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diff --git a/41777-0.txt b/41777-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8cfa90 --- /dev/null +++ b/41777-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6462 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41777 *** + + WAR CHIEF SERIES, NO. 2. + + BLAZING ARROW, + + A TALE OF THE FRONTIER + + BY EDWARD S. ELLIS + + AUTHOR OF "BOY PIONEER SERIES," "DEERFOOT SERIES," + "LOG CABIN SERIES," ETC., ETC. + + + PHILADELPHIA + HENRY T. COATES & CO. + 1900 + + COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY + HENRY T. COATES & CO. + + + + +[Illustration: OVER THE FALLS.] + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. LARRY AND WHARTON 1 + + II. ON THE BRINK 8 + + III. OVER THE FALLS 18 + + IV. BLAZING ARROW 32 + + V. THROUGH THE WOODS 42 + + VI. A MISCALCULATION 52 + + VII. A CHECK 62 + + VIII. A CHAT 69 + + IX. TURNING BACK 76 + + X. GROPING IN THE DARK 83 + + XI. IN A CORNER 96 + + XII. REVERSING POSITIONS 109 + + XIII. A BLUNDER 116 + + XIV. LOOKING ON 123 + + XV. A HAIL AND AN ANSWER 132 + + XVI. THE DETOUR 143 + + XVII. BY THE LAKE 153 + + XVIII. THE STRANGE SIGHT 160 + + XIX. ZANY OR LUNATIC 167 + + XX. ACROSS THE GORGE 176 + + XXI. A STRANGE PURSUIT 183 + + XXII. ARQU-WAO 190 + + XXIII. A SERIOUS QUESTION 199 + + XXIV. THE TRACKS OF HORSES 206 + + XXV. A SINGULAR MEETING 213 + + XXVI. FOOTPRINTS 223 + + XXVII. RED CROW 230 + + XXVIII. GOOD NEWS 240 + + XXIX. RED CROW'S ERRAND 247 + + XXX. ALL TOGETHER 254 + + XXXI. THE NEW ROUTE 261 + + XXXII. THE LAST HALT 271 + + XXXIII. CONCLUSION 278 + + + + +BLAZING ARROW + +A TALE OF THE FRONTIER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +LARRY AND WHARTON. + + +"I'll follow him to the right, and you, Larry, go to the left; we'll +have him then, sure." + +"All right; it's mesilf that will bate ye, fur all ye're the swiftest +runner in Kintucky." + +"There isn't a minute to lose; move faster, Larry!" + +"Do you attind to your own business, and lave Larry Murphy to himsilf." + +The words were uttered quickly, for the two youths were eager and +excited. They had caught sight of an enormous bear a few minutes before, +as he lumbered into the canebrake in the direction of the torrent which +swept furiously toward the Ohio. The young Irishman happened to be a +few paces in advance of his companion, Wharton Edwards, and took a +flying shot at the brute. Whether he struck him or not was uncertain. +The probabilities were that, despite his skill with the rifle, he only +scratched his bulky body, or missed him altogether. Before Wharton could +bring his weapon to bear, bruin was beyond reach for the time. + +It was at this juncture that the fleet-footed youth bounded to the side +of his Irish friend and urged him to hurry to the left, while he circled +in the other direction. One of them must head off the game, and it +mattered little which did it provided it was done. + +Larry Murphy was as ardent in his pursuit as his comrade, and was +hopeful of getting the prize away from him. Pausing, therefore, only +long enough to exchange the words quoted, he was off like a deer. + +"That young man houlds a high opinion of himsilf," he muttered, as he +crashed forward, "and I've saan worse fellys than Whart Edwards. He can +bate all creation running, but I'm hoping that he may thrip his feet so +as to give mesilf a show----" + +It was poetical justice, perhaps, that the fate which the young Irishman +wished might overtake his friend claimed him for his own, for, while the +words were in his mouth, a wire-like vine on the ground did the +mischief. It wound round his ankle like an angry black snake, and he +sprawled forward on his hands and knees, his gun flying several feet +from his hands. + +"Bad luck to it!" he growled, climbing to his feet; "that's just the +sthyle I used to thrip up the spalpeens. I'm onsartin whether me neck is +broke off or not, but I'll have to lave it to find out till this little +job is over." + +The fall was so violent that he limped for a few paces, and his speed +was lessened; but the stream was not far off, and the rugged lad was +quick to rally from his discomfiture. + +"Begorrah, but I've got the laugh on Whart," he exclaimed, a minute +later, as he caught sight of a dark object among the trees; "that shot +of mine landed the beast, and knowing that it's mesilf that's entitled +to him, he has left Wharton and turned off there to wait for me to +finish him." + +If this quaint faith were genuine, Larry did not trust it farther than +he was compelled to. Instead of waiting till he could draw nearer and +secure a truer shot, he stopped abruptly, brought his heavy rifle to a +level, sighted quickly but carefully, and let fly. + +There was no doubt about his having hit the mark this time. He was a +good shot, and the distance was too slight for him to miss. Forgetting +the law of the hunter, which requires him to reload his discharged gun +before moving from his tracks, Larry lowered his weapon, and driving his +broad honest face through the wreath of smoke before it could lift from +the muzzle of his rifle, he dashed forward toward the game to which he +was sure he had just given the finishing touch. + +In his excitement, and with his partly obscured view, he did not observe +that the bear remained immovable. If he had noticed it, he would have +concluded that the beast had been mortally wounded by the first shot and +had collapsed while on the way to the stream of water. + +"Now Whart will be filled wid jilousy whin he finds that the bear +surrindered to me. Had it been him that come in sight of the beast he +wouldn't have stopped, but obsarving that it was mesilf, he threw up his +hands and----" + +Larry paused in dismay. Crashing through the brush, he stopped close to +his supposed prize, and found that, instead of its being the game he had +in mind, it was the lower portion of an immense tree that had probably +lain for years on the ground. It bore some resemblance to a prostrate +animal, but the youthful hunter never could have made the mistake except +for his flurried condition. + +"Wurrah, wurrah, now, but that was a bad miss," he muttered, grinning at +his own blunder. "I don't see any necessity for acquainting Whart wid +all the sarcumstances, but if the stump doesn't say anything about it, +I'll hold me pace." + +The slip took away from the youth about all the hope he had felt until +then of bagging the bear. He knew at the time that young Edwards gave +him the better chance, for it was just like the magnanimous fellow to +do that thing, and Larry had lost it through his own stupidity. + +He listened for a few moments, uncertain which way to move or turn. +There seemed little use in trying to regain his lost opportunities, but +the doughty fellow mortally hated to give up the peculiar contest +without another effort. + +He could hear the dull roar of the torrent as it poured over the falls +only a short way off, and he fancied once that he detected the rush of +some swiftly-moving body through the wood. Of this, however, he could +not be certain, because of the interfering noise of the stream. + +"Whist, now, but I forgot the same!" he suddenly added, as he recalled +that it was an empty weapon which he held in his hand. + +"S'pose now that that cratur should turn 'round to make my acquaintance; +I would have to ask him to have the kindness to wait awhile until I +could get the gun in shape, and he would be mane 'nough to objict." + +Despite Larry's fondness for talking, either with a companion or +himself, and despite the apparent absurdity of many things he said, he +wasted no time when it was of value, and he committed few errors of +judgment. + +The proper amount of powder was poured from the unstopped horn into the +palm of his hand and sent rattling down the inclined barrel of his heavy +gun. Then a bullet, clasped in a small square of oiled cloth, was rammed +tightly upon the charge; the yellow flint was drawn back and the pan +filled with the black grains; then the hammer was carefully lowered, and +the old-fashioned weapon was ready for use. + +At that moment the report of a rifle broke the stillness, and the +startled Larry, glancing around, exclaimed in a guarded undertone: + +"I b'leave Whart is in trouble." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ON THE BRINK. + + +Meanwhile young Edwards found himself a stirring actor in a stirring +series of events. + +He set out with all the ardor of a young hunter to bring down the bear, +which was the most enormous one he had ever seen in the Kentucky wilds. +His fondness for his jovial companion led him to give him what seemed to +be the best chance to secure him; and it may be said that, had the +situations of the youths been reversed, bruin would have quickly fallen +a victim to the prowess of the young Kentuckian. But fate made a turn of +the wheel of fortune of which neither dreamed. + +Wharton Edwards possessed wonderful fleetness of foot, and counted on no +trouble in running down the lumbering beast; but when he struck the +point where he ought to have been visible, he was not in sight. + +The acute hearing of the youth, however, told him where the bear was +plunging through the undergrowth. It was in the direction of the stream, +and fearful that he would escape him altogether, Wharton took up the +pursuit with all the energy at his command. + +The momentary pause had given the bear an advantage which he used with a +sagacity worthy of a more intelligent creature than he. Without turning +to the right or left, he swung ponderously along until he reached the +edge of the torrent, into which he tumbled like a rock falling down the +side of a mountain. + +"I've got you now!" was the exultant exclamation of the youth, who +reached the point where bruin had disappeared within ten seconds +afterwards. + +An exasperating state of affairs confronted him. The high, rocky bluff +on each side of the swift current shut out all view of the water within +two or three yards of the side on which the spectator happened to stand. +Whether instinct led the bear to adopt the course he did is uncertain, +but it is hardly credible, since his species are well known to be +stupid; but, be that as it may, this specimen, instead of making for the +other bank, kept so near to the one from which he had leaped that young +Edwards could not see him. The only way in which he could gain a view of +him was by lying down on his face and peering over. + +He had no time to do this, besides which, under the circumstances, it +was almost impossible to gain a shot at the swimming bear. + +The presumption was that he would make for the other bank in quest of +some opening by which to leave the water, but Wharton, in his eagerness, +was unwilling to count upon that. + +"If I were upon the other side," was his thought, as he hurried +nervously along the bluff, seeking to keep pace with the rushing +current, "I would have him just where I wanted him. But I shall lose +him, for there is no way to get across--yes there is, and I'll do it, +sure as a gun." + +A hundred yards below, and quite near the falls, the bluffs approached +each other so closely that he was sure he could leap from one to the +other. Thus in a bound he could place himself in the best position to +shoot the game against which he began to feel a resentment because of +the manner in which it baffled him. + +Had young Edwards been more familiar with his immediate surroundings, or +less enthusiastic in his pursuit of the prize, he would have hesitated, +and, adopting the good old adage, looked before he leaped; but he was +carried away by the excitement of the moment, and did that which no one +would have been quicker than he, under other circumstances, to condemn. + +Running rapidly along the bluff, and parallel with the course of the +stream, he reached the narrow portion upon which he had fixed his eye, +gave it a glance, and decided that by no great effort he could leap to +the corresponding bluff on the opposite side. + +And beyond a doubt he would have succeeded had he used only ordinary +precaution, but he was in dread lest the bear should escape him. The +falls were but a short way below, and though the raging waters were +likely to finish him, that of itself would spoil everything. No hunter +likes to see another take his game out of his hands, and he viewed such +a loss through the falls in the same light. His blood was up, and he +meant to secure the animal if it was "in the wood." + +Stepping hastily back for a couple of paces, he gathered himself, ran +the distance, and, concentrating his strength in the effort, leaped +toward the opposite bluff. + +The instant he left the ledge he saw to his horror that he was going to +fall. A leaper or runner always feels what is coming before the crisis +is upon him, and Wharton Edwards knew he had made an awful +miscalculation. + +With the desperation of despair he flung his rifle from him at the +instant of leaping, and when it was too late to withdraw. It landed on +the rocks, and the impact of the hammer caused its discharge, the ball, +by a singular concurrence of circumstances, passing within a few inches +of the owner's face. + +It was only for a passing breath that the youth was in the air, but it +seemed to him he was held suspended for several minutes over the raging +waters. He struck only a few inches short, but those few inches were +fatal. His chest and lower part of the body collided violently with the +solid wall, and his hands were thrown over the surface on which he had +hoped and expected to place his feet. + +He clutched fiercely to save himself, and had there been anything to +grasp must have succeeded; but there was nothing, and, rebounding fully +a foot, he went down into the torrent twenty feet below. As if fate +meant to dally with and mock him, he splashed within a few feet of the +bear, who, with a snuff of fear, turned away and began a wild effort to +swim against the current. The brute had become aware of the roaring +falls close at hand, and saw the trap in which he was caught, and from +which it was impossible to extricate himself until, as may be said, he +was almost on the brink of the falls. + +A short distance from the plunge was a gap in the bluff, where the +ground was only a few inches above the surface of the water. If the +brute should hold himself close to the bank on that side until this +favoring point was reached, he could save himself. + +And he did, though little credit belonged to him for the feat. Like the +stupid creature that he was, he continued furiously striving to swim +against the current, and without stemming it in the least; but the same +blind instinct kept him clawing at the rocks on the side from which he +had leaped, and thus held him in the only position which gave the +slightest hope. + +All at once the beam-like claws struck the rocky bottom. The water +quickly shallowed. By a prodigious effort he checked his swift downward +progress--then he secured a foothold--his massive, shaggy body heaved up +from the water--he plunged heavily to one side, and, with another mighty +putting forth of his strength, walked out upon the solid earth and was +safe. + +Beyond peradventure, Wharton Edwards would have done equally well had +the opportunity been given him to study for a few seconds his perilous +surroundings. He would have been quick to see the opening through which +his intended prize escaped, and the gorge was so narrow that he could +readily have swam across to it in the few moments at his command; but +the youth was in a hapless situation. + +He landed against the bluff with such violence that the breath was +driven from his body, and when he struck the water he was senseless. The +rush of the chilling current, as he shot below the surface, partly +revived him, and he made an instinctive effort at self-preservation. The +blow, however, had been severe, and his brain was in a whirl the next +moment, the torrent carrying him with great swiftness toward the falls. + +Larry Murphy was closer to the stream than he had supposed, while +reloading his rifle. The report of his friend's rifle gave him the +necessary guidance, and he dashed over the intervening distance at the +top of his speed. + +A minute later he peered over the bluff, and, without seeing the bear, +which was almost beneath him, saw the head and shoulders of his friend, +who had come to the surface a few seconds before. + +"Ye blundering spalpeen, that's no place to go in swimming!" called the +frightened youth, with no suspicion of the mishap that had occurred. + +Undecided what to do, and yet unable to stand idle, Larry ran along the +edge of the bluff, and a minute later saw to his amazement the bear +emerge and shake his dripping coat. It would have been easy to shoot him +down, for there could not have been a fairer target; but the youth had +no thought of bagging game in those terrible moments, and he bestowed +hardly a glance at the brute. + +A second look at young Edwards told him that something was wrong. + +"Swim toward me!" shouted Larry, loud enough for his clear voice to be +heard above the thunder of the waters. + +He had bounded headlong down the sloping bluff, and then off into the +open low space, which offered the only hope. It was a high leap, but in +his excitement he did not notice it. + +"Swim hard, ould felly, or it'll be too late--hivin save me, but he's +drowning!" + +Wharton's head was dipping below the surface, and his arms had ceased +the feeble struggles they made a short time before. The youth was really +drowning. + +He was now so nearly opposite the opening in the bluff, and so near the +plunge of waters, that had he been in the full possession of his senses +and strength he could have swam the space, brief as it was, only by the +most desperate efforts. In his senseless condition he could not +accomplish it, of course, had he been in water as still as a mill pond. + +Larry Murphy saw and comprehended all this in the twinkling of an eye. +He knew that if he stood where he was it would be to see his loved +friend die, and if he plunged in after him both would go over the falls, +with possibly one chance in a thousand of their escape. + +And did he, while quickly weighing the chances, hesitate? + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OVER THE FALLS. + + +Not for an instant. He had decided on his course while leaping down into +the opening which had admitted the imperilled bruin into safety. The +moment he landed he flung his gun away, snatched off his hat, doffed his +coat, seemingly with the same movement, and leaped with might and main +into the terrible current. + +The narrow width at this portion caused him to strike within arm's +length of his friend. The left arm of the powerful young Irishman griped +the collar of the sinking youth, and he gave him a shake fierce enough +almost to dislocate his neck. + +"Wake up, Whart, ye spalpeen! What's the matter wid ye?" + +They were now so close to the falls that the voice of Larry was +indistinct, but the violent shaking did just what was needed. The +half-drowned youth was roused, and stared about him in a bewildered way. +He gasped and began struggling. + +"Take it aisy, me boy," added Larry, who could not avoid talking even in +that appalling moment; "ye nadn't try to swim over the falls, for the +water is kind enough to save ye the trouble." + +The knowledge that his friend was alive, when he feared he was not, was +enough to send a thrill of pleasure through him, even though the +awakening, as may be said, was on the brink of death itself. + +Young Edwards was still too bewildered to comprehend matters. His +struggling continued, but it was instinctive and naturally without the +least result. His companion retained his grasp on his collar until he +saw that nothing could be gained by it. Then he let go and gave more +attention to himself. + +By this time they were on the brink of the falls. The torrent moved with +a calm, swift, hurrying impressiveness that was the more appalling +because of its contrast with the churning hades of waters below. It was +as if the volume, gathering itself for the plunge, ran forward with +eager speed and dived off the rocks into the boiling cauldron. + +Larry Murphy was too wise to make any resistance. He drew in his breath, +cast one look at the white face of his friend, uttered a prayer for +both, and then over they went. + +Neither of the youths were ever able to tell clearly what followed +during the few moments, though their experiences must have been quite +similar. Larry Murphy probably kept better track of events than his +companion, because he had not suffered the temporary daze undergone by +him a brief while before. + +It seemed to him that on the very brink of the falls he was thrown +bodily outward and downward by some fearful power independent of the +resistless current. The descent, of necessity, was short, but it +appeared to be tenfold its actual length. Then he went down, down, down, +as though he would never stop, until he fancied that he was driven to +the bottom of a watery cavern of immeasurable depths. + +He instinctively held his breath until he felt that the distended +blood-vessels must burst. He was whirled about and tossed hither and +thither amid spray and foam and more sold water, like an egg-shell in a +maelstrom. Then, when he could hold his breath no longer, he made one +spasmodic inhalation. He was almost strangled, but a part of that which +he drew in was air. The next breath was all air, and then he was +swimming in the comparatively smooth water below the falls. + +As soon as he could clear his eyes and look about him, he saw that he +was borne along by the swift current, which was double the width of the +stream above. Instead of the rocky bluffs which rendered it almost +unapproachable in that portion, the banks were comparatively low and +lined with large trees, some of which leaned out over the water, with +their limbs almost touching it. + +The most pleasing sight that greeted Larry was that of his friend in the +act of lifting himself upon dry land, with the help of one of the +overhanging limbs. He had escaped and was himself again. + +"Are you all right?" he called, in a cheery voice, looking around at +Larry, who was swimming hard toward the same point, but would be unable +to strike it until he passed a few rods below. + +"I'm not sure, but I think I be; I'll report whin I sets fut on dry +land." + +"If you are bruised or hurt, I'll swim out to your help." + +"Stay where ye be till I asks ye to do the same." + +Wharton moved along the bank, so as to keep pace with his friend. When +the shore was reached he extended his hand and helped him out, and, as +may be supposed, the two greeted each other with warmth and gratitude. + +Wharton explained what a woful mistake he made in his eagerness to get a +shot at the bear, but Larry did not refer to the blunder he committed +when he shot at a fallen tree instead of the brute. + +"I wonder where that cratur is?" said he, looking around as if he +expected to see the animal at his elbow. + +"Safe beyond any harm from us," replied Wharton; "he had enough sense +to get out of the water before going over the falls." + +"And it's yersilf that would have done the same, but for the whack ye +got from trying to bust the rocks apart by jumping against them." + +"That was the stupidest thing I ever did in my life. If I had taken ten +seconds more I could have made the leap as easy as you can jump over +your hat." + +"Ye are mighty good at leaping and running, but I wouldn't want to see +ye try that again." + +"Which reminds me, Larry, that it's best to go back and get our guns +before some one else finds them for us." + +The clothing of the youths was drenched, but they cared nothing for +that, for it was the summer time, and the weather was seasonable. So far +as Larry Murphy could tell, he had received no injury whatever. His +companion suffered somewhat from his collision with the rocks, but that +was of a nature that it must soon pass away, and was only felt at +intervals. + +While the couple are making their way to the point above the falls, +where the elder had left his gun and part of his clothing, we will give +a few sentences of explanation. + +Brigham Edwards and his family dwelt in one of the small frontier +settlements of Kentucky. His family consisted of his wife, his only son +Wharton, aged seventeen, and the Irish youth, a year older. They had +lived originally in Western Pennsylvania, where Larry was left to the +care and kindness of the well-to-do settler, who had been one of the +best friends his Irish laboring man ever knew. The mother of Larry died +in his infancy, so that he was an orphan, without any near relatives. + +Mr. Edwards was among the prominent members of the frontier town, where +he had lived for nearly three years, when the incident just described +occurred. The parents took it into their heads a short time before to +make a visit to some old friends that had settled in a larger town about +a hundred miles farther east. In order to do so, they mounted their +ponies and followed a well-marked trail, crossing several streams and +mountainous sections, and incurring considerable danger from the +Indians, who, in those days, were nearly always hostile. + +About half way between the two settlements stood a block-house, which +was a favorite meeting-place for Boone, Kenton, McClelland, Wells, and +the frontier rangers whose names are linked with the early history of +the great West. It was agreed between the parents and the boys that they +should meet on the return of the former at this post, and make the rest +of the journey together. + +Mr. Edwards fixed on the 10th of August as the day he would be at the +block-house. The boys were to arrive no later than that date, and no +sooner than a day before. The parents agreed to wait twenty-four hours +for them if necessary, and then, in case they did not show up, they were +to continue their journey homeward. + +The trail was so plain and the route so well known that it was easy to +make accurate calculations, and to figure the time within a very few +hours when the respective parties would reach the block-house. This +figuring, as in these later days, was based on the supposition that no +accident befell any one concerned. + +Wharton and Larry had walked about two-thirds of the distance between +their home and the block-house, when they had their flurry with the huge +bear, which certainly did not suffer as much as they. It was early in +the afternoon of the mild summer day, and they were in the depths of the +vast Kentucky wilderness through which prowled the wild beasts and +equally wild red men. + +The lads soon reached the spot where Larry had flung his coat and +coonskin cap. The former was picked up, and a short distance off he +found his rifle unharmed. The cap, however, was still missing, after the +two had spent some little time hunting for it. + +"Whart," said Larry, stopping short and staring hard at him, "I know +what's become of that fine hat of me own." + +"Well?" + +"The bear sneaked back here and stole it; he's got the laugh on us so +far, but I'll niver be satisfied till we mate again and adjoost +accounts." + +"More likely you flung it into the water in your excitement, and it went +over the falls with us." + +"Why didn't I think of the same?" asked Larry, with a relieved +expression on his freckled face. "I don't mind its absince, for I'd +rather be widout a hat than to wear one, but the sun harms me +complexion." + +"Come on," laughed Wharton, laboriously climbing his way to the higher +bluffs, whither his companion followed him; "I feel a little uneasy +about leaving my rifle so long." + +"How are ye going to get to the same?" + +"I'll show you." + +It will be understood that they had left the water below the falls on +the side from which they had entered it, so that the weapon lay on the +bluffs just across where the owner had flung it. The athletic youth +intended to repeat the leap he made a short time before, despite the +protests of Larry, who had no wish to make a second descent of the falls +in his effort to help his friend. + +"Go ahead, go ahead," he said, "if ye find any fun in the same; we've +got a half day to spare, and I s'pose we may as well spend it in +turning flip-flaps off the rocks and over the falls as in any other +way." + +"No fear of that," calmly answered his friend, who, having reached the +place, now prepared to make the leap. + +The preparations were simple. There was a run of a couple of rods, all +that he needed. Taking a number of short, quick steps, young Edwards +bounded from the edge of the bluff for the opposite one, whose elevation +was about the same. + +He formed a striking picture, with his fine athletic form crouching in +mid-air, or sustained for an instant over the rushing torrent into which +he was precipitated on his first effort. His feet were partly gathered +under him, and his bent elbows were close at his sides in the approved +attitude. Larry, who knew the marvellous powers of his young friend in +running or leaping, never felt any misgiving as to the result, though he +pretended to be alarmed. + +He saw him alight more than a foot beyond the edge with the grace of an +antelope, taking only a couple of steps forward from the momentum of +his new leap. + +"That's aisy," he muttered, "that is, for him as finds it aisy to do; +I'm sure I could make the leap if they'd move the bluffs about half the +distance nearer to this side than the same is at this moment." + +Larry was indulging in these characteristic expressions, when he thought +his friend was acting as though not fully satisfied with things. He +walked a few steps, as if about to lift his gun from the ground, but +abruptly halted, straightened up, and looked about him in a puzzled way. + +At this point the two were so far above the falls that they could easily +understand each other's words without elevating their voices to an +unusual extent. The Irishman's waggery was irrepressible. + +"I say, Whart, the bear tuk it the same as me cap; he's going off with +both his arms full." + +Young Edwards must have heard the badinage, but he gave no evidence of +it. He stood looking at the ground, but not across the stream, where +his friend was watching him. + +"I say, what's the matter?" called Larry, beginning to feel uneasy at +the peculiar action of his friend. + +In answer, the younger lad turned about and looked hard at him. His face +was pale, as if he were laboring under great excitement; beyond question +he had made some alarming discovery. Glancing to the right and left, +young Edwards now came to the edge of the bluff, and making a funnel of +one of his hands called out: + +"Run, Larry, as quick as you can! don't wait a minute." + +"What is it, owld felly?" + +"Indians!" was the startling reply; "the woods are full of them." + +"Why, then, don't ye run yersilf?" demanded the astounded Larry; "leap +back here, and we'll keep each ither company." + +"Run, run!" called his companion, frantically gesticulating and +motioning him away. "They've got my gun, and if they see you, Larry, +you're lost!" + +The impetuosity of the youth literally forced the Irish lad away from +the stream and among the trees. He retreated a few yards, puzzled beyond +expression. + +"What the mischief can I do?" he asked himself; "I can't jump more'n +half way across the stream, and that won't do me any good. What does +Whart maan by sinding me away while he stays and won't jump? By the +powers! I have it!" he exclaimed, striking his thigh and stopping short. +"It's a maan thrick of his to git me out of the way, where I won't be +harmed, while he rolls up his slaaves and fights a whole tribe of +Injins. That thrick won't work! Larry Murphy must be counted in." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BLAZING ARROW. + + +At the moment of flinging his rifle from him, when he made his first +leap, Wharton Edwards noticed where it landed, and of course knew just +where to look for it. When he searched that place for it, and saw +nothing of the weapon, he knew, therefore, that something was wrong. + +A thrill of alarm went through him on realizing the oversight he had +committed, but he met it with the coolness of a veteran. + +He pretended to be still searching for the weapon, and moved back and +forth, and hither and yon, with his head bent, as though his eyes were +fixed on the ground, but the eyebrows were elevated and his vision was +roaming along the edge of the trees only a few rods distant, in quest of +Shawanoes. + +None of them were in sight, but he knew that they were there, and more +than one pair of serpent-like eyes were fixed upon him and watching his +every act. + +Wharton's impulse was to turn back and leap to the other side of the +gorge. The temptation was strong, but he dared not attempt it. He could +not make the jump without a short run, and that would give the Indians +all the chance they could ask to wing him on the fly, as they most +assuredly would do. + +During the few minutes that he pretended to be groping for the missing +gun he did a lot of thinking. He knew he was caught inextricably in a +trap, and for a time saw no possible way out. + +Had there been anything to gain by a sudden leap into the torrent he +would have made it; but that insured another plunge over the falls, with +the chances in favor of drowning. That, however, was as nothing compared +to the fact that he would be at the mercy of the Shawanoes from the +moment he entered the water. + +Hopeless himself, his concern was for the chivalrous Larry, who had +imperilled his life for him. There was hope that his presence on the +other bluff was unknown to the red men, and Wharton felt that if he +could frighten him into getting out of the way he would be comparatively +safe, and would be at liberty to hasten on to the block-house and secure +help for him. + +But Larry seemed to be taken with a spell of obtuseness just then. He +called to Wharton several times in a dangerously loud voice, and +appeared not to see, or at least not to understand, the signals which +were assiduously made to him. The young man became so solicitous for his +companion, who was without comprehension of his danger, that he forgot +everything else, and, advancing to the edge of the ravine, indulged in +the vigorous gestures and words which accomplished what he intended. + +"Now, if he will use sense, he can save himself," was the conclusion of +Wharton, from whose heart a crushing weight was lifted; "he has not been +seen, and only needs to keep out of sight until he can take the trail +again." + +But he was in a dreadful situation himself. Between the ravine and the +woods, from which he knew the Shawanoes were watching him, was an open +space, something more than fifty yards in extent. This narrowed to a +fourth of that width up stream, and disappeared altogether at the brink +of the falls. + +It was useless to pretend longer to hunt for the missing rifle on the +face of the rocks when a minute's scrutiny was sufficient to prove that +it was not there. His actions had already shown that he knew something +was amiss, and the Indians were not likely to allow the farce to +continue much longer. + +To go directly away from the stream and toward the wood was to walk into +the hands of the fierce red men, and the youth was ready to take any +risk before doing that. The frightful contingency he feared was that the +moment he made a break for freedom they would fire, and the distance was +so short that he could not escape their aim. That brief, open space over +which he must run was the gauntlet of certain death. If he were only a +little nearer the trees, he would attempt it. He saw but one possible +thing to do, and he now attempted it. + +Pausing in his groping for the weapon, he raised his head and looked +inquiringly about him. He did not dare let his eyes dwell on the trees +immediately in front, through fear of exciting suspicion, and the quick +glance which he swept along the trees failed to show him so much as a +glimpse of his enemies. But he knew they were there, all the same. + +Fixing his eyes again on the ground, he pretended suddenly to discover +shadowy traces of something in the nature of footprints, but, instead of +leading straight toward the wood, they led up stream, where the open +space rapidly narrowed. + +He walked slowly forward, with his gaze seemingly on the earth, but he +was slyly watching the wood, with the alertness of a weasel, on the +lookout for the first evidence that his action was mistrusted. + +It was a fearful test to the nerves. With every foot's advance his heart +throbbed faster with hope, and his desperate resolve became more fixed. +His greatest task was to restrain himself from bounding forward at the +topmost bent of his speed as he saw the friendly trees drawing near with +each passing moment; and yet he not only forced himself to do that, but +he came to a dead halt, slowly turned around, bent his head down and +scanned the ground behind him. His action was as if he had suddenly come +upon some evidence, but in that sweep of the head he again glanced along +the edge of the wood that confronted him when he leaped the chasm. This +time he saw a movement so faint that he could not identify it, but it +told him the crisis had come. + +He had now gone so far that nothing less than a disabling bullet could +restrain him. He longed more than ever to leap away, but every inch +gained was of incalculable worth, and, repressing his impatience with an +iron will, he continued edging along, his heart throbbing like a +trip-hammer. + +To fail to keep close watch of the wood any longer must defeat his +purpose. With little attempt, therefore, to hide his action, he quickly +turned his head, and, without checking his advance, scanned the margin +of the forest. As he did so, he observed a stir among the trees. The +Shawanoes evidently concluded that the farce had gone too far. Without +another second's hesitation young Edwards made a tremendous bound in the +direction of the trees, and was off like an arrow shot from the bow. + +He expected a rattling volley from the Shawanoes, and few who have not +been through the ordeal can understand the sensation which comes over +one when absolutely certain of a demonstration of that kind. To his +amazement, however, not a shot was fired, and he dodged among the trees +unscathed. Puzzled beyond measure to know what it meant, the fugitive +glanced over his shoulder. That which he saw perplexed him for the +moment as much as his immunity from the part of a target. One solitary +Shawanoe warrior had leaped to his feet and started in pursuit. Like a +flash the whole meaning of this act came to Wharton Edwards. + +When the Indians were not so hostile toward the whites as they were at +the time of which we are writing, they occasionally visited the +block-houses and settlements for purposes of barter, and to engage in +friendly contests of skill in shooting, leaping and running. The red men +were so trained from infancy to this kind of amusement that they were +experts, and held their own well against the pioneers, though it is well +known that the Caucasian race, under similar surroundings and +environments, surpasses all others in physical as well as mental +attainments. + +The champion of the settlement was Wharton Edwards, who, despite his +seventeen years, vanquished all contestants. He received the praise of +Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton, who agreed that there was but one +Shawanoe, outside of the unrivalled Deerfoot, who could hold his own +with him. That was the famous warrior Blazing Arrow, who was about +double the age of Wharton, and who claimed to have beaten every one with +whom he struggled for supremacy. + +Following this declaration from such high authority came the natural +desire to see young Edwards and the Shawanoe runner pitted against each +other, and efforts were made to bring about a contest between these +representatives of their respective races. The great difficulty in the +way was that the Shawanoe was one of the most vicious and treacherous of +his tribe. He had committed so many crimes against the whites that he +feared to trust himself in their power, and stubbornly refused to come +to the settlement, despite the assurances of the leading pioneers. + +He was persuaded, however, to venture out of the woods one day, and the +arrangements were quickly made for a race between him and young Edwards. +Before the trial came off some one gave the Shawanoe a draught of +"fire-water," which roused the sleeping devil in him. Whipping out his +knife, he emitted his war-whoop, and charged upon the astonished youth, +with the intention of slaying him. + +Wharton, who naturally had no weapon with him, succeeded in dodging the +miscreant, and before the wrathful settlers could punish him he darted +into the woods with a defiant shout and disappeared. + +The glance which Wharton Edwards now cast to the rear, as he started to +flee, showed him that his single pursuer was Blazing Arrow. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THROUGH THE WOODS. + + +The race between Wharton Edwards and the famous Shawanoe runner, Blazing +Arrow, was to come off at last, but under far different circumstances +than either had ever anticipated. + +The wretch, while under the influence of liquor, had attempted the life +of the youth, and now, when his own natural self, he was determined to +run him down, and to his death. He hated the whole race with a consuming +hatred, and his wrath against this lad was more intense than against any +human being. It was he that had the audacity to think himself worthy of +running a race with him, who had defeated the most renowned runners of +the Wyandots, Pottawatomies, and the adjoining tribes, to say nothing of +his own people. + +The action of the Shawanoes, when young Edwards made his leap of the +chasm, can be understood. The youth's life was spared, where no other +person would have been permitted to live after placing himself in their +power. Blazing Arrow, as well as several of his associates, recognized +the youth the instant they saw his face, and a hurried consultation took +place as to what should be done. + +But for the presence of their champion they would not have permitted him +his slight advantage; but their faith in Blazing Arrow was as complete +as his own, besides which he was one of their leaders. He ordered them +to remain quiet, or rather to devote themselves to bringing down what +whites were near, while he made a little dash and brought back the +fugitive. + +This was how it came about that Wharton Edwards, instead of being +pursued by a score of Shawanoes, started off with but a single warrior +trailing after him. + +But it is noticeable, further, that the same pursuer carried his rifle, +or rather that of the youth; for, with the characteristic refinement of +cruelty, he meant to add this little triumph to his capture of the lad +when he should run him down and smite him to the earth. + +Wharton had no weapon other than his hunting-knife, while his foe took +good care to see that a weapon was at his own command. He was the one +who, if any accident befell himself, would feel pleasure in shooting +down the lad that had never harmed him. + +The sight of Blazing Arrow gave Wharton a knowledge of the situation, +and during the few minutes that he was dodging through the trees he +tried to decide upon the right course to follow. + +They were but a short way from the main trail. This was clearly marked, +although it was travelled so little that in many places the overhanging +limbs interfered with one's passage. He believed he could dash along +this faster than his pursuer, and but for his anxiety about Larry Murphy +he probably would have attempted to do so, but the report of a rifle +which reached his ears a few minutes later deepened his fears and +increased his anxiety. + +If he should put forth all the speed of which he was capable, it was not +likely to surpass that of the Shawanoe, who was accustomed to dodging +among tree trunks. There was little to be gained by speculating at this +stage of the contest, but he concluded to go ahead until the opportunity +was more favorable for turning his own amazing fleetness to account. + +Besides, it should be stated that Wharton was not yet certain that he +could beat Blazing Arrow in a contest of speed. The Indian was a +wonderful runner, and the youth was not certain by any means that the +red man would not overhaul him when the test should take place. + +"At any rate he has got to do the hardest work of his life before he +captures my scalp," muttered the lad, compressing his lips and ducking +under a limb which would have caught under his chin if he had neglected +the precaution. + +He headed for the trail, darting a look behind him now and then to note +their relative speed. As nearly as he could judge, it was about the +same, but as he could not know whether Blazing Arrow was putting forth +his best efforts or not, the knowledge was of little benefit. At the +moment of striking the path, Wharton recalled a fact that had slipped +his mind until then. Less than an eighth of a mile in advance the trail +crossed a natural clearing where, for fully a fourth of a mile, not a +tree or shrub obtruded. Then the two could do their best, and the +question of supremacy would be decided, providing the red man indulged +in no treachery. Blazing Arrow dropped into the path at a point about a +hundred yards behind the fugitive, which was a little more than the +space separating them at the moment of starting. + +It was necessary to keep the advantage he possessed, and to gain all he +could before the plain was reached. If Wharton should prove himself +superior to the Shawanoe, the latter would resort to his rifle, and +either kill him or wound him so that he could not run. If the fugitive +was the inferior, he must fall into the hands of his enemy; so that, no +matter how it eventuated, the situation of the youth was full of peril. + +"I guess I may as well let myself out while I have the chance," the +latter muttered, a moment after striking the trail. + +And Wharton proceeded to "let himself out," while Blazing Arrow, the +Shawanoe, lost no time in doing likewise. + +Wharton's aim was to increase the distance between himself and Blazing +Arrow as much as he possibly could before reaching the clearing, half a +mile wide, where the way was open and the test of speed would be +decisive. + +Within the same moment that he recalled the existence of the clearing he +was dashing along the trail like a terrified deer. This work proved +harder than he anticipated. The obtruding branches swished his face with +smarting violence, and more than one twig cut his forehead and nose like +the lash of a whip. He thrust out his hands to ward these aside, and +they hurt his hands. + +He kept it up, however, for he was now running for life, and what is to +be compared to such a stake? But these obstructions, despite all he +could do, retarded his progress. The alarming truth quickly became +manifest that instead of gaining ground, as he had hoped, he was losing +it. + +"Suppose he can beat me?" was the terrifying thought that almost +paralyzed him for the moment; "but," he added, "he hasn't done it yet!" + +The Shawanoe did not utter any cry, and he was so far to the rear that +Wharton did not hear him as he came along the trail with the grim +certainty of fate. He was a marvellous runner, and he did not mean to +allow the detested youth, whose beard was not yet grown, to get away +from him. + +More than once, while speeding in this fashion, young Edwards asked +himself whether he could elude his enemy by leaping aside or hiding +among the trees. Possibly he might have done it could he have drawn +beyond sight of him for a few minutes only, so that his divergence would +not be seen. But just there lay the difficulty, and he dared not make +the attempt. + +It was a sight that would have tried the nerves of the bravest man when +he looked back and caught a glimpse of the Indian warrior, partly +hidden by the brushing limbs and vegetation, as he sped forward like a +furious animal, and knew it was a mortal enemy that was after him, +impelled by a hatred which nothing but death could quench. + +The fugitive determined that for the time he would not look behind him. +Almost unconsciously to himself, when he did so, he lost a little +ground. + +The straining vision which was now cast forward saw the light made by +the clearing or opening in front. A few more bounds and he struck the +margin of the space, which for half a mile was as free from trees as a +stretch of Western prairie. Here was the place for the supreme test, and +the youth, with a muttered prayer, bent all his energies to the task, +fully alive to the stake at issue. + +Not a breath of air was stirring on this mild summer afternoon, but the +wind created by his arrowy-speed was like a gale as it rushed by his +face and lifted the short auburn hair about his neck until it floated +straight out. The arms were bent at the elbows, the chest thrown +forward, while the shapely limbs worked with the swiftness and grace of +a piece of perfect machinery. The feet doubled in and over each other +with bewildering quickness, there seeming at times to be half a dozen of +them on the ground, in the air, and to the rear at the same time. + +The stride was tremendous. The handsome face of the youth was pale with +an unshakable resolve, and the thin lips were compressed, his breath +coming thick and fast through the nostrils. The hazel eyes gleamed and +the brows were knitted as with a person who means to do or die. + +Ah, that was a race worth travelling many a mile to see! Had Simon +Kenton, or Daniel Boone, or Anthony McClelland, or the Wetzel brothers, +been in that open clearing, they would have stood like statues, wrapt in +admiration and wonder, for never could they have beheld before such a +magnificent exhibition of prowess in the way of speed. + +Every thrilling element was present, for not far to the rear rushed a +six-foot Shawanoe, who, like the youth in advance, strained every muscle +to the highest tension. And he was a frightful object as he ran, for +his face was that of a race-horse. The long coarse locks streamed behind +him like a whipping pennant in a hurricane; and one of the stained +eagle-feathers in the crown was snatched loose and fluttered backward. +The naturally hideous face was made more so by the red and black patches +daubed in fantastic splashes over it. The sinewy chest was bare, but the +fringes of the parti-colored leggings and moccasins flickered and +twinkled in the sunlight as the Shawanoe thundered across the clearing, +his black eyes fixed on the flying figure in front, and his countenance +distorted by a passion his terrible race is so capable of feeling. + +As Blazing Arrow ran, he carried the youth's rifle in his right hand. It +was grasped just in front of the lock, the muzzle pointing ahead, as +though he had but to press the trigger to bring down the fugitive +without a change of aim. The left hand rested on the knife thrust in his +girdle, the position of the two hands suggesting that he was thirsting +to use both weapons upon the lad whom he sought so desperately to run +down. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A MISCALCULATION. + + +The Indian was doing his best. Had the whole tribe been assembled on +that clearing, with eyes fixed on him and urging him on, he could have +done no better. He had run many a race, and, since his manhood, had won +them all. Most were gained by no more than half trying, just as he +expected to gain this one when he ordered his companions to remain +behind in the wood, and leave to him the task of bringing back the white +youth who had the effrontery to appear as a contestant in a trial +against him. + +The expectation of Blazing Arrow was that of running down Wharton +Edwards just before or at the time he entered the wood on the opposite +side of the clearing. Stretching forward his massive hand, he meant to +hurl him from his feet, and then drive him back to where the other +warriors were waiting to subject him to their whimsical torture. + +Yes, Wharton Edwards was destined, in Blazing Arrow's mind, for the +torture. This had been the fierce savage's purpose from the outset, and +it remained as such for a few moments after the two had burst into the +opening. Then a doubt arose, and by the time half the clearing was +thrown behind him the despised youth in front was running faster than he +was. + +The soul of Blazing Arrow must have been humiliated beyond expression +when, despite the most strenuous exertions he could put forth, and the +knowledge that never in all his life had he run with greater speed, that +lithe, graceful youth in front began steadily drawing away from him. + +It was an astounding truth. Wharton Edwards could outrun the champion of +the Shawanoes, and he was doing it with such certainty that neither he +nor his pursuer could fail to see the fact. + +The youth waited till a fourth of the distance was passed, so there +could be no mistake as to the actual test. He had gone that far with +all the strength of which he was capable. He knew that his pursuer had +done the same, so that when he glanced around, the truth as to their +relative speed must be established. + +The result was more striking than he had dared to hope. He had widened +perceptibly the space between them, and was still doing so, even though +his venomous enemy was putting forth the utmost exertions of which he +was capable. + +It can be understood how the discovery thrilled the fugitive, and he can +be pardoned if, even in that trying moment, he felt a touch of regret +that the race between him and the Indian did not take place, as it was +arranged, at the settlement. What a triumph he would have won! + +Nor can he be blamed because in the flush of victory, and with the +belief that the real danger was past, he deliberately snatched off his +cap, swung it above his head, and uttered a shout of exultation. It was +only human nature, and you or I would have done the same had we been in +his place. + +The cry was wormwood and gall to Blazing Arrow, and deep must have been +his regret that at the time when, seized with drunken frenzy, he made +for the lad, he did not finish him. Had he done so, the Shawanoe would +have been saved this humiliation. + +Why did not the pursuer stop short and bring his rifle into play? He was +a good marksman, and the distance was not enough to require any special +skill on his part. Doubtless the dusky miscreant was influenced by +several reasons, one of which was the loss of ground he would sustain. +Then, too, a man who has been using his muscles so fiercely is not in +the best condition to aim a rifle accurately. Furthermore, it is not +impossible that the Shawanoe believed that the youth was unable to +maintain his astounding speed. He must soon slacken it, and then the +Indian champion would take revenge for this temporary defeat. Wharton +feared an attempt to shoot him, and he continued his prodigious +exertion, since there was every inducement to increase the gain he had +made, and the sheltering wood was now but a short way in advance. He +glanced back a couple of times, and then threw his thoughts forward, for +he recalled that he was confronted by a peculiar condition of things. + +Immediately after entering the forest again, the trail made what may be +described as a horseshoe curve. A deep, wooded ravine interposing in +front necessitated a looping of the path. The circuit was a furlong in +length, the trail coming back to within a few rods of the first turn. +Standing at this point, one could see the slightly ascending course on +the side of the narrow ravine, and a man or animal walking up the gentle +incline was in view of any one at the beginning of the curve. + +It will be understood, therefore, that if Blazing Arrow should halt at +this point the instant he reached it, and the youth should keep to the +trail, the latter would come directly under the muzzle of his own rifle, +in the hands of his implacable enemy. + +But Wharton Edwards was not the one to throw away an advantage gained by +a display of speed such as it is safe to say no other living person +could have made. It would have been idiotic to do so when no necessity +existed. + +Several ways of escape presented themselves. He could leave the trail at +the lower point of the loop, not returning to it until well beyond sight +of his enemy, or possibly he could leap across the gorge, as he had done +in the case of the torrent, and thus not sacrifice any ground. + +It was this step which he revolved in his mind while dashing across the +last fourth of the narrow plain, but a single fact restrained him; he +doubted his ability to make a successful leap. Although he had been over +the path several times, and might be considered familiar with it, he had +never studied it closely enough to settle the question without another +inspection, and there was not a minute to spare for making that. + +If he could make the leap it would be a great gain; if he should fail, +the disaster would be irreparable, for among the wood, brush and +undergrowth he could neither conceal himself nor travel as fast as the +Shawanoe, who would quickly have him at his mercy. The risk was too +great to incur, and he decided not to take it. He did a thing, on the +contrary, which was like an inspiration. Making the short turn, he ran a +few rods, when he glanced toward the plain. Blazing Arrow was invisible, +and would remain so for several minutes, despite the speed with which he +was approaching. + +The youth made a powerful leap aside from the path, and dodged behind +the trunk of an oak large enough to shelter his body. Then he stood +panting, alert and watchful, awaiting the coming of his enemy. He saw +him a minute later, through the trees, running with undiminished speed, +and like an engine that was absolutely tireless. The Shawanoe was more +familiar with the course of the trail than the youth, and therefore knew +of its looping, which had puzzled the latter for a few brief moments. +The course adopted by the Shawanoe was peculiar, and for a time assumed +an almost ludicrous phase. + +The quick glance which he cast down the path failed to show him the +fugitive, who he must have supposed was still running over it and would +speedily reappear as he rushed up the incline. By leaping the ravine he +would head him off and have him at his mercy. + +The pursuer decided to adopt this course, and with only a slight +slackening of pace he dashed toward the gorge; but when almost on the +brink he must have concluded the chances of success were against him, +and he changed his mind. But he did not succeed in changing the course +of his body, as he meant to do. He would not have failed had the bank of +the ravine been as firm as he supposed it was. He checked himself with +the skill of an experienced runner; but the ground gave way, and despite +everything he could do he went floundering, scrambling and struggling to +the bottom of the ravine, which was almost perpendicular and fully +thirty feet deep. + +Had he given less attention to the effort to save himself and looked +where he was going it would have been better; for, as it was, although +the fall was considerable, it was so broken that it would have amounted +to little had not his head come in collision with the base of one of +the trees growing in the bottom of the gorge. The impact was violent, +and must have jarred the tree. It jarred Blazing Arrow to that extent +that he tumbled over on his back senseless. + +Wharton Edwards was watching matters like a cat waiting for a mouse. +When he saw the Shawanoe disappearing he ran cautiously forward from his +hiding-place, and, not forgetting to screen himself, peeped over the +edge of the ravine. + +"I'm afraid he hasn't broken his neck," he muttered, as he noted the +shock the other had received, "though that crack against the trunk of +the tree was enough to kill anyone." + +This unlooked-for incident insured the safety of the fugitive, who, if +he chose, could have continued his flight to the block-house; but two +considerations led him to take a different course. He could not desert +Larry Murphy, who, beyond all question, was in imminent peril, and he +disliked beyond expression to lose his rifle, which was a birthday gift +from his father, and a superior piece of workmanship. It was this act +that led him to attempt a feat worthy of Simon Kenton himself. + +Leaping lightly from the edge of the ravine, he grasped the branches of +a tree near at hand. It bent low with his weight and broke; but he +seized another, and that also, after dipping downward, gave way and let +him fall. By that time he was so near the ground that he dropped lightly +to his feet. He paused and glanced at Blazing Arrow lying outstretched +on his back, with his face upturned, as if he were dead. But he was not; +he was only senseless. + +"If he will only stay that way for a few minutes I shall be all right; +but if he awakes----" + +Aye, if he awoke, what vengeance he would take on the youth who dared +not only to beat him at running, but to steal like a beast of prey upon +him! + +But young Edwards had determined upon his line of action, and it was now +too late to turn back. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A CHECK. + + +It was characteristic of Larry Murphy and Wharton Edwards that each +should hasten to risk his own life for the other. + +When the latter made his leap across the chasm, through which the water +rushed, with his rifle that had been left there, he had no thought of +the peril in which he placed himself. Had he turned on the instant, or +sprang back to the bluff he had just left, he would have had a +companion, with a good weapon between them, even though he possessed no +gun himself. + +But that would have placed the Irish lad in the extremity of peril, as +Wharton well knew, and he determined to face the danger alone, reasoning +that it was useless to involve both as long as it could be prevented. + +The earnestness of Wharton caused Larry to withdraw from the gorge +until he was among the trees beyond, when he halted for a moment, and, +reflecting on the situation, read the purpose of his friend. + +"I see through the trick," he muttered, angry with himself that he had +been duped even for a few moments, "and it won't work on me. Larry +Murphy isn't to be left out of this business." + +It was all well enough to form this resolution, but the youth was +confronted by the query as to how his friend was to receive any +practical benefit from his efforts. Peering from the trees in the +direction of the gorge, he saw nothing of him, nor of the Indians who he +was sure were there. + +Nothing would have pleased Larry more that to repeat the performance of +Wharton, and thereby place himself on the other side of the gorge; but +he saw no way of doing it without a fatal delay. It was utterly beyond +his power to make the leap which was so easy for the other. He knew that +if he attempted it he would plump down into the torrent and go over the +falls again, unless he swam out, as did the bear, on the same side from +which he entered. + +There was no break in the bluffs across stream by which one could climb +out above the falls, so that the only feasible way open to him to reach +Wharton was by swimming the torrent below the falls. That, as we have +said, involved a delay which, under the circumstances, was fatal to all +chance of giving his friend any practical help. But Larry could not +stand idle. In the blind hope of doing something, he hurried down stream +and approached it again at the point where he had entered it before, and +whence the bear had emerged. + +It was as he feared. He might as well have tried to climb the smooth +face of a perpendicular wall as to leave the torrent at any point above +the falls, to say nothing of the danger of being swept over the latter. + +A slight bend in the stream enabled him to discern the spot where +Wharton had landed when he made his leap. He was looking fixedly in that +direction, hoping he would reappear, when a Shawanoe Indian came into +view and paused on the brink of the gorge. + +He held his rifle in one hand and was in war paint. He seemed to be +looking at the water and the other bluff, as though measuring the +distance preparatory to leaping the chasm. This indicated that the red +man knew, or suspected, that another was near at hand, and on the other +side of the stream. + +The leap was a good one, even for a trained warrior, and when this one +made up his mind to attempt it, he stepped back several paces in order +to gain the necessary momentum. When he paused, only the top of his head +was visible to the watchful Larry, who knew very well what he intended +to do. + +The Shawanoe suddenly ran the short distance, and made the leap with the +ease shown by Wharton Edwards a short time before. + +At the moment the crouching form was in mid-air, with limbs drawn +together and muscles set, the rifle dropped from his grasp, his arms +went upward with a wild cry that rose above the waters, and his body, +landing on the edge of the bluff, rolled back in the torrent and +instantly sank out of sight. + +"I can jump the stream myself. I don't maan that such spalpeens as ye +shall have the chance of doing the same," muttered Larry, stepping back +several paces and reloading his gun with the utmost haste. + +None knew better than he that the occurrence would stir up matters among +the Indians on the other side, and he would have been a zany to invite a +return shot by remaining a fair view to those who would investigate the +matter offhand. + +Had he possessed one of the modern breech-loaders and repeating rifles, +he might have secured a good position and held half a hundred Indians at +bay; but with his clumsy though excellent weapon he could not hope to +maintain his ground for any length of time. + +The moment his gun was ready he cautiously advanced to the edge of the +stream and peered around the rocks. There was no warrior in sight, but +he was shrewd enough to allow his vision to roam along the bluff on the +other side down to the falls themselves. + +So far as he could judge, no one was near. A dark body, however, caught +his eye in the water itself. It was going over the falls, a limp and +inert mass, which he was quick to recognize, and at which he cast but a +single glance. + +But the youth was not left long in suspense. His keen eyes were roving +along the edge of the other bluff, which was sharply outlined against +the blue sky, when a small protuberance suddenly appeared at the very +point on which his eyes happened to rest. + +"It's anither of 'em," was his thought, as he screened himself so far as +he could behind the ledge of rocks and brought his rifle to a level; +"when his head rises high enough I'll plug him in the eye. Whisht now!" + +The Indian was cunning. Instead of bringing his crown into sight, it +sank out of sight again. + +Larry was standing with his gaze centred on the point where he had just +seen the object, his gun loaded and ready to fire the instant a fair +target was presented, when it shot up like a jack-in-the-box a dozen +feet to one side, immediately dropping out of view again. + +The movement was so quick that the painted face had appeared and +vanished before Larry could shift his aim. + +The Shawanoe must have known that some one was awaiting a favorable +chance to serve him as the warrior was served who attempted to leap the +gorge. + +"It saams to me," growled the disappointed Larry, "that every one I'm +getting acquainted wid is up to some of his tricks. Why couldn't that +spalpeen have showed himself where he made me expect him? It would be +just like some of 'em to sneak across above or below, where I can't head +'em off. I wonder what's become of Whart?" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A CHAT. + + +It was like approaching a sleeping tiger, likely at any moment to bound +to his feet and rend the helpless victim, and Wharton Edwards, despite +his well-proved courage, felt a misgiving as he drew near the terrible +Shawanoe. + +Blazing Arrow in falling held the rifle fast so long as his senses +remained with him; but when he came near splitting the tree trunk with +his head, the weapon flew several feet away. This happened to be the +side farthest from Wharton, who, therefore, was forced to walk around +him in order to secure the gun. + +Everything depended on promptness; and when Wharton found himself within +a few paces--too close to retreat--he took several quick leaps, and +bending over, snatched up the weapon from where it lay on the ground. + +Words cannot picture the relief that came to him when his hands closed +about his beloved rifle, and he knew that, from fleeing in terror before +the fierce Shawanoe, he was now his master. He could not only defy his +wrath, but Blazing Arrow was at his mercy. + +Quickly as all this took place, Wharton was not a second too soon. At +the moment of stepping back and looking at the Shawanoe, the latter +began rallying from the shock that had held him senseless for a briefer +period than seemed to be the case. Doubtless he suffered a good deal of +pain from the accident, but he was too stoical to show it. He moved +uneasily, muttered something in his own tongue, and then came to a +sitting posture with such suddenness that the startled youth recoiled +several paces and grasped the weapon more firmly than before. + +The painted face was like that of a demon, as the Indian, fully +understanding what had taken place, sat for a few seconds glaring at the +youth, ten feet away, unable to speak, perhaps because of his +overflowing wrath, but emitting a serpent-like hissing between his +teeth, as if in warning of the blow he was about to strike. + +The law of the frontier would have justified young Edwards in sending a +bullet through the one that had sought his life. Perhaps few would have +condemned him if he had fired when Blazing Arrow's face assumed the +expression of hatred which is beyond description; but the lad, despite +his training, could never have condoned such an act, now that his life +was in no danger. + +Recalling that the Shawanoe spoke English tolerably well, Wharton, +holding his rifle ready for instant use, addressed him: + +"Are you much hurt, Blazing Arrow?" + +"Yes--much hurt--can't walk--can't stand." + +Had the wily red man been less prompt with his reply he might have +deceived the youth. The latter could feel no pity for him, even though +he knew he was suffering, but there was an eagerness in his manner which +convinced Wharton that he was shamming, and was not injured to such an +extent as to be unable to help himself. + +Blazing Arrow spoilt everything by adding, before the other could make +response: + +"Help Shawanoe up--maybe he den walk," and he reached out his hand +toward the boy. + +"I rather guess not," replied Wharton, with a faint smile and a meaning +shake of his head; "if you can't rise to your feet you can stay there, +for all I care." + +"Help little bit," persisted the Shawanoe, making what seemed to be a +futile effort, and sinking back with one hand still extended, as though +he were a child. + +"No, sir," replied the youth more emphatically, "I wouldn't trust you, +Shawanoe." + +"No speak lie--Blazing Arrow no double tongue." + +"You have always had a double tongue; you have always spoken lies. Was +it not you who tried to kill me when we were about to run a race?" + +"Shawanoe drink fire-water--didn't know nuffin'." + +"You knew enough to run off in the woods before my friends could punish +you. Why have you chased me so far to-day?" + +"Want to catch you," replied the warrior frankly, evidently perceiving +that this was an occasion in which truth would serve better than +falsehood. + +"What hindered you from catching me?" + +"Brudder run faster dan Shawanoe." + +"Did you run as fast as you could?" + +"Yes--run hard--run like thunder--brudder much run--beat deer--beat +antelope." + +"Then I can beat you?" asked Wharton with a meaning look at the subtle +miscreant, who nodded his head with great vigor as he made reply: + +"Yes--beat Shawanoe--run faster--much more run." + +If Blazing Arrow hoped by "acknowledging the corn" in this fashion to +win the confidence of the youth he was mistaken. He could afford to own +up when the only one that heard him was his conqueror. Little fear of +his ever making the confession to his own people. + +"That's the first truth you have told in a long time. What would you +have done to me if you had outrun and captured me?" + +"Take back to Shawanoes." + +"And what then?" + +"Run race wid me." + +"Suppose I had beaten you?" + +"Den get away--like do now. No hurt brudder." + +Wharton little doubted that such a chase would have been arranged, with +the difference that no possible escape would have been left for him. + +"If I had outrun you would I have been allowed to go free?" + +"Yes--dat so--ugh!--yes." + +"Well, being that I have just outrun you, I will keep a good distance +between you and me." + +And thereupon Wharton turned about and began walking along the ravine +toward the point whence he came. As he did so he partly turned his head, +so as to keep the wretch in his field of vision; he knew better than to +trust him, even to the smallest degree. He half expected to see him leap +to his feet and dash after him, but the wily warrior remained seated +until the intervening trees shut him from sight. Wharton hurried along +the ravine, and curved again and came back before he struck a place +which permitted him to climb out. He did so, however, with little +difficulty, and, reaching the path once more, began retracing his steps +to the clearing, across which he had run with such great speed. + +This brought him to the spot where Blazing Arrow had met with his +mishap. Stealing carefully forward, Wharton peered over. To his +astonishment the Shawanoe was not in sight; he had disappeared as +utterly as though he had never been. At the same moment the youth made +another and more astounding discovery. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +TURNING BACK. + + +It is singular how, in the most critical moments, certain thoughts will +obtrude themselves. While Wharton Edwards was peering over the ravine +and wondering whither Blazing Arrow had vanished, a sudden suspicion +caused him to raise his rifle and examine its lock. + +There was not a grain of powder in the pan and no charge in the barrel. +All the time that it had been in the hands of the Shawanoe and himself +it was as useless as a stick. It seemed incredible that such should have +been the fact, and yet here was the evidence before his own eyes. + +What was equally apparent and more astonishing was that Blazing Arrow +must have been unsuspicious of the truth. The youth had not reloaded the +weapon after firing the last time, and it was, therefore, empty when he +flung it across the ravine preparatory to making his leap. It had been +picked up by the runner, who failed, in the excitement, to notice the +oversight, taking it for granted that it was ready for use. In the rush +of the pursuit he had no chance of examining it, and when he recovered +his senses the gun was in the hands of its owner. + +But had the Shawanoe known the truth, when the lad stood within a few +paces defying him, his pretended weakness would have gone in a flash, +and, bounding to his feet, he would have leaped upon his conqueror like +a panther. + +"That's the strangest thing I ever knew," exclaimed Wharton, with a +shudder at his inexplicable escape; "I can't understand how he and I +missed seeing it." + +When it is remembered that the fact of an old-fashioned flintlock being +unloaded is perceptible at a glance, the feature of the mistake is the +more remarkable. + +The discovery threw the youth into something of a panic. He felt as if +the venomous old man was about to assail him from among the trees, and, +with a quick glance around, made desperate haste to reload the gun. Not +until the ball was rammed down the barrel and the powder was in the pan +did he breathe freely. + +"There!" he exclaimed, drawing a sigh of relief, "when I make that +blunder again I deserve to be shot, but the laugh is on Blazing Arrow +more than on me." + +Now that he had a trusty weapon in his possession, and the Shawanoe had +none, the situation of the latter was like that of a wild beast and a +marksman. Could the beast leap unawares upon the marksman he could +overcome him, but the latter had only to maintain his watchfulness. + +Had Blazing Arrow rushed toward the lad after he had found his gun was +empty, and before he reloaded it, Wharton's only resource would have +been to take again to his heels; for, active and athletic as he was, he +could not possibly be a match for the powerful, full-grown warrior, and +it would have been foolhardy on his part to take any such risk. + +The disappearance of the Shawanoe during the brief absence of Wharton +was proof that the wily wretch was shamming. His fall had given him a +severe shock, but no bones were broken; and had the youth heeded the +request to help him to rise he would have snatched him off his feet in a +twinkling and had him at his mercy. + +Whither had he gone? The dread that he might be stealing among the trees +in the effort to surprise him caused young Edwards to make a hasty +withdrawal from the wood to the open plain which had been the scene of +the severest race of his life. + +When he stood clear of the trees, and beyond reach of any sudden +surprise, he breathed freely for the first time. + +"Now let him come, if he wants to. I can outrun him anyway, but I don't +run any more races," added Wharton, glancing down at his gun. + +The Shawanoe, who was doubtless glaring at him from some point of +concealment, must have relied upon cunning to outwit his victim. + +"I wonder what sort of yarn he will tell his people when he goes back?" +mused Wharton. "How will he account for his failure to capture me, and +what explanation will he give for the loss of my gun? I suppose he will +say he concluded to shoot me, and broke it over my head and flung it +away. But if I come out of this trouble they will learn the truth some +day." + +Not forgetting to be on his guard against his foe, the lad walked slowly +across the clearing, taking the back trail. He was considering the best +thing to do. But for Larry Murphy, he would have made all haste in the +opposite direction. The block-house was almost twenty miles away, and +this flurry had delayed the couple so long that there was no time to +spare. Wharton's parents would become anxious and set out to meet the +boys. If they should become involved with these Indians, direful +consequences were likely to follow. + +But Wharton could not desert his comrade. He was a mile or two away, +near the main party of warriors, and Providence alone could prevent his +falling into their hands. Larry would naturally suppose that his friend +was not far from him, and it would be just like the fellow to run into +the worst sort of peril in the hope of doing him service. + +"I must get back to him as soon as I can. If he could only know how +fortunate I have been it would be easy for him to steal around the whole +party and join me here. Then we could do some fast travelling, and be at +the block-house before sunrise to-morrow." + +Since, however, such a state of affairs was out of the question, Wharton +had only to face matters as they were. + +One ground for hope cheered him. The sultry summer afternoon was drawing +to a close, and night was at hand. He could manoeuvre in the darkness +much better than when the sun was shining. He and the Irish lad had a +system of calls and signals by which they communicated when within +hearing distance of each other. He could fall back on this when darkness +fell. + +With his controlling wish there was but one thing for him to do; that +was to make his way with the utmost care to the region of the falls, +where he had parted from Larry. If his comrade had been wise enough to +keep out of the hands of the Shawanoes he was hopeful of opening +communication with him. A few more hours must decide the question. + +He increased his pace. When he reached the wood on the opposite side of +the plain it was twilight. He walked rapidly, as though in a hurry, but +after going far enough to be beyond sight he came stealthily back and +looked toward the point where he had reloaded his gun. As he did so he +caught the outlines of a figure in the dim light steadily approaching, +and he knew it was Blazing Arrow, the Shawanoe. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +GROPING IN THE DARK. + + +Larry Murphy, after his daring check of the Shawanoes in their attempt +to leap the torrent, was sufficiently wise to see that it would not do +for him to remain where he was. The red men had located the dangerous +marksman, and would soon gain access to him. + +If they chose, they could swim the stream below, as he had done, and +there must be other points above where the walls approached near enough +to allow them to jump across. If two or three succeeded in getting to +the rear of his position (and what was to prevent it?) he would be +caught inextricably in a trap. + +"I wonder what's become of Whart? What could he do without me? He's +always getting into trouble, and it's the bother of me life getting him +out again. I ought to be with him now." + +Nothing was clearer than that before he could do any more service for +his friend, or even learn his situation, he must place himself on the +other side of the torrent. He could do this by swimming, as before, but +he shrank from repeating the performance. The Shawanoes were likely to +watch for such an attempt, and he would be in a bad situation if +discovered in the water. + +He believed, too, that at no distant point up stream there was some +place where the passage could be made quickly and without danger; he +decided to find out if such was the case. + +"I hope Whart won't do anything rash," he mused, picking his way with no +little skill and with the utmost care, "but he needs me with him all the +time. With all the speed he owns, if he only made a break for the +block-house, he'd be there in an hour or two; but it's just like him not +to think of that, and if he did, mor'n likely the Indians would object." + +A hundred yards above the point where young Edwards had leaped the +torrent, Larry began working his way back to it. It would have been a +most fortunate thing had he arrived somewhat sooner, for then he would +have seen his friend starting on his memorable race with Blazing Arrow. +The chance of bringing down the vicious Shawanoe by a shot from the rear +would have been so inviting that it is more than probable that the youth +would have nipped the contest in the bud. But, had he not done so, he +would have gained the information that would have changed his own line +of action, and the whole course of succeeding events. + +But the torrent was wider than below, and not even Wharton Edwards would +have been able to leap it. Larry was careful to keep out of sight, and +withdrawing again from the bank, he cautiously made his way up stream, +on the watch for some place to cross. + +"I wonder whether any of them have got over yet?" he muttered, feeling +each step of the way; "they're sharp enough to follow me tracks where I +haven't stepped on the stones--whisht!" + +He stopped short, for he had heard something moving slowly among the +undergrowth ahead. + +"Some of them have come back----" + +Instead of a Shawanoe warrior, the bulky form of an immense bear came +into sight. + +"And so ye want to mix in this business?" was the thought of the lad on +identifying the animal. "I'm sure neither Whart nor me would have any +objections if you would only turn your attention to them that is making +us so much bother." + +He surveyed the lumbering creature a minute or two, strongly tempted to +give him a shot. He would have fired, but the report of the gun would be +heard by the Shawanoes, some of whom could not be far off. The falls +were so distant that the sound was but a faint roar in his ears. + +The bear did not seem to be looking for large boys just then, and, after +lumbering into sight, disappeared among the vegetation, which was rank +in that section. He showed no sign of suspecting that one of his natural +enemies was so near. Had he known it, doubtless he would have given him +attention. + +In the effort to find a place where the stream could be crossed, Larry +pushed on, never forgetting that he was in continual danger from the +Shawanoes. The day was waning, and night was not far off. + +"If I don't strike the right sort of spot," he concluded, "by the time +night is here, I'll find a place where I can swim from one bank to the +other. Halloo!" A dark object on the ground a short distance in advance +caught his eye. Stooping down, he found to his delight it was his lost +cap, doubtless carried thither by this same bear. + +It will be remembered that the torrent to which we have made reference +so often was not crossed by the trail leading from the settlement to the +block-house, although the two approached quite closely at several +points. The winding course of the path was mainly with the object of +avoiding a passage over the stream. The boys, therefore, knew little +about it, and the slight journey Larry Murphy was making was in the +nature of an exploration. + +When he was about ready to give up hope of finding a method of crossing +other than by swimming, a surprise greeted him. The high banks not only +drew near together, but they were bridged by a fallen tree, whose base +was several feet away from the edge of the other shore. The branches +rested on the ground near the feet of the astonished youth, who felt +like throwing off his hat with delight. + +"If I ever meet the gintleman that felled that tree for me, I'll give +him me heartfilt thanks." + +Larry would have been pleased had the trunk been larger; not that it +lacked strength, but it would have been much easier to walk it, for it +is no light task to pick one's way along a comparative sapling, +especially when a deep, rapid stream is sweeping beneath. + +By this time the sun had set and the light was growing dim in the woods. +He stood back just beyond the dead branches and meditatively scratched +his head. He knew that in all probability the tree had fallen in this +position of its own accord, and perhaps never had served as a bridge; +but, if so, it was because the occasion did not arise, since nothing +could be more opportune. + +"I'm wondering whether I'm equal to the job," he added, still scratching +his scrubby hair. "If I step off I'll have to go over the falls, unless +I crawl out at the one spot, and I'm likely to miss that. If the sun was +shining it would be easy enough, and I guess maybe I can do it as it +is." + +This was a case where it was idle to delay. He therefore fastened his +rifle in the usual way behind his back, so as to leave his arms free, +for more than likely he would need them before reaching the opposite +side. + +"There won't be much use of saving mesilf without the gun, so we'll hang +together or go down, if we must, with our colors flying." + +He placed his foot on the upper part of the trunk, just beyond where the +first branch appeared, and tested it. So far as he could tell, it was +sufficiently strong to bear ten times his weight. + +He now advanced inch by inch, but had gone less than a fourth of the +distance when he found that his rifle was balanced in such a way behind +his shoulder that it was unsteady, and liable to throw him at any +moment. + +It was delicate and dangerous to retreat, but he did it, slowly +struggling until he was so near the shore from which he started that he +was able to turn quickly and leap to the solid ground. + +He took several minutes to adjust his weapon, for the slight trial he +had made taught him it would be exceedingly perilous for him to run any +sort of risk. It would be all he could do to get across under the most +favorable circumstances. + +In the gathering gloom, when everything was in readiness, he placed his +foot on the narrow portion of the trunk and prepared to repeat the +attempt, but at the very moment of doing so he made the discovery that +some one else had started to cross from the other side. + +Larry Murphy learned the truth in the nick of time. Ten seconds later +and he would have been on the trunk at the same moment as the other, and +an advance by both must have caused them to meet over the middle of the +stream. + +As it was, Larry was uncertain whether he had been seen, or whether it +was a man or animal that was approaching. The doubt, however, lasted but +a second, when out from the gloom advanced a Shawanoe warrior, who came +along the narrow bridge with the deliberate certainty of a Blondin. No +fear of _his_ making a misstep. + +This of itself told the youth that the Indian had not seen him, for, if +he had, nothing would have been more foolhardy than thus to place +himself at the mercy of the one who a short time before had shown his +nerve and marksmanship under more difficult circumstances. + +But for the displacement of his rifle, Larry Murphy would have walked +into the arms of the red man. As it was, he had missed doing so, or at +least had missed discovery, by the narrowest margin conceivable. + +With the coolness and cleverness of a veteran the lad moved back among +the denser gloom of the trees, where he was confident no one could see +him unless close enough to touch his person. Then he paused and watched +proceedings. Hardly had the sun sunk below the horizon when the round +full moon gave out its light, flooding wood and stream with radiance. It +was the moonlight that revealed the sinewy figure to the watcher in the +darkness. + +Larry could not but admire the surefootedness of the red man, who never +stepped off the trunk until standing over solid earth. Then he turned +about and faced the side from which he had come. He was so close to the +edge of the gorge that he was still revealed in the moonlight. + +The temptation was strong to give him a quick shove into the water, +leaving him to get out the best way he could; but before the youth could +act upon his mischievous suggestion a second Indian emerged from the +gloom and carefully crossed the primitive bridge used by his +predecessor. + +"What does all this mean?" Larry asked himself. "Is the whole party +coming over one by one? It may be that they will bring Whart with them. +Halloo!" + +A third Shawanoe crossed, but no more. The three stood for several +minutes so close to the youth that but for the noise of the torrent he +would have been sure of betrayal through the throbbing of his heart. + +There was a moment when he believed they had seen him from the first, +and intended to turn like lightning upon him. In case they did so he +meant to make a rush, with the hope of forcing them into the river. + +The red men remained but a few minutes, however, when they disappeared +as silently as phantoms. Whither they had gone, or what their business +was and why three of them had come from the other side, were questions +beyond the solution of the puzzled lad, who was certain that he had +never stumbled into such a mixed condition of affairs. + +He waited a long time, fearful of venturing to walk over the trunk, lest +he might meet others. When that did not take place, the likelihood of +there being more of the Shawanoes in the vicinity, who would be quick to +detect his approach, was not lessened. + +It looked to Larry as though the three had come over to look for him, +though why they should expect to find him in the darkness was hard to +understand. If the sun were in the sky there would be ground for their +hope of outwitting him. The fact remained that, so far as he knew, young +Edwards was still on the other side of the torrent, and his friend could +not hope to do him any service so long as they were thus separated. + +"I must git across and put mesilf in such a position that he can lean on +me, but I'm thinking it won't be the best thing to try it at this place, +where so many may observe me." + +It was only ordinary prudence that led Larry Murphy to make this +decision. Brave as he was, and often so to the verge of recklessness, he +was not the sort of person to run into danger unnecessarily. While it +was not to be expected that he would find any more bridges to use in +crossing the stream, there was reason to look for such a narrowing of +the banks that he could make the leap, and he set out once more to find +the spot. + +To his disappointment the ground over which he was obliged to make his +way changed for the worse. It became so broken that it was impossible in +some places to progress without making detours that led him a +considerable distance from the stream. As there was no saying whether or +not these diversions were not at the very places where the water could +be leaped, he was in anything but an agreeable frame of mind. This was +not decreased when he suddenly tumbled down a cavity deep enough to +bruise him severely. + +His efforts to save himself where his eyes gave no help probably made +the mistake worse. + +"I'm thankful that I'm alive," was his honest thought when able to pull +himself together. "I've had the best luck--whisht!" + +At that moment he became aware that he was not alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN A CORNER. + + +Larry Murphy's first thought, when he found he had stumbled into +something in the nature of a cave, was that it might serve him as a +refuge or a fort in the impending fight with the Shawanoes, who were +certainly beginning to crowd him hard. + +The night being fully come, his eyes were of little use, but the sense +of feeling told him that he had stumbled down an abrupt incline, perhaps +a rod in length, and into a cavern in the rocks, of whose extent he +could form no idea. It might be only a few feet, or it might extend +backward or to the right or left until its ramifications equalled those +of the Mammoth Cave, afterwards discovered at no great distance from +that very spot. + +He was debating the question with himself when a figure appeared at the +head of the short incline down which he had stumbled. There was just +enough arrowy moonlight reaching that portion of the rocks for him to +identify the huge, lumbering mass as that of an immense bear. + +He had his rifle at his shoulder, with the intention of letting fly at +him as he came head on, when the thought that the Shawanoes were so near +that they would hear the report caused him to hesitate. If they were +near enough to appear before he could get away he would be in a bad fix, +knowing nothing of the cave, and with no chance to get food or water. + +Still, he could not stand still and allow the brute to make a supper +upon him, and, plucky as he was, he had no wish to fight him alone with +his hunting-knife. + +He thought and acted quickly. He resolutely walked backward several +paces in the cave at the risk of breaking his neck. His extended hands +told him that the space was wide, and he moved silently to the right, so +as to be out of the path of the animal, provided he followed anything +like a direct course. + +The enormous beast swung along in his heavy fashion, and was in the act +of entering the cavern, when he stopped, emitting a grunting snort, and +abruptly withdrew. He had scented something wrong, and did not intend to +rush headlong into danger. + +The act of the bear disconcerted Larry for a moment. Standing within the +cavern, he could have fired his gun with little risk of the report being +heard outside. That was one of his motives in retreating, willing to let +the animal alone if he would be equally considerate, but not afraid to +fire the moment it was necessary. + +But bruin not only withdrew from the entrance to the cavern, but +clambered up the incline to a point where he could not be seen by the +youth. The discovery on his part that some intruder was in his home had +doubtless decided him to have it out in the open air rather than in the +dark. + +This was a wise proceeding on the part of the animal, which is rarely +capable of anything of that nature, and it outwitted the Irish lad--an +exploit not often achieved by others. + +He could not leave the cavern without following the bear up the incline +and bringing about a collision, for he was certain the beast was lurking +near, with the intention of attacking him. + +After some delay he moved softly toward the opening of the cavern to +gain a view of the exterior, which was faintly lit up in places by the +moonlight. He could see nothing, and he hesitated to venture out through +fear that, despite its size, the bear would pounce upon him before he +could defend himself. + +The brave youth, however, fully understood his grave situation. So long +as he remained within the cavern he might as well be a thousand miles +away for all the help he could give his friend. Instead of assisting +Wharton Edwards, he was in need of assistance himself. + +Knowing the patience with which most wild animals will await the descent +of treed game, he believed this bear would remain on the outside through +the night, and perhaps a portion of the next day, with the probability +that even then the prisoner would have to make a fight of it before he +could get away. This was more than Larry could stand, and he did not +mean to wait. + +If the bear was really lying on the outside, he was not so near the top +of the incline that the youth did not have some chance of eluding him +without firing a gun. + +Furthermore, if he was obliged to discharge his rifle, it was by no +means likely that any of the Shawanoes were so close that they could +rush to the spot before he would have the opportunity of getting away. +He had already stood within an arm's reach of them, as may be said, +without discovery; and, although that was because they had no suspicion +of the fact, yet the favoring night, it would seem, ought to give him +all the hope he could ask. + +"At any rate," he concluded, "I've stayed here as long as I intend to, +and now I'll take my departure." + +Larry Murphy, having decided on his course of action, followed it out +with his usual promptness. With his rifle grasped in his right hand, and +his body slightly crouching, he began climbing the incline which led to +the level ground above. This was so steep that when he stumbled at the +top in the first place, he rolled all the way to the bottom, but with +care he could go up or down without falling. + +The stillness was profound--the sound of the falls being dull and faint, +as though they were miles distant in the depth of the wilderness. Though +the fierce Shawanoes were prowling in the darkness among the trees, not +a rustling leaf betrayed their presence. + +Near the top of the slope he sank on his hands and knees and advanced +inch by inch. The bear, as we have stated, is not famous for his +sagacity, but at times he shows a remarkable cunning, and this specimen +was not likely to let his supper walk away without causing some trouble. + +As the lad's head came to a level with the surface he crouched still +lower and advanced a little farther. This gave him the "purchase" he +wanted. Then, sitting on his heels, he brought his gun around to the +front, the hammer up, and the weapon held with both hands. In this +position it could be fired the instant needed. + +He now slowly raised his head and peered intently in all directions. His +height was sufficient to allow him to see all about him, but the intense +gloom rendered his eyes almost useless. It was impossible for him to +identify any object. + +Fancying that he might be able to detect bruin's breathing in the +stillness, he listened for a few seconds, but was unable to hear +anything. He was now on the threshold, as may be said, and it was +useless to wait longer. + +He assumed the upright position, stepped away from the incline for +several paces, and then stopped. He meant to do this with a certain +dignity, and fully expected that it would compel the bear to uncover +himself so that he would know where to fire. + +He began his effort well, but in the darkness he could not observe the +obstructions in his way; so, when at his most dignified point, an +obtruding bowlder sent him sprawling over it. + +He was not hurt, and when he pulled himself together, and, with his +weapon ready, stared about in the gloom, he not only saw but heard +nothing. + +And then the odd truth dawned upon him. There was no bear near, and had +not been for some time past. + +The animal, after his hurried retreat up the incline, on discovering the +intruder in his home, had not lain down to pounce upon him as he came +forth, as that intruder suspected, but had lumbered off into the woods, +apparently as anxious to get away from the young hunter as the latter +was too keep out of his reach. + +Larry had waited a long time in the cavern before making this venture, +and naturally he was chagrined on learning the truth. + +"It's a big lot of valuable time wasted," he muttered. + +He was now once more free to do as he chose, but without any clear idea +of what course to take. His whole anxiety was to find his friend, +Wharton Edwards, and give him what help he could, if he stood in need of +it, but where to look for him he knew no more than the earth's +satellite. + +Ah! through the cool hush of the summer night a soft, almost inaudible +sound reached him. It was the faint, tremulous cooing of the wild dove, +but so low, timid, and flute-like, that the bird seemed to mean it +should be heard only in its immediate vicinity. + +The heart of Larry Murphy gave a quick throb. That was the call he and +Wharton Edwards had practiced until they could give it perfectly. Could +it be that his friend was not only free from the Shawanoes, but was so +near? + +It seemed impossible, and yet, when the signal was repeated a minute +later, all doubt was gone, and, hardly unable to repress a shout, the +lad replied with a precisely similar call. + +These signals were of that pure musical quality that, when first made, +neither could tell the point whence the other came. The note was simply +"in the air." Larry, however, suspected that his friend had crossed the +torrent a few minutes before by means of the prostrate tree, and he +began treading his way thither with the utmost caution. + +For several minutes utter stillness reigned. Some cause led the first +one to hold his peace for that time. + +Larry was so near the narrow, moonlit space bordering the torrent that +he halted, deeming it unwise to venture farther. It was evident, despite +the care he used, he had gone away from instead of toward his friend. To +advance any farther was likely to take him beyond reach, and possibly +complicate matters with the Shawanoes, who could not be far off. + +"I wonder where they can be?" he mused, sufficiently prudent to remain +in the shadow among the trees. "He's very careful, which is wise, and +I'll be the same." + +He waited minute after minute, without hearing the expected signal, and +a vague misgiving began to trouble him. + +"It can't be I'm too far off for me to hear him. I'll give him the call +mesilf, and a little louder." + +He was shaping his lips to form the singular cry, when it sounded so +near that he started. With the signal came a thrill of affright, for the +listening ear detected a shade of difference; it was not precisely what +he expected, nor exactly similar to his own. + +At the same moment a crouching figure appeared on the edge of the +moonlit space, and advancing with the slow, noiseless motion of a shadow +across the face of a dial. + +Larry Murphy saw that it was a Shawanoe Indian. As if the red man meant +to reveal himself beyond mistake, he took a single step forward, held +his head bent for a moment in the attitude of intense attention, and +then slowly looked toward every point of the compass in turn. + +At one angle the full moonlight fell upon the painted face, which the +youth recognized as that of the ferocious Blazing Arrow. + +"I'll settle you!" whispered the youth, stealthily raising the hammer of +his gun. "Ye have no business with that signal." + +He tried to present his weapon without any noise, but with all his care +the hammer, as it was drawn back, made two dull clicks, which sounded +startlingly loud in the situation. + +Knowing that the ear of the Indian had caught the noise, Larry brought +his weapon to his shoulder like a flash and pointed the muzzle toward +the spot, less than twenty-five feet away. + +But no Blazing Arrow was there. He had disappeared like the coon at the +flash of the huntsman's rifle. + +Whether his acute sense of hearing had enabled him to locate the point +whence came the double click, Larry did not wait to see. He had no +intention that the miscreant, knife in hand, should come down on him +with the resistless force of an avalanche. + +Lowering his head to help conceal his movements, he drew back several +paces, with a silence and stealth that the Shawanoe himself could not +have surpassed. Then, crouching low on the ground, he waited, watched +and listened. + +His rifle was ready to be fired, and he resolved to let Blazing Arrow +have the charge the instant he caught sight of him. The warrior was +cunning, but he was liable to uncover himself in moving about the youth, +whose precise location he could not know. + +The danger of the latter was that other Shawanoes besides this one were +near, and might close around him in the gloom. He was ready, and would +fight any number of them if they beset him, but there could be but one +result of such a desperate struggle. + +Hearing and seeing nothing of his enemies, he decided to improve his +situation by a further change of base. Inasmuch as the slightest slip +was certain to prove fatal, the work was slow and surpassingly delicate. + +The foot was lifted quickly from the ground and suspended in the air and +lowered slowly, while the body leaned gently forward, waiting a long +while before its weight was allowed to rest on the limb. + +The tedious work was continued until Larry moved fully a dozen yards +from his starting-point. Then, for the first time, he breathed freely +and felt that it was safe to pause. + +Still nothing was seen or heard of Blazing Arrow or his companions, and +the youth, with a shudder, asked himself the startling question: "How +came the Shawanoe to have the signal of Wharton Edwards?" + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +REVERSING POSITIONS. + + +Pausing on the edge of the natural clearing which had been the scene of +the terrific race between himself and Blazing Arrow, Wharton looked +back, and in the gathering darkness saw a flickering figure on the +farther side, where the trail re-entered the wood, and he knew it was +that of the champion runner of his tribe, whom he had not only defeated +in the contest of fleetness, but in the singular battle of wits which +followed. + +"I'd wager a good deal, if I had a chance," muttered the lad, "that he +feels just a little impatient with himself. I am quite sure that matters +haven't gone to suit him." + +It was in the power of the youth to turn the tables still more +completely on the dusky miscreant. He had but to wait where he was until +he was within easy range, and then shoot him down. It need not be said, +however, after what had taken place a short time before, that this was a +crime which nothing could have induced young Edwards to commit, even +though he knew the Shawanoe was as eager as a tiger to secure his life. + +"We're likely to come together again before this business is over," he +reflected, "where I won't feel so much like letting you alone as I do +now." + +There was one uncomfortable proceeding which he did not mean to undergo; +that was to have Blazing Arrow dogging at his heels like a sneaking wolf +awaiting the chance to pounce upon him unawares. It is hard to imagine a +more trying situation than that of knowing an enemy is stealing behind +you in the darkness, on the alert to dart forward when your vigilance is +relaxed, and make his attack with the deadly quickness of the +rattlesnake. + +Walking but a short way, Wharton stepped aside from the trail and stood +motionless among the trees, where an owl would not have noticed him in +flying along the path. He was not kept waiting many minutes. A soft +tap-tap sounded on the ground as Blazing Arrow, in a loping trot, left +the clearing and plunged into the wood, and then a faint, shadowy figure +was dimly seen moving between the trees. + +Directly opposite Wharton it came to a halt. Because of the obscurity he +could not be seen except in motion, but the watcher knew what that +meant. He was listening. He could not be assured what the youth in front +was doing, and since his experience with him, the redskin understood +that he had a young man above the ordinary as his antagonist. + +A minute later Wharton saw something flicker in the gloom. The Shawanoe +had started on again. This time he did not trot, for the protruding +limbs interfered and would have made too much rustling. He walked +rapidly enough, however, to overtake any one going at the usual rate. + +Waiting until he believed he was at a safe distance in advance, the lad +stepped back upon the trail and continued his journey toward the war +party, where he hoped to be of service to his friend. + +Since the white and red men had exchanged situations, Wharton had now to +guard against running into the one in advance. If the Shawanoe should +learn what had been done he would be sure to try some trick on the +youth. By crouching along the path he could leap upon him as he passed +and bear him helplessly to the ground. + +It need not be said that young Edwards was on the alert. He could not +have been more so, frequently pausing to listen, or to use his eyes, so +far as possible, in the darkness. + +Unable to hear anything through the air, he knelt down and pressed his +ear to the ground. That served him no better, and he slowed his +progress, and stopped more frequently. + +"I wonder whether he has any suspicion that I am behind him?" was his +thought. "It may be," he added grimly, "that he is thinking what sort of +yarn to get up to explain why he hasn't brought me with him. If I am not +careful he may nab me after all. I'd like to know whether he still has +the headache, or whether he hasn't set me down as a fool for letting him +off when I had the chance to finish him." + +If it should so prove that Blazing Arrow was not aware that, instead of +following the white youth, the reverse was the case, the space between +them was certainly increasing, for one was going slow and the other +fast. + +When the distance passed became considerable, Wharton began to feel +hope. They were close to where he had already undergone several stirring +adventures, and he was almost certain the savage runner knew nothing of +his whereabouts. Finally he turned off from the trail almost at the +point where he had started to run away from Blazing Arrow and his +companions. + +Attentively listening and watching, he heard nothing, and then began a +guarded examination of the immediate neighborhood. It was there the +Shawanoes had crouched when he bounded across the gorge in quest of his +rifle, but it was not to be expected that they had remained there ever +since. The examination convinced him that all had moved somewhere else. + +Wharton's concern being now for Larry Murphy, he did some close +reasoning. + +"I know he will, risk his life to help me, whom he naturally thinks is +in a bad way, but how is he going to do it, or how has he got across to +this side of the torrent? He can't make the leap that I did, and I am +quite sure he wouldn't try to swim, because that would compel him to go +below the falls. The chances are that he is on the other side." + +This conclusion, it will be perceived, was correct; but had the reasoner +known of that fallen tree spanning the gorge, it is likely his decision +would have been different. + +Before repeating the leap he had already made, Wharton spent more time +in what may be called reconnoitering. + +It was altogether beyond reason that the Shawanoes should be looking for +any such performance, and with little hesitation, therefore, he walked +out from the shadow, ran across the moonlit space of rocks, and, with +the same ease and grace as before, placed himself on the other bank. He +quickly scurried to cover, and then awaited the result. + +It was nothing, so far as he could tell. Still at a loss which way to +turn or what to do, but hoping that Larry might be somewhere within +reach, he made the signal which has been described elsewhere. + +"If he hears that he will know what it means. By gracious, he has heard +it!" + +From a point close at hand, and directly behind him, came the response, +although, as the reader well knows, it was not the lips of Larry Murphy +that made it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A BLUNDER. + + +Blazing Arrow possessed the subtlety of a serpent and the cunning of a +fox. Underneath his actions lay his unextinguishable hatred of the white +race. His anger against it seemed always to be flaming at white heat. + +But the slyest and wisest of animals and men are liable at times to +overreach themselves. Had the imp been content with what was +unquestionably a remarkable exploit he would have held Wharton Edwards +at his mercy, but he must needs spoil all by his attempt to make +assurance doubly sure. + +He had not seen the youth after he watched him disappear across the +clearing where the back trail entered the woods. He never suspected that +he was not on his front on the return, and failed to see his last leap +across the torrent. Confident, however, that he was not far off, he +began a search for him, with the hope of getting matters in better shape +before rejoining his comrades with an account of his experience. + +It happened, therefore, that when young Edwards made his dove-call to +Larry Murphy, Blazing Arrow was so near that he heard it. He knew that +it came from none of his people, and consequently must be from one of +the whites. + +With extraordinary cleverness he replied by several notes, whose +resemblance to those causing them was so wonderfully close as to be +perfect. Fearful, however, that he might not have hit the exact note, he +repeated the call. + +And in doing so he made the fatal blunder. One of the unchangeable laws +governing Wharton Edwards and Larry Murphy at such times was that under +no circumstances was either to repeat a signal without a minute or two +interval. It was the violation of this rule that apprised the youth of +his peril and gave him time to save himself. + +Suspecting that it was Blazing Arrow who was near, Wharton retreated +farther into the wood. In making the movement he used all the caution he +could, and believed that no one had overheard him. What followed looked +as though he was right in the conclusion, for the Indian, without moving +from his tracks, signalled again, making the same mistake as before by +repeating it, in his effort to repress his impatience at the delay in +the response. + +"I don't think I'll be in a hurry to open a conversation with you," +thought Wharton; "I'm looking for somebody else." + +He was still in a dangerous situation, however, and continued edging +away from the locality where he had come so near falling a victim to the +resentment of the warrior, who was among the most cunning of his tribe. +Wharton's heart sank when, despite the extreme care he used, he caught +his foot in a running vine and narrowly escaped falling. He instantly +straightened up and waited for the attack that he was sure was coming; +but, as the minutes passed, he concluded the Indian was already so far +off that the slight rustling did not reach him. It was probable that +the Shawanoe, in trying to outwit the youth, had moved away from him, +and the two were now separated by a considerable space. + +How was it that this Indian was in possession of the signal which the +two youths used when in danger? + +In the case of Wharton, however, there was little of the anxiety of his +friend. The latter heard the call before emitting it himself, so that it +was impossible that Blazing Arrow should have got it from him; and, +since Wharton Edwards was the only other person that possessed it, the +misgiving of the Irish lad was warranted. + +But with Wharton the case was different. Blazing Arrow's signal +succeeded his, and, therefore, was but a clever imitation. + +"It may be that he got it from Larry," reflected our young friend, "but +the chances are against it. Where can the fellow be?" + +It was an exasperating reflection that for hours the work had been of a +blind nature, as may be said. The youths had been separated, there had +been a fierce race, fighting, and running back and forth, and all +manner of incidents, and yet matters stood as at the beginning. + +While this was a cause for gratification in one respect, inasmuch as the +two were still safe from the most dreaded tribe of Indians in the West, +the disheartening fact was that the boys were just where they were when +the danger broke upon them. They had not advanced a rod along the trail +to the block-house, where Wharton's parents would probably arrive that +evening. The prospect was poor for the boys appearing until long after +the hour they were expected. + +"We ought to have had an understanding before we separated; but then," +added Wharton disgustedly, "I don't see how we could, or what good it +would have done. Larry wouldn't leave as long as he thought I was in +trouble, and I'm sure I wouldn't desert him. I wonder now----" + +A new thought had come into his mind--that of withdrawing from the +neighborhood, making all haste to the block-house, and bringing back +aid. There was always a number of the most skilled rangers of the +frontier at this post, and they were ever ready to respond to any call +for help. Probably Daniel Boone or the great Simon Kenton was at hand, +with unerring rifle and marvellous woodcraft. + +Wharton could reach the block-house before daylight, and be back while +the day was yet young, with his new friends. Learned in the ways of the +woods and the red men, they would quickly become the hunters instead of +the hunted, and teach the marauders a lesson to be remembered forever. + +Had the question presented itself as it did after his vanquishment of +Blazing Arrow, the youth would have continued his flight along the +trail, and been back with his friends before or by the time the sun was +on the horizon. As it was, he debated the question a long time, and then +decided not to continue the journey until he gained some definite +knowledge of Larry; his own movements depended upon that. If the other +had fallen, then Wharton should not lose a moment hurrying away from the +accursed neighborhood. If his comrade was a prisoner of the Shawanoes, +he must be equally prompt in securing assistance, since he unaided could +do no good; but if the other was still his own master, then both would +give an exhibition of rapid travelling toward the block-house. + +"No," said young Edwards, resolutely, "I don't go till I learn something +about Larry. I'll do just as he would do if in my place." + +And he might have added, truthfully, "and just what he is doing at this +moment." + +Manifestly there was but one way to learn the truth, and that was by +investigating, and the only way to investigate was to keep moving, which +he did. + +The night was so far along that the Shawanoes were quite certain to have +kindled a camp-fire somewhere in the woods. This was their custom, and +it was this beacon light, as it may be called, for which young Edwards +now began hunting. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +LOOKING ON. + + +Wharton Edwards was not long finding that for which he was seeking. +While feeling his way among the trees, with all his senses on the alert, +a point of light suddenly flashed out in the gloom. It was directly +ahead, and he had but to penetrate a short distance farther, when he +came in sight of the camp-fire of the Shawanoes. + +He approached with great care, and halted at what he deemed a safe +distance to study the characteristic scene before him. + +Careful counting, repeated several times, showed eleven Indian warriors +gathered together about a mass of burning wood, which was kindled in a +small open space. Upon a fallen tree were seated four of them, while the +rest were lolling on the ground in lazy attitudes. Two seemed to be +examining the locks of their guns, and nearly all were smoking. + +There were no signs of any food, but the lusty youth felt so hungry that +he was sure they must have had something to eat before he came upon +them. Game was so abundant in the country that it was unreasonable to +suppose any one would go hungry unless he happened to be in a situation +similar to that of the youth himself. + +One fact gave Wharton a thrill of gratitude and hope; Larry was not with +the group of Indians, and, therefore, could not be a prisoner. + +Young Edwards had been under the impression that there were about a +score of Shawanoes with which he and Larry Murphy had collided, but +counting those that had fallen by the way, there were less. + +The absence of the youth from the camp could not be a guarantee of his +weal, for he might have been stricken down in the woods, but the sign +had been so favorable that Wharton felt more hopeful than at any time +since their separation. + +He was quick, however, to notice a significant fact: Blazing Arrow was +also absent. + +"I would give anything to know where he is and what he is doing," +thought the youth. "It may be that he is leaning against the tree and +still studying over the yarn that is to prevent the rest knowing I +outran him, but it is more likely he is prowling through the woods after +Larry and me." + +The answer to this conjecture came suddenly and startlingly. Wharton, +not forgetting his caution, kept well back in the gloom, with his body +screened behind the trunk of a tree. He was attentively watching the +group around the camp-fire, when something moved between him and the +light, partly eclipsing it. + +A second look showed the form of the twelfth Shawanoe, walking silently +toward the blaze; and, as he joined the others, and stood so the +firelight revealed his features, Wharton Edwards recognized him as +Blazing Arrow. + +"He has struck it," muttered the youth. "He has got the yarn in shape at +last. I wish I could hear it, and find what sort of a fancy he has." + +The great runner was without any gun, and it was evident that he must +have wrenched his inventive powers to straighten out matters so as to +retain his prestige among these warlike people. His position as a great +warrior and the real leader of the party could not fail to help in the +test to which he was subjected. + +The arrival of the dusky desperado caused a sensation. Every face was +turned, and those who were seated on the tree rose to greet him. The +silence in the wood allowed Wharton to hear their gruff, jerky +sentences, but since he did not understand a word of Shawanoe, his ears +were of no service. + +One of the warriors extended a rifle to Blazing Arrow, who waved it back +until he, standing in the middle of the group, gave his account of +matters. + +Some years later the settlers learned the particulars of this amazing +narrative. The great runner said he allowed the youth to draw away from +him for a time in order to put forth his best efforts. When this had +taken them to the natural clearing, with which all were familiar, he +started to run him down, and would have done so before the open space +was half crossed but for the sudden appearance of five or six white men +coming from the other direction. + +Of course the new comers were fully armed, but, nothing daunted, the +valiant Shawanoe assailed them. He brought down two, and would have had +the others at his mercy had not a shot broken the lock of his gun. He +then threw away the useless weapon, uttered a defiant whoop, and strode +back toward his own party, whither the whites did not dare follow him. + +It was one of the listeners to this stupendous statement who told it to +the pioneers. When asked whether he and the others believed it, a +shadowy smile lit up the dusky face, and he quaintly replied that they +tried to do so. + +Having rendered his account, Blazing Arrow and several of his comrades +seated themselves on the fallen tree and engaged in an animated talk, +which lasted for a quarter of an hour or more. The burden of it was +that one of the whites was still near them, and must not be permitted to +steal along the trail in the direction of the block-house, for if he +succeeded in reaching that point he would be safe against anything the +Shawanoes could do. + +The dusky prevaricator was cunning enough not to claim that he had slain +Wharton Edwards, for the youth, being alive, was liable to turn up in a +way that would throw discredit on his veracity. + +The lad, who was looking on, could only conjecture the meaning of what +passed before his eyes. When he saw a couple of warriors rise to their +feet and come toward him, he supposed it was to make hunt for him and +his friends. He was made to realize, too, the delicately dangerous +position in which he stood. + +When the figures plainly outlined against the illumination of the +camp-fire started, he fervently wished himself elsewhere. He dared not +stir, for, as if fate were dallying with him, a lot of wood, thrown on +the blaze within a few minutes before, threw a circle of light to the +base of the tree from behind which he was cautiously peering. Had he +started to withdraw, the two Shawanoes would have been upon him in a +twinkling. He could only wait where he was, and hope they might pass by +without detecting his presence. + +He hardly breathed as he heard the rustling of their moccasins on the +leaves, and pressed his upright figure against the bark as though he +would force himself into the very structure of the tree itself. + +Fortunately the suspense quickly passed. If the couple were hunting for +him and his companion, they did not expect to find either so near +headquarters, and speedily vanished in the gloom beyond, stepping so +softly that their footfalls became inaudible. + +This incident gave young Edwards a good scare. He felt that he had run +an unnecessary risk, and wasted time in staying so long after learning +that Larry was not with the main party of Indians. More of these were +likely to leave the camp, and the danger of his position must increase. + +Without delay, therefore, he began his retrograde movement. This was +easy, and he soon placed himself where he could feel comparatively +safe. + +His curiosity led him to pick his way back to the torrent that had been +the scene of so many moving incidents of the afternoon. He was somewhat +confused as to the points of the compass, but the faint roar was his +guide, and with little trouble he placed himself quite near the stream, +which coursed between the rocks with such impetuosity. + +The youth was too prudent to advance into the moonlight, where the +prowlers were liable to see him, and so it happened that he approached +the rocks at a point that was new to him. To this fact was due a +surprise. He was just in time to see one Indian following the other +across the foot-bridge made by the prostrate tree. + +"I never suspected that was there," he said to himself when he +comprehended its meaning; "I thought there was no means by which Larry +could make his way back to the trail without swimming below the falls or +fording some place farther up. I wonder whether he knows about that?" + +The action of the Indians gave Wharton a suspicion of the truth. They +had crossed the torrent with the intention of hiding somewhere along the +path leading to the block-house, so as to cut off the flight of one or +both of the boys in that direction. This, seemingly, was an easy thing +to do, provided the fugitives were unsuspicious of what was going on. + +Young Edwards saw no way of breaking through the maze of perplexity that +had closed around him. He had done his utmost without learning where his +friend was. More than that, although he was hopeful, he could feel no +certainty that he was really alive. + +The occasion justified another appeal to the peculiar dove signal, and +he now made it. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A HAIL AND AN ANSWER. + + +Meanwhile Larry Murphy was not idle. He had never received a more +terrifying shock than that caused by the discovery that the signal which +he was confident was made by Wharton Edwards came from the lips of +Blazing Arrow. + +On the first thought there was but one explanation of this: his friend +had called to him and had been overheard by the Shawanoe, who instantly +caught it up, well knowing its significance, and had deceived Wharton by +his clever imitation. + +This supposition, as the reader knows, was correct; but when Larry went +further, and decided that his comrade had fallen a victim to the +treacherous red man, the reader also knows he made a mistake. + +Firm in the terrible belief for the time, he was so overcome that he +sat down on a bowlder, too faint and weak to stand, until several +minutes had passed. + +"This is a bad go, is this same," he mused with a deep sigh. "If the +Indians had to take one, why didn't they take mesilf? They're likely to +do the same--it's little I care if they do." + +So extreme was his dejection, that had he known that a half dozen +Shawanoes were stealing upon him at that moment he would not have +stirred from his position or attempted to defend himself. + +This intense depression, however, could not last. All strong, rugged +natures are quick to rebound from such pressure and soon reassert +themselves. By and by he felt a grain of hope. The rifle lying across +his knees was clasped more firmly; he raised his head and listened; had +he discovered the approach of a foe he would now have defended himself. + +"I wish that Blazing Arrow would walk out in front of me and dare me to +tackle him," he muttered, gnashing his teeth. "I wonder where he is?" + +He rose to his feet and peeped around in the gloom. A while before he +had shunned the chief, and counted himself fortunate because he was able +to escape a meeting. Now he would have felt doubly fortunate could he +have gained a chance to attack him. + +When the Shawanoe was wanted he was somewhere else. + +"I wonder," continued Larry, as hope grew stronger within him, "whether +Whart wasn't sharp enough to play the trick on Blazing Arrow that he did +on mesilf? He must have heard the call, to larn how to make the same; +but Whart may have give him the slip." + +It was a faint hope, but it did the lad good. He had hunted so much in +the company of his friend that they had not only acquired a good deal of +woodcraft, but were familiar with each other's ways. + +Larry recalled that he had heard no gun fired since the discharge of his +weapon. It was fair to believe, therefore, that whatever the fate of +young Edwards might be, he had not been shot. There were other methods +of putting him out of the way, but the belief to which his friend was +rapidly bringing himself was that the one for whom he was concerned was +a prisoner of the Shawanoes. + +The way to find out was to discover the camp of the red men, which must +be pitched somewhere in the neighborhood. It will thus be seen that the +lads were reasoning along the same lines, to the same conclusion. + +Larry had risen from the bowlder on which he had seated himself, and +decided to move farther back in the woods in search of the camp-fire +that he knew was burning there. In making the search he would have to go +it blind, since there was no means of finding guidance. + +But, as in more than one previous instance, he fortunately discovered +that others were near him before he was observed. He stood motionless, +peering and listening under the trees, where the gloom was so intense +that he might have brushed by a man without either seeing the other. + +They were there, however, and a moment later were seen more plainly in +the moonlight, across which they passed to reach the torrent whither +they were making their way. + +Larry was surprised when he saw two Indians walking with their light, +noiseless tread over the rocks. He had supposed there was but a solitary +warrior. + +"I'm hoping that one of them is Blazing Arrow," was his thought. + +He was resentful to that degree toward this particular Shawanoe that, +despite the danger from his companion, he would have shot him down; and +there can be little question that in doing so he would have rendered a +service to humanity. + +But he could not identify either of the red men in the moonlight, with +their faces turned away from him. He saw them walk to the edge of the +torrent, where the tree lay, and then one followed the other across. + +"I'd like to know the meaning of that; they must be hunting for Whart or +mesilf. I'm pretty sure they won't find mesilf there, and I don't know +about Whart. If they haven't got him already, it may take more than them +to find him." + +As yet he could not know whether the war party were on this or the other +side of the stream. It looked as if the couple were returning to camp. +If this was so, the youth must follow them to obtain the information he +wanted. + +He had reached this conclusion and was about to venture out in the +moonlight, when he was thrilled by the sound of the signal which he +feared he was never to hear again. + +He paused and listened, afraid to reply and yet on the point of doing +so. + +At the proper interval the call was repeated, and then, so certain that +everything was right was he that, instead of making the proper answer, +he called in a guarded undertone: + +"Is that yersilf, Whart?" + +"It is," was the reply of the delighted friend, and the next minute they +were together. + +It was a joyous reunion, even though the shadow of great danger rested +upon the two youths. Wharton Edwards and Larry Murphy had been +separated, seemingly, with slight prospect of ever seeing each other +again; they had gone through many perils during the preceding few +hours, and at the moment when despair had almost taken possession of +both, they clasped hands and stood side by side. + +"Are ye sure it's yersilf, Whart?" asked the elder, squeezing the +fingers of his friend, who fully reciprocated the warmth of feeling. + +"I'm as sure, Larry, as you are that it's you." + +"Then we'll consider it settled; and how are ye?" he asked, shaking +again the hand which he had not yet released. + +"I was never better, and thankful and happy to find you alive when I +feared it was all over with you." + +"The same to yersilf; and have ye suffered no harrum?" + +"None at all, though matters kept moving; I dodged up the trail, and the +only Shawanoe who followed me was Blazing Arrow." + +"And did he catch ye?" + +"Not that I am aware of. You remember the natural clearing, a little way +out toward the block-house?" + +"That I do." + +"Well, when I struck that, Blazing Arrow was not far behind me. He had +my gun and I hadn't any, so that all I could do was to run, and there he +and I had the race that we missed at the settlement." + +"Tell me about it," eagerly asked Larry. + +"There isn't much to tell, except that I did my best, and I suppose he +did the same, Larry; I beat him badly; I must have gained fifty yards on +him." + +"And is that the honest truth now, Whart?" + +"It is." + +"Heaven bless ye!" + +And the enthusiastic fellow struck his friend a resounding whack on the +shoulder. + +"Sh!" warned Wharton, "we must talk low, for some of them may be near +us." + +"Why didn't ye sind word to me, so that I could have stood by ye and +cheered ye on and watched the sight? Wouldn't it have been a treat!" + +"I would have been proud if you and the rest of our friends could have +been there, for I did better than I thought I could." + +The friends told the particulars of what had happened to each other +since their separation. Happy, indeed, were they in their reunion. + +"Whart," said Larry a few minutes later, "I knowed there was something +I'd forgot." + +"What's that?" + +"I'm as hungry as I can be." + +"So am I, and have been for hours; I wish there was some way of getting +supper, but I know of none. There is something else, however, that is +more important than supper." + +"And what is that?" + +"We must get away from here at once. We ought to have left long ago." + +"I'm thinking ye're right, and I'm ready to do your bidding whenever you +are ready. I came near crossing over that tree a good while ago, and I'm +prepared to do it now if you say so." + +"I'm not satisfied that that is the best course." + +"Why not?" + +"From what you have told me and what I have seen, the Shawanoes seem to +be using that to-night as a bridge. I don't know how many have come and +gone over it to-day. Suppose that a party of them made up their minds to +cross at the same time we do?" + +"And that's what some of 'em did when I was about to try it; if me gun +hadn't wobbled behind me shoulder we'd have met on the log." + +"The trees grow to the bank at each end of the log, so that if these two +hadn't slanted across that little, narrow space off there to the left, +we wouldn't have seen them until they stepped upon the foot-bridge. What +I mean to say, Larry, is this: we have had such good fortune that we +must not tempt Providence further by trying to cross here." + +"How shall we manage it?" + +"Go farther up the stream till we're well away from this place, where +the Indians seem to be so plentiful." + +"And maybe there isn't such a spot." + +"There must be; there are not enough of the Shawanoes to be everywhere." + +"Not that, but a place where we can cross; ye must bear in mind that +it's not me that can jump like yersilf." + +"There must be some spot where the banks come close together. A stream +generally grows narrower the nearer you approach the source." + +"True, if it runs between the rocks all the way, as it does above the +falls." + +There was logic in these words, and his friend could not deny it. + +"I agree with you, Larry; but if the rocks disappear and the torrent +widens, then it must be so slow that we can either swim or wade it. +There isn't any chance of our reaching the block-house except by the +trail, and that is on the other side." + +"But what about the two that wint across a little while ago?" + +"We must look out for them, and for the others, too; we are not through +with them yet." + +"I agree with ye now." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE DETOUR. + + +There could be no denying that extraordinary fortune had attended the +boys, but they were too prudent to count on a continuance of what might +be called the run of good luck, except by the utmost circumspection on +their part. + +They were together once more, with their guns, ammunition and +accoutrements intact, and without either having suffered any harm. +Nothing would have been easier for them than to cross the ravine by the +fallen tree, which had answered for a foot-bridge more than once that +evening, and in doing so it was not probable that they would have run +greater risk than they had repeatedly incurred during the preceding few +hours; but the necessity for such risk did not exist, and consequently +they did not take it. Wharton suspected the truth. The Shawanoes, +knowing that the lads, or at least one of them, was in the vicinity, +were in ambush along the trail, with the expectation that they would +walk into the trap, which is exactly what they would have done had they +taken the path opposite to where they were standing while holding their +conversation. + +The evident and simple course for them to follow was to make a detour, +by which they would return to the trail at a point beyond where the red +men were awaiting them. + +This was more difficult than would be supposed, for the route to the +block-house was a winding one, and they were unacquainted with that +portion of the country through which they would have to make their way. +They might lose themselves altogether, though both were too good +woodsmen not to eventually reach their destination. + +But having decided on what to do, they wasted no time. Their purpose was +to cross the stream above where they had met, and Wharton picked his way +steadily through the wood, with Larry at his heels. Conversation was +dangerous, and none for a time was had, since there was no call for it. + +The roughness of the ground gave them trouble from the first. They were +forced to turn aside repeatedly and flank bowlders, rocks, and wild, +broken ravines, into which they would have fallen but for the alertness +of Wharton, who maintained his place a few paces in advance. + +This course compelled them frequently to edge away from the stream, +which still swept between such a high wall of rocks that it was +impassable, but they never lost it altogether. By listening carefully +they could locate it, and at intervals they made their way to the +margin, to learn whether the spot for which they were looking was within +sight. + +"Well, I declare!" + +It was Wharton Edwards who uttered the exclamation, and his companion +pushed his way to his side to learn the cause of his excitement. As he +did so, he saw they were standing on the edge of a ravine which obtruded +itself at right angles to the course they were pursuing. + +But for the fact that it contained no water, they would have believed +that it was the gorge through which ran the stream. But it was empty, +and in the shadows neither could see to the bottom of its gloomy depths. +The trees grew so near the margin that the opposite side was indistinct. + +"I didn't expect to meet anything like this," added Wharton, with a sigh +of disappointment; "it means trouble." + +"You can't tell till ye find out," was the somewhat superfluous remark +of Larry. "It may not run very far to the right or left, and we've had +so much experience in walking around things that this won't make much +difference one way or t'other." + +"I'm afraid we'll get so mixed up that we won't be able to find our way +from it now." + +"It may be a lucky thing--maybe the same." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Who can say where they are waiting for us? It may be five or ten miles +away, or it may be within sight of the block-house. We can get there +without setting foot in the trail agin." + +"You may be partly right, Larry, though if we can strike the path five +miles away from the falls, I won't be afraid to keep it until we reach +the block-house. The risk beyond that isn't any greater than what we +have always had to run from the time we leave the settlement till we get +back again." + +"It strikes me we are not gaining much time by standing here discussing +the question." + +As Larry spoke he turned to the left and moved off. + +"Hold on!" interrupted his companion; "that will take us farther away +than ever, and may lead us so far that we'll lose the stream +altogether." + +By going to the right they approached the current that had to be passed +before they could recover the trail. Perhaps a passable spot was at +hand, and the means of crossing the smaller ravine was as likely to be +on one hand as the other. + +With the same pains and labor as before they reached the stream, where +they found themselves confronted by a peculiar condition of affairs. +The banks were somewhat farther apart, but they remained perpendicular +rocks fully twenty feet in height, between which the torrent flowed so +impetuously that they would have been as helpless as a balloon in a gale +of wind. The crossing-place was still to be sought farther up the +stream. + +But to reach it they must place themselves on the farther side of the +smaller ravine, which crossed their course at right angles. This opened +directly into the current, with whose surface it was nearly even. In +times of freshet or flood the dry ravine was probably a tributary +torrent of the other. At present it looked impassable, but after +studying it a few moments Wharton said: + +"I believe, Larry, we can both jump that. What do you think?" + +"I won't know for sartin till I try it; then I'll know, sure." + +"So will we both; but the distance is less than where I made the leap." + +"So it will have to be if it's mesilf that's to sail across." + +The conformation of the dry ravine near the stream allowed them to see +the other side. Wharton measured the width with his eye, and then, +without a word, drew back a single step, and with little effort landed +lightly on the opposite side. + +"What do you think of that, Larry?" + +"It isn't much for yersilf, but I would be proud of the same." + +"I'm sure there will be no trouble. There is room for you to get a +couple of yards start, and I wouldn't advise you to try it if I wasn't +sure you would succeed." + +Young Murphy was plucky, but he surveyed the task before him with some +misgiving. With a depth of about twenty feet, and nothing but rock at +the bottom, a failure to land on the other side meant death or serious +injury. + +He stood on the edge, and spent a minute or two peering down into the +gloomy depths. Then he looked across at his friend, who cheered him on. + +"I'll thry it," he said, resolutely, and with a shake of his head. + +"Fling over your gun to me; it will be easier for you to make the jump +without that than with it." + +Larry tossed the rifle to his friend, who deftly caught the weapon. +Then, with the grim comicality of his nature, he threw his cap after it. + +"If I do make a tumble of it, I should like ye to preserve that as a +token of remembrance." + +He now braced himself for the effort. With all his strength, he could +not compare with his friend in speed and rapidity. The leap, however, +was only a moderate one, and Wharton was confident he would make it if +no mishap intervened. + +And, beyond question, he would have done so had no interference taken +place. He carefully backed a rod or so from the edge of the dry ravine. + +Everything was going on well, but almost on the edge he stepped on a +small pebble, unnoticed by the eye. The effect was slight, and a +spectator would hardly have seen it, but, all the same, it was just +enough to disarrange his stride, so that when the leap, which he was +forced to make, took place, it was faulty. He lost the impetus that +otherwise would have landed him on his feet on the other side with +hardly a jar to his body. + +"I can't do it! I can't do it, Whart!" called the leaper at the moment +of bounding into the air, for he could not fail to know that he was +about to fall short. + +The waiting friend said nothing, but braced himself for the shock, for +he, too, knew what was coming. + +Larry barely missed landing, but his hands were thrown forward where his +feet should have struck, and had he received no help he would have gone +backward and down the ravine. + +But it was for this that Wharton Edwards had prepared himself. Each hand +of Larry was grasped by his own, and he almost lay on his back as he +tugged to draw him out of the gorge and up on the solid support above. + +Had not Wharton dug his heels into a projection, he would have had to +let go or be drawn downward with his friend, who could not help drawing +tremendously on him. Larry, however, gave great aid by throwing one +foot on top of the rock, and using that limb as a lever with which to +lift his body the rest of the short distance. This so lessened the task +that the next minute the danger was over, and the two stood beside each +other. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BY THE LAKE. + + +The place for which the two were searching was found within a furlong of +where Larry Murphy, with the assistance of his companion, leaped the day +before. But how different from that which they had in mind! Instead of a +simple widening and shallowing of the stream, it expanded into a small +lake several miles long, with a width one-third or one-half as great. +The sheet of water discharged itself through the narrow, canyon-like +passage, eventually finding its way into the Ohio. The placid surface +gleamed in the moonlight, and was without a ripple. The shores were +shaded by overhanging limbs, and the scene was as lonely, as beautiful +and impressive as at creation's morn. The only sign of life was +themselves. + +"Now," said young Edwards, after he and his friend had gazed upon the +water for some minutes in silence, "it looks as if the only way to get +back to the trail is to go round the lake." + +"But that may reach a dozen miles or farther yet, and by the time we +have come round the same we'll be forty miles from the block-house, and +not knowing which way to turn to find it. Ye're aware, Whart, how hard +it is to keep our bearings whin we're in the woods without knowing the +course to take to git anywhere. We'll be sure to go astray, and may pass +within fifty yards of the block-house without knowing the same." + +"You mustn't forget that the trail which we have been following is not +the only one that leads to the place. They extend out in all directions, +and we'll strike some of them." + +"How can we know which course to take? The bother of it is, one may go +farther away from it all the time." + +"It isn't as bad as that, but," added Wharton, gravely, "the night is +getting far along, and we must be several miles from the path, unless it +happens to bend around toward the lake. We can't get back to it before +daylight, if we do then. What I am afraid of is that father and mother +won't wait at the block-house for us, but run right into the very danger +we have just escaped." + +"Do ye mind now that they won't start before morning, and they can't +reach the falls till about noon?" + +"That all sounds reasonable enough," replied Wharton, who was +considerably agitated, "but how do we know we're going back to the trail +inside of the next two or three days?" + +Larry looked at his companion in surprise. The two were standing where +the moonlight fell upon them, and their countenances were plainly +visible to each other. It had been the Irish youth that, previous to +this time, had expressed the most misgiving as to the result, but the +other seemed to become, all at once, the most despondent. + +The fact was that Wharton was quite buoyant in spirits until they came +to the lake. He had been hoping that long before this they would be able +to turn back toward the trail, and the prospect of several miles' +farther detour naturally caused his discouragement. + +Those were not the days when young men carried watches, but they knew it +was beyond midnight. They were ravenously hungry and were fagged out. +They had been undergoing severe exertion for many hours, and Wharton +especially had been forced to tax his endurance to the utmost extremity +during that fearful race with Blazing Arrow. + +"Larry," said he, taking a seat on a bowlder just without the fringe of +shadow cast by the trees, "I don't know whether the best thing we can do +isn't to sleep for the rest of the night. I was never so tired in all my +life." + +"There is only one thing I want more than sleep." + +"What's that?" + +"Something to eat." + +"And with the woods full of it we haven't a chance to get a mouthful." + +"And with the lake there running over with--hould!" exclaimed Larry, +pausing in the act of seating himself by his companion; "help me to +start a fire, Whart." + +"I don't know about that," replied the other; "the Shawanoes are likely +to be in these parts, and we must build it back among the trees, where +there is less danger." + +"That's just what we mustn't do, me boy; it must be near the water; it's +mesilf that will gather the stuff, and do ye be ready with the flint and +steel." + +Wharton, understanding the plan of his friend, lent his aid. It was an +easy matter to collect some dry twigs and leaves, which were carefully +placed in a heap on one of the flat rocks close to the water's edge. +Then, while Larry busied himself in gathering more substantial fuel, +young Edwards brought his old-fashioned flint and steel into play. He +used no tinder, but there was a shower of streaming sparks soon flying +from the swiftly moving metals, and before long one of them caught a +crisp leaf, which was easily nursed into a flame that ate its way fast +into the twigs and larger sticks. In less time than would be supposed, a +vigorous fire was burning on the rock and sending its reflection far +across the gleaming water. + +Then Larry had not long to wait. Stooping by the edge of the lake, he +bared his arm and leaned forward, as alert as a cat watching for a +mouse. Suddenly his hand shot below the surface, there was a splash, and +a plump fish flew out beyond the expectant Wharton. He had his hand in a +twinkling on the flapping prize that gleamed in the firelight. + +"Cook him quick, Whart!" cried the delighted Larry; "there's no need to +wait till I git more; that's only a starter." + +Each did his duty, the elder stopping work when he had landed a couple +more, one of which weighed fully two pounds. By that time the younger of +the two was broiling the first in the hot flames, the appetizing odor of +which made the couple almost irrestrainable. Larry wanted to attack it +before it was finished, but Wharton insisted that the meal should be in +the best style of the art. They carried no condiment with them except +that which excels others--hunger. + +It was a most nourishing and toothsome repast that they made. Nothing, +indeed, could have been more enjoyable. The lake was overflowing with +edible fish, for probably no white men had ever drawn one from the +waters, and if the Indians took any they were few in number. The light +of the fire attracted many to the spot. + +"Now that we've had such a good supper," said Wharton, "I think it's +best to let the fire go out." + +"I'll hurry the same." + +Larry scattered the embers with his shoes, so that in a few minutes +little was left of them. Then he seated himself beside his friend, and +was on the point of making some characteristic remark when Wharton +excitedly grasped his arm and whispered: + +"Hark! do you hear that? What does it mean?" + +"It's a ghost!" replied the awed Larry; "let's be getting out of this as +fast as we can!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE STRANGE SIGHT. + + +From somewhere in the gloomy solitude came a low quavering monotone that +had a most uncanny sound in the weird midnight. The youths never before +had heard anything of the kind, and the bravest men would have been +impressed by it. + +Larry, in his fright, sprang to his feet, and would have fled deeper +into the woods, but his companion caught his arm and whispered: + +"Wait; let's find out what it is." + +"Havn't I told ye!" demanded the other with husky impatience; "it's a +ghost--it's a hobgoblin." + +"But hold on, I say; keep still." + +They made sure that they were well protected by shadow, while they +waited for a solution of the extraordinary occurrence. + +The monotone chant resembled the lower notes of an organ played softly, +and with a rise and fall of no more than two or three notes. It was a +wild song, which came from some point not far away, though neither could +say precisely where. At times it seemed to be overhead, and Wharton +caught himself looking into the sky and among the tree-tops for a +solution of the mystery. It had a way of ceasing at the end of a minute +or two for several seconds, and then was resumed with the same unvarying +monotone. + +"It's coming this way!" whispered Larry, gripping the shoulder of his +companion and attempting to rise again; but Wharton forced him back, +though he felt very much like plunging in among the trees himself. + +"If it's a ghost he can't hurt us." + +"How do you know he can't? I tell ye he's coming this way!" + +"What makes you say that?" + +"Because I see him; look beyant, right across the lake--don't ye obsarve +him?" + +Until that moment Wharton had no thought that his friend saw +anything--but he did. Directly across from where they were seated, and +under the shadow of the opposite bank, where the waters narrowed +preparatory to entering the gorge, so that the distance was barely a +hundred yards, appeared a point of light. It looked like a star gliding +along the shore and keeping in the shadow, so that the fiery glow was +all that was visible to the eye. + +This of itself was not the form which ghosts are supposed to take, but +it was in keeping with the dismal monotone, which sent a cold shiver +down their backs. Wharton was more than ever inclined to run, but with a +courage that was rather unusual he resolutely held his ground, and +forced his companion to do the same. + +"I'm going to find out what it is," he said in a guarded undertone, +"before I leave this spot." + +"All right; when the spook jumps on us and we are dead ye'll learn how +much more I know than yersilf." + +"Sh!" + +Something was seen to be issuing from the wall of shadow. The point of +light was a part of the object which was moving slowly, while the +strange sound continued. The boys were straining their eyes to learn +what it was, when, at the same moment, they recognized it as the prow of +a canoe, which was leaving the bank of shade and coming out upon the +moonlit surface of the lake. + +Neither spoke, and the next moment the whole boat became visible. In the +bow burned a torch, and well back toward the stern sat an Indian. He +faced the boys, and as he swung his paddle, first on one side and then +on the other, he emitted the strange chanting sounds that had so +startled the lads when first heard by them. + +The proceeding was so unusual that Wharton knew that it was produced by +some extraordinary cause. It suggested that the red man was mourning for +some of his friends who had perished and been buried in the lake. The +youths had never heard an Indian "death song," and they knew, when a +warrior chanted it, it was generally when his own death was at hand; but +it would have been nothing remarkable had this Shawanoe sung it for +another. + +But amid their affright one startling truth impressed itself upon the +awed spectators: the strange Indian, in heading across the narrow space +of water, was placing himself in the control of the torrent which rushed +between the rocks with prodigious impetuosity. In fact, it looked as if +it was his intention to shoot the rapids despite the peril involved. + +"That ghost is going straight for the falls," said Larry, "and whin he +reaches them he'll glide over the same without wetting a hair of his +head." + +But now took place a thing worth travelling many a mile to see. Never +did the youths witness such marvellous skill in managing a canoe as this +strange Indian displayed. Combined with that was a strength and +quickness no less wonderful. + +The frail boat was already moving with the sweep of waters which only a +few rods away shot between the rocks, when the slowly swaying paddle was +dipped deep into the water, and changed from side to side in bewildering +rapidity. The sensitive craft responded so promptly that the prow turned +outward again, and headed toward a point considerably above the +spectators. + +It was amazing work, but neither of the spectators believed he could +succeed until he did so. It was like a man paddling from the centre of a +vast whirlpool. That which seemed impossible was accomplished before the +struggle seemed fairly begun. + +From the mouth of the canyon itself the warrior forced his canoe, until +the youths saw that the danger was passed and he was gaining on the +tremendous torrent. Having crossed the middle portion, he now headed +toward the other extremity of the lake, and thus fought his way directly +against the swift current. + +Had this task been given to either Wharton or Larry, they could not have +succeeded, even with the most desperate exertion; but to the warrior it +seemed only a pastime. With hardly half the exertion he had put forth a +few minutes before, he moved against the rush with an even certainty +that ended all thought of danger. + +"It beats all!" whispered Larry, amazed and delighted by the +exhibition. "I never observed the like. Do you think he would take it +kindly if I threw my cap in the air and gave him a hurrah?" + +"I don't think he would be offended, but it is better to go down and +shake him by the hand." + +No earthly inducement could have led Larry to do this, and Wharton knew +that if he indulged in a hurrah he would instantly take to the woods. He +hadn't the remotest idea of doing either. + +"Whist! do ye note what the spook is at?" + +The other did observe that the prow of the canoe was turned sharply to +the left, and the question was hardly uttered when it touched the shore +almost at their feet. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +ZANY OR LUNATIC. + + +In no respect did the Indian display his matchless coolness more +strikingly than when, amid the terrific exertion he was compelled to put +forth, he never ceased his doleful singing, if such it may be called. It +continued, indeed, while he was paddling directly against the current, +until, when one of his strains was half complete, it ceased abruptly, as +if cut in two. + +At the same moment the prow of the craft was turned to the left, and, +shooting across the brief space, slid a few inches up the sloping beach. +It was evident that his keen eye had detected the recent presence of +persons there, and with far less fear of them than they had of him he +proceeded straightway to investigate matters. + +By this time the boys were less inclined to run. The spiritual edge, so +to speak, had worn off, and they saw that it was a material creature +before them--a genuine red man, with some of whom they had had +experience, especially during the preceding hours. They had become +accustomed to that business, and could view it with comparative +calmness, inasmuch as each held a loaded rifle in his hand. + +Wharton gently touched the shoulder of his companion as an appeal to him +not to speak or make any sound. The two rose noiselessly to their feet +and watched the strange being's actions. + +The prow of the canoe having been forced far enough up the stony slope +to hold it motionless, the Indian laid down his paddle, leaned forward, +took the torch in hand, and then stepped from the boat. The torch was a +piece of resinous pine, whose top leaned so far over the gunwale that +there was no danger from the smoking flame. With this in his left hand +he looked down at the embers of the late fire, some of them still giving +forth a faint blue smoke, and he saw the few remaining fragments of the +meal. + +With much deliberation he gazed out over the moonlit lake, gradually +coming back to such a position that when he peered into the gloomy depth +of the woods his eyes seemed to be centred on the spot where the two +boys looked silently and wonderingly at him in turn. + +The strange being had no gun, but a knife and tomahawk protruded from +the belt around his waist. He was dressed similarly to the Shawanoes +whom they had encountered so recently, and there could be little doubt +that he belonged to their tribe. + +No figure could be more picturesque than that formed by this creature +when he raised the flaming torch aloft, bent his head down and craned it +forward, while his black eyes seemed to pierce the impenetrable gloom +from whence the boys silently watched him. + +His face was smeared in the truly frightful manner of his people, and +his countenance and features were so irregular that he was forbidding to +the last degree. He stood with one foot advanced, his attitude +suggesting that of a man pausing on the edge of a ravine and peering +across before venturing to leap. + +He maintained this attitude for several minutes, as motionless as those +toward whom he was staring. It seemed to Wharton that his flaming black +eyes could look through solid wall or rock, and the youth held his gun +ready to meet any sudden rush from him. + +But he did not advance. Suddenly he resumed his weird chanting, and then +began a fantastic dancing back and forth over the rock, keeping rude +time by swaying the torch and the free arm. The exhibition was so +grotesque that the spectators surmised the truth. + +The explanation of it was that the Shawanoe was a zany or lunatic. The +latter is as rare with the American race as it was with the African in +the South before the war, but on no other theory could the course of the +Indian be explained. + +Neither Wharton nor Larry held a thought of harming him. Had he been +Blazing Arrow himself they would not have done so, except in +self-defence. Believing him harmless, they would have been glad to act +the part of a friend toward him. + +Instead of seeking out those who had started the fire, the warrior +returned to his canoe, carefully adjusted the torch in its place, shoved +the boat clear, leaped into it, caught up his paddle, and sent his craft +spinning along the left bank, seemingly with the speed of a swallow on +the wing. + +"He's not a ghost," exclaimed Larry, "but he's crazy clear through. +Where has he gone?" + +The two stepped to the edge of the water and looked in the direction +where the boat had disappeared. A short distance away the shore made a +curve, and it was this, evidently, which shut the Indian and canoe from +sight. It would have taken rapid motions, but the paddler had proved his +expertness in that. + +The occurrence caused the boys to forget their drowsy, tired feeling. +They became as alert and wide awake as during the day. + +"Larry, let's push on and around the lake. I'm worried now about father +and mother, and it won't do to lose more time." + +"I'm as willing as yersilf." + +The rocky shore made travelling easy, and they walked with greater +freedom than at any time since leaving the vicinity of the falls. The +younger kept his place a few paces in advance, and had not gone far when +he stopped again with the exclamation: + +"Here's the crazy man again!" + +He was not exactly right, for instead of the Indian he saw the canoe +drawn up against the rocky shore, as in the previous instance. The +paddle was there, but the Indian and torch were missing. + +"I wonder what that means?" + +"Maybe he has grown tired and gone ashore to rest awhile." + +It did not seem likely that the fellow was far away, and they looked +curiously in every direction. He had not resumed his chanting after +leaving the scene of the boys' camp, and he was nowhere in sight. + +There is no telling what fancy may enter the head of a lunatic, and, +much as the couple would have disliked to harm him, they were always +ready to defend themselves. + +Doubtless it was the sight of the fire by which Wharton cooked the fish +that led the Shawanoe to paddle his craft across the lake. It is not +likely that the whole performance was meant to frighten away the +intruders. + +"I don't think we have anything to fear from him," remarked Wharton, +after they had waited several minutes; "we may as well use our time in +pushing on." + +"It's a long thramp we have before us." + +The two looked up the lake toward the end where the wild waters rushed +through the gorge. The outlook was discouraging, for, light as was the +moonlight, they could see nothing of the dark line of forest which must +have marked the uttermost boundary. + +Wharton drew a deep sigh. + +"I'm tempted to turn back; we can follow the stream and find the trail +again, while now there's no telling where we may bring up." + +"I've a better idea," said Larry, with a chuckle. + +"What's that?" + +By way of answer he pointed to the canoe, whispering: + +"The paddle is there." + +"We'll do it; it will save us a good deal of hard work, and perhaps +prevent our going astray. But the owner will be likely to object." + +"How can he help himself?" + +"All right; in with you; there's no saying when he'll be back again." + +Larry Murphy was as deft in handling the paddle as his companion, and at +the same moment shoved the prow clear and leaped in. He made a couple of +sweeps with the implement, which sent the boat far out over the gleaming +surface. + +It was well that they were so prompt in their movements, for the next +minute the red man burst from the woods, and came rushing and chattering +toward them as if he intended to overhaul them by swimming. His words +were unintelligible, being in his native tongue, but there was no +mistaking his wrath. + +"I belave the gintleman is excited," remarked Larry, swinging the paddle +more leisurely. + +"It looks that way----" + +"Sh! mind your eye!" + +Something whizzed by the head of Wharton and splashed in the water +beyond. It almost grazed his cheek, and seemed to be like a cannon ball. +For all purposes it might have been considered such, for had it struck +the youth, the result would have been fatal. + +The crazy Indian had hurled a large stone with prodigious force and +accuracy. Little need, it would seem, of such a thrower carrying a +firearm. + +As Wharton turned his affrighted gaze around he saw the fellow about to +hurl another. + +"Gracious! he will kill us," exclaimed the youth, bending his head +forward to dodge the terrible missile. + +"No, he won't, ayther." + +As Larry spoke he dropped his paddle, caught up his rifle, and, pointing +toward the red man, fired. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +ACROSS THE GORGE. + + +"Heavens, Larry, you have killed him!" was the horrified exclamation of +Wharton Edwards. + +"Be easy now," coolly replied his companion, putting down the weapon and +resuming the paddle; "he isn't hurt." + +"Didn't you aim at him?" asked his friend, who, looking back, saw no +signs of injury on the part of the Shawanoe. + +"Not so loud," whispered Larry; "he might hear you." + +The youth drove the canoe farther out into the lake, but all the time he +kept his head turned so as to see every movement of the Indian. + +Larry had not aimed at him; nothing in the world would have induced him +to shoot the poor, demented creature; but he meant to give him a good +scare, and he succeeded. + +Instead of throwing the stone in his hand he dropped it at his feet, +whirled about, and ran for the trees. As he did so he dodged from side +to side like a Digger Indian when trying to distract the aim of his +enemy. + +"That's better than killing him," commented Wharton, with a sigh; "he +thinks you intended that shot for him, and he doesn't mean to give us a +second chance." + +"But he is taking a second one himself. Look out!" + +Wharton saw a shadowy something sailing through the air overhead. It +struck in the water several yards beyond the canoe with a "chung," but +had gone wide of the mark. From the fringe of shadow the Shawanoe had +hurled another missile, but he had thrown it with such vicious +fierceness that it missed the target altogether. + +Before he could repeat the attempt with more care, Larry impelled the +boat beyond his reach, and that particular danger for the time was past. + +"I wonder if he can throw across the lake?" muttered Larry; "keep a +sharp eye on him, for he may begin a bombardment bimeby that will lay +us out." + +"We are surely too far off," replied Wharton, surveying the long space +over which they had passed. + +Nevertheless, they kept a close watch for some demonstration, which, +however, did not take place. + +The lake where the canoe now crossed was no more than a furlong in +width, and Larry veered as near to the beginning of the gorge as was +safe, for by so doing he effected considerable gain. + +In his eagerness to accomplish this he narrowly missed a fatal blunder. +Ere he was aware, he found himself sweeping toward the gorge which had +caused them so much trouble. + +He did not approach nearly so close as the Indian, but only by the most +strenuous exertions was he able to save himself. When they reached the +shore at last he was exhausted. + +They were secure, however, and inexpressibly relieved to find +themselves, after all their work and danger, on the other side of the +current which had been so long an impassable barrier in their path. They +had come a long way to do this, and more than once they asked themselves +whether it was not a mistake. But for their conviction that an ambush +had been laid along the trail, thus compelling a detour, the attempt +never would have been made. + +It now remained for them to follow the gorge down in the direction of +the falls until they were as near the path as prudent, and then strike +out for the block-house, returning to the trail at a point beyond where +they believed the Shawanoes were awaiting them. + +But they were fatigued at the time they halted for supper, and they had +not gone far when they found themselves so weary and sleepy that it was +hard to drag one foot after another. The ground was rougher than they +supposed, and would have taxed the strength of stronger persons than +they. They were in need of rest and must have it. + +"It can't lack much of daylight," said Wharton, halting where the rocks +were bare and they were near the rushing torrent, "and we may as well +wait until then." + +"We haven't gone far," remarked Larry, removing his cap and running his +fingers through his hair, "and we know that we're on the right course. +Do ye mind, too, that we can travel a good many miles atween this time +and sunrise?" + +"All right; do you say keep on?" + +"Of course." + +"Come on, then." + +Wharton wheeled about to continue their journey when his friend +interposed: + +"Hold on; I forgot that I am so tired. I can't walk half a dozen steps +more to save me." + +Wharton laughed, though he had resolved to keep it up until he dropped +from exhaustion. + +They were satisfied with any resting-place. The sultry night rendered +unnecessary any protection, and the rocks themselves were as +comfortable, almost, as a downy couch. The protuberances, when their +caps were laid upon them, afforded excellent pillows, and five minutes +after stretching themselves out both were sound asleep. + +The spot, which had been selected with little thought, was on the fringe +of the wood, which approached to within twenty feet of the river. The +rocks were rough and uneven, but it was easy to find places that suited +their forms. They lay down just within the shadow thrown out by the +trees, where they could not be seen by any one unless he stumbled over +them. + +But for their extreme fatigue they would have adopted the ordinary +precaution of kindling a fire, or taking turns in mounting guard while +the other slept. Each, however, knew that he was incapable of remaining +awake, and the attempt was not made. + +True, there was danger abroad, but, except in the case of wild animals, +it was as great with as without the fire. It was likely, indeed, to be +greater. + +This complete wearing out also of the bodies prevented either noticing +that the course of the moon would soon cause its light to fall upon +their faces, thus bringing them into plain view of any who might be +lurking in the neighborhood. + +And it came about that less than an hour had gone by when the two were +discovered. The figure of an Indian appeared moving noiselessly along +the banks of the ravine, almost in their very footsteps. At every few +paces he paused and looked keenly about him, as if in quest of +something. + +Suddenly the owner of the canoe, for it was he, halted. Could any one +have seen his face, he would have noticed the frightful expression of +exultation which passed over it, for he was searching for these two +youths and had found them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A STRANGE PURSUIT. + + +When Larry Murphy paddled the canoe beyond reach of the missile hurled +by the enraged owner of the craft, the boys were warranted in believing +that they were done with him. He was eliminated from the problem, so to +speak. + +But the singular creature was not done with them. The discharge of the +gun startled him almost into spasms, and, as we have shown, he made +haste to bound in among the shadows of the trees; but the belief that +the youths were in the act of stealing his boat filled him with +consuming rage. He threw another stone with might and main, and, though +the feat was an astonishing one, he saw that it accomplished nothing. + +He watched the canoe until it vanished under the shadow of the opposite +shore. He could not know the intentions of the thieves, but it did not +take him long to decide on his own. + +Emerging from among the trees, where the rocks were bare, he started on +a run toward the opposite end of the lake. He was familiar with every +foot of the way, and the bank offered no obstruction. He bounded as +lightly as the chamois across chasms, and when they were too broad to be +leaped he skirted them without hesitation or fault, never losing a rod +of distance or a minute of time. He never walked for more than ten +paces, maintaining his gait with a uniformity that no one else could +have equalled. + +He had a goodly number of miles to travel, for he was obliged to round +almost the entire circumference of the lake. He might have cut off a +large part of the distance by swimming across the water, and undoubtedly +he would have done so had not an important errand drawn him to the +extreme end. + +The lake was fed by a narrow, deep stream, across which he sprang with +the ease of Wharton Edwards when leaping the gorge. A brief way farther +and he paused in front of a small structure among the rocks. It was +composed of limbs, bowlders, sticks, and the skins of animals, barely +large enough to give him room to lie down and move around. + +This was the home of the strange creature, and was never entered by any +other person. Stooping down, he passed within. No light burned, nor did +he need any. A few minutes later he emerged, carrying a long bow in his +hand and a quiver of arrows behind one shoulder suspended by a thong +which passed under one armpit. These implements constituted his only +weapons, besides the knife and tomahawk, he never making use of any +firearms. + +In the moonlight and shadows it was impossible for him to follow the +trail of the youths, which would have been almost invisible under the +glare of the sun; but the Indian seemed to be guided by intuition, +which, in the mentally affected, often approaches inspiration. In what +way he was able to convince himself that the young white men meant to +pass down the other side of the canyon cannot be conjectured, but that +such was his conviction was proven by his whole course of action. + +The distance which the Shawanoe was obliged to journey consumed several +hours despite the speed he used, and nearly all of this time was spent +by Wharton Edwards and Larry Murphy in deep, refreshing sleep. + +When the Indian approached the spot where the canoe had been abandoned +by the youths his gait became a walk, and he peered cautiously about +him. He uttered a low cry of exultation on observing the graceful +birchen structure, and began a hasty examination. The paddle lay in the +bottom of the boat, which showed no signs of injury. It might be +supposed that this gratifying discovery would have taken the edge off +the Indian's enmity, but he showed no signs of such feeling; if +possible, his anger became fiercer. He leaped away with a speed which +prevented any attempt to follow the trail, but he was proceeding on +general principles, it may be said. + +It will be remembered that travelling was more difficult on the side of +the lake. Even such an expert as the Indian was forced to change his +gait from a trot to a walk. Sometimes he was in shadow and sometimes in +the moonlight. At intervals he paused, and bent over as if examining the +flinty surface for signs of footsteps of the youths. It is incredible +that he could have discovered any under the circumstances, and yet he +acted as if he did. + +By and by he approached the spot where those for whom he was searching +lay asleep. He passed a short distance beyond, but something displeased +him. He stopped abruptly, looked down at the grass, and then came back +over his own trail. + +While he stood peering into the surrounding gloom he saw the inanimate +forms. + +In his delight the man repeated the dance he had given on the shore of +the lake. He leaped up and down, keeping time to the swaying of the +long, ashen bow grasped in his left hand, and passed back and forth over +a space of a dozen square feet. + +He continually glanced at the youths, who were unconscious of their +danger, and held himself ready to open hostilities at the moment they +showed signs of awaking. Strange that neither Wharton nor Larry thought +of such a peril as that which now impended. + +The grotesque dance lasted but a few minutes. That manner of expressing +his exultation was soon satisfied, and he made ready for action. + +Reaching over his left shoulder with his right hand, he drew a feathered +arrow from the quiver. A careful examination by moonlight satisfied him +that it was perfect and every way fitted for his purpose. He fitted the +notch in the deer-string of the bow, and then advanced stealthily until +within a few dozen yards of the sleepers, the implement so held all the +time that he could have launched the missile at a moment's warning. + +The elder of the youths lay nearest, and he aimed at him. Little fear +that he could not drive the arrow deep into the chest of the sleeper, +after which he probably intended to serve Wharton in the same manner. + +But with the whimsicality of an insane man he changed his mind, +evidently concluding that the tomahawk was the most fitting weapon to +be used in dispatching them. With the same deliberation shown from the +first, he relaxed the tension of the string and replaced the arrow in +the quiver. Then he turned about and silently deposited the bow on the +ground, so that it should not handicap him. + +This was all that was necessary, and he drew his tomahawk and faced +about just in time to make an unexpected and startling discovery. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +ARQU-WAO. + + +An inexplainable instinct sometimes warns a person of the approach of +peril. The experience of most of us confirms this statement, and we are +tempted to suspect that it is another manifestation of that occult +"sixth sense" of which we have only a shadowy conception. + +Wharton Edwards and Larry Murphy had been sleeping several hours, for it +will be remembered that they were exceedingly tired. Day was at hand, +and yet, in the usual order of things, they would have slumbered several +hours longer; but, at the same moment, the two became as wide awake as +they were when hurrying along the trail to the block-house. + +This moment of awakening came when the Indian was in the act of laying +down his bow behind him. Larry, being nearer to the savage than +Wharton, took upon himself to act promptly. + +In an instant he rose upon one knee and levelled his gun at the +astonished Shawanoe. In the act of doing so the youth recalled that he +had not reloaded it since firing the weapon while in the canoe. Nothing +in his manner, however, told the red man this interesting fact. + +"Do the same as mesilf," whispered Larry to his companion, "for I forgot +to load my gun." + +Wharton was quick to obey, and the Indian stood petrified, absolutely +unable to move hand or foot. + +"I've got ye now, ye spalpeen!" said Larry, in a loud voice; "if ye stir +I'll shoot!" + +To the amazement of the youth, the Indian replied in their own tongue: + +"No shoot--no hurt Arqu-wao--me good Indian." + +"Begorra, but ye're not acting like one," was the comment of Larry, who +now rose to his feet. "What were ye trying to do, anyway?" + +Wharton imitated the action of his companion, and said, in an undertone: + +"Don't hurt the poor fellow." + +"That depinds on himsilf," was the resolute response. "I spared him +once, and he mustn't go to heaving any more rocks at us, for he's too +handy at the business." + +The Indian, at the moment of turning around, had placed his hand on his +tomahawk, but snatched it away as though it had suddenly become red hot. +He was a picture of abject fear, and trembled in every limb. Had he +known enough to wheel about and run, he would have been safe, for +neither of the boys had the least desire to harm him. But, to use a +modern expression, they had the drop on him. + +"Keep an eye on him," said Larry, "while I load my gun." + +The Indian must have experienced peculiar emotions when he received the +proof that it was an empty weapon that had brought him to terms. Larry +proceeded to reload his rifle in a deliberate fashion, while Wharton +covered their prisoner with his own gun. + +It was while this proceeding was under way that the couple noticed that +the sun was almost in the horizon. The long eventful night was ended, +and they were close upon more stirring events. + +"He calls himself Arqu-wao," said Wharton. "I wonder what the name +means?" + +"I'm thinking it means an Indian half-scared to death; but, Whart, +what'll we do wid him, now that we've got him?" + +"That's what puzzles me. If we hadn't waked up just as we did we never +would have awaked at all, and if we let him go he'll probably sneak up +behind us and drive an arrow through each before we know our danger." + +"Let's keep him a prisoner." + +"How will we manage it?" + +"I'll fix it." + +Arqu-wao was still motionless, looking as if he expected to be punished +with death for his attempt upon the lives of the youths. As Larry spoke, +he strode toward him with a stern face and manner. The Indian instantly +began pleading in the most pitiful manner for his life. The youth was +tender-hearted, and said, kindly: + +"Be good Indian and we won't hurt, but let me have the tomahawk." + +The implement was meekly handed over. + +"Now the knife." + +That followed the other; and with all the gravity that Larry could +assume he shoved the handle of the first weapon between the waistband of +his trousers and shirt. + +"Whart, you can take charge of that," he added, passing the knife to his +companion, who readily disposed of it about his person. + +The most dangerous implement of all still remained in the hands of the +Shawanoe, and the captors were perplexed for the moment as to how it was +to be disposed of. It would have been easy to render it useless, and the +arrows might have been cast down the ravine, but they hesitated to take +that step. + +The same thought was in the minds of the lads. Arqu-wao might be used as +a friend and an ally in the danger which still threatened, and, if so, +he would need some weapon to be of avail in emergencies. + +Wharton now advanced and spoke: + +"Arqu-wao, do you know where the block-house is?" + +The expression of the Indian's face showed that he did not comprehend +the question. + +"Big house--fort--place where white men are?" + +"Yes--me know--me been dere," he replied, nodding his head vigorously. + +"It's off yonder, isn't it?" inquired Wharton, pointing with his hand in +the supposed direction. + +Arqu-wao shook his head. + +"Not dere--off dere," he said, indicating a point of the compass fully +forty-five degrees removed from the first. + +"I wonder if he's right?" said Wharton, doubtfully, turning toward his +companion. + +"Yes, for he's so scared he's sure to play square for a time." + +"Very well," said Wharton, looking toward the Indian. "Lead the way; if +you go wrong, we shoot, we kill." + +"Arqu-wao go right--he go right--he good Shawanoe--broder of Blazing +Arrow." + +The latter remark was startling to the boys, and they looked inquiringly +at each other, wondering what he could mean. + +"Begorra, if he's a brother to him, it's a bad ricommindation to +himsilf," remarked Larry. + +"He may be the flower of the flock, but we will keep sharp watch on +him." + +The Indian, now that he understood that he had chance for his life, lost +most of the fear that had filled him from the moment he was arrested in +the very act of committing a crime. + +He showed his knowledge of what was said to him by walking, not parallel +to the course of the torrent, which the boys had intended to take for +their guidance, but diverging at quite a sharp angle from it. Neither of +the youths could be satisfied whether this was favorable or not, but +there was logic in Larry's theory that their guide was so frightened +that he would act honestly, at least for a time. + +If he was doing so, he was doing them a great favor, for, instead of +walking a number of miles down the gorge, and then returning over the +same route, this distance would be saved by "cutting across lots," with +the probability of eluding the hostile Shawanoes waiting in ambush. +Whether such was the fact or not must be left to future developments. + +The sun was now fairly above the horizon, and the day promised to be as +clear and sunshiny as the preceding one. The hearty meal, eaten the +night before, and the rest, enabled the boys to continue their brisk +walk for hours without fatigue. They would have been glad to keep +straight on, if it were possible, until they reached the block-house. + +When they leaped across a small brook of cold, sparkling water, Wharton +called the guide to wait for a minute. He was walking about a rod in +advance, glancing sharply to the right and left, and even among the +branches of the trees, as though he suspected danger lurking there. He +never once looked back while thus engaged until he heard the sharp +summons of Wharton. Then he stopped short and turned half way round, and +stood like a statue. + +There was something suggestive in his attitude, for his right hand was +hidden from the sight of the boys. If he chose he could slide it up over +his breast, stealthily withdraw an arrow from the quiver, and fit it to +his bow-string without detection. The launching of the missile would be +done so quickly that no shot from either rifle could anticipate it. But +there were two boys, and this would frustrate any such purpose, unless +one should place himself at such disadvantage that he could not rise and +recover his gun before the firing of the second arrow. + +"Keep an eye on him," whispered Wharton; "I don't like his actions." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +A SERIOUS QUESTION. + + +Larry Murphy was in no mood for trifling. He had spared Arqu-wao twice, +and he did not mean to do it again. + +He noticed his suspicious action, and raising the hammer of his rifle, +he held the weapon half lifted to his shoulder, while he kept his +threatening gaze fixed upon the guide, who was equally intent in +watching him. + +The Irish youth understood what he must do in order to discharge the +arrow, and all he was waiting for was to detect the first preliminary +movement on the part of the singular being. + +"Drink away, Whart," he replied; "he won't fool me." + +With no fear, the younger lad knelt down and drank deep from the cool, +refreshing brook. Then he rose to his feet, replaced his cap, and picked +up his gun. + +"I don't think he'll fool me either," he quietly remarked, imitating the +attitude of his companion. + +"I believe he's up to some mischief," remarked Larry, who, nevertheless, +fully slaked his thirst before rising to his feet. + +The few moments thus occupied were trying to Wharton Edwards, who was +suspicious of the Indian. He could not explain his peculiar position on +any theory other than that he was seeking a chance to use his bow +against them. He believed that if he once removed his gaze from the +Indian, that instant he would drive an arrow through his body, and then +launch another at Larry before he could rise or bring his gun to bear. + +Needless to say, therefore, he closely watched the Shawanoe until Larry +stood at his side. + +"Lead on," said Wharton, with a wave of his hand, "and don't walk quite +so fast." + +"Me walk just so," replied Arqu-wao, accommodating his gait to that of +his captors. + +"I don't know what to make of him," remarked Wharton, when the advance +was resumed. "I have half a mind to take his bow away from him." + +"Ye haven't observed him doing anything wrong yet," was the response of +Larry. + +"What of his manner just now?" + +"It looked bad, but we ain't sartin that it meant anything at all." + +"We would be more certain if he had no weapon." + +"Hold on a bit; if we stop for dinner or anything else, we won't give +him a chance. I think, between ourselves, we can watch him so sharp that +he won't do any harrum." + +Wharton consented to this arrangement, though he could not free himself +of a strong misgiving in doing so. + +Arqu-wao continued his guidance as though no thought of anything but the +strictest loyalty to his captors had ever entered his brain, all awry +with its unimaginable fancies. + +Perhaps there had not. The truth must become known before the set of +sun. + +At intervals the guide turned his head far enough to glance back, but +this was so evidently for the purpose of learning whether his pace was +satisfactory that no suspicion was excited. His conduct could not have +been more satisfactory, so far as appearances went. + +The party were abroad in the woods, and the youths had only a very +general idea of where they were. They had made many windings and +turnings, and at last had forsaken the only reliable guide--the +gorge--by which to find their way back to the trail. + +This, as we have shown, was a matter of no moment, provided the Shawanoe +was not meditating treachery against them; but how easy for him, if he +chose, to lead them into a trap. + +"Halloo, what's up now?" asked Wharton. + +"Hold your gun ready!" + +The Indian had come to a sudden stop, and, looking back, raised one +hand, which the lads accepted as a request for them also to halt. They +obeyed him. + +Standing thus, with his body as rigid as iron, Arqu-wao slowly turned +his head so as to look at each point of the compass in turn. Those +behind him did the same, not forgetting to use their hearing as best +they could, but with no result. + +The Shawanoe next knelt down and applied his ear to the ground, as his +people do when suspecting the nearness of an enemy whom their eyes fail +to detect. It was possible, of course, that this pantomime was part of a +carefully laid plan to put them off their guard. If so, though cleverly +done, it failed to succeed. + +The result of the guide's test seemed to be satisfactory, for he quietly +assumed the perpendicular again and resumed his walk. He did not look +back, evidently concluding that they knew enough to follow without any +direction from him. + +"Larry," whispered his friend, "let's fall a little more to the rear, so +that, if he tries any of his tricks, we'll have a better chance for +ourselves." + +"I was thinking of the same thing," said the other, acting at once upon +the suggestion. + +They doubled the space heretofore separating them from the guide, who +took no notice, apparently, of the change in their relative situations. + +The thought in the minds of the boys was that, if Arqu-wao should +attempt to take them into a camp of their enemies, or to reveal them to +a war party, or, in fact, to attempt any form of betrayal, they would +have a much better chance of saving themselves by a rapid retreat. They +might well doubt whether the prospect of their guide benefiting them was +worth all their mental disquiet. It is probable that, had they taken +more time to consider the matter at the beginning, they would have +disarmed the Shawanoe and allowed him to go in peace. + +All at once he made a sharp turn to the left. As he did so, he looked +around, so that his face was in full view, and to the amazement of the +lads they saw a distinct grin upon it. + +"That's the first time he has tried to smile," remarked Larry, "and I'm +afeered of it." + +"Don't you understand what it means?" asked his friend a minute later. + +"No, do you?" + +"There it is." + +As Wharton spoke he pointed to the ground in front. Larry at once saw +the significance of the words. They were following a distinctly marked +trail. + +"But is it the right one?" whispered Wharton. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE TRACKS OF HORSES. + + +At the moment when neither of the youths had a thought of such a thing, +they found themselves walking along a distinctly marked trail in the +woods, while Arqu-wao, the Shawanoe guide, turned his head with an odd +expression, as if to ask their opinion of the manner in which he had +kept his agreement. + +This issue would have been highly pleasing but for the question which +instantly presented itself to Wharton Edwards and Larry Murphy--were +they upon the right trail? + +Fully aware of the treacherous subtlety of the American race, they might +well doubt the answer. The Indian must have seen that he was regarded +with suspicion, and knew, therefore, that extraordinary care was +necessary on his part to bring about the ruin of his captors and save +himself. + +What more likely to deceive them than the act of taking them to a +plainly marked path through the woods? + +But such trails were not common at that day in the forest, and since the +boys had passed over the one connecting the block-house with the +settlement, it surely seemed that they ought to be able to identify it. +They set out to do so, and quickly succeeded. + +Wharton was slightly in advance of his companion, and, turning his head, +he said in a low tone, over his shoulder: + +"Larry, we're on the right track as sure as we're born." + +"I know it. Do ye mind that tree over there to the right, beyant, that +has been knocked all to splinters by lightning? Do ye mind that, I say?" + +"Yes; I remember it well. We saw it last fall when we passed here." + +It would seem that the splintered trunk should have been an infallible +guide to the youths; but, as if fate wished to toy with them, Wharton +was positive that it was on the right side of the trail as they faced +the block-house, while Larry was equally certain it was on the left. +Neither could dissuade the other, and the question remained as +exasperating as before. One believed that instead of going right they +were walking directly contrary to the proper course, and that sooner or +later they would reach the dangerous section where they had already met +with so many narrow escapes. + +Had either been able to convince the other of his mistake they would +have decided what was the best thing to do, for such a decision of +necessity would have determined whether Arqu-wao was playing them false +or not. + +It was the younger lad who believed they were going astray, and it was +this fact which caused him to examine the ground, as they walked along, +with closer scrutiny than his companion. In doing so he made an alarming +discovery; the path showed the distinct hoofprints of two horses that +had travelled in the opposite direction. + +The woodcraft of the young man told him that the animals had passed that +way quite recently, probably within a few hours. While there could be +no certainty as to who the couple were, he decided at once that they +were his father and mother on their way from the block-house to the +settlement. + +"Larry," said he, touching the shoulder of his friend, "the Shawanoe is +acting honestly with us." + +"How can ye know that?" asked the other in surprise. + +"These are the footprints of father and mother's horses." + +Larry bent his head forward and closely studied the ground for some +time, walking slowly, and allowing nothing to escape him. + +"Ye are right," straightening up, "which means that two people have +passed this way--pretty lately, too; but how can we know who they were?" + +"This trail is little travelled. If the folks left the block-house very +early this morning they would have been near here by this time. We can't +know it is they, but it is certain as anything can be." + +"Then ye were wrong and I was right about the course we were +following." + +"Yes; I believe the Indian is doing his best to keep his promise." + +"I hope so, but I don't feel as sartin as yersilf of that." + +The brief delay of the couple had allowed Arqu-wao to gain so much on +them that he was almost invisible. Discovering the fact, he again halted +and looked back, as if waiting for them to come up. + +"Obsarve him," said Larry. "He stands jist as he did whin we took a +drink from the brook." + +Such was the fact. If he chose to launch an arrow, he could do so with +an instantaneousness that was sure to be fatal to one; but now they were +in a better situation than before, and the result was so certain to be +fatal to him that neither felt much fear of any attempt. + +Wharton beckoned to him to wait, and they hurried forward. Pointing to +the hoofprints, clearly showing in the earth, he asked: + +"What do they mean, Arqu-wao?" + +The Shawanoe merely glanced at the ground. He had noticed the signs +before, and it was not necessary for him to scrutinize or study them in +order to know what the youth meant. + +"Horses--so many," he said, holding up two fingers of his hand. + +"How long ago did they pass this way?" + +While the Indian understood the question, he was puzzled for a moment as +to how to make an intelligent answer. He fixed his keen black eyes on +the face of the questioner, then looked around the trees as if searching +for some aid. These shut out the sun, but it was easy to locate the orb +about one-third of the way between the horizon and the zenith. He had +struck the key. + +"When sun dere," he replied, pointing low down in the sky, "den men ride +along on horses." + +Wharton Edwards's heart gave a painful start. Of course the Shawanoe +could not know that one of the horses carried a woman instead of a man, +nor, with all the woodcraft of the American Indian, could he determine +within an hour or two the time when the animals had passed along the +trail, but he did know of a verity that the passage had taken place +since the sun went down on the night before. + +Understanding, now, the precise distance to the block-house, and the +strong probability that the parties would not leave there in the night +time, and well aware, also, from the marks of the hoofprints, that the +horses were walking at a leisurely pace, it became an easy matter for +him to tell at what time they were due at this particular spot. He had +indicated the hour, which was another evidence that the boys were at no +great distance from their destination. + +"We don't want to go to the block-house," said Wharton, impetuously. "We +want to travel the other way. We must overtake those horsemen before +they reach the falls." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +A SINGULAR MEETING. + + +The paint on the face of the Shawanoe could not hide the astonishment +caused by the words of Wharton Edwards. Despite the askew brain, the +Indian was wonderfully shrewd in some respects. + +"Go after dem--den be killed." + +"Why will we be killed?" + +"Shaw'noe wait for dem--bimeby dey shoot--both fall off horse--Shaw'noe +take scalp--you go dere--take your scalp." + +"Arqu-wao," said the distressed youth, stepping in front of the red man, +"those horses are ridden by my father and mother; they are on their way +to the settlement; we started out to come home with them; we must save +them; we will do so or die with them." + +These words, uttered with a depth of feeling hard to describe, were +understood by the Shawanoe. He comprehended on the instant that the +couple on horseback were so far along the trail that it was impossible +for the two boys on foot to overtake them. Such was the fact concerning +the elder of the two, but he probably would have changed his mind had he +been aware of the fleetness of the younger one. + +"Me catch dem," he hastened to say; "horse walk--Arqu-wao run faster den +horse--he hurry--tell dem--me do that?" + +The rising inflection showed that he only awaited the word to start off +like the wind, but young Edwards was in a distressing quandary. The +revelations of the last few minutes pointed to the loyalty of this +strange being. He had certainly started them along the trail toward the +block-house, as he had promised, and there was every reason to believe +that he would have soon landed them there but for this unexpected check. +Nevertheless the youths could not free themselves from the suspicion +that the whole proceeding was a part of a deep laid scheme for their own +overthrow. + +If he should be told to hurry back over the path and do his best to warn +the parents of their peril, he would pass beyond reach of the boys, and +consequently beyond any punishment they could visit upon him for his +treachery. + +But what should be done? + +True, Wharton could have run, too, and there was little doubt that he +was fully the equal of the guide, since he had vanquished the champion +runner of his tribe. + +He turned his head and asked Larry in a low voice for his advice, +stating the project that had come into his mind. Larry urged him to +carry it out. + +"Ye can travel as fast as him, and ye can shoot him if he tries his +tricks." + +"But it will separate you and me." + +"I'll follow as fast as I can go; I can't run like ye, but I'm sure that +if there's any fighting to be done I'll be on hand in time to give some +help." + +"Go 'mong trees--hide quick--Shawanoe coming." + +It was Arqu-wao who uttered these words, with every evidence of +agitation. He made quick gestures, and was so urgent that he compelled +instant obedience. + +Wharton and Larry sprang out of the path, and each darting behind the +trunk of a large tree, peered cautiously out to learn the cause of the +sudden alarm of their guide. + +They saw nothing, but his actions were singular. Instead of remaining +where he was, he took a number of short, quick steps, which carried him +several rods farther toward the block-house. Then he halted as suddenly +as a soldier in obedience to the command of his officer. + +"Sh! look out! there they are!" whispered Wharton to his friend, but a +few paces away. + +Several flickering objects, seen through the trees, revealed themselves +to be three Shawanoes in their war paint, striding along the trail as +though they were runners from the block-house to the settlement. In fact +their gait was a loping trot until they slowed down on seeing Arqu-wao. + +There could be no mistaking them for runners, for not only did their +war paint forbid this, but with feelings that can be imagined the youth +recognized the leader as Blazing Arrow, the savage who hated the white +people with an intensity beyond imagination. + +"This will settle the question about Arqu-wao," thought Wharton, "for he +now has our lives in his hands; if he tells the truth to Blazing Arrow, +and joins him and the rest, they will separate and shoot us down in +spite of all we can do." + +This was the situation, and a few brief minutes must determine the fate +of the boys, who, in the event of betrayal, were doomed. Hardly daring +to look around the bark of the trees, they could only wait and prepare +themselves for the issue of the conference. + +They saw Blazing Arrow stride forward, and, halting in front of +Arqu-wao, address him in tones so loud that they were plainly heard by +the listeners, who, however, could form no idea of their meaning. + +Not only that, but the fierce warrior gesticulated as if angry. If so, +the one to whom he spoke showed no fear of him. He answered in a voice +as loud, and with more gestures, the other two warriors remaining in the +background and leaving all to their leader. + +Blazing Arrow made a threatening gesture, placing his right hand on the +knife at his girdle. Arqu-wao withdrew a couple of steps and whipped an +arrow from his quiver. Possessing no other weapon than the bow, he made +ready to use that. Not once, so far as the boys could see, did he show a +sign of quailing. + +It was evident that, desperate as might be the resistance he offered, he +was helpless, inasmuch as each of the three warriors possessed a loaded +rifle, and he could have been shot down in a twinkling; but he was ready +to fight for his life. + +Blazing Arrow moderated his manner. His hand slipped from the weapon at +his waist, and he talked in a lower voice. Arqu-wao stepped a little +closer and responded in kind. Neither one of the others so much as +opened his mouth. + +Blazing Arrow pointed down to the ground several times, and it looked +as if he were discussing the hoofprints which showed so plainly at their +very feet. + +A thrill of admiration shot through Wharton Edwards, for at that moment +he read the meaning of Arqu-wao's strategy on discovering the approach +of the Shawanoes. He had hurried forward a short way, so that when the +meeting took place nothing would be visible of the footprints made by +the boys. They would reveal themselves, as a matter of course, farther +along the trail, but Blazing Arrow was not likely to make as diligent +search there as at the spot where the interview took place. + +"I believe he is honest after all," was the conclusion of Wharton, when +this thought came to him. "I wonder whether, if we have a fight, he will +help us or Blazing Arrow? I don't see why he should be such a friend to +us, when he tried to kill us a short time ago." + +There was plenty to occupy the minds of the boys during the few minutes +they shrank behind the trees in such suspense, not knowing the instant +when they would be called upon to fight for their lives. + +They asked themselves that, if the hoofprints in the trail had been made +by the horses of Mr. Edwards and his wife, how was it that they had got +by Blazing Arrow and his companions without detection? It was not to be +supposed that they had been permitted to do so for the purpose of +drawing them into a trap, for there was no call for such a course. Three +Indians, crouching in ambush, could shoot a man and his wife from their +horses without the slightest danger to themselves, or, if they chose, +they could have slain the man and made the woman captive. + +It looked as if, by some strange turn of events, the couple had slipped +by undiscovered. + +The conference continued but a few minutes. After the outburst of +Blazing Arrow, he did not show any more excitement. He exchanged some +words with Arqu-wao, and then waved him aside. The fellow obeyed rather +sullenly, and the three Shawanoes resumed their walk in the direction of +the falls. + +It was a dangerous proceeding for the boys to watch them as they drew +near their hiding-place. Larry did not do so, but shrank as close as he +could against the trunk of a tree, fearful of betraying himself, and +trying to shift his position, as they moved along, so as to prevent any +part of his body being seen by any of the roving glances of the party. + +Fully aware of the danger, Wharton could not help yielding to his +curiosity to that extent that he had kept an eye on Blazing Arrow, even +when he was at the nearest point of the trail. He studied the ugly +countenance, smeared with paint, and the irregular profile of each +warrior in turn as he filed past. Not one of them looked down at the +ground, but their eyes seemed to be fixed on the farthest point of the +trail which was in their field of vision, as though they were expecting +some one to reveal himself. + +Had they looked down at the ground they must have discovered the +footprints of the boys, and what then? + +Arqu-wao, rather curiously, held the same position which has already +been described; his left side was toward the boys, and also toward the +vanishing group of his people. It was the attitude he would have taken +had he intended to use his bow and arrow, and, after what had occurred, +the boys could not believe he thought of injury to them. Beyond all +question he had allowed the best opportunity to overcome them pass. +Having done that, it seemed idle to suspect him any longer. + +The only "fly in the ointment" was the explanation of the sudden +friendship on the part of the strange being. He had been caught in the +very act of an attempt to slay the boys, as he would have been glad to +do, when they paddled away with his canoe. They, in turn, after sparing +his life, had partially disarmed him, and then compelled him by threats +to act the part of a guide. + +The motive of gratitude which sometimes influences the American Indian +(and just as frequently does not) could hardly be expected to +crystallize at such brief notice into a sentiment strong enough to lead +the red man to risk his life so soon for them; and yet, admitting that +he was true to his pledge, no other explanation of Arqu-wao's course was +possible. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +FOOTPRINTS. + + +"He's either the biggest wretch among the Shawanoes," said Wharton, +"always excepting Blazing Arrow, or he is working like a major to help +us." + +"Look at him!" + +The Indian whom they were discussing was standing in the same position +as before, but was excitedly beckoning for them to approach. + +Both boys broke into a trot and quickly joined him. + +"Dat Blazing Arrow," said Arqu-wao; "he kill white folks." + +"How is it that he and the others did not kill my father and mother as +they rode along the trail?" + +"No see 'em," was the quick reply. + +"But why not? I do not understand." + +"Arqu-wao no tell--don't know--not be looking." + +This, apparently, was the explanation possible, but it did not satisfy +the youths. + +"Come wid me," said the Shawanoe, motioning the boys to follow him, +which, despite their anxiety, they did. + +"See dere--eh--see dat?" + +The Indian stooped, and with his forefinger almost on the ground, +pointed to the imprint of a shoe. It was not made by a moccasin, but by +a regular heavy-soled shoe or boot. + +"Who made that?" asked the astonished Wharton. + +"White man," replied Arqu-wao, with almost a chuckle. "White man like +him on hoss--he friend--Blazing Arrow don't know dat." + +It seemed incredible that this half-demented creature had discovered +signs which had escaped the eye of the fierce Shawanoe leader and his +companions, but such was the fact, as afterwards came to light. + +After much labored explanation, the guide made clear to the boys a state +of facts hitherto unsuspected by them, whose existence they still half +doubted. + +A white man from the block-house had passed over the trail after the two +horses. This was readily determined by studying his footprints where +they interfered with those of the animals. He had walked at a rapid +gait, as was evidenced by the length of the stride. In all probability +he was an experienced ranger, for even while following the path he made +an effort to hide his footprints. It was only at rare intervals that he +stepped in the trail itself; he had generally walked at the side, where +the leaves and harder earth hid the impressions from sight. + +Had Blazing Arrow and his companions been searching for this stranger's +footprints it is not to be supposed that they would have missed them, +for their eyes were as keen as those of Arqu-wao, but the presumption +was that they were not looking for them. + +The rapid stride of the strange white man was accepted by the guide as a +proof that he was trying to overtake those on horseback. It might be +that, after their departure from the block-house, news had reached the +small garrison there of the ambush the couple were liable to run into, +and this runner had set out to warn them; or it might be that he had +struck the trail a short distance off, and was seeking to join the two +for the sake of their companionship, or for some reason of his own. + +Furthermore, it must be remembered that, though the presumption was +strongly in favor of the two riders being the father and mother of +Wharton, it was not yet absolutely certain that such was the case. That +could not be known for some time to come. + +It was evident that some curious complication had taken place, since all +three of the party had passed Blazing Arrow and his men without their +detection. There was nothing remarkable in the single person doing so, +since he had given evidence of unusual care in his action. Skilled in +the ways of the woods and Indian subtlety, he knew enough to avoid the +most cunning ambush, but the hostiles must have been derelict to allow a +mounted man and woman to pass unnoticed. + +Be that as it may, Wharton and Larry were as resolute as ever in +following the party. If it should prove that the parents had passed that +point on their way to the settlement, there was no call for approaching +any nearer to the block-house. + +"We will go back," said Wharton, with only a moment's hesitation. "Lead +the way, Arqu-wao, and serve us as well as you have already done." + +"Me good Indian," he replied. "Me take care ob you." + +"We know that. We shall depend on you. You needn't run, for we don't +want to overtake Blazing Arrow too soon." + +The Shawanoe showed a remarkable quickness in comprehending the wishes +of the boys. He asked them to stand where they were until he signalled +them to follow. They watched his figure out of sight, when he turned, +with the same sidelong attitude as before, and beckoned them to come on. + +"We've got to trust him now," said Larry. + +"There's no help for it; but we couldn't ask much better proof of +friendship than he has given already." + +"But we'll keep our eyes on him. It may be he's fixing things so as to +gather in the whole lot of us." + +Wharton thought his companion was unduly suspicious, but at the same +time he recognized the prudence of his words, for he knew that these +people sometimes show a boundless patience in waiting for the minute +when they can make their vengeance the more complete. + +The Shawanoe walked so fast that Larry was forced to break into a trot +now and then to keep pace with him and the cleaner-limbed Wharton. The +presence of the three hostiles at no great distance in front rendered +necessary the precaution of Arqu-wao; for, if he ran upon them with the +youths at his heels, a collision would be inevitable, with disastrous +consequences. + +The guide was putting forth all the cunning of which he was capable. It +was necessary to come up with Blazing Arrow and his companions, and at +the same time prevent their knowing it. + +The journey was pushed in this manner for nearly a mile, and Wharton +recognized, from familiar sights, that they were drawing near the turn +in the dry ravine where he had had his singular encounter with Blazing +Arrow when he recovered his gun from him. + +Somehow or other the conviction had fastened upon him that the spot was +again to be the scene of stirring events. + +"Halloo!" he exclaimed in an undertone. "He has discovered something, +and we must wait till he signals us to go on." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +RED CROW. + + +The boys kept such a close watch on the Shawanoe that the moment he +signalled them to stop they obeyed. Although he assumed his favorite +attitude while doing so, he instantly faced about so that his back was +toward them. There could be no doubt that he had made some important +discovery. + +The youths stood still in the trail, Wharton slightly in advance; but +Larry was near enough to his side to note every movement of the singular +being who had been acting as their guide ever since the rise of the sun. + +"I wonder whether he means us to stand right here or to dodge behind the +trees, as we did before?" remarked Larry. + +"We shall know, for he will tell us. There it is!" + +Arqu-wao at this moment made a peculiar sweep of the hand holding the +bow, which was interpreted as an order for them to screen themselves +from sight. They did so with the cleverness of a short time before. +Nothing to explain the cause for this caution appeared, and the lads +kept their eyes on the Indian in whose hands they had placed their lives +before this critical moment. + +The tree trunks which sheltered them were not more rigid and motionless +for the next five minutes than he. Then he was seen to take a single +step forward, when he again paused. A second followed with the same +deliberation as before, and the advance continued, foot by foot, until +the intervening trees and the turn in the trail shut the guide from +sight. + +"We're near the clearing where I had my race with Blazing Arrow," +remarked Wharton, in a guarded voice. + +"Ye may have anither one with him." + +"It isn't likely, but I believe he isn't far off." + +"And the others are with him." + +"Of course, and more than likely father and mother are near. Oh, I do +hope that they will find out their danger soon enough to save +themselves; but I fear the worst." + +"Do ye hear that?" + +The faces of the youths blanched, for at that moment the sharp crack of +a rifle rang out in the stillness. It was near at hand, and was followed +by a wild cry, which, echoing through the forest arches, left the +silence more oppressive than before. + +"Somebody is killed!" whispered the frightened Wharton. + +"I don't doubt ye; but that yell wasn't a white man's." + +"Then the shot must have been." + +"I don't know the same; mebbe Blazing Arrow has found out what Arqu-wao +has been doing and shot him." + +"I believe that is what has happened; they had a quarrel when they met +in the trail; why didn't Blazing Arrow kill him then?" + +"He didn't know as much then as he does now; he has seen the thracks of +oursilves along the path after the two parted, and then the whole thruth +come upon him." + +"I wish we could have the chance to save the poor crazy fellow, for he +has given his life for us--that is, if he has been shot by any of his +people." + +"We don't know that he is dead yit; mebbe he managed to use his bow and +arrow, and didn't miss, while the other chap as used his gun did, so the +yell was the other fellow's." + +"We ought to have given him back his knife and tomahawk; I didn't think +of it, or we would have done so." + +"It couldn't have done him any good in this sort of rumpus." + +Some tragedy had been enacted so near them that the youths might well +shudder for themselves as well as for their friends. + +The sultry summer day was well along. The sun, high in the sky, +penetrated the woods with its warmth, and in the broad open plain the +heat must have been oppressive. Here and there a tiny bird fluttered +among the trees, and suddenly a noble buck came striding along as if he +meant to follow the trail to the falls for a drink, but, catching sight +of the two young men standing beside the trees weapon in hand, he +wheeled and was off in a twinkling, though not before either one of the +lads could have gained the best kind of a shot had he dared to fire. + +Minute after minute passed, and still there was no sign of the returning +guide. The young friends would have been glad to believe he had escaped, +but the fleeting minutes caused their hope to sink lower and lower, +until at last it was gone. + +"It seems to me," said Wharton, "that we are throwing away time by +standing here; we shall never see Arqu-wao again." + +"I agree with ye; the rest of 'em are miles off, and we might stay here +till the sun went down and that's all the good it would do us." + +Thump! and the startled boys, turning their heads, saw a stone, weighing +fully a pound, that must have been thrown by some person at them. This +was a curious proceeding by whomsoever done; but the explanation came +the next moment, when a tall, finely formed figure, clad in the costume +of the border ranger, stepped from behind a tree and motioned to them to +make no noise. + +The astonished and delighted boys recognized the individual as Simon +Kenton, the most famous scout, not excepting Daniel Boone, known in Ohio +and Kentucky. He had approached them from the rear, and announced his +coming in this characteristic manner. + +"Yer needn't be afeared, younkers," he said, as he came up, "provided +yer don't speak too loud. The varmints are powerful plenty yerabouts. +Howdy?" + +He shook the hand of each in turn, and Wharton asked: + +"Where did you come from, Kenton?" + +"The block-house." + +"How long ago did you leave?" + +"Shortly after sun-up; it isn't very fur, and I've travelled powerful +fast." + +Wharton yearned to ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue, +but an awful fear held it back. + +"We heard a rifle awhile ago; do you know anything about it?" + +"I reckon," replied the ranger with a significant grin, "bein' as I was +the chap that touched her off." + +"At whom did you fire?" + +"Why don't ye ask who did I hit, for when that piece speaks I reckon +some one is hit. Did you hear him yell?" + +"We might have heard the chap a mile off," replied Larry. "Was the same +Blazing Arrow." + +"No; I am sorry to say he kept out of the way, and I picked off the one +that was nearest to him." + +"Did you see anything of an Indian with a bow and arrow?" + +"You mean Arqu-wao, or, as we call him, Red Crow." + +"That must be the one. Why does he have such a strange name?" + +"Did you ever see a red crow, younkers?" + +"No; and I never saw a person that has seen one." + +"And you never will; such a thing would be powerful qu'ar, but he +wouldn't be any qu'arer than the varmint that Boone, M'Cleland, the +Wetzel boys and some of the others have given the name to. He's a bit +off, ain't 'zactly right here," added the scout, tapping his forehead. +"Have you had anything to do with him?" + +Wharton related in as few words as possible their experience with the +strange creature, and asked: + +"Has he always been that way?" + +"No; his brother and him had a big fight when they were on the warpath. +His brother was older and stronger, and threw him down among the rocks +in such a way that his head was hurt and he was never right afterwards. +He has lived by himself along that lake over yender for ten or a dozen +years. He won't have anybody with him; you know how the Injuns look on +such a person; they think he's a little different and better than other +folks and none of 'em will harm him. Of course none of the boys would +hurt a hair of his head, though he's quick enough with his bow and arrer +to shoot any one that comes pokin' round his place. It's powerful qu'ar +that he acted the part of a friend toward you, but thar's no sayin' what +crank may come into the head of such a person." + +"But he had a quarrel with Blazing Arrow, who seemed on the point of +striking him." + +"That's nateral, for you know you hate anyone that you've already done +an injury to." + +"Has Blazing Arrow ever injured him?" + +"Why, he's the one that throwed him over the rock; him and Blazing Arrow +are full brothers." + +This was surprising news to both, and Larry said: + +"He once mentioned the name of that chap as his brother, but I didn't +think that was what he meant." + +"I don't think the Red Crow loves his brother any more than his brother +loves him. Some time thar'll be the biggest kind of a fight between 'em. +They don't often meet, but when they do they allers strike fire." + +"How was it, Kenton, that you came to shoot awhile ago?" + +"One of the varmints got in my way, and if you know of any better plan +for heavin' him out, let me hear it." + +"But you don't explain; did you see anything of Red Crow?" + +"You asked me awhile ago, and I beg pardon for not answerin'. No, I +haven't seen him lately, that is, for the last few weeks; but while I +was out yender, just on t'other side of the ravine, whar the trail makes +a sharp turn, I catched sight of one of the varmints stealin' along as +though he was lookin' for somethin'. He catched sight of me at the same +time. We had not time to dodge behind anything, and it was a question +which could aim and fire the quickest. Wal," added Kenton, with a sigh +of complacency, "mebbe thar's a varmint somewhar that can do that thing +quicker'n me, but I haven't met him yet." + +"But you say you saw Blazing Arrow?" + +"Yas, and another of the redskins; they war some way ahead, and the +trees war so plenty that we couldn't draw bead. I waited for 'em to come +nigher, but they didn't seem to be lookin' for that sort of thing just +then, and they scooted t'other way. I 'spect I'll meet 'em agin purty +soon, and I'm ready." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +GOOD NEWS. + + +Wharton Edwards could not keep back the question any longer. + +"Kenton, why was it you were in such a hurry to get along the trail when +you left the block-house?" + +"I wanted to catch up with your father and mother, that left before +sun-up this mornin'." + +The poor lad staggered back, and, had he not caught hold of a sapling, +would have fallen to the earth. + +"There is no hope for them." + +"Who said there wasn't, younker?" demanded Kenton, sharply. + +"I can see none; do you?" + +"It looks putty bad, I'll own, but Brigham Edwards and his wife are no +fools, onless they've become so since they left the block-house." + +The words of the great ranger lifted part of the weight from the +shoulders of the boys (for the grief of Larry was almost as deep as that +of the son), though they were still in anguish of spirit. + +"What led you to follow them in such haste? How did you know they were +in such great danger?" + +"I got in late last night to the block-house; I had been out on a scout +for Colonel Quimby and was gone more than a week. The Shawanoes and +Wyandots are raising the dickens, and I knowed thar war lots of 'em +hanging round the settlement. I told your father, bein' that war so, he +had better wait whar he war for a few days, or until we could spare +several of the boys to go with him. + +"Howsumever, instead of that leadin' him to do as I wanted, it made him +and your mother twice as determined to be off. They wouldn't wait at the +block-house for you younkers to come in, as they orter done, and made up +thar minds to start the fust thing in the mornin'. I talked so hard +with your father that I war sure he would change his mind, and so, bein' +powerful tired, I went to sleep. I slept so late that when I woke up +they'd been gone an hour. I swallered two or three mouthfuls and started +after them." + +Wharton explained what he had seen for himself, all of which indicated +that Blazing Arrow and his two warriors had laid an ambush for the boys. + +"Thar ain't no doubt of that after what you tell me. They larned that +you war goin' to make a start for the block-house, so they went a good +long way along the trail and waited for you to walk into thar open +jaws." + +"Which we might have done had we gone farther; but, that being so, how +was it father and mother rode this way without harm when they must have +passed the very spot where Blazing Arrow and the rest were waiting for +us?" + +"I came by 'em," said Kenton, with another smile. + +"You could go by any number of them, for you know how. You were on foot +and were prepared for them, but they were on horseback." + +"Which leads me to say agin that Brigham Edwards and his wife ain't +fools, onless they've become so powerful sudden. Your father knowed thar +war three places whar, if thar war any ambush laid, it war sartin to be +in one of 'em. Countin' from the settlement, the fust was whar the path +goes close to them falls, for the lay of the land jes' invites it; the +second are at the ravine down thar, only a little way beyond whar you +are standin' this minute; and the third are ten miles this side of the +block-house, whar the trail goes through that swampy spot, and the +branches are so thick over it that they almost sweep you off the back of +your hoss. If he could pass them there three places without runnin' agin +the varmints, he would be safe." + +"And where were Blazing Arrow and the rest in waiting?" + +"At the swampy place I war speakin' of; the varmints made up thar minds +that they would be sure of you by goin' close to the block-house." + +"And how came father and mother to miss them?" + +"Jes' before reachin' the spot they turned out of the trail and went +round it. It war powerful hard work pickin' thar way with thar horses +among the trees and round the rocks, but they managed to do it, and did +not come back to the trail till they war a half mile this side the spot +whar the varmints war waitin' for 'em." + +"And ye mustn't forgit," said Larry, "that the spalpeens warn't looking +for thim, but for us." + +Wharton's eyes kindled with pride at this proof of the wisdom of his +parents. It made clear that which had been mystifying to him. + +"Bein' as your folks had done that," continued Kenton, "why, I thought +it only perlite to do the same." + +"Why didn't Blazing Arrow and the others wait for us to come?" asked +Wharton. + +"They got tired, though an Injun has more patience than a white man; but +they begun to think that mebbe they war too late after all, and they set +out to meet you." + +"But you say that we are close to the second place, that is to the +ravine where I got my rifle back from Blazing Arrow." + +This was the first reference the fleet-limbed youth had made to his +great race with the Champion of the Shawanoes, though he had told almost +everything else. Remarking that the parents were safe for the present, +Kenton demanded an account of the contest, and expressed the greatest +delight, declaring that he would have swapped his favorite rifle for a +powder-horn could he have stood where he might have witnessed the +wonderful burst of speed on the part of the youthful runner. + +But Wharton was impatient. All his thoughts were with the folks; and +though quite certain, from the words and manner of the scout, that there +was no cause for immediate alarm, he could not be denied fuller +information. + +"We are near the second place that you say would be used by the +Shawanoes for ambush. Have the folks passed that yet?" + +"No, they ain't two hundred yards off from you this blessed minute." + +Wharton bounced from the ground and could hardly repress a cheer in the +excess of his delight. + +"Why, Kenton, didn't you tell me this before?" + +"What war the hurry? They'll keep." + +"Where did you overtake them?" + +"Some distance back along the trail; I give a signal to your father and +he waited for me to come up. I told him the varmints had sot the trap +close to the swampy spot that he had sarcumvented, for I had seen their +tracks along the trail, and, onless they came trottin' after us, we must +look out for that ravine next. It's purty hard work sarcumventin' that, +but, leavin' them to do it, I sneaked back hyar to keep a lookout for +the varmints." + +"Where does father intend to return to the main trail?" + +"A little way beyond the clearin'; but the varmints will find out that +he are ahead of 'em, and, havin' slipped up once already, they may try +some trick; they'll be powerful careful, now that they know your folks +ain't alone." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +RED CROW'S ERRAND. + + +The Shawanoe Indian known as Arqu-wao, or Red Crow, had come in sight of +the ravine, which was the scene of Blazing Arrow's mishap the preceding +day, when he halted with the abruptness described, for he had caught +sight of the three Indians, with his detested brother at their head. + +They were walking rapidly, and when Red Crow stopped they soon passed +beyond his sight again. Looking for them to halt, and half expecting +them to turn back at any moment, he signalled the youths to hide +themselves, while he advanced in the cautious manner known to the +reader. + +Sure enough, he had gone but a little way when he observed the three +Indians standing in a group and discussing some question with great +earnestness. Quite sure that it had something to do with the action of +the couple who had passed that way a short time before, he stealthily +watched them. + +The truth was, Blazing Arrow, probably suspecting the identity of the +couple, was giving his attention to them. They were sure to run into +danger if they kept on to the falls, but they might escape unless he +took a hand in the business. + +Almost on the edge of the clearing, in sight of the ravine, the +hoofprints showed that the horses had turned off from the trail, and +with the evident intention of coming back to it at some point farther +on. The result of the conference was that Blazing Arrow and one of his +warriors continued in the direction of the natural clearing, while the +third was sent to track the horses through the rough wood, and to signal +the results to the leader. + +Red Crow cautiously followed the single warrior to learn how he made +out. No doubt the latter would have done well had he not run against an +unexpected obstruction in the person of Simon Kenton, who, having +accompanied Mr. Edwards and his wife a part of the way, turned back +with the intention of acting as a rear guard. + +The meeting was as much of a surprise to the white man as to the red +man, but, as has been intimated by the famous scout himself, he was just +too quick for the Shawanoe. With characteristic bravery, Kenton leaped +behind a tree, reloaded his rifle, and coolly awaited the attack of +Blazing Arrow and his companion; but they proved their cowardice by +slinking off toward the clearing, across which they made their way, in +the hope of gaining a better chance at the couple, who could not be far +off. + +Red Crow now kept well out of sight of Kenton, as well as of his +brother, not stirring from his hiding-place until the way was clear. +Then he stole along the tracks made by the horses. These were so clearly +defined that a child would have had no difficulty in following them. + +He knew that the couple were the parents of the young men whom he had +set out to serve. The course of the great white hunter made it clear +that he would soon join the youths, while the route of Blazing Arrow +showed that they were in no present danger from him. Accordingly, +without taking the trouble of telling the boys his intention, he hurried +over the broken ground, anxious to meet the man and wife before they +penetrated too far. + +Red Crow had formed a plan the moment he fully understood what was going +on, and he knew the need of haste. + +Despite the almost marvellous cleverness he had displayed from the +beginning, he narrowly escaped making a fatal error. In his eagerness to +reach the couple he forgot that he was in war paint and resembled in +every respect, except one, the Shawanoe whom the settler was trying to +circumvent. + +It was that one point of difference which saved Red Crow's life. Brigham +Edwards was picking his way as best he could, when he caught sight of +one of the Shawanoes hurrying along the trail as though intent on +overtaking him at the earliest moment. + +Before the Indian knew his danger the vigilant settler had his unerring +rifle at his shoulder, and his keen eye was running along the barrel. +But he noticed that the Indian carried a bow and arrow instead of a gun. +This was so unusual that he hesitated. At the moment of doing so Red +Crow stopped short and looked up with a startled look, as though +recalling his forgetfulness. Despite his paint, Edwards recognized him +as Arqu-wao, whom he had often seen when he was actively engaged in +scouting along the frontier. + +The pioneer had stopped both horses, and he and his wife were on foot +when this little episode took place. + +"By George!" he exclaimed to his companion, "I came within a hair of +killing that poor crazy fool, Red Crow." + +"What can be his business with us unless it be unfriendly?" asked the +wife, who also held a weapon in her hands. "He may have been sent +forward by some of the others." + +"I don't think we have anything to fear from him. I never heard that he +harmed those who did not interfere with him. I will see what he wants +with us." + +As Red Crow approached, Mr. Edwards addressed him by name and repeated +his own, but the Shawanoe showed no signs of recognizing it. + +"Why did you come here?" asked the white man, sternly. + +"Shaw'noe dere and dere and dere," replied Red Crow, pointing toward +every point except that of the block-house; "if go on path, Shaw'noe +kill white man--kill white woman." + +"Do you want to help us?" + +"Me show way--Shaw'noe not see--not find." + +This promise was received with a good deal of skepticism, but the +feelings of the parents were greatly stirred by the next words that were +quickly uttered: + +"White boy Wart'n--white boy Larr--dey come with Arqu-wao." + +"What!" exclaimed the father, recognizing the names, and striding in +front of the Indian; "do you know anything about those two boys?" + +Red Crow nodded his head several times. + +"Where are they?" + +"Up dere," he replied, pointing in the direction of the point in the +trail where he had left them but a short time before. + +"What can this mean?" demanded the agitated parent. "I must investigate +it. We will leave the horses here while we go back with him." + +The mother was as anxious to meet her son and Larry, and they quickly +made ready to start. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +ALL TOGETHER. + + +Brigham Edwards stopped short on hearing the signal of Kenton, and he +and his wife held themselves ready to repulse any attack from the +Indians, whom they knew to be in the neighborhood. Red Crow did a little +thing which won the confidence of the couple, who could not help +regarding him at first with suspicion: he placed himself directly in +front, with his bow and arrow ready for use. + +The little party was not kept long in suspense. From among the trees +strode the athletic figure of the famous scout, who, at that time, was +in his magnificent prime. Directly behind him walked Wharton Edwards and +Larry Murphy. + +At the sight of her son, the mother forgot everything else. Dropping her +rifle to the ground, she ran forward with the exclamation: + +"Wharton! my darling boy!" + +"Oh, mother, my dearest mother!" + +The lad, equally forgetful, flung aside his weapon and met his beloved +parent more than half way, throwing his arms about her neck, while both +wept with joy. The father smilingly advanced, and waited until the youth +was released. Then he clasped the boy to his breast with a happiness and +gratitude as deep and all-pervading, though it was less demonstrative. + +Larry stepped blushingly forward, when the way was clear, and was warmly +greeted in turn by the parents, for he held a warm place in their +hearts. He was a dutiful and respectable youth, who appreciated the +unselfish goodness those people had always shown to him. + +Even the grim, iron-hearted scout betrayed a suspicious moisture of the +eyes at the affecting scene. He looked on in silence, while Red Crow +gazed off among the trees as though he saw something that interested +him. What strange musings coursed through that warped brain is beyond +the power of fancy to imagine. + +"This 'ere looks sorter like a family reunion," remarked Kenton, with a +smile, when the first flurry was over; "I shouldn't wonder now, Brigham, +if you and Margaret thar are summat glad to see the younkers agin." + +"Indeed, I shall always thank heaven for its mercies. Wife and I did not +sleep a wink last night after we learned how bad things looked, and +nothing could have kept us from hurrying to them." + +"And how about you chaps?" asked the scout, turning toward the two happy +boys. + +"Neither of us can express our thankfulness," replied Wharton; "we have +seen a good deal of trouble during the last few days, but our suffering +all the time had been about them." + +"Yis," added Larry with a sigh; "it was mesilf that had not only them to +think about, but Whart was on me hands, too, and thare was times whin I +was ready to give up entirely." + +"Well, Simon," said the head of the family, "we've had good fortune so +far, but I have had enough experience to know that we are not out of the +woods yet." + +"Not by a long shot," was the expressive comment. + +"How do things look to you?" + +"Yer see that Blazing Arrer and one of his varmints has gone ahead and +across the clearin' out yender. They know that we have started to round +this part of the trail with the idee of comin' back agin beyend whar +they're watchin' for us." + +"And they will try to prevent us doing so?" + +"That's it, and it's goin' to be a tough job, with the hosses to take +care of." + +"I've been thinking lately that the only safe plan is to abandon the +animals and push on ourselves." + +"That will give us the best show, thar's no doubt about that; but I hate +powerfully to let the varmints get ahead of us, even as much as that." + +"You and I, Simon, have tramped the woods long enough to know that we +must take things as we find them. It's a hundred times better that we +should leave the horses than to imperil our lives by keeping them with +us." + +"The man as would deny them sentiments is a fool, but we hain't got to +that p'int yet." + +"I notice that the ground is much more difficult to get over than where +we turned out to avoid the swamp. Both the horses fell once or twice +with their loads, and I had almost reached the conclusion that we would +have to turn back or abandon them. They are the only animals I own, and +their loss would be a serious one, but it won't do to stop at that." + +While this fragmentary conversation was going on, Arqu-wao, or Red Crow, +held his position as motionless as before, and seemingly occupied with +something among the trees, invisible to the rest. The boys noticed that +he assumed his old attitude, which had caused them so much uneasiness +before. But, inasmuch as there could be no misgiving now as to his +intentions, they were certain that their former suspicions were unjust. +When he surrendered to them in the early light of that breaking +morning, he did so unreservedly, and had done his best to serve them. It +was a great comfort to know this, but how much greater it would have +been had they known it from the first. + +He showed a quicker perception than any of his companions suspected, for +he understood the doubt in the mind of the ranger and the settler +concerning the horses. Turning about, he said: + +"Arqu-wao show way to settlement." + +"But we know the way ourselves," said Mr. Edwards, kindly. + +"Show way for hosses." + +"You mean by the trail yonder; we have come over that, but the Shawanoes +are on the watch, and we dare not follow it." + +"Arqu-wao show way for hosses--Shaw'noe don't know--get dere +quick--Snaw'noe don't see." + +The pioneer turned to the scout. + +"He means to say that he knows of a route to the settlement different +from the regular trail, over which we can take the animals in safety." + +"That's what the varmint is drivin' at." + +"What do you think of it, Simon?" + +The scout significantly touched his forehead and shook his head. + +"I know that, but he has done well so far. He lives by himself in the +woods, and must be more familiar with it than any of his people. I'm +inclined to believe there is something in what he says." + +"I haven't much faith in a chap whose brain is twisted hind side afore, +but I don't know as it will do any harm to try it; leastways we've stood +here longer than we oughter." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +THE NEW ROUTE. + + +Simon Kenton had spent so many years of his life in the woods and had +been among the Shawanoes so much that he spoke their language like a +native. The reader need not be told that he was once a prisoner of the +Shawanoes, and was condemned to death by them, but was saved through the +interference of the renegade Simon Girty, to whom the scout had done a +kindness years before. This is the only instance of the kind known of +that miscreant. + +It had also fallen to the lot of Kenton to run the gantlet, and he had +desperate scrimmages without number with members of that warlike tribe. +His frequent association with them, his companionship with the +extraordinary but unfortunate Deerfoot, had given him a mastery of the +tongue used by these people. + +Kenton now turned to Red Crow and addressed him in the language of his +tribe: + +"Arqu-wao, tell me why you wish to prove yourself a friend of the white +man." + +"Arqu-wao crept upon the palefaces; they ran away with his canoe; they +came near his home, where the red and white man must not come; but they +went away, they did not hurt his canoe; he followed them; he was about +to kill them when they slept, but they awoke; they could have killed +him, but they did not; they spared his life; then the Great Spirit +whispered in his heart that he must be the friend of the paleface +youths; so Arqu-wao is their friend; he will give his life for them." + +Kenton listened gravely to this singular statement. His knowledge of the +Indian character assured him that every word was the truth. Red Crow did +not show by his words or manner that his brain was not as clear as that +of his brother, Blazing Arrow. The probability was that it was partially +affected only by the injury received years before. It had led him to +make a recluse of himself, and to indulge in some whimsical +performances. In other respects, as he had proven, his cunning and +ability were greater than before. + +All doubt of his loyalty removed, Kenton proceeded to the business he +had in mind: + +"To-day you met your brother, and you had a quarrel." + +The black eyes flashed. + +"Blazing Arrow is a snake in the grass, that bites when you are not +looking; he hates Arqu-wao; Arqu-wao hates him; some time one will kill +the other; the Great Spirit has said so." + +"But you quarrelled," repeated Kenton, wishing to hear the explanation +of that dispute. + +"Blazing Arrow said to Arqu-wao that he had turned against his people; +he said he had become the friend of the white man, and he said he would +kill him." + +"And what did Arqu-wao do?" + +"He drew his bow and arrow," replied Red Crow, with another flash of his +black eyes, "but Blazing Arrow said he would wait till he learned more; +then he would kill him." + +Kenton suspected this from what the boys had told him, and he plainly +foresaw that the fatal encounter must come, sooner or later, between +these brothers, who hated each other with consuming hate. + +"You say that you know a better way to the settlement, where we can take +the horses?" + +"Yes--me know--me show," replied Red Crow, with such haste that he +unconsciously dropped into English, which he spoke ill. + +"Where is it?" + +The Shawanoe pointed behind him, and almost in the direction of the +lake, on whose shore he made his home. + +"Ober dere--not far--show de way." + +While Kenton believed in the truthfulness of the strange being, he was +disturbed by the fact that he himself had traversed this section so many +times that he was familiar with every portion, and he could not recall +any part answering to the description of Red Crow. He feared that, while +his intention was honest, the thing itself was only a figment of the +Indian's brain, and that he was liable to draw them into greater +difficulties than before. + +If this should prove to be the case, it would be better to abandon the +animals at once, for the remark of Mr. Edwards about the forest being +most difficult of passage was true. Not only that, but it grew worse, +until it became absolutely impassable for any quadruped as large as a +horse. + +The plan the scout had in mind was that of the whole party returning +without delay to the block-house, and waiting till the danger passed. +Inasmuch as there was no call for haste on the part of the pioneer in +reaching his home, this, unquestionably, was the better course to adopt. +But Kenton was curious to learn something more about this new route, for +he saw that if it proved an actuality, and was known to the Shawanoes, +it was sure to be of vast value to himself and other rangers who were +compelled frequently to pass back and forth between the two points. So, +after a little more unimportant talk, he added: + +"Well, Arqu-wao, we will follow you. Show the way." + +It will be remembered that when the pioneer and his wife set out with +Red Crow to find the boys they left the two horses behind them. It was +useless to bring them back over the route that had cost the animals so +much labor, and which would necessitate the whole thing being done over +again. In order to carry out the plan of Red Crow it was necessary to go +to where the horses were, or to bring them back to the party. Kenton +asked him what should be done, and he replied that they were to await +him where they were while he brought the beasts to them. Accordingly the +company assumed new positions on the ground, Wharton sitting close to +his mother. + +Before Red Cloud left, the boys restored to him the knife and tomahawk, +so that he was as fully armed as before. The Indian smiled in his +shadowy way, and showed that he appreciated the confidence implied in +the little act, which would have been performed before had it not been +overlooked. + +When the Shawanoe was beyond hearing, Kenton said: + +"I shouldn't be surprised if that varmint had trouble afore he brings +them hosses back." + +"Why so?" asked Mr. Edwards. + +"We've been talkin' and actin' as though thar warn't one of them +varmints in ten miles of us; but I haven't forgot that Blazing Arrow +knows why you turned off the trail with the hosses, and if he hain't +gone back himself he has sent some of 'em to l'arn how things are +goin'." + +"Why haven't they appeared to us?" + +"We ain't in the hole they want to get us into," replied Kenton, who, in +accordance with the custom of those of his calling, kept glancing to the +right and left, on the lookout for the first appearance of peril. "They +may have had a peep at us, and will keep an eye on our movements, but +are more likely to watch the hosses. They ain't fur off, Brigham?" + +"No; I didn't go far with them." + +"Has Red Crow had time to reach the spot?" + +"If he kept up the gait with which he started I should say he is about +there." + +"Now, don't speak till I give the word," said Kenton, in a low voice, +"but listen with all your ears." + +The entire party assumed attitudes of intense attention, and were +rewarded sooner than they anticipated. Amid the profound stillness a +sudden, sharp, twanging noise reached them, followed instantly by a +smothered, gasping cry, and then all was still. + +The party looked in one another's faces. No need of any one speaking a +word, for all knew what those awful sounds meant. + +Red Crow had driven an arrow into some dusky thief with such swiftness +and force that he had no time to utter the proverbial yell of his race +when he sank to the ground. + +"Thar must have been only one of 'em," quietly remarked Kenton, "or thar +would be more of a rumpus. He has started." + +The sound of the animals laboring through the bushes and among the trees +was plainly heard, and a minute later Red Crow appeared, leading the +pioneer's horse, while that of his wife followed close behind. + +It was agreed that no reference should be made by any one to the tragedy +that had taken place so near them. They waited for Red Crow himself to +tell the story, but though he was questioned quite closely, he never +said a word. + +"Arqu-wao," said Kenton, in the Shawanoe language, "you have a single +tongue; you are a good Indian; now lead the way; we believe in you and +will trust you to the death." + +For the first time since the Shawanoe had joined them, his painted face +gave evidence of emotion. He stood for several seconds with his eyes +fixed on Kenton, who calmly confronted him. He was on the point of +speaking, and once the boys, who were studying his countenance with +curious interest, observed a movement of his thin lips, but he changed +his mind and no words escaped him. + +Turning abruptly away, he held the bridle-rein of the pioneer's horse in +one hand, and, with his long bow in the other, began moving through the +wood, which route may roughly be described as half way between that just +followed and the course of the trail nearest them. + +The work for a time was as hard as before, and the animal showed so much +reluctance that, in addition to the tugging at the rein by the leader, +he required some vigorous prodding from his master before he would do +his duty; but ere long a pleasant fact became apparent to all; the wood +was so open that it was a comparatively easy matter for all to advance. +If it should remain thus, they could push on with little more trouble +than that encountered in travelling over the trail itself. + +Of course, nothing was easier than for the Shawanoes to follow the +footprints of the party, and it was to guard against any surprise of +this kind that Kenton remained some distance behind the others. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +THE LAST HALT. + + +Within the following half hour a pleasant surprise came to the little +party. + +"My gracious!" exclaimed the pioneer to his wife, "do you see that, +Margaret?" + +He pointed to the ground between them as he spoke, and she nodded her +head with a smile. + +"We are travelling over a trail," he added; "Red Crow is keeping his +promise; he knows what he is doing." + +It was the truth. The path was faintly marked, but it was unmistakable, +and all knew the meaning. They were approaching one of those open +spaces, known as "salt licks," which are quite numerous in Kentucky and +Ohio. Naturally they are the resort of animals who thread their way +over long distances to the spots where the brackish moisture, oozing +through the ground, affords a taste of the mineral which is as +indispensable to beasts as to human beings. + +The bears, deer, buffaloes and other inhabitants, journeying toward one +common point, gradually form paths through the forest, into which +additional brutes turn, adding to the distinctness of the trails, which +sometimes radiate outward from the common centre like the spokes of a +wheel, until they gradually lose themselves in the wood, as the brutes +diverge from the route, whose individuality becomes lost like the course +of the streams in the sandy wastes of Africa or the barren regions of +the Southwest. + +By and by the path was as clearly defined as the trail connecting the +settlement and the block-house. A short distance farther and they +arrived at the lick. + +The favorite time for the wild animals to visit these places of +refreshment is early in the morning, but when our friends arrived there, +a huge wolf was lapping the ground on the other side. They caught but a +single glimpse of him, when he skurried off among the trees, vanishing +in a twinkling. + +The sight was a singular one, with the ground worn as smooth as the +floor of a barn by the licking of multitudinous tongues, and its +moisture glistened in the sunlight, as if it had been oiled. + +The horses showed their appreciation of the luxury by stretching out +their necks and eagerly applying their tongues to the saltish surface. +They were allowed to do so freely, and a few minutes later Kenton joined +them. His handsome face expanded with a broad grin, and he surprised +all, especially the recipient of the compliment, by slapping Red Crow on +the shoulder. + +"Arqu-wao, you're a powerful good chap, and here's my hand on it." + +The Shawanoe, rather gingerly, allowed his palm to be almost crushed in +that of the scout. + +"He's doin' jes' what the varmint said he would," added Kenton, +addressing the rest of the party. "If nothin' don't happen, he'll land +us at the settlement all right, but we're goin' to be followed." + +"Have you discovered anything?" asked Mr. Edwards. + +"Not as yet, but they won't let us slip away in this style without some +kind of a rumpus; we musn't stay here too long." + +Red Crow was of the same mind, for he tugged at the rein of the leading +horse, who was reluctant to abandon his feast, while the pioneer had to +work as hard with the other before he would leave the spot. The lick was +skirted and another trail taken on the other side, so that the journey +was continued in substantially the same direction as before. Inasmuch, +however, as this path must soon dissipate itself, there was some +curiosity to know what their guide would do when the point of vanishing +was reached. Not a member of the party, however, felt distrust of his +ability and loyalty to them. + +Kenton, as before, fell to the rear, for there was every reason to +believe that whenever the Shawanoes chose to make a demonstration, it +would be from that quarter. As anticipated, the path grew fainter as +they progressed until it was hardly perceptible, but the wood remained +open, and progress was comparatively easy. + +For some minutes before this the whites had been sensible of a dull, +roaring sound, which at times was quite distinct, and then sank again +beyond their power of hearing. + +"I believe that is the stream where Larry and I had so much trouble +yesterday and last night," said Wharton to his father. + +"Undoubtedly you are right." + +"I wonder whether he intends we shall cross it?" + +"If he does, he knows the way." + +"I guess we will not, for you know the regular trail doesn't take the +other side." + +"But if he means to follow a new course to the settlement, it may be +necessary." + +The afternoon was well along, and some of the party had eaten nothing +since early morning. All were hungry, but though there was a substantial +lunch in the packs carried by the horses, no one spoke of it. They were +too desirous of getting forward while the opportunity was theirs, to pay +any attention to their appetites. + +They had not yet reached the torrent, which was now close at hand, when +Red Crow halted the animals and said to the pioneer: + +"Wait here--Arqu-wao go ahead--won't stay long--want to see." + +Mr. Edwards bowed his head, signifying that it should be as he wished, +and the Shawanoe was off in a twinkling before Kenton, who was hardly +out of sight to the rear, could come up. He soon appeared, and inquired +what had taken place. + +"Thar's trouble," was his emphatic comment. + +"How can you know that?" asked the pioneer, with slight impatience; "you +haven't seen anything." + +"We're not far from where the younkers had the row yesterday; the lake +isn't more'n half a mile up stream, and the reg'lar trail ain't that fur +off in t'other direction." + +"Don't you think Red Crow is acting wisely?" + +"No one could do as well. It ain't that; but I told you we wouldn't +reach the settlement without a rumpus. He means to take us across the +gorge. The other varmints may not know the course we've took, but +they'll be smart enough to 'spect that we'll try to cross at this spot, +and some of 'em will be on the watch thar as sure as you're born. Wait +hyar whar you be till I go ahead and larn how things stand. I think Red +Crow is likely to need me." + +The words proved true sooner than the sagacious scout suspected. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +Red Crow, the friendly Shawanoe, who had proved his loyalty to the +whites in so many striking instances, left the little party where he had +halted them in the wood and walked rapidly toward the gorge, which he +intended should be crossed by the fugitives and their animals. + +It followed that, if such was his intention, the means of crossing was +at his command. So it proved. + +He struck the gorge at a place where it was so narrow that Larry Murphy, +and even Mrs. Edwards herself, would have found no difficulty in leaping +it. The horses, if stripped of their loads and sharply urged, would no +doubt have done the same; but to meet such an emergency some one had +caused the trunks of two trees to lie as close as possible side by +side, the "dip" between the logs being packed with dirt and gravel, so +that a space of fully two feet wide and quite level was presented. It +was strong, and any horse could walk over without trouble. + +It was curious that the youths, while searching for just such a spot the +previous evening, should have missed it. They must have passed quite +near to it. + +Red Crow stood a moment calmly contemplating the rude work of art, his +eyes roving from where he stood to the other side and beyond. It would +seem as if he ought to have been satisfied with the strength of the +bridge, but he appeared to be in doubt, and to test it he started to +walk across. + +At the moment of doing so a figure stepped from behind one of the large +trees and advanced to him. Red Crow looked up and saw Blazing Arrow, +who, detecting his approach, had dodged behind shelter. The face of the +miscreant was the embodiment of rage as he ground out the words: "Dog of +a Shawanoe! friend of the white man! you shall die! rot at the bottom of +the water!" + +The words were loud enough to be heard above the dull roar of the +current. Red Crow recoiled for a moment on catching sight of his +execrated relative, but it was through surprise rather than fear. The +next moment he took a step forward. + +"Blazing Arrow is a rattlesnake! Arqu-wao does not fear him! he hurt him +when he was young and weak like a squaw, but Arqu-wao is now a man and a +warrior!" + +While speaking, Red Crow hung his bow behind him and drew his knife. +Blazing Arrow had left his rifle leaning against the tree where he was +hiding, and his hunting-knife was in his hand when he stepped upon the +bridge. + +Had the two been obliged to stay apart for a few minutes they would have +used the time in taunting each other, an art in which the American race +is hardly less adept than the Caucasian; but they were eager to come +together; their hatred was too burning for either to waste any time. + +They met in the middle of the bridge, directly over the sweeping +current, and assailed each other like a couple of catamounts. It was a +fight to the death, and was fiercely waged by each. Neither would ask or +show mercy, and one or both must succumb. + +It would be distressing to describe the terrific encounter in detail. +Nothing could have been fiercer, but it continued only a few minutes, +when a spectator would have seen that Arqu-wao was overmatched. Blazing +Arrow was much the larger, and not only was fully as active, but more +powerful. He pressed his advantage remorselessly, and, though he was +severely wounded by the weapon of the other, he conquered. + +The swaying bodies kept their places on the narrow bridge, though +sometimes they narrowly missed rolling into the torrent beneath, until +finally the efforts of Arqu-wao relaxed. Then, seizing him in his brawny +arms, Blazing Arrow lifted him high in the air, and holding him aloft +for a moment, hissed: + +"Die, dog of a Shawanoe, your blood is white!" + +He swung the senseless body outward, and it shot downward like a +bowlder, and with a loud splash vanished beneath the surface. + +But the bloody form of Blazing Arrow was scarcely ten seconds behind it. +The furious exclamations were yet trembling on the dusky lips when the +crack of a rifle broke the stillness. The miscreant, with a resounding +shriek, leaped clear of the bridge and sped downward like a meteor, the +spray flying high in the air as he, too, vanished from human sight. + +"Confound it!" muttered the enraged Simon Kenton, "why didn't I get hyar +jes' a minute sooner? I've give Blazing Arrer his last sickness; but +afore I done that he put poor Red Crow to sleep; but it's all over now, +and thar's no use of kickin'." + +Advancing to the edge of the torrent, he looked in the direction of the +falls to see the bodies disappear. Once he thought he saw a dark object +for a moment, which he fancied might be one of them, but it disappeared +before he could make certain, and was not seen again. + +As he had remarked to himself, there was nothing to be gained by +"kicking," and with a sigh of regret over the unfortunate Red Crow, or, +as he was known among his own people, Arqu-wao, he turned about and +hurriedly rejoined his friends, who were greatly agitated at the tragedy +that they knew had taken place near them. + +The scout told, in as few words as he could, what had occurred, and +added: + +"It's too bad for Red Crow, but I'm afeared that rifle-shot and the +beautiful yell of Blazing Arrer has been heard by the rest of the +varmints; leastwise we don't want to stay hyar any longer." + +Before allowing the party to cross the rude bridge with the animals, +Kenton preceded them and made a careful reconnoisance. He could discover +no signs of Shawanoes, and, picking up Blazing Arrow's rifle from where +it rested against the tree, he signalled the pioneer and the rest to +follow him over. + +It was easy for all to obey, but a vexatious delay was caused by the +reluctance of the horses to trust themselves on the narrow foot-bridge, +with the rushing current below. In the very middle of the support the +leader became panic-stricken, and, in attempting to back to the shore +from whence he started, lost his balance, and that was the last of him. +The other reached the bank in safety. + +There was no semblance of a path on the other side, and what Red Crow +would have done, had he lived, after crossing, cannot be known; but +Kenton did not hesitate. His knowledge of the country enabled him to +proceed intelligently. He explained the route clearly to the pioneer, +and leaving him to follow orders, he again assumed the duties of rear +guard, adding: + +"Push ahead, Brigham, as best you can; to-night will settle whether the +folks get to the settlement or not. If we can dodge the varmints till +after the sun goes down we'll be all right." + +"Suppose we get into trouble?" + +"I'll signal you. If you hear this gun go off, don't pay any 'tention to +it except to travel faster, if you can." + +With an exchange of these brief sentences, the pioneer set out, closely +followed by his wife, the boys and the scout. + +Fortunately the horse that went off the bridge did not take all the +lunch with him. Mr. Edwards brought out what was left and divided it +among his companions, and they ate as they walked. + +They were now pursuing a clearly defined policy. It was to come back to +the regular trail at a point well beyond where the Indians were believed +to be waiting in ambush. If the hostiles could thus be thrown behind +them, there was reason to hope for the best. + +The chief trouble was because of the horse. Without any path for his +feet, and with the trees now and then interfering, and with places so +impassable that they were compelled to make laborious detours, the +progress was exasperatingly slow; but with the passing of the afternoon +and the approach of night, hope strengthened. Safety lay in darkness, +which was close at hand. + +At intervals the listening ear of the pioneer caught a familiar signal +from Kenton, but in every instance it was interpreted "All right," and +served to add to the buoyancy of the spirits of all. + +The scout was strongly inclined to place a favorable explanation on this +immunity from attack. The Shawanoe war party was small in numbers; it +had suffered the loss of three or four of their best men, among them +their leader, Blazing Arrow. This weakened them greatly. + +On the other hand, if the Shawanoes were hunting for the two boys, or +for the pioneer and his wife, they were confronted by a marked change in +the situation. Not only had the two couples been united, but the most +dreaded ranger of the border was with them. There were five rifles among +the whites instead of two, and every person holding a weapon was not +only ready, but was skilled in its use. They knew of the threatened +peril, and were on the alert to guard against it. + +In other words, the whites had increased and the red men decreased to +that extent that Kenton half believed the Shawanoes hesitated to attack +them. It was certain that they would not do so unless they could gain +some great advantage over them, which was what the scout determined +should not be gained if it lay in his power to prevent it. Certainly, if +skill and woodcraft could avail, it never would come about. + +The veteran ranger employed all the consummate art of which he was +master. He fell farther behind than any of his friends ever suspected; +he made long half way circuits through the woods, and as they neared the +trail he once passed entirely round the company without their knowledge. +Nothing escaped his lynx eyes, but, when the sun at last went down and +twilight stole through the forest, he had not caught the first +suspicious sign. + +It was only fairly dark when Edwards stopped, as he had agreed to do, on +reaching the trail. Kenton was with them a few minutes later. + +"Things look powerful well," was his encouraging remark; "I haven't +catched sight of hide or hair of the varmints since that hoss of yours +turned summersets off the bridge." + +"That is something to be grateful for," was the response of the pioneer. +"I feel more hopeful than at any time since leaving the block-house." + +"It is a purty good tramp yet afore we reach the settlement; can you all +stand it?" + +"You know better than to ask me that question," replied the settler with +a laugh; "we have been on too many tramps ourselves, but I don't know +about the rest." + +"Excepting me," was the cheery response of the wife. "I am so glad to +have Wharton and Larry safe with me that I know not what fatigue is; I +believe I could walk all night without suffering." + +"If you give out, make the hoss help." + +"No; he has had it harder than any of us. He'll be the first to stop; +but, Wharton, what about you?" + +"I'll never let my mother beat me walking," he said with a laugh, +affectionately kissing her ruddy cheek. + +"And as for Larry Murphy," added the young gentleman alluded to, "it'll +be a few years from now before he allows any one to beat him in walking +towards home, when he knows that a good supper and bed is awaiting him +there. I'm riddy, gintlemen, when ye say the word." + +The good fortune which attended the members of the party did not desert +them. What movements were made by the Shawanoes and what their +intentions were could never be known, but not a hostile shot was fired +within hearing of the fugitives, who at last reached the settlement in +safety, all profoundly grateful to heaven for its mercy. + + * * * * * + + + + +FAMOUS STANDARD JUVENILE LIBRARIES. + + +HORATIO ALGER, JR. + +The enormous sales of the books of Horatio Alger, Jr., show the +greatness of his popularity among the boys, and prove that he is one of +their most favored writers. I am told that more than half a million +copies altogether have been sold, and that all the large circulating +libraries in the country have several complete sets, of which only two +or three volumes are ever on the shelves at one time. If this is true, +what thousands and thousands of boys have read and are reading Mr. +Alger's books! His peculiar style of stories, often imitated but never +equaled, have taken a hold upon the young people, and, despite their +similarity, are eagerly read as soon as they appear. + +Mr. Alger became famous with the publication of that undying book, +"Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York." It was his first book for +young people, and its success was so great that he immediately devoted +himself to that kind of writing. It was a new and fertile field for a +writer then, and Mr. Alger's treatment of it at once caught the fancy of +the boys. "Ragged Dick" first appeared in 1868, and ever since then it +has been selling steadily, until now it is estimated that about 200,000 +copies of the series have been sold. + +--_Pleasant Hours for Boys and Girls._ + +A writer for boys should have an abundant sympathy with them. He should +be able to enter into their plans, hopes, and aspirations. He should +learn to look upon life as they do. Boys object to be written down to. A +boy's heart opens to the man or writer who understands him. + + +--From _Writing Stories for Boys_, by Horatio Alger, Jr. + + * * * * * + +=RAGGED DICK SERIES.= + + Ragged Dick. + Fame and Fortune. + Mark the Match Boy. + Rough and Ready. + Ben the Luggage Boy. + Rufus and Rose. + + +=TATTERED TOM SERIES--First Series.= + + Tattered Tom. + Paul the Peddler. + Phil the Fiddler. + Slow and Sure. + + +=TATTERED TOM SERIES--Second Series.= + + Julius. + The Young Outlaw. + Sam's Chance. + The Telegraph Boy. + + +=CAMPAIGN SERIES.= + + Frank's Campaign. + Charlie Codman's Cruise. + Paul Prescott's Charge. + + +=LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES--First Series.= + + Luck and Pluck. + Sink or Swim. + Strong and Steady. + Strive and Succeed. + + +=LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES--Second Series.= + + Try and Trust. + Bound to Rise. + Risen from the Ranks. + Herbert Carter's Legacy. + + +=BRAVE AND BOLD SERIES.= + + Brave and Bold. + Jack's Ward. + Shifting for Himself. + Wait and Hope. + + +=NEW WORLD SERIES.= + + Digging for Gold. + Facing the World. + In a New World. + + +=VICTORY SERIES.= + + Only an Irish Boy. + Adrift in the City. + Victor Vane, or the Young Secretary. + + +=FRANK AND FEARLESS SERIES.= + + Frank Hunter's Peril. + Frank and Fearless. + The Young Salesman. + + +=GOOD FORTUNE LIBRARY.= + + Walter Sherwood's Probation. + A Boy's Fortune. + The Young Bank Messenger. + + +=RUPERT'S AMBITION.= + + +=JED, THE POOR-HOUSE BOY.= + + * * * * * + + + + +HARRY CASTLEMON. + + +HOW I CAME TO WRITE MY FIRST BOOK. + +When I was sixteen years old I belonged to a composition class. It was +our custom to go on the recitation seat every day with clean slates, and +we were allowed ten minutes to write seventy words on any subject the +teacher thought suited to our capacity. One day he gave out "What a Man +Would See if He Went to Greenland." My heart was in the matter, and +before the ten minutes were up I had one side of my slate filled. The +teacher listened to the reading of our compositions, and when they were +all over he simply said: "Some of you will make your living by writing +one of these days." That gave me something to ponder upon. I did not say +so out loud, but I knew that my composition was as good as the best of +them. By the way, there was another thing that came in my way just then. +I was reading at that time one of Mayne Reid's works which I had drawn +from the library, and I pondered upon it as much as I did upon what the +teacher said to me. In introducing Swartboy to his readers he made use +of this expression: "No visible change was observable in Swartboy's +countenance." Now, it occurred to me that if a man of his education +could make such a blunder as that and still write a book, I ought to be +able to do it, too. I went home that very day and began a story, "The +Old Guide's Narrative," which was sent to the _New York Weekly_, and +came back, respectfully declined. It was written on both sides of the +sheets but I didn't know that this was against the rules. Nothing +abashed, I began another, and receiving some instruction, from a friend +of mine who was a clerk in a book store, I wrote it on only one side of +the paper. But mind you, he didn't know what I was doing. Nobody knew +it; but one day, after a hard Saturday's work--the other boys had been +out skating on the brick-pond--I shyly broached the subject to my +mother. I felt the need of some sympathy. She listened in amazement, and +then said: "Why, do you think you could write a book like that?" That +settled the matter, and from that day no one knew what I was up to until +I sent the first four volumes of Gunboat Series to my father. Was it +work? Well, yes; it was hard work, but each week I had the satisfaction +of seeing the manuscript grow until the "Young Naturalist" was all +complete. + +--_Harry Castlemon in the Writer._ + + * * * * * + +=GUNBOAT SERIES.= + + Frank the Young Naturalist. + Frank on a Gunboat. + Frank in the Woods. + Frank before Vicksburg. + Frank on the Lower Mississippi. + Frank on the Prairie. + + +=ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES.= + + Frank Among the Rancheros. + Frank in the Mountains. + Frank at Don Carlos' Rancho. + + +=SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES.= + + The Sportsman's Club in the Saddle. + The Sportsman's Club Afloat. + The Sportsman's Club Among the Trappers. + + +=FRANK NELSON SERIES.= + + Snowed up. + Frank in the Forecastle. + The Boy Traders. + + +=BOY TRAPPER SERIES.= + + The Buried Treasure. + The Boy Trapper. + The Mail Carrier. + + +=ROUGHING IT SERIES.= + + George in Camp. + George at the Fort. + George at the Wheel. + + +=ROD AND GUN SERIES.= + + Don Gordon's Shooting Box. + The Young Wild Fowlers. + Rod and Gun Club. + + +=GO-AHEAD SERIES.= + + Tom Newcombe. + Go-Ahead. + No Moss. + + +=WAR SERIES.= + + True to His Colors. + Rodney the Partisan. + Rodney the Overseer. + Marcy the Blockade-Runner. + Marcy the Refugee. + Sailor Jack the Trader. + + +=HOUSEBOAT SERIES.= + + The Houseboat Boys. + The Mystery of Lost River Cañon. + The Young Game Warden. + + +=AFLOAT AND ASHORE SERIES.= + + Rebellion in Dixie. + A Sailor in Spite of Himself. + The Ten-Ton Cutter. + + +=THE PONY EXPRESS SERIES.= + + The Pony Express Rider. + The White Beaver. + Carl, The Trailer. + + * * * * * + + + + +EDWARD S. ELLIS. + + +Edward S. Ellis the popular writer of boys' books, is a native of Ohio, +where he was born somewhat more than a half-century ago. His father was +a famous hunter and rifle shot, and it was doubtless his exploits and +those of his associates, with their tales of adventure which gave the +son his taste for the breezy backwoods and for depicting the stirring +life of the early settlers on the frontier. + +Mr. Ellis began writing at an early age and his work was acceptable from +the first. His parents removed to New Jersey while he was a boy and he +was graduated from the State Normal School and became a member of the +faculty while still in his teens. He was afterward principal of the +Trenton High School, a trustee and then superintendent of schools. By +that time his services as a writer had become so pronounced that he gave +his entire attention to literature. He was an exceptionally successful +teacher and wrote a number of text-books for schools, all of which met +with high favor. For these and his historical productions, Princeton +College conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. + +The high moral character, the clean, manly tendencies and the admirable +literary style of Mr. Ellis' stories have made him as popular on the +other side of the Atlantic as in this country. A leading paper remarked +some time since, that no mother need hesitate to place in the hands of +her boy any book written by Mr. Ellis. They are found in the leading +Sunday-school libraries, where, as may well be believed, they are in +wide demand and do much good by their sound, wholesome lessons which +render them as acceptable to parents as to their children. All of his +books published by Henry T. Coates & Co. are re-issued in London, and +many have been translated into other languages. Mr. Ellis is a writer of +varied accomplishments, and, in addition to his stories, is the author +of historical works, of a number of pieces of popular music and has +made several valuable inventions. Mr. Ellis is in the prime of his +mental and physical powers, and great as have been the merits of his +past achievements, there is reason to look for more brilliant +productions from his pen in the near future. + + * * * * * + +=DEERFOOT SERIES.= + + Hunters of the Ozark. + The Last War Trail. + Camp in the Mountains. + +=LOG CABIN SERIES.= + + Lost Trail. + Footprints in the Forest. + Camp-Fire and Wigwam. + + +=BOY PIONEER SERIES.= + + Ned in the Block-House. + Ned on the River. + Ned in the Woods. + + +=THE NORTHWEST SERIES.= + + Two Boys in Wyoming. + Cowmen and Rustlers. + A Strange Craft and its Wonderful Voyage. + + +=BOONE AND KENTON SERIES.= + + Shod with Silence. + In the Days of the Pioneers. + Phantom of the River. + + +=IRON HEART, WAR CHIEF OF THE IROQUOIS.= + + +=THE SECRET OF COFFIN ISLAND.= + + +=THE BLAZING ARROW.= + + * * * * * + + + + +J. T. TROWBRIDGE. + + +Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great currents of life +and select some exceptional phase or odd combination of circumstances. +He stands on the common level and appeals to the universal heart, and +all that he suggests or achieves is on the plane and in the line of +march of the great body of humanity. + +The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late _Our Young +Folks_, and continued in the first volume of _St. Nicholas_, under the +title of "Fast Friends," is no doubt destined to hold a high place in +this class of literature. The delight of the boys in them (and of their +seniors, too) is well founded. They go to the right spot every time. +Trowbridge knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart of a man, +too, and he has laid them both open in these books in a most successful +manner. Apart from the qualities that render the series so attractive to +all young readers, they have great value on account of their +portraitures of American country life and character. The drawing is +wonderfully accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable, +Sellick, is an original character, and as minor figures where will we +find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, Esq. The +picture of Mr. Dink's school, too, is capital, and where else in fiction +is there a better nick-name than that the boys gave to poor little +Stephen Treadwell, "Step Hen," as he himself pronounced his name in an +unfortunate moment when he saw it in print for the first time in his +lesson in school. + +On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and afford the critical +reader the rare pleasure of the works that are just adequate, that +easily fulfill themselves and accomplish all they set out to +do.--_Scribner's Monthly._ + + +=JACK HAZARD SERIES.= + + Jack Hazard and His Fortunes. + The Young Surveyor. + Fast Friends. + Doing His Best. + A Chance for Himself. + Lawrence's Adventures. + + * * * * * + + + + +ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY. + +For Boys and Girls. + +(97 Volumes.) + +The attention of Librarians and Bookbuyers generally is called to HENRY +T. COATES & CO.'S ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY, by the popular authors. + + EDWARD S. ELLIS, + HORATIO ALGER, JR., + C. A. STEPHENS, + MARGARET VANDEGRIFT, + HARRY CASTLEMON, + G. A. HENTY, + LUCY C. LILLIE and others. + +No authors of the present day are greater favorites with boys and girls. + +Every book is sure to meet with a hearty reception by young readers. + +Librarians will find them to be among the most popular books on their +lists. + + HENRY T. COATES & CO. + 1222 CHESTNUT STREET + PHILADELPHIA + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Blazing Arrow, by Edward S. Ellis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41777 *** |