Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction; Shawnee Indians -- Juvenile fiction
“You haven’t told me what you want,” repeated the impatient youth, with
his gun half raised, for he was suspicious, and saw that the other held
a rifle almost in the same position as his own.
“Par-o-wan brudder; sit down—talk wid brudder—lub brudder.”
“Dog of a Miami! leave at once! You have others with you! If you tarry
we shall shoot every one of you!”
It was not George Shelton who uttered this warning, but Deerfoot, who
appeared at his side so suddenly and noiselessly that the lad had no
thought of anything of the kind until he heard the familiar voice.
“Par-o-wan friend ob Deerfoot—he no hunt him—he go away,” replied the
Miami, plainly scared by the words and manner of the young Shawanoe, who
now raised his rifle to a “dead level” and acted as if he meant to fire.
“Deerfoot knows you and those that are with you, Par-o-wan! You are the
thieves who have come to steal our horses. Go quick or I shoot!”
In a panic of fear the Miami wheeled and dashed off so fast that he
threshed through the undergrowth and wood like a frightened wild animal.
Deerfoot waited a minute in the same vigilant attitude, and then quietly
remarked:
“They will trouble us no more. Now Deerfoot will sleep.”
“But tell me what woke you; I didn’t give any alarm,” said the mystified
George Shelton.
“My brother spoke. Deerfoot heard his voice. My brother is watchful, but
he will not be troubled again by the Miamis, for they are alarmed.”
And without anything further the Shawanoe walked silently back to his
place by the camp-fire, drew his blanket around him and five minutes
later was sleeping as peacefully as before he was awakened by the soft
voices of the man and boy.
“Well, that beats all creation!” muttered the grinning lad, as he
resumed his pacing to and fro. “We didn’t make enough noise to wake a
sleeping baby, but he must have been roused by the first word, for he
was at my side in a few seconds. I don’t see the need of putting one of
us on guard when Deerfoot wakes up like that. He’s a wonder and no
mistake.”
So full was George’s faith in the young Shawanoe that he was absolutely
sure nothing more was to be feared from the Miamis who had evidently
stolen up to the camp with the intention of running off one or more of
the horses. He paced regularly over his beat until certain it was well
past midnight, when he went up to the fire, threw more wood on it and
touched the arm of his brother.
You know that when you sink into slumber with the wish strongly
impressed on your mind of awaking at a certain minute, you are almost
sure to do so, or at least very near the time stamped on your brain.
While George Shelton was in the act of stooping to rouse Victor the
latter opened his eyes and rose to the sitting posture.
“I’m ready,” he said softly, coming to his feet, gun in hand. “Have you
seen anything, George?”
The latter quickly whispered the particulars of the little incident
already told.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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