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小说: the spirit of the border 字数: 每页4000字

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which were two prostrate figures that closely resembled human beings。



Joe was so intent upon the lithe forms of the Indians that he barely got a

glimpse of their floating prize; whatever it might have been。  Bringing up the

rear was an athletic warrior; whose broad shoulders; sinewy arms; and shaved;

polished head Joe remembered well。 It was the Shawnee chief; Silvertip。



When he; too; passed out of sight in the curve of willows; Joe found himself

trembling。 He turned eagerly to Wetzel; but instantly recoiled。



Terrible; indeed; had been the hunter's transformation。 All calmness of facial

expression was gone; he was now stern; somber。 An intense emotion was visible

in his white face; his eyes seemed reduced to two dark shining points; and

they emitted so fierce; so piercing a flash; so deadly a light; that Joe could

not bear their glittering gaze。



〃Three white captives; two of 'em women;〃 uttered the hunter; as if weighing

in his mind the importance of this fact。



〃Were those women on the raft?〃 questioned Joe; and as Wetzel only nodded; he

continued; 〃A white man and two women; six warriors; Silvertip; and that

renegade; Jim Girty!〃



Wetzel deigned not to answer Joe's passionate outburst; but maintained silence

and his rigid posture。 Joe glanced once more at the stern face。



〃Considering we'd go after Girty and his redskins if they were alone; we're

pretty likely to go quicker now that they've got white women prisoners; eh?〃

and Joe laughed fiercely between his teeth。



The lad's heart expanded; while along every nerve tingled an exquisite thrill

of excitement。 He had yearned for wild; border life。 Here he was in it; with

the hunter whose name alone was to the savages a symbol for all that was

terrible。



Wetzel evidently decided quickly on what was to be done; for in few words he

directed Joe to cut up so much of the buffalo meat as they could stow in their

pockets。 Then; bidding the lad to follow; he turned into the woods; walking

rapidly; and stopping now and then for a brief instant。 Soon they emerged from

the forest into more open country。 They faced a wide plain skirted on the

right by a long; winding strip of bright green willows which marked the course

of the stream。 On the edge of this plain Wetzel broke into a run。 He kept this

pace for a distance of an hundred yards; then stopped to listen intently as he

glanced sharply on all sides; after which he was off again。



Half way across this plain Joe's wind began to fail; and his breathing became

labored; but he kept close to the hunter's heels。 Once he looked back to see a

great wide expanse of waving grass。 They had covered perhaps four miles at a

rapid pace; and were nearing the other side of the plain。  The lad felt as if

his head was about to burst; a sharp pain seized upon his side; a blood…red

film obscured his sight。 He kept doggedly on; and when utterly exhausted fell

to the ground。



When; a few minutes later; having recovered his breath; he got up; they had

crossed the plain and were in a grove of beeches。 Directly in front of him ran

a swift stream; which was divided at the rocky head of what appeared to be a

wooded island。 There was only a slight ripple and fall of the water; and;

after a second glance; it was evident that the point of land was not an

island; but a portion of the mainland which divided the stream。  The branches

took almost opposite courses。



Joe wondered if they had headed off the Indians。 Certainly they had run fast

enough。 He was wet with perspiration。 He glanced at Wetzel; who was standing

near。 The man's broad breast rose and fell a little faster; that was the only

evidence of exertion。 The lad had a painful feeling that he could never keep

pace with the hunter; if this five…mile run was a sample of the speed he would

be forced to maintain。



〃They've got ahead of us; but which crick did they take?〃 queried Wetzel; as

though debating the question with himself。



〃How do you know they've passed?〃



〃We circled;〃 answered Wetzel; as he shook his head and pointed into the

bushes。 Joe stepped over and looked into the thicket。 He found a quantity of

dead leaves; sticks; and litter thrown aside; exposing to light a long;

hollowed place on the ground。 It was what would be seen after rolling over a

log that had lain for a long time。 Little furrows in the ground; holes;

mounds; and curious winding passages showed where grubs and crickets had made

their homes。 The frightened insects were now running round wildly。



〃What was here? A log?〃



〃A twenty…foot canoe was hid under thet stuff。 The Injuns has taken one of

these streams。〃



〃How can we tell which one?〃



〃Mebbe we can't; but we'll try。 Grab up a few of them bugs; go below thet

rocky point; an' crawl close to the bank so you can jest peep over。  Be

keerful not to show the tip of your head; an' don't knock nothin' off'en the

bank into the water。 Watch fer trout。 Look everywheres; an' drop in a bug now

and then。 I'll do the same fer the other stream。 Then we'll come back here an'

talk over what the fish has to say about the Injuns。〃



Joe walked down stream a few paces; and; dropping on his knees; crawled

carefully to the edge of the bank。 He slightly parted the grass so he could

peep through; and found himself directly over a pool with a narrow shoal

running out from the opposite bank。 The water was so clear he could see the

pebbly bottom in all parts; except a dark hole near a bend in the shore close

by。 He did not see a living thing in the water; not a crawfish; turtle; nor

even a frog。 He peered round closely; then flipped in one of the bugs he had

brought along。 A shiny yellow fish flared up from the depths of the deep hole

and disappeared with the cricket; but it was a bass or a pike; not a trout。

Wetzel had said there were a few trout living near the cool springs of these

streams。 The lad tried again to coax one to the surface。 This time the more

fortunate cricket swam and hopped across the stream to safety。



When Joe's eyes were thoroughly accustomed to the clear water; with its

deceiving lights and shades; he saw a fish lying snug under the side of a

stone。 The lad thought he recognized the snub…nose; the hooked; wolfish jaw;

but he could not get sufficient of a view to classify him。 He crawled to a

more advantageous position farther down stream; and then he peered again

through the woods。 Yes; sure enough; he had espied a trout。 He well knew those

spotted silver sides; that broad; square tail。 Such a monster!  In his

admiration for the fellow; and his wish for a hook and line to try conclusions

with him; Joe momentarily forgot his object。 Remembering; he tossed out a big;

fat cricket; which alighted on the water just above the fish。 The trout never

moved; nor even blinked。 The lad tried again; with no better success。 The fish

would not rise。 Thereupon Joe returned to the point where he had left WetzeL



〃I couldn't see nothin' over there;〃 said the hunter; who was waiting。  〃Did

you see any?'



〃One; and a big fellow。〃



〃Did he see you?〃



〃No。〃



〃Did he rise to a bug?〃



〃No; he didn't; but then maybe he wasn't hungry〃 answered Joe; who could not

understand what Wetzel was driving at。



〃Tell me exactly what he did。〃



〃That's just the trouble; he didn't do anything;〃 replied Joe; thoughtfully。

〃He just lay low; stifflike; under a stone。 He never batted an eye。 But his

side…fins quivered like an aspen leaf。〃



〃Them side…fins tell us the story。 Girty; an' his redskins hev took this

branch;〃 said Wetzel; positively。 〃The other leads to the Huron towns。 

Girty's got a place near the Delaware camp somewheres。 I've tried to find it a

good many times。 He's took more'n one white lass there; an' nobody ever seen

her agin。〃



〃Fiend! To think of a white woman; maybe a girl like Nell Wells; at the mercy

of those red devils!〃



〃Young fellar; don't go wrong。 I'll allow Injuns is bad enough; but I never

hearn tell of one abusin' a white woman; as mayhap you mean。 Injuns marry

white women sometimes; kill an' scalp 'em often; but that's all。 It's men of

our own color; renegades like this Girty; as do worse'n murder。〃



Here was the amazing circumstance of Lewis Wetzel; the acknowledged unsatiable

foe of all redmen; speaking a good word for his enemies。  Joe was so

astonished he did not attempt to answer。



〃Here's where they got in the canoe。 One more look; an' then we're off;〃 said

Wetzel。 He strode up and down the sandy beach; examined the willows; and

scrutinized the sand。 Suddenly he bent over and picked up an object from the

water。 His sharp eyes had caught the glint of something white; which; upon

being examined; proved to be a small ivory or bone buckle with a piece broken

out。 He showed it to Joe。



〃By heavens! Wetzel; that's a buckle off Nell Well's shoe。 I've seen it too

many times to mistake it。〃



〃I was afeared Gir

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