The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-07-08
20 XIII Two upos~

btOue.
Idove down into my canoe, and soon
dragged up the two bundles OF crack
ers.
They were of the very largest size, big
red fellows, aud thick as ones wrist.
Mark tore them open.
"I'll bet they will do tho work, no
whispered excitedly. "Lie fat on IN.
.vva. now, aud II they dre of fifty shots
they can't hit US. I'm going to make it
hot for them"
He crept to tho edge again, holding
the one pack and box OF matches In
his hand. Soon heard the boat
scraping ON the rocks, and then CARSON
said, harshly:
"I'm comm up there now, an II
thars any monkeyln' with firearms, not
one Of you'll see daylight sg'in. Jake"
he added to his son, "if they pull on
me, shoot ter kill"
An interval Of perfect calm followed,
during which, in spite Of my deadly fear,
| crawled nearer the brink, which had
slight upward ascent. Mark suddenly
turned.
'Look sharp now" he whispered, and
n IhUCu, uo tOuCueu OH u Dig
cracker close to the head and dropped il
over the ledge.
A fearful report followed Instantly, "a
deafcning explosion that seemed TO shake
the mountain, and echoed fcarfuily mp
and down the river, while streak OF
flame split the darkness, sparks and
burning wads of paper fared up every.
where, and then, while still the hills
echoed, there came heavy splash aud IA
cry of agony.
"I'm Killed. Pm killed. I'm deal
man, Shoot. Jake, shoot, do you hrsrs.-'
"Bang" Jake biazed into tho dark
ness, and the charge of buckshot hissc |
about our ears, and elected n howl OF
fright from Dale.
Jake mstook this for cry Of paiu,
and uttered II triumphant shout, but u
second cracker directed by Marks uncrr.
ing hand blew up fearfully close to his
head, and, without breaking the cpnncc.
ton, he changed the tune to II perfect
shrek of terror aud fell backward Tnen
we heard Carson clambcrng ont Of the
water into the boat.
"The gun! guick!" he cried with a
fearful oath.
Jake made no response.
"Do you hear me7 .Jakc-Bllf the
old man howlcd.
ats in tho river" cried Bill, sullcnly.
"Jakc lot it slip when he fell over"
"In the river2" crie1 old Carson.
"The blamed fool. Give me your knife,
Bill, and swar I'll go up thar an slit
ther throats."
"Will you, thought" -:=:a Mark
mutter to himself, apa:cn he touched
off the fuse that i-ted the balance Of
the pack -T,,guidad by the burning
se- Inat rested on the boat, he tosse
the bunch directly into their midst.
Bang, bing-bing! bang! bangl-
bang bing! bang-bang. Like a can
nonade the crackers exploded in thuu,
derous succession, and loud above the
din rose angry cries and cXccrations.
Carson dove from tho bov Of the boat,
Bill plunged headlong from the stern,
and Jake, after falling stupidity into the
blaze, danced over the sides with an
agility that was truly remarkable.
For short interval all was quiet, and
the burning fragments lit up the night
with weird, CHASTITY light, and began
to ignite the woodwork Of tho boat.
Then an arm grasped the chain and the
boat shot out from shore. The flames
vanished aud dark figures climbed into
the craft.
"Yure lives amt worth cent" Car
son Kissed at us. "You'll hcv half an
hour ter say your prayers, aud with this
gentle farewell the boat moved of, aud
the creak of the oars grow fainter and
fainter.
"Unless we get out Of this ut once
said Mark, solcmnly, eve are lost. Car.
son thinks we won't dare to leave herein
the dark, but he'll soon change his mind
when he comes back with another gun.
Grab the canoes quick, now; we darcn't
lose II minute. We must WORK in the
dark, for it won't do to strike IA light"
For the next ten minutes we worked
as we had never workc | in our lives. One
after another wc lowered, or rather
dropped the heavy canoes down to tho
water, Mark standing below and casting
loose tho ropes. Then we climbed down
over the rocks, and in frantic haste took
our seats and grabbed up our paddles.
"Just second" said Mark; AMI
STOPPING clear under water-he WAS al.
ready wet all ovcr-hc rose, holding III
one hand Carson's missing gun.
He pulled himself into his canoe, and
off we shot in tho darkness.
AS the curront swept us down, ii shout
rang out from shore, aud responsive
hail came from far up the river.
That was close shave" said Mark.
"Thoy must have landed one Of the fell
lows up above to watch until the; cl,ne
back. Won't old Carson bG mad,
thought"
We padded long and swiftly, steering
our course by the stars aud rcc<lessly
plunSinG through halt doIea rapids,
and toward dawn we landed a. tn, little
hamlet Of Black Walnut, in Wyoming
County.
The inhabitants listened in wonder to
our tale and shook their heads slowly.
ave were lucky" they said, "to
escape so easily Lutte Carson was
bad man, and even the sheriff, who hal
half dozen warrants for his arrest, hal
little desire tn meet i,im.
We continued our cruise on down,