The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-06-02

down from the bloody butchery of Wy
oming, and we don't expect any mercy
from such fiends as you"
After this there was brief consultation,
as it appeared, among the enemy, and
then followed series of wild Indian
whoops and yells, mingled with a rattling
volley Of musketly, the balls pattering
harinlessly against the stout logs of the
s5ockade and dwelling.
''Ihere, they have opened the ball, ~
said the youth called Sam, "and now let
them look out for themselves 70
He approached a loophole that over
looked the stockade, and caught view
| of the heads of some three or four say
ages, who were not SO close under the
palisades as they might have supposed.
They seemed to be consulting together,
and he thought it was quite probable they
We're group of the principal warriors.
He cautiously presented his rifle, and was
in the act OF taking sight, when crack
went piece from clump of bushes a
little beyond the parties, and bullet.
singing through the aperature grazed the
| young mans cheek and lodged in the
| roof.
The father, who had just worked his
way up the stairs, groaning with pain at
every step, on hearing the report, and
seeing his faYorite son stagger back, with
the blood streaming down his face, utter
ed wild cry Of grief and alarm, and i'm
pulsively bounded forward, forgetful of
his own ailmeut. He reached his son,
himself trembling like leaf and the per-
spiration streaming from every pore ex-
claiming:
ooh, my dear boy, you are killed ?"
''Hardly scratched, father" replied
the youth, taking his hand from the
wound, after ascertaing its whole extent;
ga mere flea bite But" he added with
surprise, "I didn't know you could han
die yourself so lively you were quicker
than jim"
''That's fact" said the father, now
recalled to himself. "What's become of
my rheumatic? ! don't feel it at all -
and he commenced walking to and fro
and swinging his arms, perfectly aston
ished at the fact that his sudden shock,
fright and violent exertion had cured him.
1t was a fact nevertheless, and the
amazed and delighted boy remarked that
the savage was welcome to the shot, since
it produced such a wonderful and happy
result. Instead of the garrison being
weakened thereby. it had been greatly
strengthened, and this was CAUSE Tor
congratulation and hope.
For few minutes after the single shot
that had wounded the boy, the besiegers
kept perfectly quiet, and the elder Han
son remarked that this was a sure sign of
the devils being up to some mischief.
The boys looked through the loop holes
meantime, but with greater caution than
before, and without getting sight of a
single one of the enemy. AT length
volume of smoke began to roll up in front
Of the gate, and then of course it was
known that the sayages were attempting
to burn their way into the enclosure, with
a view probably of setting fire to the
dwelling also.
''This looks rather bad for us I" said
the father.
''If we could only manage to kill that
white villain, and one or two others of
the leaders, think the rest would clear
out" said the elder son.
The flames now began to stream up
through the smoke, and the savages gave
yell Of exultation, and one or two of the
boldest stole cautiously out into view and
looked up at the dwelling. Jim drew up
his rifle TO steady aim, but his father
suddenly knocked up the piece, saying:
''Not yet-not yet, my son-let them
get little bolder first. AS we haven't
fred yet, they may think we can't, and
we want chance at the white man"
"That's my idea," conceded Sam. eff
we can only fetch him at the first fire, the
battle will be half won"
For the next quarter of an hour all re-
mained silent within the dwelliug-the
gate and stockade, meantime, burning to
the satisfaction of the Indians, who an
| nounced their delight by occasional
| whoops and yells, and some random dis
charges of firearms. Then q sort of bat
tering ram WAS applied to the already
charred timbers of the burning gate, and
with loud clash it fell inward, and the
savages gave vent to still wilder yells of
exultatioE. For minute or two they
did not venture into the little court; but
finding all yet remained silent in the
house, they began to glide in, one after
another, till at last one half stood exposed
to the deadly rifles of the inmates. Still
no word-no demonstration from the be-
sieged-and this silence and apathy en-
couraged and emboldened even the more
timid, to push on the work of destruction.
Surely the inmates must be without fire.
arms, or they would certainly have been
heard from before this, and if without
firearms, what had the besiegers to fear?
So, with exultant whoops and yells,
they brought in wood and brush and piled
it against the door, and then set fire to it
with the burning brands from the demol.
ished gate.
1t this moment, the most trying one
4 OF all to Job Hanson and his sons, who
had been TREMENDOUSLY waiting for chance
to accomplish their purpose of picking
| of the leaders first, and now felt that the
time for defensive execution could no
longer be postponed-at this moment,
when the smoke was rolling up through
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