CHAPTER XXVII.
Thou to whom every faun and satyr flies For willing service; whether to surprise The squatted hare, while in half sleeping fits, Or upward ragged precipices flit To save poor lambkins from the eagle's maw; Or by mysterious enticement draw Bewildered shepherds to their path again;-- --KEATS.
It can easily be understood that the party with the canoes were left byPeter in a state of great anxiety. The distance between the site of thehut and their place of concealment was but little more than a quarterof a mile, and the yell of the savages had often reached their ears,notwithstanding the cover of the woods. This proximity, of itself, wasfearful; but the uncertainty that le Bourdon felt on the subject ofPeter's real intentions added greatly to his causes of concern. Ofcourse, he knew but little of the sudden change that had come over thismysterious chief's feelings; nor is it very likely that he would havebeen able to appreciate it, even had the fact been more fully stated.Our hero had very little acquaintance with the dogmas of Christianity,and would have, most probably, deemed it impossible that so great arevolution of purpose could have been so suddenly wrought in the mind ofman, had the true state of the case been communicated to him. He wouldhave been ready enough to allow that, with God, nothing is impossible;but might have been disposed to deny the influence of His Holy Spirit,as exhibited in this particular form, for a reason no better than thecircumstance that he himself had never been the subject of such a power.All that Peter had said, therefore, served rather to mystify him, thanto explain, in its true colors, what had actually occurred. With Margeryit was different. Her schooling had been far better than that of anyother of the party, and, while she admired the manly appearance, andloved the free, generous character of her husband, she had more thanonce felt pained at the passing thoughts of his great indifference tosacred things. This feeling in le Bourdon, however, was passive ratherthan active, and gave her a kind interest in his future welfare, ratherthan any present pain through acts and words.
But, as respects their confidence in Peter, this young couple were muchfarther apart than in their religious notions. The bee-hunter had neverbeen without distrust, though his apprehensions had been occasionallyso far quieted as to leave him nearly free of them altogether; whilehis wife had felt the utmost confidence in the chief, from the verycommencement of their acquaintance. It would be useless, perhaps, toattempt to speculate on the causes; but it is certain that there aresecret sources of sympathy that draw particular individuals toward eachother and antipathies that keep them widely separated. Men shall meetfor the first time, and feel themselves attracted toward each other,like two drops of water, or repelled, like the corks of an electricmachine.
The former had been the case with Peter and Margery. They liked eachother from the first, and kind orifices had soon come to increase thisfeeling. The girl had now seen so much of the Indians, as to regardthem much as she did others, or with the discriminations, and tastes,or distastes, with which we all regard our fellow-creatures; feeling noparticular cause of estrangement. It is true that Margery would not havebeen very likely to fall in love with a young Indian, had one come inher way of a suitable age and character; for her American notions on thesubject of color might have interposed difficulties; but, apart from thetender sentiments, she could see good and bad qualities in one of theaborigines, as well as in a white man. As a consequence of this sympathybetween Peter and Margery, the last had ever felt the utmost confidencein the protection and friendship of the first. This she did, even whilethe struggle was going on in his breast on the subject of including herin his fell designs, or of making an exception in her favor. Itshows the waywardness of our feelings that Margery had never reposedconfidence in Pigeonswing, who was devotedly the friend of le Bourdon,and who remained with them for no other reason than a general wish to beof use. Something BRUSQUE in his manner, which was much less courteousand polished than that of Peter, had early rendered her dissatisfiedwith him, and once estranged, she had never felt disposed to be on termsof intimacy sufficient to ascertain his good or bad qualities.
The great change of feeling in Peter was not very clearly understood byMargery, any more than it was by her husband; though, had her attentionbeen drawn more strictly to it, she would have best known how toappreciate it. But this knowledge was not wanting to put HER perfectlyat peace, so far as apprehension of his doing her harm was concerned.This sense of security she now manifested in a conversation with leBourdon, that took place soon after Peter had left them.
"I wish we weren't in the hands of this red-skin, Margery," said herhusband, a little more off his guard than was his wont.
"Of Peter! You surprise me, Benjamin. I think we could not be in betterhands, since we have got this risk to run with the savages. If it wasPigeonswing that you feared, I could understand it."
"I will answer for Pigeonswing with my life."
"I am glad to hear you say so, for _I_ do not half like HIM. Perhaps Iam prejudiced against him. The scalp he took down at the mouth of theriver set me against him from the first."
"Do you not know, Margery, that your great friend goes by the name of'Scalping Peter'?"
"Yes, I know it very well; but I do not believe he ever took a scalp inhis life."
"Did he ever tell you as much as that?"
"I can't say that he did; but he has never paraded anything of the sortbefore my eyes, like Pigeonswing. I do not half like that Chippewa, dearBourdon."
"No fear of him, Margery; nor, when I come to think it all over, do Isee why Peter should have brought us here, if he means anything wrong.The man is so mysterious, that I cannot line him down to his hole."
"My word for it, Bourdon, that when you DO, it will take you to afriendly hive. I have put almost as much faith in Peter as in you orGershom. You heard what he said about Parson Amen and the corporal."
"And how coolly he took it all," answered her husband, shaking his head."It has been a sudden departure for them, and one would think even anInjin might have felt it more."
Margery's cheek grew pale, and her limbs trembled a little. It was aminute ere she could pursue the discourse.
"This is terrible, but I will not, cannot believe it," she said. "I'msure, Bourdon, we ought to be very thankful to Peter for havingbrought us here. Remember how earnestly he listened to the words of theSaviour."
"If he has brought us here with a good intention, I thank him for it.But I scarce know what to think. Pigeonswing has given me many a hint,which I have understood to mean that we ought not to trust this unknownInjin too much."
"So has he given me some of his hints, though I would sooner trust Peterthan trust him, any time."
"Our lives are in the care of Providence, I see. If we can really relyon these two Injins, all may be well; for Peter has brought us to anadmirable cover, and he says that the Chippewa prepared it."
The young husband and his wife now landed, and began to examinemore particularly into the state of the swamp, near their place ofconcealment. Just at that spot, the bank of the river was higher thanin most of the low land, and was dry, with a soil that approached sand.This was the place where the few young pines had grown. The dry groundmight have covered four or five acres, and so many trees having beenfelled, light and air were admitted, in a way to render the placecomparatively cheerful. The branches of the felled trees made asufficient cover in all directions, though the swamp itself was morethan that, almost a defence, toward the Openings. The bee-hunter foundit was possible, though it was exceedingly difficult, to make hisway through it. He ascertained the fact, however, since it might beimportant to their future movements to know it.
In a word, le Bourdon made a complete RECONNAISSANCE of his position. Hecleared a spot for the females, and made a sort of hut, that wouldserve as a protection against rain, and in which they all might sleep atnight. There was little doubt that this place must be occupied for somedays, if Peter was acting in good faith, since an early movement wouldinfallibly
lead to detection. Time must be given to the Indians toprecede them, or the great numbers of the savages would scarce leave ahope of escape. A greater sense of security succeeded this examination,and these arrangements. The danger was almost entirely to be apprehendedon the side of the river. A canoe passing up-stream might, indeed,discover their place of concealment, but it was scarcely to beapprehended that one would wade through the mud and water of the swampto approach them in any other direction.
Under these circumstances, le Bourdon began to feel more security intheir position. Could he now be certain of Peter, his mind would becomparatively at ease, and he might turn his attention altogether tomaking the party comfortable. Margery, who seldom quitted his side,reasoned with him on the subject of the mysterious chief's good faith,and by means of her own deep reliance on him, she came at last to thepoint of instilling some of her own confidence into the mind of herhusband. From that time he worked at the shelter for the females, andthe other little arrangements their situation rendered necessary, withgreater zest, and with far more attention to the details. So long aswe are in doubt of accomplishing good, we hesitate about employing ourenergies; but once let hope revive within us, in the shape of favorableresults, and we become new men, bracing every nerve to the task, andworking with redoubled spirit; even should it be at the pump of thesinking ship, which, we believe, ranks the highest among the toils thatare inflicted on the unfortunate.
For three days and nights did le Bourdon and his friends remain on thatdry land of the swamp, without hearing or seeing anything of eitherPeter or Pigeonswing. The time was growing long, and the party anxious;though the sense of security was much increased by this apparentexemption from danger. Still, uncertainty, and the wish to ascertain theprecise state of things in the Openings, were gradually getting to bepainful, and it was with great satisfaction that the bee-hunter met hisyoung wife as she came running toward him, on the morning of the fourthday, to announce that an Indian was approaching, by wading in the marginof the river, keeping always in the water so as to leave no trail.Hurrying to a point whence their visitor might be seen, le Bourdon soonperceived it was no other than Pigeonswing. In a few minutes this Indianarrived, and was gladly received by all four of the fugitives, whogathered around him, eager to hear the news.
"You are welcome, Chippewa," cried le Bourdon, shaking his friendcordially by the hand. "We were half afraid we might never see youagain. Do you bring us good or evil tidings?"
"Mustn't be squaw, and ask too much question, Bourdon," returned thered-skin, carefully examining the priming of his rifle, in order to makesure it was not wet. "Got plenty venison, eh?"
"Not much venison is left, but we have caught a good many fish, whichhave helped us along. I have killed a dozen large squirrels, too, withyour bow and arrows, which I find you left in your canoe. But--"
"Yes, he good bow, dat--might kill hummin'-bird wid dat bow. Fish goodhere, eh?"
"They are eatable, when a body can get no better. But NOW, I shouldthink, Pigeonswing, you might give us some of the news."
"Mustn't be squaw, Bourdon--bad for warrior be squaw. Alway bess be man,and be patient, like man. What you t'ink, Bourdon? Got him at last!"
"Got WHAT my good fellow? I see nothing about you, but your arms andammunition."
"Got scalp of dat Weasel! Wasn't dat well done? Nebber no young warriortake more scalp home dan Pigeonswing carry dis time! Got t'ree; allhid, where Bear's Meat nebber know. Take 'em away, when he get ready tomarch."
"Well, well, Chippewa--I suppose it will not be easy to reason you outof this feelin'--but what has become of the red-skins who burned mycabin, and who killed the missionary and the corporal?"
"All about--dough must go down river. Look here, Bourdon, some of demchief fool enough to t'ink bee carry you off on his wing!"
Here the Chippewa looked his contempt for the credulity and ignorance ofthe others, though he did not express it after the boisterous manner inwhich a white man of his class might have indulged. To him le Bourdonwas a good fellow, but no conjuror, and he understood the taking of thebee too well to have any doubts as to the character of that process.His friend had let him amuse himself by the hour in looking through hisspy-glass, so that the mind of this one savage was particularly wellfortified against the inroads of the weaknesses that had invaded thoseof most of the members of the great council. Consequently, he was amusedwith the notion taken up by some of the others, that le Bourdon hadbeen carried off by bees, though he manifested his amusement in a veryIndian-like fashion.
"So much the better," answered le Bourdon; "and I hope they havefollowed to line me down to my hive in the settlements."
"Most on 'em go--yes, dat true. But some don't go. Plenty of Injinsstill about dis part of Opening."
"What are we then to do? We shall soon be in want of food. The fish donot bite as they did, and I have killed all the squirrels I can find.You know I dare not use a rifle."
"Don't be squaw, Bourdon. When Injin get marry he grows good deal likesquaw at fuss; but dat soon go away. I spose it's just so wid pale-face.Mustn't be squaw, Bourdon. Dat bad for warrior. What you do for eat?Why, see dere," pointing to an object that was floating slowly down theriver, the current of which was very sluggish just in that reach. "Dereas fat buck as ever did see, eh?"
Sure enough the Indian had killed a deer, of which the Openings werefull, and having brought it to the river, he had constructed a raft oflogs, and placing the carcase on it, he had set his game adrift, takingcare to so far precede it as to be in readiness to tow it into port.When this last operation was performed, it was found that the Chippewadid not heedlessly vaunt the quality of his prize. What was more, soaccurately had he calculated the time, and the means of subsistence inthe possession of the fugitives, that his supply came in just as itwas most needed. In all this he manifested no more than the care ofan experienced and faithful hunter. Next to the war-path, thehunting-ground is the great field for an Indian's glory; deeds and factsso far eclipsing purely intellectual qualifications with savages, as tothrow oratory, though much esteemed by them, and wisdom at the CouncilFires, quite into the shade. In all this, we find the same propensityamong ourselves. The common mind, ever subject to these impulses, looksrather to such exploits as address themselves to the senses and theimagination, than to those qualities which the reason alone can bestappreciate; and in this, ignorance asserts its negative power over allconditions of life.
Pigeonswing now condescended to enter on such explanations as the stateof the case rendered necessary. His account was sufficiently clear,and it manifested throughout the sagacity and shrewdness of a practisedhunter and scout. We shall not attempt to give his words, which wouldrequire too much space, but the substance of his story was briefly this:
As has been alluded to already, the principal chiefs, on a suggestionof Bear's Meat, had followed the young men down the Kalamazoo, dividingthemselves by a part of their body's crossing the stream at the firstfavorable spot. In this way the Indians proceeded, sweeping the riverbefore them, and examining every place that seemed capable of concealinga canoe. Runners were kept in constant motion between the severalparties, in order to let the state of the search be known to all; and,feigning to be one of these very men, Pigeonswing had held communicationwith several whom he purposely met, and to whom he imparted suchinvented information as contributed essentially to send the young menforward on a false scent. In this way, the main body of the savagesdescended the river some sixty miles, following its windings, in thefirst day and a half. Here Pigeonswing left them, turning his own faceup stream, in order to rejoin his friends. Of Peter he had no knowledge;neither knowing, nor otherwise learning, what had become of the greatchief. On his way up stream, Pigeonswing met several more Indians;runners like himself, or as he seemed to be; or scouts kept on thelookout for the fugitives. He had no difficulty in deceiving these men.None of them had been of Crowsfeather's party, and he was a stranger tothem all. Ignorant of his real character, they received his informationwithou
t distrust, and the orders he pretended to convey were obeyed bythem without the smallest hesitation. In this way, then, Pigeonswingcontrived to send all the scouts he met away from the river, by tellingthem that there was reason to think the pale-faces had abandoned thestream, and that it was the wish of Bear's Meat that their trail shouldbe looked for in the interior. This was the false direction that he gaveto all, thereby succeeding better even than he had hoped in clearingthe banks of the Kalamazoo of observers and foes. Nevertheless, many ofthose whom he knew to be out, some quite in the rear of the party, andothers in its front, and at no great distance from them, he did notmeet; of course he could not get his false directions to their ears.There were, in fact, so many of the Indians and so few of the whites,that it was an easy matter to cover the path with young warriors, anyone party of whom would be strong enough to capture two men and as manywomen.
Having told the tale of his own doings, Pigeonswing next came to hisproposition for the mode of future proceeding. He proposed that thefamily should get into the canoes that very night, and commence itsflight by going down the stream directly toward its foes! This soundedstrangely, but there did not seem to be any alternative. A march acrossthe peninsula would be too much for the females, and there was thecertainty that their trail would be found. It may seem strange tothose who are unacquainted with the American Indian, and his habits,to imagine that, in so large an expanse, the signs of the passage of sosmall a party might not escape detection; but such was the case. To oneunaccustomed to the vigilance and intelligence of these savages, it mustappear just as probable that the vessel could be followed through thewastes of the ocean, by means of its wake, as that the footprints shouldbe so indelible as to furnish signs that can be traced for days. Such,however, is the fact, and no one understood it better than the Chippewa.He was also aware that the country toward Ohio, whither the fugitiveswould naturally direct their course, now that the English were inpossession of Detroit, must soon be a sort of battle-ground, to whichmost of the warriors of that region would eagerly repair. Under all thecircumstances, therefore, he advised the flight by means of the river.Le Bourdon reasoned on all he heard, and, still entertaining some of hislatent distrust of Peter, and willing to get beyond his reach, he soonacquiesced in the proposition, and came fully into the plan.
It was now necessary to reload the canoes. This was done in the courseof the day, and every arrangement was made, so as to be ready for astart as soon as the darkness set in. Everybody was glad to move, thoughall were aware of the extent of the hazard they ran. The females, inparticular, felt their hearts beat, as each, in her husband's canoe,issued out of the cover into the open river. Pigeonswing took the lead,paddling with a slow, but steady sweep of his arm, and keeping asclose as was convenient to one bank. By adopting this precaution, heeffectually concealed the canoes from the eyes of all on that side ofthe river, unless they stood directly on its margin, and had the aid ofthe shadows to help conceal them from any who might happen to be on theother. In this way, then, the party proceeded, passing the site ofthe hut, and the grove of Openings around it, undetected. As the rivernecessarily flowed through the lowest land, its banks were wooded muchof the way, which afforded great protection to the fugitives; and thisso much the more because these woods often grew in swamps where thescouts would not be likely to resort.
About midnight the canoes reached the first rift. An hour was lost inunloading and in reloading the canoes, and in passing the difficultiesat that point. As soon as this was done, the party re-embarked,and resorted once more to the use of the paddle, in order to gain aparticular sheltered reach of the river previously to the return oflight. This was effected successfully, and the party landed.
It now appeared that Pigeonswing had chosen another swamp as a placeof concealment for the fugitives to use during the day. These swamps,through which the river wound its way in short reaches, were admirablyadapted to such purposes. Dark, sombre, and hardly penetrable on theside of the land, they were little likely to be entered after a firstexamination. Nor was it at all probable that females, in particular,would seek a refuge in such a place. But the Chippewa had found themeans to obviate the natural obstacles of the low land. There wereseveral spots where the water from the river set back into the swamp,forming so many little creeks; and into the largest of one of these hepushed his canoe, the others following where he led. By resorting tosuch means, the shelter now obtained was more complete, perhaps, thanthat previously left.
Pigeonswing forced his light boat up the shallow inlet, until hereached a bit of dry land, where he brought up, announcing THAT as theabiding-place during the day. Glad enough was every one to get on shore,in a spot that promised security, after eight hours of unremittingpaddling and of painful excitement. Notwithstanding the rifts andcarrying-places they had met, and been obliged to overcome, le Bourdoncalculated that they had made as many as thirty miles in the course ofthat one night. This was a great movement, and to all appearances it hadbeen made without detection. As for the Chippewa, he was quite content,and no sooner was his canoe secured, than he lighted his pipe and satdown to his enjoyment with an air of composure and satisfaction.
"And here, you think, Pigeonswing, that we shall be safe during theday?" demanded le Bourdon, approaching the fallen tree on which theIndian had taken his seat.
"Sartain--no Pottawattamie come here. Too wet. Don't like wet. An'tduck, or goose--like dry land, juss like squaw. Dis good 'baccy,Bourdon--hope you got more for friend."
"I have enough for us all, Pigeonswing, and you shall have a full share.Now, tell me; what will be your next move, and where do you intend topass the morrow?"
"Juss like diss. Plenty of swamp, Bourdon, on Kekalamazoo. [Footnote:This is the true Indian word, though the whites have seen fit to omitthe first syllable.] Run canoe in swamp; den safe 'nough. Injins won'tlook 'ere, 'cause he don't know whereabout look. Don't like swamp. Greatdanger down at mouth of river."
"So it has seemed to me, Chippewa. The Injins must be there in a strongforce, and we shall find it no easy matter to get through them. How doyou propose to do it?"
"Go by in night. No udder way. When can't see, can't see. Dere plenty ofrush dere; dat good t'ing, and, p'raps, dat help us. Rush good cover forcanoe. Expec', when we get down 'ere, to get some scalp, too. Plenty ofPottawattamie about dat lodge, sartain; and it very hard if don't getsome on him scalp. You mean stop, and dig up cache; eh, Bourdon?"
The cool, quiet manner in which Pigeonswing revealed his own plans, andinquired into those of his friend, had, at least, the effect to revivethe confidence of le Bourdon. He could not think the danger very greatso long as one so experienced as the Chippewa felt so much confidence inhis own future proceedings; and, after talking a short time longer withthis man, the bee-hunter went to seek Margery, in order to impart to hera due portion of his own hopes.
The sisters were preparing the breakfast. This was done without the useof fire, it being too hazardous to permit smoke to rise above the topsof the trees. Many is the camp that has been discovered by the smoke,which can be seen at a great distance; and it is a certain sign of thepresence of man, when it ascends in threads, or such small columns asdenote a domestic fire beneath. This is very different from the cloudsthat float above the burning prairies, and which all, at once, imputeto their true origin. The danger of using fire had been so much guardedagainst by our fugitives, that the cooking of the party had been doneat night; the utmost caution having been used to prevent the fire itselffrom being seen, and care taken to extinguish it long before the returnof day. A supply of cold meat was always on hand, and had it not been,the fugitives would have known how to live on berries, or, at need, tofast; anything was preferable, being exposed to certain capture.
As soon as the party had broken their fast, arrangements were made forrecruiting nature by sleep. As for Pigeonswing, Indian-like, he hadeaten enormously, no reasonable quantity of venison sufficing to appeasehis appetite; and when he had eaten, he lay down in the bottom of hiscanoe and
slept. Similar dispositions were made of their persons by therest, and half an hour after the meal was ended, all there were in aprofound sleep. No watch was considered necessary, and none was kept.
The rest of the weary is sweet. Long hours passed, ere any one thereawoke; but no sooner did the Chippewa move than all the rest were afoot.It was now late in the day, and it was time to think of taking themeal that was to sustain them through the toil and fatigues of anotherarduous night. This was done; the necessary preparations being made fora start ere the sun had set. The canoes were then shoved as near themouth of the inlet as it was safe to go, while the light remained.Here they stopped, and a consultation took place, as to the manner ofproceeding.
No sooner did the shades of evening close around the place than thefugitives again put forth. The night was clouded and dark, and so muchof the way now lay through forests that there was little reason toapprehend detection. The chief causes of delay were the rifts, and theportages, as had been the case the night before. Luckily, le Bourdon hadbeen up and down the stream so often as to be a very tolerable pilotin its windings. He assumed the control, and by midnight the greatestobstacle to that evening's progress was overcome. At the approach ofday, Pigeonswing pointed out another creek, in another swamp, where theparty found a refuge for the succeeding day. In this manner four nightswere passed on the river, and as many days in swamps, without discovery.The Chippewa had nicely calculated his time and his distances, andnot the smallest mistake was made. Each morning a place of shelter wasreached in sufficient season; and each night the fugitives were readyfor the start as the day shut in. In this manner, most of the river wasdescended, until a distance that could be easily overcome in a couple ofhours of paddling alone remained between the party and the mouth of thestream. Extreme caution was now necessary, for signs of Indians in theneighborhood had been detected at several points in the course of thelast night's work. On one occasion, indeed, the escape was so narrow asto be worth recording.
It was at a spot where the stream flowed through a forest denser thancommon, that Pigeonswing heard voices on the river, ahead of him. OneIndian was calling to another, asking to be set across the stream in acanoe. It was too late to retreat, and so much uncertainty existed asto the nearness, or distance, of the danger, that the Chippewa deemed itsafest to bring all three of his canoes together, and to let them floatpast the point suspected, or rather KNOWN, to be occupied by enemies.This was done, with the utmost care. The plan succeeded, though notwithout running a very great risk. The canoes did float past unseen,though there was a minute of time when le Bourdon fancied by the soundsthat savages were talking to each other, within a hundred feet of hisears. Additional security, however, was felt in consequence of thecircumstance, since the pursuers must imagine the river below them to befree from the pursued.
The halt that morning was made earlier than had been the practicepreviously. This was done because the remaining distance was so smallthat, in continuing to advance, the party would have incurred the riskof reaching the mouth of the river by daylight. This was to be avoidedon every account, but principally because it was of great importance toconceal from the savages the direction taken. Were the chiefs certainthat their intended victims were on Lake Michigan, it would be possiblefor them to send parties across the isthmus, that should reach pointson Lake Huron, days in advance of the arrival of the bee-hunter and hisfriends in the vicinity of Saginaw, or Pointe aux Barques, for instance,and where the canoes would be almost certain to pass near the shore,laying their ambushes to accomplish these ends. It was thought verymaterial, therefore, to conceal the movements, even after the lakemight be reached, though le Bourdon had not a doubt of his canoes muchoutsailing those of the savages. The Indians are not very skilful in theuse of sails, while the bee-hunter knew how to manage a bark canoe inrough water, with unusual skill. In the common acceptation, he was nosailor; but, in his own peculiar craft, there was not a man living whocould excel him in dexterity or judgment.
The halting-place that morning was not in a swamp, for none offered ata suitable distance from the mouth of the river. On the contrary, itwas in a piece of Opening, that was tolerably well garnished with trees,however, and through which ran a small brook that poured its tributeinto the Kalamazoo. The Chippewa had taken notice of this brook, whichwas large enough to receive the canoes, where they might be concealedin the rushes. A favorable copse, surrounded with elders, affordeda covered space on shore, and these advantages were improved for anencampment.
Instead of seeking his rest as usual, on reaching this cover,Pigeonswing left the party on a scout. He walked up the brook somedistance, in order to conceal his trail, and then struck across theOpening, taking the direction westward, or toward the river's mouth.As for le Bourdon and his friends, they ate and slept as usual,undisturbed; but arose some hours before the close of day.
Thus far, a great work had been accomplished. The canoes had descendedthe stream with a success that was only equalled by the hardihood of themeasure, conducted by an intelligence that really seemed to amount toan instinct Pigeonswing carried a map of the Kalamazoo in his head, andseemed never at a loss to know where to find the particular place hesought. It is true, he had roamed through those Openings ever since hewas a child; and an Indian seldom passes a place susceptible of beingmade of use to his habits, that he does not take such heed of itspeculiarities, as to render him the master of all its facilities.
Margery was now full of hope, while the bee-hunter was filled withapprehensions. She saw all things couleur de rose, for she was young,happy, and innocent; but he better understood that they were justapproaching the most serious moment of their flight. He knew thevigilance of the American savage, and could not deceive himself on thesubject of the danger they must run. The mouth of the river was just theplace that, of all others, would be the closest watched, and to pass itwould require not only all their skill and courage, but somewhat of thefostering care of Providence. It might be done with success, though thechances were much against.
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