Wild Western Scenes

by J. B. Jones

  CHAPTER XIV.

  William's illness--Sneak's strange house--Joe's courage--The beehunt--Joe and Sneak captured by the Indians--Their sad condition--Preparations to burn them alive--Their miraculous escape.

  Just before the dawn of day, Roughgrove and Glenn were awakened byMary. She was weeping at the bed-side of William.

  "What's the matter, child?" asked Roughgrove, rising up and lightingthe lamp.

  "Poor brother!" said she, and her utterance failed her.

  "He has a raging fever!" said Glenn, who had approached the bed andplaced his hand upon the young man's temples.

  "True--and I fear it will be fatal!" said Roughgrove, in alarm, as heheld the unresisting wrist of the panting youth.

  "Fear not," said Glenn; "God directs all things. This violent illness,too, may in the end be a blessing. Let us do all in our power torestore him to health, and leave the rest to Him. I was once an ardentstudent of medicine, and the knowledge I acquired may be of someavail."

  "I will pray for his recovery," said Mary, bowing down at the foot ofthe bed.

  "Dod--I mean--Joe, it's most daylight," said Sneak, rising up andrubbing his eyes.

  "Well, what if it is? what are you waking me up for?" replied Joe,turning over on his rude pallet.

  "Why, I'm going home."

  "Well, clear out them."

  "But you'll have to get up and shut the gate after me"'

  "Plague take it all, I believe you're just trying to spoil my nap!"said Joe, much vexed.

  "No I ain't, Joe; I'm in earnest, indeed I am," continued Sneak;"bekaise I hain't been inside of my house, now, for three or fourdays, and who knows but the dod--mean the--Indians have been thereand stole all my muskrat skins?"

  "If they have, then there's no use in looking for them now."

  "If they have, dod--I mean, _burn_ me if I don't foller em to theother end of creation but I'll have 'em back agin. But I ain't muchafeard that they saw my house--they might rub agin it without knowingit was a house."

  "That's a pretty tale," said Joe, now thoroughly awakened, and staringincredulously in his companion's face.

  "It's a fact."

  "Whereabouts is your house?"

  "Why, it's in the second valley we crossed when we went after thewolves on the island."

  "Then your skins are gone," said Joe, "for the Indians have been inthat valley."

  "I know they was there well enough," said Sneak; "but didn't I saythey couldn't find the house, even if they was to scratch their backsagin it?"

  "What kind of a house is it?"

  "'Spose you come along and see," said Sneak, groping about in the dimtwilight for his cap, and the gun Glenn bad given him.

  "I should like to see it, just out of curiosity," replied Joe.

  "I will pray for his recovery," said Mary, bowing downat the foot of the bed.--P. 186]

  "Then go along with Sneak," said Glenn, who approached the fire toprepare some medicine; "it is necessary that every thing should bequiet and still here."

  "If you'll help me to feed and water the horses. Sneak, I'll go homewith you," said Joe. Sneak readily agreed to the proposition, and bythe time it was quite light, and yet before the sun rose, the labourwas accomplished, and they set out together for the designated valley.Their course was somewhat different from that pursued when in quest ofthe wolves, for Sneak's habitation was about midway between the riverand the prairie, and they diverged in a westerly direction. But theirprogress was slow During the night there had been a change in theatmosphere, and a constant breeze from the south had in a greatmeasure softened the snow-crust, so that our pedestrians frequentlybroke through.

  "This is not the most agreeable walking I ever saw," said Joe,breaking through and tumbling down on his face.

  "That's jest as much like swimming as walking," said Sneak, smiling atthe blunder of his companion.

  "Smash it, Sneak," continued Joe, rising up with some difficulty, "Idon't half like this breaking-through business."

  "You must walk lighter, and then you won't break through," said Sneak;"tread soft like I do, and put your feet down flat. I hain't broke inonce--" But before the sentence was uttered, Sneak had broken throughhimself, and stood half-submerged in the snow.

  "Ha! ha! ha! you musn't count your chickens before they're hatched,"said Joe, laughing; "but you may score one, now you have broken theshell."

  "I got in that time," said Sneak, now winding through the bushes withmuch caution, as if it were truly in his power to diminish the weightof his body by a peculiar mode of walking.

  "This thaw 'll be good for one thing, any how," said Joe, after theyhad progressed some time in silence.

  "What's that?" asked Sneak.

  "Why, it 'll keep the Indians away; they can't travel through theslush when the crust is melted off."

  "That's as true as print," replied Sneak; and if none of 'em folleredus back to the settlement, we needn't look for 'em agin till spring."

  "I wonder if any of them _did_ follow us?" asked Joe, pausingabruptly.

  "How can anybody tell till they see 'em?" replied Sneak. "What're youstopping for?"

  "I'm going back," said Joe.

  "Dod--you're a fool--that's jest what you are. Hain't We got our guns?and if there _is_ any about, ain't they in the bushes close to Mr.Glenn's house? and hain't we passed through 'em long ago? But I don'tkeer any thing about your cowardly company--go back, if you want to,"said Sneak, striding onward.

  "Sneak, don't go so fast. I haven't any notion of going back," saidJoe, springing nimbly to his companion's side.

  "I believe you're afeard to go back by yourself," said Sneak, laughingheartily.

  "Pshaw, Sneak, I don't think any of 'em followed us, do you?"continued Joe, peering at the bushes and trees in the valley, whichthey were entering.

  "No," said Sneak; "I only wanted to skeer you a bit."

  "I've killed too many savages to be scared by them now," said Joe,carelessly striding onward.

  "What was you a going back for, if you wasn't skeered?"

  "I wonder what always makes you think I'm frightened when I talk ofgoing into the house! Sneak, you're _always_ mistaken. I wasn'tthinking about myself--I only wanted to put Mr. Glenn on his guard."

  "Then what made you tell that wapper for, the other night, aboutcutting that Indian's throat?"

  "How do you know it was a wapper?" asked Joe, somewhat whatembarrassed by Sneak's home-thrust.

  "Bekaise, don't I know that I cut his juggler-vein myself? Didn't theblood gush all over me? and didn't he fall down dead before he hadtime to holler?" continued Sneak, with much warmth and earnestness.

  "Sneak," said Joe, "I've no doubt you thought he was dead--but thenyou must know it's nearly as hard to kill a man as a cat. You mighthave been mistaken; every body is liable to be deceived--even aperson's eyes deceive him sometimes. I don't pretend to say that Ihaven't been mistaken before now, myself. It _may_ be possible that Iwas mistaken about the Indian as well as you--I might have just_thought_ I saw him move. But I was there longer than you, and theinference is that I didn't stand as good a chance to be deceived."

  "Well, I can't answer all that," said Sneak; "but I'll swear I felt myknife grit agin his neck-bone."

  Joe did not desire to pursue the subject any further, and theyproceeded on their way in silence, ever and anon breaking through thesnow-crust. The atmosphere became still more temperate when the brightsun beamed over the horizon. Drops of water trickled down from thesnow-covered branches of the trees, and a few birds flitted overhead,and uttered imperfect lays.

  "Here we are," said Sneak, halting in the midst of a clump of enormoussycamore trees, over whose roots a sparkling rivulet glided with agurgling sound.

  "I know we're here," said Joe; "but what are you stopping _here_ for?"

  "Here's where I live," replied Sneak, with a comical smile playing onhis lips.

  "But where's your house?" asked Joe.

  "Didn't I say you couldn't find it, even if you
was to rub your backagin it?"

  "I know I'm not rubbing against your house now," replied Joe, turninground and looking up in the huge tree he had been leaning against.

  "But you have been leaning agin my house," continued Sneak, amused atthe incredulous face of his companion.

  "I know better," persisted Joe; "this big sycamore is the only thingI've leant against since we started."

  "Jest foller me, and I'll show you something," said Sneak, steppinground to the opposite side of the tree, where the ascent on the northrose abruptly from the roots. Here he removed a thin flat stone ofabout four feet in height, that stood in a vertical position againstthe tree.

  "You don't live in there, Sneak, surely; why that looks like a wolf'sden," said Joe, perceiving a dark yawning aperture, and that theimmense tree was but a mere shell.

  "Keep at my heels," said Sneak, stooping down and crawling into thetree.

  "I'd rather not," said Joe; "there may be a bear in it."

  Soon a clicking sound was heard within, and the next moment Joeperceived the flickering rays of a small lamp that Sneak held in hishand, illuminating the sombre recesses of the novel habitation.

  "Why don't you come in?" asked Sneak.

  "Sneak, how do you know there ain't a bear up in the hollow?" askedJoe, crawling in timidly and endeavouring to peer through the darknessfar above, where even the rays of the lamp could not penetrate.

  "I wonder if you think I'd let a bear sleep in my house," continuedSneak, searching among a number of boxes and rude shelves, to see ifany thing had been molested during his absence. Finding every thingsafe, he handed Joe a stool, and began to kindle a fire in a smallstone furnace. Joe sat down in silence, and looked about inastonishment. And the scene was enough to excite the wonder of anIrishman. The interior of the tree was full eight feet in diameter,while the eye was lost above in undeveloped regions. Below, there wasa surface of smooth stones, which were comfortably carpeted over withbuffalo robes. At one side was a diminutive fireplace, or furnace,constructed of three flat stones about three inches in thickness. Thelargest was laid horizontally on the ground, and the others placedupright on it, and attached to a clay chimney, that was by some meansconfined to the interior side of the tree, and ran upward until it waslost in the darkness. After gazing in amazement several minutes atthis strange contrivance, Joe exclaimed:

  "Sneak, I don't understand this! Where does that smoke go to?"

  "Go out doors and see if you can't see," replied Sneak, placing morefuel on the blazing fire.

  "Go out of the _hole_ you mean to say," said Joe, creeping out.

  "You may call it jest what you like," said Sneak; "but I'll beswitched if many folks lives in _higher_ houses than I does."

  "Well, I'll declare!" cried Joe.

  "What ails you now?" asked Sneak, thrusting his head out of theaperture, and regarding the surprise of Joe with much satisfaction.

  "Why, I see the smoke pouring out of a hole in a _limb_ not muchbigger than my thigh!" cried Joe. This was true. Sneak had mounted upin the tree before building his chimney, and finding a hollow boughthat communicated directly with the main trunk had cut through intothe cavity, and thus made a vent for the escape of the smoke.

  "Come in now, and get something to eat," said Sneak. This was aninvitation that Joe was never known to decline. After casting anotheradmiring glance at the blue vapour that issued from the bough someninety feet from the ground, he passed through the cavity withalacrity.

  "Where are you?" cried Joe, upon entering and looking round in vainfor his host, who had vanished in a most inexplicable manner. Joestared in astonishment. The lighted lamp remained on a box, that wasdesigned for the breakfast-table, and on which there was in truth anabundance of dried venison and smoking potatoes. But where was Sneak?

  "Sneak, what's become of you?" continued Joe, eagerly listening for areply, and anxiously scanning the tempting repast set before him. "Iknow you're at some of your tricks," he added, and sitting down at thetable, commenced in no indifferent manner to discuss the savouryvenison and potatoes.

  "I'm only up stairs," cried Sneak, in the darkness above; and throwingdown a rope made of hides, the upper end of which was fastened to thetree within, he soon followed, slipping briskly down, and withoutdelay sprang to Joe's assistance.

  When the meal was finished, or rather, when every thing set beforethem had vanished, Sneak rose up and thrust his long neck out of theaperture.

  "What are you looking at?" asked Joe.

  "I'm looking at the warm sun shining agin yonder side of the hill,"said Sneak; "how'd you like to go a bee-hunting?"

  "A bee-hunting!" iterated Joe. "I wonder if you think we could find abee at this season of the year? and I should like to know what it'd beworth when we found it."

  "Plague take the bee--I mean the _honey_--don't you like wild honey?"continued Sneak.

  "Yes," said Joe; "but how can you find any when there's such a snow asthis on the ground?"

  "When there's a snow, that's the time to find 'em," said Sneak;"peticuly when the sun shines warm. Jest come out here and look," hecontinued, stepping along, and followed by Joe; "don't you see yanderbig stooping limb?"

  "Yes," replied Joe, gazing at the bough pointed out.

  "Well," continued Sneak, "there's a bee's nest in that. Look here," headded, picking from the snow several dead bees that had been thrownfrom the hive; "now this is the way with all wild bees (but these aretame, for they live in my house), for when there comes a warm daythey're sartin as fate to throw out the dead ones, and we can findwhere they are as easy as any thing in the world."

  "Sneak, my mouth's watering--suppose we take the axe and go and huntfor some honey."

  "Let's be off, then," said Sneak, getting his axe, and preparing toplace the stone against the tree.

  "Stop, Sneak," said Joe; "let me get my gun before you shut the_door_."

  "I guess we'd better leave our guns, and then we won't be so apt tobreak through," replied Sneak, closing up the aperture.

  "The bees won't sting us, will they?" asked Joe, turning to hiscompanion when they had attained the high-timbered ridge that ranparallel with the valley.

  "If you chaw 'em in your mouth they will," replied Sneak, stridingalong under the trees with his head bent down, and minutely examiningevery small dark object he found lying on the surface of the snow.

  "I know that as well as you do," continued Joe, "because that wouldthaw them."

  "Well, if they're froze, how _kin_ they sting you?"

  "You needn't be so snappish," replied Joe. "I just asked forinformation. I know as well as anybody they're frozen or torpid."

  "Or what?" asked Sneak.

  "Torpid," said Joe.

  "I'll try to 'member that word," continued Sneak, peeping under aspreading oak that was surrounded by a dense hazel thicket.

  "Do," continued Joe, contemptuously, "and if you'll only recollect allyou hear me say, you may get a tolerable education after a while."

  "I'll be shivered if this ain't the edication I wan't," said Sneak,turning round with one or two dead bees in his hand, that he had foundnear the root of the tree.

  "Huzza!" cried Joe, "we'll have a mess of honey now. I see the holewhere they are--its in a limb, and we won't have to cut down thetree," and before Sneak could interpose, Joe mounted up among thebranches, and asked for the axe, saying he would have the bough off infive minutes. Sneak gave it to him, and when he reached the place,(which was not more than fifteen feet from the ground,) he commencedcutting away with great eagerness. The cavity was large, and in a fewminutes the bough began to give way. In spite of Sneak'sgesticulations and grimaces below, Joe did not bethink him that one ofhis feet still rested on the bough beyond the place where he wascutting, but continued to ply the axe with increasing rapidity.Presently the bough, axe, and Joe, all fell together. Sneak wasconvulsed with laughter. Joe sprang to his feet, and after feeling hislimbs and ribs, announced that no bones were broken, and laughed veryheartily himself. They
began to split open the severed bough withoutloss of time. But just when they were in the act of lifting out thehoneycomb, four stalwart savages rose softly from the bushes behind,and springing nimbly forward, seized them both before they could makeany resistance. The surprised couple yelled and struggled to nopurpose. Their hands were soon bound behind them, and they were drivenforward hastily in a southerly direction.

  "Oh! for goodness sake, Mr. Chief, please let me go home, and I'll payyou whatever you ask!" said Joe, to the tallest of the savages.

  The Indian, if he did not understand his captive's words, seemed tocomprehend his terrors, and was much diverted at his ludicrousexpression of features.

  "Oh pray! good Mr. Chief--"

  "Keep your mouth shet! They'll never git through torturing us, if youlet 'em know you're afraid," said Sneak.

  "That's just what I want," said Joe; "I don't want them to ever quittorturing us--because they'll never quit till we're both dead. But aslong as they laugh at they'll be sure to let me live."

  Ere long, the savages with their captives, entered the dense grovewhere Mary had been taken, before they set out with her over theprairie. But it was evidently not their intention to conduct theirpresent prisoners to their villages, and demand a ransom for them. Norwere they prepared to convey them away in the same dignified andcomfortable manner, over the snow-clad plains. They anticipated agratification of a different nature. They had been disappointed in alltheir attempts to obtain booty from the whites. The maid they hadtaken had been recaptured, and their chief was in the possession ofthe enemy. These, to say nothing of the loss of a score of theirbrethren by the fire-weapons of the white men, stimulated them withunerring precision to compass the destruction of their prisoners.Blood only could satiate their vengeful feelings. And the greater andlonger the sufferings of their victims the more exquisite would be theluxury of revenge. And this caused them to smile with positive delightwhen they witnessed the painful terrors of poor Joe.

  When they reached their place of encampment, which was in the midst ofa cluster of small slim trees that encircled an old spreading oak ofhuge dimensions, the savages made their prisoners stand with theirbacks against two saplings that grew some fifteen paces apart. Theywere compelled to face each other, that they might witness every thingthat transpired. Their arms were bound round the trees behind them,and a cord was likewise passed round their legs to confine them moresecurely. The savages then seemed to consult about the manner ofdespatching them. The oldest and most experienced, by his hastygestures and impatient replies, appeared to insist on theirinstantaneous death. And from his frequent glances northward, throughthe trees, he doubtless feared some interruption, or dreaded thearrival of an enemy that might inflict an ample retaliation. During along pause, while the Indians seemed to hesitate, and the old craftysavage drew his steel tomahawk from his belt, Sneak sighed deeply, andsaid, in rather mournful tones--

  "The jig's up with us, Joe. If I was only loose seven seconds, youwouldn't ketch me dying like a coon here agin a tree." Joe made noother response than a blubbering sound, while the tears ran down anddropped briskly from his chin.

  Joe and Sneak in difficulty.--P. 194]

  The savages gave vent to a burst of laughter when they beheld theagony of fear that possessed their captive. The three that were infavour of the slow torture now turned a deaf ear to the old warrior,and advanced to Joe. They held the palms of their hands under hischin, and caught the tears as they fell. They then stroked his headgently, and appeared to sympathize with the sufferer.

  "Mr. Indian, if you'll let me go, I'll give you my gun and twentydollars," said Joe, appealing most piteously to the one that placedhis hand on his head. The Indian seemed to understand him, and heldhis hand out for the money, while a demoniac smile played on his darklips.

  "Just untie my hands," said Joe, endeavouring to look behind, "andI'll go right straight home and get them."

  "You rascal--you want to run away," replied the old Indian, who notonly understood Joe's language, but could himself speak Englishimperfectly.

  "Upon my sacred word and honour, I won't!" replied Joe.

  "You lie!" said the savage, bestowing a severe smack on Joe's face.

  "Oh, Lord! Come now, Mr. Indian, that hurts!"

  "No--don't hurt--only kill musketer," replied the savage, laughingheartily, and striking his prisoner on the other side of the face.

  "Oh! hang your skin!" cried Joe, endeavouring to break away, "if everI get you in my power, I'll smash--" Here his sudden courageevaporated, and again the tears filled his eyes.

  "Poor fellow!" said the savage, patting his victim on the head. "Howmuch you give for him?" he continued, pointing to Sneak.

  "If you'll only let _me_ go, I'll give you every thing I've got in theworld. He don't want to live as bad as I do, and I'll give you as muchfor me alone as I will for both."

  "You're a purty white man, now, ain't you?" said Sneak. "But its allthe same. My chance is jest as good as your'n. They're only foolingyou, jest to laugh. I've made up my mind to die, and I ain't a goingto make any fun for 'em. And you might as well say your prayers fustas last; they're only playing with you now like a cat with a mice."

  The old Indian moved towards Sneak, followed by the others.

  "How much you give?" asked the savage.

  "Not a coon's tail," replied Sneak, with firmness.

  "Now how much?" continued the Indian, slapping the thin lank cheek ofhis prisoner.

  "Not a dod-rotted cent! Now jest take your tomahawk and split my skullopen as quick as you kin!" said Sneak; and he bowed down his head toreceive the fatal blow.

  "You brave rascal," said the Indian, looking his captive in the eye,and hesitating whether to practice his petty annoyances any further.At length they turned again to Joe.

  "That wasn't fair, Sneak," cried Joe, when the savages abandoned hisfellow-prisoner; "you ought to have kept them away from me as long asI did from you."

  "I'm gitting sick of this tanterlizing business," said Sneak. "I want'em to git through the job, without any more fooling about it. If youwasn't sich a coward, they'd let you alone, and kill us at once."

  "I don't want them to kill us--I'd rather they'd do any thing in theworld than to kill us," replied Joe.

  "Me won't hurt you," said the old savage, again placing his hand onJoe's head; but instead of gently patting it, he wound a lock of hairround one of his fingers, and with a sudden jerk tore it out by theroots.

  "Oh, my gracious! Oh, St. Peter! Oh, Lord! Mr. Indian, I beg and prayof you not to do that any more. If you'll only untie me, I'll get downon my knees to you," exclaimed poor Joe.

  "Poor fellow, me won't hurt him any more--poor head!" said the Indian,tearing off another lock.

  "Oh! oh! goodness gracious. _Dear_ Mr. Indian, don't do that! You canhave no idea how bad it hurts--I can't stand it. I'll faintpresently!" said Joe, trembling at every joint.

  "You're a fool," said Sneak, "to mind 'em that way. If you wasn't tonotice 'em, they wouldn't do it. See how they're laughing at you."

  "Oh, Sneak, I can't help it, to save my life, indeed I can't. Oh, mygood Lord, what would I give to be away from here!" said Joe, his eyesfit to burst from their sockets.

  "I've killed many a deer in a minit--it don't hurt a man to die morethan a deer. I wish the snarvilorous copper-skinned rascals would gitthrough quick!" said Sneak.

  "Me try you agin," said the savage, again going to Sneak.

  "Well, now, what're you a going to do? I'm not afraid of you!" saidSneak, grinding his teeth.

  "Me rub your head," said the savage, seizing a tuft of hair andtearing it out.

  "Take some more," said Sneak, bowing down his head.

  "A little more," iterated the savage, grasping a handful, which, withmuch exertion, he severed from the head, and left the white skinexposed to view.

  "Won't you have some more?" continued Sneak, without evincing theleast pain. "Jest take as much as you please; if you tear it off tillmy head's as bald as a
n egg, I won't beg you to let me alone."

  "You brave fellow--won't pull your hair any more," said the chief.

  "You be dod rot!" said Sneak, contemptuously.

  "You mighty brave, shake hands!" continued the laughing savage,holding his hand out in mockery.

  "If you'll untie my foot a minit, I'll bet I kick some of the ribs outof your body. Why don't you knock our brains out, and be done at once,you black wolves you!" said Sneak.

  "Oh, Sneak! for my sake--your poor friend's sake, don't put such anidea as that into their heads!" said Joe, imploringly.

  "You're a purty friend, ain't you? You'd give so _much_ to ransom me!They aint a going to quit us without killin' us, and I want it allover jest as soon as it kin be done."

  "Oh, no, Sneak! Maybe they'll take pity on us and spare our lives,"said Joe, assuming a most entreating look as the savage once moreapproached him.

  "You make good big Osage; you come with us, if we let you live?"demanded the old Indian.

  "I pledge you my most sacred word and honour I will!"

  "You run away, you rascal," said the savage, plucking another tuft ofhair from Joe's head.

  "I'll be hanged if I stand this any longer!" said Joe, striving tobreak the cord that confined him.

  "Don't notice the black cowards," said Sneak.

  "How can I help noticing them, when they're pulling out my hair by theroots!" said Joe.

  "Look where they pulled mine out," said Sneak, turning that part ofhis head in view which had been made literally bald.

  "Didn't it hurt you?" asked Joe.

  "Sartinly it did," said Sneak, "but I grinned and bore it. And now Iwish they'd pull it all off, and then my scalp wouldn't do 'em anygood."

  "That's a fact," said Joe. "Here, Mr. Osage," he continued, "pull asmuch hair off the top of my head as you want." The savages, instead ofpaying any attention to him, seemed to be attracted by some distantsound. They stooped down and placed their ears near the earth, andlistened intently for some time. At length they sprang up, and thenensued another dispute among them about the manner in which theprisoners should be disposed of. The old savage was yet in favour oftomahawking the captives and retreating without delay. But the otherswould not consent to it. They were not satisfied with the small amountof suffering yet endured by the prisoners. They were resolved to gluttheir savage vengeance. And the prisoners now observed that all tracesof mirth had vanished from their faces. Their eyes gleamed withfiendish fury, and drawing forth their glittering tomahawks, theyvanished in the thicket, and were soon heard chopping off the smallboughs of the trees.

  "What are they doing Sneak?" asked Joe.

  "Don't you know what they're doing? ain't they cutting wood as fast asthey kin?" replied Sneak.

  "Well, I'm not sorry for that." said Joe. "because its almost dark,and I'm getting chilly. If they'd only give me something to eat, I'dfeel a heap more comfortable."

  "You varasherous fool you, they're cutting wood to burn us up with.Oh, I wish I was loose!"

  "Oh, goodness gracious!" cried Joe, "I never thought of that! Oh, I'mgone!"

  "Are you?" cried Sneak, eagerly; "I'd like to be off too, and we'dgive them a race for it yit."

  "Oh! Sneak, I mean I'm ruined, lost for ever! Oh! St. Peter, pity myhelpless condition!"

  "Don't think about pity now," said Sneak; "nothing of that sort isgoing to do us any good. We must git loose from these trees and runfor it, or we'll be roasted like wild turkeys in less than an hour.I've got one hand loose!".

  "So have I almost!" cried Joe, struggling violently.

  "One of 'em's coming!--shove your hand back, and pertend like you'refast, till he goes away agin!" said Sneak, in a hurried undertone.

  The savage emerged from the bushes the next moment, and afterdepositing an armful of billets of wood at the feet of Joe, andwalking round behind the prisoners to see if they were still secure,returned for more fuel.

  "Now work for your life!" said Sneak, extricating his wrist from thecord, and striving to get his feet loose.

  "Hang it, Sneak, I can't get my hand out, though the string's quiteloose! Make haste, Sneak, and come and help me," said Joe, in a tonethat indicated his earnestness.

  "Let every man look out for himself," replied Sneak, tugging away atthe cord that bound his feet to the tree.

  "Oh, Sneak, don't leave me here, to be burnt by myself!" said Joe.

  "You wouldn't promise to give any thing to ransom me, a whileago--I'll cut stick as quick as I kin."

  "Oh, Sneak, I can't untie my hands! If you won't help me, I'll callthe Indians." But Joe was saved the trouble. He had scarce uttered theword when all four of the Indians suddenly appeared, and throwing downtheir wood, proceeded with much haste to put their horrid purpose inexecution. They heaped up the fagots around their victims, until theyreached half way to their chins, and when all was ready, they paused,before applying the fire, to enjoy the terrors of their captives.

  "You cold--me make some fire to warm--huh," said the old Indian,addressing Joe, while the others looked on with unmixed satisfaction.

  "Oh! my dear Mr. Osage, if you only knew how much money you'd lose bykilling me, I know you'd let me go!" said Joe, in tremulous butsupplicating tones.

  "You lie--you got no money," replied the savage; and, stooping down,he began to split some dry wood into very small pieces to kindle with.Joe looked on in despair, and seemed to anticipate a blister fromevery splinter he saw. It was different with Sneak. Almost hid by thewood heaped around him, he embraced every opportunity, when the eyesof the savages were turned away, to endeavour to extricate himselffrom the cords that bound him to the tree. Hope had not yet forsakenhim, and he resolved to struggle to the last. When the old savage hadsplit off a large quantity of splinters and chips, he gathered them upand began to arrange them in various parts of the pile of green timberpreparatory for a simultaneous ignition. While he was thus engaged,Sneak remained motionless, and assumed a stoical expression offeatures. But when he turned to Joe, Sneak again began to tug at thecord.

  "Oh pray, Mr. Indian!" exclaimed Joe, when he saw the savage carefullyplacing the combustible matter in all the crevices of the pile aroundhim--"just only let me off this time, and I'll be your best friend allthe rest of your life."

  "Me warm you little--don't cry--poor fellow!" replied the Indian,striking a light with flint and steel.

  "Oh, Sneak, if you've got a knife, run here and cut me loose, beforeI'm burnt to death!" said Joe, in the most heart-moving manner.

  "Keep your mouth shet!" said Sneak; "jest wait till they go to putsome fire here, and I'll show you a thing or two," he continued,pouring a handful of _powder_ among the dry splinters. The effect ofthe explosion when the Indians attempted to surprise Glenn's premisesoccurring to Sneak, and recollecting that he had a quantity of powderin his pockets, he resolved in his extremity to try its virtue on thisoccasion.

  "But they're going to burn me first! Oh, Lord!" exclaimed Joe, as hebeheld the savage applying the fire to the splinters near his feet.

  "Don't say nor do nothing--jest wait till they come to me," saidSneak, with great composure. "Do you jess keep your mouth shet--it'llbe a long while a kindling--it won't begin to burn your legs for anhour."

  "Oh, goodness gracious! My knees begin to feel warm now. Oh, pray havemercy on me, good Mr. Osage!" cried Joe, before the flame was as largeas his hand, and yet full three feet distant from him. The greaterportion of the fagots being green, the fire made very slow progress,and it was necessary for the savages to procure a constant supply ofdry splinters to prevent it from going out.

  At length, after the combustible material had burned out, and beenreplenished several times, the more substantial billets of Joe's pilebegan to ignite slowly, and the old Indian then took up a flamingbrand and moved towards Sneak.

  "Come on! you snarvilerous rattlesnake you, I'll show you sightspresently!" said Sneak.

  "You brave fellow--me burn you _quick_," said the savage, applying thetorch, and, stoopin
g down, placed his face within a few inches of thecrackling blaze, and began to blow it gently. Sneak twisted his headround the tree as far as possible, and the next moment the powderexploded, throwing down the pile of wood, and dashing the savageseveral paces distant violently on the ground, and blackening andscorching his face and hair in a terrible manner. The other Indiansinstantly prostrated themselves on their faces, and uttered the mostdoleful lamentations. Thus they remained a few minutes, evidentlyimpressed with the belief that the Great Spirit had interfered toprevent the destruction of the prisoners. Hastily gathering up theirarms, they fled precipitately in the direction of their distant home,and their yells of disappointment and defeat rang in the ears of theircaptives until they died away in the distance.

  "Sneak! make haste! they may come back again!" said Joe.

  "They've tied my feet so tight I'm afraid I can't undo it in a hurry,"replied Sneak, endeavouring to break the cord by thrusting a stick(that he had slipped from the pile to knock out the brains of one ofthe Indians should his gun-powder plot not succeed,) between it andthe tree, and forcing it out until the pain produced becameinsufferable. By this means the cord was loosened gradually, andmoving it a little higher up where the muscles had not yet beenbruised, he repeated the process. In this manner he laboured withcertain but tardy success. But while he was thus engaged, Joe'spredicament became each moment more critical. The wood being by thistime pretty well seasoned, began to burn more freely. The blaze wasmaking formidable advances, and the heat was becoming intolerable.

  "For heaven's sake, Sneak!" cried Joe, "make haste and come here, orI'll be roasted alive!"

  "Wait till I get away from my own tree," replied Sneak.

  "Oh Lord! I can't wait a minute more! My shins are getting blistered!"cried Joe, writhing under the heat of the blaze, which now reachedwithin a few inches of him, and increased in magnitude with awfulrapidity.

  "Well, if you won't wait till I git there, just go ahead yourself,"said Sneak, at last extricating his feet by a violent effort, andhopping to Joe's assistance, with some difficulty, for his netherlimbs were considerably bruised.

  "Hang it, Sneak, pull these burning sticks away from my knees!" saidJoe, his face flushed with pain.

  "I'll be bursted with powder, if you didn't like to git into a purtytight fix," said Sneak, dashing down the consuming billets of wood.

  "Now, Sneak, cut me loose, and then let's run home as soon aspossible."

  "I hain't got my knife with me, or I wouldn't 'ave been so longgitting loose myself," said Sneak, slowly untying Joe's hands.

  "My goodness, how my arms ache!" said Joe, when his hands werereleased. "Now, Sneak, undo my feet, and then we'll be off in ahurry."

  "I'll be slit if your feet ain't tied like mine was, in rich a hardknot that no mortal being can git it undone. I'll take a chunk, andburn the tarnation string in two," said Sneak, applying the fire.

  "Take care you don't burn _me_," said Joe, looking at the operationwith much concern.

  Sneak's plan of severing his companion's bonds was successful. Joesprang in delight from his place of confinement, and, without utteringanother word, or pausing a single moment, the liberated companionsretreated from grove with all possible expedition.