CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
A GLADSOME MEETING.
Some hours before dawn Robin Gore came to an abrupt pause, and lookingover his shoulder, held up his hand to command silence. Then he pointedto a small mound, on the top of which a faint glow of light was seenfalling on the boughs of the shrubs, with which it was crowned.
The moon had just set, but there was sufficient light left to rendersurrounding objects pretty distinct.
"That's them," said Robin to Walter, in a low whisper, as the lattercame close to his side; "no doubt they're sound asleep, an' I'm puzzledhow to wake 'em up without givin' 'em a fright."
"Musha! it's a fright that Wapaw will give _us_, av we start himsuddenly, for he's murtherin' quick wi' his rifle," whispered Larry.
"We'd better hide and then give a howl," suggested Stiff, "an', afterthey're sot up, bring 'em down with a familiar hail."
The deliberations of the party were out short and rendered unnecessary,however, by Wapaw himself. That sharp-eared red man had been startledby the breaking of a branch which Larry O'Dowd chanced to set his footon, and, before Robin had observed their fire, he had roused Roy andNelly and hurried with them to the summit of a rocky eminence, fromwhich stronghold they now anxiously watched the proceedings of thehunters. The spot to which they had fled for refuge was almostimpregnable, and might have been held for hours by a couple of resolutemen against a host of savages.
Robin, after a little further consultation, resolved to send the BlackSwan in advance to reconnoitre. This he did, contrary to his wontedcustom of taking the lead in everything, because of an unaccountablefeeling of dread lest he should not find his children there.
Black Swan at once stepped cautiously forward with his rifle, readycocked, in the hollow of his left arm, and his finger on thetrigger-guard. Step by step he moved towards the encampment withoutmaking the slightest noise, and with so little motion that he mighteasily have been mistaken for a dark shadow. Raising his head over theedge of the encampment he gazed earnestly into it, then he advancedanother pace or two, finally he stepped into it, and, standing erect,looked around him. With a wave of his hand he summoned his comrades toadvance. Robin Gore's heart beat hard as he approached, followed by theothers.
Meanwhile they were closely watched by Roy and Wapaw. When the BlackSwan's head appeared, Roy exclaimed in a whisper, "An Injun--d'ye knowhim, Wapaw?"
"He is one of our tribe, I think," replied the Indian, in the same lowvoice, "but I know him not; the light of the fire is not strong."
"If he's one o' your tribe," said Roy, "it's all up with us, for theywon't be long o' findin' us here. Keep close to me, Nell. I'll stickby you, lass, don't fear."
Wapaw's brows lowered when he saw the Black Swan step into theencampment, and make the signal to his comrades to advance. He raisedhis rifle, and took deliberate aim at his heart.
"Roy," he whispered, "get an arrow ready, aim at the next man that stepsinto the light and let fly; I'll not fire till after you, for the smokewould blind you."
Roy obeyed with a trembling hand. Notwithstanding the rough life he hadled in those wild woods of the West, he had never yet been called on tolift his hand against a human being, and the thought of taking life inthis deliberate and almost murderous way caused him to shudder; still hefelt that their case was desperate, and he nerved himself to the deed.
Another moment, and Robin stood beside the Black Swan. Roy tried toraise his bow, but his heart failed him. Wapaw glanced at him, and saidsternly--
"Shoot first."
At that moment Obadiah Stiff stepped into the encampment, and, stirringthe embers of the fire with a piece of stick, caused a bright flame andshowers of sparks to shoot upwards. This revealed the fact that some ofthe party were white men, so Wapaw lowered his rifle. A single glanceof his practised eye told him who they were. Laying his hand suddenlyand heavily on Roy's shoulder he pressed him down.
"Come, let us go," he said quickly; "I must see these men alone, and youmust keep close--you _must not look_."
He said the latter words with emphasis; but in order to make sure thatthey should not have a chance of looking, he led his young companions toa point whence the encampment could not be seen, and left them therewith strict injunctions not to quit the spot until he should return.
In a few seconds Wapaw stepped into the circle of light where Robin andhis party were all assembled, and so rapid and noiseless had hismovement been, that he was in the midst of them almost before they wereaware of his approach.
"Wapaw!" exclaimed Walter in surprise, "why, you seem to have droppedfrom the clouds."
"Sure it's a ghost ye must be," cried Larry. The Indian took no noticeof these remarks, but turned to Robin, who, with a look of deep anxiety,said--
"Have 'ee seed the childer, Wapaw?"
"They are safe," answered the Indian.
"Thank God for that!" cried Robin, while a sigh of relief burst fromhim: "I believe ye, Wapaw, yer a true man an' wouldn't tell me a lie,would ye?"
The tone in which the hunter said this implied that the statement wasscarcely a true index to his feelings, and that he would be glad to hearWapaw assure him that he was indeed telling the truth. But this Indianwas a man of truthfulness, and did not deem it necessary to repeat hisassertion. He said, however, that he would go and fetch the children,and immediately quitted the camp. Soon after he returned with Roy andNelly; he had not told them, however, who the strangers were.
When Roy first caught sight of his father he gave a shout of surprise,and stood still as if he were bewildered. Nelly uttered a wild scream,and rushed forward with outstretched arms. Robin met her more than halfway, and the next moment folded his long-lost little one to his bosom.