the scouts of the valley-第28节

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A　great　turmoil　and　confusion　arose　as　the　prisoners　fled　and　the　Indians　pursued。　　Paul　and　Shif'less　Sol；　full　of　sympathy　and　pity　for　the　fugitives　and　having　felt　all　the　time　that　their　turn；　too；　would　come　under　that　dreadful　tomahawk；　struggled　to　their　feet。　　They　did　not　see　a　form　slip　noiselessly　behind　them；　but　a　sharp　knife　descended　once；　then　twice；　and　the　bands　of　both　fell　free。

〃Run！　run！〃　exclaimed　the　voice　of　Timmendiquas；　low　but　penetrating。　　〃I　would　save　you　from　this！〃

Amid　the　darkness　and　confusion　the　act　of　the　great　Wyandot　was　not　seen　by　the　other　Indians　and　the　renegades。　　Paul　flashed　him　one　look　of　gratitude；　and　then　he　and　Shif'less　Sol　darted　away；　choosing　a　course　that　led　them　from　the　crowd　in　pursuit　of　the　other　flying　fugitives。　

At　such　a　time　they　might　have　secured　a　long　lead　without　being　noticed；　had　it　not　been　for　the　fierce　swarm　of　old　squaws　who　were　first　in　cruelty　that　night。　　A　shrill　wild　howl　arose；　and　the　pointing　fingers　of　the　old　women　showed　to　the　warriors　the　two　in　flight。　　At　the　same　time　several　of　the　squaws　darted　forward　to　intercept　the　fugitives。

〃I　hate　to　hit　a　woman；〃　breathed　Shif'less　Sol　to　Paul；　〃but　I'm　goin'　to　do　it　now。〃

A　hideous　figure　sprang　before　them。　　Sol　struck　her　face　with　his　open　hand；　and　with　a　shriek　she　went　down。　　He　leaped　over　her；　although　she　clawed　at　his　feet　as　he　passed；　and　ran　on；　with　Paul　at　his　side。　　Shots　were　now　fired　at　him；　but　they　went　wild；　but　Paul；　casting　a　look　backward　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　saw　that　a　real　pursuit；　silent　and　deadly；　had　begun。　　Five　Mohawk　warriors；　running　swiftly；　were　only　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　　They　carried　rifle；　tomahawk；　and　knife；　and　Paul　and　Shif'less　Sol　were　unarmed。　　Moreover；　they　were　coming　fast；　spreading　out　slightly；　and　the　shiftless　one；　able　even　at　such　a　time　to　weigh　the　case　coolly；　saw　that　the　odds　were　against　them。　　Yet　he　would　not　despair。　　Anything　might　happen。　　It　was　night。　　There　was　little　organization　in　the　army　of　the　Indians　and　of　their　white　allies；　which　was　giving　itself　up　to　the　enjoyment　of　scalps　and　torture。　　Moreover；　he　and　Paul　were；　animated　by　the　love　of　life；　which　is　always　stronger　than　the　desire　to　give　death。　

Their　flight　led　them　in　a　diagonal　line　toward　the　mountains。　　Only　once　did　the　pursuers　give　tongue。　　Paul　tripped　over　a　root；　and　a　triumphant　yell　came　from　the　Mohawks。　　But　it　merely　gave　him　new　life。　　He　recovered　himself　in　an　instant　and　ran　faster。　　But　it　was　terribly　hard　work。　　He　could　hear　Shif'less　Sol's　sobbing　breath　by　his　side；　and　he　was　sure　that　his　own　must　have　the　same　sound　for　his　comrade。

〃At　any　rate　one　uv　'em　is　beat；〃　gasped　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Only　four　are　ban…in'　on　now。〃

The　ground　rose　a　little　and　became　rougher。　　The　lights　from　the　Indian　fires　had　sunk　almost　out　of　sight　behind　them；　and　a　dense　thicket　lay　before　them。　　Something　stirred　in　the　thicket；　and　the　eyes　of　Shif'less　Sol　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　human　shoulder。　　His　heart　sank　like　a　plummet　in　a　pool。　　The　Indians　were　ahead　of　them。　　They　would　be　caught；　and　would　be　carried　back　to　become　the　victims　of　the　terrible　tomahawk。

The　figure　in　the　bushes　rose　a　little　higher；　the　muzzle　of　a　rifle　was　projected；　and　flame　leaped　from　the　steel　tube。

But　it　was　neither　Shif'less　Sol　nor　Paul　who　fell。　　They　heard　a　cry　behind　them；　and　when　Shif'less　Sol　took　a　hasty　glance　backward　he　saw　one　of　the　Mohawks　fall。　　The　three　who　were　left　hesitated　and　stopped。　　When　a　second　shot　was　fired　from　the　bushes　and　another　Mohawk　went　down；　the　remaining　two　fled。

Shif'less　Sol　understood　now；　and　he　rushed　into　the　bushes；　dragging　Paul　after　him。　　Henry；　Tom；　and　Long　Jim　rose　up　to　receive　them。

〃So　you　wuz　watchin'　over　us！　　〃exclaimed　the　shiftless　one　joyously。　　〃It　wuz　you　that　clipped　off　the　first　Mohawk；　an'　we　didn't　even　notice　the　shot。〃

〃Thank　God；　you　were　here！〃　exclaimed　Paul。　　〃You　don't　know　what　Sol　and　I　have　seen！〃

Overwrought；　he　fell　forward；　but　his　comrades　caught　him。




CHAPTER　XI

THE　MELANCHOLY　FLIGHT


Paul　revived　in　a　few　minutes。　　They　were　still　lying　in　the　bushes；　and　when　he　was　able　to　stand　up　again；　they　moved　at　an　angle　several　hundred　yards　before　they　stopped。　　One　pistol　was　thrust　into　Paul's　hand　and　another　into　that　of　Shif'less　Sol。

Keep　those　until　we　can　get　rifles　for　you；〃　said　Henry。　〃You　may　need　'em　to…night。〃

They　crouched　down　in　the　thicket　and　looked　back　toward　the　Indian　camp。　　The　warriors　whom　they　had　repulsed　were　not　returning　with　help；　and；　for　the　moment；　they　seemed　to　have　no　enemy　to　fear；　yet　they　could　still　see　through　the　woods　the　faint　lights　of　the　Indian　camps；　and　to　Paul；　at　least；　came　the　echoes　of　distant　cries　that　told　of　things　not　to　be　written。

〃We　saw　you　captured；　and　we　heard　Sol's　warning　cry；〃　said　Henry。　　〃　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　run。　　Then　we　hid　and　waited　a　chance　for　rescue。〃

〃It　would　never　have　come　if　it　had　not　been　for　Timmendiquas；〃　said　Paul。

〃Timmendiquas！〃　exclaimed　Henry。

〃Yes；　Timmendiquas；〃　said　Paul；　and　then　be　told　the　story　of　〃The　Bloody　Rock；〃　and　how；　in　the　turmoil　and　excitement　attending　the　flight　of　the　last　four；　Timmendiquas　had　cut　the　bonds　of　Shif'less　Sol　and　himself。

〃I　think　the　mind　o'　White　Lightnin'；　Injun　ez　he　is；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃jest　naterally　turned　aginst　so　much　slaughter　an'　torture　o'　prisoners。〃

〃I'm　sure　you're　right；〃　said　Henry。

〃'Pears　strange　to　me；〃　said　Long　Jim　Hart；　〃that　Timmendiquas　was　made　an　Injun。　　He's　jest　the　kind　uv　man　who　ought　to　be　white；　an'　he'd　be　pow'ful　useful；　too。　　I　don't　jest　eggzactly　understan'　it。〃

〃He　has　certainly　saved　the　lives　of　at　least　three　of　us；〃　said　Henry。　　〃I　hope　we　will　get　a　chance　to　pay　him　back　in　full。〃

〃But　he's　the　only　one；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　thinking　of　all　that　he　had　seen　that　night。　　〃The　Iroquois　an'　the　white　men　that's　allied　with　'em　won't　ever　get　any　mercy　from　me；　ef　any　uv　'em　happen　to　come　under　my　thumb。　　I　don't　think　the　like　o'　this　day　an'　night　wuz　ever　done　on　this　continent　afore。　　I'm　for　revenge；　I　am；　like　that　place　where　the　Bible　says；　'an　eye　for　an　eye；　an'　a　tooth　for　a　tooth；'　an'　I'm　goin'　to　stay　in　this　part　o'　the　country　till　we　git　it！〃

It　was　seldom　that　Shif'less　Sol　spoke　with　so　much　passion　and　energy。

〃We're　all　going　to　stay　with　you；　Sol；〃　said　Henry。　　We're　needed　here。　　I　think　we　ought　to　circle　about　the　fort；　slip　in　if　we　can；　and　fight　with　the　defense。〃

〃Yes；　we'll　do　that；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃but　the　Wyoming　fort　can't　ever　hold　out。　　Thar　ain't　a　hundred　men　left　in　it　fit　to　fight；　an'　thar　are　more　than　than　a　thousand　howlin'　devils　outside　ready　to　attack　it。　　Thar　may　be　worse　to　come　than　anything　we've　yet　seen。〃

〃Still；　we'll　go　in　an'　help；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Sol；　when　you　an'　Paul　have　rested　a　little　longer　we'll　make　a　big　loop　around　in　the　woods；　and　come　up　to　the　fort　on　the　other　side。〃

They　were　in　full　accord；　and　after　an　hour　in　the　bushes；　where　they　lay　completely　hidden；　recovering　their　vitality　and　energy；　they　undertook　to　reach　the　fort　and　cabins　inclosed　by　the　palisades。　　Paul　was　still　weak　from　shock；　but　Shif'less　Sol　had　fully　recovered。　　Neither　bad　weapons；　but　they　were　sure　that　the　want　could　be　supplied　soon。　　They　curved　around　toward　the　west；　intending　to　approach　the　fort　from　the　other　side；　but　they　did　not　wholly　lose　sight　of　the　fires；　and　they　heard　now　and　then　the　triumphant　war　whoop。　　The　victors　were　still　engaged　in　the　pleasant　task　of　burning　the　prisoners　to　death。　　Little　did　the　five；　seeing　and　feeling　only　their　part　of　it　there　in　the　dark　woods；　dream　that　the　deeds　of　this　day　and　night　would　soon　shock　the　whole　civilized　world；　and　remain；　for　generations；　a　crowning　act　of　infamy。　　But　they　certainly　felt　it　deeply　enough；　and　in　each　heart　burned　a　fierce　desire　for　revenge　upon　the　Iroquois。

It　was　almost　midnight　when　they　secured　entrance　into　the　fort；　which　was　filled　with　grief　and　wailing。　　That　afternoon　more　than　one　hundred　and　fifty　women　within　those　walls　had　been　made　widows；　and　six　hundred　children　had　been　made　orphans。　　But　few　men　fit　to　bear　arms　were　left　for　its　defense；　and　it　was　certain　that　the　allied　British　and　Indian　army　would　easily　take　it　on　the　morrow。　　A　demand　for　its　surrender　in　the　name　of　King　George　III　of　England　had　already　been　made；　and；　sitting　at　a　little　rough　table　in　the　cabin　of　Thomas　Bennett；　the　room　lighted　only　by　a　single　tallow　wick；　Colonel　Butler　and　Colonel　Dennison　were　writing　an　agreement　that　the　fort　be　surrendered　the　next　day；　with　what　it　should　contain。　　But　Colonel　Butler　put　his　wife　on　a　horse　and　escaped　with　her　over　the　mountains。

Stragglers；　evading　the　tomahawk　in　the　darkness；　were　coming　in；　only　to　be　surrendered　the　next　day；　others　were　pouring　forth　in　a　stream；　seeking　the　shelter　of　the　mountains　and　the　forest；　preferring　any　dangers　that　might　be　found　there　to　the　mercies　of　the　victors。

When　Shif'less　Sol　learned　that　the　fort　was　to　be　given　up；　be　said：

〃It　looks　ez