CHAPTER X
EN ROUTE
Tom's duties as a lieutenant were to supervise his column, ride ahead ofthe train on lookout for possible obstructions or dangers, go on aheadto creeks and see that the banks sloped enough to permit the wagons totake them safely, to hunt out and bridge morasses and quagmires thatcould not be avoided. If the banks were too steep he and others of thecaravan were to ride ahead with axes, shovels, and mattocks and cut asloping road through them; if a morass or a treacherous creek bed had tobe crossed they had to cut great numbers of saplings, branches, andbrush and build up a causeway of alternate layers of wood and dirt. Thiswould not take long and if properly done, every wagon could cross insafety.
The caravan in movement should have presented a formation of wagons inorderly array, preceded by the captain and officers, flanked at a gooddistance on both sides by well-armed riders, and followed by a fairlystrong rear-guard; but no such ideal formation could be maintainedexcept under the discipline of a military or paid force. The flankersrode far and wide searching endlessly for game and usually wound up withthe advance guard, a mile or more ahead. The rear guard dwindled rapidlyand soon joined the others far in advance, leaving the crawling wagonsentirely unprotected from any sudden attack by Indians who might havelain concealed in one of the numerous prairie hollows.
There were four conditions every twenty-four hours especially liked bythe savages. One was during the night, between midnight and dawn;another as the caravan got under way, when there was more or lessconfusion and the wagons had broken the corral formation enough so itcould not be re-formed quickly; a third was during the day when everyman who did not have to drive was galivanting a mile or more away,blazing at rattlesnakes or prairie dogs and making a fool of himselfgenerally, his thoughts on everything except the safety of the train hehad deserted; and the fourth was in the evening just as the animals werebeing staked outside, when most of the men were busy with them and somedistance outside the wagon ramparts, many of the more careless beingunarmed. To offset these conditions so favorable to surprise attacks onthe caravan was one of the captain's most important duties, and theurgent consideration of water and good grass many times complicated hisproblems.
Captain Woodson at one time had been a trapper, and his earlyexperiences with the fur expeditions here stood him in good stead,especially his knowledge about Indians. He continually hammered at themen to flank properly and to scour the country on each side of thecaravan for a mile or more and to investigate every hollow and risecapable of hiding horses. Before he called the halt for the "noonings"or the encampments in the evenings, he urged that the surroundingcountry be well scouted over and everything suspicious reported. For thecrews of the two cannons, which had been changed the morning followingthe narrowly averted calamity of a few days back, he had picked men whoappeared to be calm and resourceful, and these weapons trundled along ontheir wheeled carriages in a strategic position, their crews ordered notto leave them unattended at any time during the day's march--but whocared for orders?
The trail here being easy and plain, the banks of the streams cut by theprevious caravan, Tom dropped back after a brief exploration along theflanks, which he made because the flankers would not, to join hispartner and their pack train, plodding along on the left-hand side ofJoe Cooper's wagons.
Hank was a placid, easy-going individual and cared little whether or nothe had company. For the last few days he had been highly amused bywatching several pack animals owned and led by tenderfeet, who hadlearned neither to follow them nor to load them right. These greentravelers were continually in trouble. If they were not arguing withmules gone balky because of unevenly distributed loads, or chasing somerunning and kicking animal that scattered the contents of its pack farand wide over the plain, they were collecting their possessionspiece-meal from a score of acres of prairie and hurriedly re-packingsomewhere behind the caravan, cursing, perspiring, out of breath, andmurderously savage. Some of them re-packed more than a dozen times a dayand were hard put even to keep the caravan in sight. Their natural angerat their misfortunes was turned into a simmering or a coruscating rage,that ever and anon burst out with volcanic force as they realized theutter hopelessness of their position. This was for the first few days,for the wiser ones used their eyes and ears and mouths to goodadvantage, and soon got the knack of packing; but there were some whoseemingly were too dumb to learn.
Hank never obtruded any advice, but cheerfully explained the art ofpacking to any man who sought him. He and his partner's animals nevershifted a pack on this smooth going, and this fact began to sink intosome of the tenderfeet, and they eagerly took lessons from the veteran.It was not long before a spilled pack in that column of the train was anuncommon occurrence. These eight mules behaved in an admirable mannerand there was a good reason for it. When they had been selected, onlythose showing the unmistakable signs of the veteran pack mule werechosen. The marks of the crupper, _aparejo_ and girth never woulddisappear. Tenderfeet scornfully would have passed them by and chosensleek, smooth-haired animals of far better appearance; but Hank and Tomdid not make this mistake, realizing that here, indeed, beauty was onlyskin deep.
Hank judged that it was about time to take full advantage of the mules'early training and the results were regarded as downright miracles bythe greenhorns, who attempted to duplicate the system, but withdisastrous endings. One of the mules was an old mare, and her actions,even in the corral at Independence, told Hank all about her. He now tookfrom a pack a bell and, riding up to the plodding, sedate pack animal,fastened it around her neck. Then he tied her to the rear of the secondof Cooper's big wagons, until she should learn that this was to be herplace under all conditions, and dropped back farther and farther whilehe watched the other seven. At the sound of the tinkling bell they hadpricked up their long ears and rolled them forward; a certain importantdignity came over each one and they went ahead with an air ofsatisfaction that was so apparent that it was ludicrous. Hank grinnedand rode off to play rear guard all by himself, well knowing that hisseven animals would follow the old bell-mare wherever she led, whetherhe was there or not. Later he rewarded her by changing her pack andsubstituting that of the dwindling food supply, which grew lighter afterevery camp. When he finally freed her from the wagon she moved upalongside the off-wheel mule, for whom she seemed to have an abidingaffection, and from then on she would not stray from his side, nor herseven followers from her.
On this occasion when Tom returned and found his partner absent, hesurmised that the trapper was off looking for an antelope to vary themonotony of their fare and to save their bacon and flour. Until thebuffalo country was reached the caravan had to live on flour, bacon, andperhaps beans, of which each traveler had a limited supply. The chiefreliance for food was the buffalo, and their range was still well ahead.Tom and Hank, however, not knowing what contingency awaited them on theMexican end of the trail, had far exceeded the regular allowance perman, of fifty pounds of flour, same of bacon, dozen pounds of coffee,twenty-five pounds of sugar, and a goodly amount of salt. Topping one ofthe packs, and dwarfing the patient mule nearly hidden under the load,were two ten-gallon water casks, each with a few quarts sloshing aroundinside. At every stop these kegs were shifted a little so as to giveeach portion of them a soaking in turn. The powder, two twenty-fivepound kegs covered with oiled cloth and over that with a heavy, greasedbull-buffalo leather, were in the same packs with the bar lead and areserve supply of caps and patches. The bullet molds, nipple wrenches,and other small necessaries were carried in their "possible" sacks, eachbeing a beautifully beaded and quilled bag obtained in their trade withthe Indians. Along with the ammunition each had packed a buffalo-hidebag, fitted with shoulder, breast, and head lines; and should it becomenecessary for them to disappear, without a mule, they were equipped toremain in the mountains and hills for a long time. Later on they wouldpack the big bags and keep them ready for instant use.
Tom found not only that his partner had gone, but that the city sports,tiring of aimle
ss riding ahead, had fallen back to the train and werenow riding leg to leg on both sides of Joe Cooper's small wagon, vyingwith each other in their endeavors to be entertaining to Patience. Theywere laughing uproariously when the plainsman appeared and one of them,Dr. Whiting, acknowledged his introduction to Tom with an ironical grin.Here, he thought, was a mountain yokel all ripe to play target for hisshafts of satire. He would shine out resplendently against this ignorantplainsman and have a lot of fun in the bargain.
"Ah!" he exclaimed, his mouth open in pretended admiration. "RegularDaniel Boone! I suppose you know how to bark squirrels; and barkingbuffaloes must be an old trick with you by this time."
Tom regarded him thoughtfully. He did not mind the words, but the tonein which they were spoken was distinctly offensive. He smiledpleasantly. "Thar ain't no squirrels ter bark on th' prairies; but tharair some barkin' prairie dogs, though they mostly chatter 'stead o'bark. They set up an' make a lot o' noise, but don't amount to nothin'.Th' funny part o' it is, th' dumber they air th' more they chatter. Asfer bein' Dan'l Boone, tenderfeet mostly find it a boon ter have a Dan'lhandy afore this air trail is left." He gravely acknowledged theintroduction to the others and looked at Patience again, and from herback to the saddled horse tied to the rear of the wagon. "Feel like alittle ride, Miss Cooper" he asked. "Must be tirin' settin' up thar milearter mile listenin' to th' chatterin'."
She nodded, holding back her laughter, and Tom led up the horse.
"But, Miss Cooper!" expostulated the doctor. "What are we going to dowithout you? We are desolate! Might I offer you a noble escort, sixtrusty, knightly blades to flash in your defense?"
She smiled sweetly but shook her head. "When we reach the Indian countryI will be very glad to accept such an escort; but out here I would notthink of imposing on your generosity. This seems to be Mr. Boyd'sexpedition; perhaps he may invite you."
Tom shook his head sadly. "Reckon I'll have all I kin do to look arterMiss Cooper in case we meets airy Injuns, without botherin' with six_flashes_. See you-all later, mebby."
They drew rein and waited for the crawling column to pass them, smilingand nodding in reply to the cheerful salutations of the wagoners andtraders. Pedro, the slender Mexican, who took such a deep interest inthe doings of Tom Boyd, removed his wide hat and bowed, in true cavalierfashion, showing his gleaming teeth in a pearly smile. The interest theplainsman was showing in his pretty companion was an assurance that TomBoyd would need no further persuasion to enter the Mexican settlements.Franklin, the leader of the third division, temporarily the secondsection of Tom's column, allowed himself the luxury of a sullen smile.He knew his part in the scheme of Pedro and Schoolcraft perfectly andhad no thought of deviating from it, but he could not help admiring theupstanding plainsman, who was a man after his own heart. They were boundtogether by a common interest, the safety of the caravan, and until theywere met by the escort of Mexican cavalry, somewhere near Rock Creek orthe Canadian River, Franklin gave little heed to personal grudges. Allhe was supposed to do was to see that the plainsman did not leave thecaravan for good before the escort met it.
The two four-pounders trundled along their rumbling way, only one man toeach gun, the rest of their crews off with the advance guard. Tomglanced at the all but deserted weapons and frowned. Franklin, noticingit, frowned in reply. It was not because full cannon crews were neededon this part of the trail, but because both men knew that it would bethe same all the way.
After the last wagon had passed, Tom and his companion rode forth andturned when half a mile from the column, riding ahead on a courseparallel with it. The prairie was studded with the earlier flowers ofspring, in some places a rich carpet of delicate colors. Suddenly Tompointed to a gray object nearly covered with earth, dried grass of theyear before, and the fresh greenery of this season's slender bladespushing up through it.
"Buffalo skull," he explained. "Let's look at it; it may tell ussomething interesting."
They rode close to it and the plainsman nodded in quick understanding.
"That bull was killed by an Indian," he said. "Notice that it faces thewest? They place them that way to propitiate their gods. A skull hardlylasts more than three years on the prairie, which means that this animalwas killed about that long ago. It is more than likely that he was anold, renegade bull, wandering far from the herd to die alone. Thesignificant fact is, however, that not more than three years ago hegrazed here and was here killed by an Indian; coupled to that is anothersignificant fact, about one hundred thousand buffalo skins are taken tothe settlements every year. Remembering both those facts and addinganother, that it will be some days before we see even such a bull on thevery outskirts of the buffalo range, what does it mean? And here is afact I nearly overlooked; those hundred thousand skins taken each yearare from cow buffalo." He shook his head sadly. "The day of the buffalo,countless as their numbers still are, is fast setting. Their range isshrinking hour by hour, almost; and a comparatively few years more willsee them gone. Wait till you witness the brainless slaughter when theherds are met with. Ah, well, we are a prodigal race, Miss Cooper,spending our natural heritage with almost a drunken recklessness. If itwere drunken there might be found some excuse for us; but we are doingit in our sober senses. Excuse me, when I get to thinking along thoselines I'm afraid I get a little fanatical. There's something moreinteresting," he said, pointing to the north. "See it?"
After a moment's intense scrutiny she shook her head, and looked up athim inquiringly.
"I forget that you haven't a plainsman's eyes," he laughed, "accustomedto focussing for long distances. Why, over there, well beyond thatseries of flat-topped prairie swells, is a red handkerchief wavinglazily in the air. It is fastened to a ramrod, and I'm willing to betthat it belongs to Hank Marshall. He has been grumbling about a steadydiet of bacon. Now that we are getting into antelope country, hisdisappearance from his trained mules is easily explained. I can promiseyou and Uncle Joe antelope meat tonight. He never would have plantedthat flag if he hadn't seen his victim; and while we are a long way off,let's ride on so he won't be able to blame us if he fails to get hisshot."
Patience was laughing heartily, and hurriedly explained the cause of hermirth.
"I saw him tie the bell to that old mule's neck. The sudden pride sheshowed, the quick alertness of the other seven, and the satisfactionshared equally by the mules and your partner was one of the mostludicrous sights I've ever seen. When Uncle Joe, who was in his bestvein, explained the whole affair, I laughed until I cried. Is it truethat the seven worshipers won't leave her?"
Tom, laughing in sympathy with her mirth, nodded. "Picket her, with herbell on, and we can let the others graze without hobbles or ropes. Theywon't leave her. Don't ask me why, for if you do I can only answer bysaying that they have been trained that way; why it is possible for themto be trained in such a way, and so easily, is beyond me. When we leftIndependence Hank and I caught many a scornful glance directed at our_atejo_, for I must confess that it was made up of eight scarecrows; buthandsome is as handsome does, and now our pack train troubles areconfined solely to packing and unpacking the animals. We don't even haveto remember what pack or _aparejo_ belongs to each mule; they know theirown unerringly, and will shower kicks on any careless or stupidcompanion who blunders up to the wrong pack. Perhaps you've heard thatmules are stupid; that's something that you can discount heavily. Theyare stupid only when it serves their purpose." He laughed again. "Wehave one mule that takes a thrashing every morning, regular as a clock.Hank calls him 'Dummy,' but I am not sure that he is well named. I can'tdecide whether he is dumb or perverse. But the fact remains that henever selects his own pack, and gets kicked along the line until hereaches it by elimination. I shall enjoy studying him as we go along."
As they jogged on, a strip of timber running almost at right angles totheir course and thinning out to the north in about the same proportionthat it thickened to the south, came in sight and Tom knew it to beCottonwood Creek, and their last glimpse of the waters of
the Neosho. Hewell remembered the somewhat sharp bend formed by it on the fartherside, which was taken advantage of by some caravans and the corralformation ignored. A line of closely spaced wagons across the neck ofthe bend made corral enough.
"Well, we better get back to the caravan," he said. "While the creek isall right there are many who are only waiting for a chance to cry thatthe officers are remiss in their duties. I'll leave you with your uncle,well guarded by six trusty knights, and go ahead with the advanceguard."
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and the repression ofher smile did not seriously affect the witchery of the dimples.
"I was a little afraid that I might become lonesome on this longjourney; but things have turned out splendidly. Don't you think Dr.Whiting has a very distinguished air?"
"Very; it would distinguish him out of hundreds," replied Tom, scowlingat the timber fringe ahead. "He is quite impressive when he is silent.It's a pity he doesn't realize it."
He turned in the saddle and looked behind. "What did I say? There comesHank, with an antelope slung before his saddle. I doubt if the doctorwould need the red handkerchief; antelope are notoriously affected byanything curious."
She turned away and regarded the caravan studiously. "Isn't every manexpected to do his share in the general duties?" she asked.
"Yes; but most of them dodge obligations. When we left Council Grovemore than half of the members of the train were friendly to Woodson. Bythe time we leave Cimarron his friends will be counted on the fingers ofyour two hands. That is only what he expects, so it won't come as anunpleasant surprise."
"What is the doctor's party supposed to do?"
"Two of them have been assigned to the rear guard; the other four, toour right flank. They can be excused somewhat because of theirgreenness. Besides, they only came along for the fun of it. In thecollege of life they are only freshmen. Its seriousness hasn't sunk inyet. The majority of the shirkers should know better, and have theirfortunes, meagre as they may be, at stake. Well, here we are. You don'tknow how much I've enjoyed our ride. Uncle Joe," he said as Patiencesettled into the wagon seat, "here she is, safe and sound. I'll droparound with some antelope meat by the time you have your fire going."
"It's been ten years since I've broiled game over a fire," chuckled thedriver. "I'm anxious to get my hand in again. Thank you, Tom."
Tom fastened the horse to the rear of the wagon, waved to his friends,and loped ahead toward the nearing creek.