THE DEATH BITE.
"Well, Ed, let us hear from you to-night. You are always talking ofstrategy, flanks, and other soldiering knickknacks. Now tell us astory."
The boys drew their chairs about the roaring fire, which cast its ruddyglow about the room, while without the north wind held revelry in thebranches of the trees.
Ed looked over the top of his paper, and smiled.
"What's that you say, Bib? I can't tell much of a story."
Ed drew his chair to the fire. A chorus of supplications came from allparts of the room, and Ed laid aside his paper.
"In the early spring of 1863 we were encamped near the Pamunky River,about the time they were undermining the enemy's fort on the other sideof the river. One rainy night a party of us were formed and marchedout. It was well known the enemy was not far off, and I felt anythingbut pleasant. The rain poured down in a deluge, and we picked our waythrough the woods by the blinding flashes of lightning which now andthen illumined the forest. The heavy rains had transformed the groundinto a swamp. Near the edge of the forest we halted and separated insquads of five.
"By good luck I had charge of one squad. From under our overcoats wedrew our spades and waited for the rain to slack.
"'Now, Ed,' said the lieutenant, 'you take your men and select a spotand dig a rifle pit, and if anything comes in your way bang away at it,for things are getting hot.'
"A few minutes more and the lieutenant and his party were gone. Betweentwo huge trees we began to dig, and in a few hours we had finished ourpit. The boys tumbled in and all were soon asleep, except Barry; he wasa down-Easter and had been through most of the campaigns.
"The rain ceased falling, and no sound reached us save the patteringraindrops as the wind dislodged them from the trees.
"I had scarcely taken forty winks, when Barry poked me in the ribs. Iawoke immediately.
"'Look there!' he whispered.
"I looked over the pit and saw a small light swaying to and fro. Ithought at first it was a will-o'-the-wisp.
"'Will I fire at it?' asked Barry.
"'You know your orders, don't you?' I replied. 'Let us both fire atit.' Both of our muskets were shoved over the top of the pit, andtaking a hasty aim, we fired.
"A loud yell followed the reports, and we saw the light fly upwardand fall to the ground; then all was darkness, and the same quietnessreturned.
"'I wonder is he dead?' was the question that arose; and then the boysreturned to their corners and slumbered on.
"Soon the faint gray streaks of morning began to light up the east; andas I felt very thirsty I took my canteen, and clambered out of the pit,and started off. A few minutes' walk brought me to a small creek, and Ifilled my canteen and stooped to drink. The snapping of a twig causedme to look up; and my hair fairly raised, for not two yards from mestood a powerful man dressed in gray; he had pistols, a musket and anugly-looking toothpick. A low chuckle came from his lips, and I gavemyself up for lost, as I had not even so much as a penknife with me. Inmy eagerness to get water I forgot all. The Confederate seemed to readme through, for he said:
"'Well, Yank, have you got enough water?'
"I managed to say 'Yes'.
"'Well,' he said, 'get away from here, and think yourself lucky.'
"It did not take me long to get away from that spot. Then I noticed,for the first time, that our pit was dug on the top of a little hill.A few yards off on the other side of the creek stood a large barn.I could see forms walking about from where I now stood. The man Ihad met walked toward the barn. The boys in the pit saw him, and themuzzles of their guns frowned over the top in a minute. At that momenta detachment of men came to relieve us. They had hardly reached us,when from behind the barn a party of soldiers hove in sight, dragginga small fieldpiece, and in a moment more a crashing iron ball cametearing in our midst. With whoops and yells the enemy dashed on ourlittle party, and we were soon engaged hand to hand. I felt myselfhurled to the ground and a hand tightening about my throat. Then thefear of death stole upon me, and the strength of a Hercules tookpossession of my limbs. I turned my assailant over and placed my kneeon his breast.
"In vain I looked about for something to put an end to the strugglingman whom I held, but could find nothing. In his belt I saw the handleof a knife. I seized it with one hand, but in doing so my grasp relaxedupon his throat, and before I could prevent it he had my finger in hismouth, and his teeth closed upon it. I fairly howled with pain anddrove the knife into his heart several times. His jaws grew rigid indeath and his teeth cut slowly to the bone and partly bit that, too.How I yelled! If it had been taken off at once the pain would have beennothing, but being bitten slowly off was intense. I had to pry open hisjaws with the knife to get my finger out of his mouth."
Ed paused and the boys crowded about him, and the second finger wasminus an inch. We all dispersed that night thinking there has been manyan adventure that befell the brave boys of which the public will neverknow anything.
Motor Matt's Double Trouble; or, The Last of the Hoodoo Page 19