“Who? The Indians?” exclaimed Nathaniel.
“Who else should I mean?” said Marcus. “Loïs has seen Nadjii, Charles’ squaw, and she says they will be down upon the settlement to-night.”
There was a moment’s silence; then Nat said, “We must lose no time; the waggons must be got out, and the women and children sent off. They’ll be safe before nightfall at Zanisville. Quick! send one of the men to John Cleveland, and do you go down to the village, and give the alarm; but above all things, there must be no noise—the red men have their spies about, you may be sure. The women must be got out of the village quietly, through the valley on the other side,” and he turned away.
Loïs had already spoken to her mother, and Father Nat found Martha standing in the kitchen with the two younger girls, Marie and Susan, clinging to her.
“The waggons will be ready in half an hour,” he said, “but you must go off on foot to avoid observation. They will meet you on the other side of the valley and take you to Zanisville, where you will be in safety. Quick! make up your bundles and go. The Indians are coming through the woods; happily, they be still a good way off.”
“And you?” said Martha.
“Forewarned is forearmed,” answered Nathaniel. “We shall not be attacked in the daytime; we are well prepared. I hope we may teach these savages a lesson. It would have been different if they had surprised us. You need not go farther than Zanisville. We shall be sending for you as soon as it is safe to do so.”
“I thought it was decided we were to remain,” said Loïs.
“As long as it was safe to keep you,” said Nathaniel. “Now the care and thought for you would be a hindrance to us men. I mean to give these savages a peppering which they shall remember, and you’re best out of the way. We’ve settled it long ago. We’re not taken unawares. The women and children will be escorted by some thirty of our men over the hills; the waggons will go round to meet you, and take you the rest of the way: there’ll be no danger then; they’ll be too busy with us. Don’t make any trouble; it’s got to be as I say, Loïs.”
In view of an attack of the Indians, the elders had arranged that a certain number of men should be told off to protect the women and screen their retreat. They had now the advantage of not being surprised, and having time before them. Some of the women were very unwilling to go, not believing the rumour—there had been so many false alarms—but the men insisted, and soon little groups were seen crossing the valley and directing their steps through the mountain gorges towards the spot where the waggons were to be in waiting. So numerous were the outlets to the valley, the roads were so zigzag, and the country was so thickly wooded, that it was easy for the fugitives to pass out unperceived; besides, the Indians were still at a great distance, separated from the settlement by a dense forest.