CHAPTER II.
BOARDING THE FLAT-BOAT.
The cause of Pat's alarm was immediately manifest to Hezekiah. The head and shoulders of a man were visible on the flat-boat, as was also the muzzle of a rifle he held in his hand. Thinking he was about to speak or fire, our two friends drew back and waited for his words. To their surprise, however, his head almost immediately disappeared, and their most urgent calls and entreaties could not induce him to show himself again.
By this time, the flat-boat had drifted some distance below them, and they ran down the bank so as to recover their lost ground.
"We've got to boord it," said Pat, as they took their station.
"How is it to be done?"
"Why, you jist wade out and climb up the side."
"And what are you going to do?"
"I'll stay on the bank to cover your retrate if you gits licked."
"Cover my retreat," repeated Hezekiah, as if he found it difficult to understand the exact meaning of his friend.
"Suppose that man fires at me and kills me?"
"Be that token, Pat Mulroony will consider that it's dangerous for him to follow yees, and will retrate, like a wise gineral, into the woods."
Hezekiah still debated whether it was his duty to run such a risk for the benefit of his companion or not, but finally compromised the matter by offering to carry him upon his back.
"The water ain't very deep," said he, "and as my legs are a yard or two the longest, I'll keep you dry, and you'll run the same chance of being struck that I will."
"It's a bargain," said Pat, immediately mounting the back of Hezekiah.
For the convenience of the latter, the Irishman took the guns of both, and with his heavy load upon his back, Hezekiah Smith stepped cautiously into the river. He had entered it some distance below the flat-boat, so that he would have no trouble in intercepting it, and he now strided as rapidly as possible through the water.
He had gone, perhaps, two-thirds of the distance, and the water reached almost to his waist, when the head of the man on the flat-boat again appeared, and pointing his rifle over it, he called out:
"You infernal decoys, what do you mean by coming out here? I'll give you just two seconds to reach the shore again, and if you come a foot nearer, I'll blow daylight through you."
Instead of turning round and retreating, Hezekiah ducked his head at this sudden command, so as to bring the Irishman as a sort of shield before him. Throwing him too far forward, the consequence was, that Pat went completely over his head into the water. At sight of this discomfiture of both, the man in the flat-boat evidently concluded their presence could be of little danger to him, and accordingly called out.
"Come out to the boat, and I'll help you on board."
"Murther! Can't ye pick us up?" cried Pat, floundering through the water. It being very manifest that such a feat, under the circumstances, was impossible, our two friends made the best of their way forward, and upon reaching the side of the boat were assisted on board by the man who, a few minutes before, had ordered them away so peremptorily.
"Who are you?" he demanded, as soon as they had recovered breath.
"Patrick Mulroony, from Tipperary, Ireland, at your service, sir."
"Hezekiah Smith, also."
"Isn't there any one else ashore?"
"Not that we knows of. Are you the only one on these premises?"
"No, sir, you will see my companions shortly."
The speaker was a young man of rather prepossessing address, one who, to judge from appearances, was as much a stranger in these wilds, as our two friends, who have been already introduced to the reader.
He was attired in a plain, homespun dress, such as, at the period of which we write, were more often seen in civilized communities, than as far west as this portion of the Ohio. He had a keen, black eye, dark, flowing hair, a pleasant face, considerably embrowned, and bearing the unmistakeable impress of a firm will, and iron determination. He scanned his visitors as they came aboard, and seemed to gather from a glance their character.
"If you've no objection, what might be your name?" asked Hezekiah, in his gentle, insinuating voice.
"Luther Waring."
"Eh, yes, just so; glad to hear. Ain't married, now, I dare say?"
"No, sir."
"Might be engaged, perhaps?"
"Yes; to tell the truth, I am," replied Waring, "and, if I ever get safely through this infernal Indian country, down to the settlements, I'll be married."
"Where might the—where might the lady be now?" pursued Hezekiah, evidently determined to get all he could out of Waring.
"She and her father are in the cabin, and, I suppose, will soon show themselves."
"What might be her name, now—that is, if you have no objection to telling me."
"Certainly not," laughed Waring. "She is from the same village that I have left; and her name is Virginia: daughter of Mr. George Lander. Anything else that I can impart?"
"You are bound to the settlement, down the river, I suppose?"
"I have hinted as much; yes, that is our destination."
Hezekiah paused at this point, as he seemed to have run out of questions, seeing which, Pat Mulroony whispered—
"Begorrah, ye isn't going to sthop in this place, be yees?"
The querulous New Englander placed the stock of his rifle a few inches from his feet, and holding his arms over the muzzle, seemed to be engaged in a deep study for a few moments. Suddenly, slinging his right leg around the other, so that it rested upon the tip of the foot, he turned his beaming face toward Waring, and continued—
"Is the gal good-looking, now?"
Waring laughed outright.
"You shall be the judge, if you only wait a few minutes."
"Of course—of course—I only asked to—that is, I just asked——"
"To find out," put in Pat, with a comical expression, as he looked down and surveyed his clinging garments.
"Do you wish to change your clothes?" asked Waring, who had noticed the furtive glance of the Irishman.
"There bein' ladies in the neighborhood, p'rhaps they might 'bjact, as, be the token that we have no clouthes to put on, our costume would be rather picturesque, as the man said when he came out from the river, and found a cow had ate up his garments."
"We can furnish you with something I think."
"It's entirely unnecessary, entirely unnecessary," said Hezekiah, with a graceful wave of his hand. "The water is not cold at all, and the bathing was quite pleasant. But, I was going to ask whether the Indians had troubled you yet?"
"If you had examined the side of the boat as you came up, you would have seen several bullets imbedded in it. They were fired by Indians."
"Deu tell!" gasped Hezekiah.
"We paid no heed to them at first, in the hopes that they would leave us, when they found we were aware of their motives; but, as they kept following us, Mr. Lander and myself sent several shots among them, that made them howl, and send volley after volley after us in return."
"They didn't kill yer?"
"They did no damage, as our boats were constructed with a knowledge of all the exigencies that might arise. How is it with yourselves?"
"I haven't seen an Indian in a long time," replied Hezekiah; "but I have smelt their camp-fires several times."
"I've saan plenty of the haythen," added Pat, "but have given them a wide barth, and so I'm plased to state, I've suffered no harm up to this point in the prosadings."
"I have never been in this part of the country before," said Waring, speaking in a more serious tone than he had used thus far; "but I am aware of the perils and dangers that encompass us. Our immunity from danger thus far, leads me to hope for the best, as, from the knowledge that I gained before starting, the settlement, which is our destination, cannot be more than twenty miles distant, near enough for us to reach it to-morrow, if nothing unexpected occurs. I must say, however, I am filled with considerable misgivings. We are in the most dangerous point of the river; and I cannot help thinking that the crisis will come to-night. I am indeed glad that you two have come on board."
"Thunder! so am I," said Hezekiah, "for I was lost in the woods, and was beginning to get scart. We are bound with you for the settlement. Hello!"
At this juncture the cabin-door opened, and a man, some sixty years of age, made his appearance. He was very grey, with a feeble, attenuated frame, and the air of one who, for years, had not seen a day of perfect health.
Waring immediately introduced him to the Irishman and New Englander, the former grasping him heartily by the hands, and the latter scraping his feet very elaborately, as he returned his pressure.
The face of the elderly personage was careworn, and he spoke but a few words, merely expressing his pleasure at meeting his two friends, when he returned to the cabin.
Hezekiah Smith was just on the point of asking a question concerning him, when the cabin-door again opened, and Virginia Lander made her appearance. She had the same black eyes and hair as her lover—a bright, hopeful expression of countenance, singularly in contrast with that of her parent, and a nervous restlessness of manner, such as is often seen in the mere child. She was not beautiful, but she was handsome, and inspired every one in her favor. Waring immediately introduced her, as he had her father. Hezekiah retreated a step or two, lifted his hat from his head, and was just in the act of making another sweeping scrape with his foot, when she brought these preparations to an end by taking his hand, speaking her pleasure, and turning to the Irishman, and doing the same.
"Extremely happy to meet you," said Hezekiah. "If you've no objection, I would like to know——"
"Be the powers! but look yonder jist!" interrupted Pat, pointing down the river. "What does that mane?"
Waring had already caught sight of the suspicious object, and turned to Hezekiah.
"What do you make of it?"
"A lot of Indians, as sure as thunder."