The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-20

I dDoFe the ear lnat without sound ne
/ rolled over and lay stin. Ned getting two
Indians in line discharged his rifle 10 sucn
/ good purpose they both Git the dust, and
| 1 scrambllug 10 my feet fired my piston
/ right into anOther's mouth. This was 5uffi-
/ Client punishment for the present, and our
| assallants rapidly fell back out OF range
IL seemed 10 Us, looking from our corner,
I as though hundreds Of red men were ia the
valley. They lined the stream that crossed
/ It. while scores poured down the raVnes
and hlled the plain.
| "Confound it" said Ned, as he capped
his reloaded rifle. the whole country is
reused we can't stay here"
We'll" replied Pete. binding a cloth
round his neck over a nasty-looking cut
| from an arrow, IF we do stay, it will be
as dead men. Where the canon behind us
| leads ta I don't know, but il is the only
chance we have, Ned, you keep an eye on
the redskins until we get few things to-
gether."
While Pete filed poor Van Burk's pow
der flask and hung 1t round his own neck.
l sought our old comrades last resting
place and began to close II la.
Suddenly Ned shouted. Hurry up, boys,
they are getting ready for the attackw
Throwing the tools amongst the brush /
snatched up bundle Of jerked venlson
(dried meat and ran Tor the canon. My
partners were just before me, and we kept
up fairly good speed for a mile or so.
Then, tired with my exertion of the morn
ing, Jagged so far behind that we decided
to go on at q. more leisurely pace.
The bluffs on either hand increased in
hight as we advanced and the canon was
becoming narrower. The deep shadows and
crimson-tinted pinnacles proved TO our as
constituent the day was almost done the
intense excitement of recent events had
made us forget the fight of time.
The stream now almost filed the place
from side to side. In some instances it
Rugged the cliff we were following so close
~ there was nothing for it but to plunge
into the water and wade. The further we
Travelled the less likely seemed our chances
Of climbing the rocky walls, rising often
into precipices. From the sinuous course
we were following IL was almost impossi-
BILE to tell whether we had put any great
distance between ourselves and Mount
Hope. If we had not, it was more than
likely the Indians would take a shsrt cut
and intercept US.
Wet and tired we still pushed on. Ned
and were feeling discouraged, as well we
might under the circumstances. Pete,
however, tried to cheer US up, though
from the repeated drenchings with water
ne gave his neck 1t was evident the arrow
wound was giving him trouble.
Being ia the lead, sudden bend hid him
from sight l was next, and on rounding
huge boulder almost ran against him. He
was standing leaning on his rifle, and look
ing across a large sheet of water resem-
bling an oblong reservoir that was filling
the canon. Further advance seemed i'm
possible. The clearness of the water show
ed its depth, and as Ned came up, Pete
said shortly, MY time has come; I can't
swim. You fellows strip off, tie your
things ON your heads, and take to the
water; 1t is more than fifty yards to the
end. / can hold the Indians for while,
anyway"
"Whatg' exclaimed Ned, Indignantly; do
you think we would leave you to be butch
cred? What do you take us for?"
COMPOUNDED fools, if you stop here" re-
piled the brave fellow, with perfect cool
ness.
A look came into Ned's face I knew
meant a row, so / said earnestly: For
Gods sake don't quarrel at such a time
as this! 1t will soon be dark; let us go
back a piece to a more favorable pace for
defense; we may stave them off yet. There
are no signs of Indians yet; they may have
given up the job as too tough for theml"
As l spoke of the coming night, my eyes
had been following the course Of a ldge
which was some twenty feet above our
heads. 1t extended the whole length of
the tank, its father end sioping down to
a mass Of logs and branches, forming the
dam that backed up the water. l step
ped to the corner we had just rounded TO
see II there was any way to gain footing
on the ledge. and my comrades grasping
at once what l was thinking about follow
ed me. As far as 1 could see my project
seemed hopeless, but Pete, who had ex-
tremey good eyeslght, shouted cheerily.
"Hurrahl boys; we are not done yet. We
can get up there, or am liar!
He led the way with rapid strides to
place where wild grape vines hung like
a great curtain from top to
fast-fading light could see rag
ged points of rock had forced their way
through the green foliage, promising a
| footing when aided by the fast clinglns
vines. Ned. leaving his rife behind, es-
sayed the first attempt. When hign
| enough to reach the ledge above he found
a secure place to stand. Pete then climbed
within few feet of him, while l, follow
ing In the same way, passed our rifles
one after another, and they were careful
ly laid on the ledge.
NOW, then, up with you" said Pete
Ned, placing one hand on a rocky pro-
| lection, grasped good-sized tendril, and
made a scrambling attempt to ascend. AT
| hrst / could not make out what had taken
| place. On hearing a smothered oath l look
| cd up. Only Ned's head and shoulders
were visible in the darkness; his hand had
| slipped from the ledge, and with both he
/ was grasping the vine. With his feet
he was striving to get a hold on the fur
| Their side of hollow Immediately under
the ledge. Suddenly we were almost
blinded by clouds of dust and dirt falling
from above. With a loud, tearing noise
the vine began to give way 1t came
down slowly enough for me to Jump to
the ground and run backward.
Wiping the dust from my eyes, I could
distinguish a great mass of tangled vines
at the base of the clin, from which came
the sounds of crashing and tearing, ana
also some very bad language. which indi-
Gated my partners were not badly hurt.
Presently, on hands and knees, they
emerged, Pete splitting vigorously said an
grily, "confound IL, Ned! you kicked me in
the MOUTH
Ned (who was none the worse, with the
exception OF torn clothing and a scratched
| face burst into roar of laughter that
died away In hooking echoes amongst the
cliffs.
Yes, Taught" cried Pete, land brin :
down the Indians when our rifles are half
way W the bluff"
His words sobered Ned in a moment I
was too anxious and tired TO Join in the
merrlment, especially when Pete contin-
ued, that miserable wound of mine has
started bleeding again"
Ha|NH 81.