Beck Center English Dept. University Libraries Emory University
Emory Women Writers Resource Project Collections:
Women's Genre Fiction Project

Adventures of the Merton Family, an electronic edition

by Anne Bowman [Bowman, Anne]

date: 1868
source publisher: Quaker City Publishing House.
collection: Genre Fiction

Table of Contents

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CHAPTER XXIV.
The Effects of the Indian Visit. Projects for Repairs. The Young Indian Chief. The first Convert. Alarm. Jack's Grand Discovery. The Indian Encampment, The Fugitive Family, and their Retreat in the Cave.

THE morning revealed a scene of distressing desolation. About twenty yards of the thick impervious fence was completely destroyed; the hut was nearly burnt to the ground, with every thing it contained, which they had not had time to remove. It was only by slow degrees that they discovered the full amount of their loss; but the disappearance of many useful articles was soon manifest. In the small yard behind the but the stack of fuel, built up for the winter, was burnt; and, still more distressing, the two pet ostriches, which were always confined in this inclosure at night, were found lying dead: they had been suffocated by the smoke. Mary wept over the fate of her favorites, more even than for the loss of her guitar; for the flames had devoured the greatest part of Mrs. Douglas' pretty gifts, and work-boxes, drawing-boxes, and writing-desks were nearly all gone. The tables, seats, and beds, the work of their own hands, and too heavy to be easily removed, were lost; and by some mischance the pretty wardrobe of the baby was all burnt; but except a considerable quantity of charqui, all the provisions was happily saved.

"These Indians will certainly come again," said Jack. "encouraged by the destruction of the fortress. We must consider now, how we can defend it."

"We must go to the woods immediately for the cactus," said Lewis. "Not only must we bring branches to fill up the breach in a temporary manner. but we must also procure a number of young trees to plant in the place of those which are destroyed. I scarcely expect the defeated men will return so soon; I am more afraid of a visit from your captors, Jack. The two parties certainly belong to distinct tribes; | | 280 and as soon as our young captive is sufficiently recovered to bear any exertion, we must endeavor to extract certain information from him."

Almagro offered to remain as guard and nurse to the Indian, whom Lewis pronounced to be going on well: the rest of the young men set out, taking the waggon with them; Maria promising to ring the alarm-bell if sentinel Wallace announced any danger at hand.

They soon completed the cargo of trees; and, in crossing the river on their return, Tom pointed to the pile of brick which still remained after they had finished building the oven.

"Why," said he, "should we not raise an indestructible fence round our domain? A wall of brick, eight or nine feet high would render the fort impregnable; and we have all the material."

"But the work, Tom; how do you feel inclined for the work?" inquired Lewis.

Tom shrugged his shoulders; manual labor was not agreeable to him; he loved to project, rather than to execute. "How much we miss Mr. Douglas and John," said he; "they were such indefatigable workers. We only want servants to assist us to render our little colony as secure as it is lovely. Would not the Indian captive make a useful hand?"

"It might be so," replied Lewis, drily; "but, at present, he has no hand to be of advantage to us; but even supposing he had recovered the use of his arm, would Mr. Merton, as governor of the settlement, tolerate slavery in his dominions?"

"There, Tom, down goes your plan, my boy." exclaimed Jack. "Fancy papa establishing slavery, and making this brave young chief his first victim, with Master Tom for overseer, armed with a whip to make the stubborn fellow work, like the enslaved Israelites, at the making of bricks."

"I did not mean that we should absolutely make him a slave," said Tom; "but we ought not to release him to return to his own people and report the weakness of the garrison. He must continue our prisoner; and why should he not work as we do?"

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"Our best plan will be to try to make friends with him," said Charles, "and then send him back to tell his people what good fellows we are. The Indians do not like labor, even when it is voluntary; and I fear, Tom, our prisoner would consider a day's work with us a cruel oppression. But if aught of the divine nature remains in him, he must feel a spark of gratitude for kind treatment, and surely would not turn and rend us."

"I agree with you, Charles," said Lewis; "we must try the experiment of kindness; it must do some good it may, by God's help, do great good. And now, Tom, though your gigantic plan of enclosing the town of Esperanza with solid walls is a little beyond our power now, we will not forget it; and, in the mean time, as soon as the fence is restored to a tolerable state of security, we will take advantage of the waning season, and get a good stock of bricks made, dried, and stored in the fortress; for I propose that we should attempt to rebuild the paternal mansion with brick."

This vast project was received at first with acclamations, to which succeeded some doubts of the possibility of accomplishing it; but the assurances of Lewis, and the sanguine temperament of youth, restored their confidence and they determined to begin brick-making the very next day.

But it required a whole day to remove the charred wood, plant the young trees, and fill up the vancancies [sic] with thick, thorny branches. After the fence was restored to apparent strength and firmness, they slept more tranquilly. The succeeding day the captive was much better; he had eaten some bread with great relish, but could not endure broth or tea. His usual beverage had been cold water and he looked with suspicion at the cup when Almagro presented it, saying, "No fire! Bysanti does not wish to drink fire!" But an agreeable sherbet, flavored with strawberry-juice, of which the young ladies had prepared a large stock with honey, was very agreeable to him. He seemed more reconciled to the new faces that visited him, and occasionally spoke a few words to Almagro; but he always appeared dejected, and frequently when he thought he was alone, he was heard to murmur, "Madre! Madre!"

The young girls who spoke Spanish well, frequently accompanied Lewis to visit his patient; they took him sherbet, | | 282 peaches or fresh flowers; and sometimes asked him questions, which he always answered briefly and unwillingly.

"Have you refreshing fruit and sweet flowers at your home?" asked Mary.

"The Indian warrior," answered he, "has no draught so refreshing as the blood of his enemies. He scents not the flowers that spring on the Pampas, but the track of his foes."

"But here," said Mary, "you see how happy we are, for we love the fair gifts of God, and make war on none. Will you not learn, Bysanti, to love fruit and flowers; and above all to love all men, for all are God's children?"

"Bysanti can never love the fair man," replied the Indian. The fair man is treacherous; he holds out the tobacco and the fire-water, and he says, 'Come and take,' that the Indian may go to him and be slain."

"But, Bysanti," said Lewis, "these young girls do not offer you tobacco and fire-water; the fatal gifts which are destructive to the fair man as well as to the Indian. In the wide world, there are evil and good, Bysanti, among the fair man and the dark men. You must hold out the hand of amity to the good, and avoid the evil."

The girls smiled, and extended their bands to the Indian, who looked amazed, but touched a hand of each; then turning to Lewis, he asked, "Has that made us friends?"

"I hope it has, Bysanti," replied Lewis; "and you must not war with your friends. When you return to your people, you must not permit them to come to this place and desolate the peaceful home of your friends."

The countenance of the boy became bright. "Shall Bysanti return to his people?" exclaimed he. "Shall the mother again see the son of her heart?" He sprung on his feet, then sinking down again, he added despondingly, "But my horse is slain; and the Indian does not roam the plains like the Ostrich and the white man."

"Your horse is ready to be mounted when you are fit to travel," said Lewis "but you must remain under my care till you are strong and able to use your arm; and in that time you will learn how happily the Christians live."

"The great Cacique, the father of Bysanti," said the boy, "was also a Christian. Good men came from a far land; they | | 283 gave knives and bright garments to the Indians, and when the black sickness visited them, the Christians healed them as you would do. They taught the Cacique and his people to call on God, and God heard them, and made them happy. Then all the tribe were Christians. But other strangers came, who were Christians also, the evil men of whom you have spoken. They drove the people from their rich-wooded hunting fields, to the barren wilderness, where the cooling stream is not found; where the puma and the jaguar make war with man. But worse than the puma and the jaguar, the cruel strangers came in mighty multitudes, and massacred the betrayed Indians. The great Cacique fell in the midst of his warriors, and his bereaved wife carried away her helpless infant, myself, far, far from the haunts of men.

"Some of the warriors escaped the slaughter; they followed the mother of the young Cacique, they taught the boy to ride, to hunt, to wield the lance against the foe. And when they saw Bysanti was tall and strong, they hailed him as their chief, and said: 'Bysanti is brave; let him lead his warriors to slay the Christian traitors.' But Bysanti is no warrior; he is a captive, and his people will scorn him."

The Indian covered his face, and was deeply agitated. Lewis endeavored to console him, by representing that there was no disgrace in being conquered by people who possessed such formidable weapons of warfare as they did. And the girls tried to amuse the youth with stories of the wonders of the civilized world, and of the lives of good Christian men. When they became more acquainted, Mr. Merton sat by him for hours, and with gentle and persuasive words, won him to listen to the simple doctrines of Christianity. Suffering had subdued the haughty spirit of the Indian, and he heard Mr. Merton with interest and attention; still he could not be convinced that the men who believed these truths, could ever become robbers and murderers.

"My mother has told me, "that when the Cacique was driven from the dwellings of his fathers, he said, 'The God of the Christians is a great and good God, but the Christian men are cowardly murderers.' And my mother has said to me, Go forth, Bysanti, and slay the evil race!"

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But when Bysanti was able to form one of the happy party in the hall; when he saw the useful habits, the mutual love, and the peaceful life of his protectors, he was moved to acknowledge the superiority of a belief that produced such happy results. He was pleased to hear them read, and wished to learn himself; he was astonished with their drawings, and charmed with their music. He went with them to the chapel, and though he could not understand the words he was awed by the devotion of the little congregation. At length he begged that he also might be a Christian; and Mr. Merton, after a course of instruction, baptized him, naming him Paul, after the saint whose life and labors he loved to hear of.

"My tribe shall never more war against my Christian brothers," said the youth. "But when can I go to my people? My friends, I must go to them."

"I cannot let you go for some days yet," said Lewis. "Your arm might suffer, and I should not be near to aid you."

"Why are you so very impatient to leave us, Paul?" inquired Mary.

He looked uneasy. "I cannot be happy," said he. "My people are restless, they will call a council; they will mount their fleetest horses, and come to seek the body of their chief; or to snatch him from captivity. The Christian friends of Paul may again be in danger."

Lewis did not reply, but he was startled by the suggestion, and meditated for some time on the probability and the consequences of another attack in their present defenceless condition. Matilda watched his countenance, and following him from the hut, found him pacing to and fro in the garden.

"I know your thoughts, my good friend," said she; "you believe we are in danger, and I think the same. What shall we do? Ought we to dismiss Paul at once with the cure of his body and soul alike incomplete? Such a step might save us: but I think it would not be right."

"Certainly not, my dear Matilda," answered he; "your heart prompts you to the true course of duty. We must risk a few days longer for it would be impossible for Paul to ride a considerable distance without endangering his arm, and pro- | | 285 bably his life. Nor can we trust that his presence among the turbulent and incensed savages would arrest their vengeance. I do not wish to alarm your dear parents, but in case we should be driven from this sweet spot, I think it would be prudent to secrete some of our stores in the cave of the rock. Do you think we could manage this quietly and discreetly?"

"I will do it," said Matilda; "I only ask that Almagro may be told. With his assistance we can easily make our cache."

Almagro was consulted, and he agreed with them that there was ground for alarm; and as a commencement, he immediately removed the sacks of maize and wheat which had been deposited in his hut to the cave, in which he found Nanny had her stock of honey, salted butter, and some charqui, which had escaped destruction at the fire. It was desirable that more meat should be dried; and it was therefore proposed to Jack and Charles that they should go out to try to kill a bullock or a guanaco, as the larder was low ; but they were strictly forbidden to go far from home. During the absence of the youths, Almagro and Lewis hoped to accomplish the removal of the greater part of the most valued property to the cave.

Jack and Charles set out in high spirits, crossed the river, and proceeded about two miles up the valley before they fell in with any sport. Then they saw a herd of guanacoes feeding on the green slopes below the mountain wood; they gave chase, and pursued them half a mile along the valley, when suddenly the whole herd took to the mountain, plunging through the thick wood. The hunters were never deterred by difficulties; they followed the game up the steep, and bearing the curious neighing cry of the guanacoes before them, struggled upwards, through a maze of thick underwood, which clung to the lofty beeches. After an ascent of half a mile they reached a ridge, and saw before them a wooden descent, below which lay a tiny, lovely dell, surrounded by tall trees and entangled hushes, pastured with long grass on which a herd of guanacoes were feeding, and watered by a little rivulet which flowed from some aperture in the rocks crossed the dell, and again disappeared through some hidden channel.

It was no difficult task to capture the guanacoes now; and | | 286 having secured two, they sat down to look round at the fairy spot. The side which they had descended was a gentle slope, but the rest of the little basin-shaped valley was surrounded by perpendicular rocks clothed with wood. The vale seemed to have been unvisited since the creation of the world, all was so fresh and solitary.

A pine, growing on a ledge of the rock opposite the slope by which they had descended, was loaded with pinones, which provoked the cupidity of Jack extremely, but they were beyond all reach.

"What a charming spot this would be," said Charles, "on which to erect a hunting-box! It is evidently quite unknown to the Indians; and we might gallop for miles over the plains, and return to sleep here ; sure to be unmolested."

"I wonder how those pinones would taste, if we had a few to roast," said Jack, still gazing with desire at the pine, and trying to reach the fruit with his long lance. But the long lance fell short of the height of the tree, and becoming rather irritated by the jests of Charles, and his own ill-success, Jack hurled the spear at the tree, and to his great astonishment it disappeared entirely, through the bushes that covered the face of the rock.

"There must be a cave in the rock," said Charles; "let us try to find the entrance to it. It was lucky I did not take a fancy to tilt with the pine, for I have my lance still, and we must make a probe of it."

They tried repeatedly to find an opening, but the lance rebounded from the rocky surface. At length, close to the ground, Charles introduced his lance, which entered to its full extent.

"Give me my rifle," said Jack, "that I may slay the gnome who guards the magic cavern. I undertake the adventure of exploring this secret cave."

"But I am the eldest," said Charles, "and I claim the right of having the first peep into the mystery."

"I scoff at your right," answered Jack; "I am determined to seek my lance, so good bye, Charley--here goes " and crouching to the earth, with his poncho over his head to protect him from the thorns, he forced his way beneath the bushes and disappeared, followed, however, by Charles, who was anxious for his safety. The entrance to the cave, thickly | | 287 covered with entangled brushwood, was not more than four feet high; it was very narrow for a few feet, and then they emerged into a spacious and lofty cavern, or rather a series of caves, for small openings in the rock seemed to continue the line of grottoes. But the large cave they had entered was light and airy, from many small apertures, and the floor was scattered with a white efflorescent sand.

"Here is our hunting-box built and ready for our reception," cried Jack; "and what a delightful grotto it is! how different to the damp cave we inhabited on the coast, or the dismal dungeon on the Andes! It is really more like a ball-room than a cave! Look at the graceful festoons of creeping plants, coming through the openings and drooping above us! We must bring provisions here, and then surprise the family by escorting them to a gipsy party in our cassino."

Charles agreed that it would make a charming summer retreat, if it were not infested by wild beasts; and, on examination, no traces appeared of such inhabitants. Several spacious caves communicated one with another by small openings, which appeared as if constructed by art. These caves were equally light and airy: pigeons and the bright little birds of the woods were fluttering about the openings, but no other animal was seen.

Jack was so much pleased with his discovery, that he forgot the pinones, and recovering his spear, which had fallen through an opening into the cave, they made their way back into the vale, and looking back, were struck with the perfect concealment of the caves. Jack declared, that but for the pine-tree which grew above, it would be impossible for them again to know the spot where they had entered.

They once more mounted their horses, which were tied to a tree at the foot of the slope; and, with a guanaco added to the burthen of each animal, they had some difficulty in making their way from this beautiful sequestered spot. They did not like to notch the trees, for fear the keen-sighted Indians might see and remark their track; but they made particular observations, that they might recognize the road. They descended into their own valley, covered with scratches; and galloped homeward, uncertain whether they should report the discovery of the morning, or reserve it as a surprise. But the temptation to tell the tale of wonders and difficulties was | | 288 too strong, and they could not forbear describing the lovely retreat, and proving, by their lacerated hands and faces, the perils of the road.

"But, tomorrow," said Jack, "we will take a hatchet and make a good road and a proper entrance to our new mansion."

"You must do no such thing," said Matilda; "wait till to-morrow, and I will tell you my plan, which will, I think, induce you to relinquish the hatchet."

"Ah, Lewis!" said Jack, "with all your skill you have failed to cure Matilda of her 'grand talent for governing.'"

"But this is only a proposal, Jack," said Lewis, "and not a command. Now, if the proposal be rational, it proves that the judgment is in a healthy state, and requires no physician."

"Thank you, my dear friend," said Matilda, "for doing me justice. If my proposal should prove impertinent, I am willing to be reproved."

Next morning Lewis and Matilda held a consultation with Almagro. It certainly appeared, from the report of the young hunters, that they had discovered a much more desirable place of refuge than the dark, chill, dungeon-like cave behind the old hut, which they had contemplated, in extreme need, might afford concealment to Mr. Merton and the females. The only objection to the hunters' cave was the distance from Esperanza; but this might be obviated by retreating quietly to it for a short time, till any fear of an attack was past.

"And we will begin," said Matilda, "by transferring by degrees some necessaries to this newly-discovered retreat, that if we have to fly to it, dear papa and mamma may not be comfortless."

"I have thought of this too," said Lewis, "but Jack and Charles are indiscreet, and if we revealed our plans to them, they might alarm the family. We must only at present warn them to preserve the seclusion of the retreat, to avoid making any track; and we must allow them to convey what provisions they like, previous to the proposed visit of the family to see their discovery."

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Next morning Jack and Charles set out again to their cave, their horses being loaded with two large panthers packed by Matilda, with a strict charge that they should not be opened till all the family were there. In one of these panniers she bad packed the tea, sugar, and other little luxuries Mrs. Douglas had so considerately sent for her friends, filling up the basket with biscuits, butter, and dry fruit. The other pannier contained a kettle, pan, cups, plates, bowls, spoons, knives and forks. "After all, Lewis," she said, as she showed her preparation to her friend, "if we are not driven from our beloved home, these things will be ready for the festival we shall enjoy in Jack's enchanted palace."

The young men contrived to ascend the wood by a more circuitous and less entangled road than on their first journey; and allowing their horses to feed on the rich pasture of the vale, they dragged with great difficulty the large hampers into the cave, which they now examined with more attention.

"This large cave must certainly be our dining-hall," said Jack; "here are several small niches that will make capital sleeping apartments, and that deep cave behind must be the kitchen, for see, this little recess will suit for the fireplace: it locks as if it had been built for the purpose and now, while I think on it, I will climb up the hill to a spot where I saw a fallen beach yesterday I will tie up some bundles of the branches for fuel, and roll them down the hill, and you must drag them into the cave."

Away flew the active lad up the steep hill; he soon tied up some bundles and hurled them down but before Charles could get them into the cave, he saw his friend rapidly descending the hill. When he came to Charles, he was much agitated, and said, "The plain below is filled with Indians! I fear they are going to Esperanza, and we are not there to protect our beloved friends!"

Charles mounted the hill in a moment, climbed a tree, and through his pocket-telescope surveyed the valley below. He saw a great number of mounted Indians scattered round, not more than four or five hundred yards from the foot of the mountain. They appeared to have halted, for women were busy unloading the horses which carried the poles of the tents, and he concluded they were about to encamp for the night on | | 290 this spot. He returned to Jack, and said, "We must by some means make our way home, to warn and make ready but how to get the horses through the wood, unperceived by the Indians, I know not."

"We must leave them," said Jack "one of the caves will make an excellent stable. Collect an armful of grass for them, while I try to drag them in and stable them."

The undertaking was extremely difficult, but was accomplished; the animals were conveyed to a distant cave, the grass left with them, and their stable enclosed by placing a piece of rock before the opening. The fuel was then dragged into the cave, and the young men, taking their rifles, prepared to make the best of their way home. They kept, of course, within the shelter of the wood, winding along the steep mountain side, till having gone, with much delay and difficulty, about a mile from their retreat, and seeing they were now out of sight of the Indians, they ventured to descend to the valley. They then ran and walked as swiftly as they could, till exhausted with fatigue, and overwhelmed with their evil tidings, they appeared before the family.

It was necessary now that everything should be openly discussed, and prompt measures adopted. Paul was not excluded from the council, and when he heard the description Charles gave of the people and their encampment, he said, "These Indians are my people: they have sought the aid of a friendly tribe whose encampment are not far from ours. They come to rescue me or to avenge my death. But fear not, I will go out to meet my tribe: I will say to them:--'These Christians are my brothers--I love them--they shed no blood. Leave them in peace.'"

This was a good promise, but Lewis doubted the power of the young chief to control the vindictive feelings of a savage horde who had assembled for the sole purpose of war.

"At all events," he said, "it would be prudent to remove Mr. Merton and the ladies immediately; especially as we know the Indians will now be engaged in raising the toldos."

"My people will not come here until the hour of darkness and silence," said Paul. "The Indian warrior loves the veil of night. But let my gentle friends depart; they will fear to | | 291 see the dark Indian, who knows not that the true God has said to all men, 'Love one another.'"

As it was desirable to leave as many men as they could in the fortress, Charles undertook alone to conduct the fugitives o their retreat. Those who were left promised, if time permitted to conduct in the cave all the moveables they were able to save and before they departed, Mr. Merton himself carried there all his books and papers, and Nanny placed in safety her churn, pans, and spinning-wheel.

They collected the blankets, mattresses, and everything they could conveniently carry, not forgetting a provision of charqui; and, to render a part of the journey less fatiguing, the mules were brought out and loaded, the ladies mounted them, and thus, accompanied by Tom and Jack, they went as far as they could safely venture along the valley; then the mules were unloaded, and each fugitive taking a portion of the loading, the boys embraced their parents, and returned with the mules.

The fugitives must necessarily now ascend the wood, and Charles had a painful office in conducting the alarmed, sorrowful, and feeble party through the entangled bushes on the steep mountain side. Nanny, who had loaded herself with a great sack, which she carried on her back, was nearly borne down by it; Mr. Merton had, contrary to the advice of Dr. Lewis, carried away the large church bible and prayer book, which he refused to leave, even in the mountain-cave, and he was now very weary of his burthen. Matilda carried little Cecilia, to whom Lewis had administered a gentle soporific, to still her during the perilous journey.

As they approached the point of danger, Charles enjoined the greatest caution; he climbed a tree, and perceived, through his glass, that a great confusion pervaded the newly. erected toldos, which had sprung up like a village. At length he discovered they were slaughtering animals, and judged that they were about to have a feast before they entered into action, which he was glad to see, as it promised a longer security to his friends at Esperanza, whom he was anxious to join.

At last he brought his weary and heavily-laden party safely into harbor; and, desponding as they all were, they were struck with the calm repose and beauty of the peace- | | 292 ful vale, and delighted and astonished when they entered the cave.

"Well, God be praised!" said Nanny. "He can build such houses as poor simple folks like us could never equal. This is far more like a church, to my fancy, than that ugly black place we saw in London, their grand St. Paul's!"

"And, by God's help, we will make it a church, Nanny," said Mr. Merton; "where I trust we may be permitted to meet together, and offer praise and thanksgiving to Him."

Charles hastily pointed out to his cousins the several caves, enjoining them to procure some grass and feed the horses; be promised that they should see the rest of the family, or hear from them before morning; then, taking the road homewards, he made all speed to assist his friends.

For a few minutes after his departure, the party in the cave remained standing, silently gazing on the rocky walls of their retreat; then, looking at each other, they wept together. After some time spent in this abandonment to grief, Mary, whose lively spirits were seldom long subdued, said,--

"How very ungrateful we all are to be so unhappy, when we are securely lodged in this snug dwelling, while poor Charles is scrambling through that dreadful wood, with the Indians behind him, and unknown dangers before him."

Then the active girl unrolled the mattress which the good-natured Charles had brought upon his back, and spreading it on the dry earth, made her papa and mamma sit down upon it.

"And now," continued she, "let its unpack, and make our dwelling look something better than a prison. First, I shall release my prisoners. Then opening a basket she had brought on her arm, she let out four full-grown chickens, which had been kept quiet by the enjoyment of a feast of maize, with which the basket was filled up. The feathered family stalked about their new abode, but finding nothing that suited their taste on the sandy floor, they perched on a rocky ledge, a few feet from the ground, and composed themselves to roost.

"The fowls set us a good example," said Matilda, "to make the best of it. And now, Nanny, as we cannot sit down for want of seats, suppose you begin to unpack the hampers | | 293 brought here by Tom and Charles, whilst I find some resting-place for my precious charge."

The little Cecilia was deposited by the side of Mr. and Mrs. Merton, still enveloped in her blanket, leaving Matilda at liberty to assist Nanny.

"Aye, aye," muttered Nanny; "I reckon there will be a good deal left out that ought to have been brought. What should poor lasses like you know of what's wanted? Not but what it was a grand thought of Miss Mary to bring my poor bits of chicks out of the way of them black savages. There's no doubt they would have swallowed them up living, feathers and all, as they will do with them poor things that's left."

Nanny's opinion of Indian voracity created a diversion that was favorable, and they turned with more cheerfulness to inspect the panniers, which, being packed by Matilda, were filled with judgment. After the kettle, pan, and crockery were taken out, they spread a shawl over one of the panniers, and called it a table. Then folding their blankets, which had formed a great part of their load, for cushions, they sat down to rest. Nanny placed on the table a large pigeon-pie she had brought in a basket, but in the present suspense no one could think of eating. Night came on, but they felt too much fear of their neighbors to light a fire or candle, and an hour or two passed in cheerless darkness.

"Now Maria," said Mary, "we can steal out in safety, and cut some grass for the horses; for I promised Charles to feed them." So, each armed with a large knife, the two girls crept from the cave, and soon filled one of the emptied baskets with fresh grass.

"I feel a great desire to climb the hill," said Mary, "and try if I can see anything on the plain below. Come, Maria, no one can see us in the darkness."

They climbed to the ridge of the rock, from whence, by mounting the lower branches of a beech, they obtained a view of the level valley, which lay stretched far below them. A confused trampling and neighing of horses was heard, and the light of a hundred blazing torches dazzled their eyes at first; but by degrees they distinguished a crowd of dank forms, all mounted and armed. In the front, mounted on a white horse, was a figure clothed in a scarlet poncho, with a head- | | 294 dress of ostrich feathers; this figure, by the long braids of hair hanging down behind, they recognized to be a female, and concluded she must be the mother of Paul.

As the girls gazed silently at this fearful sight, the whole party moved off at full speed, uttering loud and discordant cries, in which the excited girls, in their agony and distraction, could scarcely forbear joining. In a few moments the warriors were out of sight, and nothing but a few dull fires, the chattering of the women, and the cries of the children, marked the position of the encampment.

Agitated almost to fainting, the girls descended, and with their basket of grass, entered the cave. Maria rushed up to Mrs. Merton, burst into tears, and cried, "The Indians are gone to Esperanza! Oh! dear mamma, what will become of my brothers? Why art we here in safety, while they are in peril?"

"Compose yourself, my child," said Mr. Merton; you agitate your tender mother Your brothers are, like ourselves, under the protection of God. We will pray for them;" and kneeling down in the midst of the mournful family, Mr. Merton uttered a fervent prayer for the safety of the absent.

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