The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-06-17
the strangers sat close by him all the eve

ming.
At length however, the old man signifed.
his intention of retiring and arose to goI
out of doors, to see the state of affairs with
out. The three followed him, but they did
not take their weapons The old lady was.
asleep in the chair.
Now" whispered Philip, " let's take two
of fathers rifles up to our bed,-we may
want them. We are as good as men with
the rife"
Daniel sprang to obey, and quickly as
possible the boys slipped two rifles from
their pockets behind the great stove chimney,
and then 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
apartments on the ground floor, one of them
III the end Of the building being the old
mans sleeping room, in which the company
at present sat. Overhead there was a sort
of scaifolding, reaching only halfway over
the large room below it, and in the opposite
end of the building from the little sleeping
apartment of the hunter. A rough ladder led |
up to the sCaffold, and on it, close up to the
gable end, was the boys bed. There was
no partition at the edge of this scaffolding,
but it was all open to the room below
Spare bedding was spread upon the floor
of the kitchen for the three travellers, and
after everything had been arranged for their
comfort, the boys went up to their bed, and
the old man retired to his little room.
The boys thought not of sleep, or if they
did 1t was only to avoid it. Half an hour
had passed away, and they could hear their
father snore. Then they heard movement
from those below. Philip crawled silently
to where he could peep down through
crack, and saw one OF the men open his pack,
from which he took several pieces of raw
meat by the rays of the moon, and moving
towards the window, he showed the sash
dogs Then he went back to his bed and
laid down.
At first the boy thought that this might
be thrown to the dogs only to distract their
attention; but when the man laid down.
the idea of poison flashed through Philips.
mind. He whispered his thoughts to his
brother. The first impulse of little Daniel
as he heard that his poor dogs were to be
poisoned, was to cry out, but sudden pres
sure from the hand of his brother kept him
silent.
+ At the end of the boys bed there was a
dark window, small square door, and as it
was directly over the dogs house, Philip
resolved togo down and save the dogs. The
undertaking was dangerous one; for the
/ least noise would arouse the villains-andI
the consequence might be fatal But Philip
Slater found himself strong in heart, and he
determined upon the trial His fathers life
might be in his hands This thought was
a tower of strength in itself
Philip opened the window without mov-
ing from the bed, and it swung upon it's
leather hinges without noise. Then he
threw off the sheet and tied the corner of it
TO the staple by which the window was
hooked. The sheet was then lowered on the
outside, and carefully the brave boy let him
self out upon it. He enjoined his brother
not to move, and then he slid noiselessly
down. The hounds had just found the
meat and they drew back at their young
masters beck, and Philip gathered the flesh
all up. He easily Quilted 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 this up
against the building, Philip made his way
back to his little loft, and when once safely
there he pulled the sheet in after him.
The strangers had not been aroused, and
with beating heart the boy thanked God
| He had performed an act. simple as It NAV