the scouts of the valley-第21节

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The　man's　face　blanched；　and　he　cast　a　hasty　look　toward　a　little　wood；　where　stood　a　cabin　from　which　smoke　was　rising。　　He　could　not　doubt　on　a　near　view　that　these　were　white　like　himself；　and　the　words　rang　true。

〃My　house　is　strong；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　can　beat　them　off。　　Maybe　you　will　help　me。〃

〃We'd　help　you　willingly　enough；〃　said　Henry；　〃if　this　were　any　ordinary　raiding　band；　but　'Indian'　Butler；　Brant；　and　Queen　Esther　are　coming　at　the　head　of　twelve　or　fifteen　hundred　men。　　How　could　we　hold　a　house；　no　matter　how　thick　its　walls；　against　such　an　army　as　that？　　Don't　hesitate　a　moment！　　Get　up　what　you　can　and　gallop。〃

The　man；　a　Connecticut　settler…Jennings　was　his　name…left　his　plow　in　the　furrow；　galloped　on　his　horse　to　his　house；　mounted　his　wife　and　children　on　other　horses；　and；　taking　only　food　and　clothing；　fled　to　Stroudsburg；　where　there　was　a　strong　fort。　　At　a　later　day　he　gave　Henry　heartfelt　thanks　for　his　warning；　as　six　hours　afterward　the　vanguard　of　the　horde　burned　　his　home　and　raged　because　its　owner　and　his　family　were　gone　with　their　scalps　on　their　own　heads。

The　five　were　now　well　into　the　Wyoming　Valley；　where　the　Lenni…Lenape；　until　they　were　pushed　westward　by　other　tribes；　had　had　their　village　Wy…wa…mieh；　which　means　in　their　language　Wyoming。　　It　was　a　beautiful　valley　running　twenty　miles　or　more　along　the　Susquehanna；　and　about　three　miles　broad。　　On　either　side　rose　mountain　walls　a　thousand　feet　in　height；　and　further　away　were　peaks　with　mists　and　vapors　around　their　crests。　　The　valley　itself　blazed　in　the　summer　sunshine；　and　the　river　sparkled；　now　in　gold；　now　in　silver；　as　the　light　changed　and　fell。

More　cultivated　fields；　more　houses；　generally　of　stout　logs；　appeared；　and　to　all　that　they　saw　the　five　bore　the　fiery　beacon。　　Simon　Jennings　was　not　the　only　man　who　lived　to　thank　them　for　the　warning。　　Others　were　incredulous；　and　soon　paid　the　terrible　price　of　unbelief。

The　five　hastened　on；　and　as　they　went　they　looked　about　them　with　wondering　eyes…there　were　so　many　houses；　so　many　cultivated　fields；　and　so　many　signs　of　a　numerous　population。　　They　had　emerged　almost　for　the　first　time　from　the　wilderness；　excepting　their　memorable　visit　to　New　Orleans；　although　this　was　a　very　different　region。　　Long　Jim　spoke　of　it。

〃I　think　I　like　it　better　here　than　at　New　Or…leeyuns；〃　he　said。　　〃We　found　some　nice　Frenchmen　an'　Spaniards　down　thar；　but　the　ground　feels　firmer　under　my　feet　here。〃

〃The　ground　feels　firmer；〃　said　Paul；　who　had　some　of　the　prescience　of　the　seer；　〃but　the　skies　are　no　brighter。　　They　look　red　to　me　sometimes；　Jim。〃

Tom　Ross　glanced　at　Paul　and　shook　his　head　ominously。　　A　woodsman；　he　had　his　superstitions；　and　Paul's　words　weighed　upon　his　mind。　　He　began　to　fear　a　great　disaster；　and　his　experienced　eye　perceived　at　once　the　defenseless　state　of　the　valley。　　He　remembered　the　council　of　the　great　Indian　force　in　the　deep　woods；　and　the　terrible　face　of　Queen　Esther　was　again　before　him。

〃These　people　ought　to　be　in　blockhouses；　every　one　uv　'em；〃　he　said。　　〃It　ain't　no　time　to　be　plowin'　land。〃

Yet　peace　seemed　to　brood　still　over　the　valley。　　It　was　a　fine　river；　beautiful　with　changing　colors。　　The　soil　on　either　side　was　as　deep　and　fertile　as　that　of　Kentucky；　and　the　line　of　the　mountains　cut　the　sky　sharp　and　clear。　　Hills　and　slopes　were　dark　green　with　foliage。

It　must　have　been　a　gran'　huntin'　ground　once；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

The　alarm　that　the　five　gave　spread　fast；　and　other　hunters　and　scouts　came　in；　confirming　it。　　Panic　seized　the　settlers；　and　they　began　to　crowd　toward　Forty　Fort　on　the　west　side　of　the　river。　　Henry　and　his　comrades　themselves　arrived　there　toward　the　close　of　evening；　just　as　the　sun　had　set；　blood　red；　behind　the　mountains。　　Some　report　of　them　had　preceded　their　coming；　and　as　soon　as　they　had　eaten　they　were　summoned　to　the　presence　of　Colonel　Zebulon　Butler；　who　commanded　the　military　force　in　the　valley。　　Singularly　enough；　he　was　a　cousin　of　〃Indian〃　Butler；　who　led　the　invading　army。

The　five；　dressed　in　deerskin　hunting　shirts；　leggins；　and　moccasins；　and　everyone　carrying　a　rifle；　hatchet；　and　knife；　entered　a　large　low　room；　dimly　lighted　by　some　wicks　burning　in　tallow。　　A　man　of　middle　years；　with　a　keen　New　England　face；　sat　at　a　little　table；　and　several　others　of　varying　ages　stood　near。

The　five　knew　instinctively　that　the　man　at　the　table　　was　Colonel　Butler；　and　they　bowed；　but　they　did　not　show　the　faintest　trace　of　subservience。　　They　had　caught　suspicious　glances　from　some　of　the　officers　who　stood　about　the　commander；　and　they　stiffened　at　once。　　Colonel　Butler　looked　involuntarily　at　Henry…everybody　always　took　him；　without　the　telling；　for　leader　of　the　group。

〃We　have　had　report　of　you；〃　he　said　in　cool　noncommittal　tones；〃　and　you　have　been　telling　of　great　Indian　councils　that　you　have　seen　in　the　woods。　　May　I　ask　your　name　and　where　you　belong？〃

〃My　name；〃　replied　Henry　with　dignity；　〃is　Henry　Ware；　and　I　come　from　Kentucky。　　My　friends　here　are　Paul　Cotter；　Solomon　Hyde；　Tom　Ross；　and　Jim　Hart。　　They；　too；　come　from　Kentucky。〃

Several　of　the　men　gave　the　five　suspicious　glances。　　Certainly　they　were　wild　enough　in　appearance；　and　Kentucky　was　far　away。　　It　would　seem　strange　that　new　settlers　in　that　far　land　should　be　here　in　Pennsylvania。　　Henry　saw　clearly　that　his　story　was　doubted。

〃Kentucky；　you　tell　me？〃　said　Colonel　Butler。　　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　have　come　all　that　tremendous　distance　to　warn　us　of　an　attack　by　Indians　and　Tories？〃

Several　of　the　others　murmured　approval；　and　Henry　flushed　a　little；　but　he　saw　that　the　commander　was　not　unreasonable。　　It　was　a　time　when　men　might　well　question　the　words　of　strangers。　　Remembering　this；　he　replied：

〃No；　we　did　not　come　from　Kentucky　just　to　warn　you。　　In　fact；　we　came　from　a　point　much　farther　than　that。　　We　came　from　New　Orleans　to　Pittsburgh　with　a　fleet　loaded　with　supplies　for　the　Continental　armies；　and　commanded　by　Adam　Colfax　of　New　Hampshire。〃

The　face　of　Colonel　Butler　brightened。

〃What！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　were　on　that　expedition？　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　recall　hearing　of　great　services　rendered　to　it　by　some　independent　scouts。〃

〃When　we　reached　Pittsburgh；〃　continued　Henry；　〃〃it　was　our　first　intention　to　go　back　to　Kentucky；　but　we　heard　that　a　great　war　movement　was　in　progress　to　the　eastward；　and　we　thought　that　we　would　see　what　was　going　on。　　Four　of　us　have　been　captives　among　the　Iroquois。　　We　know　much　of　their　plans；　and　we　know；　too；　that　Timmendiquas；　the　great　chief　of　the　Wyandots；　whom　we　fought　along　the　Ohio；　has　joined　them　with　a　hand　of　his　best　warriors。　　We　have　also　seen　Thayendanegea；　every　one　of　us。〃

〃You　have　seen　Brant？〃　exclaimed　Colonel　Butler；　calling　the　great　Mohawk　by　his　white　name。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Henry。　　〃We　have　seen　him；　and　we　have　also　seen　the　woman　they　call　Queen　Esther。　　She　is　continually　urging　the　Indians　on。〃

Colonel　Butler　seemed　convinced；　and　invited　them　to　sit　down。　　He　also　introduced　the　officers　who　were　with　him；　Colonel　John　Durkee；　Colonel　Nathan　Dennison；　Lieutenant　Colonel　George　Dorrance；　Major　John　Garrett；　Captain　Samuel　Ransom；　Captain　Dethrie　Hewitt；　and　some　others。

〃Now；　gentlemen；　tell　us　all　that　you　saw；〃　continued　Colonel　Butler　courteously。〃　　You　will　pardon　so　many　questions；　but　we　must　be　careful。　　You　will　see　that　yourselves。　　But　I　am　a　New　England　man　myself；　from　Connecticut；　and　I　have　met　Adam　Colfax。　　I　recall　now　that　we　have　heard　of　you；　also；　and　we　are　grateful　for　your　coming。　　Will　you　and　your　comrades　tell　us　all　that　you　have　seen　and　heard？〃

The　five　felt　a　decided　change　in　the　atmosphere。　　They　were　no　longer　possible　Tories　or　renegades；　bringing　an　alarm　at　one　point　when　it　should　be　dreaded　at　another。　　The　men　drew　closely　around　them；　and　listened　as　the　tallow　wicks　sputtered　in　the　dim　room。　　Henry　spoke　first；　and　the　others　in　their　turn。　　Every　one　of　them　spoke　tersely　but　vividly　in　the　language　of　the　forest。　　They　felt　deeply　what　they　had　seen；　and　they　drew　the　same　picture　for　their　listeners。　　Gradually　the　faces　of　the　Wyoming　men　became　shadowed。　　This　was　a　formidable　tale　that　they　were　hearing；　and　they　could　not　doubt　its　truth。

〃It　is　worse　than　I　thought　it　could　be；〃　said　Colonel　Butler　at　last。〃　　How　many　men　do　you　say　they　have；　Mr。　Ware？〃

〃Close　to　fifteen　hundred。〃

〃All　trained　warriors　and　soldiers。　　And　at　the　best　we　cannot　raise　more　than　three　hundreds　including　old　men　and　boys；　and　our　men；　too；　are　farmers。〃

〃But　we　can　beat　them。　　Only　give　us　a　chance；　Colonel！〃　exclaimed　Captain　Ransom。

〃I'm　afraid　the　chance　will　come　too　soon；〃　said　Colonel　Butler；　and　then　turning　to　the　five：　　〃Help　us　all　you　can。　　We　need　scouts　and　riflemen。　　Come　to　the　fort　for　any　food　and　ammunition　you　may　need。〃

The　five　gave　their　most　earnest　assurances　that　they　would　stay；　and　do　all　in　their　power。　　In　fact；　they　had　come　for　that　very　purpose。　　Satisfied　now　that　Colonel　Butler　and　his　officers　had　implicit　faith　in　them　they　went　forth　to　find　that；　despite　the　night　and　the　darkness；　fugitive