Part 34 (1/2)
”That's all very well; but gratertude ain't going to do me much good,”
said Jake, with another grin. ”I orter have some reward, Maggie.”
”So you will; the reward of an approving conscience, which is beyond the price of rubies.”
”I know all 'bout that,” said he, slinging one leg over the other, after which he nursed the upper knee and swayed the foot back and forth; ”but that don't satisfy me. I want more.”
”We have a little farm, you know; I'll give you my share in that, and father, I'm sure, will pay you everything he can get together.”
”Yes, but that ain't enough, Maggie.”
”What else can we do?” she asked, despairingly, while her s.e.x's intuition told her what he was hinting at.
”I want _you_,” he said, bending his head close to her, while she recoiled; ”if you'll be my wife, I'll let your father, Eva, yourself, and even Aunt Peggy, go; if you don't, the Senecas shall tomahawk them all.”
Maggie Brainerd knew this was coming, and she asked herself whether it was not her duty to be offered up as a sacrifice, to save her beloved friends. Would there be any more heroism in doing so than had been displayed before by thousands of her s.e.x?
She was prayerfully considering the question, when her indignant father, who had heard it all, broke in with:
”Tell him no--a thousand times no! If you don't, you are no daughter of mine!”
CHAPTER XLIII.
Gravity Gimp and Lieutenant Fred G.o.dfrey were in high spirits, for each had been highly favored by fortune. They were beyond sight of the camp-fire and had thrown the pursuing Iroquois off the track, so that, with ordinary care, they were out of personal danger.
But this elation could not last. Could they forget that within a stone's throw their friends were in peril, and unless soon rescued would be beyond all help?
”We have only one gun between us,” said Fred, ”and I don't see any prospect of getting another.”
”I thinked maybe we mought find one, somewhar in de woods,” said Gimp, ”but I guess dere ain't much show for dat. You am de best shot, so I'll be wery much obleeged if you'll take charge ob dis rifle.”
Fred accepted the weapon, feeling that before any great harm could befall those in the Indian camp, the bullet nestling in the barrel would be heard from.
”We will steal up as near as we dare,” said he, ”and watch our chances.”
”I doesn't see dat I can a.s.sist you, to a wery alarming extent,” said Gimp, ”so if you doesn't object, I'll go on a scout.”
”Go on a scout? What do you mean by that?”
”Ise an ijee; I'll take a look around, and when I want you I'll just whistle this way, and you'll understand.”
Fred had little faith in the proposal, but fortunately he did not object, and a minute later Gimp was gone.
Left to himself Fred stealthily approached the vicinity of the camp, fully alive to the delicacy of his mission.
He was resolved that if detected, and this was likely to occur, since a number of the Senecas were still absent and would soon be returning, he would not be retaken.