the scouts of the valley-第38节

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Paul　brought　water　from　the　brook　in　his　cap；　and　Mary　Newton　was　revived；　Jim　was　reassuring　the　children；　and　the　other　three　were　in　the　thickets；　watching　lest　the　surviving　Senecas　return　for　attack。

〃I　don't　know　who　you　are；　but　I　think　the　good　God　himself　must　have　sent　you　to　our　rescue；〃　said　Mary　Newton　reverently。

〃We　don't　know；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　we　are　doing　the　best　we　can。　　Do　you　think　you　can　walk　now？〃

〃Away　from　the　savages？　　Yes！〃　she　said　passionately。　　She　looked　down　at　the　dead　figures　of　the　Senecas；　and　she　did　not　feel　a　single　trace　of　pity　for　them。　　Again　it　is　necessary　to　consider　time　and　place。

〃Some　of　my　strength　came　back　while　I　was　lying　here；〃　she　said；　〃and　much　more　of　it　when　you　drove　away　the　Indians。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Henry；　who　had　returned　to　the　dead　camp　fire　with　his　comrades；　〃we　must　start　on　the　back　trail　at　once。　　The　surviving　Senecas；　joined　by　other　Iroquois；　will　certainly　pursue；　and　we　need　all　the　start　that　we　can　get。〃

Long　Jim　picked　up　one　of　the　two　younger　children　and　flung　him　over　his　shoulder；　Tom　Ross　did　as　much　for　the　other；　but　the　older　two　scorned　help。　　They　were　full　of　admiration　for　the　great　woodsmen；　mighty　heroes　who　had　suddenly　appeared　out　of　the　air；　as　it　were；　and　who　had　swept　like　a　tornado　over　the　Seneca　band。　　It　did　not　seem　possible　now　that　they；　could　be　retaken。

But　Mary　Newton；　with　her　strength　and　courage；　had　also　recovered　her　forethought。

〃Maybe　it　will　not　be　better　to　go　on　the　back　trail；〃　she　said。　　〃One　of　the　Senecas　told　me　to…day　that　six　or　seven　miles　farther　on　was　a　river　flowing　into　the　Susquehanna；　and　that　they　would　cross　this　river　on　a　boat　now　concealed　among　bushes　on　the　bank。　　The　crossing　was　at　a　sudden　drop　between　high　banks。　　Might　not　we　go　on；　find　the　boat；　and　come　back　in　it　down　the　river　and　into　the　Susquehanna？〃

〃That　sounds　mighty　close　to　wisdom　to　me；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Besides；　it's　likely　to　have　the　advantage　o'　throwin'　the　Iroquois　off　our　track。　　They'll　think；　o'　course；　that　we've　gone　straight　back；　an'　we'll　pass　'em　ez　we're　going　forward。〃

〃It's　certainly　the　best　plan；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　it's　worth　our　while　to　try　for　that　hidden　boat　of　the　Iroquois。　　Do　you　know　the　general　direction？〃

〃Almost　due　north。〃

〃Then　we'll　make　a　curve　to　the　right；　in　order　to　avoid　any　Iroquois　who　may　be　returning　to　this　camp；　and　push　for　it。〃

Henry　led　the　way　over　hilly；　rough　ground；　and　the　others　followed　in　a　silent　file；　Long　Jim　and　Tom　still　carrying　the　two　smallest　children；　who　soon　fell　asleep　on　their　shoulders。　　Henry　did　not　believe　that　the　returning　Iroquois　could　follow　their　trail　on　such　a　dark　night；　and　the　others　agreed　with　him。

After　a　while　they　saw　the　gleam　of　water。　　Henry　knew　that　it　must　be　very　near；　or　it　would　have　been　wholly　invisible　on　such　a　dark　night。

〃I　think；　Mrs。　Newton；〃　he　said；　〃that　this　is　the　river　of　which　you　spoke；　and　the　cliffs　seem　to　drop　down　just　as　you　said　they　would。〃

The　woman　smiled。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃you've　done　well　with　my　poor　guess；　and　the　boat　must　be　hidden　somewhere　near　here。〃

Then　she　sank　down　with　exhaustion；　and　the　two　　older　children；　unable　to　walk　farther；　sank　down　beside　her。　　But　the　two　who　slept　soundly　on　the　shoulders　of　Long　Jim　and　Tom　Ross　did　not　awaken。　　Henry　motioned　to　Jim　and　Tom　to　remain　there；　and　Shif'less　Sol　bent　upon　them　a　quizzical　and　approving　look。

〃Didn't　think　it　was　in　you；　Jim　Hart；　you　old　horny…handed　galoot；〃　he　said；　〃carryin'　a　baby　that　tender。　　Knew　Jim　could　sling　a　little　black　bar　'roun'　by　the　tail；　but　I　didn't　think　you'd　take　to　nussin'　so　easy。〃

〃I'd　luv　you　to　know；　Sol　Hyde；〃　said　Jim　Hart　in　a　tone　of　high　condescension；　〃that　Tom　Ross　an'　me　are　civilized　human　bein's。　　In　face　uv　danger　we　are　ez　brave　ez　forty　thousand　lions；　but　with　the　little　an'　the　weak　we're　as　easy　an'　kind　an'　soft　ez　human　bein's　are　ever　made　to　be。〃

〃You're　right；　old　hoss；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃Well；〃　said　the　shiftless　one；　〃I　can't　argify　with　you　now；　ez　the　general　hez　called　on　his　colonel；　which　is　me；　an'　his　major；　which　is　Paul；　to　find　him　a　nice　new　boat　like　one　o'　them　barges　o'　Clepatry　that　Paul　tells　about；　all　solid　silver；　with　red　silk　sails　an'　gold　oars；　an'　we're　meanin'　to　do　it。〃

Fortune　was　with　them；　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　they　discovered；　deep　among　bushes　growing　in　the　shallow　water；　a　large；　well…made　boat　with　two　pairs　of　oars　and　with　small　supplies　of　parched　corn　and　venison　hidden　in　it。

〃Good　luck　an'　bad　luck　come　mixed；〃　said　the　shift…less　one；　〃an'　this　is　shorely　one　o'　our　pieces　o'　good　luck。　　The　woman　an'　the　children　are　clean　tuckered　out；　an'　without　this　boat　we　could　never　hev　got　them　back。　　Now　it's　jest　a　question　o'　rowin'　an'　fightin'。〃

〃Paul　and　I　will　pull　her　out　to　the　edge　of　the　clear　water；〃　said　Henry；　〃while　you　can　go　back　and　tell　the　others；　Sol。〃

〃That　just　suits　a　lazy　man；〃　said　Sol；　and　he　walked　away　jauntily。　　Under　his　apparent　frivolity　he　concealed　his　joy　at　the　find；　which　he　knew　to　be　of　such　vast　importance。　　He　approached　the　dusky　group；　and　his　really　tender　heart　was　stirred　with　pity　for　the　rescued　captives。　　Long　Jim　and　Silent　Tom　held　the　smaller　two　on　their　shoulders；　but　the　older　ones　and　the　woman；　also；　had　fallen　asleep。　　Sol；　in　order　to　conceal　his　emotion；　strode　up　rather　roughly。　　Mary　Newton　awoke。

〃Did　you　find　anything？〃　she　asked。

〃Find　anything？〃　repeated　Shif'less　Sol。　〃Well；　Long　Jim　an'　Tom　here　might　never　hev　found　anything；　but　Henry　an'　Paul　an'　me；　three　eddicated　men；　scholars；　I　might　say；　wuz　jest　natcherally　bound　to　find　it　whether　it　wuz　thar　or　not。　　Yes；　we've　unearthed　what　Paul　would　call　an　argosy；　the　grandest　craft　that　ever　floated　on　this　here　creek；　that　I　never　saw　before；　an'　that　I　don't　know　the　name　uv。　　She's　bein'　floated　out　now；　an'　I；　the　Gran'　Hidalgo　an'　Majordomo；　hev　come　to　tell　the　princes　and　princesses；　an'　the　dukes　and　dukesses；　an'　all　the　other　gran'　an'　mighty　passengers；　that　the　barge　o'　the　Dog　o'　Venice　is　in　the　stream；　an'　the　Dog；　which　is　Henry　Ware；　is　waitin'；　settin'　on　the　Pup　to　welcome　ye。〃

〃Sol；〃　said　Long　Jim；　〃you　do　talk　a　power　uv　foolishness；　with　your　Dogs　an'　Pups。〃

〃It　ain't　foolishness；〃　rejoined　the　shiftless　one。　　〃I　heard　Paul　read　it　out　o'　a　book　oncet；　plain　ez　day。　　They've　been　ruled　by　Dogs　at　Venice　for　more　than　a　thousand　years；　an'　on　big　'casions　the　Dog　comes　down　a　canal　in　a　golden　barge；　settin'　on　the　Pup。　　I'll　admit　it　'pears　strange　to　me；　too；　but　who　are　you　an'　me；　Jim　Hart；　to　question　the　ways　of　foreign　countries；　thousands　o'　miles　on　the　other　side　o'　the　sea？〃

〃They've　found　the　boat；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　〃an'　that's　enough！〃　　　　　

〃Is　it　really　true？〃　asked　Mrs。　Newton。

〃It　is；〃　replied　Shif'less　Sol；　〃an'　Henry　an'　Paul　are　in　it；　waitin'　fur　us。　　We're　thinkin'；　Mrs。　　Newton；　that　the　roughest　part　of　your　trip　is　over。〃

In　another　five　minutes　all　were　in　the　boat；　which　was　a　really　fine　one；　and　they　were　delighted。　　Mary　Newton　for　the　first　time　broke　down　and　wept；　and　no　one　disturbed　her。　　The　five　spread　the　blankets　on　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　where　the　children　soon　went　to　sleep　once　more；　and　Tom　Ross　and　Shif'less　Sol　took　the　oars。

〃Back　in　a　boat　ag'in；〃　said　the　shiftless　one　exultantly。　　〃Makes　me　feel　like　old　times。　　My　fav'rite　mode　o'　travelin'　when　Jim　Hart；　'stead　o'　me；　is　at　the　oars。〃

〃Which　is　most　o'　the　time；〃　said　Long　Jim。

It　was　indeed　a　wonderful　change　to　these　people　worn　by　the　wilderness。　　They　lay　at　ease　now；　while　two　pairs　of　powerful　arms；　with　scarcely　an　effort；　propelled　the　boat　along　the　stream。　　The　woman　herself　lay　down　on　the　blankets　and　fell　asleep　with　the　children。　　Henry　at　the　prow；　Tom　Ross　at　the　stern；　and　Paul　amidships　watched　in　silence；　but　with　their　rifles　across　their　knees。　　They　knew　that　the　danger　was　far　from　over。　　Other　Indians　were　likely　to　use　this　stream；　unknown　to　them；　as　a　highway；　and　those　who　survived　of　their　original　captors　could　pick　up　their　trail　by　daylight。　　And　the　Senecas；　being　mad　for　revenge；　would　surely　get　help　and　follow。　　　　　　　　Henry　believed　that　the　theory　of　returning　toward　the　Wyoming　Valley　was　sound。　　That　region　had　been　so　thoroughly　ravaged　now　that　all　the　Indians　would　be　going　northward。　　If　they　could　float　down　a　day　or　so　without　molestation；　they　would　probably　be　safe。　　The　creek；　or；　rather；　little　river；　broadened；　flowing　with　a　smooth；　fairly　swift　current。　　The　forest　on　either　side　was　dense　with　oak；　hickory；　maple；　and　other　splendid　trees；　often　with　a　growth　of　underbrush。　　The　three　riflemen　never　ceased　to　watch　intently。　　Henry　always　looked　ahead。　　It　would　have　been　difficult　for　any　ambushed　marksman　to　have　escaped　his　notice。　　But　nothing　occurred　to　disturb　them。　　Once　a　deer　came　down　to　drink；　and　fled　away　at　sight　of　the　phantom　boat　gliding　almost　without　noise　on　the　still　waters。　　Once　the　far　scream　of　a　panther　came　from　the　woods；　but　Mary　Newton　and　her　children；　sleeping　soundly；　did　not　hear　it。　　The　five　themse