ourage returned.

"Good mornin', Tim," he said, with great politeness.

The man on the stump said nothing; he only looked on with complacent
enjoyment.

"Tim, is these two boys crazy?" he asked slowly.

"They're crazy 'bout shootin' deserters," replied Tim.

"Tim, tell 'em I ain't no deserter." His voice was full of entreaty.

"Well, if you ain't a d'serter, what you doin' outn the army?"

"You know----" began the fellow fiercely; but Tim shifted his long
single-barrel lazily into his hand and looked the man straight in the
eyes, and the prisoner stopped.

"Yes, I know," said Tim with a sudden spark in his eyes. "An' _you_
know," he added after a pause, during which his face resumed its usual
listless look. "An' my edvice to you is to go 'long with them boys, if
you don't want to git three loads of slugs in you. They _may_ put 'em
in you anyway. They's sort of 'stracted 'bout d'serters, and I can
swear to it." He touched his forehead expressively.

"March on!" said Frank.

[Illustration: FRANK AND WILLY CAPTURE A MEMBER OF THE
CONSCRIPT-GUARD.]

The prisoner, grinding his teeth, moved forward, followed by his
guards.

As the enemies parted each man sent the same ugly look after the
other.

"It's all over! He's got her," groaned Johnson. As they passed out of
sight, Mills rose and sauntered somewhat briskly (for him) in the
direction of John Hall's.

They soon reached a little stream, not far from the depot where the
provost-guard was stationed. On its banks the man made his last stand;
but his obstinacy brought a black muzzle close to his head with a
stern little face behind it, and he was fain to march straight through
the water, as he was ordered.

Just as he was emerging on the other bank, with his boots full of
water and his trousers dripping, closely followed by Frank brandishing
a pistol, a small body of soldiers rode up. They were the
conscript-guard. Johnson's look was despairing.

"Why, Billy, what in thunder----? Thought you were sick in bed!"

Another minute and the soldiers took in the situation by instinct--and
Johnson's rage was drowned in the universal explosion of laughter.

The boys had captured a member of the conscript-guard.

In the midst of all, Frank and Willy, overwhelmed by their ridiculous
error, took to their heels as hard as they could, and the last sounds
that reached them were the roars of the soldiers as the scampering
boys disappeared in a cloud of dust.

Johnson