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The Phantom of the River, a novel by Edward Sylvester Ellis |
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Chapter 15. A Dark Prospect |
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_ CHAPTER XV. A DARK PROSPECT Weber Hastings waited only a few seconds after hearing the soft, tremulous bird call that stole among the leafy arches, when he replied with an imitation so exact that it might well have been mistaken for an echo of the first. Nothing more was done, for that was sufficient. Groping around among the "hornets' nests," as Kenton declared it to be, eluding the Shawanoes, who seemed to be everywhere, the pioneer found it impossible to locate his friends, until, as a last resort, he had recourse to the signal, which he knew would be recognized by Hastings, provided it could be projected to him. Ten minutes later, the pioneer appeared within the enclosure as silently as if he had risen from the very earth. He sat down on the ground to consult with Hastings after his arrival had been made known to the rest. He would have willingly talked to them all, had it been feasible, but the exciting incidents a brief time before proved that not a man could be spared from his station. There was no certainty as to the schemes of the Shawanoes, and nothing less than the utmost vigilance could save the fugitives. "What do you think of things?" inquired Hastings, the moment they were alone. "They look bad--powerful bad; fact is, I don't see how they could look much worse." "How did you make out?" "Didn't make out at all," growled the ranger, not yet recovered from his keen disappointment; "I went back to the clearin', and yanked out that canoe from right under the nose of one of them varmints; when I had fetched it purty near here, I left it a few minutes to reckynoiter, and when I went back I'll be hanged if the same varmint hadn't yanked it back agin." He made no reference to the first affair, which resulted in a fatal failure to the Indian attempting it. That didn't count in the light of the success which followed it. "Of course, you hadn't any chance of getting it back again, or you'd done it?" "You're correct; it was growing dark, and, though I hunted powerful lively for the varmint, I didn't get the first show for drawin' a bead on him." "You said somethin' about another canoe of your'n that you hed among the bushes some time ago, near where we are now." "I found the spot, but didn't find no canoe; the varmints had been ahead of me; I shouldn't wonder, now, if the boat which I seed comin' over from the Ohio side was the identical craft that I was looking for." Kenton indulged in a forceful exclamation, for the occasion was one of the rare ones in which his chagrin and self disgust became intolerable. Nevertheless, he was very much of a philosopher, and soon talked with all his self-possession, betraying a hopeful vein in his composition which did much to sustain him in the great trials to which he was subjected in later years. "I counted on two boats," he added, "and did git one; now, I haven't got any. But it don't do any good to kick." "No," assented his companion; "we must make the best of it." "Though there doesn't seem to be any 'best' about the bus'ness. Haven't heard anything of Boone since I left you?" "Not a word." "A good deal depends on what he says. He went more among the varmints than I did, though I found 'em plenty 'nough--confound 'em! But Boone is wiser than me. I don't think the varmints hate him quite as bad, and that gives him a better show for learning what they're up to." "The Ingins must have one or two canoes," suggested Hastings, hinting at a scheme that had assumed form in his mind. "I know what you mean, Web. There ain't no one that would try it quicker'n me, if I had the least chance." "You stole a boat from one of 'em not long ago." "But the varmint was asleep, and there was only that one. Here there's twenty of 'em at least--most likely more--and every varmint of' em is as wide awake as if he had been asleep seventeen years and a half. No," grimly added the veteran, "there ain't nothin' that would suit the varmints better than to have Sime Kenton try to steal one of their canoes from' em. The style in which they would lift his hair would be beautiful. They'd be powerful glad to give me a chance if they believed I'd try it." "Wal," remarked Hastings, with a sigh, "it looks to me as if it's going to be the same game over again that Jim Deane and the boys had played on 'em some months ago, 'cepting there won't be half the chance there was then." "Why not?" "Wal, with them there war'nt nobody beside themselves and all knowed how to fight, and they did fight, too--there's no mistake. But we've got two women, a likely gal and a little girl, and of course there isn't one of us that'll knock under or run as long as they're above ground." "Of course not; them's the sentiments of every one of us." "When daylight comes the varmints will be on all sides of us. They can keep behind the trees and pick off one of us whenever he shows his head." "They can do a great deal better than that," suggested Kenton. "How?" "Starve us out; we have eat nothin' since leaving the clearin', though that time is so short it don't count, but there isn't a mouthful of food in this party, and no way of getting it." "It does look bad," remarked Hastings, feeling deeply the views expressed by his companion. "I wish Boone would come, so him and me could agree on something to try, whether it will win or not." Simon Kenton was not the man to sit down and fold his hands in despair, no matter how desperate the situation, but he had expressed the wish that was strong within him, that he might have the counsel of the man who was twenty years his senior, and who had turned his steps westward before Kenton knew that Kentucky and Ohio existed. "I'm glad of one thing," added the pioneer, after a moment's pause, "and that is, that this arrangement of yours is open on the side toward the river." "Jim said that was done so as to give him and the boys a chance for the last plunge. If they hadn't done that them three chaps never would have seen the sun rise again." "It may come to the same thing when there's only two or three of us left. Helloa! who's this?" It was Mr. Altman, who, knowing where the two were in consultation, ventured to approach them, doing so with an apology. "I have no wish to intrude," he added, "but I am disturbed over one matter, Kenton, about which I would like to ask a question or two." "What's that?" inquired the scout. "When you left us this afternoon you took my servant Jethro with you, but I have seen nothing of him since you came back." "I'll be hanged if I hadn't forgot all about that younker!" "Did you bring him back with you?" "No; and I'm doubtful if you see him ag'in--leastways not very soon." He then told all he knew about the fellow, his master listening, as may well be supposed, with the deepest interest. Keenly as he regretted the misfortune that had befallen the stupid fellow, he saw that no possible blame could be placed upon any one beside the youth himself. "If he happens to fall into the hands of the Shawanoes, it will go hard with him," remarked Mr. Altman, with a shudder. "So it will, so it will," repeated Kenton; "the varmints never fancy them of his color, and they've good reason to hate him." "I heard that he did a powerful lot to help you folks," remarked Hastings. "I should say he did; whenever one of the varmints was hit, you could make up your mind that it was the darky that done it. He had the confoundest luck, and at the same time can shoot a gun as well as Boone, or you or me. But worse than all that, he was the means of catching The Panther himself, and nearly pounded the life out of him." "Wouldn't the chief like to lay hands on him?" said Altman. "Much as he hates me and the rest of us, I think he would give any two for the sake of that darky. If he once gets hold of him it won't be any shootin' bus'ness, but Col. Crawford over agin." The thought was a depressing one, but all were powerless to help the fellow, and the consciousness of the fearful danger which hung over all was a hundredfold sadder. The Ashbridges and Altmans saw the nearest and dearest ones on earth in the most imminent peril of their lives, and, so far as human agency was concerned, none were able to extend a helping hand. "I've a feeling," remarked Hastings, after Thomas Altman had withdrawn to his station, "that whatever is done to help these folks has got to be done this very night." "There ain't no speck of doubt about it--helloa, who's this?" A second form approached them through the gloom. Dimly seen though it was, something in the gait or manner told Kenton who it was. "Is that you, Dan'l?" "Yes," replied the veteran, quietly sitting down near them as though he had been absent but a few minutes. "I had a hard time to find you, and was on the p'int several times of 'calling.'" "Why didn't you do it? I did." "There are too many Injins in the woods. I heerd 'em 'calling' to each other more than once, and it was all I could do to keep from bumpin' aginst 'em. If I had signaled, some of 'em would have answered, and things might have got mixed. I 'spected where you was, and therefore knowed the right spot to look." "As I didn't, I 'called,' and come through all right. Wal, Dan'l, as you say, the varmints are powerful plenty in these parts. Since you and me hadn't any trouble gettin' into this fort, as Jim Deane calls it, it follers that if the varmints should try it they would find it jest as easy." "So they won't," remarked Hastings; "but one of 'em found it rather risky gettin' out agin." "I heerd a gun go off a while ago," said Boone, as though the matter had little interest to him. Hastings related the occurrence which resulted in the death of the dusky intruder, and Kenton gave an account of what he had done, or, rather, attempted to do, for he was more unsparing in condemning his failures than his worst enemies would have been. "Now, Dan'l," remarked his younger friend, "the past ain't of any 'count; it's the present, the now, that we've got to take care of. What do you think the varmints mean to do?" "Wait where they are till mornin', and then begin shooting." "And if they can't pick us all off, keep us here till we're starved out?" "There ain't any doubt of that." "I agree with you, Daniel; therefore, whatever we do for the folks has got to be done afore sun-up." "That's as true as Gospel." "How many of the varmints are there?" "There seemed to be about twenty, more or less, this afternoon, but toward night some others come from 'cross the river, I reckon, as there must be all of thirty." "Who has charge of 'em, Daniel?" "That painted imp they call Wa-on-mon, or The Panther." _ |
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