The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-02-18

'One Oay, was fard at Work, wren L
heard the dog bark. That was a sign that
something was wrong, and throwing down
my axe, flung on my coat, caught up my
gun, and made for the creek, where l kept
little 1njun canoe that had found 1oating
during freshet. By the time l could jump
Ito II this and get the paddle in my hand,
hoila was baside me. E
hat Is it, p~r2' I asked. Iniuns?'
1es,' he answered, as plain as YOU or
could do 90 - - :
Then We had better make ourselves
scarce thought and, as he was of the
same opinion. l piled with the paddle with
all the skill l could command.
1T was Injuns sure for l hadn't gone a
quarter of mile, when / heard a shouting
and whonping. and looking back, seen about
twenty running along the edge of the creek,
firing their guns and calling. as though they
expected l would paddle back agair and sur
render myself. as
II didn't think it worth while to do that,
and 50 | padded as hard as could till /
found they were coming about twice as fast.
when | run into shore, jumped out, and tried
what could do in the way of running. |
was always pretty active on my feet, and if
| ever bad any good reason for using my legs,
| certainly had now.
But when a man doesn't DO much else
but hunt and run from the time he is born,
he Is pretty apt to understand himself, and
] soon found they could outrun me. l did
the best | knew how, but for all that, they
kept gaining. and was not long in finding
out that ! should be oVerhauied, unless one
of tFfo things occurred.
The first thing that entered my head
was 20 throw them off my track in some way
or other, although just then | couldn't think
Of any plan by which to 1T the other was
to keep ont of their reach till night. 1t was
in the afternoon when the chase began and
as every now aud then l held my own, and
once or twice thought | was really gaining,
| had strong hopes that might get out Of
their reach under cover of night.
What troubled me good deal was, that
the wood was so sparse, and there were SO
many open spaces here and there. that
never could keep out Of their sight more
than five minutes at time, so that ! was
afraid to try any of the different tricks to
throw them off the trail which came into my
head as l skurried over the leaves.
latter the fist half hour. the Injins could
have shot me any minute; ard had | not
been afraid of losing the time. could have
wheeled about and knocked over the fore
most more than once; but suppose they
wanted to catch me. Them redskins had
way Of amusing themselves with their pris-
oneTs by tying them up to stake and heap
ing FIRE around them, while the rest of them
eanced and yelled with delight. You've
heard of such things, and they camo into my
head so strong while running that | ma Ie up
my mind they should never take me prison
er. If overlook, | meant to turn and fight
till they were compelled to tomahs wk me TO
save themselves. ----
MATTERS were getting desperate and, as
the best thing ! could do, | made for the
creek again, as the wood in that direction
locked . little more dense AS tore over
the dead leaves, a stratagcm flashed upon
my mind, which l lost no time in acting
On.
..As soon as / reached the margin of the
stream. lodged under the bank, and then
said to Rollo, who all this time was close to
my heels:
all you can, SO they will think it is nay trail
that they are following
lie understood every word | said, as
well as you do this minute and away he
went at a rate l knew coundn't be equaled
by any of them. Well, sir, the ruse sue
ceeded to a charm. Rolo made such
scattering Of the leaves, that, when the red
skins lost sight of me, they were cure they
couldn't miss my trail. Never once sus-
pecting the trick that had been played, they
sped by me like lot of deer with the hun
ters after them.
4 staid there till I was sure they were
out OF sight, when ! crawled out from my
hiding place and started back toward the
spot where was building my cabin. 1t
was beginning to get dark by this time. and
| was glad enough to think how neatly l
had outwitted my enemies.
''But i rejpiced too soon. Among the
Indians who had given me such chase.
was a single one VINO suspected the trick
that had been played upon his companions.
He was one who was altogether unable to
keep up with them, as he was lame from
some cause or other; and, as he imped
along, s'pose he had time to think the
matter over.
"ihere was quite a bright moon that
night, and walked rather slow like. on my
way back, for can tell you, with chopping
wood half a day, ana running might and
mar. the other half, was about used up.
-"I had pretty nearly reached home, as /
called it, and wasn't thinking of any such
thing as danger. when heard the cracking
of a stick behind me, and wheeling about
saw huge Indian not dozen tee: distant
with his gun to his shoulder. Without any
thought, hut quick as Lightning, l dropped
upon MY lace, anu the Dutlc6 "S4Ie " -
head, missing me by the narrowest chance
OF my life. lae.
"But before could get upon my feet the
savage was upon me. He had knife ana
/ hadn't, SO you see matters looked ratheT
dark for me. As he raised it to striNe' l
caught his wrist and held it, and by SUD
den wrench, managed SO to loosen ms grasp
that it fell to the ground.
81 was pretty powerful. and undefStoo9
wrestling better than he did; SO taFneg
him before be knew anything about II ana
then caught after the knife but the Willy
dog was too quick for me, and caught my
wrist exactly as had done to him. He
held it with a grip like wise, but l man
aoed to free it and we both began struggle
! nWelI, sir. in spite of all ! could do, the
| dusky scoundrel got it in his hand again.