"Stop whippin" them mules. You only make them wuss," shouted one man authoritatively. "Tie stones to their tails."
"Tie a string around their ears," shouted another. "That"ll be sure to start "em."
"Bite their ears, you fools. Don"t you know nothin" about mules? Bite their ears, I tell you," shouted a man from Indianapolis.
"Throw some hot water on "em."
"Tie their feet and tails together with a string."
"Build a fire under "em."
"Turn the harness around the other way on "em."
"Blindfold "em."
Then the regimental humorists began to get in their work:
"Sing "em the "Battle Cry o" Freedom.""
"They"ve struck for more grub. Promise "em double rations till we get to Shelbyville."
"Stop swearin", there, you fellers. You"ve frozen "em stiff with your bad language. Pray with "em."
"Read them the Emanc.i.p.ation Proclamation."
"Call "em pet names. You can do anything with kindness. Even a mule has, a heart."
"Bring up the band and serenade "em."
Shorty was raging around the team, kicking and striking first at one mule and then at another, and swearing like a pirate, alternately at the team and then at the jeering crowds. Si was following suit to the best of his ability, but his pious education had left him out of sight of Shorty when it came to using language that the occasion seemed to justify. He had, however, yanked Groundhog out of the saddle and driven him up the bank, where he sat down and grinned at the confusion which had overtaken his enemies.
Setting a man at the head of each mule to coax and encourage him, and the rest of the company to pushing and prying on the wagon, Si had mounted the wheel-mule himself and put forth his mule-knowledge in one feverish effort, which was as futile as it was desperate, for the mules did not seem to change their positions for a rest, even, when the wagon was forced forward on them.
A very dapper young Aid, fresh from West Point, and with that high appreciation for himself that can only be acquired at the United States Military Academy, galloped up, sternly ordering everybody to make way for him, and,
"Present the compliments of the Major-General commanding the division, and what the h--"s the matter?"
"Capt. McGillicuddy, to whom the young gentle man had been referred as in charge, said quietly:
"You see: A mule-team has balked and stopped everything. We"re doing our best to start them, but so far without success."
"So we all perceive," said the young man superciliously. "Why are you not down there directing them?"
"The men that I have down there thoroughly understand mules, and are doing their very utmost. They are having, as you can see, a superfluity of advice which is not helping them. I can best help by letting them alone to work it out their own way. They will do all that men can."
"I shall report the case to the General," said the Aid, with scarcely-concealed insolence. "Just like these confounded volunteers,"
he said as he turned away, taking no pains to keep the Captain from overhearing. "Never will be genuine soldiers in the world. Here, my men," continued he, riding over to the wagon, "stir yourselves lively, now, and start these wagons along. I want no more fooling, and won"t have it. Start, now."
Shorty had the usual volunteer dislike to young West Pointers; like the rest of the men he cordially hated and ridiculed the young and airy staff officers, whether from West Point or not. It irritated him to see the youngster"s treatment of his Captain. Saying snappy things at and about the Captain was a privilege jealously reserved to members of the company. To have anybody outside abuse the Captain was an insult to be resented. Above all, his American soul rose in wrath at the patronizing "my men." He would not have been at all offended at one of his own rough-and-ready officers jumping in and distributing curses on all hands, but "my men" was too much for him.
Without appearing to notice the presence of the Aid, Shorty walked up to the lead-mule, gave him a tremendous kick in the ribs, and sung out in a tone loud enough to be heard across the roaring branch:
"You pernickety pile o" poll-evil; you hee-hawin" graduate o" West Point; you pin-feathered, taller-faced, pop-eyed, lantern-jawed, loud-mouthed Second Lieutenant, you, won"t you git up?"
The other boys began to catch on and grin. The Aid"s face flushed, but Shorty continued his loud objurgations at the mule:
"You misbegotten pill o" perdition; you pompous, puddin"-headed staff officer; you miserable errand-boy for the General, puttin" on more airs than the General; you half-hatched officer, runnin" around yit with the sh.e.l.l on your head, and pretendin" to be c.o.c.k-o"-the-walk, won"t you git up?"
Even the Aid began to understand the drift of Shorty"s remarks by this time, and Capt. McGillicuddy called out warningly:
"Shorty! Shorty!""
Si looked in amazement at this new development of his partner"s genius.
The officers and men on the other side of the branch seemed to have forgotten for the moment the annoyance of the balked team in enjoyment of Shorty"s outburst.
"Why under heaven they put such murrain cattle as you in the army I can"t tell," he continued with another savage kick in the mule"s side.
"You only take up room from your betters. You don"t fight, you only strut like a turkey-c.o.c.k, and eat and he-haw. Now, will you git up?"
The Aid could not fail to understand now. He burst out in a torrent of rage: "You infernal scoundrel," he shouted, forcing his horse up to Shorty; "I"ll have you shot for insubordination, for insulting and mutinous language to your superior officer."
"I wasn"t sayin" nothin" to you," said Shorty, looking up with an air of surprise. "I hain"t had nothin" to do with you. I was cussin" this other piebald pilgarlic from West Point; this other pig headed pickaninny o"
the Regular Army; this Brevet-Second Lieutenant o" the Quartermaster"s Department, and Aid on the staff o" Gen. Groundhog. You ain"t my superior officer, nohow."
"Corporal," shouted the Aid to Si, "take this rascal up there on the bank and buck-and-gag him. Do it at once."
"I don"t believe you have the right to give me orders, sir," said Si respectfully. "I am under Capt. McGillicuddy"s orders."
"You are right, Corporal," said Capt. McGillicuddy, stepping forward.
"Lieutenant, you cannot order one of my men to be punished. You have no right to command here. You are merely to convey the General"s orders to those who are in command."
"I have the right to give orders. I represent the General, and speak in his name, and I order that man to be bucked-and-gagged," reiterated the Aid in a flame of anger. "I"ll see that it is done. I shall not be so insulted before the whole army. It will destroy all discipline."
"Fortunately, the discipline of the army does not depend on the respect shown Second Lieutenants," Capt. McGillicuddy could not help saying. "If you have any complaint to make against one of my men, state it to me, their Captain, or to the Colonel of the regiment. We are the persons, not you, to deal with them."
The men around understood; nothing pleased them better than to see a b.u.mptious young Aid sat down upon, and they were outspoken in their delight.
"I shall report you to the General, and have you court-martialed," said the Aid, shaking his fist at Capt. McGillicuddy. "I shall!"
"Mr. Farwell," said the Chief of Staff, riding up, "why haven"t you reported to the General as to the trouble here? We"ve been waiting for you."
"Here," came the clear-cut tones of the Colonel across the branch; "no use of wasting any more time on those mules. They"re there to stay.
Unhitch them, fasten on a picket-rope, and we"ll pull the wagon across from this side."
Everybody sprang to execute this order, but Si and Shorty"s hands had not reached the traces when an idea seemed to shoot simultaneously through each of the six mules, and with one impulse they plunged ahead, directly into the swollen waters.
Si and Shorty sprang back toward their heads to guide them over the narrow crossing. But the mules seemed to take the right course by instinct, and landed the wagon safely on the other side, without a particle of water entering the bed. Everybody cheered, and Si and Shorty looked as if their minds had been relieved of a terrible load.
"Si," said Shorty, with a tinge of weariness in his tone, "they say it is about 18 miles from here to Shelbyville."