Christmas Eve on Lonesome | Page 6

had
a distinct savor of patronage.
[Illustration: Captain Wells descended with no little majesty and
"biffed" him.]
"Misto Richmond," he said, "I make you--I appoint you, by the
authority of Jefferson Davis and the Confederate States of Ameriky, as
commissary-gineral of the Army of the Callahan."
"As what?" Bill's eyes blinked at the astounding dignity of his
commission.
"Gineral Richmond, I shall not repeat them words." And he didn't, but
rose and made his way toward his old gray mare. Tallow Dick held his
bridle.

"Dick," he said jocosely, "goin' to run away ag'in?" The negro almost
paled, and then, with a look at a blacksnake whip that hung on the barn
door, grinned.
"No, suh--no, suh--'deed I ain't, suh--no mo'."
Mounted, the captain dropped a three-cent silver piece in the startled
negro's hand. Then he vouchsafed the wondering Flitter Bill and the
gaping crowd a military salute and started for the yawning mouth of the
Gap--riding with shoulders squared and chin well in--riding as should
ride the commander of the Army of the Callahan.
Flitter Bill dropped his blinking eyes to the paper in his hand that bore
the commission of Jefferson Davis and the Confederate States of
America to Mayhall Wells of Callahan, and went back into his store.
He looked at it a long time and then he laughed, but without much
mirth.

II
Grass had little chance to grow for three weeks thereafter under the
cowhide boots of Captain Mayhall Wells. When the twentieth morning
came over the hills, the mist parted over the Stars and Bars floating
from the top of a tall poplar up through the Gap and flaunting brave
defiance to Black Tom, his Harlan Home Guard, and all other
jay-hawking Unionists of the Kentucky hills. It parted over the Army of
the Callahan asleep on its arms in the mouth of the chasm, over Flitter
Bill sitting, sullen and dejected, on the stoop of his store; and over
Tallow Dick stealing corn bread from the kitchen to make ready for
flight that night through the Gap, the mountains, and to the yellow river
that was the Mecca of the runaway slave.
At the mouth of the Gap a ragged private stood before a ragged tent,
raised a long dinner horn to his lips, and a mighty blast rang through
the hills, reveille! And out poured the Army of the Callahan from shack,
rock-cave, and coverts of sticks and leaves, with squirrel rifles,

Revolutionary muskets, shotguns, clasp-knives, and horse pistols for
the duties of the day under Lieutenant Skaggs, tactician, and Lieutenant
Boggs, quondam terror of Roaring Fork.
That blast rang down the valley into Flitter Bill's ears and startled him
into action. It brought Tallow Dick's head out of the barn door and
made him grin.
"Dick!" Flitter Bill's call was sharp and angry.
"Yes, suh!"
"Go tell ole Mayhall Wells that I ain't goin' to send him nary another
pound o' bacon an' nary another tin cup o' meal--no, by ----, I ain't."
Half an hour later the negro stood before the ragged tent of the
commander of the Army of the Callahan.
"Marse Bill say he ain't gwine to sen' you no mo' rations--no mo'."
"What!"
Tallow Dick repeated his message and the captain scowled--mutiny!
"Fetch my hoss!" he thundered.
Very naturally and very swiftly had the trouble come, for straight after
the captain's fight with Hence Sturgill there had been a mighty rally to
the standard of Mayhall Wells. From Pigeon's Creek the loafers
came--from Roaring Fork, Cracker's Neck, from the Pocket down the
valley, and from Turkey Cove. Recruits came so fast, and to such
proportions grew the Army of the Callahan, that Flitter Bill shrewdly
suggested at once that Captain Wells divide it into three companies and
put one up Pigeon's Creek under Lieutenant Jim Skaggs and one on
Callahan under Lieutenant Tom Boggs, while the captain, with a third,
should guard the mouth of the Gap. Bill's idea was to share with those
districts the honor of his commissary-generalship; but Captain Wells
crushed the plan like a dried puffball.

"Yes," he said, with fine sarcasm. "What will them Kanetuckians do
then? Don't you know, Gineral Richmond? Why, I'll tell you what
they'll do. They'll jest swoop down on Lieutenant Boggs and gobble
him up. Then they'll swoop down on Lieutenant Skaggs on Pigeon and
gobble him up. Then they'll swoop down on me and gobble me up. No,
they won't gobble me up, but they'll come damn nigh it. An' what kind
of a report will I make to Jeff Davis, Gineral Richmond? Captured In
detail, suh? No, suh. I'll jest keep Lieutenant Boggs and Lieutenant
Skaggs close by me, and we'll pitch our camp right here in the Gap
whar we can pertect the property of Confederate