His comrade shook his head. “It is all in knowing how,” he commented. “What would be easy for you, would be hard for some one else.” And then the discussion was dropped for the time. But after they were lying on their rude beds, Ira suddenly raised his head to ask:
“I say, captain, suppose the Yankees should catch on to this thing.”
“What thing?” the officer asked, quickly rising.
“Why, building a dam across the creek here. It would not only flood the swamp, but the road as well. We couldn’t get the army along until the waters subsided.”
“Bet your life we couldn’t,” the engineer replied. “It is a great scheme; but then a Yankee would never think of it,” and he settled back on his bed.
Not so with his comrade. He appeared uneasy about something, and sat up. Then he arose and went to the door, fumbled with the bar that fastened it, as though making it more secure; in reality to remove it entirely. After this he went to the window and looked out.
“What’s the matter?” the officer asked sleepily.
“I can’t get it out of my head about those Yankees coming here to-night to build that dam,” was the reply. “I was now looking out to see if we could jump through the window if they should appear.”
“Oh! that is all right. But how about getting up the sides of the gorge. Can we do that?”
“Yes, after a fashion. It is better than taking to the swamp in the night-time. I shall go that way, if needs must.”