the spirit of the border-第9章

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Indian　scout　hidden　behind　the　pines　that　skirted　the　edge。　Prominent　on　the

top　of　the　bluff　a　large；　dead　tree　projected　its　hoary；　twisted　branches。



Bill　evidently　saw　the　landmark；　for　he　stopped　in　his　monotonous　walk　to　and

fro　across　the　raft；　and　pushing　his　oar　amidships　he　looked　ahead　for　the

other　raft。　The　figure　of　the　tall　frontiersman　could　be　plainly　seen　as　he

labored　at　the　helm。



The　raft　disappeared　round　a　bend；　and　as　it　did　so　Joe　saw　a　white　scarf

waved　by　Nell。



Bill　worked　the　clumsy　craft　over　toward　the　right　shore　where　the　current　was

more　rapid。　He　pushed　with　all　his　strength；　and　when　the　oar　had　reached　its

widest　sweep；　he　lifted　it　and　ran　back　across　the　raft　for　another　push。　Joe

scanned　the　river　ahead。　He　saw　no　rapids；　only　rougher　water　whirling　over

some　rocks。　They　were　where　the　channel　narrowed　and　ran　close　to　the

right…hand　bank。　Under　a　willow…flanked　ledge　was　a　sand…bar。　To　Joe　there

seemed　nothing　hazardous　in　drifting　through　this　pass。



〃Bad　place　ahead；〃　said　Bill；　observing　Joe's　survey　of　the　river。



〃It　doesn't　look　so；〃　replied　Joe。



〃A　raft　ain't　a　boat。　We　could　pole　a　boat。　You　has　to　hev　water　to　float

logs；　an'　the　river's　run　out　considerable。　I'm　only　afeerd　fer　the　horses。　If

we　hit　or　drag；　they　might　plunge　around　a　bit。〃



When　the　raft　passed　into　the　head　of　the　bend　it　struck　the　rocks　several

times；　but　finally　gained　the　channel　safely；　and　everything　seemed　propitious

for　an　easy　passage。



But；　greatly　to　Bill's　surprise；　the　wide　craft　was　caught　directly　in　the

channel；　and　swung　round　so　that　the　steering…oar　pointed　toward　the　opposite

shore。　The　water　roared　a　foot　deep　over　the　logs。



〃Hold　hard　on　the　horses！〃　yelled　Bill。　〃Somethin's　wrong。　I　never　seen　a　snag

here。〃



The　straining　mass　of　logs；　insecurely　fastened　together；　rolled　and　then

pitched　loose　again；　but　the　short　delay　had　been　fatal　to　the　steering

apparatus。



Joe　would　have　found　keen　enjoyment　in　the　situation；　had　it　not　been　for　his

horse；　Lance。　The　thoroughbred　was　difficult　to　hold。　As　Bill　was　making

strenuous　efforts　to　get　in　a　lucky　stroke　of　the　oar；　he　failed　to　see　a　long

length　of　grapevine　floating　like　a　brown　snake　of　the　water　below。　　In　the

excitement　they　heeded　not　the　barking　of　Mose。　Nor　did　they　see　the　grapevine

straighten　and　become　taut　just　as　they　drifted　upon　it；　but　the　felt　the　raft

strike　and　hold　on　some　submerged　object。　It　creaked　and　groaned　and　the　foamy

water　surged；　gurgling；　between　the　logs。



Jim's　mare　snorted　with　terror；　and　rearing　high；　pulled　her　halter　loose　and

plunged　into　the　river。　But　Jim　still　held　her；　at　risk　of　being　drawn

overboard。



〃Let　go！　She'll　drag　you　in！〃　yelled　Joe；　grasping　him　with　his　free　hand。　

Lance　trembled　violently　and　strained　at　the　rope；　which　his　master　held　with

a　strong　grip。



CRACK！



The　stinging　report　of　a　rifle　rang　out　above　the　splashing　of　the　water。



Without　a　cry；　Bill's　grasp　on　the　oar　loosened；　he　fell　over　it　limply；　his

head　striking　the　almost　submerged　log。　A　dark…red　fluid　colored　the　water；

then　his　body　slipped　over　the　oar　and　into　the　river；　where　it　sank。



〃My　God！　Shot！〃　cried　Jim；　in　horrified　tones。



He　saw　a　puff　of　white　smoke　rising　above　the　willows。　Then　the　branches

parted；　revealing　the　dark　forms　of　several　Indian　warriors。　From　the　rifle　in

the　foremost　savage's　had　a　slight　veil　of　smoke　rose。　With　the　leap　of　a

panther　the　redskin　sprang　from　the　strip　of　sand　to　the　raft。



〃Hold；　Jim！　Drop　that　ax！　We're　caught！〃　cried　Joe。



〃It's　that　Indian　from　the　fort！〃　gasped　Jim。



The　stalwart　warrior　was　indeed　Silvertip。　But　how　changed！　Stripped　of　the

blanket　he　had　worn　at　the　settlement；　now　standing　naked　but　for　his　buckskin

breech…cloth；　with　his　perfectly　proportioned　form　disclosed　in　all　its　sinewy

beauty；　and　on　his　swarthy；　evil　face　an　expression　of　savage　scorn；　he　surely

looked　a　warrior　and　a　chief。



He　drew　his　tomahawk　and　flashed　a　dark　glance　at　Joe。　For　a　moment　he

steadily　regarded　the　young　man；　but　if　he　expected　to　see　fear　in　the

latter's　face　he　was　mistaken；　for　the　look　was　returned　coolly。



〃Paleface　steal　shirt；〃　he　said　in　his　deep　voice。　〃Fool　paleface

playSilvertip　no　forget。〃







Chapter　V。



Silvertip　turned　to　his　braves；　and　giving　a　brief　command；　sprang　from　the

raft。　The　warriors　closed　in　around　the　brothers；　two　grasping　each　by　the

arms；　and　the　remaining　Indian　taking　care　of　the　horse。　The　captives　were

then　led　ashore；　where　Silvertip　awaited　them。



When　the　horse　was　clear　of　the　raft；　which　task　necessitated　considerable

labor　on　the　part　of　the　Indians；　the　chief　seized　the　grapevine；　that　was　now

plainly　in　sight；　and　severed　it　with　one　blow　of　his　tomahawk。　The　raft

dashed　forward　with　a　lurch　and　drifted　downstream。



In　the　clear　water　Joe　could　see　the　cunning　trap　which　had　caused　the　death

of　Bill；　and　insured　the　captivity　of　himself　and　his　brother。　The　crafty

savages　had　trimmed　a　six…inch　sapling　and　anchored　it　under　the　water。　They

weighted　the　heavy　end；　leaving　the　other　pointing　upstream。　　To　this　last　had

been　tied　the　grapevine。　When　the　drifting　raft　reached　the　sapling；　the

Indians　concealed　in　the　willows　pulled　hard　on　the　improvised　rope；　the　end

of　the　sapling　stuck　up　like　a　hook；　and　the　aft　was　caught　and　held。　The

killing　of　the　helmsman　showed　the　Indians'　foresight；　even　had　the　raft

drifted　on　downstream　the　brothers　would　have　been　helpless　on　a　craft　they

could　not　manage。　After　all；　Joe　thought；　he　had　not　been　so　far　wrong　when　he

half　fancied　that　an　Indian　lay　behind　Shawnee　Rock；　and　he　marveled　at　this

clever　trick　which　had　so　easily　effected　their　capture。



But　he　had　little　time　to　look　around　at　the　scene　of　action。　There　was　a

moment　only　in　which　to　study　the　river　to　learn　if　the　unfortunate　raftsman's

body　had　appeared。　It　was　not　to　be　seen。　The　river　ran　swiftly　and　hid　all

evidence　of　the　tragedy　under　its　smooth　surface。　　When　the　brave　who　had　gone

back　to　the　raft　for　the　goods　joined　his　companion　the　two　hurried　Joe　up　the

bank　after　the　others。



Once　upon　level　ground　Joe　saw　before　him　an　open　forest。　On　the　border　of

this　the　Indians　stopped　long　enough　to　bind　the　prisoners'　wrists　with　thongs

of　deerhide。　While　two　of　the　braves　performed　this　office；　Silvertip　leaned

against　a　tree　and　took　no　notice　of　the　brothers。　When　they　were　thus

securely　tied　one　of　their　captors　addressed　the　chief；　who　at　once　led　the

way　westward　through　the　forest。　The　savages　followed　in　single　file；　with　Joe

and　Jim　in　the　middle　of　the　line。　The　last　Indian　tried　to　mount　Lance；　but

the　thoroughbred　would　have　none　of　him；　and　after　several　efforts　the　savage

was　compelled　to　desist。　Mose　trotted　reluctantly　along　behind　the　horse。



Although　the　chief　preserved　a　dignified　mien；　his　braves　were　disposed　to　be

gay。　They　were　in　high　glee　over　their　feat　of　capturing　the　palefaces；　and

kept　up　an　incessant　jabbering。　One　Indian；　who　walked　directly　behind　Joe；

continually　prodded　him　with　the　stock　of　a　rifle；　and　whenever　Joe　turned；

the　brawny　redskin　grinned　as　he　grunted；　〃Ugh！〃　　Joe　observed　that　this　huge

savage　had　a　broad　face　of　rather　a　lighter　shade　of　red　than　his　companions。

Perhaps　he　intended　those　rifle…prods　in　friendliness；　for　although　they

certainly　amused　him；　he　would　allow　no　one　else　to　touch　Joe；　but　it　would

have　been　more　pleasing　had　he　shown　his　friendship　in　a　gentle　manner。　This

Indian　carried　Joe's　pack；　much　to　his　own　delight；　especially　as　his

companions　evinced　an　envious　curiosity。　The　big　fellow　would　not；　however；

allow　them　to　touch　it。



〃He's　a　cheerful　brute；〃　remarked　Joe　to　Jim。



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



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