Part 8 (1/2)

”An' so he hez sent that other band south to shut us in,” said s.h.i.+f'less Sol.

”An' we might hev fled south ourselves from the fust,” said Long Jim, ”but I cal'late we ain't that kind uv people.”

”No,” said Henry. ”We can't lead 'em in this chase back on the settlements. So long as they're trying to spread a net around us we'll draw 'em in the other direction. Now, boys, fall in behind me, and the first one that causes a blade of gra.s.s to rustle will have to make a present of his rifle to the others.”

Following the great curve which they were traveling it was a full five miles to the point on the river they wished to reach. The forest, they knew, was full of warriors, some hunting, perhaps, but many thrown out on the great encircling movement intended to enclose the five. Now, the trailers, with deadly peril all about them, gave a superb exhibition of skill. There was no danger of any one losing his rifle, because no blade of gra.s.s rustled, nor did any leaf give back the sound of a brus.h.i.+ng body. They were endowed peculiarly by birth and long habit to the life they lived and the dangers they faced. Their hearts beat high, but not with fear. Their muscles were steady, and eye and ear were attuned to the utmost for any strange presence in the forest.

Henry led, Paul followed, Long Jim came next, then Silent Tom, and s.h.i.+f'less Sol defended the rear. This was usually their order, the greatest trailer at the head of the line, and the next greatest at the end of it. They invariably fell into place with the quickness and precision of trained soldiers.

A panther, not as large and fierce as the one that Henry had driven in fright down the ravine, saw them, looking upon human beings for the first time. It was his first impulse to make off through the woods, but they were soundless and in flight, and curiosity began to get the better of fear. He followed swiftly, somewhat to one side, but where he could see, and the silent line went so fast that the panther himself was compelled to extend his muscles. He saw them come to a brook. The foremost leaped it, the others in turn did the same, landing exactly in his footsteps, and they went on without losing speed. Then the panther turned back, satisfied that he could not solve the problem his curiosity had raised.

Henry caught a yellow gleam through the leaves, and he knew that it was the Ohio. In two or three minutes, they were at the low sh.o.r.e, although the opposite bank was high. Both were wooded densely. The stream itself was here a full mile in width, a vast ma.s.s of water flowing slowly in silent majesty. They thought they saw far up the channel a faint reflection of the Indian fires, but they were not sure. Where they stood the river was as lone and desolate as it had been before man had come.

The moonlight was not good, and their view of the farther sh.o.r.e was dim, leaving them only the certainty that it was lofty and thick with forest.

”Paul, you and Jim and Tom lie here, where this little spit of land runs out into the water,” said Henry. ”There's good cover for you to wait in, and Sol and I will come down the river in our new canoe, or we won't.”

”At any rate come,” said Paul.

”You can trust us,” replied Henry, and he and the s.h.i.+ftless one started at once along the edge of the river toward the northeast, where the Indian camp lay. Henry reckoned that it was about three miles away, but it would have to be approached with great care. As they advanced they kept a watch on the farther sh.o.r.e also, and rounding a curve in the river they caught their first sight of its reflection.

”It's fur up the stream,” said s.h.i.+f'less Sol, ”an' I cal'late it's 'bout opposite the big camp. Thar must be some warriors pa.s.sin' back an' forth from band to band, an' that, I reckon, will give us our chance fur a canoe.”

”Yes, if we can make off with it without being seen,” said Henry. ”A pursuit would spoil everything. We'd have to abandon the canoe and retreat back from the southern sh.o.r.e.”

”'Spose we go a leetle further up,” said s.h.i.+f'less Sol. ”The bank's low here, but it's high enough to hide us, an' the bushes are mighty thick.

The nearer we come to the Indian camp the greater the danger is, but the greater is our chance, too, to git a canoe.”

”That's right, Sol. We'll try it.”

They edged along yard by yard and soon could see through the intervening trees and bushes the light of the great camp, from which came a monotonous hum.

”A lot of 'em are dancin' the scalp dance,” said the s.h.i.+ftless one.

”Will you 'scuse me, Henry, while I laugh a leetle to myself?”

”Of course, Sol, but why do you want to laugh?”

”'Cause they're dancin' the scalp dance when they ain't goin' to take no scalps. It's ourn they're thinkin' of, but I kin tell you right now, Henry, that a year from today they'll be growin' squa'rly on top o' our heads, right whar they are this minute.”

”I hope and believe you're right, Sol. Isn't that a canoe putting out from the far sh.o.r.e?”

”Yes, a big one, with four warriors in it, an' they're comin' straight across to the main camp, paddlin' like the strong men they are.”

”Yes, I can see them clearly now, as they come nearer the middle of the stream. That would be a good canoe for us, Sol. It looks big enough.”

”But I'm afraid we ain't goin' to hev it, Henry. It's comin' straight on to the main camp, an' it'll be tied to the bank right in the glow o'

thar fires. Hevin' wanted that canoe, ez we both do, we'd better quit wantin' it an' want suthin' else.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”'A lot of 'em are dancin' the scalp dance'”]