Part 29 (1/2)

THE VISITOR AT THE ISLAND.

”Ho, wo, wo!” yelled the savages on the raft; and their tones sounded much like the barking of a large mastiff.

Ethan saw one of their number fall, and the commotion in the group indicated that the savages had been thrown into confusion by Ethan's well-directed shot. They ceased paddling, and appeared to be consulting in regard to their next movement.

”Lay right down flat on the ground, so thet they can't see you, f.a.n.n.y,”

said Ethan, as he hastily loaded the rifle, on which he princ.i.p.ally depended.

”Won't they go away now you have found out they are coming?” asked she, as she obeyed the requirement.

”I dunno; we shall see. I don't keer much whether they go or kim. Keep still, and don't move. I reckon they can't see us, and don't know jest whar to fire.”

”They can see you, Ethan.”

”No, they can't,” replied the resolute boy, as he took careful aim a second time with the rifle.

He fired, but apparently without any result, except another yell from the savages. Three of them could still be seen standing and kneeling on the raft. As soon as the second shot had been fired, they reached their conclusion, and commenced paddling with all their might towards the island. Ethan now took the fowling-piece, which he had charged with duck-shot, and fired again. The Indians yelled as before, and one of them seemed to be wounded, for he ceased to paddle, and the third man immediately took his place.

Both of Ethan's guns were now empty; but he had the revolver, which was good for six shots, though the fire could hardly be effective at the present distance of the raft from the island. Keeping this weapon in reserve, he loaded the two guns again. It was very strange that the Indians did not fire at him, and he could not tell whether it was because they had no guns, or because they were afraid of killing Wahena. The party had probably been sent by Lean Bear to recover his son, and the success of the expedition was to depend upon finding the exiles asleep. The good judgment of Ethan had therefore saved them from the calamity of a surprise.

When Ethan had completed the loading of the guns, the raft was within four or five rods of the sh.o.r.e of the island, and the Indians were paddling vigorously, though the unwieldy craft they navigated moved very slowly through the water.

”Don't you stop here no longer, f.a.n.n.y; 'taint no place for you, nohow.

Jest crawl up to the tree, and keep behind it. Keep both eyes wide open tight, but don't let the redskins see you.”

”But what will become of you?” asked f.a.n.n.y, unwilling to leave her bold defender even for a moment.

”Never you mind me; go right off quick. Crawl up to the tree, and I'll soon fix 'em.”

”Ho, wo, wo!” yelled the Indians, apparently satisfied that their work was accomplished, for the raft was within two rods of the sh.o.r.e.

Then one of them dropped his paddle, and, with an unearthly scream, leaped into the water, which was now so shallow that he could wade ash.o.r.e. Ethan took good aim at this one, and fired. Though not killed, the sharp cry the savage uttered convinced Ethan that he was wounded.

Without waiting to learn the effect of his shot on the rest of the party, he fired again at the same man, who was only partially disabled.

The savage in the water, who had been the most dangerous a.s.sailant, uttered another yell of pain, and his companions seemed to be paralyzed by the continuation of the fire upon them. Probably they supposed the boy had but one gun, and, when he fired it, that he would not have time to load again before they could reach him. Ethan then discharged one ball from the revolver, which added still more to their confusion, for they were jabbering like wild turkeys.

”Go 'way!” shouted Ethan. ”Go 'way, or I'll kill Wahena.”

”No kill,” replied one of the Indians, whose voice sounded like that of the messenger Ethan had met in the morning.

”Go 'way then!”

”Me go.”

”Go then--consarn ye!” muttered Ethan, as, taking advantage of the confusion in the ranks of the enemy, he loaded the two guns again.

The two Indians on the raft helped the wounded one in the water to mount the platform again. Two of the three were evidently wounded, and it was not an easy thing for them to paddle the clumsy craft away from the island. One of the savages worked at the paddle for a while; but it was not till the more able of the other two a.s.sisted him that any sensible progress was made.