In the Saddle

o his tent in the night of Mr. Barkland. He thought it was rather strange that Captain Titus had not brought his lieutenant,

se; and he had been his brother's principal supporter in the attacks of the mob upon Riverlawn and Lyndhall. He was

the major to the gu

r!" replied

port at headquarters mounted," added the major,

the day. The troopers assigned to that duty were watering the horses at a brook which flowed through the plantation, and others were striking the tents. A number of pickets on foo

father. "Do you know where the ra

replie

one on each side of the bridge, and both of them are in concealment by this time in the morni

can," re

r the work will be carried on by his first lieutenant or not, I don't know. This officer is Buck Lagger; and I know that he will be glad to get the command of the company, even for a short t

ischief to be done, Buck will do i

p his eye on the company. You will also inform him that there is a company of Texan cavalry in camp about th

alry!" exc

ere to-day," added

d you will tell Captain Truman to give no attention to them. Now go as s

e section of country which one could take in from the hill on which the mansion of the planter was located, included the railway and two co

Captain Titus to conceal his force. The half-dozen shots which had been fired as the troopers passed came from a party of strolle

er crossed the other at right angles. On this one was the mansion of Mr. Barkland, and about three miles farther south was the reported camp of the Texans. Deck ha

ay was breaking in the east, but it was not light enough to see distinctly the prominent object in the vicinity. They

y came to the crossing of the roads.

feet; but that is none of

it is the Home Gu

o do their work? We can report to Captain Truman that the enem

hurry. They took the cross-road, and the hill was on the right, and the railroad bridge on the left of it. Lea

d a voice from the grove

," repli

ds, and give th

ad been selected the day before. "We have a messag

s, who was in charge of the picket

kfast from his haversack. The men were all mounted, and in readiness for immediate

as he recognized his early visitors. "You

bit of doing most of the talking, though Artie had a tongue of his own; and he

inished. "Then it remains to be proved whether or not Lieutenant

the road as we cam

Deck. "But we must hurry back, for our company will move farther t

o the south road. The ruffians would be glad to get a couple of prisoners like

Buck to the fort at Riverlawn, after he attempted to kill him on the road, the villain did not s

midst of these ruffians," the captain insisted. "If they don'

ld take care of ourselves against

themselves to a needless peril, that they agreed to wait behind some bushes near the south road till the company had passed. They would gladly have learned something more in regard to the plan of the cap

said Deck, as he stopped his horse at a point where the

y will remain where they are for

t; but I imagine he will put the comp

just turning into the south road. Buck Lagge

y were going to a picnic," added Deck. "Ther

with axes as well as muskets. The south road ran under the railroad bridge, and the Guard halted there. The lieutenant lost no time in beginning his work. A portion of the men went

wooden portion of the bridge, they began to pull up the planks of the platform, and toss them over into the creek, a work which would not at all interfere w

y a volley; and, though they could not be seen, it was clear that Lieutenant Gadbury had led his command to the front, and they had opened fire

at sort of thing," said Deck

ming down from the bri

Truman, followed by his fifty men by fours, dashed through the

f the enemy has not come

going to be," returned Deck, who was far more excited than his brother. "I suppose Lieutenant Gadbury is coming dow

y were between the upper and nether millstones. The plan of Major Lyon had been carried out to the letter. The Guards returned the

Truman; and he sent the second lieutenant, with half his men, int

upon the ground, with not less than a dozen others, while half the rest of them were wounded. The victory was complete, and