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air。 〃It's 'bout a boy；〃 she added confidentially to Mrs。 Peyton；
〃whose father wouldn't never； never stay with him on a burnin'
ship； though he said； 'Stay； father； stay；' ever so much。〃
With this clear； lucid； and perfectly satisfactory explanation of
Mrs。 Hemans's 〃Casabianca；〃 Clarence began。 Unfortunately； his
actual rendering of this popular school performance was more an
effort of memory than anything else； and was illustrated by those
wooden gestures which a Western schoolmaster had taught him。 He
described the flames that 〃roared around him；〃 by indicating with
his hand a perfect circle； of which he was the axis； he adjured his
father； the late Admiral Casabianca； by clasping his hands before
his chin； as if wanting to be manacled in an attitude which he was
miserably conscious was unlike anything he himself had ever felt or
seen before； he described that father 〃faint in death below；〃 and
〃the flag on high；〃 with one single motion。 Yet something that the
verses had kindled in his active imagination； perhaps； rather than
an illustration of the verses themselves； at times brightened his
gray eyes； became tremulous in his youthful voice； and I fear
occasionally incoherent on his lips。 At times； when not conscious
of his affected art； the plain and all upon it seemed to him to
slip away into the night； the blazing camp fire at his feet to wrap
him in a fateful glory； and a vague devotion to somethinghe knew
not whatso possessed him that he communicated it； and probably
some of his own youthful delight in extravagant voice； to his
hearers； until； when he ceased with a glowing face； he was
surprised to find that the card players had deserted their camp
fires and gathered round the tent。
CHAPTER V
〃You didn't say 'Stay； father； stay；' enough； Kla'uns；〃 said Susy
critically。 Then suddenly starting upright in Mrs。 Peyton's lap；
she continued rapidly； 〃I kin dance。 And sing。 I kin dance High
Jambooree。〃
〃What's High Jambooree； dear？〃 asked Mrs。 Peyton。
〃You'll see。 Lemme down。〃 And Susy slipped to the ground。
The dance of High Jambooree； evidently of remote mystical African
origin； appeared to consist of three small skips to the right and
then to the left； accompanied by the holding up of very short
skirts； incessant 〃teetering〃 on the toes of small feet； the
exhibition of much bare knee and stocking； and a gurgling
accompaniment of childish laughter。 Vehemently applauded； it left
the little performer breathless； but invincible and ready for fresh
conquest。
〃I kin sing； too；〃 she gasped hurriedly； as if unwilling that the
applause should lapse。 〃I kin sing。 Oh； dear！ Kla'uns；〃
piteously； 〃WHAT is it I sing？〃
〃Ben Bolt；〃 suggested Clarence。
〃Oh； yes。 Oh； don't you remember sweet Alers Ben Bolt？〃 began
Susy； in the same breath and the wrong key。 〃Sweet Alers； with
hair so brown； who wept with delight when you giv'd her a smile；
and〃 with knitted brows and appealing recitative； 〃what's er rest
of it； Kla'uns？〃
〃Who trembled with fear at your frown？〃 prompted Clarence。
〃Who trembled with fear at my frown？〃 shrilled Susy。 〃I forget er
rest。 Wait！ I kin sing〃
〃Praise God；〃 suggested Clarence。
〃Yes。〃 Here Susy； a regular attendant in camp and prayer…meetings；
was on firmer ground。
Promptly lifting her high treble； yet with a certain acquired
deliberation； she began； 〃Praise God； from whom all blessings
flow。〃 At the end of the second line the whispering and laughing
ceased。 A deep voice to the right； that of the champion poker
player； suddenly rose on the swell of the third line。 He was
instantly followed by a dozen ringing voices； and by the time the
last line was reached it was given with a full chorus； in which the
dull chant of teamsters and drivers mingled with the soprano of
Mrs。 Peyton and Susy's childish treble。 Again and again it was
repeated； with forgetful eyes and abstracted faces； rising and
falling with the night wind and the leap and gleam of the camp
fires； and fading again like them in the immeasurable mystery of
the darkened plain。
In the deep and embarrassing silence that followed； at last the
party hesitatingly broke up； Mrs。 Peyton retiring with Susy after
offering the child to Clarence for a perfunctory 〃good…night〃 kiss；
an unusual proceeding； which somewhat astonished them bothand
Clarence found himself near Mr。 Peyton。
〃I think；〃 said Clarence timidly； 〃I saw an Injin to…day。〃
Mr。 Peyton bent down towards him。 〃An Injinwhere？〃 he asked
quickly； with the same look of doubting interrogatory with which he
had received Clarence's name and parentage。
The boy for a moment regretted having spoken。 But with his old
doggedness he particularized his statement。 Fortunately； being
gifted with a keen perception； he was able to describe the stranger
accurately； and to impart with his description that contempt for
its subject which he had felt； and which to his frontier auditor
established its truthfulness。 Peyton turned abruptly away； but
presently returned with Harry and another man。
〃You are sure of this？〃 said Peyton； half…encouragingly。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃As sure as you are that your father is Colonel Brant and is dead？〃
said Harry； with a light laugh。
Tears sprang into the boy's lowering eyes。 〃I don't lie；〃 he said
doggedly。
〃I believe you； Clarence；〃 said Peyton quietly。 〃But why didn't
you say it before？〃
〃I didn't like to say it before Susy andher！〃 stammered the boy。
〃Her？〃
〃Yes； sirMrs。 Peyton；〃 said Clarence blushingly。
〃Oh；〃 said Harry sarcastically； 〃how blessed polite we are！〃
〃That'll do。 Let up on him； will you？〃 said Peyton； roughly； to
his subordinate。 〃The boy knows what he's about。 But；〃 he
continued； addressing Clarence； 〃how was it the Injin didn't see
you？〃
〃I was very still on account of not waking Susy；〃 said Clarence；
〃and〃 He hesitated。
〃And what？〃
〃He seemed more keen watching what YOU were doing；〃 said the boy
boldly。
〃That's so；〃 broke in the second man； who happened to be
experienced； 〃and as he was to wind'ard o' the boy he was off HIS
scent and bearings。 He was one of their rear scouts； the rest o'
them's ahead crossing our track to cut us off。 Ye didn't see
anything else？〃
〃I saw a coyote first；〃 said Clarence； greatly encouraged。
〃Hold on！〃 said the expert； as Harry turned away with a sneer。
〃That's a sign； too。 Wolf don't go where wolf hez been； and coyote
don't foller Injinsthere's no pickin's！ How long afore did you
see the coyote？〃
〃Just after we left the wagon；〃 said Clarence。
〃That's it；〃 said the man； thoughtfully。 〃He was driven on ahead；
or hanging on their flanks。 These Injins are betwixt us and that
ar train； or following it。〃
Peyton made a hurried gesture of warning； as if reminding the
speaker of Clarence's presencea gesture which the boy noticed and
wondered at。 Then the conversation of the three men took a lower
tone； although Clarence distinctly heard the concluding opinion of
the expert。
〃It ain't no good now； Mr。 Peyton； and you'd be only exposing
yourself on their ground by breakin' camp agin to…night。 And you
don't know that it ain't US they're watchin'。 You see； if we
hadn't turned off the straight road when we got that first scare
from these yer lost children； we might hev gone on and walked plump
into some cursed trap of those devils。 To my mind； we're just in
nigger luck； and with a good watch and my patrol we're all right to
be fixed where we be till daylight。〃
Mr。 Peyton presently turned away； taking Clarence with him。 〃As
we'll be up early and on the track of your train to…morrow； my boy；
you had better turn in now。 I've put you up in my wagon； and as I
expect to be in the saddle most of the night； I reckon I won't
trouble you much。〃 He led the way to a second wagondrawn up
beside the one where Susy and Mrs。 Peyton had retiredwhich
Clarence was surprised to find fitted with a writing table and
desk； a chair； and even a bookshelf containing some volumes。 A
long locker； fitted like a lounge； had been made up as a couch for
him； with the unwonted luxury of clean white sheets and pillow…
cases。 A soft matting covered the floor of the heavy wagon bed；
which； Mr。 Peyton explained； was hung on centre springs to prevent
jarring。 The sides and roof of the vehicle were of lightly paneled
wood； instead of the usual hooked canvas frame of the ordinary
emigrant wagon； and fitted with a glazed door and movable window
for light and air。 Clarence wondered why the big； powerful man；
who seemed at home on horseback； should ever care to sit in this
office like a merchant or a lawyer； and if this train sold things
to the other trains； or took goods； like the peddlers； to towns on
the route； but there seemed to be nothing to sell； and the other
wagons were filled with only the goods required by the party。 He
would have liked to ask Mr。 Peyton who HE was； and have questioned
HIM as freely as he himself had been questioned。 But as the
average adult man never takes into consideration the injustice of
denying to the natural and even necessary curiosity of childhood
that questioning which he himself is so apt to ass