CHAPTER XV.
A MEETING WITH THE MEDICINE MAN.
"There, what do you say to that now, Billie?" exclaimed Donald, as heturned to see the fat chum staring at the snake, with whitened cheeks,and a horrified expression on his plump face.
"Gosh! it ain't so that they take out the poison sack, is it?" mutteredBillie; "and that stuff must be the deadly thing they push into a fellowwhen they strike! Oh! ain't they the limit, though, them rattlers? And Iought to be thankful every day I live that I didn't go all the way downinto that hole when I slipped."
The Zuni never even smiled as he saw how easily he had convinced thethree white boys that this snake at least had not been tampered withbefore caught. He did not appear to be surprised to see them here.Doubtless at this particular season of the year they were accustomed tohaving quite a number of white people visit the village, to examine itswonders. And of course the shrewd Zunis always made it a point to haveplenty of curios to dispose of, at fancy prices, to these palefaces whohad heard the story of their wonderful rock homes, and had come hundredsof miles it might be, to gaze on the same with their own eyes as one ofthe curious things of Arizona.
He turned and stalked away, his keen black eyes evidently on the watchfor signs of other snakes; though from the way his bag was filled out,he must already be carrying several at the time.
"Looks kind of interesting, eh, Adrian?" remarked Donald.
"I reckon we're going to be well paid for that tough ride across thedesert," was the other's reply; but as for Billie, he only shrugged hisplump shoulders, and muttered something to the effect that it was queerwhat some people saw in horrible sights; but as for him, he would ratherspend his time going through a county fair, where they had all sorts ofgood things to eat, than to witness a dozen of these hideous rattlesnakedances; though of course, since they were on hand, and his chums seemedso set on witnessing the ceremony, he supposed he'd just have to standfor it.
"Anyhow, I got a snapshot of that queer looking Zuni holding that snakeby the neck, with its jaws open," he added proudly, at which the otherscomplimented him on his smartness, though this was not news, since bothhad heard the sharp "click" when Billie pressed the button.
Donald was taking careful note of his surroundings. His prairieeducation really enabled him to tell which way a certain trail he hadstruck run; and it seemed plausible that by following this up they mustsooner or later arrive at the cliff where all those ancient homes hadbeen hollowed out centuries back. To tell the truth Donald already had agood idea where it lay; judging from the trend of the ground, and whathe saw beyond, where the rocky elevation started upward.
Several times they discovered moving figures, and in each instance theseproved to be other braves who, carrying bags slung over their shoulders,seemed to be also hunting for the crawling reptiles whose day was soclose at hand. Rattlesnakes were apparently held in great respect bythese simple people of the cliffs, perhaps because from ages back theyhad been looked upon as an oracle, or an object of worship.
Once or twice they even had a friendly nod from these searchers, whowere apparently accustomed to seeing whites around the neighborhood ofthe village.
Donald had just drawn rein close to one of these young braves, meaningto ask if he were following the right trail to the village, when anexclamation from Billie caused both he and Adrian to raise their eyes.
What they saw was surely enough to cause them to stare; and as forBillie, he fairly gasped for breath.
A strange and hideous figure was coming along a cross trail, and bothboys knew instantly that thus early in their visit had a lucky freak offortune enabled them to gaze upon the wonderful Witch Doctor, themedicine man of the Zunis.
He was about as wonderfully rigged out as the wildest imagination couldpicture him; though Donald noticed that just then he did not wear thetinkling bells, and the little gourds that had stones inside to causethem to rattle with his every motion; these were only assumed on stateoccasions, when driving away the evil spirit that came with sickness; orwhen leading the wild dance of the tribe.
But all the same he struck Billie as the most fantastic figure he hadever run across in all his life; and the boy stared as hard as he could,almost forgetting to even breathe, as the medicine man crossed theirtrail, and started to move off in a stately manner, as though herealized that as the recognized head of the ancient Zuni tribe he had anoffice to hold that always demanded respect on the part of those withwhom he came in contact.
"Whew!" muttered Adrian, "ain't that the limit, though?"
"He beats the one I saw in the Yellowstone Canyon all hollow," admittedDonald.
"My stars! what a great get-up!" whispered Billie, as though half afraidlest even such low tones might cause the Witch Doctor to turn upon him,and put him under some mysterious spell.
Donald turned to the young brave, who had salaamed when the old humbugstrode past, and looked after him a little uneasily; for evidently themedicine man was greatly feared by the other members of the tribe, towhom he seemed "the real thing," as Adrian put it.
"Is that the Witch Doctor?" Donald asked, in a low tone as he bent down.
The brave nodded his head. Perhaps he wondered why these paleface boysdid not exhibit more evidences of respect and fear when the wonderfulfakir was passing. Perhaps he also secretly envied them their courage,too; for no Zuni brave dared to refrain from making that salaam whencoming upon the man of magic, who could make the very rocks sing, andwhose incantations frightened off the angel of death _sometimes_, whenall conditions were favorable.
"Where is he going now?" continued Donald, just as though he may havebeen entertaining a suspicion as to the truth, and wished tosubstantiate the same.
The rattlesnake hunter lowered his voice so that the dreaded WitchDoctor might not hear him speaking; and this was what Billie heard himsay in fairly good English at that:
"He go make much talk with Great Manitou--come back bimeby--much must do'fore can lead rattlesnake dance. Ugh!"
With that, as though fearful that he may have said too much, the bravescurried away, his head bent low in the endeavor to locate still anotherof the reptiles, the presence of which was so vital to the carrying outof the great annual festival and its strange ceremonial dance.
The boys exchanged looks.
"Do you believe that, Adrian?" asked Donald, as he looked after theWitch Doctor, still close by, though receding from the spot where thethree Broncho Rider Boys sat in their saddles.
"It sounds on a par with what you heard told at the mine, and at homeamong the punchers who've been over this way," answered the other,quietly. "And sure that young buck ought to know when the Zuni peopleexpect their wonderful medicine man to hold daily talks with the GreatSpirit in the mountain."
"Yes, the story runs that he disappears from sight for hours, and thatwhile he's gone the Zunis who dare to listen hear the most wonderfulstrains of music coming from the inside of the mountain; and thenperhaps that awful voice which they believe belongs to Manitou, theGreat Spirit, with whom the medicine man is conversing, grumbles in thedepths of the rocks."
"Hello! what's up now, Billie?"
Adrian asked this as he saw the fat boy suddenly slip out of his saddle,and start to run toward the receding figure of the Witch Doctor. Theonly reply which Billie deigned to make was to wave a hand in the air,while he kept his attention riveted on the object of his feverishadvance ahead.
"Oh! I know what ails him!" exclaimed Donald, with a laugh; "see, he'sgripping his little kodak in his hand. Billie has suddenly rememberedthat one of his purposes in coming here was to snap off some pictures,and that strikes him as the finest thing ever."
"And I reckon Billie knows a good subject when he sees it," chuckledAdrian, as he sat at ease in his saddle, and watched operations on thepart of the kodak fiend.
Billie had judged where he might get a fine, unobstructed view of theretiring medicine man; and it was really laughable to see how quicklyall his past troubles were forgotten when th
is glorious chance to get asplendid snapshot came along.
He stumbled several times, and once the boys feared he had smashed hiscamera against a rock; but as Billie kept right along they concludedthat he had been smart enough to protect it in some way, possibly at theexpense of his hands.
"Now he's got to the place he was aiming for; watch him shoot!" saidAdrian.
They plainly heard the sharp "click" of the shutter as Billie made hisexposure. So did the Witch Doctor, evidently, because Donald always saidhe gave an involuntary "duck," as if that metallic sound might have madehim think of the hammer of a gun being raised.
The weird old Zuni humbug whirled around, and looked at Billie. He evenraised a hand, and made some sort of threatening gesture. When he took acouple of steps in his direction poor Billie really believed he must beabout to visit some terrible punishment upon his head as a judgment forhis rashness; at any rate the boy spun around, and came hurrying backtoward his chums, looking quite concerned.
But he need not have worried, for the medicine man was apparently notannoyed enough to give chase, or else he proved to be averse to exertinghimself when he had serious business on his hands. He turned again, andwalked away, vanishing among the rocks and brush.
"Oh! I got him, and believe me that was a splendid snapshot!" gurgledBillie, as he joined the others; and after finding that he was not beingpursued, showing signs of considerable relief.
Again Adrian and Donald exchanged glances. It was as though the samethought might have come suddenly into both their minds.
"I dare you to make the try!" said Donald, aggressively, as though heknew how such a proposition would meet with instant favor from Adrian,who would not be held in contempt for anything.
"I got you!" was the ready response, as the other jumped to the ground.
"What are you fellows meaning to do?" demanded the surprised Billie.
"Oh! just trail after that old humbug, and see where he goes," repliedDonald.