Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-08
TERMS ~ 80 i h'i AlSsns.. lEssn;


bank, and stood on dry land again. II was still
as death, and dark as Egypt
" Let's in" said the Captain in y low voice,
after they had been sometime gone. "They are
safe, and We lose time"
But old Nate warned him TO keep silent for
time longer
The suspense to the waiting band had now be-
come painful in the extreme. Every moment
they expected to hear the death-cry Of their
brave comrades, and yet the moments kept pass.
ing and all remained silent They might be
over, and they might not. All was uncertainty
and agonizing suspense.
The brave brothers who had perilled their
own lives to save others, stood for minute in
the expectation of immediate DEATH but as the
moments passed, and they neither saw nor
heard the least suspicious sign, their hearts be-
gan to take courage and beat with hope.
After standing moment in silence, they dis
mounted, and tieing their horses TO some little
saplings which grew near the water, they crept
up the river for few rods, but could discover
nothing suspicious nothing to indicate that a
human being was near. They crept back to
their horses again, AMI discovered to their hor-
ror, that both were cut loose, but standing very
nearly as they had left them They knew at
once that they were surrounded by Indians, but
that they had spared them only that their SEEM
ing safety might entce tho remainder of the
band to cross the river, and thus fall an easy
prey to the tomahawk and seal ping knife. Both
saw at glance that their only hope of safety
was the river, and with yell of warning to
their comrades across the river, they plunged
in, and struck out for the shore they had left
But they had hardly touched the water, when
couple of powerful savages seemed to rise from
the water before them, and with the unfinished
screams Of mental terror which the discovery
inspired, they were tomahawked and scalped,
and their bodies left to float wherever the waters
would.
81 was afeared ont" said old Nathan, 'spoor
boys, they've done their part, ennyhow.''
" Heavens exclaimed Theodore Duke.
The Lord forgive us" said the Captain,"I 1
thought they were safe. What sacrifice -
But we'll avenge them, yet"
"My God " exclaimed Leon, who felt his
blood run cold with horror.
"'Taint no time to take on meow, bows"
said Nathan, leading the way little back from
the river. We've got a mighty sight more
important bisness on hand Ef we ever expect
to see daylight agin we'd better jest be maxim
arrangements fort. The prospects leetle
dark"
Nearly hopeless, said the Captain, " but
we may as we'll die fighting for safety, as to sit
quietly down, and let them have our scalps
without an effort"
"And mighty sight better kalkilate. Ef
they git my scalp, they We got to pay fort, that
is ALL
Ihope so, Nathan" said Theodore Duke,
"and hope they wont get it by paying for it
But this amt helping us out, though. Wemust
do something We have tried one plan and fail
ed at sacrifice, we must try another, and
quick too"
Right, Thode," said Nathan. "They'll
be arter closin' in on US 1ust we know and the
sooner we begin to do suthin' the better it'll be
for u.s. Ef emmy on you knows Of plan hat
will give us the least bit of a chance, jest less
have it. I'm nightly opposed to settin' here
and havin' my scalp scraped of by the torment
} ed red devils, ennyhow."
"The best way" said the Captain, &C" and
the quickest way at all events, would be to ride
back little ways, and ride cautiously as near
: to them as possible, before being discovered,
and then dash through them. We shouldn't
Z all get through, of course, nor we shan't in
any way, butI think that part at least, no tell
} ing haw small part, would get away safely"
five thought o that, but don't believe
: 'twould work. There's a mighty lot of Injuns
: round, and ov course we'd hev to use our rifles
and jest as soon s they d see the game, there'd
t be apOwer O. the cusses all round, and no chance
!, for feler in the least. Wemust think of some
g strategy" b
: If we only could, should 90 for it with al
IS my heart, but that's the trouble. Ishould rath
70 er risk my chance against regiment of rec
y skins, than to do nothing. Ihad little rathel
r die fighting, if twas against all the Indians il
California, than to cool down here and die lik
y dumb beasts, " said the Captain again, s.
y "We won't do nary one Captain, we kend
9, better, kalkerlate. What say, ThOdeP