“I don’t see why we need tell Wayne about the mine at all. It hasn’t anything to do with the case anyway,” Jerome made answer.
“All right. For we know of the one thing, and the mine is just our supposition, after all,” was Ree’s decision. “What we should or shouldn’t tell we shall know when the time comes. You start for Pittsburg today, and I’ll manage somehow to keep yonder robbers’ roost under my eye till you are back with some reliable men. And I tell you, John, don’t bring green militia men, but good fighters—men who know the woods.”
“I feel it in my bones, Ree, that this is going to be the end of the log house on the Cuyahoga,” John remarked somewhat later. “Mind you, I’m not scared, and I’m not particularly caring if such a thing does happen, but the time has come when we’ve got to be either with the Indians or against them. Sure as the world, the Delawares will go against us for good, if we bring Wayne’s men here.”
“Maybe so; but we can only do what we think is the right thing to be done. Then we can face Captain Pipe or anybody else with a clean conscience. Don’t be so glum, though! We’ve come through trouble far worse than this, and with flying colors!”
It may have been that John Jerome received for a moment a glimpse of the future which Kingdom did not have. The latter took a cheerful view of the outcome of their plans. John could not do so, though usually optimistic. He did not hang back, however, nor question further the wisdom of his companion’s desire to put into the hands of the law the fact that two apparently peaceable salt boilers had been most wickedly slain.
Kingdom had brought to the hollow whitewood a generous supply of provisions, also fresh powder, lest John’s stock had become damp and useless from the wet weather of the day before. There was no reason, then, why Jerome should not start at once with his message to Wayne, or to Fort Pitt, if “Mad Anthony” should be found no longer in his camp lower down on the Ohio. Thus, soon after a definite decision was reached by the boys, the younger lad set out.
It was left to John to choose his own time and course, but he told Ree he would aim to strike the direct trail to Fort Pitt about a day’s journey eastward from the cabin. With care, he hoped to avoid all possibly hostile Indians, and he would reach the Ohio in less than a week. Wayne’s men would wish, no doubt, to visit the salt springs to see the bodies of the murdered men before undertaking to apprehend the murderers, and so nearly two weeks must elapse before he would see Kingdom again. The latter agreed to be waiting for him, no matter when he came, and was hopeful he would have good news of some kind to impart by that time. Encouraged thus, and more cheerful than he had been for a time, John began his long journey just as the shadows indicated the hour of noon.
A south breeze and the sun had scattered the mist and the weather gave promise of being fine and warm for many days to come. John felt the influence of nature’s brighter aspect at once when fairly under way, and would have looked upon his journey as upon a pleasant holiday had he had Kingdom’s company. But that was not to be and he could only resolve to cover as much ground as possible every day. As he thought of the object of his journey, too, his interest in it increased and he anticipated with much satisfaction his pride in guiding a small company of soldiers through the woods on the important mission, for which, he was sure, Gen. Wayne would at once cause men to be detailed.
Anxious to avoid a possible meeting with Lone-Elk, the young woodsman traveled with much caution, especially this first day. Later, when he had left the cabin far behind, he made less effort to conceal his trail and ceased to watch as vigilantly as before. To an accident, as much as to any recklessness on his part, however, was due the sudden ending of John’s expectations.
The boy had been three days upon the well-marked trail leading to the Ohio river and thence along that stream to Fort Pitt. It was the evening of his fourth day since parting from Kingdom. He kindled a small fire close beside a large rock, thinking to have some warm meat for supper, then go on a half mile or more and sleep wherever chance offered. He would thus be well away from the scene by the time his fire attracted attention, if attract attention it should.