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diff --git a/21728.txt b/21728.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..104b6e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/21728.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9552 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Dog Crusoe and his Master, by R.M. Ballantyne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Dog Crusoe and his Master + +Author: R.M. Ballantyne + +Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21728] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DOG CRUSOE AND HIS MASTER *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +THE DOG CRUSOE AND HIS MASTER, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE BACKWOODS SETTLEMENT--CRUSOE'S PARENTAGE AND EARLY HISTORY--THE +AGONISING PAINS AND SORROWS OF HIS PUPPYHOOD, AND OTHER INTERESTING +MATTERS. + +The dog Crusoe was once a pup. Now do not, courteous reader, toss your +head contemptuously, and exclaim, "Of course he was; I could have told +_you_ that." You know very well that you have often seen a man above +six feet high, broad and powerful as a lion, with a bronzed shaggy +visage and the stern glance of an eagle, of whom you have said, or +thought, or heard others say, "It is scarcely possible to believe that +such a man was once a squalling baby." If you had seen our hero in all +the strength and majesty of full-grown doghood, you would have +experienced a vague sort of surprise had we told you--as we now repeat-- +that the dog Crusoe was once a pup--a soft, round, sprawling, squeaking +pup, as fat as a tallow candle, and as blind as a bat. + +But we draw particular attention to the fact of Crusoe's having once +been a pup, because in connection with the days of his puppyhood there +hangs a tale. This peculiar dog may thus be said to have had two +tails--one in connection with his body, the other with his career. This +tale, though short, is very harrowing, and, as it is intimately +connected with Crusoe's subsequent history, we will relate it here. But +before doing so we must beg our reader to accompany us beyond the +civilised portions of the United States of America--beyond the frontier +settlements of the "far west," into those wild prairies which are +watered by the great Missouri river--the Father of Waters--and his +numerous tributaries. + +Here dwell the Pawnees, the Sioux, the Delawares, the Crows, the +Blackfeet, and many other tribes of Red Indians, who are gradually +retreating step by step towards the Rocky Mountains as the advancing +white man cuts down their trees and ploughs up their prairies. Here, +too, dwell the wild horse and the wild ass, the deer, the buffalo, and +the badger; all, men and brutes alike, wild as the power of untamed and +ungovernable passion can make them, and free as the wind that sweeps +over their mighty plains. + +There is a romantic and exquisitely beautiful spot on the banks of one +of the tributaries above referred to--a long stretch of mingled woodland +and meadow, with a magnificent lake lying like a gem in its green +bosom--which goes by the name of the Mustang Valley. This remote vale, +even at the present day, is but thinly peopled by white men, and is +still a frontier settlement round which the wolf and the bear prowl +curiously, and from which the startled deer bounds terrified away. At +the period of which we write the valley had just been taken possession +of by several families of squatters, who, tired of the turmoil and the +squabbles of the then frontier settlements, had pushed boldly into the +far west to seek a new home for themselves, where they could have "elbow +room," regardless alike of the dangers they might encounter in unknown +lands and of the Red-skins who dwelt there. + +The squatters were well armed with axes, rifles, and ammunition. Most +of the women were used to dangers and alarms, and placed implicit +reliance in the power of their fathers, husbands, and brothers to +protect them--and well they might, for a bolder set of stalwart men than +these backwoodsmen never trod the wilderness. Each had been trained to +the use of the rifle and the axe from infancy, and many of them had +spent so much of their lives in the woods, that they were more than a +match for the Indian in his own peculiar pursuits of hunting and war. +When the squatters first issued from the woods bordering the valley, an +immense herd of wild horses or mustangs were browsing on the plain. +These no sooner beheld the cavalcade of white men, than, uttering a wild +neigh, they tossed their flowing manes in the breeze and dashed away +like a whirlwind. This incident procured the valley its name. + +The newcomers gave one satisfied glance at their future home, and then +set to work to erect log huts forthwith. Soon the axe was heard ringing +through the forests, and tree after tree fell to the ground, while the +occasional sharp ring of a rifle told that the hunters were catering +successfully for the camp. In course of time the Mustang Valley began +to assume the aspect of a thriving settlement, with cottages and waving +fields clustered together in the midst of it. + +Of course the savages soon found it out, and paid it occasional visits. +These dark-skinned tenants of the woods brought furs of wild animals +with them, which they exchanged with the white men for knives, and +beads, and baubles and trinkets of brass and tin. But they hated the +"Pale-faces" with bitter hatred, because their encroachments had at this +time materially curtailed the extent of their hunting grounds, and +nothing but the numbers and known courage of the squatters prevented +these savages from butchering and scalping them all. + +The leader of this band of pioneers was a Major Hope, a gentleman whose +love for nature in its wildest aspects determined him to exchange +barrack life for a life in the woods. The major was a first-rate shot, +a bold, fearless man, and an enthusiastic naturalist. He was past the +prime of life, and, being a bachelor, was unencumbered with a family. +His first act on reaching the site of the new settlement was to commence +the erection of a block-house, to which the people might retire in case +of a general attack by the Indians. + +In this block-house Major Hope took up his abode as the guardian of the +settlement,--and here the dog Crusoe was born; here he sprawled in the +early morn of life; here he leaped, and yelped, and wagged his shaggy +tail in the excessive glee of puppyhood, and from the wooden portals of +this block-house he bounded forth to the chase in all the fire, and +strength, and majesty of full-grown doghood. + +Crusoe's father and mother were magnificent Newfoundlanders. There was +no doubt as to their being of the genuine breed, for Major Hope had +received them as a parting gift from a brother officer, who had brought +them both from Newfoundland itself. The father's name was Crusoe; the +mother's name was Fan. Why the father had been so called no one could +tell. The man from whom Major Hope's friend had obtained the pair was a +poor, illiterate fisherman, who had never heard of the celebrated +"Robinson" in all his life. All he knew was that Fan had been named +after his own wife. As for Crusoe, he had got him from a friend, who +had got him from another friend, whose cousin had received him as a +marriage gift from a friend of _his_; and that each had said to the +other that the dog's name was "Crusoe," without reasons being asked or +given on either side. On arriving at New York the major's friend, as we +have said, made him a present of the dogs. Not being much of a dog +fancier, he soon tired of old Crusoe, and gave him away to a gentleman, +who took him down to Florida, and that was the end of him. He was never +heard of more. + +When Crusoe, junior, was born, he was born, of course, without a name. +That was given to him afterwards in honour of his father. He was also +born in company with a brother and two sisters, all of whom drowned +themselves accidentally, in the first month of their existence, by +falling into the river which flowed past the block-house,--a calamity +which occurred, doubtless, in consequence of their having gone out +without their mother's leave. Little Crusoe was with his brother and +sisters at the time, and fell in along with them, but was saved from +sharing their fate by his mother, who, seeing what had happened, dashed +with an agonised howl into the water, and, seizing him in her mouth, +brought him ashore in a half-drowned condition. She afterwards brought +the others ashore one by one, but the poor little things were dead. + +And now we come to the harrowing part of our tale, for the proper +understanding of which the foregoing dissertation was needful. + +One beautiful afternoon, in that charming season of the American year +called the Indian summer, there came a family of Sioux Indians to the +Mustang Valley, and pitched their tent close to the block-house. A +young hunter stood leaning against the gate-post of the palisades, +watching the movements of the Indians, who, having just finished a long +"palaver" or "talk" with Major Hope, were now in the act of preparing +supper. A fire had been kindled on the green sward in front of the +tent, and above it stood a tripod, from which depended a large tin +camp-kettle. Over this hung an ill-favoured Indian woman, or squaw, +who, besides attending to the contents of the pot, bestowed sundry cuffs +and kicks upon her little child, which sat near to her playing with +several Indian curs that gambolled round the fire. The master of the +family and his two sons reclined on buffalo robes, smoking their stone +pipes or calumets in silence. There was nothing peculiar in their +appearance. Their faces were neither dignified nor coarse in +expression, but wore an aspect of stupid apathy, which formed a striking +contrast to the countenance of the young hunter, who seemed an amused +spectator of their proceedings. + +The youth referred to was very unlike, in many respects, to what we are +accustomed to suppose a backwoods hunter should be. He did not possess +that quiet gravity and staid demeanour which often characterise these +men. True, he was tall and strongly made, but no one would have called +him stalwart, and his frame indicated grace and agility rather than +strength. But the point about him which rendered him different from his +companions was his bounding, irrepressible flow of spirits, strangely +coupled with an intense love of solitary wandering in the woods. None +seemed so well fitted for social enjoyment as he; none laughed so +heartily, or expressed such glee in his mischief-loving eye; yet for +days together he went off alone into the forest, and wandered where his +fancy led him, as grave and silent as an Indian warrior. + +After all, there was nothing mysterious in this. The boy followed +implicitly the dictates of nature within him. He was amiable, +straightforward, sanguine, and intensely _earnest_. When he laughed he +let it out, as sailors have it, "with a will." When there was good +cause to be grave, no power on earth could make him smile. We have +called him boy, but in truth he was about that uncertain period of life +when a youth is said to be neither a man nor a boy. His face was +good-looking (_every_ earnest, candid face is) and masculine; his hair +was reddish-brown, and his eye bright blue. He was costumed in the +deerskin cap, leggings, moccasins, and leathern shirt common to the +western hunter. + +"You seem tickled wi' the Injuns, Dick Varley," said a man who at that +moment issued from the block-house. + +"That's just what I am, Joe Blunt," replied the youth, turning with a +broad grin to his companion. + +"Have a care, lad; do not laugh at 'em too much. They soon take +offence; an' them Red-skins never forgive." + +"But I'm only laughing at the baby," returned the youth, pointing to the +child, which, with a mixture of boldness and timidity, was playing with +a pup, wrinkling up its fat visage into a smile when its playmate rushed +away in sport, and opening wide its jet-black eyes in grave anxiety as +the pup returned at full gallop. + +"It 'ud make an owl laugh," continued young Varley, "to see such a queer +pictur' o' itself." + +He paused suddenly, and a dark frown covered his face as he saw the +Indian woman stoop quickly down, catch the pup by its hind-leg with one +hand, seize a heavy piece of wood with the other, and strike it several +violent blows on the throat. Without taking the trouble to kill the +poor animal outright, the savage then held its still writhing body over +the fire in order to singe off the hair before putting it into the pot +to be cooked. + +The cruel act drew young Varley's attention more closely to the pup, and +it flashed across his mind that this could be no other than young +Crusoe, which neither he nor his companion had before seen, although +they had often heard others speak of and describe it. + +Had the little creature been one of the unfortunate Indian curs, the two +hunters would probably have turned from the sickening sight with +disgust, feeling that, however much they might dislike such cruelty, it +would be of no use attempting to interfere with Indian usages. But the +instant the idea that it was Crusoe occurred to Varley he uttered a yell +of anger, and sprang towards the woman with a bound that caused the +three Indians to leap to their feet and grasp their tomahawks. + +Blunt did not move from the gate, but threw forward his rifle with a +careless motion, but an expressive glance, that caused the Indians to +resume their seats and pipes with an emphatic "Wah!" of disgust at +having been startled out of their propriety by a trifle, while Dick +Varley snatched poor Crusoe from his dangerous and painful position, +scowled angrily in the woman's face, and, turning on his heel, walked up +to the house, holding the pup tenderly in his arms. + +Joe Blunt gazed after his friend with a grave, solemn expression of +countenance till he disappeared; then he looked at the ground and shook +his head. + +Joe was one of the regular out-and-out backwoods hunters, both in +appearance and in fact--broad, tall, massive, lion-like,--gifted with +the hunting, stalking, running, and trail--following powers of the +savage, and with a superabundance of the shooting and fighting powers, +the daring and dash of the Anglo-Saxon. He was grave, too seldom +smiled, and rarely laughed. His expression almost at all times was a +compound of seriousness and good-humour. With the rifle he was a good, +steady shot; but by no means a "crack" one. _His_ ball never failed to +_hit_, but it often failed to kill. + +After meditating a few seconds, Joe Blunt again shook his head, and +muttered to himself; "The boy's bold enough, but he's too reckless for a +hunter. There was no need for that yell, now--none at all." + +Having uttered this sagacious remark, he threw his rifle into the hollow +of his left arm, turned round, and strode off with a long, slow step +towards his own cottage. + +Blunt was an American by birth, but of Irish extraction, and to an +attentive ear there was a faint echo of the _brogue_ in his tone, which +seemed to have been handed down to him as a threadbare and almost +worn-out heirloom. + +Poor Crusoe was singed almost naked. His wretched tail seemed little +better than a piece of wire filed off to a point, and he vented his +misery in piteous squeaks as the sympathetic Varley confided him +tenderly to the care of his mother. How Fan managed to cure him no one +can tell, but cure him she did, for, in the course of a few weeks, +Crusoe was as well, and sleek, and fat as ever. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +A SHOOTING MATCH AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--NEW FRIENDS INTRODUCED TO THE +READER--CRUSOE AND HIS MOTHER CHANGE MASTERS. + +Shortly after the incident narrated in the last chapter, the squatters +of the Mustang Valley lost their leader. Major Hope suddenly announced +his intention of quitting the settlement, and returning to the civilised +world. Private matters, he said, required his presence there--matters +which he did not choose to speak of but which would prevent his +returning again to reside among them. Go he must, and, being a man of +determination, go he did; but before going he distributed all his goods +and chattels among the settlers. He even gave away his rifle, and Fan, +and Crusoe. These last, however, he resolved should go together; and as +they were well worth having, he announced that he would give them to the +best shot in the valley. He stipulated that the winner should escort +him to the nearest settlement eastward, after which he might return with +the rifle on his shoulder. + +Accordingly, a long level piece of ground on the river's bank, with a +perpendicular cliff at the end of it, was selected as the shooting +ground, and, on the appointed day, at the appointed hour, the +competitors began to assemble. + +"Well, lad, first as usual," exclaimed Joe Blunt, as he reached the +ground and found Dick Varley there before him. + +"I've bin here more than an hour lookin' for a new kind o' flower that +Jack Morgan told me he'd seen. And I've found it too. Look here; did +you ever see one like it before?" + +Blunt leaned his rifle against a tree, and carefully examined the +flower. + +"Why, yes, I've seed a-many o' them up about the Rocky Mountains, but +never one here-away. It seems to have gone lost itself. The last I +seed, if I remimber rightly, wos near the head-waters o' the Yellowstone +River, it wos--jest where I shot a grizzly bar." + +"Was that the bar that gave you the wipe on the cheek?" asked Varley, +forgetting the flower in his interest about the bear. + +"It was. I put six balls in that bar's carcase, and stuck my knife into +its heart ten times afore it gave out; an' it nearly ripped the shirt +off my back afore I was done with it." + +"I would give my rifle to get a chance at a grizzly!" exclaimed Varley, +with a sudden burst of enthusiasm. + +"Whoever got it wouldn't have much to brag of," remarked a burly young +backwoodsman, as he joined them. + +His remark was true, for poor Dick's weapon was but a sorry affair. It +missed fire, and it hung fire, and even when it did fire it remained a +matter of doubt in its owner's mind whether the slight deviations from +the direct line made by his bullets were the result of _his_ or _its_ +bad shooting. + +Further comment upon it was checked by the arrival of a dozen or more +hunters on the scene of action. They were a sturdy set of bronzed, +bold, fearless men, and one felt, on looking at them, that they would +prove more than a match for several hundreds of Indians in open fight. +A few minutes after, the major himself came on the ground with the prize +rifle on his shoulder, and Fan and Crusoe at his heels--the latter +tumbling, scrambling, and yelping after its mother, fat and clumsy, and +happy as possible, having evidently quite forgotten that it had been +nearly roasted alive only a few weeks before. + +Immediately all eyes were on the rifle, and its merits were discussed +with animation. + +And well did it deserve discussion, for such a piece had never before +been seen on the western frontier. It was shorter in the barrel and +larger in the bore than the weapons chiefly in vogue at that time, and, +besides being of beautiful workmanship, was silver-mounted. But the +grand peculiarity about it, and that which afterwards rendered it the +mystery of mysteries to the savages, was, that it had two sets of +locks--one percussion, the other flint--so that, when caps failed, by +taking off the one set of locks and affixing the others, it was +converted into a flint-rifle. The major, however, took care never to +run short of caps, so that the flint locks were merely held as a reserve +in case of need. + +"Now, lads," cried Major Hope, stepping up to the point whence they were +to shoot, "remember the terms. He who first drives the nail obtains the +rifle, Fan, and her pup, and accompanies me to the nearest settlements. +Each man shoots with his own gun, and draws lots for the chance." + +"Agreed," cried the men. + +"Well, then, wipe your guns and draw lots. Henri will fix the nail. +Here it is." + +The individual who stepped, or rather plunged forward to receive the +nail was a rare and remarkable specimen of mankind. Like his comrades, +he was half a farmer and half a hunter. Like them, too, he was clad in +deerskin, and was tall and strong--nay, more, he was gigantic. But, +unlike them, he was clumsy, awkward, loose-jointed, and a bad shot. +Nevertheless Henri was an immense favourite in the settlement, for his +good-humour knew no bounds. No one ever saw him frown. Even when +fighting with the savages, as he was sometimes compelled to do in +self-defence, he went at them with a sort of jovial rage that was almost +laughable. Inconsiderate recklessness was one of his chief +characteristics, so that his comrades were rather afraid of him on the +war-trail or in the hunt, where caution, and frequently _soundless_ +motion, were essential to success or safety. But when Henri had a +comrade at his side to check him he was safe enough, being humble-minded +and obedient. Men used to say he must have been born under a lucky +star, for, notwithstanding his natural inaptitude for all sorts of +backwoods life, he managed to scramble through everything with safety, +often with success, and sometimes with credit. + +To see Henri stalk a deer was worth a long day's journey. Joe Blunt +used to say he was "all jints together, from the top of his head to the +sole of his moccasin." He threw his immense form into the most +inconceivable contortions, and slowly wound his way, sometimes on hands +and knees, sometimes flat, through bush and brake, as if there was not a +bone in his body, and without the slightest noise. This sort of work +was so much against his plunging nature, that he took long to learn it, +but when, through hard practice and the loss of many a fine deer, he +came at length to break himself in to it, he gradually progressed to +perfection, and ultimately became the best stalker in the valley. This, +and this alone, enabled him to procure game, for, being short-sighted, +he could hit nothing beyond fifty yards, except a buffalo or a barn +door. + +Yet that same lithe body, which seemed as though totally unhinged, could +no more be bent, when the muscles were strung, than an iron post. No +one wrestled with Henri unless he wished to have his back broken. Few +could equal and none could beat him at running or leaping except Dick +Varley. When Henri ran a race even Joe Blunt laughed outright, for arms +and legs went like independent flails. When he leaped, he hurled +himself into space with a degree of violence that seemed to insure a +somersault--yet he always came down with a crash on his feet. Plunging +was Henri's forte. He generally lounged about the settlement, when +unoccupied, with his hands behind his back, apparently in a reverie, and +when called on to act, he seemed to fancy he must have lost time, and +could only make up for it by _plunging_. This habit got him into many +awkward scrapes, but his herculean power as often got him out of them. +He was a French-Canadian, and a particularly bad speaker of the English +language. + +We offer no apology for this elaborate introduction of Henri, for he was +as good-hearted a fellow as ever lived, and deserves special notice. + +But to return. The sort of rifle practice called "driving the nail," by +which this match was to be decided, was, and we believe still is, common +among the hunters of the far west. It consisted in this,--an ordinary +large-headed nail was driven a short way into a plank or a tree, and the +hunters, standing at a distance of fifty yards or so, fired at it until +they succeeded in driving it home. On the present occasion the major +resolved to test their shooting by making the distance seventy yards. + +Some of the older men shook their heads. + +"It's too far," said one; "ye might as well try to snuff the nose o' a +mosquito." + +"Jim Scraggs is the only man as'll hit that," said another. + +The man referred to was a long, lank, lantern-jawed fellow with a +cross-grained expression of countenance. He used the long, heavy, +Kentucky rifle, which, from the ball being little larger than a pea, was +called a pea-rifle. Jim was no favourite, and had been named Scraggs by +his companions on account of his appearance. + +In a few minutes the lots were drawn, and the shooting began. Each +hunter wiped out the barrel of his piece with his ramrod as he stepped +forward; then, placing a ball in the palm of his left hand, he drew the +stopper of his powder-horn with his teeth, and poured out as much powder +as sufficed to cover the bullet. This was the regular _measure_ among +them. Little time was lost in firing, for these men did not "hang" on +their aim. The point of the rifle was slowly raised to the object, and, +the instant the sight covered it, the ball sped to its mark. In a few +minutes the nail was encircled by bullet-holes, scarcely two of which +were more than an inch distant from the mark, and one--fired by Joe +Blunt--entered the tree close beside it. + +"Ah, Joe!" said the major, "I thought you would have carried off the +prize." + +"So did not I, sir," returned Blunt, with a shake of his head. "Had it +a-bin a half-dollar at a hundred yards, I'd ha' done better, but I never +_could_ hit the nail. It's too small to _see_." + +"That's cos ye've got no eyes," remarked Jim Scraggs, with a sneer, as +he stepped forward. + +All tongues were now hushed, for the expected champion was about to +fire. The sharp crack of the rifle was followed by a shout, for Jim had +hit the nail-head on the edge, and part of the bullet stuck to it. + +"That wins if there's no better," said the major, scarce able to conceal +his disappointment. "Who comes next?" + +To this question Henri answered by stepping up to the line, straddling +his legs, and executing preliminary movements with his rifle, that +seemed to indicate an intention on his part to throw the weapon bodily +at the mark. He was received with a shout of mingled laughter and +applause. After gazing steadily at the mark for a few seconds, a broad +grin overspread his countenance, and, looking round at his companions, +he said--"Ha! mes boys, I cannot behold de nail at all!" + +"Can ye `behold' the _tree_?" shouted a voice, when the laugh that +followed this announcement had somewhat abated. + +"Oh! oui," replied Henri quite coolly; "I can see _him_, an' a goot +small bit of de forest beyond." + +"Fire at it, then. If ye hit the tree ye desarve the rifle--leastwise +ye ought to get the pup." + +Henri grinned again, and fired instantly, without taking aim. + +The shot was followed by an exclamation of surprise, for the bullet was +found close beside the nail! + +"It's more be good luck than good shootin'," remarked Jim Scraggs. + +"Possiblement," answered Henri modestly, as he retreated to the rear and +wiped out his rifle; "mais I have kill most of my deer by dat same goot +luck." + +"Bravo! Henri," said Major Hope as he passed; "you _deserve_ to win, +anyhow. Who's next?" + +"Dick Varley," cried several voices; "where's Varley? Come on, +youngster, an' take yer shot." + +The youth came forward with evident reluctance. "It's of no manner o' +use," he whispered to Joe Blunt as he passed, "I can't depend on my old +gun." + +"Never give in," whispered Blunt encouragingly. Poor Varley's want of +confidence in his rifle was merited, for, on pulling the trigger, the +faithless lock missed fire. + +"Lend him another gun," cried several voices. "'Gainst rules laid down +by Major Hope," said Scraggs. + +"Well, so it is; try again." + +Varley did try again, and so successfully, too, that the ball hit the +nail on the head, leaving a portion of the lead sticking to its edge. + +Of course this was greeted with a cheer, and a loud dispute began as to +which was the better shot of the two. + +"There are others to shoot yet," cried the major. "Make way. Look +out." + +The men fell back, and the few hunters who had not yet fired took their +shots, but without coming nearer the mark. + +It was now agreed that Jim Scraggs and Dick Varley, being the two best +shots, should try over again; and it was also agreed that Dick should +have the use of Blunt's rifle. Lots were again drawn for the first +shot, and it fell to Dick, who immediately stepped out, aimed somewhat +hastily, and fired. + +"Hit again!" shouted those who had run forward to examine the mark. +"_Half_ the bullet cut off by the nail-head!" + +Some of the more enthusiastic of Dick's friends cheered lustily, but the +most of the hunters were grave and silent, for they knew Jim's powers, +and felt that he would certainly do his best. Jim now stepped up to the +line, and, looking earnestly at the mark, threw forward his rifle. + +At that moment our friend Crusoe--tired of tormenting his mother-- +waddled stupidly and innocently into the midst of the crowd of men, and, +in so doing, received Henri's heel and the full weight of his +elephantine body on its fore-paw. The horrible and electric yell that +instantly issued from his agonised throat could only be compared, as Joe +Blunt expressed it, "to the last dyin' screech o' a bustin' steam +biler!" We cannot say that the effect was startling, for these +backwoodsmen had been born and bred in the midst of alarms, and were so +used to them that a "bustin' steam biler" itself, unless it had blown +them fairly off their legs, would not have startled them. But the +effect, such as it was, was sufficient to disconcert the aim of Jim +Scraggs, who fired at the same instant, and missed the nail by a +hair's-breadth. + +Turning round in towering wrath, Scraggs aimed a kick at the poor pup, +which, had it taken effect, would certainly have terminated the innocent +existence of that remarkable dog on the spot, but quick as lightning +Henri interposed the butt of his rifle, and Jim's shin met it with a +violence that caused him to howl with rage and pain. + +"Oh! pardon me, broder," cried Henri, shrinking back, with the drollest +expression of mingled pity and glee. + +Jim's discretion, on this occasion, was superior to his valour; he +turned away with a coarse expression of anger and left the ground. + +Meanwhile the major handed the silver rifle to young Varley. "It +couldn't have fallen into better hands," he said. "You'll do it credit, +lad, I know that full well, and let me assure you it will never play you +false. Only keep it clean, don't overcharge it, aim true, and it will +never miss the mark." + +While the hunters crowded round Dick to congratulate him and examine the +piece, he stood with a mingled feeling of bashfulness and delight at his +unexpected good fortune. Recovering himself suddenly he seized his old +rifle, and, dropping quietly to the outskirts of the crowd, while the +men were still busy handling and discussing the merits of the prize, +went up, unobserved, to a boy of about thirteen years of age, and +touched him on the shoulder. + +"Here, Marston, you know I often said ye should have the old rifle when +I was rich enough to get a new one. Take it _now_, lad. It's come to +ye sooner than either o' us expected." + +"Dick," said the boy, grasping his friend's hand warmly, "yer true as +heart of oak. It's good of 'ee, that's a fact." + +"Not a bit, boy; it costs me nothin' to give away an old gun that I've +no use for, an's worth little, but it makes me right glad to have the +chance to do it." + +Marston had longed for a rifle ever since he could walk, but his +prospects of obtaining one were very poor indeed at that time, and it is +a question whether he did not at that moment experience as much joy in +handling the old piece as his friend felt in shouldering the prize. + +A difficulty now occurred which had not before been thought of. This +was no less than the absolute refusal of Dick Varley's canine property +to follow him. Fan had no idea of changing masters without her consent +being asked, or her inclination being consulted. + +"You'll have to tie her up for a while, I fear," said the major. + +"No fear," answered the youth. "Dog natur's like human natur'!" + +Saying this he seized Crusoe by the neck, stuffed him comfortably into +the bosom of his hunting shirt, and walked rapidly away with the prize +rifle on his shoulder. + +Fan had not bargained for this. She stood irresolute, gazing now to the +right and now to the left, as the major retired in one direction and +Dick with Crusoe in another. Suddenly Crusoe, who, although comfortable +in body, was ill at ease in spirit, gave utterance to a melancholy howl. +The mother's love instantly prevailed. For one moment she pricked up +her ears at the sound, and then, lowering them, trotted quietly after +her new master, and followed him to his cottage on the margin of the +lake. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +SPECULATIVE REMARKS WITH WHICH THE READER MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE--AN OLD +WOMAN--HOPES AND WISHES COMMINGLED WITH HARD FACTS--THE DOG CRUSOE'S +EDUCATION BEGUN. + +It is pleasant to look upon a serene, quiet, humble face. On such a +face did Richard Varley look every night when he entered his mother's +cottage. Mrs Varley was a widow, and she had followed the fortunes of +her brother, Daniel Hood, ever since the death of her husband. Love for +her only brother induced her to forsake the peaceful village of +Maryland, and enter upon the wild life of a backwoods settlement. +Dick's mother was thin, and old, and wrinkled, but her face was stamped +with a species of beauty which _never_ fades--the beauty of a loving +look. Ah! the brow of snow and the peach-bloom cheek may snare the +heart of man for a time, but the _loving look_ alone can forge that +adamantine chain that time, age, eternity, shall never break. + +Mistake us not, reader, and bear with us if we attempt to analyse this +look which characterised Mrs Varley. A rare diamond is worth stopping +to glance at, even when one is in a hurry! The brightest jewel in the +human heart is worth a thought or two! By a _loving look_, we do not +mean a look of love bestowed on a beloved object. That is common +enough, and thankful should we be that it is so common in a world that's +over-full of hatred. Still less do we mean that smile and look of +intense affection with which some people--good people too--greet friends +and foe alike, and by which effort to work out their _beau ideal_ of the +expression of Christian love, they do signally damage their cause, by +saddening the serious and repelling the gay. Much less do we mean that +_perpetual_ smile of good-will which argues more of personal comfort and +self-love than anything else. No, the loving look we speak of is as +often grave as gay. Its character depends very much on the face through +which it beams. And it cannot be counterfeited. Its _ring_ defies +imitation. Like the clouded sun of April, it can pierce through tears +of sorrow; like the noontide sun of summer, it can blaze in warm smiles; +like the northern lights of winter, it can gleam in depths of woe--but +it is always the same, modified, doubtless, and rendered more or less +patent to others, according to the natural amiability of him or her who +bestows it. No one can put it on. Still less can any one put it off. +Its range is universal; it embraces all mankind, though, _of course_, it +is intensified on a few favoured objects; its seat is in the depths of a +renewed heart, and its foundation lies in love to God. + +Young Varley's mother lived in a cottage which was of the smallest +possible dimensions consistent with comfort. It was made of logs, as, +indeed, were all the other cottages in the valley. The door was in the +centre, and a passage from it to the back of the dwelling divided it +into two rooms. One of these was subdivided by a thin partition, the +inner room being Mrs Varley's bedroom, the outer Dick's. Daniel Hood's +dormitory was a corner of the kitchen, which apartment served also as a +parlour. + +The rooms were lighted by two windows, one on each side of the door, +which gave to the house the appearance of having a nose and two eyes. +Houses of this kind have literally got a sort of _expression_ on--if we +may use the word--their countenances. _Square_ windows give the +appearance of easy-going placidity; _longish_ ones, that of surprise. +Mrs Varley's was a surprised cottage, and this was in keeping with the +scene in which it stood, for the clear lake in front, studded with +islands, and the distant hills beyond, composed a scene so surprisingly +beautiful that it never failed to call forth an expression of astonished +admiration from every new visitor to the Mustang Valley. + +"My boy," exclaimed Mrs Varley, as her son entered the cottage with a +bound, "why so hurried to-day? Deary me! where got you the grand gun?" + +"Won it, mother!" + +"Won it, my son?" + +"Ay, won it, mother. Druve the nail _almost_, and would ha' druve it +_altogether_ had I bin more used to Joe Blunt's rifle." + +Mrs Varley's heart beat high, and her face flushed with pride as she +gazed at her son, who laid the rifle on the table for her inspection, +while he rattled off an animated and somewhat disjointed account of the +match. + +"Deary me! now that was good; that was cliver. But what's that scraping +at the door?" + +"Oh! that's Fan; I forgot her. Here! here! Fan! Come in, good dog," +he cried rising and opening the door. + +Fan entered and stopped short, evidently uncomfortable. + +"My boy, what do ye with the major's dog?" + +"Won her too, mother!" + +"Won her, my son?" + +"Ay, won her, and the pup too; see, here it is!" and he plucked Crusoe +from his bosom. + +Crusoe, having found his position to be one of great comfort, had fallen +into a profound slumber, and on being thus unceremoniously awakened, he +gave forth a yelp of discontent that brought Fan in a state of frantic +sympathy to his side. + +"There you are, Fan, take it to a corner and make yourself at home. Ay, +that's right, mother, give her somethin' to eat; she's hungry, I know by +the look o' her eye." + +"Deary me, Dick," said Mrs Varley, who now proceeded to spread the +youth's mid-day meal before him, "did ye drive the nail three times?" + +"No, only once, and that not parfetly. Brought 'em all down at one +shot--rifle, Fan, an' pup!" + +"Well, well, now that was cliver; but--" Here the old woman paused and +looked grave. + +"But what, mother?" + +"You'll be wantin' to go off to the mountains now, I fear me, boy." + +"Wantin' _now_!" exclaimed the youth earnestly; "I'm _always_ wantin'. +I've bin wantin' ever since I could walk; but I won't go till you let +me, mother, that I won't!" And he struck the table with his fist so +forcibly that the platters rung again. + +"You're a good boy, Dick; but you're too young yit to ventur' among the +Red-skins." + +"An' yit, if I don't ventur' young, I'd better not ventur' at all. You +know, mother dear, I don't want to leave you; but I was born to be a +hunter, and everybody in them parts is a hunter, and I can't hunt in the +kitchen you know, mother!" + +At this point the conversation was interrupted by a sound that caused +young Varley to spring up and seize his rifle, and Fan to show her teeth +and growl. + +"Hist! mother; that's like horses' hoofs," he whispered, opening the +door and gazing intently in the direction whence the sound came. + +Louder and louder it came, until an opening in the forest showed the +advancing cavalcade to be a party of white men. In another moment they +were in full view--a band of about thirty horsemen, clad in the leathern +costume, and armed with the long rifle of the far west. Some wore +portions of the gaudy Indian dress which gave to them a brilliant, +dashing look. They came on straight for the block-house, and saluted +the Varleys with a jovial cheer as they swept past at full speed. Dick +returned the cheer with compound interest, and calling out, "They're +trappers, mother, I'll be back in an hour," bounded off like a deer +through the woods, taking a short cut in order to reach the block-house +before them. He succeeded, for, just as he arrived at the house, the +cavalcade wheeled round the bend in the river, dashed up the slope, and +came to a sudden halt on the green. Vaulting from their foaming steeds +they tied them to the stockades of the little fortress, which they +entered in a body. + +Hot haste was in every motion of these men. They were trappers, they +said, on their way to the Rocky Mountains to hunt and trade furs. But +one of their number had been treacherously murdered and scalped by a +Pawnee chief, and they resolved to revenge his death by an attack on one +of the Pawnee villages. They would teach these "red reptiles" to +respect white men, they would, come of it what might; and they had +turned aside here to procure an additional supply of powder and lead. + +In vain did the major endeavour to dissuade these reckless men from +their purpose. They scoffed at the idea of returning good for evil, and +insisted on being supplied. The log hut was a store as well as a place +of defence, and as they offered to pay for it there was no refusing +their request--at least so the major thought. The ammunition was +therefore given to them, and in half an hour they were away again at +full gallop over the plains on their mission of vengeance. "Vengeance +is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." But these men knew not what God +said, because they never read His Word, and did not own His sway. + +Young Varley's enthusiasm was considerably damped when he learned the +errand on which the trappers were bent. From that time forward he gave +up all desire to visit the mountains in company with such men, but he +still retained an intense longing to roam at large among their rocky +fastnesses, and gallop out upon the wide prairies. + +Meanwhile he dutifully tended his mother's cattle and sheep, and +contented himself with an occasional deer-hunt in the neighbouring +forests. He devoted himself also to the training of his dog Crusoe--an +operation which at first cost him many a deep sigh. + +Every one has heard of the sagacity and almost reasoning capabilities of +the Newfoundland dog. Indeed, some have even gone the length of saying +that what is called instinct in these animals is neither more nor less +than reason. And, in truth, many of the noble, heroic, and sagacious +deeds that have actually been performed by Newfoundland dogs incline us +almost to believe that, like man, they are gifted with reasoning powers. + +But every one does not know the trouble and patience that is required in +order to get a juvenile dog to understand what its master means when he +is endeavouring to instruct it. + +Crusoe's first lesson was an interesting, but not a very successful one. +We may remark here that Dick Varley had presented Fan to his mother to +be her watch-dog, resolving to devote all his powers to the training of +the pup. We may also remark, in reference to Crusoe's appearance (and +we did not remark it sooner, chiefly because up to this period in his +eventful history he was little better than a ball of fat and hair), that +his coat was mingled jet-black and pure white, and remarkably glossy, +curly, and thick. + +A week after the shooting match Crusoe's education began. Having fed +him for that period with his own hand, in order to gain his affection, +Dick took him out one sunny forenoon to the margin of the lake to give +him his first lesson. + +And here again we must pause to remark that, although a dog's heart is +generally gained in the first instance through his mouth, yet, after it +is thoroughly gained, his affection is noble and disinterested. He can +scarcely be driven from his master's side by blows, and even when thus +harshly repelled is always ready, on the shortest notice and with the +slightest encouragement, to make it up again. + +Well, Dick Varley began by calling out, "Crusoe! Crusoe! come here, +pup." + +Of course Crusoe knew his name by this time, for it had been so often +used as a prelude to his meals, that he naturally expected a feed +whenever he heard it. This portal to his brain had already been open +for some days; but all the other doors were fast locked, and it required +a great deal of careful picking to open them. + +"Now, Crusoe, come here." + +Crusoe bounded clumsily to his master's side, cocked his ears, and +wagged his tail--so far his education was perfect. We say he bounded +_clumsily_, for it must be remembered that he was still a very young +pup, with soft, flabby muscles. + +"Now, I'm goin' to begin yer edication, pup; think o' that." + +Whether Crusoe thought of that or not we cannot say, but he looked up in +his master's face as he spoke, cocked his ears very high, and turned his +head slowly to one side, until it could not turn any further in that +direction; then he turned it as much to the other side, whereat his +master burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, and Crusoe +immediately began barking vociferously. + +"Come, come," said Dick, suddenly checking his mirth, "we mustn't play, +pup, we must work." + +Drawing a leathern mitten from his belt, the youth held it to Crusoe's +nose, and then threw it a yard away, at the same time exclaiming in a +loud, distinct tone, "_Fetch it_." + +Crusoe entered at once into the spirit of this part of his training; he +dashed gleefully at the mitten, and proceeded to worry it with intense +gratification. As for "_Fetch it_," he neither understood the words nor +cared a straw about them. + +Dick Varley rose immediately, and rescuing the mitten, resumed his seat +on a rock. + +"Come here, Crusoe," he repeated. + +"Oh! certainly, by all means," said Crusoe--no! he didn't exactly _say_ +it, but really he _looked_ these words so evidently, that we think it +right to let them stand as they are written. If he could have finished +the sentence he would certainly have said, "Go on with that game over +again, old boy; it's quite to my taste--the jolliest thing in life, I +assure you!" At least, if we may not positively assert that he would +have said that, no one else can absolutely affirm that he wouldn't. + +Well, Dick Varley did do it over again, and Crusoe worried the mitten +over again--utterly regardless of "_Fetch it_." + +Then they did it again, and again, and again, but without the slightest +apparent advancement in the path of canine knowledge,--and then they +went home. + +During all this trying operation Dick Varley never once betrayed the +slightest feeling of irritability or impatience. He did not expect +success at first; he was not, therefore, disappointed at failure. + +Next day he had him out again--and the next--and the next--and the next +again, with the like unfavourable result. In short, it seemed at last +as if Crusoe's mind had been deeply imbued with the idea that he had +been born expressly for the purpose of worrying that mitten, and he +meant to fulfil his destiny to the letter. + +Young Varley had taken several small pieces of meat in his pocket each +day, with the intention of rewarding Crusoe when he should at length be +prevailed on to fetch the mitten, but as Crusoe was not aware of the +treat that awaited him, of course the mitten never was "fetched." + +At last Dick Varley saw that this system would never do, so he changed +his tactics, and the next morning gave Crusoe no breakfast, but took him +out at the usual hour to go through his lesson. This new course of +conduct seemed to perplex Crusoe not a little, for on his way down to +the beach he paused frequently and looked back at the cottage, and then +expressively up at his master's face. But the master was inexorable; he +went on and Crusoe followed, for _true_ love had now taken possession of +the pup's young heart, and he preferred his master's company to food. + +Varley now began by letting the learner smell a piece of meat which he +eagerly sought to devour, but was prevented, to his immense disgust. +Then the mitten was thrown as heretofore, and Crusoe made a few steps +towards it, but being in no mood for play he turned back. + +"_Fetch it_," said the teacher. + +"I won't," replied the learner mutely, by means of that expressive +sign--_not doing it_. + +Hereupon Dick Varley rose, took up the mitten, and put it into the pup's +mouth. Then, retiring a couple of yards, he held out the piece of meat +and said, "_Fetch it_." + +Crusoe instantly spat out the glove and bounded towards the meat--once +more to be disappointed. + +This was done a second time, and Crusoe came forward _with the mitten in +his mouth_. It seemed as if it had been done accidentally, for he +dropped it before coming quite up. If so it was a fortunate accident, +for it served as the tiny fulcrum on which to place the point of that +mighty lever which was destined ere long to raise him to the pinnacle of +canine erudition. Dick Varley immediately lavished upon him the +tenderest caresses and gave him a lump of meat. But he quickly tried it +again lest he should lose the lesson. The dog evidently felt that if he +did not fetch that mitten he should have no meat or caresses. In order, +however, to make sure that there was no mistake, Dick laid the mitten +down beside the pup, instead of putting it into his mouth, and, retiring +a few paces, cried, "_Fetch it_." + +Crusoe looked uncertain for a moment, then he _picked up_ the mitten and +laid it at his master's feet. The lesson was learned at last! Dick +Varley tumbled all the meat out of his pocket on the ground, and, while +Crusoe made a hearty breakfast, he sat down on a rock and whistled with +glee at having fairly picked the lock, and opened _another_ door into +one of the many chambers of his dog's intellect! + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +OUR HERO ENLARGED UPON--GRUMPS. + +Two years passed away--the Mustang Valley settlement advanced +prosperously, despite one or two attacks made upon it by the savages, +who were, however, firmly repelled; Dick Varley had now become a man, +and his pup Crusoe had become a full-grown dog. The "silver rifle," as +Dick's weapon had come to be named, was well-known among the hunters and +the Red-skins of the border-lands, and in Dick's hands its bullets were +as deadly as its owner's eye was quick and true. + +Crusoe's education, too, had been completed. Faithfully and patiently +had his young master trained his mind, until he fitted him to be a meet +companion in the hunt. To "carry" and "fetch" were now but trifling +portions of the dog's accomplishments. He could dive a fathom deep in +the lake and bring up any article that might have been dropped or thrown +in. His swimming powers were marvellous, and so powerful were his +muscles, that he seemed to spurn the water while passing through it, +with his broad chest high out of the curling wave, at a speed that +neither man nor beast could keep up with for a moment. His intellect +now was sharp and quick as a needle; he never required a second bidding. +When Dick went out hunting he used frequently to drop a mitten or a +powder-horn unknown to the dog, and, after walking miles away from it, +would stop short and look down into the mild, gentle face of his +companion. + +"Crusoe," he said, in the same quiet tones with which he would have +addressed a human friend, "I've dropped my mitten, go fetch it, pup." +Dick continued to call it "pup" from habit. + +One glance of intelligence passed from Crusoe's eye, and in a moment he +was away at full gallop; nor did he rest until the lost article was +lying at his master's feet. Dick was loath to try how far back on his +track Crusoe would run if desired. He had often gone back five and six +miles at a stretch; but his powers did not stop here. He could carry +articles back to the spot from which they had been taken and leave them +there. He could head the game that his master was pursuing and turn it +back; and he would guard any object he was desired to "watch" with +unflinching constancy. But it would occupy too much space and time to +enumerate all Crusoe's qualities and powers. His biography will unfold +them. + +In personal appearance he was majestic, having grown to an immense size +even for a Newfoundland. Had his visage been at all wolfish in +character, his aspect would have been terrible. But he possessed in an +eminent degree that mild, humble expression of face peculiar to his +race. When roused or excited, and especially when bounding through the +forest with the chase in view, he was absolutely magnificent. At other +times his gait was slow, and he seemed to prefer a _quiet_ walk with +Dick Varley to anything else under the sun. But when Dick was inclined +to be boisterous Crusoe's tail and ears rose at a moment's notice, and +he was ready for _anything_. Moreover, he obeyed commands instantly and +implicitly. In this respect he put to shame most of the _boys_ of the +settlement, who were by no means famed for their habits of prompt +obedience. + +Crusoe's eye was constantly watching the face of his master. When Dick +said "Go" he went, when he said "Come" he came. If he had been in the +midst of an excited bound at the throat of a stag, and Dick had called +out, "Down, Crusoe," he would have sunk to the earth like a stone. No +doubt it took many months of training to bring the dog to this state of +perfection; but Dick accomplished it by patience, perseverance, and +_love_. + +Besides all this, Crusoe could speak! He spoke by means of the dog's +dumb alphabet in a way that defies description. He conversed, so to +speak, with his extremities--his head and his tail. But his eyes, his +soft brown eyes, were the chief medium of communication. If ever the +language of the eyes was carried to perfection, it was exhibited in the +person of Crusoe. But, indeed, it would be difficult to say which part +of his expressive face expressed most. The cocked ears of expectation; +the drooped ears of sorrow; the bright, full eye of joy; the half-closed +eye of contentment; and the frowning eye of indignation accompanied with +a slight, a very slight, pucker of the nose and a gleam of dazzling +ivory--ha! no enemy ever saw this last piece of canine language without +a full appreciation of what it meant. Then as to the tail--the +modulations of meaning in the varied wag of that expressive member! Oh! +it's useless to attempt description. Mortal man cannot conceive of the +delicate shades of sentiment expressible by a dog's tail, unless he has +studied the subject--the wag, the waggle, the cock, the droop, the +slope, the wriggle! Away with description--it is impotent and valueless +here! + +As we have said, Crusoe was meek and mild. He had been bitten, on the +sly, by half the ill-natured curs in the settlement, and had only shown +his teeth in return. He had no enmities--though several enemies--and he +had a thousand friends, particularly among the ranks of the weak and the +persecuted, whom he always protected and avenged when opportunity +offered. A single instance of this kind will serve to show his +character. + +One day Dick and Crusoe were sitting on a rock beside the lake--the same +identical rock near which, when a pup, the latter had received his first +lesson. They were conversing as usual, for Dick had elicited such a +fund of intelligence from the dog's mind, and had injected such wealth +of wisdom into it, that he felt convinced it understood every word he +said. + +"This is capital weather, Crusoe; ain't it pup?" + +Crusoe made a motion with his head which was quite as significant as a +nod. + +"Ha! my pup, I wish that you and I might go and have a slap at the +grizzly bars and a look at the Rocky Mountains. Wouldn't it be nuts, +pup?" + +Crusoe looked dubious. + +"What, you don't agree with me! Now, tell me, pup, wouldn't ye like to +grip a bar?" + +Still Crusoe looked dubious, but made a gentle motion with his tail, as +though he would have said, "I've seen neither Rocky Mountains nor +grizzly bars, and know nothin' about 'em, but I'm open to conviction." + +"You're a brave pup," rejoined Dick, stroking the dog's huge head +affectionately. "I wouldn't give you for ten times your weight in +golden dollars--if there be sich things." + +Crusoe made no reply whatever to this. He regarded it as a truism +unworthy of notice; he evidently felt that a comparison between love and +dollars was preposterous. + +At this point in the conversation a little dog with a lame leg hobbled +to the edge of the rocks in front of the spot where Dick was seated, and +looked down into the water, which was deep there. Whether it did so for +the purpose of admiring its very plain visage in the liquid mirror, or +finding out what was going on among the fish, we cannot say, as it never +told us; but at that moment a big, clumsy, savage-looking dog rushed out +from the neighbouring thicket and began to worry it. + +"Punish him, Crusoe," said Dick quickly. + +Crusoe made one bound that a lion might have been proud of, and seizing +the aggressor by the back, lifted him off his legs and held him, +howling, in the air--at the same time casting a look towards his master +for further instructions. + +"Pitch him in," said Dick, making a sign with his hand. + +Crusoe turned and quietly dropped the dog into the lake. Having +regarded his struggles there for a few moments with grave severity of +countenance, he walked slowly back and sat down beside his master. + +The little dog made good its retreat as fast as three legs would carry +it, and the surly dog, having swam ashore, retired sulkily, with his +tail very much between his legs. + +Little wonder, then, that Crusoe was beloved by great and small among +the well-disposed of the canine tribes of the Mustang Valley. + +But Crusoe was not a mere machine. When not actively engaged in Dick +Varley's service, he busied himself with private little matters of his +own. He undertook modest little excursions into the woods or along the +margin of the lake, sometimes alone, but more frequently with a little +friend whose whole heart and being seemed to be swallowed up in +admiration of his big companion. Whether Crusoe botanised or geologised +on these excursions we will not venture to say. Assuredly he seemed as +though he did both, for he poked his nose into every bush and tuft of +moss, and turned over the stones, and dug holes in the ground--and, in +short, if he did not understand these sciences, he behaved very much as +if he did. Certainly he knew as much about them as many of the human +species do. + +In these walks he never took the slightest notice of Grumps (that was +the little dog's name), but Grumps made up for this by taking excessive +notice of _him_. When Crusoe stopped, Grumps stopped and sat down to +look at him. When Crusoe trotted on, Grumps trotted on too. When +Crusoe examined a bush Grumps sat down to watch him, and when he dug a +hole Grumps looked into it to see what was there. Grumps never helped +him; his sole delight was in looking on. They didn't converse much, +these two dogs. To be in each other's company seemed to be happiness +enough--at least Grumps thought so. + +There was one point at which Grumps stopped short, however, and ceased +to follow his friend; and that was when he rushed headlong into the lake +and disported himself for an hour at a time in its cool waters. Crusoe +was, both by nature and training, a splendid water-dog. Grumps, on the +contrary, held water in abhorrence, so he sat on the shores of the lake +disconsolate when his friend was bathing, and waited till he came out. +The only time when Grumps was thoroughly nonplussed, was when Dick +Varley's whistle sounded faintly in the far distance. Then Crusoe would +prick up his ears, and stretch out at full gallop, clearing ditch, and +fence, and brake with his strong elastic bound, and leaving Grumps to +patter after him as fast as his four-inch legs would carry him. Poor +Grumps usually arrived at the village, to find both dog and master gone, +and would betake himself to his own dwelling, there to lie down and +sleep, and dream, perchance, of rambles and gambols with his gigantic +friend. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +A MISSION OF PEACE--UNEXPECTED JOYS--DICK AND CRUSOE SET OFF FOR THE +LAND OF THE RED-SKINS, AND MEET WITH ADVENTURES BY THE WAY AS A MATTER +OF COURSE--NIGHT IN THE WILD WOODS. + +One day the inhabitants of Mustang Valley were thrown into considerable +excitement by the arrival of an officer of the United States army and a +small escort of cavalry. They went direct to the block-house, which, +since Major Hope's departure, had become the residence of Joe Blunt-- +that worthy having, by general consent, been deemed the fittest man in +the settlement to fill the major's place. + +Soon it began to be noised abroad that the strangers had been sent by +Government to endeavour to bring about, if possible, a more friendly +state of feeling between the whites and the Indians, by means of +presents, and promises, and fair speeches. + +The party remained all night in the block-house, and ere long it was +reported that Joe Blunt had been requested, and had consented, to be the +leader and chief of a party of three men who should visit the +neighbouring tribes of Indians, to the west and north of the valley, as +Government agents. Joe's knowledge of two or three different Indian +dialects, and his well-known sagacity, rendered him a most fitting +messenger on such an errand. It was also whispered that Joe was to have +the choosing of his comrades in this mission, and many were the opinions +expressed and guesses made as to who would be chosen. + +That same evening Dick Varley was sitting in his mother's kitchen +cleaning his rifle; his mother was preparing supper and talking quietly +about the obstinacy of a particular hen that had taken to laying her +eggs in places where they could not be found; Fan was coiled up in a +corner sound asleep, and Crusoe was sitting at one side of the fire +looking on at things in general. + +"I wonder," remarked Mrs Varley, as she spread the table with a pure +white napkin; "I wonder what the sodgers are doin' wi' Joe Blunt." + +As often happens when an individual is mentioned, the worthy referred to +opened the door at that moment and stepped into the room. + +"Good-e'en t'ye, dame," said the stout hunter, doffing his cap, and +resting his rifle in a corner, while Dick rose and placed a chair for +him. + +"The same to you, Master Blunt," answered the widow; "you've jist comed +in good time for a cut o' venison." + +"Thanks, mistress, I s'pose we're beholden to the silver rifle for +that." + +"To the hand that aimed it, rather," suggested the widow. + +"Nay, then, say raither to the dog that turned it," said Dick Varley. +"But for Crusoe that buck would ha' bin couched in the woods this +night." + +"Oh! if it comes to that," retorted Joe, "I'd lay it to the door o' Fan, +for if she'd niver bin born nother would Crusoe. But it's good an' +tender meat, whativer ways ye got it. Howsiver, I've other things to +talk about jist now. Them sodgers that are eatin' buffalo tongues up at +the block-house as if they'd niver ate meat before, and didn't hope to +eat agin for a twelve-month--" + +"Ay, what o' them?" interrupted Mrs Varley; "I've bin wonderin' what +was their errand." + +"Of coorse ye wos, Dame Varley; and I've comed here a' purpis to tell +ye. They want me to go to the Red-skins to make peace between them and +us; and they've brought a lot o' goods to make them presents withal,-- +beads, an' knives, an' lookin'-glasses, an vermilion paint, an' +sich-like, jist as much as'll be a light load for one horse--for, ye +see, nothin' can be done wi' the Red-skins without gifts." + +"'Tis a blessed mission," said the widow, "I wish it may succeed. D'ye +think ye'll go?" + +"Go? ay, that will I." + +"I only wish they'd made the offer to me," said Dick with a sigh. + +"An' so they do make the offer, lad. They've gin me leave to choose the +two men I'm to take with me, and I've comed straight to ask _you_. Ay +or no, for we must up an' away by break o' day to-morrow." + +Mrs Varley started. "So soon?" she said, with a look of anxiety. + +"Ay; the Pawnees are at the Yellow Creek jist at this time, but I've +heer'd they're 'bout to break up camp an' away west; so we'll need to +use haste." + +"May I go, mother?" asked Dick, with a look of anxiety. + +There was evidently a conflict in the widow's breast, but it quickly +ceased. + +"Yes, my boy," she said in her own low, quiet voice, "an' God go with +ye. I knew the time must come soon, an' I thank Him that your first +visit to the Red-skins will be on an errand o' peace. `Blessed are the +peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.'" + +Dick grasped his mother's hand and pressed it to his cheek in silence. +At the same moment Crusoe, seeing that the deeper feelings of his master +were touched, and deeming it his duty to sympathise, rose up and thrust +his nose against him. + +"Ah! pup," cried the young man hastily, "you must go too. Of course +Crusoe goes, Joe Blunt?" + +"Hum! I don't know that. There's no dependin' on a dog to keep his +tongue quiet in times o' danger." + +"Believe me," exclaimed Dick, flashing with enthusiasm, "Crusoe's more +trustworthy than I am myself. If ye can trust the master yer safe to +trust the pup." + +"Well, lad, ye may be right. We'll take him." + +"Thanks, Joe. And who else goes with us?" + +"I've bin castin' that in my mind for some time, an' I've fixed to take +Henri. He's not the safest man in the valley, but he's the truest, +that's a fact. And now, younker, get yer horse an' rifle ready, and +come to the block-house at daybreak to-morrow. Good luck to ye, +mistress, till we meet agin." + +Joe Blunt rose, and taking up his rifle,--without which he scarcely ever +moved a foot from his own door,--left the cottage with rapid strides. + +"My son," said Mrs Varley, kissing Dick's cheek as he resumed his seat, +"put this in the little pocket I made for it in your hunting shirt." + +She handed him a small pocket Bible. + +"Dear mother," he said, as he placed the book carefully within the +breast of his coat, "the Red-skin that takes that from me must take my +scalp first. But don't fear for me. You've often said the Lord would +protect me. So He will, mother, for sure it's an errand o' peace!" + +"Ay, that's it, that's it," murmured the widow in a half-soliloquy. + +Dick Varley spent that night in converse with his mother, and next +morning at daybreak he was at the place of meeting mounted on his sturdy +little horse, with the "silver rifle" on his shoulder, and Crusoe by his +side. + +"That's right, lad, that's right. Nothin' like keepin' yer time," said +Joe, as he led out a pack-horse from the gate of the block-house, while +his own charger was held ready saddled by a man named Daniel Brand, who +had been appointed to the charge of the block-house in his absence. + +"Where's Henri?--oh! here he comes," exclaimed Dick, as the hunter +referred to came thundering up the slope at a charge, on a horse that +resembled its rider in size, and not a little in clumsiness of +appearance. + +"Ah! mes boy. Him is a goot one to go," cried Henri, remarking Dick's +smile as he pulled up. "No hoss on de plain can beat dis one, +surement." + +"Now then, Henri, lend a hand to fix this pack, we've no time to +palaver." + +By this time they were joined by several of the soldiers and a few +hunters who had come to see them start. + +"Remember, Joe," cried one, "if you don't come back in three months +we'll all come out in a band to seek you." + +"If we don't come back in less than that time, what's left o' us won't +be worth seekin' for," said Joe, tightening the girth of his saddle. + +"Put a bit in yer own mouth, Henri," cried another, as the Canadian +arranged his steed's bridle; "ye'll need it more than yer horse when ye +git 'mong the red reptiles." + +"Vraiment, if mon mout' needs one bit yours will need one padlock." + +"Now, lads, mount!" cried Joe Blunt as he vaulted into the saddle. + +Dick Varley sprang lightly on his horse, and Henri made a rush at his +steed and hurled his huge frame across its back with a violence that +_ought_ to have brought it to the ground; but the tall, raw-boned, +broad-chested roan was accustomed to the eccentricities of its master, +and stood the shock bravely. Being appointed to lead the pack-horse, +Henri seized its halter; then the three cavaliers shook their reins, +and, waving their hands to their comrades, they sprang into the woods at +full gallop, and laid their course for the "far west." + +For some time they galloped side by side in silence, each occupied with +his own thoughts, Crusoe keeping close beside his master's horse. The +two elder hunters evidently ruminated on the object of their mission and +the prospects of success, for their countenances were grave and their +eyes cast on the ground. Dick Varley, too, thought upon the Red-men, +but his musings were deeply tinged with the bright hues of a _first_ +adventure. The mountains, the plains, the Indians, the bears, the +buffaloes, and a thousand other objects, danced wildly before his mind's +eye, and his blood careered through his veins and flushed his forehead +as he thought of what he should see and do, and felt the elastic vigour +of youth respond in sympathy to the light spring of his active little +steed. He was a lover of nature, too, and his flashing eyes glanced +observantly from side to side as they swept along,--sometimes through +glades of forest trees; sometimes through belts of more open ground and +shrubbery; anon by the margin of a stream, or along the shores of a +little lake, and often over short stretches of flowering prairie-land,-- +while the firm, elastic turf sent up a muffled sound from the tramp of +their mettlesome chargers. It was a scene of wild, luxuriant beauty, +that might almost (one could fancy) have drawn involuntary homage to its +bountiful Creator from the lips even of an infidel. + +After a time Joe Blunt reined up, and they proceeded at an easy ambling +pace. Joe and his friend Henri were so used to these beautiful scenes +that they had long ceased to be _enthusiastically_ affected by them, +though they never ceased to delight in them. + +"I hope," said Joe, "that them sodgers 'll go their ways soon. I've no +notion o' them chaps when they're left at a place wi' nothin' to do but +whittle sticks." + +"Why, Joe!" exclaimed Dick Varley in a tone of surprise, "I thought you +were admirin' the beautiful face o' nature all this time, and yer only +thinkin' about the sodgers. Now, that's strange!" + +"Not so strange after all, lad," answered Joe. "When a man's used to a +thing he gits to admire an' enjoy it without speakin' much about it. +But it _is_ true, boy, that mankind gits in coorse o' time to think +little o' the blissins he's used to." + +"Oui, c'est _vrai_!" murmured Henri emphatically. + +"Well, Joe Blunt, it may be so; but I'm thankful _I'm_ not used to this +sort o' thing yet," exclaimed Varley. "Let's have another gallop--so +ho! come along, Crusoe!" shouted the youth, as he shook his reins, and +flew over a long stretch of prairie on which at that moment they +entered. + +Joe smiled as he followed his enthusiastic companion, but after a short +run he pulled up. + +"Hold on, youngster," he cried, "ye must larn to do as yer bid, lad; +it's trouble enough to be among wild Injuns and wild buffaloes, as I +hope soon to be, without havin' wild comrades to look after." + +Dick laughed and reined in his panting horse. "I'll be as obedient as +Crusoe," he said, "and no one can beat him." + +"Besides," continued Joe, "the horses won't travel far if we begin by +runnin' all the wind out o' them." + +"Wah!" exclaimed Henri, as the led horse became restive; "I think we +must give to him de pack-hoss for to lead, eh!" + +"Not a bad notion, Henri. We'll make that the penalty of runnin' off +again; so look out, Master Dick." + +"I'm down," replied Dick with a modest air, "obedient as a baby, and +won't run off again--till--the next time. By the way, Joe, how many +days' provisions did ye bring?" + +"Two. That's 'nough to carry us to the Great Prairie, which is three +weeks distant from this; our own good rifles must make up the +difference, and keep us when we git there." + +"And s'pose we neither find deer nor buffalo," suggested Dick. + +"I s'pose we'll have to starve." + +"Dat is cumfer'able to tink upon," remarked Henri. + +"More comfortable to think o' than to undergo," said Dick, "but I s'pose +there's little chance o' that." + +"Well, not much," replied Joe Blunt, patting his horse's neck; "but d'ye +see, lad, ye niver can count for sartin on anythin'. The deer and +buffalo ought to be thick in them plains at this time--and when the +buffalo _are_ thick they covers the plains till ye can hardly see the +end o' them; but, ye see, sometimes the rascally Red-skins takes it into +their heads to burn the prairies, and sometimes ye find the place that +should ha' bin black wi' buffalo, black as a coal wi' fire for miles an' +miles on end. At other times the Red-skins go huntin' in 'ticlar +places, and sweeps them clean o' every hoof that don't git away. +Sometimes, too, the animals seems to take a scunner at a place and keeps +out o' the way. But one way or another men gin'rally manage to scramble +through." + +"Look yonder, Joe," exclaimed Dick, pointing to the summit of a distant +ridge, where a small black object was seen moving against the sky, +"that's a deer, ain't it?" + +Joe shaded his eyes with his hand and gazed earnestly at the object in +question. "Yer right, boy; and by good luck we've got the wind of him. +Cut in an' take your chance now. There's a long strip o' wood as'll let +ye git close to him." + +Before the sentence was well finished, Dick and Crusoe were off at full +gallop. For a few hundred yards they coursed along the bottom of a +hollow; then turning to the right they entered the strip of wood, and in +a few minutes gained the edge of it. Here Dick dismounted. + +"You can't help me here, Crusoe. Stay where you are, pup, and hold my +horse." + +Crusoe seized the end of the line, which was fastened to the horse's +nose, in his mouth, and lay down on a hillock of moss, submissively +placing his chin on his fore-paws, and watching his master as he stepped +noiselessly through the wood. In a few minutes Dick emerged from among +the trees, and, creeping from bush to bush, succeeded in getting to +within six hundred yards of the deer, which was a beautiful little +antelope. Beyond the bush behind which he now crouched all was bare +open ground, without a shrub or hillock large enough to conceal the +hunter. There was a slight undulation in the ground, however, which +enabled him to advance about fifty yards further, by means of lying down +quite flat and working himself forward like a serpent. Further than +this he could not move without being seen by the antelope, which browsed +on the ridge before him in fancied security. The distance was too great +even for a long shot, but Dick knew of a weak point in this little +creature's nature which enabled him to accomplish his purpose--a weak +point which it shares in common with animals of a higher order,--namely, +curiosity. + +The little antelope of the North American prairies is intensely curious +about everything that it does not quite understand, and will not rest +satisfied until it has endeavoured to clear up the mystery. Availing +himself of this propensity, Dick did what both Indians and hunters are +accustomed to do on these occasions,--he put a piece of rag on the end +of his ramrod, and, keeping his person concealed and perfectly still, +waved this miniature flag in the air. The antelope noticed it at once, +and, pricking up its ears, began to advance, timidly and slowly, step by +step, to see what remarkable phenomenon it could be. In a few seconds +the flag was lowered, a sharp crack followed, and the antelope fell dead +upon the plain. + +"Ha, boy! that's a good supper, anyhow," cried Joe, as he galloped up +and dismounted. + +"Goot! dat is better nor dried meat," added Henri. "Give him to me; I +will put him on my hoss, vich is strongar dan yourn. But ver is your +hoss?" + +"He'll be here in a minute," replied Dick, putting his fingers to his +mouth and giving forth a shrill whistle. + +The instant Crusoe heard the sound he made a savage and apparently +uncalled-for dash at the horse's heels. This wild act, so contrary to +the dog's gentle nature, was a mere piece of acting. He knew that the +horse would not advance without getting a fright, so he gave him one in +this way which sent him off at a gallop. Crusoe followed close at his +heels, so as to bring the line alongside of the nag's body, and thereby +prevent its getting entangled; but despite his best efforts the horse +got on one side of a tree and he on the other, so he wisely let go his +hold of the line, and waited till more open ground enabled him to catch +it again. Then he hung heavily back, gradually checked the horse's +speed, and finally trotted him up to his master's side. + +"'Tis a cliver cur, good sooth," exclaimed Joe Blunt in surprise. + +"Ah, Joe! you haven't seen much of Crusoe yet. He's as good as a man +any day. I've done little else but train him for two years gone by, and +he can do most anything but shoot--he can't handle the rifle nohow." + +"Ha! then, I tink perhaps hims could if he wos try," said Henri, +plunging on to his horse with a laugh, and arranging the carcase of the +antelope across the pommel of his saddle. + +Thus they hunted and galloped, and trotted and ambled on through wood +and plain all day, until the sun began to descend below the tree-tops of +the bluffs on the west--then Joe Blunt looked about him for a place on +which to camp, and finally fixed on a spot under the shadow of a noble +birch by the margin of a little stream. The carpet of grass on its +banks was soft like green velvet, and the rippling waters of the brook +were clear as crystal--very different from the muddy Missouri into which +it flowed. + +While Dick Varley felled and cut up firewood, Henri unpacked the horses +and turned them loose to graze, and Joe kindled the fire and prepared +venison steaks and hot tea for supper. + +In excursions of this kind it is customary to "hobble" the horses; that +is, to tie their fore-legs together, so that they cannot run either fast +or far, but are free enough to amble about with a clumsy sort of hop in +search of food. This is deemed a sufficient check on their tendency to +roam, although some of the knowing horses sometimes learn to hop so fast +with their hobbles as to give their owners much trouble to recapture +them. But when out in the prairies where Indians are known or supposed +to be in the neighbourhood, the horses are picketed by means of a pin or +stake attached to the ends of their long laryats, as well as hobbled-- +for Indians deem it no disgrace to steal or tell lies, though they think +it disgraceful to be found out in doing either. And so expert are these +dark-skinned natives of the western prairies, that they will creep into +the midst of an enemy's camp, cut the laryats and hobbles of several +horses, spring suddenly on their backs, and gallop away. + +They not only steal from white men, but tribes that are at enmity steal +from each other, and the boldness with which they do this is most +remarkable. When Indians are travelling in a country where enemies are +prowling, they guard their camps at night with jealous care. The horses +in particular are both hobbled and picketed, and sentries are posted all +round the camp. Yet, in spite of these precautions, hostile Indians +manage to elude the sentries, and creep into the camp. When a thief +thus succeeds in effecting an entrance, his chief danger is past. He +rises boldly to his feet, and, wrapping his blanket or buffalo robe +round him, he walks up and down as if he were a member of the tribe. At +the same time he dexterously cuts the laryats of such horses as he +observes are not hobbled. He dare not stoop to cut the hobbles, as the +action would be observed, and suspicion would be instantly aroused. He +then leaps on the best horse he can find, and uttering a terrific +war-whoop darts away into the plains, driving the loosened horses before +him. + +No such dark thieves were supposed to be near the camp under the +birch-tree, however, so Joe, and Dick, and Henri ate their supper in +comfort, and let their horses browse at will on the rich pasturage. + +A bright ruddy fire was soon kindled, which created, as it were, a +little ball of light in the midst of surrounding darkness for the +special use of our hardy hunters. Within this magic circle all was +warm, comfortable, and cheery. Outside all was dark, and cold, and +dreary by contrast. + +When the substantial part of supper was disposed of, tea and pipes were +introduced, and conversation began to flow. Then the three saddles were +placed in a row; each hunter wrapped himself in his blanket, and, +pillowing his head on his saddle, stretched his feet towards the fire +and went to sleep, with his loaded rifle by his side and his +hunting-knife handy in his belt. Crusoe mounted guard by stretching +himself out _couchant_ at Dick Varley's side. The faithful dog slept +lightly and never moved all night, but had any one observed him closely +he would have seen that every fitful flame that burst from the sinking +fire, every unusual puff of wind, and every motion of the horses that +fed or rested hard by, had the effect of revealing a speck of glittering +white in Crusoe's watchful eye. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +THE GREAT PRAIRIES OF THE "FAR WEST"--A REMARKABLE COLONY DISCOVERED, +AND A MISERABLE NIGHT ENDURED. + +Of all the hours of the night or day the hour that succeeds the dawn is +the purest, the most joyous and the best. At least so think we; and so +think hundreds and thousands of the human family; and so thought Dick +Varley, as he sprung suddenly into a sitting posture next morning, and +threw his arms with an exulting feeling of delight round the neck of +Crusoe, who instantly sat up to greet him. + +This was an unusual piece of enthusiasm on the part of Dick, but the dog +received it with marked satisfaction, rubbed his big hairy cheek against +that of his young master, and arose from his sedentary position in order +to afford free scope for the use of his tail. + +"Ho! Joe Blunt! Henri! Up, boys, up! The sun will have the start o' +us. I'll catch the nags." + +So saying Dick bounded away into the woods with Crusoe gambolling +joyously at his heels. Dick soon caught his own horse and Crusoe caught +Joe's. Then the former mounted and quickly brought in the other two. + +Returning to the camp he found everything packed and ready to strap on +the back of the pack-horse. + +"That's the way to do it, lad," cried Joe. "Here Henri, look alive and +git yer beast ready. I do believe yer goin' to take another snooze!" + +Henri was indeed, at that moment, indulging in a gigantic stretch and a +cavernous yawn, but he finished both hastily, and rushed at his poor +horse as if he intended to slay it on the spot. He only threw the +saddle on its back, however, and then threw himself on the saddle. + +"Now then, all ready?" + +"Ay,--oui, yis!" + +And away they went at full stretch again on their journey. + +Thus day after day they travelled, and night after night they laid them +down to sleep under the trees of the forest, until at length they +reached the edge of the Great Prairie. + +It was a great, a memorable day in the life of Dick Varley, that on +which he first beheld the prairie,--the vast boundless prairie. He had +heard of it, talked of it, dreamed about it, but he had never,--no, he +had never realised it. 'Tis always thus. Our conceptions of things +that we have not seen are almost invariably wrong. Dick's eyes +glittered, and his heart swelled, and his cheeks flushed, and his breath +came thick and quick. + +"There it is," he gasped, as the great rolling plain broke suddenly on +his enraptured gaze; "that's it--oh!--" + +Dick uttered a yell that would have done credit to the fiercest chief of +the Pawnees, and, being unable to utter another word, he swung his cap +in the air and sprang like an arrow from a bow over the mighty ocean of +grass. The sun had just risen to send a flood of golden glory over the +scene; the horses were fresh, so the elder hunters, gladdened by the +beauty of all around them, and inspired by the irresistible enthusiasm +of their young companion, gave the reins to the horses and flew after +him. It was a glorious gallop, that first headlong dash over the +boundless prairie of the "far west!" + +The prairies have often been compared, most justly, to the ocean. There +is the same wide circle of space bounded on all sides by the horizon; +there is the same swell, or undulation, or succession of long low +unbroken waves that marks the ocean when it is calm; they are canopied +by the same pure sky, and swept by the same untrammelled breezes. There +are islands, too--clumps of trees and willow-bushes,--which rise out of +this grassy ocean to break and relieve its uniformity; and these vary in +size and numbers as do the isles of ocean--being numerous in some +places, while in others they are so scarce that the traveller does not +meet one in a long day's journey. Thousands of beautiful flowers decked +the green sward, and numbers of little birds hopped about among them. + +"Now, lads," said Joe Blunt, reining up, "our troubles begin to-day." + +"Our troubles! our joys, you mean!" exclaimed Dick Varley. + +"P'raps I don't mean nothin' o' the sort," retorted Joe. "Man wos never +intended to swaller his joys without a strong mixtur' o' troubles. I +s'pose he couldn't stand 'em pure. Ye see we've got to the prairie +now--" + +"One blind hoss might see dat!" interrupted Henri. + +"An' we may or may not diskiver buffalo. An' water's scarce, too, so +we'll need to look out for it pretty sharp, I guess, else we'll lose our +horses, in which case we may as well give out at once. Besides, there's +rattlesnakes about in sandy places--we'll ha' to look out for them; an' +there's badger holes--we'll need to look sharp for them lest the horses +put their feet in 'em; an' there's Injuns, who'll look out pretty sharp +for _us_ if they once get wind that we're in them parts." + +"Oui, yis, mes boys, and there's rain, and tunder, and lightin'," added +Henri, pointing to a dark cloud which was seen rising on the horizon +ahead of them. + +"It'll be rain," remarked Joe, "but there's no thunder in the air jist +now; we'll make for yonder clump o' bushes and lay by till it's past." + +Turning a little to the right of the course they had been following, the +hunters galloped along one of the hollows between the prairie waves +before mentioned, in the direction of a clump of willows. Before +reaching it however, they passed over a bleak and barren plain where +there was neither flower nor bird. Here they were suddenly arrested by +a most extraordinary sight--at least it was so to Dick Varley, who had +never seen the like before. This was a colony of what Joe called +"prairie-dogs." On first beholding them Crusoe uttered a sort of half +growl, half bark of surprise, cocked his tail and ears, and instantly +prepared to charge, but he glanced up at his master first for +permission. Observing that his finger and his look commanded "silence" +he dropped his tail at once and stepped to the rear. He did not, +however, cease to regard the prairie-dogs with intense curiosity. + +These remarkable little creatures have been egregiously misnamed by the +hunters of the west, for they bear not the slightest resemblance to +dogs, either in formation or habits. They are, in fact, the marmot, and +in size are little larger than squirrels, which animals they resemble in +some degree. They burrow under the light soil and throw it up in mounds +like moles. + +Thousands of them were running about among their dwellings when Dick +first beheld them, but the moment they caught sight of the horsemen +rising over the ridge, they set up a tremendous hubbub of consternation; +each little beast instantly mounted guard on the top of his house and +prepared, as it were, to "receive cavalry." + +The most ludicrous thing about them was, that although the most timid +and cowardly creatures in the world, they seemed the most impertinent +things that ever lived! Knowing that their holes afforded them a +perfectly safe retreat they sat close beside them, and as the hunters +slowly approached, they elevated their heads, wagged their little tails, +showed their teeth, and chattered at them like monkeys. The nearer they +came the more angry and furious did the prairie-dogs become, until Dick +Varley almost fell off his horse with suppressed laughter. They let the +hunters come close up, waxing louder and louder in their wrath; but the +instant a hand was raised to throw a stone or point a gun, a thousand +little heads dived into a thousand holes, and a thousand little tails +wriggled for an instant in the air--then, a dead silence reigned over +the deserted scene. + +"Bien, them's have dive into de bo'-els of de eart'," said Henri with a +broad grin. + +Presently a thousand noses appeared, and nervously disappeared like the +wink of an eye. Then they appeared again, and a thousand pairs of eyes +followed. Instantly, like Jack in the box, they were all on the top of +their hillocks again, chattering and wagging their little tails as +vigorously as ever. You could not say that you _saw_ them jump out of +their holes. Suddenly, as if by magic, they _were_ out; then Dick +tossed up his arms, and, suddenly, as if by magic, they were gone! + +Their number was incredible, and their cities were full of riotous +activity. What their occupations were the hunters could not ascertain, +but it was perfectly evident that they visited a great deal and gossiped +tremendously, for they ran about from house to house, and sat chatting +in groups; but it was also observed that they never went far from their +own houses. Each seemed to have a circle of acquaintance in the +immediate neighbourhood of his own residence, to which in case of sudden +danger he always fled. + +But another thing about these prairie-dogs (perhaps, considering their +size, we should call them prairie-doggies), another thing about them, we +say, was that each doggie lived with an owl, or, more correctly, an owl +lived with each doggie! This is such an extraordinary _fact_, that we +could scarce hope that men would believe us, were our statement not +supported by dozens of trustworthy travellers who have visited and +written about these regions. The whole plain was covered with these +owls. Each hole seemed to be the residence of an owl and a doggie, and +these incongruous couples lived together apparently in perfect harmony. + +We have not been able to ascertain from travellers _why_ the owls have +gone to live with these doggies, so we beg humbly to offer our own +private opinion to the reader. We assume, then, that owls find it +absolutely needful to have holes. Probably prairie-owls cannot dig +holes for themselves. Having discovered, however, a race of little +creatures that could, they very likely determined to take forcible +possession of the holes made by them. Finding, no doubt, that, when +they did so, the doggies were too timid to object, and discovering, +moreover, that they were sweet, innocent little creatures, the owls +resolved to take them into partnership, and so the thing was settled-- +that's how it came about, no doubt of it! + +There is a report that rattlesnakes live in these holes also; but we +cannot certify our reader of the truth of this,--still it is well to be +acquainted with a report that is current among the men of the backwoods. +If it be true, we are of opinion that the doggie's family is the most +miscellaneous and remarkable on the face of--or, as Henri said, in the +bo'-els--of the earth. + +Dick and his friends were so deeply absorbed in watching these curious +little creatures that they did not observe the rapid spread of the black +clouds over the sky. _A_ few heavy drops of rain now warned them to +seek shelter, so wheeling round they dashed off at speed for the clump +of willows, which they gained just as the rain began to descend in +torrents. + +"Now, lads, do it slick. Off packs and saddles," cried Joe Blunt, +jumping from his horse. "I'll make a hut for ye, right off." + +"A hut, Joe! what sort o' hut can ye make here?" inquired Dick. + +"Ye'll see, boy, in a minute." + +"Ach! lend me hand here, Dick; de bockle am tight as de hosse's own +skin. Ah! dere all right." + +"Hallo! what's this?" exclaimed Dick, as Crusoe advanced with something +in his mouth. "I declare, it's a bird of some sort." + +"A prairie-hen," remarked Joe, as Crusoe laid the bird at Dick's feet; +"capital for supper." + +"Ah! dat chien is superb! goot dog. Come here, I vill clap you." + +But Crusoe refused to be caressed. Meanwhile, Joe and Dick formed a +sort of beehive-looking hut by bending down the stems of a tall bush and +thrusting their points into the ground. Over this they threw the +largest buffalo robe, and placed another on the ground below it, on +which they laid their packs of goods. These they further secured +against wet by placing several robes over them and a skin of parchment. +Then they sat down on this pile to rest and consider what should be done +next. + +"'Tis a bad look out," said Joe, shaking his head. + +"I fear it is," replied Dick in a melancholy tone. + +Henri said nothing, but he sighed deeply on looking up at the sky, which +was now of a uniform watery grey, while black clouds drove athwart it. +The rain was pouring in torrents, and the wind began to sweep it in +broad sheets over the plains, and under their slight covering, so that +in a short time they were wet to the skin. The horses stood meekly +beside them, with their tails and heads equally pendulous, and Crusoe +sat before his master, looking at him with an expression that seemed to +say, "Couldn't you put a stop to this if you were to try?" + +"This'll never do. I'll try to git up a fire," said Dick, jumping up in +desperation. + +"Ye may save yerself the trouble," remarked Joe, drily--at least as +drily as was possible in the circumstances. + +However, Dick did try, but he failed signally. Everything was soaked +and saturated. There were no large trees; most of the bushes were +green, and the dead ones were soaked. The coverings were slobbery; the +skins they sat on were slobbery; the earth itself was slobbery; so Dick +threw his blanket (which was also slobbery) round his shoulders, and sat +down beside his companions to grin and bear it. As for Joe and Henri, +they were old hands, and accustomed to such circumstances. From the +first they had resigned themselves to their fate, and wrapping their wet +blankets round them sat down, side by side, wisely to endure the evils +that they could not cure. + +There is an old rhyme, by whom composed we know not--and it matters +little--which runs thus-- + + "For every evil under the sun + There is a remedy--or there's none. + If there is--try and find it; + If there isn't--never mind it!" + +There is deep wisdom here in small compass. The principle involved +deserves to be heartily recommended. Dick never heard of the lines, but +he knew the principle well; so he began to "never mind it," by sitting +down beside his companions and whistling vociferously. As the wind +rendered this a difficult feat he took to singing instead. After that +he said, "Let's eat a bite, Joe, and then go to bed." + +"Be all means," said Joe, who produced a mass of dried deer's meat from +a wallet. + +"It's cold grub," said Dick, "and tough." + +But the hunters' teeth were sharp and strong, so they ate a hearty +supper and washed it down with a drink of rain water collected from a +pool on the top of their hut. They now tried to sleep, for the night +was advancing, and it was so dark that they could scarce see their hands +when held up before their faces. They sat back to back, and thus, in +the form of a tripod, began to snooze. Joe's and Henri's seasoned +frames would have remained stiff as posts till morning; but Dick's body +was young and pliant, so he hadn't been asleep a few seconds when he +fell forward into the mud and effectually awakened the others. Joe gave +a grunt, and Henri exclaimed, "Hah!" but Dick was too sleepy and +miserable to say anything. Crusoe, however, rose up to show his +sympathy, and laid his wet head on his master's knee as he resumed his +place. This catastrophe happened three times in the space of an hour, +and by the third time they were all wakened up so thoroughly that they +gave up the attempt to sleep, and amused each other by recounting their +hunting experiences and telling stories. So engrossed did they become +that day broke sooner than they had expected--and just in proportion as +the grey light of dawn rose higher into the eastern sky did the spirits +of these weary men rise within their soaking bodies. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE "WALLERING" PECULIARITIES OF BUFFALO BULLS--THE FIRST BUFFALO HUNT +AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--CRUSOE COMES TO THE RESCUE--PAWNEES DISCOVERED--A +MONSTER BUFFALO HUNT--JOE ACTS THE PART OF AMBASSADOR. + +Fortunately the day that succeeded the dreary night described in the +last chapter was warm and magnificent. The sun rose in a blaze of +splendour and filled the atmosphere with steam from the moist earth. + +The unfortunates in the wet camp were not slow to avail themselves of +his cheering rays. They hung up everything on the bushes to dry, and by +dint of extreme patience and cutting out the comparatively dry hearts of +several pieces of wood, they lighted a fire and boiled some rain water, +which was soon converted into soup. This, and the exercise necessary +for the performance of these several duties, warmed and partially dried +them, so that when they once more mounted their steeds and rode away +they were in a state of comparative comfort and in excellent spirits. +The only annoyance was the clouds of mosquitoes and large flies that +assailed men and horses whenever they checked their speed. + +"I tell ye wot it is," said Joe Blunt, one fine morning about a week +after they had begun to cross the prairie, "it's my 'pinion that we'll +come on buffaloes soon. Them tracks are fresh, an' yonder's one o' +their wallers that's bin used not long agone." + +"I'll go have a look at it," cried Dick, trotting away as he spoke. + +Everything in these vast prairies was new to Dick Varley, and he was +kept in a constant state of excitement during the first week or two of +his journey. It is true he was quite familiar with the names and habits +of all the animals that dwelt there, for many a time and oft had he +listened to the "yarns" of the hunters and trappers of the Mustang +Valley, when they returned laden with rich furs from their periodical +hunting expeditions. But this knowledge of his only served to whet his +curiosity and his desire to _see_ the denizens of the prairies with his +own eyes, and now that his wish was accomplished, it greatly increased +the pleasures of his journey. + +Dick had just reached the "wallow" referred to by Joe Blunt, and had +reined up his steed to observe it leisurely, when a faint hissing sound +reached his ear. Looking quickly back he observed his two companions +crouching on the necks of their horses, and slowly descending into a +hollow of the prairie in front of them, as if they wished to bring the +rising ground between them and some object in advance. Dick instantly +followed their example and was soon at their heels. + +"Ye needn't look at the waller," whispered Joe, "for a' t'other side o' +the ridge there's a bull _wallerin'_." + +"Ye don't mean it!" exclaimed Dick, as they all dismounted and picketed +their horses to the plain. + +"Oui," said Henri, tumbling off his horse, while a broad grin overspread +his good-natured countenance; "it is one fact! One buffalo bull be +wollerin' like a enormerous hog. Also, dere be t'ousands o' buffaloes +farder on." + +"Can ye trust yer dog keepin' back?" inquired Joe, with a dubious glance +at Crusoe. + +"Trust him! Ay, I wish I was as sure o' myself." + +"Look to your primin', then, an' we'll have tongues and marrow-bones for +supper to-night, I'se warrant. Hist! down on yer knees, and go softly. +We might ha' run them down on horseback, but its bad to wind yer beasts +on a trip like this, if ye can help it; an' it's about as easy to stalk +them. Leastways, we'll try. Lift yer head slowly, Dick, an' don't show +more nor the half o't above the ridge." + +Dick elevated his head as directed, and the scene that met his view was +indeed well calculated to send an electric shock to the heart of an +ardent sportsman. The vast plain beyond was absolutely blackened with +countless herds of buffaloes, which were browsing on the rich grass. +They were still so far distant that their bellowing, and the trampling +of their myriad hoofs, only reached the hunters like a faint murmur on +the breeze. In the immediate foreground, however, there was a group of +about half a dozen buffalo cows feeding quietly, and in the midst of +them an enormous old bull was enjoying himself in his wallow. The +animals, towards which our hunters now crept with murderous intent, are +the fiercest and the most ponderous of the ruminating inhabitants of the +western wilderness. The name of buffalo, however, is not correct. The +animal is the _bison_, and bears no resemblance whatever to the buffalo +proper; but as the hunters of the far west--and, indeed, travellers +generally, have adopted the misnomer, we bow to the authority of custom +and adopt it too. + +Buffaloes roam in countless thousands all over the North American +prairies, from the Hudson's Bay territories, north of Canada, to the +shores of the Gulf of Mexico. + +The advance of white men to the west has driven them to the prairies +between the Missouri and the Rocky Mountains, and has somewhat +diminished their numbers; but even thus diminished, they are still +innumerable in the more distant plains. Their colour is dark brown, but +it varies a good deal with the seasons. The hair or fur, from its great +length in winter and spring and exposure to the weather, turns quite +light; but when the winter coat is shed off the new growth is a +beautiful dark brown, almost approaching to jet-black. In form the +buffalo somewhat resembles the ox, but its head and shoulders are much +larger, and are covered with a profusion of long shaggy hair, which adds +greatly to the fierce aspect of the animal. It has a large hump on the +shoulder, and its fore-quarters are much larger, in proportion, than the +hindquarters. The horns are short and thick; the hoofs are cloven, and +the tail is short, with a tuft of hair at the extremity. + +It is scarcely possible to conceive a wilder or more ferocious and +terrible monster than a buffalo bull. He often grows to the enormous +weight of two thousand pounds. His lion-like mane falls in shaggy +confusion quite over his head and shoulders, down to the ground. When +he is wounded he becomes imbued with the spirit of a tiger; he stamps, +bellows, roars, and foams forth his rage with glaring eyes and steaming +nostrils; and charges furiously at man and horse with utter +recklessness. Fortunately, however, he is not naturally pugnacious, and +can be easily thrown into a sudden panic. Moreover, the peculiar +position of his eye renders this creature not so terrible as he would +otherwise be to the hunter. Owing to the stiff structure of the neck, +and the sunken, downward-looking eyeball, the buffalo cannot, without an +effort, see beyond the direct line of vision presented to the habitual +carriage of his head. When, therefore, he is wounded, and charges, he +does so in a straight line, so that his pursuer can leap easily out of +his way. The pace of the buffalo is clumsy, and _apparently_ slow, yet, +when chased, he dashes away over the plains in blind blundering terror, +at a rate that leaves all but good horses far behind. He cannot keep +the pace up, however, and is usually soon overtaken. Were the buffalo +capable of the same alert and agile motions of head and eye peculiar to +the deer or wild horse, in addition to his "bovine rage," he would be +the most formidable brute on earth. There is no object, perhaps, so +terrible as the headlong advance of a herd of these animals when +thoroughly aroused by terror. They care not for their necks. All +danger in front is forgotten, or not seen, in the terror of that from +which they fly. No thundering cataract is more tremendously +irresistible than the black bellowing torrent which sometimes pours +through the narrow defiles of the Rocky Mountains, or sweeps like a +roaring flood over the trembling plains. + +The wallowing, to which we have referred, is a luxury usually indulged +in during the hot months of summer, when the buffaloes are tormented by +flies, and heat, and drought. At this season they seek the low grounds +in the prairies where there is a little stagnant water lying amongst the +grass, and the ground underneath, being saturated, is soft. The leader +of the herd, a shaggy old bull, usually takes upon himself to prepare +the wallow. + +It was a rugged monster of the largest size that did so on the present +occasion, to the intense delight of Dick Varley, who begged Joe to lie +still and watch the operation before trying to shoot one of the buffalo +cows. Joe consented with a nod, and the four spectators--for Crusoe was +as much taken up with the proceedings as any of them--crouched in the +grass, and looked on. + +Coming up to the swampy spot the old bull gave a grunt of satisfaction, +and, going down on one knee, plunged his short thick horns into the mud, +tore it up, and cast it aside. Having repeated this several times he +plunged his head in, and brought it forth saturated with dirty water, +and bedaubed with lumps of mud, through which his fierce eyes gazed, +with a ludicrous expression of astonishment, straight in the direction +of the hunters, as if he meant to say, "I've done it that time, and no +mistake!" The other buffaloes seemed to think so too, for they came up +and looked, on with an expression that seemed to say, "Well done, old +fellow; try that again!" + +The old fellow did try it again, and again, and again, plunging, and +ramming, and tearing up the earth, until he formed an excavation large +enough to contain his huge body. In this bath he laid himself +comfortably down, and began to roll and wallow about until he mixed up a +trough full of thin soft mud, which completely covered him. When he +came out of the hole there was scarcely an atom of his former self +visible! + +The coat of mud thus put on by bulls is usually permitted by them to +dry, and is not finally got rid of until long after, when oft-repeated +rollings on the grass and washings by rain at length clear it away. + +When the old bull vacated this delectable bath, another bull, scarcely, +if at all, less ferocious-looking, stepped forward to take his turn, but +he was interrupted by a volley from the hunters, which scattered the +animals right and left, and sent the mighty herds in the distance flying +over the prairie in wild terror. The very turmoil of their own mad +flight added to their panic, and the continuous thunder of their hoofs +was heard until the last of them disappeared on the horizon. The family +party which had been fired at, however, did not escape so well. Joe's +rifle wounded a fat young cow, and Dick Varley brought it down. Henri +had done his best, but, as the animals were too far distant for his +limited vision, he missed the cow he fired at and hit the young bull +whose bath had been interrupted. The others scattered and fled. + +"Well done, Dick," exclaimed Joe Blunt, as they all ran up to the cow +that had fallen. "Your first shot at the buffalo was a good 'un. Come +now an I'll show ye how to cut it up an' carry off the titbits." + +"Ah! mon dear ole bull," exclaimed Henri, gazing after the animal which +he had wounded, and which was now limping slowly away. "You is not +worth goin' after. Varewell,--adieu." + +"He'll be tough enough, I warrant," said Joe, "an' we've more meat here +nor we can lift." + +"But wouldn't it be as well to put the poor brute out o' pain?" +suggested Dick. + +"Oh, he'll die soon enough," replied Joe, tucking up his sleeves and +drawing his long hunting-knife. + +Dick, however, was not satisfied with this way of looking at it. Saying +that he would be back in a few minutes he re-loaded his rifle, and +calling Crusoe to his side, walked quickly after the wounded bull, which +was now hid from view in a hollow of the plain. + +In a few minutes he came in sight of it, and ran forward with his rifle +in readiness. + +"Down, Crusoe," he whispered; "wait for me here." + +Crusoe crouched in the grass instantly, and Dick advanced. As he came +on, the bull observed him, and turned round bellowing with rage and pain +to receive him. The aspect of the brute on a near view was so terrible, +that Dick involuntarily stopped too, and gazed with a mingled feeling of +wonder and awe, while it bristled with passion, and blood-streaked foam +dropped from its open jaws, and its eyes glared furiously. Seeing that +Dick did not advance, the bull charged him with a terrific roar; but the +youth had firm nerves, and although the rush of such a savage creature +at full speed was calculated to try the courage of any man, especially +one who had never seen a buffalo bull before, Dick did not lose presence +of mind. He remembered the many stories he had listened to of this very +thing that was now happening, so, crushing down his excitement as well +as he could, he cocked his rifle and awaited the charge. He knew that +it was of no use to fire at the head of the advancing foe, as the +thickness of the skull, together with the matted hair on the forehead, +rendered it impervious to a bullet. + +When the bull was within a yard of him he leaped lightly to one side and +it passed. Just as it did so, Dick aimed at its heart and fired, but +his knowledge of the creature's anatomy was not yet correct. The ball +entered the shoulder too high, and the bull, checking himself as well as +he could in his headlong rush, turned round and made at Dick again. + +The failure coupled with the excitement proved too much for Dick; he +could not resist discharging his second barrel at the brute's head as it +came on. He might as well have fired at a brick wall; it shook its +shaggy front, and with a hideous bellow thundered forward. Again Dick +sprang to one side, but in doing so a tuft of grass or a stone caught +his foot, and he fell heavily to the ground. + +Up to this point Crusoe's admirable training had nailed him to the spot +where he had been left, although the twitching of every fibre in his +body and a low continuous whine showed how gladly he would have hailed +permission to join in the combat; but the instant he saw his master down +and the buffalo turning to charge again, he sprang forward with a roar +that would have done credit to his bovine enemy, and seized him by the +nose. So vigorous was the rush that he well-nigh pulled the bull down +on its side. One toss of its head, however, sent Crusoe high into the +air, but it accomplished this feat at the expense of its nose, which was +torn and lacerated by the dog's teeth. + +Scarcely had Crusoe touched the ground, which he did with a sounding +thump, than he sprang up and flew at his adversary again. This time, +however, he adopted the plan of barking furiously and biting by rapid +yet terrible snaps as he found opportunity, thus keeping the bull +entirely engrossed, and affording Dick an opportunity of re-loading his +rifle, which he was not slow to do. Dick then stepped close up, and, +while the two combatants were roaring in each other's face; he shot the +buffalo through the heart. It fell to the earth with a deep groan. + +Crusoe's rage instantly vanished on beholding this, and he seemed to be +filled with tumultuous joy at his master's escape, for he gambolled +round him, and whined and fawned upon him in a manner that could not be +misunderstood. + +"Good dog; thank'ee, my pup," said Dick, patting Crusoe's head as he +stooped to brush the dust from his leggings; "I don't know what would +ha' become o' me but for your help, Crusoe." + +Crusoe turned his head a little to one side, wagged his tail, and looked +at Dick with an expression that said quite plainly, "I'd die for you, I +would--not once, or twice, but ten times, fifty times if need be--and +that not merely to save your life, but even to please you." + +There is no doubt whatever that Crusoe felt something of this sort. The +love of a Newfoundland dog to its master is beyond calculation or +expression. He who once gains such love carries the dog's life in his +hand. But let him who reads note well, and remember, that there is only +one coin that can purchase such love, and that is _kindness_; the coin, +too, must be genuine. Kindness merely _expressed_ will not do, it must +be _felt_. + +"Hallo! boy, ye've bin i' the wars!" exclaimed Joe, raising himself from +his task as Dick and Crusoe returned. + +"You look more like it than I do," retorted Dick, laughing. + +This was true, for cutting up a buffalo carcase with no other instrument +than a large knife is no easy matter. Yet western hunters and Indians +can do it without cleaver or saw, in a way that would surprise a +civilised butcher not a little. Joe was covered with blood up to the +elbows. His hair, happening to have a knack of getting into his eyes, +had been so often brushed off with bloody hands, that his whole visage +was speckled with gore, and his dress was by no means immaculate. + +While Dick related his adventure, or _mis-adventure_ with the bull, Joe +and Henri completed the cutting out of the most delicate portions of the +buffalo, namely, the hump on its shoulder--which is a choice piece, much +finer than the best beef--and the tongue, and a few other parts. The +tongues of buffaloes are superior to those of domestic cattle. When all +was ready the meat was slung across the back of the pack-horse, and the +party, remounting their horses, continued their journey, having first +cleansed themselves as well as they could in the rather dirty waters of +an old wallow. + +"See," said Henri, turning to Dick and pointing to a circular spot of +green as they rode along, "that is one old _dry_ waller." + +"Ay," remarked Joe, "after the waller dries, it becomes a ring o' +greener grass than the rest o' the plain, as ye see. 'Tis said the +first hunters used to wonder greatly at these myster'ous circles, and +they invented all sorts o' stories to account for 'em. Some said they +wos fairy-rings, but at last they comed to know they wos nothin' more +nor less than places where buffaloes wos used to waller in. It's often +seemed to me that if we knowed the _raisons_ o' things we wouldn't be so +much puzzled wi' them as we are." + +The truth of this last remark was so self-evident and incontrovertible +that it elicited no reply, and the three friends rode on for a +considerable time in silence. + +It was now past noon, and they were thinking of calling a halt for a +short rest to the horses and a pipe to themselves, when Joe was heard to +give vent to one of those peculiar hisses that always accompanied either +a surprise or a caution. In the present case it indicated both. + +"What now, Joe?" + +"Injuns!" ejaculated Joe. + +"Eh! fat you say? ou is de?" + +Crusoe at this moment uttered a low growl. Ever since the day he had +been partially roasted he had maintained a rooted antipathy to Red-men. +Joe immediately dismounted, and placing his ear to the ground listened +intently. It is a curious fact that by placing the ear close to the +ground sounds can be heard distinctly which could not be heard at all if +the listener were to maintain an erect position. + +"They're arter the buffalo," said Joe, rising, "an' I think it's likely +they're a band o' Pawnees. Listen an' ye'll hear their shouts quite +plain." + +Dick and Henri immediately lay down and placed their ears to the ground. + +"Now, me hear noting," said Henri, jumping up, "but me ear is like me +eyes; ver' short-sighted." + +"I do hear something," said Dick as he got up, "but the beating o' my +own heart makes row enough to spoil my hearin'." + +Joe Blunt smiled. "Ah! lad, yer young an' yer blood's too hot yet, but +bide a bit; you'll cool down soon. I wos like you once. Now, lads, +what think ye we should do?" + +"You know best, Joe." + +"Oui, nodoubtedly." + +"Then wot I advise is that we gallop to the broken sand hillocks ye see +yonder, get behind them an' take a peep at the Red-skins. If they are +Pawnees we'll go up to them at once; if not, we'll hold a council o' war +on the spot." + +Having arranged this they mounted and hastened towards the hillocks in +question, which they reached after ten minutes' gallop, at full stretch. +The sandy mounds afforded them concealment, and enabled them to watch +the proceedings of the savages in the plain below. The scene was the +most curious and exciting that can be conceived. The centre of the +plain before them was crowded with hundreds of buffaloes, which were +dashing about in the most frantic state of alarm. To whatever point +they galloped they were met by yelling savages on horseback, who could +not have been fewer in numbers than a thousand--all being armed with +lance, bow, and quiver, and mounted on active little horses. The +Indians had completely surrounded the herd of buffaloes, and were now +advancing steadily towards them, gradually narrowing the circle, and, +whenever the terrified animals endeavoured to break through the line, +they rushed to that particular spot in a body, and scared them back +again into the centre. + +Thus they advanced until they closed in on their prey, and formed an +unbroken circle round them, whilst the poor brutes kept eddying and +surging to and fro in a confused mass, hooking and climbing upon each +other, and bellowing furiously. Suddenly the horsemen made a rush, and +the work of destruction began. The tremendous turmoil raised a cloud of +dust that obscured the field in some places, and hid it from our +hunters' view. Some of the Indians galloped round and round the circle, +sending their arrows whizzing up to the feathers in the sides of the +fattest cows. Others dashed fearlessly into the midst of the black +heaving mass, and, with their long lances, pierced dozens of them to the +heart. In many instances the buffaloes, infuriated by wounds, turned +fiercely on their assailants and gored the horses to death, in which +cases the men had to trust to their nimble legs for safety. Sometimes a +horse got jammed in the centre of the swaying mass, and could neither +advance nor retreat. Then the savage rider leaped upon the buffaloes' +backs, and springing from one to another, like an acrobat, gained the +outer edge of the circle, not failing, however, in his strange flight, +to pierce with his lance several of the fattest of his stepping-stones +as he sped along. + +A few of the herd succeeded in escaping from the blood and dust of this +desperate battle, and made off over the plains, but they were quickly +overtaken, and the lance or arrow brought them down on the green turf. +Many of the dismounted riders were chased by bulls, but they stepped +lightly to one side, and, as the animals passed, drove their arrows deep +into their sides. Thus the tumultuous war went on, amid thundering +tread, and yell, and bellow, till the green plain was transformed into a +sea of blood and mire, and every buffalo of the herd was laid low. + +It is not to be supposed that such reckless warfare is invariably waged +without damage to the savages. Many were the wounds and bruises +received that day, and not a few bones were broken, but happily no lives +were lost. + +"Now, lads, now's our time. A bold and fearless look's the best at all +times. Don't look as if ye doubted their friendship; and mind, wotever +ye do, don't use yer arms. Follow me." + +Saying this, Joe Blunt leaped on his horse, and, bounding over the ridge +at full speed, galloped headlong across the plain. + +The savages observed the strangers instantly, and a loud yell announced +the fact as they assembled from all parts of the field brandishing their +bows and spears. Joe's quick eye soon distinguished their chief, +towards whom he galloped, still at full speed, till within a yard or two +of his horse's head; then he reined up suddenly. So rapidly did Joe and +his comrades approach, and so instantaneously did they pull up, that +their steeds were thrown almost on their haunches. + +The Indian chief did not move a muscle. He was a tall powerful savage, +almost naked, and mounted on a coal-black charger, which he sat with the +ease of a man accustomed to ride from infancy. He was, indeed, a +splendid-looking savage, but his face wore a dark frown, for, although +he and his band had visited the settlements and trafficked with the +fur-traders on the Missouri, he did not love the "Pale-faces," whom he +regarded as intruders on the hunting grounds of his fathers, and the +peace that existed between them at that time was of a very fragile +character. Indeed, it was deemed by the traders impossible to travel +through the Indian country at that period except in strong force, and it +was the very boldness of the present attempt that secured to our hunters +anything like a civil reception. + +Joe, who could speak the Pawnee tongue fluently, began by explaining the +object of his visit, and spoke of the presents which he had brought for +the great chief; but it was evident that his words made little +impression. As he discoursed to them the savages crowded round the +little party, and began to handle and examine their dresses and weapons +with a degree of rudeness that caused Joe considerable anxiety. + +"Mahtawa believes that the heart of the Pale-face is true," said the +savage, when Joe paused, "but he does not choose to make peace. The +Pale-faces are grasping. They never rest. They turn their eyes to the +great mountains, and say, `There we will stop.' But even there they +will not stop. They are never satisfied, Mahtawa knows them well." + +This speech sank like a death-knell into the hearts of the hunters, for +they knew that if the savages refused to make peace, they would scalp +them all and appropriate their goods. To make things worse, a +dark-visaged Indian suddenly caught hold of Henri's rifle, and, ere he +was aware, plucked it from his hand. The blood rushed to the gigantic +hunter's forehead, and he was on the point of springing at the man, when +Joe said in a deep, quiet voice-- + +"Be still, Henri. You will but hasten death." + +At this moment there was a movement in the outskirts of the circle of +horsemen, and another chief rode into the midst of them. He was +evidently higher in rank than Mahtawa, for he spoke authoritatively to +the crowd, and stepped in before him. The hunters drew little comfort +from the appearance of his face, however, for it scowled upon them. He +was not so powerful a man as Mahtawa, but he was more gracefully formed, +and had a more noble and commanding countenance. + +"Have the Pale-faces no wigwams on the great river that they should come +to spy out the lands of the Pawnee?" he demanded. + +"We have not come to spy your country," answered Joe, raising himself +proudly as he spoke, and taking off his cap. "We have come with a +message from the great chief of the Pale-faces, who lives in the village +far beyond the great river where the sun rises. He says, why should the +Pale-face and the Red-man fight? They are brothers. The same Manitou +[the Indian name for God] watches over both. The Pale-faces have more +beads, and guns, and blankets, and knives, and vermilion than they +require; they wish to give some of these things for the skins and furs +which the Red-man does not know what to do with. The great chief of the +Pale-faces has sent me to say, `Why should we fight? let us smoke the +pipe of peace!'" + +At the mention of beads and blankets the face of the wily chief +brightened for a moment. Then he said, sternly-- + +"The heart of the Pale-face is not true. He has come here to trade for +himself. San-it-sa-rish has eyes that can see--they are not shut. Are +not these your goods?" The chief pointed to the pack-horse as he spoke. + +"Trappers do not take their goods into the heart of an enemy's camp," +returned Joe; "San-it-sa-rish is wise and will understand this. These +are gifts to the chief of the Pawnees. There are more awaiting him when +the pipe of peace is smoked. I have said,--What message shall we take +back to the great chief of the Pale-faces?" + +San-it-sa-rish was evidently mollified. + +"The hunting field is not the council tent," he said. "The Pale-faces +will go with us to our village." + +Of course Joe was only too glad to agree to this proposal, but he now +deemed it politic to display a little firmness. + +"We cannot go till our rifle is restored. It will not do to go back and +tell the great chief of the Pale-faces that the Pawnees are thieves." + +The chief frowned angrily. + +"The Pawnees are true--they are not thieves. They choose to _look_ at +the rifle of the Pale-face. It shall be returned." + +The rifle was instantly restored, and then our hunters rode off with the +Indians towards their camp. On the way they met hundreds of women and +children going to the scene of the great hunt, for it was their special +duty to cut up the meat and carry it into camp. The men, considering +that they had done quite enough in killing it, returned to smoke and eat +away the fatigues of the chase. + +As they rode along Dick Varley observed that some of the "braves," as +Indian warriors are styled, were eating pieces of the bloody livers of +the buffaloes in a raw state, at which he expressed not a little +disgust. + +"Ah! boy, you're green yet," remarked Joe Blunt in an undertone. +"Mayhap ye'll be thankful to do that same yerself some day." + +"Well, I'll not refuse to try when it is needful," said Dick with a +laugh; "meanwhile I'm content to see the Red-skins do it, Joe Blunt." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +DICK AND HIS FRIENDS VISIT THE INDIANS AND SEE MANY WONDERS--CRUSOE, +TOO, EXPERIENCES A FEW SURPRISES AND TEACHES INDIAN DOGS A LESSON--AN +INDIAN DANDY--A FOOT-RACE. + +The Pawnee village, at which they soon arrived, was situated in the +midst of a most interesting and picturesque scene. + +It occupied an extensive plain which sloped gently down to a creek, [In +America small rivers or riverlets are termed "creeks"] whose winding +course was marked by a broken line of wood, here and there interspersed +with a fine clump of trees, between the trunks of which the blue waters +of the lake sparkled in the distance. Hundreds of tents or "lodges" of +buffalo skins covered the ground, and thousand of Indians--men, women, +and children--moved about the busy scene. Some were sitting in their +lodges, lazily smoking their pipes. But these were chiefly old and +infirm veterans, for all the young men had gone to the hunt which we +have just described. The women were stooping over their fires, busily +preparing maize and meat for their husbands and brothers, while myriads +of little brown and naked children romped about everywhere, filling the +air with their yells and screams, which were only equalled, if not +surpassed, by the yelping dogs that seemed innumerable. + +Far as the eye could reach were seen scattered herds of horses. These +were tended by little boys who were totally destitute of clothing, and +who seemed to enjoy with infinite zest the pastime of shooting-practice +with little bows and arrows. No wonder that these Indians become expert +bowmen. There were urchins there, scarce two feet high, with round +bullets of bodies and short spindle-shanks, who could knock blackbirds +off the trees at every shot, and cut the heads of the taller flowers +with perfect certainty! There was much need, too, for the utmost +proficiency they could attain, for the very existence of the Indian +tribes of the prairies depends on their success in hunting the buffalo. + +There are hundreds and thousands of North American savages who would +undoubtedly perish and their tribes become extinct if the buffaloes were +to leave the prairies or die out. Yet, although animals are absolutely +essential to their existence, they pursue and slay them with improvident +recklessness, sometimes killing hundreds of them merely for the sake of +the sport, the tongues, and the marrow-bones. In the bloody hunt +described in the last chapter, however, the slaughter of so many was not +wanton, because the village that had to be supplied with food was large, +and, just previous to the hunt, they had been living on somewhat reduced +allowance. Even the blackbirds, shot by the brown-bodied urchins before +mentioned, had been thankfully put into the pot. Thus precarious is the +supply of food among the Red-men, who on one day are starving, and the +next are revelling in superabundance. + +But to return to our story. At one end of this village the creek sprang +over a ledge of rock in a low cascade and opened out into a beautiful +lake, the bosom of which was studded with small islands. Here were +thousands of those smaller species of wild water-fowl which were either +too brave or too foolish to be scared away by the noise of the camp. +And here, too, dozens of children were sporting on the beach or paddling +about in their light bark canoes. + +"Isn't it strange," remarked Dick to Henri, as they passed among the +tents towards the centre of the village, "isn't it strange that them +Injuns should be so fond o' fightin' when they've got all they can +want--a fine country, lots o' buffalo, an' as far as I can see, happy +homes?" + +"Oui, it is remarkaibel, vraiment. But dey do more love war to peace. +Dey loves to be excited, I s'pose." + +"Humph! One would think the hunt we seed a little agone would be +excitement enough. But, I say, that must be the chief's tent, by the +look o't." + +Dick was right; the horsemen pulled up and dismounted opposite the +principal chief's tent, which was a larger and more elegant structure +than the others. Meanwhile an immense concourse of women, children, and +dogs gathered round the strangers, and, while the latter yelped their +dislike to white men, the former chattered continuously, as they +discussed the appearance of the strangers and their errand, which latter +soon became known. An end was put to this by San-it-sa-rish desiring +the hunters to enter the tent, and spreading a buffalo robe for them to +sit on. Two braves carried in their packs and then led away their +horses. + +All this time Crusoe had kept as close as possible to his master's side, +feeling extremely uncomfortable in the midst of such a strange crowd, +the more especially that the ill-looking Indian curs gave him expressive +looks of hatred, and exhibited some desire to rush upon him in a body, +so that he had to keep a sharp look out all round him. When, therefore, +Dick entered the tent Crusoe endeavoured to do so along with him, but he +was met by a blow on the nose from an old squaw, who scolded him in a +shrill voice and bade him begone. + +Either our hero's knowledge of the Indian language was insufficient to +enable him to understand the order, or he had resolved not to obey it, +for instead of retreating he drew a deep gurgling breath, curled his +nose, and displayed a row of teeth that caused the old woman to draw +back in alarm. Crusoe's was a forgiving spirit. The instant that +opposition ceased he forgot the injury, and was meekly advancing when +Dick held up his finger. + +"Go outside, pup, and wait." + +Crusoe's tail drooped; with a deep sigh he turned and left the tent. He +took up a position near the entrance, however, and sat down resignedly. +So meek, indeed, did the poor dog look, that six mangy-looking curs felt +their dastardly hearts emboldened to make a rush at him with boisterous +yells. + +Crusoe did not rise. He did not even condescend to turn his head toward +them, but he looked at them out of the corner of his dark eye, +wrinkled--very slightly--the skin of his nose, exhibited two beautiful +fangs, and gave utterance to a soft remark, that might be described as +quiet, deep-toned gargling. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough +for the valiant six, who paused and snarled violently. + +It was a peculiar trait of Crusoe's gentle nature, that, the moment any +danger ceased, he resumed his expression of nonchalant gravity. The +expression on this occasion was misunderstood, however, and, as about +two dozen additional yelping dogs had joined the ranks of the enemy, +they advanced in close order to the attack. + +Crusoe still sat quiet and kept his head high, but he _looked_ at them +again and exhibited four fangs for their inspection. Among the pack +there was one Indian dog of large size--almost as large as Crusoe +himself--which kept well in the rear, and apparently urged the lesser +dogs on. The little dogs didn't object, for little dogs are generally +the most pugnacious. At this big dog Crusoe directed a pointed glance, +but said nothing. Meanwhile a particularly small and vicious cur, with +a mere rag of a tail, crept round by the back of the tent, and, coming +upon Crusoe in the rear, snapped at his tail sharply, and then fled +shrieking with terror and surprise, no doubt, at its own temerity. + +Crusoe did not bark; he seldom barked; he usually either said nothing, +or gave utterance to a prolonged roar of indignation of the most +terrible character with barks, as it were, mingled through it. It +somewhat resembled that peculiar and well-known species of thunder, the +prolonged roll of which is marked at short intervals in its course by +cannon-like cracks. It was a continuous, but, so to speak, _knotted_ +roar. + +On receiving the snap, Crusoe gave forth _the_ roar with a majesty and +power that scattered the pugnacious front rank of the enemy to the +winds. Those that still remained, half stupefied, he leaped over with a +huge bound and alighted, fangs first, on the back of the big dog. There +was one hideous yell, a muffled scramble of an instant's duration, and +the big dog lay dead upon the plain! + +It was an awful thing to do; but Crusoe evidently felt that the peculiar +circumstances of the case required that an example should be made--and +to say truth, all things considered, we cannot blame him. The news must +have been carried at once through the canine portion of the camp, for +Crusoe was never interfered with again after that. + +Dick witnessed this little incident; but he observed that the Indian +chief cared not a straw about it, and as his dog returned quietly and +sat down in its old place, he took no notice of it either, but continued +to listen to the explanations which Joe gave to the chief, of the desire +of the Pale-faces to be friends with the Red-men. + +Joe's eloquence would have done little for him on this occasion had his +hands been empty; but he followed it up by opening one of his packs, and +displaying the glittering contents before the equally glittering eyes of +the chief and his squaws. + +"These," said Joe, "are the gifts that the great chief of the Pale-faces +sends to the great chief of the Pawnees, and he bids me say that there +are many more things in his stores which will be traded for skins with +the Red-men, when they visit him; and he also says that if the Pawnees +will not steal horses any more from the Pale-faces they shall receive +gifts of knives, and guns, and powder and blankets every year." + +"_Wah_!" grunted the chief; "it is good. The great chief is wise. We +will smoke the pipe of peace." + +The things that afforded so much satisfaction to San-it-sa-rish were the +veriest trifles. Penny looking-glasses in yellow gilt tin frames, beads +of various colours, needles, cheap scissors, and knives, vermilion +paint, and coarse scarlet cloth, etcetera. They were of priceless +value, however, in the estimation of the savages, who delighted to adorn +themselves with leggings made from the cloth, beautifully worked with +beads by their own ingenious women. They were thankful, too, for knives +even of the commonest description, having none but bone ones of their +own; and they gloried in daubing their faces with intermingled streaks +of charcoal and vermilion. To gaze at their visages, when thus treated, +in the little penny looking-glasses is their summit of delight! + +Joe presented the chief with a portion of these coveted goods and tied +up the remainder. We may remark here, that the only thing which +prevented the savages from taking possession of the whole at once, +without asking permission, was the promise of the annual gifts, which +they knew would not be forthcoming were any evil to befall the deputies +of the Pale-faces. Nevertheless, it cost them a severe struggle to +restrain their hands on this occasion, and Joe and his companions felt +that they would have to play their part well in order to fulfil their +mission with safety and credit. + +"The Pale-faces may go now and talk with the braves," said +San-it-sa-rish, after carefully examining everything that was given to +him; "a council will be called soon, and we will smoke the pipe of +peace." + +Accepting this permission to retire, the hunters immediately left the +tent, and being now at liberty to do what they pleased, they amused +themselves by wandering about the village. + +"He's a cute chap that," remarked Joe, with a sarcastic smile; "I don't +feel quite easy about gettin' away. He'll bother the life out o' us to +get all the goods we've got, and, ye see, as we've other tribes to +visit, we must give away as little as we can here." + +"Ha! you is right," said Henri; "dat fellow's eyes twinkle at de knives +and tings like two stars." + +"Fire-flies, ye should say. Stars are too soft an' beautiful to compare +to the eyes o' yon savage," said Dick, laughing. "I wish we were well +away from them. That rascal Mahtawa is an ugly customer." + +"True, lad," returned Joe; "had _he_ bin the great chief our scalps had +bin dryin' in the smoke o' a Pawnee wigwam afore now. What now, lad?" + +Joe's question was put in consequence of a gleeful smile that overspread +the countenance of Dick Varley, who replied by pointing to a wigwam +towards which they were approaching. + +"Oh! that's only a dandy," exclaimed Joe. "There's lots o' them in +every Injun camp. They're fit for nothin' but dress, poor contemptible +critters." + +Joe accompanied his remark with a sneer, for of all pitiable objects, he +regarded an unmanly man as the most despicable. He consented, however, +to sit down on a grassy bank and watch the proceedings of this Indian +dandy, who had just seated himself in front of his wigwam for the +purpose of making his toilet. + +He began it by greasing his whole person carefully and smoothly over +with buffalo-fat, until he shone like a patent leather boot; then he +rubbed himself almost dry, leaving the skin sleek and glossy. Having +proceeded thus far he took up a small mirror, a few inches in diameter, +which he or some other member of the tribe must have procured during one +of their few excursions to the trading forts of the Pale-faces, and +examined himself, as well as he could, in so limited a space. Next, he +took a little vermilion from a small parcel and rubbed it over his face +until it presented the somewhat demoniac appearance of a fiery red. He +also drew a broad red score along the crown of his head, which was +closely shaved, with the exception of the usual tuft or scalp-lock on +the top. This scalp-lock stood bristling straight up a few inches, and +then curved over and hung down his back about two feet. Immense care +and attention was bestowed on this lock. He smoothed it, greased it, +and plaited it into the form of a pigtail. Another application was here +made to the glass, and the result was evidently satisfactory, to judge +from the beaming smile that played on his features. But, not content +with the general effect, he tried the effect of expression--frowned +portentously, scowled savagely, gaped hideously, and grinned horribly a +ghastly smile. + +Then our dandy fitted into his ears, which were bored in several places, +sundry ornaments, such as rings, wampum, etcetera, and hung several +strings of beads round his neck. Besides these he affixed one or two +ornaments to his arms, wrists, and ankles, and touched in a few effects +with vermilion on the shoulders and breast. After this, and a few more +glances at the glass, he put on a pair of beautiful moccasins, which, +besides being richly wrought with beads, were soft as chamois leather, +and fitted his feet like gloves; a pair of leggings of scarlet cloth +were drawn on, attached to a waist-belt, and bound below the knee with +broad garters of variegated bead-work. + +It was some time before this Adonis was quite satisfied with himself. +He re-touched the paint on his shoulders several times, and modified the +glare of that on his wide-mouthed, high-cheek-boned visage before he +could tear himself away; but at last he did so, and, throwing a large +piece of scarlet cloth over his shoulders, he thrust his looking-glass +under his belt, and proceeded to mount his palfrey, which was held in +readiness near to the tent door by one of his wives. The horse was +really a fine animal, and seemed worthy of a more warlike master. His +shoulders, too, were striped with red paint, and feathers were +intertwined with his mane and tail, while the bridle was decorated with +various jingling ornaments. + +Vaulting upon his steed, with a large fan of wild goose and turkey +feathers in one hand, and a whip dangling at the wrist of the other, +this incomparable dandy sallied forth for a promenade--that being his +chief delight when there was no buffalo hunting to be done. Other men +who were not dandies sharpened their knives, smoked, feasted, and mended +their spears and arrows at such seasons of leisure, or played at +athletic games. + +"Let's follow my buck," said Joe Blunt. + +"Oui. Come 'long," replied Henri, striding after the rider at a pace +that almost compelled his comrades to run. + +"Hold on!" cried Dick, laughing; "we don't want to keep him company. A +distant view is quite enough o' sich a chap as that." + +"Mais, you forgit, I cannot see far." + +"So much the better," remarked Joe; "it's my opinion we've seen enough +o' him. Ah! he's goin' to look on at the games. Them's worth lookin' +at." + +The games to which Joe referred were taking place on a green level plain +close to the creek, and a little above the waterfall before referred to. +Some of the Indians were horse-racing, some jumping, and others +wrestling; but the game which proved most attractive was throwing the +javelin, in which several of the young braves were engaged. + +This game is played by two competitors, each armed with a dart, in an +arena about fifty yards long. One of the players has a hoop of six +inches in diameter. At a signal they start off on foot at full speed, +and on reaching the middle of the arena the Indian with the hoop rolls +it along before them, and each does his best to send a javelin through +the hoop before the other. He who succeeds counts so many points--if +both miss, the nearest to the hoop is allowed to count, but not so much +as if he had "ringed" it. The Indians are very fond of this game, and +will play at it under a broiling sun for hours together. But a good +deal of the interest attaching to it is owing to the fact that they make +it a means of gambling. Indians are inveterate gamblers, and will +sometimes go on until they lose horses, bows, blankets, robes, and, in +short, their whole personal property. The consequences are, as might be +expected, that fierce and bloody quarrels sometimes arise in which life +is often lost. + +"Try your hand at that," said Henri to Dick. + +"By all means," cried Dick, handing his rifle to his friend, and +springing into the ring enthusiastically. + +A general shout of applause greeted the Pale-face, who threw off his +coat and tightened his belt, while a young Indian presented him with a +dart. + +"Now, see that ye do us credit, lad," said Joe. + +"I'll try," answered Dick. + +In a moment they were off. The young Indian rolled away the hoop, and +Dick threw his dart with such vigour that it went deep into the ground, +but missed the hoop by a foot at least. The young Indian's first dart +went through the centre. + +"Ha!" exclaimed Joe Blunt to the Indians near him, "the lad's not used +to that game, try him at a race. Bring out your best brave--he whose +bound is like the hunted deer." + +We need scarcely remind the reader that Joe spoke in the Indian +language, and that the above is a correct rendering of the sense of what +he said. + +The name of Tarwicadia, or the little chief, immediately passed from lip +to lip, and in a few minutes an Indian, a little below the medium size, +bounded into the arena with an indiarubber-like elasticity that caused a +shade of anxiety to pass over Joe's face. + +"Ah, boy!" he whispered, "I'm afeared you'll find him a tough customer." + +"That's just what I want," replied Dick. "He's supple enough, but he +wants muscle in the thigh. We'll make it a long heat." + +"Right, lad, yer right." + +Joe now proceeded to arrange the conditions of the race with the chiefs +around him. It was fixed that the distance to be run should be a mile, +so that the race would be one of two miles, out and back. Moreover, the +competitors were to run without any clothes, except a belt and a small +piece of cloth round the loins. This to the Indians was nothing, for +they seldom wore more in warm weather, but Dick would have preferred to +keep on part of his dress. The laws of the course, however, would not +permit of this, so he stripped and stood forth, the beau-ideal of a +well-formed, agile man. He was greatly superior in size to his +antagonist, and more muscular, the savage being slender and extremely +lithe and springy. + +"Hah! I will run too," shouted Henri, bouncing forward with clumsy +energy, and throwing off his coat just as they were going to start. + +The savages smiled at this unexpected burst and made no objection, +considering the thing in the light of a joke. + +The signal was given, and away they went. Oh! it would have done you +good to have seen the way in which Henri manoeuvred his limbs on this +celebrated occasion! He went over the ground with huge elephantine +bounds, runs, and jumps. He could not have been said to have one style +of running; he had a dozen styles, all of which came into play in the +course of half as many minutes. The other two ran like the wind; yet, +although Henri _appeared_ to be going heavily over the ground, he kept +up with them to the turning point. As for Dick, it became evident in +the first few minutes that he could outstrip his antagonist with ease, +and was hanging back a little all the time. He shot ahead like an arrow +when they came about half-way back, and it was clear that the real +interest of the race was to lie in the competition between Henri and +Tarwicadia. + +Before they were two-thirds of the way back, Dick walked in to the +winning point, and turned to watch the others. Henri's wind was about +gone, for he exerted himself with such violence that he wasted half his +strength. The Indian, on the contrary, was comparatively fresh, but he +was not so fleet as his antagonist, whose tremendous strides carried him +over the ground at an incredible pace. On they came neck and neck, till +close on the score that marked the winning point. Here the value of +enthusiasm came out strongly in the case of Henri. He _felt_ that he +could not gain an inch on Tarwicadia to save his life; but, just as he +came up, he observed the anxious faces of his comrades and the +half-sneering countenances of the savages. His heart thumped against +his ribs, every muscle thrilled with a gush of conflicting feelings, and +he _hurled_ himself over the score like a cannon shot, full six inches +ahead of the little chief! + +But the thing did not by any means end here. Tarwicadia pulled up the +instant he had passed. Not so our Canadian. Such a clumsy and colossal +frame was not to be checked in a moment. The crowd of Indians opened up +to let him pass, but unfortunately a small tent that stood in the way +was not so obliging. Into it he went, head-foremost, like a shell, +carried away the corner-post with his shoulder, and brought the whole +affair down about his own ears, and those of its inmates, among whom +were several children and two or three dogs. It required some time to +extricate them all from the ruins, but when this was effected, it was +found that no serious damage had been done to life or limb! + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +CRUSOE ACTS A CONSPICUOUS AND HUMANE PART--A FRIEND GAINED--A GREAT +FEAST. + +When the foot-race was concluded, the three hunters hung about, looking +on at the various games for some time, and then strolled towards the +lake. + +"Ye may be thankful yer neck's whole," said Joe, grinning, as Henri +rubbed his shoulder with a rueful look. "An' we'll have to send that +Injun and his family a knife and some beads to make up for the fright +they got." + +"Hah! an' fat is to be give to me for my broke shoulder?" + +"Credit, man, credit," said Dick Varley, laughing. + +"Credit! fat is dat?" + +"Honour and glory, lad, and the praises of them savages." + +"Ha! de praise? more probeebale de ill-vill of de rascale. I seed dem +scowl at me not ver' pritty." + +"That's true, Henri, but sich as it is it's all ye'll git." + +"I vish," remarked Henri after a pause--"I vish I could git de vampum +belt de leetle chief had on. It vas superb. Fat place do vampums come +from?" + +"They're shells--" + +"Oui," interrupted Henri. "I know _fat_ de is. Dey is shells, and de +Injuns tink dem goot monish; mais, I ask you _fat place_ de come from." + +"They are thought to be gathered on the shores o' the Pacific," said +Joe; "the Injuns on the west o' the Rocky Mountains picks them up and +exchanges them wi' the fellows here-away for horses and skins--so I'm +told." + +At this moment there was a wild cry of terror heard a short distance +ahead of them. Rushing forward they observed an Indian woman flying +frantically down the river's bank towards the waterfall, a hundred yards +above which an object was seen struggling in the water. + +"'Tis her child," cried Joe, as the mother's frantic cry reached his +ear. "It'll be over the fall in a minute! Run, Dick, you're quickest." + +They had all started forward at speed, but Dick and Crusoe were far +ahead, and abreast of the spot in a few seconds. + +"Save it, pup," cried Dick, pointing to the child, which had been caught +in an eddy, and was for a few moments hovering on the edge of the stream +that rushed impetuously towards the fall. + +The noble Newfoundland did not require to be told what to do. It seems +a natural instinct in this sagacious species of dog to save man or beast +that chances to be struggling in the water, and many are the authentic +stories related of Newfoundland dogs saving life in cases of shipwreck. +Indeed, they are regularly trained to the work in some countries, and +nobly, fearlessly, disinterestedly, do they discharge their trust, often +in the midst of appalling dangers. Crusoe sprang from the bank with +such impetus that his broad chest ploughed up the water like the bow of +a boat, and the energetic workings of his muscles were indicated by the +force of each successive propulsion as he shot ahead. + +In a few seconds he reached the child and caught it by the hair. Then +he turned to swim back, but the stream had got hold of him. Bravely he +struggled, and lifted the child breast-high out of the water in his +powerful efforts to stem the current. In vain. Each moment he was +carried inch by inch down until he was on the brink of the fall, which, +though not high, was a large body of water and fell with a heavy roar. +He raised himself high out of the stream with the vigour of his last +struggle, and then fell back into the abyss. + +By this time the poor mother was in a canoe as close to the fall as she +could with safety approach, and the little bark danced like a +cockle-shell on the turmoil of waters as she stood with uplifted paddle +and staring eyeballs awaiting the rising of the child. + +Crusoe came up almost instantly, but _alone_, for the dash over the fall +had wrenched the child from his teeth. He raised himself high up and +looked anxiously round for a moment. Then he caught sight of a little +hand raised above the boiling flood. In one moment he had the child +again by the hair, and, just as the prow of the Indian woman's canoe +touched the shore, he brought the child to land. + +Springing towards him, the mother snatched her child from the flood and +gazed at its death-like face with eyeballs starting from their sockets; +then she laid her cheek on its cold breast and stood like a statue of +despair. There was one slight pulsation of the heart and a gentle +motion of the hand! The child still lived. Opening up her blanket she +laid her little one against her naked, warm bosom, drew the covering +close around it, and, sitting down on the bank, wept aloud for joy. + +"Come,--come 'way quick," cried Henri, hurrying off to hide the emotion +which he could not crush down. + +"Ay, she don't need our help now," said Joe, following his comrade. + +As for Crusoe, he walked along by his master's side with his usual +quiet, serene look of good-will towards all mankind. Doubtless a +feeling of gladness at having saved a human life filled his shaggy +breast, for he wagged his tail gently, after each shake of his dripping +sides, but his meek eyes were downcast, save when raised to receive the +welcome and unusually fervent caress. Crusoe did not know that those +three men loved him as though he had been a brother. + +On their way back to the village the hunters were met by a little boy, +who said that a council was to be held immediately, and their presence +was requested. + +The council was held in the tent of the principal chief, towards which +all the other chiefs and many of the noted braves hurried. Like all +Indian councils, it was preceded by smoking the "medicine pipe," and was +followed by speeches from several of the best orators. The substance of +the discourse differed little from what has been already related in +reference to the treaty between the Pale-faces, and upon the whole it +was satisfactory. But Joe Blunt could not fail to notice that Mahtawa +maintained sullen silence during the whole course of the meeting. + +He observed, also, that there was a considerable change in the tone of +the meeting when he informed them that he was bound on a similar errand +of peace to several of the other tribes, especially to one or two tribes +which were the Pawnees' bitter enemies at that time. These grasping +savages having quite made up their minds that they were to obtain the +entire contents of the two bales of goods, were much mortified on +hearing that part was to go to other Indian tribes. Some of them even +hinted that this would not be allowed, and Joe feared at one time that +things were going to take an unfavourable turn. The hair of his scalp, +as he afterwards said, "began to lift a little and feel oneasy." But +San-it-sa-rish stood honestly to his word; said that it would be well +that the Pale-faces and the Pawnees should be brothers, and hoped that +they would not forget the promise of annual presents from the hand of +the great chief who lived in the big village near the rising sun. + +Having settled this matter amicably, Joe distributed among the Indians +the proportion of his goods designed for them, and then they all +adjourned to another tent where a great feast was prepared for them. + +"Are ye hungry?" inquired Joe of Dick as they walked along. + +"Ay, that am I. I feel as if I could eat a buffalo alive. Why, it's my +'pinion we've tasted nothin' since daybreak this mornin'." + +"Well, I've often told ye that them Red-skins think it a disgrace to +give in eatin' till all that's set before them at a feast is bolted. +We'll ha' to stretch oursel's, we will." + +"I'se got a plenty room," remarked Henri. + +"Ye have, but ye'll wish ye had more in a little." + +"Bien, I not care!" + +In a quarter of an hour all the guests invited to this great _medicine_ +feast were assembled. No women were admitted. They never are at Indian +feasts. + +We may remark in passing, that the word "medicine," as used among the +North American Indians, has a very much wider signification than it has +with us. It is an almost inexplicable word. When asked, they cannot +give a full or satisfactory explanation of it themselves. In the +general, we may say that whatever is mysterious is "medicine." Jugglery +and conjuring, of a noisy, mysterious, and, we must add, rather silly +nature, is "medicine," and the juggler is a "medicine-man." These +medicine-men undertake cures, but they are regular charlatans, and know +nothing whatever of the diseases they pretend to cure, or their +remedies. They carry bags containing sundry relics; these are "medicine +bags." Every brave has his own private medicine bag. Everything that +is incomprehensible, or supposed to be supernatural, religious, or +medical, is "medicine." This feast, being an unusual one, in honour of +strangers, and in connection with a peculiar and unexpected event, was +"medicine." Even Crusoe, since his gallant conduct in saving the Indian +child, was "medicine"; and Dick Varley's double-barrelled rifle, which +had been an object of wonder ever since his arrival at the village, was +tremendous "medicine!" + +Of course the Indians were arrayed in their best; several wore necklaces +of the claws of the grizzly bear, of which they are extremely proud; and +a gaudily picturesque group they were. The chief, however, had +undergone a transformation that well-nigh upset the gravity of our +hunters, and rendered Dick's efforts to look solemn quite abortive. +San-it-sa-rish had once been to the trading forts of the Pale-faces, and +while there had received the customary gift of a blue surtout with brass +buttons, and an ordinary hat, such as gentlemen wear at home. As the +coat was a good deal too small for him, a terrible length of dark, bony +wrist appeared below the cuffs. The waist was too high, and it was with +great difficulty that he managed to button the garment across his broad +chest. Being ignorant of the nature of a hat, the worthy savage had +allowed the paper and string with which it had been originally covered, +to remain on, supposing them to be part and parcel of the hat; and this, +together with the high collar of the coat, which gave him a crushed-up +appearance, the long black naked legs, and the painted visage, gave to +him a _tout ensemble_ which we can compare to nothing, as there was +nothing in nature comparable to it. + +Those guests who assembled first passed their time in smoking the +medicine pipe until the others should arrive; for so long as a single +invited guest is absent the feast cannot begin. Dignified silence was +maintained while the pipe thus circulated from hand to hand. When the +last guest arrived they began. + +The men were seated in two rows, face to face. Feasts of this kind +usually consist of but one species of food, and on the present occasion +it was an enormous cauldron full of maize which had to be devoured. +About fifty sat down to eat a quantity of what may be termed thick +porridge, that would have been ample allowance for a hundred ordinary +men. Before commencing, San-it-sa-rish desired an aged medicine-man to +make an oration, which he did fluently and poetically. Its subject was +the praise of the giver of the feast. At the end of each period there +was a general "Hou! hou!" of assent--equivalent to the hear! hear! of +civilised men. + +Other orators then followed, all of whom spoke with great ease and +fluency, and some in the most impassioned strains, working themselves +and their audience up to the highest pitch of excitement, now shouting +with frenzied violence till their eyes glared from their sockets, and +the veins of their foreheads swelled almost to bursting as they spoke of +war and chase--anon breaking into soft modulated and pleasing tones, +while they dilated upon the pleasures of peace and hospitality. + +After these had finished, a number of wooden bowls full of maize +porridge were put down between the guests--one bowl to each couple +facing each other. But before commencing, a portion was laid aside and +dedicated to their gods, with various mysterious ceremonies; for here, +as in other places where the gospel is not known, the poor savages +fancied that they could propitiate God with sacrifices. They had never +heard of the "sacrifice of a broken spirit and a contrite heart." This +offering being made, the feast began in earnest. Not only was it a rule +in this feast that every mouthful should be swallowed by each guest, +however unwilling and unable he should be to do so, but he who could +dispose of it with greatest speed was deemed the greatest man--at least +on that occasion--while the last to conclude his supper was looked upon +with some degree of contempt! + +It seems strange that such a custom should ever have arisen, and one is +not a little puzzled in endeavouring to guess at the origin of it. +There is one fact that occurs to us as the probable cause. The Indian +is, as we have before hinted, frequently reduced to a state bordering on +starvation, and in a day after he may be burdened with superabundance of +food. He oftentimes, therefore, eats as much as he can stuff into his +body when he is blessed with plenty, so as to be the better able to +withstand the attacks of hunger that may possibly be in store for him. +The amount that an Indian will thus eat at a single meal is incredible. +He seems to have the power of distending himself for the reception of a +quantity that would kill a civilised man. Children, in particular, +become like tightly inflated little balloons after a feast, and as they +wear no clothing, the extraordinary rotundity is very obvious, not to +say ridiculous. We conclude, therefore, that unusual powers of +gormandising, being useful, come at last to be cultivated as +praiseworthy. + +By good fortune Dick and Joe Blunt happened to have such enormous +gluttons as _vis-a-vis_, that the portions of their respective bowls +which they could not devour were gobbled up for them. By good capacity +and digestion, with no small amount of effort, Henri managed to dispose +of his own share; but he was last of being done, and fell in the +savages' esteem greatly. The way in which that sticky compost of boiled +maize went down was absolutely amazing. The man opposite Dick, in +particular, was a human boa-constrictor. He well-nigh suffocated Dick +with suppressed laughter. He was a great raw-boned savage, with a +throat of indiarubber, and went quickly and quietly on swallowing mass +after mass, with the solemn gravity of an owl. It mattered not a straw +to him that Dick took comparatively small mouthfuls, and nearly choked +on them too for want of liquid to wash them down. Had Dick eaten none +at all he would have uncomplainingly disposed of the whole. Jack the +Giant-Killer's feats were nothing to his, and when at last the bowl was +empty, he stopped short like a machine from which the steam had been +suddenly cut off, and laid down his buffalo horn spoon _without_ a sigh. + +Dick sighed, though, with relief and gratitude when his bowl was empty. + +"I hope I may never have to do it again," said Joe that night as they +wended their way back to the chief's tent after supper. "I wouldn't be +fit for anything for a week arter it." + +Dick could only laugh, for any allusion to the feast instantly brought +back that owl-like gourmand to whom he was so deeply indebted. + +Henri groaned. "Oh! mes boy, I am speechless! I am ready for bust! +Oui,--hah! I veesh it vas to-morrow." + +Many a time that night did Henri "veesh it vas to-morrow," as he lay +helpless on his back, looking up through the roof of the chief's tent at +the stars, and listening enviously to the plethoric snoring of Joe +Blunt. + +He was entertained, however, during those waking hours with a serenade +such as few civilised ears ever listen to. This was nothing else than a +vocal concert performed by all the dogs of the village, and as they +amounted to nearly two thousand, the orchestra was a pretty full one. + +These wretches howled as if they had all gone mad. Yet there was +"method in their madness," for they congregated in a crowd before +beginning, and sat down on their haunches. Then one, which seemed to be +the conductor, raised his snout to the sky, and uttered a long, low, +melancholy wail. The others took it up by twos and threes, until the +whole pack had their noses pointing to the stars, and their throats +distended to the uttermost, while a prolonged yell filled the air. Then +it sank gradually, one or two (bad performers probably) making a yelping +attempt to get it up again at the wrong time. Again the conductor +raised his nose, and out it came--full swing. There was no vociferous +barking. It was simple wolfish howling increased in fervour to an +electric yell, with slight barks running continuously through it like an +obbligato accompaniment. + +When Crusoe first heard the unwonted sound he sprang to his feet, +bristled up like a hyena, showed all his teeth, and bounded out of the +tent blazing with indignation and astonishment. When he found out what +it was he returned quite sleek, and with a look of profound contempt on +his countenance as he resumed his place by his master's side and went to +sleep. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +PERPLEXITIES--OUR HUNTERS PLAN THEIR ESCAPE--UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION-- +THE TABLES TURNED--CRUSOE MOUNTS GUARD--THE ESCAPE. + +Dick Varley sat before the fire ruminating. We do not mean to assert +that Dick had been previously eating grass. By no means. For several +days past he had been mentally subsisting on the remarkable things that +he heard and saw in the Pawnee village, and wondering how he was to get +away without being scalped; he was now chewing the cud of this +intellectual fare. We therefore repeat emphatically--in case any reader +should have presumed to contradict us--that Dick Varley sat before the +fire _ruminating_! + +Joe Blunt likewise sat by the fire along with him, ruminating too, and +smoking besides. Henri also sat there smoking, and looking a little the +worse of his late supper. + +"I don't like the look o' things," said Joe, blowing a whiff of smoke +slowly from his lips, and watching it as it ascended into the still air. +"That blackguard Mahtawa is determined not to let us off till he gits +all our goods, an' if he gits them, he may as well take our scalps too, +for we would come poor speed in the prairies without guns, horses, or +goods." + +Dick looked at his friend with an expression of concern. "What's to be +done?" said he. + +"Ve must escape," answered Henri; but his tone was not a hopeful one, +for he knew the danger of their position better than Dick. + +"Ay, we must escape; at least we must try," said Joe; "but I'll make one +more effort to smooth over San-it-sa-rish, an' git him to snub that +villain Mahtawa." + +Just as he spoke the villain in question entered the tent with a bold, +haughty air, and sat down before the fire in sullen silence. For some +minutes no one spoke, and Henri, who happened at the time to be +examining the locks of Dick's rifle, continued to inspect them with an +appearance of careless indifference that he was far from feeling. + +Now, this rifle of Dick's had become a source of unceasing wonder to the +Indians,--wonder which was greatly increased by the fact that no one +could discharge it but himself. Dick had, during his short stay at the +Pawnee village, amused himself and the savages by exhibiting his +marvellous powers with the "silver rifle." Since it had been won by him +at the memorable match in the Mustang Valley, it had scarce ever been +out of his hand, so that he had become decidedly the best shot in the +settlement, could "bark" squirrels (that is, hit the bark of the branch +on which a squirrel happened to be standing, and so kill it by the +concussion alone), and could "drive the nail" every shot. The silver +rifle, as we have said, became "great medicine" to the Red-men, when +they saw it kill at a distance which the few wretched guns they had +obtained from the fur-traders could not even send a spent ball to. The +double shot, too, filled them with wonder and admiration; but that which +they regarded with an almost supernatural feeling of curiosity was the +percussion cap, which in Dick's hands always exploded, but in theirs was +utterly useless! + +This result was simply owing to the fact, that Dick after firing handed +the rifle to the Indians without renewing the cap. So that when they +loaded and attempted to fire, of course it merely snapped. When he +wished again to fire, he adroitly exchanged the old cap for a new one. +He was immensely tickled by the solemn looks of the Indians at this most +incomprehensible of all "medicines," and kept them for some days in +ignorance of the true cause, intending to reveal it before he left. But +circumstances now arose which banished all trifling thoughts from his +mind. + +Mahtawa raised his head suddenly, and said, pointing to the silver +rifle, "Mahtawa wishes to have the two-shotted medicine gun. He will +give his best horse in exchange." + +"Mahtawa is liberal," answered Joe, "but the pale-faced youth cannot +part with it. He has far to travel, and must shoot buffaloes by the +way." + +"The pale-faced youth shall have a bow and arrows to shoot the buffalo," +rejoined the Indian. + +"He cannot use the bow and arrow," answered Joe; "he has not been +trained like the Red-man." + +Mahtawa was silent for a few seconds, and his dark brows frowned more +heavily than ever over his eyes. + +"The Pale-faces are too bold," he exclaimed, working himself into a +passion; "they are in the power of Mahtawa. If they will not give the +gun he will take it." + +He sprang suddenly to his feet as he spoke, and snatched the rifle from +Henri's hand. + +Henri, being ignorant of the language, had not been able to understand +the foregoing conversation, although he saw well enough that it was not +an agreeable one but no sooner did he find himself thus rudely and +unexpectedly deprived of the rifle, than he jumped up, wrenched it in a +twinkling from the Indian's grasp, and hurled him violently out of the +tent. + +In a moment Mahtawa drew his knife, uttered a savage yell, and sprang on +the reckless hunter, who, however, caught his wrist, and held it as if +in a vice. The yell brought a dozen warriors instantly to the spot, and +before Dick had time to recover from his astonishment, Henri was +surrounded and pinioned despite his herculean struggles. + +Before Dick could move, Joe Blunt grasped his arm, and whispered +quickly, "Don't rise! You can't help him! They daren't kill him till +San-it-sa-rish agrees." + +Though much surprised, Dick obeyed, but it required all his efforts, +both of voice and hand, to control Crusoe, whose mind was much too +honest and straightforward to understand such subtle pieces of +diplomacy, and who strove to rush to the rescue of his ill-used friend. + +When the tumult had partly subsided, Joe Blunt rose and said--"Have the +Pawnee braves turned traitors that they draw the knife against those who +have smoked with them the pipe of peace and eaten their maize? The +Pale-faces are three; the Pawnees are thousands. If evil has been done, +let it be laid before the chief. Mahtawa wishes to have the medicine +gun. Although we said No, we could not part with it, he tried to take +it by force. Are we to go back to the great chief of the Pale-faces, +and say that the Pawnees are thieves? Are the Pale-faces henceforth to +tell their children when they steal, `That is bad; that is like the +Pawnee?' No! this must not be. The rifle shall be restored, and we +will forget this disagreement. Is it not so?" + +There was an evident disposition on the part of many of the Indians, +with whom Mahtawa was no favourite, to applaud this speech; but the wily +chief sprang forward, and, with flashing eye, sought to turn the tables. + +"The Pale-face speaks with soft words, but his heart is false. Is he +not going to make peace with the enemies of the Pawnee? Is he not going +to take goods to them, and make them gifts and promises? The Pale-faces +are spies. They come to see the weakness of the Pawnee camp, but they +have found that it is strong. Shall we suffer the false-hearts to +escape? Shall they live? No! we will hang their scalps in our wigwams, +for they have _struck a chief_ and we will keep all their goods for our +squaws--wah!" + +This allusion to keeping all the goods had more effect on the minds of +the vacillating savages than the chiefs eloquence. But a new turn was +given to their thoughts by Joe Blunt remarking in a quiet, almost +contemptuous tone-- + +"Mahtawa is not the _great_ chief." + +"True, true," they cried, and immediately hurried to the tent of +San-it-sa-rish. + +Once again this chief stood between the hunters and the savages, who +wanted but a signal to fall on them. There was a long palaver, which +ended in Henri being set at liberty, and the rifle being restored. + +That evening, as the three friends sat beside their fire eating their +supper of boiled maize and buffalo meat, they laughed and talked as +carelessly as ever; but the gaiety was assumed, for they were at the +time planning their escape from a tribe which, they foresaw, would not +long refrain from carrying out their wishes, and robbing, perhaps +murdering them. + +"Ye see," said Joe with a perplexed air, while he drew a piece of live +charcoal from the fire with his fingers and lighted his pipe,--"ye see, +there's more difficulties in the way o' gettin' off than ye think--" + +"Oh! nivare mind de difficulties," interrupted Henri, whose wrath at the +treatment he had received had not yet cooled down. "Ve must jump on de +best horses ve can git hold, shake our fist at de red reptiles, and go +away fast as ve can. De best hoss _must_ vin de race." + +Joe shook his head. "A hundred arrows would be in our backs before we +got twenty yards from the camp. Besides, we can't tell which are the +best horses. Our own are the best in my 'pinion, but how are we to git +'em?" + +"I know who has charge o' them," said Dick; "I saw them grazing near the +tent o' that poor squaw whose baby was saved by Crusoe. Either her +husband looks after them or some neighbours." + +"That's well," said Joe. "That's one o' my difficulties gone." + +"What are the others?" + +"Well, d'ye see, they're troublesome. We can't git the horses out o' +camp without bein' seen, for the red rascals would see what we were at +in a jiffy. Then, if we do git 'em out, we can't go off without our +bales, an' we needn't think to take 'em from under the nose o' the chief +and his squaws without bein' axed questions. To go off without them +would niver do at all." + +"Joe," said Dick, earnestly, "I've hit on a plan." + +"Have ye, Dick? what is't?" + +"Come and I'll let ye see," answered Dick, rising hastily and quitting +the tent, followed by his comrades and his faithful dog. + +It may be as well to remark here, that no restraint whatever had yet +been put on the movements of our hunters as long as they kept to their +legs, for it was well-known that any attempt by men on foot to escape +from mounted Indians on the plains would be hopeless. Moreover, the +savages thought that as long as there was a prospect of their being +allowed to depart peaceably with their goods, they would not be so mad +as to fly from the camp, and, by so doing, risk their lives and declare +war with their entertainers. They had, therefore, been permitted to +wander unchecked, as yet, far beyond the outskirts of the camp, and +amuse themselves in paddling about the lake in the small Indian canoes +and shooting wild-fowl. + +Dick now led the way through the labyrinths of tents in the direction of +the lake, and they talked and laughed loudly, and whistled to Crusoe as +they went, in order to prevent their purpose being suspected. For the +purpose of further disarming suspicion they went without their rifles. +Dick explained his plan by the way, and it was at once warmly approved +of by his comrades. + +On reaching the lake they launched a small canoe, into which Crusoe was +ordered to jump; then, embarking, they paddled swiftly to the opposite +shore, singing a canoe song as they dipped their paddles in the moonlit +waters of the lake. Arrived at the other side, they hauled the canoe up +and hurried through the thin belt of wood and willows that intervened +between the lake and the prairie. Here they paused. + +"Is that the bluff, Joe?" + +"No, Dick, that's too near. T'other one'll be best. Far away to the +right. It's a little one, and there's others near it. The sharp eyes +o' the Red-skins won't be so likely to be prowlin' there." + +"Come on, then; but we'll have to take down by the lake first." + +In a few minutes the hunters were threading their way through the +outskirts of the wood at a rapid trot, in the opposite direction from +the bluff, or wooded knoll, which they wished to reach. This they did +lest prying eyes should have followed them. In a quarter of an hour +they turned at right angles to their track, and struck straight out into +the prairie, and after a long run they edged round and came in upon the +bluff from behind. It was merely a collection of stunted but +thick-growing willows. + +Forcing their way into the centre of this they began to examine it. + +"It'll do," said Joe. + +"De very ting," remarked Henri. + +"Come here, Crusoe." + +Crusoe bounded to his master's side, and looked up in his face. + +"Look at this place, pup; smell it well." + +Crusoe instantly set off all round among the willows, in and out, +snuffing everywhere, and whining with excitement. + +"Come here, good pup; that will do. Now, lads, we'll go back." So +saying, Dick and his friends left the bluff and retraced their steps to +the camp. Before they had gone far, however, Joe halted, and said-- + +"D'ye know, Dick, I doubt if the pup's so cliver as ye think. What if +he don't quite onderstand ye?" + +Dick replied by taking off his cap and throwing it down, at the same +time exclaiming, "Take it yonder, pup," and pointing with his hand +towards the bluff. The dog seized the cap, and went off with it at full +speed towards the willows, where it left it, and came galloping back for +the expected reward--not now, as in days of old, a bit of meat, but a +gentle stroke of its head and a hearty clap on its shaggy side. + +"Good pup, go now an' _fetch it_." + +Away he went with a bound, and, in a few seconds, came back and +deposited the cap at his master's feet. + +"Will that do?" asked Dick, triumphantly. + +"Ay, lad, it will. The pup's worth its weight in goold." + +"Oui, I have said, and I say it agen, de dog is _human_, so him is. If +not--fat am he?" + +Without pausing to reply to this perplexing question, Dick stepped +forward again, and in half an hour or so they were back in the camp. + +"Now for _your_ part of the work, Joe; yonder's the squaw that owns the +half-drowned baby. Everything depends on her." + +Dick pointed to the Indian woman as he spoke. She was sitting beside +her tent, and playing at her knee was the identical youngster that had +been saved by Crusoe. + +"I'll manage it," said Joe, and walked towards her, while Dick and Henri +returned to the chiefs tent. + +"Does the Pawnee woman thank the Great Spirit that her child is saved?" +began Joe as he came up. + +"She does," answered the woman, looking up at the hunter. "And her +heart is warm to the Pale-faces." + +After a short silence Joe continued-- + +"The Pawnee chiefs do not love the Pale-faces. Some of them hate them." + +"The Dark Flower knows it," answered the woman; "she is sorry. She +would help the Pale-faces if she could." + +This was uttered in a low tone, and with a meaning glance of the eye. + +Joe hesitated again--could he trust her? Yes; the feelings that filled +her breast and prompted her words were not those of the Indian just +now--they were those of a _mother_, whose gratitude was too full for +utterance. + +"Will the Dark Flower," said Joe, catching the name she had given +herself, "help the Pale-face if he opens his heart to her? Will she +risk the anger of her nation?" + +"She will," replied the woman; "she will do what she can." + +Joe and his dark friend now dropped their high-sounding style of speech, +and spoke for some minutes rapidly in an undertone. It was finally +arranged that on a given day, at a certain hour, the woman should take +the four horses down the shores of the lake to its lower end, as if she +were going for firewood, there cross the creek at the ford, and drive +them to the willow-bluff, and guard them till the hunters should arrive. + +Having settled this, Joe returned to the tent and informed his comrades +of his success. + +During the next three days Joe kept the Indians in good-humour by giving +them one or two trinkets, and speaking in glowing terms of the riches of +the white men, and the readiness with which they would part with them to +the savages if they would only make peace. + +Meanwhile, during the dark hours of each night, Dick managed to abstract +small quantities of goods from their pack, in room of which he stuffed +in pieces of leather to keep up the size and appearance. The goods thus +taken out he concealed about his person, and went off with a careless +swagger to the outskirts of the village, with Crusoe at his heels. +Arrived there, he tied the goods in a small piece of deerskin, and gave +the bundle to the dog, with the injunction, "Take it yonder, pup." + +Crusoe took it up at once, darted off at full speed with the bundle in +his mouth, down the shore of the lake towards the ford of the river, and +was soon lost to view. In this way, little by little, the goods were +conveyed by the faithful dog to the willow-bluff and left there, while +the stuffed pack still remained in safekeeping in the chief's tent. + +Joe did not at first like the idea of thus sneaking off from the camp; +and more than once made strong efforts to induce San-it-sa-rish to let +him go, but even that chief's countenance was not so favourable as it +had been. It was clear that he could not make up his mind to let slip +so good a chance of obtaining guns, powder, and shot, horses and goods, +without any trouble; so Joe made up his mind to give them the slip at +once. + +A dark night was chosen for the attempt, and the Indian woman went off +with the horses to the place where firewood for the camp was usually +cut. Unfortunately the suspicion of that wily savage Mahtawa had been +awakened, and he stuck close to the hunters all day--not knowing what +was going on, but feeling convinced that something was brewing which he +resolved to watch, without mentioning his suspicions to any one. + +"I think that villain's away at last," whispered Joe to his comrades; +"it's time to go, lads, the moon won't be up for an hour. Come along." + +"Have ye got the big powder-horn, Joe?" + +"Ay, ay, all right." + +"Stop! stop! my knife, my couteau. Ah! here it be. Now, boy." + +The three set off as usual, strolling carelessly to the outskirts of the +camp; then they quickened their pace, and, gaining the lake, pushed off +in a small canoe. + +At the same moment Mahtawa stepped from the bushes, leaped into another +canoe and followed them. + +"Hah! he must die," muttered Henri. + +"Not at all," said Joe, "we'll manage him without that." + +The chief landed and strode boldly up to them, for he knew well that +whatever their purpose might be, they would not venture to use their +rifles within sound of the camp at that hour of the night; as for their +knives, he could trust to his own active limbs and the woods to escape +and give the alarm if need be. + +"The Pale-faces hunt very late," he said with a malicious grin. "Do +they love the dark better than the sunshine?" + +"Not so," replied Joe, coolly, "but we love to walk by the light of the +moon. It will be up in less than an hour, and we mean to take a long +ramble to-night." + +"The Pawnee chief loves to walk by the moon too, he will go with the +Pale-faces." + +"Good," ejaculated Joe. "Come along, then." + +The party immediately set forward, although the savage was a little +taken by surprise at the indifferent way in which Joe received his +proposal to accompany them. He walked on to the edge of the prairie, +however, and then stopped. + +"The Pale-faces must go alone," said he; "Mahtawa will return to his +tent." + +Joe replied to this intimation by seizing him suddenly by the throat and +choking back the yell that would otherwise have brought the Pawnee +warriors rushing to the scene of action in hundreds. Mahtawa's hand was +on the handle of his scalping-knife in a moment, but before he could +draw it, his arms were glued to his sides by the bear-like embrace of +Henri, while Dick tied a handkerchief quickly yet firmly round his +mouth. The whole thing was accomplished in two minutes. After taking +his knife and tomahawk away, they loosened their gripe and escorted him +swiftly over the prairie. + +Mahtawa was perfectly submissive after the first convulsive struggle was +over. He knew that the men who walked on each side of him grasping his +arms were more than his match singly, so he wisely made no resistance. + +Hurrying him to a clump of small trees on the plain which was so far +distant from the village that a yell could not be heard, they removed +the bandage from Mahtawa's mouth. + +"_Must_ he be kill?" inquired Henri, in a tone of commiseration. + +"Not at all" answered Joe, "we'll tie him to a tree and leave him +there." + +"Then he vill be starve to deat'. Oh! dat is more horrobell!" + +"He must take his chance o' that. I've no doubt his friends'll find him +in a day or two, an' he's game to last for a week or more. But you'll +have to run to the willow-bluff, Dick, and bring a bit of line to tie +him. We can't spare it well; but there's no help." + +"But there _is_ help," retorted Dick. "Just order the villain to climb +into that tree." + +"Why so, lad?" + +"Don't ask questions, but do what I bid ye." + +The hunter smiled for a moment as he turned to the Indian, and ordered +him to climb up a small tree near to which he stood. Mahtawa looked +surprised, but there was no alternative. Joe's authoritative tone +brooked no delay, so he sprang into the tree like a monkey. + +"Crusoe," said Dick, "_watch him_!" + +The dog sat quietly down at the foot of the tree, and fixed his eyes on +the savage with a glare that spoke unutterable things. At the same time +he displayed his full compliment of teeth, and uttered a sound like +distant thunder. + +Joe almost laughed, and Henri did laugh outright. + +"Come along, he's safe now," cried Dick, hurrying away in the direction +of the willow-bluff, which they soon reached, and found that the +faithful squaw had tied their steeds to the bushes, and, moreover, had +bundled up their goods into a pack, and strapped it on the back of the +pack-horse; but she had not remained with them. + +"Bless yer dark face," ejaculated Joe as he sprang into the saddle and +rode out of the clump of bushes. He was followed immediately by the +others, and in three minutes they were flying over the plain at full +speed. + +On gaining the last far-off ridge, that afforded a distant view of the +woods skirting the Pawnee camp, they drew up, and Dick, putting his +fingers to his mouth, drew a long, shrill whistle. + +It reached the willow-bluff like a faint echo. At the same moment the +moon arose and more clearly revealed Crusoe's catalyptic glare at the +Indian chief, who, being utterly unarmed, was at the dog's mercy. The +instant the whistle fell on his ear, however, he dropped his eyes, +covered his teeth, and, leaping through the bushes, flew over the plains +like an arrow. At the same instant Mahtawa, descending from his tree, +ran as fast as he could towards the village, uttering the terrible +war-whoop when near enough to be heard. No sound sends such a thrill +through an Indian camp. Every warrior flew to arms, and vaulted on his +steed. So quickly was the alarm given that in less than ten minutes a +thousand hoofs were thundering on the plain, and faintly reached the +ears of the fugitives. + +Joe smiled. "It'll puzzle them to come up wi' nags like ours. They're +in prime condition too, lots o' wind in 'em. If we only keep out o' +badger holes we may laugh at the red varmints." + +Joe's opinion of Indian horses was correct. In a very few minutes the +sound of hoofs died away, but the fugitives did not draw bridle during +the remainder of that night, for they knew not how long the pursuit +might be continued. By pond, and brook, and bluff they passed, down in +the grassy bottoms and over the prairie waves,--nor checked their +headlong course till the sun blazed over the level sweep of the eastern +plain as if it arose out of the mighty ocean. + +Then they sprang from the saddle and hastily set about the preparation +of their morning meal. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +EVENING MEDITATIONS AND MORNING REFLECTIONS--BUFFALOES, BADGERS, +ANTELOPES, AND ACCIDENTS--AN OLD BULL AND THE WOLVES--"MAD-TAILS"--HENRI +FLOORED, ETCETERA. + +There is nothing that prepares one so well for the enjoyment of rest, +both mental and physical, as a long-protracted period of excitement and +anxiety, followed up by bodily fatigue. Excitement alone banishes rest; +but, united with severe physical exertion, it prepares for it. At +least, courteous reader, this is our experience, and certainly this was +the experience of our three hunters as they lay on their backs beneath +the branches of a willow bush, and gazed serenely up at the twinkling +stars, two days after their escape from the Indian village. + +They spoke little; they were too tired for that; also, they were too +comfortable. Their respective suppers of fresh antelope steak, shot +that day, had just been disposed of; their feet were directed towards +the small fire on which the said steaks had been cooked, and which still +threw a warm, ruddy glow over the encampment. Their blankets were +wrapped comfortably round them, and tucked in as only hunters and +mothers know _how_ to tuck them in. Their respective pipes delivered +forth, at stated intervals, three richly yellow puffs of smoke, as if a +three-gun battery were playing upon the sky from that particular spot of +earth. The horses were picketted and hobbled in a rich grassy bottom +close by, from which the quiet munch of their equine jaws sounded +pleasantly, for it told of healthy appetites, and promised speed on the +morrow. The fear of being overtaken during the night was now past, and +the faithful Crusoe, by virtue of sight, hearing, and smell, guaranteed +them against sudden attack during the hours of slumber. A perfume of +wild flowers mingled with the loved odours of the "weed," and the tinkle +of a tiny rivulet fell sweetly on their ears. In short, the +"Pale-faces" were supremely happy, and disposed to be thankful for their +recent deliverance and their present comforts. + +"I wonder what the stars are," said Dick, languidly taking the pipe out +of his mouth. + +"Bits o' fire," suggested Joe. + +"I tink dey are vorlds," muttered Henri, "an' have peepels in dem. I +have hear men say dat." + +A long silence followed, during which, no doubt, the star-gazers were +working out various theories in their own minds. + +"Wonder," said Dick again, "how far off they be." + +"A mile or two, maybe," said Joe. + +Henri was about to laugh sarcastically at this; but, on further +consideration, he thought it would be more comfortable not to, so he lay +still. In another minute he said--"Joe Blunt, you is ver' igrant. +Don't you know dat de books say de stars be hondreds, tousands,--oh! +milleryons of mile away to here, and dat de is more bigger dan dis +vorld?" + +Joe snored lightly, and his pipe fell out of his mouth at this point, so +the conversation dropped. Presently Dick asked, in a low tone, "I say, +Henri, are ye asleep?" + +"Oui," replied Henri, faintly. "Don't speak, or you vill vaken me." + +"Ah! Crusoe, you're not asleep, are you, pup?" No need to ask that +question. The instantaneous wag of that speaking fail, and the glance +of that wakeful eye, as the dog lifted his head and laid his chin on +Dick's arm, showed that he had been listening to every word that was +spoken. We cannot say whether he understood it, but beyond all doubt he +heard it. Crusoe never presumed to think of going to sleep until his +master was as sound as a top; then he ventured to indulge in that light +species of slumber which is familiarly known as "sleeping with one eye +open." But, comparatively, as well as figuratively speaking, Crusoe +slept usually with one eye and a-half open, and the other half was never +very tightly shut. + +Gradually Dick's pipe fell out of his mouth, an event which the dog, +with an exercise of instinct almost, if not quite, amounting to reason, +regarded as a signal for him to go off. The campfire went slowly out, +the stars twinkled down at their reflections in the brook, and a deep +breathing of wearied men was the only sound that rose in harmony with +the purling stream. + +Before the sun rose next morning, and while many of the brighter stars +were still struggling for existence with the approaching day, Joe was up +and buckling on the saddle-bags, while he shouted to his unwilling +companions to rise. + +"If it depended on you," he said, "the Pawnees wouldn't be long afore +they got our scalps. Jump, ye dogs, an' lend a hand, will ye!" + +A snore from Dick and a deep sigh from Henri was the answer to this +pathetic appeal. It so happened, however, that Henri's pipe, in falling +from his lips, had emptied the ashes just under his nose, so that the +sigh referred to drew a quantity thereof into his throat, and almost +choked him. Nothing could have been a more effective awakener. He was +up in a moment coughing vociferously. Most men have a tendency to vent +ill-humour on some one, and they generally do it on one whom they deem +to be worse than themselves. Henri, therefore, instead of growling at +Joe for rousing him, scolded Dick for not rising. + +"Ha, mauvais dog! bad chien, vill you dare to look to me?" + +Crusoe did look with amiable placidity, as though to say, "Howl away, +old boy, I won't budge till Dick does." + +With a mighty effort Giant Sleep was thrown off at last, and the hunters +were once more on their journey, cantering lightly over the soft turf. + +"Ho! let's have a run," cried Dick, unable to repress the feelings +aroused by the exhilarating morning air. + +"Have a care, boy," cried Joe, as they stretched out at full gallop. +"Keep off the ridge; it's riddled wi' badger--Hah! I thought so." + +At that moment Dick's horse put its foot into a badger hole, and turned +completely over, sending its rider through the air in a curve that an +East Indian acrobat would have envied. For a few seconds Dick lay flat +on his back; then he jumped up and laughed, while his comrades hurried +up anxiously to his assistance. + +"No bones broke?" inquired Joe. + +Dick gave a hysterical gasp. "I--I think not." + +"Let's have a look. No, nothin' to speak o', be good luck. Ye should +niver go slap through a badger country like that, boy; always keep i' +the bottoms, where the grass is short. Now then, up ye go. That's it!" + +Dick remounted, though not with quite so elastic a spring as usual, and +they pushed forward at a more reasonable pace. + +Accidents of this kind are of common occurrence in the prairies. Some +horses, however, are so well trained that they look sharp out for these +holes, which are generally found to be most numerous on the high and dry +grounds. But in spite of all the caution both of man and horse, many +ugly falls take place, and sometimes bones are broken. + +They had not gone far after this accident, when an antelope leaped from +a clump of willows and made for a belt of woodland that lay along the +margin of a stream not half a mile off. + +"Hurrah!" cried Dick, forgetting his recent fall. "Come along, Crusoe." +And away they went again full tilt, for the horse had not been injured +by its somersault. + +The antelope which Dick was thus wildly pursuing was of the same species +as the one he had shot some time before, namely, the prong-horned +antelope. These graceful creatures have long, slender limbs, delicately +formed heads, and large, beautiful eyes. The horns are black, and +rather short; they have no branches like the antlers of the red-deer, +but have a single projection on each horn, near the head, and the +extreme points of the horns curve suddenly inwards, forming the hook or +prong from which the name of the animal is derived. Their colour is +dark yellowish brown. They are so fleet that not one horse in a hundred +can overtake them, and their sight and sense of smell are so acute, that +it would be next to impossible to kill them, were it not for the +inordinate curiosity which we have before referred to. The Indians +manage to attract these simple little creatures by merely lying down on +their backs and kicking their heels in the air, or by waving any white +object on the point of an arrow, while the hunter keeps concealed by +lying flat in the grass. By these means a herd of antelopes may be +induced to wheel round and round an object in timid, but intense, +surprise, gradually approaching until they come near enough to enable +the hunter to make sure of his mark. Thus the animals, which of all +others _ought_ to be the most difficult to slay, are, in consequence of +their insatiable curiosity, more easily shot than any other deer of the +plains. + +May we not gently suggest to the reader for his or her consideration +that there are human antelopes, so to speak, whose case bears a striking +resemblance to the prong-horn of the North American prairie? + +Dick's horse was no match for the antelope; neither was Crusoe, so they +pulled up shortly and returned to their companions to be laughed at. + +"It's no manner o' use to wind yer horse, lad, after sich game. They're +not much worth, an', if I mistake not, we'll be among the buffalo soon. +There's fresh tracks everywhere, and the herds are scattered now. Ye +see, when they keep together in bands o' thousands ye don't so often +fall in wi' them. But when they scatters about in twos, an' threes, an +sixes, ye may shoot them every day as much as ye please." + +Several groups of buffalo had already been seen on the horizon; but as a +red-deer had been shot in a belt of woodland the day before, they did +not pursue them. The red-deer is very much larger than the prong-horned +antelope, and is highly esteemed both for its flesh and its skin, which +latter becomes almost like chamois leather when dressed. +Notwithstanding this supply of food, the hunters could not resist the +temptation to give chase to a herd of about nine buffaloes that suddenly +came into view as they overtopped an undulation in the plain. + +"It's no use," cried Dick, "I _must_ go at them!" + +Joe himself caught fire from the spirit of his young friend, so calling +to Henri to come on and let the pack-horse remain to feed, he dashed +away in pursuit. The buffaloes gave one stare of surprise, and then +fled as fast as possible. At first it seemed as if such huge, unwieldy +carcases could not run very fast; but in a few minutes they managed to +get up a pace that put the horses to their mettle. Indeed, at first it +seemed as if the hunters did not gain an inch, but by degrees they +closed with them, for buffaloes are not long-winded. + +On nearing the herd, the three men diverged from each other and selected +their animals. Henri, being short-sighted, naturally singled out the +largest; and the largest--also naturally,--was a tough old bull. Joe +brought down a fat young cow at the first shot, and Dick was equally +fortunate. But he well-nigh shot Crusoe, who, just as he was about to +fire, rushed in unexpectedly and sprang at the animal's throat, for +which piece of recklessness he was ordered back to watch the pack-horse. + +Meanwhile, Henri, by dint of yelling, throwing his arms wildly about, +and digging his heels into the sides of his long-legged horse, succeeded +in coming close up with the bull, which once or twice turned his clumsy +body half round and glared furiously at its pursuer with its small black +eyes. Suddenly it stuck out its tail, stopped short, and turned full +round. Henri stopped short also. Now, the sticking out of a buffalo's +tail has a peculiar significance which it is well to point out. It +serves, in a sense, the same purpose to the hunter that the compass does +to the mariner; it points out where to go and what to do. When +galloping away in ordinary flight the buffalo carries his tail like +ordinary cattle, which indicates that you may push on. When wounded, he +lashes it from side to side, or carries it over his back, up in the air; +this indicates "Look out! haul off a bit!" But when he carries it stiff +and horizontal, with a _slight curve_ in the middle of it, it says +plainly, "Keep back, or kill me as quick as you can," for that is what +Indians call the _mad-lazy_, and is a sign that mischief is brewing. + +Henri's bull displayed the mad-tail just before turning, but he didn't +observe it, and, accordingly, waited for the bull to move and show his +shoulder for a favourable shot. But instead of doing this he put his +head down, and, foaming with rage, went at him full tilt. The big horse +never stirred; it seemed to be petrified. Henri had just time to fire +at the monster's neck, and the next moment was sprawling on his back, +with the horse rolling over four or five yards beyond him. It was a +most effective tableau. Henri rubbing his shins and grinning with pain, +the horse gazing in affright as he rose trembling from the plain, and +the buffalo bull looking on half stunned, and, evidently, very much +surprised at the result of his charge. + +Fortunately, before he could repeat the experiment, Dick galloped up and +put a ball through his heart. + +Joe and his comrades felt a little ashamed of their exploit on this +occasion, for there was no need to have killed three animals; they could +not have carried with them more than a small portion of one, and they +upbraided themselves several times during the operation of cutting out +the tongues and other choice portions of the two victims. As for the +bull, he was almost totally useless, so they left him as a gift to the +wolves. + +Now that they had come among the buffalo, wolves were often seen +sneaking about and licking their hungry jaws; but although they +approached pretty near to the camp at nights, they did not give the +hunters any concern. Even Crusoe became accustomed to them at last, and +ceased to notice them. These creatures are very dangerous sometimes, +however, and when hard pressed by hunger will even attack man. The day +after this hunt the travellers came upon a wounded old buffalo which had +evidently escaped from the Indians (for a couple of arrows were sticking +in its side), only to fall a prey to his deadly enemies, the white +wolves. These savage brutes hang on the skirts of the herds of +buffaloes to attack and devour any one that may chance, from old age, or +from being wounded, to linger behind the rest. The buffalo is tough and +fierce, however, and fights so desperately that although surrounded by +fifty or a hundred wolves, he keeps up the unequal combat for several +days before he finally succumbs. + +The old bull that our travellers discovered had evidently been long +engaged with his ferocious adversaries, for his limbs and flesh were +torn in shreds in many places, and blood was streaming from his sides. +Yet he had fought so gallantly that he had tossed and stamped to death +dozens of the enemy. There could not have been fewer than fifty wolves +round him; and they had just concluded another of many futile attacks, +when the hunters came up, for they were ranged in a circle round their +huge adversary--some lying down, some sitting on their haunches to rest, +and others sneaking about, lolling out their red tongues, and licking +their chops as if impatient to renew the combat. The poor buffalo was +nearly spent, and it was clear that a few hours more would see him torn +to shreds and his bones picked clean. + +"Ugh! de brutes," ejaculated Henri. + +"They don't seem to mind us a bit," remarked Dick, as they rode up to +within pistol shot. + +"It'll be merciful to give the old fellow a shot," said Joe. "Them +varmits are sure to finish him at last." + +Joe raised his rifle as he spoke, and fired. The old bull gave his last +groan and fell, while the wolves, alarmed by the shot, fled in all +directions; but they did not run far. They knew well that some portion, +at least, of the carcase would fall to their share, so they sat down at +various distances all round, to wait as patiently as they might for the +hunters to retire. Dick left the scene with a feeling of regret that +the villanous wolves should have their feast so much sooner than they +expected. + +Yet after all, why should we call these wolves villanous? They did +nothing wrong--nothing contrary to the laws of their peculiar nature. +Nay, if we come to reason upon it, they rank higher in this matter than +man, for while the wolf does no violence to the laws of its instincts, +man often deliberately silences the voice of conscience, and violates +the laws of his own nature. But we will not insist on the term, good +reader, if you object strongly to it. We are willing to admit that the +wolves are _not_ villanous, but, _assuredly_, they are unlovable. + +In the course of the afternoon the three horsemen reached a small creek, +the banks of which were lined with a few stunted shrubs and trees. +Having eaten nothing since the night before, they dismounted here to +"feed," as Joe expressed it. + +"Cur'ous thing," remarked Joe, as he struck a light by means of flint, +steel, and tinder-box,--"curious thing that we're made to need sich a +lot o' grub. If we could only get on like the sarpints, now, wot can +breakfast on a rabbit, and then wait a month or two for dinner! Ain't +it cur'ous?" + +Dick admitted that it was, and stooped to blow the fire into a blaze. + +Here Henri uttered a cry of consternation, and stood speechless, with +his mouth open. + +"What's the matter? what is't?" cried Dick and Joe, seizing their rifles +instinctively. + +"De--grub--him--be--forgat!" + +There was a look of blank horror, and then a burst of laughter from Dick +Varley. "Well, well," cried he, "we've got lots o' tea an' sugar, an' +some flour; we can git on wi' that till we shoot another buffalo, or +a-ha!" + +Dick observed a wild turkey stalking among the willows as he spoke. It +was fully a hundred yards off, and only its head was seen above the +leaves. This was a matter of little moment, however, for by aiming a +little lower he knew that he must hit the body; but Dick had driven the +nail too often to aim at its body; he aimed at the bird's eye and cut +its head off. + +"Fetch it, Crusoe." + +In three minutes it was at Dick's feet, and it is not too much to say +that in five minutes more it was in the pot. + +As this unexpected supply made up for the loss of the meat which Henri +had forgotten at their last halting-place, their equanimity was +restored, and while the meal was in preparation Dick shouldered his +rifle and went into the bush to try for another turkey. He did not get +one, however, but he shot a couple of prairie-hens, which are excellent +eating. Moreover, he found a large quantity of wild grapes and plums. +These were unfortunately not nearly ripe, but Dick resolved to try his +hand at a new dish, so he stuffed the breast of his coat full of them. + +After the pot was emptied Dick washed it out, and put a little clean +water in it. Then he poured some flour in, and stirred it well. While +this was heating, he squeezed the sour grapes and plums into what Joe +called a "mush," mixed it with a spoonful of sugar, and emptied it into +the pot. He also skimmed a quantity of the fat from the remains of the +turkey soup, and added that to the mess, which he stirred with earnest +diligence till it boiled down into a sort of thick porridge. + +"D'ye think it'll be good?" asked Joe gravely; "I've me doubts of it." + +"We'll see. Hold the tin dish, Henri." + +"Take care of de fingers. Ha! it looks magnifique--superb!" + +The first spoonful produced an expression on Henri's face that needed +not to be interpreted. It was as sour as vinegar. + +"Ye'll ha' to eat it yerself, Dick, lad," cried Joe, throwing down his +spoon, and spitting out the unsavoury mess. + +"Nonsense," cried Dick, bolting two or three mouthfuls, and trying to +look as if he liked it. "Try again; it's not so bad as you think." + +"Ho--o--o--o--o!" cried Henri, after the second mouthful. "'Tis +vinaigre. All de sugare in de pack would not make more sweeter one bite +of it." + +Dick was obliged to confess the dish a failure, so it was thrown out +after having been offered to Crusoe, who gave it one sniff and turned +away in silence. Then they mounted and resumed their journey. + +At this place mosquitoes and horse-flies troubled our hunters and their +steeds a good deal. The latter--especially were very annoying to the +poor horses. They bit them so much that the blood at last came +trickling down their sides. They were troubled also, once or twice, by +cockchafers and locusts, which annoyed them, not indeed by biting, but +by flying blindly against their faces, and often narrowly missed hitting +them in the eyes. Once particularly they were so bad, that Henri in his +wrath opened his lips to pronounce a malediction on the whole race, when +a cockchafer flew straight into his mouth, and, to use his own forcible +expression, "nearly knocked him off de hoss." But these were minor +evils, and scarcely cost the hunters a thought. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +WANDERINGS ON THE PRAIRIE--A WAR-PARTY--CHASED BY INDIANS--A BOLD LEAP +FOR LIFE. + +For many days the three hunters wandered over the trackless prairie in +search of a village of the Sioux Indians, but failed to find one, for +the Indians were in the habit of shifting their ground, and following +the buffalo. Several times they saw small isolated bands of Indians, +but these they carefully avoided, fearing they might turn out to be +war-parties, and if they fell into their hands the white men could not +expect civil treatment, whatever nation the Indians might belong to. + +During the greater portion of this time they met with numerous herds of +buffalo and deer, and were well supplied with food, but they had to cook +it during the day, being afraid to light a fire at night while Indians +were prowling about. + +One night they halted near the bed of a stream which was almost dry. +They had travelled a day and a night without water, and both men and +horses were almost choking, so that when they saw the trees on the +horizon which indicated the presence of a stream, they pushed forward +with almost frantic haste. + +"Hope it's not dry," said Joe anxiously as they galloped up to it. "No, +there's water, lads," and they dashed forward to a pool that had not yet +been dried up. They drank long and eagerly before they noticed that the +pool was strongly impregnated with salt. Many streams in those parts of +the prairies are quite salt, but fortunately this one was not utterly +undrinkable, though it was very unpalatable. + +"We'll make it better, lads," said Joe, digging a deep hole in the sand +with his hands, a little below the pool. In a short time the water +filtered through, and though not rendered fresh, it was, nevertheless, +much improved. + +"We may light a fire to-night, d'ye think?" inquired Dick; "we've not +seed Injuns for some days." + +"Pr'aps 'twould be better not," said Joe, "but I daresay we're safe +enough." + +A fire was therefore lighted in as sheltered a spot as could be found, +and the three friends bivouacked as usual. Towards dawn they were +aroused by an angry growl from Crusoe. + +"It's a wolf likely," said Dick, but all three seized and cocked their +rifles nevertheless. + +Again Crusoe growled more angrily than before, and springing out of the +camp snuffed the breeze anxiously. + +"Up, lads; catch the nags! There's something in the wind, for the dog +niver did that afore." + +In a few seconds the horses were saddled and the packs secured. + +"Call in the dog," whispered Joe Blunt; "if he barks they'll find out +our whereabouts." + +"Here, Crusoe, come--" + +It was too late; the dog barked loudly and savagely at the moment, and a +troop of Indians came coursing over the plain. On hearing the unwonted +sound they wheeled directly and made for the camp. + +"It's a war-party; fly, lads; nothin' 'll save our scalps now but our +horses' heels," cried Joe. + +In a moment they vaulted into the saddle, and urged their steeds forward +at the utmost speed. The savages observed them, and with an exulting +yell dashed after them. Feeling that there was now no need of +concealment, the three horsemen struck off into the open prairie, +intending to depend entirely on the speed and stamina of their horses. +As we have before remarked, they were good ones, but the Indians soon +proved that they were equally well if not better mounted. + +"It'll be a hard run," said Joe in a low, muttering tone, and looking +furtively over his shoulder. "The varmints are mounted on wild horses, +leastways they were wild not long agone. Them chaps can throw the lasso +and trip a mustang as well as a Mexican. Mind the badger holes, Dick. +Hold in a bit, Henri, yer nag don't need drivin'--a foot in a hole just +now would cost us our scalps. Keep down by the creek, lads." + +"Hah! how dey yell," said Henri in a savage tone, looking back, and +shaking his rifle at them--an act that caused them to yell more fiercely +than ever. "Dis old pack-hoss give me moche trobel." + +The pace was now tremendous. Pursuers and pursued rose and sank on the +prairie billows as they swept along, till they came to what is termed a +"dividing ridge," which is a cross wave, as it were, which cuts the +others in two, thus forming a continuous level. Here they advanced more +easily, but the advantage was equally shared with their pursuers, who +continued the headlong pursuit with occasional yells, which served to +show the fugitives that they at least did not gain ground. + +A little to the right of the direction in which they were flying a blue +line was seen on the horizon. This indicated the existence of trees to +Joe's practised eyes; and feeling that if the horses broke down they +could better make a last manful stand in the wood than on the plain he +urged his steed towards it. The savages noticed the movement at once, +and uttered a yell of exultation, for they regarded it as an evidence +that the fugitives doubted the strength of their horses. + +"Ye haven't got us yet," muttered Joe, with a sardonic grin. "If they +get near us, Dick, keep yer eyes open, an' look out for yer neck, else +they'll drop a noose over it; they will, afore ye know they're near, an' +haul ye off like a sack." + +Dick nodded in reply, but did not speak, for at that moment his eye was +fixed on a small creek ahead which they must necessarily leap or dash +across. It was lined with clumps of scattered shrubbery, and he glanced +rapidly for the most suitable place to pass. Joe and Henri did the +same, and having diverged a little to the different points chosen, they +dashed through the shrubbery, and were hid from each other's view. On +approaching the edge of the stream, Dick found to his consternation that +the bank was twenty feet high opposite him, and too wide for any horse +to clear. Wheeling aside without checking speed, at the risk of +throwing his steed, he rode along the margin of the stream for a few +hundred yards until he found a ford--at least such a spot as might be +cleared by a bold leap. The temporary check, however, had enabled an +Indian to gain so close upon his heels, that his exulting yell sounded +close in his ear. + +With a vigorous bound his gallant little horse went over. Crusoe could +not take it, but he rushed down the one bank and up the other, so that +he only lost a few yards. These few yards, however, were sufficient to +bring the Indian close upon him as he cleared the stream at full gallop. +The savage whirled his lasso swiftly round for a second, and in another +moment Crusoe uttered a tremendous roar as he was tripped up violently +on the plain. + +Dick heard the cry of his faithful dog, and turned quickly round, just +in time to see him spring at the horse's throat, and bring both steed +and rider down upon him. Dick's heart leaped to his throat. Had a +thousand savages been rushing on him, he would have flown to the rescue +of his favourite; but an unexpected obstacle came in the way. His fiery +little steed, excited by the headlong race and the howls of the Indians, +had taken the bit in his teeth and was now unmanageable. He tore at the +reins like a maniac, and in the height of his frenzy even raised the +butt of his rifle with the intent to strike the poor horse to the earth, +but his better nature prevailed. He checked the uplifted hand, and with +a groan dropped the reins, and sank almost helplessly forward on the +saddle, for several of the Indians had left the main body and were +pursuing him alone, so that there would have been now no chance of his +reaching the place where Crusoe fell, even if he could have turned his +horse. + +Spiritless, and utterly indifferent to what his fate might be, Dick +Varley rode along with his head drooping, and keeping his seat almost +mechanically, while the mettlesome little steed flew on over wave and +hollow. Gradually he awakened from this state of despair to a sense of +danger. Glancing round he observed that the Indians were now far behind +him, though still pursuing. He also observed that his companions were +galloping miles away on the horizon to the left, and that he had +foolishly allowed the savages to get between him and them. The only +chance that remained for him was to outride his pursuers, and circle +round towards his comrades, and this he hoped to accomplish, for his +little horse had now proved itself to be superior to those of the +Indians, and there was good running in him still. + +Urging him forward, therefore, he soon left the savages still further +behind, and feeling confident that they could not now overtake him, he +reined up and dismounted. The pursuers quickly drew near, but short +though it was, the rest did his horse good. Vaulting into the saddle, +he again stretched out, and now skirted along the margin of a wood which +seemed to mark the position of a river of considerable size. + +At this moment his horse put his foot into a badger hole, and both of +them came heavily to the ground. In an instant Dick rose, picked up his +gun, and leaped unhurt into the saddle. But on urging his poor horse +forward, he found that its shoulder was badly sprained. There was no +room for mercy, however,--life and death were in the balance,--so he +plied the lash vigorously, and the noble steed warmed into something +like a run, when again it stumbled, and fell with a crash on the ground, +while the blood burst from its mouth and nostrils. Dick could hear the +shout of triumph uttered by his pursuers. + +"My poor, poor horse!" he exclaimed, in a tone of the deepest +commiseration, while he stooped and stroked its foam-studded neck. + +The dying steed raised his head for a moment, it almost seemed as if to +acknowledge the tones of affection, then it sank down with a gurgling +groan. + +Dick sprang up, for the Indians were now upon him, and bounded like an +antelope into the thickest of the shrubbery, which was nowhere thick +enough, however, to prevent the Indians following. Still, it +sufficiently retarded them to render the chase a more equal one than +could have been expected. In a few minutes Dick gained a strip of open +ground beyond, and found himself on the bank of a broad river, whose +evidently deep waters rushed impetuously along their unobstructed +channel. The bank at the spot where he reached it was a sheer precipice +of between thirty and forty feet high. Glancing up and down the river +he retreated a few paces, turned round and shook his clenched fist at +the savages, accompanying the action with a shout of defiance, and then +running to the edge of the bank, sprang far out into the boiling flood +and sank. + +The Indians pulled up on reaching the spot. There was no possibility of +galloping down the wood-encumbered banks after the fugitive, but quick +as thought each Red-man leaped to the ground, and fitting an arrow to +his bow, awaited Dick's re-appearance with eager gaze. + +Young though he was, and unskilled in such wild warfare, Dick knew well +enough what sort of reception he would meet with on coming to the +surface, so he kept under water as long as he could, and struck out as +vigorously as the care of his rifle would permit. At last he rose for a +few seconds, and immediately half a dozen arrows whizzed through the +air; but most of them fell short; only one passed close to his cheek, +and went with a "whip" into the river. He immediately sank again, and +the next time he rose to breathe he was far beyond the reach of his +Indian enemies. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +ESCAPE FROM INDIANS--A DISCOVERY--ALONE IN THE DESERT. + +Dick Varley had spent so much of his boyhood in sporting about among the +waters of the rivers and lakes near which he had been reared, and +especially during the last two years had spent so much of his leisure +time in rolling and diving with his dog Crusoe in the lake of the +Mustang Valley, that he had become almost as expert in the water as a +south-sea islander; so that when he found himself whirling down the +rapid river, as already described, he was more impressed with a feeling +of gratitude to God for his escape from the Indians, than anxiety about +getting ashore. + +He was not altogether blind, or indifferent, to the danger into which he +might be hurled if the channel of the river should be found lower down +to be broken with rocks, or should a waterfall unexpectedly appear. +After floating down a sufficient distance to render pursuit out of the +question, he struck in to the bank opposite to that from which he had +plunged, and, clambering up to the green sward above, stripped off the +greater part of his clothing and hung it on the branches of a bush to +dry. Then he sat down on the trunk of a fallen tree to consider what +course he had best pursue in his present circumstances. + +These circumstances were by no means calculated to inspire him with hope +or comfort. He was in the midst of an unknown wilderness, hundreds of +miles from any white man's settlement; surrounded by savages; without +food or blanket; his companions gone, he knew not whither; perhaps taken +and killed by the Indians; his horse dead, and his dog, the most trusty +and loving of all his friends, lost to him, probably, for ever! A more +veteran heart might have quailed in the midst of such accumulated evils, +but Dick Varley possessed a strong, young, and buoyant constitution, +which, united with a hopefulness of disposition that almost nothing +could overcome, enabled him very quickly to cast aside the gloomy view +of his case and turn to its brighter aspects. + +He still grasped his good rifle, that was some comfort, and as his eye +fell upon it, he turned with anxiety to examine into the condition of +his powder-horn and the few things that he had been fortunate enough to +carry away with him about his person. + +The horn in which western hunters carry their powder is usually that of +an ox. It is closed up at the large end with a piece of hard wood +fitted tightly into it, and the small end is closed with a wooden peg or +stopper. It is, therefore, completely water-tight, and may be for hours +immersed without the powder getting wet unless the stopper should chance +to be knocked out. Dick found, to his great satisfaction, that the +stopper was fast, and the powder perfectly dry. Moreover, he had by +good fortune filled it full two days before from the package that +contained the general stock of ammunition, so that there were only two +or three charges out of it. His percussion caps, however, were +completely destroyed, and even though they had not been, it would have +mattered little, for he did not possess more than half a dozen. But +this was not so great a misfortune as at first it might seem, for he had +the spare flint locks and the little screw-driver necessary for fixing +and unfixing them stowed away in his shot pouch. + +To examine his supply of bullets was his next care, and slowly he +counted them out, one by one, to the number of thirty. This was a +pretty fair supply, and with careful economy would last him many days. +Having relieved his mind on these all-important points, he carefully +examined every pouch and corner of his dress to ascertain the exact +amount and value of his wealth. + +Besides the leather-leggings, moccasins, deerskin hunting shirt, cap, +and belt which composed his costume, he had a short heavy hunting-knife, +a piece of tinder, a little tin pannikin, which he had been in the habit +of carrying at his belt, and a large cake of maple sugar. This last is +a species of sugar which is procured by the Indians from the maple-tree. +Several cakes of it had been carried off from the Pawnee village, and +Dick usually carried one in the breast of his coat. Besides these +things, he found that the little Bible, for which his mother had made a +small inside breast pocket, was safe. Dick's heart smote him when he +took it out and undid the clasp, for he had not looked at it until that +day. It was firmly bound with a brass clasp, so that although the +binding and edges of the leaves were soaked, the inside was quite dry. +On opening the book to see if it had been damaged, a small paper fell +out. Picking it up quickly, he unfolded it, and read, in his mother's +handwriting, "_Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will deliver +thee, and thou shalt glorify me. My son, give me thine heart_." + +Dick's eyes filled with tears while the sound, as it were, of his +mother's voice thus reached him unexpectedly in that lonely wilderness. +Like too many whose hearts are young and gay, Dick had regarded +religion, if not as a gloomy, at least as not a cheerful thing. But he +felt the comfort of these words at that moment, and he resolved +seriously to peruse his mother's parting gift in time to come. + +The sun was hot, and a warm breeze gently shook the leaves, so that +Dick's garments were soon dry. A few minutes served to change the locks +of his rifle, draw the wet charges, dry out the barrels, and re-load. +Then, throwing it across his shoulder, he entered the wood, and walked +lightly away. And well he might, poor fellow, for at that moment he +felt light enough in person if not in heart. His worldly goods were not +such as to oppress him, but the little note had turned his thoughts +towards home, and he felt comforted. + +Traversing the belt of woodland that marked the course of the river, +Dick soon emerged on the wide prairie beyond, and here he paused in some +uncertainty as to how he should proceed. + +He was too good a backwoodsman, albeit so young, to feel perplexed as to +the points of the compass. He knew pretty well what hour it was, so +that the sun showed him the general bearings of the country, and he knew +that when night came he could correct his course by the pole star. +Dick's knowledge of astronomy was limited; he knew only one star by +name, but that one was an inestimable treasure of knowledge. His +perplexity was owing to his uncertainty as to the direction in which his +companions and their pursuers had gone, for he had made up his mind to +follow their trail if possible, and render all the succour his single +arm might afford. To desert them, and make for the settlement, he held, +would be a faithless and cowardly act. + +While they were together Joe Blunt had often talked to him about the +route he meant to pursue to the Rocky Mountains, so that, if they had +escaped the Indians, he thought there might be some chance of finding +them at last. But, to set against this, there was the probability that +they had been taken and carried away in a totally different direction, +or they might have taken to the river, as he had done, and gone further +down without his observing them. Then, again, if they had escaped, they +would be sure to return and search the country round for him, so that if +he left the spot he might miss them. + +"Oh, for my dear pup Crusoe!" he exclaimed aloud in this dilemma; but +the faithful ear was shut now, and the deep silence that followed his +cry was so oppressive that the young hunter sprang forward at a run over +the plain, as if to fly from solitude. He soon became so absorbed, +however, in his efforts to find the trail of his companions, that he +forgot all other considerations, and ran straight forward for hours +together, with his eyes eagerly fixed on the ground. At last he felt so +hungry, having tasted no food since supper-time the previous evening, +that he halted for the purpose of eating a morsel of maple sugar. A +line of bushes in the distance indicated water, so he sped on again, and +was soon seated beneath a willow, drinking water from the cool stream. +No game was to be found here; but there were several kinds of berries, +among which wild grapes and plums grew in abundance. With these and +some sugar he made a meal, though not a good one, for the berries were +quite green, and intensely sour. + +All that day Dick Varley followed up the trail of his companions, which +he discovered at a ford in the river. They had crossed, therefore, in +safety, though still pursued, so he ran on at a regular trot, and with a +little more hope than he had felt during the day. Towards night, +however, Dick's heart sank again, for he came upon innumerable buffalo +tracks, among which those of the horses soon became mingled up, so that +he lost them altogether. Hoping to find them again more easily by broad +daylight, he went to the nearest clump of willows he could find, and +encamped for the night. + +Remembering the use formerly made of the tall willows, he set to work to +construct a covering to protect him from the dew. As he had no blanket +or buffalo-skin, he used leaves and grass instead, and found it a better +shelter than he had expected, especially when the fire was lighted, and +a pannikin of hot sugar and water smoked at his feet; but as no game was +to be found, he was again compelled to sup off unripe berries. Before +lying down to rest he remembered his resolution, and, pulling out the +little Bible, read a portion of it by the fitful blaze of the fire, and +felt great comfort in its blessed words. It seemed to him like a friend +with whom he could converse in the midst of his loneliness. + +The plunge into the river having broken Dick's pipe and destroyed his +tobacco, he now felt the want of that luxury very severely, and, never +having wanted it before, he was greatly surprised to find how much he +had become enslaved to the habit. It cost him more than an hour's rest +that night, the craving for his wonted pipe. + +The sagacious reader will doubtless not fail here to ask himself the +question, whether it is wise in man to create in himself an unnatural +and totally unnecessary appetite, which may, and often does, entail +hours--ay, sometimes months--of exceeding discomfort; but we would not +for a moment presume to suggest such a question to him. We have a +distinct objection to the ordinary method of what is called "drawing a +moral." It is much better to leave wise men to do this for themselves. + +Next morning Dick rose with the sun, and started without breakfast, +preferring to take his chance of finding a bird or animal of some kind +before long, to feeding again on sour berries. He was disappointed, +however, in finding the tracks of his companions. The ground here was +hard and sandy, so that little or no impression of a distinct kind was +made on it; and, as buffaloes had traversed it in all directions, he was +soon utterly bewildered. He thought it possible that, by running out +for several miles in a straight line, and then taking a wide circuit +round, he might find the tracks emerging from the confusion made by the +buffaloes. But he was again disappointed, for the buffalo tracks still +continued, and the ground became less capable of showing a footprint. + +Soon Dick began to feel so ill and weak from eating such poor fare, that +he gave up all hope of discovering the tracks, and was compelled to push +forward at his utmost speed in order to reach a less barren district, +where he might procure fresh meat; but the further he advanced the worse +and more sandy did the district become. For several days he pushed on +over this arid waste without seeing bird or beast, and, to add to his +misery, he failed at last to find water. For a day and a night he +wandered about in a burning fever, and his throat so parched that he was +almost suffocated. Towards the close of the second day he saw a slight +line of bushes away down in a hollow on his right. With eager steps he +staggered towards them, and, on drawing near, beheld--blessed sight!--a +stream of water glancing in the beams of the setting sun. + +Dick tried to shout for joy, but his parched throat refused to give +utterance to the voice. It mattered not; exerting all his remaining +strength he rushed down the bank, dropped his rifle, and plunged +head-foremost into the stream. + +The first mouthful sent a thrill of horror to his heart; it was salt as +brine. + +The poor youth's cup of bitterness was now full to overflowing. +Crawling out of the stream, he sank down on the bank in a species of +lethargic torpor, from which he awakened next morning in a raging fever. +Delirium soon rendered him insensible to his sufferings. The sun rose +like a ball of fire, and shone down with scorching power on the arid +plain. What mattered it to Dick? He was far away in the shady groves +of the Mustang Valley, chasing the deer at times, but more frequently +cooling his limbs and sporting with Crusoe in the bright blue lake. Now +he was in his mother's cottage, telling her how he had thought of her +when far away on the prairie, and what a bright, sweet word it was she +had whispered in his ear,--so unexpectedly, too. Anon he was scouring +over the plains on horseback, with the savages at his heels; and at such +times Dick would spring with almost supernatural strength from the +ground, and run madly over the burning plain; but, as if by a species of +fascination, he always returned to the salt river, and sank exhausted by +its side, or plunged helplessly into its waters. + +These sudden immersions usually restored him for a short time to reason, +and he would crawl up the bank and gnaw a morsel of the maple sugar; but +he could not eat much, for it was in a tough, compact cake, which his +jaws had not power to break. All that day and the next night he lay on +the banks of the salt stream, or rushed wildly over the plain. It was +about noon of the second day after his attack that he crept slowly out +of the water, into which he had plunged a few seconds before. His mind +was restored, but he felt an indescribable sensation of weakness, that +seemed to him to be the approach of death. Creeping towards the place +where his rifle lay, he fell exhausted beside it, and laid his cheek on +the Bible, which had fallen out of his pocket there. + +While his eyes were closed in a dreamy sort of half-waking slumber, he +felt the rough, hairy coat of an animal brush against his forehead. The +idea of being torn to pieces by wolves flashed instantly across his +mind, and with a shriek of terror he sprang up,--to be almost +overwhelmed by the caresses of his faithful dog. + +Yes, there he was, bounding round his master, barking and whining, and +giving vent to every possible expression of canine joy. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +CRUSOE'S RETURN AND HIS PRIVATE ADVENTURES AMONG THE INDIANS--DICK AT A +VERY LOW EBB--CRUSOE SAVES HIM. + +The means by which Crusoe managed to escape from his two-legged captors, +and rejoin his master, requires separate and special notice. + +In the struggle with the fallen horse and Indian, which Dick had seen +begun but not concluded, he was almost crushed to death; and the instant +the Indian gained his feet, he sent an arrow at his head with savage +violence. Crusoe, however, had been so well used to dodging the +blunt-headed arrows that were wont to be shot at him by the boys of the +Mustang Valley, that he was quite prepared, and eluded the shaft by an +active bound. Moreover, he uttered one of his own peculiar roars, flew +at the Indian's throat, and dragged him down. At the same moment the +other Indians came up, and one of them turned aside to the rescue. This +man happened to have an old gun, of the cheap sort at that time +exchanged for peltries by the fur-traders. With the butt of this he +struck Crusoe a blow on the head that sent him sprawling on the grass. + +The rest of the savages, as we have seen, continued in pursuit of Dick +until he leaped into the river; then they returned, took the saddle and +bridle off his dead horse, and rejoined their comrades. Here they held +a court-martial on Crusoe, who was now bound, foot and muzzle, with +cords. Some were for killing him; others, who admired his noble +appearance, immense size, and courage, thought it would be well to carry +him to their village and keep him. There was a pretty violent dispute +on the subject; but at length it was agreed that they should spare his +life in the mean time, and perhaps have a dog-dance round him when they +got to their wigwams. + +This dance, of which Crusoe was to be the chief, though passive +performer, is peculiar to some of the tribes east of the Rocky +Mountains, and consists in killing a dog and cutting out its liver, +which is afterwards sliced into shreds or strings and hung on a pole +about the height of a man's head. A band of warriors then come and +dance wildly round this pole, and each one in succession goes up to the +raw liver and bites a piece off it, without, however, putting his hands +near it. Such is the dog-dance, and to such was poor Crusoe destined by +his fierce captors, especially by the one whose throat still bore very +evident marks of his teeth. + +But Crusoe was much too clever a dog to be disposed of in so disgusting +a manner. He had privately resolved in his own mind that he would +escape, but the hopelessness of his ever carrying that resolution into +effect would have been apparent to any one who could have seen the way +in which his muzzle was secured, and his four paws were tied together in +a bunch, as he hung suspended across the saddle of one of the savages! + +This particular party of Indians who had followed Dick Varley determined +not to wait for the return of their comrades who were in pursuit of the +other two hunters, but to go straight home, so for several days they +galloped away over the prairie. At nights, when they encamped, Crusoe +was thrown on the ground like a piece of old lumber, and left to lie +there with a mere scrap of food till morning, when he was again thrown +across the horse of his captor and carried on. When the village was +reached, he was thrown again on the ground, and would certainly have +been torn to pieces in five minutes by the Indian curs which came +howling round him, had not an old woman come to the rescue and driven +them away. With the help of her grandson--a little naked creature, just +able to walk, or rather to stagger--she dragged him to her tent, and, +undoing the line that fastened his mouth, offered him a bone. + +Although lying in a position that was unfavourable for eating purposes, +Crusoe opened his jaws and took it. An awful crash was followed by two +crunches--and it was gone; and Crusoe looked up in the old squaw's face +with a look that said plainly, "Another of the same, please, and as +quick as possible." The old woman gave him another and then a lump of +meat, which latter went down with a gulp--but he coughed after it! and +it was well he didn't choke. After this the squaw left him, and Crusoe +spent the remainder of that night gnawing the cords that bound him. So +diligent was he that he was free before morning and walked deliberately +out of the tent. Then he shook himself, and with a yell that one might +have fancied was intended for defiance, he bounded joyfully away, and +was soon out of sight. + +To a dog with a good appetite which had been on short allowance for +several days, the mouthful given to him by the old squaw was a mere +nothing. All that day he kept bounding over the plain from bluff to +bluff in search of something to eat, but found nothing until dusk, when +he pounced suddenly and most unexpectedly on a prairie-hen fast asleep. +In one moment its life was gone. In less than a minute its body was +gone too--feathers and bones and all--down Crusoe's ravenous throat. + +On the identical spot Crusoe lay down and slept like a top for four +hours. At the end of that time he jumped up, bolted a scrap of skin +that somehow had been overlooked at supper, and flew straight over the +prairie to the spot where he had had the scuffle with the Indian. He +came to the edge of the river, took precisely the same leap that his +master had done before him, and came out on the other side a good deal +higher up than Dick had done, for the dog had no savages to dodge, and +was, as we have said before, a powerful swimmer. + +It cost him a good deal of running about to find the trail, and it was +nearly dark before he resumed his journey; then, putting his keen nose +to the ground, he ran step by step over Dick's track, and at last found +him, as we have shown, on the banks of the Salt Creek. + +It is quite impossible to describe the intense joy which filled Dick's +heart on again beholding his favourite. Only those who have lost and +found such an one can know it. Dick seized him round the neck and +hugged him as well as he could, poor fellow, in his feeble arms; then he +wept, then he laughed, and then he fainted. + +This was a consummation that took Crusoe quite aback! Never having seen +his master in such a state before he seemed to think at first that he +was playing some trick, for he bounded round him, and barked, and wagged +his tail. But as Dick lay quite still and motionless, he went forward +with a look of alarm; snuffed him once or twice and whined piteously; +then he raised his nose in the air and uttered a long melancholy wail. + +The cry seemed to revive Dick, for he moved, and with some difficulty +sat up, to the dog's evident relief. There is no doubt whatever that +Crusoe learned an erroneous lesson that day, and was firmly convinced +thenceforth that the best cure for a fainting-fit is a melancholy yell. +So easy is it for the wisest of dogs as well as men to fall into gross +error! + +"Crusoe," said Dick, in a feeble voice, "dear good pup, come here." He +crawled, as he spoke, down to the water's edge where there was a level +patch of dry sand. + +"Dig," said Dick, pointing to the sand. + +Crusoe looked at him in surprise, as well he might, for he had never +heard the word "dig" in all his life before. + +Dick pondered a minute; then a thought struck him. He turned up a +little of the sand with his fingers, and, pointing to the hole cried, +"_Seek him out, pup_!" + +Ha! Crusoe understood _that_. Many and many a time had he unhoused +rabbits, and squirrels, and other creatures at that word of command, so, +without a moment's delay, he commenced to dig down into the sand, every +now, and then stopping for a moment and shoving in his nose, and +snuffing interrogatively, as if he fully expected to find a buffalo at +the bottom of it. Then he would resume again, one paw after another so +fast that you could scarce see them going "hand over hand" as sailors +would have called it--while the sand flew out between his hind-legs in a +continuous shower. When the sand accumulated so much behind him as to +impede his motions he scraped it out of his way, and set to work again +with tenfold earnestness. After a good while he paused and looked up at +Dick with an "it--won't--do,--I--fear,--there's--nothing--here" +expression on his face. + +"Seek him out, pup!" repeated Dick. + +"Oh! very good," mutely answered the dog, and went at it again, tooth +and nail, harder than ever. + +In the course of a quarter of an hour there was a deep yawning hole in +the sand, into which Dick peered with intense anxiety. The bottom +appeared slightly _damp_. Hope now reanimated Dick Varley, and by +various devices he succeeded in getting the dog to scrape away a sort of +tunnel from the hole, into which he might roll himself and put down his +lips to drink when the water should rise high enough. Impatiently and +anxiously he lay watching the moisture slowly accumulate in the bottom +of the hole, drop by drop, and while he gazed he fell into a troubled, +restless slumber, and dreamed that Crusoe's return was a dream, and that +he was alone again perishing for want of water. + +When he awakened the hole was half full of clear water, and Crusoe was +lapping it greedily. + +"Back, pup!" he shouted, as he crept down to the hole and put his +trembling lips to the water. It was brackish, but drinkable, and as +Dick drank deeply of it he esteemed it at that moment better than +nectar. Here he lay for half an hour alternately drinking and gazing in +surprise at his own emaciated visage as reflected in the pool. + +The same afternoon Crusoe, in a private hunting excursion of his own, +discovered and caught a prairie-hen, which he quietly proceeded to +devour on the spot, when Dick, who saw what had occurred, whistled to +him. + +Obedience was engrained in every fibre of Crusoe's mental and corporeal +being. He did not merely answer at once to the call--he _sprang_ to it, +leaving the prairie-hen untasted. + +"Fetch it, pup," cried Dick eagerly as the dog came up. + +In a few moments the hen was at his feet. Dick's circumstances could +not brook the delay of cookery; he gashed the bird with his knife and +drank the blood, and then gave the flesh to the dog, while he crept to +the pool again for another draught. Ah! think not, reader, that +although we have treated this subject in a slight vein of pleasantry, +because it ended well, that therefore our tale is pure fiction. Not +only are Indians glad to satisfy the urgent cravings of hunger with raw +flesh, but many civilised men and delicately nurtured, have done the +same--ay, and doubtless, will do the same again, as long as enterprising +and fearless men shall go forth to dare the dangers of flood and field +in the wild places of our wonderful world! + +Crusoe had finished his share of the feast before Dick returned from the +pool. Then master and dog lay down together side by side and fell into +a long, deep, peaceful slumber. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +HEALTH AND HAPPINESS RETURN--INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY--A BUFFALO SHOT--A +WILD HORSE "CREASED"--DICK'S BATTLE WITH A MUSTANG. + +Dick Varley's fears and troubles, in the meantime, were ended. On the +day following he awoke refreshed and happy--so happy and light at heart, +as he felt the glow of returning health coursing through his veins, that +he fancied he must have dreamed it all. In fact, he was so certain that +his muscles were strong that he endeavoured to leap up, but was +powerfully convinced of his true condition by the miserable stagger that +resulted from the effort. + +However, he knew he was recovering, so he rose, and thanking God for his +recovery and for the new hope that was raised in his heart, he went down +to the pool and drank deeply of its water. Then he returned, and, +sitting down beside his dog, opened the Bible and read long--and, for +the first time, _earnestly_--the story of Christ's love for sinful man. +He at last fell asleep over the book, and when he awakened felt so much +refreshed in body and mind that he determined to attempt to pursue his +journey. + +He had not proceeded far when he came upon a colony of prairie-dogs. +Upon this occasion he was little inclined to take a humorous view of the +vagaries of these curious little creatures, but he shot one, and, as +before, ate part of it raw. These creatures are so active that they are +difficult to shoot, and even when killed generally fall into their holes +and disappear. Crusoe, however, soon unearthed the dead animal on this +occasion. That night the travellers came to a stream of fresh water, +and Dick killed a turkey, so that he determined to spend a couple of +days there to recruit. At the end of that time he again set out, but +was able only to advance five miles when he broke down. In fact, it +became evident to him that he must have a longer period of absolute +repose ere he could hope to continue his journey, but to do so without +food was impossible. Fortunately there was plenty of water, as his +course lay along the margin of a small stream, and, as the arid piece of +prairie was now behind him, he hoped to fall in with birds, or perhaps +deer, soon. + +While he was plodding heavily and wearily along, pondering these things, +he came to the brow of a wave from which he beheld a most magnificent +view of green grassy plains, decked with flowers, and rolling out to the +horizon, with a stream meandering through it, and clumps of trees +scattered everywhere far and wide. It was a glorious sight; but the +most glorious object in it to Dick, at that time, was a fat buffalo +which stood grazing not a hundred yards off. The wind was blowing +towards him, so that the animal did not scent him, and, as he came up +very slowly, and it was turned away, it did not see him. + +Crusoe would have sprung forward in an instant, but his master's finger +imposed silence and caution. Trembling with eagerness Dick sank flat +down in the grass, cocked both barrels of his piece, and, resting it on +his left hand with his left elbow on the ground, he waited until the +animal should present its side. In a few seconds it moved; Dick's eye +glanced along the barrel, but it trembled--his wonted steadiness of aim +was gone. He fired, and the buffalo sprang off in terror. With a groan +of despair he fired again,--almost recklessly,--and the buffalo fell! +It rose once or twice and stumbled forward a few paces, then it fell +again. Meanwhile Dick re-loaded with trembling hand, and advanced to +give it another shot, but it was not needful, the buffalo was already +dead. + +"Now, Crusoe," said Dick, sitting down on the buffalo's shoulder and +patting his favourite on the head, "we're all right at last. You and I +shall have a jolly time o't, pup, from this time for'ard." + +Dick paused for breath, and Crusoe wagged his tail and looked as if to +say--pshaw! "_as if_!" + +We tell ye what it is, reader, it's of no use at all to go on writing +"as if," when we tell you what Crusoe said. If there is any language in +eyes whatever,--if there is language in a tail; in a cocked ear; in a +mobile eyebrow; in the point of a canine nose;--if there is language in +any terrestrial thing at all, apart from that which flows from the +tongue--then Crusoe _spoke_! Do we not speak at this moment to _you_? +and if so, then tell me, wherein lies the difference between a written +_letter_ and a given _sign_? + +Yes, Crusoe spoke. He said to Dick as plain as dog could say it, slowly +and emphatically, "That's my opinion precisely, Dick. You're the +dearest, most beloved, jolliest fellow that ever walked on two legs, you +are; and whatever's your opinion is mine, no matter _how_ absurd it may +be." + +Dick evidently understood him perfectly, for he laughed as he looked at +him and patted him on the head, and called him a "funny dog." Then he +continued his discourse--"Yes, pup, we'll make our camp here for a long +bit, old dog, in this beautiful plain. We'll make a willow wigwam to +sleep in, you and me, jist in yon clump o' trees, not a stone's throw to +our right, where we'll have a run o' pure water beside us, and be near +our buffalo at the same time. For, ye see, we'll need to watch him lest +the wolves take a notion to eat him--that'll be _your_ duty, pup. Then +I'll skin him when I get strong enough, which'll be in a day or two I +hope, and we'll put one half of the skin below us and t'other half above +us i' the camp, an' sleep, an' eat, an' take it easy for a week or two-- +won't we, pup?" + +"Hoora-a-a-y!" shouted Crusoe, with a jovial wag of his tail, that no +human arm with hat, or cap, or kerchief ever equalled. + +Poor Dick Varley! He smiled to think how earnestly he had been talking +to the dog, but he did not cease to do it, for, although he entered into +discourses, the drift of which Crusoe's limited education did not permit +him to follow, he found comfort in hearing the sound of his own voice, +and in knowing that it fell pleasantly on another ear in that lonely +wilderness. + +Our hero now set about his preparations as vigorously as he could. He +cut out the buffalo's tongue--a matter of great difficulty to one in his +weak state--and carried it to a pleasant spot near to the stream where +the turf was level and green, and decked with wild flowers. Here he +resolved to make his camp. + +His first care was to select a bush whose branches were long enough to +form a canopy over his head when bent, and the ends thrust into the +ground. The completing of this exhausted him greatly, but after a rest +he resumed his labours. The next thing was to light a fire--a comfort +which he had not enjoyed for many weary days. Not that he required it +for warmth, for the weather was extremely warm, but he required it to +cook with, and the mere _sight_ of a blaze in a dark place is a most +heart-cheering thing as every one knows. + +When the fire was lighted he filled his pannikin at the brook and put it +on to boil, and, cutting several slices of buffalo tongue, he thrust +short stakes through them and set them up before the fire to roast. By +this time the water was boiling, so he took it off with difficulty, +nearly burning his fingers and singeing the tail of his coat in so +doing. Into the pannikin he put a lump of maple sugar and stirred it +about with a stick, and tasted it. It seemed to him even better than +tea or coffee. It was absolutely delicious! + +Really one has no notion what he can do if he makes believe _very hard_. +The human mind is a nicely balanced and extremely complex machine, and +when thrown a little off the balance can be made to believe almost +anything, as we see in the case of some poor monomaniacs, who have +fancied that they were made of all sorts of things--glass and porcelain, +and suchlike. No wonder then that poor Dick Varley, after so much +suffering and hardship, came to regard that pannikin of hot syrup as the +most delicious beverage he ever drank. + +During all these operations Crusoe sat on his haunches beside him and +looked. And you haven't--no, you haven't--got the most distant notion +of the way in which that dog manoeuvred with his head and face! He +opened his eyes wide, and cocked his ears, and turned his head first a +little to one side, then a little to the other. After that he turned it +a _good deal_ to one side and then a good deal more to the other. Then +he brought it straight and raised one eyebrow a little, and then the +other a little, and then both together very much. Then, when Dick +paused to rest and did nothing, Crusoe looked mild for a moment, and +yawned vociferously. Presently Dick moved--up went the ears again and +Crusoe came--in military parlance--"to the position of attention!" At +last supper was ready and they began. + +Dick had purposely kept the dog's supper back from him, in order that +they might eat it in company. And between every bite and sup that Dick +took, he gave a bite--but not a sup--to Crusoe. Thus lovingly they ate +together; and, when Dick lay that night under the willow branches +looking up through them at the stars, with his feet to the fire, and +Crusoe close along his side, he thought it the best and sweetest supper +he ever ate, and the happiest evening he ever spent--so wonderfully do +circumstances modify our notions of felicity! + +Two weeks after this "Richard was himself again." The muscles were +springy, and the blood coursed fast and free, as was its wont. Only a +slight, and, perhaps, salutary feeling of weakness remained, to remind +him that young muscles might again become more helpless than those of an +aged man or a child. + +Dick had left his encampment a week ago, and was now advancing by rapid +stages towards the Rocky Mountains, closely following the trail of his +lost comrades, which he had no difficulty in finding and keeping, now +that Crusoe was with him. The skin of the buffalo that he had killed +was now strapped to his shoulders, and the skin of another animal that +he had shot a few days after was cut up into a long line and slung in a +coil round his neck. Crusoe was also laden. He had a little bundle of +meat slung on each side of him. + +For some time past numerous herds of mustangs or wild horses, had +crossed their path, and Dick was now on the look out for a chance to +_crease_ one of those magnificent creatures. + +On one occasion a band of mustangs galloped close up to him before they +were aware of his presence, and stopped short with a wild snort of +surprise on beholding him; then, wheeling round, they dashed away at +full gallop, their long tails and manes flying wildly in the air, and +their hoofs thundering on the plain. Dick did not attempt to crease one +upon this occasion, fearing that his recent illness might have rendered +his hand too unsteady for so extremely delicate an operation. + +In order to crease a wild horse the hunter requires to be a perfect +shot, and it is not every man of the west who carries a rifle that can +do it successfully. Creasing consists in sending a bullet through the +gristle of the mustang's neck, just above the bone, so as to stun the +animal. If the ball enters a hair's-breadth too low, the horse falls +dead instantly. If it hits the exact spot the horse falls as +instantaneously, and dead to all appearance; but, in reality, he is only +stunned, and if left for a few minutes will rise and gallop away nearly +as well as ever. When hunters crease a horse successfully they put a +rope, or halter, round his under jaw, and hobbles round his feet, so +that when he rises he is secured, and, after considerable trouble, +reduced to obedience. + +The mustangs which roam in wild freedom on the prairies of the far west, +are descended from the noble Spanish steeds that were brought over by +the wealthy cavaliers who accompanied Fernando Cortez, the conqueror of +Mexico, in his expedition to the new world in 1518. These bold, and, we +may add, lawless cavaliers, were mounted on the finest horses that could +be procured from Barbary and the deserts of the Old World. The poor +Indians of the New World were struck with amazement and terror at these +awful beings, for, never having seen horses before, they believed that +horse and rider were one animal. During the wars that followed many of +the Spaniards were killed and their steeds bounded into the wilds of the +new country to enjoy a life of unrestrained freedom. These were the +forefathers of the present race of magnificent creatures which are found +in immense droves all over the western wilderness, from the Gulf of +Mexico to the confines of the snowy regions of the far north. + +At first the Indians beheld these horses with awe and terror, but +gradually they became accustomed to them, and finally succeeded in +capturing great numbers and reducing them to a state of servitude. Not, +however, to the service of the cultivated field, but to the service of +the chase and war. The savages soon acquired the method of capturing +wild horses by means of the lasso--as the noose at that end of a long +line of raw hide is termed--which they adroitly threw over the heads of +the animals and secured them, having previously run them down. At the +present day many of the savage tribes of the west almost live upon +horseback, and without these useful creatures they could scarcely +subsist, as they are almost indispensable in the chase of the buffalo. + +Mustangs are regularly taken by the Indians to the settlements of the +white men for trade, but very poor specimens are these of the breed of +wild horses. This arises from two causes. First, the Indian cannot +overtake the finest of a drove of wild mustangs, because his own steed +is inferior to the best among the wild ones, besides being weighted with +a rider, so that only the weak and inferior animals are captured. And, +secondly, when the Indian does succeed in lassoing a first-rate horse he +keeps it for his own use. Thus, those who have not visited the far-off +prairies and seen the mustang in all the glory of untrammelled freedom, +can form no adequate idea of its beauty, fleetness, and strength. + +The horse, however, was not the only creature imported by Cortez. There +were priests in his army who rode upon asses, and, although we cannot +imagine that the "fathers" charged with the cavaliers and were unhorsed, +or, rather, un-assed in battle, yet, somehow, the asses got rid of their +riders and joined the Spanish chargers in their joyous bound into a new +life of freedom. Hence wild asses also are found in the western +prairies. But think not, reader, of those poor miserable wretches we +see at home, which seem little better than rough door-mats sewed up and +stuffed; with head, tail, and legs attached, and just enough of life +infused to make them move! No, the wild ass of the prairie is a large, +powerful, swift creature. He has the same long ears, it is true, and +the same hideous, exasperating bray, and the same tendency to flourish +his heels; but, for all that he is a very fine animal, and often wages +_successful_ warfare with the wild horse! + +But to return. The next drove of mustangs that Dick and Crusoe saw were +feeding quietly and unsuspectingly in a rich green hollow in the plain. +Dick's heart leaped up as his eyes suddenly fell on them, for he had +almost discovered himself before he was aware of their presence. + +"Down, pup!" he whispered, as he sank and disappeared among the grass +which was just long enough to cover him when lying quite flat. + +Crusoe crouched immediately, and his master made his observations of the +drove, and the dispositions of the ground that might favour his +approach, for they were not within rifle range. Having done so he crept +slowly back until the undulation of the prairie hid him from view; then +he sprang to his feet, and ran a considerable distance along the bottom +until he gained the extreme end of a belt of low bushes, which would +effectually conceal him while he approached to within a hundred yards or +less of the troop. + +Here he made his arrangements. Throwing down his buffalo robe, he took +the coil of line and cut off a piece of about three yards in length. On +this he made a running noose. The longer line he also prepared with a +running noose. These he threw in a coil over his arm. + +He also made a pair of hobbles and placed them in the breast of his +coat, and then, taking up his rifle, advanced cautiously through the +bushes--Crusoe following close behind him. In a few minutes he was +gazing in admiration at the mustangs which were now within easy shot, +and utterly ignorant of the presence of man, for Dick had taken care to +approach in such a way that the wind did not carry the scent of him in +their direction. + +And well might he admire them. The wild horse of these regions is not +very large, but it is exceedingly powerful, with prominent eye, sharp +nose, distended nostril, small feet, and a delicate leg. Their +beautiful manes hung at great length down their arched necks, and their +thick tails swept the ground. One magnificent fellow in particular +attracted Dick's attention. It was of a rich dark brown colour, with +black mane and tail, and seemed to be the leader of the drove. + +Although not the nearest to him, he resolved to crease this horse. It +is said that creasing generally destroys or damages the spirit of the +horse, so Dick determined to try whether his powers of close shooting +would not serve him on this occasion. Going down on one knee he aimed +at the creature's neck, just a hair-breadth above the spot where he had +been told that hunters usually hit them, and fired. The effect upon the +group was absolutely tremendous. With wild cries and snorting terror +they tossed their proud heads in the air, uncertain for one moment in +which direction to fly; then there was a rush as if a hurricane swept +over the place, and they were gone. + +But the brown horse was down. Dick did not wait until the others had +fled. He dropped his rifle, and with the speed of a deer, sprang +towards the fallen horse, and affixed the hobbles to his legs. His aim +had been true. Although scarcely half a minute elapsed between the shot +and the fixing of the hobbles the animal recovered, and with a frantic +exertion rose on his haunches, just as Dick had fastened the noose of +the short line in his under jaw. But this was not enough. If the horse +had gained his feet before the longer line was placed round his neck, he +would have escaped. As the mustang made the second violent plunge that +placed it on its legs, Dick flung the noose hastily; it caught on one +ear, and would have fallen off, had not the horse suddenly shaken its +head, and unwittingly sealed its own fate by bringing the noose round +its neck. + +And now the struggle began. Dick knew well enough, from hearsay, the +method of "breaking down" a wild horse. He knew that the Indians choke +them with the noose round the neck until they fall down exhausted and +covered with foam, when they creep up, fix the hobbles and the line in +the lower jaw, and then loosen the lasso to let the horse breathe, and +resume its plungings till it is almost subdued, when they gradually draw +near and breathe into its nostrils. But the violence and strength of +this animal rendered this an apparently hopeless task. We have already +seen that the hobbles and noose in the lower jaw had been fixed, so that +Dick had nothing now to do but to choke his captive, and tire him out, +while Crusoe remained a quiet, though excited spectator of the scene. + +But there seemed to be no possibility of choking this horse. Either the +muscles of his neck were too strong, or there was something wrong with +the noose which prevented it from acting, for the furious creature +dashed and bounded backwards and sidewise in its terror for nearly an +hour, dragging Dick after it, till he was almost exhausted, and yet, at +the end of that time, although flecked with foam and panting with +terror, it seemed as strong as ever. Dick held both lines, for the +short one attached to its lower jaw gave him great power over it. At +last he thought of seeking assistance from his dog. + +"Crusoe," he cried, "lay hold, pup." + +The dog seized the long line in his teeth, and pulled with all his +might. At the some moment Dick let go the short line and threw all his +weight upon the long one. The noose tightened suddenly under this +strain, and the mustang, with a gasp, fell choking to the ground. + +Dick had often heard of the manner in which the Mexicans "break" their +horses, so he determined to abandon the method which had already almost +worn him out, and adopt the other, as far as the means in his power +rendered it possible. Instead, therefore, of loosening the lasso and +re-commencing the struggle, he tore a branch from a neighbouring bush, +cut the hobbles, strode with his legs across the fallen steed, seized +the end of the short line or bridle, and then, ordering Crusoe to quit +his hold, he loosened the noose which compressed the horse's neck, and +had already well-nigh terminated its existence. + +One or two deep sobs restored it, and in a moment it leaped to its feet +with Dick firmly on its back! To say that the animal leaped and kicked +in its frantic efforts to throw this intolerable burden would be a tame +manner of expressing what took place. Words cannot adequately describe +the scene. It reared, plunged, shrieked, vaulted into the air, stood +straight up on its hind-legs, and then almost as straight upon its fore +ones, but its rider held on like a burr. Then the mustang raced wildly +forwards a few paces, then as wildly back, and then stood still and +trembled violently. But this was only a brief lull in the storm, so +Dick saw that the time was now come to assert the superiority of his +race. + +"Stay back, Crusoe, and watch my rifle, pup," he cried, and, raising his +heavy switch he brought it down with a sharp cut across the horse's +flank, at the same time loosening the rein which hitherto he had held +tight. + +The wild horse uttered a passionate cry, and sprang forward like the +bolt from a cross-bow. + +And now commenced a race, which, if not as prolonged, was at least as +furious as that of the far-famed Mazeppa. Dick was a splendid rider, +however,--at least as far as "sticking on" goes. He might not have come +up to the precise pitch desiderated by a riding-master in regard to +carriage, etcetera, but he rode that wild horse of the prairie with as +much ease as he had formerly ridden his own good steed, whose bones had +been picked by the wolves not long ago. + +The pace was tremendous, for the youth's weight was nothing to that +muscular frame which bounded with cat-like agility from wave to wave of +the undulating plain in ungovernable terror. In a few minutes the clump +of willows where Crusoe and his rifle lay were out of sight behind, but +it mattered not, for Dick had looked up at the sky and noted the +position of the sun at the moment of starting. Away they went on the +wings of the wind, mile after mile over the ocean-like waste--curving +slightly aside now and then to avoid the bluffs that occasionally +appeared on the scene for a few minutes and then swept out of sight +behind them. Then they came to a little rivulet; it was a mere brook of +a few feet wide, and two or three yards, perhaps, from bank to bank. +Over this they flew, so easily that the spring was scarcely felt, and +continued the headlong course. And now a more barren country was around +them. Sandy ridges and scrubby grass appeared everywhere, reminding +Dick of the place where he had been so ill. Rocks, too were scattered +about, and at one place the horse dashed with clattering hoofs between a +couple of rocky sand-hills which, for a few seconds, hid the prairie +from view. Here the mustang suddenly shied with such violence that his +rider was nearly thrown, while a rattlesnake darted from the path. Soon +they emerged from this pass, and again the plains became green and +verdant. Presently a distant line of trees showed that they were +approaching water, and in a few minutes they were close on it. For the +first time Dick felt alarm; he sought to check his steed, but no force +he could exert had the smallest influence on it. + +Trees and bushes flew past in bewildering confusion; the river was +before him; what width, he could not tell, but he was reckless now, like +his charger, which he struck with the willow rod with all his force as +they came up. One tremendous bound, and they were across, but Dick had +to lie flat on the mustang's back as it crashed through the bushes to +avoid being scraped off by the trees. Again they were on the open +plain, and the wild horse began to show signs of exhaustion. + +Now was its rider's opportunity to assert his dominion. He plied the +willow rod and urged the panting horse on, until it was white with foam +and laboured a little in its gait. Then Dick gently drew the halter, +and it broke into a trot; still tighter--and it walked--and in another +minute stood still, trembling in every limb. Dick now quietly rubbed +its neck, and spoke to it in soothing tones, then he wheeled it gently +round and urged it forward. It was quite subdued and docile. In a +little time they came to the river and forded it, after which they went +through the belt of woodland at a walk. By the time they reached the +open prairie, the mustang was recovered sufficiently to feel its spirit +returning, so Dick gave it a gentle touch with the switch, and away they +went on their return journey. + +But it amazed Dick not a little to find how long that journey was. Very +different was the pace, too, from the previous mad gallop, and often +would the poor horse have stopped had Dick allowed him. But this might +not be. The shades of night were approaching, and the camp lay a long +way ahead. + +At last it was reached, and Crusoe came out with great demonstrations of +joy, but was sent back lest he should alarm the horse. Then Dick jumped +off his back, stroked his head, put his cheek close to his mouth, and +whispered softly to him, after which he fastened him to a tree and +rubbed him down slightly with a bunch of grass. Having done this, he +left him to graze as far as his tether would permit, and, after supping +with Crusoe, lay down to rest, not a little elated with his success in +this first attempt at "creasing" and "breaking" a mustang. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +DICK BECOMES A HORSE TAMER--RESUMES HIS JOURNEY--CHARLIE'S DOINGS-- +MISFORTUNES WHICH LEAD TO, BUT DO NOT TERMINATE IN, THE ROCKY +MOUNTAINS--A GRIZZLY BEAR. + +There is a proverb--or a saying--or at least somebody or book has told +us, that some Irishman once said--"Be aisy, or, if ye can't be aisy, be +as aisy as ye can." + +Now, we count that good advice, and strongly recommend it to all and +sundry. Had we been at the side of Dick Varley on the night after his +taming of the wild horse, we would have strongly urged that advice upon +him. Whether he would have listened to it or not is quite another +question--we rather think not. Reader, if you wish to know why, go and +do what he did, and if you feel no curious sensations about the region +of the loins after it, we will tell you why Dick Varley wouldn't have +listened to that advice. Can a man feel as if his joints were wrenched +out of their sockets, and listen to advice--be that advice good or bad? +Can he feel as though these joints were trying to re-set and +re-dislocate themselves perpetually--and listen to advice? Can he feel +as if he were sitting down on red-hot iron, when he's not sitting down +at all--and listen to advice? Can he--but no! why pursue the subject? +Poor Dick spent that night in misery, and the greater part of the +following day in sleep, to make up for it. + +When he got up to breakfast in the afternoon, he felt much better, but +shaky. + +"Now, pup," he said, stretching himself, "we'll go and see our horse. +_Ours_, pup; yours and mine: didn't you help to catch him, eh! pup?" + +Crusoe acknowledged the fact with a wag, and a playful +"bow-wow-wow-oo-ow!" and followed his master to the place where the +horse had been picketted. It was standing there quite quiet, but +looking a little timid. + +Dick went boldly up to it, and patted its head and stroked its nose, for +nothing is so likely to alarm either a tame or a wild horse as any +appearance of timidity or hesitation on the part of those who approach +them. + +After treating it thus for a short time, he stroked down its neck, and +then its shoulders--the horse eyeing him all the time nervously. +Gradually he stroked its back and limbs gently, and walked quietly round +and round it once or twice, sometimes approaching and sometimes going +away, but never either hesitating or doing anything abruptly. This +done, he went down to the stream and filled his cap with water and +carried it to the horse, which snuffed suspiciously and backed a little, +so he laid the cap down, and went up and patted him again. Presently he +took up the cap and carried it to his nose; the poor creature was almost +choking with thirst, so that, the moment he understood what was in the +cap, he buried his lips in it and sucked it up. + +This was a great point gained, he had accepted a benefit at the hands of +his new master; he had become a debtor to man, and no doubt he felt the +obligation. Dick filled the cap, and the horse emptied it again, and +again, and again, until its burning thirst was slaked. Then Dick went +up to his shoulder, patted him, undid the line that fastened him, and +vaulted lightly on his back! + +We say _lightly_, for it was so, but it wasn't _easily_, as Dick could +have told you! However, he was determined not to forego the training of +his steed on account of what _he_ would have called a "little bit pain." + +At this unexpected act the horse plunged and reared a good deal, and +seemed inclined to go through the performance of the day before over +again, but Dick patted and stroked him into quiescence, and having done +so, urged him into a gallop over the plains, causing the dog to gambol +round in order that he might get accustomed to him. This tried his +nerves a good deal, and no wonder, for if he took Crusoe for a wolf, +which no doubt he did, he must have thought him a very giant of the +pack. + +By degrees they broke into a furious gallop, and after breathing him +well, Dick returned and tied him to the tree. Then he rubbed him down +again, and gave him another drink. This time the horse smelt his new +master all over, and Dick felt that he had conquered him by kindness. +No doubt the tremendous run of the day before could scarcely be called +kindness, but without this subduing run he never could have brought the +offices of kindness to bear on so wild a steed. + +During all these operations Crusoe sat looking on with demure sagacity-- +drinking in wisdom and taking notes. We know not whether any notes made +by the canine race have ever been given to the world, but certain are we +that, if the notes and observations made by Crusoe on that journey were +published, they would--to say the least--surprise us! + +Next day Dick gave the wild horse his second lesson, and his name. He +called him "Charlie," after a much loved companion in the Mustang +Valley. And long and heartily did Dick Varley laugh as he told the +horse his future designation in the presence of Crusoe, for it struck +him as somewhat ludicrous that a mustang, which, two days ago, pawed the +earth in all the pride of independent freedom, should suddenly come down +so low as to carry a hunter on his back and be named Charlie! + +The next piece of instruction began by Crusoe being led up under +Charlie's nose, and while Dick patted the dog with his right hand he +patted the horse with his left. It backed a good deal at first and +snorted, but Crusoe walked slowly and quietly in front of him several +times, each time coming nearer, until he again stood under his nose, +then the horse smelt him nervously, and gave a sigh of relief when he +found that Crusoe paid no attention to him whatever. Dick then ordered +the dog to lie down at Charlie's feet, and went to the camp to fetch his +rifle, and buffalo robe, and pack of meat. These and all the other +things belonging to him were presented for inspection, one by one, to +the horse, who arched his neck, and put forward his ears, and eyed them +at first, but smelt them all over, and seemed to feel more easy in his +mind. + +Next, the buffalo robe was rubbed over his nose, then over his eyes and +head, then down his neck and shoulder, and lastly was placed on his +back. Then it was taken off and _flung_ on; after that it was strapped +on, and the various little items of the camp were attached to it. This +done, Dick took up his rifle and let him smell it; then he put his hand +on Charlie's shoulder, vaulted on to his back, and rode away. + +Charlie's education was completed; and now our hero's journey began +again in earnest, and with some prospect of its speedy termination. + +In this course of training through which Dick put his wild horse, he had +been at much greater pains and had taken far longer time than is usually +the case among the Indians, who will catch, and "break," and ride a wild +horse into camp in less than _three hours_. But Dick wanted to do the +thing well, which the Indians are not careful to do; besides, it must be +borne in remembrance that this was his first attempt, and that his horse +was one of the best and most high spirited, while those caught by the +Indians, as we have said, are generally the poorest of a drove. + +Dick now followed the trail of his lost companions at a rapid pace, yet +not so rapidly as he might have done; being averse to exhausting his +good dog and his new companion. Each night he encamped under the shade +of a tree or a bush when he could find one, or in the open prairie when +there were none, and, picketting his horse to a short stake or pin which +he carried with him for the purpose, lit his fire, had supper, and lay +down to rest. In a few days Charlie became so tame and so accustomed to +his master's voice that he seemed quite reconciled to his new life. +There can be no doubt whatever that he had a great dislike to solitude, +for on one occasion, when Dick and Crusoe went off a mile or so from the +camp where Charlie was tied, and disappeared from his view, he was heard +to neigh so loudly that Dick ran back thinking the wolves must have +attacked him. He was all right, however, and exhibited evident tokens +of satisfaction when they returned. + +On another occasion his fear of being left alone was more clearly +demonstrated. + +Dick had been unable to find wood or water that day, so he was obliged +to encamp upon the open plain. The want of water was not seriously +felt, however, for he had prepared a bladder in which he always carried +enough to give him one pannikin of hot syrup, and leave a mouthful for +Crusoe and Charlie. Dried buffalo dung formed a substitute for fuel. +Spreading his buffalo robe, he lit his fire, put on his pannikin to +boil, and stuck up a piece of meat to roast, to the great delight of +Crusoe, who sat looking on with much interest. + +Suddenly Charlie, who was picketted a few hundred yards off in a grassy +spot, broke his halter close by the head-piece, and with a snort of +delight bounded away, prancing and kicking up his heels! + +Dick heaved a deep sigh, for he felt sure that his horse was gone. +However, in a little Charlie stopped, and raised his nose high in the +air, as if to look for his old equine companions. But they were gone; +no answering neigh replied to his; and he felt, probably for the first +time, that he was really alone in the world. Having no power of smell, +whereby he might have traced them out as the dog would have done, he +looked in a bewildered and excited state all round the horizon. Then +his eye fell on Dick and Crusoe sitting by their little fire. Charlie +looked hard at them, and then again at the horizon; and then, coming to +the conclusion, no doubt, that the matter was quite beyond his +comprehension, he quietly took to feeding. + +Dick availed himself of the chance, and tried to catch him; but he spent +an hour with Crusoe in the vain attempt, and at last they gave it up in +disgust and returned to the fire, where they finished their supper and +went to bed. + +Next morning they saw Charlie feeding close at hand; so they took +breakfast, and tried to catch him again. But it was of no use; he was +evidently coquetting with them, and dodged about and defied their utmost +efforts, for there was only a few inches of line hanging to his head. +At last it occurred to Dick that he would try the experiment of +forsaking him. So he packed up his things, rolled up the buffalo robe, +threw it and the rifle on his shoulder, and walked deliberately away. + +"Come along, Crusoe!" he cried, after walking a few paces. + +But Crusoe stood by the fire with his head up, and an expression on his +face that said, "Hello, man! what's wrong? You've forgot Charlie! Hold +on! Are you mad?" + +"Come here, Crusoe!" cried his master in a decided tone. + +Crusoe obeyed at once. Whatever mistake there might be, there was +evidently none in that command; so he lowered his head and tail humbly, +and trotted on with his master; but he perpetually turned his head as he +went, first on this side and then on that, to look and wonder at +Charlie. + +When they were far away on the plain, Charlie suddenly became aware that +something was wrong. He trotted to the brow of a slope with his head +and tail very high up indeed, and looked after them; then he looked at +the fire and neighed; then he trotted quickly up to it, and, seeing that +everything was gone, he began to neigh violently, and at last started +off at full speed, and overtook his friends, passing within a few feet +of them, and wheeling round a few yards off, stood trembling like an +aspen leaf. + +Dick called him by his name and advanced, while Charlie met him +half-way, and allowed himself to be saddled, bridled, and mounted +forthwith. + +After this Dick had no further trouble with his wild horse. + +At his next camping-place, which was in the midst of a cluster of bushes +close beside a creek, Dick came unexpectedly upon a little wooden cross, +which marked the head of a grave. There was no inscription on it, but +the Christian symbol told that it was the grave of a white man. It is +impossible to describe the rush of mingled feelings that filled the soul +of the young hunter as he leaned on the muzzle of his rifle and looked +at this solitary resting-place of one who, doubtless like himself, had +been a roving hunter. Had he been young or old when he fell?--had he a +mother in the distant settlement, who watched, and longed, and waited +for the son that was never more to gladden her eyes?--had he been +murdered, or had he died there and been buried by his sorrowing +comrades? These and a thousand questions passed rapidly through his +mind as he gazed at the little cross. + +Suddenly he started. "Could it be the grave of Joe or Henri?" For an +instant the idea sent a chill to his heart; but it passed quickly, for a +second glance showed that the grave was old, and that the wooden cross +had stood over it for years. + +Dick turned away with a saddened heart; and that night, as he pored over +the pages of his Bible, his mind was filled with many thoughts about +eternity and the world to come. He, too, must come to the grave one +day, and quit the beautiful prairies and his loved rifle. It was a sad +thought; but while he meditated he thought upon his mother. "After +all," he murmured, "there must be happiness _without_ the rifle, and +youth, and health, and the prairie! My mother's happy, yet she don't +shoot, or ride like wildfire over the plains." Then that word which had +been sent so sweetly to him through her hand came again to his mind, "My +son, give me thine heart;" and as he read God's book, he met with the +word, "Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of +thine heart." + +"The _desire of thine heart_." Dick repeated this, and pondered it till +he fell asleep. + +A misfortune soon after this befell Dick Varley, which well-nigh caused +him to give way to despair. For some time past he had been approaching +the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains--those ragged, jagged, mighty +hills, which run through the whole continent from north to south in a +continuous chain, and form, as it were, the backbone of America. One +morning, as he threw the buffalo robe off his shoulders and sat up, he +was horrified to find the whole earth covered with a mantle of snow. We +say he was horrified, for this rendered it absolutely impossible any +further to trace his companions either by scent or sight. + +For some time he sat musing bitterly on his sad fate, while his dog came +and laid his head sympathisingly on his arm. + +"Ah! pup," he said, "I know ye'd help me if ye could! But it's all up +now; there's no chance of findin' them--none." + +To this Crusoe replied by a low whine. He knew full well that something +distressed his master, but he hadn't yet ascertained what it was. As +something had to be done, Dick put the buffalo robe on his steed, and, +mounting, said, as he was in the habit of doing each morning, "Lead on, +pup." + +Crusoe put his nose to the ground and ran forward a few paces, then he +returned and ran about snuffing and scraping up the snow. At last he +looked up, and uttered a long melancholy howl. + +"Ah! I knowed it," said Dick, pushing forward. "Come on, pup, you'll +have to _follow_ now. Any way we must go on." + +The snow that had fallen was not deep enough to offer the slightest +obstruction to their advance. It was, indeed, only one of those +occasional showers common to that part of the country in the late +autumn, which season had now crept upon Dick almost before he was aware +of it, and he fully expected that it would melt away in a few days. In +this hope he kept steadily advancing, until he found himself in the +midst of those rocky fastnesses which divide the waters that flow into +the Atlantic from those that flow into the Pacific Ocean. Still the +slight crust of snow lay on the ground, and he had no means of knowing +whether he was going in the right direction or not. + +Game was abundant, and there was no lack of wood now, so that his night +bivouac was not so cold or dreary as might have been expected. + +Travelling, however, had become difficult, and even dangerous, owing to +the rugged nature of the ground over which he proceeded. The scenery +had completely changed in its character. Dick no longer coursed over +the free, open plains, but he passed through beautiful valleys filled +with luxuriant trees, and hemmed in by stupendous mountains, whose +rugged sides rose upward until the snow-clad peaks pierced the clouds. + +There was something awful in these dark solitudes, quite overwhelming to +a youth of Dick's temperament; his heart began to sink lower and lower +every day, and the utter impossibility of making up his mind what to do +became at length agonising. To have turned and gone back the hundreds +of miles over which he had travelled would have caused him some anxiety +under any circumstances, but to do so while Joe and Henri were either +wandering about there or in the power of the savages, was, he felt, out +of the question. Yet, in which way should he go? Whatever course he +took might lead him further and further away from them. + +In this dilemma he came to the determination of remaining where he was, +at least until the snow should leave the ground. + +He felt great relief even when this hopeless course was decided upon, +and set about making himself an encampment with some degree of +cheerfulness. When he had completed this task, he took his rifle, and +leaving Charlie picketted in the centre of a dell, where the long, rich +grass rose high above the snow, went off to hunt. + +On turning a rocky point his heart suddenly bounded into his throat, for +there, not thirty yards distant, stood a huge grizzly bear! + +Yes, there he was at last, the monster to meet which the young hunter +had so often longed,--the terrible size and fierceness of which he had +heard so often spoken about by the old hunters. There it stood at last; +but little did Dick Varley think that the first time he should meet with +his foe should be when alone in the dark recesses of the Rocky +Mountains, and with none to succour him in the event of the battle going +against him. Yes! there was one. The faithful Crusoe stood by his +side, with his hair bristling, all his formidable teeth exposed, and his +eyes glaring in their sockets. Alas! for poor Crusoe, had he gone into +that combat alone. One stroke of that monster's paw would have hurled +him dead upon the ground. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +DICK'S FIRST FIGHT WITH A GRIZZLY--ADVENTURE WITH A DEER--A SURPRISE. + +There is no animal in all the land so terrible and dangerous as the +grizzly bear. Not only is he the largest of the species in America, but +he is the fiercest, the strongest, and the most tenacious of life, facts +which are so well understood that few of the western hunters like to +meet him single-handed, unless they happen to be first-rate shots; and +the Indians deem the encounter so dangerous, that to wear a collar +composed of the claws of a grizzly bear of his own killing, is counted +one of the highest honours to which a young warrior can attain. + +The grizzly bear resembles the brown bear of Europe, but it is larger, +and the hair is long, the points being of a paler shade. About the head +there is a considerable mixture of grey hair, giving it the "grizzly" +appearance, from which it derives its name. The claws are dirty white, +arched, and very long, and so strong that when the animal strikes with +its paw they cut like a chisel. These claws are not embedded in the +paw, as is the case with the cat, but always project far beyond the +hair, thus giving to the foot a very ungainly appearance; they are not +sufficiently curved to enable the grizzly bear to climb trees, like the +black and brown bears, and this inability on their part is often the +only hope of the pursued hunter, who, if he succeeds in ascending a +tree, is safe, for the time at least, from the bear's assaults; but +"Caleb" is a patient creature, and will often wait at the foot of the +tree for many hours for his victim. + +The average length of his body is about nine feet, but he sometimes +attains to a still larger growth. Caleb is more carnivorous in his +habits than other bears; but, like them, he does not object to indulge +occasionally in vegetable diet, being partial to the bird-cherry, the +choke-berry, and various shrubs. He has a sweet tooth, too, and revels +in honey--when he can get it. + +The instant the grizzly bear beheld Dick Varley standing in his path, he +rose on his hind-legs, and made a loud hissing noise, like a man +breathing quick, but much harsher. To this Crusoe replied by a deep +growl, and showing the utmost extent of his teeth, gums and all; and +Dick cocked both barrels of his rifle. + +To say that Dick Varley felt no fear would be simply to make him out +that sort of hero which does not exist in nature, namely a _perfect_ +hero. He _did_ feel a sensation as if his bowels had suddenly melted +into water! Let not our reader think the worse of Dick for this. There +is not a man living who, having met with a huge grizzly bear for the +first time in his life, in a wild, solitary place, all alone, has not +experienced some such sensation. There was no cowardice in this +feeling. Fear is not cowardice. Acting in a wrong and contemptible +manner because of our fear, is cowardice. + +It is said that Wellington or Napoleon, we forget which, once stood +watching the muster of the men who were to form the forlorn hope in +storming a citadel. There were many brave, strong, stalwart men there, +in the prime of life, and flushed with the blood of high health and +courage. There were also there a few stern-browed men of riper years, +who stood perfectly silent, with lips compressed, and as pale as death. +"Yonder veterans," said the general, pointing to these soldiers, "are +men whose courage I can depend on; they _know_ what they are going to, +the others _don't_!" Yes, these young soldiers _very probably_ were +brave; the others _certainly_ were. + +Dick Varley stood for a few seconds as if thunderstruck, while the bear +stood hissing at him. Then the liquefaction of his interior ceased, and +he felt a glow of fire gush through his veins. Now, Dick knew well +enough that to fly from a grizzly bear was the sure and certain way of +being torn to pieces, as when taken thus by surprise they almost +invariably follow a retreating enemy. He also knew that if he stood +where he was, perfectly still, the bear would, get uncomfortable under +his stare, and would retreat from him. But he neither intended to run +away himself nor to allow the bear to do so; he intended to kill it, so +he raised his rifle quickly, "drew a bead," as the hunters express it, +on the bear's heart, and fired. + +It immediately dropped on its fore-legs and rushed at him. + +"Back, Crusoe, out of the way, pup," shouted Dick, as his favourite was +about to spring forward. + +The dog retired, and Dick leaped behind a tree. As the bear passed he +gave it the contents of the second barrel behind the shoulder, which +brought it down, but in another moment it rose and again rushed at him. +Dick had no time to load, neither had he time to spring up the thick +tree beside which he stood, and the rocky nature of the ground out of +which it grew rendered it impossible to dodge round it. His only +resource was flight; but where was he to fly to? If he ran along the +open track, the bear would overtake him in a few seconds; on the right +was a sheer precipice, a hundred feet high; on the left was an +impenetrable thicket. In despair he thought for an instant of clubbing +his rifle and meeting the monster in close conflict; but the utter +hopelessness of such an effort was too apparent to be entertained for a +moment. He glanced up at the overhanging cliffs. There were one or two +rents and projections close above him. In the twinkling of an eye he +sprang up and grasped a ledge of about an inch broad, ten or twelve feet +up, to which he clung while he glanced upward. Another projection was +within reach,--he gained it, and in a few seconds he stood upon a ledge +about twenty feet up the cliff, where he had just room to plant his feet +firmly. + +Without waiting to look behind he seized his powder-horn and loaded one +barrel of his rifle; and well was it for him that his early training had +fitted him to do this with rapidity, for the bear dashed up the +precipice after him at once. The first time it missed its hold, and +fell back with a savage growl, but, on the second attempt, it sunk its +long claws into the fissures between the rocks, and ascended steadily +till within a foot of the place where Dick stood. + +At this moment Crusoe's obedience gave way before a sense of Dick's +danger. Uttering one of his lion-like roars, he rushed up the precipice +with such violence that, although naturally unable to climb, he reached +and seized the bear's flank, despite his master's stern order to "keep +back," and in a moment the two rolled down the face of the rock +together, just as Dick completed loading. + +Knowing that one stroke of the bear's paw would be certain death to his +poor dog, Dick leaped from his perch, and, with one bound reached the +ground at the same moment with the struggling animals, and close beside +them, and, before they had ceased rolling, he placed the muzzle of his +rifle into the bear's ear, and blew out its brains. + +Crusoe, strange to say, escaped with only one scratch on the side. It +was a deep one, but not dangerous, and gave him but little pain at the +time, although it caused him many a smart for some weeks after. + +Thus happily ended Dick's first encounter with a grizzly bear; and +although, in the course of his wild life he shot many specimens of +"Caleb," he used to say that "he an' pup were never so near goin' under +as on the day he dropped _that_ bar!" + +Having refreshed himself with a long draught from a neighbouring +rivulet, and washed Crusoe's wound, Dick skinned the bear on the spot. + +"We chawed him up that time, didn't we, pup?" said Dick, with a smile of +satisfaction, as he surveyed his prize. + +Crusoe looked up and assented to this. + +"Gave us a hard tussle, though; very nigh sent us both under, didn't he, +pup!" + +Crusoe agreed entirely, and, as if the remark reminded him of honourable +scars, he licked his wound. + +"Ah, pup!" cried Dick, sympathetically, "does it hurt ye, eh, poor dog?" + +Hurt him! such a question! No, he should think not; better ask if that +leap from the precipice hurt yourself. + +So Crusoe might have said, but he didn't; he took no notice of the +remark whatever. + +"We'll cut him up now, pup," continued Dick. "The skin 'll make a +splendid bed for you an me o' nights, and a saddle for Charlie." + +Dick cut out all the claws of the bear by the roots, and spent the +remainder of that night in cleaning them and stringing them on a strip +of leather to form a necklace. Independently of the value of these +enormous claws (the largest as long as a man's middle finger) as an +evidence of prowess, they formed a remarkably graceful collar, which +Dick wore round his neck ever after with as much pride as if he had been +a Pawnee warrior. + +When it was finished he held it out at arm's length, and said, "Crusoe, +my pup, ain't ye proud of it? I'll tell ye what it is, pup, the next +time you an' I floor Caleb, I'll put the claws round _your_ neck, an' +make ye wear 'em ever arter, so I will." + +The dog did not seem quite to appreciate this piece of prospective good +fortune. Vanity had no place in his honest breast, and, sooth to say, +it had not a large place in that of his master either, as we may well +grant when we consider that this first display of it was on the occasion +of his hunter's soul having at last realised its brightest day-dream. + +Dick's dangers and triumphs seemed to accumulate on him rather thickly +at this place, for on the very next day he had a narrow escape of being +killed by a deer. The way of it was this. + +Having run short of meat, and not being particularly fond of grizzly +bear steak, he shouldered his rifle and sallied forth in quest of game, +accompanied by Crusoe, whose frequent glances towards his wounded side +showed that, whatever may have been the case the day before, it "hurt" +him now. + +They had not gone far when they came on the track of a deer in the snow, +and followed it up till they spied a magnificent buck about three +hundred yards off, standing in a level patch of ground which was +everywhere surrounded either by rocks or thicket. It was a long shot; +but as the nature of the ground rendered it impossible for Dick to get +nearer without being seen, he fired, and wounded the buck so badly that +he came up with it in a few minutes. The snow had drifted in the place +where it stood bolt upright, ready for a spring, so Dick went round a +little way, Crusoe following, till he was in a proper position to fire +again. Just as he pulled the trigger, Crusoe gave a howl behind him, +and disturbed his aim, so that he feared he had missed; but the deer +fell, and he hurried towards it. On coming up, however, the buck sprang +to its legs, rushed at him with its hair bristling, knocked him down in +the snow, and deliberately commenced stamping him to death. + +Dick was stunned for a moment, and lay quite still, so the deer left off +pommelling him, and stood looking at him. But the instant he moved it +plunged at him again and gave him another pounding, until he was content +to lie still. This was done several times, and Dick felt his strength +going fast. He was surprised that Crusoe did not come to his rescue, +and once he cleared his mouth and whistled to him; but as the deer gave +him another pounding for this, he didn't attempt it again. He now for +the first time bethought him of his knife, and quietly drew it from his +belt; but the deer observed the motion, and was on him again in a +moment. Dick, however, sprang up on his left elbow, and, making several +desperate thrusts upward, succeeded in stabbing the animal to the heart. + +Rising and shaking the snow from his garments, he whistled loudly to +Crusoe, and, on listening, heard him whining piteously. He hurried to +the place whence the sound came, and found that the poor dog had fallen +into a deep pit or crevice in the rocks, which had been concealed from +view by a crust of snow, and he was now making frantic but unavailing +efforts to leap out. + +Dick soon freed him from his prison by means of his belt, which he let +down for the dog to grasp, and then returned to camp with as much +deer-meat as he could carry. Dear meat it certainly was to him, for it +had nearly cost him his life, and left him all black and blue for weeks +after. Happily no bones were broken, so the incident only confined him +a day to his encampment. + +Soon after this the snow fell thicker than ever, and it became evident +that an unusually early winter was about to set in among the mountains. +This was a terrible calamity, for, if the regular snow of winter set in, +it would be impossible for him either to advance or retreat. + +While he was sitting on his bear-skin by the campfire one day, thinking +anxiously what he should do, and feeling that he must either make the +attempt to escape, or perish miserably in that secluded spot, a strange, +unwonted sound struck upon his ear, and caused both him and Crusoe to +spring violently to their feet and listen. Could he be dreaming? it +seemed like the sound of human voices. For a moment he stood with his +eyes rivetted on the ground, his lips apart and his nostrils distended, +as he listened with the utmost intensity. Then he darted out and +bounded round the edge of a rock which concealed an extensive but narrow +valley from his view, and there, to his amazement, he beheld a band of +about a hundred human beings advancing on horseback slowly through the +snow! + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +A SURPRISE AND A PIECE OF GOOD NEWS--THE FUR-TRADERS--CRUSOE PROVED, AND +THE PEIGANS PURSUED. + +Dick's first and most natural impulse, on beholding this band, was to +mount his horse and fly, for his mind naturally enough recurred to the +former rough treatment he had experienced at the hands of Indians. On +second thoughts, however, he considered it wiser to throw himself upon +the hospitality of the strangers; "for," thought he, "they can but kill +me, an' if I remain here I'm like to die at any rate." + +So Dick mounted his wild horse, grasped his rifle in his right hand, +and, followed by Crusoe, galloped full tilt down the valley to meet +them. + +He had heard enough of the customs of savage tribes, and had also of +late experienced enough, to convince him that when a man found himself +in the midst of an overwhelming force, his best policy was to assume an +air of confident courage. He therefore approached them at his utmost +speed. + +The effect upon the advancing band was electrical; and little wonder, +for the young hunter's appearance was very striking. His horse, from +having rested a good deal of late, was full of spirit; its neck was +arched, its nostrils expanded, and its mane and tail, never having been +checked in their growth, flew wildly around him in voluminous curls. +Dick's own hair, not having been clipped for many months, appeared +scarcely less wild as they thundered down the rocky pass at what +appeared a break-neck gallop. Add to this the grandeur of the scene out +of which they sprang, and the gigantic dog that bounded by his side, and +you will not be surprised to hear that the Indian warriors clustered +together, and prepared to receive this bold horseman as if he, in his +own proper person, were a complete squadron of cavalry. It is probable, +also, that they fully expected the tribe of which Dick was the chief to +be at his heels. + +As he drew near the excitement among the strangers seemed very great, +and, from the peculiarity of the various cries that reached him, he knew +that there were women and children in the band--a fact which, in such a +place and at such a season, was so unnatural, that it surprised him very +much. He noted also that, though the men in front were Indians, their +dresses were those of trappers and hunters, and he almost leaped out of +his saddle when he observed that "_Pale-faces_" were among them. But he +had barely time to note these facts when he was up with the band. +According to Indian custom, he did not check his speed till he was +within four or five yards of the advance-guard, who stood in a line +before him, quite still, and with their rifles lying loosely in their +left palms; then he reined his steed almost on _its_ haunches. + +One of the Indians advanced and spoke a few words in a language which +was quite unintelligible to Dick, who replied, in the little Pawnee he +could muster, that he didn't understand him. + +"Why, you must be a trapper!" exclaimed a thick-set, middle-aged man, +riding out from the group. "Can you speak English?" + +"Ay, that can I," cried Dick, joyfully, riding up and shaking the +stranger heartily by the hand; "an' right glad am I to fall in wi' a +white-skin an' a civil tongue in his head." + +"Good sooth, sir," replied the stranger, with a quiet smile on his kind, +weather-beaten face, "I can return you the compliment, for when I saw +you come thundering down the corrie with that wonderful horse and no +less wonderful dog of yours, I thought you were the wild man o' the +mountain himself, and had an ambush ready to back you. But, young man, +do you mean to say that you live here in the mountain all alone after +this fashion?" + +"No, that I don't. I've comed here in my travels; but, truly, this +bean't my home. But, sir (for I see you are what the fur-traders call a +bourgeois), how comes it that such a band as this rides i' the +mountains! D'ye mean to say that _they_ live here?" Dick looked round +in surprise, as he spoke, upon the crowd of mounted men and women, with +children and pack-horses, that now surrounded him. + +"'Tis a fair question, lad. I am a principal among the fur-traders +whose chief trading-post lies near the Pacific Ocean, on the west side +of these mountains, and I have come with these trappers and their +families, as you see, to hunt the beaver and other animals for a season +in the mountains. We've never been here before; but that's a matter of +little moment, for it's not the first time I've been on what may be +called a discovery-trading expedition. We are somewhat entangled, +however, just now, among these wild passes, and, if you can guide us out +of our difficulties to the east side of the mountains, I'll thank you +heartily and pay you well. But first tell me who and what you are, if +it's a fair question." + +"My name is Dick Varley, and my home's in the Mustang Valley, near the +Missouri river. As to _what_ I am--I'm nothin' yet, but I hope to +desarve the name o' a hunter some day. I can guide you to the east side +o' the mountains, for I've comed from there; but more than that I can't +do, for I'm a stranger to the country here, like yourself. But you're +on the east side o' the mountains already, if I mistake not; only these +mountains are so rugged and jumbled up, that it's not easy tellin' where +ye are. And what," continued Dick, "may be the name o' the bourgeois +who speaks to me?" + +"My name is Cameron--Walter Cameron--a well-known name among the +Scottish hills, although it sounds a little strange here. And now, +young man, will you join my party as guide, and afterwards remain as +trapper? It will pay you better, I think, than roving about alone." + +Dick shook his head and looked grave. "I'll guide you," said he, "as +far as my knowledge 'll help me; but after that I must return to look +for two comrades whom I have lost. They have been driven into the +mountains by a band of Injuns. God grant they may not have bin +scalped." + +The trader's face looked troubled, and he spoke with one of his Indians +for a few minutes in earnest, hurried tones. + +"What were they like, young man?" + +Dick described them. + +"The same," continued the trader; "they've been seen, lad, not more than +two days ago, by this Indian here, when he was out hunting alone some +miles away from our camp. He came suddenly on a band of Indians, who +had two prisoners with them, such as you describe. They were stout, +said you?" + +"Yes, both of them," cried Dick, listening with intense eagerness. + +"Ay. They were tied to their horses, an' from what I know of these +fellows I'm sure they're doomed. But I'll help you, my friend, as well +as I can. They can't be far from this. I treated my Indian's story +about them as a mere fabrication, for he's the most notorious liar in my +company; but he seems to have spoken truth for once." + +"Thanks, thanks, good sir," cried Dick. "Had we not best turn back and +follow them at once?" + +"Nay, friend, not quite so fast," replied Cameron, pointing to his +people. "These must be provided for first, but I shall be ready before +the sun goes down. And now, as I presume you don't bivouac in the snow, +will you kindly conduct us to your encampment, if it be not far hence?" + +Although burning with impatience to fly to the rescue of his friends, +Dick felt constrained to comply with so reasonable a request, so he led +the way to his camping-place, where the band of fur-traders immediately +began to pitch their tents, cut down wood, kindle fires, fill their +kettles with water, cook their food, and, in fact, make themselves +comfortable. The wild spot which, an hour before, had been so still, +and grand, and gloomy, was now, as if by magic, transformed into a +bustling village, with bright fires blazing among the rocks and bushes, +and merry voices of men, women, and children ringing in the air. It +seemed almost incredible, and no wonder Dick, in his bewilderment, had +difficulty in believing it was not all a dream. + +In days long gone by the fur-trade in that country was carried on in a +very different way from the manner in which it is now conducted. These +wild regions, indeed, are still as lonesome and untenanted (save by wild +beasts and wandering tribes of Indians), as they were then; but the +Indians of the present day have become accustomed to the "pale-faced" +trader, whose little wooden forts or trading-posts are dotted here and +there, at wide intervals, all over the land. But in the days of which +we write it was not so. The fur-traders at that time went forth in +armed bands into the heart of the Indians' country, and he who went +forth did so "with his life in his hand." As in the case of the soldier +who went out to battle, there was great probability that he might never +return. + +The band of which Walter Cameron was the chief had, many months before, +started from one of the distant posts of Oregon on a hunting expedition +into the then totally unknown lands of the Snake Indians. It consisted +of about sixty men, thirty women, and as many children of various +ages,--about a hundred and twenty souls in all. Many of the boys were +capable of using the gun and setting a beaver-trap. The men were a most +motley set. There were Canadians, half-breeds, Iroquois, and Scotchmen. +Most of the women had Indian blood in their veins, and a few were pure +Indians. + +The equipment of this strange band consisted of upwards of two hundred +beaver-traps--which are similar to our rat-traps, with this difference, +that they have two springs and no teeth--seventy guns, a few articles +for trade with the Indians, and a large supply of powder and ball; the +whole--men, women, children, goods, and chattels--being carried on the +backs of nearly four hundred horses. Many of these horses, at starting, +were not laden, being designed for the transport of furs that were to be +taken in the course of the season. + +For food this adventurous party depended entirely on their guns, and +during the march hunters were kept constantly out ahead. As a matter of +course their living was precarious. Sometimes their kettles were +overflowing; at others they scarce refrained from eating their horses. +But, during the months they had already spent in the wilderness, good +living had been the rule, starvation the exception. They had already +collected a large quantity of beaver-skins, which at that time were +among the most valuable in the market, although they are now scarcely +saleable! + +Having shot two wild horses, seven elks, six small deer, and four +big-horned sheep, the day before they met Dick Varley, the camp-kettles +were full, and the people consequently happy. + +"Now, Master Dick Varley," said Cameron, touching the young hunter on +the shoulder as he stood ready equipped by one of the campfires; "I'm at +your service. The people won't need any more looking after to-night. +I'll divide my men--thirty shall go after this rascally band of Peigans, +for such I believe they are, and thirty shall remain to guard the camp. +Are you ready?" + +"Ready! ay, this hour past." + +"Mount then, lad; the men have already been told off and are mustering +down yonder where the deer gave you such a licking." + +Dick needed no second bidding. He vaulted on Charlie's back and along +with their commander joined the men, who were thirty as fine, hardy, +reckless-looking fellows as one could desire for a forlorn hope. They +were chatting and laughing while they examined their guns and saddle +girths. Their horses were sorry-looking animals compared with the +magnificent creature that Dick bestrode, but they were hardy, +nevertheless, and well fitted for their peculiar work. + +"My! wot a blazer," exclaimed a trapper as Dick rode up. + +"Where you git him?" inquired a half-breed. + +"I caught him," answered Dick. + +"Baw!" cried the first speaker. + +Dick took no notice of this last remark. + +"No, did ye though?" he asked again. + +"I did," answered Dick, quietly; "I creased him in the prairie--you can +see the mark on his neck if you look." + +The men began to feel that the young hunter was perhaps a little beyond +them at their own trade, and regarded him with increased respect. + +"Look sharp now, lads," said Cameron, impatiently, to several dilatory +members of the band. "Night will be on us ere long." + +"Who sold ye the bear-claw collar?" inquired another man of Dick. + +"I didn't buy it. I killed the bear and made it." + +"Did ye, though, all be yer lone?" + +"Ay, that wasn't much, was it?" + +"You've begun well, yonker," said a tall middle-aged hunter, whose +general appearance was not unlike that of Joe Blunt. "Jest keep clear +o' the Injuns an' the grog bottle an' ye've a glor'ous life before ye." + +At this point the conversation was interrupted by the order being given +to move on, which was obeyed in silence, and the cavalcade, descending +the valley, entered one of the gorges in the mountains. + +For the first half mile Cameron rode a little ahead of his men, then he +turned to speak to one of them and for the first time observed Crusoe +trotting close beside his master's horse. + +"Ah! Master Dick," he exclaimed with a troubled expression, "that won't +do. It would never do to take a dog on an expedition like this." + +"Why not?" asked Dick, "the pup's quiet and peaceable." + +"I doubt it not, but he will betray our presence to the Indians, which +might be inconvenient." + +"I've travelled more than a thousand miles through prairie and forest, +among game an' among Injuns, an' the pup never betrayed me yet," said +Dick, with suppressed vehemence; "he has saved my life more than once +though." + +"You seem to have perfect confidence in your dog, but as this is a +serious matter you must not expect me to share in it without proof of +his trustworthiness." + +"The pup may be useful to us; how would you have it proved?" inquired +Dick. + +"Any way you like." + +"You forgot your belt at starting, I think I heered ye say." + +"Yes, I did," replied the trader, smiling. + +Dick immediately took hold of Cameron's coat, and bade Crusoe smell it, +which the dog did very carefully. Then he showed him his own belt and +said: "Go back to the camp and fetch it, pup." + +Crusoe was off in a moment, and in less than twenty minutes returned +with Cameron's belt in his mouth. + +"Well, I'll trust him," said Cameron, patting Crusoe's head. "Forward, +lads!" and away they went at a brisk trot along the bottom of a +beautiful valley on each side of which the mountains towered in dark +masses. Soon the moon rose and afforded light sufficient to enable them +to travel all night in the track of the Indian hunter who said he had +seen the Peigans, and who was constituted guide to the party. Hour +after hour the horsemen pressed on without check, now galloping over a +level plain, now bounding by the banks of a rivulet, or bending their +heads to escape the boughs of overhanging trees, and anon toiling slowly +up among the rocks of some narrow defile. At last the moon set, and the +order was given to halt in a little plain where there was wood and +water. + +The horses were picketted, a fire kindled, a mouthful of dried meat +hastily eaten, the watch was set, and then each man scraped away the +snow, spread some branches on the ground, and, wrapping himself in his +blanket, went to sleep with his feet presented towards the fire. + +Two hours were allowed for rest; then they were awakened, and in a few +minutes were off again by the grey light of dawn. In this way they +travelled two nights and a day. At the end of that time they came +suddenly on a small party of nine Indians who were seated on the ground +with their snow-shoes and blankets by their sides. They had evidently +been taken by surprise, but they made no attempt to escape, knowing that +it was useless. Each sat still with his bow and arrows between his legs +on the ground ready for instant use. + +As soon as Cameron spoke, however, in their own language they felt +relieved and began to talk. + +"Where do you come from, and what are you doing here?" asked the trader. + +"We have come to trade with the white men," one of them replied, "and to +hunt. We have come from the Missouri. Our country is far away." + +"Do Peigans hunt with _war-arrows_?" asked Cameron, pointing to their +weapons. + +This question seemed to perplex them, for they saw that their +interrogator knew the difference between a war and a hunting arrow--the +former being barbed in order to render its extraction from the wound +difficult, while the head of the latter is round and can be drawn out of +game that has been killed, and used again. + +"And do Peigans," continued Cameron, "come from a far country to trade +with the white men _with nothing_?" + +Again the Indians were silent, for they had not an article of trade +about them. + +Cameron now felt convinced that this party of Peigans, into whose hands +Joe Blunt and Henri had fallen, were nothing else than a war-party, and +that the men now before him were a scouting-party sent out from them, +probably to spy out his own camp, on the trail of which they had fallen, +so he said to them-- + +"The Peigans are not wise men, they tell lies to the traders. I will +tell you that you are a war-party, and that you are only a few warriors +sent out to spy the traders' camp. You have also two _Pale-face_ +prisoners in your camp. You cannot deceive me. It is useless to try. +Now, conduct me to your camp. My object is not war; it is peace. I +will speak with your chiefs about trading with the white men, and we +will smoke the pipe of peace. Are my words good?" + +Despite their proverbial control of muscle, these Indians could not +conceal their astonishment at hearing so much of their affairs thus laid +bare, so they said that the Pale-face chief was wise, that he must be a +great medicine-man, and that what he said was all true except about the +white men. They had never seen any Pale-faces, and knew nothing +whatever about those he spoke of. + +This was a terrible piece of news to poor Dick, and at first his heart +fairly sank within him, but by degrees he came to be more hopeful. He +concluded that if these men told lies in regard to one thing they would +do it in regard to another, and perhaps they might have some strong +reason for denying any knowledge of Joe and Henri. + +The Indians now packed up the buffalo robes on which they had slept, and +the mouthful of provisions they had taken with them. + +"I don't believe a word of what they say about your friends," said +Cameron to Dick in a low tone while the Indians were thus engaged. +"Depend upon it they hope to hide them till they can send to the +settlements and get a ransom, or till they get an opportunity of +torturing them to death before their women and children when they get +back to their own village. But we'll baulk them, my friend, do not +fear." + +The Indians were soon ready to start, for they were lumbered with +marvellously little camp equipage. In less than half an hour after +their discovery they were running like deer ahead of the cavalcade in +the direction of the Peigan camp. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +ADVENTURES WITH THE PEIGANS--CRUSOE DOES GOOD SERVICE AS A DISCOVERER-- +THE SAVAGES OUTWITTED--THE RESCUE. + +A run of twenty miles brought the travellers to a rugged defile in the +mountains, from which they had a view of a beautiful valley of +considerable extent. During the last two days a steady thaw had been +rapidly melting away the snow, so that it appeared only here and there +in the landscape in dazzling patches. At the distance of about half a +mile from where they halted to breathe the horses before commencing the +descent into this vale, several thin wreaths of smoke were seen rising +above the trees. + +"Is that your camp?" inquired Cameron, riding up to the Indian runners +who stood in a group in front, looking as fresh after their twenty +miles' run as though they had only had a short walk. + +To this they answered in the affirmative, adding that there were about +two hundred Peigans there. + +It might have been thought that thirty men would have hesitated to +venture to attack so large a number as two hundred; but it had always +been found in the experience of Indian life, that a few resolute white +men well armed were more than a match for ten times their number of +Indians. And this arose not so much from the superior strength or +agility of the whites over their red foes, as from that bull-dog courage +and utter recklessness of their lives in combat,--qualities which the +crafty savage can neither imitate nor understand. The information was +received with perfect indifference by most of the trappers, and with +contemptuous laughter by some, for a large number of Cameron's men were +wild, evil-disposed fellows, who would have as gladly taken the life of +an Indian as a buffalo. + +Just as the word was given to resume the march, Dick Varley rode up to +Cameron, and said in a somewhat anxious tone--"D'ye obsarve, sir, that +one o' the Red-skins has gone off ahead o' his comrades?" + +"I see that, Master Dick, and it was a mistake of mine not to have +stopped him, but he was gone too far before I observed it, and I thought +it better to appear unconcerned. We must push on, though, and give him +as short time as possible to talk with his comrades in the camp." + +The trappers pressed forward accordingly at a gallop, and were soon in +front of the clump of trees amongst which the Peigans were encamped. +Their approach had evidently spread great alarm among them, for there +was a good deal of bustle and running to and fro, but by the time the +trappers had dismounted and advanced in a body on foot, the savages had +resumed their usual quiet dignity of appearance, and were seated calmly +round their fires with their bows and arrows beside them. There were no +tents, no women or children, and the general aspect of the men showed +Cameron conclusively that his surmise about their being a war-party was +correct. + +A council was immediately called; the trappers ranged themselves on one +side of the council-fire and the Indians on the other. Meanwhile, our +friend Crusoe had been displaying considerable irritability against the +Indians, and he would certainly have attacked the whole two hundred +single-handed if he had not been ordered by his master to lie still, but +never in his life before had Crusoe obeyed with such a bad grace. He +bristled and whined in a low tremulous tone, and looked imploringly at +Dick as if for permission to fly at them. + +"The Pale-faced traders are glad to meet with the Peigans," began +Cameron, who determined to make no allusion to his knowledge that they +were a war-party, "for they wish to be friends with all the children of +the woods and prairies. They wish to trade with them; to exchange +blankets, and guns, and beads, and other goods which the Peigans +require, for furs of animals which the Pale-faces require." + +"Ho! ho!" exclaimed the Indians; which expression might be translated, +"Hear, hear." + +"But," continued Cameron, "we wish to have no war. We wish to see the +hatchet buried, and to see all the Red-men and the white men smoking the +pipe of peace, and hunting like brothers." + +The "Ho-ho-ing" at this was very emphatic. + +"Now," resumed the trader, "the Peigans have got two prisoners--two +Pale-faces--in their camp, and, as we cannot be on good terms while our +brothers are detained, we have come to ask for them, and to _present +some gifts_ to the Peigans." + +To this there was no "Ho" at all, but a prolonged silence, which was at +length interrupted by a tall chief stepping forward to address the +trappers. + +"What the Pale-face chief has said is good," began the Indian. "His +words are wise, and his heart is not double. The Red-men are willing to +smoke the pipe of peace, and to hunt with all men as brothers, but they +cannot do it while many of their scalps are hanging in the lodges of +their enemies and fringing the robes of the warriors. The Peigans must +have vengeance; then they will make peace." + +After a short pause he continued--"The chief is wrong when he says there +are Pale-faces in the Peigan camp. The Peigans are not at war with the +Pale-faces; neither have they seen any on their march. The camp is +open. Let the Pale-faces look round and see that what we say is true." + +The chief waved his hand towards his warriors as he concluded, as if to +say, "Search amongst them. There are no Pale-faces there." + +Cameron now spoke to Dick in a low tone. "They speak confidently," he +said, "and I fear greatly that your poor comrades have either been +killed or conveyed away from the camp and hidden among the mountains, in +which case, even though they should not be far off, it would be next to +impossible to find them, especially when such a band o' rascals is near, +compelling us to keep together. But I'll try what a little tempting +them with goods will do. At any rate we shan't give in without a +scuffle." + +It now, for the first time, flashed across Dick Varley that there was +something more than he imagined in Crusoe's restless anxiety, which had +not in the least abated, and the idea of making use of him now occurred +to his mind. + +"I've a notion that I'll settle this matter in a shorter time than you +think," he said hurriedly, "if you'll agree to try what _threatening_ +will do." + +The trader looked grave and undecided. "I never resort to that except +as a last hope," he answered, "but I've a good deal of confidence in +your prudence, what would you advise?" + +Dick and the trader whispered a few minutes together, while some of the +men, in order to show the Indians how perfectly unconcerned they were, +and how ready for _anything_, took out their pipes and began to smoke. +Both parties were seated on the ground, and during this interval the +Indians also held eager discussion. + +At length Cameron stood up, and said to his men in a quiet tone, "Be +ready, lads, for instant action; when I give the word `Up,' spring to +your feet and cock your guns, but _don't fire a shot till you get the +word_." He then stepped forward and said-- + +"The Peigan warriors are double-tongued; they know that they have hid +the Pale-face prisoners. We do not wish to quarrel, but if they are not +delivered up at once, the Pale-faces and the Peigans will not be +friends." + +Upon this the Indian chief again stood forward and said, "The Peigans +are _not_ double-tongued. They have not seen Pale-faces till to-day. +They can say no more." + +Without moving hand or foot, Cameron then said in a firm tone, "The +first Peigan that moves shall die! Up, lads, and ready!" + +In the twinkling of an eye the trappers sprang to their feet, and +cocking their rifles stood perfectly motionless, scowling at the +savages, who were completely taken by surprise at the unusual suddenness +and informality of such a declaration of war. Not a man moved, for, +unlike white men, they seldom risk their lives in open fight; and as +they looked at the formidable row of muzzles that waited but a word to +send instant death into their midst, they felt that discretion was at +that time the better part of valour. + +"Now," said Cameron, while Dick Varley and Crusoe stepped up beside him, +"my young warrior will search for the Pale-face prisoners. If they are +found, we will take them and go away. If they are not found, we will +ask the Peigans to forgive us, and will give them gifts. But in the +meantime, if a Peigan moves from the spot where he sits, or lifts a bow, +my young men shall fire, and the Peigans know that the rifle of the +Pale-face always kills." + +Without waiting for an answer, Dick immediately said, "Seek 'em out, +pup," and Crusoe bounded away. + +For a few minutes he sprang hither and thither through the camp, quite +regardless of the Indians, and snuffed the air several times, whining in +an excited tone, as if to relieve his feelings. Then he put his nose to +the ground and ran straight forward into the woods. Dick immediately +bounded after him like a deer, while the trappers kept silent guard over +the savages. + +For some time Crusoe ran straight forward. Then he came to a spot where +there was a good deal of drifted snow on the ground. Here he seemed to +lose the trail for a little, and ran about in all directions, whining in +a most piteous tone. + +"Seek 'em out, pup," repeated Dick encouragingly, while his own breast +heaved with excitement and expectation. + +In a few seconds the dog resumed its onward course, and led the way into +a wild, dark spot, which was so overshadowed by trees and precipitous +cliffs that the light of the sun scarce found entrance. There were many +huge masses of rock scattered over the ground, which had fallen from the +cliffs. Behind one of these lay a mound of dried leaves, towards which +Crusoe darted and commenced scraping violently. + +Trembling with dread that he should find this to be the grave of his +murdered companions, Dick rushed forward and hastily cleared away the +leaves. The first handful thrown off revealed part of the figure of a +man. Dick's heart beat audibly as he cleared the leaves from the face, +and he uttered a suppressed cry on beholding the well-known features of +Joe Blunt! But they were not those of a dead man. Joe's eyes met his +with a scowl of anger, which instantly gave place to one of intense +surprise. + +"Joe Blunt!" exclaimed Dick in a voice of intense amazement, while +Crusoe sniffed round the heap of leaves, and whined with excitement. +But Joe did not move, neither did he speak a word in reply--for the very +good reasons that his mouth was tightly bound with a band of leather, +his hands and feet were tied, and his whole body was secured in a rigid, +immovable position by being bound to a pole of about his own length. + +In a moment Dick's knife was out, bands and cords were severed, and Joe +Blunt was free. + +"Thank God," exclaimed Joe with a deep, earnest sigh, the instant his +lips were loosened, "and thanks to _you_, lad," he added, endeavouring +to rise, but his limbs had become so benumbed in consequence of the +cords by which they had been compressed that for some time he could not +move. + +"I'll rub ye, Joe--I'll soon rub ye into a right state," said Dick, +going down on his knees. + +"No, no, lad, look sharp and dig up Henri. He's just beside me here." + +Dick immediately rose, and, pushing aside the heap of leaves, found +Henri securely bound in the same fashion. But he could scarce refrain +from laughing at the expression of that worthy's face. Hearing the +voices of Joe and Dick Varley in conversation, though unable to see +their persons, he was filled with such unbounded amazement that his +eyes, when uncovered, were found to be at their largest possible +stretch, and as for the eyebrows, they were gone, utterly lost among the +roots of his voluminous hair. + +"Henri, friend, I knew I should find ye," said Dick, cutting the thongs +that bound him. "Get up if ye can, we haven't much time to lose, an' +mayhap we'll have to fight afore we're done wi' the Red-skins. Can ye +rise?" + +Henri could do nothing but lie on his back and gasp, "Eh! possible! mon +frere! Oh, non, non, _not_ possible. Oui! my broder Deek!" + +Here he attempted to rise, but, being unable, fell back again, and the +whole thing came so suddenly, and made so deep an impression on his +impulsive mind, that he incontinently burst into tears; then he burst +into a long laugh. Suddenly he paused, and, scrambling up to a sitting +posture, looked earnestly into Dick's face through his tearful eyes. + +"Oh, non, non!" he exclaimed, stretching himself out at full length +again, and closing his eyes; "it are too goot to be true. I am dream. +I vill wait till I am wake." + +Dick roused him out of this resolute sleep, however, somewhat roughly. +Meanwhile Joe had rubbed and kicked himself into a state of animation, +exclaiming that he felt as if he wos walkin' on a thousand needles and +pins, and in a few minutes they were ready to accompany their overjoyed +deliverer back to the Peigan camp. Crusoe testified his delight in +various elephantine gambols round the persons of his old friends, who +were not slow to acknowledge his services. + +"They haven't treated us overly well," remarked Joe Blunt, as they +strode through the underwood. + +"Non, de rascale, vraiment, de am villains. Oui! How de have talk, +too, 'bout--oh-o-oo-ooo-wah!--roastin' us alive, an' puttin' our scalp +in de vigvam for de poopoose to play wid!" + +"Well, niver mind, Henri, we'll be quits wi' them now," said Joe, as +they came in sight of the two bands, who remained in precisely the same +position in which they had been left, except that one or two of the more +reckless of the trappers had lit their pipes and taken to smoking, +without, however, laying down their rifles or taking their eyes off the +savages. + +A loud cheer greeted the arrival of the prisoners, and looks of +considerable discomfort began to be evinced by the Indians. + +"Glad to see you, friends," said Cameron, as they came up. + +"Ve is 'appy ov de same," replied Henri, swaggering up in the joviality +of his heart, and seizing the trader's hand in his own enormous fist. +"Shall ve go to york an' slay dem all at vonce, or von at a time?" + +"We'll consider that afterwards, my lad. Meantime go you to the rear, +and get a weapon of some sort." + +"Oui. Ah! c'est charmant," he cried, going with an immense flounder +into the midst of the amused trappers, and slapping those next to him on +the back. "Give me veapon, do, mes ami--gun, pistol, anyting--cannon, +if you have von." + +Meanwhile Cameron and Joe spoke together for a few moments. + +"You had goods with you, and horses, I believe, when you were captured," +said the former. + +"Ay, that we had. Yonder stand the horses under the pine-tree, along +wi' the rest o' the Red-skin troop, an a hard time they've had o't, as +their bones may tell without speakin'. As for the goods," he continued, +glancing round the camp, "I don't know where--ah! yes, there they be in +the old pack. I see all safe." + +Cameron now addressed the Indians. + +"The Peigans," he said, "have not done well. Their hearts have not been +true to the Pale-faces. Even now I could take your scalps where you +sit; but white men do not like war, they do not like revenge. The +Peigans may go free." + +Considering the fewness of their numbers, this was bold language to use +towards the Indians; but the boldest is generally the best policy on +such occasions. Moreover, Cameron felt that, being armed with rifles, +while the Indians had only bows and arrows, the trappers had a great +advantage over them. + +The Indian who had spoken before now rose and said he was sorry there +should be any cause of difference between them, and added he was sorry +for a great many more things besides, but he did not say he was sorry +for having told a lie. + +"But, before you go, you must deliver up the horses and goods belonging +to these men," said Cameron pointing to Joe and Henri. + +This was agreed to. The horses were led out, the two little packs +containing Joe's goods were strapped upon them, and then the trappers +turned to depart. The Indians did not move until they had mounted; then +they rose and advanced in a body to the edge of the wood, to see the +Pale-faces go away. Meanwhile Joe spoke a few words to Cameron, and the +men were ordered to halt, while the former dismounted and led his horse +towards the band of savages. + +"Peigans," he said, "you know the object for which I came into this +country was to make peace between you and the Pale-faces. I have often +told you so when you would not listen, and when you told me that I had a +double heart, and told lies. You were wrong when you said this; but I +do not wonder, for you live among nations who do not fear God, and who +think it right to lie. I now repeat to you what I said before. It +would be good for the Red-men if they would make peace with the +Pale-faces, and if they would make peace with each other. I will now +convince you that I am in earnest, and have all along been speaking the +truth." + +Hereupon Joe Blunt opened his bundle of goods, and presented fully +one-half of the gaudy and brilliant contents to the astonished Indians, +who seemed quite taken aback by such generous treatment. The result of +this was that the two parties separated with mutual expressions of +esteem and good will. The Indians then returned to the forest, and the +white men galloped back to their camp among the hills. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +NEW PLANS--OUR TRAVELLERS JOIN THE FUR-TRADERS, AND SEE MANY STRANGE +THINGS--A CURIOUS FIGHT--A NARROW ESCAPE, AND A PRISONER TAKEN. + +Not long after the events related in the last chapter, our four friends, +Dick, and Joe, and Henri, and Crusoe, agreed to become for a time +members of Walter Cameron's band of trappers. Joe joined because one of +the objects which the traders had in view was similar to his own +mission, namely, the promoting of peace among the various Indian tribes +of the mountains and plains to the west. Joe, therefore, thought it a +good opportunity of travelling with a band of men who could secure him a +favourable hearing from the Indian tribes they might chance to meet with +in the course of their wanderings. Besides, as the traders carried +about a large supply of goods with them, he could easily replenish his +own nearly exhausted pack by hunting wild animals and exchanging their +skins for such articles as he might require. + +Dick joined because it afforded him an opportunity of seeing the wild, +majestic scenery of the Rocky Mountains, and shooting the big-horned +sheep which abounded there, and the grizzly "bars," as Joe named them, +or "Caleb," as they were more frequently styled by Henri and the other +men. + +Henri joined because it was agreeable to the inclination of his own +rollicking, blundering, floundering, crashing disposition, and because +he would have joined anything that had been joined by the other two. + +Crusoe's reason for joining was single, simple, easy to be expressed, +easy to be understood, and commendable. _He_ joined--because Dick did. + +The very day after the party left the encampment where Dick had shot the +grizzly bear and the deer, he had the satisfaction of bringing down a +splendid specimen of the big-horned sheep. It came suddenly out from a +gorge of the mountain, and stood upon the giddy edge of a tremendous +precipice, at a distance of about two hundred and fifty yards. + +"_You_ could not hit that," said a trapper to Henri, who was rather fond +of jeering him about his short-sightedness. + +"Non!" cried Henri, who didn't see the animal in the least; "say you +dat? ve shall see;" and he let fly with a promptitude that amazed his +comrades, and with a result that drew from them peals of laughter. + +"Why, you have missed the mountain!" + +"Oh, non! dat am eempossoble." + +It was true, nevertheless, for his ball had been arrested in its flight +by the stem of a tree not twenty yards before him. + +While the shot was yet ringing, and before the laugh above referred to +had pealed forth, Dick Varley fired, and the animal, springing wildly +into the air, fell down the precipice, and was almost dashed to pieces +at their feet. + +This Rocky Mountain or big-horned sheep was a particularly large and +fine one, but, being a patriarch of the flock, was not well suited for +food. It was considerably larger in size than the domestic sheep, and +might be described as somewhat resembling a deer in the body and a ram +in the head. Its horns were the chief point of interest to Dick; and, +truly, they were astounding! Their enormous size was out of all +proportion to the animal's body, and they curved backwards and +downwards, and then curled up again in a sharp point. These creatures +frequent the inaccessible heights of the Rocky Mountains, and are +difficult to approach. They have a great fondness for salt, and pay +regular visits to the numerous caverns of these mountains, which are +encrusted with a saline substance. + +Walter Cameron now changed his intention of proceeding to the eastward, +as he found the country not so full of beaver at that particular spot as +he had anticipated. He therefore turned towards the west, penetrated +into the interior of the mountains, and took a considerable sweep +through the lovely valleys on their western slopes. + +The expedition which this enterprising fur-trader was conducting was one +of the first that ever penetrated these wild regions in search of furs. +The ground over which they travelled was quite new to them, and having +no guide they just moved about at haphazard, encamping on the margin of +every stream or river on which signs of the presence of beaver were +discovered, and setting their traps. + +Beaver-skins at this time were worth 25 shillings a piece in the markets +of civilised lands, and in the Snake country, through which our friends +were travelling, thousands of them were to be had from the Indians for +trinkets and baubles that were scarce worth a farthing. A beaver-skin +could be procured from the Indians for a brass finger ring or a penny +looking-glass. Horses were also so numerous that one could be procured +for an axe or a knife. + +Let not the reader, however, hastily conclude that the traders cheated +the Indians in this traffic, though the profits were so enormous. The +ring or the axe was indeed a trifle to the trader, but the beaver-skin +and the horse were equally trifles to the savage, who could procure as +many of them as he chose with very little trouble, while the ring and +the axe were in his estimation of priceless value. Besides, be it +remembered, to carry that ring and that axe to the far distant haunts of +the Red-man cost the trader weeks and months of constant toil, trouble, +anxiety, and, alas! too frequently cost him his life! The state of +trade is considerably modified in these regions at the present day. It +is not more _justly_ conducted, for, in respect of the value of goods +given for furs, it was justly conducted _then_, but time and +circumstances have tended more to equalise the relative values of +articles of trade. + +The snow which had prematurely fallen had passed away, and the trappers +now found themselves wandering about in a country so beautiful and a +season so delightful, that it would have seemed to them a perfect +paradise, but for the savage tribes who hovered about them, and kept +them ever on the _qui vive_. + +They soon passed from the immediate embrace of stupendous heights and +dark gorges to a land of sloping ridges, which divided the country into +a hundred luxuriant vales, composed part of woodland and part of +prairie. Through these numerous rivers and streams flowed deviously, +beautifying the landscape and enriching the land. There were also many +lakes of all sizes, and these swarmed with fish, while in some of them +were found the much-sought-after and highly esteemed beaver. Salt +springs and hot springs of various temperatures abounded here, and many +of the latter were so hot that meat could be boiled in them. Salt +existed in all directions in abundance, and of good quality. A +sulphurous spring was also discovered, bubbling out from the base of a +perpendicular rock three hundred feet high, the waters of which were +dark-blue, and tasted like gunpowder. In short, the land presented +every variety of feature calculated to charm the imagination and delight +the eye. + +It was a mysterious land, too, for broad rivers burst in many places +from the earth, flowed on a short space, and then disappeared as if by +magic into the earth from which they rose. Natural bridges spanned the +torrents in many places, and some of these were so correctly formed that +it was difficult to believe they had not been built by the hand of man. +They often appeared opportunely to our trappers, and saved them the +trouble and danger of fording rivers. Frequently the whole band would +stop in silent wonder and awe as they listened to the rushing of waters +under their feet, as if another world of streams, and rapids, and +cataracts were flowing below the crust of earth on which they stood. +Some considerable streams were likewise observed to gush from the faces +of precipices, some twenty or thirty feet from their summits, while on +the top no water was to be seen. + +Wild berries of all kinds were found in abundance, and wild vegetables, +besides many nutritious roots. Among other fish splendid salmon were +found in the lakes and rivers; and animal life swarmed on hill and dale. +Woods and valleys, plains, and ravines, teemed with it. On every plain +the red-deer grazed in herds by the banks of lake and stream; wherever +there were clusters of poplar and elder-trees and saplings, the beaver +was seen nibbling industriously with his sharp teeth, and committing as +much havoc in the forests as if they had been armed with the woodman's +axe; otters sported in the eddies; racoons sat in the tree-tops; the +marten, the black fox, and the wolf, prowled in the woods in quest of +prey; mountain sheep and goats browsed on the rocky ridges, and badgers +peeped from their holes. + +Here, too, the wild horse sprang snorting and dishevelled from his +mountain retreats--with flourishing mane and tail, spanking step, and +questioning gaze,--and thundered away over the plains and valleys, while +the rocks echoed back his shrill neigh. The huge, heavy, ungainly elk, +or moose-deer, _trotted_ away from the travellers with speed equal to +that of the mustang. Elks seldom gallop; their best speed is attained +at the trot. Bears, too, black, and brown, and grizzly, roamed about +everywhere. + +So numerous were all these creatures, that on one occasion the hunters +of the party brought in six wild horses, three bears, four elks, and +thirty red-deer; having shot them all a short distance ahead of the main +body, and almost without diverging from the line of march. And this was +a matter of every-day occurrence--as it had need to be, considering the +number of mouths that had to be filled. + +The feathered tribes were not less numerous. Chief among these were +eagles and vultures of uncommon size, the wild goose, wild duck, and the +majestic swan. + +In the midst of such profusion the trappers spent a happy time of it, +when not molested by the savages, but they frequently lost a horse or +two in consequence of the expertness of these thievish fellows. They +often wandered, however, for days at a time without seeing an Indian, +and at such times they enjoyed to the full the luxuries with which a +bountiful God had blessed these romantic regions. + +Dick Varley was almost wild with delight. It was his first excursion +into the remote wilderness; he was young, healthy, strong, and romantic; +and it is a question whether his or his dog's heart, or that of the +noble wild horse he bestrode, bounded most with joy at the glorious +sights, and sounds, and influences by which they were surrounded. It +would have been perfection had it not been for the frequent annoyance +and alarms caused by the Indians. + +Alas! alas! that we who write and read about those wondrous scenes +should have to condemn our own species as the most degraded of all the +works of the Creator there! Yet so it is. Man, exercising his reason +and conscience in the path of love and duty which his Creator points +out, is God's noblest work; but man, left to the freedom of his own +fallen will, sinks morally lower than the beasts that perish. Well may +every Christian wish and pray that the name and the gospel of the +blessed Jesus may be sent speedily to the dark places of the earth; for +you may read of, and talk about, but you _cannot conceive_ the fiendish +wickedness and cruelty which causes tearless eyes to glare, and maddened +hearts to burst, in the lands of the heathen. + +While we are on this subject let us add (and our young readers will come +to know it if they are spared to see many years) that _civilisation_ +alone will never improve the heart. Let history speak and it will tell +you that deeds of darkest hue have been perpetrated in so-called +civilised, though pagan lands. Civilisation is like the polish that +beautifies inferior furniture, which water will wash off if it be but +_hot enough_. Christianity resembles dye, which permeates every fibre +of the fabric, and which nothing can eradicate. + +The success of the trappers in procuring beaver here was great. In all +sorts of creeks and rivers they were found. One day they came to one of +the curious rivers before mentioned, which burst suddenly out of a +plain, flowed on for several miles, and then disappeared into the earth +as suddenly as it had risen. Even in this strange place beaver were +seen, so the traps were set, and a hundred and fifty were caught at the +first lift. + +The manner in which the party proceeded was as follows: They marched in +a mass in groups or in a long line, according to the nature of the +ground over which they travelled. The hunters of the party went forward +a mile or two in advance, and scattered through the woods. After them +came the advance-guard, being the bravest and most stalwart of the men +mounted on their best steeds, and with rifle in hand; immediately behind +followed the women and children, also mounted, and the pack-horses with +the goods and camp equipage. Another band of trappers formed the +rear-guard to this imposing cavalcade. There was no strict regimental +order kept, but the people soon came to adopt the arrangements that were +most convenient for all parties, and at length fell naturally into their +places in the line of march. + +Joe Blunt usually was the foremost and always the most successful of the +hunters. He was therefore seldom seen on the march except at the hour +of starting, and at night when he came back leading his horse, which +always groaned under its heavy load of meat, Henri, being a hearty, +jovial soul and fond of society, usually kept with the main body. As +for Dick, he was everywhere at once, at least as much so as it is +possible for human nature to be! His horse never wearied; it seemed to +delight in going at full speed; no other horse in the troop could come +near Charlie, and Dick indulged him by appearing now at the front, now +at the rear, anon in the centre, and frequently _nowhere_!--having gone +off with Crusoe, like a flash of lightning, after a buffalo or a deer. +Dick soon proved himself to be the best hunter of the party, and it was +not long before he fulfilled his promise to Crusoe, and decorated his +neck with a collar of grizzly bear claws. + +Well, when the trappers came to a river where there were signs of +beaver, they called a halt, and proceeded to select a safe and +convenient spot, near wood and water, for the camp. Here the property +of the band was securely piled in such a manner as to form a breastwork +or slight fortification, and here Walter Cameron established +head-quarters. This was always the post of danger, being exposed to +sudden attack by prowling savages, who often dogged the footsteps of the +party in their journeyings to see what they could steal. But Cameron +was an old hand, and they found it difficult to escape his vigilant eye. + +From this point all the trappers were sent forth in small parties every +morning in various directions, some on foot and some on horseback, +according to the distances they had to go; but they never went further +than twenty miles, as they had to return to camp every evening. + +Each trapper had ten steel traps allowed him. These he set every night, +and visited every morning, sometimes oftener, when practicable, +selecting a spot in the stream where many trees had been cut down by +beavers for the purpose of damming up the water. In some places as many +as fifty tree stumps were seen in one spot, within the compass of half +an acre, all cut through at about eighteen inches from the root. We may +remark, in passing, that the beaver is very much like a gigantic +water-rat, with this marked difference, that its tail is very broad and +flat like a paddle. The said tail is a greatly esteemed article of +food, as, indeed, is the whole body at certain seasons of the year. The +beaver's fore-legs are very small and short, and it uses its paws as +hands to convey food to its mouth, sitting the while in an erect +position on its hind-legs and tail. Its fur is a dense coat of a +greyish-coloured down, concealed by long coarse hair, which lies smooth, +and is of a bright chestnut colour. Its teeth and jaws are of enormous +power; with them it can cut through the branch of a tree as thick as a +walking-stick at one snap; and, as we have said, it gnaws through thick +trees themselves. + +As soon as a tree falls, the beavers set to work industriously to lop +off the branches, which, as well as the smaller trunks, they cut into +lengths, according to their weight and thickness. These are then +dragged by main force to the water side, launched, and floated to their +destination. Beavers build their houses, or "lodges," under the banks +of rivers and lakes, and always select those of such depth of water that +there is no danger of their being frozen to the bottom; when such cannot +be found, and they are compelled to build in small rivulets of +insufficient depth, these clever little creatures dam up the waters +until they are deep enough. The banks thrown up by them across rivulets +for this purpose are of great strength, and would do credit to human +engineers. Their "lodges" are built of sticks, mud, and stones, which +form a compact mass; this freezes solid in winter, and defies the +assaults of that house-breaker, the wolverine, an animal which is the +beaver's implacable foe. From this "lodge," which is capable often of +holding four old and six or eight young ones, a communication is +maintained with the water below the ice, so that, should the wolverine +succeed in breaking up the lodge, he finds the family "not at home," +they having made good their retreat by the back-door. When man acts the +part of house-breaker, however, he cunningly shuts the back-door +_first_, by driving stakes through the ice, and thus stopping the +passage. Then he enters, and, we almost regret to say, finds the family +at home. We regret it, because the beaver is a gentle, peaceable, +affectionate, hairy little creature, towards which one feels an +irresistible tenderness! But, to return from this long digression. + +Our trappers having selected their several localities, set their traps +in the water, so that when the beavers roamed about at night, they put +their feet into them, and were caught and drowned; for, although they +can swim and dive admirably, they cannot live altogether under water. + +Thus the different parties proceeded, and in the mornings the camp was a +busy scene indeed, for then the whole were engaged in skinning the +animals. The beavers thus taken were always skinned, stretched, dried, +folded up with the hair in the inside, laid by, and the flesh used for +food. + +But oftentimes the trappers had to go forth with the gun in one hand and +their traps in the other, while they kept a sharp look out on the bushes +to guard against surprise. Despite their utmost efforts a horse was +occasionally stolen before their very eyes, and sometimes even an +unfortunate trapper was murdered, and all his traps carried off. + +An event of this kind occurred soon after the party had gained the +western slopes of the mountains. Three Iroquois Indians, who belonged +to the band of trappers, were sent to a stream about ten miles off. +Having reached their destination, they all entered the water to set +their traps, foolishly neglecting the usual precaution of one remaining +on the bank to protect the others. They had scarcely commenced +operations, when three arrows were discharged into their backs, and a +party of Snake Indians rushed upon and slew them, carrying away their +traps, and horses, and scalps. This was not known for several days, +when, becoming anxious about their prolonged absence, Cameron sent out a +party which found their mangled bodies affording a loathsome banquet to +the wolves and vultures. + +After this sad event the trappers were more careful to go in larger +parties, and keep watch. + +As long as beaver were taken in abundance the camp remained stationary, +but whenever the beaver began to grow scarce, the camp was raised, and +the party moved on to another valley. + +One day Dick Varley came galloping into camp with the news that there +were several bears in a valley not far distant, which he was anxious not +to disturb until a number of the trappers were collected together to go +out and surround them. + +On receiving the information Walter Cameron shook his head. + +"We have other things to do, young man," said he, "than go a-hunting +after bears. I'm just about making up my mind to send off a party to +search out the valley on the other side of the Blue Mountains yonder, +and bring back word if there are beaver there, for if not, I mean to +strike away direct south. Now, if you've a mind to go with them, you're +welcome. I'll warrant you'll find enough in the way of bear-hunting to +satisfy you; perhaps a little Indian hunting to boot, for if the +Banattees get hold of your horses, you'll have a long hunt before you +find them again. Will you go?" + +"Ay, right gladly," replied Dick. "When do we start?" + +"This afternoon." + +Dick went off at once to his own part of the camp to replenish his +powder-horn and bullet pouch, and wipe out his rifle. + +That evening the party, under command of a Canadian named Pierre, set +out for the Blue Hills. They numbered twenty men, and expected to be +absent three days, for they merely went to reconnoitre, not to trap. +Neither Joe nor Henri were of this party, both having been out hunting +when it was organised. But Crusoe and Charlie were, of course! + +Pierre, although a brave and trusty man, was of a sour, angry +disposition, and not a favourite with Dick, but the latter resolved to +enjoy himself and disregard his sulky comrade. Being so well mounted, +he not unfrequently shot far ahead of his companions, despite their +warnings that he ran great risk by so doing. On one of these occasions +he and Crusoe witnessed a very singular fight, which is worthy of +record. + +Dick had felt a little wilder in spirit that morning than usual, and on +coming to a pretty open plain he gave the rein to Charlie, and with an +"_Adieu mes comerades_," he was out of sight in a few minutes. He rode +on several miles in advance without checking speed, and then came to a +wood where rapid motion was inconvenient, so he pulled up, and, +dismounting, tied Charlie to a tree, while he sauntered on a short way +on foot. + +On coming to the edge of a small plain he observed two large birds +engaged in mortal conflict. Crusoe observed them too, and would soon +have put an end to the fight had Dick not checked him. Creeping as +close to the belligerents as possible, he found that one was a wild +turkey-cock, the other a white-headed eagle! These two stood with their +heads down and all their feathers bristling for a moment, then they +dashed at each other, and struck fiercely with their spurs as our +domestic cocks do, but neither fell, and the fight was continued for +about five minutes without apparent advantage on either side. + +Dick now observed that, from the uncertainty of its motions, the +turkey-cock was blind, a discovery which caused a throb of compunction +to enter his breast for standing and looking on, so he ran forward. The +eagle saw him instantly, and tried to fly away, but was unable from +exhaustion. + +"At him, Crusoe," cried Dick, whose sympathies all lay with the other +bird. + +Crusoe went forward at a bound, and was met by a peck between the eyes +that would have turned most dogs, but Crusoe only winked, and the next +moment the eagle's career was ended. + +Dick found that the turkey-cock was quite blind, the eagle having thrust +out both its eyes, so, in mercy, he put an end to its sufferings. + +The fight had evidently been a long and severe one for the grass all +round the spot, for about twenty yards, was beaten to the ground, and +covered with the blood and feathers of the fierce combatants. + +Meditating on the fight which he had just witnessed, Dick returned +towards the spot where he had left Charlie, when he suddenly missed +Crusoe from his side. + +"Hallo, Crusoe! here, pup, where are you?" he cried. + +The only answer to this was a sharp whizzing sound, and an arrow, +passing close to his ear, quivered in a tree beyond. Almost at the same +moment Crusoe's angry roar was followed by a shriek from some one in +fear or agony. Cocking his rifle, the young hunter sprang through the +bushes towards his horse, and was just in time to save a Banattee Indian +from being strangled by the dog. It had evidently scented out this +fellow, and pinned him just as he was in the act of springing on the +back of Charlie, for the halter was cut, and the savage lay on the +ground close beside him. + +Dick called off the dog, and motioned to the Indian to rise, which he +did so nimbly that it was quite evident he had sustained no injury +beyond the laceration of his neck by Crusoe's teeth, and the surprise. + +He was a tall strong Indian, for the tribe to which he belonged, so Dick +proceeded to secure him at once. Pointing to his rifle and to the +Indian's breast, to show what he might expect if he attempted to escape, +Dick ordered Crusoe to keep him steady in that position. + +The dog planted himself in front of the savage, who began to tremble for +his scalp, and gazed up in his face with a look which, to say the least +of it, was the reverse of amiable, while Dick went towards his horse for +the purpose of procuring a piece of cord to tie him with. The Indian +naturally turned his head to see what was going to be done, but a +peculiar _gurgle_ in Crusoe's throat made him turn it round again very +smartly, and he did not venture, thereafter, to move a muscle. + +In a few seconds Dick returned with a piece of leather and tied his +hands behind his back. While this was being done the Indian glanced +several times at his bow, which lay a few feet away, where it had fallen +when the dog caught him, but Crusoe seemed to understand him, for he +favoured him with such an additional display of teeth, and such a low-- +apparently distant, almost, we might say, subterranean--_rumble_, that +he resigned himself to his fate. + +His hands secured, a long line was attached to his neck with a running +noose, so that if he ventured to run away the attempt would effect its +own cure by producing strangulation. The other end of this line was +given to Crusoe, who at the word of command marched him off, while Dick +mounted Charlie and brought up the rear. + +Great was the laughter and merriment when this apparition met the eyes +of the trappers; but when they heard that he had attempted to shoot Dick +their ire was raised, and a court-martial was held on the spot. + +"Hang the reptile!" cried one. + +"Burn him!" shouted another. + +"No, no," said a third; "don't imitate them villains; don't be cruel. +Let's shoot him." + +"Shoot 'im," cried Pierre; "Oui, dat is de ting; it too goot pour lui, +mais, it shall be dooed." + +"Don't ye think, lads, it would be better to let the poor wretch off?" +said Dick Varley; "he'd p'raps give a good account o' us to his people." + +There was a universal shout of contempt at this mild proposal. +Unfortunately, few of the men sent on this exploring expedition were +imbued with the peacemaking spirit of their chief; and most of them +seemed glad to have a chance of venting their hatred of the poor Indians +on this unhappy wretch, who although calm, looked sharply from one +speaker to another, to gather hope, if possible, from the tones of their +voices. + +Dick was resolved at the risk of a quarrel with Pierre to save the poor +man's life, and had made up his mind to insist on having him conducted +to the camp to be tried by Cameron, when one of the men suggested that +they should take the savage to the top of a hill about three miles +further on, and there hang him up on a tree as a warning to all his +tribe. + +"Agreed, agreed," cried the men; "come on." + +Dick, too, seemed to agree to this proposal, and hastily ordered Crusoe +to run on ahead with the savage, an order which the dog obeyed so +vigorously that before the men had done laughing at him, he was a couple +of hundred yards ahead of them. + +"Take care that he don't get off!" cried Dick, springing on Charlie and +stretching out at a gallop. + +In a moment he was beside the Indian. Scraping together the little of +the Indian language he knew, he stooped down, and, cutting the thongs +that bound him, said--"Go, white men love the Indians." + +The man cast on his deliverer one glance of surprise, and the next +moment bounded aside into the bushes and was gone. + +A loud shout from the party behind showed that this act had been +observed, and Crusoe stood with the end of the line in his mouth, and an +expression on his face that said, "You're absolutely incomprehensible, +Dick! It's all right, I _know_; but to my feeble capacity it _seems_ +wrong." + +"Fat for, you do dat?" shouted Pierre in a rage, as he came up with a +menacing look. + +Dick confronted him. "The prisoner was mine. I had a right to do with +him as it liked me." + +"True, true," cried several of the men who had begun to repent of their +resolution, and were glad the savage was off. "The lad's right. Get +along, Pierre." + +"You had no right, you vas wrong. Oui, et I have goot vill to give you +one knock on de nose." + +Dick looked Pierre in the face, as he said this, in a manner that cowed +him. + +"It is time," he said quietly, pointing to the sun, "to go on. Your +bourgeois expects that time won't be wasted." + +Pierre muttered something in an angry tone, and, wheeling round his +horse, dashed forward at full gallop followed by the rest of the men. + +The trappers encamped that night on the edge of a wide grassy plain, +which offered such tempting food for the horses that Pierre resolved to +forego his usual cautious plan of picketting them close to the camp, and +set them loose on the plain, merely hobbling them to prevent their +straying far. + +Dick remonstrated, but in vain. An insolent answer was all he got for +his pains. He determined, however, to keep Charlie close beside him all +night, and also made up his mind to keep a sharp look out on the other +horses. + +At supper he again remonstrated. + +"No fraid," said Pierre, whose pipe was beginning to improve his temper. +"The red reptiles no dare to come in open plain when de moon so clear." + +"Dun know that," said a taciturn trapper, who seldom ventured a remark +of any kind; "them varmints 'ud steal the two eyes out o' you' head when +they set their hearts on't." + +"Dat ar' umposs'ble, for de have no hearts," said a half-breed; "dey +have von hole vere de heart vas be." + +This was received with a shout of laughter, in the midst of which an +appalling yell was heard, and, as if by magic, four Indians were seen on +the backs of four of the best horses, yelling like fiends, and driving +all the other horses furiously before them over the plain. + +How they got there was a complete mystery, but the men did not wait to +consider that point. Catching up their guns they sprang after them with +the fury of madmen, and were quickly scattered far and wide. Dick +ordered Crusoe to follow and help the men, and turned to spring on the +back of Charlie, but at that moment he observed an Indian's head and +shoulders rise above the grass, not fifty yards in advance from him, so +without hesitation he darted forward, intending to pounce upon him. + +Well would it have been for Dick Varley had he at that time possessed a +little more experience of the wiles and stratagems of the Banattees. +The Snake nation is subdivided into several tribes, of which those +inhabiting the Rocky Mountains, called the Banattees, are the most +perfidious. Indeed, they are confessedly the banditti of the hills, and +respect neither friend nor foe, but rob all who come in their way. + +Dick reached the spot where the Indian had disappeared in less than a +minute, but no savage was to be seen! Thinking he had crept ahead he +ran on a few yards further, and darted about hither and thither, while +his eye glanced from side to side. Suddenly a shout in the camp +attracted his attention, and looking back he beheld the savage on +Charlie's back turning to fly. Next moment he was off and away far +beyond the hope of recovery. Dick had left his rifle in the camp, +otherwise the savage would have gone but a short way--as it was, Dick +returned, and sitting down on a mound of grass, stared straight before +him with a feeling akin to despair. Even Crusoe could not have helped +him had he been there, for nothing on four legs, or on two, could keep +pace with Charlie. + +The Banattee achieved this feat by adopting a stratagem which invariably +deceives those who are ignorant of their habits and tactics. When +suddenly pursued the Banattee sinks into the grass, and, serpentlike, +creeps along with wonderful rapidity, not _from_ but _towards_ his +enemy, taking care, however, to avoid him, so that when the pursuer +reaches the spot where the pursued is supposed to be hiding, he hears +him shout a yell of defiance far away in the rear. + +It was thus that the Banattee eluded Dick and gained the camp almost as +soon as the other reached the spot where he had disappeared. + +One by one the trappers came back weary, raging, and despairing. In a +short time they all assembled, and soon began to reproach each other. +Ere long one or two had a fight, which resulted in several bloody noses +and black eyes, thus adding to the misery which, one would think, had +been bad enough without such additions. At last they finished their +suppers and their pipes, and then lay down to sleep under the trees till +morning, when they arose in a particularly silent and sulky mood, rolled +up their blankets, strapped their things on their shoulders, and began +to trudge slowly back to the camp on foot. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +WOLVES ATTACK THE HORSES, AND CAMERON CIRCUMVENTS THE WOLVES--A +BEAR-HUNT, IN WHICH HENRI SHINES CONSPICUOUS--JOE AND THE +"NATTER-LIST"--AN ALARM--A SURPRISE AND A CAPTURE. + +We must now return to the camp where Walter Cameron still guarded the +goods, and the men pursued their trapping avocations. + +Here seven of the horses had been killed in one night by wolves while +grazing in a plain close to the camp, and on the night following a horse +that had strayed was also torn to pieces and devoured. The prompt and +daring manner in which this had been done convinced the trader that +white wolves had unfortunately scented them out, and he set several +traps in the hope of capturing them. + +White wolves are quite distinct from the ordinary wolves that prowl +through woods and plains in large packs. They are much larger, weighing +sometimes as much as a hundred and thirty pounds; but they are +comparatively scarce, and move about alone, or in small bands of three +or four. Their strength is enormous, and they are so fierce that they +do not hesitate, upon occasions, to attack man himself. Their method of +killing horses is very deliberate. Two wolves generally undertake the +cold-blooded murder. They approach their victim with the most innocent +looking and frolicsome gambols, lying down and rolling about, and +frisking pleasantly until the horse becomes a little accustomed to them. +Then one approaches right in front, the other in rear, still frisking +playfully, until they think themselves near enough, when they make a +simultaneous rush. The wolf which approaches in rear is the true +assailant; the rush of the other is a mere feint; then both fasten on +the poor horse's haunches and never let go till the sinews are cut and +he is rolling on his side. + +The horse makes comparatively little struggle in this deadly assault. +He seems paralysed and soon falls to rise no more. + +Cameron set his traps towards evening in a circle with a bait in the +centre and then retired to rest. Next morning he called Joe Blunt and +the two went off together. + +"It is strange that these rascally white wolves should be so bold when +the smaller kinds are so cowardly," remarked Cameron, as they walked +along. + +"So 'tis," replied Joe, "but I've seed them other chaps bold enough too +in the prairie when they were in large packs and starvin'." + +"I believe the small wolves follow the big fellows and help them to eat +what they kill, though they generally sit round and look on at the +killing." + +"Hist!" exclaimed Joe, cocking his gun, "there he is, an' no mistake." + +There he was, undoubtedly. A wolf of the largest size with one of his +feet in the trap. He was a terrible-looking object, for, besides his +immense size and naturally ferocious aspect, his white hair bristled on +end and was all covered with streaks and spots of blood from his bloody +jaws. In his efforts to escape he had bitten the trap until he had +broken his teeth and lacerated his gums, so that his appearance was +hideous in the extreme. And when the two men came up he struggled with +all his might to fly at them. + +Cameron and Joe stood looking at him in a sort of wondering admiration. + +"We'd better put a ball in him," suggested Joe after a time. "Mayhap +the chain won't stand sich tugs long." + +"True, Joe; if it breaks we might get an ugly nip before we killed him." + +So saying Cameron fired into the wolf's head and killed it. It was +found, on examination, that four wolves had been in the traps, but the +rest had escaped. Two of them, however, had gnawed off their paws and +left them lying in the traps. + +After this the big wolves did not trouble them again. The same +afternoon, a bear-hunt was undertaken, which well-nigh cost one of the +Iroquois his life. It happened thus:-- + +While Cameron and Joe were away after the white wolves, Henri came +floundering into camp tossing his arms like a maniac, and shouting that +"seven bars wos be down in de bush close bye!" It chanced that this was +an idle day with most of the men, so they all leaped on their horses, +and taking guns and knives sallied forth to give battle to the bears. + +Arrived at the scene of action they found the seven bears busily engaged +in digging up roots, so the men separated in order to surround them, and +then closed in. The place was partly open and partly covered with thick +bushes into which a horseman could not penetrate. The moment the bears +got wind of what was going forward they made off as fast as possible, +and then commenced a scene of firing, galloping, and yelling, that +defies description! Four out of the seven were shot before they gained +the bushes; the other three were wounded, but made good their retreat. +As their places of shelter, however, were like islands in the plain, +they had no chance of escaping. + +The horsemen now dismounted and dashed recklessly into the bushes, where +they soon discovered and killed two of the bears; the third was not +found for some time. At last an Iroquois came upon it so suddenly that +he had not time to point his gun before the bear sprang upon him and +struck him to the earth, where it held him down. + +Instantly the place was surrounded by eager men, but the bushes were so +thick and the fallen trees among which the bear stood were so numerous, +that they could not use their guns without running the risk of shooting +their companion. Most of them drew their knives and seemed about to +rush on the bear with these, but the monster's aspect, as it glared +round, was so terrible that they held back for a moment in hesitation. + +At this moment Henri, who had been at some distance engaged in the +killing of one of the other bears, came rushing forward after his own +peculiar manner. + +"Ah! fat is eet--hay? de bar no go under yit?" + +Just then his eye fell on the wounded Iroquois with the bear above him, +and he uttered a yell so intense in tone that the bear himself seemed to +feel that something decisive was about to be done at last. Henri did +not pause, but with a flying dash he sprang like a spread eagle, arms +and legs extended, right into the bear's bosom. At the same moment he +sent his long hunting-knife down into its heart. But Bruin is +proverbially hard to kill, and although mortally wounded, he had +strength enough to open his jaws and close them on Henri's neck. + +There was a cry of horror, and at the same moment a volley was fired at +the bear's head, for the trappers felt that it was better to risk +shooting their comrades than see them killed before their eyes. +Fortunately the bullets took effect, and tumbled him over at once +without doing damage to either of the men, although several of the balls +just grazed Henri's temple and carried off his cap. + +Although uninjured by the shot, the poor Iroquois had not escaped +scatheless from the paw of the bear. His scalp was torn almost off, and +hung down over his eyes, while blood streamed down his face. He was +conveyed by his comrades to the camp, where he lay two days in a state +of insensibility, at the end of which time he revived and recovered +daily. Afterwards when the camp moved he had to be carried, but in the +course of two months he was as well as ever, and quite as fond of +bear-hunting! + +Among other trophies of this hunt there were two deer, and a buffalo, +which last had probably strayed from the herd. Four or five Iroquois +were round this animal whetting their knives for the purpose of cutting +it up when Henri passed, so he turned aside to watch them perform the +operation, quite regardless of the fact that his neck and face were +covered with blood which flowed from one or two small punctures made by +the bear. + +The Indians began by taking off the skin, which certainly did not occupy +them more than five minutes. Then they cut up the meat and made a pack +of it, and cut out the tongue, which is somewhat troublesome, as that +member requires to be cut out from under the jaw of the animal, and not +through the natural opening of the mouth. One of the fore-legs was cut +off at the knee joint, and this was used as a hammer with which to break +the skull for the purpose of taking out the brains, these being used in +the process of dressing and softening the animal's skin. An axe would +have been of advantage to break the skull, but in the hurry of rushing +to the attack the Indians had forgotten their axes, so they adopted the +common fashion of using the buffalo's hoof as a hammer, the shank being +the handle. The whole operation of flaying, cutting up, and packing the +meat, did not occupy more than twenty minutes. Before leaving the +ground these expert butchers treated themselves to a little of the +marrow and warm liver in a raw state! + +Cameron and Joe walked up to the group while they were indulging in this +little feast. + +"Well, I've often seen that eaten, but I never could do it myself," +remarked the former. + +"No!" cried Joe in surprise; "now that's oncommon cur'us. I've _lived_ +on raw liver an' marrow-bones for two or three days at a time, when we +wos chased by the Camanchee Injuns and didn't dare to make a fire, an' +it's ra'al good it is. Won't ye try it _now_?" + +Cameron shook his head. + +"No, thankee; I'll not refuse when I can't help it, but until then I'll +remain in happy ignorance of how good it is." + +"Well, it _is_ strange how some folk can't abide anything in the meat +way they han't bin used to. D'ye know I've actually knowd men from the +cities as wouldn't eat a bit o' horseflesh for love or money. Would ye +believe it?" + +"I can well believe that, Joe, for I have met with such persons myself; +in fact, they are rather numerous. What are you chuckling at, Joe?" + +"Chucklin'? if ye mean be that `larfin' in to myself' it's because I'm +thinkin' o' a chap as once comed out to the prairies." + +"Let us walk back to the camp, Joe, and you can tell me about him as we +go along." + +"I think," continued Joe, "he comed from Washington, but I never could +make out right whether he wos a government man or not. Anyhow, he wos a +pheelosopher--a natter-list I think he call his-self." + +"A naturalist," suggested Cameron. + +"Ay, that wos more like it. Well, he wos about six feet two in his +moccasins, an' as thin as a ramrod, an' as blind as a bat--leastways he +had weak eyes an wore green spectacles. He had on a grey shootin' coat +and trousers and vest and cap, with rid whiskers an' a long nose as rid +at the point as the whiskers wos. + +"Well, this gentleman engaged me an' another hunter to go a trip with +him into the prairies, so off we sot one fine day on three hosses with +our blankets at our backs--we wos to depend on the rifle for victuals. +At first I thought the Natter-list one o' the cruellest beggars as iver +went on two long legs, for he used to go about everywhere pokin' pins +through all the beetles, and flies, an' creepin' things he could sot +eyes on, an' stuck them in a box; but he told me he comed here a-purpose +to git as many o' them as he could; so says I, `If that's it, I'll fill +yer box in no time.' + +"`Will ye?' says he, quite pleased like. + +"`I will,' says I, an' galloped off to a place as was filled wi' all +sorts o' crawlin' things. So I sets to work, and whenever I seed a +thing crawlin' I sot my fut on it and crushed it, and soon filled my +breast pocket. I coched a lot o' butterflies too, an' stuffed them into +my shot pouch, and went back in an hour or two an' showed him the lot. +He put on his green spectacles and looked at them as if he'd seen a +rattlesnake. + +"`My good man,' says he, `you've crushed them all to pieces!' + +"`They'll taste as good for all that,' says I, for somehow I'd taken't +in me head that he'd heard o' the way the Injuns make soup o' the +grasshoppers, an was wantin' to try his hand at a new dish! + +"He laughed when I said this, an' told me he wos collectin' them to take +home to be _looked_ at. But that's not wot I wos goin' to tell ye about +him," continued Joe; "I wos goin' to tell ye how we made him eat +horseflesh. He carried a revolver, too, this Natter-list did, to load +wi' shot as small as dust a-most, and shoot little birds with. I've +seed him miss birds only three feet away with it. An' one day he drew +it all of a suddent and let fly at a big bum-bee that wos passin', +yellin' out that it wos the finest wot he had iver seed. He missed the +bee, of coorse, cause it was a flyin' shot, he said, but he sent the +whole charge right into Martin's back--Martin was my comrade's name. By +good luck Martin had on a thick leather coat, so the shot niver got the +length o' his skin. + +"One day I noticed that the Natter-list had stuffed small corks into the +muzzles of all the six barrels of his revolver. I wondered what they +wos for, but he wos al'ays doin' sich queer _things_ that I soon forgot +it. `May be,' thought I, jist before it went out o' my mind,--`may be +he thinks that 'll stop the pistol from goin' off by accident,' for ye +must know he'd let it off three times the first day by accident, and +well-nigh blowed off his leg the last time, only the shot lodged in the +back o' a big toad he'd jist stuffed into his breeches' pocket. Well, +soon after, we shot a buffalo bull, so when it fell, off he jumps from +his horse an runs up to it. So did I, for I wasn't sure the beast was +dead, an' I had jist got up when it rose an' rushed at the Natter-list. + +"`Out o' the way,' I yelled, for my rifle was empty; but he didn't move, +so I rushed forward an' drew the pistol out o' his belt and let fly in +the bull's ribs jist as it ran the poor man down. Martin came up that +moment an' put a ball through its heart, and then we went to pick up the +Natter-list. He came to in a little, an' the first thing he said was, +`Where's my revolver?' When I gave it to him he looked at it, an' said +with a solemcholy shake o' the head, `There's a whole barrel-full lost!' +It turned out that he had taken to usin' the barrels for bottles to +hold things in, but he forgot to draw the charges, so sure enough I had +fired a charge o' bum-bees, an' beetles, an' small shot into the +buffalo! + +"But that's not what I wos goin' to tell ye yet. We comed to a part o' +the plains where we wos well-nigh starved for want o' game, an' the +Natter-list got so thin that ye could a-most see through him, so I +offered to kill my horse, an' cut it up for meat; but you niver saw sich +a face he made. `I'd rather die first,' says he, `than eat it;' so we +didn't kill it. But that very day Martin got a shot at a wild horse and +killed it. The Natter-list was down in the bed o' a creek at the time +gropin' for creepers, an' he didn't see it. + +"`He'll niver eat it,' says Martin. + +"`That's true,' says I. + +"`Let's tell him it's a buffalo,' says he. + +"`That would be tellin' a lie,' says I. + +"So we stood lookin' at each other, not knowin' what to do. + +"`I'll tell ye what,' cries Martin, `we'll cut it up, and take the meat +into camp and cook it without _sayin' a word_.' + +"`Done,' says I, `that's it;' for ye must know the poor creature wos no +judge o' meat. He couldn't tell one kind from another, an' he niver +axed questions. In fact he niver a-most spoke to us all the trip. +Well, we cut up the horse and carried the flesh and marrow-bones into +camp, takin' care to leave the hoofs and skin behind, and sot to work +and roasted steaks and marrow-bones. + +"When the Natter-list came back ye should ha' seen the joyful face he +put on when he smelt the grub, for he was all but starved out, poor +critter. + +"`What have we got here?' cried he, rubbin' his hands and sittin' down. + +"`Steaks an' marrow-bones,' says Martin. + +"`Capital!' says he. `I'm _so_ hungry.' + +"So he fell to work like a wolf. I niver seed a man pitch into anything +like as that Natter-list did into that horseflesh. + +"`These are first-rate marrow-bones,' says he, squintin' with one eye +down the shin bone o' the hind-leg to see if it was quite empty. + +"`Yes, sir, they is,' answered Martin, as grave as a judge. + +"`Take another, sir,' says I. + +"`No, thankee,' says he with a sigh, for he didn't like to leave off. + +"Well, we lived for a week on horseflesh, an' first-rate livin' it wos; +then we fell in with buffalo, an' niver ran short again till we got to +the settlements, when he paid us our money an' shook hands, sayin' we'd +had a nice trip an' he wished us well. Jist as we wos partin' I said, +says I, `D'ye know what it wos we lived on for a week arter we wos +well-nigh starved in the prairies?' + +"`What,' says he, `when we got yon capital marrow-bones?' + +"`The same,' says I; `yon was _horseflesh_,' says I, `an' I think ye'll +sur'ly niver say again that it isn't first-rate livin'.' + +"`Yer jokin',' says he, turnin' pale. + +"`It's true, sir, as true as yer standin' there.' + +"Well, would ye believe it; he turned--that Natter-list did--as sick as +a dog on the spot wot he wos standin' on, an' didn't taste meat again +for three days!" + +Shortly after the conclusion of Joe's story they reached the camp, and +here they found the women and children flying about in a state of +terror, and the few men who had been left in charge arming themselves in +the greatest haste. + +"Hallo! something wrong here," cried Cameron hastening forward followed +by Joe. "What has happened, eh?" + +"Injuns comin', monsieur, look dere," answered a trapper, pointing down +the valley. + +"Arm and mount at once, and come to the front of the camp," cried +Cameron in a tone of voice that silenced every other, and turned +confusion into order. + +The cause of all this outcry was a cloud of dust seen far down the +valley, which was raised by a band of mounted Indians who approached the +camp at full speed. Their numbers could not be made out, but they were +a sufficiently formidable band to cause much anxiety to Cameron, whose +men, at the time, were scattered to the various trapping grounds, and +only ten chanced to be within call of the camp. However, with these ten +he determined to show a bold front to the savages, whether they came as +friends or foes. He therefore ordered the women and children within the +citadel formed of the goods and packs of furs piled upon each other, +which point of retreat was to be defended to the last extremity. Then +galloping to the front he collected his men and swept down the valley at +full speed. In a few minutes they were near enough to observe that the +enemy only numbered four Indians, who were driving a band of about a +hundred horses before them, and so busy were they in keeping the troop +together that Cameron and his men were close upon them before they were +observed. + +It was too late to escape. Joe Blunt and Henri had already swept round +and cut off their retreat. In this extremity the Indians slipped from +the backs of their steeds and darted into the bushes, where they were +safe from pursuit, at least on horseback, while the trappers got behind +the horses and drove them towards the camp. + +At this moment one of the horses sprang ahead of the others and made for +the mountain, with its mane and tail flying wildly in the breeze. + +"Marrow-bones and buttons!" shouted one of the men, "there goes Dick +Varley's horse." + +"So it am!" cried Henri, and dashed off in pursuit, followed by Joe and +two others. + +"Why, these are our own horses," said Cameron in surprise, as they drove +them into a corner of the hills from which they could not escape. + +This was true, but it was only half the truth, for, besides their own +horses, they had secured upwards of seventy Indian steeds, a most +acceptable addition to their stud, which, owing to casualties and +wolves, had been diminishing too much of late. The fact was, that the +Indians who had captured the horses belonging to Pierre and his party +were a small band of robbers who had travelled, as was afterwards +learned, a considerable distance from the south, stealing horses from +various tribes as they went along. As we have seen, in an evil hour +they fell in with Pierre's party and carried off their steeds, which +they drove to a pass leading from one valley to the other. Here they +united them with the main band of their ill-gotten gains, and while the +greater number of the robbers descended further into the plains in +search of more booty, four of them were sent into the mountains with the +horses already procured. These four, utterly ignorant of the presence +of white men in the valley, drove their charge, as we have seen, almost +into the camp. + +Cameron immediately organised a party to go out in search of Pierre and +his companions, about whose fate he became intensely anxious, and in the +course of half an hour as many men as he could spare with safety were +despatched in the direction of the Blue Mountains. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +CHARLIE'S ADVENTURES WITH SAVAGES AND BEARS--TRAPPING LIFE. + +It is one thing to chase a horse; it is another thing to catch it. +Little consideration and less sagacity is required to convince us of the +truth of that fact. + +The reader may perhaps venture to think this rather a trifling fact. We +are not so sure of that. In this world of fancies, to have _any_ fact +incontestably proved and established is a comfort, and whatever is a +source of comfort to mankind is worthy of notice. Surely our reader +won't deny that! Perhaps he will, so we can only console ourself with +the remark that there are people in this world who would deny +_anything_--who would deny that there was a nose on their face if you +said there was! + +Well, to return to the point, which was the chase of a horse in the +abstract; from which we will rapidly diverge to the chase of Dick +Varley's horse in particular. This noble charger, having been ridden by +savages until all his old fire, and blood, and metal were worked up to a +red heat, no sooner discovered that he was pursued than he gave a snort +of defiance, which he accompanied with a frantic shake of his mane, and +a fling of contempt in addition to a magnificent wave of his tail; then +he thundered up the valley at a pace which would speedily have left Joe +Blunt and Henri out of sight behind if--ay! that's the word, _if_! what +a word that _if_ is! what a world of if's we live in! There never was +anything that wouldn't have been something else _if_ something hadn't +intervened to prevent it! Yes, we repeat, Charlie would have left his +two friends miles and miles behind in what is called "no time," _if_ he +had not run straight into a gorge which was surrounded by inaccessible +precipices, and out of which there was no exit except by the entrance, +which was immediately barred by Henri, while Joe advanced to catch the +runaway. + +For two hours at least did Joe Blunt essay to catch Charlie, and during +that space of time he utterly failed. The horse seemed to have made up +his mind for what is vulgarly termed "a lark." + +"It won't do, Henri," said Joe, advancing towards his companion, and +wiping his forehead with the cuff of his leathern coat. "I can't catch +him. The wind's a-most blowed out o' me body." + +"Dat am vexatiable," replied Henri, in a tone of commiseration. "S'pose +I wos make try?" + +"In that case I s'pose ye would fail. But go ahead an' do what ye can. +I'll hold yer horse." + +So Henri began by a rush and a flourish of legs and arms that nearly +frightened the horse out his wits. For half an hour he went through all +the complications of running and twisting of which he was capable, +without success, when Joe Blunt suddenly uttered a stentorian yell that +rooted him to the spot on which he stood. + +To account for this, we must explain that in the heights of the Rocky +Mountains vast accumulations of snow take place among the crevices and +gorges during winter. Such of these masses as form on steep slopes are +loosened by occasional thaws, and are precipitated in the form of +avalanches into the valleys below, carrying trees and stones along with +them in their thundering descent. In the gloomy gorge where Dick's +horse had taken refuge, the precipices were so steep that many +avalanches had occurred, as was evident from the mounds of heaped snow +that lay at the foot of most of them. Neither stones nor trees were +carried down here, however, for the cliffs were nearly perpendicular, +and the snow slipping over their edges had fallen on the grass below. +Such an avalanche was now about to take place, and it was this that +caused Joe to utter his cry of alarm and warning. + +Henri and the horse were directly under the cliff over which it was +about to be hurled, the latter close to the wall of rock, the other at +some distance away from it. + +Joe cried again, "Back, Henri! back _vite_!" when the mass _flowed over_ +and fell with a roar like prolonged thunder. Henri sprang back in time +to save his life, though he was knocked down and almost stunned, but +poor Charlie was completely buried under the avalanche, which now +presented the appearance of a _hill_ of snow. + +The instant Henri recovered sufficiently, Joe and he mounted their +horses and galloped back to the camp as fast as possible. + +Meanwhile, another spectator stepped forward upon the scene they had +left, and surveyed the snow hill with a critical eye. This was no less +than a grizzly bear which had, unobserved, been a spectator, and which +immediately proceeded to dig into the mound with the purpose, no doubt, +of disentombing the carcase of the horse for purposes of his own. + +While he was thus actively engaged, the two hunters reached the camp +where they found that Pierre and his party had just arrived. The men +sent out in search of them had scarcely advanced a mile when they found +them trudging back to the camp in a very disconsolate manner. But all +their sorrows were put to flight on hearing of the curious way in which +the horses had been returned to them with interest. + +Scarcely had Dick Varley, however, congratulated himself on the recovery +of his gallant steed, when he was thrown into despair by the sudden +arrival of Joe with the tidings of the catastrophe we have just related. + +Of course there was a general rush to the rescue. Only a few men were +ordered to remain to guard the camp, while the remainder mounted their +horses and galloped towards the gorge where Charlie had been entombed. +On arriving, they found that Bruin had worked with such laudable zeal +that nothing but the tip of his tail was seen sticking out of the hole +which he had dug. The hunters could not refrain from laughing as they +sprang to the ground, and standing in a semicircle in front of the hole, +prepared to fire. But Crusoe resolved to have the honour of leading the +assault. He seized fast hold of Bruin's flank, and caused his teeth to +meet therein. Caleb backed out at once and turned round, but before he +could recover from his surprise a dozen bullets pierced his heart and +brain. + +"Now, lads," cried Cameron, setting to work with a large wooden shovel, +"work like niggers. If there's any life left in the horse it'll soon be +smothered out unless we set him free." + +The men needed no urging, however. They worked as if their lives +depended on their exertions. Dick Varley, in particular, laboured like +a young Hercules, and Henri hurled masses of snow about in a most +surprising manner. Crusoe, too, entered heartily into the spirit of the +work, and, scraping with his forepaws, sent such a continuous shower of +snow behind him that he was speedily lost to view in a hole of his own +excavating. In the course of half an hour a cavern was dug in the mound +almost close up to the cliff, and the men were beginning to look about +for the crushed body of Dick's steed, when an exclamation from Henri +attracted their attention. + +"Ha! mes ami, here am be one hole." + +The truth of this could not be doubted, for the eccentric trapper had +thrust his shovel through the wall of snow into what appeared to be a +cavern beyond, and immediately followed up his remark by thrusting in +his head and shoulders. He drew them out in a few seconds, with a look +of intense amazement. + +"Voila! Joe Blunt. Look in dere, and you shall see fat you will +behold." + +"Why, it's the horse, I do b'lieve!" cried Joe. "Go ahead, lads." + +So saying, he resumed his shovelling vigorously, and in a few minutes +the hole was opened up sufficiently to enable a man to enter. Dick +sprang in, and there stood Charlie close beside the cliff, looking as +sedate and unconcerned as if all that had been going on had no reference +to him whatever. + +The cause of his safety was simple enough. The precipice beside which +he stood when the avalanche occurred overhung its base at that point +considerably, so that when the snow descended, a clear space of several +feet wide was left all along its base. Here Charlie had remained in +perfect comfort until his friends dug him out. + +Congratulating themselves not a little on having saved the charger and +bagged a grizzly bear, the trappers remounted, and returned to the camp. + +For some time after this nothing worthy of particular note occurred. +The trapping operations went on prosperously and without interruption +from the Indians, who seemed to have left the locality altogether. +During this period, Dick, and Crusoe, and Charlie had many excursions +together, and the silver rifle full many a time sent death to the heart +of bear, and elk, and buffalo, while, indirectly, it sent joy to the +heart of man, woman, and child in camp, in the shape of juicy steaks and +marrow-bones. Joe and Henri devoted themselves almost exclusively to +trapping beaver, in which pursuit they were so successful that they +speedily became wealthy men, according to backwood notions of wealth. +With the beaver that they caught, they purchased from Cameron's store +powder and shot enough for a long hunting expedition and a couple of +spare horses to carry their packs. They also purchased a large +assortment of such goods and trinkets as would prove acceptable to +Indians, and supplied themselves with new blankets, and a few pairs of +strong moccasins, of which they stood much in need. + +Thus they went on from day to day, until symptoms of the approach of +winter warned them that it was time to return to the Mustang Valley. +About this time an event occurred which totally changed the aspect of +affairs in these remote valleys of the Rocky Mountains, and precipitated +the departure of our four friends, Dick, Joe, Henri, and Crusoe. This +was the sudden arrival of a whole tribe of Indians. As their advent was +somewhat remarkable, we shall devote to it the commencement of a new +chapter. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +SAVAGE SPORTS--LIVING CATARACTS--AN ALARM--INDIANS AND THEIR DOINGS--THE +STAMPEDO--CHARLIE AGAIN. + +One day Dick Varley was out on a solitary hunting expedition near the +rocky gorge, where his horse had received temporary burial a week or two +before. Crusoe was with him, of course. Dick had tied Charlie to a +tree, and was sunning himself on the edge of a cliff, from the top of +which he had a fine view of the valley and the rugged precipices that +hemmed it in. + +Just in front of the spot on which he sat, the precipices on the +opposite side of the gorge rose to a considerable height above him, so +that their ragged outlines were drawn sharply across the clear sky. +Dick was gazing in dreamy silence at the jutting rocks and dark caverns, +and speculating on the probable number of bears that dwelt there, when a +slight degree of restlessness on the part of Crusoe attracted him. + +"What is't, pup?" said he, laying his hand on the dog's broad back. + +Crusoe looked the answer, "I don't know, Dick, but it's _something_, you +may depend upon it, else I would not have disturbed you." + +Dick lifted his rifle from the ground, and laid it in the hollow of his +left arm. + +"There must be something in the wind," remarked Dick. + +As wind is known to be composed of two distinct gases, Crusoe felt +perfectly safe in replying "Yes," with his tail. Immediately after he +added, "Hallo! did you hear that?"--with his ears. + +Dick did hear it, and sprang hastily to his feet, as a sound like, yet +unlike, distant thunder came faintly down upon the breeze. In a few +seconds the sound increased to a roar in which was mingled the wild +cries of men. Neither Dick nor Crusoe moved, for the sounds came from +behind the heights in front of them, and they felt that the only way to +solve the question, "What can the sounds be?" was to wait till the +sounds should solve it themselves. + +Suddenly the muffled sounds gave place to the distinct bellowing of +cattle, the clatter of innumerable hoofs, and the yells of savage men, +while at the same moment the edges of the opposite cliffs became alive +with Indians and buffaloes rushing about in frantic haste--the former +almost mad with savage excitement, the latter with blind rage and +terror. + +On reaching the edge of the dizzy precipice, the buffaloes turned +abruptly and tossed their ponderous heads as they coursed along the +edge. Yet a few of them, unable to check their headlong course, fell +over, and were dashed to pieces on the rocks below. Such falls, Dick +observed, were hailed with shouts of delight by the Indians, whose sole +object evidently was to enjoy the sport of driving the terrified animals +over the precipice. The wily savages had chosen their ground well for +this purpose. + +The cliff immediately opposite to Dick Varley was a huge projection from +the precipice that hemmed in the gorge, or species of cape or promontory +several hundred yards wide at the base, and narrowing abruptly to a +point. The sides of this wedge-shaped projection were quite +perpendicular; indeed, in some places the top overhung the base, and +they were at least three hundred feet high. Broken and jagged rocks, of +that peculiarly chaotic character which probably suggested the name to +this part of the great American chain, projected from, and were +scattered all round, the cliffs. Over these the Indians, whose numbers +increased every moment, strove to drive the luckless herd of buffaloes +that had chanced to fall in their way. The task was easy. The +unsuspecting animals, of which there were hundreds, rushed in a dense +mass upon the cape referred to. On they came with irresistible +impetuosity, bellowing furiously, while their hoofs thundered on the +turf with the muffled continuous roar of a distant, but mighty +cataract--the Indians, meanwhile, urging them on by hideous yell and +frantic gesture. + +The advance-guard came bounding madly to the edge of the precipice. +Here they stopped short, and gazed affrighted at the gulf below. It was +but for a moment. The irresistible momentum of the flying mass behind +pushed them over. Down they came, absolutely a living cataract, upon +the rocks below. Some struck on the projecting rocks in the descent, +and their bodies were dashed almost in pieces, while their blood spurted +out in showers. Others leaped from rock to rock with awful bounds, +until, losing their foot-hold, they fell headlong, while others +descended sheer down into the sweltering mass that lay shattered at the +base of the cliffs. + +Dick Varley and his dog remained rooted to the rock, as they gazed at +the sickening sight, as if petrified. Scarce fifty of that noble herd +of buffaloes escaped the awful leap, but they escaped only to fall +before the arrows of their ruthless pursuers. Dick had often heard of +this tendency of the Indians, where buffaloes were very numerous, to +drive them over precipices in mere wanton sport and cruelty, but he had +never seen it until now, and the sight filled his soul with horror. It +was not until the din and tumult of the perishing herd and the shrill +yells of the Indians had almost died away that he turned to quit the +spot. But the instant he did so another shout was raised. The savages +had observed him, and were seen galloping along the cliffs towards the +head of the gorge, with the obvious intention of gaining the other side +and capturing him. Dick sprang on Charlie's back, and the next instant +was flying down the valley towards the camp. + +He did not, however, fear being overtaken, for the gorge could not be +crossed, and the way round the head of it was long and rugged; but he +was anxious to alarm the camp as quickly as possible, so that they might +have time to call in the more distant trappers and make preparations for +defence. + +"Where away now, youngster," inquired Cameron, emerging from his tent as +Dick, taking the brook that flowed in front at a flying leap, came +crashing through the bushes into the midst of the fur-packs at full +speed. + +"Injuns!" ejaculated Dick, reining up, and vaulting out of the saddle. +"Hundreds of 'em. Fiends incarnate every one!" + +"Are they near?" + +"Yes; an hour 'll bring them down on us. Are Joe and Henri far from +camp to-day?" + +"At Ten-mile Creek," replied Cameron with an expression of bitterness, +as he caught up his gun and shouted to several men, who hurried up on +seeing our hero's burst into camp. + +"Ten-mile Creek!" muttered Dick. "I'll bring 'em in, though," he +continued, glancing at several of the camp horses that grazed close at +hand. + +In another moment he was on Charlie's back, the line of one of the best +horses was in his hand, and almost before Cameron knew what he was about +he was flying down the valley like the wind. Charlie often stretched +out at full speed to please his young master, but seldom had he been +urged forward as he was upon this occasion. The led horse being light +and wild, kept well up, and, in a marvellously short space of time, they +were at Ten-mile Creek. + +"Hallo, Dick, wot's to do?" inquired Joe Blunt, who was up to his knees +in the water, setting a trap at the moment his friend galloped up. + +"Injuns! Where's Henri?" demanded Dick. + +"At the head o' the dam there." + +Dick was off in a moment, and almost instantly returned with Henri +galloping beside him. + +No word was spoken. In time of action these men did not waste words. +During Dick's momentary absence, Joe Blunt had caught up his rifle and +examined the priming, so that when Dick pulled up beside him, he merely +laid his hand on the saddle, saying, "All right!" as he vaulted on +Charlie's back behind his young companion. In another moment they were +away at full speed. The mustang seemed to feel that unwonted exertions +were required of him. Double weighted though he was, he kept well up +with the other horse, and in less than two hours after Dick's leaving +the camp the three hunters came in sight of it. + +Meanwhile Cameron had collected nearly all his forces, and put his camp +in a state of defence before the Indians arrived, which they did +suddenly, and, as usual, at full gallop, to the amount of at least two +hundred. They did not at first seem disposed to hold friendly +intercourse with the trappers, but assembled in a semicircle round the +camp in a menacing attitude, while one of their chiefs stepped forward +to hold a palaver. For some time the conversation on both sides was +polite enough, but by degrees the Indian chief assumed an imperious +tone, and demanded gifts from the trappers, taking care to enforce his +request by hinting that thousands of his countrymen were not far +distant. Cameron stoutly refused, and the palaver threatened to come to +an abrupt and unpleasant termination just at the time that Dick and his +friends appeared on the scene of action. + +The brook was cleared at a bound; the three hunters leaped from their +steeds and sprang to the front with a degree of energy that had a +visible effect on the savages, and Cameron, seizing the moment, proposed +that the two parties should smoke a pipe and hold a council. The +Indians agreed, and in a few minutes they were engaged in animated and +friendly intercourse. The speeches were long, and the compliments paid +on either side were inflated, and, we fear, undeserved; but the result +of the interview was, that Cameron made the Indians a present of tobacco +and a few trinkets, and sent them back to their friends to tell them +that he was willing to trade with them. + +Next day the whole tribe arrived in the valley, and pitched their +deerskin tents on the plain opposite to the camp of the white men. +Their numbers far exceeded Cameron's expectation, and it was with some +anxiety that he proceeded to strengthen his fortifications as much as +circumstances and the nature of the ground would admit. + +The Indian camp, which numbered upwards of a thousand souls, was +arranged with great regularity, and was divided into three distinct +sections, each section being composed of a separate tribe. The Great +Snake Nation at that time embraced three tribes or divisions--namely, +the Shirry-dikas, or dog-eaters; the War-are-ree-kas, or fish-eaters; +and the Banattees, or robbers. These were the most numerous and +powerful Indians on the west side of the Rocky Mountains. The +Shirry-dikas dwelt in the plains, and hunted the buffaloes; dressed +well; were cleanly; rich in horses; bold, independent, and good +warriors. The War-are-ree-kas lived chiefly by fishing, and were found +on the banks of the rivers and lakes throughout the country. They were +more corpulent, slovenly, and indolent than the Shirry-dikas, and more +peaceful. The Banattees, as we have before mentioned, were the robbers +of the mountains. They were a wild and contemptible race, and at enmity +with every one. In summer they went about nearly naked. In winter they +clothed themselves in the skins of rabbits and wolves. Being excellent +mimics, they could imitate the howling of wolves, the neighing of +horses, and the cries of birds, by which means they could approach +travellers, rob them, and then fly to their rocky fastnesses in the +mountains, where pursuit was vain. + +Such were the men who now assembled in front of the camp of the +fur-traders, and Cameron soon found that the news of his presence in the +country had spread far and wide among the natives, bringing them to the +neighbourhood of his camp in immense crowds, so that, during the next +few days, their numbers increased to thousands. + +Several long palavers quickly ensued between the red men and the white, +and the two great chiefs who seemed to hold despotic rule over the +assembled tribes were extremely favourable to the idea of universal +peace which was propounded to them. In several set speeches of great +length and very considerable power, these natural orators explained +their willingness to enter into amicable relations with all the +surrounding nations as well as with the white men. + +"But," said Pee-eye-em, the chief of the Shirry-dikas, a man above six +feet high, and of immense muscular strength,--"but my tribe cannot +answer for the Banattees, who are robbers, and cannot be punished, +because they dwell in scattered families among the mountains. The +Banattees are bad; they cannot be trusted." + +None of the Banattees were present at the council when this was said; +and if they had been it would have mattered little, for they were +neither fierce nor courageous, although bold enough in their own haunts +to murder and rob the unwary. + +The second chief did not quite agree with Pee-eye-em; he said that it +was impossible for them to make peace with their natural enemies, the +Peigans and the Blackfeet on the east side of the mountains. It was +very desirable, he admitted, but neither of these tribes would consent +to it, he felt sure. + +Upon this Joe blunt rose and said, "The great chief of the +War-are-ree-kas is wise, and knows that enemies cannot be reconciled +unless deputies are sent to make proposals of peace." + +"The Pale-face does not know the Blackfeet," answered the chief. "Who +will go into the lands of the Blackfeet? My young men have been sent +once and again, and their scalps are now fringes to the leggings of +their enemies. The War-are-ree-kas do not cross the mountains but for +the purpose of making war." + +"The chief speaks truth," returned Joe, "yet there are three men round +the council-fire who will go to the Blackfeet and the Peigans with +messages of peace from the Snakes if they wish it." + +Joe pointed to himself, Henri, and Dick as he spoke, and added, "We +three do not belong to the camp of the fur-traders; we only lodge with +them for a time. The Great Chief of the white men has sent us to make +peace with the Red-men, and to tell them that he desires to trade with +them--to exchange hatchets, and guns, and blankets for furs." + +This declaration interested the two chiefs greatly, and after a good +deal of discussion they agreed to take advantage of Joe Blunt's offer, +and appoint him as a deputy to the court of their enemies. Having +arranged these matters to their satisfaction, Cameron bestowed a red +flag and a blue surtout with brass buttons on each of the chiefs, and a +variety of smaller articles on the other members of the council, and +sent them away in a particularly amiable frame of mind. + +Pee-eye-em burst the blue surtout at the shoulders and elbows in putting +it on, as it was much too small for his gigantic frame, but, never +having seen such an article of apparel before, he either regarded this +as the natural and proper consequence of putting it on, or was totally +indifferent to it, for he merely looked at the rents with a smile of +satisfaction, while his squaw surreptitiously cut off the two back +buttons and thrust them into her bosom. + +By the time the council closed the night was far advanced, and a bright +moon was shedding a flood of soft light over the picturesque and busy +scene. + +"I'll go to the Injun camp," said Joe to Walter Cameron, as the chiefs +rose to depart. "The season's far enough advanced already; it's time to +be off; and if I'm to speak for the Red-skins in the Blackfeet Council, +I'd need to know what to say." + +"Please yourself, Master Blunt," answered Cameron. "I like your company +and that of your friends, and if it suited you I would be glad to take +you along with us to the coast of the Pacific; but your mission among +the Indians is a good one, and I'll help it on all I can. I suppose you +will go also?" he added, turning to Dick Varley, who was still seated +beside the council-fire caressing Crusoe. + +"Wherever Joe goes, I go," answered Dick. + +Crusoe's tail, ears and eyes demonstrated high approval of the sentiment +involved in this speech. + +"And your friend Henri?" + +"He goes too," answered Joe. "It's as well that the Red-skins should +see the three o' us before we start for the east side o' the mountains. +Ho! Henri, come here, lad." + +Henri obeyed, and in a few seconds the three friends crossed the brook +to the Indian camp, and were guided to the principal lodge by +Pee-eye-em. Here a great council was held, and the proposed attempt at +negotiations for peace with their ancient enemies fully discussed. +While they were thus engaged, and just as Pee-eye-em had, in the energy +of an enthusiastic peroration burst the blue surtout _almost_ up to the +collar, a distant rushing sound was heard, which caused every man to +spring to his feet, run out of the tent, and seize his weapons. + +"What can it be, Joe?" whispered Dick, as they stood at the tent door +leaning on their rifles, and listening intently. + +"Dunno," answered Joe shortly. + +Most of the numerous fires of the camp had gone out, but the bright moon +revealed the dusky forms of thousands of Indians, whom the unwonted +sound had startled, moving rapidly about. + +The mystery was soon explained. The Indian camp was pitched on an open +plain of several miles in extent, which took a sudden bend half a mile +distant, where a spur of the mountains shut out the further end of the +valley from view. From beyond this point the dull rumbling sound +proceeded. Suddenly there was a roar as if a mighty cataract had been +let loose upon the scene. At the same moment a countless herd of wild +horses came thundering round the base of the mountain and swept over the +plain straight towards the Indian camp. + +"A stampedo!" cried Joe, springing to the assistance of Pee-eye-em, +whose favourite horses were picketted near the tent. + +On they came like a living torrent, and the thunder of a thousand hoofs +was soon mingled with the howling of hundreds of dogs in the camp, and +the yelling of Indians, as they vainly endeavoured to restrain the +rising excitement of their steeds. Henri and Dick stood rooted to the +ground, gazing in silent wonder at the fierce and uncontrollable gallop +of the thousands of panic-stricken horses that bore down upon the camp +with the tumultuous violence of a mighty cataract. + +As the maddened troop drew nigh, the camp horses began to snort and +tremble violently, and when the rush of the wild steeds was almost upon +them, they became ungovernable with terror, broke their halters and +hobbles, and dashed wildly about. To add to the confusion at that +moment, a cloud passed over the moon and threw the whole scene into deep +obscurity. Blind with terror, which was probably increased by the din +of their own mad flight, the galloping troop came on, and, with a sound +like the continuous roar of thunder that for an instant drowned the yell +of dog and man, they burst upon the camp, trampling over packs and +skins, and dried meat, etcetera, in their headlong speed, and +overturning several of the smaller tents. In another moment they swept +out upon the plain beyond, and were soon lost in the darkness of the +night, while the yelping of dogs, as they vainly pursued them, mingled +and gradually died away with the distant thunder of their retreat. + +This was a "_stampedo_," one of the most extraordinary scenes that can +be witnessed in the western wilderness. + +"Lend a hand, Henri," shouted Joe, who was struggling with a powerful +horse. "Wot's comed over yer brains, man? This brute 'll git off if ye +don't look sharp." + +Dick and Henri both answered to the summons, and they succeeded in +throwing the struggling animal on its side and holding it down until its +excitement was somewhat abated. Pee-eye-em had also been successful in +securing his favourite hunter, but nearly every other horse belonging to +the camp had broken loose and joined the whirlwind gallop, but they +gradually dropped out, and, before morning, the most of them were +secured by their owners. As there were at least two thousand horses and +an equal number of dogs in the part of the Indian camp which had been +thus over-run by the wild mustangs, the turmoil, as may be imagined, was +prodigious! Yet, strange to say, no accident of a serious nature +occurred beyond the loss of several chargers. + +In the midst of this exciting scene there was one heart there which beat +with a nervous vehemence that well-nigh burst it. This was the heart of +Dick Varley's horse, Charlie. Well-known to him was that distant +rumbling sound that floated on the night air into the fur-trader's camp +where he was picketted close to Cameron's tent. Many a time had he +heard the approach of such a wild troop, and often, in days not long +gone by, had his shrill neigh rung out as he joined and led the +panic-stricken band. He was first to hear the sound, and by his restive +actions, to draw the attention of the fur-traders to it. As a +precautionary measure they all sprang up and stood by their horses to +soothe them, but as a brook with a belt of bushes and quarter of a mile +of plain intervened between their camp and the mustangs as they flew +past, they had little or no trouble in restraining them. Not so, +however, with Charlie. At the very moment that his master was +congratulating himself on the supposed security of his position, he +wrenched the halter from the hand of him who held it, burst through the +barrier of felled trees that had been thrown round the camp, cleared the +brook at a bound, and, with a wild hilarious neigh, resumed his old +place in the ranks of the free-born mustangs of the prairie. + +Little did Dick think, when the flood of horses swept past him, that his +own good steed was there, rejoicing in his recovered liberty. But +Crusoe knew it. Ay, the wind had borne down the information to his +acute nose before the living storm burst upon the camp, and when Charlie +rushed past with the long tough halter trailing at his heels, Crusoe +sprang to his side, seized the end of the halter with his teeth, and +galloped off along with him. + +It was a long gallop and a tough one, but Crusoe held on, for it was a +settled principle in his mind _never_ to give in. At first the check +upon Charlie's speed was imperceptible, but by degrees the weight of the +gigantic dog began to tell, and, after a time, they fell a little to the +rear; then, by good fortune, the troop passed through a mass of +underwood, and the line, getting entangled, brought their mad career +forcibly to a close; the mustangs passed on, and the two friends were +left to keep each other company in the dark. + +How long they would have remained thus is uncertain, for neither of them +had sagacity enough to undo a complicated entanglement; fortunately, +however, in his energetic tugs at the line, Crusoe's sharp teeth +partially severed it, and a sudden start on the part of Charlie caused +it to part. Before he could escape, Crusoe again seized the end of it +and led him slowly but steadily back to the Indian camp, never halting +or turning aside until he had placed the line in Dick Varley's hand. + +"Hallo, pup! where have ye bin. How did ye bring him here?" exclaimed +Dick, as he gazed in amazement at his foam-covered horse. + +Crusoe wagged his tail, as if to say, "Be thankful that you've got him, +Dick, my boy, and don't ask questions that you know I can't answer." + +"He must ha' broke loose and jined the stampedo," remarked Joe, coming +out of the chief's tent at the moment; "but tie him up, Dick, and come +in, for we want to settle about startin' to-morrow or nixt day." + +Having fastened Charlie to a stake, and ordered Crusoe to watch him, +Dick re-entered the tent where the council had re-assembled, and where +Pee-eye-em--having, in the recent struggle, split the blue surtout +completely up to the collar, so that his backbone was visible throughout +the greater part of its length--was holding forth in eloquent strains on +the subject of peace in general and peace with the Blackfeet, the +ancient enemies of the Shirry-dikas, in particular. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +PLANS AND PROSPECTS--DICK BECOMES HOME-SICK, AND HENRI METAPHYSICAL--THE +INDIANS ATTACK THE CAMP--A BLOW-UP. + +On the following day the Indians gave themselves up to unlimited +feasting, in consequence of the arrival of a large body of hunters with +an immense supply of buffalo meat. It was a regular day of rejoicing. +Upwards of six hundred buffaloes had been killed, and as the supply of +meat before their arrival had been ample, the camp was now overflowing +with plenty. Feasts were given by the chiefs, and the medicine-men went +about the camp uttering loud cries, which were meant to express +gratitude to the Great Spirit for the bountiful supply of food. They +also carried a portion of meat to the aged and infirm who were unable to +hunt for themselves, and had no young men in their family circle to hunt +for them. + +This arrival of the hunters was a fortunate circumstance, as it put the +Indians in great good-humour, and inclined them to hold friendly +intercourse with the trappers, who for some time continued to drive a +brisk trade in furs. Having no market for the disposal of their furs, +the Indians of course had more than they knew what to do with, and were +therefore glad to exchange those of the most beautiful and valuable kind +for a mere trifle, so that the trappers laid aside their traps for a +time and devoted themselves to traffic. + +Meanwhile Joe Blunt and his friends made preparations for their return +journey. + +"Ye see," remarked Joe to Henri and Dick, as they sat beside the fire in +Pee-eye-em's lodge, and feasted on a potful of grasshopper soup, which +the great chiefs squaw had just placed before them,--"ye see, my +calc'lations is as follows. Wot with trappin' beavers and huntin', we +three ha' made enough to sot us up, an it likes us, in the Mustang +Valley--" + +"Ha!" interrupted Dick, remitting for a few seconds the use of his teeth +in order to exercise his tongue,--"ha! Joe, but it don't like _me_! +What, give up a hunter's life and become a farmer? I should think not!" + +"Bon!" ejaculated Henri, but whether the remark had reference to the +grasshopper soup or the sentiment, we cannot tell. + +"Well," continued Joe, commencing to devour a large buffalo steak with a +hunter's appetite, "ye'll please yourselves, lads, as to that; but, as I +wos sayin', we've got a powerful lot o' furs, an' a big pack o' odds and +ends for the Injuns we chance to meet with by the way, an' powder and +lead to last us a twelve-month, besides five good horses to carry us an' +our packs over the plains; so if it's agreeable to you, I mean to make a +bee-line for the Mustang Valley. We're pretty sure to meet with +Blackfeet on the way, and if we do we'll try to make peace between them +an' the Snakes. I 'xpect it'll be pretty well on for six weeks afore we +git to home, so we'll start to-morrow." + +"Dat is fat vill do ver' vell," said Henri; "vill you please donnez me +one petit morsel of steak." + +"I'm ready for anything, Joe," cried Dick, "you are leader. Just point +the way, and I'll answer for two o' us followin' ye--eh! won't we, +Crusoe?" + +"We will," remarked the dog quietly. + +"How comes it," inquired Dick, "that these Indians don't care for our +tobacco?" + +"They like their own better, I s'pose," answered Joe; "most all the +western Injuns do. They make it o' the dried leaves o' the shumack and +the inner bark o' the red-willow, chopped very small an' mixed together. +They call this stuff _Kinnekinnik_, but they like to mix about a fourth +o' our tobacco with it, so Pee-eye-em tells me, an' he's a good judge; +the amount that red-skinned mortal smokes _is_ oncommon." + +"What are they doin' yonder?" inquired Dick, pointing to a group of men +who had been feasting for some time past in front of a tent within sight +of our trio. + +"Goin' to sing, I think," replied Joe. + +As he spoke, six young warriors were seen to work their bodies about in +a very remarkable way, and give utterance to still more remarkable +sounds, which gradually increased until the singers burst out into that +terrific yell, or war-whoop, for which American savages have long been +famous. Its effect would save been appalling to unaccustomed ears. +Then they allowed their voices to die away in soft, plaintive tones, +while their action corresponded thereto. Suddenly the furious style was +revived, and the men wrought themselves into a condition little short of +madness, while their yells rung wildly through the camp. This was too +much for ordinary canine nature to withstand, so all the dogs in the +neighbourhood joined in the horrible chorus. + +Crusoe had long since learned to treat the eccentricities of Indians and +their curs with dignified contempt. He paid no attention to this +serenade, but lay sleeping by the fire until Dick and his companions +rose to take leave of their host, and return to the camp of the +fur-traders. The remainder of that night was spent in making +preparations for setting forth on the morrow, and when, at grey dawn, +Dick and Crusoe lay down to snatch a few hours' repose, the yells and +howling in the Snake camp were going on as vigorously as ever. + +The sun had arisen, and his beams were just tipping the summits of the +Rocky Mountains, causing the snowy peaks to glitter like flame, and the +deep ravines and gorges to look sombre and mysterious by contrast, when +Dick, and Joe, and Henri mounted their gallant steeds, and, with Crusoe +gambolling before, and the two pack-horses trotting by their side, +turned their faces eastward, and bade adieu to the Indian camp. + +Crusoe was in great spirits. He was perfectly well aware that he and +his companions were on their way home, and testified his satisfaction by +bursts of scampering over the hills and valleys. Doubtless he thought +of Dick Varley's cottage, and of Dick's mild, kind-hearted mother. +Undoubtedly, too, he thought of his own mother, Fan, and felt a glow of +filial affection as he did so. Of this we feel quite certain. He would +have been unworthy the title of hero if he hadn't. Perchance he thought +of Grumps, but of this we are not quite so sure. We rather think, upon +the whole, that he did. + +Dick, too, let his thoughts run away in the direction of _home_. Sweet +word! Those who have never left it cannot, by any effort of +imagination, realise the full import of the word "home." Dick was a +bold hunter, but he was young, and this was his first long expedition. +Oftentimes, when sleeping under the trees and gazing dreamily up through +the branches at the stars, had he thought of home, until his longing +heart began to yearn to return. He repelled such tender feelings, +however, when they became too strong, deeming them unmanly, and sought +to turn his mind to the excitements of the chase, but latterly his +efforts were in vain. He became thoroughly home-sick, and, while +admitting the fact to himself, he endeavoured to conceal it from his +comrades. He thought that he was successful in this attempt. Poor Dick +Varley! as yet he was sadly ignorant of human nature. Henri knew it, +and Joe Blunt knew it. Even Crusoe knew that something was wrong with +his master, although he could not exactly make out what it was. But +Crusoe made memoranda in the note-book of his memory. He jotted down +the peculiar phases of his master's new disease with the care and minute +exactness of a physician; and, we doubt not, ultimately added the +knowledge of the symptoms of homesickness to his already well-filled +stores of erudition. + +It was not till they had set out on their homeward journey that Dick +Varley's spirits revived, and it was not till they reached the beautiful +prairies on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, and galloped over +the green sward towards the Mustang Valley, that Dick ventured to tell +Joe Blunt what his feelings had been. + +"D'ye know, Joe," he said confidentially, reining up his gallant steed +after a sharp gallop, "d'ye know I've bin feelin' awful low for some +time past." + +"I know it, lad," answered Joe, with a quiet smile, in which there was a +dash of something that implied he knew more than he chose to express. + +Dick felt surprised, but he continued, "I wonder what it could have bin. +I never felt so before." + +"'Twas homesickness, boy," returned Joe. + +"How d'ye know that?" + +"The same way as how I know most things, by experience an' obsarvation. +I've bin home-sick myself once--but it was long, long agone." + +Dick felt much relieved at this candid confession by such a bronzed +veteran, and, the chords of sympathy having been struck, he opened up +his heart at once, to the evident delight of Henri, who, among other +curious partialities, was extremely fond of listening to and taking part +in conversations that bordered on the metaphysical, and were hard to be +understood. Most conversations that were not connected with eating and +hunting were of this nature to Henri. + +"Hom'-sik," he cried, "veech mean bein' sik of hom'! hah! dat is fat I +am always be, ven I goes hout on de expedition. Oui, vraiment." + +"I always packs up," continued Joe, paying no attention to Henri's +remark,--"I always packs up an' sots off for home when I gits home-sick; +it's the best cure, an' when hunters are young like you, Dick, it's the +only cure. I've know'd fellers a'most die o' homesickness, an' I'm told +they _do_ go under altogether sometimes." + +"Go onder!" exclaimed Henri; "oui, I vas all but die myself ven I fust +try to git away from hom'. If I have not git away, I not be here +to-day." + +Henri's idea of homesickness was so totally opposed to theirs, that his +comrades only laughed, and refrained from attempting to set him right. + +"The fust time I was took bad with it wos in a country somethin' like +that," said Joe, pointing to the wide stretch of undulating prairie, +dotted with clusters of trees and wandering streamlets, that lay before +them; "I had bin out about two months, an wos makin' a good thing of it, +for game wos plenty, when I began to think somehow more than usual o' +home. My mother wos alive then." + +Joe's voice sank to a deep, solemn tone as he said this, and for a few +minutes he rode on in silence. + +"Well, it grew worse and worse, I dreamed o' home all night, an' thought +of it all day, till I began to shoot bad, an' my comrades wos gittin' +tired o' me; so says I to them one night, says I, `I give out, lads, +I'll make tracks for the settlement to-morrow.' They tried to laugh me +out of it at first, but it was no go, so I packed up, bid them good-day, +an' sot off alone on a trip o' five hundred miles. The very first mile +o' the way back I began to mend, and before two days I wos all right +again." + +Joe was interrupted at this point by the sudden appearance of a solitary +horseman on the brow of an eminence not half a mile distant. The three +friends instantly drove their pack-horses behind a clump of trees, but +not in time to escape the vigilant eye of the Red-man, who uttered a +loud shout, which brought up a band of his comrades at full gallop. + +"Remember, Henri," cried Joe Blunt, "our errand is one of _peace_." + +The caution was needed, for in the confusion of the moment Henri was +making preparation to sell his life as dearly as possible. Before +another word could be uttered, they were surrounded by a troop of about +twenty yelling Blackfeet Indians. They were, fortunately, not a +war-party, and, still more fortunately, they were peaceably disposed, +and listened to the preliminary address of Joe Blunt with exemplary +patience; after which the two parties encamped on the spot, the +council-fire was lighted, and every preparation made for a long palaver. + +We will not trouble the reader with the details of what was said on this +occasion. The party of Indians was a small one, and no chief of any +importance was attached to it. Suffice it to say that the pacific +overtures made by Joe were well received, the trifling gifts made +thereafter were still better received, and they separated with mutual +expressions of good will. + +Several other bands which were afterwards met with were equally +friendly, and only one war-party was seen. Joe's quick eye observed it +in time to enable them to retire unseen behind the shelter of some +trees, where they remained until the Indian warriors were out of sight. + +The next party they met with, however, were more difficult to manage, +and, unfortunately, blood was shed on both sides before our travellers +escaped. + +It was at the close of a beautiful day that a war-party of Blackfeet +were seen riding along a ridge on the horizon. It chanced that the +prairie at this place was almost destitute of trees or shrubs large +enough to conceal the horses. By dashing down the grassy wave into the +hollow between the two undulations, and dismounting, Joe hoped to elude +the savages, so he gave the word,--but at the same moment a shout from +the Indians told that they were discovered. + +"Look sharp, lads, throw down the packs on the highest point of the +ridge," cried Joe, undoing the lashings, seizing one of the bales of +goods, and hurrying to the top of the undulation with it; "we must keep +them at arm's length, boys--be alive. War-parties are not to be +trusted." + +Dick and Henri seconded Joe's efforts so ably, that in the course of two +minutes the horses were unloaded, the packs piled in the form of a wall +in front of a broken piece of ground, the horses picketted close beside +them, and our three travellers peeping over the edge, with their rifles +cocked, while the savages--about thirty in number--came sweeping down +towards them. + +"I'll try to git them to palaver," said Joe Blunt, "but keep yer eye on +'em, Dick, an' if they behave ill, shoot the _horse_ o' the leadin' +chief. I'll throw up my left hand as a signal. Mind, lad, don't hit +human flesh till my second signal is given, and see that Henri don't +draw till I git back to ye." + +So saying, Joe sprang lightly over the slight parapet of their little +fortress, and ran swiftly out, unarmed, towards the Indians. In a few +seconds he was close up with them, and in another moment was surrounded. +At first the savages brandished their spears and rode round the +solitary man, yelling like fiends, as if they wished to intimidate him; +but as Joe stood like a statue, with his arms crossed, and a grave +expression of contempt on his countenance, they quickly desisted, and, +drawing near, asked him where he came from, and what he was doing there. + +Joe's story was soon told; but instead of replying, they began to shout +vociferously, and evidently meant mischief. + +"If the Blackfeet are afraid to speak to the Pale-face, he will go back +to his braves," said Joe, passing suddenly between two of the warriors +and taking a few steps towards the camp. + +Instantly every bow was bent, and it seemed as if our bold hunter were +about to be pierced by a hundred arrows, when he turned round and +cried:-- + +"The Blackfeet must not advance a single step. The first that moves his +_horse_ shall die. The second that moves _himself_ shall die." + +To this the Blackfoot chief replied scornfully, "The Pale-face talks +with a big mouth. We do not believe his words. The Snakes are liars, +we will make no peace with them." + +While he was yet speaking, Joe threw up his hand; there was a loud +report, and the noble horse of the savage chief lay struggling in death +agony on the ground. + +The use of the rifle, as we have before hinted, was little known at this +period among the Indians of the far west, and many had never heard the +dreaded report before, although all were aware, from hearsay, of its +fatal power. The fall of the chief's horse, therefore, quite paralysed +them for a few moments, and they had not recovered from their surprise +when a second report was heard, a bullet whistled past, and a second +horse fell. At the same moment there was a loud explosion in the camp +of the Pale-faces, a white cloud enveloped it, and from the midst of +this a loud shriek was heard, as Dick, Henri, and Crusoe bounded over +the packs with frantic gestures. + +At this the gaping savages wheeled their steeds round, the dismounted +horsemen sprang on behind two of their comrades, and the whole band +dashed away over the plains as if they were chased by evil spirits. + +Meanwhile Joe hastened towards his comrades in a state of great anxiety, +for he knew at once that one of the powder-horns must have been +accidentally blown up. + +"No damage done, boys, I hope?" he cried on coming up. + +"Damage!" cried Henri, holding his hands tight over his face. "Oh! oui, +great damage--moche damage, me two eyes be blowed out of dere holes." + +"Not quite so bad as that, I hope," said Dick, who was very slightly +singed, and forgot his own hurts in anxiety about his comrade. "Let me +see?" + +"My eye!" exclaimed Joe Blunt, while a broad grin overspread his +countenance, "ye've not improved yer looks, Henri." + +This was true. The worthy hunter's hair was singed to such an extent +that his entire countenance presented the appearance of a universal +frizzle. Fortunately the skin, although much blackened, was quite +uninjured, a fact which, when he ascertained it beyond a doubt, afforded +so much satisfaction to Henri, that he capered about shouting with +delight, as if some piece of good fortune had befallen him. + +The accident had happened in consequence of Henri having omitted to +replace the stopper of his powder-horn, and when, in his anxiety for +Joe, he fired at random amongst the Indians, despite Dick's entreaties +to wait, a spark communicated with the powder-horn and blew him up. +Dick and Crusoe were only a little singed, but the former was not +disposed to quarrel with an accident which had sent their enemies so +promptly to the right-about. + +This band followed them for some nights, in the hope of being able to +steal their horses while they slept; but they were not brave enough to +venture a second time within range of the death-dealing rifle. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +DANGERS OF THE PRAIRIE--OUR TRAVELLERS ATTACKED BY INDIANS, AND +DELIVERED IN A REMARKABLE MANNER. + +There are periods in the life of almost all men when misfortunes seem to +crowd upon them in rapid succession, when they escape from one danger +only to encounter another, and when, to use a well-known expression, +they succeed in leaping out of the frying-pan at the expense of plunging +into the fire. + +So was it with our three friends upon this occasion. They were scarcely +rid of the Blackfeet, who found them too watchful to be caught napping, +when, about daybreak one morning they encountered a roving band of +Camanchee Indians, who wore such a warlike aspect that Joe deemed it +prudent to avoid them if possible. + +"They don't see us yit, I guess," said Joe, as he and his companions +drove the horses into a hollow between the grassy waves of the prairie, +"any if we only can escape their sharp eyes till we're in yonder clump +o' willows, we're safe enough." + +"But why don't you ride up to them, Joe," inquired Dick, "and make peace +between them and the Pale-faces, as you ha' done with other bands?" + +"Because it's o' no use to risk our scalps for the chance o' makin' +peace wi' a rovin' war-party. Keep yer head down, Henri! If they git +only a sight o' the top o' yer cap, they'll be down on us like a breeze +o' _wind_." + +"Hah! let dem come!" said Henri. + +"They'll come without askin' yer leave," remarked Joe drily. + +Notwithstanding his defiant expression, Henri had sufficient prudence to +induce him to bend his head and shoulders, and in a few minutes they +reached the shelter of the willows unseen by the savages. At least so +thought Henri, Joe was not quite sure about it, and Dick hoped for the +best. + +In the course of half an hour the last of the Camanchees was seen to +hover for a second on the horizon, like a speck of black against the +sky, and then to disappear. + +Immediately the three hunters bolted on their steeds and resumed their +journey; but before that evening closed they had sad evidence of the +savage nature of the band from which they had escaped. On passing the +brow of a slight eminence, Dick, who rode first, observed that Crusoe +stopped and snuffed the breeze in an anxious, inquiring manner. + +"What is't, pup?" said Dick, drawing up, for he knew that his faithful +dog never gave a false alarm. + +Crusoe replied by a short, uncertain bark, and then bounding forward, +disappeared behind a little wooded knoll. In another moment a long, +dismal howl floated over the plains. There was a mystery about the +dog's conduct which, coupled with his melancholy cry, struck the +travellers with a superstitious feeling of dread, as they sat looking at +each other in surprise. + +"Come, let's clear it up," cried Joe Blunt, shaking the reins of his +steed, and galloping forward. A few strides brought them to the other +side of the knoll where, scattered upon the torn and bloody turf, they +discovered the scalped and mangled remains of about twenty or thirty +human beings. Their skulls had been cleft by the tomahawk, and their +breasts pierced by the scalping-knife; and from the position in which +many of them lay, it was evident that they had been slain while asleep. + +Joe's brow flushed, and his lips became tightly compressed, as he +muttered between his set teeth, "Their skins are white." + +A short examination sufficed to show that the men who had thus been +barbarously murdered while they slept had been a band of trappers, or +hunters; but what their errand had been, or whence they came, they could +not discover. + +Everything of value had been carried off, and all the scalps had been +taken. Most of the bodies, although much mutilated, lay in a posture +that led our hunters to believe they had been killed while asleep; but +one or two were cut almost to pieces, and from the blood-bespattered and +trampled sward around, it seemed as if they had struggled long and +fiercely for life. Whether or not any of the savages had been slain, it +was impossible to tell, for if such had been the case, their comrades, +doubtless, had carried away their bodies. That they had been +slaughtered by the party of Camanchees who had been seen at daybreak, +was quite clear to Joe; but his burning desire to revenge the death of +the white men had to be stifled, as his party was so small. + +Long afterwards it was discovered that this was a band of trappers who, +like those mentioned at the beginning of this volume, had set out to +avenge the death of a comrade; but God, who has retained the right of +vengeance in His own hand, saw fit to frustrate their purpose, by giving +them into the hands of the savages whom they had set forth to slay. + +As it was impossible to bury so many bodies, the travellers resumed +their journey, and left them to bleach there in the wilderness; but they +rode the whole of that day almost without uttering a word. Meanwhile +the Camanchees, who had observed the trio, and had ridden away at first +for the purpose of deceiving them into the belief that they had passed +unobserved, doubled on their track, and took a long sweep in order to +keep out of sight until they could approach under the shelter of a belt +of woodland towards which the travellers now approached. + +The Indians adopted this course instead of the easier method of simply +pursuing so weak a party, because the plains at this part were bordered +by a long stretch of forest into which the hunters could have plunged, +and rendered pursuit more difficult, if not almost useless. The detour +thus taken was so extensive that the shades of evening were beginning to +descend before they could put their plan into execution. The forest lay +about a mile to the right of our hunters, like some dark mainland, of +which the prairie was the sea, and the scattered clumps of wood the +islands. + +"There's no lack o' game here," said Dick Varley, pointing to a herd of +buffaloes which rose at their approach, and fled away towards the wood. + +"I think we'll ha' thunder soon," remarked Joe. "I never feel it +onnatteral hot like this without looking out for a plump." + +"Hah! den ve better look hout for one goot tree to get b'low," suggested +Henri. "Voila!" he added, pointing with his finger towards the plain; +"dere am a lot of wild hosses." + +A troop of about thirty wild horses appeared, as he spoke, on the brow +of a ridge, and advanced slowly towards them. + +"Hist!" exclaimed Joe, reining up; "hold on, lads. Wild horses! my +rifle to a pop-gun there's wilder men on t'other side o' them." + +"What mean you, Joe?" inquired Dick, riding close up. + +"D'ye see the little lumps on the shoulder o' each horse?" said Joe. +"Them's Injun's _feet_; an' if we don't want to lose our scalps we'd +better make for the forest." + +Joe proved himself to be in earnest by wheeling round and making +straight for the thick woods as fast as his horse could run. The others +followed, driving the pack-horses before them. + +The effect of this sudden movement on the so-called "wild horses" was +very remarkable, and to one unacquainted with the habits of the +Camanchee Indians, must have appeared almost supernatural. In the +twinkling of an eye every steed had a rider on its back, and before the +hunters had taken five strides in the direction of the forest, the whole +band were in hot pursuit, yelling like furies. + +The manner in which these Indians accomplish this feat is very singular, +and implies great activity and strength of muscle on the part of the +savages. + +The Camanchees are low in stature, and usually are rather corpulent. In +their movements on foot they are heavy and ungraceful, and they are, on +the whole, a slovenly and unattractive race of men. But the instant +they mount their horses they seem to be entirely changed, and surprise +the spectator with the ease and elegance of their movements. Their +great and distinctive peculiarity as horsemen is the power they have +acquired of throwing themselves suddenly on either side of their horse's +body, and clinging on in such a way that no part of them is visible from +the other side save the foot by which they cling. In this manner they +approach their enemies at full gallop, and without rising again to the +saddle, discharge their arrows at them over their horses' backs, or even +under their necks. + +This apparently magical feat is accomplished by means of a halter of +horsehair, which is passed round under the neck of the horse, and both +ends braided into the mane, on the withers, thus forming a loop which +hangs under the neck and against the breast. This being caught by the +hand, makes a sling, into which the elbow falls, taking the weight of +the body on the middle of the upper arm. Into this loop the rider drops +suddenly and fearlessly, leaving his heel to hang over the horse's back, +to steady him, and also to restore him to his seat when desired. + +By this stratagem the Indians had approached on the present occasion +almost within rifle range before they were discovered, and it required +the utmost speed of the hunters' horses to enable them to avoid being +overtaken. One of the Indians, who was better mounted than his fellows, +gained on the fugitives so much that he came within arrow range, but +reserved his shaft until they were close on the margin of the wood, +when, being almost alongside of Henri, he fitted an arrow to his bow. +Henri's eye was upon him, however; letting go the line of the pack-horse +which he was leading, he threw forward his rifle, but at the same moment +the savage disappeared behind his horse, and an arrow whizzed past the +hunter's ear. + +Henri fired at the horse, which dropped instantly, hurling the +astonished Camanchee upon the ground, where he lay for some time +insensible. In a few seconds pursued and pursuers entered the wood, +where both had to advance with caution, in order to avoid being swept +off by the overhanging branches of the trees. + +Meanwhile the sultry heat of which Joe had formerly spoken increased +considerably, and a rumbling noise, as if of distant thunder, was heard; +but the flying hunters paid no attention to it, for the led horses gave +them so much trouble, and retarded their flight so much, that the +Indians were gradually and visibly gaining on them. + +"We'll ha' to let the packs go," said Joe, somewhat bitterly, as he +looked over his shoulder. "Our scalps 'll pay for't if we don't." + +Henri uttered a peculiar and significant _hiss_ between his teeth, as he +said, "P'raps ve better stop and fight!" + +Dick said nothing, being resolved to do exactly what Joe Blunt bid him; +and Crusoe, for reasons best known to himself, also said nothing, but +bounded along beside his master's horse, casting an occasional glance +upwards to catch any signal that might be given. + +They had passed over a considerable space of ground, and were forcing +their way, at the imminent hazard of their necks, through a +densely-clothed part of the wood, when the sound above referred to +increased, attracting the attention of both parties. In a few seconds +the air was filled with a steady and continuous rumbling sound, like the +noise of a distant cataract. Pursuers and fugitives drew rein +instinctively, and came to a dead stand, while the rumbling increased to +a roar, and evidently approached them rapidly, though as yet nothing to +cause it could be seen, except that there was a dense, dark cloud +overspreading the sky to the southward. The air was oppressively still +and hot. + +"What can't be?" inquired Dick, looking at Joe, who was gazing with an +expression of wonder, not unmixed with concern, at the southern sky. + +"Dunno, boy. I've bin more in the woods than in the clearin' in my day, +but I niver heerd the likes o' that." + +"It am like t'ondre," said Henri; "mais it nevair do stop." + +This was true. The sound was similar to continuous, uninterrupted +thunder. On it came with a magnificent roar that shook the very earth, +and revealed itself at last in the shape of a mighty whirlwind. In a +moment the distant woods bent before it, and fell like grass before the +scythe. It was a whirling hurricane, accompanied by a deluge of rain +such as none of the party had ever before witnessed. Steadily, +fiercely, irresistibly, it bore down upon them, while the crash of +falling, snapping, and uprooting trees mingled with the dire artillery +of that sweeping storm like the musketry on a battle-field. + +"Follow me, lads!" shouted Joe, turning his horse and dashing at full +speed towards a rocky eminence that offered shelter. But shelter was +not needed. The storm was clearly defined. Its limits were as +distinctly marked by its Creator as if it had been a living intelligence +sent forth to put a belt of desolation round the world; and, although +the edge of devastation was not five hundred yards from the rock behind +which the hunters were stationed, only a few drops of ice-cold rain fell +upon them. + +It passed directly between the Camanchee Indians and their intended +victims, placing between them a barrier which it would have taken days +to cut through. The storm blew for an hour, then it travelled onward in +its might, and was lost in distance. Whence it came and whither it went +none could tell; but, far as the eye could see on either hand, an avenue +a quarter of a mile wide was cut through the forest. It had levelled +everything with the dust; the very grass was beaten flat, the trees were +torn, shivered, snapped across, and crushed; and the earth itself in +many places was ploughed up and furrowed with deep scars. The chaos was +indescribable, and it is probable that centuries will not quite +obliterate the work of that single hour. + +While it lasted, Joe and his comrades remained speechless and +awe-stricken. When it passed, no Indians were to be seen. So our +hunters remounted their steeds, and, with feelings of gratitude to God +for having delivered them alike from savage foes and from the +destructive power of the whirlwind, resumed their journey towards the +Mustang Valley. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. + +ANXIOUS FEARS FOLLOWED BY A JOYFUL SURPRISE--SAFE HOME AT LAST, AND +HAPPY HEARTS. + +One fine afternoon, a few weeks after the storm of which we have given +an account in the last chapter, old Mrs Varley was seated beside her +own chimney corner in the little cottage by the lake, gazing at the +glowing logs with the earnest expression of one whose thoughts were far +away. Her kind face was paler than usual, and her hands rested idly on +her knee, grasping the knitting wires to which was attached a +half-finished stocking. + +On a stool near to her sat young Marston, the lad to whom, on the day of +the shooting match, Dick Varley had given his old rifle. The boy had an +anxious look about him, as he lifted his eyes from time to time to the +widow's face. + +"Did ye say, my boy, that they were _all_ killed?" inquired Mrs Varley, +awaking from her reverie with a deep sigh. + +"Every one," replied Marston. "Jim Scraggs, who brought the news, said +they wos all lyin' dead with their scalps off. They wos a party o' +white men." + +Mrs Varley sighed again, and her face assumed an expression of anxious +pain as she thought of her son Dick being exposed to a similar fate. +Mrs Varley was not given to nervous fears; but as she listened to the +boy's recital of the slaughter of a party of white men, news of which +had just reached the valley, her heart sank, and she prayed inwardly to +Him who is the husband of the widow that her dear one might be protected +from the ruthless hand of the savage. + +After a short pause, during which young Marston fidgeted about and +looked concerned, as if he had something to say which he would fain +leave unsaid, Mrs Varley continued:-- + +"Was it far off where the bloody deed was done?" + +"Yes; three weeks off, I believe. And Jim Scraggs said that he found a +knife that looked like the one wot belonged to--to--" the lad hesitated. + +"To whom, my boy? Why don't ye go on?" + +"To your son Dick." + +The widow's hands dropped by her side, and she would have fallen had not +Marston caught her. + +"O mother dear, don't take on like that!" he cried, smoothing down the +widow's hair as her head rested on his breast. + +For some time Mrs Varley suffered the boy to fondle her in silence, +while her breast laboured with anxious dread. + +"Tell me all," she said at last, recovering a little. "Did Jim see-- +Dick?" + +"No," answered the boy. "He looked at all the bodies, but did not find +his; so he sent me over here to tell ye that p'raps he's escaped." + +Mrs Varley breathed more freely, and earnestly thanked God; but her +fears soon returned when she thought of his being a prisoner, and +recalled the tales of terrible cruelty often related of the savages. + +While she was still engaged in closely questioning the lad, Jim Scraggs +himself entered the cottage, and endeavoured in a gruff sort of way to +re-assure the widow. + +"Ye see, mistress," he said, "Dick is a oncommon tough customer, an' if +he could only git fifty yards start, there's not a Injun in the west as +could git hold o' him agin; so don't be takin' on." + +"But what if he's bin taken prisoner?" said the widow. + +"Ay, that's jest wot I've comed about. Ye see it's not onlikely he's +bin took; so about thirty o' the lads o' the valley are ready jest now +to start away and give the red riptiles chase, an' I come to tell ye; so +keep up heart, mistress." + +With this parting word of comfort, Jim withdrew, and Marston soon +followed, leaving the widow to weep and pray in solitude. + +Meanwhile an animated scene was going on near the block-house. Here +thirty of the young hunters of the Mustang Valley were assembled, +actively engaged in supplying themselves with powder and lead, and +tightening their girths, preparatory to setting out in pursuit of the +Indians who had murdered the white men, while hundreds of boys and +girls, and not a few matrons, crowded round and listened to the +conversation, and to the deep threats of vengeance that were uttered +ever and anon by the younger men. + +Major Hope, too, was among them. The worthy major, unable to restrain +his roving propensities, determined to revisit the Mustang Valley, and +had arrived only two days before. + +Backwoodsmen's preparations are usually of the shortest and simplest. +In a few minutes the cavalcade was ready, and away they went towards the +prairies, with the bold major at their head. But their journey was +destined to come to an abrupt and unexpected close. A couple of hours' +gallop brought them to the edge of one of those open plains which +sometimes break up the woodland near the verge of the great prairies. +It stretched out like a green lake towards the horizon, on which, just +as the band of horsemen reached it, the sun was descending in a blaze of +glory. + +With a shout of enthusiasm, several of the younger members of the party +sprang forward into the plain at a gallop; but the shout was mingled +with one of a different tone from the older men. + +"Hist!--hallo!--hold on, ye cat-a-mounts! There's Injuns ahead!" + +The whole band came to a sudden halt at this cry, and watched eagerly, +and for some time in silence, the motions of a small party of horsemen +who were seen in the far distance, like black specks on the golden sky. + +"They come this way, I think," said Major Hope, after gazing steadfastly +at them for some minutes. + +Several of the old hands signified their assent to this suggestion by a +grunt, although to unaccustomed eyes the objects in question looked more +like crows than horsemen, and their motion was for some time scarcely +perceptible. + +"I sees pack-horses among them," cried young Marston in an excited tone; +"an' there's three riders; but there's somethin' else, only wot it be I +can't tell." + +"Ye've sharp eyes, younker," remarked one of the men, "an' I do b'lieve +yer right." + +Presently the horsemen approached, and soon there was a brisk fire of +guessing as to who they could be. It was evident that the strangers +observed the cavalcade of white men, and regarded them as friends, for +they did not check the headlong speed at which they approached. In a +few minutes they were clearly made out to be a party of three horsemen +driving pack-horses before them, and _somethin'_ which some of the +hunters guessed was a buffalo calf. + +Young Marston guessed too, but his guess was different. Moreover, it +was uttered with a yell that would have done credit to the fiercest of +all the savages. "Crusoe!" he shouted, while at the same moment he +brought his whip heavily down on the flank of his little horse, and +sprang over the prairie like an arrow. + +One of the approaching horsemen was far ahead of his comrades, and +seemed as if encircled with the flying and voluminous mane of his +magnificent horse. + +"Hah! ho!" gasped Marston in a low tone to himself, as he flew along. +"Crusoe! I'd know ye, dog, among a thousand! A buffalo calf! Ha! git +on with ye!" + +This last part of the remark was addressed to his horse, and was +followed by a whack that increased the pace considerably. + +The space between two such riders was soon devoured. + +"Hallo! Dick,--Dick Varley!" + +"Eh! why, Marston, my boy!" + +The friends reined up so suddenly, that one might have fancied they had +met like the knights of old in the shock of mortal conflict. + +"Is't yerself, Dick Varley?" + +Dick held out his hand, and his eyes glistened, but he could not find +words. + +Marston seized it, and pushing his horse close up, vaulted nimbly off +and alighted on Charlie's back behind his friend. + +"Off ye go, Dick! I'll take ye to yer mother." + +Without reply, Dick shook the reins, and in another minute was in the +midst of the hunters. + +To the numberless questions that were put to him he only waited to shout +aloud, "We're all safe! They'll tell ye all about it," he added, +pointing to his comrades, who were now close at hand; and then, dashing +onward, made straight for home, with little Marston clinging to his +waist like a monkey. + +Charlie was fresh, and so was Crusoe; so you may be sure it was not long +before they all drew up opposite the door of the widow's cottage. +Before Dick could dismount, Marston had slipped off, and was already in +the kitchen. + +"Here's Dick, mother!" + +The boy was an orphan, and loved the widow so much that he had come at +last to call her mother. + +Before another word could be uttered, Dick Varley was in the room. +Marston immediately stepped out, and softly shut the door. Reader, we +shall not open it! + +Having shut the door, as we have said, Marston ran down to the edge of +the lake, and yelled with delight--usually terminating each paroxysm +with the Indian war-whoop, with which he was well acquainted. Then he +danced, and then he sat down on a rock, and became suddenly aware that +there were other hearts there, close beside him, as glad as his own. +Another mother of the Mustang Valley was rejoicing over a long-lost son. + +Crusoe and his mother Fan were scampering round each other in a manner +that evinced powerfully the strength of their mutual affection. + +Talk of holding converse! Every hair on Crusoe's body, every motion of +his limbs, was eloquent with silent language. He gazed into his +mother's mild eyes as if he would read her inmost soul (supposing that +she had one). He turned his head to every possible angle, and cocked +his ears to every conceivable elevation, and rubbed his nose against +Fan's, and barked softly, in every imaginable degree of modulation, and +varied these proceedings by bounding away at full speed over the rocks +of the beach, and in among the bushes and out again, but always circling +round and round Fan, and keeping her in view! + +It was a sight worth seeing, and young Marston sat down on a rock, +deliberately and enthusiastically, to gloat over it. But perhaps the +most remarkable part of it has not yet been referred to. There was yet +another heart there that was glad--exceeding glad--that day. It was a +little one too, but it was big for the body that held it. Grumps was +there, and all that Grumps did was to sit on his haunches and stare at +Fan and Crusoe, and wag his tail as well as he could in so awkward a +position! Grumps was evidently bewildered with delight, and had lost +nearly all power to express it. Crusoe's conduct towards him, too, was +not calculated to clear his faculties. Every time he chanced to pass +near Grumps in his elephantine gambols, he gave him a passing touch with +his nose, which always knocked him head over heels; whereat Grumps +invariably got up quickly and wagged his tail with additional energy. +Before the feelings of those canine friends were calmed, they were all +three ruffled into a state of comparative exhaustion. + +Then young Marston called Crusoe to him, and Crusoe, obedient to the +voice of friendship, went. + +"Are you happy, my dog?" + +"You're a stupid fellow to ask such a question; however, it's an amiable +one. Yes, I am." + +"What do _you_ want, ye small bundle o' hair?" + +This was addressed to Grumps, who came forward innocently, and sat down +to listen to the conversation. + +On being thus sternly questioned, the little dog put down its ears flat, +and hung its head, looking up at the same time with a deprecatory look +as if to say, "Oh, dear! I beg pardon; I--I only want to sit near +Crusoe, please, but if you wish it I'll go away, sad and lonely, with my +tail _very_ much between my legs--indeed I will, only say the word, +but--but I'd _rather_ stay if I might." + +"Poor bundle!" said Marston, patting its head, "you can stay then. +Hooray! Crusoe, are you happy, I say? Does your heart bound in you +like a cannon ball that wants to find its way out and can't--eh?" + +Crusoe put his snout against Marston's cheek, and, in the excess of his +joy, the lad threw his arms round the dog's neck and hugged it +vigorously, a piece of impulsive affection which that noble animal bore +with characteristic meekness, and which Grumps regarded with idiotic +satisfaction. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. + +REJOICINGS--THE FEAST AT THE BLOCK-HOUSE--GRUMPS AND CRUSOE COME OUT +STRONG--THE CLOSING SCENE. + +The day of Dick's arrival with his companions was a great day in the +annals of the Mustang Valley, and Major Hope resolved to celebrate it by +an impromptu festival at the old block-house; for many hearts in the +valley had been made glad that day, and he knew full well that, under +such circumstances, some safety-valve must be devised for the escape of +overflowing excitement. + +A messenger was sent round to invite the population to assemble without +delay in front of the block-house. With backwoods-like celerity the +summons was obeyed; men, women, and children hurried towards the central +point wondering, yet more than half suspecting, what was the major's +object in calling them together. + +They were not long in doubt. The first sight that presented itself as +they came trooping up the slope in front of the log hut, was an ox +roasting whole before a gigantic bonfire. Tables were being +extemporised on the broad level plot in front of the gate. Other fires +there were, of smaller dimensions, on which sundry steaming pots were +placed, and various joints of wild horse, bear, and venison roasted, and +sent forth a savoury odour as well as a pleasant hissing noise. The +inhabitants of the block-house were self-taught brewers, and the result +of their recent labours now stood displayed in a row of goodly casks of +beer--the only beverage with which the dwellers in these far-off regions +were wont to regale themselves. + +The whole scene--as the cooks moved actively about upon the lawn, and +children romped round the fires, and settlers came flocking through the +forests--might have recalled the revelry of merry England in the olden +time, though the costumes of the far west were, perhaps, somewhat +different from those of old England. + +No one of all the band assembled there on that day of rejoicing required +to ask what it was all about. Had any one been in doubt for a moment, a +glance at the centre of the crowd assembled round the gate of the +western fortress would have quickly enlightened him; for there stood +Dick Varley, and his mild-looking mother, and his loving dog, Crusoe. +There, too, stood Joe Blunt, like a bronzed warrior returned from the +fight, turning from one to another as question poured in upon question +almost too rapidly to permit of a reply. There, too, stood Henri, +making enthusiastic speeches to whoever chose to listen to him,--now +glaring at the crowd, with clenched fists and growling voice, as he told +of how Joe and he had been tied hand and foot, and lashed to poles and +buried in leaves, and threatened with a slow death by torture,--at other +times bursting into a hilarious laugh as he held forth on the +predicament of Mahtawa when that wily chief was treed by Crusoe in the +prairie. + +Young Marston was there too, hanging about Dick, whom he loved as a +brother and regarded as a perfect hero. Grumps, too, was there, and +Fan. Do you think, reader, that Grumps looked at any one but Crusoe? +If you do you are mistaken. Grumps on that day became a regular, an +incorrigible, utter, and perfect nuisance to everybody--not excepting +himself, poor beast! Grumps was a dog of one idea, and that idea was +Crusoe. Out of that great idea there grew one little secondary idea, +and that idea was, that the only joy on earth worth mentioning was to +sit on his haunches, exactly six inches from Crusoe's nose, and gaze +steadfastly into his face. Wherever Crusoe went Grumps went. If Crusoe +stopped Grumps was down before him in an instant. If Crusoe bounded +away, which, in the exuberance of his spirits, he often did, Grumps was +after him like a bundle of mad hair. He was in everybody's way--in +Crusoe's way, and being, so to speak, "beside himself," was also in his +own way. If people trod upon him accidentally, which they often did, +Grumps uttered a solitary heart-rending yell, proportioned in intensity +to the excruciating nature of the torture he endured, then instantly +resumed his position and his fascinated stare. Crusoe generally held +his head up, and gazed over his little friend at what was going on +around him, but if for a moment he permitted his eye to rest on the +countenance of Grumps, that creature's tail became suddenly imbued with +an amount of wriggling vitality that seemed to threaten its separation +from the body. + +It was really quite interesting to watch this unblushing, and +disinterested, and utterly reckless display of affection on the part of +Grumps, and the amiable way in which Crusoe put up with it--we say put +up with it, advisedly, because it must have been a very great +inconvenience to him, seeing that if he attempted to move, his satellite +moved in front of him, so that his only way of escaping, temporarily, +was by jumping over Grumps's head. + +Grumps was everywhere all day. Nobody, almost, escaped trampling on +part of him. He tumbled over everything, into everything, and against +everything. He knocked himself, singed himself, and scalded himself, +and in fact forgot himself altogether; and when, late that night, Crusoe +went with Dick into his mother's cottage, and the door was shut, Grumps +stretched his ruffled, battered, ill-used, and dishevelled little body +down on the doorstep, thrust his nose against the opening below the +door, and lay in humble contentment all night, for he knew that Crusoe +was there. + +Of course such an occasion could not pass without a shooting match. +Rifles were brought out after the feast was over, just before the sun +went down into its bed on the western prairies, and "the nail" was soon +surrounded by bullets, tipped by Joe Blunt and Jim Scraggs, and, of +course, driven home by Dick Varley, whose silver rifle had now become, +in its owner's hand, a never-failing weapon. Races, too, were started, +and here again Dick stood pre-eminent, and when night spread her dark +mantle over the scene, the two best fiddlers in the settlement were +placed on empty beer-casks, and some danced by the light of the monster +fires, while others listened to Joe Blunt as he recounted their +adventures on the prairies and among the Rocky Mountains. + +There were sweethearts, and wives, and lovers at the feast, but we +question whether any heart there was so full of love, and admiration, +and gratitude as that of the Widow Varley as she watched her son Dick, +throughout that merry evening. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Years rolled by, and the Mustang Valley prospered. Missionaries went +there, and a little church was built, and to the blessings of a fertile +land were added the far greater blessings of Christian light and +knowledge. One sad blow fell on the Widow Varley's heart. Her only +brother, Daniel Hood, was murdered by the Indians. Deeply and long she +mourned, and it required all Dick's efforts and those of the pastor of +the settlement to comfort her. But from the first the widow's heart was +sustained by the loving hand that dealt the blow, and when time blunted +the keen edge of her feelings, her face became as sweet and mild, though +not so lightsome, as before. + +Joe Blunt and Henri became leading men in the councils of the Mustang +Valley, but Dick Varley preferred the woods, although, as long as his +mother lived, he hovered round her cottage--going off sometimes for a +day, sometimes for a week, but never longer. After her head was laid in +the dust, Dick took altogether to the woods with Crusoe and Charlie the +wild horse as his only companions, and his mother's Bible in the breast +of his hunting shirt. And soon Dick, the bold hunter, and his dog +Crusoe, became renowned in the frontier settlements from the banks of +the Yellow Stone River to the Gulf of Mexico. + +Many a grizzly bear did the famous "silver rifle" lay low, and many a +wild exciting chase and adventure did Dick go through, but during his +occasional visits to the Mustang Valley, he was wont to say to Joe Blunt +and Henri--with whom he always sojourned--that "nothin' he ever felt or +saw came up to his first grand dash over the Western Prairies into the +heart of the Rocky Mountains." And in saying this, with enthusiasm in +his eye and voice, Dick invariably appealed to, and received a ready +affirmative glance from, his early companion, and his faithful loving +friend--the dog Crusoe. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Dog Crusoe and his Master, by R.M. 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