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Page 14
All had the sense to understand that there was some good
reason for the caution of the corporal, and with the
exception of Weston, who had promptly obeyed the signal,
busily, but silently resumed their morning's occupation.
First, a quarter of an hour, and then minute after minute
passed slowly away, yet there was no sign of the return
of their companions. What could be the meaning of this?
If the bear had not proved to be too much for them, they
ought to have killed him, and rejoined them before this.
Curiosity, nay, apprehension finally overcame the strong
sense of obedience to orders, which had been literally
drilled into them, and they all, at the suggestion of
Green, dropped their rods on the bank, and moved cautiously
in the direction that had been taken by the corporal and
Weston. Great, however, was the surprise of Collins, then
a little in advance, when, on nearing the spot where the
boat lay moored, he beheld, not those of who they were
in search, but a naked, and hideously painted savage, in
the very act of untying the rope by which the skiff was
fastened to the knotted and projecting root of the tree.
Sensible that there was impending danger, although he
knew not of what precise kind, inasmuch as there was no
Reason to apprehend anything hostile from the Indians,
with--all of whom around the fort, they had always been
on friendly terms, he sprang forward to arrest the
movement. But the distance was several rods, and the
savage, alarmed by the rustling made among the foliage
and brushwood in his rear, now put his shoulder to the
boat, and, in the next instant would have had it far
across this stream, had not a hand suddenly protruded
from beneath the hollow clump of earth on which the tree
grew, grasped him firmly by the ankle, even while in the
act of springing into the forcibly impelled skiff. In
a moment or two, he grappled tightly with his hands upon
the bow of the boat, but, finding the pressure on his
imprisoned limb too great for resistance, he relinquished
his hold, falling upon his face in the water, from which
he was dragged, although without violence, by Corporal
Nixon, who had emerged from his hiding-place.
When the Indian was suffered to rise, there was a
threatening expression on his countenance, which, not
even the number of those by whom he was now surrounded
could check, and he made an involuntary motion of his
hand to his scalping knife, the only weapon with which
he was armed, that lay in the sheath dangling from his
girdle. Seeing, however, that there was no hostile
disposition manifested by the party, he speedily
relinquished his first impulse, and stood upright before
them with a bold, but calm look.
"What you want with boat?" asked the corporal, almost
involuntarily, and without the slightest expectation that
his question would be understood.
"Me want 'em cross," replied the Indian, pointing to the
opposite woods.
"But why you come in bear skin?" and, in his turn, the
corporal pointed with his finger in the direction in
which the supposed bear had been seen.
"Ugh!" grunted the savage doggedly, finding that he had
been detected in his disguise.
"What nation you?--Pottawattamie?"
"Wah! Pottawattamie!"
"Curious enough," pursued the corporal, addressing himself
to his comrades. "I don't half like the look of the
fellow, but I suppose it's all right. We musn't offend
him. You chief?", he continued, pointing to a large silver
medal suspended over the breast of the athletic and
well-proportioned Indian.
"Yes, me chief. Pottawattamie chief," and he made a sign
in the direction of the Fort, near which the encampment
of that tribe lay.
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