Adventure Magazine Cover — page 110: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

104 arrows and slings. At his request they brought him some seasoned ash, out of which he promised to make them something that would surprize them. With this he made a powerful cross-bow for himself and for the boys some air-sailing darts. To test the cross-bow he sent a bolt over the Delaware village and then hid the weapon. The flight of the whizzing bolt, far faster than any arrow, quickly became a topic for animated dis- cussion. Spotted Snake asserted that it was ,his medicine flying over the village. “It was Spotted Snake’s medicine voice,” he declared. ‘‘It will talk very soon about two white men. The voice will soon call us to the east and south. Where it’leads, Wevapiersenwah’s children the Shawnees and their grandfathers the Delawares will burn and kill.” James Girty shrewdly utilized the incident as the F QUAIN, with the livid ‘‘D” on his forehead, had suddenly con- fronted me I could not have been more taken aback. By a great effort—and the gathering dusk helped me— I suppressed any telltale signs of emotion, yet my fear was as great as if the man had been in the village instead of in the Wyandot town on the Sandusky where Tarhe of the Porcupine clan of the Wyandots made his headquarters. “Don’t see why the —— fool didn’t come here instead of going to the Sandusky,” umbled Girty. “If the road’s open to arhe’s town, then it’s open to up here. You fellers made the Maumee all right. And why didn’t he send on a report for me to send to McKee by runner? Looks like he’s afraid some one else will git some credit.” Then suspiciously, “Sure you read it all?” _ “Each word as written. If you have any doubts have one of Blue Jacket’s sons read it. Their English education should permit them to do that.” “Aye! Let one of ’em look it over and git the notion he measures up higher’n a white man,” growled Girty. ‘“That’s the wrong belt to hand to me.” “I only meant you could easily check up my reading of it. Ironside or Elliott across the river will tell you I’ve read it cor- rectly. Or McKenzie, the Scotchman.”’ He was resenting my reference to the proficiency of Blue Jacket’s sons although his own confessed ignorance had occa- sioned it. ‘“‘No need of all that bother,” he surlily rephed.. “Here, you Yankee inside there! Come out here and read this paper for me.” Adventure text for a discourse to divert the Snake’s thought from his prisoners and to encourage the Indians to believe that it was a portent forecasting a wide- spread destruction of the white race. ‘“‘Blue Jacket wanted me to do what I could to help you two,” he explained later to Old Podge and me. ‘‘He’s a smart Injun. Minute he heard the medicine talk he knew it meant the stake or Detroit for you. McKee ain’t here now, but when he comes back Blue Jacket knows he’ll want to take you to Detroit to be questioned by Colonel Richard England, commandant. The Yankee will stay here. He ain’t in any danger.” Then, as he was totally illiterate, he asked us to read him ‘‘a piece of writing.”? It was from Quain, telling of his adventures in the American army and asking whether he should report to McKee on the Maumee or at Detroit. Durgin did so, repeating my words. Satisfied, Girty produced paper, a horn of ink and a quill and directed me to be seated in the doorway and write as he talked. The message I penned read: To Quain at Tarhe’s town on the Sandusky. Start for Blue Jacket’s village as soon as possible. Col. McKee will be here before you can make Detroit. If not able to travel send your report here for McKee. Do not tell Tarhe, or his men, that the army is well drilled. That is a poor bag of talk to open in any red village. . s ‘Simon X Girty. mark After I had written it and he had made his mark he had Durgin read it aloud. As he waved it back and forth to dry he re- marked: | “Quain’s messenger hasn’t the hang of reading and writing much better’n me. He’s over to McKee’s place drinking rum. When he crosses I’ll have you talk with him. You must know him. He quit the army *bout the same time you did. His name’s Ogden.” It seemed as if I could feel the flames licking my feet and the hot coals being poured over my shoulders. ‘There was the terrible suspicion that Girty had received our true history from the deserter and was playing with us. Forcing my voice to calmness, I answered: “T think I remember him. Got himself into some trouble and was reduced to the ranks. May be getting him mixed with some one else. Does he remember us?” “Don’t know you’re here. Pretty well beat out when he come. The Wyandot showing him the way kept him traveling hard. And he was in such a mortal rush to git some rum he stopped at the Point, oO cComicloooks S|