GENERAL MARTIN MILLER. 



119 



suddenly broke over us. The thunder made the barn 

 shake and it could not have rained harder. Flash after 

 flash came so fast, and the thunder followed so quickly 

 that one could hardly note the interval. Heaven's artil- 

 lery opened right over us, and every fellow was doing his 

 own thinking and keeping it to himself. Billy Shaw was 

 the exception. He ventured to remark : "Maybe you fel- 

 lows like this, but I wish I was home!" That broke the 

 spell, and he was nearly smothered in the hay which they 

 piled on him. During this smothering of Shaw I saw, or 

 believe I saw, a flash of lightning shoot up from the 

 ground. It was so close to the barn that it seemed as if a 

 man had shot a gun in the air. Two boards were off that 

 side and there was no man there. If such a thing ever 

 occurs, I saw an instance of it; if it does not I was de- 

 ceived. No hole in the ground was visible in the morn- 

 ing, but half a century has not dimmed the picture. 



Such a rain never lasts long, and soon the stars were 

 shining, and we rebuilt the little fire, and with dry ma- 

 terial from the barn for seats were enjoying life, when 

 the sound of oars was heard, and soon the lapping of the 

 water under the bottom of a little scow told that a boat 

 was near. 



"Halt! Who comes there?" was the challenge of the 

 General. 



Bill Atwood, John's younger brother, who had already 

 shown symptoms of nautical bacteria which eventually 

 dragged him to a sailor's life, hailed the coming craft 

 with : "Aboard the scow ! Pull on yer starb'd oar or you'll 

 foul our coffee-pot!" 



A few more strokes and the boat was beached and out 

 stepped the old trapper, Port Tyler. "Where's that cof- 

 fee-pot?" said he. "I'm wet an' cold, and some hot coffee 

 is just what I want. No, thanks, nothing to eat; I've got 



