THE ROBBER HUNT.
ON THE ROAD.
The desperate freebooters had dashed from Northfield with but five horses, one, the brown mare carrying double. They rushed ruthlessly on, taking the entire road, and demanding that those they met should “take to the ditch.” A short distance out of the city an old German farmer with his heavy team loaded with “garden truck,” met them on a narrow road on each side of which were deep gullies. Drawing his pistol the leader exclaimed with an oath, “take the ditch G——d d——n you.” Over the old fellow went scattering his vegetables, breaking his wagon and harness, and sprawling himself in a sea of stagnant mire.
After several hours the frightened agriculturist succeeded in getting to town, and related a wonderful story of being attacked by fifty giants fifteen feet high, mounted on fire breathing steeds, and carrying twenty-five pound cannons in their hands!
THE DASH THROUGH DUNDAS
was made at full speed, causing the greatest excitement. All were now mounted, but a horse taken from a farrier, Empey, near Northfield, evidently found it difficult to keep pace with the trained nags belonging to the robbers.
A short distance out of Dundas the gang stopped at a farm house and borrowed a pail which they took to a spring near by. Here they paused long enough to water their animals, and wash the desperate wound which Bob Younger, (as was afterwards found) had received directly through his right elbow, and which besides bleeding profusely had become almost unbearable, even to a man of his determination and vigor. Throwing the pail by the side of the road, the squad hastened on, little thinking of the pursuit which was being organized in the rear.
As it is now known that the squad, as it now remained, consisted of Cole, Jim and Bob Younger, Charlie Pitts, and probably the James boys, their names will be used in this narrative hereafter, wherever they are known from their own statements to have been.
As the horse taken from the farmer Empey of course wore no saddle, [pg 24] it became necessary for the comfort of its rider that one be impressed. To accomplish this, two of the gang called at the house of a farmer living a short distance from the road, and telling that