CHAPTER VI
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HENRY
It must be confessed that though he walked swiftly, Dave's heart wasanything but light. Turn the subject as he might he felt it "in hisbones," as he afterward declared, that a big uprising was close at handand that this might mean the wiping out of every pioneer for scores ofmiles around.
"The soldiers at Will's Creek fort and at Winchester ought to know ofthis," he observed to Uriah Risley. "Someone will have to carry thenews."
"Perhaps someone has already done so," was the Englishman's answer. Heheaved a sigh. "So the cabin is to the ground. Alack! it was a sorry daywhen I pushed to the front instead of taking up ground close toWinchester, as the good housewife wanted me to." And he shook his headdolefully.
In moving toward the spot where he had left Henry and Mrs. Risley, Davetook great care to steer clear of the camp-fires of the various Indianshe had encountered. This was no easy task and more than once they cameclose to running into a "hornet's nest," as he called it.
Once Uriah Risley gave a cry of alarm and came close to discharging hisfirearm. A wolf had slunk across their path in the darkness and theEnglishman took the form to be that of a sneaking Indian.
"A redskin! He will scalp us!" he cried, and was on the point of pullingthe trigger when Dave stopped him.
"No! no! It's only a wolf!" cried the youth. "Don't waste your powderand ball. Besides, a shot will arouse every Indian for quarter of a milearound."
"A wolf? So it must have been." Uriah Risley drew a long breath andlowered his musket. "He gave me a good scare, I must vow."
"Hush! It won't do to talk so loud," went on the boy. "For all we knowthe Indians may be trailing us and be ready to pounce on us at anymoment."
These words caused the Englishman to glance back apprehensively, andhurry on faster than ever. "It's a beastly woods," he said. "I wish wewere out of it."
"We are safer here than in a clearing," was the answer. "Come closebehind me and keep quiet, and I think we'll be safe."
On and on they went. Dave's lower limbs ached and trembled under him,for he was now almost fagged out and it was only will-power that kepthim up. Slowly they climbed the last rise of ground. At a distanceglowed the dying embers of a camp-fire.
"There's a redskins' nest," said the youth, as he paused for a moment."But it looks as if they had deserted the place."
"Then we'll have to be doubly cautious, lad. They may be scattered inthis vicinity."
"You are right. But I hope not, for we are now close to where I leftyour wife and Henry."
With added caution Dave crept forward another couple of hundred feet.Then he stopped and peered around him in perplexity.
"What is it, lad?"
"They are gone!"
"Gone?"
"Yes, gone."
"You are certain this is the spot?"
"I am. I know it well, by this fallen tree and that rock. They havemoved to another quarter--or else----"
"Or else the redskins have attacked them and carried them off," finishedUriah Risley. He gave a groan. "Oh, lad, what is best to do now? Tellme, for you are better versed to this sort of thing than I."
"I--I don't know what to do," faltered the young hunter, staring firstat the helpless man before him and then at the gloomy surroundings."Wait a minute, and keep your hands on your gun. But don't shoot me orHenry or your wife by mistake."
Leaving Risley in the center of the little opening Dave started to walkaround in a wide circle. He did this with extreme caution, his head bentclose to the ground and his eyes noting every root and rock that coveredhis path. Then he took another circle, still wider, and at last cameback to where his companion stood, the picture of misery and despair.
"I found nothing," he said, in reply to the Englishman's questioning."They are gone, and I don't believe there are any Indians close to us.I'm going to make a light and risk it."
He brought forth his flint and tinder and soon had a tiny light, whichhe applied to some dry leaves and then a stick of wood which was full ofpine pitch. This latter made a fairly good torch, and holding it closeto the ground he continued the search.
Suddenly he uttered a cry of horror. He had come to a spot where theground was torn up by many footprints. Close at hand was a white birchtree and on its bark were several spots of deep red.
"There has been a fight," he said, as Uriah Risley came closer. "See howthey struggled. There is blood on the tree and there is a bit of clothtorn from Henry's jacket--or rather, the jacket I left him." Dave gave adeep shudder. "I--I wonder if Henry is dead?"
"My wife, my poor, poor Caddy!" moaned Uriah Risley, and for a momentcovered his face with his hands. "Oh, lad, this is monstrous, monstrous!Heaven help her if she is in the power of such savages!"
"Yes, heaven help them both," returned Dave.
Torch in hand, the youth followed a bloody trail through the forestuntil it ended abruptly by the side of one of the numerous streams inthat vicinity. Here he came to a halt, and as Risley rejoined him bothstared vacantly at each other.
"Well?" said the Englishman.
"They went up or down the stream," answered Dave. "But which way I can'tsay. But one thing is certain--neither of them was killed."
"How do you know that?"
"If they were we should have found their bodies. The Indians wouldn'tbother to carry 'em off. They'd simply scalp 'em and let it go at that."
"Perhaps they threw the--the bodies into the water."
Dave shook his head. "No, I'm pretty certain they carried 'em off asprisoners."
There was an awkward pause and something like a lump arose in Dave'sthroat. If Henry was a prisoner and the Indians were on the war-paththis could mean but one thing for the youth--burning at the stake orsome similar torture. The silence was broken by Uriah Risley.
"It's a burning shame, lad, an outrage. But what can we do now?"
"I don't know what to do excepting to go home and give the alarm. Itwon't do any good to stay here. The Indians may fall on us half ahundred strong--just as they most likely fell on Henry and your wife."
"But--but I cannot desert my poor wife, my beloved Caddy. She is all theworld to me. I'd rather die myself than see a hair of her head injured."
"Then you had better continue the hunt, while I go home. If you shouldfall in with 'em tell Henry how matters stand. But, Mr. Risley, let mecaution you not to be rash, if you catch sight of Mrs. Risley in thehands of the redskins. If you give them the chance they'll burn you atthe stake--and it won't help her a bit either."
"I'll try to be cautious, lad. I hate to have you go, but I supposeafter all it's for the best. Do what you can to save Mrs. Morris andlittle Nell and the rest. Leave me the torch. I'll go up and down thestream a bit and investigate."
A minute more and they had parted, shaking hands in a fashion that meanta great deal. Perhaps they would never again meet in this world. Daveturned away and stole off silently, his eyes staring straight ahead andhis throat working convulsively. Ah, how little do the boys of to-day,living in their comfortable homes and surrounded with every luxury andconvenience, realize how much their great-grandfathers of those days hadto endure in the shape of privation and peril!
So tired that he could scarcely drag one limb after the other, Davepursued his course through the forest. Fortunately his "bump oflocality" was well developed and there was small danger of his gettingtotally lost, even though he might go more or less astray. It was nowbeginning to snow again, but it was so warm that the particles of whitemelted as soon as they fell. Not a star was to be seen anywhere and theway was blacker than ever.
Reaching the first rise of ground, the youth felt compelled to rest andthrew himself at the foot of a large tree with his musket across hisknees, ready for use should he be surprised. Once or twice his eyesclosed in spite of his efforts to keep them open. But he invariablystraightened up, determined to keep awake at all hazards.
"I'll not rest until I know all at home are safe," he told himself
. "Imust get along somehow." And he staggered up and continued his course.
He had not gone over a rod when he saw something dark moving ahead. Theobject looked like a pair of Indians, coming slowly toward him, and hisheart leaped into his throat. He raised his gun and pointed it.
But ere he was called on to fire he saw the object more distinctly anduttering something of a cry of joy he lowered his weapon and rushedforward.
"Widgeon!" burst from his lips, and in a moment more he had hold of themane of one of Uriah Risley's horses--an animal that had escaped fromthe Indians when the shed was set on fire. "Where did you come from? Howlucky I am to find you!"
The horse seemed to recognize Dave, for he gave a low whinny and rubbedhis cold nose on the youth's jacket sleeve. A broken halter dangled fromhis neck, but he possessed neither saddle nor bridle. He was coveredwith a cold moisture, showing that he had run considerably after havingbroken away.
Having found the horse Dave's spirits arose a little. He led the animalforward and struck out for a new route homeward, longer than that whichhe had been pursuing but free from thickets and pitfalls. As soon as hethought it safe to do so he leaped upon Widgeon's back, spoke to thehorse, and set off on a comfortable jog, which later on, when the groundbecame more familiar, he increased to a gallop.
Once Dave fancied he heard Indians in pursuit and holding on toWidgeon's mane with one hand, drew up his gun with the other. But thenoises died away in the distance, and after that came no more alarms. Atlast he came in sight of home and found to his joy that it remained ashe had left it, undisturbed.