Part 8 (1/2)

But that was his lastdeliberate ai the barrel of a heavy rifle, and, as the bloody villain was in the act of turning to hisits fatal death-peal, and the next moment the captain fell back into the arms of his men, with a brace of bullets in his heart

”Now,” shouted the old hted ive you just five minutes to make your minds up in, and, if you don't surrender, I'll blow every one of you into the other world”

The death of their captain, and, withal the sight of the pivot gun--its peculiar properties they knew full well--brought the pirates to their senses, and they thren their weapons, and agreed to give themselves up

In two days froo safely in Havana, gave the pirates into the hands of the civil authorities, and delivered the clipper up to the government, in return for which, he received a su the remainder of his life, as well as a very handsoovernment

KENTON THE SPY

A secret expedition had been planned by Col Bowainst an Indian town on the little Miaomery, were employed to proceed in advance, and reconnoiter Kenton was a native of Fauquier county, Virginia, where he was born the fifteenth of May, 1755; his co backwoodsmen, denizens of the wood, and hunters like himself

These adventurers set out in obedience to their orders, and reached the neighborhood of the Indian village without being discovered They exa the night with perfect i the place, they would have accomplished the object of their mission, and avoided a heavy calamity They fell martyrs, however to their passion for horseflesh

Unfortunately, during their nightly promenade, they stumbled upon a pound, in which were a number of Indian horses The temptation was not to be resisted They severally seized a horse and mounted But there still reing, lingering looks behind It was oodly prize Flesh and blood could not resist the te to the loss of such beautiful specimens of horseflesh They turned back, and took several e masters, and so much noise was made, in the attempt to secure them, that at last the thieves were discovered

The cry rang through the village at once, that the Long-Knives were stealing their horses right before the doors of their a, squaws, children, and warriors, all sallied out with loud screareedy spoilers Kenton and his friends saw that they had overshot their mark, and that they must ride for their lives Even in this extremity, however, they could not reconcile their le horse which they had haltered; and while two of thereat nu his whip fro behind

In this h the woods at a furious rate with the hue and cry after them, until their course was suddenly stopped by an impenetrable swamp Here, from necessity, they paused a fewno sounds of pursuit, they resu the swa it, they bent their course in a straight direction to the Ohio They rode during the whole night without resting a ht, they continued their journey throughout the day, and the whole of the following night; and, by this unco the northern bank of the Ohio on thethe river would now insure their safety, but this was likely to prove a difficult undertaking, and the close pursuit, which they had reason to expect, rendered it expedient to lose as little tih and boisterous It was determined that Kenton should cross with the horses, while Clark and Montgouns, baggage, and ammunition, to the opposite shore The necessary preparations were soonhis horses into the river, plunged in hih waves completely overwhelmed him, and forced him considerably below the horses, who stemmed the currentleft to themselves, turned about and made for the Ohio shore, where Kenton was coain he forced theain they returned to the same spot, until Kenton became so exhausted by repeated efforts, as to be unable to swim What was to be done?

That the Indians would pursue them was certain That the horses would not and could not be made to cross the river in its present state, was equally certain Should they abandon their horses and cross on the raft, or remain with their horses and brave the consequence? The latter alternative was adopted unaniht be tolerated, but the loss of such a beautiful lot of horses, after working so hard for theht of for a moment

Should they move up or down the river, or remain where they were? The latter plan was adopted, and a ined They supposed that the ould fall at sunset, and the river becoe; and, as it was thought probable that the Indians ht, it was deter ravine, while they should take their stations in the adjoining wood

The day passed away in tranquility; but at night the wind blew harder than ever, and the water becah, that they would hardly have been able to cross on their raft As if totally infatuated, they re twenty-four hours of , the wind abated, and the river became calm; but, it was now too late Their horses had become obstinate and intractible, and positively and repeatedly refused to take to the water

Their ht to have been done at first They severally resolved to mount a horse, and make the best of their way down the river to Louisville But their unconquerable reluctance to lose their horses overcaround instantly, they went back upon their own trail, in the vain effort to regain possession of the rest of their horses, which had broken from them in their last effort to drive them into the water

They literally fell victims to their love for horseflesh

They had scarcely ridden one hundred yards when Kenton, who had dismounted, heard a loud halloo He quickly beheld three Indians and one white ive the alarm to his companions, he raised his rifle, took a steady aier His gun had become wet on the raft, and flashed

The enemy were instantly alarmed, and dashed at him Kenton took to his heels, and was pursued by four horsemen at full speed He instantly directed his steps to the thickest part of the wood, and had succeeded, as he thought, in baffling his pursuers, when, just as he was entering the wood, an Indian on horseback galloped up to hiht useless The horse out ”Brother! brother!” in a tone of great affection Kenton observes, that if his gun would have made fire, he would have ”brothered” hi totally unarive hiood treatment

Pro, with extended hands and a withering grin upon his countenance, which was intended for a srasped it with violence

Kenton, not liking the un to knock hih the brushwood, sprung upon his back, and pinioned his ar so amiably, then raised him by the hair and shook hi up, fell upon Kenton with their tongues and raht they would scold or beat him to death They were the owners of the horses which he had carried off, and now took ae for the loss of their property At every stroke of their ra indignation, ”Steal Indian hoss! hey!”

Their attention, however, was soon directed to Montgo Kenton's capture, very gallantly hastened up to his assistance, while Clark prudently took to his heels Montgounshot, and appeared busy with the pan of his gun, as if preparing to fire Two Indians instantly sprang off in pursuit of him, while the rest attended to Kenton In a few minutes Kenton heard the crack of two rifles in quick succession, followed by a halloo, which announced the fate of his friend The Indians returned, waving the bloody scalp of Montgoestures which menaced him with a similar fate

They then proceeded to secure their prisoner by pinioning hi hi the operation they cuffed hireat heartiness, and abused him for a ”tief!--a hoss steal!--a rascal!”