52 A TIMELY ARRIVAL.

made preparations for my rescue. All was ready.
The murderous hag was advancing slowly, pro-
bably contemplating the best way of despatching
me, while her sons should be engaged with the
Indian. I was several times on the eve of rising
and shooting her on the spot; but she was not to
be punished thus. The door was suddenly opened,
and there entered two stout travellers, each with a
long rifle on his shoulder. I flew to myfeet,and mak-
ing them most heartily welcome, told them how well
it was for me that they should have arrived at that
moment. The tale was told in a minute. The
drunken sons were secured, and the woman, in
spite of her defence and vociferations, shared the
same fate. The Indian fairly danced with joy, and
gave us to understand that, as he could not sleep
for pain, he would watch over us. You may sup-
pose we slept much less than we talked. The two
strangers gave me an account of their once having
been themselves in a somewhat similar situation.
Day came, fair and rosy, and with it the punishb-
ment of our captives.

‘They were now quite sobered. Their feet were
unbound, but their arms were still securely tied.
We marched them into the woods off the road, and
having used them as Regulators* were wont to use

* Regulators. A sort of rural police, organised for the purpose of
preserving order on the frontiers, and invested with powers to in-