THE WEST SHORE.
the day. They made their way toward the field of
battle, there to plunder the dead and dying tf both
armies. Thoy had not proceeded far when Fagan,
ho m in the advance, suddenly halted and mo
tin 1 Joe to do likewise.
" WhaUmatta?" asked Joe,
Fagan made no answer, but lay down upon the
ground and tried to pierce the darkness. He re
muned in that jxmition for some time, then rose to
Lii fr t, faying: "I vaa euro I hears somepodies
talking in de prush." Turning to Joe, he said: "Joe,
you no hears aomedings?"
"No," replied that worthy, "I not-a hear any
thinga, Mr. Fagan."
" I hh Wu mistaken den," said Fagan, as he
once more moved cfT in the darkness, followed by Joe.
They had proceeded in this way Borne time, Fagan
occasionally casting bin eyes over his shoulder, to Bee
that Joe waa following. Suddenly there was uttered,
immediately aWo their heads, a loud scream, and at
the name time nomo object passed over them, coming
so rl(n to Joe's head that bis hat was knocked
oft. With yells of terror, the vultures threw them
selves uoh the ground. Joe's wailings were pitiful,
as be cried in bia native tonguo to lo saved, while
Fagan, in half English and half Herman, cried out:
" Mein (lot, Mein (lot! Dos is ein teifel, und he
till tnirh nemen."
Just then there came a sound, closo by, like the
snapping of Mh, causing a fresh outcry from Fa
gan, who still lay ojon the ground almost paralyzed
with fear.
M (lot in himmel," said he, " nem das teifel avay,
it till mil dem nicht gehen. Ach, lieber Got, lieber
(lot; if du nem das teifel avay, I shtop dis peesness
right avay."
Joe continued to bowl in agonizing tones, and was
aiying: " I no rul,a noy more soljars. Mr. Fagan, he
waU K.r JH. bad. ()h, Mr. Good Devil-a, you
let-a j.r Joe P this time and be run away from Mr.
Fagan."
At last, from shevr exhaustion, they waged their
bowlings, but still remained on the ground. Present
ly there came, from a neighing tree, a sound which
wm not to U imsUlen, even by the wretches.
" Ht boo, hS boo, ah," repeal his owlship, as
Y kij bill and roll.1 bis Urge, gray eyes
fnta side to side, J
" lljr Urn! " ij tl w UMn Fagw, aa he
l)', rrtnunnl on tln ground
Urn!" ,K,i fjVnM.,1 Fagn,
f Jv liln ,til, , j k
" Oh, Mr. Fagan, de devil-a come for Joe."
" You pees yon d d fool. Can you not tell von
owl from te teifel, eh? Better you vas get up mit
yourself, und make no more foolishmenl"
m m n ll l
Joe rose and looked around as tnougn he expected
his satanic majesty to pounce down and carry him off;
but as he did not appear, he became more assured,
and said to Fagan
" Was you no afraid, Mr. Fagan?"
" Vat for you dinks I pees 'fraid mit von owl?
Old Fagan vas not dot kind vat gets shkart mit such
little tings."
" What-a for you holla like you 'fraid when one
owl come? "
Fagan made no reply to Joe, and had started for
ward, when the owl, which had been a silent listener,
now screeched out, " Hoo, hoo, ah," and flew down
from the tree, flapping his wings and snapping his
beak, causing the two vultures to again throw them
selves upon the ground. Fagan at once regained his
feet, and for no better reason than to work off his own
fears, fell to kicking poor Joe, who, believing that the
" devil-a" had him this time sure, yelled with all his
might
" Stop-a, stop-a, Mr. Good Devil-a; take Mr. Fa
gan; he very bad man-a; kill-a soljar and rob-a the
dead; Joe no want-a to go."
Giving Joe a kick, Fagan yelled at him: "You
dinks old Fagan von bad man, eh? Und you vantsde
teifel to take him? Veil, Fagan gives you de teifel,"
and he resumed kicking the poor Italian until his
strength was exhausted.
As soon as Joe could extricate himself from the
feet of his assailant, he arose and looked about in but.
prise at not seeing the prince of the lower regions
standing over him, and said to Fagan
"Where he goto?"
Telling Joe to pick up his sack and come along,
Fagan once more started for his field of robbery. It
was getting late now, so they quickened their pace, and
were soon on that part of the field where the heaviest
fighting had been done. They immediately com
menced operations by rifling the pockets of the dead
and removing from their bodies anything of value.
They had been plying their hellish work for some
time, when the quick ear of Fagan caught the sound
of approaching footsteps.
" Hist! " said he, as he crouched lown, pulling
Joe with him.
The action of Fagan was not too soon, for a par
ty of rebel soldiers passed within a few feet of where
they lay. "When the receding footsteps had died
avay, they arose and resumed their work. Joe was
now staggering under the weight of plunder, and tim
idly said to Fagan-