The moment I saw him, and before he discovered my movements, I drew my revolver, and held it down by my side out of sight, and when within about six feet of him, I presented my revolver and ordered him to halt. He did so, looking perfectly astonished. "Lay that gun right down on the ground," I continued. He did so, by raising it right up over his head with both hands and laying it down in front of him; then, straightening himself up in the position of a soldier, said: "Well, sir; what will you have?" "Step right back, away from that gun!" He did so. "That will do," said I, when about six feet away, at the same time riding up to the gun. "What were you doing here?" "I've just been relieved from the look-out post, out thar." "Look-out post! What's that?" "Don't you belong to that ar mule cavalry?" "No, I don't belong to it, but I sometimes go with it. What command do you belong to?" "Armstrong's 2d Battalion of Cavalry." "How many are there of you here?" "There are one hundred and sixty of us." "What are you doing here?" "We are sent out here to watch the mule cavalry." "Where is your look-out post?" "Well, sir, are you acquainted about here?" "I am acquainted with all the roads, but not with your look-out post." "Well, sir, our look-out post is in old 'Squire Knight's wheat-field. There is a big black stump there, with a plank across the top of it; we stand on that. From there we can see your mule cavalry at Joe Knight's, and we can see you at John Ursury's blacksmith-shop, and tell whether you take the Middleburg or Van Buren road; and the next place that we can see you is at Wash. Newbern's lane, and we can tell whether you go to Van Buren or to Wash. Newbern's. If ever you get down past Beaver's lane, going to Van Buren, it will be the last of you and your mule cavalry." I then dismounted and picked up the shotgun. What to do with the soldier was hard for me to decide. If I undertook to take him to Bolivar, it was quite probable that I would lose my prisoner, and perhaps my life. To let him go would endanger my life and that of others; particularly my own, in case he should ever recognize me within their lines. I reflected a moment, and then disposed of him in the only way that I thought my own safety and the good of the service would admit; then shouldered the gun and started for Bolivar. I did not feel safe in carrying the gun, lest it should betray me in case I should be captured by a squad of the rebel cavalry; so, at the first stump I came to, I dismounted and broke it, and then went on. If I had had a gun of long range, I should have tried a pull at the man on the look-out post, but as it was, I did not think it advisable to molest him.