CHAPTER VI.
An Old Acquaintance.
They found that the rebels had captured nearly twenty of their men,several of them badly wounded, and, as there was no surgeon with theenemy, the poor fellows were suffering intensely. Frank shuddered whenhe thought of the inhuman treatment to which his wounded companions hadbeen subjected by the very men in whose power they now were, on themarch from Vicksburg to Shreveport; and he knew, from the scenes throughwhich he had just passed, that the Wild-cats had not grown more lenientin their treatment of those who were so unfortunate as to fall intotheir power. As soon as they were placed under guard, Jack's hands wereunbound, and he seated himself on the ground beside his officer, in novery amiable mood.
"It isn't for myself that I care, sir," said he; "but I am afraid thatthe treatment you will receive will be a heap worse nor keel-haulin' ona cold winter's mornin'."
"Don't talk so loud, Jack," whispered Frank, glancing toward the guard,who was walking his beat but a short distance from them. "I've been injust such scrapes as this before, and I'm not going to be strung up. Ifthey give me the least chance for life, I'm going to take advantage ofit."
"There comes a boat from the ship, sir," said the mate. "If we couldonly give them the slip now."
"No, sit still; we are watched too closely; wait until to-night."
In a short time the cutter reached the shore, and an officer, whom theyrecognized as the gunner, sprang out with a flag of truce in his hand.He walked straight up to Colonel Harrison. After a short conversationwith that individual, he handed him a letter, and, accompanied by arebel officer, approached the place where Frank was sitting.
"Well, old fellow," he said, as he came up, "I'm sorry to see you inthis fix. But I've got good news for you. The colonel has given mepermission to inform you that you will be well treated as long as youremain a prisoner. You see, we happen to have a prisoner who belongs tothis regiment on board the flag-ship, and the captain is going to askthe admiral to exchange him for you. So keep a stiff upper lip. Don'tthink of trying to escape, and we shall see you on board of the shipagain in less than a week. Good-by."
Frank and the mate shook hands with the gunner, who walked back to theplace where he had left his men, and set them to work collecting andburying the dead.
After considerable trouble, an agreement was entered into betweenCaptain Wilson and the colonel, and all the prisoners, with theexception of Frank and the mate, were paroled and allowed to return onboard the vessel, after which the Wild-cats mounted their horses andcommenced marching back into the country. While the fight had beenraging, their horses were safely hidden in the woods, out of range ofthe Ticonderoga's guns; and when they were brought out, Frank, althoughhe had not seen either a dead or wounded rebel, was able to judgepretty accurately of the number that had been disabled in the struggle,by counting the empty saddles. What had been done with the dead andwounded he could not ascertain; but the probability was, that the latterhad been carried on in advance of the main body of the regiment, and theformer hastily buried on the field. The prisoners were each given ahorse, and Frank was a good deal surprised to find that although themate was closely watched, scarcely any attention was paid to himself;his captors, no doubt, thinking that he would prefer waiting to beexchanged, rather than run the risk of the punishment that had beenthreatened in case he was detected in any attempt at escape. He wasgiven to understand that it was useless to think of flight, for he wouldcertainly be recaptured, even if he succeeded in getting outside of thepickets, and that he would be shot down without mercy. But Frank, whowell knew that the rebels would not willingly lose an opportunity ofregaining one of their officers, was not at all intimidated by thesethreats; and, as he had not bound himself to remain a passive prisoner,he commenced laying his plans for escape, intending to put them intooperation at the very first opportunity which offered.
Just before dark the column halted in front of a plantation, andcommenced making its camp on each side of the road. While the men weremaking their preparations for the night, the colonel, who evidentlypreferred more comfortable quarters than could be found in the open air,repaired to the house, where he was cordially greeted by its inmates.
Frank and the mate lay down on the ground by the side of the road, andwere talking over the incidents of the day, when a dashing younglieutenant stepped up, and inquired:
"Yanks, don't you want something to eat? Come into our mess; we want totalk to you. I'll hold myself responsible for their safe return," hecontinued, turning to the guard.
This individual, after a few moments' consideration, concluded that the"Yanks could pass," and the prisoners followed the lieutenant to theplace where the members of the mess to which he belonged were seated onthe ground, eating their suppers.
"Sit down, Yanks, at the very first good place you can find," saidtheir host. "Our chairs have been sent on board one of your gun-boats tobe repaired, and the sofa hasn't come in yet. Do you ever have as good asupper as this on board your men-o'-war?"
"O yes," replied Frank, glancing at the different dishes that werescattered about over the ground, which contained corn-bread just rakedout from the ashes, salt pork, onions, and boiled chicken, the latterevidently the fruits of a raid on some well-stocked hen-roost. "O yes,we live very well on board our boats. There is nothing to hinder us, ifwe have a caterer worth a cent."
"Where do you get your grub?" asked the lieutenant. "We steal everything along the shore that we can lay our hands on, just to keep it awayfrom you, and there are no provisions at the North."
"Well, you need not believe any such story as that," answered Frank, whocould not help laughing outright at the idea of the people at the Northhaving no provisions to spare. "I never knew a gun-boat to be short ofrations, except down the Yazoo Pass."
"Well, then, some of our folks tell what is not the truth," said one ofthe officers, who had not yet spoken. "But, to change the subject, howmany men did you lose in the action to-day?"
"I am not able to tell," replied Frank. "I see that you have taken goodcare to hide your loss. I haven't seen a single wounded man since I havebeen with you, and I know I saw several drop during the fight."
"Yes, we did lose a few men," said the lieutenant; "how many, you willnever know. But, to change the subject again, what did you come downhere to fight us for?"
"Now, see here," said Frank, setting down his plate, which had beenplentifully supplied by the lieutenant, "you were kind enough to ask mehere to get some supper, and I don't want to spoil a good meal byentering into a political discussion; for, if I answer your question, Ishall tell you some pretty plain things, and I know you will getprovoked at me."
"O no, we are not as unreasonable as that," replied the man. "Answer myquestion."
"Well, then," said Frank, "I will make the same reply as I once did tothat question in the prison at Shreveport. It is this: I believe thatif ever there was a lot of men in the world who need a good, soundthrashing, you rebels do."
"That's the truth, sir," said Jack, talking as plainly as a mouthful ofsalt pork would permit. "Stand up for the old flag, sir."
The discussion thus commenced was maintained for an hour, the rebelsevincing the utmost ignorance in regard to the principles for which theywere fighting; and the manner in which Frank knocked their flimsyarguments right and left, and the fearlessness with which he upheld thecourse the government has pursued, and predicted the speedy overthrow ofthe rebellion, excited their respect and admiration.
At length bedtime came, and, just as Frank and the mate were about to beconducted back to the guard, Colonel Harrison, accompanied by two ladiesand a strange officer, walked up.
"Here, Yank," he exclaimed, addressing Frank, "here's an oldacquaintance of yours. Come here."
As Frank obeyed the order, the strange officer advanced to meet him, andhe recognized Lieutenant Somers. He was not at all pleased to see him,for the lieutenant, doubtless, had not forgotten the circumstancesconnected with his capture, and although he could n
ot remember of everhaving treated him badly, still he feared he might harbor some feelingsof malice, and might see fit to take a summary revenge upon him. To hissurprise, however, the rebel eagerly advanced to meet him, and,extending his hand, greeted him with:
"How are you, Nelson? You're in a fix, I see. I am the free man now, andyou the prisoner."
"Yes," answered Frank, "I'm in for it again. Although I was captured inviolation of all the rules of war, I suppose I must submit to it forawhile."
The lieutenant passed nearly an hour in conversation with him, talkingover all the little incidents that had happened while he was a prisonerin the hands of Frank and his fellow-fugitives, and was compelled topilot them through the country, and ended by saying:
"Although you were sometimes obliged to use me rather roughly, you didthe best you could under the circumstances, and I shall let you see thatI don't forget favors. I'll speak to the colonel, and get him tofurnish you with quarters at the plantation to-night."
The lieutenant then left them, and shortly afterward a corporal and hisguard came up, and conducted Frank and the mate to the plantation, wherethey were confined in a deserted negro cabin. A few blankets had beenspread out on the floor to serve as a bed, and, had they been amongfriends, they could have passed a very comfortable night.
As soon as the corporal had locked the door and retired, the mate, whohad been examining their quarters, said:
"I wish, sir, that lieutenant hadn't taken so much interest in you,'cause we're in Darby now, sure."
"We are much better off than we would be out in the camp," answeredFrank. "Try that window-shutter--carefully, now."
The mate did as he was ordered, and, to Frank's joy, reported that itwas unfastened.
"Now," said the latter, "the next thing is to ascertain where thesentries are posted."
"There's one out aft here," replied the mate, "'cause I can see him; andthere's one at the gangway for'ard, 'cause I heered the corporal tellhim to keep a good look-out."
"We must wait until the camp is still," said Frank, "and then we willmake the attempt."
For two long hours the prisoners sat on their rough bed--the mate, inaccordance with the discipline to which he had been accustomed fromboyhood, waiting for his officer to speak, and Frank listening for theadvent of that silence which should proclaim that the time for actionhad arrived.
Eleven o'clock came at length, when, just after the sentry's cry of"All's well," Frank arose to his feet, and cautiously approaching thewindow, pushed open the shutter and looked out. The sentry was seated onthe ground at the corner of the cabin, holding his musket across hisknees, now and then stretching his arms, and yawning. Jack remainedseated on the bed, while Frank debated long and earnestly with himselfas to what course it was best to pursue. Should they spring out andoverpower the sentry where he sat? This could not be accomplishedwithout a fight, for the sentry was a large, powerful-looking man, and,without doubt, possessed of great strength; besides, if a struggle didensue, the noise would attract the attention of the guard at the otherside of the cabin, who would lend prompt assistance, and, with these twomen opposed to them, escape would be impossible. Still, there seemed tobe no other course for them to pursue, and Frank had already proposedthe plan to the mate, and was about to push open the shutter and makethe attempt, when he noticed that the sentinel had leaned his headagainst the cabin, and was sleeping soundly.
"Jack," he whispered, "get out of this window quickly, and make the bestof your way into those bushes," pointing to a thicket that stood abouttwenty feet from the cabin. "As soon as I see you safe, I will follow.Don't make any noise now."
The mate touched his cap, lingered for an instant to press Frank's hand,then mounted lightly into the window, reached the ground withoutarousing the rebel, and, in a moment more, disappeared in the bushes.Frank was about to follow when the sentry suddenly awakened, rubbed hiseyes, gazed vacantly about him, and then sank back to his formerposition. As soon as Frank felt certain that he was asleep, he againopened the shutter, descended noiselessly to the ground, and, aftercarefully closing the window, sprang into the bushes.
"Shiver my timbers, sir," whispered Jack, seizing his officer's hand,"that was well done. Won't the Johnnies be surprised when they call allhands in the morning, and find us missin'?"
But the fugitives were by no means safe, neither had their escape beenaccomplished. They were still inside of the lines, and might, at anymoment, stumble upon a picket. But it was necessary that they should getas far away from the camp as possible before their escape becamediscovered, and Frank, without waiting to receive the congratulations ofthe mate, who now looked upon their escape as a certain thing, threwhimself on his hands and knees, and moved slowly across a field thatextended a mile back of the cabin, and which must be crossed before theycould reach the woods. Their progress was slow and laborious, and it wastwo hours before they reached a road which ran in the direction in whichthey supposed the river to lie. Not having seen any pickets, and nowfeeling quite certain that they were outside of the lines, they aroseto their feet, and commenced running at the top of their speed. The roadran through a thick woods, but they had no difficulty in following it,as the moon was shining brightly. Just before daylight, they arrived atthe Mississippi. It was a pleasant sight to their eyes, and both uttereda shout of joy when they found themselves standing on its banks. Buttheir spirits fell again, when, on glancing up and down the river as faras their eyes could reach, they could not see a vessel of any kind insight. They were not yet at their journey's end. There might be agun-boat close by, hid behind one of the numerous points that stretchedout into the river, or there might not be one within a hundred miles.They must not linger, however, for they were not free from pursuit untilthey were safe on board some vessel.
Sorrowfully they bent their steps down the river, listening for soundsof pursuit, and eagerly watching for signs of an approaching steamer;but the day wore away, and the fugitives, who began to feel the effectsof hunger, halted, and were debating upon the means to be used inprocuring food, when, to their joy, they discovered smoke around a bend,and, in half an hour, a transport, loaded with soldiers, appeared insight. They at once commenced waving their hats, to attract theattention of those on board, who evidently saw them, but beingsuspicious that it was a plan of the rebels to decoy them into shore,turned off toward the opposite bank.
"I should think they ought to see us," said Frank, and he commencedshouting at the top of his lungs. A moment afterward a puff of smokearose from the forecastle, and a twelve-pounder shot plowed through thewater, and lodged in the bank at their very feet. It was then evident tothem that they had been taken for rebels. After watching the boat untilit disappeared, they again turned their faces down the river. Nightovertaking them without bringing any relief, the fugitives, hungry andfoot-sore, lay down in the woods and slept.