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Page 36
"Faith, and I like both, and a slice of the breast to
boot. I'm just the fellow, now the varmints are gone,
that could eat all of them."
"Yes, but you know," returned the temporary chef de
cuisine, "it must be share and share alike--there's two
legs--two wings and the breast, and the back slit in
two--that just makes six portions, and we're six men in
all."
"Cast lots fiddlestick," said Green, "what portion do
you expect, Nutcrackers? unless it's the neck, and the
scaly part of the leg, the Injin had hold of when you so
bravely sent your bayonet through her feathers."
"Well, only think how cunning of the fellows," remarked
Weston, "who'd ever have thought they would try that
fashion to get in, cramming an old turkey before them to
clear the way, and get in his craw the first bullet that
might be sent."
"Yes, and the tight grip the fellow had of him by the
leg. Just look, Green, the mark of the devil's hand may
be upon him yet. It was the right leg, and that's it you
have."
"Bosh! what do you expect me to find there but the marks
of your dirty paws while plucking him, I'm too devilish
hungry for such nonsense, Nutcrackers; but show me the
Injin that would venture to touch his legs now. If I
wouldn't mark him, then my name's not Seth Green."
Scarcely had he finished speaking, when a dark naked
human hand was slowly protruded over his shoulder, and
seized not the leg of the turkey, which Green now grasped
with unconscious and convulsive energy, but a brand from
the fire.
In his terror at that strange and unexpected appearance,
he dropped the body of the bird in the glowing embers,
and uttering a faint cry, turned half round and beheld
what filled him with the deepest dismay: his companions,
scarcely less terrified than himself, sprang together to
their feet, with the intention of rushing to their muskets,
but all hope of recovering them was gone. The savage who
had snatched the fire was no longer there then, but half
a dozen others in their war-paint stood between them and
their firelocks. It seemed as if they were sensible that
their very silence inspired more awe and apprehension in
the bosoms of their defenceless enemies than could have
done the most turbulent expression of their triumph. They
had evidently entered by the back door, which was now
quite open, and grouped around the body of Mr. Heywood,
were apparently more interested in the dead than in the
living. Not a sign was there of the corporal, and Philips
stood as if paralyzed, leaning, musket in hand, against
the opposite entrance.
CHAPTER VII.
Leaving the little party in the dismay occasioned by
their new position, and that at a moment when they believed
themselves secured from further interruption or danger,
we must now return to the Fort, where their long-continued
absence, coupled with the startling tidings conveyed by
Ephraim Giles, had created equal anxiety and apprehension.
It will be recollected that during the examination of
the latter, Ensign Ronayne had, after communicating with
the commanding officer, suddenly departed across the
river, taking with him a few armed men. The destination
of this little party was the cottage occupied by Mrs.
Heywood and her daughter, who, with a woman servant, were
the sole occupants of a dwelling, simple in construction,
but decorated, both within and without, by the hand of
good taste. It was a low, one-storied building, painted
white, with green window-blinds and shutters, and a
verandah of trellis work of the same color, that extended
a few feet square round the principal entrance. On either
side, rose to the roof, on parallel lines, and at equal
distances, cords of strong twine, on which already had
began to interlace themselves, the various parasites
indigenous to the soil, which winter had robbed of their
freshness, but which a southern sun was now evidently
vivifying and re-invigorating. A small garden of about
half-an-acre, surrounded by a similar trellis-work,
extended equally in front, and on the sides of the
house--while the graceful form given to the various beds,
and the selection of the plants and flowers, which,
although still in their dormant state, were yet
recognizable--testified the refined taste of those who
had assisted at their culture. The pathway, which was
recently gravelled from the adjacent sand-hills, ran in
a straight line from the verandah, toward the little
green gate, opening on the front of the garden, took a
semi-circular sweep on either side, at about one-third
of the distance from the gate. This form had been given
to it for the purpose of affording room for the creation
of a mound, on the summit of which had been placed a
small summer-house, octagon in shape, and constructed of
the same description of trellis-work. The sloping sides
of the mound itself, were profusely covered with dahlias,
rhododendrons, geraniums, and other plants of the most
select kind--the whole forming, when in bloom, a circle
of floral magnificence. A short and narrow path, just
large enough to admit of the passage of one person at a
time, led to the entrance of the summer-house, which,
facing the gate, was also shaded from the light and heat
of the sun's rays, by closely interlacing vines.
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