the scouts of the valley-第17节

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The　game　was　now　about　to　begin；　and　the　excitement　became　intense。　　Even　the　old　judges　leaned　forward　in　their　eagerness；　while　the　brown　bodies　of　the　warriors　shone　in　the　sun；　and　the　taut　muscles　leaped　up　under　the　skin。　　Fifty　players　on　each　side；　sticks　in　hand；　advanced　to　the　center　of　the　ground；　and　arranged　themselves　somewhat　after　the　fashion　of　football　players；　to　intercept　the　passage　of　the　ball　toward　their　goals。　　Now　they　awaited　the　coming　of　the　ball。

There　were　several　young　girls；　the　daughters　of　chiefs。　The　most　beautiful　of　these　appeared。　　She　was　not　more　than　sixteen　or　seventeen　years　of　age；　as　slender　and　graceful　as　a　young　deer；　and　she　was　dressed　in　the　finest　and　most　richly　embroidered　deerskin。　　Her　head　was　crowned　with　a　red　coronet；　crested　with　plumes；　made　of　the　feathers　of　the　eagle　and　heron。　　She　wore　silver　bracelets　and　a　silver　necklace。

The　girl；　bearing　in　her　hand　the　ball；　sprang　into　the　very　center　of　the　arena；　where；　amid　shouts　from　all　the　warriors；　she　placed　it　upon　the　ground。　　Then　she　sprang　back　and　joined　the　throng　of　spectators。　　Two　of　the　players；　one　from　each　side；　chosen　for　strength　and　dexterity；　advanced。　　They　hooked　the　ball　together　in　their　united　bats　and　thus　raised　it　aloft；　until　the　bats　were　absolutely　perpendicular。　　Then　with　a　quick；　jerking　motion　they　shot　it　upward。　　Much　might　be　gained　by　this　first　shot　or　stroke；　but　on　this　occasion　the　two　players　were　equal；　and　it　shot　almost　absolutely　straight　into　the　air。　　The　nearest　groups　made　a　rush　for　it；　and　the　fray　began。

Not　all　played　at　once；　as　the　crowd　was　so　great；　but　usually　twenty　or　thirty　on　each　side　struck　for　tile　ball；　and　when　they　became　exhausted　or　disabled　were　relieved　by　similar　groups。　　All　eventually　came　into　action。

The　game　was　played　with　the　greatest　fire　and　intensity；　assuming　sometimes　the　aspect　of　a　battle。　　Blows　with　the　formidable　sticks　were　given　and　received。　　Brown　skins　were　streaked　with　blood；　heads　were　cracked；　and　a　Cayuga　was　killed。　　Such　killings　were　not　unusual　in　these　games；　and　it　was　always　considered　the　fault　of　the　man　who　fell；　due　to　his　own　awkwardness　or　unwariness。　　The　body　of　the　dead　Cayuga　was　taken　away　in　disgrace。

All　day　long　the　contest　was　waged　with　undiminished　courage　and　zeal；　party　relieving　party。　　The　meadow　and　the　surrounding　forest　resounded　with　the　shouts　and　yells　of　combatants　and　spectators。　　The　old　squaws　were　in　a　perfect　frenzy　of　excitement；　and　their　shrill　screams　of　applause　or　condemnation　rose　above　every　other　sound。

On　this　occasion；　as　the　contest　did　not　last　longer　than　one　day；　the　chiefs　never　cut　down　the　score　of　the　leading　side。　　The　game　closed　at　sunset；　with　the　Senecas　and　Onondagas　triumphant；　and　richer　by　far　than　they　were　in　the　morning。　　The　Mohawks　and　Cayugas　retired；　stripped　of　their　goods　and　crestfallen。

Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea；　acting　as　umpires　watched　the　game　closely　to　its　finish；　but　not　so　the　renegades　Braxton　Wyatt　and　Blackstaffe。　　They　and　Quarles　had　wandered　eastward　with　some　Delawares；　and　had　afterward　joined　the　band　of　Wyandots；　though　Timmendiquas　gave　them　no　very　warm　welcome。　　Quarles　had　left　on　some　errand　a　few　days　before。　　They　had　rejoiced　greatly　at　the　trapping　of　the　four；　one　by　one；　in　the　deep　bush。　　But　they　had　felt　anger　and　disappointment　when　the　fifth　was　not　taken；　also。　　Now　both　were　concerned　and　alarmed　over　the　escape　of　Shif'less　Sol　in　the　night；　and　they　drew　apart　from　the　Indians　to　discuss　it。

〃I　think；〃　said　Wyatt；　〃that　Hyde　did　not　manage　it　himself；　all　alone。　　How　could　he？　　He　was　bound　both　hand　and　foot；　and　I've　learned；　too；　Blackstaffe；　that　four　of　the　best　Iroquois　rifles　have　been　taken。　　That　means　one　apiece　for　Hyde　and　the　three　prisoners　that　are　left。〃

The　two　exchanged　looks　of　meaning　and　understanding。

〃It　must　have　been　the　boy　Ware　who　helped　Hyde　to　get　away；〃　said　Blackstaffe；　〃and　their　taking　of　the　rifles　means　that　he　and　Hyde　expect　to　rescue　the　other　three　in　the　same　way。　　You　think　so；　too？〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Wyatt。　〃What　makes　the　Indians；　who　are　so　wonderfully　alert　and　watchful　most　of　the　time；　become　so　careless　when　they　have　a　great　feast？〃

Blackstaffe　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃It　is　their　way；〃　he　replied。　　〃You　cannot　change　it。　　Ware　must　have　noticed　what　they　were　about；　and　he　took　advantage　of　it。　　But　I　don't　think　any　of　the　others　will　go　that　way。〃

〃The　boy　Cotter　is　in　here；〃　said　Braxton　Wyatt；　tapping　the　side　of　a　small　hut。　　〃Let's　go　in　and　see　him。〃


〃Good　enough；〃　said　Blackstaffe。　　〃But　we　mustn't　let　him　know　that　Hyde　has　escaped。〃

Paul；　also　bound　hand　and　foot；　was　lying　on　an　old　wolfskin。　　He；　too；　was　pale　and　thin…the　strict　confinement　had　told　upon　him　heavily…but　Paul's　spirit　could　never　be　daunted。　　He　looked　at　the　two　renegades　with　hatred　and　contempt。

〃Well；　you're　in　a　fine　fix；〃　said　Wyatt　sneeringly。　　〃We　just　came　in　to　tell　you　that　we　took　Henry　Ware　last　night。〃

Paul　looked　him　straight　and　long　in　the　eye；　and　he　knew　that　the　renegade　was　lying。

〃I　know　better；〃　he　said。

〃Then　we　will　get　him；〃　said　Wyatt；　abandoning　the　lie；　〃and　all　of　you　will　die　at　the　stake。〃

〃You；　will　not　get　him；〃　said　Paul　defiantly；　〃and　as　for　the　rest　of　us　dying　at　the　stake；　that's　to　be　seen。　　I　know　this：　Timmendiquas　considers　us　of　value；　to　be　traded　or　exchanged；　and　he's　too　smart　a　man　to　destroy　what　be　regards　as　his　own　property。　　Besides；　we　may　escape。　　I　don't　want　to　boast；　Braxton　Wyatt；　but　you　know　that　we're　hard　to　hold。〃

Then　Paul　managed　to　turn　over　with　his　face　to　the　wall；　as　if　he　were　through　with　them。　　They　went　out；　and　Braxton　Wyatt　said　sulkily：

〃Nothing　to　be　got　out　of　him。〃

〃No；〃　said　Blackstaffe；　〃but　we　must　urge　that　the　strictest　kind　of　guard　be　kept　over　the　others。〃

The　Iroquois　were　to　remain　some　time　at　the　village；　because　all　their　forces　were　not　yet　gathered　for　the　great　foray　they　had　in　mind。　　The　Onondaga　runners　were　still　carrying　the　wampum　belts　of　purple　shells；　sign　of　war；　to　distant　villages　of　the　tribes；　and　parties　of　warriors　were　still　coming　in。　　A　band　of　Cayugas　arrived　that　night；　and　with　them　they　brought　a　half　starved　and　sick；　Lenni…Lenape；　whom　they　had　picked　up　near　the　camp。　　The　Lenni…Lenape；　who　looked　as　if　he　might　have　been　when　in　health　a　strong　and　agile　warrior；　said　that　news　had　reached　him　through　the　Wyandots　of　the　great　war　to　be　waged　by　the　Iroquois　on　the　white　settlements；　and　the　spirits　would　not　let　him　rest　unless　he　bore　his　part　in　it。　　He　prayed　therefore　to　be　accepted　among　them。

Much　food　was　given　to　the　brave　Lenni…Lenape；　and　he　was　sent　to　a　lodge　to　rest。　　To…morrow　he　would　be　well；　and　he　would　be　welcomed　to　the　ranks　of　the　Cayugas；　a　Younger　nation。　　But　when　the　morning　came；　the　lodge　was　empty。　　The　sick　Lenni…Lenape　was　gone；　and　with　him　the　boy；　Paul；　the　youngest　of　the　prisoners。　　Guards　bad　been　posted　all　around　the　camp；　but　evidently　the　two　had　slipped　between。　　Brave　and　advanced　as　were　the　Iroquois；　superstition　seized　upon　them。　　Hah…gweli…da…et…gah　was　at　work　among　them；　coming　in　the　form　of　the　famished　Lenni…Lenape。　　He　had　steeped　them　in　a　deep　sleep；　and　then　he　had　vanished　with　the　prisoner　in　Se…oh　（The　Night）。　　Perhaps　lie　had　taken　away　the　boy；　who　was　one　of　a　hated　race；　for　some　sacrifice　or　mystery　of　his　own。　　The　fears　of　the　Iroquois　rose。　　If　the　Spirit　of　Evil　was　among　them；　greater　harm　could　be　expected。

But　the　two　renegades；　Blackstaffe　and　Wyatt；　raged。　　They　did　not　believe　in　the　interference　of　either　good　spirits　or　bad　spirits；　and　just　now　their　special　hatred　was　a　famished　Lenni…Lenape　warrior。

〃Why　on　earth　didn't　I　think　of　it？〃　exclaimed　Wyatt。　　〃I'm　sure　now　by　his　size　that　it　was　the　fellow　Hyde。　　Of　Course　he　slipped　to　the　lodge；　let　Cotter　out；　and　they　dodged　about　in　the　darkness　until　they　escaped　in　the　forest。　　I'll　complain　to　Timmendiquas。〃

He　was　as　good　as　his　word；　speaking　of　the　laxness　of　both　Iroquois　and　Wyandots。　　The　great　White　Lightning　regarded　him　with　an　icy　stare。

〃You　say　that　the　boy；　Cotter；　escaped　through　carelessness？〃　he　asked。

〃I　do；〃　exclaimed　Wyatt。

〃Then　why　did　you　not　prevent　it？〃

Wyatt　trembled　a　little　before　the　stern　gaze　of　the　chief。

Since　when；〃　continued　Timmendiquas；　〃have　you；　a　deserter　front　your　own　people；　had　the　right　to　hold　to　account　the　head　chief　of　the　Wyandots？〃　　　Braxton　Wyatt；　brave　though　he　undoubtedly　was；　trembled　yet　more。　　He　knew　that　Timmendiquas　did　not　like　him；　and　that　the　Wyandot　chieftain　could　make　his　position　among　the　Indians　precarious。

〃I　did　not　mean　to　say　that　it　was　the　fault　of　anybody　in　particular；〃　he　exclaimed　hastily；　〃but　I've　been　hearing　so　much　talk　about　the　Spirit　of　Evil　having　a　hand　in　this　that　I　couldn't　keep　front　saying　something。　　Of　course；　it　was　Henry　Ware　and　Hyde　who　did　it！〃

〃It　may　be；〃　said　Timmendiquas　icily；　〃but　neither　the　Manitou　of　the　Wyandots；　nor　the　Aieroski　of　the　Iroquois　has　given　to　me　the　eyes　to　see　everything　that　happ