"I think we had, at all events, better wait till to-morrow, sir. You
see, the women will not be at all surprised at the hunting party not
returning for even a day or two, as they know that they will not return
without game, and may not find it immediately; their absence, therefore,
will create no suspicion of our being here. I think we should return to
our former place of concealment, and watch their motions. There is no
saying when the party with Miss Percival may return; they may have
arrived while we have been away, or they may come to-morrow. It will be
better, therefore, not to encumber ourselves with more prisoners unless
it is necessary."
This opinion was at last assented to, and they set off, on their return
to the Indian lodges. They arrived about an hour before dusk at their
hiding-place, having taken the precaution to gag the two Indians for
fear of their giving a whoop as notice of their capture. Percival was
very quiet, and had begun to talk a little with John.
Scarcely had they been five minutes again concealed among the spruce
fir-trees, when they heard a distant whoop from the woods on the other
side of the lodges.
"They are now coming on," said Martin; "that is their signal."
One of the Indian women from the lodges returned the whoop.
"Yes, sir, they are coming," said Malachi. "Pray, Captain Sinclair, be
quiet and sit down; you will ruin all our plans."
"Down, Sinclair, I beg," said Alfred.
Captain Sinclair, who was very much excited, nevertheless did as he was
requested.
"Oh, Alfred!" said he; "she's so near."
"Yes, my good fellow, but if you wish her nearer, you must be prudent."
"True, very true," replied Captain Sinclair.
In about half an hour more, the Angry Snake and his party were soon seen
to emerge from the woods, and it was perceived that four of the Indians
carried a litter made of branches between them.
"She could walk no farther, sir," said Malachi to Captain Sinclair; "so
they are carrying her; I told you that they would not hurt her."
"Let me once see her get out of the litter, and I shall be satisfied,"
replied Captain Sinclair.
The Indians soon were over the clearing, and stopped at one of the
lodges; Mary Percival was lifted out, and was seen to walk with
difficulty into the wigwam, followed by two of the Indian women. A
short parley took place between the Angry Snake and the other two women,
and the chief and rest of the party then went into another lodge.
"All's right so far, sir," observed Malachi; "they have left her to the
charge of the two women in a lodge by herself, and so there will be no
fear for her when we make the attack, which I think we must do very
shortly, for if it is quite dark some of them may escape, and may
trouble us afterwards."
"Let us do it immediately," said Captain Sinclair.
"No, not immediately, sir; we have yet an hour and a-half daylight. We
will wait one hour, for I think that as they have nothing to eat, and
are pretty well tired from carrying Miss Percival, they will, in all
probability, go to sleep, as Injuns always do. An hour hence will be
the beat time for us to fall upon them."
"You are right, Malachi," replied Alfred. "Sinclair, you must curb your
impatience."
"I must, I believe," replied Captain Sinclair; "but it will be a tedious
hour for me. Let us pass it away in making out arrangements; we have
but six to deal with."
"And only two rifles," replied Alfred; "so we are pretty sure of
success."
"We must watch first," said Martin, "to see if they all continue in the
same lodge, for if they divide we must arrange accordingly. Who will
remain with the prisoners?"
"I won't," said John, in a positive manner.
"You must, John, if it is decided that you do," said Alfred.
"Better not, sir," replied Malachi; "for as soon as the boy hears the
crack of the rifles he will leave his prisoners and join us; that I'm
sure of. No, sir, the Strawberry can be left with the prisoners. I'll
give her my hunting-knife; that will be sufficient."
They remained for about half-an-hour more watching the lodges, but
everything appeared quiet, and not a single person came out. Having
examined the priming of their rifles, every man was directed to take up
a certain position, so as to surround the buildings and support each
other. John was appointed to the office of looking after his cousin
Mary, and preventing the women from escaping with her from the lodge in
which she was confined; and John took this office willingly, as he
considered it one of importance, although it had been given him more
with a view that he might not be exposed to danger. Leaving the
prisoners to the charge of the Strawberry, who, with her knife drawn,
stood over them, ready to act upon the slightest attempt of escape on
their part, the whole party now crept softly towards the lodges by the
same path as had been taken by Malachi and the Indian woman.
As soon as they had all arrived they waited for a few minutes while
Malachi reconnoitred, and when they perceived that he did so, they all
rose up and hastened to their allotted stations round the lodge into
which the Angry Snake and his followers had entered. The Indians
appeared to be asleep, for everything remained quiet.
"Let us first lead Miss Percival away to a place of safety," whispered
Captain Sinclair.
"Do you do it, then," said Alfred; "there are plenty of us without you."
Captain Sinclair hastened to the lodge in which Miss Percival had been
placed, and opened the door. Mary Percival, as soon as she beheld
Captain Sinclair, uttered a loud scream of delight, and, rising from the
skins on which she had been laid, fell upon his neck. Captain Sinclair
caught her in his arms, and was bearing her out of the lodge, when an
Indian woman caught him by the coat; but John, who had entered, putting
the muzzle of his rifle into their faces, they let go and retreated, and
Captain Sinclair bore away Mary in his arms into the brushwood, where
the Strawberry was standing over the Indian prisoners. The scream of
Mary Percival had roused the Indians, who, after their exhaustion and
privations, were in a sound sleep; but still no movement was to be heard
in the lodge, and a debate between Malachi and Alfred whether they
should enter the lodge or not, was put an end to by a rifle being fired
from the lodge, and the fall of one of the soldiers, who was next to
Alfred. Another shot followed, and Martin received a bullet in his
shoulder, and then out bounded the Angry Snake, followed by his band,
the chief whirling his tomahawk and springing upon Malachi, while the
others attacked Alfred and Martin, who were nearest to the door of the
lodge. The rifle of Malachi met the breast of the Angry Snake as he
advanced, and the contents were discharged through his body. The other
Indians fought desperately, but the whole of the attacking party closing
in, they were overpowered. Only two of them, however, were taken alive,
and these were seriously wounded. They were tied and laid on the
ground.
"He was a bad man, sir," said Malachi, who was standing over the body of
the Indian chief; "but he will do no more mischief."
"Are you much hurt, Martin?" inquired Alfred.
"No, sir, not much; the ball has passed right through and touched no
bone; so I am in luck. I'll go to the Strawberry, and get her to bind
it up."
"He is quite dead, sir," said Graves, who was kneeling by the side of
the soldier who had been shot by the first rifle.
"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Alfred. "Well, I'm not sorry that they
commenced the attack upon us, for I do not know whether I could have
used my rifle unless they had done so."
"They never expected quarter, sir," said Malachi.
"I suppose not. Now, what are we to do with the women? They can do no
harm."
"Not much, sir; but at all events, we must put it out of their power.
We must take possession of all the weapons we can find in the lodges.
We have their two rifles; but we must collect all the bows and arrows,
tomahawks, and knives, and either destroy or keep possession of them.
John, will you look to that? Take Graves with you."
"Yes," replied John, who, with Graves, immediately commenced his search
of the lodges.
The two women, who had been in the lodge with Mary Percival, had
remained where they were, as John's rifle had kept them from leaving the
lodge; but the other two had escaped into the woods during the affray.
This was of little consequence; indeed, the others were told that they
might go away, if they would; and, as soon as they heard this from
Malachi, they followed the example of their companions. John and Graves
brought out all the arms they could find, and Malachi and Alfred then
went to the bushes to which Mary Percival and Sinclair had previously
retired. Alfred embraced his cousin, who was still too greatly agitated
to say much, being almost overpowered by the sudden transition in all
her thoughts and feelings:--and, in the variety of her emotions, perhaps
the most bewildering was that occasioned by the re-appearance of
Percival,--like a restoration from the dead. Alfred was in consultation
with Malachi, when he perceived the flames bursting out of the lodges.
Martin, as soon as his wound was dressed, had returned and set fire to
them.
"It's all right, sir," said Malachi; "it will leave the proof of our
victory, and be a caution to other Injuns."
"But what will become of the women?"
"They will join some other band, sir, and tell the story. It is better
that they should."
"And our prisoners, what shall we do with them?"
"Release them; by-and-bye, sir, we shall have nothing to fear from them,
but we will first take them two or three days' march into the woods, in
case they have alliance with any other band whom they might call to
their assistance."
"And the wounded Indians?"
"Must be left to Providence, sir. We cannot take them. We will leave
them provisions and water. The women will come back and find them; if
they are alive they will look after them; if dead, bury them. But here
comes John, with some bears'-skins which he has saved for Miss Mary;
that was thoughtful of the boy. As soon as the flames are down, we will
take up our quarters in the clearing, and set a watch for the night; and
to-morrow, with the help of God, we will commence our journey back. We
shall bring joy to your father and mother, and the sooner we do it the
better; for they must be anything but comfortable at our long absence."
"Yes," said Mary Percival; "what a state of suspense they must be in!
Truly, as the Bible saith, `Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.'"