Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-06-20


procured the horses, the dog, looking up
in his masters face, uttered whine Of
intelligence.
"Wha,'s thar, Trailerl Have the etar-
nal rapscallions been cuttin' up some Of
their ,antrums! By the life Of me.
friends. the warmints have taken to
horse. Thar's no less than one, two;
yes, thar's two horses. See, David
Browning, here's the track. The moon
light shows 'em now plain enough here
wllar they crossed the gully. Yes, and
thar's moccasin tracks plenty. And
look thar" continued David, ..,har's Ro-
land Tomlinson's footprint. Stoop
down close, Daniel, and you can see ,he
print Of the heel of his shoe. Huzza,
friend, we are right! Old Trailer's nose
never lies, Huzza."
And David Thompson and his COM
panions, who loved Roland like young
er brother, and fairly worshipped Alice
for her kind and gentle heart, gave utter
ance to their joyous feelings in various
ways.
"Come, let's be movin', friends" said
Daniel Browning, weather. r-beaten back
woodsman, who had seen much hard SER
vice among the Indian troubles, .for /
feel like pi,chin' right into 'em, do. l
could Jist lick whole creation of sich
imps. They wouldn't be no whar, they
wouldn't. When Old Blazer howls, !"
continued he, pa,ting his long rifle,
"when Old Blazer howls, they'll think
as how the eend on 'em has come, or
I'm nigger, that's sartain. 1 say, Da-
vid, do YOU remember our last skrimmage
with the redskins away on Cheat river,
when big Tom Miller war along!'
"Ay, do |, Daniel, to my sorrow.-
They iit like as if they war possessed
OF the Evil one. bear many scar to
remind me OF that bloody battle-ground.
Howsomever, I'm still alive, and deter
mined to try 'em agin. | wish Big Tom
war along now-he knows so well how
10 -sarcumwent the warmin,s."
"That does he," responded Daniel.
"Didn', he walk into 'em beautiful! And
we warni slow, neither. Didn't we lift
their scalps genteel! Thar war four to
one agin us, but Blazer laid two OF them
low, my .omahawk flung third, then
jined in real rough-and. tumble with
the fourth, and we had il up and down
like two he-bars. but rumaumixed him
at last"
"Jist in time," responded David, "to
help your old friend out'n scrape."
That's true, but it's neither here nor
thar. Perhaps you may return the ia
vor with interest, as they say in the set
tlement, afore long. I'm sure we'll have
some tough work atwixt this and to.
morrow night. As well as body can
see, the trail begins to look fresh like"
"You're right thar, Daniel. See how
Trailer begins to snuff the air. That's
a sign the redskins haven't been long
gone. But what's this he's smellin'!-
The gals kercheif, sar,ain. She's still
alive. any how"
"Yes, and God willin'," chimed in
all. swell set her free. She's Roland's 5
wife that's to be, and a dear good gal she
is, too"
By this time it was nearly day. The
moon, which had shone forth clear and
bright, was disappearing rapidly behind
the neighboring mountains. leaving the
intervening valleys wrapt in gloomy
shadows. Still the old hunter and his
brave little baud pushed ahead with un-
wearied limbs. They had travelled
some twenty miles. through dense forests,
and over fallen timber, aud were thihk-
ing of hal,ing by the wayside 10 obtain
little repose, when the intelligent dog
gave utlerance TO another Of his signifi-
cant whines.
"His,! hist! friends" exclaimed Da-
vid, ..the warmints are near. Thar's no
mistakia' Trailer's voice. Keep quiet
here, till gin you the sign to conc on. !"
Saying this. the old hunter crawled up
the summit of little hill just in adj
vance Of them, and gazed over into the
valley beneath. The noble dog was not
mistaken. The savages had halted. and
were now gathered in a group around a
huge FIRE, their begrimed and blackehed
countenances cleaning in its broad glare
like SO many incarnate fends. From
their fierce gesticulations, question OF
magnitude, and one would readily sup
pose Of some excitement, was being
discussed. Every one seemed to be en-
forcing bis peculiar views Of the matter
in controversy at once. Brt at length
Wash.kee-chai arose, then all the dispu-
tants ceased. His voice was sonorous,
flexible and agreeable, and transfixed the
attention of his savage warriors.
"The Great Spirit is the father of the
red man. He gave him boundless for
ests, and filled them with game for his
subsistence. A bow and arrow were
placed in his hands, and he was happy
as the singing bird. His wigwam was
the abode Of smiles. When he went on
the war-pa,h he was followed by many
braves. When he returned he was load
ed with the scalps of his enemies. Blu,
the pale-faces came. They were like
leaves Of the forest. They scalped the
red-man and trod upon the graves Of his
fathers. They GU. down his great for
aete anl drova him hacb A tba .,,o.,.,