the spirit of the border-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



cheerfully。



〃Most　folks　from　over　Eastways　ain't　in　a　hurry　to　tackle　the　river；〃　replied

Lynn；　eyeing　Joe　sharply。



〃It's　a　beautiful　river；　and　I'd　like　to　sail　on　it　from　here　to　where　it

ends；　and　then　come　back　to　go　again；〃　Joe　replied；　warmly。



〃In　a　hurry　to　be　a…goin'？　I'll　allow　you'll　see　some　slim　red　devils；　with

feathers　in　their　hair；　slipping　among　the　trees　along　the　bank；　and　mebbe

you'll　hear　the　ping　which's　made　when　whistlin'　lead　hits。　Perhaps　you'll

want　to　be　back　here　by　termorrer　sundown。〃



〃Not　I；〃　said　Joe；　with　his　short；　cool　laugh。



The　old　frontiersman　slowly　finished　his　task　of　coiling　up　a　rope　of　wet

cowhide；　and　then；　producing　a　dirty　pipe；　he　took　a　live　ember　from　the　fire

and　placed　it　on　the　bowl。　He　sucked　slowly　at　the　pipe…stem；　and　soon　puffed

out　a　great　cloud　of　smoke。　Sitting　on　a　log；　he　deliberately　　surveyed　the

robust　shoulders　and　long；　heavy　limbs　of　the　young　man；　with　a　keen

appreciation　of　their　symmetry　and　strength。　Agility；　endurance　and　courage

were　more　to　a　borderman　than　all　else；　a　new…comer　on　the　frontier　was　always

〃sized…up〃　with　reference　to　these　〃points；〃　and　respected　in　proportion　to

the　measure　in　which　he　possessed　them。



Old　Jeff　Lynn；　riverman；　hunter；　frontiersman；　puffed　slowly　at　his　pipe　while

he　mused　thus　to　himself：　〃Mebbe　I'm　wrong　in　takin'　a　likin'　to　this

youngster　so　sudden。　Mebbe　it's　because　I'm　fond　of　his　sunny…haired　lass；　an'

ag'in　mebbe　it's　because　I'm　gettin'　old　an'　likes　young　folks　better'n　I　onct

did。　Anyway；　I'm　kinder　thinkin；　if　this　young　feller　gits　worked　out；　say　fer

about　twenty　pounds　less；　he'll　lick　a　whole　raft…load　of　wild…cats。〃



Joe　walked　to　and　fro　on　the　logs；　ascertained　how　the　raft　was　put　together；

and　took　a　pull　on　the　long；　clumsy　steering…oar。　At　length　he　seated　himself

beside　Lynn。　He　was　eager　to　ask　questions；　to　know　about　the　rafts；　the

river；　the　forest；　the　Indianseverything　in　connection　with　this　wild　life；

but　already　he　had　learned　that　questioning　these　frontiersmen　is　a　sure　means

of　closing　their　lips。



〃Ever　handle　the　long　rifle？〃　asked　Lynn；　after　a　silence。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Joe；　simply。



〃Ever　shoot　anythin'？〃　the　frontiersman　questioned；　when　he　had　taken　four　or

five　puffs　at　his　pipe。



〃Squirrels。〃



〃Good　practice；　shootin'　squirrels；〃　observed　Jeff；　after　another　silence；

long　enough　to　allow　Joe　to　talk　if　he　was　so　inclined。　〃Kin　ye　hit　onesay；

a　hundred　yards？〃



〃Yes；　but　not　every　time　in　the　head；〃　returned　Joe。　There　was　an　apologetic

tone　in　his　answer。



Another　interval　followed　in　which　neither　spoke。　Jeff　was　slowly　pursuing　his

line　of　thought。　After　Joe's　last　remark　he　returned　his　pipe　to　his　pocket

and　brought　out　a　tobacco…pouch。　He　tore　off　a　large　portion　of　the　weed　and

thrust　it　into　his　mouth。　Then　he　held　out　the　little　buckskin　sack　to　Joe。



〃Hev'　a　chaw；〃　he　said。



To　offer　tobacco　to　anyone　was　absolutely　a　borderman's　guarantee　of

friendliness　toward　that　person。



Jeff　expectorated　half　a　dozen　times；　each　time　coming　a　little　nearer　the

stone　he　was　aiming　at；　some　five　yards　distant。　Possibly　this　was　the

borderman's　way　of　oiling　up　his　conversational　machinery。　At　all　events；　he

commenced　to　talk。



〃Yer　brother's　goin'　to　preach　out　here；　ain't　he？　Preachin'　is　all　right；

I'll　allow；　but　I'm　kinder　doubtful　about　preachin'　to　redskins。　　Howsumever；

I've　knowed　Injuns　who　are　good　fellows；　and　there's　no　tellin'。　What　are　ye

goin'　in　ferfarmin'？〃



〃No；　I　wouldn't　make　a　good　farmer。〃



〃Jest　cum　out　kinder　wild　like；　eh？〃　rejoined　Jeff；　knowingly。



〃I　wanted　to　come　West　because　I　was　tired　of　tame　life。　I　love　the　forest；　I

want　to　fish　and　hunt；　and　I　think　I'd　like　toto　see　Indians。〃



〃I　kinder　thought　so；〃　said　the　old　frontiersman；　nodding　his　head　as　though

he　perfectly　understood　Joe's　case。　〃Well；　lad；　where　you're　goin'　seein'

Injuns　ain't　a　matter　of　choice。　You　has　to　see　'em；　and　fight　'em；　too。　We've

had　bad　times　for　years　out　here　on　the　border；　and　I'm　thinkin'　wuss　is

comin'。　Did　ye　ever　hear　the　name　Girty？〃



〃Yes；　he's　a　renegade。〃



〃He's　a　traitor；　and　Jim　and　George　Girty；　his　brothers；　are　p'isin

rattlesnake　Injuns。　Simon　Girty's　bad　enough；　but　Jim's　the　wust。　　He's　now

wusser'n　a　full…blooded　Delaware。　He's　all　the　time　on　the　lookout　to　capture

white　wimen　to　take　to　his　Injun　teepee。　Simon　Girty　and　his　pals；　McKee　and

Elliott；　deserted　from　that　thar　fort　right　afore　yer　eyes。　They're　now　livin'

among　the　redskins　down　Fort　Henry　way；　raisin'　as　much　hell　fer　the　settlers

as　they　kin。〃



〃Is　Fort　Henry　near　the　Indian　towns？〃　asked　Joe。



〃There's　Delawares；　Shawnees　and　Hurons　all　along　the　Ohio　below　Fort　Henry。〃



〃Where　is　the　Moravian　Mission　located？〃



〃Why；　lad；　the　Village　of　Peace；　as　the　Injuns　call　it；　is　right　in　the　midst

of　that　Injun　country。　I　'spect　it's　a　matter　of　a　hundred　miles　below　and

cross…country　a　little　from　Fort　Henry。〃



〃The　fort　must　be　an　important　point；　is　it　not？〃



〃Wal；　I　guess　so。　It's　the　last　place　on　the　river；〃　answered　Lynn；　with　a

grim　smile。　〃There's　only　a　stockade　there；　an'　a　handful　of　men。　The　Injuns

hev　swarmed　down　on　it　time　and　ag'in；　but　they　hev　never　burned　it。　　Only

such　men　as　Colonel　Zane；　his　brother　Jack；　and　Wetzel　could　hev　kept　that

fort　standin'　all　these　bloody　years。　Eb　Zane's　got　but　a　few　men；　yet　he　kin

handle　'em　some；　an'　with　such　scouts　as　Jack　Zane　and　Wetzel；　he　allus　knows

what's　goin'　on　among　the　Injuns。〃



〃I've　heard　of　Colonel　Zane。　He　was　an　officer　under　Lord　Dunmore。　The　hunters

here　speak　often　of　Jack　Zane　and　Wetzel。　What　are　they？〃



〃Jack　Zane　is　a　hunter　an'　guide。　I　knowed　him　well　a　few　years　back。　　He's　a

quiet；　mild　chap；　but　a　streak　of　chain…lightnin'　when　he's　riled。　Wetzel　is

an　Injun…killer。　Some　people　say　as　how　he's　crazy　over　scalp…huntin'；　but　I

reckon　that's　not　so。　I've　seen　him　a　few　times。　　He　don't　hang　round　the

settlement　'cept　when　the　Injuns　are　up；　an'　nobody　sees　him　much。　At　home　he

sets　round　silent…like；　an'　then　mebbe　next　mornin'　he'll　be　gone；　an'　won't

show　up　fer　days　or　weeks。　But　all　the　frontier　knows　of　his　deeds。　Fer

instance；　I've　hearn　of　settlers　gettin'　up　in　the　mornin'　an'　findin'　a

couple　of　dead　and　scalped　Injuns　right　in　front　of　their　cabins。　No　one

knowed　who　killed　'em；　but　everybody　says　'Wetzel。'　He's　allus　warnin'　the

settlers　when　they　need　to　flee　to　the　fort；　and　sure　he's　right　every　time；

because　when　these　men　go　back　to　their　cabins　they　find　nothin'　but　ashes。

There　couldn't　be　any　farmin'　done　out　there　but　fer　Wetzel。〃



〃What　does　he　look　like？〃　questioned　Joe；　much　interested。



〃Wetzel　stands　straight　as　the　oak　over　thar。　He'd　hev'　to　go　sideways　to　git

his　shoulders　in　that　door；　but　he's　as　light　of　foot　an'　fast　as　a　deer。　An'

his　eyeswhy；　lad；　ye　kin　hardly　look　into　'em。　If　you　ever　see　Wetzel　you'll

know　him　to　onct。〃



〃I　want　to　see　him；〃　Joe　spoke　quickly；　his　eyes　lighting　with　an　eager　flash。

〃He　must　be　a　great　fighter。〃



〃Is　he？　Lew　Wetzel　is　the　heftiest　of　'em　all；　an'　we　hev　some　as　kin　fight

out　here。　I　was　down　the　river　a　few　years　ago　and　joined　a　party　to　go　out

an'　hunt　up　some　redskins　as　had　been　reported。　Wetzel　was　with　us。　We　soon

struck　Injun　sign；　and　then　come　on　to　a　lot　of　the　pesky　varmints。　We　was　all

fer　goin'　home；　because　we　had　a　small　force。　When　we　started　to　go　we　finds

Wetzel　sittin'　calm…like　on　a　log。　We　said：　　'Ain't　ye　goin'　home？'　and　he

replied；　'I　cum　out　to　find　redskins；　an'　now　as　we've　found　'em；　I'm　not

goin'　to　run　away。'　An'　we　left　him　settin'　thar。　Oh；　Wetzel　is　a　fighter！〃



〃I　hope　I　shall　see　him；〃　said　Joe　once　more；　the　warm　light；　which　made　him

look　so　boyish；　still　glowing　in　his　face。



〃Mebbe　ye'll　git　to；　and　sure　ye'll　see　redskins；　an'　not　tame　ones；　nuther。〃



At　this　moment　the　sound　of　excited　voices　near　the　cabins　broke　in　on　the

conversation。　Joe　saw　several　persons　run　toward　the　large　cabin　and　disappear

behind　it。　He　smiled　as　he　thought　perhaps　the　commotion　had　been　caused　by

the　awakening　of　the　Indian　brave。



Rising　to　his　feet；　Joe　went　toward　the　cabin；　and　soon　saw　the　cause　of　the

excitement。　A　small　crowd　of　men　and　women；　all　laughing　and　talking；

surrounded　the　Indian　brave　and　the　little　stout　fellow。　Joe　heard　some　one

groan；　and　then　a　deep；　guttural　voice：



〃Palefacebig　stealugh！　Injun　madheap　madkill　paleface。〃



After　elbowing　his　way　into　the　group；　Joe　saw　the　Indian　holding　Loorey　with

one　hand；　while　he　poked　him　on　the　ribs　with　the　other。　The　captive's　face

was　the　picture　of　dismay；　even　the　streaks　of　paint　did　not　hide　his　look　of

fear　and　bewilderment。　The　poor　half…witted　fellow　was　so　badly　frightened

that　he　could　only　groan。



〃Silvertip　scalp　paleface。　Ugh！