Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-07-10

it worse for me 10y his reprOaches. Yet
Long Peter had a wife at home among the
heather mountains. and a daughter, a curl
of whose golden hair ] had often seen in
his pocket-book All Long Peter could
not afford to die yet
Meanwhile. Mr.. Ashhy was coolly recon
NOTHING through the loop-holes: ne had
let down the window, and was preparing
tor action as coolly as the shepherd. We
had handed him his two bullets. but he
pushed them back he had a few of his
own Take them, take them. ne wills
pered ''vou will need them all. And
truly We did. BY this time the moon had
risen. its light gradually growing on the
landscape till we could see the outlines of
the trees. and the long grass waving white
in the ghostly shadows: but all was silent
nothing but the hOarse cry of some night
bird broke on the stiffness around Oh.
how long was it to last, this dreadful 81
lence and inaction? For myself | must
confess that every pulse in my body was
beating like a sedge-hammer, every nerve
uuivering till / could scarcely hold my rifle.
But the master and Peter knet as quietly
as though no danger were to be apprehend-
ed, their barrels pointed through the loop
holes, while they closely watched for any
movement outside.
But there was none The sheep were
camping quietly round the hurdles. the
night wind swept with a mournful sound
through the dark trees. causing the spectral
tracery of the branches to dance in the
moonlight on the grass: but that was all
still the terrible silence. But suddenly
there was change three or four of the
sheep rose looked all round. stamped with
their feet, and huddled close together.
Something had alarmed them. some sight
or sound as vet unreyealed to our blunter
faculties Bouncer rose to his feet TOO,
whining uneasily.
Down. dog. down whispered Peter
breaking the silence Tor the first time: and
the docile animal once more sank to the
ground.
The next moment a loud report rang out
into a thousand echoes. Peter had fired
the first shot. shrill death-scream follow
ing il, while we could dlmly see the dark
figure of man who leaped from his am
bush and fell like a clod to the ground.
Nov, master cried Long Peter. while
rapidly reloading his gun fire away, but
aim TO the right, sir. aim to the right !
can see the cursed creatures gathering there
in numbers.
Mr.. Ashby obeyed the directions given
him by his servant. for in truth Long Pc
ter had fuller view than any of us OF
what was going on outside
There you are all right lac added eN-
ultantiy. a. both MI Ashbv's gun and
mine were fired AT the same moment You
| have each fixed your man. and the others
are drawing OF Tor a little. But, mark my
| words. sir. he added, though they are
mOrtally afraid of our guns. they Il md out
| soon enough that our ammunition Is run
ming short. then they will tire the hut and
/ We are done for, Sir ! mean to get Bouncer
/ to help Us"
The dog?' asked Mr. Ashbv. nuuir-
ingly Il don't understand. What can
he do? They will certainly Kill him if you
| let him out"
80 they will. if they can catch him. ="
| replied the shepherd. composedlv: but
we must take our chance of that. sir. Ii
/ you will write a line 10 the head station
| telling them what FIX We are in. | reckon
that my dog will carry the letter there in
less time than a thoroughbred horse could
| do it. | have taught him. sir. to fetch and
carry, little thinking that at some time our
lives might depend upon him doing it.
! Please write the letter. sir.
But will he 20 the head station with
/ it, replied the master, who was busily
writing "how can You get him to under
Stand2"
Leave that TO me sir replied Long
| Peter; tine dog is as wise as any Chris
| tan. and deal wiser than many. Besides
| l have a waistcOat here belonging TO Jerry
| if | show him that. ii is all right. He
| loves Jerry, and knows that he is at the
/ head station. The only difficulty is. will
| the black fellows wait long enough before
] ha al h.l
! coming? 1t is doubtful. but We can only
| try. We are in Gods hands. sir
True, replied Mr.. Ashby. as he hand
/ ed the letter to his faithful servant The
master said no more but ! could see that
/ his heart was full. All. his dear wife. his
blue-eyed little ones, Would he ever see
/ them more.
There was certainly no time TO lose
/ could see the dark figures of the natives
/ lodging round the hut evidently thinking
that since We had ceased firing our ammu-
milton must be totally expended: but it
was not so, We had each OF us one bullet
left, but only one. which We were keeping
for emergencies, or for the final Scrimmage.
Meanwhile Long Peter had pulled away a
half-rOtten slab from behind his bunk.
thus making a hole sufficiently large Tor
Bouncer TO creep through. He then tasten-
ed the letter securely 10 his collar. the no
bic animal giving now and then suppressed
whine and trembling from head 10 foot with
anxiety. He had smelt at Jerry waist
I coat. and quite understood what was eX-
pected of him / could not bear 10 look at
I Long Peter at this moment: his features
We're working with emotion. and / could
have sworn that there were tears in his
eyes, but ne said nothing Everything be-
ing now ready ne led BOuncer 10 the hole.
held his muzzle for moment pressed hard
between his hands, while he gazed into the
creature expressive eyes. "NOw 20. good
dog. he whispered: and squeezing him
self through the hole Bouncer sped away
on nOiseless feet
We listened intently for few minutes
OH. how We listened. our faces blanched
and our limbs trembling Had Buuncel
escaped on his weighty erraud without be-
ing discovered? A sudden wild iabberina
rose on the night air a rush OF many feet
and the next instant We detected a yelp of
pain.
They have surely speared him. wills
pered Mr.. Ashby.
But Long Peter turned on him almost in
anger "NO, no, sir" he said ''he is Just
scratched. He'll do it yet, / know he
will
He must be quick then. replied the
master, ''for those cursed savages have
struck a light somehow: they mean to
burn us outlook g.
Our eyes We're now intentlv watching
from the loop-holes the movements OF the
black fellows, and we had not watched