192 A FEARFUL LEAP. 



rancas the Greazers calls 'em), fifty foot deep, an' 

 stretchin' right an' left as far as we cud see. At the 

 bottom wur a river, an' we knew from the quiet look 

 o' the water 'twur deep. I guess the Injuns knew all 

 about how we wur fixed, fur they yelled an' screeched 

 wuss than ever, an' kem on like wolves arter a wounded 

 deer. 



" ' I guess, old coon,' says Eagle Jack to me, ' I ain't 

 a-goin' to let meself be tuck by them rotted skunks. 

 I'm a-goin' to drown, ef I must go under.' With that 

 he riz his rifle an' let drive at the fust up o' the Injuns; 

 and at the crack, you bet that niggur left his saddle 

 purty speedy. Wai, I fetched another; an' slingin' our 

 rifles we jined our hands in front o' our heads, an' 

 streaked it off the bluff into the water. 'Twur a 

 fearful leap, I kin tell yer; but thur wur no choice. 

 Ef we'd gev in, 'twur as likely as not the Injuns 'ud 'a 

 roasted us alive, as they hed did to some settlers a 

 short time afore on the Brazos. Arter whizzin' through 

 the air, hittin' the water at the rate o' a rifle ball, an' 

 makin' a dive o' twenty or thirty foot deep, 'tain't 

 likely as eyther o' us felt very clur in the brains. 

 This old coon wur a'most mazed, an' instead o' makin' 

 fur the other side, I guess I didn't know whur I wur 

 a-gwine to, fur I shortly med out I wur a-tryin' to 

 climb back the very bluff I hed jumped from ! 



" Eagle Jack got out o' the water and shook hisself 

 like one o' them Newfoundland dogs, an' seemed no 

 wuss for his tumble. We squatted clost under the 



