The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-11-08

round the hut. Bill, knock away the low
part of the rotten slab behind your back. Here,
Doctor
The message was scrawled and fastened to
Doctors collar in little less than a minute,
and the noble brute, who seemed to know the
danger, stood anxously trembling till the
preparations were complete.
AS i before stated, the hut stood close to
the stream, and from the rear the bank sloped
abruptly toward the water The American
for the first time seemed affected. When the
men fell under his shots there was not the
slightest change perceptible in his voice; but
the few words he spoke to his dog were
broken and singularly soft I'll be sworn
there were tears in the mans eyes. Every
thing being at last prepared he spat upon the
dogs muzze, held his head close to his cheek
for a moment, and then pressed him quickly
out of the hole and away down the shelving
bank.
We listened anXiously for time and then
there arose a wild jabberng for a minute; the
next instant we detected yelp of pain.
''My God ~ said | involuntarly, ''the
Doctors speared."
mo, he amt, darn We !" snapped Mat.
''He's just touched, an no more. He'll
do it.n
''He must be quick them said Mr. $;
''the black devils have struck light some
where and they're going to burn us out.
Look ~
Our eyes were now intently scanning the
movements of the savages through the little
loopholes and we saw a flaming brand
whizzing through the air and scattering
sparks in all directions. 1t fell on the stringy
bark roof over our heads. Another and an
other came, but it did not appear to us that
any of them had taken effect.
By this time the black fellows had gath
cred courage. Believing our ammunition
was expended, many of them left cover and
might be seen fitting about like specters.
They kindled fire some distance off, and
across its glare shadows were constantly fall
ing.
The fire brands were thrown no longer;
some fresh mode of attack was preparing
Our suspense continued long period-nearly
half an hour-during which time not a word
was spoken by any of us; our sole depen-
dence was the Doctor, and if help did not
soon arrive it was certain we could find no
escape from the demons who were trying to
compass our destruction.
LNOW, lOOh, SllCh, WulSp0TGu MAJ. Il
see their game: they're going to give us fits.
How's the moon ?-well aback of the hut, l
guess. Bill, stick your cabbage-tree on a pill
low and hold it at the open window when 1
tell you. I'll just go out and bid them good
evening. Don't bar the door after me, mister,
but when l show them my heels, open it.
You see we can't spare ammunition
While speaking Mat unbarred the door.
IL
the sentence.
Through the slabs ne said to me:
"D'ye see that divil with the blazing log ?
When he gets close to the waffle open the
window and prop up the pillow. Take care
of their spears yourself"
AS soon as the black fellow came to the
point indicated, | opened the long, little
shutter with some noise and held up the
dummy. In moment dozen spears passed
through the aperture, and 1 let the window
fall as though one of us was mortally
wounded.
There was a wild shout without. At this
time the black fellow who carried the log was
within few yards of the hut, and | heard
Mat preparing for his move outside. Looking
out as quickly as [ could | had just time to
see his tall figure emergebeyond the shade as
the butt end of his gun fell crushing on the
head of the fire bearer. The door was opened
as Mat turned; it required but one or two
bounds to take him TO the door, but the
savages were too quick for him with their
spears. He staggered through the entrance
and fell just as he cleared the threshold.
"Caught in the thigh, | guess'' he ex-
claimed, as he slowly recovered himself, and
painfully struggled to the window. "Don't
mind the spear" he remarked to me as / ap-
preached him; sits better as it is, till help
comes.n
''If it ever does" thought |.
The Americans sortie, | believe had rather
disastrous effect, for the black fellows
seemed to conclude at once that our ammuni-
tion was all expended, and they thronged
around the hut without caring to shelter
themselves.
In short time the cracking of the flames
on the roof put an end to our trouble. The
hut was on fire, and there was nothing left us
but an attempt to dash out and clear the
aborlgines l proposed this, but Mr.. s.
would not try without Mat, and underneath
the blazing roof, with clubbed guns we grimly
awaited the final attack. The Americans
rifle rested in the loophole where he had taken
up his position.
"There's the worst of them," Mat said,
looking along his weapon; She's coming up
with log to staVe in the door. He'll never
4 "a