forward at the double to atone for the short delay.
to exchange ideas on this unpleasant development was impossible; but ephraim glanced at lucius as they trotted along, as much as to say: ‘we are in for it this time, and, for the life of me, i don’t see how we are going to get out of it.’ the column was marching two deep, and the sergeant kept abreast the file formed by the two boys. presently, as the men fell by order into the quick step once more, ephraim addressed the grizzled warrior in plaintive accents.
‘see hyar, sergeant,’ he said; ‘it ain’t thet we don’t want ter fight. we feel powerful like fightin’ ef we git the chance; but how air we goin’ ter do it ’thout nary a gun or a ba’net?’
‘you’ll git ’em before long,’ answered the sergeant. ‘you bet.’
‘whar air we gwine ter?’ next inquired ephraim.
‘oh, shet yer head,’ retorted the sergeant. ‘you’ll know when ye git thar. yew two “trailing terrors” is going ter hev one day’s gunning this time, i tell yew.’
ephraim glanced again at lucius. the boy’s head was erect, and his face was flushed; but though his eyes glittered with excitement, he met his comrade’s look boldly and confidently as he marched along 124with easy swinging step. he certainly had not the appearance of one who was afraid.
grizzly heaved a breath of relief. despite his loyalty, his thoughts would recur to that scene in the balloon; but now, though full of fears for his friend’s safety, the old pride in him revived in full force, and he knew that, whatever desperate move their dangerous position might necessitate, he would be able to count upon luce’s cool and hearty co-operation. his feelings insisted upon expression, and slily grasping luce’s arm, he gave it a fervent squeeze. in return, the boy smiled up at him.
‘i dunno what’s goin’ ter happen,’ thought grizzly; ‘but i ’low it’ll be funny ef they kin persuade luce and me ter shoot our own friends. by time! luce war sot on seein’ a battle, and i reckon he’s goin’ ter hev his way this time, same ez always. on’y, things hes got twisted upside down most outrageous. and it’s all along er me, too.’ a sharp pang of generous self-reproach shot through him; but the current of his reflections was rudely turned aside by the loud, abrupt command:
‘column, halt!’
the blue ranks stood fast, awaiting the next order.
it rang out, followed by others in rapid succession. ‘form line on the leading company! remaining companies four paces on the right backwards—wheel! quick march! number one, eyes right—dress! eyes front! number two, halt—dress! eyes front! form line! quick march! number one, number two, number four, right—wheel! halt—dress up! eyes front! steady!’ and so the column moved into line.
lucius was the front man of his file, ephraim the rear, and when the rush and hurry of the movement were past, and they had opportunity for observation, their eyes rested upon a strange and unfamiliar scene.
they had reached port republic, the streets of which were swarming with federal cavalry, the advance of shields’s army, who had dashed into the village by the fords of the south fork; while a couple of field-pieces rumbled along to take up an advantageous position. right in front, over the rolling shenandoah ran the long wooden bridge, so much coveted by the federal commander as the key to jackson’s position, and one of the field-pieces had nearly reached the end which abutted on the village. on the heights upon the opposite side of the river could be seen confederate horsemen and the pickets who had been driven in, fleeing for their lives upon their supports. from the other end of the village came the crackling rattle of musketry, telling that a stand of some sort was being made, though what or where they could not see. only, overhead the bullets sang with angry, venomous wheep! and lucius, unaccustomed to the fearsome sound, felt his head duck of its own accord, so close did the fatal singing seem to his ear.
the boys’ hearts sank within them. to their inexperienced eyes it looked as if old stonewall must be caught at last. the terrible field-piece had reached the head of the bridge, unlimbered, and now commanded the narrow way. and other approach there was none. the second cannon, planted below them in the village, already roared its angry defiance and hurled its iron messengers of death upon the wooded heights, where the enemy was supposed to be.
flash! a bright streak of light far up on the heights. a curling wreath of smoke. then boom! a shell hurtled through the air, shrieked for an instant like a fury in their ears, then bang! crash! it exploded in front of the line, hurling frightful jagged fragments right, left, front, rear—in all directions.
an involuntary moan burst from lucius. the file next him and ephraim on their right had gone down, and the two men who had composed it lay a blood-stained heap upon the ground, all semblance of humanity gone, and only a few twitchings of the shattered limbs to tell that the wretched atom of life left in them was hastening fast away.
‘hold up, luce!’ whispered ephraim, all his thoughts upon his friend, though he felt sick with the horror of the ghastly sight.
lucius nodded to the heights in front of him. he could not turn round. his tongue had slipped forward between his teeth, and he bit it till the blood flowed into his mouth. a vague wonder possessed him as to where the salt taste came from—came and passed through his brain like lightning. then his head went up again and he stood still—so still that he excited the admiration of his left-hand man, who muttered, ‘ye stood that well!’ whereas, as a matter of fact, lucius was simply stiffened into immobility. then something seemed to give way in his brain. the swift thought crossed him, ‘it’s soon over, anyway;’ the tension of his limbs relaxed, and all fear fled. he had received his baptism of fire, and his heart grew strong within him. another puff of smoke from the battery on the heights. another screaming shell. and lucius found himself idly wondering where it would fall, and careless where it fell.
‘how odd,’ he thought within himself, ‘that i should feel so cool now in this unknown, terrible situation, while in the balloon’—— fatal recollection! the dreadful memory fell upon him like a bolt, and his knees shook under him so violently that he nearly fell to the ground.
his neighbour looked curiously at him, unprepared for the sudden change, while from ephraim came again the warning whisper, ‘hold up, luce!’
recovering himself, lucius turned and laughed in ephraim’s face. ‘i was thinking of blue bag just then,’ he muttered.
utterly taken aback by this singular statement, ephraim weakly ejaculated, ‘oh!’ and finding nothing more to say, relapsed into silence.
sergeant pierce stepped through the broken file to the front, and stooping down, picked up the rifles from the road and removed the belts with their ammunition pouches from the two dead men.
‘hyar, yew two “terrors,”’ he said, ‘ketch hold on these. yew can’t say yew haven’t got anything to fight with now. i thought it wouldn’t be long before yew war provided.’ lucius received the rifle and belt with a little giggle which he could not entirely suppress. he was feeling strangely light and cheerful. tragedy was turning to comedy. he was wearing the clothes of one dead man; why should he not receive the arms of another? he longed to speak, to say something—anything. he had the greatest 128difficulty in repressing a hilarious shout of ‘hi! grizzly, isn’t it a joke—two young rebs asked to shoot their own men?’ his feelings found vent at last in the admonitory remark to pierce, ‘mind you keep your eye on us, sergeant.’
the air was full of flying missiles, but lucius no longer ducked his head. he seemed not to hear them. the sergeant looked down at him from his superior height and grinned. ‘i guess we misjudged yew,’ he said. ‘yew’re’—— he stopped suddenly. the pupils of his eyes, still fixed upon lucius, dilated; the upper lip, drawn up by the action of the genial smile, drooped down upon the lower in a pout. for an instant his sturdy frame kept its position, martial and erect to the last, and then without a word or a groan he fell dead, shot through the heart.
lucius looked at him and did not blench, but his neighbour growled discontentedly, ‘this air gitting too hot, i guess. ain’t we never tew git the word to fire?’ then that man, too, fell suddenly dead. it was, as he had said, getting remarkably hot. all at once on the crest of the heights three more batteries appeared, the black-muzzled cannon grinning down upon the village. but the guns were silent, though the cannoneers stood beside them, ready to teach them their one deadly monosyllable. they were waiting for something. what was it? ah! here it comes.
down the hill, marching by the flank in a strong, steady gray line, came a regiment, and as they caught sight of the bridge, the supreme point of advantage, the men, carried away by enthusiasm, roared out the rebel yell, and rushed towards it at double quick. 129alongside them, directing every movement, rode their general, erect upon his horse, calm and serene as though his troops were passing him in review order. to be led by him! to go in under the eye of stonewall jackson! ah! there was not a man there but would have died where he was rather than face about and flee. there was not a regiment upon the hill that did not envy the 37th virginia, marching to take the bridge.
ephraim bent forward and grasped lucius by the arm. ‘by time! luce,’ he hissed into his comrade’s ear, ‘it’s old stonewall himself! lie low, fer goodness’ sake.’ for he feared lest a shout of joy from luce should betray them to the federals for what they were.
on came the 37th, and now all down the long federal line ran the one word ‘ready!’ and the gunners at the bridge sprang to the gun.
then jackson was seen to stop, and from his lips rang out a sharp, stern word of command. the boys could not hear what he said, but they watched his every movement with blazing eyes. standing in his stirrups, stonewall waved his sword towards the bridge, and cried in ringing tones: ‘fire one round upon those people at the bridge. then charge and give them the bayonet! fire!’
he dropped the reins upon his horse’s neck, and all the light of battle dying out of his face, raised his hands and eyes to heaven in mute supplication.
down the hill swept the 37th, and without pausing to wheel into line, fired one volley and charged. before that withering fire the gunners melted away from the gun like snow in the sun, and with a yell that set 130the old hills ringing, the virginians rushed across the bridge.
‘fire!’ roared the federal commander, and one thin sputtering volley rattled from the ranks where luce and ephraim stood. but ere they could reload, from every cannon on the height burst forth an iron hail, from the streets in rear of them came crashing deadly volleys, from the bridge in front of them the virginians poured upwards, mad, vengeful, resistless. that flashing line of steel, that terrible ear-piercing yell—they were more than mortal man could stand. the gun by the bridge was taken, the gun in the streets was deserted. it was hopeless to wait, for their supports had not come up. panic seized the federal infantry, and as the cold steel gleamed in their eyes, they broke and fled.
