Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-02-11
tCONTINUED.l
CHAPTER XVI.

tCONTINUED.
CHAPTER XVI.
! had been discovered not by man,
but by one Of my four footed pursuers.
The bloodhound had trailed me straight
to the curving tree, along w! Ose trunk
he truttpd with Il sure foot, when he
caught sight Of the dugout and myself.
He stopped, and without emitting any
cry stared wonderingly at me.
If ever there was puzzled dog, it was
that particular specimen. As have re-
marked, the species ranks low i'll intel
lgcnCe, and there was something i'll the
situation that was beyond the cOmpre-
hcnsion Of this hrute. He had been put
on the trail Of "A fugitive fleeing on foot
and had done his work so we'll that he
speedily reached the place where
crossed the stream. When i'll the act of
following up the scent, he caught sight
of me.
No doubt he asked himself whether
it WAS possible | was the gentleman
wanted Marvellous as is the power of
those animals, it could not have reveal
ed to this one that was the man whom
he was trailing, because of which he
stared at me in mute wonderment
while he pondered the question. What
he ought to have done was to announce
his predicamcnt by some sort of howl
and brought his masters to the spot, but
the animal didn't know enough for
that He must have decided that his
duty was to attend strictly to the bust
ness on which he was engaged, for
withdrawing his gaze, he trotted the
remaining brief distance and jumped
heavily to the ground. AT that moment
he emitted a howl and pressed his pur-
suit IF me hy taking a course directly
the opposite of the true one.
Having thrown all my enemies to the
rear for the time being, | must quickly
decide upon my future course
Anxious as | was to get out of the
swamp and reach the open country, it
was manifest that | would surrender
an immense advantage when | did so
The news Of the escape of the supposed
horse thief, Hank Boyer, had spread
through the country by this time, and
doubtless searching parties were scat
tered OTer ii space Of many miles.
Nothing rouses the bloodthirstiness OF
a mob more than the hunt for victim
with success delayed. If the fugitive
can remain beyond reach for several
days, their passions are likely to cool,
but for Il time it is IL raging volcano.
1t will be noted that there was nc
possibility of following me even with
the help of the finest blOodhounds that
had ever been trained. 50 long us | re-
manned Oh the water the brutes were
poWerless. | could land at any point |
chose, and the dogs might grope for
hours before finding me, or they might dc
50 in much less time than that. To dis
embark and leave the dugout to show
where | had done so would be to surren
der all chances of ultimate escape.
The plan fixed upon while padding
down stream was simple. 1t was to land
at what seemed to be favorable point,
and then set the boat adrift. 1t would
float greater or less distance without
betraying the spot where it and l had
parted company
The problem, however, remained tC
decide upon the best place to do this,
for it will he remembered that | was
wholly ignorant of the ms and outs OF
Black Mans swamp. But, reasoning
from the scant knowledge picked up the
previous night, | inferred that | was
near the boundary of the dismal tract.
The time had not yet come for me to
leave it altogether, and since each side
Of the creek was Overhung with under
growth | carefully ran the dugout close
to shore and under the impenetrable
curtain Tho branches We're secured and
arranged around me with care that
would have done credit to an American
Indian. BY parting the interstices inn
mediately i'll front of the screen | could
look ont upon the water with no risk of
being observed by any one on the Oppo-
site bank or who might be navigating
another craft past my hiding place,
while behind me the dense vegetation
was equally friendly.
For the first time felt safe. Even if
my pursuers should suspect my artifice
they would have to push the search
until they came directly upon the dug
out itself. That they should succeed
upon the first attempt was out of the
question. l could rest and mediate for
awhile in peace
Great Caesar, but wasn't l hungry !!
Although had missed but one regular
meal, felt as if furnishing. The plain
est food would have been godsend.
could devour anything edible and would
have mastiCated and swallowed the
leaves on the branches and the bark on
the trees had | not been afraid of seri-
ous consequences. | was unacquainted
with the fora of those southern swamps,
but knew they contained great deal of
'nnXiouS vegetation that was as likely to
prove fatal as the toadstools of our
northern STATES. So | resolutely re-
pressed my craving, though ready to do
almost anything desperate that promised
to relieve the gnawing hunger.
Some D minutes of profound silence
passed, during which l wondered at
hearing nothing of the baying of the
hounds. The pursuers must have reach
ed conclusion by that time and prob
ally the means of my flight had been
discovered long before.
Sh! Something stirred among the
lushes ON the opposite bank. Perhaps
il was IA hopping bird or some animal
making his way steatbily among the
rn,,, t.ti,, Inn 4 NyaS Snfnr In Spt IL