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diff --git a/old/65942-0.txt b/old/65942-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 08de551..0000000 --- a/old/65942-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3801 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Jim Long-Knife, by Florance Walton Taylor - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Jim Long-Knife - -Author: Florance Walton Taylor - -Illustrator: Dirk Gringhuis - -Release Date: July 28, 2021 [eBook #65942] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JIM LONG-KNIFE *** - - - - - JIM LONG-KNIFE - - - By Florance Walton Taylor - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - Illustrated by - Dirk Gringhuis - - - ALBERT WHITMAN & COMPANY - Chicago Illinois - - Second Printing 1967 - Copyright 1959 by - ALBERT WHITMAN & COMPANY - L. C. Card 59-9656 - -Published simultaneously in the Dominion of Canada by George J. McLeod, - Limited, Toronto. Printed in - the U.S.A. - - Dedication - To Alan’s three little queens; - Elizabeth, - Leslie, - Sarah. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - Permission is gratefully acknowledged for the use of material from - “George Rogers Clark Papers” in Vol. 8 of the _Collections_ of the - Illinois State Historical Library, edited by James Alton James, - copyright 1912. - - [Illustration: _Minnemung_] - - - - - TABLE OF CONTENTS - - - I. A Strange Guest 7 - II. Was It a Trick? 25 - III. An Exchange at the Salt Lick 42 - IV. Winter with the Potawatomis 57 - V. The Long Knives 74 - VI. On to Kaskaskia 94 - VII. No Adoption 108 - VIII. A Peaceful Interval 120 - IX. Through the Drowned Lands 137 - X. Capture of Vincennes 155 - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter I - A STRANGE GUEST - - -Thirteen-year-old Jim Hudson thumped a melon with practiced fingers, -then pulled it from the vine and laid it in a pile with the others. He -wiped his hot forehead with his sweaty shirtsleeve, turning with a smile -toward his mother. “Look, Ma!” he called, “See how many melons we have. -And how fine the turnips and corn look.” - -Ma Hudson, her rifle across her knees, was sitting on a large stump in -the little clearing. She turned at the sound of Jim’s voice, and smiled -wearily at her towheaded boy. “Yes, Jim. We’ll have plenty to eat this -winter, I’m thinking.” - -Jim moved on to another vine and glanced along the row to where his -father was kneeling. Ma pushed her sunbonnet back over her faded yellow -hair and resumed her watch into the wilderness surrounding the clearing. - -All during the spring and summer the Hudsons had worked in this fashion. -Jim and Pa had planted their crops and enlarged the clearing by felling -trees, while Ma had sat ready with the Kentucky rifle, and looked for -hostile Indians. - -This year of 1777 was a fearful one for Kentucky settlers. Some had been -captured or killed by Indians; others had returned to Virginia -discouraged by repeated Indian attacks. The Hudsons, however, had not -been molested and Pa Hudson was determined to stay on his land. It was -the first farm he had ever owned; he loved every inch of this lush -Kentucky wilderness. He and Jim continued to gather melons. Jim worked -faster than his father, because each time Pa moved from one vine to -another, he had to pick up his rifle lying close by on the ground. - -Suddenly Jim raised his head and listened. Then he turned to his father. -“Pa, I hear something groaning. Do you?” - -Pa seized his rifle and was on his feet immediately. “Where, son?” - -Jim cocked his head toward the right. “Over there. Listen. There it is -again.” - -At this moment Ma Hudson called, “Pa, I hear groaning.” She was already -picking her way among the stumps toward the sound, the rifle grasped -firmly in her hands. - -Pa went striding through the melon patch. “Wait, Ma. Let me go first.” -Soon he was ahead of her, with Jim beside him. - -The three made their way through the tangled brambles into woods so -dense the Hudsons seemed to be walking in twilight. Quite suddenly they -saw a bridled horse standing quietly just ahead of them. In a moment the -groaning sound came again, this time to the left of where Jim was -standing. - -He whirled around, scrambled over a large fallen tree and cried, “Why, -here’s a boy! Kind of a small boy, too.” Jim started to stoop down -toward the prostrate form. - -Pa sprang to his side. “Wait a minute, son.” He peered through the gloom -and saw an Indian boy smaller than Jim, dressed in a long blue cloth -shirt, his face streaked with hideous vermilion. “Maybe this is a -trick,” Pa muttered. “Perhaps he’s been put here to lure us into a -trap.” Holding his rifle ready, Pa started looking about in the shadowy -woods. - -Ma Hudson’s hands trembled as she held her rifle and looked down at the -boy. “Pa, he’s hurt. Look at his shoulder. This is no trick.” - -Pa handed his rifle to Jim. “You watch with Ma, while I have a look at -him.” He dropped to his knees to examine the boy, mumbling, “I’m still -afraid it’s an Indian trick.” - -As Pa turned the boy to one side, he saw an ugly wound where the blue -shirt was torn from one shoulder. Then he looked closely at the wound. -“Why, I can see a bone too, Ma. I think he’s broken his shoulder.” - -Ma forgot about the possibility of other Indians lurking near, as she -ventured closer to Pa to look at the boy again. “Pa, he’s not as old as -Jim. We’ll have to take care of him. We can’t leave him here.” - -“No, reckon we can’t,” Pa replied, as he tried to lift the Indian boy -from the tangled underbrush. But the boy’s body was enmeshed in a stout -wild grapevine. Pa took out his long knife and began slashing at the -tangled vine. - -At this moment, the Indian boy groaned and opened his eyes. He looked up -at the Hudsons in alarm. When he saw Pa’s long knife, he was terrified -and cried out, “_Shemolsea! Shemolsea!_” - -“What did you say?” Jim asked, but the boy had lost consciousness again. - -When Pa had freed the boy from the vine, he gathered him in his arms and -turned to Jim. “You go ahead with the rifle, Jim, and Ma, you walk -behind me. Mind you both keep a sharp lookout. We’ll have to take him -back to the cabin.” - -“But Pa,” put in Jim, “what’ll we do about the horse?” He nodded toward -the animal standing a few feet away. - -“Bring him along. And tie him up in our lean-to next to Nellie. But not -too close to our horse. She might nip him.” - -The Hudsons took the boy and his horse back to their cabin without -seeing another human being. While Jim tethered the horse at a safe -distance from Nellie, Ma flew about the cabin getting water, her -home-made soap, and clean rags for Pa. He set the wounded boy’s broken -bone as best he could, supporting it with a rude splint. Then with Ma’s -help, he washed the wound with soap and bound the shoulder with rags to -hold the bone securely in place. - -When they had finished Pa shook his head. “I’m afraid he’s lost a lot of -blood. He’ll be a while getting well.” - -Ma turned to Jim who was standing in the doorway of the cabin. “Jim, -we’ll have to put him in your bed. He’s awfully weak.” - -Jim nodded. “Sure, Ma. He’s welcome to it. I can sleep on the floor.” - -Pa Hudson laid the boy carefully on Jim’s bed, muttering all the while. -“I don’t like harboring an Indian in my house. No, sir, I don’t.” Then -he turned to Jim. “You stand guard at the door with Ma’s rifle and I’ll -go back for the melons. Some Indians might come swooping in here to get -him.” - -Ma’s eyes flashed as she stooped to pick up her rifle from the floor. -“No, Jim. You go help your pa. I’ll stand guard.” - -“All right. We’ll be right back,” Jim said; he dashed out to join his -father. - -When they had brought all the melons up to the cabin and stacked them in -the shade, they fed and watered the Indian boy’s horse. Inside the cabin -again they found the boy sound asleep. Now and then, Ma glanced at him -as she prepared supper. “Shall we wake him, Pa, and give him something -to eat?” - -Pa studied the Indian for a few minutes. “No. He’s breathing all right -but seems in pain. Probably wouldn’t want to eat anyway. Let’s not -bother him.” - -After supper the Hudsons conversed in low tones. “Where do you suppose -he came from, Pa?” Ma asked. - -Pa shrugged. “I’ve no idea, but now we know the Indians have been near -our farm.” - -Ma’s blue eyes widened and she shivered slightly. “It makes me fearful, -Pa. I’ve never really been afraid before.” She laid a thin, work-worn -hand on her husband’s brawny one. “Let’s go back to Virginia.” - -Jim glanced quickly at his father and saw Pa’s face set in a stubborn -mask. He was not surprised to hear his father say, “We can’t go all the -way back there alone, Ma. It’s too dangerous. And there’s nothing back -in Virginia for us. We were indentured servants, remember. I want to -hang on to our farm, all four hundred acres of it.” - -Ma sighed and smoothed back her faded blond hair. “But we’re free now, -Pa. We finished our time of service before we came out here three years -ago. And I’d like Jim to have some schooling.” - -Pa shook his head. “There’d be no future for us in Virginia. We have no -money to start back there. Here we have land, our own land. And this is -going to be a wonderful country. As for school, you can teach Jim the -way you’ve been doing. Weren’t you a governess in one of the big houses -of Virginia?” - -Jim had been looking from one to the other of his parents, his clear -blue eyes sparkling. “Please, Ma,” he said, “I want to stay here. You -can teach me lots more, and I can help Pa to clear and plant the land.” - -Pa nodded to Jim and smiled in approval. “There’s big men out here, too, -from the finest families of Virginia. Men like James Harrod, Robert -Todd, Simon Kenton and George Rogers Clark. - -“You certainly remember Clark, Ma. His father’s land joined where we -worked. George Rogers Clark will figure out some way to stop the -redskins. You surely don’t intend to let one lone Indian boy scare you -away from our home.” - -Ma tried to smile. “No. No Pa, of course not. But we can’t be sure there -aren’t other Indians near at hand.” - -“That’s true,” Pa agreed. “You and Jim go to bed. I’ll sit up for a -while and listen for any unusual sounds.” - -Ma shook her head. “I’ll stay up with you. Jim, I’ll make a pallet for -you.” She got up and fixed a comfortable bed on the floor for Jim. Then -she sat down in the cabin doorway beside her husband. - -Jim glanced at the Indian boy lying so quietly in his bed, dropped down -on the pallet and went to sleep. - -Ma and Pa Hudson continued to sit in the doorway, rifles by their side, -and to stare out into the silent black night. - -When Jim awakened the next morning, Ma had breakfast ready and the -Indian boy was looking solemnly at him from his bed. - -Jim jumped up. “Good morning, boy,” he said with a smile. “What’s your -name?” - -The Indian boy did not reply but kept his brown eyes fixed on Jim. - -Ma put a pewter bowl containing steaming hot grits at Jim’s place on the -table. “Wash your hands and face, son.” - -“Yes’m.” Jim poured some water into the washbasin and began splashing -water on his face and hands. As soon as he had finished he carried a pan -of water to their strange guest, so he could wash his face. - -But the Indian boy just stared at him and did not move. - -Ma came over and stood beside the boy. “Come now, boy,” she said -briskly, “I’ll wash your hands and face. Then you must have some -breakfast.” As she turned one hand over and began to wash it, he tried -to sit up, but fell back on the bed with a groan. - -“Poor boy. Your shoulder must hurt badly.” Ma tried to soothe him as she -continued with the washing. “I’ll have to get this awful stuff off your -face.” But when she began scrubbing his face, he groaned again and tried -to turn away. - -“Maybe it means something to him to wear that vermilion streak,” Jim -suggested. “Looks like mud, doesn’t it? Or it could be he doesn’t like -water.” - -Ma wasn’t able to get the Indian boy’s face thoroughly clean. She -brought a bowl of hot grits to him. “Here, boy, try to eat some of -this.” She held a spoonful of grits to his lips. - -The boy tasted it gingerly, found it good and opened his mouth for more. -Ma fed him the contents of the bowl while Jim and Pa ate their -breakfast. - -For several days the Hudsons’ strange guest rested in Jim’s bed. Now and -then he tried to sit up only to lie down again with a low moan. With -Ma’s good food, however, and excellent care, he did improve and seemed -to be less frightened at being with the white family. - -Little by little he and Jim began trying to talk to each other. By -signs, gestures, and a word or two, each boy began to learn a few words -of the other’s language. - -Jim learned that the Indian boy’s name was Wahbunou, which meant The -Juggler, and that he had been pulled from his horse when it galloped -under a large thorn tree. One of the low branches had brushed him off -and a large thorn had pierced his shoulder. He had fallen on a jagged -stump and into the tangled wild grapevine, where the Hudsons had found -him. But Jim was not able to find out what he was doing near their -clearing. - -As for Pa, he was disturbed because the Indian boy had been riding so -near their farm. Every night after Ma and Jim were asleep, he rose from -his bed and sat in the cabin doorway with his rifle ready. But no -Indians appeared. - -Sometime later Wahbunou was able to be up and about in the cabin. He -would watch Pa clean and oil his Deckard rifle, but he never offered to -touch it. Soon he began walking around the clearing with Jim and Ma -Hudson. He followed Ma everywhere, gratitude for her care shining in his -brown eyes. - -One morning Pa said, “We’d best have a look at that shoulder, Wahbunou, -to see if it’s healing properly.” But when Pa tried to remove the rag -bandage, Wahbunou jerked away like a wounded animal, terror in his eyes. - -“Come now, Wahbunou, I just want to look at it,” Pa said. “I promise not -to hurt you.” - -But Wahbunou would not permit Pa to touch the bandage. - -“Maybe I can show him something new, Pa, and get him calmed down a bit -so you can have a look,” Jim suggested. “I’ll get your drum, Pa. Maybe -he’s never seen a drum.” - -Pa shrugged. “Indians have drums, Jim, though not like ours. All right, -get it down for him.” - -Jim climbed on a chair and lifted Pa’s drum from its place on the top of -Ma’s high cupboard. “Look, Wahbunou.” Jim took the drumsticks and played -a short ruffle on the drum. - -Wahbunou seemed interested; he smiled as he reached for one of the -sticks. He grasped it gingerly, turning it over and over, finally -returning it to Jim who played another ruffle and a loud roll. Wahbunou -smiled again and reached for the drum. - -Jim nodded. “If you let Pa look at your shoulder, you may have it.” Jim -pointed to the Indian boy’s shoulder and then to his father. - -Wahbunou drew back, but finally nodded. - -Pa took the bandage off, and gently pulled the rough splint back far -enough to look at the boy’s shoulder. Then as gently, he replaced it. -“Your wound is healing fine, Wahbunou. Soon you’ll be as good as new.” - -Jim handed the drum to Wahbunou and the Indian boy beat out a queer, -rhythmical sound with the palm of his hand. He didn’t seem to know how -to use the drumsticks. Then the boys took turns beating it. Jim could -make many fancy rolls and ruffles, but Wahbunou could make only the one -sound. - -One day was like another at the cabin until nights began to grow much -cooler. Pa said any day now there would be a frost, so they’d soon have -to harvest the turnips and corn. - -Wahbunou’s shoulder healed nicely and Pa finally took off the bandage -and splint. Now that it was cooler and his shirt was in shreds, Ma said -Wahbunou should have a new outfit of clothes. She had been sewing for Pa -and Jim, so she made Wahbunou a homespun shirt and trousers. In his new -clothes Wahbunou looked like any Kentucky boy, save for his -copper-colored skin and straight, coarse black hair. - -Not many days after Pa had removed Wahbunou’s bandage, Ma awakened Pa -and Jim earlier than usual. “Jim! Pa!” she cried. “Wake up! He’s gone.” - -“Gone! Who’s gone?” Pa asked. - -“Wahbunou. He’s not in his bed.” - -Jim had scrambled into his clothes. “He’s probably outside, Ma,” he -cried as he dashed out-of-doors. But when Jim looked around their -dooryard and in the shed, he saw that Wahbunou’s horse was gone. He ran -back into the house. “Pa, Wahbunou _must_ be gone. His horse isn’t in -the shed with Nellie, either.” - -The Hudsons could not believe that Wahbunou would leave without telling -them good-bye; they spent a long time looking for him. But Wahbunou and -his horse were nowhere in sight. - -Finally Ma fixed breakfast. As she put bowls on the table, she sighed -and said, “I can’t understand why he wanted to leave us. He recovered so -nicely and seemed happy here.” - -Jim looked up from his food. “But Ma, maybe he wanted to go back to his -own people. I sure would if I were with the Indians or some other -strange folks.” - -Ma shrugged and brushed her hair back from her forehead. “That was the -wrong thing for him to do, Jim——go away without telling us good-bye. -Sneaking off in the night.” - -Pa looked up at his wife, his brown eyes thoughtful. “Now, Ma, I don’t -think he did anything so wrong. He was probably afraid we would try to -keep him from going, so he just left quietly in the night. I don’t -believe he was ungrateful. As Jim says, he probably longed for his own -people.” - -Jim finished his breakfast in silence and then suddenly said, “Do you -suppose some of the Indians came for him?” Jim’s eyes flashed in -excitement. - -Pa picked up his rifle and put on his homespun jacket. “I don’t think -they did, Jim, but I’ll have a look around to see if there are new -tracks of any kind. I believe I would have heard them. He probably just -rode off alone.” - -Ma began to take away the pewter bowls. “I don’t like it at all. I feel -queer, as if we were surrounded by Indians. I’m afraid we aren’t safe -here any more.” - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter II - WAS IT A TRICK? - - -Not long after Wahbunou’s disappearance, a chill north wind blew into -the lush Kentucky valley, warning the Hudsons that winter was not far -away. Frosty mornings greeted them, and the trees putting on their -mantles of brown, red and gold, told them it was time to harvest both -turnips and corn. - -Jim and Pa spent several days gathering them, while Ma did sentinel duty -sitting on a stump with her rifle ready for use. But she was uneasy -while on guard, jumping at each snap of a twig. - -Finally the corn was shucked and piled high in one corner of the cabin. -Pa stored the turnips in a deep hole near the lean-to, so they would -keep all winter. One nippy day when the harvest was finished, Pa turned -to Jim after breakfast. “Jim, let’s go hunting today. I’d like to lay in -a supply of game before it gets any colder.” - -Jim’s blue eyes sparkled. “Today, Pa?” - -“Today’s as good as any time, Jim.” - -Ma looked troubled. “Must you go, Pa?” - -Pa nodded and patted his wife’s shoulder awkwardly. “Now Ma, you’ve been -nervous and upset ever since Wahbunou went away. I’d think you’d want us -to go hunting. Only yesterday you said you were tired of living on -rabbit. You’ll be all right here, but don’t leave the cabin. We’ll be -home by early evening.” - -Ma squared her shoulders and bristled a little. “Pa, I haven’t been any -more upset than usual. You know I’ve never liked this country; I want to -go back to Virginia.” She sighed. “I do know we need fresh meat. Well, -I’ll spend the day spinning my flax.” - -Pa’s brown eyes sparkled in relief. “That’s a good girl, Ma. Who knows? -Maybe we’ll get a deer. Then you’ll have a deerskin to make a jacket and -some leggings.” - -“Or maybe we’ll get a bear,” Jim boasted. - -Soon they were ready to go. Jim was dressed exactly like his father. -Each wore home-made moccasins, fur caps, loose thin homespun trousers, -topped by long fringed hunting shirts reaching nearly to their knees. -Their shirts were held in at the waist by broad belts. - -Pa hung his long knife from his belt and Jim started down the clearing, -carrying Pa’s heavy flintlock rifle. It was as long as Jim was tall and -difficult for him to carry, but he tried to manage it proudly. - -As Pa went striding through the thick woods, Jim did his best to keep up -with him. Now and then a squirrel darted along in front of them, or a -few wild turkeys flew over their heads, frightened by their approach. - -Jim stopped and started to raise his rifle. “Let’s shoot some turkeys, -Pa. Ma always likes to cook turkey.” - -Pa smiled and shook his head. “Not now, Jim. We’re out for bigger game. -On the way back we’ll bag a few squirrels and turkeys. Then we won’t -have to carry them so far.” - -A little farther on, Pa said, “If you should happen to see a bear or -deer, Jim, don’t be in a hurry to fire. Wait until the animal is close -to you. That Deckard works best if you fire it at close range. Always -remember, son, don’t get excited and fire too soon.” - -“I’ll remember, Pa.” - -Along about noon Jim suddenly froze in his tracks, certain that he had -seen a deer. Pa stopped, glanced in the direction Jim was looking and -nodded. The deer evidently had not picked up their scent, as it -continued to wander slowly toward them. - -Without a sound Jim brought his rifle to rest in a nearby tree notch and -waited. When it seemed the approaching deer would surely see them, he -fired. - -“Good boy, Jim,” Pa cried excitedly. “You got him on the first shot.” - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -Jim was elated because it was his very first deer. Of course he had shot -rabbits near their cabin, but a deer was a real triumph. Pa cut a long -limb from a tree and stripped off its branches. Then he trussed the -deer’s legs with a long strip of wild grapevine. - -“Now, Jim, help me to run this limb between the deer’s legs, so we can -carry it easily.” - -In a jiffy they had the deer slung from the limb. Pa put one end of the -limb on Jim’s shoulder and the other on his own, so they could carry the -animal through the forest without difficulty. It was a fine young buck, -and would furnish plenty of meat for them, perhaps even a new hunting -shirt. - -“Better give me the rifle now, Jim. It’s most too heavy for you with -that limb on your shoulder. We’ll work our way home by Coon Hollow -Trace. There’s always plenty of game in that neighborhood.” - -When they arrived at Coon Hollow, a small crossroads in the forest, Jim -said, “Look, Pa. I think I see someone coming down that trace.” He -nodded toward the north. - -Instantly Pa laid the deer on the ground and held his rifle ready. He -peered ahead for a moment, then said, “I see two men, Jim, and I think -one’s leading a pack horse. We’ll wait a little.” - -As the men came nearer, Pa suddenly recognized the taller one. “George -Rogers Clark! As I live and breathe.” Then he raised his arm in -greeting. “Howdy, Mr. Clark. I don’t reckon you remember me. I’m Jim -Hudson. I used to work the land bordering your father’s farm back in -Virginia. And this is my son, Jim.” - -The tall, red-haired man looked at Pa Hudson for a moment and then -smiled, his hazel eyes shining and friendly. He shook hands with Jim, -then with Pa. “Of course I remember you, Hudson.” He gestured toward his -companion. “This is Tom Shelton. He’s one of the settlers going back to -Virginia with me.” - -“Howdy,” Tom Shelton said, shaking Pa’s hand. - -George Rogers Clark looked inquiringly at the Hudsons. Then he asked, -“What are you doing out here so far from Virginia?” - -“We came out here three years ago,” Pa replied, “to take up a claim. -It’s wonderful land; my boy and I are clearing it as fast as we can.” - -While Pa talked about his dreams for his claim, Jim stared at the -splendidly built man his father had called Mr. Clark. He was taller than -Pa, young too, and most impressive-looking. - -Tom Shelton shook his head when Pa paused for breath. “No more Kentucky -for me. I’m beat. I can’t take these Indian raids any longer. Last week -finished me. My nearest neighbors were attacked and taken prisoners. I -got all my possessions with me.” He nodded toward the heavily laden pack -horse. “Many of us settlers are going back with Colonel Clark. Better -join us, Hudson.” - -“Colonel Clark!” Pa exclaimed. “So you’re a colonel now, sir.” - -The colonel seemed not to have heard Pa’s exclamation. He shook his head -gravely. “This Indian situation is bad. They’re more stirred up than -ever this season.” - -Pa bristled. “There’s no Indians going to scare me off my land. I got a -good warm cabin and quite a few acres cleared. I’m staying.” - -Colonel Clark nodded and smiled. “I like your spirit, Hudson, but if I -were you, I’d take my family and crops up to Harrodsburg. Stay there -until these Indians quiet down a little.” - -Pa shook his head. “I mean to stay, sir. I got through last winter all -right. We’ve never been molested.” - -Colonel Clark put his hand on Pa’s shoulder. “We could use more brave -men like you out here, Hudson, but the Indians are really on the warpath -now. I can’t prove it, but I hear Hamilton’s paying the Indians for all -of the prisoners they deliver to him at Detroit—paying them well, too.” - -“Hamilton? Who’s he, sir?” - -“The British commander in charge of all the western country, stationed -at Detroit. I hear he’s got the Indians really aroused. Better take your -family to Harrodsburg for a while.” - -Pa scratched his ear. “Harrodsburg? That’s a far piece from here. Why -not to McClellan’s Fort?” - -The colonel looked grim. “Haven’t you heard, Hudson? Burned out by the -Indians early this year.” - -“Think it over, Hudson,” put in Tom Shelton. “Better stay alive in the -fort than dead on your claim. Or better yet, go back to Virginia with -us. We’ll be leaving in a few days, won’t we, Colonel?” - -Clark nodded. “As soon as I get the settlers together who want to go -back with me. I’ll be back in the spring.” - -Pa shifted from one foot to the other. “That’s good news, sir, that -you’ll be back. Thanks for your advice. I’ll think it over, but I’m not -going back to Virginia. We got to be getting along home now.” - -The colonel shook hands again with Pa and Jim. “Glad to have seen you, -Hudson. Good luck. Better get up to Harrodsburg as soon as you can.” He -and Shelton moved off along the trace. - -When the men had gone and Jim and Pa had been trudging along for a -while, Jim asked, “Pa, should we go to Harrodsburg?” - -Pa didn’t reply for so long Jim was afraid he had made him angry. -Finally Pa sighed and said, “I know your ma has been mighty upset since -Wahbunou disappeared. And Colonel Clark’s not one to be aroused without -cause. Maybe we ought to take our meat and provisions to the fort, at -least until this Indian scare blows over. I wouldn’t want anything to -happen to you and Ma.” - -“But I wouldn’t want to lose our farm, Pa.” - -“We wouldn’t lose it, Jim. No Indian’s going to squat very long on our -land. They’re a roving people. The worst they could do would be to burn -our cabin, and we could build another one, I guess. But I haven’t made -up my mind yet, Jim. Better not say anything to your ma about our -meeting with Colonel Clark today. No use getting her excited.” - -“No,” Jim agreed. “She’s upset enough as it is.” - -“If I decide we should go,” Pa continued, “she’ll be glad enough to -leave the farm and stay at the fort. So mind now, not a word to Ma.” - -Jim nodded. “I wouldn’t want to worry Ma.” - -On the way home they shot a squirrel and several wild turkeys, so when -they arrived at their cabin, they were well laden with the day’s -trophies. - -“Oh, Pa!” Ma cried, running out to meet them, her blond hair flying. “I -thought you’d never come.” She clapped her hands when she saw the deer -hanging from the limb. “Oh, a deer! Now we’ll have plenty of meat.” - -Pa smiled and pointed toward Jim. “He shot the deer, Ma. Got him on the -first shot. We have a squirrel and some turkeys too, so we’ve a lot of -work to do these next few days, jerking this meat.” - -The next morning was quite cold as a north wind had risen in the valley -during the night. But the Hudsons began working early anyway. Jim helped -Pa cut the deer meat into long strips and spread it to dry in the sun. - -Pa glanced toward the sun. “I think maybe we’ll have to smoke this meat -after all, Jim. This sun isn’t warm enough to cure meat.” - -Once the norther had passed, however, the weather did warm considerably; -Pa said they were feeling the last breath of summer. While father and -son worked with the meat, Ma made two new shirts for them and a linsey -woolsey dress for herself. She didn’t mention Indians again, but she -seemed to be uneasy as soon as night fell. - -On the evening they had the meat laid by, Pa said casually to his wife, -“Ma, I think we’ll take our provisions and go up to Harrodsburg for a -while.” - -Jim glanced quickly at his father to see if he had seen or heard -anything alarming, but Pa’s face showed nothing at all. - -Ma gasped in surprise. “To Harrodsburg, Pa? Do you mean to the fort? -Why?” - -“Well, I’ve noticed you seem mighty jumpy lately and I thought we’d take -our provisions and join the settlers at the fort for a while. It would -give you a rest and a chance to hear the news and talk to someone else -besides me and Jim. It would be a change.” - -Ma’s face glowed in anticipation and relief. “Oh, Pa, let’s do it. Let’s -go tomorrow before winter sets in and makes us prisoners here.” - -Pa shook his head. “I’m not sure we can go tomorrow. But we’ll start -packing.” - -Ma leaned forward in her chair and searched her husband’s face -anxiously. “What’s made you decide to leave our cabin, Pa? Have you seen -signs of Indians?” - -Jim looked at his father again as Pa replied almost too casually, -“Haven’t seen anything, Ma. But we’ve done the chores and the -harvesting, so we can leave the farm for a spell now. Just got a -hankering to see people.” - -Pa’s answer seemed to satisfy Ma Hudson because she was up early next -morning, and beginning to pack before Jim and Pa were awake. “I’ll take -my pots and the spinning wheel,” she said after breakfast, glancing -around their cabin. - -Pa shook his head. “You can’t take all that stuff, Ma. We’ve only one -horse, remember. We can’t put everything we own on Nellie’s back. -They’ll have cooking utensils at the fort and I’m sure some one will -have a spinning wheel. We’ll take just the corn, turnips and all of our -meat.” - -“May I take your drum, Pa?” put in Jim. “I’ll carry it. I can have fun -playing it for the other boys at the fort.” - -Pa hesitated, glancing up at the drum. Then he smiled. “I guess if you -want to be responsible for it, you may take the drum. But mind, you hang -on to it.” - -Finally they had the corn packed in two stout cloth sacks and hung on -one side of their horse’s saddle. Pa put the meat in a peddler’s pack -which he had brought from Virginia, with most of the turnips on top of -the meat. This pack he slung from the other side of the horse’s saddle. - -Ma had tied a change of clothes and moccasins for each of them in a -large square of cloth. - -When they were ready to leave, Ma sat on the horse, holding the pack of -clothes, while Pa led the horse with one hand and carried his trusty -Deckard with the other. Jim walked behind the horse, carrying Ma’s -rifle, the treasured drum and drumsticks. - -As they left their clearing Pa said, “We’ll come home as soon as we -can.” - -They trudged along silently, their moccasins and the horse’s hoofs, -swishing softly through the fallen leaves. Sometimes Ma hummed softly to -herself as if she were happy to be on the way to Harrodsburg. But Pa -gazed resolutely ahead. - -They heard no other sounds for a mile or so. - -Then without warning, they found themselves surrounded by a dozen -hideously painted Indians. Neither Pa nor Jim could raise their rifles -before the Indians had seized and securely bound them. - -In trying to raise his rifle, Jim had dropped his drum and sticks, but -he was too frightened to notice this. - -Ma screamed in terror as one of the Indians leaped upon her horse -Nellie, tied Ma’s hands and rode off with her into the woods. Two other -Indians tied leather thongs around Jim and Pa’s waists and began -dragging them along behind Ma’s captor. - -The rest of the band picked up the rifles, drum and sticks and followed -along, their whooping and yelling piercing the calm autumn stillness. - -Jim was terrified. He wondered if his father were; yet he could do -nothing but stumble along behind the Indian who kept jerking the leather -thong. - -Although Jim was frightened, he did not forget what Pa had said when -they found Wahbunou in the woods. Had it been a trick? Were these -Indians some of Wahbunou’s people? Was this the thanks the Hudsons -received for caring for him? - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter III - AN EXCHANGE AT THE SALT LICK - - -The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until -the Hudsons thought they could go no farther. They were happy to reach a -small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, -children and extra horses. To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still -sitting on their old Nellie. - -During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her -shoulders. Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her -hair and talking excitedly to each other. When they caught sight of -Jim’s towhead, they laughed and ran their fingers over his hair, too. - -Several men were going through the peddler’s pack of food. After one -look, they dumped the turnips on the ground. But the meat they carefully -repacked. - -Pa tried to smile reassuringly at Ma and Jim, but one of the men clapped -him on the head, picked him up as though he were a feather and dumped -him head down across a horse. Then the Indian climbed on behind him. In -a moment a second man had done the same to Jim. At once the band rode -off with their three white prisoners toward the north. - -About dusk they stopped for the night by a small stream. Pulling the -Hudsons from their horses, they tied Pa and Jim to one tree, Ma to -another. Several women began making fires and filling kettles with -water; while other women prepared supper. The children laughed and -scampered in and out of the stream. The men paid no attention to their -three white prisoners, but sat quietly along the bank of the stream, -talking in very low tones. - -Jim’s head ached so badly from his jolting, upside-down ride through the -woods that he could scarcely see. He was glad, though, that his parents -were still with him. He looked at the half-grown children playing around -the camp, expecting to see Wahbunou, but the boy was not among them. - -Ma Hudson was still so frightened she couldn’t talk, but she was not so -shaken up as Pa or Jim, because she at least had ridden upright. - -When supper was ready, one old woman brought scant servings of stew in -small gourds to the Hudsons, and three small dry corncakes. Ma wasn’t -able to eat a bite, but Pa and Jim found the stew surprisingly good. -They could have eaten another helping, but the woman did not bring them -any more. - -After the Indians had eaten their fill, the women banked the fires for -the night; men and boys relaxed on the ground. Poor Ma Hudson had either -fainted from fright or had fallen into an exhausted sleep. - -Pa turned his head slightly toward Jim and whispered, “I’m afraid it was -a trick, Jim. Putting Wahbunou with his injured shoulder near our -clearing, I mean. He probably reported we could be taken prisoner -easily, since we had no near neighbors to help us.” - -Jim glanced toward the Indian group, then at his father. “But, Pa, -Wahbunou isn’t with these Indians. All the men and boys are sitting -right over there together. Besides, we don’t even know if this is -Wahbunou’s tribe.” - -Pa looked at the group. Then he nodded his head. “You’re right, son. He -isn’t there.” - -Jim wriggled a bit trying to loosen the thongs which bound him, but with -no success. “I wonder what they’ll do with us now, Pa.” - -Pa tried to shake his dark hair away from his eyes. “Well, since they -didn’t kill us on the spot, I wonder if they intend to deliver us to -Hamilton in Detroit. You remember Colonel Clark said the British -commander there was paying the Indians to bring white prisoners to him.” - -Jim nodded. “Yes, I remember. But why, Pa? And where is this Detroit?” - -“You remember when I was in Harrodsburg last year I heard about Great -Britain waging a war with our countrymen back east. Now I think this -British Hamilton in Detroit is figuring on winning all our Kentucky -territory by having the Indians fight for him. They are to scare the -settlers into returning back home or to capture them for Hamilton. I’m -not sure where Detroit is, but I think it lies far to the north.” - -Jim glanced toward the Indians again. “Look, Pa. They have our rifles -and drum.” - -Two men were examining the rifles carefully, while the rest of the -Indians were passing drum and sticks from hand to hand. One of them -began to beat the drum with his hand, making a low rhythmical sound -similar to what Wahbunou had made in the Hudson’s cabin. - -Jim listened intently to the Indians’ conversation, but he couldn’t -understand anything. The words sounded like those Wahbunou had taught -him, yet they were somehow different, so that Jim couldn’t get even an -idea of what was said. - -At last they stopped talking and began rolling in their blankets to -sleep. Two men came over to the Hudsons, untied Pa and Jim, dragged them -to separate trees and secured them again. One Indian rolled in a blanket -beside Jim and the other beside Pa. But they offered no blankets to -them, nor to Ma Hudson now fifty feet away. - -The next morning they gave their prisoners a small amount of food. Ma -tasted it and ate a little, but Pa and Jim ate all the Indians gave -them. After breakfast, the women packed all the camp equipment together; -the men tied the Hudsons’ hands, set them upright on horses and -scrambled up behind them. - -The entire party rode rapidly toward the north and west, arriving late -in the afternoon at the broad Ohio River. The men chopped down poplar -trees and began building a raft. Jim and Pa Hudson watched in amazement -to see how quickly these Indians completed it. - -Then they ferried women, children and equipment across the river. While -some Indians guided the raft, others swam their horses to the far side. -When all were safely transported, the band set up their camp for the -night. - -For several days they continued in a northwesterly direction. On a -bright cool day they stopped at noon at a salt lick. The Hudsons -realized the Indians would stay here for a while, because the women dug -a trench, filling it with a great amount of firewood. - -When their fires had burned to a bed of red-hot coals, they drew water -from the lick and poured it into big salt kettles. These they placed -over the hot glowing coals. Some women kept adding firewood to keep the -salt water boiling; others began cooking over a second fire. - -Pa, Ma and Jim were permitted to walk about the salt lick as far as the -long leash around their waists permitted. But the Indians tied them to -trees far enough apart so they could not come close to each other. Pa -always would smile encouragingly at Ma and Jim, but he was never -permitted to touch them. Two Indians were stationed to watch the -prisoners, to prevent their escape. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -The Indians wanted to build up their supply of salt, so the trench fires -under the kettles were not allowed to go out. Several women took turns -piling on firewood during the first night. - -In the evening one man brought Jim’s drum to him, gesturing for him to -play it. Jim played his loudest and best, executing ruffles and long -rolls for their entertainment. The Indians loved these sounds and his -skill with drumsticks, so kept him playing until quite late. - -The next afternoon a new group of Indians arrived at the lick; but they -kept a long distance away from the trench fires and did not offer to -mingle with the first band. They also set up camp and dug a long trench, -making a fire and filling their kettles with the brine. This salt lick -was evidently common ground, since neither Indian band paid attention to -the other. - -By nightfall, the women were able to scrape the first salt from the -kettles, spread it on rough boards to dry, and to fill the kettles with -fresh brine. - -Again the men had Jim play his drum for them. Soon they were swinging -their bodies and clapping their hands in time with the drum. Once by the -light of campfires, Jim thought he saw shadowy figures creeping close, -as if to listen to his playing. He felt uneasy about what they wanted, -but he continued to play even louder than before. - -In the morning, when the women finally decided they had enough salt for -the winter, they began packing their kettles and preparing to leave the -salt lick. A few minutes before the band was ready to go, Jim saw four -stalwart Indian men advancing rapidly toward them from the other camp. -They came near and began making a fire in front of Jim’s group. - -The men of Jim’s camp held a hurried consultation. Then one of them -stepped forward, raising his right arm high above his head. Immediately -the four visitors came up to him. He motioned for them to be seated; he -and his companions sat down, too. - -As they talked, Jim thought they must be arguing about some important -question. After a long conversation, one visitor rose and walked back to -his camp. He soon returned with a white man bound exactly like Pa -Hudson. - -At a signal from the group sitting on the ground, Jim’s guard suddenly -untied his leash and led him over to the strangers. - -More arguing went on, but the men of Jim’s camp kept shaking their -heads. Again one visitor returned to his camp, carrying back a -handsomely painted buffalo robe which he spread in front of the council. -Jim’s band examined the robe carefully and nodded their heads. One of -them called to the watching men. Immediately an Indian brought Pa -Hudson’s drum and sticks to the council. - -The visitors rose from the ground, handed their white prisoner and the -buffalo robe to Jim’s band, and motioned to Jim to pick up his drum and -sticks. As soon as Jim obeyed, one visitor picked up his leash and led -him toward the other camp. - -Frightened now, Jim looked back at his parents. Pa was alarmed and Ma, -tearful, was holding out her arms toward him, but both of them were -still tied to the trees. - -When Jim reached the new camp, several men and boys swarmed around him. -From their midst, a strangely familiar figure rushed over to Jim and -took off his leash. - -“Jim! Jim!” he cried. “Don’t you remember me? I’m Wahbunou.” - -Jim dropped his drum in surprise as Wahbunou gave him a friendly thump -on the shoulder. “Wahbunou!” he gasped. - -Wahbunou was so excited he could scarcely speak, but he had much to tell -his friend Jim. “My father and I persuaded Chief Minnemung to trade our -white prisoner for you. We couldn’t bear to see you remain with the -Shawnees. Then we Potawatomis made a fire in front of their camp to show -we wanted to counsel with them.” - -“Shawnees!” Jim cried out in terror, looking back toward his father and -mother. The Shawnees, however, were now mounted and moving away from the -salt lick. Jim could still see his parents riding on separate horses -with their Indian guards, and looking hopelessly toward the Potawatomi -camp where Jim had gone. - -Jim turned frantically to Wahbunou. “Wahbunou——my parents! Where are -they going? Don’t let the Shawnees take them away.” - -Wahbunou shook his head sadly. “I tried, Jim, I really did. I wanted to -have your parents traded to us along with you. But Chief Minnemung was -interested only in you and your drum. The drum helped me arrange the -trade, too.” - -“The drum? What do you mean, Wahbunou?” - -“The other night,” Wahbunou began, “we heard you playing your drum. It -was the first time my people, the Potawatomis, had heard such playing. I -knew it was not an Indian beating that drum, because I had heard you -play like that in your cabin; so I persuaded Chief Minnemung and my -father to creep close to the Shawnee camp to listen. It was then I saw -you and your parents. I realized you were prisoners of those Shawnees.” - -“But my parents, Wahbunou. Why aren’t they here with me?” - -Wahbunou continued patiently. “I asked Chief Minnemung to see if he -could get all of you transferred to us. I told him and all our -Potawatomi clan how good you were to me when I hurt my shoulder. I -pleaded, but Chief Minnemung wanted only you and your drum. Why Jim, he -traded his handsomest buffalo robe for your drum.” - -“But my parents will be unhappy separated from me,” Jim persisted. - -Wahbunou sighed and nodded. “I know, Jim. But I think no harm will come -to them now, because the Shawnees are on their way to Detroit to deliver -their prisoners to the great British Hamilton. He pays the Indians well -for white prisoners.” Wahbunou picked up the drum and sticks. “Come, -Jim, I want you to meet my family because soon we will be breaking -camp.” - -Wahbunou’s parents, brothers and sisters welcomed Jim heartily into -their group. His mother stroked Jim’s towhead and said, “Welcome, -friend. We Potawatomis will be good to you.” - -In a short time the Indians began packing to leave the salt lick. When -they were ready, Wahbunou said, “Jim, you are to ride with me because we -do not have extra horses.” He led Jim over to his horse. Jim recognized -it as the one he had tied in their lean-to alongside Nellie. - -The boys climbed up on the horse. “Now,” Wahbunou explained, “we are -going to our winter camp. It is still a long distance away. Hang on -tight, Jim, because we’ll be riding hard today.” - -Jim did as he was told, but with a heavy heart. Here he was—going to -some strange place with Wahbunou and the Potawatomis, while his mother -and father were prisoners of the Shawnees. He swallowed hard, wondering -if he would ever see them again. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter IV - WINTER WITH THE POTAWATOMIS - - -The Potawatomis rode hard for several days against a biting northwest -wind. Finally they stopped on the banks of the _Au Sable_ River, in a -wide valley protected by rolling hills. It was an ideal camp site -because the hills protected the Indians from bitter winter winds. - -Several families had already arrived. Wahbunou told Jim that these -people were members of another clan in his tribe. His clan, the Golden -Carp, always tried to return to this camp to hear news of their -relatives and to share in the tribe’s winter sports. - -The women began immediately setting up wigwams. These they made with -poles fastened to the ground in a circle, and the tops drawn together in -a cone. They covered this framework with their _aquapois_, or reed mats -made of cattail flags, to shut out snows and winter winds. - -The men rested a few days, then decided to go on a short hunting trip to -get fresh meat. Early in the morning of the hunt, the men painted their -faces with the vermilion, which Jim had first seen on Wahbunou’s face. - -“Wahbunou,” Jim said, “why are the men painting their faces?” - -Wahbunou turned from watching his father prepare for the trip. “They -always wear it, Jim, when they go hunting or riding for a war raid. The -day you found me in your country, I was on a hunting trip with my father -and the other men. But I became separated from the rest. I was trying to -catch up with them when I was brushed off my horse and broke my -shoulder.” - -“Do you usually hunt near our farm?” - -“Oh, no. That was the farthest south and east we had ever ridden. But -hunting wasn’t good in the places we knew. If you had not found me I -would have died, because my people did not miss me until they returned -to camp.” - -Jim looked puzzled. “But didn’t they hunt for you?” - -“Oh, yes, for several days. My father said they finally gave me up for -lost, thinking I had been killed by a bear.” - -“Then it wasn’t a trick that you happened near our clearing?” - -“Trick?” It was Wahbunou’s turn to look puzzled. “What do you mean, -Jim?” - -Jim hesitated. “My father wondered if you had been placed near our farm -to spy on us, and see if we could be easily captured.” - -“Jim! My people would not do that. We have not raided any cabins this -year. The prisoner we traded to the Shawnees had fired on Chief -Minnemung. We had to capture him. And anyway, Chief Minnemung wanted his -knife and gun.” - -While the boys talked the men finished their preparations and were ready -to go. Suddenly Chief Minnemung swung down from his horse and walked -toward Jim. “You ride with me today,” he said, putting his hand on Jim’s -shoulder. - -Wahbunou gasped in surprise because none of the Indian boys had been -asked to go on this hunting trip. Jim looked up at the tall, haughty -chief, magnificent in his painted buffalo robe; he started to say he -didn’t care to go. But the expression on Minnemung’s face told him this -was not an invitation but a command. - -“Yes—yes, sir,” he managed, wishing with all his heart he did not have -to accompany the chief. “What shall I do to get ready?” - -Chief Minnemung looked at him for a moment. “All right as you are. -Come.” Then he turned and stalked back to his horse. - -“It is a great privilege, Jim,” Wahbunou whispered, still amazed by the -chief’s order. - -Jim got on the horse behind the chief and the party of eighteen set out -for the hunt. After they had ridden a little way into the forest, they -separated into groups of two or three going in different directions. - -But Chief Minnemung and Jim went alone. As they rode along Jim noticed -that the chief was carrying a rifle like his father’s, and wearing a -long knife also like his father’s in a wampum belt which girded his -beautiful robe. - -Jim pointed to the rifle. “You have a gun like my father’s.” - -Chief Minnemung grinned a hideous grin through his streaked vermilion -paint. “_Shemolsea_,” he grunted. Then he patted the big knife and again -said, “_Shemolsea_.” - -Suddenly Chief Minnemung reined in his horse. Then he tried to sight his -rifle, but could not do it on the horse, so slid quietly to the ground. -Once again he tried to sight the rifle. Jim looked to see what the -chief’s quarry was. In the distance he saw a black bear, but it was too -far away to shoot. - -The Indian kept fumbling with the rifle and suddenly the sound of a shot -broke the stillness of the forest. Chief Minnemung shouted in triumph -and dropped the gun. He had fired the rifle. But his triumph was -short-lived, for his shout was answered by an unearthly moan. He had -wounded the bear which was now charging toward him. The old chief stood -frozen in his tracks when he realized the rifle shot had not killed the -bear. - -Jim slid off the horse, grabbed the rifle from the ground, reloaded it -and waited. The bear was coming nearer and Jim knew he must not miss his -aim. The wounded animal would kill them, if he did not kill it first. - -When the bear was only a few feet away, Jim fired. This time the aim was -deadly accurate, piercing the bear between the eyes. It fell in its -tracks. - -Chief Minnemung waited a few moments, then turned to Jim. “White boy, -Jim, you have saved Chief Minnemung’s life. I will not forget this -moment. Minnemung not know how to use _Shemolsea_ gun.” - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -The old chief was quite shaken and nervous, but with Jim’s help, he -managed to truss the bear and get it back to camp. When the women and -children saw Jim and Chief Minnemung returning with the big bear, they -ran out to meet them, yelling in delight. - -“Bear meat!” Wahbunou cried. “Now we’ll have a feast. Chief Minnemung -got a bear with _Shemolsea_ gun.” - -The chief was grinning in delight, but never a word did he say about -Jim’s shooting the bear. He took all the credit for the kill and did not -so much as glance at Jim. Jim would have liked to tell Wahbunou he had -killed the bear, but he was afraid Chief Minnemung would be angry, so he -said nothing. - -Late in the day the other men returned with squirrels and wild turkeys, -but no large game. For several days the camp feasted on bear meat, while -all the Indians praised their chief for bringing home such a prize. The -chief still kept silent about Jim. - -Soon winter came to the camp and the ground was covered with snow. Then -the children had lots of fun. Wahbunou showed Jim how to make a sled, -using buffalo ribs for the runners and hides for the seat. Jim found it -was a fine sled and had fun coasting down the hills with the other -children. - -One morning when the snow was packed very hard, Wahbunou said, “Come on, -Jim, we’re going to play Snow Snake.” - -“Snow Snake? What kind of game is that?” - -“We play it by teams with snow-snake poles,” Wahbunou explained. He took -Jim to a long level playground in the valley where the other children -had gathered. They chose sides, having six to a team. Then they drew -lots to see who would throw the first pole. Wahbunou drew the first -throw. - -He picked up the hickory pole, the ends of which were carved like the -head of a snake. He held it high and threw it with all his strength. The -pole shot through the air for quite a distance and fell to the ground -far from him. An older boy and girl served as scorekeepers and measured -the length of its flight. - -“Now, Jim,” Wahbunou urged, “do your best.” - -Jim stepped forward and tried to throw the pole as far as Wahbunou had, -but it fell far short. Jim sighed. “I’m no good at this game.” - -“You’ll soon learn, Jim,” comforted Wahbunou. - -Jim did learn to throw the snow-snake pole as well as the other boys. -Sometimes Chief Minnemung walked out to watch the children; he always -smiled when Jim threw it farther than the others. Quite often during the -winter the chief called Jim to his Wigwam, to play Pa Hudson’s drum for -him and sometimes for all the Indians. - -Jim grew tall during the winter, had plenty of food and was snug and -warm in the wigwam. He would have been happy with the Potawatomis if -only his parents had been with him. But often at night he could not -sleep, because he kept seeing his parents riding sadly away with the -Shawnees. - -After a long, cold winter, spring came again to the valley. One fine day -Wahbunou told Jim he had heard the men say they would be moving out of -winter camp the next morning. - -“But tonight, Jim,” Wahbunou went on, “we shall watch the dance of the -women. This dance celebrates the beginning of our summer wanderings. -Then we’ll break up into small bands again and we won’t see the rest of -our clan until next winter.” - -Jim looked doubtful. “The dance of the women, Wahbunou? What is that?” - -“Wait and see, Jim. Wait and see.” - -When the women came out of their wigwams in their ceremonial dresses, -Jim scarcely recognized any of them. They had greased their hair until -it shone in the glow of the campfires, painted their faces with -vermilion and put on long white chemises, over which they had strung all -the wampum necklaces they possessed. - -At their appearance four or five young men began singing and beating the -dance rhythm on their Indian drums; often they shook the _si si quoi_, a -sort of gourd containing dry seeds. The women danced in graceful rhythm, -not missing a single step. - -Jim thought the dancing beautiful, but he didn’t enjoy it as much as the -Indians, because he grew very sleepy long before the dance was over. He -didn’t know it would last well into the night. - -The next morning, however, the camp was awake early with everyone -getting ready to move. The women packed wigwam poles, cattail mats, -kettles, winter buffalo robes and the rest of the camping equipment. -Wahbunou’s mother packed Jim’s drum carefully among her belongings, so -that he wouldn’t have to carry it on the horse. - -All the Indians put on their summer clothes, one-piece garments of red -or blue cloth. Wahbunou gave Jim one of his blue cloth shirts, just like -the one he had been wearing when the Hudsons found him. Then everyone -mounted their horses. Once again Jim rode with Wahbunou. - -Chief Minnemung started northward with his group. Jim was to learn they -would be constantly on the move during the spring and summer, as the -Potawatomis had no lands of their own to cultivate. Frenchmen and some -neighboring Indian tribes called them squatters because of their habit -of moving in on land claimed by both the French and Indians. - -As they moved back and forth across the Illinois country searching for -game, wild berries and edible roots and herbs, spring gave way to -summer. Now the prairie grass was as high as Jim’s head and the woods -dense with foliage. - -One morning while Jim was helping Wahbunou’s mother skin some squirrels, -Wahbunou wandered away on some mission of his own. Wahbunou didn’t like -to work; he specially didn’t want to skin squirrels, so he always -managed to get away when his mother needed him. He was gone only a few -minutes, however, then came rushing back. “Jim. Jim, Chief Minnemung -wants to see you at once.” - -Jim put down a squirrel and looked up. “Chief Minnemung? Where is he? I -wonder what he wants.” - -Wahbunou pointed to a group of men under a tree. “He’s over there. See? -Talking with my father and some of the other men.” - -Jim turned to Wahbunou’s mother. “I’ll be back soon. Chief Minnemung -wants to speak to me.” Then he walked over toward the group of men. - -At his approach the men nodded and walked away from their chief. -Minnemung smiled at Jim and motioned for him to sit down beside him. - -“Jim,” he said, laying his hand on the boy’s arm, “I have been watching -you all winter and spring. Now I have come to a great decision.” - -Jim waited, wondering what the old man would say next. - -Chief Minnemung leaned toward the boy, his brown eyes stern and serious. -“I have decided to adopt you as my own son.” - -“Adopt me!” Jim gasped, a chill of fear passing over him. - -The old chief continued as though Jim had not spoken. “I lost my only -son two years ago with a fever. That fever took four of our most -promising young men. I have been lonely, very lonely in my wigwam. But I -have watched you all during the time you have been with us. I remember -also that you saved my life on that hunting trip when I did not know how -to use the rifle of the _Shemolsea_.” - -Chief Minnemung did not take his eyes from the trembling boy. “But the -greatest test of all you passed easily. You did not belittle me in front -of my clan by telling them that you killed the black bear.” - -Jim was startled. He hadn’t realized that Minnemung would have lost the -esteem of his clan if the Indians discovered Jim had really killed the -bear. - -“So you see,” Chief Minnemung continued, “you have proved yourself -worthy of adoption into the Potawatomi tribe as my son.” - -“Adoption,” Jim murmured. It was the last gift he wanted, because it -would mean he would be forever cut off from his own people. “But sir—” -he began. - -“We shall have the adoption ceremonies when the clans gather early in -the fall,” the chief said. “I just wanted to tell you of this honor -which awaits you.” Chief Minnemung nodded his head in dismissal. “That -is all.” - -Jim stumbled back; Wahbunou and his mother were still working with the -squirrel skins. - -“What’s the matter, Jim?” Wahbunou asked, when he caught sight of Jim’s -stricken face. “Was Chief Minnemung angry with you? And for what?” - -Jim shook his head. “No, he wasn’t angry. He wanted to tell me that he -is going to adopt me as his son in the fall.” - -Wahbunou dropped the skin he was cleaning. “Chief Minnemung is going to -adopt you!” Wahbunou clapped Jim on the back. “Why, that means you’ll be -the son of a chief.” - -Jim hung his head and said in a low voice, “Wahbunou, I don’t want to be -adopted by Chief Minnemung. And I don’t want to be a member of your -tribe.” - -Wahbunou stared at Jim, thinking he had not heard him correctly. “You -don’t want to be Chief Minnemung’s son?” - -Now Jim’s blue eyes were misty with tears. “No, Wahbunou. You and your -people have been very kind to me, but I want my own people. I hope to -find my father and mother. Don’t you remember that you didn’t want to -live with us?” - -Wahbunou nodded slowly. “But, Jim, you don’t know where your father and -mother are. Nor do I. I only know they were prisoners of the Shawnees. -And they live far to the east. We Potawatomis do not mingle with them.” - -Jim’s lips trembled as he said, “If they’re still alive, I’ll find them -some day, Wahbunou. I wouldn’t be happy being a real Potawatomi.” - -Wahbunou sighed and was silent for a while. Finally he said, “Jim, I do -understand that you want to be with your own people. Believe me. But -Chief Minnemung has spoken. His word is law with us. There is nothing -that my father or I can do to prevent your adoption.” - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter V - THE LONG-KNIVES - - -Several days later Chief Minnemung sent word around that everyone was to -prepare for the annual trading trip to Cahokia. Soon the women were busy -sorting the fur pelts they had accumulated during the winter and spring, -and tying them in separate bundles according to kind. When all were -sorted, Jim was surprised to see how many bundles there were. - -“This Cahokia, Wahbunou? What is it?” Jim asked. He and Wahbunou were -mounted on the horse ready to start on the journey. - -Wahbunou smiled. “Cahokia is a French village a long way from here. We -go there every year about this time. The French have a trading post and -we’ll trade our furs for many supplies which we need.” - -“What supplies, Wahbunou?” - -“I’m not sure what we’ll get this trip, but sometimes we get food or -blankets. I think Chief Minnemung may want to trade for guns and some -powder. The French are our friends; we always stay a while in their -village. Then we’ll move on for the annual council of our tribe.” - -A shadow crossed Jim’s face at mention of the council, because Minnemung -had told him the adoption ceremonies would take place there. Suddenly a -plan of escape from the Potawatomis occurred to him. Perhaps he might be -able to join the French while trading was going on; they might even help -him find his parents. But he said nothing to Wahbunou. - -The Potawatomis had been wandering southeast, but now they turned about -and began riding in a westerly direction, bearing a little to the north. -It was so warm they didn’t try to cover many miles in a day. Sometimes -they stayed several days in their overnight camps. This was the season -for ripe berries, so the Indians stopped often to feast on wild -raspberries or dewberries. - -One afternoon they happened upon a large berry patch bordering a heavy -forest. Everyone ate his fill of berries while the women and children -gathered some in their kettles and gourds to take with them. Wahbunou -told Jim they would be leaving the forests now and riding through wide -meadows of prairie grass. There would not be another opportunity to pick -berries this summer. - -The two boys tethered their horse, scrambling farther and farther into -the brambles away from the rest of the Indians and seeking larger and -larger berries. All at once Jim looked back and saw the Potawatomis -riding away without them. - -“Wahbunou!” he cried. “Look! Minnemung and the rest are leaving.” - -Wahbunou glanced toward the disappearing group. “In a minute, Jim. We -can catch them easily. Let’s get just a few more berries.” He pointed to -a heavily laden bush nearby. “Let’s get those, then we’ll go.” - -Jim glanced uneasily at the band of Indians now almost out of sight in -the tall prairie grass. He didn’t want to be left in this trackless -ocean of grass. “We’d better go, Wahbunou.” - -Wahbunou tossed his head and laughed. “I can catch them easily, Jim. My -horse isn’t far away and he’s faster than any save Chief Minnemung’s.” -Then he turned again to the berries. The boys had been stuffing -themselves with the delicious fruit for perhaps ten minutes, when -Wahbunou’s horse suddenly began pawing the ground. Wahbunou cocked his -head to one side and listened. - -“I hear the sound of many feet, Jim. I think it’s the feet of many men.” -Now it was Wahbunou’s turn to be alarmed. - -Jim frowned. “I don’t hear anything, Wahbunou. Let’s be on our way.” - -“You wait,” cautioned Wahbunou, seizing his horse’s bridle. “I don’t -hear any horses’ hoofs, just the sound of men.” He led his horse to the -edge of the berry patch, where he could see the broad expanse of -prairie. The grass was almost as tall as Jim’s head, it rippled -rhythmically in the wind, making it look like waves of the ocean. It had -a sort of singing sound which Jim had never heard before. - -“I hear only a sort of singing,” Jim said. “I think it’s the wind in -this grass.” - -Wahbunou put his finger to his lips. “Shh, Jim! They’re coming.” Then he -signaled to his horse to lie down at the edge of the grass. - -The horse obeyed immediately and none too soon either. The next moment -the boys saw a band of white men marching out of the forest. And they -kept coming, more men than Wahbunou could count. Just before they -plunged into the thick prairie grass the boys could see they had long -rifles and wore sparkling long knives in their belts. The sun shining on -the knives made them visible even at this distance. - -“_Shemolsea!_” gasped Wahbunou, dropping to his knees. - -Jim also dropped down into the grass and turned to Wahbunou. “Wahbunou,” -he whispered, “what do you mean by _Shemolsea_? I remember you said that -word the day my father found you in the woods. And Chief Minnemung said -his rifle was _Shemolsea_.” - -Wahbunou whispered, “_Shemolsea_—Long-Knife. Men who carry long knives. -You know your father had one. He is _Shemolsea_.” - -“Oh! You mean all of us Kentucky settlers are Long-Knives?” Jim started -to stand up, but Wahbunou pulled him down. “Do you want them to kill -you, Jim?” he whispered in terror. - -“Why, they wouldn’t kill us. Maybe I might know some of them.” Jim -raised up to take another look at the men. Their column had turned -southwest and Jim could no longer see their faces. There were so many -men Jim was afraid to call out to them. “I wonder who they are and where -they’re going,” he muttered, half to himself. - -Wahbunou was whispering, “As soon as they’ve gone, we’ll have to ride -fast and tell Chief Minnemung about the many, many Long-Knives we’ve -seen.” - -“I think I’ll go and join them,” Jim cried, scrambling up from the tall -grass. - -Wahbunou tripped him and he fell headlong. “No, Jim. That you cannot do. -Chief Minnemung would kill me if anything happened to you. You must ride -back with me.” - -Wahbunou looked so frightened that Jim hesitated. He wouldn’t want -Wahbunou punished by Chief Minnemung; nor would he want those -Long-Knives, whoever they were, to attack the little Potawatomi band. -For a few minutes he was silent. Then he said, “Wahbunou, I’ll go back -with you, if you’ll promise not to tell anyone we saw these Long-Knives. -Promise?” - -“But maybe they’ll attack us,” Wahbunou replied doubtfully. - -“Aw, those men aren’t marching after a small band of Indians,” Jim -replied. “Is there any town near here?” - -“Kaskaskia is over that way.” Wahbunou pointed in the general direction -the column of men had taken. “It’s another French settlement. We do not -go through it on the way to Cahokia. Cahokia is north.” - -Jim shook his head. He still wondered where those Long-Knives were -going—his Long-Knives. Why, they were his people! Suddenly he thought of -another plan of escape, this time without involving Wahbunou. Here was -his real chance. He turned to tell the Indian boy, but Wahbunou was on -his feet signaling to his horse. - -“Come, Jim. The Long-Knives have gone. I think we can ride now.” -Wahbunou mounted his horse and Jim climbed on behind him. - -As they rode through the prairie grass away from the column of -Long-Knives, Jim said, “Wahbunou, I can’t go through with it. I can’t -let Chief Minnemung adopt me into the Potawatomi tribe. My countrymen -are close at hand. I can join these white Long-Knives and perhaps they -will know something of my father and mother.” - -Wahbunou trembled as he cried out, “Jim! You must not leave me. You must -go back to Chief Minnemung. He will kill me if I return without you.” - -Jim became thoughtful; then he said, “Wahbunou, it wouldn’t be your -fault if I left the camp tonight.” - -Wahbunou gulped. “You wouldn’t dare do that, Jim.” - -Jim nodded. “Wouldn’t I? You did. You stole away from us and went back -to your people.” - -The Indian boy urged his horse to a faster pace. “Yes, Jim, I did. My -people were going to a place I knew and I had a horse. You wouldn’t take -my horse?” - -“No, Wahbunou, I wouldn’t steal your horse. But you must promise not to -tell anyone about seeing the Long-Knives. I’ll steal away at night. I’ll -find those men.” - -“But, Jim, you’d get lost in the dark. And Chief Minnemung would hear -you. Indians have sharp ears.” - -“I’ll have the stars to guide me. My father taught me to tell direction -by the stars. The Long-Knives certainly won’t march all night. I’ll find -them, never fear.” Jim clutched Wahbunou more firmly. “Now promise me—no -word about the Long-Knives.” - -Wahbunou gulped and finally said, “It shall be as you say. Wahbunou will -say no word.” - -Thus the two boys made a solemn pact riding back to the Potawatomi band. - -When they finally arrived, the Indians had pitched camp in a small -thicket adjoining the prairie. It was almost dark and the women had -supper ready. Strangely enough no one had missed them, so the boys -didn’t have to explain their absence. Evidently the Indians had neither -heard nor seen the marching column of men, because they seemed as -carefree as usual. - -After supper, as the Indians sat around the campfire, Chief Minnemung -suddenly took a notion to have Jim play his drum. “Jim,” he said, “get -your drum and play for us.” - -Nothing could have pleased Jim more. If his Long-Knives were within -hearing distance and heard the roll of the drum, they might investigate -the sound. He didn’t want to see his Indian friends hurt, but he did -wish the Long-Knives would appear and take him with them. He rose -quickly. “Yes, Chief Minnemung, I’ll be glad to play for you.” - -Wahbunou’s mother had to unpack the drum from her housekeeping -belongings, but she did not protest because Chief Minnemung had ordered -Jim to play. - -Jim beat the drum with all his might, executing some long rolls and -difficult ruffles. Now and then he would toss a drumstick into the air -and catch it again without missing a beat. At this the Indians grinned -in glee at his skill. - -Jim played until he was exhausted, all the while hoping to see the -Long-Knives coming to the camp. But no one came, and nothing broke the -stillness of the summer night save the beating of his drum. - -At last Chief Minnemung signaled for him to stop playing. Immediately -all the Indians lay down to sleep. Wahbunou’s mother forgot to pack -Jim’s drum away, so he put it carefully down on the ground between him -and Wahbunou. Then he lay down and pretended to sleep. - -He listened for a long time until he felt sure everyone was asleep; then -he took his drum and began to crawl slowly from his place on the ground. -But Wahbunou was not asleep. At Jim’s first move he whispered, “Jim, are -you leaving?” - -Jim turned and patted Wahbunou’s shoulder. “Shh! Yes. Thanks, Wahbunou. -I’ll never forget you.” - -Wahbunou sighed but did not reply, so Jim felt sure his secret was safe -with his Indian friend. Wahbunou would not fail him. - -He continued to inch along the ground with the drum, stopping every few -feet to see if any of the other Indians had awakened; but save for -Wahbunou, the camp was silent. - -When he was certain he was far enough away not to be seen, Jim stood up; -he fastened his drum and drumsticks to the belt encircling his long blue -shirt, and looked at the sky. It was a beautiful summer night and the -sky was filled with stars. - -He studied them for a few minutes until he located the North Star and -the Big Dipper. Then he began walking southwest, the way the Long-Knives -had marched in the afternoon. Except for twinkling stars, the night was -very black, because there was no moon. - -Jim trudged along and was soon beyond the little thicket, which broke -the vast prairie. All through the long night, he made his way through -the high prairie grass, hearing no sound save the singing of the wind. - -When morning finally came, he found himself in the midst of a trackless -ocean of grass, with no sign of any Long-Knives, no telltale path -through the grass or sign of the Indians’ camp. There was only singing, -swaying prairie grass, stretching toward the horizon in all directions. - -Jim sighed, but walked steadily on, now and then scaring up a flock of -prairie chickens which rose squawking into the air. Taking his bearings -from the sun now, he knew he was going west. - -The sun grew unbearably hot, making Jim very thirsty, but there was no -water anywhere. Now and then he would look back to see if the Indians -could be pursuing him. But he needn’t have worried. His slight figure -left no trail through the prairie grass. - -As the day wore on he became thirstier, and very hungry. He began to -wonder if he had made a mistake to leave the Indians and try to find a -band of strange men in this trackless country. Late in the afternoon he -thought he saw a line of trees in the distance. He couldn’t be sure, -because this steaming prairie grass played tricks with his eyes and he -was afraid he saw a mirage. If he could only make it to those trees, he -would lie down in the shade and rest a bit. - -The trees proved to be real enough, and when Jim reached them he fell -into their cool shade and fell asleep. - -He was awakened after dawn by someone prodding his foot and a rough -voice saying, “Get up, boy. Who are you? Where did you come from?” - -Jim opened his eyes and saw two men standing over him. They were dressed -in dirty, torn buckskins, with long knives hanging to their belts. The -taller man was prodding him with a rifle. - -Jim sprang up, his eyes shining. “Oh, you’re the _Shemolsea_—the -Long-Knives.” - -“Never mind who we are,” the man said crossly. “Who are you in that -Indian outfit? What are you doing here?” - -“I’m Jim Hudson. I escaped from the Indians last night and I’ve been -trying to find you all day.” - -“A likely story,” muttered the shorter man. “Probably you’re some spy -sent out by the Indians.” - -Jim shook his head. “No, sir. I saw a big band of Long-Knives yesterday -and I’ve been trying to find them.” - -“Let’s take him to Colonel Clark,” the shorter man suggested. - -Jim’s eyes sparkled. “Clark, did you say? George Rogers Clark? Is he -red-haired?” - -The tall soldier spoke again. “Say, boy, you know too much. Come on, get -going.” - -As they walked single file through the woods, they made Jim walk between -them. After stumbling over fallen trees and brambles for about a mile, -they came upon a group of ragged men sitting and standing in the dense -shade along a river. - -“Colonel Clark, sir,” began the tall soldier, “we’ve found a white boy; -he says he was a prisoner of the Indians. But he knows too much. Must be -some trick here.” - -A ragged, commanding figure with red hair turned from the men and walked -over to Jim. His stern, hazel eyes seemed to penetrate Jim’s whole body -as he said, “Well, lad, who are you? What are you doing here?” - -Jim was so excited he could scarcely talk. “Colonel Clark, I’m Jim -Hudson. I don’t suppose you remember me, sir, but I remember your red -hair. I met you late last year with my father at Coon Hollow. We had -been hunting and had bagged a deer. You advised my father to go to -Harrodsburg until the Indian scare was over.” Jim looked hopefully at -the colonel. - -Colonel Clark seemed to be turning something over in his mind. Finally -he smiled. “I remember. But how do you happen to be out here in the -Illinois country?” - -Then Jim told the long story of how he and Pa and Ma had been captured -by the Shawnees on the way to Harrodsburg; how later he had been traded -to the Potawatomis, with whom he had spent the winter. When he was -telling of seeing the column of Long-Knives, Colonel Clark interrupted -him. - -“Just a minute, boy. Did the Indians with you see us?” - -Jim shook his head. “No, sir, only Wahbunou. We had stayed behind the -rest to eat more berries. Wahbunou promised me he would not tell he had -seen the Long-Knives.” - -Colonel Clark looked puzzled. “That’s hard to believe, Jim. I wouldn’t -trust an Indian not to warn his people of an army of white men near -them.” - -The tall soldier scowled, as did several others. But no one spoke a -word. - -“But, sir,” Jim replied, “we saved Wahbunou’s life, so he promised not -to tell about the Long-Knives. He knew of my plan to escape.” Jim -explained how the Hudsons found Wahbunou near their clearing and of -Chief Minnemung’s decision to adopt Jim. “That’s why I ran away, sir. I -didn’t want to be a Potawatomi. I hope to find my parents, but I don’t -know if they’re alive.” - -George Rogers Clark nodded. “I trust they are, Jim, and I can’t blame -you for not wanting to be a Potawatomi. For the present you’ll go with -us and be a part of my volunteer army. We’re crossing the river tonight -and marching on Kaskaskia.” - -“I see you have a drum. Perhaps we’ll need a drummer before this night -is over.” He turned and motioned to the tall soldier. “This is Simon -Kenton, Jim. You are to go with him and do whatever he says.” - -“Yes, sir.” - -Simon Kenton inclined his head toward the river bank. “Come on, Jim. -We’ll have a look at Kaskaskia from this side of the river. Have a care -though. We don’t want any of those Frenchmen over there to see us.” - -As Jim and Kenton approached the river’s edge, Kenton dropped to the -ground. “We have to crawl now, Jim, so’s we can see without being seen.” - -At the edge of the bank they could see the little town of Kaskaskia. It -lay in a kind of amphitheatre of woods and bluffs. They could also see -the fort with a stockade built around it, the steeple of a church, and -some thatched roofs and stone houses shining in the afternoon sun. - -“Gee, it’s bigger than the settlements I’ve seen in Virginia!” Jim -exclaimed. - -“Yep,” Kenton replied. “This is one of the oldest and best of the French -villages. I’ve heard it called the Paris of the West. See that British -flag flying above the fort? Tomorrow, God willing, it’ll be flying the -American flag. - -“You see, Jim, Colonel Clark has to take this country from the British -to make our Kentucky settlers safe from Indian attack. Commander -Hamilton at Detroit has been stirring up the Indians against our -people.” - -“Yes, sir, I know. I think that’s how my parents and I happened to be -captured.” - -For a while they watched the town. Nothing unusual was going on, so -Simon Kenton told Jim he thought no one there suspected the presence of -Clark and his army directly across the river. Then they crawled back to -the main group of soldiers. - -Jim didn’t think the men in this motley, exhausted army could capture a -town during the night. Several of them had taken off their shoes and -were nursing their painful, swollen feet. They were suffering from scald -foot, a wilderness malady brought on by dampness, heat and too much -marching. - -Jim wondered if they could put on their shoes when it came time to cross -the river. All of them were hungry besides, as they had eaten nothing -but berries for many days. Could such an army capture a well-fed town -like Kaskaskia? - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter VI - ON TO KASKASKIA - - -When night fell, Colonel Clark ordered his men to march. Led by two -soldiers who had been scouting the woods all afternoon, they followed -the bank of the Kaskaskia River until they came to a farmhouse. Here -several boats were moored at the river bank. Clark ordered some of his -men to surround the house and others to seize the family living in it. - -A very frightened Frenchman, his wife and their several children came -out of the house, holding their hands high in the air. The soldiers -brought the father to Colonel Clark who began questioning him about the -town of Kaskaskia. - -The man said the town had been expecting an attack from the direction of -the Mississippi River. This alarm had died down, he thought, because now -there was no extra militia at Kaskaskia. He also said most of the -Indians loitering there had left and gone to Cahokia. - -Jim shivered at the mention of Cahokia and wondered if Chief Minnemung -and his Potawatomis had arrived there, or if they were still searching -for him. - -When Clark got the information that the town was quiet, he permitted the -French family to return to their home, and ordered his men to start -ferrying the army across the river. Since he had well over a hundred -men, they must make many trips back and forth in the few boats on the -river bank. Jim and Simon Kenton were to go with the first group. - -As Jim climbed into one boat, he stumbled over a boy about his own age -who was trembling and cowering in the bottom. Kenton, just behind Jim, -pointed his rifle at the boy. “Who are you?” he asked gruffly. “What are -you doing here?” - -The frightened boy did not reply but stared up at the rifle. - -“Come, boy,” Kenton repeated, “what are you doing here?” - -The boy scrambled to his feet and stammered, “I——I was just going home. -I came from Kaskaskia this morning in this boat. I was hunting beeswax -for Father Gibault. He needs more beeswax for the church candles. When I -saw all your men I hid here. I hoped you would go away so I could go -home.” - -Kenton sneered. “A likely story. You’ve been spying for de Rochblave no -doubt.” - -“Oh, no, sir. I only know the commandant by sight, sir. I tell you true, -I was hunting beeswax. And I found a bee tree, too.” - -“Well, you’ll go back as our prisoner. Sit down in the boat.” Simon -Kenton turned to Jim. “Sit beside him, Jim, and keep your eye on him. -Don’t let him get away.” - -“Yes, sir,” Jim replied, making room for the boy. - -The boat was now filled and the men began rowing across the river toward -Kaskaskia. Jim could feel the boy trembling beside him. He whispered, -“Don’t be afraid. Colonel Clark will see that no harm comes to you. -What’s your name? I’m Jim Hudson.” - -“Willie——Willie Watson,” the boy replied. - -As soon as all soldiers were ferried across the river and assembled in -their respective companies, Colonel Clark stepped out in front of them. -It was too dark to see this erect, commanding man, but there was no -mistaking the stern authority in his voice. - -“Men,” he said, “our first objective is to take this town. By seizing -Kaskaskia, we’ll be protecting our countrymen in the western country. -You all know the British have been inciting the Indians to war against -our settlers. By controlling this French settlement, we’ll cut off all -supplies from New Orleans and the west to Hamilton at Detroit, so -tonight it’s win or lose everything. Now, I’ll make three divisions of -these companies. Captain Bowman.” - -“Yes, sir,” and Captain Bowman stepped forward. - -“You are to command one division. Take your men to the far quarter of -the town. Captain Helm, command the second, and take your men to the -other end of town. I’ll lead the third division.” - -The men assembled quickly according to orders. Jim and Willie were -assigned to Captain Bowman’s division. - -“Kenton,” Colonel Clark continued, “you’re to go with me. Now, men, if -we take the fort and capture de Rochblave without resistance, you’ll -hear three shots. The shots will be my signal of victory. Then all of -you are to yell and shout as loudly as you can. And Jim,” Colonel Clark -peered into the darkness, “where’s Jim Hudson?” - -“Here, sir.” - -“When the men start yelling, you beat your drum as hard as possible. Run -through the town from one end to the other beating it. That will help -make the French think we have a large army. Keep beating it. Do you -hear?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“If any of you men speak French, step forward.” - -Several soldiers stepped forward from the ranks. - -Willie whispered to Jim, “I can speak French, too.” - -“Step forward then,” Jim urged, so Willie stepped out with the others. - -“After I give the signal,” Clark continued, “you are to run through the -streets telling the people in French that the Long-Knives have taken -Kaskaskia. And tell them to stay inside their homes. If they venture -outside they will be shot.” Clark’s voice became sterner than before. -“Now then, not one of you is to talk to any of the inhabitants. I want -no conversation with them. Is that clear?” - -“Yes, sir,” the men answered in chorus. - -Immediately Colonel Clark set out, leading his own division through -dark, silent streets toward the fort. The two captains started with -their men for the assigned positions. For Jim and Willie it was an eerie -experience to march through the dark streets, then wait—wait in silence -for the hoped-for signal. - -After what seemed an endless time to the boys, three rifle shots rang -out from the fort. These meant that Colonel Clark and his men had -captured Commandant Philip de Rochblave and his fort without any -resistance. - -Then what yelling and screaming went up in all parts of the town. Those -men speaking French tried to out-yell other Long-Knives shouting Clark’s -orders in English. As Willie ran through the streets shouting his -orders, Jim kept beside him, beating his drum with all his might. - -Jim thought he’d better keep track of Willie so he wouldn’t escape. -Willie, however, showed no signs of wanting to leave the Long-Knives, -but kept shouting Clark’s orders over and over. They kept up this din -all night and were so excited they never thought of sleep. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -The next morning the streets were deserted save for Clark’s troops now -doing guard duty in various parts of town. Jim and Willie were still -together and Jim was surprised to see what a beautiful place Kaskaskia -was. - -In the center of town was a large grass-covered square, with narrow -streets leading out from it. From here Jim saw the American flag was -indeed flying from the old fort. There were a few stone houses here and -there, but most of them were wooden with pointed, thatched roofs and -chimneys at either end. - -While Jim was admiring the town, someone called, “Come on, boys. -Breakfast is ready.” - -Jim and Willie didn’t need to be called the second time. They dashed to -join the men just sitting down to breakfast; it had been prepared by -spies Colonel Clark had sent into town ahead of his troops. - -Meantime the terror-stricken residents of Kaskaskia remained indoors, -not knowing what was to become of them. Father Pierre Gibault asked -Colonel Clark if the people could assemble in the church to pray. They -feared they were to be separated and taken away by Clark’s soldiers. -Clark granted Father Gibault’s request and the people walked solemnly -into the church. - -Some time later Colonel Clark spoke to them, telling them not to be -afraid. He said the king of France had joined the Americans against the -British and now they could all work together. He asked only that the -residents of Kaskaskia swear allegiance to the Long-Knives, who -represented the Continental Congress and Virginia. - -Immediately the gloom and fear of the people melted away. They rang the -old church bell in jubilation, giving thanks for their freedom, weeping -and laughing for joy. - -No one was more astounded at this news than little Willie Watson. He -clapped his hands and turned handsprings down the street. He had -expected to be thrown into chains and taken far away. Now he was as free -as Jim. He looked at his friend. “Colonel Clark is a wonderful man,” he -said, his dark eyes shining. - -Jim nodded. “Willie, were you really hunting beeswax across the river?” - -“Of course I was, Jim. We have no wax for the church candles, so I went -to hunt a bee tree. Now I’ll get someone to go with me to get the honey -and wax.” - -“Are you responsible for the candles, Willie?” - -“Not entirely, Jim. I am a ward of Father Gibault and I help him in any -way I can. - -“My father was a river man on the Ohio. He worked for Boynton, Wharton -and Morgan Company. They used to send boatloads of merchandise from -Philadelphia down the Ohio and up the Mississippi Rivers to their store -here. My father made many trips for them, but he was drowned in 1772. So -Father Gibault found a house for my mother and me next door to him.” - -“Then you live with your mother?” - -“Yes, I do. She sews for some of the wealthy people and mends for Father -Gibault. In the winter I work for Monsieur Gabriel Cerré.” - -Jim’s face was sad for a moment. “My mother was a good seamstress, too.” - -Willie was puzzled. “Say, where are your mother and father? How do you -happen to be with Clark’s army?” - -Then Jim told Willie about the last time he had seen his parents and -what had happened to him since. - -“That’s too bad, Jim,” Willie said. “Of course Indians do sometimes kill -their prisoners, but it’s likely your parents are still alive. What are -you going to do now?” - -Jim sighed. “I hope I’ll find them some day. Maybe Colonel Clark will -have a job for me. I’d like to stay with him and his men.” - -Willie smiled. “If he doesn’t, Jim, I think I can get you a job working -with me. Monsieur Cerré is a big merchant here and needs quite a few -people in the fall. He’s away from Kaskaskia right now.” - -Jim nodded. “I may ask you later, Willie, because I have to find -something to do.” - -“Guess I’d better go home now, Jim. Will you come home with me?” - -“No thanks, Willie. I have to see what Colonel Clark has in mind for -me.” - -“Well, good-bye, for now,” and Willie ran happily down the street toward -Father Gibault’s house. - -Jim walked slowly over to Colonel Clark’s headquarters. When he arrived -Captain Bowman and a few French citizens were just leaving. Clark was -giving them last-minute instructions. - -“Captain Bowman,” he was saying, “use all your persuasive powers and -those of these good citizens,” he nodded toward the Frenchmen, “to get -the people of Cahokia to swear allegiance to our Continental Congress. -No violence, though.” - -“Yes, sir,” Captain Bowman replied, saluting smartly. “I think I can win -them over with the help of these men.” Then he and the Frenchmen left -headquarters for their ride to Cahokia. - -After they had gone Colonel Clark noticed Jim standing in the room. -“Hello, Jim. What is it?” - -“I wonder, sir,” he began, “if you have a job for me. You see I have no -home here, as Willie has.” - -Colonel Clark frowned for a moment and then smiled. “To be sure, I have -a job for you, Jim. You can be my personal messenger. Now that we have -won Kaskaskia, I have to deal with the Indian tribes camped in this -neighborhood.” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Are you a good penman, Jim?” - -“I can write a good hand, sir. My mother used to be a governess in -Virginia and she taught me to read, write and figure.” - -“Good. I have a lot of letters to write and you can help me with them, -too. You’ll sleep here at headquarters and eat with my men. Tomorrow -you’ll have plenty of work to do.” - -“Oh, thank you, sir.” Jim’s heart was singing. All would be well with -him if he could stay with Colonel Clark. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter VII - NO ADOPTION - - -George Rogers Clark’s sudden appearance in the French settlements with -his army threw the Indians camping there into a panic. They thought the -army larger than it was and expected to be attacked momentarily. Some -tribes asked their French friends in Kaskaskia and Cahokia what they -should do. - -The French, who were now firm friends of the Long-Knives, advised them -to call upon Clark and sue for peace. Then these same Frenchmen reported -to Clark that the Indians had come to them for advice. - -Colonel Clark was quick to take advantage of the Indians’ confusion. He -prepared a letter to be sent to the tribes, telling them to lay down -their tomahawks and ally themselves with him, or to fight like men for -the English. Jim Hudson made several copies of this letter, which Clark -sent by him and other messengers to the different tribes. - -The Kickapoos and Piankeshaws signed treaties immediately with the -Long-Knives. Other tribes, however——the Chippewas, Ottawas, Potawatomis, -Sacs and Foxes——came into Cahokia and demanded a council with Clark. -They wanted to see the chief Long-Knife and to hear what he had to say. - -Colonel Clark sent word to them that he would attend their council, but -he took his time about going to Cahokia to meet with them. He thought it -would be well for the Indians to wait on him. After a while he took Jim -Hudson, some of his officers and many of his soldiers to Cahokia, which -had sworn allegiance to him through Captain Bowman. - -Clark’s new headquarters were in a house beside the Cahokia River. In a -few days a band of Winnebagos, often called Stinkers by the French, -pitched camp in a Frenchman’s yard, just across the road from Clark’s -headquarters. - -When Jim Hudson saw the Indians he was frightened and said to Colonel -Clark, “I don’t think those Stinkers should camp so near you, sir. They -might attack us. We don’t have many soldiers here.” - -The colonel’s eyes twinkled. “How right you are, Jim. I think they have -something like that in mind. Perhaps they want to kidnap me so I can’t -appear at the council.” - -Jim shivered. “Oh, sir! Can’t you recall some of the men you have -stationed around the town?” - -“Jim, you have the mark of a military man,” Colonel Clark replied. -“That’s what I intend to do, but I don’t want these Stinkers to know -about my reinforcements. You go to my captains now and tell them to send -several guard details to my headquarters as soon as it is dark. Tell -them to come in one by one at the rear.” - -“Yes, sir,” Jim replied, glad to have an errand and to know they were to -have more soldiers at headquarters. He dashed out to find Captain Helm -and Simon Kenton. - -That evening fifty guards began filtering into headquarters, some to -conceal themselves in the house, others to stand in the darkness -outside. Although Clark walked alone about the yard, nothing happened. - -The next night the guards again took up their same stations. Colonel -Clark stayed up late, supposedly working on reports. - -Jim couldn’t sleep, so he went to the window and stared out into the -night. About one o’clock shots were fired across the river. In a few -minutes Jim saw some skulking figures in the headquarters yard. He -wanted to scream, but Clark himself gave the alarm. - -Immediately the guards appeared from all sides of the building. They -succeeded in capturing three of the Stinkers and hustled them into -headquarters. The shots and ensuing racket awakened the town; some of -the citizens hurried to headquarters to see what was the matter. - -To Jim’s great surprise, the colonel asked these Frenchmen what -punishment they thought these Stinkers deserved. In one voice they said -these Indians should be put in irons. Then and there, Clark made this an -order. Thus he maneuvered so that the French suggested the punishment -for the Indians. - -The next morning Colonel Clark went to the great Indian council, -accompanied by some of his officers and townsmen. At the last minute he -told Jim he might go. He also had the three Stinkers brought to the -council in chains. How ridiculous they looked clanking along beside the -officers. - -Jim was amazed at the number of Indians awaiting Colonel Clark’s -arrival. Jim looked over the crowd to see if he could see Chief -Minnemung or any of his Potawatomis. If they were there he could not -locate them in the vast throng. - -He glanced at his colonel, wondering if he were not frightened among so -many Indians. But Clark looked as if he were master of the entire -council. Fear was not a part of George Rogers Clark’s character; and -since the Indians had asked him to come to the council, he waited for -them to speak. - -After a few minutes a tall, erect, haughty chief, dressed in a handsome -buffalo robe, came forward to stand directly in front of Colonel Clark. -“Chief Long-Knife,” he began, “we hope the Great Spirit has brought us -together for good and that we may be received as friends. The bad bird -British ordered us to attack your countrymen.” - -He turned and motioned for one of his tribesmen to bring something to -him. When the Indian brought him a bloody belt, some red wampum and two -British flags, the chief threw them to the floor and stomped upon them. - -“We have received these emblems of war from the bad bird British and now -we hope peace with you will take the place of the bloody belt of war.” -Then the chief walked back to his people. Other chiefs came up asking -for peace. Even the Winnebagos came up and offered the peace pipe to -Colonel Clark. - -He waved them away, however, because he knew it was best to keep the -Winnebagos in suspense for a while about the fate of their Stinker -relatives still in chains. Then he told all chiefs who had made speeches -that he would consider their offer and give them an answer the next day. -He left the council with his staff, and all the townspeople and Jim. - -The next morning after the council fires were kindled anew, George -Rogers Clark gave his answer to the waiting Indians. He told them why -the Long-Knives were at war with the British, and that the British had -become so weak they were forced to hire Indians to fight for them. He -also told them the French king, father of all their French friends, had -also joined the Long-Knives against the British. - -Finally he said, “Now you can judge who is right, the Long-Knives or the -British. Here is the bloody belt of war, here the white belt of peace. -Take the one you please. Behave like men though, and choose the one you -wish. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -“I do not want you to give me an answer until you have time to counsel. -We will part, and when you are ready, if the Great Spirit will bring us -together again, let us prove ourselves worthy by speaking and thinking -with one heart and one tongue.” Then Colonel Clark and his group left -the council, not returning until the Indians sent for him. - -They had assembled with their peace pipes, and many chiefs made flowery -speeches about their intended friendship with the Long-Knives. Later -they smoked their peace pipes and offered them to Clark, who went -through the pipe-smoking ceremony with them. - -Jim Hudson knew Indians did not always keep their word; how he hoped -Colonel Clark knew it, too. - -These council meetings went on for days until Jim grew weary of -attending them. One morning, however, he was surprised to see two -stalwart young Winnebagos present themselves in front of Colonel Clark, -then fall to the ground and cover themselves with a blanket. - -Jim did not know what to make of this and looked questioningly at the -colonel. George Rogers Clark’s face did not change expression as he -waited to see what would happen next. - -One of the Winnebago chiefs stepped forward; he explained that these two -young men were offering themselves as a sacrifice to atone for what -their Winnebago relatives had done at Clark’s headquarters. - -Colonel Clark did not reply at once, but kept staring at the blanket -covering the two men. Jim and the rest waited anxiously, expecting the -colonel to order the Winnebagos killed immediately, or at least to be -cast into irons. - -To everyone’s amazement, Colonel Clark rose and ordered the two Indians -to stand. Then he took each of them by the hand as brothers and -introduced them to his officers and the Frenchmen sitting with his -group. A loud murmur of approval arose from the surprised Indians. Still -more surprising to Jim was Clark’s order to free the Stinkers who had -tried to kidnap him. - -All during these meetings Jim had looked in vain for the Potawatomis -with whom he had spent the winter; he wondered if they had ever arrived -in Cahokia. The day after Clark had freed the Stinkers, Jim discovered -Chief Minnemung and his clan sitting near the front of the assembly. For -a moment he was afraid—would these Potawatomis try to capture him again? -Then he glanced at Colonel Clark and realized he was safe where he was. - -At this council meeting Big Gate, one of the great Potawatomi chiefs, -spoke for the entire tribe, saying they were ready to sign a peace -treaty with the Long-Knives. When the treaty was signed, Colonel Clark -and his staff rose to leave. Suddenly Chief Minnemung barred his path. - -“Big Long-Knife, chief of all the Long-Knives,” Minnemung began, nodding -toward Jim, “this boy ran away from our clan. I planned to adopt him as -my own son.” - -Jim began to tremble when Colonel Clark turned to him, all the while -pretending he had never known of Minnemung’s plan. “Jim,” he said -sternly, “is this true?” - -“Yes, sir,” Jim stammered, “but I didn’t want——” - -Chief Minnemung gestured impatiently, as he interrupted Jim. “Big -Long-Knife, I say Chief Minnemung no longer wants to adopt this boy. He -not make good Potawatomi. He is Jim Long-Knife. Chief Minnemung is no -longer interested in him. He now belongs to Big Long-Knife Clark.” - -Jim sighed in relief as Clark said gravely, “So be it, Chief Minnemung. -I accept this boy as Jim Long-Knife.” He extended his hand to the -Potawatomi chief to seal their bargain. - -Chief Minnemung shook hands with Clark without glancing at Jim. Then he -walked proudly to his clan. - -George Rogers Clark could be stern no longer. As he looked at Jim for a -moment, his hazel eyes twinkled in fun. “I guess this makes you safe, -Jim. You are now under my control and a real Long-Knife. Chief Minnemung -has decreed it. Jim Long-Knife. That’s a fine name for you.” - -Jim smiled. “Oh, sir, thank you. I’m so glad Chief Minnemung doesn’t -want me. I saw him sitting with the other Indians today, and I was -afraid he might have his men take me prisoner again sometime.” - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter VIII - A PEACEFUL INTERVAL - - -While Clark was counseling and making treaties with the different Indian -tribes at Cahokia, he was also sending men on different missions -throughout the western country. - -For the most important mission he chose Father Gibault and Dr. Laffont, -an influential citizen of Kaskaskia. They were to take a proclamation to -the French settlers at Vincennes, asking them to renounce their fidelity -to the British king, George III and swear allegiance to the Americans. - -Since Father Gibault was well known and respected for his earlier good -works among the people there and Dr. Laffont was a most persuasive man, -the French settlers willingly took their oath of allegiance to the -Americans. - -Both men returned to Colonel Clark with this good news long before his -negotiations with the Indians were completed. Then Clark dispatched -Captain Helm to take charge of Fort Sackville at Vincennes. - -Now that the three French villages, Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes -were in American hands, about half of Clark’s volunteers returned to -their homes in Kentucky and Virginia. Those who stayed acted not only as -guards for the American headquarters, but reinforced the French -garrisons at Kaskaskia and Cahokia against possible Indian attack. - -Jim didn’t know how to occupy his time, now that Colonel Clark didn’t -seem to need him. One evening he decided to ask the colonel about it. “I -have nothing to do here, Colonel Clark,” he began. “I could go back to -Kentucky to see what’s left of our farm. I wouldn’t be afraid to stay -there alone, sir, and I could start clearing more land.” - -Colonel Clark fidgeted in his chair. “I know you aren’t afraid, Jim, but -I wouldn’t think of letting you go back alone. You’d be a perfect target -for Indians. They haven’t all signed treaties, remember. Even so, I -don’t trust these redskins too far. Now if your parents——” - -“But, sir,” Jim interrupted, “I don’t know if my parents——” - -“I know, lad. It’ll be time enough for you to go back to your farm when -we locate your father and mother. I have asked every man who has gone -out from here to be on the lookout for the Hudsons. They are to ask in -every settlement if any one has seen or heard of them. It’s a slow sort -of grapevine method, I know, but word gets around that way. We’ll find -them, Jim, some day.” - -Jim’s blue eyes misted with tears. “Oh, Colonel Clark, you think of -everything. No wonder you’re such a good military leader.” - -“You can stay on at headquarters with me, Jim. That will give you a roof -over your head and three meals a day.” He stared at Jim for a moment and -then grinned. “I’ll have to find a buckskin outfit for you too, lad. -Even if you are Jim Long-Knife, that ragged blue outfit you’re wearing -must be replaced.” - -Jim laughed. “These are the clothes the Potawatomis gave me. I have no -others. The Shawnees took the ones my mother was taking to Harrodsburg.” - -“And you’ll need some work to do, Jim, to keep you out of mischief.” - -“I can get a job, I’m sure. Willie told me he could get work for me with -Monsieur Gabriel Cerré, the wealthy merchant here. Willie works for -him.” - -Colonel Clark frowned. “Willie? Who’s Willie?” - -Jim seemed surprised. “Willie Watson, sir. The boy we found in the boat -the night we took Kaskaskia.” - -Clark nodded. “To be sure. I remember you told me about him, but I -didn’t notice him that night. What does he do for Monsieur Cerré?” - -“He sorts fur pelts and counts them. I saw him yesterday and he has -already started the fall work.” - -“It sounds like a good job, Jim. Ask Willie to take you to see Monsieur -Cerré.” - -“Yes, sir. I’ll go over now and see Willie.” - -Jim started over to the fur depot to find Willie, but on the way he saw -him coming. “Oh, Willie.” - -“Hello, Jim. Still running errands for Colonel Clark?” - -“No. I guess my work with him is over. I was just coming to see if you -could get me a job with Monsieur Cerré.” - -Willie smiled. “Sure. Just today the men were saying they needed another -boy to sort pelts this fall.” - -“Can we go tomorrow?” - -Willie shook his head. “There isn’t going to be any work tomorrow. The -men have to wait for some supplies coming up from New Orleans. I’ll be -glad to take you as soon as the depot opens again. I’ve just been -talking to Father Gibault about getting the beeswax and honey from that -bee tree I marked for him.” - -“Haven’t you been across the river since that night?” - -“No. You see Father Gibault thought it would be easier to get later in -the fall. But since there’s no work tomorrow he said I might go after -it, if I could get someone to help me. Would you like to go along with -me?” - -Jim’s eyes sparkled. “Sure, if Colonel Clark says I may.” - -“Come over about ten o’clock then. We can’t go too early as we have to -wait until most of the bees are out of the hive.” - -“I’ll be there, Willie.” - -“Be sure to wear your moccasins—” Willie looked doubtfully at Jim’s -thin, worn clothes, “and you’d better get some buckskin clothes to wear. -Bees can’t sting through buckskin.” - -“All right. See you tomorrow.” - -Colonel Clark said Jim might go after the honey, but added he couldn’t -go unless they found some buckskin clothes for him to wear. He hunted -through some of the supplies at headquarters and found a buckskin -outfit. - -When Jim arrived at Willie’s house, Willie was ready and waiting for -him. He handed Jim one large wooden bucket and carried another himself. -“We’ll put the honey and wax in these buckets,” Willie explained. Then -he picked up a gaily colored cloth bundle. - -The two boys put out in one of Father Gibault’s boats and soon crossed -the Kaskaskia River, landing near the house which Clark had surrounded -the night he made his march on Kaskaskia. - -Willie moored the boat to a tree along the bank. Then they started out -to find the tree Willie had marked with Father Gibault’s initials. They -wandered quite a way before Willie suddenly cried, “See, Jim, there it -is!” He pointed to a tree with a large fork high above the ground. - -Jim also saw the initials F. G. on the trunk; these Willie had carved -the day the Long-Knives had found him in the boat. “Why did you put -Father Gibault’s initials there, Willie?” - -“Why, to show the honey belonged to Father Gibault. No one will steal -honey from a marked tree,” Willie explained as he untied his cloth -bundle. Out tumbled two blue _capots_ or cloaks with hoods, two small -scarfs and two pairs of mittens. Then he took out a long, sharp knife -from the pocket of one of the _capots_. “Now we’ll get dressed to tackle -the bees.” - -Jim picked up the larger _capot_ and tried it on. “I can’t wear this, -Willie. It’s too small.” - -Willie had already put on his _capot_ and adjusted its hood over his -head. “You can’t? Say, you’re bigger than I thought. That’s my mother’s -_capot_, but I guess you need a man-sized one. Just put the hood over -your head and let the cloak fly,” he suggested as he tied a scarf over -his face. - -Jim looked at the _capot_ dubiously. “Why are we wearing all this stuff -anyway, Willie?” - -“To keep the bees from stinging us, of course.” - -“We’ll smother, Willie, and we can’t see with the scarfs over our -faces.” - -Willie nodded. “That’s right. I’m a stupid ox not to think of that. -Well, I’ll fix it.” He picked up the knife and cut two slits in each -scarf. “Now we have peepholes. Put one on, and the mittens too, Jim. If -the bees are in a bad mood, they can’t sting us through the buckskin and -these winter clothes.” - -Jim put them on and then asked, “Now what do we do?” - -“I’ll climb up and start cutting the honey and wax away. It’s up there -in a deep hole in the fork of the tree. You put your bucket at the base -of the tree and I’ll try to drop the honey and wax into it. This is a -beautiful day, so maybe most of the bees will be gone from their hive.” - -Jim watched as Willie climbed the tree. What a ridiculous sight he was, -with the blue _capot_ flapping against his skinny legs. - -Willie thrust the long knife into the hole and began turning it slowly -around and around. Only a few bees emerged and buzzed around his blue -hood. - -“Fix the bucket, Jim,” Willie called as the honey began oozing down the -tree. - -Jim put his bucket under the tree and began slapping at a few bees that -were buzzing all around him. - -“Don’t fight them, Jim. It makes them angry. Just let them buzz and I -don’t think they’ll sting you.” - -Soon Willie had rolled out so much honey and beeswax that his bucket -would not hold it all. When both buckets were filled, Willie came down -from the tree. “Now you carry one and I’ll carry the other.” - -Quite a bit of honey had trickled down the tree, so the bees stayed -behind, instead of following Willie and Jim. - -As the boys walked back through the woods, Willie looked admiringly at -Jim. “I didn’t realize you’re so much larger than I am,” Willie said. -“Why, you’re as tall as lots of men. How old are you?” - -Jim smiled. “I guess I grew a lot while I was with the Potawatomis. I’m -thir—why, Willie, I’m fourteen now. I forgot all about my birthday this -year. But no wonder, I was fourteen the day after we captured Kaskaskia -the fifth of July.” - -Willie stood as tall as he could. “Why, I’m almost as old as you, Jim. -I’ll be fourteen the second of January.” - -Jim was almost a head taller than Willie. He looked down at the younger -boy and smiled. “You will? I thought you were about twelve.” - -“I may be short, but I can do lots of things that men can’t do,” Willie -replied. - -“Oh, I’m sure of that,” Jim agreed. - -Father Gibault was delighted with the amount of honey and wax that the -boys brought back, and gave half the honey to Jim for Colonel Clark and -his men. When Willie told him Jim would like to work alongside of him, -Father Gibault said he would put in a good word for him to Monsieur -Cerré. - -A few days later Jim went with Willie to the fur depot to see Monsieur -Cerré. The merchant put him to work with Willie, sorting and counting -the pelts which Indians and French _voyageurs_ had brought into -Kaskaskia during the fall and winter. - -Jim and Willie became the best of friends, spending many long evenings -together either at Willie’s house or at Colonel Clark’s headquarters. -Jim taught him to play his drum; Willie was such an apt pupil and so -filled with rhythm that he soon played as well as Jim. In return Willie -taught Jim all the gay lilting French songs he knew. - -Jim enjoyed living in Kaskaskia; if his parents had been with him, he -would have willingly spent the rest of his life among the French. They -were a gay light-hearted people, always ready to stop work and have fun. - -The men played cards endlessly on the outdoor galleries until winter -winds drove them indoors. There were many church festivals to attend, -dances for the boys to watch and always excellent food. At Christmas -time there were many gay parties given for the French citizens and -Clark’s soldiers. - -On New Year’s Day of 1779 came the best day of all. The whole village -turned out in its finest clothes to call at the homes of well-to-do -folk. - -And what a colorful procession they made; the men wore silken hose and -bright silver shoe buckles, their richly trimmed coats open to show -their fancy, embroidered waistcoats; the women dressed in feathered -finery imported from France by way of New Orleans and the Mississippi -River. Ordinary French settlers wore buckskin trousers and long colored -cotton shirts belted in by colored bead sashes tied behind, and topped -by the familiar blue _capots_. Now and then there appeared in the crowd -a soldier in an ancient French uniform, or a _voyageur_ in his leather -ruffled shirt and brightly colored cap with bobbing tassel. - -Jim found life good in Kaskaskia until one afternoon in late January. On -the twenty-ninth day of the month Jim came home from work and met a -well-dressed gentleman just leaving Colonel Clark’s headquarters. Jim -wondered who this man was. - -As Jim walked into the house, George Rogers Clark was pacing the floor -and running his hand nervously through his shock of red hair. He didn’t -even see Jim come in, but continued to pace back and forth. Jim took off -his coat and hung it in the closet. Then he came back into the large -living room. - -“Is something wrong, Colonel?” - -Clark stopped and turned toward Jim. “Hello, Jim. I didn’t hear you come -in. Yes, I’ve just received some bad news.” - -“From the gentleman who was leaving as I came into the house?” - -“Oh, did you see him? That was Francis Vigo, a Spanish merchant from St. -Louis. I had asked him to see about Captain Helm’s supplies, since he -was going on a merchandising trip to Vincennes.” - -“Yes, sir.” Jim waited, seeing Colonel Clark was quite upset. - -“I’ve had no word from Captain Helm for a long time,” Clark continued. -“And that’s not like Helm, so I was a bit uneasy. Vigo told me that he -himself was captured and taken to Fort Sackville. There he was -confronted by Lieutenant Governor Hamilton. You see, Jim, Hamilton -captured Fort Sackville on the seventeenth of December and Captain Helm -is now his prisoner. The British are again in control of Fort Sackville -and Vincennes.” - -Jim gasped. “Do you mean Hamilton from Detroit?” - -“The very same. He took all of Vigo’s merchandise from him and wouldn’t -release him until Vigo promised not to return to Kaskaskia on his way -home to St. Louis.” Clark smiled wryly. “Vigo kept his promise too. He -went home to St. Louis, then came over here immediately to tell me about -Helm.” - -Jim looked puzzled. “What does it mean for us now that Hamilton is in -Vincennes?” - -“Vigo told me Hamilton plans to attack Kaskaskia as soon as the weather -permits, some time in the spring. He’s supposed to have an army of eight -hundred men, counting the Indians and his prisoners.” - -“Eight hundred!” Jim gasped. There weren’t eight hundred people in the -two towns of Kaskaskia and Cahokia. - -Colonel Clark resumed his pacing back and forth as though he had -forgotten Jim. After a time he stopped suddenly. “Attack at once, Jim. -That’s what we’ll do.” He brought his fist down hard in the palm of his -hand. “It’s our only chance. We’ll attack Hamilton now when he thinks -it’s impossible. But we’ll make it.” - -Jim’s blue eyes sparkled reflecting Clark’s confidence. “Yes, sir. What -can I do to help you now?” - -“Run to Father Gibault’s and ask him if he will come to my headquarters -at once. Then see if you can find Captain Charleville and tell him to -report to me immediately. But do not tell them or anyone else what I -have just told you. Do not even mention Vigo’s visit.” - -“No, sir, I won’t.” - -Colonel Clark then called one of his officers who had been asleep -upstairs. “You,” he nodded toward the man as soon as he appeared, “ride -to Cahokia tonight. Tell Captain McCarty to bring his company back from -Cahokia immediately.” - -“Yes, sir,” replied the officer. - -Jim dashed out of the house toward Father Gibault’s, while Clark’s -officer mounted his horse and set off at a gallop for Cahokia. - -Father Gibault and Captain Charleville returned to headquarters with Jim -almost immediately. George Rogers Clark told them the bad news of -Vincennes and what he had in mind to do. - -Father Gibault looked grave for a few minutes and then said, “Colonel -Clark, I’m not a military man, but I think your plan of attack is good. -God willing, you will make it.” - -Captain Charleville sat forward in his chair. “Colonel Clark, there -aren’t many of your Virginia volunteers here now, but I’m sure I can -raise a company among the villagers.” - -Colonel Clark nodded. “We’ll have to have volunteers, Charleville. I -don’t have more than eighty men, including the men under Captain McCarty -at Cahokia. I’ve sent for him to return with them. We can’t do anything -more until morning, gentlemen. Thank you for responding so quickly.” - -“I’ll have a full company raised before sunset tomorrow, sir,” Captain -Charleville promised. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - Chapter IX - THROUGH THE DROWNED LANDS - - -The next morning Father Gibault rang the church bell, signaling all -people to assemble at the church. Immediately the villagers came -streaming out of their houses or stores. Colonel Clark and Jim waited -outside for them to appear. Jim had brought his drum, and played it -loudly to attract their attention. - -Willie Watson came running to the church; when he saw Jim, he pushed -through the crowd to him. - -“What’s all the excitement, Jim? What’s happened?” Willie asked -breathlessly. - -Jim didn’t lose a drumbeat as he replied, “Wait and find out, Willie. -Colonel Clark is going to talk to the people.” - -As soon as everyone was quiet, Father Gibault told them that Colonel -Clark had an important message for them. Then Colonel Clark told them -that even now Hamilton was in command of Vincennes and was planning to -attack Kaskaskia as soon as the weather permitted. - -Before the citizens could recover from this shock, Clark had outlined -his plan of an immediate march on Vincennes and a surprise attack on -Fort Sackville. He said he would need volunteers to help build a supply -boat he would send ahead for his army. - -“I’ll help. I’ll help,” came the cry of the men from every quarter. - -“And we’ll help, too,” the women cried. “We’ll make flags for your army. -You’ll need banners to carry.” - -Colonel Clark smiled and nodded. “Those of you who will help with the -boat and supplies, step over on this side. And you who will volunteer to -go to Vincennes, sign up with Captain Charleville.” - -The men quickly made their choices, and Jim began to play his drum again -to interest the men in joining Captain Charleville’s company. - -“Jim,” asked Willie, who had stood quietly up to now, “are you going to -Vincennes?” - -“Of course, Willie. I haven’t asked Colonel Clark, but he’ll be needing -a drummer, I know.” - -“If you’re going, I am, too,” Willie said, excitement making his voice -shrill. “I think my mother has a rifle which belonged to my father. I -can take it with me.” - -Jim looked doubtfully at Willie. “Can you fire a rifle?” - -Willie shook his head. “No, but I can learn.” - -Jim grinned. “It takes a lot of practice, Willie, but I’ve an idea. If -you’ll let me have your father’s rifle, I’ll let you take my drum. You -can play it well, and I’ve had experience with rifles. My father taught -me to use one.” - -Willie smiled. “Will you, Jim? Sure—you can have the rifle.” - -“I don’t think we’d better say anything to Colonel Clark until it’s time -to go,” Jim cautioned. “He might think of an excuse to keep us from -going with him.” - -“All right, Jim. Mum’s the word, but I’ll manage to get the rifle.” - -By nightfall Captain Charleville had raised his company of Kaskaskia -volunteers. The women were so enthusiastic about the undertaking that -they worked furiously for the next two days, making flags of various -colors and designs. When they were presented to Colonel Clark, he didn’t -know what he would do with so many flags. But he thanked the ladies -gravely and packed their gift with the army supplies. - -On the third of February Captain McCarty arrived from Cahokia with his -volunteers. That same day the men finished work on the riverboat, which -Clark had named the _Willing_. They had made it into a warship equipped -with armament of two four-pounders and four swivels. It required a crew -of forty men to man, and Clark put Captain John Rogers in charge of it. - -He ordered Rogers to go down the Kaskaskia and Mississippi Rivers to the -Ohio and ascend the Ohio and Wabash Rivers; then he was to take his -station thirty miles below Vincennes and wait there for further orders. -The next day Captain Rogers and his crew set out on the warship with -supplies, stores and ammunition. - -At three o’clock in the afternoon of February fifth, Clark’s army was -ready to march. Jim had had to talk long and hard to get Clark’s -permission to go with the troops; he had made no mention of Willie. But -Willie stood beside Jim, carrying his father’s rifle, which protruded -above his head. - -As the army, one hundred-thirty men strong, stood waiting, Father -Gibault made a little talk to the men and gave them his blessing and -absolution. All the women and men not able to go with Clark were on hand -to bid the troops good-bye and wish them Godspeed. - -George Rogers Clark rode in front on a magnificent stallion, followed by -his officers, also mounted. Jim Long-Knife Hudson, wearing an -ill-fitting buckskin suit and beating his drum, stepped out proudly. -Willie Watson dropped back to the rear of the second company, fearing -Colonel Clark would see him and send him home because of his age and -size. - -The rest of the men, clad in worn buckskin trousers and hunting shirts, -swung out jauntily, their heads held high. Some carried rifles and some -tomahawks, since there weren’t enough rifles for everyone. A motley -array—Clark’s pioneer army, and at the same time a magnificent column of -spirited soldiers. - -The whole of the flat Illinois country between Kaskaskia and Vincennes -was freezing water and half-frozen mud. Two hundred and forty miles lay -between the army and Vincennes, but the men bravely started out. By -nightfall, however, they had covered only three miles. It was rainy and -drizzly, so they spent an uncomfortable night without tents or shelter -of any kind. The next day they remained in camp. - -That night Colonel Clark spied Willie Watson for the first time. -“Willie!” he cried, “what are you doing here?” - -Willie trembled but stood his ground. “I’m marching with you to take -Fort Sackville, sir,” he replied. - -Clark shook his head. “You’re too young, Willie, for this trip. If I had -seen you earlier, you would have remained at home.” - -Willie grinned mischievously. “Yes, sir. I’ve taken pains to stay out of -your sight, sir. I was afraid you wouldn’t let me come along. And I’m -fourteen years old, as old as Jim Hudson. I brought my father’s rifle -too.” - -Clark smiled and then shook his head. “I admire your spirit, Willie. Can -you fire your rifle?” - -Willie shook his head slowly. “No, sir, I can’t. But Jim is going to -take my rifle and I’ll play his drum.” - -Colonel Clark looked grave. “Since it’s too late to send you home, -Willie, I guess you’ll just have to stay.” - -Willie smiled. “Oh, sir, thank you. I’ll make it. You won’t regret my -coming, sir.” - -The next day the soldiers marched for nine hours, then pitched camp in a -square on the driest ground they could find, putting their baggage in -the center. - -As they continued through succeeding days they marched sometimes through -water up to their armpits. They had to hold rifles and powder high above -their heads to keep them dry. - -In desperation Clark and his officers dismounted and piled the baggage -on their horses. The animals struggled along through the water with the -men. - -If any men happened to see any wild game, Colonel Clark gave them time -to shoot it. Now and then they bagged a deer and on the twelfth of -February they sighted a herd of buffalo. - -“Here, Willie,” Jim called, “take my drum and give me your rifle. Maybe -I can get a buffalo.” - -Willie handed over the rifle, as Jim noticed with satisfaction it was -exactly like his father’s. He dashed out with two soldiers to shoot one -of the buffalos. He went as close as he dared to the herd, took careful -aim and fired. His buffalo dropped immediately as did several others -which the men shot. In a few minutes they had dragged the buffaloes over -toward the fires. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -“Good boy, Jim,” Willie said, clapping him on the back excitedly. “We’ll -eat plenty tonight.” - -Clark’s army did eat a good meal and had entertainment afterward. Willie -and Jim sang many of the songs they had learned together, and took turns -playing the drum. Willie also danced a strange mixture of French and -Indian dances until he was exhausted. - -That evening the two boys helped boost the morale of Clark’s army more -than anyone else save the colonel himself. Colonel Clark was quick to -give them credit. “We could never have made it this far, boys,” he said, -“without your music and dancing.” - -The boys were exhausted from their performance; Jim was too tired to say -a word. But Willie grinned at Colonel Clark and said, “I told you, sir, -you wouldn’t regret letting me come with you.” - -During their first six days this remarkable army marched over one -hundred and seventy-four miles, averaging twenty-eight miles a day. The -hardest part of the trip, however, lay before them——the sixty-three -miles to Vincennes. They would have four rivers to cross—two branches of -the Little Wabash, the Embarrass and the Great Wabash, all of them now -swollen by floods. - -When the army reached the two Little Wabash branches, normally three -miles apart, the men were stunned to see a sheet of water almost five -miles across, with no dry banks or channels for either branch in sight. -The shallowest place was about three feet deep; what the greatest depth -was, no man knew. - -Colonel Clark ordered his soldiers to halt while he considered what to -do. For a few minutes he gazed at the great expanse of water, then -ordered some of the men to build a pirogue. This took only a day to -build. Then he ordered a few others to explore these drowned lands and -if possible, find a dry camping spot on the far bank of the second -branch. Once they found a trail, they marked it with blazes on all trees -above the waterline. - -But how to get the loaded pack horses across both branches of the river? -The horses could wade to the first channel easily enough, but when in -deep water they would have to swim, and they could not swim with their -heavy packs. Once again Colonel Clark solved his new problem. He had his -men build a scaffold in a shallow spot beyond the second river bank. - -When this was finished, the men unloaded the horses and moved the -baggage over to the scaffold in their pirogue. Then they swam the horses -through both channels, reloading the animals at the scaffold. They also -ferried any ill, weak soldiers across both river branches. - -As Colonel Clark himself plunged into the water, he expected the rest of -his army to follow him along the tree-blazed route. But the men hung -back, complaining they were already cold and wet enough without wading -another five miles. - -Suddenly Willie Watson, seeing Colonel Clark floundering through the -water alone, seized Jim’s drum and started into the water, beating the -drum as hard as he could. “Come on, you,” he called, beating a terrific -roll. Jim plunged in right behind Willie, holding his rifle high above -his head. - -Soon the water was up to Willie’s armpits. He pushed the drum down and -sat on it, floating along and paddling the water with his drumsticks. -“Come on, you fellows,” he called. “Somebody give me a push.” - -A French sergeant, almost six and a half feet tall, charged into the -water, scooped up Willie and his drum, put him on his shoulders and -shouted, “Advance!” - -Willie’s courageous antics turned the trick for Colonel Clark. While -Willie played and sang at the top of his lungs, the rest of the soldiers -waded into the water and did not turn back, though in some places the -water came up to their chins. But no dry spot could be found, so they -had to spend the night in shallow water without food. - -Somehow they continued to march through the ice-cold drowned lands until -they had crossed the Embarrass and Wabash Rivers. Here the men in their -soaking wet clothes were more discouraged than ever. This was the place -where the _Willing_ was supposed to be waiting for them. The warship, -however, had not arrived. - -The next day the camp awakened to a dull boom. - -“What’s that?” Willie cried, poking Jim who lay beside him. - -“I don’t know,” Jim mumbled. “Sounded like guns, didn’t it?” - -One soldier overheard the boys and said, “Colonel Clark said those were -the British morning guns at Fort Sackville.” - -“Why, we’re almost there,” Jim cried, jumping up and stretching. - -“Almost there!” sneered another soldier. “Take a look at that water.” - -“Where are we?” Willie asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. - -“About nine miles below Vincennes on the banks of the Great Wabash!” a -nearby soldier exclaimed. “But how we’ll ever get across that flood -water I don’t know.” Several more men began to complain, and some even -muttered about going home. - -Jim and Willie looked around and saw Captain McCarty’s men cutting down -poplar trees. - -“Come on, Willie,” Jim said. “Let’s see what they’re going to do with -those trees.” - -The boys went over to help drag the poplars to a dry area where the men -could build canoes. They worked all day and by evening had finished two. -Meanwhile the boys saw two more drifting aimlessly on the flood waters, -so they waded out and captured them. Now Colonel Clark had four canoes -to ferry his army over some of this vast expanse of river. - -The next morning it was raining again and the water was still quite -cold. Though the soldiers still had had nothing to eat, the stronger -ones began ferrying the troops over to a small hill called Bubbie. From -here they waded to a larger hill, clutching trees and bushes in the -water to steady themselves. The canoes went alongside to watch for any -sick men. - -Those who were able built fires on the opposite side of the river and -marched the exhausted men up and down in front of the fire to revive -them. - -At last they reached Warrior’s Island, a dry spot of about ten acres. -From here Clark planned to attack Fort Sackville. The men had to rest, -however, before he could order the attack. - -A day or two later, some of Clark’s scouts brought two Indian squaws and -two half-grown boys into camp and presented them to him. - -“What do I want with these people?” Clark demanded. “I haven’t anything -to feed to my own men, to say nothing of four prisoners.” - -“That’s it, sir,” one scout replied. “They had food in their canoe. It -was filled with kettles, tallow, corn and half a quarter of buffalo -meat. We have it here, but what shall we do with these Indians?” - -“Food!” cried several of the men near the colonel. “Where?” - -“Make some buffalo stew for the men immediately,” Clark ordered. He -looked at the trembling Indians. “I guess we’ll have to take these -prisoners to Vincennes with us.” - -Just at this moment Jim and Willie came up to the colonel. When Jim saw -the Indians, he stopped and stared as if he didn’t believe his own eyes. -Then he dashed over to the taller Indian boy. “Wahbunou!” he cried. -“What are you doing here?” - -Wahbunou tried to smile, but was too frightened to talk. He just grabbed -Jim and clung to him. - -George Rogers Clark looked at Jim in amazement. “Jim, do you know this -boy?” - -“Oh, sir,” Jim cried, “this is Wahbunou, my Potawatomi friend that I -told you about.” - -Colonel Clark looked keenly at the boy and then at Jim. “Is this the boy -who did not tell his people about seeing the Long-Knives marching that -summer afternoon?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -Clark smiled at the Indian boy. “Well then, Wahbunou, I am sorry we had -to take your food. But my men have had nothing to eat for several days. -You are no longer a prisoner of Chief Long-Knife. All four of you are -free to take your canoe and return home.” - -Wahbunou did not understand all that Colonel Clark said to him, but when -Jim interpreted, the Indian boy nodded his head and smiled. - -George Rogers Clark shook hands with Wahbunou and said, “If you will -come to Fort Sackville in a few days I’ll pay you for your food. -Unfortunately, I have nothing to give you for it tonight.” - -Wahbunou nodded again, spoke to his Indian companions and motioned for -them to follow him. They found their canoe and paddled rapidly away. - -Meanwhile the men were busy making buffalo stew. When it was ready the -weakest men were fed first. Though there wasn’t enough stew to go -around, it revived many exhausted soldiers and improved the spirit of -all the soldiers. - - [Illustration: _Vincennes_] - - - - - Chapter X - CAPTURE OF VINCENNES - - -From their camp the men could see the hundred cabins making up the town -of Vincennes, and Fort Sackville over which the Union Jack was flying. -If settlers in Vincennes turned toward Warrior’s Island, they could see -American soldiers; so George Rogers Clark employed a trick of war to -make them think he commanded a large army. - -While the men were resting after their taste of buffalo stew, two more -of Clark’s scouts came into camp bringing a very frightened Frenchman -from Vincennes. They said they had found him lurking near the camp. -Willie and Jim had been sitting near the colonel and could hear -everything he said to the Frenchman. - -Clark spoke sternly to the man cowering in front of him. “I will permit -you to go into town under certain conditions. First you are to alert all -French inhabitants and tell them we will take Vincennes tonight. They -are to stay in their houses, keep quiet and not to let any one at Fort -Sackville know of our presence. Oh, yes, and tell them to have a fine -supper ready for us.” - -“Yes, sir,” the man replied. “And to think you’ve marched all the way -from Kentucky!” - -Clark did not correct the man’s guess about Kentucky. He merely said, -“Now you may go, but do not go near the fort.” As the Frenchman hurried -to Vincennes to deliver his message, Colonel Clark watched through his -field glass to see that he did not go to the fort. - -About sunset Clark ordered his army to assemble. When they were in their -respective companies, with Jim and Willie in front, Colonel Clark said, -“I ask just one thing of all of you—OBEDIENCE. Absolute OBEDIENCE.” - -“Yes, sir,” every man replied. - -Clark turned to Jim and Willie. “You boys bring out the flags which we -brought from Kaskaskia. We have good use for them now.” - -The boys went over to the small stock of supplies they had succeeded in -bringing through the water, and took out the flags. These had been so -well packed they were not even damp. There were twenty-four in all. - -“Each officer is to have a pair of flags mounted on poles,” Clark said. - -The officers mounted several flags as Clark had directed. Willie and Jim -wondered what they would do with the rest. - -“See that small hill between us and the town?” Clark pointed to a hill -about halfway to Vincennes. “You are to march your men around and around -that hill, every sixth man carrying a flag so far as possible. Thus you -will give the effect of many divisions, each carrying its flag, to -anyone watching from Vincennes. When I give the order, you march around -that hill until dark. Then I will issue your orders for the night.” - -Colonel Clark led the line of march, followed by Willie Watson with the -drum, Jim Hudson, Captain McCarty and the first of the color bearers. -They marched around and around the hill in plain view of the -townspeople. Should anyone be watching, he might easily assume that -George Rogers Clark had at least a thousand men at his command. - -Finally night fell. Tension was mounting among the men. Now, now was the -time for attack. How many men did Hamilton have? Had this army come all -through the drowned lands to suffer defeat? Never, while they drew -breath. - -Such thoughts were in the mind of every man when Colonel Clark suddenly -snapped them to attention. - -“Lieutenant Baily,” he ordered, “take fourteen of your best men and -begin firing on the fort as soon as we have reached Vincennes. Then -cease firing for a few minutes and laugh loudly as though you were -firing for amusement.” - -The lieutenant stepped forward and called out fourteen men. - -Colonel Clark went on. “I will lead the rest of this army to the heights -behind Vincennes and enter the upper part of town. The sentinels on the -stockade walls won’t be able to see us, because part of the town lies -between our line of march and their garrison.” - -Then he set out with the main army toward Vincennes, while Lieutenant -Baily marched his fourteen men toward the stockade. - -Jim and Willie, marching with the main army, became so excited they -could scarcely set one foot after the other. In no time at all Clark’s -army took possession of the main street and posted guards. Scarcely -anyone was in sight because of Clark’s order for the people to remain in -their houses. Jim was assigned to guard duty; Willie went with Colonel -Clark on his rounds through the town. - -In a little while Willie came hurrying back to Jim. “Jim,” he cried. -“The people have supper ready for us. We’re going to take turns eating. -Colonel Clark said he’d send a man to relieve you shortly, and you’re to -come with me.” - -Just at this moment there was a burst of rifle fire, then the sound of -raucous laughter. - -“Our men have begun the attack, Willie,” Jim cried, peering into the -black night. “We’ll soon take Vincennes and the fort.” - -There was, however, no answering fire from the fort. In a few minutes -another volley of shots rent the air. - -“Let’s go nearer to the fort, Jim, and see what’s going on.” - -Jim shook his head. “I can’t, Willie. I’m on guard here, remember.” - -After another burst of fire by the Americans, there was a sudden, -answering roar from the guns inside the fort. - -Just at this moment Colonel Clark appeared with a man to relieve Jim. -“You boys eat your supper. Report back here when you’ve finished, Jim,” -Clark said, and went on to direct the firing which was now continuous. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -“Come on, Jim. I know where we’re supposed to go.” Willie led the way to -one of the villagers’ homes, where seven or eight soldiers were just -finishing their meal. - -“Come in, boys,” called a rosy-cheeked woman. “There is plenty of food -for all of you.” - -The boys sat down to a bountiful dinner of roast duck, the best meal -they had eaten since their buffalo feast many days ago. While they were -eating, the woman kept staring at Jim. Finally she said, “Soldier, have -I seen you before? There’s something very familiar about your face.” - -Jim looked blankly at her. “I don’t know, ma’am. I don’t recall ever -having seen you.” - -Still she looked at him. “It’s sure queer. You remind me of someone. I -can’t quite figure—say, what’s your name? Mine’s Jeanne Duval.” - -Jim smiled. “Sometimes I’m called Jim Long-Knife. The Indians gave me -that name. But my real name’s Jim Hudson.” - -“Hudson!” Jeanne exclaimed, her voice shrill with excitement. “And -where’s your home?” - -Jim shook his head. “I haven’t any home now except with Colonel Clark. I -used to live in Kentucky.” - -“Kentucky, you say. I wonder if you—” - -The roar of cannon from Fort Sackville cut off her words. Jim and Willie -jumped up. “Thank you, ma’am, for the good dinner. We can fight better -now,” Jim said, as they started out the door. - -“When the fighting’s over, come back here, Jim. Come back for sure.” - -“All right,” Jim replied, “if I’m alive.” - -The boys made their way back to Jim’s post and found it in the thick of -the fighting. American soldiers were pouring the hottest fire possible -into the fort. - -“Look, Willie,” Jim said as he got his rifle ready, “look at those gaps -in the stockade.” - -Just then the British poked an artillery piece out of a porthole, while -the Americans sent a shower of well-directed balls into it. - -“Hurrah!” cried Willie, “got some British that time.” - -The intense firing from both sides went on until about four o’clock in -the morning. Then Colonel Clark withdrew all his troops save a few -observation parties, and the firing ceased. - -About nine o’clock George Rogers Clark sent a flag of truce into the -fort with a message to Hamilton asking him to surrender immediately. -This Hamilton refused to do and the firing began anew. But three hours -later Hamilton sent out a flag asking for a three-days’ truce. Clark -refused, but offered to have a conference with Hamilton in the church at -once. - -While Clark waited for his answer, everyone outside the fort, French and -Americans alike, watched the fort gate to see what would happen. Willie -and Jim were in the front row, waiting as impatiently as the rest. - -“Jim!” Willie cried. “Look! The gate is opening.” - -And indeed it was. Out came a dignified man in the striking red uniform -of a British colonel of regulars, a handsome Indian and a grinning -American. - -“That man in red must be Hamilton himself,” Willie whispered. - -“And there’s Captain Helm!” exclaimed Jim. “You know he’s been -Hamilton’s prisoner since last December.” - -The three men walked on to the church. There they were met by George -Rogers Clark and Captain Bowman. All of them went into the church to -hold their conference. - -The villagers all began talking at once, wondering what would happen -next. The American soldiers relaxed a little, but still held their -rifles. - -As Willie and Jim started to walk up the street, a woman ran out from -the crowd calling to them. “Boys! Jim Hudson.” - -Jim turned and recognized Jeanne Duval. She was calling and beckoning to -him. “Come with me, Jim. To my house.” She nodded toward Willie. “You -may come too, lad.” - -“I can only stay a minute, ma’am,” Jim replied, glancing back at the -church. “Colonel Clark might want me.” - -“All right. Just come on.” She hurried on ahead and rushed into her -house. When the boys appeared she said, “Sit down a minute. I’ll be -right back.” Then she disappeared out the back door. - -Willie shook his head. “What kind of business is this, Jim? Do you -suppose it’s a trap?” - -Jim laughed. “I don’t think so, Willie. After all we aren’t such -important people in Clark’s army. She’s probably going to feed us -again.” - -In a few moments she returned with a thin, tired-looking blond woman. -Jim stared at her for an instant, then rushed over and swept her into -his arms. “Ma! Ma!” he cried. “At last! I’d almost given up hope of -finding you.” - -Ma Hudson was laughing and crying at the same time. “Jim, how you’ve -grown! Why, you’re a man! Jim dear, we knew you were alive and well in -Kaskaskia. Captain Helm told Pa.” - -“Captain Helm? But he’s a prisoner of Hamilton. And where is Pa?” - -Ma looked worried. “I hope he’s still alive in the fort. Pa and I are -also Hamilton’s prisoners. Pa’s probably had to man the guns against the -Americans.” - -“Against his own countrymen!” Jim gasped. “How do you happen to be -outside the fort?” - -Ma shrugged her thin shoulders. “Since there wasn’t any place for women -in the fort, the British put me in one of the French homes here. And the -people have been good to me.” She smiled at Jeanne Duval. - -“She’s been staying right next door,” Jeanne explained. “That’s why I -was so excited last night when I saw you. You look so much like your ma, -and when you told me your name, I was sure you were her boy.” - -“How did you get away from the Shawnees and reach Vincennes, Ma?” - -Ma Hudson sighed. “We didn’t get away from them, Jim. I think they -intended to take us up north to Hamilton, but the snows came and they -weren’t able to get through to Detroit. It was a rugged winter, with not -much to eat.” - -Jim frowned. “How did you and Pa get down here?” - -“Last autumn the Shawnees heard Hamilton was marching south, so they -rode to meet him and traded us for some guns and blankets. Hamilton -brought us down here with other prisoners. I’ve been mending for -Hamilton’s soldiers and sewing some for the people here. Your pa has -been helping repair the fort.” - -Jim had forgotten all about Willie while talking with his mother. -Suddenly he remembered him and said, “Ma, this is my best friend, Willie -Watson. He’s from Kaskaskia.” - -Ma smiled at Willie. “I’m glad to know you, Willie. You must have -wonderful people in Kaskaskia, because Jim looks so well.” - -“The same to you, ma’am,” stammered Willie, bobbing his head. - -“We’d better be getting back now, Ma,” Jim said. “I’ll see you when -Hamilton surrenders. Don’t worry about Pa. I’m sure he’s all right and -will be free as soon as Colonel Clark takes over here.” Jim turned to -Jeanne Duval. “Thank you, ma’am, for all you’ve done for Ma and me.” - -When the boys returned to the American lines, the conference was over. -No one was certain, however, that Hamilton would agree to the surrender -terms. Colonel Clark took no chances of deception by the British; he -posted guards in houses near the fort and patrols in town. The rest of -his army slept on their rifles and got their first real rest in many -days. - -The next day, February 25, 1779, Hamilton sent Captain Helm to Colonel -Clark with the signed articles of surrender. George Rogers Clark then -drew up his army in two lines facing each other in front of Fort -Sackville to await Hamilton. All of Vincennes gathered behind the -American army to see the surrender. - -Promptly at ten o’clock the wooden fort gate opened, and -Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton led his well-drilled, scarlet-clad regulars -of the King’s regiment between the lines of the ragged American -soldiers. Captain Helm, amidst loud hurrahs from the crowd, hoisted the -American flag above Fort Sackville. Fort Sackville and Vincennes were -now in American hands, never to be surrendered again. - -Hamilton’s prisoners of war were also turned over to Colonel Clark, -among them Pa Hudson. When Jim spied him in the group, he forgot all -about his duty as a soldier and rushed over to throw his arms around his -father. - -“Pa,” he cried, “I knew I’d find you sometime.” - -His father hugged him hard. “Ma and I knew from Captain Helm that you -were safe in Kaskaskia, but we didn’t know when we could get to you.” - -When the celebrations and ceremonies of surrender were over, George -Rogers Clark dispatched a detail to Virginia with Hamilton, his prisoner -of war, and sent home the French who had accompanied the British leader -from Detroit. - -Then Clark looked over the stores and supplies in the fort. In them he -found much clothing which had been sent from Detroit for the British -troops. From this supply every man in Clark’s army received new shirts, -caps, vests and trousers. These were most welcome gifts because the men -wanted to be presentable when they returned in triumph to Kaskaskia. - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - -The Indians near Vincennes must have heard about Clark’s gifts, because -early one morning several of them came to the fort to receive presents -from Chief Long-Knife. Jim was helping to distribute these when he -recognized Wahbunou in the group. - -“Here’s Wahbunou, Colonel Clark,” he said as the Indian boy approached -them. - -Colonel Clark smiled and extended his hand to Wahbunou. “You’ve come to -be paid for that buffalo meat and corn, I suppose. Well, boy, I’m glad -to pay you. They saved our lives and made it possible for us to take -Vincennes.” The colonel himself looked through the supplies and brought -out two magnificent blankets. “Can you use these blankets, Wahbunou?” - -Wahbunou’s eyes shone as he took the blankets. “These are very good, -Chief Long-Knife. I have been paid plenty. I am glad my people could -help Jim’s people. Jim is my friend.” - -Jim took Wahbunou to one side. “My parents are here, Wahbunou,” he said. -“They were Hamilton’s prisoners, but now they are free. Won’t you stop -and see them?” - -Wahbunou beamed. “I’m glad you are with them. I can’t stop now, but -Wahbunou will see your mother when he comes to Vincennes again soon. -Your mother was very kind to me.” Then he turned and went back to the -other Indians. - -Before Colonel Clark led his men back to Kaskaskia, he took Willie -Watson to make a call on the Hudsons. Pa Hudson wanted to return to his -farm in Kentucky and asked Colonel Clark if he would advise going. - -Clark was silent for a few minutes, then shook his head. “Not yet, -Hudson. Why don’t you stay here until summer? If everything is favorable -then, you and your family can return to Kentucky. I’ll be back in June -as we intend to march on Detroit.” Then he turned to shake hands with -Jim. - -“You’ve been a good soldier, Jim Long-Knife. They don’t come any better -than you. I’ll say good-bye now and expect to see you when I return.” - -Jim’s eyes misted as he said, “Thanks for everything, Colonel. I’ve -learned a lot from you.” - -Willie had been unusually silent during the call. Now he said, -“Good-bye, Jim. Take care of yourself. I’ll miss you more——” his voice -broke and he could not finish what he wanted to say. - -Jim clapped Willie’s shoulder affectionately. “Good-bye, Willie. You -stay with Colonel Clark and the Long-Knives and you’ll be all right. See -you in June.” - - [Illustration: uncaptioned] - - - - - _Jim Long-Knife_ - - - _By_ - FLORANCE WALTON TAYLOR - - _Illustrated by_ - DIRK GRINGHUIS - -Boys and girls living at the time of our War of Independence, took an -active part in that struggle. Out West, they not only fought the -British, but the Indians as well. Kaskaskia and Vincennes were not just -towns, but stood for hard battle and hard won victory. - -Jim Hudson, named Jim Long-Knife by Chief Minnemung is a pioneer boy -living in Kentucky. How he is separated from his parents, how he lives -with the Indians, and how he fights alongside George Rogers Clark, is a -story filled with suspense and courage. Jim has good friends, including -the Indian boy Wahbunou, but it is his drum that, many times, keeps him -from danger. - -_Shemolsea_—Long-Knife is an important part of early western history—and -Jim helped make it so. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Silently corrected a few typos. - ---Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook - is public-domain in the country of publication. - ---In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by - _underscores_. - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JIM LONG-KNIFE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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