"Whisht now! ye doesn't belave me, I see. S'pose I should call up that young Waring that belongs to yees out of the ground, would you then belave it?"
"I am in no mood for such trifling," said she, with a reproving look. "I would prefer you not to disturb me."
"Whisht now, jist look."
Pat Mulroony's incantations to convince his fair companion of his supernatural powers were as singular as they were characteristic. Pitching forward, he came down upon his hands so as to invert himself, where balancing himself for a moment, he kicked his feet in the air several times with such vigor that one of his shoes flew off. This accomplished, he came down again, replaced his shoe, anddanced what he termed the "Tipperary Reel," after which he suddenly became rigid, and exclaimed:
"Look behind yees! Mr. Waring, appair!"
Virginia would not have obeyed him, had she not detected the laugh of her lover as the Irishman spoke. Starting up and turning around, she was the next instant clasped in his arms.
"Thank God! thank God!" exclaimed the young adventurer, fervently. "Found at last! Oh! how rejoiced I am!"
Virginia could not speak; her joy was too great for words.
During this affecting scene, the Irishman pretended to be busily occupied with the fire. He did not replenish it, but kept displacing the embers, as if to make them burn better. The air being quite warm and genial, it seemed strange that he should have kindled it; but the cause was his excessive politeness and consideration for the fair charge in his hands. Noticing that Waring's actions seemed somewhat restrained, he said, encouragingly:
"Don't be scart, don't be scart. I isn't watching yees. It's point of honor with Pat Mulroony niver to disturb a couple when engaged in courting. Plase proceed."
"We have no disposition to do anything of the kind at present," replied Waring. "I am surprised, Pat, that you should have escaped from the Indians with Virginia here, when, a short time since, you were both prisoners in their hands. Pray, how came it to happen?"
"It didn't happen at all jist. Pat Mulroony is the boy that is up to them same tricks. He is the one that understands the blackguard haythen—he is."
"I do not doubt that; but let me hear the account of this exploit of yours."
"Begorrah! where is the long-legged chap, Hizikiah, that ye had with yees?"
Waring, in a few words, related what is already known to the reader; and then repeated his request to the Irishman for an account of his escape from the Shawanoes.
"Wal, ye saas, the way that it happened was this. Is'pose you know how I was took on that ould flat-boat?"
"Yes; your own foolishness was the cause of it. You need not relate that. Give us what happened subsequently."
"Wal, ye saas, the haythen had us pretty fast, and it was mighty onsartain the way things looked. Whisht! what is that?"
The near report of a rifle suddenly broke the stillness of the woods, and the two speakers instantly sat down where they were better protected by the undergrowth from observation. All interest was immediately centred upon the one thought of safety.
"I am afraid that we are still in imminent peril," whispered Waring. "Those Shawanoes, without doubt, are upon your trail."
"No, be the powers! they ain't."
"Don't be too sure, my friend. Those lynx-eyed savages will follow the lightest footsteps."
"Not if they're made in the water—eh, boy?"
Waring began to comprehend matters. Still he replied:
"You are some distance from the river, remember, and neither you nor Virginia could get to this spot without leaving a trail which these Indians could follow without the least difficulty."
"S'powse they didn't know where to look for the same."
"That may all be," replied Waring, somewhat petulantly, "and yet what I say is true. They are constantly ranging through the wood, and it is by no means improbable that the traces of your passage is discovered. But let us cease talking for the present."
The two listened for several moments, when hearing nothing further, the Irishman cautiously arose, and commenced peering around him. Ere he had half turned his head, he suddenly dropped to the ground again, with a suppressed exclamation:
"He's right out there!" he whispered.
"Where? Who is there? What do you mean?"
"A bloody big Shawanoe, in his war paint, leaning against a tree out there."
Imitating the motion of Pat Mulroony, Waring descried the savage in question, standing as he had remarked. His back was turned toward the whites, so that it was impossible to discern his features. He was rather tall in stature, and appeared to have his arms folded, as if he were exhausted.
"Wait till I show yees a specimen of Pat Mulroony's shooting," said the Irishman, reaching out for the gun of Waring. But the latter refused it.
"It looks too much like murder."
"It's mighty little like murder their dailings with us luks, be the same token."
"His death can do us no good," added Waring. "The report of our rifle would attract the attention of the savages in the vicinity, and we could not again escape their clutches."
"Ye talks now like a raisonable person," said the Irishman, somewhat mollified at the explanation. "Hist a moment till I takes another look at the gintleman."
Pat Mulroony's head commenced slowly rising, while, as his knees gradually straightened, his arms were elbowed, and his hands kept flapping like the flippers of a turtle—the instinctive admonition to the lookers on to maintain a profound silence.
As his head rose to its full height, Waring saw, from the sudden light that filled his eyes, that he had discovered something further. Without removing his gaze, he motioned for his companion to look. The latter did so, and descried the Shawanoe walking away in the woods. In a few moments he had disappeared, and the three were left alone.
Waring turned to Virginia, and assured her that the danger had passed, and that she need feel no further alarm. They would not move from their present position until nightfall, when the chance of escape would amount almost to a certainty. After this, the young adventureragain demanded of the Irishman an account of his flight from the Shawanoes, and he, nothing loth, proceeded to give it.
We choose to relate it in our own words.
CHAPTER XV.
AN EXPLOIT OF PAT MULROONY'S.
During the captivity of Pat Mulroony and Virginia Lander, the Shawanoes kept them sedulously apart. Although Pat ventured to address her several times, he was compelled to do it in tones loud enough for all to hear him, though whether they understood him or not was altogether a different matter.
The Indians remained at their camp, where Waring had seen them through the night. As he had supposed, the party had divided, one division taking both the captives with them. The cause of this was, the Shawanoes were upon the war-path, and the whole company, numbering over twenty warriors, had set out to attack a small village belonging to a hostile tribe. Having inflicted about all the injury that it was possible for them to inflict against the whites, they were now anxious to proceed with their expedition. As their prisoners could be nothing more than an incumbrance to them, eight of their number were detailed to conduct them to one of the Shawanoe towns in southern Ohio.
The separation of the Shawanoes was made early in the evening, and before it was fairly light, the two parties were proceeding in the direction of their respective destinations. The main party proceeded down the river on the Kentucky side, while the eight Indians embarked in separate canoes with their captives.
Six Indians were in one of the boats, and two in the other, excluding the captives. It was intended that the two parties should keep company to prevent any chance ofescape by the burly Irishman, although in his present helpless condition, bound and secured as he was, a boy could have taken care of him without assistance.
The grey morning mist was just lifting from the Ohio, as the two canoes shot out from the Kentucky shore, and sped swiftly down the river. The point at which they intended to land upon the other side, was several miles further down, bringing them considerably nearer their town than a direct passage across the stream would have done. The Irishman, who understood a few words of the Shawanoe tongue, had gathered this much from the conversation of the savages before starting.
The two Indians who used the paddles were seated in the stern of the canoe, scarcely a foot apart, while Virginia was near the centre, and Pat Mulroony in the bow, his back being turned down stream, and his face toward his captors. In this position, the captives were constantly under the gaze of the lynx-eyed Shawanoes, and could not converse, even in whispers, without being seen. Nevertheless, the Irishman had no hesitation in attempting it.
"Miss Virginny, how is it ye faals jist now?"
"Sadly enough," she replied. "Our only hope is in Providence."
"If I only had my hands loose," whispered Pat, "I would smash them two copper skins there in the stern, and run into shore, in spite of the haythen in the other vissel."
"Perhaps they would loosen your hands if you requested them to do so."
"Begorrah! but they won't though."
"You might try it, Pat; make believe your bonds hurt you, and I have no doubt they will loosen them."
After a moment's thought, Pat determined to try the artifice which his fair companion had recommended. Accordingly he began groaning and twisting his face into all manner of contortions, in order to enlist their sympathy for his suffering. It was little sympathy the savages felt for him, but his moans and struggles were so persistentand annoying that the foremost Indian, with one blow of his knife, freed his arms, refusing, however, all his entreaties to do the same thing for his feet.
"Ugh! keep still—kill with knife—don't," said he, threateningly.
Pat Mulroony had succeeded far better than he had dared to hope. He felt considerably elated thereby, and, rising up in his seat, commenced "joking" with his grim captors.
"Ye handles them paddles as if yees was used to 'em. Be the same token, maybe ye is. How is it?"
But the stoical Shawanoes deigned not to notice him, and Pat continued:
"Begorrah, but yer mothers must be proud of sich boys as yees, that is if ye has ary mothers. Do you mind that haythen there in the starn, Virginny? Wal, now, ef I had to make a guess about him, I should say he was a cross between an Irish chimney swaap and a monkey from the South Saas. It must be swate for a gal to be hugged by yees."
The canoes were now rather close to the Kentucky shore, and constantly approaching nigher, although Pat Mulroony, who had his eyes about him, was at a loss to conjecture the cause of this movement. The other canoe was considerably in advance—its inmates finding it difficult to time their velocity to the tardy movements of their two companions.
Of course the remarks of the Irishman were not comprehended by either of the Shawanoes, although they now and then caught a word. But it was easy to see from his pleasant eye, his broad grin, and the rollicking expression of his face, that he was in the best of spirits. Despite the stern, gloomy exterior of the foremost savage, there was a spice of waggery in his composition, and his black, snake-like eyes softened somewhat in expression as he looked upon the jovial Irishman.
"Paddle 'um canoe!" suddenly remarked this Indian, handing his paddle to him.
"Of course I will," replied Pat, eagerly taking the proffered paddle.
He dipped it deep into the water, and attempted to make a powerful sweep with it; but it turned in his hand, cutting through the water like a knife, and with such velocity as nearly to throw him overboard. Both savages laughed at his awkward movements, while the Irishman worked all the harder.
"Get in the bow of the boat," he whispered to Virginia, as he kept hard at work. The girl arose and exchanged places with him, the savages looking upon her movement as a voluntary one upon her part, to be safe from the erratic blows of the toiling captive. By and by these became so amusing, that the remaining Shawanoe ceased working in order to watch him.
There were three noticeable facts which entirely escaped the observation of the savages. The first was that the other canoe was a considerable distance in advance of them—much further than they would have been willing to allow, had their attention been called to it. The second was that a few hundred yards down stream, a large creek put in from the Kentucky shore; and the last, and certainly most important one, was that in spite of the awkward, vimless efforts of the Irishman, the canoe was approaching slowly but surely the mouth of this creek. The latter fact might possibly have been merely accidental, but a suspicious observer would not have believed thus. Virginia, too, noticed an expression in the eyes of Pat Mulroony, that made her heart beat faster.
Nearer and nearer approached the canoe to the eddying mouth of the creek. The Indians, grinning and unsuspicious, did not notice it until they were fairly within it. Then one of them reached forward to take the oar.
"Ugh! turn back!"
The Shawanoe suddenly dropped back, having received a stunning blow upon the head from the heaviest end of the oar. So violent was it, that, striking the edge of the canoe, he rolled over as helplessly as a log.
"Begorrah, but I axes yer pardon!" exclaimed Pat, tothe struggling savage. "But I handles the paddle so awkwardly, that—holy virgin! if I haven't hit the other haythen a crack, too, and he's gone overboard! What's got into me paws?"
The second savage had sprang up, as his companion went into the water, but, as quick as lightning, he dropped back in his seat, catching the sides of the canoe so firmly, that he did not go out of it. The Irishman's blows being "sidewinders,"—that is, on the side of the head, their natural result was to send the recipients overboard, and the Shawanoe in question saved himself so narrowly, that Pat was mistaken in supposing that he was following his comrade.
"That was another awkward piece of business. Let me tip ye another iligant whack with me shillaleh, in the true style of Pat Mulroony, from Tipperary."
Ere the second blow caught the savage, he gave vent to a screeching yell, loud enough to wake the dead. But it did not save him from whisking over the canoe like a frog, and going down out of sight.
The first Indian had by this time arisen, and was endeavoring to climb into the canoe. His hideous face, painted and agleam with the most deadly ferocity, had appeared over the gunwale, and the frail vessel was in momentary danger of coming apart or sinking.
"Go round to the starn, if ye wants to come in!" exclaimed Pat, striking him a tremendous blow in the face with his fist, that quickly loosened his hold. Dipping the paddle into the water, the Irishman now plied it with a skill fully equal to that of the Shawanoes themselves, sending it with a wonderful velocity directly up the creek.
But the second canoe had seen that something was wrong before the yell of their unfortunate comrade had reached their ears, and they were now fairly flying over the water, toward the captives. The Irishman, with a coolness, and presence of mind that was remarkable under the circumstances, seated himself in the stern, and keeping a sharp eye upon either bank, sent his canoe swiftly up the creek, approaching closely to neither shore.
He had calculated to a second almost, the instant when the pursuing Indians would arrive at the mouth of the creek, and consequently, how long he might ascend it without danger of discovery. Virginia, who kept her gaze fixed toward the river, announced that the two Indians had swam to the mainland, and were evidently awaiting the approach of their companions.
It was the intention of the Irishman, when he had ascended as far as he durst, to sheer the canoe under the right bank, which, fortunately for him, was protected by dense, overhanging undergrowth, and concealing his vessel as well as circumstances would permit, to hurry into the woods; but at the moment he dipped his paddle for the purpose of doing so, he made a discovery which induced him to change his mind.
But a comparatively short distance from the Ohio, the creek divided into four narrow branches, scarcely more than three or four yards in width. Believing that the Indians would have no means of learning the course he had followed, he shot the canoe into the lower one of these, and the next minute had disappeared from view.
The fugitives ascended this branch of the creek for a furlong, when it became so narrow and rapid, that the expenditure of labor was too great to pay them for going further by this means of locomotion. Touching the shore, Virginia sprang out, the Irishman followed, pulling the canoe after him, and rearranging the bushes behind, so as to disarm their pursuers of any suspicion, should they follow as high up the branch as this point.
Determined that the canoe, if discovered, should afford them no good, Pat Mulroony turned it over, and springing upon the bottom, inflicted an irreparable injury, by staving it in.
"Come on, me leddy," said he to Virginia, "and when ye mates Mister Waring, ye can tell him that Pat Mulroony hails from Tipperary, and can taach him how to use the shillaleh."
An hour or so later, they reached a spot in the forest, which, pleasing the fancy of the Irishman, he ordered ahalt, for the purpose of resting themselves. Declaring that Virginia must be cold, in spite of her protestations to the contrary, he persisted in kindling a fire, which had been burning but a short time, when Waring made his appearance, as we have already related.
"And now, about how far off is that settlement?" asked Pat Mulroony, at the conclusion of his narration.
"It cannot certainly be over eight or ten miles, at the most, as we have been proceeding toward it all the while. We surely ought to be able to reach it in a few hours."
"And what is there to hinder us from starting this minute? The owld man is dead—hoping the leddy will excuse me—and that long-legged Hezekiah has give up the ghost, and we're all that is left of the party which was on the flat-boat a few days since. Bein' we're all here, I makes the move that we starts at once, and have this blatherin' matter done wid at once."
"There is only one thing that troubles me," said Waring. "I am afraid that a number of those Shawanoes are in the vicinity, and if we venture out, we run too great a risk of being seen."
"Begorrah, but how are we going to manage it after all?" queried the Irishman, with great surprise.
"Wait until darkness, when we will run little chance of being seen by those who are evidently watching for us."
"And how will we find the way to the village, if you've no objection to tell, as that long-legged Hezekiah used to say, when he asked a question of us."
"Easily enough by following the river. As the settlement is upon the banks of the Ohio, we surely shall discover it if we do not stray off into the woods."
"Begorrah, but that's the plan fur yees."
It was decided that the best course was for them to be on the move at once, provided they could do so without incurring any additional danger. The way to the river appeared to be the least frequented by their foes and his plan was to approach this as near as convenient, and followclosely its bank, keeping carefully under the cover of the shrubbery and dense undergrowth.
The river could be reached in half an hour at least, provided no unexpected obstacle should present itself, and, with Waring taking the lead, the three set out.
The gallant guide could not restrain his misgivings, as he cautiously stole through the woods, and, more than once, he debated with himself whether it was not best to turn back, and wait for the cover of darkness before attempting to reach the settlement.
They had gone scarcely half the distance, when a paint-bedaubed Shawanoe was discerned coming toward them. Signalling to those behind him, Waring sank down to the ground, and, clutching the handle of his knife, breathlessly awaited his approach.
The head of the savage was bent, as though he was searching the ground for something, and he was walking slowly, little dreaming that the very ones he was so anxious to discover, were so nigh him. As fortunately, indeed for himself, as for the whites, he changed his direction, and, in a few moments, was out of sight.
The fugitives resumed their painfully laborious flight, and finally reached the river bank, rejoiced enough that, as yet, their enemies had learned nothing of their whereabouts. Here, underneath the almost impervious undergrowth, they felt more at ease than they had since they had been joined by Waring.
"What time might it be?" asked the Irishman.
"Near the middle of the afternoon—if not later."
"We'll stay here then until night. What say ye?"
The proposal of Pat Mulroony coincided with what Waring deemed best for the party, and accordingly, it was determined to remain in their present position until night closed around them.
The few hours that yet remained ere the protecting darkness could come, were hours of the most painful suspense to the fugitives. Neither of them hardly dared to stir from his hiding-place, and when they conversed, it was only in the whispered words of fear.
It may well be a question, whether the Shawanoes were really searching for the whites, for it seemed barely possible that if such were the case, they could have helped finding the trail. It was more probable that the Indians had moved to this portion of the wood, and, those of their number who had been seen, were only wandering hither and thither, without any ostensible object.
Be that as it may, the sun was still in the heavens, when the sharp ears of Virginia Lander caught the sound of a footstep near them. Touching Waring on the shoulder, she communicated the startling fact to him, and he admonished the Irishman to maintain a strict silence.
It was soon evident that an Indian was close at hand, and that he was between the fugitives and the river—a position in which it was barely possible for him to pass them, without both parties discovering each other. It was manifest too, from the carelessness with which he was proceeding, that he had no suspicion of the proximity of the whites.
Soon, the form of the Shawanoe was discerned through the intricacies of the bushes, and the fugitives, sinking down to the earth, kept their eyes intently fixed upon him. From his manner, it was plain he was searching for something, although whether that something was our friends or some other object, they had no means of determining. He kept his head down most of the time, occasionally looking up with a puzzled, curious expression, at which time, so close was he, that the black pupils of his basilisk eyes were plainly visible to the whites.
A remarkable fact in regard to this Indian was, that he had no rifle with him, and nothing except a knife carried in his girdle. This, however, did not make him a less dangerous personage to the fugitives, should they be discovered. A single yell from him would bring a horde of the redskins upon them before even they could extricate themselves from the bushes which sheltered them.
What pen shall describe the emotions of the fugitives as they saw the Shawanoe lower his eyes, and gaze straightthrough the bushes at them—so straight, in fact, that Waring, who was nearest the river, felt confident that he was looking directly at him.
Still, he uttered no sound, and gave no evidence that he had discovered anything unusual in the undergrowth before him, although Waring could not comprehend how such could be the case, for the gaze of the Indian was fixed steady and penetrating.
Suddenly, the young man heard a movement behind him. He dared not turn his head, but he suspected the meaning of it. It was soon explained by the barrel of the Irishman's rifle appearing beside him. "Whist, till I blow the haythen to the divil!" he whispered, as he cocked it. Waring would not run the risk of reply; his words might be heard by other ears than those for which they were intended. He placed the muzzle of the gun against his side, and held it there firmly, so that it could not be discharged without killing him. Pat Mulroony understood this mute appeal, and relinquished his intention of shooting the savage.
All at once, the Shawanoe gave forth a guttural "Ugh!" and approached the fugitives. Pat tugged at the rifle, but Waring would not loosen his grasp. Just as he was about to do so, under the belief that the critical moment had arrived, the Indian stopped and drew something from the bushes. Relief unspeakable! it was a canoe, and the whites still remained undiscovered.
Picking the frail vessel bodily from the ground, the Shawanoe carried it to the water's edge, when, depositing it in the water, he seated himself in it, and paddled away.
"That Indian had the narrowest escape of his life!" remarked Waring, when he had gone.
"Ye spake the truth there," added Pat Mulroony, "and be the same token, ye had the same narry 'scape yerself. I was on the p'int of aiming at the haythen several timesthrough you, and letting daylight through ye both."
Virginia looked horror-struck at the words of the Irishman, noticing which, he whispered to her, (so loud, however, that Waring also caught the words:)
"It's only a joke, me leddy; I wouldn't hit the spalpeen, to save his neck."
In the course of an hour or so, it began to grow dark, and the fugitives impatiently awaited the time when they could move from their hiding-place. With the exception of the Indian mentioned, they saw nothing of their enemies, although they occasionally heard a whoop or halloo in the woods from them.
The sky, which, up to noon had been clear and propitious, had become, since then, darkened and overcast, and gave every sign of a coming storm. Black, threatening clouds were sweeping tumultuously across the heavens, and piling up in huge masses in the far-off horizon, where they towered like the walls of some old unbattled castle, around whose ramparts the serpentine lightning quivered like streams of blood. Faint murmurings of thunder were constantly borne upon the air, and the roaring of the wind in the forest sounded like the distant ocean.
The darkness came on earlier than usual, thus hastened by the marshaling of the storm-king's forces, and the three fugitives stole from the bushes, and commenced their journey toward the settlement.
The progress of the whites was necessarily slow, from the caution exercised. For a considerable distance Waring led the way, when he yielded to the earnest solicitation of Pat Mulroony, and allowed him to take the advance, while he fell behind, and joined Virginia.
"Keep up courage," he whispered to her. "We will soon be where we shall have fewer obstacles to oppose us."
"I am not tired," she replied. "Do not feel any anxiety upon my account."
The darkness had increased rapidly, and the whites began to take less care as they moved along. Quite a strong wind came up the river, and now and then, the flashes of lightning were vivid enough to reveal the shore and streamto them, so that they were guided in a great measure by this means.
Waring was moving along, holding the hand of Virginia in his own, when he suddenly encountered the Irishman, who had stopped walking. He was about to demand the meaning of his acting thus, when he turned his head, and whispered—
"Whist! I saan something then."
"In what form did it appear?"
"Look straight over me shoulder, and when the lightning shows itself agin, tell me what ye saas."
Waring did as requested. The lightning was incessant, but not sharp enough to reveal the object that had attracted the notice of his companion. All at once, however, a bright flame blazed out, and he saw, but a rod or two away, an Indian seated in a canoe. The canoe lay close under the bank, and the savage was seated in the stern, with his back toward the whites, and, from his appearance, was evidently waiting for some one.
Waring felt sure that he was the Shawanoe that had caused them so much alarm, and that, from his presence in this quarter, it was pretty certain his companions were not far distant. While debating with himself upon the best course for him safely to pass him, he felt the Irishman moving away from him.
"What do you intend to do?" he asked, as he arrested him.
"Get that same canoe."
"Get that canoe? What do you mean? How are you going to do it?"
"Let me alone for that. I'll upset the haythen."
"His friends may be closer at hand than you think."
"Divil a bit does I care how close they be. I'll settle this matter with him."
"Well, go on, but be careful."
The great convenience and advantage the canoe would be to the whites, decided Waring to let the Irishman make an effort to gain possession of it.
Having warned him of the danger he ran, he trusted hehad sense enough to use all caution possible in the case. Nevertheless, it was with some misgivings that he saw him glide away and disappear in the darkness.
The flash of lightning which had revealed the solitary Indian to the Irishman, had brought his appearance and situation so vividly to his sight, that he could constantly see him, and felt as much assurance in moving toward him as if it were broad daylight.
Step by step he approached, literally feeling every inch of the way, for a single misstep would prove fatal. The snapping of a twig, a slip of his foot in the water, and the vigilant Indian would be on his guard.
Closer and closer approached the Irishman, until he had gained the proper point. Then straightening himself up, he drew back his ponderous fist, and concentrating all his strength, gave him a blow that sent him heels over head out into the water.
"That's what I call a gentle hint fur yees to l'ave."
A few moments later, the party were in the boat, and gliding rapidly with the current.
After floating a few moments in silence, Waring said—
"You and Hezekiah never knew each other until a few days since, I believe."
"No; nor we don't know each other yit."
"He was a singular character, too—odd and eccentric; but as true and faithful as steel. He made a terrible fight before he gave up to those savages. It seems as though I am partly responsible for his death."
"Hallo!" exclaimed the Irishman. "Look yonder jist!"
As he spoke, he pointed down stream. The canoe had just rounded a bend in the river, and a large camp-fire was visible upon the Kentucky side. It was so large and vigorous, that its light was thrown clear across upon the other bank, the surface of the water glistening like silver. Through this broad band of light, it was necessary, of course, that the fugitives pass, and run a second risk of discovery.
The lightning had almost ceased, but a strong wind wasblowing, and the huge flame of the camp-fire could be seen surging to and fro, like the waves of a tempest-tossed sea. Dark figures now and then passed between it and the river, and their huge, grotesque shadows quivered on the surface, like monstrous phantoms.
Slowly and noiselessly, the canoe drifted into the broad belt of light, and the fugitives almost held their breath.
The eyes of Waring and Pat Mulroony were naturally fixed upon the camp-fire and its surroundings, but, from some cause which she could never explain, Virginia felt an apprehension, which amounted to a certainty, that all was not right upon the bank which was so near to them, and she kept her gaze fixed in that direction.
And while thus looking, she discovered, plainly and distinctly, the form of a tall Indian, standing upon the very edge of the river, seemingly intent upon watching the canoe. He did not move, or make any demonstration toward its occupants, and remained perfectly motionless until he had faded out of sight in the darkness.
As the fugitives reached the protecting darkness again, confident that they had not been discovered, Waring drew a sigh of relief, and said:
"We need have no fear now. That fire has never been started by the Shawanoes with the intention of receiving any assistance from it in recapturing us. I think I may safely say we are out of all danger."
"I feel so relieved," said Virginia. "It seems as though I had suffered a hundred deaths since that dreadful night. How soon may we expect to reach the settlement, Luther?"
"I cannot tell you precisely, but in three hours, I should say, at the furthest. What do you think, Pat?"
"Never having been in this region, I find it rather difficult to answer your question, as the minister said, when the old woman axed him how Jonah felt in the whale's belly."
"I forgot; you told me that before. However, I cannot be far out of the way in my guess."
"Is it not singular, Luther, that, if we are so close to the village, these Indians also should be?"
"Not at all. I have no doubt that there are hundreds within half a mile of it. On an exposed frontier it is always thus. Without good defences, brave hearts, and trusty rifles, such a place would not be safe from destruction for a single hour."
"Whisht!" interrupted the Irishman. "If I didn't hear the tramp of one of the haythens on shore, I'll never tip another shillaleh!"
"I heard it, too—the snapping of a twig," added Virginia.
"The same, jist—one of the dogs is follying us."
"That is not probable. What could he gain by such a course?"
"Larn the way to that sittlement of which yees were spaking."
"I should not wonder if Pat were right," said Virginia. "I have heard evidence of his presence several times."
"Let us listen. The wind may have made all the sounds you have heard."
For the space of fifteen or twenty minutes, the whites maintained silence, but there was nothing heard farther, and they fell to conversing again.
The situation of our friends, although not without the grand comforter, hope, was still gloomy and impressive. On either hand, the dark, frowning forests loomed up and the wind sighing through them, made wildly-mournful music—now roaring like a hurricane, and then dying away in a hollow, desolate moaning. Occasionally the sharp scream of some wild animal was borne forward upon the night wind, and once or twice the reports of rifles showed that the Indian, the far wilder animal of the two, was "abroad upon the night."
The wind raised small waves upon the surface of the river, and they rippled along the shore, and around the projecting roots of the trees that grew upon the banks. Even their own voices sounded differently upon this wildnight. But they were sustained by the prospect of speedy deliverance and shelter, and were more hopeful than they had been since their first memorable disaster.
In the course of half an hour the river made another bend, and the wind now blew directly up stream. The onward motion of the canoe grew less and less, and finally it stopped altogether.
"This will never do," said Waring, when he had satisfied himself how matters stood. "It will be a long while before we reach the settlement at this rate."
"Let's put into shore, and scare up some kind of paddle for each of us to go to work with."
"I am afraid that we could not accomplish much, Pat; the only course is for us to land, and make the rest of the journey on foot? Do you feel able to walk a mile or two, Virginia?"
"Walk a mile or two?" she repeated, "if necessary, a dozen of them, when cheered by the hope that animates us!"
"A noble girl! Help me in with the canoe, then, Pat."
Using their hands vigorously, as they had done once or twice before, the boat gradually approached the shore, until it had run in under the limb of a tree, which was seized by Pat, and held while the other two disembarked. Then kicking the canoe from beneath him, the Irishman also sprang to land, and stood among his friends.
"Shall we kape close in the wather, or off from it always?" he asked.
"The undergrowth seems to be the densest by the river, and as I see no need of remaining by it, we will go further into the woods, where it will be less difficult to walk."
Accordingly the three moved further away, where the wood was more open, and for some time they encountered little obstruction in their journeying. The Irishman, as usual, brought up the rear, now and then giving vent to some original remark, and occasionally indulging in snatches of song.
Waring was about to speak to his companion, when he felt her grasp his arm with incredible power, and startled nearly out of his senses, he turned toward her:
"What's the matter, Virginia?" he asked.
"Oh!" she gasped in a tremor "I saw that Indian just now."
"Where?"
"Here, right beside me."
"Did you see him, Pat?" asked Waring, grasping his rifle, and peering round in the darkness.
"No, but I heard the hay——"
"There! there he is again!" she interrupted, pointing in front of them.
Waring caught a glimpse of a dark form, and ere he could precisely locate it, he saw Pal Mulroony bound forward like a ball, and the next instant the two were grappled together in a hand-to-hand struggle.
The impetuous onslaught of the Irishman was irresistible, and he bore his opponent to the ground, and seated himself astride of him. Whipping out his knife, he fairly shrieked:
"Say yer prayers quick, for you've got only a second and a half to say 'em in!"
"If you've no objection, I should like to know why ye can't give a little longer time?" asked the familiar, whining voice of Hezekiah Smith!
CHAPTER XVI.
CONCLUSION.
There was no mistaking the voice. It was Hezekiah Smith himself, beyond a doubt. Stooping down so as to obtain a glimpse of his features, the Irishman peered into his face for a moment, and then releasing him, said:
"It's that long-legged chap as was killed, or else I ain't Pat Mulroony!"
"Is it possible that that is you?" asked Waring, placing his hand upon his shoulder, and feeling of his face and arms.
"I've a strong suspicion now that I'm the identical, and precisely the same personage that you took so much pain to kiver up in that same gorge," replied Hezekiah.
"Let us strike a fire, and sit down and have a talk," said Waring. "This is too good fortune, indeed."
Branches and twigs were soon collected, and a fire started. Seating themselves by it, the reunited friends gazed into each other's faces. To the surprise of all, Hezekiah Smith was attired in the dress of a Shawanoe Indian.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Waring, pointing at his costume.
"A stroke of my genius," replied the New Englander; "considered as an idea original with myself, I think it reflects credit upon me."
"But let us hear the particulars of your escape."
"They don't amount to much," said Hezekiah. "The p'int is just here. You know I had an all-fired row on that precipice. Drat me, if that wan't the greatest scrape I ever got into in all my life. I dug, and kicked, and pulled, and twisted, and gouged, and bit, and rolled with that last Injun, but it wan't no use. When he went over, I had to go over, too. Well, there! it wassublime, spinning down through the dizzy air with that Shawanoe fast to me! I had more ecstacy in them one or two seconds, then I've had in all the rest of my life.
"As it happened, the Injin fell under me, and was knocked into a jelly, though, for that matter, I had settled his hash for him before he went over. I'd advise you to believe now that I was bruised slightly, and for a few minutes I seen nothing but stars, and heard nothing but the queerest kind of music in my head.
"When I came to myself somebody was drawing me along the ground. Thinking as how it must be one of the dratted imps, I just kept my eyes shet, and let him pull away. Bimeby he let me drap, and piled me over withdirt and stones. I heard him mutter something, but I kept my eyes closed up all the time; he never thought I was playing possum.
"Arter he'd been gone some time, it struck me all at once that that had been you who had taken sich pains with me. You'd better believe I opened my eyes then, and crawled out of that place in a hurry. The way the stones and dirt flew, you'd have thought a barrel of powder had been tetched off.
"But you'd been gone too long fur me to find you, though I tried hard enough to do it. I follered you a good ways into the woods, and had to give it up at last. I leaned up agin a tree, and was thinking about it——"
"That was you, then, Pat and I saw, and he wanted to shoot so bad. You had a narrow escape."
"I s'pose it was me. I soon found the redskins was too thick in them parts, so I crept down by the river, and waited fur night. Some time after dark, I heerd one of the scamps screech, followed by the crack of their rifles. I knowed you must be in some scrape, so I hurried down the river, but couldn't see anything of you. Walking down the bank some minutes arter, I thought I heard somebody speak on the river, so I kept going down the shore, and listenin' like.
"Opposite where that big fire was, I seen the canoe, but there was three persons in it. I couldn't understand how that could be, and was afraid to show myself."
"I saw you," said Virginia, smiling, "but I told no one of it."
"I kept along by you, howsumever, and at last seen you land."
"You must have known us, then, surely."
"Yes, I did; but just for a little fun, I thought I'd scare you a bit, and, by thunder, I reckon it was me that got the most scart, when Pat pounced upon me out there."
"But you have not told us about this Indian dress."
"I forgot that. It struck me that, being there was so many Injins about, it would be a good idea to put on oneof their dresses. It might come handy, you know. One of the dead redskins was just my size, and I changed costumes with him, leaving him, of course, to put the clothes on for himself, as I did with them I got. I believe they have kept me out of danger several times since I put them on. But how about this fire burning here? Ain't there some danger of its being seen?"
"I took pains to screen it from observation, and I have no fears," replied Waring. "I tell you what I propose," he added. "The woods are so dark, and as none of us know the way, it is more likely that we shall be entirely lost if we keep on in this manner. Suppose, therefore, we spend the night here?"
This proposal being agreed to by all, the preparations were made for carrying it out. A couch of boughs and leaves were made near the fire for Virginia, upon which a blanket or two were spread, and upon which, a few minutes later, the wearied and exhausted girl was sound asleep. The others seated themselves around the fire, to spend several hours in chatting and conversation.
"A few hours ago," said Waring, addressing Pat Mulroony, "you were upon the point of explaining something in regard to yourself, when you were interrupted by the discovery of a new danger. Perhaps, while we are seated here, you'll give us the reason that induced you to come into this wild country."
The Irishman smiled:
"It's little I have to tell, as the deaf and dumb man said. It's thrue I niver have been out in these parts before; but I've thraveled over considerable of the wilderness in the last few years. You know there be signs of another Injin war, and I've been sint here as a private agent of Mad Anthony, to larn what is to be larned."
"That's what I am!" exclaimed Hezekiah Smith.
Seeing that his hearers appealed incredulous, Smith added:
"Such is the fact. I had a love adventure at home, which sent me out here, and that's why I'm rather green. I was sent in these parts at my special request."
"Begorrah, but we goes togither after this," said Pat Mulroony.
The two grasped hands.
"It strikes me," said Hezekiah Smith, "that while we've larned considerable of these redskins, it ain't quite enough to suit the General. I propose, therefore, we start out agin."
Despite Waring's protestations, these two eccentric individuals insisted upon departing at once. Although much bruised, Hezekiah would not consent to go to the settlement, until he could fully recover, nor would he allow Virginia Lander to be awakened, in order to bid him good-by. Assuring him whom they left behind, that he should hear from them again, the two worthies arose, and passed out in the darkness together.
At the earliest sign of day, our hero and heroine were againen route, and in the course of an hour, came in sight of the settlement. Their destination—the long wished and prayed for goal—was reached. Painful and terrible had been their sufferings on the way, but they had been rewarded at last. Arm-and-arm the two entered this village of the wilderness, as hand-in-hand they entered upon the great journey of life, and went up the hill-side, and, finally, down through the Dark Valley into the eternal life beyond.
THE END.
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