The Prairie Read Online Free Page A

to his shoulder,
with a facility a little remarkable for his years and appearance, and
without further words led the way over the acclivity to the adjacent
bottom.

Chapter II
*
    Up with my tent: here will I lie to-night,
But where, to-morrow?—Well, all's one for that
—Richard the Third.
    The travellers soon discovered the usual and unerring evidences that the
several articles necessary to their situation were not far distant. A
clear and gurgling spring burst out of the side of the declivity, and
joining its waters to those of other similar little fountains in its
vicinity, their united contributions formed a run, which was easily to
be traced, for miles along the prairie, by the scattering foliage and
verdure which occasionally grew within the influence of its moisture.
Hither, then, the stranger held his way, eagerly followed by the willing
teams, whose instinct gave them a prescience of refreshment and rest.
    On reaching what he deemed a suitable spot, the old man halted, and
with an enquiring look, he seemed to demand if it possessed the
needed conveniences. The leader of the emigrants cast his eyes,
understandingly, about him, and examined the place with the keenness of
one competent to judge of so nice a question, though in that dilatory
and heavy manner, which rarely permitted him to betray precipitation.
    "Ay, this may do," he said, satisfied with his scrutiny; "boys, you have
seen the last of the sun; be stirring."
    The young men manifested a characteristic obedience. The order, for such
in tone and manner it was, in truth, was received with respect; but the
utmost movement was the falling of an axe or two from the shoulder
to the ground, while their owners continued to regard the place with
listless and incurious eyes. In the mean time, the elder traveller, as
if familiar with the nature of the impulses by which his children were
governed, disencumbered himself of his pack and rifle, and, assisted
by the man already mentioned as disposed to appeal so promptly to the
rifle, he quietly proceeded to release the cattle from the gears.
    At length the eldest of the sons stepped heavily forward, and, without
any apparent effort, he buried his axe to the eye, in the soft body of a
cotton-wood tree. He stood, a moment, regarding the effect of the blow,
with that sort of contempt with which a giant might be supposed to
contemplate the puny resistance of a dwarf, and then flourishing the
implement above his head, with the grace and dexterity with which a
master of the art of offence would wield his nobler though less useful
weapon, he quickly severed the trunk of the tree, bringing its tall
top crashing to the earth in submission to his prowess. His companions
regarded the operation with indolent curiosity, until they saw the
prostrate trunk stretched on the ground, when, as if a signal for a
general attack had been given, they advanced in a body to the work, and
in a space of time, and with a neatness of execution that would have
astonished an ignorant spectator, they stripped a small but suitable
spot of its burden of forest, as effectually, and almost as promptly, as
if a whirlwind had passed along the place.
    The stranger had been a silent but attentive observer of their progress.
As tree after tree came whistling down, he cast his eyes upward at the
vacancies they left in the heavens, with a melancholy gaze, and finally
turned away, muttering to himself with a bitter smile, like one who
disdained giving a more audible utterance to his discontent. Pressing
through the group of active and busy children, who had already lighted
a cheerful fire, the attention of the old man became next fixed on
the movements of the leader of the emigrants and of his savage looking
assistant.
    These two had, already, liberated the cattle, which were eagerly
browsing the grateful and nutritious extremities of the fallen trees,
and were now employed about the wagon, which has been described
as having its contents concealed with so much