The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-12-06

law, and my mission Is mainly to warn
them, for the next expedition sent out
by the Government viii be to arrest the
parties and punish them.
That's mighty kind in the Govern
ment, but the fellers will think it's a
sort o bluff, an when you commence
to give 'em advice, like as not they'll
tell you to pop your whip an 90 ahead.
| know that thar's some O. them that
would just as soon shoot you as to look
at YOU.
We talked until bedtime, and when
| went to sleep, | dreamed that the
beautiful little girl sat reading to me.
The next day | travelled around con-
siderably. met several men who con-
fessed that they had been cutting tim
Der from Government land, but that
they did not know it was a crime, and
promised me that they would desist.
was repeatedly warned though, con-
cerning certain parties who would treat
my kindness with contempt.
One day | heard that the Simmons
boys, quite large family of semi-out-
laws, were cutting timber at night aud
rafting it down the river. Near the
place where the work was going on,
stood an old deserted cabin, and telling
the captain that | would spend the
night there, | left his hospitable abode,
and after walking about mile and
half, reached the place l built up a
big fire and sat down to begin my lonely
watch. a heavy rain-storm came up,
and the flashes of lightning, iliuminat-
ing for a second at time my gloomy
surroundings, made a wierd picture.
The darkness of the night was SO in
tense that it seemed to knock at my
door and demand admittance. While
l lay on the floor, smoking, something
actually tapped at the door.
Come in, | said, and Pig. the cap
tain's little girl, entered, dripping wet.
why, Pig, what on earth brought
you here?"
Leave here, Mr.. Boots, for they are
coming after YOU"
"Who?n
''The Simmons boys. They came to
our house just now and asked for you,
an when papa said you were not there,
they said they would find you an hang
you. | slipped out while they were
talkin' an come to tell you. Go away
as quick as you can" anG before L
could recover from my surprise, she
had disappeared in the darkness. l
put on my overcoat, and stepped to the
door. | heard them coming. Flight
would be fatal, defense useless. Sud
denly thought of the loft overhead at
which I had been gazing, and in an
other moment, l scarcely know how,
had climbed up and stretched myself
on the frail. boards. / had not more
than settled myself when the wretches
burst into the room below.
'Oh, he's aroun' here summers,
said one fellow who seemed to be the
leader, mean looking rascal. for /
looked through crack and shiyered.
''Reckin he's out maxim his roun' 5, .
said member of the gang. ''Lige
whut did yer do with the rope?"
''Got it here"
''Reckin afore mornin' the cap'n will
wush he hadn ter interfered with other
foxes business.
Tied him hard, did yer Jake?"
80 hard he kaiu'G move, an left hin
layin' on the edge O the bluff, just
above the house. Eff he wanster role
Ol1 XII MIL ulSSCll, llL ligIlu.
"Whar was the little gal all the time,
boys?"
I'm bed, reckin, fur I didn't see
her. By Cd, I'd er tied her, too, eff
I'd seed her. Now, fellers, the next
thing is to find the Gov ment chap.
Who's got the bottle? Lige, say yer
got quart that amt been toch?'
"Yas, an as red as a terrapin's eye"
"Wall, pass her aroun' an less tap
her."
The bottle was passed and they all
drank freely.
''Glad he built fire" said one whom
| recognized as Lige. "Reckin he's
gone down ter the clearin'. Wait q
while an he'll be in.''
Tell yer whut's less do, fellers, :"
said short red-headed fellow whom |
would like to have shot. LESS set the
cabin afire an when he sees it he'll
come up ter see whut's the matter"
Then We'll halter to stay out in the
rain
wall, gosh dang it, who keres fur
the rain? Whut do yer say, Lige? Say
the word an off she goes -
"You fellers amt got no sense.
Don't yer know that eff yer'd fire the
cabin the feller'd know we was airter
him an take ter his heels"
''Wall, whut'H we do? Set aroun'
here all night an waltz"
''Never mind" said Lige. s'Jake,
climb up thar an git some dry boards
fur the fire. and the fellow addressed
began to climb up. He had just taken
hold of a board near me, and l was
just on the eve of shooting him and
taking my chances, when Lige said:
Never mind, Jake 1t won't do ter
have too bright fire, fur he'll think
that somebody's here. Who's got the
bottle. Well, d it, why don't yer
pass her? Think we're a lot of cat
tle?''
Again they drank freely. | knew
that if they kept on drinking l might
have some chance of escape, and for
whisky as a friend. The thought oc-
in the roof and crawl ont. | began the
work at once.
whats that noise?" asked Lige.
''It's Jake rubin his big hoof on the
floor, said one of the~gang.
mo, it amt, nuther." Jake replied.
"Tend ter yer own business, will
yer, an let yer betters alone"
Needn't be so touchy about yer
foot
''Wall, my foot's my own, an" but
the rest of the uninteresting sentence
was lost as | had thrust my head
through the hole. | crawled along the
roof. which seemed to rattle and make
noise enough for a wagon and team. l
had no difficulty in climbing down, and
with heart overflowing with gratitude
to the bravery of little Pig. was soon
travelling rapidly toward the captain 5
house. When | reached there l found
Pig in great distress. Papa is gone, :"
she sobbed, ''an' L can't find him. l
have called an called, but he won't an
swer"
Il explained as quickly as l could,
and ascending to the bluff, we found the
captain bound and gagged.
''We'll fix EN-" he said when we