the scouts of the valley-第31节

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he　lightning　and　thunder　ceased；　and　the　clouds　went　away。　　Then　dawn　came；　rosy　and　bright；　and　all　but　three　rose　from　the　earth。　　The　three…one　woman　and　two　children…had　died　in　silence　in　the　night；　and　they　were　buried；　like　the　others；　in　shallow　graves　in　the　woods。　　But　there　was　little　weeping　or　external　mourning　over　them。　　All　were　now　heavy　and　apathetic；　capable　of　but　little　more　emotion。

Carpenter　resumed　his　position　at　the　head　of　the　column；　which　now　moved　slowly　over　the　mountain　through　a　thick　forest　matted　with　vines　and　bushes　and　without　a　path。　　The　march　was　now　so　painful　and　difficult　that　they　did　not　make　more　than　two　miles　an　hour。　　The　stronger　of　them　helped　the　men　to　gather　more　whortleberries；　as　it　was　easy　to　see　that　the　food　they　had　with　them　would　never　last　until　they　reached　Fort　Penn；　should　they　ever　reach　it。

The　condition　of　the　country　into　which　they　had　entered　steadily　grew　worse。　　They　were　well　into　the　mountains；　a　region　exceedingly　wild　and　rough；　but　little　known　to　the　settlers；　who　had　gone　around　it　to　build　homes　in　the　fertile　and　beautiful　valley　of　Wyoming。　　The　heavy　forest　was　made　all　the　more　difficult　by　the　presence　everywhere　of　almost　impassable　undergrowth。　　Now　and　then　a　woman　lay　down　under　the　bushes；　and　in　two　cases　they　died　there　because　the　power　to　live　was　no　longer　in　them。　　They　grew　weaker　and　weaker。　　The　food　that　they　had　brought　from　the　Wyoming　fort　was　almost　exhausted；　and　the　wild　whortleberries　were　far　from　sustaining。　　Fortunately　there　was　plenty　of　water　flowing　tinder　the　dark　woods　and　along　the　mountainside。　　But　they　were　compelled　to　stop　at　intervals　of　an　hour　or　two　to　rest；　and　the　more　timid　continually　expected　Indian　ambush。

The　five　met　shortly　after　noon　and　took　another　reckoning　of　the　situation。　　They　still　realized　to　the　full　the　dangers　of　Indian　pursuit；　which　in　this　case　might　be　a　mere　matter　of　accident。　　Anybody　could　follow　the　broad　trail　left　by　the　fugitives；　but　the　Iroquois；　busy　with　destruction　in　the　valley；　might　not　follow；　even　if　they　saw　it。　　No　one　could　tell。　　The　danger　of　starvation　or　of　death　from　exhaustion　was　more　imminent；　more　pressing；　and　the　five　resolved　to　let　scouting　alone　for　the　rest　of　the　day　and　seek　game。

〃There's　bound　to　be　a　lot　of　it　in　these　woods；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃though　it's　frightened　out　of　the　path　by　our　big　crowd；　but　we　ought　to　find　it。〃

Henry　and　Shif'less　Sol　went　in　one　direction；　and　Paul；　Tom；　and　Long　Jim　in　another。　　But　with　all　their　hunting　they　succeeded　in　finding　only　one　little　deer；　which　fell　to　the　rifle　of　Silent　Tom。　　It　made　small　enough　portions　for　the　supper　and　breakfast　of　nearly　a　hundred　people；　but　it　helped　wonderfully；　and　so　did　the　fires　which　Henry　and　his　comrades　would　now　have　built；　even　had　they　not　been　needed　for　the　cooking。　　They　saw　that　light　and　warmth；　the　light　and　warmth　of　glowing　coals；　would　alone　rouse　life　in　this　desolate　band。

They　slept　the　second　night　on　the　ground　among　the　trees；　and　the　next　morning　they　entered　that　gloomy　region　of　terrible　memory；　the　Great　Dismal　Swamp　of　the　North；　known　sometimes；　to　this　day；　as　〃The　Shades　of　Death。〃




CHAPTER　XII

THE　SHADES　OF　DEATH


〃The　Shades　of　Death〃　is　a　marsh　on　a　mountain　top；　the　great；　wet；　and　soggy　plain　of　the　Pocono　and　Broad　mountains。　　When　the　fugitives　from　Wyoming　entered　it；　it　was　covered　with　a　dense　growth　of　pines；　growing　mostly　out　of　dark；　murky　water；　which　in　its　turn　was　thick　with　a　growth　of　moss　and　aquatic　plants。　　Snakes　and　all　kinds　of　creeping　things　swarmed　in　the　ooze。　　Bear　and　panther　were　numerous。

Carpenter　did　not　know　any　way　around　this　terrible　region；　and　they　were　compelled　to　enter　it。　　Henry　was　again　devoutly　thankful　that　it　was　summer。　　In　such　a　situation　with　winter　on　top　of　it　only　the　hardiest　of　men　could　survive。

But　they　entered　the　swamp；　Carpenter　silent　and　dogged；　still　leading。　　Henry　and　his　comrades　kept　close　to　the　crowd。　　One　could　not　scout　in　such　a　morass；　and　it　proved　to　be　worse　than　they　bad　feared。　　The　day　turned　gray；　and　it　was　dark　among　the　trees。　　The　whole　place　was　filled　with　gloomy　shadows。　　It　was　often　impossible　to　judge　whether　fairly　solid　soil　or　oozy　murk　lay　before　them。　　Often　they　went　down　to　their　waists。　　Sometimes　the　children　fell　and　were　dragged　up　again　by　the　stronger。　　Now　and　then　rattle　snakes　coiled　and　hissed；　and　the　women　killed　them　with　sticks。　　Other　serpents　slipped　away　in　the　slime。　　Everybody　was　plastered　with　mud；　and　they　became　mere　images　of　human　beings。

In　the　afternoon　they　reached　a　sort　of　oasis　in　the　terrible　swamp；　and　there　they　buried　two　more　of　their　number　who　had　perished　from　exhaustion。　　The　rest；　save　a　few；　lay　upon　the　ground　as　if　dead。　　On　all　sides　of　them　stretched　the　pines　and　the　soft　black　earth。　　It　looked　to　the　fugitives　like　a　region　into　which　no　human　beings　had　ever　come；　or　ever　would　come　again；　and；　alas！　to　most　of　them　like　a　region　from　which　no　human　being　would　ever　emerge。

Henry　sat　upon　a　piece　of　fallen　brushwood　near　the　edge　of　the　morass；　and　looked　at　the　fugitives；　and　his　heart　sank　within　him。　　They　were　hardly　in　the　likeness　of　his　own　kind；　and　they　seemed　practically　lifeless　now。　　Everything　was　dull；　heavy；　and　dead。　　The　note　of　the　wind　among　the　leaves　was　somber。　　A　long　black　snake　slipped　from　the　marshy　grass　near　his　feet　and　disappeared　soundlessly　in　the　water。　　He　was　sick；　sick　to　death　at　the　sight　of　so　much　suffering；　and　the　desire　for　vengeance；　slow；　cold；　and　far　more　lasting　than　any　hot　outburst；　grew　within　him。　　A　slight　noise；　and　Shif'less　Sol　stood　beside　him。

〃Did　you　hear？〃　asked　the　shiftless　one；　in　a　significant　tone。

〃Hear　what？〃　asked　Henry；　who　had　been　deep　in　thought。

〃The　wolf　howl；　just　a　very　little　cry；　very　far　away　an'　under　the　horizon；　but　thar　all　the　same。　　Listen；　thar　she　goes　ag'in！〃

Henry　bent　his　ear　and　distinctly　heard　the　faint；　whining　note；　and　then　it　came　a　third　time。

He　looked　tip　at　Shif'less　Sol；　and　his　face　grew　white　　but　not　for　himself。

〃Yes；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　He　understood　the　look。　　We　are　pursued。　　Them　wolves　howlin'　are　the　Iroquois。　　What　do　you　reckon　we're　goin'　to　do；　Henry？〃

〃Fight！〃　replied　the　youth；　with　fierce　energy。　　〃Beat　'em　off！〃

〃How？〃

Henry　circled　the　little　oasis　with　the　eye　of　a　general；　and　his　plan　came。

〃You'll　stand　here；　where　the　earth　gives　a　footing；〃　he　said；　〃you；　Solomon　Hyde；　as　brave　a　man　as　I　ever　saw；　and　with　you　will　be　Paul　Cotter；　Tom　Ross；　Jim　Hart；　and　Henry　Ware；　old　friends　of　yours。　　Carpenter　will　at　once　lead　the　women　and　children　on　ahead；　and　perhaps　they　will　not　hear　the　battle　that　is　going　to　be　fought　here。〃

A　smile　of　approval；　slow；　but　deep　and　comprehensive；　stole　over　the　face　of　Solomon　Hyde；　surnamed；　wholly　without　fitness；　the　shiftless　one。　　〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　I've　heard　o'　them　four　fellers　you're　talkin'　about；　an'　ef　I　wuz　to　hunt　all　over　this　planet　an'　them　other　planets　that　Paul　tells　of；　I　couldn't　find　four　other　fellers　that　I'd　ez　soon　have　with　me。〃

〃We've　got　to　stand　here　to　the　death；〃　said　Henry。

〃You're　shorely　right；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

The　hands　of　the　two　comrades　met　in　a　grip　of　steel。

The　other　three　were　called　and　were　told　of　the　plan；　which　met　with　their　full　approval。　　Then　the　news　was　carried　to　Carpenter；　who　quickly　agreed　that　their　course　was　the　wisest。　　He　urged　all　the　fugitives　to　their　feet；　telling　them　that　they　must　reach　another　dry　place　before　night；　but　they　were　past　asking　questions　now；　and；　heavy　and　apathetic；　they　passed　on　into　the　swamp。

Paul　watched　the　last　of　them　disappear　among　the　black　bushes　and　weeds；　and　turned　back　to　his　friends　on　the　oasis。　　The　five　lay　down　behind　a　big　fallen　pine；　and　gave　their　weapons　a　last　look。　　They　had　never　been　armed　better。　　Their　rifles　were　good；　and　the　fine　double…barreled　pistols；　formidable　weapons；　would　be　a　great　aid；　especially　at　close　quarters。

〃I　take　it；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　〃that　the　Iroquois　can't　get　through　at　all　unless　they　come　along　this　way；　an'　it's　the　same　ez　ef　we　wuz　settin'　on　solid　earth；　poppin'　em　over；　while　they　come　sloshin'　up　to　us。〃

〃That's　exactly　it；〃　said　Henry。　　〃We've　a　natural　defense　which　we　can　hold　against　much　greater　numbers；　and　the　longer　we　hold　'em　off；　the　nearer　our　people　will　be　to　Fort　Penn。〃

〃I　never　felt　more　like　fightin'　in　my　life；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

It　was　a　grim　utterance；　true　of　them　all；　although　not　one　among　them　was　bloodthirsty。

〃Can　any　of　you　hear　anything？〃　asked　Henry。　　〃Nothin'；〃　replied　Shif'less　Sol；　after　a　little　wait；　〃nothin'　from　the　women　goin'；　an'　nothin'　from　the　Iroquois　comin'。〃

〃We'll　just　lie　close；〃　said　Henry。　　〃This　hard　spot　of　ground　isn't　more　than　thirty　or　forty　feet　each　way；　and　nobody　can　get　on　it　without　our　knowing　it。〃

The　others　did　not　reply。　　All　lay　motionless　upon　their　sides；　with　their　shoulders　raised　a　little；　in　order　that　they　might　take　instant　aim　when　the　time　came。　　Some　rays　of　the　sun　penetr