Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-11-24
EVENING STAR.
THE BOY HEROES.
A Sketch of Early Western Life

|
the Green river al old hulter by the name Of
John Slater. His hut was upon the Southern
Dank OF the stream, and save q patch of some
dozen acres that had been cleared by his own
axe, he was shut up by dense forests. Slater
had two childen at homo with him-twc sons,
PhiiIp and Daniel, the former fourteen and
! the latter twelve years of age The elder
children had gone South. His wife was with
MIN, but she had been for several years an
almost helpless cripple from the effect of Sc
we're rheumatism.
1t was aerly in the Spring, and the old hun
Ter had just returned from Columbia where
ne had been TO carry the produce of the win
ter labor, which consisted mostly Of furs
he had received quite a sum of money. and
had brought it home with him The old "a an
had several years been accommodating money !:
he meant that his children should ST. 1T on fair
terms with the world
One evening just as the family were sitting
! down to their frugal supper, they were at.
tracted by the sudden bowling of dogs and
as slater went to the door to see what was
the matter, he saw three men approachip. his
/ hut.
lie quickly quieted the dogs and the strap--
er5 approached the door They asked for
| somethInS to eat, and also for lodgings for the
night John Slater was not the man to rcfuse
request of that kind, and he asked the straDc-
ers IN. They put their rifles behind the door,
unslung their packs, and com was made for
| them at the supper table. They presented
themselves as travellers bound f1rthcr west,
intending to cross the Mississippi in search Of
1 q settlement
The new corners were far from being a-ree-
able or prepossessing il their looks, but Slater
took no noti3e Of the circumstance, for he was
not enc to doubt any man. The boys, how
! ever, dld not like their appearance at all, and
the q9lck glances which they gave each other
haTr faalr = q
at the table, but she sat in her great easy
! chair by the fire.
Slater eltcred into conversation wita the
+, guests, but they were not very free, and after
while the talk dwindled to occasional oues-
tons Philip, the elder of the two, noticed
that the men cast uneasy glances about the
/ room, and he watched them narrowly. His
/ fears had become excited, and he couli not
ret. lie knew that his father had largo
sum of money IL the house, and his hrst
| thought was that thcee men were .here for the
| purpose of robbery
Alter the supper was oyer, the boys quickly
/ cleared of the table, and then they went ont
! of the door. 1t had become dark. vr rather
! the night had fairly set in, for there was q
bright moon, two-thirds full, shining down
| upon the forest.
Daniel" said Philip, in a low whisper at
! the same time casting look over his shoulder,
what Do you think of thcse 'ere men %
| L Ii afraid they're lad ones" returnc ]
so am 1. I believe tEey ncan to steal
fathers money: Didn't you aOtice how they
Yes.n
$50 did l. II we Should tell father wh4t
We think, he would only laugh at US, and tcll
Us We were perfect scarecrows
But We can watch them
"Yes, VIC will watch 'em, but do rct Lei
/, them know it,
The boys held some further consultation.
and then going to the dog-house, they set the
email door back, So that the hounds Eight
! snrirg forth If they were wanted. If Trey had
; desired 70 speak with their father about their
suspicious, they had 10 chance, for the stran-
! gers ST close by him all the evening
4 AT length, however, the old man signifcd
his intention Of retiring and arose u 60 cut Of
! doors, to see the state Of affairs without The
| three followed him, but they did not take their
weapons. Tie Old lady vas asleep in the
| chair.
| Now" whispered Philip. slet's take two
OF fathers rifles up to our bed-we nav want
them We are as good as men with the rifle. 1"
Daniel spranS TO obey, and quickly IS pos
slble the boys slipped two rifles from their
! pockets behind the great stove chimney, and
| then hastened back and emptied the prirning
| from tine strangers rifles, and when their faith
! er and The strangers returned, they had re-
suucd their seats
| The hunters cabin was divided into two
( Apartments on the ground l0or, one If them
i the crd of the building being the old ma1' )
! sleeping room, and the other the room in which
/ the company ut present sat.
| Overhead there was sort of seaffoldiug
reaching only halfway over the large room
| below 1t, and in the opposite end of the build
| ing frcm the little sleeping apartment of the
| hunter, rough ladder led up To the scaffold
/ and on 1t, close Up TO the gable end wa, the
! boys bed. There was no partition at the
edge Of this scaGolding but il was all open to
| the room below.
Spare bedGing was spread upon the floor Of
the kitchen for the three travellers, and after
i everything had been arranged for their COM
| fort, the boys went up 10 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 j.. Half an hour had
| passed away, and they could lear their father
| snore. Then they heard a movement from
| those below. Philip crawled silently to where
! he could peep down through 4 crack and by
| the rays OK the moon, saw one Of the men open
| his pack, from which he took several pieces Of
raw meat, and moving toward the window. he
| showed the sash back and threw the pieces of
| flesh TO the dogs Then he went back to his
bed and laid down
| AT first the boys thought that this might be
thrown to the dogs only to distract their at
| tention; but when the man laid it 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 pressure from the hand
of his brother kept him silent.
At the end of the boys bed there was a
| dark window, a small square opening, and as
| 1T was directly over the dogs house, Philip re-
solved to 60 down and save the dogs The
undertaking was dangerous one; for the
least noise would arouse the villians-and the
| consequences might be fatal. But Philip Sal
ter found himself strong in heart, and deter
mined 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 moving
| from the bed, and it swung upon its 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 himself out upon it. He en-.
joined his brother not to meye, and then slid