the scouts of the valley- 第14部分

He　sank　back　on　the　bark；　and　started　to　close　his　eyes　again。　　It　was　then　that　he　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　his　hands　were　unbound。　　He　held　them　up　before　his　face；　as　if　they　were　strange　objects　wholly　unattached　to　himself；　and　gazed　at　them　in　amazement。　　He　moved　his　legs　and　saw　that　they；　too；　were　unbound。　　Then　he　turned　his　startled　gaze　upward　at　the　face　of　the　tall　warrior　who　was　looking　down　at　him。　　Shif'less　Sol　was　wholly　awake　now。　　Every　faculty　in　him　was　alive；　and　he　pierced　through　the　Shawnee　disguise。　　He　knew　who　it　was。　　He　knew　who　had　come　to　save　him；　and　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　exclaiming　the　one　word：

〃Henry！〃

The　hands　of　the　comrades　met　in　the　clasp　of　friendship　which　only　many　dangers　endured　together　can　give。

〃How　did　you　get　here？〃　asked　the　shiftless　one　in　a　whisper。

〃I　met　an　Indian　in　the　forest；〃　replied　Henry；　〃and　well　I　am　now　he。〃

Shif'less　Sol　laughed　under　his　breath。

〃I　see；〃　said　he；　〃but　how　did　you　get　through　the　camp？　　It's　a　big　one；　and　the　Iroquois　are　watchful。　　Timmendiquas　is　here；　too；　with　his　Wyandots。〃

〃They　are　having　a　great　feast；〃　replied　Henry；　〃and　I　could　go　about　almost　unnoticed。　　Where　are　the　others；　Sol？〃

〃In　the　cabins　close　by。〃

〃Then　we'll　get　out　of　this　place。　　Quick！　　Tie　up　your　hair！　　In　the　darkness　you　can　easily　pass　for　an　Indian。〃

The　shiftless　one　drew　his　hair　into　a　scalp　lock；　and　the　two　slipped　from　the　cabin；　closing　the　door　behind　them　and　deftly　retying　the　thongs；　in　order　that　the　discovery　of　the　escape　might　occur　as　late　as　possible。　　Then　they　stood　a　few　moments　in　the　shadow　of　the　hut　and　listened　to　the　sounds　of　revelry；　the　monotone　of　the　story…tellers；　and　the　chant　of　the　singers。

〃You　don't　know　which　huts　they　are　in；　do　you？〃　asked　Henry；　anxiously。

〃No；　I　don't；〃　replied　tile　shiftless　one。

〃Get　back！〃　exclaimed　Henry　softly。　　〃Don't　you　see　who's　passing　out　there？〃

〃Braxton　Wyatt；〃　said　Sol。　〃I'd　like　to　get　my　hands　on　that　scoundrel。　　I've　had　to　stand　a　lot　from　him。〃

〃The　score　must　wait。　　But　first　we'll　provide　you　with　weapons。　　See；　the　Iroquois　have　stacked　some　of　their　rifles　here　while　they're　at　the　feast。〃

A　dozen　good　rifles　had　been　left　leaning　against　a　hut　near　by；　and　Henry；　still　watching　lest　he　be　observed；　chose　the　best；　with　its　ammunition；　for　his　comrade；　who；　owing　to　his　semi…civilized　attire；　still　remained　in　the　shadow　of　the　other　hut。

〃Why　not　take　four？〃　whispered　the　shiftless　one。　　〃We'll　need　them　for　the　other　boys。〃

Henry　took　four；　giving　two　to　his　comrade；　and　then　they　hastily　slipped　back　to　the　other　side　of　the　hut。　　A　Wyandot　and　a　Mohawk　were　passing；　and　they　had　eyes　of　hawks。　　Henry　and　Sol　waited　until　the　formidable　pair　were　gone；　and　then　began　to　examine　the　huts；　trying　to　surmise　in　which　their　comrades　lay。

〃I　haven't　seen　'em　a…tall；　a…tall；〃　said　Sol；　〃but　I　reckon　from　the　talk　that　they　are　here。　　I　was　s'prised　in　the　woods；　Henry。　　A　half　dozen　reds　jumped　on　me　so　quick　I　didn't　have　time　to　draw　a　weepin。　　Timmendiquas　was　at　the　head　uv　'em　an'　he　just　grinned。　　Well；　he　is　a　great　chief；　if　he　did　truss　me　up　like　a　fowl。　　I　reckon　the　same　thing　happened　to　the　others。〃

〃Come　closer；　Sol！　　Come　closer！〃　whispered　Henry。　　More　warriors　are　walking　this　way。　　The　feast　is　breaking　up；　and　they'll　spread　all　through　the　camp。〃

A　terrible　problem　was　presented　to　the　two。　　They　could　no　longer　search　among　the　strong　huts；　for　their　comrades。　　　The　opportunity　to　save　had　lasted　long　enough　for　one　only。　　But　border　training　is　stern；　and　these　two　had　uncommon　courage　and　decision。

〃We　must　go　now；　Sol；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　we'll　come　back。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　shiftless　one；　〃we'll　come　back。〃

Darting　between　the　huts；　they　gained　the　southern　edge　of　the　forest　before　the　satiated　banqueters　could　suspect　the　presence　of　an　enemy。　　Here　they　felt　themselves　safe；　but　they　did　not　pause。　　Henry　led　the　way；　and　Shif'less　Sol　followed　at　a　fair　degree　of　speed。

〃You'll　have　to　be　patient　with　me　for　a　little　while；　Henry；〃　said　Sol　in　a　tone　of　humility。　　〃When　I　wuz　layin'　thar　in　the　lodge　with　my　hands　an'　feet　tied　I　wuz　about　eighty　years　old；　jest　ez　stiff　ez　could　be　from　the　long　tyin'。　　When　I　reached　the　edge　o'　the　woods　the　blood　wuz　flowin'　lively　enough　to　make　me　'bout　sixty。　　Now　I　reckon　I'm　fifty；　an'　ef　things　go　well　I'll　be　back　to　my　own　nateral　age　in　two　or　three　hours。〃

〃You　shall　have　rest　before　morning；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　it　will　be　in　a　good　place；　too。　　I　can　promise　that。〃

Shif'less　Sol　looked　at　him　inquiringly；　but　he　did　not　say　anything。　　Like　the　rest　of　the　five；　Sol　had　acquired　the　most　implicit　confidence　in　their　bold　young　leader。　　He　had　every　reason　to　feel　good。　That　painful　soreness　was　disappearing　from　his　ankles。　　As　they　advanced　through　the　woods；　weeks　dropped　from　him　one　by　one。　　Then　the　months　began　to　roll　away；　and　at　last　time　fell　year　by　year。　　As　they　approached　the　deeps　of　the　forest　where　the　swamp　lay；　Solomon　Hyde；　the　so　called　shiftless　one；　and　wholly　undeserving　of　the　name；　was　young　again。

〃I've　got　a　fine　little　home　for　us；　Sol；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Best　we've　had　since　that　time　we　spent　a　winter　on　the　island　in　the　lake。　　This　is　littler；　but　it's　harder　to　find。　　It'll　be　a　fine　thing　to　know　you're　sleeping　safe　and　sound　with　five　hundred　Iroquois　warriors　only　a　few　miles　away。〃

〃Then　it'll　suit　me　mighty　well；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　grinning　broadly。　　〃That's　jest　the　place　fur　a　lazy　man　like　your　humble　servant；　which　is　me。〃

They　reached　the　stepping　stones；　and　Henry　paused　a　moment。

〃Do　you　feel　steady　enough；　Sol；　to　jump　from　stone　to　stone？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　feelin'　so　good　I　could　fly　ef　I　had　to；〃　he　replied。　　〃Jest　you　jump　on；　Henry；　an'　fur　every　jump　you　take　you'll　find　me　only　one　jump　behind　you！〃　

Henry；　without　further　ado；　sprang　from　one　stone　to　another；　and　behind　him；　stone　for　stone；　came　the　shiftless　one。　　It　was　now　past　midnight；　and　the　moon　was　obscured。　　The　keenest　eyes　twenty　yards　away　could　not　have　seen　the　two　dusky　figures　as　they　went　by　leaps　into　the　very　heart　of　the　great；　black　swamp。　　They　reached　the　solid　ground；　and　then　the　hut。

〃Here；　Sol；〃　said　Henry；　〃is　my　house；　and　yours；　also；　and　soon；　I　hope；　to　be　that　of　Paul；　Tom；　and　Jim；　too。〃

〃Henry；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　〃　I'm　shorely　glad　to　come。〃

They　went　inside；　stacked　their　captured　rifles　against　the　wall；　and　soon　were　sound　asleep。

Meanwhile　sleep　was　laying　hold　of　the　Iroquois　village；　also。　　They　had　eaten　mightily　and　they　had　drunk　mightily。　　Many　times　had　they　told　the　glories　of　Hode…no…sau…nee；　the　Great　League；　and　many　times　had　they　gladly　acknowledged　the　valor　and　worth　of　Timmendiquas　and　the　brave　little　Wyandot　nation。　　Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea　had　sat　side　by　side　throughout　the　feast；　but　often　other　great　chiefs　were　with　them…Skanawati；　Atotarho；　and　Hahiron；　the　Onondagas；　Satekariwate；　the　Mohawk；　Kanokarih　and　Kanyadoriyo；　the　Senecas；　and　many　others。

Toward　midnight　the　women　and　the　children　left　for　the　lodges；　and　soon　the　warriors　began　to　go　also；　or　fell　asleep　on　tile　ground；　wrapped　in　their　blankets。　　The　fires　were　allowed　to　sink　low；　and　at　last　the　older　chiefs　withdrew；　leaving　only　Timmendiquas　and　Thayendanegea。

〃You　have　seen　the　power　and　spirit　of　the　Iroquois；〃　said　Thayendanegea。　　〃We　can　bring　many　more　warriors　than　are　here　into　the　field；　and　we　will　strike　the　white　settlements　with　you。〃

〃The　Wyandots　are　not　so　many　as　the　warriors　of　the　Great　League；〃　said　Timmendiquas　proudly；　〃but　no　one　has　ever　been　before　them　in　battle。〃

〃You　speak　truth；　as　I　have　often　heard　it；〃　said　Thayendanegea　thoughtfully。　　Then　be　showed　Timmendiquas　to　a　lodge　of　honor；　the　finest　in　the　village；　and　retired　to　his　own。

The　great　feast　was　over；　but　the　chiefs　had　come　to　a　momentous　decision。　　Still　chafing　over　their　defeat　at　Oriskany；　they　would　make　a　new　and　formidable　attack　upon　the　white　settlements；　and　Timmendiquas　and　his　fierce　Wyandots　would　help　them。　　All　of　them；　from　the　oldest　to　the　youngest；　rejoiced　in　the　decision；　and；　not　least；　the　famous　Thayendanegea。　　He　hated　the　Americans　most　because　they　were　upon　the　soil；　and　were　always　pressing　forward　against　the　Indian。　　The　Englishmen　were　far　away；　and　if　they　prevailed　in　the　great　war；　the　march　of　the　American　would　be　less　rapid。　　He　would　strike　once　more　with　the　Englishmen；　and　the　Iroquois　could　deliver　mighty　blows　on　the　American　rearguard。　　He　and　his　Mohawks；　proud　Keepers　of　the　Western　Gate；　would　lead　in　the　onset。　　Thayendanegea　considered　it　a　good　night's　work；　and　he　slept　peacefully。

The　great　camp　relapsed　into　silence。　　The　warriors　on　the　ground　breathed　perhaps　a　little　heavily　after　so　much　feasting；　and　the　fires　were　permitted　to　smolder　down　to　coals。　　Wolves　and　panthers　drawn　by　the　scent　of　food　crept　through　the　thickets　toward　the　faint　firelight；　but　they　were　afraid　to　draw　near。　　Morning　came；　and　food　and　drink　were　taken　to　the　lodges　in　which　four　prisoners　were　held；　prisoners　of　great　value；　taken　by　Timmendiquas　and　the　Wyandots；　and　held　at　his　urgent　insistence　as　hostages。

Three　were　found　as　they　had　been　left；　and　when　their　bonds　were　loosened　they　ate　and　drank；　but　the　fourth　hut　was　empty。　　The　one　who　spoke　in　a　slow；　drawling　way；　and　the　one　who　seemed　to　be　the　most　dangerous　of　them　all；　was　gone。　　Henry　and　Sol　had　taken　the　severed　thongs　with　them；　and　there　was　nothing　to　show　how　the　prisoner　had　disappeared；　except　that　the　withes　fastening　the　door　had　been　cut。

The　news　spread　through　the　village；　and　there　was　much　excitement。　　Thayendanegea　and　Timmendiquas　came　and　looked　at　the　empty　hut。　　Timmendiquas　may　have　suspected　how　Shif'less　Sol　had　gone；　but　he　said　nothing。　　Others　believed　that　it　was　the　work　of　Hahgweh…da…et…gah　（The　Spirit　of　Evil）；　or　perhaps　Ga…oh　（The　Spirit　of　the　Winds）　had　taken　him　away。

〃It　is　well　to　keep　a　good　watch　on　the　others；〃　said　Timmendiquas；　and　Thayendanegea　nodded。

That　day　the　chiefs　entered　the　Long　House　again；