CHAPTER XV
Pursued by Unknown Enemies
For the better part of an hour Hank led his two comrades across thesnow-clad side of the hill, guiding them between the trees of the patchof forest land which they had now entered, and keeping always to thewest. Then, without show of hesitation, he plunged into a wide-openstrip across which could be traced, even at a distance, the tracks leftby the two moose they had so recently accosted. Nor did he slacken hispace till a second belt of forest land appeared, and the trio had oncemore dived into cover.
"You kin sit down and rest awhile and get yer breath," he said shortly."Me and Beaver Jack'll watch to see what's happenin' to them varmint.Gee! I'd give a pile of dollars to know who they are and for whythey've taken it into their ugly heads to follow and attack us. Youain't got no notion, Jack?"
The Indian, who had already thrown himself down beneath an evergreenwith his face turned in the direction in which they had been coming,merely grunted. It seemed almost as if he considered an answersuperfluous. Then, as Hank repeated his question somewhatperemptorily, the Redskin swung over on to his right side and lookedback at the hunter.
"Not sure," he said. "Bad men, anyway; half-breeds, p'raps. But wantto kill us; maybe they think there is money."
"Then they're jest makin' an almighty error," grinned Hank, who seemedto be amused at the idea, and who, in any case, desperate though theposition might be, seemed in no way put out or bereft of his usualcheeriness and assurance. "They're jest making a tarnation error efmoney's what they're after, for Joe and I ain't got much more than theprice of a tin of 'bacca between us. We've sunk it in land, Jack, landas thieves like them can't grab. But half-breeds they are, I'd guess;though why they should follow us beats me hollow. P'raps they'redischarged servants of the Hudson Bay Company, and, happenin' to fallacross our tracks, thought to knock us over the heads and clear allthat we've got. There's two sides to that sort of business. I ain'tnever allowed people to give me knocks without rousin' trouble, andguess them 'ere varmint is in fer a little now. Joe, ha' you got anysort o' notion who they could be?"
Was it likely that our hero could have even an idea? After all, hisexperience of Canada was decidedly limited. It is true that the monthshe had spent with Peter Strike had taught him a great deal, while hisstay in the lumber camp, and the unending yarns of the men whengathered of an evening round the fire, had furnished him with many alittle incident telling of the life of the settlers and also of oldcolonists. Indeed, there were men there who had passed to the north asfar as Hudson Bay, and who, when pressed, had spoken of the long, darkwinters, of the sparse population, of the half-breeds to be found atand about the forts erected by the all-dominating Hudson Bay Company.But search his memory as he might, there was nothing in those yarns togive him an inkling as to who these marauders could be; in fact, he hadgathered that life was peculiarly secure even in the out-of-the-wayparts of the Dominion. Why, therefore, should he and his two comradeshave been so suddenly and unexpectedly attacked?
"Beats me, Hank," he exclaimed, shaking his head. "I got wonderingonce whether it could be Hurley, who somehow got to learn that you andI were off for a prospecting tour. But is it likely?"
The little hunter stuffed the bowl of his thin pipe with one firmfinger tip, while he stared away across the open along the tracks whichhe and his comrades had made. It was clear that his eyes were hardlyobserving his surroundings. He was thinking deeply, and his coon-skincap, though it was pulled low down on to his forehead, failed to hidethe deep wrinkles which had suddenly appeared, and which even ran downover his brows to the corners of the eyes. He struck a match--for thatwas one of the luxuries of civilization which he clung to in thebackwoods, though Beaver Jack was above such trivial help--and slowlylit the weed.
"I never thought o' that," he said at last; "but it ain't likely.You've got to bear in mind that Hurley ha got a rope round his neckevery day of the week and every hour of his life. He aer likely to beinformed against every time he sets his ugly nose near the settlements;and sense you may say as he's always in danger of being taken, itstands to reason that he ain't going to risk his neck jest for the sakeof gettin' quits with two of the chaps who helped to chase him. No, itain't reasonable. Seems to me as it aer likely that what Beaver Jacksays aer right. Them 'ere skunks is half-breeds out ter rob. They'veperhaps been huntin'. P'raps they belong to some station north ofthis, and has been sent along to get stores or to take a message,though as a general rule there ain't much of that sorter work done inthe winter. Anyways, they dropped on our trace and, seein' as therewas three of us, made up their minds to wipe us out. But ef they ain'tmighty careful they'll come up agin bad trouble afore they're mucholder."
That was the utmost that one could say of this mystery. After all,what difference did it make who these strangers might be? It could nothelp Joe and his friends to be sure of their names, not in theslightest. But still Joe puzzled. Could it be Hurley?
"Nonsense!" he told himself. "Hank must be right. The man would neverrisk his neck just on the offchance of killing a couple of the men whohelped to arrest him. All the same, I wish he'd never escaped, and inany case, I am awfully sorry about that envelope he took from me. I'vebothered about it a whole heap; for though I feel sure that thecontents were of no actual monetary value, yet there was some messageof great importance which Father wished me to have once I had made somesort of a place in the world. What could it have been?"
What, indeed? Of what use to worry, seeing that Hurley had relievedour hero of the missive, and then, when that rascal had been captured,though his dollar bills were forthcoming, there was no trace of theletter? It was gone. Perhaps even Hurley was already captured, whilethe men following at that moment, and still out of sight, hadundoubtedly no connection with the outlaw who had so nearly ended Joe'sattempts at settling in this vast dominion.
"Guess they've been bothered by the trees, and has had to climb out ofthe sledges and walk quiet," chuckled Hank, when a quarter of an hourhad passed without a sight of the enemy. "Now see here, mates, ourgame aer as clear as daylight. With this here snow all around we can'thope to smother our tracks and get clear off. Ef it war springtime, orsummer, a babe could do it. There's fifty ways more or less. We couldclimb a tree, sneak along from branch to branch in a wood same as thisand then drop into a river, takin' care to land somewhere whar therewas rock. In course, ef it snowed jest now that'd help us. But thenit ain't goin' to snow. There's nary a cloud in the sky, so it simplycomes to holding them off as long as we're able, and this here aer jestthe spot to work it. Guess me and Joe'll have a bite while Jackwatches. When we've done, he can have a turn."
It was an excellent proposal on the hunter's part, and Joe seized uponthe opportunity, for the brisk air and the excitement of the day hadgiven him a keen appetite, and our hero had become somewhat notoriousfor that since he came to this glorious country. He and Hank sat down,therefore, and, pulling some of their ready-cooked food from their packbags, made a hearty meal. Then Beaver Jack was relieved, while Joetook his place.
"Jest keep yer eyes skinned, and follow every inch of the line of thewood 'way across the open," said Hank. "I'm goin' to take a look roundon either hand and in front. It wouldn't do to sit tight here waitin'and waitin', and have them skunks round us up and come along towards usfrom the opposite direction. You kin never say what sort o' tricks ahalf-breed will be up to, so jest look lively."
He went off through the trees for all the world as if he were a ghost,his snowshoes making not so much as a sound. Joe lay flat on his facein the snow, taking the same position that Beaver Jack had selected.Placing his rifle a little to one side and somewhat in front, he staredsteadily across the open, watching the edge of the wood from which theyhad themselves lately emerged, and then gazing to right and to left.But not yet could he detect the presence of the enemy, and since theywere not there, he fell again to wondering who they were, from whencethey had come, and for what purpose they ha
d attacked a party ofhunters who could by no possibility have done them harm, and who, inany case, could not be the possessors of great wealth. As to his ownfeelings on the question of personal danger, he had not so much as aqualm. Perhaps, if he had been warned that an attack was to be made,he would have been thrown into that curious condition which is neithercaused by fear nor by anxiety, but merely by that natural agitation ofspirit which comes to the average man when danger threatens. But hereJoe had been, as it were, suddenly pitchforked into the midst ofturmoil. At one moment he had been facing a charging moose, asituation requiring nerve, and the next he had found himself the objectof bullets sent by an enemy from behind. Ah, there they were! Theirregular line of the forest was of a sudden broken; Joe had beengazing in that direction but a second earlier and had seen nothing.Now, when his eyes swung once more to that quarter, two sleighs stoodout prominently, their dog teams sprawling out ahead of them. The darkfigures of five men moved about the sleighs, and it was clear fromtheir movements that they had been marching through the forest, andwere now about to mount their vehicles again.
"Slipping off their snowshoes and getting ready for a burst of speedacross the open," said Joe to himself. "That'll be the time to read'em a lesson, and seems to me they deserve one."
He turned his head for a moment and beckoned to Beaver Jack; then,picking up his rifle, he laid the sights on one of the sledges andwaited for a forward move on the part of the enemy. Nor could it besaid that our hero had the smallest doubt as to what his action shouldbe, or the slightest compunction at the thought of firing on thesestrangers.
"It's they or us," he told himself, "and they have a bigger party. Ah!what's that? More of them!"
No wonder he gave vent to a cry of amazement, for a hurried inspectionof the party aboard the pursuing sleighs had given him the impressionat the beginning of this strange encounter that there were only four ormore in the party. Now he knew that the sleighs bore five. But justas that number had embarked, he was thunderstruck to see four more darkfigures issue from the irregular line of the forest and move out on tothe open snow. At the same instant there was a slight noise besidehim, so, turning his head, he found Hank had returned and had taken upa position. He lay full length, his rifle to his hand, his eyes gluedon the enemy.
"The tarnation skunks!" Joe heard him growl. "I ain't surprised to seemore of 'em. That jest explains why they've been so slow in following.The sleigh party went ahead, hoping to drive right up to us and finishthe business. T'others followed afoot, and when the fust lot wasdisappointed, why, they halted for a while so as they could all comealong together. This aer mighty awkward. Yer see, ef they breaks upinto several lots, we can't hope to keep 'em back. There's enoughhollows and trees out there in the open to give 'em shelter, and incourse of time they're bound to close in on us. This aer a tarnationfix."
There was little doubt, in fact, that Joe and his comrades were face toface with a dangerous dilemma. For, as Hank was not slow to point out,if merely the two sleigh parties attempted a dash across the open, heand Joe and Jack might very well hope to pick some of the enemy off,and even to force them to retreat; but with four others added, and theyon snowshoes, it would be next door to impossible to hold them at adistance.
"It aer come to a council," said Hank, scratching his head. "To me itseems likely enough that them cusses aboard the sleighs'll try a dash.Wall, that won't help 'em overmuch, for in a jiffy we'll teach 'emsomething worth learnin'. What bothers me is to say how we should workef they makes across, taking advantage of every bit of cover. Whereare we to go? We can't keep runnin' away for ever. 'Sides, I ain't sosure as I'm ready to show my heels to skunks same as these."
There was a resentful, threatening note in his words, and, glancing atthe little hunter, Joe saw that his face was flushed, while his littleeyes were flashing dangerously. After all, in spite of his somewhatdiminutive proportions, there was quite a lot of the bull dog aboutHank. Those who knew the hunter knew him to be a cunning andcourageous tracker, a man to be depended on, a friend worth having, anenemy more than difficult to make--for Hank hated quarrels, and was forever ready to forgive and forget--and yet an enemy to be duly fearedand placated. Those who had been so unfortunate never to have had theopportunity of meeting this remarkable little man, save on oneoccasion, were none the less impressed. Hank's was a personality thatbred confidence. Strength of character, honesty of purpose, bull-dogdetermination were written plainly on his face, even while it waswreathed with the most cordial smiles. Joe had felt the very sameabout his friend. Hank had impressed him from the first. Sometimes heimagined that long acquaintance had disclosed all the hunter's points,good and bad, to him. But even now he had something to learn. He hadnever seen his friend in a similar position to this; he had never knownhim when he was the object of an unprovoked attack, and when the oddswere opposed to him. But seeing his firm face now, the strongdetermination on every feature, his own chin took on something of thesame aspect. Looking at the two as they lay side by side, one wouldhave said at once that while the elder man could be relied on whateverthe position, his youthful comrade was not one whit behind him.
"Wall?" came from Hank dryly, while the lock of his rifle clicked."Ain't you goin' to speak?"
Joe looked sharply across at him. "Eh?" he asked. "I thought you werespeaking to Beaver Jack and asking his opinion."
"And mighty nice of you, lad," came the answer. "I like to see a youngchap as keeps his mouth shut till his elders has spoken. But thereain't too much time before us, and 'sides, I know that Jack would haspoken already ef he had anything to say. What's your idea? You'vereckoned the position. You ain't ready to go on runnin' away from aset o' skunks same as them, aer you?"
"No!" came emphatically from our hero. "Partly because I couldn't.I'd soon be done, for this snowshoeing is heavy work to one who is nothardened. Then I don't see why I should. Who are they that we shouldrun from them? Let 'em prove that they are stronger."
"Gee! You'll do!" cried Hank. "That's the sort of spirit. Wall, now,you've some sort of idea?"
"None." Joe was bound to confess it. "But," he went on, "it seems tome that we ought to look out for some place which we can hold. Ofcourse it could only be for a short while, as we have no large supplyof food; but it would bring this business to a head. Perhaps thesefellows would make an attack and give us a chance of beating them. Ifnot, why--well something might turn up to help, and in any case itwould be better than this constant running."
"And I'm with you," cried Hank; "only jest now there's not so much asthe sight of a place where we could hold 'em, and till one turns up,why, in course, it's run we must. But we'll keep a bright lookout.See here, and jest you listen, Beaver Jack. We'll give them fellers adusting ef they try to cross, and then we'll trail arms and slink offthrough the forest. Something'll turn up soon to help us."
It was perhaps two minutes later that there was a general move on thepart of the enemy. The leading man aboard each sleigh was seen tostand, gripping the reins in one hand while he swung a short-handledwhip with the other, one which boasted of an enormously long and heavylash that even a moderately skilful operator could cause to crack withthe sound of a rifle report.
"Ay, and more'n that," Hank had observed on one occasion. "I've knownmen who could swing a whip so as to cut in two anything that wasanywheres within reach. One half-breed from 'way up north could standon his head even and cut slick through a chunk of bread, while thereain't one of them that's used to the whip and has dogs to drive thatcouldn't set a pal up afore him with a cigarette in his mouth and jestflick the cigarette away as easy and as sartin as winkin'. Then, too,the cut of a heavy lash same as they use is that keen, they say some of'em could nearly divide a dog with it, ay, cut him in two, while they'deasy whip a chunk out o' the poor beasts. Cruel! In course them whipsis cruel, and so's the men. But then you ain't dealing with ordinarydogs; them critters is fierce, and ef they was hungry ain't abovetearing a human to
pieces."
But this was not the moment for discussing the pros and cons of dogwhips, nor the prowess of the men who wield them; for the enemy were onthe move. It seemed almost as if they had made up their minds toignore all thoughts of danger; or perhaps they imagined that Hank hadled his two comrades steadily forward, and was not lying beneath thetrees beyond the open space waiting with loaded rifles for them. Inany case, the drivers sent their whips cracking over their teams, whilethe dogs responded by leaping into their harness and speeding away fromthe irregular line of the forest. At the same moment the four men onfoot, who were shod with snowshoes, shot out from the cover and,dividing till a wide interval separated each man, came speeding acrossthe snow.
"Beaver Jack takes 'em to right," said Hank steadily, not a waver inhis voice. "I take the critters in the centre; Joe pays partic'larattention to the varmint on the left. Fire as you get 'em in line withyour sights."
A spurt of flame issued from his own muzzle a second or so later, Joepeering out across the snow to see what effect the bullet had; and oncemore he was witness of the effect of a missile striking a glancing blowon the snowfield. A cloud of white particles suddenly leaped up infront of the foremost sleigh, hiding the men aboard it, while a shoutcame from the enemy.
"Missed 'em by a pip," observed Hank, ramming in a fresh cartridge."You, Joe."
Our hero lined his sights on the second sleigh, followed the movingobject for a moment, then pressed his trigger; and all the while as heaimed he was wondering at his own coolness. He might indeed have beenfiring at inanimate objects. The idea that he was aiming at living menhardly seemed to trouble him in the slightest, while if he had anyqualms at the thought that his bullet might slay a fellow being, henever showed them.
"It's they or us," he repeated for the tenth time at least. "They'vemade an unprovoked attack, and must put up with the consequences."
Bang! His own weapon spat forth a bullet, while a cloud of white smokebelched from the muzzle, to die away at once. All eyes went toward thesleigh he had aimed at, and once again the tell-tale spray of snowshowed exactly where the missile had landed, and precisely by how muchit had missed the enemy.
"Not bad shootin'," said Hank. "Them sleighs is moving fast, and youwant to give 'em at least a yard ahead when you're aiming. BeaverJack, jest you see what you're made of."
There came a grunt from the Redskin. Joe watched the seamed and linedand strangely-impassive face of the Indian go down towards the butt ofhis rifle. He saw the hooked nose settle itself against the wood ofthe stock, while one of the keen eyes seemed to become rather moreprominent. There came a sharp report, and almost at once an answeringscream from the distance.
"Good fer you!" cried Hank. "Guess you got the man aboard the leadingsleigh, and in falling backward he aer pulled the team in. Jest sittight while I give 'em another, and you follow quick with your bullet,Joe lad."
In rapid succession the two shots were fired, and it seemed more thanprobable that they had hit their mark, for the men aboard the leadingsleigh were thrown in great confusion. One was seen to stand and gripat the reins which his wounded comrade had allowed to fall. Then theteam of dogs was headed round, the whip cracked, and in a trice thesleigh was being steered for the forest. Meanwhile a shot from BeaverJack had caused one of the men gliding across the snow afoot to dodgesuddenly to one side, and that, with the evidence the enemy now hadthat Hank and his friends had them under their rifles, sent theremainder of the band retracing their steps at a pace which wasfurious. Shouts escaped from them as they raced for cover, and inlittle more than a minute all had disappeared from view.
"That aer lesson number one," said Hank grimly, as he slid a freshcartridge into position. "Ef them 'ere critters thought they was goingto slit our throats without our kicking up a rumpus, why, they've foundout the error. It'll make 'em a trifle more cautious now that one of'em's gone under, and they kin see that we are able to shoot; but itwon't turn 'em, I'm thinkin'. A half-breed ain't easily frightened,and ef it's gain they are after, why, this'll make 'em all the keener."
"What will they do, then?" asked Joe, who still lay on his face, hiseyes glued on the distant forest. "It seems to me that if we can onlystay here and hold them, they cannot get nearer. Of course, when nightcomes we shall be unable to see them, and nothing will prevent theirgetting closer."
"Guess that aer solid truth," agreed Hank. "But there's more besides.I've been takin' a good look round, and I've kinder put myself in theplace of them critters. Wall, now, it aer clear that we can't climbover the ridge to our left. It rises quickly, and the snow lies indeep drifts; so we've got to go dead straight ahead or cut away down tothe valley we left this morning. That being so, ef they believe wemean to lie here and hold 'em from crossing the open, they'll leave aman just to show himself every now and then, while the rest of theparty strikes downhill and gets abreast of us. Then they'll comeclimbing up, and ef we stays they'll have us hard up agin the hillbefore we know what's happened. Leastwise, that's what I should do efI was their leader."
"So you advise that we move on at once?" asked Joe, rising to his feet."Perhaps farther along we shall come upon some place which would offergood shelter, some sort of natural fort in which we could take cover.I've an idea that----"
He came to a sudden stop and pointed out across the snow-covered groundbefore them.
"One of them critters," growled Hank. "Seems as ef I might be right.He's showing clear, and--yes, there ain't a doubt about it. He's gotone arm hung in a sling."
There came an instant response from Beaver Jack, a deep-toned grunt.His keen eyes had evidently taken in all that was passing. "Same manas sit on the sleigh and tumble backwards," he grunted. "Not badlyhurt. Bullet make hole through the arm, and that nothing."
"Only it jest makes him useless for the moment. See here," said Hank,"I'll move into the open and give him a shot. Likely as not he'llsignal to his comrades."
On second thoughts the little hunter refrained from using his rifle."I might hit him," he said, "and that ain't what I want. I'll jest lethim get a squint at me, so as to make him feel sartin we're remaininghere; then I'll hop back till he shows agin. Ah! Ain't that given himpleasure? He's gone into cover, but ef you look close you kin see himjust inside the line o' trees wavin'. Gee! Don't they take us fersoft 'uns? As ef a baby wouldn't guess what was up."
There was no doubt now that the enemy, whoever they might be, had takenthe course which Hank guessed at. Their design was clear and apparent,for the wounded man made repeated appearances during the next tenminutes, diving into the trees again on each occasion.
"You was sayin' that you had an idea," said Hank at length, stretchinghimself beside our hero. "What aer that idea?"
"I was thinking of the sort of place that would suit us," began Joe."It occurred to me that there must be many little hollows which mightserve our purpose, provided that they could not be overlooked; for itwouldn't do for these beggars to climb higher and pitch their bulletsdown upon us."
"That aer sense," agreed Hank. "Wall?"
"But----"
"There aer always a but," asserted the little hunter. "It aer therethat gumption always comes in. Nothing goes right and straight in thisworld unless you help it. A man has to use his wits and his strengthmost always. What aer this but?"
"Just this," said Joe. "What's the use of a fort--a natural fort I'mmeaning, though the same thing applies of course to one built by humanhands--what's the use of such a place if you can't live in it?"
"Eh?" Hank pushed back his coon-skin cap and scratched his head. Thisargument was getting somewhat beyond him. He was a cute and cunninglittle fellow, stuffed full of worldly experience and of forest lore,but subtle argument was beyond him. "See here, Joe," he cried,somewhat testily; "plain words are wanted jest now. What's the meaningof this here fort that you've mentioned? Are you propounding a sorterpuzzle?"
That set Joe grinning for the moment; but almost at once he becames
erious. "I'm in dead earnest, Hank," he said. "But this is what I'mdriving at. We've no grub to speak of."
"Precious little."
"And no pots nor pans."
"I'm a-getting through with the argiment," declared the hunter.
"And it's likely to be mighty cold when we're cooped up in some hollowand unable to move about as we are now doing. In fact, blankets arewanted."
"All that aer sense," said Hank, jamming his hat back into place andstaring closely at our hero. "Wall?"
"Well, my idea is this. Since we can't climb away to the left, as theground rises so steeply, and as we can make the pace hot if we happento be going downhill, why not strike in that direction at once, sweepto the right, and make back for our camp? That'll give us food andpots and pans and blankets. We'll be better able then to look about usfor some sort of place that will give us cover. Tell you straight,Hank, I'm getting more worried at the thought that the supper'll besmall to-night than I am at the knowledge that those rascals are afterus."
Hank grinned widely; his queer little lips, usually pursed closetogether, parted in a capacious smile which he only indulged in onoccasion. A deep-throated grunt came from him, and almost at once hisrifle leapt across his shoulder.
"That aer solid sense," he cried at length. "Guess we'll make slickback to our camp, and then, when we've collected our traps and had afeed, why, we kin give some sort of attention to this other business.I'll step out agin so as to allow the critter yonder to see me. Thenwe'll face downhill, wait till the enemy ha' crossed in front, and goaway over their tracks straight back to the spot where our traps arelying."
It was not by any means certain, of course, that this plan of procedurewould improve their lot and aid them in escaping from the half-breedswho had so unwarrantably attacked them; but at least, if they weresuccessful in reaching their camp, it would provide them with a heartymeal, and that was something.
"A full stummick makes a man look differently at troubles," observedHank, as he slipped on his snowshoes. "Difficulties seem to slide awayas soon as you've a good supper tucked behind your waistcoat. Joe,we'll reach the camp even ef there's a hundred critters between us andthe place. Jest sling yer rifle, and don't forget, ef you hear a soundor see one of the varmint, jest drop as ef you was dead. Silence andcunning will help us heaps more'n bullets."
With rifles slung, and Hank in advance, the trio once more setthemselves in motion. The little hunter went straight on into the woodtill he was sure that none outside could see them, then he turned hisface downhill, and, setting an easy pace, led his comrades towards thevalley.