pistol at the Confederate lieutenant, who was assisting in casting off
the rope which held the raft to the shore. The man Life was covering
stood on the raft, with his comrade, ready to pole the craft out into
the creek.

"Surrender!" The word rang out loudly, and its force covered up any
nervousness Deck may have felt.

The command took the three Confederates completely by surprise. One of
them dropped his pole, and the lieutenant let go the rope and
straightened up.

"What's that?" he queried, as if he had not heard aright.

"Surrender!" repeated Life Knox, from the opposite side of the inlet.
"If you don't, every one of you is a dead man!"

"Throw down your pistols," went on Deck, and the men turned again toward
the spot from which the first voice had come. Of course the major and
the captain kept themselves well concealed from view, and the
Confederates saw nothing in the gloom.

"Who are you?" questioned Lieutenant Blackrook, grating his teeth in
chagrin.

"We're a detachment of Union troops--true blue Kentucky cavalry--and
each man a crack shot. Do you surrender, or do you prefer to be bored
full of holes?"

"For Heaven's sake, don't shoot me down like a dog!" burst out Bolder,
whose name belied his nature.

"Shut up, Bolder!" yelled the lieutenant. "How many of you out there?"
he went on, and at the same moment leaped on the raft with the evident
intention of hiding behind the boxes of ammunition.

"Halt! I'll give you five seconds in which to throw down your arms,"
went on Deck, and began to count off the seconds. More frightened than
ever, Bolder flung his pistol in the brush at Deck's feet, and, seeing
this, Peters did the same, and followed the pistol up with a sword he
carried.

The Confederate lieutenant, however, was game, and dodging behind the
boxes of ammunition made a leap from the inlet into the creek proper.
Deck immediately fired at him, but owing to the darkness, the major's
aim was poor and the bullet passed harmlessly by. Life Knox also took a
shot, with no better result. Listening, they heard the lieutenant come
up and strike out for the opposite shore. But he kept as far under the
surface as his necessary breathing allowed, and the darkness speedily
hid him entirely from view.

Satisfied that Bolder and Peters had no other weapons than those thrown
down, Deck and Life came out into the open. As they did this, however,
Deck turned back, as if speaking to others in the brush. "Yo