Wyoming Part 23

This was gratifying, and, dropping the end of the vine to his friends, he whispered for Mr. Brainerd to seize it and to begin to climb.

It was a hard task, and, had the support given way, doubtless the old gentleman would have been killed or grievously hurt, but he struggled and was pushed up by Habakkuk, and the vine was tugged at by Fred above, until at last the panting father reached the ledge and stood beside his son.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "It was a hard task."]

As there were now two to use their strength in lifting, Aunt Peggy, Eva, and Maggie had but to grasp the support, when they were drawn up without any effort on their own part. Habakkuk came last, and he tried so hard to a.s.sist, that it may be said he went up feet first, sawing the air so vigorously with his legs that they appeared on the ledge before his body reached it.

But the fugitives were all there at last, and something like genuine hope began to stir every member of the company.

"Now," said Fred, "we have the same experience to go through, and we shall reach solid ground above. I will go up as before."

Only a small part of the moonlight found its way to the spot where they were crouching, and they felt it would not do to stay longer.

Slowly and carefully Fred went up the rocks, and all saw him safely reach the level ground, where he vanished.

At the instant he did so they caught a peculiar sound, as though a slight struggle was going on, but it instantly ceased, and, though the friends were alarmed, they said nothing, thinking that perhaps Fred had stumbled over some obstruction in the dark.

"_St, st!_"

The signal which he made before rea.s.sured all, and drove the thought of danger from their minds.

The same order was repeated; Mr. Brainerd grasped the vine, and, helped both above and below, gradually surged upward until he, too, went over the edge of the ravine, as it may be called, and vanished.

Maggie started, when she again heard a curious movement above, as if made by a scuffle, and her heart throbbed with the suspicion that something was wrong.

"I tell you," she whispered, "there's trouble up there."

"No, there isn't," replied Aunt Peggy, "I suppose--there!"

The same sibilant call as before was repeated, and the elderly lady showed her faith in her own a.s.sertion by catching hold of the vine, and allowing herself to be pulled up as her predecessor had been.

Maggie and Eva were left with Habakkuk, who was plainly nervous, though it might be hard for him to explain why.

"Do you feel skeart?" he asked, in an undertone, as the rope of natural growth came dangling about their heads.

"Yes," said the elder sister; "didn't you notice a strange noise after Fred and father got up?"

"I don't know, but there is something queer; they don't seem to show themselves after they reach the top; it looks to me as if they tumbled over into some hole--ah!"

As the signal was heard the three looked up and caught the dim outlines of a head. There was not enough light to identify it, but had the moonlight fallen upon it, those who stood below would have observed that the face did not belong to any one of their three friends.

With misgiving, Maggie grasped the support and went up; then Eva followed, and, last of all. Habakkuk McEwen stood alone.

He paused in doubt a minute or so, but when the vine swung within his reach, he seized it, muttering:

"I may as well follow the crowd."

And he did.

The instant he arrived at the top he was seized by several Seneca Indians, and the astounding truth then dawned upon him that not only he, but every one of the party, had climbed squarely into the trap set for them, and, without a single exception, were prisoners in the hands of the very red men they were trying with so much skill to avoid.

CHAPTER XXIX.

It will be admitted that the little party of fugitives whose fortunes we are following displayed great skill in escaping the Tories and Indians, who, on that "day of desolation," wrought such ruin in the Wyoming Valley.

A wonderful good fortune attended them up to a certain point, and yet the humiliating truth must also be admitted, that, from the moment they rushed pell mell into the friendly cavern in the rocks, they were outgeneraled by the Senecas, under the leaders.h.i.+p of the Tory, Jake Golcher.

It looked, for a time, as if the success of the patriots was to be crowned by the most brilliant achievement of all, in stealing out of the ravine under the very noses, so to speak, of their vigilant enemies; and yet, despite their caution and well-directed audacity, which never overreached themselves, every movement, even to the slightest, was known to the redskins, who carried out their own scheme with even greater subtlety and skill.

When Fred G.o.dfrey reached the ground above he detected nothing suspicious, and, making the vine secure, turned and signaled to his friends to follow him.

It was at that instant he was seized by two powerful warriors, one of whom threw his arm about his neck, and jerking his head back, nearly strangled him. The lieutenant was caught at such disadvantage that he was helpless, but he struggled with all the strength possible, and attempted to utter a cry of warning to his friends.

But his hands were pinioned behind him, a dusky palm was glued over his mouth, and some one said in very good English:

"If you speak a word, you're a dead man!"

He was dragged back into the wood, where his wrists and elbows were tied with as much care as if he were worth all the other prisoners taken that day in Wyoming.

It required but a few seconds to complete this performance, and while it was going on two other Senecas were tugging away at the vine, to which Mr. Brainerd was clinging.

The old gentleman was altogether unsuspicious, and he came sprawling over on the ground with considerable emphasis.

"I don't see the necessity of yanking a fellow out of his boots," he laughed, in a guarded voice. "It will hardly do to be so ardent with the others--"

At that point in his remarks he was pounced upon, and served very nearly the same as his son. He fought as fiercely: but the Indians were prepared for it. He was run back in the wood behind the lieutenant, and the two condoled with each other--their chagrin being inexpressible.

Then came Aunt Peggy, whose figure was so light compared with that of Mr. Brainerd, that she was literally whisked to the top of the ground, seeming to drop from some point above.

"Maggie said there was something wrong," remarked the voluble lady; "but I'm sure there wasn't anything very queer that I heard If there are any of them Injins anywhere in the neighborhood I'd just like the chance--"

The wish of the lady was gratified, for at that moment two figures appeared beside her, as if they had sprung through a trap-door: and one, who was gifted with an exceptional amount of waggery, actually leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"You scand'lous villain!" gasped Aunt Peggy, too much horrified to speak above a whisper: "ain't you ashamed of yourself?"

With which exclamation she struck him on the side of the face, with a vicious vigor that gave out a report like the crack of a pistol.

"I'll teach you how to insult a lady--"

Her words were stopped at this point by a dusky hand that was pressed over her mouth and held there despite her frantic struggles, and she was forced back to where her two friends were prisoners.

Maggie Brainerd went up the rocks with much distrust, as will be remembered, and, as it was, she was so suspicious that she would not have gone at all but for the fact that father and brother had preceded her, and no matter what their fate must be, she wished to share it with them.

"If they have fallen into the hands of the Indians, I have no wish to remain away from them."