Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1876-11-30
YOU or I could do.

"Then we had better make our
selves scarce" thought I; AMI, as he
was Of the same opinion, piled with
the paddle with all the skill l could
command.
at was Injins sure for | hadn't
gone quarter Of a mile, when | heard
a shot ting and whooping,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
again and surrender myself.
II didn't think it worth while to
do that, and so padded as hard as
l 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 mad any gooI reason for
using my legs, | certainly had now.
But when man doesn't do much
else but hunt end run from the time
he is born, he is pretty apt to under.
stand himself, and | soon found they
could outrun me. | did the best |
knew how. but for all that, they kept
gaining, and | was not long in find
ing out that | should be overhauled
unless one Of the two things occurred
"Thc first thing that entered my
head was to throw them off my track
in some way or otGer, although ust
then | couldn't think OF any plan by
which to do it the other was to keep
out Of their reach til night. 1t was
in the afternoon when the chase be-
gan; and, as every now and then |
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 a good deal
was, that the wood was SO sparse, and
there were so many open sparses here
and there, that | never could keep
out of their sight more than FIVE min
utes at time, 50 that | was afraid to
try any OF the different tricks to
throw them oh' the trail which came
into my head as | skurrivd over the
leaves.
After the first half hour the Injins
could have shot me any minute; aud
hsd not been afraid Of losing the
time, | could have wheeled about and
knocked over the foremost more than
once bat supposed they wanted to
catch me. Them redskins had way
Of amusing themselves with their pr!s'
oners, by tying them up to stake
and heaping fire around them, while
the rest Of them danced and yelled
with deligl t. You've heard et such
things, and they came into my mead
while running, SO strong. that | Inade
up my mind they should never take
me prisoner. If overlook | meant to
turn and fight till they were COM
PEELED to tomahawk Inc to save them
selves.
Matters were getting desperate
and, as the best thing | could do, |
made tor the creek again. as the wood
in that direction looked a little more
dense. AS | tore over the dead leaves
a stratagem flashed upon my mind,
which | 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 h .els.
60 ahead, dog, aud kick up the
leaves ali you can, so that they will
think it is my trail that they are fol-
lowing
He understood every word | said,
as we'll as you do this minute; and
away he went alta rate knew could
mt be equaled by any Of them. Well,
sir, the ruse succeeded 70 a CHARM
Rollo made such scattering of the
leaves that, when the redskins lost
sight of me, they were sure they
couldn't miss my trail Never orce
suspecting the trick that had been
played, they sped by me like a lot Of
deer with the hunters after them.
| staid where | was till | was sure
they were out Of sight, when crawl
ed ont from my hiding place and
started back toward the spot where |
was building my cabin. 1t was be-
ginning to get dark by this time, and
| was glad enough to think how neat
ly I had outwitted my enemies.
But l rejoiced too soon. Among
the Indians who had given me such a
chase, was single one who 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 limped along, |
8 pose he had time to think the mat
ter over.
There was quite a bright moon that
night, and | walked rather slow like,
on my way back, for | can tell you.
with chopping wood half day, and
running might and mfin the other
half, [ was about used up.
l had pretty nearly reached home,
rs | called it, and wasn't thinking of.
my such thing as danger, when !
leard the cracking Of stick behind