Part 20 (1/2)
”It means that he has a charmed life,” replied Captain Sinclair. ”The Indians are very superst.i.tious.”
”Yes, they be; well, perhaps, I'll prove medicine; and I'll give them a pill or two out of my rifle,” said Malachi, with a grim smile.
”Howsomever, I'll soon learn more about them, and will let you know when I do. Just keep your palisade gates fast at night and the dogs inside of them, and at any time I'll give you warning. If I am on their trail the Strawberry shall come, and that's why I brought her here. If you hear three knocks outside the palisade at any hour of the night, why, it will be her, so let her in.”
”Well,” said Mrs. Campbell, ”I'm very glad that you have told me all this; now I know what we have to expect, I shall be more courageous and much more on my guard.”
”I think we have done wisely in letting you know all we knew ourselves,”
said Captain Sinclair. ”I must soon take my leave, as I must be at the fort before sunset. Martin and John are to come with me, and bring back the dog.”
”Ain't the boy going with me?” said Malachi.
”Yes; to-morrow morning he may go, but after his return from the fort it will be too late.”
”Well, then, I may as well stay here,” replied Malachi. ”Where is he?”
”He is gone to skin a wolf, which he shot this morning,” replied Alfred.
”He will soon be here.”
Mrs. Campbell shortly related to Malachi the adventure of the wolf. The old hunter listened in silence, and then gave a nod of approbation.
”I reckon he'll bring home more skins than that this winter,” said he.
The party then rose just as Martin and John made their appearance.
Captain Sinclair conversed with the Misses Percival, while the old hunter spoke to the Strawberry Plant in her own dialect; the others either went out or were busy in clearing the table, till Captain Sinclair took his departure with John and Martin, each armed with a rifle.
”Well, this has been an exciting day,” observed Mr. Campbell, a little before they retired to bed. ”We have much to thank G.o.d for, and great reason to pray for His continued protection and a.s.sistance. G.o.d bless you all, my children; good-night.”
CHAPTER XIX.
The next morning, a little after daybreak, Martin and John made their appearance, leading the magnificent dog which Captain Sinclair had given to John. Like most large dogs, Oscar appeared to be very good-tempered, and treated the snarling and angry looks of the other dogs with perfect contempt.
”It is, indeed, a n.o.ble animal,” said Mr. Campbell, patting its head.
”It's a fine creature,” observed Malachi, ”a wolf would stand no chance against him, and even a bear would have more on its hands than it could well manage I expect; but, come here, boy,” said the old hunter to John, leading the dog outside of the door.
”You'd better leave the dog, John,” said Malachi, ”the crittur will be of use here, but of no good to us.”
John made no reply, and the hunter continued--
”I say it will be of use here, for the girls might meet with another wolf, or the house might be attacked; but good hunters don't want dogs.
Is it to watch for us, and give us notice of danger? Why that's our duty, and we must trust to ourselves, and not to an animal. Is it to hunt for us? Why no dog can take a deer so well as we can with our rifles; a dog may discover us when we wish to be hidden; a dog's track will mark us out when we would wish our track to be doubted. The animal will be of no utility ever to us, John, and may do us harm, 'specially now the snow's on the ground. In the summer-time, you can take him and teach him how to behave as a hunter's dog should behave; but we had better leave him now, and start at once.”
John nodded his head in a.s.sent, and then went in-doors.
”Good-by,” said John, going up to his mother and cousins; ”I shall not take the dog.”
”Won't take the dog! well, that's very kind of you, John,” said Mary, ”for we were longing to have him to protect us.”