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Show 28G UNCLF: TOM'~ CAUIN: OH, George :fircd:-tho shot entered his sidc,-:but, though wounded, he would not retreat, but, with a. yell like t~at of a. mad bu1l, he was leaping right ncross the chasm mto the party. . "Friend/' said Phineas, smldcnly stcppmg to the fl'ont, and meeting him with a push from his long arms, "thee isn't wanted here." Down he fell into the chasm, crackling down among trees, bushes, logs, loose stones, till he lay, bruised and groaning. thirty feet below. The fall might have killed him, had it r been broken and moderated by his clothes catching in tltt: branches of a large tree; but he came down with some force, howcvcr,-morc than was at all agreeable or convenient. " Lord help us, they arc perfect devils ! " said Marks, heading the retreat down the rocks with much more of a will than he had joined the ascent, while all the party came tumbling precipitately after him,-the fat constable, in particular, blowing and })uffing in a very energetic manner. . "I say, fcllcrs," said l\furks, "you jist go round and p1ck up Tom, there, while I run and get on to my horse, to go back for help -that's you;'' and, without minding the hootings and jce~s of his company, J\farks was as good as his word, nnd was soon seen galloping away. " 'Yas ever such a. sneaking varmint 1 " said one of tho men; '' to come on his business, and he clear out and leave us this ycr way!" "Well, we must Jllck up that feller," said another. "Cuss me if I much care whether he is dead or aliYe." '.rhe men, led by the groans of Tom, scrambled and crackled through stumps, logs and bushes, to where that hero lay groaning and swearing, with alternate vehemence. LTFE AMONG TilE LOWLY. 287 "Yo keep it agoing pretty loud, Torn," said one. "Ye much hurt?" "Don't know. Get me up, can't yo 1 Dlast that infernal Quaker! If it hadn't been for him, I 'd a pitched some on 'em down here, to see how they liked it." With much labor and groaning, the fallen hero was assisted to rise; and, with one holding him up under each shoulder, they got him as far as the horses. " If you could only get me a mile back to that ar tavern. Give me a handkerchief or something, to stuff into tlils place, and stop this infernal bleeding." George looked over the rocks, and saw them trying to lift the burly form of Tom into the saddle. After two or three ineffectual attempts, he reeled, and fell heavily to tlw ground. "0, I hope he isn't killed!" said Eliza, who, with all the porty, stood watching the proceeding. ''Why not?'' said Phineas; ''serves him right.'' "Because, o.ftcr death comes the judgment," said Eliza. " Yes," said tho old woman, who had been groaning o.nd praying, in her Methodist fashion, during all the encounter, "it's an awful case for the poor crittur's soul." " On my ,yord, they're leaving him, I do believe," said Phineas. It was true i for after some appearance of irresolution and consultation, the whole party got on their horses and rode away. When they were quite out of sight, Phineas began to bestir himself. " Well, we must go down and walk a piece," he said. "I told Michael to go forward and bring help, and be along back here with tho wagon; but we shall have to walk a piece along the road, I reckon, to meet them. The Lord grant he be along soon ! It 's early in the day ; there won't be much |
