Hope and Have Part 26

"Hadn't we better run?" asked f.a.n.n.y, in trembling tones.

"'Tain't no use to run; them redskins kin beat you all to pieces runnin'," replied Ethan, as he retreated behind the wheelbarrow, and resting the rifle upon it, took careful aim at the savage who was in advance of the others.

He fired; the Indian fell, and lay still on the ground.

"That's sunthin' towards it, anyhow," continued Ethan, encouraged by the success of his first shot. "Ef I kin fetch down one more on 'em, it will make the rest a leetle grain skeery."

"The other Indians are coming too, Ethan," said f.a.n.n.y.

"Let 'em kim; if they do we are safe."

The immediate followers of Lean Bear were rushing towards the spot with all their might. The swiftest runner of the party had far outstripped his companions, but it was evident to Ethan and f.a.n.n.y that he was moving towards the other band of savages, rather than towards them. He was shouting in his own tongue words which were unintelligible to the white boy and girl. But if the words were not understood, their effect was, for the hostile band presently halted, and awaited the arrival of the messenger.

In the mean time Ethan placed Wahena in a position where he could be seen by all the savages, and with the revolver in his hand, stood in readiness to make another demonstration at the life of the boy if it should be necessary. It was not needed, for all these Indians belonged to the tribe of Lean Bear, whose command was law to them.

"We are safe, Ethan," said f.a.n.n.y.

"So we are; but I've killed one Injin, and I reckon I could kill some more."

"Don't you feel sorry you killed him?" asked f.a.n.n.y.

"Not ef I knows myself, I don't. I'd like to kill the whole boodle on 'em, after what they've did, consarn thar picters! I reckon we'd better be go'n along."

"I think we had. It is really terrible to think of killing a man."

"'Tain't no more terrible 'n killin' all them women 'n childern up to the settlement," replied Ethan, as he raised the handles of the barrow and moved on. "I hope they'll send the sogers up here, and kill off all the Injins this side o' sundown."

"I hope it won't be necessary to do that," added f.a.n.n.y.

"It ought to be did. What's them Injins good for but to be shot? I kinder wish they'd kim, so I could have fetched down some more on 'em, consarn 'em!"

"It is lucky the party of Lean Bear was near enough to turn them back.

We might have been killed before this time."

"I dunno," replied Ethan, shaking his head.

"You have done n.o.bly, Ethan; but Wahena has saved us so far."

"I know that; I ketched him for jest what he has did for us."

The rest of the way to the lake was down a gentle declivity, and the wheelbarrow moved more easily than before. In a short time they reached their destination, on the sh.o.r.e of the beautiful sheet of water at which was moored a boat. It was not such a craft as the Greyhound, in which f.a.n.n.y had been accustomed to sail; it was a bateau, or flat-bottomed boat, with very sharp slopes under the bow and stern. It had a keel and rudder, and was provided with a sail.

The stores and utensils from the wheelbarrow were quickly transferred to the boat, and then the barrow itself was placed on board. The wind now blew tolerably fresh, and was fair for reaching the island; but Ethan, with all his other accomplishments, knew no more about the management of a boat than of a ship, which he had never even seen. This boat had been built by Mr. Grant and a carpenter of the settlement during the preceding winter, and Ethan had never sailed in it but once.

"I don't know nothin' about this hyer thing," said Ethan. "I kin paddle, but I reckon the sail would tip us over."

"I can manage it," replied f.a.n.n.y, confidently.

"Kin ye? Did ye ever manage a boat with a sail?"

"Yes, once," answered f.a.n.n.y, and she thought with shame of the cruise she had made in the Greyhound. "Let us hoist the sail, and we can run over to the island in a few moments."

f.a.n.n.y, a.s.sisted by Ethan, hoisted the sail, and the bateau darted out of the little cove where she had been moored. Wahena, who had been as stoical in danger as his race, uttered an exclamation of alarm, perhaps called forth by the novelty of the situation and of the peril. Ethan was not entirely satisfied with the movements of the boat under sail, for she careened under the fresh breeze, till her gunwale was within an inch of the surface of the lake. f.a.n.n.y took the helm, and, as she eased off the sheet, which her previous experience had taught her to do in such an emergency, the boat came up to an even keel, and the confidence of the prairie boy was fully restored.

"I don't want to be tipped over and drownded, arter we've got away from the Injins," said he, in apology for his timidity.

"I'm sure I don't fear the water, after the terrible scenes we have pa.s.sed through," replied f.a.n.n.y; "but there is no danger."

"I dunno 's there is; but even the little Injin boy was skeered when she tipped so."

"I ought to have unfastened this rope before we hoisted the sail,"

added f.a.n.n.y, pointing to the sheet.

"I ain't afeerd, if you ain't, f.a.n.n.y. I don't reckon we could 'a paddled her over to the island in seven year."

"It would have taken a long time," said f.a.n.n.y, glancing back at the smoking buildings of the settlement.

She was sad at heart when she thought of the murder and destruction which had occurred that morning. It was pleasant on the lake, but neither f.a.n.n.y nor Ethan was in a condition to enjoy the sail. Each was thinking of friends in the settlement who had probably been slain by the remorseless savages. f.a.n.n.y steered the bateau in silence, till she reached the sh.o.r.e of the island, which was about two miles from the point where the party had embarked. It was very small, containing not more than half an acre of land. A single tree grew on the highest part, and all of it was covered with gra.s.s, like the ground on the western sh.o.r.es of the lake.

A landing was effected under the lee of the land, and the cargo of the bateau removed to the sh.o.r.e. Wahena was taken to the middle of the island, and fastened to the tree. From this point a view of all the surrounding country could be obtained, and with ordinary care on the part of the exiles, it would be impossible for an enemy to approach without their knowledge. The provisions and other articles were transported on the wheelbarrow to the tree.

"I should kinder like this, ef the folks hadn't all been killed off,"

said Ethan, when the work was done, and he had seated himself at f.a.n.n.y's side, in the shade of the tree.

"We were very fortunate to escape with our lives, Ethan, and I feel very thankful," replied f.a.n.n.y.

"So do I; and ef you want to say your prayers now, we hain't got nothin' else to do."

"I have said them many times; G.o.d can hear us even when we do not speak aloud."

"I s'pose so; well, I said mine, too; and that's a thing I don't do very often."

"I have no doubt they strengthened your arm, and made you feel brave."

"I dunno but they did; but I feel as though a leetle grain o' breakfast would strengthen my arm most jest now."

f.a.n.n.y was not very well pleased with the manner in which her rude companion spoke of serious things, and she improved the opportunity to embody the prayer of her heart in words. It was a fervent utterance, and Ethan seemed to join her in spirit. Both of them were grateful--not abstractly grateful, but grateful to G.o.d for his mercy in saving them from torture and death at the hands of the savages.

They sat in silence for a moment after the prayer, and then f.a.n.n.y suggested that they should prepare their breakfast. Ethan had brought with him a shovel and a sharp axe, and while f.a.n.n.y was peeling the potatoes and cutting the bacon, he dug out a kind of fireplace in the side of the hill. Some dead branches from the tree supplied them with dry fuel. Fried ham and fried potatoes were soon provided, and they sat down to their morning meal.

"I should like this fust rate if we hadn't been druv away from hum jest as we was," said Ethan.

"It would be very pleasant if we could forget the poor people who have been killed and mangled by the savages," replied f.a.n.n.y, sadly.

"I reyther like campin' out, and travellin' over the peraries, as we did when we kim up hyer."

"What is to become of us, after all, Ethan?"

"I dunno; we must stop hyer, I s'pose."