The Frontiersmen

"No," was the answer; "don't know Injins if you think so. They come, sartin, by'mby. Panther cunning Injin. He mean to get cottage to-night, any way – that what it means."

"Do you suppose, Eagle's-Wing, that they're anywhere round here now?" asked Ichabod, more to hear what his friend would answer, than for any other purpose.

"Guess so; guess that ravine full of Injins. Hear 'em, by'mby. They won't yell nor shoot. Know that don't do any good. Can't shoot through logs; that they know."

"I reckon you're about right, Eagle's-Wing. They want to put us off our guard; and by-and-by some miscreant will try to set us afire. But if we watch, we can prevent that; they can't carry fire without our seeing it."

"Don't know that. Little spark make great fire, sometime. Hide little spark pretty well, if they try."

The night had now become dark; the sky was partly obscured by clouds – sufficiently so to render it extremely difficult to discern objects no larger than the size of a man, at even a rod's distance. But while the darkness would allow the Indians to approach nearer the building with less chance of detection, it would also render it more difficult for them to conceal any attempt to set the cottage on fire.

Two, three, or even four hours, might elapse ere any demonstration on the part of the Senecas would be made. This uncertainty, united with the darkness and silence which reigned both within and without, tasked the spirits of the defenders more than any open attack would have done. No anxiety is more overpowering than that of awaiting an event the coming of which is to be dreaded, and yet which will certainly arrive. In the whole range of catastrophes to which mankind are subject, there is, perhaps, but one important exception to this remark, and that is the great catastrophe to which each individual of the human family is subject, which is certain to arrive, and which is universally dreaded. It may arrive soon or late – no one knows when, or how it will come; yet the anxiety incident to that event, is easily overcome; and one by one, a generation passes away, each one knowing well his doom, yet neglecting the least preparation.

This anxiety at length became so irksome, that a desultory conversation sprung up between the different individuals of the party – yet, without any cessation of watchfulness, Ichabod, who had remained silent since the last reply of Eagle's-Wing, now again addressed his companion.

"Why wouldn't it be a good idea for one of us to reconnoitre a little? We could find out for sartin whether any of the reptiles are ra'ally round here or not?"

Eagle's-Wing did not answer. His eyes seemed to be strained almost from their sockets in endeavoring to pierce the darkness. Suddenly the silence was broken by the discharge of his rifle; and at the unexpected sound amidst the unnatural quiet which reigned around them, every member of the little garrison started simultaneously with the report. A scream was heard from the outside, towards the ravine, and Ichabod saw an Indian fall struggling upon the ground, while a small brand of fire fell by his side upon the dry leaves along the edge of the ravine.

"Well done, Eagle's-Wing!" exclaimed Ichabod. "It takes an Injin to see an Injin in the dark; but that rascal won't set fire to the cottage, any way."

"Plenty more, down yonder, where he come from. They keep still, though; won't be foolish, this time."

It was true, that although the Seneca had fallen, and the brand of fire which he had carried concealed, lay by his side; not a sound indicated the presence of another enemy. They had failed in this attempt; but another might be more successful. It was evident, that on this occasion, the Senecas would throw away no chances of triumph.

It has already been mentioned that the forest on the edge of the ravine, approached within three or four rods of the cottage; and as the ground was strewn with dry leaves and dead underbrush, the feelings of safety which the defenders of the cottage, for a moment, had entertained on the detection of this attempt to set the building on fire, was now exchanged for alarm. The brand which had fallen by the side of the Indian, had unfortunately fallen upon a small pile of dry underbrush, which was also covered with dry leaves. A slight wind, which now blew in occasional light gusts from the northward, ignited the whole brand into a live coal, and a feeble blaze began to ascend from around it.

"Con-found the fire!" exclaimed Ichabod. "I'll try and stop that enemy, any way."

He discharged his rifle at the burning brand, and the coal flew scattered in all directions. This was a risk which he foresaw. The scattered coals might fall upon other places which were equally dangerous; if so, the danger would be increased; but there was a chance, too, that they might fall upon places where they would be extinguished. For a moment, the experiment seemed perfectly successful; a feeble and flickering blaze, that seemed about to expire, only remained where the brand had originally fallen. But another slight gust of wind now came, and the feeble blaze streamed upwards into a steady fire.

"Over here, with your rifles," shouted Ichabod; and five rifles were at once discharged into the burning pile. The blazing brush was partially scattered; but that now seemed to increase the danger. The wind came in gentle currents, and the dry leaves and brush were taking fire in half-a-dozen different places. It was useless to fight an enemy which was only multiplied and made more dangerous by defeat.

"I reckon it's bad enough," said Ichabod, "to have to fight them rascally Injins, without being obliged to fight the elements, besides. Wind, fire, and Injins, all at once, are rayther too much for human natur'."

"What's to be done now?" inquired Barton, who had become very much agitated by this new danger, for it was apparent that should the dry wood in the forest set fire to the trees, as would be most likely, with a northern wind to blow the flames in the direction of the cottage, nothing could prevent the building from taking fire. But there was yet hope; the fire might be confined to the underbrush, and expire without catching among the trees.

"I don't know of anything we can do just now, Squire," replied Ichabod, to the question of Barton, "except to wait. I've known things to be as desp'rate before, and come out right in the end. I don't like it, though, that's sartin. I'm afeard, Eagle's-Wing, that we shall have to try that thing we talked about."

"Think so, too," was the calm reply of the Tuscarora; "when time come, then I'm ready."

For a short time, the anxiety felt in the cottage was extreme. It was yet doubtful whether there was any serious danger from this new enemy or not. But the fire steadily increased; it ran along the ground, catching from bush to bush, and among heaps of dry bushes and limbs of trees, which had been collected by the labor of Barton, and soon the light began to penetrate the recesses of the forest. The red rays darted in among the old trees, and lit them up with a strange, wild glare. The flames crept along with steady pace, as the fire increased, until the whole ravine was suddenly illumined by a blaze of light, and in its recesses were disclosed the main body of the Senecas, watching with savage delight the insidious approaches of their new ally. When they saw that they were discovered, a wild yell of exultation broke from every throat, and darting from the ravine, they scattered in all directions about the cottage; but at sufficient distance to be out of reach of the rifles. For a short time, all was silent again, and all were intent upon observing the progress of this new assailant.

The whole surface of the ground for four or five rods in extent, immediately north of the cottage, seemed now to be on fire. At numerous points, the fire raged intensely, and shot up tall spires, of flames among the crackling branches; now catching upon the mossy side of a tree, it ran upward, darting with the rapidity of lightning for a moment, then suddenly expiring, leaving a blackened crust, instead of the fresh green moss. The wind gradually blew stronger and wilder. Unluckily, heaps of dry wood had been piled around the trunks of trees, and now the bodies of those trees were seen to be on fire. Up among the branches leaped the flames: points of fire darted here and there, like blazing serpents, while, borne by the wind, thick clouds of sparks began to load the air, and dart towards the doomed roof of the cottage. Soon, a steady stream of flame began to mount the trunk of a tall dead pine, which stood upon the edge of the forest. Upward and upward it crept; now pausing, as if to gnaw inward into its centre, then darting with a leap like a wild beast, pouncing on its prey. Around the base of the tree, the fire raged intensely, for here a mass of dry limbs and logs had been collected; and momentarily, the flames from all sides ate inwardly towards its centre. A few dry and leafless limbs stood out from the old trunk, pointing upward; and along these the fire now crept, and they seemed like tortured arms held bleeding to the sky.

The cottage was no longer safe. A few moments more, and the pine must fall; if it fell upon the cottage, it would crush it into a heap of ruins; and if this danger was avoided, the fire could not be escaped. The intense heat already penetrated the building, and through the loop-holes streamed the light, with a red, unearthly glare. The Indians saw that the inmates must either endeavor to escape or be consumed. They had scattered about the cottage in all directions; not a point was left unguarded, where their victims could escape; and as the moment of vengeance approached nearer and nearer, they testified their joy by loud and exulting shrieks. Every window, every door was guarded; the roof of the cottage stood out against the sky, and every crack and cranny of its thatching was exposed. Suddenly, to their surprise and delight, the door that opened upon the roof was lifted, and their most hated enemy, the Tuscarora, leaped from the glaring rafters with his rifle in his hand, and stood for a moment before their eyes, erect and fearless. In the strong, red light, every feature of his countenance could be traced – every gesture could be marked. With a steady look of indifference, he gazed about him for a moment, then darting forward, leaped from the roof to the ground. The place selected for the leap was the south-west angle of the building, where he would fall within the shadow. Thirty rifles had been raised to shoot at him; but the admiration of the Senecas at this exploit had probably saved his life; for not a rifle was discharged, until he had darted forward in his leap into the darkness. Every Indian rushed forward towards the spot where the Tuscarora had been seen to leap; for this, the most prized, the most hated of their enemies, they deemed to be now inevitably in their power. The Tuscarora staggered as he struck the ground; but instantly gathering himself, he darted towards the grove. Two Senecas leaped before him, who had been stationed at this point – the others not having yet arrived. With a blow from his rifle he knocked down one of them, and darting past the other, gained the grove. The Senecas who had now arrived about the cottage from the different points, set out in chase; but Panther, who saw that this would afford means for those yet within the building to escape, after the lapse of a few minutes, was able to recall a portion of the Senecas, who were again distributed about the cottage.

But these few minutes had accomplished all that the Tuscarora had designed. Before he ascended the roof, the remainder of the party inside gathered by the window through which Guthrie bore off Ruth, on the night of the former attack. The ladder was in readiness, and at the moment when the Senecas were seen to rush past the eastern side of the cottage in pursuit of the Tuscarora, the window was opened, the ladder let down, and one by one the party quickly descended – Ichabod descending last. As he stepped out upon the ladder, he closed the window – and when he had reached the ground, the ladder was thrown down by the side of the cottage. The party instantly set out toward the pond, and at a distance of about ten rods, they had descended the hill to a point where they were concealed in the darkness. It was at just about this moment, that Panther had again distributed a portion of the Senecas about the cottage, while another portion was in pursuit of the Tuscarora. Their flight had thus far been unobserved; and now they walked more leisurely towards the shore of the pond, where they expected to find the boat which we described on a former occasion, and the position of which had been noticed by Ichabod, just before dark, from the cottage. After a little time, the boat was reached; the party entered it, and an extra supply of rifles, which had been brought from the cottage, was carefully deposited. They shoved off from the shore, which, at this point might, in the progress of the fire, become exposed – and paddling northward, reached a point where the hill ascended, on the crest, sharply from the shore, but where the land was sufficiently low in a north-westerly direction to allow them to obtain a good and but partially obstructed view of the cottage.

But a few moments after they had taken up this position, they discovered the roof of the cottage to be on fire. The sparks and pieces of blazing bark which were blown from the ravine had fallen upon the thatching, which was of light and combustible material, and had ignited it at various points; and slowly but surely the flames began to devour this, the only obstacle, as the Senecas believe, to their complete triumph.

Soon, the fugitives saw the top of the tall, dry pine begin to rock and waver with its blazing crown; then, slowly bending southward, the huge trunk fell across the cottage, crushing in the burning roof, and starting the logs from their places in the sides of the building. The shrieks of the Indians were horrible, as they now supposed that their victims were fully in their power. Leaping forwards, they broke in the doors, and rushed in among the flames. From room to room, they wandered. Up the stairway, which was covered with burning coals, they rushed, and gazed in among the fallen and blazing rafters. Not a pale-face was to be seen. The Senecas could not believe that they had escaped; and again and again every point and portion of the cottage was searched; until, at length, it became apparent that their victims had fled. But how, and where? The superstitious feelings of the Indians, for a moment, were excited; and they thought that their intended victims must have been rescued by the direct interposition of the Great Spirit of the pale-faces. But Panther, saw at once, the manner of the escape; and that it had been accomplished while the attention of the Senecas was withdrawn by the daring exploit of the Tuscarora. He immediately ordered the Indians to scour the woods in all directions, and particularly the shores of the pond.

The party in the boat could see, from the gestures of the Indians, the extent of their surprise; and they also well understood the directions of Panther. They carefully paddled the boat farther out into the pond, and more towards the northern shore, where they would be completely hidden, for the present, in the shadows of the hills and trees, from the light of the fire.

"Them reptiles are deceived this time, any way," said Ichabod, laughing. "If Eagle's-Wing only gets through his part, according to the programme, we may consider ourselves pretty tolerably lucky; and I haven't any doubt but what he will. We shall hear from him before a great while. I agreed to lay off up here for him."

"That was a daring act on the part of Eagle's-Wing," said Ralph; "and had I known precisely his purpose, I doubt whether I, for one, should have assented to it. The chances were ten to one, against his escaping with life."

"Lord love you, Captain," said Ichabod, "Eagle's-Wing knows Injin natur' pretty well, considering he's an Injin himself; and he knew that them rascals would be so astonished, that they wouldn't fire at him till he had time to get out of their sight. What I was most afeard on, was his getting off the roof; but it's all right, and went off according to contract," and Ichabod laughed.

"I can easily bear the destruction of my property," said Barton, "if Eagle's-Wing escapes. But I think, as Ralph does, that if you had disclosed the nature of your plan, I should have opposed it. I should, rather, have relied upon fighting our way through to the shore."

"Didn't we know that?" asked Ichabod, with a laugh. "Nobody but Singing-Bird was let into that secret; and she, bless her little soul, ra'ally insisted, for a long time, on going to the roof with him: but she's got reason, and finally consented to the arrangement."

Singing-Bird, to whom all eyes were now directed, in admiration, only answered:

"Eagle's-Wing do that for friend. He 'members friend. He wouldn't be brave Injin if he didn't do somet'ing for friend."

"He has always been the creditor in an account," answered Barton. "He has given us no opportunity, yet, to repay him for anything."

Both Barton and Ruth, notwithstanding their thankfulness at this escape, surveyed the destruction of the cottage with feelings of melancholy. To Barton, it was the home of his old age – where he had planted his household gods, with the hope that they would survive him. The cottage had been erected, and had gradually been made a comfortable dwelling, by his labor; while around it, he had rescued fair fields from the wilderness, from which he had hoped to derive the means of prosperity. To Ruth, it was endeared by other associations; and they both saw that all the hopes and dreams which they had cherished, were ended, and that this place must again – even if they ultimately succeeded in escaping from their enemies – pass from their possession, if not from their remembrance. Barton continued, in answer to Singing-Bird:

"And my power to repay him, is gone. I am now an old man, deprived of everything but my daughter and my life. But I cannot complain. The Lord's will be done."

"Let us not think about our loss," said Ruth earnestly, "since we have saved so much. We truly have need to be thankful to a kind Providence, that we and all our friends have escaped with our lives."

At this moment, a rifle was heard, at a few rods distance apparently on the western shore; and at the same instant, there was a sound as of a heavy body falling into the water. The idea occurred to each in the boat, that this might be the Tuscarora, and the boat was instantly moved in that direction. As they approached the shore, they heard some of the enemy talking, and evidently laboring under a great excitement; and it was easy to believe that it was owing to the escape of Eagle's-Wing. They had reached, in perfect silence, within eight or ten rods of the shore, when Ichabod discovered an Indian swimming towards the boat. It was the Tuscarora, and he was lifted in, panting with fatigue.

"Long run had this time," said he, "They almost catch me – they shoot me a little; but better have arm shot, than lose scalp though."

It was found, on examination, that the ball had merely penetrated the fleshy part of his arm, without having done any very serious injury. It was immediately bandaged by Ralph, with as much care as their means would permit; while Ichabod and the negro paddled the boat towards the northern shore.

It has been mentioned before, in the brief description which we gave of the pond, that on the north was a low marshy flat, and that the edge of the pond was thickly bordered with willows and other bushes; but back a short distance from the shore, the bushes were few and stinted in growth, while the marsh was so soft, that it was impassable to one unacquainted with it, even by the aid of day-light. Ichabod and the Tuscarora were both confident that the Senecas had no canoes upon the pond; and that there was only one upon the river in the possession of the Senecas, and that this one was only capable of carrying three or four persons. There were no materials at hand with which a raft could be constructed; and it was with a feeling of security that the boat was made fast among the willows for the night.

The fire about the cottage, for a time, had been gradually diminishing; and thicker and thicker fell the darkness upon forest and water. Gradually the shrieks and cries of the Indians subsided, and silence at length fell upon the scene.

CHAPTER XX

"Hence, strangers, to your native shore!Far from our Indian shades retire."FRENEAU.

When the morning light had rendered objects sufficiently visible, the party in the boat endeavored to get a view of their precise situation. The place where the cottage had stood, could be distinctly seen; but instead of the dwelling, there appeared nothing but a mass of black and smoking ruins. But not an Indian was to be seen. The party partook of a very frugal breakfast; for previous to their flight, they had secured a few articles of food – sufficient, if sparingly used, to last them for three or four days.

"The question now seems to be," said Ichabod, "what we're going to do next. Here we are – the cottage is burnt down – that factory project is blowed up, for a while, at least; and providing – I say, providing, we can get away from these villainous reptiles, I'm for steering for the settlements."

"I think that will be the course that we must adopt," said Ralph. "It will be a tedious undertaking, in the face of all our difficulties, as we shall be obliged to walk the whole distance the horses will undoubtedly either be destroyed or captured by the Indians. Could they be saved, so that Miss Barton and Singing-Bird could ride, it would not be so difficult."

Barton assented with a melancholy look. "There's no use," he said, "in my attempting to rebuild the cottage, even if the Senecas abandon the country. I am getting old, and cannot labor as I once could. Yes – we shall have to go to the settlements."

Ruth assured them that she could walk the distance necessary with perfect ease. As for Singing-Bird, she laughed at the idea of riding.

As all assented to this proposal, the next thing was to find the means of escape from their present difficulties. It would not be safe to leave their cover in the willows, so long as the Senecas remained; and it was hoped, that not discovering them upon the pond, they would, after searching for them in the woods, for a day or two, finally abandon the hope of capturing them, and either set out on their return to their own country, or remove farther down the valley.

A feeling of joyful excitement pervaded the party. The extreme danger of their situation on the previous night, their fortunate flight, and the hope of an early escape, served to awaken this feeling, which, even Barton and Ruth, who were so much the greatest sufferers by recent events, shared with the others.

"I suppose," said Barton, "that Jenkins will most seriously feel the consequences of our removal to the settlements. First, he loses a fortune by the failure of that city-lot and factory speculation; and next, he runs the risk of escape from the Senecas, to be captured and imprisoned by his pale-faced friends."

"Now, that's rather too hard, Squire," said Ichabod. "That factory business will keep for some years, at least: and as for that other matter, I hope that fellow Parsons will discover from the fate of his two officers, who took up the business on speculation, that there's a special Providence agin his collecting it. But if he don't see reason, we'll try and manage it."

The Tuscarora, who had taken no part in the conversation but who had simply exchanged a few words, at intervals, with Singing-Bird, which seemed to cloud her face with anxiety, now arose, and stretching his arm towards the south, merely uttered the common Indian ejaculation of surprise.

"Ugh!"

The others immediately arose, and after a few moments, their eyes became fastened upon a sight, which attracted their attention. On the opposite shore of the pond, some half-a-dozen Indians were seen, busily at work, partially hidden behind bushes that grew to the water's edge. It was evident that they were engaged in the construction of a raft, with which they probably intended to search the northern shore. Though this afforded some cause for alarm, yet, as a raft large enough to convey a sufficiently numerous party to attack them with any chance of success, would be too unwieldy to be moved through the water, except with the greatest labor – they had no fear but that, if their landing-place should be discovered, they would be able, by the greater ease with which their boat could be managed, to escape from its pursuit. So long as they could remain near the northern shore, they would be comparatively safe, as they had no fear of any attack in that quarter, by land. No force sufficiently large could penetrate in that direction, to give them any uneasiness; but should they be driven by the raft from their present position, they might be compelled, in escaping from it, to pass between it and the shore, at some point where they might be exposed to an attack from either. But for the present, they maintained their position, and awaited the movements of the enemy.