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for he knew it was the habit of the officers
to keep from the men all intelligence of a
discouraging character. Dr. Gordon was
very much pleased with these traits in
his young friend, and after a moment’s
conference with Sergeant Tomkins, he
said to Wildcat:
“ Go, say to the men from me, that
they must have very little fire, and that
they must let you manage it.”
Wildcat went to the men, delivered his
message as well as he could, and added:
“Much fire don’t need ; Injin fire never
big ,” then with a laugh at the picture he
was about to give, he continued : “ White
man make big fire, and stand way off in
the cold. Injin make little fire, get close
over it, and is warm.”
Being instructed to manage it, lie first
selected a spot as much concealed as pos
sible by the growth of bushes, and then
increased that concealment by planting a
screen of thick bushes in places where
they were lacking. After which he took
two of the men and brought a number of
thoroughly dried saplings, of which he
put the ends of four or five together, and
set them to burning at the point of con
tact, for an Indian seldom heaps his fire,
or makes it of large logs, but uses long,
small, dry wood, with which he keeps up
his fire by shoving the burning ends to
gether. Having thus obeyed orders, he
called the men and made them get as near
over the blaze as they could, while he
squatted with them, Indian fashion, and
encouraged the warm air of the fire to
come under his deer-skin clothes and next
his flesh.
Thus sat or stood the men, talking free
ly and hopefully of their prospects. —
Laugh, jest and story went merrily
around, and they were certainly a more
cheerful-looking set than they were only
a few hours before; yet why ? Xo doubt
it would have been difficult for any of
them to answer this question; but the
secret was this: they had now a definite
aim, and a definite plan by which to ac
complish it. This is all that a man, who
is a man, needs to prove that he is one.
Suspense or inaction may paralyze him,
but give him something to do and he will
soon animate himself with hope.
While the men thus circled cozily
around their Indian fire, there occurred an
incident which hushed every laugh and
jest, and threw a temporary gloom over
the company. The site for the encamp
ment had been selected in a sharp angle
of the bluff, peninsula-like, where the men
might lie at ease among the thick-grow
ing myrtles and cassinas, and where the
sentinel could keep easy watch over the
whole camp, front and rear, by treading
BURKE’S W EEKLY.
his path across the neck of the peninsula,
and, at each end of his beat, looking down
the bluff, first on this side, then on that.
At this hour Wheeler was on duty, and as
the warning of Wildcat had suggested
that some sly trick might be apprehended
from enemies on the main, he and Tom
kins had agreed upon a private signal of
danger —a low, short cough.
The moon had not yet risen, though the
eastern sky was brightening with the
promise of her coming, and the red em
bers threw a lurid glare upon the faces of
the men, as they warmed themselves in
preparation for sleep, each with his blan
ket in hand, or spread like a cloak upon
his back. The lively talk had ceased in
momentary expectation of the order to
“ turn in,” when Dr. Gordon heard a low
short cough from Wheeler, the sentinel,
and then observed Tomkins look down
ward, as if in deep thought, saying,
“ Ilist!” then turning his ear toward the
bushes and listening iu an attitude of
seeming carelessness, but. as his expanded
nostril and quick-moving eye indicated,
of profound attention. Looking now at
Wildcat, Dr. Gordon observed him also
with an uneasy look, endeavoring to ap
pear unconcerned, but evidently on the
alert for sounds from a distance. Simp
son, how r ever, was more noticeable than
the rest; setting with his face toward the
sentinel, and with his head enveloped in
his blanket, so that he could scarcely be
recognized, he was not only listening like
the other two,but had his feet and legs bent
under him ready for an instant spring.
Dr. Gordon was surprised to see how
keenly cultivated were the senses of all
those who had lived much among the In
dians. Soon Tomkins’ voice was heard in
a very low whisper from behind his hand,
which hid the motion of his lips :
“ Hist, men ! Dofi’t move, any of you.
Don’t show that you are at all disturbed.
There is an Indian in the bush, perhaps
more than one. Jones, your blanket is in
your lap. Rise, and move slowly, as if
going to bed, then quickly throw it over
the fire, and jump out of the way. As ho
does this, do you, men, all move your
places, seize your guns, and be ready to
obey orders.”
Jones did as he was ordered, and so did
the men, with as much promptness as if
this Indian movement had been a part of
their ordinary drill; but as the leap was
taking place there came from a dense
thicket about fifty paces beyond the sen
tinel, the sharp crack of a rifle.
“ Missed that time!” Simpson was heard
exultingly to exclaim, in a voice barely
loud enough to reach the ears of the men,
when he added in a somewhat louder tone
“ Xo, by Jacks, be has hit me!"
Instantly the musket of Wheeler dart
ed its expanding volume of fire and smoke
towards the hostile intruder, and his voice
followed it, saying, “There’s but one, and
I think I have stopped his motions.”
“Charge men!” shouted Tomkins,seiz
ing a musket and rushing towards the
thicket. All who had muskets went with
him, but everything there was quiet, and
no one was to be seen either dead or alive.
Ordering a halt, and calling for perfect
silence, they could hear afar off the quick
soft tread of a' moecasined foot moving
rapidly away.
“There was but one red-skin,” said
Wheeler; “he must have been a daring
fellow!”
Soon after this the moon arose. We
will have no further disturbance to-night,”
said Tomkins. “ Indians never attack by
moonlight if they can have darkness.”
——
Duty to Parents.
jf ¥ Jk A father, my mother, I know
,-;l| slls If I cannot your kindness repay;
1 1 But I hope, that as older I grow,
I shall learn your commands to obey.
You loved me before I could tell
Who it was that so tenderly smiled;
» But now that I know it so well
I should be a dutiful child.
I am sorry that ever I could
Be wicked and give you such pain;
I hope I shall learn to be good,
And never so grieve you again.
But for fear that I ever should dare
From all your commands to depart,
“Whenever I utter a prayer,
111 ask for a dutiful heart.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
JACK DOBELL;
Or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas.
A STORY FOR BOYS.
CHAPTER XXI.
HIDING FROM THE MEXICAN —NARROW ES
CAPE FROM INDIANS —BEARS IN ABUN
DANCE THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE RIGHT
ING FIRE WITH FIRE —IN CAMP AGAIN.
ORTTTXATELY a thick
growth of underwood
A bordered both sides of
the path at the pond
where I then was, and
although 1 had but little
hope that the Mexican bad not
seen me, I instantly sprang hit- 0
Jf a clump of bushes, and laid do on
flat upon the ground. Flacco had not
forgotten the choking I gave him upon a
similar occasion, and quietly took bis p (
sition by my side. But the Mexican h*
not noticed us, for he passed within six
feet of us, singing a most mournful ditty