Year: 1868

| Ono Of tho Indians could converse toler'


ably vol in English, and he told the boy.


they would not harm them If they would


not run AWAY. He said they were looking
| for horses and that the lads must go with


them. They started off and taking cir


cuitous route over the Short Greek hills


continued their search after horses. Little
Henry was very much frightened, but his


brother John contrived to whisper to him


not to cry or show the Indians that lie was


alarmed, and to let him do the talking. =


John became very friendly with the Indians,


and seemed to be delighted at his capture.


He told them he was glad they had taken


him prisoner, that his father was o hard


master, and kept him always at work, allow


ing him no time for play. He did not like


such o life, but wanted to be free, and live


in the woods, and be hunter. He hoped
they would take him to their tribe and make


warrior Of him. The Indians we're sur


prised and delighted at this language from


pale face, and the one who could speak


English told him they would make great


brave out Of him, and that by the time he


was grown he would have no white blood in


him, but would be altogether an Indian.


He became worry intimate with the lad during


their tramp, and give him u small bag to


carry. The bag was quite heavy and the


boy supposed it contained money.


About dusk the Indians halted at spring
in hollow place, about three miles from
the fort. They built fire and cooked their
supper which they shared with their prison
ers. John johnson made himself very USE
full in building the fire, and getting water
for his captors, and received many grunts Of
satisfaction and approval. One Of them
asked him if he knew where there was any
horses running about in the woods, but the
boy, thinking it best to tell the truth this
time, told them tho. the settlers were very
careful, and kept their their horses up all
the tine, and that he did not think they
would meet with much success in their
efforts. When night came, the Indians
covered up the fire, and pinioued the boys
and made them lie down together. They
then placed their hoppis over them, and lay
down, one on each side Of them, on the ends
Of the straps. They lay awake for long
time, laughing. John, who was lively
and sprightly fellow, entertained the savages
with many amusing stories which made them
laugh heartily. These stories he told to the
Indian who could speak English, and that
one in his turn related them to his compan-
ion in his own language. Poor little Henry
had not spoken word since his capture,
and, though silent, he was fell Of indigna-
ton against his brother ior wanting to be-
come an Indian, and being SO fisadiy aith
them.


John johnson, however vas only carrying
out plan which he had conceived imme-
diately after their capture. I'hc lad Lad
been born and brought up on the frontier,
where he had lived in the society Of Indian
hunters all his life, and he was tolerably we'll
versed in the art of border warfare, and was
possessed Of an intelligence and courage
unusual in boy SO young. As soon as the
Indians had captured his brother snl him
self, he had resolved to mako his escape.
This was his reason for telling his brother to
say nothing and let him do all sthe talking,
and lie had spent all tho afternoon in trying
ia make friends with the sayages and lull
their suspicious to rest. He knew that his
brother would not understand his motives
for acting as he did, but he could not tell
him without revealing everything, and
thus reviving their chance for escape.
After the savages tied him and made him
lie down for the night his courage almost
departed from him. The Indians, as have
said, had placed their hoppis strap over the
boys, and were lying upon the ends Of it
themselves, so that any attempt of the boys
to get up would, by moving tAestarp, awake
their captors. The situation seemed hope
less, but John determined to wait patiently
and see if something more favorable did not
happen. He whispered softly to his broth
er not to go to sleep, and after the Indians
ceased talking, lay, silently thinking over
the escapes Of the various Ihdian-hunters
that he knew. He remembered how Lewis
Wetzel had several times rcgained his lib
erty in the face Of even moro formidable
obscurities, for the hunter had told him the
story himself lie believed that the Indians |
had no fear of his trying to leave them. as
they had faithin the story he had told them,
but how he should get out Of their power he
could not tell Something must be done |
that night. He knew the spot where they
we're resting for the night, and could easily |
ind his way back to the fort, but the next
lay the Indians would strike across the
country towards their own people, and even
should they succeed in escaping during this
Quincy, there was a strong probability of
heir being overhauled and rctaken, or Of


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