CHAPTER IV
Dick and the Indians
Dick Dare had not gone twenty yards before he became convinced thatthere were Indians in the vicinity. At once he realized that he wouldhave to be very careful, or he would be unable to get through the lineswithout being captured. He had been successful, always, in gettingthrough the lines of British sentinels, but these redskins were adifferent proposition. They were perfectly at home in this region, and,too, they were used to being about at night. They possessed the abilityto know what was going on around them, even in the darkness, theyseemingly having the catlike faculty of seeing in the dark.
But the knowledge that he was going to have a hard time getting past theIndians only made Dick the more determined to do so. He was eager toprove that he was a good scout and spy, and if he could get through theIndians' lines without being discovered or captured, then he would havedone something to be proud of.
So he settled down and began advancing very slowly and cautiously. Hewould advance a few feet and then stop and lie flat on the ground, andlisten intently. Several times, while lying thus, silent and motionless,he heard sounds in various directions that he knew were not made by wildanimals of the forest, but were made by Indians, without doubt.
He heard the calls of night birds, which, so his keen and well trainedear told him, were not made by birds, but were simply good imitations,made by the redskins. Dick could imitate the majority of the birds ofthe forest, in their calls to one another, himself, and so was able todetermine that these calls were not genuine.
And this made him exercise the greatest possible care. He could tell, bythe various directions the sounds came from, that the fort wassurrounded, and he did not doubt but what an attack was contemplated. Hewould have gone back into the fort and told them what he had learned,had he deemed it necessary; but he knew that sentinels were posted, andthat the redskins could not spring a surprise on the settlers, so hefelt that it would do no good to take this trouble. It was moreimportant that he get through the lines and then hasten to reach GeneralGreene with the news that he was needed down in that part of thecountry.
Presently he discovered, by hearing a call close at hand, that at leastone Indian was almost in front of him. He paused and lay silent andmotionless for a few moments, and then he began moving around, in asemi-circle.
Cautiously he proceeded, and his every nerve was tense and ready forinstant action, in case his presence was discovered and he was attacked.He had gone perhaps twenty yards, and was about opposite the point wherehe had heard the sound that indicated the presence of the Indian, whenhe heard a slight rustling, as of a body moving toward him, through thegrass. He listened, and became convinced that an Indian was approachinghim, and he guessed that the redskin had heard him.
Dick lay still, his mind working swiftly. What should he do? Should hewait and engage the redskin in a combat, or should he leap up and takerefuge in flight?
It was a difficult question to answer, and as he was turning the matterover in his mind, he heard the rustling coming closer and closer. Hemust act quickly, or the Indian would be upon him.
He suddenly decided that the best thing for him to do was to take refugein flight. True, he realized he might run right into the arms of theIndians, but on the other hand, if he remained where he was, and wasattacked by the redskin, the sound of the combat would bring a score ofIndians to the spot quickly, and he would be captured.
Having made up his mind, Dick acted. Leaping to his feet, he dashed awayat the top of his speed, and instantly he heard the sound of pursuit andknew that the Indian he had heard slipping up on him had given chase.
On the youth ran, and suddenly a peculiar, quavering cry went up fromhis pursuer's lips. It was evidently a signal telling his brother bravesthat a man from the fort was among them, and for them to try to capturehim. Realizing this, Dick was on the alert, and expected every moment tofeel himself seized by the hands of the redskins.
He had reached the heavy woods, however, before he became aware of thenear presence of any redskins, and then he thought he heard severalright in front of him.
Whirling, he ran toward the left, at the top of his speed, and thenbegan such a game of hide and seek as Dick had never engaged in before.His quick ears would tell him when there were Indians in front of him,and he would turn in some other direction, with the result that in goinga distance of two or three hundred yards, he must have gone at least amile.
Two or three times he had felt hands clutching him, but he had managedto tear himself loose, and finally he was enabled to continue his flightstraight ahead, not hearing any sounds to indicate the presence ofredskins in front of him.
Behind him he heard the sounds of pattering feet, however, and theguttural exclamations of the redskins, and knew he was being pursued. Hefelt that now that he had succeeded in getting through their lineswithout being captured he could escape, however, and did not feel verymuch alarmed.
"So ye think ye're safe, do ye, hey?"]
Dick was an exceedingly swift runner, and it was to this that he owedhis success, so far, and to this fact he finally owed his good fortunein getting away from his pursuers, for he gradually drew away from theIndians, and when they had followed him a mile or so, they gave up thepursuit and turned back. Doubtless they decided that it was of moreimportance to be ready to attack the fort when the time came than tokeep on in pursuit of a fugitive that could run like the one they hadbeen after.
And when he was certain that the redskins had ceased pursuing him, Dickslackened his speed to a walk, went onward at a moderate pace, andpresently paused and stood listening intently.
He did not hear a sound in the direction from which he had come, and hedrew a breath of relief, and murmured aloud: "They have given up thechase and gone back. That is good. Now I am safe, and will take it alittle easier."
"So ye think ye're safe, do ye, hey?" exclaimed a voice almost in Dick'sear, and then he felt a pair of exceedingly strong arms encircle hisbody, pinioning his arms to his side. He struggled fiercely, but couldnot break the hold of the person who had seized him.
"Oh, thar ain't no use tryin' to git loose," chuckled a gruff voice."I've got ye, an' ye kain't git erway."