This warrior2 seemed to be gravely lecturing his heedless companion on his folly3 in firing, and the young one seemed to be excusing himself, although Kenton did not fully4 understand their words.
The conversation did not last long, for the old chief finally stole away to the left along the line, as if on a tour of inspection5, and, covered by his rustling6, for he moved carelessly, the borderer crept forward.
It was evident that the old chief, astute7 as he was, did not suspect that his enemies were anywhere in the immediate8 vicinity, or he would not have made so much noise.
[32]
He was simply going “grand rounds,” to keep his sentries9 on the alert for a possible contingency10.
Simon Kenton, leaving his rifle at about four feet from his enemy, drew his knife, and prepared to spring on the young Indian, who sat looking at the fort, with his back to the Kentuckian.
Just at that moment the blood rushed to the ranger11’s heart with a terrible throb12, for he felt a hand laid on his extended foot!
Most men, at such a time, would have started.
Simon lay still. He could not afford to start. He did not know who touched him, but he did know that while he kept silence there was still hope in that darkness.
Slowly and noiselessly he turned his head, and felt a thrill of relief as he distinguished13 the black outline of Boone’s coon-skin cap. He knew that his friend had followed him, and wanted to say something.
The position was now frightfully dangerous. Within a few yards were twenty Indian warriors14 listening for them.
Within three feet was one more, with his back turned to them.
Could the scouts15 communicate without being heard?
Kenton thought not, but he lay still, trusting to Boone’s sagacity. In a moment more, the hand was removed, and the form of Boone glided16 forward with no more apparent effort than if he had been floating in water.
He said not a word, but he raised his left hand, and laid a finger on the back of Kenton’s neck at the base of the skull17, then pointed18 to the Indian and tapped his knife.
Simon nodded his head in token of comprehension, and slowly drew up, first one knee; then the other, till he was crouching19 behind a tree not two feet from the Indian. Boone lay quite still, while his comrade rose.
Then Kenton, holding his great knife-blade upwards20, made a single step forward, and lunged out at the back of the Indian’s neck, dividing the spinal21 marrow22 with the skill of a matador23.
The head of the sentry24 fell forward on his breast, and he slowly rolled over on his side, as if he had been dropping off to sleep. He was stone dead.
[33]
Boone, listening intently, heard nothing but the low thud of the knife as it cut through the soft bone and cartilage of the spine25, and the rustle26 in the dry grass as the Indian rolled over.
As for Kenton, he was down on one knee the moment the blow was struck, picking up the rifle that Boone had pushed up to him, and glaring fiercely round through the darkness.
For fully a minute there was a dead silence, both rangers27 with their senses keenly on the alert for the slightest noise.
Then there was a rustle in the grass not far off, and the low owl-hoot again broke the stillness.
Kenton himself answered it, and all was still again.
He knew well what it all meant. The nearest Indian on the line had heard the plunge28 of the knife!
Doubtless he had suspected something, and called to his neighbor.
The answer must have reassured29 him, for there were no more signals for some time.
Then the ranger crept forward, and softly withdrew the knife from where it stuck in the neck of the unhappy wretch30, replacing it in his own belt.
As he did so, Boone touched his foot once more, and he looked back. Both the borderer and Ruby31 Roland were close behind him crouching to the earth, and Boone silently pointed to the fort, as if to urge a sudden dash forward.
Kenton beckoned32 them forward, and whispered:
“Run! both of ye. I’ll cover the rear and sculp this hyar varmint.”
Boone nodded softly, and took Ruby by the hand.
From where they were, they could distinctly see the sharp outlines of the pointed palisades that surrounded the fort, for as Kenton had guessed, the line had been drawn33 in very close during the darkness.
The only question that remained was whether there were a second line of Indians close in or not.
If not, they were almost out of danger. If there were, there was much yet to be done.
Daniel Boone and Ruby Roland crept toward the fort, not[34] without some little noise, but crouching low and making the best speed they could.
The moment they started Kenton knew they were heard. He heard a quick rustle of dry grass and dead leaves, a heavy rushing through the brushwood, and a score of dark forms leaped up and dashed toward the fort, yelling furiously. He heard Boone utter the Shawnee war-whoop, to confuse his enemies, and saw him and Ruby go flying among the stumps34 that surrounded the fort, just as a ring of spitting red flashes lighted up the woods, followed by a rattling35 volley of rifles. Covered by the racket, and himself unobserved, the reckless borderer passed his knife round the head of the slain36 sentry and scalped him without more ado.
Then he picked up the slain man’s rifle, and rushed forward into the melee37, whooping38 louder than any of them, and so far unrecognized in the thick darkness.
But now, on a sudden, the people of the fort opened a warm fire on the Indians outside, and the bullets began to fly very unpleasantly near our three friends.
Kenton bounded forward, and beheld39 a confused group of dark figures close under the walls, which he recognized in a moment as Boone and Ruby surrounded by foes40.
“Hooroar for ole Kaintuck!” shouted the ranger, throwing all disguise to the winds, and exerting his powerful voice to the utmost. “Go it, cunnel! Give ’em fits! Knock the daylights out of the painted imps41! So now!”
As he spoke42, he leveled the Indian’s rifle at the thickest of the Indian group, fired, dropped it, leveled his own at a chief who was rushing at him, and shot him dead, just as Boone himself fired for the first time.
Then the two renowned43 Indian-fighters clubbed their heavy rifles and fought like ten men to drive off the enemy and protect little Ruby.
The girl was crouched44 on the ground between them, the guns of the whole party were empty, and the conflict between the two muscular borderers and the confused Indians was by no means so unequal as might seem.
Suddenly a clear, commanding voice from the fort shouted:
“White men, drop, quick!”
[35]
Like lightning both scouts obeyed, and a rattling volley was fired, the bullets tearing through the Indians, and sending the whole crowd to cover in a moment.
“To the gate, quick!” shouted the same voice.
“Ay, ay, cunnel, here we come!” cried Kenton.
As he spoke he snatched up Ruby like a child, and dashed away with her, followed by Boone.
A moment later the open gate of the fort was before them.
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1
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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9
sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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ranger
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| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
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12
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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13
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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15
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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16
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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17
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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18
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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20
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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spinal
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| adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的 | |
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22
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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matador
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| n.斗牛士 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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26
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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27
rangers
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| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
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28
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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29
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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30
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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31
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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32
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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34
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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35
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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36
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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37
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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38
whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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39
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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40
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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41
imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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42
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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43
renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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44
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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