Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-07-29

the depression. The wagon and the mule
were still there, and amid the scattered
freight several dark forms of men stretched
on the ground could be dimly disccrned.
On the wagon tongue a solitary figure was
seated; upon his head was high hat, be-
meath which came the intermittent glow
of a pipe in full action.
The captain was puzzled. They're TAX
ing it mighty easy" he whispered. "Those
fellows on the ground are Injuns sure
enough; but can't savoy that thing tipped
off with the stovepipe"
That's the chief, i" breathed Joe. "He
had Pete's hat on when fust got sight NV
'em."
"We'll wake 'em in way that'll make
that hard billed hat risin property. Tom,
go back and tell the boys to come up.
Leave two men with the horses. Remem-
Der, no firing without orders"
Tom crawled back toward the cavalcade,
while the captain and Joe kept up their
watch. The figure on the wagon tongue
took the pipe from his mouth and sang to
to camp meeting air:
De debble hab me up a tree!
Oh, good Lord, deliber mel
Joe excitedly grasped the captains arm.
That's Pete" he said
The voice went on to sing:
De debble he start fur ter climb.
He low he git me sho' dis time.
"It's darky, no mistake, and he's
happy" said the captain.
De debble he git full o. rum,
He miss his grab an down he come.
The captain motioned stiffness to his
men, now taking their positions along the
brink: then he said to the boy, Call him
by name"
"De debble"- the singer had begun,
when Joe hailed him;
"Oh-h, Peter
"Huhl Hullo up dart You bach, boss9
fought yer done fur, show
Joe dashed down the slope ahead of the
men, who, with weapons in readiness
against a surprise, followed slowly.
"Why, Pete, how on earth did you get
the better wv the redskins2 Yer've laid
em all out"
The four Indians, tied hand and foot
were stretched unconscious on the ground
like dead men. The negro chuckled.
1.-TWO git a-hossback an go fur you" he
said to Joe: de udder TO- dey stay, an dey
drink all that bottle. Dey dance an yell
scand'lus, an tie me ter de wag'n wheel
an pile der bacon sides 'roun me, an dey
gwine burn me sho on'y de udders hain't
come back fer de fun. Den dey lurch ar
nod an go ter sleep like dey nebber gwine
ter wake. wuk loose and git dar guns
an tie eb'ry Injun so he keep out o. mis-
chief What we gwine do wild 'em?"
well talk of that later" spoke Captain
Mckinley grimly
Supper was cooked and eaten, and 6
! guard of two men having been set, the
others went to sleep. The prisoners had
showed no signs of waking. AT half past
3 o'clock in the morning the captain arose
| called the two men due to relieve tn,
| guard at and held with them and with
the men on duty whispered consultation
| The Indians, now awake, were furtively
trying to slip from their bonds.
Joe, sleepily stirring in his blanket
! heard Captain Mckinley say, eve cam
take them with us, and we won't turn ZEN
! loose"
1t was still dark when the camp, awak
ened by the sound of a volley, sprang t.
arms. The prisoners were gone. Some
where above the spring the shooting for
few moments was brisk, then ceased. Th
men would have rushed toward the seem
of the firing, but the captain was walking
back with smoking revolver in hand, fol
lowed by the guards
ITS all right, boys" he called. 9TH,
prisoners made break to get away ant
we had to stop EN-"
Up the channel the dawning light re
vealed the four Apaches lying on the sands
| No one went near them.
The prospectors helped to reload tn
wagon, and with brief farewells all hand
went their way. With Black Pete and hi
hat box, Joe Dobbs reported at noon at tn
Great Cinch, bringing some scanty ant
mussed up freight, Peg Leg Crawford
empty medicine bottle, sprained shoul
der and great reason for thankfulaess tina
things were no worse.-Clarence Pullen il
Harper's Weekly.