TURNED BACK.
It was a wise proceeding on the part of the rancher. The opportunity to
make a substantial repast was theirs, and as he had remarked, there was
no certainty when it would come again.
The bag in which the provisions were placed was taken from the back of
Jerry, and the father helped his child and wife, who ate until they were
fully satisfied. He dipped up water with Dot's small tin cup from the
stream in front, and with it their thirst was slaked.
"Molly," he suggested, "you can carry one or two of the sandwiches
without inconvenience."
"Yes."
"Let us both do so; we may lose Jerry, and if so, they will come in
handy."
"I have a couple, too," said Dot.
"It isn't best that you should burden yourself with them."
"But I can't help it, papa."
"How is that?"
"They're inside of me," and the parents, even in their great dread,
smiled at the odd conceit of the little one, who chuckled softly to
think how she had "fooled" her papa.
The delay was brief. The rancher knew that it was impossible to reach
Fort Meade without crossing the stream before them, with the probability
that still others awaited them at no great distance. It can be
understood with what depth of dread he contemplated swimming the animals
over, with the certainty of the saturation of all their garments, on
this winter night, and the cold steadily increasing.
In short, it meant perishing, unless a fire was kindled, in which case,
a delay would be necessitated that would throw away all the advantage
secured by flight. He was determined not to do it, unless actually
driven to it as a last resource.
He did not forget that he was now where there was an abundance of
material with which a raft could be constructed that would obviate this
exposure, but the building of such a rude craft, under the
circumstances, was next to impossible. He had no implement except his
pocket knife, and might grope about in the darkness for hours without
getting together enough timber to float them to the other side.
Obviously one of two things must be done--try to cross where they were
or follow the bank down until a fording place could be found, and
repeated trials were likely to be necessary before success was
obtainable.
Singular it is that so often out of the mouths of babes are heard the
words of wisdom.
The rancher had risen to his feet, and was in the act of mounting his
pony to enter the water, when Dot spoke:
"Why don't you let Dick go ahead and you ride behind on Sally?"
"Well, I declare!" exclaimed the father admiringly; "I begin to believe
that if we reach the fort, it will be through your guidance, my precious
little one," and, stooping over, he kissed her cheek.
"Strange that we did not think of that," remarked the mother. "Dot is
wise beyond her years."
The plan was adopted at once.
The mare ridden by the mother and child, and the horse of the father,
were so intelligent that no risk was involved in the essay, which
insured against the immersion held in such natural dread.
The saddle and trappings were removed from Dick, while the rancher
mounted upon the side-saddle belonging to his wife. Then the horse was
ordered to enter the water, and, with some hesitation, he obeyed, his
owner being but a step or two behind on the mare.
The gloom was so deep that the hearing, and not the sight, must be
depended upon. That, however, was reliable when nothing was likely to
occur to divert it from its duty.
The stream was no more than fairly entered when the rancher made two
unwelcome discoveries: The current was much stronger than he had
anticipated, and the water deepened rapidly. Ten feet from shore it
touched the body of the mare.
Inasmuch, however, as Dick was still walking, there was hope that the
depth might increase no more, or, at most, not to a dangerous extent.
Mr. Starr could not see his own horse, but he plainly heard him as he
advanced cautiously, feeling his way, and showing by his sniffing that
the task was anything but pleasant to him. Not knowing the width of the
stream, it was impossible to tell in what portion of it they were: but
he was already listening for the sounds which would show that his animal
was climbing out on the other side, when the very thing he feared took
place.
A loud splash, followed by a peculiar rustling noise, showed that Dick
was swimming.
At the same moment the mare sank so deeply that, had not the rider
thrown his feet backward along her spine, with his body extended over
the saddle and her neck, he would have been saturated to the knees. As
it was, Sally was within a hair of being carried off her feet by the
force of the current.
The rancher drew her head around, and, after a sharp struggle, she held
her own, and began laboring back to the shore she had left; putting
forth such vigor that it was plain the task was far more agreeable than
the one upon which she first ventured.
Meanwhile, Dick was swimming powerfully for the farther bank, and before
his owner could think of calling to him, owing to his own flurry, he
heard his hoofs stamp the hard earth. True, he had landed, but that
brief space of deep water was as bad as if its width were ten times as
great; it could not be passed without the saturation of the garments of
all, and that, as has been said, was not to be endured.
Before the mare could return Mr. Starr called to his pony, and the
animal promptly obeyed, emerging only a minute after the mare from the
point where he had entered.
"It's no use," he said to his waiting wife and little one; "there is one
place where the horses must swim."
"Did you get wet, papa?" enquired Dot, solicitous for his welfare.
"No; but I came mighty near it."
"Then I suppose we must follow down the stream, and try it elsewhere,"
said the wife.
"Yes, with the discouraging fact that we are likely to pass a dozen
fordable points, and strike a place that is deeper than anywhere else."
The saddles were readjusted, and the move made without delay. Since it
was hard to thread their way through the wood, which lined the stream
only a short distance from the water, they withdrew from it to the
prairie, where travelling was easier.
Reaching the open plain, but keeping close to the margin of the timber,
from which, fortunately, they had emerged at a point considerably
removed from that of the entrance, the rancher repeated the precaution
he had used before.
"Wait a moment," he said, in a low voice.
Once more the snow was brushed aside at his feet and the ear pressed
against the ground.
To his dismay he heard the tramp of horses' hoofs on the hard earth.
"They are near at hand!" he said, in a startled whisper; "we must get
away as quickly as we can."
He hastily helped his wife and little one on the back of the mare,
mounted his own animal, and, with the pack-horse at the rear, moved
along the timber on a rapid walk, continually peering off in the gloom,
as though it was possible for him to see the Sioux, who certainly were
at no great distance.
One fear troubled him: Suppose they should resort to the same artifice
as he, and one of them appeal to the earth for evidence. He would be
equally quick to discover the proximity of the fugitives, and with his
sense of hearing trained to the finest point by many years' exercise,
would locate the whites with unerring precision.