by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIII
THE PARTY ATTACKED IN THE CROSS-CUT
Deck Lyon could not imagine any possible use that could be made of thehorses in charge of the boys, and it was not probable that those in careof them could afford him any information on the subject. It was evidentthat some new movement was contemplated, and it looked as though thecommander of the forces intended to chase the ruffians with mounted men.
"Where is my father, Frank?" asked Deck.
"He's down the road with the rest of them; but I reckon they are allmarching back to the bridge," replied the coachman.
"What are you going to do with all these horses?" asked Deck, as hebegan to move on.
"Dunno, Mars'r Deck, what they are for; but Mars'r Lyon sent us forthem."
Frank knew nothing about the use to which the horses were to be put, andDeck continued on his way over the bridge. The fire from the blazingboards in front of Fort Bedford sent some of the light across the creek;but it did not reveal the presence of the defenders of the plantation,and the messenger could not see anything of the force. It could not befar away, and he continued to advance.
Just beyond the bridge he met a wagon coming towards him. When it camenear enough for him to see it in the gloom, he found that it belonged tothe plantation. Three men sat on the front seat, and were chattering ata lively rate as they drew near.
"Who is driving that team?" demanded Deck.
"Me, Mars'r Deck," replied the man who held the reins.
"Who's me?"
"Clinker, sar, wid Bitts and Filly," replied the driver, who was theblacksmith of the estate.
"What are you doing with the wagon over here?"
"Cart'n' off de wounded, mars'r."
"How many have you?"
"On'y two, sar."
These were the ruffians, doubtless, who had fallen when the volley wasfired at the beginning of the affair.
"You haven't got them all, then," added Deck. "There is another oppositethe fort, near a big tree, who was hit by Levi, firing from the otherside of the creek."
"We go for him when we done unload dese we got," said Clinker.
"Can you tell me where my father and the rest of them are?" inquiredDeck, who could see nothing of the main body.
"In de grove, Mars'r Deck. Wen de ruff'ns done runned off dat way Mars'rBelt'orpe lead de sodjers arter 'em."
Deck was afraid he might not find his father before morning if theypursued the retreating ruffians in that direction; for they would haveto follow the river, when they reached it, about ten miles before theycould come to a bridge by which they could cross. But he had a mission,and he bravely fought against the fatigue and sleepiness that beset him,and struck into the grove by a road some distance below the bridge overthe creek.
He had not gone twenty rods in the gloom of the wood before he heard thesound of voices and the tramp of footsteps ahead of him, and he wasconfident the force was returning to the plantation. He soon confrontedthe little column, and placed himself by the side of the commander, whowas leading the way.
"Levi sent me over to report what we have been doing," said he.
"I heard the report of one of your guns, and I concluded that you hadwork on your hands," replied Colonel Belthorpe, without slacking hisspeed or halting to listen to the report.
"Not much work, Colonel. The ruffians were building a raft at the pileof logs, and we fired over their heads, as ordered. The big branch of atree came down, and all the men on the raft and near them ran into thewoods. The road is all clear of them, and they are not going home by theRapids Bridge."
"No, the villains!" exclaimed the commander. "They have other businesson their hands. I am afraid we have been too tender with them."
"One thing more, Colonel, and I have done," continued Deck. "When theruffians retreated before your fire, those who had guns stationedthemselves behind the trees and began to fire at you. Then we threeopened upon them with the rifles, and when Levi fired a man dropped.After that we saw nothing more of them."
"All right, my boy," added the colonel, hurrying his march. "I thoughtthe villains were only making a detour, intending to reach the RapidsBridge; but I find they are marching in the direction of my plantation."
Colonel Cosgrove and Major Lyon had been called forward to listen to thereport of Deck, and it was decided that, so far as Riverlawn wasconcerned, the battle had been fought and won, inasmuch as the enemy hadbeen driven away. By the time the report was finished and the resultannounced, the force had reached the bridge.
"Where are you going now, Clinker?" asked Major Lyon, when the wagonreturned from the hospital, as the small building set apart for the sickof the plantation hands was called, and appeared on the bridge.
"Mars'r Deck done tell me a man dropped behind a tree down de creek, andI'm gwine for him," replied the blacksmith.
"Go over and get the small wagon for that; we want this one," added theplanter.
"Where are you going, father?" asked Deck, who saw that some expeditionwas in preparation.
"We are satisfied that the ruffians are going over to ColonelBelthorpe's plantation, to do there what they intended to do here, andwe mean to get there before they do," replied Major Lyon. "We believethat everything here is safe for the present."
The party crossed the bridge and came to the saddle horses. By this timeall the men on the plantation who had not before been called for dutyhad assembled by the horses, and the four white men mounted at once. Thebreech-loaders were provided with straps, and had been suspended at thebacks of those who used them. Eight of the men who had already seenservice were mounted and seven more were put into the wagon, providedwith weapons which had been sent for.
"Filly!" called Major Lyon, addressing a mulatto who had the reputationof being a very intelligent fellow, "you will go to the fort and tellLevi we are going over to Lyndhall, for we are sure the ruffians mean toburn the house. Take the rest of the hands here with you, and tell himto keep a close watch over the place. I shall take Dexter with me."
The rest of the party had already ridden off at full gallop, fearfulthat they might be too late to protect the colonel's property.
"But I have no horse, father," said Deck, who had heard the planter tellFilly that he should take him with him.
"You will go in the wagon," replied his father. "I see that you aregaping, and you must be very tired. Get in; the body is filled with hay,and it will give you a chance to get rested."
Deck did not like the arrangement very well, tired as he was, but heobeyed the order. The negroes made way for him, and fixed him a niceplace to lie down in the wagon. He dropped asleep almost instantly, forhe had been up all the night before, and had worked hard and beenintensely excited since he left his bed just before noon.
Major Lyon had his late brother's favorite animal, a blood horse thathad won a small fortune for his master in the races, and he soonovertook the advance of the party. The wagon could not keep up with him,and was soon left far behind.
Near the east end of the Rapids Bridge over the river was a localitycalled the "Cross Roads," where four highways came together. At thispoint the one from the county town passing through Barcreek villagecrossed the stream. Another road branched off here, leading up thecreek, from which the private way over the bridge led to Major Lyon'smansion. It continued half a mile farther up the creek, and then turnedto the north-east. This was called the "New Road," and upon it, threemiles from the creek bridge, was the plantation of Colonel Belthorpe.
From the Cross Roads also extended what was called the "Old Road," whichwas laid out nearer to the great river; and six miles distant by thelater-built highway the two came together, though it was over eight bythe older one. About half a mile of the new road was on the bank of BarCreek, and upon it had transpired most of the events related.
The ruffians had been driven down this road towards Rapids Bridge. Theyhad taken to the woods between the two highways; and by sending out thevillage lawyer to reconnoitre, Colonel Belthorpe had discove
red that theenemy were marching, not to the bridge, but up the old road, which wouldtake them, after a three miles' walk, to a point near his plantation,where they could easily cross to the new road. The distance by the newroad was a mile less than by the other, and the fleet horses would carrythe party to Lyndhall in abundant season to confront the marauders.
"I don't believe the villains can get there before we do," said ColonelBelthorpe, as Major Lyon galloped his horse to his side. "If I hadanticipated the events of to-night, I should have been prepared forthem. My overseer is not a Union man, and I am afraid he will not do hisduty. My place is not so well situated for a defence as yours, Major."
"I believe we have force enough to drive the ruffians again, for theydon't like the smell of gun-powder any better than other bullies,"replied the Riverlawn planter.
"My son Tom is at home, and my nephew, Major Gadbury, is visiting atLyndhall. But all of them, including my two daughters, have gone to aparty at Rock Lodge. I suppose you know the place, Major?"
"Not by that name."
"It is over on the old road, close by Rock Hill, from which it takes itsname. You must have met Captain Carms."
"I have met him, and we have called upon him, but I never heard the nameof his place before."
"Just at the foot of Rock Hill there is a cart-path connecting the tworoads, and the ruffians may come through by that passage, though it isvery rough. Most of our stone comes from the quarry there, and the teamsmake bad work with the roads."
"The enemy can't be a great way behind us by this time," suggested MajorLyon.
"We haven't wasted any time, and it is some distance they had to travelround by the Cross Roads," replied the colonel, as he urged his steed togreater speed.
Though the road was anything but a smooth one, Deck Lyon slept like alog on the hay. His dusky companions did not speak a loud word for fearof waking him. Nearly half an hour after the horsemen had passed it, thewagon was approaching the cross-cut between the two roads at Rock Hill.Clinker the blacksmith, who had been excused from ambulance duty andanother put in his place, was driving the horses.
"Cristofus! Wat's dat?" he exclaimed, as two very distinct femalescreams struck his ears, and he set his team into a dead run.
"'Pears like it's women screeching," replied Mose, who was by his sideon the front seat. "Dar's trouble dar!"
"I reckon do screeches comed out'n de cross-cut," added Clinker.
The screams were repeated several times, and as the wagon passed thehill the sounds of an encounter were heard. It was evident that a fightof some kind was in progress, and the men in the wagon unslung theirbreech-loaders ready for action; for they came to the conclusion at oncethat the ruffians were at the bottom of it. No shots were heard, and itdid not appear that the marauders were armed.
"I reckon we mus' woke Mars'r Deck," said Clinker, as he reined in hishorses at the cross-cut.
One of the men at his side shook the tired boy, and he sprang to hisfeet; for doubtless he was dreaming of the events of the night. Clinkerexplained the situation in as few words as his vocabulary would permit.Deck seized his musket and leaped from the wagon, followed by all butthe driver, who drove the horses to a tree and fastened them there.
Deck ran with all his might into the passage, and presently came to aroad wagon which had been "held up" by a gang of the ruffians. Heordered his six followers to have their arms ready, but not to fire tillhe gave them the word. With his revolver in his hand, which was a moreconvenient weapon than the gun, he rushed into the midst of the fight.The party attacked were the nephew and son of Colonel Belthorpe, withhis two daughters, who had been to the party at Rock Lodge.