Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-02-04

L 'UUti HOt Stt tttNtI " tiC HiCH
straight as string Furthermore, nc
matter what direction l took, except
that by water, l could not elude the
dogs.
But the best means in the world was
at hand l dreaded to enter the stream
with my clothing and swimming an
indefinite distance, and there was nc
call to do so when the dugout was
within arm S reach.
With no hesitation, | showed the
clumsy structure clear, picked up the
paddle and balanced myself within
The boat was of awkward build, but it
was easy to paddle through the water
with its languid current. Being CON
WINGED that by going up stream | would
enter deeper into the swamp, | headed
the craft in the opposite direction.
was determined to reach the open coun-
try, instead of hiding i'll the wood tC
perish of starvation.
For some minutes l padded as vigor
ously as possible consistent with silence.
| could not forget that my relentless
enemy and the owner of the craft were
but few rods away and We're liable at
any time to notice its departure. II
was evident that the two would soon
visit the cabin with the purpose OF
making me prisoner while | slept.
Finding | had gone, they would suspect
the course taken, while the absence Of
the dugout could leave no doubt of the
means used.
Thus, with every incentive for haste,
| swayed the paddle first on one side
and then on the other and with the
slight help from the current made good
progress. 1t was not to be forgotten,
however, that l had doubled ON my
own trail, so to speak, and was ap-
preaching the curved tree which had
served me as bridge in crossing the
stream. My pursuers must use the same
means, and it would be an awkward
complication if we should arrive at the
same moment. Because of this feature
slowed my progress as / drew near the
spot.
My calculation was we'll made, for,
upon creeping around the bend l had
fixed upon in my mind as affording the
view, the odd looking tree came into
sight resembling gigantic sleigh run
ner, pointing toward the sky. Backing
water, held the boat motionless and
listened.
The stiffness was unbrOken. But for
that one cry of the distant bloodhound
and the voices of the two men might
have believed | was the only inhabitant
of the hundreds of miles of dismal
swamp Prudence required that l should
run the boat under the bank and keep
out of sight until my pursuers had
passed 10 the other side, but time was
too precious to do So My dread was of
Cy Walters and the negro Pete. They
must soon discover my flight and would
hasten along the bank i'll pursuit. True,
they would have no means of telling
which direction | had taken, and there
fore would probably separate. Whether
they could travel as fast as could pad
die was doubtful, though both were ac-
customed to life that made them ex-
perts at that sort of thing.
Hating for only few seconds, de-
cided to push on and gain all the dis
tance possible while the opportunity
was mime. My heart beat fast as drew
nearer, with my nerves keyed to tho
highest pitch and my sense of hearing
strained to the utmost. Nothing alarm
ing was seen or heard, and | shot be-
meath the nisshapen trunk, holding my
breath and with compressed lips.
But the danger was immipent until