The Irish standard., 1902-03-01


and so thick were they that one
could not see through them.
A plan flashed through the boys
brain. Why could he not conceal
himself among the branches of the
trce-top and drift down the river in it?
The Indians along the shores would
not be likely to suspect that it gave
shelter to any one. They probably
were not suspicious, or on the look
out as yet, believing as no doubt they
did, that the whites had no anticipa-
ton of trouble ahead.
"l'll do it," he decided, and he
jumped into boat and rowed out
into the river after the tree-top,
which he succeeded in pushing up
against the bank, where it anchored
itself among the bushes, temporarily.
lie explained his plan to Hugh.
you'll have no trouble in getting
away without any help from me-" he
said. "It's all clear in that direction,
Il what jim Crow said is so. So I
&'an't worry any about you, and you
needn't worry any about yourself"
They saddled old Doll, and John saw
his brother ride away, wondering if
Fate would ever bring them together
again. Then he climbed out upon the
trcc-top. and let himself down among
its branches, with the lower part of
his body in the water, which was
warm, and not at all unpleasant to
come in contact with. He found that
he could very easily support himself
by throwing his arms over The branch
es of the tree-top in such Il manner
that nothing but his head would be
out of the water. He pushed the
novel craft away from the shore and
presently it caught the current and
swung out into the stream.
AS nearly as he could calculate the
stream had n current of about mile
an hour. 1t WAS. now past shutdown,
and dusk was setting in. There would
be about eight hours of comparative
darkness in his favor, and allowing
his calculations of the movement of
the current to be correct, they would
take him we'll along toward the "big
bend"
1t must have been nearly midnight
before he came upon any indication
of the enemy. Then he saw the flicker
of camp fires here and there along the
shores. BY and by they were left be-
hind, but presently he came upon
others. These he passed safely, and
as the first red CLEANS of dawn be-
gan to show in the cast he felt quite
sure that he had got out of the enc
my's country.
But in this he was mistaken, as he
soon found out. AS the tree-top
swung around a little curve in the
stream he saw quite a little village
OF wigwams ahead, on the side of a
hill sloping down to the river. A
careful scrutiny of the camp con-
vinced him that it belonged to one
of the nonresident tribes, and he con-
cluded that it was we'll that his trip
had not been put off until morning,
provided it proved to be n successful
one, of course-for if this were an
other tribe, the union Jim Crow had
spoken of would no doubt be made at
Immediately begun.
He was so intentcly engaged in
watching the camp rs he drifted past
it, that he did not notice the approach
of canoe containing two Indians un-
| til it brushed the branches of the tree
top, as it passed. He would not have
known, then, what Jared his craft,
had not one of the Indians said some
thing, as he put out his paddle and
| gave the tree-top a push. The sound
of the voice made his heart beat hard
and fast, but he held his breath and
did not dare to move as much rs q
finger for Il long time after that
| When he ventured to look around the
camp was out Of sight.
That was the last he saw of any
Indians. But he did not dare to leave
the tree-top yet awhile, for, from all
he knew of the country, there might
be others ahead.
About noon he came in sight of the
first farm. Here was the place for his
work of warning to begin. He man
aged to paddle his craft near the
shore, and pretty soon he stood on
land again.
He lost no time in telling the set
tier his story. An hour later the man
and his family, with John rs passen.
ger, drove toward St. Mary's. They
warned all the settlers along the road
and the frightened men lost no time
in seeking for safer quarters.
ST. Mary's was reached about foul
o'clock. In short time active prep
arations were going forward for the
protection of the town. The womer
and children were put in the places Of
greatest safety, and men were de
tailed to watch for the encmy's ap
proach from all quarters
The Indians did not attack the place
that night. But on the following
night they came, expecting no doubt,
to find it an easy prey to their muir
dcrous methods of warfare. But they
were mistaken. The citizens of the
little town opened fire upon them so
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