the scouts of the valley-第48节

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e　geese　grew　misty　on　the　horizon。　　Shif'less　Sol　followed　them　with　serious　eyes。

〃Do　you　ever　think；　Paul；〃　he　said；　〃that　we　human　bein's　ain't　so　mighty　pow'ful　ez　we　think　we　are。　　We　kin　walk　on　the　groun'；　an'　by　hard　learnin'　an'　hard　work　we　kin　paddle　through　the　water　a　little。　　But　jest　look　at　them　geese　flyin'　a　mile　high；　right　over　everything；　rivers；　forests　any　mountains；　makin'　a　hundred　miles　an　hour；　almost　without　flappin'　a　wing。　　Then　they　kin　come　down　on　the　water　an'　float　fur　hours　without　bein'　tired；　an'　they　kin　waddle　along　on　the　groun'；　too。　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　any　men　who　had　so　many　'complishments？　　Why；　Paul；　s'pose　you　an'　me　could　grow　wings　all　at　once；　an'　go　through　the　air　a　mile　a　minute　fur　a　month　an'　never　git　tired。〃

〃We'd　certainly　see　some　great　sights；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　do　you　know；　Sol；　what　would　be　the　first　thing　I'd　do　if　I　had　the　gift　of　tireless　wings？〃

〃Fly　off　to　them　other　continents　I've　heard　you　tell　about。〃

〃No；　I'd　swoop　along　over　the　forests　up　here　until　I　picked　out　all　the　camps　of　the　Indians　and　Tories。　　I'd　pick　out　the　Butlers　and　Braxton　Wyatt　and　Coleman；　and　see　what　mischief　they　were　planning。　　Then　I'd　fly　away　to　the　East　and　look　down　at　all　the　armies；　ours　in　buff　and　blue；　and　the　British　redcoats。　　I'd　look　into　the　face　of　our　great　commander…in…chief。　　Then　I'd　fly　away　back　into　the　West　and　South；　and　I'd　hover　over　Wareville。　　I'd　see　our　own　people；　every　last　little　one　of　them。　　They　might　take　a　shot　at　me；　not　knowing　who　I　was；　but　I'd　be　so　high　up　in　the　air　no　bullet　could　reach　me。　　Then　I'd　come　soaring　back　here　to　you　fellows。〃

〃That　would　shorely　be　a　grand　trip；　Paul；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃　an'　I　wouldn't　mind　takin'　it　in　myself。　　But　fur　the　present　we'd　better　busy　our　minds　with　the　warnin's　the　wild　fowl　are　givin'　us；　though　we're　well　fixed　fur　a　house　already。　　It's　cu'rus　what　good　homes　a　handy　man　kin　find　in　the　wilderness。〃

The　predictions　of　the　wild　fowl　were　true。　　A　few　days　later　heavy　clouds　rolled　up　in　the　southwest；　and　the　five　watched　them；　knowing　what　they　would　bring　them。　　They　spread　to　the　zenith　and　then　to　the　other　horizon；　clothing　the　whole　circle　of　the　earth。　　The　great　flakes　began　to　drop　down；　slowly　at　first；　then　faster。　　Soon　all　the　trees　were　covered　with　white；　and　everything　else；　too；　except　the　dark　surface　of　the　lake；　which　received　the　flakes　into　its　bosom　as　they　fell。

It　snowed　all　that　day　and　most　of　the　next；　until　it　lay　about　two　feet　on　the　ground。　　After　that　it　turned　intensely　cold；　the　surface　of　the　snow　froze；　and　ice；　nearly　a　foot　thick；　covered　the　lake。　　It　was　not　possible　to　travel　under　such　circumstances　without　artificial　help；　and　now　Tom　Ross；　who　had　once　hunted　in　the　far　North；　came　to　their　help。　　He　showed　them　how　to　make　snowshoes；　and；　although　all　learned　to　use　them；　Henry；　with　his　great　strength　and　peculiar　skill；　became　by　far　the　most　expert。

As　the　snow　with　its　frozen　surface　lay　on　the　ground　for　weeks；　Henry　took　many　long　journeys　on　the　snowshoes。　　Sometimes　be　hunted；　but　oftener　his　role　was　that　of　scout。　　He　cautioned　his　friends　that　he　might　be　out…three　or　four　days　at　a　time；　and　that　they　need　take　no　alarm　about　him　unless　his　absence　became　extremely　long。　　The　winter　deepened；　the　snow　melted；　and　another　and　greater　storm　came；　freezing　the　surface；　again　making　the　snowshoes　necessary。　　Henry　decided　now　to　take　a　scout　alone　to　the　northward；　and；　as　the　others　bad　long　since　grown　into　the　habit　of　accepting　his　decisions　almost　without　question；　be　started　at　once。　　He　was　well　equipped　with　his　rifle；　double　barreled　pistol；　hatchet；　and　knife；　and　he　carried　in　addition　a　heavy　blanket　and　some　jerked　venison。　　He　put　on　his　snowshoes　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff；　waved　a　farewell　to　the　four　heads　thrust　from　〃The　Alcove〃　above；　and　struck　out　on　the　smooth；　icy　surface　of　the　creek。　　From　this　he　presently　passed　into　the　woods；　and　for　a　long　time　pursued　a　course　almost　due　north。

It　was　no　vague　theory　that　had　drawn　Henry　forth。　　In　one　of　his　journeyings　be　had　met　a　hunter　who　told　him　of　a　band　of　Tories　and　Indians　encamped　toward　the　north；　and　he　had　an　idea　that　it　was　the　party　led　by　Braxton　Wyatt。　　Now　he　meant　to　see。

His　information　was　very　indefinite；　and　he　began　to　discover　signs　much　earlier　than　he　had　expected。　　Before　the　end　of　the　first　day　he　saw　the　traces　of　other　snowshoe　runners　on　the　icy　snow；　and　once　he　came　to　a　place　where　a　deer　had　been　slain　and　dressed。　　Then　he　came　to　another　where　the　snow　had　been　hollowed　out　under　some　pines　to　make　a　sleeping　place　for　several　men。　　Clearly　he　was　in　the　land　of　the　enemy　again；　and　a　large　and　hostile　camp　might　be　somewhere　near。

Henry　felt　a　thrill　of　joy　when　he　saw　these　indications。　　All　the　primitive　instincts　leaped　up　within　him。　　A　child　of　the　forest　and　of　elemental　conditions；　the　warlike　instinct　was　strong　within　him。　　He　was　tired　of　hunting　wild　animals；　and　now　there　was　promise　of　a'　more　dangerous　foe。　　For　the　purposes　that　he　had　in　view　he　was　glad　that　be　was　alone。　　The　wintry　forest；　with　its　two　feet　of　snow　covered　with　ice；　contained　no　terrors　for　him。　　He　moved　on　his　snowshoes　almost　like　a　skater；　and　with　all　the　dexterity　of　an　Indian　of　the　far　North；　who　is　practically　born　on　such　shoes。

As　he　stood　upon　the　brow　of　a　little　hill；　elevated　upon　his　snowshoes；　he　was；　indeed；　a　wonderful　figure。　　The　added　height　and　the　white　glare　from　the　ice　made　him　tower　like　a　great　giant。　　He　was　clad　completely　in　soft；　warm　deerskin；　his　hands　were　gloved　in　the　same　material；　and　the　fur　cap　was　drawn　tightly　about　his　head　and　ears。　　The　slender…barreled　rifle　lay　across　his　shoulder；　and　the　blanket　and　deer　meat　made　a　light　package　on　his　back。　　Only　his　face　was　uncovered；　and　that　was　rosy　with　the　sharp　but　bracing　cold。　　But　the　resolute　blue　eyes　seemed　to　have　grown　more　resolute　in　the　last　six　months；　and　the　firm　jaw　was　firmer　than　ever。

It　was　a　steely　blue　sky；　clear；　hard；　and　cold；　fitted　to　the　earth　of　snow　and　ice　that　it　inclosed。　　His　eyes　traveled　the　circle　of　the　horizon　three　times；　and　at　the　end　of　the　third　circle　he　made　out　a　dim；　dark　thread　against　that　sheet　of　blue　steel。　　It　was　the　light　of　a　camp　fire；　and　that　camp　fire　must　belong　to　an　enemy。　　It　was　not　likely　that　anybody　else　would　be　sending　forth　such　a　signal　in　this　wintry　wilderness。

Henry　judged　that　the　fire　was　several　miles　away；　and　apparently　in　a　small　valley　hemmed　in　by　hills　of　moderate　height。　　He　made　up　his　mind　that　the　band　of　Braxton　Wyatt　was　there；　and　he　intended　to　make　a　thorough　scout　about　it。　　He　advanced　until　the　smoke　line　became　much　thicker　and　broader；　and　then　he　stopped　in　the　densest　clump　of　bushes　that　he　could　find。　　He　meant　to　remain　there　until　darkness　came；　because；　with　all　foliage　gone　from　the　forest；　it　would　be　impossible　to　examine　the　hostile　camp　by　day。　　The　bushes；　despite　the　lack　of　leaves；　were　so　dense　that　they　hid　him　well；　and；　breaking　through　the　crust　of　ice；　he　dug　a　hole。　　Then；　having　taken　off　his　snowshoes　and　wrapped　his　blanket　about　his　body；　he　thrust　himself　into　the　hole　exactly　like　a　rabbit　in　its　burrow。　　He　laid　his　shoes　on　the　crust　of　ice　beside　him。　　Of　course；　if　found　there　by　a　large　party　of　warriors　on　snowshoes　he　would　have　no　chance　to　flee；　but　he　was　willing　to　take　what　seemed　to　him　a　small　risk。　　The　dark　would　not　be　long　in　coming；　and　it　was　snug　and　warm　in　the　hole。　　As　he　sat；　his　head　rose　just　above　the　surrounding　ice；　but　his　rifle　barrel　rose　much　higher。　　He　ate　a　little　venison　for　supper；　and　the　weariness　in　the　ankles　that　comes　from　long　traveling　on　snowshoes　disappeared。

He　could　not　see　outside　the　bushes；　but　he　listened　with　those　uncommonly　keen　ears　of　his。　　No　sound　at　all　came。　　There　was　not　even　a　wind　to　rustle　the　bare　boughs。　　The　sun　hung　a　huge　red　globe　in　the　west；　and　all　that　side　of　the　earth　was　tinged　with　a　red　glare；　wintry　and　cold　despite　its　redness。　　Then；　as　the　earth　turned；　the　sun　was　lost　behind　it；　and　the　cold　dark　came。

Henry　found　it　so　comfortable　in　his　burrow　that　all　his　muscles　were　soothed；　and　he　grew　sleepy。　　It　would　have　been　very　pleasant　to　doze　there；　but　he　brought　himself　round　with　an　effort　of　the　will；　and　became　as　wide　awake　as　ever。　　He　was　eager　to　be　off　on　his　expedition；　but　he　knew　how　much　depended　on　waiting；　and　he　waited。　　One　hour；　two　hours；　three　hours；　four　hours；　still　and　dark；　passed　in　the　forest　before　he　roused　himself　from　his　covert。　　Then；　warm；　strong；　and　tempered　like　steel　for　his　purpose；　he　put　on　his　snowshoes；　and　advanced　toward　the　point　from　which　the　column　of　smoke　had　risen。

He　had　never　been　more　cautious　and　wary　than　he　was　now。　　He　was　a　formidable　figure　in　the　darkness；　crouched　forward；　and　moving　like　some　spirit　of　the　wilderness；　half　walking；　half　gliding。

Although　the　night　had　come　out　rather　clear；　with　many　cold　stars　twinkling　in　the　blue；　the　line　of　smoke　was　no　longer　visible。　　But　Henry　did　not　expect　it　to　be；　nor　did　he　need　it。　　He