CHAPTER XIII

THE GRAND HUNT

WITH a winter approaching, the severity of which none of them could more than guess at, it was the most natural thing in the world for the Ohio river settlers to wish to lay in a goodly stock of dried venison and buffalo meat.

From the friendly Indians they had learned just how this "pemmican" was prepared; and, while it could not be compared to fresh meat, still, to tide over a protracted season, when possibly game could not be had, it promised to prove valuable indeed.

Already in every cabin could be seen long strips hanging from the rafters of the living-room, or drying before the fire when rainy weather prevented its being cured in the hot sunshine.

Still, the meagre quantity in hand was a source of considerable anxiety to the serious-minded men of the settlement. Should the Indians come in sufficient force to harass them to any great extent, their hunting might be stopped. Hence, only a day or two after the departure of Mr. Armstrong and his three companions, a general hunt was proposed.

Of course it was not intended that all the defenders of the settlement should be away at the same time. They were formed into two companies, one of which would be out for a couple of days; and, upon reaching home laden with spoils, the second detachment might try their luck.

In this round-up it was hoped to secure so large a supply of game that the housewives would be able to put away all the pemmican they wanted.

Of course Bob and Sandy were heart and soul in the proposed grand hunt. They had already brought in enough meat to enable Kate and the mother to store away a vast quantity for winter use; but, being good providers, the boys hardly knew when to stop. Besides, both of them loved the chase, since the spirit of the true sportsman flowed with the blood through their veins.

And so it chanced that they accompanied the second party that went forth. It was policy for these hunters to seek new fields for their raid on the storehouse of Nature, since their comrades must have sadly depleted the number of deer and buffaloes toward the east. Accordingly they had turned in the direction of the setting sun.

The Armstrong boys had possibly done more tramping within ten miles of the settlement than any other white person. Most of their time had been spent in the forest, with gun or trap in hand. Thus they knew the best places for game, and were able to post the balance of their party when they sallied forth that day.

As was always their custom, the boys had kissed both their mother and sister good-bye when starting forth on the hunt, little suspecting what strange vicissitudes of fortune were fated to come upon them ere they four met again.

Of course it was not the intention of Bob and Sandy to remain away from their humble cabin home over night. Had they dreamed of so doing they would have seen to it that the defenceless ones were safely lodged at the blockhouse within the strong stockade in the centre of the settlement; just as Bob had promised his father should be done in case of an Indian attack.

A scout had come in the day before, bringing news that things seemed to be going on about as before. The Indians were indulging in the war dance it was true, and nightly the harsh sound of the war drum might be heard pealing through forest and over plain; but they seemed to be holding back for some final word from that mighty plotter and enemy of the whites, the war-chief of the Great Lakes, Pontiac.

As this would be really the last big hunt, and danger did not seem to be imminent, the boys had no serious fears as they went forth. It gave them so much pleasure to know that they were filling the shoes of the absent father, and providing food for the winter that was drawing nearer every passing day, that they departed in high spirits, throwing back kisses to the two who stood at the door of the cabin, watching their going.

By noon they were miles away from the cabin in the clearing, and intent on the business that had tempted them to the forest. The various members of the party had arranged a central rendezvous where they were expected to meet after they had secured their supply of fresh meat. There were eight in all, making just four couples, for it was deemed wise that they should not separate entirely.

The vast woods that surrounded them on all sides might hide other living things besides the four-footed game which they expected to surprise and secure. For unknown centuries had the red men followed the tortuous buffalo trails in their annual hunts, and frequent spells of warfare between rival tribes. They looked upon the invasion of the palefaces with increasing concern, as meaning the gradual absorption of this fair country; and, as time rolled on, their efforts to stem the tide of emigration by massacre and the torch would become more frantic.

At noon the boys had not succeeded in securing their quota of game. They had purposely given their companions the most desirable locations, feeling certain that in good season they would be able to accomplish all they wished, for Sandy had ever been a lucky hunter.

"Come," said Bob, as they sat side by side on a log to enjoy the "snack" Kate had put up for each of her brothers; "we must do better than this, Sandy, unless we want to have them laugh at us. From now on we ought to stir ourselves, and get either a fat deer or a buffalo."

"I hope it is a cow then, and not a tough old bull," remarked Sandy, who was munching on his hoe cake and cold turkey, the last of a fine gobbler his ready musket had fetched down some days back.

"Well, that depends pretty much on you," laughed Bob. "If you have any choice be sure to pick out a yearling, and leave the old chaps alone."

"Yes," grumbled the other, shaking his head as he spoke; "that's all very nice, Bob; but you know that sometimes the old bull refuses to be let alone."

"Now you're thinking of that time you were treed by a buffalo you had wounded, and kept up in the branches for hours. Only for that bright thought that came to you, and which led you to fish for your gun with some yarn secured from unravelling your stocking, you might have stayed there all night."

"But I didn't, you remember, Bob!" grinned Sandy, looking up archly. "The doubled yarn held first-rate, and brought me my gun. After that it was easy to send a bullet back of the bull's shoulder; and I even had the pleasure of toting some of his carcass home; but mother said it was only good for soup, it was so tough."

"Well," remarked Bob, rising to his feet, and picking up his gun, "I'm ready to make a fresh start, if you say so. And here's hoping that we have better luck than the morning brought us."

"I wonder how far he is on his way now?" sighed Sandy.

They had not been speaking of Mr. Armstrong at all; but Bob could understand readily enough whom his brother meant, for was not that beloved father in their minds pretty much all the time?

"Oh! he can hardly be a great way off," Bob made answer. "You know how slow they must travel when crossing the mountains. Still, they have no women and children along to hold them back. However, weeks must pass before we can hope to see him again. Why, it will be almost in the winter I fear, though mother refuses to say as much."

Sandy gulped something down as he strode after his brother. He could not control his feelings as well as the stronger Bob, and the thought of that father perhaps never coming home again always unmanned him.

Presently, however, in the excitement of the hunt, he managed to forget his anxieties; for Sandy dearly loved the chase, and everything connected with the great forest appealed to his nature.

An hour later they chanced upon the track of a small herd of buffaloes.

"It is fresh, too," declared Sandy, after he had dropped down on hands and knees to examine the marks of split hoofs.

"Then here is our meat, if we are lucky enough to get within shooting distance," declared Bob, looking carefully to the priming of his flintlock musket, as was the universal habit with the pioneers of the days of Boone, since a lack of powder at that point, when the hammer came down, and sparks flew into the pan, would cause a misfire, and that generally meant trouble.

Carefully the brothers crept along, first one and then the other taking the lead, in order not to miss the tracks of the game. They could only hope that the buffalo might have stopped near by, to lie down during the heat of the day, or lick the salt at one of the known spots frequented by such animals.

"Hist!" whispered Sandy, presently, as he slowly allowed his body to sink down until he was hidden behind the brush that acted as a screen beyond.

No words were permissible under such conditions. The wary game was too close by for talking, even in whispers. Sandy pointed, and made a few gestures that his companion must have readily understood, for he immediately nodded. They had hunted so often in company that they had a regular code of signals for occasions like this, to take the place of verbal communications.

Thus Bob understood that the buffaloes were within easy gunshot, that several of them were even then in sight, and appeared to be feeding; and the opportunity for a double shot excellent.

Together they crept forward through the brush, inch by inch. Arrived at the further side they found that they could see splendidly. Bob bent his head close to Sandy's ear, and whispered softly:

"You take the mother; leave me the half-grown baby!"

A minute later the reports boomed out, starting several other animals up from the long grass of the glade where they had been lying. The young pioneers were gratified to see both buffaloes fall as though mortally wounded; for the boys were good shots, and seldom missed bringing down their quarry.

Still they knew better than to dash recklessly out in the open, so long as that grand old bull with the wicked-looking black horns ran bellowing about, snorting in his mad desire to do battle with the unseen foe that had brought confusion into his family.

Presently he, too, galloped after the other buffaloes. Then the boys dared stand up, and proceeded to reload their guns; after which they walked over to their game, with the intention of securing all they could carry of the choice portions.

An hour later they were headed for the spot agreed on as a general meeting-place for the various couples engaged in the hunt. Each of them was loaded down with meat, enclosed in the hides of the animals that had fallen to their guns.

"I hope the others have come in," remarked Bob as they drew near the spring that bubbled out from under the roots of a giant oak, and, being located on a little rise, was a prominent object for some distance around. "We ought to be starting homeward soon, you know."

"Yes," replied Sandy, "this load is going to fret my shoulders some, I fear, before I get rid of it. But it seems to me we ought to sight the oak spring about now, Bob!"

"And there it is," remarked his brother, as they suddenly came out of the dense brush into more open ground.

"Why they're all back but us, it seems," remarked Sandy. "Four, six--why, Bob, look, there's another one along now, seven, I count! Perhaps a messenger from the settlement! I hope it doesn't mean bad news. See, they're beckoning to us! Oh! hurry, Bob, hurry! What if it should be for us--what if--"

"There, that will do, Sandy; don't be silly enough to think up every awful happening before you know;" but, while Bob spoke thus bravely, his own heart was throbbing much faster than usual as he hastened his footsteps, and thus approached the spot where the seven men awaited them.

He noted the furtive looks on their faces, and understood that it was sympathy for himself and Sandy that caused the lowered eyes, the clinched hands, and the tightly compressed teeth.

"What brings you out here, Mr. Harkness?" Bob asked, trying to steady his voice, though with poor success. "Surely no one is sick at home--our mother, Kate!"

Sandy gave a groan as he saw the settler nod his head in the affirmative when their sister's name was mentioned.

"Yes, Bob," Mr. Harkness said, with an intake of his breath; "it is Kate! Steady now, my poor boys, and be brave! She has been carried off by a prowling band of Indians!"