CHAPTER XI
SAM BARRINGFORD'S RUSE
The appearance of his old frontier friend gave Henry's hopes a boundupward. He felt that he could rely upon Sam Barringford to do his utmostfor him in securing his release. He felt equally sure that Barringfordhad been following the band for some time, trying to gain a chance torush in and cut his bonds.
It was true that Barringford numbered but one against nine, and wouldhave stood small chance against them in an open fight, but Henry knewthe old frontiersman too well to imagine that Barringford would thusexpose himself to a stray shot that might kill him. His friend hadlearned the value of playing a "waiting game," and would do nothing rashunless the occasion actually demanded it.
The best part of half an hour went by, and still the Indians remainedaround the camp-fire, smoking and discussing the situation. Occasionallyone would glance toward Henry and perhaps raise a tomahawkthreateningly, meaning thereby that an attempt to escape would bepunishable by death. To these movements Henry paid no attention.
The young hunter's ears were on the alert, for he half expected thatBarringford might be coming up behind him to cut his bonds. At last heheard his name mentioned in a low, guarded tone:
"Henry!"
"Sam," he returned, without apparently moving his lips.
"I'm right behind, lad. Do as I tell you and gittin' away may come easy.I'll cut yer rawhides, but don't you attempt ter move till yer hear anoise in the woods an' the Injuns run fer the spot. Then dust straightback, an' I'll jine you fast as I kin. Do you understand?"
"Yes," answered Henry, as softly as before.
"All right. Now tell me when them measly critters ain't lookin'. I can'tsee 'em from here."
After this there was a few minutes of silence. Henry watched the nineredmen as never before. Several faced him, but now they turned away fora moment and he communicated that fact to Sam Barringford.
Instantly a hand glided around the side of the tree and a sharp huntingknife slid along the rawhides which bound the youth's hands and feet.The bonds about the tree were already severed.
"Now I'm goin'," whispered Barringford. "Don't run till they ain'ta-noticin' of you--unless, o' course, they come straight at you."
As silently as he had come Sam Barringford retreated, keeping the treeand some brushwood between himself and the enemy. Once more Henry wasleft alone, and again many anxious minutes passed.
Suddenly from a distance up the stream came a shot, followed by another,and then a well-known Indian war-whoop. The voice of a white man,calling out loudly, was heard, followed by another war-cry, and acrashing and splitting of a tree branch.
Throwing down their pipes all the Indians around the camp-fire leaped totheir feet and seized their weapons. With one accord they bounded up thestream to learn what the encounter so close at hand could mean. Thewar-whoop used was their own. Some of their own tribe must be making anattack or must be in danger.
No sooner had the Indians turned to leave him than Henry dropped hisbonds and leaped behind the tree. With all possible speed he rushedstraight into the woods. As he progressed he jumped from one rock toanother, where this could be done, in order to leave as imperfect atrail as possible.
He felt that the shots, the cries and the war-whoops, coupled with thecrashing of the tree branch, were all a part of the ruse employed by SamBarringford to make the Indians leave their captive, and in this he wasnot mistaken. The Indians had gone off to a man, and now, when he feltsafe for the time being, Henry was sorry that he had not stopped longenough to gain possession of his gun.
"I can't go back now," he muttered. "They'll return soon--or send one ortwo back to watch me." He listened for a second. "Hullo! some of 'em areback already! Now they'll make it warm for me, if they can!"
He pushed on until he heard a low but clear whistle, not unlike thesound of certain night birds of that locality. He whistled in return andsoon saw the form of a man in the distance waving an arm for him to comeup.
"Fooled 'em nicely, didn't I?" chuckled Sam Barringford. "They lit outsoon as they heard thet war-whoop, didn't they?"
"They did," answered Henry. "But some of 'em are back, so we mustn'tlose any time getting away."
"Right you are, lad--'t won't do to try to fool 'em too much--it's toomuch like playin' with the teeth o' a wildcat, now they hev theirwar-paint on. O' course you know the hull country's riz, don't you?"
"Yes, and Risley's cabin has been burnt down and Mrs. Risley is acaptive I'm afraid."
"I'm a-feered fer your own folks, Henry. The Injuns is headed that way,seems to me."
As they hurried on through the woods, with ears on the alert for thepossible appearance of the Indians left behind or of others, Henry toldhis story, to which the old frontiersman listened with close attention.In return Barringford related his own doings during the past forty-eighthours.
"I was up to Timber Ridge, back o' Siler's place, lookin' fer deer, whenI spotted some o' the Injuns makin' fer the old meetin' ground. I madeup my mind they was up to no good, and so I followed 'em. They held ameeting with Little Horn's warriors, and one of 'em had a message fromthet rascally Jean Bevoir who robbed yer uncle o' that trading-post onthe Kinotah, and the message said not to forget the Morris cabin in theraid."
"Our cabin!" burst out Henry. "Then they will surely attack it."
"Yes, and jest because Jean Bevoir wants 'em to, Henry. Thet rascalought to be hung. He's wuss nor any redman, to my way o' thinkin'."
"Anyway, we can't get home too quick--at least I can't, Sam."
"I'm with you, Henry. Your folks are my best friends. Besides, I want tolearn what has become of Dave. You know what a sight I think o' him,"concluded Barringford.
They advanced with caution until Henry felt compelled to rest. Then theysat down by the edge of a tiny stream and here obtained a drink, and thefrontiersman washed and bound up Henry's wounded hand. At last they wenton once more, taking a semi-circle which brought them in sight of theMorris cabin.
"Too late!" burst from Henry's lips, and his heart sank within him.Against the early morning sky was a heavy cloud of smoke curling lazilyupward from the ruins of the cabin and the out-buildings. Around theruins half a dozen redmen were prowling, on the hunt for anything ofvalue which might have escaped their notice during the darkness of thenight.
"Yes, lad, we're too late," responded Barringford, mournfully. "I onlytrust your folks escaped."
"Let--let us creep closer and see if there are any--any bodies lyingaround," faltered the young hunter. He was so agitated he could scarcelyspeak.
"Be careful what you do," was the warning. "Follow me--I think I know asafe lookout place."
Barringford led the way, and presently they found themselves in a clumpof brushwood not over two hundred feet from the cabin. The brush was ona rise of ground, so that they could survey the situation with ease.
"Nothing in sight," said Henry, after a long and painful pause. "What doyou say to that, Sam?"
"It's encouragin', lad. More'n likely your father got away with yourmother an' the others. I don't see none o' the hosses around. Thet's agood sign, too. I believe they struck out fer Fort Lawrence or Will'sCreek--most likely the first, fer the trail to Will's Creek ischuck-a-block with Injuns."
Feeling that nothing could be gained by remaining in the vicinity, theystarted to retreat to the friendly shelter of the forest. They hadhardly covered a hundred yards, when Henry gave a cry of warning.
"An Indian! Coming straight for us!"
He was right, and a moment later a painted warrior confronted them. He,too, was surprised at the meeting, but quick as a flash raised thetomahawk he carried to strike Barringford down.
Had the blow landed as intended the frontiersman's skull would have beensplit in twain. But if the Indian was quick Barringford was quicker. Heleaped to one side and in a twinkling had the warrior by the throat andwas bearing him backward. At the same moment Henry advanced.
"Never mind--I've got the consarned critter!"
cried Barringford, as heheld the Indian in a grasp of steel. "See if more are a-comin'!"
Henry looked, but not another redman was in sight. The one inBarringford's grasp squirmed and struggled and drew up a knee to plantit against the frontiersman's breast. But even this did not break thatdeadly grip, and now the Indian's tongue fairly lolled from hiswide-open mouth. He clutched Barringford's throat, but his hand wasthrown aside and the wrist pressed back until it was almost broken. Thenthe Indian gave a strange gulp and suddenly collapsed in a heap.
"Thet settles his account," panted Barringford, as he staggered away."An' he didn't git no chance to make any noise nuther. Serves thecritter right, don't it?" And he led the way onward once more.
"Yes, it served him right," answered Henry, but even as he spoke he hadto shudder, and he wondered if the Indian was really dead or only partlychoked to death.
Having decided to move in the direction of Fort Lawrence, SamBarringford led the way by the very route Joseph Morris had pursued.Both he and Henry were now exhausted by their long walk, and both wouldhave rested had it not been that they were so anxious to know howmatters were going at the fort. On they stumbled as best they could.Each was hungry, yet neither complained on that score.
It was nearly noon when they heard a number of shots in the distance. Afierce yelling followed, and the shooting was continued for the bestpart of half an hour.
"The Indians have attacked the fort!" cried Henry. "A big battle must begoing on!"
"I reckon you are right, Henry. Come," and Barringford set off at anincreased rate of speed.
They did not go far, however, for only a little while later they heard amurmur of voices ahead.
"An Injun camp," whispered Barringford. "Come, we'll go around," and hemoved to the left.
But here the way was also blocked by Indians. Then they made a widedetour, only to find more warriors encamped between themselves and thefort.
"The way's blocked," said the frontiersman at last. "The critters haveentirely surrounded the fort. We're out of it, and it looks as if we'dhave to stay out."