Part 46 (2/2)
The legend was that every time a wagon went over his head he must groan, but unwilling to waste those outcries during the rumbling of the wheels, he waited till midnight and rolled them out all together.
Anyone hearing should make a sympathetic reply or they would surely suffer some dreadful fate. This was the legend that Caleb called up to memory and made very impressive by being properly impressed himself.
”Now,” said he, ”I am going to hide this stone just behind the rock that marks the head of Garney's grave, an' I'll send you to git it some night. Air ye game?”
”Y-e-s, I'll go,” said the Third War Chief without visible enthusiasm.
”If he's so keen for it now, there'll be no holding him back when night comes,” remarked the Woodp.e.c.k.e.r.
”Remember, now,” said Caleb, as he left them to return to his own miserable shanty, ”this is the chance to show what you're made of.
I'll tie a cord to the stone to make sure that you get it.”
”We're just going to eat. Won't you stay and jine with us,” called Sam, but Caleb strode off without taking notice of the invitation.
In the middle of the night the boys were aroused by a man's voice outside and the scratching of a stick on the canvas.
”Boys! Guy--Yan! Oh, Guy!”
”h.e.l.lo! Who is it?”
”Caleb Clark! Say, Guy, it's about half-past eleven now. You have just about time to go to Garney's grave by midnight an' get that stone, and if you can't find the exact spot _you listen for the groaning _--_that'll guide you_.”
This cheerful information was given in a hoa.r.s.e whisper that somehow conveyed the idea that the old man was as scared as he could be.
”I--I--I--” stammered Guy, ”I can't see the way.”
”This is the chance of your life, boy. You get that stone and you'll get a _grand coup_ feather, top honours fur grit. I'll wait here till you come back.”
”I--I--can't find the blamed old thing on such a dark night.
I--I--ain't goin'.”
”Errr--you're scared,” whispered Caleb.
”I ain't scared, on'y what's the use of goin' when I couldn't find the place? I'll go when it's moonlight.”
”Err--anybody here brave enough to go after that stone?”
”I'll go,” said the other two at the same time, though with a certain air of ”But I hope I don't have to, all the same.”
”You kin have the honour, Yan,” said the Woodp.e.c.k.e.r, with evident relief.
”Of course, I'd like the chance--but--but--I don't want to push ahead of you--you're the oldest; that wouldn't be square,” was the reply.
”Guess we'd better draw straws for it.”
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