CHAPTER X
HATING, BUT WAITING
Ahneota was an Indian of superior intelligence and varied experience.As the summer advanced, and the corn and tobacco which the squaws hadplanted in the meadow put forth glossy leaves and promise of theharvest, the boy's visits to the old chief became more interesting aswell as more frequent. Rodney recognized in him his only safety andinstinctively knew that the Indian liked him.
The more he learned of the aged man's wisdom and his kindness towardthe people of the village, the greater his wonder at the ferociousexpression in the face of this savage when persuaded to recount hisexploits. There could be no mistaking that this otherwise kindly oldman bore the whites a bitter hatred, though more tolerant of theFrench than of the English.
In his youth Ahneota had been taught by a Jesuit missionary, indeedhad been regarded as a convert. He had retained, however, many of thesuperstitions of the savage; believed in all sorts of evil as well asgood spirits, thought animals had spirit existence after death, hadfaith in dreams, and, though he had little to do with the arts of the"medicine man," so great was his dislike of Caughnega, Rodney becameconvinced the chief also believed in them, to some extent, at least.
"The French," he said, "treat the Indian like a man who is weak; theEnglish treat him like a dog they despise. Both cheat him, but theEnglishman kicks him after he has robbed him, or kills him and takeshis scalp." He declared that the traders robbed the children of theforest, and that every frontiersman wanted the Indians killed so as toget the land. He had known of Indians being shot in time of peace bytrappers, who murdered them for their furs and took their scalps andkept them so as to get bounty on them whenever there should be warwith the red men.
"But you would kill an innocent white woman and torture her children,in revenge for the wickedness of the traders."
"Palefaces do not punish palefaces, but honour them for the bad deedsdone to the Indian, and must we suffer alone?"
"It's impossible for us to punish these traders for deeds we whitepeople know nothing about."
"Ugh!" and there was bitter scorn in the old savage's exclamation,"you do not open your ears. The trader boasts and white men laugh."
Rodney felt there was much of truth in what the old savage said,moreover he feared to excite him by further controversy, so to turnthe conversation he remarked, "You must have been with the French inthe great war?"
"Ahneota brought many scalps to the French," he replied, proudly."Frenchmen give us many presents for our furs. They do not steal ourland and drive away our game."
Reminded of those fearful scenes during the war, he stood erect and,pointing his long arm toward the southeast, said, "Ahneota foughtBraddock. At Bushy Run his bullets made white men sleep, but ColonelBouquet was wise and fooled Indians. Ahneota go with Pontiac, and cutoff his gun so to hide it under his blanket and go inside FortDetroit. He was a chief at Bloody Run. The French promise much. Theymake fool of Indian and tell him Great Father across big water hadslept, but was awake and would come and help his friends, the red men,and bring beads and brandy and shining cloth."
"Do you think the Indians did right in pretending to be friends of theEnglish in order to kill them?"
"You think trader right when steal Indian's furs? Soldiers killed ourwomen and children. They scared away the game and we must starve. Theysay they brothers of Indian; they lie. They make us old women so tosteal our land. They fool the Delawares. What does 'Little Knife' saywhen they kill good Indians at Conestoga and make dogs of Moravians?Ahneota declares paleface and Indian can never live together."
The hatred displayed in the face of the old savage was unmistakable,yet the boy did not fear him.
"You must have seen Colonel Washington in the Braddock campaign?"
"I have seen him. The Great Spirit keeps him and turns the bulletsaway from him."
"He is much respected in Virginia. He inherited a big estate, MountVernon, with much land and many slaves."
"Like all palefaces he wants more. He sends men into the Indiancountry to take more land."
"The Indian does not use the land as do the English. The Indians wantto roam and hunt over it. The white man works hard and builds a homeand lives on much less land than does the Indian."
"He scares away the game and the squaw and pappoose must cry inhunger. The Great Spirit made this country for Indian and he must holdit or follow the sun."
Rodney did not know but that he had said too much, yet he liked a goodargument and was curious to learn how the Indians felt and what theybelieved. "Do the Indians want to dig up the tomahawk and make war onthe whites?"
"The young braves do, but Ahneota fought with Pontiac. No chiefwas ever obeyed by so many Indians, by Ottawas, Wyandottes,Pottawattomies, by the Ojibwas of the far north, all took the warbelt and made their faces black. Some day another great chief willbring the war belt and the red men will follow where he may lead,but he has not come. The signs are not right. Already the Great Fatherof the English says to his children, 'I have made peace with muchwampum with the Father of the French. Give me wampum.' The childrengrow angry; they kick away the peace belt and will not smoke thepipe. Then the Indian will rise from the ground like the leaves in abig wind and blow in their faces. When father and children quarrel,the eagle comes down like fire from the sky, and the wolves howl inthe forest."
The boy sat looking into the wild face of the savage and shuddered. Heknew the Indian hated and waited, and, when the storm burst, he wouldbe like a wild beast.
Notwithstanding the bitter hostility displayed by the old man, hiscounsel was for peace and it was evident he feared a conflict would beprecipitated before the Indians could be ready. He scowled at allreports of disturbance. The capture of Rodney worried him. Wheneverthe subject was mentioned he would say: "Shawnees. The spirit of evilis upon the red man and the paleface."
One day the chief asked the boy if he knew Daniel Morgan, who lived atWinchester, and from the Indian's manner of speaking it appeared hehad great respect for the man's fighting qualities. He told of anattempt to ambush Morgan, in which he took part. They shot him, thebullet entering the mouth and coming out on the left side, taking theteeth along with it. Morgan was on horseback. He reeled in the saddlebut clung to the horse's mane and urged him forward. Ahneota ran afterhim, thinking to seize the horse, as he was a swift runner. Failing inthis, he threw his tomahawk. He failed to hit Morgan, though his skillat throwing the hatchet was great. He declared the evil spirit turnedthe tomahawk aside that Morgan might live and persecute the Indians.After the war, such was his curiosity, he visited Winchester to learnmore about Morgan, and told the boy many things, which the latter wasto recall.
A few days later Francois, who had brought "Maman" and Louis to thevillage, came back to buy furs, offering in exchange blankets, knivesand hatchets, powder and ball, also he had several bottles of brandy.The "fire-water" was, of course, the most attractive of his wares andby afternoon several Indians were drunk, among them Ahneota. WhenRodney learned this his heart sank, for his old friend was helpless toprotect him. He looked for Caughnega and noticed that he was sober.That fact indicated he intended mischief. Unless an Indian had a verystrong purpose in mind, he would not refuse liquor. Later, Caughnegaand Marie were seen talking together, and then the trader joined them.Rodney was walking past, and when near them Caughnega noticed him andmade a signal to the others and they lowered their voices. Out infront of the village the young braves had built a fire, and weredancing around it and yelling like fiends.
"Do they intend to burn me?" was the question which arose in the boy'smind.
"I'll die trying rather than waiting," said the boy to himself. Hehastened to his wigwam, and taking some dried meat and parched corn,arming himself with knife and hatchet, also bow and arrows, he stoleunobserved out of the village and into the woods.
Most Indians of that day had become unaccustomed to the use of bow andarrow, and were dependent on the whites to furnish them with guns andammunition. This was a fact w
hich the old chief bemoaned. Rodney,being deprived of the use of a rifle, shrewdly induced the old Indianto show him how to make a bow and arrows and how to use them and healready had acquired considerable skill.
A little distance away in the forest stood a large tree with a hollowtrunk, inside which a tall man might stand up straight, though theopening was small. Once he and Louis had made a sort of perch in theupper part to which a boy might crawl and be safe from observation,unless one went to the trouble of crawling into the hollow and lookingup.
Rodney made his way to the tree as best he might in the gathering duskand hid himself on the perch. There he remained throughout the night,with dismal thoughts for companions and the cries of the night hawk tocheer him. Toward morning he fell asleep. He was awakened by a slightnoise and, looking down, saw the face of Caughnega peering in!
Fortunately for both, the savage did not see the perch and went away.Later, Rodney, cramped and sore, crept out in quest of a drink ofwater. On his return a sound inside attracted his notice andlistening, he heard sobbing. It was Louis. With a cry of joy thelittle fellow threw himself into Rodney's arms, saying, "I thought youhad run away. Caughnega said you had. He was hunting for you lastnight, and this morning I told him about this place but he came backand said you were not here."
"Don't you ever tell him where I am when he's hunting for me. He hatesme and would like to kill me. But how came you here?"
"Maman was cross like a bear and Francois whipped me."
"And she let him do it?"
"Non, but she was so cross I wouldn't tell her. Francois was tipsy."
"The drunken dog! I'd like to horsewhip him. Well, you run back, andwhen Ahneota is sober tell him I've not run away but will come backwhen the carousal is ended. Don't say anything to any one else aboutme. If Francois beats you again tell Maman."
Louis turned back toward the village and, at a turn in the path, metthe tipsy Francois. Rodney saw the meeting, and concealed himselfbehind a tree.
The voyageur had no arms other than the knife in his belt. When he sawLouis he cried, "_He bien! Tiens! prends cela_," slapping the littlefellow's face and knocking him down.
Seeing this Rodney was infuriated and forgot all caution. In a fewbounds he reached the voyageur and, as the latter turned, hit him astinging blow on the nose, following it with a well directed one onthe Frenchman's chin. The fellow went down like a log and Rodney ontop of him. He rolled the dazed man on to his face and bound his armsbehind his back with a leather thong he carried.
"I'll fix you if you ever strike Louis again. You get back to thevillage and, if you want to live, you behave yourself."
Francois was a sorry sight with the blood streaming from his nose. Hewas sobered and scared but he was to have revenge.
"HE ROLLED THE DAZED MAN ON TO HIS FACE AND BOUND HIS ARMSBEHIND HIS BACK."]