Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-10
BESIEGED BY WARREES.
A STORY OF BOTANICAL ADVENTURE
WRITTEN FOR DISPATCH
BY FORREST CRISSLY.
BY FORREST CRISSLY.

promptly accepting his retreat as chal-
1enge to pursuit, answered with multitude
of grunts, then took to the chase.
/. Karl heard their barks and the roar Of
their tread behind him. Even in the con-
fusion of his flight he felt thankful that his
athletic training had not been neglected.
Well he might, for as he reached the 6rst
tree the barking horde was close upon his
heels. 4.
. Witha desperate leap he threw his arms
and legs about the trunk and proceeded to
''shin" up, just escaping the swapping jaws
Of the foremost pecearies, who missed bury
ing their tusks in his feet by only few
inches.
The click Of their clashing Jaws materi-
ally increased the speed at which he
worked his way up the cinchona. What
ever might be the result of their "cheap
quinine investigations" he then and there
concluded it was the most useful tree he
had yet encountered.
No sooner did he succeed in reaching q
safe perch than he fell to checking up the
number of peccaries with the number of his
cartridges He found there were twice as
many british faces upturning at him their
small twinkling eyes and wiggling snouts
as there were cartridges in his box
Then the thought of his father and the
guide flashed into his mind They must
have some ammunition. Perhaps there
were shots enough between them all to slay
the pack of nasty little brutes.
'Fatherp' he shouted. "the peccaries
have treed me! Come as close as you dare,
then climb treel But keep up in the
timber. If you hear me, answer with a
whistler
A whistle promptly signaled him that he
had been heard
"Be sure to get within good pistol
range, and where you can see them, for
have only about half as manv cartridges as
there are peccaries," Karl directed.
In few moments he caught sight Of his
father and the guide cautiously picking
their way among the timber toward the be-
sieged tree.
Karl remembered that the accounts of the
peccaries described them as utterly devoid
of the instinct of fear, tenacious to the last
degree in pursuit of any creature which had
once excited their attack.
In order to insure against their attention
being drawn from him to his approaching
rescuers, he dropped bis necktie down
among them.
The instant it struck the ground dozen
rushed upon it, tumbling over one another
in mad rage. When they separated, he tore
bundle of blank leaves from his note book
and let them down among the drove. These
met the same fate as the necktie.
"All right" called his father, from the
branches Of neighboring tree
"Now begin, shoot till you've used up
your ammunition, but make every shot
count, for I've less than half box" con-
tinued the Professor. Fortunately the
beasts were huddled close together, and
Karl an excellent shot.
Bang! Bang! Bang" went his revol-
yer at regular intervals, as fast as he could
take careful aim. Each shot resulted in
one less besieger. and Karl voted it excel
lent sport But after time his success
elated him and occasionally he failed to
make his aim fatal
'.I'm through. It's your turn now," he
called to his father
The Professor was not 50 good marks
man as Karl, or else he did not have as
good point of vantage-at any rate, when