The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1851-10-28

| d"u teiodu'ng TVS tiiic Us TIC tdus OuCo thofo
there, and we may defy a whole band Of red
skins. though Tecumseh himself led them
mn how many do they number think you'll
| counted thirty replied Mark Hive, pr-
ming his piece; aud each man had his rife,
Tor ] saw the barrels cleaning by moonlight
as the villains jumped ashore. Where is Noll
Trumpl / hope he carries his scalp; but
| hark!'
A Grightful yell broke the siillness Of the
night. The two reirea,ed tappers increased
their speed, and loosened the tomahswk in
their belts.
Welcome, good Trump exclaimed the
Joyous Tom Fling, seiziog the hand of the
dark figure that fitted TO his side. To the
hut. Oliver: we shall have brush oft yet.'
Oliver Trump made no verbal reply, but tho
violent squeezes he inflicted upon the WIS, Of
his friend sufficiently indicated the depth Of
| feeling under which his bosom abored 10 an
other minute they had reached the hut.
This hut or shaniy was composed OF solid
pine logs, which had neither been squared by
axe nor smoothed by chise. Il was about
seventeen feet in length, by perhaps six ia
breadth; and backed by high rock that over
hung the roof and served TO render the little
fortress doubly secure. A low square hole in
one Of the sides of the rough edifce answered
IN lieu OF door; and through this the three
uePpeiS uoW SioWiSu uPou thcu houus
and knees.
There will be no chi'ds play tonight re.
marked Tom Fling, divesIing himself Of his
light hunting shirt. Thirty to three! pretty
odes of with your coat Marx; let US leave
them nothing to grapple with but our bare
bodies.'
They are coming whispered Hive, who
was gazing into the moonlight through chink
in the logs.
Who leads them, can you tell?' asked the
uapper, hacking the flint Of his rife with his
rusty knife.
Pine splinter; an old friend Of Noll's be-
lieve. Is il not so Tiump!
Poor lad" said Fling. they massacred his
father and sisters in cold blood. Oliver has
not for gotten it,
The dumb hunter who was kneeliDg upon
the ground near the door way, with axe ready
uplifted to brain the first red man who should
attempt an entrance, uttered something he
tween sob and sigh; then laughed strangely,
and made signal for silence. The sharp
crack Of rifles followed and as the bullets rat
lied among the logs, the hideous face of the
Sioux chief smeared with paint, was seen TO
glare down through the roof OF the hut. Tom
Fling seized his rifle in an instant, and shot the
Sioux dead
Thou fool cried The irapper, cooy reload
the earth. did you think TO catch US asleep?'
As Mark Hive was opening his lips TO make
some appropriate reply. a second Indian thrns;
his arm aud head through an interstice, and es-
saying TO force his body after them; but the
effect proving an aborilive one, he was al out
TO Withdraw himself, when Mark caught him
by the wrist. and clubbing his rifle, dealt the
warrior blow that literally dashed his skull TO
pieces. A whoop that seemed to fill the forest
L..- r.. II. l.
three Of their boldest 'bravest' leaping the roof
OF the shaDty. wrenched away two of its pro-
tecting ti:nbers.
THAT leaves balance Of five and twenty,
think! does it noIl' asked Mark Hive, as three
Indians, each with bullet through his body
came :umbling heavily down. 'Ay, howl
away, you ours! you little know what old expe-
rienced heads you have 10 deal with tonight.
Are you loaded Fliugl keep an eye on the
roof. What, have you hill felt something
drop upon my hand,
"A scratch Mark; nothing more. See? Oil.
yer has him. know him by his quick heavy
breathing. Give them room Hive
The uapper was correct in his copjectures.
Pine splinter had discovered tn e aperturein the
hut, and was endeavoring to push himself
through il. Oliver Trump made blow at
him, but the tomahawk TUNED on one side,
enemy by the hair and arm. Thrice the arm
Of Tom Fling was raised to give the coup de
grace but the revolutions ofihe two combat
lants were so rapid, that fearful of wounding
his comrade. he was compelled TO Withdraw
he blow. Oliver Trump was striving with all
lis might TO drag Pine splinter, with the J
strength and ferocity ofihree mep, was strug- :
,li6g to drag Oliver out. :
Give them room,' grasp Tom Fling, pulling !
Il The Sioux bad the scsp-lock; 'only listen TO I
lis breathing! he is a perfect dragon!
Suddenly, however, the strife ceased, and a
he dumb man rose TO his feet. He had buried I
'is blade to the buckhorn halt, in the heart Of @
he prostrated ied skin. a
Stick him against The wall, Oliver said the 4
rapper; 'if he's fit for nothing else he'll serve
o stop gap s
Oliver Trump oJeyed, and a dozed sddi- /,
ional knives were Immediately plugged into a
he back and shoulders Of the unconscious 8
hief.
'Ay. let us have all your waste lead, laughed Il
'om Fling, as fifth and sixth shower Of bull il
Els came paltering like rain around him. "A d
wv more Of these dead fellows would form a /,
apifal 5arrcsde. We want one or two for n
onder cbnk, through which the moonlight is v
While the words were yet upon his lips two Il
oux slid down from the rock, and were in Q
ne act OF sealing the wooden wall of the
haniy when Mark Hive, who was a man of
ercnlean proportions, sprang forward and e
luiching the intruders. one in each hand by "
Ne throat, held them at arms length, and con- h
nued to squeeze until the eyes Of the lhrot m
ed red men protruded two fingers length or te
lore from their sockets. Al the same mo- W
lent The forest became illuminated, and e b,
ell Of fierce exultaiion broke from the hostile a.
and. d
The hu, 10 10 famesl' cried Tom Fling as s,
e hurled the corpse Of Pine splinter from the ii
Dor, and IL is now time for us to decamp. l o,
m 10 hopes that the smoke will cover our re- m
eat. Follow me- pc
Ard, with his tomahawk in one hand and III
is rifle in the other, he stopped down, and "
osely followed By his two companions, emer- OF
ed into moonlight. pr