The delight of Sam Willett and his friends at being out of the great
canyon compensated them in part for the severe trials through which they
had recently passed, and with the disappearance of the stupendous walls
of the Colorado they believed all their troubles would vanish.
Daylight convinced them that they had encamped for the night in a spot
that seemed like an Eden when compared with their recent resting-places,
though back from the charming little valley the rocks rose straight up
to a height nearly as great as those of the main river.
Hungry people care more for the quantity than the variety of their food,
and so the boys made a hearty breakfast of the goodly supply of broiled
rabbits, and then started to find a way out of the valley.
Sam and Ulna soon discovered that though they could not take the raft
much further up the side canyon, that they could march along its bed at
the bottom of which flowed a little stream of clear, cool water.
They came back to camp, made up their arms, blankets and remaining
supplies into four bundles, and Sam announced that they would follow up
the stream on foot, for its direction was directly toward Hurley's
Gulch.
With wise precaution Sam made fast the raft, for though such an event
was to be dreaded, he wanted to have it within reach if they were again
forced to go back to the canyon in which they had suffered so much.
"Golly!" exclaimed Ike, as they took up their line of march along the
stream, "dis seems like ole times."
"How so?" asked Sam, who was always pleased to see the colored boy in a
good humor.
"W'y, we're totin' oursels instead of habin' de raft tote us. I 'clar to
goodness, I nebber wants to see a raft agin the longest day I lib. Ize
done wif rafts foreber and eber, amen."
"Duno," said Wah Shin, who seemed always very solemn, "dat laft sabe us,
me no go backe on laft. No laft, den we allee dead."
Maj barked approval of this and began to leap on every one in turn to
show his delight at the new method of travel.
They found no serious obstacles in the canyon, though the sharp grade
rose in a way that indicated they were rising rapidly to the table lands
above.
Late in the afternoon they came to a spring near the head of the ravine
along which they had been marching all day, and, as it was well known to
all that water and fuel were scarce in the uplands, it was decided to
stay here for the night.
While Ike and Wah Shin gathered dry cactus and weeds to make a fire,
Ulna shouted to them not to make a light till he came back; then
motioning to Sam to follow him he led the way up a steep ascent, the
summit of which promised a view of the surrounding country.
After a half hour's clambering they reached the top, and after the
cramped range of vision that recently hemmed them in, the sight that now
gladdened their eyes was thrilling and inspiring beyond expression.
A table land, nearly devoid of vegetation, broken here and there by
chasms, or stately pillars of sand rock came to view under a blaze of
golden sun-light that poured down from a cloudless sky with a splendor
nearly blinding in its brilliancy.
Away to the east the wall of the Sierra Madre mountains rose up like an
amethystine rampart, the snow peaks glowing in the light of the
declining sun like mighty masses of fire opal.
After inhaling a long breath, the better to give expression to his
surprise and delight, Sam exclaimed in the poetical language of Mrs.
Hemans:
"For the strength of the hills we bless Thee, my God, our father's God!"
Ulna's fine face, though usually calm and impassive, now showed much
feeling, but that this was not due to the glorious scenery about them
was soon evident.
"Sam," he said, "I didn't care to speak to you before Ike and Wah Shin,
for I did not want to excite them, but I saw something down there at the
spring that troubles me very much."
"What was that?" asked Sam.
"A track."
"What kind of a track?"
"An Indian's."
"But this is the hunting ground of your people, the Utes, why should we
fear?"
"There would be no war if the different tribes of men were content to
stay in their own hunting grounds, but that track was made by an
Apache," said Ulna, with more than usual seriousness.
"How do you know it was made by an Apache?"
"By the impression of the sole of the moccasin. The Mezcarillas have the
sole in two pieces, sewed together down the middle; the Utes have
their's in one."
"But the Apaches have recently made a treaty of peace with the whites;
why should we fear them?" said Sam.
"The Apaches will break the treaty, or will defy it, if they can do so
with safety. But they have never made a treaty with the Utes. For
generations they have been at war with my people, and if they knew I was
here they would be after my scalp with the hunger of wolves."
"They could not take yours unless they took mine," said Sam, reaching
out his hand to prove his sincerity.
"I am certain of that, Sam; but I do not want to add to your dangers and
troubles, if I cannot lessen them."
"Of course not, Ulna, but I do not understand you."
"It may be that the Apaches, and I am not sure they are about, will let
you and the others go on without harm, while if they discover me they
will be sure to make an attack on all of us," said Ulna, speaking very
slowly, but with a strong, steady voice.
"Well, we can't help that. If they attack us we shall be able to show
that we have rifles and know how to handle them," said Sam, bravely.
"This is what I have been thinking," continued Ulna. "I can make my way
alone from here faster than the four of us can, and I can elude the
Apaches as the hawk eludes the wild-cat. If I can reach Hurley's Gulch I
can start men out to your relief; if I fail you will be none the worse
off."
"This is too serious a matter to decide at once," said Sam. "Even to
save the lives of the others, I would not increase your danger----"
"But what if the danger of all is increased by my staying here?"
"Then I should say go, but let us go down to the spring and think it all
over. I am sure we can tell Ike and Wah Shin about this; they are both
plucky and faithful."
"As you say," was Ulna's reply, and he cast a quick glance about the
horizon before descending from the rock on which they had been standing.
"What do you see?" asked Sam, looking eagerly in the direction of Ulna's
fixed eyes.
"Apaches!" was the whispered reply.
"Where?"
"Off to the south."
Looking in the direction pointed out by Ulna, Sam saw, low down on the
edge of the horizon, a number of pigmy figures that but for their
movements might have passed for bunches of cactus.
"Are they coming this way?" asked Sam, unconsciously tightening his grip
on his rifle, while his heart beat faster.
"I cannot tell that, but if they should come they must not find us
here."
Ulna sprang down the rocks, followed by Sam, and they found Ike and Wah
Shin about to start a fire.
"You must make no fire to-night," said Sam.
"What foh?" asked Ike, who had a strong prejudice in favor of hot food.
"Because we are afraid there are Indians near by."
"Injuns!" exclaimed Ike, and he pressed his hands to the top of his
head, as if to keep down his rising scalp.
"Yes; we must fill our canteens with water and move from here at once."
"But whar to, Mistah Sam?"
"To the shelter of some rocks not far from the head of this ravine. Let
the fire go, Wah Shin, we can get along without it to-night."
"Me no likee bad Injun; me no kalee fo' fi'," said Wah Shin, as he
kicked over the pile of fuel, and hurriedly began to fill the four
canteens.
The sun had set and the chilling shadows were creeping up from the
canyons, in which they seemed to have their home during the day, when Sam
and Ulna led the way into the broad plateau of the upper world.
The mass of rocks in which they sought shelter was close to the head of
the rift.
The increasing darkness favored their reaching these rocks without being
seen by any one not near by.
This was an admirable hiding place, and in the event of trouble it had
every advantage for observation and defense.
In the midst of these rocks they ate their supper, and Sam detailed the
guards for the night.
His greatest fear was that the dog might reveal, by growling, their
hiding place to any who might come near. To guard against this as much
as possible, he fastened a rope muzzle about the dog's head and told Ike
to watch him.
Some three hours of darkness had passed when Ike called out:
"See har, Mistah Sam, this yar dog scents somethin' an' I can't hold him
to save my life."