In the Saddle

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XXI

  A NEW DISPOSITION OF THE FORCES

  Major Lyon listened with the most intense interest to LieutenantMakepeace's statement in regard to the bridge-builders, as he calledthem, though bridge-burners proved to be a more appropriate designation.It was clear enough to him that his son had encountered these men; andthe disappearance of Deck appeared to be explained, though what hadbecome of him was still the vital question.

  Life Knox had returned alone, leaving his men to guard the bridge; andif it had been in order for the sergeant to express an opinion on thesubject, he would have said that sentinels should have been placed on itas soon as the company of Captain Titus had been captured. The major hadtardily arrived at this conclusion. As soon as he came to the vicinityof the hospital, Knox discovered the plumed hat of the commander, whichDeck had watched all the time he was on the bridge.

  "I'm right sorry I don't bring you any good news of your son," saidLife, riding up to the commander, and saluting him as soon as he turnedaway from the wounded prisoner. "The first thing we had to do was to putout the fires, and then I went about a mile up the track to look forDeck; but I could not find him."

  "Did you see anybody over there?" asked the major.

  "Not a solitary soul, Major Lyon."

  "The prisoner in the hospital, with whom I have been talking, said thatfour bridge-builders, with a wagon and six mules, went over that way,"suggested the major.

  "I reckon they've been to the bridge, and set it afire; but none of themwas there when I come to it. If they had a wagon and six mules, theyleft as soon as they'd done the job they come to do."

  "What was the condition of the bridge when you reached it, Knox?" askedthe major.

  "It was all afire, but it hadn't burnt much. If we'd got there tenminutes later, nothin' could saved it; and we had to work lively as itwas."

  "But there was an explosion there."

  "That didn't amount to shucks. I reckon they stuck the cans of powder inbetween the 'butment and the bankin', and it only blowed out a lot ofdirt, and knocked off a couple of stones from the top of the wall. Theybrought half-a-dozen bundles of light wood with them, pulled them topieces, and then poured sperits turpentine over and all around 'em; forwe found the cans on the platform. The fires were blazin' lively when wegot there; but we poked the wood all off the bridge. We found somebarrels o' water they kept on the platform to put out fires, and itdidn't take long to make an end on't. That's all I know about it,major."

  "But what do you suppose has become of Dexter, Knox?" asked the father,concealing his feelings as much as he could.

  "The bridge-burners had gone when we got there, and I reckon they tookDeck with 'em," replied the sergeant.

  "I suppose there is no other way to account for his absence. LieutenantBelthorpe has been sent with half the first company to look out for theenemy in that direction," added the major. "Return to the bridge, Knox,and make sure that no further attempt is made to destroy it. The flag isstill there, and I see that you have hoisted it again. If you need anyassistance, haul down the flag as a signal to that effect."

  The sergeant hastened back to his post; and the major rode up to thecross-roads, just in time to meet the scouts who had been sent up theeast road, coming down the hill at full speed. There were only two ofthem; but they had left two others at the hill road.

  The pair of riders who came in as the major reached the cross-roads werescouts; for they had been sent out with orders to go where they pleasedin the hills to obtain all the information they could, especially inregard to the approach of any body of the enemy. They were not picketsnor skirmishers, who are sent out to act on fixed lines.

  "We have just come from the hill road," said one of the scouts, as hesaluted the major. "A detachment of the Texans has just come down fromthe hills, and all four of us retreated behind a knoll to see where theywere going."

  "And where were they going?" demanded the commander impatiently.

  "They kept on the hill road, going north."

  "How many of them were there?"

  "Forty-two, besides the officer in command, who had one arm in a sling,and his head bound up so that he could not wear his cap."

  "That must have been the troop that we engaged on the south road," saidthe major. "But how could they have got around to the point where yousaw them?"

  The scouts could not answer this question, and the commander sent themback to the point from which they had come. The last he had seen ofCaptain Dingfield's command was on the south road, retreating at thebest speed of their small horses. He had sent Captain Gordon in pursuitas soon as his men were available. So far as he knew, there was nohighway by which the hill road could be reached short of six miles southof the cross-roads, near the place where the Texans had camped the nightbefore.

  In order to have reached the position where they were reported to be bythe scouts, they must have found a way across the country. He opened hismap, and began to study it very diligently, to ascertain if there was aroad which he had failed to notice before.

  "More scouts coming in, father!" exclaimed Artie, who retained hisposition near the field-officer, the only one present with the squadron,for the regiment had not been fully organized.

  Major Lyon turned his attention in the direction of the east road. Hesaw two riders galloping down the hill with all speed; and he folded uphis map, restoring it to his pocket. The coming of these men meantsomething. The whole of the Texan company were accounted for, as half ofthem had been sent to the north by Captain Dingfield, and now the otherhalf had been reported as having gone in hot haste in the samedirection. Had any re-enforcement been sent to the Texan cavalry?

  The major had no doubt the officer at the head of the troop reported wasCaptain Dingfield. He had expected to find his body in the road afterthe action, for he had been the most prominent person for the aim of themen. The same bullet could hardly have hit him in the head and in thearm, and it was plain that he had been wounded at least in two places.

  "Where is Major Lyon?" shouted the foremost of the two scouts.

  "Here!" shouted Artie, though it was a needless question, for the plumeof the commander distinguished him from all others.

  "Messenger from Captain Gordon," said the foremost scout, as he reinedin his foaming steed, and saluted the major.

  "Where did you see him?" demanded the commander.

  "On the hill road, where I rode half a mile at his side; for he waschasing the enemy that went along just before, and Styles and Brehancame down here to report them to you."

  "What is your message from Captain Gordon?" asked the major sharply.

  "He told me to tell you he had pursued the enemy without getting nearenough to fire at them."

  "But how came he on the hill road?" demanded the commander impatiently.

  "He told me to say to you that they had taken to the fields near theplanter's house, and, after a good deal of winding about, had come tothe hill road. When I told him we had seen the enemy, he wanted to knowhow far they were ahead of him; and I told him as near as I could guessthey were about half a mile from him. That is all I know about it, MajorLyon."

  "Where are Styles and Brehan now?"

  "We passed them on our way down, and I suppose they will stay at thecrossing till they get further orders."

  "Very well; return to your places in the company," added the commander,as he proceeded to consider the information he had just received.

  The situation was clearly defined in his mind. One-half of the firstcompany, under Lieutenant Belthorpe, had been sent up the railroad; andthe other half, under Captain Gordon, was pursuing the enemy. CaptainDingfield had sent half his force by the hill road to the north, and nowhe was retreating in the same direction with the other half. But thewhole of the first company would come together somewhere in the vicinityof the railroad, and then there would be another fight.

  The commander had with him at the cross-roads and at the camp the wholeof the second company, where they were not lik
ely to be needed; for itwas evident that Captain Dingfield had left none of his force behindhim, as by this time he had realized the pressing need of all his menfarther north. It was plain enough to the commander that another actionwas to be fought very soon, if it was not already in progress, though nofiring could be heard.

  "Artie, tell Captain Truman I wish to speak with him," said he, as hetook his map from his pocket again. It seemed to him that the seat ofthe fighting had been transferred to the north a few miles. But thebridge was still safe, and so far he had accomplished his mission.Captain Truman had proved to be an excellent officer, though all in thetwo companies had had no previous service in actual warfare; but theyhad shown that the only thing they lacked was military experience, andin that respect they were like a very large proportion of all theofficers in the field.

  "I was just coming to you, Major Lyon, when you sent for me," said thecaptain, as he reined up his horse in front of the commander. "One ofmy men has just informed me that there is a train coming down therailroad from the north."

  "Artie," called the major, "hurry over to the bridge, and give Knox myorder to detain the train that is approaching till he receives furtherorders from me."

  Artie did not wait an instant, but ran his horse down the road, callingto the idlers and prisoners to get out of the way. He was fortunateenough to find the sergeant where he could hail him from his horse, anddelivered the order.

  By this time the train was moving very slowly towards the bridge, andKnox stopped it behind the fence which had done so much ill service inconcealing the bridgemen. In front of the engine was a platform car, onwhich was a field-piece and half-a-dozen soldiers; but the messengercould not stay to examine the provisions for the protection of thetrain, which was doubtless a pioneer of another of more importance. Hereported to his father what he had seen.

  "The wounded and the prisoners have now become an incumbrance to me, andI have decided to send them all back to our camp at Riverlawn," themajor began, as soon as Artie left him. "So far the enemy have failedto destroy this bridge; but I have no doubt they will continue tooperate as they have begun, until they have disabled the railroad."

  "The one over the Green River in Hart County is likely to be the nextone threatened," added the captain.

  "That or some other. I have stopped this train because it affords me themeans of transportation for the wounded and prisoners. I shall place theremoval of them in your charge. You will have the train stopped where itcrosses the swamp road beyond Dripping Spring, and march those who areable to walk to Riverlawn. Take the wagons of Captain Titus's companywith you, mules and all, and convey the wounded in them. How many men doyou require for this service?"

  "Twenty will be enough," replied Captain Truman, who appeared not to bepleased with the service upon which he was ordered.

  The commander directed him to proceed with his arrangements at once,communicating first with the officer of the troops on the train. In afew minutes Lieutenant Blenks, in charge of the camp, who was to go withthe captain, had mustered the prisoners, while his superior was engagedwith the officer on the train. This gentleman was a quartermaster, withthe rank of lieutenant, who had been sent on a duty he did not explain;but he put a veto on the plan of the major at once. He had to make someobservations near Bowling Green, and the train would return beforenight. He suggested that Riverlawn was not a proper place to send theprisoners or the wounded, and he proposed to convey them to Louisville.

  Captain Truman reported the result of his interview; and the majoraccepted the compromise, and was better pleased with it than with hisown plan. The prisoners were marched to the railroad in charge of theguard selected, and at dark the train took them on board. It was notnecessary for the captain to go with them, but the lieutenant was toreturn as soon as possible with the soldiers.

  Not long after the train started, Major Lyon marched with all hisremaining force to the hill road, to form a junction, if possible, withthe two divisions of his first company.