THE FRAGMENTS OF THE FEAST.
The instant the light was detected, the attention of all the fugitives
became centered upon it, for it was plain they were journeying in a
direct line toward it, and unless a speedy turn to the right or left was
made, the camp fire, as it appeared to be, would soon be reached. Viewed
as they neared it, it seemed to be simply a fire, and nothing more,
there being so many intervening trees and undergrowth, that nothing
except the light itself was noticeable. But, as a rule, wherever there
was a camp fire there were those who kindled it, and it struck Rosa that
the Mohawk was reckless in advancing upon it; but she held her peace,
certain he would commit no blunder.
The little party continued advancing steadily until within less than a
hundred yards, when, as if by a common instinct, they halted, with their
eyes bent inquiringly upon the fire. It was more plainly visible than
before, and was seen to be burning brightly, showing that if no persons
were near it, they had been absent but a short time.
"Stay here--I go look--make no noise."
With these words, Lena-Wingo moved toward the blaze, and his tall, dark
figure was seen more than once as in its stealthy advance it came
between them and the flames. But, as it neared them, he made a turn
which shut him from sight until a short distance away on his return. The
Mohawk had been absent but a brief time, and when he rejoined them he
said:
"Come 'long--walk fast--talk if want to."
This seemed curious advice, but it was accepted, and the fugitives kept
up a constant talk in low tones, until they had halted before the fire
itself. The expectation of Ned and Rosa was to meet some one, most
probably a party of the settlers, who were taking refuge in the woods
until the Indians and Tories should leave the valley; but in this they
were disappointed. Halting directly before the blaze, they looked
around, but saw no one besides themselves.
"Rosa," said Jo, with a meaning grin, "do you feel as though you can do
justice to a lunch?"
Then the truth flashed upon her. Lena-Wingo had brought them thither for
the purpose of furnishing them with supper. A protest rose to her lips,
but she checked it, feeling that she had perhaps said too much already.
Certainly if any one in the world ought to have faith in the skill and
devotion of the Mohawk scout, she was that one, and she resolved at the
instant she drove back the complaining words that they should remain
unsaid, not for then only, but for all time.
"Well, yes, Jo; I _am_ hungry, and if you have anything in the way of
supper, I am sure it will be welcomed by all."
"How is it, Ned? Do you feel any hankering for eatables?"
"I do."
"Well, you shall have that yearning satisfied; when Jack and I went off,
it was in search of food, for we need it, every one of us. Rosa seems to
think we are loitering away our time, but Jack knows what he is doing.
It is an easy matter to get across the river, but when on the other side
our real trouble will begin. Colonel Butler expects us to cross the
stream, and he won't make much effort to prevent us, but what he means
to do is to keep us from reaching Wilkesbarre, and we aren't going to
get there in a hurry, either. Well, don't you see that we are likely to
be in the woods a good while, and we may have to take a long circuitous
route to get out? I shouldn't be surprised if we were two or three days
longer on the way, for when Jack undertakes a job of this sort, he does
it thoroughly, and he isn't the one to spoil it by hurry, no matter what
his companions want him to do. All this being so, it isn't necessary to
tell you that we must have our meals as regular as we can get them. If
we eat a good supper now, we shall be able to pass to-morrow without any
food, but it will go hard without anything in that line."
"If you will bring out your supper, Jo, and stop your chatter, I will
agree to do the same, but I shan't believe you have anything in the way
of food till I see it."
The brother kept up a stream of talk, in the way of badinage, asking his
friends to name whatever article of diet they wished, as he could
furnish one almost as well as another. Finally, when the thing had
continued long enough, he produced the supper, and it was a surprise to
Ned and Rosa indeed. While Lena-Wingo was engaged in stirring and
throwing more wood on the fire, Jo removed some fresh green leaves from
a package that had been lying unnoticed near at hand, and within was
found a large piece of roast pig! Furthermore, it was young, tender,
well cooked, juicy and clean.
The appetites of all were keen, and as they took seats on the ground and
ate as well as they could, with the help of the keen hunting knives of
the party, it would have been impossible to enjoy it more. Nobody but
the Mohawk knew how long it was since he had partaken of food, but had
the period been a week, he could not have shown a keener relish for the
nourishing meat. While employed in this pleasant manner, it was
explained how it came about that they were furnished with this supper.
As Jo had already told his sister, he and the Mohawk started off in
quest of food, when they affected such a mystery in their movements.
It was no time nor neighborhood in which to look for game, and their
purpose was to hunt some farm-house, where they hoped to find enough of
the stock left to furnish them with one meal at least. While on their
way through the woods, they came in sight of this same camp fire, which
they approached and reconnoitered. The first figure they recognized was
that of Colonel Butler, and next to him was Captain Bagley, his
well-chosen assistant, besides which there were four Iroquois Indians,
whose principal business seemed to be that of roasting a plump pig,
which they had stolen from some settler in the valley.
Colonel Butler was very loquacious, and talked so freely with the
captain that his purpose of crossing the river speedily became known to
the listening scouts. Some of his references to Rosa Minturn were such
that Jo would have shot him as he sat eating by his own camp fire, had
not the Mohawk interfered and quieted him with the philosophical
observation:
"Hain't got gal yet--won't get her--talk won't hurt her."
Although it was certain that the party meant to cross the Susquehanna
that night, probably as soon as the supper was finished, yet it did not
occur to the Mohawk that they intended to use the canoe which was
awaiting the whites. When the Tories and Iroquois completed their meal,
they started for the stream, and Lena-Wingo and Jo followed, keeping
them under scrutiny until they left the shore for the other side. The
party went off leaving their camp fire burning brightly, and as there
was no reason to believe that any of their allies were near little was
feared in returning to the scene and appropriating what was left as
fragments of their feast.
The friends, therefore, ate with that enjoyment which comes of a sharp
appetite, good food, and the consciousness that they need be in no hurry
to finish. It was the purpose of the Mohawk to place his companions on
the other side of the stream before daylight, but he convinced them that
there was nothing to be gained by hurrying in the business.
As the weak force at the station of Wilkesbarre would be on guard
against the approach of all enemies, especially during the darkness of
the night, it would be a matter of difficulty, as well as one of extreme
danger, to secure admission at that time. For this reason he preferred
to do that part of his work in the daytime, when he could have an
opportunity to use all his senses, and not be taken at a disadvantage.