When he
revived and stood up he saw the four horsemen in gray looking curiously
at him.
"'Twould have been cheaper for you to have stopped when we told you to
do it," said one in a whimsical tone.
Dick noticed that the tone was not unkind--it was not the custom to
treat prisoners ill in this great war. He rubbed his left shoulder on
which he had fallen and which still pained him a little.
"I didn't stop," he said, "because I didn't know that you would be able
to hit either me or my horse in the dusk."
"I s'pose from your way of lookin' at it you was right to take the
chance, but you've learned now that we Southern men are tol'able good
sharpshooters."
"I knew it long ago, but what are you doing here, right in the jaws of
our army? They might close on you any minute with a snap. You ought to
be with your own army at Corinth."
Dick noticed that the men looked at one another, and there was silence
for a moment or two.
"Young fellow," resumed the spokesman, "you was comin' from the
direction of Columbia, an' your hoss, which I am sorry we had to kill,
looked as if he was cleaned tuckered out. I judge that you was bearin'
a message from Buell's army to Grant's."
"You mustn't hold me responsible for your judgment, good or bad."
"No, I reckon not, but say, young fellow, do you happen to have a chaw
of terbacker in your clothes?"
"If I had any I'd offer it to you, but I never chew."
The man sighed.
Pages:
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279