d make, the young mountain _would_
remain in view in its exposed situation, to the great annoyance of its
owner, and the equally great merriment of the enemy. In this sad
predicament the phlegmatic hero of the flesh mountain lay, piteously
bemoaning his fate, and cursing his foes.

As the balls would rake the subnascent appendage, making it twinge with the
sharp sting, he would cry out:

"Oh! oh, Lort! haf' mercy on _me_ and _mine_!"

But his cries availed nothing; and so losing all patience, he raised up his
head, and, looking at the enemy, called to them:

"Oh, now, t'ere! quit t'at tam nonsense, will you?"

The boat was, finally, saved, with all on board, except the young man and
the horses. (For further particulars of this affair, see "Western
Adventure," page 275-6.)

Ramsey discovered at the commencement of the fray that this was not the
boat he was in quest of, and so, leaving the Indians to accomplish its
capture as they pleased, he hastened onward in the hope of still overtaking
the right vessel. In this he failed; already had it reached its
destination, and the Waltons were in their new home. He returned, and
reported his ill success to Durant, who was greatly vexed at the issue of
his undertaking, but resolved to renew his efforts to obtain possession of
Ellen, or in some way work her ruin.

CHAPTER V.

STILL AT WORK.

An evil heart, bent on mischief, is never contented in idleness, but, like
the volcanic fires, its passions and thirst for revenge, when not in open
eruption, are actively at work in secret and darkness, preparing for new
outbursts, bearing death along their path, and leaving devastation, blight
and ruin in their wake. This was much the case with Louis Durant, after the
failure of his attempt on the boat. He was resolved to accomplish the
villainy on which he had set his heart, and to this end determined to leave
no means untried, be they ever so base, which lay within his reach.

To proceed openly, however, was not exactly practicable, as by so doing too
many eyes would be upon him; and he was too cowardly to face an open foe on
fair ground. So he went to work in secret.

After mature deliberation, and the revolving and the re-revolving of the
matter in his mind, he concluded to join the Indians, and through their aid
accomplish the consummation of his designs. In carrying out this plan, he
was very materially aided by his old accomplice in crime, Ramsey, whose
familiarity