the spirit of the border-第6节

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that　he　could　only　groan。



〃Silvertip　scalp　paleface。　Ugh！〃　growled　the　savage；　giving　Loorey　another

blow　on　the　side。　This　time　he　bent　over　in　pain。　The　bystanders　were　divided

in　feeling；　the　men　laughed；　while　the　women　murmured　sympathetically。



〃This's　not　a　bit　funny；〃　muttered　Joe；　as　he　pushed　his　way　nearly　to　the

middle　of　the　crowd。　Then　he　stretched　out　a　long　arm　that；　bare　and　brawny；

looked　as　though　it　might　have　been　a　blacksmith's；　and　grasped　the　Indian's

sinewy　wrist　with　a　force　that　made　him　loosen　his　hold　on　Loorey　instantly。



〃I　stole　the　shirtfunjoke；〃　said　Joe。　〃Scalp　me　if　you　want　to　scalp

anyone。〃



The　Indian　looked　quickly　at　the　powerful　form　before　him。　With　a　twist　he

slipped　his　arm　from　Joe's　grasp。



〃Big　paleface　heap　funall　squaw　play；〃　he　said；　scornfully。　There　was　a

menace　in　his　somber　eyes　as　he　turned　abruptly　and　left　the　group。



〃I'm　afraid　you've　made　an　enemy；〃　said　Jake　Wentz　to　Joe。　〃An　Indian　never

forgets　an　insult；　and　that's　how　he　regarded　your　joke。　Silvertip　has　been

friendly　here　because　he　sells　us　his　pelts。　He's　a　Shawnee　chief。　There　he

goes　through　the　willows！〃



By　this　time　Jim　and　Mr。　Wells；　Mrs。　Wentz　and　the　girls　had　joined　the　group。

They　all　watched　Silvertip　get　into　his　canoe　and　paddle　away。



〃A　bad　sign；〃　said　Wentz；　and　then；　turning　to　Jeff　Lynn；　who　joined　the　party

at　that　moment；　he　briefly　explained　the　circumstances。



〃Never　did　like　Silver。　He's　a　crafty　redskin；　an'　not　to　be　trusted；〃　replied

Jeff。



〃He　has　turned　round　and　is　looking　back；〃　Nell　said　quickly。



〃So　he　has；〃　observed　the　fur…trader。



The　Indian　was　now　several　hundred　yards　down　the　swift　river；　and　for　an

instant　had　ceased　paddling。　The　sun　shone　brightly　on　his　eagle　plumes。　　He

remained　motionless　for　a　moment；　and　even　at　such　a　distance　the　dark；

changeless　face　could　be　discerned。　He　lifted　his　hand　and　shook　it

menacingly。



〃If　ye　don't　hear　from　that　redskin　agin　Jeff　Lynn　don't　know　nothin'；〃　calm

said　the　old　frontiersman。







Chapter　IV。



As　the　rafts　drifted　with　the　current　the　voyagers　saw　the　settlers　on　the

landing…place　diminish　until　they　had　faded　from　indistinct　figures　to　mere

black　specks　against　the　green　background。　Then　came　the　last　wave　of　a　white

scarf；　faintly　in　the　distance；　and　at　length　the　dark　outline　of　the　fort　was

all　that　remained　to　their　regretful　gaze。　Quickly　that；　too；　disappeared

behind　the　green　hill；　which；　with　its　bold　front；　forces　the　river　to　take　a

wide　turn。



The　Ohio；　winding　in　its　course　between　high；　wooded　bluffs；　rolled　on　and　on

into　the　wilderness。



Beautiful　as　was　the　ever…changing　scenery；　rugged　gray…faced　cliffs　on　one

side　contrasting　with　green…clad　hills　on　the　other；　there　hovered　over　land

and　water　something　more　striking　than　beauty。　Above　all　hung　a　still

atmosphere　of　calmnessof　loneliness。



And　this　penetrating　solitude　marred　somewhat　the　pleasure　which　might　have

been　found　in　the　picturesque　scenery；　and　caused　the　voyagers；　to　whom　this

country　was　new；　to　take　less　interest　in　the　gaily…feathered　birds　and

stealthy　animals　that　were　to　be　seen　on　the　way。　By　the　forms　of　wild　life

along　the　banks　of　the　river；　this　strange　intruder　on　their　peace　was

regarded　with　attention。　The　birds　and　beasts　evinced　little　fear　of　the

floating　rafts。　The　sandhill　crane；　stalking　along　the　shore；　lifted　his　long

neck　as　the　unfamiliar　thing　came　floating　by；　and　then　stood　still　and　silent

as　a　statue　until　the　rafts　disappeared　from　view。　Blue…herons　feeding　along

the　bars；　saw　the　unusual　spectacle；　and；　uttering　surprised　〃booms；〃　they

spread　wide　wings　and　lumbered　away　along　the　shore。　The　crows　circled　above

the　voyagers；　cawing　in　not　unfriendly　excitement。　Smaller　birds　alighted　on

the　raised　poles；　and　severala　robin；　a　catbird　and　a　little　brown

wrenventured　with　hesitating　boldness　to　peck　at　the　crumbs　the　girls　threw

to　them。　Deer　waded　knee…deep　in　the　shallow　water；　and；　lifting　their　heads；

instantly　became　motionless　and　absorbed。　Occasionally　a　buffalo　appeared　on　a

level　stretch　of　bank；　and；　tossing　his　huge　head；　seemed　inclined　to　resent

the　coming　of　this　stranger　into　his　domain。



All　day　the　rafts　drifted　steadily　and　swiftly　down　the　river；　presenting　to

the　little　party　ever…varying　pictures　of　densely　wooded　hills；　of　jutting；

broken　cliffs　with　scant　evergreen　growth；　of　long　reaches　of　sandy　bar　that

glistened　golden　in　the　sunlight；　and　over　all　the　flight　and　call　of

wildfowl；　the　flitting　of　woodland　songsters；　and　now　and　then　the　whistle　and

bellow　of　the　horned　watchers　in　the　forest。



The　intense　blue　of　the　vault　above　began　to　pale；　and　low　down　in　the　west　a

few　fleecy　clouds；　gorgeously　golden　for　a　fleeting　instant；　then

crimson…crowned　for　another；　shaded　and　darkened　as　the　setting　sun　sank

behind　the　hills。　Presently　the　red　rays　disappeared；　a　pink　glow　suffused　the

heavens；　and　at　last；　as　gray　twilight　stole　down　over　the　hill…tops；　the

crescent　moon　peeped　above　the　wooded　fringe　of　the　western　bluffs。



〃Hard　an'　fast　she　is；〃　sang　out　Jeff　Lynn；　as　he　fastened　the　rope　to　a　tree

at　the　head　of　a　small　island。　〃All　off　now；　and'　we'll　hev'　supper。　　Thar's　a

fine　spring　under　yon　curly　birch；　an'　I　fetched　along　a　leg　of　deer…meat。

Hungry；　little　'un？〃



He　had　worked　hard　all　day　steering　the　rafts；　yet　Nell　had　seen　him　smiling

at　her　many　times　during　the　journey；　and　he　had　found　time　before　the　early

start　to　arrange　for　her　a　comfortable　seat。　There　was　now　a　solicitude　in　the

frontiersman's　voice　that　touched　her。



〃I　am　famished；〃　she　replied；　with　her　bright　smile。　〃I　am　afraid　I　could　eat

a　whole　deer。〃



They　all　climbed　the　sandy　slope；　and　found　themselves　on　the　summit　of　an

oval　island；　with　a　pretty　glade　in　the　middle　surrounded　by　birches。　　Bill；

the　second　raftsman；　a　stolid；　silent　man；　at　once　swung　his　axe　upon　a　log　of

driftwood。　Mr。　Wells　and　Jim　walked　to　and　fro　under　the　birches；　and　Kate　and

Nell　sat　on　the　grass　watching　with　great　interest　the　old　helmsman　as　he　came

u　from　the　river；　his　brown　hands　and　face　shining　from　the　scrubbing　he　had

given　them。　Soon　he　had　a　fire　cheerfully　blazing；　and　after　laying　out　the

few　utensils；　he　addressed　himself　to　Joe：



〃I'll　tell　ye　right　here；　lad；　good　venison　kin　be　spoiled　by　bad　cuttin'　and

cookin'。　You're　slicin'　it　too　thick。　Seethar！　Now　salt　good；　an'　keep　outen

the　flame；　on　the　red　coals　is　best。〃



With　a　sharpened　stick　Jeff　held　the　thin　slices　over　the　fire　for　a　few

moments。　Then　he　laid　them　aside　on　some　clean　white…oak　chips　Bill's　axe　had

provided。　The　simple　meal　of　meat；　bread；　and　afterward　a　drink　of　the　cold

spring　water；　was　keenly　relished　by　the　hungry　voyagers。　When　it　had　been

eaten；　Jeff　threw　a　log　on　the　fire　and　remarked：



〃Seein'　as　how　we　won't　be　in　redskin　territory　fer　awhile　yit；　we　kin　hev　a

fire。　I'll　allow　ye'll　all　be　chilly　and　damp　from　river…mist　afore　long；　so

toast　yerselves　good。〃



〃How　far　have　we　come　to…day？〃　inquired　Mr。　Wells；　his　mind　always　intent　on

reaching　the　scene　of　his　cherished　undertaking。



〃'Bout　thirty…odd　mile；　I　reckon。　Not　much　on　a　trip；　thet's　sartin；　but　we'll

pick　up　termorrer。　We've　some　quicker　water；　an'　the　rafts　hev　to　go

separate。〃



〃How　quiet！〃　exclaimed　Kate；　suddenly　breaking　the　silence　that　followed　the

frontiersman's　answer。



〃Beautiful！〃　impetuously　said　Nell；　looking　up　at　Joe。　A　quick　flash　from　his

gray　eyes　answered　her；　he　did　not　speak；　indeed　he　had　said　little　to　her

since　the　start；　but　his　glance　showed　her　how　glad　he　was　that　she　felt　the

sweetness　and　content　of　this　wild　land。



〃I　was　never　in　a　wilderness　before；〃　broke　in　the　earnest　voice　of　the　young

minister。　〃I　feel　an　almost　overpowering　sense　of　loneliness。　I　want　to　get

near　to　you　all；　I　feel　lost。　Yet　it　is　grand；　sublime！〃



〃Here　is　the　promised　landthe　fruitful　lifeNature　as　it　was　created　by

God；〃　replied　the　old　minister；　impressively。



〃Tell　us　a　story；〃　said　Nell　to　the　old　frontiersman；　as　he　once　more　joined

the　circle　round　the　fire。



〃So；　little　'un；　ye　want　a　story？〃　queried　Jeff；　taking　up　a　live　coal　and

placing　it　in　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　He　took　off　his　coon…skin　cap　and

carefully　laid　it　aside。　His　weather…beaten　face　beamed　in　answer　to　the

girl's　request。　He　drew　a　long　and　audible　pull　at　his　black　pipe；　and　send

forth　slowly　a　cloud　of　white　smoke。　Deliberately　poking　the　fire　with　a

stick；　as　if　stirring　into　life　dead　embers　of　the　past；　he　sucked　again　at

his　pipe；　and　emitted　a　great　puff　of　smoke　that　completely　enveloped　the

grizzled　head。　From　out　that　white　cloud　came　his　drawling　voice。



〃Ye've　seen　thet　big　curly　birch　over　thatthet　'un　as　bends　kind　of

sorrowful　like。　Wal；　it　used　to　stand　straight　an'　proud。