Part 20 (1/2)

He conducted this delicate business with such skill that his presence was never suspected by his enemies, and he did his utmost to keep it concealed. He ventured on one or two signals, with a view of apprising Mr. Brainerd of his proximity, but, if that gentleman heard him, he suspected the calls were made by the Indians, and therefore paid no attention to them.

Understanding the peril which threatened his friends, Fred extended himself on the rocks above the cavern, and held the gun that he had taken from the dead body of a soldier, pointed toward the spot.

Just before he was ready, Mr. Brainerd shot the warrior, and then Fred leveled his piece for the next one. Thus it was that, instead of one rifle, there were two aimed at the second savage, and when the first flashed in the pan, the other completed the business.

This was providential, but Fred was wise enough to see that nothing like permanent safety could be gained by that kind of defense.

He ventured on another reconnoissance, and it was while he was thus engaged that Gravity Gimp emerged from the cavern, and walked straight into the trap set for him.

”How was it you managed to get down here?” asked Mr. Brainerd.

”I used a grape-vine,” replied Fred; ”it took me a considerable while to arrange it, and I came near slipping my hold and dropping to the bottom of the ravine, as it was.”

”Was it a wise proceeding?” continued the father.

”I hope so.”

”Why did you not come down the regular path?” inquired Maggie; ”Gravity seemed to have no difficulty in going away by it.”

”There must be at least half a dozen Indians up there; they could have captured him without trouble, but they allowed him to get so far away that they calculated you would not suspect the danger, and might try to follow him, in which case every one of you would be in their hands this minute.”

This information was startling, and the listeners were silent. Fred added:

”You can understand how great the risk was which I ran, and it is hard to explain why they didn't discover what I was doing.”

”Perhaps they did.”

”They would have fired on me had they known it; but there is so much deep shadow above, and they were so unsuspicious of any such proceeding, that I succeeded.”

”It was a daring act, indeed, but what is to be the issue?”

”I saw that it would not do for you to remain until morning. If to-morrow's sun finds you here, you are doomed. You have no means of obtaining any food or water, and they can converge a dozen rifles on you, for they will gain the position from which we kept them a while ago.”

”They have already done so,” said Mr. Brainerd. ”I saw, and was unable to prevent them.”

”That settles the matter, then; we must get out of this place within the next two hours, and be well on our way toward the Delaware by daylight.

We can't venture up the path, and, therefore--h.e.l.lo! What's that?”

In taking a backward step at that moment, Fred placed his foot directly on the stomach of Habakkuk McEwen, who lay flat on his back, sound asleep.

The New Englander emitted a groan, and sprang to his feet.

Several minutes pa.s.sed before everything was understood.

Fred apologized, and shook hands with him, as well as he could in the gloom, and Habakkuk then became a listener to the all-important conference that followed.

Fred, in making his reconnoissance, had discovered that Jake Golcher was the leader of the Indians.