The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-06-24
A FRONTIER HERO.

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raid would be made, because he did
not know when the expected tribes
would arrive but he was certain that
day, In fact
Hugh, I'll tell you what We'll do"
John said to his brother. you take
old Doll and follow father up. You'll
be pretty sure to overtake him some
where on the road. I'll go down the
river to ST. Mary's and let the folks
there know what to look out for"
Cant do it." said Jim Grow. "In-
jun both sides river, all along road,
clear down to big bend"
The "big bend" was about ten miles
away, half way of the distance, by
river, to st. Mary's. Once beyond that,
according to Jim Crows knowledge of
the situation, there would be no danger
likely to befall the traveller, but the
question was, how to get beyond 1t. 1t
seemed that the Indians had camps
on both sides of the river between Mr.
Sanford's place and the "big bend"
where the roads ran over which set
If they became frightened and sought
safety in flight
Jim Crow was evidently in a rather
nervous condition of mind, for he was
anxious to be gone. He had risked
a great deal in doing what he had to
warn of the danger ahead the white
family who had befriended him, and
he did not care to arouse the suspicion
of his red brothers. Therefore he made
his visit a brief one, and disappeared
In the forest
81 can't bear to think of letting the
Indians kill off everybody at ST. Mary's
without trying to do something to
warn them of their danger" said John.
IF l could only get beyond the big
bendr'
Just then tree-top came floating
down the river, close to the shore
where they were standing. Many of
its branches were above the water,
and so thick were they that one could
not see through them.
A plan flashed through the boys
brain. Why could he not conceal him
self amoDg the branches of the tree.
top and drift down the river in til
The Indians along the shores would
not be likely to ssupect that it gave
shelter to anyone They probably. were
not suspicious. or on the lookout as
yet believing, as no doubt they did
that the whites had no anticipation OF
trouble ahead.
"I'll do It," he decided, and he jump
ed into a boat and rowed out into the
river after the tree-top, which he sue
ceeded in pushing up against the bank
where it anchored itself among the
bushes, temporarily.
He explained his plan to Hugh
t you'll have no trouble in getting
away without any help from me-" b,
said. Its all clear in that direction
If what Jim Grow said is so. SO
, shant worry any about you, and yot
, needn't worry any about yourself"
t They saddled old Doll, and John saw
! his brother ride away, wondering 4
fate would ever bring them together
again. Then he climbed out upon tn,
tree-tOp, and let himself down among
! its branches, with the lower part of hi
: body in the water, which was warm
and not at all unpleasant to come il
contact with. He found that he coulC
/ very easily support himself by throw
ing his arms over the branches of tn,
3 tree-top in such a manner that moth
: ing but his head would be out Of water
He pushed the novel craft away from
e shore and presently it caught the cur
. rent and swung out into the stream.
t AS nearly as he could calculate tn
: stream had a current OF about mil
an hour. 1t was now past shutdown
D and dusk was setting in. There woul,
] be about eight hours of comparativ
4 darkness in his favor, and allowin
e his calculations of the movement o
i the current to be correct, they woul
b take him well along toward the Obi
y bend"
j, 1t must have been nearly midnigh
( before he came upon any indication O
g the enemy. Then he saw the ficke
d Of camp fires here and there along tn
shores. By and by they were left b,
Il hind, but presently he came upon oti
n ers. These he passed safely, and a
the first red CLEANS OF dawn began I
e show In the east he felt quite sur