Page:Edward Ellis--Seth Jones.djvu/101

98 danger. Then they would resume their march, stepping with painful slowness.

It was at least three hours after the fugitives commenced this journey, and when Seth judged that he must be nearly through it, that he suddenly discovered he was walking in the very path he had striven so carefully to avoid. He was considerably startled at this, and left at once.

"Sh! down!" he whispered, turning his face behind him.

They were not ten feet from the path, when they all sank quietly to the earth. Footsteps were now audible to all. The darkness was too profound to discern any thing, but all heard their enemies almost near enough to touch them with the outstretched hand.

The situation of our friends was imminently perilous. The Mohawks were not passing along the path, as at first supposed, but evidently searching it! Haldidge and Seth felt that they could not be aware of their proximity, and yet they knew a discovery was unavoidable.

Seth Jones rose to his feet so silently, that even Haldidge, who was within a foot of him, did not hear a rustle. He then touched Haverland's ear with his mouth, and whispered:

"Scatter with the gal as quick as lightning, for they must find us out in a minute."

Haverland lifted Ina in his strong arm—she needed no caution, and stepped forward. It was impossible not to make some noise, when the wet bushes brushed against them. The savages heard it and started cautiously forward. They evidently suspected it was the fugitives, and had no suspicion that any one was lingering in the rear. The first warning Seth had, was of a savage running plump against him.

"Beg your pardon, I didn't see you," exclaimed Seth, as each bounded backward. "Curse you," he muttered, "I only wish I could sight you for a minute."

Seth, Haldidge and Graham were now maneuvering against some five or six Indians. Had a bright flash of lightning illuminated the scene, just at this time, it is probable that all would have laughed outright, at the attitude and movement of themselves. The Indians, upon finding how near they were to their deadliest enemies, immediately bounded backward several yards, in order to avoid a too sudden collision