The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1860-07-11

had the torch in my hand, for when
it fell it lay scattered around the base
of the tree, still Pickering and flashing
in the darkness, and the animals that
had surrounded us, as they saw their
prey escaping, rushed forward with an
angry voice; they saw the glowing
i emhers, and held back jnst long enough
to permit escape. AS I drew myself
up to the last limb, rush of gratitude
passed over my soul, and my feelings
were as child's. Nothing could be
seen for the sombre forest shut out the
! little light there was in the atmosphere
but l heard the pattering of feet be-
meath my fortress, like falling rain
Back and forward they came and went
and snorting sounds and champing
teeth made the black night alive with
imaginary shapes / wondered how
it Jared with the Doctor, yet dared
not call for the uncertainty was less
fearful than the reality might be. I
pictured him fallen, dragged down
from his half attained refuge, and divi-
ded among the hungry pack; and
the noise below might be the mumbling
of his bones.
At length I summtned courage and
called "Poke !"
Helloa !" was the response-more
grateful to my ear than any other
sound in the world.
"How are you my boy ?" called
again.
"Safe, thank the Lord"
"What disgraceful situation to be
in, and how are we to get out of it 2"
81 will be grateful if I can only
keep in it, for this tree is so small that
the wolves can almost reach me when
they jump, and as climbed up one
caught my coat tail, and tore it COM
pletely off,"
"Climb up higher then"
II can't; the tree is so small that
when I get any higher it bends over
and let's me down-oh dear"
Haven't you your pistols with
you? Try and shoot one, that it may
frighten them"
ooh, dear, no; there are hundreds
of Them"
looked down and surely / could
see drove Of them. They were evil
IDENTIFY the gray wolf, for in spite of the
darkness / could once in a while de-
tect thei. motions by their light
coats.
Poke suggested they were phantom
wolves, and declared that they were
all white.
All the fearful stories that / had
ever read came coursing through my
brain. I.'saw snow buried huts snuff
ed out and ravished by these providers
and heard the shrek Of the child,
thrown from the sleigh by its fear
maddened mother, and many an old
dream re-shaped in my mind the ter
rors Of nights Of fevers. Were we to
be tired out by their devilish patience?
Was one gang to relieve another
until we YEARLY fell into their hot
tainted jaws, thus to be buried into
oblivion?
I shouted in the hope that some
one might hear me but what good to
shout in that midnight forest +? ]
heard voice-it was Poke saying his
prayers ] listened devoutly but
could offer none myself.
When he had finished, | called to
him. He answered family:
"What is it, speak quickly can't
hold on much longer"
''Fire your pistol; it may bring
relief, if it dosen't kill"
| will try" answered Poke.
There was momentary pause, and
then the sharp crack Of pistol was
followed by the singing of a bullet
close by my ear. BY the fash / saw
Poke, hatless, and almost coatless,
hanging on to the topmost branch Of
a small pecan, that bent with him like
an orange tree under heavy load of
fruit. With the report of the pistol
there was scramble among the vo-
racious crew at our feet, but they did
not go away permanently, and were
back in moment.
Fire the other barrel, dear Poke,
but try and fire it the other way
point it down"
Bang sounded the pistol and /
heard thump on the ground, as the
poor fellow threw away the now use-
less weapon.
"Hold on Poke /; take heart my
dear boy"
"Oh, it is easy enough to say take
heart, but when the tree bends 2 little
more than usual I am within foot of
these hell-hounds-Oh, DEAR
At this moment / thought ] saw q
light flashing through the foliage. =
A moment more ] was sure.
Poke, Poke, they are coming
some one is coming. =
Where-where ! Oh dear, | can't