...Waiting on a River, making camp with John Henry & parents, to cross the mighty Mississippi...

             John Henry and his parents had made it to the Shores of the mighty Mississippi sooner that they had anticipated, trying to keep an edge on getting a head-start to their journey West.
        But now, ahead of schedule, and a wet spring that had caused heavy flooding, they must wait now for the water to recede, so they can cross safely, even here at the best crossing in the river.

        While Henry's parents were setting up camp, Henry took it upon himself to do some exploring, after he felt his father's confident in him. After going for an hour or so...he lost tract of time...it started to get dark. Henry had just gone over a knoll, but when he tried to return, some how he got turned around. 
       Now with little light to guide him, he headed in what he had thought the right way to go. After awhile he realized he wasn't going in the right direction. For one thing he could smell heavy smoke, but not for cooking, as he had hoped was his parents cooking. No, this wasn't a cook fire. He was heading up a slight grade that had shield his view. Once he crested the hill, he lay on his stomach and moved slowly to the ridge. What he saw next would be forever etched in his mind, but wouldn't be the last thing that he would have to endure as his life unfolded.
      
       There in front of him, down the other side of the hill, in a small opening to the tree line, there were four men standing around that unconventional fire.....in it was what he thought a Deer, was actually a human form. Back away from them he could make out another human, a women, hog tied, and strapped to a tree. These men could not be human themselves, Henry thought to himself, as he watch in Horror. 
       Henry stayed and watched, and waited to see what if anything he could do. All he had with him was that old Musket his father had given him as a token of becoming a man. But at this point he didn't feel much like a man unless he could help. He also had a very convincing knife, that was another gift from an Elder back on the Reservation, in upper New York.
      He waited until one of the men left the circle of fire to go into the woods to relieve himself. At that point he knew that would be his only chance to do something to change the dynamics of four against one. He moved slowly in the direction of the man in the woods. He was lucky that the man had chosen a spot where he could lean against a tree facing away from him. Henry knew that he had to act fast, and silent. He drew his blade as he approached the man from behind, and with the swiftness of a Wolf attacking his prey, Henry had slit his throat, and the man dropped in front of him in an instant. He now knew what it was like to kill what was a threat, and to feel what he needed to feel to continue his journey in life.
     Now he had to return to the fire where there were still three men that could not stay on this Earth much longer. He slowly returned to the same spot he left and saw only two men standing, passing a bottle and laughing. The third had gone to see what was keeping the other. So Henry had to act fast. He moved ever so lightly behind the two by the fire, and with them being unaware of what was about to happen, Henry quickly stabbed one in the back, then as the other turned he too had a slice in his neck from ear to ear. With his Musket ready with only one shot, it was long before the last man came running into the clearing to warn the others of what he had discovered. For him all he had discovered was Henry waiting with a gun pointed right at him. As he tried to reach for his gun, Henry dropped him on the spot, and he fell face first into the fire.
     
     After freeing the girl...too young to be out in the frontier.....he stayed with her until morning light, and then made it back to where his parents had made camp. She had told them how her and her new husband had started out to go West and find a new life, just as most everyone else seemed to be doing there on a long but shallow part of that mighty river. 
     They went back and buried her husband, along with the men that killed him. Not wanting to leave too much of a trail, for possibly more like them to come and then try and find them.
     
     It wasn't long before they could cross, and once again continue their long journey West. Now with an extra mouth to feed, but with John Henry now  being able to overcome anything that might get in there way.  He made his father very proud, but his mother sad and anxious. This would all be part of his journey of Heartache, as well as his rewards........

      ..........his story continues, as they press on to discover more adventures...