Part 28 (2/2)

THE WHITE SHAWNEE AGAIN

Again turning to his left, Peleg, still followed by his friend, ran swiftly toward the border of the cornfield.

The cries and whoops in a measure had died away, and from what he could hear Peleg concluded that some of his friends had escaped from the field and were being pursued in their flight toward the fort.

When Peleg and Israel found they were near the road, on the opposite side of which stood the forest where the Indians had made their ambuscade, they peered cautiously in all directions, but were unable to see any of their enemies. That another band of warriors had followed in pursuit of the men who had escaped from the first attack and from the fight in the cornfield was most likely, they concluded.

Peleg whispered: ”The safest place for us is where the Indians were hidden. They have gone from there and will not come back to look for any of us.”

Israel nodded his head in a.s.sent, and, firmly grasping their rifles, the boys darted across the road and gained the shelter of the trees.

When the two young scouts were convinced that their immediate presence had not been discovered, Peleg said to Israel: ”Are you sure you can find your way if we again separate?”

”Yes,” answered Israel. ”But the Indians are between us and the fort. Do you think we can ever get through?”

”We must,” said Peleg. ”The folk at Bryant's Station are in such danger that not one of us must fail them now.”

The words hardly had been spoken when there was a sharp report of a rifle, and a bullet pa.s.sed so near them that both boys heard it singing on its way.

Moved by a common impulse, they turned and dashed into the forest.

Whether or no any of their enemies were hiding behind the trees toward which they were running neither knew.

They were chiefly intent upon speed now, and ran on for several minutes, well knowing that their lives depended upon the success of their efforts.

At last, breathless, both halted for a rest, and Peleg said to his companion, ”I am sure it will be better for us to separate now. You know the way, and can look out for yourself. I shall come, too, and if we succeed In getting through, it had better be before night.”

”Yes,” a.s.sented Israel. ”If we wait until dark and then creep up to the fort, the guards will be likely to fire upon us, mistaking us for Indians.”

With these words Israel departed. Peleg watched his friend as long as he remained within sight, and then began with caution to retrace the way over which they had come. Keeping a firm grip upon Singing Susan, Peleg darted from tree to tree and did not venture from each refuge until he was convinced that no one was near him.

His attempt to proceed was interrupted, however, by the report of a rifle, and again a bullet whistled uncomfortably close to his head, tearing some splinters from the tree at his elbow. The young scout at his utmost speed darted into the wood at his right.

He was aware that a swift flight could not long be maintained because of his recent exertions. Where a refuge might be found he did not know. But just then he noticed the trunk of what appeared to be a huge hollow tree leaning over a shallow brook, across which he must leap if he continued his flight.

He entered the stream, ran swiftly a few steps with the current, and then retraced his way to the tree. It was but the work of a moment for him to climb to the broken top, and great was his relief when he saw that the tree indeed was hollow. Without thought of where he might fall he dropped into the welcome opening.

He fell several feet before the decayed wood provided a foothold strong enough to enable him to stand. Fortunately the hollow of the tree was larger than his body, and although he was cramped and almost blinded by the decayed ma.s.s, he nevertheless managed to reach his hunting-knife, and, making a small opening through the soft wood, peeped out to see if his enemies were within sight. As he did so his fears were aroused that the tree itself might fall. It was a mere sh.e.l.l and so decayed that he was surprised that his descent had not torn it asunder.

At that moment a wild cry, plainly from the road, came to his ears. Then shouts were followed by the reports of guns and answering whoops from the Indians.

Anxious for his friend Israel, Peleg turned once more to ascertain if any of his enemies were near his hiding-place. He was hopeful that his trail could not be followed farther than the bank of the little brook, although he was sufficiently familiar with Indian ways to know that the red men, if they really were pursuing him, would run in either direction along the banks until they found the place where he had left the water.

He smiled as he recalled how he had been standing in the stream when he had thrown his arms around the trunk of the bending tree. Singing Susan was still held, but it would be impossible for him in his cramped position to make use of her musical voice.

Suddenly Peleg was startled to behold an Indian step forth from the forest and stand for a moment on the bank of the stream almost directly beneath him. His surprise increased when he recognized the warrior as Henry. He had believed that the white Shawnee, as Henry had loved to call himself, had been killed in the attack on Boonesborough. His brave deed in extinguis.h.i.+ng the fire that had been kindled by the burning arrow had been followed, as Peleg and others had believed, by his death.

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