AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR.
The deserted men made no efforts to win back their comrades, for
Buffalo Bill not only believed that such an effort would be useless
now, but he felt that he had not the right to ask them further
to imperil their safety and that of the women against their own
convictions of duty.
He had no hard feelings against Captain Meinhold, for he perfectly
understood the reason that had led him to take such a course. He knew
the gallant officer too well to suppose that it had been a cowardly
anxiety on his own account.
He was not long left unrewarded for this self-abnegation, however; for
a messenger from the council soon summoned both himself and Congo to
attend the deliberations of that body.
The border king found that the braves were much excited over the new
proposition that had been made to them, and were quite disposed to be
good-natured.
Black Panther himself, in spite of the high-sounding speech he had
made scorning the silver of the palefaces, was really of a selfish and
covetous nature. He now found a good pretext for abandoning his lofty,
patriotic stand in the fact that a near relative of the slain man had
set him the example.
The orator was examining the pictured prizes with much interest. With
his eyes fixed solely on the horse and regimentals promised to himself,
he was descanting loudly on the benefits that would accrue to others
from the proposed arrangement.
The rifles were very much needed, he said, as nearly half of the braves
were without guns, and the blankets would be of much service; while the
whisky and tobacco and pipes and trinkets would make the hearts of all
the people glad.
He professed, indeed, not to believe in the ability of Buffalo Bill to
make all these gorgeous promises good. He must be a very great man if
he could do so; but personally he, Black Panther, was willing to give
him a trial.
They would risk little in doing this. The prisoner would remain in
their hands, and could as well be put to death a few weeks hence as now.
In short, Black Panther said--quite mildly now--that he agreed with
Bulboo and with his cousin, the good chief, and would give his voice
for postponing the execution, and for finally releasing the prisoner if
all the presents came.
There was no difficulty about this, especially as so many of the
warriors had originally been in favor of mercy, and had been overruled
in the vote taken on the subject.
In a few minutes another vote was taken, and a favorable decision was
announced.
Buffalo Bill, delighted beyond all expression, hastened to ask
permission to inform the prisoner of his respite. This was granted by
the council.
The chief and others followed to see the man released from his bonds.
No words could describe the ecstasy of joy with which the good news
was received by poor Hare, who swooned in his first excitement. For a
minute or two he lay on the ground, unconscious of the good fortune
that had come to him.
When he revived he found himself on the grass, resting in the arms of
his two friends.
After restoring him fully by dashing cold water in his face, and
dressing his wounds, they told him the particulars of what had taken
place and what they had promised in his behalf.
“It will probably take pretty nearly all you have in the world to pay
your ransom,” said Buffalo Bill.
“Oh, that’s of no consequence! What of that?” exclaimed the happy man.
“If you had been where I was just now, you would have thought millions
of dollars a cheap price to pay to get loose.”
“Of course,” said Buffalo Bill. “And you are to stay here quietly until
the presents come. Running Water says you will not be bound, but you
will be watched. If you try to escape, you will be killed. It would
be foolish for you to try to get away, for even if you did they would
follow you and track you down.”
“That’s all right. I’ll consent to that willingly enough. But, for
Heaven’s sake, don’t fail to get the things here on time. Do you think
you can do it? How can I ever thank you for all you have done for me,
Cody? I owe my life to you.”
“I have only done what I would have wished any other man to do for me,”
the king of the scouts replied.
“May Heaven help you in the same way when you are in your utmost need!”
continued the grateful man. “And Congo, too--for he has done what he
could. He has, at least, stayed near me and encouraged me.”
“He has done a great deal more than that,” replied Cody, “as you will
find out presently. But our other friends are gone, Hare.”
“Gone? I thought they were back in the woods waiting for you.”
“No; they took the boats and went, as they had a right to do. They got
alarmed for the safety of the women, and Captain Meinhold, I suppose,
thought it was best to go. I do not blame them. They thought there was
no hope for you, and they were all in great danger. They gave me fair
warning repeatedly, but I----”
“Massa Cody wouldn’t go an’ leave you, sah, till de last was ober, let
come what would. Dat’s it, sah.”
“I see--I see. I am even more indebted to him than I supposed. Cody,
you have risked life and everything for me--for me, a traitor!”
“I have only done my duty,” replied the border king simply. “Say no
more of it.”
But Hare, who, if he could not always be courageous, was at least
grateful, would not be repressed on this point, and he continued to
manifest his gratitude to his deliverer with childlike earnestness and
simplicity.
“But how are you to get off, and when?” he asked.
“I do not know. Probably our red friends will help to put us in the way
of getting to the nearest white settlement or to Fort McPherson.”
“Ah, I hope you get through safely, both for your sake and for mine. If
you are lost, I shall be lost also. Yes; even if anything happens to
delay you beyond the three weeks stipulated, my fate will be sealed.”
“Never fear. We shall doubtless get through without trouble, or one of
us, at least; and even Congo could attend to your business. He could
get assistance, you know.”
“Is there money enough at my command, I wonder?”
“How much can you raise?”
“About a thousand dollars. I will give you a letter which will enable
you to get the money.”
“It ought to be enough. If it is not, I will make up the deficiency.”
“Yes, yes; and I will repay you the last cent, if I have to live on
bread and water to do it. But you may have time to communicate with my
father, and he will supply all you need. How will you get the things
here?”
“The best way will be to charter a small sloop and sail across the
lake, I suppose,” replied Buffalo Bill. “It will be quicker and less
perilous than traveling by land through a country so infested by
Indians, who, if they are not actually hostile, are yet not by any
means to be trusted--especially if they saw articles so much coveted by
them as those which we shall bring.”
“Massa Cody, dere’s Cap’n Running Water an’ Bully Boy, looking as if
dey was waitin’ to spoke to you,” said Joe.
“So they are. They are too polite to interrupt our talk. You find more
courtesy among Indians than you do among most white men. I will go to
them.”
He went, and the chief, advancing to meet him, pointed to the lake and
asked if he and Congo would like to be sent in a canoe to rejoin their
friends, who had not been gone more than an hour and could be easily
overtaken.
Of course, the border king replied in the affirmative, and instant
preparations were made for departure, Cody hurrying back to bid Hare
good-by and give him a last word of advice.
Hare promised compliance with his admonitions, and his friends, after
a more formal farewell with the chief and principal braves, proceeded
to the beach and embarked in a canoe which was awaiting them, manned by
two young Indians who had been instructed by Running Water to go “much
quick.”
Certainly the red paddlers propelled their little bark with great
rapidity, and within an hour, on doubling a little promontory, they
came in sight of Captain Meinhold’s boat, apparently about three miles
ahead.
But here a new difficulty occurred, for the men in the forward boat,
having discovered the pursuing canoe, believed themselves to be chased
with hostile intent, and they quickened their speed to escape.
They could not distinguish white men from red at that distance. They
could only see that there were four people in the craft behind them,
and as it was impossible for them to conjecture the true state of
things, it was most natural to suppose that those four men were foes.
The outbreak of which they had witnessed the beginning, and from which
they had fled, had ended, they did not doubt, in the arrest of Buffalo
Bill and Congo and the sending of the canoe after themselves.
So they fled, and as they put all their strength to their oars, the
chase was a long one.
“It’s just as I expected,” said a man named Hutton, who was not by
any means a courageous fellow, and had been one of the foremost in
counseling Captain Meinhold to leave. “That obstinate fellow Cody has
brought ruin upon us all. Here we are now with four or five Indians
after us, and probably more behind, and nothing but a pistol or two
to defend ourselves with. In a little while they will be within rifle
shot, and then they will begin to fire upon us.”
So they made for the shore with a view of scattering and hiding in the
wood until night. But they were a long way from the land, having kept
far out for safety.
In spite of the most exhausting labor at the oars, the Indians gained
on them. The canoe, increasing its speed and taking a diagonal course,
was soon within bullet range.
While, however, the wearied fugitives were expecting a shot and were
watching for the leveling of the guns, so that they might throw
themselves down in the bottom of the boat, they saw a more welcome
sight.
Two hats were waved in the air, and, as the Indians did not wear hats,
the conclusion was inevitable that they were followed by friends
instead of foes.
A closer inspection, which but for their alarm they might sooner have
made, justified this hope, and they turned joyfully to meet their
pursuers.
The tidings which Buffalo Bill brought were most astonishing and
gratifying to Captain Meinhold, who complimented the scout highly on
his success, and took shame to himself for having deserted him, even
for the sake of the women.
But the border king was not disposed to blame any one, and, so far from
reproaching the captain, he awarded him a large share of credit for the
happy result.
“If you had said no when we talked of going back with Hare,” he said,
“his fate would have been sealed. The rest of the men would have sided
with you, and I should have been obliged to submit.”
“Tell you wot, gemmen, afore you leave these red boys you better borry
or buy one of dere guns, or we shall starve ag’in,” said Joe. “We ain’t
got a mouthful o’ nuffin’.”
This was considered a good idea, and the attempt was made to purchase a
gun and some ammunition, the men offering all the silver they had, and
the women some jewelry. But the Indians refused to sell, saying that
the guns did not belong to them, but to two other braves, and had only
been lent to them for self-protection on this trip.
“Let’s take them by force,” said Hutton. “Our lives may depend on it.”
This proposition was indignantly rejected by the others, and the
Indians, who fortunately did not understand it, offered instead a
fishing line which lay in the bottom of the canoe.
They would take nothing for it, but after it had been delivered and
thankfully accepted they suddenly turned their canoe around and started
homeward, waving a parting salutation.
The voyagers, after an hour of brisk rowing along the coast, all felt
the pressing demand of hunger, and went ashore, where some searched for
edible roots and fruits and others for bait for fishing.
Congo soon had a pocketful of worms, and, while others roamed on land
for food or rested beneath the trees, he rowed out about twenty rods
from shore and tried his luck.
Perhaps the finny inhabitants of this part of the lake had never before
seen a baited hook, and had no tradition of their ancestors having been
caught by one. Perhaps there was a political or educational convention
of fishes assembled at this particular time and place; but, whatever
the cause, Joe’s success was immediate and extraordinary.
Perch and bass and catfish contended for the honor of being caught. No
sooner did the impaled worm drop in the water than it was seized by
one of the voracious throng and darted at by others, who followed the
envied captive almost to the surface of the lake, little dreaming that
his upward flight was other than voluntary.
“Bress my soul!” exclaimed Congo, as he soon found himself the center
of a circle of flopping life which grew momentarily larger and more
demonstrative. “I neber seed nuffin’ like dis afore. Dis ’ere must
be an enchanted line! Whoop! Here comes anudder! A whopper, too! A
three-pound bass, dat ar is! Dere you go, dancing wid de rest, w’ile I
cotch your brudder an’ de rest ob your relations.”
Thus Joe fished and chattered, nor did the sport cease until the last
of his bait had gone, by which time he had upward of sixty fish,
averaging over a pound in weight, and all caught in a little over an
hour.
Great was the amazement and delight of the party when they heard of
Joe’s success. After a hearty repast, during which everybody grew
jollier than they had been for a long time past, the voyagers resumed
their journey, taking with them the remainder of their provisions,
but feeling reluctant to leave so wonderful a fishing ground without
further sport.