Apparently the two grizzlies were confident that they would be able to
wait as long as the man whom they had compelled to seek refuge in the
tree. The slow minutes passed, and even Reuben, who was watching from
the distance and as yet had not been discovered by the bears, was
becoming cramped and impatient. He was not willing to call to his
friend, for he dared not do anything to attract the attention of his
enemies. He was well assured that he would not be able to drive them
away as successfully as had Kit Carson by wielding a club.
At last when what Reuben was convinced was at least two hours had
passed, apparently the two bears decided to abandon their vigil.
Apparently, too, they did this not because they were discouraged, but
because their feeling of hunger drew them in another direction. With
the strange lope or rolling motion with which bears run, both grizzlies
advanced to the place where the elk which Kit Carson had shot was
lying. This was not far distant from the trees in which the young
trappers were hiding, and in a brief time the sounds of the repast were
distinctly heard. Snarls and occasional growls were frequent. Once one
of the bears rose to a sitting posture and viciously struck his
companion on the head with his paw. The action apparently did not
arouse the anger of the second bear, who was thoroughly busy in his
task of devouring the body of the slain elk.
Would the animals never eat their fill? Reuben, cramped and with every
nerve tingling, had watched the savage beasts, hoping that they soon
would be satisfied and then would depart from the region.
At last, when the grizzlies had devoured most of the body, apparently
satisfied with their repast, they both turned and for a moment
threatened to come back to the place where they had tried to climb the
tree in which the young scout had found refuge.
Apparently, however, recollections of their experiences at the hands of
the fearless young hunter were still vivid. Abruptly they turned away,
and, swinging and swaying, made their way toward the mountains and soon
disappeared from sight.
With the departure of the bears Reuben was confident that he and his
friend might safely leave their places of refuge. As Reuben started to
descend the tree he was startled by a call from his comrade.
“Don’t do that, lad!”
“But they have gone,” protested Reuben.
“You can’t trust them. No one knows how far away they are. They may
simply be waiting for us.”
“But I’m all cramped, I have been here so long. It doesn’t seem to me I
can stay much longer.”
“Oh, yes, you can,” called Kit Carson encouragingly. “We can stay here
all night, if we have to.”
It was late in the afternoon when at last a low call from Kit Carson
caused Reuben to descend the tree. His muscles were so stiff from
remaining such a long time in his cramped position that it was with
difficulty that he was able to walk. His friend stopped for a moment as
soon as he drew near and showed Reuben how he stretched his own weary
muscles and exercised his arms which were almost numb.
“Do you think the bears have gone for good and all?” inquired Reuben.
“I think so. You had better load your rifle, though I don’t know that
it would do you very much good. I have known a grizzly to be shot in
the head, and, as far as one could see, pay about as much attention to
the bullet as he would to a pebble. They must have heads that are
mighty strong and thick. However,” he continued, “see that your rifle
is all ready and we’ll start.”
Cautiously the two trappers made their way from the place where both
had been so nearly caught, and after a quarter of an hour had elapsed
Kit Carson declared that the bears must have gone in the opposite
direction from the one which they were following and were no longer to
be feared. Somewhat assured by his companion’s confidence, Reuben
nevertheless kept a careful watch as with his friend he advanced
through the valley.
The young hunter was greatly surprised when they came near to the end
of the valley to discover a small Indian village before them. He had
been unaware of the presence of the redmen and now that he saw this
camp his fears returned.
“Come on, lad. Don’t be afraid,” said Kit Carson quietly. “I have been
here a great many times.”
“You have?” exclaimed Reuben. “I didn’t know there was an Indian camp
within ten miles of ours.”
“Well, you see there is,” replied the scout dryly.
“How long has it been here?”
“A year or more.”
“How do you know?”
“I told you I have been over here a good many times and I know all
about it. I have talked with some of the braves and they think I’m
almost fit to be received into the tribe.” Kit Carson spoke quietly,
and yet there was a tone in his voice that caused Reuben to glance
sharply at him. There was no change, however, in the expression of the
face of the scout, and as apparently he did not wish to continue the
conversation the subject was dropped.
Not long afterward, however, both trappers were welcomed into the
Indian village. The suspicion which possessed Reuben he was not able
entirely to conceal. Even the dogs that came sniffing about his feet
seemed to be treacherous. Few words were spoken to him, although his
companion was cordially received and the statement which he had
recently made to Reuben was manifestly confirmed. The Indians all
looked upon him as a friend, and in the spirit of friendship bade him
and his companion welcome.
Reuben, who was eager to be back in camp, found it difficult to
understand why Kit Carson insisted upon remaining longer in the
village. Indeed, an hour elapsed before he gave the word and the
journey was resumed.
“I’m going to marry the daughter of the chief,” said Kit Carson,
speaking almost as if he were referring to some ordinary occurrence.
“What!” exclaimed Reuben, as he spoke gazing in amazement at his
companion.
“That’s just what I’m going to do,” said Kit Carson, smiling slightly
at the astonishment of his friend.
“But I don’t see——” began Reuben.
“No, you don’t see, but I do, and that’s enough.”
“Well, you’re the one to be pleased,” said Reuben. “I wish you much
joy.”
“Thank you,” replied the scout, laughing quietly. “I reckon some of my
friends back at Pain Court would think I was out of my head to marry an
Indian squaw. From the expression on your face, Reuben, I can see that
you, too, have something of the same idea in your mind.”
Reuben did not respond, and for a time the two men continued in
silence.
“I have known that little Indian girl,” explained Kit Carson, after a
long silence, “more than a year. She is as pretty as a picture and as
good as she is pretty. It was a long time before the old chief would
give her to me, but to-night he told me that he had decided that if I
wanted her for my wife and would promise that she might stay in the
village while I was trapping he would not oppose me any longer. And he
doesn’t like the white men, either,” he added with a laugh.
“How is it that he is willing for you to have her, then, if he doesn’t
like the whites?”
“Oh, he has a notion,” replied Kit Carson simply, “that he can trust
me. He says if I say I will do a thing I don’t try to lie out of it.”
“He’s right about that,” said Reuben warmly. “That’s just the way
everybody that knows you feels.”
“Thank you.” There was a tender expression in the eyes of the young
scout that prevented Reuben from making any further protest against the
action of his friend.
“I am going to take you with me to-morrow into the village and let you
see how they treat me. Just now, however, Reuben, I would rather you
would not say anything about what I have just told you.”
Abruptly both men stopped, and in a low voice Reuben said: “What is
that? It sounds like thunder.”
“It is a drove of wild horses,” answered Kit Carson quickly. “Come with
me and we’ll see what they are.”
The sun was now about a half-hour above the horizon. In the soft light
of the closing day the sound of the approaching body was almost weird.
The band of wild horses was steadily drawing nearer the place where the
two scouts had concealed themselves. The wind was blowing toward them,
or otherwise the horses would not have approached the spot. They were
almost as keen in their ability to detect by their sense of smell the
presence of an enemy as were the prowling beasts.
In a brief time the drove came within sight. At the head was the
leader, a powerful and beautiful creature, running easily, his head
carried high and his pride showing in his every movement.
“Did you ever see such a tail on a horse?” exclaimed Kit Carson in a
low voice. “Look at it—it sweeps the ground! Do you know, I believe
I’ll get that fellow. If there is anything I am fond of it’s a good
horse.”
The scout’s fondness for fleet-footed ponies was well known by his
friends. Not a man in the camp was his equal as a rider. He seldom used
a saddle, and whatever the motion of the animal he was riding might be,
Kit Carson bestrode it almost as if they were parts of the same being.
Reuben, whose heart was beating wildly as he saw the drove approach,
said in a whisper: “How will you get him?”
“We’ll fix that up to-morrow. We’ll see to-night where they go.”
The approaching horses soon swept past the hiding-place of the two
trappers, and turning abruptly disappeared from sight at the entrance
to one of the valleys.
“They will stay there all night,” said Kit Carson quickly. “Come on
now, lad, we’ll go back to camp.”
“What makes you think they will stay all night? They may leave before
morning.”
Kit Carson smiled and shook his head, but made no further response, and
in a brief time, delaying only until they had secured a few rabbits and
a deer which they chanced to see, soon rejoined their companions.
For some reason Kit Carson was silent concerning their visit at the
Indian village, and Reuben himself naturally did not refer to it. The
leader, however, made much of the drove of wild horses, and it was
plain that the young scout’s enthusiasm increased as he described the
strength and beauty of the black pony at its head.
“I must have him,” he said.
“That’s easy to say,” suggested one of the men. “I have heard others
talk the same way, but when you run down a pony like that you’ll have
your work cut out for you.”
“But I’m going to get him,” said Kit confidently. “And I’ll tell you
how.”
In a low voice he explained to his companions the plan which he had
formed for catching the black leader. Every man in the camp was
interested, but when at last they sought their tents it had been
decided that only Reuben and two others were to share in the attempt.