CHAPTER XXX.
ALL TOGETHER.
Brigham Edwards stopped short on hearing the signal of Kenton, and heand his wife held themselves ready to repulse any attack from theIndians, whom they knew to be in the neighborhood. Red Crow did a littlething which won the confidence of the couple, who could not helpregarding him at first with suspicion: he placed himself directly infront, with his bow and arrow ready for use.
The little party was not kept long in suspense. From among the treesstrode the athletic figure of the famous scout, who, at that time, wasin his magnificent prime. Directly behind him walked Wharton Edwards andLarry Murphy.
At the sight of her son, the mother forgot everything else. Dropping herrifle to the ground, she ran forward with the exclamation:
"Wharton! my darling boy!"
"Oh, mother, my dearest mother!"
The lad, equally forgetful, flung aside his weapon and met his belovedparent more than half way, throwing his arms about her neck, while bothwept with joy. The father smilingly advanced, and waited until the youthwas released. Then he clasped the boy to his breast with a happiness andgratitude as deep and all-pervading, though it was less demonstrative.
Larry stepped blushingly forward, when the way was clear, and was warmlygreeted in turn by the parents, for he held a warm place in theirhearts. He was a dutiful and respectable youth, who appreciated theunselfish goodness those people had always shown to him.
Even the grim, iron-hearted scout betrayed a suspicious moisture of theeyes at the affecting scene. He looked on in silence, while Red Crowgazed off among the trees as though he saw something that interestedhim. What strange musings coursed through that warped brain is beyondthe power of fancy to imagine.
"This 'ere looks sorter like a family reunion," remarked Kenton, with asmile, when the first flurry was over; "I shouldn't wonder now, Brigham,if you and Margaret thar are summat glad to see the younkers agin."
"Indeed, I shall always thank heaven for its mercies. Wife and I did notsleep a wink last night after we learned how bad things looked, andnothing could have kept us from hurrying to them."
"And how about you chaps?" asked the scout, turning toward the two happyboys.
"Neither of us can express our thankfulness," replied Wharton; "we haveseen a good deal of trouble during the last few days, but our sufferingall the time had been about them."
"Yis," added Larry with a sigh; "it was mesilf that had not only them tothink about, but Whart was on me hands, too, and thare was times whin Iwas ready to give up entirely."
"Well, Simon," said the head of the family, "we've had good fortune sofar, but I have had enough experience to know that we are not out of thewoods yet."
"Not by a long shot," was the expressive comment.
"How do things look to you?"
"Yer see that Blazing Arrer and one of his varmints has gone ahead andacross the clearin' out yender. They know that we have started to roundthis part of the trail with the idee of comin' back agin beyend wharthey're watchin' for us."
"And they will try to prevent us doing so?"
"That's it, and it's goin' to be a tough job, with the hosses to takecare of."
"I've been thinking lately that the only safe plan is to abandon theanimals and push on ourselves."
"That will give us the best show, thar's no doubt about that; but I hatepowerfully to let the varmints get ahead of us, even as much as that."
"You and I, Simon, have tramped the woods long enough to know that wemust take things as we find them. It's a hundred times better that weshould leave the horses than to imperil our lives by keeping them withus."
"The man as would deny them sentiments is a fool, but we hain't got tothat p'int yet."
"I notice that the ground is much more difficult to get over than wherewe turned out to avoid the swamp. Both the horses fell once or twicewith their loads, and I had almost reached the conclusion that we wouldhave to turn back or abandon them. They are the only animals I own, andtheir loss would be a serious one, but it won't do to stop at that."
While this fragmentary conversation was going on, Arqu-wao, or Red Crow,held his position as motionless as before, and seemingly occupied withsomething among the trees, invisible to the rest. The boys noticed thathe assumed his old attitude, which had caused them so much uneasinessbefore. But, inasmuch as there could be no misgiving now as to hisintentions, they were certain that their former suspicions were unjust.When he surrendered to them in the early light of that breakingmorning, he did so unreservedly, and had done his best to serve them. Itwas a great comfort to know this, but how much greater it would havebeen had they known it from the first.
He showed a quicker perception than any of his companions suspected, forhe understood the doubt in the mind of the ranger and the settlerconcerning the horses. Turning about, he said:
"Arqu-wao show way to settlement."
"But we know the way ourselves," said Mr. Edwards, kindly.
"Show way for hosses."
"You mean by the trail yonder; we have come over that, but the Shawanoesare on the watch, and we dare not follow it."
"Arqu-wao show way for hosses--Shaw'noe don't know--get derequick--Snaw'noe don't see."
The pioneer turned to the scout.
"He means to say that he knows of a route to the settlement differentfrom the regular trail, over which we can take the animals in safety."
"That's what the varmint is drivin' at."
"What do you think of it, Simon?"
The scout significantly touched his forehead and shook his head.
"I know that, but he has done well so far. He lives by himself in thewoods, and must be more familiar with it than any of his people. I'minclined to believe there is something in what he says."
"I haven't much faith in a chap whose brain is twisted hind side afore,but I don't know as it will do any harm to try it; leastways we've stoodhere longer than we oughter."