the spirit of the border-第17节

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After　giving　this　warning　the　chief　returned　to　his　former　position　near　the

corner　of　the　cabin。



〃He　can　talk　in　English　fairly　well；　much　better　than　the　Shawnee　brave　who

talked　with　me　the　other　day；〃　observed　Joe。



〃Some　of　the　Indians　speak　the　language　almost　fluently；〃　said　Colonel　Zane。

〃You　could　hardly　have　distinguished　Logan's　speech　from　a　white　man's。

Corn…planter　uses　good　English；　as　also　does　my　brother's　wife；　a　Wyandot

girl。〃



〃Did　your　brother　marry　an　Indian？〃　and　Joe　plainly　showed　his　surprise。



〃Indeed　he　did；　and　a　most　beautiful　girl　she　is。　I'll　tell　you　Isaac's　story

some　time。　He　was　a　captive　among　the　Wyandots　for　ten　years。　The　chief's

daughter；　Myeerah；　loved　him；　kept　him　from　being　tortured；　and　finally　saved

him　from　the　stake。〃



〃Well；　that　floors　me；〃　said　Joe；　〃yet　I　don't　see　why　it　should。　I'm　just

surprised。　Where　is　your　brother　now？〃



〃He　lives　with　the　tribe。　He　and　Myeerah　are　working　hard　for　peace。　　We　are

now　on　more　friendly　terms　with　the　great　Wyandots；　or　Hurons；　as　we　call

them；　than　ever　before。〃



〃Who　is　this　big　man　coming　from　the　the　fort？〃　asked　Joe；　suddenly　observing

a　stalwart　frontiersman　approaching。



〃Major　Sam　McColloch。　You　have　met　him。　He's　the　man　who　jumped　his　horse　from

yonder　bluff。〃



〃Jonathan　and　he　have　the　same　look；　the　same　swing；〃　observed　Joe；　as　he　ran

his　eye　over　the　major。　His　faded　buckskin　costume；　beaded；　fringed；　and

laced；　was　similar　to　that　of　the　colonel's　brother。　Powder…flask　and

bullet…pouch　were　made　from　cow…horns　and　slung　around　his　neck　on　deerhide

strings。　The　hunting　coat　was　unlaced；　exposing；　under　the　long；　fringed

borders；　a　tunic　of　the　same　well…tanned；　but　finer　and　softer；　material。　　As

he　walked；　the　flaps　of　his　coat　fell　back；　showing　a　belt　containing　two

knives；　sheathed　in　heavy　buckskin；　and　a　bright　tomahawk。　He　carried　a　long

rifle　in　the　hollow　of　his　arm。



〃These　hunters　have　the　same　kind　of　buckskin　suits；〃　continued　Joe；　〃still；

it　doesn't　seem　to　me　the　clothes　make　the　resemblance　to　each　other。　The　way

these　men　stand；　walk　and　act　is　what　strikes　me　particularly；　as　in　the　case

of　Wetzel。〃



〃I　know　what　you　mean。　The　flashing　eye；　the　erect　poise　of　expectation；　and

the　springy　stepthose；　my　lad；　come　from　a　life　spent　in　the　woods。　　Well；

it's　a　grand　way　to　live。〃



〃Colonel；　my　horse　is　laid　up；〃　said　Major　McColloch；　coming　to　the　steps。　　He

bowed　pleasantly　to　Joe。



〃So　you　are　going　to　Short　Creek？　You　can　have　one　of　my　horses；　but　first

come　inside　and　we'll　talk　over　you　expedition。〃



The　afternoon　passed　uneventfully　for　Joe。　His　brother　and　Mr。　Wells　were

absorbed　in　plans　for　their　future　work；　and　Nell　and　Kate　were　resting；

therefore　he　was　forced　to　find　such　amusement　or　occupation　as　was　possible

in　or　near　the　stockade。







Chapter　IX。



Joe　went　to　bed　that　night　with　a　promise　to　himself　to　rise　early　next

morning；　for　he　had　been　invited　to　take　part　in　a　〃raising；〃　which　term　meant

that　a　new　cabin　was　to　be　erected；　and　such　task　was　ever　an　event　in　the

lives　of　the　settlers。



The　following　morning　Joe　rose　early；　dressing　himself　in　a　complete　buckskin

suit；　for　which　he　had　exchanged　his　good　garments　of　cloth。　　Never　before　had

he　felt　so　comfortable。　He　wanted　to　hop；　skip　and　jump。　　The　soft；　undressed

buckskin　was　as　warm　and　smooth　as　silk…plush；　the　weight　so　light；　the

moccasins　so　well…fitting　and　springy；　that　he　had　to　put　himself　under

considerable　restraint　to　keep　from　capering　about　like　a　frolicsome　colt。



The　possession　of　this　buckskin　outfit；　and　the　rifle　and　accouterments　which

went　with　the　bargain；　marked　the　last　stage　in　Joe's　surrender　to　the　border

fever。　The　silent；　shaded　glens；　the　mystery　of　the　woods；　the　breath　of　this

wild；　free　life　claimed　him　from　this　moment　entirely　and　forever。



He　met　the　others；　however；　with　a　serene　face；　showing　no　trace　of　the

emotion　which　welled　up　strongly　from　his　heart。　Nell　glanced　shyly　at　him；

Kate　playfully　voiced　her　admiration；　Jim　met　him　with　a　brotherly　ridicule

which　bespoke　his　affection　as　well　as　his　amusement；　but　Colonel　Zane；　having

once　yielded　to　the　same　burning；　riotous　craving　for　freedom　which　now

stirred　in　the　boy's　heart；　understood；　and　felt　warmly　drawn　toward　the　lad。

He　said　nothing；　though　as　he　watched　Joe　his　eyes　were　grave　and　kind。　In　his

long　frontier　life；　where　many　a　day　measured　the　life　and　fire　of　ordinary

years；　he　had　seen　lad　after　lad　go　down　before　this　forest　fever。　It　was

well；　he　thought；　because　the　freedom　of　the　soil　depended　on　these　wild；

light…footed　boys；　yet　it　always　made　him　sad。　　How　many　youths；　his　brother

among　them；　lay　under　the　fragrant　pine…needle　carpet　of　the　forest；　in　their

last　earthly　sleep！



The　〃raising〃　brought　out　all　the　settlementthe　women　to　look　on　and　gossip；

while　the　children　played；　the　men　to　bend　their　backs　in　the　moving　of　the

heavy　timbers。　They　celebrated　the　erection　of　a　new　cabin　as　a　noteworthy

event。　As　a　social　function　it　had　a　prominent　place　in　the　settlers'　short

list　of　pleasures。



Joe　watched　the　proceeding　with　the　same　pleasure　and　surprise　he　had　felt　in

everything　pertaining　to　border　life。



To　him　this　log…raising　appeared　the　hardest　kind　of　labor。　Yet　it　was　plain

these　hardy　men；　these　low…voiced　women；　and　merry　children　regarded　the　work

as　something　far　more　significant　than　the　mere　building　of　a　cabin。　After　a

while　he　understood　the　meaning　of　the　scene。　A　kindred　spirit；　the　spirit　of

the　pioneer；　drew　them　all　into　one　large　family。　This　was　another　cabin；

another　home；　another　advance　toward　the　conquering　of　the　wilderness；　for

which　these　brave　men　and　women　were　giving　their　lives。　In　the　bright…eyed

children's　glee；　when　they　clapped　their　little　hands　at　the　mounting　logs；

Joe　saw　the　progress；　the　march　of　civilization。



〃Well；　I'm　sorry　you're　to　leave　us　to…night；〃　remarked　Colonel　Zane　to　Joe；

as　the　young　man　came　over　to　where　he；　his　wife；　and　sister　watched　the　work。

〃Jonathan　said　all　was　ready　for　your　departure　at　sundown。〃



〃Do　we　travel　by　night？〃



〃Indeed；　yes；　my　lad。　There　are　Indians　everywhere　on　the　river。　I　think；

however；　with　Jack　and　Lew　handling　the　paddles；　you　will　slip　by　safely。　　The

plan　is　to　keep　along　the　south　shore　all　night；　then　cross　over　at　a　place

called　Girty's　Point；　where　you　are　to　remain　in　hiding　during　daylight。　From

there　you　paddle　up　Yellow　Creek；　then　portage　across　country　to　the　head　of

the　Tuscarwawas。　Another　night's　journey　will　then　bring　you　to　the　Village　of

Peace。〃



Jim　and　Mr。　Wells；　with　his　nieces；　joined　the　party　now；　and　all　stood

watching　as　the　last　logs　were　put　in　place。



〃Colonel　Zane；　my　first　log…raising　is　an　education　to　me；〃　said　the　young

minister；　in　his　earnest　manner。　〃This　scene　is　so　full　of　life。　I　never　saw

such　goodwill　among　laboring　men。　Look　at　that　brawny…armed　giant　standing　on

the　topmost　log。　How　he　whistles　as　he　swings　his　ax！　Mr。　Wells；　does　it　not

impress　you？〃



〃The　pioneers　must　be　brothers　because　of　their　isolation　and　peril；　to　be

brothers　means　to　love　one　another；　to　love　one　another　is　to　love　God。　What

you　see　in　this　fraternity　is　God。　And　I　want　to　see　this　same　beautiful

feeling　among　the　Indians。〃



〃I　have　seen　it；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　to　the　old　missionary。　〃When　I　came　out

here　alone　twelve　years　ago　the　Indians　were　peaceable。　If　the　pioneers　had

paid　for　land；　as　I　paid　Cornplanter；　there　would　never　have　been　a　border

war。　But　no；　the　settlers　must　grasp　every　acre　they　could。　Then　the　Indians

rebelled；　then　the　Girtys　and　their　allies　spread　discontent；　and　now　the

border　is　a　bloody　warpath。〃



〃Have　the　Jesuit　missionaries　accomplished　anything　with　these　war　tribes？〃

inquired　Jim。



〃No；　their　work　has　been　chiefly　among　the　Indians　near　Detroit　and　northward。

The　Hurons；　Delawares；　Shawnees　and　other　western　tribes　have　been　demoralized

by　the　French　traders'　rum；　and　incited　to　fierce　hatred　by　Girty　and　his

renegades。　Your　work　at　Gnaddenhutten　must　be　among　these　hostile　tribes；　and

it　is　surely　a　hazardous　undertaking。〃



〃My　life　is　God's；〃　murmured　the　old　minister。　No　fear　could　assail　his

steadfast　faith。



〃Jim；　it　strikes　me　you'd　be　more　likely　to　impress　these　Indians　Colonel　Zane

spoke　of　if　you'd　get　a　suit　like　mine　and　wear　a　knife　and　tomahawk；〃

interposed　Joe；　cheerfully。　〃Then；　if　you　couldn't　convert；　you　could　scalp

them。〃



〃Well；　well；　let　us　hope　for　the　best；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　when　the　laughter

had　subsided。　〃We'll　go　over　to　dinner　now。　Come；　all　of　you。　Jonathan；　bring

Wetzel。　Betty；　make　him　come；　if　you　can。〃



As　the　party　slowly　wended　its　way　toward　the　colonel's　cabin　Jim　and　Nell

found　themselves　side　by　side。　They　had　not　exchanged　a　word