se had tried to renew their acquaintance by offering drinks from
well-filled bottles, but they were sternly repulsed, and Shorty quietly
knocked one persistent fellow down with a quick whirl of his gun-barrel.
When Shorty was hungry it was dangerous to trifle with him.

They arrived at Louisville late in the morning, and were hurried across
the river to Jeffersonville. Fortunately they were able to find there an
eating-room where guns were not barred, and Shorty made amends for the
past by ravaging as far as his arms could reach, holding his precious
gun firmly between his knees.

"Say, pardner," said the man who ran the establishment, "I'd much
rather board you for a day than a week. Rebels must've cut off the
supply-trains where you've bin. You're not comin' this way agin soon,
air you? I'm afraid I won't make 'nough this month to pay my rent."

Lieut. Bowersox came in with a telegram in his hand.

"We won't go on to Indianapolis," he said. "I'm ordered to wait here for
our squad, which will probably get here by to-morrow evening."

A wild hope flashed up in Si's mind.

"Lieutenant," he said, "we live right over there in Posey County. Can't
you let us go home? We can make it, and be back here before to-morrow
night."

"I don't know," said the Lieutenant doubtfully, as he mentally
calculated the distance to Posey County. "I hadn't ought to let you go.
Then, you can't have more than an hour or two at home."

"O,' goodness; just think o' havin' one hour at home," ejaculated Si.

"It seems too bad," continued the Lieutenant, moved by Si's earnestness,
"to bring you this near, and not let you have a chance to see your
folks.

"It'll be a risk for me, and there are not many men in the regiment I'd
take it for, but I'll let you go.

"Remember, it'll make a whole lot of trouble for me if you're not here by
to-morrow evening."

"We'll be here by to-morrow evening, if alive," he pledged himself.

"Well, then, go," said the Lieutenant.

Si's head fairly swam, and he and Shorty ran so fast to make sure of the
train that there was a suspicion in the minds of some of the citizens
that they were escaping from their officers.

Si's heart was in a tumult as the engine-bell rang its final warning
and the engine moved out with increasing speed. Every roll of the swift
wheels was carrying him nearer the dearest ones on earth. The landscape
seemed to smile at him as he sped past.

"Isn't this the grandest country on ear