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+Project Gutenberg's The Daughter of the Chieftain, by Edward S. Ellis
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Daughter of the Chieftain
+       The Story of an Indian Girl
+
+Author: Edward S. Ellis
+
+Release Date: February, 2005 [EBook #7493]
+Posting Date: July 31, 2009
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DAUGHTER OF THE CHIEFTAIN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Martin Robb
+
+
+
+
+
+THE DAUGHTER OF THE CHIEFTAIN
+
+THE STORY OF AN INDIAN GIRL
+
+
+By Edward S. Ellis.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER ONE: OMAS, ALICE, AND LINNA
+
+I don't suppose there is any use in trying to find out when the game of
+"Jack Stones" was first played. No one can tell. It certainly is a good
+many hundred years old.
+
+All boys and girls know how to play it. There is the little rubber ball,
+which you toss in the air, catch up one of the odd iron prongs, without
+touching another, and while the ball is aloft; then you do the same
+with another, and again with another, until none is left. After that
+you seize a couple at a time, until all have been used; then three, and
+four, and so on, with other variations, to the end of the game.
+
+Doubtless your fathers and mothers, if they watch you during the
+progress of the play, will think it easy and simple. If they do,
+persuade them to try it. You will soon laugh at their failure.
+
+Now, when we older folks were young like you, we did not have the
+regular, scraggly bits of iron and dainty rubber ball. We played with
+pieces of stones. I suspect more deftness was needed in handling them
+than in using the new fashioned pieces. Certainly, in trials than I can
+remember, I never played the game through without a break; but then
+I was never half so handy as you are at such things: that, no doubt,
+accounts for it.
+
+Well, a good many years ago, before any of your fathers or mothers were
+born, a little girl named Alice Ripley sat near her home playing "Jack
+Stones." It was the first of July, 1778, and although her house was made
+of logs, had no carpets or stove, but a big fireplace, where all the
+food was made ready for eating, yet no sweeter or happier girl can be
+found today, if you spend weeks in searching for her. Nor can you come
+upon a more lovely spot in which to build a home, for it was the famed
+Wyoming Valley, in Western Pennsylvania.
+
+Now, since some of my young friends may not be acquainted with this
+place, you will allow me to tell you that the Wyoming Valley lies
+between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghany Mountains, and that the
+beautiful Susquehanna River runs through it.
+
+The valley runs northeast and southwest, and is twenty-one miles long,
+with an average breadth of three miles. The bottom lands--that is, those
+in the lowest portion--are sometimes overflowed when there is an unusual
+quantity of water in the river. In some places the plains are level, and
+in others, rolling. The soil is very fertile.
+
+Two mountain ranges hem in the valley. The one on the east has an
+average height of a thousand feet, and the other two hundred feet less.
+The eastern range is steep, mostly barren, and abounds with caverns,
+clefts, ravines, and forests. The western is not nearly so wild, and is
+mostly cultivated.
+
+The meaning of the Indian word for Wyoming is "Large Plains," which,
+like most of the Indian names, fits very well indeed.
+
+The first white man who visited Wyoming was a good Moravian missionary,
+Count Zinzendorf--in 1742. He toiled among the Delaware Indians who
+lived there, and those of his faith who followed him were the means of
+the conversion of a great many red men.
+
+The fierce warriors became humble Christians, who set the best example
+to wild brethren, and often to the wicked white men.
+
+More than twenty years before the Revolution settlers began making their
+way into the Wyoming Valley. You would think their only trouble would
+be with the Indians, who always look with anger upon intruders of that
+kind, but really their chief difficulty was with white people.
+
+Most of these pioneers came from Connecticut. The successors of William
+Penn, who had bought Pennsylvania from his king, and then again from
+the Indians, did not fancy having settlers from other colonies take
+possession of one of the garden spots of his grant.
+
+I cannot tell you about the quarrels between the settlers from
+Connecticut and those that were already living in Pennsylvania. Forty of
+the invaders, as they may be called, put up a fort, which was named on
+that account Forty Fort. This was in the winter of 1769, and two hundred
+more pioneers followed them in the spring. The fort stood on the western
+bank of the river.
+
+The Pennsylvanians, however, had prepared for them, and the trouble
+began. During the few years following, the New Englanders were three
+times driven out of the valley, and the men, women, and children were
+obliged to tramp for two hundred miles through the unbroken wilderness
+to their old homes. But they rallied and came back again, and at last
+were strong enough to hold their ground. About this time the mutterings
+of the American Revolution began to be heard, and the Pennsylvanians and
+New Englanders forgot their enmity and became brothers in their struggle
+for independence.
+
+Among the pioneers from Connecticut who put up their old fashioned log
+houses in Wyoming were George Ripley and his wife Ruth. They were young,
+frugal, industrious, and worthy people. They had but one child--a boy
+named Benjamin; but after awhile Alice was added to the family, and at
+the date of which I am telling you she was six years and her brother
+thirteen years old.
+
+Mr. Ripley was absent with the continental army under General
+Washington, fighting the battles of his country. Benjamin, on this
+spring day, was visiting some of his friends further down the valley;
+so that when Alice came forth to play "Jack Stones" alone, no one was in
+sight, though her next neighbor lived hardly two hundred yards away.
+
+I wish you could have seen her as she looked on that summer afternoon.
+She had been helping, so far as she was able, her mother in the house,
+until the parent told her to go outdoors and amuse herself. She was
+chubby, plump, healthy, with round pink cheeks, yellow hair tied in a
+coil at the back of her head, and her big eyes were as blue, and clear,
+and bright as they could be.
+
+She wore a brown homespun dress--that is to say, the materials had
+been woven by the deft fingers of her mother, with the aid of the old
+spinning wheel, which in those days formed a part of every household.
+The dark stockings were knitted by the same busy fingers, with the help
+of the flashing needles; and the shoes, put together by Peleg Quintin,
+the humpbacked shoemaker, were heavy and coarse, and did not fit any too
+well.
+
+The few simple articles of underwear were all homemade, clean, and
+comfortable, and the same could be said of the clothing of the brother
+and of the mother herself.
+
+Alice came running out of the open front door, bounding off the big flat
+stone which served as a step with a single leap, and, running to a spot
+of green grass a few yards away, where there was not a bit of dirt or
+a speck of dust, she sat down and began the game of which I told you at
+the opening of this story.
+
+Alice was left handed. So when she took position, she leaned over to the
+right, supporting her body with that arm, while with the other hand she
+tossed the little jagged pieces of stone aloft, snatching up the others,
+and letting the one that was going up and down in the air drop into her
+chubby palm.
+
+She had been playing perhaps ten minutes, when she found someone was
+watching her.
+
+She did not see him at first, but heard a low, deep "Huh!" partly at one
+side and partly behind her.
+
+Instead of glancing around, she finished the turn of the game on which
+she was engaged just then. That done, she clasped all the Jack Stones in
+her hand, assumed the upright posture, and looked behind her.
+
+"I thought it was you, Omas," she said with a merry laugh; "do you want
+to play Jack Stones with me?"
+
+If you could have seen the person whom she thus addressed, you would
+have thought it a strange way of speaking.
+
+He was an Indian warrior, belonging to the tribe of Delawares. Those who
+knew about him said he was one of the fiercest red men that ever went
+on the warpath. A few years before, there had been a massacre of the
+settlers, and Omas was foremost among the Indians who swung the tomahawk
+and fired his rifle at the white people.
+
+He was tall, sinewy, active, and powerful. Three stained eagle feathers
+were fastened on his crown in the long black hair, and his hunting
+shirt, leggings, and moccasins were bright with different colored beads
+and fringes. In the red sash which passed around his waist were thrust
+a hunting knife and tomahawk, while one hand clasped a cumbersome
+rifle, which, like all firearms of those times, was used with ramrod and
+flintlock.
+
+Omas would have had a rather pleasing face had he let it alone; but his
+people love bright colors, and he was never seen without a lot of paint
+daubed over it. This was made up of black, white, and yellow circles,
+lines, and streaks that made him look frightful.
+
+But Alice was not scared at all. She and Omas were old friends. Nearly
+a year before, he stopped at their cabin one stormy night and asked
+for something to eat. Mrs. Ripley gave him plenty of coarse brown, well
+baked bread and cold meat, and allowed him to sleep on the floor until
+morning.
+
+Benjamin was rather shy of the fierce looking Delaware, but Alice took
+to him at first. She brought him a basin of water, and asked him to
+please wash his face.
+
+The startled mother gently reproved her; but Omas did that which an
+Indian rarely does--smiled. He spoke English unusually well, and knew
+why the child had proposed to him to use the water.
+
+He told her that he had a little girl that he called Linna, about the
+same age as Alice. Upon hearing this, what did Alice do, but climb upon
+the warrior's knee and ask him to tell her all about Linna. Well, the
+result was, that an affection was formed between this wild warrior and
+the gentle little girl.
+
+Omas promised to bring his child to see Alice, who, with her mother's
+permission, said she would return the visit. There can be no doubt
+that the Delaware often went a long way out of his course, for no other
+reason than to spend an hour or less with Alice Ripley. The brother
+and mother always made him feel welcome, and to the good parent the
+influence of her child upon the savage red man had a peculiar interest
+which nothing else in the world could possess for her. So you understand
+why it was that Alice did not start and show any fear when she looked
+around and saw the warrior standing less than ten feet off, and
+attentively watching her.
+
+"You can't play Jack Stones as well as I," she said, looking saucily up
+at him.
+
+"I beat you," was his reply, as he strode forward and sat down cross
+legged on the grass.
+
+"I'd like to see you do it! You think you're very smart, don't you?"
+
+A shadowy smile played around the stern mouth, and the Delaware, who had
+studied the simple game long enough to understand it, began the sport
+under the observant eyes of his little mistress.
+
+While both were intent on the amusement, Mrs. Ripley came to the door
+and stood wonderingly looking at them.
+
+"It does seem as if Indians are human beings like the rest of us," was
+her thought; "but who could resist her gentle ways?"
+
+Up went the single stone in the air, and Omas grabbed the batch that
+were lying on the ground, and then caught the first as it came down.
+
+"That won't do!" called Alice, seizing the brawny hand, which--sad to
+say--had been stained with blood as innocent as hers; "you didn't do
+that fair!"
+
+"What de matter?" he asked, looking reproachfully into the round face
+almost against his own.
+
+"I'll show you how. Now, I lay those three on the ground like that. Then
+I toss up this, pick up one without touching any of the others, keep it
+in my hand and pick up the next--see?"
+
+She illustrated her instruction by her work, while her pupil listened
+and stared.
+
+"I know--I know," he said quickly. "I show you." Then the wag of a
+Delaware tossed the first stone fully twenty feet aloft, caught up the
+others, and took that on the fly.
+
+"I never saw anybody as dumb as you," was the comment. "What is the use
+of your trying? You couldn't learn to play Jack Stones in ever so long."
+
+She was about to try him again, when, childlike, she darted off upon a
+widely different subject, for it had just come into her little head.
+
+"Omas, when you were here the other day, you promised that the next time
+you came to see me you would bring Linna."
+
+"Dat so--Omas promise."
+
+"Then why haven't you done as you said?"
+
+"Omas never speak with double tongue; he bring Linna with him."
+
+"You did?--where is she?" asked Alice, springing to her feet, clasping
+her hands, and looking expectantly around.
+
+The Delaware emitted a shrill, tremulous whistle, and immediately from
+the wood several rods behind them came running the oddest looking little
+girl anyone could have met in a long time.
+
+Her face was as round as that of Alice, her long, black hair hung
+loosely over her shoulders, her small eyes were as black as jet, her
+nose a pug, her teeth as white and regular as were ever seen, while her
+dress was a rude imitation of her father's except the skirt came below
+her knees. Her feet were as small as a doll's, and encased in the beaded
+little moccasins, were as pretty as they could be.
+
+"That is Linna," said the proud father as she came obediently forward.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWO: DANGER IN THE AIR
+
+Little Linna, daughter of Omas, the Delaware warrior, was of the
+same age as Alice Ripley. The weather was warm although she wore tiny
+moccasins to protect her feet, she scorned the superfluous stockings and
+undergarments that formed a part of the other's apparel.
+
+Her hair was as black, abundant, and almost as long as her father's;
+but her face was clean, and, perhaps in honor of the occasion, she, too,
+sported a gaudy eagle feather in her hair.
+
+She bounded out of the green wood like a fawn, but as she drew near
+her parent and Alice, her footsteps became slower, and she halted a few
+paces away, hung her head, with her forefinger between her pretty white
+teeth--for all the world like any white girl of her years.
+
+But Alice did not allow her to remain embarrassed. She had been begging
+for this visit, and now, when she saw her friend, she ran forward, took
+her little plump hand and said--"Linna, I am real glad you have come!"
+
+Omas had risen to his feet, and watched the girls with an affection and
+interest which found no expression on his painted face. His child looked
+timidly up to him and walked slowly forward, her hand clasped in that of
+Alice. She did not speak, but when her escort sat down on the grass, she
+did the same.
+
+"Linna, do you know how to play Jack Stones?" asked Alice, picking up
+the pebbles.
+
+Linna shook her head quickly several times, but her lips remained mute.
+
+"Your father thought he knew how, but he don't; he doesn't play fair,
+either. Let me show you, so you can beat him when you go home."
+
+Alice set to work, while the bright black eyes watched every movement.
+
+"Now do you want to try it?" she asked, after going through the game
+several times.
+
+Linna nodded her head with the same birdlike quickness, and reached out
+her chubby hand.
+
+Her father and Alice watched her closely. She made several failures at
+first, all of which were patiently explained by her tutor; by and by she
+went through the performance from beginning to end without a break.
+
+Alice clapped her hands with delight, and Omas--certain that no grownup
+person saw him--smiled with pleasure.
+
+"Doesn't she know how to talk?" asked Alice, looking up at the warrior.
+Omas spoke somewhat sharply to his child in the Delaware tongue. She
+startled, and looking at Alice, asked--
+
+"Do--yoo think me play well?"
+
+Alice was delighted to find she could make herself understood so easily.
+It was wonderful how she had learned to speak English so early in life.
+
+"I guess you can," was the ready reply of Alice; "your father can't
+begin to play as well. When you go home you can show your mamma how to
+play Jack Stones. Have you any brothers and sisters?"
+
+"No; me have no brother--no sister."
+
+"That's too bad! I've got a big brother Ben. He isn't home now, but he
+will be here to supper. He's a nice boy, and you will like him. Let's go
+in the house now to see mamma, and you can teach me how to talk Indian."
+
+Both girls bounded to their feet, and hand in hand, walked to the door,
+with Omas gravely stalking after them.
+
+Mrs. Ripley had learned of the visitor, and stood on the threshold to
+welcome her. She took her by the hand and led her inside. Omas paused,
+as if in doubt whether he should follow; but her invitation to him was
+so cordial, that he stepped within and seated himself on a chair.
+
+That afternoon and night could never be forgotten by Alice Ripley. In
+a very little while she and her visitor were on the best of terms;
+laughing, romping, and chasing each other in and out of doors, just as
+if they were twin sisters that had never been separated from each other.
+
+When Mrs. Ripley asked Omas for how long a time he could leave his child
+with them, he said he must take her back that evening. His wigwam was a
+good many miles away in the woods, and he would have to travel all night
+to reach the village of his tribe.
+
+Mrs. Ripley, however, pleaded so hard, that he consented to let his
+child stay until he came back the next day or soon thereafter for her.
+
+When he rose to go, the long summer day was drawing to a close. He spoke
+to Linna in their native tongue. She was sitting on the floor just then,
+playing with a wonderful rag baby, but was up in a flash, and followed
+him outside.
+
+"Wait a moment and she will come back," said Mrs. Ripley to her own
+child. She knew what the movement meant: Omas did not wish anyone to see
+him and Linna.
+
+On the outside he moved to the left, and glanced around to make sure
+that no person was looking that way. Then he lifted the little one from
+the ground; she threw her arms around his neck, and he pressed her to
+his breast and kissed her several times with great warmth. Then he set
+her down, and she ran laughing into the house, while he strode off to
+the woods.
+
+But at the moment of entering them he stopped abruptly, wheeled about,
+and walked slowly back toward the cabin.
+
+Upon the return of Linna, Mrs. Ripley stepped to the front door to look
+for her son. He was not in sight, but Omas had stopped again hardly
+a rod distant. He stood a moment, looking fixedly at her, and then
+beckoned with his free hand for her to approach.
+
+Without hesitation she stepped off the broad flat stone and went to him.
+
+"What is it, Omas?" she asked in an undertone, pausing in front of him,
+and gazing up into the grim, painted countenance.
+
+The Delaware returned the look for a few seconds, as if studying how
+to say what was in his mind. Then in a voice lower even than hers, he
+said--"You--little girl--big boy--go way soon--must not stay here."
+
+"Why do you say that, Omas?"
+
+"Iroquois like leaves on trees--white men, call Tories--soon come down
+here--kill all white people--kill you--kill little girl, big boy--if you
+stay here."
+
+The pioneer's wife had heard the same rumors for days past. She knew
+there was cause for fear, for nearly all the able bodied men in Wyoming
+were absent with the patriot army, fighting for independence. The
+inhabitants in the valley had begged Congress to send some soldiers
+to protect them, and the relatives of the women and children had asked
+again and again that they might go home to save their loved ones from
+the Tories and Indians; but the prayer was refused. The soldiers in the
+army were too few to be spared, and no one away from Wyoming believed
+the danger as great as it was.
+
+But the people themselves knew the peril, and did their best to prepare
+for it. But who should know more about the Indians and Tories than Omas,
+the great Delaware warrior?
+
+When, therefore, he said these words to Mrs. Ripley, that woman's heart
+beat faster. She heard the laughter and prattle of the children in
+the house, and she thought of that bright boy, playing with his young
+friends not far away.
+
+"Where can we go?" she asked, in the same guarded voice.
+
+"With Omas," was the prompt reply; "hide in wigwam of Omas. Nobody hurt
+palefaced friend of Omas."
+
+It was a trying situation. The brave woman, who had passed through many
+dangers with her husband, knew what a visit from the Tories and Indians
+meant; but she shrank from leaving Wyoming, and all her friends and
+neighbors.
+
+"When will they come?" she asked; "will it be in a few weeks or in a few
+days?"
+
+"Getting ready now; Brandt with Iroquois--Butler with Tory--soon be
+here."
+
+"But do you mean that we shall all go with you tonight?"
+
+The Delaware was silent for a few seconds. His active brain was busy,
+reviewing the situation.
+
+"No," he finally said; "stay here till Omas come back; then go with
+him--all go--den no one be hurt."
+
+"Very well; we will wait till you come to us again. We will take good
+care of Linna."
+
+And without another word the Delaware turned once more, strode to the
+forest, which was then in fullest leaf, and vanished among the trees.
+
+Mrs. Ripley walked slowly back to the door. On the threshold she halted,
+and looked around again for her absent boy. It was growing dark, and she
+began to feel a vague alarm for him.
+
+A whistle fell on her ear. It was the sweetest music she had ever heard,
+for it came from the lips of her boy.
+
+He was in sight, coming along the well worn path that led in front of
+the other dwellings and to her own door. When he saw her, he waved his
+hand in salutation, but could not afford to break in on the vigorous
+melody which kept his lips puckered.
+
+She saw he was carrying something on his shoulder. A second glance
+showed that it was one of the heavy rifles used by the pioneers a
+hundred years ago. The sight--taken with what Omas had just said--filled
+her heart with forebodings.
+
+She waited until the lad came up. He kissed her affectionately, and then
+in the offhand manner of a big boy, let the butt of the gun drop on
+the ground, leaned the top away from him, and glancing from it to his
+mother, asked--"What do you think of it?"
+
+"It seems to be a good gun. Whose is it?"
+
+"Mine," was the proud response. "Colonel Butler ordered that it be given
+to me, and I'm to use it, too, mother."
+
+"For what purpose?"
+
+"The other Colonel Butler--you know he is a cousin to ours--has got a
+whole lot of Tories" (who, you know, were Americans fighting against
+their countrymen) "and Indians, and they're coming down to wipe out
+Wyoming; but I guess they will find it a harder job than they think."
+
+And to show his contempt for the danger, the muscular lad lifted his
+weighty weapon to a level, and pretended to sight it at a tree.
+
+"I wish that was a Tory or one of those Six Nation Indians--wouldn't I
+drop him!"
+
+The mother could not share the buoyancy of her son. She stepped outside,
+so as to be beyond the hearing of the little ones.
+
+"Omas has been here; that is his little girl that you hear laughing
+with Alice. He has told me the same as you--the Tories and Indians are
+coming, and he wants us to flee with him."
+
+"What does he mean by that?" asked the half indignant boy.
+
+"He says they will put us all to death, and if we do not go with him, we
+will be killed too."
+
+The handsome face of Benjamin Ripley took on an expression of scorn, and
+as he straightened up, he seemed to become several inches taller.
+
+"He forgets that I am with you! Omas is very kind; but he and his Tory
+friends had better look out for themselves. Why, with the men at the
+fort, Colonel Butler will have several hundred."
+
+"But they are mostly old men and boys."
+
+"Well," said the high spirited lad, with a twinkle of his fine hazel
+eyes, "add up a lot of old men and boys, and the average is the same
+number of middle aged men, isn't it? Don't you worry, mother--things are
+all right. If Omas comes back, give him our thanks, and tell him we are
+not going to sneak off when we are needed at home."
+
+It was hard to resist the contagion of Ben's hopefulness. The mother not
+only loved but respected him as much as she could have done had he been
+several years older. He had been her mainstay for the two years past,
+during which the father was absent with the patriot army; and she came
+to lean upon him more and more, though her heart sank when Ben began to
+talk of following his father into the ranks, to help in the struggle for
+independence.
+
+She found herself looking upon the situation as Ben did. If so great
+danger threatened Wyoming, it would be cowardly for them to leave their
+friends to their fate. It was clear all could not find safety by going,
+and she would feel she was doing wrong if she gave no heed to the
+others.
+
+Ben was tall and strong for his years, and the fact that he had taken
+the gun from Colonel Butler to be used in taking care of the settlement
+bound the youth in honor to do so.
+
+"It shall be as you say," said the mother; "I cannot be as hopeful as
+you, but it is our duty to stay. We will not talk about it before the
+children."
+
+"I want to see how a little Indian girl looks," muttered Ben with a
+laugh, following his mother into the house.
+
+Alice caught sight of him, and was in his arms the next instant, while
+Linna rose to her feet, and stood with her forefinger between her teeth,
+shyly studying the newcomer.
+
+"Helloa, Linna! how are you?" he called, setting down his young sister
+and catching up the little Indian. Not only that, but he gave her a
+resounding smack on her dusky cheek.
+
+"I always like pretty little girls, and I'm going to be your beau: what
+do you say? Is it a bargain?"
+
+It is not to be supposed that the Delaware miss caught the whole meaning
+of this momentous question. She was a little overwhelmed by the rush of
+the big boy's manner, and nodded her head about a dozen times.
+
+"There, Alice; do you understand that?" he asked, making the room ring
+with his merry laughter; "I'm to be Linna's beau. How do you like it?"
+
+"I'm glad for you, but I--guess--I oughter be sorry for Linna."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THREE: JULY THIRD, 1778
+
+While Ben Ripley was frolicking with little Alice and her Indian friend
+Linna, the mother prepared the evening meal.
+
+The candles were lighted, and they took their places at the table.
+
+All this was new and strange to Linna. In her own home, she was
+accustomed to sit on the ground, and use only her fingers for knife and
+fork when taking food; but she was observant and quick, and knowing how
+it had been with her, her friends soon did away with her embarrassment.
+The mother cut her meat into small pieces, spread butter--which the
+visitor looked at askance--on the brown bread, and she had but to do as
+the rest, and all went well.
+
+A few minutes after supper both girls became drowsy, and Mrs. Ripley,
+candle in hand, conducted them upstairs to the small room set apart for
+their use.
+
+This was another novel experience for the visitor. She insisted at first
+upon lying on the hard floor, for never in her life had she touched a
+bed; but after awhile, she became willing to share the couch with her
+playmate.
+
+Alice knelt down by the side of the little trundle bed and said her
+prayers, as she always did; but Linna could not understand what it
+meant. She wonderingly watched her until she was through, and then with
+some misgiving, clambered among the clothes, and the mother tucked her
+up, though the night was so warm they needed little covering.
+
+Mrs. Ripley felt that she ought to tell the dusky child about her
+heavenly Father, and to teach her to pray. She therefore sat down on the
+edge of the bed, and in simple words began the wonderful story of the
+Saviour, who gave His life to save her as well as all others.
+
+Alice dropped asleep right away, but Linna lay motionless, with her
+round black eyes fixed on the face of the lady, drinking in every word
+she said. By and by, however, the eyelids began to droop, and the good
+woman ceased. Who shall tell what precious seed was thus sown in that
+cabin in Wyoming, more than a hundred years ago?
+
+While Mrs. Ripley was talking upstairs, she heard voices below; so that
+she knew Ben had a visitor. As she descended, she recognized a neighbor
+who lived on the other side of the river.
+
+"I called," said he, "to tell you that you must lose no time in moving
+into Forty Fort with your little girl."
+
+"You do not mean right away?"
+
+"Not tonight, but the first thing in the morning."
+
+"Is the danger so close as that?"
+
+"Our scouts report the Tory Colonel Butler with a large force of whites
+and Indians marching down the valley."
+
+"But do you not expect to repel them?"
+
+"We are sure of that," was the confident reply; "but it won't do for any
+of the women and children to be exposed. The Indians will scatter, and
+cut off all they can. Others of our friends are out warning the people,
+and we must have them all in a safe place."
+
+"Will you wait for your enemies to attack the fort?"
+
+"I believe our Colonel Butler favors that; but others, and among them
+myself and Ben, favor marching out and meeting them."
+
+"That's it," added the lad, shaking his head. "I believe in showing
+them we are not scared. Colonel Butler got leave of absence to come to
+Wyoming; he has some regulars with him, and with all our men and boys
+we'll teach the other Colonel Butler a lesson he won't forget as long as
+he lives."
+
+"Well, if you think it best, we will move into the fort with the other
+people until the danger is past."
+
+"Yes, mother; I will fight better knowing that you and Alice are safe.
+There's Linna! What about her?"
+
+"Who's Linna?" asked the visitor.
+
+"She is the little child of Omas, the Delaware warrior. He brought her
+here this afternoon to make Alice a visit, and promised to call tomorrow
+for her. Will it be safe to wait until he comes?"
+
+The neighbor shook his head.
+
+"You mustn't take any chances. Why don't you turn her loose to take care
+of herself? She can do it."
+
+"I couldn't," the mother hastened to say; "Omas left her in our care,
+and I must not neglect her. She will go with us."
+
+"I don't think it will be safe for her father to come after her, when
+the flurry is over."
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"He will be with the Iroquois, even though his tribe doesn't like them
+any too well; for the Iroquois are the conquerors of the Delawares, and
+drove them off their hunting grounds."
+
+"Well," said Mrs. Ripley, with a sigh; "even if he never comes for her,
+she will always have a home with us."
+
+The dwelling of the Ripleys was on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna.
+On the other side stood Fort Wintermoot and Forty Fort, the former being
+at the upper end of the valley. That would be the first one reached by
+the invaders, and the expectation was that it would give up whenever
+ordered to do so, for nearly all in it were friends of the Tories.
+
+It was evident that when Omas left his child with her friends, and spoke
+of returning the next day, or soon thereafter, he did not know how near
+the invasion was. Mrs. Ripley expected that when he did learn it, he
+would hasten back for her.
+
+The night, however, passed without his appearance, and the hot July sun
+came up over the forests on the eastern bank of the river, and still
+he remained away. It looked as if he had decided to let her take her
+chances while he joined the invaders in their work of destruction and
+woe.
+
+Mrs. Ripley would have been willing to wait longer, but she was urged
+not to lose another hour. The frightened settlers were not allowed to
+take anything but their actual necessaries with them, for the cramped
+quarters in Forty Fort, where a number of cabins were erected, would be
+crowded to the utmost to make room for the hundreds who might clamor for
+admission. The quarters, indeed, were so scant that many camped outside,
+holding themselves ready to rush within should it become necessary.
+
+Little Linna was filled with wonder when she saw her friends preparing
+to move and knew she was going with them. But she helped in her way as
+much as she could and asked no questions. There was no need, in fact,
+for Alice asked enough for both.
+
+And just here I must relate to you a little history.
+
+On the last days of June, 1778, Colonel John Butler, with about four
+hundred soldiers--partly made up of Tories--and six or seven hundred
+Indians, entered the head of Wyoming Valley. As I have said, he was a
+cousin of Colonel Zebulon Butler, who commanded the patriots and did all
+he could to check the invaders. Reaching Fort Wintermoot, the British
+officer sent in a demand for its surrender. The submission was made,
+and the invaders then came down the valley and ordered the Connecticut
+people to surrender Forty Fort and the settlements. Colonel Zebulon
+Butler had under him, to quote the historical account, "two hundred and
+thirty enrolled men, and seventy old people, boys, civil magistrates,
+and other volunteers." They formed six companies, which were mustered at
+Forty Fort, where the families of the settlers on the east side of the
+river had taken refuge.
+
+Colonel Zebulon Butler, upon receiving the summons, called a council of
+war. This was on the 3rd of July. The officers believed that a little
+delay would be best, in the hope of the arrival of reinforcements; but
+nearly all the men were so clamorous to march out and give the invaders
+battle, that it was decided to do so.
+
+"You are going into great danger," remarked the leader, as he mounted
+his horse and placed himself at the head of the patriots, "but I will go
+as far as any of you."
+
+At three o'clock in the afternoon the column, numbering about three
+hundred, marched from the fort with drums beating and colors flying.
+They moved up the valley, with the river on the right and a marsh on the
+left, until they arrived at Fort Wintermoot, which had been set on
+fire by the enemy to give the impression they were withdrawing from the
+neighborhood.
+
+As you may well believe, the movements of the patriots were watched with
+deep interest by those left behind. The women and children clustered
+along the river bank and strained their eyes in the direction of Fort
+Wintermoot, the black smoke from which rolled down the valley and helped
+to shut out their view.
+
+There was hardly one among the spectators that had not a loved relative
+with the defenders. It might be a tottering grandfather, a sturdy son,
+who, though a boy, was inspired with the deepest fervor, and eager to
+risk his life for the sake of his mother or sister, whose hearts almost
+stopped beating in the painful suspense which must continue until the
+battle was decided.
+
+Alice was too young fully to understand the peril in which Ben was
+placed. She had kissed him goodbye when he ran to take his place with
+the others, and, with a light jest on his lips about her and Linna, he
+had snatched a kiss from the little Delaware's swarthy cheek.
+
+The mother added a few cheering words to the children, and it was a
+striking sight when they and a number of others, about their age or
+under, began playing with all the merriment of children who never dream
+that the world contains such afflictions as sorrow, woe, and death.
+
+It was easy to follow the course of the patriots for a time after they
+were beyond sight, by the sound of their drums and the shrill whistling
+of several fifes.
+
+In those days it was much more common than now for people to drink
+intoxicating liquors. Just before the patriots started up the valley,
+I am sorry to say, a few of the men drank more than they should. It
+has been claimed by some that but for this things would have gone
+differently on that day, which will live for ever as one of the saddest
+in American history.
+
+By and by the anxious people near the fort noticed that the sound of
+drums and fifes had ceased, and the reports of firearms were heard.
+
+They knew from this that the opposing forces were making ready for the
+conflict, and the suspense became painful indeed.
+
+Then amid the rattle of musketry sounded the whoops of the Iroquois.
+The battle was on. Fighting began about four o'clock in the afternoon.
+Colonel Zebulon Butler ordered his men to fire, and at each discharge
+to advance a step. The fire was regular and steady, and the Americans
+continued to gain ground, having the advantage where it was open.
+Despite the exertions of the invaders, their line gave way, and but for
+the help of the Indians they would have been routed.
+
+The flanking party of red men kept up a galling fire on the right, and
+the patriots dropped fast. The Indians on the Tory left were divided
+into six bands who kept up a continuous yelling which did much to
+inspirit each other, while the deadly aim told sadly upon the Americans.
+
+The most powerful body of Indians was in a swamp on the left of the
+patriots, and by and by they outflanked them. The Americans tried to
+manoeuvre so as to face the new danger, but some of them mistook the
+order for one to retreat. Everything was thrown into confusion.
+
+Colonel Zebulon Butler, seeing how things were going, galloped up
+and down between the opposing lines, calling out--"Don't leave me, my
+children. Stand by me and the victory is ours!"
+
+But it was too late. The patriots could not be rallied. They were far
+outnumbered, and once thrown into a panic, with the captain of every
+company slain, the day was lost.
+
+You cannot picture the distress of the women, children, and feeble old
+men waiting at Forty Fort the issue of the battle.
+
+The sorrowful groups on the bank of the river listened to the sounds of
+conflict, and read the meaning as they came to their ears.
+
+The steady, regular firing raised their hopes at first. They knew their
+sons and friends were fighting well, despite the shouts of the Indians
+borne down the valley on the sultry afternoon.
+
+By and by the firing grew more scattering, and instead of being so far
+up the river as at first, it was coming closer.
+
+This could mean but one thing; the patriots were retreating before the
+Tories and Indians.
+
+One old man, nearly four score years of age, who pleaded to go into the
+battle, but was too feeble, could not restrain his feelings. He walked
+back and forth, inspired with new strength and full of hope, until the
+scattered firing and its approach left no doubt of its meaning.
+
+He paused in his nervous, hobbling pace, and said to the white faced
+women standing breathlessly near--"Our boys are retreating: they have
+been beaten--all hope is gone!"
+
+The next moment two horsemen galloped into sight. "Colonel Butler and
+Colonel Denison!" said the old man, recognizing them; "they bring sad
+news."
+
+It was true. They rode their horses on a dead run, and reining up at the
+fort, where the people crowded around them, they leaped to the ground,
+and Colonel Butler said--"Our boys have been driven from the field, and
+the Tories and Indians are at their heels!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FOUR: THE EASTERN SHORE
+
+Young Ben Ripley made a good record on that eventful 3rd of July. He
+loaded and fired as steadily as a veteran. The smoke of the guns, the
+wild whooping of the Iroquois Indians, the sight of his friends and
+neighbors continually dropping to the ground, some of them at his elbow,
+the deafening discharge of the rifles--all these and the dreadful
+swirl and rush of events dazed him at times; but he kept at it with
+a steadiness which caused more than one expression of praise from the
+officers nearest him.
+
+All at once he found himself mixed up in the confusion caused by the
+attempt to wheel a part of the line to face the flanking assailants, and
+the mistake of many that it was an order to retreat.
+
+He did not know what it meant, for it seemed to him that a dozen
+officers were shouting conflicting orders at the same moment. A number
+of men threw down their guns and made a wild rush to get away, several
+falling over each other in the frantic scramble; others bumped together,
+and above the din of the conflict sounded the voices of Colonel Butler,
+as he rode back and forth through the smoke, begging his troops not to
+leave him, and victory would be theirs.
+
+Seeing the hopeless tangle, the Indians swarmed out of the swamp, and
+by their savage attack and renewed shouts made the hubbub and confusion
+tenfold worse.
+
+Somebody ran so violently against Ben that he was thrown to the ground.
+He was on his feet in an instant and turned to see who did it. It was a
+soldier fleeing for life from an Iroquois warrior.
+
+Ben raised his gun, took quick aim and pulled the trigger, but no report
+followed. He had forgotten his weapon was unloaded.
+
+Other forms obtruded between him and the couple, and he could not see
+the result of the pursuit and attack. Despite all he could do, he was
+forced back by the panic stricken rush around and against him.
+
+Suddenly a wild cry reached him. An Iroquois with painted face rushed
+upon him with uplifted tomahawk, but he was yet several paces away, when
+another warrior seized his arm and wrenched him to one side.
+
+"Run--go fast--don't stay!" commanded the Indian that had saved the
+youth, furiously motioning to him.
+
+"If my gun were loaded," replied Ben, though his voice was unheard in
+the din, "I wouldn't go till I did something more. Helloa! is that you,
+Omas?"
+
+It was the Delaware that had turned the assault aside.
+
+A couple of bounds placed him beside he lad, and he caught his arm with
+a grip of iron.
+
+It was of no use trying to hold back. Omas half running, half leaping,
+drove his way like a wedge through the surging swarm. His left hand
+closed around the upper arm of Ben, while his right grasped his
+tomahawk, he having thrown aside his rifle.
+
+The boy was repeatedly jerked almost off his feet. He could run fast,
+but was not equal to this warrior, who forged along with resistless
+might. Twice did an Iroquois make for the young prisoner, as he supposed
+the lad to be, but a warning motion of the tomahawk upheld by Omas
+repelled him.
+
+The Delaware was prudent, and instead of keeping in the midst of the
+surging mass, worked to one side, so that they were soon comparatively
+free from the tumultuous throng.
+
+There was no attempt at conversation between the Delaware and Ben. The
+boy knew what was meant by this rough kindness. The day was lost, and
+his thoughts went out to the loved ones waiting down the valley to learn
+the result of the battle. He wanted to get to them as quickly as he
+could.
+
+The rush carried them beyond the main body of fugitives, though not out
+of danger, for the Iroquois were pursuing hard; but soon Omas loosened
+his grip and dropped the arm of the lad. They were far enough removed
+from the swirl to exchange words.
+
+"Where moder--where Alice?", asked the Delaware, as if he had no concern
+for his own child.
+
+"At Forty Fort."
+
+"Linna with them?"
+
+"Yes; they are together with the other folks."
+
+"Go dere--tell cross riber--make haste to Del'mware."
+
+This command meant that the little party should hurry to the eastern
+side of the Susquehanna, and start for the settlements on the Upper
+Delaware. The nearest town was Stroudsburg, sixty miles distant, and the
+way led through a dismal forest.
+
+The words of Omas showed, too, that he knew what was coming. Though the
+British Colonel Butler might accept the surrender and strive to give
+fair treatment to the prisoners, he would find it hard to restrain the
+Tories and Indians.
+
+All that could be done was for the fugitives to flee, without an hour's
+delay. They were already flocking to the river in the effort to reach
+the other side. A good many hid among the grass and undergrowth on
+Monacacy Island, where the Tories and Indians followed, and hunted them
+out without mercy.
+
+Those who were wise enough to set out in time had a chance of arriving
+at the settlements on the Upper Delaware, though much suffering was sure
+to follow, since there was no time to prepare food to take with them.
+
+The remark of Omas prompted Ben's words--"How can I get mother, and
+Alice and Linna, to the other side? They cannot swim the river."
+
+"Linna swim," was the somewhat proud answer; "she take care of Alice you
+take care of moder."
+
+"I might at any other time, but with the people crowding around us, and
+the Indians at our heels and shooting down all they can, what chance
+have we? Why can't you come with me and help them?"
+
+No doubt the Delaware had asked himself the question, for he answered
+it not by words, but by breaking into a loping trot for Forty Fort,
+with Ben running at his side. He halted before reaching the refuge, and
+turned aside among the bushes overhanging the edge of the river, his
+actions showing he was searching for something.
+
+He speedily found a canoe, probably his own. It had been so skillfully
+hidden among the dense undergrowth that one might have passed within a
+couple of paces without seeing it.
+
+He picked it up as if it were a toy boat and set it down in the water.
+
+"Go bring moder--bring Alice--bring Linna."
+
+Ben was off like a shot, for he knew there was not a minute to throw
+away. It was the season when the days were longest, and two or three
+hours must pass before it would be fully night.
+
+It would not do for Omas to go with Ben. His appearance at the fort
+would add to the panic, and be almost certain to bring about a conflict
+with some of the whites. It was his province to guard the precious canoe
+from being taken by other fugitives.
+
+Ben Ripley now thought only of his loved ones. He knew the anguish his
+mother would suffer until she learned he was safe, and he forced his way
+to the spot where he had parted from her.
+
+It was a sad experience. Old men, women and children, with white faces,
+were rushing to and fro, wringing their hands and wailing, searching for
+those whom they never again would see in this life; crowding into the
+little fort, as if they knew a minute's delay would be fatal; some
+making for the river, into which they plunged in a wild effort to reach
+the eastern shore, while among the frantic masses appeared here and
+there a fugitive from the scene of battle, perhaps wounded and telling
+his dreadful story of the defeat, with all the woeful consequences that
+were certain to follow.
+
+With much difficulty and some rough work the lad reached the spot where
+he had bidden his mother and the children goodbye, but none of the three
+was in sight. They had been swept aside by the rush of the terrified
+people.
+
+A cry sounded above the tumult, and before he could learn where it came
+from, the arms of his mother were about his neck.
+
+"Thank Heaven! my boy is safe! You do not know what I have suffered. I
+could learn nothing about you. Are you hurt?"
+
+"Not a scratch--which is more than many other poor fellows can say.
+Where are the children?"
+
+A tiny hand was slipped into his own, and looking down, there stood
+Linna, with her forefinger between her teeth, looking shyly up at him.
+There could be no doubt she felt fully acquainted.
+
+Alice came forward on the other side. Neither understood the cause
+of the turmoil about them. They were not scared, but were awed into
+silence.
+
+"I saw Omas," explained Ben to his mother; "he saved me from the fate of
+many others."
+
+"Where is he?"
+
+"A little way off, under the bank, waiting with his canoe, to take us
+across the river.
+
+"He says we must hurry through the woods for the settlements on the
+Upper Delaware. Every hour that we stay increases our danger."
+
+"Let me take Alice; lead the way."
+
+Clasping tight the hand of Linna, with his mother at his heels, Ben
+pushed for the point where he had left the Delaware a few minutes
+before.
+
+Strange that though the distance was not far, and the confusion seemed
+to be increasing every minute, the little party had not gone half way
+when they were checked by one of the men that had been in the battle. He
+was slightly wounded, and under the influence of liquor.
+
+"Who's that you've got with you?" he demanded, looking down at Linna,
+who saw no danger in the act.
+
+"A friend of Alice and me."
+
+"She looks like an Injin," added the soldier, scowling threateningly at
+her; "if she is, I want her."
+
+"I told you she is a friend of ours--get out of my way!"
+
+The soldier's condition enabled Ben to tumble him over on his back by
+means of a vigorous shove. Before he could steady himself and get upon
+his feet again, the others were beyond reach.
+
+I am sure he would not have acted that way, had he been in the
+possession of his senses.
+
+When Ben parted from Omas, he was without a rifle, but on joining him
+again, the warrior had a fine weapon in his hand. It was not the one
+with which he appeared at the house. The lad might have guessed how he
+got it, but he did not ask any questions, nor seem to notice it.
+
+As the party came up, Omas merely glanced at Mrs. Ripley and her child,
+but did not speak. As for his own little girl, he gave her no notice.
+Young as she was, she understood him, and did not claim any attention
+from him. If they had been alone, she would have been in his arms with
+their cheeks together.
+
+"Go 'cross," said he, pointing toward the other shore.
+
+"Ben has told me what you said: we are ready," replied Mrs. Ripley.
+
+He held the canoe steady and motioned her to take her place in it. She
+did so, and Alice nestled at her feet, being careful not to stir, for
+such frail craft are easily upset.
+
+The canoe was small, and the weight of the mother and child sank it
+quite low, though it would hold another adult.
+
+"Get in," added Omas to the lad.
+
+Ben obeyed. He knew all about such boats, and could have paddled it
+across had there been a paddle to use, but there was none.
+
+When the Delaware laid his rifle inside with Ben's, it was evident he
+intended to swim, towing or shoving the boat.
+
+"Come, Linna, there's just room for you," added the youth, reaching out
+his hand for the dusky little girl.
+
+Instead of obeying, she looked up at her father and said something to
+which he made answer brusquely, as it sounded to the others.
+
+Retreating several paces from shore, she ran nimbly to the edge of the
+bank, and with a leap splashed away beyond the bow of the canoe, and
+began swimming like a fish for the eastern shore.
+
+It was a real treat for her, even though she did not remove any of her
+clothing. The weather was sultry, and the bath refreshingly cool. Not
+comprehending the sad scenes around her, she dived, and splashed, and
+frolicked, easily keeping in advance of the boat.
+
+Truth to tell, the canoe had all it could hold, and Omas, who swam at
+the stern, handled it with care to prevent it overturning. The water
+rose almost to the gunwales, and a little jolt or carelessness would
+have capsized it.
+
+The Delaware swam high out of water. He knew the boat would attract the
+attention of some of his own people on the bank, who, if they thought
+the occupants were escaping, would either pursue or fire on them.
+
+The sight of the Indian, however, at the stern would make it appear that
+they were already prisoners, and the other warriors would give their
+attention elsewhere.
+
+Omas kept clear of Monacacy Island, and by and by his feet touched
+ground. Before that, the dripping Linna had run out on land, and so the
+whole party safely reached the eastern shore.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FIVE: IN THE WOODS
+
+You have not forgotten what I told you about the mountain range, which
+shuts in Wyoming Valley on the east. It is a thousand feet in height,
+abounding with ravines, clefts, rocks, boulders and the most rugged kind
+of places.
+
+The fugitives who fled from the Susquehanna to escape the Indians had
+to make their way over these mountains, and then find their way through
+sixty miles of trackless woods to the Delaware River. A great many
+succeeded in doing so, but the deaths and sufferings in the vast stretch
+of forest gave it the dreadful name of "The Shades of Death," by which
+it is often referred to even to this day.
+
+Omas swam at the rear of the small canoe, as I told you, with Mrs.
+Ripley and her two children seated inside and balancing themselves
+with great care to prevent the heavily loaded craft from sinking or
+overturning.
+
+More than one Seneca or Oneida Indian, or perhaps a Tory, that had
+chased some terrified fugitives to the edge of the river, halted and
+made ready to fire upon the canoe, whose occupants were seen to be three
+white persons.
+
+When they looked again, however, they observed the head and shoulders of
+an Indian warrior, who was plainly propelling the craft in front of him.
+That was enough to satisfy them.
+
+On the way over, Linna, the little Indian girl, amused herself by diving
+under the canoe, sometimes appearing on one side and then on the other,
+sometimes in front and then at the rear. She even ventured to impose
+upon her father by splashing water in his painted face. She did little
+of that, and he paid no attention to it.
+
+The sun had not yet set when the grim warrior and his child emerged on
+the eastern shore, their garments dripping, but caring nothing for that.
+The boat was drawn far enough up the bank to prevent its being swept
+away by the current, and then all stood side by side, and as if by a
+common impulse, looked back at the shore they had left.
+
+The smoke from the burning Fort Wintermoot still rested on the calm
+surface of the river, and filtered among the green vegetation near the
+scene of the battle. Other buildings had been fired, and mingled their
+vapor with it.
+
+Here and there, every minute or two, sounded the sharp crack of a rifle.
+This too often meant that some fugitive had been run down by his cruel
+pursuer, who listened to no pleadings for mercy. A good many had taken
+refuge on Monacacy Island, from which the reports of guns continually
+came.
+
+I have not the space here to tell you of the wonderful escapes at
+Wyoming, the particulars of which I have given in another work.
+
+One boy, who was with several men near Fort Jenkins before the battle,
+saw all the men shot down or captured; but he hid himself among some
+willows and was not noticed.
+
+If you ever visit the scene of the battle, you will notice a broad, flat
+stone, called Queen Esther's Rock, a half dozen miles below Wilkesbarre.
+Queen Esther was an old, cruel, half breed woman who came with the
+Indians. She is sometimes known as Katharine Montour. A son of hers
+was killed in the conflict, and she was so angered that she had sixteen
+captives placed around the rock, and meant to slay them all, while the
+warriors prevented them from escaping.
+
+Nevertheless two of the young men jumped up and started on a run for
+the river. The guards dashed after them. One caught his toe, and rolled
+headlong down the bank into some bushes. Instead of springing up again,
+as he first started to do, he lay still, and though the Indians almost
+stepped upon him, he was not discovered, and got off without harm.
+
+The other reached the river, took a running leap and dived, and swam
+under water as far as he could. When he came up to breathe, the waiting
+red men fired at him again and again. He was wounded, but not badly,
+and, reaching the other side, caught a stray horse, made a bridle from a
+hickory withe, and soon joined his friend.
+
+Another fugitive, after running until he was so tired out he could
+hardly stand, and hearing the Indians near, backed into a hollow log
+and awaited his fate. He had been in the hollow but a few minutes when
+a spider spun its web across the entrance. A few minutes later, two
+warriors sat down on the log. They noticed how good a hiding place it
+would be for the white man, and one of them leaned over to peep in. As
+he did so, he saw the spider web. He was sure that it would not be there
+if the man was inside, and did not search further. When the warriors
+left, the man crawled out and got safely away.
+
+You know that the home of the Ripleys was on the eastern shore, which
+they left that same morning. They had crossed over in a large flatboat
+with a number of other families, so that now they were near their own
+home again. Omas had guided the canoe, too, so they landed not far from
+the little structure.
+
+"Omas," said the mother, "I understand you wish us to go to the
+Delaware."
+
+"Yes," he replied, "Iroquois won't hurt you there--must go."
+
+"We haven't a particle of food with us; Ben has his gun and may have a
+chance to shoot some game on the way--more than likely, he will have no
+chance at all; it will take us several days to reach Stroudsburg, which,
+I believe, is the nearest point. Don't you think it best that we should
+stop at the house and get what food we can?"
+
+"Yes, we do dat; come 'long; not great time."
+
+There could be no safer guide than the Delaware, when his race were such
+complete masters of the situation; though there was risk that a patriot
+hiding somewhere in the neighborhood might take a shot at him, under the
+belief that he meant harm to the captives.
+
+The humble log structure was found just as it was left that morning.
+If any of the marauding bands of Indians paid it a visit, they did not
+linger after seeing it was tenantless.
+
+There was a whole loaf of bread and part of another left beside some
+cooked chicken, and a number of live ones were scratching the ground
+outside, as if they had no concern in what was going on.
+
+"The weather is warm now," remarked the prudent housewife, "but a cold
+storm may set in before we reach shelter."
+
+With which she folded a blanket from her bed and laid it over her arm.
+
+"It will come handy to sleep on," added Ben, who did the same with a
+second, despite the weight of his rifle, which (as they were made in
+those days) was a good load of itself for a strong boy.
+
+Omas showed some impatience, though his companions did not understand
+the cause. His actions, indeed, were curious. They supposed he meant to
+conduct them all or a greater part of the way to Stroudsburg, though at
+times he appeared to be hesitating over it, or over some other scheme he
+had in mind.
+
+Ben Ripley had rambled among the rugged scenery, on the eastern shore of
+the river, having gone with his father many times when he was on hunting
+excursions; but he was not as familiar with the ins and outs of the
+mountains as the Delaware, whose village was a good many miles away.
+
+None of the party had eaten anything of account since the early morning
+meal, before they crossed the Susquehanna. The dangers, excitement,
+and suspense of the hours drove away the thought of food. Young as was
+Linna, she had already learned not to ask for it when either of her
+parents chose not to offer it to her. Doubtless she was hungry, but if
+so, no one else knew it. Alice had been given bread when at Forty Fort,
+and she now suggested that some more would not come amiss.
+
+"We all need it," said Ben; "why not take our last meal in our old home?
+You have no objection Omas?"
+
+"Eat here," was his reply.
+
+The guns were leaned against the walls, the blankets put aside and all
+gathered round the board. The Delaware had done the same before when
+visiting the family, and acquired the civilized form of eating, while
+Linna picked it up during the brief time spent with her friends.
+
+The meal lasted but a few minutes, when they once more gathered up their
+luggage, as it may be called, left the house, and with Omas in the lead,
+struck into the mountains on the long tramp to the Delaware.
+
+The sun went down while they were picking their way through the rough
+section. The Ripleys expected to do much hard travelling, but their
+guide's knowledge of every turn enabled him to pick out paths which
+none ever suspected. Sometimes the climbing was abrupt, but all, even to
+Alice, were accustomed to that kind of work, and they kept up a steady
+gait, which must have placed many miles to the rear if continued long.
+
+Omas continued at the head. Directly behind him walked his child, the
+path most of the time being so narrow that they were obliged to travel
+in Indian file. Then came Alice and her mother, while Ben considered
+himself the rearguard. When the space allowed, Alice took the hand of
+her parent, but Linna never presumed to speak to or interfere with her
+grim, silent parent.
+
+Darkness closed around them before they had gone a couple of miles.
+During all this time the tramp continued in silence, probably not a
+dozen words being spoken. Each of the three elder was using eyes and
+ears to the utmost.
+
+The sharp crack of a rifle broke the silence, not more than a hundred
+yards to the right of them. Everyone started except Omas, who acted as
+if he did not hear the report. He made no change in his pace, and so
+far as the others could see in the gloom, did not turn his head. They
+concluded, therefore, that no cause for alarm existed.
+
+Fairly through the mountain spur and among the deep woods, the journey
+was pushed until the night was well along. Suddenly, Omas made a short
+turn to the right and stopping in a hollow, where there were several
+large boulders, he said--"We stay here all night."
+
+The words were a surprise, for it was expected he would travel for
+a long time. He, Mrs. Ripley and Linna could have done so without
+inconvenience, but Alice was tired out. Her relatives were pretty well
+burdened already, though either would have carried her had it been
+necessary; but the party had gained so good a start that there seemed
+little risk in making a long stop.
+
+Omas reached down one hand and laid it on the bare head of Alice, saying
+in a voice of strange gentleness--"Little girl tired--she can rest."
+
+And then all knew he had ceased walking because of her. Had she not been
+a member of the party, he would have kept the rest on their feet until
+the sun appeared above the forest.
+
+"Yes, I'm tired, Omas," said the little one wearily, holding the hand of
+the Delaware in both her own; "I'm glad you stopped."
+
+The gloom was so deep, for there was no moon until very late (and if
+there had been, its rays could not have pierced the dense foliage), that
+they could hardly see each other's figures. Omas hastily gathered some
+leaves and dead twigs, which were heaped together against one of the
+boulders. Then he produced his flint and steel--for he had learned the
+trick long before of the whites--and by and by a shower of sparks was
+flying from the swift, sharp blows of the metal against the hard stone.
+A minute later one of the sparks "caught," and under his nursing a fire
+was speedily under way.
+
+While he was thus engaged, Mrs. Ripley spread the blankets on the ground
+and Alice stretched her tired little body upon one of them.
+
+"Mamma, I guess God will excuse me for not saying my prayers," she
+murmured, as she closed her eyes and sank into slumber.
+
+Linna was tired, too, but she kept her feet and looked at her father for
+his permission, before presuming to lie down.
+
+"Come, Linna, here is your place beside Alice," said the mother kindly.
+
+Again she turned to her father, who was standing by the fire, looking
+off in the gloom, as if he suspected something wrong.
+
+He gave the permission in their native tongue and she cuddled down
+beside her friend without further waiting.
+
+"Mother," said Ben, "you had better lie down with them."
+
+"Not yet," she replied, with a significant look at he Delaware, whose
+back was toward them.
+
+"What about him?" asked the surprised lad in a low voice.
+
+"He is meditating something evil: he wants to leave us.
+
+"What evil is there in that, if he thinks we have gone far enough to be
+safe?"
+
+"You have forgotten that he fought with the Iroquois today; he wants to
+go back to Wyoming and join them in their work."
+
+"If that is so, how can we hinder him?"
+
+"I don't know that we can; but I shall try it."
+
+Ben busied himself gathering more wood, so that the fire cast a glow
+several yards from where it burned against the boulder.
+
+When he had collected enough to last a long while, he came back and sat
+down by his mother. All this time the Delaware remained motionless, with
+his face away from them. He was debating some troublous question in his
+mind. They watched him closely.
+
+He turned about abruptly, and said--"Omas must go--he say 'goodnight' to
+his friends."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SIX: PUSHING EASTWARD
+
+No person in all the world is so quick to detect deception as a mother.
+It is simply wonderful the way she will sometimes read one's thoughts. I
+am sure you boys who have lagged on the road when sent on an errand, had
+a scrimmage with some other boy, or done any one of the numerous acts
+in which a mother persists in asking annoying questions, will agree with
+me.
+
+While Omas, the Delaware warrior, stood with his face turned away from
+the camp fire and looking off in the gloom, as if he was trying to
+discover something in the darkness, Mrs. Ripley was sure she knew what
+the trouble was: he was trying to decide whether he should stay longer
+with the little party or leave them to make the rest of their way
+through the woods without him.
+
+He might well say they were now so far from Wyoming that they were in
+little danger. They had but to keep on tramping for several days and
+nights, and they would reach the little town of Stroudsburg, which, you
+may know, is near Delaware Water Gap. There they need have no fear of
+the red men.
+
+Mrs. Ripley knew all this as well as Omas himself, but she did not wish
+him to go back and join the hostile Iroquois, as he wanted to do. She
+felt it would be far better if he would stay with them, for then he
+would do no further harm to the white people.
+
+When, therefore, he turned about and bade them goodbye, all doubt was
+gone. Ben did not reply, but his mother rose from the other blanket on
+which she had been sitting, walked quietly to where the Delaware was
+standing, and laid her hand kindly on his arm.
+
+"Omas, I do not wish you to leave us," she said.
+
+He looked at her, for both stood where the firelight fell upon their
+faces, and replied--"No danger--walk towards the rising sun--need not
+walk fast--Iroquois won't hurt--soon be safe."
+
+The lady was too wise to let her real objection appear.
+
+"A while ago we heard the noise of a gun; our people are fleeing through
+the woods, and the red men are following them. Alice is tired, and we
+have stopped to rest. When we start again tomorrow, some of the red men
+will be ahead of us. What shall we do without our friend Omas?"
+
+"He have gun." he replied, indicating Ben.
+
+"So have the red men, and there are more of them."
+
+Now, if Mrs. Ripley was skilful in reading the thoughts of the Delaware,
+it may be that he, too, suspected the real cause for her objections. Be
+that as it may, it was plain he was not satisfied. He held the Ripley
+family in too high regard to offend them openly; but Omas was set in his
+ways.
+
+He made no reply to the last remark, but stepped a little nearer the
+fire and sat down, moody and silent.
+
+"You have said enough, mother," remarked Ben in a low voice; "it will
+anger him to say more. I will sit with my head against the rock; do you
+lie down on the blanket and let your head rest in my lap. I think it
+will be safe for us all."
+
+With some hesitation the mother complied, the Delaware apparently paying
+no heed to them. He kept his seat on the ground, looking gloomily into
+the fire and in deep thought. A struggle was going on in his mind, and
+no one could say whether the good or evil would win.
+
+Ben Ripley was anxious that his mother should sleep. She had undergone
+the severest of trials since early morning, and none had wrought harder
+than she. The morrow would make further demands on her strength. As for
+himself, he was young, sturdy, and could stand more and rally sooner
+than she.
+
+When, therefore, she said something in a low tone, he placed his hand
+softly over her mouth and whispered--"S--h! go to sleep, baby."
+
+He smoothed the silky hair away from the forehead so gently and so
+soothingly that she could not resist the effect. She meant to keep
+awake until Omas made his final decision; but no person can resist the
+approach of slumber, except by active movement.
+
+Before long, and while Ben's hand was still gliding like down over the
+forehead, the faint, regular breathing showed she was asleep.
+
+The son smiled.
+
+"Good! The best mother that ever lived! Heavenly Father, watch over her
+and spare her for many years. Watch over us all."
+
+He looked across at Omas, on the other side of the camp fire, and saw
+the Delaware gazing fixedly at him.
+
+He arose as silently as a shadow and stepped nearer, peering down on the
+pale, handsome face with its closed eyes.
+
+"She sleep?" asked the Indian.
+
+"Yes," replied Ben, softly, with a nod of his head.
+
+He looked at her a moment and then across to the other blanket, where
+the round, chubby cheeks of the little girls reflected the firelight. He
+waited a moment, and then the gentler side of his nature triumphed. He
+bent over the forms, kissed each in turn, straightened up, and pointing
+to the eastward, said to Ben--"Go dat way--you safe--goodbye."
+
+"Goodbye," replied the lad, knowing it was useless to protest.
+
+Like the gliding of the shadow of a cloud, the Delaware passed beyond
+the circle of light thrown out by the fire into the deep gloom of the
+wood. The moccasins pressed the dry leaves without giving back any
+sound, and he vanished.
+
+"That makes a change of situation," was the conclusion of Ben Ripley;
+"he's gone, and I become the general of this army; there's no telling
+what danger may be abroad tonight, so I will keep my eyes open till
+sunrise, to make sure that no harm comes to these folks."
+
+And ten minutes after this decision the lad was as sound asleep as his
+mother and the two little ones.
+
+But there was One who did not slumber while all were unconscious. He
+ever watches over His children, and,--though there were many perils
+abroad that night, none of them came near our friends.
+
+The camp fire which had been burning so brightly grew dimmer and lower
+until the figures could hardly be seen. They gradually became more
+indistinct, and finally the gloom was as deep as anywhere in the dense
+woods. Only a few smouldering embers were left, and they gave out no
+glow.
+
+Ben was still sleeping, when something tickled his nose. He rubbed
+it vigorously with his forefinger and opened his eyes, confused and
+bewildered.
+
+An odd, chuckling laugh at his elbow drew his gaze hither. There stood
+Linna, with the sprig of oak which she had been passing back and forth
+under the base of his nose, making it feel for all the world like a fly
+titillating his nostrils.
+
+Ben made an attempt to catch the mischievous girl, but she deftly
+eluded him, and laughed so heartily that the others awoke and looked
+wonderingly to learn what it all meant.
+
+"I'll pay you for that!" exclaimed the lad, as his mother raised her
+head from his lap. Bounding to his feet, he darted after Linna, but she
+was so nimble, and dodged back and forth and from right to left so fast,
+that it took much effort to run her down.
+
+Like all little girls, she was very "ticklish," and when he dallied with
+his fingers about her plump neck, she dropped to the ground and kicked
+and rolled over to get away from him. He let her up, and said with
+pretended gravity that he never allowed any trifling with him without
+punishing the person therefore.
+
+Linna did not seem to notice the absence of her father, and asked no
+questions. Ben told his mother how he went off after she fell asleep,
+and the good woman saddened, for she was sure she understood it all.
+
+The first thing done, after a few minutes' talk, was to kneel in prayer,
+Mrs. Ripley leading in a petition to Heaven that all might be preserved
+from harm and reach the distant settlement safely. She did not forget
+the absent Omas, or the hundreds of hapless people whom they had left
+behind, who were still in great danger.
+
+It was Mrs. Ripley's custom always to offer prayer in the little
+household at the beginning of each day. Linna, who had gained a dim idea
+of what the touching act meant, bent on her knees beside Alice; and who
+shall say the petition which went up from her heart was not heard and
+remembered by Him who notices the fall of every sparrow.
+
+And now came the serious business of the day. Many long miles of
+trackless forest lay before them and the delay caused all to feel the
+need of hurry.
+
+Mrs. Ripley gave to each a moderate portion of the food brought with
+them, carefully preserving what was left, for they were sure to need
+that and much more before reaching the end of their journey. The day
+promised to be sultry like the preceding one, and each sadly missed the
+water with which to quench their thirst and splash upon their faces and
+hands.
+
+"We shall come across some before long," said Ben hopefully when he and
+his mother had divided the luggage between them and set out toward
+the rising sun; "we are a great deal better off than the poor folks of
+Wyoming."
+
+The mother pinched the clothing of Linna, and found it dried of the
+moisture gained by her swim in the Susquehanna.
+
+It is a curious practice among not only the Indians, but with many white
+people, not to change wet stockings or garments for dry ones. I knew
+a fisherman's boy whose father once punished him for removing his
+saturated stockings and shoes for others.
+
+"Always let 'em dry on you, and you won't catch cold," was his doctrine.
+"Keep moving if you can, but don't change 'em."
+
+I don't believe in the practice; but be that as it may, the little
+Delaware girl showed no ill effects from sleeping in the clothing that
+had been wet. As for her father, he would have been insulted at the
+mention of such a thing to him.
+
+Ben's belief about finding water proved true. They had gone hardly a
+half mile from camp when they came upon a sparkling brook, cold and
+clear, and abundant enough to serve all. Having no vessels with them,
+they lay down and quaffed their fill. Then they bathed their faces and
+hands in the delicious fluid, and were much refreshed.
+
+The expectation was that they would travel a good many miles before
+night again overtook them. The way, while rough and broken in many
+places, was not hard, and all, even to the smaller children, were used
+to being on their feet. There was little fear indeed that Linna would
+not do her part as well as the older ones. Young as she was in years,
+she had been trained to hardship from the time she could walk. Not
+only that, but, like all her race, she had learned to bear suffering in
+silence and without sign of pain.
+
+She would have to become very tired before her companions would know it.
+
+By and by the ground was found to be rising, and in the course of an
+hour they gained an elevation which, having few trees, gave them an
+extended view of the surrounding country.
+
+Looking back in the direction of Wyoming, the sky was seen to be soiled
+by the heavy smoke not only from the burned Fort Wintermoot, but from
+other buildings that had been fired by the Tories and Indians. The sight
+was a sorrowful one, and caused the mother and son some uneasiness.
+They seemed nearer to the scene of the conflict than they had supposed,
+and--since the people had been continually swimming the river, and
+taking flight in the woods for the same point that was the destination
+of the Ripleys--it was quite certain that some of the pursuers were not
+far off.
+
+"We must make as little noise as we can," said Ben, when the party were
+about to start forward again: "for there can be no telling how close we
+are to Indians that are looking for us.'
+
+"I think it better for you to walk a little way in front," suggested the
+mother, "so as to warn us in time."
+
+"The plan is a good one. I will keep in sight of you, and the minute I
+see anything amiss, will make a sign, so you can stop at once."
+
+This course was adopted. Ben carried one of the blankets flung over his
+left arm as if it were an extra garment, and steadied the heavy rifle on
+his shoulder with the other. As you remember, he was tall for his years,
+strong, and with rugged health.
+
+Had the weather been cooler he could have Kept up this method of
+traveling for hours without fatigue; but the heat made it trying. True,
+at that season of the year the foliage was dense on the trees and shut
+out the sun's rays, except in the open spaces and natural clearings
+which they now and then crossed; but the vegetation also stopped
+whatever breeze was stirring, and obliged the members of the party to
+halt many times to rest and cool themselves.
+
+Mrs. Ripley had but few extra things to carry, and showed less fatigue
+than anyone, excepting the Delaware child. The latter and Alice walked
+most of the time side by side, and generally with clasped hands. There
+was no use of their trying to keep their tongues still, but they were
+wise enough to speak in whispers and such soft undertones that no one
+else could tell what they said, and therefore nothing was to be feared
+on that account from any enemies in the neighborhood.
+
+"Why not he make sign?" was the startling question of Linna, pointing at
+Ben, before the party had gone far after their brief rest.
+
+"What do you mean?" asked the puzzled Mrs. Ripley; "he isn't to make any
+sign to us till he sees or hears something wrong."
+
+"People off dere!" replied Linna, pointing ahead and to the right of
+their course. "Me hear dem speak."
+
+It was true. The keen ears of the child had discovered a peril that
+no one else suspected. She alone had caught the sound of voices that
+escaped all other ears.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVEN: JABEZ ZITNER
+
+At this moment Ben Ripley was about a hundred feet in advance of the
+party and ascending a ridge in the woods, which were so open that he was
+in plain sight of the others.
+
+Mrs. Ripley, on hearing the alarming words of the little Delaware girl,
+came to a stop. It seemed strange that Linna should have caught the
+sounds noticed by no one else, and that, too, while she was whispering
+to her companion, Alice; but even at that tender age the inherited
+sharpness of hearing had been trained to a wonderfully fine degree.
+
+Mrs. Ripley was too prudent to argue with her. It was not wise to take
+any chances. Above all, it was important that Ben should know the truth,
+for he was still walking away from them with no knowledge of their
+discovery.
+
+"S--h!" The sibilant noise made by the mother's lips crossed the space
+and the listening lad halted and looked round. She did not speak, but
+beckoned him to come back. He obeyed at once.
+
+"Linna says she heard voices a minute ago, over yonder," whispered Mrs.
+Ripley, as her son joined them.
+
+"So me did," added Linna, in answer to the inquiring look of the lad.
+
+"You have sharp ears, little one; but are you sure?"
+
+"Me am," was the confident reply.
+
+"Where were they?"
+
+She again pointed out the direction.
+
+"That must be looked into: wait till I come back, and--"
+
+"S--h!" interrupted the mother.
+
+All caught an indistinct murmur, which proved Linna was right.
+
+"Me tell you--eh?" she said in a proud undertone, her black eyes
+sparkling with triumph.
+
+"You are right: wait till I learn whether they are friends or enemies. I
+will not be gone long."
+
+Leaving the anxious group clustered together, Ben faced in the direction
+of the sounds, which had stopped, and were so faint when heard that he
+could not tell whether they belonged to friends or foes.
+
+As nearly as he could find out, the parties were just beyond the crest
+of the ridge, and, but for the warning of Linna, he would have run into
+the danger before knowing it.
+
+With the utmost care he went up the slope. He leaned forward and stepped
+more slowly, avoiding, so far as he could, making any noise on the
+leaves or against the bushes and limbs which he had to push aside to
+allow him to advance.
+
+At the instant of reaching the highest point he heard the voices again,
+so close that he knew they were made by white people, who were in a
+clump of dense undergrowth. A faint wreath of smoke filtering through
+the branches overhead showed they had started a small fire, beside which
+they were probably sitting or reclining on the ground.
+
+Now that he was certain they belonged to his own race, he had less fear.
+Still, they might prove unpleasant neighbors when they came to know one
+of the party was a daughter of Omas. Turning toward his friends, who
+were watching him, Ben made a sign for them to stay where they were
+while he went forward.
+
+He moved with the same care as before, but an unexpected accident
+spoiled everything. His foot caught in a wire-like vine, and he almost
+fell on his hands and knees. Aware that he had betrayed himself, he
+threw aside further caution, hurried down the slope, and called out in a
+guarded undertone--
+
+"Helloa there, friends!"
+
+"Who are you?" was the demand that instantly followed, and from the
+undergrowth, beside a small fire, two men suddenly rose upright, each
+with rifle in hand.
+
+Ben recognized them. One was Jabez Zitner and the other Horace
+Burwink--both middle aged, sturdy, and strong. They were neighbors, and
+had taken part in the engagement the day before, but, escaping without
+harm, were now on their way to the settlements of the Upper Delaware.
+
+A meeting of this kind would have been pleasing in the highest degree,
+for it added great strength to the party; but a misgiving came to
+the lad when he recognized Zitner. He was the man who, when partially
+intoxicated the previous afternoon, had tried to take Linna from him and
+was vigorously shoved aside by her friend.
+
+"Helloa, Ben! where did you come from?" asked Zitner, who was now
+entirely himself.
+
+"Glad to see you," added Burwink, and the two extended their hands. "You
+gave us a great scare, for the woods are full of redskins."
+
+"You startled me, too," replied Ben. "I am travelling with my mother and
+sister to Stroudsburg. I suppose you are aiming for the same place?"
+
+"Yes--if we ever get there. What become of that little sarpent you had
+with you yesterday?"
+
+It was Zitner who asked the question. Ben's face flushed, for he did not
+like to hear Linna spoken of in that way.
+
+"She is with us," he quietly replied.
+
+"What are you going to do with her?"
+
+"She is in our care, and goes wherever we go."
+
+"You seem mighty fond of the people who played the mischief with us
+yesterday."
+
+"Jabez Zitner, I fought just as hard as you, and did all I could to
+drive back the Iroquois and Tories, but I don't fight little children
+six years old."
+
+"Who's talking about fighting 'em?" demanded Zitner angrily. "Their
+people didn't spare our women and children."
+
+"They are savages, but you and I claim to be civilized."
+
+"That's all well enough, but my motto is--fight fire with fire." Burwink
+was listening to this sharp interchange of words, the meaning of which
+he caught. Wishing to make a friend of him, for Ben foresaw trouble, he
+asked--"Am I not right, Mr. Burwink?"
+
+"I should say--on general principles you are; but, after yesterday, I
+don't feel much love for any of the varmints. Who is this Injin gal that
+you are talking about?"
+
+Ben was too wise to give the name of Linna's father, knowing he would be
+instantly recognized as one of the fiercest warriors that had taken part
+in the invasion and battle. He therefore replied--
+
+"She is a girl named Linna; she is of the same age as our Alice, and was
+visiting her when we crossed the river to Forty Fort yesterday morning.
+We could do nothing but take her with us, and I will defend her with my
+life."
+
+"You are talking big," remarked Zitner, with a scornful look at the
+sturdy lad. "Who is the gal's father?"
+
+"That makes no difference; but I will say he belongs to the Delaware
+tribe, most of whom are friends to our people."
+
+"There were plenty of them with the Senecas and Oneidas yesterday, and
+they fought like wild cats, too. But why don't you bring your folks
+forward?" added Zitner, looking inquiringly around.
+
+"I will do so. Wait a few minutes."
+
+He strode back and over the top of the ridge, until he caught sight of
+the frightened group.
+
+"Come on!" he called, beckoning to them. "Mr. Zitner and Burwink are
+here, and want to see you."
+
+With an expression of thankfulness, Mrs. Ripley, clasping a hand of
+each of the children, walked up the slope, and passed over to where the
+couple awaited their approach by the camp fire. She shook hands with
+each, and expressed her pleasure at meeting them. They did the same
+toward her, and then all, with the exception of the children, seated
+themselves on the fallen tree beside which the small fire was burning.
+
+Mrs. Ripley had observed the little incident the preceding afternoon,
+when Zitner tried to stop Linna. She was ill at ease, for she noticed
+how sharply he looked at the child. She hoped, however, that now he was
+fully himself, he would be ashamed of his action, or at least make no
+reference to it.
+
+No fear of her doing so. She showed her tact by leading the conversation
+in another direction.
+
+"When did you leave Wyoming?"
+
+"Burwink and I didn't get a chance to swim over until nearly midnight,
+and then we had a rough time of it. There were plenty of others that
+tried to do the same and never got to this side."
+
+"When did you leave?" asked Burwink of the lady.
+
+"We crossed before it was dark."
+
+"How did you manage it? Swim?"
+
+"No; we came over in a canoe. A Delaware Indian, the father of Linna,
+swam behind the boat and pushed it across. But for him, we never could
+have gotten away."
+
+Mrs. Ripley, like her son, meant to keep the name of their friend from
+these men. There was no danger of either her or Ben telling it; but
+neither thought of another means they had of learning it.
+
+At this point, Alice went to her mother and leaned against her knees,
+with her gaze on the faces of the men. She had been standing beside
+Linna, whose eyes were never once removed from the displeasing
+countenance of Zitner.
+
+She must have noticed the incident referred to, for the expression on
+her round face was of dislike and distrust. She stood further off from
+the men than anyone else--silent, watchful, and suspicious.
+
+Zitner now looked at her.
+
+"Come here," he said coaxingly, extending his hand.
+
+"No; me won't. Me don't like you," she replied, with an angry flirt and
+backward step.
+
+"Jingo!" exclaimed the surprised Zitner; "I didn't think she could talk
+our lingo. Say, Miss Spitfire, what is your father's name?"
+
+Before either Mrs. Ripley or her son could interpose, Linna answered
+defiantly--"He Omas--great warrior--kill good many white people--kill
+you!"
+
+The reply caused consternation on the part of Mrs. Ripley and Ben, but
+the boy shut his lips tight. He could not but admire the bravery of the
+child, and he was determined to stand by her to the end.
+
+The mother was in despair, but she relied mainly on persuasion and
+prayer.
+
+With no idea of what all this meant, Alice looked in the face of each
+person in turn while speaking.
+
+"She's a chip off the old block," said Burwink, with a laugh. "She
+doesn't seem to have much fear of you, Jabez."
+
+"I am hopeful she will feel different when she grows older," soothingly
+remarked Mrs. Ripley.
+
+"I'd like to know what you build your hope on," replied Zitner, still
+curiously watching the child.
+
+"I expect to have her a good deal under my care, and I shall do all I
+can to instruct her aright. This morning she knelt with us in prayer.
+You must remember she is very young, and has heard little, if anything,
+of Christianity."
+
+Zitner shook his head.
+
+"It's born in 'em, and you can't get it out."
+
+"But, Mr. Zitner, you will not deny that we have a good many Christian
+Indians. There are plenty of them at Gnadenhutten, and the Moravian
+missionaries have been the means of turning hundreds from darkness to
+light. If they can do that with full grown warriors and women, may we
+not hope for the best from those of tender years?"
+
+"I don't know about that," was the dogged reply. "I never believed in
+this conversion business."
+
+"What can you mean by such a remark?" asked the shocked lady.
+
+"I mean, religion is good enough for white people, but don't work with
+Injins. They will pretend they're good, but are only waiting for a
+chance to do mischief."
+
+"The converted Delawares have never taken part in the wars against us.
+You know that as well as I."
+
+"How about Omas?"
+
+"He makes no pretence of Christianity."
+
+"And therefore has no claim on our indulgence."
+
+"No one has said he has," observed Ben, coming to his mother's help; "he
+will never ask quarter from you or any white man."
+
+"Where is he now? He brought you over the river, but seems to have
+deserted you."
+
+"He left because he didn't think we had further need of his aid; we can
+get along without him."
+
+"Now, see here," added Zitner, straightening up on the log and slapping
+his knee; "I'll tell you what I've made up my mind to do. I am
+willing to give in to Mrs. Ripley that far, that I won't harm that
+youngster--that is, I will leave it to her father whether I shall or
+shan't."
+
+Neither mother nor son could understand the meaning of this strange
+remark. They waited for the man to explain.
+
+"I'm going to take her with us as a hostage. We're not clear of the
+varmints yet. I believe Omas himself ain't far off, and the rest will
+be on our heels all the way to Stroudsburg. If they get us in a tight
+place, I'll let 'em know we've got the gal of Omas with us, and if they
+harm a hair of our heads it'll be all up with her. We'll take her clean
+to Stroudsburg, and then turn her loose, for we won't have any further
+need of her; but she must go with us."
+
+"Jabez Zitner," said Ben Ripley--"the moment you lay your hand on that
+child I will shoot you!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER EIGHT: LINNA'S WOODCRAFT
+
+No one could have looked into the face of Ben Ripley without seeing he
+meant just what he said.
+
+Jabez Zitner supposed, when he made known that he intended to take the
+little Delaware girl with him as a hostage, that though it might be
+displeasing to the Ripleys, they would not dare object; but he was
+mistaken.
+
+The lad was sitting furthest away on the fallen tree, with his rifle
+resting across his knees, when he warned the man that if he laid a hand
+on Linna he would shoot him.
+
+Ben spoke low, but mingling with his words were two faint clicking
+sounds. They were made by the hammer of his rifle, as with his thumb
+he drew it back ready for use. His face was slightly pale, but his eyes
+glittered, and he rose to his feet and looked at the startled man.
+
+Mrs. Ripley gave a gasp of fright and clasped her hands, while the
+children mutely stared.
+
+Even Zitner was silent. He knew Ben's pluck, but did not believe it
+would take him thus far, for it looked as if there were two adults
+against a single boy.
+
+Burwink however, was more of a man than his companion. He looked
+smilingly at Ben and said--"Jabez, I reckon this has gone far enough."
+
+"What do you mean?'" angrily asked the other.
+
+"You must leave the little gal alone."
+
+"Oh, thank you! thank you!" exclaimed Mrs. Ripley. "I might have known
+you would see that right is done."
+
+Zitner had a few sharp words with his friend, but the latter was
+immovable. He would not listen to his proposition, and that ended the
+matter.
+
+"Well," finally said Zitner, rising to his feet, "I intended to see you
+folks safe to the Delaware; but I won't have anything to do with you
+now. Come, Horace."
+
+He strode off without another word or looking to the right or left.
+Burwink waited a minute, and then, with a quizzical look at Mrs. Ripley
+and her son asked--
+
+"Do you think you can stand it?"
+
+"We shall have to," replied Ben.
+
+"Well, goodbye, and good luck to you;" and he followed his friend among
+the trees.
+
+"That was a luckier ending than I expected," remarked Ben, letting down
+the hammer of his rifle.
+
+"If Mr. Burwink had sided with him, there would have been no help for
+it," said his mother.
+
+"Such people are always cowards. I wasn't afraid of him."
+
+Now that they had departed, Linna came over to her champion--though she
+could not have fully understood all that had passed--and placed her hand
+confidingly on his shoulder.
+
+"Linna, I have two sisters," he said tenderly; "yonder is one, and her
+name is Alice: can you tell me the name of the other?"
+
+"Yes--she name be Linna."
+
+"You are right. Now, if you will kiss me, I won't tickle you any more
+for making my nose itch this morning."
+
+The lips were put up to his, and with deep affection on the part of
+both, the salute was exchanged.
+
+"If any more white people show themselves, and they ask you your
+father's name, let mother and me answer for you."
+
+"Me do what you say," was the obedient response.
+
+It need not be said that our friends were greatly relieved by the
+departure of Zitner. While as I have already said, they ought to have
+been glad of the company of him and Burwink, they would have been ill at
+ease so long as the surly fellow was with them. He surely held no good
+will toward the little girl, and would have found some chance to show
+it.
+
+"But are we really rid of him?" asked Ben of his mother. The two sat
+close to each other on the tree, and the children were playing a few
+steps away.
+
+"I am quite sure we are."
+
+"He may steal back tonight, if we camp near."
+
+"Why should he? He does not want to harm Linna, but to use her as a
+means of safety against her own people."
+
+"That was what he said, but I don't believe him. It seems to me we ought
+to change our course, to be certain of not meeting him again."
+
+"As you think best."
+
+"We have had a good rest. Come, girls, we must be off." Taking the lead
+as before, Ben strode down the incline, bearing more to the left than he
+had been doing.
+
+All smiled at Linna, for she noticed the change on the instant.
+
+"You go wrong," she said; "dat not right way."
+
+"Which is the right way, Miss Smartness?"
+
+She pointed it out.
+
+"You are right, but that is the course of that bad man, who doesn't like
+you. We will go around, so as not to see him again."
+
+She was satisfied, and gave her attention to Alice, who thought it odd
+that she and Ben should have so many disputes.
+
+Over the varying surface, turning aside now and then to pass some
+obstacle in the shape of rocks or ravines--now up hill and down, among
+the dense trees, where the briars and bushes scratched their hands and
+faces, across small rippling streams and natural clearings--they pushed
+on until the sun was far beyond meridian and the halt and rest were
+grateful.
+
+"I don't think we need give any more thought to Zitner," said Ben; "and
+I am sure we are all glad. He could not find us now, if he tried."
+
+"If they kept to their course, we must be several miles apart."
+
+"I have been working my way back, so that, after all, I do not think we
+have lost much ground. I hope Miss Linna is satisfied."
+
+"She would make complaint if she was not."
+
+They had stopped near another of the small running streams, for it was
+harder to do without water than food.
+
+"I'm hungry, mother."
+
+"So we all are," she added, producing half a loaf, which was the last of
+their food.
+
+"To leave any portion of this will only aggravate all your appetites, so
+we will finish it."
+
+The bread was divided among the four, and when eating ceased not a crumb
+was left.
+
+"It isn't a good time of the year for hunting, mother, but if I can get
+sight of any game, I'll bring it down, whether it is a deer, bear, wild
+turkey, quail, or anything that will serve for a meal."
+
+"It isn't a time to be particular--in watching for danger look also for
+game."
+
+"That's what I have been doing for the last few hours."
+
+With the passage of time and the increase of the distance between them
+and Wyoming the hopes of the little party naturally rose. They were now
+a good many miles from their old home, and as yet had not seen a single
+red man. That numbers were abroad there could be no doubt, although it
+is a fact that a great many people did not start eastward until several
+days after the battle.
+
+But it was a long, long way to the Delaware, with the travelling such as
+they had to face. I have spoken of the forest as being trackless and
+a wrong impression may have been given. An old trail led from the
+Susquehanna to the Delaware, and was followed by many of the fugitives;
+but great risk was run by those who did so, for most of the pursuers
+used the same path. As a consequence, some were overtaken and slain.
+
+Those who avoided the beaten route of necessity suffered greater
+hardships; but none was equal to that of meeting their enemies. Omas
+took care to steer wide of this trail when leading the party into the
+wild section to the east of the river, and he showed them that he wished
+them to do the same. Ben was too wise to forget his wishes.
+
+The location of the sun in the sky, the appearance of the bark and
+moss, and the tops of certain trees, enabled the young woodman to keep
+a pretty true course. He remarked, with a laugh, that if there was any
+likelihood of going wrong, Linna would correct him.
+
+The afternoon was well past before they came upon any more water, and,
+with the warm weather and their long tramp, all suffered from thirst.
+They were not traversing a desert country, however, and soon found what
+they wanted in abundance.
+
+"But," said Ben, "I am worried about food, mother. It is nearly night,
+and we haven't a mouthful. I suppose if there was plenty, I wouldn't
+feel half as bad, but it seems to me I was never so hungry in all my
+life."
+
+"That is natural; but, if necessary, we can go all night without food."
+
+"If necessary, of course we can, but I dread it. Alice and Linna will
+suffer, though I'm not so sure about Linna. I would give almost anything
+for a wild turkey."
+
+The dusky child looked up from where she was sitting on the ground,
+playing with Alice.
+
+"Want turkey--eh?" she asked.
+
+"Yes; have you any to sell?"
+
+"Me get you one."
+
+Mother and son stared in amazement. They could not believe she was in
+earnest. She saw it and, with a grin, added--"Omas showed Linna how get
+turkey."
+
+"What can she be driving at?" asked the puzzled Ben. "She surely would
+not say what she does without reason. Linna, teach Ben how to get a wild
+turkey; we want one for supper, for if we don't have it, we shall all
+have to go without food."
+
+"Me hungry," she ventured; "so be Alice--so be you."
+
+"You are right. Come, sister, show me how to catch a turkey."
+
+She gravely rose from the ground. Her face appeared serious, but those
+who looked at her closely detected a sparkle of the black eyes, for all
+the world as if she meditated some prank upon her confiding friends. Ben
+was suspicious. She added--
+
+"Go wid me--me show you." Then he was sure she was up to something.
+
+He rose from where he was sitting, and, rifle in hand, walked a little
+way in the wood. She looked round once or twice, and continued advancing
+a few minutes after they were out of sight of Alice and her mother.
+
+She held the hand of the youth, who acted as if he was a bad boy being
+led to punishment. He started to ask a question, but she checked him by
+raising her forefinger and a "S--h!" and he did not presume again.
+
+Finally she stopped among a number of trees where several trunks were
+two or three feet in diameter. Stepping behind one, she motioned him to
+do the same with another a few yards off. Surveying him a moment, as
+if to make sure he was doing right, she suddenly emitted a sound from
+between her lips, which caused Ben Ripley to utter the exclamation under
+his breath--"Well, by gracious! If that doesn't beat everything!"
+
+"Why don't shoot?" she abruptly asked.
+
+The call made by Linna was the exact imitation of a wild turkey when
+lost in the woods. Perhaps you may know that the body of every one of
+those birds contains a bone which a hunter can so use as to make the
+same signal; but it is hard to produce the sound without such help,
+though it has been done.
+
+Linna had succeeded to perfection.
+
+"Who would have thought it possible for one so young as she to learn
+the trick?" Ben asked himself. "I have tried it many a time without the
+bone, but never could do it."
+
+He looked at her admiringly, and was certain she was the smartest girl
+he had ever seen.
+
+"If there are any turkeys within hearing, that is bound to fetch them,
+but I have seen no signs of them."
+
+Linna continued the signalling at intervals for fifteen minutes or
+more, peeping meanwhile from behind the tree and around her in every
+direction. Ben did the same, and saw nothing.
+
+"Why don't shoot?" she abruptly asked.
+
+He noted the direction of her gaze, and there, not fifty feet away, was
+a big hen turkey, walking slowly over the leaves, with head aloft and
+glancing here and there for the lost one.
+
+The target was a good one, and taking careful aim, Ben toppled it
+fluttering to the ground at the first fire.
+
+"Dat all want?" queried Linna.
+
+"Yes; that will do for tonight, Linna."
+
+"Den go back--play wid Alice."
+
+And off she ran to rejoin her companion, while the delighted lad picked
+up his prize and brought it to camp.
+
+Turning that and his knife over to his mother, he made a fire ready
+to pass the night, full of thankfulness that all had gone so well. Ben
+agreed to stand watch until near midnight, and then allow his mother to
+help him at the necessary duty.
+
+While the simple preparations were going on, Linna knelt on the bare
+ground with her ear pressed to the earth. Almost instantly she raised
+her head and whispered:
+
+"Somebody comin' dis way--guess be Injins!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER NINE: IN A CIRCLE
+
+This was alarming news. Ben Ripley imitated the action of Linna.
+Kneeling down, he pressed his ear to the earth.
+
+Yes; he heard faint footfalls. Persons were moving about not far away.
+
+"She is right," he said in a low tone; "likely they are Indians, though
+we cannot be certain."
+
+"It won't do to wait till they come to us," remarked his mother.
+
+"Shall I put out the fire?" asked Ben, disconcerted by the suddenness of
+the danger.
+
+"No; we can't spare the time. Let us leave. Come, children."
+
+She took the hand of each girl and walked quickly off, while Ben caught
+up the blankets and followed. They had no particular point in view, but
+wished to reach a safe place without delay.
+
+The gloom of the gathering night helped them, and when they paused they
+were confident they had not been seen by anyone.
+
+Without any thought on their part, they made their way to a mass of
+rocks and boulders, more extensive than any seen through the day. It was
+a hundred yards from their starting point.
+
+They sat down for a whispered consultation.
+
+"They must have heard the report of my rifle," said Ben.
+
+"That was a considerable while ago, and they may have been a good way
+off at the time."
+
+"Then, being so much nearer, it was the report which brought them.
+What would become of us but for Linna?" added Ben placing his arm
+affectionately around her. "It was she that got us our supper, and now
+she warns us of danger."
+
+"They may be Zitner and Burwink."
+
+"Not likely, but if they come to our fire we shall soon find out. Look!"
+
+To their astonishment, the little fire which they had left only a few
+minutes before burned up brightly, showing that a lot of fuel had been
+thrown on it.
+
+Too many trees and too much undergrowth obtruded for them to detect
+anything more than the great increase in brightness.
+
+"The darkness will prevent their following our footprints," whispered
+the mother.
+
+"I will go a little nearer and find out what it means: it may be, after
+all, that they are friends."
+
+"Be careful, my son."
+
+"I will."
+
+It was not a hard task Ben Ripley gave himself. He had not far to go,
+and he proceeded with so much caution that no risk was involved. Only
+half the distance was passed when he gained a full view of the camp fire
+and its surroundings.
+
+The sight was disquieting. Three Indian warriors were there. One had
+been gathering dry sticks which he flung on the blaze; another was
+helping himself to what was left of the cooked turkey; while the third,
+bent low, moved slowly around the lit up portion of the ground with his
+eyes fixed on it.
+
+It was plain he was scrutinizing the footprints made by the party that
+had left just in time to escape them. It was a fortunate discovery made
+by Linna!
+
+With the aid of the bright glare, it could not take him long to identify
+the little party as fugitives fleeing eastward, though it may be
+questioned whether they learned that it consisted of one large boy, an
+adult woman, and two small children.
+
+They were in the battle yesterday. They have left others to look after
+those in Wyoming, while they are hunting the poor creatures that have
+taken to the woods.
+
+The Iroquois who had been studying the ground straightened himself up
+and said something to the others. One of them then flung more fuel on
+the flames, and he who was ravenously eating suspended his operations,
+but quickly resumed again, as if he liked his occupation better than
+anything else to which he could turn his attention.
+
+Then the first stooped down and caught up a burning brand. Several quick
+circles over his head fanned it into a vigorous blaze. Holding it aloft,
+with his shoulders bent forward, he moved slowly towards Ben Ripley.
+
+He was tracing the footprints by the aid of the torch!
+
+"Gracious! he will be among us in a minute," was the terrifying thought
+of the lad, who turned and ran back to his friends, in such haste that
+he was in danger of betraying his movements.
+
+"Leave--quick!" he said; "they are after us!"
+
+"No, they are not," replied his mother, who nevertheless stood ready to
+do as he said.
+
+Ben looked back. The warrior with a torch, after walking a rod or so
+from the fire, had stopped, and was now in plain sight, with the flaming
+brand held above his head, while he peered out in the gloom in the
+direction of the fugitives, as if expecting to discern them.
+
+Could he have known how near they were, he and his companions would have
+rushed down upon them; but they must have thought they had fled much
+further. It was impossible to trail them by torchlight as fast as they
+could travel, and the Indians did not waste time in the effort. The one
+with the torch went back to his companions.
+
+The incident warned our friends of a new form of danger, which until
+then had not been counted among the probabilities.
+
+The Indians, as you know, can trace a person through the woods with
+wonderful skill, seeing signs where the untrained eye observes nothing.
+If these three chose to wait where they were until daylight, there was
+nothing to prevent their taking up the trail and tracing the fugitives
+wherever they went.
+
+"It won't do to stay here," said Ben, "for they will be right upon us at
+daylight."
+
+"Providing they wait where they are."
+
+"Why should they not do so? They are looking for us."
+
+Mrs. Ripley dared not answer the question as her heart prompted. At the
+same time, she could think of no means of throwing them off their track.
+
+"It might have been better had we stayed with Zitner and Burwink--no, it
+would not have been," she corrected herself, "for they were unfriendly
+to Linna. But we must go."
+
+The only hope that presented itself was that they might travel so far
+during the darkness that the Indians would not keep up the pursuit when
+the trail was revealed to them.
+
+The moon did not rise until very late, and there being no path, while
+all were in total ignorance of the neighborhood, it will be understood
+that they had set to work to do a very hard, if not impossible thing.
+
+Ben as usual took the lead, and, before he had gone twenty steps, was
+caught under the chin by a protruding limb that almost lifted him
+off his feet. Then he went headlong into a hollow and bruised himself
+against some stones. Still, he did not give up, and by and by the ground
+became more level and his mishaps less frequent.
+
+Alice and Linna, like little heroines, never murmured. All persevered
+until it was agreed that they were at least two miles from the camp
+fire.
+
+In making this hard journey, every one of the party met with several
+narrow escapes, and it was agreed that it was best to go no further
+until daylight.
+
+"As soon as we can see, we'll be off again, and ought to be able to
+travel as fast as they will do. Where they must watch all the time for
+our footprints, they cannot go off a walk."
+
+"We may as well wait."
+
+Throughout their haste, the blankets had been preserved. Indeed, the one
+over Ben's arm had served to break his fall more than once. These were
+placed on the ground, and the children lay down beside each other,
+quickly sinking to sleep; but the others, though pretty well worn, were
+too anxious to rest yet awhile.
+
+"I have no idea where we are," said the son; "but one place is as good
+as another at such a time, and the weather is so warm that blankets are
+not needed. Now, mother, I wish you would lie down beside the children
+and rest. You need it badly, I know."
+
+"And so do you, my son."
+
+"Not for some time yet."
+
+"But, if you intend to watch until daylight, you will be worn out by
+morning. Besides, you cannot stay awake unless you move about. I will
+agree to lie down if you will promise to call me when you think it is
+midnight, and let me take a turn."
+
+"I will agree to call you when I feel the need of you, and I will pace
+the ground like a sentinel on duty."
+
+The mother was forced to accept this proposition and, after some more
+cautious conversation, she did as her boy wished, and he was left alone.
+
+Ben did not forget his slip of the night before. It was necessary that
+one of the company should maintain watch while the others slept, and
+only these two could do it. He meant to guard the others through the
+short summer night, trusting to a chance of getting what slumber he
+needed on the morrow when the others were awake.
+
+"I would like to catch myself waking her," he mused, after he had groped
+around until he found a space a couple of rods in length over which he
+could pace back and forth.
+
+Then, with his rifle resting on his shoulder, he began his patient beat,
+surrounded by impenetrable gloom, and with the lives of three loved ones
+in his keeping.
+
+By and by a lighting of the sky showed the moon had risen. This,
+however, was of little or no help, since the abundance of leaves
+prevented its rays piercing between and lighting up the ground beneath.
+
+It would be hard to imagine a more gloomy occupation than that of Ben
+Ripley while engaged with this duty. The solemn murmur of the vast woods
+around him, the world of darkness in which he slowly paced to and fro,
+the memory of the sad scenes he had seen in the lovely Wyoming Valley,
+the certainty that a good many miles must yet be traversed before they
+could sit down in safety, the consciousness that several of the cruel
+red men were near them, and the belief that they would start in pursuit
+as soon as it was light--all this oppressed him with crushing weight,
+and made him feel at times as if there was no escape for him and his
+loved ones.
+
+"There is only one way of hiding our trail," he mused. "If we could come
+upon some river or large stream of water, where there was a boat, or we
+could make a raft, we should be safe. A big rainstorm would do as well,
+for it would wash out all signs of our footprints."
+
+He paused in his walk and peeped up at a speck of sky shown through a
+rift among the limbs.
+
+"There is hardly a cloud; it looks as if it wouldn't rain for a week,
+and I don't know of any river between here and the Delaware."
+
+His senses were never more alert. He avoided the fatal mistake of
+sitting down for a few minutes, or so much as leaning against a tree to
+rest. He stopped, however, now and then and listened intently.
+
+"I wonder whether I am mistaken, or whether I did hear something moving
+over the leaves out there?"
+
+The fact that the almost inaudible rustling was noticed only when
+he himself was in motion inclined him to suspect it was a delusion,
+accounted for by his tense nerves. But after a time he became certain of
+a fact hardly less startling in its nature.
+
+When walking back and forth with his face away from the spot where his
+friends lay something gleamed a short distance off among the trees. Its
+location showed it was on the ground, and, as nearly as he could judge,
+less than a hundred feet off.
+
+His first supposition was that it was a fungus growth known in the
+country as "foxfire," which gives out a phosphorescent glow in the
+darkness; but after watching and studying it for a long time, he was
+convinced it was something else.
+
+"I'm going to find out," he decided; "it won't take me long, and I ought
+to know all about it, for it may concern us."
+
+Stealing forward, he was not a little astonished to find it a real fire,
+sunken to a glowing ember, left by someone.
+
+"It must be as Zitner said--the woods are full of Indians, and some of
+them have camped there."
+
+Not wishing to stumble over any of their bodies, he manoeuvred until
+assured that whoever kindled the fire had left, when he kicked aside the
+ashes.
+
+The act caused a twist of flame to spring up and throw out a tiny glare,
+which illumined several feet of surrounding space.
+
+And then the astonished youth made the discovery that this was the very
+spot where they had cooked their turkey hours before, and from which
+they had fled in hot haste before the approach of the three Iroquois.
+
+He and his friends had travelled in a circle, and come back to their
+starting point.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TEN: NEAR THE END
+
+Anyone who is used to the woods knows how apt he is to wander in a
+circle unless he keeps his wits about him. There have been many causes
+named for this curious fact, and the one that strikes me as the most
+reasonable is that we are all either right or left handed. It is rare
+that you meet a person who is ambidextrous,--that is, who uses both
+hands equally well. When, therefore, he sets out to travel through the
+woods without any guide, he unconsciously exerts his right or left
+limb, as the case may be, more than the other, and this makes his course
+circular.
+
+There are three "signboards" by which a hunter can keep trace of the
+points of the compass when in the woods, without noticing the sun, which
+of itself is often a great help. Three fourths of the moss on trees
+grows on the north side; the heaviest boughs on spruce trees are always
+on the south side, and the topmost twig of every uninjured hemlock tree
+tips to the east.
+
+Now, while these signs never err, you can see that it is almost
+impossible to turn them to account at night.
+
+Ben Ripley had led his friends in an irregular circle, and brought them
+back to within a brief distance of the starting point. This was the camp
+fire from which they fled in such panic before the approach of the three
+red men.
+
+The discovery filled him with dismay, and he darted out in the darkness
+for the rocks where the others were sleeping. His first intention was to
+rouse them and plunge into the woods again, but a few minutes served to
+make him cooler and more collected in mind.
+
+The night was well spent, and a flight of that kind could not do much
+for them. It might be all in vain. It would be trying to the last
+degree. He decided not to disturb the sleepers.
+
+By and by he persuaded himself that matters were not as bad as they
+first appeared. Inasmuch as the fugitives had not returned over their
+own trail, the Indians, in case they took it in the morning, must make
+the same circuit, and thus be forced to go just as far as if the flight
+had been in a direct line.
+
+It was a mystery, however, what had become of the three warriors. They
+could not be near the camp, or they would have appeared when the lad
+returned to it. They had left, but who could say whither they had gone?
+
+While Ben was debating the painful question, a growing light in the
+direction of the Delaware told him the night was ended and the new day
+dawning.
+
+The fourth day of July, the second anniversary of the Declaration of
+Independence, had passed. He thought of it, standing alone in the dismal
+forest with danger on every hand, and oppressed by the great fear that
+those whom he loved more than his own life must perish in that gloomy
+wilderness.
+
+He did not dare, however, to give way to his sad thoughts. At the first
+streakings of light among the trees, he roused his mother and told her
+the alarming truth.
+
+"I do not understand it," she replied, alluding to the absence of the
+Iroquois; "it must be they are in the neighborhood."
+
+The children were still sleeping quietly on the blanket. No food or
+water was at command, and they could not take the time to look for any.
+Indeed, the two elder ones felt no hunger or thirst.
+
+The mother rose to her feet and looked around, her interest centring
+on the rock and boulders, which stretched away to the rear further than
+they could penetrate with the eye.
+
+"I know they are skilful in following footprints," she remarked; "but
+if we walk carefully over those rocks, I think they will not be able to
+track us. We will try it."
+
+The children were roused and quickly learned what was to be done, the
+mother adding that the prayer which she was accustomed to offer up every
+morning would be given when they reached a spot where it was safe to do
+so.
+
+For fully a hundred yards the four were able to make their way without
+resting their feet on the ground. Then the boulders ended as abruptly as
+they began.
+
+All now kneeled on the granite floor and asked Heaven to deliver them
+safely out of the dangers by which they were surrounded.
+
+If the Indians chose to make search, after tracing the little party to
+the stony place, they must eventually come upon the new trail, where it
+began again on the ground; but unless they struck it by accident, they
+must use a good deal of time in hunting for it.
+
+"Come on," called Ben in a low voice, but with a renewal of hope; "we
+shall get somewhere one of these days."
+
+To their surprise, not far from the rocks they came upon a faintly
+marked path among the trees.
+
+"What is the meaning of that?" Ben asked, looking inquiringly at his
+mother and Linna.
+
+"Men don't do dat--wild beasts," replied the dusky child.
+
+"She is right," added the mother; "the animals follow it to water; let
+us do the same."
+
+The haunting fear of the red men made the words between the fugitives
+few, and all their movements guarded. They kept glancing to right and
+left, in front and to the rear, Linna being probably the most active. It
+was as if she inherited from her parents their surprising woodcraft, and
+was now calling it into play for the benefit of her friends.
+
+Suddenly something flickered in the path ahead, and Ben stopped short,
+those behind him doing the same.
+
+Just in advance--less than fifty yards indeed--a beautiful fawn had come
+to a halt. Its graceful head, with its soft brown eyes, was lifted high,
+and it looked wonderingly at the people, as if not knowing the meaning,
+and too innocent to feel fear. Ben drew up his rifle, for it was a
+tempting chance for a delicious breakfast. But almost instantly he
+lowered the weapon again.
+
+The fawn was so trusting, so unsuspicious, that a feeling of pity came
+to the young hunter. The animal suggested his own little sister, for it
+was wandering through the unfriendly woods, with none to protect it from
+cruel enemies.
+
+"Go," whispered Ben; "I haven't the heart to harm you; I will starve
+first."
+
+"Remember the result of the shot yesterday," said his mother warningly.
+"We are in too much peril to increase it."
+
+The lad advanced along the path, and every one of the company smiled at
+the fawn, when it stood motionless, staring until they were almost to
+it. Then the timid creature turned nimbly and trotted over the trail,
+its head so high that, as it turned it from side to side, it saw every
+thing done by the strange beings following.
+
+Had the situation been less serious, Ben would have had some sport
+with the lovely creature, but he dared not give it much attention. It
+continued trotting a short way, and then sprang gracefully aside among
+the trees, leaving no scent on the leaves by which the most highly
+trained hound could trace it.
+
+A little way beyond they came upon the largest stream seen since leaving
+the mountains east of the Susquehanna. It was a dozen feet in width,
+quite deep, rapid, and clear.
+
+"Here is enough drink for us all," said Ben, and they proceeded to help
+themselves in the primitive fashion described elsewhere.
+
+"That must contain fish," observed the mother; "but we are without the
+means of catching them."
+
+"Unless Linna will jump in and haul them out for us. But if we are to
+continue our journey, we must find some way of getting to the other
+side; it is too deep and wide to ford or jump."
+
+"It must be narrower in other places."
+
+"Oh! look mamma!"
+
+It was Alice who first saw a terrifying sight. An immense black bear,
+the largest any of the party had ever seen, swung from among the trees
+and came to the water's edge on the other side.
+
+He was so enormous that all started and recoiled a step, even Linna
+uttering an exclamation in her own tongue. Ben grasped his rifle, and
+held it ready to use the instant it became necessary.
+
+But Bruin was in a gracious mood that morning. He looked at the party
+with stupid curiosity, then reared on his hind legs, and swung his
+beam-.like paws in an odd way.
+
+"He is inviting us to come over and be hugged to death," laughed Ben.
+
+"He will come over and eat us all up," said Alice, clinging to the dress
+of her mother.
+
+"No," replied the parent, soothingly patting her head; "Ben won't let
+him do that. Do not be frightened."
+
+"Climb tree," suggested Linna; "not big tree, 'cause bear climb dat
+too--climb little tree, den he can't climb it."
+
+"You are right, but we will wait and see what he does. I don't want to
+fire my gun unless I have to, and if he will let us alone we won't hurt
+him. There! he is going to drink."
+
+The huge creature bent his head down to the water and helped himself.
+When he had had enough, he raised his snout and again looked at the
+party, who were closely watching him.
+
+This was the critical moment. If he meant to attack them, he would
+plunge into the water and either swim or wade across. Ben raised the
+hammer of his rifle and awaited his action.
+
+Had Bruin been hungry, he would not have dallied so long; but he did not
+seem to see anything specially tempting in the group, and lumbered off
+among the trees.
+
+"A lucky move for you." remarked Ben.
+
+"And just as lucky for us," added the mother; "for though you might have
+slain him, as I have no doubt you would, the report of the gun must have
+brought more dangerous enemies to us."
+
+"I would give a good deal to know what has become of them. It begins to
+look as if they did not consider us worth bothering with."
+
+"I wish I could believe that, but I cannot. I think it more likely that
+they know where we are, and are trifling with us, as a cat does with a
+mouse."
+
+"That makes me anxious to push on. We must find some place where we can
+cross the stream. Let's go further up the bank."
+
+He took the course named, leading away from the great bear with which
+they had so narrowly escaped an encounter.
+
+To their surprise, they had not far to go before the spot they were
+seeking was found. The stream narrowed between some rocks, so much that
+even Alice could spring across without wetting her feet.
+
+"I am afraid Linna can't leap it," remarked Ben with a smile.
+
+"Me show you."
+
+And, without recoiling a step, the nimble little one made a graceful
+bound, which landed her several feet beyond the other margin.
+
+"Well done!" said Ben; "I couldn't do much better myself. Now, Alice,
+you are not going to let her beat you?"
+
+Alice was timid at first, but with a good start she cleared the space.
+She landed, however, so near the water that had not the watchful Linna
+caught one of the hands thrown up to save herself, she would have fallen
+back in the stream.
+
+Mother and son imitated them, and all stood on the other side of the
+obstruction without having suffered any inconvenience.
+
+While they were congratulating themselves, a startling reminder of their
+danger came in the near report of a rifle. It was from the direction
+in which they had seen the bear, and in the stillness of the woods all
+heard a snarling growl, which proved that the beast had received his
+death wound.
+
+"The Indians are there!" whispered the frightened Ben; "what shall we
+do, mother?"
+
+"What can we do?" she asked, helpless and at her wits' end for the
+moment; "there seems to be no escaping them."
+
+"Me go talk with them," was the amazing remark of the little Delaware
+girl.
+
+"You talk with them!" repeated Mrs. Ripley; "what can you do?"
+
+"Don't know--me try."
+
+And without waiting for permission, Linna started on a light run toward
+the point whence came the report of the rifle that gave Bruin his death
+wound. Mother and son looked in each other's face in mute wonderment for
+a full minute after the departure of the girl.
+
+"She's a remarkable child," finally said the mother; "she has done us
+more than one good turn, and, it may be, Heaven intends to make use of
+her again, though I cannot see how."
+
+"The Iroquois will recognise her as one of their own race. Perhaps one
+or more of them belong to her tribe: they will know her as the child of
+Omas, and may listen to her pleadings."
+
+"Alas! they will give little heed to them; my heart misgives me, son: I
+feel that the end is at hand."
+
+Meanwhile, let us follow Linna, the Delaware, upon her strange mission.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER ELEVEN: ALL IN VAIN
+
+I am at some disadvantage in giving an account of the remarkable
+interview between the little Delaware girl, Linna, and the three hostile
+warriors who had trailed the Ripleys to the stream in the wilderness
+across which they had just leaped in the effort to continue their flight
+from Wyoming to the Upper Delaware.
+
+There were no witnesses to the interview except the parties named,
+but when Linna in after years had become a woman, with her very strong
+memory she gave a description of what passed, and it has come down
+through the descendants of the pioneers to the present day.
+
+You will permit me to found my narrative upon her testimony, and to be
+quite liberal in the interpretation of what took place.
+
+The fears of the fugitives were well founded. The three red men were
+near them for a long while before they showed themselves. It was very
+much as Mrs. Ripley had said. They were so sure of the prize that they
+trifled with them.
+
+Linna reached the spot where the warriors were standing directly after
+one of the number had sent a bullet through the bear. Young as she was,
+she understood the peril of her friends, and set out to do all she could
+for them.
+
+She knew that Omas, her father, was a great warrior. He belonged to
+the Delaware tribe, which years before had been soundly beaten by the
+Iroquois and reduced almost to slavery; but among the conquered people
+were many without superiors in bravery, skill, and prowess. Omas was one
+of the most noted examples.
+
+The first thrill of hope came to the young child when she recognised
+the one that had killed the bear. He was Red Wolf, a member of her own
+tribe, who often had been in her father's wigwam, and was therefore well
+known to his child. The others were of the Seneca tribe, one of those
+composing the Iroquois, or Six Nations, the most powerful confederation
+of Indians that ever existed on the American continent.
+
+The three looked at the little girl in amazement, as she came running
+between the trees. She dropped to a rapid walk, and did not stop until
+she was among them.
+
+"Where do you come from?" asked Red Wolf, in the Delaware tongue.
+
+"My father, the great Omas, brought me to see my friend Alice. He left
+me with her people, and you must not harm them."
+
+"Why did Omas leave you with them?"
+
+"They are my friends."
+
+It should be said the Senecas, who calmly listened to the conversation,
+understood all that was said.
+
+"Where are you going?"
+
+"A long way through the wood."
+
+"Why does Omas leave you with the palefaces? You should be in your own
+wigwam many miles away."
+
+"He knows I am safe with them. He led us through the woods until
+he could leave us; then he went back to the great river between the
+mountains to help the other warriors fight."
+
+None of the three could doubt that the child was speaking the truth.
+They held the prowess of Omas in high respect; but they were not the
+ones to surrender such a prize as was already theirs.
+
+"We will take them back to Wyoming with us," said Red Wolf; "then Omas
+may do as he thinks best with them."
+
+With a shrewdness far beyond her years, Linna said--"He wants them to go
+to the other big river, off yonder"--pointing eastward. "Why do you wish
+to take them back to Wyoming?"
+
+"If he wants them to go to the other big river, he can send them after
+he sees them again."
+
+"You will make Omas angry; he will strike you down with his tomahawk,"
+said Linna.
+
+Although these words were the words of a child, they produced their
+effect. Red Wolf knew how deeply the grim warrior loved his only
+daughter, and he knew, too, how terrible was the wrath of the warrior.
+Omas had chosen to spare this family from the cruelty visited upon so
+many others. If Red Wolf dared to run the risk of rousing the vengeance
+of Omas, he must take the consequences. He shrank from doing so.
+
+The Delaware beckoned to one of the Senecas, and they stepped aside and
+talked a few minutes, in tones too low for the listening Linna to hear
+what was said. Subsequent events, however, made clear the meaning of
+their conversation.
+
+Red Wolf proposed to spare the fugitives. He wished to go away with his
+companions and leave them to pursue their flight without molestation, so
+far as they were concerned.
+
+But the Senecas held Omas in less dread than did Red Wolf. They were
+unwilling to let the whites escape. The third warrior, who joined them,
+was as strenuous as the first. While one might have shrunk from stirring
+the anger of the famous Delaware, the two together did not hesitate to
+run counter to his wishes. They refused to be dissuaded by Red Wolf.
+
+They remained apart from the girl for ten minutes, earnestly conversing,
+while she could not overhear a word.
+
+Finally one of the three--a Seneca--turned about and walked away, as if
+impatient with the dispute. He took a course leading from the stream,
+and deeper into the woods.
+
+Linna noticed the curious act, but, great as was her acumen for one of
+her years, she did not suspect its meaning. It would have been passing
+strange had she done so, for the movement was meant to deceive her and
+bring the disputation to an end.
+
+The couple remaining walked to where Linna awaited them. The Seneca
+turned aside and sauntered to the carcass of the bear as if that had
+more interest just then for him.
+
+"What will Omas do if my brother warriors take your friends back to the
+other river, but Red Wolf does not help?"
+
+"He will strike them down with his tomahawk; my father, Omas, is a great
+warrior."
+
+The black eyes flashed as the girl proudly uttered these words, and she
+looked defiantly in the painted face towering above her.
+
+"But what will he do with Red Wolf?"
+
+"He will strike down Red Wolf, because he is a coward, and did not keep
+all harm from his white friends."
+
+This intimation that the Delaware could not shelter himself behind the
+plea of neutrality, but must be either an active friend or foe, was a
+little more than he could accept. While he held Omas in wholesome dread,
+he dared not array himself against the two Senecas, who were determined
+not to spare the hapless fugitives.
+
+Red Wolf was a fair specimen of his tribe, who, as I have stated, were
+beaten by the Iroquois. These conquerors, indeed, carried matters with
+so high a hand that they once forbade the Delawares to use firearms, but
+made them keep to the old fashioned bow and arrow.
+
+Red Wolf, therefore, having squared accounts, so to speak, with his
+present companions, was anxious to win the good will of Linna, and
+thereby that of her fierce parent, who was a hurricane in his wrath, and
+likely to brain Red Wolf before he could explain matters.
+
+"Omas is the greatest warrior of the Delawares," he said to Linna; "Red
+Wolf and he are brothers. But the Senecas will not listen to the words
+of Red Wolf: they love not Omas as does Red Wolf."
+
+The Delaware child now found herself in a quandary. She had made her
+plea, but, so far as she could see, it was in vain, since the friendship
+of Red Wolf alone was not enough. One of the Senecas was studying the
+body of the dead bear and paying no heed to her words; the other had
+gone off, she knew not where.
+
+What remained for her to do?
+
+While the little one asked herself the question, and was trying, to
+think what course she should follow, the absent Seneca was working out
+the mischievous plot he had formed, and which was fully known to his
+companions.
+
+An uprooted tree lay extended on the ground, near where Mrs. Ripley and
+her children saw Linna run off to plead with the Indians. Since they
+could do nothing but wait, helpless and almost despairing, for the
+return of the child, they sat down on the prostrate trunk.
+
+Ben was near the base, close to the mass of upturned roots, which spread
+out like an enormous fan, with its dirt and prong-like roots projecting
+in all directions. He was tired, depressed, and worn out. It will be
+remembered he had not slept a wink during the preceding night, or eaten
+a mouthful of food since then. Strong, sturdy, and lusty as he was, he
+could not help feeling the effects of all this.
+
+He leaned his rifle against a huge, gnarled root, within arm's length of
+where he half reclined, with his feet extended along the trunk. He had
+but to reach out his hand, without moving his body, to grasp the weapon
+whatever moment it might be needed.
+
+Exhausted as he was, his condition was too nervous to permit slumber.
+His mother had said she thought the end was at hand, and he believed the
+same.
+
+She was but a few feet away, sitting more erect on the tree, with Alice
+leaning against her.
+
+The eyes of all were turned toward the point where Linna had vanished,
+and whence she was expected every minute to come into view again.
+
+She was not far off. Once or twice the mother and son caught the sounds
+of their voices, though the exuberant vegetation shut them from sight.
+
+"It was idle for her to go," said Ben; "and I cannot see any chance of
+her helping us."
+
+"They will not harm her, nor will they be denied the pleasure of doing
+what they choose with us."
+
+"Some persons might believe the delay was favorable, but I cannot think
+that way."
+
+Neither felt like conversation. It was an effort to say anything; but
+mother and son, in their unselfishness, pitied each other, and strove
+vainly to lift the gloomy thoughts that were oppressing both.
+
+Had Ben Ripley seen the departure of the Seneca, he might have suspected
+its meaning; but, unaware of it, he never dreamed of the new form which
+the ever present danger thus assumed.
+
+The Seneca, after leaving Red Wolf and the other warrior, walked
+directly over the path leading away from the stream until well beyond
+the sight of those thus left behind. He looked back, and, seeing nothing
+of them, turned aside and moved off, until he arrived at a point beyond
+the group of three resting on the fallen tree.
+
+Thus, as will be seen, the Ripleys were between the two and Linna on
+the one hand, and the single Seneca on the other. He knew the precise
+location of the fugitives as well as if they had been in his field of
+vision from the first.
+
+He now began approaching them from the rear. Their faces turned away
+from him, and everything favored his stealthy advance.
+
+The huge spread of dirt and roots made by the overturning of the big
+tree served as a screen, though even without this help he would probably
+have succeeded in his effort to steal upon them unawares.
+
+He stepped so carefully upon the dried leaves that no sound was made,
+and the most highly trained ear, therefore, would not have detected him.
+
+If Ben had once risen from his reclining posture and looked around,
+if Mrs. Ripley had stood up and done the same, or if little Alice had
+indulged in her natural sportiveness, assuredly one of them would have
+observed that crouching warrior, gradually drawing closer, like the
+moving of a hand over the face of a clock; but none saw him. Nearer and
+nearer he came, step by step, until at last he stood just on the other
+side of the mass of roots, and not ten feet from the boy.
+
+With the same noiselessness, the crouching form bent over sideways and
+peered around the screen. Then the dusky arm glided forward until the
+iron fingers clasped the barrel of the rifle leaning against the root,
+and the weapon was withdrawn.
+
+He now had two guns, and Ben Ripley none.
+
+Then the Seneca advanced, a weapon in either hand, and, presenting
+himself in front of the amazed group, exclaimed--"Huh! how do,
+bruder?--how do sister?"
+
+Ben Ripley sprang up as if shot, and his startled mother, with a gasp of
+affright, turned her head.
+
+For one moment the boy meditated leaping upon the warrior, in the
+desperate attempt to wrench his gun from his grasp; but the mother,
+reading his intention, interposed.
+
+"Do nothing, my son: we are in the hands of Heaven."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWELVE: CONCLUSION
+
+The point, at last, had been reached where it was useless to struggle
+any longer. The little party of fugitives, after safely crossing the
+Susquehanna on the day of the battle, and penetrating more than a score
+of miles on their way eastward to the Delaware, were overtaken, and made
+captive by three Indians.
+
+Warning Ben against any resistance, the mother bowed her head in
+submission, and awaited her fate. Only once, when she clasped her arm
+around the awed and silent Alice, laying the other affectionately upon
+the shoulder of her brave son, did she speak--"Murmur not at the will of
+Heaven."
+
+The Seneca was surprised at the action, or, rather, want of action, on
+the part of the captives. Receiving no response to his salutation, he
+stood a moment in silence, and then emitted a tremulous whoop. It was
+a signal for Red Wolf and the other Seneca. They understood it, and
+hurried to the spot, with Linna close behind them.
+
+It would have been expected that she would indulge in some outburst when
+she saw how ill everything had gone; but, with one grieved look, she
+went up to the sorrowing, weeping mother and buried her head between her
+knees.
+
+And then she did what no one of that party had ever before seen her
+do--she sobbed with a breaking heart. The mother soothed her as best she
+could, uttering words which she heard not.
+
+Ben Ripley when the blow came, stood erect, and folded his arms. His
+face was pale, but his lips were mute. Not even by look did he ask for
+mercy from their captors.
+
+In the midst of the impressive tableau, Linna suddenly raised her head
+from the lap of the mother, her action and attitude showing she had
+caught some sound which she recognized.
+
+But everyone else in the party also noted it. It was a shrill,
+penetrating whistle, ringing among the forest arches--a call which she
+had heard many a time, and she could never mistake its meaning.
+
+Her eyes sparkled through her tears, which wet her cheeks; but she
+forgot everything but that signal.
+
+"Dat Omas!--dat Omas--dat fader!" she exclaimed, springing to her feet,
+trembling and aglow with excitement.
+
+There was one among the three who, had his painted complexion permitted,
+would have turned ashy pale. Red Wolf was afraid that when the fearful
+Delaware warrior thundered down on them, he would not give his brother
+time to explain matters before sinking his tomahawk into his brain.
+Manifestly, therefore, but one course was open for him, and he took it
+without a second's delay.
+
+He fled for his life.
+
+The Senecas, however, stood their ground. The signal of Omas sounded
+again, and Linna answered it. Her father was near at hand, and quickly
+came to view.
+
+But, lo! he had a companion. It was To-wika, his faithful wife.
+
+The reunion of the Delaware family was an extraordinary one. Had no
+others been present, Linna would have bounded into the arms of her
+mother, been pressed impulsively to her breast, and then received the
+same fervent welcome from her father.
+
+But never could anything like that take place before witnesses.
+
+When the child saw her parents she walked gravely up to them, having
+first done her utmost to remove the traces of tears, and took her place
+by their side. The mother said something in her native tongue, but it
+could not have been of much account, for the child gave no reply.
+
+Omas did not speak. One quick glance was bestowed upon his child, and
+then he addressed himself to the work before him.
+
+Omas was as cunning as a serpent. He would not have hesitated to assail
+these two Senecas, for, truth to tell, he could never feel much love for
+the conquerors of his people. He did not fear them; but he saw the way
+to win his point without such tempestuous violence.
+
+His words, therefore, were calculated to soothe rather than irritate. He
+asked them to explain how it was they were in charge of his friends, and
+listened attentively while one of them answered his inquiry.
+
+Then, as is natural with his race, he recounted in somewhat extravagant
+language his own deeds of the last few days. There is reason to believe
+he gave himself credit for a number of exploits against the palefaces of
+which he was innocent.
+
+Then he said the only ones he loved among the palefaces were the three
+there present--he had entrusted his only child to them, and they had
+saved her from the anger of their people. He had slept under their roof,
+and eaten of their bread. They were his best friends; and they his brave
+Seneca brothers, when they knew of this, would be glad. He had set out
+to conduct them to the settlements, and his brothers would wish all a
+safe arrival there.
+
+This speech, delivered with far more address than I am able to give it,
+worked as a charm. Not the slightest reference was made to the cowardly
+Red Wolf, though Omas knew all about him.
+
+The Senecas were won by the words of the wily Delaware. They indulged
+in the fiction of saying that they had no thought of how matters stood
+between him and these palefaces, and their hearts were glad to hear the
+words fall from his lips. They would not harm his friends, and hoped
+they would reach in safety the settlement for which they were looking.
+
+Not only that, but they offered to go with them all the way.
+
+This was too kind, and the offer was gratefully declined. Then the
+Senecas withdrew, first returning Ben's rifle to him. Whether they
+ever succeeded in overtaking Red Wolf cannot be known, and it is of no
+moment.
+
+The peril had burst over the heads of the little party like a
+thundercloud; and now it had cleared, and all was sunshine again.
+
+It was some minutes before the Ripleys could fully understand the great
+good fortune that had come to them. Then their hearts overflowed with
+thankfulness.
+
+With her arms clasping her children Mrs. Ripley looked devoutly upward,
+and murmured:
+
+"I thank Thee, Heavenly Father, for Thy great mercy to me and mine.
+Bless Omas and To-wika and Linna, and hold them for ever in Thy precious
+keeping."
+
+The events which had taken place were strange; but Mrs. Ripley
+maintained, to the end of her life, that those which followed were
+tenfold more remarkable.
+
+You will remember that when Omas, after conducting the little company
+some distance from Wyoming, showed a wish to leave them, the good woman
+had no doubt what his purpose was: he wanted to take part in further
+cruelties against the hapless settlers.
+
+Omas had fought hard in the battle of July 3rd, 1778, and his friendship
+for the Ripleys drew him away before the dreadful doings were half
+completed. He yearned to go back and give rein to his ferocity. Mrs.
+Ripley tried to restrain him, but in vain.
+
+Such were her views; but she was in error. She did not read the heart of
+the terrible warrior aright.
+
+For weeks Omas had been sorely troubled in mind. He had visited the
+Christian brethren of his own tribe at the Moravian settlement of
+Gnadenhutten. He had listened to the talk of the missionaries, and heard
+of One who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; who, when He was
+smitten and spat upon, bore it meekly; and who finally died on the
+cross, that the red men as well as the white children might be saved.
+
+All this was a great mystery to the Delaware. He could not grasp the
+simple but sublime truths which lie at the foundation of Christianity.
+But he longed to do so. At midnight he lay trying to sleep in the silent
+woods, looking up at the stars and meditating on the wonderful Being who
+had done all this. In the simplicity of his nature, he talked to that
+awful and dimly comprehended Father of all races and peoples, and asked
+Him to tell Omas what he should say, and do, and think.
+
+Unknown to him, To-wika his wife had listened to the teachings of the
+missionaries, and she had traversed further along the path of light than
+he.
+
+When, therefore, he told her of his longings, his questionings, his
+distress, his wretchedness, and his groping in the dark, she was able to
+say a great deal that helped to clear away the fogs and mists from his
+clouded brain.
+
+But Omas was in the very depth of darkness, and almost despair, when the
+fearful episode of Wyoming came. It was in desperation he went into
+that conflict, as a man will sometimes do to escape, as it were, from
+himself.
+
+He fought like a demon, but he could not hush the still small voice
+within his breast. He felt that he must have relief, or he would do that
+which a wild Indian never does--make away with himself.
+
+It was on his tongue more than once, while threading his way through
+the wilderness with his friends, to appeal to Mrs. Ripley; but with a
+natural shrinking he held back, fearing that with his broken words he
+could not make her understand his misery.
+
+The only recourse was to go to To-wika, his wife. He had asked her to
+talk further with the missionaries, and then to repeat their words to
+him.
+
+So it was that when he stole from the camp fire like a thief in the
+night, it was not to return and take part in the scenes of violence
+in which he had already been so prominent an actor, but to do the very
+opposite.
+
+It was a long tramp through the forest to his own wigwam, and his people
+were aflame with excitement because of Wyoming; but the warrior hardly
+paused night and day until he flung himself at the feet of To-wika and
+begged that he might die.
+
+From this remarkable woman Linna had inherited more mental strength than
+from her iron hearted father. To-wika talked soothingly to him, and for
+the first time in his blind groping he caught a glimmer of light. The
+blessed Word which had brought comfort and happiness to her is for all
+people and conditions, no matter how rude, how ignorant, and how fallen.
+
+But To-wika felt the need of human help. She had never met Mrs. Ripley,
+but her husband had told of his welcome beneath that roof, and of what
+she said to him about the Saviour and God, who was so different from the
+Great Spirit of the red men. She knew this woman was a Christian, and
+she asked her husband to lead her to her.
+
+He set out with her to overtake the little party who, with never
+a thought of what was going on, were struggling through the gloomy
+wilderness, beset by perils on every hand.
+
+Since they were following no beaten path, except for a little way,
+the most perfect woodcraft was necessary to find them. Omas knew the
+direction they had taken, and calculated the time needed to reach the
+Delaware. It was easy, too, to locate the camp where he had parted from
+them, after which his wonderful skill enabled him to keep the trail,
+along which he and his wife strode with double the speed of the
+fugitives.
+
+When he discovered that three warriors were doing the same, all the old
+fire and wrath flamed up in his nature. The couple increased the ardor
+of their pursuit. And yet, but for the favoring aid of Heaven, they
+hardly could have come up at the crisis which brought them all together.
+
+Under the blest instruction of Mrs. Ripley, the doubts of Omas finally
+vanished, never to return. The once mighty warrior, foremost in battle
+and ferocity and courage, became the meek, humble follower of the
+Saviour--triumphant in life, and doubly triumphant in death.
+
+On the third day after the meeting in the woods, the party arrived
+at the little town of Stroudsburg, on the Upper Delaware, none having
+suffered the least harm. The skill of Omas kept them supplied with food,
+and his familiarity with the route did much to lessen the hardships
+which otherwise they would have suffered.
+
+Omas stayed several weeks at this place with his friends, and then
+he and his wife and little one joined the Christian settlement of
+Gnadenhutten, where the couple finished their days.
+
+After a time, when it became safe for the Ripleys to return to Wyoming
+Valley, they took up their residence there once more, and remained until
+the husband and father came back at the close of the Revolution; and the
+happy family were reunited, thankful that God had been so merciful to
+them and brought independence to their beloved country.
+
+Omas and To-wika and Linna were welcome visitors as long as the lived.
+In truth, Linna survived them all. She married a chieftain among her
+own people, and when she at last was gathered to her final rest, she had
+almost reached the great age of a hundred years.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Daughter of the Chieftain, by Edward S. Ellis
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