[Illustration: AFTER THE MULES STAMPEDED 44] "Blast mules, anyhow," said the driver, coming up with his whip in his hand. "I didn't hev nothin' for them to eat but a cottonwood pole that I cut down in the bottom. But they must have smelt fodder over there somewhere, and they broke for it like the devil beatin' tanbark. Hope you weren't hurt, pard." Si and Shorty fixed up their fire again, rearranged{46} their scattered cedar boughs, and did the best they could with their torn blankets. Si found that a mule's hoof had landed squarely on his tin plate, mashed all future usefulness out of it, and stamped his letter to Annabel into unrecognizability. He threw the rent fragments into the fire, sighed deeply, and crawled under the blankets with Shorty, just as three sounding taps on the bass-drum commanded silence and lights out in the camp. {48} CHAPTER IV. THE SUNSHINE OF LIFE SI FEELS ONCE MORE THAT LIFE IS REALLY WORTH LIVING. THERE come times in every man's life when he feels himself part of the sunshine that illumines and warms the earth: The lover, after he has won his best girl's consent. The candidate, after he has been elected by a big majority. The valedictorian, after his address has been received with bursts of ringing applause. The clerk, after he has been admitted into partnership. The next morning the camp of the 200th Ind. seemed to Si Klegg one of the most delightful places on earth. The sun shone brightly and cheerily through the crisp December air. The fires of cedar rails sent up a pungent, grateful fragrance. Hardtack, pork and coffee tasted better than he had ever known them. Everybody noticed him and spoke pleasantly to him. The other boys of Co. Q called out cheerily to him from their fires. Those from other companies would stroll over to take a look at him and Shorty, and his comrades would point them out proudly as fair specimens of Co. Q, and what it was capable of doing when called upon in an emergency. [Illustration: THE ADJUTANT SMILED ON SI AND SHORTY 49] The Captain spoke very cordially to him and Shorty, the busy Adjutant stopped and greeted them smilingly, and even the grave Colonel singled them out for a pleasant "Good morning" and an inquiry as to whether they had everything they wanted. It did not seem to Si that there was anything more on earth just then for which he could ask. The 200th Ind. having been at the head of the {49}column when it halted, was to take the rear for that day's march, and so remained in camp for a while to let the rest pass on. After getting things ready for the march Si and Shorty took a stroll through the camp to see what was to be seen. They came across their prisoners seated around a fire, under guard.