24
“Mr. Duff and Mr. Dexter ain’t up yet,” the landlord explained, as he set out a scanty2 breakfast for the boys, when morning came. But the young friends made no comment, and though the man stood around hoping to hear some expression from them as to what they thought of the worthy3 pair of whom he spoke4, his curiosity was unsatisfied.
An almost perfect autumn day followed the stormy night. The sky was flecked with clouds, but between them the sun shone bright and cheery and a soft, warm wind aided in drying the muddy roads. The young emigrants5, safely on their way once more, were in the best of spirits. They talked at length of the strange actions of the men at the Eagle tavern6, and although they could reach no satisfactory conclusion as to the meaning of the piece of frayed7 paper the fellows had had, they attached not a great deal of importance to it—far, very far, less than it deserved, as they were destined8 in time to learn.
25
A long journey lay before these two boys, whom readers of “Far Past the Frontier” will have recognized as Return Kingdom and John Jerome, on their way once more to the wilderness9 beyond Fort Pitt or Pittsburg. Six months earlier they had left their little cabin in the forests to return to their home in Connecticut. In company with them was Big Pete Ellis, whom they had rescued from the Indians, he and Return having escaped together from a band of Mingoes, who, headed by a Delaware Indian, Big Buffalo10, had attacked the boys’ cabin and after a desperate fight captured Kingdom. Also with the lads when they went back to Connecticut, it will be remembered, was Tom Fish, the woodsman whose friendship they had formed on their first trip West, and Arthur Bridges, Tom’s friend, who was a cousin of Nesbit, the outlaw11. Bridges had suddenly appeared one evening at the cabin, and as it had been believed that he was dead, there was great rejoicing. Gladly he had gone with Tom Fish and Kingdom and Jerome to Connecticut where for years his mother had been living upon the hope that he would sometime return.
26
It was in May that the boys and their friends had gone from the savage12 country where they had built their cabin; and now having worked as harvest hands during the summer, they were headed once more for the land of the Delawares, their cart packed with a well selected stock of supplies for their own use and a variety of articles for trade with the Indians.
On their previous venture, when they had first set out to make homes for themselves in the new country, the two friends had done well as traders; and though this time they meant to give more attention to clearing land for farms, they knew that the Indians would receive them more kindly13 if they came with merchandise to exchange for furs, while they would be quite unwelcome if they came only as settlers. Such at least, had been their former experience and, notwithstanding the trouble they had had with the Mingoes and Big Buffalo, they hoped to have no further difficulty, as Hopocon, or Captain Pipe, as the white men called him, the chief of the Delawares, had promised his protection when they had paid him for the land on which they built their cabin.
27
Indeed, they were certain that Big Buffalo would not have dared lead the Mingoes against their cabin, had it not been that Captain Pipe and most of his warriors14 had gone to the far northwest for fighting which was expected to take place there.
From Connecticut to Ohio in these days is not a very long journey. It was different in the year 1791 when Return Kingdom and John Jerome were making the trip over rough roads, through the forests and an almost unbroken wilderness, constantly growing wilder, as they progressed, and the way more dangerous, especially after passing Pittsburg. Steadily15, however, they continued on. The weather was for the most part pleasant, and though the evenings were cool, blazing camp fires gave all the warmth desired.
28
Only one night after leaving the Eagle tavern did the boys spend under roof, for there were few inns along the way and as the borders of civilization were left farther and farther behind, none whatever. No adventure of importance befell them, however, until they reached Pittsburg, then a rough frontier hamlet built up about the fort from which it took its name. They had learned the road on their previous journey, and though a number of mishaps16 had occurred, including a hard fall John had had from a great rock he climbed in hope of getting a shot at a bear which had trotted17 across the rough trail some distance ahead of them, none of these were serious.
And thus, in the late afternoon of a hazy18 October day the young men drove slowly into the frontier settlement which would be the last sign of civilization they expected to see for a long time to come.
29
It might be years before they would return to Connecticut again. Return Kingdom, being an orphan19, who had known no home except as the bound boy of Henry Catesby, had few near friends there. Mrs. Catesby and her daughter, Mary, had been very kind to him after Mr. Catesby’s death, but they were now living in town that Mary might attend school. Captain William Bowen, an old friend, was the only other person, unless it was Pete Ellis, who cared much about him, he thought. Why should he wish to return? There was only one other tie to bind20 him to Bruceville, his boyhood home. His mother’s grave was in the little churchyard there. She had been dead a long time, but he loved her memory. His father, killed in the Revolutionary war, he had never known.
As for John Jerome, he was one of a large family. His father was poor. Their little farm would scarcely support them all and work was scarce. That he would be missed John knew, but he also knew that his chances of getting along—of making something of himself—were better in the newer country. He would go home some day to visit, surely, but he had set out to make his own way, and it might be years before the opportunity again to see those he loved, would come.
30
Maybe both boys were thinking of the friends left behind, as very soberly they drove into Pittsburg. Their heavy, covered wagon21 drawn22 by one strong horse attracted no little attention as they passed down the main street of the rough, stockaded town of brick and log buildings, and with the easy familiarity of the early times many called out to them in a friendly, hospitable23 way to ask whence they came and whither they were going. There were words of astonishment24, and grave shaking of heads when the travelers answered that they were bound for the unbroken West. Said one man in a worn-out soldier’s uniform:
“You’ll be safe enough if you go down the river with some big party, but you’ll be scalped, sure, if you go toward Sandusky Plains, as you say. Why, there’s terrible times! General St. Clair left Fort Washington not six weeks ago to march into that country and there’ll be murderin’ an’ scalpin’ to beat all get out! St. Clair was here in the spring, an’ all summer long he has been recruitin’ at Fort Washington for the biggest kind of fightin’; an’ it’s bound to come just as soon as he gets into the Redskins’ country. He’s got two boys o’ mine with him—young fellers ’bout same age as you, but I ain’t worried half like I would be if they was goin’ off by themselves, not a hundred miles west o’ here!”
31
As the boys drove up to the public house where they had stopped on their former trip to the West, they were recognized by a number of men seated on a split log bench just outside, smoking their pipes.
“Thunder an’ lightnin’! Where ye goin’?” exclaimed one of the loafers, a great, lanky25 fellow known as Tall Todd, as Kingdom and Jerome, rather enjoying the excitement their appearance caused, stepped up to shake hands with their acquaintances.
32
“Goin’ back to yer cabin beyond old Fort Laurens? By jinks, ye ain’t! It’s sartin death to both of ye. Wasn’t ye both purty near murdered an’ one of ye purty near burned to the stake? D’ye s’pose them Mingoes will hev forgot that ye killed three or four of the war party at yer cabin? D’ye s’pose that Big Buffalo devil will hev forgot his grudge26 ag’in ye? By jinks! a Redskin don’t never fergit these things! Fellers, we had all orter be hung fer murder if we let these young shavers throw their lives away, this here way!”
The vehemence27 with which Todd spoke, refusing to be interrupted, though both Kingdom and Jerome tried to break in on his exclamations28, caused the boys some uneasiness; not so much for fear of their safety beyond the border, as for the possibility that their friends would be unpleasantly insistent29 that they must abandon their trip. They realized that their undertaking30 was hazardous31, but they relied on their ability to make peace with the Indians as they had done before, and they were certain that if Captain Pipe, the Delaware Chieftain, were in his village, a few miles from which their cabin stood, Big Buffalo would not dare attack them again. When their horse had been led away to the stable, and all were seated before the door of the house which did duty as tavern, the young men explained these things to Tall Todd and the others.
33
“What was Tom Fish an’ Bridges doin’ that they let ye come ’way off here by yerselves?” suddenly asked Todd, who had been shutting his eyes and mouth tight, and shaking his head most emphatically, in answer to everything the boys had said.
“Oh, they said to wait until winter and they would come with us. But we did not agree to that, and as they lived so far away, we did not see them again. It was in July that we saw them last. When we got ready, we started. If they had come it would have been only for a little hunting, and we were afraid they would think they were obliged to go with us, if we sent them word.”
34
“It was only last week that a white man was found dead and scalped just beyond old Fort McIntosh,” said an elderly man, quietly. “About a month ago a chap named Keaton was tomahawked and his scalp taken, not a day’s march from this very spot. Both were killed in a mysterious way, too—one shot from ambush32, the other attacked while he was cooking himself a meal; and he never knew what hit him, from all appearances, they say. It looks mighty33 bad. I’ve been through the woods a good many times, and I don’t get scared at my shadow, but honest to goodness I mean it, when I say that I wouldn’t care to go a great ways into the Ohio country alone, now.”
“By jinks, it is queer how them two fellers was killed, ain’t it?” put in Tall Todd. “An’ it jest reminds me o’ ol’ man Crane that was killed the same way four days after he left here for the Moravian settlement. Nobody knew how, nor nothin’. Ye remember some fellers comin’ up river picked up his carcass. Not a thing he had was touched. Only his bullets an’ powder was gone—an’ his hair. His gun an’ knife—everything else was layin’ jest as he fell!”
“Well, who did it?” demanded John Jerome, quite abruptly34.
35
“That’s jest it! Who did it?” Todd answered.
“There’s a story told,” said the quiet, elderly man, “that a Redskin who got away at the time of the massacre35 of the Christian36 Indians at the Moravian settlement, ten years ago, come next March, has lately come back to these parts and kills every white man he sees, on sight. A couple of hunters and traders coming in here from Kentucky told the tale. We don’t know how true it is.”
“There ain’t nothin’ of it, I’ll bet a gun,” said Todd. “I’ve heard the yarn37, an’ it don’t stand to reason. ’Cause as you jest said, Eli, the Moravians was killed ten years ago, come March, an’ that score was all settled when Crawford was burned. An’ right there, youngsters, is somethin’ to put in yer nightcaps, when yer countin’ on the friendship of that ornery Delaware, Captain Pipe, by jinks! He was one of the critters that burnt Colonel Crawford!”
36
“Yes, we knew that before we ever met him,” said Kingdom cheerfully, lest his friend Jerome should be depressed38 by these alarming reports.
“I only started out to say that the killin’ of the Moravians was so long ago, that it ain’t likely any Injun has just now started out to hunt scalps and satisfaction on account of it,” Todd replied, somewhat taken back by the young traveler’s cheery reply to his doleful warning against Captain Pipe.
The sun had gone down as the men and boys were talking and now the guests at the place were called to supper. Only one of those who were sitting outside arose and went in with the boys. The others, being there only as loungers, remained where they were or went to supper elsewhere.
37
The man who accompanied Kingdom and Jerome to the table had little to say, but ate of the roast venison and corn bread which was placed before them, silently. He was a genteel appearing person, of about sixty years, wearing a wig39 and a riding suit of fine texture40. His smoothly41 shaven face bore marks of refinement42 though there was a certain look of dissipation about him. He had not spoken outside and the two boys had not learned his name or business, though they knew from his sombre dress that he was a Quaker.
“I tell you, Ree, the stories of those chaps being killed so mysteriously bothers me more than anything else,” said John Jerome to his friend. “Honestly, I would think Ichabod Nesbit was still alive, shooting at people from behind, and all that, if I didn’t know positively43 that Black Eagle killed him.”
The stranger at the opposite side of the table gave a sudden start,—a start as if an unseen hand had struck him on the back, as the name of Nesbit was mentioned. He cast a quick, intent look toward the two young friends, and perceiving that his agitation44 had been noticed, put his hand before his mouth and coughed violently, plainly trying to make believe that some obstruction45 of his throat caused his sudden disturbance46.
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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2
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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3
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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4
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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5
emigrants
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| n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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6
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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7
frayed
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| adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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9
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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10
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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11
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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12
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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13
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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14
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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15
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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16
mishaps
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| n.轻微的事故，小的意外( mishap的名词复数 ) | |
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17
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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18
hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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19
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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20
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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21
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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22
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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23
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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24
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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25
lanky
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| adj.瘦长的 | |
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26
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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27
vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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28
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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29
insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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30
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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31
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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32
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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33
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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34
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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35
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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36
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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37
yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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38
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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39
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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40
texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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41
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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42
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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43
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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44
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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45
obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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46
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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