"How d"ye do, Rattles.h.a.g?" said Ethan.
The strange visitor made no reply, but walked deliberately up to the young exiles, gave his hand first to Ethan, then to f.a.n.n.y.
"Toler"ble, considering," said he, at last.
"Whar did you kim from?"
"Over thar," he answered, pointing to the settlement, and shaking his head.
"Anybody thar?" asked Ethan, anxiously.
"Injins."
"No white folks?"
"All gone: some on "em"s killed, and some on "em"s kerried off. Awful times, everywhar," added the trapper, shaking his head mournfully.
"Whar"s the Injin boy?"
"Up thyer," answered Ethan, pointing to the cabin where Wahena had been secured as soon as the raft was discovered, for another attack from the Indians had been antic.i.p.ated. "You may let him loose again, f.a.n.n.y."
She was always glad to perform this office for her captive friend, and she soon returned to the sh.o.r.e with Wahena.
"He"s all safe--ain"t he?" asked Rattles.h.a.g.
"Yes; we hain"t hurt him; and he"s as fond of f.a.n.n.y as a pet puppy dog."
"Glad on"t. I was tooken by the Injins over thar, and got nigh bein"
skelped. Lean B"ar let me go to kim over here arter the boy," added the trapper.
"We can"t let him go," said Ethan.
"I reckon you mought."
Ethan explained in what manner the presence of Wahena had saved them from the Indians.
"We can"t spare him till we get out of the woods ourselves," added Ethan.
"Then I must go back and be skelped," replied Rattles.h.a.g, solemnly. "I promised Lean B"ar thet I"d git the boy, or else I"d kim back myself; and old Rattles.h.a.g never broke his word to Injin or white man."
"Thet"s so," said Ethan, who knew the reputation of the trapper for simple honesty and fidelity.
"Hev you got a boat?" asked Rattles.h.a.g.
"Yes."
"Then I reckon we kin go down to Mankato. The sogers is drivin" the Injins back. Thyer"s ben awful times all through the country; more "n a thousand men, women, and children hes ben killed. I"ve trevelled all through from Big Stone, dodgin" the Injins all the way. They are as savage as painters. I kim down hyer to git away from "em, but I found they"d ben hyer too," added the trapper, with another melancholy shake of the head. "It"s awful."
Rattles.h.a.g over-estimated the number of victims to this terrible ma.s.sacre, though it has been stated as high as seven hundred. He related to the young exiles his adventures in his long journey through the devoted region which had been the scene of so much cruelty and bloodshed. He told of the men, women, and children he had seen lying dead and mangled in the deserted settlements; of the wounded, starving, and dying fugitives he had met in their flight; and of the desolation which lay in the track of the merciless savages.
The listeners were appalled and horrified at the sad and b.l.o.o.d.y tale.
f.a.n.n.y wept, and Ethan with difficulty choked down the emotions which agitated him.
"What shall be did?" asked the trapper, at last. "Kin you let the boy go, or shall I go back and be skelped?"
"You certainly shall not go back!" exclaimed f.a.n.n.y.
An earnest consultation followed, and a plan was soon agreed upon by which Rattles.h.a.g could be saved.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE INDIAN AMBUSH.
f.a.n.n.y was the originator of the scheme by which it was expected to save the party from the ferocity of the Indians, and enable the trapper to keep his plighted faith with them. The exiles, accompanied by their new-found friend, were to descend the river in the bateau to Mankato.
Wahena was to be taken with them to some point above their destination, where he was to be delivered to his friends, when his presence as a hostage was no longer necessary to the safety of his captors.
This was thought to be the only safe plan, for even Rattles.h.a.g did not pretend to believe that the Indians would not be treacherous when Wahena was no longer in peril. It was arranged that the trapper should return to Lean Bear, and inform him of the terms on which his son could be saved. He was instructed to tell the savage chief that Ethan could fire eight shots a minute, and that Wahena would surely atone with his life for any treachery on the part of the Indians.
Rattles.h.a.g put off on his raft again, and paddled towards the settlement. It was late in the evening when he returned with the intelligence that Lean Bear had accepted the terms, though very reluctantly, for they compelled him to send a party of his braves on a journey of seventy miles to receive Wahena when he was delivered up.
Rattles.h.a.g had been obliged to argue the point with him; but the a.s.surance that the boy would certainly be shot if he did not yield, induced him to comply. Six Indian hors.e.m.e.n were deputed to follow the boat on the banks of the river, and insure them against any attack from the wandering savages whom the exiles might encounter.
The next morning the bateau was lowered from its position, rolled down to the lake, and launched. The muscular arm of the trapper rendered this a comparatively easy task, and it was accomplished in a few hours.
The mast was stepped, the sail bent on, and the rigging adjusted under the direction of f.a.n.n.y, who was more familiar with such matters than either of her companions. Such provisions as remained were stowed on board, cooked ready for use.
At noon, with a fresh breeze from the westward, the party embarked, and, with f.a.n.n.y at the helm, sailed for the outlet at the north-east corner of the lake. The party were very much fatigued after the hard work required in making preparations for their departure, and independently of the exciting circ.u.mstances of leaving the island home, and the prospect of soon being in a place of entire safety, they enjoyed the rest afforded by the voyage.
"What we go"n to do when we get to Mankato, f.a.n.n.y?" asked Ethan.
"I"m sure I don"t know."
"We hain"t got no friends thar."
"Nor anywhere," replied f.a.n.n.y, sadly. "I have no near relations now that my uncle and aunt are gone."
"I never had none; but I s"pose I kin go to work, as I allers did,"
added Ethan, cheerfully.
"I doubt not we shall find plenty of friends. I am sure that Woodville, where I have lived the last two years, will be open to me."
"I reckon we needn"t borrow any trouble arter we git out of this sc.r.a.pe. Ef we could stand what we"ve gone through with, we hain"t got nothin" to fear."
"I have no clothes but those I wear, and not a cent of money," added f.a.n.n.y, rather disturbed by the prospect before her.
"I reckon "twill be all right," said Ethan.
"I have no doubt it will. I do not mean to complain. We have so much to be grateful for, that it would be wicked to repine at our lot."