Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-04-25

but hour passed after hour, and there was
no sign of an assault. At length, as after
noon gave place to evening, movement be-
gan to show itself in the enemy's lines. Their
curls of smoke, rising above the trees, showed
that the evening meal was i'll preparation,
and several figures with pitchers in their
hands were seen going toward the river,
among whom the colonels keen eye soon de-
tected Ismail.
sBy George!" cried the old soldier, slap
ping his knee exultingly, "that lads worth
his weight in gold! There's his way down to
the river right open to him, without the least
chance of suspicion! Why, he's born gen
eral-nothing less!'
Every eye within the wall was now turned
anxiously upon the distant group, fearing to
see at any moment some movement which
would show that the trick was detected. How
did Ismail mean to accomplish his purpose?
Would he plunge boldly into the river with
out any disguise, or had he some further
stratagem in preparations No one could say.
Suddenly, as Ismail stopped to plunge his
light wooden dipper into the water it slipped
from his hands and went floating away down
the stream. A cry of dismay, a loud laugh
from the Sepoys, and then the boy was seen
running frantically along the bank and try
ing in vain to clutch the vessel as it foated
past.
"What on earth's he up too" grunted the
colonel, completely mystifed.
81 see!" cried Maj. Armstrong, triumph
antly; 'there's boat yonder among the
reeds and he's making right for it. Well
done, my brave boy"
But at that moment a yell of rage from the
Sepoys told that the trick was discovered.
Luckily those on the bank had left their
pieces behind, or poor Ismail would soon
have been disposed of; but the alarm in
stantly brought up crowd of their armed
comrades, whose bullets fell like hail around
the boat and its gallant little pilot.
''Let us fire volley and make a show of
sallying OUT" said the colonel; "itll take
take their attention from him."
But in this he was mistaken. The first rat
tie of musketry did indeed recall most of
Ismail's assailants, but at least dozen were
left who kept up an unceasing fire, striking
the boat again and again All at once the
colonel dashed his glass to the floor, with a
frightful oath. Between two guests of smoke
he had seen the boat turn suddenly over, and
go whirling away down the dark river, keel
upward.
''There's an end of the poor lad, n,uttered
the veteran, brokenly. "God bless him for
brave little fellow. And now, old friends,
we must die hard, for there's no hope left"
The first few hours of the night passed
quietly, and the exhausted defenders, utterly
worn out, slept as if drugged with opium.
But little after midnight the quick ears of
the two veteran oficers-the only watchers
in the whole garrison except the sentries
themselves-caught faint stirring in the
surrounding thickets, which seemed to argue
some movement on the part of the enemy.
Listening intently for few moments, they
felt certain that they were right, and lost no
time in awakening their men. The scanty
stores of food were opened once more, and,
crouching together in the darkness, the
doomed men took what they fully believed to
be their last meal on earth.
''They're coming" said Maj. Armstrong,
straining his eyes into the gloom through a
loophole. II hear them creeping forward
though I can't yet see them"
"What the deuce was that?" exclaimed the
colonel, suddenly. SIT looked like a fiery ar
row flying past"
"It's worse than that" said the major, in a
low voice. "The rascals are shooting lighted
| chips of bamboo on to the roof to set it on fire
Send the women up with buckets to food the
thatch-there's not a moment to losel"
cpl go and see to it myself" cried Mrs
Currie, Fastening out of the room.
But the power of this new weapon had al
ready been fatally manifest. The house was
an old one, dry as finder from the prolonged
heat, and as fast as the flames were quenched
in one place they broke out in another.
When day dawned the fire had already got a
| firm hold of one corner of the building, and
a crushing discharge was poured upon all
who attempted to extinguish it, while the
| triumphant yells of the human tigers below
told that they felt sure of their prey.
cts all over with us, old fellow" said the
colonel, grasping his old companions hand !;
'sbut at least we shall have done our duty"
'sGive me one of your PISTOLS" whispered
Mrs Currie to her husband, in voice that
| was not her own. II must not fall into their
hands alive"
At that moment Maj. Armstrong was seen
to start and bend forward as if listening in
tently, for he thought although he could
scarcely believe his ears-thathe had sudden
" caught faint sound of distant firing. In
another instant he heard it again, and this
time there could be no more doubt, for
several of the others had caught it likewise,
and CLEAN of hope once more lighted up
their haggard faces and bloodshot eyes,
| Louder and nearer came the welcome
found, while the sudden terror and confusion
| visible among the enemy showed that they,
too, were at no loss to gain its meaning
| Then high above the din rose the well known
"Hurrahl" and through the smoke clouds
broke charging line of glittering bayonets
and ruddy English faces, sweeping away the
powardly murderers as the sun chases the
morning mist.
"That boy is worth his weight in gold,"
said Col. Ayres, as, a few hours later, he lis
tened to Ismail's account of how he had Owed
under the boat and kept it between him and
the Sepoys, that they might think him
| drowned -True Flag.
Old Time WhipRlngs.
"a boy cannot be whipped amiss," said a
| school master of the olden time; because if
he has not just done piece Of mischief he is
| just going to do it," In the days of this
school tyrant the, cane the rattan and the