Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-02-28
VOL. 72.-3672. NO. 20.

OF the old man sounded, than, as if power in
deed had been given of God for that mo-
Inents need, the boat actually jumped into
the air as he bent to his stroke and fairly
| flew over the water as he swept il along.
The trapper's eyes glowed, AZ he saw the
tremendous stroke Of the lad, for he knew
that two minutes would bring the boat to
Herbert's side. After an instant and with
| a heart full of hope, he turned his gaze on
the oncoming boat toward his companion
in the water but look of agony swept
into his face, as he saw that Herbert was
| weakening, and that he was even then barely
able to keep his hold on the horns of the
buck"
Hold on, Harry, and hold up leetle
| longer, for the love of God" the old man
| shouted the lad is sartinly pulin' with
the strength of Heaven in his stroke, and
will be at yer side in mint Lie close to
| the creetur's ribs; keep one hand over his
| shoulder, and hang to his horns with the
other, and the lad will save We yit."
For an instant there was no reply. Then
feebly and family, so unlike the ordinary
tone of Herbert's voice that the trapper
| started as if an electric current had entered
him, as his ears received the thin, wavering
sound-feebly and family over the water
came the words, even and steady in tone but
low, as if spoken in mortal weakness
"JoHN NoRToN, SHOOT THE BUCK I"
"Aye, aye, Henry, I've thought of it but
ye are full forty rods from where | stand,
and the lead must pass within six inches of
yer head. No, no, boy, it is not best, unless
| yer blood is oozin' fast, and yer strength
zen almost gone It's picked bullet I've
got in the right barrel of my rihe-praise
the Lord-and | might perhaps do it, but
my eyes amt what they was forty years ago,
aud the odds are agn me, but il ye cant
hold on, and yer Judgment says it's yer only
| chance-as it sartinly is it ye can't, for the
buck would kill ye with single thrust of
his foot, if ye let go-l say, Henry" repeated
the trapper, as he drew back the hammer of
his rifle, and pressed the trigger TO the seat,
If We can't hold on, and yer Judgment says
it's yer only chance I'll do my best, and the
Lord in His mercy may steady me for the
deed. So if ye can't hold on, say the word,
and John Norton will shoot for yer life and
his own, too" continued the old man, in
lower tone, speaking to himself, d" for |
wouldn't be mint behind the boy, if he
goes to the Judgment with my bullet in his
brain"
A moment the trapper waited for Her
bert's final reply. His face was white as
ashes, and the sweat stood in beads on his
/
and trembled like tamarack in the wind;
and then, from over the water, feebler and
fainter even than BEFORE came the same
calm steady tone and out OF the air as it
passed, the old mans listening ear could
catch only the words;
"SHooT THE BUCKl"
The trapper paused not an instant lie
drew himself to his full height, advanced his
lett foot, lifted, with an easy sweep of his
arm, his rifle into the air, and as the barrels
dropped into his extended palm his cheek
settled to the stock, and his eye, without a
quiver in the lid, ranged along the sights
For an instant the rifle lay on his palm as
motionless as if fastened in an invisible vice,
and then a fiery stream spurted from the
muzzle, and the sharp crack rang out on the
morning air. He had shot for life, and so
far as skill conld do, had saved it, for the
bullet, passing so near the head of Herbert
as to lift lock of his hair, buried itself in
the bucks brain under the root of the horns.
The trapper saw Herbert fall away from
the deer-saw that he had still strength
enough to make the needed motions to keep
himself ahoat, and then he turned his eyes
in the direction of the coming boat. 1t was
within twenty rods, and the lad was pulling
a stroke which seemed to the trapper to have
in it the energy of more than mortal power,
but miraculous as it was in its length, sweep,
and quickness of recovery, the body of the
oarsmau rose and sank to the motions as if
no excitement had stirred his ordinary sim
pie composure, aud the long blades entered
and left the level water with precision and
finish that tossed not drop of spray into
the air, while the line of the eddying wake
astern led as straight from the spot from
which he had started far down the lake to
the body of Herbert, as line could have
been drawn on level floor by skilled direc-
tiOu.