"Why, that's wha'r Praeger used to live, and it was burnt with mighty
near the whole of the property when the forest caught fire last fall,
though he and his family escaped. I heard say that they were going to
move westward, and they must be on their journey by this time, I guess."
Armitage questioned and cross-questioned his informant, and seemed
perfectly satisfied with his statement. After this he expressed no
further wish to visit Tillydrone.
We had been travelling on for more than a month, when we once more found
ourselves among the wild and grand scenery in the neighbourhood of the
Rocky Mountains. We encamped not far from a spot we had before
occupied, where we knew an abundance of game was to be found. This time
we had determined that nothing should turn us back until the western
coast was reached. We were now enabled to detect the trails of animals
as well as of men, an art indeed in which Pierre and Sam were equal to
the Indians themselves. As we had camped pretty early, we started in
different directions, hoping to bring in a good supply of meat, of which
our consumption was considerable, Long Sam declaring when really hungry,
that he could eat half a buffalo at a sitting--I wonder he didn't say a
whole one. We had espied some big-horns on the rocky heights in the
distance, and were making our way towards them, when Sam exclaimed--
"A white man has passed this way, though those are the marks of
moccasins, but no Indian treads in that fashion."
I agreed with him, and soon afterwards we came upon a pool out of which
a stream ran to the eastward. Sam was not long before he ferreted out
several beaver-traps, and, examining one of them, pronounced it of the
best make, and belonging to a white trapper. Of course we allowed it to
remain unchanged. We thought of old Folkard, but scarcely expected to
fall in with him again. We were making our way through a wood, along a
ridge with a valley below us, when, looking through a gap in the trees,
I caught sight of two persons, the one seated, supporting the head of
another, who was stretched on the ground on his knees. Though I was too
far off to distinguish their features, I saw by the dress of one that he
was a trapper, but could not make out the other. On coming nearer,
however, I recognised old Folkard; but who was the other? His cheeks
were hollow, his countenance haggard, and, though sunburnt, showed none
of the hue of health. A second glance, however, convinced me that he
was Charley Fielding. The old hunter was engaged in giving him some
food, treating him as he would a helpless child. They both recognised
me, and Charley's eye brightened as he stretched out his hand to welcome
me while I knelt by his side.
"Where have you been? How did you come here?" I asked eagerly.
"Don't trouble him with questions," said the old trapper; "he'll answer
you better when he's had some broth. I found him not long since pretty
well at his last gasp. I guess he has got away from some Redskins. I
always said he was carried off by them. If I am right they are not
likely to be far away. We must be on the look-out not to be caught by
them."
Charley, though unable to speak, showed by the expression of his
countenance that the old trapper had truly conjectured what had
happened.
We naturally, forgetting all about the big-horns, thought only of how we
could best convey Charley to the camp. As we had come over some
excessively rough ground, it would be no easy matter to get him there.
"Then go back to your friends, and get them to move camp up here," said
the trapper; "by keeping along the lower ground, they can be here
quickly, and it's a more secure spot, I guess, than where they are."
I asked Long Sam, who now came up, to go back with a message to our
friends, as I was unwilling to leave Charley. This he agreed to do, and
Folkard was glad to have me remain. The food quickly revived Charley,
when Folkard went off to fetch some water from a neighbouring spring.
We then together carried him to the trapper's camp, which was not many
paces off, though so securely hidden that even an Indian's eye could
scarcely have detected it.
This done, I looked out anxiously for the arrival of our friends. The
shades of evening were already extending far away over the lower ground.
"They'll surely come!" I said to myself. Presently I caught sight of
our party, and shouted to them to come on.
Poor Dick burst into tears when he saw Charley, partly from joy at
having found him, and partly from pity at his condition.
It was some time before Charley could speak. The first use he made of
his returning strength, was to tell us that he had been captured by
Indians, and kept a prisoner ever since,--exactly as old Folkard had
supposed; that he was not as badly treated as he expected, but so
strictly watched, that in spite of all the attempts he had made, he
could not effect his escape until two days before, when he found that a
war-party was about to set off to attack an emigrant train coming
westward, of which they had just gained tidings. While the braves were
performing their war-dance to the admiration of the squaws, he had
managed to slip out of camp unperceived, his intention being to warn the
white men of their danger. The train had been encamped some days, and
it was not known how soon they would move forward. He had hoped
therefore to be in time, as the Indians would not venture to attack them
while they remained stationary.
On hearing this we were all eager to set out to the rescue of the white
people. Armitage especially was unusually excited, but to move at that
time of night, with our horses already tired, the country also being of
a somewhat rough description, was scarcely possible. Old Folkard, as
well as Pierre and Long Sam, was of opinion that we should gain time by
waiting, as we might otherwise lose our way, or lame our animals over
the rocky tract we should have to pass. We arranged therefore to wait
for daylight, and it was settled that the Canadian should remain with
the old trapper to assist him in taking care of Charley, and looking
after our baggage mules and spare horses. The greater part of the night
was spent in cleaning our rifles and pistols, as we expected to have use
for them should we find that the emigrant train had moved on, and that
the Indians had kept up their intention of attacking it. We breakfasted
before dawn so that we might ride if necessary several hours without
food, and might be some distance on our way before the first streaks of
the coming day should appear in the sky.
Pierre and Long Sam, after a consultation, undertook to guide us, so
that we might fall in with the usual track followed by emigrants, a
short distance only to the northward of the place where we were
encamped. We felt somewhat anxious about leaving Charley in his present
state, with so slender a guard.
"Do not trouble yourselves about that," observed the old trapper. "I'll
keep a good look-out, and no Redskins are likely to come this way."
As we rode on and daylight increased, we looked out eagerly for any
smoke which might indicate a camp fire, but not the slightest wreath
dimmed the clear sky. Pierre and Long Sam both agreed that we were not
far from the high road, and that we must soon come upon the track of the
train if it had passed. Not a quarter-of-an-hour after this, we saw--
not a fire burning--but the remains of several, and all the signs of a
train having halted on the spot. We hastily rode over the ground, when
Armitage, suddenly leaping from his horse, picked up a small object
which he intently examined. It was a lady's glove, such as the usual
travellers by emigrant trains are not wont to wear. He placed it in his
pocket.
"On, friends, on!" he cried; "if Charley's information is correct we
have not a moment to lose. Already the work of plunder and murder may
have begun."
We needed no further incitement to make us urge on our steeds. Armitage
and Long Sam, who were the best mounted of our party, leading, the
latter being our guide. The country was wooded so that we could not see
far ahead. Suddenly our guide turned to the left.
"We will take a short cut for the waggons. The road makes a bend here,"
he observed. "Maybe we shall find ourselves in front of the train. No
Redskins will venture to attack it when they see us."
No sounds had hitherto reached our ears, but presently a shot was heard
from a short distance off, then another and another.
"On, on!" cried Armitage, and in a few minutes, through an opening in
the forest, we caught sight of a large band of Indians rapidly
descending the hill, while nearer to us there came the leading waggon of
an emigrant train, the drivers of which were endeavouring to turn back
their cattle as probably those following were attempting to do.
From the shrieks and cries which arose, it seemed too likely that the
Redskins had already attacked the travellers, and we knew well what
quick work they would make of it should they have gained any advantage;
so, digging spurs into our horses' flanks, we passed round the head of
the train, and uttering a loud cheer as we did so to encourage the
emigrants, we rode full tilt at the savages.