CHAPTER XXVII
IN THE RANKS ONCE MORE
"This is truly horrible!"
Rodney uttered the words, after listening to the account of another attack by the Indians. The party had been at Carlisle three days, and a dozen men had come in with reports of the settlement in Shearman's valley, and on the Juniata. It was the old story of bloodshed and burned cabins and haystacks, and stolen cattle. A boy was there—a tall, half-crazed youth of thirteen,—who had seen his father, mother, and two sisters slaughtered before his eyes. No one could comfort the lad, although many tried.
"I have father's rifle," he said. "I am going to kill Indians as long as I live!" And tradition tells us that this boy kept his word. During the Revolution he joined Daniel Boone in Kentucky, and then went out on the Missouri. For every red man killed he cut a notch on his rifle stock, and when he was slain, at about the age of fifty, the stock of the firearm was found literally covered with notches.
Carlisle was overcrowded with men, women, and children, who had come in from all directions. Every house and barn was filled to overflowing, and hundreds slept in the open, as at Fort Cumberland. The majority had lost their all and would have starved to death had it not been for the kindness of those who still had a little to give. Colonel Bouquet had expected to march upon the Indians immediately, but there was a delay in getting horses and supplies, and, consequently the middle of July was reached before the advance was ordered.
The colonel was willing enough to take the volunteers with him, but warned all such that they would have to look after their own supplies. To this they agreed, and a company of twenty-seven men was formed. Nearly every one of the number had done army duty before, so very little drilling was required. Each could shoot well, and that was of first importance.
"I wish we had more of the rangers along," said Dave. "Those green fellows from the West Indies know nothing of Indian fighting. They may make the same mess of it that Braddock's men did."
"Most of the rangers want to stay behind to protect their families, and you can't blame them for that," answered Rodney. "I shouldn't want to leave a wife and children here all alone."
It was a great day for Carlisle when the little army marched out. Everybody wished the soldiers the best of luck, but many a head was shaken gravely. What could five hundred or six hundred men do against thousands of Indians, and especially in a forest fight, where the red warriors were perfectly at home?