Si Klegg, Book 4

by John McElroy

  CHAPTER XII. SI AND SHORTY IN LUCK

  THEY MAKE A BRIEF VISIT TO "GOD'S COUNTRY."

  THE shot fired by Nate Hartburn was the only one that interrupted theprogress of the 200th Ind. to the banks of the Tennessee River. Itscautious advance at last brought it out on the crest of a hill, atthe foot of which, 200 feet below, flowed the clear current of themountain-fed stream. The rebels were all on the other side. Theirpickets could be plainly seen, and they held the further pier of theburned railroad bridge. To our right rose three strong forts, built theyear previous.

  As soon as it was determined that all the enemy were beyond the river,the 200th Ind. went into camp for the afternoon and night upon a clearedspot which had been used for that purpose before our troops had beenflanked out of that country by Bragg's raid into Kentucky just a yearbefore.

  A dress parade was ordered at 6 o'clock, and when the Adjutant came to"publish the orders," the regiment was astonished and Si electrified tohear:

  "In pursuance of orders from Division Headquarters to detail squads fromeach of the different regiments to proceed to their respective Statesto bring back recruits and drafted men for the regiments, First Lieut.Bowersox, of Co. A, and Corp'l Josiah Klegg, of Co. Q, with six enlistedmen of that company, to be selected by Capt. McGillicuddy, are here bydetailed for that duty, and will prepare to leave to-morrow morning."

  Si clutched his partner in his excitement and said, "Shorty, did youhear that? I'm to be sent back to Injianny. Ain't that what he said?"

  "If my ears didn't mistake their eyesight, them was about his words,"returned Shorty. "You're in luck."

  "And you're goin' with me, Shorty."

  "The Adjutant didn't include that in his observations. I ain't socrazy, anyway, to git back to Injianny. Now, if it wuz Wisconsin it'dbe different. If you've got any recruits to bring on from Wisconsin, I'myour man. I'd go up there at my own expense, though I don't s'pose thatRosecrans could spare me just now. What'd become o' the army if he'd gitsick, and me away?"

  "But, Shorty, you are goin'. You must go. I won't go if you don't."

  "Don't say won't too loud. You're detailed, and men that's detaileddon't have much choice in the matter.

  "You'll probably act sensibly and do whatever you're ordered to do. Ofcourse, I'd like to go, if we kin git back in time for this sociablewith Mister Bragg. Don't want to miss that. That'll be the he-fight o'the war, and probably the last battle."

  "Nor do I," answered Si; "but the thing won't come off till we git back.They wouldn't be sending back for the drafted men and recruits exceptthat they want 'em to help out."

  "They'll be a durned sight more in the way than help," answered Shorty."We don't need 'em. We've handled Bragg so far very neatly, all byourselves, and we don't need anybody to mix into our little job. Thefewer we have the more credit there'll be in lickin' old Bragg andcapturin' Chattanoogy."

  The Orderly-Sergeant interrupted the discussion by announcing:

  "Here, Shorty, you're one to go with Si. The detail is made by theColonel's orders as a compliment to the good work you boys have beendoing, and which the Colonel knows about."

  "I always said that the Colonel had the finest judgment as to soldiersof any man in the army," said Shorty, after taking a minute's pause torecover from the compliment.

  The boys were immediately surrounded by their comrades, congratulatingthem, and requesting that they would take back letters and money forthem. The Paymaster had recently visited the regiment, and everybodyhad money which he wished to send home. There were also commissionsto purchase in numerable things, ranging from meerschaum pipes to fineflannel shirts.

  "Look here, boys," said Shorty, good-humoredly, "we want to be obligin',but we're neither a Adams Express Company nor in the gent's furnishin'line. We've neither an iron safe to carry money nor a pedler's wagon todeliver goods. John Morgan's guerrillas may jump us on the way home, andcomin' back we'll have to have packs to carry the truck in, and half ofit 'll be stole before we git to the regiment."

  But the comrades would not be dissuaded, and be fore Si and Shorty wentto sleep they had between $5,000 and $6,000 of their comrades' moneystowed in various safe places about their personages.

  "Great Jehosephat, Si," murmured Shorty, when they sat together intheir tent, after the last comrade had departed, leaving his "wad ofgreenbacks," with directions as to its disposition, "I never felt soqueer and skeery in all my life. I wouldn't for the world lose a dollarof the money these boys have been earnin' as they have this. But howunder heaven are we goin' to make sure of it?"

  "I've thought of a way o' makin' sure of to-night," said Si. "I spoketo the Officer of the Guard, and he'll put a sentinel over us to-night,so's we kin git a little sleep. I wouldn't shet my eyes, if it wasn'tfor that. We'll have to let to-morrow take care of itself."

  Shorty lay down and tried to go to sleep, but the responsibility weighedtoo heavily on his mind. Presently, Si, who, for the same reason, onlyslept lightly, was awakened by his partner getting up.

  "What are you up to?" Si asked.

  "I've bin thinkin about pickpockets," answered Shorty. "They're an awfulslick lot, and I've thought of a hiding place that'll fool 'em."

  He picked up his faithful Springfield, and drawing an envelope withmoney out of his shirt-pocket, rolled it up to fit the muzzle of hisgun, and then rammed it down.

  "That's Jim Meddler's $10," he said. "I'll know it, because his mother'sname's on the envelope. Here goes Pete Irvin's $20. I know it because ithas his wife's name on it."

  He continued until he had the barrel of the gun filled, and then stoppedto admire his cunning.

  "Now, nobody but me'd ever thought o' hidin' money in a gun. That'ssafe, as least. All I've got to do is to stick to my gun until we gitacrost the Ohio River. But I hain't got the tenth part in; where kin Iput the rest? O, there's my cartridge-box and cap-box. Nobody'll thinko' lookin' there for money."

  He filled both those receptacles, but still had fully half his moneyleft on his person.

  "That'll just have to take its chances with the pickpockets," said he,and returned to his bed, with his gun by his side, and his cap- andcartridge-boxes under his head.

  The morning came, with their money all right, as they assured themselvesby careful examination immediately after reveille.

  As they fell in under Lieut. Bowersox to start, their comrades crowdedaround to say good-by, give additional messages for the home-folks, anddirections as to their money, and what they wanted bought.

  But Shorty showed that he was overpowered with a nervous dread ofpickpockets. He saw a possible light-fingered thief in everyone thatapproached. He would let nobody touch him, stood off a little distancefrom the rest of the squad, and when any body wanted to shake handswould hold him stiffly at arm's length.

  "Gittin' mighty stuck-up just because the Colonel patted you on the backa little, and give you a soft detail," sneered one of Co. Q.

  "Well, you'd be stuck-up, too," answered Shorty, "if your clothes waspadded and stuffed with other folks' greenbacks, and you was in themidst o' sich a talented lot o' snatchers as the 200th Injianny. Mind, Iain't makin' no allusions nor references, and I think the 200th Injiannyis the honestest lot o' boys in the Army o' the Cumberland; but if Iwanted to steal the devil's pitchfork right out o' his hand, I'd make adetail from the 200th Injianny to do the job, and I'd be sure o' gittin'the pitchfork. I'll trust you all when you're 10 feet away from me."

  The others grinned and gave him a cheer.

  When they went to get on board the train Shorty had to change histactics. He got Si on his right, the Lieutenant immediately in frontof them, and two trusted boys of the squad directly behind, with strictinjunctions to press up close, allow nobody between, and keep ahawk's eye on everybody. But both Si and Shorty were breathless withapprehension till they got through the crowd and were seated in the car,and a hasty feeling of various lumps about their persons assured themthat their charges were safe. They were in a passenger car, for luck.The
Lieutenant sat in front, Si and Shorty next, and the two trusty boysimmediately behind. They breathed a sigh of relief. As they stood theirguns over against the side of the car, Si suddenly asked:

  "Shorty, did you draw your charge before you rammed that money in?"

  Shorty jumped to his feet in a shudder of alarm, and exclaimed:

  "Great Jehosephat, no. I forgot all about it."

  "What's that you're saying about guns?" inquired the Lieutenant, turningaround. "You want to load them, and keep them handy. We're liable tostrike some guerrillas along the way, and we must be ready for them."

  "You fellers'll have to do the shootin'," whispered Shorty to Si. "It'llbe a cold day when I bang $150 in greenbacks at any rebel that everjumped. I'm goin' to take the cap off en my gun. The jostlin' o' thetrain's likely to knock it off at any time, and send a small fortunethrough the roof o' the car. I'd take the money out, but I'm afraid o'tearin' it all to pieces, with the train plungin' so."

  He carefully half-cocked his piece, took off the cap, rubbed the nippleto remove any stray fragments of fulminate, and then let the hammer downon a piece of wadding taken from his cap.

  The long ride to Nashville over the ground on which they had beencampaigning and fighting for nearly a year would have been of deepestinterest to Si and Shorty, as it was to the rest, if they could havefreed their minds of responsibilities long enough to watch the scenery.But they would give only a cursory glance any say:

  "We'll look at it as we come back."

  In the crowded depot at Nashville they had an other panic, but theProvost-Guard kept a gangway clear as soon as it was discovered thatthey were on duty.

  "You can stack your arms there, boys," said the Sergeant of the Guard,"and go right over there and get a warm supper, with plenty of coffee."

  All but Shorty obeyed with alacrity, and stacked their guns with thequickness of old and hungry vet erans.

  Shorty kept hold of his gun and started with the rest to thesupper-room.

  "Here, Injianny," called out the Sergeant, "stack your gun here with therest."

  "Don't want to ain't goin' to," answered Shorty.

  "What's the reason you ain't?" asked the Sergeant, catching hold ofthe gun. "Nobody's going to take it, and if they did, you can pick upanother. Plenty of 'em, jest as good as that, all around here."

  "Don't care. This is my own gun. I think more of it than any gun evermade, and I ain't goin' to take any chance of losin' it."

  "Well, then, you'll take a chance of losing your supper," answered theSergeant, "or rather you'll be certain of it, for the orders are strictagainst taking guns into the supper-room. Too many accidents havehappened."

  "Well, then," said Shorty stoutly, "I'll do without my supper, thoughI'm hungrier than a wolf at the end of a long Winter."

  "Well, if you're so infernal pig-headed, you've got to," answered theSergeant, nettled at Shorty's obstinacy. "Go back beyond the gunstack,and stay there. Don't you come nearer the door than the other side ofthe stack."

  Shorty's dander rose up at once. At any other time he would haveconclusions with the Sergeant then and there. But the remembrance of hischarge laid a repressive hand upon his quick choler, and reminded himthat any kind of a row would probably mean a night in the guard-house,his gun in some other man's hands, probably lost forever, and so on. Hedecided to defer thrashing the Sergeant until his return, when he wouldgive it to him with interest. He shouldered his gun, paced up and down,watching with watering mouth the rest luxuriating in a hot supper withfragrant coffee and appetizing viands, to which his mouth had beena stranger for many long months. It cost a severe struggle, but hetriumphed.

  Si, in his own hungry eagerness, had not missed him, until his ownappetite began to be appeased by the vigorous onslaught he made on theeatables. Then he looked around for his partner, and was horrified notto find him by his side.

  "Where's Shorty," he anxiously inquired.

  Each looked at the other in surprise, and asked:

  "Why, ain't he here?"

  "No, confound it; he ain't here," said Si, excitedly springing to hisfeet; "he has been knocked down and robbed."

  Si bolted out, followed by the rest. They saw Shorty marching up anddown as a sentinel sternly military, and holding his Springfield asrigidly correct as if in front of the Colonel's quarters.

  "What's the matter with you, Shorty? Why don't you come in to supper?"called out Si. "It's a mighty good square meal. Come on in."

  "Can't do it. Don't want no supper. Ain't hungry. Got businessout here," answered Shorty, who had gotten one of his rare fits ofconsidering himself a martyr.

  "Nonsense," said Si. "Put your gun in the stack and come in. It's abully supper. Best we've had for a year."

  "Well, eat it, then," answered Shorty crustily. "I've got something moreimportant to think of than good suppers."

  "O, rats! It's as safe in there as out here. Set your gun down and comeon in."

  "This gun shall not leave my side till we're home," said Shorty in atone that would have become the Roman sentinel at Pompeii.

  "O, I forgot," said Si. "Well, bring it in with you."

  "Can't do it. Strictly agin orders to take any guns inside. But leave mealone. Go back and finish your gorge. I kin manage to hold out somehow,"answered Shorty in a tone of deep resignation that made Si want to boxhis ears.

  "That's too bad. But I'll tell you what we can do. I've had a purty goodfeed already enough to last me to Looeyville. Let me take your gun. I'llcarry it while you go in and fill up. We hain't much time left."

  The fragrance of the coffee, the smell of the fried ham smote Shorty'solfactories with almost irresistible force. He wavered just a little--.

  "Si, I'd trust you as I would no other man in Co. Q or the regiment.I'll--"

  Then his Spartan virtue reasserted itself:

  "No, Si; you're too young and skittish. You mean well, but you havespells, when--"

  "Fall in, men," said Lieut. Bowersox, bustling out from a good meal inthe officers' room. "Fall in promptly. We must hurry up to catch theLooeyville train."

  The car for Louisville was filled with characters as to whom there wasentirely too much ground for fear--gamblers, "skin-game" men, thieves,and all the human vermin that hang around the rear of a great army.Neither of the boys allowed themselves a wink of sleep, but sat boltupright the entire night, watching everyone with steady, stern eyes.They recognized all the rascals they had seen "running games" aroundthe camps at Murfreesboro, and who had been time and again chased out ofcamp even the whisky seller with whom Si's father had the adventure.The Provost-Guard had been making one of its periodical cleaning-ups ofNashville, and driving out the obnoxious characters. Several ofthese had tried to renew their acquaintance by offering drinks fromwell-filled bottles, but they were sternly repulsed, and Shorty quietlyknocked one persistent fellow down with a quick whirl of his gun-barrel.When Shorty was hungry it was dangerous to trifle with him.

  They arrived at Louisville late in the morning, and were hurried acrossthe river to Jeffersonville. Fortunately they were able to find there aneating-room where guns were not barred, and Shorty made amends for thepast by ravaging as far as his arms could reach, holding his preciousgun firmly between his knees.

  "Say, pardner," said the man who ran the establishment, "I'd muchrather board you for a day than a week. Rebels must've cut off thesupply-trains where you've bin. You're not comin' this way agin soon,air you? I'm afraid I won't make 'nough this month to pay my rent."

  Lieut. Bowersox came in with a telegram in his hand.

  "We won't go on to Indianapolis," he said. "I'm ordered to wait here forour squad, which will probably get here by to-morrow evening."

  A wild hope flashed up in Si's mind.

  "Lieutenant," he said, "we live right over there in Posey County. Can'tyou let us go home? We can make it, and be back here before to-morrownight."

  "I don't know," said the Lieutenant doubtfully, as he mentallycalculated the distance to Posey County
. "I hadn't ought to let you go.Then, you can't have more than an hour or two at home."

  "O,' goodness; just think o' havin' one hour at home," ejaculated Si.

  "It seems too bad," continued the Lieutenant, moved by Si's earnestness,"to bring you this near, and not let you have a chance to see yourfolks.

  "It'll be a risk for me, and there are not many men in the regiment I'dtake it for, but I'll let you go.

  "Remember, it'll make a whole lot of trouble for me if you're not here byto-morrow evening."

  "We'll be here by to-morrow evening, if alive," he pledged himself.

  "Well, then, go," said the Lieutenant.

  Si's head fairly swam, and he and Shorty ran so fast to make sure of thetrain that there was a suspicion in the minds of some of the citizensthat they were escaping from their officers.

  Si's heart was in a tumult as the engine-bell rang its final warningand the engine moved out with increasing speed. Every roll of the swiftwheels was carrying him nearer the dearest ones on earth. The landscapeseemed to smile at him as he sped past.

  "Isn't this the grandest country on earth, Shorty?" he bubbled over."It's God's country for a fact. So different from old run-down,rebel-ridden Tennessee. Look at the houses and the farms; look at thepeople and the live-stock. Look at the towns and the churches. Look ateverything. Here's the country where people live. Down yonder's onlywhere they stay and raise Cain."

  "Yes," admitted Shorty, who had not so much reason for beingenthusiastic; "but the Wisconsin boys say that Wisconsin's as much finerthan Injianny as Injianny's finer'n Tennessee. I'll take you up theresome day and show you."

  "Don't believe a dumbed word of it," said Si, hot with State pride. "Godnever made a finer country than Injianny. Wisconsin's nowhere."

  Then he bethought himself of the many reasons he had for gladness in hishome-coming which his partner had not, and said thoughtfully:

  "I wish, Shorty, you wuz goin' home, too, to your father and mother andsisters, and--and best girl. But my father and mother'll be as glad tosee you as if you was their own son, and the girls'll make just as muchof you, and mebbe you'll find another girl there that's purtier andbetter, and--"

  "Stop right there, Si Klegg," said Shorty. "All girls is purty and nicethat is, them that is purty and nice, but some's purtier and nicer thanothers. Then, agin, one's a hundred times purtier and nicer than anyo' them. I've no doubt that the girls out your way are much purtier andnicer'n the general run o' girls, but none o' them kin hold a candle tothat girl up in Wisconsin, and I won't have you sayin' so."

  "If we're on time," said Si, by way of changing the subject, "we'llgit to the station about sundown. The farm's about three miles from thestation, and we'll reach home after supper. Pap'll be settin' out on thefront porch, smokin', and readin' the Cincinnati Gazette, and mother'llbe settin' beside him knittin', and the girls'll be clearin' away thesupper things. My, won't they be surprised to see us! Won't there be atime! And won't mother and the girls fly around to git us something toeat! Won't they shake up that old cook-stove, and grind coffee, andfry ham and eggs, and bake biscuits, and git us cool, sweet milk anddelicious butter from the old spring-house, and talk all the time!Shorty, you never heard my sisters talk, especially when they're alittle excited. Gracious, they'll just talk the ears off both of us."

  "Well, if they take after you, they are talkers from Talkville," saidShorty. "Mill-wheels ain't in it with your tongue, when it gits fairlystarted."

  The train was on time, and just as the sun was setting behind the fringeof cottonwoods along Bean Blossom Creek they stopped at the littlestation, and started to walk out to the farm. A neighbor who was drawinga load of tile from the station recognized Si, and begged them to getup and ride, but the team was too slow for the impatient boys, and theyforged ahead. A thousand well-remembered objects along the road wouldhave arrested Si's attention were it not for the supreme interestfarther on. At last they came to a little rise of ground which commandeda view of the house, and there, as Si predicted, sat his father andmother engaged in smoking, reading and knitting. His first impulse wasto yell with delight, but he restrained himself, and walked as steadilyon as he could to the front gate. Old Towser set up a bark and ran downthe walk, and then changed his note to de lightful yelps of recognition.Si was so nervous that he fumbled vainly for a minute at the gate-latch,and while he did so he heard his mother say: "Father, there's a coupleo' soldiers out there." "Wonder if they kin be from Si's company," saidthe father, lowering his paper, and looking over his spectacles.

  "FATHER, THERE'S A COUPLE OF SOLDIERS OUT THERE." 159]

  "Why, it's Si himself," screamed the mother in joyful accents. The nextinstant she had sped down the walk quicker than she had ever gone inher girlhood days, her arms about his neck, and she was crying on hisshoulder.