CHAPTER XVI
Leaving those at Fort Cumberland for the time being, let us go back and see what happened to James Morris, Henry, and the others, after the flight from the trading-post.
The severe snow-storm that was raging, aided the party to escape from those surrounding the post, and not long after the last attack by the Indians and the Frenchmen under Jean Bevoir, all succeeded in gaining a small cave where Tony Jadwin said they would be safe.
"I don't believe they know of this place," said the old hunter. "I stumbled on it by accident last fall. And even if they do know of it and come here, three men can hold it against twenty, for the passageway is narrow."
"They'd never make us surrender unless they starved us out," returned James Morris, looking around.
The rest that followed was much needed, and as no fresh alarm came, they attended to their wounds and prepared themselves such a meal as the rations brought along afforded.
"This is certainly hard luck, Uncle Jim," said Henry. "And after all the time and money spent on the post, too!"
"It is bitter enough to have the Indians take possession—it is ten times worse to see Jean Bevoir on hand to triumph over us," said the trader.
"Perhaps Bevoir was shot down."
"I hardly think so. He is wise enough to take care of his skin, when it comes to such a mix-up as we have just had."
"Do you think the Indians will let him take possession of the post?"
"More than likely—if he treats them well. He has a pretty slick way with the red men, and always did have. He makes all kinds of promises and somehow they believe in him."
The cave was little more than a hole in the ground, irregular in shape, and having a depth of twelve to fifteen feet. Overhead was a heavy clump of trees, the loose roots dangling down in all directions. Evidently some wild beast had made a home there at some time previous, for on the flooring were several piles of small bones.
The night passed slowly, and early in the morning the snow stopped coming down, and by nine o'clock the sun was shining brightly.
A council of war was held, and it was decided by all present that the best thing to do would be to push eastward to Fort Pitt, and notify the commandant there of what had occurred.
"Captain Ecuyer has aided me before, perhaps he will aid me again," said James Morris. "Anyway, there is no sense in remaining here."
The start for Fort Pitt was made that afternoon. Only a slim dinner could be had by all, and it was agreed that after a day's march from the post, several of the hunters and trappers should go forth in quest of game before proceeding further on the journey.
"And I'll try my hand at fishing through a hole in the ice," said Henry. He had now become an expert at that sort of angling, and was always sure to come in with a fair-sized mess of fish.
They had now come out on the bank of the Ohio again and went into camp that evening in the shelter of a cliff overlooking the broad stream. Early in the morning Henry went fishing, cutting a hole with an ax which had been brought along. Jadwin and two others went off on a hunt, promising not to go beyond gunshot, in case of an attack.
A gentle breeze was blowing but by afternoon it increased to a stiff blow, whirling the loose snow in all directions. Yet, as the wind was from the southward, it was not cold, and those in the camp suffered little inconvenience from it.
"Do you know what I've been thinking," said James Morris, as he came down to see how his nephew was making out. "If they come in with much game, the best thing we can do is to build a sled and journey to Fort Pitt by way of the river."
"Providing the redskins are not watching along the banks," answered Henry.
"To be sure, we'll have to keep our eyes open."
While Henry continued to fish, his uncle took the ax and cut down several saplings, and began to build something which was a cross between a sled and a rude ice-boat. In the front he put up a short mast.
"Now, if the breeze continues, we can perhaps make use of it," said the trader.
At first Henry's luck was of small account, but then he caught two fish of good size and eight smaller ones, and when he stopped at sunset he was well satisfied with his day's work.
"We've got enough to last us for two meals," he said. "That's a good bit better than nothing."
One of the wounded men had asked for fish, and as soon as Henry got back into the camp he prepared some for the sufferer. It was gratefully received.
"Ain't tasted nothin' so good in a long time," said the wounded hunter. "Fresh fish always did strike me just right. I get tired of meat."
When the hunters and trappers came in they brought with them only some small game,—birds, squirrels, rabbits, and wild turkeys. But they had a fair quantity of it, and it was calculated that it might be sufficient until Fort Pitt was reached.
"Saw a few redskins at a great distance," said Tony Jadwin. "I couldn't make out where they were bound."
The idea of using an ice-boat and sleds on the river appealed to nearly all of the party but the Indians, who decided that they would rather stick to the river bank. The ice-boat made by James Morris was enlarged and strengthened, and Jadwin succeeded in making a rude sail out of a thin blanket he carried. Then the hunter and the trader tried the craft, and found it worked as well as could be expected. The runners were scraped and polished, but even then were not as good as metal would have been.
"If the wind stops blowing, we can drag the outfit along by hand," said James Morris. "It will be an easy way of carrying our loads."
They had not dared to take to the regular trail running to Fort Pitt, thinking that the Indians would be on the watch for them. In this they were wise, for they afterwards learned that a body of fifteen red men were on guard at a certain point on the trail, and had they met this detachment it would assuredly have gone hard with the whites.
The trip up the Ohio was resumed at daybreak the following day. The ice-boat was loaded with the game and other things, and then several of the party, including James Morris and Henry, got aboard. There was a lively breeze, and, given a start, the clumsy craft moved forward better than had been anticipated.
"Hurrah! we are off!" cried Henry, enthusiastically. "This beats walking all hollow!"
As luck would have it, the strong wind was directly in their favor. The wind had swept the river almost clear of snow on one side of the stream and they kept the ice-boat in that vicinity, being careful to avoid all the open spots.
"We don't want to be drowned," said Henry. He had not forgotten an icy bath he had once taken.
By noon the party had covered fifteen miles, those on shore having all they could do to keep up with those on the ice-boat, even though the clumsy craft had to be towed around certain bends and dangerous spots in the stream. For a mile of the distance they came to so much open water, that they did not dare to board the craft.
"Now here is a good spot for sailing!" said Henry, about two o'clock. Before them was a straight stretch of four or five miles, with the wind exactly on their backs. "I'll wager we can make that distance in jig time."
Once more his uncle and himself got on the ice-boat. With them were two hunters who had been wounded in the lower limbs. The rude sail was hoisted, Henry gave a vigorous shove, and off they set at a rate of speed which was slow at the beginning, but which appeared steadily to increase.
"A fellow could fairly fly along here with a good ice-boat," said James Morris, who was in the bow, watching for dangerous cracks, or open water.
"We can't complain," replied Henry. "We'll leave the rest of the party behind this trip."
"It is not a very good plan to separate, Henry. With so many of the enemy around we ought to keep pretty close together."
"When we reach the end of this stretch we can wait for the others to come up," said the youth, who hated to think of giving up the chance for a little sport.
On and on they went, the runners making a merry skir—r—r on the ice. Occasionally they would go over a lump with a bump that threatened to pitch them off. But all held tight, and no accident of that kind occurred.
"I never knew there was so much fun in ice-boating," declared Henry. "I wish we didn't have so many troubles to think about—we might have a fine time."
"Perhaps you are right, Henry," returned his uncle. And then he gave a long sigh, and said no more.
About half the straight stretch of the stream had been covered, when one of the wounded hunters, sitting near the front of the ice-boat, called James Morris's attention to some smoke that was curling upward from the shore ahead.
"There's a camp there," said the hunter. "Perhaps it is friends, and perhaps it ain't."
They watched the vicinity of the smoke with close attention, and were almost opposite the spot when they saw two Indians come out of the thickets and gaze up and down the Ohio.
"Redskins!" ejaculated Henry, and reached for his gun, which was lying on the pile of game.
As soon as the Indians saw the ice-boat they set up a shout, and a minute later four other warriors put in an appearance. Then one fired a shot, and all disappeared as if by magic.
"I don't like that," said James Morris.
"Shall we go after them?" asked Henry.
"No, indeed! They are in the thickets and have the advantage of us. We had better keep to our course."
"But the others of our party——"
"They must have heard that shot, and they will be on their guard. As they too are among the trees and bushes, they will have an equal chance of fighting."
On whizzed the ice-boat, and those on board continue to scan the shore. The wind was increasing, and they were bowling along twice as fast as ever before.
"Look! look!" cried James Morris, a few minutes later.
He pointed ahead, and gazing in that direction, the others saw a band of at least twenty Indians coming from the heavy timber that lined the shore at that point. The red men ran out on the ice and looked up and down. Evidently the shot had alarmed them.
"They see us!" cried Henry, a moment later. "Wonder what they will do."
"Get your guns ready," came from the trader. "I'm afraid we've got an ugly crowd to deal with now."
As soon as the red men saw the whites on the ice-boat they set up a blood-curdling war-whoop. Then, with guns and arrows ready for use, they ran out still further on the ice, directly in the path of the oncoming craft.