The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-05-13
ABBEvILLE S: c., THURSDAY MORNING. MAY 13 1s5a

advise Z! asked Eugene, in quick, excited
tone' that indicated some degree of alarm
Why, eff you warn't so skccred about
the young lady, and it warn't so dead agil
the orders from lead quarters, my plan
would be q cl'ar and easy one-Pd ius,
run over to the Kaintuck shore, and tic
up"
No, no" said Eugene, positively "that
will never do, Dick-that will never do I!
would not think Of such thing for n mo.
mcnt! We must keep in tho current by
all means! !"
" Ef you can," rcjoined the boatnan
but when it gifts SO dark as we can't tell
ono thing from other, it'll be powerful hard
to do; and eff we don't run agin a bar or
bank afore morning, in spite of the best o.
us, it'll be the luckiest 90 that ever had !,
hand in. See, Capn-it's thickenins up
fast; we can't see eyther bank at all, nor
the water nyther; the stars is gettin' dim,
and it looks rs if thar war cloud nil rounJ
u.s."
81 see! I see!' returned Eugene, cx-
clte'!lv. "Mcrciful Heaven! l hone no
accident will bcfall us here-and vet nv
heart almost misgivcs me for this, be-
lieve, is the most dangerous part of our
journcy-the vicinity where most of our
boats have been captured by the say
ages"
Saying this, Eugene fastened below,
where he found the other boatmcn sleeping
SO soundly as to require considerable effort,
on his part, to wake them. At last getting
them fairly reused, he informed them. al.
most in whisper, for he did not care to
disturb the Others, that heavy fog had
! suddenly arisen, and he wished their pres
encn on deck, Immediately.
"a fog, Cap'n?' exclaimed one, in a tone
which indicated that he co,nprchcnded the
peril with the word.
"1Iush p returned Eugene there is
no necessity for waking The others, and l.av-
ing scene. Up! and follow me, without
Il word !"
lie g'ided back to the deck, and was
almost Immediately joined by the boatmcn
to whom he briefly made known his hopes
and fears.
They thought, like their companion, that
the boa: would be safest if made fast to
an overhangng limb Of the Kentucky shore {;
but frankly admitted that this could not
now be done without difficulty and danger,
and that there was possibility of keeping
the current.
"Then make that possibility certainty,
and it shall Le the best nights work you
ever performed !" rcjoined Eugene, in "a
quick, excited tone.
Well do the best we can, Cap'n," was
the response :: " but no man can be sartin Of
the current of this here crooked stream in
4 fogGy night"
A long silence follow the voyagers drift
ing down through misty darkness impcn-
etrable to the eye-wllcn, suddenly, our
young commander who was st;:uding near
the bow, felt the extended branch of al
overhanging limb silently brush his face.
lie started, with All exclamation Of alarm,
and ut the Same moment the boatmcn on
the right called out:
"Quick, here, boys! we're agin the shore,
rs sure as death ~
Then followed a scene of hurried and
anxious confusion, the voices Of the three
boatmen mingling together Ill loud, quick,
excite tones.
Push off the bow ~ cried one.
"Quick altogether, now over with
her" shouted another.
1.-THE de'll's in it! she's running aground
here on a muddy bottom y almost yelled
third.
Meantime the laden boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and over
reaching limbs, and every moment getting
more and more cntangled, while the long
poles and sweeps Of the boatmen, as they
attempted to push her off, were often
plunged, without touching bottom, into
what appeared to be soft, clayey mud,
from which they were only cxtricated by
such an outlay Of strength as tended still
more to draw the clumsy craft upon the
bank they wished to avoid. At length.
scarcely more than minute from the first
alarm, there was kind Of settling together,
rs it were, and the boat became fast and
immovable.
The fact was announced by Dick Winter,
in his characteristic manner-who added,
with an oath, that it was just what he ex-
pectcd. For moment or two q dead ST.
lence followed, as if each comprehended
that the matter was one to be viewed in q
very serious light.
"pIl get over the bow, AMI try to git
the lay of the land with 10Y feet" said
Tom Harris; and forthwith he set about
the not very pleasant undertaking.