He reached for his weapon, but suddenly stopped when he saw he was looking into the muzzle of a revolver.
“Hands up! Be quick about it!”
The hands of the sergeant slowly went above his head.
“Pardon me, but I will relieve you of this,” said Calhoun, as he took a revolver from the belt of his prisoner, and tossed it into the river.
Up to this time the sergeant had not said a word, but now he exclaimed, with the utmost disgust, “How thundering careless of me! Sergeant Latham, you are no good; you ought to be reduced to the ranks.”
“Oh! don’t feel too bad about it; better men than you have been caught napping,” replied Calhoun, consolingly.
“But no bigger fool. To be gobbled in like this, and by a blamed skulking citizen, too. Now, if—”
“Rest your mind there, if it will make you feel any better,” broke in Calhoun, “I am no civilian, I am Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan’s command.”
“You don’t say,” replied the sergeant, apparently much relieved. “Lieutenant, allow me to introduce myself. I am Sergeant Silas Latham. We have had the pleasure of meeting before.”
“Where?” asked Calhoun, in surprise.