The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-15


flint and fuse apparatus sold in the stores
of mining camps. Others began to over
haul the unloaded stores, and, of course,
Immediately took possession of the whisky
keg, which announced its contents by its
exhalations. They smelled of it by turns,
with plain indications of joyful anticipa-
tion.a.' With an old bayonet one of them
carried at the point of maGuey stick
as lance. they knocked in the stopper of
the faucet hole. An Apache will drink
liquor regardless of circumstances. sim
ply because he cannot resist the tempta-
ton and has not the moral stamina for
moderate general drunk" was there
fore soon under way. They drank from
gourd at first, but having discovered
saucepan among the unloaded articles,
they kept that filled and passed it around.
One Of them approa ched the prisoners and
offered them a piece Of half-coOked meat:
but neither Hank nor Yank had any appe-
tite Just them Upon this after having
examined their bands, found securely tied
the Indians left their prisoners in peace.
or course, they knew what would be their
lot when they. would reach the rancheria
and its squaws, to whom they would be
turned over for torture.
THE cAPToRs ARE LOADED.
The liquor, recklessly imbibed, soon be-
came more and more hilarious, and acted
like a lot Of fools. They had opened the
boxes Of fireworks, had taken them prob
ably for kind Of fancy candy, had brok.
en- some of the red sticks (Roman candles)
and tried to eat them, but promptly aban.
doned that undertaking. Some had fag-
tened punches of frecrackers around their
ankles, wrists and necks, in imitation Of
the anklets, wristlets and necklaces they
adorn themselves with during their cere-
monial festivities at which they dance.
One had managed to fasten upon his head
a wheel made of powder-filled cylinders,
and wore it as q headdress. Hank said
afterward that "the monkeyshines these
fellows cut with that apparatus would
have made a dead man laugh"
Gradually the reaction set in; being now
very drunk, some indeed dead" drunk
they lost control over their motions, and
those that could still assume an upright
position there were only three SUCH stag
gered helplessly about, hugging a wine
bottle.
In their drunken condition the Apaches
allowed the fire to grow larger than If
they had been in sober state. Hank
and Yank were lying side by side, about
eight feet from the fire, and with their
feet toward it, and the boxes of fireworks,
nearly all Of which had been opened, were
piled in a promiscuous heap between the
prisoners and the fire. Behind them was
the slaughtered mule, about which were
strewn some of the Indians knives. Hank
had taken in the situation; he began to
wriggle and slide toward the pile Of fire.
works. When he thought he was near
enough, he whispered to Yank: "Old boy,
now or never; say prayer quick and
knives as soon as shoot then we make
for the mule, the live one over at yon
tree" Yank understood at once.
HANK MAKES A RACKET.
With all the strength Hank could mus.
ter he doubled his legs well up and then
| shot them forth like a catnpult against
| the pile Of fireworks, which fell in pro-
miscuous heap upon the fire. The highly.
indammable material became at once O
mass of sparks, communicating themselves
from package TO package, and created q
pandemonium SURPRISING, at least in va
ciety. that of Dantes Inferno. The rush
ing hither and thither of leaping fry
frogs, the cracking of punches upon
punches of frecrackers, tho whirring Of
wheels and whrligigs, the popping of Ro
man candles, from which issued q multi
tude of variagatcd stars. the kissing Of
rockets flying everywhere, and the fear
full detonations of the so-called japanese
| DouIDsp Wclc tuVuSu " lIIbulcu army
Some Apaches were SO completely DRUM
that they never woke up, but had to b.
pulled upon their feet by the others; thos,
who could still move were sobered all a
once, found their legs. and ran of lik,
people pursued by the evil one, as fast a.
they could, to escape from this incompre
hensibls "bad medicine"
Hank and Ynnk lost no time. The
each soon had a knife between their teetl
and severed their ropes. In another mo
ment they were at the tree untying tn
mule. which was making frantic effort
!. to FREQ himself; they mounted upon hin
and soon gained ground upon which the,
recognized their bearings.
On the following day some OF tn
canned stuff and sundry other articles wa
. recovered by q party sent out for tina
purpose, guided by Hank.
; The celebration took place, perhaps Il
not 80 luxuriously festive q manner q
J intended and provided for, but still to tn
satisfaction Of everybody there. The 10.
: at Hanks and Yank's escape made svery
: body forget the consequences Of tho mis-
hap. These two men were, Of course, tn
lions OF the occasion: they had to dane
: with every woman upon the premises 70
ga rdless of age and looks. Hank had &