you git the hosses inter the water;
but you've got to crack the nut afore you kin eat it, Leftenant."

"Is there any difficulty in cracking the nut?" asked Deck.

"I reckon that's whar all the diffikilty comes in. It has rained like
Niagery for two days, and it has been doin' not quite so bad all this
afternoon. Them banks is as soft as an Injun bannock half baked; and
there ain't no foothold for hosses. I wouldn't resk it for two per cent
a month," returned Life very decidedly.

Probably the sergeant was correct in his view, though Deck thought
still that it was practicable. General Crittenden swam his cavalry over
the river in the night, but some of his men and horses were drowned in
the attempt. He found the descent of the steep banks a great obstacle
to his retreat. But the crowd at the entrance to the intrenchment had
diminished considerably, and the lieutenant began to think he could cut
his way to it with less peril than he could swim his force in the
river, especially as it was beginning to be dark.

Another circumstance came in the way of the execution of the plan.
Perhaps the company of cavalry near him had noted the examination of
the banks of the river by the lieutenant and the sergeant, and may have
had a suspicion of what was passing through their minds. At least, it
soon appeared that the captain of the company had other views in regard
to the disposal of the Riverlawns. He had moved his command nearer to
the platoon, and stretched it across the camp some little distance.

A little later, a mounted Confederate officer rode to this end of the
line. He looked over the Southern company first, and asked to what
regiment it belonged. Deck could not hear the reply in full, but only
that it was a Tennessee regiment. Then he rode a little farther, and
seemed to be somewhat astonished when he saw a force wearing the blue.

"What is that force in the corner, Captain?" he asked of the officer to
whom he had spoken before, while he continued to observe the body in
blue.

"It is a Yankee platoon of fifty men that we captured a mile or more
from the breastwork," replied the Confederate captain; and it could be
seen that his men smiled when he gave this reply.

"To what regiment do these troopers belong?"

"I don't know certainly, but I reckon it was a Kentucky regiment."

"How happened you to capture half a company, and not the whole of it?"

"Well, you see, Major, the Kentucky regiment had better horses tha