the red acorn- 第31部分

〃Wolf　must　be　gitten　close　ter　him；〃　said　one　of　the　men。

Fortner　laid　his　rifle　across　the　log；　and　drew　from　his　belt　a　long　keen　knife。　　He　stirred　slightly　in　doing　this；　and　in　turning　to　confront　the　dog。　　The　hound　sprang　forward　with　a　growl　that　was　abruptly　ended；　for　Fortner's　left　hand　shot　out　like　an　arrow；　and　caught　the　loose　folds　of　skin　on　the　brute's　neck；　and　the　next　instant　his　right；　armed　with　the　knife；　descended　and　laid　the　animal's　shoulder　and　neck　open　with　a　deep　cut。　　But　the　darkness　made　Fortner　mistake　his　distance。　　He　neither　caught　the　dog　securely；　nor　sent　the　knife　to　his　heart；　as　he　intended；　and　the　hound　tearing　away；　ran　out　into　the　moonlight；　bleeding　and　yelping。　　Before　he　reached　his　human　allies　Fortner　had　silently　sped　back　a　hundred　yards；　to　a　more　secure　shelter；　so　that　the　volley　which　was　poured　into　he　thicket　only　endangered　the　lives　of　the　chipmunks　denizened　there。　　The　mounted　men　rode　forward　and　joined　those　on　foot；　in　raking　the　copse　with　charges　of　buckshot。

Away　above　Fortner　and　Harry　rose　yells　and　the　clatter　of　galloping　horses。　　Before　they　could　imagine　what　this　meant　a　little　cavalcade　swept　by　at　a　mad　gallop；　yelling　at　the　tops　of　their　voices；　and　charging　directly　at　the　Rebels　below。　　In　front　were　Aunt　Debby；　Bolton　and　Edwards；　riding　abreast；　and　behind　them　three　men　in　homespun。

The　Rebels　seemed　totally　unnerved　by　this　startling　apparition。　The　dismounted　ones　flung　themselves　on　their　horses　and　all　fled　away　at　a　gallop；　without　attempting　to　make　a　stand　and　without　taking　thought　of　their　wagon。　　As　they　scurried　along　the　opposite　mountain…side　Fortner　and　Harry　fired　at　them；　but　without　being　able　to　tell　whether　their　shots　took　effect。

The　pursuit　was　carried　but　a　little　distance。　　The　wagon　was　secured　and　taken　up　the　mountain。　　A　little　after　midnight　the　summit　was　passed；　and　Fortner　led　the　way　into　an　opening　to　the　right；　which　eventually　brought　up　at　a　little　level　spot　in　front　of　a　large　cave。　　The　horses　where　unhitched　and　unsaddled；　a　fire　built；　cedar　boughs　gathered　to　make　a　bed　on　the　rocky　floor　of　the　cave；　and　they　threw　themselves　down　upon　this　to　sleep　the　sleep　of　utter　weariness。

In　the　meantime　Harry　had　learned　taht　the　new　comers　were　cousins　of　Fortner's；　who；　being　out　on　a　private　scouting　expedition；　had　been　encountered　by　Aunt　Debby　and　the　others；　near　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　and　had　started　back　with　them　to　the　assistance　of　Fortner。　　The　sound　of　firing　had　so　excited　them　that　the　suggestion　of　a　charge　by　Kent　Edwards　was　eagerly　acceded　to。

〃It　must　be　near　three　o'clock；〃　said　Kent；　looking　up　at　the　stars；　as　he　came　back　stealthily　from　laying　the　saddle　blanket；　which　was　the　only　covering　he　and　Abe　had；　upon　the　sleeping　form　of　Aunt　Debby；　〃and　my　downy　couch　still　waits　for　me。　　My　life…long　habits　of　staid　respectability　have　been　greatly　shaken　recently。〃

Abe　groaned　derisively。

An　inspection；　the　next　morning　of　the　wagon's　load；　showed　it　to　be　mainly　made　up　of　hams；　shoulders　and　sides；　plundered　from　the　smokehouses　visited。　　With　these　were　a　number　of　guns；　including　several　fine　rifles；　and　all　the　ammunition　that　could　be　found　along　the　route。

A　breakfast　was　made　of　slices　of　ham　broiled　on　the　ends　of　sticks；　and　then　a　consultation　was　held　as　to　the　plans　for　the　day's　operations。

The　result　of　this　was　a　decision　that　Aunt　Debby　and　one　of　the　newcomers　should　go　back　and　inform　the　neighborhood　of　what　had　taken　place；　gather　a　party　to　remove　the　dead　from　the　creek　and　bury　them；　to　keep　the　water　from　being　poisoned；　and　recover　what　property　might　be　found　with　the　first　wagon。　　Kent　Edwards；　Abe　Bolton；　and　two　of　the　new　comers　would　scout　down　toward　London；　to　ascertain　the　truth　of　the　rumor　that　Zollicoffer　had　evacuated　the　place；　and　retired　to　Laurel　Bridge；　nine　miles　south　of　it。　Fortner　and　Harry　Glen　would　take　the　wagon　to　Wildcat　Gap；　report　what　had　been　done；　and　explain　to　their　commander　the　absence　of　the　enlisted　men。


…


〃Shade　of　King　Solomon；〃　said　Kent　to　Abe；　after　their　party　had　ridden　for　two　or　three　hours　through　the　mountains　toward　London。　〃I　wonder　if　there　is　any　other　kind　of　worldly　knowledge　that　I　know　as　little　about　as　I　did　of　scouting　when　we　started　out？　My　eyes　have　been　opened　to　my　own　ignorance。　　I　used　to　have　the　conceit　that　we　two　could　play　a　fair　hand　at　any　game　of　war　they　could　get　up　for　our　entertainment。　　But　these　Kentuckians　give　me　points　every　hundred　yards　that　I　never　so　much　as　dreamed　of。　Theirs　is　the　wisdom　of　serpents　when　compared　with　our　dove…like　innocence。〃

〃I　like　dove…like　innocence；〃　interrupted　Abe。

〃But　did　you　ever　see　anybody　that　could　go　through　the　country　as　these　fellows　can？　　It's　just　marvelous。　　They　know　every　short　cut　to　every　point；　and　they　know　just　where　to　go　every　time　to　see　way　ahead　without　being　seen　themselves。　　It　would　puzzle　the　sharpest　Rebel　bushwhacker　to　get　the　drop　on　them。〃

〃I　don't　know　as　I　want　to　learn　their　way　of　doing；〃　said　Abe　crustily。　　〃It　looks　like　sneaking；　on　a　big　scale；　that's　all。　And　I'm　ashamed　of　this　laying　round　behind　a　log　or　a　rock　to　pop　a　man　over。　　It　ain't　my　style　at　all。　　I　believe　in　open　and　above…board　fighting；　give　and　take；　and　may　the　best　man　win。〃

〃So　do　I；　though　I　suppose　all's　fair　in　war。　　But　when　we　scout　we　give　them　the　same　chance　to　knock　us　over　that　they　give　us　when　they　scout。　　I'll　admit　it　looks　very　much　like　murder　to　shoot　men　down　that　way；　for　it　does　not　help　either　side　along　a　particle。　But　these　Kentuckians　have　a　great　many　private　injuries　to　avenge；　and　they　can't　do　it　any　other　way。〃

All　the　people　of　the　region　were　intensely　Union；　so　it　was　not　difficult　to　get　exact　information　of　the　movements　of　the　Rebels；　and　as　the　scouts　drew　near　London　they　became　assured　that　not　only　all　of　Zollicoffer's　infantry；　but　his　small　parties　of　cavalry　had　retreated　beyond　the　town。　　Our　scouts　therefore；　putting　Edwards　and　Bolton　to　the　front；　that　their　blue　uniforms　might　tell　the　character　of　the　party；　spurred　into　a　gallop；　and　dashed　into　London；　to　be　received　with　boundless　enthusiasm。

〃Somebody　ought　to　ride　back　to　Wildcat　immediately；〃　said　Kent；　after　they　had　enjoyed　their　reception　a　little　while；　〃and　report　this　to　the　General。〃

All　assented　to　this　position。

〃It　is　really　the　duty　of　myself　and　comrade　here　to　do　it；〃　said　Kent；　shifting　uneasily　in　his　chair；　to　find　a　comfortable　place　to　sit　upon；　〃but　as　we　have　been　for　two　days　riding　the　hardest…backed　horses　over　roads　that　were　simply　awful；　and　as　previous　to　that　time　we　had　not　taken　any　equestrian　exercise　for　several　years；　there　are　some　fundamental　reasonsthat　is；　reasons　lying　at　the　very　base　of　things；　（he　shifted　again）why　we　should　not　be　called　upon　to　do　another　mile　of　horseback　riding　until　Time　has　had　an　opportunity　to　exercise　his　soothing　and　healing　influence；　so　to　speak。　　Abe；　I　believe　I　have　stated　the　case　with　my　usual　happy　combination　of　grace　and　delicacy？〃

〃You　have；　as　usual；　flushed　a　tail…race　of　big　words。〃

〃In　short；〃　Kent　went　on　（〃Ah；　thank　you。　　That　is　delicious。　　The　best　I　ever　drank。　　Your　mountain　stills　make　the　finest　apple　jack　in　the　world。　　There　must　be　something　in　the　waterthat　you　don't　put　in。　　It's　as　smooth　as　new…made　butter。　　Well；　here's　to　the　anner　of　Beauty　and　Glory。）　　In　short；　as　I　was　saying　when　you　hospitably　interrupted　me；　we　are　willing　to　do　anything　for　the　cause；　but　unless　there　is　some　other　way　of　riding；　the　most　painful　effort　I　could　make　for　our　beloved　country　would　be　to　mount　that　horse　again；　and　ride　another　hundred　yards。　　To　be　messenger　of　this　good　news　would　be　bliss；　what　prevents　it　is　a　blister。〃

The　crowd　laughed　boisterously。

〃Mister；〃　said　one　of　the　Kentuckians　who　accompanied　them；　with　that　peculiar　drawling　inflection　of　the　word　that　it　were　hopeless　to　attempt　to　represent　in　print；　〃ef　ye　want　ter　send　some　one　in　yer　places　me　an'　Si　heah　will　be　powerful　glad　ter　go。　　Jes'　git　a　note　ter　the　Jineral　at　Wildcat　ready　while　we　saddle　fresh　beasts；　an'　we'll　hev　hit　in　his　hands　afore　midnight。〃

The　proposition　was　immediately　accepted；　and　in　a　little　while　the　Kentuckians　were　speeding　their　way　back　to　Gen。　Schoepf；　with　a　letter　giving　the　news；　and　signed：　　〃Kent　Edwards；　Chief　of　Scouts。〃

That　evening　a　party　of　young　men　who　had　followed　the　Rebel　retreat　some　distance；　brought　in　a　wagon　which　had　been　concealed　in　an　out…of…the…way　place；　and　left　there。　　It　was　loaded　mainly　with　things　taken　from　the　houses；　and　was　evidently　the　private　collection　of　some　freebooting　subordinate；　who　did　not　intend　that　the　Southern　Confederacy　should　be　enriched　by　the　property。　Hence；　probably；　the　hesitation　about　taking　it　along　with　the　main　train。　　It　was　handed　over　to　Kent　as　the　representative　of　the　United　States；　who　was　alone　authorized　to　take　charge　of　it。　Assisted　by　Abe　he　started　to　make　an　inventory　of　the　contents。　A　portly　jug　of　apple　jack　was　kept　at　hand；　that　there　might　not　be　any　suffering　from　undue　thirst　during　the　course　of　the　operation；　which；　as　Kent　providently　remarked；　was　liable　to　make　a　man　as　dry　as　an　Arizona　plain。

The　danger　of　such　aridity　seemed　to　grow　more　imminent　continually；　judged　by　the　frequency　of　their　application　to　the　jug。　　It　soon　became　more　urgent　than　the　completion　of　the　inventory。　　Frequent　visits　of　loyal　Kentuckians　with　other　jugs　and　botles；　to　drink　to　the　renewed　supremacy　of　the　Banner　of　Beauty　and　Glory；　did　not　diminish　Kent's　and　Abe's　apprehensions　of　ultimate　thirst。　　Their　clay　seemed　like　some　other　kinds；　which　have　their　absorptive　powers　strengthened　by　the　more　they　take　up。　　They　belonged　to　a　not…unusual　class　of　men　whom　it　takes　about　as　long　to　get　thoroughly　drunk　as　it　does　to　heat　up　an　iron…furnace；　but　the　condition　that　they　achieve　then　makes　the　intoxication　of　other　and　ordinary　men　seem　a　very　mild　and　tame　exhilaration。

By　noon　the　next　day　this　process　was　nearing　its　completion。　　A　messenger　galloped　into　town　with　the　information