Part 10 (1/2)

DIPLOMACY

We had a rubber poncho and three blankets with us, and the country through which we had passed had see by day and sleeping at night, getting our scarce and poor food as occasion offered and living upon anything but a generous diet

About dusk on the day of our little difference ere looking for a safe place to caure of a man on the opposite side of an open space He was evidently surveying us intently, as he stood stock still, and his appearance was not rendered un in the hollow of his left arround and waited for some hail which would announce to us the intentions of our friend None co, we concluded that he was as much afraid of us as ere of hi, what had beco our next move, and I slunk back to my companions

We decided that the quickest way to learn who and what he ould be to approach him, and that he certainly would not shoot if we held up our hands Accordingly we stood up, held up our hands, and stepped boldly out into the clearing, I calling out:

”We are unarmed and are friends”

Not a un :

”Don't shoot! we are unarmed and peaceable citizens”

As he said this, Miller burst into a loud laugh, and quickly ran toward the figure We instantly co at the fantastic stump of a burned tree, to be saluted by Miller with:

”Would you unarmed and peaceable citizens kindly recollect this event when you are inclined to joketo say

The next day we erfield, describing a corner of the square in the town, from which a plain road led to a ferry across the Sulphur Fork of Red River

This was the 27th of December, and we reached the outskirts of the town late in the afternoon, hiding in soh we started boldly through the town, found the corner described, and took the road at a rapid gait

Just as the east was beginning to show signs of approaching day we struck e took to be another bayou

Miller was anxious to show that he could brave the water in some cases, so he pulled off his pants, handed theht in to wade the stream He took two steps and disappeared from view We fished hiht before proceeding farther

When day broke we found that we erfield than we had expected, for this was certainly a river, and could be no other than Sulphur Fork It was high, and running swiftly in thefar above the banks and out into the woods on both sides, so that it ns of a ferry were to be seen, and we hunted a good place for a camp in which to lay over until the river should subside or so

In building a fire I strained , and it became quite sore before the day was over

The next day the river was as high as ever, and my foot was so sore that I could scarcely step upon it We lay over all day, as I could not walk, and there see the turbulent strea my foot was much swollen, but I could li, so I insisted upon so o in o, so far as the chance of having to deal with an eency was concerned

I hunted around for a while, but found nothing, and returned toin the opposite direction froone

Rummel sneaked off, and soon returned with the report that he had seen a horse a short distance down the road

Again I started to investigate our surroundings The horse was soon found He was hobbled, and close to him, in the woods, were two others

It was a certainty that we had neighbors, but I could see nothing of theone down to the river, I walked boldly toward the anis what I could about the riders I had not proceeded more than a few yards before I cae of them, almost stumbled over three rebel soldiers, ere stretched out comfortably on their blankets for a nap

They looked up inquiringly at ave involuntary utterance to an exclamation of surprise

To say that I was scared would but feebly express s The cold chills ran up and down my back, and I could not speak for an instant

However, I quickly recovered myself, before they had a chance to speak, and said to them: