按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
There it was again； a slight tearing sound； such as is caused by a knife when
it cuts through soft material。
Some one was slitting the wall of the lodge。
The hunter rolled noiselessly over and over until he lay against the skins。
In the dim grayness he saw a bright blade moving carefully upward through the
deer…hide。 Then a long knife was pushed into the opening； a small； brown hand
grasped the hilt。 Another little hand followed and felt of the wall and floor；
reaching out with groping fingers。
The； hunter rolled again so that his back was against the wall and his wrists
in front of the opening。 He felt the little hand on his arm； then it slipped
down to his wrists。 The contact of cold steel set a tremor of joy through his
heart。 The pressure of his bonds relaxed； ceased； his arms were free。 He
turned to find the long…bladed knife on the ground。 The little hands were
gone。
In a tinkling he rose unbound； armed； desperate。 In another second an Indian
warrior lay upon the ground in his death…throes； while a fleeing form vanished
in the gray morning mist。
Chapter VII。
Joe felt the heavy lethargy rise from him like the removal of a blanket； his
eyes became clear； and he saw the trees and the forest gloom； slowly he
realized his actual position。
He was a prisoner； lying helpless among his sleeping captors。 Silvertip and
the guard had fled into the woods； frightened by the appalling moan which they
believed sounded their death…knell。 And Joe believed he might have fled
himself had he been free。 What could have caused that sound？ He fought off the
numbing chill that once again began to creep over him。 He was wide…awake now；
his head was clear； and he resolved to retain his senses。 He told himself
there could be nothing supernatural in that wind； or wail； or whatever it was；
which had risen murmuring from out the forest…depths。
Yet； despite his reasoning； Joe could not allay his fears。 That thrilling cry
haunted him。 The frantic flight of an Indian bravenay； of a cunning；
experienced chiefwas not to be lightly considered。 The savages were at home
in these untracked wilds。 Trained from infancy to scent danger and to fight
when they had an equal chance they surely would not run without good cause。
Joe knew that something moved under those dark trees。 He had no idea what。 It
might be the fretting night wind； or a stealthy； prowling； soft…footed beast；
or a savage alien to these wild Indians； and wilder than they by far。 The
chirp of a bird awoke the stillness。 Night had given way to morning。 Welcoming
the light that was chasing away the gloom； Joe raised his head with a deep
sigh of relief。 As he did so he saw a bush move； then a shadow seemed to sink
into the ground。 He had seen an object lighter than the trees； darker than the
gray background。 Again； that strange sense of the nearness of something
thrilled him。
Moments； passedto him long as hours。 He saw a tall fern waver and tremble。 A
rabbit； or perhaps a snake； had brushed it。 Other ferns moved； their tops
agitated； perhaps； by a faint breeze。 No； that wavering line came straight
toward him； it could not be the wind； it marked the course of a creeping；
noiseless thing。 It must be a panther crawling nearer and nearer。
Joe opened his lips to awaken his captors； but could not speak； it was as if
his heart had stopped beating。 Twenty feet away the ferns were parted to
disclose a white； gleaming face； with eyes that seemingly glittered。 Brawny
shoulders were upraised； and then a tall； powerful man stood revealed。 Lightly
he stepped over the leaves into the little glade。 He bent over the sleeping
Indians。 Once； twice； three times a long blade swung high。 One brave shuddered
another gave a sobbing gasp； and the third moved two fingersthus they passed
from life to death。
〃Wetzel！〃 cried Joe。
〃I reckon so；〃 said the deliverer； his deep； calm voice contrasting strangely
with what might have been expected from his aspect。 Then； seeing Joe's head
covered with blood； he continued： 〃Able to get up？〃
〃I'm not hurt；〃 answered Joe； rising when his bonds had been cut。
〃Brothers； I reckon？〃 Wetzel said； bending over Jim。
〃Yes； we're brothers。 Wake up； Jim； wake up！ We're saved！〃
〃What？ Who's that？〃 cried Jim； sitting up and staring at Wetzel。
〃This man has saved our lives！ See； Jim； the Indians are dead！ And； Jim； it's
Wetzel； the hunter。 You remember； Jeff Lynn said I'd know him if I ever saw
him and…〃
〃What happened to Jeff？〃 inquired Wetzel； interrupting。 He had turned from
Jim's grateful face。
〃Jeff was on the first raft； and for all we know he is now safe at Fort Henry。
Our steersman was shot； and we were captured。〃
〃Has the Shawnee anythin' ag'inst you boys？〃
〃Why； yes； I guess so。 I played a joke on himtook his shirt and put it on
another fellow。〃
〃Might jes' as well kick an' Injun。 What has he ag'in you？〃
〃I don't know。 Perhaps he did not like my talk to him；〃 answered Jim。 〃I am a
preacher； and have come west to teach the gospel to the Indians。〃
〃They're good Injuns now；〃 said Wetzel； pointing to the prostrate figures。
〃How did you find us？〃 eagerly asked Joe。
〃Run acrost yer trail two days back。〃
〃And you've been following us？〃
The hunter nodded。
〃Did you see anything of another band of Indians？ A tall chief and Jim Girty
were among them。〃
〃They've been arter me fer two days。 I was followin' you when Silvertip got
wind of Girty an' his Delawares。 The big chief was Wingenund。 I seen you pull
Girty's nose。 Arter the Delawares went I turned loose yer dog an' horse an'
lit out on yer trail。''
〃Where are the Delawares now？〃
〃I reckon there nosin' my back trail。 We must be gittin'。 Silvertip'll soon
hev a lot of Injuns here。''
Joe intended to ask the hunter about what had frightened the Indians； but
despite his eager desire for information； he refrained from doing so。
〃Girty nigh did fer you；〃 remarked Wetzel； examining Joe's wound。 〃He's in a
bad humor。 He got kicked a few days back； and then hed the skin pulled offen
his nose。 Somebody'll hev to suffer。 Wal； you feller grab yer rifles； an'
we'll be startin' fer the fort。〃
Joe shuddered as he leaned over one of the dusky forms to detach powder and
bullet horn。 He had never seen a dead Indian； and the tense face； the
sightless； vacant eyes made him shrink。 He shuddered again when he saw the
hunter scalp his victims。 He shuddered the third time when he saw Wetzel pick
up Silvertip's beautiful white eagle plume； dabble it in a pool of blood； and
stick it in the bark of a tree。 Bereft of its graceful beauty； drooping with
its gory burden； the long leather was a deadly message。 It had been
Silvertip's pride； it was now a challenge； a menace to the Shawnee chief。
〃Come；〃 said Wetzel； leading the way into the forest。
Shortly after daylight on the second day following the release of the Downs
brothers the hunter brushed through a thicket of alder and said： 〃Thar's Fort
Henry。〃
The boys were on the summit of a mountain from which the land sloped in a long
incline of rolling ridges and gentle valleys like a green； billowy sea； until
it rose again abruptly into a peak higher still than the one upon which they
stood。 The broad Ohio； glistening in the sun； lay at the base of the mountain。
Upon the bluff overlooking the river； and under the brow of the mountain； lay
the frontier fort。 In the clear atmosphere it stood out in bold relief。 A
small； low structure surrounded by a high stockade fence was all； and yet it
did not seem unworthy of its fame。 Those watchful； forbidding loopholes； the
blackened walls and timbers； told the history of ten long； bloody years。 The
whole effect was one of menace； as if the fort sent out a defiance to the
wilderness； and meant to protect the few dozen log cabins clustered on the
hillside。
〃How will we ever get across that big river？〃 asked Jim； practically。
〃Wadeswim；〃 answered the hunter； laconically； and began the descent of the
ridge。 An hour's rapid walking brought the three to the river。 Depositing his
rifle in a clump of willows； and directing the boys to do the same with their
guns； the hunter splashed into the water。 His companions followed him into the
shallow water； and waded a hundred yards； which brought them near the island
that they now perceived hid the fort。 The hunter swam the remaining distance；
and； climbing the bank； looked back for the boys。 They were close behind him。
Then he strode across the island； perhaps a quarter of a mile wide。
〃We've a long swim here；〃 said Wetzel； waving his hand toward the main channel
of the river。 〃Good fer it？〃 he inquired of Joe； since Jim had not received
any injuries during the short captivity and consequently showed more
endurance。
〃Good for anything；〃 answered Joe； with that coolness Wetzel had be