towards the departing "General." If the engine would
only run with sufficient force into the enemy, the latter might--well, it
was hard to predict what might not happen. Much depended on the next
minute.

There was a whistle from "The Texas." "The General" kept on to the rear,
but at a slow pace. No longer did the staunch machine respond to the
throttle. The fire in the furnace was burning low; there was little or no
steam; the iron horse was spent and lame.

The adventurers looked on, first expectantly, then gloomily. They saw that
"The General" was incapacitated; they saw, too, that the enemy reversed
their own engine, and ran backwards until the poor "General" came to a
complete standstill. Pursuit was thus delayed, but by no means checked.

"That's no good," sighed Andrews. "Come, comrades, while there is still
time, and off with us in different parties. Push to the westward, and we
may come up to Mitchell's forces on the other side of Chattanooga."

Soon the men were running to the shelter of a neighboring wood. George
seemed glued to the sight of the departing "General." He felt as if an old
friend was leaving him, and so he was one of the last to move. As he, too,
finally ran off, Waggie, who had been released from his master's pocket,
bounded by his side as if the whole proceeding were an enjoyable picnic.
When George reached the wood many of the men were already invisible. He
found Watson leaning against a tree, pale and breathless.

"What's the matter?" asked the boy anxiously.

"Nothing," said Watson. "This rough journey over this crooked railroad has
shaken me up a bit. I'll be all right in a minute. Just wait and we'll go
along together. I wouldn't like to see any harm happen to you, youngster,
while I have an arm to protect you.

"Come on," he continued, when he had regained his breath; "we can't stay
here. I wonder why Mitchell didn't push on and capture Chattanooga. Then
we would not have had to desert the old engine."

The fact was that General Mitchell, after capturing Huntsville on April
the 11th, had moved into the country to the northeastward until he came
within thirty miles of Chattanooga. At this point he waited, hoping to
hear that Andrews and his companions had destroyed the railroad
communications from Chattanooga. No such news reached him, however; he
feared that the party had failed, and he was unable to advance farther,
under the circumstances, without receiving reinforcements. But o