CHAPTER XXVII
THE SHARPSHOOTERS
"I shall see dem hanged," screamed the little sutler; "I shall see demhanged. Dey steals mine goots. Dey tip ofer mine tent. I shall see demhanged."
Levi's voice, usually shrill, in his rage now became almost a childishtreble. Even his wounded fingers were forgotten for the moment, and hewas gesticulating with both hands.
"Shure," exclaimed Dennis, pretending to have difficulty in recognizingthe little Jew, "shure, 'tis Levi! My friend, it's lucky for you it'snot cold here. You talk so much wid your hands they might be frozenstiff."
Unmindful of the declaration, Levi became still more excited and hishands were moving still more rapidly.
"Yah, I shall see you hanged!" he shouted. "You shall no more steal minegoots! It shall cost you more nor you vould haf paid for mine goots, votvas so cheap. You shall no more tip ofer mine tent!"
"Levi," said Dennis solemnly, "how many pinsions are you drawin'?"
"I draw no pensions yet," shrieked Levi.
"I understand," said Dennis, "that you are trying to draw two pinsions,one for the scratch you got on each finger."
"I did not scratch mine finger. I haf been shot mit der fingers. I shalldraw more pensions, but I shall have mooch joy in seeing you hanged."
The soldiers, under whose charge the boys were being conducted to theplace where they were to display their skill with the rifles, werelaughing heartily at the impotent rage of the little sutler.
Dennis, in spite of his bantering, did not betray a trace of a smile onhis face. As solemnly as if the errand upon which he was going was thesole purpose in his mind, he looked reprovingly at Levi as if his heartwas moved by sorrow more than by anger.
"Are you coming with us, Levi?" he inquired.
"Yah, I vill surely come. I shall mit great pleasure see you hanged. Youshall no more tip ofer--"
"I say, sergeant," said Dennis, "what are we to have for a target?"
"I don't know," replied the soldier good-naturedly. "We'll findsomething."
"If you haven't any target ready, I would like to suggest one."
"What is it?"
"I think it would be a great scheme to have this little sutler comealong with us and stand him up at a distance of seventy-five yards.Noel, here, can clip one ear an' thin I'll take the other. Thin we'llcut off a part of his nose, though he will have enough left even thin tosatisfy any two or three living men--"
A cry of rage, not unmingled with fear, from Levi, interrupted the youngIrishman.
"I shall not be von target! you shall be von target!"
"Yes; but, Levi," suggested Dennis, "think what it will mean for you! IfNoel cuts off one ear, there's another pinsion. That will be pinsionnumber three. If I trim your other ear, that will be pinsion numberfour, and if both of us cut down your nose a little that will be worthmore yet. Why, Levi, you'd be a rich man before you would be able to gethome. Of course, there may not be very much of you left, but what thereis will have a good time to the end of your days."
Perhaps it was the expression which Levi discovered on the faces of thesoldiers that caused him to halt abruptly. At all events, he stared fora moment at the young sharpshooters, and then, as the soldiers laughedloudly, he turned quickly and without once glancing behind him ran fromthe place.
Even the chaplain had not been unmoved by the bantering of Dennis. Hewas proving himself a friend, indeed, to the two boys, and it had beenlargely through his solicitation that the opportunity had been gainedfor them to show whether or not their claims to have been sharpshootersin the Peninsula campaign were trustworthy.
"There comes that little spalpeen ag'in!" cried Dennis suddenly, as helooked back and saw that Levi was following discreetly in the distance."'Tis well for him he stays behind us, though I think I could put me gunover me shoulder and shut both eyes and not miss the little rascal."
Noel had not taken any part in the badgering of Levi. He was far tooanxious concerning his own safety. It is true he was not without hopethat before he should be tried by the court-martial his statementsconcerning his enlistment and service would be obtained and verified andhe would be free. But there was so much confusion in the army, and thepresence of the enemy was so well known, that he understood an advancewas to be speedily ordered, and at such a time it was inevitable thatsome mistakes should be made and certain duties should be neglected. Thegreatest danger was that in the midst of such confusion it would beimpossible for him to free himself from the charge of desertion whichhad been brought against him.
At last a position outside the camp was gained, where the little companyhalted. An improvised target was made of an old and battered white hatwhich was found in a corner of the fence, whither it had been driven atsome time by the wind. This hat was securely fastened to a stake whichwas driven into the ground at a distance of seventy-five yards from theplace where the two young soldiers were stationed.
"Who shall shoot first?" inquired Dennis, who was carefully examiningthe rifle which had been placed in his hands.
"If you don't care, I should like to," said Noel.
"Go ahead, me lad," assented Dennis. "They won't have the executionuntil I'm ready to go along with ye."
Noel found the rifle which had been given him a trifle heavier than theone to which he had been accustomed. It was a little more difficult forhim to raise it to his shoulder and gain the sight which he desired.However, after testing his gun several times and looking carefully toits loading, he abruptly raised the rifle to his shoulder and apparentlywithout taking careful aim fired at the target in the distance.
"Hold on!" called Dennis, when some of the young soldiers started towardthe hat. "Wait until I have my shot."
"If one of you hits the hat, we shall not be able to tell which one didit unless we examine it after each shot," suggested one of the soldiers.
"Just wait a minute," called Dennis, "and you'll see two holes. Thatwill mean that both of us hit it."
Good-naturedly the men consented, and Dennis, whose methods were fardifferent from those of his comrade, brought his gun to his shoulder andtook long and careful aim before he fired.
In a moment a part of the little band started swiftly toward the hat,and their exclamations of surprise were loud and many when theydiscovered that Dennis's promise had been fulfilled. Two balls hadpierced the crown of the hat within an inch of each other.
"Just put up that hat again," said Dennis. "And if you like, Noel and mewill put some eyes and ears on the old hat until it will look as if someold man's face was peering out of it. This is just to show you thatthere wasn't any luck in it," he added, as he turned quickly to Noel,who was about to fire the second time.
Again the report of the rifle rang out, and then Dennis speedilyfollowed the example of Noel. When the hat was examined two more holeswere found in the crown each about an inch from the place which hadmarked the spot where the preceding bullets had hit the mark.
"I guess the boys are all right," said the orderly.
"Wait a minute," said Dennis. "We have made a square there now, haven'twe?"
"Yes," replied the soldier.
"Well, with three more shots Noel and I will turn the square into acircle and cut out a round piece of the old hat itself."
The suggestion of the young Irishman was followed, and true to his wordwhen three more shots had been fired by each it was discovered that acircle in the crown had been completed by the bullets.
"If the rest of your story is as true as the part which has to do withyour shooting, then I guess both you boys are all right," said theorderly cordially. "We haven't a better shot in our regiment."
"Shure, you haven't," said Dennis heartily. "Didn't I tell you that Noelwas the best shot in Little Mac's army? Now, if you'll just say theword, sergeant, I would like to have him turn around and fire at theground under the foot of that little Jew. He paid the piper and he oughtto have his dance."
Every man in the group at once turned to look at Levi Kadoff, who insp
ite of his fears had been creeping nearer, and as the voice of Dennishad not been either low or soft, the effect was magical. Levi preparedto depart without further delay.
Turning to the orderly Dennis said, "Take my gun, sergeant, and just letme catch the little spalpeen, will ye?"
As the chaplain nodded assent in response to the implied question of thesergeant, Dennis laughingly started in swift pursuit of the sutler.
For one moment Levi stared blankly at the approaching young Irishman.Manifestly what he saw was not pleasing, for with a shriek he turned andat his utmost speed tried to escape from the place.
His efforts, however, availed little, for with his longer strides Dennisswiftly gained upon his victim, and in a brief time laid his heavy handupon the shoulder of the screaming, shrieking Levi. Kicking and strikinglike an angry child, the sutler did his utmost to break the firm holdwhich his captor secured upon him. Apparently unmoved and unmindful,Dennis dragged his helpless prisoner back to the place where thesoldiers were awaiting him.
"Now, then," said Dennis when he had rejoined his comrades, "we'll makethe little spalpeen speak up. What for did you say that Noel and me wasdisarters?"
"Because you vas deserters!" shouted Levi. "You steals mine goots, youtips ofer mine tent, you--"
"There! there! That will do," said Dennis soothingly. "I'm thinkin' whatyou need is what Paddy gave the drum."
Helpless in the powerful grasp of Dennis, Levi still shrieked andprotested. But in spite of all his efforts, Dennis, seating himselfupon a stump, stretched Levi across his lap and soundly spanked him.
When this task had been completed, the howlings of Levi were redoubled.Apparently irritated by the failure of the little sutler to profit byhis experience, Dennis lifted his victim from the ground and shook him.As he did so a paper fell to the ground from Levi's pockets, at thesight of which the excitement of the little sutler instantly increased.
"And what's that?" said Dennis as he roughly pushed Levi from him andpicked up the paper, which he discovered was an envelope containing aletter.
"It was not for you," screamed Levi. "It vas mine! It vas mine! Yousteals mine goots. You tips ofer mine tent, but you shall not haf mineletter. It vas from mine moder."
"Wait a minute and I'll see whether it's from your mither or fromGeneral Lee," said Dennis tauntingly, as he drew forth the paper fromthe envelope.