Part 27 (1/2)

”What do you want?” demanded the Sergeant, gruffly, as the Confederate reached him. ”Be quick, or we'll open fire again.”

”Your commander has surrendered the city and garrison, Sergeant,”

replied the Confederate, who wore the insignia of a major on his coat collar. ”You are prisoners of war. You have made a very gallant defence.

Permit me to congratulate you.”

”Surrendered?” cried the Sergeant, in utter amazement. ”Man alive, we haven't begun to fight! We'll show you whether we've surrendered. Get back to your lines, sir, before we fire!”

He stepped into the house to slam the door in the Major's face, but the latter raised his hand with a gesture of authority.

”Just a moment,” he said, soothingly. ”I tell you the truth. Colonel Harding has surrendered. We have broken through your lines on the north and east of the city. There was nothing else for him to do.”

The Sergeant's face was purple with rage.

”Well, I'll be--” he began, but he was interrupted by the entrance of his own Captain, who laid a restraining hand on his arm.

”Frank, it's all over,” exclaimed the Captain, in a broken voice. ”We've surrendered, Frank.”

He dropped his hand with a despairing gesture, and two big tears rolled from his eyes and coursed down his cheeks into his long, black beard.

Then he straightened up and flashed an indignant glance at the Confederate officer.

”At all events, sir,” he exclaimed, ”you did not break through my line.”

The Confederate bowed his head gravely.

”No, sir;” he replied, ”we did not. You have fought n.o.bly, splendidly, against superior numbers. The whole garrison has covered itself with honor.”

The Captain seemed to be struck by his antagonist's politeness.

”Anyway,” said he, ”it is not so hard to surrender to a gentleman.”

”Thank you, sir,” the other answered. ”Courage deserves at least the meed of praise. And now you will please be good enough to a.s.semble your company from these various buildings and march them, under arms, to the vicinity of the court house. The building was fired by your men before we got in and it is now burning, but the formal surrender will occur as near to it as possible.”

CHAPTER XIX

REUNITED

Al waited to hear no more, but slipped through a convenient doorway and out into the kitchen. He was just going to the cellar door when he heard Wallace's voice behind him.

”I'm going to stay with you, Al,” he said. ”Where shall we hide?”

Al turned like a flash and caught his friend by the shoulder.

”No, you don't, now, old fellow!” he exclaimed. ”I'm outlawed, and you 're not going to put yourself deliberately in the same fix; no, indeed!

You're going out and surrender with the rest of the garrison; and no doubt the whole lot of you will soon be paroled, for I don't believe the rebs will want to carry a crowd of prisoners very far.”

”Well, I'm going to stay with you, anyhow,” persisted Wallace, doggedly.