Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-05-21

around bis neck and gave way to passion.
burst Of grief. But be was not dead--he
was Doi even hurt, with the exception of a
| few slight scratches. The blood with which
he was covered was the panther's, not his
! own But BlaRche's embrace was his--a
| priceless treas1re--an index Of hearts emo
emotions and affections. 1t was to color bis
| whole future life, as will be seen in the pro-
gress of our story.
| Sl2wiy and silently, save the occasional
oreak, dip, and pIash Of the steersman's oar.
the boat Of our voyagers was borne along
upon the bosom OF the current, on the third
| night Of the voy age. The hour was waxing
late, and Eugene, the only one astir except
| the watch, was suddenly startled BY rough
/ hand being placed upon bis shoulder, accom-
| panied by the words, IN the gruf voice efthe'
boatman:
al say. Cap'n here's troubled"
Wnat is it, Dick!" inquired Eugenes
starting to his feet.
Don't you see thar's heavy fog rising,
that'H soon kiyer us up so thick that we
won't be able to tell white man from
| nfgger" replied the boatman-Dick Winter
by name-a tall, oopy muscular, athletic
specimen OF his class.
Coed heaven! so tbere isl" exclaimed
Eugene. looking off upon the already misty
waters. at mast haze. gathered very sud-
denly, for all was clear a minute ago.
What is to be done nov This is some
thing | was not prepared for, on such night
"a THIS"
1t looks troublous.' Cap'n I'll sllow,'' re-
turned Dick; shut we're in lori, that's sar-
lin, and s'poss we'II have to make the best
ONT"
f" But what ia 10 be done 2--what do yon
advise ~ asked Eugene, in quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree of alarm,
"Why, Ell you warn'i 80 skeered about the
young lady. and it warns SO dead agin tho
orders from head quarters. my plan would be
cl'ar and easy one-Pd just run over to the
kaintuck shore, and tie up
mo. no." said Eugene. positively; "that
will never do, Dick-that will never do.
would not think of such thing for o mo-
ment! We must keep in the current by all
meaus % s,D..-
"Ei you can" joined the boatnan 'but
when 1t gifts 50 dark that you can't tell ono
thing from t'other, NIL be powerful hard to
do; and sf we don't run agin bar or bank
afore morning, in spite OF the brst O. u.s.
it'll be the iEck,est go ever 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 gettin' din, nnd it looks
as If thar war cloud ali round Gs.'
"Isee! see!" returned Eugene excitedly.
Merciful Heaven! hope no accident will be-
fall Us here-and yet my heart almost mis-
gives ms!-for this, believe, is the most
dangerous part of our journey the vicinity
where most of our boats have been captured
by the suvages."
Saying this, Eugene hastened below,
where he found the other bUatusca sleeping
SO soundly as 10 require considerable effort,
on his part, to wake them. At last, getting
them fairly reused, he informed them, almost
in whisper, for he did not care to disturb
the others, that dense fog had suddenly
risen, and he wished their presence on deck,-
Immediately.
"a fog, Cap'n',' exclaimed one, in a tone
which Indicated that he comprehended tho
peril with the word.
"Hush!' returned Eugene; 'there in no
necessity for waking the others, and having
scene. Up! and follow me without word.
He glided back to the deck, and was al
most Immediately joined by the boatmen, to
whom he bridsy made known his hopes and
fears.
They thought, IKE their corepanion, that
the boat would be safest if made fast to an
overhangng limb of the Kentucky shore;
but frankly admitted that this could nos now
De done without difficulty and danger, and
that there was possibility of keeping the
current. r.*
"Then make that possibility certainty,
and it shah be the best nights work you ev-
er performed!'' rejoined Eugene, in quick
excited tone. ,.,
Wen do the best we can, Csp'n," was
the response; "but man car be sartin of
the current of this here crooked stream in a
foggy night.
A long silence followed--ths voyagerS
slowly drifting down through misty dark
ness impenetrable to the eye-when, sud
denly, 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 exclam-
alton of alarm, and at the same moment the
bontman on the right called out:
| "Quick, here, boys! were agin the shore
as sure as DEATH"
| Then followed a scene os hurried and
! dEiAtOuo LObtuoiOuS tHO fOsSOS VI hAS Na-iSS
boatmen mingling together in loud, quick,
| excited tones.
| "Push offthe bow!f cried one.
! "Qaick! altogether, now, over with her!"
| shouted another.
"The de'il's in il! she's running aground
| hers in muddy bo,tom!" almost yelled a
third.
Meantime the laden boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and over
reaching limbs, and every moment getting
more and more entangled while the long
poles and sweeps of the boatmen, as they at
( tempted to push her off, were often plunged
without touching bottom, into what appear
to be eoft, ciayey mud, from which they
were only extrcated by such an outlay of
strength as tended still more to draw CHM
sy craft upon the bank they wish ID 70 avoid.
At length, scarcely more than minute from
the Srst alarm, there was kind OF settling
together as it were, and the boat became
fast and immovable.
The fact was announced by Dick Win
ter. in his characteristic manner---who added
with an oath, that il was just what he ex
pected. For n moment or two q dead ST.
ience followed, as if each comprehended that
the matter was one TO be viewed in a very
serious light.
an git over the bow, and try to git the
lay of the land with my feet" said Tom
Harris; and forthwith he set about the not
very pleasant undertaking.
At this moment Eugene heard his nsme
pronounced by voice that seldom failed To
excite peculiar emotion in his breast, and
now sent strange thrill through every nerve;
and fastening below, he found Blanche, fully