PONTIAC'S TRAIL ONCE MORE
The fight between the Indians and the party under Barringford and White
Buffalo had been short and sharp. Finding they could not open the
passageway to the chamber in which Dave was, as they supposed, entombed
alive, the old frontiersman and the Indian chief had returned to the outer
world, hoping to find another entrance to the cave. In the midst of the
search the enemy had fallen upon them, and the slaughter of the Indians
under White Buffalo had occurred.
Pontiac's braves had suffered also, but to what extent Barringford and
White Buffalo could not tell. Barringford was wounded in both the thigh and
the back, but fortunately neither hurt was serious. White Buffalo received
a bullet through the forearm and a cut from a tomahawk, yet with the
adroitness of his race he managed to flee with the old frontiersman, and
both, after much difficulty, managed to elude their pursuers.
"We must return to Fort Pitt and tell the commander there of what has
happened," said Barringford, and White Buffalo agreed. Their horses were
gone, so they had to return on foot, the journey taking them two days.
Fort Pitt, it may be mentioned here, was at the time commanded by Captain
Simeon Ecuyer, a brave officer, of Swiss birth, who had served the colonies
well for years. He listened to Barringford's tale with close attention and
keen interest.
"I have suspected something of this sort for a long while," he said. "It
was known that many guns and pistols were stolen at the time of General
Braddock's defeat, and also during the battles further to the north. I will
send out a party at once, and if we can capture the Indians I will see to
it that justice is done."
"Bring along picks and spades," said the old frontiersman. "We must save
Dave Morris, if the deed is possible."
A company eighteen strong and fully armed left the fort that very noon. Two
sharpshooters were in advance, but none of the enemy put in an appearance.
Arriving at the waterfall, they found the spot totally deserted. Roaming
the forest were two of the horses and these were easily captured, and,
later on, one more animal was secured.
"Well, this beats anything I have ever seen!" declared the lieutenant who
was in command of the soldiers, after following Barringford into the cave.
"It's a perfect treasure house."
"Pray do me the kindness to lose no time in clearing out that passageway,"
responded Barringford, and under his directions the soldiers set to work
with picks and spades and various other entrenching tools to remove the
fallen rocks and dirt.
It was a hard task, but inside of three hours the way was cleared and
Barringford crawled through, followed by White Buffalo.
"Gone!" murmured the old frontiersman, with a sigh of relief. "I am mighty
glad of it."
"White Buffalo glad too," returned the Indian chief simply. "Let us look
for his trail."
Plenty of torches were at hand and also a lantern, making the rocky chamber
almost as bright as day. With ease the Indian chief traced Dave's footsteps
to the split in the rocks, and then hauled himself out through the opening
by the tree roots, followed by Barringford.
"This is the way he got out," said the old frontiersman. "But why didn't he
return to the waterfall?"
"Fight here," was the red man's answer, pointing to the footprints in the
soil. "Two Indians come up behind Dave. Come!"
They left the vicinity, and soon both reached the conclusion that the young
pioneer had been carried away a prisoner.
"But where did they take him to?" questioned Barringford.
"We must follow the trail," was all White Buffalo could answer.
A conference was held with the lieutenant, and it was decided that the
whole party should follow the trail.
"We can come back to the cave for the goods later," said Lieutenant
Peterson. "We certainly must rescue young Morris and make an example of
those who have carried him off."
It was no light task to follow the Indian trail through the woods. With all
the cuteness of which they were capable, the followers of Pontiac had taken
to a shallow stream for over quarter of a mile, and before the trail could
be discovered again night came on. They tried to keep up the hunt with
torches, but it was of no avail.
"Beaten," muttered Barringford, and his eyes grew moist. "Poor Dave! What
will become of him?"
With the coming of morning the lieutenant decided to return to the
waterfall. An examination was made, and it was found to be an easy task to
make the water flow in another direction, thus leaving the main entrance to
the cave a dry one. Without delay the things inside were removed, and
loaded on horses. In this manner everything was sooner or later removed to
Fort Pitt.
"I shall report to the authorities without delay," said Captain Ecuyer.
"More than likely you will be well rewarded for this discovery." But no
reward was ever received.
"Never mind the reward," answered Barringford. "I want to find Dave
Morris."
"At present I cannot send out another detachment, Barringford. But I will
do so in a few days."
"Then I'll take time by the forelock and let his father know what has
happened."
"I believe I should do so, were I in your place."
Barringford had had his wounds washed and dressed, and, mounted on a fresh
horse, he lost no time in riding back to the trading-post on the Ohio.
White Buffalo did not go with him, stating he would renew the hunt for the
lost trail.
It was Henry who met the old frontiersman at the stockade gate.
"What's wrong?" he questioned quickly. "Where is Dave?"
Before Barringford had time to answer, James Morris showed himself.
"Something has gone wrong!" he cried. "I can see it in your face. What is
it?"
"We had a brush with the Indians,--part of Pontiac's party," said the old
frontiersman.
"And Dave?"
"We think he was made a prisoner," went on Barringford, and then told his
story in detail.
"And you say White Buffalo has gone out again to look for the lost trail?"
questioned the trader.
"Yes. He'll find it, too, if it is to be done. I thought you'd like to
know, so that you could go out with me and the soldiers."
"Yes! yes!"
"I'd like to go myself, Uncle James," put in Henry.
"One of us ought to remain at the post, Henry. I do not like to leave it in
the hands of strangers."
"But they are not all strangers," pleaded Henry. "Some of the men we know
very well. We can leave Sanderson in charge. He knows what to do, and so
does Jadwin."
"Well, I'll see about it," said Mr. Morris.
As Barringford was hungry, a hasty meal was prepared for him, and then the
Morrises had a talk with Sanderson, Jadwin, and some of the others. As a
result, Sanderson said he would take charge of the trading-post for a week
or longer, if necessary, and Jadwin said he would also remain close at
hand, in case he was wanted.
This left Henry free to join Mr. Morris and Barringford in the hunt for
Dave, and the young pioneer was not long in preparing himself for the
expedition. Fresh horses were obtained, and the party set off early the
following morning, when the sun had not yet shown itself over the rolling
hills to the eastward.
The day had promised fair, but about noon the sky grew dark very suddenly,
and soon after this came a flurry of snow, followed by a heavy wind which
tore through the trees of the forest with a mighty roar, hurling more than
one trunk to the ground. Broken branches fell in all directions, one
hitting Henry on the head and scaring his steed so that the animal could
scarcely be controlled.
"I must say I don't like this much!" panted the young pioneer, as he reined
in the horse. "What is it, a tornado?"
"We'll have to get behind some rocks for the present," declared
Barringford, and this was done. The fierce wind continued for half an hour
longer and then subsided. More snow followed, but then came sunshine, as
bright and fair as one would wish.
"Only a squall after all," said James Morris. "But it was heavy while it
lasted."
When the party arrived at Fort Pitt they found the soldiers ready to go out
once more. But nothing had been heard of White Buffalo, which all thought
rather strange.
"Perhaps he has failed to recover the trail," said James Morris
sorrowfully. "With all his sagacity, White Buffalo cannot do the
impossible."
"Do you think it impossible to recover such a trail?" asked Lieutenant
Peterson.
"He'll find it--if you give him time enough," put in Barringford
confidently. "No Injun better nor White Buffalo on a trail."
"I believe that," said Henry. "He's as smart as they make 'em."
Two hours after this White Buffalo came in. He was plainly tired out, but
his face brightened on seeing the whites he knew so well.
"White Buffalo has found the trail," he announced. "It leads to the village
of Shanorison, where lives the old chief Mamuliekala, the Great Water Bear.
Mamuliekala and Pontiac are like brothers. They have made Dave their
prisoner."
"Do you know where Dave is now?"
"White Buffalo has not seen his white brother, but thinks Dave is at the
village, or close to it. But we must hurry, for soon Pontiac and his braves
will go northward, to the land of the Wyandots and the Ottawas."
"Will they take Dave, or kill him?" asked Henry.
At this the Indian chief shrugged his shoulders.
"Who can answer for the future?" he said briefly.
"Let us be on the way!" cried James Morris impatiently. "An hour lost may
mean much to my son!"
"Did the Indians at the village see you?" questioned Captain Ecuyer of the
Indian chief.
"No, White Buffalo showed not himself, for it would not have been wise."
While the soldiers were preparing for the new expedition, the Indian chief
was given food and drink, after which he said he felt much better. He was
provided with a fresh horse to mount, and said he would take a nap in the
saddle, a common trick even among red men of to-day. This may appear
strange to some of my young readers, but in our army it is well known that
men have slept both in the saddle and while on the march!
When the soldiers were assembled, Captain Ecuyer addressed them briefly:
"Men," said he, "you are embarking on rather a dangerous mission. I am
sorry I cannot be with you, but it is my duty to remain at the fort, for
there may be a general uprising, of which we know nothing. I expect every
man to obey Lieutenant Peterson thoroughly, and I want all to do their duty
to the uttermost. If you can avoid bloodshed do so, but do not let Pontiac
or his followers lead you into any trap. If you are needed at the fort I
shall send a messenger after you, and then you must return with all
possible speed, for, no matter what else happens, Fort Pitt must not be
taken from us."
The men gave a little cheer, and in two minutes the line of march was taken
up, some sharpshooters and Barringford leading the way, with James Morris
and Henry not far behind. Once again they turned into the mighty forest,
heading now directly for the village of Shanorison. Mr. Morris was very
anxious to push ahead with all speed, but the soldiers would not go beyond
their regular gait.
"Let us go ahead," said he at last, to Henry. "I cannot stand this
suspense."
"I'm willing enough," answered his nephew. "Only let us take Sam along."
This was done, and despite the protests of the sharpshooters they were soon
out of sight. A little later White Buffalo joined them, having taken the
nap already mentioned.
The trail was just as difficult to follow as before, and more than once
they had to halt in perplexity, for the thickets seemed impassable.
"You must have had your own troubles in following the trail," said Henry to
White Buffalo, in admiration.
"Slow work, but sure," said the Indian chief, with a little smile. "White
Buffalo is growing old--he cannot follow like one whose eyes are bright."
At last they reached the cliff. Not wishing to abandon their horses, they
made a detour, coming up to the Indian village by what might be termed a
back way. In a thicket they tethered their steeds and once on foot each
inspected his weapon to see that it was ready for use.
"Don't want any trip-up this time," said Henry, to the flint-lock he
carried. "You have played me tricks enough. After this I want you to behave
yourself."
It was decided that James Morris and White Buffalo should go slightly in
advance--the Indian chief to point out the different parts of the village.
Luckily no dogs were near to betray their approach.
To their amazement they found the village practically abandoned, only the
women and children and a few very old men being present. The old chief,
Mamuliekala, was likewise gone.
"What can this mean?" questioned James Morris.
"It means that the braves have flown, as fly the birds at the coming of
winter," answered White Buffalo.
"Let us set a watch and make sure."
Barringford and Henry were called up, and all moved slowly from one
outskirt of the village to another. Then they marched forward boldly,
arousing several sleeping dogs, who began to bark loudly.
A cry went up from one of the squaws who had a pappoose in her arms, and at
this half a dozen squaws and two old men showed themselves.
"Where is Mamuliekala, the Great Water Bear?" asked White Buffalo sternly.
"He has gone on a journey," answered one of the old men, his eyes shifting
uneasily as he spoke.
"And where is the white prisoner who was here?"
The old man hesitated and looked for aid from the other aged Indian.
"There was no white prisoner here," said the second old Indian.
"Are you so old that you cannot remember," said White Buffalo sternly. "The
white prisoner was here. Where has he gone? Answer without delay!"
"Long Knife knows not. He has been sick and asleep. When he awoke
Mamuliekala and many of the braves were gone."
This was all the old man would say, and the other aged Indian said he had
been away in the woods, digging roots and herbs, for three days. The
stories were probably not true, but nothing was to be gained by
cross-examining the pair, and White Buffalo did not try it.
"Let us search the village, and question the squaws," said he, and this was
done without delay. At first but little could be learned, but at last they
made out that Pontiac had been there, and also Foot-in-His-Mouth, and both
had gone off during the night with Mamuliekala, taking the braves and some
young white person with them. One squaw said that Foot-in-His-Mouth had
said the white young man was a runaway soldier and that Pontiac meant to
take him to the Fort at Detroit and claim a reward for the service.
"It was a trick--if the story is true," said James Morris.
"True or not, they certainly have taken Dave away," answered Barringford.
"And that being so, all we can do is to follow them."