CHAPTER XXIV.--OUT OF THE DEPTHS.
The delight of Sam Willett and his friends at being out of the greatcanyon compensated them in part for the severe trials through which theyhad recently passed, and with the disappearance of the stupendous wallsof the Colorado they believed all their troubles would vanish.
Daylight convinced them that they had encamped for the night in a spotthat seemed like an Eden when compared with their recent resting-places,though back from the charming little valley the rocks rose straight upto a height nearly as great as those of the main river.
Hungry people care more for the quantity than the variety of their food,and so the boys made a hearty breakfast of the goodly supply of broiledrabbits, and then started to find a way out of the valley.
Sam and Ulna soon discovered that though they could not take the raftmuch further up the side canyon, that they could march along its bed atthe bottom of which flowed a little stream of clear, cool water.
They came back to camp, made up their arms, blankets and remainingsupplies into four bundles, and Sam announced that they would follow upthe stream on foot, for its direction was directly toward Hurley'sGulch.
With wise precaution Sam made fast the raft, for though such an eventwas to be dreaded, he wanted to have it within reach if they were againforced to go back to the canyon in which they had suffered so much.
"Golly!" exclaimed Ike, as they took up their line of march along thestream, "dis seems like ole times."
"How so?" asked Sam, who was always pleased to see the colored boy in agood humor.
"W'y, we're totin' oursels instead of habin' de raft tote us. I 'clar togoodness, I nebber wants to see a raft agin the longest day I lib. Izedone wif rafts foreber and eber, amen."
"Duno," said Wah Shin, who seemed always very solemn, "dat laft sabe us,me no go backe on laft. No laft, den we allee dead."
Maj barked approval of this and began to leap on every one in turn toshow his delight at the new method of travel.
They found no serious obstacles in the canyon, though the sharp graderose in a way that indicated they were rising rapidly to the table landsabove.
Late in the afternoon they came to a spring near the head of the ravinealong which they had been marching all day, and, as it was well known toall that water and fuel were scarce in the uplands, it was decided tostay here for the night.
While Ike and Wah Shin gathered dry cactus and weeds to make a fire,Ulna shouted to them not to make a light till he came back; thenmotioning to Sam to follow him he led the way up a steep ascent, thesummit of which promised a view of the surrounding country.
After a half hour's clambering they reached the top, and after thecramped range of vision that recently hemmed them in, the sight that nowgladdened their eyes was thrilling and inspiring beyond expression.
A table land, nearly devoid of vegetation, broken here and there bychasms, or stately pillars of sand rock came to view under a blaze ofgolden sun-light that poured down from a cloudless sky with a splendornearly blinding in its brilliancy.
Away to the east the wall of the Sierra Madre mountains rose up like anamethystine rampart, the snow peaks glowing in the light of thedeclining sun like mighty masses of fire opal.
After inhaling a long breath, the better to give expression to hissurprise and delight, Sam exclaimed in the poetical language of Mrs.Hemans:
"For the strength of the hills we bless Thee, my God, our father's God!"
Ulna's fine face, though usually calm and impassive, now showed muchfeeling, but that this was not due to the glorious scenery about themwas soon evident.
"Sam," he said, "I didn't care to speak to you before Ike and Wah Shin,for I did not want to excite them, but I saw something down there at thespring that troubles me very much."
"What was that?" asked Sam.
"A track."
"What kind of a track?"
"An Indian's."
"But this is the hunting ground of your people, the Utes, why should wefear?"
"There would be no war if the different tribes of men were content tostay in their own hunting grounds, but that track was made by anApache," said Ulna, with more than usual seriousness.
"How do you know it was made by an Apache?"
"By the impression of the sole of the moccasin. The Mezcarillas have thesole in two pieces, sewed together down the middle; the Utes havetheir's in one."
"But the Apaches have recently made a treaty of peace with the whites;why should we fear them?" said Sam.
"The Apaches will break the treaty, or will defy it, if they can do sowith safety. But they have never made a treaty with the Utes. Forgenerations they have been at war with my people, and if they knew I washere they would be after my scalp with the hunger of wolves."
"They could not take yours unless they took mine," said Sam, reachingout his hand to prove his sincerity.
"I am certain of that, Sam; but I do not want to add to your dangers andtroubles, if I cannot lessen them."
"Of course not, Ulna, but I do not understand you."
"It may be that the Apaches, and I am not sure they are about, will letyou and the others go on without harm, while if they discover me theywill be sure to make an attack on all of us," said Ulna, speaking veryslowly, but with a strong, steady voice.
"Well, we can't help that. If they attack us we shall be able to showthat we have rifles and know how to handle them," said Sam, bravely.
"This is what I have been thinking," continued Ulna. "I can make my wayalone from here faster than the four of us can, and I can elude theApaches as the hawk eludes the wild-cat. If I can reach Hurley's Gulch Ican start men out to your relief; if I fail you will be none the worseoff."
"This is too serious a matter to decide at once," said Sam. "Even tosave the lives of the others, I would not increase your danger----"
"But what if the danger of all is increased by my staying here?"
"Then I should say go, but let us go down to the spring and think it allover. I am sure we can tell Ike and Wah Shin about this; they are bothplucky and faithful."
"As you say," was Ulna's reply, and he cast a quick glance about thehorizon before descending from the rock on which they had been standing.
"What do you see?" asked Sam, looking eagerly in the direction of Ulna'sfixed eyes.
"Apaches!" was the whispered reply.
"Where?"
"Off to the south."
Looking in the direction pointed out by Ulna, Sam saw, low down on theedge of the horizon, a number of pigmy figures that but for theirmovements might have passed for bunches of cactus.
"Are they coming this way?" asked Sam, unconsciously tightening his gripon his rifle, while his heart beat faster.
"I cannot tell that, but if they should come they must not find ushere."
Ulna sprang down the rocks, followed by Sam, and they found Ike and WahShin about to start a fire.
"You must make no fire to-night," said Sam.
"What foh?" asked Ike, who had a strong prejudice in favor of hot food.
"Because we are afraid there are Indians near by."
"Injuns!" exclaimed Ike, and he pressed his hands to the top of hishead, as if to keep down his rising scalp.
"Yes; we must fill our canteens with water and move from here at once."
"But whar to, Mistah Sam?"
"To the shelter of some rocks not far from the head of this ravine. Letthe fire go, Wah Shin, we can get along without it to-night."
"Me no likee bad Injun; me no kalee fo' fi'," said Wah Shin, as hekicked over the pile of fuel, and hurriedly began to fill the fourcanteens.
The sun had set and the chilling shadows were creeping up from thecanyons, in which they seemed to have their home during the day, when Samand Ulna led the way into the broad plateau of the upper world.
The mass of rocks in which they sought shelter was close to the head ofthe rift.
The increasing darkness favored their reaching these rocks without beingseen by any one
not near by.
This was an admirable hiding place, and in the event of trouble it hadevery advantage for observation and defense.
In the midst of these rocks they ate their supper, and Sam detailed theguards for the night.
His greatest fear was that the dog might reveal, by growling, theirhiding place to any who might come near. To guard against this as muchas possible, he fastened a rope muzzle about the dog's head and told Iketo watch him.
Some three hours of darkness had passed when Ike called out:
"See har, Mistah Sam, this yar dog scents somethin' an' I can't hold himto save my life."