The warriors closed in around the brothers; two
grasping each by the arms, and the remaining Indian taking care of
the horse. The captives were then led ashore, where Silvertip
awaited them.
When the horse was clear of the raft, which task necessitated
considerable labor on the part of the Indians, the chief seized the
grapevine, that was now plainly in sight, and severed it with one
blow of his tomahawk. The raft dashed forward with a lurch and
drifted downstream.
In the clear water Joe could see the cunning trap which had caused
the death of Bill, and insured the captivity of himself and his
brother. The crafty savages had trimmed a six-inch sapling and
anchored it under the water. They weighted the heavy end, leaving
the other pointing upstream. To this last had been tied the
grapevine. When the drifting raft reached the sapling, the Indians
concealed in the willows pulled hard on the improvised rope; the end
of the sapling stuck up like a hook, and the aft was caught and
held. The killing of the helmsman showed the Indians' foresight;
even had the raft drifted on downstream the brothers would have been
helpless on a craft they could not manage. After all, Joe thought,
he had not been so far wrong when he half fancied that an Indian lay
behind Shawnee Rock, and he marveled at this clever trick which had
so easily effected their capture.
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