Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-03-15
HYRPTBVILlE, TENN: THURSDAY, MARCH Is 1856.

land arose to go out Of. doors, t
see to the state of affairs without
The three followed him, but did no
take their weapons. The old lad.
was asleep in the chair. 1 ! easg
Now whispered Philip, lets taxi
two of fathers rifles up to our bed :
we may want 'em. We are as goot
las men with the rifle .piH9&a
Daniel sprang to obey, and quick
sly as possible the boys slipped twt
rifles from their pockets behind th'
great stove chimney, and then has
tened back and emptied the primine
from the strangers rifles, and wber
their father and the strangers had re-
turned, they had resumed their seats
TIE hunters cabin was divided in.
to two apartments on the ground
floor, one Of them in the end Of the
building being the old mans sleep
ing room, and the other the room IN
which the company at present sat.
Overhead there was a sort Of scaf-
folding, reaching half way over the
large room below it, and in the oppo-
site end Of the building from the
sleeping apartment Of the hunter. :
A ladder led up to the scaffold, and
on it, close 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 two boys thought Of no sleep,
or if they Gid il was only to avoid it.
Half an hour had passed away, and
they could hear their father snore.----
Then they heard a movement from
those below. Philip crawled silently
to where be could peep down through
a 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 to-
wards 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 attention; but when
he laid down, the idea flashed through
Philips mind. He whispered his
thoughts TO his brother. The first
impulse Of little Daniel, as he heard
that bis poor dogs we're poisoned, was
to cry out, but a 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
door, and as it WAS directly over the
dogs house, Philip resolved to. 60
down and save the dogs. The un-
dertsking was dangerous one; for
the least noise would rouse, the vii
lains-and the consequence might
be fatal But Philip found himself
strong in heart, and he determined
upon a trial. His father''s life might
be in his hands, This thought was
a tower of strength in ITSELF ..s.s
Philip. opened the window without
moving from the: bed, and it swung
upon its leathern hinges without
noise. Thenh he threw off the sheet
and tied the corner Of it to the sta
pie by which the window was hooked; i
The sheet was then lowered on the
outside, and carefully the brave boy
let himself out upon it. He, en-.
Joined bis brother not to move, and
then slid noiselessly down: The
hounds ! had, just found the
meat, and they drew. back at their
Young master's beck, and Philip
eatbsFed the flesh all up. He easily
0uieted the faithful brutes, and then,
be quickly tied the meat up IN the
sheet. /, There vas light ladder
standing near the dog house. and set
ting this up against the building,
Philip made his way back to bis 1T
tie lofts and. ahen once safely there
be pulled the sheet in after him. q
The strangers bad not been aroused,
and .with.a beating heart the boy
thanked God: He had performed an
act, simple as it may appear, at which
Macy 4 stout heart sould have,
The dogs growled 3as they
went ! hack into their kennel and i
49, ~t..nroro hoard them. they