UP THE OHIO
Leaving those at Fort Cumberland for the time being, let us go back and
see what happened to James Morris, Henry, and the others, after the
flight from the trading-post.
The severe snow-storm that was raging, aided the party to escape from
those surrounding the post, and not long after the last attack by the
Indians and the Frenchmen under Jean Bevoir, all succeeded in gaining a
small cave where Tony Jadwin said they would be safe.
"I don't believe they know of this place," said the old hunter. "I
stumbled on it by accident last fall. And even if they do know of it
and come here, three men can hold it against twenty, for the passageway
is narrow."
"They'd never make us surrender unless they starved us out," returned
James Morris, looking around.
The rest that followed was much needed, and as no fresh alarm came,
they attended to their wounds and prepared themselves such a meal as
the rations brought along afforded.
"This is certainly hard luck, Uncle Jim," said Henry. "And after all
the time and money spent on the post, too!"
"It is bitter enough to have the Indians take possession--it is ten
times worse to see Jean Bevoir on hand to triumph over us," said the
trader.
"Perhaps Bevoir was shot down."
"I hardly think so. He is wise enough to take care of his skin, when it
comes to such a mix-up as we have just had."
"Do you think the Indians will let him take possession of the post?"
"More than likely--if he treats them well. He has a pretty slick way
with the red men, and always did have. He makes all kinds of promises
and somehow they believe in him."
The cave was little more than a hole in the ground, irregular in
shape, and having a depth of twelve to fifteen feet. Overhead was a
heavy clump of trees, the loose roots dangling down in all directions.
Evidently some wild beast had made a home there at some time previous,
for on the flooring were several piles of small bones.
The night passed slowly, and early in the morning the snow stopped
coming down, and by nine o'clock the sun was shining brightly.
A council of war was held, and it was decided by all present that the
best thing to do would be to push eastward to Fort Pitt, and notify the
commandant there of what had occurred.
"Captain Ecuyer has aided me before, perhaps he will aid me again,"
said James Morris. "Anyway, there is no sense in remaining here."
The start for Fort Pitt was made that afternoon. Only a slim dinner
could be had by all, and it was agreed that after a day's march from
the post, several of the hunters and trappers should go forth in quest
of game before proceeding further on the journey.
"And I'll try my hand at fishing through a hole in the ice," said
Henry. He had now become an expert at that sort of angling, and was
always sure to come in with a fair-sized mess of fish.
They had now come out on the bank of the Ohio again and went into camp
that evening in the shelter of a cliff overlooking the broad stream.
Early in the morning Henry went fishing, cutting a hole with an ax
which had been brought along. Jadwin and two others went off on a hunt,
promising not to go beyond gunshot, in case of an attack.
A gentle breeze was blowing but by afternoon it increased to a stiff
blow, whirling the loose snow in all directions. Yet, as the wind was
from the southward, it was not cold, and those in the camp suffered
little inconvenience from it.
"Do you know what I've been thinking," said James Morris, as he came
down to see how his nephew was making out. "If they come in with much
game, the best thing we can do is to build a sled and journey to Fort
Pitt by way of the river."
"Providing the redskins are not watching along the banks," answered
Henry.
"To be sure, we'll have to keep our eyes open."
While Henry continued to fish, his uncle took the ax and cut down
several saplings, and began to build something which was a cross
between a sled and a rude ice-boat. In the front he put up a short mast.
"Now, if the breeze continues, we can perhaps make use of it," said the
trader.
At first Henry's luck was of small account, but then he caught two fish
of good size and eight smaller ones, and when he stopped at sunset he
was well satisfied with his day's work.
"We've got enough to last us for two meals," he said. "That's a good
bit better than nothing."
One of the wounded men had asked for fish, and as soon as Henry got
back into the camp he prepared some for the sufferer. It was gratefully
received.
"Ain't tasted nothin' so good in a long time," said the wounded hunter.
"Fresh fish always did strike me just right. I get tired of meat."
When the hunters and trappers came in they brought with them only some
small game,--birds, squirrels, rabbits, and wild turkeys. But they
had a fair quantity of it, and it was calculated that it might be
sufficient until Fort Pitt was reached.
"Saw a few redskins at a great distance," said Tony Jadwin. "I couldn't
make out where they were bound."
The idea of using an ice-boat and sleds on the river appealed to nearly
all of the party but the Indians, who decided that they would rather
stick to the river bank. The ice-boat made by James Morris was enlarged
and strengthened, and Jadwin succeeded in making a rude sail out of
a thin blanket he carried. Then the hunter and the trader tried the
craft, and found it worked as well as could be expected. The runners
were scraped and polished, but even then were not as good as metal
would have been.
"If the wind stops blowing, we can drag the outfit along by hand," said
James Morris. "It will be an easy way of carrying our loads."
They had not dared to take to the regular trail running to Fort Pitt,
thinking that the Indians would be on the watch for them. In this they
were wise, for they afterwards learned that a body of fifteen red men
were on guard at a certain point on the trail, and had they met this
detachment it would assuredly have gone hard with the whites.
The trip up the Ohio was resumed at daybreak the following day. The
ice-boat was loaded with the game and other things, and then several
of the party, including James Morris and Henry, got aboard. There was
a lively breeze, and, given a start, the clumsy craft moved forward
better than had been anticipated.
"Hurrah! we are off!" cried Henry, enthusiastically. "This beats
walking all hollow!"
As luck would have it, the strong wind was directly in their favor. The
wind had swept the river almost clear of snow on one side of the stream
and they kept the ice-boat in that vicinity, being careful to avoid all
the open spots.
"We don't want to be drowned," said Henry. He had not forgotten an icy
bath he had once taken.
By noon the party had covered fifteen miles, those on shore having all
they could do to keep up with those on the ice-boat, even though the
clumsy craft had to be towed around certain bends and dangerous spots
in the stream. For a mile of the distance they came to so much open
water, that they did not dare to board the craft.
"Now here is a good spot for sailing!" said Henry, about two o'clock.
Before them was a straight stretch of four or five miles, with the wind
exactly on their backs. "I'll wager we can make that distance in jig
time."
Once more his uncle and himself got on the ice-boat. With them were
two hunters who had been wounded in the lower limbs. The rude sail was
hoisted, Henry gave a vigorous shove, and off they set at a rate of
speed which was slow at the beginning, but which appeared steadily to
increase.
"A fellow could fairly fly along here with a good ice-boat," said James
Morris, who was in the bow, watching for dangerous cracks, or open
water.
"We can't complain," replied Henry. "We'll leave the rest of the party
behind this trip."
"It is not a very good plan to separate, Henry. With so many of the
enemy around we ought to keep pretty close together."
"When we reach the end of this stretch we can wait for the others to
come up," said the youth, who hated to think of giving up the chance
for a little sport.
On and on they went, the runners making a merry skir--r--r on the ice.
Occasionally they would go over a lump with a bump that threatened
to pitch them off. But all held tight, and no accident of that kind
occurred.
"I never knew there was so much fun in ice-boating," declared Henry. "I
wish we didn't have so many troubles to think about--we might have a
fine time."
"Perhaps you are right, Henry," returned his uncle. And then he gave a
long sigh, and said no more.
About half the straight stretch of the stream had been covered, when
one of the wounded hunters, sitting near the front of the ice-boat,
called James Morris's attention to some smoke that was curling upward
from the shore ahead.
"There's a camp there," said the hunter. "Perhaps it is friends, and
perhaps it ain't."
They watched the vicinity of the smoke with close attention, and were
almost opposite the spot when they saw two Indians come out of the
thickets and gaze up and down the Ohio.
"Redskins!" ejaculated Henry, and reached for his gun, which was lying
on the pile of game.
As soon as the Indians saw the ice-boat they set up a shout, and a
minute later four other warriors put in an appearance. Then one fired a
shot, and all disappeared as if by magic.
"I don't like that," said James Morris.
"Shall we go after them?" asked Henry.
"No, indeed! They are in the thickets and have the advantage of us. We
had better keep to our course."
"But the others of our party----"
"They must have heard that shot, and they will be on their guard. As
they too are among the trees and bushes, they will have an equal chance
of fighting."
On whizzed the ice-boat, and those on board continue to scan the shore.
The wind was increasing, and they were bowling along twice as fast as
ever before.
"Look! look!" cried James Morris, a few minutes later.
He pointed ahead, and gazing in that direction, the others saw a band
of at least twenty Indians coming from the heavy timber that lined the
shore at that point. The red men ran out on the ice and looked up and
down. Evidently the shot had alarmed them.
"They see us!" cried Henry, a moment later. "Wonder what they will do."
"Get your guns ready," came from the trader. "I'm afraid we've got an
ugly crowd to deal with now."
As soon as the red men saw the whites on the ice-boat they set up a
blood-curdling war-whoop. Then, with guns and arrows ready for use,
they ran out still further on the ice, directly in the path of the
oncoming craft.