CHAPTER SEVEN.
THE DACOTAHS ARE AGAIN UPON US--WE HURRY TO THE RESCUE--WE PRESERVE THELIFE OF THE STRANGER--SAM SHORT, THE TRAPPER--HIS ADVENTURES--ESCAPEFROM THE RED-SKINS--DESPERATE COMBAT IN THE CANOE--SAM'S SEARCH FOR HISCOMPANIONS--DISCOVERS ONE IN THE HANDS OF THE INDIANS--THEY DISCOVERSAM, AND HE FLIES--FINDS BLOUNT, AND TOGETHER THEY GO IN SEARCH OFNOGGIN--AGAIN GET SIGHT OF NOGGIN, BUT HE IS FASTENED TO A STAKE--NOGGINSHOWS THAT IN SPITE OF HIS NAME HE IS A HERO.
"Those vermin the Dacotahs are upon us again, and have taken the scalpof one of our scouts," cried Obed, when he heard that piercing shriek.
My experience of the previous night taught me too well also what itmeant. Surrounded as we were by the rocks and thick shrubs on the topof the mound, we were probably not perceptible from the ground below.Presently, as the stranger approached us, we saw emerging from thedarkness a dozen or more figures following one after the other slowlyand stealthily, evidently fancying that they were not perceived. We hadno doubt that they were a party of our late opponents the Dacotahs, butwhat was their purpose it was difficult to say; they must have knownthat we had heard the death-shriek of the murdered man, and they couldnot but have supposed that we should be on the watch for them. Perhapsthis only precipitated a previously formed plan. The strangerapproached us rapidly; we could hear aimed at him more than one shaft asit flew hissing through the air. Several axes also were thrown insavage fury, as the Indians saw that their hoped-for victim was about toescape them. The stranger came rushing on; he had good need of speed.
"Obed, my boy," said I, "let us sally out and protect that poor fellow.If we do not, the red-skins will be up to him before he reaches thishill!"
Obed was not a man it was necessary to ask twice to do a thing of thesort, nor were his brothers or their followers. The order was sentrapidly round to assemble together; not a word was uttered above awhisper--the sentries were left standing at their posts as ifunconscious of what was going on in the plain below. But a few secondswere expended in preparations.
"Now, my boys, down upon them!" exclaimed Obed, and at the word wesprang over our entrenchments as quick as lightning; we were up to thestranger, who for a moment was somewhat startled at our suddenappearance, but soon, comprehending the state of affairs, took shelterbehind us while we sprang on to meet the Indians. We halted within tenyards of them, and poured in a volley from our rifles which broughtnearly one-half of them to the ground.
The remainder hesitated an instant, then hearing our loud shouts andhuzzas, and seeing us come on with our axes gleaming in our hands, theyturned tail and scampered off as fast as they could go. To pursue themwould have been dangerous with so large a number of their tribe in theneighbourhood, and it was very probable that they had an ambush near athand ready to cut us off. The sound of our fire-arms brought up two ofour scouts, who joined us as we were returning to our camp, but thethird did not make his appearance, and we had too much reason to fearthat he had fallen a victim to the Dacotahs. By the time we got back tocamp we found Waggum-winne-beg and all his people, both men and women,turned out and ready to resist any attack which might be made on us. Wewaited under arms for some time, and then finding that the enemy did notseem inclined to approach, we posted sentries all round, with directionsto keep a strict lookout, and to give notice directly they perceived anysuspicious movement below, and then we once more sat down round ourfire. Our number was increased by the stranger, of whom we had not tillthen had time to take any notice beyond observing that he was a whiteman, and that he was dressed in the usual rough costume of a trapper.We now perceived, as he sat close up to the fire with the palms of hishands spread out before it, that he looked famished and weary.
"Friend, thou art hungry," said Obed, placing before him some drieddeers' flesh and biscuit, and filling him up a cup of spirits-and-water."Eat that while we cook a more savoury mess."
"Thank you," said the stranger; "you have discovered my chief want."
He showed that he spoke the truth by setting to work silently andheartily on the food like a man who had fasted long, and was in no wayfastidious as to the nature of his provender, so that it was fit tosupport life. I have often felt ashamed of my civilised and refinedfriends as well as of myself, when I have watched the abstemious habitsof those inhabitants of the backwoods. However varied, or howeverdelicate, or highly flavoured the food placed before them, I have seenthem over and over again sit down and help themselves to the nearestdish, eat as much as they required, and generally a very moderatequantity, and then perhaps, after taking a glass of cold water, get upand leave the table. We waited till the stranger had somewhat recoveredhis strength before asking him any questions. At last he stoppedeating, gave his hunting-knife a turn or two over his legging, replacedit in its sheath, and looking up, said--"Well, friends, you've saved mylife; I've to thankyou for that--not that I know that it is worth much;and now I guess you'd like to know where I come from, and what I've beenabout."
We all told him that we should particularly like to hear something abouthim.
"Then I'll tell," he replied. "My name is Sam Short; I'm a freetrapper; I've hunted this country, man and boy, for pretty well fiftyyears, and that's a good slice in a man's life. It was at the end oflast fall that I and two companions started westward to trap beavers andshoot bears, or any other game which came in our way. We'd left ourhorses and taken to a canoe to paddle up the Kansas river. Both mycompanions, Tom Noggin and Silas Blount, were staunch fellows. Itdoesn't do to have a man in our way of life one can't depend on. We hadpassed several beaver dams, which we settled to visit on our return, andas long as the season would allow to push higher up the stream. There'sno pleasanter life than that we led. We landed when we felt inclined tostretch our legs and take a shot at a deer or a bear. We killed moredeer than we could eat, so we only kept the tenderest parts; but theskins were of no little value.
"One evening we landed at an open spot, with plenty of thick treesthough growing round, intending to camp there. We had lighted a smallfire, and we took care that the wood was dry, so that it should send upno smoke to show our whereabouts to any lurking red-skins; Silas andNoggin took their guns, and said they would go and have a look for adeer, or a bear, or a turkey, while I sat over the fire and cooked thevenison. I cut some right good steaks, and had dressed them to a turn,and was thinking that it was time my companions were back, when I heardBlount's voice singing out merrily as he came through the wood towardsme. We had no fear of red-skins, for we had met with no traces of themas we came up the river, and the first thing we had done that day onlanding was to look about for them in every direction. Blount sathimself down by my side and showed me a fat turkey he had just killed,when we heard a shot at some distance from us. We waited some time,thinking Noggin would be coming back; but, as he did not make hisappearance, I asked Blount to climb a tree and see if he could make himout anywhere. Curiously enough, he slung his rifle on his back--he hadalready his shot belt and powder-horn about him--and up a high tree, alittle way off, he went. Scarcely had he got to the top, when I heardhim cry out, `Fly, man, fly; the red-skins are on us!'
"I did not want a second warning. Seizing my rifle, I sprang to theriverside, and as I did so, a band of Indians burst through the woodsbrandishing their tomahawks, and uttering their hideous war-cries. Ithrew myself into the canoe, and with a kick of my foot shoved it offfrom the bank towards the middle of the stream. I looked for thepaddles; there was only one in the canoe; I seized it, and began topaddle away down the stream with all my might. The Indians followed mesome way, and seeing that I had but one paddle, and made but slowprogress, three of them, running on ahead, plunged into the stream, forthe evident purpose of cutting me off. I watched them as theyapproached. If either of them should succeed in getting hold of thecanoe, I knew that my life would be lost. Fortunately they hadseparated somewhat, and were some fathoms distant from each other downthe stream. I saw that my only chance was to destroy them in detail. Idropped my padd
le and seized my rifle. It was of course loaded. I hadno time to lose, for I had to fire and to load again to be ready foranother enemy. I took a steady aim. The savage leaped out of thewater, casting a look at me of the most intense hatred, and then down hewent like a shot, leaving a red streak on the water to mark the spot. Iloaded rapidly; the next fellow darted on, hoping to catch hold of thecanoe before I was ready to fire; but I was too quick for him. When hesaw this, he dived, thinking to escape my bullet. I was surprised atthe length of time he kept under water. I thought that he would nevercome up again.
"I dared not exchange my rifle for my paddle, or I would have got overfarther to the opposite bank. All my attention was fixed on the spotwhere I knew that his head would appear. The instant I caught sight ofhis savage countenance grinning up at me, my bullet entered his brain,and he sank like his comrade. I had not time to finish loading beforethe third fellow, by desperate exertion, had got hold of the bow of thecanoe with one of his hands, while with the other he attempted to seizemy right arm, which was employed in ramming down the bullet into myrifle. He had his knife in his teeth, and I saw that the moment he hadgrasped my arm, he would seize it with his other hand, and plunge itinto my side. My great fear was that he would upset the canoe, so thatI had to lean back on the opposite side to prevent him from so doing.There is no more cunning or treacherous a varmint than a true-bredred-skin. When he found that I saw what he was at, he pretended to fallbackwards, and as I stretched over to unloosen his hand from the gunwaleof the canoe, he sprang up by a sudden stroke of his feet, and clutchedme by the throat.
"So tight did he press my windpipe, that I felt I had but a slightchance of escaping with my life; still, I had lived too long a hunter'slife to think of giving in while a hope of escape existed. I caughthold of the side of the canoe with one hand, and with the other, lettinggo my rifle, I felt about for my knife, which, with my powder-flask andother things, I had thrown into the bottom of the canoe. If I couldfind it, I had little fear that I should know how to use it.
"The Indian guessed what I was about, and pressed my throat tighter andtighter, till I felt myself growing black in the face. He saw hisadvantage; the time was come, he thought, to gain the victory. Lettinggo his hold of the canoe, he seized his knife with his right hand, andattempted to haul himself on board by means of my throat. His nakedknee was on the gunwale, when at the same moment my fingers discoveredmy knife. I clutched the handle. My enemy's knee slipped off thesmooth wood--his weapon missed its aim, scarcely grazing my side, and Iplunged mine up to the hilt in his breast. His hand relaxed his hold ofmy throat, and he dropped back lifeless into the stream.
"I cannot describe my sensations; there was no time to think about them,at all events. I finished ramming down the bullet into my rifle, andwhile the rest of the Indians were hesitating whether to follow me ornot, I pointed it at them, to show them what the first who might ventureinto the stream would have to expect. They watched me for some time,uttering howls of the most intense rage and hatred; and then, seeingthat I was a good match for them, they turned back up the stream again,to wreak their vengeance, as I feared, on my companions. I pretended tobe paddling down the stream, till I was certain they were out of sight;but I was not going to desert my friends in that way; such is not thebackwoodsman's law. When I knew that they were well ahead, I ceaseddescending the stream, and, pulling to the south bank, I made fast mycanoe to some bushes, and waited till dark.
"I thought about all that had occurred; Blount, I hoped, might possiblyhave escaped, but I greatly feared that Noggin would have fallen intothe power of our enemies. Waiting till I could not be seen from thenorth shore, keeping on the opposite side, I paddled cautiously andslowly up the stream. I kept as much as possible in the eddies andlittle bays, and thus avoided the strength of the current, against whichI could not otherwise have pulled. The nearer I got to the spot where Ihad left my companions, the more cautiously I proceeded; I knew that ifthe Indians had not killed them at once, they would not destroy them forthree or four days, but would keep them alive to torture them, and toexhibit them to their old men and squaws at home. It was very necessaryto be cautious how I proceeded; the slightest carelessness would betrayme to the cunning varmints, and I should not only risk my own life, butbe unable to help my friends.
"At last, about two hours after dark, I got directly opposite the spotwhere we had encamped; I watched, but could see no light to indicatethat the red-skins were there; I pulled up a little farther, and then inperfect silence paddled across. Unless the red-skins had been on thelookout for me, I did not think that there was much chance of my beingseen. I did not venture to let the bow of the canoe touch the bank,lest even the slight noise I might make against the grass should beheard, but allowed it to drop slowly down with the current, while Ipeered eagerly into every opening of the forest which presented itself.I began to fear that the Indians had gone away, and carried off Blountand Noggin with them, when my eye caught a glimmer of light aconsiderable distance off among the bushes. I had little doubt that thelight proceeded from the camp-fire of my enemies: I resolved toascertain whether this was so, and whether my friends were in theirpower. I carefully pushed my canoe alongside the bank, and securing herto a bush, stepped out with my hunting-knife in my belt, and my rifle inmy hand. I know as well as a native-born Indian how to move silentlythrough the woods, not allowing my feet to tread on a dry stick, or myshoulders to touch a rotten branch.
"Step by step, feeling my way with the greatest care, I approached thespot where I had seen the fire; at last I got close to the boundary ofan open glade, and by looking through the bushes, I saw at the fartherend of it some dozen or more Indians, decked in their war-paint andfeathers, squatted round a fire. One was, I saw, speaking, while theothers were listening to him with the deepest attention. I lookedaround, but could distinguish nothing beyond the immediate circle of thefire. At length the orator ceased, and one of the band threw a smallquantity of fresh fuel on to the fire. This made it blaze up; and theglare from the bright flames extending to some distance, it fell uponthe stump of a tree to which was bound a human figure. I watched to tryand make out who it was, for the light was not at first sufficient toenable me to distinguish objects at a distance. I had long to wait. Ishould have to guide my movements according to which of my friends wasin captivity. If it should prove to be Noggin, I might hope that Blounthad escaped their vigilance; but if he himself was the prisoner, Ishould have to fear that Noggin had already fallen a victim to theirferocity.
"I had long to wait. One warrior after another got up, and made avociferous speech, till at last one of them threw a large handful ofsticks into the fire. At the same moment it was fanned by a fresh blastof wind which rustled through the forest, and flames darting upwards fora few moments, by their light I recognised the features of Noggin. Hiseyes were fixed on the group of warriors, as if he was trying to makeout what they were saying. There was an expression of horror anddespair on his countenance, for he knew full well that a death oftorture was prepared for him. I observed, however, that his lips werefirmly pressed together, as if he had made up his mind not to flinch,however much he might be called to suffer, while life might last. Ilooked round for Blount; he was nowhere to be seen; and as I could notdiscern any bloody scalp hung up on a pole as a trophy of their prowess,I began to hope that he might have escaped the vigilance of our enemies,and that I might still fall in with him.
"My great desire was, in the first place, to rescue Noggin; but how todo so was the question. Succour might almost seem hopeless. Evenshould Blount be alive and at large, he and I together could scarcelyhope to succeed. I counted our enemies; there were twenty altogether.Three of these, from their costume and the way they talked, I judged tobe chiefs or principal men. Three more, one of whom certainly was achief, I had sent to their long home. As I could do no more good bystaying in so dangerous a neighbourhood, I waited till another longspeech was begun, and then crept back as carefully as I
had approached,towards my canoe. I reached it in safety, and pushing off I crossed tothe opposite side of the stream.
"I hunted about till I discovered a point with bushes growing thickly onit. Here I landed; and hauling up my canoe, hoped that I might remainconcealed, should the red-skins again come down to the side of the riverto look for me. After I had done this, so fatigued was I, that nosooner did I lie down by the side of my canoe than I fell fast asleep.It was daylight when I awoke. I sprang to my feet, rifle in hand, andpeered through the bushes which effectually concealed me. I coulddistinguish in the distance the Indians, who had likewise just risen,and appeared to be in a state of no little excitement. They haddiscovered my trail, and were hunting about to ascertain in whichdirection I had gone.
"`Ah, ah!' I thought, `I have crossed an element which allows no trailto be left on it. They will scarcely believe that I am still so nearthem; or should they even suspect it, they will not attempt to followme, for they know the effects of my rifle, and that if they do, three orfour of their number will probably have to pay the penalty of theirlives.'
"On Noggin's account I did not want to exasperate them more than theywere already, or I might have picked two or three of them off, when,having discovered my trail, they followed it to the banks of the river.I saw them peering about in every direction--now down the stream, now upit; but, clever as they were, they could not guess what way I had gone.They examined the bushes all round, but they told no tale which theycould read. They were evidently not a little astonished at my audacityin having ventured so close to them as to watch their movements. Itmade them look upon me as a mighty brave, and they would, I doubted not,have tried their most exquisite tortures on me to prove my heroism hadthey been able to catch me. I knew that there was a possibility oftheir so doing, for I was resolved not to leave my friends to their fatewithout trying to rescue them, great as I knew the risk was that I wasrunning. When they could not, with all their ingenuity, discover whathad become of me, they stamped on the ground, and dashed their hatchetsinto it, and gnashed their teeth, and performed many other franticgestures. I was pleased at this, because it showed that they hadabandoned their search after me.
"Once more they came to the edge of the water, and spat, and grinned atit to show their rage at its having disappointed them of their prey, andthen they turned tail and went off back to their camp. I feared poorNoggin would be the sufferer, but I could not help that. I waitedhidden away for three or four hours, till I thought that they would to acertainty have taken their departure, before I even stirred from myplace of concealment. I knew the tricks they were up to, and that verylikely they would have remained in ambush in the hope of my coming backto look after my friends. If they had killed Blount, then I felt surethey would not have stopped, but if they had found out that there werethree of us, and he was still at large, then I considered it probablethat they would be endeavouring to catch us, and that the very greatestcaution would be necessary in my proceedings. Still I could not delaytill night to commence my progress, which would have been the safestplan; for, in the first place, the Indians, if they had moved, wouldhave got too much the start of me, and I was already so hungry that Iwas ready to run any risk to procure food to appease my appetite.
"At last I could wait no longer. I slipped into my canoe, and emergingfrom my hiding-place, went across the stream as fast as my one paddlecould urge me. When I was about half-way over I saw something movingamong the bushes. I stopped paddling and seized my rifle. It might bean Indian, or it might be a bear, or a stag. I was ready for anything.Just as I brought my rifle to my shoulder I heard a voice sing out,`Hollo, Short! don't fire, old feller.'
"I knew at once that it was Blount who spoke, and right glad I was tohear him. Down went my rifle, and I paddled away, you may be sure, ashard as I could till I reached the shore where he, as big as life, stoodready to receive me. We shook hands warmly, and then he told me that hehad been up the tree all the time; that he had watched the Indianspursuing me along the banks of the river, but could not tell whether ornot they had killed me, though he saw them return with diminishednumbers, and guessed that at all events I had not died without adesperate fight.
"When they came back they hunted about all round our camp, carried offor destroyed all our property, and at last retired farther into thewoods to join their comrades. All the night he had spent in a state ofuncertainty about me, and it was not till the following morning, when hesaw the Indians come down to the river, and watched their movements,that he guessed I was alive and had paid them a visit. He saw them goaway, and he then descended the tree, and like a cat in pursuit of abird, crept after them. To his great satisfaction he saw them breakingup their camp, and then they moved off towards the north-west. Still hefollowed them till he had assured himself that they really were going inthat direction. When he had done this he turned back and looked out forme. We agreed at once that we would set off and try to rescue Noggin assoon as we had killed a sufficient quantity of game to satisfy ourhunger.
"We calculated that the red-skins were quite far enough off by this timenot to hear the report of our rifles. Hunger, when not too longendured, sharpens men's wits. We soon killed a couple of wild turkeysand a deer, which we fell in with in great numbers on their way south.We hid away our canoe in the bank of the river, and so covered her withbranches that even an Indian's sharp eyes were not likely to discoverher. Having lighted a fire, we smoked, in a hurried way, as much foodas would last us for several days, and then, taking a good meal oftoasted venison, we set off on our perilous adventure.
"We soon found our way up to the Indian camp, and we observed that theytook no pains to hide their trail, by which we judged that they did notsuppose any of their enemies to be in the neighbourhood. There were nowomen or children, which showed that they had been on a hunting or warexpedition, and also that their chief camp was at no great distance.This gave us the greatest concern, because if once they reached it wecould scarcely hope to rescue Noggin from their power. We calculatedthat there were twenty warriors altogether. They were on foot. Theywere dragging Noggin on, but he evidently delayed them as much aspossible. Perhaps, poor fellow, he suspected that Blount and I werefollowing him. We travelled faster than they did, and towards theevening of the fifth day of our journey we saw, from the freshness ofthe trail, that we were not far from them. We examined our rifles to beready for an emergency; but we knew that we could do nothing to help ourfriend before night. We supposed that we were about half a mile or sofrom our enemies, and not deeming it wiser to get much nearer, wecontinued to follow at the same pace at which they were going.
"At last we came to more open ground, and several times we caught sightof them. We were near enough indeed to count their numbers, and wefound that we had made an exact estimate of them. Evening at last came,and we knew that they were encamped. It was now, therefore, necessaryto be more careful than ever, for some of the warriors might be prowlingabout, and should they discover us, even though we might escape them orcome off victorious, we should have to abandon all hopes of savingNoggin. We accordingly lay down in some thick cover where no one waslikely to find us, and waited till they were likely to have gone tosleep for the night. We talked over all sorts of plans. Blountproposed going boldly into the camp himself dressed as a medicine-man;but then the difficulty was to find the wherewithal to fit himself out.I, too, opposed the scheme; for they would naturally be suspicious, and,come from whatever quarter he might, they would be apt to question himvery narrowly before letting him range their camp at liberty.
"`Well, Short, it's all very well for you to say this plan won't do, orthat won't do, but do you just tell me what will do.'
"This was a poser; I could not. We had our deerskin coats. They hadbeen saved in the canoe. He proposed cutting his into strips, and withthe aid of a red pocket-handkerchief he judged that he could turnhimself into a very good white medicine-man. I at last consented to lethim try the scheme, provided no opportunity
occurred during the night ofhelping poor Noggin. When the plan was arranged, we crept nearer andnearer to the savages. They had camped in an open part of a greenvalley, the sides of which were clothed with trees. They were farenough from any trees not to be taken by surprise from any enemiesexcept those armed with rifles. We climbed one of the trees, whence wecould look down on them and watch their proceedings. We might indeedhave picked several of them off had revenge alone been our object; butthat would have done no good to poor Noggin, unless he could havemanaged to escape in the confusion.
"Hour after hour passed away. The savages sat up talking over theirfire. Several of them at last lay down, but a party went out to examinethe neighbourhood of the camp, and when they returned four of those whohad previously gone to sleep got up and sat watching their prisoner,evidently with malignant pleasure. This vigilance of the enemy made usalmost despair of being able to deliver our friend. Whenever we turnedour eyes in the direction of the camp, there were the four wretchesgazing up into the countenance of their victim, and he, poor fellow,already looked more dead than alive. Thus we lay stretched out at ourlength watching them hour after hour. No one moved. Our hearts sankwithin us. After about four hours the guards gave some loud grunts, andsome of their companions starting up took their places. They seemed towatch the countenance of their victim with intense gratification. If,in spite of the bodily pain and mental suffering he was enduring, hedropped asleep, one of them would throw a burning brand at him, to rousehim up again to a full consciousness of his position. It was with thegreatest difficulty that I could refrain from knocking over one of thescoundrels, when I saw him treating the poor fellow in that way.
"Daylight was now approaching; with heavy hearts we had to withdraw forfear of being discovered when the Indians should break up their camp inthe morning. We feared, too, that we should not have anotheropportunity, for we judged that the Indians were close upon theirvillage from the way in which they had feasted, leaving scarcely anyfood for the next day. A hunter is obliged to observe everything, andto make what he observes speak a plain language to him. We crept awayfrom the camp to our former hiding-place, and then, overcome withfatigue, we both fell asleep. We were protected during these hours ofhelplessness by a power greater than man's.
"When we awoke the sun was already high in the heavens; we ate ourfrugal meal, and then set forward to overtake the Indians. They hadstarted early, and had got much ahead of us. We pushed on, but stilldid not overtake them. We had been travelling some eight or nine hours,when, being on the top of some rising ground, we saw in the distanceseveral curling wreaths of smoke rising up amid the forest. We guessedthat without doubt they proceeded from the village of our enemies. Ourchief chance of rescuing Noggin was gone. To get him out from among avillage full of men, women, and children, all thirsting for his blood,was next to impossible. Still Blount said he would try it. We creptcarefully in the track of the red-skins, stopping at every spot fromwhich we could have a clear look ahead, and occasionally climbing treeswhence we might hope to get a sight of the village. This was in onerespect a dangerous proceeding, for should the Indians cross our trail,they would very likely discover us, although we took care to obliterate,as far as we are able, all marks of our progress. In this way we wenton till Blount and I having got to the top of a thick-branched andwide-spreading fir, we saw, scarcely the eighth of a mile off, theconical-shaped wigwams of our enemies. Loud shouts and shrieks reachedour ears; the old men, women, and children had gone out to welcome theirwarriors and their unfortunate captive. We could see him in the middleof them, and the women and children rushing up and hissing at him, andabusing him, and pinching him, and spitting at him, treating him,indeed, with every indignity. He stood quiet, as far as we could see,without flinching. At last he was led on and secured to a tree, closeto one of the principal lodges. There the savages let him remain whilethey retired to their homes, and the women set to work to prepare them afeast.
"We now judged it time to get farther off to take some rest which we somuch needed. We knew that the savages were not likely to put him todeath that night, probably not till the following evening. We chewedsome dried venison, and then fell asleep. It was pitchy dark when weawoke, but the noise from among the Indian lodges was louder than ever.Once more we approached the spot, fires were blazing brightly in thecentre of the village, and the savages were dancing madly round them,leaping, and shrieking, and howling, in the most terrific manner. Astake had been run into the ground, and poor Noggin, stripped to thewaist, was tied to it. His face was turned towards us; despair sat uponit, it was already as pale as death, indeed he did not look as if he hadmany minutes to live. The cruel savages thought so likewise, and,afraid of losing their victim, they had resolved at once, it appeared,to commence that series of tortures which would terminate with hisdeath. With horrid cries the women approached him, and ran into hisflesh the burning ends of sticks, which they flourished in their hands,and they hallooed and shouted in his ears, to rouse him up to feel themore acutely his sufferings. Talk of the noble qualities of savages,I've seen a good deal of human nature, and to my mind, left to itselfwithout anything to improve or correct it, there is nothing too bad orabominably cruel which it will not do."
"There, I have told you enough of the old fellow's story for thepresent," exclaimed Dick Onslow, throwing himself back in his chair andstretching out his legs. "I know that I am very thankful that I had notto share poor Noggin's fate."
"You are a pretty fellow for a story-teller," cried one of his hearers(I believe it was I, his humble amanuensis, Barrington Beaver). "Youleave the honest Delaware in the clutches of the bear; you leaveyourself surrounded by a band of fierce Dacotahs thirsting for yourblood; and poor Noggin even in a worse predicament; indeed, I would notwish to be in the skins of either Short or Blount; and now you suddenlystop short, and leave us all lost in a labyrinth of doubt as to how theygot out of their various dilemmas."
"Not a word more just now, not a word more," answered Dick, laughing."You'll all do your best to keep me alive, and I promise you I will goon with my tale another day."