Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-01
MunIed.

"The name of it 2 DO you mean this hol-
low we've pulled up in ?"
"'Dade an do, thin. Ye've put name
of some kind to livery rock an bush we've
seen the day."
dwell, then, mebbe it's the Chico Valley.
It's place I'll be glad TO git out of with all
the hair on my head"
"Its a swate spot, for all that. Is it near
here thin Wallopy redskins lives that
makes it a bad boordin'-house for white
min ?"
eyes, this is Just the place. But there
isn't many of 'em, and we didn't send 'em
word we was comm. Mebbe we'll find our
way through the pass before they'll scent us.
They're venomous, they are. Worst kind"
The two mules had been standing as if
they were listening to him, but now, as old
Rube cast them loose, the off mule suddenly
threw up his heels and set out at sharp
trot into the grass, while his mate stretched
his long neck forward in sonorous bray.
"Thatll do, Gov'nor," remarked Rube.
ave all know you kin do it. You and the
senator had better jest feed yer level best
while yer chance is good Mebbe you'll be
an Indians mule yet, before you die"
Saints preserve thin, thin. It's foine
mules they are" said Pat, very soberly.
"Misther Adams, was We hearin' the char
akther he gave the place we're in 2"
SIS there any danger, Rube 2-any real
DANGER"
"Not if we can find our way through the
pass, Charlie. It's more like the neck of a
bottle than anything else. Hope they haven't
corked it up with rocks for u.s."
A tall, slightly built boy was Charlie
Adams, and his bright blue eyes were wide
open, with look in which there was more
fun and love of adventure than fear of any
thing-even of Ilualapais Indians.
He had been staring around the broad
level valley while the miners were going
into camp, and it did seem as if he had
never looked upon anything more beautiful.
The grass was so luxuriant and green the
scattered groves had been set down exactly
in the right places; the mountains arose so
grandly on every sde surely there could
not have been imagined prettier picture
in more wonderful frame. lie said so to
Rube Sarrow, but all the reply he got from
the grim old wagon-master was,
"Ye-es, and the redskins mean to keep it.
Thar's been more than one outfit wiped out
a-tryin' TO squeeze through the Union Pass. "
The wagons of the train were drawn up
in two rows, about fifty yards apart, the
light " ambulance" from which RUDE had
unhitched the governor and the senator, was
pulled across one of the open spaces at the
end, and brisk fire had been started at the
other. The ground so inclosed contained
room enough to corral all the mules and
horses of the train in case of an attack, and
the members of that exploring party were
likely to be able to defend such a fort
against any ordinary band of red men.
Not sign of the presence of Indians in
the neighborhood had yet been discovered,
and before the middle of the afternoon the
scouts sent out came in with couple of fat
deer.
"That looks WE'LL" growled old Rube.
" The valley hasn't been hunted out lately.
"Mebbe we'll git through all right"
The animals were watched pretty care
fully, nevertheless, and they all had good
long rest and time to feed.
"They'd betther make the best of it,,
said Pat Linihan to Charlie Adams. "It's
long pull and hard one they've got be-
fore thin. Wud thin redskins take the
skelp of mule, do ye spose?"
"They'd give more for yours, Pat. They'd
risk almost anything for hair as red as you
have. Light their pipes you know"
"Thats more'n | kin do wild it meslf
But them ambulance mules, now. LUX al
the ears of thin. Did yez liver see the loike
on any human bein' before ?"
The governor and the senator were mules
of the largest and ungainliest type, and they
seemed to remember enough of what Rube
had said about Indians to keep them pretty
close to the camp all the evening. None OF
the others were permitted to stray to any
great distance, and about midnight they
were all silently collected.
The men had taken the whole matter as
quietly as had their four-footed servants
eating and sleeping as if there were nc
Indians in the world or at least in the neigh
borhood of the Hualapais Mountains and
the Union Pass.
All the men, perhaps; but Charlie Adams
was not man yet, and the young blood
was tingling through his veins at the thought
OF actual danger and an attack from Indians
There was no need to wake him up or cal
him when the time came to get ready fol-
another march. He was wide awake from
head to foot, aud seemed to be everywhere
at once, with his repeating carbne in hi,
hand.
1t was a queer piece of work RUDE anC
his Transfers were at for the next hour OF
so. They began by wrapping all the ole
blankets they had, and some new ones
around the circumference of the Wagon
wheels, and they creased the journals of tn,
axles until there was no chance left for
squeak to come from them.
They'll travel without sound" sale
old Rube. How're ye gittin' on with the
critters, boys?"
That had been a job which interested
Charlie Adams exceedingly. Every mul,
and horse was fitted with pair of buffalo
skin or blanket moccasins, so that his fee
would fall silently upon the hardest ground
Some of the men said "shoes," som'
boots" and Pat Linihan called them
stockin's, begorra;" but RUDE said moe
casins,' and Charlie took him at his word.
Between one and two O'Clock the camp
with its fire piled up to brighter blaz,
than ever, was left behind them and thu
long mining train moved onward TOWARD
the dangerous pass. 1t was wonderful how
little noise they made, and Pat Linihau re
marked to old Rube;
"Sure an it's the first tonne liver dru,
a mufiied mule"
shuttle. yer tongue" growled old Rube
"That's one thing forgot"
They made good speed, and before lonl
Charlie Adams was aware that the narrow
wagon trail they were following had lee
| them between great walls of rock.
"We'll do it," whispered old RUDE t.
Charlie. They're up there on the cliffs
some of em as matter of course; bu
we're going to beat 'em this time. The,
have an awful advantage over any fellow
down here. All they need do is TO tumbl
down rocks on us in some places. There
just one bad spot to go by now," said he,
little later, "but it's almost daylight. / wisl
we were well past the neck"
Nearer and nearer drew the walls of rock
but there were no sounds made for them t,
echo, until at last, as he and the senate
pulled their ambulance over an unusuall
rough place, and paused for breath, the gov
ernor seized the opportunity to stretch on
his ugly neck.
oh what bray was that 1t seemed h
fill every Granny of the Union Pass, an,
stir up the sleeping echoes, and climb NJ
over the crags, and old Rube instantl
shouted:
"Whip up, boys Forward now for you
lives That thar was jest one other thin
we forgot to mutlle."
The whips cracked sharply enough now
and the governor received at least his shar
in payment for his music.
There was no more silence. In less tina
minute the heights above them rang wit
fierce whoops and yells The savages ha
been taken little by surprise, but the
were there, and they had been waiting fo
that train. 1t had nearly passed them, bu
Al Il