Mexico Missouri message., 1917-01-18


miles only. They had reached place
where the forest grew thinner and the
long rushes rose above their heads ;
the painless home of innumerable wa
terfowl. Ike fell heavily upon the
marshy ground, crashing through the
dry reeds. David lifted Ike's head in
terror. He had not lost consciousness !;
an uncomfortable fatigue possessed him,
but his eyes burned with unconquer-
able resolve.
'Tl be all right in q moment,
Davy." he gasped. Its only-listen,
what's that sound?"
He staggered to his feet and David
held his breath. Then he shook his
head.
81 hear nothing but the blackbirds,
Ike"
"Nol listen, Davy, the flies, the
fifesl"
David felt an awful fear sweep
through him. Had the strain been too
much for Ike's exhausted body? Was
the delirium to return once more? He
began to speak soothingly.
But Ike held up his hand for silence.
"Listen, Davy, the fifesl They're
playing Yankee Doodlep And, oh,
Davy, you can hear the drums nowp
David strained in an agony of listen
ing. A breeze rustled the tops of the
marsh grass, and suddenly upon the
wind he heard the unmistakable sound
of marching qulckstep, the shrill mu-
sic of the flies, the rumble of the
drums. They threw their arms around
each others necks and shouted with
all their strength. Waited . Z. shout-
ed again an answering halloa
came family to their ears, and with
cry of joy they forced themselves
on. With a last effort they burst
through the reeds and found the broad
flood of the Wabash at their feet; and
flying swiftly toward them a canoe
driven by the brawny muscles Of two
white men.
acre nomp calculated the figure in
the bow as the canoe ran up the reedy
bank. lies hommes fous qul pour
suivaht la file de Corydon!" -
Toussaint Dubois, the captain of the
guides, had small respect for foolhar-
diness. But the second occupant of
the canoe recognized the two adven-
turers with a cry Of thankfulness and
flung his arms around them.
"Get in the canoe quick" he said,
mo tellin' what pesky devils thar is
hereabouts."
"Thank God you found us, Hoguep
cried David as they obeyed his COM
mand and the light craft shot out
again over the water. The man had
served with Hargrove, captain of the
company in which David had enlisted.
"Are you carrying messages to the
Prophet? What were those flies we
heard"
"The musicians at the fort" said
Hogue.
"The fortT repeated David blankly.
''Where are we?'
"Ye're on the Wabash, sixty miles
north Of the Old Post"
'But there's no fort on the Wabash"
said Blackboard wonderingly.
"Th' buildin' on it's jist begun" an
swered Hogue; eth army gut here yis-
tiddy."
"The armyT Ike and David ex-
claimed together.
'In course ye didn't know-lef' Vim
cennes, horse and foot, nigh to thou
sand on US, seven days ago. VIII
Harrison's a-commandin' and Dubois
and air a-scoutin' around the bresh."
''Then Tecumseh has chosen WARP"
"Tecumsy's still SOUTH" said the
backwoodsman grimly. "old Horse
head Gibson and Harrison figger tibet
he's up t. devilment weth the Creeks
an we'uns air a-goin' t skeer the
Prophet into a shakin' ague before Te-
clumsy hes a chance t. git back"
Dubois grunted in assent. "By gar,
thees Harrison he strake queeck lax
panthere"
~You came just In time," said David
weakly. Silently he stumbled along
at the heels Of Hogue and Dubois, as
they bore Ike's limp body between
them toward the clearing in the forest
on the east bank of the river; and
when the men of his company ran out
to meet them their cheers rang
strangely distant In his ears.
But food and rest soon brought back
his strength; and Ike, too, gained rap
idly under the clear skies of October
All the month was spent in completing
the log fertilization, and then, leaving
it as base with handful Of men
the column took up its course once
more toward the Prophets town al
Tlppecanoe. The sick, Blackford among
the number, were left at Fort Harrison
to spare them the onward march.
David again entered Captain Har
groves company. Among the cold
ashes Of his hopes one CLEAN still per
! sisted: he might yet find Toinette a
J the Prophets town. Indeed, that wal
the one place where she had probabl!
! been taken.