News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-12-11

Now, in the name of all the gods, will
risEing their lives in these useless at
tempts? What is to happen now? l
scowled an order to the boy to go
away, but he paid no attention to it.
Something came sliding along the
ground and lodged against me. The
guard heard it, started, cast a quick
! glance at me. then about him, but,
seeing nothing, relapsed into his for
mer quietude. felt for what had
struck me and clasped jackknife.
Meanwhile Buck disappeared, but,
soon appearing again in his place, held
up carbine. He had doubtless stolen
| 1t from one of the men who slept on
the edge of the circle about the fire.
Again he disappeared, and l watched
eagerly for his return. The guard was
still awake, though nodding, but had
he been more watchful he would not
likely have discovered Buck, for the
underbrush, both where the boy ap-
| peared to me and where it skirted the
! sleeping guerrillas, was so thick that
in passing around the camp he was
comparatively safe from observation.
Besides for most of the distance Buck
traversed in his gun foray the guards
back was toward him.
/ watch the point where Bucks head
appeared, expecting to see it again,
but in its stead presently see two white
points. Straining my eyes, l discern
the whites Of two eyes, then a black
face.
1t is Ginger. A white line APPEAR
directly below the eyes, and he is show
ing his teeth in a smile. He raises his
arm, and behold, another gun! Again
a white line of teeth, and he puts the
weapon down. Five, 10, IS minutes
elapse. Ginger holds his ground Has
he gone to sleep? No. Another five
minutes, and he holds up another gun.
All, | see. Little Buck, with catlike
tread, is gathering in the arms. That's
well. He is far better fitted for such
delicate work than a stiff old negro.
The little pantomime begins to take
shape in my mind and bring anticipa-
tons Of more than a fight for my own
| life. If | can escape and Buck and
| Ginger secure sufficient arms, it may
be possible for all our party to get to-
! gether and make a defense. | must
tell Ginger to get some ammunition.
| But with a guard looking straight at
me it is no easy task to convey an
order by signs. and that to a stupid
negro. Catching sight of a small stone
beside me, put out my hand yawning
to conceal my intention, let it fall on
the stone and soon had it between the
knuckle of my thumb and the point of
my fOrefinger, as a boy holds a marble.
Watching till the guards head is turn
ed, looking meaningly at Ginger, l fire
the stone a short distance, hoping he
will understand the word "ammuni-
ton" His face is a blank; it is evil
dent that he does not know what
mean, and there is no prospect of his
getting it through his thick skull.
Ginger turned away, and l knew that
he was speaking to his young master;
then Bucks white face showed itself
inquiringly behind the negros black
one l looked meaningly at Buck and
repeated the motion of firing. He
caught my meaning and, taking up a
! gun, made a motion as if ramming a
cartridge, looking at me inquiringly. |
indicated that he was right He went
away and after a long absence came
back and held up four cartridges, two
in each hand. Then, putting down the
boxes, he held up three fingers, and
knew that they had secured three guns.
He next held up four fingers of the
other hand, pointing to the sleeping
guerrillas and l knew he proposed to
get one more gun.
Buck was a long while capturing the
fourth gun. One of the men awoke
yawned sat up and looked into the
fire, yawned again, lay down and was
soon snoring. Then the guard got VI
from where he was sitting. There was
a slight sound in the bushes, and he
listened attentively. Then he put some
wood on the fire and sat down again
He had scarcely seated himself before
Ginger held up the fourth gun.
/ moved slightly, showing my friends
by my manner that / was about to tr!
to get away. They appeared to under