JACK STARTS ON HIS JOURNEY.
The sun had not risen far above the horizon when the waggon started.
The men very carefully extinguished every ember of their camp fire
before they left the place, by pouring buckets of water over it, as the
laws were very strict on that point. Many of the terrible prairie
fires are traced from time to time to sparks left by careless people
camping out, which, blown by the wind, ignite the dry grass near, and
start the destructive flames which spread and rush on for miles,
carrying ruin in their track.
Lem sat in front of the waggon, driving the four horses, while Jeff was
beside him, both smoking. As Jack was afraid of being pursued, Jeff
suggested it would be safer for him to ride inside the waggon for the
first day or two. They had only got a few miles from Longview, when
Jeff perceived a horseman tearing after them, evidently bent on
overtaking them.
'Lie down, boy!' he called through the waggon opening to Jack. 'We're
followed already. Get under the blankets.'
Poor Jack obeyed, trembling with fright, and not daring to look out and
see who it was. How relieved he felt when the horse came up close
behind and he heard Steve's cheery voice hailing them: 'Hi, stop!'
'Hold on, Lem, for a bit,' cried Jeff. 'It's the young un he wants to
see.'
Lem pulled up with evident reluctance.
'Have you got the kid?' asked Steve anxiously.
'Yes, there he be,' returned Jeff, as Jack's happy face looked out
through the canvas curtains; 'I guess we can take care o' him for a
spell of the way; but though he's got his head screwed on right, an' he
has plenty of pluck, I doubt if he'll ever get as far as Cochetopa
Creek.'
'He's bound to go,' said Steve, 'an' I leave him now in _your_ trust,
Jeff.'
Steve could not help laying a slight emphasis on the _your_, when
speaking to Jeff, for there was no doubt his face had fallen
considerably when he perceived that Lem Adams was Jeff's mate. He had
known _two_ men were going, but Jeff Ralston was the only one he had
seen the day before, when he went over to the camp to negotiate on
Jack's behalf.
He had not thought of asking the other man's name, and now he was sorry
enough to find that Lem was one of Jack's companions. Some months
before, Steve had seen a good deal of Lem Adams in a mining town, and
disliked him intensely, having found him a bad, untrustworthy man. Lem
hated Steve, too, and the scowl on his face was not pleasant to see, as
he looked at the young cowboy.
Jack had jumped out of the back of the waggon upon Steve's arrival, and
now the latter pulled his horse round to where the boy stood, and
leaning from his saddle, he whispered, so that the others could not
hear, 'Look out as you don't vex that black-lookin' fellow. He's a
mean chap, and hates me, so I'm feared as he'll plague ye if he gets
the chance; but Jeff'll see as ye ain't bullied, if he don't get drunk.
Take this, lad; it may be useful; but don't let on as you have it.' He
slipped a small paper packet into Jack's hand, and shook his head
warningly to stop his words of thanks.
Then calling out, 'Good-bye, Jack. Keep a good heart up, an' good luck
go with you!' he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.
Jack stood gazing after him until he was lost to sight in a cloud of
dust; then, holding the packet tight in his hand, he remounted the
waggon, and they moved on once more over the dusty road.
It was August, and the hot sun poured down its relentless rays on the
prairie schooner and its occupants travelling slowly on; but Jack never
grumbled. He was happy enough, knowing that he had started out on his
long journey; and what cared he for the heat when he found himself
moving along the same road over which his dear father and mother had
travelled before?
But to return for a time to Longview. Jack's absence from his uncle's
house was not noticed until breakfast-time. When he was first missed,
the Byrnes concluded he had gone to look for the cow, as there was no
morning's milk in the place where Jack usually left it. A few hours
later they were surprised to hear Roanie lowing near the yard gate, and
knew that the wandering animal must have actually come back of her own
accord to be milked. But where was Jack? Roanie's arrival caused
quite a stir. Mat Byrne began to think something was wrong, and he and
the two boys sallied forth to look for the truant in the village.
They asked various people, but no one had seen Jack, and though they
hunted every spot they could not find him. His uncle got very angry,
and vowed to pay him out when he caught him again.
Luckily for Jack, his uncle never once supposed so young a boy would
think of running away, and he made sure that by evening Jack would
return to his house hungry and repentant.
He at first thought he would find Jack with his own son, Steve, and
therefore was greatly surprised to see the latter riding carelessly
about the village all day. Steve rode past him, giving him an
indifferent nod, and his father little thought how closely the cowboy
was watching every movement he made.
Never for one moment did Mat Byrne connect Jack's disappearance with
the departure of the two miners that morning, and when it dawned on the
searchers the next day, after having ransacked every shed and building
in Longview, that they must look further afield, for the missing boy,
our fugitive was too far away to fear recapture. Byrne made many
inquiries from incoming travellers as to whether they had seen a lad
anywhere along the different roads; but, thanks to Jeff's precautions,
not a soul passing their waggon had seen the small boy hiding under the
blankets; and, unable to get any clue to the direction Jack had gone
in, his uncle was at last obliged to give up the search.
For three or four days Jack was very careful to keep out of sight; but
as they got farther away from Longview, he felt safer and breathed more
freely. He was always glad when they stopped to camp for the night, as
his legs got very cramped in the waggon. If possible, they halted each
time near some spring or creek of water, where they could get plenty
for man and beast to drink.
Everyone had his own work allotted to him, and in this way, knowing
what each one had to do, much confusion was saved when forming the
camps. Lem looked after the four horses, unharnessed them, watered
them, gave them their feeds, and picketed them out where the grass grew
most plentifully. Jeff was cook, and Jack helped them both. Jeff
found him most useful. He collected fir cones and bits of pinon or
birch-bark to start the fires with, and kept them going with sticks; he
filled the camp-kettle from the spring, while Jeff fried the beefsteak
or sausage-meat; and even Lem looked less sullen when he found how much
quicker he got his meals than before Jack came.
Always after they had eaten their food Jack washed up the things in a
bucket, and put them tidily by in their places in the waggon, while the
men lounged by the fire and smoked. Jack soon got used to the life,
although it seemed very strange to him to find himself every night
farther away from Longview, and getting nearer and nearer to the grand
mountains which they could just see stretching along in a huge range
miles ahead of them.
Jeff liked Jack better every day, and asked him a great deal about his
people. One day he questioned him about his mother, and being a
subject dear to the boy's heart, he launched forth into a glowing
description of her, which quickly showed the rough miner what a good
influence she had exercised over her little son.
'Well,' said he slowly, 'I understand you now, my lad. Your mother was
one worth having. But you say she taught you prayers an' hymns. I
don't care about prayers, but I'm powerful fond o' singin'. Could you
give us one o' your mother's hymns now?'
They were gathered round the fire after supper, but Lem seemed half
asleep as Jack and Jeff talked. In answer to the latter's questions,
the boy said:
'Aye, of course I can. I'll sing you the one as father liked best, for
he used to sing it when he was freightin' an' campin' out as we're
doin' now.'
'Give it us, my lad,' said Jeff, as he refilled his pipe, and prepared
to listen.
Jack had a sweet young voice, and, possessing a good ear for music, he
had quickly picked up the tunes of his favourite hymns from his
parents, who both sang well.
Delighted to please his new friend, he struck up 'For ever with the
Lord,' repeating the last half of the first verse as a chorus after all
the verses. Fresh and clear his voice rang out, and when he came to
the last two lines--
'Yet nightly pitch my moving tent
A day's march nearer home'--
he seemed to throw his whole energy into the words.
[Illustration: 'JACK STRUCK UP, "FOR EVER WITH THE LORD."']
The hymn struck home to rough Jeff, and when it was ended he said:
'That's the way, lad. It's almost as if them words were written for
such rovin' chaps as us. Don't stop. I like it. Give us another.'
Jack was only too glad to go on. He sang his mother's favourite, 'My
God, my Father, while I stray,' and followed it by many more, until his
voice got tired. Sometimes he forgot a verse here and there, but he
remembered enough to show Jeff that he must have sung the hymns day
after day, to know them so well by heart.
Lem had sat silently on the far side of the camp fire, and as Jack
ceased singing, he said sneeringly: 'Say, Jeff, you ain't been much o'
a hymn-fancier afore to-night, I reckon.'
'No, I ain't,' returned the miner quietly; 'more's the pity, perhaps.
If I'd had such a mother to teach _me_, I dare say I'd have lived a
deal straighter life than I have done. I don't remember my mother.
She died when I was a babby, but if she'd been like Jack's, I reckon
I'd have gone as far to see her as he's agoin'.'
Lem grunted. In spite of himself he had liked listening to the boy's
singing, but the _words_ that he sang had made no impression on him.
Jeff always sent Jack early to bed, for the unusual fatigue made the
little fellow feel very tired and weary towards night. He slept in the
waggon, for Jeff had said after the first day, 'Jest roll yersel' up
cosy in there. Lem an' I are used to sleepin' on the ground an' like
it best, but it's different for a kid like you.'
Jack soon became attached to the good-natured miner, and he felt as
long as he was present he need not feel in the least afraid of Lem
troubling him.