rebel shells from Lookout Mountain, yelled derisively at the rebel
pickets across the creek, and promised them to soon come out and run
Bragg's army off the face of the earth.

All were eager to do something toward the comfort of their departing
comrades. They scanned the arrangement of the boughs in the wagon with
critical eyes, and picked them over and rearranged them, so as to avoid
every chance of uncomfortable knots and lumps. They contributed blankets
from their own scanty supply, to make sure that there would be plenty,
and so many were eager to help carry Si out and put him in the wagon,
that the Orderly-Sergeant of Co. Q had to take charge of the matter and
make a detail. The teamster was given strong admonitions as to careful
driving, and fearful warning as to what would happen to him in case of
an accident.

"Hain't anything to send back home with you, boys, this time, but our
love," said one of them. "That's the only thing that's safe now-a-days
from bein' stole, because no one kin eat or wear it. Tell the folks to
pay no attention to what the paper says. No danger o' bein' run out o'
Chattanoogy. Tell 'em that we're all fat, ragged and sassy, and only
waitin' the word from Gen. Rosecrans to fall on old Bragg like a
thousand o' brick and mash the lights outen him."

"Yes," joined another, "tell 'em we've got plenty to eat, sich as it is,
and good enough, what there is of it. Don't worry about us. We're only
blowin' up our muscle to git a good lick at old Bragg."

"Your muscle," said Shorty, satirically. "You've got about as much
muscle now as a musketo. But you're good stuff all the same, and you're
goin' to everlastingly lick the rebels when the time comes. I only wisht
I was here to help you do it. I don't think I'll go any further than
Nashville. I'll be well enough to come back by that time. I'll see
Si and his father off safely, and then gether up a crowd of other
convalescents, and come back and clean the rebels off your cracker
line."

"Good-by, boys," piped out Si. "I'll be back soon. Don't bring on the
big battle till I do. I want to help. Just skirmish around and push the
rebels back into the woods while I'm gone, and hive 'em up for a good
lickin' by the time I git back."

As the wagon moved off the 200th Ind. gave three cheers, and the
regimental soloist struck up the "Battle Cry of Freedom," in which they
all joined with so much energy as to attract the attention of the rebel
artillerist