direction of the assailants. Forgetting, in an
instant, every thing but the glory of being the first to give this jewel to the
catalogues of science, he sprang upward at the prize, with the avidity with
which the sparrow darts upon the butterfly. The rock which instantly came
thundering down, announced that he was seen, and for a moment, while his form
was concealed, in the cloud of dust and fragments, which followed the furious
descent, the trapper gave him up for lost. At the next instant, he was seen,
safely seated in a cavity formed by some of the projecting stones, which had
yielded to the shock, holding, triumphantly, in his hand, the captured stem,
which he was already devouring with delighted and, certainly, not unskillful,
eyes. Paul profited by the opportunity. Turning his course, with the quickness
of thought, he sprang to the post, which Obed thus securely occupied, and
unceremoniously making a footstool of his shoulder, as the latter stooped over
his treasure he bounded through the breach left by the fallen rock, and gained
the level. He was followed by Middleton who joined him in seizing and disarming
the girls. In this manner a bloodless and complete victory, was obtained over
that citadel which Ishmael had vainly flattered himself, might prove
impregnable.
 

                                   Chapter XV

 »So smile the heavens upon this holy act,
 That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!«
                                                    Romeo and Juliet, II.vi.1-2.
 
It is proper that the course of the narrative should be staied, while we revert
to those causes, which have brought in their train of consequences, the singular
contest, just related. The interruption must, necessarily, be as brief, as we
hope it may prove satisfactory to that class of readers who require, that no gap
should be left, by those who assume the office of historians, for their own
fertile imaginations to fill.
    Among the troops sent, by the Government of the United States, to take
possession of its newly acquired territory in the west, was a detachment led by
the young soldier, who has become so busy an actor in the scenes of our Legend.
The mild and indolent descendants of the Ancient Colonists received their new
compatriots without distrust, well knowing that the transfer, raised them from
the condition of subjects, to the more enviable distinction of citizens in a
Government of Laws. The new rulers exercised their functions with discretion,
and wielded their delegated authority without offence. In such a novel
intermixture, however, of men born and nurtured in freedom and the compliant
minions