Back,backwewent,asfastasrosinandpineknotscouldforcetheenginetomoveus。Thecarsswayedcontinuallybackandforth,momentarilythreateningtoflythecrazyroadway,androllovertheembankmentorintooneoftheadjacentswamps。Wewouldhavehailedsuchacatastrophe,asitwouldhaveprobablykilledmoreoftheguardsthanofus,andtheconfusionwouldhavegivenmanyofthesurvivorsopportunitytoescape。Butnosuchaccidenthappened,andtowardsmidnightwereachedthebridgeacrosstheGreatPedeeRiver,whereourtrainwasstoppedbyasquadofRebelcavalrymen,whobroughttheintelligencethatasKilpatrickwasexpectedintoFlorenceeveryhour,itwouldnotdototakeusthere。
Wewereorderedoffthecars,andlaiddownonthebanksoftheGreatPedee,ourguardsandthecavalryformingalinearoundus,andtakingprecautionstodefendthebridgeagainstKilpatrick,shouldhefindoutourwhereaboutsandcomeafterus。
\"Well,Mc,\"saidAndrews,asweadjustedouroldovercoatandblanketonthegroundforabed;\"Iguessweneedn\'tcarewhetherschoolkeepsornot。Ourfellowshaveevidentlygotbothendsoftheroad,andarecomingtowardsusfromeachway。There\'snoroad——notevenawagonroad——fortheJohnniestorunusoffon,andIguessallwe\'vegottodoistostandstillandseethesalvationoftheLord。Badasthesehoundsare,Idon\'tbelievetheywillshootusdownratherthanletourfolksretakeus。Atleasttheywon\'tsinceoldWinder\'sdead。Ifhewasalive,he\'dorderourthroatscut——onebyone——withtheguards\'pocketknives,ratherthangiveusup。I\'monlyafraidwe\'llbeallowedtostarvebeforeourfolksreachus。\"
Iconcurredinthisview。
CHAPTERLXXVIII。