Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-04-12

over which he passed and repassed his hand
hundred times to no purpose.
Unwilling to alarm hiscsmrades by shouting
or firing his rifle, he turned away from the
smooth surface in front, to explore the low,
dark, narrow passage, in which he found him
self.
1t was but just wide enough for the passage
of a single individual, and 80 low that he stoop-
ed as he walked along TaS sides were rough
and uneven as though exeavated from the earth,
and the atmosphere was close and damp, with
an unpleasant smell.
He had gone but little distance when it
turned obliquely to the right, and little ur-
ther on, square to the left and then to the right
again, and still further on zig zaging in most
bewildering manner, all Of which changes he
particularly noticed, and charged his mind with,
that he might be able to find his way back when
he wished. At length, having gone as far as
he thought prudent he faced about and spent
many long and weary hours in retracing his
steps, which as the reader will easily guess,
were never retraced.
1t was subterraneous passage, actually but
a few rods in length, but criss-crossed. and cut
into labyrinth ofwaysso as to put at fault any
poor devil, who through curiosity or accident,
might find himself within its mazes.
Satisfied at length that further search was
useless, he leaned against the damp earth bank
and hallo'd to his companions, but the sounds
died away in the damp depths without an echo.
He fired his rife several times but without
hearing any answer, or producing the least ef-
feet that promised assistance. He stood for
some time revolving in his mind the startling
adventure, and then exhausted with long watch
ing, and half crazed at thS terrors of his situa-
tion, he fell asleep in tiE dark silent passage,
where for the time we ,s:sS|pave him, remem-
bering that there is one Sentinel who is never
weary, one Eye that never sleeps.
Nothing occurred in the old castle to particu-
larly alarm the sentinels of the slumbering
band, till they Lad slept for long time, when
crash, that brought the whole party to their
feet in an instant, warned them that they were
hunted with unabated energy, by their savage
foes. All was confusion and terror till light
was struck, when they gathered together, and
proceeded to investigate the cause of this new
wonder, and the damage which their strong
hold had sustained.
They found that the great beam over the lum-
ber-room, which was partially decayed, broken,
and fallen over out of its place, pitching over
the loose lumber pile that supported it, and
smashing out the thin partition between the
store-room and the hall. The sleepers overhead
were, fortunately, longer than at first view ap-
peared, and passed entirely over the broken
beam, and rested on the next beyond. Directly
over the fallen beam they were bent and splin-
tered in manner that left no doubt that a
very heavy body Of some kind had fallen on
that particular spot, or a blow of tremendous
power been struck. If it were repeated with
half its original force, the whole floor, twenty
feet square, would come laundering down
leaving them wholly at the mercy of their
blood thirsty foes
" Thunder an guns y exclaimed old Nate
4" Ef that want the rock O. ages, it was least.
wise rock for sartin. Lghtnin rods what a
FOUNDER Ef them chaps ken du that agin
why, we're scalped afore long, for sartin.-
What gol pussler What dye make out
Thode?"
Jehosiphat, Nate " replied Theodore
Doke, " don't expect to make anything of it
If any of his crowd makes anything out Of
that, then don't know Indian nature-that's
ALL"
What ,Oas it, emmy howl" asked Nate
again,
g Fell tree," suggested one.
Pitched over the wall, " said another.
. Pitched over yer Ant Isaac!" " said Ma
than. "'Twas somethin' morn yer knows or
yit. Might ben the mOon-but thar ant ne
stars big enough to make sich confoundeG
smashin' tor sartin."
" 1t amt the moon, neither, said Theodore
from one corner of the room, "unless it looki
a mighty sight different close to than it does al
a distance. Come and see for yourself what
it's"
At this singular speech from Theodore, thu
whole crowd rushed to where he stood, anC
there, through little seam, made by thr
cracking Of the brick floor, a perfect jam o
Indians, working busily around long stone
were distinctly visible. The rock appeared tt