Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-20


the progress of our story.
Slowly and silently, save the occasional
creak, dip, and plash Of the steersman's oar,
the boat of our voyagers was borne along up
on the bosom of the current, on the third
night of the voyage The hour was waxing
late, and Eugene, the only one astir ex-
cept the watch, was suddenly startled, by a
rough hand being placed upon his shoulder,
accompanied by the words, in the grutf voice
of the boatman:
q say, Cap'n, here's trouble"
"What is it, Dick ?" inquired Eugene start
ing to his feet.
"Dont you see theirs heavy fog rising,
that'll soon kiver us up so thick that we won't
be able to tell white man from a nigger?"
replied the boatman-Dck Winter by name
"a tall, bony, muscular, athletic specimen Of
his class.
"Good heavens so there is !" exclaimed
Eugene, looking off upon the already misty
waters. /" 1t must have gathered very sgd
denly, for all was clear minute ago. What
is to be done now? This is something | was
rot prepared for, on such night as this"
at looks troublous, Cap'n III allow" re-
turned Dick /; 81 but we're in fort sartin, and
| s'pose we'll have to make the best ont"
"But what is to be done ?-what do you
advise ?" asked Eugene, in a quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree Of alarm.
"Why, ef you war'nt so skeerd the young
lady, and it warn't so dead agin the orders
from head quarters, my plan would be cl'ar
and easy one-Pd just run over to the Kahn
tuck shore, and tie up"
"No NO." said Eugene, positively: "that
will never do Dck-that will never do. l
would not think of such thing for a mo-
ment We must keep in the current by all
means p
If you cam" rejoined the boatman but
when it gifts so dark as we can't tell one thing
from t'other it'll be powerful hard to do and
eff we don't run agin bar or bank afore
morning. in spite of the best O. us, it'll be
the luckiest 60 that ever l had hand in
See, Cap'n- it's thickening up fast; we can't
see eyther bank at all, nor the water nyther !;
the stars is gcttin dim and it looks as if thar
war cloud all round u.s."
81 see! | see p returned Eugene, ex-
citedly. "Merciful Heaven l hope no ac-
cident will hefall us here-and yet my heart
almost misgives me for this, believe, is
the most dangerous part of our journey
the vicinity where most of our boats have
been captured by the savages."
Saying this, Eugene fastened below where he
found the other boatman sleeping SO soundly
as to require considerable effort, on his part,
to wake them. At last, getting them fairly
reused, he informed them, almost in whls-
per, for he did not care to disturb the Others
that heavy fog had suddenly arisen, and he
wished their presence on deck, Immediately
"a fog, Cap'n ?" exclaimed one in tone
which indicated that he comprehended the
peril with the word
Hush !" returned Eugene; there is nc
necessity for waking the others, and | having
a scene. Up! and follow me without a
word
He glidcd back to the deck, and was al
most Immediately joined by the boatman, tc
whom he briefly made known his hopes anG
fears
They thought, like their companion, that
the boat would be safest if made fast tc
an overhanging limb of the Kentucky shore
but frankly admitted that this could not now
be done without difficulty and danger, and
that there was a possibility of keeping the
current
Then make that possibility certainty,
and it shall be the best nights work you ev-
er pcrformed!' rejoined Eugene, in quick
excited tone.
"We'l do the best we can cap'n" was the
response )" but no man can be sartin of the
cnryent of this here crooked stream in fog.
gy night"
A long silence followed-the voyagers
slowly drifting down through misty dark.
ness impcnctrable to the eye-when, sudden.
ly, our young commander, who was standing
near the bow, felt the extended branch of an
overhanging limb silently brush his face
He started with an exclamation of alarm
and at the same moment that boatman on the
right called out
"Quick here, boys we're agin the shore
as sure as death n'
Then followed scene of hurried and con-
fusion, the voices of the three boatmen ming
ling together in loud, quick, excited tones.
Push off the bow !" cried one.
"Quick !" altogether, now over with
her p shouted another
=" The del's in it she's running agrounC
here on muddy bottom !" almost yelled a
third.
Meantime the laden boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and over
reaching limbs, and every moment getting
more entangled while; the long poles anG
sweeps of the boatman, as they attempted tt
push her off, were often plunged without
touching bottom, into what appeared to be {
soft, clayey mud, from which they were only
extricated by such an outlay of strength al
tended still more to draw the clumsy Graf
upon the bank they wished to avoid. A
length, scarcely more than minute from thu
first alarm, there was kind of setting to
gether, as 1t were, and the boat became tas
and immovable
The fact was announced by Dick Winter
in his characteristic manner--who addet
with an oath, hat it was just what he expect
ed. For moment or two dead silence
followed, as if each compreheuded that tn,
matter was one to be viewed in very Sc
rious light.
Pm get over the bow, and try to git tn,
lay of the land with my feet" said Tom Har
ris and forthwith he set about the not very
pleasant undertaking.
At this moment Eugene heard his name
pronounced by voice that seldom failed to
excite a peculiar emotion in his breast, anC
now sent strange thrill through every nerve
and fastening below, he found Blanche, fully
dressed, with light in her hand, standing
Just outside of her cabin, in the regular pas
sape. which led lenpthWise THROUGH the cen