EVADING THE ENEMY.
The Indian party, with Dick and Fritz, reached a point where the
trails divided early that morning. With the coming of daylight their
spirits rose, and the encounter of the previous night took on a more
encouraging aspect. They had undoubtedly caused considerable loss to
the company of British, and had escaped with but few wounds themselves.
Telca was anxious to trap the Redcoats in some deep gorge, where the
Indians would have the pursuing party at their mercy, and was hurrying
on so as to keep out of the reach of their antagonists until the right
moment should arrive. Dick and Fritz were anxious to reach the Ohio
river near Fort Pitt, for there they hoped to get canoes to carry
them down the river to a point directly south of Vincennes. Here Dick
proposed to strike off through a forest trail and then travel north
again to their final destination.
"Which way do we go now?" asked Dick of the chief.
"The bottom road," replied Telca. "All spread out here," he commanded,
"we go up part way, come down again, so," and he showed the boys how
they were to climb some distance up alongside of the trail and descend
backwards so that the footprints would all point toward the top. By
scattering over a wide space they would lead the British into thinking
that they had decided to take to the upper path and had scattered to
hide their trail, and by edging toward the right when they descended
they would be able to come down on the branch track around the spur of
the mountain and follow that to the end of the valley.
They hoped to make the mouth of the valley by nightfall, and if the
British stuck to the upper trail, they would gain some distance
unmolested.
"I hope this little stunt works," said Dick, as they scrambled down the
steep mountain side, holding sometimes with their hands and at others
slipping and clutching at rocks and bushes.
"Yah, mit all this troubles, it should some goot do yet, for sure,"
replied Fritz. "I have no more skin my hands on alreatty."
"Go right on and wear out the bones, then," laughed Dick. "You have
got to get down some way."
There was a sudden slipping and sliding beside him, and before Dick
could save himself, Fritz had grasped him by the heels in a vain effort
to maintain his position and they both ended in a cloud of dirt and
leaves at the bottom of the descent.
"For why don't you hold on, und not push me to the bottoms?" asked
Fritz, digging the dirt out of one eye.
"You crazy Dutchman," said Dick. "I'll have to leave you home until you
learn how to stand up after this."
"Such an unreasonable feller," sighed Fritz, resignedly. "Always I
should got plamed for dings."
"If you don't get up and brush yourself off," said Dick, "the dust
cloud will still be floating around here when that British party
catches up."
The mention of the English troops spurred Fritz into action, and he
hastily gathered himself together and was ready to go ahead again.
Most of the Indian tribe were already far along the trail, and the boys
had to hurry and catch up to them. The day proved a long one for the
two Patriots for the sun was hot in the valley, and they were pushed
to the utmost to keep up to the Indian leaders. Except for a short halt
now and then when they all drank from some nearby rushing brook, they
had been on the trail since before dawn. The men were also without any
rest since the fight of the day before.
The signal from Telca that they were to make camp was a very welcome
one.
"Well, I feel as if we had done a good day's work," said Dick, as they
sat on a fallen log and watched the squaws gather wood for the fires.
"Och, Dick Dare, a veek of whole sleep vill not my feet rest yet,"
replied Fritz.
"See how small and how well concealed those squaws build their fires,"
said Dick. "Each one behind a tree or rock to keep anyone on that ridge
up there from seeing the light."
"So soon yet as they got somedings cooked, I don'd care vhere they haf
fires," Fritz returned.
In a surprisingly short time the food in the kettles was steaming, and
the whole party felt strength returning to their tired muscles after
eating and resting.
Telca joined the boys after having satisfied his appetite, and unfolded
to them his plans for the immediate future. An hour's march further
along the trail along the mountain ridge came down and joined the one
they were following. Just beyond that was the "big water," as Telca
called the river, where they would search for canoes for the boys. The
Indians would wait for the British troops where the trails met, for
there were high wooded rocky slopes on both sides of the fork, and the
Redman would have a position of great advantage for an ambush.
"But wouldn't it be well to take up that position to-night?" asked Dick.
"Don'd please some more mofe yet to-night," said Fritz. "After to-day's
valk ve should be py the Pacific Ocean already."
Telca considering Dick's suggestion, puffed deliberately at his pipe.
"The mountain path is shorter than valley one," said the Indian. "If
soldiers walk all day, be most there to-night. Maybe go through before
sun to-morrow."
"Then, let's get there to-night," said Dick. "You say it's an hour's
tramp, and we can get there and take up our position before there is
any possible chance of the British getting past."
"You right," finally said Telca. "We move on now."
"Ve don'd nefer sleep," grumbled Fritz, "und ven ve haf a chance, you
must vent and spoil id."
"Well, we'll be back on the water soon, and you can let your legs sleep
while you paddle with your arms," said Dick, laughing.
After gathering up their packs and putting out all the fires, the
Indians started out for their final camp. It was pitch dark when they
arrived at the selected place, and they all rolled up in their blankets
wherever they could find a level space big enough to hold them. Three
of the Redmen stalked away through the trees to keep watch over the
sleeping tribe, and both Dick and Fritz were glad that they were not
forced to take turns standing guard, after so long a day on the trail.
The next morning proved to be wet and rainy, and, although the Indians
apparently did not object to the condition of the weather, the boys
were both very uncomfortable. Their long campaigning, however, had
taught them to make the best of everything. A careful investigation
failed to disclose the whereabouts of the British troop, and Dick and
Fritz finally decided to go ahead to the river bank, which was only a
mile from where they had slept, and see what prospect there was of
getting a canoe. One of the Indians accompanied them, and they hurried
briskly down the trail through the fog.
They had almost reached the river's edge, when the Redman saw the
glimmer of a fire through the mist and the trees. Crouching quickly,
he pulled Dick and Fritz with him, and pointed in the direction of the
blaze. Evidently the fire was but just started and not burning strongly
as yet, for it would flare up and die down as a breeze encouraged it or
the dampness retarded it.
"Indian," whispered the companion.
"How do you know?" asked Dick, searching about him for some sign of
life.
The redskin pointed to the faint track of two moccasined feet, both
exactly parallel with each other.
"White man no walk like that," said their companion.
"Wonder if they're friends or foes?" whispered Dick to Fritz.
The Dutch boy's teeth chattered with the cold when he started to talk,
but the Indian motioned for them to be silent.
"Come," he said, leading the way into some long wet grass. Wriggling
carefully along on their stomachs, the three made a detour about the
spot where they figured the camp to be. The Indian left them for a few
moments and approached nearer to the fire. In a moment he was back
again.
"No good Indian," he said, in a low voice. "Not friend of Telca's
people. Not friend of white boy."
"How many?" questioned Dick.
The Indian held up both hands to indicate that he had counted ten
figures in the Indian camp.
"Canoe on shore," he added in a whisper.
"Only one?" asked Dick, in surprise.
"Five canoe," replied the Indian.
"If we can only get one," said Dick, "we'll be fixed for several days
to come."
Just then the sound of a volley of musketry came to their ears.
"Mein gootness, what is dot?" said Fritz, excitedly.
"The British," whispered Dick. "It's firing from the valley. The
troopers have evidently caught up to our friends."
"Dose oder red-fellers has heard, too," said Fritz.
The three in the grass peered anxiously at the hazy group about the
strange camp fire.
"Me go back," said their Indian companion, suddenly. "Tell Telca enemy
here. White boy get canoe. Good-bye."
He held out a dark hand to Fritz and Dick, and squeezed each of their
hands.
"Tell Telca good-bye," said Dick. "White boys never forget Indian's
friendship."
The Indian nodded, and turning, crawled off through the grass toward
the shelter of the woods beyond the trail. The firing had grown more
brisk from the rear, and although they were so far away, the boys could
hear the loud roll of the British firing line, and the occasional barks
of the Redskins' rifles.
Suddenly out of the mist near them, the new Indian party emerged,
running warily toward the sound of the fight. Dick and Fritz ducked
down into the grass just in time to save discovery. The ten Redskins
filed past toward the trail, and when they were almost out of sight the
two patriots began to move cautiously toward the deserted camp. The
fire was smoking and smouldering, and on the shore were five canoes,
all of bark, drawn up clear of the water and inverted to keep them dry
inside.
"Fine," ejaculated Dick. "There doesn't seem to be any difference in
these canoes, Fritz. Grab hold of that end and we'll slide her into the
stream."
"You such a robber are I vill pe afraid to stay py you again," said
Fritz.
"All's fair in war, you know," replied Dick.
"Couldn't ve py any possibility take all five mit us?" asked Fritz.
"Now, who's the robber?" laughed Dick. "But come on, you old turn
about. We can't lose a minute now. Stick the end of your gun through
the bottom of that boat."
"But dot vill spoilt it," remonstrated Fritz.
"That's just what I want it to do," said Dick, jabbing his gun through
the frail craft nearest him.
Fritz poked the muzzle of his rifle through the bottom of another one,
but in withdrawing it accidentally pulled the trigger.
"Och, oh!" he yelled.
"Fritz!" said Dick, sharply. "Have you hurt yourself?"
"Nein, I don'd guess so," replied the German boy.
"Good, for that at least," said Dick, thankfully. "Come on now, those
fellows will be back here in a shake after all that racket."
The two boys hurriedly grasped the ends of the canoe, shoved it into
the river and stepped into their new craft.
"Paddle for your life!" called Dick, from the stern.
"Yah," said Fritz, "I am alreatty."
They had only gotten about a hundred yards out into the stream when the
boys heard an exclamation from the shore. Turning, Dick saw the Indians
file out of the woods, and reach the canoes. Two of them started to
launch one of the boats, while the others aimed their guns at Dick and
Fritz.
"Duck, duck down," called Dick, and as they did so, the rifles of the
angry redskins barked out. One bullet splashed in the water near the
canoe, and the rest whistled uncomfortably over their heads. The two
Indians had gotten one of the damaged canoes into the water, but as
they stepped into it, it began to fill through the rent in the bottom.
Dick leaned down, dropped his paddle and took up his rifle.
"Keep on paddling, Fritz," he said, quietly. "I'll take a chance of
hitting one of those red fellows."
Dick's rifle cracked, and one of the Redmen gave a cry of pain and
surprise, put his hand over his left shoulder, and staggered backwards.
The others turned and sought shelter behind rocks while they reloaded
their guns, which gave the boys additional time to increase the
distance between them.
They were now near the further shore, and when the Indians fired again,
their bullets flew wild, leaving the boys unharmed.
"Run right ashore," said Dick. "We'll carry this canoe with us for a
ways and launch it again further down stream. The mist is rising, so
we've got to hurry if we want to get away from those fellows without
being seen."