Oak Openings

em savage-

raged fee

forth, 'tis

age was

RA

ning all that the waning fire illuminated. There stood the Chippewa erect against the tree as if still bound with thongs, while the sentinel was slowly approaching him. The dogs were on their feet, and gave two or three sharp barks, which had the effec

ance. Boden was too far from the spot to see all the minor movements of the parties, but there was soon a struggle that could not be mistaken. As the Pottawattamie was examining the prisoner, an exclamation that escaped him betrayed the sudden consciousness that the Chippewa was unbound. The sound was no sooner uttered than Pigeonswing made a grasp at th

ting in painful uncertainty, the sounds of the struggle ceased, and he saw the sentinel rising again into the light, limping like one who had suffered by a fall. Presently he heard a footstep near him, and, calling in a low voice, he was immediately joined by Pigeonswing. Before the bee-hunter was aware of his intention, the Chippewa seized his rifle, and l

uliar sense of honor, risking everything to obtain the usual trophy of victory. By this time, a dozen of the savages stood on the brow of the hill, seemingly at a loss to understand what had become of the combatants. Perceiving this, the bee-hunter profited by the delay and reloaded his rifle. As everything passed almost as swiftly as the electric spark is known to travel, it was but a moment a

f the danger of remaining within the influence of the bright light thrown from the fire. Then came such a clamor from the dogs, as left no doubt in the mind of the bee-hunter that they had scented and found the remains of the fallen man. A

his landmarks, foreseeing the probability of a hasty retreat, and he had no difficulty for some time in keeping in the right direction. But the dogs soon left the dead body, and came bounding across the marsh, disregarding its difficulties; though their plunges and yells soon made it apparent that even they did

ought. Every effort to get out of this thicket, except by the way he had entered it, proved abortive, and the dogs were barking at no great distance in his rear. It is true that these animals no longer approached: for they were floundering in

eached the unfortunate thicket, and having found it, commenced a retreat by the way he had come. Nerve was needed to move almost in a line toward the dogs and their masters; but the nerve

d, in a guarded voice. "This is the s

bout," answered the I

ng off rapidly, now secure in the right direction. "They seem to be in trouble, ju

Pigeonswing. "Pottawattamie got capital sc

h of!" exclaimed le Bourdon. "If we can reach

course, this little preparation burned like the fireworks of a boy, making sufficient light, however, to be seen in a dark night for a mile or more. No sooner was the wetted powder hissing and throwing off its sparks, than the bee-hunter gazed intently into the now seemingly tangible obscurity of the marsh. A bright light appeared and vanished. It was enough; the bee-hunter threw down his own signal and extinguished it with his foot; and, as he

in a moment like that, "and it seems to me that a whole tribe is following at their heels. F

ssion of pleasure even at that perilous moment. As the distance was not great, the three were soon on the beach and near to the canoes. Here they met Dorothy, alone, and pacing to and fro like a person distressed. She had doubtless heard the cl

Where is Gershom?" demanded

sort of manner with which woman struggles to the

half whispered the wife-"he has fall

nes similar to those in which the unpleasant news had just been comm

blame no one; for Bourdon, who never abuses the gifts of Providence, had a right to his

en into his old ways, so as to render himself an incumbrance, instead of being an assistant at such a moment, the fact was to be deplored, but it could only be remedied by time. Luckily they had the Indian with them, and he could manage one of the canoes, while he himself took c

tomed to use, after so long and compelled an abstinence. The jug was now produced, however, and le Bourdon emptied it in the river, to the great joy of the two females, though not without a sharp remonstrance from the Chippewa. The bee-hunter was steady, and the last drop of the liquor of Gascony was soon mingling with the waters of t

ately, if no assistance just then, not any material hindrance to the movements of his friends. By the time le Bourdon and the Chippewa had got their stations, and the canoes were free of the bottom, it was evident by the sounds, that not only the dogs, but divers of their masters, had floundered through the swamp, and were alrea

ectually concealed from those on the beach, had it even been broad daylight, and, of course, were so much more hidden from view under the obscurity of a very dark night. Perceiving this, and fearful that the dip of the paddles might be heard, le Bourdon ceased to urge his canoe through the water, telling the Chippewa to imitate his example, and let the boats drift. In consequence of this precaution the fugitives were still quite near the shore when, first, the dogs, then a party of their masters, came rushing down to

oolly. "T'ink he no great way off-mean to look f

t us here in the canoes, we are so

ed the Chippewa-"beside, shoot him, don't tak

ing now, who seems

mean to put Pigeonswing to torture. Well, let hi

e of importance to learn wh

t do nuttin'-if get good c

and in a low voice; listen, and let us know what

. Then he rendered what had been said into such English as he could command, accompanying

ng must get off in canoe-don't see canoe, nudder-but, muss be canoe, else he swim. T'ink more th

ell his young men to DO?" deman

UR canoe, and carry 'em off-s'pose he swim; dat Chippewa devil swim down stream and get OUR canoe

their canoes before they can get there. The distance by water, owing to this bend in the r

" said Pigeonswing

oncealed the movement, even at noon-day. The fire in the hut served as a beacon, and enabled le Bourdon to find the canoes. When he reached the landing, he could still h

hey yell as if striving to make the two men at the door of the

e-dat all-let 'em come-find two here to take care of

ght, but must set about towing these four canoes off the s

parations to help to remove the canoes, was manifestly reluctant to depart without

are looking to the priming of their rifles. We must be moving, or they may see us, an

und the means of stealing on some of his enemies unawares, and thus secured another trophy. But the bee-hunter was determined, and the Chippewa, however reluctant, was compelled to obe

t in the towing craft, and the lightness of those that were towed, rendered this task, however, easier than it might otherwise have proved. In the course of a couple of minutes all the canoes were far enough from the shore to be out of sight of the two Indians, who, by tha

f the property of le Bourdon; while their loss deprived their enemies of all extra means of motion, and would be very likely to induce them to proceed on their expedition by land. The objects of that expedition could only be conjectured by the bee-hunter, until he had questioned the Chippewa; a thing he did not fail to do, so soon as he believed the party quite safe under the south shore. Here the fugitives landed, proceeding up a natural channel in the wild rice in order to do so, and selecting a bit of dry be

on as interrogated-"no good to hide trail from friend

Pottawattamie went on one path, and you went on another. I wa

uarrel sometime," coolly returned the Indian. "Dis time, pa

n so. I found the body of Elksfoot sitting up against a tree

find sca

ere is little gained by carrying on war in this manner, making the woods, and the openings, and the prai

ive venison to inimy, or go get his scalp, eh? Which

ng women and children. The peace will be made none the sooner betwe

e bury him. Well, let him hide him in a hole deep as white man's well, can't hi

Thus, the very individual who admires the occupation of Algiers, or that of Tahiti, or the attack on Canton, together with the long train of Indian events which have dyed the peninsulas of the East in the blood of their people, sees an alarming enormity in the knocking down of the walls of Vera Cruz, though the breach opened a direct road into San Juan de Ulloa. In the eyes of the same profound moralists, the garitas of Mexico ought to have been respected, as so many doors opening into the boudoirs of the beautifu

throw away that disgusting thing at your belt. Remember, Chippewa,

et drunk like Whiskey Centre, dere? Cheat poor red man; den get

an but in name-you must think better

about Christian-what Christian do-what Christian say-how he eat, how he sleep, HOW he drink!-all good-wish Pigeonwing Christian-den 'member so'ger at

call ourselves by that name, act as if we were Christians, in truth,"

njin can't find him-none in woods-none on prairie-none in garrison-none in Mack'naw-n

at answer your missionar

AL Christians 'mong pale-face, dough all call hi

ut we will talk of these things another time, when we are more at our ease. Just now, I wis

is friend-when dey come to meet ole chief, no find him; but find Pigeonwing; got me when tired and 'sleep; got Elkfoot scalp wid me-sorry for dat-know scalp by scalp-lock, which had gray

, news flies through the wilderness in an extraordinary manner; and it was not at all unlikely that the fact of a white American's being in the openings should soon spread, along with the tidings that the hatchet was dug up, and that a party should go out in quest of his scalp and the plunder. It would seem that the savage tact of the Chippewa detected that in the manner of the Pottawattamie chief, which assured him the intentions of the old warrior were not amicable; and that he took the very summary p

nd. As for the Chippewa, intoxication was a very venial offence in his eyes; though he had a contempt for a man who would thus indulge while on a warpath. The American Indian does possess this merit of adapting his deportment to his circumstances. When engaged in war he usually prepares himself, in t

gh the rice-plants into the open water of the river, to reconnoitre. The breadth of the stream induced him to float down before the wind, until he