“I’ve been a fool!” was his earnest mental ejaculation, as he worked himself free from the presence of his enemies; “and jest by my own laziness, is not comin’ on when I might have given the alarm, now I shall have to stand by and see all my friends murdered! There was time enough; but, fool I was, I must take it for sleep. But it’s done, and now I’ll stand by and see if I ken render any sarvice; may be some lucky chance will happen. After all, it’s a wondrous pity that Davy Barring has been outwitted and outtramped by a lot o’ these confounded human tigers.”
A few rods more brought the party into the little clearing surrounding the cabin of the Hintons. If David had before felt a hope that the invaders would pass the cabin, it was doomed now to an utter extinguishment. Favoured by the darkness, the hostile warriors glided into the clearing, and in a moment the devoted habitation was surrounded by hundreds of the red fiends, eager for the blood of innocence.
The pain and anxiety of the scout can be well imagined.
For some minutes David awaited, with anxiety, the expected onset. Still, all was silent. Filled with vague apprehensions, he crawled nearer, to gain a more extensive view. Finding himself unopposed, he worked his way into the clearing, and scanned the prospect before him. Between the dwelling and its present position, several smaller cabins had been erected, shutting the former from his view. He could perceive a large number of savages about the buildings. To gain a point from which to make another observation, he must move some thirty rods to the eastward, and, as the quickest mode of reaching the place, he returned at once to the wood. Here he met no restraint, and had nearly reached the coveted position, when he espied a crouching figure directly in his path.
The first thought of the scout was to spring to cover; but, before he had time to execute it, the query which broke from the savage, in his authoritative tones, changed the purpose.
“My brave! Where goest thou?” was the demand of the Indian, in the dialect of the Winnebagoes.
The question revealed to David two important facts! The person before him was a chief, unaware of the character of the scout. They were within two yards of each other at the moment, and David cared not to waste time. With a peculiar motion, he glided a pace nearer the waiting chief, and, with a movement like the rapid sweep of thought, whirled his rifle through the air, bringing its heavy breech full upon the painted scalp of the Indian. Without a sound, he fell to the earth, his skull cloven in twain.
“One imp the less, to gloat over the poor women and children they will murder. I hate to spill blood, but that’s what they’re here for, and they must reap what they sow. But it’s uncommon curious what keeps them so still.”
Glancing around, to make sure he was not running into an ambuscade, a few rapid steps carried him forward to the point selected for his reconnaissance. Here it was soon apparent what had kept the savages so silent. Large piles of rubbish had been gathered about the principal cabin, to which fire had been applied in many places. The scout gazed silently upon the spectacle, while his clenched hands and fierce expression showed how terrible was the rage within that bosom.
“Oh, my poor friends!” he mused. “I am to blame for all this—I who might have saved you. But, burn on! There shall be a fearful recompense.”