Part 28 (1/2)

”G.o.d grant she may still be unharmed!” said Roughgrove, advancing to meet the Indian, who, being now within gunshot, raised his small white flag. ”Tell me! tell me all about her!” exclaimed Roughgrove, in the Osage language, when he met the Indian. When the Indian informed him of the condition of Mary, the old man could not repress his raptures, his grat.i.tude, or his tears. ”She's safe! she's safe! Heaven be praised!” he exclaimed, turning to his companions, who now came up, and experienced almost as much joy at the announcement as himself.

”Hang me, if you ain't a right clever fellow,” said Joe, shaking the Indian's hand quite heartily. ”Now,” he continued, when all the particulars of Mary's escape were made known, ”there won't be any use in fighting; we can just get Miss Mary out of the snow, and then go home again.”

”You don't know--keep your mouth shet--dod--,” said Sneak, suppressing the last word.

”We are not sure of that,” said Boone; ”on the contrary, I think it is very probable we shall have fighting yet. When the war-party discover the deception, (as they must have done ere this,) they will retrace their steps. If it was early in the day when they ascertained that the captive had escaped, we may expect to see them very soon. If it was late, we will find them in the grove where they encamped. In either event we must expect to fight--and fight hard too--for they outnumber us considerably.”

Joe sighed, but said nothing.

”Are you getting ill again?” inquired Boone.

”No--I was only blowing--I got a little tired,” said Joe, in scarce articulate tones.

”And I feel weak--very weak--but it is with joy!” said Roughgrove.

”And I have observed it, too,” said Boone. ”Get in the sled; we will pull you along till your strength returns.”

”I will be able to use my gun when I meet the foe,” said the old man, getting into the sled.

The party set forward again, guided by the Indian, and in high spirits. The consciousness that Mary was in safety removed a weight from the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of all; and, as they ran along, many a light jest and pleasant repartee lessened the weariness of the march. Even Joe smiled once or twice when Boone, in a mock heroic manner alluded to his exploits among the wolves.

”Blast me,” said Joe, when Sneak mentioned a few cases of equivocal courage as an offset to Boone's compliments, ”blast me, if I haven't killed more Indians than any of you, since I have been in this plagued country.”

”True--that is, your musket has,” said Boone.

”Joe can fight sometimes,” said Glenn, smiling.

”I'll be hanged if I haven't always fought, when there was any fighting going on,” said Joe, reproachfully.

”Yes, and he'll fight again, as manfully as any of us,” said Boone.

”Dod--why, what are you holding back for so hard?” said Sneak, remarking that Joe at that instant seemed to be much excited, and, instead of going forward, actually brought the whole party to a model ate walk by his counter exertion.

”What do you mean?” asked Glenn.

”Are you going to be ill?” asked Boone.

”No, goodness, no! Only listen to me a minute. An idea struck me, which I thought it was my duty to tell. I thought this Indian might be deceiving us. Suppose he leads us right into an ambush when we're talking and laughing, and thinking there's no danger.

”Dod--you're a cowardly fool!” said Sneak.

”I have likewise a remedy for interruptions--I advise rot to stop again,” said Boone, when Joe once more started forward.

Just as night was setting in, the party came in sight of the grove where Mary was concealed. They slackened their pace and drew near the dark woods quite cautiously. When they entered the edge of the grove, they heard the war-party utter the yell which had awakened Mary. It was fully understood by Boone, and the friendly Indian a.s.sured them from the sound, that the Osages had just returned, and were at that moment leaving the encampment on his trail. But he stated that they could not find the pale-faced maiden. And he suggested to the whites a plan of attack, which was to station themselves near the place where he had emerged from the grove, after hiding Mary; so that when they followed on his trail they could thus be surprised without difficulty.

This advice was adopted by Boone. The Indian then asked permission to depart, saying he had paid the white men for sparing his life.

”Oh no!” cried Joe, when Roughgrove interpreted the Indian's request, ”keep him as a hostage--he may be cheating us.”

”I do not see the impropriety of Joe's remark this time,” said Glenn.