hat
might have happened to us if I hadn't begun to sniff around, and made
Rob take notice. All that pile of stuff would have buried us out of
sight. And the horses knew, sure they did. That explains why they acted
so funny all the while. But isn't it a shame to see how they had to
smash that splendid bridge!"

"Don't forget that this is war, Tubby," Merritt told him, "and to hinder
the enemy from coming up, anything is allowable."

"But that's going to block our going on, I take it," ventured Tubby,
watching Anthony, who showed evidences of having been considerably
excited by the explosion, though Tubby could not tell whether it was
fear that influenced the man, or an overmastering desire to join the
army, and engage in some of this obstructive work himself.

"Oh! that doesn't follow," Rob assured him. "I noticed that the river
was shallow just now; and I imagined I could see the old ford that used
to answer before this bridge was ever thought of. We can get across
without swimming. You forded the Rio Grande once upon a time, Tubby, and
such a little bug stream as this shouldn't phase you a bit."

"Oh! count on me going wherever the rest of you lead," retorted Tubby,
with a blustering air, as though he did not want anyone to think him at
all timid.

"We might as well go back now," remarked Rob, "and see about getting
over. If the mine has been exploded, there shouldn't be any danger; I
want to try that ford."

It was found that though the bridge was wrecked pretty badly, the
greatest damage was to the span, and not so much to the anchorages or
piers. In time another arch could be built--should peace ever come to
this distracted land--when men would be able to once more "beat their
swords into ploughshares," and start to rebuilding what had been
destroyed.

"Follow after me," Rob told them, as he started to urge his horse across
where he could see the old ford had been.

Little of the material from the wrecked bridge had been thrown to any
distance, so the ford was not blocked. The horses still displayed more
or less restlessness, as though they could not understand that, with
such a smell of choking gases in the air, the danger was all over. The
three boys, however, had had considerable experience in handling balky
animals, and knew just how to urge them on.

Once on the other side, they started up the bank. As they arrived at the
road, having crossed the abyss, they saw a crowd of men hurrying toward
the sp