FOOTPRINTS.
"He's either the biggest wretch among the Shawanoes," said Wharton,
"always excepting Blazing Arrow, or he is working like a major to help
us."
"Look at him!"
The Indian whom they were discussing was standing in the same position
as before, but was excitedly beckoning for them to approach.
Both boys broke into a trot and quickly joined him.
"Dat Blazing Arrow," said Arqu-wao; "he kill white folks."
"How is it that he and the others did not kill my father and mother as
they rode along the trail?"
"No see 'em," was the quick reply.
"But why not? I do not understand."
"Arqu-wao no tell--don't know--not be looking."
This, apparently, was the explanation possible, but it did not satisfy
the youths.
"Come wid me," said the Shawanoe, motioning the boys to follow him,
which, despite their anxiety, they did.
"See dere--eh--see dat?"
The Indian stooped, and with his forefinger almost on the ground,
pointed to the imprint of a shoe. It was not made by a moccasin, but by
a regular heavy-soled shoe or boot.
"Who made that?" asked the astonished Wharton.
"White man," replied Arqu-wao, with almost a chuckle. "White man like
him on hoss--he friend--Blazing Arrow don't know dat."
It seemed incredible that this half-demented creature had discovered
signs which had escaped the eye of the fierce Shawanoe leader and his
companions, but such was the fact, as afterwards came to light.
After much labored explanation, the guide made clear to the boys a state
of facts hitherto unsuspected by them, whose existence they still half
doubted.
A white man from the block-house had passed over the trail after the two
horses. This was readily determined by studying his footprints where
they interfered with those of the animals. He had walked at a rapid
gait, as was evidenced by the length of the stride. In all probability
he was an experienced ranger, for even while following the path he made
an effort to hide his footprints. It was only at rare intervals that he
stepped in the trail itself; he had generally walked at the side, where
the leaves and harder earth hid the impressions from sight.
Had Blazing Arrow and his companions been searching for this stranger's
footprints it is not to be supposed that they would have missed them,
for their eyes were as keen as those of Arqu-wao, but the presumption
was that they were not looking for them.
The rapid stride of the strange white man was accepted by the guide as a
proof that he was trying to overtake those on horseback. It might be
that, after their departure from the block-house, news had reached the
small garrison there of the ambush the couple were liable to run into,
and this runner had set out to warn them; or it might be that he had
struck the trail a short distance off, and was seeking to join the two
for the sake of their companionship, or for some reason of his own.
Furthermore, it must be remembered that, though the presumption was
strongly in favor of the two riders being the father and mother of
Wharton, it was not yet absolutely certain that such was the case. That
could not be known for some time to come.
It was evident that some curious complication had taken place, since all
three of the party had passed Blazing Arrow and his men without their
detection. There was nothing remarkable in the single person doing so,
since he had given evidence of unusual care in his action. Skilled in
the ways of the woods and Indian subtlety, he knew enough to avoid the
most cunning ambush, but the hostiles must have been derelict to allow a
mounted man and woman to pass unnoticed.
Be that as it may, Wharton and Larry were as resolute as ever in
following the party. If it should prove that the parents had passed that
point on their way to the settlement, there was no call for approaching
any nearer to the block-house.
"We will go back," said Wharton, with only a moment's hesitation. "Lead
the way, Arqu-wao, and serve us as well as you have already done."
"Me good Indian," he replied. "Me take care ob you."
"We know that. We shall depend on you. You needn't run, for we don't
want to overtake Blazing Arrow too soon."
The Shawanoe showed a remarkable quickness in comprehending the wishes
of the boys. He asked them to stand where they were until he signalled
them to follow. They watched his figure out of sight, when he turned,
with the same sidelong attitude as before, and beckoned them to come on.
"We've got to trust him now," said Larry.
"There's no help for it; but we couldn't ask much better proof of
friendship than he has given already."
"But we'll keep our eyes on him. It may be he's fixing things so as to
gather in the whole lot of us."
Wharton thought his companion was unduly suspicious, but at the same
time he recognized the prudence of his words, for he knew that these
people sometimes show a boundless patience in waiting for the minute
when they can make their vengeance the more complete.
The Shawanoe walked so fast that Larry was forced to break into a trot
now and then to keep pace with him and the cleaner-limbed Wharton. The
presence of the three hostiles at no great distance in front rendered
necessary the precaution of Arqu-wao; for, if he ran upon them with the
youths at his heels, a collision would be inevitable, with disastrous
consequences.
The guide was putting forth all the cunning of which he was capable. It
was necessary to come up with Blazing Arrow and his companions, and at
the same time prevent their knowing it.
The journey was pushed in this manner for nearly a mile, and Wharton
recognized, from familiar sights, that they were drawing near the turn
in the dry ravine where he had had his singular encounter with Blazing
Arrow when he recovered his gun from him.
Somehow or other the conviction had fastened upon him that the spot was
again to be the scene of stirring events.
"Halloo!" he exclaimed in an undertone. "He has discovered something,
and we must wait till he signals us to go on."