TOM'S STRATEGY 



tiersmen. I must give our captain credit for long- 

 headedness, for 'twas him planned the whole ex- 

 pedition." 



*'An' I give the captain credit," interrupted 

 Jack, "for selectin' a sergeant, among all the non- 

 coms of the company, who could carry out his 

 plans to the letter." 



**Thanks," returned Tom with a wink. "An' 

 the two privates that were selected to go with the 

 sergeant shows that our captain knows his men." 



"Now," continued Tom, "ef things turn out as 

 they look now, I think our trip'll end right here, 

 for weVe got our game purty nigh bagged. The 

 captain, with the company, has kept just far 

 enough behind us to keep out of sight, an' to-night 

 they're about ten miles back on the road; an' ef 

 he gits the message I sent to him this afternoon, 

 which I'm sure he will, they ought to be here, or 

 over about the store, rather — for there's where I 

 promised to meet 'em — a little after midnight." 



I c }uld see that our prisoner was taking a keen 

 interest in Tom's remarks, craning his neck for- 

 ward and turning an ear toward the tent door in 

 an attitude of attentive listening. 



"I have arranged with the boy," continued the 

 old veteran, "who carried my message back to the 

 captain, to guide the company up to the store an' 

 to meet me there not later than two o'clock to- 

 night. An' this boy has been down to the jay- 

 hawkers' camp an' knows the lay of the land all 



73 



