Indian Stratagem to Slay Tom Quick
The owner of the cabin at which Tom was staying kept a hog. An Indian had formed a plan to make this hog an instrument to effect Tom's destruction. One night, when no one but Tom was in the cabin, this Indian got into the pen, and by holding the hog between his knees caused it to squeal as lustily as though in the claws of a wild animal. This he supposed would lead Tom to conclude a bear had made a raid on the hog-pen, and that he would come to the rescue. But the wily hunter was not thrown off his guard by this ruse. He cautiously peered through a crevice of the cabin; the pig continued to keep up a great outcry, while Tom could see nothing that would indicate the assailant was not an animal. Presently he was rewarded with the sight of an Indian's head above the top log of the pen. The hog proved to be of the perverse sort, which the Indian had hard work to manage and at the same time keep a lookout for Tom's appearance. The hunter, on discovering the nature of the aggressor, prepared to greet the Indian's head should it appear again. The opportune moment arrived; the ball was sent on its errand; the porker was speedily released, and, with a wild yell of pain, the savage broke for the woods. But he had received a fatal wound, and Tom soon overtook him, and put a speedy end to his life.
Once, when Tom was in a field at work, he was accosted by an unarmed Indian, who said he had discovered something “just over there” that he very much wished him to go and see. Tom left his work, but did not fail to notice the look of satisfaction on the Indian's countenance, as he started to accompany him. This plainly indicated the design of the Indian and put Tom on his guard. The scheming native had hid his gun in the woods, and hoped to entice Tom into the vicinity unarmed, when he could be dispatched. Tom had gone but a short distance when he discovered a hemlock knot, which he thought would be a very good weapon in a rough-and-tumble fight. He stooped to pick it up; but the savage perceiving his intention, sprang upon him; and although he got hold of it he could not use it. A severe and protracted struggle ensued for the possession of the weapon, with varying advantage; and blows were given and received with the grim determination of men who fight to the death. Tom finally came off victor; but he was often heard to declare that this was the most severe fight in which he was ever engaged . When the affray was over, and the Indian lay dead on the field, Tom was so exhausted that it was with difficulty he made his way to the house at which he was temporarily stopping.
Another native Indian attempted Tom's life while he was at work in the saw-mill. Tom, always on the alert, had been made aware of the presence and intention of his enemy, and so arranged his hat and coat as to deceive him. The Indian sent a ball between the shoulders of the coat supposing Tom was inside of it, at which the latter stepped out from his place of hiding and shot the helpless and trembling savage through the heart.
Tom was once ranging the woods on the lookout for Indians, and came upon one unexpectedly. Both parties sought shelter behind trees within gunshot, where they remained a long time, each endeavoring to get a shot at the other without exposing himself. Various stratagems were resorted to with the hope of drawing the other's fire, but each found they had a wary foe to deal with. Tom at length thrust his cap cautiously from behind the tree, when the report of the Indian's rifle was heard, and Tom fell to the ground as though grievously wounded. The Indian dashed forward to rescue the hunter's scalp, when Tom sprang up and aimed at his breast. As the Indian saw the muzzle of the gun within a few feet of him, he exclaimed in dismay, “Ugh-me cheated!” and fell dead at Tom's feet with a ball in his heart.
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