Part 12 (1/2)

”It's not so bad as I thought, but the case is bad enough. Gravity, how far off is that place in the rocks we're hunting for?”

”Reckon it can't be fur away now.”

”We must make all haste to it, then. The Indians seem to be, so far as we know, on our right, and you must bear off to the left, so as to avoid them, if we can.”

”Hold on,” interrupted McEwen. ”Gimp seen two Injins, didn't he?”

”Dat's de fac',” replied the negro.

”I seen the same number, but in addition, I had a fair glimpse of a white man, too.”

”Did you recognize him?”

”I did. He was Jake Golcher, the Tory.”

”Oh, the scand'lous villain!” exclaimed Aunt Peggy. ”I'll get my hands on him yet, and the next time, I'll shake the life out of him.”

Mr. Brainerd had heard the story of this man's doings, a comparatively short time before, and he needed no other proof that he had brought a horde across the Susquehanna for the purpose of wreaking vengeance upon his family.

He knew that the Tory, who was more guilty than the fiercest of the Iroquois, was a discarded suitor of his daughter, and he was to be dreaded all the more on that account.

”Quick,” said Mr. Brainerd, addressing his servant; ”we haven't a second to spare; bear off to the left, as I told you, and don't let the gra.s.s grow under your feet.”

It need not be said that no one of them lagged. The very peril from which they were fleeing was almost upon them.

CHAPTER XVII.

There was no attempt to use caution or care in hurrying forward. Somehow or other Jake Golcher had gotten on the track of the little party, and, with a number of Seneca warriors, almost as keen of eye and scent as bloodhounds, was following them.

Fortunately, the distance to the cave was not great, and the fugitives were walking fast, and in the right direction.

The heavy figure of Gravity Gimp kept its place at the front, and with a coolness scarcely to be expected, he looked to the right and left as he advanced, with the sole purpose of preventing any precious moments being lost by going astray.

All heard the bird-calls, whistling, and faint whoops uttered with very little intermission, from different portions of the wood, so that it was certain the Tories and Indians knew of the flight, and were in sharp pursuit.

The African, as we have said, maintained his place well in advance, though at times it looked as if Habakkuk would take the lead. But both scrambled along, sometimes half falling over the stones which turned beneath their tread, or the briers and vines that almost threw them on their faces.

Gravity could not afford time to look to his feet, to see where he placed the rather unwilling members, for it required all his training, as a hunter, to keep his reckoning and to make sure he was taking the most direct route to the sheltering cave, upon which all hopes were now fixed.

Although McEwen had come a long distance to help repel the invasion of the Wyoming Valley, he was accustomed to fight where there was plenty of support, and he knew enough of aboriginal ferocity to dread the collision that now impended.

Had he known, therefore, the right course to follow, he would have been in advance of the others; but as it was, he fretted because he was forced to keep on the flank of the negro, whom he was continually urging to greater speed.

”As sure as a gun,” he said, ”those fleet-footed redskins will gobble us up in five minutes, if you don't get up more speed than that, Gravity.”

”I can't conwerse while I'm tumbling over rocks and splitting 'em to pieces wid my head,” was the reply. ”Don't bodder me, but look out for Injuns, and if you see one, just run up to him and lamm him.”