"Yes; yes," shouted Shorty. "You fellers keep to your side o' the river, and we will to ours."
The agreement was carried into instantaneous effect, and soon both sides of the stream were filled with laughing, romping, splashing men.
There was something very exhilarating in the cool, clear, mountain water of the stream. The boys got to wrestling, and Si came off victorious in two or three bouts with his comrades.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo," he shouted, imitating the crow of a rooster. "I kin duck any man in the 200th Injianny."
The challenge reached the ears of the rebel with whom Si had traded. He was not satisfied with the result of his conference.
"You kin crow over your fellers, Yank," he shouted; "but you dassent come to the middle an' try me two falls outen three."
Si immediately made toward him. They surveyed each other warily for a minute to get the advantages of the first clinch, when a yell came from the rebel side:
"Scatter, Confeds! Hunt yer holes, Yanks! The Cunnel's a-comin'."
Both sides ran up their respective banks, snatched up their guns, took their places behind their trees, and opened a noisy but harmless fire.