The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-08-18

to do so reflected that the boat was
not now anchored, and l might as we'll
paddle the distance, because the Indians
certainly could not see me from where
they must have reached by that time.
80 padded to the island. Then I
took out my old double-barrel and my
powder-horn, and gave the canoe q
shove outward. The trolling line paid
out nicely. When the canoe, with the
dummy in it, had gone out to where it
hal been with me, stopped it by hold
ing the line.
There was gentle breeze from the
island, which kept the canoe pretty
steadily in place in the little channel
between the island and the point the
Indians were making for.
when I saw that the dummy and
fish-pole looked all right, 1 lodged
back among the willows out of sight.
Then I looked out again at my dummy.
''Well, Bob, just had to lie down
and roll and laugh when squinted at
that image. It sat up-facing meas
straight as a judge, and held that pole
as natural as life.
II Law in the bushes long time, look
ing at the opposite shore, before l saw
another sign of the two Indians. The
breath of wind kept the canoe we'll out
at the end of the trolling-line. The
dummy was about fifty yards from me,
and about the same from the opposite
bushes, to which expected the Indians
to crawl.
by and by saw one of them put
out his head from behind a tree a good
way back from the lake. They knew
who they were after, and that made
them so cautious they were good half
hour in working their way to the point
Now and then I'd see them lodging
from tree to tree. At last they reached
the edge. and could see them peeping
out from among the bushes.
''Pretty soon l saw both of them
poke out their rifles and take steady
aim. Just when their guns cracked l
gave such pull with my line that the
canoe capsized, and out tumbled
the dummy head first on the side
OF the canoe that had swung round
nearest to me. As the bowline was tied
to the stone in the dummy, the canoe
'" go III" UASAOAOu. ~ oOIV u nlO tuc
tumble from the two shooters
1--WE seen some comical things in nv
time, but never wanted to laugh more
than when saw that old hat go diving
for the bottom. But I kept as still as a
mouse, and no did those Sioux for a
spell.
''The weight Of that rock kept the
dummy at the bottom, but my old hat
came of and rose to the top. where it
doated with the fishing pole.
'Still the two Sioux made no move.
You see the rascals weren't sure they
had killed me. They didn't know but
I'D jumped overheard, and was hiding
behind the canoe. But when they had
waited long enough for me to be
drowned if l hadn't come up, the wind
turned the canoe round so that they
could see both sides of it.
THAT satisfied them. and they both
came jumping out of the bushes to tho
edge of the water. Such . screeching
and yelling with delight you never
heard.
They were both young fellows, and
the idea that they had succeeded in kill
ing tho man that all their old braves
half believed was protected by some
magic, just tickled them half to death.
A white mans scalp and gun,
and that scalp my scalp, and my old
double barrel, to carry back to their
village-why, they thought they felt
the biggest kind of feathers in their
caps already!
when they got tired of yelling and
dancing they took off their powder
horns and bullet pouches-about all
they had on except their paint and
breech-clouts-and laid them on the
beach with their rifles. Then they
jumped in and swan for the canoe.
"As soon as they reached it both of
'em climbed into it, and began to look
round for their victim. The water was
clear rs crystal, but just at that place
the bottom was covered with water
moss two feet deep; that's why it's such
a good place for bass.
The weight of that rock sunk the
dummy SO deep into the moss that the
Indians could see no sign of it. They
looked and looked, and at the same
time inspected and jabbered about nv
Ratchet and knife, which had left
aboard when landed.
AFTER peering down into the water
for long time, and chattering away in
Sioux, one of them took hold of the
rope and began to pull up the anchor.
kept my gun on them all the time,
and had the best kind of chance at
them while they were peeping into the
water, but knew I'd have as good a
pop at them when they pulled up that
dummy. Id rather have let both of
them get away than miss seeing their
surprise when they clapped their eyes
on that.
Ugh! Ughv they both grunted, and
their knees knocked together SO thew
came nigh falling out of the canoe.
II guess they began to think the old
braves knew what they were talking
about when they warned them that
l was an evil spirit that they'd better
let alone. At any rate I never saw In
dams mi UGH worse scared.
much as liked tho fun of watch
ing them. 1 knew it wouldn't do to give
them much time, as they'd be sure to
jump out and swim ashore as soon as
they could collect their wits.
Il didn't mean to kill either one of
them, but to save myself from the rest
of the tribe it was necessary to wound
and capture them. So 1 drew q bead as
close a. / could on the shoulder of the
biggest ono.
''At the crack of my gun both of 'em
fell. The one I had hit came slap
down in tho canoe, the other fellow
jumped head.arst into the water be.
fore ! could st . bead On him with the
ethss hsFEeA
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