Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-08

shoot an Indian that distance by starlight!
Better save your powder for sure game"
Nevertheless, their pace was slightly slack.
ened, and those in the rear gradually came into
their places in the ranks.
1t required the utmost possible speed of the
left wing of the savages 10 keep in range, but
on the right, either because Of swifter horses,
or, perhaps, because urged to greater effort,
they had succeeded in getting ahead, and the
dim outline of a gaudily dressed savage, who
appeared to be their Chief, some rods ahead of
any of his companions, began to come in to
complete the circle.
"Don't bother yersclf on my account, sta:-
light or moonlight, or no light tall, by nifty,
I'll rub that cuss eout, now jest you see. faint
exackly starlight yet though we can SEQ stars,
but them yaller streaks in the VESTS what'll
knock him higher'n kite There-jest let
him git in range O. the water, jest let me see
him g'inst the light O. that river-there- "
The old man leveled his trusty rife as he
spoke, and, true to his statement, sent his uner-
ring messenger Of death to the vitals Of his saw
age foe, who reeled in his saddle, fell heavily to
the ground, and his horse gallopped rideress
over the plain.
"Thar Cap'n, that's what yer calls Shootin
Injuns by starlight, sPose! " said Nate.
Bravo " exclaimed the Captain.
Bravo " echoed chorus of voices
"Well done, Nate," said Theodore DOko, rid
ing up; " that's high sport confounded. l
must have pop at the next one. The time
has been when could shoot an Indian in the
darkest night that ever cursed Egypt, but I'm
a little out of practice just now. However,
here -there--there-
The reader will understand that it took some
distance straight ahead, to bring another in
range of the water, though buta slight distance
on curve.
Jerusalem haint, haint"
Sure enough, you haint, and amt to be
blamed either" said the Captain, " never
could see to shoot by starlight "
g. missed him. continued Theodore. 81
sloeor l haint, though.
Peppered, Thode. said old Nate; deader'n
rotten buffalo meat"
(" There there ~ exclaimed Theodore in
rapture, as he fell, withou q struggle dead from
his horse, i" there don't tell me haint"
Wild whoops and fendsh yells announced
along the lines the discovery of their loss, and
with a ferocity perfectly devilish, they urged
on the chase.
But the advantage was not all on the side of
the whites. If they had made the pursuing
party two souls the less, they had awakened the
demon of vengeance in the breasts of their saw
age foes, which was an enemy ten fold more
powerful and more terrible than a couple of In
dian warriors
But their gain had been well-ngh overwhelm-
ed by their immediate loss. Their firing had
revealed their exact position to the circle of In
dians behind, one of whom had by dickering
with the whites, come in possession of an old
musket and few rounds Of amunition which
he now fired, 10 the CONSERVATION of the whites
but which luckily did no further damage than
to shatter the breech of rifle held in tile
hands of one Of the party.
At the same time the miners had so slack
ened their speed, that the left wing of the saw
ages, unnoticed and invisible in the darkness
had gained good distance in straight line
and now true to their original intention, thick
ened and extended their ranks, in order to make
escape hopeless.
Whow exclaimed old Nathan, as the in
dividual who had so narrowly escaped cam
galloping to the front, shrieking with fright
Don't he skeer'd lads. Nothing in such al
escape like keepin' ones wits. Jest let i'm le
off his old shootin' iron agin, and cuss his con
sarned picter et taint his last y
He wheeled his horse and dismounted, an
unwilling 10 leave the old trapper, the Who'll
party halted, to await the issue OF Nathan
bold attempt.
But what if he don't fire = suggested th
Captain.
} sOr what if he does, said another, " VIII
can take sight at the fash of gun!"
Iken," said old Nate emphatically, {"
haint been driv round by these pesky red dev
twenty years for nothin' and ef he don't iii
agin, why jest you all be ready for a sure ain
and then loller me thro' en-, and eout into til
} prary, where we can jest pick our own course
I'd leeile rayther run in some other direction
eff they I'd ms lief