. My legs were
stiff and cramped from riding, and I made very poor headway. I threw off
my overcoat and haversack to lighten me, but it seemed as though I was in
a nightmare; and though I strained every nerve to make the utmost speed, I
seemed to be moving at a snail pace. Alban, who had been walking, and was
strong and robust, outstripped me and was gaining at every step. I was
perspiring at every pore, and my breath was short and hot, but still I did
not seem to get ahead much. I was just thinking I would soon be out of
sight, when I heard Lieutenant Leatherwood's voice close behind me,
saying, hold on Lieutenant, I don't want to shoot you; and looking over my
shoulder, saw him within five rods of me, with his revolver pointed at my
head.

Seeing that any further effort at flight would only result in my getting
the contents of that revolver, and not hankering after anything of that
kind, as I was near enough dead already, I stopped and went quietly back,
Alban, who was five or six rods ahead of me, doing likewise.

One of the bullets from Captain Tidwell's revolver had struck a rock near
me, and a piece of the bullet hit me just under my right eye, thus saving
his reputation as a marksman, and giving color to his intentions to shoot
me.

As we slowly made our way back to the road, I picked up my traps that I
had discarded in my flight, and laughingly told the boys that I only came
back because it was so much more pleasant to ride than go on foot. Dick
Hancock, the Sergeant, however, did not seem to relish the joke, and,
demanding his revolver of Captain Tidwell, said he would shoot the d--d
Yankees anyhow.

Captain Tidwell told him that he wouldn't shoot any one who was a
prisoner, that if there was any shooting going on, he would have a hand
in. Dick swaggered considerable, but I finally told him that if he really
wanted to shoot some one, he had better go to the front, where he would
find lots of it to do. Said I, (for I was then satisfied that in case of a
row the chances were in our favor) "I want you to understand now, that
while I am a prisoner in your hands, I shall make every effort to escape;
and it is your duty to keep me if you can, and if you shoot me while I am
trying to get away, you will only be doing your duty; but while I am a
secure prisoner, you have no more right to murder me than you have to
murder anyone else."

You must watch me closely, for I give you fair warning, that I shall
escape if