the scouts of the valley-第32节

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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　penetrated　the　canopy　of　pines；　and　fell　across　the　brown；　determined　faces　and　the　lean　brown　hands　that　grasped　the　long；　slender…barreled　Kentucky　rifles。　　Another　snake　slipped　from　the　ground　into　the　black　water　and　swam　away。　　Some　water　animal　made　a　light　splash　as　he；　too；　swam　from　the　presence　of　these　strange　intruders。　　Then　they　beard　a　sighing　sound；　as　of　a　foot　drawn　from　mud；　and　they　knew　that　the　Iroquois　were　approaching；　savages　in　war；　whatever　they　might　be　otherwise；　and　expecting　an　easy　prey。　　Five　brown　thumbs　cocked　their　rifles；　and　five　brown　forefingers　rested　upon　the　triggers。　　The　eyes　of　woodsmen　who　seldom　missed　looked　down　the　sights。

The　sound　of　feet　in　the　mud　came　many　times。　　The　enemy　was　evidently　drawing　near。

〃How　many　do　you　think　are　out　thar？〃　whispered　Shif'less　Sol　to　Henry。

〃Twenty；　at　least；　it　seems　to　me　by　the　sounds。〃　〃I　s'pose　the　best　thing　for　us　to　do　is　to　shoot　at　the　first　head　we　see。〃

〃Yes；　but　we　mustn't　all　fire　at　the　same　man。〃

It　was　suggested　that　Henry　call　off　the　turns　of　the　marksmen；　and　he　agreed　to　do　so。　　Shif'less　Sol　was　to　fire　first。　　The　sounds　now　ceased。　　The　Iroquois　evidently　had　some　feeling　or　instinct　that　they　were　approaching　an　enemy　who　was　to　be　feared；　not　weak　and　unarmed　women　and　children。

The　five　were　absolutely　motionless；　finger　on　trigger。　　The　American　wilderness　had　heroes　without　number。　　It　was　Horatius　Cocles　five　times　over；　ready　to　defend　the　bridge　with　life。　　Over　the　marsh　rose　the　weird　cry　of　an　owl；　and　some　water　birds　called　in　lonely　fashion。

Henry　judged　that　the　fugitives　were　now　three　quarters　of　a　mile　away；　out　of　the　sound　of　rifle　shot。　　He　had　urged　Carpenter　to　marshal　them　on　as　far　as　be　could。　　But　the　silence　endured　yet　a　while　longer。　　In　the　dull　gray　light　of　the　somber　day　and　the　waning　afternoon　the　marsh　was　increasingly　dreary　and　mournful。　　It　seemed　that　it　must　always　be　the　abode　of　dead　or　dying　things。

The　wet　grass；　forty　yards　away；　moved　a　little；　and　between　the　boughs　appeared　the　segment　of　a　hideous　dark　face；　the　painted　brow；　the　savage　black　eyes；　and　the　hooked　nose　of　the　Mohawk。　　Only　Henry　saw　it；　but　with　fierce　joy…the　tortures　at　Wyoming　leaped　up　before　him…he　fired　at　the　painted　brow。　　The　Mohawk　uttered　his　death　cry　and　fell　back　with　a　splash　into　the　mud　and　water　of　the　swamp。　　A　half　dozen　bullets　were　instantly　fired　at　the　base　of　the　smoke　that　came　from　Henry's　rifle；　but　the　youth　and　his　comrades　lay　close　and　were　unharmed。　　Shif'less　Sol　and　Tom　were　quick　enough　to　catch　glimpses　of　brown　forms；　at　which　they　fired；　and　the　cries　coming　back　told　that　they　had　hit。

〃That's　something；〃　said　Henry。　　〃One　or　two　Iroquois　at　least　will　not　wear　the　scalp　of　white　woman　or　child　at　their　belts。〃

〃Wish　they'd　try　to　rush　us；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃I　never　felt　so　full　of　fight　in　my　life　before。〃

〃They　may　try　it；〃　said　Henry。　　〃I　understand　that　at　the　big　battle　of　the　Oriskany；　farther　up　in　the　North；　the　Iroquois　would　wait　until　a　white　man　behind　a　tree　would　fire；　then　they　would　rush　up　and　tomahawk　him　before　he　could　reload。〃

〃They　don't　know　how　fast　we　kin　reload；〃　said　Long　Jim；　〃an'　they　don't　know　that　we've　got　these　double…barreled　pistols；　either。〃

〃No；　they　don't；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　it's　a　great　thing　for　us　to　have　them。　　Suppose　we　spread　out　a　little。　　So　long　as　we　keep　them　from　getting　a　lodging　on　the　solid　earth　we　hold　them　at　a　great　disadvantage。〃

Henry　and　Paul　moved　off　a　little　toward　the　right；　and　the　others　toward　the　left。　　They　still　had　good　cover；　as　fallen　timber　was　scattered　all　over　the　oasis；　and　they　were　quite　sure　that　another　attack　would　be　made　soon。　　It　came　in　about　fifteen　minutes。　　The　Iroquois　suddenly　fired　a　volley　at　the　logs　and　brush；　and　when　the　five　returned　the　fire；　but　with　more　deadly　effect；　they　leaped　forward　in　the　mud　and　attempted　to　rush　the　oasis；　tomahawk　in　hand。

But　the　five　reloaded　so　quickly　that　they　were　able　to　send　in　a　second　volley　before　the　foremost　of　the　Iroquois　could　touch　foot　on　solid　earth。　　Then　the　double　barreled　pistols　came　into　play。　　The　bullets　sent　from　short　range　drove　back　the　savages；　who　were　amazed　at　such　a　deadly　and　continued　fire。　　Henry　caught　sight　of　a　white　face　among　these　assailants；　and　he　knew　it　to　be　that　of　Braxton　Wyatt。　　Singularly　enough　he　was　not　amazed　to　see　it　there。　　Wyatt；　sinking　deeper　and　deeper　into　savagery　and　cruelty；　was　just　the　one　to　lead　the　Iroquois　in　such　a　pursuit。　　He　was　a　fit　match　for　Walter　Butler；　the　infamous　son　of　the　Indian　leader；　who　was　soon　to　prove　himself　worse　than　the　worst　of　the　savages；　as　Thayendanegea　himself　has　written。

Henry　drew　a　bead　once　on　Braxton　Wyatt…he　had　no　scruples　now　about　shooting　him…but　just　as　he　was　about　to　pull　the　trigger　Wyatt　darted　behind　a　bush；　and　a　Seneca　instead　received　the　bullet。　　He　also　saw　the　renegade；　Blackstaffe；　but　he　was　not　able　to　secure　a　shot　at　him；　either。　　Nevertheless；　the　Iroquois　attack　was　beaten　back。　　It　was　a　foregone　conclusion　that　the　result　would　be　so；　unless　the　force　was　in　great　numbers。　　It　is　likely；　also；　that　the　Iroquois　at　first　had　thought　only　a　single　man　was　with　the　fugitives；　not　knowing　that　the　five　had　joined　them　later。

Two　of　the　Iroquois　were　slain　at　the　very　edge　of　the　solid　ground；　but　their　bodies　fell　back　in　the　slime；　and　the　others；　retreating　fast　for　their　lives；　could　not　carry　them　off。　　Paul；　with　a　kind　of　fascinated　horror；　watched　the　dead　painted　bodies　sink　deeper。　　Then　one　was　entirely　gone。　　The　hand　of　the　other　alone　was　left；　and　then　it；　too；　was　gone。　　But　the　five　had　held　the　island；　and　Carpenter　was　leading　the　fugitives　on　toward　Fort　Penn。　　They　had　not　only　held　it；　but　they　believed　that　they　could　continue　to　hold　it　against　anything；　and　their　hearts　became　exultant。　　Something；　too；　to　balance　against　the　long　score；　lay　out　there　in　the　swamp；　and　all　the　five；　bitter　over　Wyoming；　were　sorry　that　Braxton　Wyatt　was　not　among　them。

The　stillness　came　again。　　The　sun　did　not　break　through　the　heavy　gray　sky；　and　the　somber　shadows　brooded　over　〃The　Shades　of　Death。〃　　They　heard　again　the　splash　of　water　animals；　and　a　swimming　snake　passed　on　the　murky　surface。　　Then　they　heard　the　wolf's　long　cry；　and　the　long　cry　of　wolf　replying。

〃More　Iroquois　coming；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。〃　Well；　we　gave　them　a　pretty　warm　how　d'ye　do；　an'　with　our　rifles　and　double…barreled　pistols　I'm　thinkin'　that　we　kin　do　it　ag'in。〃

〃We　can；　except　in　one　case；〃　said　Henry；　〃　if　the　new　party　brings　their　numbers　up　to　fifty　or　sixty；　and　they　wait　for　night；　they　can　surround　us　in　the　darkness。　　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　for　us　to　slip　away　when　twilight　comes。　　Carpenter　and　the　train　have　a　long　lead　now。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；〃　Now；　what　in　tarnation　is　that？〃

〃A　white　flag；〃　said　Paul。　　　　A　piece　of　cloth　that　had　once　been　white　had　been　hoisted　on　the　barrel　of　a　rifle　at　a　point　about　sixty　yards　away。

〃They　want　a　talk　with　us；〃　said　Henry。

〃If　it's　Braxton　Wyatt；〃　said　Long　Jim；　〃I'd　like　to　take　a　shot　at　him；　talk　or　no　talk；　an'　ef　I　missed；　then　take　another。〃

〃We'll　see　what　they　have　to　say；〃　said　Henry；　and　he　called　aloud：　〃What　do　you　want　with　us？〃

〃To　talk　with　you；〃　replied　a　clear；　full　voice；　not　that　of　Braxton　Wyatt。

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Henry；　〃show　yourself　and　we　will　not　fire　upon　you。〃

A　tall　figure　was　upraised　upon　a　grassy　hummock；　and　the　hands　were　held　aloft　in　sign　of　peace。　　It　was　a　splendid　figure；　at　least　six　feet　four　inches　in　height。　　At　that　moment　some　rays　of　the　setting　sun　broke　through　the　gray　clouds　and　shone　full　upon　it；　lighting　up　the　defiant　scalp　lock　interwoven　with　the　brilliant　red　feather；　the　eagle　face　with　the　curved　Roman　beak；　and　the　mighty　shoulders　and　chest　of　red　bronze。　　It　was　a　genuine　king　of　the　wilderness；　none　other　than　the　mighty　Timmendiquas　himself；　the　great　White　Lightning　of　the　Wyandots。

〃Ware；〃　he　said；　〃I　would　speak　with　you。　　Let　us　talk　as　one　chief　to　another。〃

The　five　were　amazed。　　Timmendiquas　there！　　They　were　quite　sure　that　he　had　come　up　with　the　second　force；　and　he　was　certain　to　prove　a　far　more　formidable　leader　than　either　Braxton　Wyatt　or　Moses　Blackstaffe。　　But　his　demand　to　speak　with　Henry　Ware　might　mean　something。

〃Are　you　going　to　answer　him？〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Henry。

〃The　others；　especially　Wyatt　and　Blackstaffe；　might　shoot。〃

〃Not　while　Timmendiquas　holds　the　flag　of　truce；　they　would　not　dare。〃

Henry　stood　up；　raising　himself　to　his　full　height。　　The　same　ruddy　sunlight　piercing　the　somber　gray　of　the　clouds　fell　upon　another　splendid　figure；　a　boy　only　in　years；　but　far　beyond　the　average　height　of　man；　his　hair　yellow；　his　eyes　a　deep；　clear　blue；　his　body　clothed　in　buckskin；　and　his　whole　attitude　that　of　one　without　fear。　　The　two；　the　white　and　the　red；