Indians of North America -- Juvenile fiction; Pioneers -- West (U.S.) -- Juvenile fiction; Slavery -- Juvenile fiction
I did not stop for further directions, but rode off as fast as I could
venture to go, holding Lily tightly with my right arm round her waist
before me. I very naturally, as I rode along, kept a look-out on either
side, half expecting to see a party of Indians creeping forward to cut
me off. I was thankful when I caught sight of the waggons approaching
with my father at their head. His astonishment at beholding my young
companion was very great. I stopped but for a moment to tell him what
had occurred. He ordered the waggons to halt, that I might give Lily
over to my mother. She and Kathleen uttered exclamations of surprise at
seeing the little girl, while Dio, who was on foot, ran forward and
lifted her into the waggon.
"This is my mother, Lily," I said, "and my little sister Kathleen; I am
sure they will be kind and love you very much."
"That we will," said my mother, as Lily, looking up in her face, smiled
faintly; but she had been too much frightened to speak. As I left her
in my mother's arms I whispered--
"I will tell you by-and-by how I found her, but don't ask her any
questions now, mother." I made a sign, which I think she understood, to
show her that something very dreadful had occurred.
Without stopping further, I returned to my father, to whom I gave my
uncle's message, and as we rode along I told him what had happened. We
had not got far when Mr Tidey and Uncle Denis arrived. I saw that both
my uncle and the Dominie looked unusually anxious. Just as they were
starting they had caught sight of two figures in the distance, which
they had no doubt were Indians who had been watching them; they were
convinced, moreover, that should an opportunity occur, the savages would
attack our camp.
We pushed on accordingly as fast as we could move, until we got within
about a mile of the place where the emigrants' train had been destroyed.
It was the first spot suitable for camping. Situated in a slight
hollow, four or five hundred yards wide, a deep and pretty broad stream
flowing on the north side, with a small wood or copse to the east, while
to the west and south the ground sloped upwards and then fell again down
to the scene of the catastrophe. We lost no time in unyoking the oxen
and placing the waggons in a square, taking even more than usual
precautions against an attack. As there was plenty of grass round, we
tethered both the cattle and horses close outside the waggons, while
three men were told off to keep watch on the top of the ridge, whence we
could obtain a wide view over the country. We swept it again and again
with our telescopes but could discover no persons moving in the
distance. We both saw and heard, however, the horrible wolves, who only
waited for nightfall to rush in again on the emigrants' camp.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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