Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1906-08-08

Penny! What had become of him .
To Morse it suddenly seemed hours
since the attack. His plucky comra1e
must be s%trangling, signalling in vain
to be given air Or be drawn from lis
deadly peril.
Morse Sroaned aloud. 1t seemed as
if he could see the lifeline jerking
where it hung from the platform.
Penny never stayed down longer than
eight minutes, and the air was kept
circulating constantly. BY now what
was his fate? Morse tried to reckon
the time since the helper had fled
from the pump.
The g~esticulating warriors about
the pump guessed that the apparatus
was part of the gringos' mining out.
fit. Perhaps a load of treasure was
on the end of those two lines. They
had already seized the gold box in the
tent, along with the supplies.
Morse and Victoria, beneath the
beat, their chins just at the water
level, so quiet that no ripple be-
trayed their presence, saw three Of
the Indians grasped the lifeline and
leap off the platform Upon the sand
bar across the creek. Then half a
dozen bucks took the rope ana
dragged it slowly up the beach. The
squaws in the %plundered camp
screamed and laughed approval, and
then up through the shoaling water
of the creek there appeared the
dams ever secured.
The diver came SPRAYING through
the sand, huge and helpless at the
end Of the line.
There was a yell Of establishment
from the o%nlookers. The party hold
ing the rope Stacked a bit, and Penny
fell in the shadows. Then seeing the
frightful thing struggling to its feet,
alive, huge, and menacing, it's bulk
reflected in the ripples, the Indians
shrank back in terror.
Penny staggered up a black, shining
monster, the sun rejecting from his
%nead-piece, the great staring eyes full
on the awe-stricken Indians, his hands
raised to free himself Of the trailing
air tube and lines.
The Indians gazed one instant with
dumb fright at this terrible being.
One warrior only, safe across the
creek, retained his senses, and fired
shot after shot at the manlike inhac-
liant of the dark pool. Penny rolled
on and fell forward near the party.
Like a scurrying Of autumn leaves
every last red man fled to the brush
Of the creek bed; the squaws dropped
pots and pans, and biscuit boxes in
the ashes of the camp, and followed.
When Morse threw the boat from his
shoulders with a shout, the last In
dian was scaling the bluff back of the
tent with a howl of terror.
Morse plunged into the creek,
swimming across to where Penny
rolled in the sand, trying to unscrew
his face-plate and kicking his leaden
shoes wildly about. Morse thought
he was writhing in a death-agony.
The big Yankee vas choking and
black in the face when the helmet
came off, but when he could get his
breath he roared in anger at the
startled trio who had gathered about
him.
You fellows all gone crazy?" &c
shouted. Shut off the air and nearly
pull me in two, will you? Yank ne
out across this bar like I was a T.
fish, hey? And who did the shootin'?
Mighty nice joke to put up on ?
Joke nothing!" said Morse. "The
joke was all ON a pack of Indians,
and you missed the whole thing!!"
Penny had nearly strangled, and
had been unable to see anything
when he was hauled ashore 1t had
really not been more than ten min
utes, however, from the time the
pump was stopped till his face-plate
was removed, and the air in his dress
had been sufficient to keep him alive
and conscious. Through the tw1l1ed
rubber of his dress were two bullet
holes. Morse INDUCED in roars OF
laughter as he explained, while they
dressed Victories shoulder and re-
stored the disordered camp.
I'VE got five guns from that bunch
of Indians" said he, land I guess
when this story gets around, you
can't get a red on these creek dig
gings for love or money!"-Youth's
Companion.
P,Ihhar