The Journey—The Cowardly Negro—Nettleton's Method—Meeting the Rebels—He will fight—Powder discovered—The Arrival.
The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon!
Where got'st thou that goose look?—Shakespeare.
The party rode rapidly to the river, and were soon upon the opposite shore. Turning to the east, they passed along a narrow road which wound its course along the river's bank. For fifteen or twenty miles the horsemen did not pause, and not a word was spoken. At last Captain Hayward ordered a halt, and the party dismounted. The horses were secured to the surrounding trees, and Nettleton and the negro left to guard them.
"Come with me, comrades," said Hayward, as he took his course toward the river's bank.
In a moment they were seated by the side of the rapid Osage, entirely concealed by the thick growth of underbrush by which they were surrounded.
"It is better that our servants should not hear our conversation," remarked Hayward. "And now, gentlemen, we must lay our plans. I wish every one to speak freely. You know our object, of course."
"I know its nature; but perhaps you can give us details we are not acquainted with," answered Lieut. Elsler.
"They are merely the instructions previously given, with a trifling difference. We are to reach the camp of Price by noon to-morrow, or to-day, as I see it is after twelve o'clock," replied Hayward. "When we arrive within a mile of the outer pickets, we must conceal our horses, and leave the darkey to watch them. I shall walk boldly into the camp, and report myself to Price as an officer and messenger just arrived from McIntosh's command. Our colonel was in the same regiment with him, the 10th regulars, before this war broke out, and has given me an exact description of his person and peculiarities. To throw Price off his guard, and to prevent his questioning me too closely, I shall repeat some of the peculiar expressions of Mac, which, of course, Price will at once recognise, and that, together with my secesh uniform, will settle matters. I am to tell some story which will induce him to make a stand here, or to advance upon us at Warsaw; or, at least, to give us battle at Springfield. I shall tell Price that it is the advice of McIntosh to meet Fremont on the Osage, if possible, and say that the reason of this advice is, that Mac is in communication with one Marshall, an officer high in rank in the federal army, and that Marshall tells him the exact position of our forces. Of course our numbers are to be greatly underrated. The federals, I shall say, profess to have thirty-five thousand men, all anxious to fight, when in reality they have not more than twenty thousand, poorly armed, and mostly arrant cowards, who will run at the first discharge of the confederate guns. I shall tell Price that Mac has perfect confidence in the information received through his friend, and sent me forward at once to communicate with him. You must all remain concealed until I come to you. I shall remain in his camp until evening, get such information as I can with regard to his actual strength, and what he intends doing, and when the countersign for the night is given out, I shall manage to procure it, and then return to you. Our further plans we can then arrange."
"But, if there should already be some of the officers from McIntosh's department, present, and should declare you did not belong there!"