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against him, he expressed wonder. "Teesataysky knows" exclaimed he, "that he himself told me Eli Hicks had no right to treat me as he did and that I ought to make him suffer for it!"
The pursuit of the Swimmer and the Duck was unremitting, but for a long time unfruitful. It is supposed that while thus hunted, they must have been goaded on by want & hunger to irregularities. No one, however, for a long time could track them. At length information was gained by Stand Watie & some six or eight others, friends of the party of Eli Hicks (and among them Leonard Hicks, his cousin), that Swimmer was at a house in the neighborhood and alone. Before day break they surrounded the house secretly. They burst the door & Stand Watie sprang forward. As he crossed the threshold, Swimmer struck him down with the butt end of a rifle. Leonard Hicks fired; it was said, by accident. The rest fell back, thinking Stand Watie killed. The assailants remained outside & asked a parley. They endeavored to persuade the Swimmer to surrender. They assured him, if he would, he should be safe; that the surrender was only a form. But