CHAPTER XII--SMOKE
Running Fox immediately took the lead, and turned toward the north. Hebelieved that the Shawnees would hesitate to follow them far in thatdirection for fear of being led into an ambush. Besides, it was the onlydirection in which the Delawares could go without sacrificing theirlead. It was not long, however, before they heard signals ringingthrough the night a short distance behind them.
"The Shawnees are close, we must travel faster," said Running Fox.
Dawn was breaking when they reached the end of the lake. Having heardnothing further from their pursuers they believed that they had turnedback. However, the fact that both the Mohawks and the Shawnees werepainted for war kept them alert to their danger. They believed that abig battle was impending, and they felt sure that the wilderness wasfilled with hostile scouts. Shortly after sunrise, therefore, theystopped to rest, and hold a council-of-war.
"I believe the best thing to do is to keep going ahead until the sungoes down," declared Running Fox. "Then we will climb to a high place,and look for smoke. If we do not see it, then we must circle around.Yes, we must climb to all the high places, and look every way. I do notbelieve the Mohawk camp is beyond two suns' journey away. Perhaps it isnearer."
"I do not see any other way to do," replied Spotted Deer.
They resumed their way into the north, keeping a sharp watch for theirfoes, and climbing to the tops of the ridges to search the sky forsmoke. At the end of the day, however, they had seen nothing which wouldgive them a clue to the location of the Mohawk camp.
"Perhaps it is not near that water," suggested Spotted Deer. "Perhaps wehave gone the wrong way."
"No, I do not believe it," said Running Fox,
"I am thinking about something different. The Mohawks are at war withthe Shawnees. Perhaps they are afraid to make fires."
"Then how can we find the camp?" inquired Spotted Deer.
"I believe it will be a hard thing to do," replied Running Fox. "We mustask Getanittowit to help us."
The following day they again decided to separate--Running Fox to make ahalf circle toward the east, while Spotted Deer made a similar detourtoward the west. They agreed to meet at dark at a great spire-shapedrock on the summit of a low hill directly ahead of them.
"No matter what you see, come back when it gets dark," said Running Fox,
"I will do as you tell me," agreed Spotted Deer.
Running Fox made his way toward a ridge of hills less than a half day'sjourney to the eastward. He had traveled about two-thirds of thedistance when he suddenly came upon the remains of a small fire. It hadbeen made between two rocks, and cleverly concealed by a screen ofbrush. A few embers still glowed from the ashes, and it was evident thatwhoever had camped there had only recently departed. Running Fox circledcarefully about the spot, trying to learn the identity of the firemaker.He found some tracks leading toward the east. However, he was only ableto follow them a short distance, as the country was rough and rocky, andthey soon disappeared. Running Fox believed that the crafty scout hadpurposely left a plain trail for a short distance to baffle his foes.The Delaware felt quite sure that farther on the unknown traveler hadturned in another direction.
"I must watch out for that person," Running Fox told himself.
He reached the ridge of hills a short time afterward, and lookedanxiously toward the north for evidence of the Mohawk camp. The sky wasclear and cloudless, however, and there was no trace of smoke. RunningFox felt troubled. He feared that the unexpected appearance of theShawnees threatened the success of his expedition. Still he had nothought of turning back. Having made his boast to his father hedetermined to make it good, or sacrifice his life in the attempt.
The day was well advanced, and Running Fox had about decided to leavethe ridge and return to Spotted Deer, when he suddenly discovered aheavy column of smoke rising above the tree-tops a short distance southof him. It suggested many interesting possibilities, and Running Foxstudied it closely. For a long time it puzzled him. He could scarcelybelieve that it came from the Mohawk camp. In the first place he feltsure that the camp was farther from the lake. Besides, there was but onedense column of smoke, while smoke from a village usually rose inseveral thin columns, or hovered above the camp in light hazy clouds.Running Fox decided, therefore, that the smoke which he saw must be asignal. The possibility quickened his interest. Then the smoke columnbegan to waver and break. In a few moments he saw it separate into anumber of puffs or clouds. They followed one another at short intervals,and Running Fox became convinced that some one was sending a message. Hewould have given much to have been able to read it. He searched the skyin all directions, hoping to see an answer but none appeared.
"I believe some one is talking to the Mohawk camp," said Running Fox.
The Delaware realized that if his guess was true it was quite probablethat the signal would go unanswered. He believed that it would be readby sharp-eyed sentinels who had been stationed on the high places towatch for it, but he felt sure that no tell-tale spiral of smoke wouldbe permitted to betray the location of the village. If an answer weresent, Running Fox believed it would appear somewhere far away from thecamp. Still, the mere sight of the signal filled him with hope, for hetold himself that the Mohawk village was surely somewhere within sight.He waited until the smoke faded from the sky, and then as he saw nothingto indicate that the signal would be answered he hurried away to meetSpotted Deer.
Darkness had already fallen when Running Fox approached the rock wherehe was to meet his friend. This time, however, his signal brought animmediate response, for Spotted Deer was waiting for him.
"We have found each other--it is good," said Spotted Deer.
"It is good, my brother," replied Running Fox. "Have you looked around?"
"Yes, I have circled all around this hill; there is no one hiding here,"Spotted Deer assured him.
"Then we will sit down and talk," said Running Fox.
Running Fox told what he had seen to the eastward, and Spotted Deerlistened with great attention. The smoke particularly impressed him. Heagreed with Running Fox that it must have been a signal. However,Spotted Deer was not so sure that it had anything to do with the camp.
"Perhaps that smoke was sent up by the Shawnees," he suggested. "Perhapsa Mohawk scout was talking with the war-party."
"Well, it may turn out that way, but I feel different about it,"insisted Running Fox. "Now you must tell me what you found out."
Spotted Deer said that he had gone a considerable distance toward thewest without discovering any signs of his foes. Then he had climbed tothe top of a mountain to reconnoiter. He had watched a long time when hefinally saw what he believed was smoke far away toward the north. He hadstrained his eyes to make sure, but it faded from the sky before hecould convince himself. Then he had set out to meet Running Fox.
"That is what happened," concluded Spotted Deer.
"Well, we have not done much," Running Fox declared, gloomily. "Ibelieve the Mohawk camp is close. There is only one thing to do. We mustkeep moving around until we find it. We will wait here until the nextsun comes. Then we will look around some more."
The following day they again scouted carefully through the woods insearch of the Mohawk camp. This time, however, they remained togetherand turned toward the north. Running Fox felt convinced that the villagewas somewhere in that direction, and as he was the leader Spotted Deerwas content to rely upon his judgment.
"I believe there must be a trail going toward that camp," declaredSpotted Deer.
"Well, I did not hear our people say anything about it," replied RunningFox.
Nevertheless they determined to keep a sharp watch for anything thatlooked like an opening through the forest. They continued toward thenorth for half of the day, and then Running Fox proposed that theyshould circle toward the west.
"That will bring us near the place where you saw something that lookedlike smoke," he told Spotted Deer.
"Well, I am not sure ab
out what I saw, but I believe it would be a goodthing to go over there, and look around," said Spotted Deer.
Then for a long time they traveled in silence. Running Fox seemed moodyand thoughtful, and Spotted Deer made no attempt to rouse him. Thelatter realized that a war-leader had many responsibilities, and he feltquite sure that Running Fox was meditating upon some plan for bringingsuccess to his undertaking.
"Spotted Deer, there are two things that trouble me," Running Fox said,finally.
Spotted Deer remained silent. He knew that it would not do to question awar-leader unless the latter chose to enlighten him.
"First I am troubled because I have not found Gokhos, the great whiteMedicine Owl," continued Running Fox. "If we had the skin of thatmysterious bird I believe much good would come of it. But I am troubledabout another thing. Yes, I am troubled about the Shawnees. They havecome into this country to fight the Mohawks. It is a bad thing for us. Ibelieve the Mohawks will keep many warriors around the village. Well,now I will tell you something different. I have set out to do thisthing, and I am going through with it no matter what happens to me."
"Those are good words," Spotted Deer declared, admiringly. "You willsoon find Gokhos, the great white Medicine Owl, and then we will be ableto do some great things. I am not thinking about the Shawnees----"
"Stop!" Running Fox interrupted, excitedly. "I see smoke rising behindthat ridge."
They saw a misty blue haze drifting above the top of a low ridgedirectly ahead of them.
"That is the place I was looking at," said Spotted Deer. "Yes, I know itby that big mountain over there."
"I believe we have found the Mohawk camp," declared Running Fox. "Wemust watch sharp. If the village is on the other side of that ridge weare very close. Spotted Deer, I believe we are in great danger."
They immediately concealed themselves in the woods to watch. It was notlong, however, before both of them agreed that the smoke came from theMohawk camp. The thought filled them with joy. They believed that theywere almost within sight of their goal, and they were eager to verifytheir hopes. However, Running Fox realized that it would be the heightof folly to attempt to look over the ridge before dark. He had littledoubt that, if the camp really was on the other side, the crafty Mohawkshad stationed scouts along the crest of the ridge to guard the villageagainst surprise. Therefore, he decided to wait until night came to hisassistance.
"We must stay here until it gets dark," he told Spotted Deer. "Then wewill creep up on that ridge, and find out if the camp is over there."
"I believe we will find it," Spotted Deer replied, confidently.
"Well, that smoke looks like camp smoke, but I am not sure about it,"said Running Fox.