River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-06-21

man his mouth opened as wide as did
his eyes. that the color tieo from his
checks. that his heart futtered like
a bird in cage. and that for a mo-
ment he could not stir.
Ugh" grunted the savage white
boy walk the woods with red broth
err" meaning he would go with him to
Canada.
But Charley was not quite ready 10
do thai. Stepping back quickly. he
fitted one of his tack-headed arrows
TO the strIng of his bow and dis
charged il full at the Indian.
The warrior sprang aside; but he
was not quick enough. for the shaft
had been well aimed. 1t passed
through his neck, between the skin
and the flesh.
Uttering a cry of anger, he leaped
on the boy and caught him by the
throat. He hastily felt for his TOM
ahawk, and in the heat of his rage
would undoubtedly have ended the
poor boys career then and there; but,
missing the handle at the first grasp,
he suddenly changed his mind. and,
lifting the boy to the back of the
the animal toward the party that was
with the canoe.
The two boys exchanged a sorrow
full smile as their captors brought
them together. William had been
placed in the canoe, where there were
two hogs, which the savages had
plundered from a settlement lower
down the river.
These hogs belonged to a man
named Sargent, who lived in Walpole,
and he and several of his neighbors
had gone out that very morning in
search of the marauders. They had
tracked the thieves to the river, and
suspecting they might be Indians, had
embarked in a boat and rowed up
stream, hoping to come upon them
unaware and recover their stolen
property.
4 little cove shot into the river at
the point where the two boys had
been captured. and the stream thus
made a bend around this point OF
land. The Indians, their canoe and
their horses were on one side of the
bend. and the armed white men in
their boat were approaching the
other. just before they turned the
bend. one of the white men heard the
snort of horse. Surprised al this,
they rested on their oars a moment,
and then rowed on more cautiously.
Passing around a low, wooded bank,
they saw a sight that made them halt
il was pushing away. from the shore.
They could see that it was heavily
laden, for il sunk deep into the water.
Only one Indian was padding. and
the canoe very slowly advanced into
the middle of the stream.
fourth Indian had just entered
the river with two horses. on the
hack OF one of which was a white boy,
with his arms pinioned behind him.
In the canoe. by the two dead hogs,
was PROSTATE figure. which they
had no doubt was another captive.
Sargent instantly ordered his party
to fire. They did so, and two of the
Indians in the canoe fell dead or fatal
" wounded. The Indian who was
padding threw down his paddle. and
plunged into the river. 4 shot was
fred at him. which either killed or
disabled him, for he sank. and was
seen no more
The Indian on horseback did not
lift his gun, but very quietly urged
his horses across the river. Two OF
the settlers fred at him. but the only
result was the splashing of his naked
skin by the disturbed water.
"Those horses are stolen, and tho
red imps mustn't get away with
them" said Sargent; but don't fire
again. We may iniure the boy"
The settlers bent to their oars. and
in few moments swept up alongside
of the struggling horses.
The savage did not wait for them
10 come up. but leaped into the water.
and deliberately swan TO the aban-
doncd canoe, which was floating ten
OF a dozen rods from the New Hamp-
shire side This he clambcred into,
seized the paddle, and began to steer
it toward the Vermont shore
After they had seized the horses,
the white men turned their attention
10 this bold warrior, who seemed de-
termined TO escape with the canoe.
Two of them. wlro had reloaded. shot
at him but. though both expert
marksmen. they failed to harm him.
The close proximity of their bullets.
however. forced him to relinqush the
canoe.
Holding his rife above his head, the
undaunted savage swan to the YER
mont shore, and. landing unframed,
disappeared in the forest.
The white men now rowed up to
the canoe. which was drifting aim
lessly round and round.
Don't shoot! I'm white boy."
cried a voice. as they approached
1t was poor William, who. with his
limbs bound with deerskin, was just
able TO sit up in the canoe.
well. you've saved the horses any
how; but the colts gone. sure he
exclaimed as he glanced around, and
saw that the horses were secure.
Vic VI N1dt gent ulth
aboard the canoe. and padded it
ashore, where William and Charley
were both released from their bonds
Then the boys mounted their horses.
bid their rescuers adieu, and returned
TO the block-house. which they
reached just before shutdown.
Williams wound was not serious
one, and he soon recovered from it;
but he was accustomed to relate. as
he told the story in after years. that
he never felt so queer in his life as he
did while lying curled down by the
dead hogs, when the settlers were
firing and the Indians were tumbling
out OF the canoe Golden Days.
PAYS BIG SUM FOR WARDROBE
Countess CnstcIIane Gamma GOuld)
Excitcs Comment by
S%SO.O00 Purchase.