rging directly at the Rebels below. In front were Aunt Debby, Bolton
and Edwards, riding abreast, and behind them three men in homespun.

The Rebels seemed totally unnerved by this startling apparition. The
dismounted ones flung themselves on their horses and all fled away at a
gallop, without attempting to make a stand and without taking thought of
their wagon. As they scurried along the opposite mountain-side Fortner
and Harry fired at them, but without being able to tell whether their
shots took effect.

The pursuit was carried but a little distance. The wagon was secured and
taken up the mountain. A little after midnight the summit was passed,
and Fortner led the way into an opening to the right, which eventually
brought up at a little level spot in front of a large cave. The horses
where unhitched and unsaddled, a fire built, cedar boughs gathered to
make a bed on the rocky floor of the cave, and they threw themselves
down upon this to sleep the sleep of utter weariness.

In the meantime Harry had learned that the new comers were cousins of
Fortner's, who, being out on a private scouting expedition, had been
encountered by Aunt Debby and the others, near the summit of the
mountain, and had started back with them to the assistance of Fortner.
The sound of firing had so excited them that the suggestion of a charge
by Kent Edwards was eagerly acceded to.

"It must be near three o'clock," said Kent, looking up at the stars, as
he came back stealthily from laying the saddle blanket, which was the
only covering he and Abe had, upon the sleeping form of Aunt Debby,
"and my downy couch still waits for me. My life-long habits of staid
respectability have been greatly shaken recently."

Abe groaned derisively.

An inspection, the next morning of the wagon's load, showed it to
be mainly made up of hams, shoulders and sides, plundered from the
smokehouses visited. With these were a number of guns, including several
fine rifles, and all the ammunition that could be found along the route.

A breakfast was made of slices of ham broiled on the ends of sticks, and
then a consultation was held as to the plans for the day's operations.

The result of this was a decision that Aunt Debby and one of the
newcomers should go back and inform the neighborhood of what had taken
place, gather a party to remove the dead from the creek and bury them,
to keep the water from being poisoned, and recover what property might
be found with th