Part 5 (2/2)
”A fis.h.i.+ng-vessel, mother, and those on board must soon know that the Indians are besieging us!”
”But she appears to be going directly to the harbor island! The crew should be warned, lest the Abenakis make an attack upon them!”
This possibility had not entered Mark's mind; but while his mother was yet speaking he darted out of the stockade, running with all speed to the sh.o.r.e, waving his arms and shouting, to attract the attention of the newcomers.
He was followed by the two families, including Susan, who had been awakened by the joyful cries, and the little party ran swiftly along the beach until they were come to the nearest point of the island, which was the small bluff, or incline, on the westernmost end.
Here it was possible to have in view the schooner's deck, and that their signals had been seen seemed positive, although no attention was taken of them.
”Had you not better pull out in the small boat?” Mistress Pemberton asked of Mark, when the strangers failed to pay any heed to the gestures of warning. ”It would be dreadful if the men went on sh.o.r.e and were murdered!”
There seemed to be no reason why the lads should not visit the vessel, and, in fact, such an idea had entered Mark's mind before his mother spoke, but yet he hesitated to act upon her suggestion, although it would have been impossible for him to explain why he remained idle.
”The schooner carries a big crew for a fisherman,” Susan said, thoughtfully. ”There must be as many as twenty-five or thirty on her deck.”
”She's no fisherman!” Mark cried, becoming perplexed as he observed the truth of what Susan had said. ”So many people never could work on a craft of that size.”
”But what else can she be?” Luke asked, curiously, ”I don't know as it makes much difference to us, though, so long as she carries a crew of white people. Why don't we pull out to her, Mark? Look, she's coming to anchor, and if her crew lands without knowing of the Abenakis, they will all be killed!”
”There are the Indians!” Susan cried, as three canoes, filled with savages, were seen putting out from the sh.o.r.e.
”They are going to make an attack on the vessel, and we can do nothing to help the poor people!” Mistress Pemberton cried, in an agony of grief, while an expression of terror overspread Mark's face as he began to have an inkling of the true situation.
”Can't you boys do something to aid the men?” Mistress Harding asked, and Mark replied:
”It isn't likely they're needing any help. Those on the vessel outnumber the Abenakis three to one, and I'm afraid they won't have any trouble in taking care of themselves.”
No one save Susan gave any particular heed to Mark's words, but watched with feverish interest as the canoes approached the vessel, and then, when the Indians clambered aboard without any attempt being made to prevent them, the expression of the face of the spectators changed from that of sympathy to perplexity.
”The Abenakis seem to know the fishermen,” Mistress Pemberton said to herself, and Mark replied, bitterly:
”Ay, mother, that they do, and now, instead of being called upon to defend ourselves against Indians only, we shall have that crowd of Frenchmen against us!”
”G.o.d forbid that white people could attack women and children!”
Mistress Harding cried fervently, and Mark added:
”He hasn't forbidden it so far, aunt. Don't you remember what father and uncle heard from those aboard of the last vessel they spoke with? They were told that when Master Peabody and his wife were murdered, there were ten French soldiers with the Indians.”
”Can it be that they have come to aid the savages against us?” and Mistress Harding's face grew pale.
”Ay, that is the way the French king fights us in this country, and if we are murdered it will be because his agents have decided upon it in revenge for that which was done here so many years ago to the missionaries!”
And now while the little party of besieged stands on the sh.o.r.e facing this new and unexpected peril, suppose we set down that which Mr. Williamson wrote in his ”History of Maine.”
”A communication was received at Boston in August, 1758, from Brigadier-General Monkton, stationed in Nova Scotia, which stated that a body of Frenchmen, in conjunction with the Indians of the rivers St. John, Pen.o.bscot, and probably Pa.s.samaquoddy, were meditating an attempt upon the fort at St. Georges, and the destruction of all the settlements on the coast.”
”Immediately Governor Pownal collected such a military force as was at command, and embarked with them on board the King George, and the sloop Ma.s.sachusetts. Arriving, he threw these auxiliaries with some warlike stores into the fort at a most fortunate juncture; for within thirty-six hours after the departure the fort was actually a.s.sailed by a body of four hundred French and Indians.”
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