ick
canebrakes and were hidden along the southern shore of the overgrown
strip of water-enclosed land. The Union pursuers came up on the bluff,
but they did not see the ferrying from the south bank of the island,
ferrying which kept up night and day for some forty-eight hours.

"Cold!" Kirby and Drew crouched together behind a screen of cane on the
north side of the island, watching the bank above for any hostile move
on the part of the enemy.

"General Forrest says no fires."

"Yeah. You know, I jus' don't like this heah spread of water.
This is the second time I've had to git across it with Old Man
Death-an'-Disaster raisin' dust from my rump with a double of his
encouragin' rope. Seems like the Tennessee ain't partial to raidin'
parties."

"Makes a good barrier when we're on the other side," Drew pointed out
reasonably.

"So--"

Drew's Colt was already out, Kirby's carbine at ready. But the man who
had cat-footed it through the cane was General Forrest himself.

"I thought"--the General eyed them both--"I would catch some of you
young fools loafin' back heah as if nothin' was goin' on. If you don't
want to roost heah all winter, you'd better come along. Last boats are
leavin' now."

As they scrambled after their commander Drew realized that the General
had made it his personal business to make sure none of the north side
pickets were left behind in the last-minute withdrawal.

They piled into one of the waiting boats, catching up poles. Forrest
took another. Then he balanced where he stood, glaring toward the bow of
the boat. A lieutenant was there, his hands empty.

"You ... Mistuh--" Forrest's voice took on the ring Drew had heard at
Harrisburg. "Wheah's your oar, Mistuh?"

The man was startled. "As an officer, suh--"

Still gripping his pole with one hand, the General swung out a long arm,
catching the lieutenant hard on one cheek with enough force to send him
over the gunwale into the river. The lieutenant splashed, flailing out
his arms, until he caught at the pole Drew extended to him. As they
hauled him aboard again, the General snorted.

"Now you, Mistuh officer, take that oar theah and git to work! If I have
to knock you over again, you can just stay in. We shall all pull out of
this together!"

The lieutenant bent to the oar hastily as they moved out into the full
current of the river.

10

_"Dismount! Prepare To Fight Gunboats!"_

"Drew!"

He turned his head on the saddle