on his back
before the fire playing with a dog. I stole back with redoubled care.
Thoroughly alarmed by the dangers we had already encountered, we decided
to abandon the roads. Near midnight of December 16 we passed through a
wooden gate on a level road leading into the forest. Believing that the
lateness of the hour would secure us from further dangers, we resolved
to press on with all speed, when two figures with lighted torches came
suddenly into view. Knowing that we were yet unseen, we turned into the
woods and concealed ourselves behind separate trees at no great distance
from the path. Soon the advancing lights revealed two hunters, mere
lads, but having at their heels a pack of mongrel dogs, with which they
had probably been pursuing the coon or the possum. The boys would have
passed unaware of our presence, but the dogs, scurrying along with their
noses in the leaves, soon struck our trail, and were instantly yelping
about us. We had possessed ourselves of the name of the commanding
officer of the neighboring post at Pendleton, and advanced boldly,
representing ourselves to be his soldiers. "Then where did you get them
blue pantaloons?" they demanded, exchanging glances, which showed they
were not ignorant of our true character. We coolly faced them down and
resumed our march leisurely, while the boys still lingered undecided.
When out of sight we abandoned the road and fled at the top of our
speed. We had covered a long distance through forest and field before
we heard in our wake the faint yelping of the pack. Plunging into the
first stream, we dashed for some distance along its bed. Emerging on the
opposite bank, we sped on through marshy fields, skirting high hills and
bounding down through dry watercourses, over shelving stones and
accumulated barriers of driftwood; now panting up a steep ascent, and
now resting for a moment to rub our shoes with the resinous needles of
the pine; always within hearing of the dogs, whose fitful cries varied
in volume in accordance with the broken conformation of the intervening
country. Knowing that in speed and endurance we were no match for our
four-footed pursuers, we trusted to our precautions for throwing them
off the scent, mindful that they were but an ill-bred kennel and the
more easily to be disposed of. Physically we were capable of prolonged
exertion. Fainter and less frequent came the cry of the dogs, until,
ceasing altogether, we were assured of our escape.

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