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Page 47
"Right, there is!" cried Henry, who, looking up with, the rest, chanced
to observe it at the same moment with Boone; and springing forward with
a light bound, he soon reached the spot, and returned with it in his
hand. It was a fall leaf, which had been fastened in a hasty manner to
the twig in question, by a pin through its center. On one side of it was
scrawled, in characters difficult to be deciphered:
"_Follow--fast--for the love of Heaven!--E._"
As Millbanks, after looking at it closely, read off these words, Boone
started, clutched his rifle with an iron grasp, and merely saying, in a
quiet manner, "Onward, lads--I trust you're now satisfied!" he sprang up
the rocks with an agility that threatened to leave his young companions
far in the rear.
All now pressed forward with renewed energy; and having gained the
summit of the hill, which here rose to the height of eighty feet, they
were enabled, by the aid of C�sar, to come quickly upon the trail of
the Indians, who, doubtless supposing themselves now safe from pursuit,
had taken little or no pains to conceal their course. Of this their
pursuers now took advantage, and hurried onward with long and rapid
strides; now through thick dark woods and gloomy hollows; now up steep
hills and rocky barren cliffs; now through tangles and over marshy
grounds--clearing all obstacles that presented themselves with an ease
which showed that notwithstanding some of them might be inferior as
woodsmen, none were at all events as travelers in the woods.
By noon the party had advanced some considerable distance, and were
probably not far in the rear of the pursued--at least such was the
opinion of Boone--when they were again, to their great vexation, put at
fault for the trail, by the cunning of the renegade, who, to prevent all
accidents, had here once more broken it, by entering another small
streamlet--a branch of Eagle river; and although our friends set to with
all energy and diligence to find it, yet, from the nature of the ground
round about, the darkness of the wood through which the rivulet
meandered, and several other causes, they were unable to do so for three
good hours.
This delay tended not a little to discourage the younger members of our
pursuing party, who, in consequence, began to be low spirited, and less
eager than before to press forward when the trail was again found; but
a few words from Boone in a chiding manner, telling them that if they
faltered at every little obstacle, they would be unfit representatives
of border life, served to stimulate them to renewed exertions. To add to
the discomfort of all--not excepting Boone himself--the sun, which had
thus far shone out warm and brilliant, began to grow more and more dim,
as a thick haze spread through the atmosphere overhead, foretokening an
approaching storm--an event which might prove entirely disastrous to
their hopes, by obliterating all vestiges of the pursued. As the gallant
old hunter moved onward with rapid strides--preceded by the faithful
brute, which, on the regular trail, greatly facilitated their progress,
by saving the company a close scrutiny of their course--he from time to
time cast his eyes upward and noted the thickening atmosphere with an
anxious and troubled expression.
For some time the sun shone faintly; then his rays became entirely
obscured, and his position could only be discerned by a bright spot in
the heavens; this, ere he reached the horizon, became obscured also;
when the old hunter, who had watched every sign closely, looking
anxiously toward the west, observed:
"I don't like it, lads; thar's a storm a brewing for sartin, and we
shall be drenched afore to-morrow morning. Howsomever," he continued,
"it arn't the wetting as I cares any thing about--for I'm used to the
elements in all thar stages, and don't fear 'em no more'n a dandy does a
feather bed--but the trail will be lost, in arnest this time; and then
we'll have to give in, or follow on by guess work. It's this as troubles
me; for I'm fearful poor Ella and Reynolds won't get succor in time. But
keep stout hearts, lads," he added, as he noticed gloomy expressions
sweep over the faces of his followers; "keep stout hearts--don't get
melancholy; for in this here world we've got to take things as we find
'em; and no doubt this storm's all for the best, ef we could only see
ahead like into futurity."
With this consoling reflection the hunter again quickened his pace, and
pressed forward until the shadows of evening warned him to seek out an
encampment for the gathering night. Accordingly, sweeping the adjoining
country with an experienced eye, his glance soon rested on a rocky
ridge, some quarter of a mile to the right, at whose base he judged
might be found a comfortable shelter from the coming rain. Communicating
his thoughts to his companions, all immediately quitted the trail and
advanced toward it, where they arrived in a few minutes, and found, to
their delight, that the experienced woodsman had not been wrong in his
conjectures. A cave of no mean dimensions was fortunately discovered,
after a short search among the rocks, into which all now gathered; and
striking a light, they made a small fire near the entrance; around which
they assembled and partook of the refreshments brought with them--Boone
declaring he had not tasted a morsel of food since leaving Boonsborough
early in the morning. The meal over, the young men disposed themselves
about the cave in the best manner possible for their own comfort: and
being greatly fatigued by their journey, and the revels of the night
previous, they very soon gave evidence of being in a sleep too deep for
dreams. Boone sat by the fire, apparently in deep contemplation, until
a few embers only remained; then pointing C�sar to his place near the
entrance, he threw himself at length upon the ground, and was soon
imitating the example of his young comrades.
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