Indian and Scout: A Tale of the Gold Rush to California

  CHAPTER XIII

  Dodging the Enemy

  There was an intense silence immediately after Jack had thrown theIndian, broken only by his own deep breathing.

  "Dead?" asked Steve huskily, for the stress of the fighting and theirdifficulties were beginning to tell upon the little hunter. "Ye've killedhim--eh? I never knew an Injun downed so easy."

  "Stunned, I think," whispered Jack sternly. "He's still breathing alittle."

  "Foxin'? You're dead sartin he ain't foxin'? I've knowed one of thecritters lie as if he was as dead as meat, and then get his knife intothe man as thought he'd downed him. Aer yer sure? 'Cos if you ain't----"

  "Certain," came Jack's emphatic answer. "He fell on his head with aterrible bang, and he'll not recover for a time. Jest take a grip roundmy neck. We're going to move."

  They had spoken in low whispers only, for neither had forgotten that inall probability there were Indian sentries on either side of them.However, it did seem now that fortune was to be kind to them; for atthis very moment the outcry which had broken out some few minutesearlier from the direction of the wood was again heard.

  Shrill, angry calls came through the darkness, and were answered from adozen different directions. Then, immediately to the right of them therecame a muffled thump, followed by the dull sounds of a horse'sfootfalls.

  "Warn't I right?" asked Steve. "Another of the critters thar, and asecond 'way to the left. Now's your time, young 'un. Let's git as slippyas we can."

  Jack needed no second invitation. He too had heard the sounds on theright and those calls from the wood; and, realizing that, though thedistraction had come just at the critical moment, and would call off theattention of the circle of watchers from themselves, yet it indicatedprobably a full discovery of that struggle which had taken place amongstthe trees, and with it a knowledge that the fugitives had fled, hegripped Steve firmly in his arms and swung him up on to the back of theIndian pony; for the well-trained beast had remained beside its fallenmaster. To sling his rifle and leap up behind the hunter was the work ofa moment, and straightway he set the animal in motion. But almostinstantly he was faced by another difficulty.

  "Where away?" he asked, for the darkness confused him.

  "Dead straight ahead fer a while," came the whispered answer; "thenslick ter the right, whar our camp lies. Likely as not some of the boysis riding over ter meet us, for they'll have reckoned by this thatthings aer queer. Gently does it, Carrots. There ain't no use hurryin'."

  At a gentle walk, therefore, they rode away from the small collection oftrees which had proved their salvation, and at the same time had verynearly seen their ending. When the pony had covered a quarter of amile, or thereabouts, Jack turned it to the right, and, setting theplucky little beast at a trot, went on into the night.

  "They'll follow?" he asked, after a while; for the cries which they hadheard for some time had ceased now for the past five minutes. "I supposethey found those two men and then had a palaver, as you call it?"

  "Yer kin put it like that. Them critters has had a hard nut to crack,'cos, don't yer see, the trees and the darkness bothered 'em. Yes, theyfound them two critters you downed in the wood, and, in course, theymade sartin we was still there, in hidin', but shifted from the oldquarters. So they sent their best men in ter ferret around, and in awhile they found not a soul save their own comrades."

  "That is when we heard their cries, I suppose?" said Jack.

  "Right agin. That aer when they began ter shriek. That ain't much likeInjuns, and jest shows that their dander's been properly up. They setsto, then, to have a palaver, and----Gee! That aer bad!"

  Once more a chorus of shouts came from behind them, and told Jack andhis comrades that something more had occurred to disturb the enemy andraise their anger.

  "It aer as clear as daylight," said Steve shortly. "Them varmint wasbothered when they found the wood empty, and set to to cast all round,and question the critters placed there to watch. They've jest dropped onthe feller as you pulled off this here hoss, and--wall, even on a darknight an Injun'll follow a trail."

  "How?" Jack was a practical fellow, and this night's adventure had madehim critical. He failed to see how even the most astute tracker couldfollow a trail in the darkness. But Steve soon enlightened him.

  "'Twont take 'em many minutes," he said, a note of conviction in hisvoice. "Yer see, it don't matter to them ef we get to know as they'refollerin'. They has it fer sure that we're gettin' away on one of theirponies, and that he's got ter carry double weight. That tells 'em plainthat they can easily catch us up once they're on the trail. So theyain't likely to make no bones about the matter. They'll strip the barkoff some of them pines and make torches. That'll light the way, and show'em what line we've took. Now, how aer we to get top side of 'em?"

  The little hunter lapsed into silence, while Jack dug his heels into thepony and set him at a fast canter. But it was clear that the animalcould not keep up the pace for long. He was not a big pony, indeed washardly up to Jack's weight. With Steve added he was decidedlyoverweighted, and the next quarter of an hour proved that fact withoutthe shadow of doubt. The Indian horse was blowing heavily by then, andgoing slower.

  "It stands ter reason he can't last," cried Steve suddenly. "Now I'lltell yer what we'll do. This last ten minutes we've been riding down aslope, and there's a rise behind us which hides them Injuns. We can'tsay as they're on the trail yet, 'cos we can't see. Likely enoughthey've got their torches by now, and are skirmishing round fer thetrail. If that's so, they'll be after us afore two minutes. But that'ere rise hides us jest the same, and it'll give us one more chance.Jack, aer yer willing ter do what I suggest?"

  "Perfectly. Anything but leave you. I've taken you in charge, and Idon't leave you behind for anything."

  There was a ring in Jack's voice, a manly, elated tone, which told thelittle hunter that his companion was anything but disheartened. Therewas a suspicion of raillery in the voice, and the tone tickled Steveimmensely. He leaned back against our hero and laughed heartily, a laughwhich shook him, but which, with all his native caution, was as silentas a gentle whisper.

  "Yer do fetch the band!" he smiled. "Ef I ain't beat holler, and thet bya townsman. But 'tain't a time ter play, leastwise not yet. Them varmintain't done with us by a long way. Now jest yer listen. A friend of mine,an old hunter, war once up agin a difficulty same almost as this. And hejest played a trick that cleared the Injuns. It aer our one chance, andwe'll take it. The wind's in our faces, though I ain't so sartain thatit'll stay thar. Ef it don't, the trap we set'll catch us instead of theInjuns. Jack, jest hop right down and get a bunch of that 'ere grass."

  Quick as lightning Jack slipped to the ground, and did as Stevesuggested.

  "Now, set it afire, and slippy with it. When it's blazin' properly, jestrun along with it and fire the grass in as many places as yer can. Don'twait a second longer than you're obleeged ter."

  There was a note of tense excitement in the hunter's voice, and hewatched eagerly as Jack struck a match and fired a bundle of grass. Thenhe chuckled as a spout of flame burst from each patch of the longprairie growth he touched.

  "Ef anything'll save us, it's that," he said to himself; "save us orcook us. That 'ere fire ain't ten yards wide now, but you wait. In tenminutes it'll have spread to a mile if the wind holds. Get at it, Jack.Hop along as fer as yer like. The farther the better."

  Long before this Jack had grasped Steve's meaning, and had realized thatin proposing to fire the grass he hoped to stretch a curtain of flamebetween them and the Indians. But never in all his life had he been soutterly astounded at the result of his action. For it was at the end ofthe hot weather, and the long rank grass which just there covered theplains was as dry as tinder. Indeed, more than once lately they hadobserved prairie fires; but some irregularity of the ground, a river, orsome hilly and broken ground had in every case limited theconflagration. But even those glimpses of fires had given our hero noidea of their tremendous spread, of the fearfu
l rate at which the lineof fire progressed, for distance had diminished everything. Now,however, the thing was at his elbow, and he was struck with awe. As ifeager for the flames, the grass caught in every direction, and thensurged away with a seething hissing sound, casting up but little smoke.It raced from him on every hand. Patches which he had ignited ten yardsfrom one another were joined hand in hand before he could think, so thatin an incredibly short space of time a wall of fire lay before him. Hewas terrified at his handiwork. But Steve was jubilant.

  "Hop on, and let's git," he said easily, as Jack returned to him. "Efthe wind don't change there'll be a wall of fire round which themInjuns'll have to ride, and they won't fancy the business over much.'Sides, they'll have to divide. There won't be any knowing whether we'vegone dead straight on or have turned to one or other side. Gee! Ef thisain't a doin'."

  "Supposing the wind does turn?" asked Jack, digging his heels into thehorse and setting it at a slow canter.

  "Yer won't have much longer need ter worry. This here trouble thatyou've got tucked out er sight at the back of yer mind'll be done with,'cos there won't be no escapin'. This hoss couldn't do it, onless he hadonly one to carry, and I've got the idea as you ain't goin' ter quitwith me till things aer quieted down a bit."

  Jack heard the little scout chuckling as if it were a good joke, andthen felt his bony, strong fingers suddenly fall upon his hand.

  "I ain't pokin' fun at yer, lad," said Steve seriously, a little jerk inhis voice. "But I aer fair amused ter think that a townsman aer done it,and aer been able to show Steve somethin'. It jest fetches the wind outo' my sails, as the mariners say. Yer see, bein' an old scout, I kindertook you by the hand ter show yer a thing or two. And kinder reckoned efwe got into a muss, as ain't so unlikely hereabouts, I'd be able toprotect yer. But, gee! ef this ain't jist the opposite. Reckon ye'vesaved my life ten times over, Jack. Ye've a right to feel proud ofyerself, for ye've done it cold. Do yer foller?"

  Jack did not, and intimated that fact.

  "All the same, there's no need to say another word," he exclaimedgrumpily, though his face was flushed with pleasure, and he was tinglingfrom head to foot.

  "But there aer. Every need. Yer ain't goin' ter bully me as ef I war akid. Ye've ordered me about till I don't know as I'm right in me head.There are need ter say more. Yer did it cold. I mean out thar by thebuffalo, when yer was warmed with the chase, yer played a right pluckygame, and it took some grit, that did; but in thar between the trees,when we was waitin' and watchin' fer the enemy, it war cold shiverywork, the kind of stuff that sets men's knees knockin' tergether andtheir teeth chatterin'. I ain't exaggeratin'. I've knowed brave men insech a fix get shiverin' all over. It aer their nerves, I suppose, andit's a skeary feelin' that makes a brave man a coward. Now ye've got thehang of what I mean. Yer played that other game dead cold. I don'tforget that I owe yer my life, and that it war downright pluck as didit. So thar!"

  Having said his say, Steve, who had become quite garrulous when withJack, lapsed into silence, and presently lay back against his youngprotector as if he were utterly worn out. And so for an hour the horsecantered on, bearing them in the direction of their friends. As for thefire, it quickly assumed gigantic proportions, and long before the hourhad passed a broad line of fire extended on either hand rushing in theopposite direction. And instead of the wind changing round, it got up asthe night advanced, and blew still harder, fanning those terribleflames.

  Half an hour later, when their horse was almost exhausted, and his pacehad descended to a walk, Steve suddenly sat up and shook himself as ifhe had but just awakened.

  "I seed somethin' over thar!" he exclaimed, pointing to the right. "AndI guess as it ain't Injuns. Likely enough it'll be Tom and the boys.Let's give 'em a halloo."

  But, before he could call out, a sharp hail came through the darkness.

  "Stand thar!" someone shouted. "Ef yer move we'll put lead intoyer----Jest sing out and say whar yer come from, and what's yerbusiness."

  "It aer Tom sure enough," cried Steve. "Hi, Tom!" he called back at thetop of his voice.

  In less than a minute Tom and Jacob rode up, and at once dismounted.

  "A fine scare ye've given us!" exclaimed Tom, striding to the side ofthe horse. "When it fell night and yer didn't turn up, we didn't make somuch of it. 'Cos we'd heard shots, and thought ye'd most likely beengettin' meat. But when it got later and later, and there warn't a sound,why, me and Jacob saddled up and come back on the trail. What's keptyer?"

  A few words sufficed to tell them.

  "Yer can take it for sartin as we've got ter fight it out," said Stevein his cool voice. "Them critters has had a knock as they can't forgit,and won't forgive. Two of their young braves has been downed by thishere Jack, and a third aer got a headache that'll last him past themornin'. Wall, what'll yer do? Yer kin put me on one side. I kin lie upin the wagon, and I kin shoot. But I ain't no good fer riding."

  It was obviously a case where conjunction of forces was necessary, andat once Tom took Steve up in front of his saddle, while Jack climbed upbehind Jacob. Then, leaving the Indian horse, they spurred away acrossthe plain, and within an hour had found the camp and their friends.

  "They'll be here with the mornin' light, them critters," said Tom,addressing all hands. "And ef we've got an ounce of sense we'll bemakin' ready fer 'em. Now it seems to me as we'd better carry on arunnin' fight. 'Cos ef we stay, and fix up a bit of a fort, themvarmint'll sit down to starve us out, ef it takes 'em a month."

  "That aer sense," agreed Jacob. "There never was a critter ter sit downand wait like an Injun. He's got the patience, yer see, and doin'nothin' kinder suits him. He aer an idle dog when he's not fightin' andtakin' scalps. Wall, how's it ter be done, Tom?"

  "Jest like this. I war in a muss same as this once before, though therewarn't so many of the varmint. We fought 'em runnin', same as they do atsea when thar's a naval battle. Guess that wagon aer big enough to takethe hull crowd, and, that being the case, we'll pile into it. Jacobhere'll drive the hosses. Our mounts'll be tied up along by thewheelers, so as we kin get at 'em slippy ef we want. Then we'll make akind of cover under the tilt, something that'll keep out their arrowsand bullets, and the same forward and aft. Ef we can't make a handsomefight of it then, why we ain't fit ter get through. Let's have a light.David and Jacob here kin get to at the cover. Jest take some of them'ere empty sacks and nail 'em to the bottom boards. Then string 'em upto the tilt hoops. When ye've kind of made a long sack yer can fill itwith grass. Ef it's stuffed in well it'll stop a bullet, and the weightwon't be anythin' ter speak of. Make it jest a nice height ter cover akneeling man. Jack, you kin jist sit down along of Steve and get to atsome food. Ye'll want it badly by this. I'll make back along the track alittle and keep a watch, while ye other boys kin hitch the hosses in,get the guns ready, and lay out ammunition. Thar ain't no use in movin'yet. Better wait till daylight, ef them critters'll allow us."

  There was calmness and order and method about these experienced scouts,and at once each man occupied himself with the task allotted by Tom. Asfor Jack, he was ravenous, and at once began to forage for food forhimself and Steve.

  "You kin jist give my back another rub when we've filled up inside,"said Steve, as Jack laid him down at the tail of the wagon. "I kin movea hull foot now, and bend the knee a little. That shows the works isgettin' in gear again. But they've had a mighty shakin', they have, andseems to me it war near bein' a bad business altogether."

  Four hours later, when the dawn began to break, the little band ofscouts was marching slowly and steadily across the plain, Jacob plyingthe whip from the front of the wagon, where a breastwork of boxes hadbeen built to protect him. On either hand rode Tom and Seth and theothers, their eyes searching the plain for a sight of the enemy. But fora while nothing was seen of them. Away behind them a black pall of smokecovered the countryside as far as the eye could see, and beyond, no eyecould penetrate.

  "But they're there, the skunks!" exclaimed Tom, as he rode knee
to kneewith Jack. "Steve's had a sight more experience on the plains than anyman of us, and he allows as thar ain't a chance but that they'llfollow. As fer me, I feel sure as they won't dare to sit down and taketheir lickin' humble. Yer see, it's a case of what their people'll saywhen they returns home. Ef they come with a tale of defeat they'll neverhear the end of it, and the squaws will jeer at them. They're dead boundto go on with the chase, and they won't give it up till they've got ourscalps, or till we've given 'em a proper hidin'. Say, Carrots, Steve aertalkin' a heap. Aer it all true what he says? I know he ain't the one tomake a thing bigger than it aer, but he's had a bad shake, and maybehe's a bit wandering. Aer it true as you stood beside him through thickand thin?"

  Jack modestly acknowledged that he had refused to desert his comrade,and for a while he had to listen to the praise of the man who had firstbefriended him. Then, too, the other hunters rode their horses up--forSteve had called them one by one to the wagon, where he lay at fulllength--and eagerly shook Jack's hand.

  "Yer ain't no longer a tenderfoot," said one of them. "I allow as ayoungster can do a brave thing once, and save an old hunter's life. Butit ain't often a youngster from the towns gets his teeth into it, so tospeak, and when there's a chance of skipping from a hull heap of Injuns,refuses point-blank, but sticks to his partner. And Steve says as yougot quite uppish. Treated him like a kid, and that ef you hadn't done soboth of you'd have gone under. Shake, Jack, I'm glad I am along with theparty."

  It may be imagined that our hero was covered with confusion; for therewas no conceit about Jack, and he had no desire to receive thanks orpraise from anyone. Still, all the same, his senses tingled, and it wasa happy young fellow who rode beside Tom. For Jack felt within himselfthat he had acted as a man should. He felt now, more than ever, that hecould hold his head up and scoff at those who had accused him of thatcrime for which he would have been convicted had he stayed at Hopeville.More than that, so helpful are kind words from those who surround us, hebegan to look to the future hopefully. He felt as if the tide ofmisfortune had turned, and that somewhere, sooner or later, he would besuccessful in his search for that miscreant who had gone off like acraven, and had left no word, not even a wish, to clear the young fellowaccused of the crime which he himself had committed.

  "Thar they aer, ridin' strong!" cried Tom, suddenly pointing across tothe left. "They've rid round the edge of the fire, and by the way theircattle is goin' they've had a longish way to come. Boys, it aer time toget into the wagon. Jest get yer barrels filled, and then lay doggo.There'll be time and enough to fire. What we want is to coax themcritters ter come within easy distance, and then we'll give 'em pepper.'Tain't no use to play with 'em. We've got ter handle them roughish,and, when they starts in shootin', jest remember we've got ter give 'empepper."