the scouts of the valley-第35节

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wrapped　up　from　the　storm　and　hidden　from　the　Iroquois。　　But　here　there　was　an　important　increase　of　pleasure；　the　pattering　of　the　rain　on　the　board　roof；　a　pleasant；　soothing　sound　to　which　millions　of　boys；　many　of　them　afterwards　great　men；　have　listened　in　America。

It　grew　very　dark　about　them；　and　the　pleasant　patter；　almost　musical　in　its　rhythm；　kept　up。　　Not　much　wind　was　blowing；　and　it；　too；　was　melodious。　　Henry　lay　with　his　head　on　a　little　heap　of　ashes；　which　was　covered　by　his　under　blanket；　and；　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　brought　the　warning　to　Wyoming；　he　was　free　from　all　feeling　of　danger。　　The　picture　itself　of　the　battle；　the　defeat；　the　massacre；　the　torture；　and　of　the　savage　Queen　Esther　cleaving　the　heads　of　the　captives；　was　at　times　as　vivid　as　ever；　and　perhaps　would　always　return　now　and　then　in　its　original　true　colors；　but　the　periods　between；　when　youth；　hope；　and　strength　had　their　way；　grew　longer　and　longer。

Now　Henry's　eyelids　sank　lower　and　lower。　　Physical　comfort　and　the　presence　of　his　comrades　caused　a　deep　satisfaction　that　permeated　his　whole　being。　　The　light　wind　mingled　pleasantly　with　the　soft　summer　rain。　　The　sound　of　the　two　grew　strangely　melodious；　almost　piercingly　sweet；　and　then　it　seemed　to　be　human。　　They　sang　together；　the　wind　and　rain；　among　the　leaves；　and　the　note　that　reached　his　heart；　rather　than　his　ear；　thrilled　him　with　courage　and　hope。　　Once　more　the　invisible　voice　that　had　upborne　him　in　the　great　valley　of　the　Ohio　told　him；　even　here　in　the　ruined　valley　of　Wyoming；　that　what　was　lost　would　be　regained。　　　　　　　　The　chords　ended；　and　the　echoes；　amazingly　clear；　floated　far　away　in　the　darkness　and　rain。　　Henry　roused　himself；　and　came　from　the　imaginative　borderland。　　He　stirred　a　little；　and　said　in　a　quiet　voice　to　Shif'less　Sol：

〃Did　you　hear　anything；　Sol？〃

〃Nothin'　but　the　wind　an'　the　rain。〃

Henry　knew　that　such　would　be　the　answer。

〃I　guess　you　didn't　hear　anything　either；　Henry；〃　continued　the　shiftless　one；　〃'cause　it　looked　to　me　that　you　wuz　'bout　ez　near　sleep　ez　a　feller　could　be　without　bein'　ackshooally　so。〃

〃I　was　drifting　away；〃　said　Henry。

He　was　beginning　to　realize　that　he　had　a　great　power；　or　rather　gift。　　Paul　was　the　sensitive；　imaginative　boy；　seeing　everything　in　brilliant　colors；　a　great　builder　of　castles；　not　all　of　air；　but　Henry's　gift　went　deeper。　　It　was　the　power　to　evoke　the　actual　living　picture　of　the　event　that　bad　not　yet　occurred；　something　akin　in　its　nature　to　prophecy；　based　perhaps　upon　the　wonderful　power　of　observation；　inherited　doubtless；　from　countless　primitive　ancestors。　　The　finest　product　of　the　wilderness；　he　saw　in　that　wilderness　many　things　that　others　did　not　see；　and　unconsciously　he　drew　his　conclusions　from　superior　knowledge。

The　song　had　ceased　a　full　ten　minutes；　and　then　came　another　note；　a　howl　almost　plaintive；　but；　nevertheless；　weird　and　full　of　ferocity。　　All　knew　it　at　once。　　They　had　heard　the　cry　of　wolves　too　often　in　their　lives；　but　this　had　an　uncommon　note　like　the　yell　of　the　Indian　in　victory。　　Again　the　cry　arose；　nearer；　haunting；　and　powerful。　　The　five；　used　to　the　darkness；　could　see　one　another's　faces；　and　the　look　that　all　gave　was　the　same；　full　of　understanding　and　repulsion。

〃It　has　been　a　great　day　for　the　wolf　in　this　valley；〃　whispered　Paul；　〃and　striking　our　trail　they　think　they　are　going　to　find　what　they　have　been　finding　in　such　plenty　before。〃

〃Yes；〃　nodded　Henry；　〃but　do　you　remember　that　time　when　in　the　house　we　took　the　place　of　the　man；　his　wife　and　children；　just　before　the　Indians　came？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Paul。

〃We'll　treat　them　wolves　the　same　way；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

〃I'm　glad　of　the　chance；〃　said　Long　Jim。

〃Me；　too；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

The　five　rose　up　to　sitting　positions　against　the　board　wall；　and　everyone　held　across　his　knees　a　long；　slender　barreled　rifle；　with　the　muzzle　pointing　toward　the　forest。　　All　accomplished　marksmen；　it　would　only　be　a　matter　of　a　moment　for　the　stock　to　leap　to　the　shoulder；　the　eye　to　glance　down　the　barrel；　the　finger　to　pull　the　trigger；　and　the　unerring　bullet　to　leap　forth。

〃Henry；　you　give　the　word　as　usual；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

Henry　nodded。

Presently　in　the　darkness　they　heard　the　pattering　of　light　feet；　and　they　saw　many　gleaming　eyes　draw　near。　　There　must　have　been　at　least　thirty　of　the　wolves；　and　the　five　figures　that　they　saw　reclining；　silent　and　motionless；　against　the　unburned　portion　of　the　house　might　well　have　been　those　of　the　dead　and　scalped；　whom　they　had　found　in　such　numbers　everywhere。　　They　drew　near　in　a　semicircular　group；　its　concave　front　extended　toward　the　fire；　the　greatest　wolves　at　the　center。　　Despite　many　feastings；　the　wolves　were　hungry　again。　　Nothing　had　opposed　them　before；　but　caution　was　instinctive。　　The　big　gray　leaders　did　not　mind　the　night　or　the　wind　or　the　rain；　which　they　had　known　all　their　lives；　and　which　they　counted　as　nothing；　but　they　always　had　involuntary　suspicion　of　human　figures；　whether　living　or　not；　and　they　approached　slowly；　wrinkling　back　their　noses　and　sniffing　the　wind　which　blew　from　them　instead　of　the　five　figures。　　But　their　confidence　increased　as　they　advanced。　　They　had　found　many　such　burned　houses　as　this；　but　they　had　found　nothing　among　the　ruins　except　what　they　wished。

The　big　leaders　advanced　more　boldly；　glaring　straight　at　the　human　figures；　a　slight　froth　on　their　lips；　the　lips　themselves　curling　back　farther　from　the　strong　white　teeth。　　The　outer　ends　of　the　concave　semicircle　also　drew　in。　　The　whole　pack　was　about　to　spring　upon　its　unresisting　prey；　and　it　is；　no　doubt；　true　that　many　a　wolfish　pulse　beat　a　little　higher　in　anticipation。　　　　　With　a　suddenness　as　startling　as　it　was　terrifying　the　five　figures　raised　themselves；　five　long；　dark　tubes　leaped　to　their　shoulders；　and　with　a　suddenness　that　was　yet　more　terrifying；　a　gush　of　flame　shot　from　five　muzzles。　　Five　of　the　wolves…and　they　were　the　biggest　and　the　boldest；　the　leaders…fell　dead　upon　the　ashes　of　the　charred　timbers；　and　the　others；　howling　their　terror　to　the　dark；　skies；　fled　deep　into　the　forest。

Henry　strode　over　and　pushed　the　body　of　the　largest　wolf　with　his　foot。

〃I　suppose　we　only　gratified　a　kind　of　sentiment　in　shooting　those　wolves；〃　he　said；　〃　but　I　for　one　am　glad　we　did　it。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　Paul。

〃Me；　too；〃　said　the　other　three　together。

They　went　back　to　their　positions　near　the　wall；　and　one　by　one　fell　asleep。　　No　more　wolves　howled　that　night　anywhere　near　them。

When　the　five　awakened　the　next　morning　the　rain　had　ceased；　and　a　splendid　sun　was　tinting　a　blue　sky　with　gold。　　Jim　Hart　built　a　fire　among　the　blackened　logs；　and　cooked　venison。　　They　had　also　brought　from　Fort　Penn　a　little　coffee；　which　Long　Jim　carried　with　a　small　coffee　pot　in　his　camp　kit；　and　everyone　had　a　small　tin　cup。　　He　made　coffee　for　them；　an　uncommon　wilderness　luxury；　in　which　they　could　rarely　indulge；　and　they　were　heartened　and　strengthened　by　it。

Then　they　went　again　up　the　valley；　as　beautiful　as　ever；　with　its　silver　river　in　the　center；　and　its　green　mountain　walls　on　either　side。　　But　the　beauty　was　for　the　eye　only。　　It　did　not　reach　the　hearts　of　those　who　had　seen　it　before。　　All　of　the　five　loved　the　wilderness；　but　they　felt　now　how　tragic　silence　and　desolation　could　be　where　human　life　and　all　the　daily　ways　of　human　life　had　been。

It　was　mid…summer；　but　the　wilderness　was　already　reclaiming　its　own。　　The　game　knew　that　man　was　gone；　and　it　had　come　back　into　the　valley。　　Deer　ate　what　had　grown　in　the　fields　and　gardens；　and　the　wolves　were　everywhere。　　The　whole　black　tragedy　was　written　for　miles。　　They　were　never　out　of　sight　of　some　trace　of　it；　and　their　anger　grew　again　as　they　advanced　in　the　blackened　path　of　the　victorious　Indians。

It　was　their　purpose　now　to　hang　on　the　Indian　flank　as　scouts　and　skirmishers；　until　an　American　army　was　formed　for　a　campaign　against　the　Iroquois；　which　they　were　sure　must　be　conducted　sooner　or　later。　　Meanwhile　they　could　be　of　great　aid；　gathering　news　of　the　Indian　plans；　and；　when　that　army　of　which　they　dreamed　should　finally　march；　they　could　help　it　most　of　all　by　warning　it　of　ambush；　the　Indian's　deadliest　weapon。

Everyone　of　the　five　had　already　perceived　a　fact　which　was　manifest　in　all　wars　with　the　Indians　along　the　whole　border　from　North　to　South；　as　it　steadily　shifted　farther　West。　　The　practical　hunter　and　scout　was　always　more　than　a　match　for　the　Indian；　man　for　man；　but；　when　the　raw　levies　of　settlers　were　hastily　gathered　to　stem　invasion；　they　were　invariably　at　a　great　disadvantage。　　They　were　likely　to　be　caught　in　ambush　by　overwhelming　numbers；　and　to　be　cut　down；　as　had　just　happened　at　Wyoming。　　The　same　fate　might　attend　an　invasion　of　the　Iroquois　country；　even　by　a　large　army　of　regular　troops；　and　Henry　and　his　comrades　resolved　upon　doing　their　utmost　to　prevent　it。　　An　army　needed　eyes；　and　it　could　have　none　better　than　those　five　pairs。　　So　they　went　swiftly　up　the　valley　and　northward　and　eastward；　into　the　country　of　the　Iroquois。　　They　had　a　plan　of　approaching　the　upper　Moh