the scouts of the valley- 第36部分

〃I　agree　with　you；　Henry；〃　said　the　shiftless　one。　　They're　comin'　much　too　close　fur　people　that　ain't　properly　interduced　to　us。　　This　promiskus　way　o'　meetin'　up　with　strangers　an'　lettin'　'em　talk　to　you　jest　ez　ef　they'd　knowed　you　all　their　lives　hez　got　to　be　stopped。　　It's　your　time；　Henry；　to　give　'em　a　polite　hint；　an'　I　jest　suggest　that　you　take　the　big　fellow　in　the　front　o'　the　boat　who　looks　like　a　Mohawk。〃

Henry　raised　his　rifle；　fired；　and　the　Mohawk　would　row　no　more。　　Again　confusion　prevailed　in　the　pursuing　fleet；　and　there　was　a　decline　of　enthusiasm。　　Braxton　Wyatt　and　Walter　Butler　raged　and　swore；　but；　as　they　showed　no　great　zeal　for　the　lead　themselves；　the　Iroquois　did　not　gain　on　the　fugitive　boat。　　They；　too；　were　fast　learning　that　the　two　who　crouched　there　with　their　rifles　ready　were　among　the　deadliest　marksmen　in　existence。　　They　fired　a　dozen　shots；　perhaps；　but　their　rifles　did　not　have　the　long　range　of　the　Kentucky　weapons；　and　again　the　bullets　fell　short；　causing　little　jets　of　water　to　spring　up。

〃They　won't　come　any　nearer；　at　least　not　for　the　present；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　will　hang　back　just　out　of　rifle　range；　waiting　for　some　chance　to　help　them。〃

Shif'less　Sol　looked　the　other　way；　down　the　Susquehanna；　and　announced　that　he　could　see　no　danger。　　There　was　probably　no　Indian　fleet　farther　down　the　river　than　the　one　now　pursuing　them；　and　the　danger　was　behind　them；　not　before。

Throughout　the　firing；　Silent　Tom　Ross　and　Long　Jim　Hart　had　not　said　a　word；　but　they　rowed　with　a　steadiness　and　power　that　would　have　carried　oarsmen　of　our　day　to　many　a　victory。　　Moreover；　they　had　the　inducement　not　merely　of　a　prize；　but　of　life　itself；　to　row　and　to　row　hard。　　They　had　rolled　up　their　sleeves；　and　the　mighty　muscles　on　those　arms　of　woven　steel　rose　and　fell　as　they　sent　the　boat　swiftly　with　the　silver　current　of　the　Susquehanna。

Mary　Newton　still　lay　on　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　　The　children　had　cried　out　in　fright　once　or　twice　at　the　sound　of　the　firing；　but　she　and　Paul　bad　soothed　them　and　kept　them　down。　　Somehow　Mary　Newton　had　become　possessed　of　a　great　faith。　　She　noticed　the　skill；　speed；　and　success　with　which　the　five　always　worked；　and；　so　long　given　up　to　despair；　she　now　went　to　the　other　extreme。　　With　such　friends　as　these　coming　suddenly　out　of　the　void；　everything　must　succeed。　　She　had　no　doubt　of　it；　but　lay　peacefully　on　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　not　at　all　disturbed　by　the　sound　of　the　shots。

Paul　and　Sol　after　a　while　relieved　Long　Jim　and　Tom　at　the　oars。　　The　Iroquois　thought　it　a　chance　to　creep　up　again；　but　they　were　driven　back　by　a　third　bullet；　and　once　more　kept　their　distance。　　Shif'less　Sol；　while　he　pulled　as　powerfully　as　Tom　Ross；　whose　place　he　had　taken；　nevertheless　was　not　silent。

〃I'd　like　to　know　the　feelin's　o'　Braxton　Wyatt　an'　that　feller　Butler；〃　he　said。　　〃　Must　be　powerful　tantalizin'　to　them　to　see　us　here；　almost　where　they　could　stretch　out　their　hands　an'　put　'em　on　us。　　Like　reachn'　fur　ripe；　rich　fruit；　an'　failin'　to　git　it　by　half　a　finger's　length。〃

〃They　are　certainly　not　pleased；〃　said　Henry；〃　but　this　must　end　some　way　or　other；　you　know。〃

〃I　say　so；　too；　now　that　I'm　a…rowin'；〃　rejoined　the　shiftless　one；　〃but　when　my　turn　at　the　oars　is　finished　I　wouldn't　care。　　Ez　I've　said　more'n　once　before；　floatin'　down　a　river　with　somebody　else　pullin'　at　the　oars　is　the　life　jest　suited　to　me。〃

Henry　looked　up。　　〃A　summer　thunderstorm　is　coming；〃　he　said；　〃　and　from　the　look　of　things　it's　going　to　be　pretty　black。　　Then's　when　we　must　dodge　'em。〃

He　was　a　good　weather　prophet。　　In　a　half　hour　the　sky　began　to　darken　rapidly。　　There　was　a　great　deal　of　thunder　and　lightning；　but　when　the　rain　came　the　air　was　almost　as　dark　as　night。　　Mary　Newton　and　her　children　were　covered　as　much　as　possible　with　the　blankets；　and　then　they　swung　the　boat　rapidly　toward　the　eastern　shore。　　They　had　already　lost　sight　of　their　pursuers　in　the　darkness；　and　as　they　coasted　along　the　shore　they　found　a　large　creek　flowing　into　the　river　from　the　east。

They　ran　up　the　creek；　and　were　a　full　mile　from　its　mouth　when　the　rain　ceased。　　Then　the　sun　came　out　bright　and　warm；　quickly　drying　everything。

They　pulled　about　ten　miles　farther；　until　the　creek　grew　too　shallow　for　them；　when　they　hid　the　boat　among　bushes　and　took　to　the　land。　　Two　days　later　they　arrived　at　a　strong　fort　and　settlement；　where　Mary　Newton　and　her　four　children；　safe　and　well；　were　welcomed　by　relatives　who　had　mourned　them　as　dead。




CHAPTER　XV

〃THE　ALCOVE〃


They　arrived　at　the　fort　as　evening　was　coming　on；　and　as　soon　as　food　was　served　to　them　the　five　sought　sleep。　　The　frontiersmen　usually　slept　soundly　and　for　a　long　time　after　prodigious　exertions；　and　Henry　and　his　comrades　were　too　wise　to　make　an　exception。　　They　secured　a　single　room　inside　the　fort；　one　given　to　them　gladly；　because　Mary　Newton　had　already　spread　the　fame　of　their　exploits；　and；　laying　aside　their　hunting　shirts　and　leggins；　prepared　for　rest。

〃Jim；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　pointing　to　a　low　piece　of　furniture；　flat　and　broad；　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　〃that's　a　bed。　　Mebbe　you　don't　think　it；　but　people　lay　on　top　o'　that　an'　sleep　thar。〃

Long　Jim　grinned。

〃Mebbe　you're　right；　Sol；〃　he　said。　　〃I　hev　seen　sech　things　ez　that；　an'　mebbe　I've　slep'　on　'em；　but　in　all　them　gran'　old　tales　Paul　tells　us　about　I　never　heard　uv　no　big　heroes　sleepin'　in　beds。　　I　guess　the　ground　wuz　good　'nough　for　A…killus；　Hector；　Richard…Kur…de…Leong；　an'　all　the　rest　uv　that　fightin'　crowd；　an'　ez　I'm　that　sort　uv　a　man　myself　I'll　jest　roll　down　here　on　the　floor。　　Bein'　as　you're　tender；　Sol　Hyde；　an'　not　used　to　hard　life　in　the　woods；　you　kin　take　that　bed　yourself；　an'　in　the　mornin'　your　wally　will　be　here　with　hot　water　in　a　silver　mug　an'　a　razor　to　shave　you；　an'　he'll　dress　you　in　a　ruffled　red　silk　shirt　an'　a　blue　satin　waistcoat；　an'　green　satin　breeches　jest　comin'　to　the　knee；　where　they　meet　yellow　silk　stockin's　risin'　out　uv　purple　satin　slippers；　an'　then　he'll　clap　on　your　head　a　big　wig　uv　snow…white　hair；　fallin'　all　about　your　shoulders　an'　he'll　buckle　a　silver　sword　to　your　side；　an'　he'll　say：　〃Gentlemen；　him　that　hez　long　been　known　ez　Shif'less　Sol；　an'　desarvin'　the　name；　but　who　in　reality　is　the　King　o'　France；　is　now　before　you。　　Down　on　your　knees　an'　say　your　prayers！〃

Shif'less　Sol　stared　in　astonishment。

〃You　say　a　wally　will　do　all　that　fur　me；　Jim？　　Now；　what　under　the　sun　is　a　wally　？〃

〃I　heard　all　about　'em　from　Paul；〃　replied　Long　Jim　in　a　tone　of　intense　satisfaction。　　〃A　wally　is　a　man　what　does　fur　you　what　you　ought　to　do　fur　yourself。〃

〃Then　I　want　one；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol　emphatically。　　〃He'd　jest　suit　a　lazy　man　like　me。　　An'　ez　fur　your　makin'　me　the　King　o'　France；　mebbe　you're　more'n　half　right　about　that　without　knowin'　it。　　I　hev　all　the　instincts　uv　a　king。　　I　like　to　be　waited　on；　I　like　to　eat　when　I'm　hungry；　I　like　to　drink　when　I'm　thirsty；　I　like　to　rest　when　I'm　tired；　an'　I　like　to　sleep　when　I'm　sleepy。　　You've　heard　o'　children　changed　at　birth　by　fairies　an'　sech　like。　　Mebbe　I'm　the　real　King　o'　France；　after　all；　an'　my　instincts　are　handed　down　to　me　from　a　thousand　royal　ancestors。〃

〃Mebbe　it's　so；〃　rejoined　Long　Jim。　　〃I've　heard　that　thar　hev　been　a　pow'ful　lot　uv　foolish　kings。〃

With　that　he　put　his　two　blankets　upon　the　floor；　lay　down　upon　them；　and　was　sound　asleep　in　five　minutes。　　But　Shif'less　Sol　beat　him　to　slumberland　by　at　least　a　minute；　and　the　others　were　not　more　than　two　minutes　behind　Sol。

Henry　was　the　first　up　the　next　morning。　　A　strong　voice　shouted　in　his　ear：　〃Henry　Ware；　by　all　that's　glorious；〃　and　a　hand　pressed　his　fingers　together　in　an　iron　grasp。　　Henry　beheld　the　tall；　thin　figure　and　smiling　brown　face　of　Adam　Colfax；　with　whom　he　had　made　that　adventurous　journey　up　the　Mississippi　and　Ohio。

〃And　the　others？〃　was　the　first　question　of　Adam　Colfax。

〃They're　all　here　asleep　inside。　　We've　been　through　a　lot　of　things；　but　we're　as　sound　as　ever。〃

〃That's　always　a　safe　prediction　to　make；〃　said　Adam　Colfax；　smiling。　　〃I　never　saw　five　other　human　beings　with　such　a　capacity　for　getting　out　of　danger。〃

〃We　were　all　at　Wyoming；　and　we　all　still　live。〃

The　face　of　the　New　Englander　darkened。

〃Wyoming！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　cannot　hear　of　it　without　every　vein　growing　hot　within　me。〃

〃We　saw　things　done　there；〃　said　Henry　gravely；　the　telling　of　which　few　men　can　bear　to　hear。〃

〃I　know！　　I　know！〃　exclaimed　Adam　Colfax。　　〃The　news　of　it　has　spread　everywhere！〃

〃What　we　want；〃　said　Henry；　〃is　revenge。　　It　is　a　case　in　which　we　must　strike　back；　and　strike　hard。　　If　this　thing　goes　on；　not　a　white　life　will　be　safe　on　the　whole　border　from　the　St。　Lawrence　to　the　Mississippi。〃　

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Adam　Colfax；　〃and　we　would　send　an　army　now　against　the　Iroquois　and　their　allies；　but；　Henry；　my　lad；　our　fortunes　are　at　their　lowest　there　in　the　East；　where　the　big　armies　are　fighting。　　That　is　the　reason　why　nobody　has　been　sent　to　protect　our　rear　guard；　which　has　suffered　so　terribly。　　You　may　be　sure；　too；　that　the　Iroquois　will　strike　in　this　region　again　as　often　and　as　hard　as　they　can。　　I　make　more　than　half　a　guess　that　you　and　your　comrades　are　here　because　you　know　this。〃

He　looked　shrewdly　at　the　boy。

〃Yes；〃　said　Henry；　〃that　is　so。　　Somehow　we　were　drawn　into　it；　but　being　here　we　are　glad　to　stay。　　Timmendiquas；　the　great　chief　who　fought　us　so　fiercely　on　the　Ohio；　is　with　the　Iroquois；　with　a　detachment　of　his　Wyandots；　and　while　he；　as　I　know；　frowns　on　the　Wyoming　massacre；　he　means　to　help　Thayendanegea　to　the　end。〃

Adam　Colfax　looked　graver　than　ever。

〃That　is　bad；〃　he　said。　　〃Timmendiquas　is　a　mighty　warrior　and　leader；　but　there　is　also　another　way　of　looking　at　it。　　His　presence　here　will　relieve　somewhat　the　pressure　on　Kentucky。　　I　ought　to　tell　you；　Henry；　that　we　got　through　safely　with　our　supplies　to　the　Continental　army；　and　they　could　not　possibly　have　been　more　welcome。　　They　arrived　just　in　time。〃

The　others　came　forth　presently　and　were　greeted　with　the　same　warmth　by　Adam　Colfax。

〃