The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-01-27
CHAPTER ".


CHAPTER ".
The boy had not sat thus many minutes, how
ever, listening to the low hard breathing of his
excited friend, when his attention was attracted
by the Sight of familiar object floating upon
the river. 1t was the large boat belonging to
the station, and rowed by an old faithful negro.
The futtering of female dress in the stern Of
the boat, revealed the presence of his sister
and his betrothed. They had come out to meet
him on his return from the chase. Jumping
from the grass to hail them, his step was arres-
ted by an occurrence which struck him at once
with terror and amazement. The river bank,
far below him, was lined with a thicket of young
trees, matted together by luxurient growth of
vines and creepers Of every description. From
the thicket he beheld thin curl Of smoke arise,
followed by the report of rife and single
war-whoop. Before he could move or speak,
the old negro had fallen heavily from his seat
into the water, and two savages were seen to
spring into the river, and with their rifles held
above their heads, gain the boat, now drifting
with the current.
With a cry of horror the young grasped
his rife, and rushing forward, would have
plunged over the precipice, had not the strong
hand ofthe hunter, laid upon his shoulder, ar
rested his steps.
''stop, rash boy, or you will ruin every
thing!''
GLANDS off, old man, say Ny sister-and
Mary! must save them! :"
''You must, and you shall Follow me at
once! If the Indians see you, they viii push
across the river, aud they will be lost forever"
By this time the Indians had placed them
selves in the bow and stern Of the boat, and
were sculling her along, keeping her in the cur
rent. The boat was large and heavy, and their
progress was not rapid. But the young man
saw at a glance that his companion was right;
and, accustomed to yield implicit obedience to
his dictates, he turned reluctantly and followed
him down the same narrow pass which had bro't
them to the hut.
.'Back, Snarl! stay here, sirrah!' said the
hunter to the dog, who would have followed
them. ''And now, my boy, look to your tools,
we have work aheadr"
Away, like bloodhounds on the trail, they
started down the rocky path. The sun had set,
and the twilight glimmer which was left served
only to throw strange, dark shadows over their
rugged pathway; but with the firm, unerring
tread Of the hunters sin a mountain land they
dashed forward at full speed. The contrast be-
tween the two was great. The one, furious and
half demented at the idea that those he loved
best on earth were IN the hands Of the brutal
savages, grasped his rife with very death-grip,
and with clenched teeth, sprang and bounded like
IL Ill l.. nv
er, older and more accustomed to restraining
outward signs of emotion, went as swiftly, but
with the long, measured tread of pursuing
panther, taking care, as he went, to look to the
printing of his rife, and to loosen his long hunt
ing knife in his scabbard Few were the min
utes Though they seemed like hours to the youth
ere they emerged upon the smooth level beach
of the cove. 1t was, as we have said before,
little, pebbly place, few yards square, with
hills coming gently Down to it upon three sides.
On that tside furthest, but only few yards dis
tant from the shore, lay giant oak, which had
been uprooted in some iong previous storm, aad
which now reclined, like fallen monarch, in
stern and silent majesty, with its giant arms
still lifted up towards heaven. Behind this nat
ural rampant the two hunters placed themselves,
with the long barrels Of their rifles supported by
it's trunk. a.a.r 3 i.-s
The harvest moon had now risen in all its
splendor, shedding glorious flood of light over
the scene The river seemed one bed of liquid
silver. The fog was rising, and the distant hills
stealing out through their hazy azure mantle,
seemed like ghostly sentinels mountains in
dream-land. The nearer forests, as they seem
ed to Chamber up the steep hill-sides, were here
tipped with silver, here wrapped in impenetra-
ble gloom: A little ridge which ran out into
the river from one end of the cove, giving it its
peculiar shape, was crowned by bristling ar
ray of young forest trees that stood out with
strange distinctness against the clear bic sky.
''Be still, boy !" said-the old man, in a whis-
per, as the youth moved uneasily in bis position