Presently, a party of guerrillas, to their utter amazement--for they
had not dreamed that the rebels were so near them--galloped up.
The rebels discovered them at the same moment, and one of them exclaimed:
"I'll be dog-gone if thar ain't a Yank;" and, not knowing how many there
might be of the "Yanks," they very prudently drew up their horses. One of
them, however, who appeared to be the leader of the band, comprehended
their situation at a glance, and exclaimed:
"Throw down your arms, and you shall be treated like men!"
This brought them to their senses, and they turned and ran for their
lives. They had scarcely made a dozen steps before the bullets and
buckshot began to rattle about their ears; but the trees and bushes were
so thick that they escaped unhurt. Frank reached the vessel far in advance
of the others; as he came over the side, panting and excited, the captain,
who was still on deck, inquired:
"What's the matter, Mr. Nelson?"
"We ran foul of some guerrillas out there in the woods, sir," replied
Frank.
"How many of them did you see?"
"They didn't give us much of a chance to judge of their numbers, sir; but
I should say that there were at least a dozen of them, and they were
coming this way.
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