CHAPTER X.
A GOOD SAMARITAN.
The three carefully approached the camp-fire, and soon assured themselvesthat there was but a single person near it, an old Indian who sat withclosed eyes and nodding head, totally unmindful of their presence.
"Yes, he is all alone," remarked Howard, in response to the statementthat Tim had made on first seeing the fire. "But he has no gun, so faras I can see."
"Has he anything to eat?" inquired Elwood. "For that is getting to bethe most important matter."
"There doesn't appear to be any."
"Jist howld still where you baas, till I takes a look around," said Tim,with an admonitory wave of the hand.
They obeyed while he went still nearer on tiptoe. When he was scarcelytwenty feet away he paused, and stooping down and bending his head firstto one side and then to the other, and raising and arching his neckuntil his longitudinal dimensions became fearful, he at last satisfiedhimself that the Indian was alone.
Without moving his feet, Tim now turned his head and motioned for hiscompanions to join him. They did so very carefully and silently, and thethree men then stood where the light of the fire shone full in theirfaces, and where they could not help being the first objects the Indianwould see when he was pleased to look up.
"We'll have to wake him," whispered Tim, "and shall I yill, or hit himwith a stone on top of the head?"
"Neither; I have heard that the slumber of Indians is very light, and ifyou just speak or make a slight noise I have no doubt it will rousehim."
The fire, which had at its first kindling been large, was nowsmouldering as though it had not been touched for several hours. TheIndian was seated on a large stone, his arms hanging listlessly over hisknees, and his head sunk so low that his features could not be seen.Instead of the defiant scalp-lock drooping from his crown, his hair waslong and luxuriant, and plentifully mixed with gray. It hung looselyover his shoulders, and in front of his face, and helped to give him astrange, repulsive appearance.
"I say, owld gintleman, are you draaming, or--"
As quick as lightning the head of the Indian flashed up, and his blackeyes were centered with a look of alarm upon the individuals before him.Tim had had some experience with these people when a miner, and he nowbegan making signs to the savage, who seemed on the point of springingup and darting away. Naturally enough the Irishman continued talking,although it was certain that the one could not understand a word theother uttered.
"We maan no harrum," said the Irishman, raising his hands and lettingthem fall at his side, to show that he carried no weapons, and held goodwill toward the stranger. The boys judged it best to imitate theircomrade; and after standing a few moments, the three walked quietly upto the fire. The startled Indian instantly rose to his feet and placedhis hand upon the haft of a large knife at his waist.
"None of that, ye spalpeen, or I'll smash you to smithereens!" said Tim,who, although his words were of such dire portent, spoke as gently as ifhe were seeking to quiet an infant.
They now noticed that the Indian was very old. His face was scarred andwrinkled, his body bent, and his limbs tottered as if scarcely able tobear his weight; but his eye was as keen and defiant as the eagle's, andhe stood ready to defend himself if harm were offered him.
Tim did the most prudent thing possible. He advanced straight to thesavage and offered his hand. This means of salutation was understood bythe latter, who, after some tottering hesitation, raised his right handfrom the knife and returned the pressure. Dropping it, he looked towardElwood and Howard, who saluted him in the same manner, and the partieswere now satisfied regarding the feelings of each other.
"Ask him for something to eat!" said Elwood; "I am beginning to feelfaint for the want of food."
"What good will the same do? He hasn't anything to give."
"He must live some way himself, and what will support such an old man ashe is, is surely good for us."
The signs that Tim now made were unmistakable in their import. He openedhis huge mouth until the cavern was fearful to contemplate; then hesnapped his teeth together like a dog that has failed to catch a pieceof meat thrown to him; after which he carried his hand back and forth tohis mouth, and opened and shut it again.
The Indian watched these manuevers a moment, and then gave anexclamation intended solely for his own benefit--and which, therefore,it is not necessary to give, if we could, and we can't--and turning hisback, commenced moving away with the feeble, uncertain gait of old age.
"What does that mean?" inquired Howard.
The savage, seeing they did not follow, paused and looked back.
"That is an invitation," said Tim; "do yees foller."
"But where will he lead us?"
"How can I tell?"
"But it may be into danger," admonished the most cautious Howard.
"It's the only chance we've got to save ourselves from starving, and forme getting a shmoke out of a pipe, which I am as hungry for as I am fora few pounds of mate."
The three, the Irishman taking the lead, did not hesitate longer, butstepped forward, and the Indian immediately resumed his guidance. Theboys could not avoid some alarm and misgiving in thus following blindlyan Indian whom they had not seen until a few minutes before, and who,they had every reason to believe, was hostile; but there seemed no othercourse, and they obeyed the suggestion of Tim O'Rooney.
The Indian led the way for several hundred yards, when he halted beforeone of the rudest and oddest habitations imaginable. It was made ofstones, stumps, limbs, dirt and skins, its dimensions being about twentyfeet in every direction. The savage paused but a moment when he shoved alarge skin aside, entered and held it open for his friends to do thesame. Tim O'Rooney peered cautiously into the lodge before trustinghimself within it, but seeing nothing alarming, he stepped brisklyforward, and was followed by the two boys and Terror.
A dim fire was burning in one corner, against the face of a rock, andopposite it lay a bundle of clothes, which, upon being rather roughlytouched by the foot of the Indian, resolved itself into a being of thefeminine gender, unquestionably the partner of the master of the lodge.A few words were exchanged between the two, when the squaw busiedherself in preparing a meal, while her husband stirred the fire into acheerful blaze that brightly illuminated every portion of the singulardwelling. He seemed entirely forgetful of the presence of the strangers,who seated themselves upon a broad flat stone and calmly awaited theresult of his doings.
The old lady speedily appeared with a huge piece of meat, which was soonroasting on the fire, its savory odor filling the apartment, andrendering our friends half frantic in their starving condition. It wasquickly cooked; the Indian severed it into four equal portions with hishunting-knife, and tossed one to each of his visitors, including thedog, which was really suffering for the want of nourishment.
As Elwood and Howard ravenously ate the well-cooked, juicy meat, freefrom pepper and salt, they were sure they had never tasted such adelicious morsel in all their life. The pieces were of a generous size,and after all three had gormandized themselves until, absolutely, theycould contain no more, each had some left. This, as a matter of course,was thrown to Terror, and by the time he had swallowed them all, helicked his jaws to show that his pangs of hunger were also fullysatisfied.