of
the weak-minded, weak-bodied, lank-haired "po' white trash," but the
boys had sized them up on sight as dangerous spies and guerrillas,
had laid hands on them and dragged them down into the brush, where Gid
Mackall and Harry Joslyn were doing a fair reproduction of Williams,
Paulding and Van Wert searching Maj. Andre's clothes for incriminating
documents. They had the prisoners' hands tied behind them and their
ankles bound. So far they had discovered a clumsy brass-barreled pistol
and an ugly-looking spring dirk, which were sufficient to confirm the
dangerous character of the men. Two of the boys had secured ropes from
the train, which they were trying to fashion into hangman's nooses. Gid
and Harry finished a painstaking examination of the men's ragged jeans
vests, with a look of disappointment at finding nothing more inculpating
that some fishhooks, chunks of twist tobacco and cob-pipes.

"They must have 'em in their boots, boys. Pull 'em off," said Harry.
"There's where spies usually carry their most important papers."

"Here, you young brats, what are you up to?" demanded Si, striding in
among them.

"Why, Sargint," said Harry Joslyn, speaking as if confident of being
engaged in a praisworthy work, which should receive the commendation of
his superiors, "these're two spies and guerrillas that we ketched right
in the act, and we're searchin' 'em for evidence to hang 'em."

"Spies nothin'!" said Si. "Why, them fellers hain't brains enough to
tell a battery from a regiment, nor pluck enough to take a settin' hen
offen her nest. Let them go at once."

"Why, Corpril Elliott told us that every man in Kentucky, particularly
them what sold pies, wuz dangerous, and liable to go guerrillying at any
minute," said Harry in an aggrieved tone. "These fellers seemed to be
sneakin' down to find that we hadn't no guns and then jump us."

"Well, what I said wuz true on jineral principles," laughed Shorty. "But
there's occasionally exceptions to even what I tell you. These fellers
are as harmless as garter-snakes. Why didn't you come and speak to us?"

"Why, you shoved our car out there into the brush and went off and
left us. We thought we had to look out for ourselves," explained Harry.
"Can't we hang 'em, anyway?" he added in an appealing tone, and the rest
of the boys looked wistfully at Si for permission to proceed.

"No, you can't, I tell you. Turn 'em loose this minute, and give 'em
back their things, and go yoursel