Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-10-12
The Arrows Flew Very Near Them.

was built for the horses, and the DO,
were told they could ride old Hanni-
bal, who was big, clumsy old horse,
but very gentle. They used to climb
to his back with a ladder One boy
would grasp him by the name and the
other would put his arms around his
brother, and away they would go over
the prairies, but Indians had never
bothered them, so their father and
mother felt it was safe for them to
ride alone.
One day, after they had been there
about year, their father had to go to
the nearest town, which was many
miles away, and could not return be-
fore the next day, but their mother
did not feel afraid, she had been there
so long without seeing the Indians.
The boys rode a short distance with
their father and then turned back, but
the days were so nice they did not go
directly home. Old Hannibal trotted
along. enjoying it as much as the boys
did, when all at once he made a queer
whinnying noise, and the boys saw
that he trembled.
They did not know that horses could
scent Indians, but they felt that some
thing was wrong. Old Hannibal gal
loped toward home, the boys clinging
on as well as they could, when "whiz!
Whit" something few past them.
'.ank, who was behind, turned and
raw short distance from them three
or four Indians. He did not tell John,
but told him to make old Hannibal
go faster.
'Whiz! Whit" came again, and this
time the arrows flew very near them.
Are the Indians after us?" asked
John.
Yes" said Frank; hang on and we
may get away" but their little hearts
were beating fast
The mother had been watching the
boys through spyglass, and saw by
the way old Hannibal acted that some
thin was the matter. Then she saw
the Indians. She went in and bar
ricaded the door, for the poor mother
knew the boys would not have
chance of escape if the horse stopped
at the house, and her only hope was
that he would gallop on to the town,
some miles beyond. but even she did
rot think the boys would be alive.
Then she prayed.
Meanwhile the boys were near the
barn, and Whit" again came the ar
rows. This time they felt a sharp
pain, and just then old Hannibal ran
into the barn.
The Indians came up behind them,
looked around the barn, shook the
door of the cabin, looked in the win
dow and for some unknown reason did
not break down the door. They may
have thought the place deserted, as
were the boys, and why did the In
dams give up looking for them?
The mother saw from her hiding
place that the Indians were going
away and taking old Hannibal with
them. But where were the boys?
She did not dare think what had hap
pened to them. After long time she
unbarred the door and went into the
barn. John! Frank" she called.
Then she listened. Did she hear some
one say Mother? Yes. it came from
under the floor. Again she called. and
this time she heard very plainly.
Mother. here we are under the floor"
And there they were. AS old Han
nibal bounded into the stable the BOYS
fell from his back and rolled INTO a
| hole in the floor, and falling on the
soft dressing under the stable they
| had in some miraculous way escaped
the eyes of the Indians
The mother took a ladder and soon
reached them. but they were pinned
I together by an arrow through the flesh
/ on their thin shoulders. The people
who lived on the prairies in those Gays
/ knew how to do al sorts OF things.
and the mother soon removed the
/ row and dressed the wounds Then
/ she knelt and thanked the One who