The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-12-21

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 tive
!, Of fathers rifles up to our bed-we may
: want them. We are as good as men witt
= rifles
Daniel sprang to obey, and quickly a
+ possible the boys slipped two rifles from
their pockets behind the great stove chin
ney, and then hastened back and emptieC
9 thep printing from the strangers rifles, anC
; their father and the stranger returned, they
hadresumed their seats.
The hunters cabin was divided into two
apartments on the ground floor, one o
them in the end of the building being the
, old mans sleeping room, and the other the
room in which the company at present sat
Overhead there was sort of scaffold-
ing, reaching only half way over the large
room below it, and in the opposite end
from the sleeping apartment Of the hunter.
A rough ladder led up the scalfold, and on
it, close up to the end, was the boys bed
There was no partition at the edge Of this
scafolding, but it was all open to the room
below.
Some spare bedding was spread on the
floor of the kitchen for the 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 two boys thought not of sleep, or if
they did, it was only to avoid it. Haitian
hour had passed away, and they could
hear their father snorc. They heard a
movement from those below Philip crawl
ed 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 them moon,
and moving toward the window, he shov-
ed the sash back and threw the pieces of
flesh to the dogs. Then he went to his bed
and lay down.
AT first the boys thought that this might
he thrown to the dogs only to distract their
attention; but when the man lay down, the
idea of poison flashed through Philips
mind. He whispered his thoughts to his
brother The first impulse oflittle Daniel,
as he heard that his poor dogs were to be
poisoned, was to cry out but sudden
pressure from the hand Of his brother kept
! him silent.
AT the end of the boys bed there was a
dark window, or small square door, and as
it was directly over the dogs house, Philip
resolved to go down and save the dogs
The undertaking was dangerous one, for
the least noise would arouse the villains
and the consequence might be fatal. But
Philip Slater found himlelfstrong in heart,
and be determined upon the trial His
fathers life might be in his hands. This
thought was tower Of strength in itself.
Philip opened the window without NOV
ling from the bed, and it swung upon its
eathern 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
himself out upon it. He enjoined his broth
er not to move, and then slid noislessIy
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 quieted the faithful
brutes, and then he quickly tied the meat
up in the sheet. There was light ladder
standing near the dog house, aud 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 af-
ter him.
The strangers had not been aroused, ,and
with q beating heart the boy thanked God
He had performed an act, simple as it may
appear, at which many stout heart would
have quailed. The dogs growled as they
went back into their kennel, 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 another. 1t must have been
nearly midnight when the men moved a.
gain, and the lad, Philip, saw the rays of a
candle flash up through the cracks of the
floor on which stood his bed. He would
have moved to the crack where be could
peep down, but at that moment he heard a
man upon the ladder. He uttered a quick
whisper TO his brother, and they lay per-
fectly still. The man came to the ladder,
and held his light up so he could look up
on the boys. The fellow seemed to be
perfectly satisfied that they were asleep,
for he soon returned to the ground floor, x
then Philip crept to the crack. He saw
the men take knives, and he heard them
whispering,
We'll kill the old man and the woman
first, said one of them, 'then we'll hunt
the money. If those little brats up there
pointing TO the scafIold, wake up, we can
easily take care of them
But we must kill them all, said ano ther
of the villains.
4 Yes returned the speaker, but the
young ones first; they may make noise
and start the old man up
Philips heart beat with horror.
Down the ladder outsidel quick!' he
whispered to his brother, Down, and
start up the dogs! Run for the front door
and throw it open-it isn't fastened! O.,
do let the dogs in the house; be quick as
you can! I'll look out for father whilst
you CO.
Daniel quickly crawled out through the
little window, and Philip seized rifle and
crept to the head of the scaffold. Two Of
| the villains were just approaching the door
of his fathers loom. They had set the