THE PAMPAS ON FIRE.
The party started at a canter,--the pace which they knew their horses
would be able to keep up for the longest time,--breaking every half hour
or so into a walk for ten minutes, to give them breathing time. All were
well mounted on strong, serviceable animals; but these had not in all
cases been bought specially for speed, as had those of the Hardys. It
was evident that the chase would be a long one. The Indians had twelve
hours' start; they were much lighter men than the whites, and carried
less additional weight. Their horses, therefore, could travel as fast
and as far as those of their pursuers. The sheep would, it is true, be
an encumbrance; the cattle could scarcely be termed so; and it was
probable that the first day they would make a journey of fifty or sixty
miles, travelling at a moderate pace only, as they would know that no
instant pursuit could take place. Indeed, their strength, which the peon
had estimated at five hundred men, would render them to a certain extent
careless, as upon an open plain the charge of this number of men would
sweep away any force which could be collected short of obtaining a
strong body of troops from Rosario.
For the next two days it was probable that they would make as long and
speedy journeys as the animals could accomplish. After that, being well
in their own country, they would cease to travel rapidly, as no pursuit
had ever been attempted in former instances.
There was no difficulty in following the track. Mr. Mercer had possessed
nearly a thousand cattle and five thousand sheep, and the ground was
trampled in a broad, unmistakeable line. Once or twice Mr. Hardy
consulted his compass. The trail ran south-west by west.
There was not much talking. The whole party were too impressed with the
terrible scene they had witnessed, and the tremendously hazardous nature
of the enterprise they had undertaken, to indulge in general
conversation. Gradually, however, the steady rapid motion, the sense of
strength and reliance in themselves and each other, lessened the sombre
expression, and a general talk began, mostly upon Indian fights, in
which most of the older settlers had at one time or other taken a part.
Mr. Hardy took a part in and encouraged this conversation. He knew how
necessary, in an expedition of this sort, it was to keep up the spirits
of all engaged; and he endeavoured, therefore, to shake off his own
heavy weight of care, and to give animation and life to them all.
The spirits of the younger men rose rapidly, and insensibly the pace was
increased, until Mr. Hardy, as leader of the party, was compelled to
recall to them the necessity of saving their animals, many of which had
already come from ten to fifteen miles before arriving at the rendezvous
at the Mercers'.
After three hours' steady riding, they arrived at the banks of a small
stream. There Mr. Hardy called a halt, for the purpose of resting the
animals.
'I think,' he said, 'that we must have done five-and-twenty miles. We
will give them an hour's rest, and then do another fifteen. Some of them
have already done forty, and it will not do to knock them up the first
day.'
Girths were loosened, and the horses were at work cropping the sweet
grass near the water's edge. The whole party threw themselves down on a
sloping bank, pipes were taken out and lit, and the probable direction
of the chase discussed.
In a short time Charley rose, and saying, 'I will see if I can get
anything better than dried meat for supper,' exchanged his rifle for Mr.
Hardy's double-barrelled gun, which was carried by Terence, and
whistling for the retriever, strolled off up the stream. In ten minutes
the double-barrels were heard at a short distance, and a quarter of an
hour afterwards again, but this time faintly. Ten minutes before the
hour was up he appeared, wiping the perspiration from his face, with
seven and a half brace of plump duck.
'They were all killed in four shots,' he said, as he threw them down.
'They were asleep in the pools, and I let fly right into the middle of
them before they heard me.'
There was a general feeling of satisfaction at the sight of the birds,
which were tied in couples, and fastened on the horses.
In two minutes more they were again in the saddles, Hubert saying to his
father as they started, 'There is one satisfaction, papa, we can't miss
the way. We have only to ride far enough, and we must overtake them.'
Mr. Hardy shook his head. He knew enough of Indian warfare to be certain
that every artifice and manoeuvre would have to be looked for and
baffled; for even when believing themselves safe from pursuit, Indians
never neglect to take every possible precaution against it.
After riding for two hours longer, Mr. Hardy consulted the Guachos if
there were any stream near, but they said that it would be at least two
hours' riding before they reached another, and that that was a very
uncertain supply. Mr. Hardy therefore decided to halt at once, as the
men knew this part of the plain thoroughly, from hunting ostriches on
it, and from frequent expeditions in search of strayed cattle. They had
all lived and hunted at one time or another with the Indians. Many of
the Guachos take up their abode permanently with the Indians, being
adopted as members of the tribe, and living and dressing like the
Indians themselves. These visits are generally undertaken to avoid the
consequences of some little difficulty,--a man killed in a gambling
quarrel, or for rivalry in love. Sometimes they make their peace again,
satisfy the blood-relations with a bull, secure absolution readily
enough by confession and a gift of a small sum to the Church, and return
to their former life; but as often as not they remain with the Indians,
and even attain to the rank of noted chiefs among them.
The men who accompanied the expedition were all of the former class. All
had taken to the Pampas to escape the consequences of some crime or
other, but had grown perfectly sick of it, and had returned to civilised
life. In point of morals they were not, perhaps, desirable companions;
but they were all brave enough, thoroughly knew the country farther
inland, and, if not enthusiastic in the adventure, were yet willing
enough to follow their respective masters, and ready to fight for their
lives upon occasion.
Just as they halted, Mr. Herries thought that he caught sight of some
deer a short way ahead. He therefore started at once for a stalk,
several of the others going off in other directions. Mr. Herries
proceeded very cautiously, and the wind being fortunately towards him,
he was enabled to creep up tolerably close. The animals, which are
extremely shy, had, however, an idea that danger was about before he
could get within a fair shot. As he knew that they would be off in
another instant, he at once practised a trick which he had often found
to be successful.
He threw himself on his back, pulled a red handkerchief from his neck,
tied it to one of his boots so as to let it float freely in the air, and
then threw up both legs in the form of a letter V. Then he began moving
them slowly about, waving them to and fro. The deer, which were upon
the point of flight, paused to gaze at this strange object; then they
began to move in a circle, their looks still directed at this unknown
thing, to which they gradually kept approaching as they moved round it.
At last they were fairly in shot, and Herries, whose legs were beginning
to be very weary, sprang to his feet, and in another instant the
foremost of the deer lay quivering in death.
Taking it upon his shoulders, he proceeded to the camp, where his
arrival was hailed with acclamation. A fire was already alight, made of
grass and turf, the former being pulled up in handfuls by the roots, and
making a fierce but short-lived blaze. A large quantity had been
collected at hand, and the ducks were already cut up. Half a one was
handed to each; for every man is his own cook upon the Pampas.
The other hunters shortly returned, bringing in another of the little
deer; for the stag of the Pampas is of small size. They were speedily
skinned by the Guachos, and cut up, and all the party were now engaged
in roasting duck and venison steaks on their steel ramrods over the
fire.
When all were satisfied, a double handful of tea was thrown into the
kettle, which was already boiling, pipes were lighted, and a general
feeling of comfort experienced. The horses had been picketed close at
hand, each man having cut or pulled a heap of grass and placed it before
his beast; beside which, the picket ropes allowed each horse to crop the
grass growing in a small circle, of which he was the centre.
Mr. Hardy chatted apart for some time with the Guachos, anxious to know
as much as possible of the country into which he was entering. The
others chatted and told stories. Presently Mr. Hardy joined again in the
general conversation, and then, during a pause, said, 'Although, my
friends, I consider it most improbable that any Indians are in the
neighbourhood, still it is just possible that they may have remained, on
purpose to fall at night upon any party who might venture to pursue. At
any rate, it is right to begin our work in a business-like way. I
therefore propose that we keep watches regularly. It is now nine
o'clock. We shall be moving by five: that will make four watches of two
hours each. I should say that three men in a watch, stationed at fifty
yards from the camp upon different sides, would suffice.'
There was a general assent to the proposal.
'To save trouble,' Mr. Hardy went on, 'I suggest that we keep watch in
the alphabetical order of our names. Twelve of us will be on to-night,
and the next twelve to-morrow night.'
The proposal was at once agreed to; and the three who were first on duty
at once rose, and, taking their rifles, went off in various directions,
first agreeing that one of them should give a single whistle as a signal
that the watch was up, and that two whistles close together would be a
warning to retreat at once towards the centre.
The watch also ascertained which were the next three men to be roused,
and these and the succeeding watches agreed to lie next to each other,
in order that they might be roused without awakening their companions.
In a few minutes there was a general unrolling of ponchos, and soon
afterwards only sleeping figures could be seen by the dim light of the
smouldering fire. Mr. Hardy, indeed, was the only one of the party who
did not fall to sleep. Thoughts of the events of the last twenty-four
hours, of the best course to be adopted, and of the heavy responsibility
upon himself as leader of this perilous expedition, prevented him from
sleeping. He heard the watch return, rouse the relief, and lay down in
their places. In another half hour he himself rose, and walked out
towards the sentry.
It was a young man named Cook, one of the new settlers to the east of
Mount Pleasant. 'Is that you, Mr. Hardy?' he asked, as he approached. 'I
was just coming in to wake you.'
'What is it, Mr. Cook?'
'It strikes me, sir, that there is a strange light away to the
south-west. I have only noticed it the last few minutes, and thought it
was fancy, but it gets more distinct every minute.'
Mr. Hardy looked out anxiously into the gloom, and quickly perceived the
appearance that his friend alluded to.
For a minute or two he did not speak, and then, as the light evidently
increased, he said almost with a groan, 'It is what I feared they would
do: they have set the prairie on fire. You need not keep watch any
longer. We are as much separated from the Indians as if the ocean
divided us.'
Cook gave the two short whistles agreed upon to recall the other men on
guard, and then returned with Mr. Hardy to the rest of the party. Then
Mr. Hardy roused all his companions. Every man leapt up, rifle in hand,
believing that the Indians were approaching.
'We must be up and doing,' Mr. Hardy said cheerfully; 'the Indians have
fired the Pampas.'
There was a thrill of apprehension in the bosom of many present, who
had heard terrible accounts of prairie fires, but this speedily subsided
at the calm manner of Mr. Hardy.
'The fire,' he said, 'may be ten miles away yet. I should say that it
was, but it is difficult to judge, for this grass does not flame very
high, and the smoke drifts between it and us. The wind, fortunately, is
light, but it will be here in little over half an hour. Now, let the
four Guachos attend to the horses, to see they do not stampede. The rest
form a line a couple of yards apart, and pull up the grass by the roots,
throwing it behind them, so as to leave the ground clear. The wider we
can make it the better.'
All fell to work with hearty zeal. Looking over their shoulders, the sky
now appeared on fire. Flickering tongues of flame seemed to struggle
upwards. There was an occasional sound of feet, as herds of deer flew by
before the danger.
'How far will it go, papa, do you think?' Hubert asked his father, next
to whom he was at work.
'I should say that it would most likely stop at the stream where we
halted to-day, Hubert. The ground was wet and boggy for some distance on
the other side.'
The horses were now getting very restive, and there was a momentary
pause from work to wrap ponchos round their heads, so as to prevent
their seeing the glare.
The fire could not have been more than three miles distant, when the
space cleared was as wide as Mr. Hardy deemed necessary for safety. A
regular noise, something between a hiss and a roar, was plainly audible;
and when the wind lifted the smoke, the flames could be seen running
along in an unbroken wall of fire. Birds flew past over head with
terrified cries, and a close, hot smell of burning was very plainly
distinguishable.
Starting about half way along the side of the cleared piece of ground,
Mr. Hardy set the dry grass alight. For a moment or two it burned
slowly, and then, fanned by the wind, it gained force, and spread in a
semicircle of flame.
The horses were already unpicketed, and half of the party held them at a
short distance in the rear, while the rest stood in readiness to
extinguish the fire if it crossed the cleared space.
Over and over again the fire crept partially across,--for the clearing
had been done but roughly,--but it was speedily stamped out by the heavy
boots of the watchers.
The spectacle, as the fire swept away before the wind, was fine in the
extreme. The party seemed enclosed between two walls of fire. The main
conflagration was now fearfully close, burning flakes were already
falling amongst them, and the sound of the fire was like the hiss of the
surf upon a pebbly beach.
'Now,' Mr. Hardy said, 'forward with the horses. Every one to his own
animal. Put your ponchos over your own heads as well as your horses'.'
In another minute the party stood clustered upon the black and smoking
ground which the fire they had kindled had swept clear. There, for five
minutes, they remained without moving, unscorched by the raging element
around them, but half-choked with the smoke.
Then Mr. Hardy spoke: 'It is over now. You can look up.'
There was a general expression of astonishment as the heads emerged from
their wrappers, and the eyes recovered sufficiently from the effects of
the blinding smoke to look round. Where had the fire gone? Where,
indeed! The main conflagration had swept by them, had divided in two
when it reached the ground already burnt, and these columns, growing
farther and farther asunder as the newly-kindled fire had widened, were
already far away to the right and left, while beyond and between them
was the fire that they themselves had kindled, now two miles wide, and
already far in the distance.
These fires in the Pampas, although they frequently extend over a vast
tract of country, are seldom fatal to life. The grass rarely attains a
height exceeding three feet, and burns out almost like so much cotton. A
man on horseback, having no other method of escape, can, by blindfolding
his horse and wrapping his own face in a poncho, ride fearlessly through
the wall of fire without damage to horse or rider.
It was only, therefore, the young hands who had felt any uneasiness at
the sight of the fire; for the settlers were in the habit of regularly
setting fire to the grass upon their farms every year before the rains,
as the grass afterwards springs up fresh and green for the animals. Care
has to be taken to choose a calm day, when the flames can be confined
within bounds; but instances have occurred when fires so commenced have
proved most disastrous, destroying many thousands of animals.
'There is nothing to do but to remain where we are until morning,' Mr.
Hardy said. 'The horses had better be picketed, and then those who can
had better get a few hours more sleep. We shall want no more watch
to-night.' In a few minutes most of the party were again asleep; and the
young Hardys were about to follow their example, when Mr. Hardy came up
to them and said quietly, 'Come this way, boys; we are going to have a
council.'
The boys followed their father to where some eight or nine men were
sitting down at a short distance from the sleepers, and these the boys
made out, by the glow from their pipes, to consist of Herries and
Farquhar, the two Jamiesons, Mr. Percy, and the four Guachos.
'This is a terribly bad business,' Mr. Hardy began, when he and his sons
had taken their seats on the ground. 'I expected it, but it is a heavy
blow nevertheless.'
'Why, what is the matter, papa?' the boys exclaimed anxiously. 'Have we
lost anything?'
'Yes, boys,' Mr. Hardy said; 'we have lost what is at this moment the
most important thing in the world,--we have lost the trail.'
Charley and Hubert uttered a simultaneous exclamation of dismay as the
truth flashed across their minds. 'The trail was lost!' They had never
thought of this. In the excitement of the fire, it had never once
occurred to them that the flames were wiping out every trace of the
Indian track.
Mr. Hardy then went on, addressing himself to the others: 'Of course
this fire was lit with the especial intent of throwing us off the
scent. Have you any idea how far it is likely to have come?' he asked
the Guachos. 'That is, are you aware of the existence of any wide stream
or damp ground which would have checked it, and which must therefore be
the farthest boundary of the fire?'
The Guachos were silent a minute; then Perez said, 'The next stream is
fifteen miles farther; but it is small, and would not stop the fire
going with the wind. Beyond that there is no certain stream, as far as I
know of.'
'The ground rises, and the grass gets thinner and poorer thirty miles or
so on. I should say that they would light it this side of that,'
Martinez said. The other Guachos nodded assent.
'We took the bearings of the track by our compass,' Farquhar said.
'Could we not follow it on by compass across the burnt ground, and hit
it upon the other side?'
Mr. Percy and Mr. Hardy both shook their heads. 'I do not pretend to say
where the trail is gone,' the former said, 'but the one place where I am
quite sure it is not, is on the continuation of the present line.'
'No,' Mr. Hardy continued. 'As you say, Percy, there it certainly is
not. The Indians, when they got to some place which is probably about
half across the burnt ground, turned either to the right or left, and
travelled steadily in that direction, sending one or two of their number
in the old direction to light the grass, so as to sweep away all trace
of the trail. They may have gone to the right or to the left, or may
even have doubled back and passed us again at only a few miles'
distance. We have no clue whatever to guide us at present, except the
certainty that, sooner or later, the Indians will make for their own
camping-ground. That is the exact state of the affair.' And Mr. Hardy
repeated what he had just said in Spanish to the Guachos, who nodded
assent.
'And in which direction do the Guachos believe that their camping-ground
lies?' Mr. Jamieson asked after a pause; 'because it appears to me that
it is a waste of time to look for the trail, and that our only plan is
to push straight on to their villages, which we may reach before they
get there. And in that case, if we found them unguarded, we might seize
all their women, and hold them as hostages until they return. Then we
could exchange them for Ethel; and when we had once got her, we could
fight our way back.'
'Capital, capital!' the other English exclaimed. 'Don't you think so,
papa?' Hubert added, seeing that Mr. Hardy did not join in the general
approval.
'The plan is an admirably conceived one, but there is a great difficulty
in the way. I observed yesterday that the trail did not lead due south,
as it should have done if the Indians were going straight back to their
camping-ground. I questioned the Guachos, and they all agree with me on
the subject. The trail is too westerly for the camping-grounds of the
Pampas Indians; too far to the south for the country of the Flat-faces
of the Sierras. I fear that there is a combination of the two tribes, as
there was in the attack upon us, and that they went the first day in the
direction which would be most advantageous for both; and that, on
reaching their halting-place,--perhaps twenty or thirty miles from
here,--they made a division of their booty, and each tribe drew off
towards its own hunting-grounds. In this case we have first to find the
two trails, then to decide the terrible question, which party have taken
Ethel?'
Again the Guachos, upon this being translated to them, expressed their
perfect accordance with Mr. Hardy's views, and some surprise at his
ideas having been so identical with their own upon the subject.
As for the six young men, they were too dismayed at the unexpected
difficulties which had started up in their way to give any opinion
whatever. This uncertainty was terrible, and all felt that it would have
a most depressing effect upon themselves and upon the whole expedition;
for how could they tell, after journeying for hundreds of miles, whether
every step might not take them farther from the object of their search?
In this state of depression they remained for some minutes, when Perez
the Guacho said, in his broken English, 'Most tribe take most plunder,
most cattle, most sheep,--take girl.'
'Well thought of, Perez!' Mr. Hardy exclaimed warmly. 'That is the clue
for us, sure enough. As you say, the tribe who has furnished most men
will, as a matter of course, take a larger share of the booty; and
Ethel, being the only captive, would naturally go to the strongest
tribe.'
The rest were all delighted at this solution of a difficulty which had
before appeared insuperable, and the most lively satisfaction was
manifested.
The plans for the day were then discussed. Propositions were made that
they should divide into two parties, and go one to the right and the
other to the left until they arrived at unburnt ground, the edge of
which they should follow until they met. This scheme was, however, given
up, as neither party would have seen the trail inspected by the other,
and no opinion could therefore be formed as to the respective magnitude
of the parties who had passed,--a matter requiring the most careful
examination and comparison, and an accurate and practised judgment.
It was finally resolved, therefore, to keep in a body, and to proceed,
in the first place, to search for the trail of the party to the south. A
calculation was made, upon the supposition that the Indians had
travelled for another twenty-five miles upon their old course, and then
separated, each party making directly for home. To avoid all mistakes,
and to allow for a detour, it was determined to shape a direct course to
a point considerably to the east of that given by the calculation, to
follow the edge of the burnt ground until the trail was arrived at, and
then to cut straight across, in order to find and examine the trail of
the western Indians.
As this conclusion was arrived at, the first dawn of light appeared in
the east, and Mr. Hardy at once roused the sleepers.
He then gave them a brief account of the conclusions to which he had
arrived in the night, and of his reason for so doing. There was a
general expression of agreement, then the girths were tightened, and in
five minutes the troop was in motion.
How great was the change since the preceding evening! Then, as far as
the eye could reach stretched a plain of waving grass. Birds had called
to their mates, coveys of game had risen at their approach; deer had
been seen bounding away in the distance; ostriches had gazed for an
instant at the unusual sight of man, and had gone off with their heads
forward and their wings out-stretched before the wind.
Now, the eye wandered over a plain of dingy black, unbroken by a single
prominence, undisturbed by living creatures except themselves. As Hubert
remarked to his father, 'It looked as if it had been snowing black all
night.'
Both men and horses were anxious to get over these dreary plains, and
the pace was faster, and the halts less frequent, than they had been the
day before.
It was fortunate that the fire had not taken place at an earlier hour of
the evening, as the horses would have been weakened by want of food. As
it was, they had had five hours to feed after their arrival.
Both men and horses, however, suffered much from thirst; and the former
had good reason to congratulate themselves on having filled every
water-skin at the first halting-place of the preceding day. Clouds of
black impalpable dust rose as they rode along. The eyes, mouth, and
nostrils were filled with it, and they were literally as black as the
ground over which they rode.
Twice they stopped and drank, and sparingly washed out the nostrils and
mouths of the horses, which was a great relief to them, for they
suffered as much as did their masters, as also did Dash, who, owing to
his head being so near the ground, was almost suffocated; indeed, Hubert
at last dismounted, and took the poor animal up on to the saddle before
him.
At last, after four hours' steady riding, a gleam of colour was seen in
the distance, and in another quarter of an hour they reached the unburnt
plains, which, worn and parched as they were, looked refreshing indeed
after the dreary waste over which they had passed.
The Guachos, after a consultation among themselves, agreed in the
opinion that the little stream of which they had spoken was but a short
distance farther, and that, although the channel might be dry, pools
would no doubt be found in it. It was determined, therefore, to push on,
and half an hour's riding by the edge of the burnt grass brought them to
the spot, when, following the course of the channel, they soon came to a
pool, from which men and horses took a long drink.
At their approach an immense number of wild-duck rose, and, as soon as
the horses were picketed, Charley again started with the gun, taking
Terence with him to assist in bringing home the birds. They soon heard
his gun, and Terence presently returned with six brace of ducks and a
goose, and a request that another man would go back with him, for that
the birds were so abundant, and so apparently stupified from flying over
the smoke and flame, that he could bring in any quantity.
One of the Jamiesons and Herries therefore went out, and returned in
less than an hour with Charley, bringing between them four more geese
and eighteen brace of ducks.
Charley was greeted with a round of applause, and was soon at work with
his friends upon the meal which was now ready.
After breakfast there was a comparison of opinion, and it was at last
generally agreed that they had ridden nearly forty miles since daybreak,
and that they could not be far from the spot where the Indians ought to
have passed if they had kept the direction as calculated. It was also
agreed that it would be better to let the horses remain where they were
till late in the afternoon, when they might accomplish another fifteen
miles or so.
Mr. Hardy then proposed that those who were inclined should accompany
him on a walk along the edge of the burnt ground. 'We cannot be very far
off from the trail,' he said, 'if our calculations are correct; and if
we can find and examine it before it is time to start, we may be able
to-night to cross to the other side, and thus gain some hours.'
Herries, Farquhar, the two Jamiesons, Cook, and the young Hardys at once
volunteered for the walk, and, shouldering their rifles, started at a
steady pace.
They had not walked much over a mile, when a shout of pleasure broke
from them, as, upon ascending a slight rise, they saw in the hollow
below them the broad line of trampled grass, which showed that a large
body of animals had lately passed along. All hurried forward, and a
close and anxious examination took place.
Opinions differed a good deal as to the number that had passed; nor,
accustomed as they all were to seeing the tracks made by herds of cattle
and flocks of sheep, could they come to any approximate agreement on the
subject. Had the number been smaller, the task would have been easier;
but it is a question requiring extreme knowledge and judgment to decide
whether four hundred cattle and two thousand sheep, or six hundred
cattle and three thousand sheep, have passed over a piece of ground.
Mr. Hardy at last sent Charley back, accompanied by Mr. Cook, to request
Mr. Percy to come on at once with the Guachos to give their opinion.
Charley and his companions were to remain with the horses, and were to
request those not specially sent for to stay there also, as it would be
imprudent in the extreme to leave the horses without a strong guard.
Pending the arrival of Mr. Percy, Mr. Hardy and his friends followed up
the trail for some distance, so as to examine it both in the soft
bottoms and on the rises. They returned in half an hour to their
starting-place, and were shortly after joined by Mr. Percy and the
Guachos. Again a careful and prolonged examination took place, and a
tolerably unanimous opinion was at last arrived at, that a very large
number of animals had passed, apparently the larger half, but that no
positive opinion could be arrived at until a comparison was made with
the trail on the western side.
Although this conclusion was arrived at unanimously, it appeared to be
reluctantly conceded to by most of them, and the reason of this became
apparent as they were walking back towards the horses. 'I have little
doubt that the conclusion we have arrived at is correct,' Herries
remarked, 'although somehow I am sorry for it; for ever since our talk
last night I have made up my mind that she was most likely to be taken
to the west. I suppose because the Indians there are more warlike than
those of the Pampas, and therefore likely to have furnished a larger
contingent. Of course I had no reason for thinking so, but so it was.'
'That was just what I thought,' Hubert said; and the other Englishmen
admitted that they had all entertained a somewhat similar idea.
At four in the afternoon they were again in the saddle, having taken the
precaution of filling their water-skins, and of watering the horses the
last thing.
'How far do you think it is across, papa?' Hubert asked.
'It cannot be very far, Hubert. We are so much nearer the place where
the fire began, that I do not think it can have spread more than ten
miles or so across.'
Mr. Hardy's conjecture proved to be correct. An hour and a half's riding
brought them to the other side of the burnt prairie, striking a point
which they felt sure was to the south of the place where the trail would
have left it.
As they had done more than fifty miles since the morning, and the horses
were much distressed with the effect of the dust, it was resolved to
encamp at once. The horses received a little water, and were picketed
out to graze. The fire was soon lit, and the ducks cut up and spitted
upon the ramrods.
All were so much exhausted with the heat, the ashes, the fatigue, and
the want of sleep of the previous night, that, the tea and pipes
finished, and the watch posted, the rest laid down to sleep before the
sun had been an hour below the horizon.
All rose at daybreak, refreshed with their quiet night's rest, and were
soon in the saddle and on their way northward.
They had nearly an hour's ride before they came upon the trail.
There it was unmistakeably,--at first sight as broad and as much
trampled as the other; but, after a careful examination of it, there was
but one opinion, namely, that the number of animals who had passed was
decidedly less than those who had gone south.
One of the Guachos now told Mr. Hardy that he knew that at a short
distance further to the west there was a spring of water much used by
the Indians, and where he had no doubt they had halted on the night of
the fire. Finding that it was not more than half an hour's ride, Mr.
Hardy, after a brief consultation, determined to go over there to water
the horses and breakfast, before retracing their footsteps across the
burnt prairie.
In little over the time named they came to a small pool of bright
water, from which a little stream issued, running nearly due north
across the plain. After drinking heartily themselves, and filling the
water-skins and kettle, the horses were allowed to drink; and Dash
plunged in with the greatest delight, emerging his usual bright chestnut
colour, whereas he had gone into the water perfectly black.
After he had come out and had shaken himself, he commenced hunting
about, sniffing so violently that Hubert's attention was attracted to
him. Presently the dog ran forward a few paces and gave a sharp bark of
pleasure, and Hubert running forward, gave so loud a cry that all the
party rushed up.
Hubert could not speak. There, half buried in the ground, and pointing
west, was an Indian arrow, and round the head was twisted a piece of
white calico, with little blue spots upon it, which Mr. Hardy instantly
recognised as a piece of the dress Ethel had worn when she left home.
Surprise kept all quiet for a while, and then exclamations of pleasure
and excitement broke from all, while Mr. Hardy and his sons were greatly
affected at this proof of the recent presence of their lost one.
The arrow was deeply sunk in the ground, but it was placed at a spot
where the grass happened to be particularly short, so that any one
passing outward from the spring could hardly have failed to notice the
piece of calico upon the grass.
There was a perfect shower of congratulations; and it was some time
before they were recovered sufficiently to renew their preparations for
breakfast.
At last they sat down round the fire, all their faces radiant with
excitement.
Perez and Martinez, however, sat somewhat apart, talking in an animated
undertone to each other. They did not even approach the fire to roast
their food; and Mr. Hardy's attention being attracted by this
circumstance, he asked what they were talking so earnestly about.
Neither of them answered him, and he repeated the question. Then Perez
replied: 'Martinez and I think same. All trick; girl gone other way.'
Conversation and eating were alike suspended at these ominous words, and
each looked blankly into the others' faces.
Now that their attention was called to it, the whole circumstances of
the case rushed to their minds; and as they felt the probable truth of
what Perez said, their hopes fell to zero.
Mr. Percy was the first who, after a long silence, spoke. 'I am afraid,
Hardy, that what Perez says is right, and that we have been very nearly
thrown off the scent by a most transparent trick. Watched as Ethel must
have been, is it probable that she could have possessed herself of that
arrow, and have fastened a strip of her dress to it, without being
noticed? Still more impossible is it that she could have placed the
arrow where we found it. No one could have passed without noticing it;
so, unless we suppose that she was allowed to linger behind every one,
which is out of the question, the arrow could not have been put there by
her.'
'Too true, Percy,' Mr. Hardy said with a sigh, after a short silence;
'it is altogether impossible, and I should call it a clumsy artifice,
were it not that it deceived us all for a while. However, there is one
comfort; it decides the question as we had ourselves decided it: Ethel
is gone with the larger party to the south.'
Breakfast was continued, but with a very subdued feeling. Hubert had now
finished his, and, being a lad of restless habit, he took up the arrow
which lay beside him, and began toying with it.
First he untied the piece of stuff, smoothed it, and put it into his
pocket-book, while his eyes filled with tears; then he continued
listlessly twisting the arrow in his fingers, while he listened to the
conversation around him.
Presently his eyes fell upon the arrow. He started, a flush of
excitement rushed across his face, and his hands and lips trembled as he
closely examined the feather.
All gazed at him with astonishment.
'Oh, papa, papa,' he cried at last, 'I know this arrow!'
'Know the arrow!' all repeated.
'Yes, I am quite, quite sure I know it. Don't you remember, Charley, the
day that those wounded Indians started, as we were taking the quivers
down to them, I noticed that one arrow had two feathers which I had
never seen before, and could not guess what bird they came from. They
were light blue, with a crimson tip. I pulled one off to compare it with
my others. It is at home now. I remember that I chose the one I did,
because the other one had two of the little side feathers gone. This is
the feather, I can most solemnly declare, and you see the fellow one is
gone. That arrow belongs to one of the men we recovered.'
All crowded round to examine the arrow, and then Mr. Hardy said
solemnly, 'Thank God for His mercy, He has decided our way now.
Undoubtedly, as Hubert says, one of the men we aided is of the party,
and wishes to show his gratitude. So he has managed to get a piece of
Ethel's dress, and has tied it to this arrow, hoping that we should
recognise the feather. Thank God, there is no more doubt, and thank Him,
too, that Ethel has at least one friend near her.'
All was now joy and congratulation, and Hubert rubbed his hands, and
said triumphantly, 'There, Charley, you were always chaffing me, and
wanting to know what was the good of my collection, and now you see what
was the good. It has put us on the right trail for Ethel, and you will
never be able to laugh at me about my collection again.'