Adventure Magazine Cover — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

122 man who killed him. It is ended. Let no man touch the prisoners of the Snake.”’ CHAPTER VIII FLIGHT! OUNTING the Pleiss woman we had been four prisoners; and one had died, even as the Night Walker’s vague words seemed to have forecast. Durgin re- minded me of the Chickasaw’s blind speech and brooded over it after White Tom’s body had been removed by the Delawares and we were left alone with our dead friend. ‘““How’n sin did that Injun know one of us must die?” muttered Durgin. “It wor- ries me.” ‘Podge would have died even if the Night Walker had heard no medicine voice. But I heard a Shawnee man say it would take the life of a white man to drive the bad medicine from this village.” “Then Podge has paid that bill.” “And I heard another Shawnee man say it would take two white lives.”’ Durgin jerked up his head and stared at ne speculatively. “Either you or me, eh?” he murmured. “Not you,” I consoled him. “They’ll not hurt you. You can do too many tricks with a piece of string. Your darts and slings will buy“your life in almost any tribe.” “Good Gawdfrey! Think I’m figgering on my own chances of getting loose? Think I’m planning to pick up my heels and leave you to hold the bag?” he indignantly re- torted. Then with a sad glance at Old Podge, whose face looked much younger in death, he added: ‘‘We must bury him decently. Then we must try to get clear of this mess. If I can ever get back to Massachusetts and find work building ships along the blue lanes that lead down to the sea— Well-a-day! Man is like a black fly, scooting over a eaten-out pasture; like ripe wheat before the reaper x “The Snake has said we can bury him where we choose, anywhere outside the vil- lage. After we’ve done that we'll plan about leaving. McKee should come any time now.” “I won’t stay in this —— hole another night,” he firmly replied. ‘What did that Pleiss woman give you?” Adventure His inquisitive eyes, even in the climax of the tragedy, had seen her stealthy action in passing the road-wampum to me. I ex- plained. Durgin quickly declared: “Why then we’re ready to start now! Nothing can stop us when we show that string of beads.”’ “It’s no good here in the village,” I re- minded him. ‘Nor among Shawnees out- side the village if they know we escaped from this place.” “Then we'll start tonight unbeknownst to any of the scallywags. Before morning well be miles away. Land of sorrer! If we only had some one to help us get a start!” “Old Podge will help us,” I told him. He jumped as if stung. I explained: ‘We will bury him up-stream, near the clump of trees above the landing-place. You shall take the wampum and strike for Fort Jefferson. The course is plain. Just follow the Maumee me “Just a minute!” he barked. you going to?” “Tl circle around the village and make for the mouth of the river and hit the Great Trail that leads from Pittsburg to San- dusky Bay, to the Maumee, and then along the shore of the lake to Detroit.” “Well, your Buckskin insolence!l’’ And I could not determine whether he spoke in anger or admiration, so slow and deliberate was his observation. ‘Then he quietly added— “Of course I'll go with you.” It was useless to try to dissuade him. such as he formed the backbone of Essex County, and though he was heartsick for the Ipswich River leading down to the sea I knew I could have no more loyal companion. He continued: “It’s getting dark. We’d better be about burying poor Podge.” A white man came up to our cabin. He carried no arms, and his eyes were worried. ‘Tm Henry Ball,” he announced. “I’m trying to work my ransom out of this aw- ful country. I’m boating for Colonel Mc- Kee and Mat Elliott. My woman’s across at the Point, earning her way home by sew- ing and washing. Simon Girty said I’d bet- ter lend you a hand in burying the dead man.” And his shrinking gaze dwelt on Old Podge for a few seconds. I gave him our names and told him: “We'll be glad of your help. We'll need ‘Where COmiclboolks CO