AN OKI OF THE WATERS
As Nahma had intended remaining on the island until his companion
fully recovered from his injuries, he had not hurried with anything
that he had done that morning. Consequently it was mid-day when the
flight was resumed and the fugitives again headed their canoe down the
lake, keeping the island directly behind them as a screen from their
pursuers. Although working furiously at his paddle, Nahma glanced
behind him every few moments, and as time passed was amazed that the
enemy did not come into sight.
At length, after a couple of hours of incessant labor, the canoe
rounded a bold headland that nearly cut the lake in twain, and was
hidden behind it from any who might be following. Here the lake was
very narrow, and Nahma proposed that they should run the canoe ashore,
hide it, and seek to rejoin their friends by land.
"No," said the Beaver, who had recovered his power of speech. "If the
Hurons are following us, they will surely have scouts in the forest on
both sides. We should be certain to fall in with these, and I am not
yet ready for fighting. Now that we have come thus far by water, let
us keep on. At a short distance from here this lake ends, but it is
joined to another much larger. On that other a canoe may go north even
to the country of the Hurons. It may also go south to the land of the
Iroquois. Let us, then, find the big water and turn to the south, for
if those following us be Hurons they will certainly hold a course to
the northward."
"We will do as my brother says," replied Nahma, delighted to have
again the counsel of his more experienced companion. So the course
of the canoe was continued, but only Nahma now wielded a paddle. The
Beaver had been so much benefited by hot-water applications and by the
subsequent exercise of paddling that his throat was again serviceable.
Not only could he talk but he believed he could eat, and as Nahma had
brought along one of the three fish caught for breakfast, he made the
attempt with such gratifying success that it quickly disappeared. Being
thus refreshed and strengthened, he began to question his companion
concerning the events of the preceding night.
When Nahma related the finding of the two mortal enemies clutched in a
death-grapple the Beaver said,--
"It is so. As I saw the Huron he saw me, and we sprang at each other
with our knives, for we were too close to use bows or even the
tomahawk. His knife broke, and as I drove mine into his body his
fingers closed about my throat. Ugh! It was the grip of a bear, and I
could not loose it. Again and again did I bury my knife in his heart,
but he would not let go. Then all became black and I died. How my
brother brought me back from the place of Okis [departed spirits] I
know not, but when next I awoke he lay beside me under a canoe and a
band as of fire was about my head. Now, therefore, the life of Grinning
Beaver belongs to his brother. But tell me quickly how knew you we were
pursued by Hurons? There were traces of but two of them, while many of
our own people were to meet Sacandaga at the great rock."
"I know that our pursuers are Hurons, or at least enemies, because they
crept on us by stealth. Also when they saw we had escaped they yelled
with rage and shot arrows to kill us. Besides that, they followed after
us in canoes, and but for the coming of darkness would surely have
overtaken us."
"Is it certain that they shot after us with arrows?"
"It is certain, for one of them struck the canoe and lies even yet
where it fell. So my brother may see for himself and know that I have
spoken truly."
The Beaver plucked the arrow thus indicated from the sheathing of the
canoe in which its point was embedded and examined it closely. As he
did so a puzzled expression came over his face, and he exclaimed,--
"But this is not a Huron arrow! It is of the Iroquois, and might have
been made by Kaweras himself. Look. As a bowman thou shouldst know this
fashion of feathering."
"I do know it," replied Nahma, taking the proffered arrow as he spoke
and studying its make. "Also I should have recognized it sooner had I
looked, but it fell in darkness, and since then I have been too busy to
recall it until now."
"If this was the only style of arrow aimed at us," continued the
Beaver, "those who pursue us must be friends, who have in turn mistaken
us for enemies."
"It would seem so," agreed Nahma, in a mortified tone, "and it is to my
shame that I should have shown so great stupidity."
"Take it not to heart, my brother. No warrior may learn his trade save
by experience. What you have done has been well done, and no harm has
come of it. Only now that we know those behind us to be friends, we
must look sharply for enemies in front and see that our friends come
not upon them unaware."
"Shall we not turn back at once," asked Nahma, "and give to Sacandaga a
warning of the true state of affairs?"
"Not at once, but presently," replied the Beaver, "for we are even
now close to the great waters of which I spoke. It will be well,
therefore, if we take a look at them before turning back. We may thus
have news to report that will cause him to rejoice at sight of us."
During this conversation Nahma had continued to paddle easily, and the
canoe had glided gently forward with the current of a forest-shaded
stream forming an outlet to the lake they had just traversed. As the
Beaver concluded his remarks the roar of falling waters ahead of them
gave warning that their farther progress in this direction was barred.
So the canoe was left cunningly as though it had drifted to that place,
and the two young scouts made their way through a mile-wide strip of
forest to the shore of a second lake that lay behind. Here they gazed
eagerly out over the wide water-way, but for a moment saw nothing
unusual. As they were about to venture into the open, Nahma checked the
movement with a guarded exclamation of amazement. A human figure had
suddenly appeared on the crest of a headland that jutted into the lake
a short distance from them, and for several seconds it stood motionless
in the full light of the westering sun, as though spell-bound by the
beauty of the outspread landscape.
Although it presented the form of man, it was unlike anything either of
the astonished observers had ever seen. It appeared twice the size of
an ordinary man, and at certain points it glinted in the sunlight with
a sheen like that of rippling waters. Its head, upon which the sunlight
also flashed, was of huge proportions and apparently devoid of hair.
"It is an Oki," whispered the Beaver, apprehensively. "A god of the
waters. See you not how he shines with wetness?"
Even as the Beaver spoke, a second figure appeared for an instant
beside the one at which the awe-stricken youths were gazing. It was
that of a man like themselves, half-naked, painted, and bedecked with
feathers. This last apparition plucked the other by the arm and they
disappeared together.
Our young scouts looked at each other in wonderment. "We must know more
of this affair," said the Beaver. "Let us move in that direction and
see what may be found."
A few minutes later, moving with the utmost caution, they had reached a
point from which they could look beyond the headland. There they beheld
a scene that held their gaze with breathless interest, and, crouching
beneath the overhanging branches of a thick-growing spruce, they
watched it in silence.
The sun was setting and its light was growing dim, but they could
see a fleet of canoes drawn up on the lake-shore, and beyond them
many men moving busily about a large cleared space. They could not
discover among these the strange figure that had first attracted their
attention, nor was there any glow of fire-light.
The Beaver drew in his breath as though about to speak, but Nahma
checked him with warning hand, and at the same instant a twig snapped
directly behind them. The young scouts dared not so much as move their
heads, but from the corners of their eyes they caught glimpses of four
shadowy forms that flitted noiselessly by and vanished in the direction
from which they themselves had come. They were Hurons seeking to make
certain before the complete shutting in of night that no enemy lurked
in the vicinity of their camp.
For several minutes after these had passed our lads remained motionless
and silent. Then the Beaver rose and moved without a sound in the
direction taken by the Huron scouts, while Nahma, his nerves tense with
excitement, followed the lead thus given. Neither spoke until finally
they came again to the place where they had left their canoe. To their
dismay, it was gone, but the Beaver said in a whisper,--
"It is well for us that it is of Huron make, so that they may think it
was left by those of their own people who were sent ahead. Now let us
find Sacandaga, for we have much to tell him."
The task of making their unlit way back along the shore of the stream
they had so recently descended without effort was beset with many
difficulties. They must keep close to the river, for not only was
it their guide but by it sooner or later their friends were almost
certain to pass. They must thread the forest mazes in silence, and they
must pause with every minute to listen for the dip of paddles. Even
then Sacandaga's canoes might drift by them unseen and unheard. But a
warning must be given, if such a thing were possible, and in spite of
all obstacles they pushed steadily forward.
At length they came to a place where the stream began to broaden. They
had gained the lower end of Andia-ta-roc-te and dared go no farther. So
they waited while Nahma uttered full and clear the plaintive call of
the whippoorwill. Twice did he repeat it, and then once more after a
brief interval.