hunting expedition, Tim volunteered toaccompany him; and I, after a considerable amount of persuasion, inducedmy father to let me go also. Rochford, having thought over the matter,consented to accept our assistance, believing that he could beanswerable for our safety. It was impossible that so large a body ofIndians could move through the country without leaving a well-definedtrail, and we should thus be able to ascertain the direction they hadtaken, and to keep out of their way. Both Tim and I, having so longlived in the wilds, were well able also to take care of ourselves; andwe promised not to go farther from the fort than was necessary to reachthe ground where game was to be found.
Rochford promised to leave his dog behind him, as not only might itstrail be discovered, but, though the animal was useful in many respects,it was not required for deer-shooting. A small party like ours was muchmore likely to escape observation than a large one, so that we hoped toget back to the fort without difficulty.
Taking with us an ample supply of ammunition, and some cooked food toprevent the necessity of lighting a fire, we set out a short time beforedaybreak, so that, should any of the Indians by chance be approachingthe fort, our departure might not be discovered. Rochford led, followedby Tim and me in Indian file, we all three keeping our eyes around us,and our ears open for any sounds which might show the presence of anenemy. We had reached the thicker part of the forest by the time thebright streaks in the east announced the rising of the sun. We soondiscovered a track made by the deer on their passage to a neighbouringpool. Rochford stationed Tim and me behind some thick bushes where wecould lie concealed and have a good chance of shooting a couple of theanimals on their passage to or from the water; while he carefullyexplored the country farther to the north, to ascertain whether theIndians, as he supposed was the case, had really gone in that direction.It was truly hunting under difficulties. Should any Indians be near,the sound of our shots would reach them, and it would be no easy matterto conceal ourselves from their keen eyes, which would discover thetrail we could not avoid making. However, we had not waited long, whena fine stag, followed by two does, came walking leisurely along, littlesuspecting the fate awaiting them. Tim fired, and knocked over thestag, while I killed one of the does. The other was bounding off, whenTim brought her down with his second barrel.
Delighted at our success, we rushed out, eager to secure our prey,forgetting altogether the possibility that enemies might be in theneighbourhood. We were busily employed in clearing out the inside ofthe deer, so that we might the more easily carry them, when I heard asound among the trees a little distance off. Both Tim and I, havingreloaded our rifles, retreated behind the bushes from which we hademerged, and knelt down, ready to defend ourselves against any enemy whomight appear. Our minds were soon relieved, however, as we saw Rochfordstep out from the brushwood. He looked somewhat astonished at seeingthe three deer on the ground, and greeted us heartily, as we presentedourselves, on our success. He was satisfied, he told us, that we mightcontinue our hunting, as he had discovered the Indian trail leading duenorth, and had no doubt that the party had been summoned by Oceola toproceed in that direction. Having packed up the venison so that wemight carry it, we secured it to the boughs of a tree, and continued oursearch for more deer. We were fortunate enough to kill three or fourothers in the course of the morning.
As it was necessary to convey the venison to the fort without delay, weset off, each loaded with as much as he could carry, intending to returnwith a horse and a couple of men for the remainder. Our arrival washailed with infinite satisfaction by our friends, and Lejoillie andanother man volunteered at once to accompany us. Spotted Wolf, seeingus about to set off, begged that he might also go. As he had come intoour camp voluntarily, it was difficult to refuse him without showingthat we suspected his honesty. On perceiving that Captain Nortonhesitated, he declared that he was as willing to remain as to go; but hethought that he might be of service in assisting to obtain game, andthat he had another reason for offering to join the party.Notwithstanding the suspicions which had been entertained of him,somewhat to my surprise Captain Norton consented.
"We shall have to repent it, depend upon that," said Carlos. "I shouldlike to go too, for the sake of keeping my eye on him; but Uncle Michaelsays he won't allow me. He has the right to permit you to run any risk,but he has to answer for my safety to my father. Still, I advise you towatch him narrowly; and do not scruple to shoot the fellow should heshow any inclination to play you a treacherous trick."
I replied that I could not undertake to shoot the man, but should watchhim as far as I had the power.
After Rochford, Tim, and I had taken some food and rested, we set outwith our fresh companions. We were again successful. In the evening weagreed to camp out, hoping to kill the next morning as much deer as weand the horse could carry together. Lejoillie was in high spirits, hisvolubility contrasting with Rochford's taciturnity. We camped in thecentre of a wood, so that the flames of our fire might be concealed; andwe took good care to examine the neighbourhood, to ascertain that no onewas concealed there. We had, of course, an abundance of venison forsupper. Having finished our meal, we lay down to rest, Lejoillievolunteering to keep the first watch. I was to have the second, andRochford and Tim the third and fourth; for we did not invite the Indianand the other men to keep guard. We lay down as close to the fire as wecould, that the smoke might assist in keeping off the mosquitoes andother stinging insects. Spotted Wolf, observing that he was indifferentas to their bites, rolled himself up in a blanket which had been givenhim at the fort, and lay down a short distance off, at the foot of thenearest tree. I remember, as I closed my eyes, seeing Lejoillie walkingup and down, his rifle in his hand, now approaching the horse, which wastethered close at hand, at a spot where the grass was abundant, nowtaking a look at the Indian, who appeared to be sound asleep. It seemedto me not a minute after my eyes had been shut that I heard Lejoillie'svoice rousing me to keep my watch. The fire was lower than I expectedto find it. I asked him why he had not kept it up.
"Better not to have more blaze than we can help," he answered. "It isjust possible, too, that I may have dozed for a moment while I sat downagainst a tree. However, no harm is done; and I will now finish mynap." Saying this, he threw himself on the ground in the place I hadjust left vacant.
"I suspect that our friends, as you also, will thank me for putting somemore sticks on the fire," I observed. "The smoke will help to drive offthe mosquitoes, which have been biting abominably; and I heard thembuzzing round my ears the moment you called me."
I found by my watch that Lejoillie had allowed nearly an hour to passsince he ought to have aroused me, and that I should in consequence havebut a short time to stand sentry. Taking up my rifle, I determined tobe more wakeful than he had been. I stepped towards where Spotted Wolfwas lying. He appeared to me to be sleeping soundly, with his headcovered up in his blanket, and his feet thrust into a heap of leaves.The horse was farther off than it had been before, and I supposed thatLejoillie had shifted its tether so as to allow it to obtain more grass.I continued pacing up and down, now and then stopping to throw a fewmore sticks on the fire. The stars shone bright overhead, but there wasno moon, and the lean-tos threw a dark shadow over the ground around, sothat, except when the flames burst up, I could distinguish nothingclearly at any distance from the camp. The usual sounds which were wontto reach our ears during darkness in the forest were alone heard: thescreeching of some night-bird, the croaking of frogs, the burr and buzzof insects innumerable, and occasionally a rustling among the drypalmetto leaves, which I knew was probably produced by a rattlesnake. Iwas thankful when I saw that it was time to call up Rochford. While Iwas arousing him, I thought I heard the sound of a horse moving rapidlyover the ground.
"Hark!" I exclaimed, "can that be our horse which has got loose?" Weboth looked in the direction where we had last seen the animal, but itwas nowhere visible.
"It has got loose somehow or other. We must try to catch it," criedRoc
hford.
Before I followed him, I sprang forward to where I supposed the Indianwas sleeping. I lifted the blanket,--a heap of leaves alone was beneathit. He was gone. There could be no doubt that he had carried off thehorse. We might as well try to overtake a fleet deer as to attempt tocatch him on foot. I shouted to Rochford, fearing that he might be ledtoo far from the camp to be able to regain it.
"Spotted Wolf has escaped, and has gone off with the horse!" I criedout.
My voice aroused our sleeping companions, who sprang to their feet.Fortunately Rochford had heard me, and came back. We at once held aconsultation as to what was to be done. It was the general opinion thatSpotted Wolf would rejoin our late assailants, and probably bring themdown upon us. We therefore agreed to load ourselves with the venison,and set off at once for the fort. Lejoillie was very much ashamed ofhimself, as it was