The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-05-18
horses neck when an Indian

to say that when he 1Ound himself |
suddenly face to face with the red |
man his mouth opened as wide az did |
his eyes, that the color TED from his
cheeks, that his heart fluttered like
a bird in a cage, and that for a mo-
ment he could not stir.
UGH" grunted the savage, white
boy walk the woods with red broth
err" meaning he would go with him to
Canada.
But Charley was not quite ready to
do that. Stepping back quickly, he
fitted one of his tack-headed arrows
to the string of his bow and dis
charged it full at the Indian
The warrior sprang aside; but he
was not quick enough, for the shaft
had been well aimed. It passed
through his neck, between the skin
and the flesh
Uttering a cry of anger, he leaped
on the boy and caught him by the
throat. He hastily felt for his tom
ahawk, and in the heat of his rage
would undoubtedly have ended the
poor boys career then and there: but.
missing the handle at the first grasp.
he suddenly changed his mind. and.
+ lifting the boy 10 the back of The
gray horse, tied him securely and led
the animal toward the party that was
with the canoe
The two boys exchanged a sorrow
full smile as their captors brought
them together. William had been
placed in the canoe, where there were
two hogs, which the savages had
plundered from a settlement lower
down the river.
These hogs belonged to man
named Sargent. who lived in Walpole.
and he and several of his neighbors
had gone out that very morning in
search of the narauders. They had
tracked the thieves to the river. and
suspecting they might be Indians. had
embarked in a boat and rowed up
stream. hoping to come upon them
unaware and recover their stolen
property.
A little cove shot into the river at
the point where the two boys had
been captured and the stream thus
made a bend around this point of
land The Indians, their canoe and
their horses were on one side of the
bend, and the armed white men in
their boat We're approaching the
other. Just before they turned tie
bend. one of the white men heard the
snort of horse. Surprised at this.
they rested on their oars a moment.
and then rowed on more cautiously
Passing around low. wooded bank.
they saw q sight that made them halt
again. 4 canoe with three Indians in
it was pushing away from the shor~.
They couk see that it was heavily
laden. for it sunk deep into the water
Only one Indian was padding. and
the canoe very slowly advanced into
the middle of the stream.
A fourth Indian had Just. entered
the river with two horses. on this
back of one OF which was white hoy
with his arms pinioned behind him
In the canoe. by the two dead hogs
was PROSTATE figure. which they
had no doubt was another captive
Sargent instantly ordered his party
to fire. They did so. and two of til.
Indians in the canoe fell dead or fatal
ly wounded. The Indian who VA
padding threw down his paddle. ans
plunged info the river. A shot wa
: fired at him. which either killed o
:. disabled him. for he sank. and wa
seen no more.
l The Indian on horseback did no
lift his gun, but very quietly urge
I his horses across the river. Two @
the settlers fred at him. but the oni
/. result was the splashing of his make
skin BY the disturbed water.
Those horses are stolen. and tn
red imps mustn't get away Wit
: them" said Sargent: 'but don't fir
> again. we may iniure the boy"
;, The settlers bent to their oars. an
4 in a few moments swept up alongsit
Il of the struggling horses.
- The savage did not wait for the
to come up. but leaped into the waite
J. and deliberately swan TO the aba
y doned canoe. which was floating Il
or a dozen rods from the New Ham
y shire side. This be clambered int
Io seized the paddle. and began to ste
& it toward the Vermont shore.
After they had seized the hors'
the white men turned their attenti
y to this bold warrior, who seemed {
- termined to escape with the can;
Two of them, who had reloaded. sh
:, at him. but. though both eNpe
:; marksmen. they failed to harm hi
- The close proximity of their bulle
however, forced him to relinquish I
= canoe.
- Holding his rifle above his head. I
undaunted savage swan to the VI
mont shore, and. landing unharm
disappeared in the forest.
- The white men now rowed up
the canoe. which was drifting al
= lessly round and round
Don't shoot. I'm white boy
~ cried q voice, as they approached.
% 1t was poor William. who, with
nc limbs bound with deerskin, was j
~ able to sit up in the canoe.
he "Well. you've saved the horses al
no how; but the colts gone, sure"
rn exclaimed. as he glanced around, 9
- / saw that the horses were secure.