The Montgomery Grays were soon on the road, splashing through the mud at the rate of eight miles an hour. They had to make a detour, past a little hut where several women folks were busy dressing chickens. “They don’t dare to leave them running around any more,” laughed Leroy. “I declare, I believe some of the boys would rather capture a chicken than a Yankee.” “I’m one of that sort--sometimes,” Andy laughed in return. “Um! how good a nice broiled chicken would taste,” and he smacked his lips. The Union baggage train had passed New Kent when it was sighted on the road by the Montgomery Grays. A battery of the Confederates had also come up, and this opened fire immediately, throwing the train into great confusion. “Forward, boys!” shouted Captain Montgomery, and away went the Grays, down a slight slope at terrific speed. The teamsters in the wagons nearest to them yelled in alarm, and four of them forsook the two wagons they were driving and ran for their lives. “Hurrah! Here are two wagons, Leroy!” shouted Andy; then as Captain Montgomery dashed by he continued, “Captain, can I drive one of the wagons off before they can recapture it?” “Yes,” was the short answer, for now some Union regulars were seen in the distance. “Take another man with you, and don’t lose your own horses.” “We won’t, sir. Come on, Leroy, here’s a lark!” and hopping from Firefly, Andy leaped up on the seat of the nearest turnout and whipped up the team. Leroy caught hold of Firefly and rode close alongside, looking back occasionally in order to cover the rear. Up along a side road Andy lashed the animals, over sticks and stumps and through mud a foot and more deep. Once he glanced into the wagon and saw that it was well filled with some articles carefully covered with an oiled canvas. “Something worth having in there, I’ll wager a fortune,” he said to himself. “I hope it’s food. Won’t the Grays have a feast, if it is!” The thought was so pleasant it made him smile and he urged forward the horses again while he shouted out on the side of the covering: “Anybody coming, Leroy?” “Some infantry over to the left,” answered his friend. “I can’t make out if they are Yankees or our own fellows.” “We won’t run any chances. Phew! won’t those Yanks be mad when they find we have run off with one of their wagons.” “I see a box sticking out labeled canned peaches,” went on Leroy. “And there is another labeled catsup. We’ve struck it rich and no mistake, Andy.” “We’ll divide with the boys to-night, Leroy--it will help ’em to remember this capture so much longer,” concluded Andy, and a vision of a heaped-up plate of canned peaches loomed up most appetizingly before his mind. The catsup he did not care so much about, although it would go very well with pork and beans.