Prev | Current Page 404 | Next

Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Scouts of the Valley"


It's t'other way roun'; them cheeks are sunk a mite, he don't
fill out his clothes, an' when he crawls along he drags his left
leg a leetle, though he hides it from hisself. He ain't spyin'
on no Injun village, an' he ain't in no snug camp with a dressed
deer hangin' by the side uv him. It's t'other way 'roan'. He's
layin' almost flat on his face not twenty feet from us, lookin'
right in at us, an' I wuz the first to see him."
All the others sprang to their feet in astonishment, and Henry
likewise sprang to his feet. Three leaps, and he was in the
mellow glow.

"And so you saw me, Tom," he exclaimed, as he joyously grasped
one hand after another. "I might have known that, while I could
stalk some of you, I could not stalk all of you."
"I caught the glimpse uv you," said Silent Tom, while Sol an' Jim
wuz talkin' the foolish talk that they most always talk, an' when
Paul called on me, I thought I would give 'em a dream that 'wuz
true, an' worth tellin'."
"You're right," said Henry. "I've not been having any easy time,
and for a while, boys, it looked as if I never would come back.
Sit down, and I will tell you all about it."
They gave him the warmest place by the fire, brought him the
tenderest food, and he told the long and thrilling tale.


Pages:
392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416