Tom of the Raiders | Page 7

won't wait for him. Come on."
They followed him, out to where the others were standing.
"This way, men," said Andrews, starting up the road on the left. Brown
and Tom fell in beside him. "The rest of you straggle out so that you
can get off the road quickly if anyone comes." Then, to Brown and
Tom: "Perhaps he's lost, or perhaps he's changed his mind. Three others
weren't where I told them to be, but we'll get along just as well without
them. I arranged it this way so that if any of you did decide at the last
minute that you didn't want to go...." He did not finish the sentence.
Presently he said: "I want no men who aren't anxious to be with me."
Tom could not see Andrews' face, but he liked his calm, pleasant voice.
Conversation stopped, except for Brown's remark, "It looks like rain,"
and Andrews' answering, "Hm-m-m." For several minutes they plodded
along the road, hidden even from the intermittent light of the moon by
the trees that grew beside the road.
"Here we are," said Andrews presently. They stopped and waited for
the others; then turned off the road into a small opening in the woods.
Andrews went ahead of them, and called back, "Come over here."
They found him with two men. There came a rumble of thunder, so
remote that it seemed like an echo, but to the ears of Andrews' men it
was a sharp reminder of the troubles that might lay ahead of them.
"Hm-m-m! Perhaps you were right, Brown," said Andrews.
Thunder sounded again, this time nearer.
"Let's count heads," said Andrews. "Get in a semi-circle, just as close

together as possible."
The men groped about, arranging themselves. Tom found himself
shoulder to shoulder between two of them. Presently they were quiet.
Andrews' calm, authoritative voice came again: "Starting at this end,
give your names and your organizations."
Then: "Bensinger, Company G, Twenty-first Ohio"--"Dorsey,
Company H, Thirty-third"--"Brown, Company G,
Twenty-first"--"Pittenger, Company G, Second".... There were twenty
of them, not including Andrews. Tom found himself between Wilson,
Company C, of the Twenty-first Ohio, and Shadrack, Company K, of
the Second Ohio.
The thunder sounded again and a few drops of rain pattered down. A
murmer arose from the men. More thunder, and a flash of lightning.
Another crash, and more rain splashed about them.
"It looks as though we're in for bad weather, men," said Andrews.
"Gather about me so that you can all hear what I'm going to tell you." A
streak of lightning illuminated the scene as they moved forward. Tom
caught a glimpse of Andrews: a tall man, heavily built, with a long
black beard. The rain was falling steadily. Tom unslung the cape which
Bert had given him and put it on. There was a general rustle of capes
and coats: then silence. Andrews continued: "I want all of you to
understand that any man who wishes to change his mind may do so,
and return to camp when we leave here. I want only those men who are
willing and anxious to see this thing through, to follow me to the
end"--he paused--"and that end may well be disaster. You have three
days and three nights in which to reach Marietta, and you may travel as
you see fit. Avoid forming groups of more than four. The course is east
into the Cumberland Mountains, then south to the Tennessee River.
Cross the river and travel by train, from whatever station you come to,
through Chattanooga to Marietta. I will follow the same general course.
Be at the hotel in Marietta not later than Thursday evening, ready to
start the next morning. Have you any questions to ask about the route?"
There were questions, many of them. Over and over again he traced the

course they were to follow; told them what they might find at certain
points, what to avoid.
"I will supply you with all the Confederate money you will need. Carry
none of our money with you."
"And if we are questioned?" asked Brown. Tom recognized his voice;
then, in another flash of lightning he caught a glimpse of his face. That
one glimpse was to change the course of Tom's adventures.
"I am coming to that presently," answered Andrews. "Buy whatever
you need, and hire any sort of conveyance that you may think safe. But
don't be lavish with the money I'm giving you--it may have to last a
long time. It should be more than enough, but we can't tell what will
happen. And now about being questioned: If you have to answer
questions, say that you come from Fleming County, Kentucky; that you
are on your way to join the Southern troops. I happen to know that no
men