“You’ll be all right soon, I guess,” said Robert cheerily. “I hope so anyway. General Atkinson is chasing Black Hawk up the Rock and you and I don’t want to miss any of the fun.”
“We won’t miss any; don’t worry about that. When Black Hawk gets into those swamps up at the head of the Rock River near the lakes, you can be sure it will take more than two weeks to drive him out. We’ll see all the ‘fun’ we want, all right.”
“I hope so,” exclaimed Robert earnestly. “And now I must leave,” he added as he rose to go. “Good-bye, Joe. I’ll come in again soon.”
“Good-bye, Bob,” said Joseph. “If Deerfoot talks too much, tell me and I’ll ask him to stop.”
“I only wish he’d start,” laughed Robert, as he left his brother’s room and made his way back to the tent which he and Deerfoot shared.
CHAPTER XXI
THE FIGHT ON THE PEKATONIKA
Two weeks passed and Joseph was entirely healed of his wound. A slight limp at times was the only trace that remained and that promised to disappear soon. He was up and as cheerful as ever. They were still at Dixon’s Ferry and the inaction did not gall Joseph as much as it did his impetuous brother.
He spent much of his time with The Swallow, grooming and caring for the beautiful pony. He had taught the intelligent animal to come at his whistle and most of the time the horse followed at his heels in much the same manner a dog would do. Every day Joseph’s pride in his mount grew. He never ceased to wonder at the easy gait and the wonderful speed The Swallow exhibited on the frequent rides they took over the prairies.
There had been no organized fighting of late. General Atkinson had returned to Dixon’s Ferry as soon as he learned of the desertion of Major Stillman’s corps. He had left General Whiteside to carry on the pursuit of Black Hawk, while he returned with the regulars to protect the supplies left at Dixon’s Ferry.
Whiteside’s men soon became tired of soldiering, however. Black Hawk had crossed the northern border of Illinois and was now in Michigan. He had gone into the unexplored and almost impenetrable swamps of the north, the men declared, and could never be captured. At any rate they said that, being Illinois volunteers, they were not required to serve outside the state. They also claimed they had enlisted for only a month and that their time of service had expired.