Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-12-16


an hour had passed, away, and thev could
hear their father snore. Then they heard
Il movement from those below. PhiIr
crawled silently to where he could peet
down through a crack, and saw one OF
the men open his pock, from which he
took several pieces of raw meat by the
! rays Of the moon, and moving towards
! the window, he showed the sash back and
threw the pieces of fle sh to the 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 Phil
/ lp's mind. He whispered his thoughts 10
has brother. The first impulse of little
Daniel, as he heard that his poor dogs
were to be poisoned, was to cry out, but a
sudden pressure from the hand of his
brother kept him silent.
At the end Of the bows bed there was
a dark window, a small square door, and
as 1t was directly over the dogs house,
Philip resolved to 90 down and save the
dogs. The undertaking was u dangerous
one; for the least noise would arouse the
vlIlalns-and 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
ms hands! This thought was a towe. Of
strength in itself.
Philip opened the window without mo
wing from his bed, and it swung upon its
leather hinges without noise Then he
threw of the sheet and tied the corner
OF II to the staple by which the window
was hooked. The sheet was then low
cred on the outside, and carefully the
brave boy let himself out upon it. He
enjoined upon his brother not to move.
and then he slid noiseIessIy down. The
hounds had just found the meat, and they
drew back al their young masters beck,
and Philip gathered the flesh all up. He
easily quIeted the brutes, and them he
quickly tied the meat up In the sheet
There was a light ladder standing near
the dog house, and setting this up against
the building, Philip made his way back to
his little lott, and when once safely there
he pulled the sheet in after him.
The strangers had not been aroused
and with a beating heart the boy thanked
God. He had performed an act, simple
as may appear, at which many stout
heart would have quailed. The dogs
groWIed as they went back into their ken
mel, and If the strangers heard them,
they thought the poor animals were groWl-
ing over the repast they had found.
At length the hounds ceased then noise
and all was quiet. An hour passed away
and 50 did another. 1t must have been
nearly midnight when the men moved
again, and the lad Philip, saw the rays
OF q candle flash up through the cracks of
the floor on which stood his bed. He
would have moved to the crack where he
could peep down, but at that moment he
heard man upon the ladder. He utter
ed quick whisper 70 his brother and
they lay perfectly still. The man came
TO the top OF the ladder, and held up his
light so ne could look upon the boys
The fellow seemed to be perfectly salts
fled that they were asleep, for he soon
returned to the ground Ioor, and then
Philip crept to the crack. He saw the
men have knives, and he heard them whis-
pering.
Wen Kill the old man and woman
first said one of them, and then we
will hunt the money. Ifthose little brats
up there pointing to the scattoId) wake
up, we can easily take care of them
But we must kill them aIl,' said anoth-
er of the villains.
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 outside! quick he
whispered to his brother, down, and
start up the dogs! Run for the front door
and throw 1t open-it isn't fastened, On,
do let the dogs in the house as quick as
you can. I'll look out for father while
you Co.
Daniel quickly crawled out through the
little window, and Philip seized a rife
and crept to the head q. the scafold.-
Two of the villains We're Just approaching
the the door of his fathers room. They
had set the candle down ON the floor, SO
that its light would fall in the bedroom
as the door was opened. Philip drew the
hammer of the rife back, and rested the
muzzle upon the edge OF the boards
One of the men had his hand upon the
latch. The boy-hero uttered a single
word Of heartfelt prayer, and then he
pulled the trigger. The villain whose
nand was upon the latch, uttered one
sharp, quick cry, and fell upon the floor.
The bullet had passed through his brain.
For an instant the two remaining VII
lains were confounded, bu. they quickly
comprehended the nature and position Of
their enemy and they sprang for the lad
der. They did not reach it, however, for
at that instant the outer door was flung
open and the hounds-four in number
sprang into the house. With deep,
wild yell, the animals leaped upon the
williams, and they had drawn them upon
the floor just as the old hunter came from