The Border Watch: A Story of the Great Chief's Last StandAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
General
The Border Watch: A Story of the Great Chief's Last Stand
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction
Then Henry, remembering that there was nothing he could do at present,
lay down on his side before the fire. It was not altogether an assumed
manner to impress his guard, because he was really very tired, and, now
that his nerves were relaxing, he believed he could go to sleep.
He closed his eyes, and, although he opened them now and then, the lids
were heavier at every successive opening. He saw the camp dimly, the
dark figures of the warriors becoming shadowy now, the murmur of voices
sinking to a whisper that could scarcely be heard, and then, in spite of
his bound arms and precarious future, he slept.
Henry's two guards, both Wyandots, regarded him with admiration, as he
slept peacefully with the low firelight flickering across his tanned
face. Great in body, he was also great in mind, and whatever torture the
chief, Timmendiquas, intended for him he would endure it magnificently.
Braxton Wyatt and Simon Girty also came to look at him, and whispered to
each other.
"It would have been better if they had made an end of him in the fight
for his capture," said Wyatt.
"That is true," said Girty thoughtfully. "As long as he's alive, he's
dangerous. Timmendiquas cannot tie him so tight that there is no
possibility of escape, and there are these friends of his whom you have
such cause to remember, Braxton."
"I wish they were all tied up as he is," said Wyatt venomously.
Girty laughed softly.
"You show the right spirit, Braxton," he said. "To live among the
Indians and fight against one's own white race one must hate well. You
need not flush, man. I have found it so myself, and I am older in this
business and more experienced than you."
Wyatt choked down words that were leaping to his lips, and presently he
and Girty rejoined the white men, who were camped around Bird, their
commander. But neither of them felt like sleeping and after a little
while there, they went to look at the cannon, six fine guns in a row,
constituting together the most formidable weapon that had ever been
brought into the western forest. When they looked at them, the spirit of
Wyatt and Girty sprang high. They exulted in the prospect of victory.
The Kentucky sharpshooters behind their light palisades had been able
hitherto to defeat any number of Indians. But what about the big guns?
Twelve pound cannon balls would sweep down the palisades like a
hurricane among saplings. As there is no zeal like that of the convert,
so there is no hate like that of the renegade and they foresaw the easy
capture of settlement after settlement by Bird's numerous and
irresistible army.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account