He took a sweeping glance of the interior, and was disappointed, for itwas not what he expected, but it was far better than the openwilderness. He dashed for the narrow path on the outside, to take hispart in yelling for the others to hurry up, or rather down.
"Be quick! Quick!"
It was Aunt Peggy who came panting into the opening with a rush, and,colliding with McEwen, sent him tumbling backwards.
By the time the bewildered New Englander was on his feet again, MaggieBrainerd, Eva, her father, and Gravity Gimp came crowding into thenarrow place, all nearly out of breath.
There was a general looking around in the semi-gloom, and Habakkuk'sdisappointment was shared by those who had not seen the place before.
It was of little account, and, although it might be made to answer as atemporary refuge, it could hardly be expected to furnish secure defensefor an extended time.
Descending a narrow path for twenty feet, and all the time along theface of the ravine, as it may be called, they reached a spot whichlooked as if it had been scooped out of the solid stone wall.
It ran back a dozen feet or more, and was about the same breadth andheight, but the difficulty was that the opening was fully as great, sothat, viewed from the front, the person or animal who might seek shelterthere was in plain sight.
The spot was one of the many romantic ones that abound in the mountainsfringing the Wyoming Valley. The rapidly sloping path that the fugitivesfollowed terminated in front of the cave, which, therefore, could onlybe approached from the single direction. Beyond, the path narrowed offto nothing, leaving a perpendicular wall of stone for twenty feet below,and almost as much overhead.
The ravine on which this bordered was fifty feet across, but directlyopposite was the weak point of the defense.
A mass of rocks rose fully as high, if not a few feet higher, than thecavern in which the fugitives had taken refuge; consequently, if anenemy could gain a position behind these boulders, he could fire downinto the opening, where our friends had no means of protectingthemselves from the shots.
But it was no easy matter to reach this monument-like pile, though itcould be done at much risk to the one attempting it. The configurationwas so peculiar that one man at a time could creep along behind theother stones, until a point was almost reached which commanded theretreat, though the inmates, by pressing close against one side of thecavern, could escape the fire of an enemy.
On the other side there was no means of approach to such a position.
If a foe would climb up the rocks, and steal forward to a certain point,an active Indian could make a leap that would carry him to the cover ofthe pile, where he could aim and shoot into the cavern without risk tohimself, provided he used ordinary caution.
Furthermore, it was unlikely that the Indians, skilled as they were inwoodcraft, would fail to see this vulnerable point and their own coigneof vantage.
In truth they detected it almost on the same instant the fugitiveshurried into the cavern.
CHAPTER XIX.
Fortunately both Gravity Gimp and Mr. Brainerd knew the peculiarconstruction of their refuge, and instant precautions were taken.
"Keep back as far as you can," said the elder, "and stay close to thewall on the right."
His order was obeyed, Habakkuk McEwen and the African both moving inthat direction.
"You come too, papa," insisted Eva, catching hold of the arm of herfather, who smilingly took a step or two.
"Yes," added Maggie, "if we all place ourselves beyond reach, why shouldnot _you_ do the same?"
He explained the situation.
"If the Indians get to that mass of rocks opposite, they can shelterthemselves and shoot into the cavern until there is not one of usleft."
"But is it necessary for you to stay out there, and draw their fire tokeep them away from us?"
"Not exactly, but we must see that they do not creep to the spot; beforedoing so, they must pass under our aim, and it will require no greatmarksmanship to prevent them."
Thereupon, directing Gravity and Habakkuk to keep strict watch upon theplace, with their rifles cocked, Mr. Brainerd deliberately reloaded hisgun, and shifting his position so as to screen himself from the bulletsthat were certain to be sent into the place, he sat like a cat watchingfor a rat to come out of its hole.
The fugitives talked in low tones, for there was something in theuncertainty that was impressive.
Now that they were removed from imminent danger, they could breathe withsome satisfaction, though sobered by their peril.
"It's all that Jake Golcher's doings," said Aunt Peggy, who was at theextreme rear of the cavern, with one arm around the neck of Eva and theother inclosing that of Maggie.
"I shouldn't wonder if you are right," replied Maggie; "he must be awicked man indeed."
"Umph!" exclaimed the maiden, with a sniff, "there ain't a morescand'lous villain that ever drawed the breath of life, and I know whatI'm saying, and jus' to think, you had a chance and didn't shoot him."
"But, aunty--"
"Shet up, don't interrupt me," broke in the relative, with a vigorousshake of the arm inclosing the neck of Maggie.
"How many times have I told you not to interrupt me when I am talking?Don't you know what's good manners?"
"But, aunty," said Maggie, softly, "I don't see how I can talk at _any_time without interrupting you."
Eva giggled, but fortunately Aunt Peggy did not catch the full meaningof the demure remark, and she said, rather sharply:
"It's easy enough to tell when I'm talking by just listening, and whenI'm talking you must keep still; but I want you to remember that thatpiece of burglary on your part has got to be settled."
"What do you mean, aunty?"
"I told you you deserved your ears cuffed, and when we get to a placewhere I can do it with some comfort to myself, I am going to cuff them,_that_ you can depend on."
There could be no question about the earnestness of these words, andMaggie, like an obedient child, said nothing, glad to await the timewhen her aunt should punish her for sparing the wretch who was nowtrying to hound them to their death.
"I don't know but that I deserve it," said the niece to herself, and wemay as well confess that we are inclined to agree with the views of theaunt.
"Oh, that Jake Golcher," she added, with a shiver, "I'd like to get achance at him!"
And just then she would have made it uncomfortable for the Tory, had hebeen within reach.
The truth was, Golcher was one of the worst of the invaders of WyomingValley. Like many others, he joined a horde of Indians in attacking hisformer neighbors.
As we have intimated, he had sat at the same table with theBrainerds--he had been given money by Mr. Brainerd himself, for he was ashiftless scamp, hating work like a veritable tramp, and he had neverreceived an unkind word from the charitable head of the household, whosheltered him many a time when no one else would give him room.
With the egotism of his nature, he had ventured to pay court to youngMaggie Brainerd, who could scarcely credit his effrontery until he madea direct proposal of marriage.
Even then, the high-spirited girl was so touched with compassion for theman, that she refused him with all the kindness of her nature--showing afeeling, indeed, that would have won the respect of any person claimingto be a man.
But he stumped off muttering vengeance, and here he was, less then ayear later, with a company of red men, seeking the lives of his formerfriends.
Among those who figured in the war of the Revolution, there were noneso utterly inexcusable as the Tories, who, like all renegades, were morebitter in the warfare they made upon the American colonies, than werewhat might be termed our natural enemies.
But for the Jake Golcher named, it may be doubted whether the littleband of fugitives would have suffered serious disturbance after fordingand swimming the Susquehanna.
There was enough on the western bank to keep the foe occupied all thatnight and the succeeding day, without crossing to
the wilderness to huntfor victims.
CHAPTER XX.
The days are long during the season of the year of which we are writing,it being scarcely dark at the hour of eight o'clock.
Although at the time the little band of fugitives entered the cavern thesun was low in the west, and something like twilight pervaded theromantic scene, yet a full hour of light remained before night wouldsettle on the forest and river.
The evening that was approaching was partly moonlight, and the sky waswithout any vapor, excepting a few clouds in the east, so that it wouldnot be entirely dark, but in the woods the gloom promised to be all thatcould be desired.
No doubt the Indians had been quick to detect the vulnerable point, andbefore long some of them would try to steal up behind the pile of rockswhich gave command of the fugitives.
For that reason Mr. Brainerd stood with cocked rifle, and with his eyeon the point where such approach must be made, while Habakkuk and Gimpwere watching with scarcely less intentness, knowing as they did thatthe attainment of the station by a single Seneca would render theposition of the fugitives "untenable," as the expression goes; that isto say, that same single warrior would be able to load and fire hisrifle in absolute safety to himself, while he picked off every man andwoman in the hollowed-out portion of the rocks.
Mr. Brainerd impressed this fact on the other two men, and, at hissuggestion, they helped guard the point.
"It won't do for all of us to fire simultaneously," he said, "for thennothing could prevent the Indians charging across, and before we knewit, the whole place would be swarming with them."
"How will we know which is to fire?" asked Habakkuk.
"I'll take the first, Gravity the second, and you the third; they arenot likely to make a rush, though, if they did, they would be certainto succeed after losing one or two of their number."
"Won't they take that view any way?" asked the New Englander, who feltanything but easy in mind.
"I don't apprehend there will be a combined attempt until after dark.All Indians are cowards, and the certainty that the first one or two insuch a rush are sure to be picked off is likely to keep the whole partyback, and compel them to try some other plan."
"What will that be?"
"I think they will steal up as near as it is safe, and then, afterreconnoitering for a time, attempt to get over to the rocks withoutdetection. The worst of the whole business is," added Mr. Brainerd, withan anxious sigh, "that a single marksman over there will do as muchinjury as a dozen, though he may be longer about it."
"Suppose he does get there?"
"But he _mustn't_," was the quiet answer.
"But suppose he _does_, what then?"
Mr. Brainerd was silent for a moment.
"Then I shall have to send Habakkuk in one direction and Gravity inanother, to dislodge the Indian before he can shoot."
"My gracious!" muttered McEwen, "that would be sure death to allconcerned."
"The chances _would_ be against you--that's a fact, but that would bepreferable to huddling in this place and allowing the redskins to pickus off, one after another, without being able to raise a finger indefense."
"The state of affairs isn't calculated to raise hilarious laughter onour part," was the doleful remark of Habakkuk McEwen.
"Therefore, you see how important it is that we should prevent theIndians getting such advantage over us."
There could be no questioning this fact, and the other two renewed theirwatch, like men who knew the need of vigilance.
"I say," remarked the African, as though a new idea had flashed uponhim, "why don't the warmints wait till it is dark before dey take a popat us?"
"Very likely they will--but it won't do to discount any suchprobability."
"Dat's de opinion ob de undersigned," said Gimp, with a sigh, only dimlysuspecting the meaning of the words.
"It's _my_ opinion," said Habakkuk, a minute later, "that they won'twait till dark unless they find they've got to do so."
"Explain."
"They will venture on something like a rackynoissance, just as GineralWashington does before a battle--and if it looks as though there was ashow to do something, they'll try it. If they find there isn't, they'llwait till dark."
"You are quite right."
The New Englander scratched his head in perplexity.
"Well, I don't see where we are going to make anything by such a course,for when night comes they will have us foul, in spite of all we can do."
"We will be at a great disadvantage, but not hopelessly so."
"I don't see why we won't, for what will they want better than darknessto help them over?"
"There will be some light to-night, and it requires very little to showevery portion of the upper part of the rocks--enough light, indeed, todemand only a little closer attention on our part. That pile of rocksthere is something like the 'Umbrella Tree,' over on the top of thewestern mountains: it stands out in such relief, that we cannot fail todetect any movement near it."
"Can't they climb up in the rear of them, so as to avoid showingthemselves to us?"
"It is impossible," replied Mr. Brainerd, who had investigated thematter only a brief while before, "that is, the thing is out of thequestion for the present. If we were to be besieged for several days,they would then find the means, if they had to send across the river toget it."
"And what's to hinder them keeping us here for a week?"
Mr. Brainerd shook his head, though it was hard for him to tellprecisely why he was so positive on that point.
"I don't see why they can't do it," added the New Englander; "and thenwhat would we do for water?"
"And for somefin to eat," interjected Gravity, with a shudder, for hewas already very hungry: "I say, Haberkick, we orter to have all we kinto forterfy us agin such a thing, and, derfore, it's my belief dat weorter swaller dat bread without delay."
"And it's my belief that you won't do any such thing," said Mr.Brainerd, who knew the value of even such a small quantity ofnourishment, in view of the long march they expected to make through thewilderness to Stroudsburg.
"Any way you can fix it," pursued McEwen, "it's sartin we're going tohave a mighty hot time--"
At that very moment, before his words were finished, the whip-like crackof an Indian rifle was heard, and all three who were looking out overthe ravine caught the red flash of a gun from the extreme left of theopposite side--the point from which the fugitives could protectthemselves, though it was the most dangerous spot, with the exceptionof the pile of rocks directly opposite.
"I'm hit and done for!" exclaimed Habakkuk McEwen, as he gave aconvulsive start and threw himself backward.
Naturally enough all were terrified, and Aunt Peggy uttered a scream asMaggie sprang forward to the assistance of the wounded man.
Mr. Brainerd was shocked, but he did not lose his presence of mind, and,cautioning them to stay as far back as they could, to escape drawinganother shot, he remained at his post, bending low and keeping close tothe wall, while he watched the point across the ravine with catlikecloseness.
"Are you badly hurt?" asked Maggie, with the natural tenderness of hernature.
"Oh, I'm done for, dear Maggie; I hoped I should be able to live for_your_ sake--but it seems not."
This was rather startling, but, under the alarming circumstances, muchwas to be overlooked.
"I hope you are not so seriously hurt as all that," ventured AuntPeggy, whose sympathy for the man led her to disregard her own safety,for she placed herself close to him, and necessarily in the same spotwhere he stood when he fell.
"Oh, go away," persisted Habakkuk, "I don't want anybody near me butMaggie; take my hand, dear, and let me--"
"See h'ar, dat's enough ob dat," broke in Gravity. "You ain't hurt anymore dan I am; dere's de bullet, and it nebber touched ye."
As he spoke, he picked up a piece of lead, jagged and flattened, whichhad struck the rocky wall directly over the shoulder of Habakkuk,without so much as scratching
his skin.
The New Englander stared at the battered lead held over his face by thegrinning African; then he clapped his hand to his breast, where hesupposed he was hurt, came suddenly to a sitting position, scrambled tohis feet, and picking up his gun, exclaimed:
"I should like to see the chap that fired that shot, for it's just asbad to scare a fellow to death as to shoot him."
Despite the gravity of the situation, a general smile went round thelittle party, and even Mr. Brainerd himself, who was closely watchingfor the appearance of the warrior, preparatory to his leap over thenarrow chasm, turned his head with a light laugh and said:
"There's enough likelihood of being struck without making any mistakeabout it."
Gravity Gimp sat down on the flinty floor, and leaning back, opened hismouth tremendously, and laughed till he shook all over.
Habakkuk glowered on him and said:
"If you'll only keep that mouth open in that style, it will catch allthe bullets that can be fired into the cavern."
At that, Gravity spread his great jaws farther apart, until there seemeddanger of their absorbing his ears.
"Yah, yah, dat's de fust time I ever knowed a man killed by a bullet datnebber touched him."
Maggie Brainerd bit her lips, while Aunt Peggy gave her usual sniff andsaid:
"It's the easiest thing in the world for some folks to make fools ofthemselves without knowing it."
McEwen sought to divert the ridicule of his friends by his assiduousattention to matters outside.