CHAPTER XI.
THE PIRATES OF THE PRAIRIES.
The White Scalper gave an imperceptible start at the unexpectedapparition of the strangers; but he had sufficient power over himselfapparently to preserve that coolness and stoicism which the Redskins andwood rangers make a point of honour. He did not alter the carelessattitude he was in, and though he appeared to look at the newcomersabsently, he, however, examined them attentively.
They were at least twenty in number, for they had risen from all sidesat once, and in a twinkling surrounded the travellers. These men, mostlyclad in the trapper's hunting shirt and fox skin cap, had a vigorousappearance, and a ferocious look, not at all adapted to inspireconfidence; moreover, they were armed to the teeth, not only having therifle and machete, but also the scalping knife and tomahawk employed bythe Indians.
The man who appeared to be their Chief was at the most thirty-five yearsof age, tall, well-built and proportioned; his wide forehead, blackeyes, Grecian nose, and large mouth, made up a face pleasing at thefirst glance, though on examining it more closely, you soon perceivedthat his glance was false, and that a sardonic smile constantly playedround his thin and pale lips. His face was framed in by thick blackcurls, which fell in disorder on his shoulders and mixed with a largebeard, which the fatigues of a wandering and adventurous life werebeginning to silver at places.
The four Texan adventurers had not made a move; the Chief of thestrangers looked at them for a moment with his hands crossed on hisrifle barrel, the butt of which rested on the ground. At length, by amovement that was familiar to him, he threw back his curls, andaddressed Ruperto--
"Halloh, gossip," he said, "you here? What has brought you into ourparts?"
"A wish to see you, gossip," the other answered, as he carelessly strucka light for the cigarette he had just finished rolling.
"Nonsense! Only that?" the stranger continued.
"What other motive could I have, Master Sandoval?"[1]
"Who knows?" the other said with a shake of his head; "Life has suchstrange changes."
"This time you are mistaken. Nothing disagreeable forces me to pay you avisit."
"That is more and more extraordinary. Then, you have come on your ownaccord, nothing compelling you to do so?"
"I do not say that, for my visit necessarily has a motive. Still, it isnot at all of the nature you suppose."
"Canarios! I am glad to see that I am not so far from the truth as itappeared at first."
"All the better!"
"But why did not you come straight to our encampment, if you wereseeking us, as you say?"
Ruperto burst into a laugh.
"That would have been a fine idea, to be welcomed with a shower ofslugs! No, I think I acted more wisely as I have."
"We have been on your trail for three days."
"Why did you not show yourselves sooner?"
"I was not quite certain it was you."
"Well, that is possible. Will you not sit down?"
"What for? Now that we have met, I hope you will come to our camp?"
"I did not like to propose it; you see we are not alone, but have astranger with us."
"What matter, if you answer for him?"
"With my life."
"Well, then, the friends of our friends are ours, and have a claim toour attention."
"I thank you, Caballero," the Scalper replied with a bow; "I trust youwill have no cause to repent having offered me hospitality."
"The company in which I find you is an excellent guarantee to me,Senor," the adventurer continued with a courteous smile.
"Do you intend to lead us to your camp tonight?" Ruperto asked.
"Why not? We are not more than fifteen miles from it at the most."
"That is true; but this caballero is wounded, and so long a distanceafter a fatiguing day--"
"Oh, I feel very well, I assure you. My strength has almost entirelyreturned; I even believe that, were it absolutely necessary, I could sita horse. Hence do not put yourself out of the way for me, I beg," theold man said.
"As it is so, we will start whenever you like."
"All right," said Sandoval; "however, I will undertake to lead you by aroad which will shorten your distance one half."
All being thus arranged, the horses were saddled afresh, and theystarted. The strangers were on foot; the Scalper would not enter thelitter, and even insisted on it being left behind, declaring that he didnot want it, and cutting a rather long branch, he converted it into astaff. He then took his place by Sandoval's side, who, delighted by hismanner, gave him a glance of satisfaction.
Sandoval, as we have said, was the Chief of the men who had so suddenlyfallen on the bivouac of the adventurers. These men were pirates of theprairies. In a previous work, we have described what they are; but as itis probable that many of our readers do not know the book to which weallude, we will explain, in as few words as possible, what sort ofpersons these gentry are. In the United States, and most of thecountries of the new world, men are encountered who, not beingrestrained by any species of moral obligation or family consideration,yield themselves without restraint to all the violence of their evilpassions. These men, led in the first instance into debauchery byindolence, and almost certain of impunity in countries where the policeare powerless to protect honest people and enforce the laws, at lengthgrow to commit the most atrocious crimes in open daylight, though thisis common enough in those countries where the strongest make the laws.
This goes on until the reprobation becomes general, and publicindignation at last growing stronger than the terror inspired by thesevillains, they are compelled to fly from town to town in order to escapethe exemplary punishment of Lynch-law. Everywhere pursued like wildbeasts, abandoned by all, even by their accomplices, they draw nearerand nearer to the Indian border, which they eventually cross, and arehenceforth condemned to live and die in the desert. But there, too,everything is hostile to them--white trappers, wood rangers, Indianwarriors, and wild beasts--they are compelled to endure a daily andhourly struggle to defend their life, which is incessantly assailed. Butthey have before them space, the hiding places on the mountains and inthe virgin forests, and hence can sustain the combat to a certain point.Still, if they remained isolated they would infallibly succumb to cold,hunger, and wretchedness, even supposing they were not surprised,scalped, and massacred by their implacable enemies.
These outlaws from society, whom every man thinks he has a right to huntdown, frankly accept their position. They feel proud of the hatred andrepulsion they inspire, and collect in numerous bands to requite theanathema cast upon them. Taking as their rule the pitiless law of theprairies, eye for eye and tooth for tooth, they become formidablethrough their numbers, and repay their enemies the injuries they receivefrom them. Woe to the trappers or Indians who venture to traverse theprairies alone, for the pirates massacre them pitilessly. The emigranttrains are also attacked and pillaged by them with refined and atrociousbarbarity. Some of these men who have retained a little shame, put offthe dress of white men to assume that of Redskins, so as to make thosethey pillage suppose they have been attacked by Indians; hence theirmost inveterate enemies are the Indians, for whom they try to pass.Still, it frequently happens that the pirates, ally themselves withRedskins belonging to one nation to make war on another.
All is good for them when their object is plunder; but what they preferis raising scalps, for which the Government of the United States, thatpatriarchal government which protects the natives, according to someheartless optimists, are not ashamed to pay fifty dollars a-piece.Hence, the pirates are as skilful as the Indians themselves in raisinghair; but with them all scalps are good; and when they cannot comeacross Indians, they have no scruple about scalping white men; the moreso, because the United States does not look into matters very closely,and pays without bargaining or entering into details, provided that thehair be long and black.
Captain Sandoval's band of pirates was one of the most numerous and bestorganised in
Upper Arkansas; his comrades, all thorough food for thegallows, formed the most magnificent collection of bandits that could beimagined. For a long period, Fray Antonio, if not forming part of theband, had taken part in its operations, and derived certain thoughillegal profit by supplying the captain with information about thepassage of caravans, their strength, and the road they intended tofollow. Although the worthy monk had given up this hazardous traffic,his conversion had not been of so old a date for the pirates to havecompletely forgotten the services he had rendered them; hence, when hewas compelled to abandon White Scalper he thought at once of his oldfriends. This idea occurred to him the more naturally, because WhiteScalper, owing to the mode of life he had hitherto led in the desert,had in his character some points of resemblance with the pirates, who,like him, were pitiless, and recognised no other law than their caprice.
In the band of Freebooters the monk had organised since his reformationwere some men more beaten than the others by the tempest of anadventurous life. These men Fray Antonio had seen at work, and set theirfull value upon them; but he kept them near him, through a species ofintuition, in order to have them under his hand if some day fate desiredthat he should be compelled to have recourse to an heroic remedy to getout of a scrape, which was easy to foresee when a man entered on thelife of a partisan. Among these chosen comrades was naturally Ruperto;hence it was to him he entrusted the choice of three sure men to escortthe wounded man to the camp of Captain Sandoval, in Upper Arkansas. Wehave seen that the monk was not mistaken, and in what way Rupertoperformed the commission confided to him.
It has frequently been said that honest men always recognise each otherat the first glance; but the statement is far truer when applied torogues. The White Scalper and the Pirate Chief had not walked side byside for ten minutes ere the best possible understanding was arrived atbetween them. The Captain admired as an amateur, and especially as aconnoisseur, the athletic stature of his new companion. His rigidfeatures, which seemed carved in granite, for they were so firm andmarked, his black and sparkling eyes, and even his blunt and sharp modeof speech, attracted and aroused his sympathy. Several times heproposed to have him carried on the shoulders of two of his mostpowerful comrades across awkward spots; but the old man, although hisill-closed wounds caused him extreme suffering, and fatigue overpoweredhim, constantly declined these kind offers, merely replying thatphysical pain was nothing, and that the man who could not conquer it bythe strength of his will, ought to be despised as an old woman.
There could be no reply to such a peremptory mode of reasoning, soSandoval merely contented himself with nodding an assent, and theycontinued their march in silence. Night had fallen for some time, but itwas a bright and starry night, which allowed them to march in safety,and have no fear of losing their way. After three hours of a verydifficult journey, the travellers at length reached the crest of a highhill.
"We have arrived," Sandoval then said, as he stopped under the pretextof resting a moment, but in reality to give his companion, whom he sawto be winded, though he made no complaint, an opportunity to drawbreath.
"What, arrived?" the Scalper said in surprise, looking round him, butnot perceiving the slightest sign of an encampment.
In fact, the adventurers found themselves on a species of platform aboutfifteen hundred yards long, entirely denuded of trees, save in thecentre, where grew an immense aloe, more than sixty feet incircumference, which looked like the king of the desert, over which itsoared. Sandoval allowed his comrade to look around him for a moment,and then said, as he stretched out his arm to the giant tree---
"We shall be obliged to enter by the chimney. But once is not always,and you will not feel offended at it when I tell you that I only do thisto shorten our journey."
"You know that I did not at all understand you," the Scalper answered.
"I suspected it," Sandoval said with a smile. "But come along, and youwill soon decipher the enigma."
The old man bowed without replying, and both walked toward the tree,followed by their comrades, who were smiling at the stranger'samazement. On reaching the foot of the tree, Sandoval raised his head--
"Ohe!" he shouted, "Are you there, Orson?"
"Where should I be if I was not?" a rough voice answered, issuing fromthe top of the tree. "I was obliged to wait for you here, as you havetaken it, into your head to wander about the whole night through."
The pirates burst into a laugh.
"Always amiable!" Sandoval continued; "it is astonishing how funny thatanimal of an Orson always is! Come, let down the ladder, you uglybrute!"
"Ugly brute, ugly brute!" the voice growled, although its owner stillremained invisible; "That is the way in which he thanks me."
In the meanwhile, a long wooden ladder was let down through thebranches. Sandoval caught hold of it, secured it, and then turned to thewounded man--
"I will go first to show you the way."
"Do so," the Scalper said resolutely; "but I swear that I will be thesecond."
"Halloh!" the Captain said, turning round, "Why you are a Yankee."
"What does it matter to you?" the other said roughly.
"Not at all. Still, I am not sorry to know the fact."
"Well, you know it. What next?"
"Next?" Sandoval answered with a laugh; "You will be among countrymen,that is all."
"It makes little difference to me."
"Canarios, and how do you suppose it concerns me?" the Captain said,still laughing, and ascended.
The wounded man followed him step for step. The ladder was restingagainst a platform about two yards in width, completely concealed in amass of inextricable foliage. On this platform stood the giant to whomhis Chief had given the name of Orson, a name which was exactlysuitable, so rough and savage did he appear.
"Any news?" the Captain asked, as he stepped on the platform.
"None," the other answered laconically.
"Have all the detachments returned?"
"All except you."
"Are the Gazelle and the American girl in the grotto?"
"They are."
"That is well. When all the people have come up, you will remove theladder and join us."
"All right, Caray, I suppose I know what I have to do."
Sandoval contented himself with shrugging his shoulders.
"Come," he said to the Scalper, who was a silent witness of this scene.
They crossed the platform. The centre of the tree was entirely hollow,but it had not been rendered so by human agency; old age alone hadconverted the heart of the tree into dust, while the bark remained greenand vigorous. The pirates, who had for many years inhabited a very largecave that ran under the hill, had one day seen the earth give way at acertain spot, in consequence of a storm; this was the way in which thechimney, as they called it, had been discovered.
The pirates, like all plundering animals, are very fond of havingseveral issues to their lairs; this new one, supplied to them byaccident, caused them the greater pleasure, because by the same occasionthey obtained an observatory, whence they could survey an immense extentof country, which enabled them to see any enemy who might attempt totake them by surprise. A platform was formed at a certain height to keepthe bark intact; and by means of two ladders, fitted one inside and oneout, a communication was established.
Sandoval, in his heart, enjoyed his guest's surprise. In fact, thepirate's ingenious arrangement seemed marvellous to White Scalper, who,forgetting his phlegm and stoicism, allowed his surprise to be seen.
"Now," he said to him, pointing to a second ladder, which descended aconsiderable depth into the ground, "we will go down."
"At your service, at your service," the stranger answered. "It is reallyadmirable. Go on, I follow you."
They then began descending cautiously owing to the darkness, for thepirate placed as sentry on the _Mirador_ had, either throughforgetfulness or malice, neglected to bring torches, not supposing, ashe said, that his comrades would return so late. White Scalper
alone hadfollowed the pirates by the strange road we have indicated. This road,very agreeable for foot passengers, was, of course, completelyimpracticable for horsemen; hence Ruperto and his three comrades quittedSandoval at the foot of the hill, and making a rather long detour,sought the real entrance of the cave, with which all four had been longacquainted.
As the two men gradually descended, the light increased, and they seemedto be entering a furnace. On setting foot on the ground, the Scalperfound himself in an immense cavern, lighted by a profusion of torchesheld by pirates, who, grouped at the foot of the ladder, seemed to findan honour in waiting the arrival of their Chief, and offering him agrand reception. The grotto was of an enormous size; the spot whereWhite Scalper found himself was a vast hall, whence radiated severalgalleries of immense length, and running in diametrically oppositedirections. The scene that offered itself to the Scalper in this hall,where he arrived so unexpectedly, would have been worthy of Callot'spencil. Here could be seen strange faces, extraordinary costumes,impossible attitudes, all of which gave a peculiar character to thismultitude of bandits, who were hailing their Chief with shouts of joy,and howls like those of wild beasts.
Captain Sandoval knew too well the sort of people he had to deal with,to be affected in any way by the reception his bandits had improvisedfor him; instead of appearing touched by their enthusiasm, he frowned,drew up his head, and looked menacingly at the attentive crowd.
"What is this, Caballeros?" he said; "How comes it that you are all herewaiting for me? _Viva Dios!_ Some mistake must have occurred in theexecution of my orders to make you collect so eagerly round me. Well,leave me, we will clear that up on another occasion, for the present Iwish to be alone: begone!"
The bandits, without replying, bowed to the Chief, and immediatelywithdrew, dispersing so promptly in the side galleries, that in lessthan five minutes the hall was entirely deserted. At the same momentRuperto appeared; he had left his companions with old comrades who hadundertaken to do them the honours of the grotto, and now came to jointhe man who had been entrusted to his care. Sandoval offered his handcordially to the adventurer, but it was the cordiality of a man whofeels himself at home, which the Texan noticed.
"Halloh!" he said, "We are no longer on the prairie, it strikes me."
"No," the Captain answered, seriously, and he laid some stress on thewords, "you are in my house, but," he added, with a pleasant smile,"that must not trouble you; you are my guests, and will be treated asyou deserve to be."
"Good, good," Ruperto said, who would not let himself be imposed on bythis cavalier manner, "I know where the shoe pinches, gossip. Well, Iwill find a remedy," and he turned to Orson, who at this moment camedown the ladder with his rough and savage face; "beg White Gazelle tocome hither; tell her particularly that Captain Sandoval wishes to seeher."
The Chief of the pirates smiled and offered his hand to Ruperto.
"Forgive me, Ruperto," he said to him, "but you know how I love thatgirl. When I am a single day without seeing her, I fancy that I wantsomething, and feel unhappy."
"Canarios! I am well aware of it," Ruperto answered, with a smile;"hence, you see, that to restore you to your right temper I did nothesitate to give Orson orders to fetch the only person you have everloved."
The Captain sighed, but made no answer.
"Come," the adventurer continued, gaily, "she will come, so recover yourspirits. Caramba! It would be a fine thing for you to feel any longervexed about a child who probably forgot to kiss you on your returnbecause she was at play. Remember, we are your guests, that we have theclaims which hospitality gives us, and that you must not, under anypretext, look black at us."
"Alas, my friends," he answered, with a stifled sigh, "you know not, youcannot know, how sweet it is for a wretch like me, an outlaw, to be ableto say to himself that there exists in the world a creature who loveshim for himself, and without afterthought."
"Silence," Ruperto said quickly, as he laid his hand on his arm, "hereshe comes."
[1] See Trail-Hunter, same publishers.