Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-08-24

entered the house. If they had desired to spea
with their father about their suspicons, they ha
no chance, for the strangers sat close by him al
| the evening.
At length, however, the old man sgnifed hi
intention of retiring, and he arose to 60 out o
doors to see to the affairs without. The three
men followed him, but they did not take thei
weapons. The old lady was asleep in her chair
"Now." whispered Phillip, "let's take two o
fathers rifles up to our bed. We may want 'em
We are as good as men with the rife.
Daniel sprang to obey. and quickly as possible
the boys slipped two rifles from their beckets be-
hind the great stove chimney, and carried them up
to their sleeping place, and hastened back and
emptied the priming from the strangers rifles,
and when their father and the strangers returned
they had resumed their seats.
The hunters cabin was divided into two apart
ments on the ground floor; one of them, in the
end of the building the old mans slecping-room,
while the other was the large living-room in
which the company at present sat. Overhead
there was sort of scaffolding, reaching only
half way over the large room below it, and the
opposite end of the building from the little sleep
up to the scaffold, and it close up to the gable
end, was the boys bed. There was no partition
at the edge of this scaTolding, but it all open
to the room below. .-.s -.
The two boys thought not of sleep, or if they
did, it was only to avoid it. Half an hour passed
away, and they could hear their father snore.-
Then they heard movement from those below.
Phillip crawed silently to where he could peep
down through the crack, and he saw one of the
men opening his pack, from which he took sew
eral large pieces of raw meat The man exam
ned the meat by the rays of the moon, and NOV
ing towards the end window he showed up the
sash and threw the pieces of meat out to the dogs
Then he went back to his bed and laid down.
At first the boy thought this might be thrown
to the dogs only to attract their attention, but
when the man laid down the idea of poison fash
ed through Phillips mind. He whispered his
thoughts to, his brother. The first impulse of lit
lie Daniel, as he heard that his poor dogs were
to be poisoned, was to cry out, but sufd.n press
ure from the hand of his brother kept him silent.
At the head of the boys bed there was dark
Windows small square door-and it was direct
ly over the dog house. Phillip resolved to 60
down and save his dogs. The least noise would
arouse the vllains-the boys felt assured they
acre vllains-and then the consequences might
be fatal. But Phillip Slater found himself strong
in heart, and he determined upon the trial. His
fathers life might be in his hands! This thought
was power of strength in itself.
Phillip opened the window without moving
Nom his bed, and it swung upon its leathern him
y L. ofFf Sho
and tied one corner of it to the staple by which
the window was hooked The sheet then
lowered upon the outside, and carefully the brave
boy let himself out upon it. He enioined his
brothernot to move, and then he noselessly slid
down. The hounds had just found the meat, but
they drew back at their young masters beck, and
Phillip gathered the flesh all up. He, easily
uuieted the faithful brutes, and then he quickly
tied the meat up in the sheet. There was light
ladder standing near the dog-house. and setting
his up against the building Phillip made his way
back to his little loft, and when safely there
he pulled the sheet in after him.
The strangers had not been aroused and with
i beating heart the boy thanked God. He had
an act, simple as it might appear, at
which many stout hearts would have quailed.-
The dogs growed as they went back to their ken
mel, and if the strangers heard them they thought
the poor animals were growing over the repast
they had found.
At length the hounds ceased their noise, and
all was quiet. An hour passed away, and SO did
smother It must have been nearly midnight
when the men below moved again. and the Phil
lin saw the rays of a candle fash up through thu
cracks of the floor on which his bed stood. H."
would have moved to the crack where he could
peep down, but at that moment they heard man
upon the ladder. He uttered a quick whisper to
his brother and then lay perfectly still TIL
man came to the top of the ladder and held his
light up so that he could look upon the boys
The fellow seemed to be satisfied that they were
asleep, for he soon returned to the ground floor,
and then Phillip crept to the crack He saw
the men taking knives from their packs, and he
heard them whispering. -s......
"We'll kill the old man and old woman frst,''
said one of them, ssand then We'll hunt up the
money. Ifthose little brats up their Che pointed
to the scaffolding,) wake up, we can easily take
care of them"
"But we must kill 'em al,' said another of the
sYes," returned the first speaker. 'tbut the old
ones first. If we touch the young ones first they
may make noise and start the old man up.''
Phillips heart beat with horror. -
"Down the ladder-outside! quick!" he whis-
pered to his brother. "Down and start up the
dogs! Run for the front door and throw it open
1t isn't fastened! O, do let the dogs into the
house quick you can. II looko for father
while You go!''