CHAPTER X.The lead removed—The wolves on the river—The wolf hunt—Gum fetid—Joe’s incredulity—His conviction—His surprise—His predicament—His narrow escape.When Sneak opened the door, the sun had risen and was shining brightly. In a moment the inmates of the house were stirring. The horses neighed in the stable for their accustomed food and water, and when Joe hastened to them, he embraced the neck of each, in testimony of his joy that they were once more saved from the hands of the Indians. The hounds pranced round Boone and Glenn, manifesting their delight in being relieved of the presence of the enemy. The gate was thrown open, and the scene of the explosion minutely examined. Fortunately the channel cut under the snow by the savages ran a few feet apart from the powder, or the whole of them must inevitably have perished. As it was, not a single one lost his life, though many were blown up in the air to a considerable height. Joe and Sneak found only a few spears, knives, and tomahawks, that had been abandoned by the savages; and then they repaired to the west side of the inclosure, where the two dead Indians were still lying. They had scarce commenced searching their victims for booty, when a solitary Indian was seen approaching from the upper valley.They had scarce commenced searching their victim.They had scarce commenced searching their victims for booty, when a solitary Indian was seen approaching from the upper valley.“We hain’t got our guns!” exclaimed Sneak, pulling out his knife.“I’ll get mine!” cried Joe, running away with all his might.“What’s the matter?” inquired Boone, smiling, who had also seen the approaching Indian, and was walking to where the dead savages lay, accompanied by Glenn and Roughgrove, when he met Joe running swiftly towards the house.“Hang me, if the Indians ain’t coming back again,” replied Joe.“There is but one, and he has a white flag,” said Boone, who had discovered a small rag attached to a pole borne by the Indian.“What can he want?” inquired Glenn.“He wants permission to bury the dead,” replied Roughgrove.“He’s the very rascal we let loose last night,” said Sneak.This was true. Although the singed savage had removed some of the black marks produced by the explosion, yet so many palpable traces of that event were still exhibited on his person, there could be no doubt of his identity.The Indian came for the purpose mentioned by Roughgrove, and his request was granted. He made a sign to a comrade he had left some distance behind, who, in a very few minutes, was seen to approach in a hasty though timorous pace.“Don’t go to shooting out here!” exclaimed Sneak, hearing a clicking sound, and the next moment observing Joe pointing his musket through the loophole nearly in a line with the spot where he stood.“Come in! come in! come in!” cried Joe.“Put your gun away, and be silent,” said Glenn.“I’ll be silent,” replied Joe, “but I’d rather stand here and watch awhile. If they ain’t going to hurt any of us, it’ll do no harm; and if theydotry to kill any of you, it may do some good.”When the second Indian arrived, he seized the body of the savage enveloped in the swine-skin, (knowing that permission to do so had been obtained by his comrade,) and bore him away with great expedition, manifesting no inclination whatever to tarry at a place which had been so fatal to his brethren. But the other had every confidence in the mercy of the whites, and lingered some length of time, gazing at the corpse before him, as if hesitating whether to bear it away.“Why do you not take him up?” inquired Roughgrove.The Indian said it was the false prophet Raven, and that he hardly deserved to be buried.Sneak turned the dead Indian over, (he had been lying on his face,) and he was instantly recognized by the whole party.“I’m glad its him,” said Sneak.“I think we will have peace now,” said Boone, “for Raven has ever been the most blood-thirsty chief of the tribe.”“Where is the war-party encamped? When do they return to their own country?” asked Roughgrove.The Indian replied that they were encamped in a small grove on the border of the prairie, where they intended to bury their brothers, and then it was their intention to set out immediately for their villages. He added that one of their tribe, whom they had left at home, arrived that morning with intelligence that a war-party of Pawnees had invaded their territories, and it was necessary for them to hasten back with all possible dispatch to defend their wives and children.Glenn asked Boone how the Indians managed to sleep in the cold prairie; and, Roughgrove repeating the inquiry to the savage, they were informed that the war-party carried with them a long but very light sled, in the shape of a canoe, to which was tied a rope made of buckskins, by which they pulled it along on the snow with great swiftness. This kept them warm with exercise through the day. A quantity of furs and buffalo skins were packed in the canoe that served to keep them warm at night.“Mr. Roughgrove! Mr. Roughgrove!” cried Joe, from his loophole.“What do you want with me?” responded the old man.“Why, Miss Mary’s gone down to your house to see if the Indians have been there, and they may be there now, perhaps.”“There’s no danger now, you blockhead,” replied Roughgrove.“Keep your mouth shet!” said Sneak.“Your mouth’s mashed—recollect who did it,” retorted Joe.The savage at length lifted up the dead body, and set off at a brisk pace towards the prairie. The party then returned to the house and partook of a plenteous repast that had been provided by Mary.When the breakfast was over, they repaired to the cliff, to examine the place where the Indians had first penetrated the snow. They had commenced operations at the very brow of the cliff, on a shelving rock, to attain which, without being seen from the garrison, they must have crawled on their hands and knees a considerable distance. Below could be seen an immense heap of snow, which had been thrown down from the place of entrance, just as Boone had described.“Jest look yander!” cried Sneak, pointing up the river. The scene was a remarkable one. They beheld a very small deer (the lightness of which enabled it to run on the snow that covered the ice with great fleetness, without breaking through the crust,) chased about on the river by a pack of wolves! These hungry animals had evidently been racing after it a great length of time, from the distressed appearance of the poor victim, and, having driven it upon the ice, they seemed resolved to prevent it from ever again entering the thickets. The plan they adopted was systematic, and worthy the imitation of biped hunters. They dispersed in various directions, and formed themselves in a circle of about a half mile in diameter, hemming the deer in on all sides, while only one or two of their number at a time chased it. Round and round it ran; and though its pursuers were left far in the rear, yet it remained entirely surrounded by the enemy. Occasionally, when a chasing wolf became exhausted, one of the guards (abandoning his post) would enter the ring, and, not being fatigued, was able to carry on the pursuit with redoubled vigour. Thus the chase was kept up with increasing fierceness by means of a succession of fresh wolves, until the poor deer finally sank down and surrendered its life. The voracious pack then rushed from their stations indiscriminately, and coming in contact immediately over their prey, a most frightful contest ensued among them. Horrific yells and screams could be heard by the men as they looked on from their distant position. At times the wolves were so closely jumbled together that nothing could be distinguished but one black, heaving, and echoing mass. But the struggle was soon over. In a very few moments, they became quiet, and started off in a comparatively peaceful manner towards the island, whence their prize had been driven, in quest of others. When they abandoned the spot where their victim had fallen, not so much as a bone remained.“That’s making a clean business of it!” said Sneak.“Its no such thing!” said Joe; “it’s a nasty trick to swallow hide, bones, and bowels, in that manner.”“Its clean for wolves,” said Sneak.“Oh, may be you’re part wolf,” said Joe.“Now, none of your gab, or I’ll play some other trick on you, worse than that at the spring.”“You be hanged,” retorted Joe; “I’ll give you leave to do it when you get a chance the next time.”“It is a great pity that the deer are subject to such destruction,” remarked Glenn.“The wolves we saw are all on yonder island,” said Boone, “and if you are disposed to have a hunt, I have no doubt we might kill some of them.”“We are entirely dependent upon the deer for animal food,” said Roughgrove; “and if we could only surround that party of wolves as they did the deer, we might do the settlement much good service.”“I go in for it,” said Sneak.“I’d rather wait a day or two, till the Indians have gone clean off,” said Joe.“There is nothing to fear from them now,” said Boone, “unless something they might steal should fall in their way. But it will not require an hour to rout the wolves on the little island.”“Then let us hasten and get our guns, and be upon them before they leave it,” said Glenn.They returned to the house, and were all soon equipped for the onslaught, except Joe, who made no preparation whatever.“Get ready, Joe,” said Glenn; “your redoubtable musket will do good service.”“I’d rather not,” said Joe; “I’m hardly well enough to walk so far. I’ll take care of Miss Mary. I wonder what’s become of her? Mr. Roughgrove, Miss Mary hasn’t come back yet!”“Yes she has,” replied the old ferryman; “I saw her bring this frozen flower up, while we were standing on the cliff, and she has only returned for the other pots, I hear her singing down the valley now,” he added, after stepping to the gate and listening a moment.“Have you any gum fetid?” asked Boone, addressing Glenn.“I’ve got lots of it,” interposed Joe, “that I brought along for the horses, because an old man at St. Louis told me they would never die so long as I kept a lump of it in the rack.”“What use do you make of it?” asked Glenn.“The scent of it will at any time collect the wolves,” said Boone, directing Joe to bring it along.The party set out at a brisk pace, Joe with the rest, for it was necessary to station the men at as many points as possible. Boone, Roughgrove, and Glenn, when they reached the upper valley, descended to the river, while Sneak and Joe were directed to station themselves on the main-land opposite the upper and lower ends of the island. The party of three advanced towards the island on the ice, and Sneak and Joe pursued their way in a parallel direction through the narrow skirt of woods that bordered the range of bluffs.Ere long the two on land descended from their high position and entered a densely-timbered bottom, the upper part of which (a half mile distant) was only separated from the island by a very narrow channel.Here, for the first time that day, the thought that the island he was approaching was the haunted one of Glenn’s dream occurred to Joe, and he paused suddenly.“What are you stopping for?” asked Sneak.“Because”—Joe hesitated, positively ashamed to tell the reason; and after a moment’s reflection he was impressed with a thorough conviction that his apprehensions and scruples were ridiculous.“Don’t you hear me?” continued Sneak.“I was thinking about going back for the dogs,” said Joe.“Yes, and they would be torn to bits in a little less than no time,” said Sneak.“Come on, then,” said Joe, setting forward again, and dismissing all fears of the fire-wizard from his mind.“Let me see how much asafoetida you’ve got,” said Sneak, after they had walked a few moments in silence.“Here it is,” said Joe, unwrapping a paper containing several ounces; “but hang me, if that ain’t rather too strong a joke of Mr. Boone’s about its collecting the wolves. I can’t believe that.”“Did you ever hear of Mr. Boone’s telling a lie?” asked Sneak.“No, I never did, and that’s a fact,” said Joe; “but I’m afraid he’s got into a scrape this time—Jingo! look yonder!” he continued, throwing his musket up to his face, and pointing it at a very large black wolf that stood in the path before them.“Don’t shoot! I put two loads in your gun,” cried Sneak, hastily.“Confound your long-necked gourd-head, I say!” said Joe, throwing down the muzzle of his musket in an instant, and the next moment the wolf disappeared among the tall bushes. “Why, hang me, if you didn’t tell a lie!” continued Joe, running down his ramrod.“Don’t I know it?” replied Sneak. “I jest said so to keep you from shooting; becaise if you had shot, you’d ’ave skeered all the other wolves away, and we wouldn’t ’ave killed any.”“It’s well you didn’t put in another cartridge,” said Joe, “for I wish I may be smashed if I stand this kicking business any longer.”“Now, I guess you’ll believe there’s something in the asafoetida, after all! and the wolves’ll come all round you and won’t go off for shooting at ’em, if you’ll only rub it on the soles of your boots.”“I’ll try it!” said Joe, suiting the action to the word, and then striding onward, and looking in every direction for the wolves.“You’ll have to tree, if they come too thick.”“Pshaw!” replied Joe, “you can’t scare me in that way. I don’t believe a hat full of it would make them stand and be shot at.”They were now opposite the island. Joe selected a position even with the upper end of it, and Sneak remained below. Boone, after stationing Roughgrove and Glenn to the best advantage, walked out to the main-land, and taking some of the gum fetid in Joe’s possession, returned to the island; and, ere long, he, Roughgrove, and Glenn were heard discharging their guns with great rapidity, and the cries of the wolves attested that they were labouring with effect. But none of the beleaguered animals had yet retreated from the scene of destruction. On the contrary, several were seen to run across from the main-land and join those on the island. Presently Sneak commenced a brisk fire. There seemed to be a whole army of wolves congregated in the vicinity. Joe at first laughed, and then became confused and puzzled. He anxiously desired to make the roar of his musket join the melée; but at times he thought the ravenous enemy rather too numerous for him to be in perfect safety. The firing on the island continued without abatement. Sneak’s gun was likewise still heard at regular intervals, and what seemed an extraordinary matter to Joe was that Sneak should yell out something or other about the “asafoetida,” and “moccasin tracks,” after every discharge. Joe was not long idle. He soon saw a huge black wolf trotting along the little deer path he had just traversed, with its nose down to the ground. A moment after, another, and then a third, were seen pursuing the same course, some distance behind. Joe became uneasy. His first impulse was to scamper over to the island: but, when he thought of the jeers and jests that would ensue from Sneak, he resolved to stand his ground. When the foremost wolf had approached within thirty paces of him, he leveled his musket and fired. The wolf uttered a fierce howl and expired.“Hang me, if I haven’t floored you, any how,” said he, exultingly, as he proceeded to reload his gun with as much expedition as possible. But the other wolves, so far from being alarmed at the fate of their comrade, seemed to quicken their pace towards the position of Joe. “Slash me, if there ain’t too many of them!” ejaculated Joe, as he perceived several others, and all advancing upon him. “I’ll settle your hash, by jing!” he continued, firing at the foremost one, which was not twenty paces distant. The leaden contents of the musket entered its breast, and it fell dead without a growl. Still the others advanced. Joe had no time to charge his gun again.“I’ll make tracks!” said he, starting toward the frozen channel that separated him from the island. But he had not gone ten paces before he discovered two enormous wolves approaching fromthatdirection. “I’ll cut dirt back again!” he continued, whirling suddenly around, and rushing back to his stand, where he stood not a moment, but sprang up in a tree, and after attaining a large limb that put out from the trunk, some fifteen feet above the snow, paused, and pantingly surveyed his assailants. There were now no less than twenty wolves in sight, and several were at the root of the tree yelping at him! “I’ll be hanged if I half like this,” said he. “Snap me, if I don’t begin to believe that the asafoetida does charm them, after all. Confound Sneak! he’s always getting me into some hobble or other! Now, if it wasn’t for this tree, I’d be in a nice fix. Hang it! all the wolves in the world are broke loose to-day, surely—where the mischief could they all have come from? Just hear the men, how they are shooting! And they are killing the wild black dogs every crack—but still they won’t back out! I’ll blaze away at ’em again!” Saying this, he reloaded his musket as quickly as his peculiar position would allow, and, for the purpose of ridding himself as soon as possible of his disagreeable visitors, he poured in an additional charge of buckshot. “Now,” he continued, “what if the gun should fly out of my hands? I’d be in a pretty condition then! I wouldn’t mind the kick at all, if I was only on dry land—but if the gun should kick me over here, I’d tumble right down into their mouths! I wish I’d thought of that before I rammed down the wadding. I haven’t got my screw along, or I might draw out the load again. I’ll not shoot at all. I’ll just watch till somebody comes and scares them away. Ugh! you black rascal! what’re you staring up here for?” he continued, looking down at the largest wolf, which was standing upright against the tree, and tearing the bark away furiously with his long teeth. The number of Joe’s enemies continued to increase. There were now perhaps twenty under the tree. And still the firing on the island was kept up, though not so incessantly as at first, which inspired Joe with a hope that they would either kill all the wolves in their vicinity very soon or force them to join his flock under the tree, when the men would surely come to his relief. Sneak’s fire abated somewhat, likewise, and Joe’s reliance upon having their aid in a very short time caused his fears to subside in a great measure.“If you’re so crazy after asafoetida,” said he, looking down at the fiercely staring animals again, “I’ll give you a taste, just to see what you’ll do.” He took a small portion of the gum which he had retained, and rubbed it over a piece of paper that he found in his pocket. He then dropped the paper in their midst. They sprang upon it simultaneously, and in an instant it vanished, Joe knew not whither. “Hang me, if I couldn’t pepper a half-dozen at a shot when they all rush up together so close, if I wasn’t afraid of being kicked down. I’ll be teetotally smashed if I don’t fix and try it, any how!” said he, pulling out a strong leather string from his pocket, one end of which he attached firmly to a small limb of the tree, and the other he tied as tightly round the wrist of his left arm. He then pulled out his bandanna, and likewise made his musket fast to a bough. “Now, my snapping beauties,” he continued, “I’m mistaken if I don’t give you a dose of blue pills that’ll do your business in short order.” Saying this, he tore off another piece of paper, and rubbing on the gum, dropped it down as near as possible to the spot where he wished the wolves to cluster together. No sooner did it fall than the whole gang sprang upon it, and he fired with precision in their midst. Joe did not look to see what execution was done. He was dangling in the air and whirling round and round at a rapid rate, like a malefactor suspended from the gallows, with the exception that his neck did not suffer, and he cried out most lustily for assistance. When the cloud of smoke that enveloped him cleared away a little, and he became better acquainted with his critical situation, his yells increased in rapidity and violence. His condition was truly perilous. The small bough to which he had attached himself had not sufficient strength to bear him up when his feet slipped from the larger one below, and it was now bent down a considerable distance, and that too in a divergent direction from his recent foothold, and unfortunately there was no limb of the tree of any strength within his reach. His legs hung within six feet of the surface of the snow. The discharge had killed four or five of the wolves, but, undismayed, the remainder assailed him the more furiously. The most active of them could easily spring as far up as his feet! Never was terror more strongly depicted in the human face than it was displayed in Joe’s when he saw the whole pack rushing towards him! They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells. Joe yelled likewise, and doubled his knees up to his chin. They missed his feet by several inches, and were borne out fifteen or twenty feet to one side by the impetus of the leap. It was by a mighty effort that he thus avoided them, and no sooner had they passed under him than his legs again dangled downward. In a moment they whirled round and were again rushing at their victim. Once more Joe screamed, and drew up his legs while they passed under him. “Help! help! for God’s sake!” cried he, when they whirled round again. His cry was heard. Several sharp reports resounded from the river bank, a few paces on the east. Three or four of the wolves howled and fell. The rest hesitated, their eyes glistening, and fixed on Joe’s suspended boots. “Come quick! for Heaven’s sake! I can’t pull up my legs any more!” cried Joe. This was true, for his strength was fast failing. The guns were again discharged with deadly effect, and all but one of the largest of the wolves precipitately ran off, and disappeared among the bushes.They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells.They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells. Joe yelled likewise, and doubled his knees up to his chin.“Jerk up your leg! that feller’s a going to take one of your feet along with him, if he kin!” cried Sneak. Joe saw the wolf charging upon him, but he was altogether unable to avoid it in the manner he had done before. It was now only a few feet distant, its mouth open, displaying a frightful set of teeth, and springing towards him. Finding it impossible to prevent a collision, Joe resolved to sell his foot as dearly as possible. As much as he was able, he bent up his knee-joints, and when his assailant came, he bestowed his heels upon his head with all his might. The wolf was stunned, and fell under the blow.“Take that!” cried Sneak, running up and plunging his knife into the animal’s side. The wolf groaned and died.“Ha! ha! ha! you were born to be hanged,” said Roughgrove, coming forward with Boone and Glenn, and laughing heartily.“He has been hung,” said Boone.“And almost quartered,” said Glenn.“Oh, goodness! Jump up here, Sneak, and cut me loose,” said Joe, beseechingly.“There’s no danger of you ever dying,” said Sneak.“Oh, please don’t laugh at me, Sneak, but cut me down; that’s a good fellow. The string is beginning to cut my wrist like fury!”“How did you git in such a fix?” continued Sneak.“Oh, hang it, Sneak, just get me out of the fix, and I’ll tell you all about it.”“It’s hungnow—didn’t you say ‘hang it, Sneak?’” continued Sneak.“Oh, come, now,” continued Joe; “if you were in this way, don’t you think I’d help you?”“Cut him down, Sneak,” said Boone; and in a twinkling Sneak was up in the tree, and the string was severed. Joe came down with great force, his feet foremost, and running through the snow-crust to a great depth.“I wish some of you would help me out of this,” said he, after struggling some time in vain to extricate himself.“You’ll want me to carry you home next, I s’pose,” said Sneak, assisting him up. Joe made no reply; but as soon as he could cut the string away from his wrist, seized Sneak by the throat, hurled him on his back, and springing upon him, a violent struggle ensued for a few moments before they could be separated.“What do you mean?” exclaimed Glenn, dragging Joe away from his prostrate victim.“What did you do that for?” asked Sneak, rising up and brushing the snow from his head and face, his fall having broken the icy surface.“You rascal, you! I’ll show you what for!” cried Joe, endeavouring to get at him again.“Joe!” said Glenn, “if you attempt any further violence, you shall not remain another day under my roof!”“He boxed my ear like thunder!” said Sneak; “I didn’t think the fellow had so much pluck in him! I like him better now than ever I did. Give us your paw, Joe.” Joe shook hands with him reluctantly, and then wiped a flood of tears from his face.“He told me to put some asafetida on my hoots, and said I could then kill more wolves,” said Joe; “and it came within an ace of making them kill me.”“It was very wrong to do so, Sneak,” said Boone, “and the boxing you got for it was not amiss.”“I believe I think so myself,” said Sneak. “But it did make him kill more wolves after all—jest look at ’em all around here!”Joe soon recovered entirely from the effects of his swing, his fright, and his anger, and looked with something like satisfaction on his many trophies lying round him; and when he disengaged his musket from the bough of the tree, he regarded it with affection.They moved homeward, entirely content with the result of the excursion. Boone explained the reason why so many of the wolves were congregated about the island. He stated that the vines and bushes on which the deer feed in the winter were abundant and nutritious in the low lands along the river, and that great numbers of them repaired thither at that season of the year. The wolves of course followed them, and having now destroyed all the large deer in the vicinity of the island, and the small ones being enabled to run on the snow-crust, they found it necessary to muster in the chase as great a number as possible, and thus prevent their prey from escaping to the prairies. He said that the wolves preferred the timber, being enabled to make more comfortable lairs and dens among the fallen trees than out in the cold prairies. But their guns had wrought a fearful destruction among them. Perhaps three-fourths of them fell.The party soon reached Glenn’s house. As they entered the inclosure, they were surprised to see Ringwood running wildly about, whining and snarling and tearing the snow to pieces with his teeth. Jowler was more composed, but a low, mournful whine issued continuously from his mouth.“Dod! what’s the dogs been after?” ejaculated Sneak.“Go in, Joe, and ask Mary what it means,” said Rough grove.“I’d rather not—the house may be full of Indians,” replied Joe, relapsing into his natural cowardice.“Mary,” said Roughgrove, approaching the door and calling affectionately. Receiving no reply, the old man entered and called again. A silence succeeded. Roughgrove reappeared a moment after, with a changed countenance. Boone gazed at his pale features, and asked the cause of his distress by a look, not a word.“She’s gone! gone! gone!” exclaimed Roughgrove, covering his face with both hands.Boone made no answer, but turning his face in the direction of the southern valley, he called upon the name of Mary three times, in clear and loud tones. He listened for her reply, in a motionless attitude, several minutes. But no reply came. Now a change came overhisfeatures. It was a ferocity from which even the blood-thirsty savages would have fled in horror!“My eternal curse upon them! They have seized her! I have been deceived! I will have vengeance!” said he, in a low, determined tone.“Will they kill her, or keep her for a ransom?” inquired Glenn, in extreme and painful excitement.“A ransom,” said Boone; “but they shall pay the weight of the silver they demand in blood!”“May Heaven guard her!” said Roughgrove, in piteous agony.“Cheer up—we will get her again,” said Boone; and then giving some hasty directions, preparations were made for pursuit.
The lead removed—The wolves on the river—The wolf hunt—Gum fetid—Joe’s incredulity—His conviction—His surprise—His predicament—His narrow escape.
When Sneak opened the door, the sun had risen and was shining brightly. In a moment the inmates of the house were stirring. The horses neighed in the stable for their accustomed food and water, and when Joe hastened to them, he embraced the neck of each, in testimony of his joy that they were once more saved from the hands of the Indians. The hounds pranced round Boone and Glenn, manifesting their delight in being relieved of the presence of the enemy. The gate was thrown open, and the scene of the explosion minutely examined. Fortunately the channel cut under the snow by the savages ran a few feet apart from the powder, or the whole of them must inevitably have perished. As it was, not a single one lost his life, though many were blown up in the air to a considerable height. Joe and Sneak found only a few spears, knives, and tomahawks, that had been abandoned by the savages; and then they repaired to the west side of the inclosure, where the two dead Indians were still lying. They had scarce commenced searching their victims for booty, when a solitary Indian was seen approaching from the upper valley.
They had scarce commenced searching their victim.
They had scarce commenced searching their victims for booty, when a solitary Indian was seen approaching from the upper valley.
“We hain’t got our guns!” exclaimed Sneak, pulling out his knife.
“I’ll get mine!” cried Joe, running away with all his might.
“What’s the matter?” inquired Boone, smiling, who had also seen the approaching Indian, and was walking to where the dead savages lay, accompanied by Glenn and Roughgrove, when he met Joe running swiftly towards the house.
“Hang me, if the Indians ain’t coming back again,” replied Joe.
“There is but one, and he has a white flag,” said Boone, who had discovered a small rag attached to a pole borne by the Indian.
“What can he want?” inquired Glenn.
“He wants permission to bury the dead,” replied Roughgrove.
“He’s the very rascal we let loose last night,” said Sneak.
This was true. Although the singed savage had removed some of the black marks produced by the explosion, yet so many palpable traces of that event were still exhibited on his person, there could be no doubt of his identity.
The Indian came for the purpose mentioned by Roughgrove, and his request was granted. He made a sign to a comrade he had left some distance behind, who, in a very few minutes, was seen to approach in a hasty though timorous pace.
“Don’t go to shooting out here!” exclaimed Sneak, hearing a clicking sound, and the next moment observing Joe pointing his musket through the loophole nearly in a line with the spot where he stood.
“Come in! come in! come in!” cried Joe.
“Put your gun away, and be silent,” said Glenn.
“I’ll be silent,” replied Joe, “but I’d rather stand here and watch awhile. If they ain’t going to hurt any of us, it’ll do no harm; and if theydotry to kill any of you, it may do some good.”
When the second Indian arrived, he seized the body of the savage enveloped in the swine-skin, (knowing that permission to do so had been obtained by his comrade,) and bore him away with great expedition, manifesting no inclination whatever to tarry at a place which had been so fatal to his brethren. But the other had every confidence in the mercy of the whites, and lingered some length of time, gazing at the corpse before him, as if hesitating whether to bear it away.
“Why do you not take him up?” inquired Roughgrove.
The Indian said it was the false prophet Raven, and that he hardly deserved to be buried.
Sneak turned the dead Indian over, (he had been lying on his face,) and he was instantly recognized by the whole party.
“I’m glad its him,” said Sneak.
“I think we will have peace now,” said Boone, “for Raven has ever been the most blood-thirsty chief of the tribe.”
“Where is the war-party encamped? When do they return to their own country?” asked Roughgrove.
The Indian replied that they were encamped in a small grove on the border of the prairie, where they intended to bury their brothers, and then it was their intention to set out immediately for their villages. He added that one of their tribe, whom they had left at home, arrived that morning with intelligence that a war-party of Pawnees had invaded their territories, and it was necessary for them to hasten back with all possible dispatch to defend their wives and children.
Glenn asked Boone how the Indians managed to sleep in the cold prairie; and, Roughgrove repeating the inquiry to the savage, they were informed that the war-party carried with them a long but very light sled, in the shape of a canoe, to which was tied a rope made of buckskins, by which they pulled it along on the snow with great swiftness. This kept them warm with exercise through the day. A quantity of furs and buffalo skins were packed in the canoe that served to keep them warm at night.
“Mr. Roughgrove! Mr. Roughgrove!” cried Joe, from his loophole.
“What do you want with me?” responded the old man.
“Why, Miss Mary’s gone down to your house to see if the Indians have been there, and they may be there now, perhaps.”
“There’s no danger now, you blockhead,” replied Roughgrove.
“Keep your mouth shet!” said Sneak.
“Your mouth’s mashed—recollect who did it,” retorted Joe.
The savage at length lifted up the dead body, and set off at a brisk pace towards the prairie. The party then returned to the house and partook of a plenteous repast that had been provided by Mary.
When the breakfast was over, they repaired to the cliff, to examine the place where the Indians had first penetrated the snow. They had commenced operations at the very brow of the cliff, on a shelving rock, to attain which, without being seen from the garrison, they must have crawled on their hands and knees a considerable distance. Below could be seen an immense heap of snow, which had been thrown down from the place of entrance, just as Boone had described.
“Jest look yander!” cried Sneak, pointing up the river. The scene was a remarkable one. They beheld a very small deer (the lightness of which enabled it to run on the snow that covered the ice with great fleetness, without breaking through the crust,) chased about on the river by a pack of wolves! These hungry animals had evidently been racing after it a great length of time, from the distressed appearance of the poor victim, and, having driven it upon the ice, they seemed resolved to prevent it from ever again entering the thickets. The plan they adopted was systematic, and worthy the imitation of biped hunters. They dispersed in various directions, and formed themselves in a circle of about a half mile in diameter, hemming the deer in on all sides, while only one or two of their number at a time chased it. Round and round it ran; and though its pursuers were left far in the rear, yet it remained entirely surrounded by the enemy. Occasionally, when a chasing wolf became exhausted, one of the guards (abandoning his post) would enter the ring, and, not being fatigued, was able to carry on the pursuit with redoubled vigour. Thus the chase was kept up with increasing fierceness by means of a succession of fresh wolves, until the poor deer finally sank down and surrendered its life. The voracious pack then rushed from their stations indiscriminately, and coming in contact immediately over their prey, a most frightful contest ensued among them. Horrific yells and screams could be heard by the men as they looked on from their distant position. At times the wolves were so closely jumbled together that nothing could be distinguished but one black, heaving, and echoing mass. But the struggle was soon over. In a very few moments, they became quiet, and started off in a comparatively peaceful manner towards the island, whence their prize had been driven, in quest of others. When they abandoned the spot where their victim had fallen, not so much as a bone remained.
“That’s making a clean business of it!” said Sneak.
“Its no such thing!” said Joe; “it’s a nasty trick to swallow hide, bones, and bowels, in that manner.”
“Its clean for wolves,” said Sneak.
“Oh, may be you’re part wolf,” said Joe.
“Now, none of your gab, or I’ll play some other trick on you, worse than that at the spring.”
“You be hanged,” retorted Joe; “I’ll give you leave to do it when you get a chance the next time.”
“It is a great pity that the deer are subject to such destruction,” remarked Glenn.
“The wolves we saw are all on yonder island,” said Boone, “and if you are disposed to have a hunt, I have no doubt we might kill some of them.”
“We are entirely dependent upon the deer for animal food,” said Roughgrove; “and if we could only surround that party of wolves as they did the deer, we might do the settlement much good service.”
“I go in for it,” said Sneak.
“I’d rather wait a day or two, till the Indians have gone clean off,” said Joe.
“There is nothing to fear from them now,” said Boone, “unless something they might steal should fall in their way. But it will not require an hour to rout the wolves on the little island.”
“Then let us hasten and get our guns, and be upon them before they leave it,” said Glenn.
They returned to the house, and were all soon equipped for the onslaught, except Joe, who made no preparation whatever.
“Get ready, Joe,” said Glenn; “your redoubtable musket will do good service.”
“I’d rather not,” said Joe; “I’m hardly well enough to walk so far. I’ll take care of Miss Mary. I wonder what’s become of her? Mr. Roughgrove, Miss Mary hasn’t come back yet!”
“Yes she has,” replied the old ferryman; “I saw her bring this frozen flower up, while we were standing on the cliff, and she has only returned for the other pots, I hear her singing down the valley now,” he added, after stepping to the gate and listening a moment.
“Have you any gum fetid?” asked Boone, addressing Glenn.
“I’ve got lots of it,” interposed Joe, “that I brought along for the horses, because an old man at St. Louis told me they would never die so long as I kept a lump of it in the rack.”
“What use do you make of it?” asked Glenn.
“The scent of it will at any time collect the wolves,” said Boone, directing Joe to bring it along.
The party set out at a brisk pace, Joe with the rest, for it was necessary to station the men at as many points as possible. Boone, Roughgrove, and Glenn, when they reached the upper valley, descended to the river, while Sneak and Joe were directed to station themselves on the main-land opposite the upper and lower ends of the island. The party of three advanced towards the island on the ice, and Sneak and Joe pursued their way in a parallel direction through the narrow skirt of woods that bordered the range of bluffs.
Ere long the two on land descended from their high position and entered a densely-timbered bottom, the upper part of which (a half mile distant) was only separated from the island by a very narrow channel.
Here, for the first time that day, the thought that the island he was approaching was the haunted one of Glenn’s dream occurred to Joe, and he paused suddenly.
“What are you stopping for?” asked Sneak.
“Because”—Joe hesitated, positively ashamed to tell the reason; and after a moment’s reflection he was impressed with a thorough conviction that his apprehensions and scruples were ridiculous.
“Don’t you hear me?” continued Sneak.
“I was thinking about going back for the dogs,” said Joe.
“Yes, and they would be torn to bits in a little less than no time,” said Sneak.
“Come on, then,” said Joe, setting forward again, and dismissing all fears of the fire-wizard from his mind.
“Let me see how much asafoetida you’ve got,” said Sneak, after they had walked a few moments in silence.
“Here it is,” said Joe, unwrapping a paper containing several ounces; “but hang me, if that ain’t rather too strong a joke of Mr. Boone’s about its collecting the wolves. I can’t believe that.”
“Did you ever hear of Mr. Boone’s telling a lie?” asked Sneak.
“No, I never did, and that’s a fact,” said Joe; “but I’m afraid he’s got into a scrape this time—Jingo! look yonder!” he continued, throwing his musket up to his face, and pointing it at a very large black wolf that stood in the path before them.
“Don’t shoot! I put two loads in your gun,” cried Sneak, hastily.
“Confound your long-necked gourd-head, I say!” said Joe, throwing down the muzzle of his musket in an instant, and the next moment the wolf disappeared among the tall bushes. “Why, hang me, if you didn’t tell a lie!” continued Joe, running down his ramrod.
“Don’t I know it?” replied Sneak. “I jest said so to keep you from shooting; becaise if you had shot, you’d ’ave skeered all the other wolves away, and we wouldn’t ’ave killed any.”
“It’s well you didn’t put in another cartridge,” said Joe, “for I wish I may be smashed if I stand this kicking business any longer.”
“Now, I guess you’ll believe there’s something in the asafoetida, after all! and the wolves’ll come all round you and won’t go off for shooting at ’em, if you’ll only rub it on the soles of your boots.”
“I’ll try it!” said Joe, suiting the action to the word, and then striding onward, and looking in every direction for the wolves.
“You’ll have to tree, if they come too thick.”
“Pshaw!” replied Joe, “you can’t scare me in that way. I don’t believe a hat full of it would make them stand and be shot at.”
They were now opposite the island. Joe selected a position even with the upper end of it, and Sneak remained below. Boone, after stationing Roughgrove and Glenn to the best advantage, walked out to the main-land, and taking some of the gum fetid in Joe’s possession, returned to the island; and, ere long, he, Roughgrove, and Glenn were heard discharging their guns with great rapidity, and the cries of the wolves attested that they were labouring with effect. But none of the beleaguered animals had yet retreated from the scene of destruction. On the contrary, several were seen to run across from the main-land and join those on the island. Presently Sneak commenced a brisk fire. There seemed to be a whole army of wolves congregated in the vicinity. Joe at first laughed, and then became confused and puzzled. He anxiously desired to make the roar of his musket join the melée; but at times he thought the ravenous enemy rather too numerous for him to be in perfect safety. The firing on the island continued without abatement. Sneak’s gun was likewise still heard at regular intervals, and what seemed an extraordinary matter to Joe was that Sneak should yell out something or other about the “asafoetida,” and “moccasin tracks,” after every discharge. Joe was not long idle. He soon saw a huge black wolf trotting along the little deer path he had just traversed, with its nose down to the ground. A moment after, another, and then a third, were seen pursuing the same course, some distance behind. Joe became uneasy. His first impulse was to scamper over to the island: but, when he thought of the jeers and jests that would ensue from Sneak, he resolved to stand his ground. When the foremost wolf had approached within thirty paces of him, he leveled his musket and fired. The wolf uttered a fierce howl and expired.
“Hang me, if I haven’t floored you, any how,” said he, exultingly, as he proceeded to reload his gun with as much expedition as possible. But the other wolves, so far from being alarmed at the fate of their comrade, seemed to quicken their pace towards the position of Joe. “Slash me, if there ain’t too many of them!” ejaculated Joe, as he perceived several others, and all advancing upon him. “I’ll settle your hash, by jing!” he continued, firing at the foremost one, which was not twenty paces distant. The leaden contents of the musket entered its breast, and it fell dead without a growl. Still the others advanced. Joe had no time to charge his gun again.
“I’ll make tracks!” said he, starting toward the frozen channel that separated him from the island. But he had not gone ten paces before he discovered two enormous wolves approaching fromthatdirection. “I’ll cut dirt back again!” he continued, whirling suddenly around, and rushing back to his stand, where he stood not a moment, but sprang up in a tree, and after attaining a large limb that put out from the trunk, some fifteen feet above the snow, paused, and pantingly surveyed his assailants. There were now no less than twenty wolves in sight, and several were at the root of the tree yelping at him! “I’ll be hanged if I half like this,” said he. “Snap me, if I don’t begin to believe that the asafoetida does charm them, after all. Confound Sneak! he’s always getting me into some hobble or other! Now, if it wasn’t for this tree, I’d be in a nice fix. Hang it! all the wolves in the world are broke loose to-day, surely—where the mischief could they all have come from? Just hear the men, how they are shooting! And they are killing the wild black dogs every crack—but still they won’t back out! I’ll blaze away at ’em again!” Saying this, he reloaded his musket as quickly as his peculiar position would allow, and, for the purpose of ridding himself as soon as possible of his disagreeable visitors, he poured in an additional charge of buckshot. “Now,” he continued, “what if the gun should fly out of my hands? I’d be in a pretty condition then! I wouldn’t mind the kick at all, if I was only on dry land—but if the gun should kick me over here, I’d tumble right down into their mouths! I wish I’d thought of that before I rammed down the wadding. I haven’t got my screw along, or I might draw out the load again. I’ll not shoot at all. I’ll just watch till somebody comes and scares them away. Ugh! you black rascal! what’re you staring up here for?” he continued, looking down at the largest wolf, which was standing upright against the tree, and tearing the bark away furiously with his long teeth. The number of Joe’s enemies continued to increase. There were now perhaps twenty under the tree. And still the firing on the island was kept up, though not so incessantly as at first, which inspired Joe with a hope that they would either kill all the wolves in their vicinity very soon or force them to join his flock under the tree, when the men would surely come to his relief. Sneak’s fire abated somewhat, likewise, and Joe’s reliance upon having their aid in a very short time caused his fears to subside in a great measure.
“If you’re so crazy after asafoetida,” said he, looking down at the fiercely staring animals again, “I’ll give you a taste, just to see what you’ll do.” He took a small portion of the gum which he had retained, and rubbed it over a piece of paper that he found in his pocket. He then dropped the paper in their midst. They sprang upon it simultaneously, and in an instant it vanished, Joe knew not whither. “Hang me, if I couldn’t pepper a half-dozen at a shot when they all rush up together so close, if I wasn’t afraid of being kicked down. I’ll be teetotally smashed if I don’t fix and try it, any how!” said he, pulling out a strong leather string from his pocket, one end of which he attached firmly to a small limb of the tree, and the other he tied as tightly round the wrist of his left arm. He then pulled out his bandanna, and likewise made his musket fast to a bough. “Now, my snapping beauties,” he continued, “I’m mistaken if I don’t give you a dose of blue pills that’ll do your business in short order.” Saying this, he tore off another piece of paper, and rubbing on the gum, dropped it down as near as possible to the spot where he wished the wolves to cluster together. No sooner did it fall than the whole gang sprang upon it, and he fired with precision in their midst. Joe did not look to see what execution was done. He was dangling in the air and whirling round and round at a rapid rate, like a malefactor suspended from the gallows, with the exception that his neck did not suffer, and he cried out most lustily for assistance. When the cloud of smoke that enveloped him cleared away a little, and he became better acquainted with his critical situation, his yells increased in rapidity and violence. His condition was truly perilous. The small bough to which he had attached himself had not sufficient strength to bear him up when his feet slipped from the larger one below, and it was now bent down a considerable distance, and that too in a divergent direction from his recent foothold, and unfortunately there was no limb of the tree of any strength within his reach. His legs hung within six feet of the surface of the snow. The discharge had killed four or five of the wolves, but, undismayed, the remainder assailed him the more furiously. The most active of them could easily spring as far up as his feet! Never was terror more strongly depicted in the human face than it was displayed in Joe’s when he saw the whole pack rushing towards him! They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells. Joe yelled likewise, and doubled his knees up to his chin. They missed his feet by several inches, and were borne out fifteen or twenty feet to one side by the impetus of the leap. It was by a mighty effort that he thus avoided them, and no sooner had they passed under him than his legs again dangled downward. In a moment they whirled round and were again rushing at their victim. Once more Joe screamed, and drew up his legs while they passed under him. “Help! help! for God’s sake!” cried he, when they whirled round again. His cry was heard. Several sharp reports resounded from the river bank, a few paces on the east. Three or four of the wolves howled and fell. The rest hesitated, their eyes glistening, and fixed on Joe’s suspended boots. “Come quick! for Heaven’s sake! I can’t pull up my legs any more!” cried Joe. This was true, for his strength was fast failing. The guns were again discharged with deadly effect, and all but one of the largest of the wolves precipitately ran off, and disappeared among the bushes.
They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells.
They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells. Joe yelled likewise, and doubled his knees up to his chin.
“Jerk up your leg! that feller’s a going to take one of your feet along with him, if he kin!” cried Sneak. Joe saw the wolf charging upon him, but he was altogether unable to avoid it in the manner he had done before. It was now only a few feet distant, its mouth open, displaying a frightful set of teeth, and springing towards him. Finding it impossible to prevent a collision, Joe resolved to sell his foot as dearly as possible. As much as he was able, he bent up his knee-joints, and when his assailant came, he bestowed his heels upon his head with all his might. The wolf was stunned, and fell under the blow.
“Take that!” cried Sneak, running up and plunging his knife into the animal’s side. The wolf groaned and died.
“Ha! ha! ha! you were born to be hanged,” said Roughgrove, coming forward with Boone and Glenn, and laughing heartily.
“He has been hung,” said Boone.
“And almost quartered,” said Glenn.
“Oh, goodness! Jump up here, Sneak, and cut me loose,” said Joe, beseechingly.
“There’s no danger of you ever dying,” said Sneak.
“Oh, please don’t laugh at me, Sneak, but cut me down; that’s a good fellow. The string is beginning to cut my wrist like fury!”
“How did you git in such a fix?” continued Sneak.
“Oh, hang it, Sneak, just get me out of the fix, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“It’s hungnow—didn’t you say ‘hang it, Sneak?’” continued Sneak.
“Oh, come, now,” continued Joe; “if you were in this way, don’t you think I’d help you?”
“Cut him down, Sneak,” said Boone; and in a twinkling Sneak was up in the tree, and the string was severed. Joe came down with great force, his feet foremost, and running through the snow-crust to a great depth.
“I wish some of you would help me out of this,” said he, after struggling some time in vain to extricate himself.
“You’ll want me to carry you home next, I s’pose,” said Sneak, assisting him up. Joe made no reply; but as soon as he could cut the string away from his wrist, seized Sneak by the throat, hurled him on his back, and springing upon him, a violent struggle ensued for a few moments before they could be separated.
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Glenn, dragging Joe away from his prostrate victim.
“What did you do that for?” asked Sneak, rising up and brushing the snow from his head and face, his fall having broken the icy surface.
“You rascal, you! I’ll show you what for!” cried Joe, endeavouring to get at him again.
“Joe!” said Glenn, “if you attempt any further violence, you shall not remain another day under my roof!”
“He boxed my ear like thunder!” said Sneak; “I didn’t think the fellow had so much pluck in him! I like him better now than ever I did. Give us your paw, Joe.” Joe shook hands with him reluctantly, and then wiped a flood of tears from his face.
“He told me to put some asafetida on my hoots, and said I could then kill more wolves,” said Joe; “and it came within an ace of making them kill me.”
“It was very wrong to do so, Sneak,” said Boone, “and the boxing you got for it was not amiss.”
“I believe I think so myself,” said Sneak. “But it did make him kill more wolves after all—jest look at ’em all around here!”
Joe soon recovered entirely from the effects of his swing, his fright, and his anger, and looked with something like satisfaction on his many trophies lying round him; and when he disengaged his musket from the bough of the tree, he regarded it with affection.
They moved homeward, entirely content with the result of the excursion. Boone explained the reason why so many of the wolves were congregated about the island. He stated that the vines and bushes on which the deer feed in the winter were abundant and nutritious in the low lands along the river, and that great numbers of them repaired thither at that season of the year. The wolves of course followed them, and having now destroyed all the large deer in the vicinity of the island, and the small ones being enabled to run on the snow-crust, they found it necessary to muster in the chase as great a number as possible, and thus prevent their prey from escaping to the prairies. He said that the wolves preferred the timber, being enabled to make more comfortable lairs and dens among the fallen trees than out in the cold prairies. But their guns had wrought a fearful destruction among them. Perhaps three-fourths of them fell.
The party soon reached Glenn’s house. As they entered the inclosure, they were surprised to see Ringwood running wildly about, whining and snarling and tearing the snow to pieces with his teeth. Jowler was more composed, but a low, mournful whine issued continuously from his mouth.
“Dod! what’s the dogs been after?” ejaculated Sneak.
“Go in, Joe, and ask Mary what it means,” said Rough grove.
“I’d rather not—the house may be full of Indians,” replied Joe, relapsing into his natural cowardice.
“Mary,” said Roughgrove, approaching the door and calling affectionately. Receiving no reply, the old man entered and called again. A silence succeeded. Roughgrove reappeared a moment after, with a changed countenance. Boone gazed at his pale features, and asked the cause of his distress by a look, not a word.
“She’s gone! gone! gone!” exclaimed Roughgrove, covering his face with both hands.
Boone made no answer, but turning his face in the direction of the southern valley, he called upon the name of Mary three times, in clear and loud tones. He listened for her reply, in a motionless attitude, several minutes. But no reply came. Now a change came overhisfeatures. It was a ferocity from which even the blood-thirsty savages would have fled in horror!
“My eternal curse upon them! They have seized her! I have been deceived! I will have vengeance!” said he, in a low, determined tone.
“Will they kill her, or keep her for a ransom?” inquired Glenn, in extreme and painful excitement.
“A ransom,” said Boone; “but they shall pay the weight of the silver they demand in blood!”
“May Heaven guard her!” said Roughgrove, in piteous agony.
“Cheer up—we will get her again,” said Boone; and then giving some hasty directions, preparations were made for pursuit.