The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-12-02

Crocodile, becoming angry,
They brought a grapevine and pulled
him to shore.
Why did they not enjoy it! They were
having just the kind of adventures to
make a book interesting; but they would
rather have done their starving with
plenty to eat, and the Crocodile would
have preferred making his hairbreadth
escape from drowning on dry land.
There was no getting to shore without
dared the attempt. But Ben ha no idea
of leaving the rest, and they made the
best of bad situation by keeping up as
brave an appearance as possible.
".
Again the moon sailed overhead and
the smoke of the camp fire went straight
up. One by one the boys grew silent.
They were thinking of home; of fried
ham and eggs, hot biscuits, butter and
creamy milk; thinking of soft beds;
thinking of their mothers and wonder
ing if they were crying because their
boys were gone; thinking very little of
the Rocky Mountains or of the Invisible
Catamount of the Crags.
At last they fell asleep.
Suddenly the woods of Wolf Island
resounded with frightful yells, the sharp
crack of rifles, and the kissing of bullets
through the trees.
The boys leaped to their feet and tried
to tyi but the circle of painted, bowling
dancing savages surrounded them,
brandishing their tomahawks and adj
vancing to their destruction.
"The Catamount of the Crags," the
''Galoot of the Amazon" and the cap
ricorn of the Arctic Zone" bored their
heads into the "cave," leaving a tangle
of wildly wrangling legs sticking out.
The Hyena of the Plains fell over
log and crawled under a grapevine;
while the ''Crockerdile of the Mount
ings' did his best to climb a tree, but was
pulled down by huge Indian, who
brandished his knife about his head, pre-
paratory to scalping him. Then the
"Crockerdile" burst into tears and be-
gan yelling for his Paw" while the
Catamount, Cabot and Capricorn joined
in vigorous, though smothered, chorus;
and the Hyena lay under the grape
vines, holding his breath and mentally
repeating: ''Now 1 lay me down to
Sleep"
But the red men We're memorable, and
their victims were savagely jerked inside
of a hideous, painted, bloodthirsty ring
"Ughn' grunted the tallest one among
them. "Nle killum you! Me eat you up!
Me big chief 'Ink-pa-du-tah"
At the mention of the terrible name,
1.-The Crockerdile'' actually howled with
fright, though only the night before he
had wished that Ink-pa-du-tah and his
whole tribe would attack Wolf Island.
10000! Please, Mr.. Indian, don't
kill men' he blubbered his face drawn
into forty wrinkles, for the tears to run
down.
"Ughr' grunted the chief. You 90
on UNI warpath! Kill Injun! Heap
much! Ugh!''
eve ain'tr' bawled the boys. 1--WE
ne-ever killed Indians. O-o-oow
ME gettum scalp! One, two, five
scalp! Ugh! Heap scalp" and the
savages gave frightful yell and raised
their tomahawks at once.
Just then rushing sound was heard,
and Mr.. Marble sprang into the circle,
at the same time striking furiously at the
savages; but in moment he was seized,
thrown to the ground, and a knife held
to his throat.
"Ben, why don't you run?' he cried.
in desperation.
" He won't let metz howled the "In-
visible Catamount of the Crags."
"Then why don you kill them?"
| ca-ca-can't!
"Ugh!' grunted the Chief, laying his
hand on Mr.. Marbles shoulder. mist
lum Marble Me know you! You good
man. No killum Injun! Good man!
Good man! Me let you go! Me let boys
90! Ugh! Good MANI
Mr.. Marble sprang to his feet and
thanked him heartily. Then, turning to
the boys:
" Ben, what are you doing here?"
No-othingn' wept the Catam6unt.
" And what are goW doing, Charles?"
"Ico-me with Ben, plead the Hyena.
Then the Chief turned savagely upon
the ''Crockerdile of the Mountings,"
Bush! You scoundrel. What are you
doing here?" And for the first time
Bush found that the terrible chieftain was
his father.
Just then the Capricorn of the Arctic
Zone bounded into the arms of another
savage, and the ''Galoot of the Amazon"
knew what it was to be half smothered
in the whiskers and war paint of the
most Notwithstanding Indian of the
lot.
That is pretty book you boys have
been reading" said Mr.. Marble. 'Would
YOU like few more such? Or would
you rather 90 home and have something
good to eat and sensible to read after
this? You can take your choice, Ben;
and you, too, Charley"
II want to 90 ho-ome! said Ben.
''Me toow sobbed Charley.
Gan right, said Mr.. Marble, the same
comical laughter coming into his eyes.
Now you know the difference between
fact and fiction, and perhaps you have
found out the difference between Stragety
and strategy"
Then they started home. The boys
were silent, but the woods resounded
with the wild laughterof those befringed
and painted white savages.
d" Whoop-e! Big lniun me! Ink-pa-
du-tah! Calcium live pale FACET yelled
Mr.. Shackleford, as they neared Mr.
Marbles.
The door opened. A puff of savory