The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 211: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 205 me expressive glances whenever our hostess chanced to have her back turned towards us. ~ ‘« Never, until that moment, had my senses been awakened to the danger which I now suspected to be about me. ‘‘T returned glance for glance to my companion, and rested well assured that whatever enemies | might have, he was not one of the number. ‘“‘] asked the woman for my watch, wound it up, and, under pretense of wishing to see how the weather might be, took up my gun and walked out of the cabin. ‘IT slipped a ball into each barrel, put new caps on the nipples, and, returning to the hut, gave a favourable account of my observations. ‘I took a few bear skins, made a pallet of them, and, calling my faithful dog, lay down with my gun close to my side. ‘In a few minutes, to all appearance, I was fast asleep. ‘‘A short time elapsed when some noises were heard, and, from the corner of my eyes, I could see two athletic youths making their entrance, bearing a dead stag upon a pole. “They disposed of their burden, and, asking for whisky, helped themselves most freely to it. “ Observing the wounded Indian, they asked who I was, and why he—meaning the Indian—was in the house. “The mother, for so she proved to be, bade them speak less loudly, made mention of my watch, and took them to a corner of the room where a conver- sation took place, the purport of which required little shrewdness in me to guess, “T tapped my dog gently. ‘“He moved his tail, and, with indescribable delight, I saw his fine eyes fixed upon me, and then raised upon the trio in the corner, “I felt that he perceived danger in my situation. “The Indian cast a glance at me. “The lads had eaten and drank themselves into such a condition that I had already looked upon them as half mad, and the frequent visits of the whisky bottle to the mouth of their mother, I hoped, would soon reduce her to the like state. ‘Judge of my astonishment when I saw this fiend take a large carving knife, and go to the grindstone to whet its edge. “Her task finished, she walked to her reeling sons, and said, “<< There, that’ll soon settle him, boys; kill the white-face, and then for the watch.’ ‘““T turned, cocked my gun quietly, tapped my ' companion, and lay ready to shoot the first one that attempted my life. “The moment was fast approaching, and that night might have been my last had not Providence made preparations for my rescue, “ All was ready. “The infernal hag was advancing slowly, whilst her sons were enyaged with the Indian. J **] was several times on the eve of rising and shooting her on the spot, but she was not to be punished thus, ‘The door suddenly opened, and there entered two stout travellers, each with a long rifle on his shoulder. I bounded upon my feet, and made them heartily welcome, told them how well it was for me that they should arrive at such a moment. The tale was told in a minute, the drunken sons were secured, but the woman rushed from the house like a deer, and ran to the woods. ‘‘ We all fired, and in the distance we could see her fall, and believed her to be dead. © “ The friendly Indian who had warned me, fairly danced for joy, and, as he conld not sleep for pain, he made us understand that he would watch over us, “You may suppose we slept much less than we talked. “The two strangers, like myself, were belated travellers, but they were more fortunate than my- self, for they had horses, and I had not. “Time passed, and I composed myself to sleep as best I could. ‘But still I could see that our friendly Indian was very uneasy, and he lay upon the floor with his ear to the ground. “One of my companions was a rough, bold, ad- venturous devil ; and swore he could not sleep in the cabin. ‘‘ And despite all we could door say, he unpacked a hammock he carried with him, and slung it be- tween two trees, ‘‘ Into this he climbed, and the night being fair, and with brilliant moonlight, he was soon fast asleep. “The Indian towards three or four o’clock in the morning suddenly started up. “His eyes flashed with fire, as he came and roused me, saying, ‘© Tp, white face ; up.’ ‘“T rose instantly, and seized my gun. ‘My faithful dog would have rushed out. ‘But I had to hold him back with all my strength. “«¢ What's up?’ “<The woman you thought killed is alive.’ “¢The devil she is,’ said I; ‘why three of us fired at her.’ ““« And you saw her fall.’ “ ¢Of course I did.’ “Bot she’s not dead for all that,’ said the Indian. ‘Keep back your dog; if he barks or growls, all will go bad with us.’ “*¢ What do you mean?’ said I. “‘She has run to a neighbouring tribe, and brought back a dozen warriors with her,’ “* « Monstrous !’ “* Keep quiet, I say.’ ““¢ Where are they? We shall all be murdered in cold blood !’ “<Not if you follow my advice. Wake up your friend as quietly as possible ; make no noise,” “< What, the one outside, sleeping in the ham- mock ?’ “No; let him alone. If we are seen moving about to the door, or heard making any noise, it will defeat my plans,’ ~ “¢¢ What plans?’ “Why, to have revenge on the maniac woman and her Indian followers.’ ‘<¢ What shall we do, then?’ ““¢ Both of you remain as quiet as mice; load your guns and revolvers.’ < Well?’ ©‘ Hach of you take his post near a crack in the beams, and when I give the word, fire as fast as possible.’ ‘““¢ But where is this she-devil?’ said I, still in doubt. “‘¢ Yonder,’ said the Indian, pointing through a crack ; ‘don't you see her long hair and haggard face?’ ‘‘¢Yeg,’ said my companion, ‘she is brandishing a long knife, and is followed by two villainous- looking redskins. They are stealthily approaching the hut, and intent on murdering my friend in the hammock.’ (See cut in No, 24.) “« But I only see three Indians with her,’ said I. ««T know you do,’ said the Indian, in a whisper ; conmiclooks CO