River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-08-29
the dark forms Of men pressed in be-

tween US.
stop it, you hotheads!" some one
commanded grufHy. Hold your man,
Tolston, until get at the reason for
this fighting. Who are you? Oh,
Grant! What's the trouble now? The
old thing, eh?"
/ had no desire to wait his answer.
confident that Grant was sufficiently
angry to blurt out everything he knew.
They were all facing his way, actu-
ated by the recognition. Breathless
still, yet quick to seize the one and
only chance left, grabbed up my
jacket from the grass, and sprang into
the darkness. had gained a hundred
feet before those behind grasped the
meaning Of my unexpected flight, and
then the tumult Of voices only sent
me flying faster, realizing the pursuit.
The only open passage led directly
toward the river, and / raced through
the black night down the slope as
though all the fiends of hell were aft
er me. l heard shouts, oaths, but
there was no firing, and was far
enough ahead to be invisible by the
time / attained the bank. An open
barge lay there, mere black smudge,
and l stumbled blindly across this.
dropping silently over its side into the
water. 1t was not thought, but breath
less inability to attempt more, which
kept me there, clinging to slat on
the side of the barge, SO completely
submerged in the river, as to be in
visible from above. Swearing fierce
ly, my pursuers stormed over the
barge, swinging their swords along
the edges to be sure / was not there.
One blade pricked me slightly, but
held on, sinking yet deeper into the
stream / could see the dim outline
of heads peering over. but was not dis
covered. The same gruff voice which
had interrupted the duel broke through
the noise:
81 tell you he turned to the left;
saw him plainly enough. What did
you say the fellows name was.
Grant,"
"How do l know? He called himself
Fortesque."
Sure; the same one Carter was
sent out hunting after. Well, he
lodged down there among those coal
sheds. This is the only way he could
have disappeared 80 suddenly. Come
on, all of you, except Moore and Car
taret, and Wen beat the shore"
! heard them scramble across to the
bank, but there were sounds also
proving the guards left behind were
still on the deck above me. Then one
of the fellows sat down on the edge of
the barge, his feet dangling within
few inches of my head.
Might as well take it easy, BILL" he
said lazily. They're like to be an
hour layin' hands on the lad, an all
we got to do is see he don't fox back
this way. Got any tobacco. mater"
The other must have produced the
necessary weed, for there was a scrap
ing of flint and steel, CLEAN of fire
glinting on the water, and then the
pungent odor waited to me in puff OF
smoke. With one hand, lunbuckled
my sword belt, letting 1t, sword and
all. sink silently into the river
must cross to the opposite bank some
how, and would have TO dispense with
the weapon. Inch by inch, my fingers
gripping the narrow slat to which
chung, / worked slowly toward the
stern of the barge. making not so
much as a ripple in the water, and
keeping we'll hidden below the bulge
of the side. The voices above droned
along i'll conversation. of which l
caught a few words.
WHO was he? You mean the lad
they're after down yonder? Oh, mind
now, you came up later after we'd
started the chase. Holy Mother,
don't know much myself, now I come
to think Of it. He looked like Brit
isher, what / saw of him, an ne was
fightin' with a Captain of Rangers
Grant was the name; maybe you know
the man ?--behind one OF the stands"
They'll never get him." returned
the other solemnly.
Because it's my notion he swum
for it. l was closest down the bank.
an somethin' hit the water"
But them's the Jerseys over yon-
der: if he was spy he'd be headin'
the other way"
Its little he'd think of the way
with the gang of us yelpin' at his
heels. Besides, there's plenty of his
kind over in those Jerseys who'd take
good care of the likes of him."
"But there's a guard stationed
across yonder"
'Pish, corporars squad. just about
opposite at the ferry landin'. an q
company of Yagers down at Glouces-
ter. There's plenty room between for
a bold lad to find free passage"
The two fell silent, staring out over
the water. They had set me thinking.
however, and this knowledge OF where
the British pickets were stationed was
exactly the information most re
quired. / had no desire to cross the
Delaware, yet apparently in that di-
rection lay the only remaining avenue
of escape.
AT the lower end of the float I man.
aged to silently remove my boots. and
then waited. listening to the move
ments of the men above. must have
chung there ten minutes, expecting
every moment the party securing the
shore would return, yet not daring to
make the venture with those fellows
sitting there. and silently gazing out