General Nelson's Scout 17

General Nelson's Scout 17

Fred, as he lay in his hiding place, hardly dared to breathe. Once his

heart ceased to beat when he heard Morgan say: "There is room behind

that sofa for one to hide."

 

Colonel Marshall glanced behind it, and said: "There is no one there."

 

Then they commenced to talk, and Fred lay and listened to the whole

plot. The State Guards were to assemble, professedly, as the circular

stated, for muster and drill, but really for one of the most daring of

_coups-de-main_.

 

The State arsenal at Frankfort was to be taken by surprise, and the arms

secured. The loyal Legislature was then to be dispersed at the point of

the bayonet, a provisional Legislature organized, and the State voted

out of the Union. The force was then to attack Camp Dick Robinson, in

conjunction with General Zollicoffer, who was to move up from Cumberland

Gap; and between the two forces it was thought the camp would fall an

easy prey. In the mean time, Buckner was to make a dash for Louisville

from Bowling Green. If he failed to take it by surprise, all the forces

were to join and capture it, thus placing the whole State in the control

of the Confederates.

 

It was a bold, but admirably conceived plan.

 

In an eloquent speech, Mr. Breckinridge pointed out that the plan was

feasible. He said the ball once started, thousands of Kentuckians would

spring to arms all over the State. The plan was earnestly discussed and

fully agreed to. The work of each man was carefully mapped out, and

every detail carefully arranged. At last the meeting was over, and the

company began to pass out.

 

Fred's heart gave a great bound. He had succeeded; the full details of

the plot were in his possession. Waiting until all were well out of the

room, he crawled from his hiding place, and passed out. But he had

exulted too soon in his success. He had scarcely taken three steps from

the door before he came face to face with Major Hockoday, who was

returning for something he had forgotten. The surprise was a mutual one.

 

"You here!" gasped the major. "Now I have you, you young imp of Satan,"

and he made a grab for his collar. But Fred was as quick and lithe as a

cat, and eluding the major's clutch, he gave him such a blow in the face

that it staggered him against the wall. Before he recovered from the

effects of the blow Fred had disappeared.

 

[Illustration: "You here!" gasped the Major, and he made a grab for his

collar.]

 

"Murder! murder!" the major bawled. "Stop the villain!"

 

From all directions the guests came running. The major's face was

covered with blood, and he truly presented a gory appearance. It was

some time before the excitement subsided so the major could tell his

story. It was that a young villain had assaulted and attempted to murder

him. By his description, the landlord at once identified the boy as the

one who occupied room 45. But a search revealed the fact that the bird

had flown. It was also ascertained that the major had received no

serious injury.

 

By request of the major the meeting was hastily re-convened. There, in

its privacy, he gave the true history of the attempted murder, as the

guests of the hotel thought it. The major expressed his opinion that the

boy was a spy. He was sure it was the same boy he had met in the hotel

at Georgetown. "You know," he said, "that the landlord at Georgetown

found a hole drilled through the plastering of the room that this boy

occupied, into the one which was occupied by me and in which we held a

meeting. I tell you, the boy is a first-class spy, and I would not be

surprised if he was concealed somewhere in this room during the

meeting."

 

"Impossible! impossible!" cried several voices, but nevertheless a

number of faces grew pale.

 

"There is no place he could hide in this room, except behind the sofa,

and I looked there," said Marshall.

 

"Are you sure you looked well?" asked Morgan.

 

"Quite sure."

 

"Gentlemen," said the landlord, "this room is kept locked. No one could

have got into it."

 

"All I know," said the major, "I met him about three paces from the

door, just as I turned the corner. When I attempted to stop him, he

suddenly struck the blow and disappeared. If it was not for his black

hair, I should be more than ever convinced that the boy was Fred

Shackelford."

 

"In league with the devil, probably," growled Captain Conway. "For if

there was ever one of his imps on earth, it's that Shackelford boy.

Curse him, I will be even with him yet."

 

"And so will I," replied the major, gently feeling of his swollen nose.

 

"Gentlemen," said John H. Morgan, "this is no time for idle regrets.

Whether that boy has heard anything or not, we cannot tell. But from

what Major Hockoday has said, there is no doubt but that he is a spy.

His assault on the major and fleeing show that. So it behooves us to be

careful. I have a trusty agent at Nicholasville, who keeps me fully

informed of all that transpires there. I will telegraph him particulars,

and have him be on the watch for such a boy."

 

It was an uneasy crowd that separated that night. It looked as if one

boy might bring to naught all their well-laid plans.

 

The next morning Morgan received the following telegram from

Nicholasville:

 

 

JOHN H. MORGAN:

 

Early this morning a black-haired, dark-skinned boy, riding a jaded

horse, came in on the Lexington pike. Without stopping for

refreshments he left his horse, and procured a fresh one, which the

same boy left here a couple of days ago, and rode rapidly away in

the direction of Camp Dick Robinson.

 

SMITH.

 

 

"That means trouble," muttered Morgan. "I must put all the boys on their

guard."

 

Late in the afternoon of the 19th the following telegram was received by

Morgan from Nicholasville:

 

 

JOHN H. MORGAN:

 

Colonel Bramlette with his regiment has just forcibly taken

possession of a train of cars, and will at once start for

Lexington. You are in danger.

 

SMITH.

 

 

That night Breckinridge, Marshall, Morgan and half a score of others

fled from Lexington. Their plottings had come to naught; instead of

their bright visions of success, they were fugitives from their homes.

It would have fared ill with that black-haired boy if they could have

got hold of him just then.

 

When Fred escaped from Major Hockoday, he lost no time in making his way

to the home of one of the most prominent Union men of Lexington. Telling

him he had most important dispatches for General Thomas, a horse was

procured, and through the darkness of the night Fred rode to

Nicholasville, reaching there early in the morning. Leaving his tired

horse, and taking his own, which he had left there, he rode with all

speed to Camp Dick Robinson, and made his report to General Thomas.

 

The general was both astonished and delighted. He warmly congratulated

Fred, saying it was a wonderful piece of work. "Let's see," said he,

"this is the 16th. I do not want to scare them, as I wish to make a fine

haul, take them right in their treasonable acts. It's the only way I can

make the government believe it. On the 19th I will send Colonel

Bramlette with his regiment with orders to capture the lot. I will also

have to guard against the advance of General Zollicoffer. As for the

advance of General Buckner on Louisville, that is out of my department."

 

"And there," said Fred, "is where our greatest danger lies. Louisville

is so far north they are careless, forgetting that Buckner has a

railroad in good repair on which to transport his men."

 

"Do you think he will try that?" asked Thomas.

 

"Why not?" answered Fred, and then he asked for a map. After studying it

for some time, he turned to Thomas and said:

 

"General, I have a favor to ask. I would like a leave of absence for a

week. I have an idea I want to work out."

 

Thomas sat looking at the boy a moment, and then said: "It is nothing

rash, is it, my boy?"

 

"No more so than what I have done," answered Fred. "In fact, I don't

know that I will do anything. It is only an idea I want to work on; it

may be all wrong. That is the reason I can't explain it to you."

 

"You are not going to enter the enemy's lines as a spy, are you? If so,

I forbid it. You are too young and too valuable to risk your life that

way."

 

"No, General, at least I trust not. The rebels will have to get much

farther north than they are now if I enter their lines, even if I carry

out my idea."

 

"Very well, Fred; you have my consent, but be very careful."

 

"I shall try to be so, General. I only hope that the suspicions I have

are groundless, and my journey will prove a pleasure trip."

 

Thus saying, Fred bade the general good day, and early the next morning he rode away, taking the road to Danville.