CHAPTER IV
THE DARING ATTEMPT
Willet knew from their paint that the faces looking down were those ofHuron warriors, but he was quite sure they had not seen anything,and that the men would soon pass on. It was impossible even for thesharpest eyes to pick out the three behind the evergreen screen.Nevertheless he put his rifle forward, ready for an instant shot, ifneeded, but remained absolutely still, waiting for them to make thenext move.
His sensitive hearing brought down the faint voices again and onceor twice the light crush of footsteps. Evidently, the warriors weremoving slowly along the edge of the cliff, talking as they went,and the hunter surmised that the three were the subject of theirattention. He imagined their chagrin at the way in which the chase hadvanished, and he laughed softly to think that he and the lads lay sonear their enemies, but invisible and so well hidden.
The voices became fainter and died away, the soft crush of footstepscame no more, and the world returned to all the seeming of peace,without any trace of cruelty in it; but Willet was not lured by suchan easy promise into any rash act. He knew the savages would comeagain, and that unbroken vigilance was the price of life. Once more hesettled himself into the easiest position and watched. He had all thepatience of the Indians themselves, to whom time mattered little, andsince sitting there was the best thing to be done he was content tosit there.
Robert and Tayoga slept on. The morning was far gone, but they stillrambled happily in the land of dreams, and showed no signs of a wishto return to earth. Willet thought it better that they should sleepon, because youthful bodies demanded it, and because the delay whichwould be hard for Robert especially would thus pass more easily. Hewas willing for them to stay longer in the far, happy land that theywere visiting.
The sun slowly climbed the eastern arch of the heavens. The day lostnone of its intense, vivid quality. The waters of the lake glowed inwonderful changing colors, now gold, now silver, and then purple orblue. Willet even in those hours of anxiety did not forget to steephis soul in the beauty of Lake George. His life was cast amid greatand continuous dangers, and he had no family that he could call hisown. Yet he had those whom he loved, and if he were to choose overagain the land in which to live he would choose this very majesticland in which he now sat. As human life went, the great hunter washappy.
The sound of a shot, and then of a second, came from the cliffabove. He heard no cry following them, no note of the war whoop, and,thinking it over, he concluded that the shots were fired by Indianshunting. Since the war, game about the lake had increased greatly, andthe warriors, whether attached to the French army or roving at theirown will, relied chiefly upon the forest for food. But the reportswere significant. The Indian ring about them was not broken, and hemeasured their own supplies of venison and hominy.
A little after noon Tayoga awoke, and he awoke in the Indian fashion,without the noise of incautious movements or sudden words, butstepping at once from complete sleep to complete consciousness. Everyfaculty in him was alive.
"I have slept long, Great Bear, and it is late," he said.
"But not too late, Tayoga. There's nothing for us to do."
"Then the warriors are still above!"
"I heard two shots a little while ago. I think they came fromhunters."
"It is almost certainly so, Great Bear, since there is nothing in thisregion for them to shoot at save ourselves, and no bullets have landednear us."
"Yours has been a peaceful sleep. Robert too is now coming out of hisgreat slumber."
The white lad stirred and murmured a little as he awoke. His reentryinto the world of fact was not quite as frictionless as that of hisIndian comrade.
"Do not fall down the cliff while you stretch yourself, Dagaeoga,"said the Onondaga.
"I won't, Tayoga. I've no wish to reach the lake in such fashion. Isee by the sun that it's late. What happened while I slept?"
"Two great attacks by Tandakora and his men were beaten off by theGreat Bear and myself. As we felt ourselves a match for them we didnot consider it necessary to awaken you."
"But of course if you had been pushed a bit harder you would havecalled upon me. I'm glad you've concluded to use me for tipping thescales of a doubtful combat. To enter at the most strenuous moment iswhat I'm fitted for best."
"And if your weapons are not sufficient, Dagaeoga, you can make aspeech to them and talk them to death."
The hunter smiled. He hoped the boys would always be willing to jestwith each other in this manner. It was good to have high spirits in acrisis.
"Take a little venison and hominy, lads," he said, "because I thinkwe're going to spend some time in this most spacious and hospitableinn of ours."
They ate and then were thirsty, but they had no water, although itfloated peacefully in millions of gallons below.
"We're dry, but I think we're going to be much dryer," said Willet.
"We must go down one by one in the night for water," said Tayoga.
"We are to reckon on a long stay, then!" said Robert.
"Yes," said Willet, "and we might as well make ourselves at home. It'sa great climb down, but we'll have to do it."
"If I could get up and walk about it would be easier," said Robert. "Ithink my muscles are growing a bit stiff from disuse."
"The descent for water to-night will loosen them up," said Willetphilosophically.
It was a tremendously long afternoon, one of the longest that Robertever spent, and his position grew cramped and difficult. He found somerelief now and then in stretching his muscles, but there was nothingto assuage the intense thirst that assailed all three. Robert's throatand mouth were dry and burning, and he looked longingly at the lakethat shimmered and gleamed below them. The waters, sparkling in theirbrilliant and changing colors, were cool and inviting. They bade himcome, and his throat grew hotter and hotter, but he would make nocomplaint. He must endure it in silence all the afternoon, and all thenext day too, if they should be held there.
Late in the afternoon they heard shots again, but they were quite surethat the reports, as before, were due to Indian hunters. Rogers withrangers might be somewhere in the region of the lakes, but they didnot think he was anywhere near them. If a skirmish was occurring onthe cliff they would hear the shouts of the combatants.
"The warriors will have a feast to-night," said Tayoga.
"And they will have plenty of water to drink," said Robert ruefully."You remember that time when we were on the peak, and we found thespring in the slope?"
"But there is no spring here," said Tayoga. "We know that because wecame up the cliff. There is no water for us this side of the lake."
The afternoon, long as it was, ended at last. The intense burningsunlight faded, and the cool, grateful shadows came. The three stirredin the niche, and Robert felt a little relief. But his throat andmouth were still dry and hard, and they pained him whenever he talked.Yet they forced themselves to eat a scant supper, although the foodincreased their thirst, but they knew that without it their strengthwould decrease, and they expected to obtain water in the dark.
The twilight passed, night came, but they waited with infinitepatience refusing to move too soon, despite their great thirst.Instead, Tayoga suggested that he go to the crest of the cliff andsee if there was a possible way out for them in that direction. Willetagreed, and the Onondaga crept up, without sound, disappearing in afew seconds among the short bushes that hung in the face of the cliff.
Tayoga was a trailer of surpassing skill, and he reached the topwithout rustling a bush or sending a single pebble rolling. Then hepeered cautiously over the rim and beheld a great fire burning notmore than a hundred yards away. Thirty or forty warriors were sittingaround it, eating. He did not see Tandakora among them, but hesurmised, that it was an allied band and that the Ojibway was not faroff.
The feast that the three had expected was in full progress. The hunthad been successful, and the Indians, with their usual appetites, wereenjoying the results. They broiled or roast
ed great pieces of deerover the coals, and then devoured them to the last shred. But Tayogasaw that while the majority were absorbed in their pleasant task, ahalf dozen sentinels, their line extending on either side of the camp,kept vigilant watch. It would be impossible for the three to passthere. They would have to go down to the lake for water, and then hidein their niche.
Tayoga was about to turn back from the cliff, when he heard a shoutthat he knew was full of significance. He understood the meaning ofevery cry and he translated it at once into a note of triumph. Itsounded like the whoop over the taking of a scalp or the capture of aprisoner, and his curiosity was aroused. Something had happened, andhe was resolved to see what it was.
Several of the warriors by the fire replied to the whoop, and then itcame again, nearer but with exactly the same note, that of triumph.The Onondaga flattened his body against the earth, and drew himself alittle higher. In the dusk, his black eyes glowed with interest, buthe knew that his curiosity would soon be gratified. Those who had sentforth the cry were swiftly approaching the camp.
Four warriors came through the undergrowth and they were pushing afigure before them. It was that of a man in a bedraggled and torn reduniform, his hands tied behind him, and all the color gone from hisface. Powerful as was his self-control, Tayoga uttered a low cry ofsurprise. It was the young Englishman, Grosvenor, a prisoner of thehostile warriors, and in a most desperate case.
The Onondaga wondered how he had been taken, but whatever the way, hewas in the hands of enemies who knew little mercy.
The warriors around the fire uttered a universal yell of triumph whenthey saw the captain, and many of them ran forward to meet Grosvenor,whirling their tomahawks and knives in his face, and dancing about asif mad with joy. It was a truly ferocious scene, the like of which waswitnessed thousands of times in the great North American forests, andTayoga, softened by long contact with high types of white men, feltpity. The light from the great fire fell directly on Grosvenor's faceand showed its pallor. It was evident that he was weary through andthrough, but he tried to hold himself erect and he did not flinch whenthe sharp blades flashed close to his face. But Tayoga knew that hisfeelings had become blunted. Only the trained forest runner could keepsteady in the face of such threats.
When they came near the fire, one of the warriors gave Grosvenor apush, and he fell amid cruel laughter. But he struggled to his feetagain, stood a few minutes, and then sank down on a little hillock,where his captors left him alone for the present. Tayoga watched himthoughtfully. He knew that his presence in the Indian camp complicatedtheir own situation. Robert would never hear of going away without anattempt at rescue and Tayoga's own good heart moved him to the samecourse. Yet it would be almost impossible to take the young Englishmanfrom the center of the Indian camp.
Tayoga knew too what grief his news would cause to young Lennox,between whom and Grosvenor a great friendship had been formed. Forthe matter of that, both the Onondaga and the hunter also were verypartial to the Englishman.
The warriors presently untied Grosvenor's hands and gave him somefood. The captive ate a little--he had no appetite for more--and thentried to smooth out his hair and his clothing and to make himself morepresentable. He also straightened his worn figure, and sat more erect.Tayoga gave silent approval. Here was a man! He might be a prisoner,and be in a most desperate plight, but he would present the bestpossible face to his foes. It was exactly what an Onondaga or a Mohawkwarrior would do, and the young Englishman, though he knew little ofthe forest, was living up to its traditions.
"If he has to die," reflected Tayoga, "he will die well. If his peoplehear that he has gone they will have no cause to be ashamed of the wayin which he went. Here is the making of a great white warrior."
The Onondaga knew that Robert and Willet were now expecting him back,but his interest in Grosvenor kept him a while longer, watching at thecliff's rim. He thought it likely that Tandakora might come, andhe had not long to wait. The huge Ojibway came striding through thebushes and into the circle of the firelight, his body bare as usualsave for breech cloth, leggins and moccasins, and painted with thehideous devices so dear to the savage heart.
The warriors received him with deference, indicating clearly to Tayogathat they were under his authority, but without making any reply totheir salutation he strode up to the prisoner, and, folding his armsacross his mighty breast, regarded him, smiling cruelly. The Onondagadid not see the smile, but he knew it was there. The man would not beTandakora if it were not. In that savage heart, the chivalry that sooften marked the Indians of the higher type found no place.
Grosvenor, worn to the bone and dazed by the extraordinary and fearfulsituation in which he found himself, nevertheless straightened upanew, and gave back defiantly the stare of the gigantic and sinisterfigure that confronted him. Then Tayoga saw Tandakora raise his handand strike the young Englishman a heavy blow in the face. Grosvenorfell, but sprang up instantly and rushed at the Ojibway, only to findhimself before the point of a knife.
The young officer stood still a few minutes, then turned with dignityand sat down once more. Tayoga knew and appreciated his feelings. Hehad suffered exactly the same humiliation from Tandakora himself, andhe meant, with all his soul, that some day the debt should be paidin full. Now in a vicarious way he took upon himself Grosvenor's debtalso. The prisoner did not have experience in the woods, his greatmerits lay elsewhere, but he was the friend of Robert, therefore ofTayoga, and the Onondaga felt it only right that he should pay forboth.
Tandakora sat down, a warrior handed him a huge piece of deer meat,and he began to eat. All the others, interrupted for a few minutes bythe arrival of the chief, resumed the same pleasant occupation. Tayogadeciding that he had seen enough, began to climb down with great care.The descent was harder than the ascent, but he reached the niche,without noise, and the sight of him was very welcome to Robert and thehunter who had begun to worry over his absence, which was much longerthan they had expected.
"Did you see the warriors, Tayoga?" asked young Lennox.
"I saw them, Dagaeoga. They are at the top of the cliff, only two orthree hundred yards away; they have a good fire, and they are eatingthe game they killed in the day."
"And there is no chance for us to pass?"
"None to-night, Dagaeoga. Nor would we pass if we could."
"Why not? I see no reason for our staying here save that we have to doit."
"One is there, Dagaeoga, whom we cannot leave a prisoner in theirhands."
"Who? It's not Black Rifle! Nor Rogers, the ranger! They would neverlet themselves be taken!"
"No, Dagaeoga, it is neither of those. But while I watched at thecliff's rim I saw the warriors bring in that young Englishman,Grosvenor, whom you know and like so well."
"What! Grosvenor! What could he have been doing in this forest!"
"That, I know not, Dagaeoga, save that he has been getting himselfcaptured; how, I know not either, but I saw him brought in a prisoner.Tandakora came, while I watched, and smote the captive heavily in theface with his hand. That debt I take upon myself, in addition to myown."
"You will pay both, Tayoga, and with interest," said the hunter withconviction. "But you were right when you assumed that we could notgo away and leave Grosvenor a prisoner in their hands. Because we'rehere, and because you saw him, your Manitou has laid upon us the dutyof saving him."
Robert's face glowed in the dusk.
"We're bound to see it that way," he said. "We'd be disgraced foreverwith ourselves, if we went away and left him. Now, how are we to doit?"
"I don't know how yet," replied the Onondaga, "but we must first godown to the water. We've forgotten our thirst in the news I bring, butit will soon be on us again, fiercer and more burning than ever. Andwe must have all our strength for the great task before us."
"I think it's better for all three of us to go down to the lake atonce," said Willet. "If anything happens we'll be together, and we arestronger against danger, united than separated. I'll l
ead the way."
It was a long and slow descent, every step taken with minute care, andas they approached the lake Robert found that his thirst was up andleaping.
"I feel that I could drink the whole lake dry," he said.
"Do not do that, Dagaeoga," said Tayoga in his precise way. "LakeGeorge is too beautiful to be lost."
"We might swim across it," said Willet, looking at the silvery surfaceof the water unbroken by the dark line of any canoe. "A way has openedto us here, but we can't follow it now."
Robert knelt at the margin, and took a little drink first, letting thecool water moisten his mouth and throat before he swallowed it. Howgrateful it was! How wonderfully refreshing! One must almost perishwith thirst before he knew the enormous value of water. And when itwas found, one must know how to drink it right. He took a second andsomewhat larger drink. Then, waiting a while, he drank freely and asmuch as he wanted. Strength, courage, optimism flowed back into hisveins. As they came down the cliff he had not seen any way to rescueGrosvenor, nor did he see it now, but he knew that they would do it.His restored body and mind would not admit the possibility of failure.
They remained nearly an hour in the shadow of the bushes at thewater's edge, and then began the slow and painful ascent to the niche,which they reached without mishap. Another half hour there, and,having examined well their arms, they climbed to the cliff's rim,where they looked over, and Robert obtained his first view of theIndian camp.
The feasting was over, the fires had sunk far down, and most of thewarriors were asleep, but Tandakora himself sat with his arms acrosshis chest, glowering into the coals, and a line of sentinels was set.A red gleam from his uniform showed where Grosvenor, leaning againsta log, had fallen at last into a happy slumber, in which his desperatecase was forgotten for the time.
"I confess that I don't know how to do it, still it must be done,"whispered the hunter.
"Yes, it must be done," the Onondaga whispered back. "We must stealour friend out of the hands of his enemies. Neither do I know how todo it, but perhaps Tododaho will tell me. See, there is his star!"
He pointed to a great star dancing in the sky, a star with a lightmist across its face, which he knew to be the wise snakes that laycoil on coil in the hair of the Onondaga sage who had gone awayfour hundred years ago to his place in the heavens, and prayed for athought, a happy thought that would tell him the way. In a moment, hismind was in a state of high spiritual exaltation. An electric currentseemed to pass from the remote star to him. He shut his eyes, andhis face became rapt. In a few minutes, he opened them again and saidquietly:
"I think, Great Bear, that Tododaho has told us how to proceed. Youand Dagaeoga must draw off the warriors, and then I will take Red Coatfrom those that may be left behind."
"It's mighty risky."
"Since when, Great Bear, have we been turned aside by risks! Besides,there is no other way."
"It seems that I can't think of any other."
Tayoga unfolded his plan. Robert and Willet must steal along the edgeof the cliff and seek to pass to the north of the line of sentinels.If not detected, they would purposely cause an alarm, and, as aconsequence, draw off the main portion of the band. Then it was theirduty to see to it that they were not taken. Meanwhile Tayoga in theexcitement and confusion was to secure the release of Grosvenor, andthey would flee southward to the mouth of a small creek, in the lake,where Robert and Willet, after making a great turn, were to join them.
"It's complicated and it's a desperate chance," said Willetthoughtfully, "but I don't see anything else to do. Besides, we havegot to act quickly. Being on the war-path, they won't hold him long,and you know the kind of death Tandakora will serve out to him."
Robert shuddered. He knew too well, and knowing so well he was readyto risk his life to save his friend.
"I think," said Tayoga, "that we had better wait until it is about twohours after midnight. Then the minds and bodies of the warriors willbe at their dullest, and we will have the best chance."
"Right, Tayoga," said the hunter. "We'll have to use every triflethat's in our favor. Can you see Tandakora from here?"
"He is leaning against the big tree, asleep."
"I'm glad of that. He may be a bit confused when he awakes suddenlyand rushes off after us, full tilt, with nearly all the warriors. Ifonly two guards are left with the prisoner, Tayoga, you can dispose of'em."
"Fortune may favor us."
"Provided we use our wits and strength to the utmost."
"That provision must always be made, Great Bear."
Using what patience they could, they remained at the edge of thecliff, crouched there, until they judged it was about two o'clockin the morning, the night being then at its darkest. Tandakora stillslept against his tree, and the fires were almost out. The red gleamfrom the uniform of Grosvenor could no longer be seen, but Roberthad marked well the place where he sat, and he knew that the youngEnglishman was there, sleeping the sleep of utter exhaustion.Everything was still and peaceful.
"After all, we could escape through their lines, now," whisperedRobert.
"So it turns out," said the hunter.
"But it looks as if we were held back in order that we might saveGrosvenor."
"That too may be true."
"It is time to go," said Tayoga. "Farewell, Great Bear! Farewell,Dagaeoga! May we meet at the mouth of the creek as we have planned,and may we be four who meet there and not three!"
"May all the stars fight for us," said Robert with emotion, and thenhe and Willet moved away among the bushes, leaving Tayoga alone atthe cliff's rim. Young Lennox knew that theirs was a most perilousventure. Had he given himself time to think about it he would haveseen that the chances were about ten to one against its success, buthe resolutely closed his mind against that phase of it and insistedupon hope. His was the spirit that leads to success in the face ofoverwhelming odds.
Willet was first, and Robert was close behind.
Neither looked back, but they knew that Tayoga would not move, untilthe alarm was given, and they could flee away with the pursuit hotupon their heels. Young Lennox saw again that they could now haveslipped through the Indian lines, but the thought of desertingGrosvenor never entered his mind. It seemed though as if all theelements of nature were conspiring to facilitate the flight of thehunter and himself. The sentinels, whose dusky figures they were yetable to see, moved sleepily up and down. No dead wood that would breakwith a snap thrust itself before their feet. The wilderness opened away for them.
"I think a warrior or two may be watching in the forest to the northof us," whispered Willet, "but we'll go through the line there. Seethat fellow standing under the tree, about a hundred yards to thesouth. He's the one to give the alarm."
But circumstances still favored them. Nature was peaceful. When theywished for the first time in their lives that their flight shouldbe detected, nothing happened, and the vigilance of the warriors whousually watched so well seemed to be relaxed. Robert was consciousthat they were passing unseen and unheard between the sentinel on thenorth and the sentinel on the south.
Two hundred yards farther on, and the hunter brought his moccasinsharply down upon a dead stick which broke with a sharp snap, a soundthat penetrated far in the still night. Robert, glancing back, sawthe sentinel on the south stiffen to attention and then utter a cry ofalarm, a shout sufficient to awaken any one of the sleeping Indians.It was given back in an instant by several voices from the camp, andthen the hunter and the youth sprang to their task.
"Now we're to run as we've never run before," exclaimed Willet. "Butwe must let 'em think they're going to catch us."
First, sending back a tremendous shout of defiance that he knew wouldenrage Tandakora's men to the utmost, he raced with long swift stepsthrough the forest, and Robert was always close on his heels. Theyells of the Indians behind them, who pushed forward in pursuit, weresucceeded by silence, and Robert knew they now were running for theirlives. Luckily, they were coming into a country wi
th which the hunterhad some acquaintance, and, turning a little to the south, he led theway into a ravine down which they took a swift course. After a mile orso he stopped, and the two rested their lungs and muscles.
"They can't see our trail to-night," said the hunter, "and they'llhave to depend on eye and ear, but they'll stick to the chase for along time. I've no doubt they think all three of us are here, and thatthey may take us in one haul. Ready to start on again, Robert?"
"My breath is all right now, and I'll run a race with anybody. Youdon't think they've lost us, do you?"
"Not likely, but in case they have I'll tell 'em where we are."
He uttered a shout so piercing that it made Robert jump. Then he ledagain at a great pace down the ravine, and a single cry behindthem showed that the pursuit was coming. As nearly as Robert couldcalculate, the warriors were about three hundred yards away. Hecould not see them, but he was sure they would hang on as long as theslightest chance was left to overtake Willet and himself.
They fled in silence at least another mile, and then, feeling theirbreath grow difficult again, they stopped a second time, still in theravine and among thick bushes.
"Our flight may be a joke on them, as we intend to draw them afterus," said Robert, "but constant running turns it into a joke on ustoo. I've done so much of this sort of thing in the last few days thatI feel as if I were spending my life, dodging here and there in theforest, trying to escape warriors."
Willet laughed dryly.
"It's not the sort of life for a growing youth," he said, "but you'llhave to live it for a while. Remember our task. If they lose our trailit's our business to make 'em find it again. Here's another challengeto 'em."
He shouted once more, a long, defiant war cry, much like that of thewarriors themselves, and then he and Robert resumed their flight,leaving the ravine presently, and taking a sharper course toward thesouth.
"I think we'd have lost 'em back there if it hadn't been for thatwhoop of mine," said Willet.
"Perhaps it's about time to lose them," said Robert hopefully. "Thesooner we do it the happier I'll feel."
"Not yet, Robert, my lad. We must give Tayoga all the time he needsfor the work he's trying to do. After all, his task is the main one,and the most dangerous. I think we can slow up a bit here. We have tosave our breath."
They dropped down to a walk, and took another deep curve toward thesouth, and now also to the east. Their present course, if persistedin, would bring them back to the lake. The night was still dark, buttheir trained eyes had grown so used to it that they could see verywell in the dusk. Both were looking back and at the same time they sawa shadowy figure appear in the forest behind them. Robert knew that itwas the vanguard of the pursuit which was drawing uncomfortably close,at least for him. A shout from the warriors was followed by a shot,and a bullet cut its way through the leaves near them.
"I think we ought to give 'em a hint that they come too close, attheir peril," said Willet, and raising his own rifle he sent back ananswering shot which did not go astray. The first warrior fell, andothers who had come forward in the undergrowth gave back for the time.
"They'll take the hint," said the hunter, "and now we'll increase ourspeed."
He reloaded, as they ran, and a little later Robert sent a bullet thatstruck the mark. Once more the warriors shrank back for the time,and the hunter and lad, using their utmost speed, fled toward thesouthwest at such a great rate that the pursuit, at length, was leftbehind and finally was lost. Day found their foes out of sight, andtwo or three hours later they came to the mouth of the creek, wherethey were to meet Tayoga, in case he succeeded.
"And now the rest is in other hands than ours," said Willet.
Forcing themselves to assume a patience they could scarcely feel, theysat down to wait.