the scouts of the valley-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


es。　　　　The　night　promised　to　be　dark；　a　good　thing　for　them；　as　the　need　of　hiding　was　too　evident。

Shif'less　Sol　soon　fell　asleep；　as　Henry；　only　three　feet　away；　knew　by　his　soft　and　regular　breathing；　but　the　boy　himself　was　still　wide…eyed。

The　darkness　seemed　to　sink　down　like　a　great　blanket　dropping　slowly；　and　the　area　of　Henry's　vision　narrowed　to　a　small　circle。　　Within　this　area　the　distinctive　object　was　the　figure　of　Tom　Ross；　sitting　with　his　rifle　across　his　knees。　　Tom　had　an　infinite　capacity　for　immobility。　　Henry　had　never　seen　another　man；　not　even　an　Indian；　who　could　remain　so　long　in　one　position　contented　and　happy。　　He　believed　that　the　silent　one　could　sit　as　he　was　all　night。

His　surmise　about　Tom　began　to　have　a　kind　of　fascination　for　him。　　Would　he　remain　absolutely　still？　　He　would　certainly　shift　an　arm　or　a　leg。　　Henry's　interest　in　the　question　kept　him　awake。　　He　turned　silently　on　the　other　side；　but；　no　matter　how　intently　he　studied　the　sitting　figure　of　his　comrade；　he　could　not　see　it　stir。　　He　did　not　know　how　long　he　had　been　awake；　trying　thus　to　decide　a　question　that　should　be　of　no　importance　at　such　a　time。　　Although　unable　to　sleep；　be　fell　into　a　dreamy　condition；　and　continued　vaguely　to　watch　the　rigid　and　silent　sentinel。

He　suddenly　saw　Tom　stir；　and　he　came　from　his　state　of　languor。　　The　exciting　question　was　solved　at　last。　　The　man　would　not　sit　all　night　absolutely　immovable。　　There　could　be　no　doubt　of　the　fact　that　he　had　raised　an　arm；　and　that　his　figure　had　straightened。　　Then　he　stood　up；　full　height；　remained　motionless　for　perhaps　ten　seconds；　and　then　suddenly　glided　away　among　the　bushes。

Henry　knew　what　this　meant。　　Tom　had　heard　something　moving　in　the　thickets；　and；　like　a　good　sentinel；　be　had　gone　to　investigate。　　A　rabbit；　doubtless；　or　perhaps　a　sneaking　raccoon。　　Henry　rose　to　a　sitting　position；　and　drew　his　own　rifle　across　his　knees。　　He　would　watch　while　Tom　was　gone；　and　then　lie　would　sink　quietly　back；　not　letting　his　comrade　know　that　lie　had　taken　his　place。

The　faintest　of　winds　began　to　stir　among　the　thickets。　　Light　clouds　drifted　before　the　moon。　　Henry；　sitting　with　his　rifle　across　his　knees；　and　Shif'less　Sol；　asleep　in　the　shadows；　were　invisible；　but　Henry　saw　beyond　the　circle　of　darkness　that　enveloped　them　into　the　grayish　light　that　fell　over　the　bushes。　　He　marked　the　particular　point　at　which　he　expected　Tom　Ross　to　appear；　a　slight　opening　that　held　out　invitation　for　the　passage　of　a　man。

He　waited　a　long　time；　ten　minutes；　twenty；　a　half　hour；　and　the　sentinel　did　not　return。　　　Henry　came　abruptly　out　of　his　dreamy　state。　　He　felt　with　all　the　terrible　thrill　of　certainty　that　what　happened　to　Long　Jim　and　Paul　had　happened　also　to　Silent　Tom　Ross。　　He　stood　erect；　a　tense；　tall　figure；　alarmed；　but　not　afraid。　　His　eyes　searched　the　thickets；　but　saw　nothing。　　The　slight　movement　of　the　bushes　was　made　by　the　wind；　and　no　other　sound　reached　his　ears。

But　he　might　be　mistaken　after　all！　　The　most　convincing　premonitions　were　sometimes　wrong！　　He　would　give　Tom　ten　minutes　more；　and　he　sank　down　in　a　crouching　position；　where　he　would　offer　the　least　target　for　the　eye。

The　appointed　time　passed；　and　neither　sight　nor　sound　revealed　any　sign　of　Tom　Ross。　　Then　Henry　awakened　Shif'less　Sol；　and　whispered　to　him　all　that　he　had　seen。

〃Whatever　took　Jim　and　Paul　has　took　him；〃　whispered　the　shiftless　one　at　once。

Henry　nodded。

〃An'　we're　bound　to　look　for　him　right　now；〃　continued　Shif'less　Sol。　

〃　Yes；〃　said　Henry；　〃　but　we　must　stay　together。　　If　we　follow　the　others；　Sol；　we　must　follow　'em　together。〃

It　would　be　safer；〃　said　Sol。　　〃　I've　an　idee　that　we　won't　find　Tom；　an'　I　want　to　tell　you；　Henry；　this　thing　is　gittin'　on　my　nerves。〃

It　was　certainly　on　Henry's；　also；　but　without　reply　he　led　the　way　into　the　bushes；　and　they　sought　long　and　well　for　Silent　Tom；　keeping　at　the　same　time　a　thorough　watch　for　any　danger　that　might　molest　themselves。　　But　no　danger　showed；　nor　did　they　find　Tom　or　his　trail。　　He；　too；　had　vanished　into　nothingness；　and　Henry　and　Sol；　despite　their　mental　strength；　felt　cold　shivers。　　They　came　back　at　last；　far　toward　morning；　to　the　bank　of　the　creek。　　It　was　here　as　elsewhere　a　narrow　but　deep　stream　flowing　between　banks　so　densely　wooded　that　they　were　almost　like　walls。

〃It　will　be　daylight　soon；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃an'　I　think　we'd　better　lay　low　in　thicket　an'　watch。　　It　looks　ez　ef　we　couldn't　find　anything；　so　we'd　better　wait　an'　see　what　will　find　us。〃

〃It　looks　like　the　best　plan　to　me；〃　said　Henry；　〃　but　I　think　we　might　first　hunt　a　while　on　the　other　side　of　the　creek。　　We　haven't　looked　any　over　there。〃

〃That's　so；〃　replied　Shif'less　Sol；　〃but　the　water　is　at　least　seven　feet　deep　here；　an'　we　don't　want　to　make　any　splash　swimmin'。　　Suppose　you　go　up　stream；　an'　I　go　down；　an'　the　one　that　finds　a　ford　first　kin　give　a　signal。　　One　uv　us　ought　to　strike　shallow　water　in　three　or　four　hundred　yards。〃

Henry　followed　the　current　toward　the　south；　while　Sol　moved　up　the　stream。　　The　boy　went　cautiously　through　the　dense　foliage；　and　the　creek　soon　grew　wider　and　shallower。　　At　a　distance　of　about　three　hundred　yards　lie　came　to　a　point　where　it　could　be　waded　easily。　　Then　he　uttered　the　low　cry　that　was　their　signal；　and　went　back　to　meet　Shif'less　Sol。　　He　reached　the　exact　point　at　which　they　had　parted；　and　waited。　　The　shiftless　one　did　not　come。　　The　last　of　his　comrades　was　gone；　and　he　was　alone　in　the　forest。




CHAPTER　III

THE　HUT　ON　THE　ISLET


Henry　Ware　waited　at　least　a　quarter　of　an　hour　by　the　creek　on　the　exact　spot　at　which　he　and　Solomon　Hyde；　called　the　shiftless　one；　had　parted；　but　he　knew　all　the　while　that　his　last　comrade　was　not　coming。　　The　same　powerful　and　mysterious　hand　that　swept　the　others　away　had　taken　him；　the　wary　and　cunning　Shif'less　Sol；　master　of　forest　lore　and　with　all　the　five　senses　developed　to　the　highest　pitch。　　Yet　his　powers　had　availed　him　nothing；　and　the　boy　again　felt　that　cold　chill　running　down　his　spine。

Henry　expected　the　omnipotent　force　to　come　against　him；　also；　but　his　instinctive　caution　made　him　turn　and　creep　into　the　thickest　of　the　forest；　continuing　until　he　found　a　place　in　the　bushes　so　thoroughly　hidden　that　no　one　could　see　him　ten　feet　away。　　There　he　lay　down　and　rapidly　ran　over　in　his　mind　the　events　connected　with　the　four　disappearances。　　They　were　few；　and　he　had　little　on　which　to　go；　but　his　duty　to　seek　his　four　comrades；　since　he　alone　must　do　it；　was　all　the　greater。　　Such　a　thought　as　deserting　them　and　fleeing　for　his　own　life　never　entered　his　mind。　　He　would　not　only　seek　them；　but　he　would　penetrate　the　mystery　of　the　power　that　had　taken　them。

It　was　like　him　now　to　go　about　his　work　with　calmness　and　method。　　To　approach　an　arduous　task　right　one　must　possess　freshness　and　vigor；　and　one　could　have　neither　without　sleep。　　His　present　place　of　hiding　seemed　to　be　as　secure　as　any　that　could　be　found。　　So　composing　himself　he　took　all　chances　and　sought　slumber。　　Yet　it　needed　a　great　effort　of　the　will　to　calm　his　nerves；　and　it　was　a　half　hour　before　he　began　to　feel　any　of　the　soothing　effect　that　precedes　sleep。　　But　fall　asleep　he　did　at　last；　and；　despite　everything；　he　slept　soundly　until　the　morning。

Henry　did　not　awake　to　a　bright　day。　　The　sun　had　risen；　but　it　was　obscured　by　gray　clouds；　and　the　whole　heavens　were　somber。　　A　cold　wind　began　to　blow；　and　with　it　came　drops　of　rain。　　He　shivered　despite　the　enfolding　blanket。　　The　coming　of　the　morning　had　invariably　brought　cheerfulness　and　increase　of　spirits；　but　now　he　felt　depression。　　He　foresaw　heavy　rain　again；　and　it　would　destroy　any　but　the　deepest　trail。　　Moreover；　his　supplies　of　food　were　exhausted　and　he　must　replenish　them　in　some　manner　before　proceeding　further。

A　spirit　even　as　bold　and　strong　as　Henry's　might　well　have　despaired。　　He　had　found　his　comrades；　only　to　lose　them　again；　and　the　danger　that　had　threatened　them；　and　the　elements　as　well；　now　threatened　him；　too。　　An　acute　judge　of　sky　and　air；　he　knew　that　the　rain；　cold；　insistent；　penetrating；　would　fall　all　day；　and　that　he　must　seek　shelter　if　he　would　keep　his　strength。　　The　Indians　themselves　always　took　to　cover　at　such　times。

He　wrapped　the　blanket　around　himself；　covering　his　body　well　from　neck　to　ankle；　putting　his　rifle　just　inside　the　fold；　but　with　his　hand　upon　it；　ready　for　instant　use　if　it　should　be　needed。　　Then　he　started；　walking　straight　ahead　until　he　came　to　the　crown　of　a　little　hill。　　The　clouds　meanwhile　thickened；　and　the　rain；　of　the　kind　that　he　had　foreseen　and　as　cold　as　ice；　was　blown　against　him。　　The　grass　and　bushes　were　reeking；　and　his　moccasins　became　sodden。　　Despite　the　vigorous　walking；　lie　felt　the　wet　cold　entering　his　system。　　There　come　times　when　the　hardiest　must　yield；　and　be　saw　the　increasing　need　of　refuge。

He　surveyed　the　country　attentively　from　the　low　hill。　　All　around　was　a　dull　gray　horizon　from　which　the　icy　rain　dripped　everywhere。　　There　was　no　open　country。　　All　was　forest；　and　the　heavy　rolling　masses　of　foliage　dr