the spirit of the border- 第27部分

cautious　steps。　His　garish；　befrilled　costume　seemed　familiar　to　Joe。　He

carried　a　rifle　at　a　low　trail；　and　passed　slowly　ahead　with　evident　distrust。

The　lad　believed　he　recognized　that　head；　with　its　tangled　black　hair；　and

when　he　saw　the　swarthy；　villainous　countenance　turned　full　toward　him；　he

exclaimed：



〃Girty！　by…〃



Wetzel's　powerful　arm　forced　him　so　hard　against　the　log　that　he　could　not

complete　the　exclamation；　but　he　could　still　see。　Girty　had　not　heard　that

stifled　cry；　for　he　continued　his　slow　wading；　and　presently　his　tall；　gaudily

decorated　form　passed　out　of　sight。



Another　savage　appeared　in　the　open　space；　and　then　another。　Close　between

them　walked　a　white　man；　with　hands　bound　behind　him。　The　prisoner　and　guards

disappeared　down　stream　among　the　willows。



The　splashing　continuedgrew　even　louder　than　before。　A　warrior　came　into

view；　then　another；　and　another。　They　walked　close　together。　　Two　more

followed。　They　were　wading　by　the　side　of　a　raft　made　of　several　logs；　upon

which　were　two　prostrate　figures　that　closely　resembled　human　beings。



Joe　was　so　intent　upon　the　lithe　forms　of　the　Indians　that　he　barely　got　a

glimpse　of　their　floating　prize；　whatever　it　might　have　been。　　Bringing　up　the

rear　was　an　athletic　warrior；　whose　broad　shoulders；　sinewy　arms；　and　shaved；

polished　head　Joe　remembered　well。　It　was　the　Shawnee　chief；　Silvertip。



When　he；　too；　passed　out　of　sight　in　the　curve　of　willows；　Joe　found　himself

trembling。　He　turned　eagerly　to　Wetzel；　but　instantly　recoiled。



Terrible；　indeed；　had　been　the　hunter's　transformation。　All　calmness　of　facial

expression　was　gone；　he　was　now　stern；　somber。　An　intense　emotion　was　visible

in　his　white　face；　his　eyes　seemed　reduced　to　two　dark　shining　points；　and

they　emitted　so　fierce；　so　piercing　a　flash；　so　deadly　a　light；　that　Joe　could

not　bear　their　glittering　gaze。



〃Three　white　captives；　two　of　'em　women；〃　uttered　the　hunter；　as　if　weighing

in　his　mind　the　importance　of　this　fact。



〃Were　those　women　on　the　raft？〃　questioned　Joe；　and　as　Wetzel　only　nodded；　he

continued；　〃A　white　man　and　two　women；　six　warriors；　Silvertip；　and　that

renegade；　Jim　Girty！〃



Wetzel　deigned　not　to　answer　Joe's　passionate　outburst；　but　maintained　silence

and　his　rigid　posture。　Joe　glanced　once　more　at　the　stern　face。



〃Considering　we'd　go　after　Girty　and　his　redskins　if　they　were　alone；　we're

pretty　likely　to　go　quicker　now　that　they've　got　white　women　prisoners；　eh？〃

and　Joe　laughed　fiercely　between　his　teeth。



The　lad's　heart　expanded；　while　along　every　nerve　tingled　an　exquisite　thrill

of　excitement。　He　had　yearned　for　wild；　border　life。　Here　he　was　in　it；　with

the　hunter　whose　name　alone　was　to　the　savages　a　symbol　for　all　that　was

terrible。



Wetzel　evidently　decided　quickly　on　what　was　to　be　done；　for　in　few　words　he

directed　Joe　to　cut　up　so　much　of　the　buffalo　meat　as　they　could　stow　in　their

pockets。　Then；　bidding　the　lad　to　follow；　he　turned　into　the　woods；　walking

rapidly；　and　stopping　now　and　then　for　a　brief　instant。　Soon　they　emerged　from

the　forest　into　more　open　country。　They　faced　a　wide　plain　skirted　on　the

right　by　a　long；　winding　strip　of　bright　green　willows　which　marked　the　course

of　the　stream。　On　the　edge　of　this　plain　Wetzel　broke　into　a　run。　He　kept　this

pace　for　a　distance　of　an　hundred　yards；　then　stopped　to　listen　intently　as　he

glanced　sharply　on　all　sides；　after　which　he　was　off　again。



Half　way　across　this　plain　Joe's　wind　began　to　fail；　and　his　breathing　became

labored；　but　he　kept　close　to　the　hunter's　heels。　Once　he　looked　back　to　see　a

great　wide　expanse　of　waving　grass。　They　had　covered　perhaps　four　miles　at　a

rapid　pace；　and　were　nearing　the　other　side　of　the　plain。　　The　lad　felt　as　if

his　head　was　about　to　burst；　a　sharp　pain　seized　upon　his　side；　a　blood…red

film　obscured　his　sight。　He　kept　doggedly　on；　and　when　utterly　exhausted　fell

to　the　ground。



When；　a　few　minutes　later；　having　recovered　his　breath；　he　got　up；　they　had

crossed　the　plain　and　were　in　a　grove　of　beeches。　Directly　in　front　of　him　ran

a　swift　stream；　which　was　divided　at　the　rocky　head　of　what　appeared　to　be　a

wooded　island。　There　was　only　a　slight　ripple　and　fall　of　the　water；　and；

after　a　second　glance；　it　was　evident　that　the　point　of　land　was　not　an

island；　but　a　portion　of　the　mainland　which　divided　the　stream。　　The　branches

took　almost　opposite　courses。



Joe　wondered　if　they　had　headed　off　the　Indians。　Certainly　they　had　run　fast

enough。　He　was　wet　with　perspiration。　He　glanced　at　Wetzel；　who　was　standing

near。　The　man's　broad　breast　rose　and　fell　a　little　faster；　that　was　the　only

evidence　of　exertion。　The　lad　had　a　painful　feeling　that　he　could　never　keep

pace　with　the　hunter；　if　this　five…mile　run　was　a　sample　of　the　speed　he　would

be　forced　to　maintain。



〃They've　got　ahead　of　us；　but　which　crick　did　they　take？〃　queried　Wetzel；　as

though　debating　the　question　with　himself。



〃How　do　you　know　they've　passed？〃



〃We　circled；〃　answered　Wetzel；　as　he　shook　his　head　and　pointed　into　the

bushes。　Joe　stepped　over　and　looked　into　the　thicket。　He　found　a　quantity　of

dead　leaves；　sticks；　and　litter　thrown　aside；　exposing　to　light　a　long；

hollowed　place　on　the　ground。　It　was　what　would　be　seen　after　rolling　over　a

log　that　had　lain　for　a　long　time。　Little　furrows　in　the　ground；　holes；

mounds；　and　curious　winding　passages　showed　where　grubs　and　crickets　had　made

their　homes。　The　frightened　insects　were　now　running　round　wildly。



〃What　was　here？　A　log？〃



〃A　twenty…foot　canoe　was　hid　under　thet　stuff。　The　Injuns　has　taken　one　of

these　streams。〃



〃How　can　we　tell　which　one？〃



〃Mebbe　we　can't；　but　we'll　try。　Grab　up　a　few　of　them　bugs；　go　below　thet

rocky　point；　an'　crawl　close　to　the　bank　so　you　can　jest　peep　over。　　Be

keerful　not　to　show　the　tip　of　your　head；　an'　don't　knock　nothin'　off'en　the

bank　into　the　water。　Watch　fer　trout。　Look　everywheres；　an'　drop　in　a　bug　now

and　then。　I'll　do　the　same　fer　the　other　stream。　Then　we'll　come　back　here　an'

talk　over　what　the　fish　has　to　say　about　the　Injuns。〃



Joe　walked　down　stream　a　few　paces；　and；　dropping　on　his　knees；　crawled

carefully　to　the　edge　of　the　bank。　He　slightly　parted　the　grass　so　he　could

peep　through；　and　found　himself　directly　over　a　pool　with　a　narrow　shoal

running　out　from　the　opposite　bank。　The　water　was　so　clear　he　could　see　the

pebbly　bottom　in　all　parts；　except　a　dark　hole　near　a　bend　in　the　shore　close

by。　He　did　not　see　a　living　thing　in　the　water；　not　a　crawfish；　turtle；　nor

even　a　frog。　He　peered　round　closely；　then　flipped　in　one　of　the　bugs　he　had

brought　along。　A　shiny　yellow　fish　flared　up　from　the　depths　of　the　deep　hole

and　disappeared　with　the　cricket；　but　it　was　a　bass　or　a　pike；　not　a　trout。

Wetzel　had　said　there　were　a　few　trout　living　near　the　cool　springs　of　these

streams。　The　lad　tried　again　to　coax　one　to　the　surface。　This　time　the　more

fortunate　cricket　swam　and　hopped　across　the　stream　to　safety。



When　Joe's　eyes　were　thoroughly　accustomed　to　the　clear　water；　with　its

deceiving　lights　and　shades；　he　saw　a　fish　lying　snug　under　the　side　of　a

stone。　The　lad　thought　he　recognized　the　snub…nose；　the　hooked；　wolfish　jaw；

but　he　could　not　get　sufficient　of　a　view　to　classify　him。　He　crawled　to　a

more　advantageous　position　farther　down　stream；　and　then　he　peered　again

through　the　woods。　Yes；　sure　enough；　he　had　espied　a　trout。　He　well　knew　those

spotted　silver　sides；　that　broad；　square　tail。　Such　a　monster！　　In　his

admiration　for　the　fellow；　and　his　wish　for　a　hook　and　line　to　try　conclusions

with　him；　Joe　momentarily　forgot　his　object。　Remembering；　he　tossed　out　a　big；

fat　cricket；　which　alighted　on　the　water　just　above　the　fish。　The　trout　never

moved；　nor　even　blinked。　The　lad　tried　again；　with　no　better　success。　The　fish

would　not　rise。　Thereupon　Joe　returned　to　the　point　where　he　had　left　WetzeL



〃I　couldn't　see　nothin'　over　there；〃　said　the　hunter；　who　was　waiting。　　〃Did

you　see　any？'



〃One；　and　a　big　fellow。〃



〃Did　he　see　you？〃



〃No。〃



〃Did　he　rise　to　a　bug？〃



〃No；　he　didn't；　but　then　maybe　he　wasn't　hungry〃　answered　Joe；　who　could　not

understand　what　Wetzel　was　driving　at。



〃Tell　me　exactly　what　he　did。〃



〃That's　just　the　trouble；　he　didn't　do　anything；〃　replied　Joe；　thoughtfully。

〃He　just　lay　low；　stifflike；　under　a　stone。　He　never　batted　an　eye。　But　his

side…fins　quivered　like　an　aspen　leaf。〃



〃Them　side…fins　tell　us　the　story。　Girty；　an'　his　redskins　hev　took　this

branch；〃　said　Wetzel；　positively。　〃The　other　leads　to　the　Huron　towns。　

Girty's　got　a　place　near　the　Delaware　camp　somewheres。　I've　tried　to　find　it　a

good　many　times。　He's　took　more'n　one　white　lass　there；　an'　nobody　ever　seen

her　agin。〃



〃Fiend！　To　think　of　a　white　woman；　maybe　a　girl　like　Nell　Wells；　at　the　mercy

of　those　red　devils！〃



〃Young　fellar；　don't　go　wrong。　I'll　allow　Injuns　is　bad　enough；　but　I　never

hearn　tell　of　one　abusin'　a　white　woman；　as　mayhap　you　mean。　Injuns　marry

white　women　sometimes；　kill　an'　scalp　'em　often；　but　that's　all。　It's　men　of

our　own　color；　renegades　like　this　Girty；　as　do　worse'n　murder。〃



Here　was　the　amazing　circumstance　of　Lewis　Wetzel；　the　acknowledged　unsatiable

foe　of　all　redmen；　speaking　a　good　word　for　his　enemies。　　Joe　was　so

astonished　he　did　not　attempt　to　answer。



〃Here's　where　they　got　in　the　canoe。　One　more　look；　an'　then　we're　off；〃　said

Wetzel。　He　strode　up　and　down　the　sandy　beach；　examined　the　willows；　and

scrutinized　the　sand。　Suddenly　he　bent　over　and　picked　up　an　object　from　the

water。　His　sharp　eyes　had　caught　the　glint　of　something　white；　which；　upon

being　examined；　proved　to　be　a　small　ivory　or　bone　buckle　with　a　piece　broken

out。　He　showed　it　to　Joe。



〃By　heavens！　Wetzel；　that's　a　buckle　off　Nell　Well's　shoe。　I've　seen　it　too

many