rise
could make them successful. While he was moving a hundred rods to secure
his position, Somers could defeat his purpose by taking a single step. As
soon as he determined in what direction his persecutor was going, he
changed his position; and Joe discovered the folly of his strategy, and
sat down on a stump to await a demonstration on the part of his victim.

The game promised to be prolonged to a most unreasonable length; and
Somers, now in a measure secure of his life, was impatient to join his
anxious companions, with whom he had parted in the forenoon. He was
satisfied that Joe would never abandon the chase, and the slightest
indiscretion on his own part would result in instant death. It was a
fearful position, and one which was calculated to wear terribly upon his
nerves. He was anxious to bring the contest to a conclusion; and, while
he was debating in his own mind the chances of escaping by a sudden dash
in the direction of the Union lines, a happy thought in the way of
strategy occurred to him.

He had determined as nearly as he could the situation of his bull-dog
opponent, and thought that, if he could draw his fire, he might get out
of range of his rifle before it could be reloaded. Placing his cap on the
barrel of his pistol, he cautiously moved it over, just as it would have
appeared to the rebel if his head had been inside of it, and projected it
a little beyond the tree. He withdrew it suddenly two or three times to
increase the delusion in the mind of his enemy. He could not see the
effect of the stratagem; but he was hopeful of a satisfactory result. He
continued to repeat the operation with the cap, till he was confident Joe
was not to be fooled in this way. He was probably one of the
sharpshooters, and had too often fired at empty caps to be caught in this
manner when success depended upon the single charge of his rifle.

Somers did not despair, but slipped off his coat; and, rolling it up so
as to form the semblance of a head, he placed the cap upon the top of the
bundle, and cautiously exposed the "dummy" on the opposite side of the
tree. The crack of Joe's rifle instantly followed this exhibition, and
Somers felt the blow of the ball when it struck the cap. The critical
moment had come; and, without the loss of a second, our lieutenant darted
towards the Union lines. This movement was followed by a shrill yell from
the Mississippian, which might have been a howl of disappointment at his
failur