hosses, 'twill
be all crucifixion to get 'em through old Salt's fingers."

"Think not of horses, nor of us," said Roland. "Save but the women, and
it will be enough. For the rest of us, we will do our best. We can keep
the hollow till we are relieved; for, if Nathan be alive, relief must be
now on the way." And in a few hurried words, he acquainted Stackpole with
his having despatched the man of peace to seek assistance.

"Thar's no trusting the crittur, Tiger Nathan," said Ralph; "though at a
close hug, a squeeze on the small ribs, or a kick up of heels, he's all
splendiferous. Afore you see his ugly pictur' ag'in, 'tarnal death to me,
strannger, you'll be devoured; the red niggurs thar won't make two bites
at you. No, sodger,--if we run, we run,--thar's the principle; we takes
the water, the whole herd together, niggurs, hosses, and all,
particularly the hosses; for, 'tarnal death to me, it's ag'in my
conscience to leave so much as a hoof. And so, sodger, if you
conscientiously thinks thar has been walloping enough done on both sides,
I'm jist the man to help you all out of the bobbery;--though, cuss me,
you might as well have cut me out of the beech without so much hard
axing!"

These words of the worthy horse-thief, uttered as hurriedly as his own,
but far more coolly, animated the spirits of the young soldier with
double hope; and taking advantage of the busy intentness with which the
enemy still poured their fire into the ruin, he despatched Ralph down the
ravine, to prepare the canoe for the women, while he himself summoned
Dodge and Emperor to make an effort for their own deliverance.

CHAPTER XVII.

The roar of the river, alternating with peals of thunder, which were now
loud and frequent, awake many an anxious pang in Roland's bosom, as he
lifted his half-unconscious kinswoman from the earth, and bore her to the
canoe; but his anxiety was much more increased when he came to survey
the little vessel itself, which was scarce twelve feet in length, and
seemed ill-fitted to sustain the weight of even half the party. It was,
besides, of the clumsiest and worst possible figure, a mere log, in fact,
roughly hollowed out, without any attempt having been made to point its
extremities; so that it looked less like a canoe than an ox-trough; which
latter purpose it was perhaps designed chiefly to serve, and intended to
be used for the former only when an occasional rise of the waters might
make a canoe neces