Mr. Brainerd, when the fortunate shot was fired some time before, felt just the faintest suspicion that it might be his son; but he said nothing to the others, through fear of exciting hopes that could only be disappointed.
Maggie, herself, thought of Fred, and prayed that it might be he; but she, too, held her peace—and now here, was her daring brother among them.
It required but a few minutes, after greeting his relatives, to tell of his extraordinary escape from Queen Esther, and his prolonged hunt for his friends. From what passed between him and Mr. Brainerd while making their way up the western shore, he suspected that when he should join his family, some such manner of flight would be adopted.
He knew of this romantic place in the rocks, but it never occurred to him until after he had wasted considerable time in hunting for traces of them.
He had visited the spot more than once in his hunting excursions through the Wyoming Valley, and it did not take him long to learn the condition of affairs.
He conducted this delicate business with such skill that his presence was never suspected by his enemies, and he did his utmost to keep it concealed5. He ventured on one or two signals, with a view of apprising6 Mr. Brainerd of his proximity7, but, if that gentleman heard him, he suspected the calls were made by the Indians, and therefore paid no attention to them.
Understanding the peril9 which threatened his friends, Fred extended himself on the rocks above the cavern, and held the gun that he had taken from the dead body of a soldier, pointed4 toward the spot.
Just before he was ready, Mr. Brainerd shot the warrior10, and then Fred leveled his piece for the next one. Thus it was that, instead of one rifle, there were two aimed at the second savage11, and when the first flashed in the pan, the other completed the business.
This was providential, but Fred was wise enough to see that nothing like permanent safety could be gained by that kind of defense12.
He ventured on another reconnoissance, and it was while he was thus engaged that Gravity Gimp emerged from the cavern, and walked straight into the trap set for him.
"How was it you managed to get down here?" asked Mr. Brainerd.
"I used a grape-vine," replied Fred; "it took me a considerable while to arrange it, and I came near slipping my hold and dropping to the bottom of the ravine, as it was."
"Was it a wise proceeding13?" continued the father.
"I hope so."
"Why did you not come down the regular path?" inquired Maggie; "Gravity seemed to have no difficulty in going away by it."
"There must be at least half a dozen Indians up there; they could have captured him without trouble, but they allowed him to get so far away that they calculated you would not suspect the danger, and might try to follow him, in which case every one of you would be in their hands this minute."
This information was startling, and the listeners were silent. Fred added:
"You can understand how great the risk was which I ran, and it is hard to explain why they didn't discover what I was doing."
"Perhaps they did."
"They would have fired on me had they known it; but there is so much deep shadow above, and they were so unsuspicious of any such proceeding, that I succeeded."
"It was a daring act, indeed, but what is to be the issue?"
"I saw that it would not do for you to remain until morning. If to-morrow's sun finds you here, you are doomed14. You have no means of obtaining any food or water, and they can converge15 a dozen rifles on you, for they will gain the position from which we kept them a while ago."
"They have already done so," said Mr. Brainerd. "I saw, and was unable to prevent them."
"That settles the matter, then; we must get out of this place within the next two hours, and be well on our way toward the Delaware by daylight. We can't venture up the path, and, therefore—hello! What's that?"
In taking a backward step at that moment, Fred placed his foot directly on the stomach of Habakkuk McEwen, who lay flat on his back, sound asleep.
Several minutes passed before everything was understood.
Fred apologized, and shook hands with him, as well as he could in the gloom, and Habakkuk then became a listener to the all-important conference that followed.
Fred, in making his reconnoissance, had discovered that Jake Golcher was the leader of the Indians.
The coolness with which Fred Godfrey discussed the situation had the effect of inspiring his friends with something of his courage.
He stood erect17 while talking, and Maggie leaned on one arm, while Eva, fully18 awake now, clung to the other side. Even Aunt Peggy relaxed from her usual reserve, and only expressed displeasure when the young man said that he saw Golcher and failed to shoot the "scand'lous villain19."
Habakkuk possessed20 sense enough to take no part in the conference, feeling that he had forfeited21 all consideration in such a matter.
"The moon is working around in the sky," said Mr. Brainerd, "so that I am afraid we shall not have the shadow until morning."
"Consequently we must not wait; nothing is to be expected from Gimp, and we may as well venture at once."
There could be no disputing this decision, and all waited for Fred to make known his plan.
It was very simple, though of course attended with peril: he proposed that the grape-vine which had served him so well should now be used to assist each to the bottom of the ravine, where, in the deep shadow that prevailed, they would do their utmost to steal out into the open wood, and so pass over the mountain.
It seemed impossible to do this without detection from the Indians, who were besieging22 the fugitives23, but desperate as was the risk, no one hesitated. In fact, Habakkuk McEwen proposed that he should go first.
"I can look around and see whether everything is all right; and if it isn't, I'll let you know, and you needn't come."
Habakkuk thought it not worth while to argue the matter, and he replied not to the severe stricture of the elder.
Fred Godfrey now ventured to the mouth of the cavern, where the vine was still dangling25, the lower end being invisible in the darkness below.
From the platform in front of the cavern to the bottom of the ravine was something like twenty feet—not a very great distance, but too great for any one to let himself drop to the flinty floor below.
"The end of the support reaches half-way," said Fred, "and each must fall the remaining distance. If we are all careful, no harm will be done."
"Is it securely fastened above?"
"It would not have sustained me were it not. There is one thing that must be borne in mind," added Fred, speaking to all, "and that is, that no matter what happens, no noise must be made. The least exclamation26 will be heard by the Indians, some of whom are probably still at the upper end of the path, and if they suspect what is going on, failure is certain."
All were so desirous of leaving the place without delay that the directions of Fred seemed almost superfluous27.
When the young man was about to lower himself by the vine, Brainerd touched his arm and said:
"My recollection of that ravine below is that there is no way out of it; why not, therefore, climb upward instead of going down?"
"It won't do; the only ones in this party beside myself who could reach the top in that fashion are Maggie and Eva. With your age, you couldn't draw yourself half-way up, even with help."
As silently as a shadow, the young patriot28 drew in the crooked29 vine which still dangled30 in front of the opening, and, flinging his gun back of his shoulder, where it was held in place, he grasped the support. The next minute those standing8 in the gloom behind him observed the dark figure, with legs drawn31 up, slowly descending32, as if he were going down a well.
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1
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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apprising
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| v.告知，通知( apprise的现在分词 )；评价 | |
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7
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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8
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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9
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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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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12
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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converge
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| vi.会合；聚集，集中；(思想、观点等)趋近 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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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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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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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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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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31
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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