CHAPTER XIII
ON THE GREAT LAKE
When Henry awoke at dawn, all the weariness from his great efforts wasgone, and he looked upon a world full of beauty. The unbroken forest ofdeep green bore a luminous tint, light and golden, from the earlysunshine. Free of body and soul, it was the brilliant world that he hadknown so long, and he was ready once more for any task that might liebefore them. Long Jim had already prepared breakfast, and he turned abenevolent gaze upon Henry.
"Ain't it fine," he said, "to have all the family reunited ag'in?"
"It certainly is," said Henry joyously, "and you surely stuck by themissing member in masterly fashion."
"Wa'al, you've stuck by us jest ez hard many a time," said Long Jimmeditatively. "Paul, what wuz the name uv the feller that stuck by theother feller, the only big one, that got away from Troy after the Greeksrode into the town inside a hoss?"
"You're thinking of the faithful Achates, Jim," replied Paul, "and AEneaswas the name of the big one to whom he was faithful."
"Yes, that's the feller. Henry, you're our AEneas, an' I'm an Achates;Paul's another, Tom's another and Sol's another. Uv course we couldn'tgo away without our AEneas, an' while I'm talkin' I want to say, Paul,that the tale about the takin' uv Troy is the tallest hoss story evertold. Ef it wuzn't writ in the books I wouldn't believe it. Think uvyour fightin' off a hull army fur ten years or so, an' then draggin'that army into your town inside a wooden hoss. It can't be so. I'veknowed some pow'ful liars myself, but the tribe must hev gone down hilla lot since the days uv them ancients."
Paul merely laughed and took another bite out of his venison steak.
"Anyway, Henry," said Shif'less Sol, "ef you've been AEneas you're goin'to be the wandering 'Lysses fur a while, an' we're goin' to be fightin'Greeks, sailin' right along with you."
"What do you mean?" asked Henry in astonishment.
"Tell him, Paul," said the shiftless one. "Saplin' hez cooked so well,an' I'm so busy eatin' I can't spare time fur talk."
"We felt sure we'd rescue Henry," said Paul, "and we arranged everythingso we could get back South as fast as we could. Knowing that the woodswere full of warriors and that we didn't want to be interrupted in ourtravels, we took a big boat one night from Detroit--I suppose we stoleit, but you have a right to steal from an enemy in war--and carried itoff down the river, hiding it among thick bushes at the mouth of acreek, where we're sure it's now resting securely, say five or six milesfrom this spot. We also gathered a lot of stores, food and such things,and put them on the boat. It was another risk, but we took that also,and I'm confident that our good genius will save the boat and stores forus. If they're there waiting for us all right we're going down the riverand then across Lake Erie. It will save us a lot of time."
"Fine! fine!" exclaimed Henry with enthusiasm. "You've done well. Itwill be a lot easier and faster for us going so far by boat."
"An' we'll see one uv the big lakes, too," said Long Jim.
"We shorely will," said Shif'less Sol.
In a few minutes they were on the march again, and found the boatundisturbed at the mouth of the creek. It was a stout craft with a sail,and lockers for stores. Doubtless Colonel de Peyster had attributed itsdisappearance to some of his own Indians who could not always betrusted, but in the press of military preparations he had found no timeto seek it.
"Now," said Shif'less Sol, "we'll take to the river. We may meet enemiesthar, but it won't be ez long a trip ez the one we took down the Missip.Besides, ef we do meet enemies they ain't likely to be in big force ezmost all the warriors seem to be drawed off fur the expeditions ag'instKentucky."
"At any rate we'll risk it, as we have risked many other things," saidHenry.
The five embarked, and set sail fearlessly upon the river. Nevertheless,they did not neglect caution. They kept close to the Canadian shore,where they were in the shadow of the dense forest, and at least threewere always on the watch with ready rifles across their knees. Yet theysaw no enemy. This was the heart of the Indian country and the canoes ofthe warlike Northwestern tribes often floated on these waters, butto-day the five had the river to themselves. Peace was everywhere. Birdssang in the neighboring woods. Now and then a fish leaped from the waterand sank back in a mass of bubbles. The broad river was a sheet of gold,and then a sheet of silver as the sun shifted.
Henry appreciated all this rest and ease. He admired still more theforesight and daring of his comrades which enabled them to travel insuch a luxurious way and so far. He examined carefully the weapons theyhad secured for him and saw that they were all of the first class. Healso opened the various lockers and found them filled with venison,jerked buffalo meat, such luxuries as bread and coffee, and largequantities of powder and lead.
"We found part of these in the boat," said Paul, "and it was your friendLajeunais, who helped us to get the remainder. We do not go to seaunprovided."
"You've all done so well," said Henry lazily, "that I'm not going tobother myself about anything."
He put his double blankets under his head as a pillow and lay backluxuriously. Their good boat moved steadily on, the sail doing the work,while one of their number steered.
"I hope the wind will continue to blow," said Jim Hart, gazingadmiringly at Henry, "'cause ef it don't we'll then hev to git our oarsan' row. An' it would spoil the purtiest picture uv a lazy feller I eversaw. Why, I never saw Shif'less Sol hisself look lazier or happier."
Henry laughed. He knew that Jim Hart would have died in his defense.
"I am lazy, Jim," he admitted. "I never felt so lazy in my life before.I like to lie here and look at the river and the country."
"It's a fine big river," said Shif'less Sol, "but we can't see much ofthe country because of the trees, which shoot up so thick an' close oneither bank, but I've heard that it ain't really a river, jest thestream o' water pourin' out o' them mighty lakes to the north into themlakes to the south, which ain't so mighty as the others, but which aremighty anyhow."
"It's true," said Paul. "All of this is lake water which runs throughthe other lakes, too, and then out by a tremendous big river, hundredsof miles to the Atlantic Ocean."
"When God made this chain uv lakes an' rivers he done one uv his biggestan' finest jobs," said Tom Ross reverentially.
They moved on their course slowly but steadily. Once they saw a canoenear the further shore, containing a lone occupant.
"It's a squaw," said Shif'less Sol, "an' she's pulled in near the landso she kin jump an' run ef we make for her."
"Like ez not she thinks we're hunters or French from the fort," saidLong Jim.
"At any rate, we'll soon leave her far behind," said Henry.
The breeze stiffened and she quickly dropped out of sight. Nor did theysee any other human being that day. At night they anchored closeinshore, among bushes and reeds, where they remained undisturbed untilthe morning. The remainder of the journey down the river passed in thesame peace and ease, and then Paul, who was in the prow, caught aglimpse of a broad expanse which looked silvery white in the distance.
"The lake! the lake!" he cried eagerly.
They swept triumphantly over the last reach of the river and out uponthe broad bosom of Lake Erie. In their earlier voyage down theMississippi they had learned how to use a sail, and now when they wereabout a mile from land they took in the sail and looked about them.
The great inland fresh water seas of North America aroused the greatestinterest, even awe, among the earlier explorers, and there was not oneamong the five who did not look with eager eyes upon the ocean ofwaters. They were better informed, too, than the average woodsmanconcerning the size and shape of this mighty chain.
"You look west and you look south an' you don't see nothin' but water,"said Long Jim.
"And they say that the whole grand chain is fifteen hundred miles long,"said Paul, "and that Lake Superior reaches a width of three hundredmiles."
"It's a lot o' water," said Shif'less Sol, trailing his hand over theside, "an' w
hile I'd like to explore it, I guess that the sooner wecross it the better it will be for what we're tryin' to do."
"You're right," said Henry. "We'll set the sail again and tack as fastas we can to the south."
The sail was set, and the boat, heeling over under a good breeze, movedrapidly. Paul and Henry watched with pleasure the white water foamingaway on either side of the prow, and Long Jim also watched the trailingwake at the stern. Used to rivers but not to lakes, they did not reallyappreciate what dangers might await them on the bosom of Erie. Meanwhilethe lake presented to them a most smiling surface. The waters ripplingbefore the wind lay blue under a blue sky. The wind with its touch ofdamp was fresh and inspiring. Behind them the shore, with its great wallof green, sank lower and lower, until at last it passed out of sight.Long Jim, who sat in the stern watching, then spoke.
"Boys," he said, "fur the fust time in the life uv any uv us thar ain'tno land. Look to the east an' look to the west, look to the north an'look to the south an' thar ain't nothin' but water. The world uv landhez left us."
There was a certain awe in Jim's tone that impressed them as they lookedand saw that he spoke the truth. Their world was now one of water, andthey felt how small was the boat that lay between them and thetremendous power of the lake.
It was now somewhat past midday and the sun was uncommonly bright. Thewind began to die, and the little waves no longer chased one anotherover the surface of the lake. No air gathered in the sail and presentlythe boat stopped.
"Now wouldn't this make you mad?" exclaimed Shif'less Sol. "We can'tmove at all unless we git out the oars an' row, an' a lazy man like meain't fond o' rowin' seventy or eighty miles across a big lake."
Nor was the prospect pleasant to any of them. A little while ago theywere moving swiftly at ease; now they rocked slightly in the swell, butdid not go forward an inch. Hopeful that the wind would soon rise againthey did not yet take to the oars. Meanwhile it was growing warmer. Thereflection of the sun upon the water was dazzling, and they spread thesail again, not to catch the wind but as an awning to protect them fromthe burning rays.
They also used the interval for food and drink, and as the wind stilldid not rise they were thinking of taking to the oars as a last resortwhen Henry called their attention to the southwest.
"See that black spot down there," he said. "It seems to be only a fewinches either way, but it doesn't look natural."
"I'd call it a cloud," said Tom Ross judicially.
"An' clouds ain't what we're wantin' jest now," said Jim Hart.
Henry rose from his luxurious reclining position and gazed long and withgreat care at the black spot. He knew as well as Jim Hart that it was acloud and he saw that it was growing. But a few inches across thehorizon before, it stretched to feet and then to yards. Meanwhile not abreath of air stirred, the deep waters were waveless and the air hunghot and heavy about them. Henry had heard that dangerous storms came upvery fast on the great lakes, and, although with no experience as asailor except on rivers, he believed that one would soon be upon them.
"Boys," he said, "look how that cloud grows. I believe we're in for abig wind and storm. We'd better take down our mast, make everythingtight and strong, and get ready with the oars."
All at once Henry resumed command, and the others instantly accepted itas the most natural and proper thing in the world. The mast wasunshipped, it and the sail were lashed down, everything that was loosewas put in the lockers, or was tied securely. Meanwhile the cloud grewwith amazing rapidity. While the east and north were yet full of blazinglight the south and west were darkening. A draught of cold wind came.The waters, motionless hitherto, suddenly heaved convulsively. Lowthunder rolled, and the lightning flashed across the troubled waters.The five felt awe. They were familiar with great storms, but neverbefore had they been in one with no land in sight. The little boat,which alone lay between them and the depths of the lake, became smallerand smaller. But the five, although they felt more tremors than whengoing into battle, sat with their oars in the thwarts, ready to fight asbest they could the storm which would soon rush down upon them.
The cold wind came in raw gusts, and there was rain on its edge whichcut like hail. The boat rose and fell with the increasing waves. Henrytook the helm, and, with the others at the oars, strove to keep the boatas steady as possible. With the usual foresight of borderers, they hadalready covered up their rifles, pistols and ammunition. Even on thewater they would not neglect this precaution. Now the darkness spread tothe entire heavens, the thunder crashed heavily, like invisiblebatteries firing, the lightning flared two or three times, showing thesurface of the lake far and wide tinted a ghastly gray, and then, with ashriek and a roar, the wind struck them.
The boat heeled over so far on its side that Henry thought at first theywere gone, but after hanging for a moment or two, seemingly undecided,it righted itself, and the five uttered simultaneous sighs of relief.Yet the boat had shipped water which Paul began to bail out with hiscap, while the others strove at the oars, seeking to meet and ride thewaves which followed one another swiftly. The rain meanwhile was drivinghard, and they were drenched, but they had no time to think of suchthings. Every effort was bent towards keeping afloat the boat, which wasrushing before the wind they knew not whither.
"There's a pail in that little locker," shouted Henry to Paul, "you cando better with that than with your cap."
Paul opened the locker, and took out the pail. Then with greatdifficulty he closed the locker again, and set to work keeping the boatclear of water. He made much better progress with the pail, but now andthen wind, rain and the rocking of the boat together threw him to hisknees. His comrades were working full as hard. They made up for lack ofexperience with strength, intuitive quickness and courage. Often theboat seemed to be submerged by the crest of a great wave, but every timeit emerged right side up with the industrious Paul still bailing.
Meantime the wind kept up a continuous screaming, almost like that of awild animal, a fearful sound which got upon the nerves of them all.Except when the lightning flared they were surrounded by a darkness likethat of night. Suddenly Tom Ross shouted in a voice that could be heardabove the whistling of the wind:
"Jim, you're seein' the Great Lakes at last!"
Then he bent grimly to his oar.
Luckily the boat they had taken was a strong one, built partly for thestorms which sometimes drive with such force across Erie, the shallowestof the five Great Lakes, and with the aid of the strong arms at the helmand oars she managed to ride every wave and swell. But it was a longtime before the wind began to abate and they were half dead withexhaustion. Moreover they were covered with bruises where they had beenhurled against the sides of the boat, and now and then they were almostblinded by the water dashing into their faces. Shif'less Sol afterwardsaid that he felt as if some strong-armed man were slapping his cheekevery minute or two.
Yet hope began to return. They had kept afloat so long that they feltsure of keeping afloat all the time. There came a moment when the waterfrom the lake ceased to enter the boat, although the rain still drenchedthem. The darkness lightened somewhat and Henry looked anxiously aboutthem. He was trying to reckon in what direction they had come, but therewas nothing that would enable him to tell. He saw nothing but the wasteof waters. He knew that the wind had changed its course and they mightnow be driving back toward Detroit. He longed for light that might showthem whence they had come.
Now the storm, after declining, suddenly acquired new strength. Thedarkness closed in again thicker than ever and the hearts of the fivesank. They were so tired that they felt they could not repel a secondattack. Yet they summoned their courage anew and strove even moredesperately than before. Another hour passed and Henry, who was lookingahead, suddenly saw a dark mass. He recognized it instantly and gave thesharp cry:
"Land!"
The three who were straining at the oars looked up, and Paul in hissurprise let drop his tin pail. Henry had made no mistake. They couldsee that it was land de
spite the darkness and the driving rain. Therewas a low shore, with trees growing almost to the water's edge, and theythought at first that it was the western coast of the lake, but as theyswiftly drove nearer Henry saw water both to right and left, and he knewthat it was a little island. If they kept a straight course they wouldstrike upon it, but with such violence that shipwreck was inevitable.Strong and agile as they were they might possibly escape with theirlives.
"Boys!" cried Henry, above the shouting of the wind, "we must make thatisland or we'll surely be lost in the storm!"
"It's so!" Shif'less Sol shouted back, "but how are we to do it?"
"Paul, you take the helm," said Henry, "and steer to the left of theisland. The wind is blowing straight ahead and if we can come in behindthe land we may strike a little stretch of comparatively smooth water."
Paul took the helm and Henry seized a pair of oars. Paul could steerwell, but Henry's strength would be needed now. On they drove, the rainbeating hard on their backs, and the surf from the lake also drivinginto the boat. Paul steered steadily and the four bent powerfully on theoars, driving the boat in a wide curve to the left, where it would avoidpossible rocks and shoals.
Yet it was hard to bring the boat even diagonally against the wind. Thewaves turned it on its side and it trembled violently. The four laboredat the oars until every pulse in their temples throbbed. Now the lowshore and the green forest were coming very near, and Henry glanced atthem from time to time. He was afraid that the wind and the waves wouldbring them back again and dash them upon the island, despite all theirefforts. But the boat shot past fifty yards to the left, ran for aquarter of a mile along the edge of a low green island, and then with amighty effort they brought it in behind the land.
Here in a little space where the wind was beating itself to piecesagainst the trees in front of it, the sea was comparatively calm, andPaul deftly swung the boat about. His sharp eyes noticed a little cove,and, the four at the oars pulled for it with all their might. A minute,two minutes and they were in the cove and in safety. They had entered itby a channel not more than a dozen feet wide, and Paul's steering hadbeen delicate and beautiful. Now the four drew in their oars and theyswung in waters as quiet as those of a pond ruffled only by a littlebreeze. It it was an inlet not more than twenty yards across and it wassheltered about by mighty trees. The rain still poured upon them, butthere was no longer any danger of shipwreck.
The momentum had carried the boat to the far edge of the pool, and Henrysprang out. His muscles were so stiff and sore that, for a moment ortwo, he reeled, but he seized a bough and held fast. Then Tom tossed hima rope from the locker and in a minute the boat was secured head andstern to the trees. Then they stood upon land, wet but solid land, andin every heart was devout thankfulness.
"The land for me every time," said Long Jim. "I like to feel somethingunder my feet that I don't sink into. Ef an accident happens on land,thar you are, but ef an accident happens on the water, whar are you?"
"What I need most is a pair o' kid gloves," said Shif'less Sol. "I'vegot purty tough hands, but I think them oars hez took all the skin offthe inside o' 'em."
"What we all need most," said Henry, "is shelter. We are soaked throughand through, and we are stiff with bruises and exertion. Suppose we bailout the boat and try to use the sail as a sort of roof or cover."
They were wedged in so closely among the trees that together with theboughs and the mast, which they set in place again, they managed tofasten the sail in such a manner that it caught most of the rain as itdrove towards them. Everyone also gave up one of his pair of blanketsfor the same purpose, and then they were protected fairly. Still fearingcolds and stiffness of the muscles they took off all their wet clothingand rubbed their bodies long and thoroughly. While they were at thiswork the rain decreased, and after a while ceased. The wind still blewand they heard branches crashing down from the trees, but none fellover them. They did not reclothe themselves but hung their soakedgarments on boughs, and then everyone wrapped himself about with the dryblanket that he had left from his pair, the other still doing duty as arain shield. Although the air was quite cool after the heavy rain, theblankets protected them and they began to feel a pleasant warmth. Theirspirits indeed were improved so much that they could jest.
"One would scarcely expect to see five Roman senators in their togascast away on this little island in Lake Erie," said Paul, "but here weare."
Long Jim with his bare legs as far as his knees protruding from hisblanket was prowling among the lockers.
"What's the noble senator lookin' fur?" asked Shif'less Sol.
"I'm lookin' fur somethin' to help you an' all uv us," replied Long Jim,"while you're settin' thar lazy an' wuthless. We didn't search this boatvery well when we took it, hevin' other pow'ful important matters onhand, but them that owned it wuz men uv sense. Lots uv useful things arehid away in these little lockers. Ah, look at this! Shorely it'sindustry an' enterprise that gits the rewards!"
He drew triumphantly from the corner of a locker an iron coffee pot anda large package of ground coffee.
"Now I've got the coffee an' the coffee pot," he said, "an' ef the restuv you hev got sense enough to build a fire I'll hev you feelin' likekings ten minutes after that fire is built. Thar are two pewter cups inthat locker also, so nothin' is lackin'."
"You've certainly done your part, Jim," said Henry, "an' now we'll tryto do ours, although it won't be any easy job."
They had not been woodsmen all their lives for nothing. The ground underthe trees was covered more than a foot deep with leaves, theaccumulation of many years. It is difficult for water to penetrate allthe way through such a carpet, and turning them over they found here andthere some leaves fairly dry, which they put in a heap. They also cutoff all the wet outside from some dead boughs with their strong huntingknives, and then shaved off dry splinters which they put with theleaves.
The four gathered in a group about the little heap, looking very odd intheir blankets, with their bare ankles and shoulders projecting, andHenry began work with the flint and steel. After many efforts he setfire to the finer of the splinters, and then the flames spread to theleaves and larger pieces of wood. They had succeeded, and as Shif'lessSol fed the fire, he said triumphantly to Long Jim:
"Now, Jim, everything's ready fur you. Bring on your coffee an' b'il it.I want fourteen cups myself."
Jim set to work at once, showing with pride his skill in such a task.The flames were not permitted to rise high, but they burned rapidly,making a fine bed of coals, and within ten minutes the coffee was ready.Then they drank, warming themselves through and through, and receivingnew life. They also warmed some of the deer and buffalo steaks over thecoals, and ate real bread from the lockers.
"All things must come to an end," said Shif'less Sol, with a sigh, whenhe could eat no more. "It's on sech 'casions ez this that I realize it.I wish I wuz ez hungry ez I wuz a little while ago, an' could eat allover ag'in."
"We've been in big luck," said Henry. "If it hadn't been for this littleisland I believe we would have been wrecked. It's true, too, that we'llhave to go around in our blankets for a while yet, because I don'tbelieve those clothes of ours will dry before morning."
"Suits me," said Jim Hart, as with proverbial caution he put out thefire after finishing cooking. "I wouldn't mind goin' 'roun' in a blanketin summer. Injuns do it an' they find it pow'ful healthy. Now the windis dyin' an' the clouds are passin' away, but it's goin' to be darkanyhow. Jedgin' from the looks uv things the night is right here."
The wind undoubtedly was sinking fast. The great storm was blowingitself away as rapidly as it had blown up. The trees ceased to shake andmoan, and looking down the channel whence they had entered, the five sawthat the high waves no longer rolled across the surface of the lake. Ina few minutes more the last breath of the wind whistled off to eastward.A cold twilight fell over the little isle of safety and the great lake,of whose rage they had been such vivid witnesses.
The Border Watch: A Story of the Great Chief's Last Stand Page 15
