A FAILURE
The task which Jack Carleton took upon himself, when he parted
company with Otto Relstaub on the clearing, was of the simplest
nature, and one which he was confident could be accomplished without
trouble; it was to reach by a circuitous course a point directly
opposite to his friend, and on a line with the horse, so that if the
latter fled from one, he could be secured by the other.
The experience of the young Kentuckian averted some mistakes into
which others might have fallen. One of the hardest things for a
hunter to do, while tramping the forest, is to keep his bearings.
There are few who have shouldered a gun that have not learned this
fact, and, without a compass, landmarks, the bark of trees, or some
other artificial aid, it may be set down as impossible for any one
to escape bewilderment. If his wanderings are extended he will find
himself traveling in a circle, and instances are known in which a
person has followed his own trail for hours, without suspecting the
grotesque truth.
Jack Carleton therefore took every precaution against going astray.
He had in fact but one landmark, so to speak, and that was the moon,
then well up in the sky. He located the luminary with such exactness,
that he knew it would be directly over his right shoulder when he
arrived at a point precisely opposite his friend, and, as he hoped,
in a straight line with the colt between them.
"That means good luck," said he to himself, with a smile; "I always
like to see the moon over my right shoulder, though it can't mean
anything after all, as mother has told me many a time. She said
that she and father, a few nights before he was killed by the
Shawanoes, watched the new moon, which shone through the window,
over his right shoulder and on my bare head. Father was in good
spirits, for he believed in signs, and I think mother, though she
chided him, had a sly belief in them, too; but," added the boy with
a sigh, "she shudders now at the mere mention of such a thing."
While Jack was indulging in this sad reminiscence, he was carefully
picking his way among the trees, making sure that he did not get the
points of the compass confused. There was no call for haste, and it
may be said he felt every step of the way.
"Otto is an odd fellow," he muttered, allowing his fancy to stray
whither it chose, "and I hope he won't become bewildered. He is so
anxious to get the colt, that he will run into trouble if there's
any into which he can run. He is shrewd, brave, and somewhat
stupid, and it is never certain what he will do or say. Let me
see."
He stood still, and, peeping at the moon, as beat he could through
the foliage overhead, studied its position in the heavens, with
particular reference to his own.
"I haven't reached the right spot yet; it must be a hundred yards
further."
His aim was to halt some twenty or thirty rods beyond the clearing.
Then, when assured he had gone far enough, he would walk directly
toward Otto, the two keeping the horse between them.
"I do so hope we will get him," muttered Jack, beginning to feel a
misgiving now that the decisive moment was at hand, "for if we fail
it will end the business. If he goes home without the colt, his
father will beat him, and more than likely will drive him into the
woods and forbid him to come back till he brings the horse with him.
He is such a hard-hearted, miserly old fellow, that he will accept
no excuse from Otto, and his mother doesn't seem to be much better."
After a time Jack reached the point where he found the moonlight
streaming over his right shoulder. Of course, he could have secured
that lucky omen at any time, but it resulted now from the systematic
course he had followed, and he was sure no mistake had been made.
He had no more than formed the conclusion that everything was as it
should be, when he was surprised to hear the neigh of a horse within
bowshot of where he stood. As it came from the direction of the
clearing, no doubt remained that it was the animal for which he was
hunting.
"It looks as if it is to be my fortune after all to recover the
colt," thought the pleased lad. "It will be a surprise to Otto, but
I hope we shall not have to wait any longer, for we have lost a good
deal of time."
He moved through the wood, stepping softly, so as not to frighten
the animal, which probably had had enough of liberty to be unwilling
to go back to bondage.
A brief distance was passed, when the young Kentuckian caught sight
of the stray steed. In an opening, less than a tenth of an acre,
where there was an abundance of grass, stood the identical colt
which ran away the day before. Saddle and bridle were still in
place, though even the moonlight was sufficient to show they had
suffered much from the journey of the horse. The latter, evidently
was suspicious that something was amiss. He was cropping the grass,
when the sound of Jack's footsteps alarmed him. He stood with his
head up, the grass dripping like water from his mouth, while he
listened for the cause of alarm.
Jack Carleton was well aware of the difficulty that faced him when
on the very threshold of success. Though he was close to the
animal, he was not yet secured.
"Ah! If Deerfoot was here," sighed the boy, "then there would be no
doubt of the result, for he would dart forward and catch him. If
the horse wanted to run away, he would let him do it, and then the
Shawanoe would chase him down, just as easily as he would me or
Otto; but it is going to be hard work for me."
It was difficult to decide on the best course of procedure. The
sagacious creature would not only be quick to recognize Jack, but
equally quick to understand his purpose in approaching him. It was
too much to expect him to submit quietly to recapture.
Jack softly plucked a handful of grass, and, stepping out from the
cover of the woods began moving gently toward the colt. The latter
turned his head and uttered a sniff of inquiry, at the same time
showing an inclination to whirl about and gallop off. The boy stood
still and, holding out the grass, deftly manipulated it so that a
part dropped loosely to the ground: this insured its notice by his
victim. Jack also addressed him in his most soothing tones. He
called him all the pet names at his command, and, as the steed still
held his ground, the youth resumed his stealthy advance.
Jack Carleton's heart throbbed with hope. The animal threw his head
higher, snuffed louder, and manifestly was hesitating whether to
permit a closer approach before fleeing, or whether to turn his face
at once from temptation.
"A few steps more and he is mine," was the thought of Jack, who
repeated the pet names with greater ardor, interspersing them with a
variation of cluckings and chirpings that would have charmed a
prattling baby. He increased his pace, for he was almost within
reach, while the beast snorted with excitement.
All at once Jack dropped the gun in his other hand, and made a
desperate plunge, meaning to grasp the forelock of the horse. It
may be said that he succeeded, for he felt the coarse, cool hair as
it was swept through his fingers by the flirt of the animal's head.
Jack missed success, by what may be truly said to have been a hair's
breadth.
"Whoa! confound you!"
This command was uttered in a very different tone from that in which
he had been addressing the colt a minute before. There was nothing
soothing in it, and the animal showed his contempt by whirling
about, kicking up his heels and dashing into the woods.
Jack snatched his gun from the ground and bounded after him at the
imminent risk of breaking his neck. He was too far from Otto and
his captor to attract attention, but the noise may have reached the
ears of the Indian. The angered pursuer did not coax or order the
colt, for what he had done in that line was sufficient to show the
effort was thrown away.
He listened: the animal was still going at a rate which showed he
believed the danger was at his heels. The sound he made, while
galloping over the leaves and through the bushes, grew fainter and
fainter until it died out altogether.
"I suppose he will keep it up for several hours. If he faces toward
the settlement, he will reach it to-morrow, but if he veers to the
right or left, Otto may as well give up the job."
Jack was keenly disappointed, for he had been confident of success,
and now he was forced to admit there was scarcely a hope of ever
seeing the colt again.
"It's a bad go," he said, turning about and moving toward the
clearing, where he had left his friend; "we'll keep up the hunt
to-morrow, but if he isn't caught before sundown, I shall insist
that we go home. Mother's anxious to see me," he added, in a softer
voice, "but no more than I am to see her. It has been weeks since
we parted, and if anything should happen to her while I am loitering
by the way, I can never forgive myself."
He did not reflect that he was exposed to tenfold more harm than his
parent. He reproached himself that he had tarried in Coatesville
until Otto came for him. He was ready and waiting several days,
during which he could have made the journey on foot, without the
guidance of his friend.
However, it was too late now for regrets, and he tried to take
matters philosophically.
The young Kentuckian made certain he was steadily pursuing the right
course, and, when he thought he had advanced far enough, he emitted
the whistle agreed upon. Of course no reply came back, for, as the
reader knows, the young Teuton for whom the signal was meant was not
in a situation to make suitable answer. In fact it did not reach
his ears at all.
Without losing any more minutes, Jack Carleton pushed forward, until
he was brought to a stand-still by catching the unmistakable glimmer
of a light a short distance ahead among the trees.