the scouts of the valley-第22节

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ght　and　the　darkness；　fugitives　were　already　crossing　the　river　to　seek　refuge　in　Forty　Fort；　bringing　with　them　tales　of　death　and　devastation；　some　of　which　were　exaggerated；　but　too　many　true　in　all　their　hideous　details。　　Men　had　been　shot　and　scalped　in　the　fields；　houses　were　burning；　women　and　children　were　captives　for　a　fate　that　no　one　could　foretell。　　Red　ruin　was　already　stalking　down　the　valley。

The　farmers　were　bringing　their　wives　and　children　in　canoes　and　dugouts　across　the　river。　　Here　and　there　a　torch　light　flickered　on　the　surface　of　the　stream；　showing　the　pale　faces　of　the　women　and　children；　too　frightened　to　cry。　　They　had　fled　in　haste；　bringing　with　them　only　the　clothes　they　wore　and　maybe　a　blanket　or　two。　　The　borderers　knew　too　well　what　Indian　war　was；　with　all　its　accompaniments　of　fire　and　the　stake。

Henry　and　his　comrades　helped　nearly　all　that　night。　　They　secured　a　large　boat　and　crossed　the　river　again　and　again；　guarding　the　fugitives　with　their　rifles；　and　bringing　comfort　to　many　a　timid　heart。　　Indian　bands　had　penetrated　far　into　the　Wyoming　Valley；　but　they　felt　sure　that　none　were　yet　in　the　neighborhood　of　Forty　Fort。

It　was　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　the　last　of　the　fugitives　who　had　yet　come　was　inside　Forty　Fort；　and　the　labors　of　the　five；　had　they　so　chosen；　were　over　for　the　time。　　But　their　nerves　were　tuned　to　so　high　a　pitch；　and　they　felt　so　powerfully　the　presence　of　danger；　that　they　could　not　rest；　nor　did　they　have　any　desire　for　sleep。


The　boat　in　which　they　sat　was　a　good　one；　with　two　pairs　of　oars。　　It　had　been　detailed　for　their　service；　and　they　decided　to　pull　up　the　river。　　They　thought　it　possible　that　they　might　see　the　advance　of　the　enemy　and　bring　news　worth　the　telling。　　Long　Jim　and　Tom　Ross　took　the　oars；　and　their　powerful　arms　sent　the　boat　swiftly　along　in　the　shadow　of　the　western　bank。　　Henry　and　Paul　looked　back　and　saw　dim　lights　at　the　fort　and　a　few　on　either　shore。　　The　valley；　the　high　mountain　wall；　and　everything　else　were　merged　in　obscurity。

Both　the　youths　were　oppressed　heavily　by　the　sense　of　danger；　not　for　themselves；　but　for　others。　　In　that　Kentucky　of　theirs；　yet　so　new；　few　people　lived　beyond　the　palisades；　but　here　were　rich　and　scattered　settlements；　and　men；　even　in　the　face　of　great　peril；　are　always　loth　to　abandon　the　homes　that　they　have　built　with　so　much　toil。

Tom　Ross　and　Long　Jim　continued　to　pull　steadily　with　the　long　strokes　that　did　not　tire　them；　and　the　lights　of　the　fort　and　houses　sank　out　of　sight。　　Before　them　lay　the　somber　surface　of　the　rippling　river；　the　shadowy　hills；　and　silence。　　The　world　seemed　given　over　to　the　night　save　for　themselves；　but　they　knew　too　well　to　trust　to　such　apparent　desertion。　　At　such　hours　the　Indian　scouts　come；　and　Henry　did　not　doubt　that　they　were　already　near；　gathering　news　of　their　victims　for　the　Indian　and　Tory　horde。　　Therefore；　it　was　the　part　of　his　comrades　and　himself　to　use　the　utmost　caution　as　they　passed　up　the　river。

They　bugged　the　western　shore；　where　they　were　shadowed　by　banks　and　bushes；　and　now　they　went　slowly；　Long　Jim　and　Tom　Ross　drawing　their　oars　so　carefully　through　the　water　that　there　was　never　a　plash　to　tell　of　their　passing。　　Henry　was　in　the　prow　of　the　boat；　bent　forward　a　little；　eyes　searching　the　surface　of　the　river；　and　ears　intent　upon　any　sound　that　might　pass　on　the　bank。　　Suddenly　he　gave　a　little　signal　to　the　rowers　and　they　let　their　oars　rest。

〃Bring　the　boat　in　closer　to　the　bank；〃　he　whispered。　　Push　it　gently　among　those　bushes　where　we　cannot　be　seen　from　above。〃

Tom　and　Jim　obeyed。　　The　boat　slid　softly　among　tall　bushes　that　shadowed　the　water；　and　was　hidden　completely。　　Then　Henry　stepped　out；　crept　cautiously　nearly　up　the　bank；　which　was　here　very　low；　and　lay　pressed　closely　against　the　earth；　but　supported　by　the　exposed　root　of　a　tree。　　He　had　heard　voices；　those　of　Indians；　he　believed；　and　he　wished　to　see。　　Peering　through　a　fringe　of　bushes　that　lined　the　bank　he　saw　seven　warriors　and　one　white　face　sitting　under　the　boughs　of　a　great　oak。　　The　face　was　that　of　Braxton　Wyatt；　who　was　now　in　his　element；　with　a　better　prospect　of　success　than　any　that　he　had　ever　known　before。　　Henry　shuddered；　and　for　a　moment　he　regretted　that　he　had　spared　Wyatt's　life　when　he　might　have　taken　it。


But　Henry　was　lying　against　the　bank　to　hear　what　these　men　might　be　saying；　not　to　slay。　　Two　of　the　warriors；　as　he　saw　by　their　paint；　were　Wyandots；　and　he　understood　the　Wyandot　tongue。　　Moreover；　his　slight　knowledge　of　Iroquois　came　into　service；　and　gradually　he　gathered　the　drift　of　their　talk。　　Two　miles　nearer　Forty　Fort　was　a　farmhouse　one　of　the　Wyandots　had　seen　it…not　yet　abandoned　by　its　owner；　who　believed　that　his　proximity　to　Forty　Fort　assured　his　safety。　　He　lived　there　with　his　wife　and　five　children；　and　Wyatt　and　the　Indians　planned　to　raid　the　place　before　daylight　and　kill　them　all。　　Henry　had　heard　enough。　　He　slid　back　from　the　bank　to　the　water　and　crept　into　the　boat。

〃Pull　back　down　the　river　as　gently　as　you　can；〃　he　whispered；　〃and　then　I'll　tell　you。〃

The　skilled　oarsmen　carried　the　boat　without　a　splash　several　hundred　yards　down　the　stream；　and　then　Henry　told　the　others　of　the　fiendish　plan　that　he　had　heard。

〃I　know　that　man；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃His　name　is　Standish。　　I　was　there　nine　or　ten　hours　ago；　an'　I　told　him　it　wuz　time　to　take　his　family　an'　run。　　But　he　knowed　more'n　I　did。　　Said　he'd　stay；　he　wuzn't　afraid；　an'　now　he's　got　to　pay　the　price。〃

〃No；　he　mustn't　do　that；〃　said　Henry。　　〃It's　too　much　to　pay　for　just　being　foolish；　when　everybody　is　foolish　sometimes。　　Boys；　we　can　yet　save　that　man　an'　his　wife　and　children。　　Aren't　you　willing　to　do　it？〃

〃Why；　course；〃　said　Long　Jim。　　〃Like　ez　not　Standish　will　shoot　at　us　when　we　knock　on　his　door；　but　let's　try　it。〃

The　others　nodded　assent。

〃How　far　back　from　the　river　is　the　Standish　house；　Sol？〃　asked　Henry。

〃'Bout　three　hundred　yards；　I　reckon；　and'　it　ain't　more'n　a　mile　down。〃

〃Then　if　we　pull　with　all　our　might；　we　won't　be　too　late。　　Tom；　you　and　Jim　give　Sol　and　me　the　oars　now。〃

Henry　and　the　shiftless　one　were　fresh；　and　they　sent　the　boat　shooting　down　stream；　until　they　stopped　at　a　point　indicated　by　Sol。　　They　leaped　ashore；　drew　the　boat　down　the　bank；　and　hastened　toward　a　log　house　that　they　saw　standing　in　a　clump　of　trees。　　The　enemy　had　not　yet　come；　but　as　they　swiftly　approached　the　house　a　dog　ran　barking　at　them。　　The　shiftless　one　swung　his　rifle　butt；　and　the　dog　fell　unconscious。

〃I　hated　to　do　it；　but　I　had　to；〃　he　murmured。　　The　next　moment　Henry　was　knocking　at　the　door。

〃Up！　　Up！〃　he　cried；　〃the　Indians　are　at　hand；　and　you　must　run　for　your　lives！〃

How　many　a　time　has　that　terrible　cry　been　heard　on　the　American　border！

The　sound　of　a　man's　voice；　startled　and　angry；　came　to　their　ears；　and　then　they　heard　him　at　the　door。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　cried。　　〃Why　are　you　beating　on　my　door　at　such　a　time？〃

〃We　are　friends；　Mr。　Standish；〃　cried　Henry；　〃and　if　you　would　save　your　wife　and　children　you　must　go　at　once！　　Open　the　door！　　Open；　I　say！〃

The　man　inside　was　in　a　terrible　quandary。　　It　was　thus　that　renegades　or　Indians；　speaking　the　white　man's　tongue；　sometimes　bade　a　door　to　be　opened；　in　order　that　they　might　find　an　easy　path　to　slaughter。　　But　the　voice　outside　was　powerfully　insistent；　it　had　the　note　of　truth；　his　wife　and　children；　roused；　too；　were　crying　out；　in　alarm。　　Henry　knocked　again　on　the　door　and　shouted　to　him　in　a　voice；　always　increasing　in　earnestness；　to　open　and　flee。　　Standish　could　resist　no　longer。　　He　took　down　the　bar　and　flung　open　the　door；　springing　back；　startled　at　the　five　figures　that　stood　before　him。　　In　the　dusk　he　did　not　remember　Shif'less　Sol。

〃Mr。　Standish；〃　Henry　said；　speaking　rapidly；　〃we　are；　as　you　can　see；　white。　　You　will　be　attacked　here　by　Indians　and　renegades　within　half　an　hour。　　We　know　that；　because　we　heard　them　talking　from　the　bushes。　　We　have　a　boat　in　the　river；　you　can　reach　it　in　five　minutes。　　Take　your　wife　and　children；　and　pull　for　Forty　Fort。〃

Standish　was　bewildered。

〃How　do　I　know　that　you　are　not　enemies；　renegades；　yourselves？〃　he　asked。

〃If　we　had　been　that　you'd　be　a　dead　man　already；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

It　was　a　grim　reply；　but　it　was　unanswerable；　and　Standish　recognized　the　fact。　　His　wife　had　felt　the　truth　in　the　tones　of　the　strangers；　and　was　begging　him　to　go。　　Their　children　were　crying　at　visions　of　the　tomahawk　and　scalping　knife　now　so　near。

〃We'll　go；〃　said　Standish。　　〃At　any　rate；　it　can't　do　any　harm。　　We'll　get　a　few　things　together。〃

〃Do　not　wait　for　anything！　　〃exclaimed　Henry。　　〃You　haven't　a　minute　to　spare！　　Here　are　more　blankets！　　Take　them　and　run　for　the　boat！　　Sol　and　Jim；　see　them　on　board；　and　then　come　back！〃

Carried　away　by　such　fire　and　earnestness；　Standish　and　his　family　ran　for　the　boat。　　Jim　and　the　shiftless　one　almost　threw　them　on　board；　thrust　a　pair　of　oars　into　the　bands　of　Standish；　another　into　the　hands　of　his　wife；　and　then　told　them　to　pull　with　all　their　might　for　the