CHAPTER XVII.
BY THE LAKE.
The place for which the two were searching was found within a furlong ofwhere Larry Murphy, with the assistance of his companion, leaped the daybefore. But how different from that which they had in mind! Instead of asimple widening and shallowing of the stream, it expanded into a smalllake several miles long, with a width one-third or one-half as great.The sheet of water discharged itself through the narrow, canyon-likepassage, eventually finding its way into the Ohio. The placid surfacegleamed in the moonlight, and was without a ripple. The shores wereshaded by overhanging limbs, and the scene was as lonely, as beautifuland impressive as at creation's morn. The only sign of life wasthemselves.
"Now," said young Edwards, after he and his friend had gazed upon thewater for some minutes in silence, "it looks as if the only way to getback to the trail is to go round the lake."
"But that may reach a dozen miles or farther yet, and by the time wehave come round the same we'll be forty miles from the block-house, andnot knowing which way to turn to find it. Ye're aware, Whart, how hardit is to keep our bearings whin we're in the woods without knowing thecourse to take to git anywhere. We'll be sure to go astray, and may passwithin fifty yards of the block-house without knowing the same."
"You mustn't forget that the trail which we have been following is notthe only one that leads to the place. They extend out in all directions,and we'll strike some of them."
"How can we know which course to take? The bother of it is, one may gofarther away from it all the time."
"It isn't as bad as that, but," added Wharton, gravely, "the night isgetting far along, and we must be several miles from the path, unless ithappens to bend around toward the lake. We can't get back to it beforedaylight, if we do then. What I am afraid of is that father and motherwon't wait at the block-house for us, but run right into the very dangerwe have just escaped."
"Do ye mind now that they won't start before morning, and they can'treach the falls till about noon?"
"That all sounds reasonable enough," replied Wharton, who wasconsiderably agitated, "but how do we know we're going back to the trailinside of the next two or three days?"
Larry looked at his companion in surprise. The two were standing wherethe moonlight fell upon them, and their countenances were plainlyvisible to each other. It had been the Irish youth that, previous tothis time, had expressed the most misgiving as to the result, but theother seemed to become, all at once, the most despondent.
The fact was that Wharton was quite buoyant in spirits until they cameto the lake. He had been hoping that long before this they would be ableto turn back toward the trail, and the prospect of several miles'farther detour naturally caused his discouragement.
Those were not the days when young men carried watches, but they knew itwas beyond midnight. They were ravenously hungry and were fagged out.They had been undergoing severe exertion for many hours, and Whartonespecially had been forced to tax his endurance to the utmost extremityduring that fearful race with Blazing Arrow.
"Larry," said he, taking a seat on a bowlder just without the fringe ofshadow cast by the trees, "I don't know whether the best thing we can doisn't to sleep for the rest of the night. I was never so tired in all mylife."
"There is only one thing I want more than sleep."
"What's that?"
"Something to eat."
"And with the woods full of it we haven't a chance to get a mouthful."
"And with the lake there running over with--hould!" exclaimed Larry,pausing in the act of seating himself by his companion; "help me tostart a fire, Whart."
"I don't know about that," replied the other; "the Shawanoes are likelyto be in these parts, and we must build it back among the trees, wherethere is less danger."
"That's just what we mustn't do, me boy; it must be near the water; it'smesilf that will gather the stuff, and do ye be ready with the flint andsteel."
Wharton, understanding the plan of his friend, lent his aid. It was aneasy matter to collect some dry twigs and leaves, which were carefullyplaced in a heap on one of the flat rocks close to the water's edge.Then, while Larry busied himself in gathering more substantial fuel,young Edwards brought his old-fashioned flint and steel into play. Heused no tinder, but there was a shower of streaming sparks soon flyingfrom the swiftly moving metals, and before long one of them caught acrisp leaf, which was easily nursed into a flame that ate its way fastinto the twigs and larger sticks. In less time than would be supposed, avigorous fire was burning on the rock and sending its reflection faracross the gleaming water.
Then Larry had not long to wait. Stooping by the edge of the lake, hebared his arm and leaned forward, as alert as a cat watching for amouse. Suddenly his hand shot below the surface, there was a splash, anda plump fish flew out beyond the expectant Wharton. He had his hand in atwinkling on the flapping prize that gleamed in the firelight.
"Cook him quick, Whart!" cried the delighted Larry; "there's no need towait till I git more; that's only a starter."
Each did his duty, the elder stopping work when he had landed a couplemore, one of which weighed fully two pounds. By that time the younger ofthe two was broiling the first in the hot flames, the appetizing odor ofwhich made the couple almost irrestrainable. Larry wanted to attack itbefore it was finished, but Wharton insisted that the meal should be inthe best style of the art. They carried no condiment with them exceptthat which excels others--hunger.
It was a most nourishing and toothsome repast that they made. Nothing,indeed, could have been more enjoyable. The lake was overflowing withedible fish, for probably no white men had ever drawn one from thewaters, and if the Indians took any they were few in number. The lightof the fire attracted many to the spot.
"Now that we've had such a good supper," said Wharton, "I think it'sbest to let the fire go out."
"I'll hurry the same."
Larry scattered the embers with his shoes, so that in a few minuteslittle was left of them. Then he seated himself beside his friend, andwas on the point of making some characteristic remark when Whartonexcitedly grasped his arm and whispered:
"Hark! do you hear that? What does it mean?"
"It's a ghost!" replied the awed Larry; "let's be getting out of this asfast as we can!"