The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam Part 34

Dennis, in spite of his bantering, did not betray a trace of a smile on his face. As solemnly as if the errand upon which he was going was the sole purpose in his mind, he looked reprovingly at Levi as if his heart was moved by sorrow more than by anger.

"Are you coming with us, Levi?" he inquired.

"Yah, I vill surely come. I shall mit great pleasure see you hanged. You shall no more tip ofer--"

"I say, sergeant," said Dennis, "what are we to have for a target?"

"I don't know," replied the soldier good-naturedly. "We'll find something."

"If you haven't any target ready, I would like to suggest one."

"What is it?"

"I think it would be a great scheme to have this little sutler come along with us and stand him up at a distance of seventy-five yards.

Noel, here, can clip one ear an' thin I'll take the other. Thin we'll cut off a part of his nose, though he will have enough left even thin to satisfy any two or three living men--"

A cry of rage, not unmingled with fear, from Levi, interrupted the young Irishman.

"I shall not be von target! you shall be von target!"

"Yes; but, Levi," suggested Dennis, "think what it will mean for you! If Noel cuts off one ear, there's another pinsion. That will be pinsion number three. If I trim your other ear, that will be pinsion number four, and if both of us cut down your nose a little that will be worth more yet. Why, Levi, you'd be a rich man before you would be able to get home. Of course, there may not be very much of you left, but what there is will have a good time to the end of your days."

Perhaps it was the expression which Levi discovered on the faces of the soldiers that caused him to halt abruptly. At all events, he stared for a moment at the young sharpshooters, and then, as the soldiers laughed loudly, he turned quickly and without once glancing behind him ran from the place.

Even the chaplain had not been unmoved by the bantering of Dennis. He was proving himself a friend, indeed, to the two boys, and it had been largely through his solicitation that the opportunity had been gained for them to show whether or not their claims to have been sharpshooters in the Peninsula campaign were trustworthy.

"There comes that little spalpeen ag'in!" cried Dennis suddenly, as he looked back and saw that Levi was following discreetly in the distance.

"'Tis well for him he stays behind us, though I think I could put me gun over me shoulder and shut both eyes and not miss the little rascal."

Noel had not taken any part in the badgering of Levi. He was far too anxious concerning his own safety. It is true he was not without hope that before he should be tried by the court-martial his statements concerning his enlistment and service would be obtained and verified and he would be free. But there was so much confusion in the army, and the presence of the enemy was so well known, that he understood an advance was to be speedily ordered, and at such a time it was inevitable that some mistakes should be made and certain duties should be neglected. The greatest danger was that in the midst of such confusion it would be impossible for him to free himself from the charge of desertion which had been brought against him.

At last a position outside the camp was gained, where the little company halted. An improvised target was made of an old and battered white hat which was found in a corner of the fence, whither it had been driven at some time by the wind. This hat was securely fastened to a stake which was driven into the ground at a distance of seventy-five yards from the place where the two young soldiers were stationed.

"Who shall shoot first?" inquired Dennis, who was carefully examining the rifle which had been placed in his hands.

"If you don't care, I should like to," said Noel.

"Go ahead, me lad," a.s.sented Dennis. "They won't have the execution until I'm ready to go along with ye."

Noel found the rifle which had been given him a trifle heavier than the one to which he had been accustomed. It was a little more difficult for him to raise it to his shoulder and gain the sight which he desired.

However, after testing his gun several times and looking carefully to its loading, he abruptly raised the rifle to his shoulder and apparently without taking careful aim fired at the target in the distance.

"Hold on!" called Dennis, when some of the young soldiers started toward the hat. "Wait until I have my shot."

"If one of you hits the hat, we shall not be able to tell which one did it unless we examine it after each shot," suggested one of the soldiers.

"Just wait a minute," called Dennis, "and you'll see two holes. That will mean that both of us. .h.i.t it."

Good-naturedly the men consented, and Dennis, whose methods were far different from those of his comrade, brought his gun to his shoulder and took long and careful aim before he fired.

In a moment a part of the little band started swiftly toward the hat, and their exclamations of surprise were loud and many when they discovered that Dennis's promise had been fulfilled. Two b.a.l.l.s had pierced the crown of the hat within an inch of each other.

"Just put up that hat again," said Dennis. "And if you like, Noel and me will put some eyes and ears on the old hat until it will look as if some old man's face was peering out of it. This is just to show you that there wasn't any luck in it," he added, as he turned quickly to Noel, who was about to fire the second time.

Again the report of the rifle rang out, and then Dennis speedily followed the example of Noel. When the hat was examined two more holes were found in the crown each about an inch from the place which had marked the spot where the preceding bullets had hit the mark.

"I guess the boys are all right," said the orderly.

"Wait a minute," said Dennis. "We have made a square there now, haven't we?"

"Yes," replied the soldier.

"Well, with three more shots Noel and I will turn the square into a circle and cut out a round piece of the old hat itself."

The suggestion of the young Irishman was followed, and true to his word when three more shots had been fired by each it was discovered that a circle in the crown had been completed by the bullets.

"If the rest of your story is as true as the part which has to do with your shooting, then I guess both you boys are all right," said the orderly cordially. "We haven't a better shot in our regiment."

"Shure, you haven't," said Dennis heartily. "Didn't I tell you that Noel was the best shot in Little Mac's army? Now, if you'll just say the word, sergeant, I would like to have him turn around and fire at the ground under the foot of that little Jew. He paid the piper and he ought to have his dance."

Every man in the group at once turned to look at Levi Kadoff, who in spite of his fears had been creeping nearer, and as the voice of Dennis had not been either low or soft, the effect was magical. Levi prepared to depart without further delay.

Turning to the orderly Dennis said, "Take my gun, sergeant, and just let me catch the little spalpeen, will ye?"

As the chaplain nodded a.s.sent in response to the implied question of the sergeant, Dennis laughingly started in swift pursuit of the sutler.

For one moment Levi stared blankly at the approaching young Irishman.

Manifestly what he saw was not pleasing, for with a shriek he turned and at his utmost speed tried to escape from the place.

His efforts, however, availed little, for with his longer strides Dennis swiftly gained upon his victim, and in a brief time laid his heavy hand upon the shoulder of the screaming, shrieking Levi. Kicking and striking like an angry child, the sutler did his utmost to break the firm hold which his captor secured upon him. Apparently unmoved and unmindful, Dennis dragged his helpless prisoner back to the place where the soldiers were awaiting him.

"Now, then," said Dennis when he had rejoined his comrades, "we'll make the little spalpeen speak up. What for did you say that Noel and me was disarters?"

"Because you vas deserters!" shouted Levi. "You steals mine goots, you tips ofer mine tent, you--"

"There! there! That will do," said Dennis soothingly. "I'm thinkin' what you need is what Paddy gave the drum."

Helpless in the powerful grasp of Dennis, Levi still shrieked and protested. But in spite of all his efforts, Dennis, seating himself upon a stump, stretched Levi across his lap and soundly spanked him.

When this task had been completed, the howlings of Levi were redoubled.

Apparently irritated by the failure of the little sutler to profit by his experience, Dennis lifted his victim from the ground and shook him.

As he did so a paper fell to the ground from Levi's pockets, at the sight of which the excitement of the little sutler instantly increased.

"And what's that?" said Dennis as he roughly pushed Levi from him and picked up the paper, which he discovered was an envelope containing a letter.

"It was not for you," screamed Levi. "It vas mine! It vas mine! You steals mine goots. You tips ofer mine tent, but you shall not haf mine letter. It vas from mine moder."

"Wait a minute and I'll see whether it's from your mither or from General Lee," said Dennis tauntingly, as he drew forth the paper from the envelope.