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cheerfully。
〃Most folks from over Eastways ain't in a hurry to tackle the river；〃 replied
Lynn； eyeing Joe sharply。
〃It's a beautiful river； and I'd like to sail on it from here to where it
ends； and then come back to go again；〃 Joe replied； warmly。
〃In a hurry to be a…goin'？ I'll allow you'll see some slim red devils； with
feathers in their hair； slipping among the trees along the bank； and mebbe
you'll hear the ping which's made when whistlin' lead hits。 Perhaps you'll
want to be back here by termorrer sundown。〃
〃Not I；〃 said Joe； with his short； cool laugh。
The old frontiersman slowly finished his task of coiling up a rope of wet
cowhide； and then； producing a dirty pipe； he took a live ember from the fire
and placed it on the bowl。 He sucked slowly at the pipe…stem； and soon puffed
out a great cloud of smoke。 Sitting on a log； he deliberately surveyed the
robust shoulders and long； heavy limbs of the young man； with a keen
appreciation of their symmetry and strength。 Agility； endurance and courage
were more to a borderman than all else； a new…comer on the frontier was always
〃sized…up〃 with reference to these 〃points；〃 and respected in proportion to
the measure in which he possessed them。
Old Jeff Lynn； riverman； hunter； frontiersman； puffed slowly at his pipe while
he mused thus to himself： 〃Mebbe I'm wrong in takin' a likin' to this
youngster so sudden。 Mebbe it's because I'm fond of his sunny…haired lass； an'
ag'in mebbe it's because I'm gettin' old an' likes young folks better'n I onct
did。 Anyway； I'm kinder thinkin； if this young feller gits worked out； say fer
about twenty pounds less； he'll lick a whole raft…load of wild…cats。〃
Joe walked to and fro on the logs； ascertained how the raft was put together；
and took a pull on the long； clumsy steering…oar。 At length he seated himself
beside Lynn。 He was eager to ask questions； to know about the rafts； the
river； the forest； the Indianseverything in connection with this wild life；
but already he had learned that questioning these frontiersmen is a sure means
of closing their lips。
〃Ever handle the long rifle？〃 asked Lynn； after a silence。
〃Yes；〃 answered Joe； simply。
〃Ever shoot anythin'？〃 the frontiersman questioned； when he had taken four or
five puffs at his pipe。
〃Squirrels。〃
〃Good practice； shootin' squirrels；〃 observed Jeff； after another silence；
long enough to allow Joe to talk if he was so inclined。 〃Kin ye hit onesay；
a hundred yards？〃
〃Yes； but not every time in the head；〃 returned Joe。 There was an apologetic
tone in his answer。
Another interval followed in which neither spoke。 Jeff was slowly pursuing his
line of thought。 After Joe's last remark he returned his pipe to his pocket
and brought out a tobacco…pouch。 He tore off a large portion of the weed and
thrust it into his mouth。 Then he held out the little buckskin sack to Joe。
〃Hev' a chaw；〃 he said。
To offer tobacco to anyone was absolutely a borderman's guarantee of
friendliness toward that person。
Jeff expectorated half a dozen times； each time coming a little nearer the
stone he was aiming at； some five yards distant。 Possibly this was the
borderman's way of oiling up his conversational machinery。 At all events； he
commenced to talk。
〃Yer brother's goin' to preach out here； ain't he？ Preachin' is all right；
I'll allow； but I'm kinder doubtful about preachin' to redskins。 Howsumever；
I've knowed Injuns who are good fellows； and there's no tellin'。 What are ye
goin' in ferfarmin'？〃
〃No； I wouldn't make a good farmer。〃
〃Jest cum out kinder wild like； eh？〃 rejoined Jeff； knowingly。
〃I wanted to come West because I was tired of tame life。 I love the forest； I
want to fish and hunt； and I think I'd like toto see Indians。〃
〃I kinder thought so；〃 said the old frontiersman； nodding his head as though
he perfectly understood Joe's case。 〃Well； lad； where you're goin' seein'
Injuns ain't a matter of choice。 You has to see 'em； and fight 'em； too。 We've
had bad times for years out here on the border； and I'm thinkin' wuss is
comin'。 Did ye ever hear the name Girty？〃
〃Yes； he's a renegade。〃
〃He's a traitor； and Jim and George Girty； his brothers； are p'isin
rattlesnake Injuns。 Simon Girty's bad enough； but Jim's the wust。 He's now
wusser'n a full…blooded Delaware。 He's all the time on the lookout to capture
white wimen to take to his Injun teepee。 Simon Girty and his pals； McKee and
Elliott； deserted from that thar fort right afore yer eyes。 They're now livin'
among the redskins down Fort Henry way； raisin' as much hell fer the settlers
as they kin。〃
〃Is Fort Henry near the Indian towns？〃 asked Joe。
〃There's Delawares； Shawnees and Hurons all along the Ohio below Fort Henry。〃
〃Where is the Moravian Mission located？〃
〃Why； lad； the Village of Peace； as the Injuns call it； is right in the midst
of that Injun country。 I 'spect it's a matter of a hundred miles below and
cross…country a little from Fort Henry。〃
〃The fort must be an important point； is it not？〃
〃Wal； I guess so。 It's the last place on the river；〃 answered Lynn； with a
grim smile。 〃There's only a stockade there； an' a handful of men。 The Injuns
hev swarmed down on it time and ag'in； but they hev never burned it。 Only
such men as Colonel Zane； his brother Jack； and Wetzel could hev kept that
fort standin' all these bloody years。 Eb Zane's got but a few men； yet he kin
handle 'em some； an' with such scouts as Jack Zane and Wetzel； he allus knows
what's goin' on among the Injuns。〃
〃I've heard of Colonel Zane。 He was an officer under Lord Dunmore。 The hunters
here speak often of Jack Zane and Wetzel。 What are they？〃
〃Jack Zane is a hunter an' guide。 I knowed him well a few years back。 He's a
quiet； mild chap； but a streak of chain…lightnin' when he's riled。 Wetzel is
an Injun…killer。 Some people say as how he's crazy over scalp…huntin'； but I
reckon that's not so。 I've seen him a few times。 He don't hang round the
settlement 'cept when the Injuns are up； an' nobody sees him much。 At home he
sets round silent…like； an' then mebbe next mornin' he'll be gone； an' won't
show up fer days or weeks。 But all the frontier knows of his deeds。 Fer
instance； I've hearn of settlers gettin' up in the mornin' an' findin' a
couple of dead and scalped Injuns right in front of their cabins。 No one
knowed who killed 'em； but everybody says 'Wetzel。' He's allus warnin' the
settlers when they need to flee to the fort； and sure he's right every time；
because when these men go back to their cabins they find nothin' but ashes。
There couldn't be any farmin' done out there but fer Wetzel。〃
〃What does he look like？〃 questioned Joe； much interested。
〃Wetzel stands straight as the oak over thar。 He'd hev' to go sideways to git
his shoulders in that door； but he's as light of foot an' fast as a deer。 An'
his eyeswhy； lad； ye kin hardly look into 'em。 If you ever see Wetzel you'll
know him to onct。〃
〃I want to see him；〃 Joe spoke quickly； his eyes lighting with an eager flash。
〃He must be a great fighter。〃
〃Is he？ Lew Wetzel is the heftiest of 'em all； an' we hev some as kin fight
out here。 I was down the river a few years ago and joined a party to go out
an' hunt up some redskins as had been reported。 Wetzel was with us。 We soon
struck Injun sign； and then come on to a lot of the pesky varmints。 We was all
fer goin' home； because we had a small force。 When we started to go we finds
Wetzel sittin' calm…like on a log。 We said： 'Ain't ye goin' home？' and he
replied； 'I cum out to find redskins； an' now as we've found 'em； I'm not
goin' to run away。' An' we left him settin' thar。 Oh； Wetzel is a fighter！〃
〃I hope I shall see him；〃 said Joe once more； the warm light； which made him
look so boyish； still glowing in his face。
〃Mebbe ye'll git to； and sure ye'll see redskins； an' not tame ones； nuther。〃
At this moment the sound of excited voices near the cabins broke in on the
conversation。 Joe saw several persons run toward the large cabin and disappear
behind it。 He smiled as he thought perhaps the commotion had been caused by
the awakening of the Indian brave。
Rising to his feet； Joe went toward the cabin； and soon saw the cause of the
excitement。 A small crowd of men and women； all laughing and talking；
surrounded the Indian brave and the little stout fellow。 Joe heard some one
groan； and then a deep； guttural voice：
〃Palefacebig stealugh！ Injun madheap madkill paleface。〃
After elbowing his way into the group； Joe saw the Indian holding Loorey with
one hand； while he poked him on the ribs with the other。 The captive's face
was the picture of dismay； even the streaks of paint did not hide his look of
fear and bewilderment。 The poor half…witted fellow was so badly frightened
that he could only groan。
〃Silvertip scalp paleface。 Ugh！