Up to Friday night they had succeeded in procuring food from farm-houses,
at one place going in and helping themselves to the entire cooking of the
family. Wild plums and grapes had also contributed to their wants, and
they had not suffered much, except Bob Younger whose wound was extremely
painful. After trading horses at Laney’s, Friday night, they rode to a
point in the woods about three miles back of Elysian and a short distance
from German Lake. Here, less than one hundred and fifty yards from the
road, after turning loose the three borrowed horses, they tied their three
remaining horses to trees, and made a rude shelter with their rubber
blankets in which they passed the night cold and wretched.
Saturday morning they broke camp, and after tying their blankets around
themselves with their bridles, they abandoned their faithful steeds, and
started forth on foot, leaving five saddles behind them. They moved slowly
and cautiously, and during the forenoon they discovered a sort of island
which proved an excellent hiding place. In the center of this
little-explored tract, they found a pretty pond of water, and feeling
secure they established a regular camp, making a good fire, and taking
comfort generally. So safe did they feel that they shot a hog and a calf,
but not succeeding in killing them the first time, although the shots went
straight through their heads as they aver, and as the animals made good
time in escaping, they lost a savory feast, not daring to fire more shots.
During the most of the time the bandits had proceeded on foot leading
their horses through the woods, and their feet had become terribly sore
while their stockings were entirely worn out, and while resting here they
dressed their