The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-10


 That's the place."
 Without hesitation he set his douhle- barreled shotgun against the tree and was soon among the branches lie stopped on the first one and reached back for his gun, but it was about foot beyond his reach.
 As there was no alternative but to go up without it or to come down and stay with it, he climbed higher where he could hear and see; secured good seat on large limb, took chew of tobacco, cut off a twig, began whiting, and awaited developments.
 The soldiers soon began to eat, and as seeing othets eat always makes person, especially boy, hungry, he searched his pocket for the remnant of his dinner, con- sisting of boiled beef and sweet potatoes, of which he ate sparingly.
 After sapper, he watched where the three men were placed, who were to guard the sleeping thirty-three; and soon after he noticed two men start from the fire towards the tree in which he had taken up his abode. When they came to the tree which, evidently. was not the point so which they had started, one of them looked under the limbs, and ex- claimed:
 ~ l say, Jim, why wouldn't this be a good place to roost ?''
 Jim looked under, str1ck a match, and said:
 It does look like it might rain good deal and not wet fellow under there" |"
 And there's good pile of dry le--"
 "The rascals have been here, too P shouted Jim. Look P and he displayed Franks gun.
 "And they've been sitting here whit ting and chewing" sad the the other. as he, too, lit a match.
 Well, let's go and take up this gun, and get our blankets and some of the other fellows, and sleep here,' said Jim.
 They went away, and Frank, instead ot slipping down and attempting to es- cape, climbed higher where there was less chance of being seen.
 The "Yanks" soon returned, four strong, and proceeded to rake back the leaves which the wind had collected un- der the tree, built fire by the trunk made their beds and lay down.
 Frank continued to chew and spit on a limb, but he found 1t hard to keep awake The smoke entered his eyes and nose and he had to be continually on his guard to keep from coughing or sneez. ing. All day the wind had been south west, but early in the evening it had be. gun to veer around to the west and northwest, and by two o'clock in the nor ;ug it was blowing hard from the latter direction, and freezing rain had begun to fall.
 The soldiers, aroused by the cold wind and rain, piled more wood on the fire but the wind which chilled our here tc the marrow of his bones, also blew ava, the smoke.
 At last the morning broke without a sum-" Frank was chilled through ana through. The limb on which he sat va. slippery with ice his clothes were frozen and his fingers were so numb he could scarcely hold on to the icy branches
 The soldiers built fire, an the wind now unfavorable, blew the smoke up tc his perch. When they ate breakfast h. had to be satisfied with a little frozer beet.
 Quite early in the morning it cleared off, !" and several of the party started ou to hunt cattle. About eleven o'clocl they returned, and reported large hero of cattle of to the northwest. Before the) left, however, dinner was eaten, and tho captured saddles were piled on the fire.
 The last man was scarcely out of sigh when Frank began to descend rapidly in fact, his rapidity came near running him, for, when he neared the ground, hi foot slipped of the ice on the lower limb and he fell to the ground, bruising him self severely.
 He picked himself up stunned ana bleeding, and dragged himself to the fire When he was a little warm, he looked about for something to eat, and found | piece of raw beef part of which he at raw and a part he broiled. At last b, unwillingiy left the fire and started fo home. He had six-shooter, half pin of buck-shot to fit his weapon, plenty o powder and caps. little tobacco, 1; pocket knife, and a piece of twine When he reached the prairie, he looked about, and as no one was in sight, h,