CHAPTER x.x.xVII.

Previous to his starting for the fort, Alfred had a hasty communication with his father and mother, in which he informed them simply that it was evident that Mary had been carried off, and that it was the opinion of Malachi and Martin, that the Angry Snake was the party to be suspected.

"But what cause could he have?" said Emma, weeping.

"Merely to get powder and shot as a reward for bringing her back again,"

replied Alfred; "so there is not any thing to fear as to her being ill-treated; but if he has any other reason for what he has done, it is well known that an Indian always respects a female. But here comes my horse."

"But what are you going to do, Alfred?" said Mrs. Campbell, who was in a state of great agitation.

"Ride to the fort for a.s.sistance, bring Captain Sinclair, and go in pursuit as fast as we can, mother. Martin will get all ready by my return, Malachi is following up the trail with Strawberry. But there is no time to be lost; I shall soon be back."

Alfred then sprang upon his horse, which Martin had brought to the door, and galloped away to the fort.

As it may be supposed, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell and Emma were in great distress; this did not, however, prevent them from listening to Martin, and supplying him with all that he requested, which was salt pork and other food for their journey, powder and shot for their rifles, etc.

Having specified all that was wanted, Martin then went off to summon young Graves and Meredith; they were soon found, and when they heard the intelligence, were ready in a minute for departure. Their rifles and an extra pair of moccasins each was all that they required for the journey, and in a few minutes they accompanied Martin to the house. After they had been occupied for a little time in dividing the various articles into different packages, that each might carry his proportion, Mr.

Campbell said--

"Martin, supposing that you and Malachi are correct in your supposition, where do you think that they will take my poor niece?"

"Right away to their own wigwams, sir," replied Martin.

"Have you any idea how far that may be?" said Mrs. Campbell.

"Yes, ma'am, I have heard that the Angry Snake's quarters are about twelve days' journey from this."

"Twelve days' journey! how far is a journey?"

"As far as a stout man can walk in a day, ma'am."

"And will my niece have to walk all the way?"

"Why, yes, ma'am; I don't see how it can be otherwise; I don't know of the Indians having any horses, although they may have."

"But she can not walk as far as a man," replied Mrs. Campbell.

"No, ma'am, and so I suppose they will be twenty days going instead of twelve."

"Will they ill-treat or ill-use her, Martin?" said Emma.

"No, ma'am, I shouldn't think they would, although they will make her walk, and will tie her at night when they stop."

"Poor Mary: what will she suffer?" exclaimed Emma; "and if you do come up with them, Martin, will they give her up to you?"

"We shan't ask their leave, miss," replied Martin; "we shall take her."

"But not without bloodshed, Martin," said Mrs. Campbell.

"No, ma'am, certainly not without bloodshed, for either the Indians must destroy us or we them; if we conquer, not an Indian will be left alive; and if they master us, it will be about the same thing, I suppose."

"Heaven protect us, but this is dreadful; I was prepared for difficulties and annoyances when I came out here," exclaimed Mrs.

Campbell; "but not for such trials as these."

"Never fear but we'll bring her back, ma'am," said Martin; "Malachi is a better Indian than them all, and he'll circ.u.mvent them."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, ma'am, that we will, if possible, fall upon them unawares, and then we'll have the advantage, for half of them will be killed before they know that they are attacked; we'll fight them Indian fashion, ma'am."

Mrs. Campbell continued her interrogations till Alfred was seen at the end of the prairie returning at full speed, accompanied by Captain Sinclair and two other men, also on horseback.

"Here they come," said Martin; "and they have lost no time, that's certain."

"Poor Captain Sinclair? what must be his feelings! I pity him," said Mrs. Campbell.

"He must take it coolly, nevertheless," observed Martin; "or he may do more harm than good."

Alfred and Captain Sinclair now dismounted: they had brought with them two of the soldiers who were well used to the woods, and excellent shots with the rifle. A hurried conversation of a few minutes took place, but time was too precious, and Alfred, embracing his father and mother, who, as they shook hands with Captain Sinclair, expressed in a melancholy way their hopes for their success, the party of seven which had been collected set off to rejoin Malachi and the Strawberry.

Malachi and Strawberry had not been idle; the latter had run back to their lodge and procured a bow and arrows, and since that they had tracked the footmarks through the forest for more than a mile, when they had come to a small rivulet which ran through the forest. Here the trail was lost, at least it was not to be perceived any where on the opposite side of the rivulet, and it was to be presumed that, to conceal their trail, the Indians had walked in the water, either up or down, for a certain distance before they put their feet on the other side; but as it was near the time that they might expect the arrival of Alfred and the others, Malachi had returned to the spot where Alfred and Martin had left them, leaving the Strawberry to walk down and up the side of the rivulet to recover the trail. As soon as the party joined him, they and Malachi set off to where the trail had been lost, and the latter had left the Strawberry.

There they waited some time, as the Strawberry was not in sight, and they took this opportunity of distributing the provisions and ammunition among them. Captain Sinclair, although his feelings may well be imagined, was very active in arrangements, and showed that, if his heart was smitten, his head was clear. The order of the march was settled by Malachi and him, and as soon as all was arranged, they waited impatiently for the return of the Indian girl; she came at last, and informed them that she had recovered the trail about three miles up the course of the stream, and they all started immediately. As was agreed, they kept perfect silence, and followed the newly-discovered trail for about a mile, when, on their arrival at a clear spot in the woods, where the gra.s.s was very short and dry, they were again at fault. They went over to the other side of this heath, to see if they could again fall in with it, but after half-an-hour's search, could not discover it, when they were summoned by a low whistle from the Strawberry, who had returned to the spot where the trail had been lost.

"They have turned back again," said the Strawberry, pointing to the former footmarks; "see, the track of the moccasins is both ways."

"That's true," said Malachi, after a close examination; "now then, Strawberry, to find out where they have left the old trail again. I told you, sir," continued Malachi to Alfred, "that the Strawberry would be useful; she has the eye of a falcon."

It was not till another half-hour had elapsed that the spot where they had left the trail, which, to deceive those who might pursue them, the Indians had returned upon, was discovered, and then they started again, and proceeded with caution, led by the Strawberry, until she stopped and spoke to Malachi in the Indian tongue, pointing at a small twig broken upon one of the bushes.

"That's true, let us see if it happens again."

In a few moments the Strawberry pointed out another.

"Then all's right," said Malachi, "I said that she could help us again if she chose, and so she has. The Indian woman who wrote the letter,"

continued Malachi, turning to Captain Sinclair and Alfred, "is our friend still. See, sir, she has, wherever she has dared to do it without being seen by the Indians, broken down a small twig as a guide to us.

Now, if she has continued to do this, we shall not have much trouble."

They continued their course through the woods until the sun went down, and they could see no longer, having made a journey of about nine miles from the settlement. They then lay down for the night under a large tree; the weather was very warm, and they did not light a fire, as they had some cooked provisions.

The next morning, as soon as it was daylight, they made a hasty meal, and resumed their task. The trail was now pretty clear, and was occasionally verified by the breaking of a twig, as before. This day they made sixteen miles' journey, and at the close of it they arrived at the borders of a lake about ten miles long, and from one-and-a-half to two wide; the trail went right on to the sh.o.r.e of the lake, and then disappeared.

"Here they must have taken to the water," said Alfred; "but what means have they had to cross?"

"That we must discover, somehow or another, sir," replied Malachi, "or else we shall not find the trail again; perhaps, however, we shall see to-morrow morning; it is too dark now to attempt to find out, and we may do more harm than good by tracking down the bank. We must bring to for the night. There is a high rock there on the beach further up, we had better go there, as we can light a fire behind the rock without being discovered by it, supposing the Indians are on the opposite sh.o.r.e; and to-night we must cook all our provisions if we possibly can, for, depend upon it, we have traveled faster to-day than they can have done with the young lady, and if we can once get well on the trail again, we shall soon be up with them."

"G.o.d grant that we may!" exclaimed Captain Sinclair; "the idea of what poor Mary must suffer, almost drives me mad."