Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-21
Written for the PUBLIC LEDGER.l
BOOK-OF.TRAVEL SKETCHES
NUMBER XsI.
A Mid Winter Scout.
BY ATTIC H 4.
IContinuedl

lContinuedJ
We were grouped in circle before the
fire, with our knees together, playing q
game of euchre on the crown of q bat,
While Dillon was making q new deal,
Lambert had paused to wind his watch,
and to note the hour. 1t was twenty-five
minutes past nine. u.
'Ah, WE'LL No Dick tonight" said
Matt. rehectingly.,
"llliellyou what is, boys," exclaim-
ed Charley suddenly, as he turned the
trump, aud paused with the cards in his
hand, II never like to see q fellow start
out on a trip of that sort in the face of
such decided protests on the part of his
companions. No good ever comes of it..
20 6e diddle!" calculated the other,
as he inspected, MS hand
II pass. Play it,. Charley" and the
game went on as before, and almost in
silence, for the next half hour.
At length Lambert paused, with his
hand on the card he had played, and
gazed intently, in listening attitude, into
the black darkness without. Charley
instinctively reached behind him for his
carbine, and at the same instant arose
to my feet. never knew person pos
sessed Of as acute hearing as Matt Lam
bert was-it was altogether more than a
natural gift. And we who had been go
long and intimately associated with him,
had come to rely so entirely on his ac-
curacy in detecting suspicious sounds
that were wholly inaudible to the rest OF
us, that, whether it were Mexicaus or
Indians, or wild animals from whom an
attack might be anticipated, we in
stinctively rushed to arms, and very
seldom without abundant necessity for
such precaution. .
"What do you hear, Matt r we asked,
10 cautious whisper.
Without replying, he raised his hand
from the cards, in jesture implying
silence, and still maintained listening
attitude. One of the horses, which. were
securely tied to the trees near the mouth
of the cavern, at that instant uttered q
loud snort, as if alarmed by something
unseen. ,.. W
"Perditiop r. exclaimed Charley, pass
ing around to the other side off the fire. VI
must know what it is that's prowling
around here. What was il you heard T.
be inquired again OF Lambert.
81 have no idea what it was, the lat
ter replied. 1t was not o very near
sound, though"
We had now stepped out into the open
air, and again paused here to listen for a
repetition of the strange sound:
"Look at that dogl" one of the boys
exclaimed. AL eyes were instantly d.
rected toward old Keeper, who stood in
the full light Of the fire, his ears pricked
up, and bis eyes steadily fixed on some
object in the darkness without 1t was
not at all belligerent attitude, but one
of eager interest instead Presently the
old fellow trotted out, utteriug low
whine, and we followed him, with guns in
hand. oii
"Old Keep knows what he's about, de-
pend upon it." said Lambert, who had
i'm plicit faith in the ssgacity of the ami
NAL. He kept straight on to the bank OF
the stream, where he stopped short, his
attention still eagerly attracted to some
object beyond. There was sharp bend
in the course of the stream below us, and
directly across from where we stood 1t
flowed back within sixty yards, forming
a large peninsula in the circuit, across
the neck Of which was a very short dis
tance, not over hundred yards.
Old Keep, sfier standing thus q lew
moments, made sudden movement for
ward as If with the design of taking to
the. water, but as quickly recoiled from
The icy current, and started off down the
bsak Of the creek.
Lambert and l followed The dog, lesv-
ing Dillon to guard the camp The dis.
tance around the bend was eight hundred
yards or more, rocky and ditnculi
ronte, beset BY deep snow drifts, and icy
activities that dropped quite abruptly
into the foaming lorrtnt Happily, BY
the cid Of great caution, the passage was
effected in safety, and We approached The
neck Of the peninsula. The dog, sur
mounting the difficulties Of The way more
readily than We, had preceded Us con-
siderable distance. he was heard to Ut