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

with black eyes, brown cheeks and a GER
tain set to his lips, which indicated that
he did not intend to be second in any
undertaking.
His younger brother, Charley, the
Hyena of the Plains, was of much milder
type, with lighter complexion, more
slightly built, and was inclined to follow
rather than to lead. He was armed with
a wooden bowie knife, the result of much
whiting, on a refractory clapboard.
The Cabot of the Amazon, Archy
Jones, freckled-face, hot-looking boy
of eleven, was armed with his steel-trap.
The Capricorn of the Arctic Zone, lit
tie Lem Burton, rejoiced in his mother
sway backed old butcher-knife and.
finally, the "Crockerdile of the Mount
ings,'' the broad-shouldered, thick
necked, square iawed, small nosed and
big-footed Bush Shackleford, besides be-
ING armed with single barreled shot
gun, carried in his belt a two-edged
knife, made of an old file and having a
corn-cob for a handle and a wrinkled
bootleg for sheath.
.'It was now after midnight, but there
were no sleepy eyes around the fire,
whose ever-changing light gave the for
est weird and romantic appearance.
The moon went down, leaving an arch
of darkness above and a wall of dark
ness about them. Beyond this wall the
owls hoOted and the waters of the river
Kissed and swashed around the old
Snags.
They passed the night fighting mus
ls.tn 70 Rn,, bo
The Invisible Catamount of the Crags,' y
frequently interrupting him, however,
with the wish that the Indians would
attack the island that very night.
They had brought neither blankets
nor provisions Catamount Bill never
carried such things, being proof against
dampness, cold and hunger; and why
should not they be the same?
The sun rose bright and beautiful, and
they prepared for active operations
They had planned it all out The Croco-
die was to take his shotgun, Smoky
Death" and, crossing in the canoe to
the mainland. kill two or three deer for
breakfast. They would then make
moccasins and buckskin coats, with
fringes, of the hides.
The Cabot was to trapfor beaver, and
the rest were to begin digging a cave in
the side of the bank A cave would be
very useful, mysterious and romantic.
In few minutes the Crocodile re-
turned, with the announcement that the
canoe had either floated away or been
stolen. They were prisoners on'the ISL
and
"Well, never mind,'' he said, brayely.
~ soon find turkey on the island
but don't any of you men foller me.
You would only skeer the game" And
he disappeared among the trees.
The rest of the company began dig
ging a hole in the side of the bank, and
the Cabot, having set his trap, soon
joined them; for the idea of cave was
very enchanting.
1t was slow work, however, digging
with knives and sticks.
Two, three, four hours passed by, and
still the Crocodile did not return.
1t was eleven clock and they were
ravenously hungry, But they were
frORtierSn1GW now, and as such, must
not murmur. In fact. difficulties,
dangers and privations were Just what
was to give zest to their wild life.
Don't Catamount Bill often 60 ior,
days without eating? And couldn' they
do the same?
Noon came. The mouth of the cave
began to assume definite proportions,
but the Crocodile had not appeared.
Hush! The report of gun rang
through the woods. Undoubtedly, he
had killed a turkey, for he was the most
experienced hunter of them all.
1t seemed to the Cabot AMI the Ami
zon that he could hear the dainty strips
OF tender fowl sizzling on the fire, he
was so hungry.
The Hyena threw some fresh wood on
the Goals, and the Capricorn was rubbing
the clay from his knife, to have it ready
for dressing the turkey, when the CrocO-
die walked into camp, holding between
his thumb and finger a-red-headed
wood-pecker!
Not thing on this blarsted island
but that" he said, angrily, adopting the
phrascology of the great Catamount Bill
If Ben Marble had a-tied the canoe
worth shucks, I'd a-had half dozen
deer by this time"
Il thought you tied it, said Ben,
stoutly.
'Nen, what 5 the use of quarreling"
said the brave little Capricorn. ''Rob-
inson Crusoe made canoe, and we can,
too
That Ii take too long, now" said the
Catamount, feeling very hungry. ''Say,
boys--or men | mean-why not build
raft?"
The plan was adopted, and, hurrying
to the sandbar at the upper end of the
island, they made, in the course of three
hours, raft large enough for dozen
men; for the Crocodile had no desire to
get into the water. He was a M,ad
Crocodile and could not swim.
They had found plenty of drift-wood
which they bound together with grape
vines; but alas like Crusoe, they had
built their craft upon the land and could
not launch it.
Then they pulled it to pieces, and care
fully bound it together in the water.
The sun was now low and there would
be little time for hunting after the Croco
die should reach the mainland.
The water looked very black and the
raft very treacherous; but, concealing his
fear, the Crocodile stepped OF board.
laid his gun across the logs, and, taking