by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XVI
THE UNION MEETING AT BIG BEND
In the afternoon Levi Bedford had half the hands on the plantation atwork in and about the ice-house. Embrasures, or port-holes, were openedin the thick walls, one at each end and one on each side of the door, atthe proper height for the twelve-pounders, which were mounted on thecarriages, in order that everything should be correctly adjusted. Thenthe door which opened on the side next to the creek was filled up withstones taken from the quarry in the only hill on the plantation, so thatit was as thick and as solid as the rest of the walls. Then a new doorwas made on the opposite side.
By sundown the carpenter had completed and hung the double doors; andthey were secured with the heavy locks the colonel had purchased in thedays of the horse-thieves. All this work was not completed when nightcame, and four trusty men were selected to patrol the creek from thebridge down to the boat-pier, two serving till midnight, and the othertwo till morning.
"I think we shall be in condition to stand a siege by to-morrow night,"said the overseer, as he accompanied the planter and the boys to FortBedford, on the way to the schoolhouse at Big Bend.
"It looks so now," replied Mr. Lyon as he went into the building. "Youhave made remarkable progress for one day. But I want to open one ofthese boxes."
"Which one, Major?" asked Levi.
"The one which contains revolvers and cartridges, for some of thesmaller ones are labelled with the names of these articles. I hardlyexpect any trouble at the meeting to-night; but I think it its best tobe prepared for the worst. I have brought one of the colonel's pistolswith me; but I want to put the boys in condition to defend themselves,"added the planter.
"I think we can make good use of them, for we have had some experiencewith such tools," said Deck, who did not appear to be at all affected bythe serious nature of the preparations they were making.
"Where have you had any such experience, Dexter?" inquired his father.
"Tom Bartlett and Ben Mason had revolvers at the time of thehousebreaking scare in Derry, and Artie and I used to fire at a markwith them in the hill pasture," replied the enthusiastic boy. "Artieused to beat us all, and often put the ball through the centre of thetarget."
"Sometimes," suggested the other.
"Then you are both ahead of me, for I never fired a revolver or a pistolof any kind, though I used to go hunting with a fowling-piece when I wasa boy," added Mr. Lyon.
"Then I think you had better practise a little, Major," said Levi, as hepulled out one of the smaller boxes from the top of the pile of cases."This contains what you want, I reckon."
Deck brought the hatchet, and the case was opened. Most of the weaponswere navy revolvers, wrapped in oiled paper to save them from rust. Theywere closely packed in the case, the spare space being filled in withpackages of cartridges. They opened another box, and found half a dozenof smaller size, with the proper ammunition. The overseer selected twoof them, handing one to each of the boys, with a box of cartridges.
"I should like to try this little persuader," said Deck, as he openedthe box of ammunition, and proceeded to load the pistol.
Artie followed his example; and, setting up the cover of the case by thecreek, they blazed away at it till the chambers of the revolvers wereempty. They fired in turn, and the position of each bullet-hole wasnoted. Artie kept up his old reputation, for he hit near the centre ofthe board three times out of six. Deck fired the best shot, but hisothers were more scattering. They hit the board every time, and Levisaid they "would do."
Then Mr. Lyon tried his hand with the revolver he had brought from themansion; but his aim was less accurate than that of the boys. He putfour of his six balls into the board, three of them outside of thepunctures made by Deck and Artie.
"You will improve with more experience, Major; but I reckon you couldhit a bushwhacker if he wasn't more than ten feet from you; and thesetools generally come into use at short range. How were you going up toBig Bend, Major?"
"I thought we should walk," replied the planter; and he reloaded hisrevolver, as both of the boys had done by this time. "It is not morethan three-quarters of a mile."
"I think you had better go in the Magnolia, with the crew that pulled uslast night," suggested Levi. "If there should be any row at theschoolhouse, those boys will stand by you as long as there is anythingleft of you."
"I don't look for any row, Levi, but I suppose it is always best to beprepared for the worst," replied the planter. "You may send for thecrew."
One of the watchmen happened to be near at the time, and he wasdespatched for the boatmen who had formed the regular crew of theMagnolia in the time of the deceased planter.
"I suppose, if there should be any trouble at the schoolhouse, and Ishould be protected by my negroes, it would tend to aggravate the chargeagainst me of being an abolitionist; and that seems to be about theworst thing that can be said against a man in this county."
"But only among the border ruffians," the overseer amended thestatement. "The man that owns fifty niggers cannot decently be accusedof being an abolitionist. I advise you to go in the boat because theschoolhouse is right on the very bank of the river. The back windowsover the platform look out upon the water. If the bushwhackers come downupon you, and things go against you, it will be easy to get out by oneof these windows. A good general always keeps the line of retreat openbehind him when he goes into battle; and you had better have theMagnolia under one of these windows."
"Why, Levi, you talk as though you were about sure an attempt would bemade to break up the meeting," replied Mr. Lyon.
"To tell you the truth, I do feel almost sure of it," returned theoverseer. "Captain Titus, as they call him up in the village so as notto mix him up with Major Noah Lyon, was about mad enough yesterday to dosomething desperate. You say he has threatened you, and"--
"I did not say that, Levi," interposed the planter. "Don't make mybrother out any worse than he is, for conscience' sake."
"What did he say, then?"
"He told me the people on his side of the question would have mobbed mebefore this time if he had not prevented them from doing so."
"That's about the same thing. I don't like to say anything against yourbrother, Major, but I don't look on Captain Titus as a square man. Hewants to keep his own head covered up because you are his brother; but Ibelieve on my conscience that he would like to see your place burned tothe ground, and it wouldn't break his heart to see you hanging by theneck to one of the big trees."
Mr. Lyon realized that the overseer understood the character of Titusbetter than he had supposed. His brother was terribly disappointedbecause the colonel had not left Riverlawn to him; and he had chargedthe deceased with unfairness and injustice in making his will. He wascompelled to believe the claim of Titus that he had prevented theruffians from destroying his property was a pretence, and nothing more.His brother was not only disappointed but revengeful.
"It is generally understood about here that you called this Unionmeeting," continued Levi.
"I suggested it, for we ought to know who's who; and it remains to beseen how many will have the pluck to attend the meeting. Titus believesthat a large majority of the people in these parts are of his way ofthinking, while I believe that they are about two to one the other way,though most of them are afraid to do or say much, and I want to bringthem out if possible."
"You are right as to numbers, Major; and when a man is afraid that hishouse will be burned down over his head, or that he will get a bulletthrough his brains while he sits at his window, I don't much wonder thathe is not inclined to speak out loud, and these bushwhackers have had itall their own way. I hope you will be able to bring out the prudent andtimid ones."
"I talked the meeting over with others, and Colonel Cosgrove promised tocome up and help us out with a speech. We all agreed that it was time tomake a demonstration in favor of the Union," replied the planter as theboat's crew appeared on the ground.
"I should like to go with you. Major
, but I don't think it is safe toleave the place alone," said the overseer. "Whether the ruffians had awatch on the spring road last night or not, I don't know. We haven'theard anything of them during the day; but I should be willing to wagera pair of my old shoes they have found out by this time that the armsand ammunition placed in the cavern have taken to themselves wings, likeother riches, and flown away. If I am not much mistaken, Captain Titusfinds himself some thousands poorer to-day than he was a week ago."
"Do you believe they have discovered the loss so soon?"
"I haven't much doubt of it. Captain Titus keeps three horses, and itwas easy enough for him to send one of his boys over to the cavern tosee that the arms were all right. He has missed them by this time; andif we do our duty they won't shoot any bullets into the heads and heartsof the Union army. Of course Captain Titus and his gang are boiling overwith wrath. You won't see him at the meeting, perhaps; but there will beenough there to make a noise, if nothing more. I have been thinking ofthese things to-day, and that is the reason why I thought it best totake proper precautions."
"I am glad you have spoken out, Levi, for you have generally been veryreticent," replied Mr. Lyon, as he led the way to the boat-pier, wherethe crew had manned the boat.
"I couldn't say much while I believed your brother was at the bottom ofmost of the mischief," pleaded Levi.
The planter and the boys seated themselves in the stern sheets of theMagnolia. Deck took the tiller lines with the consent of his father, andGeneral was permitted to get under way as he pleased, giving all theorders in detail. None of the crew asked any questions, and in a shorttime Deck brought the boat up under one of the windows of theschoolhouse. Mr. Lyon charged General to keep the Magnolia just wherethey had placed her, and not to make any noise at all.
The building was already partly filled, and more were constantlyarriving. Before the appointed time Colonel Cosgrove descended from hiswagon at the door, and the planter welcomed him. At the hour named,Squire Truman, a young legal gentleman from a Northern county, who hadsettled in the village, called the meeting to order. It was said that hehad not a very flourishing practice, but he was regarded as a young manof more than average ability. He had the credit of being a ready andable speaker; and Mr. Lyon had invited him to open the assemblage with astatement of the situation in the county, especially in the vicinity ofBarcreek.
He was a decided and outspoken Union man. He began very moderately; butin a few minutes he became more earnest, and soon rose to the height ofeloquence. He was warmly applauded by the audience, though there weresome tokens of disapprobation, evidently proceeding from some of theindividuals whom Levi called "bushwhackers." Titus Lyon was not there,but some of his representatives had already manifested themselves. Thediscordant elements soon became more demonstrative as the speaker waxedeloquent. They made noise enough to disturb the equanimity of SquireTruman; and he switched off from his line of remark, and proceeded todress down the malcontents in the most vigorous language.
"I beg leave to inform those who are struggling to create a disturbance,that this is a Union meeting, called as such, and as such only," saidthe orator, shaking with indignation. "It was called for Union men only!It is a gathering of those who are loyal to the government atWashington, and not to decide between secession and fidelity to the oldflag. Those who are not Union men are respectfully requested to retirefrom the meeting."
This request brought forth a torrent of yells from the ruffians, thoughthere were apparently not more than a dozen of them. Squire Truman wasdefiant, and his handsome face looked as noble as that of a Romansenator.
"Has the time come when free speech in behalf of this glorious Union isto be put down?" And then the ruffians howled again. "Has it come tothis in the State of Kentucky, the second to be admitted into the Union?and, with the help of God and all honest men, she shall be the last toleave it! Are we men to be badgered and silenced by half a score ofblackguards and ruffians? I am one of half a dozen to put them out ofthe hall."
About a dozen rose from their seats, headed by Noah Lyon, and moved downthe aisles of the schoolroom.