52 A TIMELY ARRIVAL. 



made preparations for my rescue. All was ready. 

 The murderous hag was advancing slowly, pro- 

 bably contemplating the best way of despatching 

 me, while her sons should be engaged with the 

 Indian. I was several times on the eve of rising 

 and shooting her on the spot ; but she was not to 

 be punished thus. The door was suddenly opened, 

 and there entered two stout travellers, each with a 

 long rifle on his shoulder. I flew to my feet, and mak- 

 ing them most heartily welcome, told them how well 

 it was for me that they should have arrived at that 

 moment. The tale was told in a minute. The 

 drunken sons were secured, and the woman, in 

 spite of her defence and vociferations, shared the 

 same fate. The Indian fairly danced with joy, and 

 gave us to understand that, as he could not sleep 

 for pain, he would watch over us. You may sup- 

 pose we slept much less than we talked. The two 

 strangers gave me an account of their once having 

 been themselves in a somewhat similar situation. 

 Day came, fair and rosy, and with it the punish- 

 ment of our captives. 



" They were now quite sobered. Their feet were 

 unbound, but their arms were still securely tied. 

 We marched them into the woods oft' the road, and 

 having used them as Regulators* were wont to use 



* Regulators. A sort of rural police, organised for the piirpose of 

 preserving order on the frontiers, and invested with powers to in- 



