Nothing can, we conceive, be in worse taste in a fictitious narrative,
than the wanton introduction of the ludicrous upon the solemn, but when
in an historical tale these extremes do occur, fidelity forbids the
suppression of the one, lest it should mar the effect of the other. Such
is the necessity under which we find ourselves.
The first act of the corporal, on seeing how matters stood, was to pull
back the bedstead behind which Cass was imprisoned, so as wholly to
uncover him and his assailant, but the surprise of all may be
imagined, when, instead of an Indian, with whom they believed him to be
struggling, they beheld an immense turkey-cock, well known to them all,
which was partly under the foot of the soldier--partly in a boarded
drain or reservoir which passed from the apartment into a large hog
trough, that lay along the wall and daily received the refuse of the
various meals. The bird, furious with pain, was burying its beak into
the leg of the soldier, while he, with the butt end of his musket aloft,
and the bayonet depressed, offered the most burlesque representation of
St. George preparing to give his mortal thrust to the dragon.
In spite of the danger by which they were beset, it was impossible
for the men to restrain the indulgence of their humor at this singular
sight, nor was the disposition at all checked, when they saw the bayonet
descend and actually transfix the intruder to the floor-causing him to
droop his head, and thus free Cass from his furious attacks.
“If that's the way you kill your enemies, Nutcrackers, we promise to eat
them up for you--as many as you like,” and as he spoke, Green advanced
and seized the dying bird by the throat; but as he pulled it suddenly
away, a dark human hand was observed to relinquish its hold of the feet,
and rapidly disappear.
The mirth of the men was now succeeded by a seriousness befitting the
occasion, for it was clear to all that this occurrence, absurd as it
was, had been the means of betraying a new plan of the enemy to get into
the house. If the drain was large enough to admit of the passage of the
bird--always remarkable for its size--it was highly possible that some
of the more slightly formed Indians, might force their way through
it also. They had evidently tried to see if it could be done--the
turkey-cock having been put forward as a “feeler,” and the necessity of
either closing the avenue, or weakening their strength by keeping a man
constantly on the watch, was now obvious.
“Find something to stop up that hole with Cass,” ordered the corporal.
“I can see nothing,” replied the other, after a few moments search,
“unless we stop it with the bedding.”
“A wise plan that. The Injins would soon set fire to it, and if they
didn't burn us out, they would soon smoke us out. Either would suit
their purpose.”
“Let him stuff it with his head, corporal,” interposed Green, “I'm sure
that's thick enough for a plug.”
“Perhaps there's a head in it already,” suggested Philips, “there was a
hand just now--the other may have followed.”
“By jingo I'll try,” returned Green, “I'd give a week's grog to be able
to prick a feller with this playthin'.”
So saying, he knelt upon the floor, and holding his musket in a
horizontal position, a few inches above it, he gave a furious thrust
into the aperture. To his astonishment, for notwithstanding his half
bravado, he had not seriously anticipated such a result, he found the
advance of his weapon slightly arrested by a yielding body, and even
had not a sharp cry of pain from the other extremity of the trough,
satisfied him of the fact, the peculiar sensation he experienced as the
steel overcame the resistance was sufficient to convince Green, little
accustomed even as he had been to bayonet men, that the bayonet had
entered into some soft part of the human body.
To the cry of the wounded man, succeeded a savage and threatening yell
from the united band, and now re-commenced the grating sound which had
two or three times before excited the conjectures of the besieged.
“Ah I yell away you devils; that's all the good you'll get,” exclaimed
Green, exulting at his success; “but don't take so tight a grip of my
bayonet. I say, Philips, lend us a hand, if I shan't lose my musket with
that fellow strugglin' like a speared Mascalinga.”
Both now pulled at the firelock, with all their strength. Suddenly the
resistance ceased, and they fell sideways on the floor, bringing the
musket with them, but without the bayonet. At the same moment a shot was
fired into the aperture, and the ball whizzing by the ear of Philips,
and passing through Green's right leg, lodged in the partition beyond.
“Stand aside, men,” shouted the corporal, “stand from before that hole,
or we shall be marks in this light for the skulking villains.”
Jackson, who had been dispatched for one of the small round hickory logs
that lay piled up in a corner near the chimney, now approached with on
that was just large enough to fit tightly in the aperture. All seized
it, and taking the precaution to keep their legs out of danger, jammed
one end into the mouth of the drain, adding afterwards a few heavy blows
from the axes of Le Noir and Ephraim Giles, which had been found in a
corner of the room.
“Now then,” said the Virginian, after having examined the small window
of the bed room, and securely fastened the shutter--“we've not much more
to fear. They're two to one its true, but I defy them to do us much harm
before daylight, when, I take it they'll be off, if not sooner.”
“Well, then, corporal,” suggested Green, “I vote that as we're pretty
safe, and have yet that piece of plunder, we set to work and cook it,
for I'm devilish hungry, and so I think we must all be, seeing as how
we hain't had a regular meal the whole day, besides if we rummage the
place, we may chance to light upon somethin' else. I see the varmint
have carried off the nice row of venison hams that used to hang up round
the chimney, but there may be somethin' in the loft.”
“No bad thought that of yours, Green,” answered the corporal, “Cass, you
killed the bird, you must pluck it and grill it.”
“That's what I call taking it sensibly,” said the latter leaning
his musket against the wall, and dragging the heavy turkey to the
kitchen-corner, where seated on the very chair on which poor Mr. Heywood
had smoked his last pipe, he commenced plucking out the feathers by
handfuls. “Let fasting without, and feasting within be the word; but
its mortal dry eating that great he turkey, without something to wash it
down. I say, Philips, you are a good hand at foraging--don't you think
you could find out a little of the Wabash there,” and he pointed to the
loft.
Philips approached the ladder with the intention of making a search, but
the Virginian checked him.
“Stop a moment,” he said, “until I have had another look out in front.”
Thus saying he cautiously ascended to his former position, the view
from which was much less indistinct than before. The obscurity had, in a
great degree, passed away, so much so, that all objects within the area
formed by the enclosures of the garden and the orchard were thrown into
perceptible relief. His first thought was to cast his glance upon the
water, hoping, he scarcely knew why, that something might be seen of the
skiff which had contained the unfortunate Collins. Disappointed in that
quarter, his eye next turned upon the walnut tree, the white blossoms
of which had dropped around and upon the spot, where lay the body of the
ill-fated Le Noir, at whose head was still squatted, as when he had left
him, his faithful dog. There was much in this trait of devotion on the
part of the animal which could not fail to awaken sympathy even in
the roughest heart, and although the corporal was not particularly
sentimental, he could not but be deeply touched by the contrast forced
upon him, between the moaning animal and the wild lust for blood which
reigned in the hearts of their unprovoked assailants. His first impulse
was to call approvingly to the dog, but the next moment's reflection on
the folly of such a proceeding stifled the impulse. Then his attention
was called not only to the perfect immunity from further outrage of the
victim and his follower, but to the profound silence, and absence of
danger which seemed to exist in that quarter. That the Indians had not
departed, although they had not been heard since the yell that followed
the cry produced by the thrust from Green's bayonet, he felt confident,
and it now seemed to him that they must be directing their efforts
against some other part of the building.
No sooner had he admitted this last belief, than he again descended, and
raising the ladder himself, bore it noiselessly to the spot whence it
had been removed, then ordering the candle to be extinguished, and the
embers to be drawn together, so as to deaden the light of the fire, he
with Green and Weston crept up the ladder, Cass being left to complete
the preparation of the turkey the best way he could, while Philips and
Jackson, posted at the back and front doors, listened attentively for
the slightest sound of danger, which being heard, they were at once to
warn the party above.
When the corporal had gained the top of the ladder, Green, who was the
last, having yet his foot on the first step, the former was evidently
startled by some new danger. But just as he was in the act of springing
to the upper floor, the ladder, too frail to sustain their united
weight, snapped suddenly asunder in the middle and fell with some noise,
thus separating him from his companions.
Regardless of this and having secured his own footing, he now moved
cautiously towards the opposite end of the loft, where a small opening,
about two feet in length, and one in height, seemingly intended as
a ventilator, appeared nearly vertical to the window of the bed-room
below. Casting his glance downwards through the opening, he beheld five
or six savages standing grouped together, leaning on their guns, and
apparently watching some object above them. This, naturally, drew the
corporal's attention to the same quarter, when to his dismay he found
that the long ladder usually kept at the barn was now resting against
the gable of the house, not three feet from the right corner of the
aperture, through which he gazed. In an instant it occurred to him that
this had been the work of the Indians, and at once accounted for the
grating sounds that had so often met his ears that night. There could
be no doubt that the plan of the enemy now was to enter the roof, which
could be done by removing part of the raw buffalo hides of which it was
composed. Indeed it was a slight noise made in the direction of that
very angle of the roof where the ladder now stood, that had caught his
attention on first putting his head through the aperture while preceding
his men. This had suddenly ceased at the moment when the ladder broke
and fell, nor had there been a repetition of the sound. Still, satisfied
that some discovery of the true designs of the Indians would result from
his remaining a little longer, he continued at the opening, which was
too small to betray his presence if using precaution, while it enabled
him to observe the movements of the enemy. Soon afterwards he heard them
speaking in earnest but low tones, as if addressing somebody above them,
and then a prolonged yell, which was answered by others from the front
of the house, echoed through the surrounding forests. Even amid the
horrid discord, the quick ear of the Virginian, now painfully on the
stretch, caught the same sound that had first attracted his attention.
It was exactly at the angle of the roof, and only a pace or two from
him. The peculiar noise was not to be mistaken even by an unpractised
ear. It was, evidently, that of a knife, not very sharp, cautiously
cutting through a tough and resisting leather.
The corporal became now more anxious than ever, but this feeling did not
in the slightest degree, disturb his self-possession, or cause him
to waver in the resolution he had from the first adopted. He waited
patiently, until, as he expected, he heard a corner of one of the
buffalo hides turned up, and beheld reflected, against the back-ground
of light, thus suddenly introduced, the upper part of a human being,
whose shorn head, covered on the crown with straight and slightly
streaming feathers, too plainly indicated his purpose. What a target for
the bullet--what an object for the bayonet of the soldier, who, had not
prudence and coolness interposed, had certainly used one or the other.
But the Virginian had hit upon another, and as he conceived, a better
plan to get rid of his enemy, and in his fate, of further probable
annoyance from his ferocious companions. It was not his object to let
himself be seen, or that the Indians should even suspect that they
had been detected in this new device, for he was well aware that if he
fired, or used his bayonet against the man, those below would rush
up the ladder to succeed him, and by their weight prevent the
accomplishment of what he had in view; therefore cut off as he in a
measure was, from his party, it was incumbent on him to adopt the only
sure means of relief from danger, and that without a moment of delay.
While the Indian, who finding, evidently, that the orifice he had made
in the roof was not yet large enough for his purpose, had dropped
the incised portion of the hide, and was again using his knife; the
Virginian, stooping slightly at the off-side of the window, ascertained
that the feet of the former were resting on one of the upper steps of
the ladder. This was what he desired, and all he now wanted was a hard,
flat substance to fasten on the point of his bayonet. After reflecting
vainly for a few moments how this was to be attained, he suddenly
bethought him of his thick-soled ammunition-boots. Removing one of
these without noise, he pierced the inner leather, by pressing it firmly
against the point of the bayonet, so as to secure without allowing it to
pass through. Then, cautiously protruding his musket from the opening,
he slowly advanced it, until the sole of the boot touched the frame of
the ladder, not two feet under the round on which the Indian stood.
Here for a moment he allowed the barrel, concealed by the low depending
eaves, to rest against the jamb of the aperture. His anxiety was now
worked up to the highest possible pitch, for he feared, notwithstanding
his success so far, that something might yet occur to defeat his
purpose, and thus peril not only his own life, but the lives of the
whole of the party below. Three minutes he remained in this trying
position of uncertainty, which seemed to him as so many hours.
Presently, however, the Indian on the roof, having evidently
accomplished his task, and believing from the silence that had for some
time pervaded around, that no one was near him, spoke in a low tone to
his companions, who now cautiously crept towards the ladder.
This was the moment for action. The Virginian, who, although expecting
this, had watched their movements with aching interest, now summoned his
whole strength, and while the first savage below was upon the ladder,
pushed his musket with such violence against the sole, that it carried
it rapidly over the corner of the house, before the Indian could find
presence of mind to throw himself upon the roof--a sudden backward jerk
of the weapon liberated the bayonet, the extreme point of which only
had entered the wood, and as the Virginian withdrew this, he could
distinctly see the unfortunate savages fall headlong from the top of the
ladder, uttering, as both descended, a fearful cry of dismay, which
was responded to by fierce yells from the lips of their companions, who
hastened to their succor.
“Well done, that!” said the corporal, exultingly, and half-aloud
to himself, as he slapped his thigh, in a manner to denote his own
self-approval. “That's what I call doing the business as it should be
done. The attempt,” and he smiled at the conceit, “was not a bootless
one to us all, though it has been a BOOT LESS one to ME.”
To understand this facetiousness of the Virginian, it must be understood
that on withdrawing his bayonet, the boot which it had only slightly
pierced, had slipped from the weapon and fallen to the ground
simultaneously with the other heavier bodies, whose more marked sound
had absorbed its own. It therefore escaped the notice of the Indians.
“Hilloa there!” he continued in a louder key; “there's no more danger
in this quarter, my lads. Show us a light, and if Cass has that turkey
ready, we'll have some supper. For my part, I'm devilish sharp set.
Here, Green, take my musket, and give me the candle.”
Surprised at the corporal's unwonted humor, for they had been led to
apprehend, from the noise made by the falling ladder, and the excitement
evidently prevailing among the Indians, that some new act of treachery
was about to be tried by them, the men gathered underneath the opening,
Green taking his musket from the hands of the Virginian, while in
return, he mounted on one of the low chairs, and extending his arm far
above, handed him the light.
After a few minutes search, the corporal appeared again at the mouth of
the loft, not only with a demijohn half-filled with whisky, but with a
large loaf of brown bread, and part of a shoulder of dried venison, from
which nearly one-half had been chipped away in slices. This, indeed, was
a prize, and the men looked at the articles of necessary supply, as they
were successively handed down, with an earnestness which denoted, that
whatever might be their apprehensions of danger from without, they by
no means coveted fighting on an empty stomach. After having lowered the
treasures he had been so fortunate as to secure, the Virginian swung
himself down by his hands, without difficulty, upon the lower floor.
The fire had been again revived, and having ordered Jackson up into the
loft, to keep watch at the small-window, and apprise him if any attempt
should be made to replace the ladder, the corporal for the first time
lighting his pipe, sat down to ruminate on his position, and consider
the means by which the party were to be taken back to the fort.
Further serious apprehensions in regard to their safety he did not now
entertain, for baulked, as the Indians had been, in all their attempts
to get into the house, he felt persuaded that it was more with a view to
annoy and alarm, than with any hope of eventual success, that they still
lingered in the neighborhood. Had they been in a situation to continue
the siege longer than the morning, the case might have been different.
But it was obvious that in order to secure their own safety, alarmed as
they most know the governor would be at the absence of the party under
his command, they would not remain longer than daylight exposed to the
chances of being themselves closely assailed from without.
Such was the reasoning of the Virginian, whose greatest source of
discomfort now was the apprehension of serious reprimand, if not
something worse, from the austere Captain Headley, whose displeasure, he
was certain, would be so much the greater on account of the loss of the
unfortunate Collins. He looked at his watch, but to his great annoyance,
found that it had stopped, the hour-hand pointing to one o'clock. How
long it had been run down, he could not tell, but from the time which
had elapsed since their abandonment of the boat, and arrival in the
house, he did not think it could be less than four in the morning.
Desirous to satisfy himself by the appearance of the heavens, he arose,
and with the aid of Green, placed the table under the window commanding
a view of the river. This being too low, a chair was placed upon it,
thus affording the corporal the advantage of greater elevation than he
had derived from the use of the ladder itself.
Everything was again quiet. Not a sound broke the stillness, save the
howling of a few wolves, which, probably, attracted by the scent of the
human blood that had been spilt that day, and by the exposed corpse that
was now strewed with white blossoms from the tree beneath which it lay,
were, by the increasing light, indistinctly seen on the opposite shore.
But not their savage cry of hunger alone was heard. Ever and anon, in
reply to their fierce howling was heard the snappish bark of Loup Garou,
as, leaping on the body of his unconscious master, he lashed his tail,
and seemed to bid defiance to those whose errand he seemed so perfectly
to divine.
“Poor dog! you shall never want a master while I can keep you,” half
murmured the corporal, as he now turned his gaze upon the water, anxious
to see if any trace could be found there of the skiff and its missing
occupant. Nothing, however, came within his view, but just as he was
preparing to descend from the window, the outline of the boat, for from
its peculiar shape he easily identified it as their own, riveted his
attention as it passed quickly up the river, filled with seven or
eight savages in their war-dress, and having at the bow what had the
appearance of a pole, from the top of which dangled a human scalp.
“Gone at last,” he exclaimed, after a moment's pause, “but with poor
Collins' scalp along with them. Cass,” he added, as he sprang to the
floor, “if that turkey is fit to eat let's have it directly, and you,
Weston, look about and see if there is any more water to be had. Make
haste, now, for we shall have to tramp it to the fort as soon as it's
daylight. The devils are gone and carried off the boat.”
Not less anxious than himself to be once more on their way to the fort,
which some of them, on entering the house that night, had scarcely hoped
to reach alive, the men, leaning their muskets against the side of the
room, assisted in preparing the rude, but grateful meal, of which
they stood so much in need, and which was to sustain them during the
short-approaching march. The table having been placed in the centre
of the room, and on it the demijohn, and bread and venison, Green and
Weston, the latter of whom had been unsuccessful in his search for
water, seized each a leg and a wing of the ample turkey, which now
denuded and disembowelled, Cass had scientifically carved in its raw
state, and held them in the blaze of the fire, waiting patiently until
the blackness of the outside should give promise of corresponding warmth
within. Its slayer held the body of the bird over the fire in a similar
manner, the poker having been thrust into the abdomen. They all sat, or
rather stood in a squatting position with their faces to the fire.
“Well, now, I reckon we shall make six considerable shares of this,”
drawled Cass, looking fondly at the carcass, which was slowly but
temptingly spluttering before him at the fire. “Are you any ways
particular, Green?--what part suits your taste best, Weston--a leg or a
wing? For my part I always stick to the carcass.”
“Faith, and I like both, and a slice of the breast to boot. I'm just the
fellow, now the varmints are gone, that could eat all of them.”
“Yes, but you know,” returned the temporary chef de cuisine, “it must be
share and share alike--there's two legs--two wings and the breast, and
the back slit in two--that just makes six portions, and we're six men in
all.”
“Cast lots fiddlestick,” said Green, “what portion do you expect,
Nutcrackers? unless it's the neck, and the scaly part of the leg, the
Injin had hold of when you so bravely sent your bayonet through her
feathers.”
“Well, only think how cunning of the fellows,” remarked Weston, “who'd
ever have thought they would try that fashion to get in, cramming an
old turkey before them to clear the way, and get in his craw the first
bullet that might be sent.”
“Yes, and the tight grip the fellow had of him by the leg. Just look,
Green, the mark of the devil's hand may be upon him yet. It was the
right leg, and that's it you have.”
“Bosh! what do you expect me to find there but the marks of your dirty
paws while plucking him, I'm too devilish hungry for such nonsense,
Nutcrackers; but show me the Injin that would venture to touch his legs
now. If I wouldn't mark him, then my name's not Seth Green.”
Scarcely had he finished speaking, when a dark naked human hand was
slowly protruded over his shoulder, and seized not the leg of the
turkey, which Green now grasped with unconscious and convulsive energy,
but a brand from the fire.
In his terror at that strange and unexpected appearance, he dropped the
body of the bird in the glowing embers, and uttering a faint cry, turned
half round and beheld what filled him with the deepest dismay: his
companions, scarcely less terrified than himself, sprang together to
their feet, with the intention of rushing to their muskets, but all hope
of recovering them was gone. The savage who had snatched the fire was
no longer there then, but half a dozen others in their war-paint stood
between them and their firelocks. It seemed as if they were sensible
that their very silence inspired more awe and apprehension in the bosoms
of their defenceless enemies than could have done the most turbulent
expression of their triumph. They had evidently entered by the back
door, which was now quite open, and grouped around the body of Mr.
Heywood, were apparently more interested in the dead than in the living.
Not a sign was there of the corporal, and Philips stood as if paralyzed,
leaning, musket in hand, against the opposite entrance.