Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-01-25
CHAPTER XYI.-(Continued.l

Sald, there Will De less cnduce OL ueI0C-
tion-Jamieson, Percy, Herries, my boys
and myself. The others take post close
to the hut we see ahead. If you find that
we are discovered, be in readiness to sup
port us. And, FarQuhar, two or three of
you get matches ready and stick blue
light into the straw roof of the hut. We
must have light, or we lose all the advan-
tage of our firearms. Besides, as we re-
treat we shall be in darkness, while they
will be in the glare"
Thus speaking, Mr.. Hardy followed his
guide, the men he had selected treading
cautiously in his rear. Presently they
stopped before one of the huts, and,
pointing to the door, Tawaina said, Lit
tie White Bird there" and then, gliding
away he was lost in the darkness.
Mr.. Hardy cautiously pushed aside the
skin and entered, followed by his friends,
1t was perfectly dark, and they stood for
a moment uncertain what to do Then
they heard a low voice saying, Papa,
is that you?" while at the same instant
they saw CLEAN of light in the other cor
ner of the tent, and heard a rustling
noise, and they knew that an Indian had
cut a slit in the hide walls and had es-
capped; and as Mr.. Hardy pressed his
child to his heart terrific war whoop
rose on the air behind the hut.
Ethel had lain down without taking off
even her shoes, so strong had been her
hope of her fathers arrival. She was
therefore no impeachment to the speed of
their retreat For a short distance they
were unopposed. The Indians, indeed,
rushed from their huts like swarms of
bees disturbed by an intruder. Ignorant
of the nature of the danger, and unable
to see its cause, all was for minute
wild confusion; and then, guided by the
war whoop of the Indian who had given
the alarm, all hurried toward the spot,
and as they did so several saw the little
party of whites. Loud whoops gave the
intimation of this discovery, and a rush
toward them was made.
"Now, your revOlvers." Mr.. Hardy said.
1--WE are nearly out of the village"
For a few minutes the contest was ter
rife. The rush of the Indians partially
broke the line, and the whirl of cleaning
hatchets, the heavy crash of the blows
with the rifles, the sharp, incessant
cracks of the reyolvers, the yells of the
Indians, the short shouts of encourage
ment from the English, and the occasion
al Irish cry of Terence, made up a total
of confusion and noise which was bewil-
dering. Scarce q shot of the whites was
thrown away, and a heap of dead lay
across the pass.
The Indians in front were mown down
by the long rifles like grass before the
mower, and those behind after one mo-
ment's hesitation, broke and fled; in an
other two minutes the fight was over, and
the Indians in full flight to their village.
The party now crowded round Ethel,
with whom not 4 single word had yet
been exchanged since her rescue, and
warm and hearty were the cOngratula
tons and welcome bestowed upon her.
The morning broke over the white men
occupied in the burial of two fallen COM
paniOns, and upon the Indians assembled
at a short distance beyond the village.
- The men sat upon the ground in sullen
despair; the women walled and wrung
their hands.
Now that it was day, they could see
how terrible had been their loss. Upward
of sixty Of their number were missing.
The chief had fallen, as had several of
the most valiant braves of the tribe Pres
emily Tawaina rose from the midst of the
warriors. His absence the preceding
evening had not been noticed.
My brothers," he began, 'the Great
Spirit is very angry. He has hidden his
face from his children. Yesterday he
blinded their eyes and made them fool
ish last night he made them as water
before the white men. Why were the
ears of the chiefs closed to the words of
Tawana? If he had set out with little
p:,.J h, al,s
have been glad, and the Ratchet would
have been buried in peace. But the chiefs
would not hear the words of Tawaina.
The Stag said Kill! and the war chiefs
shouted Kill! and where are they now?
Their wigwams are empty, and their
women have none to bring in the deer for
food The Great Spirit is angry"
Tawaina took his seat; but, as he had
anticipated, no one rose to speak after
him. After a profound silence of some
minutes duration, he again rose.
what will my brothers do? The fly
ing fires will burn down our village, and
there is no retreat The guns that shoot
without loading carry very far. We are
as water before them. We are in the
hands of the white chief, and our bones
will feed the crows. What will my broth
ers do? Let there be peace between us.
The men who would have harmed the
Little White Bird are dead; there is no
more cause for quarrel. Let us bury the
Ratchet. Take hsrSeS and cattle for your
journey, and forgive us if We have done
wrong. If the white men were on the
plains Tawaina would say, Let my young
men charge; but they hold the pass, and
the guns that shoot without loading are
too strong. Have l spoken well?"
There was a low murmur of applause.
The feeling that the position of the white
men was impregnable was general and
they felt convinced that those terrible
enemies would devise some unknown
scheme which would end in the total an
Inhalation of the tribe
Tawaina then laid aside his arms and.
attended by six of the principal chiefs,
carrying green boughs in token of amity,
advanced toward the mouth of the gorge.
Mr.. Hardy, with FIVE of the whites. and
with Perez to interpret. advanced to meet
him.