Running Fox

by Frances Trego Montgomery

  CHAPTER II--INTO THE PERILOUS NORTH

  That night Running Fox sufficiently recovered his strength to tell hisdream to Sky Dog, the medicine-man. The latter listened with muchinterest as the excited lad described his conference with the strangemedicine-creatures. When he had finished his story, Sky Dog assured himthat the dream was a good omen. He declared that if Running Fox would doas the medicine-creatures had advised he would pass safely through allperils, and live to accomplish his purpose.

  Running Fox hurried to his father's lodge with a joyful heart. Havingbeen taught to believe all the simple superstitions of his people, hehad implicit faith in the assurances of the medicine-man. Still herealized that his task was a difficult one. He knew that if the Mohawksdiscovered his trail they would hunt him down as relentlessly as a packof wolves, and he felt sure that if he fell into their hands death atthe torture stake would be his only alternative. The thought soberedhim. However, it soon fled from his mind, for he believed that themysterious powers which he had received from the medicine-creatures, andhis own courage and resourcefulness, would enable him to outwit hisfoes.

  Black Panther was much impressed by the story of the dream. He, too,declared that it was a good omen. He immediately sent criers through thevillage inviting the people to a feast to celebrate his son's departureupon the war-trail.

  When his plans became known Running Fox was besieged by a host ofyouthful volunteers who begged to accompany him. He refused them,however, as he was unwilling to assume the responsibility of awar-leader before he had tested his own courage and ability. Still therewas one whom he found it difficult to deny. It was his friend, SpottedDeer, a lad of his own age, and his constant companion through all thehappy years of boyhood. They had invariably shared every adventure, andthe thought of being barred from the first real war-journey droveSpotted Deer into a frenzy of despair. He argued, he coaxed, hereproached, but Running Fox refused to yield.

  "No, my brother, I will not listen to your words," declared Running Fox."A warrior must know how to fight before he leads his friends intodanger. I have never faced an enemy. I do not know what will happen tome. Perhaps I shall do something foolish, and be killed. Spotted Deer, Imust go alone. No, I will not change it in my heart."

  "Running Fox, now I know that you will do this thing without me,"replied Spotted Deer. "Well, I will not say anything more against it. Ifeel like a very old man."

  The night before Running Fox planned to set out upon his journey hisfriends came to his father's lodge to talk with him. The last to leavewas Spotted Deer. The two friends sat together a long time. Running Foxattempted to be light-hearted and gay, but Spotted Deer was moody anddepressed. However, when Running Fox brought forth the new war-equipmentwhich he had received from his father, Spotted Deer's eyes lighted withenthusiasm, and he became lively and interested. Then, having inspectedthe various articles, he immediately relapsed into gloomy silence.

  "My brother, when the next sun comes you are going away," Spotted Deersaid, solemnly, as he finally rose to leave. "Perhaps I shall never seeyou again. It is bad. I will not talk about it."

  They clasped hands, and looked earnestly into each other's eyes. ThenSpotted Deer hurried away. When he had gone Running Fox seated himselfat the back of the lodge, and sat a long time staring moodily into thedarkness.

  That night Running Fox found it impossible to sleep. His mind wastortured by the thought of parting from his friend. Spotted Deer's wordskept ringing in his ears: "Perhaps I shall never see you again." As thenight dragged slowly along Running Fox was tempted to steal away whilethe inmates slept, to tell Spotted Deer that he might accompany him. Hewas dissuaded, however, by the fear of causing his friend's death. Thusthe miserable lad fought his battle until the first gray light of dawnstole into the lodge, and then he finally determined to venture into thetreacherous northern wilderness alone.

  When Running Fox appeared in the village equipped for the war-trail, hereceived a stirring ovation from his tribesmen. As he left his father'slodge he was immediately surrounded by a company of enthusiasticfriends, who paraded him about the camp to the accompaniment of shoutsand war-songs. Spotted Deer, however, took no part in the celebration.Running Fox was greatly disturbed at his absence. When he finally askedabout him he learned that an old woman had seen Spotted Deer hurryingaway with his robe and weapons at dawn. She said that he had gone towardthe south. The news filled Running Fox with gloom. He feared that griefmight have driven Spotted Deer to some foolhardy resolve. However,Running Fox had little chance to think of him at the moment, for he soonfound himself the center of a great throng of people who had gathered todo him honor.

  The lad appeared to splendid advantage as he stood beside his father inthe center of the camp. He was tall and graceful, with a fearless faceand flashing black eyes. Unlike his father and the warriors, who woretheir hair cropped close to the scalp, Running Fox had hair that reachedto his shoulders. His dress was like that of the older men. He was nakedabove the waist, and wore a short buckskin skirt or tunic which extendedto his knees. Fringed buckskin leggings covered his limbs. His moccasinswere of elk-hide gayly decorated with dyed sweet grass. His equipmentincluded an elk-skin robe, a hickory bow, a buckskin case filled witharrows, a flint knife, a stone war-club, a set of fire drills and asmall bag filled with parched corn.

  "My friends, here stands a young man dressed for the war-trail," BlackPanther told the Delawares. "Look closely at him for you may never seehim again. He is going upon a dangerous journey, Yes, he is going intothe country of our enemies, the boastful Mohawks, to find out howStanding Wolf gets his power. It is a great thing to do. If he livesthrough it I will give away many good presents. I have finished."

  The Delawares greeted the announcement with words of approval. Severalprominent warriors made speeches praising the lad for his courage, andurging him to kill many Mohawks. Then old Sky Dog sang a number ofsacred medicine-songs, and fastened a small buckskin bag containingsacred herbs about the neck of Running Fox to protect him from harm.

  At the conclusion of the ceremony Running Fox set out upon his journey.He followed a well-worn Delaware hunting trail that led northward alongthe river. It was Kitschinipen, the summer planting season, and a greatprimeval wilderness was at its best. The day was glorious. The sky wascloudless, the air was soft and balmy and the earth was flooded withsunshine. Wild flowers dotted the trail, and birds sang from the treesand thickets. Running Fox found much to interest him. He stopped towatch Tiskemanis, the noisy blue fisher bird, plunge into the waterafter his prey. He called cheerily to Mehokuiman, the red bird. Hefrightened ugly Gundaschees, the water-snake, from his sunny log at theedge of the river. Then he heard the stealthy approach of Achtu, thedeer. As he had been advised to kill one of the old bucks by themedicine-deer, Running Fox hastily prepared his arrow and concealedhimself behind a tree. In a few moments the deer approached the river todrink. It was a doe, however, and the young Delaware withheld his arrow.He knew that she had a fawn concealed in some nearby thicket, and he hadbeen taught to spare the mother and young of all creatures that theremight always be plenty of game for the hunters. He waited until the doehad finished drinking, and then he showed himself. For a moment thesurprised creature stared at him with big frightened eyes, and thenhounded gracefully into the woods.

  "Go in peace, my sister, I will not harm you," cried Running Fox.

  Soon afterward Running Fox had an experience that filled him with gloomyforebodings. He was seated upon a boulder at the edge of the water whenhe heard the harsh cries of Woapalanne, the great white-headedwar-eagle. Looking into the sky he discovered the bird soaring in greatcircles directly above him. He feared that it was a bad omen, for oldSky Dog had told him that the sudden appearance of Woapalanne invariablymeant war. Running Fox wondered if he was about to meet his enemies.Until that moment the possibility had never entered his mind, as he hadconsidered himself quite safe as long as he remained within the Delawareboundaries. Now, as the war-eagle continued to h
over over him, he becamesuspicious.

  "Hi, Woapalanne, I see you flying around up there," he cried, as heshook his bow at the eagle. "I hear you making a great noise up there.Sky Dog says it is a sign of war. Well, Woapalanne, you do not frightenme. I will not turn around. I have set out to do something, and I amgoing ahead with it. Woapalanne, Sky Dog says that you are a goodfriend. That is why I have told you what I am going to do. But you mustnot tell the Mohawks about me. That would be bad. Come, if you are agood friend you must help me. Now I am going up on top of that highmountain to look around."

  However, as Running Fox turned to enter the forest the eagle suddenlychanged its tactics, and flew away toward the south. This unexpectedmaneuver greatly upset the young Delaware. His thoughts instantly turnedto his friend, Spotted Deer. Having learned that the latter had departedupon some mysterious mission to the southward, Running Fox read awarning in the final action of the war-eagle. He believed that SpottedDeer was in peril. The thought refused to leave his mind.

  When Running Fox reached the top of the ridge from which he planned toreconnoiter the surrounding country, his sharp eyes quickly discoveredsomething which instantly aroused his interest, A thin wavering columnof smoke was rising against the sky some distance to the southward. Thesight of it filled him with emotion, for he knew that it came from theDelaware camp. The day was almost ended, and in the distant smoke cloudRunning Fox saw a vision of the peaceful evening scene in the Delawarevillage. In fancy he saw the happy groups about the fires, and heard thesongs and laughter. He wondered if he had been missed from the merrylittle company before his father's lodge. Twilight was gathering, andthe smoke column was slowly fading into the shadows. Running Fox lookedupon it with longing eyes, for he knew that it would soon be gone. Thethought saddened him. That frail spiral of smoke seemed like the lasttie that bound him to his people, and he dreaded to see it broken. Whenit finally faded out in the dusk Running Fox felt a great lonelinesssurge into his heart.

  After he had carefully examined the country through which he intended topass on the following day, the young Delaware began to look for a safeplace in which to spend the night. He believed that it might bedangerous to remain near the river, as he knew that hostile scouts oftenfollowed the waterways under cover of darkness. Besides, he was stillupset by the actions of the war-eagle, and he determined to take everyprecaution. He finally decided to camp beside a little spring, high upon the mountainside.

  Having killed a grouse earlier in the day, Running Fox broiled it overthe embers of a tiny fire, which he was careful to conceal between twolarge rocks. Then, after he had eaten, he drew his robe about him, andsat with his back against a pine, listening to the night sounds of thewilderness. He heard Quekolis, the whippoorwill, raising his dolefullament down near the river. Running Fox had heard the old men tell weirdtales about that mournful bird, and as he listened to its monotonousserenade he wondered if it really did possess all the mysterious powerswith which the superstitions story tellers credited it. Then he heardshrill piping sounds from the grass, and he knew that the Zelozelous,the little black cricket people, were singing their medicine-songs. Sometime later Running Fox was startled by a piercing scream that soundedfrom a distant ridge. He listened anxiously until it was repeated, andthen he recognized it as the hunting cry of soft-footed Nianque, thelynx. Then the brooding, mysterious night-hush fell upon the forest.

  Running Fox rose and raised his hands toward the heavens. After a fewmoments of reverent silence he began to pray to Getanittowit. He askedfor courage and strength to perform his task. Then, after he had sungone of the sacred medicine-songs to drive away any evil spirits thatmight have discovered his fire, he prepared a couch of sweet-fern andlay down to sleep.

  Two-thirds of the night had passed when Running Fox suddenly foundhimself sitting up, with his bow in his hands, staring anxiously intothe dark. He did not know what had awakened him, and for a long time heneither heard or saw anything to give him a clue. He began to fear thathe had been dreaming. Then a twig snapped, and he became suspicious. Heknew that Mohawk scouts often ventured far into the Delaware huntinggrounds, and he feared that one of those sharp-eyed foes had discoveredhis fire. The thought alarmed him. The possibility of an unseen enemystealing upon him under cover of the night set his heart throbbingwildly. Still he had no idea of running away. Lying close to the ground,he fitted an arrow to his bow, and strained his eyes in an effort tofind the mysterious prowler. For some time the silence was unbroken, andhe began to think that he had been needlessly alarmed by some passingbeast of the wilderness. Then he heard sounds which led him to believethat some one was cautiously approaching his hiding place. Convincedthat he was about to experience his first encounter with an enemy,Running Fox waited with the calm reliance of a veteran. The noise hadsuddenly ceased, however, and the young Delaware believed that his foehad stopped to listen. A few moments later the soft querulous call ofGokhotit, the little red owl, sounded through the night. It seemedbarely a bow-shot away, and Running Fox redoubled his vigilance. When heheard it again he became greatly excited. Then it was repeated a thirdtime, and Running Fox breathed easier, for he recognized it as a signalfrom his friend, Spotted Deer.

  Running Fox was undecided as to just what to do. His first impulse wasto reply to the familiar signal, but he overcame it and remained silent.As he saw no reason to alter the decision he had made in the Delawarecamp, he planned to steal away and elude his friend under the protectionof the darkness. However, it soon became evident that sharp-wittedSpotted Deer had guessed his intention.

  "Hi, my brother, have you closed your ears to the greeting of a friend?"Spotted Deer inquired reproachfully. "I know that you are somewhereclose by. Yes, I believe you are hiding away in the night. I havefollowed you here, and I will not turn back. No. If I do not find you,then as soon as it grows light I will follow your trail. Running Fox, Iam going into the country of the boastful Mohawks with you. It isuseless for you to say anything more against it. I have set out to dothis thing, and now I am going through with it. Come, my brother, let usmeet, and talk together. Now I am going to listen for something."

  Running Fox still remained silent. However, the loyalty and devotion ofhis friend had greatly affected him, and his heart was filled withconflicting emotions. He found it harder than ever to ignore thestirring appeal, and yet it seemed foolish to renew the discussion withSpotted Deer. At last, however, his great love for his friend forced himto answer.

  "My brother, I have listened to your words. You have done a foolishthing to come here. I was going to run away, but now I am going to stayhere and talk with you. I believe it is the best thing to do."

  A few moments afterward they clasped hands, while their eyes flashed thewelcome that neither could utter. Although he was still determined tocontinue the journey alone, nevertheless Running Fox was delighted tosee his friend. He knew now that his fears concerning him had come tonought, and it filled him with joy. It was evident that Spotted Deer hadturned toward the south to fool the Delawares, and then had circledaround to intercept his friend. Running Fox admired his stratagem.

  "Running Fox, I believe your heart is bad toward me," declared SpottedDeer. "You say that I have done a foolish thing. Perhaps it is true, butI will not turn back. If you do not listen to my words, then I will goaway and let the Mohawks kill me. Now you know what I am thinking about.Yes, I am going through with it no matter how it comes out. I havefinished."

  "Spotted Deer, you are a good friend," Running Fox replied, warmly. "Myheart is not bad toward you, but I must tell you that you have done afoolish thing. You must turn back. I am going ahead alone. I have toldyou about it many times. Now I must go through with it."

  They argued the question throughout the night. Then, as dawn creptslowly out of the east, Running Fox finally yielded to the persuasion ofSpotted Deer.

  "Spotted Deer, I see that you intend to do as you say," declared RunningFox. "You say that if you do not go with me you will let the Mohawkskill you. That is very bad. Well,
that makes me feel different about it.You are my friend, and I will not let you throw away your life. If youfeel like going with me I cannot say anything more against it. Perhapsyou will be killed, but I cannot help it. You have asked me to dosomething, and now I have done it."

  "Running Fox, you have done a good thing," Spotted Deer cried, joyfully."Now I will sing again. I am going with you to find out about the greatchief Standing Wolf. Perhaps we will have many fights with the Mohawks.You say that we may be killed. Well, my brother, we will die together.It is enough."