Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-15
vUMuR wwS { 90, 90 Per Year.
TERMS Sl,5O In Advance

90, I'm cummin' back in mint or tu, but
I'm gittin' leetle serspicious that these cussed
Injuns ar up to sum dev'ltry, or they wouldn't
keep SO nifty quiet"
Leon took the light, and began the search,
while old Nate took circle around the hall to
look for suspicious sights, or listen for suspi-
cious sounds.
Nathan?
1t was Theodore Doke, crouched in q dark
corner, and he spoke in a low whisper.
What's up, Thode?" was answered in the
same guarded manner.
L" Can't tell I'm puzzled. Look there "
said Theodore, pointing to the top Of tho wall
opposite.
What III can't see nothin'.'
"Cant you see lot of-little-ham-
mocks-"
Exackly and yer serspicions-O, 1 see "
said the old hunter, as they gradually increased
in size. :" Yer right. Quick, Thode, git every
man over on this side in the dark, and all reddy
for fire, and sure aim, tu, and when l whis'l,
blaze away, and I'll fix it with Leon"
In order to understand the mysterious ap-
pearance of Indian heads above the wall, the
reader must know, that but short time before,
some enterprising individuals had erected mar
row staging on one side, with view to repair
ing and fitting the old building for service, but
after an examination, had abandoned the pro-
ject as impractlcable This staging still stood,
though racked and weakened by winds and
storms, and up the poles that supported it, as
many as dared had climbed, and now stood just
raising their heads above the WALL to deliver
their first discharge Of arrows down upon the
defenceless heads of their victims. 1t was i'm
possible in their situation, to tell exactly the
height which would make them visible to the
whites below, neither did they imagine tn at
their beseiged victims would have any suspicious
in that direction, or that they could be but dim
ly seen, if watched, and counted for certain, on
one discharge before they were suspected, and
without the loss of man. The watchfulness
of Theodore Doke was something more than
they had reckoned on, and they paid dearly for
their want of discretion.
Leon, with his light, was Immediately beneath
them, and old Nate, while talking half the
time aloud, about something else, told him in
whisper the situation of affairs, and to continue
the search as coolly as though nothing extraor-
dinary was passing around him
In the meantime, word was passed, secretly
and rapidly, by Theodore to the rest of the
band, and in an inconceivably short space of
time, they all stood with poised rifles, in the
dark corner opposite. Conversation on subjects
designed to deceive, or if understood, to mis-
lead the savages was kept up the same as it
had been hitherto.
Slowly and cautiously the dark heads rose
against the starry sky, till the whole heads
were visible, when the signal was given, and
the death messengers from seventeen unerring
rifles changed the aspect of affairs in q twink
ling.
So deadly certain had been the aim of the
miners, that not an arrow was discharged, but
the dead bodies falling suddenly and heavily in
the same instant upon the old staging, the whole
fell with crash, amid the yells of the saya-
ges, and the cheers of the whites
Jeewhitaker, Thode" " exclaimed old Nate,
laying his hand on Theodores shoulder,
9 didn't we give em pertickler fits that time?
That's what pays for amernition, hey?"
81 think SO" said Theodore, coolly.
"An so du |. By nifty, didn't we rub 'em
9out good, though Cuss the the critters !"
Nathan, as heavy blow struck the
loor, that Jared it ominOusly they re arter
Irwin biziness meow, to make it up. Thun-
ler'n guns, boys!" he repeated, as another
blow was quickly struck. g Leon, open that
IT sellar door, or we're dead quicker'n no
lime" 4" a..
Leon searched with great sagacity, and ad-
nirable GOODNESS. Nothing was left untried
hat held out the shadow of hope. and his
liligence was at length rewarded with success
The secret spring was found or, at least, he
believed it was, though by no effort of his own
'ould he make the door yield to its pressure.
The battering upon the door continued with
increased force, aud Notwithstanding the efforts
# the whole party to strengthen it, it was eV-
dent to all that it must soon yield to the tre'
nendous blows continually beating against
rhe savages seemed determined to reach them
low through all obstacles, and with tenacity
md fury worthy better men, and better cause,
hey applied with unabated energy their vigor-