The men strained and swore at the hard work, and Deck and Life were glad they had concluded to let the enemy undertake it instead of themselves. To the rope two logs were added as implements by which to start the piece, and at last it rolled over a rock in front of it, and they hauled it to the water's edge. Here arose another difficulty, and the piece was not placed on board until it had run the risk of dropping to the bottom of the inlet. The weight of the gun sent the top of the raft under water, and the lower box of ammunition received a wetting. The others, having been placed on top of the first, remained uninjured. "Take the lieutenant and cover him well, Life!" whispered Deck; and it must be confessed that he was growing excited. "I will cover the man we followed around the woods. All ready?" "Wait till I take to the other side of the inlet," answered the captain of the seventh company of the Riverlawns. He moved off immediately. A low whistle told Deck when he was ready, and the major aimed his pistol at the Confederate lieutenant, who was assisting in casting off the rope which held the raft to the shore. The man Life was covering stood on the raft, with his comrade, ready to pole the craft out into the creek. "Surrender!" The word rang out loudly, and its force covered up any nervousness Deck may have felt. The command took the three Confederates completely by surprise. One of them dropped his pole, and the lieutenant let go the rope and straightened up. "What's that?" he queried, as if he had not heard aright. "Surrender!" repeated Life Knox, from the opposite side of the inlet. "If you don't, every one of you is a dead man!" "Throw down your pistols," went on Deck, and the men turned again toward the spot from which the first voice had come. Of course the major and the captain kept themselves well concealed from view, and the Confederates saw nothing in the gloom. "Who are you?" questioned Lieutenant Blackrook, grating his teeth in chagrin. "We're a detachment of Union troops--true blue Kentucky cavalry--and each man a crack shot. Do you surrender, or do you prefer to be bored full of holes?" "For Heaven's sake, don't shoot me down like a dog!" burst out Bolder, whose name belied his nature. "Shut up, Bolder!" yelled the lieutenant. "How many of you out there?" he went on, and at the same moment leaped on the raft with the evident intention of hiding behind the boxes of ammunition. "Halt! I'll give you five seconds in which to throw down your arms," went on Deck, and began to count off the seconds. More frightened than ever, Bolder flung his pistol in the brush at Deck's feet, and, seeing this, Peters did the same, and followed the pistol up with a sword he carried.