Page 145 - Among the camps, or, Young people's stories of the war

accustomed threat of cutting hi(ii almost In two, jake an­
nounced that he would go, but first stipulated for the biggest

half of the ne>tt biscuit, and that Jack should go before.
They set off back through the woods toward the opening
where they had run on the picket. Jack in the lead, and Jake,
a little behind. They had gone about a half mile, when they
heard the sound of some one coming t o w a r d them at a rapid

rate,
'* Run, jack ; heah dey come," cried Jake, setting the
example, and taking- to his heels, with Jack behind him.
They ran, but were evidently being overtaken, for whoever it
was was galloping right after them as hard as he could tear*

Hide in the bushes,1' cried Jack, and dung himself flat
on the ground under a thick bush. Jake did the same. They
were ju^t in time, for the pursuer^ were almost on them.
Closer and closer they came, galloping as hard as they could,
crashing through the hranches, They must have seen them,
for they came straight down on them. Jake began to cry,

and jack was trembling, for he felt sure they would be killed ;
there must be a hundred of thetn. But no, they actually
passed by. lack found courage to take a peep. He gave a
cry, and sprang to his feet,

“ The horse ! it’s the horse," Sure enough, it 'was the
horse they had seen ; all this terrible trampling was nothing
but him in the leaves, galloping back toward the spot from
which they had frightened him. They listened until his
long gallop died out in the distance through the woods.