, matted with
driftwood, some of it partially afloat again.

"Use that for a steppin' stone?" Drew asked.

"Best we're goin' to find. And if time's runnin' out, we'll be glad to
have it. Rennie, report in. We'll do some more scoutin', just to make
sure there'll be no surprises later."

For more than thirty-six hours Buford had been ferrying. Artillery,
wagons, and a large portion of his division were safely across. When
Drew returned to the uproar along the river he found that the second
half of the retreating forces, commanded by Forrest, were in town. And
it was to Forrest that Drew was ordered to deliver his report.

He would never forget the first glimpse he'd had of Bedford Forrest--the
officer sitting his big gray charger in the midst of a battle, whirling
his standard to attract a broken rabble of men, knitting out of them, by
sheer force of personality, a refreshed, striking force. Now Drew found
himself facing quite a different person--a big, quiet, soft-spoken man
who eyed the scout with gray-blue eyes.

"You're Rennie, one of that Morgan company who joined at Harrisburg."

"Yes, suh."

"Morgan's men fought at Chickamauga ... good men, good fighters. Said so
then, never had any reason to change that. Now what's this about an
island downriver?"

Drew explained tersely, for he had a good idea that General Forrest
wanted no wasting of time. Then at request he drew a rough sketch of the
island and its approaches. Forrest studied it.

"Something to keep in mind. But I want to know that it's clear. You boys
picket it. If there's any Union movement about, report it at once!"

"Yes, suh."

If Yankee scouts had sighted the island, either they had not reported it
or their superiors had not calculated what its value might be for hunted
men--and to a leader who was used to improvising and carrying through
more improbable projects than the one the island suggested.

At Shoal Creek a rear guard was holding off the Union advance which had
started from Athens, the two pronged pinchers General Buford had
foreseen. And now the island came into use.

Saddles and equipment were stripped from horses and piled into the boats
brought down from Florence. Then the mounts were driven to the top of
the bluff and over into the water some twenty feet below. Leaders of
that leap were caught by their halters and towed behind the boats, the
others swimming after.

Men and mounts burrowed back into the concealment of those th