A noise of scrambling in the boat, the twinkling of the lantern for an instant through the trees. Then bang! and a roar of laughter, followed by a storm of angry execrations. Private Flemming, by way of showing Private Storks how to be brave, had raised the lantern in one hand, his gun in the other, fired into the hole in order to make safety sure, and incontinently tumbled backwards into the boat to the imminent danger of his trusty comrades.
‘Confound you!’ shouted the officer in charge. ‘Who told you to fire. You’ve given the fellow warning now, if he’s not there. Up with you, some one, and see if this fool has been firing at a blank wall or not.’
The laughter above ceased at the angry command of the officer, but long ere it died away, and under cover of the friendly noise, the two boys, wriggling on their stomachs like a couple of great snakes, had put a good fifty yards between themselves and the men on the bank.
‘By time!’ muttered Ephraim. ‘Thet’s mighty good fun fer them; but it’s jest ez well you and me war out er thar, Luce.’
They rose to their feet, and moving warily, soon passed out of the fringing belt into the open. Then, at Ephraim’s direction, they ran as fast as they could, till a multitude of twinkling fires told them that the Federal troops lay close upon their left hand.
‘Five minnits fer refreshments,’ whispered Ephraim, ‘and then the next act’ll begin. See hyar, Luce, it’s all Virginny ter a sour apple thet they’ve got a chain er sentries right across from the camp to the river-side. We must dodge ’em. Ef wanst we kin git ter the ditch, we’ll be safe—so fur.’
They stole back just inside the belt of trees, and moved on, a step or two at a time. Sure enough, presently they could hear the measured tread of a sentry as he paced backwards and forwards upon his short beat.
‘It won’t do to try the countersign just here,’ whispered Lucius. ‘It’s too close to the camp.’
‘No,’ answered Ephraim. ‘We must crawl past him, one at a time. You go first. Ef he sees ye, thar’s this.’ He touched Lucius with the rifle.
Once again Lucius cast himself down flat upon the ground, and progressing by fractions of an inch, approached to within a few feet of the sentry. So close was he as the man passed him, that by stretching out his hand he could have caught him by the leg. But the darkness favoured him, though it was light enough to see ten paces away, and the man walked past unsuspiciously. Before he could turn again, Lucius had writhed beyond his beat and ensconced himself among the trees, where he waited for Ephraim.