the scouts of the valley- 第33部分

〃It　feels　a　lot　better　now；〃　said　Tom　Ross。　　〃So　do　I。〃

They　came　to　another　camp　fire；　at　which　the　ashes　were　not　yet　cold。　　Feathers　were　scattered　about；　indicating　that　the　Indians　had　taken　time　for　a　little　side　hunt；　and　had　shot　some　birds。

〃They　can't　be　more　than　two　or　three　hours　ahead；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　we'll　have　to　go　on　now　very　cautiously。〃

They　were　in　a　country　of　high　hills；　well　covered　with　forests；　a　region　suited　to　an　ambush；　which　they　feared　but　little　on　their　own　account；　but；　for　the　sake　of　extreme　caution；　they　now　advanced　slowly。　　The　afternoon　was　long　and　warm；　but　an　hour　before　sunset　they　looked　over　a　hill　into　a　glade；　and　saw　the　warriors　making　camp　for　the　night。

The　sight　they　beheld　made　the　pulses　of　the　five　throb　heavily。　　The　Indians　had　already　built　their　fire；　and　two　of　them　were　cooking　venison　upon　it。　　Others　were　lying　on　the　grass；　apparently　resting；　but　a　little　to　one　side　sat　a　woman；　still　young　and　of　large；　strong　figure；　though　now　apparently　in　the　last　stages　of　exhaustion；　with　her　feet　showing　through　the　fragments　of　shoes　that　she　wore。　　Her　head　was　bare；　and　her　dress　was　in　strips。　　Four　children　lay　beside　her'　the　youngest　two　with　their　heads　in　her　lap。　　The　other　two；　who　might　be　eleven　and　thirteen　each；　had　pillowed　their　heads　on　their　arms；　and　lay　in　the　dull　apathy　that　comes　from　the　finish　of　both　strength　and　hope。　　The　woman's　face　was　pitiful。　　She　had　more　to　fear　than　the　children；　and　she　knew　it。　　She　was　so　worn　that　the　skin　hung　loosely　on　her　face；　and　her　eyes　showed　despair　only。　　The　sad　spectacle　was　almost　more　than　Paul　could　stand。

〃I　don't　like　to　shoot　from　ambush；〃　he　said；　〃but　we　could　cut　down　half　of　those　warriors　at　our　firs　fire　and　rush　in　on　the　rest。〃

〃And　those　we　didn't　cut　down　at　our　first　volley　would　tomahawk　the　woman　and　children　in　an　instant；〃　replied　Henry。　　〃　We　agreed；　you　know；　that　it　would　be　sure　to　happen。　　We　can't　do　anything　until　night　comes；　and　then　we've　got　to　be　mighty　cautious。〃

Paul　could　not　dispute　the　truth　of　his　words；　and　they　withdrew　carefully　to　the　crest　of　a　hill；　where　they　lay　in　the　undergrowth；　watching　the　Indians　complete　their　fire　and　their　preparations　for　the　night。　　It　was　evident　to　Henry　that　they　considered　themselves　perfectly　safe。　　Certainly　they　had　every　reason　for　thinking　so。　　It　was　not　likely　that　white　enemies　were　within　a　hundred　miles　of　them；　and；　if　so；　it　could　only　be　a　wandering　hunter　or　two；　who　would　flee　from　this　fierce　band　of　Senecas　who　bad　taken　revenge　for　the　great　losses　that　they'　had　suffered　the　year　before　at　the　Oriskany。

They　kept　very　little　watch　and　built　only　a　small　fire；　just　enough　for　broiling　deer　meat　which　they　carried。　　They　drank　at　a　little　spring　which　ran　from　under　a　ledge　near　them；　and　gave　portions　of　the　meat　to　the　woman　and　children。　　After　the　woman　had　eaten；　they　bound　her　hands；　and　she　lay　back　on　the　grass；　about　twenty　feet　from　the　camp　fire。　　Two　children　lay　on　either　side　of　her；　and　they　were　soon　sound　asleep。　　The　warriors；　as　Indians　will　do　when　they　are　free　from　danger　and　care；　talked　a　good　deal；　and　showed　all　the　signs　of　having　what　was　to　them　a　luxurious　time。　　They　ate　plentifully；　lolled　on　the　grass；　and　looked　at　some　hideous　trophies；　the　scalps　that　they　carried　at　their　belts。　　The　woman　could　not　keep　from　seeing　these；　too；　but　her　face　did　not　change　from　its　stony　aspect　of　despair。　　Then　the　light　of　the　fire　went　out；　the　sun　sank　behind　the　mountains；　and　the　five　could　no　longer　see　the　little　group　of　captives　and　captors。

They　still　waited；　although　eagerness　and　impatience　were　tugging　at　the　hearts　of　every　one　of　them。　　But　they　must　give　the　Indians　time　to　fall　asleep　if　they　would　secure　rescue；　and　not　merely　revenge。　　They　remained　in　the　bushes；　saying　but　little　and　eating　of　venison　that　they　carried　in　their　knapsacks。

They　let　a　full　three　hours　pass；　and　the　night　remained　dark；　but　with　a　faint　moon　showing。　　Then　they　descended　slowly　into　the　valley；　approaching　by　cautious　degrees　the　spot　where　they　knew　the　Indian　camp　lay。　　This　work　required　at　least　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　and　they　reached　a　point　where　they　could　see　the　embers　of　the　fire　and　the　dark　figures　lying　about　it。　　The　Indians；　their　suspicions　lulled；　had　put　out　no　sentinels；　and　all　were　asleep。　　But　the　five　knew　that；　at　the　first　shot；　they　would　be　as　wide　awake　as　if　they　had　never　slept；　and　as　formidable　as　tigers。　　Their　problem　seemed　as　great　as　ever。　　So　they　lay　in　the　bushes　and　held　a　whispered　conference。

〃It's　this；〃　said　Henry。　　〃　We　want　to　save　the　woman　and　the　children　from　the　tomahawks；　and　to　do　so　we　must　get　them　out　of　range　of　the　blade　before　the　battle　begins。〃　　　　〃How？〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃I've　got　to　slip　up；　release　the　woman；　arm　her；　tell　her　to　run　for　the　woods　with　the　children；　and　then　you　four　must　do　the　most　of　the　rest。〃

〃Do　you　think　you　can　do　it；　Henry　？〃　asked　Shif'less　Sol。

I　can；　as　I　will　soon　show　you。　　I'm　going　to　steal　forward　to　the　woman；　but　the　moment　you　four　hear　an　alarm　open　with　your　rifles　and　pistols。　　You　can　come　a　little　nearer　without　being　heard。〃

All　of　them　moved　up　close　to　the　Indian　camp；　and　lay　hidden　in　the　last　fringe　of　bushes　except　Henry。　　He　lay　almost　flat　upon　the　ground；　carrying　his　rifle　parallel　with　his　side；　and　in　his　right　hand。　　He　was　undertaking　one　of　the　severest　and　most　dangerous　tests　known　to　a　frontiersman。　　He　meant　to　crawl　into　the　very　midst　of　a　camp　of　the　Iroquois；　composed　of　the　most　alert　woodsmen　in　the　world；　men　who　would　spring　up　at　the　slightest　crackle　in　the　brush。　　Woodmen　who；　warned　by　some　sixth　sense；　would　awaken　at　the　mere　fact　of　a　strange　presence。

The　four　who　remained　behind　in　the　bushes　could　not　keep　their　hearts　from　beating　louder　and　faster。　　They　knew　the　tremendous　risk　undertaken　by　their　comrade；　but　there　was　not　one　of　them　who　would　have　shirked　it；　had　not　all　yielded　it　to　the　one　whom　they　knew　to　be　the　best　fitted　for　the　task。

Henry　crept　forward　silently；　bringing　to　his　aid　all　the　years　of　skill　that　he　had　acquired　in　his　life　in　the　wilds。　　His　body　was　like　that　of　a　serpent；　going　forward；　coil　by　coil。　　He　was　near　enough　now　to　see　the　embers　of　the　fire　not　yet　quite　dead；　the　dark　figures　scattered　about　it；　sleeping　upon　the　grass　with　the　long　ease　of　custom；　and　then　the　outline　of　the　woman　apart　from　the　others　with　the　children　about　her。　　Henry　now　lay　entirely　flat；　and　his　motions　were　genuinely　those　of　a　serpent。　　It　was　by　a　sort　of　contraction　and　relaxation　of　the　body　that　he　moved　himself；　and　his　progress　was　absolutely　soundless。

The　object　of　his　advance　was　the　woman。　　He　saw　by　the　faint　light　of　the　moon　that　she　was　not　yet　asleep。　　Her　face；　worn　and　weather　beaten；　was　upturned　to　the　skies；　and　the　stony　look　of　despair　seemed　to　have　settled　there　forever。　　She　lay　upon　some　pine　boughs；　and　her　hands　were　tied　behind　her　for　the　night　with　deerskin。

Henry　contorted　himself　on；　inch　by　inch；　for　all　the　world　like　a　great　snake。　　Now　he　passed　the　sleeping　Senecas；　hideous　with　war　paint；　and　came　closer　to　the　woman。　　She　was　not　paying　attention　to　anything　about　her；　but　was　merely　looking　up　at　the　pale；　cold　stars；　as　if　everything　in　the　world　had　ceased　for　her。

Henry　crept　a　little　nearer。　　He　made　a　slight　noise；　as　of　a　lizard　running　through　the　grass；　but　the　woman　took　no　notice。　　He　crept　closer；　and。　there　he　lay　flat　upon　the　grass　within　six　feet　of　her；　his　figure　merely　a　slightly　darker　blur　against　the　dark　blur　of　the　earth。　　Then；　trusting　to　the　woman's　courage　and　strength　of　mind；　he　emitted　a　hiss　very　soft　and　low；　like　the　warning　of　a　serpent；　half　in　fear　and　half　in　anger。

The　woman　moved　a　little；　and　looked　toward　the　point　from　which　the　sound　had　come。　　It　might　have　been　the　formidable　hiss　of　a　coiling　rattlesnake　that　she　heard；　but　she　felt　no　fear。　　She　was　too　much　stunned；　too　near　exhaustion　to　be　alarmed　by　anything；　and　she　did　not　look　a　second　time。　　She　merely　settled　back　on　the　pine　boughs；　and　again　looked　dully　up　at　the　pale；　cold　stars　that　cared　so　little　for　her　or　hers。

Henry　crept　another　yard　nearer；　and　then　he　uttered　that　low　noise；　sibilant　and　warning；　which　the　woman；　the　product　of　the　border；　knew　to　be　made　by　a　human　being。　　She　raised　herself　a　little；　although　it　was　difficult　with　her　bound　hands　to　sit　upright；　and　saw　a　dark　shadow　approaching　her。　　That　dark　shadow　she　knew　to　he　the　figure　of　a　man。　　An　Indian　would　not　be　approaching　in　such　a　manner；　and　she　looked　again；　startled　into　a　sudden　acute　attention；　and　into　a　belief　that　the　incredible；　the　impossible；　was　about　to　happen。　　A　voice　came　from　the　figure；　and　its　quality　was　that　of　the　white　voice；　not　the　red。

〃Do　not　move；〃　said　that　incredible　voice　out　of　the　unknown。　　〃I　have　come　for　your　rescue；　and　others　who　have　come　for　the　same　purpose　are　near。　　Turn　on　one　side；　and　I　will　cut　the　bonds　that　hold　your　arms。〃

The　voice；　the　white　voice；　was　like　the　touch　of　fire　to　Mary　Newton。　　A　sudden　fierce　desire　for　life　and　for　the　lives　of　her　four　children　awoke　within　her　just　when　hope　had　gone　the　call　to　life　came。　　She　had　never　heard　before　a　voice　so　full　of　cheer　and　encouragement。　　It　penetrated　her　whole　being。　　Exhaustion　and　despair　fled　away。　　　　　　　　

〃Turn　a　little　on　your　side；〃　said　the　voice。

She　turned　obediently；　and　then　felt　the　sharp　edge　of　cold　steel　as　it　swept　between　her　wrists　and　cut　the　thongs　that　held　them　together。　　Her　arms　fell　apart；　and　strength　permeated　every　vein　of　her　being。

〃We　shall　attack　in　a　few　moments；〃　said　the　voice；　〃but　at　the　first　shots　the　Senecas　will　try　to　tomahawk　you　and　your　children。　　Hold　out　your　hands。〃

She　held　out　both　hands　obediently。　　The　handle　of　a　tomahawk　was　pressed　into　one；　and　the　muzzle　of　a　double…barreled　pistol　into　the　other。　　Strength　flowed　down　each　hand　into　her　body。

〃If　the　time　comes；　use　them；　you　are　strong；　and　you　know　how；〃　said　the　voice。　　Then　she　saw　the　dark　figure　c