CHAPTER XVI.
SUNBEAM.
The situation of the fugitives was most critical, as the Indians hadstated; the number of their warriors hourly increased, and on both sidesof the island there were large encampments, indicated by numerous fires.
The day passed in this way, and there was no attack. No incident evendisturbed the tranquillity of the robbers till about the middle of thefollowing night. At this moment the darkness was thick, and not a starglistened in the sky; the moon, obscured by clouds, only displayed herpallid disc at intervals.
One of those intense fogs which frequently prevail at this season on theRio Gila, had fallen, and ended by confusing all objects; the banks ofthe river had disappeared from sight, and even the Indian campfires wereno longer visible. The hunters, seated in a circle, maintained thedeepest silence; each was yielding to the flood of bitter thoughts thatrose from his heart. All at once, amid the silence of the night, aconfused and indistinct sound was audible, like that of a paddlestriking the side of a canoe.
"Hilloh! what's the meaning of this?" Valentine said. "Can the Apachesbe dreaming of surprising us?"
"Let us have a look, at any rate," Don Pablo remarked.
The five men rose, and glided silently through the bushes, in thedirection of the sound which had aroused them. After proceeding acertain distance, Valentine stopped to listen.
"I am certain I was not mistaken," he said to himself; "it was the soundproduced by a paddle falling in a canoe that I heard. Who can have cometo visit us? Perhaps it is some Indian deviltry."
And the hunter sounded the darkness around him with his piercing andunerring eye. All at once, he fancied he saw an object moving in thefog. He went on; then after carefully examining this person, who grewevery moment more and more distinct, he drew himself up, and leant onhis rifle.
"What the deuce do you want here at this hour, Sunbeam, my dear child?"he asked in a low voice.
The young Indian squaw, for it was really she whom the hunter hadaddressed, laid a finger on her lip as if recommending prudence.
"Follow me, Koutonepi," she said to him so softly that her voiceresembled a sigh.
After going a few yards, the girl stooped, and made the hunter a sign tofollow her example.
"Look," she said, pointing to one of those long and light canoes whichthe Indians hollow out of enormous trees, and which carry ten personswith ease. "Look."
Valentine, in spite of his self-command, had difficulty in suppressing acry of joy. He held out his hand, saying with considerable emotion:
"My brave girl!"
"Sunbeam remembers," the Indian girl replied with a smile, "thatKoutonepi saved her; the heart of the white lady is kind, Sunbeam wishesto save them all."
The first moment of emotion past, the hunter, who was thoroughlyacquainted with the cunning and roguery of the redskins, bent ascrutinising gaze on the girl. The Indian's face had an expression ofhonesty which commanded confidence, and Valentine entered the canoe.
It contained paddles, provisions, and, what caused him more pleasurethan all else, six large buffalo horns, full of gunpowder, and two bagsof bullets.
"Good!" he said, "my daughter is grateful, Wacondah will protect her."
Sunbeam's face expanded at these words.
At this moment Don Pablo and the other hunters rejoined Valentine, andlearned with delight what had happened; the sight of the canoe restoredthem all their energy. Shaw remained on guard, while Valentine,accompanied by the others, and Sunbeam, returned to Dona Clara, whomanxiety had aroused.
"Here is a new friend I present to you," the hunter said, pointing tothe young Indian, who stood timidly behind him.
"Oh! I know her," Dona Clara replied, as she embraced the girl, who wasquite confused by these caresses.
"But tell me, Sunbeam," Valentine said, after the expiration of amoment, "how comes it that you arrived here?"
The Indian girl smiled haughtily.
"Unicorn is a great warrior," she answered; "he has the glance of theeagle, he knows all that happens in the prairie; he saw the danger hisbrother, the great paleface hunter, ran, and his heart trembled withsadness."
"Yes," Valentine said, "the chief loves me."
The Indian continued.
"Unicorn sought a mode of coming to his brother's assistance; he waswandering along the riverbank when the fog supplied him with the meanshe so greatly desired; he placed Sunbeam in a canoe, ordered her tocome, and she came with joy, laughing at the Apache dogs, whose moleeyes could not perceive her, when she passed in front of them."
"Yes, it must be so," Valentine said, "but why did not the chief comehimself with his warriors, instead of sending you?"
"Unicorn is a sachem," the squaw answered, "he is wise and prudent as heis brave. The warriors had remained in the village; the chief was alonewith Sunbeam."
"May heaven grant that your words be sincere, and that we may not havecause to repent having placed confidence in you," Don Pablo said.
"Sunbeam is a Comanche woman," the Indian replied haughtily; "her heartis red, and her tongue is not forked."
"I answer for her," Dona Clara said, impetuously; "she would not deceiveus."
"I believe it," Valentine said; "but, at any rate, we shall see. Thereis some honour among the redskins; besides, we shall be prudent. Now, Ipresume that, like myself, you are all anxious to quit this island? Myadvice is, that we should at once take advantage of the canoe this youngwoman has brought us."
"It is true, then," Dona Clara said joyfully, as she sprang up.
"Yes," Valentine answered, "a magnificent canoe, in which we shall beperfectly at our ease; and, better still, it is capitally found in foodand ammunition. Still, I think we should not do wrong by takingadvantage of the fog to escape, without giving the Indians a chance ofseeing us."
"Be it so," Don Pablo said; "but once on firm ground, what road shall wefollow, as we have no horses? Come, Sunbeam, can you give us any adviceon that head?"
"Listen," the young squaw said; "the Apaches are preparing for a greatexpedition. They have called under arms all their brethren; and morethan three thousand warriors are traversing the prairie in everydirection at this moment. Their war parties hold all the paths. Twonations alone would not respond to the invitation of the Apaches: theyare the Comanches and the Navajos. The villages of my tribe are not faroff, and I can try to lead you to them."
"Very good," Don Pablo answered. "From what you tell us, the riverbanksare guarded. Going up the Gila in a canoe is impossible, because withintwo hours we should be inevitably scalped. I am therefore of opinionthat we should proceed by the shortest road to the nearest Comanche orNavajo village. But, to do that, we require horses, for we must let nograss grow under our feet."
"Only one road is open," Sunbeam said, firmly.
"Which?" Don Pablo asked.
"The one that crosses the Apache camp."
"Hum!" Valentine muttered, "That seems to me very dangerous. We areonly seven, and two of them are women."
"That is true," Eagle-wing remarked, who had hitherto been silent; "butit is, at the same time, the road which offers the best chances ofsuccess."
"Let us hear your plan, then," Valentine asked.
"The Apaches," the sachem went on, "are numerous; they believe uscrushed and demoralised by the critical position in which we are. Theywill never suppose that five men will have the audacity to enter theircamp; and their security is our strength."
"Yes, but horses! Horses!" the hunter objected.
"The Wacondah will provide them," the chief replied. "He never abandonsbrave men, who place their confidence in him."
"Well, let us trust in Heaven!" Valentine said.
"I believe," said Dona Clara, who had listened to the conversation withdeep attention, "that the advice of our friend, the Indian warrior, isgood, and we ought to follow it."
Eagle-wing bowed, while a smile of satisfaction played over his face.
"Let it be as you desire," the hunter said, turn
ing to the young Mexicangirl, "we will start without further delay."
The cry of the jay was heard twice.
"Hilloh!" the hunter went on, "What is going on now? That is Shaw'ssignal."
Everybody seized his weapon, and proceeded at full speed in thedirection whence the signal came; Dona Clara and Sunbeam remainingbehind, concealed in a thicket.
Though unable to guess the motive which had caused Sunbeam to act in theway she had done, Dona Clara had however, understood at the first word,with that intuition which women possess, that Sunbeam was to betrusted--that in the present case she was acting under the impression ofa good thought, and was entirely devoted to them for some reason oranother. Hence she bestowed the most affectionate caresses on her.
Knowing, besides, the desire for rapine and the avarice which are thefoundation of the redskin character generally, she took off a goldbracelet she wore on her right arm, and fastened it on the Indian's,whose joy and happiness were raised to their acme by this prettypresent.
Seduced by this unexpected munificence, although already devoted toValentine by the services he had rendered her, she attached herselfunreservedly to Dona Clara.
"The pale virgin need not feel alarmed," she said in her soft andmusical voice; "she is my sister. I will save her, with the warriors whoaccompany her."
"Thanks," Dona Clara answered, "my sister is good; she is the wife of agreat chief; I shall ever be her friend. So soon as I have rejoined myfather, I will make her presents far more valuable than this."
The young Indian clapped her dainty little hands, in sign of joy.
"What is the matter there?" Valentine asked, on reaching Shaw, who,lying on the ground with his rifle thrust forward, seemed trying topierce the darkness.
"On my honour, I do not know," the latter replied simply, "but it seemsas if something extraordinary were going on around us. I see shadowsmoving about the river, but can distinguish nothing, owing to the fog; Ihear dull sounds, and plashing in the water, and I fancy that theIndians are going to attack us."
"Yes," Valentine muttered, as if speaking to himself, "these are theirfavourite tactics. They like to surprise their enemies, so let us lookout for the canoe."
At this instant, a black mass pierced the fog, advancing slowly andnoiselessly up to the island.
"Here they are," Valentine said, in a low voice. "Attention! Do not letthem land."
The hunters hid themselves behind the shrubs. Valentine was notmistaken: it was a raft loaded with Indian warriors coming up. So soonas the Apaches were only a few yards from the island, five shots werefired simultaneously, which spread death and disorder among them.
The Apaches believed they should surprise their enemies asleep, and werefar from expecting so rough a reception. Seeing their plans foiled, andthat the enemy were ready for action, there was a momentary hesitation;still, shame gained the victory over prudence, and they continued toadvance.
This raft was the vanguard of some dozen others, still hidden in thefog, awaiting the result of the reconnoissance made by the first. If thehunters were awake, they had orders to return without attacking them,which they obeyed. The first raft had the same instructions, but it hadeither got into a current which urged it on, or, as was more probable,the Indians wished to avenge their comrades, and they consequentlyadvanced.
This time the word of command was given by Valentine, and the Apacheslanded without being disturbed. They all rushed forward brandishingtheir clubs, and uttering their war yell, but were received with clubbedrifles, felled or drowned, ere they had scarce time to walk a couple ofpaces on land.
"Now," Valentine said coldly, "we shall be quiet the whole night. I knowthe Indians, they will not recommence the attack. Don Pablo, be so goodas to warn Dona Clara: Shaw and the Coras warrior will get the canoeready, and, if you think proper, we will start at once."
Curumilla had already prepared to pull the canoe into a more suitablespot for embarking than the mass of tall grass and shrubs in which itwas concealed, but, as he was about to leap into it, he fancied he sawthat it was sensibly moving from the bank.
Curumilla, much surprised, stepped into the river, in order to discoverthe cause of this unusual movement. The canoe was moving further andfurther, and was already three or four yards from the bank. Completelyliberated from the reeds, it was cutting the current at right angles,with a continuous and regular movement, which proved that it was obeyingsome secret and intelligent influence.
Curumilla, more and more surprised, but determined to know the truth,proceeded silently to the bow of the boat, and then all was explained.An end of rope, intended to tie up the canoe and prevent it fromdrifting, was hanging over; an Apache was holding this end between histeeth, and swimming vigorously in the direction of the camp, draggingthe canoe with him.
"My brother is fatigued," Curumilla said, ironically; "he must let me inmy turn direct the canoe."
"Ouchi!" the Indian exclaimed, in his alarm; and, letting loose therope, he dived. Curumilla dived upon him. For some minutes the river wasagitated by a submarine shock, and then the two men reappeared on thesurface. Curumilla held the Apache tightly by the throat.
He then drew his knife, buried it twice in the Indian's heart and liftedhis scalp, and letting go of the corpse, which floated swiftly on theriver, he leaped into the canoe, which during the short struggle hadcontinued to drift, and brought it back to the isle.
"Hilloh!" Valentine said, laughing; "Where on earth do you come from,chief? I thought you were lost." Without uttering a syllable, Curumillashowed him the bloody scalp hanging from his girdle.
"Good," said Valentine; "I comprehend; my brother is a great warrior,nothing escapes him."
The Araucano smiled proudly. The little party had collected; theembarkation took place at once, and the men, each seizing a paddle,began crossing the river slowly and silently, thanks to Curumilla'sprecaution of muffling the paddles with leaves.
The hearts of these men, brave as they were, palpitated with fear, forthey did not yet dare believe in the success of their daring project.