Year: 1867

The night WIS dark as Erebus. Not
star had the power to pierce the
thick pail of clouds that obscurcd the
heavens from horizon to zenith. 1t
seemed as if all nature was hung in
mourning, and the winds amid the tree
tops were playing a dirge, or wailing
and mourning for lost spirits.


Patter, patter, came down the great
drops Of rain upon the broad leaves of
the forest trees, sounding like cIfn
footsteps upon the green canopy Of the
giant oak, that sheltered the Old scout,
BlII Parker, and his young companion,
Walter Haywood.


They had left the fiourishing settle
ment of LakeviIle the day previous to
our bringing them to the readers no
tee, for three days hunt in the forest.
Two days had passed, and the morn
lns's dusk must bring them back to
their friends in the settlement.


Twas seldom, in these troublesome
times, when there was seen a day but
that, along the border, some one fell
beneath the tomahawk Of the red for
est fiends, that Bill Parker left the
neighborhood Of the block house. un-
less it were on the trail of the Indians.
tor Captain Wilkinson considered him
an Indispensable auxiliary to his little
force and, in truth, Bill was a host in
himself, and few were the scouts that
possessed his natural ability in this Pc
cuIiar calling,


For three months not an unfricndlv
red skin had been near the settlement:
and that morning Bill had said to the
captain:


Look a-hcre, captain, there ain't an
ugly mug OF Il red-skin hcreabouts, and
old Bill Parker was never made to rust
out, no more than he was to be killed
10y an Ingin. So | and Walt arc off on
a hunt


But to come back to our friends at
their second night in the forest, with
the rain making music for their cars
amid the wide spreading tree tops.


Well, this is the darkest NIGHT |
ever seen, | believe observed Walter.
as he stretched himself out beside the
old scout, with his head resting on a
root of the oak, that showed itself
above the surface. 1t was still early
IN the evening, but the gloom of the
darkness of midnight reigncd around
them.


Dark? Well, yes; it's darker than
the ink bottle Of old Seth Grant. that
used to law it where come from. away
down iE Old York State. A pizen old
lawyer was he. Would skin you to
cent as quick as an Ingin would take
yer scalp
Suppose there are any redskins
round about here, Bill?'


Can't say; likes not there is. IfI
thought there want we'd build I'D
fire to drive some of the dark away
I'll be cussed if it amt thick enough
to cut with knife


What if we should run the risk. and
build one? The dark is all the better
to sleep in, but this rain will give us
nice soaking before morning.


Look a-here, youngster, if you want
to keep that are tOpnOt of yours on,
you had better let the fire 90. Amin
gin can see a fire through ten miles of
woods and two mountains beside
Guess as how we had better not talk
so loud, for perhaps the ours are prowl-
ing round nearer than we calculate on


An half hour passed, and during the
interval neither spoke. The rain still
came slowly down in great drops, the
pickets Of the numerous army to come.
The wind had entirely died away. Not
a sound broke the stiffness, save the
patter of the rain drops, and the hoot
Of an owl some distance away.


The old scout was snoring away, as
if trying to still the tones of the owl,
but walter found itimpossible to sleep
His eyes persistently refused to stay
closed: and in changing his position
for one more comfortable, he thought
he saw a light glimmcring among the
trees, some half Il mile away. Yes, he
could not be mistaken, it was the light
Of a campfire.


He gently shook his companion.


In a minute, old Bill was wide
awake, upon his feet, with rifle in
hand.