The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-05-13

n vise?' asked Eugene, in quick, excited ton
e that indies some degree of alarm.
"Why, eff you war'nt so skeered about II
} young lady, and it war,nt so dead agin the OF
ders from head quarters, my plan would be
cPar and easy one-f'd just run over to tn
: Kaintuck shore, and tie up"
''No, ro," said Eugene, positively; "ths
will never do, Dick-that will never do!
, would not think ofsuch thing for moment
We must keep in the current by all means!''
: "Efyou can" responded the boatman; "bu
: when it gifts so dark as we can't Tell one thin
from t'other, it'll be powerful hard to do; am
! ef.we don't run agin bar or bank afore NOR
NM, in spite o. the best or us, it'll be TIN
uckiest go that eversI had hand in. See
Cap'n-it's thick'nng up fast; we can't SCI
eyther bark at all, nor the water nyther; III
stars is gittin' dim, and it looks as eff thar wa
cloud all round us.''
81 see' see!'' returned Eugene, excitedlv
"Merciful Heaven! hope no accident viii
befail us here-and yet my heart almost mis-
gives me!-for this, I believe. is the most dan
gerous part of our jonrnev-the vicinity where
most of our boats have been captured by tn.
savages."
Saying this, Eugene hastened below, wher,
he found the other boatnen sleeping so sound.
ly as to require considerable effort, on his par
to wake them. At last, getting them fairl,
reused, he Informed them. almost in a whis.
per: for he did not care to disturb the Others
mat heavy fog had suddenly arisen, and he
wished their presence on deck, immediately,
"A'fog, Cap'n?" exclaimed one, in a tone
which indicated that he comprehended the
peril with the word.
"HushH' returned Eugene; sthere is no ne
cessity for waking the others, and having a
scene. Up! and follow me, without w;ord,',
He glided back to ih~.e-1Ibat trne,, ,==.-u,~r-
immediairtrade known his hopes and fears.
: They thought. like their companion, that the
boat would be safest made fast to an overhang-
ing limb of the Kentucky shore; but frankly
admitted that this could not now be done with
out difficulty and danger, and that there was
possibility of keeping the cnrrent.
"Then make that possibility certainty,
and it shall be the best nights work you ever
performed" rejoned Eugene, in quick excl
ted tone.
"We'll do the best we can, Cap'n." vas the
response; shut no man can be sarin of the
currem of this here crooked stream n foggy
night"
A long silence followed-the voyagers
slowly drifting down through a misty dark
ness impene,rab'e to the eye-when, sudden
y. our young 'nmander. 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 the boatman on the right
called ont:
''Quick, hsre. boys! we're afin the shore, as
sure as DEATH"
Then followed scene of hurried and anx-
ious confusion, the voices of the three boat
men mingling together in loud, quick, excited
tones.
''Push off the bowr' cried one
sQuick! altogether, now! over with hern
shouted another.
"The de'l's in it! she's running aground
here on muddy bottoml'' almost yelled the
third.
Meantime the laden boat was brushing along
agains. projecting bushes and overreaching
limbs. ani every moment getting more and
more entangled while the long poles and
sweeps OF the boatmen, as they attempted to
push her off, were often plunged, without
| TO- h.,tf int hot oA TO ha d,
soft, clayey mud, from which thev were only
extricated by such an outlay of strength as
| tended still more to draw the clumsy craft up.
on the bank they wished TO avoid. At length
scarcely more than minute from the first
alarm, there was kind Of settling together
a. it were, and the boat became fast and i'm.
movable.
The fact was announced by Dick Winter, ir
his characteristic manner-who added with ar
oath, that it was just as he expected. For a
moment or two dead silence followed, as i
each comprehendea that the matter was one te
be viewed in very serious light.
"I'll git over the bow, and try t. git the lay
of the land with my feet" said Tom Harris
and forthwith he set about the not very pleas
ant undertaking.
At this moment Eugene heard his name pro
nounced by voice that seldom failed to excit
peculiar emotion in his breast, and now sen
a strange thrill through every nerve; and has
tening below, he found Blanche, fully dresse,
with hight in her hand, standing just outsid
Of her cabin, in her regular passage which lie,
lengthwise through the center Of the boat.
81 have heard something, Eugene" she sai,
s'enough to know that we have met with al
accident, but not sufficient to fully compre
hend it's rature."
sUnfortunately, about two hours ago." re
piled Eugene, "we suddenly became involve,
in dense FOG; and in spite of every preca
ton and care, we have run asround-t ma.
be against the Ohio shore-it may be agaips
an island-it is so dark we can't tell. But b
not alarmed, Miss Bianche," he hur-iedly ad
Ged; 81 trust we shall soon be aaoat again
though in any event, the darkness is snfficiea
10 conceal us from the savages, even were the
in the viciaity."
81 know little Of Indians" said Blanche
"but have always understood that they ar
somewhat remarkable for their acuteness O
hearing; and il such is the case, there woul