Part 35 (2/2)

”Of course, I wanted to escape. So, after a while, I began to try my luck with the rope tied around my wrists. To my joy I found that I could move them. Half an hour later my wrists were free.

”I peered out of the window. It was a very dark night, and the guard set around the building was close and vigilant. I felt that my chances to escape were very small.

”Still, I determined to try. After listening many hours, I thought I learned the exact position of the sentries. The s.p.a.ces between them were very short, but it would be quite possible, I thought, to pa.s.s by them noiselessly and without being perceived. I may as well state that the watch would have been even more strict had not the Confederates regarded the struggle as virtually at an end, and were, therefore, less careful as to their prisoners than they would otherwise have been.

”I prepared for escape by tearing up the sheet on the bed, and knotting the strips into a rope. I opened the window, threw out this rope, and slipped down to the ground. So far I was safe.

”It was dark and foggy, and very difficult to see two feet in advance. I soon found that my observations as to the places of the sentries had been useless. Still, in the darkness and thickness of the night, I thought that the chance of detection was small.

”Creeping quietly and noiselessly along, I could hear the constant challenges of the sentries around me. These, excited by the unusual darkness of the night, were unusually vigilant.

”I approached until I was within a few yards of the line, and the voices of the men as they challenged enabled me to ascertain exactly the position of the sentries on the right and left of me. Pa.s.sing between these, I could see neither, although they were but a few paces on either hand. Suddenly I fell into a stream running across my path.

”Of course, in the darkness I had not observed it. At the sound of my falling there was an instant challenge. Then a shot was fired!”

”Oh! How thrilling!” exclaimed Helen.

Jack and Ned laughed.

”Well,” resumed Captain Dennis, ”I struggled across the stream, and clambered out on the opposite side. As I did so, a number of muskets were fired in my direction by soldiers who had rushed up to the point of alarm. I felt a sharp, twitching pain in my shoulder, and I knew that I had been hit. But fortunately the other shots fired whizzed harmlessly by. At top speed I ran forward.

”I was safe from pursuit, for in the darkness it would have been absolutely impossible to follow me. So, in a few moments, I ceased running. What was the use of taking chances? All was quiet behind me, but I could no longer tell in what direction I was advancing.

”So long as I heard the shouts of the sentries, though the sounds seemed far off, I continued my way; and then, all guidance being lost, I lay down under a hedge and waited for morning.”

”Oh, dear!” Helen cried sympathetically, ”did you have to sleep in that cold, moist night?”

”Quite so,” replied Captain Dennis, smiling good-humoredly; ”and in the morning it was still foggy. After wandering aimlessly about for some time I at last succeeded in striking a road. I decided to take a westerly course.

”My shoulder was stiff and somewhat swollen. But the bullet had pa.s.sed through its fleshy part, missing the bone; and although it cost much pain I was able, by wrapping my arm tightly to my body, to proceed. More than once I had to withdraw from the road into the fields or bushes when I heard a straggling number of Confederates coming along.

”I came upon a house, and although I was hungry and tired, I was cautious. Instead of going to the door I made for the window. But I had my trouble for nothing. I looked in and saw a number of Confederate soldiers there, and knew that there was no safety for me. To add to my dismay, one of the soldiers happened to cast his eyes up as I glanced in the room and he at once gave a shout of warning.

”Instantly the others sprang to their feet and started out to pursue me.

I fled down the road. A few shots were fired, but fortunately I was not hit again.

”At last I came to a small village. I wondered why I had not reached my camp. But you must remember that I was attached to a small number of men only, and that we always were many miles ahead or in the rear of the army, as occasion called for.

”The village was deserted, for it was late at night again. I made myself comfortable in a sort of stable warehouse, climbing over a number of bales of cotton, and laid myself down next to the wall, secure from casual observation.

”When I awoke the next morning, I nearly uttered a cry of pain a sudden movement had given to my arm. I, however, suppressed it, and it was well that I did so, for I suddenly heard voices right near me. Darkies were moving bales of cotton but, being well back, I had little fear of being discovered.

”The hours pa.s.sed wearily. I was parched and feverish from pain of my wound. Yet I was afraid to move. So I sometimes dozed off into s.n.a.t.c.hes of fitful sleep. Perhaps I moaned, or I was accidentally discovered. At all events, when I awoke a mammy was bending over me, her voice fully of pity. And--well, to make a long story short, I had blundered again, for the village was being occupied by the Federals, and the cotton the darkies had been taking away was going North. There is no need to add that I was well fed and well taken care of.”

Captain Dennis paused, and thoughtfully smoked his pipe. His little audience sat very quietly, their eager faces and s.h.i.+ning eyes plainly showing their rapt interest in the modestly told story.

”Well, well,” said Captain Dennis, at last breaking the silence, ”some day you, Jack and you Ned will be able to tell very many far more thrilling stories.”

<script>