there was no attempt to use caution or care in hurrying forward. somehow or other jake golcher had gotten on the track of the little party, and, with a number of seneca warriors, almost as keen of eye and scent as bloodhounds, was following them.
fortunately, the distance to the cave was not great, and the fugitives were walking fast, and in the right direction.
the heavy figure of gravity gimp kept its place at the front, and with a coolness scarcely to be expected, he looked to the right and left as he advanced, with the sole purpose of preventing any precious moments being lost by going astray.
all heard the bird-calls, whistling, and faint whoops uttered with very little intermission, from different portions of the wood, so that it was certain the tories and indians knew of the flight, and were in sharp pursuit.
the african, as we have said, maintained his place well in advance, though at times it looked as if habakkuk would take the lead. but both scrambled along, sometimes half falling over the stones which turned beneath their tread, or the briers and vines that almost threw them on their faces.
gravity could not afford time to look to his feet, to see where he placed the rather unwilling members, for it required all his training, as a hunter, to keep his reckoning and to make sure he was taking the most direct route to the sheltering cave, upon which all hopes were now fixed.
although mcewen had come a long distance to help repel the invasion of the wyoming valley, he was accustomed to fight where there was plenty of support, and he knew enough of aboriginal ferocity to dread the collision that now impended.
had he known, therefore, the right course to follow, he would have been in advance of the others; but as it was, he fretted because he was forced to keep on the flank of the negro, whom he was continually urging to greater speed.
"as sure as a gun," he said, "those fleet-footed redskins will gobble us up in five minutes, if you don't get up more speed than that, gravity."
"i can't conwerse while i'm tumbling over rocks and splitting 'em to pieces wid my head," was the reply. "don't bodder me, but look out for injuns, and if you see one, just run up to him and lamm him."
"lamm him!" muttered habakkuk, more to himself than his companion. "that shows the intelligence of his race. he's so dumb at times that he crosses the line, and does smart things."
aunt peggy was not far in the rear of the two, for she was much lighter of foot than they. she got along very well, but she held her lips compressed, and her small eyes flashed, when she reflected that the whole party were fleeing from the wrath of a man who had lived in the valley before the war, who had sat at mr. brainerd's table many a time, and had presumed, even, to pay court to pretty maggie.
it was an exasperating thought, indeed, that all this persecution was for no cause at all, excepting the depravity of the tories, who, being renegades, were more revengeful than they would have been against a foreign enemy.
mr. brainerd compelled his two daughters to continue in advance of him, though only for a short distance. he expected the appearance of the pursuers, and he could not leave the fugitives unguarded in that fashion.
he felt that it was the place of habakkuk mcewen to keep him company, and he called to him in a guarded voice. but the fleeing new englander either did not, or would not, hear him.
it was impossible for such a flight and pursuit as this to last for any length of time. the advantage was all on the side of the fleet-footed indians, who were so familiar with the woods that they were sure to come up with the patriots in a brief while.
the fugitives were hurrying forward, as we have described, when they were startled by the whoop of an indian directly behind them, and so close that every one glanced over his shoulder.
as they did so they saw the figure of a seneca warrior in full view and on a rapid run.
it was seen, too, that he grasped a gun in one hand and his tomahawk in the other. there could be little doubt that he meant to use one of them on the old gentleman at the rear, who could not hold his own against such a swift pursuer.
"s'render! s'render! s'render!" called the savage, as he gained rapidly, uttering the command in such good english that no one could misunderstand him.
"s'render! s'render!—me shoot—"
mr. brainerd halted, turned quickly, raising his rifle while in the very act of doing so, and when the affrighted but bewildered indian ran almost against the muzzle of his gun, the trigger was pressed.
the red man, with an ear-splitting shriek, bounded in the air and stopped pursuing the patriots, while mr. brainerd, as he hurriedly resumed his flight, was so overcome with excitement as to mutter:
"now you can shoot and be—!"
"the accusing spirit flew up to heaven's chancery with the oath, and as she wrote it down, dropped a tear on the word, and blotted it out forever."
