Books: Hardscrabble

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"Look there," said Weston, in a subdued tone, while he
placed his hand on the shoulder of his superior, as both
lay crouched in their hiding-place, "look there, corporal,"
and he pointed with his finger to the opposite bank.
"Do you see that large, blackish log lying near the
hickory, and with its end towards us?"

"I do--what of it?"

"Well, don't you see something crouching like between
the log and the tree--something close up to both. See!
it moves now a little."

Corporal Nixon strained his gaze in the direction indicated,
but was obliged to admit that, although he distinctly
enough saw the log and the tree, he could not discern
any between thing them.

"NOW, do you see it?" again eagerly inquired Weston, as,
at that moment, the same animal was seen to turn itself
within the very limited space which had been indicated.

"Yes, I see it now," replied the Virginian, "but it's as
likely to be a hog as a man, for anything I can make of
that shape; a hog that has been filling his skin with
hickory nuts, and is but now waking out of his sleep.
Still, as the Injins were there just now, it may be that
if they're gone, they've left a spy behind them. We'll
soon know how matters stand, for it won't do to remain
here all night. Cass," addressing the man in the boat
who was seated low in the stern, only occasionally taking
a sly peep, and immediately withdrawing his head, "place
your cap on the rudder, and lie flat in the bottom. If
they are there, and mean to fire at all, they will try
their hands at THAT."

"I hope they are good marksmen, corporal," replied the
man, as raising his right arm, he removed his forage cap
and placed it so that the upper half only could be seen.
"I've no great fancy for those rifle bullets, and give
them a wide berth when I can."

"Now are you convinced?" asked Weston, addressing the
corporal, as both distinctly saw the object upon which
their attention had been anxiously fixed, raise his head
and shoulders, while he deliberately rested his rifle
against the log on his right.

"Close down, Cass--don't move," enjoined the Virginian;
"the bait has taken, and we shall have a shot presently."

Two almost imperceptible jets of spiral smoke, and crack,
crack, went two rifles, while simultaneously with the
report, fell back into the boat, the perforated forage
cap. Both balls had passed through it, and lodged in the
heart of the tree to which the skiff was moored, and
behind which Jackson and Philips had taken their stand.

Evidently believing that they had killed a man, the whole
of the band, hitherto concealed behind logs and trees, now
rose to their feet, and uttered a fierce and triumphant yell.

"Devilish good firin', that," remarked Green, whose face
had been touched by a splinter of bark torn from the tree
by one of the balls.

"Don't uncover yourselves, my lads," hastily commanded
the corporal; "all the fellows want now is to see us
exposed, that they may have a crack at us."

"We've dried the muskets after a fashion," said Collins,
as he now approached Jackson and Philips. "Give us a
cartridge, and let's see if we can't match the varmint
at that sort of work." Then, having loaded, he, without
asking the corporal's permission, leaned his musket
against the tree, and taking a steady aim at the man who
had fired from the point first noticed by Weston, drew
the trigger.

The shot had evidently taken effect, for two other Indians
were now seen going to the assistance of their comrade,
whom they raised from the ground (where all had secreted
themselves after the yell), and hurried to the rear.

A loud cheer burst from the lips of Collins, which was
answered immediately by the whole of the savages, who,
from various contiguous points, sprang again to their
feet, and vociferating the war-whoop, dashed into the
river nearly up to their necks, seemingly thirsting to
overcome the only obstacle which prevented them from
getting at their desired victims.

But, at the very moment, when several of them were holding
their rifles aloft with their right hand, securing their
powder-horns between their teeth, while Corporal Nixon
issued to his men injunctions, not to pull another trigger
until the savages should begin to swim, to the astonishment
of all, came the sullen and unusual booming of the cannon
from the Fort.

For a moment, the men, taking their eyes off the sights
of their muskets, listened attentively for a repetition
of the shot, but no second report reached their ears.

"That," said Green, "was a warnin' for us."

"It was," observed the corporal. "Had the danger been
THERE, they would have fired again. Depend upon it, my
lads, there's more going on about here than we think. So
don't throw away your ammunition. Every bullet you send
must tell!"

"Well, we can but sell our scalps as dearly as possible,"
interposed Collins, who had again loaded, and was now in
the act of raising and supporting his, musket against
the tree. "But look--see how the fellows are stealing off?"

"Don't fire, then, don't fire," hastily enjoined the
corporal. "If they will go quietly, let them. We must
not lose our time dallying here, but make our way back
to the Fort. That gun was meant to recall us, as well as
to warn us, and luckily it has frightened the Indians,
so they won't care to attack us again."

Meanwhile the band of Winnebagoes, obeying, as it seemed,
the command of their leader, whom Collins swore he could
identify from his figure, even at that distance, to be
the man who had attempted to carry off the boat, quitted
the river for the cover of the woods, and, after an
earnest consultation, retreated slowly in the direction
of the prairie, without clamor of any description.

"Well rid of them, if they are gone," exclaimed the
corporal, not a little relieved by their departure. "We
must keep a sharp look out though, and see if they return."

"How many of them are there?" asked Jackson; "can you
give a guess, Collins?"

"About a dozen I should say--indeed I counted as many as
they passed through the small patch of clearing made by
Eph. Giles's axe."

"Can they have started for the farm?" observed the corporal
musingly; "if so, my lads, we had better get away as soon
as possible, for there they will find canoes to cross."

"Why, sure they can swim across well enough. The river
is not so wide as to prevent them from doing it on a
pinch," remarked Philips.

"Of course they can," answered Collins, "but not without
having their rifles as well soaked as our muskets were
a little while ago. I say, corporal, I understand now
the trick of that cunning chief. He jumped upon the arms
purposely to overturn them into the river, when he found
he couldn't get the boat, and all our firelocks over with
him."

"Yes, that WAS a trick," remarked Jackson, "but, corporal,
you havn't told us how the dickens that fellow came there,
instead of the bear you went to spear."

"There is no time to talk about it, seriously rejoined
the Virginian. Some night when we are on guard, I will
tell you what little I know. At present let us see to
getting back to our post. Collins, you are the crack shot
of the party, are you loaded?"

"I am, corporal," returned the man somewhat self-
sufficiently, "have you got another Injin for me to sink.
If so, just point him out, and if this good barrel of
Uncle Sam's don't do his job in no time, I'll give up
all claim to having hit the first fellow."

"Not just yet," answered his superior, "but hear my
orders. You'll follow the path along the bank, and move
along carefully, until you reach Heywood's stacks. Conceal
yourself behind one of them, until we come down with the
boat, and keep a sharp lookout on all that you see passing
in and round the farm. Now remember, Collins, not a shot,
unless it be to save your life, or else you will get us
all into a scrape."

"Never fear me, General Nixon, and he touched his cap
with all the respect he would have accorded to an officer
of that rank. I brought one of the imps down, and that,
I reckon, is nearly as good work for one day, as filling
the old boat with fish, or having a slap at them ducks,
as I wanted this morning. But now I'm off, if I see
anything shall I halloo out, and let you know there's
danger?"

"Not by a long chalk," returned the corporal. "All I want
you to do is to keep your tongue in your head and your
eyes open. If you see anything to alarm you, come back
quietly and let us know. We shall be moving down close
to the bank of the river; and now start."

Collins threw his musket to the trail, and advanced
cautiously, though fearlessly, along the scarcely
perceptible pathway--interrupted, at every third or fourth
step by creeping vines that protruded from the earth,
and rendered it necessary, in order to prevent his
tripping, that he should raise his feet somewhat in the
manner of a horse with the string-halt.

He had not proceeded half a mile, when, at an angle of
the ill-defined path, formed by a point where the river
was the narrowest, he was started at the sight of a human
body lying across his course, evidently on its face,
though the head was concealed from view by the trunk of
a large tree that bordered upon the road. His first
impulse was to turn back and acquaint the corporal with
what he had discovered; but a few minutes of reflection
satisfying him of the ridicule he should incur in reporting,
without being able to state with accuracy on WHAT, he
boldly advanced. On approaching it, he found that the
body was lifeless, while from the red and scalpless head,
previously hidden from his view, were exuding gouts of
thick blood that trickled slowly over the pale features
of a youth of tender age, the expression of which had
been worked up into an intensity of terror, and there
remained. At a few paces from the head, and close upon
the edge of the bank, lay a dressed bear skin which had
evidently been saturated with water, but was now fast
drying in the air and what little sunlight was occasionally
thrown upon it, through the dense branches of the forest.

There are situations in which the mind is moved to do
that from which in cooler moments it would shrink with
disgust. It chanced that Collins had retained the scalp
so singularly found at the bottom of the river, by Corporal
Nixon, and this circumstance at once determined him.

Instead of hastening by an object so appalling, Collins
rested his musket against a tree, and taking the scalp
from between the ramrod and the stock, where he had
introduced it, knelt by the body, and spreading out the
humid skin to its fullest extent, applied it to the
bleeding excavation. As he had suspected, they corresponded
exactly, making all due allowance for the time they had
been separated, and he had no longer a doubt that the
mutilated boy was Mr. Heywood's help, Wilton. A much more
important discovery than this, however, resulted from
his vain endeavor to recognise the boy from his features,
they were so contracted by terror, as has already been
said, and so covered with blood as to be indistinguishable.
But on turning him upon his back, and passing his hands
over his face, Collins was surprised to find that there
was not that icy chill which he had expected, but on the
contrary the faint warmth that indicates suspended,
animation; and deeper yet was the gratification of the
rude soldier, when, on opening the shirt and placing his
hand on the heart of the boy, he felt an occasional
spasmodic pulsation, denoting that life was not utterly
extinct.

With an eagerness to preserve life, strongly in contrast
with his recent exultation in destroying it, his anxiety
for the recovery of the boy was almost paternal. Fortunately
the latter part of the day had been free from the chilliness
of the morning, so that, although the naked skull must
have been some hours exposed, the comparatively bland
state of the atmosphere gave fair earnest that the brain
itself, even if affected, had not sustained a mortal
injury. Spreading wide the scalp in his open palm, Collins
now breathed heavily upon it, until it attained what he
conceived to be the necessary warmth, when gently applying
it to the denuded crown, to which be fitted it as well
as he could, he passed his handkerchief, which he had
removed from his throat, over it, and under the chin of
the boy in such a manner as to prevent the chill of the
approaching night from affecting the injured part. This
done, he poured through his closed lips a few drops of
whisky from the canteen, and then raising him gently on
his left shoulder, he rose from his stooping posture,
and seizing in his right hand his musket, which he
continued at the trail, pursued his route to the haystacks
as directed.

In the meantime, Corporal Nixon, with the remainder of
the fishing party, was slowly descending the river,
hugging the eastern shore as closely as possible, in
order that, if attacked suddenly, they might, on the
instant, leap into the river, and covering themselves by
the boat, fight their enemies at less disadvantage. The
corporal himself and Weston kept a vigilant look out,
the one at the bow, the other at the stern, while the
four remaining men, Jackson, Philips, Green, and Cass
pulled so noiselessly that the dip of their oars, and
their unavoidable jar in the row-locks, could not be
heard at a distance of more than ten yards. At this slow
rate much time was necessarily consumed, so that it was
quite dark when they reached the traverse opposite the
farm, where Ephraim Giles had crossed some hours before,
and whither Collins had been dispatched to make
observations.

The patience of the latter had been much tried, for it
seemed an age had elapsed before his comrades made their
appearance. The sun was just setting as he reached the
innermost haystack, and his anxiety for his charge had
become intense. Seeing the canoe drawn up on the beach,
and the paddles in it, he had a strong inclination to
cross and procure some efficient relief for the insensible
boy, but the silence that reigned around the dwelling
awed him, and he checked the natural impulse. Not a soul
was to be seen, not a voice to be heard, not even the
barking of Loup Garou, the bleating of a sheep, or the
lowing of an ox. What could this mean? and was the fate
of the boy connected with that of the other inmates of
the farm? If so, where were they?

Another consideration induced Collins to suppress his
first impulse, and that was the apprehension that his
strange charge would be detained by Mr. Heywood, when
his only chance of recovery lay in the speedy examination,
and dressing his injuries by the surgeon of the garrison.
There was no alternative then, but to wait patiently for
the arrival of the boat into which the boy could be
placed; and so conveyed to the fort. Meanwhile, as the
night air was becoming chill, and a slight fog rising
from the water, the considerate soldier did all he could
to shield his protege from their pernicious effect.
Strewing on the ground a few armfuls of hay, taken from
the nearest of the stacks, around which the hungry cattle
now gathered, eager for their food, he extended on it
the yet inanimate form of the youth, embracing the body
in order to impart to it the benefit of animal heat and
in this position, his head being slightly raised, eagerly
endeavored to discern through the darkness not only what
might be seen on the opposite shore, but the approach of
the party in the boat.

The sun had now been down some time, and so dark was it
that, in that narrow space, obscured by the blending
shadows of the tall forests on either shore, it was
difficult, at five yards distance, to make out anything
on the water, unaccompanied by light or sound. This
silence was anything but agreeable to Collins, whose
imagination, excited by the later occurrences of the day,
was filled with, strange misgivings, as he looked in vain
for the customary lights in the farm-house. The fishing
party had never been out so late, and yet, at the first
fall of darkness, they had been accustomed to see the
place exhibiting at least one light; and the absence of
this now caused Collins heartily to wish himself in the
boat, and safely moored under cover of the fort. Not that
the soldier was influenced by the apprehension of personal
danger, but because the deep gloom, the solitude and
silence of the scene, coupled with his newly-awakened
interest in the almost corpse that lay in close contact
with his person, impressed him with a sort of superstitious
feeling, not at all lessened by the knowledge that his
only companion, at that moment, belonged rather to the
grave than to the upper earth.

At length his anxiety was relieved. The sound of the
oars, cautiously pulled, faintly met his ear, and then
the boat could be indistinctly seen approaching the canoe.
To this succeeded a low call uttered by the corporal.
Collins replied in a similar tone, and then bearing the
body of the boy, still enveloped in the bear skin, he in
less than a minute, rejoined his party.

The astonishment of the latter may be conceived on
beholding so unexpected a sight, nor was their feeling
of awe diminished when their comrade had briefly related
what had occurred since he left them.

"Strange enough, this," remarked the corporal musingly;
"stranger still, there's no light in the house. It's
neither too early nor too late for that. I'll tell you
what, my lads, if any thing has happened we must know
the worst--it will never do to go back to the Fort,
without being able to give some notion of what took place
under our very noses."

"What would Mr. Ronayne say, if we did?" added Jackson.

"Yes! and what would that sweet young lady, Miss Heywood,
think of us, if we returned without giving some good news
of her father. Why she never would look upon us kindly
again."

"Right, Philips," said Weston, "and I'm sure I'd rather
offend the captain himself, any day, than do anything to
displease her. God grant we bring her no bad news."

"Amen," said the corporal, gravely, for he, like Collins,
had some strong misgivings, arising naturally from the
utter darkness and silence that continued to prevail in
and around the farm-house. "Are you all loaded? Look to
your primings, but make no noise. Somebody must take
charge of the beat though. Who volunteers to remain,
while the rest follow me to the house?"

"I do--I'll remain," said Collins, "one of you can take
my musket"

"What, Collins, do you shirk the thing," sneered the man
with the long nose and the peaked chin; "have you had
enough to-day, or do you fear the ghost of the fellow
you knocked over?"

"I fear neither man or ghost, as you well know,
Nutcrackers," warmly rejoined Collins, "but I take it,
there's no great courage in making a fuss about going
where there's no enemy to be found. If there has been
danger in that quarter, I take it, it's passed, and as
somebody must stop in the boat, why 'not me as well as
another?"

"Just so," said the corporal. "Cass, this is no time to
run your rigs. You see well enough that Collins wishes
to stop behind, on account of the boy he hopes to bring
to life. Little chance of that, I fear, but if he thinks
so, it would be unchristian to disappoint him. And now
push off, but make no noise."

The order was obeyed. In a few minutes the bow of the
boat touched the landing-place, when all but Collins,
who was at the helm, slipped noiselessly ashore. The
corporal repeated his instructions--how to act under
emergency and if separated--and moved along the path
leading to the house. Meanwhile Collins pulled back into
the stream, and remained stationary in the centre.

CHAPTER V.

The farm-house was, as we have said, of very rude
construction--such a one as could only spring up in so
remote a region, and among so sparse a population. With
the exception of the roof, the frame-work of which had
been covered with raw buffalo hides, it was built wholly
of rough logs, notched at the ends in a sort of dove-tail
fashion, and when not lying closely, filled in with chunks
of wood, over which a rude plaster of mud had been thrown,
so that the whole was rendered almost impervious to water,
while it ran little risk from the agency of fire. It had
two rooms on the ground floor--one smaller than the other,
used as a dormitory, and containing all the clothes or
"traps," as they designated them, of the household. The
other served as eating-room, parlor, and kitchen, and
extended over, at least, three-fourths of the area. It
was provided with two doors--one facing the river and
close to the partition which divided the rooms--the other
occupying a remoter position to the rear. The windows of
this apartment were two in number, and, equidistant from
the doors, were considerably elevated above the floor.
These apertures had been formed by simply sawing a few
of the logs, so as to complete squares, into which were
fitted rude sashes, each containing four small panes of
a greenish, and by no means, transparent glass, and
connected by strong leathern hinges. In winter the
necessary warmth was afforded, by shutters put up and
barred from within. The southern gable or dormitory, was
provided in the centre with one window of similar size
and construction. The upper floor, a sort of granary and
depot for the provisions of the family, was ascended by
means of a ladder, and through a square aperture just
large enough to admit with ease the body of a man.

There was, in rear of the house, a rather extensive
corn-field, and beyond the northern gable, where the
chimney stood, an orchard yet in its infancy, but promising
future abundance, while at the opposite, or south end of
the building, a large but very highly cultivated garden,
was now undergoing the customary spring process of digging
and manuring, and indeed on that very morning, Mr. Heywood
had been busily engaged in this occupation with the boy
Wilton, his men being employed, the one in field labor,
the other as we have seen, in chopping wood.

In the rear of the garden, and opposite to the corn-field,
from which it was separated by a road leading to the
wood, was a tolerably sized barn, likewise constructed
of rude logs, not, however, filled in. The lower part of
this was used as a stable; the upper or loft, roofed with
bark, contained the preceding year's unhusked crop from
the corn-field, while contiguous to it, and to the rear,
was another oblong square building, constructed in the
same manner, but without loft. This, partitioned and
covered simply with unhewn logs, served not only as a
pen for sheep and pigs, but as a roasting-place for the
feathered portion of the stock.

The orchard on the one side, and the garden on the other,
extended to the bank of the river--a zig-zag, or snake-fence
separating them from the road, in the centre of which,
and at about ten feet from the door of the dwelling,
rose a majestic walnut tree then in early blossom.
Immediately beyond this tree, was a low enclosure which
intersected the road, passing across from the kitchen-garden
to the orchard, and forming the only court or yard upon
the premises.

When Corporal Nixon, with his little party, had cautiously
advanced some few paces towards the house, he caused them
to separate, Cass and Jackson leaping the fence which
bounded the orchard, and Green and Philips that of the
garden, while he himself, with Weston, pursued the pathway
in front. The better to be prepared for any sudden
attack, bayonets had been quietly fixed, and the firelocks
at the full cock, carried at the trail--this latter
precaution after the detached files had crossed the
fences.

The night, as has already been said, was very dark, and
each succeeding minute seemed to increase the obscurity,
so that it was rather from their familiarity with the
ground, than from any clear indication of correctness of
course, that the little band were enabled to preserve
their necessary unity. At length the tall shadows of the
walnut tree came suddenly upon the sight of the corporal,
but so completely absorbing was the darkness in the
heavier gloom, that, without being aware of it's proximity,
he stumbled against the low and slight enclosure, which,
yielding to the impetus of his motion, feeble even as
that was, caused him to fall forward on his face, his
musket dropping from his grasp without, however, going off.

A low growl from a dog succeeded, and before the Virginian
could even make the attempt to rise, the animal had sprang
upon, and fastened his teeth into his shoulder, shaking
him so violently, that it was not until Weston, who had
now crossed the enclosure, came up to his assistance,
guided by the sound of the struggle, that the dog could
be made to relinquish his hold.

"Loup Garou--Loup Garou, old fellow, what's the matter
with you," said the latter coaxingly, as he caressed the
neck of the dog, which he had identified, and now sought
to appease.

Evidently recognising a friend in the utterer of his
name, the animal turned suddenly around, licked the hand
of Weston, and then sent forth a long and piteous howl.

"Mercy, what is that?" suddenly exclaimed the corporal,
who having regained his legs and musket, had moved on a
pace or two.

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