There could be no mistaking them for runners, for not only did their war paint forbid this, but with feelings that can be imagined the youth recognized the leader as Blazing Arrow, the savage who hated the white people with an intensity beyond imagination.
“This will settle the question about Arqu-wao,” thought Wharton, “for he now has our lives in his hands; if he tells the truth to Blazing Arrow, and joins him and the rest, they will separate and shoot us down in spite of all we can do.”
This was the situation, and a few brief minutes must determine the fate of the boys, who, in the event of betrayal, were doomed. Hardly daring to look around the bark of the trees, they could only wait and prepare themselves for the issue of the conference.
They saw Blazing Arrow stride forward, and, halting in front of Arqu-wao, address him in tones so loud that they were plainly heard by the listeners, who, however, could form no idea of their meaning.
Not only that, but the fierce warrior gesticulated as if angry. If so, the one to whom he spoke showed no fear of him. He answered in a voice as loud, and with more gestures, the other two warriors remaining in the background and leaving all to their leader.
Blazing Arrow made a threatening gesture, placing his right hand on the knife at his girdle. Arqu-wao withdrew a couple of steps and whipped an arrow from his quiver. Possessing no other weapon than the bow, he made ready to use that. Not once, so far as the boys could see, did he show a sign of quailing.
It was evident that, desperate as might be the resistance he offered, he was helpless, inasmuch as each of the three warriors possessed a loaded rifle, and he could have been shot down in a twinkling; but he was ready to fight for his life.
Blazing Arrow moderated his manner. His hand slipped from the weapon at his waist, and he talked in a lower voice. Arqu-wao stepped a little closer and responded in kind. Neither one of the others so much as opened his mouth.
Blazing Arrow pointed down to the ground several times, and it looked as if he were discussing the hoofprints which showed so plainly at their very feet.
A thrill of admiration shot through Wharton Edwards, for at that moment he read the meaning of Arqu-wao’s strategy on discovering the approach of the Shawanoes. He had hurried forward a short way, so that when the meeting took place nothing would be visible of the footprints made by the boys. They would reveal themselves, as a matter of course, farther along the trail, but Blazing Arrow was not likely to make as diligent search there as at the spot where the interview took place.
“I believe he is honest after all,” was the conclusion of Wharton, when this thought came to him. “I wonder whether, if we have a fight, he will help us or Blazing Arrow? I don’t see why he should be such a friend to us, when he tried to kill us a short time ago.”
There was plenty to occupy the minds of the boys during the few minutes they shrank behind the trees in such suspense, not knowing the instant when they would be called upon to fight for their lives.
They asked themselves that, if the hoofprints in the trail had been made by the horses of Mr. Edwards and his wife, how was it that they had got by Blazing Arrow and his companions without detection? It was not to be supposed that they had been permitted to do so for the purpose of drawing them into a trap, for there was no call for such a course. Three Indians, crouching in ambush, could shoot a man and his wife from their horses without the slightest danger to themselves, or, if they chose, they could have slain the man and made the woman captive.
It looked as if, by some strange turn of events, the couple had slipped by undiscovered.
The conference continued but a few minutes. After the outburst of Blazing Arrow, he did not show any more excitement. He exchanged some words with Arqu-wao, and then waved him aside. The fellow obeyed rather sullenly, and the three Shawanoes resumed their walk in the direction of the falls.
It was a dangerous proceeding for the boys to watch them as they drew near their hiding-place. Larry did not do so, but shrank as close as he could against the trunk of a tree, fearful of betraying himself, and trying to shift his position, as they moved along, so as to prevent any part of his body being seen by any of the roving glances of the party.
Fully aware of the danger, Wharton could not help yielding to his curiosity to that extent that he had kept an eye on Blazing Arrow, even when he was at the nearest point of the trail. He studied the ugly countenance, smeared with paint, and the irregular profile of each warrior in turn as he filed past. Not one of them looked down at the ground, but their eyes seemed to be fixed on the farthest point of the trail which was in their field of vision, as though they were expecting some one to reveal himself.
Had they looked down at the ground they must have discovered the footprints of the boys, and what then?
Arqu-wao, rather curiously, held the same position which has already been described; his left side was toward the boys, and also toward the vanishing group of his people. It was the attitude he would have taken had he intended to use his bow and arrow, and, after what had occurred, the boys could not believe he thought of injury to them. Beyond all question he had allowed the best opportunity to overcome them pass. Having done that, it seemed idle to suspect him any longer.
The only “fly in the ointment” was the explanation of the sudden friendship on the part of the strange being. He had been caught in the very act of an attempt to slay the boys, as he would have been glad to do, when they paddled away with his canoe. They, in turn, after sparing his life, had partially disarmed him, and then compelled him by threats to act the part of a guide.
The motive of gratitude which sometimes influences the American Indian (and just as frequently does not) could hardly be expected to crystallize at such brief notice into a sentiment strong enough to lead the red man to risk his life so soon for them; and yet, admitting that he was true to his pledge, no other explanation of Arqu-wao’s course was possible.
CHAPTER XXVI
Footprints
“He’s either the biggest wretch among the Shawanoes,” said Wharton, “always excepting Blazing Arrow, or he is working like a major to help us.”
“Look at him!”
The Indian whom they were discussing was standing in the same position as before, but was excitedly beckoning for them to approach.
Both boys broke into a trot and quickly joined him.
“Dat Blazing Arrow,” said Arqu-wao; “he kill white folks.”
“How is it that he and the others did not kill my father and mother as they rode along the trail?”
“No see ’em,” was the quick reply.
“But why not? I do not understand.”
“Arqu-wao no tell—don’t know—not be looking.”
This, apparently, was the explanation possible, but it did not satisfy the youths.
“Come wid me,” said the Shawanoe, motioning the boys to follow him, which, despite their anxiety, they did.
“See dere—eh—see dat?”
The Indian stooped, and with his forefinger almost on the ground, pointed to the imprint of a shoe. It was not made by a moccasin, but by a regular heavy-soled shoe or boot.
“Who made that?” asked the astonished Wharton.
“White man,” replied Arqu-wao, with almost a chuckle. “White man like him on hoss—he friend—Blazing Arrow don’t know dat.”
It seemed incredible that this half-demented creature had discovered signs which had escaped the eye of the fierce Shawanoe leader and his companions, but such was the fact, as afterwards came to light.
After much labored explanation, the guide made clear to the boys a state of facts hitherto unsuspected by them, whose existence they still half doubted.
A white man from the block-house had passed over the trail after the two horses. This was readily determined by studying his footprints where they interfered with those of the animals. He had walked at a rapid gait, as was evidenced by the length of the stride. In all probability he was an experienced ranger, for even while following the path he
made an effort to hide his footprints. It was only at rare intervals that he stepped in the trail itself; he had generally walked at the side, where the leaves and harder earth hid the impressions from sight.
Had Blazing Arrow and his companions been searching for this stranger’s footprints it is not to be supposed that they would have missed them, for their eyes were as keen as those of Arqu-wao, but the presumption was that they were not looking for them.
The rapid stride of the strange white man was accepted by the guide as a proof that he was trying to overtake those on horseback. It might be that, after their departure from the block-house, news had reached the small garrison there of the ambush the couple were liable to run into, and this runner had set out to warn them; or it might be that he had struck the trail a short distance off, and was seeking to join the two for the sake of their companionship, or for some reason of his own.
Furthermore, it must be remembered that, though the presumption was strongly in favor of the two riders being the father and mother of Wharton, it was not yet absolutely certain that such was the case. That could not be known for some time to come.
It was evident that some curious complication had taken place, since all three of the party had passed Blazing Arrow and his men without their detection. There was nothing remarkable in the single person doing so, since he had given evidence of unusual care in his action. Skilled in the ways of the woods and Indian subtlety, he knew enough to avoid the most cunning ambush, but the hostiles must have been derelict to allow a mounted man and woman to pass unnoticed.
Be that as it may, Wharton and Larry were as resolute as ever in following the party. If it should prove that the parents had passed that point on their way to the settlement, there was no call for approaching any nearer to the block-house.
“We will go back,” said Wharton, with only a moment’s hesitation. “Lead the way, Arqu-wao, and serve us as well as you have already done.”
“Me good Indian,” he replied. “Me take care ob you.”
“We know that. We shall depend on you. You needn’t run, for we don’t want to overtake Blazing Arrow too soon.”
The Shawanoe showed a remarkable quickness in comprehending the wishes of the boys. He asked them to stand where they were until he signalled them to follow. They watched his figure out of sight, when he turned, with the same sidelong attitude as before, and beckoned them to come on.
“We’ve got to trust him now,” said Larry.
“There’s no help for it; but we couldn’t ask much better proof of friendship than he has given already.”
“But we’ll keep our eyes on him. It may be he’s fixing things so as to gather in the whole lot of us.”
Wharton thought his companion was unduly suspicious, but at the same time he recognized the prudence of his words, for he knew that these people sometimes show a boundless patience in waiting for the minute when they can make their vengeance the more complete.
The Shawanoe walked so fast that Larry was forced to break into a trot now and then to keep pace with him and the cleaner-limbed Wharton. The presence of the three hostiles at no great distance in front rendered necessary the precaution of Arqu-wao; for, if he ran upon them with the youths at his heels, a collision would be inevitable, with disastrous consequences.
The guide was putting forth all the cunning of which he was capable. It was necessary to come up with Blazing Arrow and his companions, and at the same time prevent their knowing it.
The journey was pushed in this manner for nearly a mile, and Wharton recognized, from familiar sights, that they were drawing near the turn in the dry ravine where he had had his singular encounter with Blazing Arrow when he recovered his gun from him.
Somehow or other the conviction had fastened upon him that the spot was again to be the scene of stirring events.
“Halloo!” he exclaimed in an undertone. “He has discovered something, and we must wait till he signals us to go on.”
CHAPTER XXVII
Red Crow
The boys kept such a close watch on the Shawanoe that the moment he signalled them to stop they obeyed. Although he assumed his favorite attitude while doing so, he instantly faced about so that his back was toward them. There could be no doubt that he had made some important discovery.
The youths stood still in the trail, Wharton slightly in advance; but Larry was near enough to his side to note every movement of the singular being who had been acting as their guide ever since the rise of the sun.
“I wonder whether he means us to stand right here or to dodge behind the trees, as we did before?” remarked Larry.
“We shall know, for he will tell us. There it is!”
Arqu-wao at this moment made a peculiar sweep of the hand holding the bow, which was interpreted as an order for them to screen themselves from sight. They did so with the cleverness of a short time before. Nothing to explain the cause for this caution appeared, and the lads kept their eyes on the Indian in whose hands they had placed their lives before this critical moment.
The tree trunks which sheltered them were not more rigid and motionless for the next five minutes than he. Then he was seen to take a single step forward, when he again paused. A second followed with the same deliberation as before, and the advance continued, foot by foot, until the intervening trees and the turn in the trail shut the guide from sight.
“We’re near the clearing where I had my race with Blazing Arrow,” remarked Wharton, in a guarded voice.
“Ye may have anither one with him.”
“It isn’t likely, but I believe he isn’t far off.”
“And the others are with him.”
“Of course, and more than likely father and mother are near. Oh, I do hope that they will find out their danger soon enough to save themselves; but I fear the worst.”
“Do ye hear that?”
The faces of the youths blanched, for at that moment the sharp crack of a rifle rang out in the stillness. It was near at hand, and was followed by a wild cry, which, echoing through the forest arches, left the silence more oppressive than before.
“Somebody is killed!” whispered the frightened Wharton.
“I don’t doubt ye; but that yell wasn’t a white man’s.”
“Then the shot must have been.”
“I don’t know the same; mebbe Blazing Arrow has found out what Arqu-wao has been doing and shot him.”
“I believe that is what has happened; they had a quarrel when they met in the trail; why didn’t Blazing Arrow kill him then?”
“He didn’t know as much then as he does now; he has seen the thracks of oursilves along the path after the two parted, and then the whole thruth come upon him.”
“I wish we could have the chance to save the poor crazy fellow, for he has given his life for us—that is, if he has been shot by any of his people.”
“We don’t know that he is dead yit; mebbe he managed to use his bow and arrow, and didn’t miss, while the other chap as used his gun did, so the yell was the other fellow’s.”
“We ought to have given him back his knife and tomahawk; I didn’t think of it, or we would have done so.”
“It couldn’t have done him any good in this sort of rumpus.”
Some tragedy had been enacted so near them that the youths might well shudder for themselves as well as for their friends.
The sultry summer day was well along. The sun, high in the sky, penetrated the woods with its warmth, and in the broad open plain the heat must have been oppressive. Here and there a tiny bird fluttered among the trees, and suddenly a noble buck came striding along as if he meant to follow the trail to the falls for a drink, but, catching sight of the two young men standing beside the trees weapon in hand, he wheeled and was off in a twinkling, though not before either one of the lads could have gained the best kind of a shot had he dared to fire.
Minute after minute passed, and still there was no sign of the returning guide. The young friends would have been glad to believe he ha
d escaped, but the fleeting minutes caused their hope to sink lower and lower, until at last it was gone.
“It seems to me,” said Wharton, “that we are throwing away time by standing here; we shall never see Arqu-wao again.”
“I agree with ye; the rest of ’em are miles off, and we might stay here till the sun went down and that’s all the good it would do us.”
Thump! and the startled boys, turning their heads, saw a stone, weighing fully a pound, that must have been thrown by some person at them. This was a curious proceeding by whomsoever done; but the explanation came the next moment, when a tall, finely formed figure, clad in the costume of the border ranger, stepped from behind a tree and motioned to them to make no noise.
The astonished and delighted boys recognized the individual as Simon Kenton, the most famous scout, not excepting Daniel Boone, known in Ohio and Kentucky. He had approached them from the rear, and announced his coming in this characteristic manner.
“Yer needn’t be afeared, younkers,” he said, as he came up, “provided yer don’t speak too loud. The varmints are powerful plenty yerabouts. Howdy?”
He shook the hand of each in turn, and Wharton asked:
“Where did you come from, Kenton?”
“The block-house.”
“How long ago did you leave?”
“Shortly after sun-up; it isn’t very fur, and I’ve travelled powerful fast.”
Wharton yearned to ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue, but an awful fear held it back.
“We heard a rifle awhile ago; do you know anything about it?”
“I reckon,” replied the ranger with a significant grin, “bein’ as I was the chap that touched her off.”
“At whom did you fire?”
“Why don’t ye ask who did I hit, for when that piece speaks I reckon some one is hit. Did you hear him yell?”
“We might have heard the chap a mile off,” replied Larry. “Was the same Blazing Arrow.”
“No; I am sorry to say he kept out of the way, and I picked off the one that was nearest to him.”
The Edward S. Ellis Megapack Page 139
