The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service AgentsBarton, George
History
The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service Agents
Barton, George
Secret service; Spies
A heavy blanket covered the fleeing redskin, and with that momentary
pause and turn the arrow had penetrated the covering. But, as by a
miracle, it went no further. The Praying Indian wore a metal charm on
his breast, suspended by a string fastened about his neck. That saved
his life.
In that trying moment the shrewd Indian made his resolution. To pull
the arrow out and run ahead again only meant postponing the inevitable.
Instead of that, he paused motionless for a second, then swayed to and
fro, and fell flat on his back.
Everything depended upon the success of this ruse. It was, perhaps,
half a minute before the Nipmuck Indians came up, and when they
did they regarded the motionless body with something like awe. Job
suppressed his breathing as much as possible. Two of the pursuers
engaged in an animated conversation, and finally turning, retraced
their steps, leaving the spy for dead.
He lay there perfectly quiet until he was sure they were out of sight.
Then he jumped up and resumed his interrupted flight. The story of
that journey through a wilderness in the most inclement season of the
year should rank with the classics of adventure. But only the savage
himself knew what he was compelled to undergo, and he never spoke of it
afterwards.
He arrived at Major Gookin’s house late on the night of February
9th. His feet were bruised and bleeding from the long trip and he
was faint from weakness on account of exposure and want of food. All
of the inmates at the Gookin dwelling were asleep and Job had to
rap repeatedly on the door to awaken them. Presently the Major came
downstairs and the meeting between the two—white man and the red—was
most affecting.
The tidings he brought were startling. It was evident that it would
only be a question of hours before the settlers were attacked. Major
Gookin did not return to his bed that night. He dispatched messengers
to all of the surrounding towns. In an incredibly short time troops
were marching from everywhere to the aid of the threatened town.
Captain Wadsworth, at Marlborough, received the news at daybreak and
started for Lancaster at once. Others did the same thing.
The savages came over four hundred strong. Re-enforcements added to
this number. The white men were not so numerous, but they fought with a
courage born of desperation. The town was partially destroyed by fire
and a few of the people taken prisoners by the Indians. Had it not been
for the warning of Job Kattenanit there would have been a wholesale
massacre and Lancaster would have been left in ashes.
That was the beginning of the end. Driven to drastic measures by the
atrocities of the savages, the settlers hunted down the Indians like
wild beasts. King Philip was driven from one hiding place to another,
going finally to his old home on Mount Hope, Rhode Island, where he was
shot by a faithless Indian, August 12, 1676.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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