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m # % i^nni. ^ "'" ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ PF^^^BPtfffFF? jamilp ftospagtr: jox % jStk of the jdhicai,',ferial, |gricnltnral ari. Cmmmtiitl jitots. ?f % gmty. - ? jgi^g . \ 'i ' ' i' ' .y .. .... ' 1 . ' " m| t" 1 f'0<i .ti-'tm,-, th-v ".'.v u.i.-.-i-.; i ,!,,;-.n ,? ,. ,'jil r '' l.th viii: :i^i!! . ,/,; -, - .!> ;,,,t ti! ?;?>. >.'(!;' i !!s 'or ir'-i-1 i ijj -.' :: e !?l; ?iny$a via %nxo *td bar. wofofryyjd ?" VOL. 14. r YOEKVILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, JULY 16, 18081' ., - ' 1 ' - -J ?- " 4""' ' -" " - i.-'J /<!- . i-.-'.i > ?** * . ?? i iy?i3mg : i?r. ho; /redraw?^ 3ir#njfaa* fsi. j i See afe afe 1 1 a sag * , /Sfoltlto igwibe Tewkvltte Bttqafaae. nt< : ? .-ii .i: : i; .< ! ISOLETTE. THE FEMALE SPY. A 8TOBY OP CBASLE8TW AMNIOS IB. ' 7'' . T'lf* * By wirauspodirciirm. m , > . ? " i ?Bttk MM?Mnaf the "Ewjchu s^ftooi tk? coMMicniii JgNb**8^W7j^*ttb?AwnWMd to newutMaibeis. One DoSa* - .I 1 ' . . ?... ;? ^ o>?r.>;t Q&hflKR 3fBL d The sonwas shining cheerily into Vwtor's chain her when he awoke, free ftoinpaia, thoroughly refreshed, and feeling no iB effects from: die blow that be bad reoeived on die previous night. The wound was indeed quite slight, and when he bad removed the bandages, performed his ablations; tod dressed himself, he feltthat buoyancy of spirit wkieh is the beet heritage of yrotfc i Very natnrally,-Victor was dBsiroos of engaging in those duties which belonged to him ae?' soldier. He was wemy of the task which bad been assigned him, and now that it was oompleted creditably to himself and in a manner satisfactory to his mil, itaty superiors, he resolved to return to camp and learn something of its duties, and sham in the ex* Citing risks whiolr fall, to the lot of the forward and active soldier. -'> -j. * Be had hoped quietly to make his way from the house, bat a servant met hhn on (he landing and conducted 1dm to the dining room, where an abundant breakfast had been provided for him. Ibolette DeVere, who had not yet left her chamber, anticipating bismoveinents, had ordered the majordomo of her establishment to have breakfast in waiting for her guest at an early beer, if heshorid desire to take hfe departure before her usual hour of rising. Victor did ample justice to the cheer before him; and, bestowing a gratuity on the servant, took his way towards the camp ou James Island. ' Old Mattie Meyer was sweeping out his store as tiA niouul niw) nanaed in his emnlovment to null off his hat and bow to the young soldier. "Mine young friend, you forget dem eggs you pay me for yesterday?" asked old Mattie, as he bowed and touched his hat "I should have forgotten diem, but for your kind reminder," replied Victor, turning -into the shop. "How is business to-day, Maltie?" "Oh! not ?> Tory fine yet, Irat-it will be priak ' ' enough when the soldier begin to oome over; but, mine yonng friend, I can't find out Miss Isolette J yet If Nellie Prack be over in de course of dp j day, I shall find out all, I tink. "Don't give yourself any trouble about it, Mat- 1 tie," answered Victor, "it will not make much dif- ' ference. But here, Mattie, since I think of it, 1 . poor Nellie Brack had on shoes yesterday she cohH 1 scarcely hobble across the street in. Take this money, will you, and supply he: with a comforta- 1 hie pair. She needs them." "I vill do so, mine young shendeman, wid pleasure," replied Mittie, examining the bill and laying it away in his pocket-book. . "Prack ought to pe ashamedof himself, .fie is as worse as a heethen, ' to waste bis money on gin, and let his children go in rags. He'll come to some pad end yet I count ' dese eggs yesterday?will you count them over a- 1 gain?" "No, I thank you, I know they're all right,'' re- 1 plied Victor, "and now, good morning, .Mattie, I 1 must go and rejoin my regiment." "Good pye, yonng shentlemon; send de soldier to old Mattie, and he will sell as sheep bargains as | any house in de city." Taking his box of eggs under his arm, Victor . had soon passed the bridge, and was wending his , way along the road that led to the camp where his . regiment was statipned. Once arrived there, he reported to his Colonel, who congratulated him , warmly, upon the complete success of his mission, and promised his influence to promote him to the 1 first lieutenancy that it should be in his power to j bestow; a compliment that Victor gratefully but , very firmly declined, modestly contenting himself i with the prospect of remaining in the ranks, and ; leaving the honors and responsibilities of office to those who were older and more experienoed than - - ? < himself. It may be said to be Victor's first appearance in 1 camp. Acquaintances were to be formed, and the j routine duties of camp ascertained. There was not a little awkwardness in standing as a stranger 1 amongst several hundreds of men, many of them coarse and rude in their manners and repulsive in their familiarity. The sun had not set before he felt painfully the inconveniences and hardships ineeparable from camp life, even under its most favorable condition. It was some oonsoiation to him that be was thrown into a mess with an old campaigner, like Harvey Haley, strong-armed andaelf reliant, before whose vigor, energy, and industry, all smaller inconveniences and obstacles Vanished away. Rations were drawn, and Harvey Haley began making preparations for cooking their noon-tide meal. Black and begrimmed, he was sitting over 1 the fire, turnin^the hoecake in the spider, and essaying to fry to.a tarn, with a green pine wood : fire, the thick slices of fat pork which formed their rations. It required a constant conversion of his longs into a pair of bellows, to keep the fire alive, and whilst busy at this troublesome duty, half blinded by the smoke and suffocated by the ashes, the sergeant could not repress an oath or two, over which we may, in charity, hope the recording angel failed not to drop a tear. Victor was seated on a pine log on the opposite side of the fire, and as often as he attempted to interfere for the relief of Harvey, that old campaigner would say: "Never do you mind, Victor; I am an old soldier, aod-have broiled bacon and cooked my hoecake in the shadow of the Garita de Belen, where we had hot work of it Time enough for you to learn to cook up your rations, wheffyou have, in a double sense, learned to stand fire." "Mass Harvey," said a voice at the sergeant's elbow, "you stan' one side, and let me git at dem. I show you how for cook." "Why, Pompey! where in the devil did you drop from ?" exclaimed Harvey Haley, turning hastily around in his surprise, "and what have you doue with the mule and cart?" "I send em back wid de wagon, to old Masser. TT: ?????? /Innrn tn rta pitv tfl hrinr COttOH. XIl?i nttguu WUI? Vivnu irv v?v o and uncle Cyrus drive de wagon, and yaller Jake he take de cart back." "Well, Pompey, come in here and finish this cooking," said Harvey, turning over the knife to him. "You can stay here and cook for us, until I can hear from Mtyor 8hort." "Old massa done tell me to stay and cook vittels for you and Mass Vic," replied Pompey, who had no idea of returning to resume the hoe in the cornfield. "Enty he tell you so, too, Mass Harvey?" "Yes, but Pompey, we won't need you here ; you will only be an incumbrance," answered Harvey. "Now, look here, Mass Harvey?don't you call me any of dem hard names," said Pompey pausing in his labor of blowing the fire, to protest a-1 gainst what he conceived to be a most abusive epithet "You musn't cuss me when I come here among de bomb shells, just to help you aacTMa?! Vic." "Bombshells, indeed, Pompey!" retorted Har vey. "I don't think you are fikeQF to run much rfefc froni them You bellowed like * ball calf yesterday, at the first sight of them." ' "Ebery shell, Mass Harvey, come right straight tor Pompey; and deyall shoot at nobody in de world, but me. Enity I right for holler, den ? I spec yod and Mass Vie, too," hotter quick enough if ebery gnu pinted right straight at yon, and dey don't try to hit nobody else. But, look here, Mass Vie, you seerfc Colonel, te git dat money, yet?" "What money do you mean, Pompey asked Victor, tajren by surprise. I--' "Why, tie money' to buy dait boy to tote your gun. Entv yon know I tell you, I can't keep op when you white fd&B charge dem yankees ?" replied Pompey. ?o*r? ?;> *'Yea, Pbmpey, I saw the Colonel about it," replied Harvey who waadispoeed to practice on the negro's fears, 1 'and ho says no soldier must have more than onalboy to wait on him. Whenever you are killed, Yidtar eaa draw the money to buy * boy in yunr place, but not till then." V What good dat gwine to do me, when I dead? No, Mass Vic, When yon go to fight, you have:to lflbe me behind to cook gainst younner come bade." In idle talk like this the day passed away.? Groups of soldiers were lounging all'around the tents. Some were busy with the thread and needle, patching a rent; others were playing cards, and others again, gathered in groups, were smoking their pipes, while the frgqttetot-atid: noisy laugh told of good fellowship and jovial dispositions. mi which dancer, absence, hard fere and dis comfort, made bat little impression. A few, in the retirement of their tents, or withdrawn apart from the crowd to some comparatively deserted spot, were writing home to friendB and relatives, those urate messengers that were so anxiously longed for. Victor had jost completed a letter to his widowed mother, enclosing in it the ring whose <purchaae had indirectly led to the detection of the erring and unfortnnate Isolette, and giving a graphic detail of the many incidents that had befallen him since his first partial induotion into a soldier's life; and the thoughtful youth, remembering tho hard necessity that sat, but half hidden,. at the mother's hearth, enclosed his bounty, which had just been paid him, and all of the unexpended fund which had been furnished him to pay any expense ne mignt incur wnue iracKingup me spies truumfested the city. It was the first pecuniary aid he had ever been able to render her to whom he owed so much, and a prayer went with his little gift, that it might lighten or remove a care, or supply ? needed want. He had just completed his letter when word was brought him that, at sunset, he was to go on picket. The letter was re-opened, and his pencil resumed to add a postscript, telling of the new duty to which he was appointed, but a moment's thought made him fear that such intelligence might occasion unnecessary solicitude, and the letter was reclosed, sealed and delivered at the regimental post office. Going on picket for the first time, is something of an event to a young soldier; especially, when the enemy's forces lie near, and there is every prospect of a collision. To keep the soldier ever on the alert, their superiors seldom fail to employ their efforts to impress upon them the imminence of an attaok while on post, and a young recruit who has not heard the ciy of wolf raised, day after day, in vain, until it falls on callous ears, seldom goes to his post without experiencing those very vivid sensations which exposure to danger and the stern responsibilities of his situation quite naturally excite. The detachment with which Victor went forth, consisted of about thirty men, a mere cautionary guard, not deemed suffioient to repel the landing af the enemy, should they come in force; but serving only to give the alarm and prevent the camp being taken by surprise. The post which they were ordered to hold lay some three miles in advance of the lines, upon the sea-ward side of the Island, accessible in barges and boats to the enemy who held the Islands lyjng upon the open sea.? Between the point where the picket line was es tablished, and the Islands which the enemy tieia in force, lay a wide marsh, through the midst of which flowed a creek which separated the islands, and through which, at full tide, the waters of the 3ea rushed in and covered the whole marsh. The course by which the detachment was led, carried them through lands which had, at no distant day, been under cultivation; and many of the fields were surrounded with ditches, on the high banks of which, thick hedge-rows, formed of a small thorny bush resembling the ycopon, served in the place of the usual rail fence, to protect the fields from the depredations of cattle. Some of these fields had been under skillful and profitable cultivation up to the beginning of the war, but a large proportion of the way lay through old fields, thinly covered with diminutive pines, with here and there a magnolia or loblolly bay, and occasional dense patches of the thorny shrub, spoken of above. After awhile, the detachment was halted aad ordered to break ranks and rest until the sun, which was just setting, should disappear, and the deeper shades of evening render it safe to advance to relieve the detachment whose place they were 3ent to supply. A few scattered old field pines were still around them, and served as a shelter from the view of the enemy. The soldiers in groups scattered themselves around, most of them lying upon the ground in a few feet of the spot where the line stood when dismissed, ready to spring to their places again at the word of oommand. Victor advanced to the edge of the scattered growth of pines, about one hundred yards to the front, and there the enemy were for the first time in his soldier-life, within his view. There was uothing to intercept or break the view. Clear to the edge of the marsh, which was but half a mile from where he stood, the land was low and level, and covered, only here and there, by dense green patches of a thorny plant, which seldom rose above three feet in height About half way between himself and the larger marsh, which separated the island on which he stood from that occupied by the enemy, the island was intersected - - f V? trofar Dy an oozy creex wuicu wm w*ch-u mw n<.w. only when the tide was up. It communicated with the marsh on the right, and running up into the island, for a few hundred yards, formed a narrow peninsula of about two hundred and fifty yards, near the point of which the picket line was usually stationed. Just at the head of this creek, to the left of the spot where Victor now stood, was the Grimball House, so culled from a planter of that name by whom it had been ocoupied previous to the war. The soldiers sent to picket this portion of the island, found their way to the peninsula by turniug the head of this creek just at the building referred to, and by turning to the right and marching some four or five hundred yards, took their appointed post on the extremity of the peninsula. One great risk they ran was that of being cut off hy a force landed in their rear ; for the oozy creek was too miry to be crossed by man or beast At the extremity of the peninsula was a straggling growth of trees, covering perhaps half an acre, but the growth op the remaining portion was so low that a man could not stand erect without exposing himself to the enemy. Victor looked across to FoBy island, where was a considerable camp of the enemy, and there "The white pavilion* make a ?bow Like remnant* of the winter'* anew." He could see plainly, the batteries bearing on James Island, and the groups of soldiers busy I within the encampment, and distinguished the vaAjW'eoiore of their dresses. The distance, in ' deed, appeared to him even less than it really was; 1 bnt it was sfiitsd near as-idrendet Itquite danger- i eras for one to expose himself to the observation i of the enemy** sharpshooters, who were oontinu- s ally on the logout to pickof snfth unwary picket! a as ventured to Walk eroot along the peninsnlL 1 To s avoid casualties, the pickets were always conducted t te their posts at night, and doriog the daytime^ e they could only safely change their position by crouching down and stealing along under cover of ( the low but dense patchesof shrubbery with which t the peninsula was covered. ,v. .7/ F But for the exoeeding -caution and timidity of y the enemy, in advancing only under i;he cover of C his gunboats, Charleston might long since have a fallen into his power. The defenders of tbocity, on this side, were but fnwjnawaber, a mecahapd* 1 ful, indeed, compared with the vast multitudes t that oould in.two hours have been thrown upon v the Island from die spot now occupied by ibacqe- 0 my. The war, on their part, was one of mere-me- b chanical appliances, but on the side of the beleaguered and bloofcaded South, of heroins like that v of Marathon and Thermopylae. In all, there were d scarce a thousand men to dispute with the enemy b the passage of the Island, add if, instead of confin- n ing themselves to slow and difficult approaches a- '??? liawKrtf in ftiftnf nrv/1 Kfiinir hMtM KqpV T ?VUg * # WW WIMg WW.. , r ? for months and held completely in check by a hand- * ful of brave soldiers in dilapidated and almost de- If molished forts, they had made a brave attempt f< with their overwhelming numbers to march across c! the Island, and plant .their batteries in easy range tl of the city, nothing, but a shameful want of gal- * lantry on their part, could have saved the fair city a from their dutches. a Inexperienced as Victor was in everything re- tl Iating to military affairs, thoughts like these natu- ir rally occurred to him, as from his post, 'und& the a shelter of a low spreading pine, he saw the position r< of the enemy and the advantage which it conferred n upon them, were they sufficiently gallant and en- it terprising to accept them. They'knew that they ei had already thrice been beaten back, at the point h of the bayonet, by forces scarce a tithe of their own a number; and he resolved, should they make the et attempt again in a few days, as was confidently 01 expected, to die rather than give ground. . oi He stood gazing across upon that narrow sand h bed thrown up by the sea, where the enemy were sr swarming like ants, until the grey twilight began w to throw a veil of obscurity over their figures, and 1c then returned to the spot where his detachment w lay, awaiting the shadows of twilight si These soon fell upon the Wand, and, in a lower tc tone of command than was usual, the officer in charge ordered the men to fall in, and put his de- U tachment in motion. Obliquing towards the left, ? they passed under the walls of the deserted farm d; house, the torn down enclosures ot wtucn, ana tne w broken doors and shutters half torn from their tc hinges, told forcibly of the neglect and desolation & induced by war. ' tl The low tones in which the relief guard was hailed as they approached the picket line, told the ai necessity for caution in a spot so near the lines of bl the enemy. True it was, a marsh intervened and oi gave them protection, hut their object was to conoeal their presence and position from the enemy, on whose, guns could have swept the peninsula, at all h< times with a most formidable fire of shot and shell. re Directly in front of the building, a i<oad led off to the marsh, continued by a narrow ciuseway, to w a landing on the creek which ran through the marsh, for expeditious and easy water communica- g( tion in former times, even when the tide was down, t) The reserve guard was posted in the vicinity of the ei house, and the picket line was established from the head of this causeway to the point of the peninsu- s] la, some four or fivd^ hundred yards away on the ^ right, in groups of three, at intervals of fifty or ^ sixty yards asunder. 'fr Victor's post happened to be just-at the point w of the peninsula, with a youth two or three years ^ older than himself, who had seen, however, but p] little service. He was from the 'up-country,'and, like Victor, this was the first time he had been on e( picket. Captain Carberry who was in command p] of the picket line, and who, with hisreserve guard, took post at the old house mentioned above, was ti taken to task by an old weatherbeaten veteran, Giles Shorter, for putting the youths, together. ?? "Captain," said Giles, "you'll repent, before tl morning, having put these two youngsters on the ai pint, without some wiser head at their elbow to st keep them straight." tl "Well, Giles, I'll even put you along with them," replied the Captain, "since you are an <x old^hand at the pump. There's your musket, you y< can go and join them, and see that they do their duty." " "I'll be cussed if I do Captain, meaning no dis- I ?. . ? v ?> n:u? "T *1 respect to you, nuwevei, icopuuucu uuwj. o. bi don't intend to work double tides?wheu it can be d helped ? or take other men's burdens qn my ai shoulders; but you could have separated them, b1 and had an experienced soldier along with each." ni "Why, what harm can they do ?" asked the Cap- d tain. > si "Why, harm enough," replied Giles, who had an utter contempt for a young soldier. "They've never been under fire in their lives?just raw from tt their cradle, and don't know any of the duties of a h soldier. I could slip around there in a canoe, and h capture them both, aud carry them to Halifax before they knew what they were about.,s - aI "I doubt it, Giles," said the captain, who loved p to tease his subordinate. "The boys would have you shot or captured before you could get your eyes open." "I should like to try it, for the fun of the thing, any way," said Giles. "Unless they took me for \ a ghost, they would hardly shoot; they might hail u to know who I was, and any tale would feather e] their eyes completely. Captain, these raw recruits w ain't worth a cuss, until you have drilled a little ti sense in them?especially if they come from the si 'up-country.' If they see a squad of the enemy o coming up, ten to one, if, instead of shooting, they a don't fall to asking questions?who they are, where a there are going, and what they want, and whether si they are enemies or friends, until they come up h and take their muskets away. wouldn't give a u pint of green persimmons for a butallion of such fi soldiers." t "Now you are talking, Giles," chimed in an- s< other old soldier. "Them boys don't know a por- t< pus from a barge?never saw salt water in their o lives before, and as soon as the tide gets up, and n the porpuses come blowing around, it trill be noth- tl ing but, " Corporal of the Guard!" all night.? f< Boys, you had better lie down and sleep, now.? b You'll get precious little when the tide gets up." tl "I'll swear I could go and capture them off the p pint, tie their hands, and take them back to camp s as easy as say it; reiterated Giles, who had nursed o his indignation. against raw recruits until it was o quite warm. "It would be a lesson to the boys, if you could a do it Gilos," replied Captain Carberry; "but I b think they have sense enough to know a hawk r from a handsaw; and you might be killed or cap- v tured, yourself. There is an old proverb which o talks of going after wool and coming back shorn; t I am afraid this might be your fate. 1 don't wish o you to try it, but it would be a fine le3son for the t boys, if they did not indeed turn the tables on t you." f "I'll swear I can do it," said the old veteran, t who was sitting on the ground with his heels d drawn np close under him, and his arias locked a- 1; round his knees. He was A dark-skinned, muscu ar, weather-beaten man, ofn#boat fifty years old, 1 rith a took* steady, fearless j'cye, and a row of .1 rbite upper teeth that ebosrod plainly when he I pbke. He had ft sfttunrinr*?, bat still i t bom r igti? of a'kind, easy disj^fctott:; He'was ft good < oldier, resolute and detertuned.fdelichtpd t^her < oo much in an affray, b^tpguW be depended, ^ ? ven in the most desperate charge. I "I tell yon, l ean do iti &ptain," resqmed 1 Jiles; "ftnd if you dob't mhSdJyon,n bear ftom me t eforeiw, ? ttb AM W { he slough, and I ooujd paddle. ^p and bring those 1 oangstere off, without the. jpftftok ofn whip.]"? a riles, as he said this, smiled aft if greatly diverted t t the idea. ^ .?tern Tin/ ^ "Very well, Giles, if you b$Qg them in, I'Hyp ye r hem a-time of it in the gimKttTonw, for allowing 1 bemselves to be caught" Replied fhe captain, t rith a laugh,.. "Bai l thmk yeohad better sleep, j Hies, and, not ran the rislrtf bfeing made game of ? "Sl'fi CT^ar, I'lI do it any way^'i replied Giles, .. rith a dry smile. "Look- out, Captain, if they t ?It'# porp^es,^ 4 ave you awake to lecture them for being caught i apping. I'm only awaiting for tlio ride. 11 Tlxis good humored threat fell oil heedless ears. a jike most good natured grumblers, Giles' bark i rasarasidered woree thurhia bite. His comrades t inghed, and Captain Carberry prepared himself r jr a good fight's repose. He was a short, fat, t boleric, little man, of rubicund visage, and had' lie dread of apoplexy continually before him; b rhich the spare diet and severe hardships of the o imp had, however, somewhat diminished. Tbfe tJ mvereation alluded to, took place in the yard of b tie Grimball Housb, at therootsof a wide spread- 1 ig live-oak, just in tear of the building. The n iptain usually indulged in smoking a pipe before * jtiring to rest; but he did not venture to light a h latch, until lie made bis way info one of the back li x>ms of ihe building, where no lookout of the * nemy could detect the tell-tale light. Even when 1 e came forth, the bowl of his pipe was earefolly d incealed Under the lappelsof his capacious jadt- n t, and the'Captain relished his pipe all the more, fi a account of its being a 'stolen eiyoyment Others ,t| f the soldiers around him, borrows! a fire frojn jj is pipe, and there were at least a dosen of them ^ inattiugsn the obscurity of the old oak's shadow, s ith tMir pipes concealed nnder their lappels, j okirig Rke a group of forlorn cassowaries reposing, d ith their bills thrust under their wings. Thus tting, they conversed together in low muttered ? >nes that could not have beef heard a dozen rods. ? tyi ? ~ li ?-- ?S_:?U?J n XI IS pipe ueiug UIIIOI1CU) VajFU VMU^HJ piv|m*w g > sleep; bat not after the rudefashion of the camp. a [e divested himself of everything bat his shirt, to rawere and socks, and rolled up his atout jacket, S ith its huge sleeves, together with his pantaloons, a form a pillow for hia head. Enveloping him- j? ilf in a couple of blankets, he lay at the foot of ? le tree and was soon soahdly asleep. n All followed his example, except Giles Shorter to id another veteran, Robin Lassiter, who, with their * laokets thrown around them, sat against the body fa tree about thirty yards off. '"I'D be enssed if we don't have a shell pitched b 7ct here directly," exciaioied Giles. "Jost hear tl ow the Captain snores 1"' . j h "He needn't, haye hid his pipe so ca^h%/' ^ tsponded Lassiter, "if he bellows so in his sleep. le ought to recollect that the enemy has ears as g. ell as eyes. 1 ti "I'll swear I won't stand it," cried Giles. "He's ii 3t his head so high that the wind can't come n trough straight I'll fix him so he'll breathe ,- m ? a tsi er. j( Stepping up to the tree where the captain was t] eeping, Giles drew out the bundle from under ii i? sleeper's head, laughing to himself at the nu- tl lerous grunts and muttering? with which his 0 iendly interference was met fcfcarding the ^ iptain's pantaloons from the bundle, he threw M leth aside, and carefully re-folding the jacket, re- p laced it under the sleeper's head. b "Now, I think you'll do a little better," mutter- h 1 Giles to himself; and he returned and took his lace where Lassiter was sitting. > "I'm going to show the captain the folly of putng boys on guard, without some old hand to break ]( lera in," muttered Giles to his companion.? li There's a canoe, down here on the right hand of & le slough, drawn up in a little inlet, and, as soon 94 3 the tide is high enough to float it, I intend to ? eal round on those boys and get their guns from a lem, and bring them up to the captain.'' n "Take care, Giles, you'll get shot," replied his v jmpanion. "Boys are quioker on trigger than to ju or I would be." 1 "Pshaw! they'll not shoot," responded Giles, j Just as likely as not, I'll And them both snoring, b know exactly the very tree under which I'll find tl lem. They might shoot quick enough at such u iimb critters as mules and porpuses?they'll waste J m munition enough at stamps and oyster beds; & at anything that can answer their hail, from a ^ igger down toa Dutchman, or from a Dutchman Q own to a Yankee, is safe enough. I'm going to e iow you some rare sport with them Johnnie , .awsl" ? "Maybe so," was the laconio and not very flat - - - i il -1? J ? iring reply of bis companion, who men aiaposea j( is blanket more closely aroand him, and, settling ? imself down on the gronnd, was soon asleep. d Meanwhile, it is time for as to return to Victor ? ad his young comrade, holding their first picket j! 081 ti ' h CHAPTER XIV. t It was .a beautiful scene that met the eyes of e rictor and his comrade; beautiful at least to one b ) whom its features had all the freshness of novIty. The white sand that bordered the point on ? hich they stood, had been thrown up by the r des of the sea, and lay in rifts, like newly fallen now swept into billows by the wind.. Farther ut, a dark creek stole, winding through the marsh, nd the tide being down, here and there appeared v bank of oysters, the dark masses of which, when 5 sen at a distance, bore no small resemblance to irge boats floating on the water. It required, 0 nder the circumstances, no strong imagination to f 11 up the outlines of the fancied resemblance, ) see the splash of the oars that impelled the ^ eeraing boat, as some finny creature broke the wa- ^ 3r into dimples around it; and in the glistening ^ f the moonlight upon some whitened shell or v loist rock, to behold the gleaming of muskets in 1 be hands of armed men. Where the moonlight a ill upon the white sand, it seemed to have the rightness of day, but on all beyond, save where | be clear reflection of the moonlight shone in a long 8 athway of light from the water, there rested a a hadowy gloom that hid all objects from the sight, 1 r only revealed dark and indistinct masses, dimly 1 utlined to the vision. i t Silence rested upon the soene, only broken by v n occasional gun from Moultrie or the enemy's atterics, that' kept up, at intervals, a slow but e < * ?n "i ' I * egular firo upon the crumDiing ruins 01 Dumter, i rhere the flag of a Spartan band waved defiantly ; ver the wreck. But these sounds belonged not to T his scene. The light plunge of some leaping fish, J r some water-fowl, rising and shaking himself in rj he water, were all that engaged the attention of i he young oomrades who were keeping their first < r&teh together. Every sense was on the qid vive o defect the faintest or most distant approach of ( [anger. No Soman watch wss evermore vigilant- j 7 kept ; i There was a dense grove of lire oaks and other t jrergreen trees on the point, the dark ehadowapf ; suich, only here and there penetrated by the moog- ' )eamfl, formed ftp admirahle hiding place.? There ras DO ?ndeigrowth to injpa^.^ia fpotateps, and J ** might stroll finder the shadows, at will, jjpth-j, wit attracting attention, when ;prea& of oonfine- ' nent to one posture. The boys, however,, had < tnrolled Wd spread their blankets at the foot; of a 1 srge Jive oak, that grew at the very .verge of the ' ide mark, and sometimes sitting on the knoll with | heir feet upon the whke sands, where, opjy.i the; lighest tides reached) and, at others, hah* reclined .1 >n their blankets, they passed the first hours of heir watch, sometimes in an unintcrruptedsiicnce j I several minutes, and, again, in a defnltoiy.epo-, , eoatioM the rennwraof.which could scarcely bp 1 ieard beyond the shadows of the old tree under j rhich they aafc,,..looking to the right they saw j totnt after point, similar in.every, respect,tp .tfca 1 ma-iOn which thev- stood.,iatting out injpthe, \ mpst companionable being. He was stouter and i liter tban .Victor, with featufei coarse, bat fall of s entle expression ; firm-set jaws, and a throat like ? Hercules. Qfee needed hut a glance at hi? pro- ^ options,.to tell that, when maturity of yeans had ? iven nun compactness and firmness of sinew, he rould be a giant in physical power. Neither hod I ature BeOn niggard m contemn*Upon'him men- * d capacity of a high order. He was thoughtful nd sagacious beyond his years; and evinced, by c is conversation, considerable culture of mind for t ne of his age. f While the youths were sitting quite still, and :n reaking. the silence odlyhy an occasional whisper, n beir qutek ears detected a noise in the grovo be- g ind them. Simultaneously, they turned .their toes in the direction of the souqd'and peered in- P sntly in the gloom. :. f Some sixty or seventy feet behiUd them, was a t tooping oak of less than a foot in diameter, on the v rank of which the moonlight, stealing from some I iteretice overhead, fell in broad patches with al- * lost sunlight brightness. Prom the foot of this t ree, proceeded the noise which bad attracted the a ttention of the young soldiers. They were not 1 :ft long in dpubt as to the cause. Clambering up i be tree, a large opossum jmon appeared, emerging ? ito the moonlight, which Was so bright that even be long hair standing out from his shaggy coat s Duld plainly be discerned. The sight was too ' luch for the youths. Springing to their feet, arid a saving their arms leaning against the trcC by c rhich they were sitting, they Hastened to make a h rize of the dainty animal Victor was first at the h -ee;.and, casting off his shoes and cartridge box, h e began to-ascend. . * uGet a club, Prescott," exclaimed he in.an.ea- g er whisper, "and be ready for him, when I shake v im down." , s Victor was up the tree iu a twinkling, and fol>wing after the opossum, that climbed from one h mb to another to avoid his enemy. He finally fi lade his way to one of the highest branches, and, y iizing a small bough with several folds of his tl rensile tail, made his standi It wis a consider: & ble height from the groundbat,: pausing, how fi nd then, to rest, Victor followed until he had 1< jached within a few feet of him; but the limb, to d hich' the animal hung was too small to bear Vic- 1 )r's weighs and be was compelled to stop. Had e ; been possible to reach the animal, Victor would ave captured and brought him down as a prize, a here was danger that, in the gloom that existed elow, he would escape when shaken down; bnt a bere was no alternative. Seizing the limb to k rhich he was clinging, Victor began shaking ,it s igorously. Soon the body of the animal' was brown trom the limb and hung dangling in the t ir, jerking convulsively about, as Viotor put forth id efforts to nreveut him retraining his foot-hold. C !oil after coil of his tail unwound, and now it needd but one vigourous shake, and the game was up. a "Here he comes, Prescott! Look out down here?" sung out Victor, in a suppressed tone, s rom the tree; and, giving one final, vigorous fi hake, the animal disappeared in the darkness hern, and there was heard a blow or two, and a faint p cuffle at the foot of the tree. Victor camerapidly tl own; and, when he reached the ground, he decried his comrade, Prescott, in the gloom, stand- '' ig over the animal which was writhing ana tumb- & ng about in Lis death agony, making such gyra- a ions as only an opossum can, when the hunter has I lid a staff across his neck and dislocated bis ver- o ebra by a vigorous pull, at his tail. j "I was afraid he would get away from you, Pres- e ott, in the dark,'| said Victor, panting as he o uckled on his cartridge box. "I had my foot on<him as he ,hif the ground," tl espopded Prescott "The commissary may go t o grass, with his blue beef and ealt pork to-mor- p ow! We'D have a dish equal to roast pig." y "Did I make much noise in the tree?" asked * fictor in a low tone. ~ b "I guess you did," replied Prescott; "and we h rill have some sergeant or corporal poking his lose this way directly, to enquire into the matter, n 'ut on your shoes, as soon as yoh can; and let's * ;et to our gnns, and we'll say nothing about our possum. I don't wish to be hauled over the coals y or our little frolic after our opossum.'' t "I'm ready 1" whispered Victor; and the two e lurried back to their, post, carrying their game t rith them. The noise which they made was, in- h !ecd, heard for some distance along the fine of tickets, and excited observation and oomment,not t mmixed with anxietyJ - The moment afterwards, v lowever, the whole picket line was aroused ana d pprehension and alarm rose to the highest pitch, s The youths hod scarcely regained the spot where a heir guns were, when, from behind the point on It he farther side of the dough, a canoe appeared, b hooting forward and running in each a direction t a soon to bring it in front or the young soldiers, v Lheir guns were at once in their hands and in readiiess tofire? " ' p 'Wait a moment, Prescott." whispered Victor, v 'they may be friends. Don t fire till I give the a rord." ? ... # b J he canoe .was about a hundred yards distant, ..coming steadily on. There were two men t ising the paddles, which they plied noiselessly but h rith Skill and energy, The moonlight was full 1 ipbn them, add there sat in the bow of the canoe, li i crouching figure, that seemed shrinking up into he.smallestoompaas, ag.if chilled with aq ague. The boat was nearly abreast, when Victor startled } ts occupants with his clear hail, that rung oyer he pmninsula and aroused the whole picket one. " t "Boat ahoy 1" - ''i No answer wat returned ; but the oanmen start- c sd and held,their paddleB suspended, white the J igure in the prow disappeared Ju the bottom of J he canoe. Tim one-near the.nri^dle of the canoe \ ;urned his faoe to his oomphiucin in the stern, and i noi^n cm >: \i o f- rti -lvonij? At> l?te hour, .whan the moon heg&o to mount \ ijgh in the heavepa, the sullen jo*r of the tide! t oald be beard, as it; began to Toll upon the beach t a the distapoe, jwi th. a. voice like that of a gather- J g storm. Victor and his comrade both looked j ky wards; but the cloudless heavens belied their t aomentaiy apprehensions. .Viator spon suggested j he cause of the distant din, and the reversed cur! < ent flowing through -the- creek, satisfied him of r wtm&f&boriai iahubd/ oitah->ov.3?; i His comrade, Harry Prescott, had given him a v listory. of hiuiaelf and his family.- He was the last c ffbnr .brothers, three,of whom, had fallen ip bat- c le. His generous blood was aJl on fire. The t rothers had ; lived in the utmost .Jandness; and e rere boundto out anotberby the strongesUjUes of J atural affection. Harry's bosom JHWted for re- e enge, with sfc insatiable longing. It seemed to e the Whole aim and purpose of his life. Hector t Ice Victor Was the son .-of# -widow,; bufr ofone J dxrhad drunk the oup of action .to the dregs. * !he aueoessive blows that.had fallqn upop hisjwred, and the heart of a, mother broken by bereave- j. lent, hadnot crnshed, but had aroused, end inoriated his whole nature. He did not regard aC- r \ui cppflict .with (he enemy as a great evil, to be ? hdergone for the gOocTof the country, buft as a * esimbledpportthnty ofimalunk his revedge up- h n those who had-'touobe^ faim in kur affections, t nd-despoiled inm of friends more tender, and de- r; otedjhgn any wbgre bands be would ever agaip c /V^hen he forgot for a time the severe loss which o is family had sustained'?and such things from s ur very constitution cannot, and ought trot, to est permanently upon tbp.heart?he exhibited an c lasticity and cheerfulness of temper that made him o "Boat ahoyl" again rang the dear challenge jver the watery The only ptiieet waa> to stimulate the occupants* of'Che capoe to ply thar paddles ^TS&OTfei 1 rawing his gun to his shoulder; aud almost simultaneously two bulkta went flying. acnes the rater; * The figure in the stern, whether struck, a*, whether dreading the next shotj WaB-unknowl^fisH into the bottom of the c&jweJrafc Kfe companion, ft" nahte, stdl industriously p^hw padflL. ; .lr The youan soldiere were already ranonaing down heir cartridges, and their ramrods rug rapidly on their cUmu?*, however,. theyj were quite eady to fire, be sprang over the.ade or the canoe ihd attempted to escape by. dmflg. Tb?J^uths fiowfeVer, 'thongh excited? were too wide aWake-to throw away their ammuiitioa The dihenxbiecsr jout half a dozen rods beyond th^ognpe,, u&up jvidently making for a dense growth of rashes, aloot a hundred. His head was caroely well aboye jthe later, when, with as,accu ate an aim aA it ias'pdissible to take ftr thd ntroer-1 am UiVAIIUiKUU |>U? TVUVUO ?uw ?a , ind wittta the smoke bad didap'b?iredf leHrad no dngervisiMe. Their oartridgfe w.ereagaindriven lome with rapjd bwds,< and after m veal secouda, jy ^e piaahing. of thewater ia ibf moopfigbfc hey saw that be was making' rapidly for a maiogi jlflde among the roshdp. Agarif, after1 the. ither, thhjrnred upon hh?, ana though'thdy nei<owly watched for eve** ripple flf the water that night discover bis whereabouts,,no tracee^fjim1 rere after wards seem . . A light flashed from Folly Mind, tfotf a sHfejf, losely followed by the roar of eanfo^n rtl i ng iver the heads of the young soldiers J^ fell in: he marsn beyond. Another, ana another, followfdin qniclt sade^nou, and one or two mat-fare o>ened their flreuponthe penhisiila, throwing four r five shells, some falling into the marsh, and xploding in the rear of the picket Hne^ ,^ At the first shot fired by the pickets* Capi, Cm* i >erry c^-scd his^soonn^ and sat 'bolt upright. ;ing up hiegufr joitfod the captaitt.* "to 'What'io the devil does that mean?'' asked the aptam^rubbio^ hia^eyes whh a roeful^fooe, *t 'Ttielieve GDes Shorter was right. Captain," epliedLassiter; "the tide is tip, andthoseybttngters are shooting jpotpu^es. They never saw salt' rater in theif lives,'afore tO-dky^arid to my think-' rig; they are going to keep it up aakmg&f there's ide enough io the erik tie float a porpus." J iV , ^."Wfiereavpay w*8 the firing? demanded the ! abtaim , v" ""L Rightdownon the pint; there was twoof them, ne after the other; as quick m you can wirik;" reponded Lassiter. ; hii i.a "It's those youngsters, I am afraid," said the apttfin,.pulling at his beard most dolefully. 'T vght to have put ah old soldier with eaich of them hat is true! Giles Shorter?but look here, Lasher," exclaimed thecaptain, starting thinsfedt uddenly, as he remembered his. conversation with riles just before lying down?"wheifut* Giles 1 Ihorter?" . _ . .. . ?. ,cHa lav down bvme. under that tree." answered naaiter, indicating the apot with bis finger, ubtjt rhen twoke ten minutes ogo.Tie was gore."" "The devil I" exclaimed the captain* wb'o .whs iow thoroughly excited-and alarmed. "I did not hink the fool was in earnest but I suspect he has ilayed the very devil to-night. ,If I dpn't eourt[iartial him, whip me. But I fear he is past court-. aartialiDg by this time. Corporal, turn out file uard. I'll go down to the point, myself." -1 ; The captain felt under bir heaid where he-had ilaeed his clothes, and soon throat his legs ii? bis arment and buttoned it tip; bat, as nad,ipfifln iappened to him before, found that his suspenders rhich were well"worn had parted cofcpany with lis garment, and were not to be found. White he ras groping about on the ground in search of them he second round fromithe point roared out, and irged the now highly excited officer to hasten.? he captaib swore, quite furiously. His sword he 1 lad buckled on, but his suspenders were missing, nd his coat could not be found: 'Til make those youngstets and Giles Shorter ! weat for all this Confusion," mattered the captain: 'I'llpat them on double duty ibr a month-toCotne^ nd drawing bis sword with his right hand, and 1 atcbiug at the waistband -of bis pantaloons with is left, to keep them from falling about his angles, le put himself at the head of the line, and,-in all aste, hurried with his guard down to the point. 5 enquire into, the. cause of the alarm. He had ot within a hundred aod.fifty yards of thg point, 'hen the third volley from,the comrades on picket hocked bis ears. After firing their third round, the youths watched lost eagerly for the fugitive, but in vafq. -Shtised at length that he was either slain, or was beond their reach, they turned their attention to he canoe which was still, fipa^pg with the tide, i ome seventy or eighty yards distant The watch hi eyes of the young guardsmen had not'over- j )oked the figure in the prow of the canoe, which reappeared immediately after their, challenge.? , 'heir conjecture was that he, at least, still reinaind unharmed. . f "Boat ahoy 1 come to land, or we fire upon yon gain," cried Victor. "Don't shoot again, boys, for God sake?" cried voice from the bottom of the boat "Yoa've illed one fellow as dead as Julius Cses&r; don't boot nie?I am a Confederate soldier.'- , ,-. "Rnnomni- In land. than, instantly." was be order from the point. _ T" "It's ine, Giles Shorter?Captain Carbeny's Company, *th South Carolina," replied the voice. "Get up from the' bottom of'the oanoej then, nd paddle to lend," replied Victor. "JS'ow, don't shoot, boys, for I'm a friend," air 1 wered the voice; and, the moment after, a dark \ jrui was seen rising from the bottom of the canoe. "Look out for someyankee trick, Victiar/'whis- ; ered Prescott "I have a mind to pdt my ball hrough bim now." ; iv. - s ,, "Don't shoot, Preseott,'-^ suggested Victor.-*? 'He is in our power completely, but if what be ays should be true, I am afraid we have done a ad night's work of it, kDling friends for enemies, t was their own fault, however, in not answering nr haiL We have woke the enemy up, I wee. 'here's one gnn, and yonder k the flash of anothr." As Victor spoke tbe guns of the enemy pened their fire. The individual in the canoe, whose eveiy motion he youths narrowly watched for fear he should at- < empt to escape, had in the meantime taken up a i oddle, and wee urging the canoe tokndjhofcit > raa obvious, from nis manner that h&lwas ftfled nth aprehension and dread, lest, suspicions of his tory, the youths might yet be tempted to fire upon iim. , "Boys, don't point your guns this way! Tm 10 enemy; I'm Giles Shorter, who came down nth you on picket.. Don't you remember me, now?' "We don't.know any one who has not the password," replied Victor, who had no recollection of he name given by Giles. He had only regularly ntercd his company hat a few hours before, and he names of most of its members he -bad never leard. In the meantime, Giles, for it was he, brought he canoe to land, some few rods to the light of ? ' ^ -?.-j There the boys baa oeeo nrst posicu. xxc ui!erc<J to land and draw the canoe higher upon the hore, which order he obeyed with the utmost lacrity. Hearing the guard advancing, Victor jft Prespott in Pare of tnfe prisoner, and repaired o his station to give the challenge. Cant Carierry answered the challenge: and, giving the passTord, came forward. ... 'J Letting go inadvertently, the waistband of. his >antaloons, when he had nearly reached the spot There Victor stood, he niade a step or fWo forward nd the treacherous garment-no Ibngflr being npield, dropped around his feet, and he fell forward. "Whafcis .this?"; exclaimed the Captain, in suririse, as, ne rose as quickly as he could, drawing lis nether garments oaclc to their place with his ift hand,- and holding np a dark mass to the moon ight in hn right "That is an opossum, sir," replied Victor. ' ( ?; "And, I suppose, this explains all #>9 firing I' "No sir," answered Victor; fiffeid "npbn a jai&ng canoe, killed one'man, and perhabs anoth,lr, Who took to the wafer Sttd (fiS?pplSred, ted aptured a prisoner whom Prewdtt i*-guarding;?. de say a his name is Qileaj^9Bte,^^t^ite>^ um." .J s sTr-.ai"?! gn'fte:: : *./ni vsn i. *i "'UorporaJ, sua uie.oapcain, wiui hquk m his eyef"ycra trad tit^i fW W* Bllt l?V> yards badfr 1&& they IMot M the shelter bebincf the trunks of-llft i '^1 aw #stoD?b^?r/' repWWj^fag^^h ' to^kDOwToor n*n*r tad bUm&toix an^l to what or^ "Uncock" your guri,'' mryoWW learn from this prisoner all that I can: mmjttMl yon may/hwManolt, ffliiahb iirfii?<i>#iby-pnttir^a prisoner to for what parpoaeitfis30:><<wi ui beonut oJw .ra*m iJWaptow. oan't-safe at-/ Iftouaa^fc.rfcoadyi# idn%iiiia? light*' strike a Kent ;af itikneora# iwiln rftftjaa enemy, I'datdraed n^htamther be of Ann Fknbw this, unless I was Gifca'l^ort^'had^^ in^else?" "' oe?fo a den* whcte-Jifc eeafcd; f; ?YOu irier4m&'fhe'1tHttr&<hMtt much attached follower, conversing together?0 lw attempt; topwe iourai&of. aai&l?^W.wW I J^ftjpiy.reatiug place, aotntew wbo^E faithful ftil^ htdB'fcfaB him down. J had taybahatenil* hanaftfrliaiKg shoulder, bathe iwua-efeepi?ipmerifKlfoiiibSi oot'the^em^tQd?ttt^i>;Hb>nb^^^nini>i<wl "I writ down fTnpfenl ifBrfnhnijji?i|u?lW>6ii uwoth of prisono-, .and I didnY fancy being kfled."* - "By what names did thee? peMdn#qttWflnother, or did they - dmptoy *ify n&mea?'^ asked Oarbeny." I'-iwoJooernaH u>masmms >.?? '' The 6oe,wi thtbe bOwie-Jtnftfe wis ealfedWaliW' continued Giles, "and he called the Otb# ant; bathe had on plain <dtiten%';cl6t!^Md whether be wob ahentenant or ?Wtf I darOMit eby. Yon can see fbr ypnraelf. there lie HSP% tora of the canoe, as dead as a ttactoitet T&w swore if I ottered a wordi I dfe-ftr^t akhoughl h^ted to be ai)rifl(mer,^t<'tS9h^lf1a yankee prison a-fittfe '-better thahw IfcritrfcL *<PHt intbe bSw of^ie <aooe, ^d fe o^&'-?j?e youngsters hailed-rwbich they did nromp^P^I slid <?sn ? $ebottom<of tbtotoeK ?*t there I lay. tall tbfe firing Wee over. - The ttajnehdfc mbe was called, ieefesd oyer at the firstfee jiWaiai tefek . to the waietf. and, whether he isjdead 'Oft aJhr, these youngsters can tell better than Ijieuw.iJtl mn oav iR^natif he la alive it is no faoltoftheink" "Weil, prisoner, ydur: stcvy i&a-vwry pbaaiWs one," said Captain Carberry, "and niMiMLve im posed on these youths. Botl lefthnJat dMwrttr asleep. Giles had a very poor-opinae dMhfctficiency of young soldiers, and ofthesetwc^hilW ticular. He seemed to think Jbe oouidras tbetn off the island with a oornstaHc.>^I aa^nririri-kad wakenedhim andbraaahtohii? dWf]l<hiHi might acknowledge'bis auatakedl twowtsd ,ino "Now, Captain, do you say, on youwhhwiUjf honor, as a gentleman and officer,that yog left me provoking coolness and self-poewgpiU} we no doubt but yon,lave been plotting to, surprise and cap^ the.se youngsters the wh<fcmgih,YI say on my honor such is my belief- But honest Giles Shorter?however, it is useless.,ifjpeak of him. ^ Boys you inatiou^^Freat him civilly^hm^o: to escape, vo not sunpr mm 10, spea^, fccmmt. ^If he^te^ts it, mate j^net jeeps joi*a man?fdesperate. watch mm well" . . "Captain?Captain Carberry' ?exclaimed Giles frantically, aKntet sobbing at the tftt of "being treated asn^py, but the captain, hee^m^feothis eifnest appeal, had 'disappeared chnddp to the 6f thfbiter villian r e^claimed Prese^tt, fiiLely^ astxeV^"Fairiy sobbing with passion and vexation, Giles saw from the fierce ghtre of IVeSeottVey^ rad-liis compressed Jaws, tint it was daneewWffto disobey or daily, niBh &et were at dn?>nmto,.iitttkimaoocK. odTju ^ sleeve^e tgirs of ai^r^d dgp^^^at bewe j Tc iaaoqaih odro* .tnaro? vnouq a. ex rarao