CHAPTER VI
TESTS OF COURAGE
Harry did not know how the woods had been set on fire, and he neverknew. He did not credit it to the intent of Michael and his comrades,but he thought it likely that some of these men, ignorant of theforest, had built a campfire. His first thought was of himself, andhis second was regret that so fine a stretch of timber should be burnedover for nothing.
But he knew that he must hurry. Nor could he choose his way. He mustget out of that forest even if he ran directly into the middle of aUnion brigade. The wind was bringing the fire fast. It leaped fromone tree to another, despite the recent rains, gathering volume andpower as it came. Sparks flew in showers, and fragments of burnedtwigs rained down. Twice Harry's face was scorched lightly and he had afear that one of the blazing twigs would set his hair on fire. He madeanother effort, and ran a little faster, knowing full well that hislife was at stake.
The fire was like a huge beast, and it reached out threatening redclaws to catch him. He was like primeval man, fleeing from one of thevast monsters, now happily gone from the earth. He was conscious soonthat another not far from him was running in the same way, a man in afaded blue uniform who had dropped his rifle in the rapidity of hisflight.
Harry kept one eye on him but the stranger did not see him until theywere nearly out of the wood. Then Harry, with a clear purpose in view,veered toward him. He saw that they would escape from the fire. Openfields showed not far ahead, and while the sparks were numerous andsometimes scorched, the roaring red monster behind them would soon beat the end of his race. He could not follow them into the open fields.
When the two emerged from the forest Harry was not more than fifteenfeet from the stranger, who evidently took him for a friend and who wasglad to have a comrade at such a time. They raced across fields inwhich the wheat had been cut, and then sank down four or five hundredyards from the fire, which was crackling and roaring in the woods withgreat violence, and sending up leaping flames.
"I was glad enough to get out of that. Do you think the rebels set iton fire?"
"I don't think so, but I was as pleased as you to escape from it, Mr.Haskell."
"Why, how did you know my name?" exclaimed the man in wonder.
"Why should I forget you? I've seen you often enough. Your name isJohn Haskell and you belong to the Fifth Pennsylvania."
"That's right, but I don't seem to recall you."
"It takes a lot of us some time to clear up our minds wholly after sucha battle as Gettysburg. In some ways I've been in a sort of confusedstate myself. I dare say you've seen me often enough."
"That's likely."
"Pity you had your horse shot under you, Mr. Haskell. A man who iscarrying important messages at a time like this can't do very wellwithout his horse."
"How did you know I'd lost my horse?"
"Oh, I'm a mind reader. I can tell you a lot now. You carry yourdispatch in the left-hand pocket of your waistcoat, just over yourheart. And it hasn't been long, either, since you lost your horse,perhaps not more than an hour."
Haskell stared at him, but Harry's face was innocent. Nevertheless hehad read Haskell's name and regiment on his canteen, cut there with hisown knife. It was a mere guess that he was a dispatch bearer, but hehad located the dispatch, because at the mention of the word "message"the man's hand had involuntarily gone to his left breast to see if thedispatch were still there. Boots with little dirt on them indicatedthat he had been riding.
"A mind reader!" said Haskell, with suspicion. "What business has amind reader in this war?"
"He could be of enormous value. If he were a real mind reader he couldtell his general exactly what the opposing general intended to do. I'memployed at a gigantic salary for that particular purpose."
"I guess you're trying to be funny. Why do you carry both a rifle anda shotgun?"
"In order to hit the target with one, if the other misses. I alwaysuse the rifle first, because if the bullet doesn't get home theshotgun, spreading its charge over a much wider area, is likely to dosomething."
"Now I know you're trying to be funny. As I'm going about my businessas fast as I can, I'll leave you here."
"I like you so well that I can't bear to see you go. Don't move. Myrifle covers your heart exactly and you are not more than ten feetaway. I shall have no possible need of the shotgun. Keep your handsaway from your belt. You're in a dangerous position, Mr. Haskell."
"I believe you're an infernal rebel."
"Take out the objectionable adjective 'infernal' and you're right. Keepthose hands still, I tell you."
"What do you want?"
"Your dispatches! Oh, I must have 'em. Unbutton your coat andwaistcoat and hand 'em to me at once. I hate to take human life, butwar demands a terrible service, and I mean what I say!"
His voice rang with determination. The man slowly unbuttoned hiswaistcoat and took out a folded dispatch.
"Put it on the ground in front of you. That's right, and don't youreach for it again. Now, lay your canteen beside it!"
"What in thunder do you want with my canteen? It's empty!"
"I can fill it again. This is a well watered country. That's right;put it beside the dispatch. Now you walk about one hundred yards tothe right with your back to me. If you look around at all I fire, andI'm a good marksman. Stand there ten minutes, and then you can moveon! That's right! Now march!"
The man walked away slowly and when he had gone about half the distanceHarry, picking up the dispatch, took flight again across the fields.Climbing a fence, he looked back and saw the figure of John Haskell,standing motionless on a hill. He knew that the man was not likely toremain in that position more than half the allotted time. It wascertain that he would soon turn, despite the risk, but Harry wasalready beyond his reach.
He leaped from the fence, crossed another field and entered a wood.There he paused among the trees and saw Haskell returning. But when hehad come a little distance, he shook his head doubtfully, and thenwalked toward the north.
"A counsel of wisdom," chuckled Harry, who was going in quite anotherdirection. "I think I'll read my dispatch now."
He opened it and blessed his luck. It was from Meade to Pleasanton,directing him to cut in with all the cavalry he could gather on theenemy's flank. The Potomac was in great flood and the Army of NorthernVirginia could not possibly cross. If it were harried to the utmost bythe Union cavalry the task of destroying it would be much easier.
"So it would," said Harry to himself. "But Pleasanton won't get thisdispatch. Providence has not deserted me yet; and it's true thatfortune favors the brave. I'm John Haskell of the Fifth Pennsylvaniaand I can prove it."
He had put the canteen over his shoulder and the name upon it was apowerful witness in his favor. The dispatch itself was another, andhis faded uniform told nothing.
Harry had passed through so much that a reckless spirit was growingupon him, and he had succeeded in so much that he believed he wouldcontinue to succeed. Regretfully he threw the shotgun away, as itwould not appear natural for a messenger to carry it and a rifle too.
He went forward boldly now, and, when an hour later he saw a detachmentof Union cavalry in a road, he took no measures to avoid them. Insteadhe went directly toward the horsemen and hailed them in a loud voice.They stopped and their leader, a captain, looked inquiringly at Harry,who was approaching rapidly.
Harry held up both hands as a sign that he was a friend, and called ina loud voice:
"I want a horse! And at once, if you please, sir!"
He had noticed that three led horses with empty saddles, probably theresult of a brush with the enemy, and he meant to be astride one ofthem within a few minutes.
"You're a cool one," said the captain. "You come walking across thefield, and without a word of explanation you say you want a horse.Don't you want a carriage too?"
"I don't need it. But I must have a horse, Captain. I ride with amessage and it must be o
f great importance because I was told to gowith it at all speed and risk my life for it. I've risked my lifealready. My horse was shot by a band of rebels, but luckily it was inthe woods and I escaped on foot."
As he spoke he craftily moved the canteen around until the inscriptionshowed clearly in the bright sunlight. The quick eyes of the captaincaught it at once.
"You do belong to the Fifth Pennsylvania," he said. "Well, you're along way from your regiment. It's back of that low mountain overthere, a full forty miles from here, I should say."
Harry felt a throb of relief. It was his only fear that these menthemselves should belong to the Fifth Pennsylvania, a long chance, butif it should happen to go against him, fatal to all his plans.
"I don't want to join my regiment," he said. "I'm looking for GeneralPleasanton."
"General Pleasanton! What can you happen to want with him?"
Harry gave the officer a wary and suspicious look, and then his eyesbrightened as if he were satisfied.
"I told you I was riding with a message," he said, "and that message isfor General Pleasanton. It's from General Meade himself and it's noharm for me to show it to so good a patriot as you."
"No, I think not," said the captain, flattered by the proof of respectand confidence.
Harry took the letter from his pocket. It had been sealed at first,but the warmth of the original bearer's body with a little help fromHarry later had caused it to come open.
"Look at that," said Harry proudly as he took out the paper.
The captain read it, and was mightily impressed. He was, as Harry hadsurmised, a thoroughly staunch supporter of the Union. He would notonly furnish this valiant messenger with a good horse, but he wouldhelp him otherwise on his way.
"Dexter," he called to an orderly, "bring the sorrel mare. She wasridden by a good man, Mr. Haskell, but he met a sharpshooter's bullet.Jump up."
Harry sprang into the saddle, and, astride such a fine piece ofhorseflesh, he foresaw a speedy arrival in the camp of General Lee.
"I'll not only mount you," said the captain, "but we'll see you on theway. General Pleasanton is on Lee's left flank and, as our course isin that direction, we'll ride with you, and protect you from strayrebel sharpshooters."
Harry could have shouted aloud in anger and disappointment. While thecaptain trusted him fully, he would not be much more than a prisoner,nevertheless.
"Thank you very much, Captain," he said, "but you needn't troubleyourself about me. Perhaps I'd better go on ahead. One rides fasteralone."
"Don't be afraid that we'll hold you back," said the captain, smiling."We're one of the hardest riding detachments in General Pleasanton'swhole cavalry corps, and we won't delay you a second. On the contrary,we know the road so well that we'll save you wandering about and losingtime."
Harry did not dare to say more. And so Providence, which had beenwatching over him so well, had decided now to leave him and watch overthe other fellow. But he had at least one consolation. Pleasanton wason Lee's flank and their ride did not turn him from the line of histrue objective. Every beat of his horse's hoofs would bring him nearerto Lee. Invincible youth was invincibly in the saddle again, and hesaid confidently to the captain:
"Let's start."
"All right. You keep by my side, Haskell. You appear to be brave andintelligent and I want to ask you questions."
The tone, though well meant, was patronizing, but Harry did not resentit.
"This troop is made up of Massachusetts men, and I'm from Massachusettstoo," continued the captain. "My name is Lester, and I had justgraduated from Harvard when the war began."
"Good stock up there in Massachusetts," said Harry boldly, "but I'veone objection to you."
"What's that?"
"Everything wonderful in our history was done by you. No chance wasleft for anybody else."
"Well, not everything, but almost everything. Good old Massachusetts!As Webster said, 'There she stands!'"
"It was mostly New York and Pennsylvania that stood at Gettysburg."
"Yes, you did very well there."
"Don't you think, Captain, that a nation or a state is often lucky inits possession of writers?"
"I don't catch your drift exactly."
"I'll make an illustration. I've often wondered what were the Persianaccounts of Marathon and Thermopylae, of Salamis and Plataea. Now mostof our history has been written by Massachusetts men."
"And you insinuate that they have glorified my state unduly?"
"The expression is a trifle severe. Let's say that they have dwelledrather long upon the achievements of Massachusetts and not so long uponthose of New York and Pennsylvania."
"Then let New York and Pennsylvania go get great writers. No state canbe truly great without them. There's another detachment of ours justahead, but we'll talk to them only a minute or two."
The second detachment reported that Pleasanton, with a heavy cavalryforce, was about six miles farther west and that there was a fair roadall the way. They should overtake him in an hour.
Harry's heart beat hard. Unless something happened within that hour hewould never reach Lee, and his brain began to work with extraordinaryactivity. Plans passed in review before it as rapidly as pictures on afilm, but all were rejected. He was in despair. They were trottingrapidly down a smooth road. A quarter of an hour passed and then ahalf-hour. A low bare hill appeared immediately on their right, andHarry saw beyond it the tops of trees.
"Captain Lester," he said, "suppose that you and I ride to the crest ofthe hill. You have strong glasses, so have I, and we may see somethingworth while. The men will ride on, but we can easily overtake them."
"Not a bad idea, Haskell," said the captain, still in that slightlypatronizing tone. "I judge by your speech that you're a well educatedman, and you appear to think."
They rode quickly to the summit, and Lester, putting his glasses to hiseyes, gazed westward over a vast expanse of cultivated country. ButHarry looking immediately down the slope, saw the forest that he wished.
Lester swept the glasses in a wide circle, looking for Union troops.His own troop was about a hundred yards ahead and the hoofbeats weregrowing fainter. Then Harry's courage almost failed him, but necessitywas instant and cruel. Still he modified the blow, nor did he use anyweapon, save one that nature had given him.
"Look out!" he cried, and as Lester turned in astonishment he struckhim on the point of the jaw. Even as his fist flashed forward he heldback a little and his full strength was not in the blow.
Nevertheless it was sufficient to strike Lester senseless, and he slidfrom his horse. Harry caught him by the shoulder and eased him in hisfall. Then he lay stretched on his back in the grass like one asleep,with his horse staring at him. Harry knew that he would revive in aminute or two, and with a "Farewell, Captain Lester," he galloped downthe slope and into the covering woods.
He knew that Lester's men, finding that they did not follow, wouldquickly come back, and he raced his horse among the trees as fast as hedared. A couple of miles between him and the hill and he felt safe, atleast so far as the troop of Captain Lester was concerned. Fortuneseemed to have made him a favorite again, but he knew that dangers werestill as thick around him as leaves in Vallombrosa.
He tied his horse, climbed a tree, and used his glasses. Two miles tothe west the bright sun flashed on long lines of mounted men, obviouslythe horsemen of Pleasanton. How was he to get through that cavalryscreen and reach Lee? He did not see a way, but he knew that to find,one must seek. His desire to get through, intense as it always hadbeen, was now doubled. He not only carried the news to Lee about thepossible ford, but he also bore Meade's dispatch to Pleasanton,directing a movement which, if successful, must be most dangerous tothe Army of Northern Virginia.
He descended the tree and waited a while in the forest. He found aspring at which he drank, and he filled the canteen. It was a preciouscanteen with the name of John Haskell engraved upon it, and
he meantthat it should carry him through all dangers into his camp. But he didnot mean to use it yet. If he rode into Pleasanton's ranks they wouldmerely take his letter to the general, and that would be the failure ofhis real mission.
Night was now not far distant, and, concluding that he had a muchbetter chance to run the gantlet under its cover, he still waited inthe wood until the twilight came.
Wrapped in a coil of dangers he was ready to risk anything. Quickness,resource and boldness, of which the last had been most valuable, hadbrought him so far, and, encouraged by success, he rode forward full ofconfidence.
On his right was a small house standing among the usual shade trees,and, approaching it without hesitation, he spoke to a man who stood inthe yard.
"Which way is General Pleasanton?" he asked.
The man hesitated.
"I belong to the Fifth Pennsylvania," said Harry, pointing to the nameon the canteen, still visible in the twilight. The man's eyesbrightened and he replied:
"Down there," pointing toward the southwest.
"I've a message for him and I don't want to run into any of the rebelraiders."
"Then you keep away from there," he said, pointing due west.
"What's the trouble in that direction?"
"Jim Hurley was here about an hour ago. The whole country is terriblyexcited about these big armies marching over it, and he said that ourcavalry was riding on fast. A lot of it was ahead of the rebel army,but straight there in the west some of the rebel horsemen had spreadout on their own flank. If you went that way in the night you'd besure to run right into a nest of 'em."
"So the Johnnies are west of us, your friend Hurley said. Tell meagain what particular point I have to watch in order to keep away fromthem."
"Almost as straight west as you can make it. A valley running east andwest cuts in there and it's full of the rebels. It's the only placeall along here where they are."
"And consequently the only place for me to avoid. Thanks. Yourinformation may save me from capture. Good night."
"Good night and good luck."
Harry rode toward the southwest until a dip in the valley hid him frompossible view of the man at the house. Then he turned and rode duewest, determined to reach as soon as possible those "rebel raiders" inthe valley, but fully aware that he must yet use every resource ofskill, courage and patience.
The twilight turned into night, clear, dry and bright. Unless it wasraining in the mountains the flood in the Potomac could not beincreasing. Here, at last, the conditions were all that he wished. Thecaptured haversack still contained plenty of food, and, as he rode, heate. He had learned long ago that food was as necessary as weapons toa soldier, and that one should eat when one could. Moreover, he wasalways hungry.
He kept among trees wherever possible, and, as the night grew, and thestars came out in the dusky blue, he enjoyed the peace. Even though hesearched with his glasses he could not see soldiers anywhere, althoughhe knew they were in the hollows and the forests. A pleasant breezeblew, and an owl, reckless of armies, sent forth its lonesome hoot.
But he kept his horse's head straight for the narrow valley where the"rebel raiders" rode. He met presently a small detachment ofConnecticut men, but the sight of his canteen and letter was sufficientfor them. Again he rode southwest, merely to turn due west once more,after he had passed from their sight, and near the head of the valleyhe encountered two men in blue on horseback watching. They were alert,well-built fellows and examined Harry closely, a process to which longusage had reconciled him.
"I hear that the rebels are down in that valley, comrade," he said.
"So they are," replied the elder and larger of the men. "We've got toask you who you are and which way you're going."
"John Haskell, Fifth Pennsylvania, with dispatches from General Meadeto General Pleasanton. They're tremendously important, too, and I'vegot to be in a hurry."
"More haste less speed. You know the old saying. In a time like thisit's sometimes better for a man to know where he's going than it is toget there, 'cause he may arrive at the wrong place."
"Good logic, comrade, but I must hurry just the same. Which is my bestway to find General Pleasanton?"
"Southwest. But I'm bound to tell you a few things first."
"All right. What are they?"
"You and I must be kinsfolk."
"How do you make that out?"
"Because my name is William Haskell, and I belong to the FifthPennsylvania, the same regiment that you do."
"Is that so? It's strange that we haven't met before. But funnythings happen in war."
"So they do. Awfully funny. Now my brother's name is John Haskell,and you happen to be carrying his canteen, but you've changed looks alot in the last few days, Brother John."
Haskell's voice had been growing more menacing, and Harry, with nativequickness, was ready to act. When he saw the man's pistol flash fromhis belt he went over the side of his horse and the bullet whistledwhere his body had been. His own rifle cracked in reply, but Haskell'shorse, not he, took the bullet, and, screaming with pain and fright,ran into the woods as the rider slipped from his back.
Harry, realizing that his peril was imminent and deadly, fired one ofhis pistols at the second man, who fell from his horse, too badlywounded in the shoulder to take any further part in the fight.
But Harry found in Haskell an opponent worthy of all his skill andcourage. The Union soldier threw himself upon the ground and fired atHarry's horse, which instantly jerked the bridle from his hand and fledas the other had done. Harry dropped flat in the grass and leaves andlistened, his heart thumping.
But luck had favored him again. He lay in a slight depression and anybullet fired at him would be sure to go over him unless he raised hishead. He could not see his enemies, but he could depend upon hiswonderful power of hearing, inherited and cultivated, which gave him anadvantage over his opponents.
He heard the wounded man groan ever so lightly, and then the otherwhisper to him, "Are you much hurt, Bill?" The reply came in a moment:"My right shoulder is put out for the time, and I can't help you now."Presently he heard the slight sound of the other crawling toward him.Evidently this Haskell was a fearless fellow, bound to get him, and hecalled from the shadow in which he lay.
"You'd better stop, Haskell! I've got the best pair of ears in allthis region, and I hear you coming! Crawl another step and you meet abullet! But I want to tell you first that your interesting brother Johnis all right. I didn't kill him. I merely robbed him."
"Robbed him of what?"
"Oh, of several things."
"What things?"
"They don't concern you, Haskell. These are matters somewhat aboveyou."
"They are, are they? Well, maybe they are, but I'm going to see thatyou don't get away with the proceeds of your robbery."
Harry didn't like his tone. It was fierce and resolute, and herealized once more that he had a man of quality before him. If Haskellhad behaved properly he would have withdrawn with his wounded comrade.But then he was an obstinate Yankee.
He raised up ever so little and glanced across the intervening space,seeing the muzzle of a rifle not many yards away. There could be nodoubt that Haskell was watchful and would continue watching. He drewhis head back again and said:
"Let's call it a draw. You go back to your army, Mr. Haskell, and I'llgo back to mine."
"Couldn't think of it. As a matter of fact, I'm with my army now; thatis, I'm in its lines, while you can't reach yours. All I've got to dois to hold you here, and in the course of time some of our people willcome along and take you."
"Do you think I'm worth so much trouble?"
"In a way it's a sort of personal affair with me. You admit havingrobbed my brother, and I feel that I must avenge him. He has beenacting as a dispatch rider, and I can make a pretty shrewd guess aboutwhat you took from him. So I think I'll stay here."
Harry blamed himself bitterly for his c
areless and unfortunateexpressions. He did not fear the result of a duel with this man, beingthe master of woodcraft that he was, but he was losing time, valuabletime, time more precious than gold and diamonds, time heavy with thefate of armies and a nation. He grew furiously angry at everything,and angriest at Haskell.
"Mr. Haskell," he called, "I'm getting tired of your society, and Imake you a polite request to go away."
"Oh, no, you're not tired. You merely think you are, and I couldn'tconsider conceding to your request. It's for your good more than mine.My society is elevating to any Johnny Reb."
"Then I warn you that I may have to hurt you."
"How about getting hurt yourself?"
Harry was silent. His acute ears brought him the sound of Haskellmoving a little in his own particular hollow. The lonesome owl hootedtwice more, but there was no sound to betoken the approach of Uniontroops in the forest. The duel of weapons and wits would have to befought out alone by Haskell and himself.
He went over everything again and again and he concluded that he mustrely upon his superior keenness of ear. He could hear Haskell, butHaskell could not hear him, and there was Providence once more takinghim into favor. Summer clouds began to drift before the moon, and manyof the stars were veiled. It was possible that Haskell's eyes alsowere not as keen as his own.
When the darkness increased, he began to crawl from the little shallow.Despite extreme precautions he made a slight noise. A pistol flashedand a bullet passed over him. It made his muscles quiver, but hecalled in a calm voice:
"Why did you do such a foolish thing as that? You wasted a perfectlygood bullet."
"Weren't you trying to escape? I thought I heard a movement in thegrass."
"Wasn't thinking of such a thing. I'm just waiting here to see whatyou'll do. Why don't you come on and attack?"
"I'm satisfied with things as they are. I'll hold you until morningand then our men will be sure to come and pick you up."
"Maybe it will be our men who will come and pick you up."
"Oh, no; they're too busy leaving Gettysburg behind 'em."
Harry nevertheless had succeeded in leaving the shallow and was nowlying on its farther bank. Then he resumed the task of crawlingforward on his face, and without making any noise, one of the mostdifficult feats that a human being is ever called upon to do.
At the end of a dozen feet, he paused both to rest and to listen. Hisacute ears told him that Haskell had not moved from his own place, andhis eyes showed him that the darkness was increasing. Those wonderful,kindly clouds were thickening before the moon, and the stars in troopswere going out of sight.
But he did not relax his caution. He knew that he could not afford tomake any sound that would arouse the suspicions of Haskell, and it wasa quarter of an hour before he felt himself absolutely safe. Then hepassed around a big tree and arose behind its trunk, appreciating whata tremendous luxury it was to be a man and to stand upon one's own feet.
He had triumphed again! The stars surely were with him. They mightplay little tricks upon him now and then to tantalize him, but in themore important matters they were on his side. He stretched himselfagain and again to relieve the terrible stiffness caused by such longand painful crawling, and then, unable to resist an exultant impulse,he called loudly:
"Good-by, Haskell!"
There was a startled exclamation and a bullet fired at random cut theleaves twenty yards away. Harry, making no reply, fled swiftly throughthe forest toward the valley where the rebel raiders rode.
The Shades of the Wilderness: A Story of Lee's Great Stand Page 8