CHAPTER XLV.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
When the Pah Utah entered the cave he did not appear to notice ElwoodBrandon. The latter attributed this to the semi-darkness in which hestood, and was about to go forward and claim his friendship whensomething restrained him, and he concluded to wait until the Indianfirst recognized him.
Shasta exchanged a few words with his friends, and immediately severalof them went out in the darkness. When they returned, which was veryspeedily, they each bore a goodly bundle of sticks and kindlings. Inwhat part of the wide creation they obtained them, directly after such adeluge of rain, it is impossible to tell, but American Indians have apeculiar faculty of doing such odd things.
A few minutes later a blaze sprung out from the center of the bundleplaced in the middle of the cave, and when Elwood looked downward towardit, he saw that Shasta was kneeling before the pile engaged in ignitingit. As the flame flared out and illuminated the cave, the Pah Utahlooked up and met the eyes of Elwood. For an instant, his black eyeswere fixed upon him, and then he placed his finger to his lips andlooked down again. The boy understood it all. _He didn't know anythingof the Pah Utah._
The fire burned vigorously and soon diffused a genial warmth throughoutthe cave. It was most grateful indeed to Elwood, who approached andsubjected himself to a toasting process. The savages offered noobjection, and he soon managed to secure a pleasant warmth, andpartially to dry his damp clothes.
He could not prevent himself from continually glancing at Shasta, but henever once caught his eye, and understanding the Indian's wishes, hecompensated for this impertinence by staring twice as long at the otherhideous visages.
After all the great want of Elwood was food. He had fasted for thirtyhours, and was faint and feeble. A month before such severe abstinencewould have left him unable to stand; but the severe deprivation andhardship of the last week, united with its firm, buoyant constitution,and his freedom from the degrading use of tobacco, had developed astrength and endurance remarkable in one so young. He felt that he couldwait until the next day without a mouthful, and still be able to travel;but the fainting, craving, hollow feeling rendered him uncomfortable andcaused more than one longing look around the cavern and in the faces ofhis dusky-hued friends; but if the Indians understood his suffering theycertainly did not care enough about them to give them heed.
His hope was in the Pah Utah, but his situation was such as to deprivehim of the expression of this hope. Shasta had given him to understandin an unmistakable manner that for the present they were to remainstrangers; and no matter what his distress might be, he dare notdisregard this command.
Yet Elwood Brandon believed, if the Indian understood his case, he wouldfind some means to relieve him, slight though it was. Finally he decidedupon his course of action.
Walking up to the tall Indian, who had received his previous request insuch a threatening manner, and halting when at a safe distance, hemotioned to him for something to place in his mouth. The unfeelingfellow scrutinized the boy a moment, and then coolly turned his backupon him, and acted as though the supplication had not been made.
He was equally unsuccessful with the others, and the refusal of Shastawas made in a most emphatic manner. Glaring at the boy like an enragedtiger, he brandished his knife and sprung toward him with such acurdling yell that the youngster sprung trembling back to the furtherestverge of the cavern, and the eyes of the other Indians were all turnedtoward the expected tragedy. But Elwood wasn't frightened--not a bit; heunderstood what it all meant.
The performance was followed by a conversation between Shasta and thetall Indian, who doubtless belonged to the Pah Utah nation or some tribefriendly with them. It's precise import Elwood found impossible todetermine, but he could not avoid a feeling of uneasiness when he saw byunmistakable signs that it referred to himself.
It looked very much as though Shasta was urging immediate disposal ofthe prisoner, and his friend was strenuously maintaining a differentaction. The Pah Utah showed great excitement, very often turning andgesticulating toward Elwood, and once or twice he look a step or two inthat direction, as if he had resolved on a certain and speedy death forhim.
Finally, he appeared to yield the point, and turned his back upon hisdisputant and walked to the fire. As he did so his face was revealedalone to Elwood Brandon, and looking toward him, the boy again saw himplace his finger to his lips and give that warning expression, whichsaid as plainly as words, "Don't be frightened; all things are workingright!"
This was certainly gratifying, but our young friend was alreadysatisfied upon this point, and would have much preferred a moresubstantial mark of friendship in the shape of something to supply thecraving within. But on the very eve of despair he was delighted to see acouple of Indians--whose absence he had noted for the lasthalf-hour--return heavily laden with fish. These were immediately takenin charge, by Shasta, and the savor of them as they were cooking drovethe famishing boy almost frantic.
While he sat with longing eyes, watching the motions of the cook, one ofthe fat roasted fellows suddenly shot from his hand and fell into thelap of the boy. The Pah Utah did not raise his head, and the act lookedas if it were a voluntary one upon the part of the fish to escape thehands of its tormentors--so dexterously was the whole thing done.
Elwood did not stop to thank his considerate friend, but devoured thefood precisely in the fashion that a boy attacks a pile of gingerbreadwhich he has been expecting and longing for during a half-day. When hehad finished the fish, another in just as prime condition dropped intohis lap, apparently from the top of the cave above.
This satisfied his hunger, and he arose to his feet, casting his eyestoward Shasta, and testifying by his looks the gratitude which he darenot express audibly. He remained in the rear of the cavern, patientlywaiting the pleasure of the Pah Utah regarding himself.
The Indians completed their meal, and then exchanged a few words, whenthey prepared to leave. Elwood watched them with interest, and when thetall fellow motioned for him to come forward, he did so with alacrity,and took him place in the rear of the line which was formed. Glancingback as they were about to start, he saw by the light of the fire thatthe one immediately behind him was Shasta.
The night was utterly dark--above, below and all around. The hand of thePah Utah was placed upon his shoulder, as if to guide him aright, andthe march began.
Of course it was impossible for Elwood to tell where he was going, buthe followed blindly the direction of him behind for a hundred yards,when he knew by the brushing of his hands against the sides that theywere passing through a narrow passage. All at once he felt himselfseized by an iron grip from behind, lifted from his feet and tossed intothe air. He did not fall back in the path they were traversing, but litlightly upon a ledge, where he concluded to remain until he heardfurther from the gentleman who had elevated him to that position.