Part 25 (2/2)

”Then if we can't find a boat along here somewhere, you'll have to stay or run off in the woods,” replied Al. ”It will be a long pull for me, but I'll try to swim the river before I'll give up getting to Glasgow.”

They made their way along the bank for some distance and presently, as luck would have it, came to a small row-boat pulled out on sh.o.r.e. They could find only one oar in it but they worked the boat down to the water, got in and shoved off. The rapid current carried them quickly away from the Arrow Rock bank and then, by vigorous paddling, Al succeeded finally in bringing the boat to the opposite sh.o.r.e a mile or so down stream. They stepped on land and pushed the boat out again to drift on down river.

”Now I know the country from here to Glasgow like a book,” said Al.

”I've been over it often with father. There's a road up here somewhere on the bluffs, and when we strike that we can keep on going, right into Glasgow. We'll have to hurry, though, for Clark's men will surely be crossing pretty soon now, and we must get ahead of them.”

It was now about eleven o'clock of the night of October 14, and the boys were on Arrow Rock Point, fourteen or fifteen miles from Glasgow. But at four the next morning, footsore and weary, they came to the picket post at the bridge on the Boonville road across Gregg's Creek, near the southern edge of town, and fifteen minutes later they were conducted into the presence of Colonel Chester Harding, Jr., who, with a detachment of his regiment, the Forty-third Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and a few militia and citizen guards, was holding the place.

”Where have you come from?” inquired Colonel Harding, as soon as they had introduced themselves.

”From Arrow Rock, sir,” answered Al, somewhat breathless in his eagerness. ”We were taken from a boat on the Missouri River early yesterday by guerillas and conveyed to Arrow Rock, where we were imprisoned; but we escaped last evening and have come here to tell you that Arrow Rock is occupied by Clark's brigade and part of Shelby's division, of Price's army, who intend to attack Glasgow to-day.”

Colonel Harding's face expressed surprise and concern.

”Are you sure of what you say?” he asked. ”Are the rebels at Arrow Rock part of Price's main army?”

”Yes, sir, they are,” Al a.s.sured him, positively. ”We were examined by General Clark himself, and we later learned from one of his men that they will attack Glasgow to-day. They are going to use artillery from the west bank of the river and troops on this side, with artillery, too, I suppose. They claim they will bring about four thousand men.”

Colonel Harding arose and walked the floor. ”If they do,” said he, ”I fear they will defeat us. I have expected to be attacked by bushwhackers, perhaps in large numbers, but not by Price's main column.

However, we will give them the best fight possible; and I thank you heartily for the information you have brought me. My troops are already bivouacked in battle positions, but I will warn them to be ready for immediate action.”

He put on his hat and started to the door, then turned back to Al. ”I see you are in civilian clothes,” he remarked. ”Do you want to fight if there is an engagement?”

”Indeed I do, sir,” replied Al, earnestly.

”Are you enlisted?”

”No, sir. I am not old enough.”

”That is unfortunate,” observed the Colonel. ”You know, according to the rules of civilized warfare, a man not regularly enlisted in the service of a belligerent is liable to be punished by death if he fights in battle and is captured. In case we should get the worst of this encounter, you see you may be in a bad way unless you are in the service.”

”I shall fight, Colonel, and take my chances,” replied Al, firmly. ”I can't stand by and see the Union flag fired upon without shooting back.”

”That is the right spirit, my boy,” said Colonel Harding. ”But be careful, and if you see things going against us, you had better try to get yourself away quietly.”

”I lived in Glasgow until two years ago, sir,” Al answered. ”I think I shall be able to manage in case of disaster. Can we get guns? Private Smith, here, is on sick furlough, and my revolver I hid in the boat when we were brought to sh.o.r.e by the guerillas.”

”Go to the court house and ask the ordnance officer,” said the Colonel.

”There are thousands of stands of arms there. Good luck to you.”

He turned and went out and the boys followed immediately, turning however, toward the court house. They were provided, Al with a musket and Wallace with a revolver, as he could use only his right hand. The silence of early morning was brooding over the town as they emerged from the court house, for the watchful troops around could do nothing but wait for the enemy's blow to fall. But as they paused on the sidewalk, the deep boom of a cannon resounded across the river, echoing back from the bluffs, and a second later a sh.e.l.l crashed into the side of a building about half a block away. They could hear the window gla.s.s spatter on the ground in a jingling shower.

”There goes Joe Shelby's opening gun, if that reb corporal was right,”

exclaimed Al. ”Come on!”

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