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of my tree, and slipped in behind it, and so they had the bulge on the men again.

One of the boys was Buck, and the other was a slim young chap about nineteen

years old. ssssssssss

The men ripped around awhile, and then rode away. As soon as they was

out of sight, I sung out to Buck and told him. He didn't know what to make of

my voice coming out of the tree, at first. He was awful surprised. He told me

to watch out sharp and let him know when the men come in sight again; said

they was up to some devilment or other -- wouldn't be gone long. I wished I was

out of that tree, but I dasn't come down. Buck begun to cry and rip, and 'lowed

that him and his cousin Joe (that was the other young chap) would make up for

this day, yet. He said his father and his two brothers was killed, and two or

three of the enemy. Said the Shepherdsons laid for them, in ambush. Buck

said his father and brothers ought to waited for their relations -- the Shepherdsons

was too strong for them. I asked him what was become of young Harney and

Miss Sophia. He said they'd got across the river and was safe. I was glad of

that; but the way Buck did take on because he didn't manage to kill Harney

that day he shot at him -- I hain't ever heard anything like it.

All of a sudden, bang! bang! bang! goes three or four guns -- the men had

slipped around through the woods and come in from behind without their horses!

The boys jumped for the river -- both of them hurt -- and as they swum down the

current the men run along the bank shooting at them and singing out, "Kill

them, kill them!" It made me so sick I most fell out of the tree. I ain't agoing

to tell all that happened -- it would make me sick again if I was to do that. I

wished I hadn't ever come ashore that night, to see such things. I ain't ever

going to get shut of them -- lots of times I dream about them.

I staid in the tree till it begun to get dark, afraid to come down. Sometimes

I heard guns away off in the woods; and twice I seen little gangs of men gallop

past the log store with guns; so I reckoned the trouble was still agoing on. I

was mighty down-hearted; so I made up my mind I wouldn't ever go anear

that house again, because I reckoned I was to blame, somehow. I judged that

that piece of paper meant that Miss Sophia was to meet Harney somewheres at

half-past two and run off; and I judged I ought to told her father about that

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