"You shall have them," he answered, and again set off. I much feared
that he might be discovered, as he would have to go into the camp
itself, and the slightest sound might awaken our enemies.
We waited and waited: again I felt a strong inclination to steal forward
and assist him. Just as I was about to do so, he reappeared bringing
two saddles and bridles.
Still it was of consequence, if we could manage it, to possess ourselves
of the Indians' bows and spears. I again offered to accompany the
trapper. He thought a moment.
"It may be done," he said, "if you step cautiously, for they are more
soundly asleep than I had supposed; but, if any of them should awake,
you must be prepared to knock them on the head--our own safety will
demand it."
I agreed to this, hoping that the contingency might not arrive. We set
out and soon reached the camp. So sound asleep did they appear, that I
believe even had we trodden on them, they could not have been aroused.
They lay where they had fallen in their drunken fits, in every variety
of attitude. We each possessed ourselves of two tomahawks for our
defence, and all the bows we could find; and, carrying them under our
arms, returned to our companions. Folkard immediately cut the strings
and broke off the ends of the bows. We had thus far been more
successful than we had anticipated.
We now, having recovered our weapons and two saddles,--for the Indians
had left the others on the backs of the horses,--glided behind the trees
to which we had been bound, and stole off, cautiously following the
footsteps of old Folkard, who led the way.
"I left my horse down in the hollow yonder," said the trapper; "we will
get him first, and then I'll try and help catch yours; they are not far
off I suspect. It will be daylight soon, and we have no time to lose."
Several more minutes were spent before we reached the spot where old
Folkard's horse was securely tethered. He having mounted, we set out in
search of our own steeds.
"It is just possible that the Indians may have left one of their number
to watch their horses as well as ours, and if so, it will be necessary
to either capture or kill the man," said Dick.
Unwilling as we were to put to death any of our savage enemies, even in
our own defence, we saw the necessity of doing as Dick proposed.
Greatly to our satisfaction, as we approached a glade, the whinny of a
horse was heard, and Armitage's favourite steed came trotting up to him.
We immediately put on its saddle and bridle. Pierre's and mine were
still wanting. His had probably been torn to pieces by the wolves, but
we still had a chance of getting mine. I was almost in despair, when to
my joy it came up, and I was quickly on its back. Pierre was very
unhappy at delaying us.