, 1860-08-08

gun, and seitlng the limb Of ons Of the trees
orer his head, with au agility for which l had
neyer glsan him the LEAST credit, elevated him.
self to. the crotch, about ten feet from tho
ground.
did not want to do anything OF the kind, Of
course net; 1would rather have placed ny back
aRaipst tree, und Won . glorious death in bat-
tie against mY tunerous foes; but, alack for
bad example, ! dropped the tnrcb, that broke
in pieces in falling, and claspi1R The nearest
tree, which happened to be : medium sized
gum tree, soon scrambled up to place Of
safety. Lucky it wns for me that had that
torch in my hand, tor when fell, it lay scatter
ed around the base Of the tree, still Pickering
md flashing in tho darkness, and the anlmHis
that had surrounded US, IS they saw their prey
escaping. rushed forward wlth an angry noise;
they saw the glowing enbets. and held back
just long enough to permit my escape. As /
drew myself up on the first limb, rush Of
gratitude passed over my soul, and uY feelings
were as warm as child's. Nothing could be
seen, far the sombre forest shut out the little
the pattering Of feet beneath my fortress, like
falling rain. Back and forward they came and
went, and anorting sounds and ehamping teeth
made the black night alive with Imaginary
shapes. wondered how it fared With the Doc
tor, ret dared no. call, for the uncertainty Was
isss fearful than the reality might be; pic:
tured him fallen, dragged back from bis half
attained refuge, and divided among the hungry
pack; and the very noises below might be The
mumhling Of his bones,
"N he th+r white ,u.k. csunched osrhl. -hlte. 1ks
Asss ,ppatsoueh their iawswhsn theredges grew eu.'
"Poke!"
''lulioa!" was the response-more grateful
10 ny ear than any sound IN the world.
"How are you: my boyf" called again.
"Safe, thank the Lord!'
or af,1f uifuofsn, To hns
how are We to get out Of itt"
II will be grateful if can only keep in it;
for thi, TREE is so small that the wolves can Ell
most reach me when they jump; and, as l
CLIMBED up, ore caaght ny coattail, and tore
it cntir. " off,"
"Climb up higher, then"
~ can't; the tree is 80 amall that, when
get any higher, it bends over and let's me down
oh dear!"
Haven't you Jour pistol with you!" Try
aud shoot one, and it may friehten them."
"Oh, dear, no; there are hundreds of them.
Just look at them beloWt
Hooked down, and surely Icould see drovo
Of them. They were evidently the gray wolf,
for, in spite OF the darkness, could, once in 4
while, detect their motions from their light
coats.
Poke suggested that they wera phantom
wolves and declared they were all white.
All tie fearful stories that had ever read
caine coursiug through my brain. l SAW snow-
buried huts snuffed out aad 1ayished by these
providers. and heard the shrek Of the child,
thrown from the sleigh by its fear-maddeued
mother, and many al old dresm re-shaped in
my mind the terrors Of nights Of fever. We're
vt to be tired out by their deyilish patieuceY
Was one gang to rel,cve another until we
wca7ily fell into their hos tainted jaws, thus to
be hurled into oblivion.
shouted in the hope that some one might
hear me-; but what good to shout in that mid
night forest? heard q voice-is WIS Poke say
ing his prayers. l listened deyootly, bat could
offer none myself.
When be had finished, called to him. lie
answered faintly--
much longer"
Fire yoar pistol; do +, tr,y, It may bring some
help. even If it does not kill"
There was mom sntary pause, aod then the
sharp crack of pistol waa followed by the sing
ing of bullet close By my car. By the f 4sh l
saw r'ke, hst'ess, hanging on to the topn1ost
branch OF young pecan, that bent With him
like an orange tree under heavy load Of fruit.
With the report Of the pistol there was scram.
ble among the voracious crew Mt our feet; but
they did not 20 away permanently, and were
back in moment
"Fne the other barrel. dear Poke, buttry and
lire it the other way-point it DORM"
Bang! sounded tho pistol. and I heard
%AA"t VI k0C t0A1G$ III kNH flnO1 tElUH kulEH
away tue now useless weapon,
:" Hold on, Poke; take leart, my dear boy"
"Uh. 1t Is easy enough to say take heart. but
when tue tree beods q little more than usual,
am within foot Of these hell hounds. Oh,
dear!"
ing through the foliage. a moment more, ! was
sure Of it.
con,iog.'
hay "%hsteTThe5s; her sh o. dsaF can't Turn my
There II thsy con come; ,s see them-tlree torches
s'God bless tAem!" / heard Poke say,
lainlly.
l was afraid be was faintiDg. "uoll on.
Poke" | sald, and screaming to the men,
called them to hurry. TN they came, a. q run.
recognized them as they came up with their
torches q 4shipg. through the woods they were
camp only the day previous. and told us he had
sheep iasm in this naighborhood. "Quick,
this wny," ! shouted - the wolves! the
woIves!' He answered me. How blessed
thing was the sound Of human voice ia our
necessity. They came under the trees We
were in.
81 '*uuIloa there! where are youf where are
tue wolress" lie shouted in his stentorian
tones.
"D4re's de sheep I'm bin huntin' all dis bres-
sed night" exclaimed q negro, who accompani-
ed jackson on ti+ search.
looked around. and there was Jnckson's
big flock Of sheep, staring blaudly at us up in
The trees, and Ut their mas.er, By turn. 1t
had bsen their eyes We had seen in the dark
nesA
aud there was jackson see.saving on fallen
tFec-hiecoughipg and laughing and crying By
turus-and there were the negroes, and they
caliediu the sheep, =" Ho ho ho! Oh, laws
n7auesy, did I ever-ho! ho: ho! ho !-wolses,
oh Laws q maussy"
Poke slid down The tree he was in, picking
up his coat tail. that had been torn of By q
broken lin1b in his hurried ascent, eighing: