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diff --git a/24582.txt b/24582.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7810bb1 --- /dev/null +++ b/24582.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6944 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Field and Forest, by Oliver Optic + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Field and Forest + The Fortunes of a Farmer + +Author: Oliver Optic + +Release Date: February 11, 2008 [EBook #24582] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIELD AND FOREST *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from scans of public domain material produced by +Microsoft for their Live Search Books site.) + + + + + + +[Illustration: OLD MATT AND THE HORSE-THIEVES. Page 12.] + + + + +_THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ + + +FIELD AND FOREST; + +OR, + +THE FORTUNES OF A FARMER. + + + +By + +OLIVER OPTIC, + +AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," +"THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE +STARRY FLAG STORIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE +STORIES," ETC. + + +WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +BOSTON: +LEE AND SHEPARD. + +NEW YORK: +CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM. + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, +BY WILLIAM T. ADAMS, +In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. + +ELECTROTYPED AT THE +BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. + + + + + +TO + +MY EXCELLENT YOUNG FRIEND + +_CHARLES H. FOWLE_ + +This Book + +IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. + + + + +THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES. + + +1. _Field and Forest_; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A FARMER. + +2. _Plane and Plank_; OR, THE MISHAPS OF A MECHANIC. + +3. _Desk and Debit_; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK. + +4. _Cringle and Cross-Tree_; OR, THE SEA SWASHES OF A SAILOR. + +5. _Bivouac and Battle_; OR, THE STRUGGLES OF A SOLDIER. + +6. _Sea and Shore_; OR, THE TRAMPS OF A TRAVELLER. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +"FIELD AND FOREST" is the first of THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES, in +which the career of a youth from his childhood to manhood is illustrated +and described. In following out the plan which the author adopted when +he began to write books for the young, and which he has steadily +pursued in the fifty volumes now before the public, he has endeavored +to make his hero a young man of high aims and lofty purposes, however +strange, stirring, or even improbable his adventures might seem. Phil +Farringford, the leading character of this series, though he may have +some of the conceit which belongs to youth, is always honest, true to +principle, and faithful to the light which he seeks in the gospel, and +in all the other sources of wisdom. He aims to be a Christian young +man, respects and loves all the institutions of religion, and labors to +make his life an "Upward and Onward" progress. + +The scene of the story is laid upon the waters of the upper Missouri: +and while the writer hopes the reader will find the story sufficiently +stirring and exciting to engage his attention, he also trusts that +Phil's Christian principles, his reverence for the Bible, and his +devotion to duty and principle, will receive the earnest consideration +of his young friends. + +HARRISON SQUARE, BOSTON, + +_June_ 6, 1870. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +CHAPTER I. + IN WHICH PHIL COMES HOME WITH PLENTY OF FISH. 11 + +CHAPTER II. + IN WHICH PHIL FINDS THE CAMP OF THE INDIANS. 21 + +CHAPTER III. + IN WHICH PHIL TAKES GOOD CARE OF THE HORSES. 32 + +CHAPTER IV. + IN WHICH PHIL LOSES AN OLD AND VALUED FRIEND. 42 + +CHAPTER V. + IN WHICH PHIL FOLLOWS KIT CRUNCHER. 53 + +CHAPTER VI. + IN WHICH PHIL ASSISTS IN THE BUILDING OF A BLOCK HOUSE. 63 + +CHAPTER VII. + IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS FRIENDS GUARD THE CASTLE. 74 + +CHAPTER VIII. + IN WHICH PHIL SEES THE FIRST YOUNG LADY HE EVER SAW. 85 + +CHAPTER IX. + IN WHICH PHIL HAS A VISITOR AT THE CASTLE. 95 + +CHAPTER X. + IN WHICH PHIL VISITS PARADISE, AND FIRES AT AN INDIAN. 106 + +CHAPTER XI. + IN WHICH PHIL ENGAGES IN THE PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS. 116 + +CHAPTER XII. + IN WHICH PHIL TAKES DELIBERATE AIM AT ONE OF THE + CAPTORS OF ELLA. 127 + +CHAPTER XIII. + IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS COMPANION ARRIVE AT THE CABIN + OF KIT CRUNCHER. 138 + +CHAPTER XIV. + IN WHICH PHIL ROWS THE BARGE UP THE BIG FISH RIVER. 149 + +CHAPTER XV. + IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS COMPANIONS START FOR THE CASTLE. 160 + +CHAPTER XVI. + IN WHICH PHIL ARRIVES AT THE CASTLE. 171 + +CHAPTER XVII. + IN WHICH PHIL CONDUCTS THE SOLDIERS TO THE LINE + OF DEFENCE. 182 + +CHAPTER XVIII. + IN WHICH PHIL FIGHTS THE INDIANS ON THE ISLAND. 193 + +CHAPTER XIX. + IN WHICH PHIL CONDUCTS THE RAFT TO THE LANDING, + AND MORGAN FIRES THE BIG GUN. 204 + +CHAPTER XX. + IN WHICH PHIL WITNESSES THE OPENING OF THE BATTLE + WITH THE INDIANS. 215 + +CHAPTER XXI. + IN WHICH PHIL SEES THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR. 226 + +CHAPTER XXII. + IN WHICH PHIL UNDERTAKES A HEAVY JOB. 236 + +CHAPTER XXIII. + IN WHICH PHIL'S RECONSTRUCTION PLAN IS FULLY SET FORTH. 247 + +CHAPTER XXIV. + IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS FRIENDS EXAMINE THE CONTENTS + OF THE CHEST. 257 + +CHAPTER XXV. + IN WHICH PHIL ATTENDS TO THE AFFAIRS OF THE FARM. 268 + +CHAPTER XXVI. + IN WHICH PHIL, WITH HIS FORTUNE AS A FARMER, BIDS + FAREWELL TO FIELD AND FOREST. 278 + + + + +FIELD AND FOREST; + +OR, + +THE FORTUNES OF A FARMER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN WHICH PHIL COMES HOME WITH PLENTY OF FISH. + + +"Hollo, Phil!" + +That was the name to which I answered, especially when it was spoken as +decidedly as on the present occasion. + +"I'm coming," I replied, at the top of my lungs. + +I had been a-fishing in a stream which flowed into the Missouri about a +mile above my home. I had been very successful, and had as many fish as +I could carry. I was gathering them up, after I had fastened my bateau +to the stake, and intended to convey them to the Castle, as our log hut +was rather facetiously called by its owner. + +"Phil! Phil!" repeated the voice above the bluff of the river. + +It was Matt Rockwood who called; and as he was the only master and +guardian I had ever known, I always obeyed him--when I could not help +doing so. His tones were more imperative than before, and I proceeded +with greater haste to gather up my fish, stringing them upon some +willow twigs I had just cut for the purpose. + +Crack went a rifle. The sound startled me, and, dropping my fish, I ran +up the steep bank of the river to the summit of the bluff on which the +Castle was located. + +"What's the matter?" I asked, when I reached the spot by the side of +the house where Matt stood. + +"Don't you see?" he replied, raising his rifle again, and taking aim. + +I looked in the direction towards which his weapon was directed, and +saw two Indians, mounted, each of whom had a led horse. + +"Them pesky Injuns hes stole our hosses," added old Matt, as he fired +his rifle the second time. "'Tain't no use; I might as well shoot at +the north star." + +The two Indians, with their animals, disappeared in the forest beyond +the clearing, and Matt's last chance was gone. A few years earlier in +the life experience of the old squatter, the thieves would not have +escaped so easily, for Matt was a dead shot before the rheumatism took +hold of him. Now he hobbled about a little on a pair of rude crutches I +had made for him; but his eyes were rather weak, and his arm was +unsteady. His rifle was no longer unerring, and the thieving savages +could plunder him with impunity. + +There was an Indian village about ten miles from the Castle, and from +the known character of its inhabitants, and the direction the marauders +had taken, we concluded they had come from there. I went into the +house, and procured my rifle--a light affair, which old Matt had +purchased on board a trading steamer for my use. + +"'Tain't no use, Phil. You needn't run arter 'em," said the old man, +shaking his head. "You don't expect to run fast enough to ketch Injuns +on hossback--do you?" + +On second thought I concluded to take his view of the matter. + +"But we can't afford to lose them hosses, Phil," continued old Matt, as +he hobbled to a seat. "And if we can, them Injuns shan't hev 'em. I +ain't a-goin' to hev old Firefly rid by them critters, and starved, and +abused--I ain't a-goin' to do it! Them hosses must be got back. You're +gittin' old enough to do sunthin' with Injuns now, Phil, and you must +git them hosses back agin." + +"I'm ready to do anything I can; but, if I can't catch the Indians, +what shall I do?" I replied. + +"We can't do a thing in the field without them hosses, Phil; and +'tain't no use to try. We can't plough the ground, and we can't haul no +wood. We must hev them hosses back agin, if I hev to hobble arter 'em +myself." + +"What can I do?" I asked, willing to fight the Indians if necessary; +and I was rather impatient over the amount of talk the old man bestowed +upon the subject. + +"I'll tell you what to do, Phil. Hosses is skuss with them varmints. +It's been a hard winter for vagabonds as don't lay up nothin' for cold +weather, and they lost half their hosses--starved 'em to death. Them +critters they rid on wan't nothin' but frames, and you could hear their +bones rattle when they trotted. They won't go far on them hosses +to-day, for it's most night now." + +"But if I'm going to do anything, it's time to be doing it," I +suggested, impatiently. + +"Keep cool, boy; 'tain't time to go yet," added the old man, lifting +one leg painfully over the other with his hands. "About dark, them +Injuns will camp for the night, and that'll be the time to take 'em." + +"Very well; then I will go down and bring up my fish. I'm hungry, +Matt," I added. + +"So am I." + +"While they are cooking, we will talk the matter over." + +"Stop a minute, Phil," said Matt, as I started for the river. "There +was a jug of fire-water in the barn. I left it there this arternoon. I +used some on't to wash Firefly's leg where 'twas swelled up. Go into +the barn, and see if it's there now." + +I knew what the old man was thinking about, and I went in search of the +jug. I could not find it, and so reported to him. + +"I didn't think o' that jug before. The Injuns come into the castle, +and asked for fire-water. I never gin 'em none, and shan't begin now. +They were lookin' for hosses, and went to the barn. They took that jug +of whiskey, but it's jest like camphene. 'Tain't fit to drink no more'n +pizen." + +"They will get drunk on it," I added. + +"They kin git drunk very quick on such stuff as that, and they won't go +fur afore they do it, nuther." + +"Then I can very easily get the horses." + +"If you work it right, you kin, Phil; but if they are crazy drunk, you +musn't go to showin' yourself to 'em. Wait till they go to sleep, as +they will when they git drunk enough. Then take your hosses and come +home." + +"I will go down and get the fish, Matt." + +"Go, boy." + +The old man rose with difficulty from his seat, and, with the rifle in +his right hand, with which also he was obliged to handle a crutch, he +hobbled into the Castle. I hastened down to the river, excited by the +prospect of an adventure that night with the Indians. I was a boy of +only thirteen, and the idea was an immense one. I was to go out into +the forest and recapture the horses--an undertaking which might have +taxed all the skill and courage of a person of mature age and +experience. But I considered myself equal to the mission upon which I +was to be sent. I had been brought up in a log cabin, and even as a +child had made long hunting and trapping tramps with old Matt Rockwood. +I had stood before angry Indians, as well as thieving and drunken ones. +I had shot deer, bears, and wolves, as well as smaller game, with my +rifle. + +Old Matt had always taught me that there was nothing in the world to be +afraid of but one's own self--a philosophy which was very pretty in +theory, but not always capable of being reduced to practice. But I +certainly was not afraid of an Indian, or of any number of them. From +my rough old guardian I had acquired a certain contempt for them; but I +had never passed through an Indian war or an Indian massacre. I had +heard of the savage Blackfeet, and other tribes, who were not to be +contemned, but I had never seen any of them. + +I hastily completed the stringing of my fish, thinking all the time how +I should conduct the expedition in which I was to engage. Indeed, I +could think of nothing else; for, although I had often been away on +similar excursions, it was always in company with my guardian, while on +the present occasion I was to manage for myself. I forgot that I was +hungry, and only lived in the brilliant schemes for recovering the +horses, capturing the camp, and even wiping out the Indians themselves. +I was bent on desperate deeds, and intended to convince old Matt that I +was worthy of the confidence he reposed in me. + +"You have been lucky to-day, Phil Farringford," said a voice near me, +as I rose from the bottom of the boat to step on shore. + +It was Mr. Mellowtone, an old neighbor of ours, who had squatted on an +island in the river. He was a good friend of mine, and I regarded him +with the utmost love and respect. He had taught me to read and write, +and furnished me books, which had been both a comfort and a blessing to +me. + +"I have done first rate to-day," I replied. "Won't you take some of +these?" + +"Thank you, Phil Farringford. I will take two or three of them, if you +have any to spare." + +"Take as many as you can use, Mr. Mellowtone," I continued, removing +from the twig some of the handsomest of the fish. + +"Enough, Phil Farringford. I am not a swine, to eat more than six +pounds of trout in a day," said he, with a smile. + +I strung them upon a willow twig, and handed them to him, as he stood +in his barge--a very aristocratic craft, which he had brought with him +from the regions of civilization. + +"I must be in a hurry now, Mr. Mellowtone. Won't you come up to the +Castle with me? The Indians stole both of our horses this afternoon, +and I am going out after them." + +"That's unfortunate," he replied, running his barge upon the bank. "I +will walk up to the Castle with you, and you shall tell me about it." + +Securing his boat to the stake, he followed me up the bank of the +river; and on the way to the house I told him what had happened just as +I returned from my fishing trip. We entered the log house, where old +Matt had kindled a huge fire to cook our evening meal. + +"Good evening, Mr. Rockwood," said my friend, as politely as though he +had been speaking to the President of the United States. + +"Your sarvant, Mr. Mellowtone," replied Matt, who always labored to be +as courteous as his visitor, though not always with the same success. + +"You have been unfortunate, I learn from Phil Farringford." + +"Yes; them pesky redskins is gittin' troublesome, and I'm afraid we +shall hev to wipe out some on 'em." + +"We must not allow them to steal," added Mr. Mellowtone, decidedly. + +"No; Phil is goin' out arter 'em. They stole my jug of fire-water, and +they'll be as drunk as owls afore long." + +"If neither he nor you object, I will go out with him." + +"I hain't no kind o' objection. I should be much obleeged to you if you +help git back them hosses." + +"I shall be glad to have you go with me, Mr. Mellowtone," I replied, as +I put the pan of fish on the fire. + +We were all of the same mind. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN WHICH PHIL FINDS THE CAMP OF THE INDIANS. + + +I was certainly very glad to have Mr. Mellowtone go with me on the +expedition after the Indians; but I did not exactly like to share the +glory of the great deeds I expected to do even with him, though he was +one of my best friends. However, I consoled myself with the reflection +that his pleasant company would in part compensate me for the share of +the glory he would appropriate. + +While the fish were on the fire, I set the table in the best style that +the contents of our meagre China closet would permit, for our +distinguished visitor seldom honored us by taking a meal at the Castle, +and I was anxious to make the best possible appearance. Measured by the +standard of civilized life, the result was not a success; but for the +backwoods it was. Our table ware was mostly of tin, dented and marred +at that; but we had one crockery plate, and I devoted that to the use +of our honored guest. + +If the table ware was not elegant, the fish were infinitely better than +are ever set before the pampered sons of civilization. They had been +swimming in their native element a couple of hours before, and were a +species of trout, weighing from a pound and a half to two pounds +apiece. Mr. Mellowtone declared that they were delicious; and he +justified his praise by his trencher practice. For bread we had cold +johnny cake, for we were out of flour, as no trading steamer had passed +since the ice in the river broke up. We lived well at the Castle, for +besides the game and fish supplied by the woods and the rivers, we had +bacon, pork, potatoes, and vegetables from the farm. + +"Now, Phil, you must be keerful," said old Matt, as we were eating our +supper. "Injuns is wicked, and Injuns is cunnin'." + +"I will try to be careful," I replied. "I suppose, if we follow Little +Fish Creek, we shall find the Indians before morning." + +"Yes, you will. Go through the forest, and cross the brook. Follow the +path till you come to the creek, and you'll be all right. The varmints +hain't got no feed for their hosses, and they won't go fur to-night." + +The old man gave us directions how to proceed until we finished the +meal; and after I had put things in order about the house, I slung my +rifle over my shoulder. Mr. Mellowtone had no weapon, and declared that +he needed none. Just at dark we left the Castle, and, crossing the +field, entered the forest. There was a well-beaten path, so that we +were in no danger of losing our way. We crossed the bridge over the +brook which bounded the farm on the north-west; we continued our course +through the forest till we reached Little Fish Creek, at the point +where it flows into Big Fish Creek. All the names of streams and of +localities in the vicinity had been given by Matt Rockwood. The brook +we had crossed was called Kit's Brook, because, three miles from its +junction with the Big Fish, lived on its banks one Kit Cruncher, an old +hunter and trapper, who, until the arrival of Mr. Mellowtone, five +years before, had been Matt's only neighbor. + +We followed the Little Fish for an hour without discovering any signs +of the Indians or the horses. We were within a mile, across the +country, of Kit Cruncher's cabin, and we concluded that the thieves +would not deem it prudent to halt near so formidable a person as the +old hunter had proved himself to be. + +"Are you sure we are on the right track, Phil Farringford?" asked my +companion. + +"We are on the right road to the Indian village," I replied. + +"Is it certain that the thieves came from there?" + +"They must have come from there, for I don't know of any other Indians +within forty miles of the Castle." + +"They may be wandering Dakotahs, who do not stay long in one place." + +"But there were only two of them, and Dakotahs go in bigger crowds than +that. Matt says they took this path, and I saw them strike into the +woods myself." + +"Doubtless we are right, then. We might go over to Kit Cruncher's, and +inquire if he has seen anything of the thieves," suggested Mr. +Mellowtone. + +"I am sure he has not seen them; if he had, he would have stopped them. +And the Indians know him well enough to keep out of his way. He is hard +on Indians when they don't behave themselves." + +"Very well, Phil Farringford. You are the leader of this expedition, +and I will obey your orders." + +"I hope you won't, sir; at least, I don't mean to give you any orders," +I replied, abashed at the humility of one whom I regarded as the +greatest and best man in the world. + +We walked in silence for another hour, for my companion always did more +thinking than talking. I led the way, and kept both of my eyes and both +of my ears wide open, expecting every moment to come upon the camp of +the savages. While we were thus cautiously tramping through the forest, +I heard the neighing of a horse behind us. + +"Hark!" I whispered to Mr. Mellowtone. "We have passed them." + +"How can that be?" + +"They struck off from the river, and went into the woods to sleep. That +was old Firefly's voice, I know. I shouldn't wonder if he heard us." + +"If he did, perhaps the Indians heard us also." + +"If they have that jug of whiskey with them, they are too drunk to hear +anything by this time." + +"We must look for the place where they left the path." + +"It is rather dark to look for anything tonight," I replied, as I led +the way back. + +We proceeded with great care, though we made noise enough to apprise +Firefly of the approach of friends. He was a knowing old horse, and had +faithfully served his master for ten years, but was still a very useful +animal. I fancied that he despised Indians quite as much as old Matt +himself, and that he was utterly disgusted with his present situation +and future prospects. Doubtless he was very uneasy, and displeased at +being away from his rude but comfortable stable. The grass had just +begun to start a little in the wet soil, and as our stock of hay was +getting low, I had picketed them with long ropes where they could feed. +In this situation they had become an easy prey to the Indians. + +I hoped old Firefly would speak again, and I ventured upon a low +whistle, to inform him of my presence, but he did not respond. The +other horse was a good beast, and worked intelligently by Firefly's +side at the plough and the wagon: but he was an ignoramus compared with +his mate, and I expected nothing of him. + +"They can't be far from here," said I, as I halted and whistled again a +little louder than before. + +"We must examine the ground, and see if there are any horse tracks," +replied Mr. Mellowtone, as he lighted a match to enable us to see the +path. + +"No tracks here," I added. "They all lead the other way." + +"Then they turned in farther down." + +We resumed our walk, but in a few minutes we examined the ground again. + +"Here they are," said my companion. "They turned in between this place +and that where we stopped last. Whistle again, Phil Farringford." + +"We are farther from them now than when I heard the voice of old +Firefly," I replied, after I had whistled in vain several times. + +"But we are on the track of the horses. There can be no doubt of that," +answered Mr. Mellowtone. "We can follow their trail till we find where +they left the path." + +"I hope you have a good supply of matches." + +"I have about a dozen more." + +We examined the path in several places, and at last found that the +Indians had left it to follow a small brook which flowed into the +Little Fish. I whistled at intervals, but received no response from +Firefly. The stream which was our guide did not lead us far from the +creek. + +"I smell smoke," said Mr. Mellowtone, after we had proceeded a +considerable distance. "We are not far from them." + +"I don't see the light of any fire." + +"Probably it has burned down by this time, for the Indians must be +asleep." + +I whistled, and this time a very decided answer came back from Firefly. + +"We are close by them," said I; and involuntarily we slackened our +pace. + +"I am afraid the noise that horse makes will awaken the Indians." + +"They are beastly drunk, without a doubt, and no ordinary sounds will +rouse them," I replied. "If they had known what they were about, they +would not have built a fire. They are not more than two miles from Kit +Cruncher's cabin." + +In silence, then, and very cautiously, we crept towards the bivouac of +the Indians. In a few moments I saw the four horses, fastened to the +trees: but between us and them lay the extended forms of the two +Indians. They reposed on the ground, one on each side of the +smouldering embers of a fire they had kindled earlier in the evening. +The faint light enabled me to see the whiskey jug, lying on the ground +near them. The cork was out, and it was evidently empty. The thieves +snored so that the earth seemed to shake under them, and I was +satisfied that they were as drunk as human beings could be and live. + +We made a circuit around the sleeping Indians, and reached the place +where the horses were fastened. Firefly neighed and danced in his +delight at seeing me, and even his more stolid mate was disposed to +make a demonstration of joy; for both animals had been in the habit of +spending their nights in a comfortable stable. The horses of the +Indians were as they had ridden them, wearing their bridles, and the +folded blankets, which served us saddles, strapped upon their backs. + +"We needn't spend much time thinking about it," said I, after I had +patted Firefly on the neck to assure him I was still his friend. "They +have nothing but halters on their necks, though we have only to mount +them, and they will go home without any guiding." + +"The Indian horses have saddles and bridles on," answered Mr. +Mellowtone. "I think we had better do as the redskins did--ride their +horses, and lead the others." + +"Shall we take their horses?" I asked, rather startled by the +proposition. + +"Certainly; we must teach them a lesson which they will remember. We +are in the world as instructors of those who are less wise than we, and +it is our duty to impart wisdom to those who need it." + +"They will come down after them, when they are sober." + +"They will do that if you take only your own animals. They will fight +just as hard to recover the property they stole as to obtain what is +justly their own." + +Without stopping to debate the matter any further, we mounted the +Indians' horses. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +IN WHICH PHIL TAKES GOOD CARE OF THE HORSES. + + +I took old Firefly's halter in my hand, while Mr. Mellowtone had that +of our other horse. We were ready to start; but the problem of reaching +the river path without disturbing the Indians did not seem so easy of +solution as at first. We intended to make a circuit around the drunken +thieves; but I found the underbrush was so thick that a passage with +the horses was impossible. There was seldom any undergrowth in the +forest, but this place appeared to have been chosen by the redskins for +the purpose of presenting to us the very difficulty we now encountered. + +They knew that they must be pursued, if at all, from the direction of +the Castle, and they had built their fire in the space between the +brook and the dense undergrowth, so that the horses could not be taken +back without passing over them. I had visited the place before, and, as +I recalled its peculiarities to my mind, the difficulty of the +situation increased. The ground was low and swampy, and though I had +easily passed through it on foot, the horses could not go through +without brushing off their riders. The brook had its rise in the low +ground. We could cross it, but the bushes were just as thick on the +other side. + +We tried in vain to find a passage for the horses; and it occurred to +me then that the Indians had possibly come to a halt here because they +could go no farther in this direction. I did not like to ride over the +drunken thieves, though this seemed to be our only means of passing +them. They were asleep, and snoring like the heavy muttering of an +earthquake, and we could not tell exactly how drunk they were. It was +possible that they were still able to use their rifles and knives, +though, if they had drank the entire contents of the whiskey jug, which +probably was not less than a quart, we had little to fear from them. +Some Indians, however, could drink a pint, and still be able to use a +rifle, while others would be overcome with half that quantity. + +"We can't get out in this way," said Mr. Mellowtone, after we had +vainly sought a passage around the Indians. + +"I will take a look at the drunken redskins," I replied, dismounting, +and fastening my two horses to a sapling. + +I walked cautiously to the spot where the Indians lay. I threw a few +dry sticks on the fire, so as to obtain some light from the blaze. I +found that the thieves lay on a knoll between the brook and the swamp. +There was not space enough on either side for two horses to pass +abreast without stepping over or on their sleeping forms; but there was +no other way for us to get out of the trap. The horses might pass +singly, and I decided at once what to do. + +"I think we will ride the Indian horses, and let the others follow," +said I, returning to my companion. + +"But they may take it into their heads not to follow." + +"Firefly will go as straight to his stable as he can," I replied, +loosing him, and securing the halter around his neck. "The other one +will follow him." + +Mr. Mellowtone released his led animal, and I mounted my steed. The +latter was an ugly beast, as he must have been from the force of +association. I urged him towards the Indians, and Firefly closely +followed me. The horse I rode was not disposed to pass the fire and the +sleeping forms; but I pounded his naked ribs till he changed his mind, +and stepped over the legs of his drunken master. Firefly snorted, and +sprang over the obstruction. + +"Hoo!" shouted the savage, over whose legs I had passed, springing to +his feet. + +But he was too drunk to stand up, and pitched over upon the body of his +companion. As the path was now clear for an instant, Mr. Mellowtone +urged his horse forward, and joined me. Our other horse, which I had +always called Cracker, though Matt never recognized the name, followed +without making any sensation whatever. The fall of the one Indian upon +the other had awakened the latter, and by the light of the blazing +sticks I saw them clutch each other. Probably the second, in his tipsy +stupor, supposed the first was an enemy, having designs upon his life. +They rolled over together, and in the struggle the legs of one of them +were thrown upon the fire. + +Such an unearthly yell I had never heard. He was not so drunk that fire +would not burn him, and the pain made him howl like a wounded buffalo. +They rolled and struggled, and the firebrands were scattered in every +direction. In a moment they sprang to their feet, but only to fall +again upon the burning brands which were strown over the ground. They +did not appear to see us, though we had halted quite near them, curious +to see the result of the struggle. + +As they fell upon the earth, the brands burned them, and they leaped to +their feet again; but they no longer grappled with each other. It was +now only getting up and falling down, and this continued until they had +stumbled out of the circuit where the brands had been strown. Exhausted +by the violence of their exertions, or bewildered by the fumes of the +liquor, they lay still, and we started on our return to the Castle. If +the Indians saw us at all, they were unable to follow us; and their +experience seemed to point the moral that, when one steals horses, he +must not steal whiskey at the same time. + +"They had a warm time of it," said my companion, as we jogged along +very slowly through the forest, for the horses we rode could not be +persuaded to go faster than a walk. + +"I am glad they wasted their strength upon each other, instead of us." + +"What a condition for a human being to be in!" added Mr. Mellowtone, +with an expression of disgust. + +"I don't see why Indians take to whiskey so readily. It is a curse to +all the redskins I ever knew." + +"It is a curse to any man, red or white." + +"I never saw a white man drunk." + +"Your experience has been very limited, Phil Farringford." + +"That's very true. I never saw much of the world, but I hope to see +more of it one of these days. What do you suppose these Indians will do +when they become sober?" I asked. + +"No doubt they will try to get back their horses. They came down for +more, and they go back with fewer, unless they can recover them. If +they behave themselves we will let them have their own horses. We don't +want them." + +"They are nothing but skin and bones." + +"Very likely they are good horses, but they have been starved and +overridden." + +"Old Matt won't care about filling them out, for we haven't more than +grain enough to carry us through. I suppose we shall see these redskins +again by to-morrow." + +"Perhaps not; they may go to their village first, and return with more +men." + +"Well, we won't borrow any trouble about them. When they come we will +take care of them. We shall be obliged to watch our horses after this; +for I would rather shoot old Firefly than have him abused by those +redskins." + +"They are not worthy to possess so noble an animal as the horse. But, +after all, the white man is more to blame for their present degraded +condition than they are themselves. Out of the reach of the vices of +civilization there are still noble red men." + +"I never saw any of them," I added, rather incredulously. + +We continued on our way through the solemn forest, and by the side of +the rolling river. Old Firefly and Cracker were ahead of us, but we +could hear the tramp of their feet, and were satisfied that they were +on the right track. When we reached the Castle, we found them patiently +waiting at the stable for our arrival. I opened the door for them, and +they returned to their quarters with a satisfaction which they could +not express. As our stock of hay was nearly expended, we had room +enough in the barn for the two Indian horses. I fed all the animals +alike, for it was not the fault of the strangers that they kept bad +company. + +Old Matt had gone to bed when we went into the house, but he wanted to +know all about our adventures; and, when I had told him the story, I +was pleased to hear him say that I had done well. Late as it was, Mr. +Mellowtone insisted upon returning to his home on the island, two miles +above the Castle; but he promised to come down early the next day, for +we expected trouble with our Indian neighbors. I went down to the river +with him, and watched his barge till it disappeared in the gloom of the +night. I was beginning to be sleepy, but I dared not go to bed, fearful +that the Indians would come before morning, and steal the horses. I had +concluded to sleep in the barn, if at all, with my rifle at my side, so +as to be sure that no accident happened while I was in the house. + +I did sleep in the barn, and with my rifle at my side; but I was not +disturbed by the visit of any redskins, and the horses were all right +in the morning. I fed them alike again, and watered them at the brook. +Before we had finished our late breakfast in the Castle, Mr. Mellowtone +arrived. + +"Have you seen any more Indians, Phil Farringford?" he asked. + +"No, sir; but we expect to see the two who stole the horses very soon." + +"I brought my rifle with me this time," he added. "I saw Kit Cruncher +this morning. He says there is a band of Indians in the woods north of +him." + +"How many?" I asked. + +"He saw ten together, all of them mounted, and thinks they came down to +find feed for their horses. I told him what had happened here +yesterday, and he says there will be trouble before the day is over." + +"Does he think so?" asked old Matt, rather anxiously. + +"He does; and I came prepared to assist you, if need be." + +"Thank'e, Mr. Mellowtone. Time was when I didn't want no help agin any +ten of these yere redskins; but the rheumatiz has spiled me, and my arm +shakes so I can't shoot much now," added old Matt, mournfully. + +"Kit said he would come here immediately." + +"Kit is a good neighbor, and is allus on hand when he's wanted, and +there's any Injuns to shoot." + +At that moment the door was darkened by the appearance of Kit Cruncher, +who bowed his head, and entered without ceremony. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +IN WHICH PHIL LOSES AN OLD AND VALUED FRIEND. + + +Kit Cruncher was about six feet and a half high, and it was necessary +that he should bow his head when he entered even the humble log cabin +of Matt Rockwood. He wore a cap made of skins, so tall that it seemed +to add another foot to his height. It was ornamented with the long, +bushy tail of a fox, which dangled on one side like the tassels from +the cap of a hussar. His beard, gray and massive, was more than a foot +long, and gave him a patriarchal aspect. His pants were stuffed in the +legs of his long boots, and he wore a kind of hunting frock, which +reached nearly to his knees. He was lean and lank, but, annealed in the +hardships of backwoods life, he was wiry and sinewy. He was about fifty +years old, though his gray hair and beard alone appeared to betray his +age. He was from the south; a fine specimen of the real Kentucky +hunter--"half horse and half alligator." + +There was a kind of stern dignity in his countenance that always awed +me, though I knew that Kit had a kind heart, and was only terrible to +those who injured him or his friends. He lived by hunting and trapping, +and always had a large supply of peltries to dispose of whenever a +trading steamer came up the Missouri. + +"How's yer bones, Matt?" said he, dropping the butt of his long rifle +upon the earthen floor of our cabin. + +"Poorly, Kit, poorly," replied Matt. "I'm about did for in this world. +I can shoot no more, and couldn't hit the moon at ten paces." + +"That's bad; 'cause 'pears like some shootin' must be did. There's a +squad o' redskins up above me, and I cal'late they mean mischief, if +they begin by stealin' your hosses. We'll git out into natur'," said +Kit, as he left the house, followed by the rest of the party. + +He evidently expected a visit from the savages very soon. I took down +my little rifle from the brackets, and also, at Matt's request, carried +out his long weapon, with the accoutrements. We were all rigged for the +war path, and, for my own part, I was never so much excited in my life. +I wondered how Kit could keep so cool. He was deeply skilled in Indian +craft, and when he thought there was danger, others might be excused +for adopting his opinion. Old Matt seated himself on a box near the +barn door, and the rest of us gathered around him. + +"Them Injuns has had a hard winter on't," said Kit. "They won't git +their gov'ment money and traps for a month yit, and they are half +starved. They've lost half their hosses, and all these things makes 'em +ugly. But I didn't think o' nothin' till I heered they stole your +hosses, and you hed theirs." + +"I never hed much trouble with 'em," added old Matt. "They've stole my +hosses afore, but I allus got 'em back, as I did this time." + +"When an Injun's hungry, he's ugly." + +The two patriarchs discussed the situation at length, while I listened +in reverent humility to their words. Mr. Mellowtone smoked his pipe in +silence. I think his pipe was in his mouth at least two thirds of the +time, and was a very great comfort to him. We were all watching the +path which led across the field into the forest, for this was the only +approach to the Castle by the land side. Matt's farm--as he called +it--was situated between two deep creeks, the Fish on the west and the +Bear on the east. Half a mile from the cabin, in the midst of the +forest, was a lake, through which flowed Bear Creek. Half way between +this sheet of water and the Little Fish ran Kit's Brook, on the bank of +which was a path leading to the hunter's cabin. The great thoroughfare +to the north was by the Fish, and this was the only practicable way for +mounted men, and was the road by which the Indians came down to the +Missouri to exchange their peltries for powder and whiskey. + +While we were all watching the spot where the path entered the forest, +a couple of redskins emerged from its shades, and hurried towards the +Castle. As they approached we all raised our rifles. Even old Matt rose +from his seat, and prepared to use his weapon. But the savages made the +signs of peace; and Kit, to whom we all looked for inspiration and +direction, permitted them to approach. I immediately identified them as +the two who had stolen our horses, and whom I had seen rolling among +the burning brands the night before. Their greasy garments showed the +marks of fire, and the leggings of one of them were nearly burned off. + +"Those are the redskins who stole our horses," said I to Kit Cruncher. + +"Jest so," replied Kit, as the savages halted before us. + +They were very much excited, and looked decidedly ugly. Their eyes were +bloodshot after the debauch of the preceding night, and their eyeballs +seemed to be marked by the fiery nature of the liquor they had drank. + +"Ugh!" growled one of them, shaking his head. + +"Well, old Blower, what do you want?" demanded Kit, straightening up +his tall, gaunt form. + +"Want um hosses," snarled the Indian, shaking his head violently, as +though he was so ugly he could not contain himself. + +"D'ye want to steal some hosses?" added Kit, sternly. + +"Ugh! White man steal hosses! Lose um two hosses," howled the +spokesman, pointing to the barn. + +We understood what he meant. He evidently thought it quite right for +him to steal our horses, but very wicked for us to reciprocate in the +same manner. + +"Well, they sarved you jest as you sarved them. You stole Matt's +bosses, his folks stole yours. That's fair play," added Kit. + +"No steal hosses!" growled the Indian. "Give back hosses." + +"They kin hev their own hosses. I don't want 'em," interposed Matt. +"They ain't fit for scarecrows." + +"Bring 'em out, Phil," said Kit. "They shall hev their own. We won't +wrong an Injun, no how." + +I led out the bony racks which the Indians had ridden, and delivered +them to their owners. + +"Now you kin leave," added Kit. + +"Want more hosses," said the Indian who spoke this pigeon English, and +which the other appeared not to be able to do, and only grunted and +howled his anger and indignation. + +"You won't git no more hosses here." + +"Want corn, want meat, want whiskey." + +"Not a corn, not a meat, not a whiskey," replied Kit, decidedly. "Ef +you'd come as a hungry man, we mought hev fed you." + +"Big Injun come, burn house, kill white man--no give hoss and whiskey." + +"Big Injun mought git shot, ef he don't behave hisself." + +"Ugh!" + +"You kin leave," repeated Kit, significantly, as he raised his rifle. + +"No go," howled the Indian, though he retreated a few paces, and +plainly did not like Kit's cool and stiff manner. "White man pappoose +steal um hosses, and burn Injun." + +The speaker stooped down, drew aside his tattered leggin, and pointed +to a huge blister on his leg, made by the fire into which he had rolled +in his drunken frenzy. Then he pointed to me, and as he did so, his +bloodshot eyes lighted up with rage and malice. I understood him to +charge me with the infliction of the injury upon his leg. Since both of +the thieves were so very drunk when we were at their camp, I did not at +first see how they had been made aware of my presence. They did not +seem to see me, and I concluded that they had identified me in the +morning by the smallness of my track in the soft soil. They could not +have known what transpired in their fury, but probably reasoned that, +as I had been there, and taken the horses, I had burned their legs +also. + +[Illustration: THE INDIANS' HORSES RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS. Page 47.] + +"I did not do it," I protested, hardly able to restrain a laugh, as I +recalled the ludicrous scene of the night, before at the camp fire. + +I explained how the Indian had burned himself. + +"Pay Injun damage," added the injured thief. + +"Nary red. You stole whiskey, got drunk, and rolled into your own camp +fire," answered Kit. "You kin leave." + +The tall hunter raised his rifle again, and the two Indians, mounting +their bony steeds, rode off, yelling in the fury of their rage and +disappointment. They had intended to obtain something more than their +horses. Indeed, the Indians never visited the Castle without begging or +demanding something, always whiskey, and often corn and meat. + +"There's more on 'em up there somewhere," said Kit, as the thieves rode +off. + +"Do you think they will return?" asked Mr. Mellowtone. + +"I'm afeered they will. Them Injuns is ugly, and I reckon they mean to +make trouble. They don't ask for bread and meat; they demand 'em. They +spoke for t'others more'n for theirselves. 'Tain't wuth while to +quarrel with 'em ef you kin help it. I allus give 'em sunthin' to eat, +when they are hungry, ef they ask for't; but I don't let 'em git the +upper hands on me. 'Twon't do." + +"If you think they mean to attack us, don't you think we had better +prepare to defend ourselves?" suggested Mr. Mellowtone. + +"I'm allus ready, and I am now," replied Kit. + +"So am I," added old Matt, as he examined the lock of his weapon. + +"But we might do something to make a better defence," said Mr. +Mellowtone. "There are ten or a dozen Indians, you think, while we are +but four." + +"What kin we do except shoot 'em when they come?" replied old Matt. + +"There is a bridge over the brook in the woods yonder," continued Mr. +Mellowtone, pausing to permit Kit to take up the suggestion, if he +chose. + +"Yes, there is; and it cost me a deal of hard work to make it," said +Matt. "It wan't an easy matter to get a hoss over afore it was put up." + +"Precisely so, and it won't be an easy matter now. Therefore I think we +had better take up the bridge, and make the brook our line of defence." + +Kit approved the plan, and we hastened to execute it. The brook ran at +the bottom of a deep gully as it approached its mouth, and for half a +mile it was impossible to take a horse over, except on the bridge. We +removed the logs with which it was covered, but allowed the +string-pieces to remain. Kit thought we could do better if we prevented +the Indians from coming over on their horses. + +By the time we had finished our work, old Matt had hobbled over the +ground, dragging his rifle after him. Just as he approached we heard +the yell of the savages on the other side of the stream, and a band of +ten dashed up to the position. Kit told us to got behind the trees, to +guard against any accident. The Indians drew up their horses when they +discovered that the bridge had been dismantled. I heard the crack of a +rifle. + +Old Matt uttered a deep groan, and dropped to the ground, shot through +the heart. + +In his weak condition he had not been able to reach the shelter of a +tree in season to save himself. We knew now what the savages meant. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN WHICH PHIL FOLLOWS KIT CRUNCHER. + + +Old Matt Rockwood, my friend and protector, the friend and protector of +my childhood, was dead. + +Ten years before, he had taken me to his home and his heart, and since +that time had done for me all that his limited means would permit. He +had been a father to me, and the bullet that sped through his heart +lacerated mine. + +All that I could remember of existence was associated with the Castle +and its vicinity, though I was not born there. I knew nothing of my +parents, and nothing of the circumstances under which I had come into +the world. Ten years before, while upon a hunt, Matt Rockwood had +wrapped himself up in his blanket, and slept on the bank of the +Missouri, about a dozen miles below the Castle. It was in the spring, +and the water was very high, for the melting snows in the mountains had +swelled the mighty stream to its fullest volume. + +A bright light awoke the hunter in the evening, and he discovered a +steamer on fire in the river, only a short distance below. Launching +his bateau, in which he had come down the stream, he paddled with all +his might to the scene of disaster. The pilot had run the steamer +ashore; but before those on board could escape,--for the fire was in +the forward part of the boat,--the swift current carried her off again, +and she descended the stream at a rapid rate. Matt paddled after her; +but, half a mile below the point where the steamer had run ashore, he +heard the wail of a child, very near him. + +The light from the burning boat enabled him to see the child. It was +floating on a door, which had evidently been put into the water to +support its helpless burden. Matt, who often told me the story, +believed that the child's father, or some other person, had intended to +ferry the little one on shore in this manner, when the steamer had been +run aground. Probably the starting of the boat had defeated his plan, +or possibly the person who was trying to save the child had lost his +hold on the door. There was no one near the little raft. Matt took the +young voyager on the great river from its perilous situation. It was +benumbed with cold, and he wrapped it in his blanket, and laid it in +the bottom of the boat. + +Hardly had he accomplished this humane task before the boilers of the +burning steamer exploded, and she was instantly a wreck on the swift +tide. Matt paddled his bateau as swiftly as possible, but he was unable +to overtake the mass of rushing fire. He shouted occasionally, in order +to attract the attention of any sufferer; but no one responded to his +call. Though he searched diligently, he was unable to find another +survivor of the terrible calamity. + +The little child thus saved from the fire and the water was myself. + +Matt took his charge to the shore, made a fire, warmed it, and fed it +with buffalo meat and soaked cracker. Wrapping the little stranger in +his blanket, he pressed him to his bosom, and both slept till morning. +The next day, with the child in his bateau, he renewed the search for +any survivors of the calamity. He could find none; but months +afterwards he read in an old newspaper he had obtained from a trading +steamer, that another boat had passed down the river and picked up a +few persons; but neither the names of the lost nor of the saved were +given. + +Loading his bateau with as much buffalo meat as it would carry, Matt +started for the Castle with his new charge; but the current of the +swollen river was so swift that it was night before he arrived. At this +point in his story, I used to ask my kind protector whether he tried to +find out anything more about me. He always answered that he was unable +to obtain any information; but, after I was old enough to understand +the matter better, he confessed that he did not wish to discover the +friends of the child. After he had taken care of it for a few months, +he became so attached to it that he was only afraid of losing the +little waif. + +[Illustration: MATT AND THE LITTLE FOUNDLING. Page 55.] + +I was only two years old when I was thus cast upon the protection of +the old squatter. He watched over me and cared for me with all the +tenderness of a mother, and I became a stout and healthy child. The +plain food and the wholesome air of the wilderness gave vigor to my +limbs. The old man took care of me like a woman when I had the maladies +incident to childhood, and I passed safely through the whole catalogue +of them. + +The steamer which had been burned was the Farringford, and Matt had +read the name on her paddle-box. He gave it to me as a surname, to +which he prefixed Philip as a Christian name, simply because it suited +his fancy. With such a charge on his hands Matt was unable to make any +hunting expeditions for several years; but he had already begun to turn +his attention to farming. His only neighbor at that time was Kit +Cruncher, with whom he exchanged corn and pork for game and buffalo +meat. Matt was disposed to indulge more in the comforts of civilization +than the hunters and trappers generally do. He sold wood to the +steamers that passed, and thus obtained money enough to purchase +clothing, groceries, and other supplies. + +When I was about seven years old Matt began to take me with him when he +went hunting and fishing, and I soon learned to be of some service to +him. I acquired all the arts of the backwoodsman, and soon became quite +skilful. I worked in the field, and tramped a dozen miles a day with +him. I was tough and sinewy, and knew not the meaning of luxury. My +clothes were made by old Matt, until I was able with his help to +manufacture them myself. + +It was a fortunate thing for me that Mr. Mellowtone established himself +in the vicinity of the Castle, for he took an interest in me, and +taught me to read and write. He was a singular man; but I shall have +more to say of him by and by. Until he came, I spoke the rude patois of +Kit and Matt; but Mr. Mellowtone taught me a new language, and insisted +that I should speak it. + +Matt had been a pioneer in Indiana, but had afterwards engaged in trade +and failed. His ill success had driven him into the far west to resume +his pioneer habits. Even then he had passed the meridian of life; but +he cleared up a farm, and had been prosperous in his undertakings. The +sale of wood and the produce of the field to the steamers brought in +considerable money, and he had supplied himself with all needed farm +implements, so that we were able to work to advantage. We had a +grist-mill, turned by horse power, which enabled us to convert our corn +into meal. We raised pigs, and always had an abundant supply of pork +and bacon. + +I was about thirteen years old when my story opens. I was contented +with my lot, though I was occasionally troubled to ascertain who my +parents were. Matt had no doubt they were both dead, since no inquiries +had ever been made for the lost child. Some day I expected to visit the +regions of civilization, and see the great world. Only twice in my life +had I seen any white women, at least within my memory. They were on the +deck of a steamer, lying at our wood-yard near the mouth of Fish Creek. +I had a reasonable curiosity, which I hoped to gratify when I was +older. For the present, I was willing to cleave to old Matt, as he had +to me. + +But now the old man lay upon the ground, silent and motionless. The +crack of the rifle which had sent the ball to his heart was still +ringing in my ears. It was almost instantly followed by another, and I +saw a burly savage drop from his horse, and roll over into the brook. +Kit Cruncher had fired, and was loading his rifle for a second shot. It +was fortunate that we had removed the logs from the bridge, for the +Indians were kept at bay by the deep gully in which the brook flowed. + +When the big Indian fell, his comrades set up a fierce howl, for he +seemed to be the leader of the band. Mr. Mellowtone fired next; but his +aim was less certain than that of the hunter. For my own part, heedless +of the howling savages, I stood behind the tree gazing at the prostrate +form of old Matt. I wept bitterly, and should have thrown myself upon +his body if Kit had not sternly commanded me not to move. + +The savages were not long in discovering that all the advantage was on +our side, and, with a ringing whoop, they turned their horses and +retreated a short distance. + +"They are unhossing theirselves," said Kit. "Don't move, boy!" + +"Matt is shot!" I exclaimed. "I must go to him." + +"Don't go, boy. You can't help him any now, and you mought git shot if +you show yourself. Don't do it, boy." + +"Is Matt dead?" I asked, trembling with emotion. + +"Dead as a hammer," replied Kit. "He'll never move hisself again. Hold +still, boy." + +"He may be alive, and I want to do something for him," I insisted. + +"He hain't moved since he dropped, and I know by the way he went over +that it's all up with Matt. Don't throw your life away, boy." + +"Poor Matt," sighed Mr. Mellowtone, from his position near us. "It is a +sad day for him, and for us." + +"Keep your eyes wide open, or some o' the rest on us will smell the +ground," added Kit. "The redskins is gittin' down into the brook." + +The savages retreated to a point on the stream, where they dismounted, +evidently with the intention of crossing. They picketed their horses, +and we judged that they meant to complete the work which they had +begun. + +"We must follow them up," continued Kit. "Boy, take Matt's rifle, and +follow me." + +I bent over the form of the fallen patriarch. I placed my hand upon his +heart, but there was no answering throb. He was indeed dead, and my +whole frame was shaken with convulsive grief. + +"Don't stop there, boy!" called Kit. + +"He is dead!" I groaned in bitterness of spirit. + +"I know he is, boy; but we can't help it. We can't stop to cry now." + +"My best friend!" + +"Come, boy!" shouted Kit. "Bring his rifle, powder, and ball." + +I wiped the tears from my eyes, but I could not banish the sorrow from +my heart. Gently I raised the head of the old hunter, and removed the +powder-horn and bullet-pouch which were suspended over his shoulder. +Picking up the rifle, which lay near him on the ground, I followed my +companions into the forest. I felt then that I could shoot an Indian +without any remorse. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +IN WHICH PHIL ASSISTS IN THE BUILDING OF A BLOCK HOUSE. + + +Kit Cruncher was a prudent man, brave as he was. We did not therefore +march boldly through the forest, for there were only three of us +against four times as many Indians. We dodged from tree to tree, always +keeping our bodies sheltered from the bullets of the savages. Kit went +along near the brook, and presently I saw him raise his rifle and fire. +The shot was followed by a wild yell from the savages. + +"Give me Matt's rifle, boy," said Kit, as he passed me his own, with +his powder-horn and ball-pouch. "Load that, boy." + +With his eye still on the spot where he had seen the Indian, he told me +how much powder to put in his rifle, and to be sure and ram the ball +home. I loaded it as quickly as I could, but he did not find another +opportunity to fire. + +"Did you hit the one you fired at, Kit?" I asked. + +"I hit him, but I didn't kill him. They won't cross the brook in that +place. I'm afeard they'll scatter next. Howsomever, we've did enough +out here. We'll go back to the bridge. That's the safest place for us. +I don't hear 'em now; and that's a bad sign with Injuns." + +"Where are they?" + +"They was trying to cross the brook when I fired last time. They hev +got behind the trees now. We must git nearer the Castle, or they'll +drop in atween us." + +Kit led the way, and Mr. Mellowtone and myself followed him, dodging +from tree to tree, until we reached the bridge. A couple of shots, +fired by the enemy, assured us they were on the watch, though none of +us was injured. + +"'Tain't no use to stay here," said Kit. "The brook is a good line agin +hosses, but not agin Injuns afoot." + +"I think you are right," replied Mr. Mellowtone. "When I spoke of the +brook as a line of defence, I considered the enemy as mounted men." + +"The Castle is the best place for the rest of this fight." + +"But the Indians can cross the brook, and then lay down this bridge +again," suggested Mr. Mellowtone. + +"Set them sticks afire, boy," added Kit, pointing to the heap of logs +we had removed from the bridge. "It will be easier to cut some more +than to let the redskins use them." + +Mr. Mellowtone gave me a card of matches, and I piled up some dry +sticks against the heap, which I set on fire. While I was thus +employed, my companions made a litter, on which they placed the body of +Matt. As we could neither see nor hear the savages, we concluded they +had gone farther up the brook to find a crossing. We waited till the +fire had nearly consumed the bridge material, and then started for the +Castle. Kit and Mr. Mellowtone bore the litter, while I carried two +rifles. It was a mournful procession to me, and my companions were sad +and silent. I knew that Kit grieved at the loss of his old friend; but +he was only grave and solemn, as he always was. + +When we reached the Castle, the body of the old man was placed upon his +bed, and we left the room to prepare for the defence of the place. It +was not in the nature of the Indians to go away without further +wreaking their vengeance. Besides, the Castle was rich in plunder to +men pressed with want, and even with hunger. We must expect a visit +from them by night, if not before. + +The Castle was a log cabin, containing only a single room, with the +chimney on the outside, and next to the river. On the other side was +built the barn, which was twice as large as the house. They were joined +together, so as to save the labor of building one wall, as well as for +convenience in winter. The building stood on a kind of ridge, which was +the "divide" between Bear Creek and Kit's Brook. From one stream to the +other the land was cleared, and included in the farm. The forest line +was within a hundred and fifty rods of the river. + +We had, therefore, an open space from stream to stream, three miles +long by about a hundred and fifty rods wide, from which Matt Rockwood +had cut off the wood, hauling it to the landing-place at the mouth of +Fish Creek for the steamers. Only a portion of this territory had been +cultivated, though all of it was used for crops or for pasture. Kit had +come to the conclusion that we could defend ourselves better in the +open space than in the woods, so long as we were able to prevent the +Indians from dashing suddenly upon us on horseback. + +"Our army's small," said the old hunter, as we met again in front of +the Castle. "We must see, and not be seen." + +"We can stay in the Castle, and fire out the windows, then," suggested +Mr. Mellowtone. + +"That won't do. It hain't but two winders, and none on the wood side," +replied Kit. "We must make a block house, or sunthin' o' that sort. +Here's plenty of timber sticks." + +He pointed to the pile of wood which we had hauled to the vicinity of +the Castle during the milder days of the winter, when Matt was able to +be out. The sticks were about eight feet long, and suitable for such a +stockade as I had seen at the fort twenty miles up the Missouri. + +"You mean to build a fort?" asked Mr. Mellowtone. + +"That's jest what I mean," replied Kit; "a kind of a den we kin fire +out on, and will turn a bullet at the same time." + +"Where shall we put it?" + +"Jest on the ridge back of the barn. Then we kin see the whole +clearin', and draw a bead on a Injun jest as quick as he shows his +head. We hain't no time to lose, nuther." + +"I'm ready," replied Mr. Mellowtone, throwing off his coat. + +"Fetch on the shovels, boy," added Kit. + +I furnished them with picks and shovels, and went to the high ground in +the rear of the barn. We carried all the arms with us. Kit marked out a +circle about ten feet in diameter, outside of which we began to dig a +trench. The ground was soft for the first foot, and the work easy. +Below this the labor was very severe. We watched the woods all the +time, that the Indians might not surprise us. We were out of the range +of their rifles, and only by coming into the open space could they fire +with any chance of hitting us. We found they were not disposed to waste +powder, and we judged that their supplies of ammunition were as low as +those of food. + +At noon I was relieved from work to get some dinner for my companions. +I went back to the Castle and built a fire. The form of Matt lay on the +bed in the room where I was at work, covered over with the quilt. I put +the fish and potatoes on the fire, but I could not refrain from crying. +I had often before attended to my domestic work while the old man lay +in the bed, but he was never so still as now. He did not speak to me, +and did not know that I was there. I could not help looking frequently +at the bed, and gazing at the outline of his form beneath the quilt. +His death might change the whole current of my destiny, but I did not +think much of that then. I dwelt only upon the loss I had sustained, +recalling the kindness of the old man to me. I was glad then to think +that I had always done my best to serve him; that I had tenderly and +devotedly nursed him in sickness, as he had me; and this thought was a +very great comfort to me. + +When I had cooked the dinner, I carried it out to the site of the block +house, and with our faces to the forest we ate it. We were a sad and a +silent party. For ten years before I had not eaten a meal except in the +presence of him who was now no more. Kit said not a word about his lost +friend; but Mr. Mellowtone, seeing how badly I felt, tried to comfort +me. + +After dinner, my companions resumed their labors; but Kit directed me +to commence carting the timber to the block house. I put away the +dishes, and harnessed the horses to the wagon. The sticks were only +three or four inches in diameter, and I loaded them without difficulty. +By the time I had hauled a sufficient number for the structure, the +trench was deep enough, and we all went to work setting up the sticks. +We placed them on the inside of the ditch, propping them up with +others, until we had a dozen up, when we began to throw in the dirt +around them, jamming it down with a maul. + +After a beginning was made, I was directed to set up the sticks, while +Kit threw in the earth, and Mr. Mellowtone rammed it down. Once in +every four feet I was required to put in a stick only five feet long, +so that above it there was an opening three inches wide, which formed a +loophole from which the rifles could be discharged at the enemy. The +trench was two feet deep, leaving the bottom of the loophole three feet +above the level of the ground. + +As none but the straightest sticks were used in the works, the cracks +were very narrow; but the earth was to be heaped up to the bottom of +the loopholes against the outside, thus making the structure absolutely +bullet-proof for three feet from the ground. By the middle of the +afternoon, the sticks were all set, and the trench filled up. A space a +foot and a half wide was left on the side next to the barn, for a door. +I nailed together a sufficient number of sticks, putting cross-pieces +of board over them, to fill this space, and serve as a door. In the +mean time my friends shovelled the dirt against the outside of the +palisades; and before sundown the work was completed, and we were ready +for the Indians as soon as they wished to make an attack. + +"No doubt this fort is a great institution; but the Indians will come +upon us in the night, when we can't see them," said Mr. Mellowtone. + +"But we must see 'em," replied Kit. + +"The nights are rather dark now." + +"There is plenty of pitch wood, and we can make it as light as we +please." + +"That's your plan--is it?" + +"That's the idee. We must keep the fires up all night, and one pair of +eyes wide open." + +"It's a pity we haven't my twelve-pounder here," added Mr. Mellowtone. + +"I reckon you'll hev to fotch it down, Mr. Mell'ton." + +"I would if I could leave." + +"I reckon we kin stand it one night." + +"I don't wish to stay here any longer," I added, sorrowfully. "Matt is +dead, and I don't care much where I go." + +"You'll git over that, boy, one of these days. You kin kerry on the +farm and do well here," added Kit. "But I reckon we must plant the old +man to-night." + +He meant, to bury him; and while they were digging a grave near the +block house, I made a rude coffin of some boards we had saved for +another purpose. It was the saddest job I had ever done, and my tears +fell continually on the work. I carried the box into the house, and my +companions laid the silent old man in it. I took my last look at the +face of my venerable friend, and the lid was nailed down. We bore him +to his last resting-place, as the shades of night were gathering around +us. Mr. Mellowtone was to make a prayer at the grave, and had knelt +upon the ground for that purpose, when we heard the wild yell of the +savages on the border of the forest. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS FRIENDS GUARD THE CASTLE. + + +We had realized all day, while building the block house, that we were +watched by the Indians, and that whenever a favorable opportunity was +presented, they would make a dash upon us. The dusk of the evening now +favored them, and I think they understood what we were doing. But the +movement on their part was premature, for it was still light enough to +enable us to see an Indian anywhere in the clearing. + +"Run for the block house!" said Kit Cruncher, leading the way with long +strides. + +It was only a few rods distant, and we rushed in before the savages +were near enough to use their rifles, which were not of the best +quality. Our four weapons rested against the palisades, loaded and +ready for instant service. + +"Shut the gate, boy," continued Kit, as he thrust the muzzle of his +rifle through a loophole. + +I closed and barred the gate with the heavy timber I had prepared for +the purpose. Before I had done so, Kit fired, and I heard an awful yell +from the savages. + +"There goes one of them," said Mr. Mellowtone. + +"I shall fotch down one every time I shoot," replied Kit, calmly, as he +picked up the rifle of old Matt. "Load my piece, boy, and be sure you +ram the ball home." + +"They have come to a halt," added Mr. Mellowtone, as he discharged his +rifle. + +"You didn't hit nothin', Mr. Mell'ton," said Kit, quietly, as he gazed +through the loophole in front of him. + +"I see that I missed my aim that time. Well, it's too late now; they +are running away again." + +"They kin no more stand it to be shot at than they kin live without +eatin'," added Kit, as he set the rifle against the palisades. "They +was go'n to run up and shoot, because they see we hadn't nary gun in +our hands. We kin leave this place now." + +The Indians had disappeared in the forest, bearing with them the body +of the one who had fallen. We left the block house, after making sure +that our rifles were in condition for use at the next attack. + +"We mought light the fires now, afore we finish planting Matt," said +Kit. "But I don't reckon them Injuns will come agin jest yit." + +"I should not think they would come at all," added Mr. Mellowtone. +"They have lost two of their number, and one or two have been wounded." + +"We've lost one man, too," replied Kit. "That gin 'em courage to go +on." + +"But they are sure of losing more the moment they show themselves. I +should think they would get tired of the game." + +"They'll wait till they think it's safe afore they come agin. Now light +up the fires, boy." + +While I had the horses harnessed, I had hauled a supply of pitch-wood +and other fuel for this purpose, and had prepared two heaps, one on +each side of the block house, in readiness to apply the match. I +lighted them, and the combustible wood blazed up, and cast a red glare +upon all the clearing. Kit Cruncher's calculation was fully justified, +and we were satisfied that no Indian could approach the Castle without +our knowledge, if we only kept a vigilant watch. + +Again we gathered around the coffined form of old Matt. Mr. Mellowtone +knelt at the head of the grave, and we followed his example. He prayed +fervently and solemnly for both Kit and me, and I wept anew when he +recounted the virtues of the deceased. I forgot that there were any +Indians within a thousand miles of me, as I recalled the kindness of +him who was now lying cold and silent before me. + +Mr. Mellowtone finished the prayer, and we lowered the rude coffin into +the grave. Not one of us spoke a word, and there was no sound to be +heard but the crackling of the fires, and the sobs I tried in vain to +repress. I was unutterably sad and lonely. I felt that no one on the +broad earth could take the place of Matt, and be to me what he had +been. The current of existence seemed to have come to a sudden stop, +and in my thought I could not make it move again. + +My companions filled up the grave, and I watched the operation with a +swelling heart. I saw them place the sods on the mound they had heaped +up, and more than before I realized that I was never again to behold +the face from which had beamed upon me, for ten long years, so much of +love and joy. I thought of the old man pressing me as a little child to +his heart on the banks of the Missouri, when he had saved me from the +cold and the waters. I considered the days, months, and years of care +and devotion he had bestowed upon me--upon me, who had not a single +natural claim upon his love. + +"Come, boy, don't stand there any longer," said Kit Cruncher, calling +to me from the vicinity of the block house. "You may git shot." + +I turned, and found that my companions had left me alone. I joined +them, and with an effort repressed the flowing tears. I tried to +realize that I was still living, and that there was a future before me. + +"I know you feel bad, boy; but 'tain't no use to cry," said Kit. "We'll +take good care on you." + +"Matt has been very good to me," I replied. + +"That's truer'n you know on, boy. Many's the time he sot up all night +with you when you was sick, and held you in his arms all day. I've been +twenty miles to the fort in the dead o' winter myself to git some +medicine for you. If Matt hed been a woman, he moughtn't have nussed +you any better." + +"I'm very grateful to him, and to you." + +"I know you be, boy. You took good care of old Matt when he was down +with the rheumatiz. You've been a good boy, and I don't blame you much +for cryin' now the old man's dead and gone. I think we will have +sunthin' to eat now." + +I went to the Castle, and prepared a supper of fried bacon and +johnny-cake, which I carried to the block house. My companions ate as +though life had no sorrows; but we had all worked very hard in the +construction of our fortress, and the circumstances did not favor the +development of much fine sentiment. I carried the supper things back to +the Castle, washed the dishes, gave the pigs their supper, watered and +fed the horses, and then returned to the block house. Kit had brought +an armful of hay from the barn, and some blankets from the house, with +which he had prepared sleeping accommodations for two of the party. Mr. +Mellowtone was walking up and down between the two fires, smoking his +pipe, and doing duty as sentinel. + +"Now, boy, you kin turn in and sleep," said Kit. "Mr. Mell'ton kin +sleep too, and I will keep an eye on the Injuns. 'Pears like they won't +come when they finds we are all ready for 'em." + +"I'm not sleepy, Kit," I replied; "but I'm rather tired." + +"You mought turn in and rest, then," replied Kit, as he left the block +house. + +Mr. Mellowtone, relieved by the old hunter, soon joined me. I lay down +on the hay, and covered myself with a blanket. My friend sat down on +the ground and smoked his pipe. I could not sleep. Old Matt was in my +mind all the time. I continued to see him fall before the bullet of the +savage, and I still saw him lying silent and motionless on the ground. + +"I think the Indians will be shy about coming here again," said Mr. +Mellowtone, after I had rolled about on my bed for a time; and I think +he spoke to turn my thoughts away from the engrossing subject which +burdened me. + +"I wish they had not come at all. They have made it a sad day for me," +I replied, bitterly. + +"You mustn't take it too hardly, Phil Farringford." + +"How can I help it?" + +"It is not strange that you weep; but you are young, and your spirits +are buoyant. You will feel better in a few days." + +"What is to become of me now?" I asked. "Old Matt is gone, and I need +stay here no longer." + +"Why not? You can carry on Matt's farm, with the help of Kit and me. +You have done most of the work for the last year, and you can get along +as well in the future as you have in the past." + +"Shall I live here alone?" + +"Of course you may do as you please. You are your own master now, as +not many boys of your age are. But it is rather early now to consider a +matter of so much importance." + +"What should I do if the Indians came upon me?" + +"You would defend yourself, as you do now. But the Indians will be +taken care of. As soon as we can send word up to the fort, the officer +in charge will detail a force to punish them for what they have done, +and secure our safety in the future. I have been in this vicinity for +five years, and this is the first time I have known any serious +difficulty with the savages." + +Mr. Mellowtone smoked his pipe out, and then lay down by my side. In a +few moments he dropped asleep. I was very tired after the severe labor +of the day, and I had been up most of the preceding night. Nature at +last asserted her claim, and I slept. + +When I awoke, the sun was shining in through the loopholes of the block +house. Kit Cruncher lay by my side, still fast asleep. I realized that +the Indians had not made an assault during the night. I rose carefully, +stepped over the long gaunt form of the stalwart hunter, and left the +fortress. Mr. Mellowtone was walking up and down, with his pipe in his +mouth, between the expiring embers of the fires, which had been +permitted to go out at daylight. + +"Why didn't you call me, and let me take my turn on the watch, Mr. +Mellowtone?" I asked, after the sentinel had given me a pleasant +greeting. + +"Kit told me not to call you, and I did not intend to do so, Phil +Farringford. You are a boy, and you need sleep." + +"I'm willing to do my share of the watching." + +"You shall take your turn to-night. We can do nothing to-day but eat +and sleep. If you will give us some breakfast, we shall be ready for +it." + +"I will--right off. Have you seen anything of the Indians?" + +"No; not one of them has ventured into the clearing. Being ready for +them is more than half the battle. I doubt whether they trouble us +again at present. We have taught them a lesson they will not soon +forget." + +"Yes; and they have taught us one which we shall not soon forget," I +added, glancing at the mound over the grave of Matt Rockwood. + +I went to the Castle, made a fire, and while the kettle was boiling I +attended to the horses. I cooked some fish and potatoes, and we +breakfasted between the block house and the forest. All day long we +watched and waited for the coming of the savages; but we heard nothing +of them. At night I took the first watch, and walked around the Castle, +keeping up the fires, till I was so sleepy I could hardly keep my eyes +open; and then, as a matter of prudence rather than comfort, I called +Kit. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +IN WHICH PHIL SEES THE FIRST YOUNG LADY HE EVER SAW. + + +We were rather tired of this life of inactivity after a couple of days. +We watched for Indians, but none came; and, on the third day after the +death of Matt Rockwood, Kit declared his intention to take a tramp into +the woods in the direction of his own cabin. If he found any Indians he +would return; but he was satisfied that the party who had made the +attack expended all their provisions, and were obliged to retire to +obtain more. + +"I shall be atween you and the Injuns all the time, boy," said he. + +"I am not afraid, Kit; and I'm very grateful to you for what you have +done for me--and for Matt," I replied, walking with him towards the +brook. + +"Matt and I was good friends; but all that's passed and gone. I shall +come back in a few days--sooner ef there's any Injuns round. Good by, +boy." + +He walked across the brook on one of the stringers, and disappeared in +the forest. Mr. Mellowtone was also impatient to depart. He had been +away from his home on the island for several days. In the afternoon, as +Kit did not return, we concluded the enemy had retired, and my friend +embarked in his barge for home; but he promised to return before night. +I was alone then, and I walked about the farm thinking of Matt. +Whichever way I turned, there was always something to remind me of him. + +I could not help considering my prospects for the future. I had +concluded to carry on the farm that season, though I did not like the +idea of living all alone. Mr. Mellowtone said nothing about taking up +his residence with me, though I had suggested the idea to him. I knew +that he was fond of solitude for a large portion of his time. He was +too much enamoured of his island to leave it. Kit's habits would not +permit him to settle down and dwell in a house, for though he had a +cabin, he did not live in it except in the winter. If I carried on the +farm, I must do it alone, though I should doubtless receive frequent +visits from my neighbors. + +I walked about the farm thinking what I should do the coming season, +and I laid out work enough to keep me well employed till the coming of +the autumn. I intended to plant ten acres in corn, potatoes, and +vegetables. Fortunately the soil was easily worked, and I had no doubt +of my ability to perform the labor, with the aid of the horses and the +implements at my command. I walked till I had arranged my plans, and +then went into the Castle to consider them further. + +My thoughts wandered away from the practical duties of the farm to the +past. I recalled the scene on the banks of the Missouri, where Matt had +folded me in his arms by the bivouac fire. He was not my real father, +though he had done all a parent could do for me. I had had a real +father and mother, who probably believed, if they were saved from the +calamity, that I had perished. The subject was full of interest to me. +Perhaps my parents had been saved, and still lived. Matt had told me +that one half of the people on board the Farringford had been picked up +by the steamer that passed the next morning. + +The more I thought of this subject, the more curious and anxious I +became. I glanced at a large chest, which stood near the head of the +bed. It contained all the valuables of Matt, and he always kept it +locked. I had never known him to open it, except when he had sold a lot +of wood, and wished to put away the money. Although he never said +anything about it, I thought he did not wish me to see what the chest +contained. He kept it locked, it seemed to me, to prevent me from +opening it, for there was no other person who was likely to meddle with +it. I respected his wishes, though he never expressed them, and +refrained even from looking at him when he opened the chest. There must +be money in it; but that was of no use to me, except when the trading +steamers came along. + +I was sure that it was not to keep me from meddling with the money that +my patriarchal friend locked the chest. There was something in it, I +fancied, which was connected with the mystery of my parentage. Though +it did not occur to me then, I have thought since that Matt Rockwood +did very wrong in not trying to ascertain who my father and mother +were. Even Kit Cruncher had insisted upon his doing this; but after he +had loved me and cared for me, he could not permit me to be taken from +him. I could forgive him because of his tenderness and affection for +me; but even these could not justify his conduct. + +I rose from the bench on which I was seated, and walked across the room +to the chest. It was locked; but where was the key? Old Matt had always +carried it in his pocket, and I concluded that it had been buried with +him. Had it been in my possession I should have opened the chest; but I +had not the courage to break it open. I resumed my seat on the bench, +and the mystery of my parentage seemed to become awful and oppressive. +Why could I not know whether my father, or mother, or both, were alive +or dead? But all was dark to me, and I could not penetrate the veil +which hung between me and those who had given me being. + +While I was thinking, I heard the whistle of a steamer, frequently +repeated, indicating that she wanted a supply of wood. I hastened to +the stable, and mounted Cracker, for the landing-place was a mile from +the Castle. By the time the boat had made fast to the tree, which +served as a mooring-stake, I reached the wood-yard. We had one hundred +cords of cotton-wood piled up in readiness for sale. + +"Hallo, Phil Rockwood," said the captain, crossing the gang-plank to +the shore. "Where is your father?" + +"He is dead, sir," I replied, gloomily enough, for the scene reminded +me very strongly of Matt, and this was the first time I had been called +upon to make a bargain myself. + +"Dead! I am sorry for that. When did he die?" added the captain, with +an appearance of real regret. + +"He was shot by the Indians four days ago." + +"Shot! Well, that's too bad." + +"I wish you would tell the commander of the fort above all about it." + +"I will, certainly. But what do you ask for wood?" + +"Matt Rockwood said he must have four dollars a cord now, for we have +to haul it farther than we used to," I replied. + +"That's rather high." + +But I stuck to the price which Matt had fixed, and the captain finally +agreed to it, though it was more than we had ever charged before. We +measured off twenty cords, and the deck hands of the steamer began to +carry it on board. While they were thus engaged, I told the captain all +about our difficulty with the Indians, and he was confident that the +commandant of the fort would send a force to chastise them. + +While the boat was wooding up, the passengers went on shore, and walked +in the woods to vary the monotony of the tedious voyage. Among them I +observed a young lady of twelve or thirteen, the first I had ever seen +in my life of the white race. I gazed at her with curiosity and +interest, as she walked up the cart path towards the castle. She was +alone, for the other passengers took the road on the bank of the brook. +She was very prettily dressed, and the sight of her gave me a new +sensation. I saw two ladies, but they were watching the labors of the +deck hands, and did not leave the steamer. + +"You have some passengers, captain," said I, wishing to introduce the +subject, so that I could inquire about the young lady. + +"A few, but it is rather too early in the season for them. Mine is the +first boat this year," he replied. + +"Where are these ladies going?" + +"They are going to Oregon--Portland, I believe." + +"Who is that young lady?" I asked. + +"She is the daughter of one of the ladies on deck, and a very pretty +girl she is, too. Her name is Ella Gracewood." + +The hands had nearly finished loading the wood, and the captain ordered +the bell to be rung and the whistle to be blown, in order to call back +his passengers, who were wandering about on shore. He paid me eighty +dollars in gold for the wood; for in this wild region we used only hard +coin, and did not believe in banks hundreds or thousands of miles +distant. I took the money, and with a portion of it purchased a barrel +of flour, a keg of sugar, a quantity of ground coffee, and some other +supplies needed at the Castle. The steamer hauled in her plank, and +casting off her hawser, renewed her long voyage up the river. Mounting +Cracker, I rode back to the Castle, and harnessed both horses to the +wagon, in order to haul up the stores I had purchased. + +While I was thus employed, I saw the young lady, who had landed from +the steamer, walking very deliberately across the field from the +forest, to which she had extended her promenade. In her hand she +carried some of the little flowers which blossomed in the grass. +Occasionally she held them to her nose, and seemed to enjoy their +fragrance very much. I drove my horses down the slope, and intercepted +her as she reached the road. I knew she had made a serious mistake in +not returning before; but she, as yet, had no suspicion that the +steamer had departed. I hauled in my horses, but she was not disposed +to take any notice of me. + +I may say now, fifteen years after, that I was not a dandy, and my +appearance was not calculated to make an impression upon a young lady. +I wore coarse gray pants, "fearfully and wonderfully made," besides +being fearfully soiled with grease and dirt, the legs of which were +stuffed into the tops of my boots, after the fashion of our backwoods +locality. Above these I wore a hunting-frock, made of a yellow blanket, +with a belt around my waist. My cap was of buffalo hide, and shaped +like a gallon tin-kettle. My frock was dirty, greasy, and ragged, for I +wore it while cooking, taking care of the pigs and horses, and in doing +other dirty work about the house and barn. + +I thought the young lady did not like my appearance, for she seemed to +be very timid, and perhaps thought I was a brigand. I was near enough +to see that she was very pretty, even according to the standard of +later years, though I had no means of making a comparison at that time. + +Though I pulled in my horses, she only glanced at me, and resumed her +walk towards the landing, apparently determined to avoid me. I was +rather vexed at this treatment, for I wished to invite her to ride down +to the river. I knew nothing about the shyness and reserve of young +ladies in civilized life. I drove on once more, and she stepped out of +the road to permit the team to pass. She glanced at me again, and I saw +that she was not angry with me. I stopped the horses, and then I +ventured to speak to her. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +IN WHICH PHIL HAS A VISITOR AT THE CASTLE. + + +"Won't you ride?" I asked, as the young lady stepped out of the road to +allow my team to pass. + +"No, I thank you," she answered, with a smile and a blush. + +I did not then understand the absurdity of the invitation I extended to +her. The wagon was simply a platform on wheels, with stakes. It had +been built by old Matt, though the wheels had been brought from some +town hundreds of miles down the river. It was the only vehicle on the +place, and was used for carting wood and hay, and for all the purposes +of the farm. It was not a suitable chariot for a civilized young lady, +dressed as prettily as Miss Gracewood was. + +"Did you know that the steamer you came in had gone?" I added. + +"Gone!" exclaimed she, with a start, and an expression of utter +despair. + +"She left half an hour ago." + +"What shall I do!" cried she, so troubled that I felt very bad myself. +"The steamer cannot have gone without me." + +"She went more than half an hour ago," I added. "I suppose they thought +you were on board." + +"O, dear! what shall I do!" + +"She will come back after you when they find you have been left +behind." + +"Do you think they will?" + +"To be sure they will." + +"Why did she go so soon? They have always stopped three or four hours +in a place." + +"I suppose the boat had more business to do at other landings than +here. She only stopped here for wood. She whistled and rang her bell +half an hour before she started. Didn't you hear the whistle?" + +"I did hear it, but not the bell, which I supposed was the signal to +call the passengers. It was such a pretty place in the forest that I +enjoyed it very much, and I did not think of such a thing as the +steamer starting for several hours. The boat whistles so much that I am +used to it, and don't heed it. What will become of me!" + +[Illustration: PHIL AND ELLA. Page 95.] + +"I don't think you need trouble yourself much about it. The steamer +will come back as soon as they miss you," I continued, very much moved +when I saw the tears starting in her eyes. + +"I'm afraid they won't miss me." + +"Why, certainly they will," I protested, earnestly. "Won't you ride +down to the landing?" + +She glanced at the dirty wagon. She appeared to be tired after her long +walk, and the invitation was a temptation to her; but the character of +the vehicle did not please her. I had put a clean box on the wagon to +contain the small stores I had purchased. + +"You can sit on this," I added, pointing to the box. + +"I don't think I can get into the wagon." + +I jumped upon the ground, and placed the box near the vehicle, so that +she could use it as a step. I did not understand the rules of gallantry +well enough to offer to assist her when she really needed no +assistance. She stepped upon the box, and, grasping one of the stakes, +easily mounted the platform. I placed the box in the middle of the +wagon, and she seated herself. I drove slowly to the landing-place, so +that the motion of the rude vehicle might not disturb her. + +"I am afraid they won't come back to-night," said she, as she strained +her eyes in gazing up the river. + +"Your friends on board would compel the captain to return; but he is a +very good man, and I think he will be willing." + +"But they may not miss me. There are very few passengers on board, and +I have a state-room all to myself. I have been in it half the time, +reading, and they may think I am there." + +"There will be another steamer along in a few days, and you can go in +her." + +"In a few days!" repeated she. "What can I do for two or three days?" + +"There's Mr. Mellowtone," I interposed, pointing to the pretty barge of +my friend, who was returning to the Castle, as he had promised to do. + +"And who is Mr. Mellowtone?" inquired my fair companion. + +I explained who he was: and by the time I had finished my description, +we arrived at the landing. + +"There is no steamer to be seen," said Miss Ella, sadly. + +"But she will come back, I am sure, even if she has gone a hundred +miles, when they discover your absence," I replied. + +"I wish I could think so." + +"You may depend upon it." + +"It is almost dark now." + +"The steamers run by night as well as by day, in this part of the +river, when the water is as high as it is now." + +She walked down to the bank of the river, and continued to gaze +earnestly up the stream, while I employed myself in loading my goods. I +did not think, when I bought the barrel of flour, that I was now alone, +and two hundred pounds was more than I could lift from the ground to +the body of the wagon. But in the backwoods every person is necessarily +full of expedients. Taking a shovel from the shanty, which Matt had +built as a shelter in stormy weather, I dug a couple of trenches into +the slope of the hill, corresponding to the wheels, and then backed the +wagon into them, until I had a height of less than a foot to overcome. +Using a couple of sticks as skids, I easily rolled the barrel of flour +upon the vehicle. After loading the other articles, I was ready to +return to the Castle. + +Miss Ella stood on the bank of the river, still watching for the +steamer. It did not come, and I invited her to return with me. She was +chilled with the cool air of the evening, and reluctantly consented. I +made a seat for her on the wagon, and assured her I should hear the +whistle of the steamer when she returned. + +"I am afraid she will not return," said she again, very gloomily. + +"Of course she will. I doubt whether she will go any farther to-night +than the fort, about twenty miles farther up the river," I replied. +"Your friends must have discovered your absence by this time." + +"No," she replied, shaking her head, "they will think I am in my +state-room." + +"Your mother is on board, I heard the captain say." + +"She is, and my aunt." + +"I am sure your mother will discover your absence. She will want to see +you before you go to bed." + +"No." + +I had no experience of domestic life among civilized people, but I had +read in books, lent to me by Mr. Mellowtone, that parents and children +were very affectionate. In the stories, little girls always kissed +their mothers, and said "good night" after they repeated their prayers. +I thought it would be very strange if Ella's mother did not discover +her absence till the next day. The young lady was very sad, and shook +her head with so much significance, that I was afraid her mother was +not kind to her, though I could hardly conceive of such a thing. + +"Do you live here all alone?" she asked, after a silence of a few +moments, as though she wished to turn my attention away from a +disagreeable subject. + +"I am all alone now, though it is only four days since the old man with +whom I lived was killed by the Indians." + +"By the Indians!" exclaimed Miss Ella, with a look of terror. + +I repeated the story of the attack of the Indians; but I did not wish +to alarm her, and refrained from saying that we expected another visit +from them soon. I had heard nothing from Kit Cruncher since he +departed, and I concluded that there was no present danger. My fair +companion sympathized with me in the loss I had sustained, and asked me +a great many questions in regard to my life in the woods. I told her +how I happened to be there, and I think she forgot all about herself +for the time, she was so interested in my eventful career. + +We arrived at the Castle, and I found a good fire blazing in the room, +but I did not see Mr. Mellowtone, though he had lighted it. I conducted +Miss Gracewood into our rude house, and gave her a seat before the +fire. Unhitching my horses, I went to the barn with them. While I was +feeding them for the night, Mr. Mellowtone came in. + +"I have been out into the woods," said he; "but I see no signs of any +Indians." + +"I don't think there are any very near us," I replied. "If there were, +Kit Cruncher would return, and let us know of their approach. I have +some company in the Castle, Mr. Mellowtone." + +"Company?" + +"Yes; a young lady." + +"Is it possible!" + +"She was left by the steamer. She had been to walk in the forest, and +did not heed the whistle." + +"This is not a very good place for ladies. We are liable to receive a +visit from the Indians at any time." + +"Don't say anything to her about it. It would only frighten her, and +she is uncomfortable enough now," I suggested, as I led the way towards +the house. + +"Stop a minute, Phil Farringford," interposed Mr. Mellowtone. "I think +I will not see your visitor." + +"Not see her!" I exclaimed, astonished that one who had hardly seen a +lady for years should desire to avoid one, especially a young lady of +twelve. + +"No; I think not." + +"But she is young, and very pretty." + +"So much the worse. It would revive old associations in my mind which +are not pleasant. I will tell you more about that another time. But the +steamer will return for the young lady--will it not?" + +"Of course it will; but she thinks her friends in the boat will not +discover her absence before morning, for she occupied a state-room +alone." + +"If the boat comes in the night, we shall hear her whistle. You and I +can sleep in the block house, and your visitor can have the Castle all +to herself." + +"Very well." + +"Now go and attend to her wants, and I will smoke my pipe in the field. +It would not be polite to smoke in the presence of a lady," continued +Mr. Mellowtone, as he left me. + +He disappeared behind the building, leaving the aroma of his pipe after +him. I thought his conduct was very strange; but then I had always +regarded him as a singular man. He had never gone to the landing when a +steamer arrived. If he wanted any stores, or wished to send to St. +Louis for anything, he always commissioned Matt or me to do his +business for him. He had never whispered a word in my hearing in regard +to his past history, though he took a great interest in me. + +I went into the Castle, and found that Miss Ella was as comfortable as +the circumstances would permit. I put some pitch wood on the fire, +which made the room light enough to enable one to read in any part of +it. I prepared some supper, of which she ate very sparingly, though +when, like an accomplished housekeeper, I apologized for the fare, she +declared that it was very good. + +I had to unload the wagon; but the barrel of flour was still too much +for me, and I asked Mr. Mellowtone to help me, and he came to the front +of the Castle for that purpose. I lighted a pitch-wood torch, and went +out. Miss Ella followed me, and insisted upon holding the torch, when I +began to thrust one end of it into the ground. + +Mr. Mellowtone could not help seeing her; and when I was ready to roll +down the barrel of flour on the skids, I saw that he was gazing at her +very intently. + +"What is this young lady's name, Phil Farringford?" he asked, in a low +tone. + +"Ella Gracewood," I replied. + +"My daughter!" exclaimed he, with deep emotion, as he sprang towards +her. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +IN WHICH PHIL VISITS PARADISE, AND FIRES AT AN INDIAN. + + +Ella raised the torch, and gazed earnestly into the face of Mr. +Mellowtone. + +"Father!" exclaimed she, springing into his arms. + +I took the torch from her hand, utterly confounded by the scene. I +could not see how Mr. Mellowtone could be the father of Miss Gracewood, +for I knew enough of the customs of society to be aware that the +daughter bore the parent's name. They wept and sobbed in each other's +arms, and I was so touched that I could not help crying, too. + +"You are but little changed, Ella," said the father. "Only a little +taller." + +He stepped back and gazed at her, as if to note the change which time +had wrought in her. + +"And you don't look any older than when we parted; how well I remember +it!" replied Ella, her pretty face lighted up with joy. "Only your +clothes are different." + +Mr. Mellowtone wore the costume of the woods--a blue hunting-shirt, or +frock, over pants stuffed into the tops of his boots, with a felt hat. + +"I suppose, if I wore my black clothes, you would see no change at all +in me," replied the father. "But I will help you unload your flour, +Phil Farringford." + +"I am in no hurry," I answered. + +"Let us do it at once." + +I handed the torch to Ella again, and we rolled the heavy barrel to the +ground. + +"How funny it looks to see you doing such work, father!" said she, +laughing. + +"But I am my own cook and my own servant. I chop my own wood, and shoot +my own dinner. You shall go to my island home to-morrow, and I think we +shall be very happy there." + +"You needn't do anything more, Mr. Mellowtone," I interposed, when he +was going to help unload the rest of the goods. "You can go into the +house, and talk with your daughter." + +"Why do you call him Mr. Mellowtone?" asked Ella. "That is not his +name." + +"It is the name by which I am known here in the forest," added he. + +"But your name is Henry Gracewood." + +"And you may call me so, Phil Farringford, in future," said Mr. +Mellowtone. "My own name sounds strange to me now. I changed it to +escape impertinent questions which might possibly be put to me." + +Father and daughter entered the Castle, and seated themselves before +the blazing fire. I rolled the barrel of flour into the store-room, +between the house and the barn. Disposing of the rest of the articles I +had bought in their proper places, my work was finished for the night. + +"I will go to the block house now, Mr. Gracewood," I remarked, not +wishing to intrude myself upon the happy father and child in the +Castle. + +"No, Phil Farringford," replied he; "I shall have no secrets from you +after this, for you have learned enough to make you desire to know +more." + +"I don't wish to intrude, sir." + +"Sit down, Phil Farringford. Now Matt Rockwood is gone, I shall regard +you both as my children," continued Mr. Gracewood, with more +sprightliness than I had ever seen him exhibit before. + +I put some more pitch wood on the fire, and seated myself opposite the +father and daughter, where I could see the glowing faces of both. + +"Now, Ella, tell me how you happen to be so far from St. Louis," said +Mr. Gracewood. + +"We were going to Portland, Oregon. Mr. Sparkley failed in business, +and lost all his property," replied she. + +"Mr. Sparkley is my brother-in-law, Phil," added Mr. Gracewood. "And +you are going with him, Ella?" + +"Yes; Mr. Sparkley has a good chance to go into business there." + +"Is your--is your mother with him?" asked Mr. Gracewood, with some +embarrassment. + +"She is." + +I was not a little puzzled by what I heard. My good friend spoke of the +mother of Ella, and I knew that she was his daughter. The mother, +therefore, was his wife, as I reasoned out the problem; but I could not +understand how he happened to be living in the backwoods, away from her +and his child. Mr. Gracewood was silent for a time, and I began to +realize that there was something unpleasant in his family relations, +though the matter was incomprehensible to me. + +"I suppose your mother does not speak very kindly of me," said the +father, at last, with considerable emotion. + +"I never heard her speak an unkind word of you, father," replied Ella, +promptly; and at the same time her eyes filled with tears. + +"I am glad to hear that." + +"It is true, father," added the daughter, wiping the tears from her +eyes. + +"Don't cry, Ella; all may yet be well. Perhaps I was to blame, in +part." + +"You will see mother when she comes back in the steamer--won't you, +father?" pleaded she. + +"She may not wish to see me." + +"I know she will be glad to see you." + +Mr. Gracewood was moody and agitated again. I saw that he was +struggling with his feelings, and I hoped that the gentle words of his +daughter would lead to a reconciliation. She seemed like an angel of +peace to me, as she threw oil upon the troubled waters. But I felt like +an intruder in such a scene, and I left the Castle on the pretence of +attending to the horses. I did not return, feeling that I was not +needed in such an interview. I made up a bed in the block house, and +was about to turn in, when Mr. Gracewood joined me. He told me he had +attended to all the wants of his daughter, and that she would sleep in +the Castle. + +"I know you were astonished at what you heard, Phil Farringford," said +he, as we lay down in the block house. + +"I was, sir, and I felt very bad when your daughter wept." + +"I am afraid, from what Ella says, that I am quite as much to blame as +her mother. Indeed, I had begun to think before that the fault was not +all on her side. When my father died, he left a handsome fortune, which +was divided between my brother and myself. I was educated at one of the +best colleges in the west, and intended to study the profession of law; +but the death of my father placed sufficient wealth in my possession to +enable me to live in luxury without any exertion. I was married, and +for a few years lived very happily. + +"I had always been very fond of fishing and hunting, and while in +college I spent all my vacations in camp, on the prairie or in the +forest. After I was graduated, I used to devote two or three months of +the year to these pursuits. When I was married, I was not willing to +forego this luxury,--for such it was to me,--and without going into the +painful details, this subject became a source of difference between us. +I thought my wife was unreasonable, and she thought the same of me. Six +years ago she told me, if I went on my usual excursion, she would leave +me, never to return. I could not believe she was in earnest. I had +reduced the period of my absence to six weeks, and when I returned +found my house closed. Mrs. Gracewood was at the residence of her +brother, Mr. Sparkley. I sent her a note, informing her of my return. + +"She wrote me in reply, that if I would promise to abandon my annual +hunting trip, or take her with me, she would come back. I replied that +I would travel with her wherever she desired to go, and at any time +except in June and July, and that a woman was out of place in a camp of +hunters. She positively refused to return or to see me on any other +than her own conditions. I met Ella every week at my own house, where +she came in charge of a servant. Neither of us would yield, and life +was misery to me. The next spring I placed all my property in the hands +of my brother, with instructions to pay my wife an annuity of three +thousand dollars a year, and made a will in favor of my child. + +"I had been to this region before, and hunted upon the island where I +now live. To me it was a paradise, and I determined to spend the rest +of my days there. I felt that I had been robbed of all the joys of +existence in the love of my wife and child. Taking the materials for my +house, furniture, a piano, and my library, with a plentiful supply of +stores, I came up the river in a steamer, and have lived here ever +since." + +"But didn't you wish to see your daughter?" I asked. + +"Very much; but I was afraid that the sight of her would break down my +resolution, and induce me to yield the point for which I had contended. +A kind Providence seems to have sent my child to me, to open and warm +my heart." + +"Do you still think you were right?" I asked. + +"I do; my annual hunt was life and strength to me for the whole year. I +thought my wife's objections were unkind and unreasonable; but I +believe now, since I have seen Ella, that my manner was not +conciliatory; that I was arbitrary in my refusal. Perhaps, if I had +been kind and gentle, and taken the pains to convince her that my +health required the recreation, she would have withdrawn her +objections. Quarrels, Phil Farringford, oftener result from the manner +of the persons concerned than from irreconcilable differences." + +I went to sleep, but I think it was a long night to Mr. Gracewood. When +I waked he had left the block house; but I found him with Ella, at +sunrise, on the bank of the river. He had called her up, and was going +to start at that early hour for Paradise, as he called his island. He +invited me to go up as soon as I could, declaring that there was no +danger from the Indians so long as Kit did not return. I was sorry to +lose my pretty visitor so soon; but she was as impatient to see the +home of her father as he was to have her do so. + +[Illustration: MR. GRACEWOOD AND ELLA LEAVE FOR THE ISLAND. Page 114.] + +I watched the beautiful boat as Mr. Gracewood pulled up the stream; but +I trembled when I considered the danger of losing my neighbors, for +Ella would not think of remaining long in such a lonely region. I took +care of the horses, and turned them out to feed on the new grass, +believing that they would be better able to take care of themselves in +my absence if the Indians visited the clearing. After breakfast, I +walked down to the landing, where I had a boat, as starting from there +would save me the labor of paddling a mile against the current. I soon +reached the island, and landed upon the lower end. I had taken my rifle +with me, so as to bring down any game I happened to see. + +As I walked up the slope of the hill, I discovered in the water, on the +north side of the island, a couple of Indian dugouts. I was alarmed, +and hastened with all speed to the house of my good friend. I heard the +music of his piano, and was assured that the Indians had not yet done +any mischief. I went up to the door, which was wide open. Mr. Gracewood +sat at the instrument, with his pipe in his mouth, inspired by the +melody he was producing. At the same instant I perceived the head of an +Indian at a window behind the pianist. I saw him raise a rifle, as if +to take aim. As quick as my own thoughts, I elevated my own piece and +fired. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN WHICH PHIL ENGAGES IN THE PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS. + + +The shot which I fired was instantly followed by a fierce and savage +yell. Until this moment the invaders had been creeping like cats up to +the house, and Mr. Gracewood and Ella had no suspicion of their +presence. In coming up the river I had crossed to the opposite side by +a diagonal course, partly to shorten the distance, and partly to avoid +a strong current, which swept in close to the shore above the mouth of +Fish Creek. The Indians must have been making the passage at the same +time; but the island was between them and me, so that I could not see +them. + +They belonged to the same band that had attacked us at the Castle. The +fact that they had their dugouts with them assured me they had come +down Crooked River, the next stream above the Fish, on our side of the +Missouri. I concluded that they intended to renew the attack upon the +Castle, and had come in their boats so that they could approach on the +water side of the farm. They knew Mr. Gracewood very well, and meant to +plunder him first, for his share in the occurrences of the last week. + +I could form no idea of the number of Indians on the island. I judged +that there were but few, for I could see only two dugouts on the bank +of the river. The savage at whom I had fired was in the act of stealing +in at the window. He had but just raised his head, and was the only one +I could see. His companions were near him, however, as I soon learned +from the yell they uttered. + +Mr. Gracewood's house was large enough to contain two rooms below, and +two sleeping apartments in the attic. The front room, on the south side +of the building, was nearly half filled by a Chickering's grand +piano--a magnificent instrument, which was the joy and solace of the +recluse in his self-imposed exile. I had often sat for hours, while he +played upon it, listening to the wonderful melody he produced. He was +an enthusiast in music, and when he played he seemed to be inspired. +Almost invariably his pipe was in his mouth when seated at the +instrument, and I supposed his two joys afforded him a double rapture. +I used to think, if it had been my case, I could have dispensed with +the pipe, for it seemed like adding gall to honey. + +The grand piano was a powerful instrument, and I had heard its tones +before I landed, and I listened to them with pleasure until my +attention was attracted by the sight of the dugouts. The front door was +open, and Mr. Gracewood glanced at me as I appeared at the door, but he +did not suspend his rapturous occupation. Behind him stood Ella, +enjoying the music; and both were totally unconscious of the deadly +peril that menaced them. At the same instant I discovered the head of +the Indian. He had evidently surveyed the interior of the room before, +and he did not see me. I fired, and he dropped. His companions yelled, +and Ella uttered a scream of terror. She was beside herself with fear, +and apparently thinking the house was full of Indians, she rushed out +at the open door as I entered. Mr. Gracewood seized his rifle, and a +revolver which hung on the wall. + +I loaded my piece without delay, and followed the recluse out of the +house. I heard him fire before I overtook him. The plan of the savages +failed as soon as they were discovered, for they were too cowardly to +stand up before the rifles of the white man. As I hastened after Mr. +Gracewood, I glanced at the outside of the window through which I had +fired at the Indian. I supposed I had killed him, but his body was not +there. A terrible scream from Ella, followed by a cry of anguish from +her father, startled me at this moment, and I ran with all speed in the +direction from which the sounds came. Passing beyond the house, I +discovered four Indians in full retreat. Two of them were dragging the +shrieking Ella over the ground towards the point on the river where the +dugout lay. My blood ran cold with horror as I realized that they had +captured the fair girl. + +The poor child, in her terror, had run away from the house to escape +the savages, who, she supposed, were in it, but only to encounter them +where we could not prevent her capture. The agony of her father was +fearful. He groaned in the heaviness of his soul. We could not fire +upon the Indians without danger of hitting Ella, whom her captors +cunningly used to protect their own bodies from our bullets. + +Mr. Gracewood ran, but his limbs seemed to be partially paralyzed by +the agony of his soul. It was but a short distance to the river, and +before we could overtake the Indians they had dragged their prisoner +into one of the dugouts, and pushed off from the shore. I passed the +poor father, but reached the bank of the river too late to be of any +service to Ella. There were two Indians in each boat. They had gone but +a few rods before a bullet whistled near my head, and I retreated to +the shelter of a tree until Mr. Gracewood joined me. + +[Illustration: ELLA CARRIED OFF CAPTIVE. Page 119.] + +"Heaven be merciful to me and to her!" groaned he, pressing both hands +upon his throbbing head. "What shall we do, Phil Farringford? Tell me, +for I am beside myself." + +"Let us take your barge and follow them." + +At that moment the shrill whistle of a steamer echoed over the island. +The sound came from up the river, and I was satisfied that it was the +boat in which Ella had been a passenger, returning for her. + +"It will be a sad moment to her mother when she hears what has become +of Ella," groaned Mr. Gracewood. + +"Let us get into your boat as quick as possible, and meet the steamer +as she comes down," said I. + +We ran to the landing-place at the lower end of the island, and +embarked in the barge. Mr. Gracewood rowed with all his might up the +stream. + +"Do you see the dugouts, Phil Farringford?" he asked, after he had +pulled to the upper end of the island. + +"I can just see them. They are making for Crooked River." + +"Do you see the steamer?" + +"She is not in sight yet." + +The mouth of Crooked River was half a mile above Paradise Island. Its +head waters were in the Indian country, but the most of its course was +through a more level region than that through which the two branches of +the Fish flowed, though the mouths of the two were not more than a +couple of miles apart. Crooked River was, therefore, practicable for +boats, while there were frequent rapids in Fish Creek and its +tributaries. + +"There's the steamer," said I, after we had gone a short distance +farther. + +"And where are the dugouts?" + +"They have gone into Crooked River." + +"Can the people in the steamer see them?" asked the anxious father. + +"No," I replied, sadly. + +Mr. Gracewood continued to pull with all his might, and in silence, +till we came within hail of the steamer. + +"Hold on!" I shouted, making violent gestures with my arms. + +The captain immediately recognized me, and the wheels of the steamer +stopped. Mr. Gracewood pulled the barge up to the steamer, and we went +on board. + +"Where is the young lady we left at your wood-yard?" demanded the +captain, very much excited, as I stepped on deck. + +"She was captured by the Indians less than an hour ago," I replied, +breathless with emotion. "They have taken her up into Crooked River. Do +put your boat about and chase them." + +"Captured by the Indians!" exclaimed the captain, aghast at the +intelligence. + +"Will you put about, and follow them, captain?" interposed Mr. +Gracewood. + +"He is Ella's father," I added. + +"I am," said he. + +The captain directed the pilot to start the steamer, and head her up +the river, as we dragged the barge on deck. + +"But we can't go up these small streams," he added. + +"The Indians cannot have gone far, and the water is deep for several +miles," replied Mr. Gracewood. + +"I will do the best I can. We have a detachment of troops which I am to +land at your yard, Phil," continued the captain. + +"I'm glad to hear that. The Indians will give us no peace until they +have been punished for the mischief they have done." + +"Did you say this gentleman was Ella's father?" asked the captain, +pointing to Mr. Gracewood, who had gone to the bow of the boat, and was +on the lookout for the Indians. + +I told him all that had transpired since we met the evening before, +including the capture of Ella. + +"If he is Ella's father, his wife is on board," said the captain. "I +suppose I must tell her what has happened to her daughter; but I don't +like to do it." + +As he left me to perform this unpleasant duty, I saw two ladies and +three gentlemen, two of them officers, coming down the steps from the +boiler deck. I inferred that one of these ladies was the mother of +Ella. She had evidently received an intimation that something had +occurred to her daughter, for she was very much disturbed. + +"What has happened, Captain Davis? Where is Ella?" she demanded, in +broken tones. + +"I am sorry to say that the news is not as pleasant as I could wish," +replied the captain. + +"Where is she?" cried Mrs. Gracewood. + +"Her father is here, and----" + +"Her father!" exclaimed the anxious mother. + +Mr. Gracewood, whose attention was attracted by the sound of her voice, +came up to the group, and was instantly recognized by his wife. + +"O, Henry!" gasped she. "Forgive me!" + +"Nay, I ask to be forgiven," he replied, choking with emotion. + +Without any explanation or terms whatever, the reconciliation seemed to +be perfect. + +"This must be a sad meeting, Emily, for I fear that Ella is lost to +us." + +"Where is she?" demanded Mrs. Gracewood. + +"In the hands of the Indians," replied the suffering father. + +"O, mercy! mercy!" groaned the poor mother. "They will kill her!" + +"Let us hope not," replied Mr. Gracewood, struggling to repress his +emotions. + +But this intelligence was too heavy for the strength of the poor lady, +and she was borne fainting up the stairs to the saloon. Mr. Gracewood +assisted in this duty, and I was left to give the military officers the +information they needed. The steamer had already entered Crooked River, +and a leadman was calling out the depth of water. + +"There they are!" I cried, when the boat turned a sharp bend in the +river, as I discovered the two dugouts paddling up the stream. + +"We will make short work of them," replied Lieutenant Pope, who was in +command of the detachment of soldiers sent down for our relief. + +The Indians saw the steamer, and immediately made for the shore, where +they landed. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IN WHICH PHIL TAKES DELIBERATE AIM AT ONE OF THE CAPTORS OF ELLA. + + +"What is your name, young man?" said Lieutenant Pope to me. + +"Phil Farringford, sir." + +"Are you acquainted with the country in this vicinity?" + +"Yes, sir; I have been over it many times." + +"Then you can act as a guide," added the officer, who had collected his +force on the forward deck, in readiness to disembark them. + +Presently the steamer reached the point at which the Indians had +landed. The dugouts were hauled up on the shore; but we could see +nothing of the savages, who had disappeared in the forest, half a mile +from the stream, where the land began to rise. + +"Can we make a landing here?" asked the captain. + +"You can," I replied. + +"Do so, captain," added Lieutenant Pope. + +"I wouldn't land here," I interposed. + +"Why not?" + +"This boat can go three miles up the river, sure, and perhaps five. The +Indians must travel up stream in order to escape you. If you go up two +miles farther, you can head them off." + +"Keep her a-going, captain," added the officer. + +"Two or three miles east of us is Big Fish Creek. The Indians can't get +across below us without swimming." + +"Then we shall have them between these two streams." + +"Of course it is possible for them to get across the Big Fish, but it +won't be very easy, unless they get rid of their prisoner." + +"How far is it across the country to the creek?" asked the lieutenant. + +"About three miles here. Crooked River twists round in a half circle." + +"You may be gone a week, Lieutenant Pope," interposed the captain. "I +can't wait here a great while." + +"You need not wait an hour after you have landed my force," replied the +officer. "But you must take my stores down to the landing at the +wood-yard. I will send a sergeant and ten men to take charge of them." + +The campaign, it appeared, was to be commenced at this point, and I was +to guide the soldiers to the Indian village north of our settlement. +Mr. Gracewood soon appeared on the forward deck, and the plan was +explained to him. His wife was a little better, and he was anxious to +join in the pursuit of the savages. I tried to prevail upon him to go +down to the landing with the soldiers; but he was resolute, and +declared that he would follow the Indians till he recovered his +daughter. + +"One of us should go down with the soldiers, and take care of Mrs. +Gracewood; for I suppose she no longer thinks of going to Oregon," I +said. + +"Why will you not go, Phil Farringford?" he replied. + +"I am to act as the guide for the soldiers who pursue the Indians." + +"I will guide them," added Mr. Gracewood. + +"Either of you," interposed the lieutenant. + +I was anxious to go with the soldiers myself, and to have a hand in +capturing the miscreants who had carried off Ella; but her father had a +stronger claim upon this duty, and I yielded. Two miles above the point +where we had passed the dugouts, the steamer made a landing. After I +had explained to Lieutenant Pope the nature of the country, and the +localities of the streams, he decided to take only half his force with +him, and to send the other half to the landing, with instructions to +march up the Little Fish towards the Indian village. The two +detachments would come together on the river before reaching their +final destination. + +The soldiers who were to pursue the Indians landed, and the steamer +started again. It was about noon when we reached the landing at the +Castle. The captain, who had been detained so long by the events +narrated that he was impatient to be on his voyage up the river again, +hurried the soldiers on shore. Mrs. Gracewood bade adieu to her brother +and his wife, who proceeded on their long journey. It was hard to leave +without knowing the fate of poor Ella, but the circumstances were +imperative. I conducted Mrs. Gracewood to the shore, and the steamer +departed. + +The poor mother was in a state bordering on frenzy. Her anxiety and +suspense were hardly endurable. I went up to the Castle, caught the +horses, harnessed them to the wagon, and conveyed her and her trunks to +the house. In the mean time the soldiers had marched up to the +clearing, and decided to pitch their tents near the block house, for +they were not to start for the upper country till the next morning, +lest the Indians should be alarmed before the other force could reach +the place of meeting. + +The troops hauled their tents and provision to the camp ground with my +team; and the scene at the clearing was vastly more lively than I had +ever before seen there. Mrs. Gracewood could not stay in the Castle, +and she joined me in the field. I said all that I could to comfort and +console her. I know not how many times she asked me whether I thought +the savages would kill her daughter. I did not believe they would. + +"Why should they, Mrs. Gracewood?" I reasoned. "They know very well +that such a murder would bring a terrible vengeance upon them. Before +this time they have seen that the soldiers are on their track." + +"Why should they carry her off, then?" asked the poor mother, wiping +away the tears that so frequently blinded her. + +"As a prisoner, alive and well, she may be of great value to her +captors. They may procure a large ransom for her, or they may protect +themselves by having her in their power. To kill her would bring +nothing but disaster to them." + +"But they will at least abuse her." + +"They may compel her to travel too fast for her strength, for the +soldiers will keep them moving at a rapid rate. Wasn't it very singular +that she was left behind last night?" I asked, wishing to change the +current of her thoughts a little, if possible. + +"It seems strange now. I did not think of such a thing as that she was +not on the steamer. I supposed she was in her state-room reading till +evening. Her room was lighted, as usual; and when I retired, as the +light seemed to assure me she was there, I thought I would not disturb +her. The steamer stopped at the fort. She did not appear at breakfast, +and I went to her room. I was frightened when I saw that it had not +been occupied, and I ran to the captain. Inquiry proved that she had +not been seen since we left this landing. I was told that people lived +here, and that she would not suffer. As soon as the freight was +unloaded, the steamer returned." + +While I was talking with her, the shrill screaming of a steamboat +whistle assured me I had another customer for wood. Slinging my rifle +over my shoulder,--for in these troublous times it was not safe to go +unarmed,--I rode old Firefly down to the landing. I sold twenty cords +of cotton-wood, and put eighty dollars into my pocket. I told the +captain all the news, while the hands were loading the fuel; and the +steamer went on her winding way up the river. In a short time she +disappeared beyond the bend. I was about to mount my horse, and return +to the Castle, when I discovered a dugout in the distance cautiously +stealing down the great river, under the shadow of the bank. It +contained two Indians; but I was thrilled with excitement when I +discovered a young lady seated between them. + +It was Ella Gracewood. + +I was in a clump of trees, where I had fastened Firefly, and the +savages could not see me. I unslung my rifle, and satisfied myself that +it was in condition for use. Breathless with interest and anxiety, I +watched the dugout. I realized that the Indians had doubled on the +soldiers in pursuit of them by returning to their boats, and coming +down Crooked River. They evidently intended to ascend the Fish River. +Aware that the troops were in hot pursuit of them, I could understand +that their only solicitude was to escape with their prisoner, whose +presence was a sort of guarantee of their own safety. + +I hardly dared to breathe, lest the savages should discover me. I +crouched behind a bush, and watched the progress of the enemy, as they +rounded the point, and paddled up the Fish River. I could not make up +my mind what to do. If I went up to the camp to inform the soldiers of +what I had seen, I should lose sight of the dugout. I expected every +moment to see the other two Indians come round the point in the second +dugout, but they did not appear. + +As the savages ascended the stream, I crawled out of my hiding-place. +Mr. Gracewood's barge had been left at the lauding by the steamer, and +I launched it as the dugout disappeared beyond a bend in the creek. I +rowed with the utmost caution up the stream, fearful that the quick ear +of the Indians might detect the sound of the oars. I took the +precaution to muffle the oars, using an old coat I found in the boat +for the purpose. At the bend where I had lost sight of the enemy, I +held the barge by an overhanging branch, until I had satisfied myself +that it was safe to proceed. The dugout was not in sight, and I +continued to pull up the stream, pausing at every turn to take an +observation. + +As it was not safe for me to go forward while the dugout could be seen, +I had not obtained another view of it when I reached the junction of +the Big and Little Fish Creeks. As the soldiers were between the former +and Crooked River, I knew the fugitives would not take that branch, and +I confidently pulled up the Little Fish. Two miles above the junction +the rapids commenced, and boats could go no farther in this direction. +Unfortunately the stream was too straight to suit my purpose, and +seeing the dugout half a mile ahead of me, I landed, and determined to +walk in the path on the bank of the creek. + +The trees enabled me to keep out of sight, and I quickened my pace, so +as to lessen the distance between myself and the enemy. As they made +but slow progress against the current, I was soon as near them as I +dared to go. In this manner I crept along the path till the dugout +arrived at the rapids. The Indians landed, and compelled Ella to do so. +I could not see her face, but I judged that she had in some degree +become reconciled to her situation. + +The place where the fugitives landed was at the mouth of the little +brook up which Mr. Gracewood and I had followed the horse thieves. The +rapids were just above the mouth of this stream, and the locality was +my favorite fishing-ground. I supposed the savages would follow the +path on the bank of the creek, which led to the Indian village; but +instead of doing so, they struck into the woods by the route the horse +thieves had taken. I walked up to the mouth of the brook; but I knew +the Indians could go but a short distance in the direction they had +chosen. It was nearly sundown, and I concluded that they intended to +encamp for the night. I had about decided to return to the Castle, and +procure the assistance of the soldiers, when I heard one of the Indians +approaching. Concealing myself behind a tree, I waited to observe his +movements. + +He went to the river, embarked in the dugout, and pushing out into the +middle of the stream, commenced fishing, not fifty yards from me. I +could not resist the temptation to open the battle, and taking +deliberate aim at the Indian with my rifle, I fired. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS COMPANION ARRIVE AT THE CABIN OF KIT CRUNCHER. + + +If I had considered the matter a moment longer, probably I should not +have had the courage to open the battle; for, if I failed to hit the +Indian, my situation would become desperate, and with an empty rifle in +my hand, I could only depend upon my legs for safety, while the savages +would be able to escape with their prize before the soldiers could be +brought up. + +Fortunately for me, I did not miss my aim. My bullet evidently passed +through the brain of the savage, for he threw up his arms, and dropped +over into the bottom of the dugout. His fall disturbed the boat, and +detached it from the overhanging branch by which he had secured it, to +enable him to fish. The current whirled it around, and carried it down +the river. + +Though I could not rid myself of a certain sensation of horror, when I +found that I had actually taken a human life, I was well satisfied with +what I had done. My frame trembled with emotion and excitement as I +hastened to load my rifle again. I expected that the sound of the shot +would bring the other Indian to the spot, and I nervously awaited his +approach; but he did not appear. As the first Indian had come to the +creek to obtain food, his companion doubtless supposed he had fired at +some game. The wind wafted the smell of smoke to me, and I surmised +that the savage at the camp was preparing to cook the fish or game +which the other was to obtain. + +The sun went down, and it began to be dark in the shades of the forest. +I had become composed and resolute again, after waiting half an hour +for the coming of the other redskin. I had arrived at the conclusion +that it was not worth while to return to the Castle for the soldiers. I +was sure that the Indian at the camp fire would soon come down to the +creek to ascertain what had become of his companion. To prevent him +from stumbling upon me, I retreated a little farther from the stream +into the forest. I could not be mistaken in my calculation, which was +soon verified by the sound of footsteps in the direction of the Indian +camp. + +I found my heart beating violently again, and I dreaded the necessity +of shooting the savage almost as much as I did the consequences if I +failed to do so. It was still light enough for me to see him distinctly +when he made his appearance on the bank of the brook. I raised my rifle +with the intention of firing the instant he stopped long enough to +enable me to insure my aim, for I had not confidence enough to shoot +while he was in motion. But I was so agitated that I was not in +condition to do justice to my own skill. The savage walked rapidly to +the bank of the creek, and halted, looking up and down in search of the +dugout and his companion. + +"Ugh!" grunted he, in order to express his dissatisfaction at the long +absence of his associate, I suppose. + +Then he shouted, and waited for a response from his absent friend; but +he did not hold still long enough to enable me to cover his head with +the muzzle of my piece. I was so excited by the consideration of the +fatal consequences to me, and perhaps to Ella, if I failed to bring him +down, that I had not pluck enough to fire. I had slain one man, and it +was awful to think of killing another. I would have given all the gold +in my pocket if Kit Cruncher had stood by my side at that instant, and +relieved me of the fearful responsibility of the occasion. + +Of course there was no response to the call of the Indian; and, after +glancing all around him, he walked rapidly down the path on the bank of +the creek in search of his lost mate. This movement on his part +afforded me a new hope. As Ella had not come to the stream with her +surviving captor, it was evident enough that he had left her at the +camp fire, probably tied to a tree, or otherwise secured. + +I waited till the Indian had disappeared, and then hastened in the +direction of the camp. I did not take much pains to move without noise, +for I concluded that the Indian would have his ear to the ground +frequently, to obtain tidings of his missing associate. I ran with all +the speed I could command. I found Ella fastened to a tree near the +fire. Her hands were tied behind her, so that she was unable to help +herself. + +"O, Phil Farringford!" cried she, as I approached. + +"Don't make any noise, Ella," I replied, cutting the cords which bound +her. "Follow me, and be very careful." + +"Where are the Indians?" she asked, in a whisper, her teeth chattering +with terror and excitement. + +"I have shot one, and the other is not far off." + +I conducted my fair companion a short distance down the brook, and +taking her in my arms, I bore her across the stream. + +"Hark!" said I, as I placed her on the other side. + +We listened, and I heard the Indian shouting for his companion. From +the direction of the sound I concluded that he was near the mouth of +the brook. Certainly he had retraced his steps from the point where he +was when I started to rescue Ella. It was probable that he had heard my +steps, but doubtless he supposed they were those of his missing mate. I +had made considerable noise when I scrambled up the steep bank of the +brook with my burden, which was immediately followed by his call. + +"He has heard us," I whispered, preparing my rifle for use. + +"What shall I do?" asked my trembling charge. + +"Come with me. The brook is between him and us now, and I don't think +he will hear our steps, if we move very carefully." + +I took her by the hand and led her through the dark forest. I intended +to proceed in an easterly direction till I came to Kit Cruncher's +Brook, and then follow the path along its bank to the Castle. I paused +occasionally to listen, but I heard no more shouting. The savage had +probably gone back to his camp, and discovered that his prisoner was +missing. + +"We must hurry along as fast as we can, Ella," said I, finding that my +companion was inclined to go very slowly. + +"I am very tired, Phil." + +"I am sorry, but we cannot waste our time. If that Indian can find +where we crossed the brook, he will pursue us." + +"How far must we go?" + +"It is five miles to the Castle, but it is only two to Kit Cruncher's +cabin." + +"I am very faint, for I have eaten nothing since we breakfasted on the +island very early this morning," added Ella. + +"I think I can find something for you to eat when we get to Kit's +cabin." + +"But where is my father, Phil?" asked Ella. "I hope nothing has +happened to him." + +"Nothing has happened to him. He is with the soldiers who landed up +Crooked River. Did you not see the troops?" + +"I saw them when they landed, but not afterwards." + +"Did the Indians use you badly?" I inquired. + +"No; they only compelled me to walk when I was so tired that every step +was painful." + +"Where did you go after you left the dugouts?" + +"I'm sure I don't know. We travelled till we came to another river." + +"That was the Great Fish," I added. + +"Two of the Indians left us then, and paddled across this river on a +log. They had a talk before they separated, and they pointed often at +me. I knew that it was about me." + +"Where did you go then?" I asked, anxious, if possible, to ascertain +the plan of the savages. + +"We walked back again till we came to the edge of the forest, not far +from the river. Here one of the Indians lay down on the ground, so that +the soldiers could not see him, and crawled to the stream. The other +led me through the woods towards the Missouri, two or three miles, I +should think; at any rate, I was completely exhausted. At last we +arrived at the great river, in sight of the island where my father +lived." + +[Illustration: PHIL BEARING ELLA ACROSS THE FORD. Page 142.] + +"But where were the soldiers?" I asked. + +"I suppose they were beating about the woods, looking for us. The +Indian drove me down the steep bank of the river to the water-side. I +was terribly frightened, and if my savage conductor had not held my arm +I should have slipped down into the river. Here I was permitted to rest +myself for an hour, and then the other Indian came in the boat." + +"Did you see the steamer that went up the river this afternoon?" + +"I did; and when the Indians heard the whistle, they ran the boat into +a creek, and kept very quiet until she had passed. Then they paddled up +the river by the wood-yard." + +"I saw you when you went by, and followed in your father's barge," I +added. + +"Did you come all alone?" + +"Yes; there are about thirty soldiers at the Castle; but I thought, if +I went after them, I should lose sight of you, and so I came up alone. +I have some good news for you, Ella." + +"What is it?" she asked, faintly. + +"Your father and mother met on board of the steamer, and are now good +friends." + +"I am so glad! But I do wish we could rest," she added. + +"Sit down on this log, Ella," I replied, conducting her to a fallen +tree. "I haven't heard anything from that Indian, and I don't believe +he is on our track." + +"O, I hope not; but I couldn't run if I saw him this instant." + +"We ought to get back to the Castle to-night, if it is possible," I +added. + +"I don't believe I can walk so far." + +"Your poor mother is suffering every moment. If she only knew you were +safe, I would not go farther than Kit's cabin to-night." + +After resting for half an hour, we resumed the weary tramp through the +woods, and at last reached the brook on the other side of which was the +hunter's log hut. There was a light in it, which assured me Kit was at +home. I carried Ella over the stream in my arms, and we approached the +house. I took the precaution to reconnoitre the premises before I +entered, for it was not impossible that some of the enemy had taken +possession of the cabin; but through the open door I saw the tall +hunter at work over the fire, evidently cooking his supper. + +"How are you, Kit?" said I, leading my charge into his presence. + +"Are you hyer, Phil, boy!" exclaimed he. "Who's that with you?" + +"It's Mr. Mellowtone's daughter." + +"I never knowed he had a darter." + +As briefly as possible, I told Kit what had occurred since he left the +clearing. + +"I've jest kim in from the nor'ard," said he. "The Injuns is on the +rampage. There's more'n a hund'ed on 'em not more'n a two hours' tramp +up the Little Fish, and there's goin' to be more trouble. I was goin' +down to the Castle as soon as I'd eat my supper. I ain't sartin there +ain't some redskins 'tween hyer and the clearing. Leastwise, I don't +think it's safe to go down by the brook path." + +I was surprised and annoyed at his last remark; and Kit, after putting +another slice of bacon in the pan over the fire, proceeded to explain +the ground of his fears. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +IN WHICH PHIL ROWS THE BARGE UP THE BIG FISH RIVER. + + +If there were any Indians between the Castle and Kit Cruncher's cabin, +we were certainly between two fires, and it was necessary that +something should be done very soon. + +"What makes you think there are Indians below us, Kit?" I asked. + +"I'll tell you, boy," replied the patriarchal hunter, as he turned a +slice of bacon in the pan. "I've seen Injun tracks p'inted that way." + +"Where did you see them?" + +"Over on the Little Fish. It has rained hard sence I went up the river, +and the tracks I see was new ones." + +"Were they above or below the lower rapids?" + +"Above, boy. I struck across the country above the swamp, and hit my +brook near the spring where it starts. Two Injuns had come down, I +know." + +"Well, Kit, those were the two who crossed the Big Fish on a log--two +of the four who went to the island this morning and captured Miss +Gracewood. The other two came around by the river in the dugout, and +camped near the lower rapids. In my opinion, they had agreed to meet +there." + +"Most like it is as you say, boy. I'm glad it's no wus. But 'tain't +safe for the gal to stay hyer. There'll be a hund'ed Injuns down hyer +to-morrow, mebbe as arly as daylight. I cal'late them two that come +over this mornin' is doggin' round the Castle now." + +"If they are, they have found a camp of soldiers there, and not a very +good chance to plunder the place." + +Kit Cruncher placed the frying-pan, in which the great slices of bacon +had been cooked, upon a chest, with a basket of crackers. Ella ate +heartily of the meat, for it was very good, in spite of the homely +manner in which it was served. We finished the meal without any +interruption from Indians or others. The poor girl declared that she +felt very much refreshed and strengthened, and was able to walk again. + +"Now we are ready for a start," said Kit, when he had put his house in +order. + +"How far is it through the woods to the Little Fish, Kit?" I asked. + +"Across hyer 'tain't more'n a mile." + +"Then I think we had better go that way," I added. "I left Mr. +Gracewood's boat not far from the place where the two rivers join, and +we can go down in that." + +"Very well, boy; but I cal'late there's three Injuns atween us and the +Castle somewhar. But 'tain't no matter; if they show theirselves, my +rifle will make quick work on 'em." + +We crossed the brook, and struck into the woods on the other side. Ella +walked by my side, holding my hand, while Kit led the way through the +gloomy forest. + +"Where do you suppose my father is now, Phil?" asked the poor girl. + +"With the soldiers." + +"But where are the soldiers?" + +"They are in the woods beyond the Big Fish, I suppose. They must have +scoured the woods down to the Missouri before dark. I have no means of +knowing whether they were able to find any tracks of the fugitives to +assist them; if not, they have been very much puzzled." + +"And all this time my poor father thinks I am in the hands of the +Indians, and fears that I have been killed or abused," added Ella. + +"I am very sorry; but I do not see that we can do anything to-night to +relieve his anxiety." + +"No, Phil, I see that you cannot. You have been very brave and noble, +and very kind to me, and I shall remember you with gratitude as long as +I live." + +"I don't ask for anything better than to serve you," I replied. "In the +morning the troops at the Castle will start, and I have no doubt they +will communicate with those beyond the Big Fish in the course of the +day." + +"I do wish father were here. I am afraid he will expose himself to the +Indians, or wear himself out, he is so anxious for me." + +"We will do the best we can to let him know that you are safe. Perhaps +Kit and I will try to find him, as soon as we have conducted you to the +Castle, and relieved the anxiety of your poor mother." + +"We marched very cautiously through the woods, and with our rifles in +our hands ready for instant use. In a short time, under the skilful +lead of the hunter, we reached the river; but I had left the barge a +mile farther down the stream. + +"I am not sure that we shall find the barge where I left it, Kit," said +I, as we took the path on the bank of the Little Fish. + +"Most like you won't, boy. That Injun that went down to look for +t'other mought have took it." + +"What will you do, then?" asked Ella. + +"We shall be obliged to walk another mile, to the landing-place." + +My trembling companion was constantly in fear of an attack from the +savages, or that a shot from them would hit her, or some other one of +the party. I said all I could to comfort and assure her; but the +circumstances were so novel to her that she could not be reconciled to +them. As I was not without fear myself, I could not take the matter so +coolly as Kit did. But the old hunter, steady and brave as he was in +peril, was a prudent man, and not at all disposed to be reckless. He +knew that an Indian bullet could kill him, as well as another man, and +he had none of that affectation of courage which so often belies the +boaster and the reckless man. + +"Hyer's your barge," said Kit, ahead of us, when we had gone less than +half a mile down the stream. + +"So it is; but I did not leave it here," I replied, as I glanced at the +boat. + +"That Injun has come up stream in it, and left it hyer. Most like he +ain't fur from hyer." + +I assisted Ella into the barge. Kit seated himself in the bow, and I +took the oars. + +"Fotch her over under the further shore, boy," said Kit, as I pushed +off the boat. "Keep as fur as you kin from danger allus." + +The old hunter's suggestion was certainly a good one, as was fully +demonstrated only a few minutes later. I pulled the barge to the other +side of the river; but we had gone only a few rods before the crack of +a rifle, followed by a whizzing bullet, assured us the enemy were at +hand. The barge was painted white, and was a shining mark in the night +for the savages to fire at. + +"O, mercy!" cried Ella. + +"Did it hit you?" I asked, alarmed by her cry. + +"No, no--but----" + +"Don't make any noise, then." + +"Run the barge ashore hyer, boy," said Kit Cruncher, quietly. + +I obeyed instantly; but another shot followed the first one, though, +fortunately, neither of them did any harm. + +"Let the gal go ashore," added Kit. + +I understood his plan, and assisted Ella to land. + +"Run up the bank into the woods, and get behind a tree," I said to her, +as a third shot came across the river. + +But the Indians were firing blindly in the dark, and though the last +bullet hit the boat, we were still safe. Kit stepped on the shore, and +we dragged the boat out of the water. The hunter paused on the bank of +the river, and gazed across in the direction from which the shots came. + +"There's three on 'em over thyer," said Kit. "The shots was too near +together to come out of one barrel. Haul the barge up the bank afore +they hev time to load up agin." + +The barge was light, and we had no difficulty in taking it up the bank +into the woods. For the present we were safe; but it was certain that +there were three savages on the bank of the river, and between us and +the Castle. We had, luckily, escaped injury so far, and Kit was not the +man to lead us into any unnecessary peril. We were now on the tongue of +land between the Big and the Little Fish Rivers, and only a short +distance above their junction. At the point where we landed it was less +than a quarter of a mile from one river to the other. + +"We can't go down Fish River to-night," said I, when we had pulled the +boat up the bank. + +"Not without resk, boy," replied Kit. + +"What shall we do?" asked the frightened Ella. + +"Don't be skeered, little gal," interposed Kit, in a tone more tender +than he was in the habit of using. "You are as safe hyer as you'd be in +your marm's lap." + +"Can't the savages come over here?" she inquired. + +"'Pears like they can't; leastwise, not without swimming, and we kin +stop 'em faster'n they kin come over. Rifle-balls travels fast," +answered Kit, sagely. "But I don't reckon they'll want to come over +hyer." + +"Do you suppose they know there are soldiers at the clearing?" I asked. + +"I don't reckon they do. They mought know it, and they mought not; but +from what you say, I cal'late they hain't had time to go down and see." + +"Perhaps they intended to go there to-night," I suggested. + +"It mought be." + +"I think they were looking for something to eat first. I believe the +two Indians who came across the river on the log were to meet the other +two at the camp on the brook where I went. They knew they could get +plenty of fish there. After I shot one of the party at the camp, the +remaining one must have come across the other two. They will keep +between us and the Castle." + +"Most like they've been lookin' for the gal all the evenin'," added +Kit. + +"It seems to me, if they knew the soldiers were at the clearing, they +would not stay here." + +"'Tain't much use to guess at these things. You mought as well shoot at +nothin' in the dark. We can't go down Fish River to-night; that's all +that's sartin." + +"That is very true." + +"And I cannot see my mother to-night, then," said Ella. + +"I dunno, little gal; 'pears like you can't; but mebbe you kin see your +father," replied Kit. "And it mought be you kin see both. I dunno. We +must be keerful. Better not see 'em till to-morrer 'n not see 'em at +all." + +"What do you mean by seeing her father tonight, Kit?" I inquired, +afraid that he was kindling vain hopes in the mind of the suffering +maiden. + +"I'll tell you, boy. Ef, as you say, them soldiers is rampagin' over +the country 'tween the Fish and Crooked River, we mought find 'em afore +mornin'. We kin kerry this boat over to the Big Fish, and land on +t'other side on't." + +"That's a capital plan, Kit, and our safest course," I replied. + +We wasted no time in debating a question on which we were perfectly +agreed. We carried the light barge across the tongue of land, and +launched it in the Big Fish. Our party embarked, and I pulled up the +river. I realized that it would not be an easy matter to find the +soldiers, for they would not kindle any camp fire, which would betray +their presence to the savages. + +I pulled vigorously, for half an hour, against the current; and we were +satisfied that the three Indians had not crossed the river, for we were +not again annoyed by them. As the barge approached the rapids, beyond +which we could not go by water, we heard a noise on the shore. + +"Who goes there?" shouted a soldier. + +"Friends," I replied. + +"Advance, friends, and give the countersign." + +We had no countersign, but I immediately ran the boat ashore, and we +landed. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS COMPANIONS START FOR THE CASTLE. + + +"Who are you?" demanded the soldier who had hailed the boat, probably +astonished to find himself answered in plain English. + +"Friends," I replied. + +"What is your name?" + +"Phil Farringford." + +"You are the boy that came on board the steamer this morning?" + +"I am; have you seen any Indians to-day?" + +"Not an Indian." + +"You didn't go where they were," I added. + +"We have been beating about the woods all day; but the Indians who +captured the girl have dodged us." + +"Then you haven't recovered her yet?" + +"No." + +"I have; and here she is," I continued; helping Ella out of the boat, +and up the bank of the river. + +By this time half a dozen soldiers had gathered on the shore, with +their blankets on their arms. When they understood that the young lady +had been recovered from the Indians, they gave an involuntary cheer. + +"Where is my father?" asked Ella, anxiously. + +"I suppose he is with Lieutenant Pope," replied Corporal Flint, who was +the spokesman of the party. "The headquarters are about a mile up the +river." + +"I must go to him at once," added Ella, nervously. + +"You shall, miss. The hunt's up now, and we needn't stay here any +longer," continued the corporal. "We are divided into three squads, and +posted on the river to keep the Indians from crossing." + +"There hasn't been an Indian on this neck for six hours," I added; and +I proceeded to inform the corporal in what manner the Indians had made +their escape. + +"They are cunning," said he. "They know the country better than we do." + +"Whar's the cap'n?" demanded Kit, who had been engaged in hauling the +barge out of the water, and concealing it in the bushes. + +"Who are you?" replied Corporal Flint, as the tall hunter loomed up +before him. + +"I don't reckon it makes any matter who I am; but I want to see the +cap'n, and show him whar the redskins is." + +"Lieutenant Pope commands the troops, and he will be very glad to know +where the redskins are." + +"My father is with him; do let us make haste," said Ella, dragging me +by the hand in the direction of the next post of the soldiers. + +"We will escort you, miss," added the corporal, ordering his squad to +march. + +Our walk was enlivened by the frequent challenge of the sentinels +posted along the bank of the river. One half of the troops were +watching the stream, while the other half slept. In a short time we +reached the bivouac of the commanding officer. As we approached, I +recognized the form of Mr. Gracewood, who was walking back and forth +near the party asleep on the ground. + +"Here she is, Mr. Gracewood!" I shouted, while the soldiers were going +through their military forms, for they were very precise in all these +matters. + +The unhappy father halted, and Ella dragged me towards him, impatient +to heal the wounded heart. He seemed to be unable to comprehend the +meaning of my words; but as soon as he saw her in the gloom of the +forest, he rushed forward and clasped her in his arms. I heard them sob +in each other's embrace, and while the tears started in my own eyes, I +had an all-sufficient reward for the peril and labor I had incurred in +restoring her. + +"Why, Ella, I can hardly believe it is you," said he, his voice +tremulous with emotion. + +"It is I, father," she replied, clinging to him convulsively. "I am so +happy!" + +"Are you safe? Are you hurt? Did they injure you?" + +"No, father I have been awfully frightened, but I am not hurt. You +don't say a word to Phil. He saved me." + +"Phil Farringford!" + +"Yes, father." + +"My dear boy, you have saved me from a misery you cannot understand," +said the glad parent, grasping my hand. + +"I am very glad to do something for you, after you have done so much +for me, sir." + +"But how was it? Tell me about it. Where did you find her?" asked Mr. +Gracewood. + +"I congratulate you, sir," said Lieutenant Pope, approaching the spot, +having learned the substance of the story from Corporal Flint. + +"I am the happiest man in the world," added Mr. Gracewood, with +enthusiasm. "Phil Farringford is a hero! Now let us know where you +found her." + +"Here's Kit Cruncher, too," I added, unwilling that my stalwart ally +should be ignored. + +Mr. Gracewood shook hands with Kit, who was duly introduced to the +lieutenant. + +"I'm hyer, Mr. Mell'ton, or Mr. Greasewood--if that's your name." + +"Gracewood," interposed the happy Ella. + +"Jest so; Greasewood--that's what I say. I'm hyer, and I want to tell +the cap'n whar the redskins is; but I don't reckon my story'll spile +while Phil tells you about the gal. Go on, boy; wag your tongue as fast +as you wagged your legs to-day." + +"I've had rather a long tramp to-day, and I'll sit down and rest while +we talk," I answered, availing myself of a log. + +I related minutely all the circumstances of the recapture of Ella, and +gave her explanation of the plan by which the Indians had escaped from +the soldiers. + +"I never thought of those dugouts," said the lieutenant. "We have not +been near the river to-day." + +"Now, cap'n," interposed Kit Cruncher, "the Injuns from the nor'ard is +on a rampage. More'n a hund'ed on 'em is camped on the head streams of +the Little Fish, working down this way. They mean to wipe out all on +us. They stole Matt's hosses, but we got 'em back. Then they kim down +on us, and two or three on 'em got shot. Now the whole on 'em's comin' +down." + +"I will take care of them if you will show me where they are," added +the officer. + +"I'll do that. I ain't no milintry man, but I kin tell you how to fix +them redskins. Them Injuns up thar has got hosses. They're go'n' to +come down by the Little Fish. Phil tells me you sent a force to the +Castle. Ef you take 'em in the rear with your men, by marchin' round +across both the Fish rivers, the t'other kin take 'em in front, and +atwixt the two you'll chaw 'em all up." + +"Do you think we had better march to-night?" asked Lieutenant Pope, +evidently impressed by the suggestion of the veteran hunter. + +"No; that would spile the whole game. Let 'em kim down as fur's they +will." + +"But where are the three Indians who were engaged in the capture of +Miss Gracewood?" + +"They're doggin' round the clearin'; but I don't reckon they know any +sogers is over thar yet." + +"They will join the large force on the Little Fish, and inform them of +our presence here." + +"They mought do it; but a march of seven mile will fotch you to 'em. +They'll start arly 'n the mornin'; and them three Injuns won't go up to +their camp to-night, for they're as fur off from it as we are. Ef you +start at sunrise, you kin git in behind 'em, crossin' both rivers in +the forenoon." + +Kit Cruncher was very clear in his views, and the commander of the +troops saw the wisdom of his plan. The latter knew nothing of the +country, and was dependent upon the information afforded by such men as +Kit for the means of punishing the Indians when they violated their +treaty obligations. + +"As my daughter cannot go with you, we need remain here no longer," +said Mr. Gracewood. + +"But you can't get to the clearing to-night," replied Lieutenant Pope. +"You may be intercepted by these strolling savages; and I cannot spare +my men to escort you, for they may be obliged to march all day +to-morrow." + +"Where is my barge, Kit?" asked the anxious father. + +"In the bushes down the river." + +"We can carry it across the land to the Crooked River, and go down in +that way. I am very anxious to join my wife, who is still suffering +with anxiety for our child," added Mr. Gracewood. + +"Very well; if you feel safe to leave the camp, I shall not object," +continued the lieutenant. "My men shall carry your boat over to the +river." + +"Phil will go with me, and I don't think there is any danger." + +"I should be glad to have you go, for I wish to send some orders to +Lieutenant Jackson, commanding the men at the clearing." + +"Exactly, cap'n," interposed Kit. "Send word for 'em to form a line +atween the Little Fish and the pond. Phil kin show 'em whar it is." + +Four men were sent to carry the barge across the country to Crooked +River, and Kit explained to the officer the nature of the region where +he suggested that the line of defence should be established. By the +light of a match, the lieutenant wrote an order, which he gave to me, +to be delivered to the officer in command of the detachment at the +Castle. Bidding the lieutenant good night, we started for the river, +attended by Kit, who was determined to see us safely embarked. + +"I am afraid you are too tired to walk, Ella," said I, placing myself +at her side. + +"I am very tired, and I hope the distance is not long." + +"Not less than two miles," I replied. + +"I will try to do it," said she, with all the courage she could muster. + +After going half the distance, we met the men who were carrying the +boat. They had laid it on a couple of poles, and were bearing it on +their shoulders. By this time poor Ella was almost fainting with +exhaustion. + +"We kin tote the gal in the boat," said Kit. + +"She cannot sit on the keel of it," replied Mr. Gracewood; for the +soldiers had placed it bottom upwards on the sticks. + +"We kin turn it t'other side up," added Kit. "Drop that boat, sogers." + +[Illustration: NIGHT JOURNEY THROUGH THE FOREST. Page 169.] + +The men, who were full of sympathy for Ella, laid the boat upon the +ground. Kit turned it over, and with the painter and another line, +slung it to the poles right side up. Ella seated herself in the barge, +and the soldiers lifted it up, placing the poles upon their shoulders. +The march was resumed, and occasionally Kit and Mr. Gracewood relieved +the men, so that it was not very hard work. We reached the river, and +embarked. + +"Take care of yourself. There'll be a big fight to-morrer, and the +Injuns'll git squeezed." + +"I will endeavor to take care of myself," I replied, as we pushed off. + +Mr. Gracewood took the oars, and I was permitted to rest myself, after +the severe fatigue and excitement of the day. + +"Is there any danger now, father?" asked Ella. + +"No, child, I don't think there is," replied Mr. Gracewood. + +"Do you think there is, Phil?" she added, appealing to me. + +"No; but I should like to know where those two dugouts are." + +"According to your story, one of them has gone adrift, and the other is +up this river," said Mr. Gracewood. "Is your rifle in order, Phil?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then keep a sharp lookout, Phil; and I think we shall be all right." + +And we were all right till we reached a point near the mouth of Fish +River, where I discovered a dugout moving out into the Missouri, and +containing three men. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +IN WHICH PHIL ARRIVES AT THE CASTLE. + + +Mr. Gracewood was not rowing at the time I discovered the dugout, for +the swift current of the Missouri gave us sufficient headway, and the +oars were only used to keep the boat from whirling. Poor Ella, worn out +by the fatigues and perils of the day, had dropped asleep, her head +resting upon my shoulder. I only raised my hand, and pointed out the +position of the dugout. Mr. Gracewood understood me, and looked in the +direction indicated. + +The three Indians in the boat were doubtless the ones who had visited +the island in the morning. I concluded that they had found the dugout +in which I had shot the savage, and which had probably grounded +somewhere in the shallow water. But the Indians were not coming towards +us, and I judged from their movements that they did not see us. The +dugout came into the great river, and then headed down the stream. + +"Don't move," I whispered to Mr. Gracewood. + +"But the current is carrying us upon them," he replied, his anxiety +apparent in his tones. + +"If you can work her farther in shore without making any noise, do so," +I added. + +In paddling the dugout the Indians all faced ahead, instead of astern +as in rowing. We were under the shadow of the high bank of the river, +which was covered with wood. Mr. Gracewood carefully worked the barge +nearer to the bank, until I was able to grasp the branch of a tree +which had fallen down as the earth caved off beneath its roots. I held +it there, and in a moment more the dugout disappeared in the gloom. + +"They are not looking for us," said Mr. Gracewood. + +"No; but they have not come down here for nothing," I replied. + +"What do you think they intend to do?" + +"They fired at us as we were coming down the river. Possibly they +followed us, and saw us go up the Big Fish. Perhaps they think now that +there is no one at the Castle, and they can plunder it without +opposition. They will soon discover their blunder." + +"But Mrs. Gracewood is there." + +"So are the soldiers." + +"They may capture her if she is in the Castle, while the soldiers are +encamped in the rear, not expecting an enemy on the river side." + +"We need not stay here any longer," I added, letting go the branch, and +permitting the current to carry the barge down the stream. "Don't make +any noise with the oars, Mr. Gracewood." + +"We must hurry forward and alarm the soldiers. They have no suspicion +that there are any Indians within many miles of them." + +"What's the matter, father?" cried Ella, waking with a start. + +"Hush! Ella. Don't make any noise. We are safe, and there is no +danger." + +"What has happened?" she whispered, trembling with fear. + +"Nothing has happened; but we saw three Indians go down the river. They +did not discover us, and there is nothing to fear. Don't be alarmed." + +The barge floated down to the mouth of the Fish, and Mr. Gracewood, +using the oars very carefully, guided it to the landing, where we went +on shore. I hastened up the rising ground to ascertain if there was any +demonstration against the Castle. On the way, I heard old Firefly +neigh; and then I remembered that I had left him there when I started +to follow the Indians. The old fellow was very glad to see me, for he +probably did not like to be excluded from his warm stable, and robbed +of his supper. + +I jumped upon his back, and rode down to the landing, where Mr. +Gracewood was hauling up his boat. My appearance on horseback startled +him and Ella, but the sound of my voice reassured them. I explained in +what manner I happened to be mounted so speedily. + +"I will ride up to the Castle, and see that the soldiers are on the +lookout for those Indians," I added. "I will return with the wagon in a +few minutes, and carry you to the house." + +"And leave us here alone?" said Mr. Gracewood. + +"Do you think there is any danger?" I inquired. + +"Those Indians may land here and discover us. For myself I don't care; +but I am afraid on account of Ella, who is too weak to run, how ever +great the peril." + +"I will take her on the horse with me if you like," I suggested. + +"But you may meet the savages, and a bullet from the cunning foe might +destroy all my hopes in this world." + +"I will not leave you, then, sir; but I thought Ella was too feeble to +walk another mile." + +"I could not walk a mile," added she, faintly. + +"What shall we do, then?" I asked. + +"We will go a little way with you." + +Ella had sat so long in the barge that her limbs were stiff, and she +was unable to walk, even a short distance. Her father had lifted her +out of the boat, and seated her on a log. + +"I could do nothing if the Indians came upon me, with my child in this +helpless condition. I will carry her in my arms a little way, and we +will conceal ourselves in the bushes. Go as quick as you can, Phil +Farringford," said the anxious father. + +"I will not be absent long," I replied, as I urged Firefly forward. + +The horse was anxious to reach his stable, and he galloped at the top +of his speed. I kept a wary lookout for the savages, as I approached +the Castle, but I saw none. + +"Halt!" shouted a sentinel, placing himself in the road. + +This vigilance on the part of the troops assured me the Castle was in +no danger of a surprise, and I reined in my steed. + +"Who goes there?" demanded the guard. + +"Friend, in a tremendous hurry," I replied. + +"Advance, friend in a tremendous hurry, and give the countersign." + +"I have no countersign; but I am Phil Farringford." + +"O, the young fellow that belongs here!" + +"Yes; and by this time there are three Indians in a dugout in front of +you. Stir up your men, and send two or three of them down towards the +landing. Mr. Gracewood and his daughter are there, and the Indians may +find them." + +"Has the girl been found?" + +"Yes; but I can't stop to talk. Wake up your officer." + +I hurried Firefly to the barn, and dismounted. + +"Who is it? What has happened?" asked Mrs. Gracewood, in trembling +tones, as she came towards the stable. + +"It's only Phil," I replied. "All right, Mrs. Gracewood." + +"Where have you been? I was afraid the Indians had caught you." + +"I have been after Ella." + +"O, have you heard anything from her?" demanded she, choking with +emotion. + +"Yes, we have heard from her. She's all right," I answered, as I throw +the harness upon Firefly. + +"What do you mean? Don't deceive me, Phil." + +"I won't, Mrs. Gracewood. You shall see her yourself in ten minutes." + +"Where is she?" gasped the poor mother, apparently unable to believe +the good news. + +"She is down at the landing; but she is all worn out, and not able to +move a step. I am going down with the wagon after her." + +"Do you really mean so?" + +"Certainly I do, Mrs. Gracewood; and her father is with her." + +"Father in heaven, I thank thee!" exclaimed she, fervently, sobbing and +weeping. + +"It's just as I tell you; but you had better go into the house, for +there are some Indians along the river somewhere." + +"I am not afraid of them, if I can only see Ella." + +By this time, the sentinel who had confronted me had passed the word to +the camp, and the soldiers were all under arms. A squad of them +hastened to the river, and presently I heard a couple of shots in that +direction. I had finished harnessing the horses, and was putting old +Matt's bed upon the wagon for Ella to lie upon, when Lieutenant +Jackson, the officer in command of the detachment, rushed up to me. + +"What is the matter?" he demanded. "Are we attacked?" + +"There are three Indians on the river. I suppose your men are firing at +them. Here is an order from Lieutenant Pope," I added, handing him the +paper, and jumping upon the wagon, where Mrs. Gracewood had already +placed herself. "We have recovered the young lady, and I am going down +to the landing after her." + +"But I wish to know----" + +"Well, I can't stop now to talk, sir." + +"I will go with you;" and he leaped upon the wagon. + +"I advise you to take two or three more with you. You may capture the +three Indians your men are firing at now." + +He called three of his men, who joined us in the wagon, and I drove off +as fast as I could make the horses go. + +"Where did you see Lieutenant Pope?" asked Mr. Jackson. + +"At his camp on the Big Fish. You must keep those three Indians from +going up the Fish River if you can." + +"Why so?" + +But the violent jolting of the wagon prevented me from talking, and him +from hearing; so I deferred my explanation till a more convenient +season. In a few minutes, I stopped the horses a short distance from +the landing, when Mr. Gracewood hailed me from a clump of bushes. I +felt relieved when I saw that Ella and he were safe. I helped the +trembling mother out of the wagon, and conducted her to the spot. + +"My child! O, Ella!" cried Mrs. Gracewood, as she bent over the form of +her daughter. + +"I am safe, mother," she replied, faintly. + +They sobbed and wept in each other's arms till Mr. Gracewood +interposed, and then we placed the sufferer on the bed in the wagon. + +"Now, lieutenant, if you will let one of your men drive the horses up +to the Castle, I will tell how the land lies here," said I, when the +party was ready to start. + +Mr. Jackson ordered one of the soldiers to go with the wagon, and +return with it; but Mr. Gracewood preferred to drive himself while Ella +was a passenger. As the team started, I walked with the officer and two +soldiers down to the landing. I imparted all the information I had +obtained, including the movements of the Indians who had captured Ella. + +"You are a plucky little fellow to stand up and shoot down an Indian: +but I think you would have done better if you had called me, instead of +following the Indians yourself," said Lieutenant Jackson. + +"I don't think so. We might have gone a dozen miles before we found +them, if I had lost sight of them. The three Indians went down the +river just as we came in sight. I heard your men fire at them. Now you +must not let them go up the Fish, for they will carry information to +the large party up that river, and spoil the plan of Lieutenant Pope." + +"You are right, my boy," replied the officer, as he posted his two men +where they could see the dugout as it approached. + +"You will have a big fight to-morrow," I added. + +"I should think so from what you say; but I haven't read my orders +yet." + +"Hark!" + +I heard the splashing of paddles in the river below us, and I concluded +that the three Indians who had failed in front of the Castle were +returning to Fish River. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +IN WHICH PHIL CONDUCTS THE SOLDIERS TO THE LINE OF DEFENCE. + + +I had a theory of my own in regard to the movements of the four Indians +who had come down the Crooked River in the two dugouts. The savages +were incensed against us because they had failed to obtain our horses, +and because we had shot two or three of their men in the skirmishes +which followed. This party had gone home and stirred up the Indians, +who were now upon the war-path. Mr. Gracewood had identified himself +with the defence of the Castle, and they had visited his island to +wreak their vengeance upon him, and obtain his property. + +If he was at home, they would kill him; if not, they would appropriate +or destroy his property. Having disposed of him, if he were there, the +four Indians were to go down the river to the front of the Castle, and +when the main body appeared in the forest, make an attack on the river +side, or steal upon us in the night, and murder us in our sleep. At any +rate, these Indians knew that a large force of their own people were +coming down the Fish, and they were in some manner to assist them. + +Lieutenant Jackson and myself went to the bank of the river, and soon +saw the dugout, two of the Indians in it paddling with all their might. +They had discovered their blunder, in part at least, when the soldiers +opened upon them. The fact that any one was awake at the Castle was +enough to turn them from their purpose, for they had not the courage to +stand up before the rifle of Kit Cruncher, whom they doubtless supposed +to be there. + +"Give them a shot, Morgan," said the lieutenant to one of his men. + +The soldier fired, but without effect, except to alarm the Indians. + +"Why didn't you hit them?" added the officer, as the savages turned the +dugout from the shore, and paddled with renewed zeal towards the +opposite side of the great river. + +"So I would if they would hold still long enough for me to cover them," +replied the soldier. + +The other man fired, but with no better success, so far as we could +discover. Before they could reload their pieces, the dugout was too far +off to warrant the wasting of any more powder and lead. + +"You will not see them again to-night," said I, as the Indians +disappeared in the gloom. + +"Can they get to the rear of our position by any other way than up this +river?" asked Lieutenant Jackson. + +"Yes, sir, they can. They may go up Bear River to the lake, and cross +the country to the Fish," I replied. "But there are rapids between the +lake and the Missouri, and they would have to carry their boat half a +mile." + +"Then I must put a guard at the mouth of the Bear." + +"It will be the safest way," I added, as the soldier returned with my +team. + +We drove back to the Castle, and I put up the horses. The lieutenant +sent a corporal and two men to the mouth of Bear River, two miles below +the Castle; and I was satisfied that the three Indians could not +possibly join the band which was moving down the Fish. We went into the +house together, where a cheerful fire of pitch wood was blazing on the +hearth. Poor Ella had dropped asleep, and her father and mother sat by +her bedside watching her heaving chest. They were very anxious about +her, though Mr. Gracewood declared that she suffered only from +exhaustion, and that rest would restore her. + +The lieutenant read the order I had brought to him, and we left the +Castle, so as not to disturb Ella. By this time I was willing to +believe I was tired myself. I thought it must be nearly daylight, and +was surprised when the officer told me it was only twelve o'clock. It +seemed to me that I had lived a whole year since sundown. I was invited +to sleep in the lieutenant's tent, and I did sleep there in good +earnest till long after sunrise the next morning, when a soldier called +me. + +"We are about ready to start, Phil," said Mr. Jackson. "My orders say +you are to be my guide." + +"I must take care of my horses and pigs, and eat my breakfast." + +"My men have fed your horses, and cleaned them. I thought you would be +very tired, and I had your work done for you," said the lieutenant. + +"I was tired--that's a fact; but I am as good as new now." + +"Mr. Gracewood says your breakfast is all ready." + +"How is Ella?" I asked. + +"She is better, but still very weak." + +"Is she sick?" + +"No, they say not; only worn out." + +I went to the Castle, and was at once greeted with an outpouring of +thanks from father, mother, and daughter for what I had done the night +before. Ella, as the officer had said, was suffering only from stiff +limbs and over-fatigue. Mr. Gracewood had cooked our breakfast, and we +all sat down to the table. It was a happy family which gathered around +the board, and the father said a prayer of thanksgiving for the mercy +of God in sparing our lives during the perils of the preceding day and +night; and it was a prayer in which we all joined, in mind and heart. + +The scene was a novel one to me. It was the first time in my life that +I had ever sat at table with women--the first family I had ever seen +together. I had read of such things, and my kind teacher had told me +all about the customs of civilized life. I thought that every family, +as father, mother, and children gathered together at table, or in the +evening, ought to be very happy. Still I knew it was not so, for even +the reunited husband and wife before me had quarrelled and separated. +People do not understand and appreciate their greatest blessings, +because they are so common; but I, who had never known a mother's +care,--at least not since my infancy,--could realize what a joy it was +to have a father and mother, and to be with them every day. It seemed +to me that I could never disregard the slightest wish of father or +mother, if I had them. + +I ate a hearty breakfast, for even the pretty sentiment which was +flitting through my mind could not impair my appetite. When I went out +I found that the lieutenant had drawn up his force in the field, struck +his tents, and loaded his baggage upon my wagon. Firefly and Cracker +were harnessed, and I had only to take my seat on the load. The +soldiers had repaired the bridge over the brook, and everything was +ready for a start. + +"Of course you leave a guard here, lieutenant," I said, as I took my +place on the wagon. + +"I have detailed a corporal and three men to take care of the Castle," +replied Mr. Jackson. "Do you think that is force enough?" + +"Plenty, sir, if they keep their eyes wide open," I replied. "They have +only to guard the approach on the water side." + +"All right. Attention--company! Shoulder arms! Right shoulder--shift! +Forward--march!" + +The soldiers marched ahead, and I followed with the wagon. It was about +two miles to the point between the lake and the Little Fish, where the +detachment was to be posted, and in less than an hour we arrived at our +destination. We halted, and a sergeant and three men were sent forward +to scout the woods, and give the troops early intimation of the +approach of the enemy. The rest of the force was immediately set at +work in the erection of two breastworks--one near the river, and the +other between Kit's Brook and the lake. The first commanded the road on +the Little Fish, and the other the brook path. + +"Don't your soldiers have any cannons?" I asked, after the lieutenant +had set the men at work. + +"We have some mountain howitzers at the fort; but field-pieces are not +available for this bushwhacking service," replied Mr. Jackson. "I wish +we had a couple of howitzers here." + +"Mr. Gracewood has what he calls a twelve-pounder." + +"Indeed! Is it mounted?" + +"It's on wheels, if that is what you mean." + +"Do you know whether he has any ammunition for it?" asked the officer, +evidently much interested in the information I had given him. + +"He has plenty of powder, and some tin cans----" + +"Canister shot: just the thing for us," interposed the officer. "Is it +possible to have this gun brought down here?" + +"I don't see why it isn't." + +"It would be as good as twenty men to us in these breastworks. Couldn't +you take a couple of my men, and go after it?" + +"Of course I could, and I will." + +"You will do us a great service, for I may have to fight four times my +own force." + +Two men were selected to go with me to the island, and taking them upon +the wagon, I drove back to the Castle. Mr. Gracewood readily gave me +permission to bring off the gun, but he wanted to know how I expected +to bring it over. + +"In the boat," I replied. + +"Do you mean my barge?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"How much do you think it weighs?" he asked, with a smile. + +"I don't know--perhaps a hundred weight," I answered, comparing it with +a barrel of flour, which was my standard. + +"Not less than six hundred," said he. "The barge will not carry it with +three of you besides; and if it would, you could not load it." + +"I can get it over, I know," I replied, confidently, and rather pleased +to have a difficult problem to solve. + +"Very well. The ammunition is in the blue box; and that will be a good +load for the barge." + +"I will agree to get them both over here," I replied; and, jumping upon +the wagon, I drove down to the landing. + +While I was securing the horses, the two soldiers put the barge into +the water. I was thinking all the time of the problem of transporting +the gun and ammunition. I was quite sure that I could do the job, and I +had my plan ready. I took a couple of axes from the shanty at the +landing, and we embarked. One of the soldiers rowed the boat. + +"What are you going to do with the axes, Phil?" asked the soldier who +was seated in the bow. + +"I thought we might want them, and so I brought them along," I replied, +not caring to discuss my plan with him. + +"How big is the gun we are to bring?" + +"Mr. Gracewood says it weighs about six hundred." + +"Do you expect to bring a gun weighing six hundred in this little +boat?" + +"We'll see," I replied. + +"We are on a fool's errand." + +"You wait and see." + +"I think you are smart, Phil, after what you did last night; but you +might as well try to drink up the Missouri as to bring that gun in this +boat," persisted the soldier. + +"Let Phil alone," said Morgan, the oarsman, who seemed to have more +confidence in my ability than his companion. + +We landed at the south end of Paradise Island, because there were no +bluffs to interfere with our operations. Securing the boat, we walked +up the hill to the house. I was still thinking of the plan by which the +gun was to be transported to the main shore, when I was startled by the +crack of a rifle from the direction of the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +IN WHICH PHIL FIGHTS THE INDIANS ON THE ISLAND. + + +"Get behind the trees!" I called to my companions, as I promptly +adopted the tactics of Kit Cruncher; for in fighting Indians discretion +is eminently the better part of valor. + +"Was any one hit?" asked Morgan, the man nearest to me, as he dodged +behind a cotton-wood tree. + +"I am not," I replied. + +"Nor I," added Plunkett, the other soldier; "but that ball came within +a quarter of an inch of my right ear." + +"Who fired that shot?" asked Morgan. "I didn't see anybody." + +"The Indians are here," I replied. + +"Then we had better take ourselves off as quick as possible," suggested +Plunkett. + +"Not without the gun," I continued. "The three Indians you fired at on +the river last night have come over here. You don't mean to run away +from three Indians--do you?" + +"No; but I don't like the situation," said Plunkett. + +The cotton-wood trees were large enough to furnish us ample shelter, +and we waited a reasonable time, with our guns pointed, for the savages +to show themselves; but they were no more disposed to do so than we +were. It looked like a slow and lazy fight, and I was afraid the main +body of the redskins would attack the lieutenant before we could reach +him with the gun. + +"What shall we do? We don't want to stay here all day," said Morgan. + +"It is just as dangerous to go back as it is to go forward," I replied. + +"Forward it is, then," added Morgan. "I don't want to be shot in the +back, if I am to be shot at all." + +As my companion did not suggest a plan of operations, unless the +proposition of Plunkett to run away may be regarded as such, I +endeavored to solve the problem myself. The formation of the island, +like many others in the Mississippi and Missouri, was peculiar. Its +surface was a gradual slope from the point where we had landed to the +up-river end, which was a bluff of considerable height. On the most +elevated portion grew the tallest of the trees, which gradually +diminished in size, till at the lower end they were mere bushes. The +current of the river beating against the upper end washed away the +earth, and carried the soil to the lower end, leaving an annual deposit +there. + +From the high ground the water had gullied for its passage a channel to +the lower end. As the descent was considerable, it was dry except +during heavy rains. This gully in the part of the island where we had +halted was about four feet deep. Farther up and lower down it was less +than this. In leading the way up to Mr. Gracewood's house, I had +followed this channel, and when we stopped, I had taken shelter behind +a tree on the side of it, whose roots reached into it. The Indians were +some distance from the gully, which led, in a sinuous course, within a +few rods of the house. + +"I am going to do something," said I, when I had arranged a plan to +take advantage of the shelter the gully would afford me. "I will follow +this channel up till I can got a good shot at the Indians. When I fire, +you do the same." + +"Don't be rash, Phil," said Morgan, who perhaps thought he ought to +perform the perilous work of the expedition; but really one place was +just as safe as the other. + +"I will take care of myself," I replied. "Twenty rods farther up the +gully I shall be in position to see behind the trees where the Indians +are. I shall bring down one of them then." + +"All right, Phil; but the Indians will see you when you leap into the +gully," added Morgan. + +"I shall run the risk of that. If you will do the same, we can make a +sure thing of it." + +"I will, for one. I won't have a boy like you get ahead of me; but I +thought you wanted us to stay here." + +"One of you stay behind the tree, and the other jump into the ditch." + +"All right. I'll jump in," said Morgan. + +"I will go up the gully; you go down. I will go without noise; you will +make a noise, so as to make the Indians think we have both gone down +towards the place where we landed. Do you understand me?" + +"Like a book." + +"And, Plunkett, you must keep both eyes wide open. If an Indian shows +his head, shoot him." + +"I'll do that." + +"But don't show your own head." + +"I won't do that." + +I leaped into the gully as soon as I had completed my preparations. One +of the Indians fired instantly. Morgan promptly followed me, and +without drawing the fire of the Indians. I crept carefully up the +gully, while my companion took the opposite direction, making plenty of +noise. He had gone but a short distance before the discharge of +Plunkett's musket assured me the ruse had been successful so far. The +savages, thinking we were escaping to the water, had left their trees, +and shown themselves to our sentinel. + +I hastened on my winding way with all practicable speed, careful not to +betray my presence. Every step brought me nearer to the Indians, and, +as I crept along, I occasionally stole a glance over the brink of the +gully; but as yet I could not see the foe. I continued on my way, not +daring to step on a stick or a stone, lest the noise should reveal my +presence, until I had reached my objective point. A cautious glance +then assured me that I was abreast of the savages. I was exactly at +their right hand, and not ten rods from them. I could distinctly see +them, with their rifles elevated in readiness to fire, and glancing +with one eye, from behind the tree, at the position of Plunkett. + +The three positions occupied respectively by Plunkett, the savages, and +myself, were at the three angles of an isosceles triangle, the two +equal sides of which were about twenty rods, while the other and +shortest side was ten rods, the latter being between the Indians and +myself. They were straining their eyes to take advantage of any +movement where Plunkett stood. + +I placed my ammunition so that I could reload with the greatest +possible haste after I had fired, and then prepared to make the shot +upon which our fate in a great measure depended. Indeed, it was +necessary to do something to end my own suspense and anxiety, for my +nerves were so strained up that I thought they would crack. This +holding of one's breath, and moving in absolute silence on penalty of +death for failure, is a terrible trial to a boy, whatever it may be to +a man inured to peril and hardship. + +Having completed my preparations, and considered where and how I should +retreat in case of failure, I took careful aim at the Indian nearest to +me, and fired. The savage uttered a howl, and clapped his hand upon the +back of his head. I had wounded him, but evidently had not disabled +him. I loaded my rifle again, regarding my first shot as an unfortunate +one. I could hear the enemy talking earnestly together, and I realized +that they were not satisfied with the situation. The report of a musket +below assured me the Indians had changed their position. Another shot +from our side told me that Morgan was improving his opportunities. + +These bullets from the front, although they appeared not to have done +any harm, compelled the savages to resume their first position, which +again opened them to my fire. I aimed a second time, and fired at the +mark as before. The discharge was followed by a fearful howl, and the +savage raised his hand to his face. He was not killed, but by this time +he was badly demoralized. He turned his head to see where the ball had +come from. His face was covered with blood. + +I stooped to load my rifle again. While doing so, I could hear the +savages chattering violently. They had evidently discovered the +insecurity of their position, and felt that, if they staid there long +enough, they would certainly be shot. I did not deem it prudent to +remain where I was any longer, lest the enemy should take it into their +heads to charge upon the gully. I retreated a few rods towards the +house. While I was doing so, the reports of the two muskets of the +soldiers assured me the Indians were making a movement. I raised my +head, and saw that they were running with all speed towards the north +side of the island, where they had landed the preceding day. + +Morgan and Plunkett had come out of their hiding-places, and were +already in hot pursuit. I followed their example, and being nearer the +enemy than they, I fired. This time an Indian dropped: but his fall did +not delay the flight of the others. I paused to load, and presently +heard the shots of both the soldiers. They also halted to load again, +and I ran ahead of them; but the savages were more fleet of foot than +we, and gaining rapidly upon us, reached their boat without further +loss or damage. + +[Illustration: THE WOUNDED INDIAN. Page 203.] + +"We are lucky," said I, as we gave up the chase, and gazed at the +dugout, half way across the river. + +"That's so. Was any one hit?" added Morgan. + +"No; and of all the shots we have fired, we have brought down but one +Indian." + +"If we had been as near as you were, Phil, we should have dropped one +every time," replied Plunkett. "However, I knocked over that one that +fell." + +"You did!" I exclaimed. + +"Why, yes; didn't you see him fall?" + +"I did; but he fell the instant I fired," I replied. + +"You are a little fast, Phil. You haven't hit anything to-day," said +Plunkett. + +"I hit every time I fired." + +"You! Nonsense!" + +"I fired the first shot after the Indians started to run, and this one +dropped before you had fired at all," I persisted, indignant that +Plunkett, who had wished to run away in the beginning should claim to +have done all the execution that had been accomplished. + +"Keep cool, Phil," laughed Plunkett. "That redskin dropped when I +fired." + +"We will settle that matter another time," I answered, leading the way +towards the house. + +We passed the Indian who had fallen. He was not dead, and I saw +Plunkett fixing his bayonet, evidently with the intention of finishing +the work I had begun. I protested, and so did Morgan, against his +course. The savage reclined on one side, resting upon his elbow. He had +torn away his blanket, so that we could see where the ball had struck +him in the hip. + +"You didn't fire that ball, Plunkett," said Morgan. "You couldn't have +hit him there from the place where you fired." + +"What's the reason I couldn't?" demanded the braggart. + +"Because the Indian was running ahead of you, and you couldn't have hit +him on the side of the hip. Phil was up by the house, and his shot did +it. Half his nose is gone, and he has a wound on the back of the head." + +"He turned round when I fired; but I will finish him," said Plunkett, +approaching the Indian with his bayonet pointed at him. + +"No!" I shouted, earnestly. "It is murder." + +The Indian, who had watched us with savage dignity, apparently +regardless of the pain his three wounds must have given him, suddenly +grasped his tomahawk, and raised himself as far as his injured hip +would permit. He looked ugly and defiant, and Plunkett paused. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +IN WHICH PHIL CONDUCTS THE RAFT TO THE LANDING, AND MORGAN FIRES THE +BIG GUN. + + +"Let him alone, Plunkett," said Morgan. + +"He will throw his tomahawk at you," I added. + +"I can shoot him," replied the coward, retreating backwards with more +haste than dignity. + +"If you do, I'll report you to Lieutenant Jackson," continued Morgan. + +"I don't believe in leaving your work to be done over again," growled +Plunkett. "What's to prevent this Indian from killing some of us, when +he gets a chance?" + +"We are not Indians, and we don't kill the wounded," replied Morgan. +"Come along; we are fooling away our time." + +We went up to Mr. Gracewood's house, and entered it. The Indians had +been there before us. In the middle of the floor was a pile of goods, +which they had intended to carry down to the boat. They had done no +injury to the building, though they would doubtless have burned it if +we had not disturbed them. The gun for which we had come was in the +rear chamber, limbered up and ready for use. The recluse of the island +had brought it as a weapon of defence. It could be discharged from any +door or window; and, loaded with canister and fired into an invading +horde of savages, it would produce fearful havoc among them. + +I attached a rope to the carriage, and we rolled it out of the house. +When I realized how heavy it was, my confidence in my ability to convey +it to the main shore was a little shaken. However, it was down hill all +the way to the point where we had landed, and we had no difficulty in +moving it so far; but we had to return a second time for the +ammunition. + +"Here we are," said Plunkett, "and here we are likely to be, unless we +go over without the gun. It won't swim over there." + +"Of course it won't," I replied, impatiently; "but we are going to take +it over there. Now we must make a raft." + +"A raft!" exclaimed the croaker. "The lieutenant ought to have sent a +whole section over here." + +"That's the idea! We can make a raft in less than an hour. There is no +end of logs here," added Morgan, glancing along the shore, where there +were plenty of sticks of timber, of all sorts and sizes. + +Plunkett growled; but he assisted Morgan, who went to work in earnest. +While they were rolling the logs to a convenient position in the water, +I went back to the house. Mr. Gracewood had a wheelbarrow. I broke up +some large boxes, and wheeled the boards, with a supply of nails, down +to the river. By this time the soldiers had placed half a dozen logs, +from fifteen to twenty feet long, in the water, side by side. They had +been obliged to use the axes a little, but generally the sticks had +been deprived of their branches by being tossed about on the shore. The +boards I had brought were nailed across them, so as to hold them +together. + +Above this foundation shorter and dryer sticks, from the woods, were +placed crosswise, and while my companions were laying them down I +returned to the house with the wheelbarrow. I could take only a small +portion of the ammunition at a load, and I repeated the journey several +times before the raft was finished. I did not bring the whole of it, +but I thought I had enough to kill all the Indians within twenty miles +of the Castle. + +The raft was built up a foot above the water, so as to furnish the +necessary floating power, and the parts were securely bound together +with board battens. We rolled the gun upon the structure, and were +delighted to find that everything was a perfect success. We placed logs +on each side of the wheels, and lashed the carriage down to the raft. +Loading the ammunition, which I had put into several boxes in order to +trim the raft, we pushed it off from the shore. + +"Now we are all ready," said Morgan, as he leaped into the boat, with +the rope attached to the raft in his hand. + +"What is to be done with that Indian up by the house?" asked Plunkett. + +"Nothing," replied Morgan. + +"Don't you think it is more humane to kill him than to let him starve +to death?" + +"He won't starve to death," I added. "He will crawl up to Mr. +Gracewood's house, where there is enough to feed an army for a short +time." + +"Don't you suppose the two Indians that escaped are watching us now?" +asked Morgan. + +"Very likely they are." + +"And as soon as we are gone, they will come back." + +"We can't help it," I answered. + +"They will burn the house, and destroy that Chickering's grand piano." + +"It would break Mr. Gracewood's heart to have that destroyed, for it +was his best friend for years; but I don't see that we can do anything +to preserve it. We might save some of his property." + +"I think we ought to do so," added Morgan. "It will not delay us +fifteen minutes." + +We decided to do so; and, fastening the rope attached to the raft to a +tree, we hastened up to the house. Loading the wheelbarrow with the +most valuable articles, and carrying as many as we could in our hands, +we returned to the raft. Putting the goods into the boat, we were again +ready for a start. The barge was so crowded with Mr. Gracewood's +effects that the two soldiers decided to go on the raft, leaving me to +row the boat, which was not a difficult task, down the river. The two +men were provided with poles to assist in steering it, and getting it +off from the shore. + +"Push her off!" I shouted, when all was ready. + +I pulled at the oars, and my companions on the raft tugged at the +poles. We cleared the shore, and in a few minutes the action of the +current gave us a good headway. + +"We are all right. We could go down to St. Louis on this craft," said +Morgan. + +"We could, but I think we won't," I replied. "We must be sure and not +let the current carry us beyond Fish River. If we do, we can never get +back again." + +Fortunately the current set towards the landing-place, which was our +destination, and I pulled well towards the north shore. + +"Indians!" shouted Plunkett, after we had gone a short distance. + +"Where are they?" I asked, unable to see them. + +"Just coming out from the north shore, above the island," replied +Morgan. + +Standing up in the barge, so that I could see over the gun on the raft, +I discovered the dugout. It contained the two Indians who had escaped +from the island. They were paddling towards us with all their might; +and the soldiers picked up their muskets. I could not believe that the +savages intended to attack us upon the open river, after the repeated +defeats they had sustained; but I was convinced of my error when they +opened fire upon us. However, they did not come near enough to render +their own or our fire effectual. + +"Phil, didn't I see some round shot among the ammunition you brought +down?" called Morgan to me. + +"Yes; I brought down a few cannon balls. I didn't know there were any +there before," I replied. + +"Do you happen to know where they are now?" + +"I put them on the raft." + +He and Plunkett overhauled the boxes, and found the shot. Morgan +intended to use the gun, which would make short work of the enemy. The +dugout had followed us at a safe distance till we were half way to the +landing. The Indians had evidently come to the conclusion that they +were wasting their powder, and were now paddling down nearer to the +raft. It was a long time before the soldiers had the gun in condition +for use, for they were obliged to alter the lashings, so that they +could elevate or depress it, and we were within a quarter of a mile of +our destination before it was ready. Although the Indians quickened +their speed, they did not fire again, and I soon discovered that they +were headed to the north shore. + +"Hurry up, Morgan!" I shouted. "I see what they are going to do." + +"What?" + +"They are headed to the shore." + +"I see they are," replied he, as he rammed home the shot. + +"They are going into the woods to fire at us from behind the trees when +we land," I answered. + +"I'll soon block that game. Stand by the lock-string, Plunkett." + +The dugout was now going at a right angle with the course of the raft, +and was about sixty yards from the shore. + +"Pull as hard as you can, Phil, so as to keep the raft steady!" called +Morgan, as he sighted along the gun. + +I applied all my strength to the oars. + +"Out from the shore a little more, Phil," added the gunner, as he +depressed the muzzle of the piece. "Fire!" shouted he. + +I stood up in the barge to note the effect of the shot. A yell of +dismay rose from the Indians, and I saw that the dugout was splintered +in pieces. One side of it was broken in, and the savages, leaping into +the water, swam for the shore. + +"I have made one good shot to-day, any how," said Morgan. + +"Didn't I fire that gun?" cried Plunkett. + +"Yes, sir! You are the organ-blower that played the tune," replied +Morgan, taking no pains to conceal his disgust. + +"Mind the raft," I interposed, finding that it was swinging off from +the shore. + +I used the oars vigorously to counteract this tendency; but the +soldiers could not reach bottom with their poles, and were unable to +help me much. The raft was heavy and the current very strong. We were +within a few rods of the Fish River. + +"We shall be carried down the river, if we don't look out!" I called, +anxiously. + +"What shall we do? We can't reach bottom with the poles," replied +Morgan. + +"Clear away a long rope," I added. "When the current of Fish River +strikes us, we shall be carried down in spite of all we can do, if we +don't get a check on her." + +"Here's your rope." + +"Cast off the drag-line, and make fast to it." + +Morgan did as I directed, and taking the line into the boat, I carried +it to the point on the Fish opposite the landing. I succeeded in +catching a turn around a tree. The rope strained, and I was obliged to +ease it off to prevent it from snapping; but the raft was checked. + +"We are all right now," said Morgan. + +"Not quite," I replied. "If we let her go again, the current will carry +it down the river." + +I jumped into the barge, and pulled across the river, where I had +plenty of rope in the shanty. I carried a line to the raft, and having +made it fast, I conveyed the two soldiers to the shore. Crossing the +river, I eased off the line which was secured to the tree, while the +men on the other side pulled the raft up to the landing. + +"That's very well done, Phil," said Morgan, after my return. + +"Any fool could have done it," added Plunkett. + +"Of course they could--you could have done it," retorted Morgan. + +"It is just the plan I was going to propose----" + +"But didn't." + +I backed the wagon into the two trenches I had dug to load the flour, +and rolling the gun upon the platform, where we also placed the +ammunition, we started for the line of defence. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +IN WHICH PHIL WITNESSES THE OPENING OF THE BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS. + + +"Did you fire the gun, Phil?" asked Mr. Gracewood, as we halted for a +moment at the Castle to inform him that his goods were at the landing. + +"Yes, sir; Morgan fired one shot at the Indians in the dugout, who +would not let us alone. He used a solid shot, and smashed the boat so +that the redskins had to swim ashore. We left an Indian wounded in the +hip on your island." + +"Is he badly wounded?" + +"I don't know how badly, but I don't think he will be able to get away +from there very soon. He will not be likely to do any mischief at +present. We brought over a boat-load of your things, but we hadn't time +to bring them up here." + +"I will go to the landing and attend to them." + +"How is Ella, sir?" + +"She is doing very well." + +"Glad of it; but we must hurry on to the camp." + +"I suppose you will not remain there long, Phil Farringford?" + +"I shall have to come back to feed my horses before night." + +"Better come back immediately. I want to talk with you, and arrange our +plans for the future." + +"If there is a fight going on up in the woods, I shall want to know how +it is coming out." + +"I can tell you that beforehand. The Indians will be defeated, utterly +routed, and perhaps annihilated. That is always the case when the +savages fight with the white man, unless they surprise him in the +night. I hope you will not expose yourself, Phil Farringford. Ella is +very much concerned about you, and afraid that some harm will befall +you." + +"I will return as soon as I can, sir," I replied, pleased that Ella +should think of me at all, though I felt that I had earned a claim upon +her regard. + +[Illustration: THE TWELVE-POUNDER ON THE RAFT. Page 212.] + +I drove on, and we soon came in sight of the works of the soldiers. +They had nearly completed their breastworks, which consisted merely of +an embankment of logs and earth, which would shelter the men from the +fire of the Indians. It extended from the river across the path, and +some distance into the forest. + +"You are just in time, Phil," said Lieutenant Jackson, as I stopped my +horses. + +"Why? Have you seen the Indians?" + +"No; but our scouts have just come in, and report a large body of +savages moving this way. We are all ready for them, or we shall be as +soon as we have planted this gun. You were gone longer than I expected +you would be." + +"The gun was heavier than I thought it was, and we had to fight the +Indians before we could do anything." + +While Morgan and a squad of men were unloading the gun, I told the +officer the adventures of the morning, and described the means by which +we had transported the gun. + +"Did my men behave well?" he asked. + +"Morgan did, and is a first-rate fellow. Plunkett did all he was asked +to do, but I would rather have another man next time I go on an +expedition." + +"I should have sent more men if you had not said it was a light job." + +"I thought so myself." + +"We might have known that those Indians were lurking somewhere in the +vicinity." + +"I don't think they will give us much more trouble." + +"They will continue to annoy you as long as they have the power. You +smashed their dugout, but they have another up the river where we went +yesterday." + +I had forgotten all about the other dugout, and thought it was a great +pity it had not been secured or destroyed, for the neglect might cost +Mr. Gracewood his house and other property on the island. The two +Indians had swum ashore not three miles from the point where the dugout +had been left. They knew that our party had left the island, and the +rich plunder there would be too great a temptation to be resisted. I +begged the lieutenant to send a couple of men with me to protect the +property of my good friend. + +"This gun is a great reenforcement to me, Phil, and I can spare three +men--more if you need them," replied the officer. + +"Three will do very well. Let Morgan be one of them," I added. + +"You might take two of the men left at the clearing; for, in attacking +the Indians, you will be defending the Castle, as you call it." + +"They are coming," said one of the scouts, approaching the spot where +the officer stood. + +"How far off are they?" + +"Not a mile by this time." + +I drove my horses off into the woods, where they could not be injured +by any flying bullets; but I was not willing to depart from the +exciting scene which impended, and I hastened back to the breastwork. +The lieutenant had posted his men behind their defence, and I could +distinctly hear the tramp of horses' feet in the distance. The cannon +had been placed at the opening in the works prepared for it. The men +lay upon the ground behind the defence, with their muskets ready for +use. The forest was as silent as at midnight, for the lieutenant had +ordered his men not to show themselves till the order to do so was +given. + +I lay upon the ground, looking through a loophole. The officer in +command was near me, watching his opportunity. But the savages were +wary; and instead of seeing the whole band, as we had expected, a +couple of mounted scouts only appeared. They discovered the formidable +obstacle in their path, and halting, unslung their guns. + +"I hope they don't mean to assault us alone," said Mr. Jackson. + +"They seem to be examining the works," I added. + +"I don't want to fire till the main body appears." + +"They are going back to report." + +The two Indians turned their horses, and were soon out of sight. We did +not see any of the enemy again for half an hour. They came the next +time in a swarm, with shouting and yelling, sounding their war-cry as +though they were thoroughly in earnest, as we had no doubt they were. +Without attempting to count them, I judged that they numbered two +hundred. Though the greater portion of them moved in the path, they +were scattered through the woods in a column longer than our +breastworks. They had left their horses behind. As soon as they came in +sight of the works, they broke into a run, and, increasing their savage +yells, rushed forward with the evident intention of carrying our line +by storm. + +"Ready!" shouted Lieutenant Jackson, with a coolness and +self-possession which astonished me. + +The men all levelled their muskets at the approaching foe, pointing +them through the loopholes, which had been left for the purpose. Their +bayonets were all fixed, in readiness to repel an assault, if the first +fire did not check the advance of the Indians. Morgan was sighting the +twelve-pounder. On rushed the enemy, as it seemed to me, to certain +destruction. I could not believe that they were aware of the presence +of the soldiers, and perhaps supposed they were attacking a fort manned +by half a dozen persons. None of the Indians who had come down Crooked +River had been able to return to afford them any information. +Lieutenant Pope's force must be in their rear, and if they had known +that he was near them, they would not have come down the river. + +Lieutenant Jackson permitted the savages to come within fifty yards of +the works before he gave the order to fire. The cannon was pointed so +as to cover the path on the bank of the river, where a dense mass of +Indians was moving. + +"Fire!" shouted the officer, when the decisive moment came. + +Almost at the same instant every musket was discharged, and the +twelve-pounder awoke the echoes of the forest at the same time. I fired +with the rest. It was a yell of terror and despair which followed the +volley; and, as soon as the smoke rolled away, I saw that the ground +was covered with the dead and wounded. So dense was the column in front +of the fort, that it was not possible for any man in it to fire without +hitting an Indian, while the scattered missiles from the canister shot +probably did as much execution as a dozen muskets. + +The men were prepared to repel an assault with the bayonets; but no +attack was made, for the Indians fled with the utmost precipitation +from the deadly spot. The soldiers promptly reloaded their muskets, and +the cannon was ready for another discharge. + +"You can go now, Phil," said Lieutenant Jackson. "The battle is fought +for the present. They will not renew it." + +"Where do you suppose the rest of the soldiers are--those who went up +the river yesterday?" + +"Probably they have been holding back, so as not to alarm the enemy. +The noise of that twelve-pounder will inform them that the work has +commenced. Now, Phil, is it possible for these Indians to escape by any +other route than this by this river?" + +"Not with their horses. They can cross over to the brook, and follow +that, which will lead them to their village, eight miles from here." + +"Very well; I think we shall be able to capture a good portion of them +as soon as the other force closes upon them." + +"I will go over to the island now, though I should like to stay and see +how the thing is coming out." + +"Of course there can be no doubt of the result. I think we have already +convinced them that it is not safe to shoot down white men." + +I glanced at the ground in front of the works, where many of the +savages were still writhing in the agony of their wounds. It was a +sickening sight, and I turned away from it. The soldiers were standing +up, and gazing at the bloody field. I walked down the road towards the +place where I had left the horses. + +"Hyer, boy!" shouted a voice on the other side of the river, which I at +once recognized as that of Kit Cruncher, though I could not understand +how he happened to be here. + +"Hallo, Kit! Is that you?" I responded. + +"'Tain't nobody else. Hev you nary a boat over thar?" + +"I have not." + +"Who's that, Phil?" asked Mr. Jackson, calling to me from the fort. + +"Kit Cruncher; the man who guided the other force." + +"Tell the leftenant I want to speak to him, boy. I hev a message from +t'other officer." + +I went back to the fort, and delivered the message of Kit. The soldiers +had some rubber army boats, which they carried with them to use in +crossing streams. A couple of men were sent to prepare one of them, +which was launched, and I paddled it across the river. + +"I heerd the firin', boy, and the battle has begun," said Kit, as he +seated himself in the bottom of the boat. + +"We fired only one volley at them, and that was all they would stop to +receive." + +"You hev a big gun here." + +"Yes, Mr. Gracewood's twelve-pounder. It knocks down everything before +it." + +"I see it does. I was on t'other side of the Fish when the job was +done, and I see it all. I did my part, too; for I shot one Indian I +know." + +"But where is the other party of soldiers?" I asked. + +"They ain't more'n three miles from here; and I cal'late, when they +heerd that big gun, they begun to hurry up." + +We landed, and I conducted Kit to Mr. Jackson, to whom the hunter +delivered a written order. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +IN WHICH PHIL SEES THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR. + + +"We expected this fight earlier in the day," said Lieutenant Jackson, +as Kit and I appeared before him. + +"The Injuns stopped to fish on the way, and to feed their stock," +replied Kit, as he delivered the order of Lieutenant Pope. "The cap'n +sent me down to see if everything was all right on this side." + +"And he orders me to send part of my force up the brook on our right." + +"That's Kit's Brook," I added. + +"I shall want a guide, then." + +"I'm your man," interposed Kit. "And now's the right time to start, for +the fight will begin on t'other side in a few minutes." + +A sergeant and ten men were detailed to move up Kit's Brook, in order +to prevent the Indians from escaping in that direction. Kit led the +party towards the stream, but they had hardly disappeared in the forest +before we heard the rattle of musketry in front of us. Lieutenant +Pope's force had come up with the Indians, and had attacked them. We +listened to the warlike sounds which came to us, and that was all we +could do. I was too much excited to leave the scene of conflict until +the battle had been decided. + +The din of the strife gradually became more distinct as the combatants +approached, the Indians being driven before the soldiers. By this time +the sergeant and his party, who had gone up the brook with Kit, were +taking the enemy on the flank. Presently we saw a few of the Indians +rushing wildly through the woods, and occasionally a riderless horse +came into view. We realized that the savages had been routed, +scattered, and dispersed. We saw them swimming across the river, and +skulking into the woods. Lieutenant Jackson ordered his men to form in +front of the breastwork, for by this time the firing had ceased. +Leading them forward, they captured a few prisoners, who were sent to +the rear. As the two columns approached each other, the retreat of +about twenty of the savages was cut off, and they were surrounded. It +appeared that nearly fifty prisoners had been taken by both parties, +and not less than twenty horses, while as many more were running loose +in the forest. + +"How are you, Jackson?" said Lieutenant Pope, as the two officers met. + +"Very well, thank you. How is it with you?" + +"I am all right. We have done our work thoroughly." + +"We have, indeed." + +"After it became nothing but butchery, I ordered my men to cease +firing," added Lieutenant Pope. "The enemy were badly cut up when we +came upon them. Didn't I hear a heavy gun here?" + +"Yes, we have a twelve-pounder on our battery. We fired it but once, +loaded with canister;" and Mr. Jackson proceeded to explain how he had +obtained the gun. + +"What shall we do with these prisoners?" continued Lieutenant Pope. +"They will be a nuisance to us, and I don't wish to feed them a great +while." + +"We had better take them down to the clearing." + +"There is feed enough for the horses down on Bear River," said I. + +"We will send them down there," added Lieutenant Pope. "I have no idea +that these Indians will assemble again." + +"No: they are completely scattered, and they will make their way back +to their village." + +"But they may cause some trouble." + +"Very true; and, Phil, you must hurry to the island. If you have boats +enough, you may take half a dozen men." + +"We have three boats," I replied. + +I went for my team, and Lieutenant Pope ordered the men who had come +with him to remain at the breastwork, while those under Mr. Jackson +conducted the prisoners and the horses to the clearing. The senior +officer rode down with me, and on the way I told him all that had +occurred since I left him the night before. He informed me that his +force had followed the band of Indians, three or four miles in their +rear, till they heard the firing in front, when they had pressed +forward with all speed, and intercepted the enemy, as they retreated, +not more than a mile from the breastwork. + +"I don't think you will have any more trouble with the Indians," said +he, in conclusion. "They have been severely punished for the murder +they committed. If I can find the man who shot your father, I shall +make an example of him." + +"I think he was the first Indian that fell," I replied. "Kit Cruncher +dropped a redskin as soon as Matt Rockwood was hit. I don't think they +will need any more punishing." + +"I hope not." + +When we reached the Castle, we found that two of the guard had gone +over to the island to protect Mr. Gracewood's property. Dinner was +ready, and as we were now in no haste, we sat down with the reunited +family. Ella was up, and had been improving rapidly. The news of the +total defeat of the Indians seemed to quiet her fears in regard to the +future. + +"She does not wish to go upon Paradise Island again," said her father. + +"She need not go there," I added; "though your house is much better +than the Castle." + +"I have been thinking the matter over for some time, Phil. I have +concluded that we had better move my house over to the clearing, if you +will let us locate on your land." + +"On my land?" + +"I believe in squatter sovereignty, Phil Farringford, and I regard this +as your farm. The house is put up with screws, and can be readily taken +down." + +"What will you do with your piano, sir?" I inquired. + +"I must get some passing steamer to transport that. The box in which it +was brought up from St. Louis is still on the island." + +"Our men shall assist you in moving the house," said Lieutenant Pope. + +"It can be done in a couple of days, with force enough," added Mr. +Gracewood. + +"We will go to work upon it to-morrow." + +After dinner, Morgan and I went over to the island, where we found the +two soldiers domiciled in the house. The wounded Indian was there with +them. He had crawled into the front room before their arrival, and I +was pleased to learn that they had fed him, and done what they could +for his wounds. They had put a big plaster on his nose, and bound up +the back of his head. An assistant surgeon belonged to the detachment, +but he was attending the wounded soldiers and Indians above the +breastwork. None of the troops had been killed; one was severely and +two slightly wounded. + +Probably the presence of the two soldiers on the island had prevented +the Indians from returning. Leaving Morgan at the house, I returned to +the clearing. On my arrival I found that Lieutenant Pope, after serving +out rations to his prisoners, which they had greedily devoured, had +assembled them in the field, for the purpose of having a "big talk" +with them. Two or three of them spoke English enough to act as +interpreters. + +"Why have you done this?" asked Mr. Pope. "Why did you come down here, +steal the horses, and then murder the owner of them?" + +The spokesman charged us with stealing the Indian horses and killing +one of their chiefs. + +"How's that, Phil?" asked the officer. + +"They stole our horses, and when we found them, we took two other +horses belonging to the thieves," I replied. "But we returned them when +they came for them, the next day. They demanded more horses, besides +corn, meat, and whiskey, which we refused to give them, and they +threatened us. Then about a dozen Indians came on horseback; but we had +taken up the bridge, so that they could not cross over the brook. When +old Matt came down, they shot him dead, without a word of talk. Then +Kit Cruncher fired, and brought down the foremost Indian. The rest of +them ran away. We defended ourselves in the block-house, and they did +not dare to come near us, for Kit was sure of his man every time he +fired. Then some more of them came down to the island, and when we +drove them away from the house, they carried off Miss Ella. That's the +whole story. Mr. Gracewood was here all the time, and he will tell you +the same thing." + +Lieutenant Pope repeated my statement to the Indians, and insisted that +it was the whole truth. + +"These people have been your friends," said he. "They have often given +you meat and corn when you were hungry, and have lived in peace with +you for many years. Our great father the president will not permit his +children in the forest to be murdered. If you kill one white man, or +steal his property, you shall be punished as you have been to-day. We +bought your lands in fair bargain, and we give you every year money, +blankets, food, and all you need. If the white man wrongs you, he shall +be punished." + +"No!" exclaimed the Indian, whose experience, perhaps, did not verify +this statement. + +"If you complain of him, and we can find him, he shall be punished," +repeated the officer. + +He proceeded to show that the Indians had been the aggressors in the +present difficulty; that they had murdered one of the settlers without +provocation. He enlarged upon the terrible consequences which would +follow if the Indians persisted in waging war upon the white man. If +the lieutenant had proved that he was powerful on the war-path, he also +demonstrated that he was equally potent in an argument, and the savages +were as completely overwhelmed by his logic as by his arms. + +"Will you have peace or war?" demanded he, sternly. + +"We make peace," replied the spokesman. + +"Then bring your chiefs to me, and we will smoke the pipe of peace. We +wish you well, and will be friends if you are willing; if not, we will +go to your country, and destroy you with fire and sword. You may go; +take your horses, and all that belongs to you." + +The savages seemed to be astonished at this unexpected decree. Their +spirit was broken by the heavy losses they had sustained. Their horses, +some of which were fine animals, were driven up, and a detachment of +the troops conducted them to the fort in the forest, where they were +sent on their way. Probably those who had escaped were already on their +way to the north. As it was no longer necessary to maintain the camp in +the forest, it was removed to the clearing. A portion of the breastwork +near the river was taken away to open the road, the dead Indians were +buried, and the war was practically ended. From what I had heard of +these Indians, I was confident that we should have no further trouble, +though Lieutenant Pope intended to visit the Indian village, and have a +talk with the chiefs before he returned to the fort. + +The next morning our three boats conveyed twelve soldiers to the island +to commence the removal of Mr. Gracewood's house. The wounded Indian +was placed on a bed under a tree, and the soldiers commenced their +task. After they had gone to work with knives and screw-drivers to take +down the house, I returned to the clearing for Lieutenant Jackson, who +was to superintend the operation. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +IN WHICH PHIL UNDERTAKES A HEAVY JOB. + + +"How big is this house, Phil?" asked Lieutenant Jackson, as I rowed him +up to Paradise Island. + +"It is thirty feet long and fifteen wide." + +"I haven't heard anything said about the manner of transporting it," +added the officer. + +"We must raft it down. We have taken up all the ropes we have. Mr. +Gracewood told me how to handle the grand piano." + +"The grand piano," laughed Mr. Jackson. "That's a pretty plaything to +have away back here in the woods." + +"Mr. Gracewood sets his life by that piano. He used to smoke and play +upon it by the hour together. He is very fond of music." + +"I should think he must be, to bring a grand piano out here. How heavy +is it?" + +"It weighs about eight hundred pounds. Mr. Gracewood told me to have it +put in the box, and leave it here till some steamer can be hired to +bring it down." + +"Tho rain and dampness will spoil it." + +"He told me to wrap it up in the oil-cloth that belongs with it; but, +if you are willing, Lieutenant Jackson, we will astonish him by taking +it down with us." + +"I think it would astonish me as much as him to see it done." + +"We can do it." + +"I hear that you are an engineer, Phil," added my passenger. "Morgan +says you engineered the job of transporting the gun." + +"The grand piano is not more than two or three hundred pounds heavier +than the twelve-pounder." + +"That is adding a third, and the gun was on wheels." + +"No matter for that; we had but three to do that, and now we have a +dozen." + +"How will you do it, Phil?" + +I explained my plan, and Mr. Jackson thought it was practicable. + +"I suppose Mr. Gracewood and his family intend to remain at the +clearing after we have moved the house," continued my companion in the +barge. + +"I don't know. I don't believe his wife and daughter will be content to +stay a great while in this lonely place. They may live here during the +summer; but in winter we don't see anybody or anything for months." + +"What do you do in winter?" + +"I have been studying for several years." + +"I thought you talked very well for a boy brought up in the woods." + +"I don't have anything to do for six months in the year but take care +of the horses, and do the housework. I read and study about twelve +hours a day in winter. I took up Latin and French last season." + +"Indeed! You will make a learned man if you keep on. Have you no desire +to see more of the world?" + +"Sometimes I have. I don't think I shall stay here many years longer." + +"I shouldn't think you would. Why do you study Latin and French?" + +"Only because I like them. It is a very great pleasure to me to puzzle +out the sentences. Mr. Gracewood is a great scholar, and has plenty of +books on the island. I believe I have read them all, except the +dictionaries. He had given me a lot of books, which he sent to St. +Louis for." + +"I should think you would want to know something about your +family--your father and mother," added the lieutenant, to whom Mr. +Gracewood had related the substance of my history. + +"I do, sometimes; but I am almost sure I should learn that one or both +of them were lost in the steamer." + +"Perhaps not. Mr. Gracewood thinks your foster-father did very wrong in +not causing some inquiries to be made for your parents." + +"I think so myself; but I can excuse him when I consider how much he +did for me, and the reason why he kept still," I replied, as I ran the +barge upon the shore at the lower end of the island. + +"Have you any of the clothing, or other articles, found upon you?" + +"I don't know of any." + +"Almost every little child has a necklace, a ring, or some other +ornament upon it, especially when travelling." + +"Matt Rockwood never said anything to me about such matters. He has a +chest at the Castle, which he always kept locked, and I don't know what +there is in it." + +"Didn't you open it after he was killed?" + +"No; the key was buried with him, and I did not exactly like to break +it open yet. Besides, I have been so driven about since we buried him +that I haven't had much time to think about it." + +"I would open it, if I were you." + +"I shall," I replied, as we walked up the slope towards the house. + +"Perhaps there is something valuable in it." + +"I know there is money in it, for we have sold a great deal of wood, +and he always put the gold into that chest." + +"You may be a rich man yet, Phil." + +"I don't know that the money belongs to me. I suppose Matt had friends +and relatives somewhere, though I don't know where they are." + +"You have done as much as Matt, of late years, to earn this money, and +it would be a hard case to have it taken from you by his relations." + +"I think it would. Matt did most of the chopping, and I did all the +hauling. But I meant to be honest, and the money shall go wherever it +belongs." + +[Illustration: PHIL AND LIEUTENANT JACKSON GO TO PARADISE ISLAND. +Page 236.] + +"Have you any idea how much there is?" + +"Not the least; but I don't suppose there is a great deal," I replied, +as we reached the house. + +"If I can help you, Phil, call upon me at any time. I shall be at the +fort above for a year or two, probably." + +"Thank you, Mr. Jackson. You have been very kind to me. I shall always +remember you." + +The soldiers had removed most of the boards on the sides of the house, +and were now taking off the roof. The lieutenant ordered some of his +men to bring up the piano box, which was in a rude shanty used as a +storehouse for supplies. All the force that could get hold of the piano +then placed it sidewise upon four chairs, and we took off the legs. The +instrument was then wrapped in the oil-cloth, and placed in the box, +where it could not be injured by a falling board or timber. Raising the +case upon three rollers, which I had prepared for the purpose, we +easily slid it out of the house on a track of boards. + +"Now, Mr. Jackson, if you will let Morgan help me, we will move this +box down to the river," said I, when it was ready. + +"But you want half a dozen men," added he. + +"No, sir. Let all the rest of the men take down the house. We can do +this alone. It is a long job, and we must have it moving at once." + +"Just as you say, Phil," laughed the officer. + +The distance to the river was about eighty rods. The forest was open +enough, the greater part of the way, to permit the passage of the box, +and only near the river should we be obliged to cut away the young +trees. We demolished the old shanty, and taking half a dozen of the +boards, laid down a track towards the river. The ground was nearly +level for a short distance, and we used levers to propel the box +forward. As fast as one roller ran out in the rear, we placed it +forward, and thus managed to keep both ends of the box up all the time. + +"Why couldn't we move the house without taking it to pieces, Phil?" +said the lieutenant, laughing, as he watched the operation. + +"We could, sir, if the trees were not in the way. It would be more work +to cut a track through the woods wide enough for the house than to take +it to pieces and put it together." + +"Do you really think you could move the house, without taking it to +pieces, if the trees were not in the way?" + +"I know I could." + +"You have a good deal of confidence in yourself." + +"I was brought up in the woods, where we have to do our own thinking." + +"How would you take it down the river?" + +"There are hundreds of cotton-wood sticks, from forty to sixty feet +long, on the shore. We could make a raft of them, that would keep the +building right side up." + +"But, after your raft got started, how could you stop it, and haul it +in at the mouth of Fish River? The current here is not less than four +miles an hour." + +"That would be the greatest difficulty about the job. I should have +some sweeps on the raft, and a dozen men could crowd it over against +the north shore, where we could send a couple of ropes on shore, and +check it by catching a turn around the trees." + +"Very likely you would do it, Phil; but it's lucky we haven't the job +on our hands." + +"I wish we had, for I should enjoy the fun, if I were boss of the job." + +We continued to roll the box on its way down to the river, carrying the +boards forward as we passed over them, until we came to the downward +slope, when the heavy weight was inclined to travel faster than was +safe for it. But I had a rope on the case, for I had already provided +for the emergency. Making it fast to the rear end of the box, I passed +it round a tree, and while Morgan eased it down the slope, I shifted +the rollers. When the whole length of the line had been run out, we +changed it to another tree. + +As the descent increased, we found that the rope canted the box, so +that it was in danger of running off the board track. Morgan cut down a +tree about thirty foot high, and trimmed off its branches. We placed +the stick across the track behind the box, and above two trees. Passing +the rope around this timber, we had our purchase in the right place. +When we shifted the cross stick down the hill, the box was held by a +couple of props. In this manner we descended the slope. It was dinner +time then, and we halted in our triumphant progress to refresh +ourselves with boiled bacon and johnny-cake. + +After dinner we resumed our labor. Taking the axes, we cleared a road +through the young wood near the river. We had occasionally been obliged +to use the shovels to level off the ground, and the axes to remove a +stump, or a small tree. Our course had been rather devious also, in +order to obtain the smoothest path. A couple of hours more enabled us +to reach the river. We placed the box near a convenient place to embark +it. We then prepared a dozen logs for the foundation of the great raft +we were to make of the lumber, and returned to the house. + +I found the soldiers growling at the idea of lugging all the boards and +timbers down to the river. + +"Don't do it," said I to Mr. Jackson. + +"They must do it, or leave them here." + +"No, sir, I think not. There is not a board nor a timber here that is +more than twelve feet long. We can make three or four piles of the +boards, and roll them down to the river, as we did the grand piano." + +"Bully for you, Phil!" said a lazy soldier, in a low tone. + +"You may try it, Phil," replied Mr. Jackson. + +Morgan and I made a pile of boards eight feet long, three feet wide, +and three feet high. We were careful to "break joints" in laying up the +pile, and it was a compact mass when finished. We started it for the +river, on the rollers. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +IN WHICH PHIL'S RECONSTRUCTION PLAN IS FULLY SET FORTH. + + +In moving the pile of lumber to the river, we followed the path chosen +for the piano box, and as the road was all ready, there was no delay. +Morgan superintended its progress, having three men to assist him. +Another pile was immediately made at the site of the house, and started +on its way with four men to handle it. A third and a fourth were piled +up, and by the time the last was ready, the first had arrived at its +destination. Slowly as the masses of lumber were moved, the +transportation was effected much sooner, and certainly with less labor, +than the building could have been carried down by the soldiers. + +As soon as the last pile had been started, the lieutenant and myself +went down to the water. We had placed the dozen logs, intended for the +foundation of the raft, in the right place, where there was water +enough to float the structure after it was built, and the heavy piano +had been placed near it. When the second pile of lumber arrived, the +officer ordered the men who had come with it to prepare the timbers. +They were placed about a foot apart, and secured by nailing boards +across them. By the time the foundation was completed, the rest of the +lumber was on the spot, and all our force were ready for the work. + +The frame of the house was laid upon the logs, and then the boards were +placed upon them, alternate layers crossing each other, so as to bind +the whole firmly together. The raft, when completed, was twenty-four +feet long, and fifteen wide. The most difficult task was yet to be +performed--the loading of the grand piano. We found it necessary to +remove the raft to a place where the bank was more shelving, so that +the shore side of the structure would rest on the ground, because the +weight of the piano on one side would cant it over so that we could not +work. + +For skids we laid down a couple of smooth, water-soaked sticks of +timber, sliding the piano box upon them down to the raft. As soon as +the heavy body was on the raft, the side which floated settled down +before the box had reached the middle of the platform. The raft was +gradually pried off the shore with levers, and as it came to a level, +the box was moved farther upon it, till it had been placed in the +centre. Then the structure floated in all its parts, and I was glad to +see that its equilibrium had been correctly calculated. The piano was +not a heavy load for the raft, for it floated well out of water, and +had buoyancy enough to sustain the weight of a dozen men. + +"What shall we do with that wounded Indian, Phil?" asked Mr. Jackson, +when we had completed the loading of the box. "He will starve to death +in time, if we leave him here." + +"We must take him with us, of course," I replied. "There are a great +many things at the house to bring down." + +The lieutenant sent his men back, and we followed them. The wheelbarrow +was loaded with small articles, and each took all he could carry. They +were sent down to the raft, and directed to return. While they were +absent, we talked with the wounded Indian, who had been observing all +our movements with apparent interest. Though he was in a high fever, +and must have suffered severely from his injuries, he exhibited no +signs of pain in our presence. I told him that we would take good care +of him till he was well, and that we must convey him to the clearing, +where the surgeon of the troops would attend to him. + +"No hang me--kill me?" he said, with a smile. + +"No; that is not the way the Christians serve their enemies," added Mr. +Jackson. "We feed them, and cure them if they are sick or wounded." + +"Why did you attack us, and murder one of us?" I asked. "We have been +friends." + +"Indian come back and say white man kill chief. Must kill white man +then." + +It was the ancient philosophy of the Indians, that one injury must be +repaid by another; but he entirely ignored the fact that the savages +had been the aggressors. I told him of the battle of the day before; +that his people had been routed with severe loss, and that they had +fled to their reservation. + +"Smoke pipe now; no fight again; peace always," said he. + +"I hope so," I added. + +"Me no fight. Me white man friend. Hunt for white man, work for white +man, fight for white man; good friend always." + +I think he was grateful for the favor extended to him. When the +soldiers came back from the raft, four of them were directed to convey +the camp bedstead on which the Indian lay to the river, and the rest +carried down the remainder of Mr. Gracewood's goods. We walked down to +the lower end of the island with the bearers of the bedstead. It was +placed on the raft, and the other articles were stowed so as to +preserve the balance of the structure. + +"We are ready for a start," said Morgan. "But we ought to have a +steamboat to tow the thing down." + +"I think we have men enough to handle it," I replied. "It is almost +night, and we must hurry up, though it will not take us long after we +get started." + +Two of our boats were bateau, and the other was Mr. Gracewood's barge. +Two men were placed in each, and the others upon the raft. I sat in the +stern of the barge to tend the drag-rope. Mr. Jackson was in one of the +bateaux. The lines were cast off, and the men, with their +setting-poles, pushed the raft from the shore. The current soon acted +upon it, carrying it over towards the north side of the river. We +followed the course taken by the raft on which we had transported the +twelve-pounder; and, profiting by the experience gained in that +enterprise, we guided our huge structure safely to the landing at the +mouth of Fish River. We landed our check-lines in season this time, and +everything worked entirely to our satisfaction. It was nearly dark now, +and we moored the raft to the shore for the night. The bed of the +wounded Indian was removed to the shanty, and the surgeon sent for. + +The lieutenant and myself went to the Castle to report progress, while +the soldiers sought their camp. Mr. Gracewood staid in the house all +the time. He had hardly been out during the day. He was so rejoiced at +the reunion of his little family that he was not willing to leave his +loved ones even for a moment. + +"I hope you left the piano where it will be safe on the island, Phil +Farringford," said Mr. Gracewood, when I had told him we had brought +over the house. + +"No, sir; we did not." + +"Did not? You know I love that instrument, and I hope, before the +summer is past, to hear Ella play upon it." + +"We brought it with us, sir," I replied. + +"Impossible!" exclaimed he. + +"It is on the raft down at the landing." + +"Phil is quite an engineer, and is entitled to all the credit of its +removal," added the lieutenant, who explained the means by which the +piano had been moved to the river, and floated to the landing. + +"I am very glad, indeed, that you have brought it, Phil. We shall be +happy here this summer now," said Mr. Gracewood. + +"Then you intend to stay here this summer." + +"We have concluded to remain as long as Mrs. Gracewood and Ella can be +contented." + +"I am afraid that will not be long," I added, glancing at Ella, who was +seated on Matt's chest. + +"I am sure I shall be very happy here among such good friends," she +replied; and I could not help realizing how delighted I should be while +she was at the clearing. + +"I will help you carry on your farm, Phil," continued Mr. Gracewood. + +"We shall do well, I know." + +I felt that paradise had been transported from the island to the +clearing, while, as we ate our supper, Ella told what a beautiful place +it was. It was so much pleasanter than the boundless prairies which +covered the greater portion of the country. It seemed as if +civilization had been transplanted to my field and forest as I looked +upon Mrs. Gracewood and her daughter. But I was sad when I thought that +the time must come, sooner or later, when they would leave me, and I +should be more desolate and lonely than ever before. + +I slept in the barn again that night; but I hoped Mr. Gracewood's house +would be ready for the accommodation of his family by the next evening, +and that we should hear the melodious tones of the grand piano by the +following day, which would be Sunday. Ella was rapidly recovering from +the fatigues of her forced journey with the Indians; and I pictured to +myself the pleasure it would afford me to walk with her through the +forest, and sail with her on the river. When I went to sleep, I dreamed +that I went a fishing with her, and that a big gray trout pulled her +into the water, from which, of course, I had the satisfaction of +rescuing her. + +The next morning Lieutenant Pope directed all his men to assist in the +erection of the house. We landed the big box, loaded it upon the wagon, +and hauled it up to the site which had been chosen for the new home of +the Gracewoods, not a hundred feet from the Castle. While a portion of +the troops carted the lumber, the others prepared the foundation of the +house. A series of posts were set in the ground, and sawed off on a +level about a foot above the sod, so as to make the lower floor dry and +comfortable. On those were laid the sills, and before noon the building +was up and half covered. All the boards and timbers were numbered, and +so many men made quick work of it. In the middle of the afternoon the +last board had been screwed on, the sides of the house had been banked +and sodded, and the structure was ready to receive the furniture. + +Mr. Gracewood had used a ladder to reach the attic where he slept; but +Mr. Jackson thought he ought to have stairs for his wife and daughter. +I had a decided taste for carpenter's work, and promised to build them +as soon as possible. However, Mrs. Gracewood and Ella thought they +should like the ladder better, as it could be drawn up after them, +which would add to their safety in case the Indians should be +troublesome again. + +The grand piano was taken from the box, and put in the front room. +While its owner was tuning it, I put up a couple of rude box bedsteads +in the attic, and filled them with clean hay. The cooking-stove was put +up in the rear apartment, and the whole building looked as though it +had never been disturbed, for everything had been placed as it was on +the island. I had the pleasure of conducting Ella to her new home, +where we passed a very pleasant evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +IN WHICH PHIL AND HIS FRIENDS EXAMINE THE CONTENTS OF THE CHEST. + + +Lieutenants Pope and Jackson were of the pleasant party in the +reconstructed house. Both of them were good singers, and I experienced +a new sensation. Ella was able to sit up all day now, and she and her +mother sang. To the accompaniment of the grand piano, the party sang +what they called old and familiar tunes. I had never heard anything +which could be called singing before, and I was more delighted than I +can express. The instrument, highly as I had appreciated it before, +seemed to have a double power and a double melody. + +The tunes were Old Hundred, Peterboro', Hamburg, and others like them, +which have since become familiar to me. They raised my soul from earth +to heaven, and inspired me with new love and new hope. I had read some +of the hymns they sang; but their musical interpretation gave them a +purer and loftier sentiment than their words could convey. Ella sang a +little song alone; and, as I listened to her sweet voice, I could +hardly restrain my tears, the melody was so new and strange, and withal +so heavenly. What would earth be if men and women could not sing! + +It was a gloomy moment to me when the party separated. It was like +coming down from heaven to earth when the music ceased, and I heard +only the commonplace sounds which were familiar to me. I left the house +with the two officers; but it was still early in the evening, and I +invited Mr. Jackson, to whom I had become much attached, to go into the +Castle with me. He had taken an interest in me and in my affairs, and I +wanted to talk with him about the great world I had never seen. After +the raptures of the evening, I could not help shuddering as I thought +of the time when the Gracewoods would return to their old home in St. +Louis. The thought of a separation was intolerable, and I resolved to +abandon Field and Forest when they decided to go. + +"Is that the chest of which you spoke, Phil?" said Mr. Jackson, as we +entered the Castle, where a bright fire of pitch-wood was burning. + +"Yes, sir; it has not been opened since Matt Rockwood was buried," I +replied. + +"Why don't you open it?" added the officer. "It may afford you some +information in regard to yourself." + +"I will do it now, if you please, for I don't like to open it alone." + +"Very well; but are you sure there is no key to the chest?" + +"I only know that Matt carried the key in his pocket, and I suppose it +was buried with him." + +"No, it wan't," said Kit Cruncher, walking in at the open door. "Not if +you mean the key to that box." + +"That is what we were speaking of, Kit," I replied. "I thought you had +gone up to your cabin." + +"I've been, and got back. 'Pears like them Injuns is comin' down agin. +They've stole all my bacon." + +"Probably they did that on their retreat," suggested the lieutenant. +"They are short of food, and the wounded one told me they were going +down to the buffalo country, after they had revenged themselves for the +death of the chief." + +"I cal'late some on 'em is in the woods above hyer now." + +"Very likely." + +"It mought be, but I hain't seen none. I want some supper, boy." + +"You shall have it, Kit," I replied. "We have plenty of bacon, and Mrs. +Gracewood made some bread to-day, which will be a treat to you." + +I went to the store-room, and cut off a large slice of bacon, and put +it in the pan on the fire. The white bread, which had been baked in the +stove, was a new thing at the Castle, and I put the loaf on the table. + +"What was you talkin' about when I kim in?" asked Kit, while he was +waiting for his supper. + +"We were talking about opening this chest," replied Mr. Jackson. +"Perhaps it contains something which will help Phil to find who his +parents were." + +"I know it do," added Kit. "Leastwise, there used to be, for I've seen +the traps myself. Matt Rockwood didn't want to hev me say nothin' to +the boy about 'em, for the old man sort o' doted on that boy, and was +afeard o' losin' on him." + +"I understood you to say that the key of the chest was not buried with +the owner," said the lieutenant. + +"No; it wan't. I took it off on him myself. Hyer it is," replied the +hunter, handing the key to the officer. "I don't reckon you'll stop +hyer a great while now, boy." + +"I shall stay through the summer, at any rate." + +"I see the house from the island has been fotched over hyer. I cal'late +Mr. Greasewood's folks mean to stop hyer a spell, from that." + +"They will spend the summer here; and when they go, I think I shall go +too," I answered. + +"I reckon, boy, from what I know on't, that you belong to a good +family. If you do, your bringin' up won't be no disgrace to you. I +don't reckon there's many boys in the towns that know any more'n you +do." + +"What makes you think he belongs to a good family, Kit?" asked Mr. +Jackson. + +"From the traps he had on when Matt picked him up. There was sunthin' +else, too. What I was go'n to say, boy, was this: I'm gittin' old, and +can't run through the woods as I used to. Twenty mile a day rather +wears on me. I don't reckon I shall do much more trappin', and when you +go, boy, I'll buy your place at a fair price." + +"You needn't buy it, Kit. You can take it. I wish you would come down +and live with me now." + +"Do you wish so, boy?" + +"I do, with all my heart. I shouldn't have been alive now if you hadn't +stood up against the Indians when they came." + +"Don't say nothin', boy; I'll come right off. But when you leave, I'll +buy the place, for Matt owned it just as much as any man could own a +piece of ground. I cal'late he took out the gov'ment papers for it." + +"You shall have it all, Kit, and be welcome to it, so far as I am +concerned," I persisted. + +"Had Matt any heirs?" + +"He had a brother," replied Kit. "I don't reckon he'll come up hyer." + +"Your supper is ready, Kit," I added, putting the frying-pan on a block +upon the table, according to our usual custom, though I did not do it +while the ladies were my guests. + +"You kin open the box, boy," said Kit, as he sat down at the table, and +helped himself out of the pan. + +Mr. Jackson unlocked the chest, and raised the lid. It contained a very +great variety of articles, including a tolerably good suit of clothes, +which I had never seen upon the person of the old man. I took these +out, and discovered a little dress, musty and mildewed. It was made of +fine material, and was elaborately ornamented. There was a complete +suit, and also a heavy plaid shawl. + +"You was tied up in that blanket when Matt picked you up," said Kit. +"Look in the till, in the end of the box." + +I opened the till, and found there a locket, attached to a string of +beads. There was also a pair of coral bracelets, which the lieutenant +said had been used to loop up the sleeves of the child's dress at the +shoulders. On them were the initials P. F., which were certainly the +first letters of my present name; but I concluded that Matt had made +the name to suit the initials. Mr. Jackson opened the locket, and found +it contained a miniature of a lady. He passed it to me, and I gazed at +it with a thrill of emotion? Was it my mother who looked out upon me +from the porcelain? Did she perish in the terrible steamboat calamity +from which I had been so providentially saved? I carried the locket to +the fire, where I could examine more minutely the features of the +person. It was the portrait of a lady not more than twenty-five years +of age. If she was not handsome, there was something inexpressibly +attractive to me in the gentle look of love and tenderness which she +seemed to bestow upon me. + +"Do you think this is my mother, Mr. Jackson?" I asked. + +"Of course I know nothing about it, but I should suppose it was. Whose +portrait but a mother's would a little child be likely to wear?" + +"It mought be, and it mought not be, boy," added Kit. + +"It must be!" I exclaimed, so tenderly impressed by the picture that I +was not willing to believe anything else; and I felt that my instinct +was guiding me aright. + +[Illustration: UNLOCKING THE CHEST. Page 263.] + +"Let us see what else there is in the chest," said the lieutenant. "We +may find something that will give us further light on the subject." + +I placed the miniature on the table, and returned to the chest. Mr. +Jackson took from it an old time-stained newspaper. He threw it upon +the floor, as a matter of no consequence; but I picked it up, for I +remembered what I had heard Matt say about a newspaper. But it +contained only a brief paragraph, and alluded to another and fuller +account of the calamity contained in a previous issue. + +There was nothing else in the chest that related to me, but I felt that +I had enough. Mr. Jackson said that, if I ever went to St. Louis, I +could find a file of the newspaper of which we had a single copy, and +could find the number containing the names of the saved and the lost at +the burning of the Farringford. The portrait would enable me to +identify my mother, if she were still living, and also to establish my +own identity. + +"Here is Matt Rockwood's money," said the lieutenant, as he took from +the bottom of the chest several shot-bags. + +"I have some money to add to it," I answered, taking from the +store-room the amount I had received for wood since the death of my +foster-father. + +"The old man did a good business here, I should say," added Mr. +Jackson, as he held up the bags in order to estimate their weight. + +"We had better count the gold." + +Counting the money seemed to have a greater fascination to my friend +the officer than to me. He placed the coins upon the table in piles of +one hundred dollars each. When he had nearly finished, I counted eight +of them. There was not enough, even with the silver, to make another, +and the whole amount was eight hundred and ninety-one dollars. + +"What will you do with this money, Phil?" asked Mr. Jackson. + +"I don't know; keep it, I suppose." + +"It is a pity to let it lie idle here. If you invest it, you will have +double this amount when you are of age." + +"I can only invest it in a mud bank up here," I replied. "But we have +nearly a hundred cords of wood at the landing, which ought to bring +about four hundred dollars more, as it sells this year. A great many +steamers come up here now, and I think we shall sell it all this +season." + +"Then you will have twelve or thirteen hundred dollars. If Mr. +Gracewood goes to St. Louis this fall, I advise you to let him invest +it for you." + +"I will, sir. Is there anything else in the chest?" + +"Here are papers relating to Matt Rockwood. There are names upon them, +and if you desire, you can obtain some information in regard to your +foster-father." + +I did not care to look at the papers; and returning the money and other +articles to the chest, I locked it, and put the key in my pocket. Mr. +Jackson went to his tent, and Kit and I slept together in the Castle. +The picture of my mother, as I insisted upon believing it was, seemed +to be before me; and I gazed upon it in imagination till sleep shut it +out from my view. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +IN WHICH PHIL ATTENDS TO THE AFFAIRS OF THE FARM. + + +The Sabbath sun rose bright and beautiful, and shed its hallowed light +upon field and forest. Sunday had always been a day of rest at the +clearing since the coming of Mr. Gracewood. Matt Rockwood and I used to +spend the day at the island when the weather would permit us to go +there. The recluse, on these occasions, invariably read several +chapters of the Bible to us, explaining the meaning of the verses as he +proceeded, when necessary. After this he read a sermon, or a portion of +some religious book. + +This had been our Sunday routine for the last three years; and Mr. +Gracewood told Matt and me that his religious experience dated no +farther back than this period. He declared that he was really worried +about me, a child of eight, who had received no religious training. As +my education had fallen to him, his conscience troubled him because he +confined his instruction to secular branches. He did not feel competent +to instruct me in sacred things; but he had devoted himself to a study +of the Bible for my sake, that he might be able to teach me. His stock +of religious books was very small, but he had sent to St. Louis for a +new supply. + +The study of the Bible, which he pursued with maps, commentary, and +Bible dictionary, soon became very interesting to him. It awakened in +his mind a new spirit, and kindled emotions which before had been +foreign to him. He was an earnest teacher, while he was an inquiring +student. The course of study which he had undertaken for my sake had +been even a greater blessing to himself than to me, though I am sure I +profited by his instructions. After we had studied together for a year, +a prayer was added to our Sunday exercises. Mr. Gracewood told us that +he prayed morning and evening, and begged us to do the same. Sometimes +Kit Cruncher came down and joined our little class. + +On these occasions, which were always very pleasant to me, the grand +piano gave forth its deepest and most solemn tones. Mr. Gracewood +played only sacred music on the Sabbath; and he performed the pieces +with so much interest and feeling, that we were always moved by them. +He never sang, declaring that his voice was not adapted to singing. + +With this knowledge of Mr. Gracewood's religious views and feelings, I +was not surprised when Ella told me, after breakfast, that her father +would have a service at his house in the forenoon and in the afternoon. +All the soldiers were invited, and all of them came. The familiar hymn, +"The morning light is breaking," was sung first, and was followed by a +prayer, and the reading of a chapter from the New Testament. The +beautiful hymn,-- + + "When all thy mercies, O my God, + My rising soul surveys, + Transported with the view, I'm lost + In wonder, love, and praise,"-- + +was then sung. Many of the soldiers joined, and I was almost carried +away by the strange effect, at once so melodious and so inspiring. The +words of the hymn had a peculiar fitness, for the occasion, after we +had been spared from the vengeance of the savages. Mr. Gracewood read +each verse before it was sung, so as to recall the words to the +audience. After the singing, he read a sermon appropriate to the +circumstances of the family. At the end of it he spoke of Matt +Rockwood, and paid a very pleasant tribute to his memory. + +In the afternoon we attended another service. That Sunday was a holy +day to me, and the singing had opened a new avenue of inspiration to +me. In the evening Ella told me about her Sunday school in St. Louis, +and I listened to her description with intense interest. I wished that +I could attend one, hear the children sing, and receive the +instructions of kind teachers. I was astonished when she told me that +many young people did not go to the Sunday school, though all were +invited to do so. I could not understand how any were willing to forego +such a blessed privilege. + +Early on Monday morning the troops marched for the Indian country at +the north of us. I loaned them the wagon and horses to convey their +baggage, and Kit Cruncher went as guide. I saw the column disappear in +the forest. By this time Ella was able to walk about on the farm, and I +derived great pleasure from the excursions I made with her about the +clearing. I pulled up Little Fish River with her in the barge, and +showed her where the battle with the Indians had occurred. We landed, +examined the breastwork, and visited the mound which marked the +burial-place of the savages who had fallen in the affray. + +Later in the week I rowed up to Fish Rapids, and showed her how to +catch a trout. She tried her hand, and soon hooked a two-pounder, which +would have realized my dream about her, if I had not taken the line in +my own hands. We caught half a dozen, and returned to the clearing. +This kind of life was delightful to my fair young companion, and, with +her, it was equally so to me. She seemed to have inherited something of +her father's fondness for the sports of the wilderness and the prairie. + +[Illustration: THE GRATEFUL INDIAN. Page 273.] + +On Saturday the troops arrived from their march to the Indian region. +Lieutenant Pope had met some of the principal chiefs, had listened to +their grievances,--for they always have some,--and had promised to +redress them. They had smoked the pipe of peace together, and the "big +Indians" had assured him that they would keep their word. After the +severe lesson which had been administered, they were, doubtless, glad +enough to make peace on these easy terms. During the rest of my stay at +the Castle, they gave us no trouble. Though they came down occasionally +to the landing, they were always peaceable and friendly. We took care +of the wounded Indian at the shanty till he was able to return to his +people, and he left us filled with gratitude. Three months after, he +brought us in his canoe, down Crooked River, three antelopes, which he +had shot in the region above us, for much of the best game had +abandoned the vicinity of our settlement. + +The soldiers remained a week at the landing, waiting for a steamer to +convey them up to the fort. At the end of that time they departed. I +had several long talks with Lieutenant Jackson, who gave me much good +advice in regard to the future course he thought I ought to pursue; and +when he left I felt that I had parted with a true friend. To the +steamer which conveyed the soldiers up the river, I sold twenty cords +of wood, and added eighty dollars to the gold in the chest. + +Mrs. Gracewood insisted that Kit and myself should take our meals at +the house, instead of keeping up a separate mess. Her husband had +purchased a supply of table ware of the steamer which had just left, +and we found ourselves quite civilized. The old hunter was rather +embarrassed and awkward, for he had always been in the habit of eating +his bacon out of the pan in which it had been cooked; but he soon +accustomed himself to the new order of things, though it was impossible +for him to be very graceful at the table, or anywhere else. + +As the season advanced we ploughed and planted the field. With Mr. +Gracewood, who insisted upon doing his full share of the labor, and Kit +to help me, the task was not so hard as it had been. We planted a large +piece of ground with corn, potatoes, and vegetables, and by the middle +of June, everything was up, and looked finely. The rich soil and the +southern slope were favorable to our crops, and we had abundant +promises of a rich harvest. + +During the preceding year there had been an immense emigration from the +eastern states. Kansas and Nebraska were in rapid progress of +settlement, and during the season which followed the events I have +described, the wave of civilization had almost touched the Castle. We +were not out of the reach nor out of the influence of this tide of +emigration. Twice as many steamboats went up the river, carrying +emigrants and goods on their way to Oregon. In July I had sold all my +wood, and after haying we went to work in the forest to obtain a new +supply. By September the hot sun of our southern slope had rendered it +fit for steamboat use. In the mean time, we managed to obtain a supply +of dry wood sufficient to meet the demand, by obtaining a double-handed +saw, and cutting up the logs and drift-wood brought down by the rivers. + +During the season we sold wood to the amount of seven hundred dollars, +which was equally divided between Kit and me, for Mr. Gracewood refused +his share. We all worked hard, but we were very happy. Mrs. Gracewood, +lady as she was in the city, was busy all the time, and even Ella +declared that she found a new delight in working. I ought to say that, +after our corn and potatoes were planted, all the rest of the work in +the field was done with the horses. We planted in hills, and covered +with the plough. The first weeding was done with the cultivator, and in +the light alluvial soil of the clearing it was easy work even for a boy +like me to use it alone. Firefly was well trained, and understood his +business perfectly. + +At the second weeding, I ran the cultivator through the long rows and +the cross rows, and then, with the small plough, threw the soil up +against the plants. We did not use a hoe except in the vegetable +garden. We got along so well that I was only sorry we had not planted +twice as many acres. + +September and October were busy months to us; but we revelled in the +joys of a plentiful harvest. Three hundred bushels of corn, and four +hundred of potatoes, rewarded our toil, besides more than we could use +of garden vegetables. This was three times as much as we had ever +raised in a season before, and we had not room for it in our barn and +storehouse. We could not use a quarter of the potatoes, even if we all +remained at the farm through winter. We offered them for sale to the +steamers and traders, and sold three hundred bushels to a speculator, +who doubled his money on them at a settlement, where the people had +come too late to make a crop that season. + +The cool weather was coming, and, after we had slaughtered our pigs, +the hard work of the season was over. The Gracewoods had decided not to +remain over winter, and I could not think of parting with them. I was +determined to see the world. I heard so much of the country below that +I could not resist the temptation to visit it. I stated my intention to +Kit Cruncher and the Gracewoods. None of them offered any objections, +not even the hunter, who was to be left alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +IN WHICH PHIL, WITH HIS FORTUNE AS A FARMER, BIDS FAREWELL TO FIELD AND +FOREST. + + +"This place is wuth money, boy," said Kit Cruncher, when I had told him +what I intended to do. + +"The more it is worth, the better it will be for you, Kit," I replied. + +"I'm willin' to pay for the place and the improvements. I've made well +on it this year--more'n ever I could trappin'. Then, you see, the +settlements is workin' up this way, and another year I shall hev 'em +all round me." + +"All right; hope you'll make your fortune, Kit." + +"But I want to buy you out." + +"I don't think I have any rights here which I can sell. You are welcome +to everything that belongs to me. But I will leave the whole matter to +Mr. Gracewood. I know he will do what is fair." + +"Just as you say, Phil. This life jest suits me, now I'm gittin' old, +and don't want to tramp through the woods no more. It's a good +sitooation for me, and I shall be lucky to get it at any fair price. I +shan't want it long, and when I've done with it, yon kin hev it agin, +for I hain't no relations to fight over what I leave behind me." + +"How long have you lived in the woods, Kit?" I asked; for, though I had +known him from my childhood, I had no knowledge of his antecedents. + +"Nigh on to thirty years, boy." + +"Where did you come from?" + +"I was born and raised down in Kaintuck. My father died when I was +young, and I took to the river for a livin'. I worked a choppin', a +flat boatin', and firin' on a steamboat. I was down in Loosiana one +time, on a plantation, when the owner's cub--and he war wus nor any +bar's cub I ever see--tied up a black woman who had been sick, because +she didn't do all her stent. He wanted me to lick her. I told him I +wouldn't do it, no how. This made him mad, and he struck me. I knocked +him down with my fist quicker'n you could wink. He got up, and kim at +me with a knife. I hit him with a heavy stick on the head. He dropped, +and didn't move no more." + +"Did yon kill him?" I asked, deeply interested in the narrative. + +"I dunno; I don't reckon I did. But I feared I hed; but whether I hed +or not, it would have been all the same with me. It mought have cost me +my life if they'd cotched me, and I left. I travelled across the +country till I came to the Ark'saw River, and thar I went to work agin +firin' on a steamer. When I got money enough I bought my rifle, and +traps, and went into the woods. I hev tramped all over the pararies, +and in the end I fotched up here." + +"Have you always lived alone?" + +"Allus; I hedn't no 'fection for them pesky half breeds, nor them +French Kanucks nuther. They are thick enough all along the river, and I +allus kep away from 'em. I reckon I got more bufler hides nor any on +'em; but the critters is druv off now. I sold a good many skins of all +sorts, and as I never drunk no liquor, I've got the money now. I +fotched it down with me t'other day." + +"Shall you ever return to Kentucky?" + +"I don't reckon I shall; but I mought." + +"What became of your mother?" + +"She died long afore I kim off. Now, boy, I kin live jest as I want to +here, and I'll buy your farm." + +"We will talk with Mr. Gracewood about it. I will do whatever he says +is right." + +My fortunes as a farmer were certainly very satisfactory, and I had no +reason to complain. I was to leave my Field and Forest with about +fifteen hundred dollars in my pocket; and I could not but ask myself +whether I was not going from a certainty to an uncertainty. Farming, in +connection with the wood business, had paid well. But then I wanted to +see something of the great world, of which I had heard so much. I had a +decided taste for some mechanical calling, and I was sure that I could +make my way in life if I had fair play. Yet, if my prospects had been +far less favorable, I could not have endured the separation from the +Gracewoods. + +Leaving Kit in the Castle, thinking over his future operations, I went +to the house of Mr. Gracewood, in order to consult him in regard to the +disposal of the farm. I found him with his pipe in his mouth, playing +on the grand piano, and lost in the inspiration of the "Gloria." I +could not interrupt him, and I waited till he had finished, which, +however, was not till his pipe was exhausted. + +"Phil, I must take this piano with me; but we have not force enough to +put it in the box." + +"I think we have, sir," I replied. "If you say it must go, it shall be +at the landing when the steamer comes down." + +"Two men and a boy cannot put it into the box, to say nothing of +loading it upon the wagon." + +"I think we can, sir, if we have time enough; for, as you taught me, +what is gained in power is lost in time. I will take the job, sir." + +"You are very confident, Phil Farringford," added Mr. Gracewood, with a +smile. + +"I got up the plan by which we brought it over here from the island." + +"But you had a dozen men to lift it up and put it in the box." + +"As we haven't a dozen now, we can do it with two men and a boy, if we +have time. The next boat will not come down for a week. But I wanted to +see you about another matter. Kit wants to buy the farm of me, and I +don't think I own it. We left the decision to you." + +"Legally, you have no rights here." + +"That is what I said." + +"If Matt Rockwood has any heirs, they can obtain whatever legal rights +he had in the premises." + +"Matt owns the quarter section, as an actual settler. I found the paper +signed by a land agent." + +"Then his heirs, if he has any, can claim it, as well as all his +property." + +"Then you think I have no right to the money found in Matt's chest?" + +"So long as no heirs appear, I think you have a moral right to keep +it." + +"Then Kit can have the place." + +"I do not think it would be right for you to sell it. You cannot give +him a legal title to it. But it is right for him to pay you for your +share of the produce now on the place." + +This seemed to me to be a fair and just decision, and I repeated it to +Kit, who was, of course, entirely satisfied. It was agreed that he +should pay me one hundred dollars for my share, and the business was +completed. Mr. Gracewood presented him, as a free gift, the house and +all it contained, except the piano, books, and other articles which +were strictly personal. The barge was included in the gift, and Kit +suddenly became a rich man, in his own estimation. + +In a box, which Mr. Gracewood gave me, I packed up all the articles I +intended to take with me, including the child's suit and some of Matt's +papers. My money, except a reasonable sum for expenses, I placed in the +hands of Mr. Gracewood, who gave me a note for the amount. I meant to +take my rifle with me, as a memorial of my life in the woods. As Kit +took care of the horses and pigs now, I had a great deal of time for +idle dreaming. I went to all the familiar localities in the vicinity +with Ella. While I was sad at the thought of leaving the haunts of my +childhood, I was excited by the prospect of seeing new and strange +sights. A new life seemed to be opening upon me, and the indefinite +wonders of the civilized world flitted wildly through my mind. + +"Well, Phil Farringford, if we are going to move the piano, it is about +time to begin," said Mr. Gracewood, one morning. + +"I am all ready, sir." + +"I do not yet see how it is to be done; but I will leave the job to +you." + +"We shall be obliged to take down a part of the house--one end and a +portion of the floor." + +"That can very easily be done." + +I sawed four cotton-wood sticks so that they would just reach from the +ground to the timbers of the attic floor. We placed them in position to +support the frame above, which was to bear the weight of the piano +during the process of loading it upon the wagon. I then placed a couple +of hewn sticks across the attic floor, after removing the boards. Two +stout ropes were then passed around the piano and over these sticks, +drawn tight. The piano-case was protected from chafing by a couple of +blankets. + +Kit and I then went into the attic, and with a lot of wedges I had +made, proceeded to raise the two hewn timbers, over which the rope +passed. We drove the wedges between the sticks and the timbers of the +frame. As fast as we gained an inch, we put a board under, upon which +we drove another series of wedges. The process was slow but it was +sure, and in time the piano below hung suspended clear of the floor. + +"That's all very good, so far, Phil Farringford," laughed Mr. Gracewood. + +"Is it clear of the floor, sir?" I asked. + +"Yes, all clear." + +"Then we will take off the legs." + +When this task was accomplished, we took up the floor and joists under +the instrument, and removed the sill on the end of the house. Of course +we had to take out the studs below the plate; but the posts I had put +in were amply sufficient to support the frame. We levelled down the +banking so as to form a smooth road to the ground beneath the piano. I +then carefully measured the distance from the bottom of the piano to +the earth. It was four feet and one inch, while the body of the wagon, +which I intended to back under the instrument, was only two feet and a +half high. We laid down some logs crosswise, upon which we placed a +track of boards for the wheels of the wagon. The vehicle was then +backed beneath the piano, with the box upon the platform. The oil-cloth +was placed in the case, so that we could cover the instrument after it +had been deposited in the box. + +Kit and I had hewn four timbers of the length of the wagon, on opposite +sides, like a railroad sleeper. Raising the vehicle with levers, we +placed these sticks under the wheels. As we lifted up the wagon, the +box was elevated so as to enclose the instrument. The timbers under the +wheels were each about six inches thick, and when we had them in +position, the bottom of the piano was not an inch from the bottom of +the case. We then drove our wedges between the two timbers, on each of +which rested two of the wheels, securely blocked. The wagon rose till +the ropes which supported the piano were slackened, and we untied and +removed them. The instrument rested on heavy pads in the bottom of the +box, so that we had no trouble in pulling out the ropes. Covering the +piano with the oil-cloth, we screwed on the lid of the case. By this +time it was dark, though we had begun early in the morning. + +The next day we made an inclined plane of cotton-wood sticks, upon +which to run the wagon down upon level ground. This we did by hand, and +then we were ready to hitch on the horses. We did not intend to haul it +down to the landing till we heard the whistle of the steamer, for the +boat would wait a whole day for half a ton of freight on her down trip. +But it was three days more before we heard any whistle. + +After we had restored the house to its former condition, Ella and I +wandered in the woods and along the banks of the river, waiting +impatiently for the expected signal. I had dressed myself in my best +clothes, discarding forever my hunting-frock and skin cap. I thought I +was a pretty good-looking fellow, and Ella said as much as this to me. + +At last we heard the whistle, and Kit and I hastened to hitch on the +horses. We placed all the baggage on the wagon with the piano-case, and +for the last time I drove old Firefly and Cracker down to the landing. +A dozen men lifted the piano from the wagon, and placed it on the deck +of the steamer. The trunks and other baggage were carried on board; +and, after the deck hands had taken in twenty cords of wood, the +whistle sounded again. + +"Good by, Kit," said I, as I grasped his rough hand. "May God bless and +keep you. I hope I shall see you again." + + +"It mought be, and it mought not; leastwise I don't reckon you will, if +you don't come here. But good by, boy. I hope everything will allus go +well with you; and if you kin, just kim up here and see me. Good by, +boy." + +Kit displayed more emotion than I had ever seen him exhibit before, and +I found it difficult to suppress a rising tear. Mr. Gracewood and his +family shook hands with him, and left their best wishes for his future +prosperity and happiness. + +"Good by, Mr. Greasewood. You are a good man, and you will allus be +happy. Don't forget old Kit." + +"I never shall," protested Mr. Gracewood, as the old hunter stepped on +shore; and that was the sentiment in all our hearts. + +The bell rang, the boat started, and we waved our adieus to the old man +on shore, who stood gazing solemnly and sadly at us. The wheels of the +steamer were turning, and as I gazed upon the familiar shore, I +realized that I was departing, perhaps forever, from my FIELD AND +FOREST. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Field and Forest, by Oliver Optic + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIELD AND FOREST *** + +***** This file should be named 24582.txt or 24582.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/5/8/24582/ + +Produced by David Edwards and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from scans of public domain material produced by +Microsoft for their Live Search Books site.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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