by J. T. Edson
‘I haven’t had the opportunity to thank you gentlemen for saving me,’ Cable announced, but his tone was wary and his eyes watchful. ‘I’m most grateful to you for your consideration to Harry as well as to me.’
‘Think nothing of it, sir,’ Dusty answered, feeling just a touch uncomfortable. ‘We couldn’t let the Yankees go on shelling our towns.’
‘And we couldn’t let the Yankees continue to use your machines,’ Staunce went on, understanding his companion’s predicament and stepping into the breech. ‘Either of them.’
‘Either of them?’ Cable repeated, although he could guess what had been meant and how the conversation might develop.
‘I’ve told Dusty and Doug what Lyle’s planning to do with Big Minnie, poppa,’ Harry put in.
‘We can’t let him turn that iron-plated machine loose, sir,’ Dusty warned. ‘Either here, or back East.’
‘Back East?’ Cable asked, looking puzzled.
‘That’ll be the next step,’ Dusty pointed out. ‘They’ll be figuring to show how well the machine works here in Arkansas, then taking it or the plans and know-how back East, then start making more to smash down the Confederate States.’
‘It won’t stop there, either,’ Staunce continued. ‘As soon as the various European military advisers see what a terrible—and effective—weapon it is, they’ll all start making or buying them. After which, whoever gets them first will be all set to conquer its neighbors.’
‘I didn’t design my machines to be used for war or killing,’ Cable sighed. ‘They were meant to help people, not to take human lives.’
‘I’d say a whole heap of inventions started out the same way, sir,’ Dusty answered. ‘Trouble is, human beings being the way they are, sooner or later somebody figures out a way to use them for fighting or killing.’
‘That’s true,’ Cable confirmed, looking with renewed interest at the big blond Texan and wondering how one so young could have gained such an insight into human frailties. He also compared Dusty with Lyle and Stabruck, not to the Yankees’ advantage.
‘The thing is, sir,’ Dusty went on. ‘As officers in the Confederate States’ Army, Doug and I have to try to stop the Yankees using the machines. And we need your help to do it.’
‘I see,’ the engineer said softly.
‘It’s not an easy thing we’re asking, sir,’ Dusty conceded. ‘We want you to take the big gun to Nimrod Lake for us, so that we can use it to destroy your other machine.’
‘It will have to be “destroy”, sir,’ Staunce continued. ‘We’ll not pretend that we think we can capture it. We couldn’t get either of them back to our lines. So we’ll have to destroy them both.’
‘With my help,’ Cable said.
‘Yes, sir,’ Dusty agreed. ‘We know that can’t come easily to you. But they have to be destroyed. With the big gun, we can do it and not lose so many lives. Without it, we’re going to have to go in ourselves and there’s no easy way to do that. I can’t even promise you that you won’t be asked to make machines for the South. All I can say is that I’ll make General Hardin know how you feel and ask that he helps you to go somewhere that you can go on with your work for peaceful purposes.’
‘It all depends on you, Mr. Cable,’ Staunce continued. ‘If you won’t help us, there’s no way we can make you.’
‘Lyle and Stabruck found a way,’ Cable pointed out.
‘We’re not Lyle and Stabruck,’ Dusty countered. ‘If you say “no”, I’ll have some of my men escort you to anywhere you will feel safe.’
‘And go after Big Minnie anyway?’ Cable asked.
‘That’s what we have to do, sir,’ Dusty stated.
‘I can’t let you shell the island,’ Cable said, looking from one officer to the other. ‘My—’
‘If it’s because Monica is still being held there—’ Harry began, the words bubbling out then away to nothing as she could not bring herself to utter them.
‘That’s part of it,’ Cable confirmed and smiled at his daughter. ‘I’m not entirely a fool, or blind, Harry.’
‘You know about—?’ the girl gasped, a mixture of relief and alarm filling her.
‘We’ll talk about it later,’ Gable promised and returned his attention to the two captains. ‘Mama Lukie, Oscar and all our other people are on the island. They’re only Negroes—’
‘They’re folks, same as everybody else,’ Dusty interrupted. ‘And I know how you feel about them. So you’ve got my word that we won’t open fire unless they’re going to be safe.’
‘I’ll go with Dusty on that, sir,’ Staunce declared. ‘You’ve my word on it too.’
‘In that case, gentlemen,’ Gable said. ‘I’ll help you take the big gun to Nimrod Lake.’
‘We’d like to get moving as soon as those Yankees are out of sight, sir,’ Dusty suggested. ‘If that’s all right with you?’
‘That’s easy enough arranged,’ Cable replied. ‘We’re ready to roll. You certainly frightened them.’
‘I aimed to,’ Dusty admitted. ‘The next thing is to make them think we’ve blown up the big gun and everything else. Then they’ll be more willing to figure we’re trailing them along.’
‘I see you’ve an extra ammunition chest on the caisson, Mr. Cable,’ Staunce put in.
‘Yes,’ agreed the engineer. ‘We started out with two caissons, but one broke a wheel and we left it behind. We’d emptied the other two chests bombarding Arkadelphia.’
‘Are you figuring on using the big gun’s powder charges, Doug,’ Dusty asked.
‘Not if I can avoid it,’ the Englishman replied. ‘And I think I can avoid it. The containers are full of hydrogen. It explodes in a very satisfactory way.’
How satisfactorily was proven when Staunce blew up the two wagons which had serviced the balloon.
On hearing the massive explosions, although unable to see what had happened, the Yankee prisoners assumed that the big gun and its accessories had been destroyed. They also believed, helped by Sergeant Weather’s hints, that Company C and the battery were following at a distance and looking for an excuse to massacre them. So they were willing to go along with Weather’s suggestion that they spend the night in an area of woodland. Once there, he warned that he would find himself in serious trouble for circumventing the plans of the evil ‘Captain Yancy’s’—he refused to use Dusty’s real name in connection with the bloodthirsty tyrant the young officer had pretended to be. So he and his men intended to desert.
Left to themselves, the Yankees had remained hidden in the woodland for three days. Finally hunger drove them out and they realized that they had been tricked. Long before they could reach the nearest Union troops, there was no way to know in which direction the big gun had been taken. On hearing the prisoners’ story, the officer in command assumed that it was already across the Ouachita River and made no attempt to verify his theory.
Chapter Thirteen – I Got Them Here For You
‘Cousin Titus!’Eric called, riding from among the bushes and on to the Perryville trail. ‘I’m right pleasured to have come across you-all.’
Bringing his mule to a halt, the tall, lean, sharp-featured Negro stared from Eric to where Captain Douglas Staunce followed him out of the bushes. The Englishman was still armed with his Light Cavalry saber and Colt revolver, but in every other respect he looked exactly like a captain in the United States’ Army. The top of his kepi—which had been brought along as easier than a Burnside hat to carry in concealment—sported the crossed sabers insignia of the Cavalry. The shoulder bars of his short blue ‘uniform jacket’ showed the two pairs of gold bars of a captain.
‘Why howdy, Cousin Eric,’ Titus finally replied, but his attention was mainly directed at Staunce and his sly face showed puzzlement. ‘That Yankee major’s done been madder’n a cat dropped on a hot stove ever since you-all run off. Where’ve you been at?’
‘With Miss Harry, looking for Massa Cable,’ Eric answered, seeing no point in lying about the reason for his d
eparture. ‘We’ve been going from one Yankee camp to another, until we got to some real high up ’n’ important officers. They said for me to fetch this gent back with me.’
‘Who’d he be?’ Titus wanted to know.
‘Name’s Captain Schmidt,’ Eric supplied, following the line which had been suggested to him by the Englishman. ‘He’s wanting to find out just what’s happening on the island.’
‘I’d’ve thought you-all, or Miss Harry could’ve telled him that,’ Titus commented, still studying Staunce rather than his cousin.
‘I have to see for myself,’ the Englishman barked, adopting the harsh, Teutonic accent which he had used when helping to trick the Union agent, Meats. ‘These men might not be what they’ve told you they are.’
‘You-all reckons’s how they might be peckerwoods, mister?’ Titus asked.
‘They just may be,’ Staunce lied, deciding that such a response would help bring the desired result. ‘I’ve been sent with Eric to find out the truth.’
‘Which means we can’t go across the bridge, like we was regular calling-folks,’ Eric went on. ‘So we’d admire to get some help, cousin.’
‘Such as?’ Titus inquired, sounding wary and a little worried.
‘Can you fetch us a boat down to the river’s mouth after dark, so’s we can sneak in the back ways?’
‘Well, I dunno about that—’
‘I don’t reckon Mama Lukie’d be any too pleasured happen she heard you wouldn’t help us, cousin,’ Eric remarked and watched the flicker of anxiety and alarm which passed over the other’s face. ‘Especially as doing it wouldn’t be hard, nor dangerous, and’d help Massa Cable.’
‘How d’you mean?’ Titus countered, scratching his head dubiously. ‘’Bout it not being hard or dangerous, I mean.’
‘Them Yankees, or whatever they be, ain’t stopped you fellers going out on the lake cat fishing, have they?’
‘Well, no. I can’t say’s they has.’
‘Then, happen you gets asked, you’re going cat fishing,’ Eric explained.
‘I reckon I could do that,’ Titus conceded. ‘Tell you what. I’ll bring a boat down to them willows near the river’s mouth just after sundown.’
‘That’ll be real fine, Cousin Titus,’ Eric enthused, although he felt just a trifle surprised that his kinsman had agreed so easily, even allowing for the power of Mama Lukie’s name. ‘We’ll be waiting for you.’
After the lanky Negro had set the mule into motion and was riding away, Staunce and Eric returned to the concealment of the bushes. Although Titus had not known, another pair of eyes had been studying him. Watching from a position which had allowed him to keep the trail under observation, although hidden from all but the most careful scrutiny, Kiowa Cotton stood by his big horse. The sergeant had reverted to wearing his Confederate States’ uniform and had decided that it would be advisable to remain undetected while Staunce and Eric went out to interview the latter’s cousin.
‘We’ve got a boat to take us out to the island after dark,’ Staunce announced. ‘I’ll go with Eric, but you’d better stay in the background, sergeant. Then, if anything goes wrong, you can let Captain Fog know about it.’
‘Yo!’ Kiowa answered, knowing that the Englishman was suggesting a sensible precaution. Then he looked at the Negro. ‘You reckon that jasper can be trusted, Eric?’
‘I reckon he can,’ Eric replied, after a moment’s thought. ‘Cousin Titus don’t look much and I wouldn’t throw dice with him, less’n I’d searched him all over afore we started, but this here’s different. He ain’t going to go crossing Mama Lukie on anything this important. No darkie ever wants to get a conjure woman like her riled at him.’
‘That’s for sure,’ Kiowa admitted and concluded that their mission was going much better than he had hoped.
The journey from the valley in which they had captured the big gun had been uneventful; except that Sergeant Weather’s detail had successfully slipped away from the prisoners and Wilbur Sprigg had caught up with news of Red Blaze’s exploits. The latter had only been a partial relief for Dusty Fog. He had found out that his cousin had not fallen into the Yankees’ hands, but wondered how Red’s flight in the balloon had ended.
While travelling northwards, the party had avoided being seen by, or meeting with, Union soldiers. There had been a few difficulties, most concerned with negotiating uneven terrain, but nothing had occurred to delay them unduly. The main body was now within one day’s travel, at the best speed possible for Pulling Sue and its burden, from Nimrod Lake. Wishing to make contact with the Negroes on the island and, if possible, arrange for them to leave before the big gun was brought on to the scene, it had been decided to send a small detail ahead.
The spin of a coin had decided that Staunce should come, accompanied by Kiowa and Eric. After some discussion, it had been decided that the sergeant should remain clad in Confederate gray. However, Staunce had elected to dress as a member of the Union Army. He had in his possession identity documents to ‘prove’ he was Captain Schmidt, attached to the Adjutant General’s Department, xix which might come in useful in the event of a meeting with Yankee soldiers. Nor would his British-made saber be out of place, for many Federal officers owned such weapons.
On reaching the Fourche la Fave River, in the late afternoon, Staunce and his men had intended to try to find a boat as a means of reaching the island. Before they could do so, the chance meeting with Eric’s cousin appeared to have solved that problem for them.
Keeping in concealment amongst the bushes the three men made their way to the point where the river flowed out of the lake. Still remaining in hiding, they examined the island. Using his field glasses, Staunce watched Titus crossing the bridge. At that distance, the captain could tell only a little of what was happening and saw nothing to alarm or make him suspicious. The lanky Negro was stopped by and talked with the Union sentries, but they displayed no signs that he was mentioning the meeting with his cousin. Passing on, Titus went beyond the Englishman’s range of vision.
Despite keeping a constant watch until the sun had sunk below the western horizon, Staunce and his companions could see nothing to make them think their presence in the area was known. As the bats started to glide through the air, hunting food above the calm waters of the lake, lights began to glow on the island. Cressets were lit, illuminating the bridge and other points, while the windows of the main house and Negroes’ dwellings showed that lamps were burning within.
About an hour of darkness dragged slowly by, with the three men watching the island and the waters of the lake for any indication that Titus was keeping his promise.
‘It looks like he thought better of it,’ Staunce commented.
‘If he did, Mama Lukie’ll make him wish he’d never been born,’ Eric replied. ‘She’s never liked him, ’cause he wants to be butler instead of Paw.’
‘Could be we’re doing him an unjust,’ Kiowa put in, staring across the water. ‘There’s a boat coming.’
‘We’d better keep hidden, just in case he’s bringing friends,’ Staunce suggested, accepting the warning, for he had had numerous examples of the sergeant’s exceptionally keen sight and hearing. ‘I hope you don’t mind us mistrusting your cousin, Eric?’
‘Can’t say’s I do,’ Eric answered. ‘Fact being, no matter how he says he don’t, I know he’s scared of Mama Lukie, or I wouldn’t trust him either.’
A few seconds later, first Eric then Staunce could make out the shape of a large boat moving slowly in their direction. For all their doubts, they soon saw that there was only one man in it. Kiowa faded silently into the darkness before Titus, grunting and gasping with his exertions, brought the bows of the boat into the shallows.
‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner,’ the lanky man said, when his cousin and the Englishman walked forward. ‘Only this here boat’s made for two fellers to row and I’m alone.’
‘It’ll be easier going back,’ Staunce promised and stepped aboard. ‘Eric wil
l be helping you to row.’
‘You mean I’ve got to go back with you?’ Titus yelped, sounding alarmed at the prospect.
‘Why shouldn’t you?’ Eric demanded, eyeing his cousin with suspicion.
‘Well, I was fixing on going down to Salty Annie’s—’ Titus answered.
‘Shucks, that’s no fitten place for a Gawd-fearing, upright young feller like you,’ Eric interrupted. ‘Stay put. Like you said, that boat’s meant for two fellers to row it.’
While Staunce took a seat in the stern, Eric shoved the boat back into deeper water. Boarding it, the young Negro took one of the oars. Reluctantly, Titus helped his cousin to row in the direction of the island. Even in the darkness, Staunce could tell that the lanky man was very nervous. Probably, the captain mused, that was because he lacked Eric’s courage and was frightened of the consequences if he should be caught by the soldiers who occupied Cable Grange.
Guided by Eric, the boat swung across the lake and towards the rear of island. Although the main section of the landing beach was illuminated by a pair of cressets, they were in need of replenishment and threw out little light. Once clear of them, the rest of the shore lay in satisfactory darkness.
Peering between the two Negroes, Staunce sought for any suggestion that they might have been seen. He failed to detect anything to alarm him. If there had been guards assigned to keep watch on the beach, they were not carrying out their duties in an efficient manner. However, Harry had stated that strict attendance to military duties was not a conspicuous virtue among Lyle’s soldiers.
