the scouts of the valley- 第26部分

They　were　in　full　accord；　and　after　an　hour　in　the　bushes；　where　they　lay　completely　hidden；　recovering　their　vitality　and　energy；　they　undertook　to　reach　the　fort　and　cabins　inclosed　by　the　palisades。　　Paul　was　still　weak　from　shock；　but　Shif'less　Sol　had　fully　recovered。　　Neither　bad　weapons；　but　they　were　sure　that　the　want　could　be　supplied　soon。　　They　curved　around　toward　the　west；　intending　to　approach　the　fort　from　the　other　side；　but　they　did　not　wholly　lose　sight　of　the　fires；　and　they　heard　now　and　then　the　triumphant　war　whoop。　　The　victors　were　still　engaged　in　the　pleasant　task　of　burning　the　prisoners　to　death。　　Little　did　the　five；　seeing　and　feeling　only　their　part　of　it　there　in　the　dark　woods；　dream　that　the　deeds　of　this　day　and　night　would　soon　shock　the　whole　civilized　world；　and　remain；　for　generations；　a　crowning　act　of　infamy。　　But　they　certainly　felt　it　deeply　enough；　and　in　each　heart　burned　a　fierce　desire　for　revenge　upon　the　Iroquois。

It　was　almost　midnight　when　they　secured　entrance　into　the　fort；　which　was　filled　with　grief　and　wailing。　　That　afternoon　more　than　one　hundred　and　fifty　women　within　those　walls　had　been　made　widows；　and　six　hundred　children　had　been　made　orphans。　　But　few　men　fit　to　bear　arms　were　left　for　its　defense；　and　it　was　certain　that　the　allied　British　and　Indian　army　would　easily　take　it　on　the　morrow。　　A　demand　for　its　surrender　in　the　name　of　King　George　III　of　England　had　already　been　made；　and；　sitting　at　a　little　rough　table　in　the　cabin　of　Thomas　Bennett；　the　room　lighted　only　by　a　single　tallow　wick；　Colonel　Butler　and　Colonel　Dennison　were　writing　an　agreement　that　the　fort　be　surrendered　the　next　day；　with　what　it　should　contain。　　But　Colonel　Butler　put　his　wife　on　a　horse　and　escaped　with　her　over　the　mountains。

Stragglers；　evading　the　tomahawk　in　the　darkness；　were　coming　in；　only　to　be　surrendered　the　next　day；　others　were　pouring　forth　in　a　stream；　seeking　the　shelter　of　the　mountains　and　the　forest；　preferring　any　dangers　that　might　be　found　there　to　the　mercies　of　the　victors。

When　Shif'less　Sol　learned　that　the　fort　was　to　be　given　up；　be　said：

〃It　looks　ez　ef　we　had　escaped　from　the　Iroquois　jest　in　time　to　beg　'em　to　take　us　back。〃

〃I　reckon　I　ain't　goin'　to　stay　'roun'　here　while　things　are　bein'　surrendered；〃　said　Long　Jim　Hart。

〃I'll　do　my　surrenderin'　to　Iroquois　when　they've　got　my　hands　an'　feet　tied；　an'　six　or　seven　uv　'em　are　settin'　on　my　back；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃We'll　leave　as　soon　as　we　can　get　arms　for　Sol　and　Paul；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Of　course　it　would　be　foolish　of　us　to　stay　here　and　be　captured　again。　　Besides；　we'll　be　needed　badly　enough　by　the　women　and　children　that　are　going。〃

Good　weapons　were　easily　obtained　in　the　fort。　　It　was　far　better　to　let　Sol　and　Paul　have　them　than　to　leave　them　for　the　Indians。　　They　were　able　to　select　two　fine　rifles　of　the　Kentucky　pattern；　long　and　slender　barreled；　a　tomahawk　and　knife　for　each；　and　also　excellent　double…barreled　pistols。　　The　other　three　now　had　double…barreled　pistols；　too。　　In　addition　they　resupplied　themselves　with　as　much　ammunition　as　scouts　and　hunters　could　conveniently　carry；　and　toward　morning　left　the　fort。

Sunrise　found　them　some　distance　from　the　palisades；　and　upon　the　flank　of　a　frightened　crowd　of　fugitives。　　It　was　composed　of　one　hundred　women　and　children　and　a　single　man；　James　Carpenter；　who　was　doing　his　best　to　guide　and　protect　them。　　They　were　intending　to　flee　through　the　wilderness　to　the　Delaware　and　Lehigh　settlements；　chiefly　Fort　Penn；　built　by　Jacob　Stroud；　where　Stroudsburg　now　is。

When　the　five；　darkened　by　weather　and　looking　almost　like　Indians　themselves；　approached；　Carpenter　stepped　forward　and　raised　his　rifle。　　A　cry　of　dismay　rose　from　the　melancholy　line；　a　cry　so　intensely　bitter　that　it　cut　Henry　to　the　very　heart。　　He　threw　up　his　hand；　and　exclaimed　in　a　loud　voice：

〃We　are　friends；　not　Indians　or　Tories！　　We　fought　with　you　yesterday；　and　we　are　ready　to　fight　for　you　now！〃

Carpenter　dropped　the　muzzle　of　the　rifle。　　He　had　fought　in　the　battle；　too；　and　he　recognized　the　great　youth　and　his　comrades　who　had　been　there　with　him。

〃What　do　you　want　of　us？〃　asked　he。

〃Nothing；〃　replied　Henry；　〃except　to　help　you。〃

Carpenter　looked　at　them　with　a　kind　of　sad　pathos。

〃You　don't　belong　here　in　Wyoming；〃　he　said；　〃and　there's　nothing　to　make　you　stick　to　us。　　What　are　you　meaning　to　do？〃

〃We　will　go　with　you　wherever　you　intend　to　go；〃　replied　Henry；　〃do　fighting　for　you　if　you　need　it；　and　hunt　game　for　you；　which　you　are　certain　to　need。〃

The　weather…beaten　face　of　the　farmer　worked。

〃I　thought　God　had　clean　deserted　us；〃　he　said；　〃but　I'm　ready　to　take　it　back。　　I　reckon　that　he　has　sent　you　five　to　help　me　with　all　these　women　and　little　ones。〃

It　occurred　to　Henry　that　perhaps　God；　indeed；　had　sent　them　for　this　very　purpose；　but　he　replied　simply：

〃You　lead　on；　and　we'll　stay　in　the　rear　and　on　the　sides　to　watch　for　the　Indians。　　Draw　into　the　woods；　where　we'll　be　hidden。〃

Carpenter；　obscure　hero；　shouldered　his　rifle　again；　and　led　on　toward　the　woods。　　The　long　line　of　women　and　children　followed。　　Some　of　the　women　carried　in　their　arms　children　too　small　to　walk。　　Yet　they　were　more　hopeful　now　when　they　saw　that　the　five　were　friends。　　These　lithe；　active　frontiersmen；　so　quick；　so　skillful；　and　so　helpful；　raised　their　courage。　　Yet　it　was　a　most　doleful　flight。　　Most　of　these　women　had　been　made　widows　the　day　before；　some　of　them　had　been　made　widows　and　childless　at　the　same　time；　and　wondered　why　they　should　seek　to　live　longer。　　But　the　very　mental　stupor　of　many　of　them　was　an　aid。　　They　ceased　to　cry　out；　and　some　even　ceased　to　be　afraid。

Henry；　Shif'less　Sol；　and　Tom　dropped　to　the　rear。　　Paul　and　Long　Jim　were　on　either　flank；　while　Carpenter　led　slowly　on　toward　the　mountains。

〃'Pears　to　me；〃　said　Tom；　〃that　the　thing　fur　us　to　do　is　to　hurry　'em　up　ez　much　ez　possible。〃

〃So　the　Indians　won't　see　'em　crossing　the　plain；〃　said　Henry。　　〃We　couldn't　defend　them　against　a　large　force；　and　it　would　merely　be　a　massacre。　　We　must　persuade　them　to　walk　faster。〃

Shif'less　Sol　was　invaluable　in　this　crisis。　　He　could　talk　forever　in　his…placid　way；　and；　with　his　gentle　encouragement；　mild　sarcasm；　and　anecdotes　of　great　feminine　walkers　that　he　had　known；　he　soon　had　them　moving　faster。

Henry　and　Tom　dropped　farther　to　the　rear。　　They　could　see　ahead　of　them　the　long　dark　line；　coiling　farther　into　the　woods；　but　they　could　also　see　to　right　and　left　towers　of　smoke　rising　in　the　clear　morning　sunlight。　　These；　they　knew；　came　from　burning　houses；　and　they　knew；　also；　that　the　valley　would　be　ravaged　from　end　to　end　and　from　side　to　side。　　After　the　surrender　of　the　fort　the　Indians　would　divide　into　small　bands；　going　everywhere；　and　nothing　could　escape　them。

The　sun　rose　higher；　gilding　the　earth　with　glowing　light；　as　if　the　black　tragedy　had　never　happened；　but　the　frontiersmen　recognized　their　greatest　danger　in　this　brilliant　morning。　　Objects　could　be　seen　at　a　great　distance；　and　they　could　be　seen　vividly。

Keen　of　sight　and　trained　to　know　what　it　was　they　saw；　Henry；　Sol；　and　Tom　searched　the　country　with　their　eyes；　on　all　sides。　　They　caught　a　distant　glimpse　of　the　Susquehanna；　a　silver　spot　among　some　trees；　and　they　saw　the　sunlight　glancing　off　the　opposite　mountains；　but　for　the　present　they　saw　nothing　that　seemed　hostile。

They　allowed　the　distance　between　them　and　the　retreating　file　to　grow　until　it　was　five　or　six　hundred　yards；　and　they　might　have　let　it　grow　farther；　but　Henry　made　a　signal；　and　the　three　lay　down　in　the　grass。


〃You　see　'em；　don't　you！〃　the　youth　whispered　to　his　comrade。

〃Yes；　down　thar　at　the　foot　o'　that　hillock；〃　replied　Shif'less　Sol；　〃　two　o'　em；　an'　Senecas；　I　take　it。〃

〃They've　seen　that　crowd　of　women　and　children；〃　said　Henry。

It　was　obvious　that　the　flying　column　was　discovered。　　The　two　Indians　stepped　upon　the　hillock　and　gazed　under　their　hands。　　It　was　too　far　away　for　the　three　to　see　their　faces；　but　they　knew　the　joy　that　would　be　shown　there。　　The　two　could　return　with　a　few　warriors　and　massacre　them　all。

〃They　must　never　get　back　to　the　other　Indians　with　their　news；〃　whispered　Henry。　　〃I　hate　to　shoot　men　　from　ambush；　but　it's　got　to　be　done。　　Wait；　they're　coming　a　little　closer。〃

The　two　Senecas　advanced　about　thirty　yards；　and　stopped　again。

〃S'pose　you　fire　at　the　one　on　the　right；　Henry；〃　said　Tom；　〃　an'　me　an'　Sol　will　take　the　one　to　the　left。〃　〃　All　right；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Fire！〃

They　wasted　no　time；　but　pulled　trigger。　　The　one　at　whom　Henry　had　aimed　fell；　but　the　other；　uttering　a　cry；　made　off；　wounded；　but　evidently　with　plenty　of　strength　left。

〃We　mustn't　let　him　escape！　　We　mustn't　let　him　carry　a　warning！〃　cried　Henry。

But　Shif'less　Sol　and　Tom　Ross　were　already　in　pursuit；　covering　the　ground　with　long　strides；　and　reloading　as　they　ran。　　Under　ordinary　circumstances　no　one　of　the　three　would　have　fired　at　a　man　running　for　his　life；　but　here　the　necessity　was　vital。　　If　he　lived；　carrying　the　tale　that　he　had　to　tell；　a　hundred　innocent　ones　might　perish。　　Henry　followed　his　comrades；　reloading　his　own　rifle；　also；　but　he　stayed　behind。　　The　Indian　had　a　good　lead；　and　he　was　gaining；　as　the　others　were　compelled　to　check　speed　somewhat　as　they　put　the　powder　and　bullets　in　their　rifles。　　But　Henry　was　near　enough　to　Shif'less　Sol　and　Silent　Tom　to　hear　them　exchange　a　few　words。

〃How　far　away　is　that　savage？〃　asked　Shif'less　Sol。

〃Hundred　and　eighty　yards；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃Well；　you　take　him　in　the　head；　and　I'll　take　him　in　the　body。〃

Henry　saw　the　two　rifle　barrels　go　up　and　two　flashes　of　flame　leap　from　the　muzzles。　　The　Indian　fell　forward　and　lay　still。　　They　went　up　to　him；　and　found　that　he　was　shot　through　the　head　and　also　through　the　body。

〃We　may　miss　once；　but　we　don't　twice；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

The　human　mind　can　be　influenced　so　powerfully　by　events　that　the　three　felt　no　compunction　at　all　at　the　shooting　of　this　fleeing　Indian。　　It　was　but　a　trifle　compared　with　what　they　had　seen　the　day　and　night　before。

〃We'd