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diff --git a/21871.txt b/21871.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..64cc9b6 --- /dev/null +++ b/21871.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4083 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Adventures in the Far West, by W.H.G. Kingston + +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: Adventures in the Far West + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: June 19, 2007 [EBook #21871] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Adventures in the Far West, by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This is rather a short book but it is prolifically illustrated with no +less than 29 pictures, most of very great interest, but in none of which +can one make out the artist's signature. The picture of the visit of +the witch doctor to the sick man is very memorable, and the poor man was +probably frightened to death, rather than revived. + +A group of tough young Brits make their way to the west of North +America, where there are numerous hazards, in the form of grizzly bears, +wolves, and a few tribes of Indians who definitely did not want them +there. For much of the book they are with a tribe that is very +friendly, and thus we are able to learn much of the ways of these +people. But towards the end of the book our heroes take part in +rescuing a wagon-train of emigrants that had been attacked by a hostile +tribe, and a beautiful young lady seized and ridden away with. + +Mr Kingston's style is as excellent as ever, and we do recommend that +you read this book, or make an audiobook from it. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +"I say, didn't you hear a cry?" exclaimed Charley Fielding, starting up +from the camp fire at which we were seated discussing our evening meal +of venison, the result of our day's hunting. He leaned forward in the +attitude of listening. "I'm sure I heard it! There it is again, but +whether uttered by Redskin or four-footed beast is more than I can say." + +We all listened, but our ears were not as sharp as Charley's, for we +could hear nothing. + +"Sit down, Charley, my boy, and finish your supper. It was probably +fancy, or maybe the hoot of an owl to its mate," said our jovial +companion, Dick Buntin, who never allowed any matter to disturb him, if +he could help it, while engaged in stowing away his food. + +Dick had been a lieutenant in the navy, and had knocked about the world +in all climes, and seen no small amount of service. He had lately +joined our party with Charley Fielding, a fatherless lad whom he had +taken under his wing. + +We, that is Jack Story and myself, Tom Rushforth, had come out from +England together to the far west, to enjoy a few months' buffalo +hunting, deer stalking, grizzly and panther shooting, and beaver +trapping, not to speak of the chances of an occasional brush with the +Redskins, parties of whom were said to be on the war-path across the +regions it was our intention to traverse, though none of us were +inclined to be turned aside by the warnings we had received to that +effect from our friends down east. + +We had been pushing on further and further west, gaining experience, and +becoming inured to the fatigues and dangers of a hunter's life. Having +traversed Missouri and Kansas, though we had hitherto met with no +adventures worthy of note, we had that evening pitched our camp in the +neighbourhood of Smoky-hill fork, the waters of which, falling into the +Arkansas, were destined ultimately to reach the far-off Mississippi. + +We had furnished ourselves with a stout horse apiece, and four mules to +carry our stores, consisting of salt pork, beans, biscuit, coffee, and a +few other necessaries, besides our spare guns, ammunition, and the meat +and skins of the animals we might kill. + +Having, a little before sunset, fixed on a spot for our camp, with a +stream on one side, and on the other a wood, which would afford us fuel +and shelter from the keen night air which blew off the distant +mountains, we had unsaddled and unpacked our horses and mules, the packs +being placed so as to form a circular enclosure about eight paces in +diameter. + +Our first care had been to water and hobble our animals, and then to +turn them loose to graze, when we considered ourselves at liberty to +attend to our own wants. Having collected a quantity of dry sticks, we +had lighted our fire in the centre of the circle, filled our +water-kettle, and put on our meat to cook. Our next care had been to +arrange our sleeping places. For this purpose we cut a quantity of +willows which grew on the banks of the stream hard by, and we each +formed a semi-circular hut, by sticking the extremities of the osier +twigs into the ground, and bending them over so as to form a succession +of arches. These were further secured by weaving a few flexible twigs +along the top and sides of the framework, thus giving it sufficient +stability to support the saddle-cloths and skins with which we covered +them. By placing our buffalo-robes within, we had thus a comfortable +and warm bed-place apiece, and were better protected from the fiercest +storm raging without than we should have been inside a tent or ordinary +hut. + +Though this was our usual custom when materials were to be found, when +not, we were content to wrap ourselves in our buffalo-robes, with our +saddles for pillows. + +All arrangements having been made, we sat down with keen appetites, our +backs to our respective huts, to discuss the viands which had been +cooking during the operations I have described. Dick Buntin, who +generally performed the office of cook, had concocted a pot of coffee, +having first roasted the berries in the lid of our saucepan, and then, +wrapping them in a piece of deer-skin, had pounded them on a log with +the head of a hatchet. Dick was about to serve out the smoking-hot +coffee when Charley's exclamation made him stop to reply while he held +the pot in his hand. + +"I am sure I did hear a strange sound, and it was no owl's hoot, of that +I am convinced," said Charley, still standing up, and peering out over +the dark prairie. "Just keep silence for a few minutes, and you'll hear +it too before long." + +I listened, and almost directly afterwards a low mournful wail, wafted +on the breeze, struck my ear. Dick and Story also acknowledged that +they heard the sound. + +"I knew I was not mistaken," said Charley; "what can it be?" + +"An owl, or some other night-bird, as I at first thought," said Buntin. +"Come, hand me your mugs, or I shall have to boil up the coffee again." + +Charley resumed his seat, and we continued the pleasant occupation in +which we were engaged. Supper over, we crept into our sleeping-places, +leaving our fire blazing, not having considered it necessary as yet to +keep watch at night. + +We were generally, directly after we had stretched ourselves on the +ground, fast asleep, for we rose at break of day, and sometimes even +before it; but ere I had closed my eyes, I again heard, apparently +coming from far off, the same sound which had attracted Charley's +notice. It appeared to me more like the howl of a wolf than the cry of +a night-bird, but I was too sleepy to pay any attention to it. + +How long I had been in a state of unconsciousness I could not tell, when +I was aroused by a chorus of howls and yelps, and, starting up, I saw a +number of animals with glaring eyes almost in our very midst. + +"Wolves, wolves!" I cried, calling to my companions at the top of my +voice. + +Before I could draw my rifle out of the hut, where I had placed it by my +side, one of the brutes had seized on a large piece of venison, +suspended at the end of a stick to keep it off the ground, and had +darted off with it, while the depredators were searching round for other +articles into which they could fix their fangs. + +Our appearance greatly disconcerted them, as we shouted in chorus, and +turning tail they began to decamp as fast as their legs would carry +them. + +"Bring down that fellow with the venison," I cried out. + +Charley, who had been most on the alert, had his rifle ready, and, +firing, brought down the thief. Another of the pack instantly seized +the meat and made off with it in spite of the shouts we sent after him. +The wolves lost three of their number, but the rest got off with the +venison in triumph. It was a lesson to us to keep a watch at night, and +more carefully to secure our venison. We had, however, a portion +remaining to serve us for breakfast next morning. + +We took good care not to let the wolves get into our camp again, but we +heard the brutes howling around and quarrelling over the carcase of one +of their companions, who had been shot but had not immediately dropped. +Having driven off our unwelcome visitors, Charley and I went in search +of our horses, as we were afraid they might have been attacked. They +were, however, well able to take care of themselves and had made their +way to the border of the stream, where we found them safe. + +In the meantime Buntin and Story dragged the carcases of the wolves we +had killed to a distance from the camp, as their skins were not worth +preserving. We all then met round the camp fire, but we soon found that +to sleep was impossible, for the wolves, having despatched their wounded +companions, came back to feast on the others we had shot. We might have +killed numbers while so employed, but that would have only detained them +longer in our neighbourhood, and we hoped when they had picked the bones +of their friends that they would go away and leave us in peace. + +We all wished to be off as soon as possible, so while it was still dark +we caught and watered our horses; and, having cast off their hobbles and +loaded the pack animals, we were in the saddle by sunrise. We rode on +for several hours, and then encamped for breakfast, allowing our horses +to graze while we went on foot in search of game. We succeeded in +killing a couple of deer and a turkey, so that we were again amply +supplied with food. Our baggage-mules being slow but sure-going animals +we were unable to make more than twenty miles a day, though at a pinch +we could accomplish thirty. We had again mounted and were moving +forward. The country was covered with tall grass, five and sometimes +eight feet in height, over which we could scarcely look even when on +horseback. We had ridden about a couple of miles from our last +camping-place, when Story, the tallest of our party, exclaimed-- + +"I see some objects moving to the northward. They look to me like +mounted men, and are apparently coming in this direction." + +He unslung his glass, while we all pulled up and took a look in the +direction he pointed. + +"Yes, I thought so," he exclaimed; "they are Indians, though, as there +are not many of them, they are not likely to attack us; but we must be +on our guard, notwithstanding." + +We consulted what was best to be done. + +"Ride steadily in the direction we are going," said Dick; "and, by +showing that we are not afraid of them, when they see our rifles they +will probably sheer off, whatever may be their present intentions. But +keep together, my lads, and let nothing tempt us to separate." + +We followed Dick's advice; indeed, although we had no ostensible leader, +he always took the post on an emergency. + +The strangers approached, moving considerably faster than we were doing. +As they drew nearer, Story, who took another view of them through his +glass, announced that there were two white men of the party, thus +dispelling all fears we might have entertained of an encounter. We +therefore pulled up to wait their arrival. As they got still nearer to +us, one of the white men rode forward. He was followed by several dogs. +Suddenly Dick, who had been regarding him attentively, exclaimed-- + +"What, Harry Armitage, my dear fellow! What has brought you here?" + +"A question much easier asked than answered, and I'll put the same to +you," said the stranger, shaking hands. + +"I came out for a change of scene, and to get further from the ocean +than I have ever before been in my life; and now let me introduce you to +my friends," said Dick. The usual forms were gone through. Mr +Armitage then introduced his companion as Pierre Buffet, one of the best +hunters and trappers throughout the continent. The Indians, he said, +had been engaged by Pierre and himself to act as guides and scouts, and +to take care of the horses and baggage-mules. As our objects were the +same, before we had ridden very far we agreed to continue together, as +we should thus, in passing through territories infested by hostile +Indians, be the better able to defend ourselves. + +We had reason, before long, to be thankful that our party had thus been +strengthened. We encamped as usual; and, not forgetting the lesson we +had lately received, we set a watch so that we should not be surprised, +either by wolves or Redskins. Though the former were heard howling in +the distance, we were not otherwise disturbed by them, and at dawn we +were once more in our saddles traversing the wide extending prairie, our +new associates and we exchanging accounts of the various adventures we +had met with. Armitage was not very talkative, but Dick managed to draw +him out more than could any of the rest of the party. Buffet, in his +broken English, talked away sufficiently to make ample amends for his +employer's taciturnity. Our midday halt was over, and we did not again +intend to encamp until nightfall, at a spot described by Buffet on the +banks of a stream which ran round a rocky height on the borders of the +prairie. It was, however, some distance off, and we did not expect to +reach it until later in the day than usual. + +We were riding on, when I saw one of the Indians standing up in his +stirrups and looking to the northeast. Presently he called to Buntin +and pointed in the same direction. The words uttered were such as to +cause us no little anxiety. The prairie was on fire. The sharp eyes of +the Indian had distinguished the wreaths of smoke which rose above the +tall grass, and which I should have taken for a thick mist or cloud +gathering in the horizon. The wind blew from the same quarter. + +"Messieurs, we must put our horses to their best speed," exclaimed +Pierre. "If the wind gets up, that fire will come on faster than we can +go, and we shall all be burnt into cinders if once overtaken." + +"How far off is it?" asked Dick. "Maybe eight or ten miles, but that is +as nothing. It will travel five or six miles in the hour, even with +this wind blowing--and twice as fast before a gale. On, on, messieurs, +there is no time to talk about the matter, for between us and where the +flames now rage, there is nothing to stop their progress." + +We needed no further urging, but driving on the mules with shouts and +blows--as we had no wish to abandon them if it could be avoided--we +dashed on. Every now and then I looked back to observe the progress of +the conflagration. Dark wreaths were rising higher and higher in the +sky, and below them forked flames ever and anon darted up as the fire +caught the more combustible vegetation. Borne by the wind, light +powdery ashes fell around us, while we were sensible of a strong odour +of burning, which made it appear as if the enemy was already close at +our heels. The grass on every side was too tall and dry to enable us-- +as is frequently done under such circumstances, by setting fire to the +herbage--to clear a space in which we could remain while the +conflagration passed by. + +Our only chance of escaping was by pushing forward. On neither side did +Pierre or the Indians know of any spot where we could take refuge nearer +than the one ahead. Every instant the smoke grew thicker, and we could +hear the roaring, crackling, rushing sound of the flames, though still, +happily for us, far away. Prairie-hens, owls, and other birds would +flit by, presently followed by numerous deer and buffalo; while whole +packs of wolves rushed on regardless of each other and of us, prompted +by instinct to make their escape from the apprehended danger. Now a +bear who had been foraging on the plain ran by, eager to seek his +mountain home; and I caught sight of two or more panthers springing over +the ground at a speed which would secure their safety. Here and there +small game scampered along, frequently meeting the death they were +trying to avoid, from the feet of the larger animals; snakes went +wriggling among the grass, owls hooted, wolves yelped, and other animals +added their cries to the terror-prompted chorus. Our chance of escaping +with our baggage-mules seemed small indeed. The hot air struck our +cheeks, as we turned round every now and then to see how near the fire +had approached. The dogs kept up bravely at the feet of their masters' +horse. + +"If we are to save our own skins, we must abandon our mules," cried out +Dick Buntin in a voice such as that with which he was wont to hail the +main-top. + +"No help for it, I fear," answered Armitage; "what do you say, Pierre?" + +"Let the beasts go. _Sauve qui peut_!" answered the Canadian. + +There was no time to stop and unload the poor brutes. To have done so +would have afforded them a better chance of preserving their lives, +though we must still lose our luggage. + +The word was given, the halters by which we had been dragging the +animals on were cast off; and, putting spurs into the flanks of our +steeds, we galloped forward. Our horses seemed to know their danger as +well as we did. I was just thinking of the serious consequences of a +fall, when down came Dick, who was leading just ahead of me with Charley +by his side. His horse had put its foot into a prairie-dog's hole. + +"Are you hurt?" I cried out. + +"No, no; go on; don't wait for me," he answered. But neither Charley +nor I was inclined to do that. + +Dick was soon on his feet again, while we assisted him, in spite of what +he had said, to get up his horse. The animal's leg did not appear to be +strained, and Dick quickly again climbed into the saddle. + +"Thank you, my dear boys," he exclaimed, "it must not happen again; I am +a heavy weight for my brute, and, if he comes down, you must go on and +let me shift for myself." + +We made no reply, for neither Charley nor I was inclined to desert our +brave friend. The rest of the party had dashed by, scarcely observing +what had taken place, the Indians taking the lead. It was impossible to +calculate how many miles we had gone. Night was coming on, making the +glare to the eastward appear brighter and more terrific. The mules were +still instinctively following us, but we were distancing them fast, +though we could distinguish their shrieks of terror amid the general +uproar. + +The hill for which we were making rose up before us, covered, as it +appeared, by shrubs and grasses. It seemed doubtful whether it would +afford us the safety we sought. We could scarcely hope that our horses +would carry us beyond it, for already they were giving signs of becoming +exhausted. We might be preserved by taking up a position in the centre +of the stream, should it be sufficiently shallow to enable us to stand +in it; but that was on the other side of the hill, and the fire might +surround us before we could gain its banks. We could barely see the +dark outline of the hill ahead, the darkness being increased by the +contrast of the lurid flames raging behind us. We dashed across the +more open space, where the grass was for some reason of less height than +in her parts. Here many of the animals which had passed us, paralysed +by fear, had halted as if expecting that they would be safe from the +flames. Deer and wolves, bison, and even a huge bear--not a grizzly, +however--and many smaller creatures were lying down or running round and +round. + +I thought Pierre would advise our stopping here, but he shouted, "On, +on! This is no place for us; de beasts soon get up and run away too!" + +We accordingly dashed forward, but every moment the heat and smell of +the fire was increasing. The smoke, which blew around us in thick +wreaths driven by the wind, was almost overpowering. This made the +conflagration appear even nearer than it really was. At length, Pierre +shouted out: + +"Dis way, messieurs, dis way!" and I found that we had reached the foot +of a rocky hill which rose abruptly out of the plain. He led us round +its base until we arrived at a part up which we could manage to drag our +horses. Still it seemed very doubtful if we should be safe, for grass +covered the lower parts, and, as far as I could judge, shrubs and trees +the upper: still there was nothing else to be done. Throwing ourselves +from our horses, we continued to drag them up the height, Pierre's +shouts guiding us. I was the last but one, Dick insisting on taking the +post of danger in the rear and sending Charley and me before him. The +horses were as eager to get up as we were, their instinct showing them +that safety was to be found near human beings. Our only fear was that +the other animals would follow, and that we should have more companions +than we desired. The top was soon gained, when we lost no time in +setting to work to clear a space in which we could remain, by cutting +down the grass immediately surrounding us, and then firing the rest on +the side of the hill towards which the conflagration was approaching. +We next beat down the flames we had kindled, with our blankets--a hot +occupation during which we were nearly smothered by the smoke rushing in +our faces. The fire burnt but slowly against the wind, which was so far +an advantage. + +"We are safe now, messieurs!" exclaimed Pierre at last; and we all, in +one sense, began to breathe more freely, although the feeling of +suffocation from the smoke was trying in the extreme. + +We could now watch, more calmly than before, the progress of the fire as +it rushed across the country, stretching far on either side of us, and +lighting up the hills to the north and south, and the groves which grew +near them. We often speak of the scarlet line of the British troops +advancing on the foe, and such in appearance was the fire; for we could +see it from the heights where we stood, forming a line of a width which +it seemed possible to leap over, or at all events to dash through +without injury. Now it divided, as it passed some rocky spot or marshy +ground. Now it again united, and the flames were seen licking up the +grass which they had previously spared. + +Our poor baggage-animals caused us much anxiety. Had they escaped or +fallen victims to the flames with our property, and the most valuable +portion of it--the ammunition? Charley declared that he heard some +ominous reports, and the Indians nodded as they listened to what he +said, and made signs to signify that the baggage had been blown up. For +some minutes we were surrounded by a sea of flame, and had to employ +ourselves actively in rushing here and there and extinguishing the +portions which advanced close upon us, our horses in the meantime +standing perfectly still and trembling in every limb, fully alive to +their dangerous position. At length, after a few anxious hours, the +fire began to die out; but here we were on the top of a rock, without +food or water, and with only so much powder and shot as each man carried +in his pouch. Still, we had saved our lives and our horses, and had +reason to be thankful. The spot was a bleak one to camp in, but we had +no choice. To protect ourselves from the wind, we built up a hedge of +brushwood, and lighted a fire. Food we could not hope to obtain until +the morning, but Pierre and one of the Indians volunteered to go down to +the river, and to bring some water in a leathern bottle which the +Canadian carried at his saddle-bow. He had also saved a tin cup, but +the whole of our camp equipage had shared the fate of the mules, +whatever that might be. The sky was overcast, and, as we looked out +from our height over the prairie, one vast mass of blackness alone could +be seen. + +After quenching the thirst produced by the smoke and heat with the water +brought by Pierre and his companion, we lay down to sleep. + +At daylight we were on foot. The first thing to be done was to +ascertain the fate of the mules, and the next to obtain some game to +satisfy the cravings of hunger. Pierre and the Indians descended into +the plain for both purposes. Charley and I started off in one +direction, and Armitage and Story in another, with our guns, along the +rocky heights which extended away to the northward, while Dick +volunteered to look after the horses and keep our fire burning. + +We went on for some distance without falling in with any large game, and +we were unwilling to expend our powder on small birds. Charley at last +proposed that we should descend into the plain in the hopes of finding +some animals killed by the fire. + +"Very little chance of that," I remarked, "for by this time the wolves +have eaten them up. We are more likely, if we keep on, to fall in with +deer on the opposite side, where the fire has not reached." + +We accordingly crossed the ridge, and were making our way to the +westward, when we heard Armitage's dog giving tongue in the distance. + +"They have found deer, at all events, and perhaps we may be in time to +pick off one or two of the herd," I exclaimed. + +We scrambled along over the rocks, until we reached the brink of a low +precipice, looking over which we caught sight of a magnificent buck with +a single dog at his heels. Just then the stag stopped, and, wheeling +suddenly round, faced its pursuer. Near was a small pool which served +to protect the stag from the attack of the hound in the rear. It +appeared to us that it would have gone hard with the dog, for at any +moment the antlers of the stag might have pinned it to the ground. We +concluded, from not hearing the other dogs, that they had gone off in a +different direction, leaving this bold fellow--Lion, by name--to follow +his chase alone. + +We crept along the rocks, keeping ourselves concealed until we had got +near enough to take a steady aim at the stag. I agreed to fire first, +and, should I miss, Charley was to try his skill. In the meantime the +dog kept advancing and retreating, seeking for an opportunity to fly at +the stag's throat; but even then, should he succeed in fixing his fangs +in the animal, he would run great risk of being knelt upon. The deer +was as watchful as the dog, and the moment the latter approached, down +again went its formidable antlers. Fearing that the deer might by some +chance escape, taking a steady aim I fired. To my delight, over it +rolled, when we both sprang down the rocks and ran towards it. + +While I reloaded, Charley, having beaten off the dog, examined the deer +to ascertain that it was really dead. We then set to work to cut up our +prize, intending to carry back the best portions to the camp. + +While thus employed, we heard a shout and saw our companions approaching +with their dogs. They had missed the remainder of the herd, and were +too happy in any way to obtain the deer to be jealous of our success. + +Laden with the meat, the whole of which we carried with us, we returned +to the camp, where we found Dick ready with spits for roasting it. In a +short time Pierre and the Indians returned with the report that they had +found the mules dead, and already almost devoured by the coyotes, while +their cargoes had been blown up, as we feared would be the case, with +the powder they contained. They brought the spare, guns--the stocks of +which, however, were sadly damaged by the fire. Our camp equipage, +which was very welcome, was uninjured, together with a few knives and +other articles of iron. + +So serious was our loss, that it became absolutely necessary to return +to the nearest settlement to obtain fresh pack-animals and a supply of +powder. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +By the loss of our baggage, we were reduced to hard fare. We had no +coffee, no corn meal, no salt or pepper; but our greatest want was +powder. Should the ammunition in our pouches hold out, we hoped to +obtain food enough to keep us from starving till we could reach the +nearest settlement of Tillydrone. Before commencing our return journey, +however, it would be necessary, we agreed, to obtain a supply of meat, +as we should find but little game in the region we had to cross. We +must push on through it, therefore, as fast as our horses could carry +us; but after their hard gallop on the previous day, it would be +necessary to give them several hours rest, and it was settled that we +should remain encamped where we were until the following morning. The +locality had many advantages: it was high and dry, while, commanding as +it did an extensive view over the prairie, we could see any hostile +Indians approaching, and could defend ourselves should they venture to +attack us. + +As soon as breakfast was over, and we had rested from the fatigues of +the morning, we again set out on foot with our guns. Charley and I, as +before, kept together. The rest divided into two parties, each hoping +to add a good supply of meat to the common stock. We had entered into +an agreement not to fire a shot, unless sure of our aim, as every +charge, to us, was worth its weight in gold. A spot had been fixed on, +where we were to meet, about a couple of miles from the camp, in the +centre of the ridge. Charley and I had gone on for an hour or more, but +had met with no game, when what was our delight to see a herd of a dozen +large deer feeding in a glade below us; and, although too far off to +risk a shot, we hoped that by making a wide circuit we should be able to +creep up to them on the lee side. + +Taking the proposed direction, we observed a large clump of rose-bushes, +which grew in great profusion in that region. Near them also were two +or three trees, behind which we expected to be able to conceal ourselves +while we took aim at the deer. Keeping as much under cover as possible, +we reached the rose-bushes, when we began to creep along on hands and +knees, trailing our guns after us. To our delight we found that the +deer were still feeding quietly, unsuspicious of danger. I managed to +reach one of the trees, Charley another. The two nearest animals were a +stag and a doe. I agreed to shoot the former, Charley the latter. + +He waited until I gave the signal, when our guns went off at the same +instant. As the smoke cleared away, we saw that both our shot had taken +effect. It had been settled that, in case the animals should attempt to +get up, we were to rush out and despatch them with our hunting-knives. +I ran towards the stag, which made an effort to escape, but rolled over +and died just as I reached it. Turning round to ascertain how it fared +with Charley, I saw the doe rise to her feet, though bleeding from a +wound in the neck. I instantly reloaded to be ready to fire, knowing +that under such circumstances even a doe might prove a dangerous +antagonist. It was fortunate that I did so, for the animal, throwing +herself upon her haunches, began to strike out fiercely with her +fore-feet, a blow from which would have fractured my friend's skull. +Seeing his hat fall to the ground, I was afraid that he had been struck. +Holding his rifle, which he had unfortunately forgotten to reload, +before him in the fashion of a single-stick, he attempted to defend +himself; but one of the animal's hoofs, striking his shoulder, brought +him to the ground, so that he was unable to spring back out of harm's +way. For a moment the deer retreated, but then again came on with her +fore-feet in the air, intent on mischief. Now was the moment to fire, +as the next Charley might be struck lifeless to the ground. I pulled +the trigger, aiming at the head of the doe; for, had I attempted to +shoot her in the breast, I might have hit my companion. As the smoke +cleared away I saw the deer spring into the air and fall lifeless to the +ground. The bullet had struck her in the very spot I intended. Charley +rose to his feet, and I ran forward, anxious to ascertain if he was +injured. Providentially, his ramrod alone was broken, and, except a +bruise on the shoulder which caused him some pain, he had escaped +without damage. + +We lost no time in skinning and cutting up the deer, which having done, +we formed two packages of as much of the meat as we could carry, while +we suspended the remainder to the bough of a neighbouring tree, to +return for it before night-fall. Our companions were nearly as +successful, each party having killed a deer, the whole of which they +brought into camp. We left them all employed in cutting the chief +portion into strips to dry in the sun, so that it could be transported +more easily than in a fresh state. As we approached the spot where we +had left the venison, a loud yelping which reached our ears told us that +the coyotes had found it out. The brutes were not worth powder and +shot, so getting some thick sticks, we rushed in among them and drove +them off to a distance. They returned, however, as soon as we had got +down the venison and were employed in packing it up, and we had to make +several onslaughts, during which we killed three or four of the wolves, +who were instantly devoured by their companions. While they were thus +employed, we had time to pack up our game, but the rapacious creatures +followed howling at our heels until we reached the camp. All night long +also they continued their unpleasant chorus. + +In the morning, having breakfasted on fresh venison, we started, each +man carrying a load of the dried meat. Our object was to push on as +fast as possible, only halting when necessary to rest our horses, or to +kill some buffalo or deer, should any be seen. Pierre especially +advised that we should otherwise make no delay, saying that he had +observed the trails of Indians, who were probably out on the warpath, +and that, at all events, it would be necessary to be on our guard +against them. + +We crossed the burnt prairie, our horses' hoofs stirring up the ashes as +we scampered along. Frequently we came upon the bodies of small animals +which had failed to escape from the fire. We saw also numbers of +snakes, some burnt to death, others only scorched and still managing to +make their way over the ground. We were thankful when, having crossed a +stream, we got into a more cheerful tract of country. Here Pierre +advised that we should be doubly on our guard, as in all probability the +Indians themselves had fired the grass, either to burn us, or to deprive +us of our beasts of burden, as they succeeded in doing, that we might +the more easily fall into their hands, but that such was the case it was +difficult to say. Perhaps, when they found us strongly posted, they had +considered it prudent not to attack us. + +We had started before day-break, and proposed halting for a couple of +hours to breakfast and rest our beasts, when, just as the rich glow +which ushers in the rising sun had suffused the sky, one of the Indians, +addressing Pierre, pointed to the south-west. + +"What is it he says?" I asked. + +"Indians!" answered Pierre, "on foot and on horseback, and no small +number of them. We must be prepared for them, messieurs; for, if I +mistake not, they are Coomanches, and they are difficult customers to +deal with in the open. If we were within a stockade, we should quickly +send them to the right about, though, as they stand in awe of our +rifles, it is a question whether they will attack us as long as we show +a bold front." + +"It is of little use to show a bold front in the centre of a wild +prairie, with a hundred howling savages galloping about one," I thought +to myself. + +However, none of our party were men to flinch. By Pierre's advice we +rode steadily forward. There was a slight elevation at some distance, +with a small lake beyond it. Buntin, who took the lead, proposed that +we should try to gain it, as it would give us an advantage over our +nimble foes, as, while they were ascending its steep sides, we could +shoot them down without difficulty. On we rode therefore as fast as we +could venture to go, for it was important not to blow our horses, lest +we should have to come to an encounter with the Redskins. + +We had got to within a quarter of a mile or so from the height, when we +saw that the Indians had divined our intention, a party of them, who +must have made a wide circuit, having already taken possession of it. + +"Never mind, boys," said Dick in a cheery voice--"we can fight them if +they are in a fighting mood just as well on the plains as on the top of +yonder hill. They probably think that all our powder is lost, and +expect to gain an easy victory." + +"It will be wise to dismount, messieurs," said Pierre. "Each man must +take post behind his horse, and when the savages come on we must wait +until they get near enough to afford us a sure mark." + +"We will follow Pierre's advice," said Dick, "but we will wait to +ascertain whether they have hostile intentions or not. Our best plan is +to proceed steadily on as if we were not conscious of their presence." + +We continued, therefore, riding forward, so as to pass the hill about +the eighth of a mile on our right, keeping a careful watch on the +Redskins. Suddenly there was a movement among them, and out dashed +several horsemen. Sweeping around the hill, they approached us. We +lost not a moment, and, placing ourselves as arranged, we stood with our +rifles ready to receive them. On they came, shrieking at the top of +their voices and uttering their war-cries, until they got almost within +shot. Seeing this we presented our rifles, but, just at the moment that +we were about to fire, the warriors threw themselves over on the +opposite side of their horses, and, sweeping by like a whirlwind, +discharged their guns. + +Although it was a fine exhibition of horsemanship, the fellows, +evidently afraid of us, had kept too far off for their object, and the +bullets fell short. At the same moment Armitage, Story, and Pierre +fired. Armitage's bullet struck the horse of the leading brave, which +however still galloped on. Story wounded the next warrior, who turning +tail rejoined his companions, while the third--who had lifted up his +head to take better aim--got a bullet through it from Pierre's unerring +rifle. He fell to the ground, along which he was dragged by his horse, +which followed the one immediately before it. + +Seeing what had befallen their leaders, the other Indians, who were +riding furiously towards us, reined in their steeds, considering +discretion the better part of valour. + +"We must not trust to the fellows," cried Dick; "we must hold our ground +until they move off." + +It was fortunate we did so, for in a short time the whole troop, gaining +courage and hoping to frighten us with war-whoops, came sweeping down +upon us. Fortunately but few had fire-arms, and their powder was none +of the best. Their arrows fell short, while their bullets, which struck +our saddles, failed to pierce them. I got a slight graze on my cheek, +and a piece of lead went through Charley's cap. + +Our rifles in the meantime returned the salute in good earnest. Three +of us only fired at a time, and three Indians were hit--one of whom was +killed outright, though his companions managed to drag off his body. +Still the odds were greatly against us. Had we been well supplied with +ammunition we should have had no fear as to the result of the encounter, +but we dared not fire a shot more than was absolutely necessary. + +Notwithstanding the way we had handled them, the Indians did not appear +inclined to give up the contest, but, after wheeling out of reach of our +rifles, again halted. + +"They have had enough of it, I should think," observed Story. + +"I'm not so sure of that," answered Dick, "our scalps, our horses, and +our fire-arms, are too tempting prizes to allow the rascals to let us +escape if they fancy that they can get possession of them. See, here +they come again!" + +As he spoke the whole troop, giving utterance to a terrific war-whoop, +passed ahead of us, and then, wheeling round, dashed forward at full +speed to attack us on the opposite side. As they got within range, half +our number, as before, fired. Three more of them appeared to be hit, +and one, evidently a chief, fell from his saddle. + +The Redskins had had enough of it, and the rest, crawling round the +chief, bore him off. Away they went fleet as the wind. I felt very +much inclined to follow. Dick advised us to remain where we were to see +what they would do. At length we were satisfied that they had received +a lesson by which they were likely to profit, and that they would not +again venture to attack us, unless they could take us by surprise. We +now found the advantage of not having over-exhausted our horses. + +"Mount, and push forward!" cried Dick. "But I say, lads, while those +fellows are watching us we'll move at a steady pace." + +After we had ridden for a couple of miles or so, Dick advised that we +should put our horses to their full speed, so as to place as wide a +distance between us and our enemies as possible, before we halted for +breakfast. + +No sooner was the word given than away we went. Pierre proved an +excellent guide, and took us across the most easy country, so that by +noon it was considered that we might halt without fear of interruption +from the same band, though it would be necessary to keep a sharp look +out lest another troop of savages might be scouring the country in +search of us. + +We were by this time desperately sharp set, and while our steeds cropped +the grass around, we quickly lighted our fire and put on our venison to +cook. Pierre and the Indians did not wait for that operation, but ate +the dried venison raw, and I was tempted to chew the end of a strip to +stop the gnawings of hunger. + +After a couple of hours' rest, which our horses absolutely required, we +again pushed on, anxious to find a safe camping-place for the night. +Pierre led us to a spot which appeared as secure as we could desire, by +the side of a broad stream of sufficient depth to afford us protection +on that side, while a high knoll, with a bluff, would conceal our fire +on the one side, and a thick wood on the other, leaving thus only one +side towards the prairie. Thus, at all events, we had all the +requirements for camping--wood, water, and grass. + +The night passed quietly, and the following day we did not fall in with +any Indians, so that we ventured to camp at an earlier hour, on a spot +very similar to that we had chosen on the previous night. We were +getting somewhat tired of our dry venison, and Armitage proposing to go +out in search of a deer, I volunteered to accompany him, hoping to find +one coming down to drink at the stream. We accordingly kept along its +banks, taking with us one of the spare horses, that we might bring home +any game we might shoot; but as I wished to give mine a rest I went on +foot. + +Armitage was some little way in advance, I following close along the +borders of the stream, when I heard him fire. Pushing forward I saw him +bending over the body of a fine deer. I was making my way through the +bushes to assist him, when what was my dismay to catch sight of a huge +bear, which Armitage had not perceived, coming along the edge of the +stream from the opposite direction. + +I shouted to him, to warn him of his danger. He rose to his feet, +holding the rein of his horse; for the animal, conscious of the presence +of the bear, showed a strong inclination to bolt. The bear, which had, +apparently, not before perceived Armitage, came cantering slowly on, +until within twenty paces of him. I shouted at the top of my voice for +the purpose of distracting the bear's attention; but Bruin, intent on +mischief, took no notice. I was too far off to have any hope of +mortally wounding the bear should I fire, and the undergrowth was so +thick that I could only slowly make my way through it. Already the bear +was scarcely more than a dozen paces off from Armitage, who with his gun +levelled stood ready to receive his formidable antagonist. The bear +raised itself on its hind legs, giving a roaring grunt, and balancing +itself, as bears are wont to do, before making its fatal spring. Should +Armitage miss, it seemed impossible that he could escape with his life. +I struggled desperately to make my way through the brushwood to go to +his assistance. + +Again the bear roared, and stretched out its paws, evidently showing +that it was about to spring, when my friend fired. + +Great was my relief when I saw the bear roll over, floundering about for +a few seconds in a vain endeavour to rise and renew the combat; but the +bullet had been surely aimed, and before I reached the scene of the +encounter the animal's struggles were over. + +We walked round and round the monster, surveying its vast proportions, +and then set to work to remove its hide and cut off the most delicate +portions of the meat. This occupied us some time. I suggested that the +skin might be left behind, but, as the bear was of unusual size, +Armitage declared his intention of preserving it if he could. At length +we succeeded in strapping it on the back of the horse, and set off to +return to the camp. + +We walked leisurely along, leading the horse, well satisfied with the +result of our short expedition; for bear's flesh, though not equal to +venison, is superior to that of the lean deer we often shot. We found +our friends anxious about us; for two of the Indians who had gone out +scouting reported that they had fallen in with a suspicious trail, and +they warned us that we should very likely be again attacked before we +could reach the settlement. + +"Let them come on then!" cried Dick, "we'll treat them as we did the +others." + +I have said but little about the Indians accompanying Armitage. They +were fine fellows, armed with spears and bows and arrows, as well as +with carbines, while they carried in their belts the usual +scalping-knives and tomahawks, so that they were likely to prove +formidable opponents to our foes. + +Having set a double watch, one man to look after the horses, and another +the camp, we lay down to obtain the rest we so much needed. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +Daybreak found us moving forward and already a couple of miles from our +last resting-place. We hoped thus to keep ahead of our enemies, who, +our Indian allies calculated, had camped some distance to the northward. +We thought it probable also, should they have discovered our +whereabouts, that they might have intended to attack us before we +started in the morning. They would know that we should keep careful +watch during the night, but they were very likely to fancy that while +breakfasting we should be off our guard, and that they might then take +us by surprise. If so, they were disappointed. We rode steadily on, we +Whites keeping together, while the Indians on their active mustangs, +scouted on either side, their keen eyes searching every thicket and bush +for a concealed enemy. + +"Can they be trusted?" asked Dick of Armitage. + +"They will lose the reward I engaged to give them, should they prove +treacherous," was the answer, "and Pierre considers them honest." + +"I cannot help suspecting that they are very sure no enemy is near, by +the way they are showing off," observed Story. + +"They behaved as well as men could do, when we were last attacked," +remarked Charley, who way always ready to stick up for the Indians, of +whom he had a great admiration. I agreed with Jack, but at the same +time I did not wish to disparage our gallant-looking allies. + +While we were speaking two of them came up and addressed Pierre in their +own language which he understood thoroughly. + +"They say that they have caught sight of a mounted war-party, who are, +they think, trying to steal upon us round yonder wood, and take us by +surprise," said Pierre. + +"We'll be prepared for them then, my friends!" exclaimed Dick; "but +we'll ride on as we have been going, and not dismount until they show +themselves; we shall then be able to turn the tables on them. You all +know what you have to do; but remember again, our powder is running +short; don't throw a shot away." + +"Ay, ay, captain," was the reply from all of us, for we had given Dick a +title he well deserved although the Lords of the Admiralty had not thus +favoured him. + +Our scouts on the left flank now drew in closer to us, they having made +up their minds that we should be attacked on that side. Almost ahead-- +or, as Dick called it, on our starboard bow--was a clump of trees, +backed by rocky ground. It would assist at all events to protect us, on +one side. We accordingly directed our course towards it. Anyone seeing +us riding along would not have supposed that we were well aware of a +powerful body of enemies being close to us, as we might have been seen +laughing and joking, one of the party occasionally breaking out into a +jovial song. + +Our behaviour encouraged our allies, and should the enemy have perceived +us, it would have made them suppose that we were quite unconscious of +their presence. + +We had almost gained the clump of trees I have mentioned, when from the +end of the wood about half a mile away, appeared the head of a column of +mounted warriors. The moment they showed themselves, with fierce yells +and shrieks they dashed on towards us. "Forward, my friends, and let us +take up the post I proposed," cried Dick; and, urging our horses into a +gallop, we reached the clump just in time to dismount and arrange our +horses before the Indians got within range of our rifles. We were thus +better able to defend ourselves than we had been on the previous +occasion. The Coomanches came on bravely enough at first, shrieking and +hooting at the top of their voices, but we were prepared to receive them +in a way they did not expect. Before they began to wheel and throw +themselves over on the sides of their horses, Armitage, Story and I, who +were considered the best shots of the party, each singled out a man. We +fired, and three warriors dropped to the ground. At the same moment, +our brave allies dashed forward, with lances in rest, and charged boldly +at the advancing foe, who were discharging a shower of arrows at us. +One of the Coomanches threw himself on the side of his horse and shot an +arrow which pierced our friend's shoulder, but he was himself the next +instant thrust through by his opponent's lance, his horse galloping off, +however, with his dead body. This bold manoeuvre gave us time to +reload. We were able to fire a volley as the rest of the party came +sweeping by. Two more saddles were emptied, and another warrior was +wounded. The latter, however, managed to regain his seat so as to wheel +round and rejoin his companions. + +Had we been a more numerous party, and armed with swords and lances, we +might have mounted and pursued the enemy; but as we possessed only our +rifles, it was far more prudent to remain on foot, whence we could take +a steady aim. + +It was surprising to see the way our persevering assailants came on, and +threw themselves over the sides of their horses. It was not until we +had an opportunity of examining their trappings, that we discovered how +they managed to do so. We found attached to the mane of each horse a +strong halter composed of horse-hair, which being passed under the +animal's neck, was firmly plaited into the mane, thus leaving a loop +hanging under its neck. When about to fire, the warrior drops into this +loop, and he manages to sustain the weight of his body by the upper part +of the bent arm. In this way, both his arms are at liberty, either to +use his bow or his spear. In his left hand he grasps a dozen arrows, +together with his bow, and is not compelled to apply his hand to his +quiver, which hangs with his shield at his back, while his long spear +being supported by the bend of the elbow he can use it at any moment. + +Our allies, on this occasion, rendered us essential service by +distracting the attention of our active foes, thus preventing them from +shooting with as much accuracy as usual. Their arrows came flying about +us, many sticking in the trees behind our backs; but happily only two of +our people and one of our horses were slightly wounded, although one of +our Indian allies fell to the ground, and before any of his companions +could rescue him, a Coomanche, who had ridden up, leaning over his +horse, took his scalp and rejoined the main body. + +The steady fire we kept up, prevented the Indians from coming close to +us; still they were evidently unwilling to abandon, the attempt, in +spite of the numbers they had already lost. As far as we could judge, +the party which had before attacked us had been increased by many fresh +warriors, eager to distinguish themselves. Could they obtain the white +men's scalps, they would be able to boast of their achievement to the +end of their days. + +We had no intention, could we help it, of giving them this satisfaction. +One thing was remarkable--the regular way in which they came on and +retreated, like any civilised people engaging in warfare. Our allies, +after our first attack, had rejoined us, and waited close at hand to +dash forward again, should they see a favourable opportunity. At length +the Coomanches, having swept round out of rifle-shot, disappeared +behind, the wood from which they had emerged. No sooner had they gone, +than our allies threw themselves from their horses and dashed forward +towards the bodies of the slain. In vain Dick shouted to Pierre to tell +them to let the carcases alone. Never did I witness a more horrid +sight; with their scalp-knives in their hands, they sprang forward, and +in an instant had passed the sharp blades round the heads of two of +them. A third, though badly wounded, both by one of our bullets and an +arrow in his side, raised himself up, and fiercely regarding his +advancing foe, mocked and derided him as an ally of the whites. + +The Indian advanced, and springing on the prostrate man, without waiting +to give him the merciful blow, whipped off his scalp, and left him still +bleeding on the ground. On seeing this, Pierre, who seemed rather +ashamed of his friends, sent a bullet into the poor wretch's head, and +put him out of his misery. + +The knife of one of the others must have been blunt, for finding that +the scalp did not come off as quickly as he wished, seating himself on +the ground with his feet against the dead man's shoulders, he pulled it +away by main force. So far we had been more successful than we had +expected; but our enemies might rally, and, hovering in the +neighbourhood, keep us constantly in a state of anxiety. We were +unwilling to leave our secure position until we could ascertain whether +the Indians had retreated. To learn this, it was necessary to get to +the other side of the wood, which hid them from view. For this purpose, +one of our allies volunteered to ride forward and ascertain where they +were. The risk, however, was great, for should he be pursued, and +overtaken, his death was certain. Still, the advantage to us would be +so great, that Armitage consented to his going. Instead of making +directly towards the wood, however, he rode first to the east and then +suddenly turning his course northward, galloped along at full speed, +until he got a good view of the north side of the wood which was a mere +belt of trees, scarcely thick enough to conceal a large body of +horsemen. + +We watched him anxiously. At any moment his enemies might sally out and +attack him. At length we saw him turn his horse's head, when he came +riding leisurely back. Perceiving this we forthwith mounted and +continued our journey, leaving the bodies of the Indians to be devoured +by the prairie wolves, for we had no time, even had we wished it, to +bury them. + +We of course kept a bright look out behind us as well as on either side, +for as Pierre observed, "It never does to trust those varmints of +Redskins; they come like the wind, and are off again with as many scalps +as they can lift before a man who has shut his eyes for a moment has +time to open them." + +I confess that I heartily hoped we should in future be left alone; for, +although I had no objection to an occasional brush with the red men, I +had no fancy to be constantly harassed by them, and to be compelled to +remain in camp without the chance of a shot at a deer or buffalo for +fear of losing one's scalp. I thought, however, that we had now done +with them and should the next night be able to sleep in peace. Again we +continued on until it was nearly dark, when we formed camp in as +sheltered a position as we could find. + +Of course our trail would show the way we had taken, and, should the +Indians be so disposed, they might follow us. The only question was +whether they could or could not take us by surprise. We had, +fortunately, enough meat for supper, but we agreed that it would be +necessary to hunt the next day at all risks. When, however, we came to +examine our powder horns, we found that we had scarcely more than a +couple of charges each. It would be impossible therefore to defend +ourselves, should we be again attacked, and a difficult task to obtain +game sufficient to last us to the end of the journey. We had +fortunately a good supply of bear's meat, which, as Dick observed, "went +a long way;" but our Indian friends were voracious feeders and it was +necessary to give them as much as they wanted. Our chief hope now of +obtaining food was that we might come across some buffalo which our +Indians would be able to shoot with their bows and arrows: at all +events, having already escaped so many dangers, we determined to keep up +our spirits and not to be cast down by the difficulties in the way. + +As our Indians had been on the watch the previous night, we undertook to +keep guard this night, two at a time. Charley and I were to be +together. + +What the captain called "the middle watch" was over, when we mounted +guard, Charley on the horses, I on the camp. Just then the moon, in its +last quarter, rose above the horizon, shedding a pale light over the +prairie. We had been on foot a couple of hours and I was hoping that it +would soon be time to rouse up my companions and commence the day's +march, when Charley came to me. + +"Look there!" he said, "I fancy that I can make out some objects in the +distance, but whether they are prairie wolves or men I am not quite +certain. If they are Indians, the sooner we secure the horses the +better. If they are wolves they can do us no great harm. We will +awaken our friends, at all events!" + +I quickly, in a low voice, called up all hands; and each man, without +standing on his feet, crept towards his horse. In a few seconds we had +secured the whole of them. + +"Now!" cried Dick, "mount and away." No sooner were the words uttered, +than we sprang into our saddles. As we did so a loud shout saluted our +ears, followed by the whistling of arrows; and, turning round, we saw +fifty dark forms scampering after us. Had we possessed ammunition, we +should not have dreamed of taking to flight; but, without the means of +defending ourselves, it was the only safe thing to be done. The arrows +came fast and thick. + +"Keep together lads," cried Dick, "never mind those bodkins, we shall +soon distance our pursuers." + +I heard a sharp cry from Charley and turning round I saw an arrow +sticking in his side. The captain had already been wounded, but he did +not betray the fact of his being hurt. + +Our horses, seeming to understand our dangerous position, stretched out +at their greatest speed. I turned round and could still see the Indians +coming on and discharging their arrows; but we were now beyond their +range, and, provided our horses kept their feet, we had no fear of being +overtaken. It was very trying to have to run away from foes whom we had +twice defeated, for we had no doubt that they were the same band of +Redskins we had before encountered and who now hoped, by approaching on +foot, to take us by surprise. Had not Charley's quick sight detected +them indeed, we should probably have lost our horses and have been +murdered into the bargain. On we galloped, yet for a long time we could +hear the shrieks and shouts of our distant foes. Their horses were not +likely to be far off, and we knew that they would probably return for +them and again pursue us. We must, therefore, put a considerable +distance between ourselves and them. Fortunately, not having tired our +steeds, we should be able to go on without pulling rein for the whole +day; we must, however, camp to feed them, but not for a moment longer +than would be absolutely necessary for the purpose. I asked Charley how +he felt. + +"Never mind me," he answered, "the arrow hurts somewhat, but I would not +have our party stop to attend to me. If I feel worse I'll tell you, +lest I should drop from my horse." + +The captain said not a word of his wound, nor did anyone else complain +of being hurt; though, as daylight increased, I observed blood streaming +from the leg of one of the Indians, and another with a pierced coat +through which an arrow had gone. At length our steeds gave signs of +being tired, and we ourselves had become very hungry. We agreed, +therefore, to pull up near a stream, with a knoll close to it, from +which we could obtain, through our spy-glasses, a wide view across the +prairie, so that we could see our enemies before they could discover us. +To light a fire and cook our bear's flesh while our horses were turned +loose to feed, occupied but little time. We had saved a couple of tin +mugs with which we brought water from the stream; but our kettle, and +several other articles, in the hurry of our flight, had been left +behind. Our first care was to see to Charley's wound. He heroically +bore the operation of cutting off the head of the arrow, which had to be +done before the shaft of the arrow could be drawn out. We then, with a +handkerchief, bound up the wound. Dick was less seriously hurt, an +arrow having, however, torn its way through his shoulder. The Indian +made light of his wound which was very similar to that Charley had +received. His companions doctored him, we supplying them with a +handkerchief which they bound round his wounded limb. I was still +resting when Story, who had taken his post on the knoll, spy-glass in +hand, shouted out-- + +"I have just caught sight of the heads of the Redskins, over the grass, +so the sooner we are away the better." + +Saying this he hurried down the hill. We, having caught the horses and +packed up the remainder of our meat, mounted and rode on. Both Charley +and Dick declared they did not feel much the worse for their wounds, the +blood they had lost probably preventing inflammation. Though the +Indians could not see us, they must have discovered our trail; and they +would soon ascertain, by the remains of our fire, that we were not far +ahead. This might encourage them to pursue us; but our horses being +better than theirs, we might still, should no accident happen, keep well +ahead of them. + +We galloped on until dark and then we were once more compelled to camp. +Only half our party lay down at a time, the remainder keeping by the +horses while they fed, to be ready to bring them in at a moment's +notice. Our pursuers would also have to stop to feed their horses, and +as they had not come up to us during the first watch, we hoped that they +would leave us in quiet for the remainder of the night. + +We were not disturbed; and before daybreak, jumping into our saddles, we +pushed on. I must pass over the two following days. As yet we had met +with no signs of civilisation, when we saw a wreath of smoke rising +above the trees in the far distance. It might come from a +backwoodsman's hut, or it might be simply that of a camp fire. It was +not likely to rise from the camp of Indians, so Pierre thought, as they +do not generally venture so far east. However, to run no risk of +falling among foes, we sent forward one of our scouts, while we +proceeded at the pace we had before been going. We felt most anxious to +get some shelter, where we could sleep in security and obtain food, for +our bear's flesh was well-nigh exhausted, and we had not hitherto fallen +in with buffalo; while both our wounded men required more care than we +could give them in the camp, with the chance of having to mount and ride +for our lives at any moment. + +After riding some distance we heard a shot. + +"All's not right," cried Dick; "we may have either to fight, or run for +it." + +In a short time we saw an Indian riding at full speed towards us. + +"What's the matter?" asked Pierre as he came near. + +He pointed to the wood, when presently two white men appeared with +rifles in their hands. As soon as they caught sight of us, they shouted +out and made signs of friendship to us, while they grounded their arms. +We were soon up to them. + +"Sorry to have shot at your Redskin friend, but we took him for an +enemy, that's a fact," said one of them; "however, as the bit of lead +missed his head, he's none the worse for it." + +Dick assured him we had no wish to complain, and asked whether we could +find any shelter in the neighbourhood. + +"You are welcome to our hut, friends," answered the other man, "it's big +enough for all hands except the Indians, and they can put up wigwams for +themselves. Come along, for there's a storm brewing, I guess; and +you'll be better under cover than in the open air." + +We gladly accepted the invitation, and guided by our new acquaintances, +we soon found ourselves in a clearing, with a good-sized log-hut and a +couple of shanties at the rear of it. The rain had already begun to +fall; so speedily taking off the bridles and saddles of our steeds, we +hobbled them and turned them loose; we then hurried under cover, our +Indian guides taking possession of one of the shanties. + +Our hosts, Mark and Simon Praeger, told us that they and their brothers +had built the log-hut the previous winter. They had already a +good-sized field fenced in and under cultivation and had besides a herd +of cattle, the intention of the family being to move west in a few +months. + +On hearing of the loss of our provisions and stores, they at once set to +work to get supper ready; and, as they had killed a deer that morning +and had a good supply of flour, coffee and other articles, they soon +placed an abundant meal smoking on the table. We at once discovered +that they were superior to the general run of backwoodsmen, having a +fair education, at the same time that they were hardy persevering +fellows, and bold buffalo and deer hunters, who held the Redskins in +supreme contempt. Their family, they told us, resided somewhere about a +hundred miles away to the eastward. They had pushed thus far into the +wilderness to form a home for themselves, both young men intending to +marry shortly and set up house. Their father's farm was close to the +very settlement for which we were bound, and the nearest where we were +likely to get our wants amply supplied. They were sure, they said, that +their father would be happy to receive us and assist us in obtaining all +we required. We thanked them and gladly accepted their kind offer. + +Supper being over, we lay down in our buffalo robes; and I need scarcely +say that, having no longer the fear of being aroused by finding an +Indian's scalping-knife running round my head, I was quickly fast +asleep, fully expecting to have a good night's rest. + +My sleep, however, at length became troubled. I dreamed that I heard +the Indian war-whoops, and saw a whole band of savages spring out of the +darkness and rush with uplifted tomahawks towards me while I lay +helpless on the ground. Presently the cries increased, and I awoke with +a start to hear a terrific growling sound. It was that of a bear, I was +convinced. I saw that Mark Praeger, having got up and struck a light, +had taken down his rifle from the wall and was going towards the door. +I jumped up, as did Armitage and Story, and followed him. As he threw +open the door, we saw, not a dozen paces from the hut, a huge bear +squatting on his hindquarters and apparently taking a leisurely survey +of the hut. + +Mark, as soon as he caught sight of his visitor, lifted his rifle and +fired, but the cap failed to go off. It would have been a fine +opportunity for Bruin to have made a rush upon us; when he might, by +dashing into the hut, have taken possession and killed us all one after +the other, or driven us out. Instead of doing so, alarmed by the shouts +we raised, uttering a low growl, he turned round and broke away through +the brushwood on one side of the hut. + +"On lads!" cried Mark, "we must get that fellow for the sake of the meat +and skin." + +As he spoke he replaced the copper cap and dashed forward in pursuit of +the intruder. As we had no wish to go bear-hunting unarmed, we hurried +back to obtain our rifles and some powder and bullets from Simon. By +the time we were supplied, the rest of the party who had been aroused by +our shouts, were on foot and preparing to accompany us. On returning to +the door, we could nowhere see Mark; but Simon taking the lead we +followed him. The moon had got up, so that we managed to see our way +with tolerable clearness, by a path leading down to a stream, with +precipitous banks, rising in some places into cliffs of considerable +height. We had gone some distance when we heard a shot fired. + +"Mark has brought Master Bruin to bay," cried Simon; "I wish he had +waited until we had come up." + +I heard the sound of footsteps behind us, and looking round saw that our +Indian allies had followed, as eager as we were to get the bear's meat. +Just then we saw Mark bending over the bear which he had shot; but what +was our horror the next moment to observe another huge monster rush out +from behind a rock and lifting itself on its haunches make a spring at +him, before he could even turn round to defend himself. His death +seemed certain. In attempting to shoot the bear, we should too probably +kill him. No one therefore dared to fire. In vain he endeavoured to +escape from the claws of the creature who held him in a fast embrace. +His brother and Armitage, who were leading, dashed forward, the one +drawing a long knife, the other armed with an axe which he had caught up +as we left the hut. I held my gun ready, waiting to fire should I be +able to do so without running the risk of shooting one of my friends. + +It was a fearful moment. It seemed scarcely possible, even should we +kill the bear, that poor Mark would escape destruction. Simon, +springing close to the monster, dealt it a tremendous blow with his axe, +hoping to draw its attention on himself; while Armitage, with his +uplifted knife, dashed forward, and as he did so plunged his weapon +behind the bear's shoulder. The monster turned round on feeling the +wound, and I thought would have bitten Mark's head. Simon again plied +the brute with his axe. The huge jaws relaxed, the head sank down, +Armitage had driven his knife home to the beast's heart. + +With shouts, indicative of their satisfaction, the Indians now hurried +up and assisted us in dragging off the body from our fallen friend who +was by this time nearly senseless. The bear's claws had torn him +fearfully about the breast and shoulders, besides having given him a +tremendous hug, but had, we hoped, injured no vital part. He was +unable, however, to speak or stand. We at once, therefore, formed a +litter with poles speedily cut from the banks of the stream, on which we +bore him back to the hut, leaving the Indians under the command of +Pierre to cut up the bears and bring in their flesh and skins, an +occupation to which they applied themselves with evident delight. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +On arriving at the hut with our almost inanimate burden, we found the +captain and Charlie in a state of great anxiety to know what had +happened; for they had, I should have said, been undressed, and placed +in our hosts' beds, their wounds preventing them from putting on their +clothes. The captain insisted on turning out when he saw the sad +condition of Mark; and he moreover undertook to doctor him as well as he +was able. It appeared evident, however, that as soon as possible Mark +and Charley should be removed to the settlement, where they could obtain +surgical aid. Mark in a short time revived. From the captain's report, +we had hopes that, on account of his fine constitution, he would escape +inflammation, which was chiefly, under his circumstances, to be feared. + +The Praegers had a light wagon, into which, soon after breakfast was +over the next morning, we put our three wounded companions, and leaving +Pierre and the Indians with Simon Praeger, we set off for Tillydrone. +We would gladly have had another day's rest, but the impossibility of +obtaining medical assistance for poor Mark and Charley made us willing +to undergo the fatigue. + +The country was tolerably level, there being a fine open prairie, across +which we rattled at a good speed, though the unavoidable jolting must +have greatly tried our poor friends within. I was very thankful when +Mark, looking out of the wagon, told us that we were approaching his +father's house. Our cavalcade must have been seen, for in a short time +two horsemen came galloping up to us: the elder, a fine-looking, +middle-aged man, Mark saluted as his father; the other as brother Peter. +A few words explained what had happened. Mr Praeger immediately +invited us all to his house, while Peter started off as fast as he could +go to summon the doctor. + +The house to which we were conducted was a picturesque, +comfortable-looking building, constructed of wood, with a low pitched +roof, and wide long verandah, up to which a flight of broad steps led +us. We found a matronly-looking dame, with a bevy of young ones, +standing in the verandah, evidently wondering at the number of guests +Mr Praeger was bringing to the house. They were all activity on +hearing the state of the occupants of the wagon, and hurried down the +steps to assist in lifting in our wounded companions, for neither +Charley nor Mark were able to walk. The captain, however, got up the +steps by merely leaning on Mr Praeger's arm. + +In a few minutes all three were placed in bed, Mrs Praeger declaring +that it was the only place fit for either of them, though her son was +certainly the most hurt. + +The young ladies were so busy during the evening, flitting about here +and there, that I could scarcely tell how many there were of them. I +remarked, however, that one was taller than the others, very fair, and +with a graceful figure. When Armitage--who had remained out of sight, +looking after the horses--came in, she was not in the room, and it was +some time before she returned. When she did so, he rose to his feet, +and regarded her earnestly, while the colour mounted to his cheek and +brow; then he bowed, and stood apparently irresolute whether to advance +or retreat. She started on seeing him and then put out her hand. He +sprang across the room and took it. + +"I little expected to have the happiness of seeing you, Miss Hargrave," +he said. + +"Is it a happiness?" she asked, in a calm tone. + +"Indeed it is," he replied. "I heard that you had left England, but +could not ascertain to what part of the world you had gone." + +What further passed between our friend and the young lady I cannot tell, +as they lowered their voices, while they retired to a window at the +other end of the room, Armitage forgetting all about his supper. + +The ladies of the family, I should say, did not sit down to table, as +they had already taken their evening meal, and insisted on waiting upon +us. + +Peter Praeger returned sooner than was expected with the doctor, whom he +found on a visit to a family five or six miles off. + +He gave a more favourable report of Dick and Charley than I expected, +but young Mark, he said, would require the greatest possible care; a +good constitution, however, he hoped, would enable him to pull through, +though his hurts were of a most serious description. + +I had no opportunity of speaking to Armitage before turning in, so I was +unable to ascertain more about the young lady he had so unexpectedly +met. The rest of the family were very nice and pretty girls, their +manners much superior to what I had reasonably supposed would be found +in the "Far West." + +Soon after breakfast the next morning, I saw Armitage and Miss Hargrave +walking out together, he having asked her to show him a beautiful view +she had spoken of at the other end of the estate. The rest of the young +ladies being occupied, Story and I lit our pipes, and were sitting +smoking them in the verandah, when we were joined by Mr Praeger. + +"Your companion appears to be an old friend of my young relative," he +observed, as if apparently wishing to learn something about Armitage. + +I replied that he was well known to Lieutenant Buntin, who spoke highly +of him; and that he was evidently a man of some means, as we judged from +his outfit and the number of his attendants, while we had found him a +most excellent fellow in every respect. + +"I'm glad to hear it, for the sake of my wife's young cousin Ellen," he +answered. "She came out to us a few months ago, having lost her +parents, and having no relatives for whom she cared in England. She +had, however, very little idea of the rough style of life we are +compelled to lead; but she at once got into our ways, though I observed +what I could not account for, that she was often more melancholy than +was consistent with her disposition. Now, however, I suspect the +cause." + +I fully agreed with our out-spoken host. I soon found that we were not +likely to learn anything of the interesting subject from Armitage +himself, for he was remarkably reticent, and I saw that it would not do +to banter him, or allude in any way to it. + +I must pass over several days, during which the doctor as well as the +ladies of the family were unremitting in their attentions to the wounded +men. The captain was soon himself again, though still too weak to +travel; but Charley's wound took much longer to heal, and Mark was not +likely to be on foot again for three or four weeks at soonest. In the +meantime, Story and I, with our constant companion, Peter, rode over to +the settlement to obtain the stores we required for our journey, as well +as to replace our baggage mules. + +While thus engaged, we found an old trapper also making purchases at the +stores. He was tall and gaunt, his countenance weather beaten and +sunburnt, of a ruddy brown hue, his hair--which hung over his +shoulders--being only slightly grizzled, while his chin and face were +smooth shaved. He was dressed in a hunting-frock of buckskin, and +pantaloons of the same material ornamented down the seams with long +fringes. On his feet he wore mocassins of Indian make; his head was +covered by a neatly-made cap of beaver; an unusually large powder-horn +was slung over his shoulders, together with a rifle, carefully covered +up; while in his belt, in addition to a knife and tomahawk, he carried a +brace of pistols with long barrels, showing that he was accustomed to +travel amongst enemies, and was prepared to make a stout fight if he was +attacked. On seeing us, he enquired who we were, where we had come +from, and in what direction we were going. + +We told him without hesitation. + +"I guess the old hoss will go with you some of the way," he said. "Tell +Master Praeger that Ben Folkard will pay him a visit before long, I +can't say when. He knows me, and he knows when I say I'll do a thing I +intend to do it." + +We promised to give old Folkard's message, and soon afterwards we parted +from him. Peter told us that he had heard his father speak of Ben +Folkard as one of the most noted and skilful trappers of the Rocky +Mountains, and that he never turned up without a large supply of skins +and peltries. + +We were fortunate in obtaining some fine Mexican mules and all the +articles we required, though we had to pay somewhat highly for them. +Well satisfied, we set off to return to Mr Praeger's. The houses and +the stores were few and far between, the intermediate country being +still in a state of nature. As our laden mules could not travel fast, +we had to camp on the way. We chose a grassy spot near a wood, offering +sufficient attractions to our animals to prevent them from straying, +though of course we hobbled them as an additional security. + +While Peter remained in camp, Story and I took our guns to get a turkey, +or any other game which might come in our way. We had not gone far when + + +Story called my attention to an animal standing on the fallen trunk of a +tree, and told me to keep back the dogs, which would be sure to suffer +if they were to attack it. I was about to fire, when I caught sight of +another animal of similar size with a long, thin body and sharp nose, +which I at once recognised as a marten. It had apparently been watching +the porcupine, who, unconscious of its approach, remained perfectly +still, its spines scarcely visible. The marten was intent on taking its +enemy by surprise; and, stealing up, threw itself on the unsuspicious +porcupine before it had time even to raise its spines. The moment it +felt itself seized, it began to lash its tail about and throw out its +quills in all directions; but the marten, by its wonderful agility, +escaped the blows aimed at it. In a short time it gained the victory, +and was already sucking the blood of its victim when Story fired and hit +it in the head. As the skin was of considerable value, we quickly +flayed it, and with a couple of turkeys which we were fortunate enough +to shoot, returned to camp, where, to our surprise, we found old Folkard +seated smoking his pipe. + +"I'm going along with you, boys," he said. "Good company isn't always +to be got, and it's not always safe, while the Redskins are on the +war-path, to travel through the country alone. You can help me and I +can help you, so that we shall be quits." + +We, of course, told the trapper that we should be very happy to have the +benefit of his experience. + +We passed the night quietly enough; but the next morning, to our +excessive disgust, half the mules were missing. In spite of their +hobbles, they had managed to get away. Peter and I with two men at once +set off in search of them; but it was not until late in the day that we +found the runaways. As soon as we had brought them back we started, but +of course could make but a short distance. On camping, with the +assistance of the old trapper we hobbled them more securely than on the +previous night, and by his advice a watch was set, we all taking the +duty in turns. Old Ben, however, excused himself from watching, +declaring that his mules never ran away and that as he should have to +keep wide awake during most nights by and by, he should prefer a sound +sleep while he could get it. + +To this we made no objection. We placed the packs on one side of our +camp-fire, near which, having taken our suppers, the old trapper, Peter, +and Story lay down to sleep; while I, with my rifle in my hand, walked +off to look after the horses and mules. I kept walking up and down, +keeping my eyes open, and when any of the animals appeared inclined to +head off from the rest turned them back. The night was fine and the +stars shone out brightly, but it was otherwise somewhat dark. At last I +began to yawn and to wish heartily that Story would come and relieve me. +Once or twice I heard cries in the distance very similar to those which +had disturbed us when further to the west, but here, so near the settled +districts, I thought nothing of the matter. I suspected that the +cunning mules were watching me, for when I turned towards the camp to +call Story, off one or two of them bolted. They had played me this +trick two or three times, and at last one of them led me so long a chase +that when I caught him I determined to punish the brute by securing him +to a tree. Having done so I turned towards the camp, but the fire had +burnt so low that I could scarcely see the spot. There was light +enough, however, to enable me to distinguish several objects moving over +the ground. Can they be Indians? I thought, as I ran forward hoping to +arouse my companions in time to defend themselves. Before I got up to +the camp, however, I saw what I at once knew to be a pack of wolves. On +they came without bark or yelp, making straight for our baggage. Among +the provisions we had purchased was a quantity of pemmican placed on the +top. I really believe that the wolves, cunning as foxes, had surveyed +our camp and knew exactly what to go in for. I shouted loudly, hoping +to frighten them off and awaken my friends; but even old Ben was +sleeping so soundly that for some time no one heard my voice, while I +was afraid to fire at the wolves for fear--in the uncertain light--of +hitting one of my sleeping companions. At length up sprang Story and +Peter, and their cries aroused the old trapper. It was too late, +however, to prevent the wolves making an onslaught on our baggage. Each +seized something in his mouth, but our cries prevented them from +remaining and devouring the whole of our provisions, which they +undoubtedly otherwise would have done. Off they went, several of the +rascals carrying bags of pemmican or of flour, or packages of hams in +their mouths. I fired and stopped the career of one of them, while my +companions, imitating my example, shot three others. We then, having +reloaded, made chase and brought down two or three more. + +We should have regained the whole of our provisions, but, in several +instances, the moment a wolf was shot another brute seized his prize and +made off with it. Under other circumstances we should not have expended +powder on the brutes. We fired away, however, as long as any remained +within shot, and on searching for the booty we recovered nearly the +whole of it. Our chief loss was in our flour, as the animals, while +grabbing the bags from each other, had well nigh torn them to pieces and +let the contents run out. + +Old Ben took matters very coolly, but Story and Peter were so vexed that +they undertook to ride back and replace our loss, if we would consent to +move on slowly with the rest of the animals. This we gladly did, the +old trapper managing them with perfect ease. He said that he had seldom +known a pack of wolves to come so far east, and advised that in future +we should keep a sharp look-out lest we might encounter others. + +Our friends overtook us the next day, and in the evening we reached Mr +Praeger's. We found Dick quite recovered and ready to set off again; +but it seemed doubtful whether Armitage would continue his expedition. +It struck me that although Mr Praeger was very civil, he would be glad +to have us go. To say the least, we occupied a great deal of the +attention of the ladies of the family, and Charley hinted that honest +Dick was somewhat spoony on one of them. Story had also been warm in +his praises of another, and it struck me that the young lady's colour +heightened and her eyes brightened when he spoke to her. + +Mr Praeger seemed less contented with his location than I should have +thought. He had evidently been captivated by the accounts of the wealth +of California, and he made his "woman kind" somewhat uneasy by talking +of travelling across the country, bag and baggage, to settle in the new +Eldorado. They evidently had no wish to move; which was but natural, as +they appeared to me to have everything they could desire, besides being +free from the risk of Indian raids to which the settlers farther west +were constantly exposed. Dick, Story and I now made active preparations +for our departure; and, to my surprise, and much to our satisfaction, +Armitage expressed his intention of accompanying us. + +I thought that Ellen's countenance and those of some of the other young +ladies had a shade of sadness on them as they saw us engaged in doing up +our packs and trying our newly-bought mules. Dick and I each purchased +a strong, active horse from Mr Praeger, for which we gave him long +prices as some return for his hospitality; and we then presented him +with our own steeds, which were likely to pick up muscle and flesh on +his rich pastures. + +Though he was as courteous as ever, he did not press us to stay, and at +length, all our traps being prepared, we set off, accompanied by old +Folkard, who did not even ask whether we wished for his society or not. +Armitage remained behind, so I did not witness his parting with Miss +Hargrave, but he soon galloped after us. Peter accompanied us as far as +his brother's, to take the place of poor Mark, who was still unfit for +work, though in a fair way of recovery. We spent a day with the young +backwoodsmen, whose hearts were delighted with a present of a first-rate +Joe Manton. Our intention was to push on for the base of the Rocky +Mountains to a region where deer and buffalo and big-horns abounded. We +shot several deer, but as we had come across no buffalo, the larger +herds had, we supposed, moved northward. We had encamped one afternoon +earlier than usual, being tempted to halt by a wide stream and a wood +near at hand. Our fire being lighted and our meat put on to roast and +stew, Armitage, Story, and I took our guns to go out in search of +turkeys or other small game, should we be unable to find deer. Armitage +took two of his dogs, though they often gave us more trouble than +assistance in hunting. We had, however, been tolerably successful, and +shot three fine gobblers and some smaller birds, when, as we were +returning towards camp, the dogs gave tongue and started off to the +right, refusing to return at their master's call. + +We hurried on as fast as the rough nature of the ground would allow us. +We were on the top of some low cliffs which had formed at some time or +other of the world's history the side of a torrent now dried up and +overgrown with trees. Presently we heard a cry of-- + +"Here, boys, help, help!" + +At the same time one of the dogs leaped over the cliff, and we saw a +short distance from us Charley struggling with a brown bear, +providentially not a grizzly, which with great courage he had grasped by +the throat so as to prevent the brute from biting him; but he was +brought on his knees, his cap had fallen off, and his gun lay on the +ground beside him. In another instant the bear would have seized his +head, when the dog leaped down on the creature's back and caused a +diversion in his favour. To fire would have been dangerous, for had we +tried to kill the bear we should have run a fearful risk of shooting +Charley. We therefore trusted to the assistance of the dogs, the other, +following its companion, having fixed its teeth well into the bear. +Charley manfully continued the contest, but was afraid of releasing his +hold of the bear's throat lest it should bite him. + +We shouted and shrieked, hoping to frighten Bruin, as we scrambled over +the rocks. At length Charley, still holding the bear's throat with one +hand, managed to get hold of his knife with the other, and in spite of +the creature's claws round his waist, using all his strength he struck +the weapon into its breast. The bear opened its paws as it felt the +knife entering, and Charley, having driven the weapon home, sprang back, +when the creature rolled over, almost crushing one of the dogs in its +convulsive struggles. Before we could get up to the scene of the +contest it was dead, and most thankful were we to find Charley +wonderfully little injured, though his clothes were somewhat torn. Our +young friend showed indeed remarkable nerve, for he scarcely even +trembled, though his cheek was somewhat paler than usual from the +desperate exertions he had made. + +On examining the bear we found that it was an old one, and somewhat thin +from want of food; its claws also were blunted from old age, which +circumstance accounted for Charley's almost miraculous escape, for had +it possessed its full strength a single hug would have pressed the life +out of his body. + +We congratulated him heartily on his preservation, and complimented him +on the courage he had exhibited. + +"Let us have the skin, at all events," he said. "I would sooner carry +it on my own shoulders into camp than leave it behind." + +"We'll not disappoint you, my boy," said Story; and he immediately began +to flay the animal; but as its flesh was likely to prove tough, we left +the carcase for the benefit of the prairie wolves. + +While Story and I carried the skin between us, Armitage assisted +Charley, who was less able to walk than he had at first supposed. A man +cannot get even a moderate hug from a bear without suffering. + +At the camp we found two strange Indians, who seemed disposed to be very +friendly, and invited us to pay them a visit at their lodges only an +hour's march off. One of them was a fine young fellow, dressed in a +leathern jacket and leggings richly ornamented, while on his head he +wore a circlet of feathers. He appeared to be greatly struck with +Charley on hearing of his exploit with the bear, and putting out his +hand, declared that they must henceforth be brothers. + +Dick, though greatly delighted at hearing of Charley's behaviour, was +much concerned on seeing the injuries he had received, which were more +serious than we had at first supposed. He insisted on his turning into +a hut which old Folkard and Pierre immediately set to work to construct. + +Our guests begged that he might be conveyed to their wigwams, saying +that their squaws would doctor him and soon restore his strength. + +"They may be honest--those Shianees--but they may be rogues like many +other Redskins," observed old Ben. "Better not trust them." + +We therefore thanked our guests, but declined their offer for the +present, saying that our young companion was unfit to be moved, though +we hoped to pay them a visit on the following day. + +They, nothing abashed, continued to squat round the fire, smoking +tobacco and quaffing with evident pleasure the small glasses of +usquebaugh which Dick bestowed upon them. Armitage objected, however, +to the captain's giving them liquor. + +"Let them take as much as they've a fancy to," said Ben. "It won't do +them any harm once in a way, and it will let us know what they are +thinking about." + +Our guests having drunk the whisky, showed the same friendly disposition +as at first, nor did they complain when Dick refused to give them any +more. + +"A little do good, too much do harm," observed Dick, at which they +nodded as if perfectly agreeing with him. + +As the shades of evening approached, they got up, and shaking hands all +round, took their departure. + +"They're all right, we may trust them," said Ben. + +We nevertheless kept a strict watch over our cattle, for the temptation +to steal a fine stud might have been too great for our Indian neighbours +to resist. No attempt was made on the camp however, and the next +morning the animals were found feeding as quietly as usual. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +A tremendous storm, such as we had not yet experienced, kept us in camp +the next morning. The lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and the +rain came down in torrents, compelling us to make trenches round our +huts. Even when doing this, we were nearly wet to the skin. Our fires +also were almost extinguished, though we contrived to keep them in by +heaping up fresh fuel every few minutes. It was truly a battle between +the flames and the rain, but the former would have been beaten without +our assistance. The same cause probably kept the Indians inside their +wigwams, for we saw nothing of them. We managed to cover up poor +Charley so that he did not suffer. In the afternoon, the rain cleared +off, and trusting to the professions of the Indians, Dick and I set off +to pay them a visit. For prudence, according to the custom we had +adopted, we wore our swords by our sides, at which, as they appeared +rather more for ornament than use, the Indians were not likely to take +offence. One of the Indians, who had come to our camp the previous +evening, was, we discovered, their chief, by name Ocuno, or the Yellow +Wolf. He received us with outstretched hands, appearing highly pleased +at our coming, and without hesitation introduced us to his principal +squaw, a very attractive young woman with a pleasing expression of +countenance, and much fairer than Indians in general, indeed we had no +doubt that she must have had a white father. She told us that she was +much attached to the whites, and had not it been her lot to become the +wife of Yellow Wolf, she would gladly have married a pale face. Dick +was so well satisfied, that he agreed to bring his young friend over to +their village the next morning, that he might be placed under her +charge. + +The Yellow Wolf told us that he intended to start in search of buffalo +in a day or two, and that if we chose, we might accompany him, promising +that we should have half the animals slain; "for," as he observed, "he +and his people were more expert hunters, yet our firearms would make +amends for our want of skill." + +After spending some time with our new friends, we returned to our own +camp. The offer of Yellow Wolf was accepted by all hands, and in the +morning we conveyed Charley on a litter to his lodge, the baggage mules +and spare horses being also moved forward to the neighbourhood of the +village. We found the Indians preparing to engage in a dance, which we +supposed was for our entertainment, but which we afterwards discovered, +was for the sake of inducing the Good Spirit to send herds of buffalo to +their neighbourhood. + +As soon as Charley was comfortably placed inside his wigwam, and the +fair Manoa, the "Flower of the Prairies"--as her lord was wont to call +her--was examining his hurts, the Yellow Wolf desired us to be seated in +front of it. Scarcely had we taken our places, than from every hut +rushed forward some monstrous figures with buffalo heads, but the legs +of men and huge tails trailing behind, the whole of the party collecting +in an open space in front of us. They were about to begin, we were +told, their famous buffalo dance. First round and round they tramped +with measured steps, then they rushed against each other, then +separated, then again met. Some were overthrown, but quickly getting on +their feet, rejoined their companions. Now they bent down on all fours; +now one buffalo, seizing a bow, shot a blunt arrow at another. Some had +shields and spears; some, mounted on the backs of their companions, +charged at everyone they met; all the time the whole band were stamping, +bellowing, yelping, and making other terrific noises, while another +party were seated on the ground beating their drums, and shaking their +rattles, the dancers keeping time to the discordant music. It is +difficult to describe the feats of the different performers, for each +man appeared to dance until he could dance no more, except that when a +pretended buffalo was shot by a blunt arrow, he was dragged out, and +another immediately took his place. This amusement went on until we +were utterly weary of witnessing it, though at first it was amusing +enough. I then suggested to Yellow Wolf that he should order the +dancers to "knock off;" but he replied that the efficacy of the ceremony +depended upon its continuing until the buffalo should appear. + +"But suppose they should not come for a whole moon, your braves will be +pretty well worn out by that time," I remarked. + +"But they will come before then," he answered. + +"So I should hope," I said, laughing. + +At last a bevy of squaws placed on the ground, in front of the tent, an +abundant feast of various messes, of which our host invited us to +partake, suggesting that we should add a few articles from our own +stores, including a bottle of fire-water, "for which," he observed, "his +lips felt a peculiar longing." + +We took the hint, but Dick ordered only a small bottle to be brought, +observing that we kept the firewater for sick men, or for such occasions +as the present, and that we could not venture to draw largely on our +store. + +Unattractive as were the dishes the Redskin damsels offered us, they +were far more palatable than might have been expected. + +As the Indians liked their own dishes best, and we preferred ours, we +did not trespass very largely on theirs. We found from the small amount +of meat in the village, that the inhabitants were more hard up for food +than we had supposed. + +The buffalo dancers all the time continued their performance, being +evidently impressed with the belief that the more furiously they danced, +the sooner the buffaloes would make their appearance. Night brought no +cessation, one relay of performers relieving the other without +intermission; so that I was afraid poor Charley would have but little +chance of a sleep. He, however, when I paid him a visit before +retiring, assured me that he had got accustomed to the noise; and that +the Flower of the Prairies had taken such good care of him that he was +perfectly ready to remain where he was. Although we had every +confidence in the honesty of our new friends, we deemed it prudent to +keep a watch at night, both in camp and over the animals, for fear some +young brave might take it into his head to distinguish himself by +running off with a horse or two, as he would be sure to find a welcome +among any friendly tribe after the performance of such an act. I have +no doubt there are some noble Redskins fit to become heroes of romances; +but the greater part are unmitigated savages, with notions of right and +wrong very different from those of civilised people. + +The next day we paid a visit to Yellow Wolf, when we found his people +still dancing with unabated vigour. + +"The buffalo have not come yet!" I observed to him. + +"Wait a bit, they come by-and-by," he replied. Dick suggested that we +should strike away westward in search of them, but Yellow Wolf replied +that it would be of no use, and that probably the buffalo would turn +back and take a different course, should the pale-faces pursue them. + +Old Ben advised us not to act contrary to the chief's wishes, observing +that he undoubtedly had a very correct notion of when the buffalo would +appear, as he never allowed the dance to commence until he calculated +that the herd were not far off. + +Wishing to cement our friendship with the chief we invited him and some +of his principal braves to our camp, where we provided a feast as +suitable to their tastes as we were capable of producing. They approved +of the boiled ham and pork as well as the corn cakes, sweetened with +sugar, which old Ben manufactured; but they hinted pretty strongly that +the stuff our flasks contained was more to their taste than anything +else we possessed. We took good care, however, not to give them enough +to make them drunk; but Armitage observed that we were doing them harm +by creating in them a taste for spirits, and that it would have been +wiser not to allow them from the first to know that we had any. + +The feast was over, and our guests were smoking the tobacco with which +we provided them, puffing away with evident enjoyment, when a young +brave was seen galloping towards our camp at headlong speed. As he +approached, he cried out,--"The buffalo! the buffalo are coming!" + +"I said so!" exclaimed Yellow Wolf, springing up and rushing towards his +horse. We all followed his example, leaving Pierre and the Indians in +charge of the camp. + +Yellow Wolf and his followers directed their course towards their lodges +to obtain their bows and arrows; for, to show the confidence they placed +in us, they had come without them. As we came near, we saw, far to the +north and north-west, the whole ground covered with a dark mass of +shaggy monsters, tossing their heads and flourishing their tails, the +ground literally trembling beneath their feet as they dashed on towards +us. The course they were following would bring them directly down upon +the camp. We might as well have endeavoured to stop a cataract as to +have tried to turn them aside. Their sudden appearance caused the +greatest excitement and confusion in the camp. The buffalo dancers, who +had danced they were convinced to some purpose, having thrown off their +masquerading dresses, were rushing here and there to obtain their arms +and catch their horses. Before, however, the greater number were ready +for the encounter, the buffalo were in their midst; and, to the dismay +of the inmates, charged right through the camp, capsizing wigwams, +trampling over women and children, dashing through the fires, and +crushing pots and pans. Many of the brutes, however, paid dearly for +their exploit; as the hunters, with shouts and shrieks, followed them +up, shooting down some, spearing others, and ham-stringing the brutes +right and left, who were too much astonished and confused at the +unexpected reception they met with to escape. I made my way to the +chief's wigwam, which I was thankful to see still standing, and was just +in time to shoot a buffalo charging at it with a force which would have +upset a structure of ten times its stability. As it was, the animal +rolled over, close to the tent poles. It was the first buffalo I had +killed, and I was the prouder of the exploit as I had saved Charlie and +the Flower of the Prairies from injury. I saw the chief galloping after +another buffalo charging an old warrior fallen to the ground, and who +would, in another moment, have been transfixed by its horns, had not +Yellow Wolf stuck his spear behind its shoulder so powerful a blow that +the creature rolled over, not, however, without almost crushing the old +man's legs. The fierce onslaught made by the Indians on the herd at +length divided it, some of the animals going off to the south-east, +others to the south-west. Greatly to our satisfaction they then passed +by on either side of our camp, several of their number being brought +down by Ben Folkard's and Pierre's unerring rifles, three also being +killed by our Indian followers. We, as well as the Indians, however, +excited by the chase, still followed the buffaloes, although it seemed +to me that we had already as much meat as the people could possibly +consume. + +Away we went, the Indians pursuing the cows, which they had singled out, +their flesh being of the most value, though they were much smaller than +the bulls. I confess, as they were all galloping along together, that I +could scarcely distinguish one from the other. I found myself at length +alone, pursuing part of the herd which had turned away eastward. I had +managed to knock over two animals, and having again loaded made chase +after a cow which had separated from her companions, I being determined +to shoot her and then return. For some time she gave me no chance, as, +unless I could obtain a broadside shot, there was no use in firing. My +horse was beginning to get blown, but I urged him on with whip and spur, +until at length I managed to get up to within a few paces, when rising +in my stirrups I fired down upon the animal. It seemed like the work of +a moment, scarcely had I pulled the trigger than down dropped the +buffalo, the bullet having broken her spine. So rapid was the pace of +my horse, that he was unable to stop himself. He made an attempt, +however, to spring over the buffalo, but his feet striking its body over +he rolled sending me with my gun still grasped in my hand, flying to the +opposite side, when down he came almost upon me. At first I was seized +with the dreadful idea that both my legs were broken, and I expected +that my horse in his struggles would crush me still further, but the +well-trained creature, recovering himself, rose to his feet without +trampling upon me. Fortunately my sword was not broken, nor thrown out +of the scabbard. + +For some time I lay holding his bridle but unable to move. I was far +away from either of my companions and was much afraid that I should not +be discovered. The first thing I had to do was to try and get into my +saddle; but, should I fail, dreadful might be my fate. My horse might +perhaps make his way into camp, and by his appearance show that some +accident had happened to me. I had a pocketbook and tore out a leaf and +wrote--"Lying on the ground with both legs broken, to the eastward of +the camp," and signed it, "Tom Rushforth." + +I endeavoured to reach one of my stirrups to which I intended to fasten +the paper and then to set my horse at liberty. Before doing so, +however, I thought I would examine my legs and ascertain if they were +really broken. On feeling the bones, to my infinite satisfaction I +could discover no fracture, though they pained me greatly. I +accordingly tried and succeeded in getting up; and, although I do not +think I could have walked a yard, I managed to scramble into my saddle +with my gun. I then, having thrown down a handkerchief to mark the cow +I had shot as my own put my horse's head, as I supposed, in the +direction of the camp. + +I was anxious to get back as soon as possible, but the pain of riding +fast was greater than I could bear, and I was compelled to make my horse +walk at a pace not suited to his fancy. + +I could still see the buffalo scampering over the prairie, moving off to +the southward, and I concluded that they would be miles away before the +end of the day. I looked round for any friends, but not a horseman +could I discover. + +The weather had been bright during the early part of the day, but clouds +were now drifting rapidly over the sky, and I continued riding on +towards the north-west until the sun became totally obscured. I still +believed that I could direct my course right. To trot was unbearable, +but I thought that I might venture on a gallop; the movement, however, +caused me so much pain that I was compelled again to pull up. In rain +my eyes ranged over the wide extent of the prairie, in search of the +wigwams of our Indian friends. For some time I guided myself by the +wind, but that also shifted and fell light, so that I was unable to +steer by it. I could distinguish the trail of the buffalo, by the tall +grass which they had trampled down; but that did not serve to guide me, +for it seemed to bend in all directions, though I have no doubt it would +have served an Indian perfectly. I arrived at length at the unpleasant +conclusion, that I had lost myself; still, could I but get a gleam of +sunshine, or see the distant hills, I might, I hoped, ascertain what +direction to take. + +Had I not been so severely injured, I should not have cared so much; for +having just before taken a good meal, I could have gone without food +until the following day. I felt sure that my friends would come to +search for me, but it might be long before I should be discovered, and +the pain I suffered warned me of the importance of getting into camp as +soon as possible. + +My rifle was loaded, and I fired it off two or three times, hoping that +the sound might be heard. I listened eagerly expecting a reply. A +perfect silence, however, reigned over the vast plain. At length I +became seriously anxious about my safety. I was still convinced that I +was riding towards the west, and I pushed on. From the feeling in my +legs, I fancied they must have swelled to twice their natural size, but +on looking down they appeared as usual. The pain caused my spirits to +sink, and all sorts of gloomy thoughts passed through my mind. Again +and again I looked round. At length I saw in the far distance, an +object moving over the plain, which I at once conjectured was a +horseman, though I could only distinguish the upper part of his body. I +turned my horse's head towards him, and raised my rifle in the air, +hoping that he might perceive it. As I got nearer, I saw, by the plume +on his head, that he was an Indian, and I naturally concluded that he +was either Yellow Wolf or one of his braves, or perhaps one of our own +people. I was somewhat surprised, however, when instead of coming on +directly towards me, he turned to the right, and began to move on at a +gallop over the ground. I then perceived that his headdress was +different to that of my friends, and that he carried a long shield and +spear, as well as a bow and arrows. I had just reached a slight knoll, +on which I pulled up that I might the more carefully survey the +stranger. An attentive look at him convinced me that he was a +Coomanche, one of the same people who had before attacked us, so that I +knew I must treat him as an enemy rather than a friend. Should I let +him get near me, I felt pretty sure that, if he was a Coomanche, he +would play me some treacherous trick. I therefore unslung my rifle, and +in a loud voice shouted to him to keep his distance. + +He heard me clearly enough, but instead of stopping galloping towards +me, he threw himself on the side of his horse, and, before I could cover +him with my rifle, I saw the head of an arrow projecting over his +saddle. To avoid it by retreating was impossible, so, bringing my rifle +up to my shoulder, I gave a sudden jerk to my rein, which made my horse +step back a few paces, and the arrow, aimed at my body, flew by in front +of his nose. I had refrained from firing. The Coomanche, for such I +concluded that he was, seeing that he was in my power--having shot +another arrow which in his flurry, he was prevented aiming truly-- +galloped off to a distance. + +I now shouted to him, threatening to kill his horse, and advising him to +take himself off. He seemed doubtful, apparently, what to do. He might +have hoped, that, should I execute my threat, he might still bring me +down with an arrow, and by mounting my steed make his escape; but he +must have been well aware there are many chances in warfare, and that I +might shoot him instead of his steed. He might have guessed, by my not +having fired, that I had my wits about me. I of course narrowly watched +his movements, and seeing him glance over his shoulder, the idea +occurred to me, that he was expecting others of his tribe to appear, in +which case I should have but little chance of escaping. + +At length he decided how to act. Once more he made at me, shooting a +couple of arrows in rapid succession. One went through the sleeve of my +coat; another struck the saddle, narrowly missing my legs, but did not +pierce through the leather. + +He might have half-a-dozen more arrows in his hand, and it was necessary +to be cautious. As he circled round, I kept turning so as always to +face him, when he was afraid of riding directly at me, for should he do +so, he would he knew inevitably expose himself, and I should scarcely +fail to miss him. His object was, I concluded, to keep me employed +until the arrival of his friends. It would be folly to do as he wished. +As long as I remained on the same spot, I could at any moment take a +steady aim at him. Though he was aware of this, he trusted to my not +firing, for fear of being unarmed should he charge me. At length he +came so near, that I resolved not to lose the opportunity of knocking +over his horse. I aimed just behind the animal's shoulder, and must +have shot it through the heart; for, giving one bound, it fell over +dead. The active Indian, however, in a moment extricating himself, +leapt to his feet, and came bounding towards me. + +In a moment my trusty sword was out of its sheath, when, with a howl of +disappointed rage, the Coomanche, seeing it uplifted to cut him down, +turned tail and ran off as fast as his legs would carry him. I +immediately reloaded and should, I believe, have shot the Redskin also; +but I had no wish to take the poor wretch's life, though, for my own +safety, I determined to do so, should he again approach me. At that +moment, the sun coming out from behind a cloud, just above the horizon, +shone on a distant peak, which I had remarked from our camp. I had now +no doubt as to the direction I should take. In spite of the agony the +movement caused me, I put my horse into a gallop, leaving my late +antagonist to pursue his way unhindered, and steered my course towards +the north-west, where I hoped before long to discover my friends. The +sun, however, sunk before I had seen either them or the Indian wigwams. +Still the glow in the western sky guided me long after darkness had +crept over the open prairie. When that disappeared, I was again at a +loss how to keep a straight course. Throwing therefore the reins on my +horse's neck, I trusted to his instinct to lead me aright. + +I had gone on for two hours in the darkness when, to my joy, I saw a +bright light ahead. It was that, I had little doubt, of our own camp +fire. I was not mistaken. In a short time Dick's cheery voice welcomed +me. He and my other companions had become anxious at my non-appearance. +I was almost falling from my horse, and could not have dismounted +without assistance. On telling them of my fight with the Coomanche, +Pierre immediately sent off to tell our Indian friends of my suspicions +that a party of their enemies were in the neighbourhood. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +Being fully satisfied that the Shianees would prove friendly and +staunch, we agreed to move our camp close to theirs, that we might the +better be able to withstand any attack which the Coomanches might +venture to make upon us. I managed, with the assistance of my friends, +to mount my horse so as to perform the short journey, though I suffered +a considerable amount of pain. We found Yellow Wolf and his braves +seated in council, to decide on a plan of operations against the enemy. +He expressed his gratitude for the warning I had given him, and +complimented me on the victory I had obtained over the Coomanche brave. +"Scouts have been sent out," he said, "to ascertain the position of the +enemy, but as yet no information has been received of their +whereabouts." He suspected that they were very numerous, or they would +not have ventured into that part of the country; but with our assistance +he had no doubt about his being able to repel an attack. Had his tribe +been alone he would have moved westward to escape from them, as his +object at present was to kill buffalo, and lay in a winter store of +pemmican. + +There was little sleep for any of the party that night. The Indians +were preparing to set out on the war-path, while my companions sat up +not knowing at what moment the Coomanches might burst upon us, and I was +kept awake by the pain my legs continued to cause me. Yellow Wolf, on +seeing how much I suffered, sent his wife over with a supply of salves +to doctor me. + +The night, however, passed away in quietness: and when the scouts +returned in the morning they reported that they had been unable to +discover any traces of an enemy. We therefore remained in camp, both +for my sake, and Charley's; while all hands were employed in +manufacturing pemmican. The rest, and the care bestowed upon me by the +Flower of the Prairies, had so beneficial an effect that in the course +of a couple of days I was myself again. + +I should have said that the Indians had brought in the meat from the cow +and two bulls I had killed, having discovered them in the direction I +had described. The flesh of the buffaloes having by this time been cut +up and turned into pemmican, no small portion having been eaten by the +Indians, both they and we were ready to recommence our march. + +Just as we were about to start, a scout brought word that he had +discovered a Coomanche trail, but being alone he was afraid to follow it +up. The chief rated him soundly for his cowardice, and declared his +intention of setting out himself with one of his braves, to learn what +he could from an inspection of the enemy's position, so as to be able as +far as possible to judge of their intended movements. I volunteered to +accompany him. + +"There are few pale-faces from whom I would accept such an offer," he +answered; "but you have shown so much courage and discretion, that I +shall be glad of your company." + +I do not mean to say that he used these words, but it was something +equivalent. I thanked him for the compliment, which I modestly remarked +was scarcely deserved. Dick and Armitage strongly advised me not to go; +but, having made the offer, I felt I should lose credit with the +Redskins should I draw back. We were to proceed with three mounted +attendants, who were to take charge of our steeds as we drew near the +enemy's camp, and we were then to go forward on foot. + +"We may have to run for our lives should we be discovered," said Yellow +Wolf, as we rode along; "and unless you can depend upon your legs, it +will be wise to remain with the horses." + +I replied that my object was to see the way of approaching an enemy's +camp, and to get a sight of it, and that I felt sure I could run as fast +as he could. We accordingly continued on until we came upon the trail +which the scout had discovered. Yellow Wolf now proceeded more +cautiously, it being of the greatest importance that the enemy should +not discover us. At length he announced his belief that we had got near +the Coomanche camp. We therefore left our horses in charge of the three +Indians, and then continued in the direction we were before going on +foot. I observed that Yellow Wolf's eye ranged over the ground on +either side, as well as ahead. As I thought of the distance we had come +since we left our horses, I began to repent somewhat of the task I had +undertaken; however, I trusted to the sagacity of my companion, that we +should not be detected, and that we should be able to retreat as we had +advanced. Yellow Wolf led, and his brave followed, I bringing up the +rear. My companions frequently stopped, and, bending their ears to the +ground, listened for any sounds which might warn them they were reaching +the Coomanche camp. At first they walked upright, but now they bent +down, taking advantage of any cover which offered. + +At length they stopped and whispered together, and Yellow Wolf told me +to be more careful than ever. Then again he and his companion moved on, +until he made a sign to me to keep under cover, while they crept forward +along the top of a bank, covered by bushes of wild roses. I saw them +eagerly stretching out their necks, so as to obtain a view beyond. I +crept after them, looking through the bushes, and could distinguish in +the plain below a considerable band of warriors, some engaged in +lighting fires, others in collecting wood, or preparing provisions, +while their horses ranged round near at hand. + +It would have been a fine opportunity to take them by surprise, for a +mounted party could have swept down upon them before they had time to +catch their horses. I have no doubt the Yellow Wolf thought the same +thing, but neither he nor his companion uttered a word. + +After satisfying my curiosity, I crept back as cautiously as I had +advanced; and the two Indians, who had surveyed the camp to their +satisfaction, came after me. We at once commenced a retreat in the same +fashion as we had advanced, being quite as careful to conceal ourselves. +Their great object was to escape detection, so that their enemies might +not be aware that the position of their camp was known, and might +continue as unprepared for the reception of a foe as they appeared to be +at present. + +Not until we regained our horses, did the Yellow Wolf speak. As we +galloped along on our return, he told me that the Coomanches would +remain at their present camp for a couple of days, and would then +proceed to the north-west in the hopes of coming up with the herds of +buffalo which were feeding in that direction. How he knew this is more +than I can say. I asked him whether he intended to attack the +Coomanches. + +He replied that he must hold a council with his braves, and that if they +agreed to follow him, he proposed doing so the next morning in the hopes +of catching his foes off their guard. He inquired whether I and my +friends would assist. I replied that I could not give an answer without +consulting them; that we had come to the country, not to make war on the +Redskins, and that it was our practice to fight only when we were +attacked. This answer did not appear particularly to please him. I +said, however, that should he and his people be attacked, we would no +doubt fulfil our promise in assisting them. + +"The pale-faces are wise," he remarked, "they fight only when they are +obliged; that is the reason why red man go down and they live." + +Great excitement was produced in the camp by the news we brought, and +without loss of time a council was held. I told my friends what Yellow +Wolf had said, but they decided at once not to assist him in attacking +the Coomanche camp. "We shall have quite enough to do in making our way +through the country, without joining in quarrels not our own," observed +Armitage. + +We waited with come anxiety, therefore, the result of our friends' +deliberations. At last Yellow Wolf came to our camp and announced that +his braves were unanimous in their resolution of attacking the +Coomanches; that they intended to set out that night so as to surprise +them just before daybreak. He invited us to accompany them; when Dick, +getting up, made him a speech in true Indian fashion, expressing our +gratitude for the treatment Charley and I had received from the "Flower +of the Prairies," and our affection for him and his; but at the same +time observing that we must decline to cut the throats of a number of +people with whom we had no quarrel. + +The chief, who took our refusal very good-humouredly, asked if we would +assist in guarding the camp and the women and children during his +absence. This request we could not well refuse, and we had therefore to +agree to await his return, Dick telling him that we hoped he would come +back victorious. + +This matter settled, he and his braves immediately set out; while we +kept a strict watch on the camp, which we thought it more than probable +might be attacked during the absence of the warriors whose departure +their cunning enemies might have discovered. + +Although there were two or three alarms caused by a pack of coyotes +which approached the camp, the morning broke without an enemy having +been seen. We had still many hours to wait the result of the battle. +It was not until near the evening that a band of horsemen were seen +approaching from the northeast. They might be friends or they might be +enemies. We all hastened to our posts, old men and boys seizing their +arms ready to fight if necessary. As the horsemen drew nearer, the +Indians uttered loud cries of satisfaction, for they were discovered to +be their friends. Still they came on slowly. It appeared to me that +their numbers were diminished. Presently Yellow Wolf dashed forward +bearing a couple of scalps at the end of his spear. Other braves +followed, several of them having the same gory trophies. On getting up +close to the camp, they halted to receive the congratulations of their +friends. + +The old men and women then began to inquire for the relatives who were +no longer among them. The same answer was given to all, "He fell +fighting bravely." On hearing this, loud wails arose from those who had +lost husbands, brothers, and sons. + +It was some time before we could learn from Yellow Wolf what had +happened. He had been entirely successful in surprising the Coomanche +camp, but they had fought desperately and many of his braves fell before +he had succeeded in putting his enemies to flight. The scalps he had +brought showed the number of slain on the other side. Another day was +lost, while our savage friends blackened their faces and mourned for the +dead, after which they danced their hideous scalp-dance. I was thankful +that they had returned without prisoners; for I am certain they would +have put them to death with all sorts of horrible tortures, even though +we might have protested against so barbarous a custom. They, however, +managed to bring back one of their people desperately wounded, with two +arrows and a bullet through his body. It seemed surprising that he +could have lived so long. It was, however, evident to us that he was +dying; but his friends thought that he might be recovered by the efforts +of one of their medicine-men, whose vocation we had not before +discovered. The patient was laid on the ground half-stripped, while the +tribe sat round in a circle. Presently, from out of one of the tents, +the most grotesque figure I ever beheld made his appearance. A huge +wolf-skin cloak covered his back; on his head he wore a mask, +representing the head of a wolf double the ordinary size. Dried frogs +and fish and snakes hung down from his neck, his whole body being +concealed by skins. In one hand he carried a spear, ornamented with a +variety of coloured feathers and snakes twisting up it, and in the other +a sort of tambourine, from which also were hung snakes and frog-skins. +He advanced, making a series of jumps and uttering wild yells +accompanied by the rattling of his magic drum until, entering the +circle, he approached his patient. He then began to dance round him, +striking and rattling his drum, shrieking and shouting; sometimes +leaping over the wounded man, then shaking him from side to side. + +I watched the poor sufferer, who endured the fearful pain to which he +was put without a groan, gazing at the hideous figure, the last sight he +was destined to behold on earth; for in a short time his jaw fell, his +eyes became fixed, and he was dead. Still the conjurer, utterly +unconscious of this, went on with his performance; until at length his +eye falling on the body and perceiving what had occurred, he turned +round and darted into his tent. The Indians did not appear to be very +much surprised, but I suppose fancied that they had done their best for +their friend, and that their medicine-man had done all that he could do +to save the life of the brave. + +As Charley was now sufficiently recovered to move, Armitage proposed +that we should recommence our march, and we prepared accordingly. Our +new friends, however, were not so easily to be shaken off, and when they +discovered our intentions, they made preparations to accompany us. + +I have not described their lodges. They were of a conical form, the +frame-work of straight long poles about twenty-five feet long. This was +first erected, when round it were stretched a number of well-dressed +buffalo robes, sewn tightly together and perfectly water-proof. The +point where the ends of the poles protruded was left open to allow the +smoke to escape. On one side was the entrance closed by a door, also of +buffalo hide. The fire was made in the centre, immediately under the +aperture. In cold weather the Indians slept on buffalo rugs, with their +feet towards the fire, and these rugs were rolled up during the day and +placed at the back of the lodge. + +The women had all the work of putting up the lodges. We watched the +poor creatures taking them down again, rolling up the skins, and placing +them on bars near the lower ends of the poles, which trailed on the +ground, the upper ends being secured half on each side of the horses. +The young squaws and children were mounted on the horses, while the +older had to toil along on foot often with loads on their backs. +Besides horses, our friends had a number of dogs which were employed in +drawing loads on small sledges, and very hard work they must have found +it in summer. They had also other dogs of a smaller species which were +reserved for food when buffalo meat was not to be obtained. + +For three days we travelled on in their company, when the scouts brought +word that a large herd of buffaloes were feeding a few leagues off to +the southwest. Our friends immediately encamped and prepared to set off +in chase, trusting that the Coomanches, after the signal defeat they had +received, would not attack them. We should have been glad of an excuse +for separating from our friends; but as we wished to see more of their +mode of hunting the buffalo, we agreed to accompany them. Charley, I +was glad to see, was as well able to sit his horse as before, and he +declared that he was ready to undergo any amount of fatigue. According +to our custom, we kept as much together as possible; but we endeavoured +not to show that we doubted the honest intentions of the Indians. + +Occasionally the Yellow Wolf, getting off his horse, put his ear to the +ground to listen, as he said "for the feet of the buffalo." + +At length, quickly mounting, he exclaimed that he heard them and that we +should soon come in sight of the herd. We therefore pushed rapidly +forward; and, reaching the top of a slight rising, we saw a large number +of black dots scattered over the plain. To the right, on one side of +where the buffalo were feeding, was a smaller elevation to that on which +we were posted. Guided by the chief we made towards it. On reaching +the further or western side, the chief advised that we should dismount, +saying that he wished to attack the buffalo in a way often adopted by +his people before charging in among them on horseback. We of course +agreed, anxious to see the method he spoke of. + +The Indians had brought with them several wolfskins with the heads and +tails. Creeping up the hill, over the brow of which we looked to watch +what was going forward, we saw them put the skins on their backs, and +take their bows and a quantity of arrows in their hands, so that at a +distance they much resembled wolves. On they went, whenever shelter +could be obtained, running rapidly forward, but as they got on the open +plain again bending down and creeping on all fours. Whenever they saw +the shaggy beasts looking at them, they stopped and seemed to be engaged +with something on the ground, as if they had no intention of approaching +the herd. When the buffaloes went on feeding they again advanced. + +Were the buffaloes sharp-sighted animals they might have discovered +their foes; but their hair covering their eyes prevents them from seeing +clearly. The hunters got closer and closer. + +Having selected the fattest animal in sight, presently one, rising for a +moment, let fly his arrow, which entered the breast of a buffalo near +him. The animal, after running for a few paces, dropped without +disturbing the rest, who seemed to fancy that their companion had merely +lain down on the ground. Each of the other Indians did the same, and, +without taking any notice of the beasts they had killed, continued their +course, shooting arrow after arrow, until upwards of a dozen buffaloes +had bit the ground. + +It is only, however, when the bison are quietly feeding that they can be +approached in this way. When they are on the move, they keep their eyes +about them, and a man on foot can with difficulty get near. The +disguised hunters would probably have killed many more, but that for +some reason or other the herd began to move on. The moment the chief +observed this he called to us and the others to come forward; and away +we dashed after the herd, which, alarmed at the sound of the horses' +hoofs, rushed on, every instant increasing their speed. As before all +was silence and quiet, now the air was rent with a confusion of sounds-- +the tramp of the bisons and the pursuing horses, the shouts and cries of +the hunters as they dashed forward in chase. + +We let them take the lead for some time, to see their mode of +proceeding. We remarked especially the force and precision with which, +while going at full gallop, they let fly their arrows, always aiming +behind the shoulders of the shaggy beasts. They took good care never to +head them, while they kept at a sufficient distance to have room to +avoid the fierce charges the terror-stricken bisons occasionally made. + +After they had shot a considerable number, we who had hitherto kept in +the rear gave our horses the rein and were soon up with the herd. + +Armitage and Story were in their glory, and upheld the honour of the +white man by each shooting three buffaloes, while Dick and I killed two. +I saw Charley shoot down one in very good style, and then pursue +another which he had made up his mind to overtake. I was on the point +of following him, when my horse stumbled in a hole and threw me over its +head. I quickly recovered my feet and was about to remount, my steed +appearing none the worse for its fall, when I saw a huge buffalo dashing +up with the intention of tossing me into the air. I had barely time to +spring into my saddle and to get a few paces off, when the buffalo's +horns pierced the ground at the very spot where I had been standing. +Disappointed at not finding me, he looked about and again lowered his +head to charge. Flight was my only resource; so off I galloped, hoping +to get to such a distance from the brute as would allow me time to +reload and again to face him. I succeeded better than I expected; and +at length, wheeling round my horse who stood stock-still, I fired and +brought the buffalo to the ground. In the meantime the rest of the herd +galloped off followed by the hunters, who were now a long distance away, +so far indeed as to make it impossible for me to overtake them. Well +satisfied with my performance, I cut out the tongue of the last animal I +had killed and directed my course back to the camp, stopping on my way +to extract the tongues of the two other bisons I had killed. I was soon +overtaken by Dick, who had also turned back. He said that the rest of +our party had gone on with the Indians, in pursuit of the herd. + +He regretted that Charley had not returned with us, as he would be +overcome with fatigue by so long a ride. We employed ourselves in +lighting a fire and getting supper ready for our friends. At last +Armitage and Story came in, but Charley did not make his appearance. + +"He'll return soon," said Dick. "Let me consider, when did I see him +last? I cannot quite recollect, but I remember that he was following a +buffalo; and I had no doubt that he shot the brute, and fully expected +to see him here." + +We waited, but we waited in vain. At last we applied to our Indian +friends, but they were revelling in buffalo meat, and were not disposed +to set out in search of Charley; promising, however, to go in the +morning should the young pale-face not have returned by that time. + +I am afraid to say how much buffalo meat the savages consumed before +daybreak, for they sat up nearly all night eating, and had their enemies +pounced down upon them they would have made but a poor defence, I +suspect. + +When morning came they excused themselves from going in search of +Charley, saying that they must bring in the buffalo meat they had +killed. + +We therefore had to set off alone, not a little disgusted at their +behaviour. We bade them, however, a friendly farewell, saying that the +life of one of our party was more precious to us than all the buffalo +meat in the world. We however took with us the tongues and other +portions of the animals we had killed, so that we had abundance of +provisions which would last us until we could obtain venison or fall in +with another herd of buffalo. + +Though we made diligent search, with the assistance of old Folkard and +the Indians engaged by Armitage, we failed to discover Charley's trail; +and we felt more out of spirits when we encamped that evening than we +had done during the whole of our expedition. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +Several days were spent in a vain search for Charley. Armitage and + + +Story said they feared that he must either have been killed by a +buffalo, and his body devoured by wolves; or that he had been carried +away by some small party of Indians who had been watching us, and had +captured him, though afraid to attack our camp. + +Both Dick and I, however, could not bring ourselves to believe that he +was dead. We were glad to find that old Folkard was of our opinion. He +had known men, he said, who had wandered away from camp and been absent +several weeks before they were found or managed to make their way back +themselves. Charley had a good supply of ammunition, and being a fair +shot, would be able to procure food. We begged Armitage and Dick to +remain in the locality some time longer. This they consented to do. We +were now in the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains, where they might +obtain a variety of sport, so that they had no cause to complain of +their detention. My thoughts, as well as Dick's, were entirely occupied +by Charley, and we could take no interest in hunting. We, however, did +our duty in trying to supply the camp with game. + +The chief part of our time was taken up in scouring the country in the +hopes of discovering our young friend, or ascertaining the cause of his +death. + +At length the old trapper bade us farewell, saying that he should strike +away north, to a district where beavers abounded, for he could no longer +spend his time in comparative idleness. We were sorry to lose him, for +he was a capital companion, especially round the camp fire, when he +indulged us in his quaint way with his numberless adventures and +hair-breadth escapes, sufficient to make the hair of my old uncle, the +Alderman, stand out from his head. + +Day after day went by. When we met Pierre and the Indians who had +assisted us in the search, the same reply alone was forthcoming. + +"You see, it is hopeless," said Jack to Dick Buntin. "Your young friend +must have lost his life. I am very sorry, but we must be moving +westward. It won't do to detain Armitage longer. He is very +good-natured, but from what he said to me yesterday, he will be starting +away without us. He requires action. He is not happy, I suspect, from +something which took place between him and Ellen Hargrave, so that we +must decide what to do." + +Dick pleaded hard for another day, still persisting in his belief that +we should find Charley. Our Indian friends had promised should they +discover any traces of him to send us word, but nothing had been heard +from them. + +Dick and I had made a longer expedition than usual, and returned so +tired, that the next morning we were utterly unable to set out. A day's +rest would, however, we thought, restore our strength. Towards the +evening, while the remainder of the party were still away, Dick walked +to a shady spot some distance from the camp, taking a large buffalo robe +to lie upon, with a book, his pipe and gun. + +One of the Indians who had remained with us, had meantime made up a +fire. I saw at length by my watch, that it was time to prepare for +supper, and as Dick still acted as cook, I sent the Indian to summon +him. The man had not gone long, when I heard him shout. Fearing that +something was the matter, I hurried forward, when what was my dismay to +see a huge grizzly standing on its hind legs, as if about to make its +last fatal spring, close to Dick, who had no weapon in his hand with +which to defend himself. I had brought my gun, but dared not fire for +fear of killing my friend instead of the bear. Dick, however, seemed in +no way dismayed, and as I got a little nearer, I saw that he held a +large buffalo robe in both his hands. The Indian and I shouted in the +hopes of distracting Bruin's attention. Our cries were responded to by +Armitage and Story, who at that moment providentially made their +appearance. Still none of us dared to fire, though we approached nearer +and nearer, hoping that the bear would postpone his spring until we +could get near enough to shoot him through the head without injuring our +friend. Presently the bear growling savagely, indicative of his +intention to seize his victim, began to advance; when Dick, who had +never for a moment withdrawn his eyes from the monster, in an instant +threw the cloak over its head. He then springing back, ran off as hard +as his legs could carry him, his example being imitated by the Indians. +The bear in its struggles drew the cloak close over its eyes, when I +fired and over it rolled with its legs in the air. Still it was not +dead, and might at any moment be up again; and, more savage than ever +from its wound, would be certain to attack us fiercely. + +Armitage and Story, making their way through the brushwood, had now got +near enough to fire. They pulled their triggers at the same moment, +while I quickly reloaded. It was fortunate that I did so, for +notwithstanding its wounds, the bear, suddenly regaining its feet, made +a dash at me who was nearest to it, and in another instant I should have +been torn by its tremendous claws, when I fired and to my infinite +satisfaction it again rolled over and, giving another convulsive +struggle, lay dead. + +Dick thanked us for our timely assistance, and promised that he would +never as long as he lived go to sleep away from the camp in a region +infested by grizzlies. + +This was the first we had seen for some time, and the adventure was a +caution to us to look out for them in future. With great reluctance on +the part of Dick and me, we once more packed up and moved westward; +still we did not abandon all hope that we should find our young friend. +I, however, had lost the interest I had before felt in hunting, and +would rather have gone back and contented myself with less exciting +sport in one of the eastern states. As things turned out, it would have +been better for all of us had we done so. + +We made a good show as we rode over the prairie, with our baggage mules, +our led horses, mounted Indians, our Canadian guide and our four selves; +so that no ordinary band of Redskins was likely to attack our party, +unless they could take us by surprise, and against that it was our +constant care effectually to guard by keeping a bright look-out during +the day, and a careful watch over the camp at night. Our Indians knew +very well that they would be the first victims should we be attacked. + +We were sure, in the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains which we had +now reached, to fall in with big-horns, elks and antelopes, as well as +buffalo in the lower ground. We accordingly encamped in a beautiful +spot with the lofty mountains rising above us, while below extended the +prairie far away to the horizon. I must not stop to describe our +various adventures. Dick continued indifferent to sport, but +occasionally went out with me; while Armitage and Story shot together, +and never returned without a big-horn or two, or an elk. One day they +appeared leading or rather dragging along what looked like a mass of +shaggy fur of a tawny colour. As they approached, I saw that their +captive was a young bear, with its head thoroughly covered up with the +skin of another animal of the same description. They were laughing +heartily, and every now and then springing forward to avoid the rushes +made at them by the little creature. On finding all its efforts vain, +it at length stopped, and refused to move. They told me that they had +shot the mother and then one of her cubs; that the other refusing to +leave the body of its parent, they had time to take off the skin from +the cub they had killed and had adroitly thrown it over the head of its +brother, and that having a coil of rope they had managed to secure it. +We hoped to tame our captive, but the moment the skin was taken off its +head, darting at Jack, it gave him a severe bite in the leg, and nearly +treated Armitage in the same manner, but fortunately he had a thick +stick with which he gave the little brute so severe a blow on the nose, +that it lay down, as we thought, in the sulks. We managed to tether it +in a way effectually to prevent its escape, but the next morning we +found, to our disappointment, that it was dead. The skins of the two +animals were beautiful, their fur being very thick and long, and of a +brown colour, with a stripe of darker hue along the back. + +Next day our friends having again set out, I was endeavouring to +persuade Dick to accompany me in another direction, when one of the +Indians brought word that a herd of buffalo were feeding in the plain +below. I should have said that the country was beautiful in the +extreme, with thick woods of cedar and rhododendron covering it in all +directions. The forests were, however, easily traversed, as paths were +made through them by the buffalo and elk, who following each other's +footsteps, had opened up bridle roads to all points of the compass. +Feeling ashamed of not adding something to our store of provisions, when +Dick declined accompanying me on the plea of not being up to work, I +mounted my horse, and set off alone, hoping to shoot a buffalo before +going far. I soon came in sight of a couple of herds, one of cows and +another of bulls. Most of the former were followed by calves and were +out of condition, but seeing some fat animals among them, I made chase. +When the cows began to run they were joined by the bulls, and the whole +set off together, scampering along at a tremendous rate. I kept the fat +cows in sight, however, as away they went. Lightly built and more +active than the bulls, they took the lead. At length I was getting up +with one of the former which I had singled out, when a big bull, blown +by his unusual exercise, halted just between me and the cow, and +lowering his head prepared to charge, when his horns would in an instant +have ripped open the breast of my noble steed. As I saw it about to +charge, a thought occurred to me. Holding my gun in my left hand, and +giving my horse the rein, I bestowed a tremendous cut with my heavy +riding-whip on his flanks, which made him spring to a height sufficient +to have cleared a five-barred gate; and when the bull rushed forward, +over its back he went, clearing it in the most beautiful style, his +hinder feet just grazing its shaggy hair. The next moment, instead of +being rolled over on the ground, I found myself (though without my hat) +safe on the other side; while the bull, not knowing what had become of +me, dashed forward bellowing loudly in an opposite direction. A few +more strides brought me close to the cow, when standing up in my +stirrups I fired, and the animal instantly rolled over dead. I at once +reloaded, and made chase after another, which I was also fortunate +enough to kill. The rest of the herd made their escape. Satisfied with +the result of my hunt, I dismounted and took possession of the tongues +and marrow-bones, as well as some portions of the meat, intending to +send the Indians back for the remainder, should the carcases have +escaped the scent of the wolves. The buffalo meat was highly +appreciated; indeed we lived like fighting cocks, and had every reason +to expect to do so while we remained in that region. Pierre, however, +advised that we should proceed, as some bands of hostile Indians were +sure, before long, to find out that we were in the neighbourhood, and +would take an opportunity of cutting us off when separated from each +other should they not venture to attack our camp. Armitage and Jack +were, however, inclined to laugh at Pierre's warnings. Jack too, who +found his leg suffering from the bite that the little bear had given +him, was disinclined to take a long journey. Dick, who had warned him +from the first not to neglect the wound, took him under his care and +insisted on his remaining quietly in camp for two or three days until he +was well again. We employed the time in cleaning our arms, repairing +our harness and clothes, and performing several other tasks such as the +wear and tear of a hunter's life from time to time renders necessary. +We had long discussions in camp as to what course we should pursue, +Pierre advising that we should strike northward, and then take one of +the passes through the Rocky Mountains generally followed by the +emigrants to California. + +Several days had passed away. Story was quite recovered, and we were +once more encamped, not much to Pierre's satisfaction, he declaring that +we were still in a dangerous region, frequently visited by Apaches and +other roving tribes, the deadly enemies of the pale-faces. Armitage and + + +Story only laughed at his warnings, and even Dick felt much inclined to +agree with them. + +We had, as before, proceeded in three parties, one of the Indians having +accompanied Armitage, and Jack and three others going with Pierre, while +the rest remained with Dick and me in camp. Evening was approaching, +and none of our friends had returned. Dick had sent out one of the +Indians to see if they were coming, while he and I prepared the supper. +In a short time the scout returned with a long face. He had caught +sight, he said, of a large party of strange Redskins; who, not knowing +that they were discovered, were making their way in the direction of our +camp, evidently endeavouring to keep themselves concealed. He advised +that we should gallop off on our horses, and leave our baggage and the +other animals to their fate, as it would be impossible to defend the +camp against so overwhelming a force. To this neither Dick nor I was +inclined to agree, though of course it made us anxious for the arrival +of our friends, when we hoped, by showing a bold front, to drive back +the enemy. + +We at once brought in our horses and mules, and tethered them in the +rear of the camp; then calling on our Indians to assist us, we felled a +couple of trees, which we placed so as to form a barricade in front. It +would afford us but a slight protection, but it was better than nothing. + +We now looked out with more anxiety than ever for our friends, for they +certainly ought to have returned to the camp some time before this. It +was important not to be surprised, and knowing the stealthy way in which +the savages were likely to approach, we were aware that any moment we +might hear their fearful war-whoops, and find ourselves engaged in a +desperate struggle for life. To prevent this, Dick proposed sending out +the Indians to scout and ascertain the exact position of the enemy. +They went more willingly than I should have supposed; but I remembered +not being very well satisfied with the expression of their countenances. +Dick and I were thus left alone in camp. To save ourselves from being +shot down without warning, we took up our position behind the logs, with +the spare rifles by our sides. Here we sat, expecting every moment the +return of our Indians. We waited in vain. Darkness was coming on. Our +position was indeed critical. If the savages, as reported by the scout, +were in the neighbourhood, at any moment they might be down upon us. We +now began to fear that our Indians had fallen into their hands. +Perhaps, also, such might have been the fate of our friends. We had +been sitting thus for an hour or more, and had become very hungry, when +Dick proposed going to the fire to obtain some venison which had lone +been roasting there. He brought it, and I need not say that it was +devoured with considerable satisfaction. "Another piece won't do us any +harm," I observed, as I made my way towards the fire. I was returning, +when what was my dismay to see half-a-dozen dark forms leap over the +barricade and place themselves between Dick and me. I sprang towards +our rifles, one of which Dick was in the act of grasping, to have a +fight for life, when a savage knocking it out of his hand three others +sprang upon him. The remainder throwing themselves upon me, we were in +an instant prisoners. I fully expected the next moment to have my scalp +taken off my head, and it was some satisfaction to find that it was +allowed to remain on. + +"I hope the other fellows have escaped," said Dick; "we might, by giving +a shout, warn them of their danger; and if Pierre joins them, they might +manage to get hold of some of the horses." + +As he spoke, he shouted at the top of his voice, and I joined him, +crying out-- + +"Keep away from the camp!" + +No reply came. The Indians, instead of trying to stop us, only laughed; +and, from the voices we heard around, we knew there must be many more of +them. + +Having bound our arms behind us, our captors sat themselves down to +examine and consume the food we had provided for the rest of the party, +and then proceeded to inspect the contents of our packs. While they +were thus employed, a shout was raised, and shortly after another, when +several Indians appeared, dragging Armitage and Jack along with them. + +Still Pierre was at liberty; and we hoped that he might escape and give +notice of our fate, or form some plan for our liberation. Great, +therefore, was our disappointment when he too, shortly afterwards, was +brought into camp. What had become of our Indians we could not tell. +They had, we concluded, however, either been captured or deserted us. + +Our captors, after a long consultation, carried us all a short distance +from the camp to a clump of trees, to the trunks of which they bound us +in a way which made it impossible to move either our arms or legs, when, +having thus tied us up, they returned to our camp to examine and divide +the spoil. + +"We are in a bad case, I am afraid," said Armitage; "the savages have +proved themselves more cunning than I had supposed, for they were upon +Jack and me before we had time to lift our rifles to our shoulders." + +"We might try to bribe them to let us off," I observed. + +"Very little chance of their doing that; they'll help themselves to +everything we possess, and won't trust to our promises," said Jack. + +"They have the ugly custom of torturing prisoners before they kill +them," said Dick. "I'm very glad Charley escaped our fate, poor fellow +provided he hasn't met with a worse one." + +I made no remark, though I was thinking all the time of various plans. +I was anxious to hear what Pierre would say. + +"Better tell them we English pale-faces," he observed at last; "dey kill +us if dey like; but if dey do, our great Queen hunt up every man jack of +dem, and hang dem." + +I was very much inclined to agree with Pierre that our best chance of +escaping was to make the savages understand that we belonged to the +palefaces over the frontier, of whom they might possibly have heard, and +that our Sovereign always punished those who injured her subjects. + +The savages, however, at present, gave us no opportunity of addressing +them; but we could see them unpacking our valises, pulling to pieces out +well-made-up packs, overhauling our cooking utensils, apparently +appropriating various articles, not, however, without a considerable +amount of talking and gesticulation. They then put on our buffalo meat +and venison to cook, and began laughing and jeering at us as they ate +it. At length they discovered several packages which had before escaped +their notice, having been hidden in the grass. Among them was a case +containing brandy; but as we kept it locked, it was some time before +they managed to break it open with their axes. On finding that it +contained bottles, they raised a shout of joy; and one being forthwith +opened by knocking off the neck, the savage who had performed the +operation poured some of the contents down his throat. Uttering a howl +of satisfaction, he was about to take a second draught, when another +seized it, and it was rapidly passed on, until it was empty. Another +and another bottle was treated in the same way, although the chief of +the party appeared to be urging his followers to take no more for the +present; but to this they evidently did not agree; and while his back +was turned, two more bottles were abstracted. On seeing this, he seized +one of them, and poured no small part of the contents down his own +throat, apparently fearing that his companions would drink it up and +leave him none. The result which was to be expected followed; but they +had swallowed the liquor too rapidly to render them immediately +helpless, though it excited their fiercest passions; and to our horror, +getting on their legs, they drew their tomahawks and approached us with +the evident intention of taking our lives. Before, however, they had +made many steps towards us, they sank to the ground; while others--with +the bump of appropriativeness--took possession of all the goods within +their reach. This was seen by the more sanguinarily disposed of the +party, who turned their rage towards their companions, and, rushing on +them, attempted to retake the articles they considered theirs. A +fearful scuffle ensued: some, it appeared to us, were struck dead, or +desperately wounded; but in the uncertain light afforded by the fire we +could not exactly see what had happened. We could only make out that +the whole party were quickly stretched on the ground, the victors and +the vanquished lying side by side, including the chief, who appeared to +be as helpless as the rest. + +At length their shouts and groans were silenced. Not a sound reached +our ears. Now was our opportunity; but in vain we endeavoured to break +loose from our bonds. The savages had fastened them too securely to +enable us to liberate ourselves. Dick made desperate efforts to reach +with his mouth the rope which secured his arms. + +"If I could but once get my teeth to it, I would soon bite it through," +he exclaimed. + +But again and again he tried to no purpose. We all followed his +example, with the same result. In the morning, the savages would too +probably recover, and revenge themselves on our heads for the death of +their companions whom they themselves had killed. Hour after hour went +by, and each brought us nearer to the moment that we must expect a +fearful death. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +We and the savage Redskins were both utterly helpless; they from being +overcome by liquor, we from having our arms firmly bound to the trees. +All the efforts we had made to liberate ourselves had only tended to +draw more tightly the thongs; while we were left to contemplate the +dreadful fate to which we were doomed as soon as the savages had +recovered from the fumes of the spirits they had swallowed. All sorts +of horrible ideas passed through my mind. Should a pack of wolves come +to the camp, they might, helpless as we were, tear us to pieces, as well +as the unconscious Indians. It would be a worse fate than any the +savages might inflict upon us. Scarcely had the idea entered my brain, +than the well-known howls and yelps of the animals I dreaded reached my +ears. Louder and louder they grew. They were approaching the camp. In +a few minutes they would be upon us. It was no fancy of my brain, for +my companions heard them also. Darkness prevented us from seeing each +other's countenances; but I could distinguish Dick, who was nearest me, +again making efforts to free himself, and he could not help crying out +in desperation when he found himself foiled as before. The wolves were +close upon us, when presently we heard the tramp of a horse's feet, and +one of our own animals, which either Armitage or Jack had been riding, +and from whose back the Indians had neglected to remove the saddle +dashed by, closely pursued by a pack of large wolves, who intent on the +chase did not regard us. I saw the head of an Indian lifted up for a +moment, awakened to partial consciousness by the yelping of the wolves +and the tramp of the horse; but perhaps the savage fancied he was +dreaming, for the next moment his head again sank to the ground. We +were preserved for the moment, but what would happen should the wolves +succeed in pulling down and devouring the horse? They would, to a +certainty, return and attack us, as we had feared; or, even if they did +not, the Indians would be recovering from their debauch. I could only +hope that they had not consumed all the liquor, and that the first to +awaken would take another pull at the bottles. In spite of our fearful +position, a drowsiness began to steal over me, produced perhaps by +exhaustion. I even now do not like to think of those dreadful hours, +when my mind dwelt on the various tortures the savages were wont to +inflict on their helpless prisoners. I fully expected that arrows would +be shot at my limbs while all vital parts were avoided; to have my flesh +burnt with hot irons; to be scalped; to suffer the most lingering and +painful of deaths. In vain I tried to banish such thoughts, and to +encourage the stupor stealing over me. At length I had almost +succeeded, though I was not really asleep, when I heard a voice whisper +in my ear, "Do not move or speak when you find the thongs cut." + +The next instant I was free. The darkness prevented me seeing clearly +what was happening to my companions, but I could distinguish a figure +stealing along the ground, and appearing behind each of them. + +"Now friends! you have your choice, either to cut the throats of the +Redskins as they lie, or to catch the horses and put a wide space +between them and yourselves before daybreak," said a voice which I +recognised as that of old Folkard--"don't trust those villains, they may +not be as fast asleep as you fancy. If they hear you moving they may be +on their feet again before you have had time to pass your knives across +their throats." + +"Savages as they are, I would not for one moment dream of killing them, +whatever they intended to do to us," said Jack. + +Armitage and Story agreed with him, as did I. We therefore at once +resolved to steal off as soon as we had recovered our rifles, the only +weapons of which we had been deprived; and though they were close to +where our captors were sleeping, they might easily be reached. Our plan +was then to try and get hold of our horses, and when they were secured +we might recover the remainder of our property and deprive the Indians +of their arms. We should thus teach them a lesson of mercy; for when +they recovered their senses they could not fail to see how completely +they had been in our power, and that we might have put the whole of them +to death had we been so disposed. + +The old trapper volunteered to manage the most dangerous part of the +undertaking, that of recovering our rifles. Telling us to remain where +we were, apparently still bound to the trees, he crept forward on hands +and knees, disappearing in the surrounding gloom. Not a sound did we +hear until he came back, carrying in either hand a rifle, which he +placed at our feet. He then made a second trip, which was as successful +as the first; but the Indians' spears and several of our spare rifles +had still to be obtained. He went very cautiously to work, for he was +evidently not at all confident that one of the Indians might not awake. +I would gladly have assisted him, had he not urged us to remain quiet. +I felt greatly relieved when he at length returned with the last rifles. + +"But we want our saddles!" whispered Dick. + +I told Folkard where to find them. + +"You shall have them," he answered, and again set off. I much feared +that he might be discovered, as he would have to go into the camp +itself, and the slightest sound might awaken our enemies. + +We waited and waited: again I felt a strong inclination to steal forward +and assist him. Just as I was about to do so, he reappeared bringing +two saddles and bridles. + +Still it was of consequence, if we could manage it, to possess ourselves +of the Indians' bows and spears. I again offered to accompany the +trapper. He thought a moment. + +"It may be done," he said, "if you step cautiously, for they are more +soundly asleep than I had supposed; but, if any of them should awake, +you must be prepared to knock them on the head--our own safety will +demand it." + +I agreed to this, hoping that the contingency might not arrive. We set +out and soon reached the camp. So sound asleep did they appear, that I +believe even had we trodden on them, they could not have been aroused. +They lay where they had fallen in their drunken fits, in every variety +of attitude. We each possessed ourselves of two tomahawks for our +defence, and all the bows we could find; and, carrying them under our +arms, returned to our companions. Folkard immediately cut the strings +and broke off the ends of the bows. We had thus far been more +successful than we had anticipated. + +We now, having recovered our weapons and two saddles,--for the Indians +had left the others on the backs of the horses,--glided behind the trees +to which we had been bound, and stole off, cautiously following the +footsteps of old Folkard, who led the way. + +"I left my horse down in the hollow yonder," said the trapper; "we will +get him first, and then I'll try and help catch yours; they are not far +off I suspect. It will be daylight soon, and we have no time to lose." + +Several more minutes were spent before we reached the spot where old +Folkard's horse was securely tethered. He having mounted, we set out in +search of our own steeds. + +"It is just possible that the Indians may have left one of their number +to watch their horses as well as ours, and if so, it will be necessary +to either capture or kill the man," said Dick. + +Unwilling as we were to put to death any of our savage enemies, even in +our own defence, we saw the necessity of doing as Dick proposed. + +Greatly to our satisfaction, as we approached a glade, the whinny of a +horse was heard, and Armitage's favourite steed came trotting up to him. +We immediately put on its saddle and bridle. Pierre's and mine were +still wanting. His had probably been torn to pieces by the wolves, but +we still had a chance of getting mine. I was almost in despair, when to +my joy it came up, and I was quickly on its back. Pierre was very +unhappy at delaying us. + +At length old Folkard observed-- + +"Jump up behind me, we'll soon catch a horse for you; the Indians had a +lot of animals with them, and we'll take one of theirs if we can't find +yours." + +By this time morning had dawned, and we had no longer any fear of +encountering our enemies. We rode on to where old Folkard told us he +expected to find the horses. + +Surmounting a slight elevation, we soon caught sight of a score of +animals, evidently those of the Indians. To catch them was no easy +matter, for just at the moment we appeared they seemed to be seized by a +sudden panic, and began prancing and rearing in the strangest fashion. +We dashed forward, and, as they saw us coming, off they started across +the prairie at a rate which would have rendered pursuit utterly +hopeless. + +We had now to settle what course to pursue. Should we return to the +camp and take possession of our property, or put as many miles as we +could between ourselves and the Indians? + +On calculating, however, the quantity of liquor among our stores, we +arrived at the conclusion that there was enough to keep the Indians +drunk for another day or two, and that we should probably find them as +helpless as before. We accordingly kept our rifles ready for instant +service, and rode towards our camp. On our way we found our mules, +which according to their usual custom had not mixed with the horses. +Pierre mounted one of them, and led the rest. The loud snores and +perfect silence around where the Indians lay showed us that they had not +recovered from their debauch. While two of our party stood guard, ready +to deal with any who might come to their senses, the rest of us loaded +the mules with our goods, including two remaining bottles of spirits. + +Folkard proposed leaving these to prevent the enemy from pursuing us. +"There is no fear of their doing that, for they have neither horses nor +arms," observed Dick. "They may consider themselves fortunate in +escaping with their lives." We could scarcely help laughing at the +thought of their astonishment when, on coming to themselves, they should +find how completely the tables had been turned: we hoped they would duly +appreciate the mercy shown to them. We now rode off, thankful for the +happy termination of our adventure. + +We found that the old trapper had been very successful and wished to +turn his steps eastward. + +"I should be glad of your company, friends," he said, "in the first +place; and in the second I don't think it would be safe for you to +remain in this region, as the rest of the tribe may consider themselves +insulted, and, ungrateful for the mercy shown their people, may +endeavour to cut you off. When the Redskins have made up their minds to +do a thing, they'll do it if they can, however long they may have to +wait." + +We all agreed that, although not frightened by the Indians, we had had +enough of fighting and hunting for the present. We accordingly made up +our minds to accompany old Folkard. We felt that, in gratitude to him +for having preserved our lives, we were bound to do as he wished. + +Having reached the spot where he had left his mules with his traps and +peltries, we turned our horses' heads eastward. As we rode along he +told us that he had come upon our trail, and that soon afterwards he had +fallen in with one which he knew must be made by an Indian war-party, +and feeling sure that they intended us mischief he had followed them up. +He had scarcely expected, however, to find us still alive; but having +stolen up to the camp, he saw the state to which our liquor had +fortunately reduced our captors, and had at once formed the plan for +liberating us so happily carried out. One of Dick's first questions was +about Charley. The old trapper replied that he had failed to hear of +him; but he still held out hopes that our friend might have escaped, and +that some well-disposed Indians might have spared his life, and taken +care of him, hoping to induce him to join their tribe, according to a by +no means unusual custom among them. + +This idea somewhat cheered up the worthy lieutenant's spirits, and made +him unwilling to return eastward; still, as he could not remain by +himself, he agreed to accompany us. The journey appeared very long. +For the first few days we pushed forward to get beyond the reach of the +Indians, in case they should fall in with any of their tribe and venture +to pursue us. After this we were compelled, for the sake of our horses, +to make more easy stages. We had also to halt for the purpose of +providing ourselves with meat; but as we shot only for the pot, that +caused us no great delay. + +At last we reached Saint Louis, where we spent several months enjoying +the hospitality of numerous friends to whom we had letters of +introduction. For a time we were looked upon as heroes on a small scale +by society; but probably the hunters and trappers who frequent that city +would have considered our adventures as every-day occurrences and +scarcely worth talking about. + +Old Folkard, having disposed of his peltries, and obtained new traps and +a fresh outfit, started westward in the course of a fortnight, declaring +that he could not breathe among the bricks and mortar. He promised that +he would not fail to look out for Charley, for whose recovery, however, +even Dick, by this time, had begun to despair. We were beginning to get +a little tired of civilised ways and to sigh for the wild life of the +prairie, when Armitage received a letter calling him to New York to meet +an agent. + +"I should like to continue the expedition I began with you," he said, +"and I shall esteem it a favour if you will wait for my return; I shall +not be longer than I can help." + +His request, made in so courteous a way, was not to be refused. We all +consented to stop. Week after week went by, and Armitage was still +delayed; but as we had remained so long, we agreed to wait until he +returned, though our stay was double the length we intended. We were +employed in adding to our outfit such articles as, from our experience, +we considered useful. At length Armitage rejoined us, and we were once +more _en route_. From the way his Indians had behaved when it came to a +pinch, he had resolved to take no more. Besides Pierre, who was +accompanied by another Canadian, we had a Yankee trapper yclept "Long +Sam," who, according to his own showing, was likely to prove of far more +value than half-a-dozen Indians. He was ready for anything--to hunt on +horseback, to shoot on foot, or to trap beavers. We had been travelling +on some time when Armitage began to talk of Tillydrone, and suggested +that, as it was not far out of our way, it would be but courteous to pay +a visit there and inquire after the family who had treated us so +hospitably. He said not a word, however, about Miss Hargrave, nor from +the tone of his voice would anyone have suspected that he was thinking +of her. + +When Long Sam heard us mention the place, he exclaimed-- + +"Why, that's wha'r Praeger used to live, and it was burnt with mighty +near the whole of the property when the forest caught fire last fall, +though he and his family escaped. I heard say that they were going to +move westward, and they must be on their journey by this time, I guess." + +Armitage questioned and cross-questioned his informant, and seemed +perfectly satisfied with his statement. After this he expressed no +further wish to visit Tillydrone. + +We had been travelling on for more than a month, when we once more found +ourselves among the wild and grand scenery in the neighbourhood of the +Rocky Mountains. We encamped not far from a spot we had before +occupied, where we knew an abundance of game was to be found. This time +we had determined that nothing should turn us back until the western +coast was reached. We were now enabled to detect the trails of animals +as well as of men, an art indeed in which Pierre and Sam were equal to +the Indians themselves. As we had camped pretty early, we started in +different directions, hoping to bring in a good supply of meat, of which +our consumption was considerable, Long Sam declaring when really hungry, +that he could eat half a buffalo at a sitting--I wonder he didn't say a +whole one. We had espied some big-horns on the rocky heights in the +distance, and were making our way towards them, when Sam exclaimed-- + +"A white man has passed this way, though those are the marks of +moccasins, but no Indian treads in that fashion." + +I agreed with him, and soon afterwards we came upon a pool out of which +a stream ran to the eastward. Sam was not long before he ferreted out +several beaver-traps, and, examining one of them, pronounced it of the +best make, and belonging to a white trapper. Of course we allowed it to +remain unchanged. We thought of old Folkard, but scarcely expected to +fall in with him again. We were making our way through a wood, along a +ridge with a valley below us, when, looking through a gap in the trees, +I caught sight of two persons, the one seated, supporting the head of +another, who was stretched on the ground on his knees. Though I was too +far off to distinguish their features, I saw by the dress of one that he +was a trapper, but could not make out the other. On coming nearer, +however, I recognised old Folkard; but who was the other? His cheeks +were hollow, his countenance haggard, and, though sunburnt, showed none +of the hue of health. A second glance, however, convinced me that he +was Charley Fielding. The old hunter was engaged in giving him some +food, treating him as he would a helpless child. They both recognised +me, and Charley's eye brightened as he stretched out his hand to welcome +me while I knelt by his side. + +"Where have you been? How did you come here?" I asked eagerly. + +"Don't trouble him with questions," said the old trapper; "he'll answer +you better when he's had some broth. I found him not long since pretty +well at his last gasp. I guess he has got away from some Redskins. I +always said he was carried off by them. If I am right they are not +likely to be far away. We must be on the look-out not to be caught by +them." + +Charley, though unable to speak, showed by the expression of his +countenance that the old trapper had truly conjectured what had +happened. + +We naturally, forgetting all about the big-horns, thought only of how we +could best convey Charley to the camp. As we had come over some +excessively rough ground, it would be no easy matter to get him there. + +"Then go back to your friends, and get them to move camp up here," said +the trapper; "by keeping along the lower ground, they can be here +quickly, and it's a more secure spot, I guess, than where they are." + +I asked Long Sam, who now came up, to go back with a message to our +friends, as I was unwilling to leave Charley. This he agreed to do, and +Folkard was glad to have me remain. The food quickly revived Charley, +when Folkard went off to fetch some water from a neighbouring spring. +We then together carried him to the trapper's camp, which was not many +paces off, though so securely hidden that even an Indian's eye could +scarcely have detected it. + +This done, I looked out anxiously for the arrival of our friends. The +shades of evening were already extending far away over the lower ground. + +"They'll surely come!" I said to myself. Presently I caught sight of +our party, and shouted to them to come on. + +Poor Dick burst into tears when he saw Charley, partly from joy at +having found him, and partly from pity at his condition. + +It was some time before Charley could speak. The first use he made of +his returning strength, was to tell us that he had been captured by +Indians, and kept a prisoner ever since,--exactly as old Folkard had +supposed; that he was not as badly treated as he expected, but so +strictly watched, that in spite of all the attempts he had made, he +could not effect his escape until two days before, when he found that a +war-party was about to set off to attack an emigrant train coming +westward, of which they had just gained tidings. While the braves were +performing their war-dance to the admiration of the squaws, he had +managed to slip out of camp unperceived, his intention being to warn the +white men of their danger. The train had been encamped some days, and +it was not known how soon they would move forward. He had hoped +therefore to be in time, as the Indians would not venture to attack them +while they remained stationary. + +On hearing this we were all eager to set out to the rescue of the white +people. Armitage especially was unusually excited, but to move at that +time of night, with our horses already tired, the country also being of +a somewhat rough description, was scarcely possible. Old Folkard, as +well as Pierre and Long Sam, was of opinion that we should gain time by +waiting, as we might otherwise lose our way, or lame our animals over +the rocky tract we should have to pass. We arranged therefore to wait +for daylight, and it was settled that the Canadian should remain with +the old trapper to assist him in taking care of Charley, and looking +after our baggage mules and spare horses. The greater part of the night +was spent in cleaning our rifles and pistols, as we expected to have use +for them should we find that the emigrant train had moved on, and that +the Indians had kept up their intention of attacking it. We breakfasted +before dawn so that we might ride if necessary several hours without +food, and might be some distance on our way before the first streaks of +the coming day should appear in the sky. + +Pierre and Long Sam, after a consultation, undertook to guide us, so +that we might fall in with the usual track followed by emigrants, a +short distance only to the northward of the place where we were +encamped. We felt somewhat anxious about leaving Charley in his present +state, with so slender a guard. + +"Do not trouble yourselves about that," observed the old trapper. "I'll +keep a good look-out, and no Redskins are likely to come this way." + +As we rode on and daylight increased, we looked out eagerly for any +smoke which might indicate a camp fire, but not the slightest wreath +dimmed the clear sky. Pierre and Long Sam both agreed that we were not +far from the high road, and that we must soon come upon the track of the +train if it had passed. Not a quarter-of-an-hour after this, we saw-- +not a fire burning--but the remains of several, and all the signs of a +train having halted on the spot. We hastily rode over the ground, when +Armitage, suddenly leaping from his horse, picked up a small object +which he intently examined. It was a lady's glove, such as the usual +travellers by emigrant trains are not wont to wear. He placed it in his +pocket. + +"On, friends, on!" he cried; "if Charley's information is correct we +have not a moment to lose. Already the work of plunder and murder may +have begun." + +We needed no further incitement to make us urge on our steeds. Armitage +and Long Sam, who were the best mounted of our party, leading, the +latter being our guide. The country was wooded so that we could not see +far ahead. Suddenly our guide turned to the left. + +"We will take a short cut for the waggons. The road makes a bend here," +he observed. "Maybe we shall find ourselves in front of the train. No +Redskins will venture to attack it when they see us." + +No sounds had hitherto reached our ears, but presently a shot was heard +from a short distance off, then another and another. + +"On, on!" cried Armitage, and in a few minutes, through an opening in +the forest, we caught sight of a large band of Indians rapidly +descending the hill, while nearer to us there came the leading waggon of +an emigrant train, the drivers of which were endeavouring to turn back +their cattle as probably those following were attempting to do. + +From the shrieks and cries which arose, it seemed too likely that the +Redskins had already attacked the travellers, and we knew well what +quick work they would make of it should they have gained any advantage; +so, digging spurs into our horses' flanks, we passed round the head of +the train, and uttering a loud cheer as we did so to encourage the +emigrants, we rode full tilt at the savages. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +As we rode round the head of the train, we saw to our sorrow that the +Redskins had already fought their way to two of the centre waggons, the +white men belonging to which were engaged in a fierce fight with them. +Armitage took an anxious glance at the occupants of the leading waggon. + +"Who commands this train?" he asked eagerly of one of the drivers. + +The man, owing to the war-whoops of the savages, the shrieks of the +women, and the shouts of his companion, did not perhaps hear the +question, and there was no time to repeat it as we swooped by. Already +it appeared to us that the work of murder had commenced. Two or three +of the people lay on the ground, and while part of the Indians were +fighting, some were engaged in attempting to drag off the female +occupants of the waggon. To prevent them succeeding in their desperate +attempt was our first object. Leaving the Indians we had intended to +charge, we turned our horses and dashed forward towards the point where +our services were most required. The savages saw us coming, and most of +them leaving the waggon, some leapt on their horses, while others +attempted to defend themselves on foot. Firing a volley from our rifles +which brought several to the ground, we rushed at our foes. Just then I +saw, to my horror, an Indian, who by his dress appeared to be a chief, +dragging off a female, a fair girl she seemed, whom he lifted on his +horse. In vain she struggled to free herself. He was mounted on a +powerful animal which he evidently had under perfect command. Shouting +to his followers he galloped off, while they stood their ground boldly. +We dashed at them pistoling some and cutting down others; but not until +half their number lay dead on the ground or desperately wounded did they +attempt to escape; by which time the main body were almost up to us. +Leaving the first to be dealt with by the emigrants who had rallied, we +reloaded our rifles and charged the larger party of the enemy. They +received us with a shower of arrows, by which, wonderful as it seemed, +none of us were wounded. The odds, however, were fearfully against us; +for the Indians fought bravely, and rapidly wheeling their horses +attacked us now in front, now on our flanks, and we had to turn every +instant to defend ourselves. Several of their number had been shot. +Dick and Armitage were wounded, and Pierre's horse was killed. It was +with the greatest difficulty that we defended him until he managed to +make his escape towards the waggons. I shouted to him to send some of +the men to our assistance. We in the meantime having fired our rifles +and pistols had our swords alone to depend upon. They served us well, +and the Indians, as we approached, evidently showed their dread of them +by endeavouring to get out of their reach as we flashed them round our +heads. Still, numbers might prevail, unless we could speedily compel +the Indians to take to flight. + +In the meantime, what had become of the female I had seen carried off! +I could not tell whether Armitage or the rest had witnessed the +occurrence; but, whether or not, it would be impossible to attempt her +rescue until we had defeated our present opponents. If we could have +retreated even to a short distance to reload our firearms, we would have +done so, but our agile foes gave us no time. I scarcely even dared to +look round to ascertain if any help was coming; probably the emigrants +had enough to do in keeping in check other parties of Indians who were +threatening them. The fight had not continued many minutes, though it +seemed to me as many hours, when an Indian charged at Armitage with a +long spear, the weapon pierced his side, and over rolled horse and man. +Another savage was coming on to repeat the blow, when Long Sam, dashing +up, cut down the first savage, and then engaged the second. Our friend, +notwithstanding, would speedily have been killed, had we not rallied +round him and kept the enemy at bay; while, although evidently much +hurt, he managed to regain his feet. + +Now deprived of two of our number, and having to defend Armitage as well +as ourselves, we were nearly overpowered. At any moment another of us +might be wounded. The Indians, seeing their advantage, retreated to a +short distance, in order to make another fierce charge, the result of +which would very probably have been our overthrow, when we heard a loud +shout raised in our rear, and presently, with a wild war-cry of "Erin go +bragh," a strange figure dashed by us, mounted on a powerful horse, with +a target on one arm, and a broadsword flashing in his right hand. +Several arrows were shot at him, but he caught them on his target, and +dashed on unharmed. The first Indian he attacked bit the dust; another +made at him, the head of whose spear he lopped off with a single blow, +and he then clove his opponent from the crown of the head to the neck. +On seeing this, the Indians, crying out to each other, turned their +horses' heads and attempted to escape. + +Their flight was expedited by several of the emigrants who, brought up +by Pierre, fired a volley at them as they retreated. On looking at the +old warrior who had come so opportunely to our aid, what was my surprise +to recognise Ben Folkard. + +The diversion thus made in our favour, had enabled the emigrants to form +their waggons into a square, so as to be able to repel any further +attacks of the Indians, who showed no disposition however to come on. +Our first care was to commit Armitage--the most severely wounded of our +party--to the charge of Pierre and the emigrants who had accompanied +him. Lifting him up between them, they carried him to the waggons. + +"I'm main sure that Mr Praeger will be grateful to the gentlemen," I +heard one of the men say. + +As the man uttered the name, the thought flashed across me, "Could it +have been one of his daughters, or Miss Hargrave, I had seen carried +off? Poor Armitage, how fearful would be his feelings should he find +that his Ellen had disappeared. As soon as I could, I turned to the old +trapper and anxiously inquired what had become of Charley." + +"I left him in safe keeping," he answered, "but, finding from a +companion of mine who rejoined me after you had gone that the Indians +were about to attack the train in greater force than I had at first +supposed, I resolved to come to your assistance." + +"You did well," observed Dick, who came up while he was speaking. "Had +it not been for your arrival, I suspect that one and all of us would +have gone down, for those rascals pressed us hard." + +We had been proceeding towards a height which commanded a view in the +direction our late opponents were supposed to have taken, and we were +thankful to see them moving off, forming a more numerous body than we +had at first supposed. We accounted for this by concluding that, while +one portion of the savages attacked the train, the others had remained +concealed to act as a reserve should the first not succeed. What had +become of the female I had seen carried off, we could not ascertain. We +could nowhere distinguish her, but she might easily have been concealed +from our sight if she were among the leading Indians. + +Our party, however, was too small to pursue the fugitives, with any +chance of recovering her. On reaching the camp formed by the train, we +at once repaired to Mr Praeger's waggon. We found him and his family +almost overcome with grief and anxiety. Two of his sons were severely +wounded, and Miss Hargrave had disappeared. My worst fears were +realised. She must have been the person I had seen carried off by the +Indian chief. + +No one was certain as to the direction her captor had taken, for his +followers immediately surrounded him, and they had retreated together. +Three men of the emigrant party had been killed, and half a dozen more +or less wounded. They were full of gratitude to us for coming to their +assistance; for they acknowledged, surprised as they had been, that +every one of them might have been massacred had we not attacked the +savages. We on our part had to thank the trapper for his assistance. +When, however, we looked round for him, he had disappeared, and some of +the people said they had seen him galloping back in the direction from +which he had come. We guessed therefore that he had returned to take +care of our friend Charley. Poor Armitage had been placed in one of the +waggons, and a surgeon who had accompanied the train was attending to +his wounds. He had not been told of what had happened to Miss Hargrave. + +We had now to consider what was next to be done. Of course we all +agreed that the first thing was to endeavour to recover the young lady. +The leaders of the train, in consequence of having so many wounded among +them, resolved to remain encamped where they were, as the neighbourhood +afforded wood and water, with abundance of game, and they felt pretty +confident that the Indians would not again venture to attack them. +Pierre and Long Sam at once volunteered to visit old Folkard's camp, and +to assist in bringing on Charley, should he, as we hoped would be the +case, be in a fit state to be moved. They also promised to consult the +trapper, as his experience would be of value in forming a plan for the +recovery of the young lady: that she had been killed, we none of us +could bring ourselves to believe. + +All hands were now employed in strengthening the camp,--Dick, Story, and +I, assisted our friends, working as hard as any one. We were of use +also in attending to poor Armitage. I was afraid every moment that he +would inquire for Miss Hargrave, for he would naturally wonder that she +had not appeared. + +As may be supposed, we kept a very strict watch at night, while all the +men lay down with their arms by their sides under the waggons, with the +cattle placed in the centre of the square; but no Indians, we believed, +came near us. + +As the morning advanced, I looked out eagerly for the arrival of +Charley. We were anxious to place him under the protection of our +friends, and until Pierre and Long Sam came, we could take no steps for +the recovery of Miss Hargrave. We talked the subject over with Mr +Praeger, who was naturally too much agitated to be able with sufficient +calmness to design any feasible plan of operation. + +At length, greatly to our relief, soon after mid-day Pierre and Long Sam +appeared with two other men, carrying Charley on a litter; while old +Folkard and another trapper followed, leading the horses and laden +mules. Charley was much revived, and declared that he could have walked +had his companions allowed him; but when he came to be placed on his +feet, it was very evident that he could not have proceeded many yards by +himself. + +No time was lost in holding a council round the camp fire, while the new +arrivals ate the dinner provided for them. Old Folkard advised that we +should in the first place examine the neighbourhood of the camp, in +order to try and discover the trail of Miss Hargrave's captor, for Long +Sam was of opinion that, though he might have been accompanied by a few +of his braves, he had not gone off with the larger body of Redskins. +Charley, who listened attentively to all that was said, agreed with Long +Sam; and, as he had been so long amongst the tribe, his opinion was of +value. He was certain that it was only a chief who was likely to have +committed such an act, probably the younger brother of the head chief; +who, Charley said, had frequently talked to him of the beauty of the +pale faced women, and of his intention of obtaining one of them for his +wife. This had always greatly angered his elder brother, who had +declared, should he bring a pale-face to their lodges, that he should be +turned out of the tribe, and that she should be put to death. Charley +was certain, therefore, that Black Eagle--so the chief was called--would +not return to his people; and that, should we be able to discover his +trail, we should find him protected with only a small band, with whom it +would not be difficult to deal. + +The first thing was to discover the trail, and Folkard, Long Sam, and +Pierre set out for the purpose. We, in the meantime, were engaged in +organising the pursuing party, if so I may call it. Dick, though +wounded, made light of the matter, and insisted on going. Folkard had +offered to take all his people. Besides Story and I, we had Pierre, and +Long Sam, the Canadian, and two other men; making altogether a +well-armed party of twelve, mostly experienced hunters and backwoodsmen, +accustomed all their lives to encounters with the red men. + +Long Sam, who in his wanderings in South America had learned the use of +the lasso, never went on an expedition without carrying a long coil of +rope at his saddle bow; which he used, not only for catching horses, but +for stopping the career of a wounded buffalo or deer; and he had, he +asserted, made captives at different times of several Indians by whom he +had been attacked, when they, approaching within the radius of his long +line, were surprised to find themselves jerked to the ground and dragged +along at a rate which rendered all resistance useless. + +It was late in the evening when the three trappers returned. They had +discovered a trail made by a small party, though they had been unable to +decide whether it was that which had carried off the lady, until Long +Sam, observing an object glittering on the ground, had, on picking it +up, found it to be a golden locket, such as was not likely to have +belonged to an Indian. On showing it to Mr Praeger and his family, +they at once recognised it as having been worn by Miss Hargrave, thus +leaving us in no doubt on the subject. + +It was too late that night to follow up the trail, though every moment +was precious. We had to wait therefore, until about three hours before +dawn; when, mounting our steeds, we rode forward under the guidance of +old Folkard, expecting at daybreak to reach the spot where the locket +had been found. We agreed to breakfast there, and then to follow up the +trail as soon as there was sufficient light to see it. + +We carried out our plan, and the rising sun saw us pushing eagerly +forward, the trail being sufficiently marked to enable the practical +eyes of our guides to detect it. + +To our surprise, instead of keeping to the right, as both old Folkard +and Long Sam expected, it turned suddenly to the left, in the direction +the main body had taken. + +"There's a reason for this," observed Folkard, after we had ridden some +way. "See, there was a message sent by the head chief to Black Eagle. +Look, there is the trail of his horse, but whether the young chief +joined the main body we shall know by and by." + +This information was a great disappointment, as it would render our +enterprise far more difficult, for we should now have the whole tribe to +deal with instead of a small party as we expected. + +We were not to be deterred, however, and rode forward as rapidly as the +necessary examination of the trail would allow. At last we had to halt +and rest our horses, but we refrained from lighting a fire and ate our +provisions cold. + +As soon as possible we again pushed forward, but darkness coming on we +had again to camp. Of course we did not light a fire, lest, should our +enemies be in the neighbourhood, they might discover us. + +Our faithful attendants kept watch, insisting that Story and I should +lie down and take the rest we so greatly needed. + +Next morning, instead of riding on together, Long Sam undertook to scout +in advance, that we might not come suddenly upon the enemy, who it was +believed could not be far ahead. We were passing round a wood when +presently we heard a shout, and directly afterwards caught sight of Long +Sam galloping towards us followed by an Indian--evidently a chief, from +his war plumes and gaily bedecked shield,--but as we got nearer we saw +that a rope was round the Indian's body, and that he was attempting to +free himself from it. He was on the point of drawing his knife when, by +a sudden jerk, Long Sam brought him to the ground. + +Folkard and Pierre, throwing themselves from their horses, rushed +forward to seize him before he had regained his feet. Pierre, with his +knife in his hand, was about to plunge it into the heart of the Indian; +but I shouted out to him to desist, and Long Sam drawing tight the +lasso, the next instant dragged the Indian clear of his frightened +steed, which galloped off leaving him utterly helpless. Springing upon +him, we then secured his arms by some leathern thongs, and removed the +lasso from round his body. + +"He is Black Eagle, no doubt about that," cried old Folkard. "What have +you done with the lady you carried off?" he added in the Indian tongue. + +The prisoner refused to reply. + +"If the chief will tell us what we want to know, he shall live; but, if +not, he must be prepared to die," said Long Sam. + +An expression of irresolution passed over the Indian's countenance. + +"I would that I could tell the pale-faces where she is to be found, but +she has been taken from me; though, if they will restore me to liberty, +I will endeavour to find her," he said at length. + +"If the chief speaks the truth, he will find the palefaces willing to +grant him any favour he may ask," said Long Sam; then, turning to us, he +added, "We must not trust the rascal. Though decked with fine feathers +he has a cowardly heart, I suspect. We'll keep him bound and take him +with us. If he plays us false, knock him on the head without scruple; +that's my advice. We must not let his horse escape, however; wait here +while I catch the animal." + +Saying this, Long Sam threw himself into the saddle, and taking his +lasso which he had again coiled up, started off in the direction the +Indian's horse had taken. In a shorter time than I had expected, he +returned leading the animal by the lasso which he had thrown over its +neck, and whenever it became restive, a sudden jerk quickly brought it +again under subjection. + +"Of course, it won't do to put the Redskin on his own horse, or he may +be giving us the slip. He shall have mine," said Long Sam, "and old +`Knotty' will stick by us, even if Mr Black Eagle should try and gallop +off." + +We now, by means of the three hunters, endeavoured to obtain all the +information we could from our captive. + +He acknowledged that he had carried off the palefaced girl, and that he +intended to make her his bride; but that he had been inveigled into the +camp of his people, when she had been taken from him; and that, when he +complained, he had been turned away to seek his own fortunes. + +As we had no reason to doubt his word we asked him to guide us to +wherever his people were now encamped, making him promise to warn us as +we drew near the spot so that we might not be taken by surprise. We +kept a bright look out on Black Eagle, Long Sam hinting gently that, +should he show any treachery, he would be immediately shot through the +head. The warning was not lost upon our friend. We rode on and on, +until the sun sinking in the west showed us that we must again camp. + +Black Eagle informed us that we should probably not reach his people +until late on the following day. We had therefore to restrain our +anxiety, and trust to his assurances that there were no Indians in the +neighbourhood. We lighted a fire to cook a deer which Long Sam had shot +just before we reached the camp. + +We were seated round the fire enjoying our suppers, the first +satisfactory meal we had taken since we started, when the well-known cry +of a pack of wolves reached our ears. From the yelps and barks which +they continued to utter in full chorus, we knew that they were in chase +of some unfortunate animal which they hoped to drag to the ground. + +The sounds grew nearer and nearer, but as the spot where we were +encamped was surrounded with rocks and trees we could not see to any +distance. At last Dick jumped up, saying he must have a look at the +wolves and the animal they were chasing. Story and I quickly followed. + +"They are not worth powder and shot," observed Long Sam, but +notwithstanding he came after us, as did indeed the whole party. + +Just then the moon rose behind the cliffs, shedding a bright light over +the rocky ground which surrounded the spot. From where we stood, we +could see an animal, apparently a horse, dashing on at full speed with a +savage pack of llovo wolves close at its heels. The next instant, as it +came bounding on over the rocks, what was our horror to observe a female +form lashed to its back. + +To stop it in its mad career seemed impossible. The only hope was to +shoot some of the wolves, and thus give a better chance for the escape +of the horse. As I fired, I heard several other shots, and saw that +most of the brutes, already at the horse's heels, were rolled over. +Still the condition of the female was perilous in the extreme. Unless +we could catch our own horses, and overtake the affrighted steed, her +destruction appeared inevitable. Scarcely had this thought flashed +across my mind, when I saw Long Sam, who had thrown himself on +horseback, galloping along with his lasso to intercept the runaway. + +I ran as I had never run before, regardless of the wolves, in the same +direction. As I passed by I saw that the pack had stopped and were +already engaged in tearing to pieces the brutes we had shot. In an +instant afterwards, it seemed, I observed Long Sam's lasso cast with +unerring aim over the neck of the frantic steed, which plunged and +reared, but happily did not fall over. In another moment Sam had drawn +the lasso so tightly round its neck that it was unable to move. + +We sprang forward, cut the thongs which bound the female to the animal's +back, and lifting her to the ground, carried her out of danger. She +still breathed, though apparently perfectly unconscious. The light of +the moon showed us the features of Ellen Hargrave. + +We did not stop to see what Long Sam did with the captured horse, but at +once carried the young lady to the camp, when, by sprinkling her face +with water and bathing her hands, she in a short time was restored to +consciousness. + +Her first impulse was to return thanks to heaven for her preservation. +Looking up he recognised Dick and me. + +"Where is Harry? Where is Mr Armitage?" she asked, evidently +concluding that he must be of our party. + +Dick replied that he was safe in the camp with her friends; that we had +beaten the savages who had attacked them, and, finding that she had been +carried off, had come in search of her. Though we did not inquire how +she had been treated in the Indian camp, she without hesitation told us +that Black Eagle had been compelled to release her by his superior +chief; when, having been kept in a wigwam by herself for some hours, she +had been bound to a horse, which being led away from the camp had been +driven out into the wilds. She was fully prepared, she said, for a +lingering death, but still she prayed that she might be preserved. All +hope however had gone when she heard in the distance the howls of the +wolves, and the horse sprang forward on its mad career over the rocky +ground. "The rest you know," she added. "I would thankfully forget +those fearful moments." + +I must make a long story short. Miss Hargrave appeared much recovered +after a night's rest in the hut we built for her, and the next morning +we formed a litter on which we carried her a day's journey; but on the +following morning she insisted on mounting one of the horses, and, a +side-saddle being prepared, she performed the rest of the distance to +camp with out apparent suffering. + +I need not say that she was received by her relatives as one returned +from the dead, while they expressed their gratitude to us by every means +in their power. Armitage, they stated, had been in a very precarious +state, but he revived on seeing Miss Hargrave, and quickly regained his +strength. We allowed the Black Eagle to go free with his horse and +arms, he promising, in return for the merciful treatment he had +received, that he would in future be the friend of the pale-faces. The +wounded men having now recovered sufficiently to travel, camp was +struck, and the train continued its course westward. + +We, of course, felt ourselves in honour bound to escort our friends on +their way; and, although we at first talked of leaving them as soon as +all fear of an attack from the Indians had passed, we continued on from +day to day. + +Before the journey was over, it was generally known that Armitage was to +marry Miss Hargrave, while Dick and Story, though supposed to be +confirmed bachelors, lost their hearts to the two youngest Miss +Praegers; and a very pleasant wedding it was which took place soon after +our arrival at Mr Praeger's new location. We frequently afterwards met +in old England, where my friends took their wives, and many a long yarn +was spun about our adventures in the wild regions of the "Far West." + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Adventures in the Far West, by W.H.G. 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