The Lost Despatch

  CHAPTER XII

  THE FIGHT AT THE FORD

  The sentry slackened his walk and rubbed his sleepy eyes. It was almosttime for his relief. He glanced behind him at the motionless figureslying around the ashes of the camp fire. If it had been a bivouac ofthe dead the silence could not have been more profound. Even Lloyd haddropped into the heavy sleep that comes in the early hours of themorning. The guerilla gazed for a moment at the other sentries, dimshadowy forms in the early dawn; then continued on his way. He hadalmost reached the evergreen which marked the end of his patrol, when afaint, very faint, sound in the woods to his left caused him to wheelin that direction. Surely something moved among the trees. Instantlyhis challenge rang out:

  "Who goes there? Halt! _Halt!_ or I fire!"

  A flash--a loud report! Tucker sprang to his feet as the camp awoke.

  "Up, men, up!" he roared. "Secure the prisoners; then mount."

  Goddard, who had jumped up, stood bewildered for a second; then dashedtoward Nancy's tent. A burly guerilla clutched him by the shoulder, butGoddard sent him reeling back with a well directed blow, and continuedhis race to the tent. He must shield Nancy.

  "Stop, Goddard!" thundered Tucker. "Remember your parole."

  "No parole holds in the presence of a rescue," panted Goddard. "Lloyd,Lloyd, this way, man!"

  Frightened by the sudden commotion and firing, Nancy stepped out of thetent, followed by Miss Metoaca, and paused, uncertain where to go, orwhat to do. To his horror, Goddard saw a guerilla seize her roughly andpush her toward the plunging, frightened horses. Miss Metoaca screamed.

  With a bound Goddard threw himself forward and grappled with the man,who knocked Nancy roughly to one side the better to tackle the Unionofficer. Reeling backward and forward, the two men fought locked in aclose embrace. The guerilla grasped an old pistol in his right hand,and tried desperately to use it; but Goddard kept its muzzle turnedskyward, and gradually forced the man's arm, folded, against theother's chest. Suddenly the guerilla tripped and stumbled backward,carrying Goddard down on top of him as he fell. A flash, a deafeningreport; the red-hot flame seared Goddard's face and forehead, and hesank into oblivion.

  Tucker, whose right arm dangled helpless by his side, tried desperatelyto rally his men. They had sought what shelter they could and werereturning the enemies' fire frantically.

  "Secure the prisoners!" he shouted again and again. "Then to horse!"

  Before his orders could be obeyed the Federals came crashing, boundingthrough the trees. The guerillas sent a volley into the advancing men;then turned and dashed for their horses. One moment of wild confusion,and they were in full flight, pursued by the cheering Federals. Tucker,seeing it was hopeless, dug spurs into his horse and raced after hismen.

  "Bob, Bob, where are you?" bellowed a stentorian voice, and a tallfigure came sprinting toward the camp fire.

  "Here," called Nancy. She was crouching by Goddard's body. CaptainGurley sped in the direction of her voice.

  "Nancy," he gasped. "Safe, thank God! But--where's Bob?"

  "Here," Nancy again bent over the motionless man. "I--I--am afraid heis dead." The hopeless misery of her voice was not noticed by Gurley,who had dropped on his knees beside Goddard.

  "'I--I--am afraid he is dead.'"]

  "This light may help you." Miss Metoaca reappeared on the scene with acandle in her hand. "The daylight is too dim in these woods to tellwhat is the matter with the major, so I went to get this candle out ofmy bag. Why, John, where did you drop from?"

  "Winchester," was the brief reply, as Gurley examined Goddard'scondition. "Belden, one of Colonel Young's spies, saw your capture. Hefollowed you some distance to discover which road you took, thenreturned to the cantonment and reported. I was ordered in pursuit, andbrought Belden with me. He knows this country by heart, so we were ableto steal up on the camp and surprise the guerillas."

  "It was splendidly done," declared Lloyd, who had silently approachedin time to hear Gurley's last remarks. "I cannot express my thanks andadmiration for your gallant rescue." Seeing Gurley's start of surpriseand suspicion, he hastened to add: "I am Captain George Lloyd, of theSecret Service"; then in another tone, "Is Bob badly hurt?"

  "Can't tell yet," grunted Gurley. Nancy was gently wiping thepowder-stained and bleeding face with some water which Symonds hadbrought her. "I think he is only stunned. Apparently the bullet did notpenetrate; these are only flesh wounds," touching Goddard's facetenderly. "The powder has burned off his eyebrows, too. Miss Metoaca,have you any clothes which I can use for bandages?"

  Without answering, the spinster hastened to her tent; she returned in afew moments with the necessary article and, pulling the edges of thewounds together, Gurley bandaged them as best he could.

  "Won't a sip of this do him good?" inquired Miss Metoaca, unscrewingthe stopper of a small flask. Lloyd forced some of the brandy downGoddard's throat. Quickly the stimulant took effect, and his eyelidsfluttered faintly.

  "He will come round all right," said Gurley, much relieved. "How sooncan you and Nancy be ready to start for Winchester, Miss Metoaca?"

  "We are ready now," was the prompt reply, "for we did not undress orunpack our bags last night."

  "Good. Then we will leave at once; for we must get back inside ourlines as quickly as possible. Mosby will hear of this skirmish, and maysend a superior force after us. By the way, Miss Metoaca, did you rideor drive from Stevenson's Depot?"

  "Drove in an open two-seated wagon."

  "In that case I will put Major Goddard in the wagon with you. And you,Captain Lloyd?"

  "If you will permit me, I will ride Major Goddard's mare; that is, ifshe hasn't been stampeded, or carried off by the guerillas. Symonds, myassistant, who drove the ladies, can surely drive them back."

  "All right." Gurley nodded curtly. "I see no objection to that plan.Will you assist the ladies in getting their belongings into the wagon?I must see if there are any casualties among our men. Orderly, stayhere with Major Goddard, and let me know instantly if he regainsconsciousness."

  The troopers were returning from their fruitless pursuit of theguerillas, and they congregated about the lieutenant, who was busyexamining the prisoners.

  "Nine prisoners, Captain," he reported, as Gurley strode up. "Wounded,but not badly enough to prevent their riding. Five guerillas werekilled, and three of our men. They are lying yonder," pointing to aclump of trees.

  "Were any of our men wounded?"

  "Three have flesh wounds--nothing serious."

  "Then bury the dead as quickly as you can...."

  "Is Major Goddard dead?" inquired the lieutenant anxiously, not waitingfor his superior to finish his sentence.

  "No, indeed," cheerily, "simply stunned by the explosion of an oldpistol before his face. Sergeant, take some men and carry Major Goddardover to that wagon standing by the roadside."

  Symonds had removed one of the long cushions belonging to the backwagon seat, and the men carefully lifted Goddard on it, and carried himas gently as possible and placed him in the wagon.

  "Sit here, Nancy," directed Gurley, "and hold on to Bob; otherwise I amafraid he will fall out."

  Nancy sprang into the wagon and made Goddard as comfortable as shecould. Miss Metoaca, who had been occupied in putting her luggage underthe seat, clambered into the vehicle and sat down by Symonds. The muleshad been hitched to the wagon by the sergeant and two troopers.

  "All ready, Miss Metoaca?" asked Gurley, tucking the laprobe around thespinster. "Bugler, sound 'Boots and Saddles.'"

  As the call ended man after man filed out into the path leading hishorse, and the ranks were rapidly formed by Sergeant Crane. A few swiftorders, and the troop started on their return trip to Winchester, thewagon, followed by the mounted prisoners, in their midst.