Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-02-26
SHENANDOAH HERAtu
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stream it was few feet in advance of

the canoe, but from some cause its
speed slackened until the canoe came up
with it and passed on; then the brush
moved forward again and lodged against
the rear Of the canoe.
At that instant the canoe, propelled
by some invisible power, turned abrupt
" at a right angle aud moved briskly
towards the shore from which the float
ing brush itself had appeared, the brush
itself following in its wake.
The savages were completely dumb
founded by this mysterious change in
affairs, and before they had fully recov-
cred their presence of mind the canoe
was lost to their view in the shadow OF
the distant snore.
With yell Of baffled triumph they
dis charged their rifles at random; some
plunged into the rIyer and started 10
pursuit Of the truant craft, while othefs
ran frantically up and down the river
bank, scarcely knowing what they were
doing.
Darle aud Fitch were not slow ID
noticing the change in the course OF the
canoe, but they were as completely
mysti6ed as to the cause Of the change
as were the savages.
But they were not long to remain ~
suspense. In few minutes the canoe
grated upon the shere and the next in
slant a bunch Of brush appeared over
the rim of the canoe, resting upon the
shoulders Of a man whose head and face
was concealed by 1t.
The mysterious deliverer drew q
knife, and IN a twinkle severed the
young hunters bonds.
Then, replacing his kuits in bis belt,
he dashed the brush from his head.
As Darle and Fitch arose to their
feet cry of joy and surprise escaped
their lips, for Bill stood before them.
He had saved them from a terrible
fate by a daring and cunning strata
gem.
'Ha, ha, hap burst the borderer's
| lips in clear, ringing laugh; a narrow
escape that. lads!'
indeed it was, Bill,' replied Darle,
but itseems that you have run great
er risk,thau We in rescuing us. How
! III, old friend p
well, had the sayages discovered
that was swimming within easy range
of their rifles, with my body under wa
ter and my head concealed in that
bunch Of brush, l presume l would have
been riddled to fish bait; but that's nei-
ther here nor there, and to save further
trouble we had better be making tracks
from here, or the whole Indian nation
will be down upon u.s. -
So saying they climbed up the bank
and moved briskly away up the river.
In a few minutes they. came to where
vss concealed cah&, an which Bill
had crossed from tagHsefside.
In it they recrOsssds,Apg In few
minutes they were msat4esA upon their
ANIMALS, which had eseasst tthe savages'
notice, and moving away afsearch Of a
more cengenlal camping ground.
As they rode along Bill the hunter
narrated to his companions the strata
gem he employed in rescuing them.
When he had discovered that they
were sent adrift he fastened up the
river and, having found canoe, crossed
to the opposite shore.
He then hurried down the river until
he got in advance Of the canoe, when
he halted, and gathering some dry
brush, matted it about his face. so as to
conceal the outlines Of his head,
In this manner he entered the water
and struck silently out into the middle
of the stream; and how we'll he succee-
ded the reader has already seen.
The story was related to me by a
reliah,4 gentleman, whe stated that he
had received it iIora Bills own lips
However, if ii is not stricA, true II
will have no tendency to lessen the
fame of the great King of Bordermen''
whom we all know is capable er per-
| fermiug far more daring stratasM to
circumycnt his natural enenty-ths
~
Indians. ~