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the spirit of the border-µÚ11½Ú

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of¡¡an¡¡insect¡£¡¡Absolute¡¡silence¡¡prevailed¡£



Joe¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡guard¡¡leaning¡¡against¡¡a¡¡tree£»¡¡asleep¡£¡¡Silvertip¡¡was¡¡gone¡£

The¡¡captive¡¡raised¡¡his¡¡head¡¡and¡¡looked¡¡around¡¡for¡¡the¡¡chief¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡were¡¡only

four¡¡Indians¡¡left£»¡¡three¡¡on¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡and¡¡one¡¡against¡¡the¡¡tree¡£



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noticed¡¡the¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chief¡£



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the¡¡moan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡night¡¡wind¡£¡¡It¡¡rose¡¡and¡¡died¡¡away£»¡¡leaving¡¡the¡¡silence

apparently¡¡all¡¡the¡¡deeper¡£



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uttered¡¡a¡¡low¡¡gasp£»¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡started¡¡and¡¡glared¡¡wildly£»¡¡he¡¡rose¡¡very¡¡slowly¡¡to

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steel¡£



From¡¡far¡¡back¡¡in¡¡the¡¡forest¡­deeps¡¡came¡¡that¡¡same¡¡low¡¡moaning£º



¡¨Um¡­m¡­mm¡­woo¡­o¡­o¡­o£¡¡¨



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sigh¡¡of¡¡the¡¡night¡¡wind¡£



The¡¡Indian¡¡sentinel¡¡stood¡¡as¡¡if¡¡paralyzed¡¡an¡¡instant¡¡after¡¡that¡¡weird¡¡cry£»¡¡and

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He¡¡had¡¡fled¡¡without¡¡awakening¡¡his¡¡companions¡£



Once¡¡more¡¡the¡¡moaning¡¡cry¡¡arose¡¡and¡¡swelled¡¡mournfully¡¡on¡¡the¡¡still¡¡night¡¡air¡£

It¡¡was¡¡close¡¡at¡¡hand£¡



¡¨The¡¡Wind¡¡of¡¡Death£»¡¨¡¡whispered¡¡Joe¡£



He¡¡was¡¡shaken¡¡and¡¡unnerved¡¡by¡¡the¡¡events¡¡of¡¡the¡¡past¡¡two¡¡days£»¡¡and¡¡dazed¡¡from

his¡¡wound¡£¡¡His¡¡strength¡¡deserted¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡lost¡¡consciousness¡£







Chapter¡¡VI¡£



One¡¡evening£»¡¡several¡¡day¡¡previous¡¡to¡¡the¡¡capture¡¡of¡¡the¡¡brothers£»¡¡a¡¡solitary

hunter¡¡stopped¡¡before¡¡a¡¡deserted¡¡log¡¡cabin¡¡which¡¡stood¡¡on¡¡the¡¡bank¡¡of¡¡a¡¡stream

fifty¡¡miles¡¡or¡¡more¡¡inland¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Ohio¡¡River¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡rapidly¡¡growing¡¡dark£»¡¡a

fine£»¡¡drizzling¡¡rain¡¡had¡¡set¡¡in£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡rising¡¡wind¡¡gave¡¡promise¡¡of¡¡a¡¡stormy

night¡£



Although¡¡the¡¡hunter¡¡seemed¡¡familiar¡¡with¡¡his¡¡surroundings£»¡¡he¡¡moved

cautiously£»¡¡and¡¡hesitated¡¡as¡¡if¡¡debating¡¡whether¡¡he¡¡should¡¡seek¡¡the¡¡protection

of¡¡this¡¡lonely¡¡hut£»¡¡or¡¡remain¡¡all¡¡night¡¡under¡¡dripping¡¡trees¡£¡¡¡¡Feeling¡¡of¡¡his

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it£»¡¡and¡¡lay¡¡down¡¡to¡¡sleep¡£



During¡¡the¡¡night¡¡a¡¡noise¡¡awakened¡¡him¡£¡¡For¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡he¡¡heard¡¡nothing¡¡except

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of¡¡moccasined¡¡feet¡£¡¡He¡¡knew¡¡there¡¡was¡¡an¡¡Indian¡¡town¡¡ten¡¡miles¡¡across¡¡the

country£»¡¡and¡¡believed¡¡some¡¡warriors£»¡¡belated¡¡on¡¡a¡¡hunting¡¡trip£»¡¡had¡¡sought¡¡the

cabin¡¡for¡¡shelter¡£



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He¡¡listened¡¡to¡¡their¡¡low¡¡conversation£»¡¡and¡¡understood¡¡from¡¡the¡¡language¡¡that

they¡¡were¡¡Delawares¡£



A¡¡moment¡¡later¡¡he¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡rustling¡¡of¡¡leaves¡¡and¡¡twigs£»¡¡accompanied¡¡by¡¡the

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sat¡¡down¡¡listlessly£»¡¡plainly¡¡showing¡¡their¡¡weariness£»¡¡and¡¡two¡¡worked¡¡over¡¡the

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dangerous¡£



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Indian¡¡scout¡¡would¡¡have¡¡fancied¡¡this¡¡came¡¡from¡¡the¡¡roof¡£¡¡As¡¡the¡¡chief's¡¡gaze

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obliterated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡footprints¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Indians¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡chief's¡¡suspicions¡¡seemed

to¡¡be¡¡allayed¡£



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parched¡¡corn£»¡¡and¡¡chatted¡¡volubly¡£



The¡¡chief¡¡arose¡¡and£»¡¡walking¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ladder£»¡¡ran¡¡his¡¡hand¡¡along¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the

rungs¡£



¡¨Ugh£¡¡¨¡¡he¡¡exclaimed¡£



Instantly¡¡he¡¡was¡¡surrounded¡¡by¡¡ten¡¡eager£»¡¡bright¡­eyed¡¡braves¡£¡¡He¡¡extended¡¡his

open¡¡palm£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡smeared¡¡with¡¡wet¡¡clay¡¡like¡¡that¡¡under¡¡his¡¡feet¡£¡¡

Simultaneously¡¡with¡¡their¡¡muttered¡¡exclamations¡¡the¡¡braves¡¡grasped¡¡their

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Indian¡¡would¡¡have¡¡revealed¡¡himself¡£



The¡¡hunter£»¡¡seeing¡¡he¡¡was¡¡discovered£»¡¡acted¡¡with¡¡the¡¡unerring¡¡judgment¡¡and

lightning¡­like¡¡rapidity¡¡of¡¡one¡¡long¡¡accustomed¡¡to¡¡perilous¡¡situations¡£¡¡

Drawing¡¡his¡¡tomahawk¡¡and¡¡noiselessly¡¡stepping¡¡to¡¡the¡¡hole¡¡in¡¡the¡¡loft£»¡¡he

leaped¡¡into¡¡the¡¡midst¡¡of¡¡the¡¡astounded¡¡Indians¡£



Rising¡¡from¡¡the¡¡floor¡¡like¡¡the¡¡rebound¡¡of¡¡a¡¡rubber¡¡ball£»¡¡his¡¡long¡¡arm¡¡with¡¡the

glittering¡¡hatchet¡¡made¡¡a¡¡wide¡¡sweep£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡young¡¡braves¡¡scattered¡¡like

frightened¡¡sheep¡£



He¡¡made¡¡a¡¡dash¡¡for¡¡the¡¡door¡¡and£»¡¡incredible¡¡as¡¡it¡¡may¡¡seem£»¡¡his¡¡movements¡¡were

so¡¡quick¡¡he¡¡would¡¡have¡¡escaped¡¡from¡¡their¡¡very¡¡midst¡¡without¡¡a¡¡scratch¡¡but¡¡for

one¡¡unforeseen¡¡circumstance¡£¡¡The¡¡clay¡¡floor¡¡was¡¡wet¡¡and¡¡slippery£»¡¡his¡¡feet

were¡¡hardly¡¡in¡¡motion¡¡before¡¡they¡¡slipped¡¡from¡¡under¡¡him¡¡and¡¡he¡¡fell¡¡headlong¡£



With¡¡loud¡¡yells¡¡of¡¡triumph¡¡the¡¡band¡¡jumped¡¡upon¡¡him¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡a¡¡convulsive£»

heaving¡¡motion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡struggling¡¡mass£»¡¡one¡¡frightful¡¡cry¡¡of¡¡agony£»¡¡and¡¡then

hoarse¡¡commands¡£¡¡Three¡¡of¡¡the¡¡braves¡¡ran¡¡to¡¡their¡¡packs£»¡¡from¡¡which¡¡they¡¡took

cords¡¡of¡¡buckskin¡£¡¡So¡¡exceedingly¡¡powerful¡¡was¡¡the¡¡hunter¡¡that¡¡six¡¡Indians

were¡¡required¡¡to¡¡hold¡¡him¡¡while¡¡the¡¡others¡¡tied¡¡his¡¡hands¡¡and¡¡feet¡£¡¡Then£»¡¡with

grunts¡¡and¡¡chuckles¡¡of¡¡satisfaction£»¡¡they¡¡threw¡¡him¡¡into¡¡a¡¡corner¡¡of¡¡the

cabin¡£



Two¡¡of¡¡the¡¡braves¡¡had¡¡been¡¡hurt¡¡in¡¡the¡¡brief¡¡struggle£»¡¡one¡¡having¡¡a¡¡badly

wrenched¡¡shoulder¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡a¡¡broken¡¡arm¡£¡¡So¡¡much¡¡for¡¡the¡¡hunter's¡¡power

in¡¡that¡¡single¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡action¡£



The¡¡loft¡¡was¡¡searched£»¡¡and¡¡found¡¡to¡¡be¡¡empty¡£¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡excitement¡¡died¡¡away£»

and¡¡the¡¡braves¡¡settled¡¡themselves¡¡down¡¡for¡¡the¡¡night¡£¡¡The¡¡injured¡¡ones¡¡bore

their¡¡hurts¡¡with¡¡characteristic¡¡stoicism£»¡¡if¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡sleep£»¡¡both¡¡remained

quiet¡¡and¡¡not¡¡a¡¡sigh¡¡escaped¡¡them¡£



The¡¡wind¡¡changed¡¡during¡¡the¡¡night£»¡¡the¡¡storm¡¡abated£»¡¡and¡¡when¡¡daylight¡¡came

the¡¡sky¡¡was¡¡cloudless¡£¡¡The¡¡first¡¡rays¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡shone¡¡in¡¡the¡¡open¡¡door£»

lighting¡¡up¡¡the¡¡interior¡¡of¡¡the¡¡cabin¡£



A¡¡sleepy¡¡Indian¡¡who¡¡had¡¡acted¡¡as¡¡guard¡¡stretched¡¡his¡¡limbs¡¡and¡¡yawned¡£¡¡He

looked¡¡for¡¡the¡¡prisoner£»¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡him¡¡sitting¡¡up¡¡in¡¡the¡¡corner¡£¡¡One¡¡arm¡¡was

free£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡nearly¡¡so¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡almost¡¡untied¡¡the¡¡thongs¡¡which¡¡bound

him£»¡¡a¡¡few¡¡moments¡¡more¡¡and¡¡he¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡free¡£



¡¨Ugh£¡¡¨¡¡exclaimed¡¡the¡¡young¡¡brave£»¡¡awakening¡¡his¡¡chief¡¡and¡¡pointing¡¡to¡¡the

hunter¡£



The¡¡chief¡¡glanced¡¡at¡¡his¡¡prisoner£»¡¡then¡¡looked¡¡more¡¡closely£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡one

spring¡¡was¡¡on¡¡his¡¡feet£»¡¡a¡¡drawn¡¡tomahawk¡¡n¡¡his¡¡hand¡£¡¡A¡¡short£»¡¡shrill¡¡yell

issued¡¡from¡¡his¡¡lips¡£¡¡Roused¡¡by¡¡that¡¡clarion¡¡call£»¡¡the¡¡young¡¡braves¡¡jumped¡¡up£»

trembling¡¡in¡¡eager¡¡excitement¡£¡¡The¡¡chief's¡¡summons¡¡had¡¡been¡¡the¡¡sharp¡¡war¡­cry

of¡¡the¡¡Delawares¡£



He¡¡manifested¡¡as¡¡intense¡¡emotion¡¡as¡¡could¡¡possibly¡¡have¡¡been¡¡betrayed¡¡by¡¡a

matured£»¡¡experienced¡¡chieftain£»¡¡and¡¡pointing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡hunter£»¡¡he¡¡spoke¡¡a¡¡single

word¡£





At¡¡noonday¡¡the¡¡Indians¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡fields¡¡of¡¡corn¡¡which¡¡marked¡¡the¡¡outskirts

of¡¡the¡¡Delaware¡¡encampment¡£



¡¨Kol¡­lookol¡­lookol¡­loo¡£¡¨



The¡¡long¡¡signal£»¡¡heralding¡¡the¡¡return¡¡of¡¡the¡¡party

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