CHAPTER XIII
THE GRAND HUNT
WITH a winter approaching, the severity of which none of them couldmore than guess at, it was the most natural thing in the world for theOhio river settlers to wish to lay in a goodly stock of dried venisonand buffalo meat.
From the friendly Indians they had learned just how this "pemmican" wasprepared; and, while it could not be compared to fresh meat, still, totide over a protracted season, when possibly game could not be had, itpromised to prove valuable indeed.
Already in every cabin could be seen long strips hanging from therafters of the living-room, or drying before the fire when rainyweather prevented its being cured in the hot sunshine.
Still, the meagre quantity in hand was a source of considerable anxietyto the serious-minded men of the settlement. Should the Indians comein sufficient force to harass them to any great extent, their huntingmight be stopped. Hence, only a day or two after the departure of Mr.Armstrong and his three companions, a general hunt was proposed.
Of course it was not intended that all the defenders of the settlementshould be away at the same time. They were formed into two companies,one of which would be out for a couple of days; and, upon reaching homeladen with spoils, the second detachment might try their luck.
In this round-up it was hoped to secure so large a supply of game thatthe housewives would be able to put away all the pemmican they wanted.
Of course Bob and Sandy were heart and soul in the proposed grandhunt. They had already brought in enough meat to enable Kate and themother to store away a vast quantity for winter use; but, being goodproviders, the boys hardly knew when to stop. Besides, both of themloved the chase, since the spirit of the true sportsman flowed with theblood through their veins.
And so it chanced that they accompanied the second party that wentforth. It was policy for these hunters to seek new fields for theirraid on the storehouse of Nature, since their comrades must have sadlydepleted the number of deer and buffaloes toward the east. Accordinglythey had turned in the direction of the setting sun.
The Armstrong boys had possibly done more tramping within ten miles ofthe settlement than any other white person. Most of their time had beenspent in the forest, with gun or trap in hand. Thus they knew the bestplaces for game, and were able to post the balance of their party whenthey sallied forth that day.
As was always their custom, the boys had kissed both their mother andsister good-bye when starting forth on the hunt, little suspecting whatstrange vicissitudes of fortune were fated to come upon them ere theyfour met again.
Of course it was not the intention of Bob and Sandy to remain away fromtheir humble cabin home over night. Had they dreamed of so doing theywould have seen to it that the defenceless ones were safely lodgedat the blockhouse within the strong stockade in the centre of thesettlement; just as Bob had promised his father should be done in caseof an Indian attack.
A scout had come in the day before, bringing news that things seemedto be going on about as before. The Indians were indulging in the wardance it was true, and nightly the harsh sound of the war drum mightbe heard pealing through forest and over plain; but they seemed to beholding back for some final word from that mighty plotter and enemy ofthe whites, the war-chief of the Great Lakes, Pontiac.
As this would be really the last big hunt, and danger did not seemto be imminent, the boys had no serious fears as they went forth. Itgave them so much pleasure to know that they were filling the shoes ofthe absent father, and providing food for the winter that was drawingnearer every passing day, that they departed in high spirits, throwingback kisses to the two who stood at the door of the cabin, watchingtheir going.
By noon they were miles away from the cabin in the clearing, and intenton the business that had tempted them to the forest. The variousmembers of the party had arranged a central rendezvous where they wereexpected to meet after they had secured their supply of fresh meat.There were eight in all, making just four couples, for it was deemedwise that they should not separate entirely.
The vast woods that surrounded them on all sides might hide otherliving things besides the four-footed game which they expected tosurprise and secure. For unknown centuries had the red men followedthe tortuous buffalo trails in their annual hunts, and frequent spellsof warfare between rival tribes. They looked upon the invasion of thepalefaces with increasing concern, as meaning the gradual absorption ofthis fair country; and, as time rolled on, their efforts to stem thetide of emigration by massacre and the torch would become more frantic.
At noon the boys had not succeeded in securing their quota of game.They had purposely given their companions the most desirable locations,feeling certain that in good season they would be able to accomplishall they wished, for Sandy had ever been a lucky hunter.
"Come," said Bob, as they sat side by side on a log to enjoy the"snack" Kate had put up for each of her brothers; "we must do betterthan this, Sandy, unless we want to have them laugh at us. From now onwe ought to stir ourselves, and get either a fat deer or a buffalo."
"I hope it is a cow then, and not a tough old bull," remarked Sandy,who was munching on his hoe cake and cold turkey, the last of a finegobbler his ready musket had fetched down some days back.
"Well, that depends pretty much on you," laughed Bob. "If you have anychoice be sure to pick out a yearling, and leave the old chaps alone."
"Yes," grumbled the other, shaking his head as he spoke; "that's allvery nice, Bob; but you know that sometimes the old bull refuses to belet alone."
"Now you're thinking of that time you were treed by a buffalo you hadwounded, and kept up in the branches for hours. Only for that brightthought that came to you, and which led you to fish for your gun withsome yarn secured from unravelling your stocking, you might have stayedthere all night."
"But I didn't, you remember, Bob!" grinned Sandy, looking up archly."The doubled yarn held first-rate, and brought me my gun. After that itwas easy to send a bullet back of the bull's shoulder; and I even hadthe pleasure of toting some of his carcass home; but mother said it wasonly good for soup, it was so tough."
"Well," remarked Bob, rising to his feet, and picking up his gun, "I'mready to make a fresh start, if you say so. And here's hoping that wehave better luck than the morning brought us."
"I wonder how far he is on his way now?" sighed Sandy.
They had not been speaking of Mr. Armstrong at all; but Bob couldunderstand readily enough whom his brother meant, for was not thatbeloved father in their minds pretty much all the time?
"Oh! he can hardly be a great way off," Bob made answer. "You know howslow they must travel when crossing the mountains. Still, they have nowomen and children along to hold them back. However, weeks must passbefore we can hope to see him again. Why, it will be almost in thewinter I fear, though mother refuses to say as much."
Sandy gulped something down as he strode after his brother. He couldnot control his feelings as well as the stronger Bob, and the thoughtof that father perhaps never coming home again always unmanned him.
Presently, however, in the excitement of the hunt, he managed to forgethis anxieties; for Sandy dearly loved the chase, and everythingconnected with the great forest appealed to his nature.
An hour later they chanced upon the track of a small herd of buffaloes.
"It is fresh, too," declared Sandy, after he had dropped down on handsand knees to examine the marks of split hoofs.
"Then here is our meat, if we are lucky enough to get within shootingdistance," declared Bob, looking carefully to the priming of hisflintlock musket, as was the universal habit with the pioneers of thedays of Boone, since a lack of powder at that point, when the hammercame down, and sparks flew into the pan, would cause a misfire, andthat generally meant trouble.
Carefully the brothers crept along, first one and then the other takingthe lead, in order not to miss the tracks of the game. They couldonly hope that the buffalo might have stopped near by, to lie downduring the heat of the day, or l
ick the salt at one of the known spotsfrequented by such animals.
"Hist!" whispered Sandy, presently, as he slowly allowed his body tosink down until he was hidden behind the brush that acted as a screenbeyond.
No words were permissible under such conditions. The wary game wastoo close by for talking, even in whispers. Sandy pointed, and made afew gestures that his companion must have readily understood, for heimmediately nodded. They had hunted so often in company that they had aregular code of signals for occasions like this, to take the place ofverbal communications.
Thus Bob understood that the buffaloes were within easy gunshot, thatseveral of them were even then in sight, and appeared to be feeding;and the opportunity for a double shot excellent.
Together they crept forward through the brush, inch by inch. Arrived atthe further side they found that they could see splendidly. Bob benthis head close to Sandy's ear, and whispered softly:
"You take the mother; leave me the half-grown baby!"
A minute later the reports boomed out, starting several other animalsup from the long grass of the glade where they had been lying. Theyoung pioneers were gratified to see both buffaloes fall as thoughmortally wounded; for the boys were good shots, and seldom missedbringing down their quarry.
Still they knew better than to dash recklessly out in the open, solong as that grand old bull with the wicked-looking black horns ranbellowing about, snorting in his mad desire to do battle with theunseen foe that had brought confusion into his family.
Presently he, too, galloped after the other buffaloes. Then the boysdared stand up, and proceeded to reload their guns; after which theywalked over to their game, with the intention of securing all theycould carry of the choice portions.
An hour later they were headed for the spot agreed on as a generalmeeting-place for the various couples engaged in the hunt. Each of themwas loaded down with meat, enclosed in the hides of the animals thathad fallen to their guns.
"I hope the others have come in," remarked Bob as they drew near thespring that bubbled out from under the roots of a giant oak, and, beinglocated on a little rise, was a prominent object for some distancearound. "We ought to be starting homeward soon, you know."
"Yes," replied Sandy, "this load is going to fret my shoulders some, Ifear, before I get rid of it. But it seems to me we ought to sight theoak spring about now, Bob!"
"And there it is," remarked his brother, as they suddenly came out ofthe dense brush into more open ground.
"Why they're all back but us, it seems," remarked Sandy. "Four,six--why, Bob, look, there's another one along now, seven, I count!Perhaps a messenger from the settlement! I hope it doesn't mean badnews. See, they're beckoning to us! Oh! hurry, Bob, hurry! What if itshould be for us--what if--"
"There, that will do, Sandy; don't be silly enough to think up everyawful happening before you know;" but, while Bob spoke thus bravely,his own heart was throbbing much faster than usual as he hastened hisfootsteps, and thus approached the spot where the seven men awaitedthem.
He noted the furtive looks on their faces, and understood that itwas sympathy for himself and Sandy that caused the lowered eyes, theclinched hands, and the tightly compressed teeth.
"What brings you out here, Mr. Harkness?" Bob asked, trying to steadyhis voice, though with poor success. "Surely no one is sick athome--our mother, Kate!"
Sandy gave a groan as he saw the settler nod his head in theaffirmative when their sister's name was mentioned.
"Yes, Bob," Mr. Harkness said, with an intake of his breath; "it isKate! Steady now, my poor boys, and be brave! She has been carried offby a prowling band of Indians!"