Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-04-12
TERMS 4 H. 80 % n R'1 Advance. ESs1;

Where is Leon :! /" asked Theodore of Har-
ry, who stood beside him.
"I havnt seen him"
Where is he! Isn't he here?' he con-
tinued, addressing everybody in general, and
Harry in particular.
"He amt here" said voice.
He hasn't been here at all, )" said another.
"Stand here, Harry, I must look for him.
It's strange that he amt in the crowd. If he
had fallen asleep, sh'd thought that would
woke him." said Theodore Doke, who forthwith
took the light, and in company with three or
four Others went to the north end of the hall,
where he had been stationed
Surprised that there was no trace of him
there, they searched, and called, the whole Gel
lar over, but as the reader knows, to no pur-
pose.
Well, that as unaccountable, said Doke,
after giving up the search.
" It's the most singular thing of ALL said
the Captain
Where can he be ." asked Harry trem-
bling with superstitious fears
"The Indians couldn't have got him " sug-
gested one.
Not by a darn'd sight," said old Nate
" an can't count fort nohow onless he's fell
inter another privit door sumwhar. S'pose
yer jest eksamin the ground he stood on an see
eff there aint pumthin' surspishus abeout it."
1t amt very probable" said Theodore, part.
ly to himself "but it's so alfred unaccounta.
! ! BILE, that I'll look. can't see through it,"
The ground he had stood on was the solid
earth, and although tracks where he had walk
ed back and forth were plainly visible, there
was nothing to indicate that he had fallen into
lower deep.
All this had taken up considerable time, and
the huge rock, which was to open passage for the
bloody savages to butcher them, was hoisted in
the meantime to crushing-looking hight,
though in reality not more than eight feet. But
even that would have been sufficient, as they all
knew to have accomplished the work had the
besiegers seen fit at that hight to have dropped
it.
"Marters an things is cosin' up, boys said
old Nate, " an eff we're goin' ter make an eff
fort, now's the time to make it, It's an ever
lastin' shame losin' Leon so, but he can't be
emmy wus off than he would be here, for sar-
tim
/" Whal shall we do asked the Captain.
" Nothin' as soe," said old Nathan, who
appeared to have given up all hope.
"We must do sOmething," said Theodore,
&" if it's only to keep from looking through
here all the time. We shall all feel better to
hit upon some plan of action, whether it does
any good or not"
" We can at least arrange ourselves to give
them one good charge when they come in"
said the Captain.
'"Twont work neow," said Nathan, shaking
his head i" sich snarl O. the cusses as thar is
here, it aint no use to rub eout each ofus man,
not a bit. It's bad principle, my way O.
thinkin' to shute the critters, when it don't du
us no good. Tho l ofn talk diff rent, still when
cum rite tu it, don't want to kill 'em on
less it's to help myself or Sumbody else sum-
how. Ell we could only hit on sum strateg-
but, Lor' faint no use.
That's doctrine don't believe ill.," said
the Captain, who was less humane than the old
hunter and for myself I'm bound to fight
till they get my scalp Isn't that the true
principle!"
9" It's ugly, any way" said Theodore
Its all of that, admit, " replied the Cap
tain, &" but then, don't you think we had better
defend ourselves as long as we can! " ..
"Thafs every mans privilege" said Theo-
dore Doke; " and morn all that it's human
nature. But suppose we watch the devils lift
awhile, for amusement; there'lI be time enough
to prepare for fight, when we see them ready to
let it fall again. See it rise again "
Theodore and the Captain watched with in
creasing interest for long time, conversing all
the while in a low tone, and excited to the high
est pitch by the tantalizng spectacle of body
OF savages in plain View and not more than ten
rods distant, preparing to take their scalps with
unfailing certainty, aud yet without power to
throw the least obstacle in the way, or do aught
to retard their progress.
Old Nathan reclined 5y himself in q dark
corner, apparently preparing to meet the fate
that was soon inevitable. Ua
And the whole band were intensely excited
as the moment approached that was TO seal their