Year: 1863

plains outspreading before them-''I'm
minded to think, my lad, that we've
nearly outdistanced the enemy, and our
chances for life are improving day b..
day. We must be nearl V down, as |
reckon, to the level of the sea, where the
red skins amt near as ferocious as they
be in the mountains; but if We are all
on US marked men but one, and you or |
must bite the dust afore We near the
settlements, want you, BaSl, to make
an oath with me that whoever Of Us
survives this unlucky trip Will avenge
them that has fallen


Basil gave the oath required with un-
usual feryor, his own father being among
the fallen. He had himself been to
Jake as dearly loved brother, and Ell
ther felt that if the other should fall it
would be the worst hap that could be-
fall him.


The foreboding which had prompted
the request of the older hunter proved
only too correct. The morning found
them closely hemmed in by the treach
erous foe, who, aware that all but two
of their intended victims had persisted,
made the valley re-echo to their shrlll
cries and demoniac laughter, and the
dull humping of the Indian drums.


Availing themselves of every shrub
and projecting rock, the two friends
managed to keep the red skins at bay,
and many stalwart savage bit the dust
until their path was marked by Indian
corses. The prospect in favor of their
deliverence was fair and both would
probably have escaped without further
harm, had not Basil, leaping upon
rock, during prolonged pause in hos
tilities, to ascertain their exact position,
received bullet fair in his side. He
fell and Jake received him in his out
stretched arms. An ominous silence
ensued. Not twenty PAGES distant,
rapid river, clear and crystal cold,
whirled its eddying tide. Cautiously,
and with the feeling of man who is
aware that scarcely hairs breadth
separates the boundaries of life and
death, Jake drew the body of his COM
rade to the stream. He had cut rude
raft from the cedar boughs, and covered
it with 4 hedging of leaves, in imitation
of the masses of brush that were already
sweeping by on the current, and was
silently swimming down the river, guld-
ing before him the little raft, with his
acoutremcnts and those of his friend
thereon, while the savages, like kennel
of well-trained hounds, ran hither and
thither bowling with disappointment,
and concluding that their prey had es-
capped by making a double towards the
mountains, retraced their steps with the
same precaut:on as before.


Meanwhile Jake had succeeded in
propelling his model craft, with the aid
Of the rapid stream to a spot far below
the point of escape. Here an eddy
swung it out of the current, and, having
satisfied himself that he was not pur-
sued, the hunter drew the body of his
companion ashore. He had hardly
done so, and turned his raft adrift, whom
from behind fallen tree arose and stood
before him tall and straight as an ar
row, but nude=as an Apollo, an Indian
of class to which he had hitherto been
a stranger. The skin was very da,k-
dark as mahogony-and the hair, black
as ink, hung in tangled locks about his
neck and face; while from beneath this
covert, two eyes like living Goals shot
forth their glances with an expression
which made it difficult to decide wheth-
er the owners feelings was one Of wei
come or the opposite. 1t was the first
time Jake had ever seen a Digger, and
with the superstition somewhat common
to his fraternity, he was at first some
what alarmed.


He had no cause for fear. The In
dian, with mutterod exclamation, eli
yu, white man - and the usual gesture
of friendship, knelt down by the body,
put his ear the heart, felt it with his
hand, and plucking some herbs rapidly
made poultice. and applied it to the
wound.


In the meatime other footsteps were
heard approaching; and all at once Jake
to his surprise, found himself surround
ed by white men, most of whom were
dressed in hunter fashion, like himself,
but without the blanket. One or two
were attired in slashed trousers and
jackets, and broad sombreros, and spoke
the Spanish tongue as Jake had heard
1t spoken at Santa Fe.


Hunters, and in trouble" said the
leader of the partly man Of middle
height. slightly inclined to corpulency,
and having about him the air of mil
tary man. From what country?"


''From Santa Fe," replied Jake, who
became very voluble as soon as he found
himself among friends. And in few
words he described to his questioner all