Part 28 (1/2)

”Aim low,” he presently heard Buck say. ”The only way to end it is to hit some of 'em.”

”I wish we had an American flag to run up,” thought Ted, as the next volley was fired.

A moment later he forgot this aspiration, as a cry of pain was heard from the slackers' covert.

”Somebody's. .h.i.t!” cried Peters gaily.

Buck chuckled. Jones laughed aloud. Intense excitement reigned, mingled with a fierce exultation which Ted, as he realized afterward, fully shared.

The three white men and the negro fired again, and were raising their guns once more when Buck suddenly called a halt.

”Hold on,” he said. ”Looks like they've quit. And if they have, we'll quit, too.”

All listened intently and looked cautiously forth. There were now no answering shots. It was evident that the slackers had either ”quit” or, as Peters suggested, were ”hatching some mischief.”

While keeping a wary eye on the open woods behind them, the watchful listeners waited for some sign from the silenced ”fort,” and presently it came. A white handkerchief rose on the end of a stick and fluttered above the clump of palmettos.

”h.e.l.lo, there!” shouted Buck. ”Is that you, Jenkins? It's got to be Jenkins, or we won't trust you.”

”It's me,” they heard the voice of Jenkins, rather fainter than it had been during the previous parley. ”It's all over, Hardy. You've got us.

James and Thatcher have run--they're in the boats and gone by this time.

n.o.body here but me and Carter.”

”Step out, then, and stack your guns.”

”We're both hit, but I reckon we can do that much.”

Jenkins came out of cover, limping, and stood his gun against the tree.

Behind him came Carter, dragging his gun with one hand, his other arm hanging limp at his side.

”I reckon it's all right,” said Buck. ”But, July, you stay here and keep them boys till we make sure.”

Then the three white men, holding their guns in readiness, walked across the open to investigate. Left alone with the boys, July suddenly began to laugh with all the abandon of the happiest of darkies.

”Dat sho was a grand fight,” he a.s.sured the boys. ”An' what you reckon, Cap'n Ted? Atter I shot once I wasn't scared. I des 'joyed myself shootin' at dem slackers an' list'nin' to de bullets rattlin' round us in dese permeters. I wouldn't 'a' believed it. I sho is a 'stonished n.i.g.g.e.r dis mawnin'.”

July laughed ecstatically, and before the amused and pleased boys had spoken he continued:

”Look yuh, Cap'n Ted, maybe I won't haf to have des a cook's job in de army. Maybe I'd 'joy myself mo' still shootin' at dem Germans out o' one o' dem holes in de ground. If dey want to try me, I's willin'--I don'

care how soon de Gov'ment put a rifle in my hands an' sick me on dem Germans!”

Then the grinning negro gave vent to his feelings in a prodigious and joyful yell--a sort of war whoop in advance.

”July, this is simply _great_!” cried Ted, full of enthusiasm as he beheld a soldier born for Uncle Sam in the most unexpected quarter. ”And I'm not so very much surprised either; for I have heard old army men say that a great many good soldiers are afraid at first.”

Then they heard Buck's shout that everything was ”all right,” and the two boys and the negro raced eagerly across the intervening s.p.a.ce.