With Axe and Rifle Part 8

exclaimed one of the men. "Come, give him up, I say, or it will be the worse for you!"

"I don't acknowledge having afforded shelter to a black, and I don't deny having done so. I have a perfect right to receive any strangers into my house who come to me in distress, and if they trust to me I'll defend them with my life," said my father.

"Your life's not worth the snuff of a candle, then," answered the leader of the party, one of Mr Bracher's princ.i.p.al overseers.

The men, retiring to a little distance, consulted together, but seeing the muzzles of our rifles protruding from the windows, evidently considered that it would not be prudent to attempt any act of violence.

After some time the overseer again rode forward. He must have felt sure that my father would not commence hostilities, or he would have kept at a distance.

"Captain, I give you warning that you are bringing down destruction on yourself and family," he shouted; "you have either helped a runaway slave to escape, or you have still got him in hiding. It would never do for us Kentuckians to let such an act pa.s.s unpunished; we should have half the slaves in the state bolting for the borders, and claiming the protection of emancipists like yourself and others." The speaker bestowed an epithet on my father which I need not repeat. "I ask you, once more, have you got the slave, and if you have, will you give him up?"

"I again answer that if I had the slave I would not give him up,"

replied my father in a firm tone; "if you or your master attempt to injure my family or my property, I shall defend myself as I have a right to do, and should any of you be killed, your blood will be upon your own heads."

"I call no man master, but if you mean Silas Bracher, he is not the person to change his intentions, so I shall give him your answer,"

replied the overseer, who, without more ado, turned his horse's head, and rejoined his companions, when the three rode away in the direction from whence they had come. Though pretty confident that the men had gone away, my father thought it prudent to keep a watch on their movements. Before they could have got to any great distance I hurried out to follow them. From a hill, a short distance to the south of the house a view could be obtained along the road they would probably take.

A grove of trees, with some thick brushwood, enabled me to watch them without the risk of being discovered should they turn their heads.

I soon made them out, and saw them riding on without stopping until out of sight. Convinced that they had really gone away, I was on the point of returning when I saw two of them, as I supposed, coming back, spurring their horses over the level road. It was a question whether I could reach the house before them. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me until I got to another point whence I could take a look at them without being seen. I then saw by their dress and the colour of their horses that they were not the men I fancied, but that one of them was Uncle Denis, while the other was a stranger. I therefore ran down the hill to meet them.

"What has happened up at the farm, Mike?" asked my uncle, after we had exchanged greetings; "we met just now three of Bracher's men, who were swearing away at your father and all of you in a fas.h.i.+on which made me fear that they had either done some mischief, or intended doing it. I don't think they knew that we were coming here, or they would have picked a quarrel with us, for which they seemed very much disposed."

I relieved my uncle's mind by telling him that the men had only used threatening language, but I thought it prudent not to say that the fugitive slave was actually in the house, not knowing the character of the stranger who was with him. My uncle now introduced him to me as Mr McDermont, a countryman, who said he had come over to settle in the States, and who, not yet having any experience as a backwoodsman, had determined on purchasing an improved farm. "I offered him mine, but he does not wish to employ slave labour, and would prefer obtaining one in a free state. I therefore brought him here, feeling sure that your father would gladly a.s.sist him in finding the style of location he desires."

Uncle Denis and his companion were, of course, heartily welcomed at Uphill.

"I am so thankful that you have come, Denis," said my mother, who had been much alarmed at the late occurrence, "do, pray, remain and a.s.sist my husband in defending our property, for I dread lest those men should carry their threats into execution!"

Uncle Denis did his best to rea.s.sure her, saying that he did not think Mr Bracher would venture on any act of violence, but promising to stay some time at Uphill, until Mr McDermont had settled in the neighbourhood.

CHAPTER FOUR.

DIO IN HIDING--THE AGENT OF THE SWAMPYVILLE LAND COMPANY--THE SURVEYING PARTY--MR. TIDEY AND THE SLAVE SET OFF NORTHWARD--LIVING IN A STATE OF SIEGE--UNEXPECTED RETURN OF MR. MCDERMONT AND PETER--AN IMAGINARY CITY-- AN OFFER TO PURCHASE UPHILL--OUR TUTOR'S SUDDEN RETURN--DIO NEARLY RECAPTURED--IN THE CAVE--AN EXPECTED ATTACK--DAN AND I START OFF TO RELIEVE THE SLAVE--BOXER DISCOVERS AN ENEMY--A BRAVE DOG--OUR RETREAT TO THE HOUSE--SLEEPY PETER--JUST IN TIME--PREPARE FOR ACTION.

The first thing now to be done was to send poor Dio away, as my father had previously intended. He was strong enough to bear the journey, but when he was told that it would be necessary for him to go, he looked so miserable that we all begged that he might be allowed to remain.

"I much regret having to send him off, but for his own sake as well as ours, go he must," answered my father; "he shall be escorted until he is delivered into the safe keeping of our friends, the Greys, though there is a risk of his being suspected, should he be seen in my company."

"Let me take charge of him, then," said Mr Tidey; "we will make our way through the forest by unfrequented paths with rifles in our hands as if on a shooting expedition, and shall run little risk of falling in with anyone who will interfere with us."

Our tutor's offer was accepted. My father wrote a letter to Mr Grey, introducing him, at the same time so carefully worded, that, should it fall into the hands of enemies, Dio might not be betrayed.

It was arranged that they should start the following morning. The poor negro was overcome with grief when he heard what was decided.

"Dis poor n.i.g.g.ar break him heart leave Missy Kathleen, him no more learn read!" he exclaimed, bursting into tears. So powerful was the effect produced that he was taken seriously ill, and the next morning was utterly unable to proceed. I am sure he was not shamming, for he tried to get up and prepare for his journey. He recovered somewhat during the day, and acknowledging that it was his duty to go for the sake of our family, declared that he should be ready to start whenever Mr Tidey wished.

That evening a report was brought to the house by one of the farm-labourers that two suspicious characters had been seen in the neighbourhood, and from the description of the men we had no doubt that they were the same who had before paid us a visit and had been driven off by Biddy's heroism.

On hearing this, Uncle Denis offered to go out to try and ascertain what they were about. I begged to accompany him. We hunted round in all directions, and were returning home when we caught sight of two persons skulking in a wood at a short distance from the house. On seeing us they beat a rapid retreat, and darkness coming on they managed to get away before we could overtake them, but Uncle Denis was of opinion that they were watching the house in the hopes of catching Dio.

This surmise was ultimately proved to be correct, showing that by some means or other they had information that he was still with us. My father, fearing that the black would be followed and recaptured, determined to postpone sending him off for two or three days; hoping in the meantime to mislead the slave-hunters and make them suppose that Dio had escaped. We took good care during this time not to leave the house unguarded, my father, Uncle Denis, or Mr Tidey remaining at home with either Dan or me as well as Biddy and Peter while the windows, unless some one was on the watch near them, were kept closed and barred. Our guest, accompanied by one or more of the party, made excursions in the direction my father thought he would most probably find a location, but he could hear of no farm at all likely to answer his purpose. His object soon became known, and the fourth morning after his arrival a stranger was seen approaching the house. He introduced himself as Mr Nicholas Chouse, agent for the Swampyville Land Company.

In the most glowing terms he described the new towns.h.i.+p which had been lately formed in the north-west part of the state, advising my father and Mr McDermont to become purchasers of the finest allotments which he had to offer for sale. Mr Chouse was a man of great volubility of tongue, unbounded a.s.surance, with a look of determination which showed that he would not have his word doubted.

"These lands, sir, will become the most valuable in the State, I may say, with perfect confidence, in the whole Union; unrivalled water power, magnificent pastures and arable land capable of producing crops of corn such as the world has never seen. All that is required to develop their resources is capital and labour, and labour will always follow where capital leads the way. When once the country is opened up, we shall drain Canada of her population, and the inhabitants of the eastern states will come flocking in crowds, some to find employment, others to purchase the lots improved by the early settlers, paying a thousand per cent at least on the capital expended. You, sir, look like a man who would not neglect so favourable an opportunity of realising a fortune vastly surpa.s.sing that of the proudest duke in England," he said, turning to Mr McDermont.

Our guest listened with eager ears. If only half what Mr Chouse said was true, it would be well worth his while at all events to inspect the country. If he found it even moderately answer the account given, though contrary to his previous intention, he might wisely become a purchaser.

The land agent, seeing that he made some impression, pressed home his advantage. I cannot repeat all he said, but he finally succeeded in inducing Mr McDermont to invest in a small allotment with the right of purchasing as much more of the surrounding country as he could desire.

Had it not been for Dio, my father or uncle would have accompanied him, but they were unwilling to leave Uphill while there was a risk of annoyance from the slave-hunters. It was finally arranged that Mr McDermont should set out with Peter, who was well used to travelling, and would be of great a.s.sistance to him. Mr Chouse had given him maps of the country and a plan of the towns.h.i.+p, so that he would have no difficulty in finding the location of which he had become the happy possessor for the sum of two hundred dollars, which had been paid into the agent's hands. As Mr McDermont and Peter set off in one direction, the agent departed in another, observing, "that he had a round to make, and would rejoin Mr McDermont at Swampyville."

We had some hope that Peter being seen to leave Uphill might mislead any of the Kentuckians who were on the watch; that should they follow him, Dio might have a better opportunity of escaping.

Accordingly, the next morning, before daybreak, habited as a hunter, with a knapsack on his back, a gun in his hand, a broad-brimmed hat completely shading his face, he and Mr Tidey set out on their journey northward. All the family were up to see them off, and we offered up a prayer for their safety. Dan and I wanted to accompany them, but our father pointed out that it might be dangerous to do so, as, should any of the people on the watch for Dio meet us coming back, they might suspect the direction the travellers had taken, and follow them up.

We lived literally in a state of siege, for every day information was brought us that suspected persons were hovering about, and it was evident that Mr Bracher's emissaries had not given up hope of recapturing the fugitive.

Some days pa.s.sed away. Uncle Denis grew impatient, he was naturally anxious to return to his farm, and yet was unwilling to leave my father and mother while matters remained in this unpleasant state. My father was as firm as at first in his resolution not to allow any persons to enter his house without his permission, and it was impossible to say when we might receive another visit from the fellows who had before tried to force themselves in. Should he now permit them to enter, they would naturally conclude that the slave had been concealed in the house, though he had now made good his escape.

We did not expect to see Mr Tidey for some time, should he have succeeded in conveying Dio to a safe asylum, nor was it likely that Mr McDermont would return until he had made arrangements for locating himself on his new purchase. He would, however, certainly send back his companion to report the progress he had made. Great was our surprise, therefore, when one evening, soon after dark, he and Peter arrived at the house, looking travel-stained and weary.

"I hope you are satisfied with Swampyville?" said my father, after he had welcomed our friend.

"Faith, sir, I should be an easily pleased gentleman if I was," answered Mr McDermont. "I've been thoroughly gulled by that fellow Chouse. As it was my first, so it shall be my last journey in search of a new location. I won't trouble you with an account of all the adventures we met with. For the first two or three days we got on pretty well, barring the rough accommodation and the rougher inhabitants of this wild country. I thought we must have taken the wrong road. Nothing could I hear of Swampyville, although the map showed me that we were pursuing the right course. At last we arrived at a river which I guessed fell into the mighty Missouri, but our location was some way farther down.

Accordingly, leaving our horses, I hired a boat, in the expectation of reaching it more easily by water than by land. Faith, sir, I was not wrong in that respect. The plan showed me a fine city, rising on the banks of the stream, with broad, handsome streets running at right angles to each other, a court-house, gaol, two banks, three or four hotels, masonic hall, and churches and chapels innumerable, proving what a moral and religious people were to be my neighbours. At length I reached the spot where the city should have been, but the water had risen and had, I concluded, flowed over the whole, for not a building of any sort could I discover. Certain well defined land-marks existed, and I could make out that I was in the midst of Swampyville, but not a trace could I discover of the property of which I had become the happy possessor. I stood up and gazed round me in despair. 'Yes, ma.s.sa,'

said Peter, letting his oars drop from his hands, 'dis Swampyville, no doubt 'bout dat, only de houses and de streets not here, much easier to draw dem on de paper dan to build dem up.' Peter was right; I had been bamboozled and lost my dollars."

"You must not be cast down, my friend," said my father, "you are not the only person who has been taken in in the same manner. There is however, no lack of first-rate localities in the country, both for cities and towns, or of arable and pasture land. It will be a lesson to all of us not to purchase property until we have visited the spot and ascertained its value."

"I'm half inclined to go back to ould Ireland, where, although a landlord gets shot now and then, and the people are not always as peaceable as might be desired, honest labourers can be obtained for money, if not for love, and the land is free from the curse of slavery.

If, however, I could find an estate in tolerably good order, such as yours for instance, I would become the purchaser, and settle down in this new world of yours. The dollars paid to Mr Chouse are lost, but I have still enough money left to buy and cultivate a fair-sized property."

"Are you in earnest, Mr McDermont?" asked my father; "if you are, and would like to buy Uphill, I will consider the matter. I had no thoughts of leaving the place, but circ.u.mstances may occur which might induce me to part with it."

"Never was more in earnest in my life," said our guest. "I should have wished to be your neighbour rather than your successor, but if you have a mind to sell, I am ready to buy."

My father and Uncle Denis talked the matter over. To our surprise, my uncle said that he had had an offer for his farm and had made up his mind to accept it, and that if we moved west he would accompany us. My mother, however was very unwilling to leave Uphill. We had all been born there, and she and all of us were attached to the place.

Mr McDermont appeared to be in no great hurry, and told my father that he would give him a week to decide.

That very evening as we were sitting down to supper, a knock was heard at the door, which was kept barred and bolted since the visit from the Kentuckians. My father, thinking that they had possibly returned, got up, and, taking his rifle in his hand, went to the door.

"Who knocks?" he asked.

"Mark Tidey," was the answer. "Quick, quick, let me in."

My father, recognising our tutor's voice, withdrew the bolts. Mr Tidey entered, looking pale and thoroughly knocked up, his dress torn and bespattered with mud.