The moon was just rising, and the group of dragoons could easily
be distinguished where they had been left. Suddenly turning, the whole
gang leveled their pieces and drew the triggers. The action was noticed,
and the snapping of the locks was heard by the soldiers, who returned
their futile attempt with a laugh of derision, the captain
crying aloud,--
"Ah! rascals, I knew you, and have taken away your flints."
"You should have taken away that in my pouch, too," shouted the leader,
firing his gun in the next instant. The bullet grazed the ear of Lawton,
who laughed as he shook his head, saying, "A miss was as good as a
mile." One of the dragoons had seen the preparations of the Skinner--who
had been left alone by the rest of his gang, as soon as they had made
their abortive attempt at revenge--and was in the act of plunging his
spurs into his horse as the fellow fired. The distance to the rocks was
but small, yet the speed of the horse compelled the leader to abandon
both money and musket, to effect his escape. The soldier returned with
his prizes, and offered them to the acceptance of his captain; but
Lawton rejected them, telling the man to retain them himself, until the
rascal appeared in person to claim his property. It would have been a
business of no small difficulty for any tribunal then existing in the
new states to have enforced a restitution of the money; for it was
shortly after most equitably distributed, by the hands of Sergeant
Hollister, among a troop of horse.
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