Part 5 (1/2)

As the ”patriarchs” of the pack had somewhat appeased their hunger, the younger members rushed, in uttering sharp yelps, to which the elders replied with still louder snarls, greatly increasing the horrible din.

The Dominie and Dan started up, fancying that the wolves were upon us.

Neither of them could after this go to sleep.

”Come, Mike, I'll take your place,” said Mr Tidey. This I declined, for I knew it would be useless to lie down. We therefore all three sat round the fire, hoping that the wolves would at length leave us quiet.

The savage brutes, however, having finished the bear began to tear up the bodies of their companions, wrangling over them as they had done over that of bruin.

At last the Dominie, losing patience, jumped up exclaiming, ”We must drive these brutes off, though they are not worth any more of our powder and shot.”

Each of us taking a burning brand, we advanced towards the wolves, and, waving our torches, raised a loud shout. The brutes hearing the noise and seeing us coming, took to flight, disappearing in the depths of the forest. Where the body of the bear had been, part of the skull, and a few of the larger bones alone remained, while most of the wolves had also been torn to pieces and the whole ground round was strewn with the fragments and moist with gore. Disgusted by the sight, we hurried back to our camp.

”We shall get some rest now, I hope, for I don't think the wolves will come near us,” said Dan.

”Not so sure about that,” observed the Dominie; ”however, we will try and obtain some sleep.”

Before our eyes were closed the horrible chorus of howls and yelps and barking recommenced, and continued apparently on every side of our camp; still, while the fire burned brightly, there was no fear of the brutes rus.h.i.+ng in on us. To sleep, while those dismal howls broke the stillness of night, was simply impossible. Now the creatures appeared to be coming nearer, now they retreated, now they seemed on this side, now on that; their voices had summoned a fresh pack, who, rus.h.i.+ng in, quickly devoured the remainder of the feast. All night long the tumult was kept up. Occasionally Mr Tidey or I rose to attend to the fire.

Upon each occasion I caught sight of numerous glaring eyes staring out at us from amid the darkness. As morning approached the sounds gradually ceased, and we had the satisfaction of believing that the wolves had retreated to the recesses of the forest. I immediately fell asleep, and when Mr Tidey roused Dan and me, the sun was already several degrees above the horizon. We breakfasted on some bear-steak, which we had fortunately secured, then set to work to sc.r.a.pe the skin and to pack it up in a tight compa.s.s. As we had no wish to carry the skin further than we could help, we put about and steered a course for home, which we calculated it would take us four days to reach. Nothing occurred worth narrating for the next three days.

We had still a march of about twenty-five miles to accomplish, and were looking for a convenient spot to camp in near a stream bordered by a wood, when we heard a low moan, which seemed to proceed from no great distance off.

”That's a human voice,” observed Mr Tidey; ”some poor fellow wounded by the Indians, or who perhaps has been injured by some other means.”

We hunted about, being still uncertain of the exact spot whence the sound proceeded. Again a moan reached our ears, and guided by it we hurried on, when behind a bush we found stretched on the ground, apparently at the last gasp, a negro dressed in the usual costume of the slaves, a rough s.h.i.+rt and loose trousers. His feet were cut and bleeding, probably from the sharp rocks and p.r.i.c.kly bushes among which he had pa.s.sed. He opened his languid eyes as the sound of our footsteps reached his ears, and pointing to his mouth murmured--

”Eat, eat,--ma.s.sa, eat.”

Having fortunately the remains of our last dinner in our knapsacks, we were at once able to give him some food, while Mr Tidey poured some rum and water down his throat. The effect was most satisfactory. In a few minutes he was able to sit up, when he gazed at us earnestly.

”Where were you wanting to go, my poor fellow?” asked the Dominie in a kind tone.

The black's eye brightened.

”Oh, ma.s.sa, you kind to poor n.i.g.g.e.r,” he said in a weak voice.

”White man or n.i.g.g.e.r, we are all of the same stock, whatever the philosophers may say to the contrary. I won't ask where you came from, except you wish to tell us; but perhaps we can help you on your way if you have friends you desire to reach.”

I don't think the black quite understood the Dominie's remarks, but he comprehended enough to know that they were dictated by a kind spirit and that he might trust us.

”You no gib up de poor slave to his hard ma.s.sa?” he said in a whisper, his voice trembling as if he was divulging a secret on which his life depended.

”No, that I'll not,” said the Dominie; ”I don't hold with those who think they have a right to buy and sell their fellow-creatures, and in my opinion those fellow-creatures are perfectly justified in endeavouring to get away from them, though if I was to say so down east, I might chance to be the victim of 'Lynch law.'”

The countenance of the negro brightened still more.

”Dis n.i.g.g.e.r go whar you go, ma.s.sa,” he said, attempting to rise. His strength, however, was insufficient for the exertion, and he sank back to the ground.

”You are not able to journey yet, and it will take you two or three days to regain your strength,” observed the Dominie; ”so we will camp here, boys, and as we are not expected home for a day or two, it will be no great loss to us. We have light enough yet to shoot our suppers, and I heard a turkey 'gobble' not far off. You stay by the black man, collect wood for a fire and boughs for a shanty, while I go and try my luck.”

Saying this, our kind-hearted tutor took his rifle and soon disappeared in the forest. We, in the meantime, were too much occupied in obeying his directions to put any further questions to the negro, whose eyes, however, were turned towards us as we moved about. We had soon collected sufficient fuel to last us during the night, and then employed ourselves in cutting down some young trees and lopping off some boughs.