The National tribune., 1900-04-26

ing trees, and here met the hardest prob |
lem OF the trip. There WAS 10 bridge across
it, and for AL We knew not another human
being within a hundred miles Of us. If
there was one it was hard 10 see where lie
found q place on which to live.
All sorts of schemes were canvasscd. /
Some wanted 10 build RATS on which to |
ferry across and swim our horses over; but
what were they to be made from? The
logs III the corduroy foundation OF the road |
were water-soaked, and would not float il
we could get them from under the dirt
There was timber enough about us. but il |
was standing, and we had no means oi
cutting it except with our sabers. Their
were grapevines in profusion which Nigh
be used for laShing if we had anything
lash.
Many anxious glances were cast upon
the 20-odd rods OF swiftly-running water
between us and the trees OH the other side
of the river, and the project of swimming il
was abandoned. In fact, this was the con-
cluSlOn Of all our schemes and about noon
we sat down on the emban6mcrt for sea-
son Of earnest cogitation as to the prospect
of any of us again seeing home and friends.
and as sleep was Il Scarcn article with us
the night before, many Of the escort were
soon i'll the land OF Nod"
The silence, which had become profound.
save the swish OF the waters, was broken
by slight sound away UP the river. The
practlced ear of Capt. Paine, an Appleton
College man, detected the sound of AN oar
in the rowlock and knew a skiff was not
far away; bnt would il come To- us? was the
all-lmpoTt2Ht question. We could tell by
the sound it WAS liearing us, and murmur
of voices was distinguished. But what
kind OF reception would they give u.s.
and would we be able TO stop them? Our
firearms and caItidges were not in the lest
Of condition after our plunge baths at the
bridge the day before. Acting under the
Captains orders soon had the boys awake
and the horses led down in the water be
hlnd the embankment, arms carefully
examined and ready for use, and thus
awaited developments.
There We're several ifs" involved in the
situation which the Captain whispered to
me as the sounds gradually approached
When we hailed them would they turn
about and leave us, or would they bend 10
their oars, fight us, and row down the cur
rent: These were the principal Ifs" and
whatever direction they chose 10 take we
were powerleSs 10 follow them.
PRISONERS PROVE FRIENDS IN NEED.
We waited anxiously. Soon the boat
came in sight around a bend i'll the river
and We saw II contained three men, one row
ing and the other two carrying guns
When he thought they We're near enough
the Captain, III his ringing tone, com
manded malt The sudden explosion Of
olitil III COilll scarcely
have caused greater CONSERVATION than
did that peremptory demand. The man
at the oars nearly jumped into the water, |
lost ms bearings and soon had the boat
WhirlIng IKE q cork in a whirlpool. The
others forgot their guns and stared nj ms
Tor TINS was deemed the time To make a
Show Of force and every man of the party
was on the embankmeut, and his WeaDon
was pointed at the boat. This had the de
sired effect and our victory was an easy one
for they came directly toward us in the
slack water above the embankment They
claimed to be hunters and were still GualtinT
with dread, saying they did not know Of a
human being within 20 miles and were
nearly scared TO death when they heard n
voice from the wilderness and saw so many
men IN such an outof-the-way place when
the rlver was at its highest, and right away
they wanted 20 know how we got there and
Wnere We were going. They seemed TO
thlnk our presence there little less than
supernatural.
The Captain told them what he wanted
ana SAID they were our prisoners and must
give up their guns. They had a hatchet
III the boat and the men were set TO cutting
grapeYlnes to make a cable 10 be used in
towing our horses across. Our prison ers
took turns rowing the boat. Part of the
men We're ferried across and then began
crossing the horses.
The first trip we tried to take two horses
: oyer, and nearly succeeded in swamping
the boat and drowning its crew. The cur
rent was so strong that the horses drifted
down stream almost a mile before they
Struck bottom and were able TO walk After |
thus only one horse was taken at q time. |
and, DO our best, we could not make land |
ing within less than half mile below the |
smbankment, where each horse was taken |
u charge by men mounted on the horses ]