You want to send Jim and me back to be whipped and tortured, and ground down under the heels of them that you call masters; and your laws will bear you out in it,?more shame for you and them! But you haven?t got usWe don?t own your laws; we don?t own your country; we stand here as free, under God?s sky, as you are; and, by the great God that made us, we?ll fight for our liberty till we die
George stood out in fair sight, on the top of the rock, as he made his declaration of independence; the glow of dawn gave a flush to his swarthy cheek, and bitter indignation and despair gave fire to his dark eye; and, as if appealing from man to the justice of God, he raised his hand to heaven as he spoke
If it had been only a Hungarian youth, now bravely defending in some mountain fastness the retreat of fugitives escaping from Austria into America, this would have been sublime heroism; but as it was a youth of African descent, defending the retreat of fugitives through America into Canada, of course we are too well instructed and patriotic to see any heroism in it; and if any of our readers do, they must do it on their own private responsibilityWhen despairing Hungarian fugitives make their way, against all the search-warrants and authorities of their lawful government, to America, press and political cabinet ring with applause and welcomeWhen despairing African fugitives do the same thing,?it is?what is it?
Be it as it may, it is certain that the attitude, eye, voice, manner, of the speaker for a moment struck the party below to silenceThere is something in boldness and determination that for a time hushes even the rudest natureMarks was the only one who remained wholly untouchedHe was deliberately cocking his pistol, and, in the momentary silence that followed George?s speech, he fired at him
?Ye see ye get jist as much for him dead as alive in Kentucky,? he said coolly, as he wiped his pistol on his coat-sleeve
George sprang backward,?Eliza uttered a shriek,?the ball had passed close to his hair, had nearly grazed the cheek of his wife, and struck in the tree above
?It?s nothing, Eliza,? said George, quickly
?Thee?d better keep out of sight, with thy speechifying,? said Phineas; ?they?re mean scamps
?Now, Jim,? said George, ?look that your pistols are all right, and watch that pass with meThe first man that shows himself I fire at; you take the second, and so onIt won?t do, you know, to waste two shots on one
?But what if you don?t hit??
?I shall hit,? said George, coolly
?Good! now, there?s stuff in that fellow,? muttered Phineas, between his teeth
The party below, after Marks had fired, stood, for a moment, rather undecided
?I think you must have hit some on ?em,? said one of the men?I heard a squeal!?
?I?m going right up for one,? said Tom?I never was afraid of niggers, and I an?t going to be nowWho goes after?? he said, springing up the rocks
George heard the words distinctlyHe drew up his pistol, examined it, pointed it towards that point in the defile where the first man would appear
One of the most courageous of the party followed Tom, and, the way being thus made, the whole party began pushing up the rock,?the hindermost pushing the front ones faster than they would have gone of themselvesOn they came, and in a moment the burly form of Tom appeared in sight, almost at the verge of the chasm
George fired,?the shot entered his side,?but, though wounded, he would not retreat, but, with a yell like that of a mad bull, he was leaping right across the chasm into the party
?Friend,? said Phineas, suddenly stepping to the front, and meeting him with a push from his long arms, ?thee isn?t wanted here
Down he fell into the chasm, crackling down among trees, bushes, logs, loose stones, till he lay bruised and groaning thirty feet belowThe fall might have killed him, had it not been broken and moderated by his clothes catching in the branches of a large tree; but he came down with some force, however,?more than was at all agreeable or convenient
?Lord help us, they are perfect devils!? said Marks, heading the retreat down the rocks with much more of a will than he had joined the ascent, while all the party came tumbling precipitately after him,?the fat constable, in particular, blowing and puffing in a very energetic manner
?I say, fellers,? said Marks, ?you jist go round and pick up Tom, there, while I run and get on to my horse to go back for help,?that?s you;? and, without minding the hootings and jeers of his company, Marks was as good as his word, and was soon seen galloping away
?Was ever such a sneaking varmint?? said one of the men; ?to come on his business, and he clear out and leave us this yer way!?
?Well, we must pick up that feller,? said another?Cuss me if I much care whether he is dead or alive
The men, led by the groans of Tom, scrambled and crackled through stumps, logs and bushes, to where that hero lay groaning and swearing with alternate vehemence
?Ye keep it agoing pretty loud, Tom,? said one?Ye much hurt??
?Don?t knowGet me up, can?t ye? Blast that infernal Quaker! If it hadn?t been for him, I?d a pitched some on ?em down here, to see how they liked it
With much labor and groaning, the fallen hero was assisted to rise; and, with one holding him up under each shoulder, they got him as far as the
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