Part 18 (2/2)

”The consequences will be that I will foruilty of desertion, and shoot you dohere you stand

Coo down,” gru the article, he allowed it to slip to the floor, seeing which, his companion followed suit

”Now both of you hold your hands over your heads, while Captain Russell searches you for concealed weapons”

”We ain't got no concealed weapons”

”I didn't ask you to talk, I told you to hold up your hands”

With exceeding bad grace the two deserters, for such they really proved to be, held up their arh one pocket after another and felt in their boso native knife, such as are usually used in the rice-fields

”I suppose you do not call those concealed weapons,” was Major Morris's come belts The rascals' guns stood back of the door behind the commander of the first battalion

”It ain't fair to take everything away froan Yadder, when two shots, fired in rapid succession, cut him short The shots came from up the stream and not over fifty yards fro of voices, and all in the place knew that a band of rebels were approaching

”They are after so captain got no further, for just then there sounded a clatter on the outer steps, and a second later an American soldier burst into thelimply by his side, for he had been shot in the shoulder

”Alance about ”Thank God for that! The rebels are after ”

”He went up into the house!” ca dialect

”After him, men, the _Americano_ must not escape us!”

And then footsteps were heard around the house and on the stairs Ben and the ly What was to be done?

”The trap,” whispered the young captain ”If they coh that”

There was no ti up the stairs, shouting loudly for the escaped _Aive hi to separate in the darkness, and thinking to find the man alone

With quick wit Ben ran and placed the table against the door, and on this piled the bench

”Now the trap, and be quick!” he whispered, and Major Morris understood Flinging open the door in the floor he looked down, to behold the strea beneath

”Follow me--it's the best way out,” he said to the escaped prisoner

Then he dropped down, holding his pistols over his head, that they et wet

The woundedBy this ti lustily on the door which Ben was holding shut

”What are we to do?” demanded the older of the deserters ”Are you--”