This was due to the fact that the renegade in his excitement forgot his caution, besides which the servant took occasion to approach quite close to the two.
A very brief space of time was occupied in the conversation, but brief as it was, Gravity was resolved that it should end. He did not believe the declaration of Golcher that he had a party of half-a-dozen Senecas within call, though it was possible that he spoke1 the truth; but beyond a doubt the savages2 were so numerous that a summons from the Tory would bring a number to the spot.
When, therefore, Jake adjusted his lips for a signal, Gravity bounded forward and caught him by the throat.
"Don't be in a hurry to let out a yawp; if dere's any hollerin' to be done, I'll take charge of it."
Golcher was as helpless as a child in the vise-like grip of those iron fingers. He not only was unable to speak, but he found it hard work to breathe.
Dropping his gun, he threw up both hands in a frantic3 effort to loosen the clutch of those fingers.
"And I'm afraid I won't," replied the African, putting on a little more pressure.
Gravity, however, had no intention of proceeding5 to extremities6, though he might have found justification7 in so doing. He regulated the pressure of his powerful right hand so that his victim, by putting forth8 his best efforts, was able to get enough breath to save himself.
"Young man," said Gravity, still holding him fast, "I don't think dis am a healthy place for you; de best ting you can do am to leave a little sooner dan possible."
"Let—me—let—me—go!" gurgled Golcher, still vainly trying to free himself.
"I don't find dat I've got much use for you, so I'll let you off, but de next time I lays hand onto you, you won't got off so easy, and bein' as you am goin', I'll give you a boost."
To the delight of Aunt Peggy and the horror of Maggie Brainerd, Gravity Gimp now wheeled the Tory around as though he were the smallest child, and actually delivered a kick that lifted him clear of the ground.
Not only once, but a second and third time was the indignity9 repeated. Then, with a fierce effort, Golcher wrenched10 himself free from the terrible fingers on the back of his neck, and, plunging11 among the trees, vanished.
"Dat ar might come handy," said Gravity, picking up the loaded musket13 which the panic-stricken Tory had left behind him and handing it to Aunt Peggy, who asked, with a shudder14:
"Do you s'pose I would touch it?"
"Let me have it," said Maggie; "I consider it fortunate that we have two guns with us."
It was a good thing, indeed, for Maggie Brainerd, like many of the brave maidens15 of a hundred years ago, was an expert in handling the awkward weapons of our Revolutionary sires. With this at her command, the chances were she would be heard from before the rising of the morrow's sun.
But, if Jake Golcher was a mild enemy before, it was certain he was now an unrelenting one. He would neglect no effort to avenge16 himself upon all for the indignity he had received.
The African understood this, and he lost no time in getting away from the spot with the utmost speed.
It was now about five o'clock in the afternoon, but it was the eve of the Fourth of July, and the days were among the longest in the year. It would not be dark for three hours, and who could tell what might take place in that brief period?
Extremely good fortune had attended our friends thus far, but it was not reasonable to expect it to continue without break.
The Tory was scarcely out of sight when Gravity started on a trot17 down the bank, with the others close behind him.
"Bus'ness hab got to be pushed on de jump," he said, by way of explanation; "we ain't done wid dat chap yet."
It was scarcely a minute later when he uttered an exclamation18 of thankfulness, and those directly behind saw him stoop down and, grasping the prow19 of a small flat-boat or scow, draw it from beneath the undergrowth and push it into the water.
"But what are you going to do, Gravity?"
"I'se gwine wid you, but I'm afeard de boat won't hold us all, and I'll hab to ride on de outside."
The Susquehanna is generally quite shallow along shore, and it was necessary to push the scow several yards before the water was found deep enough to float it with its load.
Gravity laid the two guns within the boat, and then, picking up the petite Maggie, hastily carried her the short distance and placed her dry-shod within, where she immediately assumed control by means of the pole, which was a dozen feet in length.
Aunt Peggy and Eva were deposited beside her, by which time the scow was sunk within a few inches of the gunwales: had the African followed them, it would have been swamped.
As it was, the faithful negro was assuming great risk, for, as have stated, he could not swim a stroke; but the circumstances compelled such a course, and he did not hesitate.
"You see, folks," said he, as he began shoving the craft out into the river; "dat dis wessel won't carry any more passengers."
Just then he stepped into a hole, which threw him forward on his face with a loud splash, his head going under and nearly strangling him. He was thoughtful enough to let go the boat, and recovered himself with considerable effort, after causing a slight scream from Eva, who was afraid he was going to drown.
The suddenness of the defeat, pursuit, and massacre23 at Wyoming prevented anything like the use of boats by the fleeing patriots24, who were beset25 by a merciless foe26.
Had the scow been near where the main stream of fugitives were rushing into the river and striving to reach the opposite bank, the boat would not have kept afloat for a minute. It not only would have been grasped by a score of the fugitives, but it would have become the target for a number of rifles, which could hardly have failed to kill all the occupants.
The stream rapidly deepened, and by and by Gimp was up to his neck and moving rather gingerly, with his two broad hands resting on the stern of the boat.
Maggie Brainerd stood erect27 in the craft, pole in hand, and, bending slightly as she pressed the support against the river bottom, held on until it was almost beyond her reach, when she withdrew it, and, reaching forward, placed the lower end against the bottom again, shoving the awkward vessel28 with as much skill as the negro himself could have shown.
Aunt Peggy, as trim and erect as ever, was seated near the prow, while Eva nestled at her feet with her head in her lap. When they observed how deep the scow sank in the water, naturally enough their fears were withdrawn29 from the great calamity30, and centered upon the one of drowning.
The ancient lady glanced askance at the turbid31 current, while Eva turned pale and shivered more than once, as she looked affrightedly at the hungry river that seemed to be climbing slowly up the frail32 partition which kept it away from the fugitives.
Suddenly the feet of Gravity failed to reach bottom, and, sinking down until his ears and mouth were scarcely above the surface, he bore slightly upon the support and began threshing the water with his feet, so that at a distance the scow looked as if it had a steam screw at the stern driving it forward.
This rather cumbersome33 means of propulsion really accomplished34 more than would be supposed. Despite the fact that the African could not float himself, he managed his pedal extremities with skill, and the boat was quick to respond.
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1
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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2
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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3
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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8
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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10
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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11
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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12
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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13
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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14
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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15
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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16
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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17
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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18
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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19
prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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20
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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23
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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24
patriots
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| 爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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25
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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28
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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29
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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30
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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31
turbid
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| adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的 | |
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32
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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33
cumbersome
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| adj.笨重的，不便携带的 | |
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34
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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