RECONNOITERING THE ISLAND--A STARTLING OCCURRENCE.
As the moon rose above the forest, and shone down upon the river, the
whites began to gather some idea of their situation. They found that
the island upon which they had been stranded was about in the centre of
the stream, and that, as a consequence, it would require considerable
wading to reach the mainland on either side.
The wooded bank of the Kentucky shore being thrown into deep shadow by
overhanging branches, it was impossible for them to discern whether any
canoes were lying under it or not. The hearts of all beat painfully as
they looked upon the flat-boat, now of no further earthly use to them,
standing out like a beacon to inform all where the whites had taken
refuge. It seemed to them impossible that the Shawanoes could fail to
see it.
The island was found to be more considerable in extent than had been
first supposed. It was over an eighth of a mile from one extremity
to another, thickly wooded, and covered with rank grass and a dense
undergrowth. It was oval-shaped, and remarkably regular in its contour,
being somewhat over two hundred feet broad in its widest portion.
"What a splendid summer sate this would make fur a gintleman like
meself," said Pat, as the two stood under the shadow of a tree, on the
lowermost portion of the island.
"It really would," replied Hezekiah. "Now I shouldn't wonder if it
should be used for that very purpose in a few years."
The speaker was right in his prophecy. These very lines are being
written upon that very island--one of the most beautiful of all the
isles of the beautiful river.
"Be the same token, it's the summer sate of a party of travelers at
this minute, and it's likely that we'll make quite a stay upon it."
"I hope there ain't any Indians watching us," said Hezekiah, as he
shiveringly looked toward the shore of the dark and bloody ground.
"So does Pat Mulroony, but"----
"Jerusalem! jest look there!" exclaimed Hezekiah, springing clean off
his feet.
"Whisht! where? I see nothing."
"Here! here! this way!" whispered Hezekiah, pulling his shoulder
around. "It ain't there--_it's on the island_, right above us!
Look--don't you see it?"
"I see the traas, and the darkness, and that's all."
"It was gone the minute you looked. There it is again! There, it's
gone! What makes it act that way?"
"What is it, man, you're making such a hullabaloo about?"
"Why, sir," said Smith, solemnly, "as sure as you and I are living, I
seen a light moving around on the island!"
"It's Pat Mulroony that"----
Smith suddenly caught the Irishman's shoulder as with a grip of iron,
and without whispering a word pointed meaningly toward the trees where
he had first seen the alarming manifestation. There was no mistaking
this time. Pat Mulroony saw a bright light shining steadily through the
trees, so brightly and steadily that he knew it could not be many rods
from them. Withdrawing more closely under the dark shadow of their own
tree, Pat whispered:
"We must craap up and see what the haythens are doing."
"I say, Pat, I say--that is--you've no objection to go alone, have you?"
"Why can't yees go with me?"
"I can, of course I can, but then what's the use? I'll stay here, and
keep watch."
"And what's the naad of your kaaping watch at this poortion?"
"You know some of the Indians might slip onto the island while we are
gone, or," added Hezekiah, catching at the thought, "these same Indians
might try to slip off. Jerusalem! that wouldn't do, you know."
"Doesn't yees wish to go with me?" persisted Pat.
"I would _prefer_ remaining here, my dear Patrick."
"Well, then, kaap quiet and sthill like, and I'll soon be back wid
yees. Don't stir if you hear a noise."
"I say, Patrick"----
But the Irishman was gone.
"I hope he doesn't think I'm afraid," soliloquized Hezekiah when he
found he was alone. "I think I have proved by this time that I am not.
If I was scairt any I would never have come out into this outlandish
country. I don't know about that though," he added, after a moment's
thought; "I did hate to come into this wilderness most terribly, but I
had to do it, and I might as well own up, when there's no one to hear
me, that I was most thunderingly scairt, and am this minute. What do I
want to go crawling around this cussed island for? I wish I had never
seen it. I've a great notion to wade over to the Kentucky shore, and go
home."
We must do Smith the credit, however, of stating that he did not even
attempt to act upon this thought. When a moment's reflection showed
him how contemptible and cowardly such a course would be, he felt like
butting his head against a tree, that he should have allowed himself to
entertain such an idea for a moment.
"I hope the Irishman knows enough to keep his eyes about him," he
continued. "That young Waring was right in saying the crisis of the
danger would be reached to-night. We're in the crisis now, and a derned
ticklish affair it is, too."
Hezekiah was standing in the attitude of acute attention, every faculty
absorbed in the one of listening, when his whole being was thrilled by
the explosion of two rifles, followed by a series of horrid yells that
made his blood curdle. It needed no thought to tell him that these came
from the throats of the Shawanoes, and that the most that he had feared
had taken place.
His first impression was that Pat Mulroony had been discovered, and
fired upon, and that his own safety was in imminent danger; but, when
he came to reflect more quietly, he knew by the distance of the sounds,
that they came from the upper portion of the island, and that it was
the friends who had been left behind that were attacked. Believing,
then, that Pat was safe for the present, he decided to remain in his
present position until he was rejoined by him.
Hezekiah had hardly come to this conclusion when a slight grating noise
upon the shingle of the beach caught his ear, and turning his head he
saw that a canoe had just landed within twenty feet of him, and, at
that very moment, two painted Indians were in the act of stepping
ashore. With his heart in his throat, he shivered around to the
opposite side of the tree, and tremblingly watched the actions of these
savages.
They were very deliberate in their movements, seeming to take notice of
the tumult which, a moment before, had broken the profound stillness of
stream and wood.
First pulling the canoe high upon the land, each took a rifle from it,
and then strode directly toward the tree which concealed the frightened
man. As they passed so near, that he could have touched him with his
own rifle, he absolutely believed they would hear his heart beat. But
such a thing has never taken place, no matter how wildly that organ has
throbbed, and then the Indians, who would have detected the faintest
sound, passed on, and disappeared in the wood of the island, without
once suspecting how nigh they had been to one of the very beings for
whom they were searching.
They had hardly gone, when Pat Mulroony stole cautiously forth into
view, and looking carefully about him to satisfy himself that he had
not lost his reckoning, ran on tiptoe to where Hezekiah stood.
"What did you see?" breathlessly inquired the latter.
"May our howly mother presarve us, but the island is full of the
haythen!"
"What was that light we seen?"
"It was the camp-fire of a whole pack of the divils! But we're in a bad
fix."
"Didn't you hear them rifles? They're in a worse fix," said Hezekiah,
in an undertone. "What's to be done?"
"That's what puzzles me. We must get back if we can, and see what the
outlandish divils have been at."
The two started toward the upper end of the island, the Irishman not
disdaining to use the utmost caution. Every dozen yards or so, he
paused and listened for the slightest warning of danger; and, as for
Hezekiah, he expected each moment to see a whole horde of screeching
Shawanoes rush out from the trees and annihilate them.
Some two-thirds of the distance was thus accomplished without any
further evidence of the presence of their foes, when the Irishman,
who was only a few feet in advance, again halted with a whispered
exclamation.
Following the direction of his finger, Hezekiah saw several dark
objects moving away from the island, which he made out to be canoes.
Fearful of being seen, the two whites withdrew further from the shore.
They had gone but a few feet, when they found themselves in a sort of
natural clearing, some twenty yards in diameter, seemingly made by some
terrific whirlwind. And here, in the centre of this clearing they saw a
sight that made their blood run cold with horror!
The moon by this time was high in the heavens, and the centre of the
clearing was lit up as if at noon day; and directly under the full
tide of light, was stretched the lifeless form of Mr. Lander. He lay
on his back, all his limbs outstretched, with his skull cloven by a
tomahawk! He seemed to have made no resistance when the awful blow was
given, but had fallen back, and instantly expired. His features were so
disfigured that, had it not been for his clothes, our friends could not
have recognized him. Spell-bound, and horror-struck, they gazed at the
heart-sickening sight for a long time!