The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-22

Will was surrounded by the shaggy
herd. He tugged vainly at the bit; and
the loud laughter of his companions.
who remembered his boast on starting
out, grew fainter as he was borne swift
ly away.
He was not at all alarmed till he
looked back and saw that he was fast
leaving the men out of sight. Then
flashed upon him the thought of how
powerless he was in the midst of the
unwieldy herd. He was completely
surrounded, and the frightened buffa-
loes were running at their swiftest
speed, which they would probably con-
tinue for hours.
He thought of stopping his horse by
taking off his coat and putting it over
the animals eyes. But then, should
the horse stop, he would be knocked
Gown by the buffaloes, and both of
them be pounded to death beneath the
feet of the herd.
So powerful are these clumsy beasts
that in large herd they are almost in
vincible. They leave a track behind
them which much resembles a plowed
field. Should one of the number lose
its footing, it is almost sure to be killed
by its companions, as those in the rear,
crowding upon the forward ranks, make
pause impossible.
Croker observed his sons peril first.
He was heard to cry out suddenly, and
then, applying his spurs, he galloped
in the rear of the fast-retreating herd.
Leclerc and Dutch followed hard upon
his heels, but the colder blooded Mexi.
cans remained to skin the buffaloes the
little party had slain.
Meanwhile, Will had given himself up
for lost. But he looked his peril in the
face, with q courage begotten of life
among dangers.
Suddenly, desperate thought oc-
Cured to him. He had heard drovers
end trappers tell of Indian hunters whose
mode of killing buffaloes was by
running on their backs, jumping from
one to another, and spearing them as
they ran. Why could not he escape
that way? The animals were close to-
gether, and, though misstep would be
fatal to remain in his present position
was certain death.
A dense cloud of black dust hung
over the herd, through which naught
was visible but the tossing sea OF beasts
near him. He, therefore, had no idea
how many of the animals interviewed
between himself and safety. His
chances of escape seemed not one in
ten, but the stumbling of his horse de-
cided him to make the attempt.
More thoughtful than most boys
would have been in the face of danger
like his, he unbuckled his horses bride
and tied it around his gun (Which he
carried strapped to his back, and then,
getting off his saddle onto the horse s
withers, he loosed the girth and let it
fall to the ground, intending, should he
succeed in making his escape, to GO
back and pick it up. He now rose to
his feet on the horses back, holding to
the animals name, and in an instant
leaped to the nearest buffalo, holding
his gun, like balancing pole, in both
hands.
The animal plunged, but he jumped
to the next and the next, like Eliza
crossing the Ohio ON the ice in ''Uncle
Toms Cabin" He had accomplished
half the distance, when one of the buff
faloes, seeing him coming, jumped to
one side. The boy fell between, but
dropped his gun in time to grasp the
animal by its long hair, and with diff
Guilty he climbed upon the terrified and
| plunging creature and jumped DIES.
perately on till he reached the outside
of the herd, when he fell to the ground
and rolled over and over, with his head
swimming and heart leaping for joy.
He was yet in danger from the stray
glers on the edge of the herd, but the
cloud of dust and the animals it OBJ
scured passed by and faded into a
smoke-like billow, leaving him unin-
jured.
Ten minutes after, Crocker and his
two followers galloped up and, to their
great joy, found the boy unhurt beyond
a few bruises.
Will rode home behind his father S
saddle, but whether or not the advent
ure had any effect for good on his stub
born nature the chronicle saith not.
Let us hope it had.-F Marshall White,
IN ST. Nicholas.