the scouts of the valley-第18节

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g　that　happens　in　the　dark。〃

Wyatt　withdrew　still　in　a　rage；　but　afraid　to　say　more。　　He　and　Blackstaffe　held　many　conferences　through　the　day；　and　they　longed　for　the　presence　of　Simon　Girty；　who　was　farther　west。

That　night　an　Onondaga　runner　arrived　from　one　of　the　farthest　villages　of　the　Mohawks；　far　east　toward　Albany。　　He　had　been　sent　from　a　farther　village；　and　was　not　known　personally　to　the　warriors　in　the　great　camp；　but　he　bore　a　wampum　belt　of　purple　shells；　the　sign　of　war；　and　he　reported　directly　to　Thayendanegea；　to　whom　he　brought　stirring　and　satisfactory　words。　　After　ample　feasting；　as　became　one　who　had　come　so　far；　he　lay　upon　soft　deerskins　in　one　of　the　bark　huts　and　sought　sleep。

But　Braxton　Wyatt；　the　renegade；　could　not　sleep。　　His　evil　spirit　warned　him　to　rise　and　go　to　the　huts；　where　the　two　remaining　prisoners　were　kept。　　It　was　then　about　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　as　he　passed　he　saw　the　Onondaga　runner　at　the　door　of　one　of　the　prison　lodges。　　He　was　about　to　cry　out；　but　the　Onondaga　turned　and　struck　him　such　a　violent　blow　with　the　butt　of　a　pistol；　snatched　from　under　his　deerskin　tunic；　that　he　fell　senseless。　　When　a　Mohawk　sentinel　found　and　revived　him　an　hour　later；　the　door　of　the　hut　was　open；　and　the　oldest　of　the　prisoners；　the　one　called　Ross；　was　gone。

Now；　indeed；　were　the　Iroquois　certain　that　the　Spirit　of　Evil　was　among　them。　　When　great　chiefs　like　Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea　were　deceived；　how　could　a　common　warrior　hope　to　escape　its　wicked　influence！

But　Braxton　Wyatt；　with　a　sore　and　aching　head；　lay　all　day　on　a　bed　of　skins；　and　his　friend；　Moses　Blackstaffe；　could　give　him　no　comfort。

The　following　night　the　camp　was　swept　by　a　sudden　and　tremendous　storm　of　thunder　and　lightning；　wind　and　rain。　　Many　of　the　lodges　were　thrown　down；　and　when　the　storm　finally　whirled　itself　away；　it　was　found　that　the　last　of　the　prisoners；　he　of　the　long　arms　and　long　legs；　had　gone　on　the　edge　of　the　blast。

Truly　the　Evil　Spirit　had　been　hovering　over　the　Iroquois　village。




CHAPTER　VII

CATHARINE　MONTOUR


The　five　lay　deep　in　the　swamp；　reunited　once　more；　and　full　of　content。　　The　great　storm　in　which　Long　Jim；　with　the　aid　of　his　comrades；　had　disappeared；　was　whirling　off　to　the　eastward。　　The　lightning　was　flaring　its　last　on　the　distant　horizon；　but　the　rain　still　pattered　in　the　great　woods。

It　was　a　small　hut；　but　the　five　could　squeeze　in　it。　　They　were　dry；　warm；　and　well　armed；　and　they　had　no　fear　of　the　storm　and　the　wilderness。　　The　four　after　their　imprisonment　and　privations　were　recovering　their　weight　and　color。　　Paul；　who　had　suffered　the　most；　had；　on　the　other　hand；　made　the　quickest　recovery；　and　their　present　situation；　so　fortunate　in　contrast　with　their　threatened　fate　a　few　days　before；　made　a　great　appeal　to　his　imagination。　　The　door　was　allowed　to　stand　open　six　inches　；　and　through　the　crevice　he　watched　the　rain　pattering　on　the　dark　earth。　　He　felt　an　immense　sense　of　security　and　comfort。　　Paul　was　hopeful　by　nature　and　full　of　courage；　but　when　he　lay　bound　and　alone　in　a　hut　in　the　Iroquois　camp　it　seemed　to　him　that　no　chance　was　left。　　The　comrades　had　been　kept　separate；　and　he　had　supposed　the　others　to　be　dead。　　But　here　he　was　snatched　from　the　very　pit　of　death；　and　all　the　others　had　been　saved　from　a　like　fate。

〃If　I'd　known　that　you　were　alive　and　uncaptured；　Henry；〃　he　said；　〃　I'd　never　have　given　up　hope。　　It　was　a　wonderful　thing　you　did　to　start　the　chain　that　drew　us　all　away。〃

〃It's　no　more　than　Sol　or　Tom　or　any　of　you　would　have　done；〃　said　Henry。

〃We　might　have　tried　it；〃　said　Long　Jim　Hart；　〃but　I　ain't　sure　that　we'd　have　done　it。　　Likely　ez　not；　ef　it　had　been　left　to　me　my　scalp　would　be　dryin'　somewhat　in　the　breeze　that　fans　a　Mohawk　village。　　Say；　Sol；　how　wuz　it　that　you　talked　Onondaga　when　you　played　the　part　uv　that　Onondaga　runner。　　Didn't　know　you　knowed　that　kind　uv　Injun　lingo。〃

Shif'less　Sol　drew　himself　up　proudly；　and　then　passed　a　thoughtful　hand　once　or　twice　across　his　forehead。

〃Jim；〃　he　said；　〃I've　told　you　often　that　Paul　an'　me　hez　the　instincts　uv　the　eddicated。　　Learnin'　always　takes　a　mighty　strong　hold　on　me。　　Ef　I'd　had　the　chance；　I　might　be　a　purfessor；　or　mebbe　I'd　be　writin'　poetry。　　I　ain't　told　you　about　it；　but　when　I　wuz　a　young　boy；　afore　I　moved　with　the　settlers；　I　wuz　up　in　these　parts　an'　I　learned　to　talk　Iroquois　a　heap。　　I　never　thought　it　would　be　the　use　to　me　it　hez　been　now。　　Ain't　it　funny　that　sometimes　when　you　put　a　thing　away　an'　it　gits　all　covered　with　rust　and　mold；　the　time　comes　when　that　same　forgot　little　thing　is　the　most　vallyble　article　in　the　world　to　you。〃

〃Weren't　you　scared；　Sol；〃　persisted　Paul；　〃to　face　a　man　like　Brant；　an'　pass　yourself　off　as　an　Onondaga？〃

〃No；　I　wuzn't；〃　replied　the　shiftless　one　thoughtfully；　〃I've　been　wuss　scared　over　little　things。　　I　guess　that　when　your　life　depends　on　jest　a　motion　o'　your　hand　or　the　turnin'　o'　a　word；　Natur'　somehow　comes　to　your　help　an'　holds　you　up。　　I　didn't　get　good　an'　skeered　till　it　wuz　all　over；　an'　then　I　had　one　fit　right　after　another。〃

〃I've　been　skeered　fur　a　week　without　stoppin'；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　〃jest　beginnin'　to　git　over　it。　　I　tell　you；　Henry；　it　wuz　pow'ful　lucky　fur　us　you　found　them　steppin'　stones；　an'　this　solid　little　place　in　the　middle　uv　all　that　black　mud。〃

〃Makes　me　think　uv　the　time　we　spent　the　winter　on　that　island　in　the　lake；〃　said　Long　Jim。　　　〃That　waz　shorely　a　nice　place　an'　pow'ful　comf'table　we　wuz　thar。　　But　we're　a　long　way　from　it　now。　　That　island　uv　ours　must　be　seven　or　eight　hundred　miles　from　here；　an'　I　reckon　it's　nigh　to　fifteen　hundred　to　New　Orleans；　whar　we　wuz　once。〃

〃Shet　up；〃　said　Tom　Ross　suddenly。　　〃Time　fur　all　uv　you　to　go　to　sleep；　an'　I'm　goin'　to　watch。〃

〃I'll　watch；〃　said　Henry。

〃I'm　the　oldest；　an'　I'm　goin'　to　have　my　way　this　time；〃　said　Tom。

〃Needn't　quarrel　with　me　about　it；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃A　lazy　man　like　me　is　always　willin'　to　go　to　sleep。　　You　kin　hev　my　watch；　Tom；　every　night　fur　the　next　five　years。〃

He　ranged　himself　against　the　wall；　and　in　three　minutes　was　sound　asleep。　　Henry　and　Paul　found　room　in　the　line；　and　they；　too；　soon　slept。　　Tom　sat　at　the　door；　one　of　the　captured　rifles　across　his　knees；　and　watched　the　forest　and　the　swamp。　　He　saw　the　last　flare　of　the　distant　lightning；　and　he　listened　to　the　falling　of　the　rain　drops　until　they　vanished　with　the　vanishing　wind；　leaving　the　forest　still　and　without　noise。

Tom　was　several　years　older　than　any　of　the　others；　and；　although　powerful　in　action；　be　was　singularly　chary　of　speech。　　Henry　was　the　leader；　but　somehow　Tom　looked　upon　himself　as　a　watcher　over　the　other　four；　a　sort　of　elder　brother。　　As　the　moon　came　out　a　little　in　the　wake　of　the　retreating　clouds；　he　regarded　them　affectionately。

〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　　〃We're　all　here；　an'　Henry　come　fur　us。　　That　is　shorely　the　greatest　boy　the　world　hez　ever　seed。　　Them　fellers　Alexander　an'　Hannibal　that　Paul　talks　about　couldn't　hev　been　knee　high　to　Henry。　　Besides；　ef　them　old　Greeks　an'　Romans　hed　hed　to　fight　Wyandots　an'　Shawnees　an'　Iroquois　ez　we've　done；　whar'd　they　hev　been？〃

Tom　Ross　uttered　a　contemptuous　little　sniff；　and　on　the　edge　of　that　sniff　Alexander　and　Hannibal　were　wafted　into　oblivion。　　Then　he　went　outside　and　walked　about　the　islet；　appreciating　for　the　tenth　time　what　a　wonderful　little　refuge　it　was。　　He　was　about　to　return　to　the　hut　when　he　saw　a　dozen　dark　blots　along　the　high　bough　of　a　tree。　　He　knew　them。　　They　were　welcome　blots。　　They　were　wild　turkeys　that　had　found　what　had　seemed　to　be　a　secure　roosting　place　in　the　swamp。

Tom　knew　that　the　meat　of　the　little　bear　was　nearly　exhausted；　and　here　was　more　food　come　to　their　hand。　　〃We're　five　pow'ful　feeders；　an'　we'll　need　you；〃　he　murmured；　looking　up　at　the　turkeys；　〃　but　you　kin　rest　thar　till　nearly　mornin'。〃

He　knew　that　the　turkeys　would　not　stir；　and　he　went　back　to　the　hut　to　resume　his　watch。　just　before　the　first　dawn　he　awoke　Henry。

〃Henry；〃　he　said；　〃a　lot　uv　foolish　wild　turkeys　hev　gone　to　rest　on　the　limb　of　a　tree　not　twenty　yards　from　this　grand　manshun　uv　ourn。　　'Pears　to　me　that　wild　turkeys　wuz　made　fur　hungry　fellers　like　us　to　eat。　　Kin　we　risk　a　shot　or　two　at　'em；　or　is　it　too　dangerous？〃

〃I　think　we　can　risk　the　shots；〃　said　Henry；　rising　and　taking　his　rifle。　　〃　We're　bound　to　risk　something；　and　it's　not　likely　that　Indians　are　anywhere　near。〃

They　slipped　from　the　cabin；　leaving　the　other　three　still　sound　asleep；　and　stepped　noiselessly　among　the　trees。　　The　first　pale　gray　bar　that　heralded　the　dawn　was　just　showing　in　the　cast。

〃Thar　they　are；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　pointing　at　the　dozen　dark　blots　on　the　high　bough。

〃We'll　take　good　aim；　and　when　I　say　'fire！'　we'll　both　pull　trigger；〃　said　Henry。

He　picked　out　a　huge　bird　near　the　end　of　the　line；　but　be　noticed　when　be　drew　the　bead　that　a　second　turkey　just　behind　the　first　was　directly　in　his　line　of　fire。　　The　fact　aroused　his　ambition　to　kill　both　with　one　bullet。　　It　was　not　a　mere　desire　to　slaughter　or