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Page 45
Accordingly on reaching the other shore, and finding the trail was lost,
Boone divided the party--assigning each his place--and separating, six
of them recrossed the stream; and dividing again, two, headed by Isaac,
went up, and two, led by Henry Millbanks, went down along the bank;
while Boone and Seth Stokes, with the rest, proceeded in like manner on
the opposite side; and the dog flew hither and yon, to render what
service he could also. For something like a quarter of an hour not the
least trace of the savages could be found, when at last the voice of
Isaac was heard shouting:
"I've got it--I've got it! Here it is, jest as plain and nateral as
cornstalks--Hooray!"
In a few minutes the whole company was gathered around Isaac, who
pointed triumphantly to his discovery.
"That's the trail, sure enough," observed Boone, bending down to scan
it closely; "and rather broad it is too. It's not common for the wily
varmints to do thar business in so open a manner, and I suspicion it's
done for some trickery. Look well to your rifles, lads, and be prepared
for an ambush in yon thicket just above thar, while I look carefully
along this, for a few rods, just to see ef I can make out thar meaning.
They've spread themselves here considerable," continued the old hunter,
after examining the trail a few minutes in silence; "but ef they think
to deceive one that has been arter 'em as many times as I, they've made
quite a mistake; for I can see clean through their tricks, as easy as
light comes through greased paper."
"What discovery have you made now?" inquired young Millbanks, who,
together with the others, pressed eagerly around Boone to hear his
answer.
"Why I've diskivered what I war most afeard on," answered the woodsman.
"I've diskivered that the varmints have divided, for the sake of giving
us trouble, or leading us astray from them as they cares most about. See
here!" and bending down to the ground, Boone pointed out to his young
companions, many of whom were entirely ignorant of that ingenious art of
wood-craft, whereby the experienced hunter knows his safety or danger in
the forest as readily as the sailor knows his on the ocean, and which
appears to the uninitiated like a knowledge superhuman--Boone pointed
out to them, we say, three distinct foot prints, which he positively
asserted were neither made by the Indians nor the captives of the
ravine.
"But I'd jest like to know, Colonel Boone, how you can be so sartin o'
what you declar, ef it would'nt be for putting you to too much trouble,"
said one of the party, in surprise.
"Obsarve," replied Boone, who, notwithstanding it would cause some
little delay, was willing to gratify his young friends, by imparting to
them what information he could regarding an art so important to frontier
life: "Obsarve that print thar (pointing with his finger to the largest
one of the three;) now that war never made by Master Reynolds, for it's
much too big; and this I know from having got the dimension o' his track
afore I left the ravine to trail him; and I know it war never made by
one o' the red heathen, for it arn't, the shape o' thar feet,; and
besides, you'll notice how the toe turns out'ard from the heel--a thing
an Indian war never guilty on--for they larn from children to tread
straight forward. The next one you'll obsarve turns out in like manner;
and though it's smaller nor the first, it arn't exactly the shape of
Reynold's, and it's too big for Ella's; and moreover I opine it's a
woman's--though for the matter o' that I only guess at it. The third you
perceive is the child's; and them thar three are the only ones you can
find that arn't Indian's. Now note agin that the trail's spread here,
and that here and thar a twig's snapped on the bushes along thar way;
which the red-skins have done a purpose to make thar course conspicuous,
to draw thar pursuers on arter 'em, prehaps for an ambush, prehaps to
keep them from looking arter the others."
"In this perplexity what are we to do?" inquired young Millbanks.
"Why," answered Boone, energetically, "Heaven knows my heart yearns to
rescue all my fellow creaters who're in distress; but more particularly,
prehaps, them as I know's desarving; and as I set out for Master
Reynolds, and his sweet companion, Ella Barnwell, God bless her! I
somehow reckon it's my duty to follow them--though I leave the rest o'
ye to choose for yourselves. Ef you want to divide, and part go this
trail and part follow me, mayhap it'll be as well in the end."
This plan seemed the best that could be adopted under the circumstances;
and after some further consultation among themselves, it was finally
agreed that Isaac, with six others--two of whom were Switcher and
Stokes--should proceed on the present trail; while Millbanks and the
remainder should accompany Boone. Isaac was chosen as the most suitable
one to lead his party, on account of his foresight and shrewdness, and,
withal, some little knowledge which he possessed of the country and the
woodsman's art, previously gained in a tour with his father, when
seeking a location, together with an expedition of considerable extent
shortly after made with Boone himself.
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