Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-04-23


The young men had gotaslir, and were wondering /
at the disappearance Of their guide, when he re.
turned. and with a cheerful tone, exclaimed,
"Wal, I've got track Of the ynrminlsl Come,
boys, we've no time to lose: we'll eat as we 90
along. There's fine sPring-God's blessing in |
the wderness-just out yonder, which will sarve
to wash down the dry bread and meat" and lead
ing the way, he branched suddenly of from the
course they had been pursuing, until, after half
an hours rapid travelling they struckas the scout
said, the trail, when they changed the direction
of their route.
To the young men the course they were now
pursuing was quite as blind as ever. A dense
wilderness surrounded them, and though they
followed their leader with an undoubted conf
dence in his knowledge, they saw nothing in the
appearance Of things which afforded the least
clue 10 the direction TO be followed. After
while one Of them remarked inquirngy, that he
could detect no signs Of a trail.
"Why, youngster," replied the scout "'Iis as
plain as dame Rawson's face, and that consate
is the plainest thing in the settlement Here, my
boys" he continued, as he stopped in his rapid
walk, "may be YOU can arn something that will
be sarviceabe toyou hereafter. Look about you
now-look close and sharp, and see if you can.
not find out the trail"
The young men stepped forward and examin.
ed carefully every inch of the place scrutinzing
closely the bushes and fallen leaves, but all to no
purpose, and they acknowledged that they saw
nothing to denote the track Of the savages. The
scout gave low chuckle, evidently pleased at
their failure.
"Wal, wal, tits unaccountabe what ignorance
there is in the world. But mans never too old
to larn, they say. Here you, Hugh Sands, step
this way alitle; now stoopdown and obsarve these
leaves. Don't you see how this one is pressed
down fiat 10 the 'arth, and that one is bent over
and broken and all along, just the length of a
mans foot, they don't look like these out here
which lay natral like, just as they fell from the
tree, one on top tother, careossly. Now run
your eye along about a step and you will diskiver
the same appearance. There you see the grass
is slightly bent forward while the other stands up
slightly. Then ag'in, obsarve these bushes-this
broken twig and ndthatturned leaf-aint cleal that
something has brushed by them! These signs
you can barely disarn, but | can read them as ea-
silly as can your dads grocery sign in the settle
mcnt, specially now while the dew is on"
"And here is something palmer still" said
Smith, who had gone little ahead, and who now
returned boldly in his hand a comb, dropped Ell.
ther accidentally ordesignedly by one Of the cap.
tives.
Their guide needed not this assurance that he
was on the right course, although the discovery
seemed to animate his companions, who now
pressed forward with renewed vigor.
Ii was at the close of the third day, and many
weary mile had the three passed over, following
like hounds upon the tracks of the savages, that
we again introduce our party to the reader. They
| had halted on the bank Of shallow river, the
outlet Of large pond, which spread out before
them fringed on either hand as far as the eve
could reach with luxurious growth Of bush and
tree, the foliage of which bent over and coquet-
ted with the crystal waters-seeming, in "A placid
repose, like vast mirror framed with living
From the signs around them, they were convinced
that they were in the close vicinity of the enemy.
After a short consultation, the scout went for
ward to reconnoilre, leaving his companions in
the dense woods which skirted the stream. Cree.
ping along the edge Of the forest, for he strongly
suspected that the foe were on the opposite bank
the old man proceeded some way down the river
until the fast fading twilight gave way to the dus.
kiness of night. Feeling secure from observa.
ton, he then cautiously forded the stream, plum,
ged into the opposite woods, and directed his
way 10 the outlet Of the pond.
In the mean time 4he young men remained in
their covert, waltngimpatenty to learn the result
of the scouts movements. The thought tha
they were in the immediate neighborhood of q
crafty and cruel foe, and thatthey might be short
ly engaged with them in deadly conflict wa;
fraught with exciting interest. Their anxiety
was not wholly unmixed with fear. They knew
not the force of the band they were seeking
while their own weakness made their pursuit:
seem to them like temerity.
What if the scout should all,-with their tota
: ignorance of their course, and surrounded by al
, unsparing enemy, sure death was in prospect
= Still, they were not disheartened, and their re
= solve to rescue the captives at all hazards re
f manned mistaken.
Two hours or more passed slowly by and they
| sat in silence and darkness-the thick foliage
shutting outthe light Of the stars, and the dirge
like moan of the pine sounding mournfully il
their ears, all tending to throw deeper shade o
gloom over their spirits. For sometime they haC
thus sat, each busy with his own fancies, withou
= word being spoken between them. At last, il
the far distance, the faint cry of anightowl can't
from the opposite banks causing them to start II
b. their feet in listening attitude. After aproong
d ed interval the same boding cry was repeated.
q E"That's the scouts signal" said Sands in IoV
o hurried whisper, "we must be on our guard-h
. has found them"
n "Pray heaven they may not detect him" sal
r Smith in somewhat anxious tone.
"There is not much danger; the old fellow
knows all their ways, and is possessed of all thei
s cunning. He will be here soon, and then come
n the final tug"
is According to previous directions the youn
G men now crept noiselessly down to the river
It brink, which went brawling on its way, the whit
y foam flashing out occasionally as it broke owe
}. the rocky shadows, then daring along smooth
il er current, until it was lost in the gloom of tn
fnrest into which the dark stream gIided lik