the spirit of the border- 第15部分

about　him。　In　brief；　among　all　the　border　scouts　and　hunters　Wetzel　stands

alone。　No　wonder　the　Indians　fear　him。　　He　is　as　swift　as　an　eagle；　strong　as

mountain…ash；　keen　as　a　fox；　and　absolutely　tireless　and　implacable。〃



〃How　long　have　you　been　here；　Colonel　Zane？〃



〃More　than　twelve　years；　and　it　has　been　one　long　fight。〃



〃I'm　afraid　I'm　too　late　for　the　fun；〃　said　Joe；　with　his　quiet　laugh。



〃Not　by　about　twelve　more　years；〃　answered　Colonel　Zane；　studying　the

expression　on　Joe's　face。　〃When　I　came　out　here　years　ago　I　had　the　same

adventurous　spirit　which　I　see　in　you。　It　has　been　considerably　quelled；

however。　I　have　seen　many　a　daring　young　fellow　get　the　border　fever；　and　with

it　his　death。　Let　me　advise　you　to　learn　the　ways　of　the　hunters；　to　watch

some　one　skilled　in　woodcraft。　Perhaps　Wetzel　himself　will　take　you　in　hand。　I

don't　mind　saying　that　he　spoke　of　you　to　me　in　a　tone　I　never　heard　Lew　use

before。〃



〃He　did？〃　questioned　Joe；　eagerly；　flushing　with　pleasure。　〃Do　you　think　he'd

take　me　out？　Dare　I　ask　him？〃



〃Don't　be　impatient。　Perhaps　I　can　arrange　it。　Come　over　here　now　to　Metzar's

place。　I　want　to　make　you　acquainted　with　him。　These　boys　have　all　been

cutting　timber；　they've　just　come　in　for　dinner。　Be　easy　and　quiet　with　them；

then　you'll　get　on。〃



Colonel　Zane　introduced　Joe　to　five　sturdy　boys　and　left　him　in　their　company。

Joe　sat　down　on　a　log　outside　a　cabin　and　leisurely　surveyed　the　young　men。

They　all　looked　about　the　same：　strong　without　being　heavy；　light…haired　and

bronze…faced。　In　their　turn　they　carefully　judged　Joe。　A　newcomer　from　the

East　was　always　regarded　with　some　doubt。　If　they　expected　to　hear　Joe　talk

much　they　were　mistaken。　　He　appeared　good…natured；　but　not　too　friendly。



〃Fine　weather　we're　havin'；〃　said　Dick　Metzar。



〃Fine；〃　agreed　Joe；　laconically。



〃Like　frontier　life？〃



〃Sure。〃



A　silence　ensued　after　this　breaking　of　the　ice。　The　boys　were　awaiting　their

turn　at　a　little　wooden　bench　upon　which　stood　a　bucket　of　water　and　a　basin。



〃Hear　ye　got　ketched　by　some　Shawnees？〃　remarked　another　youth；　as　he　rolled

up　his　shirt…sleeves。　They　all　looked　at　Joe　now。　It　was　not　improbably　their

estimate　of　him　would　be　greatly　influenced　by　the　way　he　answered　this

question。



〃Yes；　was　captive　for　three　days。〃



〃Did　ye　knock　any　redskins　over？〃　This　question　was　artfully　put　to　draw　Joe

out。　Above　all　things；　the　bordermen　detested　boastfulness；　tried　on　Joe　the

ruse　failed　signally。



〃I　was　scared　speechless　most　of　the　time；〃　answered　Joe；　with　his　pleasant

smile。



〃By　gosh；　I　don't　blame　ye！〃　burst　out　Will　Metzar。　〃I　hed　that　experience

onct；　an'　onct's　enough。〃



The　boys　laughed　and　looked　in　a　more　friendly　manner　at　Joe。　Though　he　said

he　had　been　frightened；　his　cool　and　careless　manner　belied　his　words。　　In

Joe's　low　voice　and　clear；　gray　eye　there　was　something　potent　and　magnetic；

which　subtly　influence　those　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。



While　his　new　friends　were　at　dinner　Joe　strolled　over　to　where　Colonel　Zane

sat　on　the　doorstep　of　his　home。



〃How　did　you　get　on　with　the　boys？〃　inquired　the　colonel。



〃All　right；　I　hope。　Say；　Colonel　Zane；　I'd　like　to　talk　to　your　Indian　guide。〃



Colonel　Zane　spoke　a　few　words　in　the　Indian　language　to　the　guide；　who　left

his　post　and　came　over　to　them。　The　colonel　then　had　a　short　conversation　with

him；　at　the　conclusion　of　which　he　pointed　toward　Joe。



〃How　doshake；〃　said　Tome；　extending　his　hand。



Joe　smiled；　and　returned　the　friendly　hand…pressure。



〃Shawneeketch'um？〃　asked　the　Indian；　in　his　fairly　intelligible　English。



Joe　nodded　his　head；　while　Colonel　Zane　spoke　once　more　in　Shawnee；　explaining

the　cause　of　Silvertip's　emnity。



〃ShawneechiefonebadInjun；〃　replied　Tome；　seriously。

〃Silvertipmadthunder…mad。　Ketch'um　palefacescalp'um　sure。〃



After　giving　this　warning　the　chief　returned　to　his　former　position　near　the

corner　of　the　cabin。



〃He　can　talk　in　English　fairly　well；　much　better　than　the　Shawnee　brave　who

talked　with　me　the　other　day；〃　observed　Joe。



〃Some　of　the　Indians　speak　the　language　almost　fluently；〃　said　Colonel　Zane。

〃You　could　hardly　have　distinguished　Logan's　speech　from　a　white　man's。

Corn…planter　uses　good　English；　as　also　does　my　brother's　wife；　a　Wyandot

girl。〃



〃Did　your　brother　marry　an　Indian？〃　and　Joe　plainly　showed　his　surprise。



〃Indeed　he　did；　and　a　most　beautiful　girl　she　is。　I'll　tell　you　Isaac's　story

some　time。　He　was　a　captive　among　the　Wyandots　for　ten　years。　The　chief's

daughter；　Myeerah；　loved　him；　kept　him　from　being　tortured；　and　finally　saved

him　from　the　stake。〃



〃Well；　that　floors　me；〃　said　Joe；　〃yet　I　don't　see　why　it　should。　I'm　just

surprised。　Where　is　your　brother　now？〃



〃He　lives　with　the　tribe。　He　and　Myeerah　are　working　hard　for　peace。　　We　are

now　on　more　friendly　terms　with　the　great　Wyandots；　or　Hurons；　as　we　call

them；　than　ever　before。〃



〃Who　is　this　big　man　coming　from　the　the　fort？〃　asked　Joe；　suddenly　observing

a　stalwart　frontiersman　approaching。



〃Major　Sam　McColloch。　You　have　met　him。　He's　the　man　who　jumped　his　horse　from

yonder　bluff。〃



〃Jonathan　and　he　have　the　same　look；　the　same　swing；〃　observed　Joe；　as　he　ran

his　eye　over　the　major。　His　faded　buckskin　costume；　beaded；　fringed；　and

laced；　was　similar　to　that　of　the　colonel's　brother。　Powder…flask　and

bullet…pouch　were　made　from　cow…horns　and　slung　around　his　neck　on　deerhide

strings。　The　hunting　coat　was　unlaced；　exposing；　under　the　long；　fringed

borders；　a　tunic　of　the　same　well…tanned；　but　finer　and　softer；　material。　　As

he　walked；　the　flaps　of　his　coat　fell　back；　showing　a　belt　containing　two

knives；　sheathed　in　heavy　buckskin；　and　a　bright　tomahawk。　He　carried　a　long

rifle　in　the　hollow　of　his　arm。



〃These　hunters　have　the　same　kind　of　buckskin　suits；〃　continued　Joe；　〃still；

it　doesn't　seem　to　me　the　clothes　make　the　resemblance　to　each　other。　The　way

these　men　stand；　walk　and　act　is　what　strikes　me　particularly；　as　in　the　case

of　Wetzel。〃



〃I　know　what　you　mean。　The　flashing　eye；　the　erect　poise　of　expectation；　and

the　springy　stepthose；　my　lad；　come　from　a　life　spent　in　the　woods。　　Well；

it's　a　grand　way　to　live。〃



〃Colonel；　my　horse　is　laid　up；〃　said　Major　McColloch；　coming　to　the　steps。　　He

bowed　pleasantly　to　Joe。



〃So　you　are　going　to　Short　Creek？　You　can　have　one　of　my　horses；　but　first

come　inside　and　we'll　talk　over　you　expedition。〃



The　afternoon　passed　uneventfully　for　Joe。　His　brother　and　Mr。　Wells　were

absorbed　in　plans　for　their　future　work；　and　Nell　and　Kate　were　resting；

therefore　he　was　forced　to　find　such　amusement　or　occupation　as　was　possible

in　or　near　the　stockade。







Chapter　IX。



Joe　went　to　bed　that　night　with　a　promise　to　himself　to　rise　early　next

morning；　for　he　had　been　invited　to　take　part　in　a　〃raising；〃　which　term　meant

that　a　new　cabin　was　to　be　erected；　and　such　task　was　ever　an　event　in　the

lives　of　the　settlers。



The　following　morning　Joe　rose　early；　dressing　himself　in　a　complete　buckskin

suit；　for　which　he　had　exchanged　his　good　garments　of　cloth。　　Never　before　had

he　felt　so　comfortable。　He　wanted　to　hop；　skip　and　jump。　　The　soft；　undressed

buckskin　was　as　warm　and　smooth　as　silk…plush；　the　weight　so　light；　the

moccasins　so　well…fitting　and　springy；　that　he　had　to　put　himself　under

considerable　restraint　to　keep　from　capering　about　like　a　frolicsome　colt。



The　possession　of　this　buckskin　outfit；　and　the　rifle　and　accouterments　which

went　with　the　bargain；　marked　the　last　stage　in　Joe's　surrender　to　the　border

fever。　The　silent；　shaded　glens；　the　mystery　of　the　woods；　the　breath　of　this

wild；　free　life　claimed　him　from　this　moment　entirely　and　forever。



He　met　the　others；　however；　with　a　serene　face；　showing　no　trace　of　the

emotion　which　welled　up　strongly　from　his　heart。　Nell　glanced　shyly　at　him；

Kate　playfully　voiced　her　admiration；　Jim　met　him　with　a　brotherly　ridicule

which　bespoke　his　affection　as　well　as　his　amusement；　but　Colonel　Zane；　having

once　yielded　to　the　same　burning；　riotous　craving　for　freedom　which　now

stirred　in　the　boy's　heart；　understood；　and　felt　warmly　drawn　toward　the　lad。

He　said　nothing；　though　as　he　watched　Joe　his　eyes　were　grave　and　kind。　In　his

long　frontier　life；　where　many　a　day　measured　the　life　and　fire　of　ordinary

years；　he　had　seen　lad　after　lad　go　down　before　this　forest　fever。　It　was

well；　he　thought；　because　the　freedom　of　the　soil　depended　on　these　wild；

light…footed　boys；　yet　it　always　made　him　sad。　　How　many　youths；　his　brother

among　them；　lay　under　the　fragrant　pine…needle　carpet　of　the　forest；　in　their

last　earthly　sleep！



The　〃raising〃　brought　out　all　the　settlementthe　women　to　look　on　and　gossip；

while　the　children　played；　the　men　to　bend　their　backs　in　the　moving　of　the

heavy　timbers。　They　celebrated　the　erection　of　a　new　cabin　as　a　noteworthy

event。　As　a　social　function　it　had　a　prominent　place　in　the　settlers'　short

list　of　pleasures。



Joe　watched　the　proceeding　with　the　same　pleasure　and　surprise　he　had　felt　in

everything　pertaining　to　border　life。



To　him　this　log…raising　appeared　the　hardest　kind　of　labor。　Yet　it　was　plain

these　hardy　men；　these　low…voiced　women；　and　merry　children　regarded　the　work

as　something　far　more　significant　than　the　mere　building　of　a　cabin。　After　a

while　he　understood　the　meaning　of　the　scene。　A　kindred　spirit；　the　spirit　of

the　pioneer；　drew　them　all　into　one　large　family。　This　was　another　cabin；

another　home；　another　advance　toward　the　conquering　of　the　wilderness；　for

which　these　brave　men　and　women　were　giving　their　lives。　In　the　bright…eyed

children's　glee；　when　they　clapped　their　little　hands　at　the　mounting　logs；

Joe　saw　the　progress；　the　march　of　civilization。



〃Well；　I'm　sorry　you're　to　leave　us