CHAPTER VIII
Out on the Prairie
Shouldering their baggage, Tom and Steve led the way from the station,and, having traversed some few hundred yards, came to a single wagon,halted by the roadside. It was a large affair, covered with a big canvastilt, and mounted on four strong wheels. A single shaft protruded infront, to which the wheelers of the team of horses could be attached. Infact, beyond a few minor particulars which followed the custom in voguein this part of America, the wagon was very similar to those hugeconveyances, sometimes called the "ships of the veldt", which are to befound in South Africa.
"A tidy weight it is, too," said Tom, as Jack remarked on the wagon whenapproaching. "But it's jest the thing for the plains. Yer see, ter doany good way over in Californy a man wants a heap of tools and sichlike. Wall, they're to be had from San Francisco, or Sacramento; but,gee! ain't the prices tall! It pays handsome ter buy a wagon back hereand fill it with stuff. That's what we're doin'. Me and Steve's put asight of earnin's and savin's into the matter, and we'll have ter strikeit rich way over thar to git the money back. Thar's something else. Efbad weather comes on, we kin shelter of a night under thetilt--leastwise, we kin at first. After a bit thar won't be the chance.Them skunks of Indians'll make us look out fer trouble, and any man ashas a care fer the haar on his head don't get sleepin' too heavy oncehe's come into their country. Guess them's our mates. Scouts Stevecalled 'em."
By now they were close to the wagon, and Jack noticed that quite alittle camp had been formed round it. At a little distance some tenhorses were grazing, while one man mounted guard over them. Close athand a dozen more were tethered to pegs, and nibbled the grass in acircle round their pegs. A fire was burning just outside the wagon, andover it a pot was suspended on an iron tripod. Steve gave a shout, andpromptly five men, who were seated near the fire, rose and loungedforward.
"Gee, now! Ef that ain't Seth, Tricky Seth, as we called him," shoutedout Tom, waving his hat above his head. "Howdy, Seth? Didn't know yerwas this way. When last I set eyes on yer it was way down in New Mexico.What's brought yer here?"
A short, heavily built man stepped forward from amongst his comrades. Hewas so tanned by wind and exposure that one might have been excused themistake if one had taken him for an Indian. His eyes were a steely grey,his chin and upper lip covered with thick, bushy hair, while the backsof his hands, and his arms, which were exposed to the elbows, were alsothickly clad with the same material. He wore a wide-brimmed hat, whichdecidedly had seen better days, a shirt which had once been red, butwhich frequent washings and much exposure to a hot sun had bleached to amottled brown, while his nether limbs were clad in cowboy overallsfringed with leather tassels. A picturesque fellow he looked, andsomething more. His keen eyes, the resolute set of his features, hardlyneeded the addition of the huge belt he wore, in which reposed a bigColt, to tell a stranger that Seth--"Tricky Seth", as Tom had calledhim--was something more than picturesque. He came forward with sparklingeyes and with hand outstretched.
"Why, so it war," he cried, speaking with a very pronounced twang; "soit war. And I jest reckon I was as s'prised as you to find myself upthis way. But New Mexico's that full of horse thieves and Injun skunksthat an honest man can't live. Fact is, I got into a muss with a gang ofrobbers. I come up against 'em accidental at first, and that got theirdanders up agin me. They was fer shootin' right off whenever they seedme."
"And that ain't healthy fer any man," burst in Tom, "though I guess asSeth ain't easy ter frighten."
"Not as a general thing; but this here case were special. I stood it fera while, yer bet, and by keepin' out in the plains and mountains,trappin' and huntin' managed ter hold 'em clear fer a bit. But it gotprecious onreasonable ter have bullets flyin' whenever I went into townter sell the skins I'd been collectin'. What with one meetin' andanother I got a matter of three holes drilled through me, and thatwarn't pleasant. I give 'em snuff in return, I jest did, but that don'thelp ter mend holes in a fellow's carcass. So I comed away. Then Istruck along o' Steve, and hearin' yer was goin' partners, and was offto Californy, why, me and my mates here agreed ter go. We was thinkin'of earning a bit by acting as sort of escort to other convoys makin'across to the diggin's. But, bless yer, the crowds that's goin' don'tthink of danger; they thinks of gold only."
"And believes they'll find it in handfuls, the poor fools," cried Tom."Thar's many a hundred as has lost their scalps crossin' the plains."
"And many more'll meet with the same," agreed Seth. "But they don'treckon to meet nothin'. It's goin' ter be a picnic all the way across,that's what they say and think, and so they don't want no escort. Me andmy mates fixed then that we'd try a little diggin' ourselves, and as yerwas goin', why, it seemed jest the chance to make across together. Who'sthe stranger?"
Tom introduced Jack to Seth promptly, and then handed him over to thelatter, who made him acquainted with his comrades. Nor was it longbefore all became familiar with the story of his behaviour on the train.
"For a fust shot it war good, precious good," declared Seth. "I've letoff a gun in most positions, but never upside down, as I reckon you was.So, without offence, youngster, I should say as how that 'ere shotweren't altogether of yer own doin'. There was a bit of flukin, in it.Howsomever, that ain't the point. Yer had the grit to lean over and holdfast to the gun. That's whar you came in. Yer held fast, and drewtrigger jest at the right moment. Reckon the gun did the rest. And hemanaged to wing yer?"
Jack nodded. "He put a ball through my shoulder," he said. "It hurt abit, but someone seems to have bandaged it, and it's quite easy now."
"Then yer ain't no cause to blush and 'low folks to say as you're agreen 'un," laughed Seth. "Reckon a chap as has had daylight put throughhim has seen something. But yer'll have to set to at shootin'. My adviceis to buy a hull heap of ammunition. Me and my mates most always jestcarry a dozen rounds. That's heaps under ordinary sarcumstances; butwhen yer get to shootin' with a revolver, the ammunition melts away, asit war. And a man ain't nothin' of a shot till he's fired thousands ofrounds. So buy up a supply, and set to in earnest when we gets clear ofthe town."
Jack made a mental note of the advice given him, and decided to investsome of his savings in a thoroughly good revolver and gun and thenecessary ammunition. Nor had he any reason to fear the expenditure, forhe had saved a good deal when in Amos's employ, and had hardly touchedthe money he had brought away from Hopeville. In addition, that sameevening, when Tom and his friends were making their final preparationsfor leaving camp at an early hour on the following day, two officials ofthe bank to which the money on board the train was consigned approached,and handed our hero no less than fifteen hundred dollars.
"As a reward for saving our consignment," they said. "We had a very muchlarger sum on board the train than was supposed, and had those robberssucceeded in mastering all the passengers, and in stopping the coaches,our loss would have been a very severe one."
They left the camp within a few minutes, expressing the hope that Jackwould soon recover from his wound. But that young fellow was almost tooelated to recollect the fact that his shoulder was damaged. He was morethan delighted at the gift, and at once fell to wondering what he woulddo with such riches.
"I shall return James and Mother the sums they lent me," he said, "andfor the rest I suppose I'd better bank it. I'll ask Tom."
"Yer can jest do one o' two things," replied the latter, when Jack hadspoken to him. "Ef yer bank it here the money'll be safe, and yer canarrange to have a draft on a bank way over near Sacramento. Then, oncewe get to Californy, and yer've had time to look round, yer can set upsome sort of business for yerself. Buy a plot in one of the towns that'sspringing up like mushrooms, and set up as a smith. That'd bring indollars quick, for there ain't many smiths handy, and ironwork aer wellpaid. Five hundred dollars should see yer started, with the rest andyour savings while working fer us safe in the bank in case of illness orfailure. Not that yer want ter think of failure. That are a word noyoung man should allow has
a place in the language. Seems to me ef ayoungster jest kind of pins 'success' up in front of him, and sets to togain it by steady, hard work, he's bound, sooner or later--and thesteadier he is the sooner it'll be--to find he's got to the thing he'saimed at. But I was sayin' there's two things yer could do with thatmoney. I've mentioned one."
"And the other?" asked Jack eagerly.
"The other aer a proposition of my own--mine and Steve's; and mind yer,ef it don't seem right and likely to you, jest refuse, 'cos nooffence'll be given. We've put jest three thousand dollars apiece intothis scheme of ours, me and Steve have, and a goodish part of the moneyhas gone to buy the wagon and outfit. Still, thar's a tidy few dollarsleft, and that'll be workin' capital for when we reach the diggin's.Wall, now, more workin' capital are always useful. Yer can buy upappliances that'll make the diggin' and windin' easier, besidesemploying more hands, and so gettin' down to the gold quicker. Ef yerlike the proposition yer kin buy a share in this consarn of ours, andcome in as a partner instead of a hired man. Yer'll stand to lose alongwith us; but ef we strike it rich, why, ye'll gain, jest as we shall, inproportion to the amount ye've put into the partnership. Now, jest yerget away by yerself fer a while, or talk it over with Seth and hismates. They're straight, and ef the consarn ain't worth it, or theproposition ain't a fair one to you, they'll say so for sure. Come backagin in an hour's time. I'm goin' into the town jest to finish a littlebuying."
Jack needed very little time for consideration, for he had alreadypractically made up his mind. There was something transparently honestand straightforward about Tom and Steve, and he felt he could not dobetter than throw in his lot with them. To be sure, if their efforts todiscover gold were not successful, he would lose all the money hesubscribed. But then, they might meet with good fortune.
"I'll do it," he said to himself, and that, too, without discussing thematter with Seth and his friends. "I'll send along the money I borrowedfrom Mother and James Orring, pay a thousand dollars to thispartnership, and bank the rest against a rainy day. Who knows, I may beglad to have the use of it later on."
His determination to become a partner in the little firm of golddiggers delayed the departure of the party for a few hours.
"Things has to be done fair and square," said Tom, when Jack announcedhis decision. "We'll get into town, as soon as it's light, and rouse upa lawyer. It'll take him an hour to prepare a draft same as Steve and Ihave. Then the sheriff'll have to sign it, and me and Steve too. Whenthe document's ready, you'd best hand it over to the bank, and give 'eminstructions to transfer it to their branch at Sacramento. They'll sendit _via_ New York and Panama, and thar ain't a doubt but that it'llreach. The lawyer'll make a second copy, so that in any case you'll beable to refer to the agreement if you want to."
"And we'd best put something into the draft that'll fix it right ef oneof us partners wants to clear," exclaimed Steve, who, though a silentman as a rule, was not backward in making suggestions when hisexperience told him they were needed. "Seems to me it might happen asone of us would want to leave fer New York or somewheares else. Wall,his money's in the firm, but he don't work no longer. And, sense workaer the thing that's mainly wanted, why, ef he leaves, he ain't nolonger of any use."
"Agreed," cried Tom instantly. "I'm ready to stand by that."
"And I also," added Jack. "We might put in a clause giving the remainingpartners the right to buy up the share of the one leaving, and to dothat they might sell it to an outsider if they hadn't the moneythemselves."
"Which'd be better than givin' the retirin' partner the right ofbringin' in someone as was his friend, and who mightn't hit it off witht'others," said Tom. "Now, that's a fair and square proposal, and efwe're all willin', why, it won't take more'n a few minutes longer ferthe lawyer feller ter stick in them extry clauses. While he's doin' thething, we'll get to the doctor's and have thet shoulder seen to, young'un. When you was took bad in the train, and lay thar as if you wasdead, this doctor man fixed the wound nicely for you. Lucky he jesthappened to be aboard. Wall, ter-morrer he'll take another look, andwe'll get him to fix us up with bandages and sich like. Now it's time tobe turning in."
Jack Kingsley lay awake for some time on this his first night with hisnew comrades. His surroundings were so entirely different from those hewas accustomed to, while even the accent and the language of the scoutswas so strange, that his brain was too full to allow of sleep. The stampof the horses outside, and the gentle whisper of the breeze as it blewagainst the canvas tilt, all served to keep him awake. Then, too, hiswound became distinctly painful, while he himself felt burning hot andicy cold in turns. However, at length he fell into a troubled sleepwhich lasted till the early morning.
"How aer yer?" asked Tom, who lay in a bunk on the other side of thewagon. "Fit as ever, youngster?"
Jack rose from his blanket couch and shook himself. After such a nighthe was not at all sure whether he did feel as fit as he should do. Butwithin ten minutes he was laughing and joking merrily; the keen morningair, the brilliant light of the rising sun, and the appetizing smellwafted from the steaming kettle all serving to rouse his spirits.
"Ye'll do, yer will," cried Tom some few minutes later, as he watchedour hero. "Guess yer hadn't the best o' nights. I sleeps light always,'cos where I've lived my days a man has to be easy waked, and ready at amoment fer action. I heard yer a-heavin' and a-tossin' in yer blankets,and I reckoned as the shoulder war a trifle troublesome. But ye've tookto yer breakfast. I never seed a fellow eat heartier. Seems as ef theair hereabouts agreed with yer."
"And as ef bein' shot war a thing as give him an appetite," laughedSteve. "But we'd best be movin' slippy into the town. I knows theselawyer fellers. They're all jaw, and thar ain't no makin' them hurry.Let's skip in thar right now, and the sooner we reach the chap, thesooner we'll be able ter git altogether."
Leaving Seth and his mates to clear the camp and make all preparationsfor their march, Tom and Steve and Jack walked briskly into the town. Acall was made at once on a lawyer, and, having given him the necessaryparticulars, they left him to prepare the agreement which would makeJack a partner in the firm.
"And now fer an outfit fer you, youngster," said Tom. "Ye're wantin' arifle and a revolver. Wall, ef yer go to a proper gunsmith, he'll fixyer up with anythin', but it'll cost money. Thar's fellers in thesetowns as buy weapons from hunters who aer in want of money, or fromminers returning east. They're the men to go to."
He led the way past the better part of the town, and dived into asmaller street built at right angles to the one they had just left.Then he stopped at a little shop, in the tiny window of which weredisplayed an assortment of articles.
"Jest leave the tradin' to me," he said. "Likely enough, ef yer was totry and fix the deal, the fellow would ask double his price, for thesemen aer wonderful cute at spottin' newcomers. Leave it ter me; I'vebought off him afore."
Tom indeed made an excellent bargainer, for within half an hour Jackfound himself possessed of a fine rifle, and a revolver which appearednever to have been used. Also, Tom bought for him a large quantity ofammunition.
"The whole dirt cheap at a hundred dollars," he said as they issued fromthe shop. "Now, all we've got ter buy is an anvil and sich tools asye'll want, 'cos that'll be your work in the partnership, besidesdiggin'. In a firm like ours each of the partners'll do what he kin, andas much as he kin, to get things going and to make dollars. Steve, thar,has the best eye fer locatin' a likely corner fer gold as ever I cameupon. But he ain't no good with the pick and spade; he's built toolight. Last time we was partners, 'way in Californy, guess me an a hiredman did most all the diggin'. But Steve did more'n his equal share ofwork for the firm, 'cos it was he who went nosin' round till he finallyhit upon the spot that panned out rich and gave us gold in plenty. Ha!here's the general stores. They'll likely enough have all we want."
They had, in fact, no difficulty in purchasing all the tools Jack waslikely to require, and arranged with the storekeeper to have them sentto their camp
at once. An anvil of moderate size, a bag of fuel, thenecessary tools, and a small portable forge were bought; and, that done,the trio returned to the lawyer's.
"Ready, gentlemen," he said, meeting them with a smile. "I know howimpatient you scouts and miners are, and I made a special effort topress on with the document. It is here, and we can go across to thesheriff right away. There the document can be duly signed and sealed,the money can be paid over, and the exchange duly witnessed."
Within an hour Jack found himself a member of the firm, with TomHorsfall and Steve as his partners, and, as he left the sheriff'soffice, could not refrain from silently contrasting his position thenwith what it had been a few weeks formerly. Then everything seemed to beagainst him, while a long imprisonment stared him in the face. But twodays ago he was a hunted criminal, seeking to make good his escape; andnow--so stimulating was the effect of the success his bold action on thetrain had met with, and the few kind words with which he had beengreeted--he feared to face no man, no, not even Constable Simpkins.
"I feel for the first time as if I had taken a step in the rightdirection," he said to himself, "the direction which will lead to thediscovery of that ruffian for whom I have suffered so much. I have metwith a stroke of amazing fortune, and have earned enough money to giveme a start. Well, I'll do my utmost to turn it to good account. I'llslave to make this partnership a success, and if it prove to be that,then I'll use what money I gain in tracking that criminal. For clear myname from this slur I will, even if it costs me every dollar I possess,and takes years and years to accomplish."
A visit to the doctor was made on the way back to camp, and having hadhis shoulder dressed, and careful instructions given for the future careof the wound, Jack returned to the camp with his friends.
"We didn't rightly know when you'd be returning," said Seth, "and so wedidn't hook in the beasts. But everything else is ready packed, and inten minutes we'll be movin'. That youngster had better climb into thewagon. It won't do that shoulder of his'n any good jolting on amustang."
Let the reader imagine the party as they marched from the town. In frontof the wagon rode three horsemen, such horsemen as are not to be metwith in any other country; for these hunters had the free-and-easy seatwhich comes from long custom. They rode, in fact, like others indifferent countries who use their legs so seldom that walking is alabour, and who climb into a saddle, even if they only wish to pass fromone tent to another. A fine picture Tom and Seth and Steve made as theyled the march. After them came the wagon, its team blowing, for theywere soft after a long rest and plenty of feeding, while beside thebeasts walked a negro, wielding a long whip, which cracked like a pistolshot when he flicked it. On the front sat Jack, radiantly happy, whilein rear rode five more scouts, alert and watchful even here; for such isthe force of habit.
And so they turned their faces from the towns and moved off into theplains--those long flats of country which stretched, with a break hereand there, right away to the mountains of Nevada.
"And by the time we reaches 'em yer'll be a scout same as we are," saidTom, riding his horse close beside the wagon. "As soon as that 'ereshoulder aer better yer'll be able to mount and ride same as us, andthen Steve'll set to with yer. Thar ain't another in Americky like himto larn a youngster all the ways o' huntin', and how to track and followa trail. Yer've jest to sit thar tight and get well, and out here on theplains, whar the air's pure, a fellow mends in no time."
This proved to be the case. The air of the plains is notoriouslyhealthy, and very soon Jack was able to use his arm. In three weeks hewas mounted, and then his real enjoyment of the trip began. Long beforethat he had become bosom friends with his mates, and found them morethan kindly. Tom alone knew his secret, but the remainder guessed thattheir new mate was a fugitive from justice.
"And why?" asked one of them with a laugh, as they sat round the campfire one evening. "'Cos Jack aer changed his colour. When he comed alongto the camp his haar war as black as a coal. Now it's carrots. If thatdon't point ter something, my name ain't Jacob."
There was a hearty laugh, and then the conversation was turned; for inthose parts no man enquired too closely into the past history of hismates. A man was judged for himself. If he was a good and true friendthat was enough. So Jack settled down amongst them, and quickly answeredto the name of "Carrots".
As to his companions on this long and venturesome journey across theplains which stretched between the point of their departure andCalifornia, they were without a shadow of doubt far more interestingthan those one usually met. Already the group of hunters had come uponparties of would-be miners journeying to the land of gold, and Jack wasforced to confess--it was brought home to him accidentally as it were,but forcibly for all that--that the men they had met were poor specimensfor the most part. Often enough the bands were composed of clerks fromthe cities, of storekeepers who had lost their all in their venture attrading, and sometimes, mixed up with these men of the towns, who, tosay the best of them, were by their previous lives and experience whollyunsuited to the new career at which they aimed, were men from a highersphere--dentists, doctors, soldiers, sailors, and even an actor or two.Poorly developed for the most part, the glaring sun beneath which theymarched, and the open-air life which their journey forced them to lead,had given them a colour to which many no doubt had been strangersbefore. But no amount of exposure could give them experience of theplains--that experience which could be learned only after years oftravelling, and which was so essential to them.
"It makes a man ache, so it do," said Seth, after they had bade farewellto one of these bands, which was hopelessly delayed by the loss of theirdraught horses. "Them poor critters would be better off back in thetowns instead of coming out here. In course they're delayed. Chances arethar's some of 'em never had ter do with a hoss till now, and they ain'ta notion when ter feed and water him, when ter work him fer all he'sworth, and when ter give him a rest. In course out here a hoss mostlyfeeds hisself. The grass is that good he'd get fat ef he warn't worked,and worked hard too. But thar's sech a thing as resting the critters inthe heat of the day, of grooming them occasionally, and of giving 'em afeed of corn when thar's a settlement handy. Them men we've jest leftain't no more notion of a hoss than they have of an Injun, and the wustof it are fer them that in the fust place the delay aren't all they'vegot ter suffer, while in the second it are generally a case of bein'clean and regular wiped out. Huh!"
Jack could not help but contrast his friends with these unhappy andinexperienced men the party had come upon. He looked about him as hejogged along, and was fain to confess that there was essentially abusiness air about his mates--an air of the plains, an atmosphere whichspoke of independence, of courage, of that resource without which nohunter or scout in those days could have survived for long. Ahead of himrode the burly Tom, the first man to befriend him. Jack could catch aview of the tips of his long, flowing fair moustache blowing back ateither side of his cheeks. What a seat the man had! He seemed to be apart of the animal he rode, and yet there was no effort about hishorsemanship. To look at him he simply lounged in his saddle. Yet, asmany an incident had proved, Tom was not to be easily shaken from hisseat. A sudden start of his animal, a plunge, a trip over some hiddenhole produced the same result. The burly Tom sat still at ease, thepicture of contentment. And beside him jogged Steve, the wiry little manwho has already been introduced to the reader. Taciturn and silent as ageneral rule, this little man, so fine drawn and lean, could on occasionbe almost garrulous. But his features seldom wore other than a seriouslook. His keen eye was always watchful.
"Jest as I told yer," remarked Tom one day. "Steve aer always lookin'round. He aer always expecting something, and fer that reason thar ain'ta scout as I'd sooner ride with. Ef you're dull and sleepy yerself,thar's Steve to watch fer yer."
Let the reader glance at those others who had banded themselves withJack and his mates. Seth, Tricky Seth, a picture of good health andmanliness: sunburned to the last degree, scarred across the forehead asthe
result of a toss from a horse when much younger, bearded andmoustached, and as handsome a man as one could meet in a week's march.Yet how simple the man was! In spite of his good looks, of his obviouspower, of a frame which was magnificently put together, this Seth waslike an overgrown boy--jolly the day long, friendly with all, howeverhumble, and ready to lend a hand to the first who needed help. Therewere no airs and graces about this scout.
Then turn to Jacob. Heavy and dull of feature, more taciturn than Steveeven, if that were possible, this silent scout seemed to be permanentlyoccupied with his thoughts. Of huge proportions, he moved as a generalrule with a sluggishness and a want of celerity which were in distinctcontrast with the sprightliness and alertness of Steve. But the man knewthe plains by heart. He had been born, one might say, with a gun in hishand; and where horses were concerned there was not another to be foundwho could teach him.
"He aer got the appearance of a parson or a teacher," laughed Tom, "butJacob ain't always thinkin'. Reckon he kin be lively when he likes; andef he took to runnin' yer or me for a mile, guess we'd come in last by agoodish bit. And yer should jest see him when he's got a grip of theribbons. I've seen a hull heap of men runnin' teams, and sometimes it'smules, and t'others it's hosses. Wall, it don't make no sorterdifference ter Jacob what the beasts aer. Reckon ef they was buffalohe'd fix 'em jest the same. It aer a treat to see him steering a teamacross bad country, and when we comes ter settlements, and he aerconducting the outfit, why, guess it makes them city folks open theireyes. Jacob aer a man fer hosses."
Then there was Black Bill, laughing and full of fun, but a thorough manof the plains for all that. Dusky of complexion, of medium height, Billcould hold his own with anyone when it came to the management of cattle,for he had spent some years in the stockyards. And it was reported thateven Steve himself had seen no more of the Indians. Bill had experienceda deal of fighting.
Of Tom Langham and David there is little to report. The one was as leanas Steve, but lankier, and amongst his friends was a reputed yarner.There were few who could tell a fireside tale as Tom Langham could.David was more of Jacob's stamp, with little to make him distinctive.And yet, put all these men together, with our hero Jack accompanyingthem, and even a novice in those parts, a city man, would have foundsomething to hold his attention. It was that subtle air of businesswhich these scouts carried with them wherever they went, the air whichwarned ruffians of the road to leave them severely alone, and madeIndians cautious of attacking them. No wonder that Jack consideredhimself lucky. He was in the very best of hands, and if only his journeyto California turned out as favourably as the beginning augured, thenhe promised himself success. Who could say? Perhaps in that country ofglorious skies, of sunrises and sunsets, he would discover more thangold. It might even happen, unlikely though it seemed, that there amidstthe miners he might come upon that evidence for which he sought, thatman whose word alone could clear his character, could make of him onceagain a respected citizen of that town from which he had so latelyfled.