The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-23

swim ashore, but just as I was about
to do so l reflected that the boat was
not now anchored, and / might as well
paddle the distance, because the Indians
certainly could not see me from where
they must have reached by that time.
$50 padded to the island Then
took out my old double barrel and my
powder-horn, and gave the canoe a
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 / saw that the dummy and
! fsh-pole looked all right, 1 lodged
back among the willows out of sight.
| Then looked out again at my dummy.
well, Bob, / just had to lie down
| and roll and laugh when l squinted at
that image. 1t sat up-facing meas
straight as a judge, and held that pole
as natural as life.
81 lay in the bushes long time look
ing at the opposite shore, before saw
another sign of the two Indians. The
breath of wind kept the canoe well out
at the end of the trolling-Ene. Tho
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 tree good
way back from the lake. They knew
who they were after, and that made
them SO cautious they were a 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 l 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
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
was now anchored. 1t sort of hid the
tumble from the two shooters
'I've seen some comical things in my
time, but never wanted to laugh more
than when I saw that old hat go diving
for the bottom. But l kept as still as
mouse, and SO did those Sioux for
spell.
THE weight of that rock kept the
dummy at the bottom, but my old hat
came off and rose to the top, where it
hoated 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 enoug' 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 the
edge of the water. Such a screeching
and yelling with delight you never
heard.
They were both young fellows, and
the idea that they had succeeded in kill
ing the 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
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 looh
round for their victim. The water was
clear as 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 my
Ratchet and knife, which l had left
aboard when landed.
after peering down into the water
for long time, and chsttering away in
Sioux, one of them took hold of the
rope and began to pull up the anchor.
l 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. I'd rather have let both of /.
them get away than miss seeing their
surprise when they clapped their eyes
on that
Ugh! Ughr they both grunted, and .
their knees knocked together so they |
came nigh falling out of the canoe.
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 drew bead as /
close as l could on the shoulder of the 1
biggest one.
AT the crack of nv gun both of EN- .
fell. The one l had hit came slap .
down in the canoe, the other fellow /
jumped head-frst into the water be- (
fore l could get a bead on him with the 1
other barrel.
Il ran down to the beach and /
watched for the swimmer to come up.
MY notion was that he would dive and /.
N, fn- a., n.In-