On this hint, we returned to our friends, and resumed our arms. What succeeded, I learned in part by the relations of others, while a part was witnessed by my own eyes. It seems that Jaap, from the first, understood the desperate nature of his own position. The remembrance of his mis-deeds in relation to Muss, whose prisoner he had more especially become, most probably increased his apprehensions, and his thoughts were constantly bent on obtaining his liberty, by means entirely independent of negotiation. From the instant he was brought out of the ravine, he kept all his eyes about him, watching for the smallest chance of effecting his purpose. It happened that one of the savages so placed himself before the negro, who was kept behind all near him, as to enable Jaap to draw the Huron's knife from its sheath without being detected: He did this while I was actually with the party, and all eyes were on me. Guert and himself were bound, by having their arms fastened above the elbows, behind the back; and when Guert turned aside to shed tears, as mentioned, Jaap succeeded in cutting his fastenings. This could be done, only while the savages were following my retreating form with their eyes. At the same time Jaap gave the knife to Guert, who did him a similar service. As the Indians did not take the alarm, the prisoners paused a moment, holding their arms as if still bound, to look around them. The Indian nearest Guert had two rifles, his own and that of Muss, both leaning negligently against his shoulder, with their breeches on the ground. To these weapons Guert pointed; and, when the three chiefs were on the point of rejoining their friends, who were attentive to their movements in order to ascertain the result, Guert seized this savage by his arm, which he twisted until the Indian yelled with pain, then caught one rifle, while Jaap laid hold of the other. Each fired and brought down his man; then they made an onset with the butts of their pieces on the rest of the party. This bold assault, though so desperate in appearance, was the wisest thing they could do; as immediate flight would have left their enemies an opportunity of sending the swift runners of their pieces in pursuit.
The first intimation we had of any movement of this sort was in the reports of the rifles. Then, I not only saw, but I heard the tremendous blow Jaap gave to the head of Muss; a blow that demolished both the victim and the instrument of his destruction. Though the breech of the rifle was broken, the heavy barrel still remained, and the negro flourished it with a force that swept all before him. It is scarcely necessary to say Guert was not idle in such a fray. He fought for Mary Wallace, as well as for himself, and he overturned two more of the Indians, as it might be, in the twinkling of an eye. Here Dirck did good service to our friends. His rifle was in his hands, and, levelling it with coolness, he shot down a powerful savage who was on the point of seizing Guert from behind. This was the commencement of a general war, volleys now coming from both parties; from ourselves, and from the enemy, who were in the cover of the woods. Intimidated by the fury of the personal assault under which they were suffering, the remaining Indians near Guert and the negro leaped away towards their friends, yelling; leaving their late prisoners free, but more exposed to fire than they could have been when encircled even by enemies.
Everything passed with fearful rapidity. Guert seized the rifle of a fallen Indian, and Jaap obtained another, when they fell back towards us, like two lions at bay, with rifle-bullets whizzing around them at every step. Of course, we fired, and we also advanced to meet them; an imprudent step, since the main body of the Hurons were covered, rendering the contest unequal. But, there was no resisting the sympathetic impulses of such a moment, or the exultation we all felt at the exploits of Guert and Jaap, enacted, as they were, before our eyes. As we drew together, the former shouted and cried—
“Hurrah! Corny, my noble fellow—let us charge the woot—there'll not be a reat-skin left in it, in five minutes. Forwart, my friends—forwart, all!”
It certainly was an exciting moment. We all shouted in our turns, and all cried 'forward,' in common. Even Mr. Worden joined in the shout, and pressed forward. Jason, too, fought bravely; and we went at the wood like so many bull-dogs. I fancy the pedagogue thought the fee-simple of his mills depended on the result. On we went, in open order, reserving our fire for the last moment, but receiving dropping shots, that did us no harm, until we dashed into the thicket.
The Hurons were discomfited, and they fled. Though a panic is not usual among those wild warriors, they seldom rally on the field. If once driven, against their will, a close pursuit will usually disperse them for a time; and such was the case now. By the time I got fairly into the ravine, I could see or hear of no enemy. My friends were on my right and left, shouting and pressing on; but there was no foe visible. Guert and Jaap were in advance, for we could not overtake them; and they had fired, for they got the last glimpses of the enemy. But one more shot did come from the Hurons in that inroad. It was fired from some one of the retreating party, who must have been lingering in its rear. The report sounded far up the ravine, and it came like a farewell and final gun. Distant as it was, however, it proved the most fatal shot to us that was fired in all that affair. I caught a glimpse of Guert, through the trees, and saw him fall. In an instant, I was at his side.
What a change is that from the triumph of victory to the sudden approach of death! I saw by the expression of Guert's countenance, as I raised him in my arms, that the blow was fatal. The ball, indeed, had passed directly through his body, missing the bones, but injuring the vitals. There is no mistaking the expression of a death-wound on the human countenance, when the effect is direct and not remote. Nature appears to admonish the victim of his fate. So it was with Guert.
“This shot has done for me, Corny,” he said, “and it seems to be the very last they intended to fire. I almost hope there can be no truth in what you told me of Mary Wallace!”
That was neither the time nor the place to speak on such a subject, and I made no answer. From the instant the fall of Guert became known, the pursuit ceased, and our whole party collected around the wounded man. The Indian alone seemed to retain any consciousness of the importance of knowing what the enemy was doing, for his philosophy was not easily disturbed by the sudden appearance of death among us. Still he liked Guert, as did every one who could get beyond the weaknesses of his outer character, and fairly at the noble traits of his manly nature. Susquesus looked at the sufferer a moment, gravely and not without concern; then he turned to Herman Mordaunt, and said—
“This bad—save scalp, that good, though. Carry him in house. Susquesus follow trail and see what Injin mean.”