the scouts of the valley-第43节

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y　here　with　all　his　men；　what　a　rush　we　could　make！〃

So　great　was　their　eagerness　that　they　crept　closer　to　the　village；　passing　among　some　thick　clusters　of　grapevines。　　Henry　was　in　the　lead；　and　he　heard　a　sudden　snarl。　　A　large　cur　of　the　kind　that　infest　Indian　villages　leaped　straight　at　him。

The　very　suddenness　of　the　attack　saved　Henry　and　his　comrades　from　the　consequences　of　an　alarm。　　He　dropped　his　rifle　instinctively；　and　seized　the　dog　by　the　throat　with　both　hands。　　A　bark　following　the　snarl　had　risen　to　the　animal's　throat；　but　it　was　cut　short　there。　　The　hands　of　the　great　youth　pressed　tighter　and　tighter；　and　the　dog　was　lifted　from　the　earth。　　The　four　stood　quietly　beside　their　comrade；　knowing　that　no　alarm　would　be　made　now。

The　dog　kicked　convulsively；　then　hung　without　motion　or　noise。　　Henry　cast　the　dead　body　aside；　picked　up　his　rifle；　and　then　all　five　of　them　sank　softly　down　in　the　shelter　of　the　grapevines。　　About　fifteen　yards　away　an　Indian　warrior　was　walking　cautiously　along　and　looking　among　the　vines。　　Evidently　he　had　heard　the　snarl　of　the　dog；　and　was　seeking　the　cause。　　But　it　had　been　only　a　single　sound；　and　he　would　not　look　far。　　Yet　the　hearts　of　the　five　beat　a　little　faster　as　he　prowled　among　the　vines；　and　their　nerves　were　tense　for　action　should　the　need　for　it　come。

The　Indian；　a　Mohawk；　came　within　ten　yards　of　them；　but　he　did　not　see　the　five　figures　among　the　vines；　blending　darkly　with　the　dark　growth；　and　presently；　satisfied　that　the　sound　he　had　heard　was　of　no　importance；　he　walked　in　another　direction；　and　passed　out　of　sight。

The　five；　not　daunted　at　all　by　this　living　proof　of　risk；　crept　to　the　very　edge　of　the　clusters　of　grapevines；　and　looked　upon　an　open　space；　beyond　which　stood　some　houses　made　of　wood；　but　their　attention　was　centered　upon　a　figure　that　stood　in　the　open。

Although　the　distance　was　too　great　and　the　light　too　poor　to　disclose　the　features；　every　one　of　the　scouts　recognized　the　figure。　　It　could　be　none　other　than　that　of　Timmendiquas；　the　great　White　Lightning　of　the　Wyandots。　　He　was　pacing　back　and　forth；　somewhat　in　the　fashion　of　the　white　man；　and　his　manner　implied　thought。

〃I　could　bring　him　down　from　here　with　a　bullet；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃but　I　ain't　ever　goin'　to　shoot　at　the　chief；　Henry。〃

〃No；〃　said　Henry；　〃nor　will　I。　　But　look；　there's　another。〃

A　second　figure　came　out　of　the　dark　and　joined　the　first。　　It　was　also　that　of　a　chief；　powerful　and　tall；　though　not　as　tall　as　Timmendiquas。　　It　was　Thayendanegea。　　Then　three　white　figures　appeared。　　One　was　that　of　Braxton　Wyatt；　and　the　others　they　took　to　be　those　of　〃Indian〃　Butler　and　his　son；　Walter　Butler。　　After　a　talk　of　a　minute　or　two　they　entered　one　of　the　wooden　houses。

〃It's　to　be　a　conference　of　some　kind；〃　whispered　Henry。　　〃I　wish　I　could　look　in　on　it。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　others　together。

〃Well；　we　know　this　much；〃　continued　Henry。　　〃No　great　force　of　the　Iroquois　is　present；　and　if　Colonel　Butler's　men　come　up　quickly；　we　can　take　the　town。〃

〃It's　a　chance　not　to　be　lost；〃　said　Paul。

They　crept　slowly　away　from　the　village；　not　stopping　until　they　reached　the　crest　of　a　hill；　from　which　they　could　see　the　roofs　of　two　or　three　of　the　Indian　houses。

〃I've　a　feeling　in　me；〃　said　Paul；　〃that　the　place　is　doomed。　　We'll　strike　the　first　blow　for　Wyoming。〃

They　neither　slept　nor　rested　that　night；　but　retraced　their　trail　with　the　utmost　speed　toward　the　marching　American　force；　going　in　Indian　file　through　the　wilderness。　　Henry；　as　usual；　led；　Shif'less　Sol　followed；　then　came　Paul；　and　then　Long　Jim；　while　Silent　Tom　was　the　rear　guard。　　They　traveled　at　great　speed；　and；　some　time　after　daylight；　met　the　advance　of　the　colonial　force　under　Captain　William　Gray。

William　Gray　was　a　gallant　young　officer；　but　he　was　startled　a　little　when　five　figures　as　silent　as　phantoms　appeared。　　But　he　uttered　an　exclamation　of　delight　when　he　recognized　the　leader；　Henry。

〃What　have　you　found？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

〃We've　been　to　Oghwaga；〃　replied　the　youth；　〃and　we　went　all　about　the　town。　　They　do　not　suspect　our　coming。　　At　least；　they　did　not　know　when　we　left。　　We　saw　Brant；　Timmendiquas；　the　Butlers；　and　Wyatt　enter　the　house　for　a　conference。〃

〃And　now　is　our　chance；〃　said　eager　young　William　Gray。　　〃What　if　we　should　take　the　town；　and　with　it　these　men；　at　one　blow。〃

〃We　can　scarcely　hope　for　as　much　as　that；〃　said　Henry；　who　knew　that　men　like　Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea　were　not　likely　to　allow　themselves　to　be　seized　by　so　small　a　force；　〃but　we　can　hope　for　a　good　victory。〃

The　young　captain　rode　quickly　back　to　his　comrades　with　the　news；　and；　led　by　the　five；　the　whole　force　pushed　forward　with　all　possible　haste。　　William　Gray　was　still　sanguine　of　a　surprise；　but　the　young　riflemen　did　not　expect　it。　　Indian　sentinels　were　sure　to　be　in　the　forest　between　them　and　Oghwaga。　　Yet　they　said　nothing　to　dash　this　hope。　　Henry　had　already　seen　enough　to　know　the　immense　value　of　enthusiasm；　and　the　little　army　full　of　zeal　would　accomplish　much　if　the　chance　came。　　Besides　the　young　captain；　William　Gray；　there　was　a　lieutenant　named　Taylor；　who　had　been　in　the　battle　at　Wyoming；　but　who　had　escaped　the　massacre。　　The　five　had　not　met　him　there；　but　the　common　share　in　so　great　a　tragedy　proved　a　tie　between　them。　　Taylor's　name　was　Robert；　but　all　the　other　officers；　and　some　of　the　men　for　that　matter；　who　had　known　him　in　childhood　called　him　Bob。　　He　was　but　little　older　than　Henry；　and　his　earlier　youth；　before　removal　to　Wyoming；　had　been　passed　in　Connecticut；　a　country　that　was　to　the　colonials　thickly　populated　and　containing　great　towns；　such　as　Hartford　and　New　Haven。

A　third　close　friend　whom　they　soon　found　was　a　man　unlike　any　other　that　they　had　ever　seen。　　His　name　was　Cornelius　Heemskerk。　　Holland　was　his　birthplace；　but　America　was　his　nation。　　He　was　short　and　extremely　fat；　but　he　had　an　agility　that　amazed　the　five　when　they　first　saw　it　displayed。　　He　talked　much；　and　his　words　sounded　like　grumbles；　but　the　unctuous　tone　and　the　smile　that　accompanied　them　indicated　to　the　contrary。　　He　formed　for　Shif'less　Sol　an　inexhaustible　and　entertaining　study　in　character。


〃I　ain't　quite　seen　his　like　afore；〃　said　the　shiftless　one　to　Paul。　　〃First　time　I　run　acrost　him　I　thought　he　would　tumble　down　among　the　first　bushes　he　met。　　'Stead　o'　that；　he　sailed　right　through　'em；　makin'　never　a　trip　an'　no　noise　at　all；　same　ez　Long　Jim's　teeth　sinkin'　into　a　juicy　venison　steak。〃

〃I've　heard　tell；〃　said　Long　Jim；　who　also　contemplated　the　prodigy；〃　that　big；　chunky；　awkward…lookin'　things　are　sometimes　ez　spry　ez　you。　　They　say　that　the　Hipperpotamus　kin　outrun　the　giraffe　across　the　sands　uv　Afriky；　an'　I　know　from　pussonal　experience　that　the　bigger　an'　clumsier　a　b'ar　is　the　faster　he　kin　make　you　scoot　fur　your　life。　　But　he's　the　real　Dutch；　ain't　he；　Paul；　one　uv　them　fellers　that　licked　the　Spanish　under　the　Duke　uv　Alivy　an'　Belisarry？〃

〃Undoubtedly；〃　replied　Paul；　who　did　not　consider　it　necessary　to　correct　Long　Jim's　history；　〃and　I'm　willing　to　predict　to　you；　Jim　Hart；　that　Heemskerk　will　be　a　mighty　good　man　in　any　fight　that　we　may　have。〃

Heemskerk　rolled　up　to　them。　　He　seemed　to　have　a　sort　of　circular　motion　like　that　of　a　revolving　tube；　but　he　kept　pace　with　the　others；　nevertheless；　and　he　showed　no　signs　of　exertion。

〃Don't　you　think　it　a　funny　thing　that　I；　Cornelius　Heemskerk；　am　here？〃　he　said　to　Paul。

〃Why　so；　Mr。　Heemskerk？〃　replied　Paul　politely。　　〃Because　I　am　a　Dutchman。　　I　have　the　soul　of　an　artist　and　the　gentleness　of　a　baby。　　I；　Cornelius　Heemskerk；　should　be　in　the　goot　leetle　country　of　Holland　in　a　goot　leetle　house；　by　the　side　of　a　goot　leetle　canal；　painting　beautiful　blue　china；　dishes；　plates；　cups；　saucers；　all　most　beautiful；　and　here　I　am　running　through　the　woods　of　this　vast　America；　carrying　on　my　shoulder　a　rifle　that　is　longer　than　I　am；　hunting　the　red　Indian　and　hunted　by　him。　　Is　it　not　most　rediculous；　Mynheer　Paul？〃

〃I　think　you　are　here　because　you　are　a　brave　man；　Mr。　Heemskerk；〃　replied　Paul；　〃and　wish　to　see　punishment　inflicted　upon　those　who　have　committed　great　crimes。〃

〃Not　so！　　Not　so！　replied　the　Dutchman　with　energy。　　〃It　is　because　I　am　one　big　fool。　　I　am　not　really　a　big　enough　man　to　be　as　big　a　fool　as　I　am；　but　so　it　is！　so　it　is！〃　　　Shif'less　Sol　regarded　him　critically；　and　then　spoke　gravely　and　with　deliberation：　　〃　It　ain't　that；　Mr。　Heemskerk；　an'　Paul　ain't　told　quite　all　the　truth；　either。　　I've　heard　that　the　Dutch　was　the　most　powerfullest　fightin'　leetle　nation　on　the　globe；　that　all　you　had　to　do　wuz　to　step　on　the　toe　uv　a　Dutchman's　wooden　shoe；　an'　all　the　men；　women；　an'　children　in　Holland　would　jump　right　on　top　o'　you　all　at　once。　　Lookin'　you　up　an'　lookin'　you　down；　an'　sizin'　you　up；　an'　sizin　you　down；　all　purty　careful；　an'　examinin'　the　corners　O'　your　eyes　oncommon　close；　an'　also　lookin'　at　the　way　you　set　your　feet　when　you　walk；　I'm　concludin'　that　you　just　natcherally　love　a　fight；　an'　that　you　are　lookin'　fur　one。〃

But　Cornelius　Heemskerk　sighed；　and　shook　his　he