The Frontiersmen Part 12

"I've been a woodsman all my life, I reckon," answered the latter, "and I don't need any instructions on that point."

"I don't suppose you do, friend," said Ichabod, "and least of all from me. I can't say as _I_ have been a regular woodsman, although I've had a little experience in the way of savages. A man who has spent a few years fighting for his life, learns, after a while, to know when it's in danger; but can you guess what that black lump may be, out yonder--right ahead of your eyes?"

"Well, if I can see straight, it's a stump, and nothing more."

"I ain't much acquainted in these parts, friend, and it may be you've got stumps here that wander round the lots at pleasure, but _I_ calculate that object ain't nothing but a venomous reptile," said Ichabod, taking sight over his rifle upon the object which attracted his attention. "Now, you see, if that's a stump, this bullet won't hurt it much; but if it's an Injin, he'll signify it some way."

The rifle of Ichabod was discharged; and the Seneca--for an Indian it was--who, creeping to reach a cover under the walls--rose to his feet with a leap, and then staggered and fell.

Again was that wild yell renewed, but in a moment all was silent.

Guthrie ashamed, became angry, and turned with a fierce scowl on Ichabod.

"You havn't a very civil way to _strangers_, friend," said he, "and we may find time to settle this business. You may bully Injins, but you won't me."

"I've just did my duty on that red varmint there," answered Ichabod coolly; "and all I've got to say, friend, is, that we've got enemies enough out-doors to attend to, without any civil war inside; but I ain't particular."

"Ichabod! Guthrie!" exclaimed Barton, "let there be no ill-blood between you now; the mistake of Guthrie might easily have been made by any one, however experienced."

Guthrie turned again towards the loop-hole, muttering indistinctly. As for Ichabod, he quietly reloaded his rifle saying:

"That's right, Squire, I'm a man of peace, any way--except with them infarnal Senecas. If I have any particular gift of which I can boast, it is in another sort of speculation. Give it to 'em Eagle's-Wing!" said he, as at this moment, he saw the Tuscarora about discharging his rifle.

At the discharge, the whole ravine seemed to pour out a tempest of shrieks.

"That Injin," said Eagle's-Wing, "won't fight any more--great pity lose his scalp though."

"Never mind the scalp, Eagle's-Wing," replied Ichabod, "if you fix the owner, so that he won't have any more use for it; that's my doctrine."

"That bad doctrine for Injin--good doctrine for pale-face p'raps."

Notwithstanding the utmost watchfulness, on the part of the besieged, no further demonstration was made by the Senecas, for nearly an hour; until, at length, they began to hope that the contest might already be terminated, and that the loss of three of their warriors, without having been able to inflict any injury upon the garrison, had discouraged the Indians. As time pa.s.sed by, no further attack being made, even Ichabod and the Tuscarora began to yield to the belief which Barton had expressed, but they did not for a moment relax their watchfulness.

Barton, Ralph and Ruth, had finally withdrawn from the loop-holes, while Guthrie lounged moodily about.

"I think," said Barton, "we shall have nothing more to apprehend to-night. The savages have doubtless repented of their temerity in attacking a place so well defended as this."

"Heaven grant it may be so," replied Ruth. "We have had but little experience, thus far, in the terrors of Indian warfare but as it is, it is horrible."

"I hope, with you, Miss Barton," said Ralph, "that the Indians have abandoned the attack; and yet I know so well their treacherous mode of warfare, that it would not be surprising to me, were the severest part of our labor yet to come. Ichabod seems, by his actions, to have the same opinion."

"Yes, Captin," answered Ichabod. "I _do_ mistrust these infarnal villians; and I shall mistrust 'em till day-light, sartin. You'll find that they're plotting some deviltry which we shall know about before we are many hours older."

"It is strange," said Ruth, "that these savages should so resist all attempts for their improvement; and that they should persist in their cruel mode of warfare, after having received so much instruction from Christian teachers."

"I do not think it so very strange, perhaps," answered Ralph. "Their habits--their modes of life, are the result of ages of barbarity, and traditions communicated from father to son. No continuous effort has ever been made to Christianize them; and it would be a miracle, were we to find them now with Christian sentiments--adopting an entirely new mode of life."

"That's my opinion, Captin," said Ichabod. "That speculation has been a failure, and it always will be a failure. You might as well talk of civilizing wolves. Why, there's the Oneida nation, who have pretty much all been to school, and sat under sermons month after month,--let them hear the war-hoop, and they're as crazy as devils, and don't think of anything but scalps. There's Eagle's-Wing, being just as good a gentleman, for an Injin, as ever wore moccasins--I'll warrant you some foolish missionary reckons _him_ for a convarted Injin; and yet," said he, with a whisper, "you'll find that infernal Seneca's scalp somewhere about him now. Don't talk to me of convarting Injins. I don't think they were ever intended to be convarted."

"You remember the divine injunction to the apostles, Ichabod?" asked Ruth; "that they were to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature?"

"Lord love you, girl!" answered Ichabod, "you don't suppose that meant to come over to America among these tomahawking savages! You see, in the first place, it would have been something of a job for one of them apostles to have got here; and in the second place, he'd wished himself away again, in a hurry."

"I agree with Miss Barton," said Ralph, "that there is no reason why these savages might not learn to cherish Christian principles. The efforts of the Jesuits show that something can be done to civilize them; and the labors of Elliot among the New England Indians prove that they _can_ be Christianized."

"I reckon there's two sides to that question," answered Ichabod, "I've heard that those Injins were more troublesome than them that didn't have any preaching. Their religion all stopped with drinking Christianized rum. No, Captin, you can't give me any faith in that expectation, any way."

"I'm afraid Mr. Jenkins," said Ruth, "that the same reasons you urge against the conversion and improvement of the Indians, would apply as well to all mankind generally as to them. There are but few, of all who listen to the Scriptures, who act upon their precepts. They hear, as you say the Indians do, and at once forget, in their worldly intercourse, that there is such a book as the Bible."

"Well. I can't dispute that p'int," replied Ichabod. "In these new settlements, where men have so much to do, they ar'nt so much to blame, if they can't understand what the preachers in the city are quarreling about. I've lived a long while in the woods, and about the new settlement, Miss Ruth, and havn't had much time to settle doctrinal controvarsies; but I've got a faith of my own, which wouldn't, perhaps, answer for you; and yet I'm willing to live by it, and die by it."

"Of how many articles does your faith consist?" asked Ralph, smiling.

"Well, Captin, that may be as you've a mind to cla.s.sify the different p'ints. I don't coincide quite, in my views of future life, with old Michael Wigglesworth, who had no marcy for anybody but his own sect--not for infants even. You recollect the va.r.s.es on infants, Captin, where he says that although in bliss--

"They may not hope to dwell, Still unto them he will allow The easiest room in h.e.l.l."

No, Captin, a man cannot live in the forests, and look continually at the works of G.o.d, and forget that He exists; and I reckon that a man who always bears Him in mind, whether he be felling the trees, planting the ground, turning his hand in an honest speculation, or shooting a Seneca, will have marcy shown to him eventually. That's my doctrine."

"It is a creed that has the merit of being short, if not orthodox," said Ralph. "But I must acknowledge, that while I have not paid the attention to religious matters that I ought to have done, and have been too forgetful of claims that have been imposed upon all men, yet, from all my doubts, I have ever returned to the Bible as the only sure anchor of faith. Its opening revelations are corroborated in the history or tradition of all nations; its divine teachings, interpreted according to the simple understanding of one's own heart, accord with our reason--satisfy our hopes--alleviate our sorrows--cheer us in death. The uninstructed feelings of the heart, in this matter, are a purer, more excellent wisdom, than all the pride of intellect."

"Well, Captin," said Ichabod, "I never dispute on creeds--so you are welcome to yours: but on _facts_, I've got a right to express my opinion. Now, as for them opening chapters being corroborated by the history of all nations--that's a question of fact, which I'm willing to leave to Eagle's-Wing, whose nation, according to their traditions, is older than I'd like to vouch for. Now, he'll tell you that the first thing that was made was a tortoise and that the earth was then made and placed upon its back. I say, Eagle's-Wing----Thunder and lightning!"

exclaimed he, springing towards the stairway.

The fact was, that Ichabod had been so much engaged in this conversation, relying upon the prudence and watchfulness of the Tuscarora, that he had given up all his attention to it. But upon making his appeal to the Tuscarora, he had turned towards the position lately occupied by him when he discovered that both he and Guthrie were missing.

Scarcely had he sprung towards the stairway, ere there rang through the cottage a shriek of agony, immediately followed by the sound of a heavy body falling upon the floor, in the room below. This was succeeded by a tempest of shrieks, which apparently came from the whole body of the enemy, who were now close under the cover of the building, in front of the south door.

Ichabod was followed by Barton and Ralph, down the stair-way. As they came towards the door, they beheld the Tuscarora standing silently beside it, while at his feet lay a black ma.s.s, indistinct in the darkness, which they took to be the body of Guthrie.

"What is the meaning of this, Eagle's-Wing?" demanded Barton.

The Tuscarora quietly pointed towards the door, the bar of which was partially raised. "He traitor; got bad heart; meant to open door and let Seneca come in. Can't do it _now_, if he try ever so much."

"Eagle's-Wing," said Barton, with emotion, "you have saved our lives to-night. We owe you a double debt of grat.i.tude."

"I suspected that fellow from the beginning," said Ichabod, "and Eagle's-Wing and I agreed to watch him; but you're a better warrior than I, old friend; you don't suffer yourself to be divarted by doctrinal p'ints."

It was now evident that some important movement was taking place out of doors. Scarcely had Ichabod ceased speaking, ere the door received a violent blow, as from a log thrown against it with great force.

"We can't stand that thumping," said Ichabod. "We've been on the defence agin them red devils long enough. Let's open the door and give 'em fight."

After some deliberation, this course was resolved upon. The party within doors were to range themselves in front of the door, where they would not at once be discovered in the darkness, by those outside; and as the log was next thrown, and while the Indians would probably be unprepared for this sudden attack, the door was to be suddenly thrown open, when the whole party would deliver their fire. In the surprise, they might as suddenly close it, should it be deemed necessary. This attack, from its very boldness and seeming temerity, would be likely to succeed.

Scarcely was the resolution formed and the party arranged ere the door received another shock, and was immediately thrown wide open by Barton.

There were gathered before it ten or twelve Indians, four of whom held in their hands a log of five or six inches in thickness and about twelve feet in length, with which they were endeavoring to force the door.

Immediately the five rifles inside were discharged, and two of the Indians fell. The remainder, surprised at this sudden attack, for a moment seemed paralysed. The Tuscarora, no longer to be restrained, but impelled not only by his Indian instincts, but by his hatred of the Senecas, leaped from the door, with his knife in his hand, upon one of the prostrate Indians.

At this sudden appearance of the Tuscarora, the Senecas filled the air with shrieks, and rushed towards him. But ere they had reached him, he rose erect with the scalp of the Seneca in his hand, and waving it over his head, uttered his defiance with a ferocious scream. Ichabod and Ralph, in a moment, were by his side; and now commenced a hand-to-hand combat, most desperate, indeed, on the part of the besieged. Barton and the negro, who had again loaded their rifles, once more discharged them upon the Senecas, and then sprang to the a.s.sistance of their friends.

Another Indian had fallen, so that now there was no such fearful disparity of odds as when the strife commenced. Had it not been for the impulse of the Tuscarora, the _ruse_ of Ichabod would have been completely successful; but Ralph, although engaged warmly in the melee, saw the unfortunate position in which they were now placed. There were at least a dozen more of the Senecas about the cottage, who would be immediately attracted hither by the noise of the conflict, while the cottage was now entirely undefended, and Ruth exposed to the hostility of any savage who might take advantage of the conflict to force his way into the building.