the upper end of the trap and was
disabled. Guns moved by sweat, force, will and hand-power, were wrestled
around the banks to attend to the _Undine_. And after a brisk duel her
officers and crew abandoned her.

"We got us a navy," Kirby announced when he brought their order to
leave the picket post. "The Yankees sure are kind, presentin' us with a
couple of ships jus' outta the goodness of their hearts."

The _Undine_ and the _Venus_, manned by volunteers, did steam with the
caution of novice sailors upriver when on the first of November troops
and artillery started to Johnsonville.

"Hi!" One of the new Horse Marines waved to the small party of scouts,
weaving in and out to gain their position at the head of the column.
"Want to leave them feed sacks for us to carry?"

Kirby put a protecting hand over his saddle burden of extra and choice
rations.

"This heah grub ain't gonna be risked out on no water," he called back.
"Nor blown up by no gunboat neither."

Those fears were realized, if not until two days later, when the scouts
were too far ahead to witness the defeat of Forrest's river flotilla.
The _Undine_, outfought by two Yankee gunboats, was beached and set
afire. The same fate struck the _Venus_ a day afterward. But by that
time the raiders had reached the bank of the river opposite Johnsonville
and were making ready to destroy the supply depot there.

Drew, Kirby, and Wilkins, with Boyd to ride courier, had already
explored the bank and tried to estimate the extent of the wealth lying
in the open, across the river.

"Too bad we jus' can't sorta cut a few head outta that theah herd,"
Kirby said wistfully. "Heah we are so poor our shadows got holes in 'em,
an' lookit all that jus' lyin' theah waitin' for somebody to lay a hot
iron on its hide--"

"More likely to lay a hot iron on your hide!" countered Drew. But he
could not deny that the river landing with its thickly clustered
transports, gunboats and barges, the acres of shoreline covered with
every kind of army store, was a big temptation to try something
reckless.

They had illustrious company during their prowling that afternoon.
Forrest himself and Captain Morton, that very young and very talented
artillery commander, were making a reconnaissance before placing the
batteries in readiness. And during the night those guns were moved into
position. At midafternoon the next day the reduction of Johnsonville
began.

Smoke, then flame, tore holes