The Border Riflemen; or, The Forest Fiend. A Romance of the Black-Hawk UprisingAiken, Albert W.
General
The Border Riflemen; or, The Forest Fiend. A Romance of the Black-Hawk Uprising
Aiken, Albert W.
Black Hawk War, 1832 -- Fiction; Dime novels
They left the lodge, and followed by the brother of Black-Hawk, and
Napope, a celebrated chief, moved down toward the river, where the rest
of the party concealed themselves while Na-she-eschuck brought out his
canoe and crossed to the other shore.
CHAPTER V.
THE PRICE OF TREACHERY.
Little Fox had remained all night in the white village, and as it was
noised about that he had betrayed the plans of Black-Hawk, he had no
lack of his favorite beverage, and morning found him as drunk as ever.
Captain Melton sent a man with a canoe to carry the price of the
information to the point above the island, and as the son of Black-Hawk
was crossing the river, Little Fox was sitting in drunken state upon his
keg, dreaming of the glorious times he would have when he broached it in
the seclusion of his lodge. He remembered indistinctly that some one had
promised to help him across the river with his prize, but for his life
could not remember who it was, and it almost sobered him when he saw
Na-she-eschuck crossing from the other shore, and he fumbled with the
lock of his rifle, and was half inclined to warn the Sac to keep off.
But the fumes of the liquor were still in his brain, and the young chief
landed and came toward him.
“The Pottawatomie did not lie to Na-she-eschuck,” said he. “Let us put
the fire-water into the canoe.”
“You put him in,” said the owner. “Me watch.”
He looked on while Na-she-eschuck placed the keg in the canoe and then
followed, and, drunk as he was, managed to seat himself safely in the
light craft. The Sac followed, and obeying the orders he had received,
headed up the river, rounded the point of the island, and made toward
the other shore. There was something in the stern, steadfast look of
Na-she-eschuck which struck a chill into the heart of the traitor
Pottawatomie, and almost sobered him, and twice he laid his hand upon
his rifle, as if tempted to use it upon his companion. But, as often as
he did so, the countenance of the Sac took on a pleasant air of good
fellowship, which made it impossible to be angry with him.
“Why does not Na-she-eschuck go to the bank?” said Little Fox. “We will
make a hole in the fire-water tub and drink.”
The canoe was now headed directly for the point of the woodland which
came down to the water’s edge, and after drawing the light bark up the
bank, they took the keg between them and carried it up to the first
opening, where it was placed upon its end, while Little Fox, by the aid
of his knife, succeeded in drawing out the bung.
“Wagh!” he cried. “Smell good, don’t he, Na-she-eschuck? Now s’pose you
get straws, we drink much, good deal.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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