Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-01-02


a few minutes n scene of the widest confuS
sion prevailed.
Fool = cried Amos Stanforth, Pelcg's
guardian who reached him frst-and who.
sciaing him hy the collar of his hunting
shirt, ierked him to his feet, and shook him
till all the teeth in his head ratified Fool
coward what We mean by making all this
here fuss for nothing .
Byi this time Peleg had become fairly
awakened and as he feared his guardian in
anger almost as much as he did the s1vages
themselves, he slunk away, without uttering
a word in his defence.
But further sleep for any of the parties
after this was out of the question: and Eden
Starforth--who at the first sound of alarm,
had started up and Grasped his rife, ready to
sell his life dearly in defence Of those he
loved-uow turned his whole attention to
quietng the nervous excitement Of the females
I'LL OF whom except Mabel Duncan, were
trembling from their late fright and appre-
tensions for the future.
Come, mother-comc, nunt-and you
Cirre--I ain astonished you should permit
such cowardlv .ackanapes as Peleg White
to frighten you all out of your senses. Let
me cntreat you to lie down again, and get
what rest you can, for really do not think
there is any danger. ! do not think the In
dians have reached this quarter yet, or we
saould have heard something Of them
From what I've heard of them. they gene
rally move aqout pretty quick replied the
father.
Until they make an attack, said Eden,
'and then they give vent to their most terrific
yell If they were about tonight, in this
vicinity, it is quite likely they would have
attacked some of our neighbors before this
and we should heard their death signal.
Il don't feel altogether at ease, said the
father. dra wing his son aside, and speaking
III low tone, which reached no ear but Eden's
Il feel strangely oppressed with something
like rrescntment OF danger but keep this
70 vourself,-not a word Of it to the women
hiks, or We shall have Bcdlam over again.
There is Peleg That boy ought to he
gagged, to keep him quiet and if any harm
comes sha!l blame him for it
j never yet saw n hnaster that was not al
heart a coward replied Eden and Peleg
has often annoyed me by boasting what he
would do IN case he should ever he so for
tunatc to be placed in position Of danger
This is very gloomy work, sad the father,
sitting hero in this old boat on the river. on
n dark night, watching for an unknown foe
] wonder how long it Is to dayhreak' =
The dawn cannot he far Of replied Eden.
Look Wonder over the tTe"-tops. to the cast
ward | think ] see the first streak of day
now
IN" say looks reddish in that direction.
Int I'm not sure 1t s morning. said t other.
w bat d. YOU think, Amos = he continued,
addressing his brother. who was standing
within a f'w feet ot him apparently trying
to peer into the darkness, which the thick
shadow of the heavy trees on the nearest
bank rendered almost impcnetrablc to the
eye,
It's not the dawn, David, if I'm Judge,
IVES The answer in low, cautious tone.
w hat DO you think 1t is, uncle y asked
L1cn.
Hire = was the laconc reply.
'iin" said Eden. with start; then the
Indians must certainly he about-rerhaps
have already begun their horrible work -
Had We not better take up our anchor and
aron Inrthrr down the stream
'iiuSA listen returned the uncle, in n
Whisper your cars are younger than mine,
ana ought TO De better-do You hear any
thlng
All listened, each holding his breath to
cltth the slShtest sound. Each, too, turned
ms eyes upon the nearest shore, and strove
~ yam I" d,s"nEnlSh single Object IN the
'"'n' .No ness, "Alch' IN tnht dlreHt'on
seemed to rise llke wall before them. 1t
%i.'ltY ti.,7 Snl SilH"'iE h''7y ana
,.il - " ~; " 'I'o ne'.Il.9 .,
,I,, ~, ,, c ',''o ~ anu ,I'!s
,.,t .i,-,,;r,, .i'a ~ A. II. ". -
,,Iii i7n ~ IL w u"i - Z,
.,,,.,.,. r'.a,. :. NV Wv Si,nt ,., o','
i;I S''i"o io:S '.iu
r., INV ,;.; r WI Vit
i; ,i'o d; lt;i. ~ w. Wv. Amy
~, ~ -. w o'' e'ir oir.,S' ~ H'S l,'s'
80. tt ,,.i,o w. i5 =. y! ""y o''e vi ''S n'ur,
do,n"n I,i.r " .Lo S', ~ '.e
S,- tLo so,nn raosa- 49, ,"' c'
nro ~, t,,a Lat 'n ., i: loi
ti,n to s"o tnn r,o+ oN'S ,L," ,"st uireu
Of NO ,o,Y,, tr| t iuvt i"'o 'ie e'oony Snuuo"S
i hear only the slight rirpins of the
water, said Eden at length, in the same
cautious whisper.
thought once or twice heard the snap.
ping OF a stick on the bank reioined his
uncle, though might have been only fancy.
would 1t not be well to lit our anchor,
ana drop further down the stream = again
suggested the young man, with not little
anxiety, as he thought of the precious lives
aboard the boat, which might possibly fall n
sacrifice to an unseen enemy, even then
silently preparing to begin the work OF death
/ IN of that opinion, answered the uncle.
/ Come let us lift it at once
! Eden md his unclo reno,rod ,o tbo ,;,d
lass and were lust in tho act of c;v,n, i .
turn. when n loud sbrick from ono IF tbo
/ famaIos followed bv some half n dozon othors
In quick succession. caused them 70 dos;st
and rrasp their rifles in fearful anrrobon
sion but ere thew had t;ma 10 snrino fo--
ward to ascertain the cansa Of tba sS,nnd
alarm three of the terrisod ,1ar,;as ,roro ~.
their sides. clinpinr to thom with tror,hl; ~
cocarness WIN ''''''''''s