CHAPTER XXXI.
A CRY IN THE NIGHT.
We all, more or less, shared Captain Rudstone's curiosity. For a minutewe gazed in silence at the strange marks--the company men stolidly, thetwo voyageurs with disdainful shrugs of the shoulders. Pemecan touchedthe spot with something like awe, and Christopher Burley followed hisexample.
"This is a very odd thing," he muttered. "I wish I could take theplaster just as it is back to London with me."
"I've seen nothing like it," declared Luke Hutter, "and I've lived inthe wilderness, man and boy, for nigh onto fifty years."
Naturally Fort Beaver having been my home, the rest looked to me tothrow some light on the mystery of the cryptogram--if such it was; but Iwas no wiser than they, and they questioned me in vain. I remembered thefireplace as being always in sound condition, and as my father had neverspoken of the matter, I judged that the marks had been cut years beforehis time--perhaps during the youth of my maternal grandfather.
"It may be so, Mr. Carew," said Christopher Burley; "but to my mind thework is of more recent date. I should say the stone had been purposelyremoved, and then put back after the hieroglyphics were carved on theplaster. I would take a copy, but unfortunately I have no material athand--"
"It would be a useless waste of time, sir, if you had," Captain Rudstoneinterrupted, almost fiercely. "The characters are meaningless. I'llwarrant 'tis but a jest on the part of some crack-brained hunter ortrapper, or possibly one of the laborers who built the fort. And surelywe have more serious matters to think about!"
"Ay, that is true!" I assented, wondering meanwhile at the captain'searnestness. "Cryptogram or not, we'll leave it for wiser heads thanours! Come, reset the stone!"
Baptiste and Carteret lifted the fragments of the slab, and fitted theminto place again. That done, I ceased to think of the mystery, and itwas not subsequently referred to.
It was a great relief, after the hardships at the fort and the exposureof the long march, to have a shelter over us once more. The danger ofpursuit was a specter that had faded behind us, and we counted onreaching Fort Charter at the end of another day's journey. We found somerickety stools and benches, and drawing them around the roaring fire, weate our simple meal with thankful hearts. Flora sat beside me, and Iwatched her lovely face, now pensive, now radiant with happiness andlove, as the flickering glow of the flames played upon it. I heldmyself a lucky man to have won such a treasure.
But we were devouring almost the last of our food; indeed, when supperwas finished nothing remained but a sack of cornmeal and half a pound ofdried fish. It was necessary to provide for the next day, since we wouldmarch but poorly on empty stomachs and so we arranged a plan that we hadpartly settled on that morning.
The suggestion was mine. About five miles to the east, in a hilly andtimbered bit of country, a spring bubbled up, so cold and swift that itnever froze near its source. The deer and other game knew it, and cameto the place by day and night to drink, and there I proposed to guideone or two of my companions.
"We are certain to be back before midnight," I said, "for we can makethe round trip in less than three hours. And I'll promise venison forbreakfast--or perhaps moose meat."
"Will it be safe to use firearms?" asked Christopher Burley.
"I don't think there is any risk," I answered. "There are no Indianvillages within many miles, and as for our old enemies, they areprobably searching for us in the neighborhood of the trail to FortYork."
To this Carteret and some of the other men assented. They were all eagerto go with me.
"I wish you would stay behind, Denzil," Flora said wistfully.
"But I alone know the exact spot where the deer drink," I answered."Have no fear; I will return safely."
"At least let me sit up until you come," she pleaded.
"I am afraid I must say no," I replied. "You need sleep and rest toobadly. And here, between these walls, you will be as safe as if you werein Fort Charter."
Flora yielded without further words, but there was an appealing, anxiouslook in her eyes that I remembered afterward. Twilight had turned todarkness, and no time was lost in preparing for the start. I chose toaccompany me Carteret and Captain Rudstone; and I fancied the latter wasill pleased at his selection though he spoke otherwise. We donned coatsand caps, strapped our snowshoes on our feet, and looked to the loadingand priming of our muskets.
As a matter of precaution, I decided to set a watch outside the fortwhile we were gone--and indeed through the night--and Malcolm Cameronvolunteered for the service. On pretense of showing Flora something Ifound an opportunity to snatch a kiss from her lips and to whisper a fewfoolish words into her ear. A little room to one side had been reservedfor her, and a comfortable bed made of blankets. The rest were to sleeparound the fireplace.
The moon was shining from a starry sky and the air was still and coldwhen the three of us started away. We waved our hands to Cameron, whowas at the stockade gates, and plunged eastward into the forest. I ledoff, and Captain Rudstone and Carteret followed in single file.
At the first I was troubled by a vague premonition of coming disaster,which, in default of sound reason, I set down to Flora's ill-concealedsolicitude for my safety. But when we had gone a mile or so this feelingwore off, and I enjoyed the exhilaration of striding on snowshoes overthe frozen crust, through the silent solitudes of the wilderness, byrock and hill and moonlit glade. Never had the spell of the Great LoneLand thrilled me more deeply. Watchful and alert, we glided on from treeto tree, our shadows trailing behind us, and the evergreen recesses ofthe wood stretching on all sides like black pits. Birds and beasts werestill; the only sound was the light crunch of our feet, the crackle nowand then of a fallen twig.
Not a word was spoken until we came to a gap between two mighty hills, ashort distance beyond which, on the verge of a flat of marshland, laythe spot we sought. Then I briefly explained to my companions what wemust do.
We made a detour in a semicircle, working our way around to the rightside of the wind, and so approached the spring. The cover of bushes andtrees ended fifty yards short of it, and with the utmost caution weprogressed that far. Crouching on the hard crust, scarcely daring tobreathe, we peeped out.
I had expected to see several head of game, at the least, and I wasdisappointed. Only one was in sight--a fair-sized buck. He was drinkingat the source of the spring, and the moonlight glistened on his prongedantlers and on the bubbling water.
"We have but a single chance," I said in a whisper. "We must run no riskof losing it. I take it you are a good shot, Captain Rudstone?"
"I have twice killed my man in a duel," was the curt reply.
"Then you and I will fire together," I continued, "when I count three.And do you reserve your ball, Carteret, if by any chance we both miss.Ready now!"
"All right," said the captain, as he took aim.
"One--two--three!" I whispered.
Bang! The two reports were simultaneous. Under the rising powder smokethe buck was seen to spring in air and then topple over in a quiveringmass, dead beyond a doubt. The crashing echoes rolled away into thedepths of the forest. We were on our feet instantly, ready to runforward with drawn knives; but before we could do so an unexpected thingchecked us. Up the valley behind us, from a point no great distance off,rang a shrill, wavering call. As we listened, staring at one anotherwith alarmed faces, we heard the sound again. And now it was a plaincall for help.
"What man can be in this lonely spot?" exclaimed Carteret. "Our earsdeceive us. It is the scream of a crafty panther we hear."
"No; it is a human voice," muttered the captain. "I'll swear to that.But I am afraid of a trick."
"If enemies were about they would have no need to lure us," I replied.
"Come, let us see what it means."
I started in the direction of the sound, and my companions followed me.