Chapter VIII. The Wild Turkey's Gobble

by Joseph A. Altsheler

　　Henry had conducted himself so well on his first scout and, hadshown such signs of efficiency that Ross concluded to take himagain the next day. Henry's heart swelled with pride, and he wasno longer worried about Paul, because he saw that the latter'sinterest and ambitions were not exactly the same as his own.Henry could, not have any innate respect for heaps of "oldbones," but if Paul and the master found them worthy of suchclose attention, they must be right.

　　Henry and Ross slipped away into the undergrowth, and Henry soonnoticed that the guide's face, which was tense and preoccupied,seemed graver than usual. The boy was too wise to ask questions,but after they had searched through the forest for several hoursRoss remarked in the most casual way:

　　"I heard the gobble of a wild turkey away off last night."

　　"Yes," said Henry, "there are lots of 'em about here. Youremember the one I shot Tuesday?"

　　Ross did not reply just then, but in about five minutes hevouchsafed:

　　"I'm looking for the particular wild turkey I heard last night."

　　"Why that one, when there are so many, and how would you know himfrom the others if you found him?" asked Henry quickly, and thena deep burning flush of shame broke through the tan of hischeeks. He, Henry Ware, a rover of the wilderness to ask suchfoolish questions a child of the towns would have shown as muchsense. Ross who was looking covertly at him, out of the comer ofhis eye, saw the mounting blush, and was pleased. The boy hadspoken impulsively, but he knew better.

　　"You understand, I guess," said Ross.

　　"Yes," replied Henry, "I know why you want to find that wildturkey, and I know why you said last night we ought to leave thesalt springs just as soon as we can."

　　The smile on the face of the scout brightened. Here was the mostpromising pupil who had ever sat at his feet for instruction; andnow they redoubled their caution, as their soundless bodiesslipped through the undergrowth. Everywhere they looked for thetrail of that wild turkey. It may be said that a turkey can anddoes fly in the air and leaves no trail, but Henry knew that theone for which they, looked might leave no trail, but it did notfly in the air.

　　Time passed; noon and part of the afternoon were gone, and theywere still curving in a great circle about the camp, when Ross,suddenly stopped beside a little brook, or branch, as he and hiscomrades always called them, and pointed to the soft soil at theedge of the water. Henry followed the long finger and saw theoutline of a footstep.

　　"Our turkey has passed here."

　　The guide nodded.

　　"Most likely," he said, "and if not ours, then one of the sameflock. But that footprint is three or four hours old. Come on,we'll follow this trail until it grows too warm."

　　The footsteps led down the side of the brook, and when theycurved away from it Ross was able to trace them on the turf andthrough the undergrowth. A half mile from the start otherfootsteps joined them, and these were obviously made by many men,perhaps a score of warriors.

　　"You see," said Ross, "I guess they've just come across the Ohioor we wouldn't be left all these days b'il'n salt so peaceful,like as if there wasn't an Indian in the whole world."

　　Henry drew a deep breath. Like all who ventured into the West heexpected some day to be exposed to Indian danger and attack, butit had been a vague thought. Even when they came north to theBig Bone Lick it was still a dim far-away affair, but now hestood almost in its presence. The Shawnees, whose name was aname of terror to the new settlements, were probably not a mileaway. He felt tremors but they were not tremors of fear.Courage was an instinctive quality in him. Nature had put itthere, when she fashioned him somewhat in the mold of theprimitive man.

　　"Step lighter than you ever did afore in your life," said Ross,"an' bend low an' follow me. But don't you let a single twig nornothin' snap as you pass."

　　He spoke in a sharp, emphatic whisper, and Henry knew that heconsidered the enemy near. But there was no need to caution theboy, in whom the primal man was already awakened. Henry bent fardown, and holding his rifle before him in such a position that itcould be used at a moment's warning, was following behind Ross sosilently that the guide, hearing no sound, took an instant'sbackward glance. When he saw the boy he permitted another faintsmile of approval to pass over his face.

　　They advanced about three-quarters of a mile and then at thecrest of a hill thickly clothed in tall undergrowth the guidesank down and pointed with a long ominous forefinger.

　　"Look," he said.

　　Henry looked through the interlacing bushes and, for the secondtime in his life, gazed upon a band of red men. And as helooked, his blood for a moment turned cold. Perhaps thirty innumber, they were sitting in a glade about a little fire. All ofthem had blankets of red or blue about them and they carriedrifles. Their faces were hideous with war paint and their coarseblack hair rose in the defiant scalp lock.

　　"Maybe they don't know that our men are at the Lick," said Ross,"or if they do they don't think we know they've come, an' they'replanning for an attack to-night, when they could slip up on ussleepin'."

　　The guide's theory seemed plausible to Henry, but he saidnothing. It did not become him to venture opinions before onewho knew so much of the wilderness.

　　"It can't be more'n two o'clock," whispered Ross, "an' they'dattack about midnight. That gives us ten hours. Henry, the Lordis with us. Come."

　　He slid away through the bushes and Henry followed him. Whenthey were a half mile from the Indian camp they increased theirspeed to an astonishing gait and in a half hour were at the BigBone Lick.

　　"Have 'em to load up all the salt at once," said Ross toShif'less Sol, "an' we must go gitin' back to Wareville as if ourfeet was greased."

　　Shif'less Sol shot him a single look of comprehension and Rossnodded. Then the shiftless one went to work with extraordinarydiligence and the others imitated his speed. To the schoolmasterRoss breathed the one word "Shawnees," and Henry in a fewsentences told Paul what he had seen.

　　Fortunately the precious salt was packed-they had no intention ofdeserting it, however close the danger-and it was quicklytransferred to the backs of the horses along with the food forthe way. In a little more than a half hour they were all readyand then they fled southward, Shif'less Sol, this time, leadingthe way, the guide Ross at the rear, eye and ear noticingeverything, and every nerve attuned to danger.

　　The master cast back one regretful glance at his beloved giantbones, and then, with resignation, turned his face permanentlytoward the south and the line of retreat.

　　"0 Henry," whispered Paul, half in delight, half in terror, "didyou really see them?"

　　"Yes," replied Henry, "twenty or more of 'em, and an ugly lotthey were, too, I can tell you, Paul. I believe we could whip'em in a stand-up fight, though they are three to our one, butthey know more of these woods than we do and then there's thesalt; we've got to save what we've come for."

　　He sighed a little. He did not wholly like the idea of runningaway, even from a foe thrice as strong. Yet he could notquestion the wisdom of Ross and Shif'less Sol, and he made noprotest.

　　The men looked after the heavily laden horses-nobody could rideexcept as a last resort-and southward they went in Indian file asthey had come. Henry glanced around him and saw nothing thatpromised danger. It was only another beautiful afternoon inearly spring. The forest glowed in the tender green of the youngbuds, and, above them arched the sky a brilliant sheet ofunbroken blue. Never did a world look more attractive, moreharmless, and it seemed incredible that these woods shouldcontain men who were thirsting for the lives of other men. Buthe had seen; he knew; he could not forget that hideous circle ofpainted faces in the glade, upon which he and Ross had lookedfrom the safe covert of the undergrowth.

　　"Do you think they'll follow us, Henry?" asked Paul.

　　"I don't know," replied Henry, "but it's mighty likely. They'llhang on our trail for a long time anyway."

　　"And if they overtake us, there'll be a fight?"

　　"Of course."

　　Henry, watching Paul keenly, saw him grow pale. But his lips didnot tremble and that passing pallor failed to lower Paul inHenry's esteem. The bigger and stronger boy knew his comrade'scourage and tenacity, and he respected him all the more for it,because he was perhaps less fitted than some others for the wildand dangerous life of the border.

　　After these few words they sank again into silence, and to Pauland the master the sun grew very hot. It was poised now at aconvenient angle in the heavens, and poured sheaves of fiery raysdirectly upon them. Mr. Pennypacker began to gasp. He was a manof dignity, a teacher of youth, and it did not become him to runso fast from something that he could not see. Ross's keen eyefell upon him.

　　"I think you'd better mount one of the horses," he said; "the bigbay there can carry his salt and you too for a while until youare rested."

　　"What! I ride, when everybody else is afoot!" exclaimed Mr.Pennypacker, indignantly.

　　"You're the only schoolmaster we have and we can't afford to loseyou," said Ross without the suspicion of a grin.

　　Mr. Pennypacker looked at him, but he could not detect any changeof countenance.

　　" Hop up," continued Ross, "it ain't any time to be bashful.Others of us may have to do it afore long."

　　Mr. Pennypacker yielded with a sigh, sprang lightly upon thehorse, and then when he enjoyed the luxury of rest was glad thathe had yielded. Paul, and one or two others took to the horses'backs later on, but Henry continued the march on foot with longeasy strides, and no sign of weakening. Ross noticed him morethan once but he never made any suggestion to Henry that he ride;instead the faint smile of approval appeared once more on theguide's face.

　　The sun began to sink, the twilight came, and then night. Rosscalled a halt, and, clustered in the thickest shadows of theforest, they ate their supper and rested their tired limbs. Nofire was lighted, but they sat there under the trees, hungrilyeating their venison, and talking in the lowest of whispers.Mr. Pennypacker was much dissatisfied. He had been troubled bythe hasty flight and his dignity suffered.

　　"It is not becoming that white men should run away from aninferior race," he said.

　　"Maybe it ain't becomin', but it's safe,", said Ross.

　　"At least we are far enough away now," continued the master, "andwe might rest here comfortably until dawn. We haven't seen orheard a sign of pursuit."

　　"You don't know the nature of the red warriors, Mr. Pennypacker,"said the leader deferentially but firmly, "when they make theleast noise then they're most dangerous. Now I'm certain surethat they struck our trail not long after we left Big Bone Lick,an' in these woods the man that takes the fewest risks is the onethat lives the longest."

　　It was a final statement. In the present emergency the leader'sauthority was supreme. They rested about an hour with no soundsave the shuffling feet of the horses which could not be keptwholly quiet; and then they started on again, not going soquickly now, because the night was dark, and they wished to makeas little noise as possible, threshing about in the undergrowth.Paul pressed up by the side of Henry.

　　"Do you think we shall have to go on all night, this way?" heasked. "Wasn't Mr. Pennypacker right, when he said we were outof danger?"

　　A sound, coming in the utter silence of the night, had in itsomething ominous.

　　"It was the cry of a wolf," said Paul.

　　"And his brother wolf answered," said Henry.

　　Shif'less Sol was just behind them, and they heard him laugh, alow laugh, but full of irony. Paul wheeled about at once, hispride aflame at the insinuation that he did not know the wolf'slong whine.

　　"Well, wasn't it a wolf-and a wolf that answered?" he asked.

　　"Yes, a wolf an' a wolf that answered," replied Shif'less Solwith sardonic emphasis, "but they had only four legs between 'em.Them was the signal cries of the Shawnees, an', as Tom has beentellin' you all the time, they're hot on our trail. It's amighty lucky thing for us we didn't undertake to stay all nightback there where we stopped."

　　Paul turned pale again, but his courage as usual came back."Thank God it will be daylight soon," he murmured to himself,"and then if they overtake us we can see them."

　　Faint and far, but ominous and full of threat came the howl ofthe wolf again, first from the right and then from the left, andthen from points between. Henry noticed that Ross and Shif'lessSol seemed to draw themselves together, as if they would makeevery nerve and muscle taut, and then his eyes shifted to Mr.Pennypacker, and seeing him, he knew at once that the master didnot understand; he had not heard the words of Shif'less Sol.

　　"It seems that we are pursued by a pack of wolves instead of awar party," said Mr. Pennypacker. " At least we are numerousenough to beat off a lot of cowardly four-footed assailants."

　　Henry smiled from the heights of his superior knowledge.

　　"Those are not wolves, Mr. Pennypacker," he said, "those are theShawnees calling to one another."

　　"Then, why in Heaven's name don't they speak their own language!"exclaimed the exasperated schoolmaster, "instead of using thatwhich appertains only to the prowling beast?"

　　Henry, despite himself, was forced to smile, but he turned hisface and hid the smile-he would not offend the schoolmaster whomhe esteemed sincerely.

　　The dawn now began to brighten. The sun, a flaming red sword,cleft the gray veil, and then poured down a torrent of goldenbeams upon the vast, green wilderness of Kentucky. Henry, as helooked around upon the little band, realized what a tiny speck ofhuman life they were in all those hundreds of miles of forest,and what risks they ran.

　　Ross gave the word to halt, and again they ate of cold food.While the others sat on fallen timber or leaned against treetrunks, Ross and Sol talked in low tones, but Henry could seethat all their words were marked by the deepest earnestness.Ross presently turned to the men and said in tones of greatestgravity:

　　"All of you heard the howlin' just afore dawn, an' I guess all ofyou know it was not made by real wolves, but by Shawnees, callin'to each other an' directin' the chase of us. We've come fast,but they've come faster, an' I know that by noon we'll. have tofight."

　　The schoolmaster's eyes opened in wonder.

　　"Do you really mean to say that they are overhauling us?" heasked.

　　"I shore do," replied Ross. "You see, they're better trainedtravelers for woods than we are, an' they are not hampered byanythin'."

　　Mr. Pennypacker said nothing more, but his lips suddenly closedtightly and his eyes flashed. In the great battle ground of thewhite man and the red man, called Kentucky, the earlyschoolmaster was as ready as any one else to fight.

　　Ross and Sol again consulted and then Ross said:

　　"We think that since we have to fight it would be better to fightwhen we are fresh and steady and in the best place we can find."

　　All the men nodded. They were tired of running and when Rossgave the word to stop again they did so promptly. Thequestioning eyes of both Ross and Sol roamed round the forest andfinally and simultaneously the two uttered a low cry of pleasure.They had come into rocky ground and they had been ascending.Before them was a hill with a rather steep ascent, and droppingoff almost precipitously on three sides.

　　"We couldn't find a better place," said Ross loud enough for allto hear. "It looks like a fort just made for us."

　　"But there is no line of retreat," objected the schoolmaster.

　　"We had a line of a retreat last night and all this mornin' an'we've been followin' it all the time," rejoined the leader. "Nowwe don't need it no more, but what we do need to do is to make astan'-up fight, an' lick them fellers."

　　"And save our salt," added the master.

　　"Of course," said Ross emphatically. "We 'didn't come all thesemiles an' work all these days just to lose what we went so farafter an' worked so hard for."

　　They retreated rapidly upon the great jutting peninsula of rockysoil, which fortunately was covered with a good growth of trees,and tethered the horses in a thick grove near the end.

　　"Now, we'll just unload our salt an' make a wall," said Ross witha trace of a smile. "They can shoot our salt as much as theyplease, just so they don't touch us."

　　The bags of salt were laid in the most exposed place across thenarrowest neck of the peninsula and they also dragged up all thefallen tree trunks and boughs that they could find to help outtheir primitive fortification. Then they sat down to wait, ahard task for men, but hardest of all for two boys like Henry andPaul.

　　Two of the men went back with the horses to watch over them andalso to guard against any possible attempt to scale the cliff intheir rear, but the others lay close behind the wall of salt andbrushwood. The sun swung up toward the zenith and shone downupon a beautiful world. All the wilderness was touched with thetender young green of spring and nothing stirred but the gentlewind. The silky blue sky smiled over a scene so often enacted inearly Kentucky, that great border battle ground of the white manand the red, the one driven by the desire for new and fertileacres that he might plow and call his own, the other by anequally fierce desire to retain the same acres, not to plow noreven to call his own, but that he might roam and hunt big gameover them at will.

　　The great red eye of the sun, poised now in the center of theheavens, looked down at the white men crouched close to the earthbehind their low and primitive wall, and then it looked into theforest at the red men creeping silently from tree to tree, allthe eager ferocity of the man hunt on the face of everyone.

　　But Paul and Henry, behind their wall, saw nothing and heardnothing but the breathing of those near them. They fingeredtheir rifles and through the crevices between the bags studiedintently the woods in front of them, where they beheld no humanbeing nor an' trace of a foe. Henry looked from tree to tree,but he could see no flitting shadow. Where the patches of grassgrew it moved only with the regular sweep of the breeze. Hebegan to think that Ross and Sol must be mistaken. The warriorshad abandoned the pursuit. He glanced at Ross, who was not adozen feet away, and the leader's face was so tense, so eager andso earnest that Henry ceased to doubt, the man's whole appearanceindicated the knowledge of danger, present and terrible.

　　Even as Henry looked, Ross suddenly threw up his rifle, and,apparently without aim, pulled the trigger. A flash of fireleaped from the long slender muzzle of blue steel, there was asharp report like the swift lash of a whip, and then a cry, soterrible that Henry, strong as he was, shuddered in every nerveand muscle. The short high-pitched and agonizing shout died awayin a wail and after it came silence, grim, deadly, but so chargedwith mysterious suspense that both Henry and Paul felt the hairlifting itself upon their heads. Henry had seen nothing, but heknew well what had happened.

　　"They've come and Ross has killed one of 'em," he whisperedbreathlessly to Paul.

　　"That yell couldn't mean anything else," said Paul trembling."I'll hear it again every night for a year."

　　"I hope we'll both have a chance to hear it again every night fora year," said Henry with meaning.

　　The master crouched nearer to the boys. He was one of thebravest of the men and in that hour of danger and suspense hisheart yearned over these two lads, his pupils, each a good boy inhis own way. He felt that it was a part of his duty to get themsafely back to Wareville and their parents, and he meant tofulfill the demands of his conscience.

　　"Keep down, lads," he said, touching Henry on his arm, "don'texpose yourselves. You are not called upon to do anything,unless it comes to the last resort."

　　"We are going to do our best, of course, we are!" replied Henrywith some little heat.

　　He resented the intimation that he could not perform a man's fullduty, and Mr. Pennypacker, seeing that his feelings were touched,said no more.

　　A foreboding silence followed the death cry of the fallenwarrior, but the brilliant sunshine poured down on the woods,just as if it were a glorious summer afternoon with no thought ofstrife in a human breast anywhere. Henry again searched theforest in front of them, and, although he could see nothing, hewas not deceived now by this appearance of silence and peace. Heknew that their foes were there, more thirsty than ever for theirblood, because to the natural desire now was added the tally ofrevenge.

　　More than an hour passed, and then the forest in front of themburst into life. Rifles were fired from many points, the sharpcrack blending into one continuous ominous rattle; little puffsof white smoke arose, whistling bullets buried themselves with asighing sound in the bags of salt, and high above all rang thefierce yell, the war whoop of the Shawnees, the last sound thatmany a Kentucky pioneer ever heard.

　　The terrible tumult, and above all, the fierce cry of thewarriors sent a thrill of terror through Paul and Henry, buttheir disciplined minds held their bodies firm, and they remainedcrouched by the primitive breastwork, ready to do their part.

　　"Steady, everybody! Steady!" exclaimed Ross in a loud sharpvoice, every syllable of which cut through the tumult. "Don'tshoot until you see something to shoot at, an' then make your aimtrue!"

　　Henry now began to see through the smoke dusky figures leapingfrom tree to tree, but always coming toward them. It was hisimpulse to fire, the moment a flitting figure appeared, gone thenext instant like a shadow, but remembering Ross's caution andtheir terrible need he restrained himself although his fingeralready lay caressingly on the trigger. Around him the rifleshad begun to crack. Ross and Sol were firing with slowdeliberate aim, and then reloading with incredible swiftness, anddown the line the others were doing likewise. Bullets werespattering into trunks and boughs, or burying themselves with asoft sigh in the salt, but Henry could not see that anybody wasyet hurt.

　　He saw presently a dark figure passing from one tree to anotherand the passage was long enough for him to take a good aim at ahideously painted breast. He pulled the trigger and theninvoluntarily he shut his eyes-he was a hunter, but he had neverhunted men before. When he looked again he saw a blur upon theground, and despite himself and the fight for life, he shuddered.

　　Paul beside him was now in a state of wild excitement. Thesmaller boy's nerves were not so steady and he was loading andfiring almost at random. Finally he lifted himself almostunconsciously to his full height, but he was dragged down thenext instant, as if he had been seized from below by a bear.

　　"Paul!" fiercely exclaimed the schoolmaster, all the instincts ofa pedagogue rising within him, "if you jump up that way againexposing yourself to their bullets, I'll turn you over my kneeright here, big as you are, and give you a licking that you'llremember all your life!"

　　The master was savagely in earnest and Paul did not jump upagain. Henry fired once more, and a third time and the tumultrose to its height. Then it ceased so suddenly and so absolutelythat the silence was appalling. The wind blew the smoke away, afew dark objects lay close to the ground among the trees beforethem, but not a sound came from the forest, and no flitting formwas there.