the scouts of the valley-第4节

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〃I　guess　it　has　somethin'　to　do　with　them　scratches　on　your　leggins。〃

〃It　has；〃　continued　Henry　with　emphasis；〃　and　I　want　to　say　to　you　boys　that　I've　seen　Timmendiquas；　the　great　White　Lightning　of　the　Wyandots。〃

〃Timmendiquas！〃　exclaimed　the　others　together。

〃No　less　a　man　than　he；〃　resumed　Henry。　　〃　I've　looked　upon　his　very　face；　I've　seen　him　in　camp　with　warriors；　and　I've　had　the　honor　of　being　pursued　by　him　and　his　men　more　hours　than　I　can　tell。　　That's　why　you　see　those　briar　scratches　on　my　leggins；　Sol。〃

〃Then　we　cannot　doubt　that　he　is　here　to　stir　the　Six　Nations　to　continued　war；〃　said　Paul　Cotter；　〃and　he　will　succeed。　　He　is　a　mighty　chief；　and　his　fire　and　eloquence　will　make　them　take　up　the　hatchet。　　I'm　glad　that　we've　come。　　We　delayed　a　league　once　between　the　Shawnees　and　the　Miamis；　I　don't　think　we　can　stop　this　one；　but　we　may　get　some　people　out　of　the　way　before　the　blow　falls。〃

〃Who　are　these　Six　Nations；　whose　name　sounds　so　pow'ful　big　up　here？〃　asked　Long　Jim。

〃Their　name　is　as　big　as　it　sounds；〃　replied　Henry。　　They　are　the　Onondagas；　the　Mohawks；　Oneidas；　Senecas；　Cayugas；　and　Tuscaroras。　　They　used　to　be　the　Five　Nations；　but　the　Tuscaroras　came　up　from　the　south　and　fought　against　them　so　bravely　that　they　were　adopted　into　the　league；　as　a　new　and　friendly　tribe。　　The　Onondagas；　so　I've　heard；　formed　the　league　a　long；　long　time　ago；　and　their　head　chief　is　the　grand　sachem　or　high　priest　of　them　all；　but　the　head　chief　of　the　Mohawks　is　the　leading　war　chief。〃

〃I've　heard；〃　said　Paul；　〃that　the　Wyandots　are　kinsmen　of　all　these　tribes；　and　on　that　account　they　will　listen　with　all　the　more　friendliness　to　Timmendiquas。〃

〃Seems　to　me；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　〃that　we've　got　a　most　tre…men…je…ous　big　job　ahead。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Henry；　〃we　must　make　a　most　tremendous　big　effort。〃

〃That's　so；〃　agreed　all。

After　that　they　spoke　little。　　The　last　coals　were　covered　up；　and　the　remainder　of　the　food　was　put　in　their　pouches。　　Then　they　sat　on　the　leaves；　and　every　one　meditated　until　such　time　as　he　might　have　something　worth　saying。　　　　Henry's　thoughts　traveled　on　a　wide　course；　but　they　always　came　back　to　one　point。　　They　had　heard　much　at　Pittsburgh　of　a　famous　Mohawk　chief　called　Thayendanegea；　but　most　often　known　to　the　Americans　as　Brant。　　He　was　young；　able；　and　filled　with　intense　animosity　against　the　white　people；　who　encroached；　every　year；　more　and　more　upon　the　Indian　hunting　grounds。　　His　was　a　soul　full　kin　to　that　of　Timmendiquas；　；and　if　the　two　met　it　meant　a　great　council　and　a　greater　endeavor　for　the　undoing　of　the　white　man。　　What　more　likely　than　that　they　intended　to　meet？

〃All　of　you　have　heard　of　Thayendanegea；　the　Mohawk？〃　said　Henry。

They　nodded。

〃It's　my　opinion　that　Timmendiquas　is　on　the　way　to　meet　him。　　I　remember　hearing　a　hunter　say　at　Pittsburgh　that　about　a　hundred　miles　to　the　east　of　this　point　was　a　Long　House　or　Council　House　of　the　Six　Nations。　　Timmendiquas　is　sure　to　go　there；　and　we　must　go；　too。　　We　must　find　out　where　they　intend　to　strike。　　What　do　you　say？〃

〃We　go　there！〃　exclaimed　four　voices　together。

Seldom　has　a　council　of　war　been　followed　by　action　so　promptly。

As　Henry　spoke　the　last　word　he　rose；　and　tile　others　rose　with　him。　　Saying　no　more；　he　led　toward　the　east；　and　the　others　followed　him；　also　saying　no　more。　Separately　every　one　of　them　was　strong；　brave；　and　resourceful；　but　when　the　five　were　together　they　felt　that　they　had　the　skill　and　strength　of　twenty。　　The　long　rest　at　Pittsburgh　had　restored　them　after　the　dangers　and　hardship　of　their　great　voyage　from　New　Orleans。

They　carried　in　horn　and　pouch　ample　supplies　of　powder　and　bullet；　and　they　did　not　fear　any　task。

Their　journey　continued　through　hilly　country；　clothed　in　heavy　forest；　but　often　without　undergrowth。　　They　avoided　the　open　spaces；　preferring　to　be　seen　of　men；　who　were　sure　to　be　red　men；　as　little　as　possible。　　Their　caution　was　well　taken。　　They　saw　Indian　signs；　once　a　feather　that　had　fallen　from　a　scalp　lock；　once　footprints；　and　once　the　bone　of　a　deer　recently　thrown　away　by　him　who　had　eaten　the　meat　from　it。　　The　country　seemed　to　be　as　wild　as　that　of　Kentucky。　　Small　settlements；　so　they　had　heard；　were　scattered　at　great　distances　through　the　forest；　but　they　saw　none。　　There　was　no　cabin　smoke；　no　trail　of　the　plow；　just　the　woods　and　the　hills　and　the　clear　streams。　　Buffalo　had　never　reached　this　region；　but　deer　were　abundant；　and　they　risked　a　shot　to　replenish　their　supplies。

They　camped　the　second　night　of　their　march　on　a　little　peninsula　at　the　confluence　of　two　creeks；　with　the　deep　woods　everywhere。　　Henry　judged　that　they　were　well　within　the　western　range　of　the　Six　Nations；　and　they　cooked　their　deer　meat　over　a　smothered　fire；　nothing　more　than　a　few　coals　among　the　leaves。　　When　supper　was　over　they　arranged　soft　places　for　themselves　and　their　blankets；　all　except　Long　Jim；　whose　turn　it　was　to　scout　among　the　woods　for　a　possible　foe。

〃Don't　be　gone　long；　Jim；〃　said　Henry　as　he　composed　himself　in　a　comfortable　position。　　〃A　circle　of　a　half　mile　about　us　will　do。〃

〃I'll　not　be　gone　more'n　an　hour；〃　said　Long　Jim；　picking　up　his　rifle　confidently；　and　flitting　away　among　the　woods。

〃　Not　likely　he'll　see　anything；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　but　I'd　shorely　like　to　know　what　White　Lightning　is　about。　　He　must　be　terrible　stirred　up　by　them　beatin's　he　got　down　on　the　Ohio；　an'　they　say　that　Mohawk；　Thayendanegea　is　a　whoppin'　big　chief；　too。　　They'll　shorely　make　a　heap　of　trouble。〃

〃But　both　of　them　are　far　from　here　just　now；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　we　won't　bother　about　either。〃

He　was　lying　on　some　leaves　at　the　foot　of　a　tree　with　his　arm　under　his　head　and　his　blanket　over　his　body。　　He　had　a　remarkable　capacity　for　dismissing　trouble　or　apprehension；　and　just　then　he　was　enjoying　great　physical　and　mental　peace。　　He　looked　through　half　closed　eyes　at　his　comrades；　who　also　were　enjoying　repose；　and　his　fancy　could　reproduce　Long　Jim　in　the　forest；　slipping　from　tree　to　tree　and　bush　to　bush；　and　finding　no　menace。

〃Feels　good；　doesn't　it；　Henry？〃　said　the　shiftless　one。　〃　I　like　a　clean；　bold　country　like　this。　　No　more　plowin'　around　in　swamps　for　me。〃

Yes；〃　said　Henry　sleepily；　〃　it's　a　good　country。〃

The　hour　slipped　smoothly　by；　and　Paul　said：

〃　Time　for　Long　Jim　to　be　back。〃

〃Jim　don't　do　things　by　halves；〃　said　the　shiftless　one。　　〃Guess　he's　beatin'　up　every　squar'　inch　o'　the　bushes。　　He'll　be　here　soon。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　and　Long　Jim　did　not　return；　a　half　hour；　and　no　sign　of　him。　　Henry　cast　off　the　blanket　and　stood　up。　　The　night　was　not　very　dark　and　he　could　see　some　distance；　but　he　did　not　see　their　comrade。

〃I　wonder　why　he's　so　slow；〃　he　said　with　a　faint　trace　of　anxiety。

〃He'll　be　'long　directly；〃　said　Tom　Ross　with　confidence。

Another　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　no　Long　Jim。　　Henry　sent　forth　the　low　penetrating　cry　of　the　wolf　that　they　used　so　often　as　a　signal。

〃He　cannot　fail　to　hear　that；〃　he　said；　〃and　he'll　answer。〃

No　answer　came。　　The　four　looked　at　one　another　in　alarm。　　Long　Jim　had　been　gone　nearly　two　hours；　and　he　was　long　overdue。　　His　failure　to　reply　to　the　signal　indicated　either　that　something　ominous　had　happened　or　that…　he　had　gone　much　farther　than　they　meant　for　him　to　go。

The　others　had　risen　to　their　feet；　also；　and　they　stood　a　little　while　in　silence。

〃What　do　you　think　it　means？〃　asked　Paul。

〃It　must　be　all　right；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Mebbe　Jim　has　lost　the　camp。〃

Henry　shook　his　head。

〃It　isn't　that；〃　he　said。　〃Jim　is　too　good　a　woodsman　for　such　a　mistake。　　I　don't　want　to　look　on　the　black　side；　boys；　but　I　think　something　has　happened　to　Jim。〃

〃Suppose　you　an'　me　go　an'　look　for　him；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃while　Paul　and　Tom　stay　here　an'　keep　house。〃

〃We'd　better　do　it；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Come；　Sol。〃

The　two；　rifles　in　the　hollows　of　their　arms；　disappeared　in　the　darkness；　while　Tom　and　Paul　withdrew　into　the　deepest　shadow　of　the　trees　and　waited。

Henry　and　the　shiftless　one　pursued　an　anxious　quest；　going　about　the　camp　in　a　great　circle　and　then　in　another　yet　greater。　　They　did　not　find　Jim；　and　the　dusk　was　so　great　that　they　saw　no　evidences　of　his　trail。　　Long　Jim　had　disappeared　as　completely　as　if　he　had　left　the　earth　for　another　planet。　　When　they　felt　that　they　must　abandon　the　search　for　the　time；　Henry　and　Shif'less　Sol　looked　at　each　other　in　a　dismay　that　the　dusk　could　not　hide。

〃Mebbe　be　saw　some　kind　uv　a　sign；　an'　has　followed　it；〃　said　the　shiftless　one　hopefully。　　〃If　anything　looked　mysterious　an'　troublesome；　Jim　would　want　to　hunt　it　down。〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　we've　got　to　go　back　to　the　camp　now　and　report　failure。　　Perhaps　he'll　show　up　to…morrow；　but　I　don't　like　it；　Sol；　I　don't　like　it！〃

〃No　more　do　I；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃'Tain't　like　Jim　not　to　come　back；　ef　he　could。　　Mebbe　he'll　drop　in　afore　day；　anyhow。〃

They　returned　to　the　camp；　and　two　inquiring　figures　rose　up　out　of　the　darkness。

〃You　ain't　seen　him？〃　said　Tom；　noting　that　but　two　figures　had　returned。

〃Not　a　trace；〃　replied　Henry。　　〃It'