that one Southerner could whip five Yankees, but he said nothing for
fear of betraying himself. He obtained food at a sutler's tent. He was
very tired and sleepy when the second night came, but he found a place
to sleep at a house in the village.

"What regiment do you belong to?" asked a girl with a sallow countenance
and grimy hands.

"I am a scout," said Paul.

"Be you a scout? Wal, I hope you will run across Old Abe Linkum. If you
do, jest take his _skelp_ for me." (She meant his scalp.)

"Wal, if I _cotch_ him, I reckon I'll _skelp_ him," said Paul,
flourishing his knife, as if he was ready for such bloody work.

"The Yanks are a set of vagabonds; they are the meanest critters on
airth," said the woman. "They'll hang you if they cotch you."

"I reckon I won't let 'em cotch me," said Paul.

"Where be you gwine next?"

"Down to Cairo, I reckon; though I go wherever the General sends me."

"May be you would do a little chore for me,--get me some pins, needles,
and thread?"

"It is mighty skittish business, but I'll see what I can do," said Paul.

Having obtained his information, his next business was to get away. He
waited till the lights were put out in the camps at night, then, walking
down to the river he found a small boat, jumped in and pushed out into
the stream. He could see the sentinels on the parapet of the fort as he
floated past, but they did not discover him. Paul congratulated himself
that he was beyond the picket line when he heard a hail from both shores
at the same time. "Boat ahoy!" He made no reply. "Boat ahoy! come ashore
or I'll fire," said both sentinels. He saw that he could not escape by
rowing. They would fire if he attempted to go ahead or turn back. If he
went ashore, he would be taken to the guard-house, questioned, probably
put into prison, perhaps tried as a spy. He resolved that he wouldn't
go ashore. There was no time for deliberation. It was mid-winter; the
air was keen, and there was floating ice in the river. If he remained in
the boat he might be shot, so he lowered himself noiselessly into the
water. How cold it was! He felt the chill strike through him, setting
his teeth to chattering, and his limbs quivering. There was another
hail, and then a flash on both shores. The balls went through the boat.
He heard the stroke of oars, and saw a boat pushing out from the shore.
He darted ahead, swimming noiselessly down stream, gradually nearing the
shore, for his strength wa