CHAPTER IX
A TIMELY ARRIVAL
One of the most convincing evidences of a Power beyond ourcomprehension, governing and directing everything for the best, isthe marvelous degree to which the different faculties of our naturecan be trained. There is a skill which cannot be explained orunderstood by him who attains it; and, interwoven through the fivesenses which science assigns to us, seems to be a sixth not yetunderstood, of whose wonderful functions every one of us has seenproof.
The Shawanoe warrior, after parting with his companion, walkedleisurely toward the tree behind which the young Kentuckian washiding, until about twenty yards separated them. Then he stopped asabruptly as if stricken by a thunderbolt. There was "something inthe air" which whispered danger.
The Indian had neither seen nor heard anything to cause thismisgiving, but he knew that peril confronted him. What he wouldhave done in the event of Jack Carleton remaining silent andstationary behind the trunk can only be conjectured; but theimpatience of the youth ended that phase of the situation.
Softly removing his cap, the young Kentuckian slowly moved the sideof his head to the right. In doing so, he kept his face in aperpendicular position, so that the least possible part of his headwas exposed. Had he inclined it, the upper portion would have shownbefore the eye could have been brought into use.
The first object on which Jack's vision rested was the Shawanoewarrior, standing erect, one foot slightly advanced and both handsgrasping the rifle in front of him. The face was daubed andstreaked with paint, and the gleaming black eyes were lookingstraight at the startled youth.
Like a flash the dusky arms brought the gun to his shoulder, and itis safe to say that Jack Carleton never in all his life drew backhis head with such celerity.
Quick as was the Indian, he was not quick enough to catch the lad,who, it will be seen, had very little to do in order to save himselffor the moment. With a faint whoop, the redskin bounded behind thenearest tree, and, with his cocked rifle at command, awaited anopening that would allow him to slay his foe.
Thus the two occupied precisely the same, relative position; eachwas protected by a trunk of a tree large enough to shield his body,and each grasped a loaded and cocked rifle, eager to use it theinstant the opportunity presented itself.
Who was to win in this curious contest? Looking at the situationdispassionately, it must be admitted that the chances favored theIndian. He was older, stronger, more active, and possessed greatercunning than did the youth. What, after all, is one of the mostimportant factors in such a problem, the American race possess bytraining, and nature--patience scarcely second to that of theEsquimau. The probabilities were that the Shawanoe would wait untilthe youth was led into some fatal indiscretion.
All this, be it remembered, is based on the condition that no suchthing as "foreign interference" took place.
Is there any reader of mine who has not been entertained in hisearly youth by the story of the white man and the Indian, who, beingplaced in the situation of Jack and the Shawanoe, remained in hidingfrom each other, until the Caucasian drew the shot of the American,by placing his cap on the end of the ramrod or gun and projecting itfar enough from behind the tree, thus leading the Indian to believethat the head of his foe was in range? If such an incident evertook place, the warrior must have been unusually stupid to leap fromcover, as the story makes him do, until certain he had brought theother down.
Jack Carleton attempted the same artifice, except that, instead oftaking the trouble to draw his ramrod or using his rifle for thatpurpose, he held his cap in hand, shoving it forward very slowly andwith great care.
The trick failed. The Shawanoe must have suspected the truth on thefirst appearance of the head-gear. Jack pushed it forward untilsure it was seen, but no demonstration came from the warrior, who,for aught the youth knew, was essaying the same deception.
Determined to learn something about his enemy, Jack threw his headto one side and drew it back again before the warrior could pull thetrigger. He knew precisely where to look, but he was unable tocatch sight of the Shawanoe or his weapon.
"I wonder whether he has shifted his quarters," said Jack tohimself. "If he has, he will shot at me before I can learn where heis. Holloa!"
The second time he thrust forward his face withdrawing it with thesame celerity as before, he caught a passing glimpse of theShawanoe, who, rather curiously, adopted exactly the same artifice.This "located" the savage and relieved Jack, for the moment, of histerrifying dread that death threatened from an unknown point.
But, within the next minute, the redskin utterance to a faint whoop,clearly meant as a signal to a comrade not far off.
"He is calling back the Miami, who left him a few minutes ago," wasthe conclusion of Jack. "It'll go rough with me if I have two ofthem to fight. I'll try a little of the signaling myself."
Placing the thumb and forefinger of his left hand against histongue, he emitted a low, tremulous whistle, such as he and Ottoused when on hunting expeditions together. He repeated it, andthen, greatly to his relief, received a reply, though it was soguarded that he could not guess the point whence it came.
"Now, if Otto proves sharp enough to grasp the situation, withoutrunning into ambush, we may settle the matter with this fellowbefore the other can take a hand--"
As on the previous day, something twinkled among the trees to theleft. A glance in that direction and Jack saw, with dismay, thatthe Miami warrior had arrived.
The worst of it, too, was that he appeared so far over from wherethe Shawanoe stood that lines connecting the three would have madealmost a right angle. It looked as if the youth must be exposed tothe enfilading fire of one of his enemies.
It was a frightful situation, but the brave Kentuckian did not loseheart. He pressed against the bark as closely as he could,endeavoring to watch both points, but he was fearfully handicapped,and there was little hope for him, unless his friend couldinterfere.
Suddenly the Miami, who, naturally enough, had taken to the shelterof a tree, after the manner of his comrade, made a bound of severalfeet which placed him behind a second trunk that was still furtherto the rear of Jack Carleton. Another such leap and the youth wouldbe effectually uncovered.
But the anxiously prayed for deliverance came at this criticalmoment. While the Miami was maneuvering for position, Otto Relstaubappeared behind him, and, in the twinkling of an eye, the mercilesswarrior was placed between two fires.
"You let dot chap alone?" called out the German, with his gun to hisshoulder, "or py gracious I'll shoot my ramrod clean through you asnefer vos I don't it?"
The unexpected discovery of his mortal peril threw the Miami into apanic. It was impossible for him to find shelter at the same momentfrom both his enemies, for, on whatever side of the tree he tookrefuge, he would be in range of one of them. With a howl ofconsternation, he whirled on his heel and ran like a frighteneddeer. As he did so, he ducked his head and leaped from side toside, after the manner of the Digger Indians of the present day,with a view of distracting the fire of his enemies.
It would have been a feat of marksmanship had either lad brought himdown, when so many and varying objects intervened, and neither ofthe youths made the attempt. When the terrified fugitive vanished,he was without a wound or scratch to tell of the danger from whichhe had fled.
During these stirring moments, the Shawanoe had taken no part andgiven no sign of interest in what was going on; but Jack, who wasfully aroused by the venomous attempt on his life, called to hisfriend, whose position he knew commanded that of the savage:
"Otto, shoot the wretch!"
"Dot is vot I vos going to do," was the reply of the German, whotook careful aim around the side of the tree.
He was in plain view of Jack, who watched him with a rapidly beatingheart, knowing as he did that the fellow carried an excellent gunand was it good shot.
But, while glancing along the rifle-barrel, with one eye closed,Otto raised his head, opened b
oth eyes and looked toward the pointat which he had been aiming. Then his cheery laughter rang out.
"What is the matter?" asked the astonished Jack.
"Now, ain't dot funny? He Indian ain't dere!"
"Yes, he is," shouted Jack, suspecting trickery. "He will shootyou, if you don't bring him down!"
Otto glanced affrightedly behind him, as though he heard a stealthyfootstep, but called back once more that the Shawanoe haddisappeared.
It occurred to the other youth, just then, that if the warrior wasin the vicinity and could be seen by Otto, he must be visible tohim. But a sweeping survey of the field failed to bring to lightthe painted face and feathered crown.
There could be no doubt that the Shawanoe had taken advantage of thediversion caused by Otto's arrival, and had not stood on the orderof his going. Five minutes before, there seemed no chance of JackCarleton preserving his life. Now, how changed! Toward whateverpoint of the compass he looked, he saw not the first evidence thatperil threatened.
But for all that, it was uncomfortably nigh, and it was difficult tofind a place in which there was less safety than where they were.Jack resolved to leave at once.
At the moment he stepped from behind the tree which had shelteredhim, Otto strode toward him, his broad face still broader on accountof his beaming pleasure.
"Dot vos me," he said, triumphantly. "Otto doned it."
"Did what?"
"Scared 'ern so dot they forgits him nefer."
"You did well, beyond question. I cannot see how I would have savedmyself if you hadn't come as you did. I shall never forget it,Otto, though I think it was a mistake when we parted company itshort while ago. It looks as though these Miamis and Shawanoes areon all sides of us, and we must find some kind of shelter or make ahasty change of base."
"Dot's vot I dinks," assented the other. "I am waiting for you toshow me vot's I doesn't do."
"It is hard to tell what is the best course," said Jack, who, whiletalking, was moving slowly toward the Mississippi, watching,meanwhile, every point of the compass. "But, somehow or other Ifeel there's less danger by the river than anywhere else."
"I likes it dere better than other places, for if we finds theIndians are going to boder us, we can cheat 'em as easy as nefervos."
"How?"
"We can jump in the river and drowns mit, ourselves; won't dey befooled!"
"Perhaps they would be disappointed; but I don't see where we arelikely to gain anything."
"I doesn't see hims mineself," grinned Otto, whose whims led him tobe amusing during the most trying moments, as well as grave whenothers were light-hearted.
"I only wish we were on the other side," said the young Kentuckian,who at that moment caught the gleam of the Mississippi through thetrees in front.