The Lost Trail Read online

  CHAPTER VI

  NIGHT AND MORNING

  Deerfoot made known his purpose to take his friends across theMississippi on the morrow in his canoe, after which he would keepthem company for some distance along the trail, though he would beforced to leave them long before reaching their destination.

  Jack Carleton naturally felt a deep interest in the youthfulwarrior, and expected him to give some facts in his wonderfulhistory, as well as an intimation of what his life was likely to bein the new country to which he had removed, but much to the youngKentuckian's disappointment, he carefully avoided all reference tohimself. His conversation being of such a nature that it is hardlyworth recording in this place.

  When the evening was well along, Otto threw more wood on the flameswhich crackled and gave out a cheerful glow. Deerfoot rose to hisfeet, and without a word passed out into the gloom. The hour forretiring was close at hand, and he preferred to make areconnaissance before trusting themselves to slumber.

  He returned as noiselessly as he went, remarking as he resumed hisseat that no danger whatever threatened them, and they could slumberin peace. While speaking, he drew from a pocket within the skirt ofhis bunting-shirt, the little Bible which had been presented to himmonths before by Mrs. Preston of Wild Oaks, after the other volumewas destroyed by the bullet that was aimed at the heart of theyouth, by the hostile chieftain.

  Adjusting himself in an easy posture on the ground, so that theruddy fire-light came over his shoulders and fell upon the page withits minute letters, the young Shawanoe read for several minutes tohimself. The others held their peace, impressed with the singularsight. Neither could doubt that he clearly comprehended every wordof the sublime volume, and they felt that it was wrong to break inupon his meditation.

  All at once he raised his head and asked, "Would my brothers wish tohear Deerfoot read?"

  "We would, indeed," was the reply of Jack Carleton; "I never saw anIndian who could read from a, printed book, but I have been toldthat you can write an excellent hand."

  Deerfoot shook his head disparagingly.

  "My brother mistakes, but Deerfoot will try and read the words whichthe Great Spirit speaks to all his people, whether they are palefaces or red men."

  And then, in a low musical voice, tremulous with emotion andimpressive beyond description, the Shawanoe read an entire chapterfrom the book of Revelations, his favorite portion of the blessedBook, the others listening spellbound. Even Otto Relstaub, who sawand heard little of genuine Christian teachings in his cheerlesshome, was touched as never before by the indescribably solemn storyof the apocalyptic vision.

  The silence which succeeded lasted several minutes, when Jack saidin a low voice:

  "Deerfoot, I wish you would speak some sentences from the Bible inyour own tongue."

  "Does my brother wish to learn the Shawanoe language?"

  "I have heard Shawanoes, Hurons and Miamis talk, but I can'tunderstand a word; I have a curiosity to know how it will sound tohear some parts of the Bible with which I am familiar tittered in anunknown tongue."

  "What part of the book can my brother repeat without reading thewords?"

  "Well--that is--I don't know," replied Jack, confused by thequestion of Deerfoot, who fixed his eyes inquiringly upon him; "Imean any sentence."

  "Does my brother not read the Bible every day?" asked the Indian, ina grieved rather than a reproving voice; "he must know the Lord'sPrayer--"

  "O yes, yes," replied Jack, desperately clutching at the singlestraw. "I meant to ask you to repeat that."

  In the same low, reverent voice he had used while reading, thewarrior uttered the inspired petition, which shall last through alltime. When he had finished, he said:

  "My brother would like to remember the words as Deerfoot has spokenthem; Deerfoot will print them for him."

  And drawing a species of red chalk from the same pocket which heldthe Bible, he wrote for several minutes on one of the fly-leaves ofthe bock. When he had finished he glanced over the words, carefullytore out the leaf and handed it across to Jack.

  The latter examined the paper, and saw written in a fine, delicatehand the following words, which are preserved to this day, andwhich, when properly pronounced, constitute the Lord's Prayer as ithas been uttered many a time by the dusky lips of the Shawanoewarrior, when his fiery nature was subdued by its blessed teachings:

  "Coe-thin-a, spim-i-key yea-taw-yan-ee, O wes-sa-yegyey-sey-tho-yan-ae; Day-pale-i-tum-any-pay-itch tha-key,yea-issi-tay-hay-yon-ae, issi-nock-i-key, yoe-ma assis-key-kiepie-sey spin-I-key. Me-li-na-key oe noo-ki cos-si-kie ta-wa-it-ihinoe yea-wap-a-ki tuck-whan-a; puck-i-tum-I-wa-lookne-won-ot-i-they-way. Yea-se-puck-I-tum-a-ma-chil-i-tow-e-tathick-i na-chaw-ki tussy-neigh-puck-sin-a wa-pun-si-loo wau powon-ot-i-they ya key-la tay pale-i-tum-any way wis-sa kiewas-si-sut-i-we-way thay-pay-wo-way."

  Jack studied the singular words several minutes, and then, with somehesitation, undertook to pronounce them. He did only fairly, evenwhen corrected by Deerfoot, who added the rebuke:

  "Let my brother say them over many times in his own language, forthe Great Spirit knows all tongues when he who speaks the wordsspeaks them with his heart."

  The consciousness that these words were uttered by one who belongedto what is generally regarded its a pagan race, brought a blush tothe face of the sturdy youth that had listened to the same appealmore than once from the lips of his mother.

  Under the assurance of Deerfoot, the boys stretched themselves onthe leaves and branches and soon sunk into a refreshing slumber.Jack recalled that his last remembrance was of Deerfoot resting hishead on his elbow, while he seemed absorbed in his book. He lay asmotionless as a figure in bronze, but no matter how much he might beenchained by the words, he could not be insensible of what was goingon around him.

  Both Jack and Otto slept until the light of morning was stealingthrough the woods. Then, when they arose to their feet, they sawthe Shawanoe broiling a couple of whitefish which he had managed tocoax from the Mississippi. He had almost finished before hisfriends suspected what was doing.

  After greeting the warrior, the others passed through the woods tothe margin of the mighty river, where they bathed their faces andhands, took a slight swallow of the somewhat muddy water and thenrejoined Deerfoot, who had their breakfast ready.

  "Did my brothers see any signs that frightened them?" askedDeerfoot, when the three had seated themselves on the ground andwere partaking of their meal.

  "I took the best survey I could of the river," replied Jack, "butsaw nothing of friend or foe. I don't suppose, as a rule, there aremany Indians in this section."

  "The Shawanoes often hunt to the river, but do not cross; the Miamiscome down from the north, and Deerfoot sees their footprints in theWoods."

  "What tribes are we likely to meet on the other side of theMississippi?" asked the young Kentuckian, who naturally felt muchinterest in the land wherein he expected to make his home.

  "There are many red men, even to the mountains which stretch farbeyond the rivers and prairies, and raise their heads among theclouds."

  Jack Carleton was surprised at this reference, which, he believed,was to the Rocky Mountains, of which little more than their simpleexistence was known to the rest of the Union at that day. But thewords which followed astonished him still more:

  "Beyond the mountains opens the great sea, wider than that which thepale faces came across from the Old World; beyond that great sealies the land where He died for you and me; all the way to theshore, of the great water you will find the red men; they are likethe leaves in the woods, and Deerfoot and his friends will diewithout ever hearing their names."

  "But you have spent some time on the other side the Mississippi, andmust know something of your race there."

  "Deerfoot has seen the Osages hunting among the mountains and in theforest; has seen the Miamis, and, to the northward, may be met theSacs and Foxes. Far toward the ice of the North is the land of theAssiniboine and the Dacotah."

>   "I should like to know where you gathered all that information?"remarked the amazed Jack Carleton; "the country beyond theMississippi is greater than that on this side, and one of these daysit will overflow with population, then what a country ours will be!"exclaimed the young patriot, with kindling eye. "But you and I,Deerfoot, can never live to see that time, which is for those thatcome after us."

  "Yaw," said Otto, seeming to feel it his duty to say something;"dere is enough land over dere, I 'spose, for that horse to hide aweek before I don't catch him."

  Jack intimated that he was likely to find his search extended beyondthat time, while Deerfoot smiled over the simplicity of the lad,whose information was so small compared with his opportunities.

  Conversing in this pleasant manner, the meal was soon finished, andthey made ready to cross the river.

  When the three emerged from the woods they were close to the swiftlyflowing current. Jack and Otto paused, while Deerfoot walked thefew rods necessary to find the canoe that had been drawn up thebank.

  Both the boys could swim the Mississippi if necessary, though, withtheir rifles and clothing to take care of, it was anything but alight task. Had they been without any boat at command, they wouldhave divested themselves of their garments and placed them and their"luggage" on it small float, while they swam behind and pushed itforward.

  When the emigrants moved westward they halted long enough on thebank to construct a raft, sufficient to carry everything in thecourse of several trips back and forth. Otto made preparation whenhe reached the river some days before on horseback, and, forcing theanimal into the current, slipped back, grasped his tail and allowedhimself to be towed across. He might have done the same on thepreceding day had he been given a few minutes in which to makepreparation, and had he not been unwilling to leave his friendbehind.

  "But it will beat all that," remarked Jack Carleton, after they haddiscussed the different plans, "to be paddled over in the canoe ofDeerfoot."

  "Yaw, but I dinks dot we should go across last, night."

  "What would we have gained by that?"

  "Then we wouldn't have to go ober agin dis mornings."

  "True, but there is no haste called for; if it was not that I am soanxious to see mother, I would as lief spend a week on the road."

  "Dot wouldn't do for me, for mine fader would be looking for me widtwo big gads to him--"

  "Helloa! Here comes Deerfoot. What can be the matter? He isexcited over something."

  Such was the fact, indeed, for the sagacious Shawanoe had made anannoying if not alarming discovery.