CHAPTER XIX
AN ERRAND AND A FRIEND
Two stalwart lads were marching steadily through the deep woods, somemonths later. They were boys in years, but in size, strength, alertnessand knowledge of the forest far beyond their age. One, in particular,would have drawn the immediate and admiring glance of every keen-eyedfrontiersman, so powerful was he, and yet so light and quick ofmovement. His wary glance seemed to read every secret of tree, bush andgrass, and his head, crowned by a great mass of thick, yellow hair, roseseveral inches above that of his comrade, who would have been called bymost people a tall boy.
The two youths were dressed almost alike. Each wore a cap of raccoonfur, with the short tail hanging from the back of it as a decoration.Their bodies were clad in hunting shirts, made of the skin of the deer,softly and beautifully tanned and dyed green. The fine fringe of theshirt hung almost to the knees, and below it were leggings also ofdeerskin, beaded at the seams. The feet were inclosed in deerskinmoccasins, fitting tightly, but very soft and light. A rifle, atomahawk, and a useful knife at the belt completed the equipment.
They were walking, but each boy led a stout horse, and on the back ofthis horse was a great brown sack that hung down, puffy, on either side.The sacks were filled with gunpowder made from cave-dust and the twoboys, Henry Ware and Paul Cotter, were carrying it to a distant villagethat had exhausted its supply, but which, hearing of the strange new wayin which Wareville obtained it, had sent begging for a loan of thiscommodity, more precious to the pioneer than gold and jewels. Theresponse was quick and spontaneous and Henry and Paul had been chosen totake the powder, an errand in which both rejoiced. Already they had beentwo days in the great wilderness, now painted in gorgeous colors by thehand of autumn, and they had not seen a sign of a human being, white orred.
They walked steadily on, and the trained horses followed, each justbehind his master, although there was no hand upon the bridle. Theystopped presently at the low rounded crest of a hill, where the forestopened out a little, and, as if with the same impulse, each looked offtoward the vast horizon with a glowing eye. The mighty forest, vividwith its gleaming reds and yellows and browns, rolled away for miles,and then died to the eye where the silky blue arch of the sky came downto meet it. Now and then there was a flash of silver, where a brook ranbetween the hills, and the wind brought an air, crisp, fresh and full oflife.
It was beautiful, this great wilderness of Kaintuckee, and each boy sawit according to his nature. Henry, the soul of action, the boy of thekeen senses and the mighty physical nature, loved it for its own sakeand for what it was in the present. He fitted into it and was a part ofit. The towns and the old civilization in the east never called to him.He had found the place that nature intended for him. He was here thewilderness rover, hunter and scout, the border champion and defender,the primitive founder of a state, without whom, and his like, our Unioncould never have been built up. Henry gloried in the wilderness andloved its life which was so easy to him. Paul, the boy of thought, wasalways looking into the future, and already he foresaw what would cometo pass in a later generation.
Neither spoke, and presently, by the same impulse, they started onagain, descending the low hill, and plunging once more into the forest.When they had gone about half a mile, Henry stopped suddenly. Hiswonderful physical organism, as sensitive as the machinery of a watch,had sounded an alarm. A faint sound, not much more than the fall of adying leaf, came to his ears and he knew at once that it was not anatural noise of the forest. He held up his hand and stopped, and Paul,who trusted him implicitly, stopped also. Henry listened intently withears that heard everything, and the sound came to him again. It was afootfall. A human being, besides themselves, was near in the forest!
"Come, Paul," he said, and he began to creep toward the sound, the twodarting from tree to tree, and making no noise among the fallen leaves,as they brushed past, with their soft moccasins. The trained horsesremained where they had been left, silent and motionless.
Henry, as was natural, was in front, and he was the first to see theobject that had caused the noise. A man stepped from the shelter of atree's great trunk, and, although armed, he held up one hand, in themanner of a friend. He was an Indian of middle age and dignified look,although he was not painted like any of the tribes that came down tomake war in Kentucky.
Henry recognized at once the friendly signal, and he too stepped fromthe cover of the forest, walking slowly toward the warrior, who wasundoubtedly a chief and a man of importance. Twenty feet away, the boystarted a little, and a sudden light leaped into his eyes. Then hestrode up rapidly, and took the warrior's hand after the white custom.
"Black Cloud! My friend!" he said.
"You know me! You have not forgotten?" replied the chief and his eyesgleamed ever so quickly.
"You have come far from your people and among hostile tribes to see me?"said Henry who instantly divined the truth.
"It is so," replied the chief, "and to ask you to go back with me. Ourwarriors miss you."
Henry was moved to the depths of his nature. Black Cloud had come athousand miles to ask him this question, and he had a far, sweet visionof a life utterly wild and free. Again he saw the great plains, andagain came to his ears, like rolling thunder, the tread of themyriad-footed buffalo herd. He was tempted sorely tempted and he knewit, but, with a mighty effort he put the temptation away from him andshook his head.
"It cannot be, Black Cloud," he said. "My people need me, as yours needyou."
A shadow passed over the eyes of the chief, but it was gone in a moment.He knew that the answer was final, and he said not another word on thesubject.
Black Cloud went on with Henry and Paul half a day, then he bade themfarewell. They watched him go, but it could be only for a minute or two,because his form quickly melted away into the forest. Then the two boys,turning their faces steadily toward duty, marched on, and the greatwilderness, gleaming in its reds and yellows and browns curved aboutthem.
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