Happy Days: Tom Taylor, The Boy Who Worried Blanco — page 7: what you’re looking at

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« , ee Slowly the shadows deepened. Ina few moments more the darkness of the night would fall upon the settlement in all the gloom of a starless, moonless, and over- cast sky. Don could only hope that, before the In- dians succeeded in conducting him out of the settlement as their prisoner, some of the white inhabitants might meet them. But he was resolved not to go with his savage captors without making at least one des- perate dash for liberty. The imperiled youth decided that, when the Ottawas led him out of the cabin, he would seek to break away from them, and if he succeeded, then run at full speed to the nearest settler’s dwelling and give the alarm. And he suspected that the two outlaws were the tools of his implacable enemy, Cardalac, the renegade. With the dawn of this suspicion there came the fear that Ethel Merton had been abducted at the in- stigation of the half-bred ruffian, if in- . deed, the treacherous confederate of the eas had not carried her off for him- self, The reflection that the innocent maiden whom he loved might at that very mo- ment, be far away from the settlement and her white friends in the power of the evil man whose persistent advances she had repulsed, and whose brutal nature -- would lead him to the commission of any crime against herinnocence and helpless- ness, filled the lad with grief and rage. “Oh, that Long Rifle the scout were here. Oh, that my brave old friend could now lend a hand toaid me. But itis use- less to hope for such a thing, as I know that Uncle Gladwyn sent him away to-day, to make a secret scout about Pontiac’s vil- lage,” reflected Don, disconsolately. But he vowed in his heart that if he es- caped from the Ottawas alive, and Ethel was in the power of the renegade he would know no rest until he had rescued her. The lad’s brave reflections were inter- rupted by the Ottawas. They suddenly strode toward him, and he recoiled. But one of them hastened to aay: “ Ottawas no hurt white bo arms. Fix ’em, no run, no ye As the lad recognized the utter futility of attempting resistance, he suffered the Indians to bind his hands behind his back, Then they fixed a wooden. gag in his mouth, and he found, upon making a trial, that he could not utter a sound. By this time it awwas dark, Wow we go,” said one of the Ottawas then, and between them they marched Don out of the cabin. . Don glanced longingly at the lights in the nearest cabin of the white settlers, ‘l’hose lights gleamed like beacons through the night, but to the bound and gagged lad they were only a mockery, and it mad- dened him to think friends were so near, and yet that he was powerless to acquaint them with the knowledge of his perilous situation. There were three or four cabins at that end of the settlement, beyond the dwelling of the old English fur trader, The Indians proceeded northward with oe Bind um their young captive, and they had to pass near the few outlying cabins alluded to, Don braced himself for the desperate at- tempt to break away upon which he had determined, as his captors were escorting him along the river bank, at no great dis- tance from the last of the log houses at the northern confines of the settlement. Though he knew those cabins were occu- ied by French Canadians, who probably fated the English, he did not think, if he could reach one of them, the inmates would dare give him up to the Indians, in view of the present authority of the En- glish, as the occupants of the fort. Suddenly, as Don felt the Indians relax their hold upon him a little as they march- ed him arOBe between them, he madea tremendous leap, broke their hold and darted away like the wind straight toward the nearest cabin. But the two Indians bounded after him, and the fleeing lad had not gone half way to the cabin, which was the goal he sought, when he stumbled over a log and fell heavily. As the lad struggledto his feet, finding difficulty in doing. so because his hands were yet bound behind his back, the In- dians pounced upon him, : + He was dragged to his feet, and one of the cake, proposed that they should “tomahawk him on the spot. Don thought his last moment had come, as he felt rather than saw the speaker brandish his hatchet over his head. But the other warrior caught the de- scending arm of his companion, ‘*Big Bear heap fool! No get white Chief Cardalac’s gold if no bring pale-face boy to camp alive!” he cried, And as if this argument had great weight with the other savage he put up his hatchet, and Don was again hurried northward, The village was soon left behind, and the heart of the boy captive sank in his bosom, , - Pi = . “ <A a * * * % 5 y b 7 ® > - 2 é Bayan era , RE aif aL OS Rae a At Pat," “> ig SS" Mat ee at Fi ¢ hee 5 a RSS sae te tt a Pe i ie Pe eee Ne a’ =" i eh. na fi wert by : a Oe eee ¥ * : oy, . 2 he, 2% ~ Dre & rea AO Ore Pia eer: at! o . he “ST HAPPY DAYS e CHAPTER VIII. THE OTTAWA MEDICINE WOMAN, Don’s Indian captors did not halt until they had proceeded for a distance of sev- sar oles Then they paused on the river ank, ‘“ Now get in canoe,” said one of the Ot- tawas, and while he held the young pris- oner the other warrior drew a canoe out of aclump of bushes, and launched it. Don was compelled to take his place in the little eraft. The Indians followed, and seizing the paddles they sent the canoe flying through the darkness upon the river, Straight across the river the Ottawas paddled the light canoe, andalanding was soon made upon the opposite bank. Then the white boys’ captors marched him along as before, and he supposed they meant to escort him to Pontiac’s village where he doubted not Cardalac the rene- gade awaited his arrival, for since the re- mark of one of the Ottawas had informed him that bis half-breed enemy had bribed the warriors to abduct him, he was no longer in the least doubtful that he would soon be in the pores of the malignant sen ys who had vowed vengeance upon iim. But Don erred in his conjectures regard- ing the immediate destination of the Otta- was. They proceeded eastward from the river into the depths of the great forest, but ere long the light of a camp-fire, in the distance, seemed to serve asa beacon to guide them, for slightly changing their ales they led their boy prisoner to the ire. It blazed in an open glade, surrounded by tall trees and thick bushes. As Don was led into the glade he saw a number of dark human figures about the camp-fire. One of his captors uttered a signal call, and a few moments later Don was led up to the fire. Then he saw the men about it were Ottawas. ‘*Where White Chief Cardalac?” de- manded one of the warriors who escorted the iat ate prisoner, addressing the In- dians of the camp who gathered about the new arrivals making comments, which no doubt concerned the white lad, but which he did not understand, for the Indians spoke in their native tongue, Before cd Ege present could reply to the inquiry of tae warrior a tall figure came out of the woods and advanced hastily to the fire. As this man came within the area light- ed up by the flaines Don recognized him. The new arrival was Cardalac, the rene- gade, Despite the fact that he was still dressed and painted like an Ottawa jarrior, Don recognized his enemy ata glance, “Ha! Big Bearand Fox Eye, you have done well. see you have captured the young English dog, and here is what I ee you!” cried Cardalac, as he be- eld the youthful figure of the captive, upon whom the red firelight fell luridly. He tossed a small buckskin pouch, which gave forth the clink of gold to the captors of Don. ‘* Bind him to a tree, braves. I promised old Waheta, the medicine woman of the Ottawas, that she should have a share in the sport about the torture-stake. Get it ready, the stake and the fuel. But we will not burn the young English dog until the Ottawa witch comes, Oh, the English killed her three warrior sons, who fought with their French brothers, and old Wa- heta’s vengeance will never be satisfied. She says she will burn at the stake every Englishman the Ottawas capture, and she is mad for the beginning of the great Chief Pontiac’s new war,” continued the half-breed. Don was rudely seized by several war- riors, who dragged him to a solitary tree which stood about ences feet from the camp-fire, Tothat tree the lad was securely bound by willing hands, The brave lad had not anticipated that his half-breed enemy would«doom him to the stake at once, though he feared the treacherous villain would murder him, Don’s, situation was one which might well have tried the nerve and tested the courage of the bravest man, The hopelessness of it made him groan in mental agony. But he looked around sneer and expectantly, seeking to learn if Ethel Merton wasin the camp, and he failed to see anything of the maid, whom he feared had fallen into the power of her enemy and his own deadly foe, And the blood seemed to run cold in the veins of tae doomed lad as he witnessed the preparations which the band of Otta- was, under Cardalac’s leadership, began making for his torture. He saw the red fiends set up a great stake of green, hard wood near the camp- fire, and they gathered a great heap of dry fuel and placed it conveniently near the torture stake. It-seemed to Don that he was almost in the shadow of a horrible death, and that the appearance of the Ottawa medicine woman would be the signal for the sav- ages to begin to torture him, | . i e : é ; a wie he - A , i Bad : +s 2 a ~ re ‘ae, = eA on 7 oe Ws, eo ee eee eae - aya a an * He prayed for deliverance most fervent- ly, but his prayers were interrupted by Cardalac, the renegade, who came to taunt him and gloat at the sight of his misery. ‘‘Ha! Hal! You shall soon howl for mercy at the torture-stake, but I will show you nomercy. I swore that I'd takea ter- rible revenge upon you that day when you struck me Aen like a dog in her presence. Ha! Ha! You wince when I speak of her. Know now before you die at the stake that Ethel Merton is now my cap- tive, and that she shall soon be my squaw !” said Cardalac, Don did not reply. He meant not to give the renegade the satisfaction of draw- ing a retort from him. But if furious glances could have killed, Cardalac would have fallen dead under the firéand fury of the burning look of menace and rage capt the young prisoner fixed upon im. Just then, as Cardalac seemed about to speak further, there was a commotion among the Indians about the camp-fire, Cardalac turned to them. Atthe same time Don saw a wild and hideous-looking figure advancing out of Paes woods and going towards the camp- ire, ‘* Waheta !” exclaimed Cardalac, ‘‘The medicine woman of the Ottawas !” added the renegade, The medicine woman was tall and gaunt of figure, and she was enveloped in a red blanket girded at the waist with a serpent’s skin. Her face was completely covered with a **medicine mask,” a rude mask made of the head of a wolf, with the jaws wide open, showing the white fangs, and the eyes made of polished metal buttons, with holes showing in the firelight. In one hand she carried a crooked staff, adorned with feathers and the teeth of animals, In the other hand the Ottawa witch bore a medi- cine gourd, which she rattled as she ad- vanced, The hideous creature, looking like a hu- man wolf, and seemingly a fitting priestess to officiate at the horrible savage rites of the torture stake, chanted some weird song of the tribe as she came to the camp- fire. The warriors made way for her, and it was evident that they regarded her with awe and fear. No one save Cardalac ventured to ad- dress any remark to the medicine woman, but the half-breed ventured to say atonce: ‘ Waheta, great medicine squaw of the Ottawas, my runner has given you the message I sent I know, since you are come now. Behold yonder is the English dog I give to you to burn at the stake,” he said, and as he spoke he pointed at Don, The Indian witch slowly turned, and seemed to look at the white boy through the holes in the bright buttons set for eyes in the wolf’s-head mask she wore. For a full moment the hideous creature seemed to stare at the lad, Then she’ exclaimed in the Ottawa tongue; ‘*The white dog shall burn, burn, burn! Woe, woe! The Manito shall hear him vell, and tell the young braves of old Waheta in the happy hunting grounds that their mother takes vengeance on an English dog.” hen the medicine women d@arted to the prisoner, and began to . ance around him, striking at Don with a scalping knife which she had drawn, Suddenly the lad felt that she had cut the thongs that se- cured him, and at the same moment the voice of Long Rifle, the fort scout, came to eee the jaws of the wolf’s-head mask, CHAPTER IX. THE CUNNING OF LONG RIFLE, ‘‘Run fer yer life, boy! Make for the river, an’ I'll foller you, pretendin’ to be chasin’ an’ trying to take you |” whispered the voice of the scout, emanating from the jaws of the wolf’s head, which masked the face of the speaker. And then, miraculous though it ap- peared, the Jad knew that the supposed Ottawa witch was really Long Rifte—the prince of border scouts and Indian fight- ers, in disguise. Don did not wait to receive a second bidding from his old friend before he obeyed his command to flee for his life. The lad gave one tremendous leap away from the tree, and then darted across the glade and disappeared in the dark woods in the direction of the river. The disguised scout uttered a yell of pre- tended rage in a shrill, cracked voice, and ran after the lad. | The flight of Don was witnessed by Car- dalac, and the warriors about the camp- fire. For an instant surprise seemed to hold the dusky throng inactive. Then they rushed after the young fugitive and the supposed medicine woman, Cardalac the renegade led the vanin the pursuit. And his rage over the escape of iis intended victim found vent in impre- cations which he heaped upon the warriors who had bound Don to the tree, * Fools! Dolts! Idiots! You warriors a. te aD & ay i. v Pe \ ee M 7 i 9 i} - hn are old women! You don’t know how to ~& tie a prisoner fast! Go stay in the wig-# wams with your squaws, and send me braves whom a mere boy of the English gade as he ran. | The warriors who had bound Don paid a oe ws a =) 4 =, no attention to the railings of the renegade. ~ ‘s They were entirely intent upon recaptur- ing the lad. tightly knotted the thongs of bue which they had used to bind the white boy to the tree, and so they could not ac- count for his escape, for as yet no suspi- cion of the truth that the supposed medi- cine woman was other than she seemed had dawned upon their minds. Don was a swift runner, and Long Rifle could distance many an Indian in a foot race, But it happened that among Cardalacs band of Ottawas, there was a runner ¢alled Deer Foot, who was noted as the fleetest redskin on the Western frontier. This Indian had served the French General Montcalm as a messenger, and during the war for the possession of Canada, Deer Foot had performed some wonderful feats of speed in long distance running, as Montcalm’s dispatch courier, Long Rifle had almost come up with Don when, under the moonlight, which had been showing in the sky for about half an hour, he saw Deer Foot, whom he knew by ~ sight, bounding after him. Just then, as Deer Foot had distanced all his warrior comrades as well as Cardalac, not one of his party was in sight, Long Rifle knew Deer Foot would soon pass by and overtake Don unless he pre- vented, for he was aware that swift-footed as he himself was, he could not run as fast as the Indian. On came Deer Foot. Soon he was alongside of Long Rifle. ° ‘*Wah! Deer Foot sure catch white boy now,” shouted the Ottawa runner, exult- antly, as he saw Don's speed was failing. The next moment, as he was leaping by the supposed medicine woman of his tribe, so close that their garments almost brush- ed against each other, Deer Foot let out an awful yell, threw up his hands and fell upon his face, At that instant Long Rifle’ had flashed forth his hunting knife, and with one blow he had stabbed the passing Ottawa runner to the heart. Then leaping over the dead ‘body of the Indian, the scout raced on after Don, *Wahhol!l Wah ho!” y Thus the wild war-whoop of the Ottawas rang out in advance of Don and the seont, as the latter came up with the fleeing lad a few moments later, “The reds are between us and the river!” cried Long Rifle. ‘“* They have heard the yells of Cardalac’s band im our rear, and they are answering them,” As he spoke he raised the wolf's-head mask, and by the light of the moon Don saw the genial face of the white veteran of the frontier. “the Indians who are between us and the river will try to head us off!” panted Don, as they ran on side by side, ‘Yes, the varmints have a regular code of signal yells, The shouts of Cardalaes . —- ' =~ * — = z= * But they knew were | eS meee skin, band have told the Ottawas, whose yells — 3 sounded from the direction of the river that enemies they are after are runnin’ that way,” said the scout, ‘““ We must change our course,” ** Too late ! the scout, as he heard the Indians crash- ing through a thicket, a little distance fur- - ther on toward the river. ‘Down, boy! Down fer your life!” Don into a clump of dense bushes, — Don sank down breathlessly and the — bushes completely concealed him, A mo- Here they come |” uttered ~~ he 5 added, with thrilling intensity, pushing * ment subsequently as the disguised scout again advanced six Ottawas burst out of the thicket ahead of him. “Ho! Waheta, great medicine s uaw, ; one > of the warriors, a gigantic savage, who where run?” demanded the foremos wore the eagle feathers of a chief, Ss he runs after white boy, a squaw. She sees the trail to which_the ed voice of the medicine woman, whom he was personating. Then he ran southward, ; ae warriors whom he had met followed im, t . -— 7 But he soon disappeared in a tangled 8 rrowth of vines and bushes, Softly the 1e made a detour and returned ta Dog and he heard the Ottawas, whom He hi: eluded, yelling the name of the medicine _ woman as they proceeded further south- ~ ward, Don had not left the hidin warrior’s eyes are blind. Follow! Fol: low !” cried Long Rifle, in the shrill, crack- . NO OAR See Hot <a The Manito guides the medicine which the cunning scout had thrust him. | As soon as Long Rifle rejoined the lad _ they pushed on toward the river, and < they did not hear the Indians of Cadalae’s had been lured away from their trai band near, they concluded those trail by ae * * £ . ~ » . - , * tes , 2 nad. | We wd ‘ ny ay | . x ¥ rei -place into "a ‘ i ® a a} = ae the shouts of the party who had followed — MG (Continued on Page 10.) — * Ber Peal - = ies hr ' ‘ - r: » 7 =) 3 * x 4 # ~~ by Xs mts vi . “el Be vd | : a ~ ‘ » a" > a ° ee ee it <n Cae | , a re, |