Part 26 (2/2)

”That Injin actually tried to kiss me--didn't you see him?”

”No, I wasn't aware of it.”

”I gave him one slap that he'll remember, I reckon!”

The situation was too solemn for Fred to utter the remark that would have come to his lip at any other time. He therefore directed his next words to Maggie, who was close to her father, and holding the hand of Eva.

”This looks pretty bad, Maggie,” said he, in a low voice, ”and it is hard to find we were mistaken, when I was so hopeful that we had pa.s.sed all danger.”

”So it is, but how many of our friends and neighbors have fared still more ill!”

”They are to be envied,” said Mr. Brainerd, speaking for the first time, ”for their woe is ended, and ours is to come.”

”There may be hope,” remarked the daughter, though it must be confessed she saw none; ”we must not despair.”

”It is well enough to talk about hoping on forever,” said her father, who seemed more dejected than the others, ”but every man that is born must sooner or later reach the hour when hope is ended: we struck the hour and minute just now.”

”I'm disposed to hold out as long as any of you,” said Fred G.o.dfrey, ”but I must own that I feel about as you do.”

”And so does every one,” added Mr. Brainerd, ”for the days of miracles pa.s.sed long ago; some of our escapes to-day came about as close to the miraculous as they could well do, and that may have led us to expect unreasonable things.”

At this juncture Gray Panther seemed to think there was too much conversation going on, and in broken English he ordered all to keep their tongues still.

No one of the prisoners regretted the command, for it was a dismal thing to talk when their hearts were so oppressed.

The route they followed was through the wood, that was stony and rocky, and in the deep shadows it was anything but pleasing work. The captors kept close to the captives, so as to prevent any break for freedom on their part.

The distance was not far, but it was not yet pa.s.sed, when something took place which caused some alarm, though none of the prisoners could tell what it was.

One of the Indians in front uttered a peculiar signal, which caused a halt on the part of every Seneca. Gray Panther hastened forward.

It was idle for G.o.dfrey to look for any interference in their behalf, but he did feel, for a few brief seconds, something akin to such hope.

But Gray Panther speedily returned, and the march was resumed, with the same stillness and care as before.

What the cause of the interruption was, became known to none but the Senecas themselves.

A few minutes later, the glimmer of a light was seen among the trees, and as the faces of the party were turned in that direction, they knew it was the camp-fire that was their destination.

Only a few steps more were pa.s.sed when the entire party, with the exception of the African servant, stood in the presence of Jake Golcher, the Tory.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

After a courageous struggle against the Indians, the fugitives, as I have shown, were taken prisoners.

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