Chasing an Iron Horse

decision, upon his face. "Heaven forgive me," he said, "if

wards the door le

oset, filled with groceries and preserving jars, quickl

of a minute nearly a dozen neighbors, all of them carrying muskets, trooped in

nd warming his hands, "you can thank your stars you're not out a

itten me about it,"

y. "A lot of Yankees actually seized Fuller's train when he was eating his breakfas

'em have been seen around your place. We've been scouring the country for two hours, but there's no

son tackle the fel

fit for is to dance with the girls. It's well our army doesn't depend on such

uspicious about here, have

ever told a deliberate falsehood

rs?" echoed the man at the f

. He could see the eagle glance of Miss Cynthia fixed upon him. Just then

started to keep dogs, pars

er had an

eve him to be the dog of the boy you speak of." He spoke

hen some of the spies are in the neighborhood yet!

dog stray in

hour ago," sai

ute, separating into groups of two and three to scour the countryside. The lights of their lanterns, w

ister sat down near the table, a

mself. "But I could not take a life-and that is

earted for this world,

ked at her daugh

," she said solemnly, "and he has shown

ened the door of the closet. Watson and George jumped out joyfully, half smothered t

their proffered hand shakes. There was

ce no human life voluntarily, but I do not forget that you are e

pinion. I don't care what happens, George and I w

ed George; "you can

ned visibly; even Miss Cynthia l

be expected to do for you. Here, take this key, which unlocks the door of my barn, and crawl up into the hayloft where you can spend the night. If you

done something to-night that will earn our everlasting gratitude, little as that means. Some day this wretch

the night in the minister's hayloft, with Waggie

ning around the country," said George. He was stretched out ne

generous and kind of heart. Ah, George, it's a shame that the Americans

t as if there were no dangers for the morrow. At the break of day they

observed Watson, as he gazed at the minister's residence, in t

's rest, and the good supper before it, had made a new boy of him. Twelve hour

n until they reached an open field. Here they sat down, on the li

ing is as certain as sunrise. Just as soon as the morning is well advanced the pursuers will

o," added George, "while we will

ving his knee a vigorous

it," sai

e to be captured if we try to palm ourselves off as Kentucky Southerners. If we hide in the woods, and keep away from people, we will simply starve to death-and that won'

ters?" repeated Ge

ofessional beggars, and thus gradually edge our way to the westward

other so

Waggie has some

his prayers-and howl when I

x my eyes in the right way. We can go from farm to farm, from house to house, begging a meal, and you can sing, and put the dog through his

lapped h

elty about the proposed plan that stron

ace sudden

an, a boy and a dog will be rather suspicious, even under o

y from this particular neighborhood the people won't have heard anything about a dog or a boy. They will o

tle thought. "Let us get away from here, before i

the telltale dog, j

k a last look at the minister's house, "and heaven

, as it looked down benevolently upon the well-soaked earth. They had now reached a plantation of some two hundred acres or more, in the centre of which was a low, long brick house with a white portico in front. They quickly passed

?" he demanded, in a rich, pleasant voice,

d Watson. He was holding the boy's arm, an

t away from heh, yoh white trash," he comm

earance which he and George presented he was not surprised at the coolness of their reception. For not only were

ce, and, when he had finished, he gave a spirited rendition of "Dixie." When "Dixie" was over he made

ck face was wreathed in smiles; his eyes glistened with delight; his larg

. "Doan go way. Ya! ya!

ed man, evidently the master of the house, and a troop of children. They were seven in all,

ed to put Waggie through his tricks. The dog rolled over and lay flat on the ground, with his paws in the air as if he were quite dead; then at a signal from his master he sprang to his feet and began to dance. He also performed many other clever tricks that sent th

with many terms of endearment. One of them, seizing the tiny animal in her arms, ran with him into the house, w

o and looked at the two supposed beg

George. "Can't you make better use of it than this? W

like joining another, but he naturally thought he had better not mention this. He

ows around to the kitchen and tell Black Dinah to give them a good meal. And wh

powers of reasoning or perception, for the beggars forgot, more than once, to keep up their assumed r?les. Watson found no difficulty in eating, despite his supposed infirmity, and George came

and his children. The latter were still engaged in petting Waggie, who began to look a trifle bored. From the manner in which they ruled the house it was plain that their father was a widower. At the

ance Watson rose, and stretche

e going,

say good-bye, and lead his companion to the

harles Jason done ride

n. I wonder what's the matter? It is not often that

at the same instant. Charles Jason was the name of the farmer who had warned Mr. Buckley abou

spered one word: "Danger!" He picked

rds the door with unusual celerity for a blind man

; "I want Mr. Jason to hear some of these plantation songs. I'll pay you w

" began Geo

ty or fifty-five, with red hair, red face and a body which suggested the figure of a plump sparrow-a kindly man

e house, very cordially. "It's not often you favo

eturned Jason, "he doesn't get away from home a great

, I hope?" ask

s the open door. But Mr. Peyton, not waiting for Jason t

until Mr. Jason has hea

not singled out the Northerners for any attention. But now he naturally looked at them.

say his prayers." She hauled Waggie from George's coat, and held him in front of the farmer. George seized Waggie and

n unexpected but irresistible force. The sight of the dog had changed the whole current of his thoughts. He sta

e county," he cried quickly, in excited tones. "One of them was a b

er got n

!" suddenly s

e rear porch of the house. He ran to this, found that it would not open

ter him tore George. In going through the door he had cut his cheek on one of the projecting splinters, but in the excitement he was quite unconscious of the fact. The children and their father stood looking at Ja

houted Jason. "

servants were running to and fro wringing their hands helplessly, without understanding exactly what had happened. Jason tore to the broken door, broke off some

nd this box was a wood of pine-trees. As Jason reached the porch he could see the two Northerners fairly squeeze their way through the hedge, and disappear on the other side. He leaped from the

the trees. But not a sight of the fugitives could they obtain. After they had tramped over the whole woods, which covered about forty acres, they emerged into open fields. Not a trace of the runaways! They went back and made a fresh search among the

ied one of the latter. She was the little gir

ughed, in spi

the boy who sang, Laura?" he a

on says they were spies-and spies are always hun

st into a peal

t he was led astray by others older than himself. Anyway, the rascals have go

the spies, or both, it would have been hard to tell. When he was taken to his home, no

sure to be captured in the end. Their pistols were still useless; they did not know the geography of the neighborhood; there were enemies everywhere. But after they squeezed through the hedge, they found in front of them, between the box and the edge of the woods

end turned upwards. He pulled George by the sleeve, pointed to the hogshead, and then looked at the hedge, as he sai

ewarded for his pains. But Watson calculated that no one would think of the hogshead for the very reason that it stood out so prominently amid all the trash of this dumping ground. No one, in fact, gave a thought to the spot; it suggested nothing

roughly," said the overseer, "

r. "But they won't get many miles away. I want you to take th

s,

o ease his own feelings. He found things rather cramped at the bottom of the hogshead, to whic

te ago," muttered George, "you wou

and stiff I don't know what will become of me.

t had seemed less dangerous. Watson was now sitting with legs crossed, in

soon," said George. "We wi

d him, the head of Watson would assuredly have been seen from the Peyton mansion. At last they cautiously abandoned the hogshead, and crept into the pines in front of them. When it was pitch dark the

the door?" asked Wa

think I could risk knocking anywhere

ung for sheep as lambs," obs

e question of a few hours before he and G

long, lanky man, with a scraggy chin-beard, who

he travelers. There was

rd of the excitement at the Peyton mansion? Watson bethought himself of

near Squire Peyto

iles by the road along the creek

he's living at

over ta sell him some shotes," returned "U

hasn't heard anything about the Peyton

forth a tale of woe. He was blind and poor, he said; he and

for you," s

Sam; "I hate squalin'. But come in

an officer who were toasting their feet at the hearth! They all glanced at the newcomers, who dearly regretted, when too late, that they had entered. The officer star

gars," he said. "Ma, ge

e second room, or kitchen, of the cabin. She wa

ok for a hotel? I've just been feedin' these soldier

ftened. She went back to the kitchen, and soon returned with some coarse b

fficer. He was addressed by his men as Captain Harris. Every

e tricks-we make a little money-even in war time." He wo

ent on the officer, i

on

me from before yo

g, Virginia." It was the only place he could think of

ast year," said Captain Harris. "Wh

He had known a boy in Cincinnati whose mother had once resided in Ly

as the look that passed quickly across hi

sserted George. He felt

rrel Horse Hotel?" asked the

urally, never heard of the Sorrel Horse, and he knew nothing of Ly

two streets away,

ord, lifted his right arm and sent his fist flying towards the face of Watson, who sat near

he cried, as he glar

He did not seem at

true. I thought you were not blind-and I find that you still

lly have whipped him

ing, "I find that neither you nor the boy ever lived in Lynchburg, for the simpl

his little trap! And how fo

rs at all. I strongly suspect that you are members of this engine-stealing expedition which has come to grief. This afternoon I

use painful in

ot anything to say?"

nothing!"

in. "Your offense is a hanging one. But