"Kepenau," he answered. "He has, with his whole tribe, moved westward,
under my protection. He has buried the hatchet with all mankind, and
has induced me to follow his example, provided we are not attacked; for
should we be, even he allows that it is both lawful and right to defend
ourselves. The good preacher, Martin Godfrey, has accompanied him, for
the purpose of instructing his people and mine; and he afterwards
intends to visit the Palefaces settled in other parts of the country."
"And has his daughter accompanied him?" I asked, looking at the young
chief.
"Yes," he answered, with a smile; "and she is shortly to become my wife,
as she is satisfied that I am now a believer in the same faith she has
long held. I bless the day, too, when she won me over, though I had not
before supposed it possible that I could abandon the religion of my
forefathers."
I told Manilick how glad I was to hear this, and wished him every
happiness.
We encamped that night in a wood near a stream, which we reached just
before dark. The same precautions were taken against surprise which our
small band had considered necessary; for, Manilick told me, should the
Apaches discover his trail, they would be certain to attack him.
"However," he observed, "we have hitherto been preserved by the Great
Spirit, and we have no fear of the result of a fight."
"Then you cannot be said altogether to have buried the hatchet," I
observed.
"We have resolved to attack no one, and the sin will lie with those who
attack us," he answered; "while it is possible, we will avoid a quarrel,
and proceed peaceably on our way."
As Manilick's party was numerous and well-armed, they were calculated to
inspire respect; and if any foes did approach the camp, they probably
thought it prudent to retire to a distance.
The next morning we continued our march, and towards evening came in
sight of a thick wood. I saw that Manilick's eagerness increased as we
rode on. We were still at some little distance from the wood, when I
observed a man with a gun in his hand issuing from under the shelter of
the trees. He looked towards us, apparently suspicious as to who we
were. I had no doubt, from his appearance, that he was a Paleface; and
as we got still nearer to him, to my infinite satisfaction I recognised
Mike Laffan. He knew me almost at the same moment, and throwing up his
cap, and giving vent to an Irish shout of joy, he ran forward.
"Sure! is it you, Masther Roger dear, alive and well?" he exclaimed.
"It brings back joy to me heart, for it was mighty throubled at the
thoughts that you were lost intirely."
I jumped from my horse to receive the greetings of the honest fellow.
He had, I found, overcome with the poignancy of his feelings at the
thought of my death, been knocked up, and had remained with Kepenau,
whose camp he told me was concealed within the wood. He led the way
round to a narrow opening, where Manilick dismounted. Proceeding
through it, we soon reached an open spot on which Kepenau had pitched
his tents. He himself was the first person who advanced to greet us.
Behind him stood Ashatea, a lovely specimen of an Indian girl, her
countenance beaming with that intelligence which education could alone
have given her. Though she met Manilick with a bashful reserve, I had
little doubt that she had at length bestowed on him the heart he sought.
Still I recollected honest Reuben's admiration. Yet I was very glad
that it was so; for, charming as he might deem her, she was still a
child of the desert,--and one of our fair countrywomen would, I was very
sure, make him a far more useful and companionable wife than Ashatea
would prove.
Kepenau told me that he intended to pitch his tents in the neighbourhood
of the proposed settlement--remarking that he should now have no fear of
his people being seduced by the terrible "fire water"--and that he hoped
to change his skin-tents into substantial dwellings like those of the
Palefaces, and to cultivate the ground instead of depending on the chase
for subsistence. In the meantime, however, he and his people must hunt
the buffalo and deer to obtain support for themselves and their
families; and he was only awaiting the arrival of Manilick and his tribe
to set out with that object, as provisions were already running short in
the camp. Though I had borne the journey, I felt too much exhausted and
weak to accompany him; and as both Mike and Pablo were much in the same
condition, they insisted on taking care of me and themselves without
troubling the Indians, who had plenty to do in guarding the camp and
looking after the horses.
Mike and Pablo soon became great friends; and though I had no real
authority over either of them, they took a pleasure in serving me.
"Sit still and be aisy for once in your life, Masther Roger," said Mike,
as he brought a bundle of sticks and piled them up on the fire he had
lit. "Sure, Pablo and I can do all the work, without you throubling
yourself. There's Misthress Ashatea and the young chief billing and
cooing at her tent-door like two turtle-doves; and if they were to see
you moving about, maybe they'd think it necessary, out of courtesy, to
come and help you--and it would be a pity to disturb them."
Mike's arguments prevailed, and for once in my life, as he advised, I
did sit quiet,--and very glad I was to do so,--while I watched the
Indians through the trees making preparations for their departure.
The young chief, after a short rest, started off with some of his best
hunters in search of a herd of buffalo which had been seen in the
neighbourhood; and before the end of the next day they returned with an
ample supply of meat. After remaining a couple of days to dry what was
not required for immediate consumption, the camp was broken up, and we
proceeded in the direction it was said the waggon-train had taken. We
were, however, not able to travel very much faster than the steady-going
oxen, and we therefore had little hope of overtaking it before it had
reached its destination.
As trails were discovered which were pronounced to be those of Apaches,
I felt some anxiety lest old Samson and his companions might have been
attacked and overpowered.
"He is too well acquainted with their ways to be caught," observed
Kepenau.
I remembered, however, the eagerness the old man had shown to overtake
the train, in order that he might ascertain whether Lily was, as he had
hoped, his grand-daughter; and he might thus push forward, when his
usual prudence would have induced him to remain concealed, or to have
retreated from his foes.
We advanced like an army in an enemy's country--with scouts ranging on
either side, so that there was no probability of our being taken by
surprise; while our main body was too numerous to have invited an
attack.
We had made good progress for several days, when the sound of
rifle-shots reached our ears through the still air of a warm summer
noon. Directly afterwards the scouts came in with the intelligence that
a large number of Indians were collected in the neighbourhood of what
looked like a log-hut, on the bank of a stream in the plain below us.
We were, at the time, approaching the edge of a plateau over which we
had been travelling. In the far distance rose some blue hills, spurs of
a still more lofty range of mountains. It was at the foot of these
hills that the new settlement was, I understood, to be formed.
While our main body advanced slowly for the sake of the women and
children, Manilick, with a chosen band of warriors, rode rapidly
forward. He at once expressed his opinion that a small party of white
men had taken refuge in the hut, to defend themselves against the
Apaches, and that it was our duty to hasten to their relief. We waited
among the trees on the upper portion of the slope, to give time to our
main body to appear just before we should reach the enemy--who, finding
themselves menaced by superior numbers, would in all probability take to
flight. At the proper moment Manilick shouted "Forward!" and we rapidly
descended the hill.
We did not arrive a moment too soon, for the fire of the little garrison
had begun to slacken, and the besiegers were preparing to scale the
walls. On seeing us approach, and observing the large number of armed
men who at that moment reached the edge of the height, they took to
flight, and endeavoured to make their escape to the southward. We
gained a bloodless victory, for Manilick would not allow them to be
pursued.
No sooner had the enemy retreated than the door of the hut was thrown
open, and old Samson, followed by Reuben and Sandy, rushed out, while
the hut burst into flames--the savages having just before set fire to it
in several places.
"You have come just in time to save us from roasting!" exclaimed the old
trapper, recognising Manilick, but not seeing me. "We caught sight of
the Apaches bearing down upon us, and had just time to take shelter in
the hut and barricade the doors and windows, before they readied it.
They carried off our good steeds, but we have secured our packs and
arms."
At length catching sight of me as I rode out from among the men, he
expressed his satisfaction with a vehemence I had never before seen him
exhibit--almost bursting into tears as he shook my hand.
"I should have grieved if you had been lost, Roger, and I had had to
announce the sad tidings to my young grand-daughter; for that your Lily
is my grand-daughter, I feel as sure as I do of my own existence. I
have dreamed about her every night since you told me her history, and
something tells me I must be her grandfather. Nothing must now stop us.
Our friend Manilick will supply us with horses, and we shall reach the
settlement before nightfall. They are all safe there long ago, for I
came upon their trail; and they were strong enough to beat off any of
the Redskins who may have attempted to interfere with them."
Notwithstanding Samson's eagerness, we had to wait till the main body
came up, when, horses having been supplied to my three friends, they,
with Mike and I, and six of Manilick's tribe, set forward at a rapid
rate in the direction of the new settlement.
The sun had not yet set when we saw before us, on the banks of a clear
stream backed by a wood, some white tents, and the canvas covers of a
number of waggons. My heart began to beat with the anticipation of once
more meeting Lily, my uncles and aunt, and other friends. As we
approached the bank we were observed by the inhabitants, who at once
assembled, rushing from all quarters with arms in their hands. On our
drawing still nearer, however, they recognised us, and coming down to
the water, pushed off on a large raft, which they propelled with long
poles to the side on which we stood.
The first to spring on shore was Uncle Mark. He received Reuben, Mike,
and me as people risen from the dead. Quambo followed closely, and,
taking me in his arms, gave me a hug, in his joy, which almost squeezed
the breath out of my body. Mike came in for the same sort of greeting.
"Och, sure! do you take me for a baby?" exclaimed Mike--"though you
would have squeezed the life out of me if I had been one. But I am
moighty plased to see you; and, bedad, we'll be footing it away to the
sound of me fiddle, I am hoping, before many hours are over. You have
got it all safe?"
"Yes. I keep de fiddle all right, and let no one play on it--not even
myself," observed Quambo.
"True for you, Quambo," said Mike, laughing; "for the best of raisons--
there's no one else but meself could make the music come out of it."
Our Indian escort having set off to return to the camp, according to
orders, we crossed the river to the opposite bank, where our relatives
had collected to receive us.
Lily looked somewhat pale. Though she had not abandoned all hope, she
had been fearfully anxious about me; and she made me promise not to go
wandering again over the wilds, if I could help it. Mr and Mrs
Claxton and Dora had been equally anxious about Reuben, and were
proportionably thankful to get him back safe.
Old Samson stood gazing at Lily while I was talking to her. He then
hastened up to Aunt Hannah.
"You have been a mother to that sweet child, and I will bless you for it
as long as there is breath in my old body," he said. "But I want to
take her from you. She is mine by right, for I am, I believe, her only
living relative. You have got the proofs; and if you do not wish to try
the feelings of an old man, which he thought were long ago dead and
gone, show me the things you have taken care of since she was committed
to your charge."
Aunt Hannah looked very much surprised at first; but the truth quickly
dawned on her.
"You shall see them, Mr Micklan, for they are safe in my box in the
waggon; and if you recognise them, as you expect to do, Lily shall call
you `Grandfather;' but as to giving her up--No, no! you will not expect
that of us. For sixteen years she has been our child, and we have loved
her, and love her still, as if she were our own. You would not be so
hard-hearted, even if you have the right, as to deprive us of her!"
"Well, well--I cannot gainsay you; but only let me know that I have got
some one to love, and I will give up my wandering life and come and
settle down among you."
Lily and I accompanied Uncle Stephen and Aunt Hannah, with the old
hunter, to the waggon, where the baby-dress and the ornaments she had
worn were soon produced.
Samson gazed at them, without speaking, for some seconds. Then he
exclaimed, "Yes, yes! there is no doubt about it.--Come, Lily, do not be
afraid of your old grandfather. I will not run away with you; but just
let me love you, and watch over you, and take care of you, and I shall
be content, and end my days more happily than I had ever hoped to do."
Lily came forward and put her hand into that of the old man, who,
stooping down, kissed her fair brow, and pressed her to his heart.
After this a change seemed to come over Samson Micklan. He was no
longer the rough old trapper he had hitherto appeared--though he worked
as hard as any one in the camp, and took especial delight in assisting
to build the house Lily was to occupy.
Every one, as may be supposed, was busy from sunrise to sunset, and a
village soon sprang up in that hitherto desert spot. Our Indian friends
rendered us important assistance, by supplying us with the meat they
obtained in their hunting expeditions, as also by acting as our
guardians; for they were constantly on the watch, and no foes would
venture to attack us while supported by such formidable allies. The
settlement flourished and rapidly increased, for we were soon joined by
other parties from the eastward; and even my uncles acknowledged that
they had no desire to make another move--greatly to Aunt Hannah's
satisfaction.
Lily, in course of time, became my wife; and Mr Micklan, loved and
respected by the whole of the community, lived to hear the prattle of
his great-grandchildren.
Our friends Reuben and Dora both married happily, and we, who were once
hardy backwoodsmen, became quiet and contented citizens. I own that
though the life we had led possessed its attractions, our present
condition was on many accounts preferable.
Mike and Quambo purchased a lot between them at a short distance from
the settlement, and became prosperous farmers; but they remained
bachelors to the end of their days--Mike declaring that the sound of his
fiddle was more satisfactory to his ears than the scolding of a wife or
the squalling of children. Albeit, he never failed to bring it on his
frequent visits, to the infinite delight of my youngsters, who
invariably began to dance and snap their fingers when they caught sight
of him and his sturdy nag approaching our door.
Kepenau and Manilick, having become civilised themselves, laboured
incessantly in the civilisation of their people--aided by our revered
friend, Martin Godfrey, who eventually settled down among them.
We were not altogether without some trials and troubles, but we had also
much to make us happy; and I can honestly say that we had good reason to
be thankful--though we could never be sufficiently so--to that Merciful
Being who had preserved us amid the many dangers we had passed through
during the period I have described.