CHAPTER V
A FIGHT IN THE NIGHT
Early the next morning Colonel Guitar started in pursuit of the enemy.Lawrence took the advance with a party of six men. As a matter ofcourse, Harry and Bruno made a part of this force.
"This seems like old times, Harry," said Lawrence, as they started off.
"It does that, Captain," replied Harry. "You, Dan, Bruno and myself makefour of the old gang. Now if only Guilford was with us--" He stopped andsighed. His mind had gone back to the time when he and Guilford had sonearly faced death in among the Boston mountains. "You have heardnothing of him, have you, Captain?"
"Nothing. I did receive a communication about two months ago that Ithought might be from him; but I have received nothing since and I havegiven up all hopes."
The trail left by the guerrillas was very plain. It followed theAuxvasse for some two miles, and then turned off into the hills. Thecountry was very rough, the places for an ambuscade numerous, but withBruno scouting, Lawrence had no fears of being surprised.
Soon they came to a place where the road forked. On the road that led tothe left up the Auxvasse the trail was plainly marked; but the road thatled on into the more open country had little appearance of beingtraveled; but it was rocky, and by being careful a large force couldhave passed over it and left but few traces behind.
Harry dismounted and carefully examined the ground. As for Bruno, heseemed to have no doubt; he was taking the blind trail.
"A blind," said Harry. "Not more than fifty took to the left, and theyleft as broad a trail as possible. The main force passed up the otherroad. If Guitar follows the broad trail it will lead him away among thehills and then disappear, for the party will separate."
Just then the advance of Guitar's force appeared, led by a younglieutenant.
"What are you waiting for?" he asked Lawrence. "Have you discovered theenemy?"
"No, but Porter evidently divided his forces here, and we werediscussing which road the main body took."
The Lieutenant dismounted, and after looking over the ground, said,"Why, it's as plain as the nose on a man's face; they went to the left."
"Harry and Bruno both think differently," answered Lawrence.
The Lieutenant sniffed. "Much they know about it," he exclaimed. "I havetrailed too many guerrillas to be mistaken."
Just then Colonel Guitar, at the head of his column, appeared. He wasappealed to, and after examining the road, decided to take the left handroad, but told Lawrence he might keep on the other road with his scouts,and see what he could discover. As a matter of precaution he increasedLawrence's force to ten men.
The Lieutenant rode off highly elated over the fact that Colonel Guitaragreed with his views.
"Let them go," sputtered Harry. "They will be disgusted before night."
And so it proved. The trail led Guitar over hills, through ravines androcky dells, through tangled forests, and twisted and turned, until itdisappeared entirely; and, much to his disgust, Guitar found himselfalong in the afternoon within two miles from where he had started. Thewily guerrilla chieftain had fooled him completely. Guitar led his mad,weary and swearing force back to the old camp grounds, and there awaitedthe return of Lawrence and his scouting party.
Lawrence did not think for a moment but that Harry was right, and thatfact soon became evident. They were now in a more open country, and thesigns that a large body of troops had passed became numerous. Not onlythis, but in the houses along the road they found a number of severelywounded that the guerrillas had been forced to leave.
After some miles they came to a road that crossed the one they were on,and which led to the west. Here the ground had been much trampled, andthat but a short time before.
Again Harry dismounted and examined the ground carefully. "We are closeonto them," he said. "I do not believe they have been gone half anhour."
"Harry, you are a regular Kit Carson for trails," laughed Lawrence. "Areyou sure you are right?"
"Perfectly, and what is more, their force divided here, but the largerforce kept on. The explanation is plain. Porter operates to the northand east, so he has kept on with the larger force; Poindexter and Cobbhave their chief haunts along the Chariton and Grand, so with theirforces they have gone to the west."
"We had better hurry back to Guitar and tell him this," exclaimedLawrence.
"No," snapped Harry. "I don't propose to be snubbed again. You only havemy word now. Let's keep on until you and everyone present have proofthat cannot be doubted."
"I believe you are right, Harry," said Lawrence, and he gave the commandto continue on.
They had proceeded a mile when Bruno came running back, showing by hismanner he had news to impart.
Halting his squad, Lawrence dismounted, and taking Harry, they carefullymade their way to the brow of a hill which lay in front. Cautiouslypeering over, they saw about a quarter of a mile ahead a commodioushouse, around which a number of horses were hitched.
It was evident that they had come on the rear guard of the retreatingguerrillas, and that they had halted to rest, and were being wellentertained, for a number of black women were passing back and forthfrom the house to a rude outdoor kitchen, all bearing dishes, and itlooked very tempting to Lawrence and Harry.
"Feel like eating myself," whispered Harry. "I didn't know I was sohungry."
"How many do you reckon there are?" asked Lawrence.
Harry carefully counted the horses and then said, "Not over fifteen ortwenty. I can count only fifteen horses, but there may be some out ofsight."
"Feel like appropriating that dinner myself," said Lawrence.
"The boys would never forgive us if we didn't," answered Harry.
Hurrying back they explained the situation, and by unanimous vote it wasdecided to make a charge on that dinner without loss of time.
"Harry and I will ride a little ahead," said Lawrence. "Harry is dressedin homespun and my uniform is so dusty they won't be able to distinguishits color until we are close to them. Dan, when I give the signal, comeon in a rush."
So Lawrence find Harry rode ahead, the squad some fifteen or twentypaces in the rear, leisurely following. Scarcely had they rode over thebrow of the hill when two sentinels they had not seen before suddenlyshowed themselves on the road. The sentinels seemed much alarmed, anddrew up their carbines as if to shoot.
Harry waved his hat and signaled they were friends. Seeing the squadcoming so leisurely and the two in advance, the sentinels lowered theirguns and waited, thinking it must be some of their own men. But whenLawrence and Harry were a few yards from them one of the sentinelscaught the color of Lawrence's uniform.
Giving a terrific whoop, he raised his gun and fired, the ball justmissing Lawrence's head. The other sentinel fired, but his shot wentwild. Both wheeled their horses and dashed back, yelling, "Yanks! Yanks!Yanks!"
There was no need of Lawrence signaling Dan to come on, for the squadwere urging their horses to the limit.
The guerrillas at dinner heard the firing and came pouring out of thehouse. Close on the heels of the flying sentinels thundered theFederals. The guerrillas took one look, and with cries of terror sprangfor their horses, and cutting the halter straps were up and away. Bythis time the balls were falling among them thick and fast, killing two,and the horse of a third one fell and the rider was taken prisoner.
The fight was over and Lawrence rode up to the house, and was met on theporch by a white haired, fine looking old gentleman.
"Sorry to trouble you," said Lawrence, urbanely, "but with yourpermission I will have my men finish that dinner that your friends haveso ungraciously and suddenly declined."
"Step right in, suh, the dinner is waiting," the old gentleman repliedwith a wan smile, "but my guests are not accustomed to invitethemselves."
"Sorry, sir, but when you consider the improvement in the character ofyour guests, you should rejoice," rejoined Lawrence. "Entertaining suchguests as have run away is dangerous."
"I shall feed
no Yankees," cried a shrill voice, and a young ladyflounced out of the door, her face red with anger.
Lawrence saw that she was good to look at, tall, willowy and fair offace. Taking off his hat and bowing politely, he said, "My dear lady, Ihumbly beg your pardon, but my men must certainly finish that dinner youso kindly prepared for those who were so impolite and cowardly as to runaway and leave it. It would take more than Rebel bullets to make medecline a meal prepared by your fair hands."
The compliment was lost. "Cowardly?" cried the girl. "Is it cowardly fortwenty to flee before a regiment of Yankee cut-throats?"
"There are only a dozen of us," said Lawrence, "and a dozen finergentlemen you never entertained, every one a prince and as brave as alion. If it were not so, twenty of your friends would not have fled fromthem."
The young lady flashed a look of scorn at him and cried, "Yankeecut-throats and robbers--gentlemen and brave! You amaze me." Sheabruptly turned and went into the house, and much to Lawrence's regrethe did not see her again.
"You must excuse my daughter," said the old man, nervously.
"That's all right, so we get the dinner," answered Lawrence. "Don't yousee my men are getting impatient?"
"Come right in. I feed you, not because I want to, but because I must."Thus speaking, he led them into the house, where they found a sumptuousrepast but partly eaten; and not a man in the squad but did full justiceto it.
Lawrence found the prisoner they had taken shaking with terror, for someof the men had coolly informed him that after dinner he was to behanged.
Lawrence was about to reprimand the men for their cruel joke, when itoccurred to him he might use the fellow's fears to some advantage. So hetold him if he would tell all he knew, not only would his life bespared, but that he would be paroled, but he would have to be carefuland tell nothing but the truth.
The prisoner eagerly embraced the opportunity, and confirmed what Harryhad said. He moreover stated that before Porter and Poindexter partedthey had agreed to gather up all the men they could, and join forcesagain somewhere along the line of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad.
"I guess that is straight enough for Guitar to believe, instead of thatupstart lieutenant," said Harry.
Back to find Guitar the scouts rode; but it was night when they foundhim and then nearly where they had left him. All day his men had marchedbeneath a broiling sun, and when they found out how they had been ledastray, against the protests of Harry, they wanted to lynch the smartlieutenant; and it was a long time before the poor fellow heard the lastof it.
Colonel Guitar concluded to rest his men until morning, and thencontinue the pursuit. "I will chase Porter clear to the Iowa line, ifnecessary, to catch him," he said.
While it was arranged that Colonel Guitar should march straight forMexico, Lawrence, with a detail of ten men dressed as guerrillas, was tofollow directly on the trail of Porter, thus keeping track of hismovements. Lawrence chose ten of the Merrill Horse to go with him.
One of the men in looking over the squad and noticing that withLawrence, Dan, and Harry there were thirteen of them, demurred, sayingthat another man should be added, as thirteen was an unlucky number. "Nothirteen for me," he said.
"Step aside," ordered Lawrence. "I want no thirteen cranks. I, for one,am not troubled over the old superstition of thirteen. Who willvolunteer to take this fellow's place?"
A dozen were eager to go, and Lawrence chose a manly looking fellow."Our timid friend here counted wrong," he said. "He forgot Bruno, and heis equal to a dozen men."
This raised a laugh, and the party started in the highest spirits. Aftergoing a short distance, Lawrence halted and made his men a short speech.
"Boys," he said, "dressed as we are, it will be certain death if we arecaptured. If circumstances arise where we must fight, fight to thedeath--never surrender. We are strong enough to beat off any smallparty, and large ones we must avoid. But remember, our object is to getinformation, not to fight. To all appearances we must be simon-pureguerrillas. If we meet with guerrillas, as no doubt we will, keep cool,and let Harry or me do the talking."
"All right, Captain," they shouted, and they rode merrily forward,careless of what dangers they might meet. So often had they faced death,they considered him an old acquaintance.
They found little trouble in following the trail of Porter. Taken forguerrillas, every Southern sympathizer was eager to give them all theinformation possible.
For two days they traveled, frequently meeting with small parties ofguerrillas, and to these Lawrence always represented they belonged southof the river, and had been obliged to cross to avoid a large party ofFederals, and that they had concluded to keep on and join Porter.
By questioning, Lawrence found all of these parties had orders to joinPorter at or near Paris. Some of these parties gave Lawrence a good dealof trouble by wanting to join forces with him, but he put them off bysaying it would be safer to travel in small parties, as they would notthen be so liable to attract the attention of the Federals.
Porter in his flight had crossed the North Missouri Railroad nearMontgomery City, but in his haste did little damage.
It was after Lawrence had crossed this railroad that he had his firstserious trouble. Here he came onto a company of at least fiftyguerrillas under the command of Bill Duncan, a leader who often actedwith Porter, and as noted for cruelty as he. The company was hasteningto join Porter at Paris.
Lawrence thought it best to change his story. Duncan had roughly orderedhim to join his company. This Lawrence firmly refused, saying theybelonged to Poindexter's command; that after Poindexter and Porter hadparted, Poindexter had found it impossible for him to join Porter, as hehad promised, and that he had been sent post-haste by Poindexter to findPorter and inform him of the fact.
"But now," said Lawrence, "I need go no farther, as you can carry thisinformation to Porter."
"Where are you going if I do this?" asked Duncan.
"Back to join Poindexter, as I promised," said Lawrence.
"I don't know but you are all right," said Duncan; "but I don't like thelooks of your men. What did you say your name was?"
"I haven't told you, but it is Jack Hilton. Porter knows me well. Givehim my respects. Be sure and tell him what I have told you, for it isvery important. Good-day, Captain. Come on, boys," and Lawrence turnedand rode back the way he had come.
Duncan watched them until they were out of sight; then, shaking hishead, said: "I almost wish I hadn't let them go, but I reckon they'reall right. That young chap in command told a mighty straight story."
About this time Lawrence was saying: "That was a mighty close shave,Dan. That fellow had a big notion to make trouble."
Bruno, who had been told to keep out of sight, joined them after theyhad gone some distance. He acted dejected and dispirited, and if hecould have talked would have asked the meaning of it all. Time and timeagain he had given warning of the approach of guerrillas, only to havehis master meet them as friends. He had given notice of the approach ofDuncan's party, and to his surprise nothing had come of it. He was athoroughly disgusted dog, and walked along with drooping head and tail;but it only took a word from Harry to set him all right again.
"We must turn north again at the first opportunity," said Lawrence."This will put us back several miles."
They had not gone far before they met a solitary guerrilla. He was oneof Duncan's party, and had gone out of his way to visit a friend. He washalted, and explained who he was.
"Ah, yes," said Lawrence; "your company is just ahead. We left it only afew moments ago."
"Whar be yo' goin'?" asked the fellow.
"Back to join Poindexter, where we belong. I was carrying a message toPorter from Poindexter, but on meeting Duncan I gave it to him, so weare on our way back."
The fellow had sharp eyes, and Lawrence noticed that he was scrutinizinghis party closely, and when he saw Harry, who had been a little in therear, and just now came up, he started perceptibly, but quicklyrecovered himse
lf, and exclaimed, "I must be goin'." Putting spurs tohis horse, he rode rapidly away.
Harry gazed on his retreating figure, his brow wrinkled in perplexity.Suddenly he cried: "Captain, I know that fellow, and I believe herecognized me. If he did, we are going to have trouble."
"Are you sure?" asked Lawrence, startled.
"Quite sure. I arrested him near Paris a couple of months ago, and hegave his parole. I had hard work to keep Bruno from throttling him.Where is Bruno?"
"There he comes now," said Lawrence, "and he seems to be greatlyexcited."
Bruno was indeed greatly excited, and he ran around Harry, growling, andthen in the direction the fellow had taken, looking back to see if Harrywas following.
"Bruno knows him, too," said Harry. "He never forgets. If that fellowsaw Bruno, it is indeed all up. He will tell Duncan, and we will have afight on our hands as sure as fate."
"By hard riding we can reach Mexico and avoid the fight," said Lawrence;"but I don't like the idea of running away."
"Nor I," said Harry. "Even if the fellow knew me, Duncan may not followus."
"What do you think, Dan?" asked Lawrence.
Dan took a chew of tobacco, as he always did when about to decideanything weighty, and then slowly remarked: "Don't like to run until Isee something to run from."
"That's it," cried Lawrence. "It is doubtful if Duncan follows us atall. If he does, it will be time enough to think of running."
It was therefore decided to take the first road they came to which ledin the direction they wished to go. They soon came to the road, butbefore they turned into it, Lawrence took the precaution to make itappear that they had ridden straight on.
"Reckon Bruno and I will hang near this corner for a while," said Harry."I want to make sure whether we are followed or not. I feel in my bonesDuncan is after us."
Harry had good reasons for feeling as he did, for the guerrilla whosename was Josh Hicks, had not only recognized him, but he had also seenBruno, and he bore the dog an undying hatred, for it was he who hadcaptured him, and would have killed him had not Harry interfered.
No sooner was Hicks out of sight of the scouts than he put his horse tothe utmost speed. "I have an account to settle with that dawg and hismaster," he muttered, "and it will be settled tonight or my name is notJosh Hicks."
He overtook Duncan's command, his horse covered with foam.
"Hello, Josh, what's up?" asked some of the men, as he dashed up. "Yo'un acts as if the Merrill Hoss was after yo'. What has skeered yo'?"
"Whar is Bill?" Hicks fairly shrieked.
"Up in front. What's the matter?" and the men began to look uneasy.
Seeing the excitement in the rear, Duncan came riding back. "What's thetrouble?" he asked, gruffly.
"Don't know," answered one of the men, "but Josh Hicks has jest come up,his hoss covered with foam, and he seems mighty skeered aboutsomething."
Just then Hicks caught sight of Duncan, and yelled: "Bill, did yo' unmeet a party of about a dozen men a few minutes ago?"
"Yes; what of it?"
"An' yo'un had them and let them go?" fairly screamed Hicks.
"Of course; they were Poindexter's men."
"Poindexter's men! Hell!" Hicks shouted. "They was Yanks in disguise,an' one of them was that damned boy scout of the Merrill Hoss. I knowhim, and I saw the dawg."
"Be you sure, Josh?" asked Duncan.
"Sure? Of course I'm sure. Don't I know the boy, and don't I know thedawg? Can I forgit the brute that had his teeth in my throat? Oh, yo' unbe a nice one, yo' un be, Bill, to let them fellers slip through yourfingers!"
Duncan flushed with anger and chagrin. "Look here, Josh," he roared,"none of your insinuations, or you settle with me. I never met thatfeller, and if you had been with us, as you ought to have been, insteadof gallivanting around the country, you would have known them. Themfellers told a straight story, they did; but they'll never fool BillDuncan but once. About face, boys."
In a moment more the guerrillas were thundering on the trail of thescouts. They had little difficulty until they came to the road whereLawrence had turned off. Here Duncan carefully examined the ground, andwith the almost unerring instinct of his class, decided rightly as tothe way the scouts had gone.
Harry had taken a position about half a mile from where the road turned,and where he had a good view without being seen. He saw the guerrillasstop and hesitate, and then take the right road.
"They are after us, sure," he muttered, and, spurring his horse, he didnot pull rein until he had overtaken the scouts.
"They are close after us!" he exclaimed, pulling up his panting horse.
"It will soon be dark; we can elude them," said Lawrence.
"Let's fight them," said Dan, taking out his plug of tobacco and holdingit until a decision was made.
"Yes, let's fight them," said the men. "This is the tamest scout we'veever been on--hobnobbing with the villains instead of fighting them."
"All right," replied Lawrence. "Let's ride rapidly ahead until dark.Dan, you and I must think up a bit of strategy in the meantime."
"All right," said Dan, biting off a big chew from the plug he washolding, and restoring the rest to his pocket. If the decision had beenagainst a fight, Dan would have put the plug back without taking a chew.When Dan put his tobacco back unbitten, it was always an infallible signthat something had gone in a way that did not suit him.
That Lawrence and Dan had fixed up that bit of strategy was evident, forjust as darkness was closing in, Lawrence ordered the scouts to stoplong enough to gather a good feed of corn for their horses, from anear-by field. Then they rode on and camped in a wood, some littledistance from the road.
"The guerrillas will not now attack us until some time in the night," hesaid, "thinking to surprise us."
He gave orders for the horses to be tethered a little distance in therear of the camp, where they would be sheltered. "Hitch them so you canloose them in a twinkling, if it becomes necessary," he ordered.
Then he told the men they might build a fire, make some coffee, androast some corn, if they wished.
"Had we not better dig a hole for the fire, and screen it withblankets?" suggested one of the men. "A light might give us away."
"Just what I want it to do," answered Lawrence, to the astonishment ofall but Dan and Harry.
Lawrence then explained to his men his plan: "The guerrillas will attackus some time during the night, thinking to surprise us. I want thesurprise the other way. Therefore I propose to camp as if we wereunconscious of danger. The fire is to be left, not too bright, butsmouldering enough to give a little light. Each man of you is to preparea dummy. A log with a blanket around it will do. These will be placed ina row a short distance from the fire. In the dim light they will lookexactly like a row of sleeping men. Last of all, we will fix a dummysentinel, leaning against a tree as if asleep.
"We will all lie down a little to one side in the bush. Then, when theguerrillas charge on the supposed sleeping camp, give it to them. Ifthings go wrong, each man make for his horse, and get away the best hecan. Make for Mexico."
These instructions were obeyed implicitly, and soon the camp was buriedin apparent slumber.
To make sure they were right, the guerrillas had inquired at the firsthouse they passed, and were told that a small party of men had passedbut a short time before.
"We are on the right track, boys," exclaimed Duncan, gleefully, "and ifthey don't take the alarm and dodge us in the dark, they are ours. Wemust not press them too closely. Let them go into camp, and we will getthem when they are asleep."
Just as darkness began to fall, Duncan became fearful that the scoutswould not halt, but keep on for Mexico, and he gave orders to gallop,but concluded to stop at the first house and inquire. He did so, and anold man came to the door, and in answer to his inquiry replied that aparty whom he supposed to be guerrillas passed just before dark."Confound them!" he exclaimed, "they stopped at my cornfield andgathered a good feed for their
horses, and never said even 'Thank you.'They are camped in the woods about half a mile ahead, for I saw thegleam of the campfire. I am going down in the morning, and see if Ican't collect for that corn."
"We will collect it for you," chuckled Duncan, "and while we are aboutit we will collect enough to pay for a feed for our horses. There aresixty or seventy of us. Them fellers are not our men; they are Yanks."
"Good land!" exclaimed the old fellow.
"Don't worry--we'll collect for that corn, all right," said Duncan.
The guerrillas waited until ten o'clock, then approached the wood asnear as they dared, and Duncan sent two of his men ahead to spy upon thecamp. They were gone so long that Duncan began to be impatient, but atlast they returned, and their report was all that could be wished.
"We almost crept on them before we discovered them," said one. "Thefools do not seem suspicious of any danger. They have but one man onguard, and sure as shooting he is leaning against a tree, sound asleep.It will be no trick to send them to the devil as they sleep."
"And to the devil we will send them," growled Duncan. "Understand, noquarter."
"The dawg? Didn't you see the dawg?" asked Hicks, anxiously.
"That dawg seems to trouble you, Hicks," sneered one of the men.
"He would trouble yo' un if yo' un had had the experience I have,"retorted Hicks. "I tell you I don't like it. Them Yanks seem too blamecareless. It ain't like them. An' that dawg--didn't he make no fuss whenyo' un crept up?"
"Not a bit. If thar was any dawg, he must have been asleep, too."
"I tell yo' un I don't like it. Thar is something wrong. That dawg----"
"Shut up," commanded Duncan. "Josh, if you are afraid of a dawg, staywith the hosses. Some of the boys will have to stay, and there is notone, unless it is you, but wants a hand in this job."
"Yes, stay, Josh, stay!" jeered the men. "Josh is getting skeery. He isafraid of a dawg."
"Stay nothin'!" snorted Josh, mad as a hornet. "An' if any of yo' unsinsinuates I am afraid, yo' uns will have to settle with Josh Hicks, an'that mighty quick."
"No quarrelling, boys," commanded Duncan. "Josh is all right. Don't wantto stay with the hosses, Josh?"
"Not by a thundering sight."
"All right, Josh, we will give you the first crack at that boy, theowner of the dawg, to settle old scores."
They were to creep up on the scouts and kill them as they slept. If analarm was given, they were to rush on them and make quick work of it.
Slowly the guerrillas worked their way through the wood, as noiselesslyand stealthily as Indians. By the dim light of the campfire they sawwhat they supposed were the sleeping forms of their enemies. Thesentinel stood leaning against a tree, his head on his breast,apparently sound asleep.
The sentinel was right in front of Josh Hicks. He drew a huge knife, hiseyes gleaming with hate and cruelty. Nearer and nearer he crept, thensprang forward and buried his knife in the bosom of the supposed man,but instead of striking flesh and bone, he struck a log of wood, and sofierce was the blow he could not withdraw the knife.
As he struck there was a hoarse growl, a huge form shot through the air,and the teeth of Bruno were buried in his throat. He gave ablood-curdling yell, which died away in a sickening gurgle.
The guerrillas, thinking themselves discovered, rushed upon the sleepingforms. As they came into the light, the woods to the right and leftburst into flame. Men reeled and, clutching the air, fell. The woodresounded with horrid curses, groans, and yells of terror.
Firing a random volley, those that lived turned and fled, pursued by thescouts. The battle was soon over. A full third of the attacking forcelay on the ground, dead or grievously wounded. But of all the dead,there was none so ghastly as Josh Hicks. He lay with his throat torn inshreds, and on his face there was still a look of mortal terror.
The next morning, when the guerrillas came creeping back to bury theirdead and care for the wounded, a feeling of superstitious awe crept overthem when they saw the body of Josh Hicks.
"That dawg--that dawg!" they whispered. "Poor Josh! He must have had apresentiment."
From that time on Bruno was to them an uncanny beast, in league withevil spirits.
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