"Dan!" returns the other, with a fierce stare, as he seizes the
bottle and is about to enjoy a glass of whisky uninvited; "let your
liquor stop your mouth. I set the whole pack upon the trail at
daylight, and in less than two hours they came upon him, bolted him,
and put him to the river. The leader nabbed him about half way
across, but the chap, instead of giving in, turned and fought like a
hero. Twice I thought he would whip the whole pack, but the way they
made the rags fly warn't nobody's business. Well, I just come up
with him as he plunged into the stream, lifts old sure mark, as
gives him about a dozen plugs; and then the old feller begged just
so, you'd thought he was a Christian pleadin' forgiveness at the
last moment. But, when I seizes him and gives him three or four
levellers with the butt of the rifle, ye never saw a sarpent plunge,
and struggle, and warp so. Says I, 'It's no use, old feller,--yer
might as well give her up;' and the way his eyes popped, just as if
he expected I war'nt goin to finish him. I tell ye, boys, it
required some spunk about then, for the critter got his claws upon
me with a death grip, and the dogs ripped him like an old corn
stalk, and would'nt keep off. And then there was no fracturin his
skull; and seeing how he was overpowering me, I just seizes him by
the throat and pops his head off quicker than a Chinese executioner."
The author has given the language of the slave-hunter who related
the case personally.
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