OUR HABITATION IN THE FOREST--MY SHARE OF THE SPOILS OF THE DAY'S
CHASE--UNCLE MARK COMMENCES HIS NARRATIVE--WHY MY UNCLES DECIDED TO
EMIGRATE--LANDING IN SAFETY, THEY START UP COUNTRY--THEIR MEETING WITH
SIMON YEARSLEY, AN OLD SETTLER--THE SETTLEMENT IS FOUND IN RUINS--LILY
AND I RESCUED--UNCLE MARK PROMISES TO RESUME HIS NARRATIVE ON THE FIRST
OPPORTUNITY--MY LOVE OF NATURAL HISTORY--UNCLE MARK CONTINUES HIS
NARRATIVE--YEARSLEY GOES IN PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS--THE BURIAL OF LILY'S
MOTHER--THE RETURN TO THE WAGGON--THEY REACH THE NEAREST SETTLEMENT--
ALARM OF THE SETTLERS UPON HEARING OF THE OUTRAGE COMMITTED BY THE
INDIANS--UNCLE STEPHEN'S MARRIAGE--CONCLUSION OF UNCLE MARK'S
NARRATIVE--LILY AND I GO BERRYING--WE ARE ATTACKED BY A WOLF--KEPENAU
SAVES OUR LIVES--HIS PRESENT OF VENISON TO AUNT HANNAH--KEPENAU'S BELIEF
IN THE GOODNESS OF THE GREAT SPIRIT--THE INDIAN'S ADVICE.
"Is Lily not Uncle Stephen's daughter, then?" I asked.
The question was put to my uncle, Mark Tregellis, whom I found seated in
front of our hut as I returned one evening from a hunting excursion--it
having been my duty that day to go out in search of game for our larder.
Uncle Mark had just come in from his day's work, which had been that of
felling the tall trees surrounding our habitation. He and I together
had cleared an acre and a half since we came to our new location.
It was a wild region in which we had fixed ourselves. Dark forests were
on every side of us. To the north and the east was the great chain of
lakes which extend a third of the way across North America. Numberless
mountain-ranges rose in the distance, with intervening heights,--some
rugged and precipitous, others clothed to their summits with vegetation.
Numerous rivers and streams ran through the country; one of which, on
whose banks we purposed building our future abode, passed close to our
hut. Besides the features I have described, there were waterfalls and
rapids, deep valleys and narrow gorges penetrating amid the hills; while
to the south-west could be seen, from the higher ground near us, the
wide prairie, extending away far beyond human ken. Wild indeed it was,
for not a single habitation of white men was to be found to the
westward; and on the other side, beyond the newly-formed settlement in
which Uncle Stephen resided, but few cottages or huts of the hardy
pioneers of civilisation,--and these scattered only here and there,--
existed for a hundred miles or more.
Uncle Mark, having lighted the fire and put the pot on to boil, had
thrown himself down on the ground in front of the hut, with his back to
the wall, and was busy contemplating the dark pines which towered up
before him, and calculating how long it would take, with his sharp axe,
to fell them.
I had brought home a haunch of venison as my share of the spoils of the
chase (in which I had joined Uncle Stephen); and it was in consequence
of a remark made by him while we were out hunting, that I had somewhat
eagerly asked at Uncle Mark the question with which this story opens.
"No; Lily is not Stephen's daughter,--nor even related to him," he
answered. "But we will cut some steaks off that haunch and broil them;
and while we are discussing our supper, I will tell you all about the
matter."
The slices of venison, and flour-cakes baked on the fire, were soon
ready; and seated at the door of our hut, with a fire burning before us
to keep off the mosquitoes, we commenced our repast, when I reminded my
uncle of his promise.
"It is a good many years ago, but even now it is painful to think of
those days," he began. "We came from Cornwall, in the `old country,'
where your Uncle Stephen, your mother, and I were born. She had married
your father, Michael Penrose, however, and had emigrated to America,
when we were mere boys; and we were just out of our apprenticeship
(Stephen as a blacksmith and I as a carpenter) when we received a letter
from your father and mother inviting us to join them in America, and
setting forth the advantages to be obtained in the new country. We were
not long in making up our minds to accept the invitation; and in the
spring of the next year we crossed the sea, with well nigh three hundred
other emigrants,--some going out to relatives and friends, others bent
on seeking their fortunes, trusting alone to their own strong arms and
determined will for success.
"We found, on landing, that we had a journey of some hundred miles
before us; part of which could be performed in boats up the rivers, but
the greater portion was along `corduroy' roads, through dark forests,
and over mountains and plains. Our brother-in-law, a bold, determined
person, had turned backwoodsman, and, uniting himself with a party of
hardy fellows of similar tastes, had pushed on in advance of the old
settlers, far to the westward, in spite of the difficulties of obtaining
stores and provisions, and the dangers they knew they must encounter
from hostile Indians whose territories they were invading. We did not,
however, think much of these things, and liked the idea of being ahead,
as it seemed to us, of others. The forest was before us. We were to
win our way through it, and establish a home for ourselves and our
families.
"We had been travelling on for a couple of weeks or so, following the
directions your father had given us in order to find his new location,
but greatly in doubt as to whether we were going right, when we were
fortunate enough to fall in with a settler who knew him, and who was
returning with a waggon and team. He readily undertook to be our guide,
glad to have our assistance in making way through the forest. We
provided ourselves with crowbars to lift the waggon out of the ruts and
holes and up the steep ascents; for we had left the `corduroy' roads--
or, indeed, any road at all--far behind. Our new acquaintance seemed to
be somewhat out of spirits about the prospects of the new settlement;
but, notwithstanding, he had determined to chance it with the rest. The
Indians, he said, had lately been troublesome, and some of them who had
been found prowling about, evidently bent on mischief, had been shot.
`We have won the ground, and we must keep it against all odds,' he
observed.
"Everything in the country was then new to us. I remember feeling
almost awe-struck with the stillness which reigned in the forest. Not a
leaf or bough was in motion; nor was a sound heard, except when now and
then our ears caught the soughing of the wind among the lofty heads of
the pine-trees, the tapping of the woodpeckers on the decaying trunks,
or the whistling cry of the little chitmonk as it ran from bough to
bough.
"I had expected to meet with bears, wolves, raccoons, lynxes, and other
animals, and was surprised at encountering so few living creatures.
`They are here, notwithstanding,' observed our friend; `you will get
your eyes sharpened to find them in time. In the course of a year or
two you _may_ become expert backwoodsmen. You can't expect to drop into
the life all at once.' By attending to the advice our friend gave us,
and keeping our senses wide awake, we gained some knowledge even during
that journey.
"We were now approaching the settlement--Weatherford, it was called. It
was a long way to the eastward of where we are now, with numerous towns
and villages in the neighbourhood. The waggon had gained the last
height, from the top of which, our guide told us, we should be able to
catch sight of the settlement. We had been working away with our
crowbars, helping on the wheels,--our friend being ahead of the team,--
and had just reached level ground, when we heard him utter a cry of
dismay. Rushing forward, we found him pointing, with distended eyes,
into the plain beyond us, from which could be seen, near the bank of a
river, thick volumes of smoke ascending, while bright names kept
flickering up from below.
"`The settlement has been surprised by Indians!' he exclaimed, as soon
as he could find words to speak. `I know the bloodthirsty nature of the
savages. They don't do things by halves, or allow a single human being
to escape, if they can help it. Lads, you will stick by me; though we
can do nothing, I fear, but be revenged on the Redskins. I left my wife
and children down there, and I know that I shall never see them alive
again.'
"He spoke quite calmly, like a man who had made up his mind for the
worst.
"`We cannot leave the waggon here, or the Indians will see it,--if they
have not done so already,--and know that we are following them. We will
take it down to yonder hollow, and leave it and the oxen. There is
pasture enough for them, and they will not stray far. Then we will
follow up the Indians' trail; and maybe some of their braves won't get
back to boast of their victory, if you will only do as I tell you.'
"Of course, we at once agreed to accompany Simon Yearsley--such was our
friend's name--and follow his directions. Quickly turning the waggon
round, we got it down to the spot he had indicated, where the oxen were
unyoked, and left to crop the grass by the side of a stream flowing from
the hill above. Then taking our rifles, with a supply of ammunition,
and some food in our wallets, we again set off, Yearsley leading the
way.
"We next descended the hill, concealing ourselves as much as possible
among the rocks and shrubs until we gained the plain. Although Simon
moved at a rapid rate, there was nothing frantic in his gestures. He
had made up his mind, should he find his loved ones destroyed, to follow
the murderers with deadly vengeance, utterly regardless of the
consequences to himself. As none of the intervening country had been
cleared except a straight road through the forest, where the trees had
been felled, and the stumps grubbed up here and there to allow of a
waggon passing between the remainder, we were able to conceal ourselves
until we got close to the settlement.
"We now saw that, though the greater number were in flames, two or three
huts on one side remained uninjured. Still, not a sound reached us,--
neither the cries of the inhabitants nor the shouts of the savages.
Nothing was heard save the sharp crackling of the flames.
"`The Indians have retreated, and the settlers are following. We shall
be in time to join them!' exclaimed Yearsley, dashing forward. `But we
must first search for any who have survived.' His previous calmness
disappeared as he spoke, and he rushed, through the burning huts,
towards one of the buildings.
"Stephen and I were about to follow, when we heard a cry proceeding from
one of the huts at hand, which, though the doorway was charred and the
burning embers lay around it, had as yet escaped destruction. Hurrying
in, I stumbled over the corpse of a man. His rifle lay on the ground,
while his hand grasped an axe, the blade covered with gore. I gazed on
his face, and recognised, after a moment's scrutiny, my own
brother-in-law. He had fallen while defending his hearth and home.
Close to him lay a young boy, who, I guessed, was his eldest child, shot
through the head.
"My poor sister! where could she be?
"Again a cry reached my ear. It came from an inner room. It was
Martha, your mother, who had uttered the cry. She was stretched on the
ground, holding you in her arms. Her neck was fearfully wounded, her
life-blood ebbing fast away.
"I endeavoured to stanch it, telling her meanwhile who I was.
"`Stephen and I have come at your invitation,' I said.
"`Heaven, rather, has sent you, to protect my Roger,' she faintly gasped
out, trying to put you in my arms. `His father and brother are dead; I
saw them fall. Hearing voices which I knew to be those of white men, I
cried out, that they might come and protect him. Mark! I am dying.
You will ever be a father to him?'
"The blood continued to flow; and soon she breathed her last, her head
resting on my arm. Your dress and little hands were stained with her
blood; but you were too young to understand clearly what had happened,
although, as I took you up to carry you from the hut, you cried out
lustily to be taken back to your poor mother.
"Thinking it possible that the Indians might return, I hurried out to
look for Stephen, so that we might make our escape. I was resolved at
all costs to save your life. I tried to comfort you, at the same time,
by telling you that I was your uncle, and that your mother had wished me
to take care of you.
"Going on a little way, I found another hut, the door of which was open,
and smoke coming out of it. The savages had thrown in their firebrands
as they quitted the village, and the front part was already on fire.
"While I was shouting for Stephen he rushed out of the hut, with a
blanket rolled up in his arms, the end thrown over his own head.
"`I have saved this child, and thank Heaven you are here to take her!'
he exclaimed, unfolding the blanket, and putting a little girl into my
arms. `I must try and preserve the mother;' and again throwing the
blanket over his head, he dashed in through the flames.
"In another minute he reappeared, struggling along under the heavy
burden of a grown-up person wrapped in the blanket. As he reached me he
sank down, overcome by the smoke, and I noticed that his clothes and
hair were singed.
"On opening the blanket I saw a young woman, her dress partly burned.
She too was wounded. The fresh air somewhat revived her; and on opening
her eyes and seeing the little girl, she stretched out her arms for her.
`Lilias! my little Lily! she's saved,' she whispered, as she pressed
her lips to the child's brow. `May Heaven reward you!'
"It was the final effort of exhausted nature, and in a few minutes she
breathed her last.
"The flames, meantime, had gained the mastery over the building, and we
saw that it was impossible to save it.
"But it's time to turn in, Roger," said Uncle Mark. "I'll tell you more
about the matter to-morrow."
As Uncle Mark always meant what he said, I knew that there would be no
use in trying to get him to go on then, eager as I was to hear more of
what had, as may be supposed, so deeply interested me. I accordingly
turned into my bunk, and was soon asleep.
I dreamed of shrieking Indians and burning villages; and more than once
I started up and listened to the strange unearthly sounds which came
from the depths of the forest.
These noises, I may here say, were caused by the wolves; for the savage
brutes occasionally came near the settlement, attracted by the sheep and
cattle which the inhabitants had brought with them. A bright look-out
being kept, however, it was seldom that any of our stock was carried
off. Bears also occasionally came into the neighbourhood; and we had
already shot two, whose skins supplied us with winter coats. Our
intention was to kill as many more as we could meet with, that their
skins might serve us for other purposes--especially as coverlets for our
beds. And, besides, their flesh was always a welcome addition to our
larder.
Next morning we went about our usual work. My uncle with his bright axe
commenced felling the trees round our hut--working away from sunrise to
sunset, with only an hour's intermission for dinner. I aided him, as
far as my strength would allow, for a certain number of hours daily.
But my uncle encouraged me to follow the bent of my inclination, which
was to get away and observe the habits of the creatures dwelling in the
surrounding forest.
I had been a naturalist from my earliest days. The study had been my
poor father's hobby--so my uncle told me--and I inherited his love for
it. It had, moreover, been developed and encouraged by a visit we had
received, some few years back, from a scientific gentleman, who had come
over to America to make himself acquainted with the feathered tribes,
the quadrupeds, and the reptiles of the New World.
It had been my delight to accompany this gentleman on his excursions
while he was with us; and I prized a couple of books he had left with me
more than I should have done a lump of gold of the same weight. From
him I learned to preserve and stuff the skins of the birds and animals I
killed; a knowledge which I turned to profitable account, by my uncle's
advice--as they were sent, when opportunity occurred, to the Eastern
States, where they found a ready market.
"It pays very well in its way, Roger," observed Uncle Mark; "but work is
better. If you can combine the two, I have no objection; but you are
now too old to play, and, for your own sake, you should do your best to
gain your own living. While you were young, I was ready to work for
you; and so I should be now, if you could not work for yourself. I want
you, however, to understand that it is far nobler for a man to labour
for his daily bread, than to allow others to labour for him."
I fully agreed with Uncle Mark. Indeed, my ambition had long been to
support myself. I had an idea, nevertheless, that the skins I preserved
brought more immediate profit than did the result of his labours with
the axe. But, everything considered, we got on very well together; for
I was grateful to him for the affection and care he had bestowed on me
during my childhood.
I was hard at work that day preparing a number of birds I had shot in
the morning; and when dinnertime came, Uncle Mark, telling me to
continue my task, said he would get our meal ready. Having quickly
prepared it, he brought out the platters, and set himself down near me.
I washed my hands, and speedily despatched my dinner; after which I
returned to my work.
"Will you go on with the account you were giving me last night?" I
said, observing that he did not seem inclined to move. "You have more
than half an hour to rest, and I will then come and help you."
"Where was I? Oh! I remember," said my uncle. "In the middle of the
burning settlement, with you and Lily in my arms.
"We were wondering what had become of Yearsley, when we caught sight of
him rushing out from amid the burning huts.
"`They are all killed!--all, all, all!' he shrieked out. `Follow me,
lads;' and he pointed with a significant gesture in the direction he
supposed the Indians had taken.
"`But these children, Mr Yearsley! You would not have us desert them!
And my brother is too much injured, I fear, to accompany you,' I
observed.
"He looked at the children for a moment.
"`You are right,' he answered. `Stay by them; or rather, make your way
back eastward with them. Ignorant as you are of the habits of the
savages, you could aid me but little. If I do not return, the waggon
and its contents, with the team, will be yours.'
"Before I had time to reply, or to ask him the name of the poor young
woman who lay dead at my feet, he had dashed across the stream, and soon
disappeared amid the forest beyond. He had doubtless discovered the
trail of the Indians, or of the band of settlers who had gone in pursuit
of them; although we at that time were quite unable to perceive what was
visible to his more practised eye.
"I told Stephen how I had discovered our sister's house; so we agreed to
return to it, and to carry there the body of the poor young woman, that
we might bury it with those of our own family. The hut was one of the
very few which had escaped the flames, and we found some spades and a
pickaxe within. Not knowing how soon we might be interrupted, we at
once set to work and dug two graves under a maple-tree at the further
end of the garden. One was large enough to hold our brother-in-law and
sister, and their boy; and in the other we placed the poor young lady--
for a lady she appeared to be, judging from her dress, her ear-rings and
brooch, and a ring which she wore on her finger. These trinkets we
removed, in order to preserve them for her little daughter; as also a
miniature which hung round her neck,--that of a handsome young man, who
was doubtless her husband. Stephen told me that the cottage from which
he had rescued her, as far as he had time to take notice, seemed to be
neatly and tastefully furnished.
"We concluded that her husband, if he had not been killed when the
village was surprised, had followed the savages along with the rest; and
he would be able on his return to identify his child, while we should
know him by his portrait.
"Before beginning our sad occupation, we had got some water and washed
the stains from your hands and clothes, and left you in a room playing
with little Lily; and on our return we gave you both some food which we
found in the house. By this time, too, you seemed perfectly at home
with us.
"At first we thought of remaining in the house until Mr Yearsley and
the settlers whom we supposed had gone in pursuit of the savages should
return; but Stephen suggested that this might be dangerous, as we should
not know what was happening outside. The Indians might come back and
surprise us, when we should to a certainty share the fate which had
befallen so many others. We agreed, therefore, that our safest course
would be to make our way back to the waggon, where we had abundance of
provisions, and where we could find shelter for the children who had
been committed to us, we felt sure, by Providence.
"They were now our chief care. While I took charge of them, Stephen
hurriedly examined the other huts which had escaped destruction; crying
out in case any one should be concealed, in order to let them know that
we were ready to help them. No answer came, however, and we were soon
convinced that every person in the settlement, with the exception of
those who had gone in pursuit of the savages, had been slaughtered.
"As soon as we were satisfied as to this, we began our retreat, hoping
to get back to the waggon before nightfall. Our intention was to wait
there for Mr Yearsley, as we felt sure that, after he had punished the
Indians, he would come and look for us where he had left the waggon.
"The sun was setting as we reached the top of the ridge; but we were too
far off to distinguish any one moving in the settlement, although we
made out the smouldering fire, from which thin wreaths of smoke alone
ascended in the calm evening air. On reaching the waggon, we found the
cattle grazing quietly beside it. Having removed some packages, among
which was one of new blankets, we made up beds for the two children; and
after giving them some supper, we placed them, sleeping, side by side.
"We agreed that one of us should watch while the other slept. We also
resolved that, in the event of our being attacked by Indians, we should
show them fight; for we had a good store of ammunition, and knew well
how to handle our weapons. Although we hoped they would not come, yet
we knew that they might possibly fall upon our trail and discover our
whereabouts. Indeed, had we not thought it our duty to wait for Mr
Yearsley, we should have harnessed the cattle, and endeavoured to make
our way down the mountain in the dark.
"After we had put you and Lily to bed, and had refreshed ourselves with
some supper, I climbed again to the top of the ridge; but I could see no
object moving in the plain, nor could I hear the slightest sound to
indicate the approach of any one. I therefore returned.
"While Stephen lay down under the waggon, I kept watch, walking up and
down with my rifle ready in my hand, and resting occasionally by leaning
against the wheel of the waggon. After I had watched thus for about
four hours, I called Stephen, who took my place.
"I was again on foot by daybreak, and once more climbed to the top of
the ridge to look out. But I had the same report as before to give.
The fire had burned itself out, and I could see no one moving. We
waited all that day--and might have waited for several more, until our
cattle had eaten up the herbage--without being discovered; but Mr
Yearsley did not appear, nor could we see any signs of the other
settlers.
"We did our best to amuse you and Lily. You asked frequently after your
poor mother; and it went to my heart to tell you that you would never
see her again.
"Stephen proposed that we should the next morning set out on our journey
eastward; but as I thought it possible that Mr Yearsley would by that
time have got back to the settlement, I undertook to go and search for
him--or to try and find any of the other people, and learn what had
become of him. Stephen agreed to this; undertaking to look after the
children and guard the waggon during my absence.
"At daybreak I set out, keeping myself concealed, as much as possible,
behind bushes and trunks of trees, until I got back to the scene of the
catastrophe. I listened; but all was still as death. Excepting the two
or three huts around my brother-in-law's abode, the whole ground where
the settlement had stood presented only black heaps of ashes, surrounded
by palings and trunks of trees charred by the flames. I could see no
one moving across the river, either; and the dreadful idea seized me
that the settlers who had gone in pursuit of the foe had been cut off,
and that Mr Yearsley had in all likelihood shared the same fate. Had
it not been for Stephen and the children, I would have watched all day,
in the hope of our friend's return; but I had promised not to be longer
than I could help.
"I again visited my poor brother-in-law's hut, and packed up such
clothes as I saw belonging to you. I also brought away a few other
articles, to remind us of your mother; for I thought it probable that
the settlement would be revisited by the savages, who would take good
care to finish the work they had begun. I then set off on my return to
the waggon, looking back every now and then, lest I might be followed by
any of the foe.
"On reaching the waggon, Stephen agreed with me that we might safely
wait till the next morning. We did so; and poor Yearsley not then
appearing, we proceeded with the waggon along the road we had taken in
coming, until we reached Watfield, a large settlement which had then
been established for three or four years.
"The account we gave of what had happened caused the inhabitants
considerable anxiety and alarm. The men at once flew to arms; stockades
were put up; and sentries were posted at all points, to watch for the
possible approach of the Indians.
"Stephen and I having now no wish to go further east, we determined to
remain where we were. As for the waggon and team, though we had no
written document to show that Yearsley had given them to us, our
statement was believed; and it was agreed that we should be allowed to
keep them,--especially as we consented to give them up should the
original owner return. But nothing was ever heard of him, or of the
other settlers who had gone in pursuit of the retreating foe; and it was
generally believed that the whole had been surrounded and murdered by
the savages.
"As we could not spare time to look after the children, one of us agreed
to marry. Stephen therefore fixed upon your Aunt Hannah, who was, he
had discovered, likely to prove a good housewife, and was kind-hearted
and gentle-mannered. A true mother, too, she has ever proved to our
Lily."
Uncle Mark only spoke the truth when he praised Aunt Hannah; for she had
been like an affectionate mother to me, as well as to Lily, and much I
owed her for the care she had bestowed upon me.
I need not describe my own early days; indeed, several years passed
without the occurrence of any incidents which would be especially
interesting to others. Gradually the border-village grew into a town,
although even then the country continued in almost its original wild
state within a mile or two of us. Both Lily and I got a fair amount of
schooling; and in the holidays I was able to indulge my taste, by
rambling into the forest and increasing my knowledge of the habits of
its denizens. Occasionally I got leave for Lily to accompany me,
although Aunt Hannah did not much approve of her going so far from home.
One day I had persuaded our aunt to let her accompany me--Lily herself
was always ready to go--for the sake of collecting some baskets of
berries. "I promise to come back with as many as I can carry, to fill
your jam-pots," said I. There were whortleberries, and thimble-berries,
blue-berries, raspberries, and strawberries, and many others which, I
reminded her, were now in season. "If we do not get them now, the time
will pass. Lily's fingers, too, will pick them quicker than mine, so
that we shall get double as many as I should get by myself," I observed.
My arguments prevailed, and Lily and I set out, happy as the red-birds
we saw flying in and out among the trees around us.
We had nearly filled our baskets, and I was on my knees picking some
strawberries which grew on the bank of a small stream running through an
open part of the forest, when Lily, who was at a little distance from
me, shrieked out. I was about to spring to my feet and hurry to her
assistance--supposing that she had been frightened by some animal--when
what was my horror to see, close to me, a huge wolf, with open jaws,
ready to seize me! My stick, the only weapon I carried, lay just within
my reach; so I put out my hand and instinctively grasped it, determined
to fight for my own life and Lily's too--knowing how, if the wolf killed
me, it would next attack her.
As I moved the creature snarled, but did not advance any nearer. So,
grasping the stick, I sprang to my feet and swung the weapon round with
all my might, despair giving energy to my muscles. The savage creature
retreated a few paces, astonished at the unexpected blow, snarling, and
eyeing me, as if about to make another attack.
Again Lily shrieked.
"Run, run!" I cried; "I will tackle the wolf."
But she did not move; indeed, she saw that the creature was more likely
to come off victor than I was.
I stood ready to receive the animal, doubtful whether I ought to make
the attack; Lily, in the meantime, continuing to cry aloud for help.
The wolf at length seemed to get tired of waiting for his expected prey,
and giving a fierce howl, he was on the point of springing at me, when a
bullet fired by an unseen hand laid him dead at my feet.
Lily sprang towards me, exclaiming, "You are safe! you are safe, Roger!"
and then burst into tears. She scarcely seemed to consider how I had
been saved. All she saw was the dead wolf, and that I was unhurt.
On looking round, I observed an Indian advancing towards us from among
the trees.
"That must be the man who killed the wolf," I exclaimed. "We must thank
him, Lily."
Lily had ever a great dread of Indians. "We must run! we must run,
Roger!" she cried. "He may kill us as easily as he did the wolf, or
carry us away prisoners."
"We cannot escape him, Lily; and I do not think he will hurt us," I
answered in an encouraging tone. "I will go forward and thank him for
saving my life. It will not do to show any fear; and if he is disposed
to be friendly, he would think it ungrateful if we were to run off
without thanking him."
I took Lily's hand as I spoke, and led her towards the Indian. He was
dressed in skins, with an axe hanging from his belt, and had long black
hair streaming over his shoulders,--unlike most of the Indians I had
seen, who wear it tied up and ornamented with feathers. A small silver
medal hung from his neck, and I guessed from this that he was a friend
to the white men, and had received it as a token for some service he had
rendered them.
He made a friendly sign as he saw us approach, and put out his hand.
"We come to thank you for killing the wolf that was about to spring upon
me," I said in English, for though I knew a few words of the Indian
tongue, I could not at that time speak it sufficiently well to express
what I wished to say.
"Kepenau is glad to have done you a service," he answered in English.
"I heard the young maiden cry out, and guessed that she would not do so
without cause, so I hurried on to help you. But why are you so far from
home? It is dangerous for unarmed people to wander in this forest."
"We came out to gather berries, and were about to return," said Lily.
"You will not detain us?"
"Not if you wish to go," answered the Indian.
"But come with me, and you shall return with something of more value
than these berries."
I felt sure that the Indian would not injure us, so Lily and I followed
him, hand in hand.
He moved through the forest faster than we could, and presently stopped
near some rocks, amid which lay the body of a deer with huge antlers.
Placing himself across the carcass of the animal, he exclaimed with a
look of exultation, "See! I have overcome the king of these forests.
Once, thousands of these animals wandered here, but since the white man
has come they have all disappeared; and now that I have slain him, we
must go likewise, and seek for fresh hunting-grounds. Still, Kepenau
bears the Whiteskins no malice. He was ever their friend, and intends
to remain so. You must take some of the meat and present it to your
friends."
Saying this, he commenced skinning the deer, in which operation I
assisted him. He then cut off several slices, which he wrapped up in
some large leaves and placed in my basket.
"Take the venison to your mother, and say that Kepenau sends it," he
observed.
"He has no mother," said Lily.
"Is he not your brother?" asked the Indian.
"No!" said Lily. "His mother was killed by the Redskins long, long
ago."
Lily at that time did not know that her own mother had been murdered
when mine was.
"You do not bear the red men any malice on that account, I trust?" said
Kepenau, turning to me.
"The Great Spirit tells us to forgive our enemies; and there are good
and bad Indians."
"You are a good Indian, I am sure," said Lily, looking up at him with
more confidence in her manner than she had before shown.
"I wish to become so," he said, smiling. "I have learned to love the
Great Spirit, and wish to obey him. But it is time for you to return
home. Wait until I have secured the flesh of the deer, and then I will
accompany you."
Kepenau quickly cut up the animal, and fastened the more valuable
portion's to the bough of a tree--out of the reach of the wolves--by
means of some lithe creepers which grew at hand; then loading himself
with as much of the venison as he could conveniently carry, he said, "We
will move on."
Having accompanied us to the edge of the forest, he bade us farewell.
"Should there be more wolves in the forest, they will not follow you
further than this," he said; "but if they do, remember that it will be
better to sacrifice some of the venison, than to allow them to overtake
you. Throw them a small bit at a time; and as in all likelihood they
will stop to quarrel over it, you will thus have time to escape."
I remembered the Indian's advice, although we did not need to practise
it on this occasion.
We reached home before dark, and greatly surprised Aunt Hannah with the
present of venison. She had, she told us, been very anxious at our
prolonged absence.