The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-15

who, he thought, would be intent watch
ing his sister.
But the leathern pouch which held
his stock of bullets was gone from the
peg. In doing her work that morning
Abby had herself Knocked it of, and it
had fallen down through an opening In
the floor.
In breathless haste Jason searched the
room over and over, but could not find
the pouch. Knowing there was not a
moment to lose he set off with but the
single charge in his gun.
He had but just got out OF the door
when he heard Abby scream. Then there
followed smothered sound, and then he
heard her try to call his name.
Even then the boys presence Of mind
did not desert him. He knew that if the
savage were alone his sisters sole chance
of life lay in the Indians not discover
ing that he was pursued.
He ran to the edge of the bushes that
skirted the potatoes and looked out. The
redskin was dragging Abby after him by
her wrists, and was just entering the
woods on the farther side going out
toward the river.
From this Jase concluded that the In
dian had come down the stream in a
canoe, which he had probably left not
far off. If the savage should regain his
canoe, Jason's only chance would be to
shoot him from the bank. This he re-
solved to attempt.
Not much more than mile above the
clearing the river makes great bend,
and at one point is quite swift and Dar-
row. Making circuit through the
woods, Jason ran to intercept the Indian
at the bend.
He was right in his conjecture, for he
had but Just crept through some thick
alders on the bank, when he saw canoe
coming swiftly up the stream. The In
dams paddle glittered in the sun as he
sat in the stern, and, with quick, strong
strokes, propelled the little craft against
the current. He could see his sister
crouching in the middle of the canoe,
with her head mufaed in some coarse
cloth.
Jase cooked his gun, and, with the
greatest caution, brought the piece to
bear on the savage, determined to fire
the instant he came near enough.
But the wary Indian either heard
some sound from the shore, or suspected
danger at this narrow point in the chan
mel, for, before he had come within
range, Jase saw him creep forward and
crouch beside his captive, in such man
ner as to shield his own body with hers.
Jason saw the savage's sharp eyes
scanning the bushes, but he did not fire,
lest he should shoot his sister.
Though baffied by this trick. the bold
boy was not disheartened. Three or
four miles further up the river was a
rapid, where the channel was broken by
lodges and large powders, against
which, near the upper end of the broken
water, were piled great heaps of drift
logs and brush. Jase had trapped there,
and knew the place we'll.
There were three piles of drift in the
stream at that point-one near the right
bank, another on a ledge a little
further out and few rods higher up,
and a third one lodged against two
enormous rocks still nearer the opposite
bank.
1t was between these banks and the
shore that boats and canoes going up the
river usually passed; for the current
was here neither so strong nor 80 swift,
but flowed smoothly over a pebbly bot
tom.
With line canoe or boat could be
pulled up against the current, and the
water was not 80 deep but that mar
could wade and draw boat after him
To shoot at the savage when he drew hi
canoe up the rapid was Jase's mex
thought.
After hot run he came out near the
rapids, and easily waded across to thu
first pile of drift. There were rock
ON which he was able to jump to tn,
second of the three. But it was only
by wading that he was able to get to tn,
furthest drift-pile, the point he wished
to reach.
Several times he was nearly swep
away by stumbling over the slipper,
rocks upon the bottom. But he go
over, and, hiding himself partly unds
some OF the brush, and behind an oil
tilted-up stump, he lay in wait for thu
Indian.
From this lurking-place he could no
see down stream; bat, in about twent,
minutes, he heard the Indian wading IL
the rapid, splashing his way up, pulling
the canoe after him.
A minute more and Jase caught sigh
of him-bent over, as he CAREFUL,
planted his moccasined feet among tn
slippery stones on the bottom. He hat
the line over one shoulder, and tn
canoe, with Abby, was ten or twelve fee
behind him. The girl was now sobbinl
bitterly, quite despairing of escape o
rescue.
The Indian had come within thirty o
forty feet of Jase, but ut that momen
his quick ear caught some sound fror
the drift-hesp. He stopped and turne
sharply round.
This was Jase's chance. Before tn
savage could stir, the young backwoods
man had fired at him. And it was
most fortunate shot-for Abby Flint, q
least.
Jase had hit the Indian in vital part
Uttering dreadful cry of pain, tn
savage let go the line and attempted
reach the drift-heap; but, being so Sc
verely wounded, he lost his footing an
rolled down the rapid.
The canoe, too, caught sidewise b
. tho curronf waa upaat and Abbx