United States or Tunisia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He had told de Peyster that he would escape and he had kept his word. He looked now at Shif'less Sol, his faithful comrade, and, despite himself, he laughed. The water had washed most of the paint off the face of the shiftless one, leaving only stripes and bars. "Sol," he said, "you're the best and smartest friend a man ever had, but just now you don't look like either an Indian or a white man."
Then the two ran with utmost speed and desperate need toward the forest, because the village behind them was up and alive. Lights flared, dogs barked, men shouted, and before the friendly trees were reached rifles began to crack. "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!" cried Shif'less Sol, as a bullet whistled past his ear. "Ef that don't put life into a tired man, I don't know what will."
If they kept a straight course they would strike upon it, but with such violence that shipwreck was inevitable. Strong and agile as they were they might possibly escape with their lives. "Boys!" cried Henry, above the shouting of the wind, "we must make that island or we'll surely be lost in the storm!" "It's so!" Shif'less Sol shouted back, "but how are we to do it?"
At the set time he returned to the little hill crowned with the black oaks, and as he approached it from one side he saw Shif'less Sol coming from another. The shiftless one walked despondently. His gait was loose and shambling-a rare thing with him, and Henry knew that he, too, had failed. He realized now that he had not expected anything else.
Then the Grand Sachem, Timmendiquas, announced the great military subject for which they were called together, and they proceeded to discuss it. The military council, presided over by Timmendiquas, sat long in the Council House, and about the moment it had concluded its labors, which was some time after midnight, Henry and Shif'less Sol skipped away from the village.
They tried to dissuade him from it but he persisted, being sure that he would succeed. "I'm bound to take the risk," he said. "We must find out what the Indians intend to do." "Then if you're bent on throwin' away your life," said Shif'less Sol, "I'm goin' in with you." "No," said Henry firmly. "One is enough, and it is enough to risk one.
The three figures came down confidently to the canoe, and then the welcome voice of Henry Ware said in a low tone: "You are here, Paul! You and Jim are on time to the minute!" "An' mighty glad I am, too," said Shif'less Sol, in the same tone. "I wuz never so tired before in all my life.
There when they sat down under the trees they could not refrain from a few words of triumph and mutual congratulation, because another and most important link in the chain had been forged with brilliant success. "Although it's dark and it's seven or eight miles away," said Shif'less Sol, "I kin see that Indian army now, a-settin' before the ford, an' wonderin' how it's goin' to git across."
One of the warriors tied the canoe to a bush with a willow withe, and then all six following Blackstaffe disappeared among the trees, going toward the campfire. "At least Blackstaffe compliments us before sending us to the next world," whispered Henry. "Ez fur me," Shif'less Sol whispered back, "I ain't goin' to no next world, jest to oblige a villyun renegade.
Mind and muscle were under perfect control. While he ran he saw everything in the bright moonlight and heard everything. He made no effort to conceal his trail, because he wanted it to be seen and he knew that the entire pursuit was strung out behind him. Probably Shif'less Sol was already safe within the stone walls.
Word Of The Day