On the Kentucky Frontier Part 13

"But where can Simon Kenton be?" I asked.

"Pushing on down the river most like, believing you were captured while he was spying upon the other members of that gang. We shall come across him before many days have pa.s.sed, unless it so be that he finds it necessary to come back for the purpose of warning us."

If the major had intimated that Simon Kenton might at that moment be a prisoner among the savages, I should have felt the keenest anxiety for his safety; but here was a man who had had more experience on the frontier than the eldest among us, speaking of the scout as if it was not possible any danger could have come to him, and whatever fears might have been in my mind prior to this time were speedily allayed.

Now I began to enjoy the journey down the river. We had nothing to do save sit at our ease while the swift, strong current bore us onward toward our destination, and such traveling was exceedingly pleasant, more particularly since I no longer thought it necessary to blame myself for having left the canoe when I should have remained by her.

Simon Kenton himself would censure me for having done as I did; but after knowing how much good had resulted from it, his words of blame could not be severe.

It was with such thoughts I comforted myself, and finally gave no heed to anything save that which was pleasurable.

When noon came Paul and I shared the provisions of our companions, and, after the meal was come to an end, lay stretched at full length in the after part of the boat watching the panorama spread out before us.

It must not be supposed that while the boats drifted on in this lazy fashion the men neglected to give due heed to possible danger.

Strict watch was kept on either bank, and when it became necessary to round a point or pa.s.s some tiny cove fringed with trees wherein the enemy might lurk to send a shower of bullets among us, the heavy craft were forced to the greatest possible distance from the place of danger, while every man stood, rifle in hand, ready to check an attack or return a volley.

It was not permitted that we should hold converse in voices louder than a whisper, and those who worked the heavy sweeps were careful to do so in the most noiseless fashion, for we knew full well that the enemy lurked on either sh.o.r.e, and every care was taken to avoid giving notice of our approach.

When the day was near to an end the boats were allowed to come closer together, and finally, when night was so near at hand that the shadows on the sh.o.r.e grew dense, Major Clarke gave a signal, by gestures, that we were to haul up till morning.

"Are we to lay by the bank over night?" Paul asked, and I, unable to reply, appealed for information to the man nearest, who said much as if believing the question a foolish one:

"I reckon there won't be any boatin' done after sunset, unless there's some great need. Those who drift down this river just now had best do so when it is possible to have a good view of either bank, and Major Clarke is not the man to take needless chances."

"The savages can do no more mischief in the dark than when the sun shines," Paul said quietly.

"That is where I'm not agreein' with you, my lad. In the light we can give as good as they send; but after dark, when there's no chance of seein' the reptiles, they have the upper hands. Howsomever, our opinion on the matter won't have any very great weight with the major, and you'll find that along about this time each day we'll be looking for a place to halt."

The boat in which we sailed was the foremost of the fleet, and while the man was yet speaking the crew worked the sweeps until she rounded to under the bank, followed by the others, and in less than half an hour we were moored for the night.

This done, the first duty was to learn whether there might be any of the enemy in the vicinity, and scouts were sent out at once, while the remainder of the company set about getting supper, or, perhaps I should say, eating it, for such food as we carried at that time was already cooked.

There was no thought of immediate danger in my mind; as a matter of course I realized that we were surrounded by enemies, but after the battle of the morning I was confident the enemy had been driven to a respectful distance.

I had ceased to think of Simon Kenton, save as pushing on down the river at his best pace, scolding because we were not with him to share in the labor, and I counted on spending the night in rest.

It so chanced that Major Clarke was seated very near Paul and I when the first of the scouts returned, and the information he brought was sufficient to drive from the minds of every man on board all thought of idling.

It appeared from the story we heard, that this scout, seeing a faint glow as of a light on the opposite side of the river, a mile below where we were lying, had taken a canoe from the nearest flat-boat and paddled across.

There, after having landed, he crept noiselessly through the foliage an hundred yards or more from the bank until he saw that which explained to me, at least, why Paul and I failed to find the dugout when we returned after our foolish tramp.

A party of fifty Indians, most likely a portion of the same band we whipped that morning, had halted for the purpose of torturing a prisoner to death, and that prisoner, so the man declared, was none other than Simon Kenton.

He also had been rash and foolish when going ash.o.r.e in search of information, and at about the time we heard the reports of the firearms he must have been made a prisoner.

Even as I shuddered at the possibility that those who would go to the rescue might arrive too late, I thought with a certain sense of relief that now he could not find fault with us for having abandoned our post.

Had we remained in the canoe, as we should have done, then beyond a peradventure we had been captives with him, and the flat-boats, not having been delayed by the battle, might at this time be too far down stream for their occupants to render any aid.

It goes without saying that instantly this news was told preparations were made for the rescue, and while the men were being told off, for Major Clarke did not intend to take with him more than half a company, Paul said to me quietly, as if there was nothing to excite or alarm:

"Of course it is our right to aid in the rescue of the scout."

"There are many others here who could do better service than we," I replied, not relishing a second encounter.

If Paul and I had been alone in the thicket, and were the only ones who could give a.s.sistance to Simon Kenton, then never for an instant would I have dreamed of holding back; but here were near to four hundred men, all of them with more experience in such b.l.o.o.d.y business than either he or I, and it was only a question of desire that would carry us into the conflict.

"We set out from Corn Island with him, and should be the first to go to his relief," Paul said, as if the matter was already settled in his mind, and I understood on the instant that he would apply to Major Clarke for permission to join the force, whether I was disposed to accompany him or not.

It would have shamed me wofully had Simon Kenton been alive when the party reached him, and failed to see me with my comrade, therefore I leaped up at once as if eager for another battle, and together we approached the commander.

"It is our desire, sir, to take part in the rescue," Paul said modestly, "We were his comrades, and should be the first to go to his relief."

Then it was Major Clarke made much the same answer as had I, replying that it would be better the older men take the brunt of the affair; but Paul held grimly to his purpose, by repeating:

"It is our duty, sir, and I believe it to be our right."

I was not disposed that he should be the only one to display courage and a desire to aid Simon Kenton, therefore I said, throwing such of desire into my tones as was possible:

"I pray you, sir, that we be allowed to join the party, if for no other reason than because the scout was our comrade."

"It shall be as you say, lads," Major Clarke replied; "but I warn you against being too eager for such frays. An attack in the night, while it may sometimes be less dangerous than in the daytime, is likely to prove far more hazardous."

The major might have convinced me that it was my duty to remain aboard the flat-boat; but Paul Sampson was as headstrong once he had resolved, as he was quiet in manner, and I understood, without the necessity for words, that he would not be turned from his purpose.

It can well be supposed that after this word was brought in every man gave due heed to silence, for should the savages who were making ready to torture the prisoner, discover that we were near at hand, Simon Kenton's death would speedily follow.

To make any attempt to gain the opposite sh.o.r.e with one of the large flat-boats would be folly, therefore all the dugouts which we towed, or carried aboard, were brought into line, and those men selected for the enterprise clambered into them, Paul and I among the others.

Now to my surprise, instead of putting directly across the river, the boats were allowed to drift down on the same side where the heavy craft were moored, keeping well within the shadow of the trees, and not until we were a mile or more below where it was said the Indians had halted, was any effort made to cross.

By the time the opposite side was gained we were fully two miles down stream, and even a greater distance from the place it would be necessary to gain in order to rescue Kenton.

Here we landed, Major Clarke and one of the older men taking the lead, while the remainder followed in single file.

Paul and I were midway of the line, and because strict orders had been given that no word should be spoken, he pressed my arm from time to time as if to convey by such means the thoughts that came into his mind.

I could not divine of what he might be thinking; but I knew it was a very disagreeable fact that at any moment we might fall into an ambush, for no man could say with certainty that the Indians had failed to note our coming.

I suffered more during that tramp of two miles in the utter darkness, than on the previous night when it had seemed as if Paul's fate and mine was sealed.

When we were come so near to the place of torture that the light of the fires kindled around the tree to which the captive was bound could be plainly seen, but were screened from view of the river by the foliage, my heart beat and thumped until it seemed, so nervous had I become, as if the noise must give warning to the painted crew who were dancing around their intended victim.

In whispers Major Clarke gave orders that the men should separate and creep forward, each at a distance of six paces from the other, until we had half encircled the murderous band, and then each was to be on the alert, ready to fire when the first report of the commander's rifle was heard.

By such means was it believed that a full half of the savages would be slain at the first fire, and, thus taken by surprise, the remainder would seek safety in flight.