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Updated: June 25, 2025
Finally he was given his clothing, and part of the band marched him across country to the New York border and turned him loose. The attack of Simon Halpen upon the Hardings had practically failed. Yet the loss of their home was a sore blow. In a couple of days, with the help of Bolderwood, the old hovel was made very habitable.
Of an Indian attack there was little danger; but they did not know to what length the Yorkers might go when once they did appear. Nuck believed Simon Halpen to be a man without compassion or mercy, and that the house might be attacked and burned over their heads.
By patient questioning Enoch learned that Halpen had lived for months at a time with the tribe, but that he was not an adopted member of it, and was not altogether trusted by Crow Wing's people. "When burn cabin, old chief my father be told. Injins friends with Bennin'ton men; friends with York men, too. But Hawknose," the Indian's sobriquet for Simon Halpen, "sent away. He never come back."
"You are mistaken if you think that I fired at you." "It is true I cannot prove it," Enoch replied. "But something else I can prove." He advanced a step nearer to the man. "Do you remember where you hid the moose hoofs, Simon Halpen?" The prisoner shrank back against the tree and his eyes fairly glared up at the youth. "You you " he gasped. "Yes. They are found.
He fought with our folks ag'in the French Injins." "But who could the man have been?" asked the widow, gravely. "The children saw a man lurking about the corn-field at the lower end to-day. And when I was milking, Mary came and told me that he was then across the river at the ox-bow, looking over at the house. If it should be Simon Halpen!
He ordered, too, one man to remain with each group of boats so that the escaped spy might not secure one and get such a start across the lake that he could not be overtaken. But it had now grown quite dark and the scouts were unable to find Halpen in the vicinity of the camp.
Quick as thought Enoch darted backward to the house, for he had noted the action of the three men. "It is fighting you want, then, Master Halpen?" cried the boy, shrilly. "And you will get bullets instead of fair words if you press us now I tell ye that! This is our home and we shall fight for it."
Halpen led them and when he had seen the party strike into the forest in the direction of the house, Enoch sped away on a parallel trail and headed them off, arriving first at the destination. He found that his mother and the children had already put up the shutters and made ready to receive the Yorkers.
He, like the Hardings, believed that Simon Halpen would find the time ripe for the carrying out of his nefarious designs. It was the season of the year when the farm work having been completed, the pioneers felt free to go about more, and hunting was popular. Many men were off with their rifles; but Bolderwood picked up some half dozen determined fellows and hastened back to the Harding place.
But she glanced frequently from the loophole to observe the movements of the Yorker upon that side of the clearing. By and by Halpen raised his voice and addressed the besieged. "Open the door and come out, or we will batter it down. And it will go hard with you then, I warrant! If you give up the place peaceably you may cart away your household stuff and the cattle and hogs.
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