The Opelousas courier., 1892-09-10
nnnorr,,urrvr 70 I'm two Dndg WIN one

dow down 1nto my canoe, au0 Soo1
dragged up the two bundles OF crack
ers.
They were of the very largest size, big
red fellows, and thick as ones Wfist.
Mark tore them open.
.I1l bet they will do the work. ne
whispered excitedly. SLie Aat on the
rocks now, and if they fire off fifty shots
they can't hit us. I'm going to make it
hot for Them"
He crept to the edge again, holding
the one pack and a box of matches in
his hand. Soon I heard the boat
scrapine on the rocks, and then Carson
said, harshly:
sI'm comm up there now, an If
thar's any monkeyin' with firearms. not
one of you'll see daylight ag'in. jake"
he added to his son, "if they pull ON
me, shoot ter kill"
An interval of perfect calm followed,
during which, in spite of my deadly tear,
/ crawled nearer the brink, which had 9
slight upward ascent. Mark suddenly
turned.
ssLook sharp now," he whispered, and
rubbing a match, he touched OF a big
cracker close to the head and dropped it
over the ledge.
A fearful report followed instantly, a
deafening explosion that seemed to shake
the mountain, and echoed ~fearfully up
and down the river, while a streak oil
fame split. the darkness, sparks and
burning wads of paper aared up every
where, and then, while still the hills
echoed, there came a heavy splash and q
cry of agony.
ttI'm Killed. I'm killed. I'm a dead
man! Shoot, Jake, shoot, do you hearF'
"Bangl" Jake blazed into the dark.
ness, and the charge of buckshot Kissed
about our ears, and elected a howl OF
fright from Dale.
Jake mistook this for q cry of pain,
and uttered a triumphant shout, but a
second cracker directed by Marks unerr.
ing hand blew up fearfully close to his
head, and, without breaking the come
ton, he changed the tune to a perfect
shrek of terror and fell backward. Then
we heard Carson clambering out of the
water into the boat.
"The gun! quickl" he cried with a
fearful oath.
Jake made no response.
"Do you hear me2 Jake-Bill2" the
old man hoWled.
stIt's in the river" cried Bill, sullenly.
tsJake let it slip when he fell over"
ssIn the river9" cried old Carson.
teThe blamed fool. Give me your knife,
Bill, and / swar I'll go up thar an slit
ther throats."
aWill you. thought l heard Mark
mutter to himself, and then he touched
off the fuse that joined the balance. of
the pack, and, guided by the burning
r that rested on the boat, he tossed
the bunch directly into their midst.
Bangi bing-bingl bangi bangi-
bang-bingl b~ang-bang. Like q can
nonade the crackers exploded in thun-
. derous succession, and loud above the
sdin rose angry cries and excavations.
Carson dove FROM the bow of the boat,
Bill plunged headlong from the stern,
and Jake, after falling stupidity into the
blaze, danced over the sides with an
agility that was truly remarkable.
For a short interval all was quiet, and
the burning fragments lit up the night
with a weird, CHASTITY light, and began
to ignite the woodwork of the boat.
Then an arm grasped the chain and the
boat shot out from shore. The flames
vanished and dark figures climbed into
the craft.
aYure lives amt worth a cent" Car
son Kissed at us. ssYouM hev half IN
hour ter say your prayers y and With this
gentle farewell the boat moved of, aud
the creak of the oars grew fainter aad
fainter.
"Unless we get out of this at once"
said Mark, solemnly, tive are lost. Car
son thinks we won'td dare to leave here In
the dark, but he'll soon change his mind
when he comes back with another gun.
Grab the canoes quick, now; we darent
lose a minute. We must work in the
dark, for it won't do to strike a light
For the next ten minutes we worked
as we had never worked in our lives. One
after another we lowered, or rather
dropped the heavy canoe down to the
water, Mark standing below and casting
loose the ropes. Then we climbed down
ove the rocks, and in frantic haste took
our seats and grabbed up our paddles.
stJust a second" said Mark; and
STOPPING clear under water-he was al
ready wet all over-he rose, holding In
ons hand Carson's missing gun.
He pulled himself into his canoe, and
off we shot in the darkness.
AS the current swept Us down, a shout
rang out from shore, and a responsive
hail came from far up the river.
HThat was a close shave said Mark.
"They must have landed one of the fell
lows up above to watch until they came
back. Won't old Carson bc mad,
thought
We padded long and swiftly, steering
u course by the stars and recklessly
plunging through half d dozen rapids,
and toward dawn we landed q. the little
hamlet of Black Walnut, in Wyoming
County.
The inhabitants listened in wonder to
our tale and shook their he8ds slowly.
1--WE were lucky" they said, ito
escape so easily. Lutte Carson was q
bad man, and even the sheriff, who had
half q dozen warrants for his arrest, had
little desire to meet him"
We continued our cruise on down,
and In due course of time arrived home.
Lutte Garson's shotgun rests on two
| hooks in the canna house. and The ainhk