El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-26

bly, part of a slaver's crew; for they
all scrambled up to the opening in the
rocks to look out.
! "Now, now is the time to slip our
cables and run. Follow mel" said
| Tom Lambourne, in hoarse but de-
termined whisper, as he sprang for
ward, snatched up two of the muskets
| and rushed across the plank, tripping
as lightly as he would have done along
| a boom or yard, though it crossed
| gulf so terrible.
| Less steadily, but not less rapidly,
| you may be assured-yet with a frozen
heart-I followed him, and his hard,
tarry hand was ready to grasp mine
and dragged me forward into safety,
while with violent kick he tossed the
plank away, and surging, down it went
into the black gulf we had crossed
1t vanished in a moment, and no
sound ever assembled, for it seemed to
have fallen into a pit that was as dark
as it was bottomless.
"Take this musket, and see that
YOU can use it, SIR" said Tom, as an
emotion of bravado seized him. "And
SO, you, Spanish greenhorns!" he
shouted, ''you thought to sell me for
a niger to the Yankees, did you?
Whoop! hurrahr'
A volley of Spanish oaths followed
this rash outburst, which drew their
attention at once upon us. Some
rushed to the dark brink, and paused,
1 suppose, for neither Tom nor
could see distinctly, as there was a
double explosion which filled the cav
ern with echoes like those of rolling
thunder, and a momentary glare of
smoky light, while two musket balls
whistled past us, and I felt one, like
a hot cinder, as it grazed my left ear.
Then came an Albacete knife, which
was hurled by no erring hand, for it
wounded Toms right knee.
"Give them a shot, Mr.. Rodney"
said he, furiously; "I'1l reserve my fire
for the sentry-and here he is, al
ready"
And just as the eighth fellow, who
was on the watch, alarmed by the fir
ing, came rushing in with his piece
at full cock, Tom fired at him.
Saints and angels!" yelled the
Spaniard as he bounded into the air
and then fell fiat on his face, where he
lay beating the earth with his feet
and hands.
Fire! fire! Master Rodney, and
then run for it, before they can re-
load" cried Tom, who saw that 1 was
irresolute; "give 'em a stern chaser!"
My blood was now fairly Up. Wheel
ing round, I leveled full at the group,
one of whom was in the act of taking
aim at me, while 1 saw the steel ram
rod of the other, who had a musket,
r1; II, Low til
loaded.
I fired! 1 know not whether the ball
hit, but one of the rutfians sprang
wildly forward and fell headlong into
the ventana!
THAT will dol" cried Tom; away
now as fast as we can-stretch out
bear away for the harbor and the
brig!'
Grasping our newly acquired weap-
ons, which we never thought Of re-
linauishing. we rushed out. and, de-
scendfng the ravine, favored by the
starlight, instinctively took the path
which led directly to the harbor.
With a heart that beat wildly, a
head in a whirl of thoughts, and every
pulse quickened by the whole affair
by the ferocious treatment to which
we had been subjected for so many
hours, by the perils which had men
aced us, by the narrow escapes we had
made from bullets, by the wild anu
disastrous tragedy which closed the
adventures of long and exciting day
Il ran beside Tom Lambourne; on,
on, without q breath to spare or a word
to utter.
Headlong we stumbled over piles of
lava; now we sank ankle deep among
the soft pumice dust; anon we rolled,
fell or scrambled through wild vines
and creepers; then through fields OF
growing maize and wheat, or planta-
lions of coffee and apple trees; but
never pauslng until We reached the
base of the mighty Piton, where,
breathless, gasping, painting and bath
ed in perSpiration, We lay down In a
little thicket of cinnamon bushes by
the wayside to rest for short space.
During this Hight 1 had never spok-
en-, but Tom from time to time indulg-
ed in disjointed remarks expressive of
an eXultation in which l could not
share, being only thankful to heaven
for my escape. But poor Tom had
seen more of rough life, and of many
a violent death, than it could possibly
have been my lot to witness.
"Ha, ha! you Spanish swabs! We've
slung two of your hammocks in hot
place-before the time, perhaps" said
he. What a row they make, like so
many negroes clearing a cargo when
we sheered off! Lucky it was that l
eased off our tow lines in time! l
have a good mind to put about, stand |
for the cave and pot another of those |
Spanish gorillaSr' J
Whether he meant guerrillas I did |