CHAPTER XVII--PURSUED BY THE ENEMY
The Delawares bounded through the woods like frightened deer, for theyknew that the Mohawks were close at their heels. Then they heardsomething that filled them with dread. The dogs were baying fiercely ontheir trail.
"Listen, the Mohawks have sent their dogs after us," Running Fox cried,savagely. "They will follow us like wolves. It will be hard to getaway."
"Well, if they come up with us, we will stop and kill them," saidSpotted Deer.
"We have few arrows," Running Fox warned him.
"Perhaps we will not need them," replied Spotted Deer. "These dogs haveseen us there in that camp many days. Perhaps when they find out who weare they will not trouble us."
"That may be true," Running Fox agreed, hopefully.
They noted that the savage baying had already grown weaker in volume,and they believed that most of the dogs had abandoned the chase, andwere barking from the edge of the camp. There were some, however, thatseemed intent upon overtaking the fugitives. In fact it was only a fewmoments before the lads heard them bounding through the undergrowth ashort distance behind them. Realizing that flight would only invite anattack, the lads instantly stopped and waited for the dogs to come upwith them.
"Here they are--watch sharp!" cried Running Fox.
The next moment four great wolf-like creatures overtook them. As thelads faced them and ordered them off the curs seemed to recognize them.They circled cautiously about them, sniffing and bristling, but showedno disposition to attack. There was one, however, that suddenly grewthreatening as the Delawares attempted to resume their flight. Itsnarled viciously, and rushed toward Spotted Deer. He waited until itcame within arm's reach, and cracked its skull with the Mohawk war-club.
"Now we will get away," he laughed, as the other dogs drew their tailsbetween their legs and scurried toward the village.
Without the help of the dogs the Mohawks soon blundered from the trail,and it was not long before the lads heard them signaling on all sides ofthem. What disturbed them was the fact that some of the Mohawks seemedto be ahead of them. They could scarcely believe that their foes hadactually passed them, and they wondered if it might not be some of thewarriors who had left the camp early in the day.
"The Mohawks have surrounded us," Spotted Deer said, uneasily.
"No, I am not afraid about that," replied Running Fox. "They have lostthe trail, and they are scattering to find it. If we watch sharp we willget by them."
When it grew light the lads began to look for certain landmarks whichthey had fixed in their memory. They planned to skirt the edge of thelake where they had blundered into the Shawnees, and then make directlytoward the river. As the day progressed and they continued to avoidtheir foes they began to feel more confident. Running Fox had littledoubt that the skin of the great white Medicine Owl was beginning toexert its power.
"When the Mohawks find out that we have taken away the skin of Gokhos Ibelieve they will be afraid to follow us," said Spotted Deer.
"No, I feel different about it," replied Running Fox. "When StandingWolf finds out what we have done I believe he will bring a greatwar-party to fight us. Yes, I believe he is already on our trail. Wemust travel fast to warn our people."
The sun was disappearing behind the western hills when the Delawaresfinally reached the northern end of the lake. They had traveled at topspeed ever since their escape from the camp, and they were tired andhungry. Nevertheless they feared to stop. They had little doubt that atleast some of the Mohawks were close behind them, and they knew it mightbe fatal to sacrifice even part of their lead.
"We must keep going," Running Fox said, grimly. "If the Mohawks do notcome up with us pretty soon I believe they will begin to hold back."
They continued along the shore of the lake, and had gone about half ofits length before night finally overtook them. Then a big red moon rose,and flooded the forest with its light. It blazed a broad silver trailacross the water, and as they watched it they suddenly saw the blackphantom-like forms of three canoes sweep swiftly across the path oflight. They were within bow-shot of the shore, and were apparentlymaking for the end of the lake.
"The Mohawks have fooled us," said Running Fox. "Now they will get tothe river ahead of us. Perhaps they will wait at the end of this water.We must keep a sharp watch."
He had barely finished speaking when a loon called a short distancefarther down the lake. The Delawares felt certain that it was a signalfrom the canoemen. In a few moments they were sure of it when they hearda fox yapping on the opposite shore. Then close behind them sounded thecall of Gokhos, the owl.
"The Mohawks are all around us," whispered Spotted Deer.
They believed that there was a shorter trail between the Mohawk camp andthe head of the lake, which accounted for the Mohawks overtaking them.It was evident that they hoped to intercept them before they reached theriver. Spotted Deer proposed that when they reached the end of the lakethey should make a long detour toward the east, and gradually circleback to the river. Running Fox promptly decided against it.
"No, that would take a long time," he said. "We have done what we setout to do. Now we must take the shortest trail to our people. I believewe will find danger any way we go. The best way is to go ahead until westrike the river."
"We will do as you say," agreed Spotted Deer.
Then for three long days they skulked through the forest endeavoring toreach the headwaters of the river. Twice they were turned back, andcompelled to make long, wearying detours. When they finally reachedtheir goal near the end of the fourth day, they were almost on the pointof collapse. However, the sight of the river gave them new strength, forit seemed like a friendly trail to their own village.
"Now we will soon be with our people," laughed Spotted Deer.
"We will find much danger before we reach them," Running Fox warned him.
The Delawares had little doubt that the Mohawks had canoes concealedsomewhere near the headwaters of the river, but they believed they hadalready been put to use by their owners. Therefore, the lads determinedto take no chances trying to find them. Their one thought was to reachtheir people in time to warn them against the great war-party that theyfelt sure would follow them to the Delaware camp.
Late the second day they suddenly came in sight of a single canoedirectly ahead of them. It contained three Mohawk warriors, and wasclose to the shore along which the Delawares were traveling. Thepaddlers appeared tired, and the lads felt certain that they had paddleddesperately down the river in a last effort to overtake them before theyreached the Delaware hunting grounds.
"Look, those warriors are coming to the shore," whispered Spotted Deer.
Shortly afterward the Mohawks brought the canoe to land, and two of thepaddlers stepped out. The third, however, remained in the canoe, andpaddled across to the opposite shore. Then, he, too, landed, and drewthe canoe into the bushes. Then all three Mohawks disappeared into thewoods.
"Those warriors have come a long ways ahead of the war-party to look forus," whispered Running Fox. "If they do not find us they will wait untiltheir people come."
The lads were fearful of colliding with the canoemen who had disembarkedon their side of the river, and they determined to hide themselves untildarkness made it safe to advance. While they were waiting, Spotted Deersuddenly formed a daring plan for outwitting their foes.
"When it gets dark I am going to swim across the water, and get thatcanoe," he told Running Fox.
The latter shook his head. It was some moments before he replied.
"No, you must not do that," said Running Fox.
"Yes, I am going to do it," declared Spotted Deer. "You are the leader,but you must stay here until I see what happens to me. Yon have done agreat thing. You will bring great power to our people. It would befoolish for you to get killed. If I get that canoe I will come back andget you before it gets light. If I do not come back by that time youwill know that I have been killed. Then you must do the best
you can toreach our people. Now I am not going to talk any more about it.
"Spotted Deer, you are very brave," said Running Fox. "If you get thatcanoe it will be a good thing for us. Yes, then we can get away from theMohawks, and go to our people very fast. But you must not let anythinghappen to you. Perhaps the Mohawks have set a trap. Perhaps the warriorwho dragged the canoe into the bushes is watching. You must be verycareful."
"I will watch sharp," Spotted Deer assured him.
Spotted Deer did not wait long after darkness fell. He believed that hischances for success would be better if he made his attempt during theearly part of the night. He felt quite sure that at that time theMohawks would still be intent upon watching, but he feared that if hewaited until later they might become discouraged and decide to abandontheir vigil. Running Fox held the same opinion.
"Now I am going," Spotted Deer whispered, when he was ready. "It maytake me a long time, but you must creep down close to the water and keeplistening. If I get the canoe I will come back near this spot. When Iget near the land I will slap the water like Amoch, the beaver. When youhear that you must throw a little stone into the water. It will make asplash like Maschilamek, the trout, and the Mohawks will think nothingof it. But I will know what it means. Now I am going."
"Go. I will watch for you," said Running Fox.
A moment later Spotted Deer disappeared into the dark as silently as ashadow. He turned directly toward the river, and when he came in sightof the water he stopped to listen. Clouds filled the sky, and the nightwas black and still. Spotted Deer raised his face toward the heavens,and asked Getanittowit to aid him in his task. Then he advanced to theedge of the water. For a moment or so he stood there looking andlistening. Then he waded carefully from the shore.
The river was narrow and still at that spot, and Spotted Deer crossed itwithout difficulty. As he approached the shore he ceased swimming, andturned upon his back. He floated a long time, listening for a warning ofdanger. Then as he heard nothing to arouse his suspicions he swam to theshore.
It took only a few moments to wade from the water, and cross the narrowbeach between the river and the stand of willows in which the Mohawk hadconcealed the canoe. Spotted Deer entered the cover with great caution,for he feared an ambush. His fears proved groundless, however, and hereached the canoe in safety. Then he hesitated. The most perilous partof his task was still before him, and he was somewhat in doubt as tojust how to proceed. He doubted his ability to carry the canoe to thewater, and still he realized that if he attempted to drag it through thedense tangle of bushes he might make sufficient noise to warn theMohawk. Still there seemed to be only those two alternatives, and heknew that every moment he delayed he increased his peril. He lifted thehow of the canoe to the level of his knees, and saw at once that itwould be almost impossible to get it to his shoulders. The question wasdecided, therefore he would be compelled to drag it.
Holding his bow and arrows in one hand, Spotted Deer started to draw thecanoe from the willows. It was not an easy task, and the young Delawaretrembled at the noise he made. Each moment he expected to find theMohawk at his throat. Once out of the willows, however, he made betterprogress. He had almost reached the water when he heard a twig snap atthe edge of the woods. Believing that he had been discovered, he threwoff his caution, and dragged the canoe toward the water with no attemptto conceal the noise. As he launched it and clambered in over the side,he heard the Mohawk running toward the river. Several strong paddlestrokes carried him from the shore, and then the night hid him from hisfoe.
As Spotted Deer paddled frantically toward the opposite shore of theriver, he heard the Mohawk yelling furiously to warn his friends. Theanxious lad realized that once they reached the river it might beimpossible to rescue Running Fox. The thought drove him to still greaterexertions. As yet the two scouts had failed to answer the franticappeals of their tribesman. Then, when Spotted Deer was two-thirds ofthe way across, he heard them signaling with the notes of the owl. Stillthey seemed to be some distance back from the water, and he had hopes ofpicking up Running Fox before they could reach the river.
Once within bow-shot of the shore, Spotted Deer ceased paddling andstruck the water a resounding whack with the blade of his paddle. Thenhe listened anxiously for the splash of a stone. Several moments passed,and the silence remained unbroken. Spotted Deer again struck the waterwith his paddle. Still there was no answer. Spotted Deer suddenly grewweak with fear. He believed that something had happened to Running Fox.The possibility staggered him. He was unable to rally his wits. Then heheard the Mohawk on the opposite side of the river imitating the screamof Nianque, the lynx. A moment afterward the signal was answered fromthe edge of the woods, a bow-shot farther down the river. The nextinstant a stone struck the water within a bow-length of the canoe.
Wild with joy, Spotted Deer paddled furiously toward the shore. RunningFox waded out to meet him. As he stepped into the canoe, an arrow sangharmlessly past them. The next moment they heard the Mohawks rushinginto the water below them.
"Paddle hard!" cried Running Fox. "They will swim out and try to catchus."
"We will get by them," declared Spotted Deer. "Keep watching ahead."
He turned the canoe toward the opposite side of the river, and put allhis strength into his paddle strokes. Then, when he was half-way across,he turned down the river. They had gone several arrow-flights whenRunning Fox called a warning. A moment later they flashed past one ofthe Mohawks, who was floundering desperately within three bow-lengths ofthem.
"Now we are safe," said Spotted Deer.
"Yes, I believe we have got away," replied Running Fox. "You have done agreat thing."
Spotted Deer asked Running Fox why he had been so slow in replying tohis signal. Running Fox said that at the time he heard it one of theMohawks was somewhere within a few bow-lengths of him, and he had fearedto make the slightest move. He had been compelled to wait, therefore,until the Mohawk moved away.
"Well, we have fooled them," declared Spotted Deer.
"Yes, that is true," replied Running Fox. "But I believe they will bringa great war-party to fight us."