Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-10-05
tho ambush and lelI prone glnglIag ont

Held and partly NeWIphhllhhl, W
had been trained by him 10 all kind o
ricks, Among others, lie repeatedly
took messages, 10 stations, when attached
iO his collar,
"AIlsier dye think you lin rite
message in tbs dark, ~ by The moon
light" said Mat, "aslin' the hands NJ ih'
Homestead 10 come this wayY No tint
to lose | see tho daFkies dodginl
round the hut, liill, knock away ih'
low part Of the rotten slab behind yonl
back, Here, Doctor"
The message was scraNlel, anl lasien
e,l to Doctors collar IN little less than
minute, aud tho noble brute, who seem
ed 10 know the danger, stood anSlousll
trembling TIL the preparations were com
pleted
As | before stated, the hut stood clos'
10 tho stream, and from tho rear th'
hank sloped abruptly towards tho water
The American for the iiiRt time aeemo,
affected, When the men fell under The
shots, there was mol the slightest change
porcepiIhle IN his voice hut tho few
words he spoke 10 his dog were broker
and singularly soft I'll be sworn ther,
we're tears IN the mans eyes, Every
thing being NJ last prepared, he Spal
upon the dogs mullle, held his head
cl0fo to his cheek for q moment, and
thon pressed him quickly out OF the hole
and away down the shelving bank
We listened anSiously for time, aud
then there arose wild jabboring foi
minute the next instant We detected
q yolp Of pain,
MY God |" said !, involuniarily, "thC
Doctors spearod.'
"No, he amt, snapped Mat. "te's
inst touched, an no more. He'll do IT,
"IIc must be quick, then" said Mr.,
s.. fIow's the moon well abacS
Of tho hut, / guess, Bill, stick your
cabbage tree on q pillow, and hold II at
the open window when | tell you. I'll
lust go out and bid them good evening"
Don't lar the door after me, mister, but
when ] show them my heels open 1t,
You see We can't spare ammunition"
While speaking Mat unbarred tho
door lie slipped ont noiselessly as he
concluded the sentence.
Through the slabs he said to me '-
'D'yc see that rascal with the blazing
log = When he gets close TO the waffle
open tho window, and prop up tho pill
low Take care Of their spears your
self"
As soon as the black fellow came TO
the point indicated, opened the long.
little shutter with some noise and held
up the dummy, In moment dozen
spears passed through the aperture, and
let the window fall as though one of
us was mortally wounded.
There was q wild shout without, At
this time the black fellow who carried
! the log was within II few yards Of the
hut, and heard Mat preparing for his
move outside. Looking out as quickly
as could, had Just time to see his tall
figure emerge beyond the shade as the
Init end of his gun fell crashing on the
head of the fire.bearer. The door was
opened as Mat turned; il required but
one or two bounds to take him to the
door, bul the savages We're too quick for
him with their spears. He staggered
through the entrance and fell Just as he
cleared the threshold
Caught in the thigh, | guess he
exclaimed us he slowly recovered him
self, and painfully struggled to the win
dow. "Dont mind the spear he re-
marked to me as 7 approached him :;
otis better as it is, till hep comes.
"If it ever does," thought /.
The Americans sortie, believe, had
rather q disastrous effect, for the black
fellows seemed to conclude at once that
our ammunition was all expended, and
they thronged around the hut without
caring to shelter themselves.
In short time the cracking of
flames on the roof put an end to our
| trouble The hut was on fire, and there
was nothing left us but an attempt to
dash out and clear the aborigines. l
proposed this, but Mr.. S--would not
try without Mat, and underneath the
blazing roof, with dubbed guns, we
grimly awaited the final attack. The
Americans rifle rested in the loophOle
where he had first taken up his position.
"There's the worst of them" Mat
said, looking along his weapon; "he's
coming up with log to stave in the
door. He'll never do it," and oar last
bullet brought down the ringleader.
There was CONSERVATION and hurried
consultation. After a lapse of about
five minutes, the whole force of the be-
siegers rushed shrieking on our little
garrison. A moments surge outside
and the door fell back as Mr.. SIS
gun swung down ON the crCwding saw
ages with terrific force. telling two of
the foremost like oxen. l remember q
wild struggle with our guns and fists
Mat and the squatter lowered above
their opponents like giants, fighting
with terrible energy. The black fel-
lows had forced me to the ground one
was shortening the grasp of the spear
to drive it through my body, when
felt gush of blood spouting over my
face and chest, Just as the slave fell on
me mortally wounded. Then ] remem-
] ber hurrah outside, and the cracking
of rifles
"That was a good back-handed blow,
boss" said Mat, family; 81 guess the
cooks got another squeak. Dye hear
that? Hoomy! Knowcd the Doctor would
do it," said he, with renewed energy;
'fake that" And I heard the dull
sound of another blow, and a low moan
of pain rs the station hands rushed in.
The Doctor soon recovered. So did
Mat, who is now one Of the richest men
in the colonies. well, l have largo
scar across my breast
SLIGHT MISTAKE.