Akıncı Tom - Tom of the Raiders

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Olaf Voss and the Online

Distributed Proofreading Team.

[Illustration by Morgan Dennis: Again and again Tom fed logs into theflames.]

TOM OF THE RAIDERS

BY

AUSTIN BISHOP

ILLUSTRATED BYMORGAN DENNIS

To
DOLORES AND SAM
WITHOUT ADHESIONS

CHAPTER

I WITH THE SECOND OHIO II THE RAIDERS START III ARRESTED IV TOM GOES ALONE V TOM ARRIVES AT THE BEEGHAM'S VI ON TO CHATTANOOGA VII IN MARIETTA VIII THE TRAIN IS CAPTURED IX THE RACE X "THEY'RE AFTER US!" XI THE PURSUIT XII SPEEDING NORTHWARD XIII FIGHTING WITH FIRE XIV THE END OF THE RACE XV CAPTURED XVI ESCAPING XVII FIGHTING THE RIVERXVIII NORTH OF THE TENNESSEE XIX THE LAST DASH XX TOM REPORTS AT HEADQUARTERS XXI THAT CERTAIN PERSON

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Again and again Tom fed logs into the flames. Frontispiece

The little ferryboat pitched and turned in the current of the river.

The men were feeding the ties they had collected, out upon the road throughan opening they had broken in the rear of the car.

"I didn't want to come here, Marjorie, for fear I'd get you into trouble—"

CHAPTER ONE

WITH THE SECOND OHIO

As he rounded the last bend of the road, Tom saw the white tents of theUnion army stretched out before him. He forgot how tired he was after hislong walk, and pressed forward eagerly, almost running. The soldiers whowere sauntering along the road eyed him curiously.

"Hey, you! You can't go by here without a pass!" The Sentry's rifle, withits long gleaming bayonet, snapped into a menacing attitude.

Tom stopped abruptly, caught his breath, and asked: "Is this the Second
Ohio?"

"Maybe," answered the Sentry coldly. "What do you want to know for?"

"I've come to see my cousin—Herbert Brewster, of Company B."

The Sentry's position relaxed. He brought his rifle to the ground, leanedupon it, and gazed at the young man who stood before him. "Well now!" hesaid. "He'll certainly be glad to see you! We don't get many visitors downthis way. What's your name?"

"Tom Burns."

"Going to enlist?"

"Yes. How'd you guess it?"

"Oh, I dunno. I just thought so. You're pretty young, ain't you?"

"Eighteen," answered Tom. "I'm old enough to fight." He looked past theSentry, down at the even rows of tents which formed the company streets ofthe Second Ohio. His heart beat faster at the thought that he would be partof it after today. A soldier in the Union army!

"I'll send a messenger with you down to Company B," said the Sentry."You'll have to get the Captain's permission before you can see yourcousin."

It was early in April, 1862. The troops under the command of General O. M.Mitchel were encamped between Shelbyville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee,after a march from Nashville through a steady drizzle of rain. It had beena dreary, tedious march, made worse by long detours to avoid burnt bridges,detours over roads where the heavy wagons of the army sank

...