THE RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN.
It always seemed to Jethro Juggens that Kenton took a great deal more
pains or used a greater degree of caution than was necessary when he
undertook a task in which Indians were concerned. The density of the
African's intellect did not blind him to the need of using caution or
care in dealing with the treacherous people, but the excessive timidity
of so active or powerful a man as the pioneer struck the dusky youth
unfavorably.
"He tinks dat dat canoe am ober yender, somewhar near dat flatboat,"
mused Jethro, several minutes after the departure of the scout; "I has a
little ob dat 'pinion myself. It wouldn't take more dan five minutes to
run across to de oder side. Dat's what he oughter do, but instead ob dat
he goes clear round de clearing frough de woods--de most obfoolishest
ting dat he could do. He runs de risk ob steppin' on a rattlesnake and
gettin' stung, or ob catchin' a limb under his chin and liftin' him
offen his feet and droppin' him on his back wid a violence dat will
shake all de teeth out ob his head."
The reader has learned the success of the plan adopted by Kenton.
"I don't feel perzactly right ober dis bus'ness," muttered Jethro, some
minutes later. "I come along to help look after Mr. Kenton, and when de
danger comes I let him slip away without me.
"He played de boss fust ober me, which am all right, 'cause dat am de
way to fix dem tings, but it's 'bout time my turn come."
An expression of displeasure passed over the ebon countenance.
"He told me I musn't speak nor move nor breve. Dar ain't no sense in
dat. Den he gib me percumission to breve. 'Sposen he hadn't done so,
what would hab come of me? I couldn't hold my bref for free, four hours
while he war gone. As for movin' and talkin', I hab already done dat, so
dar ain't no use ob tinting any more 'bout it."
It was really a relief to reflect that he had violated all the commands
laid upon him, for the fact ended the mental struggle which might have
continued indefinitely. Inasmuch, therefore, as the bars were down, the
disobedience grew or expanded.
Kenton, before parting with the servant, made sure he was in a place
where there was little danger of discovery. The undergrowth was so dense
that no one was likely to pass through it except in case of necessity,
for work would be saved by making a much longer tour around. It was
quite near the river, on the margin of the clearing, though far enough
from the latter to prevent the fellow being seen if he used only
ordinary prudence.
In open violation of his orders, Jethro made his way to the open space,
putting forth no special precaution in doing so, and peered around.
There was nothing in the appearance of the flatboat to interest him, nor
could he note any change in the looks of the cabin.
"I don't feel dat dis matter am gwine right," he mused, returning to his
former position; "I'se gettin' worried 'bout Mr. Kenton; it war
understood dat I war to go 'long to help took care ob him, and dar's no
knowing what trouble he'll get into."
Enough had passed between the two before their separation for Jethro to
understand quite clearly the scheme he had in mind. He knew the ranger
meant to take the longest way round to the other side of the clearing,
throwing away, in the estimation of the African, a great deal of time
and effort.
Fortunately, Jethro did not yield to his impulse to solve the matter by
striding across the open space and making a hunt himself for the cause
that was destined to play a most important part in the fortunes of the
pioneers. Thus, a calamity, far-reaching in its consequences, was
averted.
But a few minutes more of reflection induced the youth to do something
hardly less dangerous or ill-advised.
He decided to follow after Kenton, taking the same course and making for
the same destination.
"It'll s'prise him," thought Jethro, with a grin, "when I sort of
whistle, and he looks round and sees me standin' dar smilin' at him.
I'll doot!"
The youth was not sufficiently skilled in woodcraft to follow the ranger
by means of his trail. Indeed, there was no need of his doing so, since
the course was well known to him.
It was not without some misgiving that Jethro started upon his venture,
for, despite his sophistries, he knew he was quite likely to incur the
displeasure of Kenton, who had shown more than once a partiality toward
him. If any disaster followed, the youth knew he would be blamed. It was
his task, therefore, so to conduct himself that only the best results
should flow from his violation of orders.
Jethro kept well back among the trees while circling around the
clearing. The increased light on his right was all the guide he needed,
even had he not gained a slight acquaintance with the section by his
stirring experience earlier in the day.
Now and then he approached near enough to the cleared space to see the
cabin, and thus took hardly a step without fully knowing where he was.
At a point in a line with the cabin and the flatboat beyond, he came to
a halt and glanced at his immediate surroundings.
"Dis is 'bout de spot whar I stood when I plugged dat Injun, and," added
Jethro, with a chuckle, "whar I scooped de shirt dat dat Girty hung out
to dry. Dey tried to make b'leve aftwards dat it war a flag ob trooce,
meanin' dat dey wanted us all to stop shootin' while we had a talk wid
each oder; dey fooled Kenton and de rest ob de folks, but dey didn't
fool dis chile."
He found a fascination in studying the rear of the cabin, which George
Ashbridge and his father had builded with so much care and labor.
"Lucky for me dat I wasn't wid' em," reflected Jethro, "for if I had
been dey would hab sat 'round while I done all de work. Mighty strange
dat eberybody tinks I'm good fur nuffin but work, but dey done forgot
dat I knows how to shoot a gun as well as oder folks."
He stood for a minute or two in deep thought. He was revolving an
important scheme in his mind.
"From de style dat Mr. Kenton moved wid when he luff me, it'll take him
'bout two days to git 'round to where he's gwine to find dat canoe,
consequinchly dar ain't no use ob my being in such a hurry dat I'll
broke my neck. I'll take a look inside dat house to make sure dat
matters am all right."
And without the first hesitation he proceeded to carry out his
extraordinary purpose.
He first approached the rear of the cabin, where, it will be remembered,
were two windows on the lower floor and two on the upper. Each of these
was too narrow to permit any man to force his body through. It was from
one of the lower ones that Simon Girty had displayed the flag of truce,
only to have it whipped off the ramrod and appropriated by the watchful
Jethro, who, after wearing the garment for a time, laid it aside in
order to escape the merriment his appearance caused for the others.
The dusky youth peeped through the opening at the interior, where the
furniture and goods were tumbled about in great confusion. The view was
unsatisfactory, and he passed around to the front, with the intention of
entering by means of the door.
There are unnumbered incidents continually occurring, as they have
occurred in the past, in which luck seems to play a most prominent part.
We doubt whether any other explanation can be made of the extraordinary
series of events in which Jethro Juggens now became involved, and which
were destined to have a momentous bearing upon the fortunes of his
friends, beyond even the calculations of the sagacious Boone and Kenton.
It is probable that had the colored youth presented himself in front of
the door a half-hour sooner, he not only would have been instantly
detected by some of the Shawanoes, but would have been slain. It is
certain that had he delayed his movements for a less time than that
named these consequences would have followed, for the reader has learned
that before the warrior guarding the canoe fell asleep he showed a good
deal of interest in the cabin in the clearing.
But Jethro's action was so timed (without any credit due to himself)
that he escaped both perils, as well as that of being seen by Kenton,
who, it will be remembered, gave considerable attention to the same
quarter. It is hard to imagine what his feelings would have been, had
the scout turned his gaze towards the building at the moment the colored
youth came around the corner and walked to the front door.
"Dat's right," muttered Jethro, when he noted the latch-string hanging
out; "dat makes it discumnecessary for me to kick in de door."
The leathern thong was smartly twitched, the door shoved gently inward,
and, with a slightly quickened throbbing of the heart, Jethro Juggens
stepped across the threshold.
Boxes of varying sizes were broken apart, or scattered here or there
about the lower floor. Near the broad, spacious fireplace were a number
of pots, kettles, a crane, and irons, or other simple utensils, such as
were used by our forefathers. The whole floor was so cluttered up that
care was necessary in moving about the circumscribed space.
The sloping ladder leading to the upper floor was in place, but little,
if anything, had been carried thither. The time, of course, was too
brief to permit it.
Jethro peeped through the windows in turn, but discovered nothing to
cause alarm. Then, it may be said, he did his first sensible act of the
day; he pulled in the latch-string to prevent an enemy stealing upon him
unawares.
A chuckle escaped the youngster when his eye rested upon a box
containing what was left of the bread that had furnished the pioneers
with their last meal. Leaning his rifle against the wall, he clutched a
goodly-sized loaf of the dark, wholesome staff of life, and buried his
big, perfect teeth in it, crunching crust and lighter portion as though
they were the most tender and delicious fruits.
Stretching out upon the hard floor, which served him as well as a bed of
eider-down, he sank into a deep, peaceful slumber, with no thought of
the consequences that were certain to flow from this unprecedented
action upon his part.
By this time the long summer day was drawing to a close. When darkness
finally settled over forest and river, Jethro Juggens was still
sleeping.