PRISONERS
"Russ, are you going to try to get a film?" asked Alice, as she saw the
young operator examining his camera.
"I was thinking of it," he confessed. "I guess I've got film enough to
get you people, and take about eight hundred feet of the Indians--that
is, if they'll let us."
"Maybe we can make them believe the camera is some new kind of magic,
that will help them better than some of their own," suggested Paul. "One
of the cowboys was telling me the Indians come here to make magic or
'medicine' that they take back to the reservation with them, to ward off
sickness, bring good crops, and the like."
"Well, don't run into danger, whatever you do," advised Mr. DeVere.
"We'll just take a look, if we can, and come away."
"But I want a film," insisted Russ.
They were nearing the _mesa_. The smoke on top was seen to be growing
thicker, but there were no other signs that the Indians were on top of
the peculiar, table-like formation.
"Suppose they aren't there?" suggested Paul.
"Oh, don't come any of that Mr. Sneed business," laughed Russ. "Don't
cross a bridge until you come to it. I guess they're there, all right."
"Who's that coming after us?" asked Ruth, as she turned in her saddle,
and indicated an approaching horseman, who was coming on at a gallop. A
cloud of dust almost hid him, and it could not be made out who he was.
A little later, as he drew nearer, however, he was seen to be Baldy
Johnson. He waved his hat at them, his bald pate shining in the hot sun,
and called out:
"Hold on! Where you goin'?"
"Up to the _mesa_," answered Russ. "The Indians are there, I think, and
we want to see them. I want to get some pictures."
The two girls expected Baldy to make an objection, but he merely said:
"Well, I guess it'll be safe enough this time. I'll go along with you.
There's only a small party of them up there now."
"Then you know the Indians are there?" asked Alice.
"Yes, we got word at the ranch last night that they were on the way for
one of their regular pow-wows. One of the boys was out looking up some
stray cattle and he seen 'em headin' for the _mesa_. But there wasn't
many, so I guess it'll be safe. I'll go along," and he glanced
significantly at the two big revolvers that hung from either hip.
"But can you spare the time?" asked Alice.
"Oh, yes, Miss. I'd make time, anyhow," and he smiled frankly at her.
That was one nice feature of Baldy's admiration. It was so open and
ingenuous that no one--not even Ruth--could take offense at it. "I'm on
a little round-up of my own, looking for signs of rustlers, and I
haven't any special office hours," he finished, laughingly. "So come
along. I'll take you by the easiest path."
The ride around the _mesa_, to a point where it could be climbed, took
nearly an hour. During that time the girls and the others cast curious
glances at the top of the table-like elevation, but were not able to
detect any signs of the redmen. The little pillar of smoke, too,
disappeared.
"Now for some hard work; but take it as easy as you can," suggested
Baldy, as they came to the trail that led up the slope.
"Oh, we can never get the horses up that," objected Ruth, as she looked
at the elevation. "It's too steep."
"Just leave it to the ponies, Miss," responded Baldy. "They know how to
make it easy for themselves and you. Leave it to them. I'll take the
lead, and you follow me. Take it easy!"
It was not as difficult as it looked, once the horses were given free
rein. Baldy's pony seemed to have traveled the trail before and, on
inquiry, the girls learned that this was so.
"When I'm sure I'm not goin' to run into a bunch of redskins I often
come up here," said the cowboy. "I can get a good view of the country
from this elevation, when I'm trying to locate a strayed bunch of
cattle."
"Isn't it lonesome here?" asked Ruth, as she looked about her, and up
and down the trail. Indeed the scenery was wild and desolate, though
imposing in its grandeur.
"Well, it ain't exactly the 'Great White Way' that Miss Pennington and
Miss Dixon talk so much about," chuckled Baldy. "There ain't no
skyscrapers except the _mesa_ itself, and there's no electric lights."
"But I like it, just the same!" cried Alice, impulsively. "I think it's
just great! This is the finest country in the world!"
"It sure is, Miss," agreed Baldy in a low voice. "The Lord didn't make a
better," he added, reverently.
The trail became easier for a time, and then more difficult until, as
they neared the top, the girls were almost ready to give up and go back.
Mr. DeVere, too, was a little doubtful about continuing.
"Suppose they drive us back?" the actor asked. "We would never be able
to negotiate a retreat safely down such a slope."
"Oh, I guess it's all right this time," said Baldy. "But if it wasn't
that I'm sure there are only a few Indians here, I wouldn't have let you
come. Keep on. I guess you'll be all right."
By dint of struggling the ponies covered the short remaining distance
and, a little later, the party found itself on the summit. They were
among a lot of stunted trees and straggling bushes, on top of the flat
expanse that stood so high above the surrounding country.
"Oh, what a view!" cried Alice, as she looked off to the west, toward
the foothills and mountains.
"Isn't it?" agreed Ruth. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything."
"But where are the Indians?" asked Russ, who was getting his moving
picture machine ready for work.
"Oh, they're probably somewhere in the middle of the place," said
Baldy. "It's about three miles across it, you know."
They gave the horses a breathing spell, and then started slowly across
the table land. There was no smoke in sight now, and as far as could be
told from observation, they were alone on the plateau.
"It's likely the Indians are getting ready to make their 'medicine,'"
said Baldy. "Now leave everything to me. I can speak some of their
lingo, so I'll do the talking. I'll tell 'em you have powerful
'medicine' in that picture machine of yours," he went on to Russ. "That
may stop them from taking a notion to throw stones at it."
"Would they do that?" asked the young operator.
"Oh, they might--there's not much counting on what an Indian will do,
especially at these ceremonies. But I'll fix it all right. Just leave it
to me."
Though the top of the _mesa_ was flat, it was only comparatively so.
There were little hollows and ridges, and when the riders were down in
some of the depressions they could not see very far ahead.
They kept on, becoming more and more impressed with the wonderful view.
It was a new experience for the Easterners, and they appreciated it.
"I guess it's going to turn out a false alarm," Russ observed, as he
shifted the weight of his camera.
"No, they're here," returned Baldy, in a low voice.
"How can you tell?" Alice asked.
"I can hear the stamping of their ponies. They're tethered just beyond
there--past that clump of trees." He pointed as he spoke, and, at the
same moment, from that direction came the whinny of a pony. It was
answered by Baldy's horse.
"I thought so," said the cowboy, quietly. "They're here."
"Good enough!" declared Russ. "Mr. Pertell will be pleased to get this
film."
"You haven't got it--yet," remarked Paul, significantly.
A little later they passed along a trail that led to a grove of small
trees, where a score or more of Indian ponies were tied. But of the
Indians themselves not a sign was to be seen.
"Where are they?" asked Alice.
"You'll soon find out," was Baldy's reply. "They're most likely in their
huts. They'll mine out in a minute."
As he spoke they emerged from the clump of trees that served as a
stable, and there, in an open space, were nearly a hundred rude huts,
made of tree branches roughly twined together. Over some of them were
cowhides, tanned with hair on, while others were covered with gaudy
blankets.
"There's where they stay while the ceremonies are going on," spoke
Baldy. "They're all in the huts now, probably, watching us."
He had hardly finished before there were loud cries, and from the huts
poured a motley gathering of Indians. They were attired in very scant
costumes--in fact, they were as near like the aborigines as is customary
in these modern days. And most of them had, streaked on their faces and
bodies, colored earth or fire-ashes. Crude, fierce, and rather
terrifying were these painted Indians.
"Oh!" faltered Ruth, as the savages advanced toward them.
"Now don't be a bit skeered, Miss," said Baldy, calmly. "I'll palaver to
'em, and tell 'em we just come to pay 'em a visit."
One Indian, taller and better looking than any of the others, stepped
out in advance and came close to the party of players, who had halted
their horses.
He spoke in short, quick, guttural tones, and looked from one to the
other, as if asking who was the spokesman.
"I'll talk to you," said Baldy, and then he lapsed into the Indian
dialect. The two talked for a little while, and it was evident that some
dispute was taking place.
At first, however, the voices were kept down, and each of the talkers
was calm. Then something the Indian said seemed to annoy Baldy.
"Well, you just try it on, and see what happens!" cried the cowboy,
hotly. "If you think we're afraid of you it's a big mistake," and,
whether unconsciously or not, his hand slid toward the weapon on his
right hip.
"What is the trouble? Are we not welcome here?" asked Mr. DeVere. "If
so----"
"Oh, they don't so much mind our coming, as I told 'em we had rights
here," replied Baldy. "But the trouble is they don't want us to go until
their ceremonies are over. They say it will spoil the magic if we come
and go so quickly, so they want to keep us here a couple of days."
"As prisoners?" asked Paul, quickly.
"That's about it," was the cowboy's laconic answer.