Wild Western Scenes Part 27

The little party then took a hasty repast, and, throwing themselves on the couches, endeavoured to sleep. Boone and Joe were soon wrapped in slumber; but neither Roughgrove nor Glenn, for a great length of time, could find repose.

"Strive to be composed, my friend; all will be well," said Glenn, when the disconsolate old ferryman gave vent to numerous heart-rending sighs.

"If you only knew"--commenced Roughgrove, in reply, and the words he was about to utter died upon his lips.

"I can well imagine the extent of your bereavement," said Glenn; "but at the same time I am sure she will be returned to you unharmed."

"It was not Mary alone I alluded to," said Roughgrove; "but to lose two children--all that we had--so cruelly--Oh! may we all meet in heaven!"

"Then you had _two_ children, and lost them both? I never heard the other mentioned," said Glenn, now evincing a most lively interest in the subject.

"No--it was my request that it should never be mentioned. Mary and he were twins--only six years old, when he was lost. I wished Mary to forget entirely that she ever had a brother--it could do no good for her to know it, and would distress her. But now, Heavenly Father! both are gone!" added the old man, in tears.

"Was he, too, taken by the Indians? the Osages?" inquired Glenn.

"No," said Roughgrove. "He had been playing on the margin of the river, and we were compelled to believe that he fell in the stream and was drowned--at a time when no eye was upon him. Mary was near at hand, but she did not see him fall, nor could she tell how he disappeared. His poor mother believed that an Indian stole him away.

But the only Indians then in the neighbourhood were the p.a.w.nees, and they were at that time friendly. He was surely drowned. If the p.a.w.nees had taken him, they would soon have proposed a ransom. Yet his mother continually charged them with the deed. In her dreams she ever saw him among the savages. In all her thoughts it was the same. She pined away--she never knew a happy moment afterwards--and when she died, the same belief was uttered in her last words. I am now alone!" The old man covered his face with his hands, and sobbed audibly.

"Bear with patience and resignation," said Glenn, "the dispensations of an all-wise Providence. All may yet be well. The son, whom you thought lost forever, may be living, and possibly reclaimed, and Mary shall be restored, if human efforts can accomplish it. Cheer up. Many a happy day may still be reserved for you."

"Oh! my dear young friend! if you but knew _all_!" said Roughgrove.

"Do I not now know all?" asked Glenn.

"No," replied the old man; "but the rest must remain a secret--it should, perhaps, be buried in my breast forever! I will now strive to sleep." They ceased to speak, and silence reigned till morning.

Joe was roused from his couch in the morning by a tremendous "Ya-hoy!"

outside of the inclosure.

"Run and open the gate," said Glenn.

"I'd rather not," said Joe, rubbing his eyes.

"Why?" asked Glenn.

"Hang it, it's the Indians again!" replied Joe, seizing his musket.

"It is Sneak and his men," observed Boone, when another shout was uttered.

"Hang me, if I don't have a peep at 'em first, anyhow," said Joe, approaching the gate cautiously, and peering through a small crevice.

"Ya-hoo!" repeated those without.

"Who are you? why don't you speak out?" said Joe, still unable to see their faces.

"Dod--I mean--plague take it! Joe, is Mr. Boone standing there with you?" asked Sneak.

"No," replied Joe, opening the gate.

"Then dod _rot_ your hide! why didn't you let us in?" said Sneak, rushing through the gate, and followed by five of the neighbours.

"Why, Sneak, how could I tell that you wern't Indians?" said Joe.

"You be dod--never mind!" continued Sneak, shaking his head, and pa.s.sing to where Boone stood, near the house.

"I am glad to see you all," said Boone, extending his hand to each of the hardy pioneers. "But let us not waste a moment's time. I see you are all armed. Seize hold of the sled-rope, and let us be off." The command was instantly obeyed, and the party were soon pa.s.sing out of the inclosure. The gate was scarce fastened before another "Ya-hoo!"

came from the valley below, and a moment after they were joined by Col. Cooper and Dan. The other oarsman had been sent up the river for reinforcements, and Col. Cooper and Dan having heard the great explosion, finally resolved to cross over the river, and not await the arrival of the trappers.

The party now amounted to twelve, and no time was lost in commencing the march, or rather the chase; for when they reached the prairie and found the trail of the snow-canoe, their progress equalled that of the savages. But they had not gone far before Joe was taken suddenly ill, and begged to be permitted to return.

"I declare I can hardly hold my head up!" said he still holding on to the rope, and keeping pace with the rest, though his head hung down.

"Possomin'--dod--I mean he's jest 'possomin'," said Sneak.

"No indeed I ain't--plague it, don't _you_ say any thing, Sneak," Joe, added, in an undertone.

"I am something of a physician," said Boone, whose quick ear had caught the words addressed to Sneak. "Let me feel your pulse," he added, ordering the party to halt, and turning to Joe, whose wrist he seized.

"I feel something better," said Joe, alarmed at the mysterious and severe expression of Boone's face.

"I hope you will be entirely well in _two minutes_," said Boone; "and then it will not be necessary to apply my remedy."

"I'm about well now," said Joe: "I think I can go ahead."

"I believe your pulse is good now; and I think you will hardly have another attack to-day. If you do, just let me know it."

"Oh, now I feel perfectly well," responded Joe; and, seizing the rope, they were all soon again flying along on the trail of the savages.

A little before noon, while casting his eyes along the dim horizon in advance, Sneak abruptly paused, causing the rest to do likewise, and exclaimed, "Dod rot it."

"What's the matter, Sneak? Remember the promise you made," said Boone.

"Oh," replied Sneak, "in sich an extronary case as this, I can't help saying that word yet awhile. But look yander!" he continued, pointing to a slight eminence a great distance in advance.

"True!" said Boone, "that is an Indian--but it is the only one hereabouts."

"He is coming to meet us," said Glenn.

"Yes! my goodness! he's looking at us now," cried Joe, retreating a few steps.

"If there are more of them watching us," said Col. Cooper, "they are somewhere in our rear."

"Oh! we're surrounded!" cried Joe, leaping forward again.

"Come on," said Boone; "we'll soon learn what he wants with us."

When they were within a few hundred yards of the solitary Indian, they again halted, and Joe ran to the sled and seized his musket, which he c.o.c.ked and threw up to his shoulder.

"Take down your gun!" said Boone; "that is the Indian whose life we spared. I was not deceived in his integrity. He was not the one that stole away Mary. I doubt not he brings intelligence of her."