Then, after another searching glance alongshore, he jumped into the skiff himself and rowed hurriedly to the shore to fetch Lewis aboard. He knew Indians well, and feared that they were lying in wait to capture the ark.
As the skiff touched the bank he whistled twice, the signal for calling a man ashore. Apparently Lewis did not hear. After waiting a minute or two, Captain Royce landed cautiously, to see for himself how recently the attack had been made, but had scarcely forced his way through the cedar to the little yard of chips and hewings about the barge, when he heard a shot close at hand, and thought also that he heard Lewis running.
The echoes of the shot had hardly ceased from the wooded side of the opposite island, however, when a volley appeared to be fired over there, and was followed by the peculiar quavering yell of the Shawnees!
A skulking war party had surprised the unfortunate builders of the barge. Beyond doubt, too, the Indians had seen the ark crossing over, and all through the shower had been lying in wait in the woods on the island.
Caught at such a disadvantage, Marion Royce justified his reputation for coolness in danger and good judgment. His first anxiety was for his ark and crew. Bounding through the cedar and vines, he hailed the startled crew, calling sharply to them to shove off instantly and not wait for him.
“You, Merrick, Lincoln, Gist, shove off! Get her into the current!” he shouted. “I’ll catch you in the skiff! Shove off!”
The Indians were firing shot after shot; and five or six of the savages, hideously painted, dashed out from the bank through the shallows, to board the ark. Gist fell overboard, shot while pushing hard with his pole. Merrick was also slightly wounded. But the boat was off, and immediately the strong current that made round the foot of the island bore the heavy craft away and into the rapids below.
As soon as they were afloat the arksmen dropped to cover behind the thick planks of the rail, and crawling to the gun-room amidships, secured their rifles. Moses Ayer and Shadwell Lincoln stood by the sweeps to keep her head with the stream.
The ark was now out of danger of capture; and, observing this, her plucky young captain took thought for his own safety and that of Lewis Hoyt. Twice he shouted to the boy, but the only answer was several rifle bullets from the redskins on the island. Three canoes put out, noticing which, Marion was constrained to ply his oars to escape down the rapids. By dint of vigorous exertion he overtook the ark two miles below. It was not till he had got on board that he learned of the loss of Gist, whom none of the crew expected ever to see again.
Lewis was running down the Virginia shore, keeping the ark in sight. The boy hailed them from the bank about a mile below, and was taken aboard in the skiff. He had been fired at, but was unhurt. Gist, they had little doubt, had been killed or was drowned.