Chapter VI. Battle and Storm

by Joseph A. Altsheler

　　It was yet dark, in fact much darker than it had been justafter the fog lifted, and the dawn was a full three hours away.Although the flooded area of forest on the western shore was muchless than on the eastern, it was sufficient to furnish ampleconcealment for the boat, and, when they tied up amid densefoliage, they could not see the main stream behind them.Jim Hart laid down his oars, stood up, and carefully cracked hisjoints.

　　"I am tired," he said. "Never wuz I so tired afore in mylife."

　　"But, Jim," said Shif'less Sol, "Think what a pow'ful livelynaval battle you hey been through. Ef you ever git a wife -which I doubt, 'cause you ain't beautiful, Jim - you kin tell herhow once you rowed right over a great Injun warship. Mebbe, Jim,she'll believe all them fancy details you'll stick on to it.

　　"I know I ain't beautiful," said Long Jim thoughtfully, "an'I don't know ez I want to be, but ef any woman wuz to marry meshe'd most likely believe whatever I told her, bein' ez I have atruthful countenance, but ez fur you, Sol, anybody kin tell bylookin' at you that ef you wuz to ketch in this river a littlecat-fish six inches long you can tel' them that didn't know thatit wuz a whale."

　　"Seems to me," said Tom Ross, "that I wuz waked up kindersuddin a few hours ago. I wuz in the middle uv a mostbee-yu-ti-ful nap, and I know right whar I stopped it. I'm goin'tack an' pick up that nap at the exact place whar I left off."

　　Without another word he pulled his blanket over him andstretched himself on a seat. In a minute or two he was soundasleep. Tom Ross was a veteran campaigner. He not only knewwhat to do, but he could and would do it.

　　"Paul, you and Jim follow him," said Henry, "I'll keepwhat's left of the watch with Sol."

　　Jim was treading the easy path of slumber in five minutes,but it took Paul at least ten to pass through the gates. Henryand Sol sat in the boat, silent but watchful.

　　"We're between two fires," whispered Henry at last. "I don'tthink that war party will give up just yet, and maybe we'd betterstick here in the woods for a while, on the chance that theythink we belong to the Spanish force and have rejoined it."

　　"We've got to stay in hidin' fur a spell, that's shore,"said Shif'less Sol. "We might stick here all day. We kinovertake the Spaniards any time, cause we have only one road tofoller an' that's the river."

　　Henry nodded and they settled back to the watch and silence.Their three comrades stretched on seats, lockers, or the boat'sbottom, slept soundly, and they could hear their regularbreathing. But they heard nothing else save the light lapping ofthe water against the tree trunks.

　　Dawn came, golden and beautiful. Tom Ross opened his eyes."Anything happened?" he asked.

　　"No," replied Henry, "and we are not going to move yet.Sleep on."

　　Tom closed his eyes again, and in a minute was back in thepleasant land of slumber. The other two did not awake and Henryand Sol still did not stir. From the leafy arbor in which "TheGalleon" was moored, they were intently watching the surface ofthe river. An hour passed and the sun rose higher and higher,flooding the surface of the great stream with golden beams.

　　"Do you see anything, Henry?" asked Sol.

　　"Yes, I think there's a canoe among the trees on theopposite shore."

　　"I reckoned that I saw it, too, but I wuzn't certain. Mustbe a scout canoe."

　　"Do you see anything to the southward, Sol?"

　　"I reckoned that I saw somethin' thar, too, an' I took itfur smoke."

　　"The Spanish camp, of course."

　　"0' course."

　　"And I think the Indians are spying upon it. They are quitesure now that we were a part of the Spanish force."

　　"They think they know it, an' they'll hang 'roun' untilto-night, when they're more'n likely to shoot into the Spanishcamp."

　　"Which won't hurt us, Sol."

　　"Not a leetle bit. We kin sing all the time, 'dog eat dog,go it one, go it tother.'"

　　"Instead of singing," said Henry smiling, "we can put inmost of the time sleeping."

　　"Both please me," said Shif'less Sol, rubbing his handsgleefully.

　　Everything befell as they thought it would. Other canoesappeared at the edge of the wood on the far shore, but on everyoccasion further down the river. There was no doubt in the mindsof the watchful observers aboard "The Galleon" that they werespying upon the Spanish camp and meditated an attack at night.It was equally certain that the Spaniards knew nothing of theIndians' presence. All the five were now awake and they rejoicedat the prospect.

　　"I see an easy day commin' to me," said Shif'less Solluxuriously. "'Tain't often that a lazy man like me kin hev secha good time an' I'm goin' to make the most o' it."

　　"I think," said Henry, "that while the Indians are busy withthe Spaniards we'd better try to fix up that sail. We don't needa tent and we do need a sail. Some time or other, when we get ina pinch, the sail might do the pulling, leaving the rowers freeto use their rifles."

　　"Jest ez I might hey expected," said Sol in a tone ofdisgust. "All ready for rest, fixed fur it mostbee-yu-ti-ful-ly, an' told instead that I must go to work. Thisworld shorely ain't kind to a good man."

　　Once more the staunch ship, "The Galleon," proved herself tobe a treasure house. They found in the lockers plenty of ropeand stout cord, and they cut in the forest a stout young saplingwhich they made of the right length, peeled off the bark, andadjusted in rude fashion, as a mast. They also made a boom andthen rigged a single sail, somewhat after the fashion of thecat-boat of the present day.

　　This would have been an impossible task to them, had not"The Galleon" been so well provided with axes, saws, hammers,other valuable tools, and cord and nails. The mast could betaken down in an emergency, but they were all of the opinion thatthe sail would draw, and draw well. It might not always be easyto control it, but "The Galleon" was built in Spanish fashion,heavy, deep, and square, and it would take a great deal to makeher capsize.

　　While the others worked one watched, and the boats of theIndians were seen again at the edge of the far forest. The lasttime they saw them they were so far down that they were almostopposite the point where the Spaniards lay, which indicated twothings to them, first the certainty that Alvarez had not moved,and second that "The Galleon" and her crew were absolutely safefor the time being, where they lay.

　　"I suppose that Alvarez is in no hurry and decided to take aday of rest," said Henry.

　　They finished their own labors late in the afternoon andcontemplated the mast and sail with pride.

　　"Now that it's done, I'm glad that it hez been done," saidShif'less Sol. "It'll save me a lot o' work hereafter. It wouldbe jest like you fellers to make me git callous spots all overthe inside o' my hands, when the hide on Jim Hart's is already sothick it wouldn't hurt him to do all his rowin' an' mine, too."

　　"I jest love to see you work, Sol," said Long Jim Hart. "Ican't enjoy my rest real good, 'less at the same time I'm layin'on my back watchin' you heavin' away."

　　Nevertheless, all took a long rest though maintaining avigilant watch, and, with pleasure, they saw a dark night comeon. When the twilight was completely gone they steered once morefor the main stream, not using their sail yet, because of theboughs and bushes.

　　"We've got to keep in the edge of the forest," whisperedHenry, and in that manner they crept cautiously southward. Aftera while they stopped suddenly and all exclaimed together. Theydistinctly heard the sound of rifle shots straight toward thesouth and perhaps a mile away.

　　"The savages hev attacked," said Shif'less Sol in a whisper."Go it, Spaniard, go it, Injun, one may lick and tother may lick,but whether one may lick tother or tother lick which, I don'tcare."

　　They pulled a little nearer to the last line of trees in thewater and there off to the south they saw the little pinkish dotsthat marked the rifle and musket fire. It was too far away forthem to see anything else, but they heard distinctly theintermittent crackle of the shots.

　　"Neither will win," said Henry. "The Spaniards are toostrong to be defeated, but they won't venture the unknown terrorsof the river at night. The Indians, who are in their canoes,will draw off when they find they are not doing much harm."

　　"Wish we could put up that sail," said Shif'less Sal, whowas still at the oars. "I'm shore gittin' a callous lump in thepa'm o' my hand."

　　"It wouldn't do, Sol," said Henry. "We're going to run pasta battle, and we mean to lie as low as possible."

　　Paul again steered, Henry sat, rifle in hand, and the othersrowed. They took a diagonal course across the stream once more,but this time toward the eastern shore. They advanced slowly,hugging the dark. Fortunately there was no moon and the duskcame close up to the boat.

　　"That's a right noisy fight," said Shif'less Sal, lookingtoward the south, where pink and red spots of flame stillappeared in the dark and the rattling fire of rifle and musketgrew louder.

　　"More noise than anything else," said Tom Ross, "but itkeeps 'em pow'ful busy an' that's a good thing fur us."

　　They were now near the flooded forest on the eastern shore,and they moved slowly along in its shadow, still watching thedistant battle. It lightened a little, the rim of a moon cameout, and they saw toward the western bank the dark silhouettes ofcanoes moving back and forth on the water. Flashes came from thecanoes and returning flashes came from the bank.

　　"Go it, Spaniard, go it, Injun, go it, one, go it, tother,"muttered Shif'less Sal again.

　　"The Galleon" slowly passed by in the darkness. The pinkand red dots went out and the sound of the rifle fire died behindhem. They could neither see nor hear anything more of thebattle, and all were of the opinion that it would soon cease by asort of mutual agreement of the contestants.

　　Paul once more turned the head of the boat toward the middleof the stream, and she swung gaily into the current, where herspeed soon increased greatly.

　　"We can fix up our mast and hoist our sail now," said Henry."Since there is nobody to look, it won't hurt us to make speedfor a while."

　　It required some time and exertion to put the mast in placeand then they unfurled the sail. They were rather clumsy aboutit from lack of experience, but the tent cloth filled with thenorth wind, and "The Galleon" leaped forward in the water, herbroad nose parting the stream swiftly, while the youthful heartsof Henry and Paul swelled with exultation.

　　Shif'less Sal drew in his oars and bestowed upon the sail alook of deep approval.

　　"That's the most glorious sight that hez met the eyes o' atired man in a year," he said. " Blow, Mr. Wind, blow! an' let merest."

　　The others also rested, but Sol and Henry put all theirattention upon the boom and sail. They did not intend to bewrecked by ignorance or any sudden flaw in the wind. The breeze,however, was steady and strong, and "The Galleon" continued tomove gallantly before it.

　　They sailed for three or four hours and during the latterpart of the time they coasted along the western bank. There theycame to the mouth of a small river, thickly lined on both shoreswith gigantic trees.

　　"I think we'd better take down our sail and run up this,"said Henry. "We can go back some distance and hide close to thebank. The Spaniards of course will not dream of coming up it,and we can stay here until they go by."

　　"A safe and pleasant haven as long as it is needed," saidPaul.

　　They took down the sail and pulled at least a mile up thelittle river. There they tied close to the bank, and, happy overtheir success, sought sleep, all except the watch, the nightpassing without disturbance.

　　The day came, again unclouded and beautiful, and the fiveregarded it, the boat, and themselves with a great deal ofsatisfaction.

　　"I'm thinkin' that our treasure ship, the gall-yun, ought tohev the most credit," said Shif'less Sal. "She brought us pastall them warrin' people in great style. Without her we'd hev ahard time, follerin' the Spaniards to New Or-lee-yuns."

　　After breakfast they remained awhile in the boat, content tolie still and await events. Everywhere around them was the deepforest, oak, hickory, chestnut, maple, elm, and all the othernoble trees that flourish in the great valley. Just above themwas a low point in the bank of the little river and they couldsee that it was trodden by many feet.

　　"Game comes down to drink thar," said Shif'less Sol.

　　"Lie still and let's see," said Paul.

　　The boat was almost hidden in the thick foliage thatoverhung the river, and nobody on it stirred. Two deer presentlywalked gingerly to the water, drank daintily, and then walked asgingerly away. Soon a black bear followed them and shambled tothe water's edge. He looked up and down the stream, but he sawnothing and the wind blowing from him toward the boat brought nodread odor to his sensitive nostrils. He drank, wrinkled hisface in a comical manner, scratched himself with his left paw,and then shambled away. Shif'less Sol laughed.

　　"I'd hev to be hard pushed afore I shot that feller," hesaid. "Ain't the black bear a comic chap when he tries to be. Ideclare I hev a real feller feelin' fur him. I couldn't everfeel that way toward a panther. They always look mean an' theyalways are mean, but I could hobnob right along with a jolly, fatblack bear."

　　"Yes," said Paul, looking dreamily far into the future."It's a pity they have to go."

　　"Hey to go, what do you mean, Paul?" interrupted Long JimHart, as he cracked a joint or two.

　　"Why," replied Paul, "all this country will be settled upsome day, and how can bears and panthers and buffaloes roam wildon farms?"

　　Long Jim looked at him with eyes slowly widening in wonder."Paul," he exclaimed, "you do say the beatinest things sometimes!Now what do you mean by sayin' that all this country will besettled up? Why, thar ain't enough people in the world fur that,an' thar won't never be."

　　"Yes there will be, Jim," said Paul decisively, "although itwill not occur in your time."

　　"Not if I lived to be a hundred years old, Paul, or mebbe ahundred an' twenty, 'cause I'm a pow'ful healthy man?"

　　"No, not if you lived to be a hundred and twenty."

　　Long Jim heaved a deep sigh of relief - he had the true soulof the woodsman.

　　"That's mighty relievin' an' soothin'," he said. "Think uvhavin' to walk every day through cleared ground! Think uvlookin' every day fur a bee-yu-tiful sky only to see cabin-smoke!Think uv drawin' your sights on what you fust take to be a finebuffalo, an' then find out is only your neighbor's old cow!Think uv your goin' off to a river to trap beaver, an' findin'nothin' thar but a saw-mill! Think uv your havin' to meetmornin' an' evenin' all kinds uv people that you don't carenothin' about! Think uv your goin' out on a great huntin'expedition only to find all them noble trees cut down a thousan'miles every way, an' nothin' wanderin' around thar but old lamehorses an' gruntin' pigs! I'm plum' thankful that I'm livin' atthe time I do, when ther's lots uv countries you don't knownothin' about, an' lots uv fun guessin' what they are, an' mostlyguessin' wrong. An' I'm glad too that I didn't live in them olddays that Sol tells about, when people had to build walls aroundtheirselves in towns, an' wuz afraid to go out in the woods an'hunt bear an' buffalo like men!"

　　Jim Hart, after this speech, so long for him, stopped forwant of breath, and Shif'less Sol, regarding him with a look ofdeep sympathy, held out a brown and sinewy hand.

　　"Jim Hart," he said, "shake. I'll be proud to hev you doit. You ain't no beauty, Jim, an' somehow you an' me are kinderdisputatious now an' then, but you are lettin' flow at thisminute a solid stream o' wisdom, a fountain, ez Paul would say inhis highfalutin' way, at which everybody ought to drink."

　　Jim Hart also reached out a brown and sinewy hand and thetwo met in a powerful and friendly clasp.

　　"I'm like Jim," continued Shif'less Sol. "'Tain't what yougit that makes you happy, but thar's a heap in bein' suited. I'mglad I'm livin' when I am, an' whar I am. Me an' things suiteach other. What Paul says may come true, but it won't bust myheart, 'cause I won't be here to see."

　　An hour or so later Henry and Sol went through the woods andwatched for the Spanish fleet. They saw it presently moving insingle file down the Mississippi, and showing, so far as theycould judge, no signs of damage.

　　"'Twas ez we guessed last night it would be, a dogfall,"said Shif'less Sol, "lots o' noise and not much done. Now thatInjun crowd hez drawed off to the east, an' I think we've seedthe last o' them, while the Spaniards, thinkin' they've hadenough o' excitement, will keep straight on to New Or-leeyuns."

　　"I've no doubt you're right," said Henry, "and we'll followto-night. We'll let them take a good start."

　　They watched the little fleet until it passed out of sightdown the river and then returned to their own boat. There theydevoted the day to further preparations for a long journey. Asgame was close at hand in such abundance, they shot two deer andtook the meat on board. They also undertook to provide shelter,as this was the period of the spring rains and they did not wishto be drenched or have their stores damaged. Fortunately theyfound a tarpaulin in one of the lockers and, taking this and thetwo deerskins, they united all in a larger covering which theycould spread over nearly the whole boat. This all considered ahighly important task, and they meant to enlarge the tarpaulinstill more as they killed more deer. Meanwhile they let it liein the sun, in order that the deerskins might dry.

　　Their tasks occupied them until about 10 o'clock at nightand then they decided to start again, thinking that nighttraveling would be safer for a day or two. They rowed down theriver until they entered the Mississippi, and then they set theirsail again.

　　No other human beings were afloat on the river, at least notwithin the range of their vision, but there was a plenty offloating trees and other debris brought down by the spring flood.Careful steering was necessary, but they went on without anyaccident. Shif'less Sol, however, gazed up at the moon with anunquiet eye.

　　"She looks too soft an' fleecy," he said, speaking of themoon. "When she's peepin' through them lacy-lookin' clouds itmeans that trouble is about to stir."

　　"We'll keep a watch," said Henry.

　　They continued until midnight and Sol's troubles still keptoff, but about that time all noticed a sudden increase of thebreeze, accompanied by an equal increase of dampness.

　　"Something like a storm is coming and you were right, Sol,"said Henry. "Now, I wish we knew a lot about sailing."

　　"But as we don't," said Paul, "I think we'd better take inour sail at once."

　　They quickly did so and their precaution was wise. The wind,blowing out of the north, began to shriek, and the boat, evenwithout the aid of a sail, leaped forward. Driving cloudssuddenly shut out the moon, and the yellow waters of the giantstream, lashed by the wind, began to heave and surge in waveslike those of the sea. The treasure ship, "The Galleon," pitchedand rocked like a real galleon in the long swells of the Pacific,but the five knew that she was perfectly safe. The broad, squareSpanish boat could not be swamped.

　　"Thank God, we've taken in that sail," said Henry. "We'regoing to have a night of it! Do you think we'd better pull forthe shore?"

　　"Not now," replied Shif'less Sol, "the wind's risin' toofast, an' we'd hit a tree or a snag, shore. Better keep eznearly in the middle o' the river ez we kin!"

　　The soundness of Sol's judgment became apparent at once.The shriek of the wind rose to a scream and then a roar. Thenight became pitchy dark. They could see nothing around them buta narrow circle of muddy waters heaving violently. Under the farhorizon in the south and west, low, sullen thunder began tomutter. Suddenly the sky parted before a tremendous flash oflightning that blazed for a moment across the heavens and thenwent out, leaving the night darker than before. But in thatmoment they caught a vivid glimpse of the flooded forest, thegreat waste of troubled waters, and all the vast desolation aboutthem. It was weird and uncanny to the last degree, and despiteall the dangers and hardships through which they had passed onland, the five steadied their nerves only with supreme efforts ofthe will.

　　"We've forgot the covering for our boat," exclaimed Henry."Paul, keep her steady, while the rest of you help me."

　　It required the strength of four to spread the tarpaulin inthe wind and make it all secure, but they were a strong four andthe task was quickly done. Meanwhile the turbulence of air andwater were increasing. The waves on the river rose higher andhigher and the wind drove the foam in their faces. The thunder,no longer a mutter, became one terrific peal after another, andthe lightning burned across the great stream in flash afterflash.

　　"I sp'ose it's jest the same ez bein' at sea," said Solbetween crashes. "I don't know much choice between bein' drownedin the Mississippi, which I know is muddy, an' the sea, whichthey say is salt."

　　"No danger of either!" said Paul cheerfully, "but I'm gladthis is such a wide river. So long as we can keep the boatstraight there is not much risk of being driven into anything."

　　Then everyone jumped suddenly to his feet. There was atremendous crash of thunder louder than all the rest, and thewhole river swam for a moment in a burning glare. The lightningseemed to have struck upon the surface of the water not far fromthem. Then, when the lightning and the thunder passed, theyheard only the wind and saw only the darkness.

　　"This ain't so easy ez it looked," said Shif'lessSol in a plaintive tone. "It's nice rid'in on a boat, but if thelightning she strike 'The Gall-yun,' whar are we? I'd a heaprather on die land."

　　"That must have been its climax," said Paul, "and if so lookout for the rain."

　　Paul was right. The lightning began to decline in intensityand the thunder sank in volume. The wind died rapidly. Yetthere was no increase of light, and presently they heard afar arushing sound. Great drops beat like hail upon their tarpaulin,and all except the man who was steering snuggled to cover. Thesteersman happened to be Shif'less Sol this time, and he wrappedone of the new Spanish blankets tightly around him from heel tothroat.

　　"Now let it come," murmured the indomitable man.

　　It took him at his word and it came with a sweep and a roar.The heavens opened and a deluge fell out. The thunder andlightning ceased entirely and from the black skies the rainpoured in amazing quantities. Now and then all except thesteersman were forced to bail out the boat, but mostly they keptto cover under their tarpaulin, which was a good one.

　　Shif'less Sol held the good ship "The Galleon," in themiddle of the current, and all the time he strained his eyesahead for floating debris and particularly for the terrible snagswhich were such a danger in the early Mississippi. Keen as werehis eyes, he could see little ahead of him but the black water,now beaten into a comparatively smooth plain by the steady rain.

　　Shif'less Sol had taken off his cap and the rain drovesteadily on the back of his head; but his body, thanks to thethick blanket wrapped so tightly around his neck, remained dry.Shif'less Sol was not uncomfortable. Neither was he alarmed orunhappy. There was a strain of chivalry and romance in hisforest-bred soul, and the situation appealed to him. He was in astrong boat, his four faithful comrades were with him, and he waspiercing a new mystery, that of a vast and unknown river. Thespirit that has always driven on the great explorers andadventurers thrilled in every nerve of Solomon Hyde, nicknamedthe Shiftless One, but not at all deserving the title.

　　The boat went steadily on in the blackness and the rain, andSol's soul swelled jubilantly within him. He could see perhapsthirty or forty feet ahead of him over the smooth plain of blackwater, and at an equal distance to right and left the black wallrose, also. So far as feeling went, the land might be a thousandmiles away, and he was glad of it.

　　"Which sea are we ploughin' through now, Paul?" he said. "Isit the Atlantic or the Pacific or one I ain't heard tell ofa-tall, a-tall? But which ever it is, I'm Christopher Columbusthe second, on my way to discover a new continent bigger than allthe others put together! Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! but that was anarrow escape! It made my flesh creep!"

　　Sol had shifted the boat in her course, just in time toescape an ominous snag, but in a moment his joyousness came back,and without giving Paul time to answer, he continued:

　　"A boat goin' down stream on a river is shorely the rightway o' travelin' fur a lazy man like me. I wish it wuz all likethis!"

　　The violence of the rain abated somewhat in an hour or so,but it continued to come down for a long time. Far aftermidnight the clouds began to part. A damp patch of sky showed,but it was clear sky nevertheless and soon it broadened.

　　The flooded world rose up before the five voyagers, the vastriver, still black in the night light, floating trees, perhapsrooted up by the stream from shores thousands of miles to thenorth and west, the low, dim outline of forest to right and left,and all around them an immense desolation. Everything to otherminds would have been gigantic, somber, and menacing. Giganticit was to the five, but neither somber nor menacing. Instead ittold them of safety and comfort and it was, at all times, full ofa varied and supreme interest.

　　As soon as the light was strong enough for them to find asuitable place they pulled the boat among the trees on thewestern shore and tied it up securely. Here they made a criticalexamination and found that none of their precious goods hadsuffered a wetting. Powder, provisions, clothing, all were dryand every one except the watch went to sleep with a soundconscience.