lf and the bateau.

As all danger seemed to have passed, Tom composed his nerves, ate his
dinner, and went to sleep as usual; but his rest was not so tranquil as he
had enjoyed in the solitudes of the mountains. Visions of rebel soldiers
haunted his dreams, and more than once he started up, and gazed wildly
around him; but these were only visions, and there was something more real
to disturb his slumbers.

"Hi! Who are you?" exclaimed a wildcat soldier, who had penetrated the
thicket without disturbing the sleeper.

Tom started up, and sprang to his feet. One of the tall mountaineers, whom
he had seen crossing the ford, stood before him; and the reality was even
more appalling than the vision.

"Who mought you be?" demanded the tall soldier, with a good-natured grin
upon his greasy face.

"Faith! I believe I've been asleep!" said Tom, rubbing his eyes, and
looking as innocent as a young lamb.

"You may bet your life on thet, my boy," replied the rebel, laughing. "Hi!
Jarvey!" added he, apparently addressing a companion at no great distance
from the spot.

Heavy footsteps announced the approach of Jarvey, who soon joined them. He
was not less than six feet three inches in height, and, with two such
customers as these, Tom had no hope except in successful strategy. He had
no doubt they had obtained information of him from the persons in the
vehicles, and had come to secure him. He fully expected to be marched off
to the rebel regiment, which could not be far off.

"Who is he, Sid?" asked Jarvey, when he reached the spot.

"Dunno. Say, who are ye, stranger?"

"Who am I? Tom Somers, of course. Do you belong to that regiment that
stopped over yonder last night?" asked Tom, with a proper degree of
enthusiasm. "Don't you know me?"

"Well, we don't."

"Didn't you see me over there? That's a bully regiment of yours. I'd like
to join it."

"Would you, though, sonny?" said Sid, laughing till his mouth opened wide
enough for a railroad train to pass in.

"Wouldn't I, though!" replied Tom. "If there's any big fighting done, I'll
bet your boys do it."

"Bet your life on thet," added Jarvey. "But why don't you jine a
regiment?"

"Don't want to join any regiment that comes along. I want to go into a
fighting regiment, like yours."

"Well, sonny, you ain't big enough to jine ours," said Sid, as he
compassionately eyed the young man's diminutive proportions.

"The old man wouldn't let me go in when I wanted to, an