THE SURPRISE
"We are almost opposite them now," Jim announced.
We went down the gulch until we came to a little bench just below the
edge. We crawled upon this, and looked cautiously through a fringe of
grass.
I could see a bunch of half a dozen antelope gently feeding on the level
plain. "Pick your antelope," whispered Jim to me.
"I'll take the young buck," I said. "You can have the rest."
Cautiously we shoved our rifles through the grass and kneeling on one
leg we drew a careful aim. "Now," exclaimed Jim.
There came two simultaneous reports and a couple of antelope dropped
flat and flaccid. We fired at the remainder as they jumped into the
distance. Our shots only made them go faster.
"Well," cried Jim, as we stood up, "two isn't so bad."
We got on our ponies and were obliged to ride down the gully for half a
mile before we could get out where there was a narrow wash down the
side.
We rode over, to where the two huddled heaps of grey laid on the plain.
I had got my young buck all right, while Jim had killed a good sized
doe.
"I tell you, Jim, let's take the two of them into the gully, where we
will be safe from the Apaches seeing us. Cut off the best parts, then
hunt back towards the camp."
"All right," Jim acquiesced, rather to my surprise.
He was likely to disregard any ordinary caution, but since his training
with the captain, he was more apt to be careful and to take fewer
chances.
So we flung the antelopes across the back of our saddles, tying them
securely with the long leather strings and started back for the arroyo.
We kept a sharp lookout in all directions over the plains, but saw no
indications of Indians, and reached our destination in safety.
"I believe that we are going to have a thunderstorm," Jim remarked.
"It certainly looks it," I replied.
Back of the range heavy thunder clouds were rolling, bringing the higher
peaks out with marked distinctness and the shadow was spreading over the
plains.
"It will be cooler for us, anyway," said Jim.
It certainly was a relief to have the sun obscured, and we set to work
with a will. In a little over a half hour we had the antelopes divided
off and securely fastened to the saddles. It did not increase the weight
we had to carry much.
"I am going to take a look around," said Jim, "before we ride out into
the open."
He crawled up the edge of the gully, barely raising his eyes above the
level. In a moment I knew that he had seen something of interest. There
was something about his figure as he crouched even lower than at first
with his gaze riveted in one direction that spoke louder than words.
Then he drew slowly back and down. Reaching the bottom, he came quickly
towards me; there was a smile on his face that I knew well enough.
"Indians?" I said, breathlessly.
"Yes," he replied, "there is a hunting party coming out of a small
canyon above the ravine we are in."
"How many?" I asked.
"Twenty or more," he replied.
"What shall we do?" I inquired, anxiously.
"That depends on them," he replied, coolly. "We will stay where we are
for the present."
"Perhaps they will pass to the north of us," I said, "and thus miss our
trail."
"Maybe," he replied. "I am going to take another look."
"Me too," I said.
With extreme caution we climbed to the edge of the gully and looked
over. They were still some distance off, and so far were riding parallel
to the ravine we had come down.
It was the first time that I had had a good view of mounted Indians and
I could not help feeling impressed. From the wild and stormy background
of the thunder clad mountains they rode out upon the shadowed plains.
The ponies seemed small compared with the tall, gaunt forms of the
Indians that rode them. The leader, a gigantic brave, was gesticulating
freely with his long snaky arms.
I have noticed that Indians are apt to be much less stolid when mounted
than on foot. With his feathered crest he seemed like a great bird of
prey as he scanned the plains. There was something uncannily cruel and
treacherous about them that sent a chill all over me. It was the first
time that I had seen the dread Apaches, the most to be feared among all
the tribes of the plains or mountains. If only the dead settlers and
their families, those whom the Apaches had murdered, could speak, their
stories would recall to memory horrors innumerable.
"Had we not better fight them here?" I asked, "where we have cover?"
Jim shook his head.
"No," he replied, "we might stand them off, but the country hereabouts
is alive with Indians."
"Yes, I see," I replied, "and I suppose if they did not overwhelm us,
they would starve us out."
"There is nothing for us to do but to make a running fight of it," said
Jim, "if they should cut our trail."
"We will stand no show on the plains," I said, "it is too open."
"I believe that we can outrun them," he said, "our ponies are apt to be
in better condition than theirs and then too we are light riders. We
will make for the mountains and when we reach them we ought to be safe."
"They are not going to cross the gulch," I said, in a relieved tone,
"perhaps they will miss our trail after all."
"It looks to me though as if they were going to strike that place where
we killed the antelope," said Jim.
He gave another look at the advancing braves, then he backed down into
the gulch.
"Come, Jo," he said, decisively, "we will have to run for it, in a few
minutes they will cut our trail. We will only lose by waiting."
Here is where Jim showed his qualities as a leader. I would have waited,
hoping to escape detection, and leaving the enemy to make the first move
and thus losing seconds that were more valuable than hours under
ordinary circumstances.
Our ponies were very restless, with ears pricked forward and shifting
their front feet, first one and then the other. They knew even though
they could not see. We swung silently into the saddles. Our ready rifles
lay just in front of us.
"We are going to start now, Jo," said Jim, in a low, confident voice,
"the south side of the gully is low, a hundred feet below us. That's
where we show up; it will be a surprise for those beggars. When they see
us, pick your Indian and fire. Remember to throw yourself to the side of
your pony when they fire and run for it."
I was trembling so that I could scarcely keep my teeth from chattering.
Jim was naturally brave, but I was just the average as far as courage
went. Still I was a boy of high spirit, and I struggled hard to throw
off my fear as Jim was giving me his instructions.
Then I thought of what the captain had told us of the bravery of the
American soldiers in the Mexican war. Of Grant who was so quiet and
fearless. At least I was an American. I pulled myself together and was
ready.
"All ready, Jo?" asked Jim.
"Yes," I replied.
I shall never forget the thrill of excitement that went through all my
nerves as we started down the gully, Jim in the lead and my horse close
on his hindquarters. The north bank was higher and still screened us,
though we bent down to avoid any possibility of being seen.
Just as we turned out of the gully we heard a great powwow. The Apaches
had found the place where the antelope had been killed. We were now on
the plain in full sight. It seemed to me that we loomed up twice as big
as life. We were absolutely stripped naked now of the protection of the
gully.
Our very daring helped us, and we rode directly up the bank of the
gully. The Apaches were gathered around the place where the antelope had
lain. They were examining the ground, then suddenly two of the braves
caught sight of us. Never was there a more surprised crowd of Indians.
Stealth they could understand, but not such open bravado. For a moment
they seemed actually stunned.
Jim brought his rifle to his shoulder and fired and I promptly followed
suit. An Indian and a pony fell. Two out at the first shot. It warmed
our blood with confidence.
War was declared. With fierce yells they started in pursuit. Firing a
volley that went wild, though there was a whistle of bullets over our
heads and some spurted the dust on the plain short of us.
"Now let them go," yelled Jim.
Coyote and Piute seemed to fully realize the situation and away they
flew, all their pent up energy going into a wild burst of speed that
lasted for a half mile.
We gained on most of the Indians, but the big chief and two others kept
nearly parallel with us on the other side of the gully, trying to cut us
off from the mountains.