THE WEST SHORE.
VI
head, m though the paiu ho Buffered was there. With
bin Ui:tro Joe examined the officer's bead, and found
a .p gun-hhot wound on the left Bide, above the ear,
the ball Living penetrated the skall, and possibly the
brain. Taking his canton, he imred Borne water be
tn the wounded man's lips, which, with consider
able effort, wan swallowcl This was repeated until
the wan wcmi RfttUfied Taking off his coat, Joe
foMM it up and gently placed it under the soldier's
head, then bringing Fagan's overcoat, spread it over
the lly. When he had made him as comfortable as
lie could, he seated himself on a log close by and re
solved to remain by him until morning, then notify
his friends and have him cared for. Soon after he
had Uk'n his silent watch, ho saw a light some dis
tinct from him, which appeared to be carried by some
mo hiking through woods. Ho watched the light
for orne time, as it glimmered among the trees, de
bating whether to call for help or wait until morning.
He finally decided ujxn the former, and gave a loud
hallo. Kocviving no reply, ho repeated his cry.
At length there came an answer, asking, " Where
are you?"
" Hero, come dis way," sail the watcher.
Not wi hing to Im awn, ho secreted himself in a
patch of thick underbrush close by, where he could
m hut remain unobserved himself. Nearer and
nearer came the light, and when within a few rods of
here the wounded man lay, it stopped, and one of
the party wiid
" lly (mrg. Tom, we can't bo very far from the
jxt nhero the cry came from."
" No, it was in this direction. Suppose you hallo
again, .lack."
Jack did as HuggPHtod, but nothing save the echo
of his own voicv came back to them.
M Well," Mid Tom, "that is queer."
" Ves, it in; Tru sure the calling was not a dozen
yards from here, H us look around, Tom; wo may
find the party." ;
They hiul made a circuit of 8Cveral yards, and
were stand.ng n,ar the place started from, discussing
UWn them! nhothrr to continue their search
r tf their way, ,hP0 there came from the wounded
OK who lay but a few yards away, a loud groan,
causing them to Mart back.
" What was that, Jack?"
Mdoiaknow,unloMitwasawound.NlmaiL Let
Taking the lant,rn from his companion, Jack
plover the log, h..MinS thligh clone to
ground m he went Ho Ul Uken but a few e
" Just as I expected," said he. " Here is a wound,
ed soldier, and just about ready to peg out."
" Is he one of our men or a Tank? " asked Tom,
as he came over to where his companion was. Before
Jack could reply, Tom continued: "A Yankee offi.
cer, by thunder 1 "
" Yes," replied Jack, " a Yankee captain." Stoop,
ing over the officer, he asked: " Are you much hurt''
But the only answer the unfortunate soldier could
give was a groan.
" Poor fellow! " said the sympathetic Tom, " He
seems to be in great pain."
On examination, they found the man could not
speak or move, except the arms, which were occasion,
ally tossed about in a delirious way. The two rebel
soldiers were now in a quandary to know who it was
that did the calling.
" One thiDg sure," said Tom, " that'ar man never
done the hollerinV
" No," said his companion, " that is quite evident;
but the question is, who did do it? There has been
some one with this man, and not knowing whether we
were friends or foes, has left on our approach."
" Yes," said Tom, " look at the coat under Mb
head, and the one over him; he did not put them
there himself. Suppose you call again."
" I think it's of no use, but here goes," and he
gave a yell loud enough to almost awaken the dead
around them.
No answer coming, Tom picked up the lantern and
started out to see what he could discover, walking in
the direction of Fagan's body, but passing a few
yards to th right of it. He had given up the search
and was returning to his companion, muttering some
thing about the strangeness of the affair, when he
stumbled over the body of Fagan. Picking himself
up, he turned the rays of his lantern on the corpse,
and discovered the warm blood still oozing from the
gash in the breast
He called to his companion, saying, as he camo
up: " Here is an old coon, just passed in his checks."
"What is he?"
" I'll be cussed if I know," replied Tom.
" He's neither reb nor Yank, but one of them in
fernal body robbers, that follow up both aimies for
what they can steal," said Jack, when he had taken a
good vie of the body.
" I wonder who gave the old thief that cut in the
breast; that's botherin' me," said Tom, as he gave the
txxly a kick, as if that would help solve the query.
" This is becoming rather mystifying," said the
other, as ho rolled the body over to see what the other
side looked like.
" I'll tell you what I think aboct it," said Too.
M There's been a fight here, and this old thief has got
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