the spirit of the border-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃Ugh！〃　grunted　the　big　Indian；　jamming　Joe　with　his　rifle…stock。



Joe　took　heed　to　the　warning　and　spoke　no　more。　He　gave　all　his　attention　to

the　course　over　which　he　was　being　taken。　Here　was　his　first　opportunity　to

learn　something　of　Indians　and　their　woodcraft。　　It　occurred　to　him　that　his

captors　would　not　have　been　so　gay　and　careless　had　they　not　believed

themselves　safe　from　pursuit；　and　he　concluded　they　were　leisurely　conducting

him　to　one　of　the　Indian　towns。　He　watched　the　supple　figure　before　him；

wondering　at　the　quick　step；　light　as　the　fall　of　a　leaf；　and　tried　to　walk　as

softly。　He　found；　however；　that　where　the　Indian　readily　avoided　the　sticks

and　brush；　he　was　unable　to　move　without　snapping　twigs。　Now　and　then　he　would

look　up　and　study　the　lay　of　the　land　ahead；　and　as　he　came　nearer　to　certain

rocks　and　trees　he　scrutinized　them　closely；　in　order　to　remember　their　shape

and　general　appearance。　He　believed　he　was　blazing　out　in　his　mind　this

woodland　trail；　so　that　should　fortune　favor　him　and　he　contrive　to　escape；　he

would　be　able　to　find　his　way　back　to　the　river。　Also；　he　was　enjoying　the

wild　scenery。



This　forest　would　have　appeared　beautiful；　even　to　one　indifferent　to　such

charms；　and　Joe　was　far　from　that。　Every　moment　he　felt　steal　stronger　over

him　a　subtle　influence　which　he　could　not　define。　Half　unconsciously　he　tried

to　analyze　it；　but　it　baffled　him。　He　could　no　more　explain　what　fascinated

him　than　he　could　understand　what　caused　the　melancholy　quiet　which　hung　over

the　glades　and　hollows。　He　had　pictured　a　real　forest　so　differently　from

this。　Here　was　a　long　lane　paved　with　springy　moss　and　fenced　by　bright…green

sassafras；　there　a　secluded　dale；　dotted　with　pale…blue　blossoms；　over　which

the　giant　cottonwoods　leaned　their　heads；　jealously　guarding　the　delicate

flowers　from　the　sun。　Beech　trees；　growing　close　in　clanny　groups；　spread

their　straight　limbs　gracefully；　the　white　birches　gleamed　like　silver

wherever　a　stray　sunbeam　stole　through　the　foliage；　and　the　oaks；　monarchs　of

the　forest；　rose　over　all；　dark；　rugged；　and　kingly。



Joe　soon　understood　why　the　party　traveled　through　such　open　forest。　The

chief；　seeming　hardly　to　deviate　from　his　direct　course；　kept　clear　of　broken

ground；　matted　thickets　and　tangled　windfalls。　Joe　got　a　glimpse　of　dark

ravines　and　heard　the　music　of　tumbling　waters；　he　saw　gray　cliffs　grown　over

with　vines；　and　full　of　holes　and　crevices；　steep　ridges；　covered　with　dense

patches　of　briar　and　hazel；　rising　in　the　way。　Yet　the　Shawnee　always　found　an

easy　path。



The　sun　went　down　behind　the　foliage　in　the　west；　and　shadows　appeared　low　in

the　glens；　then　the　trees　faded　into　an　indistinct　mass；　a　purple　shade

settled　down　over　the　forest；　and　night　brought　the　party　to　a　halt。



The　Indians　selected　a　sheltered　spot　under　the　lee　of　a　knoll；　at　the　base　of

which　ran　a　little　brook。　Here　in　this　inclosed　space　were　the　remains　of　a

camp…fire。　Evidently　the　Indians　had　halted　there　that　same　day；　for　the　logs

still　smouldered。　While　one　brave　fanned　the　embers；　another　took　from　a

neighboring　branch　a　haunch　of　deer　meat。　A　blaze　was　soon　coaxed　from　the

dull　coals；　more　fuel　was　added；　and　presently　a　cheerful　fire　shone　on　the

circle　of　dusky　forms。



It　was　a　picture　which　Joe　had　seen　in　many　a　boyish　dream；　now　that　he　was　a

part　of　it　he　did　not　dwell　on　the　hopelessness　of　the　situation；　nor　of　the

hostile　chief　whose　enmity　he　had　incurred。　Almost；　it　seemed；　he　was　glad　of

this　chance　to　watch　the　Indians　and　listen　to　them。　He　had　been　kept　apart

from　Jim；　and　it　appeared　to　Joe　that　their　captors　treated　his　brother　with　a

contempt　which　they　did　not　show　him。　Silvertip　had；　no　doubt；　informed　them

that　Jim　had　been　on　his　way　to　teach　the　Indians　of　the　white　man's　God。



Jim　sat　with　drooping　head；　his　face　was　sad；　and　evidently　he　took　the　most

disheartening　view　of　his　capture。　When　he　had　eaten　the　slice　of　venison

given　him　he　lay　down　with　his　back　to　the　fire。



Silvertip；　in　these　surroundings；　showed　his　real　character。　He　had　appeared

friendly　in　the　settlement；　but　now　he　was　the　relentless　savage；　a　son　of　the

wilds；　free　as　an　eagle。　His　dignity　as　a　chief　kept　him　aloof　from　his

braves。　He　had　taken　no　notice　of　the　prisoners　since　the　capture。　He　remained

silent；　steadily　regarding　the　fire　with　his　somber　eyes。　At　length；　glancing

at　the　big　Indian；　he　motioned　toward　the　prisoners　and　with　a　single　word

stretched　himself　on　the　leaves。



Joe　noted　the　same　changelessness　of　expression　in　the　other　dark　faces　as　he

had　seen　in　Silvertip's。　It　struck　him　forcibly。　When　they　spoke　in　their

soft；　guttural　tones；　or　burst　into　a　low；　not　unmusical　laughter；　or　sat

gazing　stolidly　into　the　fire；　their　faces　seemed　always　the　same；

inscrutable；　like　the　depths　of　the　forest　now　hidden　in　night。　One　thing　Joe

felt　rather　than　sawthese　savages　were　fierce　and　untamable。　He　was　sorry

for　Jim；　because；　as　he　believed；　it　would　be　as　easy　to　teach　the　panther

gentleness　toward　his　prey　as　to　instill　into　one　of　these　wild　creatures　a

belief　in　Christ。



The　braves　manifested　keen　pleasure　in　anticipation　as　to　what　they　would　get

out　of　the　pack；　which　the　Indian　now　opened。　Time　and　again　the　big　brave

placed　his　broad　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　a　comrade　Indian　and　pushed　him

backward。



Finally　the　pack　was　opened。　It　contained　a　few　articles　of　wearing　apparel；　a

pair　of　boots；　and　a　pipe　and　pouch　of　tobacco。　The　big　Indian　kept　the　latter

articles；　grunting　with　satisfaction；　and　threw　the　boots　and　clothes　to　the

others。　Immediately　there　was　a　scramble。　One　brave；　after　a　struggle　with

another；　got　possession　of　both　boots。　He　at　once　slipped　off　his　moccasins

and　drew　on　the　white　man's　foot…coverings。　He　strutted　around　in　them　a　few

moments；　but　his　proud　manner　soon　changed　to　disgust。



Cowhide　had　none　of　the　soft；　yielding　qualities　of　buckskin；　and　hurt　the

Indian's　feet。　Sitting　down；　he　pulled　one　off；　not　without　difficulty；　for

the　boots　were　wet；　but　he　could　not　remove　the　other。　He　hesitated　a　moment；

being　aware　of　the　subdued　merriment　of　his　comrades；　and　then　held　up　his

foot　to　the　nearest　one。　This　chanced　to　be　the　big　Indian；　who　evidently　had

a　keen　sense　of　humor。　Taking　hold　of　the　boot　with　both　hands；　he　dragged　the

luckless　brave　entirely　around　the　camp…fire。　The　fun；　however；　was　not　to　be

all　one…sided。　The　big　Indian　gave　a　more　strenuous　pull；　and　the　boot　came

off　suddenly。　Unprepared　for　this；　he　lost　his　balance　and　fell　down　the　bank

almost　into　the　creek。　He　held　on　to　the　boot；　nevertheless；　and　getting　up；

threw　it　into　the　fire。



The　braves　quieted　down　after　that；　and　soon　lapsed　into　slumber；　leaving　the

big　fellow；　to　whom　the　chief　had　addressed　his　brief　command；　acting；　as

guard。　Observing　Joe　watching　him　as　he　puffed　on　his　new　pipe；　he　grinned；

and　spoke　in　broken　English　that　was　intelligible；　and　much　of　a　surprise　to

the　young　man。



〃Palefacetobac'heap　good。〃



Then；　seeing　that　Joe　made　no　effort　to　follow　his　brother's　initiative；　for

Jim　was　fast　asleep；　he　pointed　to　the　recumbent　figures　and　spoke　again　in。



〃Ugh！　Paleface　sleepInjun　wigwamsnear　setting　sun。〃



On　the　following　morning　Joe　was　awakened　by　the　pain　in　his　legs；　which　had

been　bound　all　night。　He　was　glad　when　the　bonds　were　cut　and　the　party　took

up　its　westward　march。



The　Indians；　though　somewhat　quieter；　displayed　the　same　carelessness：　they

did　not　hurry；　nor　use　particular　caution；　but　selected　the　most　open　paths

through　the　forest。　They　even　halted　while　one　of　their　number　crept　up　on　a

herd　of　browsing　deer。　About　noon　the　leader　stopped　to　drink　from　a　spring；

his　braves　followed　suit　and　permitted　the　white　prisoners　to　quench　their

thirst。



When　they　were　about　to　start　again　the　single　note　of　a　bird　far　away　in　the

wood