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Page 18
"Let's see what it is," said the man with the long hooked
nose, and the peaked chin.
By no means anxious, however, to touch it with his hands,
he took up the spear and turned over and over the clammy
and motionless mass.
"Just as I thought," exclaimed the corporal, with a
shudder, as the weapon unfolding the whole to view,
disclosed alternately the moistened hair and thick and
bloody skin of a human head.
"Gemini," cried Jackson, how came this scalp here, it
has been freshly taken--this very day--yet how could it
get here?"
"Depend upon't," said Green, "that chief that was here
just now, could tell somethin' about it, if he had a
mind."
"Then he must have had it in his breech-cloth," remarked
the corporal seriously, for not a rag besides had he
about him. "No, no it couldn't be him, and yet it's very
strange."
"Of course it couldn't be him," maliciously interfered
Collins, who had so far conquered his first disgust, as
to take the object of discussion into his own hands, "for
you know he was a Pottawattamie, and therefore wouldn't
scalp for the world."
"But whose can it be?" resumed Jackson, and how did it
get here, I am sure its that of a boy."
"Could it have floated here from the farm?" half questioned
Green musingly.
"Somethin' struck me like shots from that quarter, about
an hour before the Injin swam across, and dash me, now
I recollect it, I'm sure I heard a cry, just after the
corporal left us to go after that bear."
"Nonsense," said the Virginian, "how could it float
against the stream, and as for the shots you think you
heard, you most have taken Ephraim Giles's axe blows for
them. Besides, you couldn't hear shots at that distance.
If you did, it most be from some of the hunters."
"But the cry, corporal," urged Jackson, "what say you to
the cry Green says he heard when you left us?"
"All stuff; did anybody else hear it besides Green, you
were all sitting on the bank with him?"
No one answering in the affirmative, Corporal Nixon
declared the thing to be impossible, or he should have
heard it too; nor could he see what connection there was
between that cry--supposing there had been one--and the
facts that had come immediately under their own observation.
"Hist," interrupted Collins, placing one hand upon the
speaker's shoulder, and with the other directing his
attention to what, now seen by the whole of the party,
was ill calculated to re-assure them.
CHAPTER IV.
Stealthily gliding through the fresh and thinly foliaged
wood, that skirted the opposite shore, yet almost concealed
from view, Corporal Nixon now beheld the crouching forms
of several armed Indians, nearly naked, and evidently in
war costume. They were following the serpentine course
necessitated by the interposing trees, and seeking
cautiously to establish themselves behind cover on the
very verge of the bank.
"Back men for your lives, there's nothing friendly there,"
exclaimed the Virginian the moment that his glance had
taken in the scene, "out with the arms, and divide the
dry ammunition. Collins, you are a smart fellow, do you
and Green set to work and light a fire, but out of sight,
and dry the muskets as fast as you can. There are twelve
pounds in each of the five remaining cartouch boxes,
these will do for a spell. Jackson, Philips, tree
yourselves, while Cass lies flat in the stern, and keeps
a good look out on the devils, without exposing himself.
Now, my lads, do all this very quietly, and as if you
didn't think there was danger at hand. If they see any
signs of fear, they will pitch it into you directly. As
it is, they are only waiting to settle themselves, and
do it at their leisure."
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