Frank on the Prairie

  CHAPTER III.

  Antelope Hunting.

  Gradually the train left the improvements of civilization behind, and,at the end of three weeks, it was miles outside of a fence. Here thetrapper was in his natural element. He felt, as he expressed, "like ayoung one jest out o' school," adding, that all he needed was "oneglimpse of a Comanche or Cheyenne to make him feel perfectly nat'ral."

  In accordance with the promise he had made Frank before leaving St.Joseph, he now took Pete (that was the name the latter had given hishorse) under his especial charge; and every morning, at the first peepof day, the boys saw him galloping over the prairie, firing his rifleas fast as he could reload, as if in pursuit of an imaginary herd ofbuffaloes. At first the spirited animal objected to this mode oftreatment, and made the most desperate efforts to unseat his rider;but the trapper, who had broken more than one wild mustang, wasperfectly at home on horseback, and, after a few exercises of thiskind, Pete was turned over to his young master, with the assurancethat he was ready to begin buffalo hunting. According to Frank's idea,the animal had improved considerably under the trapper's system oftraining, for he would hardly wait for his rider to be fairly in thesaddle before he would start off at the top of his speed. The boys,who considered themselves fully able to do any thing that had everbeen accomplished by any one else, having seen Dick load and fire hisrifle while riding at full speed, began to imitate his example, and ina short time learned the art to perfection. In addition to this, eachboy looked upon his horse as the better animal, and the emigrants werewitnesses to many a race between them, in which Sleepy Sam, as Archiecalled his horse, always came off winner. But Frank kept up thecontest, and at every possible opportunity the horses were "matched,"until they had learned their parts so well, that every time theyfound themselves together, they would start off on a race withoutwaiting for the word from their riders.

  One morning, just after the train had left the camp, as the boys wereriding beside the wagon, listening to a story the trapper wasrelating, the latter suddenly stopped, and, pointing toward a distantswell, said: "Do you see that ar', youngsters?"

  The boys, after straining their eyes in vain, brought theirfield-glass into requisition, and finally discovered an object movingslowly along through the high grass; but the distance was so great,they could not determine what it was.

  "That's a prong-horn," said the trapper at length. "An' now, Frank,"he continued, "if you'll lend me that ar hoss, I'll show you that allthe huntin' in the world aint larnt in that leetle patch of timberaround Lawrence."

  Frank at once dismounted, and Dick, after securing his rifle, sprunginto the saddle, saying:

  "Come along easy-like, youngsters, an' when I tell you, you get offan' hide behind your hoss."

  Frank mounted Sleepy Sam behind Archie, and they followed the trapper,who led the way at an easy gallop. Useless, at his master's command,remained with the wagon. They rode for a mile at a steady pace, andthen, seeing that the game had discovered them, the boys, at a signalfrom the trapper, stopped and dismounted, while Dick kept on alone,his every movement closely watched by Frank and Archie, who, havingoften read of the skill required in hunting antelopes, were anxious tosee how it was done. The trapper rode on for about half a milefurther, and then the boys saw him dismount, unbuckle the bridle, andhobble his horse so that he would not stray away. He then threwhimself on his hands and knees, and disappeared. A quarter of an hourafterward the boys saw his 'coon-skin cap waving above the grass. Ifthis was intended to attract the attention of the game, it did notmeet with immediate success, for the antelopes continued to feedleisurely up the swell, and finally some of their number disappearedbehind it. The boys regarded this as conclusive evidence that thetrapper's plan had failed; but at length one of the antelopes, whichstood a little apart from the others, and appeared to be acting assentinel, uttered a loud snort, which instantly brought every memberof the herd to his side. They remained huddled together for severalmoments, as if in consultation, and then began to move slowly downthe swell toward the place where the trapper was concealed. There wereabout twenty animals in the herd, and they came on in single file,stopping now and then to snuff the air and examine the object that hadexcited their curiosity. But nothing suspicious was to be seen, forthe trapper was concealed in the grass, the only thing visible beinghis cap, which he gently waved to and fro as he watched the movementsof the game. The antelopes advanced slowly--much _too_ slowly for theimpatient boys, who, concealed behind their horse, closely watched alltheir movements, fearful that they might detect the presence of thetrapper, and seek safety in flight. But the latter well understood thematter in hand, and presently the boys saw a puff of smoke rise fromthe grass, and the nearest of the antelopes, springing into the air,fell dead in his tracks. The others turned and fled with the speed ofthe wind.

  In an instant Frank and Archie had mounted, and when they reached theplace where the trapper was standing, he had secured his prize, whichwas one of the most graceful animals the boys had ever seen. It wasabout three and a half feet high at the shoulders, and, although Dickpronounced it very fat, its body was slender and its limbs small andmuscular. After having examined the animal to their satisfaction, theyall mounted their horses, Dick carrying the game before him on hissaddle; and as they rode toward the wagon, Archie exclaimed:

  "Now, Frank, we know how to hunt antelopes. It isn't so very hard,after all."

  "Isn't it?" inquired the trapper, with a laugh. "You don't understandthe natur of the critters, when you say that. I know I killed this oneeasy, but a feller can't allers do it. Howsomever, you can try yourhand the next time we meet any, an' if you do shoot one, I'll allerscall you my 'antelope killers.' Them red handkerchiefs of your'n wouldbe jest the things to use, 'cause the critters can see it a long way.If you can bring one of 'em into camp, it will be something wuthbraggin' on."

  It was evident that the trapper did not entertain a very exaltedopinion of the boys' "hunting qualities;" but that did not convincethem that they could not shoot an antelope. On the contrary, it madethem all the more anxious for an opportunity to try their skill onthe game, if for no other reason than to show the trapper that he wasmistaken.

  Half an hour's riding brought them to the wagon, which was standingwhere they had left it, and, after the buck had been skinned andcleaned, the trapper mounted to his seat and drove after the train,followed by the boys, who strained their eyes in every direction inthe hope of discovering another herd of antelopes. But nothing in theshape of a prong-horn was to be seen; and when the train resumed itsjourney after its noon halt, they gradually fell back until the wagonswere out of sight behind the hills. Then, leaving the road, theygalloped over the prairie until they reached the top of a high swell,when they stopped to look about them. About two miles to the left wasthe train slowly winding among the hills; but the most faithful use oftheir glass failed to reveal the wished-for game. All that afternoonthey scoured the prairie on both sides of the wagons, and when itbegan to grow dark, they reluctantly turned their faces toward thecamp.

  "What did I tell you?" asked the trapper, as the boys rode up to thewagon, where the latter was unharnessing the mules. "I said youcouldn't shoot a prong-horn."

  "Of course we couldn't," answered Archie, "for we didn't see any toshoot."

  "I know that," replied the trapper with a grin; "but _I_ seed plenty.The next time you go a huntin' prong-horns, be sartin that the windblows from them t'wards you, an' not from you t'wards them. They'vegot sharp noses, them critters have."

  The boys were astonished. They had not thought of that; and Archie wascompelled to acknowledge that "there was something in knowing how,after all."