Ned in the Block-House

've got

keep

ting at a noble buck that stood in the middle of a natural clearing or opening, with head upraised and

er target could have been offered. He was facing the youth, who aimed at the

wn. There was not a week's difference in their ages, each having been born four years before the immortal Declaration of Independenc

down as he was of "barking" the gray squirrel, when it chirped its mimic

ing to a close, and they had eaten nothing since morning. They were eager to reach the block-house, known as Fort Bridgman, and scarcely allo

e trigger was pulled. When, therefore, the African saw the long brown barrel pointed fo

ious bound, dashed straight toward the fallen tree behind whi

s to reach the game ahead of his companion. He would have succeeded if the oak had lain somewhat nearer the ground. As it w

puzzled over what was certainly an extraordinary occurrence; for although he had aimed at the buck, pulle

n the pan." When he saw the frantic leap and fall of the animal, he supposed, as a matter of course, it had been killed by the bullet of his young master; and if the latter ha

out Ned, as he ran up behind Blos

lossom, who was bent on having his meal without any unnecessary del

d, more determined on solving the my

at you did-no

pected flirt of his head, bringing his antlers against the boy with such violence that he was thrown backward several feet. When B

, and the negro approached him agai

to the pan; "you p'inted dat gun ob yours at de buck, and as he war lookin' dis way he seed you frough de bushes, and he knowed it war no use; so he j

made it, but not his listener, who knew that

at the moment the animal seemed to have received its death-wound,

gave him a suspicion of the true cause. The game lay on its side, and that whi

nd the lad, wondering why he

n arrow, to which the eagle's feather was attached. The flinty head had been driven clean through the he

w it is shot; so that, with such a formidable weapon dividing t

ed. He stooped over, staring at it a moment, a

int any place for

e negro lad caught up his gun and made a dash for the prost

ne red man at least was close at hand; and when the American Indian was encountered in the Kentucky or O

of the arrow, for he had been instructed, from the first day he carried a gun, that, after disch

tell the direction whence the missile came, from the position of the game when struck; but the penetrating

o be secretive in all he does; and many a time has his most destruc

s an inevitable certainty, he and Blossom were at their mercy. If they chose to send in a shower o

Ned looked at it, the two were already as good as prisoners, and the Indians were only keeping in the background for a

aught him was the only wise course in such a trying time. He stooped over the carcase of the deer, and carefully cutti

ble, and the sensation of expecting every minute an Indian arrow driven into his back

hrew himself behind the tree, where he lay still. He was strongly led to this course b

a husky whisper, as his friend walked ar

trying to run away from them. There must be a war party, and when they are

was very nervous while gathering wood and giving what assistance he could. He continually glanced around him

the venison not quite so fresh, but they were glad enough to get it as it was; and when they sprinkled some of the salt and peppe

expected to feel unrestrained happiness when surrounded by a party of treacherous red men, who are likely t

n masticated and swallowed the last morsel of the liber

se, when the boys arose to their feet, uncertain wh

Now and then a few flakes of snow drifted on the air for some minutes before fluttering to the ground. Everything betokened the coming of winter, and, though it was the royal season for game, yet there was something so impressive in

te after they rose from their supper. "If dem Injines don't want

it was one that had presented itself to Ned

e boys belonged to a large party of white hunters and scouts, and had with

f the hands of the red men until then there was goo

scussing or thinking over the

ered to Blossom, "and

uld without impeding the power to walk, and then ran directly from th

The negro had quick eyesight, and once when he turned his head he saw something flutter in the forest behind hi

cheek and over the shoulder of the crouching Ned Preston. The African had scarcely time

ad was buried in the bark; the shaft, with the eagle's feather, stil

eed that the two might well pause and ask themselves whether it was worth their while to run from such an unerring archer

leeing from danger. They scarcely halted, therefore, for one glance at the significant missile, when