FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  
ere to the mercies of the victors. When Shif'less Sol learned that the fort was to be given up, he said: "It looks ez ef we had escaped from the Iroquois jest in time to beg 'em to take us back." "I reckon I ain't goin' to stay 'roun' here while things are bein' surrendered," said Long Jim Hart. "I'll do my surrenderin' to Iroquois when they've got my hands an' feet tied, an' six or seven uv 'em are settin' on my back," said Tom Ross. "We'll leave as soon as we can get arms for Sol and Paul," said Henry. "Of course it would be foolish of us to stay here and be captured again. Besides, we'll be needed badly enough by the women and children that are going." Good weapons were easily obtained in the fort. It was far better to let Sol and Paul have them than to leave them for the Indians. They were able to select two fine rifles of the Kentucky pattern, long and slender barreled, a tomahawk and knife for each, and also excellent double-barreled pistols. The other three now had double-barreled pistols, too. In addition they resupplied themselves with as much ammunition as scouts and hunters could conveniently carry, and toward morning left the fort. Sunrise found them some distance from the palisades, and upon the flank of a frightened crowd of fugitives. It was composed of one hundred women and children and a single man, James Carpenter, who was doing his best to guide and protect them. They were intending to flee through the wilderness to the Delaware and Lehigh settlements, chiefly Fort Penn, built by Jacob Stroud, where Stroudsburg now is. When the five, darkened by weather and looking almost like Indians themselves, approached, Carpenter stepped forward and raised his rifle. A cry of dismay rose from the melancholy line, a cry so intensely bitter that it cut Henry to the very heart. He threw up his hand, and exclaimed in a loud voice: "We are friends, not Indians or Tories! We fought with you yesterday, and we are ready to fight for you now!" Carpenter dropped the muzzle of the rifle. He had fought in the battle, too, and he recognized the great youth and his comrades who had been there with him. "What do you want of us?" asked he. "Nothing," replied Henry, "except to help you." Carpenter looked at them with a kind of sad pathos. "You don't belong here in Wyoming," he said, "and there's nothing to make you stick to us. What are you meaning to do?" "We will go with you wherever you intend
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Carpenter
 

Indians

 

barreled

 

fought

 

double

 
children
 
pistols
 

Iroquois

 
approached
 

stepped


forward

 

darkened

 
weather
 

learned

 
melancholy
 

intensely

 
dismay
 
bitter
 

raised

 

protect


intending

 

single

 

wilderness

 

Delaware

 

Stroud

 

Stroudsburg

 

Lehigh

 

settlements

 

chiefly

 

pathos


looked

 
Nothing
 

replied

 

belong

 

intend

 
meaning
 

Wyoming

 
friends
 

Tories

 
victors

yesterday
 

hundred

 
exclaimed
 
comrades
 

mercies

 

dropped

 
muzzle
 

battle

 
recognized
 

fugitives