The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-27
CHAPTER XIV.
IN WHICH A RATCHET SINGS A MAN
To SLEEP

In WHICH A HATCHEI SINGS "A MAN
TO SLEEP.
In such coil as this I'd looped about me
there was nothing for it, as it seemed. but
to draw the steel and die as a soldier
should. So 1 broke cover on the forest side
of the holly thicket with a yell as fierce as
theirs and picked a tree to set my back
against and ran for it.
1 never reached the tree. In midcareer.
when all the Cherokee wolf pack was burst
ing through the holly tangle at my heels.
two men, a white man and an Indian, ran
in ahead. as 1 supposed to cut me off. Just
then the dry roof of the hunting lodge
roared af1ame. reddening the forest far and
near. The light was at my back and on
the faces of the two who ran to meet me.
great sob swelled in my throat and
choked me, but ran the faster. For these
were my dear lad and the friendly Cataw-
ba charging CALAMITY to cover my retreat.
1t was ready help in time of need. They
ran in bravely, the chief ahead. twirling
his tomahawk for the throw, with Dick a
pace to right and rear, his two great pistols
brandished and the grandsire of all the
broadswords dangling by thong at his
wrist
Follow the chiefr" he shouted in passing
and at the word the Ca;awba stopped short
sent his Ratchet whistling into the yapping
pack behind me and swerved to run aside
and point the way for me.
- Left to myself hope 1 should have had
the grace to stand with Jennifer. But at
the turning point of indecision the quick
witted Indian read my thought, and snatch
ing the sword from my hand gave me no
choice but to follow him.
So L ran with him, but as fled 1 looked
behind and saw sight to put the ancient
hero tales to the blush. One man against
twoscore my brave Dick stood, while
through the underwood the mounted SOL
diery came to make the odds still greater.
He never flinched for all the hurting
missiles sent on ahead to cut him down nor
gave a glance aside to where the horsemen
were deploying to surround him. AS
looked the two great pistols belched in the
in the momentary check the firearms made
the basket-hilted claymore went to work,
rising and falling like weaver's beam
] saw NO more, but some heart-bursting
minutes later when Jennfer came racing
on behind to share the flight his heroic
stand had made a possibility the swelling
sob choked me once again, and when L
thought of what this his rescue of me
meant to him 1 could have blubbered like
q boy
But there was little time or space to give
remorse an inning. The Cherokees, checked
but for the moment, were storming holly
at our heels. And as we ran L heard the
shouted command of Falconnet to his
mounted men: "A rescue! Right oblque,
and head them in the road! Gallop, you
devilsi"
We ran in Indian file, I at the chiefs
heels and Jennifer at mine. 1 followed the
Catawba blindly, and being as yet little
better than half a man in breath and
muscle. was well nigh spent before we
crashed down through a tangled briar
thicket into the river road.
We were in time, but with no fraction
of minute to spare. We could hear the
pad-pad-pad of the light-footed runners
close upon us, following now by the noise
we made, and on our left the air was trem-
bling to the thunder of the mounted men
coming at a break-neck gallop down 1.-The
road.
Thank Godr' says Richard, with quick
eyeshot to right and left in the lesser gloom
of the open. II was afeard the chief might
miss the place in the dark. Down the bank
to the river!-quick, man, and cautious!
If they smell us out now we're no better
than buzzard meat" And when we reached
the waters edge: You taught me how to
paddle a pirogue. Jack; hope you haven't
lost the knack of it yourself
NO." said 1. and the three of us slid the
followed log into the stream.
We were afioat in shortest order, hold
/ ing the canoe against the current by cling
inc m the oyerhanqing trees that fringed