The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-09-14

row mornin'."
Young Loring nodded, aud the pad
dlers cautiously forced the boat fifty feet
through the mouth of a black arch into
the heart of the swamp. Hidden here
they were nearer the savages than before,
and could hear their movements.
1t soon became clear that the party Of
Seminoles had no purpose of leaving
their camp that night, and no suspicion
of white men close at hand. One by one
they dropped asleep, and their slumber
chorus, which sounded not unlike the
grunting of the alligators in the swamp,
was music to the prisoners squatted in
their gloomy covert.
Three hours had passed, and the grow
ing light that silvered the lagoon outside
of their retreat proved the moon well up
over the tops of the trees. "Now is our
time" whispered Scraggs, "to get outer
this hole and paddle up stream for a sale
landing place and vamouse back to
camp"
Lieutenant Loring answered not a
word. His boyish mind was deep in
thought daring thought which thrilled
him with excitement.
If he returned to camp as he left it
there was sure to be sharp reprimand, q,
perhaps court martial for absence with
out leave. The excuse that he was an
irresponsible lad would alone save him,
and at that fancy his heart had waxed
hot with shame. But to go back as con-
queror and hero-ahl that was worth
risking his scalp for.
"Are ye asleep9" whispered Scraggs
again.
"No," was the reply; "I am going to
take these redskins back to camp with
me. So, Scraggs, you two can just tie
your hair on, for it will soon be in
peril"
The men jumped as if they heard the
whlzz of Seminole lead.
"You see it would be a shame to
sneak back empty handed. We can't
exactly take their scalps, but we can take
themselves as present to the General, b"
said the ingenious youth. 1.-THE Indians
are fast asleep. Wen paddle up and
take their canoes. Then I'll land on the
hummcck, you know, and pick up their
rifles. Then in the morning we can or.
der them to surrender on peril of being
shot down, for we shall have loaded
guns, and they'll have none"
The two Crackers groaned over this
piece of youthful strategy, but Scraggs
responded,
"All right, Lieutenant, s'pose we've
got to die some time"
The dugout left its covert and glided
silent as a shadow into the open stream.
A few strokes brought them in full
sight of the Indian camp. The island
where the savages lay was well-shadow-
ed by the trees, but their forms could be
dimly seen stretched on the earth.
Silently the little party detached the
two canoes and towed them to a secure
position, where they fastened them to a
cypress tree fifty yards from shore.
As the boat approached the shore on
its second more dangerous mission,
young Loring slipped off his boots and
stepped into the ooze, regardless of
moccasins and rattlers. Scraggs and
his comradc covering the advance with
lcveled guns, felt their stout hearts quake
as their boy leader crept in among those
sleeping figures of bronze.
A stumble or the swapping of twig
might make the difference of life and |
death. The lad moved as if he were
cat. The coarse hummock grass, armed |
with minute thorns, cut into his flesh, |
but he scarcely felt them. The sleeping |
lay partly in the moonlight and
partly in the shade of the trees which |
rose in the centre of the hummock, each
one with his rifle by his side, the fierce
copper face chiseled as if in metal.
Had the Indians disposed of their guns
as the whites do, by stacking or resting
them against a tree, the task of securing
them would have been less risky. But
they had kept their arms within reach,
and some even had their tomahawks
loosened from the belts as If for instant
use. The Indian rarely sets a guard at
night, unless in the immediate presence
Of an enemy. Here in the depth of a
great cypress swamp, impossible to
troops, surprise would seem impos-
;ible. Yet even now the cunning and
suspicion of the race had not forsaken
.hem.
The nerves of the young officer were
strung to the highest tension. One by
,ne he stealthily lifted the rifles from the
,arth till he had what he could carry.
These he bore to the low bank and
passed to the men on guard in the dug
,ut. No word was exchanged. Again
lie returned to the dangerous sleepers, a
distance of about hundred feet from
hore, for a second load. A bIawny say.
Ige tossing IN his dreams gave a fierce
yrunt aud threw out a hand, which
ouched the young thief's ankle as if to
lutch it. The moment thrilled him with .
IL the agony of discovery, but he stood
took still waiting for something further.
t was a false alarm, but cold sweat
,oured from his face. Another of the {
avages had his hand on the stock of his {
,un, and the piece had to be gently slid a
rom under his fingers. I
Again, the third time, he went back {
0 complete his work. The moon was a
ow high up IN the sky, aud poured a S
ood of light on the little island. The i
ecumbent Indians were cut out like |
silhouettes against the grouud.
he boys swimming head warned him 7
hat his strength couldn't last much d
)nger. But he resolutely went at his I
ask, though his throat felt as if squeezed
Y an iron grip. He had gathered the b
lst armful, when one of the red men in S
is dreams raised himself on his launches 4