A NEW HOME IN THE WILDERNESS
"SANDY!"
The younger lad heard his name called and, looking up, caught
the beckoning finger of his brother. One look told him what was
threatening, for the face of the advancing settler betrayed the ugly
thoughts that filled his mind.
Sandy immediately sprang over to join forces with his brother, for
whatever Bob did was right, in his mind, and he stood ready to back him
up to the end.
"What does all this foolishness mean?" demanded the tall pioneer as
he came to where Bob was still kneeling beside his patient, with the
bandage just secured by a strip of narrow linen which his mother was
never without, since every housewife in those days had to be ready for
emergencies.
Bob did not answer. He waited until Mr. Brady saw the young Indian, who
met the angry glare in the settler's eyes with a defiant look. Blue
Jacket even hastened to sit up, and fold his sinewy arms across his
chest. It was the attitude which he conceived a true warrior ought to
assume when ready to chant his death song, and laugh at Fate.
"An Injun!" roared the furious man, making a threatening movement with
his long musket. "They told me so, but I couldn't hardly believe it. A
red viper in our camp, to be nursed back to life so that he can bring
his fellows down on us some fine night, and scalp the whole company.
We'll soon settle that!"
"Hold on, Mr. Brady," said Bob calmly. "What do you mean to do?"
He had placed himself in front of the wounded Indian, shielding his
painted body with his own. Sandy stood close at hand, ready to clutch
the arm of the infuriated man should he dare venture to extremes. And
Mr. Armstrong came hurrying up, urged on by his alarmed wife.
"Shoot the snake as he deserves, if you must know!" shouted the man,
who had worked himself up into a condition bordering on hysteria. "Who
knows but what it was him that wounded my poor brother, Caleb! One
Injun more or less can never matter much, anyway. So stand aside, Bob
Armstrong, and let me put him out of his misery, like you would a mad
dog."
But he greatly mistook the temper of Bob, if he thought that threats
like this could have any influence over him. On the contrary the young
pioneer only spread himself more squarely in front of his helpless
charge.
"No, you shall not hurt him, Mr. Brady. Sandy and I found him, and he
belongs to us. Pat O'Mara is still in charge of this company, and he
has told us we could do what we wanted with him. Besides, he is only
one lone Indian, and can do us no harm. Perhaps, if we help him now, he
may not forget it some time in the future. For we are come here to stay
always, and his people belong here."
The man dared not attempt to fire while Bob thus interposed his body
between; besides, he had a healthy respect for the redoubtable Irish
trapper.
"Is that true, O'Mara?" he demanded. "Have you given these foolish
lads permission to keep this varmint alive when he's better off if
dispatched?"
"'Tis a fact that they prejudiced me in favor av thot same ijee, aven
though I was opposed to the same in the sthart," responded the genial
Pat, winking at Sandy while he spoke. "And p'raps it's best thot ye do
be mindin' yer own business, Mr. Brady, meanin' no offence at all."
"And," said David, laying a heavy hand on the other's shoulder, "they
have the approval of both their mother and myself, Brady, so please pay
no more attention to what we are doing here. The redskin will be able
to travel in a few days. Perhaps he may take a message to his people
from us, and be the means of bringing about a lasting truce--who knows?
At all events he is going to be doctored by Robert, and no one will lay
a finger on him without accounting to me!"
Anthony Brady was no fool, though doubtless a most impulsive man. He
knew that the conditions were most unfavorable for a continuance of the
argument, so, shrugging his broad shoulders, and with a last scowl at
the impassive face of the young Shawanee brave, he turned on his heel
in disgust.
"Well, have your way, Armstrong," he said, moodily. "But, if I happen
to run across this young savage in the forest, he will never return to
his people to tattle about our weakness."
"And if you attempt any treachery, Brady, you will answer to me for
it, remember," declared David, sternly.
"An' to me, by the pipers!" echoed O'Mara, shaking his head
aggressively.
"Have no fear as long as he is in your charge, neighbor, for I am
not the man to stir up strife over one wretched Injun; but, after he
_leaves_ you the case is different, and he can be safely potted by any
white with a ready gun," and with this dark threat Brady stalked away.
And the one who had been the cause for all this excitement did not
utter a single word to show that he understood what a world of
gratitude he owed to the two boys. But there was a look of intelligence
in his face. He understood, and would not forget.
The night was now gathering around them. Fires had been started, and
every soul in the new settlement seemed to be busily engaged.
Already had the Armstrong tent been raised, and things were assuming
rather a cheery look around them. And, while they worked, many times
did the eyes of those pioneers wander down to the placid surface of
that broad and swift river, concerning which they had heard such
extravagant tales.
Supper was presently ready. It consisted of the simplest of fare, for
luxuries were utterly unknown among these early settlers along the
Ohio; but there was plenty and to spare, and their good wives knew how
to cook it in an appetizing manner.
Nor was the young Indian forgotten. He sat up and ate in silence.
Not one word did he speak to express any gratitude, save when he was
through, and ready to lie back again, at which time he gave a grunt,
and remarked:
"Ugh! good!"
"I guess he doesn't know much English," observed Sandy, chuckling.
"That may be," replied his brother; "but I've heard Pat say that these
Indians never tell what they think. I reckon he _feels_ it all right,
for I can see something in those snapping black eyes of his that tells
me so every time he looks at either of us."
"Yes, and you in particular, Bob," declared Sandy; "because he just
can't understand why you treat him so fine, when he expected to be
knocked on the head, like we do a lynx or a fox we find in our traps."
The customary precautions were taken that night to guard against a
surprise. The gloomy mysterious forest surrounded them on every side
save the river, and who could say what terrible perils it concealed?
Here roved fierce beasts of prey, the bear, the panther, and the wolf,
besides possibly other species of animals the nature of which they did
not know.
But still more to be feared ten times over were those dusky hordes of
savages, whose country they had invaded, if not with hostile intent, at
least meaning to take it for the use of the white man.
But there was no night alarm. Doubtless more than one among the women
trembled as she lay awake during that first night on the bank of the
Ohio, and listened to various sounds from the forest that might not
be familiar to her ears, and which her fears magnified into signals
exchanged between different parties of prowling Indians waiting for a
chance to attack the intruders.
But morning dawned, bright and rosy, and all was well.
Bob had slept close to where his patient lay on a spare blanket. He
entertained some anxiety lest Brady, or another of the same stripe,
might deem it a duty to creep up in the darkness and finish the wounded
Indian. Perhaps he did the man an injustice in suspecting anything of
the sort; but Bob had inherited his forefathers' Scotch caution.
All was soon animation. While the women prepared breakfast the hardy
men selected the sites upon which they expected to begin erecting their
future cabin homes.
The Armstrongs were able to retain possession of the spot which had so
pleased the boys, and David had even marked the dimensions of his new
home upon the rich soil; after which he took his axe and started to hew
down a tree that interfered with the raising of the cabin.
Every soul in camp had plenty to do that wonderful day. The men worked
early and late, assisting each other with the heavier labor of lifting
the logs, after they had been properly hewn to fit. Even Pat swung a
spare blade with more or less skill, for he intended to stay about
until he had seen his good friends snugly installed in their new home.
The wounded Indian seemed to be getting along splendidly. His was a
tough constitution, and able to withstand a shock that would have
easily been fatal to one less accustomed to privations and hardships.
He passed a few words with Bob now, though his accomplishments in the
line of English seemed limited. Indeed, it was a mystery where he had
ever picked up what he did know; though later on Bob discovered that
there had been a white woman taken prisoner by his tribe a year or
two previous, and that before she died from some fever she had taken
especial interest in young Blue Jacket, for some reason or other,
teaching him many things.
When again night closed around the new settlement there were a dozen
cabins in process of being erected. If the good work kept up, more than
one might have a roof completed by another sunset.
A feeling of contentment reigned. Every one seemed delighted with the
location, and expressed a feeling of gratitude toward Colonel Boone,
in that he had guided them to this place, rather than allowed them to
settle elsewhere further up the river.
And, when another day was spent, the Armstrong cabin was among the
three that had the roof completed, so that they could actually move
their belongings inside, and feel as though their period of pilgrimage
were at an end, since once more they had a place to call home.
Trust that wife and mother to quickly add the delicate little
touches that would give it the familiar air to which all of them were
accustomed. It was commodious enough to allow of the wounded Indian's
being carried within, which task was performed by the two boys,
assisted by David himself; and the little mother superintended the job
of making him comfortable.
He was improving rapidly, and Bob knew that it would not be many days
before his patient would be able to walk, for the wound had started to
heal in a magical way.
Though Blue Jacket said little, he watched all the while. Not a thing
went on but that those beady black eyes saw it.
"I wonder what he thinks of it all," Mrs. Armstrong said several times,
as she noticed how he followed her around with his gaze, while she was
engaged in some of her household duties.
"I only hope he appreciates what you are doing for him enough not to
bring any of his friends down on us some fine night," said David, who
was only half reconciled to this state of affairs, and had little use
for the copper-colored sons of the wilderness.
As the days passed on, and there was no alarm of any kind, the new
settlers found reason to hope that the Indians, having been taught a
severe lesson in that battle of the night, meant to leave them alone.
"Niver belave thot," said the wise O'Mara, when he heard this opinion
expressed, "they do be the most treacherous av varmints. 'Tis the lot
av thim wud lull yees to slape, an' then take yees be surprise. Watch
always, me friends! Kape wun eye open whin yees slape! An' niver, niver
go away from home widout a gun an' plenty av powder an' ball. Faith,
I wudn't giv sixpence for the life av the man as niglected the proper
precautions whin dalin' wid ridskins."
More than a whole week had now gone since the little company of daring
souls came to a halt in this chosen spot; and then, one morning, there
fell in the midst of the Armstrong family an unexpected shock that took
every one by surprise.